An Attempt to estimate the migration pathway of slab-derived fluid using shear wave splitting analysis

Hiratsuka, Shinya ; Asamori, Koichi; Saiga, Atsushi  

Deep groundwater originates from dehydration of Pacific and Philippine Sea slab subducting beneath Japanese islands, which has characteristics of high temperature and is rich in carbonate species. In this respect, it is very important for geological disposal of high-level radioactive waste to estimate reservoir and migration pathway of deep groundwater. The region where cracks are densely distributed can be regarded as the migration pathway of slab-derived fluid. It is highly probable that the region has strong anisotropy. Shear wave propagating through anisotropic media splits into two mutually orthogonally polarized waves due to shear wave polarization anisotropy. In this report, we applied shear wave splitting analysis to Hongu area of Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture and estimated the spatial distribution of leading shear wave polarization direction (LSPD) and arrival time difference between leading and lagging shear waves (dt). Based on comparison with helium isotope ratio of ground water and bubbling gas samples and two-dimensional resistivity structure estimated by previous study, we attempt to estimate migration pathway of slab-derived fluid in Hongu area of Tanabe City, Wakayama Prefecture. The main results are summarized as follows. When helium isotope ratio of groundwater and bubbling gas samples is high, dt value tends to be large. Shear wave propagating through high and low resistivity anomaly zone show small and large dt values, respectively. Previous study suggested that slab-derived fluid migrates from deeper part of western side of Hongu area and wells out in Yunomine and Kawayu hot springs. This is consistent with spatial distribution of dt values estimated by this study.