Horizontal movement and strain characteristics in Tianshan and its adjacent region with GPS deformation data

Based on the multiple-term horizontal velocity solutions of 230 GPS monitoring sites in Tianshan and its adjacent region, the GPS site velocity fields and crustal horizontal strain fields in the area have been obtained. The results show that the crustal shortening rate of Tianshan, with the longitude （77°±1°）E as the boundary, gradually decreased towards two sides, from the south to the north, indicating that the pushing force of plate becomes weaker along with the fold deformation decreasing of the Tianshan. The direction of principal compressive strain of Tianshan and its adjacent area, nearly NNW, is basically perpendicular to the Tianshan cordillera trend, suggesting the distribution and variation of maximum principal compressive stress in Tianshan and its adjacent region resulted from collision and extrusion of Indian Plate. This paper indicates that the maximum shear strain field mainly con- centrates on two areas, one is Isyk lake of North Tianshan, Kyrgyzstan, and the other is the juncture of Jiashi （South Tianshan） and Pamir arc faults. In the above areas, it can be shown from the epicentral distribution that the strong earthquakes mostly occurs at the high shearing strain accumulation filed or its edge.

Analysis of the Motion and Deformation Characteristics along the Zhangjiakou-Bohai Fault

We have collected GPS data in the period of 1999-2007 from the Crustal Motion Observation Network of China along the Zhangjiakou-Bohai fault and its adjacent regions to study the characteristics of present-day crustal horizontal motion velocities in the research zone.Strain rate components are computed in the spheric coordinate system by the least square collocation method.According to the spatial distribution of the principal strain rate,dilation rate and maximum shear strain rate derived from GPS measurements,this paper analyses the deformation of the subordinary faults of the Zhangjiakou-Bohai fault.The principal compression strain rates are apparently greater than the principal extension strain rates.The larger shear strain rate is mainly in and around the Xianghe,Wenan and Tangshan areas in Hebei Province.According to the profiles across different segments of the Zhangjiakou-Bohai fault,the three segments glong the Zhangjiakou-Bohai fault show an obviously left-lateal strike-slip and compression characteristics.By analysis of the motion characteristics of the blocks,e.g.the Yanshan block,North China Plain block,Ordos block,and Ludong-Huanghai block in and around the North China region,this paper speculates that the dynamics of the motion styles of Zhangjiakou-Bohai fault may directly come from the relative movement between the Yanshan block and the North China plain block,and the ultimate dynamics may be the results of the collison between Indian plate and Eurasian plate,and the persistent northeastward extrusion of the Indian plate.