ELECTRICAL STRUCTURE OF THE 2017 MS7.0 JIUZHAIGOU EARTHQUAKE REGION AND THE EASTERN TERMINUS OF THE EAST KUNLUN FAULT

The East Kunlun Fault is a giant fault in northern Tibetan, extending eastward and a boundary between the Songpan-Ganzi block and the West Qinling orogenic zone. The East Kunlun Fault branches out into a horsetail structure which is formed by several branch faults. The 2017 Jiuzhaigou M_S7.0 earthquake occurred in the horsetail structure of the East Kunlun Fault and caused huge casualties. As one of several major faults that regulate the expansion of the Tibetan plateau, the complexity of the deep extension geometry of the East Kunlun Fault has also attracted a large number of geophysical exploration studies in this area, but only a few are across the Jiuzhaigou earthquake region. Changes in pressure or slip caused by the fluid can cause changes in fault activity. The presence of fluid can cause the conductivity of the rock mass inside the fault zone to increase significantly. MT method is the most sensitive geophysical method to reflect the conductivity of the rock mass. Thus MT is often used to study the segmented structure of active fault zones. In recent years MT exploration has been carried out in several earthquake regions and the results suggest that the location of main shock and aftershocks are controlled by the resistivity structure. In order to study the deep extension characteristics of the East Kunlun Fault and the distribution of the medium properties within the fault zone, we carried out a MT exploration study across the Tazang section of the East Kunlun Fault in 2016. The profile in this study crosses the Jiuzhaigou earthquake region. Other two MT profiles that cross the Maqu section of East Kunlun Fault performed by previous researches are also collected. Phase tensor decomposition is used in this paper to analyze the dimensionality and the change in resistivity with depth. The structure of Songpan-Ganzi block is simple from deep to shallow. The structure of West Qinlin orogenic zone is complex in the east and simple in the west. The structure near the East Kunlun Fault is complex. We use 3D inversion to image the three MT profiles and obtained 3D electrical structure along three profiles. The root-mean-square misfit of inversions is 2.60 and 2.70. Our results reveal that in the tightened northwest part of the horsetail structure, the East Kunlun Fault, the Bailongjiang Fault, and the Guanggaishan-Dieshan Fault are electrical boundaries that dip to the southwest. The three faults combine in the mid-lower crust to form a "flower structure" that expands from south to north. In the southeastward spreading part of the horsetail structure, the north section of the Huya Fault is an electrical boundary that extends deep. The Tazang Fault has obvious smaller scale than the Huya Fault. The Minjiang Fault is an electrical boundary in the upper crust. The Huya Fault and the Tazang Fault form a one-side flower structure. The Bailongjiang and the Guanggaishan-Dieshan Fault form a "flower structure" that expands from south to north too. The two "flower structures" combine in the high conductivity layer of mid-lower crust. In Songpan-Ganzi block, there is a three-layer structure where the second layer is a high conductivity layer. In the West Qinling orogenic zone, there is a similar structure with the Songpan-Ganzi block, but the high conductivity layer in the West Qinling orogenic zone is shallower than the high conductivity layer in the Songpan-Ganzi block. The hypocenter of 2017 M_S7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake is between the high and low resistivity bodies at the shallow northeastern boundary of the high conductivity layer. The low resistivity body is prone to move and deform. The high resistivity body blocked the movement of low resistivity body. Such a structure and the movement mode cause the uplift near the East Kunlun Fault. The electrical structure and rheological structure of Jiuzhaigou earthquake region suggest that the focal depth of the earthquake is less than 11km. The Huya Fault extends deeper than the Tazang Fault. The seismogenic fault of the 2017 Jiuzhaigou earthquake is the Huya Fault. The high conductivity layer is deep in the southwest and shallow in the northeast, which indicates that the northeast movement of Tibetan plateau is the cause of the 2017 Jiuzhaigou earthquake.     

九寨沟M_S7.0地震对巴颜喀拉块体东北缘活动断裂影响的有限元模拟

在详细调研地震地质资料的基础上,构建了巴颜喀拉地块东北缘三维有限元模型。以九寨沟M_S7.0地震同震位错为荷载,模拟计算了九寨沟地震的发生对巴颜喀拉块体东北缘主要活动断裂加卸载效应的影响。模拟结果显示,九寨沟地震的发生对龙日坝断裂、虎牙断裂、青川-平武断裂西段、迭部-白龙江断裂西段和东段、临潭-宕昌断裂东段,以及处于甘青川交界危险区内的东昆仑断裂东段、塔藏断裂西段,处于六盘山南-西秦岭东危险区的西秦岭北缘断裂东段表现为库仑应力加载;对岷江断裂、塔藏断裂东段库仑应力卸载效应显著。     

西秦岭造山带(中段)及其两侧地块深部电性结构特征

本文对跨过西秦岭造山带(中段)的阿坝—若尔盖—临潭—兰州大地电磁剖面(WQL-L1)所采集到的数据进行了精细化处理分析和二维反演研究,结合跨过2013年岷县漳县地震区的WQL-L6剖面大地电磁探测结果和以往的地质与地球物理资料,对西秦岭造山带(中段)的深部电性结构、主要断裂带延伸状况以及与南北两侧地块的接触关系等进行了分析研究,结果表明:东昆仑断裂带塔藏段、迭部—白龙江断裂和光盖山—迭山断裂带共同组成了东昆仑断裂系统,分隔了松潘—甘孜地块和西秦岭造山带(中段);西秦岭北缘断裂带为主要的高角度南倾大型电性边界带,延伸深度穿过莫霍面;临潭—宕昌断裂带具有电性边界带特征,其延伸情况具有东、西差异.西秦岭造山带(中段)自地表到深度约20km范围表现为东北和西南浅、中部深的倒"梯形"高阻层,在高阻层之下广泛发育低阻层,低阻层与高阻层相互契合,呈现相互挤压堆积的式样,其西南侧的松潘—甘孜地块中下地壳存在西南深、东北浅低阻层,其东北侧的陇西盆地具有稳定的成层性结构,显示出西秦岭造山带(中段)正处于松潘—甘孜地块向北挤压和陇西盆地向南的阻挡挤压作用中.松潘—甘孜地块从西南向东北推挤、东北侧陇西盆地相对阻挡的相互作用是2013年岷县漳县6.6级地震发生的外部动力学机制,同时地震震源区特殊介质属性是该次地震发生的内部因素.西秦岭造山带(中段)中上地壳倒"梯形"高阻体埋深西薄、东厚的分段差异与该段内部中强地震分布差异有关.东昆仑断裂玛沁段和塔藏段内部的深部电性结构差异和延伸状况与东昆仑断裂自西向东走滑速率减小有内在联系.     

LATE QUATERNARY ACTIVITY OF THE CENTRAL SEGMENT OF THE DARI FAULT AND RESTUDY OF THE SURFACE RUPTURE ZONE OF THE 1947 M73/4 DARI EARTHQUAKE,QINGHAI PROVINCE

Bayan Hara Block is one of the most representative active blocks resulting from the lateral extrusion of Tibet Plateau since the Cenozoic. Its southern and northern boundary faults are characterized by typical strike-slip shear deformation. Its eastern boundary is blocked by the Yangze block and its horizontal movement is transformed into the vertical movement of the Longmen Shan tectonic belt, leading to the uplift of the Longmen Shan Mountains and forming a grand geomorphic barrier on the eastern margin of the Tibet Plateau. A series of large earthquakes occurred along the boundary faults of the Bayan Hara Block in the past twenty years, which have attracted attention of many scholars. At present, the related studies of active tectonics on Bayan Hara Block are mainly concentrated on the boundary faults, such as Yushu-Ganzi-Xianshuihe Fault, East Kunlun Fault and Longmen Shan Fault. However, there are also some large faults inside the block, which not only have late Quaternary activity, but also have tectonic conditions to produce strong earthquake. These faults divide the Bayan Hara Block into some secondary blocks, and may play important roles in the kinematics and dynamics mechanism of the Bayan Hara Block, or even the eastern margin of the Tibet Plateau. The Dari Fault is one of the left-lateral strike-slip faults in the Bayan Hara Block. The Dari Fault starts at the eastern pass of the Kunlun Mountains, extends eastward through the south of Yalazela, Yeniugou and Keshoutan, the fault strike turns to NNE direction at Angcanggou, then turns to NE direction again at Moba town, Qinghai Province, and the fault ends near Nanmuda town, Sichuan Province, with a total length of more than 500km. The fault has been considered to be a late Quaternary active fault and the 1947 M73/4 Dari earthquake was produced by its middle segment. But studies on the late Quaternary activity of the Dari Fault are still weak. The previous research mainly focused on the investigation of the surface rupture and damages of the 1947 M73/4 Dari earthquake. However, there were different opinions about the scale of the M73/4 earthquake surface rupture zone. Dai Hua-guang(1983)thought that the surface rupture of the earthquake was about 150km long, but Qinghai Earthquake Agency(1984)believed that the length of surface rupture zone was only 58km. Based on interpretation of high-resolution images and field investigations, in this paper, we studied the late Quaternary activity of the Dari Fault and the surface rupture zone of the 1947 Dari earthquake. Late Quaternary activity in the central segment of the Dari Fault is particularly significant. A series of linear tectonic landforms, such as fault trough valley, fault scarps, fault springs and gully offsets, etc. are developed along the Dari Fault. And the surface rupture zone of the 1947 Dari earthquake is still relatively well preserved. We conducted a follow-up field investigation for the surface rupture zone of the 1947 Dari earthquake and found that the surface rupture related to the Dari earthquake starts at Longgen village in Moba town, and ends near the northwest of the Yilonggounao in Jianshe town, with a length of about 70km. The surface rupture is primarily characterized by scarps, compressional ridges, pull-apart basins, landslides, cleavage, and the coseismic offset is about 2~4m determined by a series of offset gullies. The surface rupture zone extends to the northwest of Yilonggounao and becomes ambiguous. It is mainly characterized by a series of linear fault springs along the surface rupture zone. Therefore, we suggest that the surface rupture zone of the 1947 Dari earthquake ends at the northwest of Yilonggounao. In summary, the central segment of the Dari Fault can be characterized by strong late Quaternary activity, and the surface rupture zone of the 1947 Dari earthquake is about 70km long.     

HORIZONTAL MOVEMENT CHARACTERISTICS OF THE ACTIVE SANWEISHAN FAULT AND ITS MECHANISM: CONSTRAINTS ON THE GROWTH OF THE NORTHERN QINGHAI-TIBETAN PLATEAU

The northern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is currently the leading edge of uplift and expansion of the plateau. Over the years, a lot of research has been carried out on the deformation and evolution of the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and many ideas have been put forward, but there are also many disputes. The Altyn Tagh Fault constitutes the northern boundary of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and there are two active faults on the north side of the Altyn Tagh Fault, named Sanweishan Fault with NEE strike and Nanjieshan Fault with EW strike. Especially, studies on the geometric and kinematic parameters of Sanweishan Fault since the Late Quaternary, which is nearly parallel with the Altyn Tagn Fault, are of great significance for understanding the deformation transfer and distribution in the northwestward extension of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Therefore, interpretation of the fault landforms and statistical analysis of the horizontal displacement on the Sanweishan Fault and its newly discovered western extension are carried out in this paper. We believe that the Sanweishan Fault is an important branch of the eastern section of the Altyn Tagh fault zone. It is located at the front edge of the northwestern Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and is a left-lateral strike-slip and thrust active fault. Based on the interpretation of satellite imagery and microgeomorphology field investigation of Sanweishan main fault and its western segments, it's been found that the Sanweishan main fault constitutes the contact boundary between the Sanweishan Mountain and the alluvial fans. In the bedrock interior and on the north side of the Mogao Grottoes, there are also some branch faults distributed nearly parallel to the main fault. The main fault is about 150km long, striking 65°, mainly dipping SE with dip angles from 50° to 70°. The main fault can be divided into three segments in the spatial geometric distribution:the western segment(Xizhuigou-Dongshuigou, I), which is about 35km long, the middle segment(Dongshuigou-Shigongkouzi, Ⅱ), about 65km long, and the east segment(Shigongkouzi-Shuangta, Ⅲ), about 50km long. The above three segments are arranged in the left or right stepovers. In the west of Mingshashan, it's been found that the fault scarps are distributed near Danghe Reservoir and Yangguan Town in the west of Minshashan Mountain, and we thought those scarps are the westward extension of the main Sanweishan Fault. Along the main fault and its western extension, the different levels of water system(including gullies and rills)and ridges have been offset synchronously, forming a series of fault micro-geomorphology. The scale of the offset water system is proportional to the horizontal displacement. The frequency statistical analysis of the horizontal displacement shows that the displacement has obvious grouping characteristics, which are divided into 6 groups, and the corresponding peaks are 3.4m, 6.7m, 11.4m, 15m, 22m and 26m, respectively. Among them, 3.4m represents the coseismic displacement of the latest ancient earthquake event, and the larger displacement peak represents the accumulation of coseismic displacements of multi-paleoearthquake events. This kind of displacement characterized by approximately equal interval increase indicates that the Sanweishan Fault has experienced multiple characteristic earthquakes since the Late Quaternary and has the possibility of occurrence of earthquakes greater than magnitude 7. The distribution of displacement and structural transformation of the end of the fault indicate that Sanweishan Fault is an "Altyn Tagh Fault"in its infancy. The activities of Sanweishan Fault and its accompanying mountain uplift are the result of the transpression of the northern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, representing one of the growth patterns of the northern margin of the plateau.     

利用GIS方法研究南北地震带和中央造山带交汇区活动断裂与地震的关系

基于地理信息系统(GIS)技术研究南北地震带和中央造山带交汇区断裂带分布与地震活动的关系,对区内16条主要断裂带,以25km为缓冲区宽度,进行叠加,分析各断裂带的地震活动性及其特征.结果表明,主要的发震断裂有西秦岭北缘断裂的西段、礼县-罗家堡断裂西南段以及临潭-宕昌断裂的东南段、文县断裂西南段、虎牙断裂和雪山断裂;虎牙断裂和雪山断裂地震活动性最强,其次是塔藏断裂、礼县-罗家堡断裂以及光盖山-迭山北麓断裂;按震源深度可将研究区划分为4个区域,区内的震源深度由北向南逐渐加大,震源深度剖面图反映了断层的几何形态和力学性质,进一步揭示出了青藏高原向东挤压、物质向东向南逃逸的运动模式.     

东昆仑断裂带东部塔藏断裂地震地表破裂特征及其构造意义

东昆仑断裂带作为青藏高原中东部的巴颜喀拉地块北缘边界断裂带, 研究其强震破裂行为对于认识断裂带活动性及分析川西北地区未来地震危险性具有重要意义。 通过沿断裂发育的大量断错地貌勘查、 典型微地貌DGPS测量及样品年代测定, 认为东昆仑断裂带向东的强震活动性延伸至若尔盖盆地北侧, 即东昆仑断裂带东部塔藏断裂的罗叉段。 此段在卫星影像上呈清晰的灰黑色、 灰黄色线性条带, 地震形变带主要表现为断层陡坎、 坡中谷、 冲沟和阶地位错、 植物异常呈线性分布、 跌水、 断层泉、 断塞塘以及伴随地表错动而出现的滑坡、 垮塌和倒石堆。 这些破裂现象沿先存断层断续分布, 组成长约50 km的“L”形地震形变带。 断裂活动造成冲沟和阶地左行运动, 位错量主要集中在5.5～6.0 m、 18～23 m、 68～75 m和200～220 m范围。 最近地震发生在(340±30)～(500±30)BP间, 宏观震中位于本多村西北5～7 km, 震级为M_W7.3左右, 同震位移最大值为6 m, 水平位错量为5.5～6.0 m, 垂直位错量一般为0.2～0.5 m, 其比例为51～101。 对地震形变带中的各种变形遗迹和地震地表破裂特征的研究表明, 塔藏断裂是这次地震的发震构造。 确定了塔藏断裂为全新世活动断层, 近期断层在压剪切作用控制下以左行运动为主, 兼有少量逆冲分量, 同东昆仑断裂带其他段的活动性质相似, 认为东昆仑断裂带延伸至若尔盖盆地北侧, 研究结果支持“大陆逃逸”模型。     

ANALYSIS OF EVOLUTION OF THE RIYUESHAN FAULT SINCE LATE PLEISTOCENE USING STRUCTURAL GEOMORPHOLOGY

The northeastern margin of Tibetan plateau is an active block controlled by the eastern Kunlun fault zone, the Qilian Shan-Haiyuan fault zone, and the Altyn Tagh fault zone. It is the frontier and the sensitive area of neotectonic activity since the Cenozoic. There are widespread folds, thrust faults and stike-slip faults in the northeastern Tibetan plateau produced by the intensive tectonic deformation, indicating that this area is suffering the crustal shortening, left-lateral shear and vertical uplift. The Riyueshan Fault is one of the major faults in the dextral strike-slip faults systems, which lies between the two major large-scale left-lateral strike-slip faults, the Qilian-Haiyuan Fault and the eastern Kunlun Fault. In the process of growing and expanding of the entire Tibetan plateau, the dextral strike-slip faults play an important role in regulating the deformation and transformation between the secondary blocks. In the early Quaternary, because of the northeastward expansion of the northeastern Tibetan plateau, tectonic deformations such as NE-direction extrusion shortening, clockwise rotation, and SEE-direction extrusion occurred in the northeastern margin of the Tibetan plateau, which lead to the left-lateral slip movement of the NWW-trending major regional boundary faults. As the result, the NNW-trending faults which lie between these NWW direction faults are developed. The main geomorphic units developed within the research area are controlled by the Riyueshan Fault, formed due to the northeastward motion of the Tibet block. These geomorphic units could be classified as:Qinghai Lake Basin, Haiyan Basin, Datonghe Basin, Dezhou Basin, and the mountains developed between the basins such as the Datongshan and the Riyueshan. Paleo basins, alluvial fans, multiple levels of terraces are developed at mountain fronts. The climate variation caused the formation of the geomorphic units during the expansion period of the lakes within the northeastern Tibetan plateau. There are two levels of alluvial fans and three levels of fluvial terrace developed in the study area, the sediments of the alluvial fans and fluvial terraces formed by different sources are developed in the same period. The Riyueshan Fault connects with the NNW-trending left-lateral strike-slip north marginal Tuoleshan fault in the north, and obliquely connects with the Lajishan thrust fault in the south. The fault extends for about 180km from north to south, passing through Datonghe, Reshui coal mine, Chaka River, Tuole, Ketu and Xicha, and connecting with the Lajishan thrusts near the Kesuer Basin. The Riyueshan Fault consists of five discontinuous right-step en-echelon sub-fault segments, with a spacing of 2~3km, and pull-apart basins are formed in the stepovers. The Riyueshan Fault is a secondary fault located in the Qaidam-Qilian active block which is controlled by the major boundary faults, such as the East Kunlun Fault and the Qilian-Haiyuan Fault. Its activity characteristics provide information of the outward expansion of the northeastern margin of Tibet. Tectonic landforms are developed along the Riyueshan Fault. Focusing on the distinct geomorphic deformation since late Pleistocene, the paper obtains the vertical displacement along the fault strike by RTK measurement method. Based on the fault growth-linkage theory, the evolution of the Riyueshan Fault and the related kinetic background are discussed. The following three conclusions are obtained:1)According to the characteristics of development of the three-stage 200km-long steep fault scarp developed in the landforms of the late Pleistocene alluvial fans and terraces, the Riyueshan Fault is divided into five segments, with the most important segment located in the third stepover(CD-3); 2)The three-stage displacement distribution pattern of the Riyueshan Fault reveals that the fault was formed by the growths and connections of multiple secondary faults and is in the second stage of fault growth and connection. With CD-3 as the boundary, the faults on the NW side continue to grow and connect; the fault activity time on the SE side is shorter, and the activity intensity is weaker; 3)The extreme value of the fault displacement distribution curve indicates the location of strain concentration and stress accumulation. With the stepover CD-3 as the boundary, the stress and strain on NW side are mainly concentrated in the middle and fault stepovers. The long-term accumulation range of stress on the SE side is relatively dispersed. The stress state may be related to the counterclockwise rotation inside the block under the compression of regional tectonic stress.     

东昆仑断裂带东端的构造转换与2017年九寨沟MS7.0地震孕震机制

2017年四川九寨沟M_S7.0地震是继2008年汶川M_S8.0地震和2013年芦山M_S7.0地震之后,青藏高原东缘在不到十年的时间内发生的第三个震级M_S7.0以上的强震.这次地震发生在东昆仑断裂带东端,作为青藏高原东北缘的一条大型左旋走滑断裂带,东昆仑断裂带与东端其它构造之间的转换关系仍不清楚,因区内地质构造和地形复杂,东昆仑断裂带东端的主要构造仍缺少深入的研究.本文在总结区域地震构造活动特征、历史地震和现代地震基础上,通过东昆仑断裂带东端已有的和最近开展的活动构造定量研究结果,并结合现今GPS变形场资料和2017年九寨沟M_S7.0地震灾害特征分析,发现东昆仑断裂带最东段塔藏断裂上的左旋走滑除了一小部分继续向东传播转移到文县断裂带上外,大部分转化为其南侧的龙日坝断裂带北段、岷江断裂和虎牙断裂上的近东西向地壳缩短,这可能是岷山隆起的构造机制,而2017年九寨沟M_S7.0地震正是左旋走滑的东昆仑断裂带在东端继续向东扩展的结果.     

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.     

THE SLIP RATE AND PALEOEARTHQUAKES OF THE YUMEN FAULT IN THE NORTHERN QILIAN MOUNTAINS SINCE THE LATE PLEISTOCENE

The Yumen Fault lies on the west segment of the north Qilian Fault belt and adjacent to the Altyn-Tagh Fault,in the north margin of the Tibet Plateau.The tectonic location of the Yumen fault is special,and the fault is the evidence of recent activity of the northward growth of Tibetan plateau.In recent twenty years,many researches show the activity of the Yumen Fault became stronger from the early Pleistocene to the Holocene.Because the Yumen Fault is a new active fault and fold belt in the Qilian orogenic belt in the north margin of the Tibet Plateau,it is important to ascertain its slip rate and the recurrence interval of paleoearthquakes since the Late Pleistocene.Using the satellite image interpretation of the Beida river terrace,the GPS measurement of alluvial fans in front of the Yumen Fault and the trench excavation on the fault scarps,two conclusions are obtained in this paper.(1) The vertical slip rate of the Yumen Fault is about 0.41~0.48mm/a in the Holocene and about 0.24~0.30mm/a in the last stage of the late Pleistocene.(2) Since the Holocene epoch,four paleoearthquakes,which happened respectively in 6.12~10.53ka,3.6~5.38ka,1.64~1.93ka and 0.63~1.64ka,ruptured the surface scarps of the Yumen Fault.Overall,the recurrence interval of the paleoseismic events shortens gradually and the activity of the Yumen Fault becomes stronger since the Holocene.Anther characteristic is that every paleoearthquake probably ruptured multiple fault scarps at the same time.     

THE TECTONIC ACTIVITY CHARACTERISTICS OF AWANCANG FAULT IN THE LATE QUATERNARY,THE SUB-STRAND OF THE EASTERN KUNLUN FAULT

It is well known that the slip rate of Kunlun Fault descends at the east segment, but little known about the Awancang Fault and its role in strain partitioning with Kunlun Fault. Whether the sub-strand(Awancang Fault) can rupture simultaneously with Kunlun Fault remains unknown. Based on field investigations, aerial-photo morphological analysis, topographic surveys and ¹⁴C dating of alluvial surfaces, we used displaced terrace risers to estimate geological slip rates along the Awancang Fault, which lies on the western margin of the Ruoergai Basin and the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau, the results indicate that the slip rate is 3mm/a in the middle Holocene, similar to the reduced value of the Kunlun Fault. The fault consists of two segments with strike N50° W, located at distance about 16km, and converged to single stand to the SE direction. Our results demonstrate that the Awancang fault zone is predominantly left-lateral with a small amount of northeast-verging thrust component. The slip rates decrease sharply about 4mm/a from west to east between the intersection zone of the Awancang Fault and Kunlun Fault. Together with our previous trenching results on the Kunlun Fault, the comparison with slip rates at the Kunlun fault zone suggests that the Awancang fault zone has an important role in strain partitioning for east extension of Kunlun Fault in eastern Tibet. At the same time, the 15km long surface rupture zone of the southeast segment was found at the Awancang Fault. By dating the latest faulted geomorphologic surface, the last event may be since the 1766±54 Cal a BP. Through analysis of the trench, there are four paleoearthquake events identified recurring in situ on the Awancang Fault and the latest event is since (850±30)a BP. The slip rate of the Awancang Fault is almost equivalent to the descending value of the eastern part of the east Kunlun Fault, which can well explain the slip rate decreasing of the eastern part of the east Kunlun Fault(the Maqin-Maqu segment)and the characteristics of the structure dynamics of the eastern edge of the Tibet Plateau. The falling slip rate gradient of the eastern Kunlun Fault corresponds to the geometric characteristic. It is the Awancang Fault, the strand of the East Kunlun Fault that accommodates the strain distribution of the eastward extension of the east Kunlun Fault. This study is helpful to seismic hazard assessment and understanding the deformation mechanism in eastern Tibet.     

西秦岭临潭-宕昌断裂第四纪最新活动特征

临潭-宕昌断裂是西秦岭造山带内一条重要的分支断裂,其最新活动特征是分析西秦岭构造变形的重要依据。临潭-宕昌断裂的新构造活动强烈,中强地震频繁,但目前对于断裂的新活动特征研究程度较低,未见有其全新世活动地质地貌证据的报道。文中基于遥感解译、宏观地貌分析研究断裂的长期活动表现和分段性;同时通过地质地貌考察、无人机摄影测量、差分GPS和放射性碳测年等方法定量研究断裂的新活动特征;最后基于研究结果探讨了断裂及附近区域的地震危险性和区域构造变形。结果表明:根据断层迹线收敛程度和宏观地貌差异,可将临潭-宕昌断裂分为西、中、东3段;断裂的运动性质以左旋走滑为主,兼具逆冲分量,左旋走滑使洮河及其支流、冲沟和山脊等发生同步左旋拐弯,最大左旋位移可达3km,逆冲分量使新近纪盆地边缘和内部形成300~500m的垂向位移;断裂的最新活动时代为全新世,限定了1次2 090~7 745a BP(置信度为2σ)的全新世古地震事件;全新世早期以来,临潭-宕昌断裂东段主干断裂的左旋走滑速率为0.86~1.65mm/a,垂直滑动速率为0.05~0.10mm/a。临潭-宕昌断裂分配了约2mm/a的左旋走滑分量,是东昆仑-西秦岭阶区变形分配的关键断裂之一。     

GEOMORPHIC FEATURES AND LATE QUATERNARY SLIP RATE OF THE SOUTHERN ZONGWULONG SHAN FAULT

With the continuous collision of the India and Eurasia plate in Cenozoic, the Qilian Shan began to uplift strongly from 12Ma to 10Ma. Nowadays, Qilian Shan is still uplifting and expanding. In the northern part of Qilian Shan, tectonic activity extends to Hexi Corridor Basin, and has affected Alashan area. In the southern part of Qilian Shan, tectonic activity extends to Qaidam Basin, forming a series of thrust faults in the northern margin of Qaidam Basin and a series of fold deformations in the basin. The southern Zongwulong Shan Fault is located in the northeastern margin of Qaidam Basin, it is the boundary thrust fault between the southern margin of Qilian Shan and Qaidam Basin. GPS studies show that the total crustal shortening rate across the Qilian Shan is 5~8mm/a, which absorbs 20% of the convergence rate of the Indian-Eurasian plate. Concerning how the strain is distributed on individual fault in the Qilian Shan, previous studies mainly focused on the northern margin of the Qilian Shan and the Hexi Corridor Basin, while the study on the southern margin of the Qilian Shan was relatively weak. Therefore, the study of late Quaternary activity of southern Zongwulong Shan Fault in southern margin of Qilian Shan is of great significance to understand the strain distribution pattern in Qilian Shan and the propagation of the fault to the interior of Qaidam Basin. At the same time, because of the strong tectonic activity, the northern margin of Qaidam Basin is also a seismic-prone area. Determining the fault slip rate is also helpful to better understand the movement behaviors of faults and seismic risk assessment.Through remote sensing image interpretation and field geological survey, combined with GPS topographic profiling, cosmogenic nuclides and optically stimulated luminescence dating, we carried out a detailed study at Baijingtu site and Xujixiang site on the southern Zongwulong Shan Fault. The results show that the southern Zongwulong Shan Fault is a Holocene reverse fault, which faulted a series of piedmont alluvial fans and formed a series of fault scarps.The 43ka, 20ka and 11ka ages of the alluvial fan surfaces in this area can be well compared with the ages of terraces and alluvial fan surfaces in the northeastern margin of Tibetan Plateau, and its formation is mainly controlled by climatic factors. Based on the vertical dislocations of the alluvial fans in different periods in Baijingtu and Xujixiang areas, the average vertical slip rate of the southern Zongwulong Shan Fault since late Quaternary is(0.41±0.05)mm/a, and the average horizontal shortening rate is 0.47~0.80mm/a, accounting for about 10% of the crustal shortening in Qilian Shan. These results are helpful to further understand the strain distribution model in Qilian Shan and the tectonic deformation mechanism in the northern margin of Qaidam Basin. The deformation mechanism of the northern Qaidam Basin fault zone, which is composed of the southern Zongwulong Shan Fault, is rather complicated, and it is not a simple piggy-back thrusting style. These faults jointly control the tectonic activity characteristics of the northern Qaidam Basin.     

SPATIAL AND TEMPORAL DISTRIBUTION OF SLIP RATE DEFICIT ACROSS HAIYUAN-LIUPAN SHAN FAULT ZONE CONSTRAINED BY GPS DATA

As the northeast boundary of the Tibetan plateau, the Haiyuan-Liupan Shan fault zone has separated the intensely tectonic deformed Tibetan plateau from the stable blocks of Ordos and Alxa since Cenozoic era. It is an active fault with high seismic risk in the west of mainland China. Using geology and geodetic techniques, previous studies have obtained the long-term slip rate across the Haiyuan-Liupan Shan fault zone. However, the detailed locking result and slip rate deficit across this fault zone are scarce. After the 2008 Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake, the tectonic stress field of Longmen Shan Fault and its vicinity was changed, which suggests that the crustal movement and potential seismic risk of Haiyuan-Liupan Shan fault zone should be investigated necessarily. Utilizing GPS horizontal velocities observed before and after Wenchuan earthquake(1999~2007 and 2009~2014), the spatial and temporal distributions of locking and slip rate deficit across the Haiyuan-Liupan Shan fault zone are inferred. In our model, we assume that the crustal deformation is caused by block rotation, horizontal strain rate within block and locking on block-bounding faults. The inversion results suggest that the Haiyuan fault zone has a left-lateral strike-slip rate deficit, the northern section of Liupan Shan has a thrust dip-slip rate deficit, while the southern section has a normal dip-slip rate deficit. The locking depths of Maomao Shan and west section of Laohu Shan are 25km during two periods, and the maximum left-lateral slip rate deficit is 6mm/a. The locking depths of east section of Laohu Shan and Haiyuan segment are shallow, and creep slip dominates them presently, which indicates that these sections are in the postseismic relaxation process of the 1920 Haiyuan earthquake. The Liupan Shan Fault has a locking depth of 35km with a maximum dip-slip rate deficit of 2mm/a. After the Wenchuan earthquake, the high slip rate deficit across Liupan Shan Fault migrated from its middle to northern section, and the range decreased, while its southern section had a normal-slip rate deficit. Our results show that the Maomao Shan Fault and west section of Laohu Shan Fault could accumulate strain rapidly and these sections are within the Tianzhu seismic gap. Although the Liupan Shan Fault accumulates strain slowly, a long time has been passed since last large earthquake, and it has accumulated high strain energy possibly. Therefore, the potential seismic risks of these segments are significantly high compared to other segments along the Haiyuan-Liupan Shan fault zone.     

THE CENOZOIC TECTONICS AND SEISMIC ACTIVITY OF XINZHENG-TAIKANG FAULT IN THE SOUTHERN EDGE OF TAIKANG AREA

On the basis of dividing and comparison of the Neogene strata and their bottoms revealed by 7 drill holes in Taikang area, we completed 101 seismic profiles with a total length of 4991km. Seismic data were compared and interpreted. The results indicate that Xinzheng-Taikang Fault, as a blind fault extending from Xinzheng to Taikang, which was considered as an EW striking fault from Xuchang to Taikang before, is the boundary of Taikang uplift and Zhoukou depression, controlling the sedimentation since Neogene Period. So we named the fault the Xinzheng-Taikang Fault, which is composed of two branches, mainly, the east and west branches. The west branch strikes northwest, dipping northeast with steep angles, and the fault plane extending more than 140km in length. As revealed on the seismic profiles, the eastern segment of the west branch is normal fault, while the west segment of the branch shows characteristics of strike-slip fault. The east branch trends NW-NEE, dipping SW-SSE with the length of about 50km. Two branches form a minus flower structure, indicating the strike slip-extension tectonic background. The bottom of Neogene strata is offset about 120m by the east branch, 20m by the west branch, and the bottom of Quaternary is probably offset too. Meanwhile, latest studies suggest that the composite strip of the two branches of Xinzheng-Taikang Fault, which is a tectonic transfer zone, is the subduction zone between the two strike-slip faults. The tectonic stress tends to be released by the east-west branch fault, and the zone should be the seismogenic structure for the recent seismicity in Taikang area. In 2010, the latest earthquake ofM_S4.7 occurred in this area, causing 12 people wounded. The seismogenic structure was considered to be the Xinzheng-Taikang Fault. So locating the fault exactly is of great importance to disaster prevention.     

LATE QUATERNARY SINISTRAL STRIKE-SLIP ACTIVITIES OF SANWEI SHAN FAULT IN THE NORTH OF TIBETAN PLATEAU

Sanwei Shan Fault is located in the north of Tibet, which is a branch of eastern segment of Altyn Tagn fault zone. This fault is distributed along the boundary of fault facet and the Quaternary, with the total length of almost 150km. The fault is a straight-line structure read from the satellite image. Based on the spatial distribution of the fault, three segments are divided, namely, Xishuigou-Dongshuigou segment, Dongshuigou-West Shigongkouzi segment and West Shigongkouzi-Suangta segment, these three segments are distributed by left or right step.Though field microgeomorphology investigation along Sanwei Shan Fault, it has been found that two periods of alluvial-pluvial fans are distributed in front of Sanwei Shan Mountain, most of which are overstepped. Comparing the distribution of alluvial-pluvial fans with their formation age in the surrounding regions, and meanwhile, taking the results of optical stimulated luminescence(OSL) dating, it's considered that the formation age of the older alluvial-pluvial fans, which are distributed in northern Qilian Shan, inside of Hexi Corridor and western Hexi Corridor(including the Sanwei Shan piedmont fans), is between later period of late Quaternary and earlier period of Holocene. The gullies on the older fan and ridges have been cut synchronously. The maximum and minimum sinistral displacement is 5.5m and 1.7m, but majority of the values is between 3.0~4.5m. Taking the results from the OSL dating, we conclude that the minimum sinistral strike-slip rate is(0.33±0.04) mm/a since 14 ka BP and(0.28±0.03) mm/a since 20 ka BP.     

THE STRUCTURAL CHARACTERISTICS OF PANGUSI-XINXIANG FAULT IN THE SOUTHERN MARGIN OF TAIHANG MOUNTAINS

Pangusi-Xinxiang Fault is a great-scale, deep-incising buried active fault in the southern margin of the Taihang Mountains. In order to find out the location, characteristics, structure and activities of Pangusi-Xinxiang Fault, shallow reflection profiles with six lines crossing the buried faults were carried out. In this paper, based on the high-resolution seismic data acquisition technology and high-precision processing technology, we obtained clear images of underground structures. The results show that Pangusi-Xinxiang Fault is a near EW-trending Quaternary active fault and its structural features are different in different segment. The middle part of the fault behaves as a south-dipping normal fault and controls the north boundary of Jiyuan sag; The eastern part of the fault is a north-dipping normal fault and a dividing line of Wuzhi uplift and Xiuwu sag. The shallow seismic profiles reveal that the up-breakpoint of the Pangusi-Xinxiang Fault is at depth of 60~70m, which offsets the lower strata of upper Pleistocene. We infer that the activity time of this fault is in the lower strata of late Pleistocene. In this study, not only the location and characteristics of Pangusi-Xinxiang Fault are determined, but also the reliable geological and seismological evidences for the fault activity estimation are provided.     

利用GPS和水准数据分析东昆仑断裂带东部及其邻区构造变形特征

基于1999—2016年GPS数据和1980—2010年区域精密水准数据,获取了东昆仑断裂带东部及其邻区主要断裂的滑动速率和区域构造变形特征。结果表示:东昆仑断裂带自西向东的走滑速率衰减非常明显,走滑速率从西大滩—东大滩和阿拉克湖段的约10 mm/a向东到塔藏段衰减至约2 mm/a,速率自西向东每100 km下降梯度约1 mm/a;东昆仑断裂带阿拉克湖段、托索湖段、下大武段和塔藏段均表现出一定的弱挤压特征。跨岷江断裂剖面显示区域挤压变形自西向东由龙日坝断裂至龙门山断裂带有逐渐减弱的特征。区域最大主应变方向为E-NEE向,最大剪切应变高值区位于阿拉克湖段和托索湖段交汇区域以及巴颜喀拉块体的龙日坝断裂中段区域。分析东昆仑断裂带东部及其邻区主要断裂间的构造转换关系认为,岷山地区的隆起变形主要是因为巴颜喀拉块体自西向东的运动受到了华南块体的阻挡,而非东昆仑断裂带向东延展引起的构造转换。     

地貌参数指示的临潭-宕昌断裂带最新构造隆升差异与地震活动

2013年7月22日,甘肃岷县漳县MS6.6地震发生在青藏高原东北缘的临潭-宕昌断裂带上。为了研究该断裂的最新构造隆升的差异性,基于ASTER GDEM数字高程模型数据提取了流域盆地及水系,并以此为基础,计算了面积高程积分及河道坡度指数。2个地貌参数的分析结果表明,临潭-宕昌断裂不同部位的最新隆升呈现不均匀性。其中,断裂的最新逆冲活动在临潭以西及以岷县附近明显强于其他各段。上述地貌参数所指示的断裂抬升强度还与历史及现今地震发震位置较好地匹配,体现了定量化地貌分析对断裂活动强弱的指示作用。临潭-宕昌断裂受区域NE-SW向挤压构造应力作用影响,其活动的差异可能与晚第四纪以来巴颜喀拉块体NE向扩展背景下的局部应力集中有关。