Comment on Analyses of Seismic Deformation at the Kibyra Roman Stadium,Southwest Turkey by Volkan Karabacak, Önder Yönlü, Eray Dökü, Nafiye Günenç Kıyak,Erhan Altunel, Şükrü Özüdoğru,Cahit Çağlar Yalçıner,and Hüsnü Serdar Akyüz

The ancient city of Kibyra, which has been damaged by ancient earthquakes, is located on the middle part of Burdur‐Fethiye Fault Zone (SW Turkey). The existence of an active NNE‐SSW‐trending left‐lateral fault cutting the stadium of Kibyra has been previously discussed in many publications (Akyüz and Altunel, 1997 , 2001 ; Karabacak, 2011 ). Karabacak et al. ( 2013 ) also adhere to this view and restate it in the recent article published in Geoarchaeology. However, there is no evidence directly indicating a fault cutting the stadium and the earthquake damage to the stadium was most likely caused by ground shaking. In conclusion, the arguments, observations and interpretations presented by Karabacak et al. ( 2013 ) are misleading in key respects and must be reviewed.     

中国强震发生带地震构造的几点思考

强震发生带是指全新世（约1．2万年）以来发生过和将来还会发生M≥6级地震的地带。中国强震发生带的动力源主要来自印度板块向NNE的顶撞作用,而太平洋板块向西俯冲则次之。板块、断块及锒嵌其间的缝合线、深大断裂带,组成了窗棂结构,受力时“窗棂”（缝合线、深大断裂）发生错动,而“窗”（板块、断块）的内部则相对稳定。第四纪以来,以我国西南鲜水河－小江断裂带为例,在Q1、Q2时期因断裂带作左旋扭动,在拉张区形成许多断陷盆地;到Q3由于地应力方向改变,运动加剧,使不同方向断裂互相贯通,活动延续至今,称之为活动断裂带。强震多发生在活动断裂的特殊部位,震中区地面强烈变形,表现为毗邻地段猛烈升降、地堑地垒系断头河等。由古地震研究得知Q4以来强震常在原地多次重复,且震级相近。由台湾1999年集集地震和云南1955年鱼Zha地震的加速度等值线和等烈度线图形对比,建筑物破坏程度和昔格达层变形对照,得出强震构造变形机理乃系“夹心饼干”似的三层结构所致,三层即是断层的二盘和其所夹持的断层破碎带,后者是地应国聚集和释放的场所,是地震波的良好通道。     

滇中城市群重要活动断裂与区域地壳稳定性评价

结合前人资料的系统梳理、遥感解译及地表调查结果,对滇中城市群地区的活动断裂进行活动程度分级,得到该区“5纵2横”13条主要活动断裂的构造体系分布格局。按断裂活动强弱程度对城镇及重要工程的影响不同,对滇中城市群地区城镇和“十三五”及中长期规划的重大工程开展活动断裂影响调查研究,表明活动断裂是影响和制约该区城镇规划及重大工程建设的主要地质因素。综合考虑活动断裂活动程度、岩性特征和地形变化3因素进行的区域地壳稳定性评价初步结果表明,该区的“极不稳定区”、“不稳定区”和“次不稳定区”约占全区面积三分之一。      

Field evidence for normal fault linkage and relay ramp evolution: the Kırkağaç Fault Zone,western Anatolia (Turkey)

Linking of normal faults forms at all scales as a relay ramp during growth stages and represents the most efficient way for faults to lengthen during their progressive formation. Here, I study the linking of normal faulting along the active K?rka?aç Fault Zone within the west Anatolian extensional system to reconstruct fault interaction in time and space using both field- and computer-based data. I find that (i) connecting of the relay zone/ramp occurred with two breaching faults of different generations and that (ii) the propagation was facilitated by the presence of pre-existing structures, inherited from the ?zmir-Bal?kesir transfer zone. Hence, the linkage cannot be compared directly to a simple fault growth model. Therefore, I propose a combined scenario of both hangingwall and footwall fault propagation mechanisms that explain the present-day geometry of the composite fault line. The computer-based analyses show that the approximate slip rate is 0.38 mm/year during the Quaternary, and a NE–SW-directed extension is mainly responsible for the recent faulting along the K?rka?aç Fault Zone. The proposed structural scenario also highlights the active fault termination and should be considered in future seismic hazard assessments for the region that includes densely populated settlements.     

龙首山南麓新发现的地震地表破裂带——兼论1954年山丹MS7?地震发震构造

基于详细的遥感解译和野外调查,发现龙首山南缘断裂发育有较新的地震地表破裂遗迹,包括断层坎、地震鼓包、河道的系统位错等断层地貌标志,破裂带总长度超过20 km,沿断裂走向其垂向位移介于0.35～4 m,水平位移介于0.3～1.9 m,龙首山南缘断裂主体表现为逆冲性质,仅在西端表现为局部左旋走滑的性质。通过剖面和探槽揭示,龙首山南麓地区全新世以来发生多次断层活动,最新的一次在约3.96 ka以来。经过与区域内的强震记录比对,认为此次新发现的地震地表破裂带可能是1954年山丹M_S 7地震所致。1954年山丹M_S 7地震在浅表沿两条断裂同时发生了地表破裂,表现为正花状构造的变形样式。这种同震位移分配现象以往多发现于走滑型地震中,此次在逆冲型地震中发现。龙首山南缘断裂地表破裂带的发现为揭示1954年山丹地震的震源过程和破裂样式提供了新的证据和思路。     

长江中下游深部构造及其中生代成矿动力学模式

长江中下游地区是中国重要的成矿带之一。本文利用地震、大地电磁数据以及野外地质调查,并结合前人研究的地球物理和岩石地球化学资料,明确了长江中下游地区现今深部构造,系统分析了其成矿动力学演化机制。本区发育有三大断裂体系:大别-苏鲁前陆断裂系、江南-雪峰断裂系和中国东部NE-NNE向走滑断裂系。大别-苏鲁前陆断裂系为一自北向南的叠瓦式逆冲推覆构造,而江南-雪峰断裂系为一自南向北的多级逆冲推滑构造,它们沿来安-望江-阳新-天门一线形成强烈的挤压对冲构造样式。中国东部NE-NNE向走滑断裂系早期主要表现为左行平移走滑并侧向挤压,参与了对冲构造形成过程,只是部分切割其它两个逆冲体系。这三大断裂体系均经历了印支-燕山期穿时递进的构造变形。152~135Ma,古太平洋板块向欧亚大陆俯冲时,板片可能沿着转换断层撕裂并产生底侵体。下地壳在底侵体的烘烤作用下熔融并受到混染,其岩浆在多级逆冲推覆和滑脱构造背景下充分结晶分异形成低镁埃达克岩,于断隆或隆坳过渡带生成铜矿。135~127Ma,长江中下游成矿带深部地幔开始上隆,诱发加厚岩石圈沿着郯庐断裂带局部拆沉,并引发富集地幔上升流。其与残留地壳交代反应,在郯庐断裂带两侧形成高镁埃达克岩。古太平洋板块继续向南西俯冲并发生逆时针旋转,长江中下游地区大多数NNE向断裂已转变为右行走滑,形成右行右阶的走滑拉分盆地。上隆地幔的基性岩浆沿着深切地壳的走滑断裂上升到盆地中,快速冷却形成橄榄玄粗岩岩系,从而在接触带或潜火山岩体顶部分异产生铁矿。     

E–W strike slip shearing of Kinwat granitoid at South East Deccan Volcanic Province,Kinwat, Maharashtra,India

We study the margin of South East Deccan Volcanic Province around Kinwat lineament, Maharashtra, India, which is NW extension of the Kaddam Fault. Structural field studies document \(\sim \)E–W strike-slip mostly brittle faults from the basement granite. We designate this as ‘Western boundary East Dharwar Craton Strike-slip Zone’ (WBEDCSZ). At local level, the deformation regime from Kinwat, Kaddam Fault, micro-seismically active Nanded and seismically active Killari corroborate with the nearby lineaments. Morphometric analyses suggest that the region is moderately tectonically active. The region of intense strike-slip deformation lies between seismically active fault along Tapi in NW and Bhadrachalam in the SE part of the Kaddam Fault/lineament. The WBEDCSZ with the surface evidences of faulting, presence of a major lineaments and intersection of faults could be a zone of intraplate earthquake.     

Overprinted strike-slip deformation in the southern Valley and Ridge in Pennsylvania

Two major faults, over 32 km long and 6.4 km apart, truncate or overprint most previous folds and faults as they trend more northerly than the previous N25°E to N40°E fold trends. The faults were imposed as the last event in a region undergoing sequential counter-clockwise generation of tectonic structures. The western Big Cove anticline has an early NW verging thrust fault that emplaces resistant rocks on its NW limb. A 16 km overprint by the Cove Fault is manifested as 30 small northeast striking right-lateral strike-slip faults. This suggests major left-lateral strike-slip separation on the Cove Fault, but steep, dip-slip separation also occurs. From south to north the Cove Fault passes from SE dipping beds within the Big Cove anticline, to the vertical beds of the NW limb. Then it crosses four extended, separated, Tuscarora blocks along the ridge, brings Cambro-Ordovician carbonates against Devonian beds, and initiates the zone of overprinted right-lateral faults. Finally, it deflects the Lat 40°N fault zone as it crosses to the next major anticline to the northwest. To the east, the major Path Valley Fault rotates and overprints the earlier Carrick Valley thrust. The Path Valley Fault and Cove Fault may be Mesozoic in age, based upon fault fabrics and overprinting on the east–west Lat 40°N faults.     

Seismic damage assessment based on regional synthetic ground motion dataset: a case study for Erzincan,Turkey

Estimation of seismic losses is a fundamental step in risk mitigation in urban regions. Structural damage patterns depend on the regional seismic properties and the local building vulnerability. In this study, a framework for seismic damage estimation is proposed where the local building fragilities are modeled based on a set of simulated ground motions in the region of interest. For this purpose, first, ground motion records are simulated for a set of scenario events using stochastic finite-fault methodology. Then, existing building stock is classified into specific building types represented with equivalent single-degree-of-freedom models. The response statistics of these models are evaluated through nonlinear time history analysis with the simulated ground motions. Fragility curves for the classified structural types are derived and discussed. The study area is Erzincan (Turkey), which is located on a pull-apart basin underlain by soft sediments in the conjunction of three active faults as right-lateral North Anatolian Fault, left-lateral North East Anatolian Fault, and left-lateral Ovacik Fault. Erzincan city center experienced devastating earthquakes in the past including the December 27, 1939 (Ms = 8.0) and the March 13, 1992 (Mw?=?6.6) events. The application of the proposed method is performed to estimate the spatial distribution of the damage after the 1992 event. The estimated results are compared against the corresponding observed damage levels yielding a reasonable match in between. After the validation exercise, a potential scenario event of Mw?=?7.0 is simulated in the study region. The corresponding damage distribution indicates a significant risk within the urban area.     

Middle Pleistocene to Holocene activity of the Gondola Fault Zone (Southern Adriatic Foreland): Deformation of a regional shear zone and seismotectonic implications

Recent seismicity in and around the Gargano Promontory, an uplifted portion of the Southern Adriatic Foreland domain, indicates active E–W strike-slip faulting in a region that has also been struck by large historical earthquakes, particularly along the Mattinata Fault. Seismic profiles published in the past two decades show that the pattern of tectonic deformation along the E–W-trending segment of the Gondola Fault Zone, the offshore counterpart of the Mattinata Fault, is strikingly similar to that observed onshore during the Eocene–Pliocene interval. Based on the lack of instrumental seismicity in the south Adriatic offshore, however, and on standard seismic reflection data showing an undisturbed Quaternary succession above the Gondola Fault Zone, this fault zone has been interpreted as essentially inactive since the Pliocene. Nevertheless, many investigators emphasised the genetic relationships and physical continuity between the Mattinata Fault, a positively active tectonic feature, and the Gondola Fault Zone. The seismotectonic potential of the system formed by these two faults has never been investigated in detail. Recent investigations of Quaternary sedimentary successions on the Adriatic shelf, by means of very high-resolution seismic–stratigraphic data, have led to the identification of fold growth and fault propagation in Middle–Upper Pleistocene and Holocene units. The inferred pattern of gentle folding and shallow faulting indicates that sediments deposited during the past ca. 450 ka were recurrently deformed along the E–W branch of the Gondola Fault Zone.We performed a detailed reconstruction and kinematic interpretation of the most recent deformation observed along the Gondola Fault Zone and interpret it in the broader context of the seismotectonic setting of the Southern Apennines-foreland region. We hypothesise that the entire 180 km-long Molise–Gondola Shear Zone is presently active and speculate that also its offshore portion, the Gondola Fault Zone, has a seismogenic behaviour.     

Ophiolite emplacement by strike-slip tectonics between the Pontide Zone and the Sakarya Zone in northwestern Anatolia, Turkey

Northwestern Anatolia contains three main tectonic units: (a) the Pontide Zone in the north which consists mainly of the Gstanbul-Zonguldak Unit in the west and the BallLda<-Küre Unit in the east; (b) the Sakarya Zone (or Continent) in the south, which is juxtaposed against the Pontide Zone due to the closure of Paleo-Tethys prior to Late Jurassic time; and (c) the Armutlu-OvacLk Zone which appears to represent a tectonic mixture of both zones. These three major tectonic zones are presently bounded by the two branches of the North Anatolian Transform Fault. The two tectonic contacts follow older tectonic lineaments (the Western Pontide Fault) which formed during the development of the Armutlu-OvacLk Zone. Since the earliest Cretaceous, an overall extensional regime dominated the region. A transpressional tectonic regime of Coniacian/Santonian to Campanian age caused the welding of the Gstanbul-Zonguldak Unit to the Sakarya Zone by an oblique collision. In the Late Campanian, a transtensional tectonic regime developed, forming a new basin within the amalgamated tectonic mosaic. The different tectonic regimes in the region were caused by activity of the Western Pontide Fault. Most of the ophiolites within the Armutlu-OvacLk Zone belong to the Paleo-Tethyan and/or pre-Ordovician ophiolitic core of the Gstanbul-Zonguldak Unit. The Late Cretaceous ophiolites in the eastern parts of the Armutlu-OvacLk Zone were transported from Neo-Tethyan ophiolites farther east by left-lateral strike-slip faults along the Western Pontide Fault. There is insufficient evidence to indicate the presence of an ocean (Intra-Pontide Ocean) between the Gstanbul-Zonguldak Unit and the Sakarya Zone during Late Cretaceous time.     

Reactivated strike–slip faults: examples from north Cornwall, UK

Several strike–slip faults at Crackington Haven, UK show evidence of right-lateral movement with tip cracks and dilatational jogs, which have been reactivated by left-lateral strike–slip movement. Evidence for reactivation includes two slickenside striae on a single fault surface, two groups of tip cracks with different orientations and very low displacement gradients or negative (left-lateral) displacements at fault tips.

Evidence for the relative age of the two strike–slip movements is (1) the first formed tip cracks associated with right-lateral slip are deformed, whereas the tip cracks formed during left-lateral slip show no deformation; (2) some of the tip cracks associated with right-lateral movement show left-lateral reactivation; and (3) left-lateral displacement is commonly recorded at the tips of dominantly right-lateral faults.

The orientation of the tip cracks to the main fault is 30–70° clockwise for right-lateral slip, and 20–40° counter-clockwise for left-lateral slip. The structure formed by this process of strike–slip reactivation is termed a “tree structure” because it is similar to a tree with branches. The angular difference between these two groups of tip cracks could be interpreted as due to different stress distribution (e.g., transtensional/transpressional, near-field or far-field stress), different fracture modes or fractures utilizing pre-existing planes of weakness.

Most of the d–x profiles have similar patterns, which show low or negative displacement at the segment fault tips. Although the d–x profiles are complicated by fault segments and reactivation, they provide clear evidence for reactivation. Profiles that experienced two opposite slip movements show various shapes depending on the amount of displacement and the slip sequence. For a larger slip followed by a smaller slip with opposite sense, the profile would be expected to record very low or reverse displacement at fault tips due to late-stage tip propagation. Whereas for a smaller slip followed by larger slip with opposite sense, the d–x profile would be flatter with no reverse displacement at the tips. Reactivation also decreases the ratio of d_max/L since for an original right-lateral fault, left lateral reactivation will reduce the net displacement (d_max) along a fault and increase the fault length (L).

Finally we compare Crackington Haven faults with these in the Atacama system of northern Chile. The Salar Grande Fault (SGF) formed as a left-lateral fault with large displacement in its central region. Later right-lateral reactivation is preserved at the fault tips and at the smaller sub-parallel Cerro Chuculay Fault. These faults resemble those seen at Crackington Haven.     

青藏高原中部第四纪左旋剪切变形的地表地质证据

在青藏铁路的格尔木—拉萨段进行的活动断裂调查发现,在沱沱河—五道梁之间宽约150km的地段内发育了多条由北西西向次级断层左列分布构成的北西西向和北西向左旋张扭性断裂带,在断裂带之间则发育"S"型的北东向裂陷盆地和雁列分布的菱形裂陷盆地,盆地边界断裂也为左旋张扭性质。上述断裂带和裂陷带主要形成于第四纪,它们构成了宽约150km的不均匀的左旋简单剪切变形域,该变形域的整体活动性较弱,属于弱的不均匀剪切变形域。但其中的二道沟断陷盆地是个例外,该盆地边界断裂的垂直活动速率约为0 5mm/a,左旋活动速率介于0 8～1 0mm/a之间。而在整个左旋剪切变形带累计的左旋走滑速率不会超过6mm/a,它们所调节的昆仑山与唐古拉山之间的地壳南北缩短量也可能仅占总缩短量的15%～30%。上述弱剪切变形域与强烈左旋走滑的昆仑断裂系共同构成了高原中部的左旋剪切变形带,它们在印度板块与欧亚板块强烈碰撞的构造动力学背景下,起着调节青藏高原南北向缩短的重要作用。     

阿尔金断裂东端破裂生长点的最新构造变形*

阿尔金断裂与祁连山北缘断裂的交汇部位是阿尔金断裂向东扩展的新破裂生长点,两断裂构造与新生的红柳峡断裂构成似三联点构造。破裂生长点附近的最新构造变形表现为:阿尔金断裂的旋转隆升和向北扩展;祁连山北缘断裂的逆冲推覆兼右旋走滑;红柳峡断裂的挤压拖曳弯曲,它们共同受制于青藏高原的强烈隆升和向外扩张作用。推测阿尔金断裂自西而东的破裂扩展就是似三联点构造逐一形成而又被切割贯通的过程。阿尔金断裂以蠕滑活动为主,2002年玉门地震与祁连山北缘逆冲断裂及其伴生的调节断层的活动相关。     

The geology of the giant Nyankanga gold deposit,Geita Greenstone Belt,Tanzania

Nyankanga is the largest gold deposit in the Geita Greenstone Belt of the northern Tanzania Craton. The deposit is hosted within an Archean volcano-sedimentary package dominated by ironstones and intruded by a large diorite complex, the Nyankanga Intrusive Complex. The supracrustal package is now included within the intrusive complex as roof pendants. The ironstone fragments contain evidence of multiple folding events that occurred prior to intrusion. The supracrustal package and Nyankanga Intrusive Complex are cut by a series of NE–SW trending, moderately NW dipping fault zones with a dominant reverse component of movement but showing multiple reactivation events with both oblique and normal movement components. The deposit is cut by a series of NW trending strike slip faults and ~ E–W trending late normal faults. The Nyankanga Fault Zone is a major NW dipping deformation zone developed mainly along the ironstone–diorite contacts that is mineralised over its entire length. The gold mineralization is hosted within the damage zone associated with Nyankanga Fault Zone by both diorite and ironstone with higher grades typically occurring in ironstone. Ore shoots dip more steeply than the Nyankanga Fault Zone. The mineralization is associated with sulfidation fronts and replacement textures in ironstones and is mostly contained as disseminated sulphides in diorite. The close spatial relationship between gold mineralization and the ironstone/diorite contact suggests that the reaction between the mineralising fluid and iron rich lithotypes played an important role in precipitating gold. Intense brecciation and veining, mainly in the footwall of Nyankanga Fault Zone, indicates that the fault zone increased permeability and allowed the access of mineralising fluids. The steeper dip of the ore shoots is consistent with mineralization during normal reactivation of the Nyankanga Fault Zone.     

康西瓦断裂带晚新生代构造地貌特征及其构造意义

文章详细调查了康西瓦断裂带发育的断层崖、断层陡坎、地震破裂带、错断山脊、拉分盆地、挤压脊、偏心洪积扇、错断水系等新构造运动形迹,这些新构造运动形迹表明了康西瓦断裂带在晚新生代以来发生了强烈的左旋走滑运动,并兼有正滑运动分量。数字地形高程模型(DEM)分析表明康西瓦断裂西端终止于塔什库尔干谷地东部的瓦恰河谷内,东端与著名的阿尔金断裂带相连。如果以喀拉喀什河和玉龙喀什河为参照系,康西瓦断裂晚新生代以来的左旋走滑累积位移量可达 80～85km,根据断裂带 8～12mm/a的长期走滑速率,推测康西瓦断裂带新生代以来的左旋走滑运动开始于约10Ma。结合我们获得的断裂带两侧岩浆岩的年龄,表明康西瓦断裂带左旋走滑运动的开始时代为晚中新世,现今康西瓦地区的构造地貌格局很可能是中新世晚期以来强烈的左旋走滑运动形成的。     

东营凹陷永8断块断层调节带及其对油气分布的控制作用

利用高精度的三维地震资料,结合油田地质资料对永8 块断层几何学、运动学和动力学进行了研究。结果表明,该 断块为一典型东西向展布的同向叠覆型断层调节带,西侧主断层（辛120 断层）与调节断层在剖面上呈阶梯状组合样式, 东侧主断层（永105 断层）与调节断层呈地垒状组合;辛120 断层活动性减弱时,其位移量传递给永105 断层和调节断层; 力学分析认为该断层调节带是在左旋张扭构造应力场作用下形成的。通过对永8 块油气分布、油气来源以及断裂活动性与 封闭性研究,建立了永8 断层调节带油气成藏模式：主成藏期东侧主断层作为油源断层沟通了烃源灶和储集层并输导油气; 调节断层停止活动时间早形成断块圈闭,成为遮挡断层。永8 块西侧是有利滚动勘探开发区。     

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。     

Latest Miocene and Pleistocene ages of faulting, determined by 40Ar/39Ar single-crystal dating of airfall tuff and silicic extrusives of the Erciyes Basin, central Turkey: evidence for intraplate deformation related to the tectonic escape of Anatolia

The Ericiyes Basin is a trans‐tensional basin situated 20 km north of the regional Ecemi? Fault Zone. Recently it has been hypothesized that faulting within the Erciyes Basin links with the Ecemi? Fault Zone further south as part of a regional Central Anatolian Fault Zone. New ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar dating of volcanic and volcaniclastic rocks adjacent to faults, both along the margins and in the centre of the Erciyes Basin, constrains the timing of basin inception and later faulting. Extensional faulting occurred along the eastern and western margins of the basin during the Early Messinian (latest Miocene). Sinistral and minor normal faulting were active along the axis of the basin during the early Pleistocene. These fault timings are similar to those inferred for the Ecemi? Fault Zone further south, and support the hypothesis that faulting within the Erciyes Basin and the Ecemi? Fault Zone are indeed linked.     

Displacement and timing of left-lateral faulting in the Kunlun Fault Zone,northern Tibet,inferred from geologic and geomorphic features

The E-W to WNW-ESE striking Kunlun Fault Zone, extending about 1600 km, is one of the large strike-slip faults in the northern Tibet, China. As a major strike-slip fault, it plays an important role on the extrusion of Tibet Plateau in accommodating northeastward shortening caused by the India-Asia convergence. However, the time of initiation left-lateral faulting of the Kunlun Fault Zone is still largely debated, ranging from the Middle to Late Triassic (240–200 Ma) to early Quaternary (2 Ma). We document displaced basement rocks and geomorphic features along the Kunlun Fault Zone, based on tectono-geomorphic interpretation of satellite remote sensing images and field geologic and geomorphic observations. Our results show that the largest cumulative offset of basement rocks is likely to be 100 ± 20 km. Meanwhile, a series of pull-apart basins (Kusai, Xiugou and Tuosu lake basins) and pressure ridges (East Deshuiwai and Maji Snow Mountains), each 45–70 km long and ∼8–12 km wide, are developed along the Kunlun Fault Zone, which resulted from long-term tectono-geomorphic growth since the Late Miocene or Early Pliocene. Geologic evidence indicates that the Kunlun Fault Zone had a long-term slip rate of ca.10 mm/yr during the late Quaternary. This slip rate is similar to that shown by present-day GPS measurements. Thus, we estimate that the Kunlun Fault Zone probably began left-lateral faulting at 10 ± 2 Ma based on a total displacement of 100 ± 20 km, and assuming a constant long-term slip rate of ca.10 mm/yr for several millions of years. And this timing constraint on initiation of left-lateral faulting of the Kunlun Fault Zone is consistent with widespread tectonic deformation which occurred in the Tibetan Plateau.