大陆地震构造系统: 以青藏高原及邻区为例

青藏高原及邻区三角形发震构造域是全球大陆最显著的地震多发区.脆性活动断层及其弹性回跳模式无法合理解释该区深度集中分布在10~40 km的点状震源.针对发震构造和地震机理不明确这一重大科学问题, 以大陆动力学和地球系统动力学新思想为指导, 对青藏高原及邻区发震构造系统进行域、层、带、点相关研究, 阐明大陆地震构造系统的结构型式, 认为下地壳固态流变及其韧性剪切带是提供地震能量的孕震构造, 中地壳韧-脆性剪切带是累积地震能量的发震构造, 上地壳脆性断裂是释放地震能量的释震构造.在研究青藏高原及邻区地震构造系统及其形成背景的基础上, 进一步论证了大陆地震热流体撞击的形成机理: 地幔墙导致大洋中脊之下的软流圈热流物质层流到大陆特定部位汇聚加厚并底辟上升, 造成大陆下地壳部分熔融和固态流变, 并改变莫霍面的产状, 固态流变物质侧向非均匀流动, 形成大陆盆山体系, 流动的韧性下地壳与脆性上地壳之间具有韧-脆性剪切滑脱性质的中地壳不断积累由下地壳热能转换而来的应变能, 形成发震层, 震源定位于下地壳热流物质富集带("热河")中的固态-半固态流变物质撞击到强弱层块之间的构造边界, 不同热构造环境和撞击角度产生5种不同类型的地震.从而为大陆地震的科学预测奠定了全新的理论基础.      

干热岩控热构造系统厘定与类型划分

为了研究干热岩成因机理,综合分析了干热岩形成背景、控热构造系统及尺度.地球中的干热岩具有特殊的形成构造背景,控热构造对干热岩热能的传输与聚敛具有很重要的作用,导致岩石圈不同热结构和热异常.控热构造可划分为生热、导热、储热和释热构造.生热构造包括地幔软流圈底辟,具有大量高放射性元素的岩浆房,活动性的深大断裂等;中、下地壳脆韧性转换带,活动的韧性剪切带是导热构造;中、下地壳的低阻高导体,韧性剪切流变层既是导热层,也是储热构造;火山、地震、浅表层次的活动断裂等为释热构造;控热构造的类型受到构造尺度和构造背景的限定.由于地壳中控热构造分布状态及发育特征差异较大,从而导致干热岩等地热能资源在地壳中的埋深、规模、热量以及分布状态等也有较大差异.      

云南迪庆5.9级地震构造背景、深部流变结构与发震机制

2013年8月31日8时4分, 云南省迪庆藏族自治州香格里拉县(28.12°N, 99.4°E)发生5.9级地震, 震源深度10 km.区域范围内历史地震频繁, 为滇西北地震多发区.据震源机制解结果, 此次地震为正断兼左旋走滑型地震, NW向截面产状与德钦-香格里拉-中甸断裂基本吻合.利用EIGEN-6C2模型对震中附近进行布格重力异常探讨, 震源位置位于莫霍面起伏部位, 下部地壳厚度不稳定之处; 而从P波速度与地壳结构剖面可知研究区上地壳底部存在低速层, 认为韧性低速层与地震能量的积聚和存储关系密切.而韧性低速(高导)层与德钦-中甸断裂交接部位, 是流变界面能量释放的位置, 即本次地震的震源位置.这为板内地震3层次构造模式提供了一个新的案例.      

大陆板内地震的发震机理与地震预报——以汶川地震为例

大陆板内地震主要产于新生代厚壳造山带或高原,在平面上呈弥散状分布,在剖面上震源沿中地壳成层分布,为浅源地震.盆山活动断层系统呈规律性组合,盆山挤压边界为逆冲型压性发震断层;盆山走滑转换边界为走滑型扭性发震断层;造山带内部主要是伸展型张性发震断层.大陆板内地壳分层流变作用制约了板内地震的构造物理过程.大陆下地壳韧性流层为地震活动提供了热能,热软化和热融化介质发生缓慢的韧性流动,是孕震构造;中地壳韧-脆性剪切带发生热-应力转换,聚积应力和应变,为蕴震构造;当下地壳流动在中地壳积累的应变超过上地壳特定构造部位介质的应力-应变极限时,上地壳形成脆性发震断层,产生地震.震源出现在上地壳脆性断层与中地壳脆-韧性剪切带的交汇部位,青藏高原的震源深度通常为12～35 km.目前地震预报是世界科学难题,然而,大陆动力学和板内地震的理论突破可能为短临预报提供了新思路.如果大陆下地壳热动力作用是中地壳产生地震和上地壳发生地震的根源,那么上地壳脆性断层活动会释放出地壳深部的热流体和热气体,引起局部的地温异常、水文异常和大气异常.建议从大气到地表再到地下系统地监测活动断层带及邻区的地下水、地表水、大气的温度异常和成分变化,结合观测下地壳流层厚度、地应力-应交变化、重力异常、磁异常、地电异常等,综合评价地壳活动性和发震可能性.2008年5月12日发生的里氏8.0级汶川地震处于龙门山造山带与四川盆地的构造边界上,是典型的大陆板内地震,震源处于映秀-北川断层上,震源深度为12 km.350 km长的地表破裂带呈右行左阶雁行排列在具有逆冲和右行走滑性质的汶川-茂县-青川、映秀-北川和江油-都江堰3条断层带上.下地壳的韧性流动伴随中地壳韧-脆性剪切带应力和应变的积累,产生上地壳脆性活动断层,并控制地表破裂带和滑坡的分布.     

龙门山多层分层拆离地壳结构:新构造变形与深部构造证据

2008年5.12汶川地震发生后,对于龙门山地壳结构及其与汶川地震的成生联系成为构造地质学研究极为关注的科学问题。然而,现有的多种龙门山地壳结构模式在综合解释表层构造变形及深部构造时与调查和探测资料均有不符。利用前人地球物理探测成果,结合穿过龙门山主要发震构造单元彭灌杂岩及雪隆包岩体的综合构造剖面,将地表构造与深部地壳探测资料结合进行了综合解释,认为龙门山逆冲构造带中的多重冲断推覆构造由约10 km深处的拆离断层分隔,因而应该只是浅层次构造变形的组合样式;在中、下地壳韧性流壳层的主导下,扬子地块基底被动?入并形成多层拆离的韧性流变构造组合。5.12汶川地震及余震是由于以彭灌杂岩和雪隆包岩体为代表的刚性体,在上部韧性流壳层前端的持续推挤作用下,发生破裂而形成的。     

北京西山南部构造序列初探

笔者利用解析构造学方法,初步确定了本区的构造序列。它反映了从下部构造层次到上部构造层次的系统变化,从早期的层内固态流变经压扁作用和弯曲作用到后期的剪切破裂变形过程中岩石韧性递减的系统演变。由于岩浆侵入而使其间增加了一个韧性再增强的变形期。     

内蒙古大青山高级变质岩韧性剪切带及其流变机制

大青山高级变质岩不仅记录华北克拉通早期大陆形成演化历史,也保留了中下部地壳岩石流变信息,它们经历了下部地壳构造层次高角闪岩相-麻粒岩相条件变质变形、深熔作用改造,形成了复杂构造样式和构造要素组合.韧性剪切带是高级变质岩中主要构造形迹,控制着早前寒武纪高级变质岩主体构造格架.依据野外地质产状、变形特征与构造要素叠加改造关系,韧性剪切带划分为早期近水平顺层伸展型和晚期陡倾韧性剪切带.近水平顺层伸展韧性剪切带呈残留状保留在后期变形改造较弱部位上,主要沿着不同地质单元或者岩性层界面上发育,是在伸展变形体制下形成的.晚期陡倾韧性剪切带呈近东西方向展布,规模较大,叠加和改造早期构造形迹,形成于晚期造山挤压构造环境中,以左行滑移为主.这两种韧性剪切带都形成于地壳中深部构造层次高角闪岩相-麻粒岩相条件下,变形机制主要为熔体增强颗粒边界扩散和颗粒流动,使岩石发生大规模的塑性流动.在宏观上形成了不对称流动组构、条纹条带构造、熔融线理、层内流动褶皱等构造形迹,在微观上矿物晶体没有发生明显塑性变形,均匀消光,晶体为三边平衡结构,与静态变质结构相似,形成了地壳深部构造层次上变质构造岩-构造片麻岩.      

低序次韧性断裂的负反转构造研究

赣湘地区的变质核杂岩和变质穹窿构造中，晚期脆性断裂与早期低序次韧性构造间存在着明显的相关联系。这是由于韧性断裂中的面理(S2)，经劈理、节理多次转化，由压性构造转化为张性构造并形成伸展型的脆性断裂。其演化机制在宏观上是碰撞造山形变后期的引张作用；微观上是岩石物体加工硬化的方向性等缘故。并综合分析了在荷载、边界变化的条件下，应力、应变在宏-微观上的重新分配(partitioning)，导致低序次韧性构造向脆性断裂负反转的必然趋势。这方面的研究，不论在资源或是环境地质调查中均有实践意义。     

超越板块构造——我国构造地质学要做些什么?

对近十年来全球构造学和构造地质学的重要进展进行了简要评述.30年前建立的全球构造理论改变了人们对地球及其演化的认识.作为固体地球统一理论的板块构造主要涉及刚性板块边界之间的变形、地震活动和火山作用.至今还没有完整理论阐明板块运动的驱动力和地幔对流机制.板块边界和板内变形等许多问题仍然无法回答.大陆岩石圈和大洋岩石圈在成分、厚度和力学强度方面有明显的差别, 因此现有板块构造不完全适合于大陆构造.大陆地壳和地幔流变学的综合研究是认识大陆构造和超越板块构造的最佳途径.流变学是大陆造山带几何学和动力学的桥梁.大陆岩石圈对构造作用、重力作用和热作用的响应在很大程度上取决于其流变强度.岩石圈流变性质是岩石圈分层和塑性流动的主导因素.大量透入性变形和巨型大陆造山带内部构造显示非刚性特征.大陆构造和力学行为主要由地壳强度而不是地幔强度所控制.从大陆岩石圈多层性和力学强度不均匀性表征看, 现在是抛弃传统“三明治”构造模式的时候了.面对地球系统科学和地球动力学新思维发展趋势, 多学科综合研究大陆构造(造山带)和加速高水平构造地质学人才的培养是我国构造地质学发展的最紧迫任务      

南北地震带南段震源空间分布特征及其构造意义

大陆浅源地震震源空间分布可以看作是一种地球物理特征,大量震源的空间位置数据可用来刻划大陆地壳结构。通过研究南北地震带南段震源的空间分布特征,发现研究区震源深度分布在横向上的疏密变化与地质构造特征相对应。剖面震源分布等密度图显示,中、下地壳不同深度广泛分布着多震层。多震层的分布与地壳低速、低阻层具有相关性,多震层一般位于低速、低阻层的上方。中地壳层次的低速、低阻层很可能是壳内滑脱层,是韧性下地壳与脆性上地壳发生拆离解耦的构造层次;下地壳低速、低阻层是部分熔融、含流体的韧性流变层;壳内多震层的构造属性应是上地壳硬的脆性层,容易发生突然破裂,产生地震。低速、低阻层是大陆板块内部上地壳脆性层构造过程的主控因素,包括对大陆内部浅源地震的控制;因此,在低速、低阻层之上往往形成多震层,越是活动性强的低速、低阻层,其上多震层震源密度越高。南北地震带南段不同层圈和块体之间的差异运动控制了其地壳层次的构造活动,包括大量地震的发生,其中,下地壳流层与上地壳脆性层的差异运动在中地壳层次发生剪切拆离是最重要的因素。     

青藏高原板内地震震源深度分布规律及其成因

青藏高原板内地震以浅源地震为主, 下地壳基本上没有地震, 地震震源多集中在15~40 km的深度范围, 主要在中地壳内, 呈似层状弥散分布.其中30~33 km深度是一个优势层, 与壳内分层有关.总体上青藏高原南、北部的震源面略呈相向倾斜特征.70~100 km深度区间出现了比较集中的震级较小的地震, 可能与壳幔过渡带的拆离作用有关.高原内部的正断层系与板内地震密切相关, 是板内浅源地震的主控构造.总之, 青藏高原地震震源沿着活动的上地壳脆性层与软弱层之间的脆-韧性过渡带分布.这些板内地震活动属于大陆动力学过程, 与板块碰撞和板块俯冲无关.初步认为青藏高原浅层到深层多震层的成因分别是韧性基底与脆性盖层、韧性下地壳与脆性上地壳、韧性下地壳与脆性上地幔的韧-脆性转换、拆离和解耦的产物.      

东昆仑、玉树、汶川地震的发生规律和形成机理:兼论大陆地震成因与预测

青藏高原东北部东昆仑、汶川、玉树等强震的同震地表破裂不对称发育,伴随余震有规律地分别向东、南东和北北东方向迁移,很可能是源于恒河盆地流经亚东、当雄、安多、库赛湖、治多、玉树、甘孜、汶川的弧形下地壳“热河”的流速和流向变化形成的,下地壳热流物质正在向云南及邻区汇聚形成下地壳“热海”,导致长时间跨季度构造热干旱,其影响超过大气环流的作用。地表破裂不一定受断层控制,震源也不在断层面上,下地壳流动导致中地壳发震并进一步影响上地壳形成同震脆性破裂系统。大陆板内盆山过渡带地震密集,大陆板内地震是在下地壳层流的热动力作用下导致活动地壳分层变形的产物。在大陆盆山耦合、圈层耦合的非线性开放系统中,从大洋底部的软流圈层流进入大陆底部使得地幔软流圈加厚,底辟上升为大陆下地壳流动,为地震活动提供了巨量热能;热软化的下地壳缓慢的韧性流动孕育了大陆板内地震;中地壳韧 脆性剪切带易于积累能量,发生热能与应变能的转化,产生地震,形成震源层;上地壳脆性断层活动和地表破裂是地震释放深部能量的载体和方式之一。地壳稳定性评价的依据应当是地壳的活动性而不是断层的活动性。大陆活动构造区地震活跃期与平静期交替实际上是下地壳地震能量的聚散过程,体现在下地壳热主导的韧性流动构造与上地壳应力主导的脆性破裂构造之间的相互作用。下地壳热软化物质流动过程中流速、流向等突然改变触发地震,并产生共振波。大陆下地壳流层在厚度、温度、粘度、流速、流向上的变化产生一定程度的温度异常、流体异常及与其相关的大气层、电场、磁场、重力场、地球化学场、应力场、应变场、生物场等异常。合理布置天空网、地面网、地下网,综合立体监测有效的地震前兆,系统地开展长期、中期和短临地震预测,能够不断地提高地震预测水平。     

Neotectonics and intraplate continental topography of the northern Alpine Foreland

Research on neotectonics and related seismicity has hitherto been mostly focused on active plate boundaries that are characterized by generally high levels of earthquake activity. Current seismic hazard estimates for intraplate domains are mainly based on probabilistic analyses of historical and instrumental earthquake catalogues. The accuracy of such hazard estimates is limited by the fact that available catalogues are restricted to a few hundred years, which, on geological time scales, is insignificant and not suitable for the assessment of tectonic processes controlling the observed earthquake activity. More reliable hazard prediction requires access to high quality data sets covering a geologically significant time span in order to obtain a better understanding of processes controlling on-going intraplate deformation.The Alpine Orogen and the intraplate sedimentary basins and rifts in its northern foreland are associated with a much higher level of neotectonic activity than hitherto assumed. Seismicity and stress indicator data, combined with geodetic and geomorphologic observations, demonstrate that deformation of the Northern Alpine foreland is still on-going and will continue in the future. This has major implications for the assessment of natural hazards and the environmental degradation potential of this densely populated area. We examine relationships between deeper lithospheric processes, neotectonics and surface processes in the northern Alpine Foreland, and their implications for tectonically induced topography.For the Environmental Tectonics Project (ENTEC), the Upper and Lower Rhine Graben (URG and LRG) and the Vienna Basin (VB) were selected as natural laboratories. The Vienna Basin developed during the middle Miocene as a sinistral pull-apart structure on top of the East Alpine nappe stack, whereas the Upper and Lower Rhine grabens are typical intracontinental rifts. The Upper Rhine Graben opened during its Late Eocene and Oligocene initial rifting phase by nearly orthogonal crustal extension, whereas its Neogene evolution was controlled by oblique extension. Seismic tomography suggests that during extension the mantle-lithosphere was partially decoupled from the upper crust at the level of the lower crust. However, whole lithospheric folding controlled the mid-Miocene to Pliocene uplift of the Vosges–Black Forest Arch, whereas thermal thinning of the mantle–lithosphere above a mantle plume contributed substantially to the past and present uplift of the Rhenish Massif. By contrast, oblique crustal extension, controlling the late Oligocene initial subsidence stage of the Lower Rhine Graben, gave way to orthogonal extension at the transition to the Neogene.The ENTEC Project integrated geological, geophysical, geomorphologic, geodetic and seismological data and developed dynamic models to quantify the societal impact of neotectonics in areas hosting major urban and industrial activity concentrations. The response of Europe's intraplate lithosphere to Late Neogene compressional stresses depends largely on its thermo-mechanical structure, which, in turn, controls vertical motions, topography evolution and related surface processes.     

龙山门断裂带活动特征与工程区域地壳稳定性评价理论

2008年5月12日发生的里氏8.0级汶川地震处于龙门山造山带与四川盆地的构造边界上。350km长的地表破裂带呈右行左阶雁行排列在具有逆冲和右行走滑性质的汶川茂县青川、映秀北川和江油都江堰3条断层带上。下地壳的韧性流动伴随中地壳韧-脆性剪切带应力和应变的积累,产生上地壳脆性发震断层,并控制地表破裂带和滑坡的分布。震源出现在上地壳脆性断层与中地壳脆-韧性剪切带的交汇部位。〖KG2〗以汶川地震为例,结合板内地震基本特征,提出引入大陆动力学理论完善工程区域稳定性理论基础,构建基于板块学说、地质力学和大陆动力学理论的相互补充的工程区域稳定性评价体系;对活断层与地震活动性预测提出见解,强调仅仅从活断层的存在及其活动强度来预测地震活动性与强度是远远不够甚至是错误的,必须将下地壳、中地壳和上地壳结构作为一个整体加以研究和判别;提出工程区域地壳稳定性评价指标体系,指出了大陆内部安全岛划分应采用的核心指标。     

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.     

1976年唐山大地震的孕震环境:密集地震台阵观测得到的结果

1976-07-28唐山地区发生了震惊中外的7.8级大地震。为什么在华北古老克拉通内部的唐山地区能够发生如此的大地震一直是一个令人费解的问题。是否会在唐山地区再次出现同样的破坏性地震值得认真研究。利用流动地震观测台阵数据和接收函数反演方法,我们研究了唐山地区60 km深度范围内的三维地壳上地幔速度结构。结果表明:(1)由活动断裂切割的唐山断块与周围介质存在明显差异,围限唐山断块的断裂均为超壳的活动断裂;(2)唐山大震区中上地壳具有明显的非均匀壳内低速体;(3)该地区壳幔界面表现为明显的断块式隆升,与两侧相比,唐山菱形地块下方的上地幔顶部异常隆起的高度达到10 km左右,下伏的上地幔具有异常的非均匀结构;(4)唐山大震区可能有幔源物质较大规模的侵入,形成了中、上地壳内的低速体。由于较已往的研究结果有更高的空间分辨率,我们得到了一些以往尚未发现的有关唐山地区深部结构的异常特征;(5)首都圈地区内破坏性地震发生的地点绝非偶然,它们均与其相应的深部构造背景密切有关,这为强震发生地点的预测提供了可能。根据本文结果,我们认为,1976年唐山大地震的主因源于上地幔的垂向运动变形及壳幔之间物质及能量的交换,区域水平向应力场为次要作用。这有助于解释为什么能够在我国华北古老克拉通地区发生7级以上强震,在唐山地区再次发生7级以上大地震的可能性值得给予进一步的研究和关注。     

龙门山大地电磁深部结构及汶川地震(MS 8.0)

2008年5月12日汶川发生的MS 8.0地震使四川、甘肃和陕西等省遭受重大人员伤亡及财产损失,本文通过震前完成的穿过龙门山构造带中段的松潘中江大地电磁测深剖面的反演解释,揭示了龙门山构造带及其两侧松潘甘孜褶皱带、川西前陆盆地地壳内部30 km深处电性结构。龙门山构造带东侧四川盆地为上部较厚低阻沉积盖层之下存在连续稳定高阻的扬子基底特征,而以西的松潘甘孜褶皱带分上部和下部两部分,上部为高阻古生界夹低阻中新生界,下部（中下地壳）呈连续低阻层,推测可能存在一个连续稳定的壳内高导层。而龙门山恰好是青藏高原与扬子地台联合作用的结果,形成了上部高阻及下部基底高阻,中间夹西倾低阻带,低阻带最厚10 km,其深度从地表10 km连续向西延伸至20 km深处,与松潘甘孜褶皱带15～20 km的低阻层相连。这个异常低阻带可能是松潘甘孜地块向东向上移动的传输带,北川映秀断层逆冲分量显然大于右行走滑分量,因此汶川地震属于右行平移-逆冲断裂型地震。     

塔里木盆地及邻区岩石圈拆离解耦与盆山格局关系的天然地震分析

与洋陆俯冲关系不同,在板内汇聚过程中,大陆岩石圈固有的多圈层、多界面结构的特点,使得地块的俯冲变形伴有多圈层顺层拆离解耦的行为,使变形结构复杂化。虽然多圈层界面拆离解耦所引发的地震点群空间分布不像洋陆俯冲关系那么规则完美,但是依据地震群与破裂位置、破裂与岩石圈分层力学特性的依次控制关系,运用深度/频次、平面密度等统计方法,再以各种地球物理实测手段得到的岩石圈结构构造数据作为界面标定依据,还是能够得出诸如拆离解耦的界面深度、界面归属和区域层间变形范围等重要的几何学信息,这些变形几何学、运动学数据是构建大陆岩石圈板内汇聚造山特别是盆山耦合模式时的关键性的依据。文中通过对塔里木盆地及周缘造山带的相关研究,在岩石圈层拆离解耦状态及其与盆山构造格局之间的关系方面得出以下几点认识:(1)塔里木盆地及周缘造山带岩石圈的主拆离解耦层均发育于中地壳,但随各区中地壳的具体深度位置不同而有所差别;(2)塔西南/西昆仑盆山构造耦合关系是构建于岩石圈尺度上的,塔北/南天山盆山耦合关系是构建于地壳尺度上的;(3)地震活动的密集程度及密集带的展布与天山的变形强度、隆升状态和地貌阶段类型的变化规律有着近乎完美的精确匹配关系;(4)塔北/南天山和塔西南/西昆仑对应于岩石圈的强拆离解耦区,塔东北/东天山和塔东南/阿尔金山之间无耦合关系,其边缘带对应于岩石圈弱拆离解耦和无拆离解耦区;(5)塔里木盆地总体上的弱变形状态与其岩石圈弱或未拆离解耦类型占据总面积90%的情形相适应;(6)塔里木地块以驱动、阻挡约束、平移滚筒约束和克拉通过渡等多重“身份”存在于相邻单元“包围”的力学环境中。     

Finite element modelling of elastic intraplate stresses due to heterogeneities in crustal density and mechanical properties for the Jabalpur earthquake region,central India

Deep lower crustal intraplate earthquakes are infrequent and the mechanism of their occurrence is not well understood. The Narmada-Son-lineament region in central India has experienced two such events, the 1938 Satpura earthquake and the 1997 Jabalpur earthquake, having a focal depth of more than 35 km. We have estimated elastic stresses due to the crustal density and mechanical properties heterogeneities along the Hirapur-Mandla profile passing through the Jabalpur earthquake region to analyse conditions suitable for the concentration of shear stresses in the hypocentral region of this earthquake. Elastic stresses have been computed by a finite element method for a range of material parameters. The results indicate that the shear stresses generated by the density heterogeneities alone are not able to locally enhance the stress concentration in the hypocentral region. The role of mechanical properties of various crustal layers is important in achieving this localization of stresses. Among a range of material parameters analysed, the model with a mechanically strong lower crust overlying a relatively weak sub-Moho layer is able to enhance the stress concentration in the hypocentral region, implying a weaker mantle in comparison to the lower crust for this region of central India.     

Joint Inversion of the 3D P Wave Velocity Structure of the Crust and Upper Mantle under the Southeastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau Using Regional Earthquake and Teleseismic Data

The special seismic tectonic environment and frequent seismicity in the southeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau show that this area is an ideal location to study the present tectonic movement and background of strong earthquakes in mainland China and to predict future strong earthquake risk zones. Studies of the structural environment and physical characteristics of the deep structure in this area are helpful to explore deep dynamic effects and deformation field characteristics, to strengthen our understanding of the roles of anisotropy and tectonic deformation and to study the deep tectonic background of the seismic origin of the block's interior. In this paper, the three-dimensional(3D) P-wave velocity structure of the crust and upper mantle under the southeastern margin of the Qinghai–Tibet Plateau is obtained via observational data from 224 permanent seismic stations in the regional digital seismic network of Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces and from 356 mobile China seismic arrays in the southern section of the north–south seismic belt using a joint inversion method of the regional earthquake and teleseismic data. The results indicate that the spatial distribution of the P-wave velocity anomalies in the shallow upper crust is closely related to the surface geological structure, terrain and lithology. Baoxing and Kangding, with their basic volcanic rocks and volcanic clastic rocks, present obvious high-velocity anomalies. The Chengdu Basin shows low-velocity anomalies associated with the Quaternary sediments. The Xichang Mesozoic Basin and the Butuo Basin are characterised by lowvelocity anomalies related to very thick sedimentary layers. The upper and middle crust beneath the Chuan–Dian and Songpan–Ganzi Blocks has apparent lateral heterogeneities, including low-velocity zones of different sizes. There is a large range of low-velocity layers in the Songpan–Ganzi Block and the sub–block northwest of Sichuan Province, showing that the middle and lower crust is relatively weak. The Sichuan Basin, which is located in the western margin of the Yangtze platform, shows high-velocity characteristics. The results also reveal that there are continuous low-velocity layer distributions in the middle and lower crust of the Daliangshan Block and that the distribution direction of the low-velocity anomaly is nearly SN, which is consistent with the trend of the Daliangshan fault. The existence of the low-velocity layer in the crust also provides a deep source for the deep dynamic deformation and seismic activity of the Daliangshan Block and its boundary faults. The results of the 3D P-wave velocity structure show that an anomalous distribution of high-density, strong-magnetic and high-wave velocity exists inside the crust in the Panxi region. This is likely related to late Paleozoic mantle plume activity that led to a large number of mafic and ultra-mafic intrusions into the crust. In the crustal doming process, the massive intrusion of mantle-derived material enhanced the mechanical strength of the crustal medium. The P-wave velocity structure also revealed that the upper mantle contains a low-velocity layer at a depth of 80–120 km in the Panxi region. The existence of deep faults in the Panxi region, which provide conditions for transporting mantle thermal material into the crust, is the deep tectonic background forthe area's strong earthquake activity.