Process Analysis of In-situ Strain during the Ms8.0 Wenchuan Earthquake—Data from the Stress Monitoring Station at Shandan

Abstract: There were huge life and property losses during the Ms8.0 Wenchuan earthquake on May 12, 2008. Strain fluctuation curves were completely recorded at stress observatory stations in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and its surroundings in the process of the earthquake. This paper introduces the geological background of the Wenchuan earthquake and the profile of in-situ stress monitoring stations. In particular, data of 174 earthquakes (Ms4.0-Ms8.5) were processed and analyzed with various methods, which were recorded at the Shandan station from August 2007 to December 2008. The results were compared with other seismic data, and further analyses were done for the recoded strain seismic waves, co-seismic strain stepovers, pre-earthquake strain valleys, Earth’s free oscillations before and after the earthquake and their physical implications. During the Wenchuan earthquake, the strainmeter recorded a huge extensional strain of 70 seconds, which shows that the Wenchuan earthquake is a rupture process predominated by thrusting. Significant precursory strain anomalies were detected 48 hours, 30 hours, 8 hours and 37 minutes before the earthquake. The anomalies are very high and their forms are very similar to that of the main shock. Similar anomalies can also be found in strain curves of other shocks greater than Ms7.0, indicating that such anomalies are prevalent before a great earthquake. In this paper, it is shown that medium aftershocks (Ms5.5-6.0) can also cause Earth’s free oscillations. Study of free oscillations is of great significance to understand the internal structure of the Earth and focal mechanisms of earthquakes and to recognize slow shocks, thus providing a scientific basis for the prevention and treatment of geological disasters and the prediction of future earthquakes.     

Abnormal Phenomena Recorded by Several Earthquake Precursor Observation Instruments Before the Ms 8.0 Wenchuan, Sichuan Earthquake

The paper introduces the anomalies observed by digital tiltmeter, cross-fault deformation meter, 4-component borehole strainmeter and geothermometer before May 12, 2008, Ms8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, Sichuan. The digital tiltmeter installed in the epicentral region in Shifang County recorded the tilt anomalies 15 days before the earthquake with variation amplitude of 3.7 times larger than the annual deviation of 2007. The cross-fault deformation meter installed at Zimakua station on the Xianshuihe-Anninghe fault zone detected displacement anomaly occurring since 2006 with the variation amplitude exceeding the cumulative value of the last ten years. Five borehole strainmeter stations in the Chongqing section of Three Gorges Reservoir area observed unconventional strain changes occurring in the period from May 1 through 12, 2008. Among them, the strainmeter at Wanzhou station recorded the great compression strain rate on the EW component at 14:00 o'clock of May 10, and the anomaly amplitude was so large that the instrument output exceeded its dynamic range, corresponding to a level of ～104 nanostrains. The geothermometers installed in Xi'an, Chongqing and Xichang recorded the sudden temperature changes from November 2007 to January 2008 with the variation amplitudes several times larger than the ordinary deviation. The above phenomena and the criteria for distinguishing the anomalies from background fluctuations are discussed in this paper.     

中国地质科学院对5.12汶川地震的快速反应与调查研究

面对5.12汶川8级地震突发灾害,中国地质科学院组织专家,科学分析发震动力学背景,第一时间奔赴震中地区开展地表破裂变形与地震地质灾害调查,随后系统开展地震科学钻探选址、活动断裂与地震变形观测、地应力测量、地质灾害地面调查、堰塞湖与水工环综合评价。6位专家参加国家汶川地震专家委员会,编辑出版《汶川地震灾区地震—地质灾害图集》,组织召开汶川地震动力学分析研讨会,2位专家参加国土资源部抗震救灾前方指挥部工作。在第33届国际地质大会期间,组织汶川地震大型展览,应邀作汶川地震、地震科学钻、地表破裂等学术报告,受到国际同行的高度关注。组织申报汶川地震断裂带科学钻探工程,2008年11月第一口地震科学钻开工;组织落实国家专项、973课题、地质调查项目等科研任务,有效地调整了面向地质灾害的学科结构和人才布局。     

Satellite Thermal Infrared Earthquake Precursor to the Wenchuan Ms 8.0 Earthquake in Sichuan, China, and its Analysis on Geo-dynamics

Based on an interpretation and study of the satellite remote-sensing images of FY-2C thermal infrared 1st wave band (10.3-11.3 μm) designed in China, the authors found that there existed obvious and isolated satellite thermal infrared anomalies before the 5.12 Wenchuan Ms 8.0 Earthquake. These anomalies had the following characteristics: (1) The precursor appeared rather early: on March 18, 2008, I.e., 55 days before the earthquake, thermal infrared anomalies began to occur; (2) The anomalies experienced quite many and complex evolutionary stages: the satellite thermal infrared anomalies might be divided into five stages, whose manifestations were somewhat different from each other. The existence of so many anomaly stages was probably observed for the first time in numerous cases of satellite thermal infrared research on earthquakes; (3) Each stage lasted quite a long time, with the longest one spanning 13 days; (4) An evident geothermal anomaly gradient was distributed along the Longmen seismic fracture zone, and such a phenomenon might also be discovered for the first time in satellite thermal infrared earthquake research. This discovery is therefore of great guiding and instructive significance in the study of the earthquake occurrence itself and the trend of the post-earthquake phenomena.     

地震震源与灾害评估分析:中国四川2008年5月12日Ms 8.0汶川地震

汶川5月12日8.0级地震在构造上起因于印度板块与欧亚板块以每年约5 cm的速度聚敛,并因此而引起青藏高原的地壳物质向四川盆地及中国东南大陆运移.主震震源及余震活动集中于以龙门山为中轴的一条长约350 km、宽约100 km的地震活动带.震源深度一般分布丁地壳脆性-韧性转换边界以上约10～20 km区间的地壳震源层之中,属浅源构造地震.主要震源机制与龙门山构造运动方式密切相关,以其地壳厚度向西急剧加厚、重力梯度带、高波速比(Vp/Vs～2.2)等深部异常及逆冲断层兼具走滑性质的地质构造为特征.在震源辐射、路径传播和场地效应研究的基础上,分别计算并比较了岩石和土壤条件下的地震响应谱,特别强调了土壤条件下的场地放大效应;同时对与地震安全性有关的一些问题如地质灾害、地震频谱设计、地震早期预警系统及中、长期至短期地震预报等进行了探讨;特别提供了一个由加权平均计算、以岩石条件下震波衰减模式为基础的地震频谱设计参考实例.地震构造与动力学研究可融人工程地质与环境工程等学科发展.经历汶川地震考验的一些新近设计和建设的工程项目可为今后改进工程建筑规范与标准提供重要而有益的参考.地震预报是当今一大难题,但需探索研究,不可懈怠.地震减灾与预防足目前比较切合实际的安全举措.     

Seismogenic Tectonics and Dynamics of the 2011 Ms5.9 Yingjiang Earthquake in Yunnan,China

In the southern South–North Seismic Zone, China, seismic activity in the Yingjiang area of western Yunnan increased from December 2010, and eventually a destructive earthquake of Ms5.9 occurred near Yingjiang town on 10 March 2011. The focal mechanism and hypocenter location of the mainshock suggest that the Dayingjiang Fault was the site of the mainshock rupture. However, most of foreshocks and all aftershocks recorded by a portable seismic array located close to the mainshock occurred along the N–S-striking Sudian Fault, indicating that this fault had an important influence on these shocks. Coulomb stress calculations show that three strong(magnitude ≥5.0) earthquakes that occurred in the study region in 2008 increased the coulomb stress along the plane parallel to the Dayingjiang Fault. This supports the Dayingjiang Fault, and not the Sudian Fault, as the seismogenic fault of the 2011 Ms5.9 Yingjiang earthquake. The strong earthquakes in 2008 also increased the Coulomb stress at depths of ≤5 km along the entire Sudian Fault, and by doing so increased the shallow seismic activity along the fault. This explains why the foreshocks and aftershocks of the 2011 Yingjiang earthquake were located mostly on the Sudian Fault where it cuts the shallow crust. The earthquakes at the intersection of the Sudian and Dayingjiang faults are distributed mainly along a belt that dips to the southeast at ~40°, suggesting that the Dayingjiang Fault in the mainshock area also dips to the southeast at ~40°.     

青藏高原昆仑—汶川地震系列与巴颜喀喇断块的最新活动

青藏高原是中国最主要的地震活动区之一。最近十多年来,在青藏高原中部连续发生了1997年西藏玛尼Ms7.5级地震、2001年青海昆仑山Ms8.1级地震、2008年3月新疆于田Ms7.3级地震和5月四川汶川Ms8.0级地震及2010年青海玉树Ms7.1级地震,它们相继发生于青藏断块区巴颜喀喇断块四周边界活动断裂带上,是该断块最新活动的结果。发生于断块南北边界断裂上的3次地震都是走滑断裂错动的结果,发生在断块东南端的汶川地震则是挤压逆冲断裂的产物,而西北端的于田地震则呈现出张性特征,它们共同反映青藏断块区巴颜喀喇条状断块向东南方向滑动的最新活动。自1900年以来,青藏断块区和巴颜喀喇断块的强震活动表现出多期活动和区域性转移的特征,20世纪早期Ms7.0级以上强地震活动的主体地区在青藏断块区北部边界构造带,中期转移到高原南部喜马拉雅板块边界构造带和断块区南部断块,最近十多年来则在巴颜喀喇断块及周缘边界断裂上活动。青藏高原这种块体活动和地震活动与澳大利亚-印度板块对亚洲大陆的推挤作用相关,因而,青藏高原和巴颜喀喇断块的强震活动与澳-印板块边界苏门答腊强震活动相对应。目前苏门答腊地区强震活动仍在继续,因此,近期对巴颜喀喇断块及青藏高原南部地区的强震活动和强震危险性仍需加以注意。     

龙门山断层破裂的频率非平稳特性

为研究地震过程中的频率非平稳特性,对近年来龙门山断层发生的两次大地震:汶川大地震和芦山大地震的近断层地震记录进行频谱分析。结果表明:相对于芦山地震有较大走向滑动分量的汶川地震,大多数位于汶川地震断层滑动前方的台站接收到更高的频率成分,位于断层滑动后方的台站接收到的地震波频率较低;尽管芦山地震断层相对汶川地震有较小的走向滑动分量,但仍然可以得出与汶川地震相同的结论,不同的是虽然芦山地震沿断层面向上方向分量大,但是其同一台站东西、南北、竖直三方向分量记录幅值相当。把芦山地震三分量记录变换到走向和沿断层面向上方向,证实了沿断层面向上方向高频成分更丰富。在断层滑动前方接收到的地震波频率较高,在断层滑动后方接收到的频率较低,这正是多普勒效应影响的结果。由于多普勒效应的客观存在,其对频率非平稳特性的影响与震源、传播路径和场地效应一样具有普遍性;所以,工程场地接收到的地震波的频率不仅取决于震源、传播路径、场地效应,还取决于断层滑动速度(多普勒效应)。     

量子地震模型:对汶川地震的解释

从大量的地震参数分析可知,在由同一主震引发的所有的余震发生的位置都不同。在发生地震之前,地震的震中位置都是一些相互独立、互不连续且发生了弹性应变的单元个体,笔者称这些独立不连续的弹性应变单元称为应变量子。综合前人研究成果,笔者建立了一个地震模型。运用该模型对2008年5月12日发生在中国汶川地震作了解释:由于在龙门山断裂带周围形成了许多的应变量子,这些应变量子的形成阻碍了龙门山断裂的运动,产生滑移亏损,从而造成在地震前测量到的龙门山断裂带速度场变化很不显著。2008年5月12日14时28分时,在龙门山断裂周围已形成应变量子中的其中一应变量子最先达到它的最大储能,释放它所储存的应变能,引发了汶川Ms8.0地震。此次地震产生的地震波引发了龙门山断裂周围地壳应力的重分布,使得其他应变量子提前达到最大储能,释放出能量,于是触发成千上万次余震。此外,我们或许可以通过观测断裂滑移速率的变化情况来预测断裂周围应变量子的形成,从而来预测该断裂是否存在潜在地震的可能。     

汶川地震和科学钻探

2008年5月12日,在我国四川省发生了震撼世界的汶川特大地震,给人民的生命财产造成了巨大的损失。在汶川特大地震发生及其余震尚在继续的特殊时期,快速实施汶川地震断裂带的科学钻探（WFSD）,是认识地震发生的机制、继续对余震进行有效监控以及提高地震监视和预警的能力的极佳机遇。2008年11月6日,汶川地震断裂带科学钻探工程开工典礼在四川省都江堰市虹口乡举行,标志着地震机制的研究跨上了新的台阶。通过对科学钻孔的直接取样,多学科观测和测试,揭示地震断裂带的深部组分、结构和构造属性,重塑地震断裂带的物理和化学过程,为提高未来地震的监测、预报或预警能力提供重要信息。     

汶川5.12大地震地表次生灾害评价与分析

针对汶川5.12大地震,对由地震引起的地质次生灾害发生的坡度和坡向进行了统计,分析了地表破坏的易发坡度、坡向及其与震中的关系等。另外,分别以不同震中距为缓冲区、以平行中央断裂带的各级缓冲区、以等烈度区为缓冲区对地震引起的地表破坏的空间分布以及发生地表破坏的坡度在各级缓冲区中的变化进行了分析。结果表明:①地震引发的滑坡及滑坡群共5093个,总面积大约958km2;②在30°～44°坡度区间地表破坏发生的数量最大,42°坡度为地表破坏发生概率的拐点。主要的地表破坏发生在迎着地震波传播的坡向上;③随着震中距的增加,地表破坏的发生概率逐渐减小,震中距40km以内的速度减小非常迅速,40km以外则整体上缓慢减少,局部略有起伏。各缓冲区中发生地表破坏的平均坡度比缓冲区内的地形平均坡度大4°左右。④地震引发的地表破坏主要受到断裂带的控制,有64.17%的地表破坏发生在中央断裂带两侧10km范围内。⑤高地震烈度区域引发的地表破坏率远远大于低烈度区域,在烈度为Ⅺ度的区域内发生地表破坏率达到14.5%,而Ⅶ度烈度带上引发地表破坏率仅为0.01%。     

Analysis of the Wenchuan Ms8.0 Earthquake’s Co-seismic Stress and Displacement Change by Using the Finite Element Method

The variation of in situ stress before and after earthquakes is an issue studied by geologists. In this paper, on the basis of the fault slip dislocation model of Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquake, the changes of co-seismic displacement and the distribution functions of stress tensor around the Longmen Shan fault zone are calculated. The results show that the co-seismic maximum surface displacement is 4.9 m in the horizontal direction and 6.5 m in the vertical direction, which is almost consistent with the on-site survey and GPS observations. The co-seismic maximum horizontal stress in the hanging wall and footwall decreased sharply as the distance from the Longmen Shan fault zone increased. However, the vertical stress and minimum horizontal stress increased in the footwall and in some areas of the hanging wall. The study of the co-seismic displacement and stress was mainly focused on the long and narrow region along the Longmen Shan fault zone, which coincides with the distribution of the earthquake aftershocks. Therefore, the co-seismic stress only affects the aftershocks, and does not affect distant faults and seismic activities. The results are almost consistent with in situ stress measurements at the two sites before and after Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquake. Along the fault plane, the co-seismic shear stress in the dip direction is larger than that in the strike direction, which indicates that the faulting mechanism of the Longmen Shan fault zone is a dominant thrust with minor strike-slipping. The results can be used as a reference value for future studies of earthquake mechanisms.     

汶川地震断裂作用研究新认识

2008年汶川地震后,人们不得不思考问题是:大地震是如何发生的?下一次大地震什么时候发生?也就是涉及地质学家和地球物理学家一直未解决的科学问题:断层是如何破裂的?震后断裂是如何愈合的?我们试图通过对汶川地震断裂带结构、断裂摩擦行为和断裂愈合过程的研究来回答这些问题。本文将介绍通过对地表露头和汶川地震断裂科学钻探一号孔(WFSD)岩心中汶川地震主滑移带的详细研究,以及钻孔中长期温度监测来分析有关汶川地震断裂动态弱化和摩擦行为,并结合钻孔中长期水文监测计算所得断裂带渗透率变化,分析震后断裂愈合过程,进而探讨和认识汶川地震断裂作用所涉及的上述问题。经过详细研究,确定了汶川地震断裂带(映秀—北川断裂带)宽105~240 m、具有五个不同断裂岩组合的内部结构,是一条经常发生大地震、具多种弱化机制的断裂带;发现了汶川地震不仅具有同震石墨化作用,而且测量到目前世界上最低的动态摩擦系数(≤0.02),同时首次记录到大地震后断裂快速愈合信息。这些研究结果不仅直接回答了一直困扰在地震地质和地震物理学领域几十年的关键问题,而且对完善地震断裂理论和认识汶川地震机制具有极其重要的意义,为防震减灾提供了理论依据。     

汶川8级地震地质灾害的类型及实例

龙门山地区活动断裂右旋斜冲运动与汶川8级强烈地震存在成因联系。汶川8级地震造成了惨重的人员伤亡和巨大的财产损失,地震地质灾害主要类型有地震灾害、地震触发地质灾害和地震引发地质灾害隐患。严重地震灾害包括房屋倒塌与部分坍塌、房屋平移、房屋倾斜变形、墙体破裂与结构破坏、桥梁垮塌等。地震触发严重地质灾害包括山体滑坡、山体滑塌、岩块崩塌,局部产生泥石流与沙土液化。地震引发地质灾害隐患包括潜在滑坡、不稳定边坡与滑塌隐患、危岩体与崩塌隐患及泥石流灾害隐患。地震地质灾害分布与活动断层存在密切关系,沿北川映秀断裂地震地质灾害最为严重,沿汉旺漩口断裂、茂县汶川断裂、青川断裂地震地质灾害也比较严重。在活动断裂之间相对稳定地块远离活动断裂超过3~5 km,地震灾害和地震触发地质灾害显著减轻。     

青藏高原东南缘活动断裂地质灾害效应研究现状

青藏高原东南缘不同性质、不同类型、不同特点活动断裂发育且较为活跃,自2008年汶川地震发生以来,相继发生了玉树地震、庐山地震、鲁甸地震等。地震引发、触发、诱发产生了大量地质灾害,造成了惨重的生命财产损失。通过收集与分析相关资料,对青藏高原东南缘活动断裂地质灾害效应研究进展与取得成果进行了归纳总结,从活动断裂地质灾害主要控制因素,地质灾害发育特征、空间分布规律、演化模式、形成机制,不同性质断裂控制效应、断裂两盘差异效应、地震动参数效应、地形地貌效应等地质环境效应和地质灾害力学效应等方面进行了综述。在此基础上,对活动断裂地质灾害效应研究中存在的如不同类型活动断裂和不同震级地震与地震地质灾害相关性、以及地震地质灾害监测与风险评估等问题或重点研究方向进行了探讨,其研究结果为地震地质灾害致灾机理、风险评估、防灾减灾等研究提供参考。      

滇西南2014年景谷中-强震群的地质构造成因——茶房-普文断裂带贯通过程的构造响应

2014年10—12月期间,云南景谷接连发生了Ms6.6、Ms5.8、Ms5.9三次中-强地震。为确定地震的地质构造成因,在地表调查的基础上,综合该区的地质构造情况、烈度与余震分布、震源机制解等资料,确定此次震群活动的宏观震中位于永平盆地东南侧山地,发震断层为地质与地貌表现不显著的NW向右旋走滑断层。此次震群活动及余震迁移过程指示,由于断层斜接部位岩桥的临时阻碍,Ms6.6地震破裂在向南东扩展过程中发生短暂停滞,突破障碍后进一步引发了Ms5.8和Ms5.9地震,这符合震源破裂沿NW向发震断裂分段破裂的行为。区域活动断裂的遥感解译结果发现,发震断层位置恰好处于NW向右旋走滑的茶房断裂与普文断裂之间,区域上属于该断裂带的不连贯部位,指示此次中-强震群活动应该是茶房-普文断裂带贯通过程的构造活动表现。结合思茅地块的历史地震资料发现,思茅地块地震活动多以小于等于6.8级为主,发震构造多为NW向断裂。指示在现今构造应力场作用下,该区NW向断裂的活动性相对NE向断裂更加显著,属于该区主要控震构造,应在今后的地震地质工作中给予更多关注。     

2017年四川九寨沟Ms7.0地震InSAR同震形变场及发震构造探讨

2017年8月8日四川省九寨沟县发生M_s7.0级地震,构造部位处于青藏高原东缘的巴颜喀拉地块东北角,震中位置是岷江断裂、塔藏断裂、虎牙断裂和雪山梁子断裂围闭的空震区。哪条断裂发震,如何界定其与周边活动断裂的关系,与青藏高原东缘近年来发生的大地震是否有成因联系等问题对于理解该区域现今构造活动模式、预判地震发展趋势和部署地震地质灾害防控等工作具有重要意义。利用地震前后两期Sentinel-1合成孔径雷达数据对地表同震形变场进行了InSAR测量,获取了极震区约2000 km²范围内的雷达视线向变形（-13~28 cm）和运动方向,呈现为主动盘单侧走滑兼逆冲的变形模式,结合震源机制、断裂展布、构造背景和近年地震迁移的分析,揭示了控震构造是巴颜喀拉地块北缘边界断裂弧形旋转体系的尾端构造,发震断层是该断裂系中塔藏断裂的南段,并有与虎牙断裂贯通的趋势,因此,应重视本次地震与虎牙断裂之间的空震区未来的强震危险性问题;从区域上看,此次九寨沟地震可能与汶川地震具有一定的时空成因联系,因在巴颜喀拉地块南北边界断裂破裂基本贯通的条件下,2008年汶川地震诱发的东缘中部锁固破裂导致块体加速向东挤出,2013年鲁甸地震又释放了东缘南段挤压构造应力,从而进一步加剧了东北角的应力集中,促使九寨沟地震的发生。     

地震激发地球自由振荡过程的数值模拟初步探索

地球自由振荡的固有频率与地球内部结构密切相关,研究地球自由振荡可以深入研究地球内部结构。传统的解析方法侧重于本征频率的确定,但对从地震发生到地球自由振荡被激发的全过程难以研究。从弹性波动理论基础出发,试采用谱元法结合高性能并行计算数值模拟特大地震激发的弹性波在地球内部传播过程。在不考虑地球重力情况下,对数值模拟激发地球自由振荡的结果进行功率谱密度分析,通过对谱结果的观察并与理论值进行对比分析,认识到环型振型数值模拟结果可以准确重现其长周期理论频率值,地球重力对球型振型有重要影响。探讨了是否可以通过这种方法真实重现地球自由振荡激发的过程。以期利用此方法深入探讨地球横向不均匀性对地球自由振荡的影响。     

Satellite Thermal Infrared Earthquake Precursor to the Wenchuan Ms 8.0 Earthquake in Sichuan,China, and its Analysis on Geo‐dynamics

Abstract: Based on an interpretation and study of the satellite remote-sensing images of FY-2C thermal infrared 1st wave band (10.3–11.3 μm) designed in China, the authors found that there existed obvious and isolated satellite thermal infrared anomalies before the 5.12 Wenchuan Ms 8.0 Earthquake. These anomalies had the following characteristics: (1) The precursor appeared rather early: on March 18, 2008, i.e., 55 days before the earthquake, thermal infrared anomalies began to occur; (2) The anomalies experienced quite many and complex evolutionary stages: the satellite thermal infrared anomalies might be divided into five stages, whose manifestations were somewhat different from each other. The existence of so many anomaly stages was probably observed for the first time in numerous cases of satellite thermal infrared research on earthquakes; (3) Each stage lasted quite a long time, with the longest one spanning 13 days; (4) An evident geothermal anomaly gradient was distributed along the Longmen seismic fracture zone, and such a phenomenon might also be discovered for the first time in satellite thermal infrared earthquake research. This discovery is therefore of great guiding and instructive significance in the study of the earthquake occurrence itself and the trend of the post-earthquake phenomena.     

Crustal heterogeneity and seismotectonics of the region around Beijing, China

A detailed three-dimensional (3-D) P-wave velocity model of the crust and uppermost mantle under the Chinese capital (Beijing) region is determined with a spatial resolution of 25 km in the horizontal direction and 4–17 km in depth. We used 48,750 precise P-wave arrival times from 2973 events of local crustal earthquakes, controlled seismic explosions and quarry blasts. These events were recorded by a new digital seismic network consisting of 101 seismic stations equipped with high-sensitivity seismometers. The data are analyzed by using a 3-D seismic tomography method. Our tomographic model provides new insights into the geological structure and tectonics of the region, such as the lithological variations and large fault zones across the major geological terranes like the North China Basin, the Taihangshan and the Yanshan mountainous areas. The velocity images of the upper crust reflect well the surface geological and topographic features. In the North China Basin, the depression and uplift areas are imaged as slow and fast velocities, respectively. The Taihangshan and Yanshan mountainous regions are generally imaged as broad high-velocity zones, while the Quaternary intermountain basins show up as small low-velocity anomalies. Velocity changes are visible across some of the large fault zones. Large crustal earthquakes, such as the 1976 Tangshan earthquake (M=7.8) and the 1679 Sanhe earthquake (M=8.0), generally occurred in high-velocity areas in the upper to middle crust. In the lower crust to the uppermost mantle under the source zones of the large earthquakes, however, low-velocity and high-conductivity anomalies exist, which are considered to be associated with fluids. The fluids in the lower crust may cause the weakening of the seismogenic layer in the upper and middle crust and thus contribute to the initiation of the large crustal earthquakes.