Seismotectonics of the Calabrian arc

Relocation of intermediate and deep earthquakes of Tyrrhenian Sea area through joint hypocenter determination for the period 1962–1979, has allowed a more detailed definition of the geometry of this peculiar Benioff zone. Earthquakes dip along a quasi-vertical plane to 250 km depth; there is a 50° dip in the 250–340 km depth range, and a low dip angle to 480 km depth. The structure sketched from the hypocenters is almost continuous, but most energy has been released in the 230–340 km depth interval. An evaluation of fault plane solutions of intermediate earthquakes in this area indicates predominance of down-dip compressions in the central part of the slab. At the border, strike-slip motion occurs independent of depth. Some earthquakes that occurred at intermediate depth (less than 100 km) along the Ionian margin of Calabria show predominance of reverse faulting, with the P-axis oriented SE-NW. However, shallow earthquakes in the Calabria-Sicily region indicate a more complex motion, with predominance of normal faulting. A possible interpretation of these features according to the available geological history, which involves subduction of continental lithosphere, is discussed.     

Normal faults associated with volcanic activity arc

Volcanic centers (volcanoes, fumaroles or solfatara fields), epicenters of strong shallow earthquakes (with focal depths up to 20 km) and epicenters of intermediate depth strong earthquakes (with focal depths between 120 and 160 km) in the southern Aegean volcanic arc can be grouped into five, well defined, linear clusters trending about N60°E. This lineation of shallow earthquakes and volcanic activity is attributed to five corresponding normal faults which are named after the five corresponding volcanic centers (Sousaki, Methana, Milos, Santorini and Nisyros). This is supported by a similar trend of the geomorphological features (grabens and islands) and of geophysical features (Bouguer anomalies), as well as by other seismological data (fault plane solutions and the origins of tsunamis) and geological information on the Santorini caldera. The greater volcanic activity in the eastern volcanic centers (Santorini and Nysiros) compared to the western volcanic centers (Sousaki, Methana and Milos) is attributed to the higher rate of extensional crustal deformation. In the eastern part of the volcanic arc it is 26 mm/yr: in the west it is 2 mm/yr. The delineation of the epicenters of the intermediate depth earthquakes along the same five lines indicates the existence of five corresponding rupture zones in the lower (leading) part of the descending lithospheric slab (at depths of 120–180 km). These deep zones are probably the sources of hot material which is ascending vertically upwards and intrudes into the crust along its fracture zones. The orientation of these zones explains the focusing of the macro-seismic results of these deep shocks at narrow regions of the sedimentary arc (Peloponnesus, Crete, etc).     

全球海啸地震震源机制解及海啸成因探讨

海啸作为五大海洋自然灾害之一,严重威胁着人类生命财产安全。近些年来,国内外学者对地震海啸进行了大量研究,主要针对海啸的生成、传播、爬高和淹没的数值模拟,以及古海啸沉积物进行研究,但是对于海啸地震震源机制的研究还比较欠缺,尤其是缺乏对震级小于6.5的海啸地震的研究。针对我国的地震海啸研究现状,强调震级小于6.5地震引发海啸的问题不容忽视。本文归纳整理了全球766次地震海啸,利用三角图分类基本法则对海啸地震震源机制解进行分类,并对其中341个发生在1976年后的海啸地震进行震源机制解分析,对其中633次海啸浪高进行统计学方法分析研究。本文认为逆冲型、正断型、走滑型和奇异型机制地震均能引发海啸,逆冲型地震引发的海啸占比最大,震级小于6.5级地震引发的海啸的浪高也有高达10 m的情况,也能产生巨大破坏性。逆冲型、正断型、奇异型地震可直接引起海底地形垂向变化,进而引发海啸,而走滑型地震引发海啸则可能有两种原因,一种是走滑型地震并非纯走滑型而是带有正断或逆冲分量从而引发海啸,另外一种是走滑型地震引发海底滑坡导致海底地形变化进而产生海啸。从海啸地震震源深度分析,能产生海啸的地震震源深度97%以上都是浅源地震,主要集中在30 km深度以内,但是也有中深源地震海啸。本文综合海啸地震的震源特点、我国地理位置以及以往海啸发生的情况,认为未来我国沿海地区威胁性的地震海啸主要集中在马尼拉海沟和台湾海峡区域,在今后海啸预警方面需要格外重视这些区域,通过建立完善海啸预警系统来减少损失。     

Effects of shallow and deep geology on seismic hazard estimates: a case study of pseudo-acceleration response spectra for the northwestern Balkans

Northwestern Balkans represents one of the rare regions where data on both the shallow geology (i.e., local soil conditions) and the deep geology exist for stations that recorded hundreds of strong motion records. The strong motion database used in this study consists of 203 strong motion accelerograms (each with three orthogonal translational components), recorded in former Yugoslavia in the period 1976–1983, from 108 contributing earthquakes. In this paper, the results of a series of regression analyses are presented where empirical equations for scaling pseudo-acceleration response spectra were developed on the basis of 5 subsets of data and using three prediction models. Results of the regression analyses show that for ground motion in the horizontal direction, both the shallow and deep geology site conditions have to be taken into account or else the spectral estimates might be considerably biased. Results show that the shallow geology influences spectral amplitudes the most in the short period range and has much lesser effects for larger periods, while the influence of the deep geology is expressed in a wider range of intermediate to long periods. Results also show that if the prediction model that considers solely the shallow geology effects is used, the spectral peaks that have been related to the deep geology effects will completely vanish for larger source-to-site distances, while in the case when solely the deep geology is considered, the peaks related to the shallow geology will not be visible for any distance. As for the amplitudes in the vertical direction, although both the shallow and the deep geology effects are less expressed than in the horizontal one, they still cannot be neglected—the deep geology effects are visible for a wider range of vibration periods, while the shallow geology has some effects only for periods smaller than ~0.3 s.     

Earthquakes in the western Alpine mantle wedge

The assessment of seismic activity in the shallow continental mantle has long been hindered by the low resolution of both seismic imaging and earthquake locations in young collision zones. Here, we combine the most recent and high-resolution image of the lithospheric structure of the Western Alps with a high quality dataset of anomalously deep earthquakes recorded in the same area in the past 25 yrs. We show that these earthquakes are aligned on an active lithospheric strike-slip fault, and we provide evidence that this fault is located in the mantle wedge beneath the Adriatic Moho. Our results: (i) provide direct evidence that deep material can be seismogenic or not depending on the lithology; (ii) confirm the role of serpentinization in favoring the aseismic creep of mantle rocks; and (iii) demonstrate that the upper mantle can be stiff and seismogenic not only in cold cratons, but also in young orogenic belts.     

阿尔金断裂带东段地区深浅部构造综合分析

阿尔金断裂带东段地区的地质构造特征及其动力学机制一直是地学工作者关注的焦点。近年来小震资料越来越多应用到活动断裂空间展布、深浅构造分析及动力学机制研究领域。本文应用双差定位法获得研究区域2008～2017年间6013次地震事件的精确定位数据,通过多条小震深度剖面清晰刻画出断裂系统的空间展布形态。综合石油地震剖面、人工地震宽角反射/折射剖面、人工地震深反射剖面,充分利用小震精确定位信息以及浅表活动构造研究成果,建立研究区断裂系统的深浅部构造模型。研究区莫霍面由北往南逐渐加深,存在三处断错,呈阶梯状展布,地壳内存在一条厚约10km的低速层,在该层以上为地震多发区,断裂系统总体呈"Y"字型,上部为一系列叠瓦状逆冲断裂,造成祁连山的隆升,向下并入一条主干断层。最后探讨了青藏高原东北缘地区构造运动的动力学机制,亚洲板块俯冲至祁连山前,上地壳以逆冲推覆构造模式造成上地壳增厚现象,而中下地壳主要为亚洲岩石圈地幔下插,上地幔的拖曳作用下发生流动引起地壳增厚,上下地壳整体增厚。     

A new tectonic model for Abu-Dabbab seismogenic zone (Eastern Desert,Egypt): evidence from field-structural,EMR and seismic data

Abu-Dabbab area is the most active seismic zone in the central Eastern Desert of Egypt, where seismic activities are daily recorded. The reported earthquakes are microearthquakes of local magnitudes (ML < 2.0). A spatial distribution of these microearthquakes shows that the earthquakes of the area follow an ENE–WSW trending pattern, which is nearly perpendicular to the Red Sea Rift. Focal mechanisms of different fault styles were recognized with dominant normal faulting (with a strike-slip component) events characterized by focal depths greater than 7 km and reverse ones of shallower focal depths. Several lines of evidence indicating that the brittle-ductile transition zone underlies the Abu-Dabbab area occurs at a relatively shallow depth (10–12 km) and it is acting as a low-angle normal shear zone (LANF). Field-structural, EMR and seismic data (this study) reveal that the maximum compressive stress (σ1) in the area is perturbed from the regional NW–SE direction to ENE–WSW orientation. This stress rotation is evidently akin to the reactivation of the crustal scale Najd Fault System (NFS), where such reactivation is attributed to the ongoing activity/opening of the Red Sea. Our tectonic model proposes that the continuous activity on the brittle-ductile transition zone including the LANF led to stress localization, which triggering a brittle deformation in the upper crustal-levels and associated shallow dipping thrusts. Such bimodal tectonic model suggests that the deep earthquakes are owing to the tectonic movement on the LANF (transtension), whereas the shallow earthquakes are related to a brittle deformation inside the fault blocks of the upper crust (transpression). Deformation creep along this zone didn’t permit continuous accumulation of strain and hence reduce the possible occurrence of large earthquakes.     

从断层中心论向块体中心论转变--论活动块体在地震活动中的作用

讨论活动块体在地震活动中的作用。板缘地震在空间上呈线性分布,而中国大陆地震在空间上呈片状分布。大陆强震往往涉及两个以上方向断层的活动,且强震往往沿块体边界迁移或在其两侧断层上对迁。一些强震前后由中小地震震源机制解反映的Ｐ轴方向往往发生近９０°的转向,这种现象难以用区域应力方向变化来解释,但可从块体活动角度出发,用块体两个边界断层的先后错动来解释。地震前异常的远程效应、震后烈度异常分布图像以及地震序列特点等也显示了活动块体的作用。不同地区由地震活动性推测的块体活动方式有所差别,其原因可能和区域主压应力轴与块体两个边界断层走向的夹角不同有关。据此认为,在分析中国地震活动时要把视角从以活动断层为中心转变为以活动块体为中心     

利用同震滑坡分析2014年鲁甸地震震源性质与破裂过程

2014年8月3日, 发生在中国云南省鲁甸县的MS 6.5(Mw 6.1)级地震造成了严重的灾难, 本次地震还触发了至少1024处面积大于100m2的滑坡。本文的目的是利用同震滑坡的空间分布与规模分布特征分析本次地震的震源性质与破裂过程。鲁甸地震同震滑坡分布区域的长轴展布方向呈北西南东方向, 结合区域活动构造分布, 认为其发震构造是北西南东方向的包谷垴小河断裂。地震滑坡多分布在震中的南东方向, 表明了其破裂方向是自北西向南东扩展。滑坡分布区北西部分滑坡分布较分散, 规模总体较小; 而南东部分滑坡分布相对集中, 且有几处规模较大。由于隐伏断裂型地震比地表破裂型地震触发滑坡分布面积广、数量多, 但规模较小, 因此判断发震构造的北西部分可能由于破裂面较深而隐伏于地下, 而南东部分可能产生了地表破裂且破裂面较浅。这一判断得到了野外调查结果的验证。鲁甸地震破裂自北西向南东是由深部向浅部斜向上扩展的, 这种破裂面斜向上扩展的破裂特征或许是导致鲁甸地震灾害非常严重的重要原因之一。     

Fault-plane solutions and seismicity of the Italian peninsula

A new fault-plane solution map of the Italian peninsula is presented in this paper. The earthquakes analyzed are included in the period 1905–1980, with magnitudes ranging 4–7, 75 earthquakes are located in the crust, while 31 are related to the deep and intermediate zone of the Calabrian arc. The large seismic events of the Italian peninsula are generally associated with normal faulting, while strike-slip motion is mostly related to small earthquakes, located along lateral segments of the mountain chain.The deep and intermediate earthquakes of the Tyrrhenian Sea indicate predominant down-dip compression, and strike-slip motion at the boundaries of this Benioff zone. This last is interpreted as a remnant of a subduction zone, active since Oligocene, extending to 500 km depth, with a very small lateral size (about 300 km). The present tectonics of this Benioff zone is strongly conditioned by the lateral bending, more so than the gravitational sinking process.The coexistence of thrust and normal faulting motion associated to the earthquakes, within a few tens of kilometers of each other, seems to be explained by the strong lateral inhomogeneities of the crustal rocks present in this region, more so than to the depth of the seismogenetic zone and the nature of the faulting process.     

华南陆块岩石圈有效弹性厚度及其构造意义

华南陆块受多阶段超大陆聚合、裂解,碰撞、陆内造山,及伸展等作用影响,造成其深部结构和构造极其复杂。岩石圈有效弹性厚度(Te)是表征地质时间尺度上岩石圈力学强度的定量指标,可为深入认识岩石圈力学结构及演化提供有效约束。本文基于导纳和相关函数联合方法对地壳布格重力异常和地形数据进行计算,获得华南陆块Te的空间分布。Te高值(>20 km)区域主要分布于扬子地块的四川盆地周边区域,而Te低值(<20 km)区域集中于华夏地块和江南造山带区域。由于Te分布特征与地热场、地震关系密切。通过分析研究区Te与地热场(地表热流、居里面深度)、地震之间的关系,本文得到如下认识:(1)Te与地热场参数具有较好的相关性,但受浅部地壳被破坏,深部仍为克拉通地壳影响,导致龙门山断裂带和江南造山带区域的Te与地表热流或居里面深度之间的部分对应关系相反。(2)Te与地震关系复杂,Te较薄区域并不代表着地震频发区域,地震活动性与其所处的深部环境相关。龙门山断裂带强震频发的原因是受周边两块体中上地壳刚性地层长期相互作用,致使应力和能量积累较强;华夏地块区域地震较少是因为深部热物质上涌对华夏地块的壳幔进行强烈...     

On the problem of destructive Iranian earthquakes and their causative faults

This article is devoted to evaluating destructive earthquakes (magnitude >6) of Iran and determining properties of their source parameters. First of all, a database of documented earthquakes has been prepared via reliable references and causative faults of each event have been determined. Then, geometric parameters of each fault have been presented completely. Critical parameters such as Maximum Credible Rupture, MCR, and Maximum Credible Earthquake, MCE, have been compiled based on the geometrical parameters of the earthquake faults. The calculated parameters have been compared to the maximum earthquake and the surface rupture which have been recorded for the earthquake faults. Also, the distance between the epicenter of documented earthquake events and their causative faults has been calculated (the distance was less than 20 km for 90% of the data). Then, the distance between destructive earthquakes (with the magnitude more than 6) and the nearest active fault has been calculated. If the estimated distance is less than 20 km and the mechanism of the active fault and the event are reported the same, the active fault will be introduced as a probable causative fault of that earthquake. In the process, all of the available geological, tectonic, seismotectonic maps, aerial geophysical data as well as remote sensing images have been evaluated. Based on the quality and importance of earthquake data, the events have been classified into three categories: (1) the earthquakes which have their causative faults documented, (2) the events with magnitude higher than 7, and (3) the events with the magnitude between 6 and 7. For each category, related maps and tables have been compiled and presented. Some important faults and events have been also described throughout the paper. As mentioned in this paper, these faults are likely to be in high seismic regions with potential for large-magnitude events as they are long, deep and bound sectors of the margins characterized by different deformation and coupling rates on the plate interface.     

Seismotectonics and seismicity of the Silakhor region, Iran

This paper deals with seismotectonic and seismicity of the Silakhor region that shows high seismic activity in western Iran. Silakhor is a vast plain with several villages and cities of Dorud and Borujerd and a small town of Chalanchulan that were destroyed and/or damaged many times by large earthquakes. This paper addresses the historical and instrumental earthquakes and their causative faults, seismotectonic provinces and seismotectonic zones of the region. Available seismic data were normalized by means of time normalization technique that resulted in the magnitude-frequency relation for the Silakhor area and estimation of the return period of earthquakes with different magnitudes. Some active faults in this region include the Dorud fault, the main Zagros thrust, the Galehhatam fault, the Sahneh fault and others. Among them, the Dorud fault is an earthquake fault and is the cause for most of the large and intermediate earthquakes in the region. The return period of large earthquakes with magnitudes greater than 7.0 (Ms) is very low, however, the occurrence of destructive earthquakes is greater in the region than in the neighboring provinces. The study proves the high seismicity of this zone and it is required to develop an accurate national plan for future building and reinforcement of the existing buildings in this region.     

Great earthquakes at island arcs and the lithosphere

The occurrence of great earthquakes in the northwestern circum-Pacific belt is explained systematically in terms of the interaction between the oceanic and continental lithospheres. The great earthquakes in the Alaska-Aleutian region are considered to be a result of a rebound of the continental lithosphere which is dragged by the underthrusting oceanic lithosphere. The largest earthquakes in the Japan region are about one order of magnitude smaller than those in the Alaska-Aleutian region. This is interpreted as due to the weakening of the continental lithosphere caused by a frictional heating at the interface between the oceanic and the continental lithospheres. When the friction becomes very small because of the subsequent heating, a tensile force begins to prevail in the oceanic lithosphere. This tensile force is caused by a gravitational pull exerted by the sinking lithosphere. When this tensile stress surpasses the strength of the lithosphere, a large-scale normal fault occurs which extends through the entire thickness of the lithosphere. The intermittent slippages of the lithosphere on this fault plane are observed as great normal-fault earthquakes. The Sanriku earthquake of 1933 represents one of these earthquakes. The normal faulting accounts for the sharp bend of the lithosphere at the trench and the rapid increase of the dip angle of the deep seismic zone in going from northern Japan to the Izu-Bonin region. After repeated slippages, the sinking lithosphere becomes detached from the oceanic lithosphere and no further lithospheric interaction can take place. This picture is consistent with the complete lack of great shallow earthquakes in the Izu-Bonin region.     

塔里木地块北部横向构造及断条模式

提要:塔里木盆地北部与西南天山毗邻区域发育的浅部构造系统是喀什坳陷—柯坪塔格逆冲推覆构造带—库车前陆坳陷冲断带,它们在山前以1～3排方式平行造山带展布,是一套由底板滑脱断坪和断坡构成的逆冲推覆系统,具有明显的横向分段性;该区深部构造系统却是一组以北西向为主展布的断条构造,并可以划分出4个一级断条构造。笔者从构造层变形、重力、航磁异常场及天然地震平面分布密度等几个角度,对区内深部横向构造系统进行了研究,并利用天然地震深度/频次统计结果,识别出圈层拆离解耦面的深度分布,进而探讨了深部横向构造运动的岩石圈地壳圈层归属,对区域北西向横向构造系统做了详细的论述。本文选择喀拉玉尔滚断裂带和库尔勒断裂带进行重点解剖,研究了横向构造与浅部构造的转换关系,最终提出了塔里木地块北部断条构造几何学运动学模式,即塔里木地块深部向北西方向运动受到古西南天山的阻挡性约束而“被迫”俯冲,岩石圈地壳发生拆离解耦,原有的横向构造——北西向构造带(断裂带)被激活,使得俯冲系统以断条为单位进行俯冲;在俯冲过程中,岩石圈地壳的拆离及横向构造被激活的方向是从约束体(南天山)附近开始,向塔里木盆地(北部)的腹地方向推进,因此,越是接近造山带区域,断条俯冲状态的差异越明显,横向分段性越突出;而正因为塔里木地块以断条形式向南天山的俯冲行为,使得山前坳陷冲断带(及天山)发生分段。     

A detailed cross-section of the deep seismic zone beneath northeastern Honshu, Japan

A cross-section of earthquakes located in northeastern Japan is presented by using pPdepths reported by the International Seismological Centre. Travel-time corrections for the water layer were used to recompute pP-depths of earthquakes located below the sea regions. Seven new focal-mechanism solutions, based on teleseismic and Japanese data, were determined for this region. The reconstructed cross-section shows a double seismic zone at intermediate depths of 80–150 km. Earthquakes located within the upper seismic plane are characterized by down-dip compression while those in the lower plane, located about 35 km below the other seismic plane, are characterized by down-dip extension. These observations suggest that, at these depths, stresses attributable to a simple “unbending” of a plate may contribute to the generation of earthquakes in addition to stresses generated by the gravitational sinking of the lithosphere. A detailed cross-section of shallow earthquakes in the same area between the trench and eastern coast of northeastern Honshu is presented along with focal-mechanism solutions. This cross-section delineates more clearly the seismic zones characterized by normal and low-angle thrust faulting.     

Implications of north pacific plate tectonics in central Alaska: Focal mechanisms of earthquakes

The focal mechanisms for 86 selected earthquakes (3.0 m_b 5.5) located in central Alaska have been investigated from P-wave first motions; the data were gathered by local seismic networks. The results show a depth-dependent characteristic to the fault-plane solutions. For earthquakes having focal depths shallower than 60–70 km, the focal mechanisms indicate either strike-slip or normal faults, while for earthquakes with foci at intermediate depths the focal mechanisms correspond to thrust faults. The nature of the seismicity indicates the hinge line of the Pacific lithospheric plate under the study area to be striking N17°E from Cook Inlet towards interior Alaska. The comparison of the focal mechanisms with the seismicity shows that the strike-slip and normal faults are the predominant processes of stress release along the shallow section of the plate. The earthquakes with intermediate foci systematically occur along the inclined section of the plate. If the gently dipping nodal planes for these earthquakes are chosen as the fault planes, the focal mechanisms correspond to underthrust motions at the foci. In these, the slip vectors are oriented either to the west or north with the resultant being in the N30°W direction. The tension axes for the underthrust solutions are also found to be parallel to the local dip of the plate, indicating that the subducted plate in interior Alaska is undergoing gravitational sinking.     

柴达木盆地北缘南八仙背斜深、浅断裂系统耦合分析

柴达木盆地内部发育有丰富的基底和浅层断裂，二者之间的成因机制目前还存在较大争议。文章基于高精度三维地 震反射数据和钻井资料，对柴达木盆地北缘南八仙背斜的深、浅断裂系统的几何形态和相互耦合关系进行了分析。南八仙 地区主要发育两条近EW走向的高角度基底断裂，分别为南倾的马仙断裂和北倾的仙南断裂，都是中生代晚期就开始发育 的老断裂，并在新生代重新活化。在新生界内部还发育NW走向和近EW走向两组浅层正断层体系，断距都很小。NW走向 正断层主要位于马仙断裂南侧（上盘），呈雁列式排列。近EW走向正断层范围较小，仅局限在南八仙背斜核部、仙南断裂 上部，由一系列近平行的正断层组成，在仙南断裂上部形成一个小型的地堑构造，切割了NW走向的正断层体系。分析认 为NW走向正断层与马仙断裂左旋走滑导致的尾端拉张有关，而近EW走向正断层体系与高角度仙南断裂逆冲活动导致的 浅层剪切拉张有关。综合前人研究成果认为柴达木盆地广泛存在的浅层断裂成因多变，深、浅断裂耦合关系十分复杂，先 存断裂在新生代构造活动中起到了一定的控制作用。     

柴达木盆地北缘南八仙背斜深、浅断裂系统耦合分析

柴达木盆地内部发育有丰富的基底和浅层断裂,二者之间的成因机制目前还存在较大争议。文章基于高精度三维地 震反射数据和钻井资料,对柴达木盆地北缘南八仙背斜的深、浅断裂系统的几何形态和相互耦合关系进行了分析。南八仙 地区主要发育两条近EW走向的高角度基底断裂,分别为南倾的马仙断裂和北倾的仙南断裂,都是中生代晚期就开始发育 的老断裂,并在新生代重新活化。在新生界内部还发育NW走向和近EW走向两组浅层正断层体系,断距都很小。NW走向 正断层主要位于马仙断裂南侧（上盘）,呈雁列式排列。近EW走向正断层范围较小,仅局限在南八仙背斜核部、仙南断裂 上部,由一系列近平行的正断层组成,在仙南断裂上部形成一个小型的地堑构造,切割了NW走向的正断层体系。分析认 为NW走向正断层与马仙断裂左旋走滑导致的尾端拉张有关,而近EW走向正断层体系与高角度仙南断裂逆冲活动导致的 浅层剪切拉张有关。综合前人研究成果认为柴达木盆地广泛存在的浅层断裂成因多变,深、浅断裂耦合关系十分复杂,先 存断裂在新生代构造活动中起到了一定的控制作用。     

Spatial and Temporal Stress Variations before and after the 2008 Wenchuan Mw 7.9 Earthquake and its Implications: A Study based on Borehole Stress Data

In situ stress measurement data was analyzed to estimate the temporal and spatial stress variations at shallow depths in the Longmenshan fault zone(LMSF), prior to and following the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake(WCEQ). Analysis of the stress field related to fault strength and behavior is useful for understanding geodynamic processes and conducting hazard assessments. The shallow stress changes after the WCEQ show clear along-strike variations. Degrees of stress orientation rotations have a negative ...