最新GPS数据揭示的东构造结周边主要断裂带的运动特征

最新GPS观测资料研究表明喜马拉雅东构造结周边主要断裂带在不同构造部位其运动特征不同.雅鲁藏布江断裂总体表现为右旋挤压运动,东构造结以西走滑速率为2~4 mm/a、挤压速率为1~4 mm/a,东构造结附近走滑速率为6~7 mm/a、挤压速率为1~4 mm/a;嘉黎断裂带从东构造结以西的右旋走滑运动,到东构造结附近的弱右旋走滑运动,转变为东构造结东南部的左旋走滑运动,走滑速率分别为4~6 mm/a、1~2 mm/a和3~5 mm/a.怒江断裂带在构造结以西主要为挤压运动,运动速率1~2 mm/a;在东构造结及其东南部则表现为右旋挤压运动,走滑速率为2~3 mm/a、挤压速率1~2.5 mm/a.以上结果表明,尽管东构造结形成于中生代,但现今对周边主要断裂带的运动仍有一定的影响;嘉黎断裂带东南段可能不是青藏高原右旋剪切带的南部边界.     

西藏中南部格仁错断裂张剪性质及其区域动力学意义

喀拉昆仑-嘉黎断裂带(KJFZ)是青藏高原中南部一条规模宏大断裂带,因其是青藏高原向东运移的南边界,其构造展布和活动性质与高原隆升、侧向挤出和东西向伸展等科学问题关系密切,也是研究高原变形机制和地球动力学重要场所.本文选取该断裂带中部NW向格仁错断裂(GRCF),对断裂沿线进行较详细地质地貌调查,对冲沟位错和断层陡坎等地貌单元进行测量,并进行探槽开挖,结合天然剖面揭示了断裂产状,详细研究断裂活动性质,发现断裂除前人认为的右旋走滑性质外,还具有明显的张性正断性质,断裂向北陡倾,且北盘相对南盘下降,全新世以来右旋走滑速率和正断速率分别为2.98 mm/a和0.2~0.5 mm/a之间.前人在共轭的北东向断裂研究中,也发现除左旋走滑性质外,同样具有正断分量,表明现今高原中南部上地壳除传统认为处东西向张性应力场环境外,南北向也具有明显张性特征.而受印度板块向北东向挤压作用,高原岩石圈总体应处于挤压应力状态.因此,推测现今该区域上下地壳处于应力解耦状态,并尝试建立区域张剪性地壳动力学模型:在南北向挤压应力场的作用下,中下地壳缩短凸起隆升,导致上地壳在各方向都表现为不同程度的张性特征.     

Late Cenozoic faulting in SW Bulgaria: Fault geometry,kinematics and driving stress regimes. Implications for late orogenic processes in the Hellenic hinterland

We investigate the geometry and kinematics of the faults exposed in basement rocks along the Strouma River in SW Bulgaria as well as the sequence of faulting events in order to place constraints on the Cenozoic kinematic evolution of this structurally complex domain. In order to decipher the successive stress fields that prevailed during the tectonic history, we additionally carried out an analysis of mesoscale striated faults in terms of paleostress with a novel approach. This approach is based on the P–T axes distribution of the fault-slip data, and separates the fault-slip data into different groups which are characterized by kinematic compatibility, i.e., their P and T axes have similar orientations. From these fault groups, stress tensors are resolved and in case these stress tensors define similar stress regimes (i.e., the orientations of the stress axes and the stress shape ratios are similar) then the fault groups are further unified. The merged fault groups after being filled out with those fault-slip data that have not been incorporated into the above described grouping, but which present similar geometric and kinematic features are used for defining the final stress regimes. In addition, the sequence of faulting events was constrained by available tectonostratigraphic data.Five faulting events named D1, D2, D3, D4 and D5 are distinguished since the Late Oligocene. D1 is a pure compression stress regime with σ₁ stress axis trending NNE-SSW that mainly activated the WNW-ESE to ENE-WSW faults as reverse to oblique reverse and the NNW-SSE striking as right-lateral oblique contractional faults during the Latest Oligocene-Earliest Miocene. D2 is a strike-slip − transpression stress regime with σ₁ stress axis trending NNE-SSW that mainly activated the NNW-SSE to N-S striking as right-lateral strike-slip faults and the ENE-WSW striking faults as left-lateral strike-slip ones during the Early-Middle Miocene. D3 extensional event is associated with a NW-SE to WNW-ESE extension causing the activation of mainly low-angle normal faults of NE-SW strike and NNE-SSW to NNW-SSE striking high-angle normal faults. D4 is an extensional event dated from Late Miocene to Late Pliocene. It activated NNW-SSE to NW-SE faults as normal faults and E-W to WNW-ESE faults as right-lateral oblique extensional faults. The latest D5 event is an N-S extensional stress regime that dominates the wider area of SW Bulgaria in Quaternary times. It mainly activated faults that generally strike E-W (ENE-WSW and WNW-ESE) normal faults, along which fault-bounded basins developed. The D1 and D2 events are interpreted as two progressive stages of transpressional tectonics related to the late stages of collision between Apulia and Eurasia plates. These processes gave rise to the lateral extrusion of the Rhodope and Balkan regions toward the SE along the Strouma Lineament. The D3 event is attributed to the latest stage of this collision, and represents the relaxation of the overthickened crust along the direction of the lateral extrusion. The D4 and D5 events are interpreted as post-orogenic extensional events related to the retreat of the Hellenic subduction zone since the Late Miocene and to the widespread back-arc Aegean extension still prevailing today.     

FIRST REPORT OF BERO ZECO ACTIVE FAULT IN GÊRZÊ, NORTHERN TIBET

In the interior of the Tibetan Plateau, the active tectonics are primarily marked by conjugate strike slip faults and north-trending rifts, which represent the E-W extension since late Cenozoic of the plateau. The conjugate faults are mainly composed of NE-trending left-lateral strike-slip faults in Qiangtang terrane and NW-trending right-lateral strike-slip faults in Lhasa terrane. While, the rifts mainly strike N, NNW and NNE within southern Tibet. However, it is still a debate on the deformational style and specific adjustment mechanism of E-W extension. One of key reasons causing this debate is the lack of detailed investigation of these active faults, especially within the northwestern plateau. Recently, we found a 20km long, NNW-trending active fault at Bero Zeco in northwestern Tibet. This fault is presented as fault sag ponds, channel offsets and fault scarps. Displacement of channels and geomorphic features suggested that the Bero Zeco Fault(BZF)is a dextral strike-slip fault with a small amount of normal slip component, which may result from the E-W extensional deformation in the interior of Tibet. BZF strikes N330°~340°W, as shown on the satellite image. The main Quaternary strata in the studied area are two stages alluvial fans around the Bero Zeco. From the satellite images, the old alluvial fans were cut by the lake shoreline leaving many of lake terraces. And the young fans cut across the lake terraces and the old fans. By contrasting to the "Paleo-Qiangtang Huge Lake" since late Quaternary, these old alluvial fans could be late Pleistocene with age ranging from 40ka to 50ka. And the young fans could be Holocene. The sag ponds along the BZF are distributed in the late Pleistocene alluvial fans. Also, the BZF displaced the late Pleistocene fans without traces within Holocene fans, suggesting that the BZF is a late Pleistocene active fault. The fault scarps are gentler with the slope angle of around 10° and the vertical offset is about 2m by field measurement. Reconstruction of the offset of channels suggested that the accumulated dextral offset could be about 44m on the late Pleistocene alluvial fans. Therefore, we infer that the dextral slip-rate could be around 1mm/a showing a low-rate deformation characteristic. The angle between the strike of BZF and principal compressive stress axis(σ₁)is around 30°, which is significantly different to the other faults within the conjugate strike-slip fault zones that is 60°~75°. Now, the deformation mechanisms on these conjugate faults are mainly proposed in the studies of obtuse angle between the faults and σ₁, which is likely not applicable for the BZF. We infer that the BZF could be the northward prolongation of the north-trending rifts based on the geometry. This difference suggests that the conjugate strike-slip faults may be formed by two different groups:one is obtuse angle, which is related to block extrusion or shear zones in Lhasa and Qiangtang terranes possibly; the other is acute angle, which may represent the characteristics of new-born fractures. And more studies are needed on their deformation mechanisms.     

喀喇昆仑断层与塔什库尔干地震形变带

喀喇昆仑断层位于我国新疆、西藏和阿富汗、克什米尔之间,是亚洲大陆中部一条巨型的右旋走滑断裂带,长约1000km,呈北西向展布,十分醒目。喀喇昆仑断层和阿尔金断层形成一个巨大的挤出构造,使青藏高原向东运动,对东亚的新构造和地震活动具有重要的控制作用。木吉-塔什库尔干盆地是公格尔山和慕士塔格山西侧一条串珠状断陷盆地带,东西两侧发育系列山前活动断裂,主要表现为正断层。这里曾发生多次强震活动,3条地震形变带(地震断层)已被发现。塔什库尔干断裂带呈北北西走向,是喀喇昆仑断层北部的一条分支     

~(40)Ar/~(39)Ar dating of shear deformation of the Xianshuihe fault zone in west Sichuan and its tectonic significance

TheNW-SEstrikingXianshuihefaultzoneslicesthesoutheasternTibetanPlateauandconnectssoutheastwardwiththeAnninghe-Zemuhe-Xiaojiangfaultzone,whichformahuge,activesinistralstrike-slipfaultzone(fig.1).ThisfaultzoneisanimportantseismicfaultineastTibet[1-5].EarthquakegeologystudiesandoffsetpatternsofyounggeologicalfeatureshaveshownthatlateQuaternarysinistralsliprateoftheXianshuihefaultzonereaches13mm/a[1,2].TheXianshuhefaultzoneconsistsoftwomainbranches,theDaofufaultbranchinthewestandtheXianshuih…     

Cenozoic extensional stress evolution in North China

Since the beginning of the Cenozoic, north China has been fragmented by intensive intracontinental rifting and extensional tectonics, which resulted in the formation of two extensional domains: the graben systems around the Ordos block in the west and North China Plain in the east. How to link this Cenozoic extensional tectonics to plate kinematics has long been an issue of debate. This paper presents updated results of fault slip data sets collected in different zones in north China and addresses the changes in the direction of extensional stresses over the Cenozoic. A chronology of three successive extensions has been established and provides evidence for constraining the timing and location of either subduction-induced back-arc tectonics along the western Pacific or collision-related extrusion tectonics in Tibet. The oldest NW–SE trending extension occurred concomitantly with the early Tertiary rifting phase, which was initiated in a back-arc setting associated with westward subduction of the Pacific plate under the Asia continent. North China had been subjected, during the Miocene, to regional subsidence with widespread basalt flow, and the direction of extension changed to NE–SW to NNE–SSW, consistent with the spreading direction of the Japan Sea. The dynamic origin of this extension is poorly understood. Since the latest Miocene or earliest Pliocene, north China has been dominated by NW–SE extension resulting in the formation and development of the elongate graben systems around the rigid Ordos block. This extensional phase is accompanied by counterclockwise rotation of blocks such as Ordos, Taihangshan Massif etc., which are bounded to south by the left-lateral strike-slip Qinling fault system. The overall Pliocene-Quaternary deformation in north China accommodates an ESE-ward extrusion of the south China block relative to the Gobi-Mongolia plateau, as the consequence of late-stage India–Eurasia convergence.     

青藏高原东北隅弧束断裂与南鄂尔多斯环形构造

卫星图像分析显示 ,青藏高原东北隅存在非常清晰的毛毛山 -南华山 -六盘山、香山 -天景山、烟筒山、牛首山 -罗山 4条弧形断裂带和南鄂尔多斯环形构造。分析了弧形构造的运动特征和南鄂尔多斯环形构造的形态 ,认为青藏高原东北隅弧束断裂的成因是印度板块向NNE俯冲导致青藏高原NEE向移动所产生的推挤力 ,受到南鄂尔多斯环形构造的阻挡 ,形成了 4条向固原、泾原收敛 ,向NWW、NW方向撒开的弧束断裂。造成撒开部分NWW—NNW向断裂左旋走滑、NW—SN向断裂右旋走滑、收敛部分逆冲挤压的特     

2015年尼泊尔M_W7.9地震对青藏高原活动断裂同震、震后应力影响

2015年尼泊尔MW7.9地震重烈度区从震中向东延伸,致灾范围包括尼泊尔、印度北部、巴基斯坦、孟加拉和中国藏南地区,其应力调整对邻区和周边活动断裂可能产生重要影响.本文基于地震应力触发理论,采用岩石圈地壳分层黏弹性位错模型,计算了尼泊尔MW7.9地震引起的周边断裂,特别是青藏高原活动断裂的同震和震后库仑应力变化.结果显示,尼泊尔地震同震效应引起大部分震区库仑应力升高,余震主要分布在最大同震滑动等值线外部库仑应力升高区域;少量余震靠近最大滑动量区域,可能该区域积累的地震能量在主震期间没有完全释放.尼泊尔地震同震库仑应力对青藏高原,特别是中尼边境区域活动断裂有一定影响.亚东—谷露地堑南段、北喜马拉雅断裂西段、当惹雍错—定日断裂和甲岗—定结断裂同震库仑应力升高,其中当惹雍错—定日断裂南端,北喜马拉雅断裂西段同震库仑应力变化峰值超过0.01 MPa;帕龙错断裂、班公错断裂、改则—洞措断裂库仑应力降低,其地震发生概率有所降低.震后应力影响方面,未来40年内黏弹性松弛作用导致北喜马拉雅断裂、改则—洞措断裂和喀喇昆仑断裂整体应力卸载;藏南一系列正断层震后应力持续上升,其中帕龙错断裂南段受到震后黏弹性库仑应力影响,由应力阴影区逐渐转化为应力增强区,当惹雍错—定日断裂南段应力进一步加强,震后40年其南端应力变化峰值达到0.1345 MPa,亚东—谷露断裂南段应力亦持续增强.藏南正断层的地震活动性值得进一步关注.     

龙门山南段前陆区晚第四纪构造变形样式

龙门山中南段前陆区是青藏高原东缘唯一发育新生代薄皮构造与沉积盆地的地段,研究其最新构造变形样式有助于深入理解青藏高原向东扩展的构造机理.论文通过青衣江河流阶地测量与古青衣江洪积扇形态重建,研究了龙门山南段前陆区晚第四纪活动构造格局及其活动性,取得了如下认识：（1）青衣江河流阶地纵剖面显示,龙门山南段前陆地区晚第四纪变形主要为褶皱作用,总体地壳缩短速率为2.5~3.9 mm·a^-1,远大于山区冲断带0.48~0.77 mm·a^-1的地壳缩短速率,地壳缩短主要由前陆地区吸收;（2）青衣江古洪积扇错断变形显示,龙门山南段前陆区活动构造表现为北西—南东向地壳缩短与近东西向的地壳缩短的叠加作用,两者分别受控于巴颜喀拉块体南东向推挤作用与川滇块体向东推挤作用;（3）自中新世初川滇块体向南东挤出,四川盆地西南角起到分流青藏高原物质的作用,其西南侧物质通过鲜水河—小江断裂带的左旋错动向南东方向分流,其西北侧物质通过龙门山断裂带的右旋错动向北东方向分流,迎面受到了最大的推挤作用,进而向前陆扩展形成了薄皮褶皱构造带.     

The North Cycladic Detachment System

Low-angle normal faults accommodate a large part of continental post-orogenic extension. Besides the intrinsic rheological characteristics of the continental crust that may lead to the formation of shallow-dipping shear zones at the brittle–ductile transition, the role of pre-existing low-angle structures such as large thrusts has been proposed by several authors. We explore this question with the example of the North Cycladic Detachment System (NCDS) that is composed of a series of distinct detachments cropping out on the islands of Andros, Tinos and Mykonos, separating the Cycladic Blueschists in the footwall from the Upper Cycladic Nappe in the hanging wall. We show that these extensional structures are part of a single large-scale structure (more than 200 km along strike) that reactivates the Vardar suture zone. It extends eastward on Ikaria and westward offshore Evia and Thessalia where it probably connects to recent shallow-dipping normal faults evidenced on published seismic reflection profiles. The NCDS started its activity in the Oligocene concommitantly with the Aegean extension, and was still active in the Late Miocene. It has exhumed a series of metamorphic domes from southern Evia to Mykonos below low-angle detachment systems, made of low-angle normal faults and low-angle ductile shear zones. The ductile shear zones and the faults were created with a low dip and they kept the same attitude throughout their exhumation. We identify three main detachments that are part of a continuum of extension on the NCDS : Tinos detachment, Livada detachment and Mykonos detachment. A fourth detachment (Vari detachment) is the reactivation of an Eocene exhumation-related structure. Deformation in the footwall is characterized by intense stretching and flattening. Using the spatial evolution observed along strike from Andros to Mykonos we construct a history of formation of the NCDS starting with the reactivation of former thrusts leading to the exhumation of high-temperature metamorphic domes. The Aegean example shows that reactivation of earlier shallow-dipping discontinuities can play a fundamental role in continental post-orogenic extension.     

NEW DISCOVERY OF RESHUI-TAOSTUO RIVER FAULT IN DULAN,QINGHAI PROVINCE AND ITS IMPLICATIONS

The 40km-long, NEE trending Reshui-Taostuo River Fault was found in the southern Dulan-Chaka highland by recent field investigation, which is a strike-slip fault with some normal component. DEM data was generated by small unmanned aerial vehicle(UAV)on key geomorphic units with resolution<0.05m. Based on the interpretation and field investigation, we get two conclusions:1)It is the first time to define the Reshui-Taostuo River Fault, and the fault is 40km long with a 6km-long surface rupture; 2)There are left-handed dislocations in the gullies and terraces cut by the fault. On the high-resolution DEM image obtained by UAV, the offsets are(9.3±0.5) m, (17.9±1.5) m, and(36.8±2) m, measured by topographic profile recovery of gullies. The recovery measurements of two terraces present that the horizontal offset of T₁/T₀ is(18.2±1.5) m and the T₂/T₁ is (35.8±2) m, which is consistent with the offsets from gullies. According to the historical earthquake records, a M5 3/4 earthquake on April 10, 1938 and a M_S5.0 earthquake on March 21, 1952 occurred at the eastern end of the surface rupture, which may be related to the activity of the fault. By checking the county records of Dulan and other relevant data, we find that there are no literature records about the two earthquakes, which is possibly due to the far distance to the epicenter at that time, the scarcity of population in Dulan, or that the earthquake occurred too long ago that led to losing its records. The southernmost ends of the Eastern Kunlun Fault and the Elashan Fault converge to form a wedge-shaped extruded fault block toward the northwest. The Dulan Basin, located at the end of the wedge-shaped fault block, is affected by regional NE and SW principal compressive stress and the shear stress of the two boundary faults. The Dulan Basin experienced a complex deformation process of compression accompanying with extension. In the process of extrusion, the specific form of extension is the strike-slip faults at each side of the wedge, and there is indeed a north-east and south-west compression between the two controlling wedge-shaped fault block boundary faults, the Eastern Kunlun and Elashan Faults. The inferred mechanism of triangular wedge extrusion deformation in this area is quite different from the pure rigid extrusion model. Therefore, Dulan Basin is a wedge-shaped block sandwiched between the two large-scale strike-slip faults. Due to the compression of the northeast and southwest directions of the region, the peripheral faults of the Dulan Basin form a series of southeast converging plume thrust faults on the northeast edge of the basin near the Elashan Fault, which are parallel to the Elashan Fault in morphology and may converge with the Elashan Fault in subsurface. The southern marginal fault of the Dulan Basin(Reshui-Taostuo River Fault)near the Eastern Kunlun fault zone is jointly affected by the left-lateral strike-slip Eastern Kunlun Fault and the right-lateral strike-slip Elashan Fault, presenting a left-lateral strike-slip characteristic. Meanwhile, the wedge-shaped fault block extrudes to the northwest, causing local extension at the southeast end, and the fault shows the extensional deformation. These faults absorb or transform the shear stress in the northeastern margin of the Tibet Plateau. Therefore, our discovery of the Dulan Reshui-Taostuo River Fault provides important constraints for better understanding of the internal deformation mode and mechanism of the fault block in the northeastern Tibetan plateau. The strike of Reshui-Taostuo River Fault is different from the southern marginal fault of the Qaidam Basin. The Qaidam south marginal burial fault is the boundary fault between the Qaidam Basin and the East Kunlun structural belt, with a total length of ~500km. The geophysical data show that Qaidam south marginal burial fault forms at the boundary between the positive gravity anomaly of the southern East Kunlun structural belt and the negative gravity anomaly gradient zone of the northern Qaidam Basin, showing as a thrust fault towards the basin. The western segment of the fault was active at late Pleistocene, and the eastern segment near Dulan County was active at early-middle Pleistocene. The Reshui-Taostuo River Fault is characterized by sinistral strike-slip with a normal component. The field evidence indicates that the latest active period of this fault was Holocene, with a total length of only 40km. Neither remote sensing image interpretation nor field investigation indicate the fault extends further westward and intersects with the Qaidam south marginal burial fault. Moreover, it shows that its strike is relatively consistent with the East Kunlun fault zone in spatial distribution and has a certain angle with the burial fault in the southern margin of Qaidam Basin. Therefore, there is no structural connection between the Reshui-Taostuo River Fault and the Qaidam south marginal burial fault.     

HOLOCENE SLIP RATE ALONG THE NE-TRENDING QIXIANG CO FAULT IN THE CENTRAL TIBETAN PLATEAU AND ITS TECTONIC IMPLICATIONS

The two mainstream deformation models of the Tibet plateau are continental escape model and crustal thickening model, the former suggests that the NW-trending Karakoram Fault, Gyaring Co Fault, Beng Co Fault and the Jiali Fault as the Karakoram-Jiali fault zone is the southern border belt and that the dextral strike-slip rate is estimated as up to 10~20mm/yr. However, research results in recent years show that the slip rates along those faults are significantly less than earlier estimates. Taylor et al. (2003)suggest that the conjugate strike-slip faults control the active deformation in the central Tibet. The lack of research on the slip behavior of the NE-trending faults in the central Tibet Plateau constrains our understanding of the central Tibet deformation model. Thus, we choose the NE-direction Qixiang Co Fault located at the north of the Gyaring Co Fault as research object. Based on the interpretation of satellite images, we found several faulted geomorphic sites. Using RTK-GPS ground control point and unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)topographic surveying, we obtained less than 10cm/pix-resolution digital elevation model (DEM)in the Yaqu town site. We used the LaDiCaoz_v2.1 software to automatically extract the left-lateral offset of the largest gully on the terrace T₂ surface, which is (21.3±7.1)m, and the vertical dislocation of the scarp on the terrace T₂ surface, which is (0.9±0.1)m. The age of both U-series dating samples on the terrace T₂ is (4.98±0.17)ka and (5.98±0.07)ka, respectively. The Holocene left-lateral slip rate along Qixiang Co Fault is (3.56±1.19)mm/a and the vertical slip rate is (0.15±0.02)mm/a. The kinematic characteristics of the sinistral strike-slip with normal slip coincide with the eastward motion of the central Tibet plateau, and its magnitude is in agreement with its conjugate Gyaring Co Fault, suggesting that the deformation pattern of the central Tibetan plateau complies with the conjugate strike-slip faults mode.     

On the tectonics of Asia

This report describes an interpretation of the tectonics of central Asia made from seismic and geologic data. It is suggested that central Asia is not a tectonically passive unit, as previously proposed by others, responding solely to the convergence of the Indian plate with Asia. We postulate that the tectonics of central Asia can be represented by the motion of a few continental blocks which are influenced by spreading from the Baikal rift zone as well as compression due to the collision of the Indian plate. Here, a block is defined as a tectonic unit, within a continental plate, with boundaries delineated by broad zones of high seismicity with respect to the interior of the unit. Five tectonic units are postulated for central Asia. These are: the Siberian block, the East and West China blocks, the Southeast Asian block; and the Indian plate. An unusual phenomenon is noted along the boundary between the Siberian and West China blocks. There is general horizontal crustal compression along this boundary from the Hindu Kush north-eastward to the southern tip of Lake Baikal; however, there is general horizontal extension eastward from Lake Baikal through the Stanovoy range. Thus the West China block, to the south of this boundary, seems to be turning clockwise about a point near the southern tip of Lake Baikal. The major known faults within this block, which strike mainly northwest-southeast, may be interpreted as shear zones where interior stresses, due to the block rotation, are released. We cannot support this suggestion with an analytical model because of the uncertainties in various model parameters and geometries. The suggested model gives a possible explanation of why India, to the south of the Himalayas, is almost completely aseismic while the regions to the north and northeast have higher seismicity.     

Study on Dynamic Characteristics of Crustal Deformation in the Yunnan Area Using GPS

Based on the GPS velocity field data of 1999-2007 and 2011-2013,we used the least squares configuration method and GPS velocity profile results to synthetically analyze the dynamic evolution characteristics of crustal deformation in the Yunnan area before and after the Wenchuan earthquake. The dynamic evolution of GPS velocity field shows that the direction is gradually changed from the south in the southern part of the Sichuan-Yunnan block to the south-west in the southern Yunnan block and there is a clear relative motion characteristic near the block boundary fault zone. Compared with the GPS velocity of 1999-2007, the results of 2011-2013 also reflect segmental deformation characteristics of the block boundary fault zone. Southeast movement shows a significant increase, which may be related to crustal deformation adjustment after the Wenchuan earthquake. The dynamic evolution of strain parameters shows a pattern of "extension in the middle and compression at both ends" in the whole area and the distribution of deformation (shear, extension or compression) is closely related to the background motion and deformation characteristics of the main fault zone. Compared with the results of the period of 1999-2007, the extensional deformation zone of 2011-2013 is expanded eastward and southward. The compressional deformation of the eastern boundary (the Xiaojiang fault zone) of the Sichuan-Yunnan block is no longer significant, which is mainly concentrated in the northern section of the Xiaojiang fault zone and may be related to the post-seismic deformation adjustment of the Wenchuan earthquake. The GPS velocity profile results show that the left-lateral slip velocity of the Xiaojiang fault zone reduced gradually from north to south (10mm/a-5mm/a), and the width of the northern section is wider. The right-lateral slip rate of the Honghe fault zone is about 4mm/a, and the deformation width is wider. The dynamic results show that the Wenchuan earthquake has little effect on the deformation modes of these two fault zones.     

Geology,geochronology and tectonic setting of late Cenozoic volcanism along the southwestern Gulf of Mexico: The Eastern Alkaline Province revisited

A NNW-trending belt of alkaline mafic volcanic fields parallels the Gulf of Mexico from the U.S. border southward to Veracruz state, in eastern Mexico. Previous studies grouped this volcanism into the so-called “Eastern Alkaline Province” (EAP) and suggested that it resulted from Gulf-parallel extensional faulting migrating from north to south from Oligocene to Present. On the basis of new geologic studies, forty-nine unspiked K–Ar and two ⁴⁰Ar–³⁹Ar ages, we propose a new geodynamic model for the volcanism along the southwestern Gulf of Mexico.We studied in detail four of the six recognized fields of mafic alkaline volcanism in Veracruz state: 1) The lavas flows of Tlanchinol area (7.3–5.7 Ma), 2) the Alamo monogenetic field and Sierra de Tantima (7.6–6.6 Ma), 3) the Poza Rica and Metlatoyuca lava flows (1.6–1.3 Ma) and 4) the Chiconquiaco–Palma Sola area (6.9–3.2 Ma). Other two mafic volcanic fields may represent the continuation of alkaline volcanism to the southeast: the Middle Miocene lavas at Anegada High, offshore port of Veracruz, and the Middle to Late Miocene volcanism at the Los Tuxtlas.The existence of major Neogene extensional faults parallel to the Gulf of Mexico (i.e., ∼N–S to NNW–SSE) proposed in previous works was not confirmed by our geological studies. Elongation of volcanic necks, vent alignment, and faults mapped by subsurface data trend dominantly NE to ENE and NW to NNW. These directions are parallel to transform and normal faults that formed during the Late Jurassic opening of the Gulf of Mexico. Ascent of mafic magmas was likely facilitated and controlled by the existence of these pre-existing basement structures.Coupled with previous studies, our data demonstrate the occurrence of three magmatic episodes in Veracruz: 1) A Middle Miocene (∼15–11 Ma) episode in southern Veracruz (Palma Sola, Anegada, and Los Tuxtlas); 2) A Late Miocene to Early Pliocene (∼7.5–3 Ma) pulse of mafic alkaline volcanism throughout the study region; and 3) A Late Pliocene to Quaternary transitional to calc–alkaline volcanism in southern Veracruz (Palma Sola, Los Tuxtlas). Whereas the first and third episodes may be considered part of the subduction-related Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, the second pulse of mafic alkaline volcanism has a more complex origin. The absence of significant extensional faulting precludes a rift origin. We favor a model in which a transient thermal anomaly and melting of the mantle was triggered by the tearing and detachment of part of the subducted slab.     

汶川MS8.0级地震成因三“层次”分析——基于深部电性结构

2008年5月12日汶川M_S8级地震的发生不是局部地区孤立的构造事件,研究汶川地震的孕震机制,应该把局部分析和区域分析相结合,关注地壳上地幔直至地幔过渡带的深部结构.基于近年来在东北、华北和汶川地震附近地区进行的深部结构电磁探测结果,结合地震学等其他资料,从太平洋板块的俯冲、印度板块的碰撞和松潘甘孜地块的推挤三个“层次”探讨分析汶川特大地震的成因.太平洋板块向亚洲大陆的俯冲作用,导致中国大陆东部地幔过渡带深度较普遍地存在着停滞的板片,它对汶川地震的影响不可忽视.印度板块与青藏高原的碰撞,使组成高原的各地块发生向北和向东的运动,各地块向东的运动作用于南北地震带中南段,影响到该区域的地震活动.松潘甘孜地块向四川地块的推挤,使松潘甘孜地块运动方向和龙门山断裂带形成“丁”字形结构,龙门山断裂带显示为较陡直的电性边界,加剧了汶川地震前的应力积累,可能是汶川地震发生的最直接的诱因.     

Thermochronological constraints on two pulses of Cenozoic high-K magmatism in eastern Tibet

Cenozoic high-K magmatism was vigorously activated in eastern Tibet and controlled by the Early Tertiary pull-apart basins induced by strike-slip faults or Late Tertiary-Quaternary rift basins. These small plutons, dykes and volcanic rocks spatially appea…     

Field-based description of near-surface crustal deformation in a high-strain shear zone: A case study in southern Kyushu,Japan

This study investigated geological evidence for near-surface crustal deformation in a high-strain shear zone that has been geodetically identified but which is not associated with obvious tectonic landforms. Fieldwork was conducted in the east–west-trending southern Kyushu high-strain shear zone (SKHZ), Japan, focusing mainly on occurrences of fracture zones, which are defined by a visible fracture density of >1 per 10 cm² and are commonly associated with cataclasite, fault breccia, and gouge. The area in which east–west-trending fracture zones are dominant is restricted to the east–west-trending, ~2-km-wide aftershock area of the 1997 Northwestern Kagoshima Earthquakes. Analysis of slip data from minor faults using the multiple inverse method, irrespective of whether the faults are in fracture zones, reveals that the area where the calculated main stress field is consistent with the current stress field estimated from focal-mechanism solutions of microearthquakes is restricted to the east–west-trending aftershock area. This finding for the SKHZ contrasts with the case of the Niigata–Kobe Tectonic Zone, which is a major strain-concentration zone with many exposed active faults in central Japan and for which the stress field estimated using fault-slip data is considered to be uniform and coincides with the current stress field. The cumulative amount of displacement estimated from the areal density of fracture zones in the SKHZ study area is smaller than that estimated from geodetically measured strain rates. Investigations based on slip data from minor faults and fracture-zone occurrence could help to identify concealed faults that are too small to generate tectonic landforms but which are sufficiently large to trigger major earthquakes.     

A review on the lithospheric structures in the Tibetan Plateau and constraints for dynamics

In the last decade, several international joint projects were conducted in the Tibetan Plateau by Chinese, American and French geophysicists and geologists. In the present review, the results from vertical reflections, wide-angle reflections and broadband digital seismic recordings are reviewed and compared. Constraints for the dynamics of continent-continent collision from the lithospheric structures, seismicity, focal mechanism and anisotropy are discussed.The velocities ofPn,Sn, , were accurately determined by using their travel times from local events. They evidenced that the uppermost mantle underneath the Tibetan Plateau was similar to that of the ordinary continental mantle.The reflection profile from INDEPTH-I furnishes convincing evidence that the Indian crust penetrates into the Tibetan lower crust. The results from teleseismic waveform inversion reveal that the Moho discontinuity dips northwards, and an offset of Moho occurs near Bangong suture.The fact that materials within the Tibetan Plateau escape laterally has been proposed by several authors. Recent data and studies provide further convincing evidence that eastward mass transfer does occur, and their paths and natures are investigated.Some authors suggested that the large strike slip faults (Kun Lun, Xianshuihe) in the eastern plateau may be related to the lateral extrusion. However, most of the strike slips are left-lateral, and extrusion could not occur without right-lateral strike slips. Recent observations of the focal mechanisms and geological structure indicate that the earthquakes in the Yanshiping-Changdu belt are left-lateral strike slip. It is the southeast zone of the left-lateral slip faults in the eastern Tibetan plateau. Geological and seismological evidence show that the Bencuo-Jiali belt is the only large right-lateral fault in the eastern plateau. It was proposed that the present eastward extrusion occurs between the Yangshiping-Changdu left-lateral strike slip and the Bencuo-Jiali right-lateral strike slip. The other left-lateral strike slips north of the Yangshiping-Changdu belt are considered to be the fossils of the ancient flow paths.