@article {wang_slab_2025,
	title = {Slab Morphology, Dehydration, and Sub-Arc Melting Beneath the Alaska Peninsula Revealed by Body-Wave Tomography},
	journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth},
	volume = {130},
	number = {3},
	year = {2025},
	note = {_eprint: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2024JB029814},
	pages = {e2024JB029814},
	abstract = {Abstract The Alaska Peninsula has a long history of plate subduction with along-arc variations in volcanic eruption styles and geochemistry. However, the sub-arc melting processes that feed these volcanoes are unclear. The Alaska slab morphology below 200 km depth remains debated due to limited seismic data and thus low tomography resolution in this region. Here we utilize the newly available regional and teleseismic data to build 3-D high-resolution VP and VS models to 660 km depth. We find that the high-velocity Pacific Plate subducts to the bottom of the mantle transition zone (MTZ) with complex deformation and gaps. In the southwest, we observe a wide gap in the high-velocity slab at 200{\textendash}500 km depths. Toward the northeast, the slab becomes more continuous extending to the MTZ with a few holes below 200 km. We interpret these gaps as a slab tear that coincides with the subducted ancient Kula-Pacific Ridge. We also invert for 3-D VP and VP/VS models to 200 km depth with higher resolution and find strong along-strike changes in slab dehydration and sub-arc melting, indicated by low VP and high VP/VS anomalies. Slab dehydration and sub-arc melting are most extensive below the Pavlof and Shumagin segments in the southwest, becoming limited below the Chignik and Chirikof segments in the northeast, and extensive again beneath the Kodiak segment further to the northeast. We propose that the variations of slab hydration at the outer rise significantly influence slab dehydration at greater depths and further control sub-arc melting beneath the Alaska Peninsula.},
	keywords = {Alaska peninsula, Body-wave tomography, slab dehydration, slab morphology, sub-arc melting, subduction zones, tomography, volcano},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JB029814},
	author = {Wang, Fan and Wei, S. Shawn and Ruppert, Natalia A. and Zhang, Haijiang and Wu, Jonny}
}
@article {zheng_characterizing_2024,
	title = {Characterizing Sub-Seafloor Seismic Structure of the Alaska Peninsula Along the Alaska-Aleutian Subduction Zone},
	journal = {Journal of Geophysical Research: Solid Earth},
	volume = {129},
	number = {11},
	year = {2024},
	note = {_eprint: https://agupubs.onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/pdf/10.1029/2024JB029862},
	pages = {e2024JB029862},
	abstract = {Abstract A shallow sub-seafloor seismic model that includes well-determined seismic velocities and clarifies sediment-crust discontinuities is needed to characterize the physical properties of marine sediments and the oceanic crust and to serve as a reference for deeper seismic modeling endeavors. This study estimates the seismic structure of marine sediments and the shallow oceanic crust of the Alaska-Aleutian subduction zone at the Alaska Peninsula, using data from the Alaska Amphibious Community Seismic Experiment (AACSE). We measure seafloor compliance and Ps converted wave delays from AACSE ocean-bottom seismometers (OBS) and seafloor pressure data and interpret these measurements using a joint Bayesian Monte Carlo inversion to produce a sub-seafloor S-wave velocity model beneath each available OBS station. The sediment thickness across the array varies considerably, ranging from about 50 m to 2.80 km, with the thickest sediment located in the continental slope. Lithological composition plays an important role in shaping the seismic properties of seafloor sediment. Deep-sea deposits on the incoming plate, which contain biogenic materials, tend to have reduced S-wave velocities, contrasting with the clay-rich sediments in the shallow continental shelf and continental slope. A difference in S-wave velocities is observed for upper oceanic crust formed at fast-rate (Shumagin) and intermediate-rate (Semidi) spreading centers. The reduced S-wave velocities in the Semidi crust may be caused by increased faulting and possible lithological variations, related to a previous period of intermediate-rate spreading.},
	keywords = {Alaska peninsula, seafloor compliance, sub-seafloor structure},
	doi = {https://doi.org/10.1029/2024JB029862},
	author = {Zheng, Mengjie and Sheehan, Anne F. and Liu, Chuanming and Wu, Mengyu and Ritzwoller, Michael H.}
}
@article {wang_fluids_2024,
	title = {Fluids control along-strike variations in the Alaska megathrust slip},
	journal = {Earth and Planetary Science Letters},
	volume = {633},
	year = {2024},
	month = {may},
	pages = {118655},
	abstract = {Interseismic and coseismic slip on the subduction zone megathrust show complex along-strike variations and the controlling factors remain debated. Here we image seismic velocity anomalies to infer fluid distribution in the Alaska subduction zone (Alaska Peninsula section) with seismic tomography. The weakly locked Shumagin segment is characterized by abundant fluids on the plate interface and in the overriding plate, whereas the moderately-to-highly locked Chignik and Chirikof segments that hosted M > 8 earthquakes are relatively dry. The Kodiak segment, which was ruptured by the 1964 M9.2 Great Alaska earthquake and is presently fully locked near the trench, is characterized by a fluid-rich plate interface but a fluid-poor and inferred low-porosity overriding plate. Multiple large earthquakes have nucleated in fluid-rich regions at the plate interface. Our study highlights the important roles of fluids, particularly in the overriding plate, in controlling interseismic slip deficit and earthquake rupture. We propose that a fluid-rich overriding plate means that there has been a high sustained flux of fluids across the plate interface, which enhances the formation of clay minerals that promote fault creep.},
	keywords = {Alaska peninsula, Body-wave tomography, fluids, Megathrust earthquakes, Slip behavior, subduction zone},
	issn = {0012-821X},
	doi = {10.1016/j.epsl.2024.118655},
	url = {https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0012821X24000888},
	author = {Wang, Fan and Wei, S. Shawn and Drooff, Connor and Elliott, Julie L. and Freymueller, Jeffrey T. and Ruppert, Natalia A. and Zhang, Haijiang}
}
