Luminescence chronology of the Sankosh river terraces in the Assam- Bhutan foothills of the Himalayas: Implications to climate and tectonics

Himalaya is an active fold and thrust belt formed due to continent-continent collision between the Eurasian and Indian plates. It comprises a 3000 km long chain of mountains that span ∼1000 km across, with major boundary thrusts viz., Main Central Thrust (MCT), Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) and the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT). MFT is marked as mountain front and is the most active thrust; however, evidence of tectonic activity along MCT and MBT also exists.Tectonic activity along MFT created uplifted terraces which now serve as geomorphic archives of past tectonic events. The present study focussed on a glacial-fed river Sankosh that originates in northern Bhutan, and crosses MCT, MBT and MFT before joining the Brahmaputra River in Assam. Due to tectonic uplift, the river shows a deflection at MFT, incising and thus forming four levels of strath terraces. Luminescence chronology, geomorphic studies and analysis of satellite images suggest four levels of terraces T4 (highest level, 195 m asl), T3, T2 and T1 (lowest level, 120 m asl).The quartz was found insensitive for luminescence dating, and thus fading corrected Infra-Red Stimulated Luminescence (IRSL) ages on feldspar minerals were measured that provided ages of 143-77 ka (T4), 65-36 ka (T2) and 35-14 ka (T1), respectively. The T3 terrace was present only on the right bank of the river and could not be accessed. These ages accord with other studies at the Chalsa and Malbazar, North Bengal (west of the study area) and this regional disposition of similar ages suggest that these formed during glacial-interglacial periods. The strath terraces indicate a time-averaged tectonic uplift with a 0.5 mm/year rate over the past 150 ka.     

INFLUENCE OF TECTONICS AND CLIMATE ON THE EVOLU-TION OF FLUVIAL TERRACES: A CASE STUDY OF THE HONGSHUIBA AND MAYING RIVERS IN THE NORTHERN MARGIN OF THE QILIAN MOUNTAINS

In tectonically active regions, geomorphic features such as fluvial terraces can be interpreted as the consequence of tectonic and climatic forcing. However, deciphering and distinguishing tectonic impacts and climate changes remain a challenge. In this study, we examine the terraces along the Hongshuiba river and Maying river, which flow across the Fudongmiao-Hongyazi fault in the northern margin of the Qilian Mountains. Our purpose is to analyze the relative roles of tectonics and climate in shaping orogenic topography in this area. 8~9 levels of river terraces were identified through field observations, interpretation of satellite images and using DEMs. According to relative heights and ages of T₅ of the Hongshuiba river and T₆ of the Maying river, the incision rates are calculated to be (10.2±2.0)mm/a and (12.2±2.8)mm/a, respectively. Furthermore, the thrust rate along the Fodongmiao-hongyazi fault was determined based on offset terraces and OSL dating, which are ten times less than river incision rates approximately. Comparing the uplift rate and incision rate in the northern margin of the Qilian Mountains and adjacent areas, we inferred that climate change is the most plausible controlling factor in the evolution of the river terraces, while tectonics plays a minor role in this process.     

Interaction between the controls on fluvial system development: tectonics,climate, base level and river capture – Rio Alias,Southeast Spain

Fluvial systems in uplifting terrain respond to tectonic, climatic, eustatic and local base‐level controls modified by specific local factors, such as river capture. The Rio Alias in southeast Spain is an ephemeral, transverse‐to‐structure fluvial system. The river drains two interconnected Neogene sedimentary basins, the Sorbas and Almeria basins, and crosses two major geological structures, the Sierras de Alhamilla/Cabrera and the Carboneras Fault Zone. Regional epeirogenic uplift resulted in sustained fluvial incision during the Quaternary, punctuated by major climatically driven periods of aggradation and dissection, which created a suite of five river terraces. The river terrace sequence was radically modified in the late Pleistocene by a major river capture (itself a response to regional tectonics), localized tectonic activity and eustatic base‐level change. The Rio Alias is defined by four reaches; within each the climatically‐generated, region‐wide, fluvial response was modified by tectonics, base‐level change or river capture to varying degrees. In the upper part of the basin (Lucainena reach), climate was the dominant control on river development, with limited modification of the sequence by uplift of the Sierra Alhamilla and local drainage reorganization by a local river capture. Downstream of the Sierra Alhamilla in the Polopus reach, the climatic signal is dominant, but its expression is radically modified by the response to a major river capture whereby the Alias system lost up to 70% of its pre‐capture drainage area. In the reach adjacent to the Carboneras Fault Zone (Argamason reach), modification of the terrace sequence by local tectonic activity and a resultant local base‐level fall led to a major local incisional event (propagating c. 3–4 km upstream from the area of tectonic disturbance). At the seaward end of the system (El Saltador reach) Quaternary sea‐level changes modified the patterns of erosion and incision and have resulted in steep incisional terrace profiles. The signals generated by regional tectonics and the Quaternary climate change can be identified throughout the basin but those generated by ongoing local tectonics, river capture and sea‐level change are spatially restricted and define the four reaches. The connectivity of the system from the headwaters to the coast decreased through time as incision progressed, resulting in changes in local coupling characteristics. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Overview of Recent Coastal Tectonic Deformation in the Mexican Subduction Zone

Holocene and Pleistocene tectonic deformation of the coast in the Mexico subudction margin is recorded by geomorphic and stratigraphic markers. We document the spatial and temporal variability of active deformation on the coastal Mexican subduction margin. Pleistocene uplift rates are estimated using wave-cut platforms at ca. 0.7?C0.9?m/ka on the Jalisco block coast, Rivera-North America tectonic plate boundary. We examine reported measurements from marine notches and shoreline angle elevations in conjunction with their radiocarbon ages that indicate surface uplift rates increasing during the Holocene up to ca. 3?±?0.5?m/ka. In contrast, steady rates of uplift (ca. 0.5?C1.0?m/ka) in the Pleistocene and Holocene characterize the Michoacan coastal sector, south of El Gordo graben and north of the Orozco Fracture Zone (OFZ), incorporated within the Cocos-North America plate boundary. Significantly higher rates of surface uplift (ca. 7?m/ka) across the OFZ subduction may reflect the roughness of subducting plate. Absence of preserved marine terraces on the coastal sector across El Gordo graben likely reflects slow uplift or coastal subsidence. Stratigraphic markers and their radiocarbon ages show late Holocene (ca. last 6?ka bp) coastal subsidence on the Guerrero gap sector in agreement with a landscape barren of marine terraces and with archeological evidence of coastal subsidence. Temporal and spatial variability in recent deformation rates on the Mexican Pacific coast may be due to differences in tectonic regimes and to localized processes related to subduction, such as crustal faults, subduction erosion and underplating of subducted materials under the southern Mexico continental margin.     

阿尔金断裂带西段莫勒切河河口阶地的构造及气候意义

通过对阿尔金断裂带西段莫勒切河河口附近卫星影像解译、野外调查测量及地貌面样品年龄测定,利用宽谷阶地、堆积阶地获取构造隆升速率、构造变形方式及加积速率,并结合区域气候资料探讨该区阶地发育对气候变化的响应.莫勒切河出山口发育4级阶地(T<‘4>,T<‘3>,T<‘2>,T<‘1>),其中T<‘4>、T<‘3>为宽谷阶地,T...     

广东深圳断裂带活动性的第四纪地质和地貌研究

深圳断裂带分布着一系列第四纪盆地,发育了以晚更新世河流相为主的沉积物,其厚度一般小于10—15米。它们的出现与断裂破碎带、岩溶地层分布及断裂早期活动有关。但是,未见错动了第四纪沉积物的断层。从约180万年以来,断裂带内发育了四级夷平面和三级河流阶地。不同时期地壳相对升降平均速率估计为约0.04毫米/年至0.2毫米/年。 在第四纪地质时期,深圳断裂带总体处于区域性的间歇性抬升过程,断裂活动不明显     

New chronological constraints on the Plio-Pleistocene uplift of the Guizhou Plateau,SE margin of the Tibetan Plateau

The Guizhou Plateau represents a geomorphic transition between the Tibetan Plateau and the Yangtze River Plain. It likely formed in response to the propagation of surface uplift in southeastern Tibet during India-Eurasia continental collision. However, the uplift history of the region is unclear largely due to a lack of datable material. The bedrock geology is dominated by carbonate rocks, which contains numerous multi-level caves in the main river valleys that are linked to the river incision history. Cosmogenic ²⁶Al and ¹⁰Be burial dating of sediments in caves and river terraces from the northwestern and southern plateau reveals the fluvial chronology and provides the first direct determination of long-term river incision rates. The caves and terraces on the Liuchong River in NW Guizhou yield burial ages of between 0.41 ± 0.12 Ma and 2.85 ± 0.21 Ma, indicating an average incision rate of 57 ± 3 m/Ma. Four level caves at Libo in southern Guizhou yield burial ages of between 0.56 ± 0.16 Ma and 3.54 (+0.25/-0.22) Ma, indicating slightly slower incision rate (47 ± 5 m/Ma). These new results imply that the high elevation of the Guizhou Plateau had developed before the Late Pliocene, and that surface uplift during the Late Cenozoic was largely uniform across the region.     

Geomorphological response of fluvial and coastal terraces to Quaternary tectonics and climate as revealed by geostatistical topographic analysis

Geostatistical topographic analysis is widely recognized as a useful tool for the statistical reconstruction of planar geomorphic markers from relict surfaces. This work is aimed at improving the geostatistical approach used in previous works and developing a method for evaluating the incision rates of rivers in their lower catchments during the Late Quaternary. We chose the major valleys of the Adriatic foothills (central Italy), affected since Late Miocene by a differential tectonic uplift which is still active. In particular, (i) we applied the geostatistical analysis to reconstruct the original top‐surfaces of fluvial‐to‐coastal terrace bodies at the Metauro River and Cesano River mouths; (ii) we performed correlations between the height distribution of the alluvial terrace sequences and the Quaternary climatic curve to estimate the average long‐term fluvial incision rates in the lowermost reaches of the Metauro, Cesano, Misa and Esino Rivers. The obtained averaged incision rates have been interpreted also in the light of the Stream‐Length Gradient Index (SL Index), Steepness Index (K_s), and Concavity Index (θ) as proxies of the stream‐power per unit length. Results confirm that geostatistical and terrain analysis of topographic and geometric arrangements of fluvial and coastal terraces is an effective tool in detecting geomorphic and tectonic factors inducing perturbations on planar geomorphic markers. In particular, we better delineated the surface geometry and boundaries of well‐developed coastal fans at the mouths of the Metauro and Cesano Rivers, already recognized in previous works through sedimentological, morphostratigraphic, and chronological data. Moreover, we found evidence for cut‐and‐fill phases that took place during and immediately after the river aggradation of the late Quaternary glacial periods. Despite the Slope–Area analysis evidenced a widespread influence of the regional differential uplift on single river basin configuration, we observed some space and time variability of averaged incision rates for adjacent valleys, mainly explained by physiographic configuration and dynamics of drainage network. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fluvial terraces and their implications for Weihe River valley evolution in the Sanyangchuan Basin

Fluvial terraces are important geomorphic markers for modern valley development.When coupled with numeric ages,terraces can provide abundant information about tectonic,climatic,paleohydrological and the paleoenvironmental changes.On the basis of the paleomagnetic,electron spin resonance(ESR) and optically stimulated luminescence(OSL) dating,in addition to an investigation of local loess-paleosol sequences,we confirmed that 13 fluvial terraces were formed,and then preserved,along the course of the Upper Weihe River in the Sanyangchuan Basin over the past 1.2 Ma.Analyses of the characteristics and genesis of these terraces indicate that they resulted from the response of this particular river system to climate change over an orbital scale.These changes can further be placed within the context of local and regional tectonic uplift,and represent an alternation between lateral migration and vertical incision,dependent upon the predominance of climatic and tectonic controls during different periods.Most of the terraces are strikingly similar in that they have several meters of paleosols which have developed directly on top of fluvial deposits located on the terrace treads,suggesting that the abandonment of terraces due to river incision occurred during the transitions from glacial to interglacial climates.The temporal and spatial differences in the distribution patterns of terraces located on either side of the river valley indicate that a tectonic inversion occurred in Sanyangchuan Basin at-0.62 Ma,and that this was characterized by a transition from overall uplift to depression induced by fault activity.Synthesized studies of the Basin's terraces indicate that formation of the modern valley of the Upper Weihe River may have begun in the late Early Pleistocene between1.4-1.2 Ma.     

Diachronous evolution of sub-Himalayan piggyback basins, Nepal

The geomorphology and related geostructures in the region of the dun valleys in Nepal (e.g. the Deukhuri Dun, the Chitwan Dun, the Hetauda Dun and the Trijuga Dun) have been surveyed in order to understand the neotectonics along the Himalayan front. The sub-Himalayan intermontane basins developed as piggyback basins located on the thrust-sheet of the Himalaya Front Fault (HFF equivalent to the Frontal Churia Thrust, the Main Siwalik Thrust or the Main Frontal Thrust). Each piggyback basin is a result of the north-northeast–south-southwest crustal shortening between the Indian Shield and the Himalayas. The evolution of the dun valleys is recorded as current reversals between the Upper Siwalik Group and the basin fills. The Upper Siwalik Group formed as piedmont alluvial fans distributed along the foot of the Lesser Himalaya and/or the Inner Churia Range, and show predominantly southerly current directions. In contrast, the basin fills distributed along the southern margin of the dun valleys formed by north-flowing drainage systems. The oldest basin fills of the piggyback basins appear to have commenced by the middle Pleistocene in the Deukhuri Dun and the Chitwan Dun, by the late Pleistocene in the Hetauda Dun, and by the latest Pleistocene in the Trijuga Dun. The diachronous evolution of the dun valleys suggest that the morphogenesis of the HFF zone was controlled by west-to-east propagation in late Quaternary time. These morphotectonics suggest the oblique-slip thrusting of the HFF zone which can be related to the oblique convergence between the Indian Shield and the Himalayas, and/or the counter-clockwise rotation of the Indian Subcontinent.     

Volcanism and mantle–crust evolution: The Etna case

Mount Etna is located in a particular region of convergence of African and Eurasian plates where intense post-collisional tectonics caused considerable uplift. However we present arguments supporting the hypothesis that volcanism and associated seismic activity would result from a local mantle uprise leading to a “horst”, probably linked to a deep-rooted hot spot. It ensued deformation and fracturing of the overlying crust with emission of aphyric tholeiitic basalts directly from their mantle source, and subsequent development of a “deep reservoir” (or complex of intrusions) at the top of a mantle diapir near 30 km depth. This is advocated by the appearance of porphyritic alkaline lavas whose mineral equilibria and differentiation processes are consistent with an 8–10 kbar pressure, and by the development of central volcanoes. The horst itself appears to have begun in the SW sector of the present volcanic area. Its uplift was greater westward, as seen from the trend of the terraces along the Simeto river, and became later obvious toward the SE. These differential movements produced fractures and faults which are to day evident in the southern area of Mt Etna. The growth of the horst then proceeded in a NE direction, following the regional tectonic lines and with a greater intensity along the side facing SE, crossed by the regional NNW–SSE line (Aeolian–Maltese escarpment).The seismicity and ground deformation registered over the last twenty years support the proposed model. Earthquakes are unfrequent in the lower southern and western areas of the volcano, whereas they are numerous and stronger to the north-east, in the summit area above 1600 m a.s.l., and in the eastern sector along the NW–SE faults and fractures. Finally, a digital elevation model recently published reveals the existence of two tectonic domains. The first one is associated with the horst and contains prevalently NE–SW oriented faults, whereas the second is mainly linked to regional tectonics with NNW–SSE and NW–SE faults and fractures.     

TECTONIC FEATURE OF QINGHAI-XIZANG PLATEAU AND ITS STRESSED STATE

This paper deals with the uplift mechanism and the uplift form of Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) plateau and the deformation regularity of its surrounding region caused by this uplifting. It is shown that the insertion of Indian plate with the wedge-like frontal margin beneath Qinghai-Xizang plateau made the plateau compressed and uplifted; at same time along several pre-existing large faults, striking NE and NW, the strike-slip movement took place. It is of great significance to study Asian     

用转换函数方法研究喜马拉雅地区速度结构

利用流动数字地震台网提供的三分量地震波形记录,应用转换函数及快速模拟退火算法对喜马拉雅山脉地区46个地震站下的地壳横波速度结构进行了反演,为进一步揭示青藏高原喜马拉雅山脉地区的动力学演化过程提供了可靠的地球物理证据.根据本文结果可清晰看到,喜马拉雅山脉地区作为当今地壳活动最活跃的地区,物质交换非常活跃,地下结构远远未达到平衡,地壳速度有很大差异,在板块边界处莫霍界面速度间断不是非常明显,自喜马拉雅南坡向高原腹地,地壳厚度大致从55 km增加到80 km;沿经度方向,莫霍面也有一定的起伏.通过研究得到另外一个证据是,在喜马拉雅的主中央逆冲断裂,由大陆碰撞产生的主要构造,其深度可能要大于80 km.     

Geodynamic evolution of Korea: A view

Abstract Evidence for South Korean Palaeozoic geodynamic evolution is restricted to the Ogcheon Belt, which is a complex polycyclic domain forming the boundary between the Precambrian Gyeonggi Block to the northwest and the Ryeongnam Block to the southeast. Two independent sub-zones can be distinguished: the Taebaeksan Zone to the northeast and the Ogcheon Zone sensu stricto. The Taebaeksan Zone and Ryeongnam Block display characteristic features of the North China palaeocontinent. This domain remained relatively stable during the Palaeozoic. In contrast, the Ogcheon Belt s. s. is a highly mobile zone that belongs to the South China palaeocontinent and corresponds to a rift that opened during the Early Palaeozoic. In lowermost Devonian times, the rift basin was closed and the Ogcheon Belt was structured in a pile of nappes. From the lack of suture in the Ogcheon Belt it can be inferred that the Gyeonggi Block belongs to the South China palaeocontinent. Thus, the boundary between the North China and South China blocks should be located to the north of Gyeonggi Block, that is, in the Palaeozoic Imjingang Belt. From the Middle Carboniferous, sedimentation started again on a weakly subsiding paralic platform located in the hinterland of the Late Palaeozoic orogen of southwest Japan. In the Late Carboniferous, increasing subsidence recorded extensional tectonics related to the opening of the Yakuno Oceanic Basin (southwest Japan). In the Middle Permian, the end of marine influences in the platform and emplacement of terrestrial coal measures, may be correlated with the closure of the oceanic area and subsequent ophiolite obduction. In Late Permian to Early Triassic times, the Honshu Block (the eastern palaeomargin of the Yakuno Basin) collided with Sino-Korea. Post-collisional intracontinental tectonics reached the Ogcheon Belt in the Middle Triassic (Songnim tectonism). Ductile dextral shear zones associated with synkinematic granitoids were emplaced in the southwest of the belt. In the Upper Triassic, the late stages of the intracontinental transcurrent tectonics generated narrow intramontane troughs (Daedong Supergroup). The Daedong basins were deformed during two tectonic events, in the Middle (?) and Late Jurassic. The Upper Jurassic to Lower Cretaceous basins (Gyeongsang Supergroup), that are controlled by left-lateral faults, may have resulted from the same tectonic event.     

GEOMORPHOLOGY OF THE GYARING CO FAULT ZONAL DRAINAGE SYSTEM AND ITS STRUCTURAL IMPLICATIONS

Strike-slip faults and normal faults are dominant active tectonics in the interior of Tibetan plateau and control a series of basins and lakes showing extension since the Late Cenozoic, by contrast with the thrust faulting along the orogenic belts bordering the plateau. The late Neotectonic movement of those faults is key information to understand the deformation mechanism for Tibetan plateau. The Gyaring Co Fault is a major active right-lateral strike-slip fault striking~300° for a distance of~240km in central Tibet, in south of Bangong-Nujiang suture zone. The Gyaring Co Fault merges with the north-trending Xainza-Dinggye rift near the southern shore of Gyaring Co. From NW to SE, Dongguo Co, Gemang Co-Zhangnai Co, Zigui Co-Gyaring Co form the Gyaring Co fault zonal drainage basin. Some scholars have noticed that the formation of lakes and basins may be related to strike-slip faults and rift, but there is no analysis on the Gyaring Co fault zonal drainage basin and its response to regional tectonics. In recent years, a variety of quantitative geomorphic parameters have been widely used in the neotectonic systems to analyze the characteristics of the basin and its response mechanism to the tectonic movement. In this paper, we applied ASTER GDEM data on the ArcGIS platform, extracted the Gyaring Co fault zonal drainage basin based on Google Earth images (Landsat and GeoEye) and field work. We acquired basic geomorphic parameters of 153 sub-basin (such as grade, relief, average slope, area) and Hypsometric Index (HI) value and curve. Statistical results have indicated significant differences in scale(area and river network grade)in north and south sides of the fault. Southern drainage basins' relief, slope, HI value are higher than the northern basins, and the overall shape of hypsometric curve of northern basins are convex compared with southern concavity. Along the strike of the Gyaring Co Fault, average slope, and HI value are showing generally increasing trending and hypsometric curve become convex from west to east. By comparing and analyzing the lithology and rainfall conditions, we found that they have little influence on the basic parameters and HI value of drainage basins. Therefore, the changes of basin topographic differences between northern and southern side of fault and profile reveal the Gyaring Co Fault has experienced differential uplift since the late Cenozoic, southern side has greater uplift compared to the north side, and the uplift increased from NW to SE, thus indicate that normal faulting of the Gyaring Co Fault may enhanced by the Xainza-Dinggye rift. The early uplift of the Gangdise-Nyainqentanglha Mountain in late Cenozoic might provide northward inclined pre-existing geomorphic surfaces and the later further rapid uplift on the Gangdise-Nyaingentanglha Mountain and Xainza-Dinggye rift might contribute to the asymmetrical development of the Gyaring Co fault zonal drainage basin.     

The effects of deforestation on slope and channel evolution in the tectonically active Darjeeling Himalaya

The main indicators of Quaternary tectonic uplift are the young mountain slopes of the Darjeeling Himalaya, rising straight above the Ganga–Brahmaputra foredeep, fragments of uplifted river terraces and fresh fault scarps. Evidence for the continuation of the uplift includes downcutting of the Tista and other straight rivers in the bedrock, continuing aggradation in the plains and overriding of the metamorphic rocks on the alluvia. Owing to deforestation and extensive land use, the earlier natural tendency of a dominance of channel incision over slope degradation has changed to prevailing aggradation, even in steep valley reaches, caused by intensive slope mass movements and the overloading of the mountain creeks. Aggradation progresses upstream along the rivers dissecting the mountain front.     

滇西地区怒江河流阶地、夷平面变形反映的第四纪构造运动

滇西地区自第四纪以来经过了复杂的构造抬升, 其上新世准平原面被差异抬升为不同高度的夷平面。 在抬升过程中, 怒江的侵蚀作用形成了深切的高山峡谷地貌, 并形成了能反映构造抬升过程的多级河流阶地。 这种高山峡谷地貌的形成不仅与构造活动有关, 还与气候变化有关, 但构造活动是主因。 通过河流阶地和夷平面的研究能够得到河流阶地特征和差异隆升特征, 并能够进一步反演该区的构造活动特征。     

龙泉山背斜的地壳缩短与隆升——来自河流阶地变形的证据

位于龙门山逆冲推覆构造带东侧的龙泉山背斜,构成了四川前陆盆地的前陆隆起。通过室内航空相片对凯江跨背斜段的地貌面的解译,结合野外考察可知凯江发育3级阶地,其中T₁、T₂为堆积阶地,T₃为基座阶地。在野外用差分GPS测量了阶地的空间坐标信息,同时采集了各级阶地堆积物的测年样本,并经实验分析约束了阶地的形成年龄。另外,对石油地震剖面解译揭示出龙泉山背斜北段地壳缩短和隆升主要是通过褶皱膝折带迁移机制进行的,滑脱层的深度约6km。利用面积守恒准则计算出龙泉山背斜晚更新世以来的地壳缩短速率约为(1.36±0.41)mm/a、隆升速率为(0.64±0.19)mm/a。通过滑脱层的推覆抬升机制形成的龙泉山背斜,给青藏高原东缘变形模式中的逆断层推覆地壳缩短造山增加了证据。     

A 3-d model of quaternary terrace development,simulations of terrace stratigraphy and valley asymmetry: A case study for the allier terraces (limagne,France)

The combined effects of climate and tectonism on general terrace stratigraphy and valley asymmetry during the last half million years in the Allier system (France) are simulated by a 3-D conceptual model (LIMTER). This model allows the formulation and evaluation of long term terrace formation scenarios for the Allier system. Simulation results suggest that terrace stratigraphy in the study area is mainly the result of internal dynamics and climatic change. Local tectonism contributed to the development of unpaired terraces while the general regional uplift played a dominant role in determining terrace formation and preservation in general.     

青藏高原南缘2015年尼泊尔MW7.8地震发震构造

2015年4 月25 日尼泊尔M_W7.8特大地震发生在喜马拉雅山南麓, 震源机制解表明该地震为低角度逆冲型地震.通过收集地震区的活动构造研究资料、卫星影像解释和野外实地考察,认为尼泊尔M_W7.8地震区地表分布三条主要的逆冲断裂,由北向南分别为喜马拉雅主中央断裂(MCT)、喜马拉雅主边界断裂(MBT)和喜马拉雅主前缘断裂(MFT).主边界断裂和主前缘断裂为晚更新世以来的活动断裂,但至今为止也没有发现喜马拉雅主中央断裂晚第四纪活动的依据.野外调查未发现尼泊尔M_W7.8地震在喜马拉雅山南麓的主要断裂上形成地震地表破裂带.喜马拉雅山南麓的构造特征为薄皮构造,表现为浅部陡倾断坡-深部缓倾断坪(7°左右)-深部断坡(11°左右)的构造样式.深部断坡-断坪又称为主喜马拉雅断裂(MHT),其中的深部断坡是尼泊尔地震主震(M_W7.8)和最大余震(M_W7.3)的发震构造.余震大致沿北西向的高喜马拉雅山前缘呈条带状分布,主要分布在低喜马拉雅山区内.剖面上,余震大致分布在主喜马拉雅断裂的上盘推覆体内,推测尼泊尔M_W7.8地震时深部断坡发生错动,其地震位移沿深部断坡-断坪向南传播引起上盘的褶皱带缩短变形,进而触发低喜马拉雅和次喜马拉雅褶皱带内产生次级破裂从而产生余震.