Uplift of the Longmen Shan range and the Wenchuan earthquake

The 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake （Ms=8.0） struck on the Longmen Shan foreland thrust zone. The event took place within the context of long-term uplift of the Longmen Shan range as a result of the extensive eastward-extrusion of crustal materials from the Tibetan plateau against the rheologically strong crust of the Sichuan Basin. The Longmen Shan range is charac- terized by a Pre-Sinian crystalline complex constrained by the Maoxian-Wenchuan-Kangding ductile detach- ment at the western margin and the Yingxiu-Beichuan- Luding ductile thrust at the eastern margin. The Long- men Shan uplift was initiated by intracontinental sub- duction between the Songpan-Ganzi terrane and the Yangtze block during the Pre-Cenozoic. The uplift rate was increased considerably by the collision between the Indian and Eurasian plates since -50 Ma. The Wenchuan earthquake resulted in two major NE-strik- ing coseismic ruptures （i.e., the -275 km long Yingxiu- Beichuan-Qingchuan fault and the -100 km long Anx- ian-Guanxian fault）. Field investigations combined with focal solutions and seismic reflection profiles suggest that the coseismic ruptures are steeply dipping close-to- pure reverse or right reverse oblique slip faults in the -15 km thick upper crust. These faults are unfavorably oriented for frictional slip in the horizontally compres- sional regime, so that they need a long recurrence interval to accumulate the tectonic stress and fluid pres- sure to critically high levels for the formation of strong earthquakes at a given locality. It is also found that all the large earthquakes （Ms〉7.0） occurred in the fault zones across which the horizontal movement velocities measured by the GPS are markedly low （〈3 mm/yr）. The faults, which constitute the northeastern fronts of the enlarging Tibetan plateau against the strong Sichuan Basin, Ala Shan and Ordos blocks, are very destructive, although their average recurrence intervals are generally long.     

The geological background of the May 12, 2008 Ms 8.0 Wenchuan catastrophic earthquake,Longmen Shan,Western China

The Longmen Shan fault zone is located at the particular boundary between the Triassic Songpan-Ganzi orogen of the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau and the stable Sichuan basin of the Yangtze platform. There are four major active faults and three tectonic nappes in this region. According to an analysis of neotectonics and historical earthquakes, the Longmen Shan fault zone presents a high level of seismic hazard. The rupture system that hosted the Wenchuan earthquake is characterized by thrust and dextral strike-slip movement.     

龙门山断裂带隆起造山独特性探讨

龙门山断裂带位于四川盆地西缘;青藏高原东部;为四川盆地与松潘—甘孜地块的接触构造边界。龙门山地区海拔从东侧100 km外四川盆地的500 m突升至3 000 m高度;明显地标注了青藏高原的东部边界;其隆升机制也引起了国内外地质工作者的广泛兴趣;并且提出了多种隆升机制模型。在本次研究中;我们利用SinoProbe-02深反射地震剖面数据对龙门山地区的隆升机制进行研究;从而进一步探讨龙门山地区隆起造山的独特性;并讨论其与传统意义中的造山带的区别;认为龙门山断裂造山带为板块内部构造活动引起岩石圈隆起所形成的。本文的研究结果将使我们更深刻地了解龙门山地区的构造活动特点;并且有助于了解青藏高原东缘对印度—欧亚板块碰撞的构造响应。     

Uplift of the Longmen Shan area in the eastern Tibetan Plateau: an integrated geophysical and geodynamic analysis

Abstract

The mechanism for uplift of the eastern Tibetan Plateau is still a matter of debate. There are two main models: extrusion and crustal flow. These models have been tested by surface observations, but questions about the uplift remain. In addition, the devastating 2008 M_w 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake along the Longmen Shan fault zone (LMSFZ) reminds us that the tectonic activity within eastern Tibet is complex and poses a major natural hazard. This activity is accompanied by dramatic uplift along the LMSFZ, but only minor convergence (<4 mm year^–1) against the Sichuan basin is observed. In order to investigate the mechanism for uplift of Longmen Shan (LMS) area, we explored the lithospheric structure across the Songpan–Ganzi terrane (SGT), LMS, and western Sichuan basin by undertaking an integrated analysis of a variety of data including new, logistically challenging controlled-source seismic profiling (reflection and refraction) results, receiver function estimates of crustal thickness, gravity and magnetic data, GPS data, and geologic constraints. Our analysis of crustal structure indicates that the crust is not thick enough to support its current elevation and that the crust is essentially composed of three layers of similar thickness. Thus, based on our crustal structure model, 2D numerical modelling was conducted to investigate uplift mechanisms. The modelling results indicate that the middle crust beneath the SGT is the most ductile layer, which is the key factor responsible for the crustal-scale faulting, earthquake behaviour, and periods of uplift. In addition, the modelling results indicate that the strong Sichuan block acts as a backstop for the thrusting along the LMS and crustal thickening to the west.     

Along-strike topographic variation of the Longmen Shan and its significance for landscape evolution along the eastern Tibetan Plateau

Regional topographic and geomorphic analyses reveal first-order topographic variations from high-elevation and low-relief interior plateau to the relatively low elevation, high-relief marginal plateau in eastern Tibet. Field investigation and slip distribution modeling after 2008 Ms. 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake indicate significant along-strike variability during the rupture that appears to correspond to different segments of a single fault system. This observation motivates a more careful examination of topographic features along the Longmen Shan to explore the connection between the seismic cycle and mountain building. Analyses of topographic relief, hillslope gradient, and channel gradient indices reveal significant differences in the character of topography along the Longmen Shan mountain front. The central portion of the range exhibits the highest slope, relief and steepness of river longitudinal profiles. Whereas the southern Longmen Shan exhibits only subtle differences associated with slightly lower hillslope and channel gradients, the northern Longmen Shan is characterized by topography of significantly lower relief, lessened hillslope gradients, and low-gradient channels. We consider two explanations for these topographic differences; first, that the differences in topographic development along the Longmen Shan reflect different stages of an evolutionary history. Alternatively, these may reflect differences in the rate of differential rock uplift relative to the stable Sichuan Basin.     

Trenching exposures of the surface rupture of 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake,China: Implications for coseismic deformation and paleoseismology along the Central Longmen Shan thrust fault

The May 12, 2008, Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake was induced by failure of two of the major faults of the Longmen Shan thrust fault zone along the eastern margin of Tibet Plateau. Our study focused on trenches across the Yingxiu–Bichuan fault, the central fault in the Longmen Shan belt that has a coseismic surface break of more than 200 km long. Trenching excavation across the 2008 earthquake rupture on three representative sites reveals the styles and amounts of the deformation and paleoseismicity along the Longmen Shan fault. Styles of coseismic deformation along the 2008 earthquake rupture at these three sites represent three models of deformation along a thrust fault. Two of the three trench exposures reveal one pre-2008 earthquake event, which is coincident with the pre-existing scarps. Based on the observation of exposed stratigraphy and structures in the trenches and the geomorphic expressions on ground surface, we interpret the 2008 earthquake as a characteristic earthquake along this fault. The interval of reoccurrence of large earthquake events on the Central Longmen Shan fault (the Yingxiu–Beichuan fault) can be inferred to be about 11,000 years according to ¹⁴C and OSL dating. The amounts of the vertical displacement and shortening across the surface rupture during the 2008 earthquake are determined to be 1.0–2.8 m and 0.15–1.32 m, respectively. The shortening rate and uplift rate are then estimated to be 0.09–0.12 mm/yr and 0.18–0.2 mm/yr, respectively. It is indicated that the deformation is absorbed mainly not by shortening, but by uplift along the rupture during the 2008 earthquake.     

Parameters of Coseismic Reverse- and Oblique-Slip Surface Ruptures of the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake,Eastern Tibetan Plateau

On May 12th,2008,the M_w7.9 Wenchuan earthquake ruptured the Beichuan,Pengguan and Xiaoyudong faults simultaneously along the middle segment of the Longmenshan thrust belt at the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau.Field investigations constrain the surface rupture pattern, length and offsets related to the Wenchuan earthquake.The Beichuan fault has a NE-trending rightlateral reverse rupture with a total length of 240 km.Reassessment yields a maximum vertical offset of 6.5±0.5 m and a maximum right-lat...     

Active Tectonics of the Longmen Shan Region on the Eastern Margin of the Tibetan Plateau

There is a massive amount of geomorphic evidence for active tectonics in the Longmen Shan at the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau. We have surveyed some typical geomorphic markers including the Wenchuan-Maowen, Beichuan-Yingxiu and Pengxian-Guanxian faults, terrace offsets, scarps, fault-controlled saddles, dextral shutter ridges, dextral channel offsets, graben, shatter belts, and pull-apart basins. Electron spin resonance （ESR） and thermoluminescence（TL） ages were obtained using silty sand taken from below the surface of the sediments. According to these data, we calculated the rates of thrusting and strike-slip, and the results indicate that Cenozoic tectonic shortening at the plateau margin is minor with the rate of thrusting less than 1.10 mm/a and the rate of strike-slipping less than 1.46 mm/a. The Longmen Shan is a zone of NNE-trending dextral shear with slip-dip ratio of 6：1-1.3：1. From NW to SE, the thrust component becomes smaller, whereas the strike-slip component becomes larger.     

Structural geometry and deformation mechanism of the Longquan anticline in the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt,eastern Tibet

The 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake is a consequence of ongoing India-Tibet collision and reflects the growth of the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt. In this paper, we present new constraints on the deformation mechanism of the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt, by comparing the physical models to the example of the Longmen Shan fold-and-thrust belt. The result indicates that the deformation mechanism of the belt is mainly dominated by the pre-Sinian layer, whereas locally is controlled by the Lower Triassic layer, such as the Longquan anticline. In addition, we discuss the deformation style of the Longquan anticline various along strike, based on the seismic reflection data, interpretations of structural cross-sections and field observations, as well as physical modeling. The sandbox modeling suggests that the deformation of the central segment of Longquan anticline is likely controlled by higher displacement rate, higher erosion and lower sedimentation, which is in contrast with the southern and northern segment. Moreover, the structural geometry of the central segment of Longquan anticline is more complex than the end-member models of fault-related folds, which is mainly controlled by pure-shear wedge fault-bend fold and bounded by west-verging thrust fault.Combining the studies of the structural geometry, deformation mechanism, and previous studies, we infer that the Longquan anticline is active and potentially seismogenic. Therefore, a quantitative re-evaluation of seismic hazard in Longquan anticline and adjacent area directly beneath the densely populated Sichuan basin is urgently needed.     

青藏高原东缘龙门山晚新生代走滑挤压作用的沉积响应

成都盆地位于青藏高原东缘,夹于龙门山与龙泉山之间,盆地的长轴方向平行于龙门山,呈现为北东—南西向展布的线性盆地。盆地中充填了3.6Ma以来的半固结—松散堆积物,最大厚度为541 m,在垂向上由下部的大邑砾岩、中部的雅安砾石层和上部的上更新统至全新统砾石层组成,其与下覆地层均为不整合接触,显示该盆地是一个单独的成盆期,并非是在中生代前陆盆地基础上形成的继承性盆地。在垂直于龙门山造山带方向上,成都盆地具不对称的楔形结构,沉积基底面整体向西呈阶梯状倾斜,盆地中充填的碎屑物质均来源于盆地西侧的龙门山,具横向水系和单向充填的特征;而且盆地的沉降中心具有逐渐向远离造山带方向迁移的特征,显示盆地的挤压方向垂直于龙门山主断裂,造成了成都盆地在垂直于造山带方向上的构造缩短。在平行于龙门山造山带方向上,成都盆地具有一系列的北东向延伸的次级凸起和凹陷,凹陷和凸起相间分布,且在空间上呈斜列形式展布于盆地的底部,其中次级凹陷（沉降中心）和冲积扇具有向平行龙门山造山带方向迁移的特征,表明成都盆地西缘的龙门山断裂具有右旋走滑的特征。鉴于以上特征,认为成都盆地是在龙门山造山带晚新生代走滑与逆冲的联合作用下形成的走滑挤压盆地。     

Household recovery strategies in Longmen Mountain area,Sichuan, China,following the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake disaster

After the Wenchuan earthquake, the overall post-reconstruction of the affected area was completed in 2 years with significant achievements in a top-down fashion. However, the secondary large-scale mass movements and floods that followed the earthquake have shattered mountain settlements and resulted in serious loss of life and property over the last ten years. Local people have taken their own initiative for house reconstruction and recovery. Having taken the tremendous government-driven reconstruction into consideration, the current study aims to understand the contribution of bottom-up approach in whole reconstruction process in Jianjiang River, Longmen Mountain Town of Sichuan, China. This study reveals that in the process of individual rebuilding, local households have tried to construct houses by using more contemporary structures and local resources to rebuild smaller buildings. Such reconstruction activities have changed their lifestyle and source of income to cope with future disasters and adapt with the post-disaster recovery process. Rural households shifted their income sources from tourism to labour migration while revitalizing farming for food and additional income. More than half of residents have no worry about the risk of disasters in reconstruction areas. The bottom-up adaptation can be more sustainable in Longmen Mountain area and provide a reference for other rural areas under recovery after disasters.

     

青海玉树地区活动断裂与地震

青海玉树是巴颜喀拉地块西南边界上的典型历史强震区。最新的活动断裂遥感解译与地表调查结果表明,该区新构造期间主要发育清水河断裂带、玉树断裂带、阿布多断裂带和杂多断裂带4条NW向左旋走滑活动断裂带。其中,构成玉树—鲜水河—小江断裂系尾端构造的玉树活动断裂带是该区活动性最显著的岩石圈断裂。该断裂是由当江断裂、结古—结隆断裂和巴塘断裂3条斜接的主干断层和夹杂其间的多条次级断裂所共同构成的Z型左旋剪切张扭性变形带。它在上新世以来和晚第四纪期间的左旋走滑速率为4.0~5.4mm/a,调节了该区大部分的块体挤出与旋转变形,并构成该区大震活动的主要控震构造。历史强震梳理和古地震研究揭示,玉树主干走滑断裂带自约14530a BP以来至少发生了包括2010年地震在内的共11次大地震,原地重复间隔平均在千年以上,最长达近3000a。1738年玉树西北地震之后,玉树—甘孜断裂带的主干断层表现为平均间隔为50~100a的低频、串联式分段破裂过程,并且大震活动存在从东南向西北迁移的趋势。通过对玉树断裂未来大地震危险性进行综合地质判定认为,该区至少仍存在6段未来百年内大地震危险程度不同的地震空区,潜在的大地震震级为Mw6.6~7.3,其中危险性相对较高的段落主要是当江断裂带的当江—拉则段和结古—结隆断裂带上的结隆—叶卡诺段与桑卡—相古段。     

青海玉树地区活动断裂与地震

青海玉树是巴颜喀拉地块西南边界上的典型历史强震区。最新的活动断裂遥感解译与地表调查结果表明,该区新构造期间主要发育清水河断裂带、玉树断裂带、阿布多断裂带和杂多断裂带4条NW向左旋走滑活动断裂带。其中,构成玉树—鲜水河—小江断裂系尾端构造的玉树活动断裂带是该区活动性最显著的岩石圈断裂。该断裂是由当江断裂、结古—结隆断裂和巴塘断裂3条斜接的主干断层和夹杂其间的多条次级断裂所共同构成的Z型左旋剪切张扭性变形带。它在上新世以来和晚第四纪期间的左旋走滑速率为4.0~5.4mm/a,调节了该区大部分的块体挤出与旋转变形,并构成该区大震活动的主要控震构造。历史强震梳理和古地震研究揭示,玉树主干走滑断裂带自约14530a BP以来至少发生了包括2010年地震在内的共11次大地震,原地重复间隔平均在千年以上,最长达近3000a。1738年玉树西北地震之后,玉树—甘孜断裂带的主干断层表现为平均间隔为50~100a的低频、串联式分段破裂过程,并且大震活动存在从东南向西北迁移的趋势。通过对玉树断裂未来大地震危险性进行综合地质判定认为,该区至少仍存在6段未来百年内大地震危险程度不同的地震空区,潜在的大地震震级为Mw6.6~7.3,其中危险性相对较高的段落主要是当江断裂带的当江—拉则段和结古—结隆断裂带上的结隆—叶卡诺段与桑卡—相古段。     

龙门山及其邻区的构造和地震活动及动力学

1933年8月25日四川叠溪发生M_S7.5地震,一种代表性的观点认为松坪沟断层为此次地震的发震构造。而对于松坪沟断层的存在、发育分布以及其活动性,学者们至今仍存在一定的分歧。本文基于前人研究成果,对松坪沟中下游(松坪沟沟口至墨石寨)进行了详细的野外地质调查,并结合地球物理探测,证实了松坪沟断层的存在;松坪沟断层整体走向NW,沿松坪沟呈三段斜列式展布(NW段、中间段和SE段),其NW段倾向NE,中间段和SE段倾向SW,倾角约55°~80°;松坪沟断层以左旋走滑运动为主、兼逆冲性质,在距今两万年以来有过活动。最后通过对松坪沟流域地貌参数分析表明,该区地貌发育上处于幼年期晚期和壮年期,构造活动强烈,且松坪沟断层中间段和SE段的活动性较NW段强烈。     

龙门山构造带晚新生代剥蚀作用与均衡隆升的地表过程研究

基于SRTM DEM数据,以青藏高原东缘龙门山地区为研究区域,本文通过条带状剖面分析、古地形面(残余面)恢复以及弹性挠曲模拟等研究手段,计算了青藏高原东缘龙门山地区晚新生代地壳均衡隆升与地表剥蚀之间的定量关系,探讨了龙门山地区表面剥蚀作用与均衡隆升作用之间的地表响应过程,从而为研究青藏高原东缘龙门山地区晚新生代以来的剥蚀—成山作用的隆升机制提供定量依据。研究表明:(1)晚新生代以来龙门山的地表剥蚀量为(0.74～1.14)×105km3;(2)大量的地表剥蚀作用驱动了青藏高原东缘龙门山的地壳均衡反弹,使龙门山隆升了近2 km;(3)龙门山地区地表剥蚀量和均衡隆升量具有空间匹配性,岷山断块及龙门山中、南段的均衡隆升量高于青藏高原东缘其它区域,反映了晚新生代以来龙门山地区在不同分段内差异化的构造地貌形态及与剥蚀—隆升相关的地表过程。(4)龙门山的隆升是多期、多种隆升机制叠加的产物,其隆升过程具有历史性和复合性。均衡隆升和剥蚀作用在相似的时间尺度上和空间尺度上控制着龙门山地貌的形成,约束了青藏高原东缘龙门山的隆升机制。     

Parameters of Coseismic Reverse‐ and Oblique‐Slip Surface Ruptures of the 2008 Wenchuan Earthquake,Eastern Tibetan Plateau

Abstract: On May 12th, 2008, the Mw7.9 Wenchuan earthquake ruptured the Beichuan, Pengguan and Xiaoyudong faults simultaneously along the middle segment of the Longmenshan thrust belt at the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau. Field investigations constrain the surface rupture pattern, length and offsets related to the Wenchuan earthquake. The Beichuan fault has a NE-trending right-lateral reverse rupture with a total length of 240 km. Reassessment yields a maximum vertical offset of 6.5±0.5 m and a maximum right-lateral offset of 4.9±0.5 m for its northern segment, which are the largest offsets found; the maximum vertical offset is 6.2±0.5 m for its southern segment. The Pengguan fault has a NE-trending pure reverse rupture about 72 km long with a maximum vertical offset of about 3.5 m. The Xiaoyudong fault has a NW-striking left-lateral reverse rupture about 7 km long between the Beichuan and Pengguan faults, with a maximum vertical offset of 3.4 m and left-lateral offset of 3.5 m. This pattern of multiple co-seismic surface ruptures is among the most complicated of recent great earthquakes and presents a much larger danger than if they ruptured individually. The rupture length is the longest for reverse faulting events ever reported.     

Landslides and fluvial response to landsliding induced by the 1933 Diexi earthquake,Minjiang River,eastern Tibetan Plateau

Landslides - On 25 August 1933, a 7.5-magnitude earthquake struck the eastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau in Sichuan, China. The Diexi earthquake is among the largest known geohazard events...     

Satellite monitoring of anomalous effects in the ionosphere related to the great Wenchuan earthquake of May 12, 2008

In this paper, we present an investigation into plasma density disturbances and electric field perturbations associated with China, Sichuan, Wenchuan earthquake of magnitude M = 7.9 that occurred on May 12, 2008, at 06:28:01 UTC. The DEMETER (Detection of Electromagnetic Emissions Transmitted from Earthquake Regions) satellite was launched on June 29, 2004. The orbit of DEMETER is polar, circular with an altitude of 710 km and its main scientific objective is the study of ionospheric perturbations linked to seismic activity. For satellite orbits near the epicenter region, some ionospheric effects are investigated, which can be considered as possible earthquake precursors. The paper discusses anomalous effects in the ionosphere associated with the Wenchuan earthquake, which cannot be explained by factors of solar-magnetospheric origin. For satellite orbits eight to four days before the main shock, fluctuations in ion density and increase in horizontal and vertical components of electric field are observed near the epicenter. Post-effect is observed too. The observations suggest a coupling between the lithosphere-atmosphere-ionosphere and can be associated with the earthquake growing processes in the lithosphere and troposphere zones above the source. The results of ionospheric anomalous effects are presented and discussed. The results obtained are important because they are observed very near to epicenter.     

2008年汶川大地震孕震、同震及震后变形和应力演化全过程的数值模拟

2008年MS 8.0级汶川大地震发生在具有复杂的地质构造背景、 强烈的地表起伏、 不均匀的弹性和黏性结构的龙门山断裂带上.由于震前地震活动性不够强烈且地表构造变形较小,龙门山断裂带的地震危险性在汶川地震之前被低估.从数值模拟的角度,建立黏弹性有限元模型,考虑了初始地形、 重力、构造加载、 黏弹性松弛等因素对2008年...