In situ stress measurements in NIED boreholes in and around the fault zone near the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake, Japan

Abstract The 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake, M 7.2, occurred along the north-east–south-west trending Rokko–Awaji Fault system. Three boreholes of 1001 m, 1313 m and 1838 m deep were drilled in the vicinity of the epicenter of the earthquake. Each borehole is located at characteristic sites in relation to active faults and the aftershock distribution. In particular, the Nojima–Hirabayashi borehole [Hirabayashi National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NIED) drilling] in Awaji Island was drilled to a depth of 1838 m, approximately 320 m southeast from the surface rupture of the Nojima Fault, and it crosses fracture zones below a depth of 1140 m. In situ stress measurements by the hydraulic fracturing method were conducted in these boreholes within 1.5 years after the earthquake. Measurement results suggest the following: (i) Differential stress values are very small, approximately 10 MPa at a depth of 1000 m at each site; (ii) the orientation of maximum horizontal compression is almost the same in the boreholes, perpendicular to the surface trace of the faults, north-west–south-east; (iii) fault types estimated from the state of stress differ among these sites; and (iv) the differential stress value just beneath the fault fracture zone decreases abruptly to one-half of that above the fault zone in the Hirabayashi NIED drilling. These features support the idea that the shear stress along the Rokko–Awaji Fault system decreased to a low level just after the earthquake.     

Outline of the fault zone drilling project by NIED in the vicinity of the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake, Japan

Abstract Three boreholes, 1001 m, 1313 m and 1838 m deep, were drilled by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NIED) in the vicinity of the epicenter of the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake to investigate tectonic and material characteristics near and in active faults. Using these boreholes, an integrated study of the in situ stress, heat flow, and material properties of drill cores and crustal resistivity was conducted. In particular, the Nojima–Hirabayashi borehole was drilled to a depth of 1838 m and directly intersected the Nojima Fault, and three possible fault strands were detected at depths of 1140 m, 1313 m and 1800 m. Major results obtained from this study include the following: (i) shear stress around the fault zone is very small, and the orientation of the maximum horizontal compression is perpendicular to the surface trace of faults; (ii) from the results of a heat flow study, the lower cut-off depth of the aftershocks was estimated to be roughly 300°C; (iii) cores were classified into five types of fault rocks, and an asymmetric distribution pattern of these fault rocks in the fracture zones was identified; (iv) country rock is characterized by a very low permeability and high strength; and (v) resistivity structure can be explained by a model of a fault extending to greater depths but with low resistivity.     

Stresses at sites close to the Nojima Fault measured from core samples

Abstract The Nojima Fault in Awaji, Hyogo prefecture, Japan, was ruptured during the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake ( M _JMA = 7.2). Toshima is located close to the fault segment, in which a large dislocation has been observed on the Earth's surface. Ikuha is near the southern end of the buried fault that extends from the surface rupture. Stresses are measured on core samples taken at depths of 310 m, 312 m and 415 m at Toshima and a depth of 351 m at Ikuha. The measured stresses show that both sites are in the field of a strike–slip regime, but compression dominates at Toshima. Defining the relative shear stress as the maximum shear stress divided by the normal stress on the maximum shear plane, the relative shear stress ranges from 0.42 to 0.54 at Toshima and is approximately 0.32 at Ikuha. While the value at Ikuha is moderate, those at Toshima are comparably large to those in areas close to the inferred fault of the 1984 Nagano-ken Seibu earthquake. Value amounts greater than 0.4 suggest that there are areas of large relative shear stress along faults, thus having the potential to generate earthquakes. Provided that the cores are correctly oriented, the largest horizontal stresses at shallow depths are in the direction from N113°E to N139°E at Toshima and N74°E at Ikuha, indicating that the fault does not orient optimally for the stress field at both sites. The slip is known to be predominant in the right-lateral strike–slip component. Although this slip may appear contradictory to the stress field at Toshima, the slip direction is found to be parallel to the measured stresses resolved on the fault plane for the first approximation. The ratio of shear stress to normal stress on the fault plane is roughly estimated to be greater than zero and smaller than 0.3 near Toshima.     

Quaternary vertical offset and average slip rate of the Nojima Fault on Awaji Island, Japan

Abstract Drilling was carried out to penetrate the Nojima Fault where the surface rupture occurred associated with the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake. Two 500 m boreholes were successfully drilled through the fault zone at a depth of 389.4 m. The drilling data show that the relative uplift of the south-east side of the Nojima Fault (south-west segment) was approximately 230 m. The Nojima branch fault, which branches from the Nojima Fault, is inferred to extend to the Asano Fault. From the structural contour map of basal unconformity of the Kobe Group, the vertical component of displacement of the Nojima branch–Asano Fault is estimated to be 260–310 m. Because the vertical component of displacement on the Nojima Fault of the north-east segment is a total of those of the Nojima Fault of the south-west segment and of the Nojima branch–Asano Fault, it is estimated to total to 490–540 m. From this, the average vertical component of the slip rate on the Nojima Fault is estimated to be 0.4–0.45 m/10³ years for the past 1.2 million years.     

Alteration and mass transfer inferred from the Hirabayashi GSJ drill penetrating the Nojima Fault, Japan

Abstract Mineralogical and geochemical studies on the fault rocks from the Nojima–Hirabayashi borehole, south-west Japan, are performed to clarify the alteration and mass transfer in the Nojima Fault Zone at shallow depths. A complete sequence from the hornblende–biotite granodiorite protolith to the fault core can be observed without serious disorganization by surface weathering. The parts deeper than 426.2 m are in the fault zone where rocks have suffered fault-related deformation and alteration. Characteristic alteration minerals in the fault zone are smectite, zeolites (laumontite, stilbite), and carbonate minerals (calcite and siderite). It is inferred that laumontite veins formed at temperatures higher than approximately 100°C during the fault activity. A reverse component in the movement of the Nojima Fault influences the distribution of zeolites. Zeolite is the main sealing mineral in relatively deep parts, whereas carbonate is the main sealing mineral at shallower depths. Several shear zones are recognized in the fault zone. Intense alteration is localized in the gouge zones. Rock chemistry changes in a different manner between different shear zones in the fault zone. The main shear zone (MSZ), which corresponds to the core of the Nojima Fault, shows increased concentration of most elements except Si, Al, Na, and K. However, a lower shear zone (LSZ-2), which is characterized by intense alteration rather than cataclastic deformation, shows a decreased concentration of most elements including Ti and Zr. A simple volume change analysis based on Ti and Zr immobility, commonly used to examine the changes in fault rock chemistry, cannot account fully for the different behaviors of Ti and Zr among the two gouge zones.     

震源分布和强度指标控制因素的模型研究-红河断裂地震环境因素的实例分析ca

参照并综合应用国内外相关资料、实验和研究成果，建立了一种涉及多种环境因素的模型，分析了不同因素对构造运动能量指标的影响．其中包括地壳纵向结构、断层产状、岩性条件、地壳应力状态、孔隙压力和地温条件等．模型计算结果表明，断裂的剪切破裂能随深度增加通常呈现先上升，在某一深度上达到峰值后逐渐衰减的形态．在诸多因素中，孔隙压力和地温条件对能量指标的影响相对显著．高孔隙压力和地温环境可导致剪切破裂能曲线的峰值降低、峰值和铃腰值所在的深度下移．这种效应限制了强震事件，而适于中小地震活动或低能量释放的断层活动，其震源深度分布的下限较低．反之，低孔隙压力和低地温环境使剪切破裂能曲线的峰值加大、形态变陡，其结果利于高强度、高能量积累的闭锁段的形成．如果这两种段落在断裂带上相邻，则可能促进断裂带不同段落之间的能量转换，从而形成能量积累程度高而邻区锁定强度低的孕震环境．红河断裂北西段温泉密度和热储温度分布与该地区的地震频度、强度和震源深度分布之间的关系与模型结果基本相符，从而为模型的主要推论提供了佐证．      

Large amount of fluid migration around shallow seismogenic depth preserved in tectonic mélange: Yokonami mélange,the Cretaceous Shimanto Belt,Kochi, Southwest Japan

Studying subduction zone fluid at shallow seismogenic depths is important to understand the nature of fault rocks at the updip limit of the seismogenic zone because fluid–rock interactions affect heat and mass transfer, and fault strength. In this study, we conducted detailed analyses of distribution of shear veins, and estimation of pressure–temperature conditions for shear vein formation for the Yokonami mélange, Shikoku, Southwest Japan, which is tectonic mélange zone in an on‐land accretionary complex. We found a seismogenic fault at the upper boundary of the Yokonami mélange, indicating that the Yokonami mélange was active at seismogenic depth. The field‐transect distribution of shear veins was examined. The frequency, the total and mean thicknesses of the shear veins were about 3.7 per meter, about 10 mm per meter, and about 3 mm per shear vein, respectively. Quartz within the shear veins shows elongate‐blocky textures, suggesting precipitation from advective flow. The pressure and temperature conditions for shear vein formation were examined by fluid inclusion analysis, ranging 175–225°C and 143–215 MPa, respectively. The temperature is almost consistent with the paleotemperature determined from vitrinite reflectance, suggesting that the shear veins were formed at up to the maximum depth. The depth might be consistent with that where the seismogenic fault was formed. On the basis of the pressure and temperature conditions and the distribution of shear veins, we estimated the minimum volumetric ratio of fluid to host rocks, assuming that the shear veins had precipitated from advective flow. The estimated amount of fluid is about 106 m³ per cubic meter of host rocks. The results suggest that a large amount of fluid migrates through mélange zones at shallow seismogenic depths. This fluid possibly originates from the dehydration of clay minerals from underthrusted sediments and an altered subducting slab.     

High-resolution shallow seismic and ground penetrating radar investigations revealing the evolution of the Uemachi Fault system, Osaka, Japan

Abstract Ground penetrating radar (GPR) and high‐resolution shallow reflection seismic surveying were carried out to investigate the subsurface geology in and around the Uemachi Fault zone in the Yamato River area, Osaka, Japan. Shallow drilling in the area showed a major displacement event during the middle Pleistocene. The main Uemachi Fault plane could be clearly imaged on the seismic section, except for the most shallow 200 m. Several shallow normal fault planes with less displacement could be detected on both sides of the fault plane. GPR profiles confirmed the presence of several shallow normal faults within the area near the fault zone. These shallow faults could be followed in all of the GPR profiles crossing the fault zone. The integration of seismic section, GPR profiles and drilling data led to a conceptual model that explains the evolution of the Uemachi Fault system. The proposed model suggests the occurrence of several cycles of small vertical displacement along the deep part of the fault plane caused by the regional east–west compressional stress. The ductile nature of the shallow sedimentary cover and the absence of confining pressure in the shallow part allow for a considerable amount of plastic bending before failing in the shallow sedimentary layers. This bending generates stretching force within the shallow sedimentary cover, which in time, along with gravitational force, gives rise to the formation of the swarm of normal faults within the shallow layers near the fault zone. Some of the detected faults extend to a depth of less than 3 m below the ground surface, suggesting that the last tectonic activity along the fault plane may have occurred recently.     

原地应力、岩层原地强度及中国大陆之应力场

本文根据中国8个油田中150个井段的水压致裂资料,研究了各地区的水平应力随深度的变化,发现平均水平应力和垂直应力的比值在4000m深处大体上在0.8至1.2范围内,高值对应逆断层,低值对应正断层,实测结果与各地区断层活动特征相互一致.将各区实测最大水平主应力值均归算到海平面以下4000m深处.可以看出,最大水平主应力是随着对印度板块一欧亚板块间的缝合线的距离增加而减小,这与用震源机制作出的中国大陆主应力方向的辐射状分布所暗示的力源中心之推断相互印证.本文还利用压裂曲线试验求取岩层之原地抗张强度,实际结果表现出一定的规律性,强度随岩层之埋深而增加,也随埋藏年代之对数而线性增加,这些强度数据也与实验室结果大体相符.      

Fluid involvement in normal faulting

Evidence of fluid interaction with normal faults comes from their varied role as flow barriers or conduits in hydrocarbon basins and as hosting structures for hydrothermal mineralisation, and from fault-rock assemblages in exhumed footwalls of steep active normal faults and metamorphic core complexes. These last suggest involvement of predominantly aqueous fluids over a broad depth range, with implications for fault shear resistance and the mechanics of normal fault reactivation. A general downwards progression in fault rock assemblages (high-level breccia-gouge (often clay-rich) → cataclasites → phyllonites → mylonite → mylonitic gneiss with the onset of greenschist phyllonites occurring near the base of the seismogenic crust) is inferred for normal fault zones developed in quartzo-feldspathic continental crust. Fluid inclusion studies in hydrothermal veining from some footwall assemblages suggest a transition from hydrostatic to suprahydrostatic fluid pressures over the depth range 3–5 km, with some evidence for near-lithostatic to hydrostatic pressure cycling towards the base of the seismogenic zone in the phyllonitic assemblages. Development of fault-fracture meshes through mixed-mode brittle failure in rock-masses with strong competence layering is promoted by low effective stress in the absence of thoroughgoing cohesionless faults that are favourably oriented for reactivation. Meshes may develop around normal faults in the near-surface under hydrostatic fluid pressures to depths determined by rock tensile strength, and at greater depths in overpressured portions of normal fault zones and at stress heterogeneities, especially dilational jogs. Overpressures localised within developing normal fault zones also determine the extent to which they may reutilise existing discontinuities (for example, low-angle thrust faults). Brittle failure mode plots demonstrate that reactivation of existing low-angle faults under vertical σ₁ trajectories is only likely if fluid overpressures are localised within the fault zone and the surrounding rock retains significant tensile strength. Migrating pore fluids interact both statically and dynamically with normal faults. Static effects include consideration of the relative permeability of the faults with respect to the country rock, and juxtaposition effects which determine whether a fault is transmissive to flow or acts as an impermeable barrier. Strong directional permeability is expected in the subhorizontal σ₂ direction parallel to intersections between minor faults, extension fractures, and stylolites. Three dynamic mechanisms tied to the seismic stress cycle may contribute to fluid redistribution: (i) cycling of mean stress coupled to shear stress, sometimes leading to postfailure expulsion of fluid from vertical fractures; (ii) suction pump action at dilational fault jogs; and, (iii) fault-valve action when a normal fault transects a seal capping either uniformly overpressured crust or overpressures localised to the immediate vicinity of the fault zone at depth. The combination of σ₂ directional permeability with fluid redistribution from mean stress cycling may lead to hydraulic communication along strike, contributing to the protracted earthquake sequences that characterise normal fault systems.     

In situ stress measurements in a borehole close to the Nojima Fault

Abstract In situ stress was measured close to the fault associated with the 1995 Kobe Earthquake (Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake; January 1995; M 7.2) using the hydraulic fracturing method. The measurements were made approximately 2 years after the earthquake. The measured points were approximately 40 m from the fault plane at depths of about 1500 m. The maximum and the minimum horizontal compressive stresses were 45 MPa and 31 MPa, respectively. The maximum compressive stress and the maximum shear stress are very small in comparison with those of other seismically active areas. The azimuth of the maximum horizontal compressive stress was estimated from the observed azimuths of well bore breakouts at depths between 1400 m and 1600 m and was found to be N135° (clockwise). The maximum stress axis is perpendicular to the fault strike, N45°. These features are interpreted in terms of a small frictional coefficient of the fault. The shear stress on the fault was released and dropped almost to zero during the earthquake and it has not yet recovered. Zero shear stress on the fault plane resulted from the perpendicular orientation of one of the principal stress to the fault plane.     

STUDY ON RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE ACTIVITY OF MIYALUO FAULT AND WENCHUAN EARTHQUAKE SEQUENCE

Under the background of thrusting stress regime, a large number of strike-slip earthquakes occurred on the Miyaluo Fault during the Wenchuan earthquake sequence process, which is in the southern part of the Longmenshan Fault. In order to find the cause of their occurrence, stress tensors in subregions near the Miyaluo Fault are estimated. The result shows that in both north and south side of the Miyaluo Fault, the direction of principal compressive stress is nearly perpendicular to the Longmenshan Fault, and its dip is nearly horizontal, and the direction of tensile stress is nearly vertical. While in the Miyaluo fault zone, the direction of principal compressive stress is SWW-NEE, and its dip is nearly horizontal, the direction of principal tensile stress is NNW-SSE, also its dip is nearly horizontal. It is consistent with sinistral shear stress state in the Miyaluo fault zone. It was referred that the behavior of Miyaluo Fault during the Wenchuan earthquake sequence process was caused by tearing effect generated from unbalanced forces of two sides of the fault. To understand the rupture mode of the aftershocks in subregions as described above, the total seismic moment tensors are estimated by adding the corresponding component separately of the seismic moment tensor of aftershocks in each region. The result shows the similar trend of total seismic moment tensor components in the north and south side of the Miyaluo Fault(indicating the consistency of rupture mode in the north and south side of the Miyaluo Fault), and most seismic moment tensor components in the south side is higher than that in the north side, especially the compression component perpendicular to Longmenshan Fault and expansion component in the vertical direction. It indicates that thrusting component in the southeast direction in the south side is greater than that in the north side, and the thrusting difference causes the sinistral tearing effect of the Miyaluo Fault. We also find that the sinistral tearing component of the Miyaluo Fault is the same order of magnitude with the thrusting difference of its two sides, which indicates that the tearing effect of Miyaluo Fault can be completely explained by thrusting difference of its two sides. According to the analysis, we put forward the dynamic model of the Miyaluo Fault, which can explain the above phenomenon.     

青海木里冻土区水合物稳定带的特征研究——模拟与钻探结果对比

基于青海木里冻土区的气体组成、钻孔泥浆的温度测量数据等对该区水合物稳定带的顶底深度进行了模拟计算,并将计算结果与钻探揭示的水合物产出深度进行了对比.模拟计算的水合物顶深在148.8～122.7 m 间,底深在324.6～354.8 m间,水合物厚度在175.8～232.2 m间,钻探揭示水合物及其异常产出在133～39...     

STUDY ON TANGSHAN-HEJIAN-CIXIAN EARTHQUAKE FAULT ZONE BY SHALLOW SEISMIC EXPLORATION METHOD

The location of the buried faults, the fault broken layers and the depth of breakpoints in the Tangshan-Hejian-Cixian seismotectonic zone are not clear. We implemented 4 shallow seismic exploration profiles on the Daming Fault, Cangxi Fault, and Dachengdong Fault. Line DZ1 is located on the Daming Fault in the southeast of Daming County. Five breakpoints were dectectd, which are all normal faults, with depths of 95~125m and displacements about 6~12m, offsetting late Pleistocene but not the Holocene. Line DZ2 is located in the east of Xianxian County to dectect the Cangxi Fault. Three breakpoints were detected, all are normal faults, with depths of 170~190m and displacements about 7~10m. The upper breakpoints of the three faults cut the middle Pleistocene. The lines DZ3 and DZ4 are located in the west of Litan Town, Dacheng County. Four breakpoints were detected, with the upper breakpoint depth of 120~130m and displacements about 5~15m. They are all normal faults, and the upper breakpoints of the faults cut the Pleistocene strata.
The result of the exploration of Cixian-Daming Fault is not consistent with the buried depth 1 200m proposed by XU Hua-ming. It is proved that the activity of the fault is also consistent with the overall activity of the Cixian-Daming Fault, which is an active fault since late Pleistocene.
The Dachengdong Fault and Cangxi Fault offset the middle Pleistocene strata. Although the late Pleistocene active faults are generally defined as active faults in the practice of active tectonics research in China, strong earthquakes in eastern China have shorter recurrence period, and earthquakes of magnitude 6 or so may also occur in some middle Pleistocene active faults.
During the compilation of GB18306-2015 “Seismic ground motion parameter zonation map of China”, there were no late Pleistocene active faults in the M6~6.5 potential source areas in eastern China. Therefore, we believe that the Dachengdong and Cangxi faults still have the ability to generate earthquake of magnitude 6 or so, and the faults have some similarities with the seismogenic structures of Xingtai earthquake swarm. Under the action of the latest tectonic stress field, the “deep faults” tearing ruptured successively and expanded upwards, resulting in stress migration and loading between two neighbouring en-echolon concealed faults, so, the Dachengdong and Cangxi faults are the product of this three-dimensional rupture process. The Dachengdong Fault is a “newly-generated” fault resulting from the tearing rupturing and upward expanding of the pre-existing concealed “deept faults” in the middle and lower curst.     

RESEARCH ON ACTIVITIES OF THE GUDIAN FAULT IN SONGYUAN,JILIN PROVINCE

The Gudian Fault in the southwest of Songyuan is an important fault in the central depression of the Songliao Basin. It was recognized from the petroleum exploration data. Based on the data, we conducted shallow seismic exploration, drilling exploration, age determination(OSL) and topography measurement. The fault features and its motion characteristics are analyzed with the results of shallow seismic exploration. With stratigraphic correlation and optical stimulated luminescence dating, the latest active age of the fault is determined. The surface relief of the region to the southeast of the drilling site is relatively larger than surrounding places. An 800m long section across the fault was measured by GPSRTK, and the deformation amount across the zone was calculated. Four conclusions are drawn in this paper:(1) The Gudian Fault is arcuate in shape and shows a property of inverse fault with a length of about 66km in the reflection interface T1(bottom of the upper Cretaceous Nenjiang Group). (2) The middle part of the fault rupture is wider than the ends, narrowing or dying out outwards. According to this feature and the rupture of the bottom of the fourth segment of the upper Cretaceous Nenjiang Group, the fault can be divided into three segments, e.g. Daliba Village-Gaizijing-Guyang segment, Guyang-Shenjingzi-Julongshan Village segment and Julongshan Village-Caiyuanzi segment. (3) The yellow silt layer at the base of the upper Pleistocene series ((33.66±3.27) ka BP~50ka BP) is offset by the Gudian Fault, while the upper tawny silt layer is not influenced by the fault. Thus, the fault belongs to late Pleistocene active fault. (4) The amount of geomorphic deformation around Shenjingzi is 9m. The depth of the bottom of the upper Pleistocene series is 11m and the Huangshan Group of the mid Pleistocene series exposes to the southeast of the deformation zone. Therefore, the throw of the bottom of the upper Pleistocene series is about 20m at the sides of the deformation zone. In addition, the Qianguo M6(3/4) earthquake occurred in Songyuan area in 1119 AD. Though some studies have been done, arguments still exist on the seismogenic structure of the Qianguo M6(3/4) earthquake. Combined with others studies, Gudian Fault is considered as the seismogenic structure of the Qianguo M6(3/4) earthquake.     

Long-term temperature monitoring in a borehole drilled into the Nojima Fault, southwest Japan

Abstract Long-term monitoring of temperature distribution in an active fault zone was carried out using the optical fiber temperature-sensing technique. An optical fiber cable was installed in a borehole drilled into the Nojima Fault in Awaji Island, south-west Japan, and the temperature profile to a depth of 1460 m had been measured for 2.5 years (July 1997–January 2000). Although the obtained temperature records showed small temporal variations due to drifts of the measurement system all along the cable, local temperature anomalies were detected at two depths. One at around 80 m seems to correspond to a fracture zone and may be attributed to groundwater flow in the fracture zone. This anomaly had been stable throughout the monitoring period, whereas the other anomaly at around 500 m was a transient one. The water level in the borehole could be estimated from the diurnal temperature variations in the uppermost part of the borehole and may provide information on the hydrological characteristics of the fault zone, which is connected to the borehole through perforations on the casing pipe. Except for these minor variations, the temperature profile had been very stable for 2.5 years. The conductive heat flow calculated from this profile and the thermal conductivity measured on core samples increases with depth, probably resulting from errors in thermal conductivity due to sampling problems and/or from advective heat transfer by regional groundwater flow. Assuming that the middle part of the borehole (less fractured granite layer) is least affected by these factors, heat flow at this site is estimated to be approximately 70 mW/m².     

NEW DISCOVERY OF RESHUI-TAOSTUO RIVER FAULT IN DULAN,QINGHAI PROVINCE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

The 40km-long, NEE trending Reshui-Taostuo River Fault was found in the southern Dulan-Chaka highland by recent field investigation, which is a strike-slip fault with some normal component. DEM data was generated by small unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)on key geomorphic units with resolution<0.05m. Based on the interpretation and field investigation, we get two conclusions:1)It is the first time to define the Reshui-Taostuo River Fault, and the fault is 40km long with a 6km-long surface rupture; 2)There are left-handed dislocations in the gullies and terraces cut by the fault. On the high-resolution DEM image obtained by UAV, the offsets are(9.3±0.5) m, (17.9±1.5) m, and(36.8±2) m, measured by topographic profile recovery of gullies. The recovery measurements of two terraces present that the horizontal offset of T₁/T₀ is(18.2±1.5) m and the T₂/T₁ is (35.8±2) m, which is consistent with the offsets from gullies. According to the historical earthquake records, a M5 3/4 earthquake on April 10, 1938 and a M_S5.0 earthquake on March 21, 1952 occurred at the eastern end of the surface rupture, which may be related to the activity of the fault. By checking the county records of Dulan and other relevant data, we find that there are no literature records about the two earthquakes, which is possibly due to the far distance to the epicenter at that time, the scarcity of population in Dulan, or that the earthquake occurred too long ago that led to losing its records. The southernmost ends of the Eastern Kunlun Fault and the Elashan Fault converge to form a wedge-shaped extruded fault block toward the northwest. The Dulan Basin, located at the end of the wedge-shaped fault block, is affected by regional NE and SW principal compressive stress and the shear stress of the two boundary faults. The Dulan Basin experienced a complex deformation process of compression accompanying with extension. In the process of extrusion, the specific form of extension is the strike-slip faults at each side of the wedge, and there is indeed a north-east and south-west compression between the two controlling wedge-shaped fault block boundary faults, the Eastern Kunlun and Elashan Faults. The inferred mechanism of triangular wedge extrusion deformation in this area is quite different from the pure rigid extrusion model. Therefore, Dulan Basin is a wedge-shaped block sandwiched between the two large-scale strike-slip faults. Due to the compression of the northeast and southwest directions of the region, the peripheral faults of the Dulan Basin form a series of southeast converging plume thrust faults on the northeast edge of the basin near the Elashan Fault, which are parallel to the Elashan Fault in morphology and may converge with the Elashan Fault in subsurface. The southern marginal fault of the Dulan Basin(Reshui-Taostuo River Fault)near the Eastern Kunlun fault zone is jointly affected by the left-lateral strike-slip Eastern Kunlun Fault and the right-lateral strike-slip Elashan Fault, presenting a left-lateral strike-slip characteristic. Meanwhile, the wedge-shaped fault block extrudes to the northwest, causing local extension at the southeast end, and the fault shows the extensional deformation. These faults absorb or transform the shear stress in the northeastern margin of the Tibet Plateau. Therefore, our discovery of the Dulan Reshui-Taostuo River Fault provides important constraints for better understanding of the internal deformation mode and mechanism of the fault block in the northeastern Tibetan plateau. The strike of Reshui-Taostuo River Fault is different from the southern marginal fault of the Qaidam Basin. The Qaidam south marginal burial fault is the boundary fault between the Qaidam Basin and the East Kunlun structural belt, with a total length of ~500km. The geophysical data show that Qaidam south marginal burial fault forms at the boundary between the positive gravity anomaly of the southern East Kunlun structural belt and the negative gravity anomaly gradient zone of the northern Qaidam Basin, showing as a thrust fault towards the basin. The western segment of the fault was active at late Pleistocene, and the eastern segment near Dulan County was active at early-middle Pleistocene. The Reshui-Taostuo River Fault is characterized by sinistral strike-slip with a normal component. The field evidence indicates that the latest active period of this fault was Holocene, with a total length of only 40km. Neither remote sensing image interpretation nor field investigation indicate the fault extends further westward and intersects with the Qaidam south marginal burial fault. Moreover, it shows that its strike is relatively consistent with the East Kunlun fault zone in spatial distribution and has a certain angle with the burial fault in the southern margin of Qaidam Basin. Therefore, there is no structural connection between the Reshui-Taostuo River Fault and the Qaidam south marginal burial fault.     

Thermal anomaly around the Nojima Fault as detected by fission-track analysis of Ogura 500 m borehole samples

Abstract To better understand heat generation and transfer along earthquake faults, this paper presents preliminary zircon fission-track (FT) length data from the Nojima Fault, Awaji Island, Japan, which was activated during the 1995 Kobe earthquake (Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake). Samples were collected of Cretaceous granitic rocks from the Ogura 500 m borehole as well as at outcrops adjacent to the borehole site. The Nojima Fault plane was drilled at a depth of 389.4 m (borehole apparent depth). Fission-track lengths in zircons from localities > 60 m distance from the fault plane, as well as those from outcrops, are characterized by the mean values of ≈10–11 μm and unimodal distributions with positive skewness, which show no signs of an appreciable reduction in FT length. In contrast, those from nearby the fault at depths show significantly reduced mean track lengths of ≈6–8 μm and distributions having a peak around 6–7 μm with rather negative skewness. In conjunction with other geological constraints, these results are best interpreted by a recent thermal anomaly around the fault, which is attributable to heat transfer via focused fluids from the deep interior of the crust and/or heat dispersion via fluids associated with frictional heating by fault motion.     

ESR analysis of the Nojima fault gouge, Japan, from the DPRI 500 m borehole

Abstract Electron spin resonance (ESR) analyses of quartz grains in fault gouge were performed for a core sample taken from the Nojima Fault that moved during the 1995 Kobe earthquake (Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake). Distribution of radiation-induced defects in the gouge at a depth of 389.4 m was measured by extracting quartz grains from seven discrete positions within 30 mm of the fault plane on the granite side. The decrease in E'₁ and Al centers was observed within 2 mm of the fault plane, suggesting partial annealing due to faulting. Partial annealing even at that depth suggested that conventional ESR dating, which is based on the hypothesis of complete annealing during faulting, was not applicable. Theoretical calculations of the temperature rise and of the thermal annealing of defects have been made by assuming a simple annealing model of heat generation on the fault plane. Thermal energy was calculated to have been approximately 8 MJ/m² to explain the profile of the heat-affected region. Thermal energy was much larger than the one estimated from hydrothermal solution, and corresponded to the frictional heat calculated for a normal stress of 20 MPa, a displacement of 2 m, and a frictional coefficient of 0.2.     

Interaction of a Dynamic Rupture on a Fault Plane with Short Frictionless Fault Branches

Spontaneous bilateral mode II shear ruptures were nucleated on faults in photoelastic Homalite plates loaded in uniaxial compression. Rupture velocities were measured and the interaction between the rupture front and short fault branches was observed using high-speed digital photography. Fault branches were formed by machining slits of varying lengths that intersected the fault plane over a range of angles. These branches were frictionless because they did not close under static loading prior to shear rupture nucleation. Three types of behavior were observed. First, the velocity of both rupture fronts was unaffected when the fault branches were oriented 45° to the main slip surface and the length of the branches were less than or equal to ~0.75 R₀* (where R₀* is the slip-weakening distance in the limit of low rupture speed and an infinitely long slip-pulse). Second, rupture propagation stopped at the branch on the compressive side of the rupture tip but was unaffected by the branch on the tensile side when the branches were ~1.5 R₀* in length and remained oriented 45° to the principle slip surface. Third, branches on the tensile side of the rupture tip nucleated tensile ``wing tip' extensions when the branches were oriented at 70° to the interface. Third, when the branches were oriented at 70° to the interface, branches on the tensile side of the rupture tip nucleated tensile ``wing-crack' extensions. We explain these observations using a model in which the initial uniaxial load produces stress concentrations at the tips of the branches, which perturb the initial stress field on the rupture plane. These stress perturbations affect both the resolved shear stress driving the rupture and the fault-normal stress that controls the fault strength, and together they explain the observed changes in rupture speed.