@article {leptokaropoulos_seismicity_2023,
	title = {Seismicity Properties of the Chain Transform Fault Inferred Using Data From the PI-LAB Experiment},
	journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth},
	volume = {128},
	number = {3},
	year = {2023},
	note = {_eprint: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2022JB024804},
	month = {02/2023},
	pages = {e2022JB024804},
	abstract = {Oceanic transform faults are intriguing in that they do not produce earthquakes as large as might be expected given their dimensions. We use 1-year of local seismicity (370 events above MC = 2.3) recorded on an array of ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs) and geophysical data to study the seismotectonic properties of the Chain transform, located in the equatorial Mid-Atlantic. We extend our analysis back in time by considering stronger earthquakes (MW >= 5.0) from global catalogs. We divide Chain into three areas (east, central, and west) based on historical event distribution, morphology, and multidimensional OBS seismicity cluster analysis. Seismic activity recorded by the OBS is the highest at the eastern area of Chain where there is a lozenge-shaped topographic high, a negative rMBA gravity anomaly, and only a few historical MW >= 5.5 events. OBS seismicity rates are lower in the western and central areas. However, these areas accommodate the majority of seismic moment release, as inferred from both OBS and historical data. Higher b-values are significantly correlated with lower rMBA and with shallower bathymetry, potentially related to thickened crust. Our results suggest high lateral heterogeneity along Chain. Patches with moderate to low OBS seismicity rates that occasionally host MW >= 6.0 earthquakes are interrupted by segments with abundant OBS activity but few historical events with 5.5 <= MW < 6.0. This segmentation is possibly due to variable fluid circulation and alteration, which may also change in time.},
	keywords = {fault segmentation, Mid Atlantic Ridge, OBS seismicity, oceanic transform faults, seismotectonics},
	issn = {2169-9356},
	doi = {10.1029/2022JB024804},
	url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2022JB024804},
	author = {Leptokaropoulos, K. and Rychert, C. A. and Harmon, N. and Kendall, J. M.}
}
@article {leptokaropoulos_tidal_2021,
	title = {Tidal Triggering of Microseismicity at the Equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge, Inferred From the PI-LAB Experiment},
	journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth},
	volume = {126},
	number = {9},
	year = {2021},
	note = {_eprint: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2021JB022251},
	month = {08/2021},
	pages = {e2021JB022251},
	abstract = {The gravitational pulls from the moon and the sun result in tidal forces which influence both Earth{\textquoteright}s solid and water mass. These stresses are periodically added to the tectonic ones and may become sufficient for initiating rupture in fault systems critically close to failure. Previous research indicates correlations between increased seismicity rates and low tides for fast- and intermediate-spreading mid-ocean ridges in the Pacific Ocean. Here, we present a microseismicity data set (4,719 events) recorded by an ocean bottom seismometer deployment at the equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge. We show that low, as well as decreasing ocean water level, result in relatively elevated seismicity rates at higher magnitudes (lower b-values), translated into increased probabilities of stronger event occurrence at or towards low tides. Moreover, seismic bursts (enhanced activity rate clusters), occurring at rates well above the reference seismicity, are exclusively present during values of either high tidally induced extensional stresses or high extensional stress rates. Although the b-value differences are not significant enough to be conclusive, the seismicity rate variations exhibit statistical significance, supporting the previous findings for tidal triggering at low tides within normal-faulting regimes and extending the range of observations to slow-spreading ridges. Observed triggering of slip on low angle faults at low tides is predicted by Coulomb stress modeling. The triggering of slip on high angle faults observed here, is not easily explained without another factor. It may be related to the presence of a shallow magma body beneath the ridge, as supported by previous seismic imaging in the region.},
	keywords = {b-values, Coulomb stress, magnitude distribution, Mid-Atlantic Ridge, seismicity, tidal triggering},
	issn = {2169-9356},
	doi = {10.1029/2021JB022251},
	url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2021JB022251},
	author = {Leptokaropoulos, K. and Harmon, N. and Hicks, S. P. and Rychert, C. A. and Schlaphorst, D. and Kendall, J. M.}
}
@article {bogiatzis_source_2020,
	title = {Source Regions of Infragravity Waves Recorded at the Bottom of the Equatorial Atlantic Ocean, Using OBS of the PI-LAB Experiment},
	journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Oceans},
	volume = {125},
	number = {6},
	year = {2020},
	note = {_eprint: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2019JC015430},
	month = {05/2020},
	pages = {e2019JC015430},
	abstract = {Infragravity waves are generated along coasts, and some small fraction of their energy escapes to the open oceans and propagates with little attenuation. Due to the scarcity of deep-ocean observations of these waves, the mechanism and the extent of the infragravity waves energy leakage from the coasts remains poorly understood. Understanding the generation and pathways of infragravity wave energy is important among others for understanding the breakup of ice-shelves and the contamination of high-resolution satellite radar altimetry measurements of sea level. We examine data from 37 differential pressure gauges of Ocean Bottom Seismometers (OBS) near the equatorial mid-Atlantic ridge, deployed during the Passive Imaging of the Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary (PI-LAB) experiment. We use the beamforming technique to investigate the incoming directions of infragravity waves. Next, we develop a graph-theory-based global back-projection method of noise cross-correlation function envelopes, which minimizes the effects of array geometry using an adaptive weighting scheme. This approach allows us to locate the sources of the infragravity energy. We assess our observations by comparing to a global model of infragravity wave heights. Our results reveal strong coherent energy from sources and/or reflected phases at the west coast of Africa and some sources from South America. These energy sources are in good agreement with the global infragravity wave model. In addition, we also observe infragravity waves arriving from North America during specific events that mostly occur during October{\textendash}February 2016. Finally, we find indications of waves that propagate with little attenuation, long distances through sea ice, reflecting off Antarctica.},
	keywords = {Africa, Antarctica, Atlantic Ocean, back-projection, beamforming, infragravity waves},
	issn = {2169-9291},
	doi = {10.1029/2019JC015430},
	url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2019JC015430},
	author = {Bogiatzis, P. and Karamitrou, A. and Ward Neale, J. and Harmon, N. and Rychert, C. A. and Srokosz, M.}
}
@article {agius_sediment_2018,
	title = {Sediment Characterization at the Equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge From P-to-S Teleseismic Phase Conversions Recorded on the PI-LAB Experiment},
	journal = {Geophysical Research Letters},
	volume = {45},
	number = {22},
	year = {2018},
	note = {_eprint: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2018GL080565},
	month = {11/2018},
	pages = {12,244{\textendash}12,252},
	abstract = {Accurate marine sediment characteristics, for example, thickness and seismic velocity, are important for constraining sedimentation rates with implications for climate variations and for seismic imaging of deeper structures using ocean bottom seismic deployments. We analyze P-to-S seismic phase conversions from the sediment-crust boundary recorded by the Passive Imaging of the Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary (PI-LAB) experiment to infer the sediment thickness across the Mid-Atlantic Ridge covering 0- to 80-Myr-old seafloor. We find Pds-P delay times of 0.04{\textendash}0.37 s, or 5- to 82-m thickness. Sediment thickness increases with age. Thickness agrees with global estimates for young (<15{\textendash}20 Myr) seafloor but is thinner on older lithosphere. Our result may represent a lower limit on sediment thickness, given that several of our stations are on topographic highs. The sedimentation rate decrease observed from 5 to 1.2 mm/kyr at \~{}10 Myr suggests a recent increase in productivity related to climate change, eolian dust fluxes, and/or biogenic marine activity.},
	keywords = {equatorial Mid-Atlantic Ridge, PI-LAB, sediments},
	issn = {1944-8007},
	doi = {10.1029/2018GL080565},
	url = {https://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/abs/10.1029/2018GL080565},
	author = {Agius, M. R. and Harmon, N. and Rychert, C. A. and Tharimena, S. and Kendall, J.-M.}
}
