Forearc Structure and Fault Slip Near the Epicenter of the April 1, 2007, Megathrust Earthquake (Mw 8.1) and Tsunami in the Solomon Islands

We reprocessed three multichannel seismic-reflection (MCS) lines collected by the USGS (1982, 1984) near the epicenter of the 2007 Mw-8.1 megathrust earthquake that struck the Solomon Islands. Near the epicenter, several bathymetric and tectonic elements, including an active spreading ridge and a transform fault, are being subducted at the New Britain Trench. These subducted elements affected fault slip during the earthquake, as indicated by two finite fault models (Yagi, 2007; Ji, 2007). Slip began around the epicenter, southeast of where the spreading ridge enters the subduction zone. Slip was reduced directly over the ridge, and northwest of the ridge, slip resumed with increased, possibly maximum amplitude. Fault rupture propagated northwestward at about 1.95 km/s (Yagi, 2007). The Woodlark spreading ridge, with its irregular bathymetry and probable high heat flow, injects a strong three-dimensionality into the analysis of fault slip along the interplate thrust. MCS data show smooth reflections from the interplate decollement that can be followed for about 40 km east of the trench, and hypocenters locally recorded during 1998 (Yoneshima et al., 2005) trace the plate interface deep into the subduction zone. The downgoing plate dips ~30° northeast through the zone of highest 1998 seismic activity, which occurs below 20 km depth. Although young oceanic crust is being subducted eastward along the New Britain Trench, the subducting plate bends sharply downward and dips steeply (30° to 45°) into the mantle. Teleseismic data place the 2007 earthquake epicenter near the trench axis, close to the up-dip limit of the seismogenic zone indicated by the 1998 seismicity. Under the upper slope of the island arc south of the epicenter, strong reflections suggest a mixed volcanic and carbonate-rock framework of the island arc. Down slope of where the strong reflections end, seaward-verging thrust faults deform several small forearc basins. Deformation occurred episodically, as indicated by stacked angular disconformities within the basins. Listric normal faults document local collapse of the upper slope that may have been driven by subduction of high-standing oceanic features. Modeling the tsunami produced by the 2007 earthquake indicates that some islands are so close to the epicenter that tsunami waves arrived within 5 min. after shaking began, allowing people scant time to react.