Three-dimensional electrical resistivity structure beneath a strain concentration area in the back-arc side of the northeastern Japan Arc

Usui, Yoshiya*; Ueshima, Makoto*; Hase, Hideaki*; Ichihara, Hiroshi*; Aizawa, Koki*; Koyama, Takao*; Sakanaka, Shinya*; Ogawa, Tsutomu*; Yamaya, Yusuke*; Nishitani, Tadashi*; Asamori, Koichi; Ogawa, Yasuo*; Yoshimura, Ryokei*; Takakura, Shinichi*; Mishina, Masaaki*; Morita, Yuichi*

We elucidated the crustal heterogeneities beneath a strain concentration area on the back-arc side of the northeastern Japan Arc based on electrical resistivity. By deploying magnetotelluric surveys, we revealed the three-dimensional electrical resistivity structure in the crust, suggesting the coexistence of two types of strain-concentration mechanisms in the strain-concentration area. The shallow conductive layers and lower-crustal conductors appear to act as low-elastic-modulus and low-viscosity areas, respectively, and are responsible for the strain concentration. We found a spatial correlation between the edges of the lower-crustal conductors and the epicenters of large intraplate earthquakes. Weak shear zones in the conductive lower crust may cause stress loading on faults in the brittle upper crust, resulting in large earthquakes. We also identified vertical conductors ranging from the lower crust to Quaternary volcanoes, which may indicate fluid paths to these volcanoes.