Seismicity and Stress State in the Ryukyu Islands Subduction Zone

Research reveals distinct stress field variations in the Ryukyu Islands subduction zone, with extensional stress observed north of the Tokara Strait and compressional stress south of it. The study utilized a comprehensive earthquake catalogue and damped regional stress tensor inversion to analyze shallow and intermediate earthquakes. Findings indicate that the Okinawa Trough's stress field transitions from strike-slip to normal fault type, suggesting the southern segment is entering an expansion stage. Additionally, the northeastern region exhibits biaxial tension–uniaxial compression, with principal compressive stress oriented SEE. This study enhances understanding of seismicity characteristics and subduction zone dynamics, providing critical insights for earthquake hazard analysis in this area.

Xie, Z., Wang, E., & Lyu, Y. (2022). Seismicity and Stress State in the Ryukyu Islands Subduction Zone. Sustainability, 14(22), 15146. https://doi.org/10.3390/su142215146