Variable In Situ Stress Orientations Across the Northern Hikurangi Subduction Margin

D. D. McNamara, E. Behboudi, L. Wallace, D. Saffer, A. E. Cook, A. Fagereng, M. Paganoni, Hung Yu Wu, G. Kim, H. Lee, H. M. Savage, P. Barnes, I. Pecher, L. J. LeVay, K. E. Petronotis

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

5 Scopus citations

Abstract

We constrain orientations of the horizontal stress field from borehole image data in a transect across the Hikurangi Subduction Margin. This region experiences NW-SE convergence and is the site of recurrent slow slip events. The direction of the horizontal maximum stress is E-W at an active splay thrust fault near the subduction margin trench. This trend changes to NNW-SSE in a forearc trench slope basin on the offshore accretionary wedge, and to NE-SW in the onshore forearc. Multiple, tectonic, and geological processes, either individually or in concert, may explain this variability. The observed offshore to onshore stress rotation may reflect a change from dominantly compressional tectonics at the deformation front, to a strike-slip and/or extensional tectonic regime closer to the Taupo Volcanic Zone, further inland. In addition, the offshore stress may be affected by topography and/or stress rotation around subducting seamounts, and/or temporal stress changes during the slow slip cycle.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Article numbere2020GL091707
JournalGeophysical Research Letters
Volume48
Issue number5
DOIs
StatePublished - Mar 16 2021

All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes

  • Geophysics
  • Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)

Fingerprint

Dive into the research topics of 'Variable In Situ Stress Orientations Across the Northern Hikurangi Subduction Margin'. Together they form a unique fingerprint.

Cite this