Earthquake depth-energy release: thermomechanical implications for dynamic plate theory

Analysis of the global centroid-moment tensor catalog reveals significant regional variations of seismic energy release to 290 km depth. These variations reflect radial and lateral contrasts in thermomechanical competence, consistent with a shear-dominated non-adiabatic boundary layer some 700-km thick, capped by denser oceanic lithosphere as much as 100 km thick, or lighter continental tectosphere 170 to 260 km thick. Thus, isobaric shearing at fractally-distributed depths likely facilitates toroidal plate rotations while minimizing global energy dissipation. Shear localization in the shallow crust occurs as dislocations at finite angles with respect to the shortening direction, with a 30 degree angle being the most likely. Consequently, relatively low-angle reverse faults, steep normal faults, and triple junctions with orthogonal or hexagonal symmetry are likely to form in regions of crustal shortening, extension, and transverse motion, respectively. Thermomechanical theory also predicts adiabatic conditions in the mantle below about 1000-km depth, consistent with observed variations in bulk sound speed.