Figure 7
From: Quartz deposition and its influence on the deformation process of megathrusts in subduction zones
Schematic model of a subduction zone. Model indicates areas of quartz deposition and onset of décollement step-down into areas of oceanic basalt. VLFE (very-low-frequency earthquake) zone is from Obana and Kodaira (2009) and Sugioka et al. (2012). Mineralized veining may cause hardening of the underthrusting mélange, leading to the onset of seismogenesis such as VLFE and fracturing of the oceanic basalt (see text for details).