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Related Concept Videos

Influence of Earth's Curvature and Atmospheric Refraction on Leveling01:26

Influence of Earth's Curvature and Atmospheric Refraction on Leveling

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Elastic Strain Energy for Shearing Stresses

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Jun 27, 2026

High-pressure, High-temperature Deformation Experiment Using the New Generation Griggs-type Apparatus
12:30

High-pressure, High-temperature Deformation Experiment Using the New Generation Griggs-type Apparatus

Published on: April 3, 2018

Rheologic controls on the depth dependence of megathrust earthquakes.

Melodie E French1, Jonathan R Delph2, Cailey B Condit3

  • 1Department of Earth, Environmental and Planetary Sciences, Rice University, Houston, TX 77005.

Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America
|June 25, 2026
PubMed
Summary

Subduction zone earthquakes are depth-dependent. Great earthquakes nucleate where rocks are frictional, but deeper seismicity and smaller events occur due to rock heterogeneities influencing fault behavior.

Keywords:
earthquakesmegathrustrheologysubduction

Related Experiment Videos

Last Updated: Jun 27, 2026

High-pressure, High-temperature Deformation Experiment Using the New Generation Griggs-type Apparatus
12:30

High-pressure, High-temperature Deformation Experiment Using the New Generation Griggs-type Apparatus

Published on: April 3, 2018

Area of Science:

  • Earth Science
  • Seismology
  • Tectonics

Background:

  • Subduction megathrust fault slip behaviors, including earthquakes, exhibit depth-dependent characteristics.
  • The underlying causes of this depth dependence remain unclear due to variations in subduction zone thermal structures and lithological inputs.

Purpose of the Study:

  • Investigate the factors controlling the nucleation depths of great earthquakes (Mw ≥ 8).
  • Determine the deeper extent of seismogenesis in subduction zones.

Main Methods:

  • Constructed rheologic strength envelopes for six subduction zones.
  • Utilized published constitutive relations for subducting lithologies and regional thermal models.
  • Compared strength envelopes with local plate interface earthquake depths.

Main Results:

  • Subducted sediments transition from frictional to viscous deformation near 350°C, correlating with great earthquake nucleation depths (20-30 km).
  • Smaller earthquakes (Mw < 8) nucleate deeper, with seismicity extending to 40-60 km depth and 500°C.
  • Lithologic heterogeneities, loaded to frictional failure by viscous metasediments, are the most plausible cause for deeper seismicity.

Conclusions:

  • Great earthquakes nucleate and grow where all lithologies are frictional.
  • The base of the seismogenic zone is deeper than the onset of viscous deformation, limiting large earthquake growth.
  • Deeper seismicity reflects the presence and scale of plate interface heterogeneities.