SLIP RATE AND RECURRENCE INTERVAL OF STRONG EARTHQUAKE OF QIANNING—KANGDING SEGMENT ON XIANSHUIHE FAULT

SLIP RATE AND RECURRENCE INTERVAL OF STRONG EARTHQUAKE OF QIANNING—KANGDING SEGMENT ON XIANSHUIHE FAULT     

川东多套滑脱层褶皱构造带形成物理模拟

川东地区发育典型的"侏罗山式"褶皱构造带,以北东走向的齐岳山断裂为界,南东侧为隔槽式褶皱,北西侧为隔挡式褶皱.中生代川东地区经历了自南东向北西的陆内递进变形,受多套滑脱层（基底拆离面、下寒武统页岩、志留系泥页岩和三叠系膏盐）的共同控制.但是,关于川东褶皱带的形成机制及其整体和分段形成时间仍存在较大争议.应用构造物理模拟方法,再现了川东"侏罗山式"褶皱带的形成过程,并分析了先存断裂及其倾角对川东褶皱构造变形的影响.模拟结果表明,川东褶皱带是齐岳山断裂、华蓥山断裂、志留系滑脱层和基底拆离面组成的阶梯状体系在构造挤压下发生断层相关褶皱作用的结果.基底拆离面（深度约16 km）控制隔槽式褶皱的发育,志留系页岩主要控制隔挡式褶皱的形成.中生代（165~75 Ma）川东地区的构造缩短率约为32%.齐岳山断裂是隔槽式褶皱向隔挡式褶皱过渡的重要枢纽,是先存高角度断裂浅部向北西迁移后的产物.华蓥山断裂的倾角控制着隔挡式褶皱的波长,当倾角较陡时（45°）更有利于发育典型的隔挡式褶皱.      

Reactivation of deep faults beneath Southern Apennines: evidence from the 1990–1991 Potenza seismic sequences

We relocate the 1990–1991 Potenza (Southern Apennines belt, Italy) sequences and calculate focal mechanisms. This seismicity clusters along an E–W, dextral strike–slip structure. Second-order clusters are also present and reflect the activation of minor shears. The depth distribution of earthquakes evidences a peak between 14 and 20 km, within the basement of the subducting Apulian plate. The analysed seismicity does not mirror that of Southern Apennines, which include NW–SE striking normal faults and earthquakes concentrated within the first 15 km of the crust. We suggest that the E–W faults affecting the foreland region of Apennine propagate up to 25 km of depth. The Potenza earthquakes reflect the reactivation of a deep, preexisting fault system. We conclude that the seismotectonic setting of Apennines is characterized by NW–SE normal faults affecting the upper 15 km of the crust, and by E–W deeper strike–slip faults cutting the crystalline basement of the chain.     

扬子板块海相中古生界盆地的递进变形改造

印支—早燕山期由于古特提斯洋盆的关闭,扬子板块大陆边缘受到了挤压与碰撞作用,在板内形成了江南-雪峰基底拆离体(A带),从SE向NW方向的大规模水平推挤作用使扬子板内中古生界盆地发生了由强及弱的递进(衰减)变形改造。在其前缘形成了高角度冲断层-断弯褶皱带(B带)、逆掩断层-断展褶皱带(C带)、滑脱断层-滑脱褶皱带(D带)、共轭冲断层-膝折褶皱带(E带)和古隆起-单斜带(F带);在其后缘则形成了滑覆断层-滑脱褶皱带(G带)。不同的构造变形区带具有不同的水平位移量、压缩变形量,不同的逆冲断裂、褶皱的空间配置和不同的构造圈闭类型、保存条件,因而控制了不同类型的油气聚集与分布。     

Upper mantle P-wave tomography across the Longmenshan fault belt from passive-source seismic observations along Aba-Longquanshan profile

A passive seismic experiment across the Longmenshan (LMS) fault belt had been conducted between August 2006 and July 2007 for the understanding of geodynamic process between the Eastern Tibet and Sichuan basin. We herein collected 3677 first P arrival times with high precision from seismograms of 288 teleseismic events so as to reconstruct the upper mantle velocity structure. Our results show that the depth of the Lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB) changes from 70 km beneath Eastern Tibet to about 110 km beneath Longquanshan, Sichuan Basin, which is consistent with the receiver function imaging results. The very thin mantle part of the lithosphere beneath Eastern Tibet may suggest the lithosphere delamination due to strong interaction between the Tibetan eastward escaping flow and the rigid resisting Sichuan basin, which can be further supported by the existences of two high-velocity anomalies beneath LAB in our imaging result. We also find there are two related low-velocity anomalies beneath the LMS fault belt, which may indicate magmatic upwelling from lithosphere delamination and account for the origin of tremendous energy needed by the devastating Wenchuan earthquake.     

四川盆地中部主干走滑断裂带及伴生构造特征与演化

根据下—中三叠统嘉陵江组和雷口坡组膏盐岩层内的伴生构造及上震旦统灯影组台缘带被错动的位置、方向与距离,判定川中及北斜坡地区主干走滑断裂带的性质与分布规律。嘉陵江组和雷口坡组膏盐岩层内发育多排呈左阶排列的NW向雁列式构造,与深部(盐下)走滑断裂构成2种伴生组合。第1种组合主要发育在磨溪地区,膏盐岩层内的雁列式构造位于深部走滑断裂的正上方;第2种组合主要发育在北斜坡地区,膏盐岩层内的雁列式构造发育在2条主干走滑断裂带之间。根据这2种组合及灯影组台缘带的错动位置,共识别出6条主干走滑断裂带。在盆地整体演化格架的制约下,通过川中地区代表性生长构造的定量解析,将走滑断裂演化划分为3个阶段:(1)晚奥陶世—志留纪右行走滑阶段;(2)晚古生代—三叠纪走滑断裂沉寂阶段;(3)中侏罗世至今左行走滑阶段。其中,上震旦统灯影组二段台缘带呈现出有规律的向东逐段错动(错动距离20~40 km)的特征,可作为加里东期右行走滑活动的间接证据;川中及北斜坡地区在晚三叠世处于扬子地块北缘和雪峰山前陆盆地前缘隆起的隆后稳定地区,而中侏罗世以来周缘造山带的急剧隆升与差异性演化使得川中地区遭受持续的挤压和抬升,激发了基底断裂与早期走滑断裂的再次活动。     

江南造山带北部早中生代岳阳—赤壁断褶带构造特征及变形机制研究

早中生代(晚印支-早燕山期)岳阳-赤壁断褶带位于江南造山带与中扬子前陆盆地交界地带.作者对该构造带进行了地表地质调查,以此为基础探讨了构造剖面结构及构造变形动力机制.岳阳-赤壁断褶带自南而北可分为岳阳-临湘基底滑脱-逆冲带,桃花泉-肖家湾盖层滑脱褶皱带,以及赤壁-嘉鱼前陆盆地断-褶-盆构造带.岳阳-临湘基底滑脱-逆冲带自南而北依次有郭镇向斜、官山背斜、临湘倒转向斜和聂市背斜,组成隔槽式褶皱组合.褶皱轴面多向南倾,褶皱变形面为南华系盖层与冷家溪群褶皱基底间的角度不整合面和顺界面的滑脱断裂面.桃花泉-肖家湾盖层滑脱褶皱带主要发育轴面南倾倒转褶皱,褶皱波长较小,卷入地层为南华系-志留系以及上石炭统-中三叠统沉积盖层.赤壁-嘉鱼前陆盆地断-褶-盆构造带以南倾蒲圻断裂(江南断裂)为南部边界,发育T3-J2前陆盆地沉积,带内褶皱与断裂卷入地层包括沉积盖层以及T3-J2地层:南部断裂与褶皱轴面南倾.北部轴面近直立.自南西至北东,研究区内构造线走向由EW向渐变为NEE-NE向.上述构造分带及变形特征反映出自南向北的运动指向,表明岳阳-赤壁断褶带具前陆冲断带构造性质.从断裂相关褶皱理论出发,以地表构造特征为依据,厘定了岳阳-赤壁地质剖面结构并进行了变形动力机制分析,认识如下:①自南而北、自下而上的多个滑脱层及其间的南倾逆断裂或断坡(主要为江南断裂)组成近似台阶状的逆冲断裂系统,从总体上控制了构造块体的滑移、逆冲以及相应的构造格架或变形分区.②郭镇向斜为基底滑脱褶皱,官山背斜具滑脱褶皱和断裂传播褶皱双重成因,聂市背斜为断裂转折褶皱;临湘向斜为受两侧背斜控制的被动向斜,由于弯滑褶皱作用在其两翼沿不整合界面形成滑脱断裂.③岳阳-临湘基底滑脱-逆冲带隔槽式褶皱的形成主要受控于褶皱基底的滑脱和基底整体的水平压缩,其形成机制类似于肿缩式褶皱.最后讨论认为湘东北-鄂东南地区不存在大规模、长距离的逆冲推覆构造.     

Seismogenic Structure of the April 20, 2013, Lushan Ms7 Earthquake in Sichuan

At 08:02 on April 20, 2013, a Ms7.0 earthquake occurred in Lushan, Ya'an, in the Longmenshan fault zone, Sichuan. The epicenter was located between Taiping Town and Shuangshi Town, Lushan County and the maximum earthquake intensity at the epicenter reached class IX. Field investigations in the epicenter area found that, although buildings were seriously damaged, no obvious surface rupture structure was produced, only some ground fissures and sand blows and water ejection phenomena being seen. An integrated analysis of high-resolution remote sensing image interpretation, mainshock and aftershock distribution, and focal mechanism solutions indicated that this earthquake was an independent rupturing event in the southwestern segment of the Longmenshan fault zone, belonging to the thrust-type earthquake. Ruptures occurred along the south-central segment of the Shuangshi-Dachuan fault and the principal rupture plane dipped SW at 33-43°. It is inferred that the Lushan earthquake might be related to the ramp activity of the basal detachment zone (13-19 km) of the Longmenshan fault zone. Historically, there occurred at least two Ms6-6.5 earthquakes along the Shuangshi-Dachuan fault zone; thus it is thought that the Lushan earthquake, different from the Wenchuan earthquake, was a characteristic one in the southwestern segment of the Longmenshan fault zone. In-situ stress measurements indicated the Lushan earthquake was the result of stress release of the southwestern segment of the Longmenshan fault zone after the Wenchuan earthquake. This paper analyzes the tectonic setting of the seismogenic structure of this earthquake.     

巴楚隆起亚松迪断裂带构造特征及几何学模型

基于地震剖面的精细地质解释,识别出塔里木盆地巴楚隆起亚松迪断裂带及邻区三期冲断褶皱构造,并建立了其几何学模型。第一期活动的为沿中寒武统膏盐层滑脱的巴什托断裂,该断裂走向为NWW,形成于二叠纪之后、古近纪之前;第二期为基底卷入型的色力布亚断裂,该断裂走向为NNW,形成于晚中新世;第三期为分别沿中寒武统和古近系膏盐层滑脱的亚松迪深、浅层断裂,这两条断裂走向均为NW,形成于更新世-全新世。平面上,亚松迪断裂的发育位置受控于古近系膏盐层的分布范围。剖面上,与先存的巴什托断裂和色力布亚断裂的复合发育造成了亚松迪断裂带东、中、西三段不同的构造样式：东段发育断层传播褶皱(上)与突破型滑脱褶皱(下);中段发育断层传播褶皱(上)、突破型滑脱褶皱(中)和基底卷入构造(下);西段则发育滑脱褶皱(上)与断层转折褶皱(下),该段滑脱褶皱为亚松迪浅层断裂的西端点。最后,我们利用计算机数值模拟的方法对这三种冲断褶皱模型进行了验证。     

Mesozoic and Cenozoic structural deformation in the NW Tarim Basin,China: a case study of the Piqiang–Selibuya Fault

The Piqiang–Selibuya Fault is the most significant fault in the NW Tarim Basin, China. It has attracted increasing attention because of the discovery of a series of oil (gas) fields in and around the fault zone. The structural characteristics and evolution of the Piqiang–Selibuya Fault remain controversial. Field geological surveys and seismic data interpretation reveal that the fault has experienced three stages of activity. The thicknesses of the Permian and Miocene strata on opposing sides of the fault are clearly different, and these reveal that the fault has experienced two stages of significant thrusting. The first stage took place at the end of the Triassic and was associated with the Qiangtang Block amalgamated to the south margin of Eurasia. The second stage occurred at the end of the Miocene and might have been caused by the northwards overthrusting of the Pamir. These two stages of thrusting led to the lower–middle Cambrian detachment layer in the eastern part of the Keping thrust belt being 2 km shallower than in the western part. Since the Pliocene, the southern Tien Shan orogenic belt has been reactivated and thrust towards the interior of the Tarim Basin, and a series of ENE–WSW-trending thrust sheets have formed in the Keping thrust belt. Because of the different depth of the detachment layer on the opposing sides of the Piqiang–Selibuya Fault, the number and spacing of thrust sheets formed to the east of the fault differ from those to the west. This dissimilar deformation led to the strike–slip displacement on the Piqiang–Selibuya Fault. The three stages of fault activity record three important tectonic events in the NW Tarim Basin. Qualitative analysis of this activity helps us better understand the influence of the far-field effect of the collisions that occurred on the southern margin of the Eurasia plate on the structural deformation of the NW Tarim Basin.     

2008年5月12日汶川地震（Ms8.0）地表破裂带的分布特征

2008年5月12日14时28分,青藏高原东缘龙门山地区（四川汶川）发生了Ms8.0级地震。震后野外考察表明,5.12汶川地震发生在NE走向的龙门山断裂带上,该断裂带晚新生代以来的逆冲速率小于1mm/a,GPS观察结果表明其缩短速率小于3mm/a。这次5.12汶川地震造成了多条同震逆冲地表破裂带,总体长约275km,宽约15km,发震断裂机制主要为逆冲作用（由NW向SE逆冲）伴随右旋走滑。地表主破裂带沿龙门山断裂带的映秀—北川断裂发育,长约275km,笔者称为映秀—北川破裂带,破裂带具有逆冲兼右旋走滑性质。地表次级破裂带沿龙门山断裂带的前缘断裂安县—灌县断裂南段发育,长80km,笔者称为汉旺破裂带,破裂带基本为纯逆冲性质。在这两条破裂带之间发育两条更次一级的同震地表破裂带：一条长约20km呈NE走向的地表破裂带,笔者称为深溪沟破裂带,由于这条破裂带靠近主破裂带南段,并且与主破裂带变形特征一致,因此,笔者将深溪沟破裂带划归映秀—北川破裂带;另一条长约6km呈NW走向、由SW向NE逆冲并兼有左旋滑动的地表破裂带,笔者称为小鱼洞破裂带,它连接映秀—北川破裂带和汉旺破裂带,成为侧向断坡。另外,在灌县—安县断裂东侧的四川盆地内,由都江堰的聚源到江油发育一条NE向的沙土液化带,它可能是四川盆地西部深部盲断裂活动的结果。同震地表破裂带的分布特征表明,龙门山断裂带活动断裂具有强烈的逆冲作用并伴随较大的右旋走滑,断裂向四川盆地扩展。在龙门山断裂带上类似2008年5月12日Ms8.0汶川大地震的强震复发周期为3000～6000a。     

Deep Background of Wenchuan Earthquake and the Upper Crust Structure beneath the Longmen Shan and Adjacent Areas

Abstract: By analyzing the deep seismic sounding profiles across the Longmen Shan, this paper focuses on the study of the relationship between the upper crust structure of the Longmen Shan area and the Wenchuan earthquake. The Longmen Shan thrust belt marks not only the topographical change, but also the lateral velocity variation between the eastern Tibetan Plateau and the Sichuan Basin. A low-velocity layer has consistently been found in the crust beneath the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, and ends beneath the western Sichuan Basin. The low-velocity layer at a depth of ~20 km beneath the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau has been considered as the deep condition for favoring energy accumulation that formed the great Wenchuan earthquake.     

Seismotectonic significance of the 29 January 1989 Etne earthquake, SW Norway

The integrated analysis of geological, seismological and field observations with lineament data derived from satellite images allows the identification of a possible seismogenic fault zone for an earthquake which occurred near Etne in southwestern Norway, on 29 February 1989. The hypocentre of the earthquake was located at the mid-crust at a depth of 13.8±0.9 km which is typical of small intraplate earthquakes. The Etne earthquake occurred as a result of normal faulting with a dextral strike-slip component on a NW–SE trending fault. Available geological and lineament data indicate correlation of the inferred seismogenic fault with the NW–SE trending Etne fault zone. An aeromagnetic anomaly related to the Etne fault zone forms a regional feature intersecting both Precambrian basement and allochthonous Caledonian rocks. Based on these associations the occurrence of the Etne event is ascribed to the reactivation of a zone of weakness along the Etne fault zone. Slope-instabilities developed in the superficial deposits during the Etne event demonstrate the existence of potentially hazardous secondary-effects of such earthquakes even in low seismicity areas such as southwestern Norway.     

鄂尔多斯盆地中、新生代后期改造

鄂尔多斯盆地周缘和内部在中、新生代都受到后期改造作用,周缘存在挤压逆冲推覆和拉张断陷等不同性质的构造改造作用。在盆地内部,后期改造过程中发育在盖层中的断裂具有很强的规律性,受到了基底断裂的控制。盆地中部东西向断裂带对盆地的构造特征具有分区性,南北构造特征有别,北部地区北东、北西、近东西向断裂均有发育,正断裂、逆断裂和由断裂控制的挠曲构造等有规律发育,在不同方向基底断裂交汇部位的盖层内断裂最发育。南部则主要发育北东方向断层。     

华南及邻区有序变形及其动力学初探

龙门山断裂带以东、江南雪峰隆起带以西的华南地区，在断裂、褶皱变形等构造形迹上存在非常规律的有序性。其构造形迹（断裂、褶皱等）大都沿NE－NNE排列，并且变形强度从SE向NW逐渐减弱。这种有序变形规模巨大，仅川东的隔挡式褶皱－冲断带规模就超过了著名的侏罗山式褶皱。这种变形的有序性是与基底存在多层次的倾向SE的拆离滑脱面密切相关的，它们起始于印支－早燕山期，定型于晚燕山－喜马拉雅期，其形成动力来自于华南板块向NW方向的运动。     

Decomposition and Evolution of Intracontinental Strike-Slip Faults in Eastern Tibetan Plateau

Little attention had been paid to the intracontinental strike-slip faults of the Tibetan Plateau. Since the discovery of the Longriba fault using re-measured GPS data in 2003, an increasing amount of attention has been paid to this neglected fault. The local relief and transverse swath profile show that the Longriba fault is the boundary line that separates the high and flat tomography of the Tibet plateau from the high and precipitous tomography of Orogen. In addition, GPS data shows that the Longriba fault is the boundary line where the migratory direction of the Bayan Har block changed from eastward to southeastward. The GPS data shows that the Longriba fault is the boundary fault of the sub-blocks of the eastern Bayan Har block. We built three-dimensional models containing the Longriba fault and the middle segment of the Longmenshan fault, across the Bayan Har block and the Sichuan Basin. A nonlinear finite element method was used to simulate the fault behavior and the block deformation of the Eastern Tibetan Plateau. The results show that the low resistivity and low velocity layer acts as a detachment layer, which causes the overlying blocks to move southeastward. The detachment layer also controls the vertical and horizontal deformation of the rigid Bayan Har block and leads to accumulation strain on the edge of the layer where the Longmenshan thrust is located. After a sufficient amount of strain has been accumulated on the Longmenshan fault, a large earthquake occurs, such as the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. The strike slip activity of the Longriba fault, which is above the low resistivity and low velocity layer, partitions the lateral displacements of the Bayan Har block and adjusts the direction of motion of the Bayan Har block, from the eastward moving Ahba sub-block in the west to southeastward moving Longmenshan sub-block in the east.     

准噶尔西北缘斜向挤压构造与走滑断裂

古板块构造研究表明古生代以来,准噶尔地块以斜向方式拼合到阿尔泰（Altaids）造山带构造域内,导致准噶尔西北缘一直处在斜向挤压构造背景之下,并发育高角度逆冲推覆构造带以及横向走滑断裂。地面地质调查、遥感卫星影像解译、大地电磁测深剖面和地震剖面构造解释资料综合研究表明,准噶尔西北缘边界断裂为达拉布特左行走滑断裂,西北缘逆冲推覆构造带为基底卷入的高角度逆冲断裂褶皱带; 在与逆冲带走向相垂直方向,发育有北西向横向走滑断裂,这些断裂为同一斜向挤压构造背景下形成的同期构造,形成时间约在晚二叠到侏罗纪之间。大地电磁测深和地震剖面解释表明,达拉布特走滑断裂控制了西北缘高角度逆冲断裂的分布与性质。西北缘二维和三维地震剖面解释表明,横向走滑断裂样式为正花状构造或者负花状构造,同时具有向南东或北西方向逆冲和拉伸的特征。横向走滑断裂为西北缘逆冲构造南北方向分段的主要断裂,并控制了西北缘中生代地层的沉积。西北缘构造是形成于主边界断裂的斜向挤压作用,而基底卷入逆冲断裂则属非纯挤压形成的逆冲构造。     

川东侏罗山式褶皱构造带的物理模拟研究

川东地区发育一系列NE走向的侏罗山式褶皱构造,按照褶皱的组合形态,自东向西发育隔槽式褶皱和隔档式褶皱,齐岳山断裂是二者的分界线。本文采取物理模拟手段对川东侏罗山式褶皱形成的控制因素进行实验研究,选取硅树脂模拟滑脱层,石英砂和微玻璃珠模拟沉积盖层,改变盖层与基底之间摩擦力、盖层的物性、滑脱层的埋藏深度等因素。模拟实验研究表明,滑脱层的深度和盖层性质是川东侏罗山式褶皱形成的主要控制因素。齐岳山断裂以东地区主要是下寒武统膏页岩充当滑脱层,滑脱层埋深较大,地表构造形态表现为隔槽式褶皱;齐岳山断裂以西地区,下二叠统泥质灰岩充当滑脱层,埋深较浅,盖层表现为隔档式褶皱。微玻璃珠是模拟侏罗山式褶皱较好的实验材料,推测川东薄皮构造带形成时候以塑形变形为主。     

The Deep Geophysical Structure of the Middle Section of the Longmen Mountains Tectonic Belt and its Relation to the Wenchuan Earthquake

Investigation of the deep geophysical structure of the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt and its relation to the Wenchuan Earthquake is important for the study of earthquakes. By using magnetotelluric sounding profiles of the Luqu–Zhongjiang and Anxian–Suining; seismic sounding profiles of the Sichuan Maowen–Chongqing Gongtan, the Qinghai Huashi Gorge–Sichuan Jianyang, and the Batang–Zizhong; and magnetogravimetric data of the Longmen Mountains region, the deep geophysical structure of the Songpan–Ganzi block, the western Sichuan foreland basin, and the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt and their relation was discussed. The eastward extrusion of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau thrusts the Songpan–Ganzi block upon the Yangtze block, which obstructs the eastward movement of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The Maoxian–Wenchuan, Beichuan–Yingxiu, and Anxian–Guanxian faults of the Longmen Mountains fault belt dip to northwest with different dip angles and gradually converge in the deeper parts. Geophysical structure suggests that an intracrustal low-velocity, low-resistivity, and high-conductivity layer is common between the middle and upper crust west of the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt but not in the upper Yangtze block. The Sichuan Basin has a thick low-resistance sedimentary layer on a stable high-resistance basement; moreover, there are secondary paleohighs and depression structures at the lower part of the western Sichuan foreland basin with characteristic of high magnetic anomalies, whereas the Songpan–Ganzi block has a high resisitivity cover of upper crust and continues to a low-resistance layer. Considering the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt as the boundary, there are Bouguer gravity anomalies of "one belt between two zones." Thus, we infer that there is a corresponding relation between the inferred crystalline basement of the Songpan block and the underlying basin basement of the Longmen Mountains fault belt. Furthermore, there may be an extensive ancient Yangtze block, which is west of the Ruoergai block. In addition, the crust–mantle ductile shear zone under the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt is the main fault, whereas the Beichuan–Yingxiu and Anxian–Guanxian faults at the surface are earthquake faults. The Wenchuan Ms 8.0 earthquake might be attributed to the collision of the Yangtze block and the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau. The eastward obduction of the eastern edge of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau and eastward subduction of its deeper part under the influence of the collision of the Indian, Pacific, and Philippine Plates with the Eurasia Plate might have caused the Longmen Mountains tectonic belt to cut the Moho and extend to the middle and upper crust; thus, creating high stress concentration and rapid energy release zone.