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GEOPHYSICAL RESEARCH LETTERS, VOL. 35, L08302, doi:10.1029/2008GL033356, 2008

Evolution of seismic signals and slip patterns along subduction zones: Insights from a friction lab scale experiment

Christophe Voisin

Laboratoire de Géophysique Interne et Tectonophysique, CNRS, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France


Jean-Robert Grasso

Laboratoire de Géophysique Interne et Tectonophysique, CNRS, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France


Eric Larose

Laboratoire de Géophysique Interne et Tectonophysique, CNRS, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France


François Renard

Laboratoire de Géodynamique des Chaînes Alpines, CNRS, Université Joseph Fourier, Grenoble, France
Physics of Geological Processes, Oslo University, Oslo, Norway


Abstract

We investigate the influence of the cumulative slip on the frictional and acoustic patterns of a lab scale subduction zone. Shallow loud earthquakes, medium depth slow, deeper silent quakes and deepest steady-state creep are reproduced by the ageing of contact interface with cumulative displacement. The Acoustic Emission evolves with cumulative displacement and interface ageing, following a trend from strong impulsive events similar to earthquake seismic signals, to a collection of smaller amplitude and longer duration signals similar to NVT. The latter emerge as the local recollection of the unstable behaviour of the contact interface globally evolving towards the stable sliding regime.

Received 21 January 2008; accepted 17 March 2008; published 17 April 2008.

Keywords: slow slip event; non volcanic tremor; friction.

Index Terms: 8034 Structural Geology: Rheology and friction of fault zones (8163); 8163 Tectonophysics: Rheology and friction of fault zones (8034); 7240 Seismology: Subduction zones (1207, 1219, 1240); 5120 Physical Properties of Rocks: Plasticity, diffusion, and creep; 5102 Physical Properties of Rocks: Acoustic properties.

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Citation: Voisin, C., J.-R. Grasso, E. Larose, and F. Renard (2008), Evolution of seismic signals and slip patterns along subduction zones: Insights from a friction lab scale experiment, Geophys. Res. Lett., 35, L08302, doi:10.1029/2008GL033356.