Three-dimensional resistivity structure in Ishikari Lowland, Hokkaido, northeastern Japan—Implications to strain concentration mechanism

Abstract

The Ishikari Lowland on the island of Hokkaido in northeastern Japan is situated at the end of a westward-moving foreland fold-and-thrust belt from the Hidaka collision zone, where the northeastern Japan and Kurile arcs meet. This activity forms a tectonic zone under an east-west compression field in this region. A magnetotelluric resistivity survey was performed to investigate the mechanism for the strain concentration in this region. A three-dimensional (3-D) resistivity inversion showed a conductive thick sedimentary layer and an underlying resistive basement. Remarkable conductors were found in the resistive basement beneath the Ishikari-teichi-toen fault zone (ITFZ) and the Shikotsu caldera. The conductors beneath the ITFZ were interpreted as aqueous fluids that accumulated in the damaged zone in connection with the formation of pull-apart faults and horst. In contrast, the conductor beneath the Shikotsu caldera corresponds to a magmatic fluid path from the upper mantle. These features suggest that the ductile deformation in the upper crust contribute to the strain concentration in this region. The soft thick sediments allow ductile deformations to occur. Furthermore, local fluid-rich zones in the basement cause the crustal strength to be heterogeneous. These thick sediments and local fluids in the basement both contribute to the strain concentration in this region.