How seamount subduction affects active margin architecture along the Middle America Trench in Mexico

The active margin architecture may be significantly affected by seamount subduction. There are several places where seamounts and seamount chains enter into subduction along Middle America Trench in Mexico. Not just time temporal accretionary stage along mostly erosive active continental margin but also the origin of an accretionary wedge and small-scale forearc basins are tightly connected to the seamount subduction in the area. Moreover, the trench architecture also varies and can be essentially divided into segments divided by seamounts in the trench. Such seamounts are most probably responsible for along-strike variations in sediment thickness in different segments of the trench as they work as communicational barriers between individual sectors. Some parts of the trench contain very little sedimentary fill, which may increase friction along these segments of the subduction zone and the other segments with thick fill provide, on the contrary, source of fluids that enters into subduction. Such changes significantly affect the geometry of the margin and may also increase earthquake and tsunami hazards in certain areas if most of the elastic strain energy is not being continually released.