Central Europe: Active or residual tectonic stresses

The regional stress field in the Western Alps and their northern foreland has been investigated byin situ stress determinations. More than 600 strain relief measurements were made with resistance strain gages in boreholes carried out in mines, tunnels and quarries. The stresses calculated and data obtained from other papers were used to get a detailed idea of the stress conditions in Central Europe.The measurements confirm a continuous flux of compressive stress from the Alps to the northern foreland east of the Rhinegraben. The largest stresses are observed in the Central Alps, the lowest in the Rhinegraben rift system. The horizontal stresses exceed at nearly all places the vertical ones. Evidently the excess of horizontal stress is generated by active plate tectonics in the Alps. A tectonic model to explain the observed stress pattern is presented.     

Earthquake stress drops,ambient tectonic stresses and stresses that drive plate motions

A variety of geophysical observations suggests that the upper portion of the lithosphere, herein referred to as the elastic plate, has long-term material properties and frictional strength significantly greater than the lower lithosphere. If the average frictional stress along the non-ridge margin of the elastic plate is of the order of a kilobar, as suggested by the many observations of the frictional strength of rocks at mid-crustal conditions of pressure and temperature, the only viable mechanism for driving the motion of the elastic plate is a basal shear stress of several tens of bars. Kilobars of tectonic stress are then an ambient, steady condition of the earth's crust and uppermost mantle. The approximate equality of the basal shear stress and the average crustal earthquake stress drop, the localization of strain release for major plate margin earthquakes, and the rough equivalence of plate margin slip rates and gross plate motion rates suggest that the stress drops of major plate margin earthquakes are controlled by the elastic release of the basal shear stress in the vicinity of the plate margin, despite the existence of kilobars of tectonic stress existing across vertical planes parallel to the plate margin. If the stress differences available to be released at the time of faulting are distributed in a random, white fasbion with a mean-square value determined by the average earthquake stress drop, the frequency of occurrence of constant stress drop earthquakes will be proportional to reciprocal faulting area, in accordance with empirically known frequency of occurrence statistics.     

A relation between hydraulic fracture pressures and tectonic stresses

Summary It is shown that hydraulic fracture pressures are related to the stresses in the formation and the strength of the rock composing it. Using the Coulomb-Mohr failure criterion and the principle of effective stress, expressions can be obtained relating these factors. The theory indicates that in areas characterized by thrust faulting, the fractures will be inclined horizontally whereas in areas subject to normal faulting stress conditions, they will be more vertical. The analysis of some field data gives reasonable results.     

On the connection between tectonic stresses and well fracturing data

Summary Theories of hydraulic fracturing of wells are usually based upon a model of a well in which the latter is assumed to be equivalent to an infinitely long cylinder. In this fashion, the stress state induced by the pressure in the well turns out to be two-dimensional. This is certainly an oversimplification, and therefore a different model is proposed in the present paper. In this, we assume that the pressure in the well is equivalent to a spherical pressure center. The fracture condition is formulated and the model is applied to the calculation of underground stresses from well data.Published by permission of Imperial Oil Limited.     

Origin of tectonic stresses in the Chinese continent and adjacent areas

Based on data of principal stress orientation from focal mechanism and of geological features in China, we made pseudo-3D genetic algorithm finite element (GA-FEM) inversion to investigate the main forces acting on the Chinese continent and adjacent areas which form the Chinese tectonic stress field. The results confirm that plate boundary forces play the dominant role in forming the stress field in China, as noticed by many previous researchers. However, we also find that topographic spreading forces, as well as basal drag forces of the lower crust to the upper crust, make significant contribution to stresses in regional scale. Forces acting on the Chinese continent can be outlined as follows: the collision of the India plate to the NNE is the most important action, whereby forces oriented to the NW by the Philippine plate and forces oriented to the SWW by the Pacific plate are also important. Topographic spreading forces are not negligible at high topographic gradient zones, these forces are perpendicular to edges of the Tibetan Plateau and a topographic gradient belt running in the NNE direction across Eastern China. Basal drag forces applied by the ductile flow of the lower crust to the base of upper crust affect the regional stress field in the Tibetan Plateau remarkably, producing the clockwise rotation around the eastern Himalaya syntax.     

燕山-渤海地震带的现今构造应力环境

应用中小地震的震源机制解资料,分析了燕山-渤海地震带现今构造应力场总体与分区特征.分析发现,该带现今构造应力场总体方向为:主压应力轴方位大约为70～80°,主张应力轴方位大约为340～350°;该带现今以水平、近于水平兼有一定斜向作用的主压应力为主.同时,结合有关资料分析了该带的地震活动.     

Late Cenozoic fields of the tectonic stresses in Western and Central Mongolia

The paper addresses the Late Cenozoic fault tectonics and the stress state of the Earth’s crust within the Mongolian microplate, embracing Central and Western Mongolia. We analyze the results of reconstructing the stress fields and the tectonic deformations in the zones of active faulting, located at the uplands and in the intermountain trenches, which bound the microplate (Mongolian Altai; Gobi Altai; Dolinoozersk trough; Khan-Taishir-Nuruu, Khan-Houkhei, and Bolnai uplands) and the Khangai dome. Deformations related with the northeastern general-scale collisional compression are concentrated along the periphery of the Mongolian microplate, and the maximum compression is focused on its western and southern boundaries, thus forming the right- and the left-lateral transpressive structures of the Mongolian and Gobi Altai. The deformations associated with the shortening of the Earth’s crust involve not only the mountain ridges framing the block, but also the intermountain troughs that separate the Gobi and Mongolian Altai from the Khangai dome, and the southern portion of the Khangai Uplift. The diversity in the deformations within the central Khengai region ensues from the coupling of tension caused by the dynamical impact of the mantle anomaly, which is located east of 100°E, with a regional NE compression. Owing to the relatively rigid Khangai block, the deformations are transferred to the northern bound of this structure, namely the seismically active North Khangai fault. The role of compression increases to the west of the zone, where it conjugates with the transpressive structures of the Mongolian Altai. The tension becomes more important in the western part of this zone where the releasing bends are formed. A region characterized by extra tension is localized also to the east of 100° E. In terms of the gradient in the lithosphere thickness and the structure types of the upper crust, the submeridional line running along 100°E is interpreted as the key interblock boundary.     

青藏高原东北隅强震构造模型

海原断裂带和中卫-同心断裂带是青藏高原东北隅二条主要断裂带。通过区域地质、地貌分析和二条断裂带的结构、活动历史的对比研究,建立了该区走滑和挤压活动的应变分配模型。通过对主要断裂带破裂分段的研究,确定了该区的强震破裂单元。应变分配和破裂分段是建立地震构造模型的二个方面。     

Seismic tomography in the Ostrava-Karviná mining region

The effective algorithm of seismic tomography was applied to the simultaneous determination of the velocity field in the medium and the location of hypocentres of events in the area of the underground seismological network in the Ostrava-Karviná mining region (OKR). Although the configuration of the network is unsuitable and the used data are relatively unreliable, after classifying the data it is possible to obtain representative information that demonstrates the existence of significant inhomogeneities of the medium in the area under study. In addition, it is possible to obtain more precise hypocentre parameters of local seismic events.     

腾冲火山区的地震层析成像及其构造意义

利用滇西南临时台网和固定台站的地震数据反演了腾冲及邻近地区的P波速度结构,着重分析了腾冲火山区和龙陵7级地震震源区的地壳结构特点.研究结果表明,腾冲火山区下方10~20 km深度范围存在明显的低速区,其横向尺度大约在20~30 km之间;推测这一低速区代表了仍处于活动状态的壳内岩浆源,热流通道有可能通过腾冲断裂延伸至地壳深部.地壳速度结构自东向西的变化显示出与不同时期的火山活动的关系,腾冲东侧偏高的速度结构反映了龙川江一带上新世时期火山通道内冷凝固结的岩浆侵入体或不易挥发的高密度残留物质,腾冲西侧的低速异常揭示了更新世以来持续至今的岩浆作用和热流活动.龙陵7级地震震源区的地壳结构存在明显的横向非均匀性,M7.3级和M7.4级地震与怒江断裂和龙陵断裂两侧的结构差异密切相关,它们分别发生在高速区和低速区的分界附近.怒江断裂东侧和龙陵断裂西侧具有较高的速度,是震源区应力积累的主要载体;两断裂之间地壳速度明显偏低,有可能是多期次的岩浆侵入导致地壳结构强度降低,使得怒江断裂和龙陵断裂易于受构造应力作用而引发强烈地震,估计地震的震源深度在10~12 km之间.     

南北地震带震源机制解与构造应力场特征

南北地震带作为中国大陆地应力场一级分区的边界,其构造应力场的研究对理解大陆强震机理、构造变形和地震应力的相互作用具有重要意义.本文收集南北地震带1970—2014年的震源机制解819条,按照全球应力图的分类标准对震源机制解进行分类,发现其空间分布特征与地质构造活动性质比较吻合.P轴水平投影指示了活动块体的运动方向,T轴水平投影在川滇块体及邻近地区空间差异特征最为突出,存在顺时针旋转的趋势.南北地震带的最大水平主应力方向具有明显的分区特征,北段为NE向走滑类型的应力状态,中段为NEE—EW—NWW向的逆冲类型,南段为SE—SSE—NS—NNE向走滑和正断类型,在川滇块体的北部和西边界应力状态为EW—SE—SSE的正断层类型,表明来自印度板块的NNE或NE向的水平挤压应力和青藏高原物质东向滑移沿大型走滑断裂带向SE向平移的复合作用控制了南北地震带的岩石圈应力场.川滇块体西边界正断层类型应力状态范围与高分辨率地震学观测得到的中下地壳低速带范围基本吻合,青藏高原向东扩张的塑性物质流与横向边界(丽江—小金河断裂带)的弱化易于应变能的释放,在局部地区使NS向拉张的正断层向EW向拉张正断层转变.反演得到的应力状态基本上与各种类型地震的破裂方式比较吻合,也进一步验证反演结果的可靠性,可为地球动力学过程的模拟和活动断层滑动性质的厘定提供参考.     

南北地震带区域构造应力场反演

利用区域应力张量阻尼方法,使用南北地震带及其邻近区域2009年1月—2017年8月466次M_L≥3.5地震的震源机制解,及1976年1月—2017年8月GCMT公布的259次M≥4.5地震的震源机制解,反演得到研究区1.0°×1.0°网格大小区域的构造应力场。应力场空间分布特征显示,南北地震带作为青藏高原的东边界,由于所处动力环境复杂,其内部最大主应力方向具有明显的空间差异性。这种差异主要表现为:南北地震带北段最大主应力方向为NE向;南北地震带中段及周边除龙门山断裂带NE段最大主应力为NW-NNW向外,其它地段最大主应力近EW向;南北地震带中南段最大主应力方向逐渐由近EW向到NW或NE向,再到近NS向。整体而言,南北地震带及邻近区域最大主应力方向由北到南发生了顺时针旋转。川滇菱形块体内部最大主应力方向为NNW向,应力方向转换带与块体边界基本一致,其东边界以东最大主应力方向为NW向,西边界以西为NNE向。从区域构造应力场的角度分析,难以将“南北地震带”作为一个统一的地震带应用于中长期地震预测的研究与实践中。      

喜马拉雅造山带西部拉昂错蛇绿岩带区域地壳深部结构及其可能构造归属研究

前人研究表明喜马拉雅造山带西部出露的拉昂错蛇绿混杂岩为新特提斯洋壳岩石圈的一部分,代表了新特提斯洋的关闭及其随后大洋岩石圈物质的仰冲.鉴于拉昂错蛇绿岩的构造演化历史尚不明确,前期对于拉昂错蛇绿岩带构造归属的研究主要基于岩石学研究和地表地质调查等,缺少精细的深部地壳结构进行运动学指示,因此证明拉昂错蛇绿混杂岩体的构造归属并非易事.本次研究中,我们对前期获得的一条南北向延伸穿过雅鲁藏布江缝合带和喜马拉雅造山带西部拉昂错蛇绿岩体的112 km长的深反射地震剖面进行了构造解释.高分辨率的深反射地震剖面清晰地显示了喜马拉雅山脉西部造山带内发育良好的地壳双冲构造几何结构,该地壳尺度双冲构造将印度俯冲地壳物质从底部运移到上部.同时,地震剖面还显示拉昂错蛇绿岩体和雅鲁藏布江蛇绿岩体在上地壳深处呈倾向相反但底部相通的结构构造.结合前人的岩石学/地球化学/地表地质研究成果,我们认为拉昂错蛇绿岩体为雅鲁藏布江缝合带蛇绿岩体的一部分.印度俯冲前缘的双冲构造折返将深部物质带到地表过程的同时,还将部分雅鲁藏布江蛇绿混杂岩携带至南侧距主缝合带位置大约20 km的拉昂错蛇绿岩区域.

     

青藏高原东北缘地壳各向异性的构造含义

青藏高原东北缘记录了印度-欧亚大陆板块碰撞和汇聚的远场效应,且仍正处于侧向生长阶段.而地壳各向异性则反映了高原地壳的形变特征.为此,本文主要利用甘肃数字地震台网(2001年1月-2010年10月)波形记录资料,采用SAM方法进行剪切波分裂研究,得到青藏高原东北缘地壳各向异性的平均剪切波分裂参数及剩余地震各向异性参数,两个参数分别反映了区域构造和应力场特征及局部构造和局部断裂特征.研究结果表明:快剪切波2个优势偏振方向分别为NE47.72°±21.83°和121.65°±22.07°,慢剪切波平均时间延迟为2.63±1.31 ms·km-1.快剪切波平均偏振方向反映了该区域的水平主压应力方向,快剪切波偏振方向的第二优势取向揭示了NWW的局部构造意义,表明应力环境受本区NWW深大断裂带的影响.各个台站的剩余快剪切波偏振方向的优势取向与断裂走向一致,表明活动断裂控制着剩余快剪切波偏振方向.剩余慢剪切波时间延迟变化反映了断裂引起地震各向异性程度,形变具有区域特征.     

菲律宾群岛深部速度结构成像与双向俯冲板片构造特征

菲律宾群岛受到欧亚板块、菲律宾海板块和印度-澳大利亚板块的碰撞作用,地质环境复杂,构造因素多样.尽管近几年来已经有了少数关于该区域层析成像的研究,但这些研究的区域主要集中在马尼拉海沟、吕宋岛及中菲律宾地区,而关于群岛周围其他海沟和南菲律宾地区的讨论相对较少.到目前为止,还没有同时获得过关于菲律宾群岛深部纵、横波速度结构的研究,本次研究通过反演155779条P波震相和59642条S波震相,同时获得了菲律宾群岛从地表至150 km深度的纵、横波速度结构.地震层析成像结果表明该地区的壳幔速度结构具有较强的不均一性,地壳内部存在着广泛的低速异常,而表征俯冲板块的高速异常则沿着群岛周边的海沟展布.南海块体在马尼拉海沟中段的俯冲角度和俯冲活动性比南段小;菲律宾海板块在东吕宋海槽南段微弱的俯冲作用很有可能同本哈姆海台的碰撞有关.菲律宾群岛大部分M_W＞6.0的强震沿着各个板块的边界发生,体现出菲律宾海板块同欧亚板块之间的强耦合作用,群岛西侧的南海块体在马尼拉海沟16°N-20°N之间呈现出的弱耦合状态可能跟北吕宋地区的拉张应力环境有关,南海块体在16°N以南的地区同上覆块体之间的耦合作用较强;群岛东侧的菲律宾海板块在14°N以北的地区没有强震发生,它与菲律宾群岛之间的耦合程度从北向南逐渐增强,在12°N以南的地区要强于12°N以北的地区;此外苏禄海盆和菲律宾构造带之间也存在着强耦合关系.

     

＂霍山窗＂地区现代构造应力场研究

应用Snoke于2009年提出的利用P、SV和SH波的初动和振幅比联合计算震源机制解的方法,得到“霍山窗”地区1980年以来62次中小地震的震源机制解.基于大量的震源机制解资料,根据应力张量平均法反演得到“霍山窗”地区的平均构造应力场;结果表明,其与震源机制参数统计结果一致,表现为近EW向的水平挤压和近NS向的水平拉张作用.计算单个震源机制解力轴与平均应力场主应力轴的差异,即震源机制的一致性参数θ,进而分析θ随时间变化特征及其与华东地区中强震的关系;结果表明,“霍山窗”地区震源机制的一致性参数θ对华东地区相应中强震似有一定的指示意义.     

The role of primary nonuniformity of mountain massifs in the reconstruction of tectonic stresses according to geological indicators

Features of the distribution of planes with traces of tectonic dislocations on gliding planes are examined, and the local stress conditions are restored on them, according to O.I. Gushchenko’s method [1979]. Most of the tectonic stresses were determined in the rock-crystal-bearing area of the Pripolyarnii Ural in the rocks of the Proterosoic and Lower Ordovician age. The rock crystal was of Late Permian age. The distributions of the planes with gliding trails depend on the primary anisotropy of the rocks and on the type of stress condition. The specific type of stress condition named variation was marked out. The variation of the type of the stress condition (VSCT) is strictly confined to rock crystal pockets. The already existing planes of nonuniformity in the rocks, which often do not coincide with shear planes, are used in case of a deformation in the last tectonic stress fields. The criteria for distinguishing tectonic stress classes, based on the models of the distribution of tectonic stresses in the surroundings of faults, are suggested.     

Seismic event, sequence and tectonic significance in Canglangpu Stage in Paleo-Tanlu Fault Zone

The Canglangpu Stage of Lower Cambrian Series is widely distributed along both sides of the Tanlu (Tancheng-Lujiang) Fault Zone in the Jiao-Liao-Xu-Huai regions. In the Liaodong Peninsula, the Canglangpu Stage consists of three formations, i.e. Gejiatun, Dalinzi and Jianchang formations in ascending order (lying on the eastern side of the Tanlu Fault Zone). The Dalinzi Formation, developing in a littoral Sabkha environment, is full of catastrophic event records of violent seism, such as liquefied muddy-sandy veins, hydroplastic folds, hydroplastic micro-faults (three forming an organic whole), liquefied crinkled deformations, liquefied breccia and sandy dikes. Based on such records, the seismic liquified sequence of argillaceous rocks in Sabkha is built up. In northern Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, however, there hardly observe seismic records in the Canglangpu Stage, which consists of Jinshanzhai and lower Gouhou and upper Gouhou formations (lying on the western side of the Tanlu Fault Zone). Even if the Gouhou Formation, developing in a lagoon-dry environment, is in the same climate zone as the Dalinzi Formation, and 4 depositional sequences have been identified in the Canglangpu Stage in Northern Jiangsu and Anhui provinces, however, in the same stage in the Liaodong Peninsula, there exist only 3 ones. Therefore, it is not supported by the above mentioned evidence (such as catastrophic events, sequences stratigraphy and lithologic correlation of formations) that the Canglangpu Stage in the Liaodong Peninsula came from northern Jiangsu and Anhui provinces through a long-distance, about hundreds kilometers, left-hand displacement of the Tanlu Fault in the Mesozoic era.     

青藏高原东南缘地震各向异性及其深部构造意义

青藏东南缘是青藏高原物质东流的通道,为了更全面了解复杂的岩石圈结构和强烈的变形特征,本文介绍了青藏东南缘岩石圈各向异性的形态,综合其他研究者得到的该区域壳幔各向异性结果,增加了部分新的资料,更新了青藏东南缘岩石圈方位各向异性图像,探讨了区域深部构造意义.

基于近场小震、远震和背景噪声资料计算结果,青藏东南缘地震各向异性展现出独特的区域空间分布和垂向层次性分布形态,展现了3个主要特征.（1）青藏东南缘上地壳各向异性与地表变形测量结果相符,快剪切波偏振方向（即快波方向）呈现与地表运动特征一致的发散性,与主压应力方向一致,但受到地质构造的影响.（2）青藏东南缘下地壳方位各向异性展现了更好的方向一致性,但方位各向异性程度相对较弱,在红河断裂带西北端部和小江断裂带下方有两个下地壳低速区,其方位各向异性程度与上地壳相当.（3）青藏东南缘岩石圈方位各向异性,呈现南、北分区特征,南北分界线大致在26°20'N,快波方向在北部近似为NS方向,在南部近似为EW方向.

本文推测：（1）在26°20'N北侧的上地幔有较厚的高速体,高速体南侧边缘呈现出近EW走向的直立墙形构造,其南侧软弱的上地幔物质在EW方向上流动,导致了岩石圈方位各向异性特征在空间发生突然的变化,快波方向由北部的NS变为南部的EW方向;（2）小江断裂带是现今的华南地块的地壳西边界,但岩石圈尺度的方位各向异性展现出的趋势性表明,华南地块的上地幔物质越过了小江断裂带到达其西侧,揭示了华南地块与青藏地块接触碰撞造成的岩石圈物质变形和上地幔软流圈物质运移的深部图像.地震各向异性能揭示区域深部构造与介质变形的信息,不同观测资料的综合分析有助于获得更清晰的各向异性三维图像.

     

Field of tectonic stresses from focal mechanisms of earthquakes and recent crustal movements from GPS measurements in China

Orientations of the principal axes of the tectonic stress field reconstructed from seismological data on focal mechanisms of earthquakes and strain fields determined from GPS measurements in China are compared. The data of GPS measurements used in the paper were obtained by the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (about 1000 stations) in the period of 1998–2004. On the basis of information on the recent horizontal crustal motions, the strain field is calculated for the study territory by the finite element method. Calculations of the strain tensor using GPS data were carried out with a step of 1° in latitude and longitude. A catalog of earthquake focal mechanisms was used for the reconstruction of tectonic stress field components. Focal mechanisms of earthquakes were calculated with the use of seismological data on signs of first arrivals from the bulletin of the International Seismological Center. To estimate characteristics of the regional stress field, an approach based on the kinematic method proposed by O.I. Gushchenko was applied. The tectonic stress field was reconstructed in depth intervals of 0 < H < 35 km and 35 km < H < 70 km from data on focal mechanisms of earthquakes over the periods of 1998–2004 and 1985–2004. Comparison of directions of the principal strain axes at the surface (according to GPS measurements) and directions of the principal stress axes (reconstructed from focal mechanisms of earthquakes) showed their good convergence. Seismotectonic strains and GPS measurements coincide within a larger part of the territory. The coincidence is best in a depth interval of 0 < H < 35 km. Maximum misfit values are confined to areas of high 3-D gradients of strain axis directions and are possibly related to the structural heterogeneity of the region, zones with strains of the same type along both horizontal axes (compression or extension along all directions), or areas of small absolute values of recent horizontal movements. Areas with invariable directions of the stress axes are recognizable regardless of the depth of initial data. Good reproducibility of results obtained by two different methods made it possible to check the method of stress field reconstruction using data on focal mechanisms of earthquakes.