Premium
High‐resolution image of the oceanic moho in the subducting Nazca Plate from P‐S converted waves
Author(s) -
Bock Günter,
Schurr Bernd,
Asch Günter
Publication year - 2000
Publication title -
geophysical research letters
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 2.007
H-Index - 273
eISSN - 1944-8007
pISSN - 0094-8276
DOI - 10.1029/2000gl011881
Subject(s) - geology , oceanic crust , lithosphere , seismology , subduction , crust , mantle (geology) , convergent boundary , geophysics , tectonics
Short‐period P‐S converted waves outline the oceanic Moho of the descending Nazca plate in northern Chile at 24°S. Comparison with hypocentral locations obtained with temporary local seismic networks show that earthquakes inside the subducting oceanic lithosphere of the Nazca plate are located predominantly in the oceanic crust at depths between 70 and 120 km, and probably in the upper mantle at depths below 120 km. The results suggest that dehydration embrittlement as mechanism for intermediate‐depth earthquakes is active both in the former oceanic crust and upper mantle of subducting lithosphere.