Structure and Earthquakes at Subduction Zones

What is the seismic structure of a plate interface in a subduction zone, and how do the structures and compositions along the plate interface influence variations in seismic slip behavior? How can we use seismic results to constrain the thermal and compositional state of oceanic lithosphere and asthenosphere outboard of the trench to develop more realistic models of subduction?

Recent advances in amphibious seismology have yielded new shoreline-crossing data to seismically image the locked regions of subduction plate interfaces. This offers the opportunity to better understand how structures may relate to plate behavior at subduction zones across a range of depths.