Mass estimates of the scalar seismic moments of small earthquake foci on southern Sakhalin

The frequency dependence of the function of the seismic wave attenuation was determined for the first time for southern Sakhalin on the basis of seismic coda of local earthquakes using the model of single scattering. The algorithm of the automated definition of the scalar seismic moments was realized for small earthquake foci. Mass estimates of the scalar seismic moments were obtained as exemplified by the after-shocks of the August 17, 2006, Gornozavodsk earthquake (M_W 5.6) and the May–June 2004 Kostromskoe earthquake swarm events, which occurred in South Sakhalin. The dynamic parameters of the earthquake foci were determined from the SH-wave spectra adjusted for absorption and geometrical spreading. The loglinear relationship determined between the seismic moment and the local magnitude is in good agreement with the estimates obtained for other regions and, in a certain sense, does not contradict the average world dependence.     

Structure and peculiarities of the seismic regime in the source zone of the Takoe earthquake on September 1, 2001 (M W 5.2)

The Takoe earthquake (M _W 5.2) occurred between two en-echelon segments of the active Aprelovskii fault on September 1, 2001, and was accompanied by an earthquake swarm, which was successfully recorded by a local network of digital seismic stations located on the southern part of Sakhalin Island. Modern methods were applied to relocate the parameters of the sources for the earthquake swarm event and significantly specify their spatial distribution and relations to the structural-geological features of the complex system of interacting faults. New data on the correlation between the source mechanism and the modern geodynamic setting in the southern part of Sakhalin were obtained.     

Source zones of the catastrophic Simushir earthquakes on November 15, 2006 (M w = 8.3) and January 13, 2007 (M w = 8.1) and the deep crust structure beneath the Middle Kuril segment

The data on catastrophic earthquakes with magnitudes of 8.3 and 8.1 that occurred in the Simushir Island area on November 15, 2006, and January 13, 2007, respectively, were compared with the results of land-sea deep seismic studies by different methods (deep seismic sounding, the correlation method of refracted waves, the earthquake converted-wave method, the common mid-point) in the Central Kuril segment. The structure of the Earth’s crust and the hypocentral zones of these earthquakes were analyzed. It was established that the hypocenter of the main shock of the first earthquake was located at the bend of the seismofocal zone under the island slope of the trench on the outer side of the subsiding lithospheric plate in the rapidly rising granulite-basite (ìbasalticî) crustal layer, which, at depths of 7–15 km, replaced the granulite-gneiss layer. This was accompanied by an increase of the seismic wave velocity from 6.4 to 7.1 km/s. The focus of the second earthquake was located beneath the axis of the deep-sea trench. The aftershocks were concentrated in two bands 60–120 km wide that extend along the trench, as well as in the third zone orthogonal to the island arc. It was shown that the epicenters of the earthquakes are linked with regional faults. The main shock of the first earthquake (November 15, 2006) was interpreted as a thrust fault and the second one (January 13, 2007) was attributed to a normal fault.     

The seismic anisotropy beneath Southern Sakhalin: Evidence from the S-wave parameters of deep-focus earthquakes

The measurements of the parameters of split shear (S) waves from local deep-focus earthquakes recorded in 2005–2007 by a network of 12 seismic stations in Southern Sakhalin are presented. The results revealed the heterogeneous distribution of the anisotropic properties beneath Southern Sakhalin. The azimuths of the fast S-wave polarization beneath the stations in the central part of the peninsula are oriented along the NNW and NNE-NE directions normal to and along the Kuril Trench. Beneath the stations located along the western and eastern coasts, the azimuths of the fast S-wave polarization change their direction from NNW in the northern area to E-SE in the southern area. The highest anisotropy degree (up to 0.9–1.5%) is recorded beneath the central part of Southern Sakhalin. The maximum values of the discrepancy in the arrival time of the split S-waves are observed when the azimuth of the fast S-wave is oriented along the NNE beneath the active fault zones. The analysis of the variations of the S-wave lag time shows their weak depth dependence. The highest anisotropy is assumed in the upper layers of the medium (down to a depth of about 250 km). The results obtained for the dominating wave frequency of 1–5 Hz represent mainly the medium-scale anisotropy of the top of the studied region.     

Horizontal motions and the generation of strong earthquakes in the North Sakhalin interiors

The recent geodynamics of Sakhalin Island is best described by the convergence of the Eurasian and North American (Sea of Okhotsk) lithospheric plates, which is manifested in the high seismic activity of the island. In North Sakhalin, the plate boundary is thought to correspond to a system of roughly N-S-trending faults, which belong to the North Sakhalin deep fault, and the Upper-Piltun fault; the latter was ruptured by the 1995 M 7.2 Neftegorsk earthquake. This study first confirmed that the stationary motion of the Sea of Okhotsk plate is retarded on this fault to form with time a series of drag folds and stress field anomalies. The latter are released during the subsequent (in a 400⦒o 1000-year period) strong earthquakes by seismic sliding on the flanks of the Upper Piltun fault. The 2003–2006 GPS observations revealed the free state of this fault zone with relative slip rates of 5–6 mm/yr.     

Structure of terrestrial crust in southern Sakhalin and adjacent aquatoria

Recent deep seismic sounding and other data suggest presence of a deep rift which cuts across southern Sakhalin, Aniva Bay, La Perouse Strait, and Hokkaido Island, a suboceanic type of crust in the Sea of Okhotsk, and a continental one in Sakhalin. The density-velocities relationship determined here may account for the observed gravity anomalies as due primarily to variations in thickness of the crust (fig. 6), without resorting to other hypotheses.     

福建仙游地区高精度地震震源定位及深部断裂特征

福建仙游位于福建省东南沿海中部,其周边地区历史地震活动较平静,属于弱震区。但自从该地区的金钟水库于2010年5月下闸蓄水后,库区附近的地震活动性随之增强。为深入了解该地区的地震活动性、地震分布特征以及寻找隐伏断层,利用中国地震局提供的地震初至震相数据,使用双差定位方法对仙游地区近10年发生的地震进行重定位,获得了更为精确的震源位置,并根据重定位结果模拟深部断裂,寻找隐伏断层。结果显示：(1)重定位后的震源位置更加集中,按照发震时间可分为4个活动区,主要沿沙县—南日岛的次级断裂石苍断裂两侧北西向线性分布。(2)重定位后仙游震群的震源深度主要为8～11 km。石苍断裂左侧地震条带震源深度为6～12 km;右侧地震条带呈现明显的分层现象,上层西北侧地震较为分散,东南侧地震分布较紧凑,震源深度同左侧一样为6～12 km,而下层地震较少,震源深度为14～23 km。(3)根据重定位后的震源位置,利用奇异值分解法拟合得到三个深部断层面,其倾向均为南西向,走向为北西向,与石苍断裂和潼关断裂的倾向和走向一致。结合前人研究成果和本研究结果,推测石苍断裂并不是主发震断层,而是其两侧存在的深部断裂(高倾角隐...     

以精定位背景地震活动与震源机制解研究郯庐断裂带中南段现今活动习性

郯庐断裂带是中国东部板内一条规模最大的强构造变形带与地震活动断裂带,其断裂结构与历史地震活动性具明显的分段活动性。文中通过沿郯庐断裂带中南段的历史地震活动性、精定位背景地震活动性与震源机制解分析,讨论了断裂带的深部几何结构与现今活动习性。现今地震活动在中段主要沿1668年郯城MS 8地震破裂带线性分布,线性条带在泗洪-诸城间延伸约340 km长,为1668年地震长期缓慢衰减的余震序列活动。大震地表破裂遗迹与精定位地震分布都揭示出郯庐断裂带中段的两条全新世活动断裂昌邑-大店断裂与安丘-莒县断裂以右阶斜列的形式共同参与了1668年郯城MS 8地震破裂。精定位震源剖面刻画出两条断裂结构面呈高角度相背而倾,其中昌邑-大店断裂倾向SE,安丘-莒县断裂倾向NW,两条断裂在深部没有合并汇聚。余震活动所代表的1668年地震震源破裂带是郯庐断裂带中现今尚未闭锁的安全段落,对应于高b值段。而未发生破裂的安丘以北段,小震活动不活跃,b值低,现今可能已成为应力积累的闭锁段。震源机制解揭示的断裂应力状态在中段以NE向主压应力为主,表现为右旋走滑活动性质,且存在少量正断分量,南段转为以NEE至近EW向为主,存在少量的逆冲分量。在中段与南段的转折处宿迁-嘉山段,主压应力方向垂直断裂带走向呈NWW向,反映出局部以挤压为主的应力特征,其中泗洪-嘉山段也是历史地震未破裂段,现今小震活动不活跃,因此该段可能更易于应力积累。精定位小震活动在郯庐断裂与北西向断裂相交汇处聚集,反映出北西向断裂的新活动性,以及郯庐断裂带现今的逆冲作用。在断裂带南端,精定位背景地震活动沿与其相交汇的襄樊-广济断裂带东段呈北西向线性分布,表明了该段的现今活动性。     

Co-seismic displacements associated to the Molise (Southern Italy) earthquake sequence of October–November 2002 inferred from GPS measurements

The 2002 earthquake sequence of October 31 and November 1 (main shocks Mw = 5.7) struck an area of the Molise region in Southern Italy. In this paper we analyzed the co-seismic deformation related to the Molise seismic sequence, inferred from GPS data collected before and after the earthquake, that ruptured a rather deep portion of crust releasing a moderate amount of seismic energy with no surface rupture. The GPS data have been reduced using two different processing strategies and softwares (Bernese and GIPSY) to have an increased control over the result accuracy, since the expected surface displacements induced by the Molise earthquake are in the order of the GPS reliability. The surface deformations obtained from the two approaches are statistically equivalent and show a displacement field consistent with the expected deformation mechanism and with no rupture at the surface. In order to relate this observation with the seismic source, an elastic modeling of fault dislocation rupture has been performed using seismological parameters as constraints to the model input and comparing calculated surface displacements with the observed ones. The sum of the seismic moments (8.9 × 10¹⁷ Nm) of the two main events have been used as a constraint for the size and amount of slip on the model fault while its geometry has been constrained using the focal mechanisms and aftershocks locations. Since the two main shocks exhibit the same fault parameters (strike of the plane, dip and co-seismic slip), we modelled a single square fault, size of 15 km × 15 km, assumed to accommodate the whole rupture of both events of the seismic sequence. A vertical E–W trending fault (strike = 266°) has been modeled, with a horizontal slip of 120 mm. Sensitivity tests have been performed to infer the slip distribution at depth. The comparison between GPS observations and displacement vectors predicted by the dislocation model is consistent with a source fault placed between 5 and 20 km of depth with a constant pure right-lateral strike-slip in agreement with fault slip distribution analyses using seismological information. The GPS strain field obtained doesn't require a geodetic moment release larger than the one inferred from the seismological information ruling out significant post-seismic deformation or geodetic deformation released at frequencies not detectable by seismic instruments. The Molise sequence has a critical seismotectonic significance because it occurred in an area where no historical seismicity or seismogenic faults are reported. The focal location of the sequence and the strike-slip kinematics of main shocks allow to distinguish it from the shallower and extensional seismicity of the southern Apennines being more likely related to the decoupling of the southern Adriatic block from the northern one.     

Microearthquakes and faulting in the southern Okinawa Trough

Southern Okinawa Trough represents an early stage of back-arc rifting and is characterized by normal faulting and microearthquakes. Earthquake distribution and deep structure of fault was investigated to clarify active rifting in the southern Okinawa Trough, where two parallel grabens are located. A network of ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs) that displayed the hypocenters of 105 earthquakes were observed for a period of 4 days in southern-graben (SG). Most of the microearthquakes occurred in a cluster about 7 km wide, which on a cross-section striking N45°E dips 48° to the southwest. Relocated hypocenters, which are recorded by a local seismic network, show scattered distribution around the southern-graben. There are no remarkable surface faults in the southern-graben. On the other hand, the recalculation of hypocenter locations of 1996 earthquakes swarm recorded by a local seismic network suggests that the swarm is associated with normal faulting on the southern side of northern-graben (NG). Thus, the undeveloped southern-graben is located to the south of the developed northern-graben. Southward migration of rifting, which may be caused by migration of volcanism, could thus be occurring in the southern Okinawa Trough. The extension rate computed for the southern Okinawa Trough from the fault model of the northern-graben is 4.6 cm/year, which is 59–102% of the extension rate (GPS measurements). This result indicates that the majority of extensional deformation is concentrated within the center of the northern-graben in the Okinawa Trough.     

The aftershock process and mechanisms of the May 30, 2004 Kostromskoe earthquake,Sakhalin

The results of the instrumental and macroseismic studies are reported for the tangible earthquake with intensity of up to 5–6 and amplitude of MLH = 4.8 that occurred near the western coast of Sakhalin Island. The main parameters of the Kostromskoe earthquake have been estimated in two versions: (1) based on the data from the local network of digital stations located in southern Sakhalin, and (2) from the complex of local, regional, and global observations. It has been noted that the development of the local network in southern Sakhalin allowed the seismic regime in the earthquake area to be investigated in more detail and the mechanisms of both the individual weak and group events to be derived. The acquired data on the dislocation style of the main shock and aftershocks in the days following the event were used for the geological-tectonic interpretation of the Kostromskoe earthquake.     

Active right-lateral strike-slip fault zone along the southern margin of the Japan Sea

We describe an active right-lateral strike-slip fault zone along the southern margin of the Japan Sea, named the Southern Japan Sea Fault Zone (SJSFZ). Onshore segments of the fault zone are delineated on the basis of aerial photograph interpretations and field observations of tectonic geomorphic features, whereas the offshore parts are interpreted from single-/multichannel seismic data combined with borehole information. In an effort to evaluate late Quaternary activity along the fault zone, four active segments separated by uplifting structures are identified in this study. The east–northeast-trending SJSFZ constitutes paired arc-parallel strike-slip faults together with the Median Tectonic Line (MTL), both of which have been activated by oblique subduction of the Philippine Sea plate during the Quaternary. They act as the boundaries of three neotectonic stress domains around the eastern margin of the Eurasian plate: the near-trench Outer zone and NW–SE compressive Inner zone of southwest Japan arc, and the southern Japan Sea deformed under E–W compression from south to north.     

构造楔形体的识别与勘探——以准噶尔盆地南缘为例

构造楔形体的形成需要两个条件,一是两条相互连接的断层,二是这两条断层的位移传递方向相反。当反向传递的位移量切割了上覆地层,通常在楔形体前翼形成具指示意义的背斜构造,此类背斜可作为判断深部构造楔形体存在的直接依据。准噶尔盆地南缘3排背斜内带的构造楔形体模式非常典型,并表现为“混序”的特征。在山前深部楔形体沿侏罗系西山窑组煤层向北扩展过程中,部分位移量沿构造楔顶部的反冲断层向南消减,并切割上覆地层形成第一排背斜带,另一部分位移量则继续向北传递,在断坡位置引发褶皱变形,形成第二排和第三排背斜带。在总位移量保持稳定的前提下,这3排背斜带在走向上的此消彼长反映了位移量在南、北两个方向上的转换。准噶尔盆地南缘第二、三排背斜带中-新生界内部发育多个小型的构造楔形体,这些互相叠置的楔形构造横向延伸不大,但有可能构成独立的成藏系统,具有不同的油气水特征,从而造成同一个背斜带不同部位的含油气性迥异。在油气勘探中应通过加强地震采集、处理和解释攻关,力求精细刻画各个楔形构造在三维空间的展布,再针对已落实的楔形体展开钻探。     

Surface ruptures induced by the devastating 1068 AD earthquake in the southern Arava valley, Dead Sea Rift, Israel

The Elat fault (a segment of the Dead Sea Transform) runs along the southern Arava valley (part of the Dead Sea Rift, Israel) forming a complex fault zone that displays a time-dependent seismic behaviour. Paleoseismic evidence shows that this fault zone has generated at least 15 earthquakes of magnitude larger than M 6 during the late Pleistocene and the Holocene. However, at present the Elat fault is one of the quietest segments of the Dead Sea Transform, lacking even microsesimicity. The last event detected in the southern Arava valley occurred in the Avrona playa and was strong enough to have deformed the playa and to change it from a closed basin with internal drainage into an open basin draining to the south.Paleoseismological, geophysical and archaeological evidences indicate that this event was the historical devastating earthquake, which occurred in 1068 AD in the eastern Mediterranean region. According to the present study this event was strong enough to rupture the surface, reactivate at least two fault branches of the Elat fault and vertically displace the surface and an early Islamic irrigation system by at least 1 m. In addition, the playa area was uplifted between 2.5 and 3 m along the eastern part of the Elat fault shear zone. Such values are compatible with an earthquake magnitude ranging between M 6.6 and 7. Since the average recurrence interval of strong earthquakes during the Holocene along the Elat fault is about 1.2 ± 0.3 ky and the last earthquake occurred more about 1000 years ago, the possibility of a very strong earthquake in this area in the future should be seriously considered in assessing seismic hazards.     

Detailed seismic zoning of Sakhalin

Detailed seismic zoning of Sakhalin based on seismological, tectonic, geomorphological, hydrogeological, and other data is discussed. It is shown that strong crustal earthquakes occurred at the boundary between the Eurasian and Okhotsk plates and their recurrence in Central Sakhalin is equal to the duration of the tectonic cycle (75 years). This boundary in North Sakhalin is marked by the Upper-Piltun fault, which was the epicenter of the 1995 Neftegorsk earthquake with an intensity of 9. The analysis of paleosoils in the fault zone showed that such events repeat with an interval of 400 years. The development of large oil and gas reservoirs on the Sakhalin shelf will be accompanied by intensification of the seismicity, which can reach a magnitude of M = 6.0–6.5 in the Lunskoye field.     

Evidence for right-lateral strike-slip environment in the Kutch basin of northwestern India from moment tensor inversion studies

The Kutch region located in northwestern part of India is an ancient rift basin that was active until Cretaceous period. The region falls close to the India–Arabia and the India–Eurasia plate boundaries and has experienced devastating earthquakes in the past, namely the 1819 Allah Bund earthquake, the 1956 Anjar earthquake and the 2001 Bhuj earthquake. To understand the tectonics of this region with respect to the adjacent plate boundaries, we invert seismic waveform data of 11 earthquakes in this region recorded by a network of the Institute of Seismological Research (ISR) during 2007–2009. The study yields focal mechanism solutions of reverse fault and strike-slip type mechanism. The inferred fault planes correlate well with the local trends of the known tectonic faults while the principal stress directions derived from stress inversion based on a linearized least squares approach, trend agreeably with the ambient stress field directions. A consistently right-lateral sense of shear is found on all the local faults as derived from each of the matching planes of the focal mechanism solutions computed in the present study. It is inferred that in the Kutch region a right-lateral strike-slip environment prevails along predominantly EW to NW-SE oriented deep-seated pre-existing faults in an otherwise compressive stress regime. This, in conjunction with the left-lateral movements along the Girnar mountain in southern Saurashtra, inferred from previous studies, indicates a westward escape of the Kutch–Saurashtra block as a consequence of the northward collision of the Indian plate with respect to the Eurasian landmass.     

汶川8.0级特大地震震源断裂特征及其动力学分析

笔者根据地壳表层地质构造和地震地质研究与地震测深和大地电磁测深成果,运用现代构造解析理论与方法,论证了汶川8.0级特大地震的深部构造环境,探讨了汶川8.0级特大地震震源区的地震断裂和震源断裂基本特征与相互关系,及其形成的地球动力学问题。笔者认为龙门山碰撞造山带深处隐伏壳幔韧性剪切带可能是汶川8.0级特大地震主震区的震源断裂,而地壳表层发育的映秀断裂带、北川断裂带和彭县—灌县断裂带等可能是汶川8.0级特大地震主震区的地震断裂,该区震源断裂与地震断裂既有显著区别,又有密切联系。研究表明,在印度板块与太平洋板块和菲律宾海板块对欧亚板块俯冲碰撞的动力学作用下,形成上扬子地块向青藏高原东缘碰撞—楔入以及青藏高原东缘向东仰冲,深部向东俯冲的动力学态势,造成龙门山碰撞造山带切割莫霍界面的壳幔韧性剪切带向中上地壳扩展,应力高度集中与能量快速释放破裂,从而引起汶川8.0级特大地震的发生,以及大型同震地表破裂带的形成。探索震源断裂与地震断裂区别与联系,对进一步研究地震机制与发震动力学以及防震减灾有重要意义。     

Deep Seismogenic Environment in the Southern Section of the Longmenshan Fault Zone on the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau and Lushan Ms 7.0 Earthquake

The 2,026 earthquake events registered by the Sichuan regional digital seismic network and mobile seismic array after the April 20 th,2013 Lushan earthquake and 28,188 pieces of data were selected to determine direct P waves arrival times. We applied the tomographic method to inverse the characteristics of the velocity structure for the three-dimensional(3D) P wave in the mid-upper crust of the seismic source region of the Lushan earthquake. The imaging results were combined with the apparent magnetization inversion and magnetotelluric(MT) sounding retest data to comprehensively study the causes of the deep seismogenic environment in the southern section of the Longmenshan fault zone and explore the formation of the Lushan earthquake. Research has shown that there are obvious differences in velocity structure and magnetic distribution between the southern and northern sections of the Longmenshan fault zone. The epicenter of the Lushan earthquake is located near the boundary of the high and low-velocity anomalies and favorable for a high-velocity section. Moreover,at the epicenter of the Lushan earthquake located on the magnetic dome boundary of Ya’an,the development of high velocity and magnetic solid medium favors the accumulation and release of strain energy. Lowvelocity anomalies are distributed underneath the are of seismogenic origin,The inversion results of the MT retest data after the April 20 th Lushan earthquake also indicate that there a high-conductor anomaly occurs under the area of seismogenic origin of the Lushan earthquake,Therefore,we speculated that the presence of a high-conductivity anomaly and low-velocity anomaly underneath the seismogenic body of the Lushan earthquake could be related to the existence of fluids. The role of fluids caused the weakening of the seismogenic layer inside the mid-upper crust and resulted in a seismogenic fault that was prone to rupture and played a triggering role in the Lushan earthquake.     

The Seismogenic Structure and Deformation Mechanism of the Lushan (Mw 6.6) Earthquake,Sichuan, China

On April 20 th, 2013, an earthquake of magnitude MW 6.6 occurred at Lushan of Sichuan on the southern segment of the Longmenshan fault zone, with no typical coseismic surface rupture. This work plotted an isoseismal map of the earthquake after repositioning over 400 post–earthquake macro–damage survey points from peak ground acceleration(PGA) data recorded by the Sichuan Digital Strong Earthquake Network. This map indicates that the Lushan earthquake has a damage intensity of IX on the Liedu scale, and that the meizoseismal area displays an oblate ellipsoid shape, with its longitudinal axis in the NE direction. No obvious directivity was detected. Furthermore, the repositioning results of 3323 early aftershocks, seismic reflection profiles and focal mechanism solutions suggests that the major seismogenic structure of the earthquake was the Dayi Fault, which partly defines the eastern Mengshan Mountain. This earthquake resulted from the thrusting of the Dayi Fault, and caused shortening of the southern segment of the Longmenshan in the NW–SE direction. Coseismal rupture was also produced in the deep of the Xinkaidian Fault. Based on the above seismogenic model and the presentation of coseismic surface deformation, it is speculated that there is a risk of more major earthquakes occurring in this region.