Seismic patterns of the Guerrero-Oaxaca, Mexico region, and its relationship to the continental margin structure

The main purpose of this paper is to enhance awareness on the seismic evidences that suggest a possible segmentation of the continental margin at the Guerrero-Oaxaca, Mexico region. Data from a recent 7 months survey of microseismicity carried out from 2008 December to 2009 June at Ometepec, Guerrero area, using a portable broad-band digital seismographs network added with data of a previous survey and the aftershocks distribution of the 1982 and 1995 major earthquakes permit to infer the characteristics of the seismic patterns of the Acapulco-Pinotepa Nacional portion of the southern Mexico subduction region. Two different seismic regimens are apparent, one in the Acapulco-Marquelia and the other in the Marquelia-Pinotepa Nacional areas. In the Acapulco-Marquelia portion, the seismicity is broader and dispersed starting at the coast up to 160 km inland approximately. Seismicity in the Marquelia-Pinotepa portion, on the other hand, is narrower and concentrates near the coast. The two seismic regimens are separated by a narrow band or strip of low seismic activity, nearly perpendicular to the coast and trench axis. The apparent low seismicity strip that separates the seismic regimens may trace the position either of a seismically inactive fracture zone or a seismic gap. Moreover, careful observation of the epicentres distribution of the Marquelia-Pinotepa segment reveals two clusters of events separated by another low seismicity strip. Thus, the two observed low activity strips, located near the northern tip of the Ometepec submarine canyon and Punta Maldonado, respectively, are interpreted in this paper as corresponding to disruptions of the continental margin. Other low seismic activity strips probably exist but these two are the most conspicuous. Supplementary information on fault mechanisms available for this area seems to substantiate additionally this interpretation. The observations reported are important to understand the mechanics of the major earthquakes that frequently occur in this region.