Title: Improving hazard resilience by high-resolution 3D seismic tomography of subduction zones in Japan and New Zealand

Abstract:

Resolving subduction zone structure in three-dimensions, at high-resolution, and at scales comparable to the rupture area of the largest earthquakes represents a significant scientific challenge, but is important for understanding the impact of crustal scale architecture on seismic and tsunami hazard at subduction zones. In this presentation, I will describe two projects where we have overcome this challenge by harnessing three-decades of marine-seismic data to obtain high-resolution, regional constraints on the crustal structure of Nankai Trough, SW Japan and the Hikurangi margin, New Zealand. In both settings I will describe how crustal-scale architecture may be impacting the dimensions and slip-behavior of the seismogenic zone. I will conclude by describing new research involving the application of these technique to the NE Japan trench.