Characteristics of Recent Horizontal Crustal Movement and Tectonic Deformation in the Northwest China Region

INTRODUCTIONThe vector diagramof the crustal horizontal movement of the north margin of Qinghai-Xizang(Tibet) block obtained from GPS measurements of 2001 ~2003 shows that the western part of theregion presents a southwestward movement oppositetothetrend beforethe Nov.14 ,2001 west KunlunMountains PassMS8 .1 earthquake ,which mayreflectthe post-earthquake relaxationand adjustment ofthe region (Zhang Xi ,2004) .It was the variation of regional dynamics that led to instability of thepo…

Characteristics of Recent Horizontal Crustal Movement and Tectonic Deformation in the Northwest China Region

Making use of observation data of GPS in the Northwest China region and infrared distance-measurements crossing the Qilian-Longshoushan fault zone up to 2004, aided by the least square collocation and inversion of negative dislocation model for the boundaries of elastic blocks and the singular force-source, the dynamic evolution features of deformation and strain fields before and after the M_S=8.1 earthquake on the west of Kunlun Mountains Pass, especially the recent tectonic deformation and stress field status three years after this earthquake are studied. The possible regions or segments of active blocks and their boundaries reflecting accumulation background of high strain energy of producing earthquakes over middle magnitude, are obtained, as well as the potential epicenter. The results show that after short-term relaxation and adjustment in the northern margin of Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) block after the M_S=8.1 earthquake, the main control action of background field of northeastward pushing of Indian plate is now recovering. Moreover, the following regions are found to have the background of high strain energy accumulation. They are the middle segment of the northern Tianshan fault zone and its meeting region with the western segment, the middle and western segments of southern Tianshan fault zone and the meeting region with Western Kunlun fault zone, the middle segment of Altun fault, the middle-eastern segment of Qilianshan fault zone and its meeting region with Haiyuan fault, the meeting region of northern margin fault of west Qinling Range and the southeastward expanding line of Zhuanglanghe fault; The Linze and Haiyuan areas also see accumulation of strain energy to some degree.