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A Long-Term Earthquake Catalog for the Endeavour Segment: Constraints on the Extensional Cycle and Evidence for Hydrothermal Venting Supported by Propagating Rifts
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  • Zoe Krauss,
  • William S. D. Wilcock,
  • Martin Heesemann,
  • Angela Schlesinger,
  • Jacob Kukovica,
  • Joseph J Farrugia
Zoe Krauss
University of Washington

Corresponding Author:[email protected]

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William S. D. Wilcock
University of Washington
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Martin Heesemann
University of Victoria
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Angela Schlesinger
University of Victoria - Ocean Networks Canada
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Jacob Kukovica
Natural Resources Canada
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Joseph J Farrugia
Pacific Geoscience Centre
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Abstract

We use ocean bottom seismometer data from the Endeavour segment of the Juan de Fuca ridge to construct a long-term earthquake catalog for an intermediate-rate spreading ridge. We present > 50,000 new earthquake locations for 2016-2021 from the Ocean Networks Canada NEPTUNE cabled observatory and relocate earthquakes from two autonomous networks in 1995 and 2003-2006. The catalog comprises > 85,000 earthquakes located using three-dimensional segment-scale P- and S-wave velocity models from a prior tomography experiment. Despite the small footprints of networks near the segment center, locations show good agreement with geologic features at segment ends. The improved locations show that the northern Endeavour segment ruptured southwards from 48.3°N to 48.05°N during two diking events in early 2005, possibly accompanied by diking on the West Valley propagator. Persistent off-axis seismicity near the segment center appears to be related to the West Valley and Cobb propagating rifts which we infer extend ~10 km closer to the Endeavour segment center than is apparent in bathymetry. We suggest that the proximity of the propagators to the Endeavour vent fields contributes to the localization, vigor and longevity of the fields by focusing permeability through ongoing fracturing and by limiting extrusive magmatism through degassing of the axial magma lens. Increasing rates of seismicity beneath the vent fields beginning in late 2018 and a deepening of earthquakes in 2020 indicate that the central portion of the segment may be entering the later stages of the eruptive cycle.