When a rigid, elastic oceanic plate subducts from a trench, an outer bulge is formed due to flexure of the elastic plate. In addition, rough seafloor topographic features caused by plate bending-related normal faulting, such as horst and graben structures, are observed in the vicinity of the trench axis.
(Above) Schematic illustration of plate subduction in the north-western Pacific margin.
(Bottoms) Bathymetric maps around the Japan trench at northern latitudes of 37-41 degrees (from off-Miyagi to-off-Aomori). Left bottom, water depth; middle bottom, inclination of slope; right bottom; aspect of slope.
* Bathymetric data are ETOPO1 (above), and a compilation of multi-narrow beam echo sounder data collected by Japan Coast Guard and JAMSTEC (bottoms).
(Illustration & Explanation: Gou FUJIE and Shigeaki ONO)
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2017, 126(2), 105.
DOI:10.5026/jgeography.126.105
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2017, 126(2), 109.
DOI:10.5026/jgeography.126.109
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2017, 126(2), 113.
DOI:10.5026/jgeography.126.113
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2017, 126(2), 125.
DOI:10.5026/jgeography.126.125
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2017, 126(2), 147.
DOI:10.5026/jgeography.126.147
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2017, 126(2), 163.
DOI:10.5026/jgeography.126.163
Dots-and-Lines Approach to Subduction Volcanism and Tectonics (Original Article)
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2017, 126(2), 181.
DOI:10.5026/jgeography.126.181
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2017, 126(2), 195.
DOI:10.5026/jgeography.126.195
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2017, 126(2), 207.
DOI:10.5026/jgeography.126.207
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2017, 126(2), 223.
DOI:10.5026/jgeography.126.223
Overview of the Drilling Project on the Bend-fault Hydrology
in Old Incoming Plate (Review Article)
Journal of Geography (Chigaku Zasshi), 2017, 126(2), 247.
DOI:10.5026/jgeography.126.247