In this paper, 3-D velocity images of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Nanbei tectonic zone of China are constructed using P-wave travel time residuals of earthquakes, with the data supplied by China's seism...In this paper, 3-D velocity images of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Nanbei tectonic zone of China are constructed using P-wave travel time residuals of earthquakes, with the data supplied by China's seismic networks and the International Seismic Centre.展开更多
This article describes complex geological structure of the region where Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (MNPP) in Armenia is located. This region of the Lesser Caucasus is characterized by high volcanic activity, tectoni...This article describes complex geological structure of the region where Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (MNPP) in Armenia is located. This region of the Lesser Caucasus is characterized by high volcanic activity, tectonic stresses, and movements along the edges of active, highly seismic tectonic blocks. Moreover, this station literally sits on the active tectonic fault of compression type. When construction of the plant commenced, seismic risks were significantly understated. This fact was confirmed by destructive Spitak earthquake with over 25 thousand death tolls. Analysis of intensitys of the earthquakes in the area of the MNPP, their focal mechanisms and risks of movements along active tectonic faults is given in the article. With reference to numerous papers of Armenian, Russian and European researchers regarding seismic hazards and risks in the area of the Nuclear Power Plant, the conclusion about the soonest shutdown and conservation of Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant has been made.展开更多
The active and quiet phenomenon of moderate strong earthquakes one year before the earthquakes with M S≥7.0, the spatial distribution characteristics of the solid tide modulating and triggering earthquakes and the st...The active and quiet phenomenon of moderate strong earthquakes one year before the earthquakes with M S≥7.0, the spatial distribution characteristics of the solid tide modulating and triggering earthquakes and the strong earthquake mechanisms on the Chinese continent have been studied. The secondary arcuate tectonic zone composed of the west Kunlun-Anyêmaqên faults is believed to be a very important boundary to characterize strong earthquake activity of M S≥7.0 on the Chinese continent, that is, a boundary between the seismically active region and the quiet region of moderately strong earthquakes one year before earthquakes with M S≥7.0, and a boundary of the spatial distributions between the solid tide modulating strong earthquakes (M S≥7.0) and the non-modulating ones. It might be related with the characteristics of spatial distribution of focal mechanism solutions of strong earthquakes on the Chinese Continent.展开更多
To better understand the lithosphere mantle collision tectonics between the India plate and Asia plate, we determine three dimensional P wave velocity structure beneath western Tibet using 27,439 arrival times from 2,...To better understand the lithosphere mantle collision tectonics between the India plate and Asia plate, we determine three dimensional P wave velocity structure beneath western Tibet using 27,439 arrival times from 2,174 teleseismic events recorded by 182 stations of Hi-CLIMB Project and 16 stations in the north of Hi-CLMB. Our tomographic images show the velocity structure significantly difference beneath northern and southern Qiangtang, which can further prove that the Longmu Co-Shuanghu ophiolitic belt is a significant tectonic boundary fault zone. There are two prominent high velocity anomalies and two prominent low velocity anomalies in our images. One obvious high velocity anomalies subduct beneath the Tibet at the long distance near 34°N, whereas it is broke off by an obvious low velocity anomaly under the IYS. We interpret them as northward subducting Indian lithosphere mantle and the low velocity anomanly under IYS likely reflects mantle material upwelling triggered by tearing of the northward subduction Indian lithosphere. The other prominent high velocity anomaly was imaged at a depth from 50 km to 200 km horizontal and up to the northern Qiangtang with its southern edge extending to about 34°N through Hoh Xil block. We infer it as the southward subducting Asia lithosphere mantle. The other widely low velocity anomaly beneath the Qiangtang block lies in the gap between the frontier of India plate and Asia plate, where is the channel of mantle material upwelling.展开更多
The paper discusses the features of active tectonics,seismicity and neotectonic environment in the Northwestern Yunnan extensional region.The intensity of both tectonic activity and seismicity is strong near the south...The paper discusses the features of active tectonics,seismicity and neotectonic environment in the Northwestern Yunnan extensional region.The intensity of both tectonic activity and seismicity is strong near the south and north boundaries in the areas,but weak in the middle.The distribution of the strongest subsided areas,lacustrine terrace and Quaternary fold is characterized by the diagonal symmetry.Formation of extensional tectonics in the Northwestern Yunnan can be explained by passive model,experiencing the action of compressional force in the N-S direction and shear force in the SW-NE direction,and classified as a special pull-apart tectonics.The direction of the composite force is NNE,which is coincided with the results acquired by the methods of water-compressed rupture and physical modelling.展开更多
We obtained the 2-D P-wave velocity structure of the lithosphere in the eastern North China Craton, Shanxi fault subsidence zone, and Yinchuan-Hetao fault subsidence zone by ray tracking technology based on six groups...We obtained the 2-D P-wave velocity structure of the lithosphere in the eastern North China Craton, Shanxi fault subsidence zone, and Yinchuan-Hetao fault subsidence zone by ray tracking technology based on six groups of clearly identified crustal phases and one group of lithospheric interface reflection phases from seismic recording sections of 21 shots along the 1300-km-long Yancheng-Baotou deep seismic wide-angle reflection/refraction profile. The results indicate significant differences between the lithospheric structure east and west of the Taihang Mountains, which is a gravity-gradient zone as well as a zone of abrupt change in lithospheric thickness and a separation zone of different rock components. East of the Taihang Mountains, the Mesozoic and Cenozoic lithospheric structure of the North China Craton has undergone strong reformation and destruction, resulting in the lithosphere thickness decreasing to 70–80 km. The North China Basin has a very thick Cenozoic sedimentary cover and the deepest point of crystalline basement is about 7.0 km, with the crustal thickness decreasing to about 31.0 km. The crystalline basement of the Luxi uplift zone is relatively shallow with a depth of 1.0–2.0 km and crustal thickness of 33.0–35.0 km. The Subei Basin has a thicker Cenozoic sedimentary cover and the bottom of its crystalline basement is at about 5.0–6.0 km with a crustal thickness of 31.0–32.0 km. The Tanlu fault is a deep fracture which cuts the lithosphere with a significant velocity structure difference on either side of the fault. The Tanlu fault plays an important role in the lithospheric destruction in the eastern part of the North China Craton. West of the Taihang Mountains, the crustal thickness increases significantly. The crust thickness beneath the Shanxi fault depression zone is about 46 km, and there is a low-velocity structure with a velocity of less than 6.1 km s?? in the upper part of the middle crust. Combined with other geophysical study results, our data shows that the lithospheric destruction at the Shaanxi-Shanxi fault depression zone and the Yinchuan-Hetao rift surrounding the Ordos block is non-uniform. The lithosphere thickness is about 80–90 km in the Datong-Baotou area, 75–137 km at the Dingxiang-Shenmu region, and about 80–120 km in the Anyang-Yichuan area. The non-uniform lithospheric destruction may be related to the ancient tectonic zone surrounding the Ordos block. This zone experienced multi-period tectonic events in the long-term process of its tectonic evolution and was repeatedly transformed and weakened. The weakening level is related to the interactions with the Ordos block. The continental collision between the Cenozoic India and Eurasia plates and N-E thrusting by the Qinghai Tibet Plateau block is causing further reformation and reduction of the lithosphere.展开更多
This study deals with complexity, frequency spectrum and velocity model of the crust-mantle transitional zone in different tectonic units along the northeast margin of Qinghai-Xizang plateau, based on PmP waveform dat...This study deals with complexity, frequency spectrum and velocity model of the crust-mantle transitional zone in different tectonic units along the northeast margin of Qinghai-Xizang plateau, based on PmP waveform data from two deep seismic sounding profiles passing through the area. It reveals that Moho has stable tectonic features in Ordos and Lingzhong basins, where crust and mantle are coupled as first-order discontinuity. Moho shows obvious signs of activity in Haiyuan seismic region and in the contact zone between Bayanhar block and Qaidam block. Crust and mantle in these two areas are coupled as complicated crust-mantle transitional zone consisting of multiple laminae with alternate high and low velocities, totaling 20 km in thickness. The difference between Moho of different tectonic units reflects heterogeneity of the coupled crust-mantle zone; the difference between fine structures of Haiyuan seismic region and Maqin fault zone reflects different deep material composition of the two continent-continent collision zones and the interaction between blocks.展开更多
The marginal sea and back-arc basins in the Western Pacific Ocean have become the focus of tectonics due to their unique tectonic location.To understand the deep crustal structure in the back-arc region,we present a 5...The marginal sea and back-arc basins in the Western Pacific Ocean have become the focus of tectonics due to their unique tectonic location.To understand the deep crustal structure in the back-arc region,we present a 545-kmlong active-source ocean bottom seismometer(OBS)wide-angle reflection/refraction profile in the East China Sea.The P wave velocity model shows that the Moho depth rises significantly,from approximately 30 km in the East China Sea shelf to approximately 16 km in the axis of the Okinawa Trough.The lower crustal high-velocity zone(HVZ)in the southern Okinawa Trough,with V_(p) of 6.8-7.3 km/s,is a remarkable manifestation of the mantle material upwelling and accretion to the lower crust.This confirms that the lower crustal high-velocity mantle accretion is developed in the southern Okinawa Trough.During the process of back-arc extension,the crustal structure of the southern Okinawa Trough is completely invaded and penetrated by the upper mantle material in the axis region.In some areas of the southern central graben,the crust may has broken up and entered the initial stage of seafloor spreading.The discontinuous HVZs in the lower crust in the back-arc region also indicate the migration of spreading centers in the back-arc region since the Cenozoic.The asthenosphere material upwelling in the continent-ocean transition zone is constantly driving the lithosphere eastward for episodic extension,and is causing evident tectonic migration in the Western Pacific back-arc region.展开更多
Due to the considerable depth of the salt layers and the lack of calibration by exploratory drilling,the interpretation of the Middle and Lower Cambrian salt formations in the central Tarim Basin poses a challenge.In ...Due to the considerable depth of the salt layers and the lack of calibration by exploratory drilling,the interpretation of the Middle and Lower Cambrian salt formations in the central Tarim Basin poses a challenge.In this paper,we apply the coupling and decoupling deformation theory in salt tectonics to analyze the No.7 fault mapped in the seismic datasets by the response characteristics of the Middle and Lower Cambrian layers.By quantifying the stratigraphic framework of the Middle and Lower Cambrian strata,we define the position of the salt layer with the seismic data.Structural decoupling is observed in the Middle and Lower Cambrian sequences in the Shuntuoguole Low Uplift,while deformation coupling is observed in these two sequences in the Shaya Uplift.展开更多
A structural analysis was undertaken in the South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) transform zone, and in the Hreppar Microplate (HMP) located between the propagating Eastern Rift Zone (ERZ) and the receding Western Rift Z...A structural analysis was undertaken in the South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) transform zone, and in the Hreppar Microplate (HMP) located between the propagating Eastern Rift Zone (ERZ) and the receding Western Rift Zone (WRZ). The age of the oceanic crust in these areas is 3.4 Ma to present. About 20,000 fracture segments on aerial images reflect the dominance of NNE extensional structures in the WRZ. Around 9,000 basement faults, intrusions, secondary fractures, surface ruptures of earthquakes, and leakages were mapped in the outcrops of the HMP and the SISZ. About 23% of these fractures strike NNE, while 77% are dominantly northerly dextral and ENE sinistral, and secondarily E-W, WNW and NW sinistral strike- and oblique-slip structures, forming a Riedel shear pattern typical of a transform zone. Dyke injections into Riedel shears indicate a leaky transform zone. Fractures reactivated, accumulated slip, and re-opened for fluid flow. The ENE faults dip mostly to the southeast and could be the present boundary of the SISZ to the north. A 10 - 30 km wide ENE structural zone hosts a valley to the east, which could be deeper in the west. This ENE zone contains all the earthquakes, dominant ENE rivers, frequent ENE secondary fractures, and is likely the active part of the SISZ. The HMP does not show rotation since 3.4 Ma despite being between two rift segments. Future propagation/recession of the rift segments along their N55°E sections would cause a migration and a clockwise rotation of the SISZ from ENE to E-W. The boundary faults of the SISZ would then be E-W, with unchanged internal Riedel shears, compensating its sinistral motion. Insights into complexities of diverging plate boundaries are critical for resource management in such tectonic contexts.展开更多
The nearly EW-trending East Kunlun fault zone is the north boundary of the Bayan Har block.The activity characteristics and the position of the eastern end of its eastward extension are of great significance to probin...The nearly EW-trending East Kunlun fault zone is the north boundary of the Bayan Har block.The activity characteristics and the position of the eastern end of its eastward extension are of great significance to probing into the dynamic mechanism of formation of the east edge of the Tibetan Plateau,and also lay the foundation for seismic risk assessment of the fault zone.The following results are obtained by analysis based on satellite image interpretation of landforms,surface rupture survey,terrace scarp deformation survey,and terrace dating data on the eastern part of the East Kunlun fault zone:(1)the Luocha segment is a Holocene active fault,where a reverse L-shape paleoearthquake surface rupture zone of about 50 km long is located;(2)the Luocha segment is characterized by left-lateral slip movement under the compression-shear condition since the later period of the Late Pleistocene,with a rate of 7.68–9.37 mm/a and a vertical slip rate of 0.7–0.9 mm/a,which are basically in accord with the activity rate of segments on its west side.The results indicate that it is a part of eastward extension of the East Kunlun fault zone;(3)the high-speed linear horizontal slip of the nearly EW-trending East Kunlun fault zone is blocked by the South China block at east,and transforms into the vertical movement of the nearly SN-NNE trending Minjiang fault zone and the Longmenshan fault zone,and the uplift of Longmenshan and Minjiang.The area where transform of the two tectonic systems occurred confines the position of the east end;(4)Luocha segment and Maqu segment constitute the"Maqu seismic gap",so,seismic risk at Maqu segment is higher than that at Luocha segment,which should attract more attention.展开更多
文摘In this paper, 3-D velocity images of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Nanbei tectonic zone of China are constructed using P-wave travel time residuals of earthquakes, with the data supplied by China's seismic networks and the International Seismic Centre.
文摘This article describes complex geological structure of the region where Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant (MNPP) in Armenia is located. This region of the Lesser Caucasus is characterized by high volcanic activity, tectonic stresses, and movements along the edges of active, highly seismic tectonic blocks. Moreover, this station literally sits on the active tectonic fault of compression type. When construction of the plant commenced, seismic risks were significantly understated. This fact was confirmed by destructive Spitak earthquake with over 25 thousand death tolls. Analysis of intensitys of the earthquakes in the area of the MNPP, their focal mechanisms and risks of movements along active tectonic faults is given in the article. With reference to numerous papers of Armenian, Russian and European researchers regarding seismic hazards and risks in the area of the Nuclear Power Plant, the conclusion about the soonest shutdown and conservation of Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant has been made.
文摘The active and quiet phenomenon of moderate strong earthquakes one year before the earthquakes with M S≥7.0, the spatial distribution characteristics of the solid tide modulating and triggering earthquakes and the strong earthquake mechanisms on the Chinese continent have been studied. The secondary arcuate tectonic zone composed of the west Kunlun-Anyêmaqên faults is believed to be a very important boundary to characterize strong earthquake activity of M S≥7.0 on the Chinese continent, that is, a boundary between the seismically active region and the quiet region of moderately strong earthquakes one year before earthquakes with M S≥7.0, and a boundary of the spatial distributions between the solid tide modulating strong earthquakes (M S≥7.0) and the non-modulating ones. It might be related with the characteristics of spatial distribution of focal mechanism solutions of strong earthquakes on the Chinese Continent.
基金supported by the National Key Research and Development Program of China(Grant No.2016YFC0600301)the Geological Investigation Project of China Geological Survey(Grant No.DD20190448,DD20190370)the Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant No.41374101,4171101169,41274095)。
文摘To better understand the lithosphere mantle collision tectonics between the India plate and Asia plate, we determine three dimensional P wave velocity structure beneath western Tibet using 27,439 arrival times from 2,174 teleseismic events recorded by 182 stations of Hi-CLIMB Project and 16 stations in the north of Hi-CLMB. Our tomographic images show the velocity structure significantly difference beneath northern and southern Qiangtang, which can further prove that the Longmu Co-Shuanghu ophiolitic belt is a significant tectonic boundary fault zone. There are two prominent high velocity anomalies and two prominent low velocity anomalies in our images. One obvious high velocity anomalies subduct beneath the Tibet at the long distance near 34°N, whereas it is broke off by an obvious low velocity anomaly under the IYS. We interpret them as northward subducting Indian lithosphere mantle and the low velocity anomanly under IYS likely reflects mantle material upwelling triggered by tearing of the northward subduction Indian lithosphere. The other prominent high velocity anomaly was imaged at a depth from 50 km to 200 km horizontal and up to the northern Qiangtang with its southern edge extending to about 34°N through Hoh Xil block. We infer it as the southward subducting Asia lithosphere mantle. The other widely low velocity anomaly beneath the Qiangtang block lies in the gap between the frontier of India plate and Asia plate, where is the channel of mantle material upwelling.
文摘The paper discusses the features of active tectonics,seismicity and neotectonic environment in the Northwestern Yunnan extensional region.The intensity of both tectonic activity and seismicity is strong near the south and north boundaries in the areas,but weak in the middle.The distribution of the strongest subsided areas,lacustrine terrace and Quaternary fold is characterized by the diagonal symmetry.Formation of extensional tectonics in the Northwestern Yunnan can be explained by passive model,experiencing the action of compressional force in the N-S direction and shear force in the SW-NE direction,and classified as a special pull-apart tectonics.The direction of the composite force is NNE,which is coincided with the results acquired by the methods of water-compressed rupture and physical modelling.
基金supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.91214205,41174052)the Special Scientific Research of Seismologic Industry(Grant No.200908001)
文摘We obtained the 2-D P-wave velocity structure of the lithosphere in the eastern North China Craton, Shanxi fault subsidence zone, and Yinchuan-Hetao fault subsidence zone by ray tracking technology based on six groups of clearly identified crustal phases and one group of lithospheric interface reflection phases from seismic recording sections of 21 shots along the 1300-km-long Yancheng-Baotou deep seismic wide-angle reflection/refraction profile. The results indicate significant differences between the lithospheric structure east and west of the Taihang Mountains, which is a gravity-gradient zone as well as a zone of abrupt change in lithospheric thickness and a separation zone of different rock components. East of the Taihang Mountains, the Mesozoic and Cenozoic lithospheric structure of the North China Craton has undergone strong reformation and destruction, resulting in the lithosphere thickness decreasing to 70–80 km. The North China Basin has a very thick Cenozoic sedimentary cover and the deepest point of crystalline basement is about 7.0 km, with the crustal thickness decreasing to about 31.0 km. The crystalline basement of the Luxi uplift zone is relatively shallow with a depth of 1.0–2.0 km and crustal thickness of 33.0–35.0 km. The Subei Basin has a thicker Cenozoic sedimentary cover and the bottom of its crystalline basement is at about 5.0–6.0 km with a crustal thickness of 31.0–32.0 km. The Tanlu fault is a deep fracture which cuts the lithosphere with a significant velocity structure difference on either side of the fault. The Tanlu fault plays an important role in the lithospheric destruction in the eastern part of the North China Craton. West of the Taihang Mountains, the crustal thickness increases significantly. The crust thickness beneath the Shanxi fault depression zone is about 46 km, and there is a low-velocity structure with a velocity of less than 6.1 km s?? in the upper part of the middle crust. Combined with other geophysical study results, our data shows that the lithospheric destruction at the Shaanxi-Shanxi fault depression zone and the Yinchuan-Hetao rift surrounding the Ordos block is non-uniform. The lithosphere thickness is about 80–90 km in the Datong-Baotou area, 75–137 km at the Dingxiang-Shenmu region, and about 80–120 km in the Anyang-Yichuan area. The non-uniform lithospheric destruction may be related to the ancient tectonic zone surrounding the Ordos block. This zone experienced multi-period tectonic events in the long-term process of its tectonic evolution and was repeatedly transformed and weakened. The weakening level is related to the interactions with the Ordos block. The continental collision between the Cenozoic India and Eurasia plates and N-E thrusting by the Qinghai Tibet Plateau block is causing further reformation and reduction of the lithosphere.
基金Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation (102025, 104027).Contribution No. RCEG200210, Geophysical Exploration Center, China Earthquake Administration.
文摘This study deals with complexity, frequency spectrum and velocity model of the crust-mantle transitional zone in different tectonic units along the northeast margin of Qinghai-Xizang plateau, based on PmP waveform data from two deep seismic sounding profiles passing through the area. It reveals that Moho has stable tectonic features in Ordos and Lingzhong basins, where crust and mantle are coupled as first-order discontinuity. Moho shows obvious signs of activity in Haiyuan seismic region and in the contact zone between Bayanhar block and Qaidam block. Crust and mantle in these two areas are coupled as complicated crust-mantle transitional zone consisting of multiple laminae with alternate high and low velocities, totaling 20 km in thickness. The difference between Moho of different tectonic units reflects heterogeneity of the coupled crust-mantle zone; the difference between fine structures of Haiyuan seismic region and Maqin fault zone reflects different deep material composition of the two continent-continent collision zones and the interaction between blocks.
基金supported by the National Key Basic Research Program of China(Grant No.2013CB429701)the National Natural Science Foundation of China(Grant Nos.41606083,91958210,41606050 and 41210005)+1 种基金AoShan Technological Innovation Projects of National Laboratory for Marine Science and Technology(Qingdao)(2015ASKJ03)National Marine Geological Special Project(DD20190236,DD20190365,DD20190377)。
文摘The marginal sea and back-arc basins in the Western Pacific Ocean have become the focus of tectonics due to their unique tectonic location.To understand the deep crustal structure in the back-arc region,we present a 545-kmlong active-source ocean bottom seismometer(OBS)wide-angle reflection/refraction profile in the East China Sea.The P wave velocity model shows that the Moho depth rises significantly,from approximately 30 km in the East China Sea shelf to approximately 16 km in the axis of the Okinawa Trough.The lower crustal high-velocity zone(HVZ)in the southern Okinawa Trough,with V_(p) of 6.8-7.3 km/s,is a remarkable manifestation of the mantle material upwelling and accretion to the lower crust.This confirms that the lower crustal high-velocity mantle accretion is developed in the southern Okinawa Trough.During the process of back-arc extension,the crustal structure of the southern Okinawa Trough is completely invaded and penetrated by the upper mantle material in the axis region.In some areas of the southern central graben,the crust may has broken up and entered the initial stage of seafloor spreading.The discontinuous HVZs in the lower crust in the back-arc region also indicate the migration of spreading centers in the back-arc region since the Cenozoic.The asthenosphere material upwelling in the continent-ocean transition zone is constantly driving the lithosphere eastward for episodic extension,and is causing evident tectonic migration in the Western Pacific back-arc region.
基金funded by the National Natural Science Foundation of China(No.U21B2063)the Science and Technology Department of China Petrochemical Corporation(Sinopec)(No.P21086-3,No.P22122).
文摘Due to the considerable depth of the salt layers and the lack of calibration by exploratory drilling,the interpretation of the Middle and Lower Cambrian salt formations in the central Tarim Basin poses a challenge.In this paper,we apply the coupling and decoupling deformation theory in salt tectonics to analyze the No.7 fault mapped in the seismic datasets by the response characteristics of the Middle and Lower Cambrian layers.By quantifying the stratigraphic framework of the Middle and Lower Cambrian strata,we define the position of the salt layer with the seismic data.Structural decoupling is observed in the Middle and Lower Cambrian sequences in the Shuntuoguole Low Uplift,while deformation coupling is observed in these two sequences in the Shaya Uplift.
文摘A structural analysis was undertaken in the South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) transform zone, and in the Hreppar Microplate (HMP) located between the propagating Eastern Rift Zone (ERZ) and the receding Western Rift Zone (WRZ). The age of the oceanic crust in these areas is 3.4 Ma to present. About 20,000 fracture segments on aerial images reflect the dominance of NNE extensional structures in the WRZ. Around 9,000 basement faults, intrusions, secondary fractures, surface ruptures of earthquakes, and leakages were mapped in the outcrops of the HMP and the SISZ. About 23% of these fractures strike NNE, while 77% are dominantly northerly dextral and ENE sinistral, and secondarily E-W, WNW and NW sinistral strike- and oblique-slip structures, forming a Riedel shear pattern typical of a transform zone. Dyke injections into Riedel shears indicate a leaky transform zone. Fractures reactivated, accumulated slip, and re-opened for fluid flow. The ENE faults dip mostly to the southeast and could be the present boundary of the SISZ to the north. A 10 - 30 km wide ENE structural zone hosts a valley to the east, which could be deeper in the west. This ENE zone contains all the earthquakes, dominant ENE rivers, frequent ENE secondary fractures, and is likely the active part of the SISZ. The HMP does not show rotation since 3.4 Ma despite being between two rift segments. Future propagation/recession of the rift segments along their N55°E sections would cause a migration and a clockwise rotation of the SISZ from ENE to E-W. The boundary faults of the SISZ would then be E-W, with unchanged internal Riedel shears, compensating its sinistral motion. Insights into complexities of diverging plate boundaries are critical for resource management in such tectonic contexts.
基金supported by the Systematic Scientific Investigation of Yushu Earthquake(Grant No.02106601)National Key Basic Research Program of China(Grant No.2008CB42570)Basic Research Fund of Institute of Earthquake Science(Grant No.02092437)
文摘The nearly EW-trending East Kunlun fault zone is the north boundary of the Bayan Har block.The activity characteristics and the position of the eastern end of its eastward extension are of great significance to probing into the dynamic mechanism of formation of the east edge of the Tibetan Plateau,and also lay the foundation for seismic risk assessment of the fault zone.The following results are obtained by analysis based on satellite image interpretation of landforms,surface rupture survey,terrace scarp deformation survey,and terrace dating data on the eastern part of the East Kunlun fault zone:(1)the Luocha segment is a Holocene active fault,where a reverse L-shape paleoearthquake surface rupture zone of about 50 km long is located;(2)the Luocha segment is characterized by left-lateral slip movement under the compression-shear condition since the later period of the Late Pleistocene,with a rate of 7.68–9.37 mm/a and a vertical slip rate of 0.7–0.9 mm/a,which are basically in accord with the activity rate of segments on its west side.The results indicate that it is a part of eastward extension of the East Kunlun fault zone;(3)the high-speed linear horizontal slip of the nearly EW-trending East Kunlun fault zone is blocked by the South China block at east,and transforms into the vertical movement of the nearly SN-NNE trending Minjiang fault zone and the Longmenshan fault zone,and the uplift of Longmenshan and Minjiang.The area where transform of the two tectonic systems occurred confines the position of the east end;(4)Luocha segment and Maqu segment constitute the"Maqu seismic gap",so,seismic risk at Maqu segment is higher than that at Luocha segment,which should attract more attention.