Three-dimensional velocity structure around the focal area of the 2021 MS6.4 Yangbi earthquake

On May 21, 2021, an M_S6.4 earthquake occurred in Yangbi, Yunnan province, China, which exhibited typical foreshock-mainshock-aftershock characteristics. To better understand the velocity structure of the focal area and adjacent fault zones, Pg/Sg travel times at 12 seismic stations for the local earthquakes with M_L ≥ 1.5 from 2009–2019 and the Yangbi sequence in May of 2021 were used to invert the three-dimensional (3D) structures for both v_P and v_P/v_S. The obtained structure extends deeply to 15 km for area (25°N–26.5°N, 99.5°E–101°E) at a horizontal resolution of 10× 10 km, and the accuracy of the v_P velocity was verified using airgun signals excited by the Binchuan Airgun Transmitting Seismic Station (BATSS). The resulting v_P and v_P/v_S images correlate with existing fault zones and the Yangbi sequence, including: (1) The shallow velocity structure at 0 km agrees with local topography, where the Binchuan basin exhibits low-v_P and high-v_P/v_S values. From 3–15 km, v_P and v_P/v_S show variations, and the boundaries are consistent with the main faults (e.g., the Weixi-Qiaohou-Weishan, Honghe, and Chenghai faults). (2) The largest foreshock (M_S5.6), mainshock (M_S6.4), and largest aftershock (M_S5.2) occurred near the boundaries where both v_P and v_P/v_S have clear contrasts. (3) Small earthquakes are also concentrated in the transition zone between high- and low-v_P and v_P/v_S anomalies, and are biased toward low-v_P/v_S zones. (4) Boundaries in v_P and v_P/v_S are observed at 20 km west of the Weixi-Qiaohou-Weishan fault, indicating that there may exist one hidden fault.     

Spatiotemporal evolution of the 2021 MS6.4 Yangbi earthquake sequence

Based on the seismic phase reports of the Yangbi area from January 1 to June 25, 2021, and the waveform data of M ≥ 4 earthquakes, we obtained the relocation results and focal mechanism solutions of the M_S6.4 Yangbi earthquake sequence using the HypoDD and CAP methods. Based on our results, our main conclusions are as follows: (1) the M_S6.4 Yangbi earthquake sequence is a typical foreshock-mainshock-aftershock sequence. The foreshocks of the first two stages have the obvious fronts of migration and their migration rate increased gradually. There was no apparent front of migration during the third stage, and the occurrence of the mainshock was related to stress triggering from a M5.3 foreshock. We tentatively speculate that the rupture pattern of the Yangbi earthquake sequence conforms to the cascading-rupture model; and (2) the main fault of the M_S6.4 Yangbi earthquake sequence is a NW-trending right-lateral strike-slip fault. As time progressed, a minor conjugate aftershock belt formed at the northwest end of this fault, and a dendritic branching structure emerged in the southern fault segment, showing a complex seismogenic fault structure. We suggested that the fault of the Yangbi earthquake sequence may be a young sub-fault of the Weixi-Weishan fault.     

InSAR数据约束的2021年5月21日云南漾濞MS6.4地震发震构造研究

运用Sentinel-1A卫星数据和D-InSAR技术,获取2021-05-21云南漾濞M_S6.4地震的同震形变场。结果显示,漾濞地震同震形变场长轴近NW展布升降轨形变场符号相反,视线向最大沉降量和抬升量为0.1 m。InSAR同震形变场反演的滑动分布主要集中在沿走向2～12 km,倾向1～9 km的范围内,最大滑动量0.35 m,发震断层长9.8 km、宽4 km,滑动量主要集中在地下3～6 km范围内,滑动角-146.7°。同震位移场及滑动分布模型反映本次地震为发震断层的右旋走滑事件,地震破裂未达到地表。断层模型反演结果显示,矩震级为M_W6.1,发震断层以北西走向右旋走滑运动为主,初步认为本次M_W6.1地震发震断裂可能是一条NW向的维西—乔后断裂西侧的隐伏次生断裂。     

基于GNSS资料分析漾濞MS6.4地震前应变时空演变特征

基于云南省内及邻区2009—2020年GNSS观测数据解算结果,在各个测点时间序列和速度场的基础上,采用克里金插值方法估计区域应变率场;以连续基准站时间序列为约束,获取漾濞M_S6.4地震近场区域的块体应变时间序列。分析发现:漾濞地震发生在前期最大剪应变高值区以及面应变高梯度带的张压转换区,发震的时间处于区域应变积累速率逐渐降低的过程之后。震中近场区域均以NW向断层的右旋走滑应变积累为主,且大多呈现持续增强趋势,与漾濞地震的发震断层走向及其破裂特征一致。震前震区东部块体出现了短期应变趋势转折及反向加速的异常现象,反映了应力-应变积累在接近临界破裂状态时的非线性调整。     

2022年门源MS6.9和2016年门源MS6.4地震序列比较分析

2022年1月8日青海省海北州门源县发生M_S6.9地震,震中距离2016年1月21日门源M_S6.4地震震中约33km,两次门源地震均发生在冷龙岭断裂附近,但在震源机制、主发震断层破裂过程及地震序列余震活动等方面显著不同。针对两次门源地震序列的比较分析,对研究冷龙岭断裂及其附近区域强震序列和余震衰减特征等具有重要研究意义。通过对比分析2022年门源M_S6.9地震和2016年门源M_S6.4地震余震的时空演化特征,发现二者在震源过程和断层破裂尺度上存在明显差异,前者发震断层破裂充分,震后能量释放充分,余震丰富且震级偏高;而后者发震断层未破裂至地表,余震震级水平偏低。综合分析两次门源地震序列表现出来的差异性,认为其可能与地震发震断层的破裂过程密切相关,且同时受到区域构造环境的影响。     

Correlation between the tilt anomaly on the vertical pendulum at the Songpan station and the 2021 MS7.4 Maduo earthquake in Qinghai province,China

Understanding the relationship between precursory deformation anomalies and strong earthquakes is vital for physical earthquake prediction. Six months before the 2021 M_S7.4 Maduo earthquake in Qinghai province, China, the vertical pendulum at the Songpan station was observed to tilt southward with a high rate and large amplitude. Studies conducted before the 2021 M_S7.4 Maduo earthquake inferred the tilt anomaly to be an earthquake precursor. However, after the earthquake, the relation between the earthquake and the anomaly became controversial, partly because the Songpan station is located at a great distance from the epicenter. In this study, based on the deformation anomaly characteristics, relationship between the seismogenic fault and the fault near the anomaly, and associated quantitative analyses, we concluded that this anomaly may be associated with the 2021 M_S7.4 Maduo earthquake. The duration and amplitude of this anomaly matched with the magnitude and epicenter distance of the Maduo earthquake. We have also interpreted the reason why the anomaly occurred near a fault that is obliquely intersected with the seismogenic fault and why the anomaly is located far from the earthquake epicenter.     

2009年7月24日西藏尼玛西南MS5.6地震研究

主要研究2009年7月24日西藏尼玛西南MS5.6地震的基本参数、地震序列特征、震源参数、发震构造等;利用震中附近600km范围内台站测定参数研究地震的震源机制解,与哈佛大学给出的震源机制解较一致,且与通过现场考察的发震断层走向具有一致性。研究认为本次地震发生在冈底斯山—拉萨块体内部,断裂为NNW向,主要受张应力作用产生左旋走滑正断层活动。此外还分析了震前地震学条带异常特征,结束表明,震前1年出现NW向条带非常显著,研究结论为该地区今后地震预测提供科学依据。     

基于Sentinel-1A数据反演漾濞MS6.4地震的同震形变场及断层几何参数

2021年5月21日晚21时48分,云南省大理州漾濞县(震中:25.67°N,99.87°E)发生M_S6.4地震,震源深度8 km。为快速获得此次地震同震形变场及断层几何参数,研究该次地震的发震构造等,文章基于震前、震后的sentinel-1A卫星升降轨SAR数据进行二轨法差分雷达干涉测量(DInSAR),并基于Okada弹性半空间位错模型反演断层几何参数。研究结果如下:(1)此次地震造成的同震形变场长约19 km,宽约20 km;(2)升轨雷达视线向最大形变约为8.2 cm,降轨雷达视线向最大形变约为8.7 cm;(3)地震断层走向为313.7°,倾角为87°,滑动角为175°,为右旋走滑型断层,最大滑动量为0.79 m,反演得出的地震矩为1.48×10~(18) N·m,矩震级为M_W6.1。在川滇块体向南挤出的构造背景下,块体西边界的维西—乔后断裂、红河断裂发生右旋走滑,本次地震便是维西—乔后断裂南段分支断裂右旋走滑活动的体现。     

Structural analysis and interpretation of the surface deformation associated with the Ning’er,Yunnan Province,China <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>S</Subscript>6.4 earthquake of June 3, 2007

The seismogenic fault and the dynamic mechanism of the Ning’er, Yunnan Province M_S6.4 earthquake of June 3, 2007 are studied on the basis of the observation data of the surface fissures, sand blow and water eruption, landslide and collapse associated with the earthquake, incorporating with the data of geologic structures, focal mechanism solutions and aftershock distribution for the earthquake area. The observation of the surface fissures reveals that the Banhai segment of the NW-trending Ning’er fault is dominated by right-lateral strike-slip, while the NNE-trending fault is dominated by left-lateral strike-slip. The seismo-geologic hazards are concentrated mainly within a 330°-extending zone of 13.5 km in length and 4 km in width. The major axis of the isoseismal is also oriented in 330° direction, and the major axis of the seismic intensity VIII area is 13.5 km long. The focal mechanism solutions indicate that the NW-trending nodal plane of the Ning’er M_S6.4 earthquake is dominated by right-lateral slip, while the NE-trending nodal plane is dominated by left-lateral slip. The preferred distribution orientation of the aftershocks of M_S≥2 is 330°, and the focal depths are within the range of 3～12 km, predominantly within 3～10 km. The distribution of the aftershocks is consistent with the distribution zone of the seismo-geologic hazards. All the above-mentioned data indicate that the Banhai segment of the Ning’er fault is the seismogenic fault of this earthquake. Moreover, the driving force of the Ning’er earthquake is discussed in the light of the active block theory. It is believed that the northward pushing of the Indian plate has caused the eastward slipping of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, which has been transformed into the southeastern-southernward squeezing of the southwest Yunnan region. As a result, the NW-trending faults in the vicinity of the Ning’er area are dominated by right-lateral strike-slip, while the NE-trending faults are dominated by left-lateral strike-slip. This tectonic framework might be the main cause of the frequent occurrence of M_S6.0～6.9 earthquakes in the area.     

Performance of the Yangbi MS 6.4 earthquake disaster in different geomorphic units in Yunnan

An M_S 6.4 earthquake occurred in Yangbi, Yunnan province, on May 21, 2021. According to related investigations, the macro-epicenter of the earthquake is 6 km northwest of Yangbi County, and the seismogenic structure is the NW-trending Weixi-Qiaohou fault. The earthquake area is located in the hinterland of the Hengduan Mountains in the northwest of Yunnan province, a region dominated by high and medium-high mountains, with deep canyons and tectonic basins in between. Various geomorphic features are derived from drastic topographic changes and huge geological differences in the earthquake area. There are a variety of buildings in the earthquake-affected zone, including civil and brick-wood structures ones with weak seismic performance, as well as brick-concrete and frame ones with better seismic performance. This paper summarizes and analyzes different characteristics of the earthquake in different geomorphic units through field investigations of different buildings and geological disasters in the affected area. The results show that under the same earthquake intensity, the damage to most buildings (located in slope areas or rooted in weak strata) is amplified by the earthquake. The earthquake has exerted an obvious propagation effect along the direction of the seismogenic structure. Moreover, local ground fissures will aggravate the damage to the buildings even without surface dislocation. Thus, we suggest that attention should be paid to the ground fissures caused by the slope effect. The fissure areas may also be the disaster spot of collapses and landslides in case of a high-magnitude earthquake.     

Earth's rotation-triggered earthquakes before the 2018 MS5.7 Xingwen earthquake

For earthquakes (M_L≥2.0) that occurred from January 2006 to October 2018 around the M_S5.7 Xingwen earthquake occurred on 16 December 2018 in Xingwen, Sichuan province, China, we statistically investigated the correlation between the phase of Earth's rotation and the occurrence of earthquakes via Schuster's test to determine the signals that triggered earthquakes before the M_S5.7 Xingwen event. The results were evaluated based on the P-value where a smaller P-value corresponded to a higher correlation between the occurrence of an earthquake and Earth's rotation. We investigated the spatial distribution of P-values in the region around the epicenter of the M_S5.7 Xingwen event, and obtained a result exhibiting a extremely low-P-value region. The M_S5.7 event occurred inside near the northern boundary of this region. Furthermore, we analyzed the temporal evolution of P-values for earthquakes that occurred within the extremely low-P-value region and found that some extremely low P-values (less that 0.1%), i.e., significant correlation, were calculated for earthquakes that occurred before the M_S5.7 Xingwen earthquake. Among sixty-one earthquakes with the lowest P-value, occurred from May 2014 to April 2018, a vast majority of them occurred during the acceleration of Earth's rotation. The lower P-value obtained in this study reveals that the Xingwen source body probably was extremely unstable prior to the occurrence of the M_S5.7 Xingwen earthquake.     

2022年门源MS6.9地震震区三维速度与发震机制研究

2022年1月8日,青海省门源县发生M_S6.9地震。使用青海、甘肃等区域数字台网所观测到的2009年1月1日—2022年2月8日间青海门源及周边地区(36°～39°N,101°～104°E)14 869次地震事件的地震观测资料,基于双差成像(TomoDD)方法进行重定位分析,结果表明：门源及周边地区地震震源深度较浅,主要集中在5～15 km深度范围,其中10 km附近分布最多。推断该深度区域为门源及周边地区的主要孕震区。基于地震重定位结果和主震区三维速度结构分别对2016年门源M_S6.4地震和此次地震序列的发震机理进行分析对比,发现两次地震都位于高速异常体边缘,速度结构与断裂、地震序列吻合较好。2022年门源地震位于高速体的西端末梢位置,是该高速体受青藏高原东北缘顺时针应力作用导致的滑动产生的走滑型地震。     

2021年青海玛多MS7.4地震精定位和发震构造初探

2021年5月22日青海省果洛州玛多县发生M_S7.4地震。为探究本次地震的发震构造及余震分布特征,选取2021年5月1日—6月3日青海测震台网观测到的33°～36°N,97°～99.5°E空间范围内的地震观测报告,利用双差精定位方法进行双差精定位处理。重定位后整体残差平均减小了0.23,深度在5～25 km间随机分布。根据地震迁移方向和震区地质构造,认为本次地震的发震构造为昆仑山口—江错断裂,玛多—甘德东段受主震触发影响爆发一系列小震,两条断裂之间可能因为本次地震产生一定联系。本次地震产生新的断裂,突破了两条断裂之前的空区,连接到玛多—甘德断层,使两条断层交叉相连,形成新的断层构造。     

A summary of seismic activities in and around China in 2021

In this article, we review the general characteristics of seismicity in and around China and the overall statistics of earthquake damage in 2021, focusing on several significant events and related scientific topics. Among them, the largest event is the M_S 7.4 Madoi earthquake in Qinghai Province, northwest China. The event marks another M_S ?≥ ?7 earthquake occurring near the boundary of the Bayan Har Block that has ended a remarkable quiescence of the M_S ?≥ ?7 earthquakes within the Chinese mainland. In addition, the M_S 6.4 Yangbi earthquake in Yunnan Province, southwest China draws the most attention because of its abundant foreshocks, which are well recorded by the densely distributed seismic stations in the surrounding regions. Regarding this event, we review several recent publications focusing on the Gutenberg-Richter b-value change and the physical mechanism of foreshocks associated with this sequence. The M_S 6.0 Luxian earthquake in Sichuan Province, southwest China has caused serious damage with a relatively low magnitude, partly because the focal depth of the mainshock is relatively shallow (3.5 ?km). It is another strong earthquake occurring within the southeast Sichuan basin with low historical seismicity yet has increased significantly since 2015, probably due to shale gas development and associated hydraulic fracturing.     

3D <Emphasis Type="Italic">v</Emphasis><Subscript>P</Subscript> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">v</Emphasis><Subscript>S</Subscript> models of southeastern margin of the Tibetan plateau from joint inversion of body-wave arrival times and surface-wave dispersion data

A new 3D velocity model of the crust and upper mantle in the southeastern (SE) margin of the Tibetan plateau was obtained by joint inversion of body- and surface-wave data. For the body-wave data, we used 7190 events recorded by 102 stations in the SE margin of the Tibetan plateau. The surface-wave data consist of Rayleigh wave phase velocity dispersion curves obtained from ambient noise cross-correlation analysis recorded by a dense array in the SE margin of the Tibetan plateau. The joint inversion clearly improves the v _S model because it is constrained by both data types. The results show that at around 10 km depth there are two low-velocity anomalies embedded within three high-velocity bodies along the Longmenshan fault system. These high-velocity bodies correspond well with the Precambrian massifs, and the two located to the northeast of 2013 M _S 7.0 Lushan earthquake are associated with high fault slip areas during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. The aftershock gap between 2013 Lushan earthquake and 2008 Wenchuan earthquake is associated with low-velocity anomalies, which also acts as a barrier zone for ruptures of two earthquakes. Generally large earthquakes (M ≥ 5) in the region occurring from 2008 to 2015 are located around the high-velocity zones, indicating that they may act as asperities for these large earthquakes. Joint inversion results also clearly show that there exist low-velocity or weak zones in the mid-lower crust, which are not evenly distributed beneath the SE margin of Tibetan plateau.     

漾濞县MS6.4、玛多县MS7.4地震前地电场变化分析

2021年5月21日云南漾濞县发生M_S6.4地震、5月22日青海玛多县发生M_S7.4地震,分别分析漾濞震中500 km内12个地电场台数据、玛多震中500 km内8个地电场台数据,获知:(1)漾濞地震周围罗茨等8台优势方位角在震前出现了异常变化,弥渡等4台看不出明显异常变化;盐源等7台相关系数在震前2～6个月出现了大幅度下降,元谋、苴林等5台相关系数看不出明显异常变化。(2)玛多地震周围门源等4台方位角在震前出现了异常变化,都兰等4台方位角看不出明显异常变化;门源等5台在玛多地震前2～6个月相关系数出现了大幅下降、变化范围明显变窄等现象,都兰、白水河、金银滩等3台优势方位角和相关系数都看不出明显异常变化。(3)两次地震分析中地电场优势方位角和相关系数异常变化在时间上皆具有同步或准同步性。     

Temporal evolution of the focal mechanism consistency of the 2021 Yangbi MS 6.4 earthquake sequence in Yunnan

Using the Cut And Paste (CAP) method, we invert the focal mechanism of 38 moderate earthquakes (M_S ≥ 3.0) recorded by Yunnan seismic network and analyze the corresponding focal mechanism consistency based on the minimum spatial rotation angle. Our results indicate that the M_S 6.4 mainshock is induced by a lateral strike slip fault (with a rake angle of ～ ?165°) and a little normal-faulting component event along a nearly vertical plane (dipping angle～ 79° and strike ～138°). Combining our results with high resolution catalog, we argue that the seismogenic fault of this earthquake sequence is a secondary fault western to the major Weixi-Qiaohou-Weishan fault. The focal mechanism evolution can be divided into three periods. During the first period, the foreshock sequence, the focal mechanism consistency is the highest (KA<36°); during the second period which is shortly after the mainshock, the focal mechanism shows strong variation with KA ranging from 8° to 110°; during the third period, the seismicity becomes weak and the focal mechanism of the earthquakes becomes more consistent than the second period (18°<KA<73°). We suggest that the KA, to some extent, represents the coherence between local tectonic stress regime and the stress state of each individual earthquake. Furthermore, high focal mechanism consistency and high linearity of seismic distribution may serve as indicators for the identification of foreshock sequence.     

2018年9月4日新疆伽师MS5.5地震序列及发震构造讨论

2018年9月4日新疆伽师发生M_S5.5地震,震中处于塔里木地块西北缘,位于1997~1998年伽师强震群震区内。此次伽师地震前发生了M_S4.7前震,截至9月30日最大余震震级为M_S4.6（M_L5.0）,初步判定为前-主-余型地震序列。序列精定位结果显示,余震沿近NE向展布,主震震源深度与1997~1998年伽师强震主震基本一致,发震断层陡立。本文从区域的构造环境、地震震源机制解和余震分布特征等方面分析认为,地震发生在伽师隐伏断裂东南端部,为1997~1998年伽师强震群震区的一次新的构造活动。序列参数、视应力等计算结果显示,伽师M_S5.5地震的预测最大余震震级与最大余震震级M_S4.6接近,表明序列最大余震已经发生。     

Relocation of the MS5.7 Earthquake Sequence in Songyuan, Jilin Province, 2018 and the Analysis of Its Seismogenic Structure

The 2018,Songyuan,Jilin M_S5. 7 earthquake occurred at the intersection of the FuyuZhaodong fault and the Second Songhua River fault. The moment magnitude of this earthquake is M_W5. 3,the centroid depth by the waveform fitting is 12 km,and it is a strike-slip type event. In this paper,with the seismic phase data provided by the China Earthquake Network, the double-difference location method is used to relocate the earthquake sequence,finally the relocation results of 60 earthquakes are obtained. The results show that the aftershock zone is about 4. 3km long and 3. 1km wide,which is distributed in the NE direction. The depth distribution of the seismic sequence is 9km-10 km. 1-2 days after the main shock,the aftershocks were scattered throughout the aftershock zone,and the largest aftershock occurred in the northeastern part of the aftershock zone. After 3-8 days,the aftershocks mainly occurred in the southwestern part of the aftershock zone. The profile distribution of the earthquake sequence shows that the fault plane dips to the southeast with the dip angle of about 75°. Combined with the regional tectonic setting,focal mechanism solution and intensity distribution,we conclude that the concealed fault of the Fuyu-Zhaodong fault is the seismogenic fault of the Songyuan M_S5. 7 earthquake. This paper also relocates the earthquake sequence of the previous magnitude 5. 0 earthquake in 2017. Combined with the results of the focal mechanism solution,we believe that the two earthquakes have the same seismogenic structure,and the earthquake sequence generally develops to the southwest. The historical seismic activity since 2009 shows that after the magnitude 5. 0 earthquake in 2017,the frequency and intensity of earthquakes in the earthquake zone are obviously enhanced,and attention should be paid to the development of seismic activity in the southwest direction of the earthquake zone.     

2017年九寨沟7.0级地震前应力状态及b值异常特征研究

2017年8月8日青藏高原东缘四川九寨沟地区发生7.0级强震,依据前人研究结果分析九寨沟7.0级地震发震构造,并计算震前应力状态。结果显示:本次地震受到构造和历史强震的影响,是发生在历史强震引起的应力加载区域。另外,采用中国地震台网1990年以来的地震目录,在评估目录完整性的基础上,利用最大似然法计算得到2017年8月8日九寨沟7.0级地震前震源区及邻区地震b值空间图像。结果显示,九寨沟7.0级地震发生在四川北部地区显著低b值高应力异常区域内部(0.82b0.75)。所以,研究区域内外历史强震可能促进了九寨沟7.0级地震的发生。