Out-of-sequence thrust faults developed in the coseismic slip zone of the 1946 Nankai earthquake (Mw=8.2) off Shikoku, southwest Japan

Abstract

A multi-channel seismic (MCS) reflection survey was conducted to study the subsurface structure of the coseismic slip zone of the 1946 Nankai earthquake (Mw=8.2) off Shikoku Island in 1997. We could identify a splay fault system consisting of several sigmoid out-of-sequence thrust (OST) faults dipping landward with slope 10-25° on the poststack depth migrated MCS profiles. Most of the OSTs are apparently developed from the subducting oceanic basement to the seafloor in the forearc region, cutting both underthrust sediments and the overriding accretionary prism. In addition, most of the OSTs are within the co-seismic zone of the 1946 Nankai earthquake and the interseismic locked zone. The OSTs are considered to be related to large interplate earthquakes including the 1946 Nankai earthquake. These OSTs may be responsible for tsunami generation following deformation of forearc accretionary wedge.