Pre-seismic, co-seismic and post-seismic displacements associated with the Bhuj 2001 earthquake derived from recent and historic geodetic data

The 26th January 2001 Bhuj earthquake occurred in the Kachchh Rift Basin which has a long history of major earthquakes. Great Triangulation Survey points (GTS) were first installed in the area in 1856–60 and some of these were measured using Global Positioning System (GPS) in the months of February and July 2001. Despite uncertainties associated with repairs and possible reconstruction of points in the past century, the re-measurements reveal pre-seismic, co-seismic and post-seismic deformation related to Bhuj earthquake. More than 25 Μ-strain contraction north of the epicenter appears to have occurred in the past 140 years corresponding to a linear convergence rate of approximately 10 mm/yr across the Rann of Kachchh. Motion of a single point at Jamnagar 150 km south of the epicenter in the 4 years prior to the earthquake, and GTS-GPS displacements in Kathiawar suggests that pre-seismic strain south of the epicenter was small and differs insignificantly from that measured elsewhere in India. Of the 20 points measured within 150 km of the epicenter, 12 were made at existing GTS points which revealed epicentral displacements of up to 1 m, and strain changes exceeding 30 Μ-strain. Observed displacements are consistent with reverse co-seismic slip. Re-measurements in July 2001 of one GTS point (Hathria) and eight new points established in February reveal post-seismic deformation consistent with continued slip on the Bhuj rupture zone.     

Attenuation studies based on local earthquake Coda waves in the southern Indian peninsular shield

The Dharwar craton, Cuddapah basin and the Godavari graben characterise three diverse geological and tectonic settings in the peninsular shield of India. Owing to their contiguous proximity, they offer a unique opportunity to document differences, if any, in their seismic wave attenuation characteristics that might have a bearing on the seismogenic nature of the crust in a craton, basin and a rift-like graben structure. An attempt is made here to bring out these differences using constraints from coda-Q. We considered local earthquakes with epicentral distances ranging from␣14 to 150 km recorded at the digital broadband stations at Dharwar (DHD), Cuddapah (CUD) and Kothagudem (KGD) regions to derive the frequency-dependent coda-Q relations. Using the single scattering method, we obtained the frequency-dependent Q _C relationship (Q _C = Q ₀ f ⁿ )for each of the three geological units separately: DHD: Q _C = (730.62 ± 0.09)f ^{(0.54 ± 0.01)}; CUD: Q _C = (535.06 ± 0.13)f ^{(0.59 ± 0.01)} and KGD: Q _C = (150.56 ± 0.08)f ^{(0.91 ± 0.01)}. The Q _C values obtained for all the three sub-regions show moderate to strong frequency dependence and essentially reflect the level of crustal heterogeneities to varying degrees.     

Focal mechanisms of the Atlas earthquakes,and tectonic implications

The determination of the focal mechanisms of the strongest shocks in the Atlas chain and the Canary Islands area reveals that the present-day tectonics along this range is a compression reflected either by reverse or dextral strike-slip faulting along the ENE-WSW trends. All the solutions are consistent with: 1. the other focal mechanism solutions determined further north in the Azores-Gibraltar, Alboran, Rif and Tell areas; 2. the NNW to NW trending compression inferred from other methods such as neotectonics,in situ stress field measurements and plate motions.

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Zusammenfassung Die Bestimmung des Erdbebenherdmechanismus der stärksten Beben im Atlasgebirge und des Gebietes der Kanarischen Inseln gibt zu erkennen, daß die aktuellen tektonischen Bewegungen entlang dieses Bereiches kompressiv wirksam sind. Dies zeigt sich entweder anhand von Überschiebungen oder an dextralen Blattverschiebungen. Alle Ergebnisse sind übereinstimmend mit: 1. den anderen Erdbebenherdmechanismen weiter im Norden liegender Regionen (Azoren - Gibraltar, Alboran, Rif und Tell); 2. die nach NNW bis NW wirkende Kompression, welche von anderen Methoden abgeleitet wurde (Neotektonik,in-situ Spannungsmessungen und Plattenkinematik).

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Résumé La détermination des mécanismes au foyer des séismes les plus importants de la chaîne atlasique et des îles Canaries révèle que la situation tectonique actuelle le long de cette chaîne est une compression reflétée par le jeu de failles soit inverses, soit décrochantes dextres le long des accidents ENE-WSW. Toutes les solutions sont compatibles avec: (1) les autres mécanismes déterminés plus au nord, dans les régions d'Açores-Gibraltar, Alboran, Rif et Tell; (2) la compression orientée NNW-SSE à NW-SE déterminée à l'aide d'autres méthodes comme la néotectonique, les mesures de contraintesin situ et la cinématique des plaques.

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Tectonic implications of the earthquakes in the Indian subcontinent

The Bhuj earthquake (26 January 2001) in India and the Ghori earthquake (8 October 2005) in Pakistan, both occurred close to the Indian-Iranian plate boundary related to the activity along the intercontinental Chaman transform fault. It is suggested that the seismic activity along NNW — NNE trending weak zones or faults is more intense in the sub-continent than along the WNW trending zones. Since the stress along the former is less compressive but more of the shear or translational type. The devastative Koyna (1967) and Latur (1993) earthquakes both occurred along faults or weak zones that were close to the meridional rather than the equatorial trend. The Indian plate is moving to the north or NNE or NNW, along a rotational trajectory and hence the force tends to be more compressive along the equatorial weak zones. In contrast, it tends to be less compressive and more of the shear or translational along the weak zones that are close to meridional trend. The seismic activity is therefore more intense along the weak zones with NNW to NNE trend than along the ENE to EW trending zones.     

Gravity interpretation of the Dharwar greenstone-gneiss-granite terrain in the southern Indian shield and its geological implications

The Dharwar craton in the southern Indian shield has a wide distribution of volcano-sedimentary sequences surrounded by a vast gneissic complex, both of which have been intruded by younger granites. A gravity anomaly map of this craton, compiled from all the available data, is analysed here to study the structures and depths of the greenstone belts, the mode of granite emplacements and the greenstone-gneiss-granite associations in general. The anomaly map is a mosaic of well-defined gravity highs and lows characterizing the dense volcano-sedimentary sequences and exposed and/or concealed granites respectively. Gravity modelling indicates that the Shimoga belt has a limited depth range of only 3–4 km while the Chitradurga and Sandur belts have greater depths of over 10 km. The structures inferred for the Dharwar formations are alternating bands of synclines, filled with dense schistose rocks, separated by anticlinal ridges of gneisses and granites.     

Seismic moment release along selected major transforms on the Central Indian Ridge,Western Indian Ocean,and its tectonic implications

A detailed seismicity map of the Central Indian Ridge for the period 1912–1993 is presented, and the earthquakes pertaining to four major transforms offsetting the ridge are utilized to study the moment release pattern. The scalar moment release for the period 1912–1993, and the summed moment rate tensors for both short period (1977–1993) and long period (1912–1993) bring out a unified picture of moment release pattern. The fraction of seismic slip calculated based on depths of 100°C and 400°C limiting temperatures suggests that the Marie-Celeste transform requires a slip almost to a depth of 400°C isotherm to account for the observed moment, and the Argo transform requires depth of faulting much above the 400°C isotherm. A very small fraction of slip is accounted seismically for Vema (53%) and 12° 12′S (23%) even to depths of 100°C isotherm, suggesting a very low order of moment release along these transforms. The horizontal plate velocities and the corresponding strain rates obtained from moment tensor summation of long period data (82 years) give rise to (V _y ^y ; V _y ^x mm. yr⁻¹) of 6.0 and 6.1 along Marie-Celeste, 1.3 and 0.50 along Argo, 0.06 and 0.06 along 12° 12′S, 1.6 and 0.25 along Vema transforms. The corresponding strain rates (ε _y ^y ;ε _y ^x × 10⁻¹⁵ S⁻¹) are 12.7 and 6.8 along MarieCeleste, 6.9 and 1.4 along Argo, 0.27 and 0.14 along 12° 12′S, 7.3 and 0.58 along Vema transforms. These results suggest that the strain rates were highest and almost all predicted motion is taken up seismically along the Marie-Celeste transform. The strain rates are lower along Argo transform and the observed moment release require shallower depth of faulting in order to slip to be accounted seismically. The Vema and 12° 12′S transforms are characterized by low strain rates and less than 15 per cent of motion is accommodated seismically within the seismogenic layer. It is proposed that the deficiency of moment release along the Vema and 12° 12′S multiple transform system may be due to most of the plate motion occurring aseismically.     

Thermal evolution of the Indian shield and its subjacent mantle

The estimate of the paleothermal state (at −3 Ga) of the Indian shield is deduced using pressure and temperature estimates from the mineral assemblages combined with models of the heat transport mechanism and depth distribution of radiogenic heat in the crust. We find that at 3 Ga ago, the mean thermal gradient within the crust, reduced heat flow and mean mantle temperature were 28°C/km 1.08 h.f.u. and 2350°C, respectively.     

Lithospheric deformation under pre- and post-seismic stress fields along the Nicobar–Sumatra subduction margin during 2004 Sumatra mega-event and its tectonic implications

A high-resolution study was carried out under pre-seismic (i.e., static) and post-seismic stress fields (i.e., dynamic) in a space–time frame along the Nicobar–Sumatra margin. The study reveals that the descending lithosphere records minimum stress obliquity, predominant thrust movement, and down-dip least compressive stress axis under static stress field in northwest Sumatra (sector III). The imbalance between down-dip component of slab pull force and viscous resistive force possibly caused cyclic stress loading in compressive field around the flexing zone ( 25 km), and that undergone brittle failure through generation of mega-thrust event on 26th December' 2004. A sharp decrease in stress obliquity towards north (sector II), redressing of least compressive stress axes from horizontal to down-dip direction, and increasing thrust movements under dynamic stress field account for continued upward shortening of the lithosphere. The weak thinner zone (i.e., between  159 and  217 km depth), an age-discontinuity portion, possibly was collapsed through rapid enhancement of stress-induced weakening and strain localization following the 2004 Sumatra mega-shock. It is also well appreciated in the literature that such shallow disruption of the lithosphere is inevitable in the upper mantle, if the slab is weakened or broken there, and this phenomenon is not uncommon below the Sumatra.     

Modeling of source parameters and moment tensors of local earthquakes occurring in the eastern Indian shield

Earthquake source parameters and crustal Q are being estimated simultaneously through the inversion of S-wave displacement spectra from three-component recordings of ten local cratonic intraplate earthquakes from 3-6 broadband stations in the eastern Indian shield, wherein, an iterative Levenberg-Marquardt inversion technique is used. The estimated seismic moment (M_o) and source radii (r) vary from 7.4 x 10¹² to 7.1 x 10¹⁴ N-m and 144.2 to 211.3 m, respectively, while estimated stress drops (Δσ) and multiplicative factor (E_mo) values range from 0.11 to 4.13 MPa and 1.33 to 2.16, respectively. The corner frequencies range from 6.23 to 8.62 Hz while moment magnitudes vary from 2.44 to 3.57. The radiated seismic energy and apparent stresses range from 8.3 x 10⁶ to 2.0 x 10¹⁰ Joules and 0.06 to 0.94 MPa, respectively, wherein the estimated corner frequencies and seismic moment satisfy the relation Mo ∞ f _c ^–(3+ε) for ε = 12.7. Thus, the source scaling of these events clearly deviates from the self-similarity i.e. f^–3. Estimated Zuniga parameters reveal that all selected events satisfy the partial stress drop model, which is in good agreement with the global observations. Our estimated crustal S-wave quality factors vary from 1091 to 4926 with an average of 3006, suggesting a less heterogeneous crustal structure underlying the study region.We also perform moment tensor inversion of five selected local events using ISOLA software, which reveals that the dominant deformation mode for the eastern Indian shield is left-lateral strike slip motion with minor normal dip-slip component on an almost vertical plane. This observation suggests that neotectonic vertical movements might have played a key role in generating these earthquakes. Our modeling also depicts that the seismically mildly active Singhbhum shear zone and Eastern Ghats mobile belt are characterized by the left-lateral strike motion while two events in the Chotanagpur half graben belt suggest a normal dip-slip motion along a south dipping plane. A north-south orientation of P-axis is found to be dominant in the area, which is consistent with the prevailing north–south compression over the Indian plate.     

内蒙古乌兰哈达-高勿素断裂的新活动证据及构造意义初探

近期在鄂尔多斯地块东北缘、蒙古高原南缘的乌兰哈达火山群附近发现一条长约100余公里的NW向断裂——乌兰哈达-高勿素断裂,并基于高分辨率卫星影像解译和野外地质调查对该断裂的新活动特征进行了初步研究。断裂活动的地貌证据包括线性展布的断层陡坎、断塞塘、断层槽谷以及位错冲沟、断头沟等。跨断裂冲沟的同步性左旋位错及广泛发育的反向陡坎(倾向NE)等指示断裂应为左旋走滑为主兼具由SW向NE逆冲的运动性质。乌兰哈达-高勿素断裂的构造位置及几何学、运动学特征指示其应归属于NW向左旋走滑的张家口-渤海断裂带,该断裂的左旋走滑运动应在调节其南、北两侧块体向E的差异运动中起着重要的作用。另一方面,鄂尔多斯地块东北缘的乌兰哈达-高勿素断裂及张家口断裂、洗马林断裂等NW向断裂所表现出的逆冲运动特征指示鄂尔多斯地块东北缘可能持续受到青藏高原东北缘对鄂尔多斯地块西南缘自晚中新世以来推挤作用远程效应的影响,这些伴有逆冲运动的NW向断裂应是鄂尔多斯地块东北缘地区响应青藏高原东北缘NE向生长和扩展的一种具体表现。乌兰哈达-高勿素断裂新活动证据的发现不仅完善了张家口-渤海断裂带的几何图像,也为认识和理解鄂尔多斯地块东北缘的构造变形和评价地震危险性提供了新约束。

     

Petrographic and geochemical characteristics of Mesoproterozoic Kumbalgarh clastic rocks,NW Indian shield: implications for provenance,tectonic setting,and crustal evolution

The Kumbalgarh Group of the south Delhi fold belt are the main bedrock series exposed in the axial region of the Aravalli craton. Quartzites and greywackes, the chief clastic constituents of this group, are well exposed. Petrographic and bulk-rock analyses of these rocks permit determination of their provenance, tectonic setting of the basin, and the Archaean to Proterozoic crustal evolution. Greywackes comprise quartz, plagioclase, amphiboles, K-feldspar, and rock fragments. Based on mineralogy, we divided the quartzites into three categories: QTZ1 is chiefly composed of quartz with a silty matrix and a minor quantity of feldspars and QTZ2 contains significant mafic minerals as well as quartz and feldspars, whereas QTZ3 is more feldspathic than the other groups. All the lithounits have SiO₂/Al₂O₃ ratios <～10 suggesting textural immaturity consistent with their sedimentary petrography. Greywackes display the least fractionated rare earth elements (REEs) (La/Yb _N : avg. 2.55) with positive Eu anomalies (avg. Eu/Eu* = 1.34). QTZ1 contains strongly fractionated REE patterns (avg. La/Yb _N : 13.56, avg. Eu/Eu* = 0.60), QTZ2 shows moderate REE fractionation (avg. La/Yb _N : 4.97, avg. Eu/Eu* = 0.61), and QTZ3 possesses the least fractionated V-shaped REE patterns (avg. La/Yb _N : 1.97, avg. Eu/Eu* = 0.51). Weathering attributes including chemical index of alteration (CIA), plagioclase index of alteration (PIA), chemical index of weathering (CIW), and A–CN–K plots assign a low to moderate degree of weathering to the Kumbalgarh sediments under a subtropical climate. Based on our synthesis of the petrographic and geochemical data, we suggest a provenance comprising basalts, tonalite–trondhjemite–granodiorite (TTG), and granite. Geochemical attributes indicate deposition of the detritus in an extensional backarc basin receiving sedimentary input from opposite directions. The opening and then closure of the South Delhi Basin was the last phase of the break-up of the supercontinent, columbia, which began by abortive rifting of the Udaipur belt and culminated in separation of the Aravalli–Bundelkhand–Dharwar block in the east and the East African orogen in the west.     

左权-赞皇变质杂岩的地球化学特征及其构造意义

左权变质杂岩位于华北克拉通中部造山带的中南段,赞皇变质杂岩西南。两杂岩区出露的早元古代——晚太古代变质岩石类型主要有:长英质片麻岩、黑云斜长片麻岩、斜长角闪岩、石榴角闪岩、云母片岩和长石石英岩等。通过详细地野外地质调查、岩相学以及地球化学研究发现,左权变质杂岩与赞皇变质杂岩有类似的地球化学性质,其中,长英质片麻岩、黑云斜长片麻岩和角闪岩的原岩均有正、有副,按原岩性质可分为变质沉积岩、变质花岗质岩石和变质基性岩三类。变质沉积岩的原岩为粘土岩或杂砂岩,物源以上地壳的长英质成分为主,REE配分型式与PAAS以及上地壳平均成分类似,原岩在形成过程中经历了中——低等程度的风化作用,沉积背景为有演化岛弧发育的活动大陆边缘;变质花岗质岩石的原岩为中酸性侵入岩,形成于大陆边缘弧环境,与变质沉积岩呈侵入接触关系;变质基性岩的原岩是拉斑——钙碱玄武质岩石,其稀土总量较低、轻稀土轻微富集,地壳混染作用明显,总体形成环境类似于现代大陆边缘的岛弧构造环境。基于以上地球化学特征推测左权——赞皇变质杂岩形成于典型碰撞造山环境,卷入了华北克拉通东部陆块和西部陆块之间的俯冲——碰撞过程。     

广西型花岗岩的地球化学特征及其构造意义

花岗岩按照Sr-Yb含量可以分为5类：富Sr贫Yb的埃达克型,贫Sr、Yb的喜马拉雅型,贫Sr富Yb的浙闽型,非常贫Sr富Yb的南岭型和富Sr、Yb的广西型。广西型花岗岩在自然界出露较少,主要由花岗闪长岩、角闪黑云母花岗岩、二长花岗岩和石英正长岩等组成,通常还富Al、Fe、K和P,SiO₂含量较低,属于钾玄岩系列或高钾钙碱性系列。富Sr指示源区残留相缺少斜长石,富Yb暗示源区缺少石榴石。既无斜长石也无石榴石的岩石则主要由角闪石±辉石组成,属于超镁铁岩类。因此,广西型花岗岩形成的条件比较苛刻,至少需要很高的温度。在相图中广西型花岗岩位于斜长石消失线之上、石榴石出现之前的区域,形成的压力大体<1.0 GPa,温度至少>900℃。它代表正常厚度或减薄的地壳在很高的温度下形成的花岗岩类。     

Predicting failure in rocks and its implications for predicting earthquakes

In the laboratory rock failure can be predicted both in space and in time. The processes leading to failure are well understood and manifest themselves in measurable quantities. Ultrasonic velocity changes and surface strain anomalies are the most reliable indicators of the impeding failure. To a lesser degree and very much dependent on the deformation rate and the moisture content, acoustic emissions cluster in the vicinity of the failure shortly before the rupture occurs. The precursory failure zone has a linear dimension on the order of 1000 grain diameters. If the same physical mechanisms are involved in the Earth as failure is approached, then detailed velocity and surface strain measurements would greatly enhance our ability to predict earthquakes. With the realization of the Global Positioning System and a possible extension to a satellite holographic system, it is now possible to measure surface deformation inexpensively on a densely spaced grid.     

A new synthesis of Pyrenean seismicity and its tectonic implications

The Pyrenean range, which results from the convergence of the Iberian and Eurasian plates along the North Pyrenean fault, exhibits a permanent seismic activity with moderate magnitude events. From the end of the 1980s, seismic instrumentation has been deployed in the Pyrenees, making now possible the computation of improved seismicity maps. We have gathered all the arrival times published for the period 1989–1996 by the different Spanish and French institutions in charge of the seismic survey of the range, and reprocessed them in an homogeneous way, in order to obtain a coherent seismicity map over the whole range. Particular attention has been paid to the evaluation of the quality of the locations and to the focal depth determinations. The comparison with previous maps of the Pyrenean seismicity reveals significant improvements in both the quality of locations and the threshold of detection. The new seismicity map reveals that the North Pyrenean fault is active only in the western part of the range. In the central and eastern parts, the seismicity involves other tectonic units such as the Maladeta and Canigou granitic massifs, the North Pyrenean Frontal Thrust, the Tet fault and the volcanic units in Catalonia. Despite the short time interval considered, this new seismicity file may be a valuable tool for future tectonic studies.     

The Neoproterozoic Malani magmatism of the northwestern Indian shield: implications for crust-building processes

Malani is the largest event of anorogenic felsic magmatism (covering ∼50, 000 km²) in India. This magmatic activity took place at ∼750 Ma post-dating the Erinpura granite (850 Ma) and ended prior to Marwar Supergroup (680 Ma) sedimentation. Malani eruptions occurred mostly on land, but locally sub-aqueous conditions are shown by the presence of conglomerate, grits and pillow lava. The Malani rocks do not show any type of regional deformation effects. The Malanis are characterised by bimodal volcanism with a dominant felsic component, followed by granitic plutonism and a terminal dyke phase. An angular unconformity between Malani lavas and basement is observed, with the presence of conglomerate at Sindreth, Diri, and Kankani. This indicates that the crust was quite stable and peneplained prior to the Malani activity. Similarly, the absence of any thrust zone, tectonic mélange and tectonised contact of the Malanis with the basement goes against a plate subduction setting for their genesis. After the closure of orogenic cycles in the Aravalli craton of the northwestern shield, this anorogenic intraplate magmatic activity took place in a cratonic rift setting under an extensional tectonic regime.     

A model of characteristic earthquakes and its implications for regional seismicity

Regional seismicity (i.e. that averaged over large enough areas over long enough periods of time) has a size–frequency relationship, the Gutenberg–Richter law, which differs from that found for some seismic faults, the Characteristic Earthquake relationship. But all seismicity comes in the end from active faults, so the question arises of how one seismicity pattern could emerge from the other. The recently introduced Minimalist Model of Vázquez‐Prada et al. of characteristic earthquakes provides a simple representation of the seismicity originating from a single fault. Here, we show that a Characteristic Earthquake relationship together with a fractal distribution of fault lengths can accurately describe the total seismicity produced in a region. The resulting earthquake catalogue accounts for the addition of both all the characteristic and all the non‐characteristic events triggered in the faults. The global accumulated size–frequency relationship strongly depends on the fault length fractal exponent and, for fractal exponents close to 2, correctly describes a Gutenberg–Richter distribution with a b exponent compatible with real seismicity.     

Geochemistry,petrogenesis and tectonic significance of the Newer Dolerites from the Singhbhum Orissa craton,eastern Indian shield

The Singhbhum Orissa craton, eastern India contains rocks as old as 3.6 Ga. The Newer Dolerites occur in two distinct orientations (NE/SW and NW/SE) in the Singhbhum Granitoid Complex (SBGC). These dikes are mostly tholeiites and quartz-normative dolerites associated with subordinate norites. We recognize three geochemical groups of the Newer Dolerites that were emplaced in the SBGC. Group I dikes contain lower SiO₂ ( < 53.29%) and higher Mg #, Ni and Cr than group II dikes. Group III dikes have higher SiO₂ than groups I and II. A few investigated samples show boninitic geochemical features. They have high-MgO (>8%), high-SiO₂ (>52%) and low-TiO₂ ( ≤ 0.5%) bulk-rock compositions. The main feature of the Newer Dolerite spidergrams is enrichment in the large-ion lithophile elements (LILE, e.g. Rb, K and Ba) relative to high field-strength elements (HFSE), resulting in high LILE/HFSE ratios. These geochemical characteristics suggest that the Newer Dolerites are subduction related. High La/Ta ratios (21–66) support a non-plume source. Therefore, we conclude that the Newer Dolerites show geochemical signatures similar to those of back-arc basalts.     

造山带中缝合面结构特征与构造意义

缝合带是两个板块之间的分隔带,其规模和形态在不同类型的造山带中多有不同.本文从缝合带和缝合面的定义出发,以典型造山带为案例探讨缝合面的变形及其对造山带结构解析、沉积盆地性质判别的影响.俯冲阶段的主滑脱面是一个没有厚度的应变带,在碰撞后又作为增生杂岩的底界得以保留.这一界面严格区分了上盘和下盘沉积盆地之间的物源亲缘性,因...