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From oblique subduction to intra-continental transpression: Structures of the southern Kermadec-Hikurangi margin from multibeam bathymetry, side-scan sonar and seismic reflection

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Abstract

The southern Kermadec-Hikurangi convergent margin, east of New Zealand, accommodates the oblique subduction of the oceanic Hikurangi Plateau at rates of 4–5 cm/yr. Swath bathymetry and sidescan data, together with seismic reflection and geopotential data obtained during the GEODYNZ-SUD cruise, showed major changes in tectonic style along the margin. The changes reflect the size and abundance of seamounts on the subducting plateau, the presence and thickness of trench-fill turbidites, and the change to increasing obliquity and intracontinental transpression towards the south. In this paper, we provide evidence that faulting with a significant strike-slip component is widespread along the entire 1000 km margin. Subduction of the northeastern scrap of the Hikurangi Plateau is marked by an offset in the Kermadec Trench and adjacent margin, and by a major NW-trending tear fault in the scarp. To the south, the southern Kermadec Trench is devoid of turbidite fill and the adjacent margin is characterized by an up to 1200 m high scarp that locally separates apparent clockwise rotated blocks on the upper slope from strike-slip faults and mass wasting on the lower slope. The northern Hikurangi Trough has at least 1 km of trench-fill but its adjacent margin is characterized by tectonic erosion. The toe of the margin is indented by 10–25 km for more than 200 km, and this is inferred to be the result of repeated impacts of the large seamounts that are abundant on the northern Hikurangi Plateau. The two most recent impacts have left major indentations in the margin. The central Hikurangi margin is characterized by development of a wide accretionary wedge on the lower slope, and by transpression of presubduction passive margin sediments on the upper slope. Shortening across the wedge together with a component of strike-slip motion on the upper slope supports an interpretation of some strain partitioning. The southern Hikurangi margin is a narrow, mainly compressive belt along a very oblique, apparently locked subduction zone.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. ORSTOM, B. P. 48, 06230, Villefranche slmer, France

    Jean-Yves Collot, Geoffroy Lamarche & Bertrand Toussaint

  2. Institut de Géodynamique, rue Albert Einstein 06560, Valbonne, Nice, France

    Jean Delteil, Jean-Christophe Audru, Bernard Mercier de Lepinay & Marc Sosson

  3. NIWA, Kilbirnie, P. O. Box 14901, Wellington, New Zealand

    Keith B. Lewis & Phil Barnes

  4. IGNS, P. O. Box 1320, Wellington, New Zealand

    Jean-Yves Collot, Bryan Davy, Geoffroy Lamarche & Chris Uruski

  5. Laboratoire de Géologie Dynamique, Université des Sciences et Technologies de Lille 1, 59655, Villeneuve d'Asq, France

    Franck Chanier

  6. Laboratoire de Géodynamique sous-marine, B. P. 48, 06230, Villefranche slmer, France

    Eric Chaumillon

  7. Laboratoire de Géologie Structurale, Université de Montpellier II, Place Eugène Bataillon, 34095, Montpellier, France

    Serge Lallemand

  8. Department of Earth Sciences, James Cook University of North Queensland, Q 4811, Townsville, Australia

    Alan Orpin

  9. ORSTOM, B. P. A5, Nouméa, Nouvelle-Calédonie, France

    Bernard Pelletier

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  1. Jean-Yves Collot
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Collot, JY., Delteil, J., Lewis, K.B. et al. From oblique subduction to intra-continental transpression: Structures of the southern Kermadec-Hikurangi margin from multibeam bathymetry, side-scan sonar and seismic reflection. Marine Geophysical Researches 18, 357–381 (1996). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00286085

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