Collaborative research: A better understanding of seismic hazard in Tehuantepec, Mexico, using amphibious MT studies

The subduction zone offshore southwest Mexico is divided into two very different geological regions by the Gulf of Tehuantepec. North of the gulf, the Cocos tectonic plate is shallow as it subducts beneath the North American plate, earthquakes are less frequent, and the ocean trench is close to shore. At Tehuantepec the coastline bends to form the gulf, and south of the gulf the plate is steeper, earthquakes are more frequent, and the trench is far offshore.

Located in between, the Gulf of Tehuantepec is considered a seismic gap, in that there have been no recorded large earthquakes associated with the tectonic plates slipping past each other. There are two possible reasons for this. The first is that the rocks of the Tehuantepec Ridge, which is being subducted with the Cocos plate, may be releasing water that lubricates the fault zone, allowing the plates to slowly slide past each other without producing large earthquakes.

The second is that the topography of the ridge is mechanically locking the two plates together, in which case a very large earthquake is inevitable when the stress finally builds up to breaking point. In 2017 a large normal earthquake broke across the down-going Cocos plate, a type of earthquake not normally seen in subduction zones, and which could increase the stress and the chances of another large earthquake.

This study will make geophysical measurements both onshore and offshore that are sensitive to the presence of water deep in the subduction zone to understand why this earthquake occurred. This work will advance the career of a postdoctoral investigator and strengthen ties between the US and Mexican geophysical communities.

In this project an amphibious magnetotelluric (MT) sounding survey coupled with seismotectonic analysis will: (1) Determine differences in coupling/slip regimes in and around the Mexican Tehuantepec seismic gap; (2) Image the Tehuantepec Ridge within the subducted plate to determine its role in the coupling and if it contributes to the break between the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt arc system and the Chiapas arc; (3) Image any evidence of fluid infiltration in the Tehuantepec fault. MT soundings have already been successfully used in Mexico to identify changes between stick slip and transient slip within the subduction zone and the geometry of the lower plate.

This new study will analyze the unusually large Mw8.2 normal fault Tehuantepec earthquake which is downdip of a slab interface that has no recorded earthquakes. The proposed reasons for why this earthquake occurred are that it was due to slab pull below a strongly coupled interface or that it was due to slab bending along a reactivated, possibly fluid-filled, and poorly coupled, subducted outer rise fault.

This work would represent the only physical measurement to directly determine which is correct and determine the link to possible future earthquakes.

This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.