Seismicity constraints on stress regimes along Sinai subplate boundaries

The relative movement between African, Arabian and Eurasian plates has significantly controlled the tectonic process of Sinai subplate region, although its kinematics and precise boundaries are still doubtful. The respective subplate bounded on both sides by the Aqaba-Dead Sea transform fault to the east and the Gulf of Suez, the only defined part, to the west. Seismicity parameters, moment magnitude relation and fault plane solutions were combined to determine the active tectonics along the aforementioned boundaries. Seven shallow seismogenic zones were defined by the heterogeneity in stress field orientations. Along the eastern boundary, the average fault plane solution obtained from the moment tensor summation (MTS) reveals a sinistral strike-slip faulting mechanism. The corresponding seismic strain rate tensor showed that the present tectonic stress producing earthquakes along the boundary is dominated by both NW-SE compression and NE-SW dilatation. Towards the north, the average focal mechanism showed a normal faulting mechanism of N185°E compression and an N94°E extension in the Carmel Fairi seismic zone. On the other hand, the active crustal deformation along the western boundary (Gulf of Suez region) showed a prevailing tensional stress regime of NE to ENE orientations; producing an average fault plane solution of normal faulting mechanism. The seismic strain rate tensor reveals a dominant stress regime of N58°E extension and N145°E compression in consistence with the general tectonic nature in northeastern Africa. Finally, the extensional to strike-slip stress regimes obtained in the present study emphasize that the deformation accommodated along the Sinai subplate boundaries are in consistence with the kinematics models along the plate boundaries representing the northern extremity part of the Red Sea region.     

2018年阿拉斯加湾MW7.9地震震源复杂性

2018年1月23日,在美国阿拉斯加湾海域发生了一次M_W7.9地震.震源机制解表明这次地震以走滑为主,可能发生在近东西向或南北向的陡倾角断层上,早期余震并非线型展布.我们利用视震源时间函数分析确定了此次地震的总体破裂方向,并结合余震的空间展布特征构建了相互交叉的双断层模型,进而通过联合反演远场P波和SH波数据获得了此次地震的时空破裂过程.视震源时间函数分析表明总体破裂方向既非东西也非南北,而且反演结果表明,两个断层上都发生了错动,总体破裂时间~50 s,释放标量地震矩~8.11×10²⁰ Nm.震源时间函数表现出多事件特征,且两个断层破裂的时间过程也不相同.破裂首先在南北向断层的南端开始,很快触发了东西向断层,最后终止于南北向断层的北端.每个断层都具有相当的时空复杂性,位错分布很不均匀.东西向断层具有三个凹凸体,一个位于震源附近,其他两个位于断层两端.南北向断层有两个凹凸体,均位于断层北段,最大滑动量~5.0 m就出现在这里.发生最大位错的南北向断层延伸至阿拉斯加海沟,增加了触发阿拉斯加海沟其他断层发生破裂的可能性.

     

Seismicity and Seismic Hazard in Alexandria (Egypt) and its Surroundings

— Alexandria City has suffered great damage due to earthquakes from near and distant sources, both in historical and recent times. Sometimes the source of such damages is not well known. Seismogenic zones such as the Red Sea, Gulf of Aqaba-Dead Sea Hellenic Arc, Suez-Cairo-Alexandria, Eastern-Mediterranean-Cairo-Faiyoum and the Egyptian costal area are located in the vicinity of this city. The Egyptian coastal zone has the lowest seismicity, and therefore, its tectonic setting is not well known. The 1998 Egyptian costal zone earthquake is a moderate complex source. It is composed of two subevents separated by 4 sec. The first subevent initiated at a depth of 28 km and caused a rupture of strike (347°), dip (29°) and slip (125°). The second subevent occurred at a shallower depth (24 km) and has a relatively different focal parameter (strike 334°, dip 60° and slip 60°). The available focal mechanisms strongly support the manifestation of a complex stress regime from the Hellenic Arc into the Alexandria offshore area. In the present study a numerical modeling technique is applied to estimate quantitative seismic hazard in Alexandria. In terms of seismic hazard, both local and remote earthquakes have a tremendous affect on this city. A local earthquake with magnitude M_s = 6.7 at the offshore area gives peak ground acceleration up to 300 cm/sec². The total duration of shaking expected from such an earthquake is about three seconds. The Fourier amplitude spectra of the ground acceleration reveals that the maximum energy is carried by the low frequency (1–3 Hz), part of the seismic waves. The largest response spectra at Alexandria city is within this frequency band. The computed ground accelerations due to strong earthquakes in the Hellenic Arc, Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba are very small (less than 10 cm/sec²) although with long duration (up to 3 minutes).     

联合采用定性和定量断层资料的应力张量反演方法及在乌鲁木齐地区的应用

地壳应力场是地球动力学研究和地震孕育环境研究的重要基础资料.求解应力场的一种重要方法是根据断层擦痕资料反演,然而擦痕往往难以观测,但断层滑动性质也与应力场有紧密的关系,这部分资料十分丰富.本研究按照应力张量在断层面上的剪应力方向与擦痕滑动方向及断层滑动性质一致为准则提出了联合采用擦痕数据和定性断层滑动数据求解应力场的网格搜索法,并给出了反演参数的一定置信度下的置信区间.采用假定的走滑型、挤压型和拉张型应力张量产生由7个擦痕数据和80个定性断层滑动数据组成的三组数据集.采用这些人工合成数据求解应力张量的实验结果表明,该方法可以更为准确地反演应力张量参数,定性断层滑动资料的参与使得应力张量的主应力方向更加接近假定的主应力方向,并且,应力张量参数的不确定性大大减小.将该方法应用于乌鲁木齐附近的定量擦痕和定性断层滑动性质数据,得到该地区较为精确的应力张量.结果表明,乌鲁木齐主压应力方向为近南北向、主张应力方向近垂直向,应力形因子为0.03. 该地区占主导地位的近东西向的逆冲断层是近南北向挤压和近垂直向拉张形成的.较低的应力形因子表明乌鲁木齐地区在南北向挤压并辅以博罗科努山和博格达山的东、西向挤压的应力状态下处于隆升状态.     

Characterization of the seismogenic process in the Aleutian island arc: III. Earthquakes at the western and eastern margins of the arc

Parameters of the focal mechanisms of earthquakes, as well as their relations to the characteristics of seismicity and geological structure are analyzed in the regions of the Komandorskie Islands in the west of the Aleutian arc, the Fox Islands, and the Alaska Peninsula coast in the east of the arc. Different types of ruptures are revealed in the western and eastern parts of the Aleutian arc. The leading type of ruptures at the southern slope of the Komandorskie Islands is steep reverse faults crossing the arc at azimuths from submeridional to northeastern. A similar type of rupture occurs in abundance on the Rat Islands and is predominant on the Near Islands. Steep strike-slips with small components of the normal or reverse fault manifest themselves at the northern side of the block uplift of the Komandorskie Islands. Seismogenic ruptures in the region of the Komandorskie Islands do not contradict geological data on the rupture tectonics on Medny and Bering islands. At the southern slope of the Fox Islands, as well as in the Andreanof Islands, steep reverse faults striking longitudinally (along the arc) with the dip toward the deep-sea trench are the predominant type of seismogenic ruptures. This type of seismogenic ruptures is the leading type for the structures of island arcs with present-day volcanism; an example is the Kurile-Kamchatka island. Different types of predominant seismogenic ruptures in the western and eastern parts of the Aleutian island arc probably reflect different stages of the tectonic development of these regions of the arc. Possible positions and sizes of sources of the largest historical earthquakes in the eastern part of the Aleutian island arc are considered     

Structural analysis of the Brigham City-Weber segment boundary zone,Wasatch normal fault,Utah: Implications for fault growth and structure

We investigate the history, kinematics, principal stress orientations and geometry of deformation at the end of a bent normal fault segment of the Wasatch fault zone, Utah. Three fault types, developed in Archean crystalline rocks, reflect progressive uplift of fault-related footwall rocks. Chlorite-breccias and phyllonites reflect deep-level, reaction-assisted plastic deformation along the north-striking part of the segment. Planar, fretted faults which formed by cataclasis cut the phyllonites and breccias and are developed throughout the footwall of the segment. Youngest faults are hematitecoated, extremely narrow polished surfaces. Slip vectors and kinematic analyses of small faults developed in the footwall indicate oblique normal slip along the north-striking portion of the segment. Slip vectors and fault orientation along the northwest-striking portion of the segment reflect complexly oriented slip on faults which strike subparallel and at high angles to the main fault trace, yet slip is confined to a broad fault-parallel zone. Small faults at the southernmost tip of the segment indicate a strong influence of the north-striking Weber segment to the south. Inversion of fault data for principal stress orientations document complexly oriented principal stresses through the segment boundary zone and suggest that ₃ may have reoriented approximately 60° over the life of the segment. Subsurface structure combined with small fault data indicate the segment boundary is comprised of a southwest-plunging bedrock high which is reflected by a sharp bend in the Brigham City segment. The southern end of the Brigham City segment may have started, as a straight, north-striking fault which has bent due to changes in stress orientations and/or interaction with the adjacent Weber segment.     

Coseismic slip in the 1964 Prince William Sound earthquake: A new geodetic inversion

The 1964 Prince William Sound earthquake (March 28, 1964;M _w =9.2) caused crustal deformation over an area of approximately 140,000 km² in south central Alaska. In this study geodetic and geologic measurements of this surface deformation were inverted for the slip distribution on the 1964 rupture surface. Previous seismologic, geologic, and geodetic studies of this region were used to constrain the geometry of the fault surface. In the Kodiak Island region, 28 rectangular planes (50 by 50 km each) oriented 218°N, with a dip varying from 8^o nearest the Aleutian trench to 9^o below Kodiak Island, define the rupture surface. In the Prince William Sound region 39 planes with variable dimensions (40 by 50 km near the trench, 64 by 50 km inland) and orientation (218°N in the west and 270°N in the east) were used to approximate the complex faulting. Prior information was introduced to constrain offshore dip-slip values, the strike-slip component, and slip variation between adjacent planes. Our results suggest a variable dip-slip component with local slip maximums occurring near Montague Island (up to 30 m), further to the east near Kayak Island (up to 14 m), and trenchward of the northeast segment of Kodiak Island (up to 17m). A single fault plane dipping 30°NW, corresponding to the Patton Bay fault, with a slip value of 8 m modeled the localized but large uplift on Montague Island. The moment calculated on the basis of our geodetically derived slip model of 5.0×10²⁹ dyne cm is 30% less than the seismic moment of 7.5×10²⁹ dyne cm calculated from long-period surface waves (Kanamori, 1970) but is close to the seismic moment of 5.9×10²⁹ dyne cm obtained byKikuchi andFukao (1987).     

Inversion of stress field in Guangdong and its adjacent area

We determine the stress field of Guangdong and its adjacent area by using focal mechanism solutions of 137 earthquakes and obtain tectonic stress tensors in 12 zones. The result shows that the azimuth of maximum principal stress σ1 is approximately WNW in southwestern Fujian, southern Jiangxi, Guangdong’s Heyuan and the Pearl River Delta, NW in Guangdong’s Yangjiang, and nearly NNW in the two zones of eastern Guangxi and Beibuwan Gulf (the Northern Gulf), varying clockwise in WNW-NW-NNW from east to west. The azimuth of minimum principal stress σ3 varies from NNE to ENE. The relative magnitude of medium principal stress σ2 (R value), is the smallest in Beibuwan and largest in Longyan of Fujian. Strike-slip faulting is dominated in the study area.     

京西北盆岭构造区现代构造应力场的非均匀特征

京西北盆岭构造区包括延矾、怀涿、蔚广、阳原、灵丘、怀安及张家口多个活动断陷盆地.通过对该区大量活动断层擦痕的测量,利用由断层滑动资料反演构造应力张量的计算方法,获得研究区24个测点的构造应力张量数据;同时利用格点尝试法对研究区两个不同应力分区的中小地震震源机制解进行了分析.依据断层滑动与震源机制解两类资料的分析计算结果,初步给出了研究区现代构造应力场的非均匀特征：延矾盆地区域（B区）断层滑动反演的构造应力张量与震源机制解类型均表现为走滑型,表明该区受控于NEE-SWW向挤压、NNW-SSE向拉张的区域构造应力作用.怀涿、蔚广等盆地所在的山西断陷带北部尾端区域（A区）断层滑动反演的构造应力张量与震源机制解类型以正断型为主,表明怀涿、蔚广等盆地所在的山西断陷带北部尾端区域（A区）受近NNW-SSE向拉张的局部构造作用相对于延矾盆地更为显著.现代构造应力场的非均匀分布反映了京西北盆岭构造的差异特征.     

川滇菱形块体东边界断层闭锁程度与滑动亏损动态特征研究

利用1999—2007期和2009—2013期中国大陆GPS速度场数据,采用DEFNODE负位错反演程序估算了川滇菱形块体东边界——鲜水河—安宁河—则木河—小江断裂带在汶川地震前后的断层闭锁程度和滑动亏损空间分布动态变化特征,讨论了汶川地震对该断裂系统的影响范围和程度,并结合b值空间分布和地震破裂时-空结果分析了断裂系统的强震危险段.结果表明,汶川地震前鲜水河断裂最南端为完全闭锁(闭锁深度25 km),中南段地表以下10~15 km深度为强闭锁状态,中北段基本处于蠕滑状态;安宁河断裂最南端闭锁很弱,其余位置闭锁深度为10~15 km;则木河断裂除最南端闭锁较弱以外,其余位置基本为完全闭锁;小江断裂在巧家以南、东川以南、宜良附近、华宁以北等四处位置闭锁较弱,其余位置为强闭锁.10年尺度的GPS速度场反演所得断层闭锁程度所指示的强震危险段,主要为鲜水河断裂道孚—八美段、安宁河断裂中段、则木河断裂中北段、小江断裂北段东川附近、小江断裂南段华宁—建水段,该结果与地质尺度的断层地震空区和30年尺度的b值空间分布所指示的危险段落具有一致性.汶川地震后断裂带远、近场速度分布和块体运动状态发生变化,这种区域地壳运动调整使得负位错模型反演得到的断裂带闭锁情况发生一定变化.汶川地震前后川滇菱形块体东边界平行断层滑动亏损速率均为左旋走滑亏损,且在安宁河断裂北端、则木河断裂中北段滑动亏损速率最大;除鲜水河断裂中南段与最南端和小江断裂东川附近以外,其余断裂震后滑动亏损速率均有所增加.垂直断层滑动亏损速率既有拉张亏损也有挤压亏损,且鲜水河断裂最南端由震前挤压转变为震后拉张,其余断裂除了安宁河断裂和小江断裂中段与最北端存在挤压滑动亏损速率外均为拉张速率.     

滇西南地区现代构造应力场分析

利用断层滑动资料反演构造应力张量的方法,获得滇西南地区20个构造应力张量数据,并通过与由震源机制解资料求解该地区平均应力场结果的对比,获得了研究区现代构造应力场特征：镇源——营盘山断裂以西至龙陵断裂带以南地区,最大主压应力方向为北北东,应力结构以走滑型为主;龙陵断裂带及其以北的局部地区,最大主压应力方向为近南北或北北西,应力结构为走滑型．     

THE TECTONIC ACTIVITY CHARACTERISTICS OF AWANCANG FAULT IN THE LATE QUATERNARY,THE SUB-STRAND OF THE EASTERN KUNLUN FAULT

It is well known that the slip rate of Kunlun Fault descends at the east segment, but little known about the Awancang Fault and its role in strain partitioning with Kunlun Fault. Whether the sub-strand(Awancang Fault) can rupture simultaneously with Kunlun Fault remains unknown. Based on field investigations, aerial-photo morphological analysis, topographic surveys and ¹⁴C dating of alluvial surfaces, we used displaced terrace risers to estimate geological slip rates along the Awancang Fault, which lies on the western margin of the Ruoergai Basin and the eastern edge of the Tibetan plateau, the results indicate that the slip rate is 3mm/a in the middle Holocene, similar to the reduced value of the Kunlun Fault. The fault consists of two segments with strike N50° W, located at distance about 16km, and converged to single stand to the SE direction. Our results demonstrate that the Awancang fault zone is predominantly left-lateral with a small amount of northeast-verging thrust component. The slip rates decrease sharply about 4mm/a from west to east between the intersection zone of the Awancang Fault and Kunlun Fault. Together with our previous trenching results on the Kunlun Fault, the comparison with slip rates at the Kunlun fault zone suggests that the Awancang fault zone has an important role in strain partitioning for east extension of Kunlun Fault in eastern Tibet. At the same time, the 15km long surface rupture zone of the southeast segment was found at the Awancang Fault. By dating the latest faulted geomorphologic surface, the last event may be since the 1766±54 Cal a BP. Through analysis of the trench, there are four paleoearthquake events identified recurring in situ on the Awancang Fault and the latest event is since (850±30)a BP. The slip rate of the Awancang Fault is almost equivalent to the descending value of the eastern part of the east Kunlun Fault, which can well explain the slip rate decreasing of the eastern part of the east Kunlun Fault(the Maqin-Maqu segment)and the characteristics of the structure dynamics of the eastern edge of the Tibet Plateau. The falling slip rate gradient of the eastern Kunlun Fault corresponds to the geometric characteristic. It is the Awancang Fault, the strand of the East Kunlun Fault that accommodates the strain distribution of the eastward extension of the east Kunlun Fault. This study is helpful to seismic hazard assessment and understanding the deformation mechanism in eastern Tibet.     

Volcanoes as possible indicators of tectonic stress orientation — Aleutians and Alaska

A new method for obtaining from volcanic surface features the orientations of the principal tectonic stresses is applied to Aleutian and Alaskan volcanoes. The underlying concept for this method is that flank eruptions for polygenetic volcanoes can be regarded as the result of a large-scale natural magmafracturing experiment. The method essentially relies on the recognition of the preferred orientation of radial and parallel dike swarms, primarily using the distribution of monogenetic craters including flank volcanoes. Since dikes tend to propagate in a direction normal to the minimum principal stress (T-axis), the method primarily yields the direction of the maximum horizontal compression (MHC) of regional origin. The direction of the MHC may correspond to either the maximum (P-axis) or intermediate (B-axis) principal stress.The direction of MHC obtained at 20 volcanoes in the Aleutian arc coincides well with the direction of convergence between the Pacific and North American plates. This result provides evidence that in the island arc the inferred direction of MHC is parallel to the maximum principal tectonic stress. In the back-arc region, general E-W trends of MHC are obtained from seven volcanic fields on islands on the Bering Sea shelf and the mainland coast of Alaska. These volcanic fields consist mostly of clusters of monogenetic volcanoes of alkali basalt. In the back-arc region, the trends of MHC may correspond to an E-W intermediate, a vertical maximum, and a N-S minimum principal stress.Implications for the tectonics of island arcs and back-arc regions are: (1) volcanic belts of some island arcs, including the Aleutian arc, are under compressional deviatoric stress in the direction of plate convergence. It is improbable that such arcs would split along the volcanic axis to form actively spreading marginal basins. (2) This compressional stress at the arc, probably generated by underthrusting, appears to be transmitted across the entire arc structure, but is apparently replaced within several hundred kilometers by a stress system characterized by horizontal extension (tensional deviatoric stress) in the back-arc region. (3) The volcanoes associated with these two stress systems differ in type (polygenetic vs. monogenetic) and in the chemistry of their magmas (andesitic vs. basaltic). These differences and the regional differences in orientation of the principal tectonic stresses suggest that the back-arc stress system has its own source at considerable depth beneath the crust.Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Contribution No. 2503.     

Transform faults as lithospheric boundaries,an example from the Dead Sea Transform

The relationship between the distribution of Pliocene basaltic volcanism and the Dead Sea Transform fault is studied in the Korazim block, north of the Sea of Galilee. In this area, the Dead Sea Transform is divided into two segments. Early (Miocene) slip occurred along the western segment, while recent (Plio-Pleistocene) slip was mainly restricted to the eastern segment. Late Pliocene alkali-basalts from the Korazim block are geochemically distinct (concentrations of silica and alkalis and ratios of incompatible elements) from the Late Pliocene basanites of the nearby Upper Galilee to their west but are similar to Late Pliocene basalts from the adjacent Golan to the east. It is argued that the geochemical differences are due to derivation of magmas from different lithospheric domains and that these domains were emplaced next to each other during an early sinistral movement along the western segment of the transform. It is suggested that though being less active, the western segment formed a sharp boundary and prevented intermixing of lithospheric magmas ascending on both its sides during the Late Pliocene. During the Early Pliocene, alkali basalts erupted in southern Korazim, but not in the adjacent areas to the east and west (restoring for the 25–30 km along the eastern segment). These basalts were probably channeled from the south with both western and the eastern segments acting as barriers.     

Ukinrek Maars, Alaska, I. April 1977 eruption sequence, petrology and tectonic setting

During ten days of phreatomagmatic activity in early April 1977, two maars formed 13 km behind the Aleutian arc near Peulik volcano on the Alaska Peninsula. They have been named “Ukinrek Maars”, meaning “two holes in the ground” in Yupik Eskimo. The western maar formed at the northwestern end of a low ridge within the first three days and is up to 170 m in diameter and 35 m in depth. The eastern maar formed during the next seven days 600 m east of West Maar at a lower elevation in a shallow saddle on the same ridge and is more circular, up to 300 m in diameter and 70 m in depth. The maars formed in terrain that was heavily glaciated in Pleistocene times. The groundwater contained in the underlying till and silicic volcanics from nearby Peulik volcano controlled the dominantly phreatomagmatic course of the eruption.During the eruptions, steam and ash clouds reached maximum heights of about 6 km and a thin blanket of fine ash was deposited north and east of the vents up to a distance of at least 160 km. Magma started to pool on the floor of East Maar after four days of intense phreatomagmatic activity.The new melt is a weakly undersaturated alkali olivine basalt (Ne = 1.2%) showing some transitional character toward high-alumina basalts. The chemistry, an anomaly in the tholeitic basalt-andesite-dominated Aleutian arc, suggests that the new melt is primitive, generated at a depth of 80 km or greater by a low degree of partial melting of garnet peridotite mantle with little subsequent fractionization during transport.The Pacific plate subduction zone lies at a depth of 150 km beneath the maars. Their position appears to be tectonically controlled by a major regional fault, the Bruin Bay fault, and its intersection with cross-arc structural features. We favor a model for the emplacement of the Ukinrek Maars that does not link the Ukinrek conduit to the plumbing system of nearby Peulik volcano. The Ukinrek eruptions probably represent a genetically distinct magma pulse originating at asthenospheric depths beneath the continental lithosphere.     

鲜水河断裂带区域第四纪构造应力场的分期研究

利用断层滑动方向资料反演构造应力张量的分期计算方法，获得鲜水河断裂带区域第四纪以来两期主要构造应力作用：第１期为早～中更新世，构造应力作用以北东－南西向挤压为特征；第Ⅱ期自晚更新世至今，构造应力作用以近东西向挤压和近南北向拉张为特征     

2016年阿克陶MW6.6地震的同震断层滑动分布及库伦应力变化

2016年11月25日新疆阿克陶地区发生的M_W6.6地震,对当地人民生命造成一定的危害。基于Sentinel-1数据获取该地震的视线向同震形变场,采用贝叶斯方法反演单一断层走向为106.9°、倾角为73.8°、震源深度为17.35 km,在此断层几何模型基础上,以最速下降梯度法（Steepest Descent Method,SDM）反演滑动分布,结果表明断层面上存在两个滑动峰值,其中位于断层西侧的最大滑动量为0.66 m,深度为11.7 km,位于断层东侧的最大滑动量为0.83 m,深度为7.5 km,根据反演结果模拟LOS形变,其最大残差为~5 cm。构建倾角分别为70.79°和55.33°的双断层几何模型,并根据双断层几何模型反演了滑动分布,结果表明单一断层模型与双断层模型的滑动分布具有一致性,但是最大滑动量值有所不同,相对于单一断层模型的滑动分布而言,双断层模型的滑动量在西侧增大,其值为0.68 m;而在东侧减小,其值为0.77 m;最大残差降低了约2 cm。双断层模型库伦应力增加区域与余震的分布比较吻合。     

阿尔金断裂东段断层泥特征及断层滑动方式

本文用扫描电镜、X衍射等方法对阿尔金断裂东段断层泥的特征、断层活动强度及断层滑动方式进行了研究,获得了如下结论: (1)阿尔金断裂东段的活动强度自晚更新世以后,由西往东逐渐减弱。(2)该断裂东段在第四纪以来至少发生过2—3次古地震事件。(3)全新世以来,该断裂的肃北至阿克塞一段以粘滑为主,而东边的巴个峡至昌马大坝之间断裂的滑动方式则为蠕滑。     

The Late Pleistocene activity of the eastern part of east Kunlun fault zone and its tectonic significance

The nearly EW-trending East Kunlun fault zone is the north boundary of the Bayan Har block.The activity characteristics and the position of the eastern end of its eastward extension are of great significance to probing into the dynamic mechanism of formation of the east edge of the Tibetan Plateau,and also lay the foundation for seismic risk assessment of the fault zone.The following results are obtained by analysis based on satellite image interpretation of landforms,surface rupture survey,terrace scarp deformation survey,and terrace dating data on the eastern part of the East Kunlun fault zone:(1)the Luocha segment is a Holocene active fault,where a reverse L-shape paleoearthquake surface rupture zone of about 50 km long is located;(2)the Luocha segment is characterized by left-lateral slip movement under the compression-shear condition since the later period of the Late Pleistocene,with a rate of 7.68–9.37 mm/a and a vertical slip rate of 0.7–0.9 mm/a,which are basically in accord with the activity rate of segments on its west side.The results indicate that it is a part of eastward extension of the East Kunlun fault zone;(3)the high-speed linear horizontal slip of the nearly EW-trending East Kunlun fault zone is blocked by the South China block at east,and transforms into the vertical movement of the nearly SN-NNE trending Minjiang fault zone and the Longmenshan fault zone,and the uplift of Longmenshan and Minjiang.The area where transform of the two tectonic systems occurred confines the position of the east end;(4)Luocha segment and Maqu segment constitute the"Maqu seismic gap",so,seismic risk at Maqu segment is higher than that at Luocha segment,which should attract more attention.     

Numerical simulation on the influences of Wenchuan earthquake on the surrounding faults

On 12 May 2008, the devastating Wenchuan earthquake struck the Longmenshan fault zone, which comprised the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau, and this fault zone was predominantly a convergent boundary with a right-lateral strike-slip component. After such a large-magnitude earthquake, it was crucial to analyze the influences of the earthquake on the surrounding faults and the potential seismic activity. In this paper, a complex viscoelastic model of western Sichuan and eastern Tibet regions was constructed including the topography. Based on the findings of co-seismic static slip distribution, we calculated the stress change caused by the Wenchuan earthquake with the post-seismic relaxation into consideration. Our preliminary results indicated that: (1) The tectonic stressing rate was relatively high in Kunlun mountain pass-Jiangcuo, Ganzi-Yushu, Xianshuihe and Zemuhe faults; while in the east Kunlun and Longriba was medium; also the value was less in the Minjiang, Longmenshan, Anninghe and Huya faults. As to the Longmenshan fault, the value was 0.28×10^-3 MPa/a to 0.35×10^-3 MPa/a, which is coincident with the previous long recurrence interval of Wenchuan earthquake; (2) The Wenchuan earthquake not only caused the Coulomb stress decrease in the source region, but also the stress increase in the two terminals, especially the northeastern segment, which is comparatively consistent with the aftershock distribution. Meanwhile, the high concentration areas of the static slip distribution were corresponding to the Coulomb stress reductions; (3) The Coulomb stress change caused by Wenchuan earthquake showed significant increase on five major faults, which were northwestern segment of Xianshuihe fault, eastern Kunlun fault, Longriba fault, Minjiang fault and Huya fault respectively; also the Coulomb stress on the fault plane of the Yushu earthquake was faintly increased; (4) We defined the recurrence interval as the time needed to accumulate the magnitude of the stress drop, and the recurrence interval of Wenchuan earthquake was estimated about 1 714 a to 2 143 a correspondingly.