Evolution and hydration of the Juan de Fuca crust and uppermost mantle

This seismic survey of the Juan de Fuca Plate has the specific aim of characterizing the plate from its formation at the ridge, through alteration and hydration of the plate as it ages, to subduction of the plate along the Cascadia margin. Owing to the very high risk of large earthquakes in Cascadia, improved understanding of the role of water in the subduction process is a primary broader impact of the survey. The project is also an important adjunct to the Cascadia Initiative, a multi-year deployment of instruments both onshore and offshore to study the structure and seismicity of the Cascadia region.