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Fig. 5 | Earth, Planets and Space

Fig. 5

From: Frictional and structural controls of seismic super-cycles at the Japan trench

Fig. 5

Dynamics of the Japan Trench during a seismic super-cycle. a, b Evolution of slip velocity down-dip of the mega-splay fault and the megathrust, respectively, for 1000 years. The horizontal dashed profiles indicate segment boundaries. The stars indicate the hypocenters of earthquake nucleation, colored by the peak slip velocity attained during the event. Partial ruptures are confined to the forearc basement. During giant ruptures, slip propagates to the trench and to the mega-splay fault. Afterslip follows all ruptures. The cluster of events before and after giant ruptures corresponds to foreshocks and aftershocks, respectively. c Evolution of slip velocity at the center of each velocity-weakening segment and peak velocity anywhere along the megathrust/mega-splay system. The recurrence time of ruptures in the mantle-wedge corner increases during a super-cycle. d Peak strain rate in the oceanic asthenosphere and in the mantle wedge. e Sequence of full and partial ruptures, foreshocks and aftershocks, and style of rupture. Each event is indicated by a star colored by the peak slip velocity attained during rupture propagation

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