Evidence for infragravity wave-tide resonance in deep oceans.

Ocean tides are the oscillatory motions of seawater forced by the gravitational attraction of the Moon and Sun with periods of a half to a day and wavelengths of the semi-Pacific to Pacific scale. Ocean infragravity (IG) waves are sea-surface gravity waves with periods of several minutes and wavelengths of several dozen kilometres. Here we report the first evidence of the resonance between these two ubiquitous phenomena, mutually very different in period and wavelength, in deep oceans. The evidence comes from long-term, large-scale observations with arrays of broadband ocean-bottom seismometers located at depths of more than 4,000 m in the Pacific Ocean. This observational evidence is substantiated by a theoretical argument that IG waves and the tide can resonantly couple and that such coupling occurs over unexpectedly wide areas of the Pacific Ocean. Through this resonant coupling, some of ocean tidal energy is transferred in deep oceans to IG wave energy.

Seismic evidence for sharp lithosphere-asthenosphere boundaries of oceanic plates.

The mobility of the lithosphere over a weaker asthenosphere constitutes the essential element of plate tectonics, and thus the understanding of the processes at the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB) is fundamental to understand how our planet works. It is especially so for oceanic plates because their relatively simple creation and evolution should enable easy elucidation of the LAB. Data from borehole broadband ocean bottom seismometers show that the LAB beneath the Pacific and Philippine Sea plates is sharp and age-dependent. The observed large shear wave velocity reduction at the LAB requires a partially molten asthenosphere consisting of horizontal melt-rich layers embedded in meltless mantle, which accounts for the large viscosity contrast at the LAB that facilitates horizontal plate motions.

Weak interplate coupling by seamounts and repeating M approximately 7 earthquakes.

Subducting seamounts are thought to increase the normal stress between subducting and overriding plates. However, recent seismic surveys and laboratory experiments suggest that interplate coupling is weak. A seismic survey in the Japan Trench shows that a large seamount is being subducted near a region of repeating earthquakes of magnitude M approximately 7. Both observed seismicity and the pattern of rupture propagation during the 1982 M 7.0 event imply that interplate coupling was weak over the seamount. A large rupture area with small slip occurred in front of the seamount. Its northern bound could be determined by a trace of multiple subducted seamounts. Whereas a subducted seamount itself may not define the rupture area, its width may be influenced by that of the seamount.