@phdthesis{Martin2005,
  author    = {Martin, Sebastian},
  title     = {Subduction zone wave guides : deciphering slab structure using intraslab seismicity at the Chile-Peru subduction zone},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus-5820},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  year      = {2005},
  abstract  = {Subduction zones are regions of intense earthquake activity up to great depth. Sources are located inside the subducting lithosphere and, as a consequence, seismic radiation from subduction zone earthquakes is strongly affected by the interior slab structure. The wave field of these intraslab events observed in the forearc region is profoundly influenced by a seismically slow layer atop the slab surface. This several kilometer thick low-velocity channel (wave guide) causes the entrapment of seismic energy producing strong guided wave phases that appear in P onsets in certain regions of the forearc. Observations at the Chile-Peru subduction zone presented here, as well as observations at several other circum-pacific subduction zones show such signals. Guided wave analysis contributes details of immense value regarding the processes near the slab surface, such as layering of subducted lithosphere, source locations of intraslab seismicity and most of all, range and manner of mineralogical phase transitions. Seismological data stem from intermediate depth events (depth range 70 km - 300 km) recorded in northern Chile near 21 Grad S during the collaborative research initiative " Deformation Processes in the Andes" (SFB 267). A subset of stations - all located within a slab-parallel transect close to 69 Grad W - show low-frequency first arrivals (2 Hz), sometimes followed by a second high-frequency phase. We employ 2-dimensional finite-difference simulations of complete P-SV wave propagation to explore the parameter space of subduction zone wave guides and explain the observations. Key processes underlying the guided wave propagation are studied: Two distinct mechanisms of decoupling of trapped energy from the wave guide are analyzed - a prerequisite to observe the phases at stations located at large distances from the wave guide (up to 100 km). Variations of guided wave effects perpendicular to the strike of the subduction zone are investigated, such as the influence of phases traveling in the fast slab. Further, the merits and limits of guided wave analysis are assessed. Frequency spectra of the guided wave onsets prove to be a robust quantity that captures guided wave characteristics at subduction zones including higher mode excitation. They facilitate the inference of wave guide structure and source positioning: The peak frequency of the guided wave fundamental mode is associated with a certain combination of layer width and velocity contrast. The excitation strength of the guided wave fundamental mode and higher modes is associated with source position and orientation relative to the low-velocity layer. The guided wave signals at the Chile-Peru subduction zone are caused by energy that leaks from the subduction zone wave guide. On the one hand, the bend shape of the slab allows for leakage at a depth of 100 km. On the other, equalization of velocities between the wave guide and the host rocks causes further energy leakage at the contact zone between continental and oceanic crust (70 km depth). Guided waves bearing information on deep slab structure can therefore be recorded at specific regions in the forearc. These regions are determined based on slab geometry, and their locations coincide with the observations. A number of strong constraints on the structure of the Chile-Peru slab are inferred: The deep wave guide for intraslab events is formed by a layer of 2 km average width that remains seismically slow (7 percent velocity reduction compared to surrounding mantle). This low-velocity layer at the top of the Chile-Peru slab is imaged from a depth of 100 km down to at least 160 km. Intermediate depth events causing the observed phases are located inside the layer or directly beneath it in the slab mantle. The layer is interpreted as partially eclogized lower oceanic crust persisting to depth beyond the volcanic arc.},
  subject      = {Anden},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Muldashev2017,
  author    = {Muldashev, Iskander},
  title     = {Modeling of the great earthquake seismic cycles},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-398926},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {xii, 117},
  year      = {2017},
  abstract  = {The timing and location of the two largest earthquakes of the 21st century (Sumatra, 2004 and Tohoku 2011, events) greatly surprised the scientific community, indicating that the deformation processes that precede and follow great megathrust earthquakes remain enigmatic. During these phases before and after the earthquake a combination of multi-scale complex processes are acting simultaneously: Stresses built up by long-term tectonic motions are modified by sudden jerky deformations during earthquakes, before being restored by multiple ensuing relaxation processes. This thesis details a cross-scale thermomechanical model developed with the aim of simulating the entire subduction process from earthquake (1 minute) to million years' time scale, excluding only rupture propagation. The model employs elasticity, non-linear transient viscous rheology, and rate-and-state friction. It generates spontaneous earthquake sequences, and, by using an adaptive time-step algorithm, recreates the deformation process as observed naturally over single and multiple seismic cycles. The model is thoroughly tested by comparing results to those from known high- resolution solutions of generic modeling setups widely used in modeling of rupture propagation. It is demonstrated, that while not modeling rupture propagation explicitly, the modeling procedure correctly recognizes the appearance of instability (earthquake) and correctly simulates the cumulative slip at a fault during great earthquake by means of a quasi-dynamic approximation. A set of 2D models is used to study the effects of non-linear transient rheology on the postseismic processes following great earthquakes. Our models predict that the viscosity in the mantle wedge drops by 3 to 4 orders of magnitude during a great earthquake with magnitude above 9. This drop in viscosity results in spatial scales and timings of the relaxation processes following the earthquakes that are significantly different to previous estimates. These models replicate centuries long seismic cycles exhibited by the greatest earthquakes (like the Great Chile 1960 Earthquake) and are consistent with the major features of postseismic surface displacements recorded after the Great Tohoku Earthquake. The 2D models are also applied to study key factors controlling maximum magnitudes of earthquakes in subduction zones. Even though methods of instrumentally observing earthquakes at subduction zones have rapidly improved in recent decades, the characteristic recurrence interval of giant earthquakes (Mw>8.5) is much larger than the currently available observational record and therefore the necessary conditions for giant earthquakes are not clear. Statistical studies have recognized the importance of the slab shape and its surface roughness, state of the strain of the upper plate and thickness of sediments filling the trenches. In this thesis we attempt to explain these observations and to identify key controlling parameters. We test a set of 2D models representing great earthquake seismic cycles at known subduction zones with various known geometries, megathrust friction coefficients, and convergence rates implemented. We found that low-angle subduction (large effect) and thick sediments in the subduction channel (smaller effect) are the fundamental necessary conditions for generating giant earthquakes, while the change of subduction velocity from 10 to 3.5 cm/yr has a lower effect. Modeling results also suggest that having thick sediments in the subduction channel causes low static friction, resulting in neutral or slightly compressive deformation in the overriding plate for low-angle subduction zones. These modeling results agree well with observations for the largest earthquakes. The model predicts the largest possible earthquakes for subduction zones of given dipping angles. The predicted maximum magnitudes exactly threshold magnitudes of all known giant earthquakes of 20th and 21st centuries. The clear limitation of most of the models developed in the thesis is their 2D nature. Development of 3D models with comparable resolution and complexity will require significant advances in numerical techniques. Nevertheless, we conducted a series of low-resolution 3D models to study the interaction between two large asperities at a subduction interface separated by an aseismic gap of varying width. The novelty of the model is that it considers behavior of the asperities during multiple seismic cycles. As expected, models show that an aseismic gap with a narrow width could not prevent rupture propagation from one asperity to another, and that rupture always crosses the entire model. When the gap becomes too wide, asperities do not interact anymore and rupture independently. However, an interesting mode of interaction was observed in the model with an intermediate width of the aseismic gap: In this model the asperities began to stably rupture in anti-phase following multiple seismic cycles. These 3D modeling results, while insightful, must be considered preliminary because of the limitations in resolution. The technique developed in this thesis for cross-scale modeling of seismic cycles can be used to study the effects of multiple seismic cycles on the long-term deformation of the upper plate. The technique can be also extended to the case of continental transform faults and for the advanced 3D modeling of specific subduction zones. This will require further development of numerical techniques and adaptation of the existing advanced highly scalable parallel codes like LAMEM and ASPECT.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Barrionuevo2020,
  author    = {Barrionuevo, Mat{\´i}as},
  title     = {The role of the upper plate in the Andean tectonic evolution (33-36°S): insights from structural geology and numerical modeling},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-51590},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-515909},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {148, S2},
  year      = {2020},
  abstract  = {Los Andes Centrales del Sur (33-36°S) son un gran laboratorio para el estudio de los procesos de deformaci{\´o}n orog{\´e}nica, donde las condiciones de borde, como la geometr{\´i}a de la placa subductada, imponen un importante control sobre la deformaci{\´o}n andina. Por otro lado, la Placa Sudamericana presenta una serie de heterogeneidades que tambi{\´e}n imparten un control sobre el modo de deformaci{\´o}n. El objetivo de esta tesis es probar el control de este {\´u}ltimo factor sobre la construcci{\´o}n del sistema orog{\´e}nico andino. A partir de la integraci{\´o}n de la informaci{\´o}n superficial y de subsuelo en el {\´a}rea sur (34°-36°S), se estudi{\´o} la evoluci{\´o}n de la deformaci{\´o}n andina sobre el segmento de subducci{\´o}n normal. Se desarroll{\´o} un modelo estructural que eval{\´u}a el estado de esfuerzos desde el Mioceno hasta la actualidad, el rol de estructuras previas y su influencia en la migraci{\´o}n de fluidos. Con estos datos y publicaciones previas de la zona norte del {\´a}rea de estudio (33°-34ºS), se realiz{\´o} un modelado num{\´e}rico geodin{\´a}mico para probar la hip{\´o}tesis del papel de las heterogeneidades de la placa superior en la evoluci{\´o}n andina. Se utilizaron dos c{\´o}digos (LAPEX-2D y ASPECT) basados en elementos finitos/diferencias finitas, que simulan el comportamiento de materiales con reolog{\´i}as elastoviscopl{\´a}sticas bajo deformaci{\´o}n. Los resultados del modelado sugieren que la deformaci{\´o}n contraccional de la placa superior est{\´a} significativamente controlada por la resistencia de la lit{\´o}sfera, que est{\´a} definida por la composici{\´o}n de la corteza superior e inferior y por la proporci{\´o}n del manto litosf{\´e}rico, que a su vez est{\´a} definida por eventos tect{\´o}nicos previos. Estos eventos previos tambi{\´e}n definieron la composici{\´o}n de la corteza y su geometr{\´i}a, que es otro factor que controla la localizaci{\´o}n de la deformaci{\´o}n. Con una composici{\´o}n de corteza inferior m{\´a}s f{\´e}lsica, la deformaci{\´o}n sigue un modo de cizalla pura mientras que las composiciones m{\´a}s m{\´a}ficas provocan un modo de deformaci{\´o}n tipo cizalla simple. Por otro lado, observamos que el espesor inicial de la lit{\´o}sfera controla la localizaci{\´o}n de la deformaci{\´o}n, donde zonas con lit{\´o}sfera m{\´a}s fina es propensa a concentrar la deformaci{\´o}n. Un l{\´i}mite lit{\´o}sfera-asten{\´o}sfera asim{\´e}trico, como resultado del flujo de la cu{\~n}a mant{\´e}lica tiende a generar despegues vergentes al E.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{RodriguezPiceda2022,
  author    = {Rodriguez Piceda, Constanza},
  title     = {Thermomechanical state of the southern Central Andes},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-54927},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-549275},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {xx, 228},
  year      = {2022},
  abstract  = {The Andes are a ~7000 km long N-S trending mountain range developed along the South American western continental margin. Driven by the subduction of the oceanic Nazca plate beneath the continental South American plate, the formation of the northern and central parts of the orogen is a type case for a non-collisional orogeny. In the southern Central Andes (SCA, 29°S-39°S), the oceanic plate changes the subduction angle between 33°S and 35°S from almost horizontal (< 5° dip) in the north to a steeper angle (~30° dip) in the south. This sector of the Andes also displays remarkable along- and across- strike variations of the tectonic deformation patterns. These include a systematic decrease of topographic elevation, of crustal shortening and foreland and orogenic width, as well as an alternation of the foreland deformation style between thick-skinned and thin-skinned recorded along- and across the strike of the subduction zone. Moreover, the SCA are a very seismically active region. The continental plate is characterized by a relatively shallow seismicity (< 30 km depth) which is mainly focussed at the transition from the orogen to the lowland areas of the foreland and the forearc; in contrast, deeper seismicity occurs below the interiors of the northern foreland. Additionally, frequent seismicity is also recorded in the shallow parts of the oceanic plate and in a sector of the flat slab segment between 31°S and 33°S. The observed spatial heterogeneity in tectonic and seismic deformation in the SCA has been attributed to multiple causes, including variations in sediment thickness, the presence of inherited structures and changes in the subduction angle of the oceanic slab. However, there is no study that inquired the relationship between the long-term rheological configuration of the SCA and the spatial deformation patterns. Moreover, the effects of the density and thickness configuration of the continental plate and of variations in the slab dip angle in the rheological state of the lithosphere have been not thoroughly investigated yet. Since rheology depends on composition, pressure and temperature, a detailed characterization of the compositional, structural and thermal fields of the lithosphere is needed. Therefore, by using multiple geophysical approaches and data sources, I constructed the following 3D models of the SCA lithosphere: (i) a seismically-constrained structural and density model that was tested against the gravity field; (ii) a thermal model integrating the conversion of mantle shear-wave velocities to temperature with steady-state conductive calculations in the uppermost lithosphere (< 50 km depth), validated by temperature and heat-flow measurements; and (iii) a rheological model of the long-term lithospheric strength using as input the previously-generated models. The results of this dissertation indicate that the present-day thermal and rheological fields of the SCA are controlled by different mechanisms at different depths. At shallow depths (< 50 km), the thermomechanical field is modulated by the heterogeneous composition of the continental lithosphere. The overprint of the oceanic slab is detectable where the oceanic plate is shallow (< 85 km depth) and the radiogenic crust is thin, resulting in overall lower temperatures and higher strength compared to regions where the slab is steep and the radiogenic crust is thick. At depths > 50 km, largest temperatures variations occur where the descending slab is detected, which implies that the deep thermal field is mainly affected by the slab dip geometry. The outcomes of this thesis suggests that long-term thermomechanical state of the lithosphere influences the spatial distribution of seismic deformation. Most of the seismicity within the continental plate occurs above the modelled transition from brittle to ductile conditions. Additionally, there is a spatial correlation between the location of these events and the transition from the mechanically strong domains of the forearc and foreland to the weak domain of the orogen. In contrast, seismicity within the oceanic plate is also detected where long-term ductile conditions are expected. I therefore analysed the possible influence of additional mechanisms triggering these earthquakes, including the compaction of sediments in the subduction interface and dehydration reactions in the slab. To that aim, I carried out a qualitative analysis of the state of hydration in the mantle using the ratio between compressional- and shear-wave velocity (vp/vs ratio) from a previous seismic tomography. The results from this analysis indicate that the majority of the seismicity spatially correlates with hydrated areas of the slab and overlying continental mantle, with the exception of the cluster within the flat slab segment. In this region, earthquakes are likely triggered by flexural processes where the slab changes from a flat to a steep subduction angle. First-order variations in the observed tectonic patterns also seem to be influenced by the thermomechanical configuration of the lithosphere. The mechanically strong domains of the forearc and foreland, due to their resistance to deformation, display smaller amounts of shortening than the relatively weak orogenic domain. In addition, the structural and thermomechanical characteristics modelled in this dissertation confirm previous analyses from geodynamic models pointing to the control of the observed heterogeneities in the orogen and foreland deformation style. These characteristics include the lithospheric and crustal thickness, the presence of weak sediments and the variations in gravitational potential energy. Specific conditions occur in the cold and strong northern foreland, which is characterized by active seismicity and thick-skinned structures, although the modelled crustal strength exceeds the typical values of externally-applied tectonic stresses. The additional mechanisms that could explain the strain localization in a region that should resist deformation are: (i) increased tectonic forces coming from the steepening of the slab and (ii) enhanced weakening along inherited structures from pre-Andean deformation events. Finally, the thermomechanical conditions of this sector of the foreland could be a key factor influencing the preservation of the flat subduction angle at these latitudes of the SCA.},
  language  = {en}
}
@phdthesis{Freisleben2023,
  author    = {Freisleben, Roland},
  title     = {Deciphering the mechanisms of permanent forearc deformation based on marine terraces},
  doi       = {10.25932/publishup-61035},
  url       = {http://nbn-resolving.de/urn:nbn:de:kobv:517-opus4-610359},
  school      = {Universit{\"a}t Potsdam},
  pages     = {xiv, 153},
  year      = {2023},
  abstract  = {The Andes reflect Cenozoic deformation and uplift along the South American margin in the context of regional shortening associated with the interaction between the subducting Nazca plate and the overriding continental South American plate. Simultaneously, multiple levels of uplifted marine terraces constitute laterally continuous geomorphic features related to the accumulation of permanent forearc deformation in the coastal realm. However, the mechanisms responsible for permanent coastal uplift and the persistency of current/decadal deformation patterns over millennial timescales are still not fully understood. This dissertation presents a continental-scale database of last interglacial terrace elevations and uplift rates along the South American coast that provides the basis for an analysis of a variety of mechanisms that are possibly responsible for the accumulation of permanent coastal uplift. Regional-scale mapping and analysis of multiple, late Pleistocene terrace levels in central Chile furthermore provide valuable insights regarding the persistency of current seismic asperities, the role of upper-plate faulting, and the impact of bathymetric ridges on permanent forearc deformation. The database of last interglacial terrace elevations reveals an almost continuous signal of background-uplift rates along the South American coast at ~0.22 mm/yr that is modified by various short- to long-wavelength changes. Spatial correlations with crustal faults and subducted bathymetric ridges suggest long-term deformation to be affected by these features, while the latitudinal variability of climate forcing factors has a profound impact on the generation and preservation of marine terraces. Systematic wavelength analyses and comparisons of the terrace-uplift rate signal with different tectonic parameters reveal short-wavelength deformation to result from crustal faulting, while intermediate- to long-wavelength deformation might indicate various extents of long-term seismotectonic segments on the megathrust, which are at least partially controlled by the subduction of bathymetric anomalies. The observed signal of background-uplift rate is likely accumulated by moderate earthquakes near the Moho, suggesting multiple, spatiotemporally distinct phases of uplift that manifest as a continuous uplift signal over millennial timescales. Various levels of late Pleistocene marine terraces in the 2015 M8.3 Illapel-earthquake area reveal a range of uplift rates between 0.1 and 0.6 mm/yr and indicate decreasing uplift rates since ~400 ka. These glacial-cycle uplift rates do not correlate with current or decadal estimates of coastal deformation suggesting seismic asperities not to be persistent features on the megathrust that control the accumulation of permanent forearc deformation over long timescales of 105 years. Trench-parallel, crustal normal faults modulate the characteristics of permanent forearc-deformation; upper-plate extension likely represents a second-order phenomenon resulting from subduction erosion and subsequent underplating that lead to regional tectonic uplift and local gravitational collapse of the forearc. In addition, variable activity with respect to the subduction of the Juan Fern{\´a}ndez Ridge can be detected in the upper plate over the course of multiple interglacial periods, emphasizing the role of bathymetric anomalies in causing local increases in terrace-uplift rate. This thesis therefore provides new insights into the current understanding of subduction-zone processes and the dynamics of coastal forearc deformation, whose different interacting forcing factors impact the topographic and geomorphic evolution of the western South American coast.},
  language  = {en}
}