Spatiotemporal distribution of seismic activity in East Asia and its relation to regional stress field

Tectonic forces from the relative movements between plates are transmitted into the continental crust, and then they create the earthquake generating stress field there. The space-time distribution of the seismic activity including the small earthquakes in a region reflects the variation of the stress field in the region. According to this idea, the characteristics of the stress fields in the various regions of East Asia have been analyzed in detail in this paper based on a lot of solutions of focal mechanisms and data of seismic activity during the last 500 years. The results indicate that the tectonic forces from the subduction of the Pacific Ocean plate underneath the Eurasian plate control the stress field in the region from North China to the northern part of the North-South Seismic Belt. The variation of the regional stress field shown by the variation of seismic activity in some regions of Japan has also been discussed based on characteristics of variation of the seimicity of small earthquakes. Synchronous variations of seismicity in the past 100 years or so in West China and in the boundary region between the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates implicate that there is the transmission of tectonic forces into West China through the collision between the Indo-Australian and Eurasian plates. The active seismic activity in the boundary region between the Indo-Australian and the Eurasian plates and in West China is continuing consistently. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,13, 287–294, 1991.     

The possible changes of tectonic stress fields in North China in 16–17th centuries

The ancient tectonic stress field in North China during 16–17th centuries were recovered by studying seismogenic faults of four great earthquakes. Three of them are dip slip events, the direction of the maximum principal stress is vertical, and that of the minimum principal stress is in the NW—SE direction and nearly horizontal tensile stress. Another earthquake is a complicated one which includes thrust and dip-slip activities. The above-stated character is quite different from that of present stress field, it is inferred that the stress field has significantly changed since 16th century, the main stress axis revolved an angle of 90 degrees nearly. The mantle upheaval in the faulted basins in North China during 16–17th centuries may cause the tensile stress field and a series of great earthquakes. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,14, 144–148, 1992.     

Characteristics of recent tectonic stress field in Jiashi, Xinjiang and adjacent regions

Introduction The Pamirs region where Jiashi is located is one of the most active regions of continental plate dynamics in China. Frequent earthquakes here, especially several strong earthquakes oc- curred in 1997 and 2003, have provided excellent conditions for studying the tectonic stress field in this region and a large number of results (GAO and WEN, 2000; GAO et al, 2004; XU, 2001; ZHOU et al, 2001) have been obtained. Although different methods and data were used, under- standings …     

Inversion of waveform from the data of six moderate strong earthquakes in Chinese mainland to seismic moment tensors and source mechanism

Based on Generalized Seismic Ray Theory (Helmberger, 1968), a new quickly linear inversion method from the data of seismic waveform to seismic moment tensor and source mechanism for domestic earthquake is studied in this paper. Six moderately strong earthquakes which occurred in Chinese mainland in the past few years are studied. The seismic source parameters of these earthquakes, seismic moment tensors, scalar seismic moments, fault plane solutions and source time functionsetc, are obtained. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,15, 261–268, 1993.     

Exploring nonlinear characteristics in seismogenic process

Power spectral characteristics of the seismic activities before and after the seven large earthquake — Haicheng, Tangshan, Lancang, Longling, Mabian, Puer and Songpan are studied by spectrum analysis method. The results show that they all have continuous power spectrum and aperiodic behaviour. When the time away from the large earthquake occurrence, the characteristics of the seismic activities are obviously accompanied by stochastic components. About one year before main shock, the moving orbits constructed by spectrum amplitudes showed the contracting tendency. And the properties during that time may display as flicker noise. One’s another time almost mixed whole phase space. But the essence of seismic activities after main shocks is a chaotic state accompanied with much noises. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,15, 276–281, 1993. This subject is supported by the Chinese Joint Seismological Foundation.     

The stress field in the area from the west of Beijing to the Shanxi-Hebei-Nei Mongol border region

According to conditions of seismogeological structure and the data on seismicity in the area from the west of Beijing to the Shanxi-Hebei-Nei Mongol border region, the tectonic stress field and the seismic stress field in this area are studied by using the finite element method and the dislocation theory. In the light of the distribution features of these stress fields and the characteristics of recent activity of small earthquakes, it is inferred that there are two relative stress concentration zones in the area, they are (1) the zone which is bounded on the south by the Heishansi fault, on the west by the Niuxinchuan-Sihuizhuang fault and on the north by the Liangjiazhuang fault; and (2) the zone with a NW long axis, which is surrounded by the intersection zone of the Tianzhenbei, Jiucaigou-Huangtugudui, and Zhanggao faults. Of these, in the first relative stress concentration zone, a strong earthquake will be more probable to occur in future to the west of Huailai at the place where the Xiahuayuan, Hunjingdong and Sangganhe faults converge together but do not intersect, or in its surrounding area. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,13, 307–318, 1991. The English version of this paper is improved by Dr. Zhixin Zhao.     

Constraints on rupture speed of the 2001 M S 8.1 West Kunlun Mountain Pass earthquake by co-seismic surface rupture slip displacements based on the slip-weakening mechanism with frictional undershoot involved

With co-seismic surface rupture slip displacements provided by the field observation for the 2001 MS8.1 West Kunlun Mountain Pass earthquake, this paper estimates the rupture speed on the main faulting segment with a long straight fault trace on the surface based on a simple slip-weakening rupture model, in which the frictional overshoot or undershoot are involved in consideration of energy partition during the earthquake faulting. In contrast to the study of Bouchon and Vallée, in which the rupture propagation along the main fault could exceed the local shear-wave speed, perhaps reach the P-wave speed on a certain section of fault, our results show that, under a slip-weakening assumption combined with a frictional undershoot (partial stress drop model), average rupture speed should be equal to or less than the Rayleigh wave speed with a high seismic radiation efficiency, which is consistent with the result derived by waveform inversion and the result estimated from source stress field. Associated with the surface rupture mechanism, such as partial stress drop (frictional undershoot) associated with the apparent stress, an alternative rupture mechanism based on the slip-weakening model has also been discussed.     

Method of prediction of earthquake by using seismisity

The method of prediction of earthquake by using seismisity (MPES) is to make use of the message of earthquakes (including large, middle, small) in pre-period to predict large earthquake in post-period. Some better methods are presented in this paper which are selected among many means used in our country recent years. These methods are classified into six sets: 1. Method of spatial pattern; 2. Method of time process; 3. Method of seismic sequence; 4. Method of earthquake correlation; 5. Method of parameters of seismic source and medium; 6. Comprehensive method. Prediction effects of each method are evaluated with unique score. The value of each method, scoreR, are generally in a range between 0.3 and 0.6. This value only represents internal consistency, however, the ability of actual prediction belongs to the extensional effect, which is generally lower than the value of internal consistency. If the ability of actual prediction could be evaluated withR = 0.3, the ability of prediction of earthquake by seismicity will be stated as following: If most of earthquakes must be predicted, the warning time needs to take seventy percent of whole time period of prediction; If half earthquakes must be predicted, the warning time needs to take twenty percent of whole time period of prediction. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,15, 239–252, 1993.     

Stochastic spatial analysis of earthquake sequence

In this paper, by means of the statistical analysis method of stochastic spatial point process, statistical analysis of spatial distribution of earthquakes in the large northern region of China is made. Emphasis is on the test and analysis of the complete spatial randomness, correlation of earthquake distribution in the different magnitude interval and random labeling. It is shown by the analysis that the spatial distribution of earthquakes in the large northern region is “clustered”, the distributions of earthquakes in different magnitude interval are positively correlated and can be modeled by a two-dimensional process. The results obtained in the paper can be used for the establishment of a reasonable spatial distribution model and have some application in the reasonable estimation of seismic hazard. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,15, 129–135, 1993.     

The effect of stress on pore pressure in rocks and the mechanism of water table anomaly before earthquakes

Triaxial compressive experiments of porous rock samples were carried out under various confining pressures and initial pore pressures without drainage; axial strain and pore pressure were observed versus differential stress. The results of such experiments show that pore pressure increases with increase of differential stress at low differential stress; pore pressure decreases with increase of differential stress at medium and high differential stress. Pore pressure also increases with large amplitude decrease of differential stress at high differential stress. Based on such experiments, it is suggested that water table anomaly before an earthquake reflects the change of differential stress in crustal rocks. The anomalous behavior of water tables in the epicentral and peripheral areas before the great Tangshan earthquake of July 28, 1976 are explained by such suggestion. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,13, 88–95, 1991. This study is supported by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation. Professor Yongtai Che gave us much help in applying fund support and supplying earthquake case histories.     

A model of nonuniform fracture system for Langcang-Gengma earthquake sequence and elasto-plastic computation method

Based on the observation data, it is found that the Lancang-Gengma earthquake sequence is resulting from the propagation of a nonuniform fracture system in which the lengths and strikes of fractures are different from each other, the stress field and medium condition around fractures are also heterogeneous. Therefore, a mechanical model simulating suitably the fracture processes of the Lancang-Gengma earthquake sequence is suggested in this paper. The fracture criterions and computation method for elastic fracture and elasto-plastic fracture are studied. The stress intensity factor, strain energy release rate and J-integral are evaluated respectively. The forward and inverse method jointing a variety of observation data to determine the earthquake fracture processes is also developed in this paper. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,14, 463–471, 1992. This project was sponsored by the Chinese Jonit Seismological Science Foundation.     

Source process of the 1990 Gonghe,China, earthquake and tectonic stress field in the northeastern Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) plateau

TheM _s =6.9 Gonghe, China, earthquake of April 26, 1990 is the largest earthquake to have been documented historically as well as recorded instrumentally in the northeastern Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) plateau. The source process of this earthquake and the tectonic stress field in the northeastern Qinghai-Xizang plateau are investigated using geodetic and seismic data. The leveling data are used to invert the focal mechanism, the shape of the slipped region and the slip distribution on the fault plane. It is obtained through inversion of the leveling data that this earthquake was caused by a mainly reverse dip-slipping buried fault with strike 102°, dip 46° to SSW, rake 86° and a seismic moment of 9,4×10¹⁸ Nm. The stress drop, strain and energy released for this earthquake are estimated to be 4.9 MPa, 7.4×10^–5 and 7.0×10¹⁴ J, respectively. The slip distributes in a region slightly deep from NWW to SEE, with two nuclei, i.e., knots with highly concentrated slip, located in a shallower depth in the NWW and a deeper depth in the SEE, respectively.Broadband body waves data recorded by the China Digital Seismograph Network (CDSN) for the Gonghe earthquake are used to retrieve the source process of the earthquakes. It is found through moment-tensor inversion that theM _s =6.9 main shock is a complex rupture process dominated by shear faulting with scalar seismic moment of the best double-couple of 9.4×10¹⁸ Nm, which is identical to the seismic moment determined from leveling data. The moment rate tensor functions reveal that this earthquake consists of three consecutive events. The first event, with a scalar seismic moment of 4.7×10¹⁸ Nm, occurred between 0–12 s, and has a focal mechanism similar to that inverted from leveling data. The second event, with a smaller seismic moment of 2.1×10¹⁸ Nm, occurred between 12–31 s, and has a variable focal mechanism. The third event, with a sealar seismic moment of 2.5×10¹⁸ Nm, occurred between 31–41 s, and has a focal mechanism similar to that inverted from leveling data. The strike of the 1990 Gonghe earthquake, and the significantly reverse dip-slip with minor left-lateral strike-slip motion suggest that the pressure axis of the tectonic stress field in the northeastern Qinghai-Xizang plateau is close to horizontal and oriented NNE to SSW, consistent with the relative collision motion between the Indian and Eurasian plates. The predominant thrust mechanism and the complexity in the tempo-spatial rupture process of the Gonghe earthquake, as revealed by the geodetic and seismic data, is generally consistent with the overall distribution of isoseismals, aftershock seismicity and the geometry of intersecting faults structure in the Gonghe basin of the northeastern Qinghai-Xizang plateau.Contribution No. 96 B0006 Institute of Geophysics, State Seismological Bureau, Beijing, China.     

Instantaneous spectrum analysis and its application in estimation of earthquake tendency

In this paper, first discussing briefly the instantaneous spectrum theory. Then, the instantnaeous spectra and Fourier spectra of three seismic sequences are calculated, and comparing them to explain the superior characteristics of instantaneous spectrum. Finally, the earthquake tendency of North China is estimated by using the instantaneous spectrum theory. The results show that not only the occurrence time of the coming large earthquake, but also its magnitude instantaneous can be estimated by using instantaneous spectrum of the seismic sequence. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa seismologica Sinica,15, 68–75, 1993.     

An investigation on the relationship between high energy charged particle flux in the upper atmosphere and the earthquake activities

This paper presents the analytic result on the correlation between the high energy charged particle flux in the radiation belt around the earth and the earthquake activities. It points out that the increment of count-speed of high energy charged particle flux in the upper atmosphere has definite relationship with the intensity of seismic activities on the earth. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,14, 100–103, 1992.     

Conversion between seismic intensity and peak ground shaking

In this paper, the relationships between seismic intensity and peak ground shaking are studied under no specific condition, separately or simultaneously considering the number of building storey and site category, based on data of mean peak values of horizontal ground motion recorded during strong earthquakes. Then, according to the statistical results, the variation of mean peak value with intensity rating is discussed, and schemes of peak ground velocity, peak ground acceleration or response spectrum of an designed earthquake converted from intensity rating are recommended. Finally, a methodology of converting seismic intensity from response spectrum of design earthquake is also discussed, and the conversion scheme is recommended. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,13, 32–40, 1991. This paper is sponsored by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation.     

Evolution of cumulative Coulomb failure stress in northeastern Qinghai-Xizang （Tibetan） Plateau and its effect on large earthquake occurrence

We simulate accumulative Coulomb failure stress change in a layered Maxwell viscoelastic media in the north-eastern Qinghai-Xizang(Tibetan)Plateau since 1920.Lithospheric stress/strain evolution is assumed to be drivenby dislocations of large earthquakes(M≥7.0)and secular tectonic loading.The earthquake rupture parameters suchas the fault rupture length,width,and slip are either adopted from field investigations or estimated from their sta-tistic relationships with the earthquake magnitudes and seismic moments.Our study shows that among 20 largeearthquakes(M≥7.0)investigated,17 occurred in areas where the Coulomb failure stress change is positive,with atriggering rate of 85%.This study provides essential data for the intermediate to long-term likelihood estimation oflarge earthquakes in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau.     

Dependence of the energy released during earthquake on ambient shear stress

Starting with dislocation model, using the result of the fracture mechanics: the slip displacement at the crack tip is proportional to the length of the crack and the applied ambient shear stressτ ₀ ² , we consider the dislocation in the earthquake to be the slip displacement at the crack tip and have obtained the analysis expresses of displacement and velocity pulse for the circular crack and have calculated the seismic wave energy radiated by earthquake. The seismic wave energyE ∞M ₀ τ ₀ ² f(v) _r , i. e.E is proportional to the seismic momentM ₀ and the square of the ambient shear stressτ ₀ ² and increases with the rupture velocityv _r . In frequency domain, integrating the square of source velocity spectrum derived from our the scaling law model, we have also obtained the seismic wave energyE released by earthquake and earthquake radiated effficiencyη.E ∞M ₀ τ ₀ ² also. If takingτ ₀ = 10.0 MPa, E=4.79M ₀. This result is consistent with the estimate by Vassiliou and Kanamori (1982). Theη=5.26%. The distribution of the seismic wave energy is that most of the energy contains in the frequency range between the first corner frequencyf _c1 and thirdf _c3, amount to 92.3% the energy in the rangef<f _c1 is about 3.85% and 3.85% whenf>f _c3. Thef _c3 is about 8Hz forM ⩾ 6, thus most of radiated energy is below 2Hz. This phenomenon had been verified by Vassiliou Kanamori. Previous results show the energy radiated by earthquake to be strongly dependent on ambient shear stress. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,15, 146–152, 1993. This work was supported by the Deutsche Forschungsgemeinschaft, Bonn, F. R. Germany. The support is grateful acknowledged. The authors are also grateful to Professor Klussmann and Mr. Hasthoff for their lots of help.     

临夏地震台观测到的临震预滑和震颤震相

对临夏地震台的YRY-4分量应变仪、水位仪和地震仪记录数据分析后发现:2008年5月12日汶川MW 7.9地震前,在3种不同学科的观测记录上,在相近时间段内均记录到了预滑震相Xp和震颤震相Tp.总结Xp震相和Tp震相记录特征的基础上,试图用实验室做的小尺度黏滑实验结果来佐证和解释所记录到的临震预滑和震颤震相的物理机制....     

The application of the method of reconstruction a phase space with higher dimensions to the study of seismic processes and earthquake prediction

The method of reconstructing a phase space with higher dimensions can be applied to analysing the observaiton data for studying the dynamic behavior of seismic processes and earthquake prediction. It is found that seismic processes are chaotic. So earthquakes could be determinately predicted only within the predictable period. Here, some related problems (e.g. several primary parameters and the relations among them, the relation between the quality of used data and analytical results, the relation between a reductive process of the fractal dimensions and earthquake prediction and so on) are discussed. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,15, 470–476, 1993. This study was sponsored by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation under Contract NO. 9000007.     

Research on determining the annual earthquake occurrence rates of potential seismic source areas

To actually reflect the seismic temporal-spatial inhomogeneity of intra continental strong earthquakes of North China in seismic hazard analysis, several seismological and geological characteristics have been selected and quantized to describe the seismicity features in time and space of every magnitude interval with the thought of dividing the interesting magnitude range into several intervals and using of spatial probability distribution function. A component analysis method with orthogonal transformation is introduced to avoid the repeated use of the same element and the subjective effects in determining the annual earthquake occurrence rates of earthquake. By passing synthetic fuzzy judgement on the nonintercorrelated new characteristics, the annual occurrence rates of every magnitude interval of each potential source area are obtained associated with the adjustments of earthquake reducing process after the occurrence ofM>7 quake. An intensity map of the Beijing-Tianjin-Zhangjiakou area is calculated as an example which shows a close coincidence with the seismic temporal-spatial inhomogeneity of North China. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,13, 496–504, 1991.