Earthquake geology of Kashmir Basin and its implications for future large earthquakes

Two major traces of active thrust faults were identified in the Kashmir Basin (KB) using satellite images and by mapping active geomorphic features. The ~N130°E strike of the mapped thrust faults is consistent with the regional ~NE–SW convergence along the Indian–Eurasian collision zone. The ~NE dipping thrust faults have uplifted the young alluvial fan surfaces at the SW side of the KB. This created a major tectono-geomorphic boundary along the entire strike length of the KB that is characterised by (1) a low relief with sediment-filled sluggish streams to the SE and (2) an uplifted region, with actively flowing streams to the SW. The overall tectono-geomorphic expression suggests that recent activity along these faults has tilted the entire Kashmir valley towards NE. Further, the Mw 7.6 earthquake, which struck Northern Pakistan and Kashmir on 8 October 2005, also suggests a similar strike and NE dipping fault plane, which could indicate that the KB fault is continuous over a distance of ~210 km and connects on the west with the Balakot Bagh fault. However, the geomorphic and the structural evidences of such a structure are not very apparent on the north-west, which thus suggest that it is not a contiguous structure with the Balakot Bagh fault. Therefore, it is more likely that the KB fault is an independent thrust, a possible ramp on the Main Himalayan Thrust, which has uplifting the SW portion of the KB and drowning everything to the NE (e.g. Madden et al. 2011). Furthermore, it seems very likely that the KB fault could be a right stepping segment of the Balakot Bagh fault, similar to Riasi Thrust, as proposed by Thakur et al. (2010). The earthquake magnitude is measured by estimating the fault rupture parameters (e.g. Wells and Coppersmith in Bull Seismol Soc Am 84:974–1002, 1994). Therefore, the total strike length of the mapped KB fault is ~120 km and by assuming a dip of 29° (Avouac et al. in Earth Planet Sci Lett 249:514–528, 2006) and a down-dip limit of 20 km, a Mw of 7.6 is possible on this fault.     

Field report:Research along the Yarlung Suture Zone in Southern Tibet,a persistent geological frontier

The Yarlung Suture Zone in Southern Tibet marks the boundary between India and Asia-formerly separated by an ocean basin-and is a critical record of the tectonic processes that created the Tibetan Plateau. The Yarlung Suture Zone is also a frontier research area, as difficulty of access has limited research activity, providing ample opportunities for new discoveries. This paper documents field research conducted by the authors along the Yarlung suture zone in eastern Xigaze(Shigatse, Rikaze)County, ~250 km west of the city of Lhasa, in July 2017. The goal of this research was to map the Suture Zone structure in detail, and more specifically to understand the branching relationships between two major fault systems-the Great Counter Thrust and Gangdese Thrust. A summary of early geological exploration is included to provide context for this research.     

汶川Ms8.0地震后龙门山断裂带地壳应力场及其构造意义

2008年5月12日在青藏高原东缘龙门山断裂带中段发生汶川8.0级特大地震。大震发生时释放应力并对震源区及外围构造应力场产生影响,受汶川地震断层破裂方式和强度空间差异性的影响,震后龙门山断裂带地壳应力场也应表现差异特征,至今鲜有针对该科学问题深入的分析和讨论。经过系统收集、梳理汶川地震后沿龙门山断裂带水压致裂地应力测量数据与2008年汶川地震中强余震序列震源机制解资料,对汶川地震后龙门山断裂带中上地壳构造应力场进行厘定,通过与震前构造应力场对比,深入探讨了汶川8.0级地震对龙门山断裂带地壳应力场的影响,进而对汶川震后应力调整过程及青藏高原东缘龙门山地区深部构造变形模式进行研究,研究结果表明:受汶川8.0级地震的影响,震后龙门山断裂带地壳构造应力场空间分布具有差异性,近地表至上地壳15 km深度范围,映秀—青川段最大主应力方向为北西西向、地应力状态为逆走滑型,青川东北部最大主应力方向偏转至北东东向、应力状态转变为走滑型;15~25km深度范围,龙门山断裂带最大主应力方向仍为北西—北西西向、应力状态以逆冲型为主。汶川8.0级地震后,龙门山断裂带中地壳北西西向逆冲挤压的构造应力特征进一步支持了青藏高原东缘龙门山地区东西两侧刚性块体碰撞挤压、逆冲推覆的动力学模式。     

Seismic hazard in mega city Kolkata, India

The damages caused by recent earthquakes in India have been a wake up call for people to take proper mitigation measures, especially the major cities that lie in the high seismic hazard zones. Kolkata City, with thick sediment deposit (∼12 km), one of the earliest cities of India, is an area of great concern as it lies over the Bengal Basin and lies at the boundary of the seismic zones III and IV of the zonation map of India. Kolkata has been affected by the 1897 Shillong earthquake, the 1906 Calcutta earthquake, and the 1964 Calcutta earthquake. An analysis on the maximum magnitude and b-value for Kolkata City region is carried out after the preparation of earthquake catalog from various sources. Based on the tectonic set-up and seismicity of the region, five seismic zones are delineated, which can pose a threat to Kolkata in the event of an earthquake. They are broadly classified as Zone 1: Arakan-Yoma Zone (AYZ), Zone 2: Himalayan Zone (HZ), Zone 3: Shillong Plateau Zone (SPZ), Zone 4: Bay of Bengal Zone (BBZ), and Zone 5: Shield Zone (SZ). The maximum magnitude (m _max) for Zones 1, 2, 3, 4, and 5 are 8.30 ± 0.51, 9.09 ± 0.58, 9.20 ± 0.51, 6.62 ± 0.43 and 6.61 ± 0.43, respectively. A probability of 10% exceedance value in 50 years is used for each zone. The probabilities of occurrences of earthquakes of different magnitudes for return periods of 50 and 100 years are computed for the five seismic zones. The Peak Ground Acceleration (PGA) obtained for Kolkata City varies from 0.34 to 0.10 g.     

Seismogenic Tectonics and Dynamics of the 2011 Ms5.9 Yingjiang Earthquake in Yunnan,China

In the southern South–North Seismic Zone, China, seismic activity in the Yingjiang area of western Yunnan increased from December 2010, and eventually a destructive earthquake of Ms5.9 occurred near Yingjiang town on 10 March 2011. The focal mechanism and hypocenter location of the mainshock suggest that the Dayingjiang Fault was the site of the mainshock rupture. However, most of foreshocks and all aftershocks recorded by a portable seismic array located close to the mainshock occurred along the N–S-striking Sudian Fault, indicating that this fault had an important influence on these shocks. Coulomb stress calculations show that three strong(magnitude ≥5.0) earthquakes that occurred in the study region in 2008 increased the coulomb stress along the plane parallel to the Dayingjiang Fault. This supports the Dayingjiang Fault, and not the Sudian Fault, as the seismogenic fault of the 2011 Ms5.9 Yingjiang earthquake. The strong earthquakes in 2008 also increased the Coulomb stress at depths of ≤5 km along the entire Sudian Fault, and by doing so increased the shallow seismic activity along the fault. This explains why the foreshocks and aftershocks of the 2011 Yingjiang earthquake were located mostly on the Sudian Fault where it cuts the shallow crust. The earthquakes at the intersection of the Sudian and Dayingjiang faults are distributed mainly along a belt that dips to the southeast at ~40°, suggesting that the Dayingjiang Fault in the mainshock area also dips to the southeast at ~40°.     

琼北老城剖面记录的马袅—铺前断裂西段晚更新世活动历史

马袅-铺前断裂为1605年海南琼山7.5级大地震的发震断裂之一,其活动历史研究对琼北地区地壳稳定性评价、防震减灾以及琼州海峡跨海大桥等重大工程建设有重要意义。地质地貌调查结果表明,马袅-铺前断裂西段由三条近东西向平行展布的北倾阶梯状正断层组成,并构成南北宽约2.5 km的断裂带。老城人工开挖南北宽达70 m的断裂带剖面揭露了该断裂晚更新世活动历史,道堂组光释光(OSL)年代学测试结果表明断裂在距今16~31 ka期间经历了两期活动:第一期表现为南、北相向倾斜的正断活动,累计垂直位移3.3 m;第二期为南倾的正断活动,活动强度较大。马袅-铺前断裂错断不同时代地层的位移量表明该断裂自上新世以来开始活动,第四纪活动强烈,现今仍是琼北控制地震活动的重要断裂。     

南海北缘钻探选址：滨海断裂带大型海洋地质灾害研究

滨海断裂带是南海北缘的一条大型活动断裂带，其位置靠近我国华南沿海地区。滨海断裂带全长超过1200 km，包括西段（北部湾- 阳江），中段（珠江口）和东段（粤东- 福建）。其西段和东段历史上至少曾发生过4次大地震（M7+），中段目前是一个大地震空区。在经济高速发展和人口高度密集的今天，如果滨海断裂带再次发生大地震并触发海啸，必将对我国华南沿海地区造成灾难性破坏。由于缺乏完整的历史地震记录和针对古地震的钻孔沉积研究，目前尚不清楚滨海断裂带大地震的准确次数、空间分布和复发周期，以及中段大地震空区的主要原因（断层蠕滑或大地震周期较长），因此无法有效评估该断裂带的大地震破裂分段和灾害风险。本研究总结了滨海断裂带的构造特征、重点描述了3次历史大地震及引发的灾害影响，和国际上针对海底大地震的钻探研究经验。根据这些信息，本文建议在断裂带的西段、中断和东段进行大洋钻探，获取穿过断层带的关键沉积和岩石样品，利用沉积古地震方法重建滨海断裂带东段和西段的大地震历史和复发周期，研究断层带的岩石物理性质，揭示滨海断裂中段大地震空区的成因，解析断层分段式破裂的原因，为我国海洋防灾减灾提供重要的科学依据。     

青藏高原北部第四纪早期断裂活动的 新生性变化初步研究*

关于第四纪早期构造事件的年代学研究取得了大量数据,但对构造事件的表现形式缺乏认识。文章通过对海原断裂带内拉分盆地演化趋势及年代学研究,认为海原断裂带内的最新拉分盆地形成于1.6MaB.P.之后,代表一次新断裂的形成时期,且新断裂走向与先存断裂有一定的逆时针夹角。通过对青藏高原中部可可西里-东昆仑断裂带构造地貌的遥感解译和强震破裂调查,认为可可西里-东昆仑断裂带是一条具有新生性的强震构造带,新断裂形成时期为1.10~0.65MaB.P.之间,其构造带内的新生性断裂走向与先存断裂亦有一定的逆时针方向夹角。两条断裂带具有一致的演化趋势,说明在早更新世中后期存在区域性的构造事件,该事件表现为一系列新生性断裂的产生。     

Quaternary fault segmentation and interaction in the epicentral area of the 1561 earthquake (Mw = 6.4), Vallo di Diano, southern Apennines, Italy

The main structural characteristics of the Caggiano and Polla faults, exposed in the epicentral area of the 1561 earthquake (Mw = 6.4), southern Italy, have been investigated in detail to assess their spatial and temporal properties, and to evaluate their seismogenic potential. These right stepping normal faults show an overlap of about 7 km and an across strike separation of about 4 km. The geometric relationships between the Caggiano and Polla faults, but also the displacement distribution along each fault, demonstrate that they have been strongly interacting throughout the Pleistocene. Nevertheless, geological evidence of Holocene tectonic activity was mainly recognized along the Caggiano Fault (faulted late glacial deposits) and in the southernmost part of the Polla Fault (faulted deposits of probably Late Pleistocene age). This suggests that the Caggiano Fault can be considered as the most tectonically active fault in the Vallo di Diano Fault System. By calculating Coulomb stress changes, we have constrained modes of mechanical interactions between the two faults in a scenario compatible with the 1561 earthquake. This approach allows us to argue that both the Caggiano and the Polla Faults are probably linked at depth, and part of the same seismogenic structure which may be potentially responsible for composite ruptures with magnitude ≥ 6.5.     

Late Quaternary activity and dextral strike-slip movement on the Karakax Fault Zone, northwest Tibet

Field observations and interpretations of satellite images reveal that the westernmost segment of the Altyn Tagh Fault (called Karakax Fault Zone) striking WNW located in the northwestern margin of the Tibetan Plateau has distinctive geomorphic and tectonic features indicative of right-lateral strike-slip fault in the Late Quaternary. South-flowing gullies and N–S-trending ridges are systematically deflected and offset by up to ~ 1250 m, and Late Pleistocene–Holocene alluvial fans and small gullies that incise south-sloping fans record dextral offset up to ~ 150 m along the fault zone. Fault scarps developed on alluvial fans vary in height from 1 to 24 m. Riedel composite fabrics of foliated cataclastic rocks including cataclasite and fault gouge developed in the shear zone indicate a principal right-lateral shear sense with a thrust component. Based on offset Late Quaternary alluvial fans, ¹⁴C ages and composite fabrics of cataclastic fault rocks, it is inferred that the average right-lateral strike-slip rate along the Karakax Fault Zone is ~ 9 mm/a in the Late Quaternary, with a vertical component of ~ 2 mm/a, and that a M 7.5 morphogenic earthquake occurred along this fault in 1902. We suggest that right-lateral slip in the Late Quaternary along the WNW-trending Karakax Fault Zone is caused by escape tectonics that accommodate north–south shortening of the western Tibetan Plateau due to ongoing northward penetration of the Indian plate into the Eurasian plate.     

基于原地应力实测数据探讨华北典型强震区断裂活动危险性及其对雄安新区的影响

华北地区距雄安新区300 km范围内包括唐山、邢台和张北三个典型强震区,近50年来,先后发生1966年邢台7.2级、1976年唐山7.8级和1998年张北6.2级强震活动,未来仍具发生破坏性地震的风险。在现今构造应力环境下,3个典型强震区内断裂活动危险性如何、再次发生中强地震对雄安新区地面稳定性有怎样的影响,这些都是要回答的问题。对此,本文首先基于唐山、邢台和张北强震区关键构造部位深孔水压致裂地应力测量数据,依据Byerlee断层滑动失稳摩擦准则,计算各强震区内潜在发震断层的临界失稳状态,探讨断裂活动危险性;之后依据中华人民共和国第五代《中国地震动参数区划图》之《中国大陆及邻区潜在震源区划分图》,厘定雄安新区外围300 km范围内主要潜在震源区和震级上限;最后选取适宜的地震烈度衰减模型,定量计算主要潜在震源区未来发生震级上限地震时对雄安新区地震烈度的影响,进而为雄安新区及重大工程抗震设防提供科学参考。结果表明：(1)唐山、邢台和张北强震区内主要潜在震源区未来发生震级上限地震产生的地震烈度衰减至雄安新区时均位于Ⅳ~Ⅶ度;(2)北京通州及邻区发生8.0级地震、涞水—高碑店沿线发生6.5级地震会在雄安新区产生Ⅶ度地震烈度,震害较轻;(3)其他潜在震源区在雄安新区产生的地震烈度均小于V度,并不会产生显著震害效应。鉴于此,雄安新区抗震设防烈度建议由原Ⅶ度调至Ⅷ度为宜。     

Evidence of paleoearthquakes from trench investigations across Pinjore Garden fault in Pinjore Dun, NW Himalaya

The Pinjore Garden Fault (PGF) striking NNW-SSE is now considered one of the active faults displacing the younger Quaternary surfaces in the piggyback basin of Pinjore Dun. This has displaced the older Kalka and Pinjore surfaces, along with the other younger surfaces giving rise to WSW and SW-facing fault scarps with heights ranging from 2 to 16 m. The PGF represents a younger branch of the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) system. An ~ 4m wide trench excavated across the PGF has revealed displacement of younger Quaternary deposits along a low angle thrust fault. Either side of the trench-walls reveals contrasting slip-related deformation of lithounits. The northern wall shows displacement of lithounits along a low-angle thrust fault, while the southern wall shows well-developed fault-related folding of thick sand unit. The sudden change in the deformational features on the southern wall is an evidence of the changing fault geometry within a short distance. Out of five prominent lithounits identified in the trench, the lower four units show displacement along a single fault. The basal unit ‘A’ shows maximum displacement of aboutT _o = 2.85 m, unit B = 1.8 m and unit C = 1.45 m. The displacement measured between the sedimentary units and retro-deformation of trench log suggests that at least two earthquake events have occurred along the PGF. The units A and D mark the event horizons. Considering the average amount of displacement during one single event (2 m) and the minimum length of the fault trace (~ 45 km), the behaviour of PGF seems similar to that of the Himalayan Frontal Fault (HFF) and appears capable of producing large magnitude earthquakes.     

Fractal study of seismicity in order to characterize the various tectonic blocks of North-east Himalaya,India

North-eastern Himalaya is said to be one of the world most complex geological set-up with different kinds of seismotectonic systems. Region has experienced two of the world’s strongest earthquakes, such as Shillong earthquake of 1897 known as Assam earthquake and subsequent 1950 earthquake in Arunachal Pradesh, both of with magnitude of 8.7, and also several other strong earthquakes. Various techniques have been applied to understand the past strong earthquake mechanism as well as hazard estimation carried out for future earthquake. Fractal correlation dimension (D _c) is being used in this study with the seismicity for the period 1961 to recent for understanding the pattern of seismic hazard. The entire area has been divided into four major tectonic blocks, and each block event was divided into consecutive fifty events window for seeing spatiotemporal patterns. After comparing the patterns, we have identified that Block of Eastern Himalaya near Main Central Thrust, Main Boundary Thrust, north of Kopili lineament and Block of Shillong plateau near Dauki fault are having relatively intense clustering of events in recent times, which may be identified as the zones of most potential to have a strong event.     

Palaeomagnetically defined rotations of fault-bounded continental blocks in the North Anatolian Shear Zone, North Central Anatolia

The 1200 km-long North Anatolian Transform Fault connects the East Anatolian post-collisional compressional regime in the east with the Aegean back-arc extensional regime to the west. This active dextral fault system lies within a shear zone reaching up to 100 km in width, and consists of southward splining branches. These branches, which have less frequent and smaller magnitude earthquake activity compare to the major transform, cut and divide the shear zone into fault delimited blocks. Comparison of palaeomagnetic data from 46 sites in the Eocene volcanics from different blocks indicate that each fault-bounded block has been affected by vertical block rotations. Although clockwise rotations are dominant as expected from dextral fault-bounded blocks, anticlockwise rotations have also been documented. These anticlockwise rotations are interpreted as due to anticlockwise rotation of the Anatolian Block, as indicated by GPS measurements, and the effects of unmapped faults or pre-North Anatolian Fault tectonic events.     

山东郯城麦坡中更新世地震事件记录*

山东郯城麦坡被命名为典型地震活动断层遗址,其最醒目的标志是郯庐断裂带主干断层(F₂)东盘的紫灰色下白垩统逆冲到断层西盘的红棕色第四系之上且界线截然。野外调查和试验分析表明,郯城麦坡第四系于泉组中发育液化砂涌管、液化砂脉、震裂缝充填构造和同沉积断层等地震引发的软沉积物变形构造——地震事件记录。根据软沉积物变形构造的砂质黏土光释光测年分析,推断这些软沉积物变形构造所记录的地震事件属郯庐断裂带主干断层F₂在中更新世晚期发生的强构造与地震活动。这些地震事件记录为研究郯庐断裂带新构造运动与地震活动提供了新资料,也丰富了该地震活动断层遗址的内涵。     

Surface Rupture of the 1515 Yongsheng Earthquake in Northwest Yunnan,and Its Seismogeological Implications

The 1515 M7? Yongsheng earthquake is the strongest earthquake historically in northwest Yunnan. However, its time, magnitude and the seismogenic fault have long been a topic of dispute. In order to accurately define those problems, a 1:50000 active tectonic mapping was carried out along the northern segment of the Chenghai–Binchuan fault zone. The result shows that there is an at least 25 km–long surface rupture and a series of seismic landslides distributed along the Jinguan fault and the Chenghai fault. Radiocarbon dating of the ~(14) C samples indicates that the surface rupture should be a part of the deformation zone caused by the Yongsheng earthquake in the year 1515. The distribution characteristics of this surface rupture indicate that the macroscopic epicenter of the 1515 Yongsheng earthquake may be located near Hongshiya, and the seismogenic fault of this earthquake is the Jinguan–Chenghai fault, the northern part of the Chenghai–Binchuan fault zone. Striations on the surface rupture show that the latest motion of the fault is normal faulting. The maximum co–seismic vertical displacement can be 3.8 m, according to the empirical formula for the fault displacement and moment magnitude relationship, the moment magnitude of the Yongsheng earthquake was Mw 7.3–7.4. Furthermore, combining published age data with the ~(14) C data in this paper reveals that at least four large earthquakes of similar size to the 1515 Yongsheng earthquake, have taken place across the northern segment of the Chenghai–Binchuan fault zone since 17190±50 yr. BP. The in–situ recurrence interval of Mw 7.3–7.4 characteristic earthquakes in Yongsheng along this fault zone is possibly on the order of 6 ka.     

Active faulting south of the Himalayan Front: Establishing a new plate boundary

New tectonic uplifts south of the Salt Range Thrust and Himalayan Front Thrust (HFT) represent an outward step of the plate boundary from the principal tectonic displacement zone into the Indo-Gangetic Plain. In Pakistan, the Lilla Anticline deforms fine-grained overbank deposits of the Jhelum River floodplain 15 km south of the Salt Range. The anticline is overpressured in Eocambrian non-marine strata. In northwest India south of Dehra Dun, the Piedmont Fault (PF) lies 15 km south of the HFT. Coalescing fans derived from the Himalaya form a piedmont (Old Piedmont Zone) 15–20 km wide east of the Yamuna River. This zone is uplifted as much as 15–20 m near the PF, and bedding is tilted 5–7° northeast. Holocene thermoluminescence-optically-stimulated luminescence dates for sediments in the Old Piedmont Zone suggest that the uplift rate might be as high as several mm/a. The Old Piedmont Zone is traced northwest 200 km and southeast another 200 km to the Nepal border. These structures, analogous to protothrusts in subduction zones, indicate that the Himalayan plate boundary is not a single structure but a series of structures across strike, including reactivated parts of the Main Boundary Thrust north of the range front, the HFT sensu stricto, and stepout structures on the Indo-Gangetic Plain. Displacement rates on all these structures must be added to determine the local India-Himalaya convergence rate.     

An overview of the stratigraphy and tectonics of the Nepal Himalaya

Nepal can be divided into the following five east–west trending major tectonic zones. (i) The Terai Tectonic Zone which consists of over one km of Recent alluvium concealing the Churia Group (Siwalik equivalents) and underlying rocks of northern Peninsular India. Recently active southward-propagating thrusts and folds beneath the Terai have affected both the underlying Churia and the younger sediments. (ii) The Churia Zone, which consists of Neogene to Quaternary foreland basin deposits and forms the Himalayan mountain front. The Churia Zone represents the most tectonically active part of the Himalaya. Recent sedimentologic, geochronologic and paleomagnetic studies have yielded a much better understanding of the provenance, paleoenvironment of deposition and the ages of these sediments. The Churia Group was deposited between ∼14 Ma and ∼1 Ma. Sedimentary rocks of the Churia Group form an archive of the final drama of Himalayan uplift. Involvement of the underlying northern Peninsular Indian rocks in the active tectonics of the Churia Zone has also been recognised. Unmetamorphosed Phanerozoic rocks of Peninsular India underlying the Churia Zone that are involved in the Himalayan orogeny may represent a transitional environment between the Peninsula and the Tethyan margin of the continent. (iii) The Lesser Himalayan Zone, in which mainly Precambrian rocks are involved, consists of sedimentary rocks that were deposited on the Indian continental margin and represent the southernmost facies of the Tethyan sea. Panafrican diastrophism interrupted the sedimentation in the Lesser Himalayan Zone during terminal Precambrian time causing a widespread unconformity. That unconformity separates over 12 km of unfossiliferous sedimentary rocks in the Lesser Himalaya from overlying fossiliferous rocks which are >3 km thick and range in age from Permo-Carboniferous to Lower to Middle Eocene. The deposition of the Upper Oligocene–Lower Miocene fluvial Dumri Formation records the emergence of the Himalayan mountains from under the sea. The Dumri represents the earliest foreland basin deposit of the Himalayan orogen in Nepal. Lesser Himalayan rocks are less metamorphosed than the rocks of the overlying Bhimphedis nappes and the crystalline rocks of the Higher Himalayan Zone. A broad anticline in the north and a corresponding syncline in the south along the Mahabharat range, as well as a number of thrusts and faults are the major structures of the Lesser Himalayan Zone which is thrust over the Churia Group along the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT). (iv) The crystalline high-grade metamorphic rocks of the Higher Himalayan Zone form the backbone of the Himalaya and give rise to its formidable high ranges. The Main Central Thrust (MCT) marks the base of this zone. Understanding the origin, timing of movement and associated metamorphism along the MCT holds the key to many questions about the evolution of the Himalaya. For example: the question of whether there is only one or whether there are two MCTs has been a subject of prolonged discussion without any conclusion having been reached. The well-known inverted metamorphism of the Himalaya and the late orogenic magmatism are generally attributed to movement along the MCT that brought a hot slab of High Himalayan Zone rocks over the cold Lesser Himalayan sequence. Harrison and his co-workers, as described in a paper in this volume, have lately proposed a detailed model of how this process operated. The rocks of the Higher Himalayan Zone are generally considered to be Middle Cambrian to Late Proterozoic in age. (v) The Tibetan Tethys Zone is represented by Cambrian to Cretaceous-Eocene fossiliferous sedimentary rocks overlying the crystalline rocks of the Higher Himalaya along the Southern Tibetan Detachment Fault System (STDFS) which is a north dipping normal fault system. The fault has dragged down to the north a huge pile of the Tethyan sedimentary rocks forming some of the largest folds on the Earth. Those sediments are generally considered to have been deposited in a more distal part of the Tethys than were the Lesser Himalayan sediments.The present tectonic architecture of the Himalaya is dominated by three master thrusts: the Main Central Thrust (MCT), the Main Boundary Thrust (MBT) and the Main Frontal Thrust (MFT). The age of initiation of these thrusts becomes younger from north to south, with the MCT as the oldest and the MFT as the youngest. All these thrusts are considered to come together at depth in a flat-lying decollement called the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT). The Mahabharat Thrust (MT), an intermediate thrust between the MCT and the MBT is interpreted as having brought the Bhimphedi Group out over the Lesser Himalayan rocks giving rise to Lesser Himalayan nappes containing crystalline rocks. The position of roots of these nappes is still debated. The Southern Tibetan Detachment Fault System (STDFS) has played an important role in unroofing the higher Himalayan crystalline rocks.     

汶川地震和科学钻探

2008年5月12日,在我国四川省发生了震撼世界的汶川特大地震,给人民的生命财产造成了巨大的损失。在汶川特大地震发生及其余震尚在继续的特殊时期,快速实施汶川地震断裂带的科学钻探（WFSD）,是认识地震发生的机制、继续对余震进行有效监控以及提高地震监视和预警的能力的极佳机遇。2008年11月6日,汶川地震断裂带科学钻探工程开工典礼在四川省都江堰市虹口乡举行,标志着地震机制的研究跨上了新的台阶。通过对科学钻孔的直接取样,多学科观测和测试,揭示地震断裂带的深部组分、结构和构造属性,重塑地震断裂带的物理和化学过程,为提高未来地震的监测、预报或预警能力提供重要信息。     

于田地震同震形变场ALOS干涉雷达观测及初步分析

2008年3月21日发生在新疆于田的7.3级地震是继2001年11月昆仑山口西8.1级地震后的最大一次7级以上地震.地震是构造活动的集中反映, 会伴随着较大的地表形变及断裂的明显活动, 能够放大构造正常的活动方式, 同震变形场是这种放大作用在地表的直观反映, 对于认识发震断裂运动性质, 研究邻近构造活动性具有重要意义.青藏高原西北缘自然环境恶劣, 常规方法无法对于田地震开展及时有效的同震形变测量, 凸显出差分干涉雷达(InSAR)技术的优势.在介绍InSAR观测原理基础上, 通过地震前后ALOS干涉雷达观测获取了于田地震的同震变形场, 并结合构造背景揭示出:于田Ms 7.3级地震的宏观震中位于康西瓦断裂东南端的南北2个分支(大红柳滩断裂和慕士山南麓断裂)和阿尔金断裂西南端帚状的3个分支交汇的三角地带; 于田地震引发了阿尔金断裂一近南北向分支断裂的同震地表破裂, 破裂长度为25.6 km; 发震断层为正断层, 倾向西, 上盘的最大运动幅度在200 cm以上; 于田地震所在的两大断裂交汇处的构造应力场以近南北向挤压为主.