日本海東縁部の地震活動とメカニズムおよびテクトニクス

Abstract

Extensive studies on seismic activity and focal mechanism of major to moderate-size earthquakes that occurred along the eastern margin of the Japan Sea and the northern part of the Fossa Magna regions are reviewed and discussed in relation to regional tectonics. The validity of a prevailing hypothesis is also tested from various observations to see if the Northeast Honshu arc is part of the North American plate. Seismicity along the Japan Sea coastal regions extends southwestwards across the Toyama trough in one way, and also in other way to the northern Fossa Magna through a zone near the Shinano river. It has been noticed that the seismicity show temporarily successive properties similar to migration phenomena. Five major earthquakes along the Japan Sea regions have been interpreted as having thrust-type mechanisms, and the depth distribution of aftershocks of two larger events and the dip of submarine active faults suggest an eastward dipping fault plane. The maximum compressive stress derived from the focal mechanisms of more moderatesize earthquakes indicates E-W to ESE-WNW orientations, changing gradually from the northern to southwestern part of the coastal regions. In inland regions west of the northern Fossa Magna, the general trend appears oriented again in the ESE-WNW direction, which is found to be well consistent with the direction of principal compressive strains derived from geodetic triangulation surveys over the last 80 years. All the above evidence suggests that the regions under consideration may be a tectonically active, convergent zone, and might be regarded as a zone of a possible plate boundary. There is no direct evidence, however, suggesting an eastward incipient subduction of the Japan Sea lithospheric plate, from observations of submarine topography and upper crustal structure beneath the regions. Numerical calculations show that the suggested hypothesis could partly account for the observed directions of compressive stress in Northeast Honshu but is apparently inconsistent with those in Southwest Honshu. The results suggest that the Northeast Honshu arc may better be regarded as a "micro-plate" which receives strong compressive stress not only from the westward movement of the Pacific plate but also from the west side. One of possible sources of the driving stress from the west side might be an eastward movement of the "Amurian plate" which is one of micro-plates detached from the Eurasian plate. Another possible source could be bilateral extension of the central Japan Sea region or of the regions covering Northeast China and the Korean peninsula.