3D modeling of earthquake cycles of the Xianshuihe fault,southwestern China

We perform 3D modeling of earthquake generation of the Xianshuihe fault, southwestern China, which is a highly active strike-slip fault with a length of about 350 km, in order to understand earthquake cycles and segmentations for a long-term forecasting and earthquake nucleation process for a short-term forecasting. Historical earthquake data over the last 300 years indicates repeated periods of seismic activity, and migration of large earthquake along the fault during active seismic periods. To develop the 3D model of earthquake cycles along the Xianshuihe fault, we use a rate- and state-dependent friction law. After analyzing the result, we find that the earthquakes occur in the reoccurrence intervals of 400–500 years. Simulation result of slip velocity distribution along the fault at the depth of 10 km during 2694 years along the Xianshuihe fault indicates that since the third earthquake cycle, the fault has been divided into 3 parts. Some earthquake ruptures terminate at the bending part of the fault line, which may means the shape of the fault line controls how earthquake ruptures. The change of slip velocity and displacement at 10 km depth is more tremendous than the change of the shallow and deep part of the fault and the largest slip velocity occurs at the depth of 10 km which is the exact depth of the seismic zone where fast rupture occurs.     

青海玉树地区活动断裂与地震

青海玉树是巴颜喀拉地块西南边界上的典型历史强震区。最新的活动断裂遥感解译与地表调查结果表明,该区新构造期间主要发育清水河断裂带、玉树断裂带、阿布多断裂带和杂多断裂带4条NW向左旋走滑活动断裂带。其中,构成玉树—鲜水河—小江断裂系尾端构造的玉树活动断裂带是该区活动性最显著的岩石圈断裂。该断裂是由当江断裂、结古—结隆断裂和巴塘断裂3条斜接的主干断层和夹杂其间的多条次级断裂所共同构成的Z型左旋剪切张扭性变形带。它在上新世以来和晚第四纪期间的左旋走滑速率为4.0~5.4mm/a,调节了该区大部分的块体挤出与旋转变形,并构成该区大震活动的主要控震构造。历史强震梳理和古地震研究揭示,玉树主干走滑断裂带自约14530a BP以来至少发生了包括2010年地震在内的共11次大地震,原地重复间隔平均在千年以上,最长达近3000a。1738年玉树西北地震之后,玉树—甘孜断裂带的主干断层表现为平均间隔为50~100a的低频、串联式分段破裂过程,并且大震活动存在从东南向西北迁移的趋势。通过对玉树断裂未来大地震危险性进行综合地质判定认为,该区至少仍存在6段未来百年内大地震危险程度不同的地震空区,潜在的大地震震级为Mw6.6~7.3,其中危险性相对较高的段落主要是当江断裂带的当江—拉则段和结古—结隆断裂带上的结隆—叶卡诺段与桑卡—相古段。     

青海玉树断裂带地震落石的地震地质意义

2010年青海玉树Ms 7.1级大地震引发了一系列次生地质灾害,其中地震落石是除地震滑坡外沿断裂带及其邻侧最常见的现象。对玉树震区落石的调查发现,该区多处存在非常典型的多期地震落石分布现象,指示该区地震落石的发育与其他古地震现象类似,具有多期性和一定的原地复发性。实地调查表明,该区地震落石分布的主要特征为:多集中发育在活动断裂带附近的陡峭基岩斜坡下方,分布零散,且滚动较远,并常与古地震滑坡相伴生。初步获得的8个地震落石钙膜U系测年结果分布在距今6030±300a BP、4720±210a BP、3530±490~3560±280a BP、2010±160a BP、1090±70a BP、760±20a BP和230±20a BP年龄段,与该区古地震探槽和滑坡反映的地震事件比较吻合,进一步揭示玉树断裂带附近在全新世中晚期发生过多期可导致地表产生地震落石的事件。同时也说明,地震落石及其钙膜测年是特别值得进一步探索的潜在古地震研究方法或途径。     

利用地震模拟技术研究逆断层的断点位置

在地震资料解释阶段,可根据解释结果进行正演模拟,以验证解释结果的可靠性,并通过模型正演方式了解地下波场的细微变化,提高解释精度。依据内蒙古鄂托克前旗沙章图矿区DF2逆断层的赋存形态,建立的地质模型,并围绕其逆断层的断点位置、埋深、地层速度等,对各种接收排列进行射线追踪实验。通过改变开动的道数、道距及偏移距,观察各种参数下射线追踪的分布情况及模拟时间剖面的面貌。正演结果表明利用射线模型追踪的模拟地震反射剖面与实际时间剖面完全吻合,其确定的逆断层断点位置及断面倾角合理。     

矿井断层构造复杂程度的GIS与熵值耦合评价研究

基于GIS与熵值耦合理论的矿井断层构造复杂程度的综合评价方法,建立了断层构造的非线性特征值、断层规模指数、煤层底板倾角指数、断层断距指数等与矿井构造复杂程度相关的评价指标体系。并以河南某矿为例,对矿井断层构造复杂程度进行多因素评价综合分区。结果显示:该矿井构造以中等和简单为主;在构造简单-中等区,构造对煤层开采基本无影响,而在构造复杂区,断层可导致水文地质条件变得较为复杂,影响煤层安全开采。     

Unraveling rift margin evolution and escarpment development ages along the Dead Sea fault using cosmogenic burial ages

The Dead Sea fault (DSF) is one of the most active plate boundaries in the world. Understanding the Quaternary history and sediments of the DSF requires investigation into the Neogene development of this plate boundary. DSF lateral motion preceded significant extension and rift morphology by ~ 10 Ma. Sediments of the Sedom Formation, dated here between 5.0 ± 0.5 Ma and 6.2_− 2.1^+ inf Ma, yielded extremely low ¹⁰Be concentrations and ²⁶Al is absent. These reflect the antiquity of the sediments, deposited in the Sedom Lagoon, which evolved in a subdued landscape and was connected to the Mediterranean Sea. The base of the overlying Amora Formation, deposited in the terminal Amora Lake which developed under increasing relief that promoted escarpment incision, was dated at 3.3_− 0.8^+ 0.9 Ma. Burial ages of fluvial sediments within caves (3.4 ± 0.2 Ma and 3.6 ± 0.4 Ma) represent the timing of initial incision. Initial DSF topography coincides with the earliest Red Sea MORB's and the East Anatolian fault initiation. These suggest a change in the relative Arabian–African plate motion. This change introduced the rifting component to the DSF followed by a significant subsidence, margin uplift, and a reorganization of relief and drainage pattern in the region resulting in the topographic framework observed today.     

Holocene rockfalls in the southern Negev Desert,Israel and their relation to Dead Sea fault earthquakes

Rockfall ages in tectonically active regions provide information regarding frequency and magnitude of earthquakes. In the hyper-arid environment of the Dead Sea fault (DSF), southern Israel, rockfalls are most probably triggered by earthquakes. We dated rockfalls along the western margin of the DSF using terrestrial cosmogenic nuclides (TCN). At each rockfall site, samples were collected from simultaneously exposed conjugate boulders and cliff surfaces. Such conjugate samples initially had identical pre-fall (“inherited”) TCN concentrations. After boulder detachment, these surfaces were dosed by different production rates due to differences in post-fall shielding and geometry. However, in our study area, pre-rockfall inheritance and post-rockfall production rates of TCN cannot be evaluated. Therefore, we developed a numerical approach and demonstrated a way to overcome the above-mentioned problems. This approach can be applied in other settings where rockfalls cannot be dated by simple exposure dating. Results suggest rockfall ages between 3.6 ± 0.8 and 4.7 ± 0.7 ka. OSL ages of sediment accumulated behind the boulders range between 0.6 ± 0.1 and 3.4 ± 1.4 ka and support the TCN results. Our ages agree with dated earthquakes determined in paleoseismic studies along the entire length of the DSF and support the observation of intensive earthquake activity around 4–5 ka.     

Extensional deformation structures within a convergent orogen: The Val di Lima low-angle normal fault system (Northern Apennines,Italy)

A low-angle extensional fault system affecting the non metamorphic rocks of the carbonate dominated Tuscan succession is exposed in the Lima valley (Northern Apennines, Italy). This fault system affects the right-side-up limb of a kilometric-scale recumbent isoclinal anticline and is, in turn, affected by superimposed folding and late-tectonic high-angle extensional faulting.The architecture of the low-angle fault system has been investigated through detailed structural mapping and damage zone characterization. Pressure-depth conditions and paleofluid evolution of the fault system have been studied through microstructural, mineralogical, petrographic, fluid inclusion and stable isotope analyses. Our results show that the low-angle fault system was active during exhumation of the Tuscan succession at about 180°C and 5 km depth, with the involvement of low-salinity fluids. Within this temperature - depth framework, the fault zone architecture shows important differences related to the different lithologies involved in the fault system and to the role played by the fluids during deformation. In places, footwall overpressuring influenced active deformation mechanisms and favored shear strain localization.Our observations indicate that extensional structures affected the central sector of the Northern Apennines thrust wedge during the orogenic contractional history, modifying the fluid circulation through the upper crust and influencing its mechanical behavior.     

长江中下游宁芜火山岩盆地深部结构特征——来自反射地震的认识

宁芜火山岩盆地是长江中下游成矿带的重要组成部分,盆地内广泛产出玢岩型铁矿床。为探讨宁芜火山岩盆地深部结构,作者完成了三条穿越宁芜火山岩盆地的深反射地震剖面。三条剖面的长度不一,NW01剖面长度42km,NW02长56.3km,NW03长27.1km。三条剖面的排列长度都为720道,采样间隔2ms,记录长度16s。因为本文的主要研究对象是宁芜火山岩盆地上地壳的结构特征,因此只用了总记录长度的前4s数据。通过本次研究揭示了宁芜矿集区的上地壳精细结构、岩浆和断裂系统的空间展布形态。不仅验证了以往对盆地的部分认识,而且给出了新的认识。(1)发现了直接控制盆地火山-岩浆活动的南东和北西边界断裂并非人们经常认为的两大基底深断裂:方山-南陵断裂和长江断裂带,而是北西向F1和南东向F2断裂;(2)宁芜火山岩盆地以马鞍山-薛津断裂为界向北北东方向滑脱,造成了盆地南西高北东低的隆凹构造格局;(3)阐明了就位于盆地下方的为火山-岩浆活动提供补给和热源的岩浆房的空间展布特征;(4)清晰地厘定了盆地内的断裂系统,其中最主要的断裂是隐伏于宁芜火山岩盆地深部的控制深部岩浆活动的盆中基底断裂(BCF),控制着深部岩浆岩的空间展布格局并对宁芜火山岩盆地的地层和断裂系统有强烈地改造作用。本文的发现为宁芜火山岩盆地深部结构认识、成矿预测及成矿动力学分析提供了可借鉴的证据。     

北京平原南口—孙河断裂带北西段活动性分析

南口—孙河断裂是北京平原区唯一一条北西向的活动断裂,也是张家口—渤海地震带中最醒目的隐伏、半隐伏的第四纪活动断裂。对南口—孙河断裂北西段开展了浅层地震勘探和钻探工程,验证了该目标断裂的精确定位。笔者通过钻孔岩心及探槽剖面的对比分析,并结合磁性地层研究及~(14)C年龄测定,对该断裂第四纪以来的活动性进行了探讨。研究表明,南口—孙河断裂具有粘滑兼蠕滑的活动特点,中更新世、晚更新世和全新世以来的垂直活动速率分别为0.12 mn/a、0.58 mm/a、0.31 mm/a。总体表现为弱-强-弱的规律。晚更新世以来至少可识别出两次古地震事件,分别为距今(9230±45)aBP~(9370±40)aBP和(13620±90)aBP~(13960±60)aBP,错断地层的最浅深度为1.2 m。同时探讨了城市隐伏活动断裂的研究思路和方法。