从震前卫星热红外图像看中国现今构造应力场特征

震前卫星热红外探测现今地球热应力场, 既有水平应力热场, 也有垂直应力热场。热辐射能量的增强与应力增强有关。结合地震地表破裂带和地震等烈度线图的分析, 辅以GPS空间定位地形变测量、震源机制解和原地应力解除法,以及地球物理勘探资料, 可使对现今应力场的了解更加全面。以99?~104?E为界的过渡带包含中国大陆西部重庆荣昌双环、四川汶川椭圆。这种左右涡旋运动方式不同存在一个带内, 与深部构造差异和物质下曳运动有直接的关系。中国西部受印度板块和西北利亚板块SN向夹击, 来自西北利亚板块的作用力最南可到天山北麓。印度板块与太平洋板块相互扭动, 壳幔汁上涌差异反映在中国西部热旋扭椭圆为左旋扭动。印度板块与太平洋板块相互扭动, 中国东部地区出现伸展构造。NE、NNE向破裂发生右旋运动, 可称之新新华夏构造体系。壳幔汁上涌差异反映在东部热旋扭椭圆为右涡旋扭动。     

青藏高原及其周围地区区域应力场与构造运动特征

本文系统解析并分析了1931年8月-2005年10月期间青藏高原及其周围发生的905个震级M4．5-8．5地震的震源机制结果,研究了青藏高原岩石圈的区域应力场与构造运动特征。结果表明,来自印度板块的北北东或北东方向的水平挤压应力控制了青藏高原及其周缘地区的岩石圈应力场。从喜马拉雅到贝加尔湖以南包括中国西部的广大范围内,主压应力P轴的水平分量位于近NE-SW方向,形成了一个广域的NE-SW方向的挤压应力场。特别是青藏高原周缘地区,除其东部边缘外,南部的喜马拉雅山前沿以及青藏高原的北部、西部边缘地区所发生的绝大部分地震都属于逆断层型或走滑逆断层型地震,表现出周缘地区的水平挤压应力更为强势。应力场特征充分表明, 印度板块的北上运动,以及它与欧亚板块之间的碰撞,所形成的挤压应力场是青藏高原强烈隆起的直接原因。在青藏高原周缘地区受到强烈挤压应力场控制的同时,有大量正断层型地震集中发生在青藏高原中部海拔4000m以上的地区,其中许多地震是纯正断层型地震。震源机制结果显示,近E-W向或WNW-ESE向的水平扩张应力控制着该区的岩石圈应力场;正断层型地震的断层走向多为南北方向,断层位错矢量的水平分量大体位于近东西方向。这表明青藏高原中部高海拔地区存在着近东西方向的扩张构造运动,且扩张构造运动是该区引张应力场的作用结果。其动力学原因可能与持续隆升的高原自重增大引起的重力崩塌及其周边区域构造应力状况有关。研究青藏高原存在挤压应力场与引张应力场及其构造运动的区域特征,对于认识青藏高原形成、发展的地球动力学机制,有着极其重要的意义。     

长江经济带地区活动构造与区域地壳稳定性基本特征

基于长江经济带地区活动断裂资料的收集整理和总结,结合新的遥感解译与地表调查结果,初步归纳了该区的活动构造基本特征,梳理出直接或间接威胁重要城市群、国家级新区和区域重要交通过江通道地壳稳定性的主要活动断裂及应对建议或对策,并进一步重点指出长江中下游成都-上海沿江地区的32条重要活动断裂带及其穿越或影响到的主要城市群和重大工程。在活动断裂梳理结果基础上,总结提出长江经济带西部的强烈地壳变形与地震活动主要由印度板块与欧亚板块碰撞作用下在青藏高原东南缘地区形成的“川滇弧形旋扭活动构造体系”所控制,而中-东部地区属于印度板块与西太平洋板块共同作用下区域性挤压-剪切变形导致的具有共轭走滑断裂系统特征的“棋盘格子式”活动构造体系格局,其中需要特别关注7条典型活动断裂带的活动性及其对城市群地壳稳定性的影响。根据区域的活动构造体系、活动断裂与历史地震活动性等特点,初步归纳了该区的未来地震危险性问题及应重点关注的潜在强震危险区段,指出了典型的区域古地震地质遗迹特征及开展古地震调查研究的重要性。同时,依据长江经济带地区初步的区域地壳稳定性评价结果,认为次不稳定区和不稳定区主要集中在西部地区,而中-东部地区以次稳定区与相对稳定区为主,仅郯庐断裂带及其周边存在较明显的次不稳定区。最后,指出了长江经济带活动构造与区域地壳稳定性调查评价工作在活动断裂地质调查研究和城市活断层鉴别与地震危险性评价中面临的主要问题与挑战。      

2005年10月8日巴基斯坦7．8级地震及周边板缘地震与中国部分地区中强地震的相关分析

2005年10月8日11时50分,根据我国地震台网测定,在巴基斯坦、阿富汗、印度北部地区(北纬34．4,东经73．6)发生7．8级强烈地震,此次地震位于印度板块和欧亚大陆板块作用的“结点”地区。为此,我们统计分析了1900年以来,欧亚板块和印度板块交界地区发生7级以上板缘地震与中国大陆的几个主要地区的相关性。结果表明,欧亚板块和印度板块交界地区的板缘地震对我国的大陆地区影响不大。     

伽师地区地震活动与中国大陆其它地区地震活动的相关性研究

中国地处欧亚板块的东南部,为印度板块及太平洋板块、菲律宾板块所夹持。帕米尔块体则是印度板块与欧亚板块碰撞的西北边界地区。该地区是强震频发区。在我国,本世纪的几个活跃期中,该区均有强震发生。帕米尔地区强震的发生显示了本区构造活动的加剧,这是否会引起中国大陆其它块体的构造运动出现失稳状态而发震,是我们所关心的问题。本文通过地震活动的统计对此进行了分析和研究。 1996年伽师地区发生7.1级地震后,1997年又连续发生6级以上地震7次,这是否会引起我国大陆其它地区中强地震的发生?为此我们对帕米尔地区1900年以来发生6级以上地震后三年内中国大陆13个地区地震发生的情况进行了较详细的分析。     

青藏高原中部的东西向扩张构造运动

系统分析了1933~2003年间青藏高原及其周缘发生的745个中、强地震的震源机制解,研究了高原地壳构造运动及其动力学特征。结果表明,大量正断层型地震集中发生在青藏高原中部海拔4000m以上的地区,其中许多地震是纯正断层型地震。震源机制结果显示,该区正断层型地震的断层走向多为南北方向,断层位错矢量的水平分量均位于近东西方向,这表明青藏高原高海拔地区存在着近东西方向的扩张构造运动。地震震源应力场的研究结果表明,在高原中部高海拔地区,E-W向或WNW-ESE向的水平扩张作用控制着该区的地壳应力场。青藏高原高海拔地区近东西方向的扩张构造运动是该区引张应力场的作用结果,其动力学原因可能与持续隆升的高原自重增大引起的重力崩塌及其周边区域构造应力状况有关。而青藏高原周缘地区,除了东部边缘外,南部的喜马拉雅山前沿以及青藏高原的北部、西部边缘所发生的绝大部分地震都是逆断层型或走滑逆断层型地震。在青藏高原周缘地区,北东或者北北东方向水平挤压的构造应力场为优势应力场。在中国西部的大范围内,主压应力P轴水平分量位于NE-SW方向,形成了一个广域的NE-SW方向的挤压应力场。青藏高原及其周缘应力场特征表明,印度板块的北上运动以及它与欧亚板块之间的碰撞所形成的挤压应力场是高原强烈隆起的直接原因。在青藏高原中南部形成了近东西向引张应力场为主的区域,并以东西向扩张构造运动部分释放其应力积累。研究高原高海拔地区的引张应力场和近东西向扩张构造运动的特征,对于认识青藏高原强烈隆起的地球动力学过程与机制,有着重要的理论意义。     

中国岩石圈应力场与构造运动区域特征

笔者系统分析了1918—2005年间中国大陆及其周缘发生的3130个中、强地震的震源机制解,根据其特征进行了岩石圈应力场构造分区,首次得到区域应力场的压应力轴和张应力轴空间分布的统计数字结果。在此基础上研究了应力场的区域特征、探讨了其动力学来源以及构造运动特征。总体结果表明,中国大陆及其周缘岩石圈应力场和构造运动可以归结为印度洋板块、太平洋板块、菲律宾海板块与欧亚板块之间相对运动,以及大陆板内区域块体之间的相互作用的结果。印度洋板块向欧亚板块的碰撞挤压运动所产生的强烈的挤压应力,控制了喜马拉雅、青藏高原、中国西部乃至延伸到天山及其以北的广大地区。在青藏高原周缘地区和中国西部的大范围内,压应力P轴水平分量方位位于20～40°,形成了近NE方向的挤压应力场。大量逆断层型强震集中发生在青藏高原的南、北和西部周缘地区,以及天山等地区。而多数正断层型地震集中发生在青藏高原中部高海拔的地区,断层位错的水平分量位于近东西方向。表明青藏高原周缘区域发生南北向强烈挤压短缩的同时,中部高海拔地区存在着明显的近东西向的扩张运动。中国东部的华北地区受到太平洋板块向欧亚板块俯冲挤压的同时,又受到从贝加尔湖经过大华北直到琉球海沟的广阔地域里存在着的统一的、方位为170°的引张应力场的控制。华北地区大地震的震源机制解均反映出该区地震的发生大体为NEE向挤压应力和NNW向张应力的共同作用结果。台湾纵谷断层是菲律宾海板块与欧亚板块之间碰撞挤压边界。来自北西向运动的菲律宾海板块构造应力控制了从台湾纵谷、华南块体,直到中国南北地震带南段东部地域的应力场。地震的震源机制结果还表明,将中国大陆分成东、西两部分的中国南北地震带是印度洋板块、菲律宾海板块与太平洋板块在中国大陆内部影响控制范围的分界线。     

西藏及其周围地区地壳、地幔地震层析成像——印度板块大规模俯冲于西藏高原之下的证据

文中介绍有关西藏—喜马拉雅碰撞带的一项地震层析成像研究。根据一个用天然地震数据产生的全球波速模型 ,印度板块有可能以近水平状俯冲于整个西藏高原之下至 16 5～ 2 6 0km深度。西藏岩石圈具有低波速地壳和高波速下岩石圈 (75～ 12 0km深 )。在 12 0～ 16 5km深度范围 ,西藏岩石圈与俯冲的印度板块之间有一层低速软流圈物质。高原中部从地表到 310km深处有一低速体 ,说明地幔物质有可能穿过俯冲板块的脆弱部位上隆。这些结果以及野外实测的地壳缩短值说明高原的抬升得助于印度板块的近水平俯冲。我们推论俯冲印度板块的升温上浮以及上覆软流层的存在是造成西藏高原高海拔抬升以及内部地表仍相对平坦的主要原因。2 0 0 1年 1月 2 6日在印度西部发生的毁灭性大地震有可能是俯冲应力在印度板块后缘薄弱处引发的岩石圈大断裂。     

按大地构造观点进行中国地震地质区划的尝试

在先前的几篇文章中,著者把自中生代以来中国的大地构造格局划分为三大构造域：滨太平洋构造城,特提斯喜马拉雅构造域和古亚洲构造域,并简略地讨论了它们的发展特点。新构造运动,包括有史以来的地震活动在内,是三大构造域活动的继续,所以我们认为中国的地震地质区划也和大地构造区划一样,,表现为三大构造地震域,简称三大地震域,即滨太平洋地震域,特提斯喜马拉雅地震域和古亚洲地震域。既然滨太平洋构造域是太平洋板块向亚洲俯冲的结果,那么,滨太平洋地震域也应当是太平洋板块向亚洲俯冲的结果;特提斯喜马拉雅构造城既然是印度板块向亚洲板块碰撞的结果,那么,特提斯喜马拉雅地震域也应当是印度板块向亚洲板块碰撞的结果,它们两者之间的分界就是有名的南北地震带,后者是太平洋板块和印度洋板块两个应力场所形成的干涉带。这样的地震地质区划是和一些地球物理学家的观点完全一致的。古亚洲构造域的主体是西伯利亚地台和蒙古皱褶系。整个说来它的地震活动性表现得很微弱,只有蒙古西部,特别是阿尔泰地区有若干强震,这可能仍是受印度板块碰撞的结果。而贝加尔裂谷型地震活动可能是北冰洋中脊地震活动带的南延。因为这些地区已不再中国境内,本文不作讨论。下文仅就大地构造观点来谈谈中国的地震地质区别。     

2004年12月26日苏门答腊-安达曼大地震构造特征及地震海啸灾害

2004年12月26日在印度尼西亚苏门答腊岛西侧海域发生的地震是自1964 年阿拉斯加大地震以来最大的地震,震级达到9级或9级以上。它是由印度洋板块向缅甸微板块底下俯冲过程中的逆断层作用造成的。印度洋板块以每年6~7 cm的速率向北北东方向运动,与南亚板块发生斜向聚敛俯冲,此运动在该地区解耦为印度洋板块沿巽他海沟的正向俯冲及缅甸微板块东侧的右旋走向平移运动。主震破裂模型研究的结果表明,破裂是由南向北传播的,地震破裂带长达1 200余km,宽度约100 km,最大位移约为20 m,地震断层向上穿透海沟底面,估计约有10 m左右的错距。这次大地震的同震效应导致地球自转轴摆动、地球自转加速,日长缩短。据目前统计,地震引发的大海啸造成305 276人死亡,被此次海啸夺走生命的人数超过了有史以来历次大海啸灾难中死亡人数的总和。     

青藏高原昆仑—汶川地震系列与巴颜喀喇断块的最新活动

青藏高原是中国最主要的地震活动区之一。最近十多年来,在青藏高原中部连续发生了1997年西藏玛尼Ms7.5级地震、2001年青海昆仑山Ms8.1级地震、2008年3月新疆于田Ms7.3级地震和5月四川汶川Ms8.0级地震及2010年青海玉树Ms7.1级地震,它们相继发生于青藏断块区巴颜喀喇断块四周边界活动断裂带上,是该断块最新活动的结果。发生于断块南北边界断裂上的3次地震都是走滑断裂错动的结果,发生在断块东南端的汶川地震则是挤压逆冲断裂的产物,而西北端的于田地震则呈现出张性特征,它们共同反映青藏断块区巴颜喀喇条状断块向东南方向滑动的最新活动。自1900年以来,青藏断块区和巴颜喀喇断块的强震活动表现出多期活动和区域性转移的特征,20世纪早期Ms7.0级以上强地震活动的主体地区在青藏断块区北部边界构造带,中期转移到高原南部喜马拉雅板块边界构造带和断块区南部断块,最近十多年来则在巴颜喀喇断块及周缘边界断裂上活动。青藏高原这种块体活动和地震活动与澳大利亚-印度板块对亚洲大陆的推挤作用相关,因而,青藏高原和巴颜喀喇断块的强震活动与澳-印板块边界苏门答腊强震活动相对应。目前苏门答腊地区强震活动仍在继续,因此,近期对巴颜喀喇断块及青藏高原南部地区的强震活动和强震危险性仍需加以注意。     

Crust and Upper Mantle Electrical Resistivity Structure in the Panxi Region of the Eastern Tibetan Plateau and Its Significance

The Panxi region is located in the frontal zone of positive squeezing subduction and side squeezing shearing between the Indian plate and the Eurasian plate. The long-period magnetotelluric(LMT) and broadband magnetotelluric(MT) techniques are both used to study the deep electrical conductivity structure in this region; magnetic and gravity surveys are also performed along the profile. According to the 2-D resistivity model along the Yanyuan-Yongshan profile,a highconductivity layer(HCL) exists widely in the crust,and a high-resistivity block(HRB) exists widely in the upper mantle in general,as seen by the fact that a large HCL exists from the western Jinpingshan tectonic zone to the eastern Mabian tectonic zone in the crust,while the HRB found in the Panxi tectonic zone is of abnormally high resistivity in that background compared to both sides of Panxi tectonic zone. In addition,the gravity and magnetic field anomalies are of high value. Combined with geological data,the results indicate that there probably exists basic or ultrabasic rock with a large thickness in the lithosphere in the Panxi axial region,which indicates that fracture activity once occurred in the lithosphere. As a result,we can infer that the high-resistivity zone in the Panxi lithosphere is the eruption channel for Permian Emeishan basalt and the accumulation channel for basic and ultrabasic rock. The seismic sources along the profile are counted according to seismic record data. The results indicate that the most violent earthquake sources are located at the binding site of the HRB and the HCL,where the tectonic activity zone is generally acknowledged to be; however,the earthquakes occurring in the HCL are not so violent,which reflects the fact that the HCL is a plastic layer,and the fracture threshold of a plastic layer is low generally,making high stress difficult to accumulate but easy to release in the layer. As a result,a higher number of smaller earthquakes occurred in the HCL at Daliangshan tectonic zone,and violent earthquakes occurred at the binding site of high- and low-resistivity blocks at the Panxi tectonic zone.     

Source mechanisms and tectonic significance of historical earthquakes along the nankai trough,Japan

Two recent and three historical earthquakes which occurred along the Nankai trough, marking the northern plate boundary between the Philippine Sea and the Asian Plate, are studied mainly on the basis of the data of crustal deformations and tsunami waves. These earthquakes are the 1946 Nankaido, the 1944 Tonankai, the 1854 Ansei I, II and the 1707 Hoei earthquakes. They are all interpreted as low-angle thrust faults at the plate boundary, with the oceanic side underthrusting northwestward against southwestern Japan. The fault parameters of the historical earthquakes are assumed here to be common to those of the recent two earthquakes, except for the magnitude of dislocation.The entire fault region, which extends for 530 km from western Shikoku Island in the west to the Tokai district in the east, is divided into four fault planes, which are denoted the planes A, B, C and D, from west to east, respectively. Then, the five earthquakes may be attributed to the planes A, B, C and D, in the following manner: the Nankaido earthquake, A + B; the Tonankai earthquake, C; the Ansei II earthquake, A + B; the Ansei I earthquake, C + D; and the Hoei earthquake, A + B + C + D.The latest cycle of earthquake migration seems incomplete as proved by the recent inactivity in D. Consequently, the future major earthquake next to occur is expected there, off the Tokai district. Eight further ancient earthquakes from A.D. 684 to 1605 are also discussed. Taking the results of the foregoing studies into consideration, their sequence is well interpreted by the four migration cycles. Topographical data, tilt of coastal terraces and location of hinge lines, prove that the thrusting has continued all along the extension of the Nankai trough for at least 300,000 years.     

Double-sided subduction with contrasting polarities beneath the Pamir-Hindu Kush: Evidence from focal mechanism solutions and stress field inversion

The Pamir-Hindu Kush region at the western end of the Himalayan-Tibet orogen is one of the most active regions on the globe with strong seismicity and deformation and provides a window to evaluate continental collision linked to two intra-continental subduction zones with different polarities. The seismicity and seismic tomography data show a steep northward subducting slab beneath the Hindu Kush and southward subducting slab under the Pamir. Here, we collect seismic catalogue with 3988 earthquake events to compute seismicity images and waveform data from 926 earthquake events to invert focal mechanism solutions and stress field with a view to characterize the subducting slabs under the Pamir-Hindu Kush region. Our results define two distinct seismic zones: a steep one beneath the Hindu Kush and a broad one beneath the Pamir. Deep and intermediate-depth earthquakes are mainly distributed in the Hindu Kush region which is controlled by thrust faulting, whereas the Pamir is dominated by strike-slip stress regime with shallow and intermediate-depth earthquakes. The area where the maximum principal stress axis is vertical in the southern Pamir corresponds to the location of a high-conductivity low-velocity region that contributes to the seismogenic processes in this region. We interpret the two distinct seismic zones to represent a double-sided subduction system where the Hindu Kush zone represents the northward subduction of the Indian plate, and the Pamir zone shows southward subduction of the Eurasian plate. A transition fault is inferred in the region between the Hindu Kush and the Pamir which regulates the opposing directions of motion of the Indian and Eurasian plates.     

Seismic activity associated with the subducting motion of the Philippine Sea plate beneath the Kanto district, Japan

The Pacific plate and the Philippine Sea plate overlap and subduct underneath the Kanto region, central Japan, causing complex seismic activities in the upper mantle. In this research, we used a map selection tool with a graphic display to create a data set for earthquakes caused by the subducting motion of the Philippine Sea plate that are easily determined. As a result, we determined that there are at least four earthquake groups present in the upper mantle above the Pacific plate. Major seismic activity (Group 1) has been observed throughout the Kanto region and is considered to originate in the uppermost part of mantle in the subducted Philippine Sea plate, judging from the formation of the focal region and comparison with the 3D structure of seismic velocity. The focal mechanism of these earthquakes is characterized by the down-dip compression. A second earthquake layer characterized by down-dip extension (Group 2), below the earthquakes in this group, is also noted. The focal region for those earthquakes is considered to be located at the lower part of the slab mantle, and the Pacific plate located directly below is considered to influence the activity. Earthquakes located at the shallowest part (Group 3) form a few clusters distributed directly above the Group 1 focal region. Judging from the characteristics of later phases in these earthquakes and comparing against the 3D structure of seismic velocity, the focal regions for the earthquakes are considered to be located near the upper surface of the slab. Another earthquake group (Group 4) originates further below Group 2; it is difficult to consider these earthquakes within a single slab. The seismic activities representing the upper area of the Philippine Sea plate are Group 3. This paper proposes a slab geometry model that is substantially different from conventional models by strictly differentiating the groups.     

Seismic Activity in the Himalayan Orogenic Belt and Its Related Geohazards

Himalayan orogenic belt is the highest and largest continental collision and subduction zone on the Earth. The Himalayan orogenic belt has produced frequent large earthquakes and caused several geohazards due to landslides and housing collapse, having an impact on the safety of life and property along a length of over 2500 km. Here we took three earthquake clusters as examples, which occurred at Nepal Himalaya, eastern Himalayan syntaxis and western Himalayan syntaxis, respectively. Here we calculated the earthquake locations and fault plane solutions based on the waveform data recorded by seismic stations deployed in source areas by the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences. We found that at the Nepal Himalayan, the Main Himalayan Thrust is the major tectonic structure for large earthquakes to occur. At the eastern Himalayan syntaxis, most earthquakes are of the reverse or strike-slip faulting. The major tectonic feature is the combination of the NE-dipping thrust with the southeastern escape of the Tibetan plateau. At the western Himalayan syntaxis, intermediate-depth earthquakes are active. These observations reveal the geometry of the deep subduction of the continental plate with steep dipping angle.     

喜马拉雅造山带地震活动及其相关地质灾害

喜马拉雅造山带是地球上海拔最高、规模最大的陆陆板块俯冲碰撞带在这条长达2 500 km的板块边界上,近年来多次发生破坏性地震,造成大规模的滑坡、房屋倒塌等次生灾害,给人民生命和财产安全造成严重的威胁。分别选取尼泊尔喜马拉雅、喜马拉雅东构造结和喜马拉雅西构造结地区近期发生的3个地震震群作为研究实例,基于中国科学院青藏高原研究所在研究区架设的区域流动地震台站记录的波形资料,对地震的震源位置和震源机制解进行计算。结果表明,在尼泊尔喜马拉雅地区,主喜马拉雅逆冲断裂是大地震的主要发震构造;东构造结地区的地震以逆冲和走滑型为主,表明印度板块向北东方向的逆冲推覆和青藏高原向东南逃逸的侧向挤出是该地区的主要构造背景;西构造结地区中深源地震多发,揭示了高角度大陆深俯冲的几何形态。     

Numerical modelling of the three-dimensional stress field in southwestern Japan

It has been inferred from the focal mechanism of earthquakes and their hypocenter distribution (Shiono, 1977) that the stress field in southwestern Japan indicates complicated features; a NW-SE compression at shallow depths along the Nankai trough, an E-W or ESE-WNW compression in the inland crust, an extension parallel to the leading edge of the Philippine Sea plate at subcrustal depths in the region from the southern Chubu to northwestern Shikoku, and a down-dip tension beneath the Kyushu island.In order to investigate possible sources of these complex features of the stress state, a three-dimensional finite element method is employed to model the configuration of the subducting Philippine Sea plate, taking into consideration the following three possible types of forces:

1. (1) A negative buoyancy due to the density contrast between the subducting plate and the surrounding mantle.

2. (2) A northwestward compressive force generated by the movement of the Philippine Sea plate.

3. (3) A westward compressive force due to the movement of the Pacific plate.

For various combinations of different magnitudes of these forces, and of different elastic moduli, the stresses at a number of selected sites are calculated, and their directions are compared with those inferred from the focal mechanism and other geophysical information.It is found that the observed extensional stresses parallel to the leading edge of the subducting Philippine Sea plate may be caused mainly by the negative buoyancy. The northwestward compressive force may not play an important role in generating the complex stress field in southwestern Japan. The observed E-W compressional stress field prevailing in the inland region appears to result mainly from the westward-moving Pacific plate. The present results suggest that if a thin low-velocity transitional layer exists just above the subducting Philippine Sea plate, it could give appreciable effects on the mechanism of low-angled thrust faulting off the Kii peninsula and the Shikoku island.The magnitude of the shear stress in the continental crust and in the subducting plate is estimated to be of the order of several hundred bars, although the calculated shear stresses are considerably affected by the configuration of the subducting plate and also by the applied forces.It is interesting that the stress distribution appears to have some relations to seismicity of subcrustal earthquakes, and to the rupture process of large thrust earthquakes along the plate boundary.