From active fault segmentation to risks of earthquake hazards and property and life losses—A case study from the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault zone

Strong earthquakes generally rupture along active faults,and associated ground motion can cause earthquake disasters,property losses,and casualties from kilometers to tens of kilometers away.Therefore,one of the most effective ways to find earthquake’s dangerous parts of faults is to study the seismic hazards on fault segments.After that,we can also evaluate the probabilities of landslides hazard,property losses,and casualties.In this study,using fault slip rates and magnitude-frequency relationship as constraints,we calculated the earthquake occurrence rates for the segments along the Xianshuihe-Xiaojiang fault zone.We obtained 11 sites of single-segment or multi-segment rupturing risk.We also provided these potential events conditional probabilities in the next 30 years.For the 11 potential earthquakes,we calculated the property loss of residential buildings in the ground motion field.The most significant property loss is CNY 7.65 billion caused by the single-segment rupturing of the F19 segment on the Anninghe fault.We applied the deep learning neural network method in predicting the number of casualties for the potential earthquakes,showing that the most significant event is the multi-segment rupturing of the F29 and F30 segments on the Anninghe fault with the predicted death number of 279-317.We also evaluated the probabilities of earthquake landslides after the potential earthquakes.The results show that areas with intense compressional tectonic stress are highly unstable and prone to earthquake induced landslides,including the southern section of the Yuke fault,the southern section of the Xianshuihe fault,and the conjugated area between the southern section of the Daliangshan fault and the Lianfeng fault.These areas have a considerable number of earthquake landslides with probabilities>10%.The methodology and results will give us a new effective way of applying active fault data in earthquake hazard and risk analysis and provide a scientific path for earthquake prevention,disaster reduction,and emergency rescue preparation.

Slip rate and interseismic coupling along the Moxi-Shimian segment of the Xianshuihe fault, Eastern Qinghai-Xizang Plateau

On September 5,2022,the Luding M6.8 earthquake occurred in the Moxi-Shimian segment of the Xianshuihe fault,coinciding with the historical ruptured zone of the 1786 Moxi earthquake.Its seis-mogenic environment provides a foundation for comprehending the mechanism of the earthquake and its future hazard.In the Moxi-Shimian segment,we establish a series of near-field Global Navigation Satellite Systems(GNsS)stations to enhance the spatial resolution of observational data for the inversion of the interseismic kinematic parameters.In this study,with an elastic screw dislocation model con-strained by GNsS observations,the slip rate of the Moxi-Shimian segment is estimated to be 10.9±1.0 mm/yr,while the locking depth is 15.7±6.2 km.Additionally,we utilize a block-dislocation model to invert the interseismic fault coupling along the Kangding-Moxi-Shimian segment.The result indicates a gradual deepening of the locking depth along the section from Kangding to Shimian.The coseismic rupture of the 2022 event occurred within the high coupling regions in the Kangding-Moxi-Shimian segment,which indicates that the rupture kinematics in this event might be controlled by the interseismic deformation.The seismic moment accumulated within the ruptured zone of the Luding earthquake since 1786 ranges in[1.42-3.40]×10^(19) N-m,which is significantly greater than the seismic moment released during the 2022 event.As a result,we infer that the Luding earthquake released only a portion of the accumulated energy within the original rupture zone since 1786,indicating that the 2022 event has not caused a complete rupture in the Moxi-Shimian segment.Consequently,there remains a substantial seismic hazard in this area.

Segmentations of active normal dip-slip faults around Ordos block according to their surface ruptures in historical strong earthquakes

From the results of researches of active faults in resent years, a correlation analysis between segments of the faults according to surface ruptures in nine historical strong earthquakes occurring in downfaulted system and active structures around Ordos block is conducted in paper. The result shows that there is a good correlation between them, except few individual data that have more uncertain parameters. It shows that intensity and segments of surface ruptures in these strong earthquakes are intrinsically related with the active structures. These strong earthquakes produced stable and unstable rupture boundaries of characteristic-earthquake type and successive occurrence of strong earthquakes on the different boundary faults in the same tectonic unit.

Study of the segmentation of active fault by the boundary element method──analysis of the Xianshuihe fault zone

On the basis of the recent geological surveys and the relevant studies of the Xianshuihe fault zone, this paper analyzes the seismogenic mechanism of some faults and characteristic morphology on the fault zone by the boundary element method and discusses the fault segmentation and the related distribution of the earthquake ruptures. The main conclusions are: For the first order segmentation, the Xianshuihe fault zone can be divided into three major segments (the northwestern Luhuo-Qianning segment, the middle linking fracture region and the southeastern Kangding segment). Among them, the differences are not only in geometry and structure, but also in mechanical property and dynamics. Some of the characteristic morphologies on the Xianshuihe fault zone reflect the effects in cumulative deformation due to long-term fault movement, and reveal the fault segmentation in different orders. Such morphologies control, to some extent, the developments and the distributions of the earthquake ruptures on the fault zone.

Kinematical and Structural Patterns of the Yingjing-Mabian-Yanjin Thrust Fault Zone, Southeast of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau and Its Segmentation from Earthquakes

Segmentation of the thrust fault zone is a basic problem for earthquake hazard evaluation. The Yingjing-Mabian-Yanjin thrust fault zone is an important seismic belt NW-trending in the southeast margin of the Qinghal-Xizang （Tibet） plateau. The longitudinal faults in the thrust zone are mainly of the thrust slipping type. The late Quaternary motion modes and displacement rates are quite different from north to south. Investigation on valleys across the fault shows that the transverse faults are mainly of dextral strike-slipping type with a bit dip displacement. Based on their connections with the longitudinal faults, three types of transverse faults are generalized, namely： the separate fault, the transform fault and the tear fault, and their functions in the segmentation of the thrust fault zone are compared. As the result, the Yingjing-Mabian-Yanjin thrust fault zone is divided into three segments, and earthquakes occurring in these three segments are compared. The tri-section of the Yingjing-Mabian-Yanjin thrust fault zone identified by transverse fault types reflects, on the one hand, the differences in slip rate, earthquake magnitude and pace from each segment, and the coherence of earthquake rupturing pace on the other hand. It demonstrates that the transverse faults control the segmentation to a certain degree, and each type of the transverse faults plays a different role.

Fault-Growth Pattern of the South Margin Normal Fault of the Yuguang Basin in Northwest Beijing and its Influencing Factors

Based on high-resolution remote sensing image interpretation, digital elevation model 3-D analysis, field geologic field investigation, trenching engineering, and ground-penetrating radar, synthetic research on the evolution of the Yuguang Basin South Margin Fault （YBSMF） in northwest Beijing was carried out. We found that the propagation and growth of faults most often occurred often at two locations： the fault overlapping zone and the uneven or rough fault segment. Through detailed observation and analysis of all cropouts of faults along the YBSMF from zone a to zone i, we identified three major factors that dominate or affect fault propagation and growth. First, the irregularity of fault geometry determine the propagation and growth of the fault, and therefore, the faults always propagate and grow at such irregular fault segments. The fault finally cuts off and eliminates its irregularity, making the fault geometry and fault plane smoother than before, which contributes to the slipping movement of the half-graben block in the basin. Second, the scale of the irregularity of the fault geometry affects the result of fault propagation and growth, that is, the degree of the cutting off of fault irregularity. The degree of cutting off decreases as irregularity scale increases. Third, the maximum possible slip displacement of the fault segment influences the duration of fault propagation and growth. The duration at the central segments with a large slip displacement is longer than that at the end segments with a smaller slippage value.

The First Quantitative Slip-Rate Estimated Along the Ashikule Fault at the Western Segment of the Altyn Tagh Fault System

As one of the longest strike-slip fault in Asia,the Altyn Tagh Fault（ATF）defines the northern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau and plays a significant role inaccommodating the deformation resulting from the IndiaAsia convergence.

Characteristics of fault zones and their control on remaining oil distribution at the fault edge: a case study from the northern Xingshugang Anticline in the Daqing Oilfield, China

Most major oil zones in the Daqing Oilfield have reached a later,high water cut stage,but oil recovery is still only approximately 35%,and 50%of reserves remain to be recovered.The remaining oil is primarily distributed at the edge of faults,in poor sand bodies,and in insufficiently injected and produced areas.Therefore,the edge of faults is a major target for remaining oil enrichment and potential tapping.Based on the dynamic change of production from development wells determined by the injection-recovery relationship at the edge of faults,we analyzed the control of structural features of faults on remaining oil enrichment at the edge.Our results show that the macroscopic structural features and their geometric relationship with sand bodies controlled remaining oil enrichment zones like the edges of NNE-striking faults,the footwalls of antithetic faults,the hard linkage segments（two faults had linked together with each other to form a bigger through-going fault）,the tips of faults,and the oblique anticlines of soft linkages.Fault edges formed two types of forward microamplitude structures：（1） the tilted uplift of footwalls controlled by inverse fault sections and（2） the hanging-wall horizontal anticlines controlled by synthetic fault points.The remaining oil distribution was controlled by microamplitude structures.Consequently,such zones as the tilted uplift of the footwall of the NNW-striking antithetic faults with a fault throw larger than 40 m,the hard linkage segments,the tips of faults,and the oblique anticlines of soft linkage were favorable for tapping the remaining oil potential.Multi-target directional drilling was used for remaining oil development at fault edges.Reasonable fault spacing was determined on the basis of fault combinations and width of the shattered zone.Well core and log data revealed that the width of the shattered zone on the side of the fault core was less than 15 m in general;therefore,the distance from a fault to the development target should be larger than 15 m.Vertically segmented growth faults should take the separation of the lateral overlap of faults into account.Therefore,the safe distance of remaining oil well deployment at the fault edge should be larger than the sum of the width of shattered zone in faults and the separation of growth faults by vertical segmentation.

Interpretation of the west segment of the coastal fault zone in the coastal region of South China based on the gravity data

By systemic processing, comprehensive analysis, and interpretation of gravity data, we confirmed the existence of the west segment of the coastal fault zone(west of Yangjiang to Beibu Bay) in the coastal region of South China. This showed an apparent high gravity gradient in the NEE direction, and worse linearity and less compactness than that in the Pearl River month. This also revealed a relatively large curvature and a complicated gravity structure. In the finding images processed by the gravity data system, each fault was well reflected and primarily characterized by isolines or thick black stripes with a cutting depth greater than 30 km. Though mutually cut by NW-trending and NE-trending faults, the apparent NEE stripe-shaped structure of the west segment of the coastal fault zone remained unchanged,with good continuity and an activity strength higher than that of NW and NE-trending faults. Moreover,we determined that the west segment of the coastal fault zone is the major seismogenic structure responsible for strong earthquakes in the coastal region in the border area of Guangdong, Guangxi, and Hainan.

An Inhomogeneous Distribution Model of Strong Earthquakes along Strike-Slip Act ive Fault Segments on the Chinese Continent and Its Implication in Engineering Seismology

Through the statistical analysis of earthquake distribution along 51 strike-sli p active fault segments on the Chinese continent, we found that strong earthquak e distribution along the seismogenic fault segments is inhomogeneous and the dis tribution probability density p(K) can be stated as p(K)=1.1206e -3.947K in which K=S/(L/2), S refers to the distance from earthquake epicenter to the center of a fault segment, L is the length of the fault segment. The above model can be utilized to modify the probability density of earthquake occurrence of t he maximum magnitude interval in a potential earthquake source. Nevertheless, it is only suitable for those potential earthquake sources delineated along a sing le seismogenic fault. This inhomogeneous model has certain effects on seismic risk assessment, especia ll y for those potential earthquake sources with higher earthquake reoccurrence rat es of the maximum magnitude interval. In general, higher reoccurrence rate of th e maximum magnitude interval and lower exceeding probability level may bring lar ger difference of the results in seismic risk analysis by adopting the inhomogen eous model, the PGA values increase inner the potential earthquake source, but r educe near the vicinity and out of the potential earthquake source. Taking the T angyin potential earthquake source as an example, with exceeding probability of 10% and 2% in 50 years, the difference of the PGA values between inhomogeneous m odel and homogenous models can reach 12%.

Discussion of the Horizontal Intensity of Late Quaternary Fault Activity Along the Tianjingshan Fault Zone in Different Time Intervals and Fault Segments

By computing and classifying the data of gully offset obtained from field surveys along the Tianjingshan fault zone and estimating the ages of three types of gullies,the strike-slip rates along the fault zone are discussed in different time intervals and fault segments.The results suggest that the intensity of activity along the fault zone is not strong,but the differences between different time intervals and fault segments since the late Pleistocene have been obvious.The average rates range from 0.23 mm/a to 1.62 mm/a.The largest average rate is 1.40 mm/a,which occurred in the early and middle of late Pleistocene along the western segment of the fault zone.Since the late stage of the late Pleistocene,the center of faulting activity of the fault zone has shifted to the middle segment,and the average slip rates range have changed from 1.30 mm/a to 1.63 mm/a.

Cenozoic Denudation and Vertical Faulting History of the Central Segment of the Longmenshan Thrust Belt

Objective The uplift process and uplift mechanism of the Tibetan Plateau has been a research focus among geologists in recent years. This work put emphasis on the Cenozoic exhumation histories of the blocks bounded by the major faults at the central segment of the Longmenshan thrust belt, and the vertical faulting history, including the starting time and the total vertical displacement, of the major faults. Then we quantitatively established a complete active process for the central segment of the Longmenshan thrust belt, combining with the previous geophysical data in the deep and geologcial data. This study is critical for deeply and completely understanding the Cenozoic uplift history of the Longmenshan, and also provides thermochronology constraints to the different models for the uplift of the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau.

Fault－weakening effect of reservoir temperature of hot spring and its influence on seismic activities

In this paper, the reservoir temperatures of 14 hot spring samples collected from the northern segment of theRed River Fault are calculated by using the mixing-model of SiO2-geothermometer. Based on the features ofreservoir temperatures and densities of hot springs, the northern segment of the Red River Fault is furtherdivided into 4 sub-segments. The influence of weakening effect of water on seismic activities is discussed fromthe view point of fault-weakening effect of water. It is suggested that the difference in seismic activity between various sub-segments is principally caused by the difference in intensity of the fault-weakening effect ofwater of these sub-segments. The Eryuan sub-segment where the reservoir temperatures are high and the hotsprings are dense corresponds to a slipped region, however, the Jianchuan and Midu sub-segments where thereservoir temperatures are lower and the hot springs are fewer as well as the Dan sub-segment where the hotspring are very few all correspond to locked regions. It is suggested that Dan sub-segment is the riskiest region for strong earthquake preparation, while the possibility for strong earthquake preparation is very little inthe Eryuan sub-segment.

Analysis of Dynamic Characteristics of Crustal Horizontal Deformation in the South Segment of Longmenshan Fault Zone Revealed by GPS Data after the Wenchuan Earthquake

In order to obtain deformation parameters in the south segment of Longmenshan fault zone,Euler datum transformation and the least square collocation for data interpolation and smoothing are used to process GPS displacement time series data in the south segment of Longmenshan fault zone,and the rigid and elastic-plastic block motion model is used to calculate the strain parameters in each subarea. Conjoint analysis of displacement,velocity of each station and strain parameters of each subarea reveals that the influence of the Wenchuan earthquake on the south segment of Longmenshan fault zone increases from southeast to northwest,causing a highest deformation rate 6 times the background value and heightening the influence of the hidden faults on the difference of the earth surface along its two sides,which leads to the seismic risk of the southern segment increasing from north to south. The comparison of seismic risk among subareas based on the tectonic and seismicity background indicates that the most dangerous area is on the southeast of Longmenshan faults,and the background strain accumulation and the promoting effect of the Wenchuan earthquake advanced the occurrence of Lushan earthquake and the sinistral strike-slip on the rupture plane. The Wenchuan earthquake also caused a slight two-year long continuous strain release in the south segment of Xianshuihe fault,but the influence is far less than the effect of the compressive strain caused by the Sichuan-Yunnan block.

Segmental nature of the Red River fault revealed by seismic anisotropy and geological structures

As the western boundary of the Sichuan-Yunnan block(SYB),the Red River fault(RRF)is a major fault that controls deep crustal movement and deformation in the southeast margin of the Tibetan Plateau and regulates middle-lower crustal flow.Geophysical data suggest that the RRF is segmented and exhibits distinct variations in seismicity,velocity structure and crustal deformation from north to south.Seismic anisotropy reveals a complex pattern of lateral spatial and vertical stratified distributions.(1)From the perspective of crustal stratification,in the upper crust,the fast wave polarization in the north segment of the RRF is complex and possibly influenced by the Sanjiang lateral collision zone and adjacent faults with varying strikes.The fast wave polarization in the middle segment is in the NW-SE direction,indicating a localized area of closed down or locked up with consistent deformation.And in the south segment,it presents a disordered pattern,signifying complex deep tectonics and stress conditions at the wedged intersection zone.In the middle-lower crust in the north and south segments of the RRF,the azimuthal anisotropy is strong and consistent with the spatial strike of the weak zone characterized by low-velocity and highconductivity.This suggests a connection between the anisotropy and the material migration.(2)In the whole crustal scale,the fast wave directions in two sides of the RRF are consistent with the NW-SE tectonic strike.It indicates that the RRF,as a large fault potentially cutting through the whole crust,strongly controls the surrounding media.(3)In the lithospheric scale,the fast wave polarizations are oriented nearly E-W and independent of the fault strike,consistent with the low P-and S-wave velocity structures and positive radial anisotropy in the upper mantle.The fast wave directions could be related to lithospheric olivine deformation and asthenospheric flow.This paper suggests a decoupling of deformation between the crust and the lithospheric mantle in the south of approximately 26°20′N near the RRF,which can potentially be attributed to the subduction and rollback of the Indian plate.Based on various geophysical observations and inversions,we can determine the detailed anisotropic structure in the crust and the upper mantle around the RRF.Denser geophysical arrays and more accurate records can be used to explore the intricate anisotropy in segmentation and stratification around the RRF,enhancing the understanding of its tectonic significance.

New Insight into the Surface Rupture Parameters of the Kunlun Mountains Pass M_S8.1 Earthquake

Field observation shows that the surface rupture of the Kunlun Mountains Pass M_S 8.1 earthquake is about 426km long, and the maximum sinistral displacement is about 6m. Distribution of horizontal displacement along the surface ruptures is markedly controlled by fault structure. The rupture length of this earthquake is significantly longer than statistic value. In this paper, using the method of “ultimate linear strain", we discussed the independency and integrality of the whole rupture zone and rupture segments of the Kunlun Mountains Pass earthquake by comparing with some large earthquakes on strike-slip faults on the Chinese continent. The conclusion is that the Kunlun Mountains Pass earthquake consists of successively triggered multiple earthquake events, other than a single earthquake event.

New Progress in Paleoearthquake Studies of the East Sertengshan Piedmont Fault, Inner Mongolia, China

The two eastern segments of the Sertengshan piedmont fault have moved considerably since the Holocene. Several paleoseismic events have occurred along the fault since 30 ka BP. Pa- leoearthquake studies have been advanced by digging new trenches and combining the results with the findings of previous studies. Comprehensive analyses of the trenches revealed that 6 paleoseismic events have occurred on the Kuoluebulong segment since approximately 30 ka BP within the following successive time periods： 19.01-37.56, 18.73, 15.03-15.86, 10.96, 5.77-6.48, and 2.32 ka BP. The analyses also revealed that 6 paleoseismic events have occurred on the Dashetai segment since approximately 30 ka BP, and the successive occurrence times are 29.07, 19.12-28.23, 13.92-15.22, 9.38-9.83, 6.08--8.36, and 3.59 ka BP. The results indicate that quasi-periodic recurrences occurred along the two segments with an approximate 4 000 a mean recurrence interval. The consistent timing of the 6 events between the two segments indicates that the segments might conform to the cascade rupturing model between the two segments. As recorded by a large number of Chinese historical texts, the latest event on the Kuoluebulong segment is the historical M 8.0 earthquake occurred on November U, 7 BC.

Characteristics of strong earthquake evolution around the eastern boundary faults of the Sichuan-Yunnan rhombic block

Based on the existing materials of fault segmentation,characteristic earthquakes,and their empirical relationships,we calculated the parameters of the fault segments,such as length,width,magnitudes of characteristic earthquakes,etc.Constrained by GPS velocity field,the slip rates of these fault segments in depth were inversed using the 3-D half-space elastic dislocation model.As not all of the recurrence periods and co-seismic displacements of characteristic earthquakes are known,we selected the fault segments with these two parameters known and calculated the accumulation rate of average co-seismic displacement,which shows the faults' slip rate in seismogenic layer.Then,the slip rate in depth was compared with that in seismogenic layer,the relationship between them was obtained,and this relationship was used to get the recurrence periods and co-seismic displacements of all fault segments.After the studies above,we calculated the co-seismic deformation field of all the earthquakes larger than M s 6.8 from AD 1700 one by one and inversed the potential displacement in the co-seismic deformation field.Then,we divided the potential displacement by the slip rate from GPS inversion to get the influences of these fault segments,added the influences into the elapsed time of the characteristic earthquakes,and obtained the earthquake hazard degree of all the segments we studied in the form of the ratio of elapsed time to recurrence period;so,we name the ratio as the Impending Earthquake Risk (IER).Historical earthquake cases show that the fault segment is in safety when the IER is less than 1 but in danger after the IER becomes larger than 1.In 2009,the IER is larger than 1 on the following segments,1.35 on the Tagong segment of Xianshuihe fault,1 on the Menggu-Dongchuan segment,1.04 on the Dongchuan-Xundian segment,and 1.09 on the Yiliang-Chengjiang segment of Xiaojiang fault.

Segment, Linkage, and Extensional Fault-Related Fold in Western Liaodong Bay Subbasin, Northeastern Bohai Sea, China

The western Liaodong （辽东） Bay subbasin displays examples of segment, linkage of extensional fault, and fault-related folds. The Liaoxi （辽西） extensional fault system consists of a series of NNE- and NE-trending segments that were linked through relay ramps. The fault hanging walls are characterized by a series of en echelon synclines with axial traces sub-parallel to the faults. The synclines are doubly plunging located on the hanging wall of normal faults, with the strata dip sub-parallel to the fault. These folds result from along-strike displacement variations of the individual fault segments, as well as from extensional fault-related folding. In the study area, the synclines are separated by transverse intra-basin highs and relay ramps that formed where segment linkage occurred. These hanging wall synclines and their relation to fault displacement variations indicate that they are formed by extensional fault-related fold.