Gravity evolution and earthquake activities of the northeastern edge of Qinghai-Xizang block

Introduction Earthquake is closely tied up with gravity on the basis of crustal deformation and crustaldensity change. With the accumulation of stress around the epicenter, the spatial position ofground point and density crustal medium will change with strain during the seismogenic processof an earthquake. All these factors will bring about the change of gravity field. Since the Xingtaiearthquake in China in 1966, mobile gravity measurements in a large scale and the studies ongravity var…     

Present-day tectonic movement in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) plateau as revealed by earthquake activity

IntroductionAccording to the division of Neo-tectonically active blocks northeastern Qinghai-Xizang (abbreviated as QX thereafter) plateau is a juncture region where 3 intra-continental subplates, the Qinghai-Xizang, Xinjiang and North China subplate, meet with each other (DING, 1991). The subplates generally consist of blocks. Specifically, around the Yinchuan-Haiyuan (quasi-trijuncture( (TIAN, DING, 1998), where the 3 subplates meet, to the south locates the Gansu-Qinghai (GQ) blo…     

Present-day tectonic movement in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) plateau as revealed by earthquake activity

Characteristics of present-day tectonic movement in the northeastern margin of Qinghai-Xizang plateau (Tibetan) are studied based on earthquake data. Evidence of earthquake activity shows that junctures between blocks in this area consist of complicated deformation zones. Between the Gansu-Qinghai block and Alxa block there is a broad compressive deformation zone, which turns essentially to be a network-like deformation region to the southeast. The Liupanshan region, where the Gansu-Qinghai block contacts the Ordos block, is suffering from NE-SW compressive deformation. Junction zone between the Ordos and Alxa block is a shear zone with sections of variable trend. The northwestern and southeastern marginal region of the Ordos is under NNW-SSE extension. The above characteristics of present-day tectonic deformation of the northeastern Qinghai-Xizang plateau may be attributed to the northeastward squeezing of the plateau and the resistance of the Ordos block, as well as the southeastward extrusion of the plateau materials. Foundation item: State Natural Science Foundation of China (49732090) and the Development Program on National Key Basic Researches under the Project Mechanism and Prediction of Continental Strong Earthquakes (95-13-02-05). Contribution No. 00FE2003, Institute of Geophysics, China Seismological Bureau.     

Current tectonic deformation and seismogenic characteristics along the northeast margin of Qinghai -Xizang block

Introduction The northeast margin of Qinghai-Xizang block has become the place with close attentions from geo-specialists at home and abroad for its significant tectonic movement and intensive seismicity. Quite a number of achievements have been obtained from the studies on geological structures and strong earthquake activities (DING, LU, 1989, 1991; GUO, et al, 1992, 2000; GUO, XIANG, 1993; HOU, et al, 1999; Tapponnier, et al, 1990; Gaudemer, et al, 1995). In the Development Program…     

L ateral Variation of Pn velocity beneath northeastern marginal region of Qinghai—Xizang plateau

Pn arrival time data are collected from the bulletins of both national and regional seismological network in China-These data are tomographically inverted to map the lateral variation and anisotropy of Pn velocity in the northeast-ern marginal region of Qinghai-Xizang plateau.The average Pn velocity in this region is 8.09km/s,being a little higher than the average for whole China,Higher velocity is found in tectonically stable Qaidam basin,while lower velocity is seen in and around tectonically active Shanxi graben.The region where the 1920 Haiyuan great earth-quake occurred shows a slightly low Pn velocity.A noticeable result is that,differing from the tectonically com-pressive Tianshan region.where Pn velocity is low,the Qilianshan region,where the Neotectonic deformation is also primarily compressive,shows high Pn velocity,In the uppermost mantle beneath the Ordos plateau Pn veloc-ity is inhomogeneous,varying from higher velocity in southwestern part to lower one in northeastern part.This may be attributed to possible movement of the Ordos block,as there are strong earthquakes all around the block.     

昆仑山口西8.1级地震前青藏块体边界断层异常活动

系统分析了青藏块体边界断层的形变资料，研究了断层活动的动态过程及空间分布。结果表明，昆仑山口西8．1级地震前孕震影响范围达到青藏块体的周边地区；发震断层所在的构造带震前断层活动最为剧烈；加强对构造块体断层整体活动的宏观动态比较和分析，有助于判定未来强震发生的危险地段；震后应力将转移并集中到西秦岭构造带及其邻近地区。     

Relocation of earthquakes in northeastern region of Qinghai-Xizang plateau and characteristics of earthquake activity

IntroductionThenortheasternregionofQinghai-Xizangplateauisthejunctionregionofthethreeblocks,ie.,Qinghai-Xizang,AIxaandordosblock.TianandDing(l998)studiedtheclockwisetypequasi-trijunctionaroundHaiyuan-YinchuaninnortheasternregionofQinghai-Xizangplateau.Thethreet6ctonicbranchesofthequasi4rjunctionareQiIianshanfaultzone,Yinchuan-Jedai-Linhe(YJL)fractureddepressionbasinandLiupanshanfaultzone.TheQilianshanfaultzoneshowssin-istraIandcompressionalmovement,themovementofYJLbasinisofdextraland…     

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.     

Inversion for negative dislocation on elastic block boundaries in the northeastern margin of Qinghai-Xizang block and prediction for strong earthquake location

Introduction According to the negative dislocation model (Matsu′ura et al, 1986), the relative motion be-tween active blocks under contemporary crustal movement is likely to be partially blocked on the boundaries. Suppose the lower ductile zone of boundary could slip freely, while due to the fric-tional resistance, etc., the upper brittle zone would restrict such kind of relative motion, so as to give rise to stress and strain accumulation. Namely, the surface displacement in the block bound-…     

The Present Space-Time Motion and Deformation Features of the Northeastern Margin of the Qinghai-Xizang（Tibet） Block and Its Adjacent Area

On the basis of Discontinuous Deformation Analysis (DDA), and considering the moderate intrusion of specific block boundaries to different extents, the first-order block motion model is established for the northeastern margin of Qinghai-Xizang(Tibet) block and the kinematical model for depicting deformation of small regions as well by using GPS observations of three periods (1991, 1999 and 2001). By simulating, we obtained the motion features of the firstorder blocks between the large WWN faults on the sides of the studied region, the distribution features of the principal strain rate field and the inhomogeneous motion features with spacetime of the faults in the northern boundary of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) block.     

甘肃兰州-天水-武都地区重力场及其时空动态演化特征

系统分析了甘肃南部兰州一天水一武都地区2000～2006年期间的流动重力测量资料,研究了该地区重力场的时空动态演化特征.结果表明:重力场,变化与该区活动断裂构造密切相关;重力场有规律的变化与区域应力-应变场的微动态活动有关;相邻两期重力的动态变化对测区内发生的2003年11月岷县5.2级、2004年9月岷县5.0级地震及测区近邻2006年6月武都、文县间5.0级地震均有较好反映.     

青藏高原东北缘强震前兆特征研究——流动重力方法

通过整理和解剖青藏高原东北缘地震重力观测资料,分析研究了青藏高原东北缘重力场时空变化及其与地震活动的关系,研究了强震孕育发生过程重力异常特征及震后异常效应。     

2013年甘肃岷县漳县6.6级地震前后重力场动态变化

利用青藏高原东北缘2011-2013年期间的流动重力观测资料,系统分析了区域重力场动态变化及其与2013年7月22 H岷县漳县6.6级地震发生的关系.结果表明:1)测区内重力场异常变化与主要断裂带在空间上关系密切,反映沿主要断裂带(段)在2011-2013年期间发生了引起地表重力变化效应的构造活动或变形.2)岷县漳县6.6级地震前,测区内先出现了较大空间范围的区域性重力异常,后在震源区附近产生了局部重力异常及重力变化高梯度带,其中,甘肃临夏与岷县一带重力差异变化达150×10 8ms-2以上;这些可能反映岷县漳县地震前,区域及震源区附近均产生与该地震孕育、发生有关的构造运动或应力增强作用.3)重力场1a尺度动态变化图像和差分动态演化图像均反映岷县漳县6.6级地震孕育过程的最后2a出现较显著的流动重力异常变化,地震发生在NE向重力变化高梯度带上、重力变化零值线附近和等值线的拐弯部位.4)基于流动重力异常变化在岷县漳县6.6级地震前做过一定程度的中期预测,尤其是地点判定.     

1990～2005年西昌流动重力测区重力场动态演化情况及其特征

本文描述了西昌测区的重力场在1990~2005年之间由于安宁河断裂带和则木河断裂带的构造断裂活动而引起的重力场正负值区域的动态演化情况,按演化情况分为1990~1995年、1996~1997年、1998~2003年、2004~2005年4个时间段,并进行了比较详细的分析和探讨。     

巴颜喀拉地块东部及邻区重力均衡与岩石圈有效弹性厚度

基于SIO（Scripps Institute of Oceanography）最新全球重力和高程模型,计算了巴颜喀拉地块东部及邻区的布格重力异常、均衡重力异常、岩石圈有效弹性厚度及荷载比.结合大地热流、地震速度结构、地震活动和断裂构造分布等,分析了地壳均衡状态和岩石圈有效弹性厚度、地质构造单元间的差异及与地震活动的相关性特征.研究结果表明,该区域布格重力变化范围约为-500~0 mGal（1 mGal=10^-5m·s^-2,下同）,在巴颜喀拉块体东部区域形成弧形重力梯度带,近年来的中强地震活动频发于该梯度带不同部位,应与其应力依次释放有关;均衡重力异常结果表明,其变化范围约为-80~+100 mGal,且大部分区域处于±20 mGal以内的被认为处于重力均衡的状态,重力非均衡（正或负）多出现于块体边界带附近,地震多发生在靠近块体边界的均衡重力异常（正或负,主要为正）区域内;巴颜喀拉地块东部及邻区岩石圈有效弹性厚度（T_e）为10~65 km,不同构造单元之间T_e空间分布差异明显,较低的T_e值出现在龙门山构造带附近,T_e值为20 km左右,岩石圈荷载加载比为0.5~0.8,表明现今的岩石圈挠曲状态主要由莫霍面加载形成.进一步分析表明,巴颜喀拉地块东部挤压增生与横向流动同时发生,是造成该区域地震发生与重力均衡异常高值重合、岩石圈有效弹性厚度和大地热流值较低的主要原因.本文获得的地壳均衡特征及岩石圈有效弹性强度结果,加深了对巴颜喀拉东部及邻区岩石圈构造演化过程的认识.

     

用双三次样条函数模拟青藏高原东北缘重力场动态图像

用双三次样条模拟了1992～2001年间青藏高原东北缘重力变化时空分布信息，初步研究了本区的重力变化与地震活动及构造活动的关系。结果表明：①在地震孕育过程中，区域重力场出现有规律的变化并产生重力变化异常区或重力变化密集带。②在重力变化显著时段，以兰州为界，测区西北、东南和东北具有不同的重力变化特征。③重力变化与测区主要断裂构造带走向基本一致，重力变化等值线与断裂分布关系密切。     

THE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH OF RECENT GRAVITY AND CRUSTAL DEFORMATION IN NORTHEASTERN EDGE OF THE TIBETAN PLATEAU

In this study, we systematically analyzed the relationship between regional gravity changes, 3D crustal deformation, regional tectonic environment and strong earthquakes based on the relative gravity measurements(2011-2014), GPS data and the background vertical deformation from the leveling measurements conducted from 1970 to 2011. Subsequently, we further characterized the temporal-spatial patterns and discussed the mechanism of regional gravity changes and the crustal deformation. The results can be summarized as follows:1)The regional gravity changes, the GPS-derived horizontal deformation and the vertical deformational obtained from leveling data showed a close spatial relationship:The gravity increased along with the direction of horizontal movement, and the gravity decreased with the crustal uplift and vice versa, which reflects the inherited characteristics of neotectonic activities. 2)The crustal deformation was closely related to the active faults. The contour lines of gravity changes and vertical deformation were generally along with the Qilian-Haiyuan Fault(the strike is NWW), and the crustal horizontal deformation showed left-lateral strike slip motion near the Qilian-Haiyuan Fault. 3)The strong earthquakes usually occur in the active faults where intensive gravity change and vertical and/or horizontal deformation occurred. The extrusion deformation, surface compression rate and gravity changes were obvious near the epicenter of 2016 Menyuan earthquake. The 2013 Minxian-Zhangxian M_S6.6 earthquake occurred in the direction-turning area of intense gravity gradient zone and the transitional area of surface compression and vertical deformation. The first author of this paper has made a medium-term forecast before the Minxian and Menyuan earthquakes, especially the location of the earthquake. Based on the above understandings, we emphasized that:there are still possibilities of strong or huge earthquakes within medium-long term in the areas of crustal deformation anomalies in the study region.     

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.     

山东地区重力场时空动态演化特征

系统分析了山东地区1996—2010年期间流动重力测量资料,研究了重力场的时空动态演化特征。区域重力场总的趋势变化为山东地区以正值变化为主,鲁南地区变化平稳,幅度较小,胶东地区变化幅度稍大,胶东西部尤其潍坊西到滨州方向,重力变化以每年7×10-8m/s2的平均速率呈逐年递增的趋势。从近两年开始监测并引入绝对重力观测以来,变化最大的地区主要集中在鲁中北部(淄博—大山)方向。     

鄂尔多斯块体周缘地震类型研究

分析1970-2010年鄂尔多斯周缘发生的114次显著地震序列,结果表明,主余型序列占57％,孤立型序列占32％,多震型序列占11％.根据地震类型的空间分布特点,对鄂尔多斯周缘地震进行分区,各分区主余型地震占多数,多震型地震主要集中在鄂尔多斯北缘和东缘中北段,孤立型地震在鄂尔多斯西缘南段、南缘和东缘南段比例较高.