Shear-wave Velocity Structure of the Blanco Oceanic Transform Fault Zone

Abstract

Summary Oceanic transform faults (OTFs) facilitate hydrothermal circulation which can modify the fault zone materials and affect their rheological evolution. However, the depth extent and variability of fluid infiltration, degree of mineral alteration and their relationship with earthquake behaviour has only been characterized along a few OTFs globally. Here, we use first-overtone Rayleigh-waves extracted from seismic ambient noise to estimate the shear-wave velocity structure beneath the Blanco Transform Fault Zone (BTFZ). Compared to the adjoining normal oceanic plates, relatively variable and slow velocities reduced by at least ∼0.2-0.4 km/s (∼4-8%) are observed from the crust down to ∼22 km depth along some segments of the BTFZ. The crustal slow velocities can be explained by enhanced fluid-filled porosity of ∼0.4-10.9% caused by intense fracturing associated with abundant seismicity. Slow uppermost mantle velocities are predominantly consistent with ∼1.2-37% serpentinization and ∼>9% hydration, indicating variable and deep fluid infiltration that exceeds 15 km depth. For instance, shear-wave velocities (∼4.3-4.4 km/s) in the uppermost mantle beneath the Blanco Ridge suggest extensive serpentinization (∼13-25%), which might explain the recently documented earthquake swarms linked with aseismic creep. In comparison, within the vicinity of the ridge-transform intersections at depths ∼>16 km, low velocities (∼4.1-4.2 km/s) that are consistent with the presence of up to ∼1.6% partial melt suggest intra-transform magmatism which would contradict the long-held simple conservative strike-slip characterization of OTFs.