Fine upper crustal structure of Jiashi strong earthquake swarm region in Xinjiang in-ferred from high resolution seismic refraction profile data

The data obtained from a high resolution seismic refraction profile, which was carded out in Jiashi, Xinjiang, strong earthquake swarm area, were processed with both finite difference inversion and Hagedoorn refractor wavefront imaging technique and the fine upper crustal structure was determined. The results show that the upper crustal structure is relatively well-distributed in laterally and obviously by layers vertically.From surface to 11.0 km depth, there are about four layers. The P wave velocity of top two layers range from 1.65 to 4.5 km/s and their bottom boundaries, the buried depths of which are 0.4, 2.96-3.0 km respectively, are almost horizontal; The third layer is comparatively complicated and its P wave velocity presents inhomogeneous in both laterally and vertically. The bottom boundary of third layer is crystalline basement and shows a little uplift, which seemly suggest that the upper crust had been resisted while the hard Tarim block inserting into Tianshan Mountain; The forth layer is relatively even and its P wave velocity is about 6.3 km/s. There are a lateral velocity variation at the depth of about 4.0 km, and suggest that it has something to do with the hidden Meigaiti fault and Meigaiti-Xiasuhong fault but there are no the structure features about these faults stretching to the surface and passing through the crystalline basement. The seismogenic tectonic of Jiashi strong earthquake swarm at least lies in middle or lower crust beneath 11.0 km depth.

Basement interface structural characteristics beneath Jiashi strong earthquake swarm area in Xinjiang, China

The seismic data obtained from high resolution seismic refraction profile in Jiashi strong earthquake swarm area in Xinjiang, China were further processed with ray hit analysis method and more complete basement interface structural characteristics beneath Jiashi strong earthquake swarm area were determined. The results show that there are two clear basement interfaces at the upper crust in Jiashi strong earthquake swarm area. The first one with buried depth ranging from 2.6 km to 3.3 km presents integral and continuous structure, and it appears an inclined plane interface and smoothly rises up toward Tianshan Mountain. The second basement interface with buried depth from 8.5 km to 11.8 km, is the antiquated crystalline basement of Tarim basin. Near the post number of 37 km, the buried depth of the crystalline basement changed abruptly by 2.5 km, which maybe result from an ultra crystalline basement fault. If taking this fault as a boundary, the crystalline basement could be divided into two parts, i.e. the southwestern segment with buried depth about 11.5 km, and the northeastern segment with buried depth approxi-mately from 8.5 km to 9.0 km. That is to say, in each segment, the buried depth changes not too much. The northeast segment rises up as a whole and upheaves slightly from southwest to northeast, which reflects the upper crustal deformation characteristics under the special tectonic background at the northwestern edge of Tarim basin.