Determination of 3-D Velocity Anomalies of the Nanbei Tectonic Zone of China Based on Local Earthquakes

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.

The Metsamor Nuclear Power Plant in the Active Tectonic Zone of Armenia is a Potential Caucasian Fukushima

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.

The Relationship Between Strong Earthquake Activity of M_S≥7.0 on the Chinese Mainland and the West Kunlun-A'nyêmaqên Secondary Arcuate Tectonic Zone

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-Anyêmaqên 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.

Tomographic Imaging of the India-Asia Plate Collisional Tectonics and Mantle Upwelling Beneath Western Tibet

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.

Research on Tectonic Features and Dynamics in the Northwestern Yunnan Extensional Region

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.

2-D P-wave velocity structure of lithosphere in the North China tectonic zone: Constraints from the Yancheng-Baotou deep seismic profile

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.

Study of crust-mantle transitional zone along the northeast margin of Qinghai-Xizang plateau

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.

Characteristics of crustal variation and extensional break-up in the Western Pacific back-arc region based on a wide-angle seismic profile

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.

The Middle and Lower Cambrian salt tectonics in the central Tarim Basin,China:A case study based on strike-slip fault characterization

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.

Unstable Rifts,a Leaky Transform Zone and a Microplate:Analogues from South Iceland

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.

The Late Pleistocene activity of the eastern part of east Kunlun fault zone and its tectonic significance

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.

川滇交界东段昭通、莲峰断裂带的地震危险背景

川滇交界东段NE向昭通、莲峰断裂带的研究程度较低.为了了解该断裂带是否存在发生强震/大地震的危险背景,我们基于区域活动构造与动力学、重新定位的小震分布和震源机制解、历史地震破裂区、GPS形变场、现代地震活动及其参数图像等多学科的信息进行综合研究.结果表明:昭通、莲峰断裂带是川滇-华南活动块体/地块边界带的一部分,也是活动及变形的大凉山次级块体与相对稳定的华南地块之间的边界带;结构上表现为2个平行展布、朝南东推覆的断裂带,现今运动为带有显著逆冲分量的右旋走滑性质.沿昭通断裂带无大地震的时间至少为1700余年,目前存在地震空区.GPS变形图像反映昭通、莲峰断裂带已不同程度闭锁.另外,昭通断裂带的鲁甸附近以及莲峰断裂带的南段分别存在异常低b值区或高应力区.已由低b值区和小震空白区识别出昭通断裂带上的鲁甸—彝良之间存在高应力闭锁段,并估计出其潜在地震的最大矩震级为MW7.4.本研究因此认为昭通断裂带存在发生强震/大地震的中-长期危险背景,而莲峰断裂带的危险性还需进一步研究.

2008年汶川M_S8.0地震前龙门山—岷山构造带的地震活动性参数与地震视应力分布

本文利用四川区域台网最近30多年的地震资料,计算了2008年四川汶川M_S8.0地震前沿龙门山—岷山构造带的多个地震活动性参数(包括震级-频度关系中的a、b与a/b值,复发间隔T_r值),同时,计算了震前2年多的时间内M_L≥3.5地震的视应力.在此基础上分析了地震活动性参数值和地震视应力的空间分布与汶川主震破裂范围、M_S≥5.0余震分布的关系.主要结果表明:①汶川地震前,沿龙门山岷山构造带的地震活动性参数与地震视应力的分布均存在显著的空间差异.其中,龙门山断裂带中-北段的绵竹茂县段与江油—平武段具有远低于区域平均值的显著异常低b值、低a值、相对较高a/b值以及较小复发间隔T_r值的参数值组合,反映这两个断裂段在汶川主震之前已处于高应力闭锁状态,且发生强震的概率明显高于其他段落.这两个段落成为汶川主震破裂的中心段落和破坏严重的地段;②汶川地震前,位于前述两断裂段之间的龙门山断裂带北川段具有较高的b值与a值、较低a/b值的参数值组合,显示出应力积累水平不高的状态.汶川主震后,北川断裂段的余震强度与频度均偏低,缺少M_S≥5.0的余震;③地震活动性参数与视应力显示汶川地震之前龙门山断裂带南西段的应力积累水平明显低于中-北段,这种差异可能与汶川主震破裂沿断裂带中-北段呈北东向单侧扩展有关.另外,地震活动性参数值组合也反映龙门山断裂带南西段近期发生大地震的可能性较小.

大陆地表温度场的时空变化与现今构造活动

试图利用地表温度场数据获取中国西部的构造活动信息。在建立热与应变关系的基础上,对中国西部MODIS/Terra地表温度产品进行分析处理。研究发现:(1)地表温度在一些地区发生偏离年变现象,这种年变偏离与一些活动构造带的活动有关;(2)在扣除年变基准场等主要气候因素后,年变残差(ΔT)中长周期成分(LSTLOW)更接近构造活动所引起的热信息,能为构造活动提供一定的指示信息。研究发现,一个地震的发生对周围不同构造区的影响不同,有的地区升温,有的地区降温。2004年印尼地震最大的影响是引起青藏高原中部巴颜喀拉—松潘地块的降温;(3)与前者相对应,发生在中国周边地区的不同地震引起的温度变化格局不同,对同一地区的影响也不同,例如2001年东昆仑8.1级地震引起龙门山断裂带升温,而2003年斋桑泊7.9级地震和2004年印尼9级地震却引起该带的降温;(4)不同地区地温变化的时间过程不同。这些现象均对构造变形过程有一定的启示。在上述现象的基础上,笔者结合GPS观测结果,不同深度的地温信息以及地震活动等资料,对地表温度场中包含构造活动信息进行了初步检验,并对地表温度场反映的区域构造变形模型进行了讨论。

塔里木盆地中部航磁异常带新解译

横亘于塔里木盆地中部的纬向航磁高ΔTa异常带,一直是探讨盆地及深部基底的物质组成及结构构造的焦点。根据钻井及地震资料综合分析,发现满加尔坳陷中南部上奥陶统内发育大型地震反射异常体,平面上主要由8个地震反射异常体近东西向呈带状展布,与盆地中部航磁高ΔTa异常带相关。从地层发育及地震相特征分析,这些地震反射异常体应为辉绿岩-玄武岩等基性火成岩体,且与航磁ΔTa异常带上的磁力高相对应。异常体具有垂直向下的通道,与断裂及岩浆活动通道有关。盆地中部高航磁异常带为多期构造易活动带,反映了满加尔坳陷震旦纪与中晚奥陶世处于拉张的构造背景。

青藏高原东北缘壳幔过渡带研究

利用穿过青藏高原东北缘的两条地震测深剖面提供的PMP波形资料 ,研究了该区不同构造单元壳幔过渡带的复杂性、频谱特征和速度模型 .结果表明 ,鄂尔多斯盆地和陵中盆地Moho具有稳定的构造特征 ,壳幔耦合为简单的一级间断面 ;海原地震区和巴颜喀拉地块与柴达木地块结合带莫霍面具有明显的活动迹象 ,壳幔耦合为复杂的高、低速相间的多层壳幔过渡带 ,总厚度达到 2 0多千米 .不同构造单元的莫霍面差异性反映了研究区壳幔耦合层的非均匀特征 ;海原地震区和玛沁断裂壳幔过渡带的细结构差异 ,则反映了两个陆

帕米尔—西昆仑北麓新生代前陆褶皱冲断带构造剖面分析

依据帕米尔—西昆仑北麓新生代前陆褶皱冲断带 3条构造剖面的详细分析 ,发现帕米尔—西昆仑北麓除山根地带发育高角度断层外 ,基本上以低角度逆掩断层为主 ,形成与逆冲推覆构造相关的褶皱变形。乌泊尔地区表现为由山脉向塔里木盆地滑移的隐伏冲断层和上覆褶皱 ;苏盖特—齐姆根—甫沙地区表现为山前的三角带和向盆地扩展的两排背斜带。帕米尔—西昆仑北麓前陆褶皱冲断带的主要构造变形时间始于上新世早期 (距今约 4.6Ma) ,断层、褶皱的变形时代由山前向盆地逐步变新 ,变形强度由山脉向塔里木盆地逐步减弱。帕米尔—西昆仑北麓前陆褶皱冲断带的构造缩短量为 2 0～ 70km ,缩短率为 35 %～ 5 0 %。

中国大陆岩石圈壳幔韧性剪切带系统

众多地震测深剖面的地质构造解析显示,大陆岩石圈存在既有显著差异又有密切联系的两套断裂系统,即以地壳表层脆性剪切带为主的浅层断裂系统和以切割莫霍界面的壳幔韧性剪切带为主的深部断裂系统。根据地震测深速度结构特征,结合深部构造岩石地球化学的综合研究,将切割莫霍界面或壳幔过渡带的壳幔韧性剪切带划分为三类(俯冲带、缝合带和剪切带)五型(大陆岩石圈边缘海沟俯冲带、大陆岩石圈碰撞缝合带、挤压型壳幔韧性剪切带、伸展型壳幔韧性剪切带和走滑型壳幔韧性剪切带)。建立起中国大陆岩石圈构造变形由地壳表层向深部扩展以及由壳幔过渡带向地壳中上部扩展的岩石圈双向扩展模式。壳幔韧性剪切带既是无机成因天然气等深部流体的通道,又是地震活动区的发震构造之一,因此研究大陆岩石圈壳幔韧性剪切带具有重要学术价值和实际意义。

深地震反射剖面揭示的天津地区张渤带地壳精细结构

穿过天津地区张渤带的长86 km、NE向深地震反射剖面揭示了该区清晰的地壳精细结构图像和断裂的深浅构造特征,为研究张渤地震构造带的深部孕震环境和构造模式提供了地震学证据,对探讨晚中生代以来华北裂陷盆地的深部动力学过程及演化具有重要意义.结果表明,天津地区张渤带地壳以结晶基底反射T G为界,分为上下两部分;上地壳反射波组丰富,分层特征明显,界面起伏形态清楚,清晰地刻画出冀中坳陷新生代沉积分层、箕状沉积凹陷的底界、潮白河断裂、蓟运河断裂及丰台—野鸡坨断裂的几何结构;地壳内部结晶基底(T G)至Moho之间,显示出近于“反射透明”的地震波场特征,无明显震相,这与华北其他地区的深地震反射剖面结果明显不同;地壳厚度为30.0~34.5 km,总体变化趋势为中段地壳厚而南北端相对较薄,Moho在横向上显示出明显的不均匀和横向间断特征,在Moho被错断处存在两个明显的反射事件R A和R C,R A可能是软流圈热物质上涌的侧向残留物,叠层状反射震相R C则表现出壳幔过渡带特征;剖面揭示了2条错断Moho的超壳深大断裂(F D1和F D2)和9条上地壳断裂,深大断裂应是软流圈热物质上涌,造成上地幔隆起而形成的,上地壳断裂与地壳垂直运动及侧向引张力有关;超壳深断裂(F D1和F D2)为本区深部热物质的上涌与能量交换提供了通道,而与之对应的地壳浅部断裂(F 3和F 9),则为能量调整提供了可能的条件,断裂邻近区域可能是未来发生强震的地区,值得注意.

川滇地区地震活动统计单元的新划分

为了地震预测研究的需要 ,基于区域地震构造的新认识与新资料 ,在川滇地区重新划分出 19个地震区(带 )。这些地震区 (带 )的实际意义是可作为地震活动性的地理统计单元。每一地震区 (带 )的划分除了与具体的、相对独立的活动构造单元相联系外 ,还考虑了历史及现今强地震的空间分布、现今弱震分布等因素。文中描述了各个地震区 (带 )的活动构造与历史强震活动背景 ,以及主要断裂的活动习性。基于这种新的地震区 (带 )划分方案 ,对其中两个区 (带 )在 2 0 0 1年青海昆仑山和 1970年云南通海两次大地震前的地震活动进行统计分析 ,结果表明 :依据这种与相对独立活动构造单元紧密关联的地震区 (带 )的划分方案可获得良好的地震活动前兆信息。