Focal Fault and Stress Field of the Yao'an M 6.5 Earthquake on January 15, 2001

Using the 78 focal mechanism solutions of the fore shocks, main shock and after shocks of the earthquake sequence for the Yao’an earthquake, the characteristics of the focal faults and stress field for the earthquake sequence are analyzed. The results show that the main rupture plane of the Yao’an earthquake sequence is a tectonic fault with N50°W strike and steep dip and all the main shock, the fore shocks and the vast majority of after shocks occurred on the main rupture plane. A tectonic fracture with NNE-NE strike also participated in development process of the sequence. The focal stress field of the sequence dominated by principal compressional stress with nearly horizontal orientation SSE is consistent with the regional tectonic stress field. In the sequence development, the stress field in the focal region was complex with multi-azimuths and multi-action models and the focal rupture showed complex features with multi-directions and multi-patterns.