Seismic attenuation beneath Kanto, Japan: evidence for high attenuation in the serpentinized subducting mantle

The three-dimensional (3-D) P-wave attenuation (Qp ) structure beneath Kanto, Japan, is estimated by using a large number of waveform data. Corner frequencies of earthquakes are initially calculated from spectral ratios of S-coda waves, followed by an inversion to simultaneously determine attenuation terms and frequency-dependent site amplification factors. The attenuation terms are then inverted for estimation of the 3-D Qp −1 structure. The obtained results show that seismic attenuation is highly heterogeneous, and pronounced high-attenuation areas are located in the continental lower crust and mantle of the Philippine Sea slab. Seismic activity is very low in the high-attenuation lower crust, which is most likely attributable to ductile deformation facilitated by fluids supplied from the underlying Philippine Sea slab. The high-attenuation area in the Philippine Sea slab represents the serpentinized mantle, and two M ~ 7 earthquakes are documented to have occurred along the western boundary of this area. Interplate earthquakes on the Pacific slab are absent in areas overlain by the serpentinized Philippine Sea slab, which is likely due to the low viscosity of serpentine promoting continuous ductile deformation rather than brittle failures along the plate boundary.