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Segmentation of the Manila subduction system from migrated multichannel seismics and wedge taper analysis

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Abstract

Based on bathymetric data and multichannel seismic data, the Manila subduction system is divided into three segments, the North Luzon segment, the seamount chain segment and the West Luzon segment starts in Southwest Taiwan and runs as far as Mindoro. The volume variations of the accretionary prism, the forearc slope angle, taper angle variations support the segmentation of the Manila subduction system. The accretionary prism is composed of the outer wedge and the inner wedge separated by the slope break. The backstop structure and a 0.5–1 km thick subduction channel are interpreted in the seismic Line 973 located in the northeastern South China Sea. The clear décollement horizon reveals the oceanic sediment has been subducted beneath the accretionary prism. A number of splay faults occur in the active outer wedge. Taper angles vary from 8.0° ± 1° in the North Luzon segment, 9.9° ± 1° in the seamount segment to 11° ± 1° in the West Luzon segment. Based on variations between the taper angle and orthogonal convergence rates in the world continental margins and comparison between our results and the global compilation, different segments of the Manila subduction system fit well the global pattern. It suggests that subduction accretion dominates the north Luzon and seamount chain segment, but the steep slope indicates in the West Luzon segment and implies that tectonic erosion could dominate the West Luzon segment.

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Acknowledgments

We thank the crew members of the R/V Tanbao for their efforts for collecting the Line 973 seismic data. We used the GMT software (Wessel and Smith 1991) and Seismic Unix software package (Stockwell 1999) to plot several figures. Reviews by guest Editor Peter Clift and two anonymous reviewers greatly improved the manuscript. This study has been supported by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant No.: 41176054 and Grant No.: 41006030) and the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (SQ200910), and the Joint Funds of the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Guangdong province (Grand No.: U0933006).

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  1. Key Laboratory of Marginal Sea Geology, South China Sea Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS), 164 West Xingang Rd., Guangzhou, 510301, People’s Republic of China

    Junjiang Zhu, Zongxun Sun, Xuelin Qiu, Huilong Xu & Wenhuan Zhan

  2. Helmeholtz Center for Ocean Research Kiel (GEOMAR), Wischhofstrasse 1-3, 24148, Kiel, Germany

    Heidrun Kopp

  3. College of Marine Geosciences, Ocean University of China, Qingdao, 266100, China

    Sanzhong Li

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  1. Junjiang Zhu
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Zhu, J., Sun, Z., Kopp, H. et al. Segmentation of the Manila subduction system from migrated multichannel seismics and wedge taper analysis. Mar Geophys Res 34, 379–391 (2013). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11001-013-9175-7

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