Temporal variations in the tidal response of the medium in the vicinities of the sources of catastrophic earthquakes

The idea of predicting earthquakes by continuously monitoring temporal variations in the tidal response of the medium was suggested by Beaumont and Berger in 1974. However, it became possible to implement the idea only recently. This possibility has arisen due to the deployment of Global Seismic Network (GSN), which collects the data on tidal tilts and gravity in the epicenters of strong earthquakes before and after the strongest events. In this paper, we present the results of model analytical and numerical calculations of the elastic displacements of the Earth’s surface caused by the earthquakes and their preparatory processes. The analytical calculations are limited to the model of a uniform elastic halfspace; the numerical calculations, in addition to this model, also cover the models with radially heterogeneous distributions of elastic moduli in the crust and in the upper mantle, which are determined by the PREM model. We describe the results of modeling temporal variations in the tidal response of the medium in the vicinity of the source of a catastrophic earthquake. The model of seismic source is specified by the length and the orientations of the fault plane and by the value of the discontinuity in the tangential component of the displacement vector on the opposite sides of the fault. The model is based on the GPS data on the horizontal and vertical displacements of the Earth’s surface. We suggest the method for determining temporal changes in the tidal response of the medium in the seismically active regions. This method improves the sensitivity and time resolution of the standard techniques of sliding-window analysis by more than an order of magnitude. The comparative analysis of temporal variations in the tidal response of the medium in the zones of the magnitude 9 earthquake in Japan (March 9, 2011) illustrates the described approach.

     

Temporal variations in the tidal response of the medium in the vicinities of the sources of catastrophic earthquakes

The idea of predicting earthquakes by continuously monitoring temporal variations in the tidal response of the medium was suggested by Beaumont and Berger in 1974. However, it became possible to implement the idea only recently. This possibility has arisen due to the deployment of Global Seismic Network (GSN), which collects the data on tidal tilts and gravity in the epicenters of strong earthquakes before and after the strongest events. In this paper, we present the results of model analytical and numerical calculations of the elastic displacements of the Earth??s surface caused by the earthquakes and their preparatory processes. The analytical calculations are limited to the model of a uniform elastic halfspace; the numerical calculations, in addition to this model, also cover the models with radially heterogeneous distributions of elastic moduli in the crust and in the upper mantle, which are determined by the PREM model. We describe the results of modeling temporal variations in the tidal response of the medium in the vicinity of the source of a catastrophic earthquake. The model of seismic source is specified by the length and the orientations of the fault plane and by the value of the discontinuity in the tangential component of the displacement vector on the opposite sides of the fault. The model is based on the GPS data on the horizontal and vertical displacements of the Earth??s surface. We suggest the method for determining temporal changes in the tidal response of the medium in the seismically active regions. This method improves the sensitivity and time resolution of the standard techniques of sliding-window analysis by more than an order of magnitude. The comparative analysis of temporal variations in the tidal response of the medium in the zones of the magnitude 9 earthquake in Japan (March 9, 2011) illustrates the described approach.     

琼中地震台重力仪记录同震响应特征分析

2013年2月6-8日圣克鲁斯群岛发生6次强震,琼中地震台的重力仪记录都有同震响应出现。本文从重力仪记录的面波的延迟时间、最大变形幅度、同震持续时间3个方面研究了6次强震的同震响应特征。     

GPS观测得到的大地震前兆地壳形变震例

综合介绍2008年汶川大地震以来,GPS观测得到的国内外10多次6—9级,不同构造、不同类型的大地震前兆地壳形变震例:2008年汶川8级大地震、2011年东日本9级巨震、2013年芦山7级,直至2020年6月墨西哥7.4级地震和7月美国阿拉斯加州以南海域7.8级地震等。利用GPS连续观测站区域参考框架水平位移时间序列和水平位移场,特别是水平位移向量时间序列的研究证明,同震水平位移是研究地震前兆形变存在的关键;利用垂直位移和水平位移向量时间序列、同震垂直位移及同震水平位移向量的分解,揭示地震弹性回跳真实方式;提出了符合GPS观测和岩石破裂试验结果的地震压-剪弹性回跳模型;根据已有震例,提出预报不同震级地震的可能性和监测临震前兆形变的GNSS站布设设想。      

Comparative study of temporal variations in the earth’s gravity field using GRACE gravity models in the regions of three recent giant earthquakes

Comparative analysis of coseismic and postseismic variations of the Earth’s gravity field is carried for the regions of three giant earthquakes (Andaman-Sumatra, December 26, 2004, magnitude M _w = 9.1; Maule-Chile, February 27, 2010, M _w = 8.8, and Tohoku-Oki, March 11, 2011, M _w = 9.0) with the use of GRACE satellite data. Within the resolution of GRACE models, the coseismic changes of gravity caused by these seismic events manifest themselves by large negative anomalies located in the rear of the subduction zone. The real data are compared with the synthetic anomalies calculated from the rupture surface models based on different kinds of ground measurements. It is shown that the difference between the gravity anomalies corresponding to different rupture surface models exceeds the uncertainties of the GRACE data. There-fore, the coseismic gravity anomalies are at least suitable for rejecting part of the models that are equivalent in the ground data. Within the first few months after the Andaman-Sumatra earthquake, a positive gravity anomaly started to grow above the deep trench. This anomaly rapidly captured the area of the back-arc basin and largely compensated the negative coseismic anomaly. The processes of viscoelastic stress relaxation do not fully allow for these rapid changes of gravity. According to the calculations, even with a sufficiently low viscosity of the upper mantle, relaxation only covers about a half of the observed change of the field. In order to explain the remaining temporal variations, we suggested the process of downdip propagation of the coseismic rupture surface. The feasibility of such a process was supported by numerical simulations. The sum of the gravity anomalies caused by this process and the anomaly generated by the processes of viscoelastic relaxation accounts well for the observed changes of the gravity field in the region of the earthquake. The similar postseismic changes of gravity were also detected for the region of the Tohoku-Oki earthquake. Just as in the case discussed above, this earthquake was also followed by a rapid growth of a positive postseismic anomaly, which partially counterbalanced the negative coseismic anomaly. The time variations of the gravity field in the region of the Maule-Chile earthquake differ from the pattern of changes observed in the island arcs described above. The postseismic gravity variations are in this case concentrated in a narrower band above the deep trench and shelf, and they do not spread over the continental territory, where the negative coseismic anomaly is located. These discrepancies reflect the difference in the geodynamical settings of the studied earthquakes.     

STUDY ON DYNAMIC CHANGE OF GRAVITY FIELD IN XIANSHUIHE FAULT ZONE AND THEIR RELATION TO THE OCCURRENCE OF MS ≥ 5.0 EARTHQUAKES

Xianshuihe Fault, a main strong earthquake activity belt in southwest China, begins from Ganzi in the northwest, passes through Luhuo, Daofu, and Kangding, and then extents along the Dadu River valley. The fault is divided into two parts at Shimian, one part turns to south and converses to Anninghe Fault extending further to south, the other part, continuing to extend to southeast, cutting through Xiaoxiangling and then changing to Daliangshan Faults in the north of the Yuexi Basin, has the length of about 400km. Since 1700AD, there have happened 22 earthquakes larger than magnitude 6.0 and 8 earthquakes larger than magnitude 7.0. In this paper, we systematically collated and computed the gravity repetition measurement data along the Xianshuihe fault zone since 1988, and by referring to the anomaly index of gravity field of the predecessor achievements, analyzed the spatial-temporal variation of the regional gravity field and the relation to the occurrence of ≥ M_S5.0 earthquakes. The mechanism of the regional gravity changes is further studied, and also the implication of strong earthquake risk because of the dynamic variation of gravity field in the near future is discussed.The results show that:1)The mobile gravity observation has the ability to detect crustal activity and M_S ≥ 5.0 earthquake events. 2)There is definite correspondence between interannual gravitational field change and the 8 earthquakes among the 13 M_S ≥ 5.0 earthquakes occurring in the surveying area since 1988, which can be determined according to the change of interannual gravitational field. Three M ≥ 6.0 earthquakes occurred 3~4 years after the abnormal image was developed, 4 earthquakes that occurred in the region of no data available were not determined. 3)A significant feature of the spatial-temporal variation of the regional gravity is a north-south run-through image before 2004, and characterized by the alternatively positive or negative variation in different year, the earthquakes of M_S ≥ 5.0 occurring in this period were not distributed along the fault. Gravity variation magnitude indicates that there were two similar crustal material movement waves before 2004, corresponding to the course of earthquake space-time distribution from strong to weak in the study area. After 2010, the variation image shows that the local positive and negative zones are concurrent within a year, different from the image before 2004, and earthquakes of M_S ≥ 5.0 basically occurred on the fault. It is believed that the variation of gravity field since 1988 and the seismic distribution fit with the geodynamic mode of strong and weak stages of the northeast motion of Indian plate. According to the conclusion we can try to optimize gravity anomaly index. After the Kangding earthquake in 2014, the north segment of Moxi Fault was still subject to negative high value changes till 2017 and then the gravity variation was further developed to a four quadrant distribution image. Based on the analysis of this paper and the previous variation trend of gravity field, we believe that the north segment of Moxi Fault has the background of medium-long term, strong or large earthquake risk.     

Nature of spatiotemporal variations in the rigidity of rock masses in seismically active zones of the San Andreas fault (Northern California)

The paper presents results of analysis of spatiotemporal variations in the rigidity of seismically active rock masses obtained from California Integrated Seismic Network data on first arrivals of P waves from local background (M < 5.0) earthquakes. The main goal was to determine sizes of zones of an anomalous response to the nucleation of strong earthquakes and to reveal specific features of dynamic manifestations of anomalies in crustal fault zones. As a result, conclusions are drawn on the nature of the variations, their implications for the development of strong earthquake sources, and their suitability for earthquake prediction.     

GPS观测到的智利及其邻区多次大地震前后地壳运动

2001年以来,智利及其邻区发生了3次7.1—7.7级和4次8级以上大地震,其震中附近至少有一个甚至多个GPS连续观测站观测到地震前后的地壳运动。从http://geodesy.unr.edu网站可获得GeoffreyBlewitt教授用GIPSY软件处理得到的南美大量GPS连续观测站南美板块（SA）区域参考框架位移时间序列,获得的这些大地震同震、震前位移积累和震后位移,特别是同震水平位移和震前水平位移积累,为探索地震预测,增添了更多有意义的震例。研究表明,这些大地震的同震水平位移也是震前水平位移积累的回跳或弹性回跳,同样也证明了震前存在前兆地壳形变;这些大地震前震中及其附近也无明显的垂直位移积累,由此证明了板块运动或地壳水平运动就是地震成因。尽管东日本和智利近海大地震的构造环境不同,日本2011年9级和智利2010年8.8级巨大地震前的地壳运动都清楚显示太平洋海底扩张。这些地震的同震水平位移回跳或弹性回跳的规律一致,地震成因都是水平挤压。智利多次大地震GPS观测到的最特殊现象是,在2015年8.3级地震震中以北,2010年8.8级地震的同震水平位移量值偏小,且方向异常一致向北,可认为是8.3级地震的前兆形变现象。临近智利的南美地区应是全球最利于地震预测探索的地区之一。      

Large-scale aseismic creep in the areas of the strong earthquakes revealed from the GRACE data on the time variations of the Earth’s gravity field

The refinement of the accuracy and resolution of the monthly global gravity field models from the GRACE satellite mission, together with the accumulation of more than a decade-long series of these models, enabled us to reveal the processes that occur in the regions of large (M_w≥8) earthquakes that have not been studied previously. The previous research into the time variations of the gravity field in the regions of the giant earthquakes, such as the seismic catastrophes in Sumatra (2004) and Chile (2010), and the Tohoku mega earthquake in Japan (2011), covered the coseismic gravity jump followed by the long postseismic changes reaching almost the same amplitude. The coseismic gravity jumps resulting from the lower-magnitude events are almost unnoticeable. However, we have established a long steady growth of gravity anomalies after a number of such earthquakes. For instance, in the regions of the subduction earthquakes, the growth of the positive gravity anomaly above the oceanic trench was revealed after two events with magnitudes M_w=8.5 in the Sumatra region (the Nias earthquake of March 2005 and the Bengkulu event of September 2007 near the southern termination of Sumatra Island), after the earthquake with M_w=8.5 on Hokkaido in September 2007, a doublet Simushir earthquake with the magnitudes M_w = 8.3 and 8.1 in the Kuriles in November 2006 and January 2007, and after the earthquake off the Samoa Island in September 2009 (M_w=8.1). The steady changes in the gravity field have also been recorded after the earthquake in the Sichuan region (May 2008, M_w = 8.0) and after the doublet event with magnitudes 8.6 and 8.2, which occurred in the Wharton Basin of the Indian Ocean on April 11, 2012. The detailed analysis of the growth of the positive anomaly in gravity after the Simushir earthquake of November 2006 is presented. The growth started a few months after the event synchronously with the seismic activation on the downdip extension of the coseismically ruptured fault plane zone. The data demonstrating the increasing depth of the aftershocks since March 2007 and the approximately simultaneous change in the direction and average velocity of the horizontal surface displacements at the sites of the regional GPS network indicate that this earthquake induced postseismic displacements in a huge area extending to depths below 100 km. The total displacement since the beginning of the growth of the gravity anomaly up to July 2012 is estimated at 3.0 m in the upper part of the plate’s contact and 1.5 m in the lower part up to a depth of 100 km. With allowance for the size of the region captured by the deformations, the released total energy is equivalent to the earthquake with the magnitude M_w = 8.5. In our opinion, the growth of the gravity anomaly in these regions indicates a large-scale aseismic creep over the areas much more extensive than the source zone of the earthquake. These processes have not been previously revealed by the ground-based techniques. Hence, the time series of the GRACE gravity models are an important source of the new data about the locations and evolution of the locked segments of the subduction zones and their seismic potential.     

芦山MS7.0地震前水平位移和同震水平位移研究

本文利用“中国地壳运动观测网络（二期）”多个GPS连续观测站观测数据处理结果,将2013年4月20日四川芦山MS7.0地震区域参考框架同震水平位移与全球参考框架同震水平位移进行比较,结果表明两组框架解一致,说明两种参考框架均可当作位错参考框架,也即全球参考框架同震水平位移也可视为区域参考框架同震水平位移．区域参考框架下GPS连续观测站地震前的水平位移和同震水平位移结果表明,震前数年,SCTQ站西侧的GPS站构造运动十分显著,而该站水平位移却很小,即出现反常的闭锁．但该站的同震水平位移使其弹性回跳至正常构造水平位移水平,因此SCTQ站震前的位移闭锁是水平位移空间分布中的异常,是芦山MS7.0地震的前兆．水平位移时空变化表明,该站震前和震时位移完全符合里德的弹性回跳理论．区域参考框架中位移时间系列和同震水平位移的综合研究有助于对芦山地震地壳运动前兆的认识和解释．尽管本文未能直接采用其它GPS连续观测站的资料,但结合本文和其它研究结果可以证实,震中附近其它站地震前后的变化与SCTQ站类似．基于芦山地震前水平位移和同震水平位移及其与前兆关系的研究,本文进一步讨论了GPS监测网的布设、 数据处理和分析等问题．      

鲜水河断裂带上特征地震的初步研究

特征地震是大地震原地重复的重要表现形式.现有资料的初步研究表明,鲜水河断裂带上大地震属特征地震模式,其地震破裂长度、同震位错量以及断层错动方式,在原地保持较长时间的一致性.由于大地震屡屡在原地重复发生,沿断裂特定地段累积位错分布与一次地震的位错相一致,从而导致断层滑动速率的同步变化.本文以1973年炉霍地震为例,研究了鲜水河断裂的特征地震现象.该段的地震活动属特征地震模式,不服从古登堡-里克特的线性震级频度关系.特征地震不仅对断错地貌、滑动速率有重要的影响,由于这种地震模式是以特定震级的大地震为主导,几乎没有中等震级地震发生,这对地震活动性研究也具有重要的意义.      

GRACE detection of the medium- to far-field coseismic gravity changes caused by the 2004 MW9.3 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake

Large earthquakes cause observable changes in the Earth's gravity field, which have been detected by the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). Since most previous studies focus on the detection of near-field gravity effects, this study provides the results from the medium- to far-field gravity changes caused by the 2004 Sumatra-Andaman earthquake that are recorded within GRACE monthly solutions. Utilizing a spherical-earth dislocation model we documented that large-scale signals predominate in the global field of the coseismic gravity changes caused by the earthquake. After removing the near-field effects, the coseismic gravity changes show a negative anomaly feature with an average magnitude of -0.18×10^-8 m·s^-2 in the region ranging ~40° from the epicenter, which is considered as the "medium field" in this study. From the GRACE data released by Center for Space Research from August 2002 to December 2008, we retrieved the large-scale gravity changes smoothed with 3 000 km Gaussian filter. The results show that the coseismic gravity changes detected by GRACE in the medium field have an average of (-0.20€±0.06)×10^-8 m·s^-2, which agrees with the model prediction. The detection confirms that GRACE is sensitive to large-scale medium-field coseismic gravitational effects of mega earthquakes, and also validates the spherical-earth dislocation model in the medium field from the perspective of satellite gravimetry.     

COULOMB STRESS EVOLUTION AND SEISMIC HAZARD ALONG THE EASTERN BOUNDARY OF THE SICHUAN-YUNNAN BLOCK

Using a more realistic model of multi-layered viscoelastic media, and considering the effects of the coseismic dislocation and the postseismic viscoelastic relaxation caused by the 34 great earthquakes occurring along the eastern boundary of the Sichuan-Yunnan block since 1480 and the interseismic stress accumulation caused by the tectonic loading generated by plate motions which were modeled by introducing "virtual negative displacements" along the major fault segment in the region under study, we calculated the evolution of the Coulomb stress change in each fault plane of 18 major fault segments along the eastern boundary caused by the coseismic, postseismic and interseismic effects. We studied the interactions of the Xianshuihe, Anninghe, Zemuhe and Xiaojiang fault zones on the eastern boundary of the Sichuan-Yunnan block. By evaluating if the previous earthquake could bring another earthquake closer to or farther from failure, we analyzed the interactions of the earthquakes which occurred in the different segments in the same fault zone, or in the different fault zones respectively. And further based on the calculation results of the Coulomb stress change on the fault planes, we analyzed the seismic hazard of each fault segment.The results show that the previous earthquake may trigger another earthquake which can occur in the same fault zone or in the different fault zone. And the calculation results on the evolution of the cumulative Coulomb stress change in the each fault segment show that, the Coulomb stress increases significantly in the middle section and the Moxi segment of the Xianshuihe fault zone, the Mianning-Xichang segment of the Anninghe fault zone, the Qiaojia-dongchuan segment and the Jianshui segment of the Xiaojiang fault zone, and the seismic hazard in these fault segments is worthy paying attention to.     

新疆南部构造区带与地震活动状态研究

Based on the studies of earthquake activity, tectonic movement, crustal shortening rate, fault activity, local stress field and historical characteristics of strong earthquake activities in Xinjiang, we divide the south part of Xinjiang into 4 seismotectonic zones, namely, the eastern segment of south Tianshan seismic belt, the Kalpin block, the Kashi-Wuqia junction zone, and the west Kunlun Mountains seismic belt. Using earthquake catalogues from Xinjiang since 1900, and on the basis of integrity analysis of earthquake records in different magnitude ranges, the seismicity state of different seismotectonic zones is analyzed quantificationally by calculating the mean value of annual strain energy release, annual rate of earthquakes with different lower limits of magnitude, b-value, and the parameter m of accelerating strain release model. The characteristic indexes of seismicity state for each of the seismic tectonic zones are then determined, which provide a quantitative basis for earthquake tendency analysis and judgment.     

基于形变观测分析2011年日本9.0级地震与断层运动间关系

2011年3月11日日本发生9.0级地震,本文以此次地震的震间、同震和震后形变观测为约束,依据不同时段断层运动空间分布特征分析日本海沟地区强震与断层运动间关系.震间日本海沟地区,断层运动闭锁线深度约为60km,闭锁线以上从深到浅依次为断层运动强闭锁段、无震滑移段和弱闭锁段.由同震位错反演结果,2011年日本9.0级地震同震存在深浅两个滑移极值区,同震较浅的滑移极值区(同震位错量10~50m,深度小于30km)震间为断层弱闭锁段;同震较深的滑移极值区(同震位错量10~20m,深度在40km左右)震间为断层强闭锁段;而在两者之间的过渡带同震位错相对较小,震间断层运动表现为无震滑移.震后初期断层运动主要分布在在闭锁线以上的同震较深滑移极值区,而同震较浅的滑移极值区能量释放比较彻底,断层震后余滑量相对较小.依据本文同震和震间断层运动反演结果,震间强闭锁段积累10m同震位错需要100多年时间,与该区域历史上7级地震活动复发周期相当;震间弱闭锁段积累30~50m同震位错约需要300~600年时间,与相关研究给出的日本海沟9级左右地震复发周期比较一致.在实际孕震能力判定的工作中,由于不同性质的断层段在同震过程中会表现更多的组合形式,断层发震能力判定结果存在更多的不确定性,但利用区域形变观测等资料给出震间断层运动特征的研究工作对于断层强震发震能力的判定具有非常重要的实际意义.     

Earthquake precursors: spatial-temporal gravity changes before the great earthquakes in the Sichuan-Yunnan area

Using multiple-scale mobile gravity data in the Sichuan-Yunnan area, we systematically analyzed the relationships between spatial-temporal gravity changes and the 2014 Ludian, Yunnan Province Ms6.5 earthquake and the 2014 Kangding Ms6.3, 2013 Lushan Ms7.0, and 2008 Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquakes in Sichuan Province. Our main results are as follows. (1) Before the occurrence of large earthquakes, gravity anomalies occur in a large area around the epicenters. The directions of gravity change gradient belts usually agree roughly with the directions of the main fault zones of the study area. Such gravity changes might reflect the increase of crustal stress, as well as the significant active tectonic movements and surface deformations along fault zones, during the period of gestation of great earthquakes. (2) Continuous significant changes of the multiple-scale gravity fields, as well as greater gravity changes with larger time scales, can be regarded as medium-range precursors of large earthquakes. The subsequent large earthquakes always occur in the area where the gravity changes greatly. (3) The spatial-temporal gravity changes are very useful in determining the epicenter of coming large earthquakes. The large gravity networks are useful to determine the general areas of coming large earthquakes. However, the local gravity networks with high spatial-temporal resolution are suitable for determining the location of epicenters. Therefore, denser gravity observation networks are necessary for better forecasts of the epicenters of large earthquakes. (4) Using gravity changes from mobile observation data, we made medium-range forecasts of the Kangding, Ludian, Lushan, and Wenchuan earthquakes, with especially successful forecasts of the location of their epicenters. Based on the above discussions, we emphasize that medium-/long-term potential for large earthquakes might exist nowadays in some areas with significant gravity anomalies in the study region. Thus, the monitoring should be strengthened.     

重力卫星GRACE检测出2010年智利Mw8.8地震的同震重力变化

本研究通过对重力卫星GRACE观测数据的处理,采用去相关加300 km半径的高斯平滑,成功地提取了2010智利M_w8.8地震所产生的重力变化信号,最大变化幅度达到7 μGal,并且与位错理论计算结果具有较好的一致性.这是继GRACE检测出2004苏门答腊M9.3地震重力变化后的又一个卫星观测地震的例证,说明GRACE具有检测出M<9.0量级地震的能力,为利用GRACE研究地震以及其更广泛的应用提供了可靠的依据.     

Numerical Simulation on Coseismic Effect of the November 14,2001 Great Kunlun Earthquake,Northern Tibet,China

The November 14, 2001 Ms8.1 Kunlun Mountains earthquake in northern Tibet is the largest earthquake occurring on the Chinese mainland since 1950. We apply a three-dimensional （3-D） finite element numerical procedure to model the coseismic displacement and stress fields of the earthquake based on field investigations. We then further investigate the stress interaction between the Ms8.1 earthquake and the intensive aftershocks. Our primary calculation shows that the coseismic displacement field is centralized around the east Kunlun fault zone. And the attenuation of coseismic displacements on the south side of Kunlun fault zone is larger than that on the north side. The calculated coseismic stress field also indicates that the calculated maximal shear stress field is centralized around the east Kunlun fault zone; the directions of the coseismic major principal stress are opposite to that of the background crustal stress field of the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibet） Plateau. It indicates that the earthquake relaxes the crustal stress state in the Qinghai-Xizang （Tibet） Plateau. Finally, we study the stress interaction between Ms8.1 earthquake and its intensive aftershocks. The calculated Coulomb stress changes of the Ms8.1 great earthquake are in favor of triggering 4 aftershocks.     

天山北部强震活动对区域应力扰动的分析以2012年伊犁M6.6地震和2017年精河M6.6地震为例

天山地区为典型地震活跃区, 为定量分析该构造活跃区强震对周边构造变形和地震活动的影响, 本文基于地震位错理论和岩石圈分层模型计算了天山北部近期发生的2012年伊犁和2017年精河两次M6.6地震对周围地壳形变和应力的影响。 计算结果显示伊犁地震和精河M6.6地震引起震中附近地表同震位移达数厘米, 地表同震应变量级约为10^-7; 对比天山北部地区年平均构造形变特征, M6.6强震释放了震中附近近十年的构造主压应变积累; 地震引起震中附近(80 km内)同震库仑应力变化大于1 kPa, 而距震中较远区域活动断层上库仑应力变化微弱。 结合天山北部现今地壳变形特征及区域地震分布, 初步推测两次M6.6地震的发生对震后余震有显著的触发作用, 而对区域后续微震活动的影响微弱。     

Constraining potential earthquake sources from the geophysical data

The spatial models describing the physico-mechanical properties of the rocks within the seismically active segment of the Altai–Sayan region are constructed from the ground-based geophysical data. The comparative analysis of their probability density functions at the nodes of the spatial grid covering the studied domain and at the hypocenters of the previous earthquakes shows that the bulk and shear moduli are the most efficient markers of the weakened crustal zones, which are prone to earthquakes. The algorithm for constraining the potential earthquake sources based on the spatial distributions of the elastic moduli of the rocks is suggested. When applied to the Taellin segment of the Altai–Sayan region, this algorithm has localized four echelons of the potential source zones of earthquakes at different depths in the crust. The horizontal positions of two of these zones were delineated by the previous studies based on the ground observations of seismicity, whereas the other two zones have been identified by the suggested algorithm for the first time.