Stress-strain state of the lithosphere in the southern Baikal region and northern Mongolia from data on seismic moments of earthquakes

Investigation and understanding of the present-day geodynamic situation are of key importance for the elucidation of the laws and evolution of the seismic process in a seismically active region. In this work, seismic moments of nearly 26000 earthquakes with K _p ≥ 7 (M _LH ≥ 2) that occurred in the southern Baikal region and northern Mongolia (SBNM) (48°–54°N, 96°–108°E) from 1968 through 1994 are determined from amplitudes and periods of maximum displacements in transverse body waves. The resulting set of seismic moments is used for spatial-temporal analysis of the stress-strain state of the SBNM lithosphere. The stress fields of the Baikal rift and the India-Asia collision zone are supposed to interact in the region studied. Since the seismic moment of a tectonic earthquake depends on the type of motion in the source, seismic moments and focal mechanisms of earthquakes belonging to four long-term aftershock and swarm clusters of shocks in the Baikal region were used to “calibrate” average seismic moments in accordance with the source faulting type. The study showed that the stress-strain state of the SBNM lithosphere is spatially inhomogeneous and nonstationary. A space-time discrepancy is observed in the formation of faulting types in sources of weak (K _p = 7 and 8) and stronger (K _p ≥ 9) earthquakes. This discrepancy is interpreted in terms of rock fracture at various hierarchical levels of ruptures on differently oriented general, regional, and local faults. A gradual increase and an abrupt, nearly pulsed, decrease in the vertical component of the stress field S _v is a characteristic feature of time variations. The zones where the stress S _v prevails are localized at “singular points” of the lithosphere. Shocks of various energy classes in these zones are dominated by the normal-fault slip mechanism. For earthquakes with K _p = 9, the source faulting changes with depth from the strike-slip type to the normal-strike-slip and normal types, suggesting an increase in S _v . On the whole, the results of this study are well consistent with the synergism of open unstable dissipative systems and are usable for interpreting the main observable variations in the stress-strain state of the lithosphere in terms of spatiotemporal variations in the vertical component of the stress field S _v . This suggests the influence of rifting on the present-day geodynamic processes in the SBNM lithosphere.     

Geodynamics of Cenozoic deformation in central Asia

This paper presents a study of the tectonic stresses in central Asia based on an interpretation of satellite gravity data for mantle convection and supplemented with published fault plane solutions of earthquakes. Northwest-southeast to north-south compressional stresses exist in the Tien Shan region where reverse faulting dominates. The maximum compressive stress is oriented approximately northeast-southwest in the regions of Altai and southern Mongolia. Farther north, compressive stress gives way to tensional stress which causes normal faulting in the Baikal rift system. It is also shown that all of the tectonic stresses in the Tibetan plateau and Himalayan frontal thrust are related to the convection-generated stress patterns inferred from satellite gravity data. These results suggest that the complex crustal deformation in central Asia can be convincingly described by the deformation of the lithosphere on top of the up- and down-welling asthenospheric material beneath it. This observational fact may not only upset the simple view of the fluid crustal model of the Tibetan plateau, but also provide some useful constraints for the future development of deformation theory of continental crust.     

Estimating the energy of seismotectonic deformations in the lithosphere of the Baikal Rift Zone

Estimation and comparison of the energy of seismotectonic deformations in the lithosphere of the Baikal Rift Zone (BRZ) based on observations of large (M ≥ 6) earthquakes for the period of instrumental recording (1950–2002), for a historical period lasting 210 years (1740–1949), and inferred from palaeo-seismological materials for the past 2000 years, all indicate that the hypothesis of a stationary seismic process is appropriate for the region. The locations of maxima of the density of seismotectonic strain energy released during the time intervals under investigation show that most of the failures in the lithosphere occurred approximately in the same areas, which may be interpreted as stress concentrators. The isolines of increased density for the energy of seismotectonic deformations align themselves along the rift features from southwest to northeast in the Baikal region and this allows one to treat the BRZ lithosphere as an extended zone of enhanced, inhomogeneous, energy release of endogenous geotectonic processes. We assessed the power of the seismotectonic processes that reflect the release of endogenous energy through earthquakes. Identification of areas with deficits in the energy of seismotectonic deformations (“energy gaps”) is an important step toward long-term solution of seismic-safety problems for the Baikal region.     

利用GPS观测研究山西断陷带现今构造应力场变化与地震活动

基于1999—2007年山西断陷带GPS站点位移速率,采用格林函数法计算了山西断陷带地壳10 km深处的最大主应力和最大剪应力变化,并与区域地质构造、中强地震活动及其震源机制解等对比分析,结果表明:山西断陷带中强地震活动受区域构造应力场的控制,现今应力场变化强烈的区域,地震活动水平相对较高,地震震源机制与构造应力场变化特征一致性较强;构造应力场变化和中强地震活动还受构造相关区强震活动的影响,2009年以来忻定盆地原平段至石岭关隆起区中强地震活跃可能与汶川8.0级地震影响有关;山西南部尤其是运城盆地具有较高的背景应力水平,应进一步关注该区域的地震危险性。     

Why does near ridge extensional seismicity occur primarily in the Indian Ocean?

The possibility that thermoelastic stresses due to plate cooling contribute significantly to the stress field and seismicity in young oceanic lithosphere has been a subject of considerable recent interest. This effect is suggested by three key observations: a decrease in seismicity with lithospheric age, the fact that focal mechanisms show extension perpendicular to the spreading direction, and a depth stratification of mechanism types. A difficulty with this idea is that although thermoelastic stresses should be comparable in different regions, the intraplate seismicity seems to occur in local concentrations. In particular, the ridge-parallel extensional seismicity occurs preferentially in the Central Indian Ocean region.We explore the possibility that much of the data favoring thermoelastic stresses can be interpreted in terms of stresses resulting from individual plate geometry and local boundary effects. In particular, the dramatic concentration of extensional seismicity in the Central Indian Ocean region is consistent with finite element results for the intraplate stress incorporating the effects of the Himalayan collision and the various subduction zones. The ridge parallel extensional stresses show a decrease with age similar to that of the seismicity. As earthquakes in this area provide a major portion of the data for both ridge-parallel extension and depth stratification, these effects may be due more to the regional stress. We thus propose that thermoelastic stresses provide a low level “background” in all plates, but that the dominant effect is that of individual plate geometry and local boundary effects.     

Mantle convection pattern and subcrustal stress field under Asia

Gravitational field models derived from satellite tracking and surface gravity data have been used to derive the forces in the earth's mantle under Asia. Based on studies of tectonic forces from these models, a subcrustal stress field under China has been obtained. The stresses are due to mantle convection. According to the stress patterns, the east and west China blocks and five seismic zones are identified. The tensional stresses exerted by the upwelling mantle convection flows under the crust of Tibet seem to be related to the Tibetan uplift. The compressional orogenic region from the southern tip of Lake Baikal, through Tien Shan, Hindu Kush and the Himalayas to northern Burma appears to be connected with the downwelling mantle convection flows. It is found that the directions of the subcrustal stresses under China are disposed perpendicularly to the major fault systems and seismic belts. The results of stress calculations show that the crust of north China should be in compression and that stresses within it should be sufficient to form the Shansi Graben and Linfen Basin Systems and fracture the lithosphere. This gives a possible explanation of why strong earthquakes occurred in north China which is an isolated narrow region of highest seismicity far from plate boundaries. The tensional stress fields, caused by the upwelling mantle convection flows, are found to be regions of structural kinship characterized by major concentrations of mineral and metal deposits in China.     

A tectonophysical model of a seismic zone: Experience of development based on the example of the Baikal rift system

It is shown that different well-known models of earthquake sources explain the origin of a particular seismic event, but they do not reflect the overall geodynamic situation in a seismic zone and they cannot be used for understanding the regular patterns of the seismic process as a whole and for its prediction. On the basis of well-studied fractural tectonics and seismicity of the Baikal rift system, a tectonophysical model of seismic zone is proposed. The conceptual basis of the tectonophysical model of a seismic zone is as follows: the fracture-block medium of the brittle part of the lithosphere, the sufficiently frequent activation of faults of different ranks in real time, initiated by the deformation waves of different lengths and velocities, and seismic events consecutively proceeding predominantly along one of the directions of the specific activated faults. A seismic process in any particular part of the zone can be stimulated by the presence of fluids, by induced seismicity or by other factors. The developed tectonophysical model of the seismic process offers the possibilities of the utilization of the contemporary geo-information systems for the calculations during the assigned time interval of the sequential regular patterns of activations of faults, and within the boundaries of the regions of their dynamic influence, the succession of the appearance of separate sources. The model and the theoretically possible calculations on its basis bring one closer to the medium- and short-term prediction of earthquakes.     

华北地区中东部岩石圈挠曲与均衡特性以及地震活动性分析

华北地区中东部涵盖北京、天津以及即将建设的雄安新区等大型城市,区内发育了张渤地震带等多条大型活动断裂,地震活动性较强,历史上发生过多次6级以上地震.本文利用Fan小波的布格重力异常一致性方法研究该区的岩石圈有效弹性厚度和均衡调整初始加载比分布,同时基于均衡调整方法计算该区垂向构造应力分布,并将以上结果与历史地震活动进行统计分析.岩石圈挠曲分析表明,华北地区中东部的岩石圈有效弹性厚度为10~65 km,分布特征为自东南向西北逐渐减小.均衡调整初始加载比为0.5~0.8,表明现今的岩石圈挠曲状态主要由莫霍面加载形成.该区地壳承载的垂向构造应力约为-20~20 MPa,中西部地区垂向构造应力向上,东北和西南地区向下.统计分析结果显示,华北地区中东部的地震活动性随着岩石圈有效弹性厚度和均衡调整初始加载比的增加而减弱,垂向构造应力零值区域地震活动性较弱.雄安新区的岩石圈有效弹性厚度大约为15 km,均衡调整初始加载比为0.5~0.6,垂向构造应力为15~20 MPa,岩石圈参数对应的地震活动性较强,相关结果对于新区建设具有一定参考价值.     

Triggered and tectonic driven earthquakes in the Koyna–Warna region,western India

Two strong M?>?5.0 earthquakes within a span of six months occurred in a triggered seismicity environment in the Koyna–Warna region in western India in 2000. The region is experiencing continued seismicity since the last five decades indicating that this region is close to critical stresses and minor perturbations in the stresses due to reservoir loading and unloading can trigger earthquakes. In the present study we applied the technique developed for identification of prognostic anomalies for tectonic earthquakes to the Koyna–Warna catalogue prior to these two earthquakes with an aim to study the process of source preparation for triggered earthquakes. In case of tectonic earthquakes, unstable conditions in a source zone develop gradually leading to a metastable zone which shows variations in certain seismicity parameters known as prognostic anomalies. Our results indicate that the variations in seismicity parameters before the two strong earthquakes in the Koyna region have a pattern of prognostic anomalies typical of tectonic earthquakes. We conclude that initiation of failure in a metastable zone can be caused both, by external impacts, reservoir loading and unloading in our case, and internal processes of avalanche-like failure development.     

1976年唐山强震群震后库仑应力演化及其与2020年古冶5.1级地震的关系

采用能够综合协调长期变形和震后短期变形的Burgers流变模型,模拟了1976年唐山强震群引起的震后形变场以及同震和震后库仑应力变化。结果显示:1976年唐山强震群中主震的两个破裂面以及滦县和宁河两次强余震均对2020年古冶5.1级地震表现为库仑应力加载。岩石圈粘弹性松弛效应引起的库仑应力变化显示,震后15年前后,库仑应力演化状态呈现显著的差异性:震后15年内,库仑应力变化剧烈;而震后15年后,库仑应力呈现缓慢的稳定增加状态。该过程与唐山强震群余震区地震活动过程相似,可能暗示1976年唐山强震群余震区应力调整过程已基本稳定。     

Observation of a medium-term earthquake precursor in Irkutsk

Complex geophysical investigations of the earth dam of the Irkutsk hydroelectric power plant (HEP) revealed strong negative anomalies of the natural electric field (NEF). These anomalies are associated with focal mechanisms of earthquakes, in which subhorizontal compressive stresses prevail. The sources of such earthquakes are located in the south of the Baikal rift zone. Their epicentral distances are comparable with the range of the action of precursors of earthquakes with M > 5. NEF anomalies correlate with an increase in the filtration at the earth’s dam base in the Angara fault zone along the Angara River bed. In the shape of their plots, manifestations of these NEF anomalies are similar to variations in the ratios of velocities of longitudinal and transverse waves before earthquakes in the Garm region.     

Gravitational potential stresses and stress field of passive continental margins: Insights from the south-Norway shelf

It is commonly assumed that the stress state at passive margins is mainly dominated by ridge push and that other stress sources have only a limited temporal and/or spatial influence. We show, by means of numerical modelling, that observed variations in lithosphere structure and elevation from a margin towards continental interiors may also produce significant gravitational potential stresses competing with those induced by ridge push forces. We test this hypothesis on an actual case where abundant geological and geophysical datasets are available, the shelf of southern Norway and adjacent southern Norwegian mountains (or Southern Scandes). The modelling results are consistent with the main features of three key-observables: (1) undulations of the truncated geoid (reflecting variations in gravitational potential energy in the lithosphere), (2) significant stress rotations both offshore and onshore and (3) the seismicity pattern of southern Norway. The contribution of the Southern Scandes to the regional stress pattern appears to be far more significant than previously anticipated. In addition, the modelling provides a physical explanation for the enigmatic seismicity of southern Norway. Gravitational potential stresses arising from variations in the lithospheric structure between a passive margin and its continental borderlands, can exert a significant control on the dynamic evolution of the margin in concert with ridge push.     

A thermomechanical model of the formation of a rift valley

A numerical model describing the thermomechanical state of the “cold” upper mantle near a mid-oceanic ridge (MOR) spreading at a moderate rate is constructed in the approximation of the boundary layer theory. The condition of rift valley formation leads to a constraint on the temperature and shows what temperature distribution corresponds to the “cold” upper mantle. Taking into account the dependence of mantle rheology on the pressure, temperature, and viscous stresses, the model distributions of the pressure and normal viscous stresses at the base of the lithosphere result in a bend of the heterogeneous lithosphere near the MOR, producing a seafloor topography typical of a rift valley with a depth of a few hundred meters and a spreading rate of ～2.5 cm/yr, characteristic of the Atlantic Ocean. The model width of the rift valley (～10–15 km) agrees with observations fairly well. The model is consistent with the typical heat-flow values observed in the spreading zone.     

俄罗斯贝加尔湖-日本仙台断面地震波速结构及其地质意义

本文以中俄、俄日学者合作所得到的地球物理资料为主,结合其它相关地质-地球物理数据,组构了俄罗斯贝加尔湖-日本仙台(BS)4000 km长断面,用于区域性大尺度地研究东北亚洲地壳结构和一系列地质构造问题.研究BS断面地震波速结果表明:(1)西伯利亚板块和黑龙江板块地壳结构变化较大,并可分为上、中、下部地壳,欧亚板块东部陆缘带地壳结构较简单,基本两分.贝加尔裂谷带下部地壳厚度比松辽盆地的薄约7 km,而上部地壳则相反,前者的比后者的厚约9 km.两个裂谷带在Moho界面之下的波速分布差异也较大.(2)结合前人认识,综合分析认为,贝加尔裂谷带属主动式裂谷,松辽盆地属于混合型裂谷.贝加尔裂谷形成动力主要来自地球构造圈B″层物质上涌所形成的地幔热柱的垂向作用,由BLV带佐证,松辽盆地形成动力主要来自太平洋板块斜向俯冲的中远程效应.(3)日本国所位于的西太平洋岛弧带是多地震带,除了太平洋板块俯冲产生的浅部效应、地壳中断裂与流体的直接作用等因素,本文指出仙台等速块的物性条件是岛弧带的主要不稳定因素.同时指出需要关注日本东海岸深约30~40 km的大级次地震的发生.     

中国东部重力梯级带的地震地质分析

中国东部重力梯级带上的强震震中分布有着明显的分段性。区域重力场及其地震地质分析表明,沿带现代地震活动的不均一性是与其深部构造环境的差异相联系的。因此重力场与地震关系实质上是一个地震与构造的关系问题。区域重力场只有当其综合反映了所在地区(带)存在强震孕育的构造条件方可作为强震发生的一种判别标     

山西断陷带上地幔顶部Pn波速度结构与各向异性成像

本研究拾取了中国数字测震台网固定台站记录的2008—2019年期间发生在山西断陷带及邻区2级以上天然地震事件及陕西神木、府谷等3级以上非天然地震事件共25304条高质量Pn到时数据,反演了山西断陷带及邻区上地幔顶部高分辨率Pn波速度结构与各向异性.研究结果显示,山西断陷带及邻区Pn波速度结构差异较大,大同火山及以南区域、忻定盆地、太行山造山带、华北盆地南部和吕梁山局部地区表现为显著的低波速异常,而运城盆地、临汾盆地北部、太原盆地、大同盆地北部、华北盆地北部和鄂尔多斯块体呈现明显的高波速异常.大同火山下方上地幔顶部的低波速异常与Pn快波方向呈现以火山为中心的近发散状结构特征,结合已有的远震上地幔成像结果,暗示大同火山岩浆可能来源于地幔深部,岩浆的底侵或热侵蚀作用造成了该地区岩石圈的破坏以及整个华北克拉通的"活化",这一推论符合克拉通的热-化学侵蚀破坏模型.山西断陷带上地幔顶部速度异常形态较好的对应了研究区的地质构造,Pn快波速方向与地质构造的展布方向和SKS波各向异性的特征基本一致,说明变形形式以简单剪切为主,表明其形成和演化过程与上地幔物质运移过程有密切关系.     

山西地区远震P波到时残差分布

收集2008-2016年山西地震台网记录的震中距30°-90°范围内1 253个远震事件波形,拾取7 600余条高质量P波初至到时,使用IASP91模型计算相对到时残差,分析残差水平分布特征,结果显示：①以山西地区中部的山西断裂带为界,西部地震台站记录的P波初至主要表现为早到时,东部位于大同火山区的地震台站记录则主要表现为晚到时;②位于山西断裂带内部的地震台站记录的P波初至主要表现为早到时,残差水平显著低于西部地震台站;③研究区P波到时整体呈现自西向东逐渐由早到晚的分布特征。推测山西断裂带西部地区下方可能存在高速异常结构,山西断裂带内部及大同火山区下方可能存在低速异常结构。     

山西地区远震P波到时残差分布

收集2008—2016年山西地震台网记录的震中距30°—90°范围内1 253个远震事件波形,拾取7 600余条高质量P波初至到时,使用IASP91模型计算相对到时残差,分析残差水平分布特征,结果显示:①以山西地区中部的山西断裂带为界,西部地震台站记录的P波初至主要表现为早到时,东部位于大同火山区的地震台站记录则主要表现为晚到时;②位于山西断裂带内部的地震台站记录的P波初至主要表现为早到时,残差水平显著低于西部地震台站;③研究区P波到时整体呈现自西向东逐渐由早到晚的分布特征。推测山西断裂带西部地区下方可能存在高速异常结构,山西断裂带内部及大同火山区下方可能存在低速异常结构。     

Prognostic anomalies of induced seismicity in the region of the Koyna-Warna water reservoirs, West India

In 2000, the region of the Koyna-Warna water reservoirs in West India was hit by two strong earthquakes, which occurred six months apart and had magnitudes M > 5. The Koyna-Warna seismic zone is a typical region of induced seismicity with a pronounced correlation between seismicity and water level variations in the reservoirs. This indicates that the stress level in the region is close to critical; thus, insignificant variations in stress caused by the variations in the water level may trigger a strong earthquake. In order to study the preparatory processes in the sources of the induced earthquakes, in this paper we analyze the seismic catalogue for the Koyna-Warna region before a pair of strong earthquakes of 2000. The induced seismicity is found to exhibit prognostic variations, which are typical of preparation of tectonic earthquakes and indicative of the formation of metastable source zones of future earthquakes. Based on the obtained results, we suggest that initiation of failure in these metastable zones within the region of induced seismicity could have been caused by the external impacts associated with water level variations in the reservoirs and by the internal processes of avalanche unstable crack propagation.