近日，中国科学技术大学张海江团队提出了海洋转换断层循环密封与排驱过程。相关论文发表在2026年6月25日出版的《科学》杂志上。

海洋转换断层一直被认为是保守的、剪切主导的边界，然而其与岩浆系统的邻近性暗示了流体的参与。

研究组在东太平洋海隆的Gofar转换断层发现了潮汐调制的震颤。在地震活动稀少且原位压缩波与剪切波速度比（Vp/Vs）较低的时期，震颤幅度与半日潮相关；但在伴随高Vp/Vs的地震群活动之后，这种相关性减弱。

研究组提出了一种阀式密封-排驱动态过程：密封作用捕获挥发物并增强潮汐敏感性，从而维持震颤活动，直至破裂打开高孔隙度和高渗透率通道，使震颤停止，触发微地震，并通过热液再密封使系统重置。因此，转换断层可能是可渗透且处于潮汐临界状态的，其能量释放以震颤和破裂交替进行，受岩浆挥发物供应和愈合作用的节奏调控。

附：英文原文

Title: Cyclic sealing and drainage on an oceanic transform fault

Author: Hao Yang, Lingling Ye, Haijiang Zhang

Issue&Volume: 2026-06-25

Abstract: Oceanic transform faults have been considered conservative, shear-dominated boundaries, yet their proximity to magmatic systems implies fluid involvement. Here, we discovered tidally modulated tremor at the Gofar transform fault along the East Pacific Rise. Tremor amplitude correlates with semidiurnal tides during periods of sparse seismicity and low in-situ compressional to shear wave velocity ratio (Vp/Vs), but this correlation weakens following earthquake swarms accompanied by high Vp/Vs. We propose a valve-like sealingdrainage dynamic process where sealing traps volatiles and boosts tidal sensitivity, sustaining tremor activity until rupture opens high porosity and permeability pathways, which silences tremors, triggers microseismicity, and resets the system via hydrothermal resealing. Thus, transform faults are likely permeable and tide-critical, with energy release oscillating between tremors and rupture, paced by magmatic volatile supply and healing.

DOI: aed5665

Source: https://www.science.org/doi/10.1126/science.aed5665