Seismicity and Plate Geometry of the Mendocino Triple Junction Region, Northern California (1986-2006)

The Mendocino triple junction is an unstable triple junction located at the convergence of the North American (NAP), Pacific, and Gorda lithospheric plates near Cape Mendocino, northern California. Thirty years of seismic data (1976 - 2006) was analyzed to characterize plate geometry and stress orientations affecting the region. A simple 3-D model of plate geometry was developed to separate earthquake events occurring in the NAP or Gorda plate. Upper- hemisphere focal mechanism solutions were hand plotted for select earthquake events in the study area. NAP solutions north of the MTJ are primarily reverse mechanisms. P and T axes for these solutions indicate north-northeast (~N45E) directed pressure consistent with geodetic and geologic data. NAP solutions south of the MTJ are strike-slip solutions consistent with northwest striking faults of the northern San Andreas fault zone. Gorda plate solutions east of the MTJ are primarily normal fault solutions indicating downslab tension in the subducting plate. East-west cross section plots indicate a very dense cloud of seismicity at the MTJ and demonstrate a shallow dip angle (~8° - 12°) for the top of the Gorda plate to longitude 123.5 W. East of this longitude dip angle increases and Gorda plate seismicity phases out. North-south cross sections show a clear gap in seismicity coincident with an interpreted southern extent of the Gorda plate at latitude 40.25 N as well as the aseismic nature of both the Pacific plate and northern San Andreas fault proper.