Analysis of Abnormal Characteristics of Regional Crustal Deformation before the Menyuan MS6.4 Earthquake by GPS Continuous Data

In order to study the characteristics of crustal deformation around the epicenter before the 2016 M_S6. 4 Menyuan earthquake,the GPS continuous stations of the period from 2010 to 2016 were selected according to the observation data of the tectonic environment monitoring network in Chinese Mainland. The deformation characteristics of the crust before the earthquake were discussed through inter-station baseline time series analysis and the strain time series analysis in the epicentral region. The results show that a trend turn of the baseline movement state around the epicenter region occurred after 2014,and the movement after 2014 reflects an obvious decreasing trend of compressional deformation.During this period,the stress field energy was in a certain accumulation state. Since the beginning of 2014,the EW-component linear strain and surface strain rate weakened gradually before the earthquake. It shows that there was an obvious deformation deficit at the epicentral area in the past two years,which indicates that the region accumulated a high degree of strain energy before the earthquake. Therefore,there was a significant background change in the area before the earthquake. The results of the study can provide basic research data for understanding the seismogenic process and mechanism of this earthquake.

Preseismic deformation in the seismogenic zone of the Lushan MS7.0 earthquake detected by GPS observations

A continuous GPS array across the southern segment of the Longmenshan fault zone recorded the deformation during the process of the Lushan MS7.0 earthquake that occurred on April 20, 2013. Such data can provide meaningful information regarding the dynamic evolution of crustal deformation in the seismogenic zone. Our studies have shown that the occurrence of the Wenchuan earthquake led to the loading of compressive and sinistral shearing strain on the southern segment of the Maoxian-Wenchuan fault, whereby the extrusion strain accumulated at a greater rate than before the Wenchuan earthquake. The strain time series in the seismogenic zone revealed that the principal compression strain rates decreased from west to east in the direction of N30°–45°W. Furthermore, the area to the east of Beichuan-Yingxiu fault behaved as a zone of compressive deformation with obvious sinistral shearing deformation. The surface strain and the first shearing strain time series decreased with time, while the area to the west of the Beichuan-Yingxiu fault behaved as a zone of dextral shear deformation that increased with time. Furthermore, the regional deformation field before the Lushan earthquake showed that the rate of extrusion strain accumulation in the southern segment of the Longmenshan fault zone was obviously larger than before the Wenchuan earthquake. Moreover, the sinistral shearing strain accumulated in the area of the southern segment of the Maoxian-Wenchuan fault. Based on the above analysis, we consider that the eastward movement of the Bayan Har block increased considerably following the Wenchuan earthquake, which enhanced the accumulation of compression strain in the southern segment of the Longmenshan fault zone.