Nine years of GPS measurements of crustal deformation at Imphal,Indo-Burmese wedge

We report results of 9 years of GPS measurements of crustal deformation at Imphal, Manipur, a site located in the Indo-Burmese wedge of northwest Sunda arc. The analysis of these measurements suggests that the site moves at a rate of about 36.3±0.5 mm/year towards N55° in the ITRF2008. With respect to the Indian plate it moves at a rate of 16.7 mm/year towards N222°, i.e., predominantly towards southwest. The site is located about 15 km east of the Churachandpur Mao fault (CMF), which is reported to accommodate part of the India-Sunda motion. The site motion is not significantly affected by the earthquakes that occurred in the nearby region. However, the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake caused a coseismic displacement of ～ 3–5 mm predominantly towards southwest. The site motion is almost linear, with some seasonal variation, and does not show any evidence of accelerated slip or slow earthquake on the CMF or along the plate boundary.     

于田地震同震形变场ALOS干涉雷达观测及初步分析

2008年3月21日发生在新疆于田的7.3级地震是继2001年11月昆仑山口西8.1级地震后的最大一次7级以上地震.地震是构造活动的集中反映, 会伴随着较大的地表形变及断裂的明显活动, 能够放大构造正常的活动方式, 同震变形场是这种放大作用在地表的直观反映, 对于认识发震断裂运动性质, 研究邻近构造活动性具有重要意义.青藏高原西北缘自然环境恶劣, 常规方法无法对于田地震开展及时有效的同震形变测量, 凸显出差分干涉雷达(InSAR)技术的优势.在介绍InSAR观测原理基础上, 通过地震前后ALOS干涉雷达观测获取了于田地震的同震变形场, 并结合构造背景揭示出:于田Ms 7.3级地震的宏观震中位于康西瓦断裂东南端的南北2个分支(大红柳滩断裂和慕士山南麓断裂)和阿尔金断裂西南端帚状的3个分支交汇的三角地带; 于田地震引发了阿尔金断裂一近南北向分支断裂的同震地表破裂, 破裂长度为25.6 km; 发震断层为正断层, 倾向西, 上盘的最大运动幅度在200 cm以上; 于田地震所在的两大断裂交汇处的构造应力场以近南北向挤压为主.      

CCSD在线流体监测捕获的气体地球化学异常与2004年9．3级苏门答腊地震可能的超远程关系

中国大陆科学钻探工程在线流体地球化学监测在2004年12月10至2005年1月10日之间捕获到一段重要的气体地球化学异常。该异常从2004年12月24日晚上11点半开始到12月29日晚上7点半结束,其中在12月26日早上7点半到29日晚7点半这段异常非常特殊,表现出流体地球化学的剧烈变化。具体表现为流体组分从基本上不含Ar、He及N2跳跃到富含Ar、但亏损He和N2。该异常发生在2004年9.3级苏门答腊地震前1个半小时。由于CCSD现场离苏门答腊地震震中距离大于4170公里,大于该地震破裂长度1200公理的3倍,该地震在CCSD现场产生的静态应力变化微乎其微,不足以导致CCSD现场深部岩石或封闭破裂的岩石物理性质剧烈变化,因而可以排除静态激发效应的作用。在我国的云南和广东等地所观测到的地震异常和地下水位变化等表明2004年苏门答腊地震的动态激发效应主要沿东北方向,这和大地震的动态激发具有方向性一致。而CCSD现场就位于该方向上。我们推测2004年苏门答腊地震所产生的面波在CCSD现场激发的动态效应,导致库仑型失稳,增进深部岩石或破裂带的渗透率,释放富含Ar但亏损He和N2的流体,产生CCSD所观测到的气体异常。     

Aftershock Propagation Characteristics During the First Three Hours Following the 26 December 2004 Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake

Within three hours of the mainshock rupture of the 26 December 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, 45 aftershocks occurred that are distributed all along the mega-thrust fault plane and also along the West Andaman fault. Seven of these aftershocks struck sequentially and unilaterally from the mainshock in the south towards north within 2h 9m 50.76s indicating an overall rate of aftershock propagation to the tune of 167 meters/sec. Seismic moment calculated from fault parameters gives a value of 1.2 × 10³⁰ dyne cm. Three separate fault segments are identified from distribution of aftershocks with propagation rates 330, 250 and 85 meters/sec in the southern, central and northern segments. These 7 unilaterally propagating shocks along the mega-thrust are probably not aftershocks of the mainshock rather these are sequentially triggered shocks each rupturing a small segment of the fault. Location of the mainshock and several aftershocks are guided by several lithospheric hinge faults identified previously.     

Aftershock Propagation Characteristics During the First Three Hours Following the 26 December 2004 Sumatra-Andaman Earthquake

Within three hours of the mainshock rupture of the 26 December 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake, 45 aftershocks occurred that are distributed all along the mega-thrust fault plane and also along the West Andaman fault. Seven of these aftershocks struck sequentially and unilaterally from the mainshock in the south towards north within 2h 9m 50.76s indicating an overall rate of aftershock propagation to the tune of 167 meters/sec. Seismic moment calculated from fault parameters gives a value of 1.2 × 10³⁰ dyne cm. Three separate fault segments are identified from distribution of aftershocks with propagation rates 330, 250 and 85 meters/sec in the southern, central and northern segments. These 7 unilaterally propagating shocks along the mega-thrust are probably not aftershocks of the mainshock rather these are sequentially triggered shocks each rupturing a small segment of the fault. Location of the mainshock and several aftershocks are guided by several lithospheric hinge faults identified previously.     

Coral microatoll as geodetic tool in North Andaman and Little Andaman,India

Coral microatolls were examined from North Andaman and Little Andaman to understand the relative sea level change due to vertical tectonic deformation above the subduction interface. The highest level of survival of coral microatoll before the 26 December, 2004 earthquake at eastern coast of North Andaman has been determined by Global Ocean Tide Model. The present position of recently dead flat top microatoll with preserved internal structure at the eastern coast of North Andaman mainland indicates 31.21 cm uplift due to the 26 December, 2004 earthquake. Comparatively old cup shaped microatoll at the eastern fringe of North Andaman group of islands and highly bioeroded fossil microatolls at the intertidal zone of Little Andaman bear the signature of permanent vertical deformation in the past.     

Modelling the pore fluid diffusion process in aftershock initiation for 2004 Sumatra earthquake: implications for marine geohazard estimation in the Andaman region

The role of fluid injection on the occurrence and migration path for the aftershocks of 2004 Sumatra earthquake (Mw 9.3) and January 2005 Andaman earthquake swarm within the aftershock sequence is investigated here from the viewpoint of pore fluid diffusion process. The Sumatra earthquake created a regionally extensive crustal rupture plane exceeding 1,200 km length below the Andaman Sea. The r–t plots (Shapiro et al. 1997) are constructed for these aftershocks in order to examine the role of poroelastic effects as rupturing progressed with time. Their main results are as follows: the r–t plot corresponding to first 3 h of aftershock activity (when only 44 events of mb ≥ 4.5 originated) reveals that 95% of the data points occurred below the modelled parabola with relatively high D value of 20 m²/s, whereas a significantly low D value of 3.5 m²/s characterises the aftershock activity for the first 24 h (when 420 events of mb ≥ 4.0 occurred). Here, the Coulomb stress was transferred from the main shock with a rapid imposition of normal stress, thus inducing the pore-pressure change that started diminishing almost immediately by fluid diffusion, at a rate, defined by the diminishing D value. The modelling results for fault seismicity at far off distances from the main epicentre are interpreted here as potential indicators for large-scale sub-seabed rupturing—consequent to stress changes induced by bending of the Indian Ocean plate. Bathymetric slopes under the Andaman subduction zone are particularly amenable to sub-marine slides where crustal E–W hinge faults inferred seismically cut across the N–S trending regional thrust and strike-slip faults. Seabed rupturing appears to allow deep-slab hydration in these areas, producing pressure gradients along the normal faults. These features are important since they can herald marine geohazards in the Andaman region.     

汶川8.0级大地震震源机制与构造运动特征

根据地震震源机制、断层参数结果,结合GPS测定的同震位移场与构造研究的最新结果,综合分析研究了2008年汶川8级大地震汶川地震发生的地震活动背景、震源应力场、断层构造运动特征及其动力学机制。地震活动性分析研究结果表明,2008年汶川8级大地震是在青藏高原与其周边地域构造运动剧烈,2001年起始的地震活动高潮期的背景下发生的。其长达300km的地震震源断层填补了青藏高原东缘1900年以来存在的8级地震活动的空区。震源机制与区域应力场特征及其动力学机制研究表明,汶川8级地震震源处于南北地震带中南段东部,青藏高原东向扩张与四川盆地的抵抗是该区构造运动的主要特征。汶川地震及其强余震是在一个稳定的、主压应力P轴以北西西-东南东方向为主的震源应力场控制下发生的。说明汶川地震震源区域主要受到四川盆地、华南块体区域应力场的控制并发震的。龙门山断裂带西侧的青藏高原相对于四川盆地发生的东向上升;而东侧的四川盆地相对于青藏高原发生的西向下降构造运动是2008年汶川8级地震发生的主要地震成因即地震发生机制。     

Mechanism of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake (Mw 9.0) and tsunami: Insight from seismic tomography

To clarify the generating mechanism of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake (Mw 9.0) and the induced tsunami, we determined high-resolution tomographic images of the Northeast Japan forearc. Significant lateral variations of seismic velocity are visible in the megathrust zone, and most large interplate thrust earthquakes are found to occur in high-velocity (high-V) areas. These high-V zones may represent high-strength asperities at the plate interface where the subducting Pacific plate and the overriding Okhotsk plate are coupled strongly. A shallow high-V zone with large coseismic slip near the Japan Trench may account for the mainshock asperity of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake. Because it is an isolated asperity surrounded by low-velocity patches, most stress on it was released in a short time and the plate interface became decoupled after the Mw 9.0 earthquake. Thus the overriding Okhotsk plate there was shot out toward the Japan Trench and caused the huge tsunami.     

Retrieving three-dimensional coseismic displacements of the 2008 Gaize,Tibet earthquake from multi-path interferometric phase analysis

In this paper, synthetic aperture radar (SAR) data from ENVISAT ASAR ascending, descending and ALOS PALSAR ascending orbits are collected to investigate the coseismic displacements of the Mw 6.4 earthquake occurred in Gaize, Tibet on January 9, 2008 and the Mw 5.9 aftershock on January 16, 2008. Two interferometric phase analysis techniques, i.e., D-InSAR and multi-aperture InSAR, are employed to process the SAR data, with which the displacement measurements along three different line-of-sight (LOS) and three different azimuth directions are retrieved, respectively. Complete three-dimensional (3-D) coseismic displacement fields caused by the earthquake are then resolved by integrating the obtained LOS and azimuth displacement measurements with a weighted least squares adjustment, whose distributions are conformed to the two north-northeast trending northwest-dipping normal faults detected in previous studies. Ground subsidence and uplift are observed in the hanging wall and footwall of the main fault, respectively, and the subsidence reaches its maximum in the hanging wall of the second fault as a superimposed result of the Gaize earthquake and its aftershock. Anti-symmetric horizontal movements are also detected during the seismic events, which move inward in the focal region, but outward at the marginal. The left-lateral motions near the main fault indicate a small striking slip component caused by the Gaize earthquake. Finally, we discuss the potential of applying the derived spatially continuous 3-D displacement fields to determine the high-resolution 3-D strain fields of the Gaize earthquake, which provide important knowledge for assessing the source mechanism.     

On the aftershock sequence of a 4.6 mb earthquake of the Garhwal Himalaya

Locally recorded data for eighteen aftershocks of a magnitude(m_b) 4.6 earthquake occurring near Ukhimath in the Garhwal Himalaya were analysed. A master event technique was adopted to locate seventeen individual aftershock hypocentres relative to the hypocentre of the eighteenth aftershock chosen as the master event. The aftershock epicentres define an approximately 30 km² rupture zone commensurate with the magnitude of the earthquake. The distribution of epicentres within this zone and the limited amount of first motion data support the view that a group of parallel, sub-vertical, sinistral strike-slip faults oriented N46°, transverse to the regional NW-SE trend of the Garhwal Himalaya, was involved in this seismic episode. Since the estimated focal depth range for aftershocks of this sequence is 3–14 km, we infer that this transverse fault zone extends through the upper crustal layer to a depth of 14 km at least.     

2022年MS6.8级泸定地震诱发地质灾害特征与空间分布规律研究

2022年9月5日四川甘孜泸定县发生6.8级地震,诱发了大量地质灾害,造成房屋损毁和多处道路阻断,并导致了严重的人员伤亡。快速预测地震诱发地质灾害空间分布对震后应急救援至关重要。为此,成都理工大学地质灾害防治与地质环境保护国家重点实验室利用已建立的地震诱发滑坡近实时预测模型,在震后2 h内,快速预测了地震诱发滑坡空间分布概率。同时,利用震后重点区域的无人机影像和国产高分六号影像,对地震诱发滑坡进行了智能识别和人工解译及现场调查复核,共解译滑坡3633处,总面积13.78 km2。研究发现本次泸定地震诱发滑坡,较2008年汶川和2017年九寨沟地震滑坡,规模相对较小。本次地震诱发滑坡主要分布于鲜水河断裂带和大渡河两侧,呈带状分布,在磨西镇、得妥镇及王岗坪彝族藏族乡等Ⅸ度烈度区相对集中。对控制滑坡空间分布的地形地貌、地质和地震3类因素9个因子进行分析,发现其主要分布在坡度35°~55°、高程1000~1800 m范围内;受断层控制强烈,主要分布在距断层1 km范围内;在花岗岩中最为发育。上述研究成果获得的地震诱发滑坡及受损道路和房屋分布情况,为震后应急救援提供了重要支撑。     

Quasi-static slip on the plate boundary associated with the 2003 M8.0 Tokachi-oki and 2004 M7.1 off-Kushiro earthquakes, Japan

We analyzed small repeating earthquakes recorded over a 13-year period and GPS data recorded over an 8-month period to estimate interplate quasi-static slip associated with the 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake (M8.0) and the 2004 off-Kushiro earthquake (M7.1). The repeating-earthquake analysis revealed that the slip rate near the source region of the Tokachi-oki earthquake was relatively low (< 5 cm/year) prior to the earthquake; however, in the last 3 years leading up to the event, a minor acceleration in slip occurred upon the deeper extension of the coseismic slip area of the earthquake. Repeating-earthquake and GPS data indicate that large amounts of afterslip occurred around the rupture area following the earthquake; the afterslip mainly propagated to the east of the coseismic slip area. We also infer that the occurrence of the 2004 off-Kushiro earthquake, located about 100 km northeast of the epicenter of the Tokachi-oki earthquake, was advanced by the afterslip associated with the Tokachi-oki earthquake.     

GPS-derived crustal deformation in southwestern China

The Sichuan – Yunnan region is divided into nine active secondary crustal blocks, based on several GPS repeat surveys at more than 200 GPS sites during the period 1999 – 2005. Velocities of the nine secondary blocks are calculated and analysed. The strain field within the area related to the 2004 Sumatra – Andaman earthquake event is also analysed. Results indicate that the crustal movement in the northern and western areas of the Sichuan – Yunnan region is stronger than that in the south and east. The horizontal velocities change from 19 – 20 mm/y in the northern and the central rhombic block to 11.7 mm/y in the southern rhombic block. The orientations of block motion vary from 99° in the north to 126 – 150° in the central area and 156 – 188° in the south, implying that the motion of the Sichuan – Yunnan rhombic block is dominated by a clockwise rotation. The velocity differences between blocks inside and outside the rhombic block are about 6.5 – 7.7 mm/y in the northern and central Sichuan – Yunnan region. The southeastward extrusion rate of the Tibetan Plateau shows a remarkable downtrend of up to 47% along the Xianshuihe Fault, suggesting an increase in strain accumulation and hence an area prone to strong earthquakes. The horizontal coseismic deformation caused by the Mw9.0 Sumatra – Andaman earthquake is <10 mm with a south-southeast orientation towards the earthquake epicentre. The dilatational strain rates from coseismic displacements reveal a possible interaction between the extrusion from the Tibet plateau interior and the underthrust effects from the Sumatra – Andaman earthquake.     

汶川M_s 8.0级地震强震记录所揭示的地震断层特征分析

基于2008年5月12日汶川Ms8.0级地震的强震台站记录,对比发震断层两侧的峰值加速度与地表破裂带上同震位移的分布特点,探讨了地震动强度分布特征与地表破裂位移分布之间的相关关系。分析近断层典型台站的强震动记录时程特征,获得了强地震动记录中所包含的断层破裂过程和破裂习性信息,从强震观测记录的角度进一步证实了汶川地震主震的多次破裂特征。结果表明,汶川地震主震至少包含了4次地震破裂事件,最主要的前两次破裂事件分别对应映秀—北川断裂段和北川—南坝断裂段的破裂过程,后两次破裂事件释放的能量相对较小,应该是第二次破裂过程触发局部次级破裂所引起的。此外,垂直于断层的峰值加速度剖面揭示的发震断层的高倾角逆冲特性,与地震地质调查和小震精定位等确定的相应结果是一致的。     

Transfer of stress from the 2004 Mw9.2 Sumatra subduction earthquake promoted widespread seismicity and large strike‐slip events in the Wharton Basin

The 2004 Mw9.2 Sumatra and 2012 Mw8.6 Wharton Basin (WB) earthquakes provide the unprecedented opportunity to investigate stress transfer from a megathrust earthquake to the subducting plate. Comprehensive analyses of this study revealed that the 2004 earthquake excited widespread seismicity in the WB, especially in regions of calculated stress increase greater than 0.3 bars. The 2004 earthquake stressed all three rupture planes of the 2012 Mw8.6 strike‐slip mainshock and the largest Mw8.2 aftershock with mean values of Coulomb stress between 0.3 and 2.1 bars. For the 77 Mw ≥ 4 regional events since 2012, at least one nodal plane for 95% of the events, and both nodal planes for 72% of the events experienced stress increase due to the 2004 earthquake. Results of the analyses also revealed that the regional stress directions in the WB may have controlled the sub‐fault orientations of the 2012 Mw8.6 strike‐slip earthquake.     

Sheltered coastal environments as archives of paleo-tsunami deposits: Observations from the 2004 Indian Ocean tsunami

The 2004 earthquake left several traces of coseismic land deformation and tsunami deposits, both on the islands along the plate boundary and distant shores of the Indian Ocean rim countries. Researchers are now exploring these sites to develop a chronology of past events. Where the coastal regions are also inundated by storm surges, there is an additional challenge to discriminate between the deposits formed by these two processes. Paleo-tsunami research relies largely on finding deposits where preservation potential is high and storm surge origin can be excluded. During the past decade of our work along the Andaman and Nicobar Islands and the east coast of India, we have observed that the 2004 tsunami deposits are best preserved in lagoons, inland streams and also on elevated terraces. Chronological evidence for older events obtained from such sites is better correlated with those from Thailand, Sri Lanka and Indonesia, reiterating their usefulness in tsunami geology studies.     

2022年青海门源MS6.9地震发震构造和地表破裂初步调查

北京时间2022年1月8日01时45分，青海省海北州门源县发生强烈地震（图1），造成数人受伤，房屋倒塌，部分道路、桥梁、隧道等基础设施被破坏或受损。中国地震台网（CENC）测定该地震的震级为MS 6. 9，震中位于37. 77°N，101. 26°E，震源深度为10 km(https://www.cenc.ac.cn/cenc/dzxx/396391/index.html)。利用欧洲航空局哨兵2号雷达卫星的震前、震后SAR数据进行差分干涉处理，得到同震形变场分布图。限定此次地震以左旋走滑运动为主，断层走向NWW，断层面近直立；主体破裂深度在10 km以上并到达地表，形成长度＞35 km的地表变形带，最大滑动量约2 m。2022年门源MS 6. 9地震发生在青藏高原中北部的祁连- 柴达木次级地块的北部（图1）、托莱山断裂带和冷龙岭断裂带的交会部位，是继1986年和2016年两次门源MS 6. 4地震之后在冷龙岭断裂带上发生的震级最高、地表破裂最长的地震事件。     

Fault rupture and stress changes associated with the November 27, 2005 Qeshm Island (Iran) earthquake (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>W</Subscript> = 6.0)

The November 27, 2005 Qeshm Island earthquake (M_w 6.0) occurred along the Zagros Thrust and Fold Belt which accommodates about half of the deformation caused by the Arabian and Eurasian Plates convergence. As typical for the belt, the earthquake was associated with buried reverse faulting and produced no surface rupture. Here, teleseismic broadband P velocity waveforms of the earthquake are inverted to obtain coseismic finite-fault slip distribution of the earthquake. It is obtained that rupture was controlled by failure of a single asperity with largest displacement of approximately 0.6 m, which occurred at a depth of 9 km. The slip model indicated radial rupture propagation from the hypocentre and confirmed blind reverse faulting within deeper part (below the depth of 6 km) of the sedimentary cover above the Hormuz Salt, lying between the cover and the basement, releasing a seismic moment of about 1.3?×?10¹⁸ Nm (M_W?=?6.0). The results also confirm that the Hormuz Salt behaves as a barrier for rupture propagation to the basement below and occurrence of the aftershock activity downdip from the rupture within the Hormuz Salt. Calculated Coulomb stress variations caused by the coseismic rupture indicates stress coupling between the 2005 Qeshm Island earthquake and both the largest aftershock several hours later and the 2008 Qeshm Island earthquake (M_W?=?5.9). The stress calculations further indicated stress load at the depth range (15–20 km) of the well-located aftershocks, corresponding to depths of the Hormuz Salt and top of the basement and providing plausible explanation for occurrence of the aftershocks within those layers.     

The M w 8.6 Indian Ocean earthquake on 11 April 2012: Coseismic displacement, Coulomb stress change and aftershocks pattern

The M _w 8.6 Indian Ocean earthquake occurred on April 11, 2012 near the NW junction of three plates viz. Indian, Australian and Sunda plate, which caused widespread coseismic displacements and Coulomb stress changes. We analyzed the GPS data from three IGS sites PBRI, NTUS & COCO and computed the coseismic horizontal displacements. In order to have in-depth understanding of the physics of earthquake processes and probabilistic hazard, we estimated the coseismic displacements and associated Coulomb stress changes from two rectangular parallel fault geometries, constrained by Global Positioning System (GPS) derived coseismic displacements. The Coulomb stress changes following the earthquake found to be in the range of 5 to ?4 bar with maximum displacement of ～11 m near the epicenter. We find that most of the aftershocks occurred in the areas of increased Coulomb stress and concentrated in three clusters. The temporal variation of the aftershocks, not conformed to modified Omori’s law, speculating poroelastic processes. It is also ascertained that the spatio-temporal transient stress changes may promote the occurrence of the subsequent earthquakes and enhance the seismic risk in the region.