Late-Quaternary Slip Rate and Seismic Activity of the Xianshuihe Fault Zone in Southwest China

The Xianshuihe fault zone is a seismo-genetic fault zone of left-lateral slip in Southwest China. Since 1725, a total of 59 Ms ≥ 5.0 earthquakes have occurred along this fault zone, including 18 Ms 6.0–6.9 and eight Ms ≥ 7.0 earthquakes. The seismic risk of the Xianshuihe fault zone is a large and realistic threat to the western Sichuan economic corridor. Based on previous studies, we carried out field geological survey and remote sensing interpretation in the fault zone. In addition, geophysical surveys, trenching and age-dating were conducted in the key parts to better understand the geometry, spatial distribution and activity of the fault zone. We infer to divide the fault zone into two parts： the northwest part and the southeast part, with total eight segments. Their Late Quaternary slip rates vary in a range of 11.5 mm/a –（3±1） mm/a. The seismic activities of the Xianshuihe fault zone are frequent and strong, periodical, and reoccurred. Combining the spatial and temporal distribution of the historical earthquakes, the seismic hazard of the Xianshuihe fault zone has been predicted by using the relationship between magnitude and frequency of earthquakes caused by different fault segments. The prediction results show that the segment between Daofu and Qianning has a possibility of Ms ≥ 7.0 earthquakes, while the segment between Shimian and Luding is likely to have earthquakes of about Ms 7.0. It is suggested to establish a GPS or In SAR-based real-time monitoring network of surface displacement to cover the Xianshuihe fault zone, and an early warning system of earthquakes and post seismic geohazards to cover the major residential areas.

Near-surface Geothermal Gradient Observation and Geothermal Analyses in the Xianshuihe Fault Zone,Eastern Tibetan Plateau

The Xianshuihe fault（XSHF） zone, characterized by intense tectonic activity, is located at the southwest boundary of the Bayan Har block, where several major earthquakes have occurred, including the 2008 Wenchuan and the 2013 Lushan earthquakes. This study analysed underground temperature sequence data for four years at seven measuring points at different depths（maximum depth： 18.9 m） in the southeastern section of the XSHF zone. High-frequency atmospheric noise was removed from the temperature sequences to obtain relatively stable temperature fields and heat fluxes near the measurement points. Our measurements show that the surrounding bedrock at（the seven stations distributed in the fault zone） had heat flux values range from-41.0 to 206 m W/m^2, with a median value of 54.3 m W/m^2. The results indicate a low heat flux in the northern section of DaofuKangting and a relatively high heat flux in the southern section of Kangting, which is consistent with the temperature distributions of the hot springs near the fault. Furthermore, our results suggest that the heat transfer in this field results primarily from stable underground heat conduction. In addition, the underground hydrothermal activity is also an obvious factor controlling the geothermal gradient.

High-resolution velocity structure and seismogenic potential of strong earthquakes in the Bamei-Kangding segment of the Xianshuihe fault zone

On September 5,2022,a strong MS6.8 earthquake struck the Luding area in the Kangding-Moxi segment of the Xianshuihe fault zone,which is the northern boundary of the Sichuan-Yunnan rhombic block,causing considerable casualties.The Bamei-Kangding segment of the Xianshuihe fault zone,which is located only tens of kilometers away from the Luding earthquake,has hosted frequent moderate to strong earthquakes in history and is a dangerous earthquake-prone zone.Therefore,it is critical to investigate the regional seismogenic environment for strong earthquakes and to evaluate the impact of the Luding earthquake in this area.For this purpose,we deployed a dense seismic array comprising over 200 short-period nodes in this region from July to August,2022 and acquired seismic ambient noise for over 30 days.Using the collected data,we conducted surface wave tomography and obtained a high-resolution 3-D shear wave velocity model for the regional shallow crust down to 8 km in depth.The key findings include:(1)the Bamei-Kangding segment of the Xianshuihe fault zone exhibits widespread stripped lowvelocity anomalies,suggesting shear movements at a relatively high temperature of the Xianshuihe fault zone;the Zheduoshan granitic pluton situated between the Zheduotang and southern Selaha faults shows a distinct low-velocity anomaly,which may be attributed to the localized high-temperature anomaly resulted by a deep magmatic heat source and the recent rapid uplift of the Zheduoshan area;(2)a ten-kilometer-wide high velocity body found below 4 km in depth near the Zhonggu area in the Bamei segment coincides with the seismic gap of moderate to strong earthquakes in this region,suggesting that the high velocity body may act as a seismic barrier;(3)the heterogeneity of the velocity structure along the Bamei-Kangding segment of the Xianshuihe fault zone corresponds to the regional changes in temperature,which reveals the reason for the spatially varying seismogenic potential in this segment;especially,the Selaha and Zheduotang faults which are located along the boundaries between the high and low velocity anomalies may possess considerable seismogenic potential;(4)the Coulomb failure stress calculations indicate that the Luding earthquake has imposed nontrivial stress loading in the Bamei-Kangding segment,and may shorten the earthquake recurrence intervals of the southern Selaha fault,the Zheduotang fault,and the Xuemenkan segment of the Xianshuihe fault zone.Thus,the Luding earthquake may potentially pose threats to the Sichuan-Xizang railway passing through this region.

Study of the segmentation of active fault by the boundary element method──analysis of the Xianshuihe fault zone

On the basis of the recent geological surveys and the relevant studies of the Xianshuihe fault zone, this paper analyzes the seismogenic mechanism of some faults and characteristic morphology on the fault zone by the boundary element method and discusses the fault segmentation and the related distribution of the earthquake ruptures. The main conclusions are: For the first order segmentation, the Xianshuihe fault zone can be divided into three major segments (the northwestern Luhuo-Qianning segment, the middle linking fracture region and the southeastern Kangding segment). Among them, the differences are not only in geometry and structure, but also in mechanical property and dynamics. Some of the characteristic morphologies on the Xianshuihe fault zone reflect the effects in cumulative deformation due to long-term fault movement, and reveal the fault segmentation in different orders. Such morphologies control, to some extent, the developments and the distributions of the earthquake ruptures on the fault zone.

Focal mechanism and seismogenic structure of the Shiqu MS4.4 earthquake

The focal mechanism solution of the Shiqu MS 4.4 earthquake occurred on May 16th,2017 in Sichuan Province is studied by the gCAP method using the waveform data from the regional seismic networks in Sichuan,Qinghai,Tibet and Gansu provinces.The strike/dip/dipping angle of the first nodal plane are 214/80/167and those of the second nodal plane are 306/77/10,the optimal centroid depth is 7.30.6 km and the moment magnitude is MW 4.5.Furthermore,the study investigates the robustness of the results against the error of crustal velocity structure,location,data quality and difference of seismic parameters,subsequently obtaining a stable resolved focal mechanism.According to the geological structure in the seismogenic area,spatial distribution of aftershock sequenceof the regional tectonic stress field,and the focal mechanism of the main shock,we suggest that the Shiqu earthquake is induced by a left-lateral strike-slip mechanism and the second nodal plane is inferred to be the seismogenic fault,consistent with the geometry of the Changshagongma fault which is the secondary fault of the northwest part of the Xianshuihe fault zone.