Which mechanism causes Benioff zone earthquake frequency pattern during oceanic plate subduction?

💡 Explanation

When an oceanic plate subducts, dehydration embrittlement occurs because water is released from hydrated minerals in subducting crust, reducing effective normal stress and weakening rocks, making brittle failure and earthquakes occur. Therefore dehydration embrittlement creates the Benioff frequency zone, rather than only convection, motion changes, or density changes on their own affecting the whole pattern.

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