On the spatial distribution of seismicity and the 3D tectonic stress field in western Greece

We analyzed a large number of focal mechanisms and relocated earthquake hypocenters to investigate the geodynamics of western Greece, the most seismically active part of the Aegean plate-boundary zone. This region was seismically activated multiple times during the last decade, providing a large amount of enhanced quality new information that was obtained by the Hellenic Unified Seismological Network (HUSN). Relocated seismicity using a double-difference method appears to be concentrated above ∼35 km depth, exhibiting spatial continuity along the convergence boundary and being clustered elsewhere. Earthquakes are confined within the accreted sediments escarpment of the down-going African plate against the un-deformed Eurasian hinterland. The data arrangement shows that Pindos constitutes a seismic boundary along which large stress heterogeneities occur. In Cephalonia no seismicity is found to be related with the offshore Cephalonia Transform Fault (CTF). Onshore, NS crustal extension dominates, while in central and south Peloponnesus the stress field appears rotated by 90°. Shearing-stress obliquity by 30° is indicated along the major strike-slip faults, consistent with clockwise crustal rotation. Within the lower crust, the stress field appears affected by plate kinematics and distributed deformation of the lower crust and upper mantle, which guide the regional geodynamics.     

COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS OF RECENT GRAVITY AND CRUSTAL DEFORMATION IN NORTHWESTERN GUANGXI

Northwest Guangxi is located in the Youjiang fold belt and the Hunan-Guangxi fold belt of secondary structure unit of South China fold system. The South China fold was miogeosyncline in the early Paleozoic, the Caledonian fold returned and transformed into the standard platform, and the Indosinian movement ended the Marine sedimentary history, which laid the basic structural framework of this area. Since the neotectonic period, large areas have been uplifted intermittently in the region and Quaternary denudation and planation planes and some faulted basins have been developed. Affected by the strong uplift of Yunnan-Guizhou plateau, the topography of the region subsides from northwest to southeast, with strong terrain cutting and deep valley incision. Paleozoic carbonate rocks and Mesozoic clastic rocks are mainly exposed on the earth's surface, and its geomorphology is dominated by corrosion and erosion landforms. The dating results show that most of the structures in northwest Guangxi are middle Pleistocene active faults, and the movement mode is mainly stick-slip. According to the seismogeological research results of the eastern part of the Chinese mainland, the active faults of the middle Pleistocene have the structural conditions for generating earthquakes of about magnitude 6. In the northwest Guangxi, the crustal dynamic environment and geological structure are closely related to Sichuan and Yunnan regions. Under the situation that magnitude 6 earthquakes occurred successively in Sichuan and Yunnan region and magnitude 7 earthquakes are poised to happen, the risk of moderately strong earthquakes in the northwest Guangxi region cannot be ignored. Based on the analysis of deep structure and geophysical field characteristics, it is concluded that the Tian'e-Nandan-Huanjiang area in the northwestern Guangxi is not only the area with strong variation of the Moho surface isobath, but also the M_L3.0 seismic gap since September 2015, and the abnormal low b value area along the main fault. Regions with these deep structural features often have the conditions for moderately strong earthquakes. The paper systematically analyzes the spatial and temporal distribution features and mechanism of regional gravitational field and horizontal crust movement and further studies and discusses the changes of regional gravitational field, crustal horizontal deformation and interaction between geologic structure and seismic activity based on 2014-2018 mobile gravity measurements and 2015-2017 GPS observation data in the northwestern Guangxi. The results show that:1)On July 15, 2017, a M_S4.0 earthquake in Nandan happened near the center of four quadrants of changes of gravity difference, and the center of abnormal area is located at the intersection of the Mulun-Donglang-Luolou Fault, the Hechi-Nandan Fault and the Hechi-Yizhou Fault. The dynamic graph of differential scale gravitational field reflects the gravity changes at the epicenter before and after the Nandan earthquake, which is a process of system evolution of "local gravity anomaly to abnormal four-quadrant distribution features → to earthquake occurring at the turning point of gravity gradient zone and the zero line to backward recovery variation after earthquake". Meanwhile, according to the interpretation of focal mechanism of the Nandan earthquake, seismogram and analysis of seismic survey results, the paper thinks that the four-quadrant distribution of positive and negative gravity, which is consistent with the effect of strike-slip type seismogenic fault before Nandan earthquake, demonstrates the existence of dextral strike-slip faulting; 2)The pattern of spatial distribution of gravitational field change in northwestern Guangxi is closely related to active fault. The isoline of cumulative gravity generally distributes along Nandan-Hechi Fault and Hechi-Yizhou Fault. The gravity on both sides of the fault zone is different greatly, and gradient zone has influences on a broad area; the spatial distribution of deformation field is generally featured by horizontal nonuniformity. Tian'e-Nandan-Huanjiang area is located at the high gradient zone of gravity changes and the horizontal deformation surface compressional transition zone, as well as near the intersection of Hechi-Yizhou Fault, Hechi-Nandan Fault and Du'an-Mashan Fault; 3)The geometric shape of gravitational field in northwestern Guangxi corresponds to the spatial distribution of horizontal crustal movement, which proves the exchange and dynamic action of material and energy in the region that cause the change and structural deformation of fault materials and the corresponding gravity change on earth's surface. The recent analysis of abnormal crustal deformation in northwestern Guangxi shows that Tian'e-Nandan-Huanjiang is a gradient zone of abnormal gravity change and also a horizontal deformation surface compressional transition zone. It locates at the section of significant change of Moho isobaths, the seismicity gap formed by M_L3.0 earthquakes and the abnormal low b-value zone. According to comprehensive analysis, the region has the risk of moderately strong earthquake.     

地震过程中形变能的演化特征

本文利用非线性理论分析了震前形变能随时间的演化关系，导出了应力与应变的本构关系为非线性时的突变演化模型。最后利用青海门源６．４级地震前后的跨断层形变资料，计算了非线性形变的演化过程。取得如下认识：１．震前形变能的演化过程是不稳定过程；２．形变能的突变发生在非平衡区；３．门源地震前后的跨断层地形变资料的计算结果与理论分析基本一致。     

三叉口地区的地壳形变与地震活动性

本文在处理１９６７年以的多期长水准及１９７７年以来多个跨断层短水准，短基线场地数据的基础上分析了三叉口地区的地壳垂直形变，在整个南北构造带上为一上升区，形变速率不高，该地区垂直活动表现为山区相对上升，平原或分别地相对下沉，跨断层的短水准短基线变化，表明该区处在张性应力场中，本文还特别分析了１９８９年石棉５．３级地震的震前，震时又震后的地壳形变特征，并发现类似石棉地震前的及在泸定一石棉间的德妥一带有     

亚失稳阶段雁列断层热场演化的实验研究

寻找地震前兆是国内外地震预报的难点.在实验室开展岩石变形实验,观测相关物理量的演化特征和规律,是前兆探索中重要的基础工作.本文对压性雁列断层进行变形实验,根据应力时间曲线将具有前兆意义的变形阶段分为强偏离线性阶段、亚失稳阶段和失稳阶段,利用红外热像仪记录各个阶段的热场变化,特别是亚失稳阶段的热场表现.研究结果显示:强偏离线性阶段,岩桥区挤压升温;亚失稳阶段,断层带增温,且高温点扩展连通,断层带内侧卸载降温,断层带上的协同化增温和断层带内侧(包含岩桥区)的协同化降温是失稳前的重要信号;失稳阶段,应力释放,标本整体降温,只有断层带因摩擦升温.总之,亚失稳阶段的热场具有明显特征,利于识别出亚失稳态;不同变形阶段、不同构造部位温度变化不同,在寻找与构造活动相关的热异常时,应考虑变形所处的阶段及异常所处的构造部位.     

乌鲁木齐地区构造应力场与中强震活动特征研究

为了做好中强地震的震预报和震后趋快速判定工作,利用乌鲁木齐地区中强震震源机制解,小震平均震源机制解以及Ｓ波偏振方向综合研究了该区域应力场的分布和中强地震的活动特征。     

地壳垂直形变的分维特征─以京、津、唐复测网为例

本文应用分数维的概念及方法，对京、津、唐地区１９６８─１９７５年的大面积地壳垂直形变复测成果数据处理后的结果进行了分维特征分析。结果表明，地震前该地区地壳垂直形变空间分布的分数维明显降低，地壳的有序性增强。本文认为，地壳垂直形变空间分布分数维能够明确地揭示地壳的有序程度，是一种较好地利用形变测量资料提取地震前兆异常的方法。     

Geometrical textures of faults，evolution of physical field and instability characteristics

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汶川8．0级地震前后福建地区形变及应力场演化

通过对形变与GPS观测资料的处理,分析汶川地震前后福建地区形变及应力场的演化过程。结果表明,汶川地震前,以晋江-永安断裂带为界,北部为应力压缩区,南部为压力拉张区。汶川地震后,长乐-诏安断裂带及以东区域为应力压缩区,除此以外的西部区域为应力拉张区。     

THE COMPREHENSIVE ANALYSIS AND RESEARCH OF RECENT GRAVITY AND CRUSTAL DEFORMATION IN NORTHEASTERN EDGE OF THE TIBETAN PLATEAU

In this study, we systematically analyzed the relationship between regional gravity changes, 3D crustal deformation, regional tectonic environment and strong earthquakes based on the relative gravity measurements(2011-2014), GPS data and the background vertical deformation from the leveling measurements conducted from 1970 to 2011. Subsequently, we further characterized the temporal-spatial patterns and discussed the mechanism of regional gravity changes and the crustal deformation. The results can be summarized as follows:1)The regional gravity changes, the GPS-derived horizontal deformation and the vertical deformational obtained from leveling data showed a close spatial relationship:The gravity increased along with the direction of horizontal movement, and the gravity decreased with the crustal uplift and vice versa, which reflects the inherited characteristics of neotectonic activities. 2)The crustal deformation was closely related to the active faults. The contour lines of gravity changes and vertical deformation were generally along with the Qilian-Haiyuan Fault(the strike is NWW), and the crustal horizontal deformation showed left-lateral strike slip motion near the Qilian-Haiyuan Fault. 3)The strong earthquakes usually occur in the active faults where intensive gravity change and vertical and/or horizontal deformation occurred. The extrusion deformation, surface compression rate and gravity changes were obvious near the epicenter of 2016 Menyuan earthquake. The 2013 Minxian-Zhangxian M_S6.6 earthquake occurred in the direction-turning area of intense gravity gradient zone and the transitional area of surface compression and vertical deformation. The first author of this paper has made a medium-term forecast before the Minxian and Menyuan earthquakes, especially the location of the earthquake. Based on the above understandings, we emphasized that:there are still possibilities of strong or huge earthquakes within medium-long term in the areas of crustal deformation anomalies in the study region.     

鲜水河断裂形变场、重力场、磁场动态演化特征与地震

据鲜水河断裂跨断层形变测量、流动重力测量和流动磁力测量资料,求取各点的形变速度、重力变化速率及每年各点的总磁场强度,绘出每期 形变、重力、磁力的二维图像。引入分形理论的数盒子方法,计算每幅图的容量维。研究结果表明：鲜水河断裂形变场的二维图像在地震前后的演变与岩石破坏实验过程输出的图像相似,均经历了“复杂－简单－复杂”的演化过程。相应的分维值也同样呈“高值－低值－高值”变化,且地震发生在分维值达最低后恢复过程中。重力场的二维图像在地震前后的变化特征为“简单－复杂”,分维值呈低值向高值变化。磁场的图像变化则呈“复杂－简单”,分维值变化呈降维特征。     

以唐山地震为例试论大震孕育过程中地壳形变的三个基本标志

本文通过对1976年7月28日唐山大震前京、津、唐地区多期复测水准资料的分析,揭示出唐山大震前、后地壳形变的演化过程,并进而讨论了一个大地震在孕育过程中可能出现的三个地形变标志     

PRELIMINARY APPLICATION OF FOCAL MECHANISM SOLUTIONS OF SMALL AND MEDIUM-SIZE EARTHQUAKES TO FAULT STABILITY ANALYSIS IN THE SOUTHEASTERN TIBETAN PLATEAU

Analysis of stress state of faults is helpful to understand crustal mechanical properties and seismicity. In the paper, we invert the horizontal crustal stress field in the southeastern Tibetan plateau using focal mechanism solutions of small and medium-size earthquakes, and apply them to estimate the stability of regional major faults. Firstly, we collect focal mechanism solutions of small and medium-sized earthquakes in the southeastern Tibetan plateau. The dataset includes more than 1 000 focal mechanism solutions in the past twenty years. Magnitudes of these earthquakes vary from M3.0 to M6.0. Most of the focal mechanism solutions were determined using waveform inversion technique. Although most of focal mechanism solutions in the southeastern Tibetan plateau are strike-slip faulting, their spatial pattern is different in sub-regions. Normal faulting earthquakes mainly occurred in the western Sichuan region, reverse faulting earthquakes mainly occurred in the boundary zone between the Tibetan plateau and the South China craton, and strike-slip faulting earthquakes mainly occurred in the central and southern Yunnan region. Next, we settle on a mesh with grid spacing of 0.5° in longitude and latitude in the region and invert the horizontal crustal stress field at each grid point. Spatial variation of the maximum principal stress axis in the southeastern Tibetan plateau shows a clockwise rotation around the eastern Himalaya syntax. The azimuth of maximum compressional stress axis is about 88.1° in the western Sichuan region, about 124.6° in the South China craton, and about 21.6° in the western and southern Yunnan region. The azimuth of regional maximum compressional stress is nearly parallel to the direction of terrain elevation gradient, and that of the minimum compressional stress is nearly parallel to the tangential direction of the topographic elevation contours. The spatial pattern reflects the control role of gravity spreading of the Tibetan plateau on the regional horizontal stress field. Finally, we analyzed regional fault stability based on these collected focal mechanism solutions. The fault instability parameter (I) is defined based on the Mohr-Coulomb criterion and indicates the degree of fault approximating to rupture. The instability parameters on fourteen major faults in the southeastern Tibetan plateau were calculated. Our results show that the stability of the Lianfeng-Zhaotong Fault is the lowest before 2014 in the region, which indicates the fault zone is close to rupture at that time. Our results provide a new useful tool to assess regional seismic potential using dense focal mechanism solutions.     

Research of pattern dynamics parameters of crustal deformation field in seismogenic process

ＲｅｓｅａｒｃｈｏｆｐａｔｔｅｒｎｄｙｎａｍｉｃｓｐａｒａｍｅｔｅｒｓｏｆｃｒｕｓｔａｌｄｅｆｏｒｍａｔｉｏｎｆｉｅｌｄｉｎｓｅｉｓｍｏｇｅｎｉｃｐｒｏｃｅｓｓＳｈｕｏ－ＹｕＺＨＯＵ（周硕愚），ＹｕｎＷＵ（吴云），Ｒｕｏ－ＢｏＷＡＮＧ（王若柏）ａｎｄ...     

Analysis of slip-softening instability on a fault with asperities

Slip-softening instability on a vertical strike-slip fault with asperities has been analysed. The fault strength is uniform in depth, but the strength is nonuniform in the strike direction, i.e., there are asperities on the fault. These asperities and other segments of the fault have the same type of constitutive law but different peak stresses. The material surrounding the fault is represented by elastic plates, of which the top and bottom surfaces are stress-free.We use a finite element method to study the evolution of theoretical displacement, stress and strain field with a growing displacement applied at the remote plate ends. The slip and frictional stress are obtained as part of the solution. We have compared the difference of theoretical displacement, strain field and the distribution of frictional stress on the fault between unstable and stable slip. In addition, we have studied the effect of size and strength of asperities on instability, and the softening behaviour of asperities before instability.We find that (1) the failure of the fault zone may be due to either dynamic instability or rapid quasistable slip. A general characteristic of unstable mode is that slippage, on some parts of asperities increases indefinitely for a small finite increase in remote imposed displacement until, immediately before the unstable slip; (2) the size and peak strength of asperities have a large effect on instability. Reducing the size and peak strength of asperities tends to replace inertially unstable deformation with stable deformation; (3) the location with maximum acceleration during unstable slip, as the plausible nucleating seismic source, is in asperities; (4) the shapes of the changes in theoretical stress and strain at a given location, caused by the nonlinear constitutive property of the fault, are all similar whether instability, happens or not. This fact suggests that the changes of peak type or bend type in crustal deformation are not required for earthquake instability.     

characteristics of recent crustal movement in the north section of north-south seismic belt

Tectonic activity is intense and destructive earthquakes occur frequently in the northern section of the North-South Seismic Belt(NSSB). After the May 12, 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the North-South Seismic Belt enters a new period of high seismicity. On July 22, 2013, the Minxian-Zhangxian earthquake occurred, which broke the 10-years seismic quiescence of magnitude 6 of the area, indicating an increasing trend of strong earthquakes in the region. Earthquake is the product of crustal movement. Understanding the dynamics of the process of crustal movement may provide basis for earthquake prediction. GPS measurement can provide high-precision, large-scale, quasi-real-time quantitative crustal movement data, that allows us to explore the evolution of crustal movement and its relationship with earthquake, thus providing the basis for determining the seismic situation. Since 2009, the density of mobile GPS measurement stations has significantly improved in the Chinese mainland, and moreover, the Wenchuan earthquake has brought about adjustment of the regional crustal deformation regime. So the introduction of the latest repeat GPS data is important for understanding the features of crustal movement in the northern section of the North-South Seismic Belt. In this paper, we obtained the GPS velocity field, fault profile and baseline time series and analyzed the dynamics of recent crustal movement in the northern section of the North-South Seismic Belt using the 1999a-2014a GPS data of mobile and continuous GPS measurement stations. The results show that: the Qilianshan Fault has a high strain accumulation background. There are locked portions on the Liupanshan Fault, especially in the region of Jingning, Pingling, Dingxi, Longxi. In 2004-2009a, the degree of locking of the Liupanshan Fault got higher. In 2009—2013a, crustal movement on the northern section of the North-South Seismic Belt weakened compared with 1999-2004, 2004-2009, and showed some features as follows: ① The velocity field weakened more markedly near the Qilian-Haiyuan-Liupanshan faults; ②The velocity decreased more significantly in the region north of Qilianshan-Haiyuan Fault than that of the south, resulting in enhanced thrust deformation on the Qilianshan Fault in 2009-2013a and the decreased sinistral shear deformation on the Qilianshan Fault and Haiyuan Fault; ③the velocity field decreased more remarkably at 50km west of Liupanshan Fault, compared to the east region, which led to the locked range on the Liupanshan Fault extending to the range of 100km near the fault zone during 2009-2013 from the previous locked range of 50km near the fault. The GPS baseline time series analysis also reveals a number of structural features in the region: Yinchuan Graben is continuing extending, and the extension in the west is stronger than that in the east. On the southern end of Yinchuan Graben, the deformation is very small.     

汶川地震和芦山地震的孕震机理及震前中长期地震危险性研究

运用非连续变形分析法与三维有限元法相结合的方法,以GPS资料作为位移速率和震源机制的约束条件,通过数值模拟研究了青藏高原及其东侧邻区构造地块的运动、变形、相互作用及其与近30年来发生于该区的大地震之间的关系。研究中引入了以应力与摩擦强度的比值定义的断层“失稳危险度”,通过数值模拟计算得到了研究区地壳块体边界断层的失稳危险度分布。结果表明,失稳危险度高的地段与近期该区发生的M_S≥7.0地震所在的位置基本一致,其中龙门山断裂带上包括汶川和芦山大地震的发震断层均为失稳危险度最高值地区。计算得到的应变率强度分布图显示,青藏高原东部边缘整条地带均为应变率强度的陡变带,特别是以龙门山断裂带上的陡变最为明显,其西侧应变率强度为东侧的近4倍,而且,这个带位于宽度相同、走向与龙门山断裂带走向相一致的高应变能密度带中,表明这两次大地震前,作为其发震断层的龙门山断裂带已积累了相当高的应变能,失稳危险度高,处于力学上的不稳定状态。模拟计算得到在上地壳层中,2001年昆仑山口西M_S8.1地震引起汶川、芦山地震发震断层的库仑破裂应力增加约0.016 MPa,相当于龙门山断裂带约两年的应力积累,也就是说,使汶川、芦山地震发震断层的失稳破裂提前了约两年。 此外,关于2008年汶川M_S8.0地震的模拟计算表明,汶川地震的发生也使包括芦山地震发震断层的龙门山断裂带西南段和东昆仑断裂带东南端的库仑破裂应力增大,应变能积累增强,这说明汶川M_S8.0地震的发生对已处于失稳危险度较高状态的2013年芦山地震和2017年九寨沟地震发震断层的提前失稳破裂起到了促进作用。      

汶川8.0级地震前区域地壳运动与变形动态过程

利用GPS等观测资料研究了2008年汶川8.0级地震前的区域地壳运动与构造变形、应变积累,以及大区域地壳运动微动态变化过程,结合同震位移场分布等分析、讨论了汶川地震前近10年区域地壳变形的表象所反映的大震孕震最后阶段的物理过程.结果表明,发生汶川8.0级地震的龙门山断裂带1999～2004年相对稳定的华南地块无明显的相对运动,2004～2007年有一定程度的相对运动显示,以右旋活动为主,年速率为1.6mm/a.龙门山断裂带西北侧的巴颜喀拉地块东部为右旋剪切为主兼有推挤的大尺度缓慢变形状态,右旋扭动变形率为2.1±0.2(10^-8/a),地壳总体缩短变形率为-0.7±0.1(10^-8/a).由GPS基准站资料计算的基线时间序列显示,2005年以来大尺度北东向地壳缩短的相对运动明显增强,青藏块体相对华南地块的北东向运动明显增强.对汶川大地震前应变积累的特殊性等问题进行了初步讨论,分析认为,汶川大地震的发生是四川盆地西缘的龙门山断裂带受到其西侧巴颜喀拉地块推挤导致大尺度、长时期、缓慢的地壳应变积累的结果.在发震前不仅龙门山断裂带为显著闭锁状态,且孕震区域可能存在地壳弹性变形趋于极限后难以发生变形的相持阶段,大尺度地壳运动与动力环境的动态变化对汶川大地震的发生有促进影响.     

大同－阳高地震前后华北地区形变场动态及其演化

叙述了１９８９年大同一阳高地震地壳形变的主要特征，指出其具广泛性、多样性和阶段性。分析了这次地震前后大地形变场的动态和演化，并从不同时空尺度对这次地震后华北地区形变场的新格局和未来地震形势进行了讨论。     

Research on dynamics patterns and parameter characters of crustal deformation field before and after strong earthquake

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