A Three-Dimensional Reflection Seismic Investigation of Seismogenic Zone, in the eastern Nankai accretionary prism

We carried out a 3-D reflection seismic survey [SFJ-KAIKO] in the eastern Nankai accretionary prism from June to July 2000. The crustal deformation of the eastern Nankai accretionary prism affected by a nearby collision between the Izu-Bonin arc and the central Japan. Several active fault systems were described by many high-resolution seismic data, and proposed that the Tokai and Kodaiba fault systems were derived from a decollement plane. The main objective of our experiment was to image the plate boundary and identify the up-dip limit of seismogenic zone. The 3-D survey covers 45km long and 5km wide area with 51 seismic lines, located about 50km southwest from Omaezaki. We applied the non-iterative Kirchhoff pre-stack time migration method (Matsushima et.,al 2001) with stacking velocity analysis to our 3-D data. The processed 3-D data gives us a significantly clear image of the thrust faults and the relationship between sediment deformation and thrust activity. A preliminary 3-D interpretation was conducted and leaded the following results.1) The Tokai and Kodaiba thrusts are clearly imaged as out-of-sequence thrusts. 2) Both thrusts are active fault that revealed by the structure of deformed sediments near seafloor. 3) A strong and low frequency reflector can be traced in the entire profile that should be a decollement plane. Tokai and Kodaiba fault systems merged to the decollement plane at same depth. The contact area of the thrust faults and the decollement may be suggesting the up-dip limit of seismogenic zone of the eastern Nankai accretionary prism .The 3-D image will contribute to reveal the mechanism of disastrous earthquakes in the Tokai area.