Recently, changes in
Vp/
Vs ratio have been found by Iizuka to occur before huge earthquakes with hypocentral region depths of 30-40kms below seabottom off Japan.
It will be difficult to explain the occurrence of earthquakes with hypocentres of 30-40kms by only the dilatancy mechanism, since there will be some limits to the downward penetration of water, though original water included in the rocks may play an important role. In contrast, the deeper the location of hypocentres, the more significant will be the existence and behaviour of heat.
In the case of 30-40kms depth earthquakes around Japan, for example those taking place beneath the Pacific Ocean just off the Japanese islands, it has been suggested that, following the plate tectonics theory, the subduction of the Pacific plate will act to drag down the margins of the main Japanese islands as part of the overlying plate, and that earthquakes will occur along the plane due to the great force at work there. The great earthquakes are said to occur in low heat flow zones. However, is it true that such earthquakes always take place only in low heat flow regions?
To explain this matter, we put the locations of epicentral areas on the heat flow map (Fig. 5). From this figure, it is clear that the huge earthquakes have not always taken place only in the low heat flow zones. The Kanto (1923), Enshunada (1854), Tonankai (1944), Nankaido (1946), and Hyuganada (1968) earthquakes, all of them of the order of
M=8 (Richter's scale), occurred in comparatively high heat flow zones of 2.0 HFU or more beneath the Pacific Ocean just off Japan in the western half of the Japanese islands.
On the otherhand, the major earthquakes occurring beneath the Pacific Ocean just off the northeastern half of Japan are located in the abnormally low heat flow zone averaging 1.0 HFU. However, it is worthy of note that the depths of hypocentres (or energy accumulations) in this area have been located at depths greater than those of the huge earthquake zones in the southwestern half of Japan. This means, even in the case of those earthquakes of the low heat flow zones, that high temperature can be expected at the hypocentral depths.
The relation of temperature against pressure and the thermal gradient curves with melting temperature dada are given in Fig. 6. In this figure M. T. refers to the melting temperature of wet basalt, while (M. T.) indicates the melting temperature of dry basalt. In the case of granite, the melting temperature M. T. g is lower.
In the case of the earthquakes of Kanto, Enshunada, Tonankai, Nankaido and Hyuganada, the depths of hypocentres are roughly 30kms, and the heat flow values recorded on the sea floor 1.5-2.5 HFU, therefore, from the thermal gradient curves it is obvious that the temperature in the hypocentral zone will approach the melting points of wet basalt. Under such a situation, assuming that there is little pressure decrease due to dilatancy and temperature increase due to the existance of the huge force acting on the rocks, partial melting or even phase transitions will be possible in the hypocentral zone.
Even in the case of the earthquakes of the low heat flow zones, occurring beneath the Pacific Ocean just off the northeastern half of Japan at depths of 50-60kms, we can see from the thermal gradient curve starting at 1.0 HFU on sea floor, the temperature at the hypocentral zone will meet the melting point of granite or will be 100°C less than the melting point of wet basalt. Therefore in this case, also, it can be presumed that partial melting will occur, assuming that once again there is little pressure decrease and temperature increase due to the existence of huge force acting on the rocks.
The melting or partial melting will create a volume increase, consequently stresses will be originated, then such forces will be added to the original forces, causing earthquakes to take place.
During the ti
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