Focal depths for moderate-sized aftershocks of the Wenchuan <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>S</Subscript>8.0 earthquake and their implications

Sliding-window cross-correlation method is firstly adopted to identify sPn phase, and to constrain focal depth from regional seismograms, by measuring the time separation between sPn and Pn phases. We present the focal depths of the 17 moderate-sized aftershocks (M _S⩾5.0) of the Wenchuan M _S8.0 earthquake, using the data recorded by the regional seismic broadband networks of Shaanxi, Qinghai, Gansu, Yunnan and Sichuan. Our results show focal depths of aftershocks range from 8 to 20 km, and tend to cluster at two average depths, separate at 32.5°N, i.e., 11 km to the south and 17 km to the north, indicating that these aftershocks are origin of upper-to-middle crust. Combined with other results, we suggest that the Longmenshan fault is not a through-going crustal fault and the Pingwu-Qingchuan fault may be not the northward extension of the Longmenshan thrust fault. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40604009 and 40574040) and Special Project for the Fundamental R & D of Institute of Geophysics, China Earthquake Administration (Grant No.DQJB08B20)     

Stress changes on major faults caused by <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>w</Subscript>7.9 Wenchuan earthquake,May 12, 2008

On May 12, 2008, a magnitude 7.9 earthquake ruptured the Longmenshan fault system in Sichuan Province, China, collapsing buildings and killing tens of thousands people. As predicted, aftershocks may last for at least one year, and moreover, large aftershocks are likely to occur. Therefore, it is critical to outline the areas with potential aftershocks before reconstruction and re-settling people as to avoid future disasters. It is demonstrated that the redistribution of stress induced by an earthquake should trigger successive seismic activity. Based on static stress triggering theory, we calculated the coseismic stress changes on major faults induced by the Wenchuan earthquake, with elastic dislocation theory and the multilayered crustal model. We also discuss the stress distribution and its significance for future seismic activity under the impact of the Wenchuan earthquake. It is shown that coulomb failure stress (CFS) increases obviously on the Daofu-Kangding segment of the Xianshuihe Fault, the Maqu and Nanping segment of the Eastern Kunlun Fault, the Qingchuan Fault, southern segment of the Minjiang Fault, Pengxian-Guanxian Fault, Jiangyou-Guangyuan Fault, and Jiangyou-Guanxian Fault. The increased stress raises the probability of earthquake occurrence on these faults. Since these areas are highly populated, earthquake monitoring and early disaster alarm system are needed. CFS increases with a magnitude of 0.03–0.06 MPa on the Qingchuan Fault, which is close to the northern end of the rapture of Wenchuan earthquake. The occurrence of some strong aftershocks, including three events with magnitude higher than 5.0, indicates that the seismic activities have been triggered by the main shock. Aftershocks seem to migrate northwards. Since the CFS change on the Lueyang-Mianxian Fault located on the NEE of the Qingchuan Fault is rather small (±0.01 MPa), the migration of aftershocks might be terminated in the area near Hanzhong City. The CFS change on the western Qinling Fault is around 10 Pa, and the impact of static triggering can be neglected. The increment of CFS on the Pengxian-Guanxian Fault and Beichuan-Yingxiu Fault southwest to the main rupture is 0.005–0.015 MPa, which would facilitate earthquake triggering in these areas. Very few aftershocks in these areas indicate that the accumulated stress has not been released sufficiently. High seismic risk is predicated in these areas due to co-seismic CFS loading. The Wenchuan earthquake released the accumulated CFS on the Fubianhe Fault, the Huya Fault, the Ha’nan-Qingshanwan Fault, and the Diebu-Bailongjiang Fault. The decrement of CFS changes on the Longquanshan Fault east to Chengdu City is about 0.002 MPa. The seismic activity will be depressed by decrement of CFS on these faults. Supported by Knowledge Innovation Program of Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX-SW-153), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40574011 and 40474028)     

Distribution and characteristics of gravelly soil liquefaction in the Wenchuan <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>s</Subscript> 8.0 earthquake

In this paper,a distribution map of gravelly soil liquefaction that was caused by the Wenchuan M_s 8.0 earthquake in China is proposed based on a detailed field investigation and an analysis of geological soil profiles. The geological background of the earthquake disaster region is summarized by compiling geological cross sections and borehole logs. Meanwhile,four typical liquefied sites were selected to conduct sample drillings,dynamic penetration tests (DPT),and shear wave velocity tests,to understand the features of liquefied gravelly soil. One hundred and eighteen (118) liquefied sites were investigated shortly after the earthquake. The field investigation showed:(1) sandboils and waterspouts occurred extensively,involving thousands of miles of farmland,120 villages,eight schools and five factories,which caused damage to some rural houses,schools,manufacturing facilities and wells,etc.; (2) the Chengdu plain is covered by a gravelly soil layer with a thickness of 0 m to 541 m according to the geological cross sections; (3) there were 80 gravelly soil liquefied sites in the Chengdu plain,shaped as five belt areas that varied from 20 km to 40 km in length,and about ten gravelly soil liquefied sites distributed within Mianyang area; and (4) the grain sizes of the sampled soil were relative larger than the ejected soil on the ground,thus the type of liquefied soil cannot be determined by the ejected soil. The gravelly soil liquefied sites are helpful in enriching the global database of gravelly soil liquefaction and developing a corresponding evaluation method in further research efforts.     

Numerical simulation of strong ground motion for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>s</Subscript>8.0 Wenchuan earthquake of 12 May 2008

The Wenchuan earthquake of 12 May 2008 is the most destructive earthquake in China in the past 30 years in terms of property damage and human losses. In order to understand the earthquake process and the geo-morphological factors affecting the seismic hazard, we simulated the strong ground motion caused by the earthquake, incorporating three-dimensional (3D) earth structure, finite-fault rupture, and realistic surface topography. The simulated ground motions reveal that the fault rupture and basin structure control the overall pattern of the peak ground shaking. Large peak ground velocity (PGV) is distributed in two narrow areas: one with the largest PGV values is above the hanging wall of the fault and attributed to the locations of fault asperities and rupture directivity; the other is along the northwestern margin of the Sichuan Basin and caused by both the directivity of fault rupture and the amplification in the thick sediment basin. Rough topography above the rupture fault causes wave scattering, resulting in significantly larger peak ground motion on the apex of topographic relief than in the valley. Topography and scattering also reduce the wave energy in the forward direction of fault rupture but increase the PGV in other parts of the basin. These results suggest the need for a localized hazard assessment in places of rough topography that takes the topographic effects into account. Finally, had the earthquake started at the northeast end of the fault zone and ruptured to the southwest, Chengdu would have suffered a much stronger shaking than it experienced on 12 May, 2008. Supported by the U.S. National Science Foundation (Grant Nos. EAR 0738779 and OCE 0727919), the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2004CB418404), and partially by the National Nature Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40521002)     

Detection of spheriodal free oscillation excited by Peru 8.2 <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>s</Subscript> earthquake with five international superconducting gravimeter data

In this paper, authors obtain the spectral peaks of the earth free oscillation and check all normal modes from ₀S₀ to ₀S₄₈ accurately, with the Fourier analysis and the maximum entropy spectrum method dealing jointly with six groups of the observational residual data from five international superconducting gravimeter stations. By comparing the observational results in this paper with three former groups of observations or models, authors notice an extra discrepancy between two observational ₀S₂ modes excited separately by Peru earthquake and Alaska earthquake, which probably mirrors the anisotropy of the Earth’s inner core. The analysis on the splitting ₁S₂ mode shows that the asymmetric factor of rotationwise spectral splitting is possible to be different from that of anti-rotationwise spectral splitting.     

Spectral element analysis on the characteristics of seismic wave propagation triggered by Wenchuan <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>s</Subscript>8.0 earthquake

The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake occurred in an active earthquake zone, i.e., Longmenshan tectonic zone. Seismic waves triggered by this earthquake can be used to explore the characteristics of the fault rupture process and the hierarchical structure of the Earth’s interior. We employ spectral element method incorporated with large-scale parallel computing technology, to investigate the characteristics of seismic wave propagation excited by Wenchuan earthquake. We calculate synthetic seismograms with one-point source model and three-point source model respectively. The AK135 model is employed as a prototype of our numerical global Earth model. The Earth’s ellipticity, Earth’s medium attenuation, and topography data are taken into consideration. These wave propagation processes are simulated by solving three-dimensional elastic wave governing equations. Three-dimensional visualization of our numerical results displays the profile of the seismic wave propagation. The three-point source, which is proposed from the latest investigations through field observation and reverse estimation, can better demonstrate the spatial and temporal characteristics of the source rupture process than the one-point source. We take comparison of synthetic seismograms with observational data recorded at 16 observatory stations. Primary results show that the synthetic seismograms calculated from three-point source agree well with the observations. This can further reveal that the source rupture process of Wenchuan earthquake is a multi-rupture process, which is composed by at least three or more stages of rupture processes. Supported by National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2004CB418406), National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40774049 and 40474038), and Computer Network Information Center, Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. INF105-SCE-02-12)     

汶川8.0级地震前龙门山断裂带的地震活动性和构造应力场特征

研究了2008年5月12日汶川8.0级地震前龙门山断裂带及其附近地区的地震活动.利用区域地震台网和流动测震台的数字地震波资料,测定了震源机制解.结果表明,震中所在的龙门山断裂带震前地震活动平稳,未出现显著异常增强或平静现象.根据汶川8.0级地震前地震活动求出的震源机制解,其主压应力P轴方位为WNE——ESE向,震源断层面呈NE向与NW 向两组节面走向.其中NE向节面呈N50deg;——70deg;E,断面倾角均陡,达60deg;——70deg;,震源力学作用方式多呈逆倾型,少部分呈走滑型．震前地震活动呈现的主压应力方位、震源断面走向及其错动类型,与汶川8.0级地震给出的解是一致的.巨大地震发生前沿龙门山断裂带微破裂呈现的平均应力场与主震一致．起始破裂区东侧20km内是紫坪铺水库水域区,这一区域发生小震活动增加的现象处于水库放水的卸载阶段.本文研究了汶川8.0级地震起始破裂区附近的小震活动,其震源参数表明,震源位于8.0级地震之上的5——14km深度,其震源参数与8.0级地震给出的解也是一致的．      

Rupture behavior and deformation localization of the Kunlunshan earthquake (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">w</Emphasis></Subscript>7.8) and their tectonic implications

Earthquake surface rupture is the result of transformation from crustal elastic strain accumulation to permanent tectonic deformation. The surface rupture zone produced by the 2001 Kunlunshan earthquake (M _w 7.8) on the Kusaihu segment of the Kunlun fault extends over 426 km. It consists of three relatively independent surface rupture sections: the western strike-slip section, the middle transtensional section and the eastern strike-slip section. Hence this implies that the Kunlunshan earthquake is composed of three earthquake rupturing events, i.e. the M _w =6.8, M _w =6.2 and M _w ⩽=7.8 events, respectively. The M _w =7.8 earthquake, along the eastern section, is the main shock of the Kunlunshan earthquake, further decomposed into four rupturing subevents. Field measurements indicate that the width of a single surface break on different sections ranges from several meters to 15 m, with a maximum value of less than 30 m. The width of the surface rupture zone that consists of en echelon breaks depends on its geometric structures, especially the stepover width of the secondary surface rupture zones in en echelon, displaying a basic feature of deformation localization. Consistency between the Quaternary geologic slip rate, the GPS-monitored strain rate and the localization of the surface ruptures of the 2001 Kunlunshan earthquake may indicate that the tectonic deformation between the Bayan Har block and Qilian-Qaidam block in the northern Tibetan Plateau is characterized by strike-slip faulting along the limited width of the Kunlun fault, while the blocks themselves on both sides of the Kunlun fault are characterized by block motion. The localization of earthquake surface rupture zone is of great significance to determine the width of the fault-surface-rupture hazard zone, along which direct destruction will be caused by co-seismic surface rupturing along a strike-slip fault, that should be considered before the major engineering project, residental buildings and life line construction. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40474037) and the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2004CB418401)     

Estimation of the Maximum Earthquake Magnitude, <Emphasis Type="Italic">m</Emphasis><Subscript>max</Subscript>

This paper provides a generic equation for the evaluation of the maximum earthquake magnitude m_max for a given seismogenic zone or entire region. The equation is capable of generating solutions in different forms, depending on the assumptions of the statistical distribution model and/or the available information regarding past seismicity. It includes the cases (i) when earthquake magnitudes are distributed according to the doubly-truncated Gutenberg-Richter relation, (ii) when the empirical magnitude distribution deviates moderately from the Gutenberg-Richter relation, and (iii) when no specific type of magnitude distribution is assumed. Both synthetic, Monte-Carlo simulated seismic event catalogues, and actual data from Southern California, are used to demonstrate the procedures given for the evaluation of m_max.The three estimates of m_max for Southern California, obtained by the three procedures mentioned above, are respectively: 8.32 ± 0.43, 8.31 ± 0.42 and 8.34 ± 0.45. All three estimates are nearly identical, although higher than the value 7.99 obtained by Field et al. (1999). In general, since the third procedure is non-parametric and does not require specification of the functional form of the magnitude distribution, its estimate of the maximum earthquake magnitude m_max is considered more reliable than the other two which are based on the Gutenberg-Richter relation.     

The tectonic settings and seismogenic tectonics of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis>5.7 Jiujiang earthquake in 2005, Jiangxi Province,China

The M5.7 Jiujiang earthquake in 2005 was a mid-strong one, stronger than expected to occur in the region. This paper discusses the neo-tectonic settings of this earthquake, and it is thought that the earthquake region is located in the transitional belt, a potential area inducing weak to moderately strong earthquakes, between two large different tectonic units. The results of the reconnaissance work and on-the-spot investigation after earthquake indicate that the occurrence of the M5.7 Jiujiang earthquake is closely related with the NE-trending fault on the western margin of Ruichang Basin. From its controlling to the landforms and Quaternary depositions, geological profiles, ESR dating, etc., the activity of the Dingjiashan-Langjunshan fault bounding the basin is discussed. It suggests that this fault displays an active one in Middle Pleistocene by the outcrop. Based on the activity of the fault, and the direction and location of the ground fissures, the isoseismal lines and the nodal plane of the focal mechanism solution, it is inferred that the Dingjiashan-Langjunshan fault is the seismogenic tectonics of the M5.7 Jiujiang earthquake, and the intersection point between this fault and the active NW ones is the possible origin of location of this earthquake. Our study shows that this earthquake is not an event exceeding expectation, and that the active and invisible characteristics of the causative fault are typical in the eastern area of China. Supported by the National Development and Reform Commission (Grant No. 20041138) and the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40602019)     

2008年汶川8.0级地震序列震源参数分段特征的研究

本文利用四川省区域固定地震台网观测记录到的2008年汶川8.0级地震序列的资料,从中挑选部分台站和地震资料,在精确扣除了余震区地震波衰减与台站场地响应后,计算得到了汶川地震序列中1070次ML≥3.0级地震的震源参数,结果显示,地震矩与震级之间有较好的线性关系,应力降和视应力的大小与震级大小有关.利用ML3.0级地震资料得到的应力降的时空演变过程研究结果表明,汶川余震序列地震应力降总体上随时间是一个衰减过程,预示着主震发生后整个余震区应力降呈逐渐衰减的状态.主震发生之后,以虎牙—北川—安县为界,空间上龙门山断裂带上地震活动水平和应力降具有明显的分段性.5月17日之前ML≥5.0余震主要集中在龙门山断裂带北川以西,由于地震释放了较多应力,该地区应力降较低,而北川至青川之间地震活动水平相对较弱,应力降一直处于高值水平.5月17日之后,ML5.0余震活动主体地区则转移到北川至青川之间,在该段发生了5月25日青川6.4级最大余震,在这之后,整个余震序列应力降随时间变化开始趋于平稳.     

四川芦山7.0级地震及其与汶川8.0级地震的关系

2013年4月20日在四川省雅安市芦山县发生M7.0级地震.根据四川省台网资料和收集的国内外相关资料,我们分析了芦山地震的基本参数、余震分布、序列衰减等特征.结果表明:芦山地震位于龙门山断裂南段,其震源力学机制显示为纯逆冲性质,与龙门山断裂构造特征相符合;芦山地震的余震较丰富,震后15天震区已发生7800多次余震,其中,5级以上余震4次,最大余震是4月21日17时5分芦山、邛崃交界M5.4级地震;余震分布形成的图形显示其长轴走向与龙门山断裂构造走向一致,余震分布显示密集区长轴约40 km,短轴约20 km.与汶川M8.0级地震在震源力学机制、破裂过程、余震空间展布以及地表破裂等对比分析后表明:芦山地震与汶川地震的震源错动类型、破裂过程、地表破裂以及余震活动等特征存在明显差异;芦山地震与汶川地震震中位置相距90 km,两次地震的余震密集区相距50 km;汶川8.0级地震造成龙门山断裂中北段较充分破裂,芦山7.0级地震则展布于龙门山断裂南段且破裂尺度有限;两者有发震构造上的联系,但两次地震是相对独立的地震事件.     

Distribution of<Emphasis Type="Italic">L</Emphasis><Subscript>g</Subscript> coda<Emphasis Type="Italic">Q</Emphasis> in the Chinese continent and its adjacent regions

785 traces of vertical components from shallow earthquakes recorded by 10 CDSN (Chinese Digital Seismographic Network) stations and 5 GSN (Global Seismographic Network) stations were collected to study the attenuation characteristics ofL _g coda in the Chinese continent and its adjacent regions. The records were processed first using the stack spectral ratio method to obtain the average values ofQ ₀ (Q at 1Hz) and η, the frequency dependence, ofL _g coda in the ellipses corresponding to the paths. The back-projection technique was then employed to obtain the tomographic maps ofQ ₀ and η values, and the distribution of their errors. Results indicate that in the studied areaQ ₀ varies between 200 and 500. The lowest value ofQ ₀ exists in the Yun-nan-Tibetan region, while the highest value ofQ ₀ occurs in the southern edge of Siberian platform. η varies between 0.3 and 0.8. For most part of the studied area η varies inversely withQ ₀.     

The seismicity and tectonic stress field characteristics of the Longmenshan fault zone before the Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake

The seismicity of Longmenshan fault zone and its vicinities before the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan MS8.0 earthquake is studied.Based on the digital seismic waveform data observed from regional seismic networks and mobile stations, the focal mechanism solutions are determined.Our analysis results show that the seismicities of Longmenshan fault zone before the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake were in stable state.No obvious phenomena of seismic activity intensifying appeared.According to focal mechanism solutions of ...     

汶川地震前龙门山区域地壳密度动态变化分析

利用龙门山区域重力网经平差处理和去基准点干扰、 去高程变化影响的1997—2007年11期重复重力观测数据, 借助密度的三维反演方法, 分析研究了龙门山地区地壳各深度的介质密度的动态变化特征。 结果显示: 2008年汶川8.0级地震孕育发生过程中区域密度场的整体时空分布均表现出显著特征。 从时间进程来看, 震前10年的密度变化趋势呈现阶段性变化: 密度变化平稳阶段—变化剧烈阶段(加速增加—缓慢减少)—变化缓慢减少阶段—密度变化缓慢增加阶段, 密度变化程度由强到弱, 表明大地震孕育达到了最后阶段; 从空间分布来看, 密度变化分布有分散—相对集中的趋势, 震前地下密度场具有熵值减小的现象; 密度变化剧烈的地方多发生在龙门山断裂带及其以西的川西高原上。 此外, 随深度的增加, 密度变化趋势越来越明显。 通过比较分析, 在汶川地震前密度变化对重力的影响远远超过高程变化对重力的影响。     

Seismic damage to structures in the <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>s</Subscript>6.5 Ludian earthquake

On 3 August 2014, the Ludian earthquake struck northwest Yunnan Province with a surface wave magnitude of 6.5. This moderate earthquake unexpectedly caused high fatalities and great economic loss. Four strong motion stations were located in the areas with intensity V, VI, VII and IX, near the epicentre. The characteristics of the ground motion are discussed herein, including 1) ground motion was strong at a period of less than 1.4 s, which covered the natural vibration period of a large number of structures; and 2) the release energy was concentrated geographically. Based on materials collected during emergency building inspections, the damage patterns of adobe, masonry, timber frame and reinforced concrete (RC) frame structures in areas with different intensities are summarised. Earthquake damage matrices of local buildings are also given for fragility evaluation and earthquake damage prediction. It is found that the collapse ratios of RC frame and confined masonry structures based on the new design code are significantly lower than non-seismic buildings. However, the RC frame structures still failed to achieve the ‘strong column, weak beam’ design target. Traditional timber frame structures with a light infill wall showed good aseismic performance.     

The seismotectonic and macroseismic features of the Wenchuan (Sichuan) earthquake (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis></Subscript> = 8.0) of May 12, 2008

A disastrous earthquake with a magnitude M _S = 8.0 (M _W = 7.9), in China called “the 5.12 Wenchuan earthquake,” occurred on May 12, 2008, in Sichuan province on the border between the Sino-Tibetan Mountains and the Sichuan depression. The instrumental epicenter was registered in the southeastern part of Wenchuan county, and the hypocenter depth was 14 km. As the strongest and most destructive earthquake within mainland China, it caused numerous human losses and destruction of buildings and infrastructure. The seismic effect from the main shock and aftershocks was felt in many counties, towns, and villages, though Sichuan province suffered the most. The maximum intensity of the shocks was estimated at 11 degrees, according to the Chinese macroseismic scale. In the process of source opening, from the southern part of Wenchuan county to the vicinities of Quingchuan, a seismic fault system with a total length up to 240 km out-cropped on the earth’s surface, confined to the Longmenshan fault belt. The seismic fault system disturbed the original ground, resulting in the collapse or damage to various constructions, such as buildings, homes, bridges, roads, etc. Fault offsets had a dextral strike-slip and thrust kinematic combination. The earthquake generated several tens of thousands of landslides, rockfalls, and debris flows. Many dammed ponds appeared in the epicentral zone due to the activation of landslides. Thus, the geological effects turned out to be the most destructive factor in this case. At the same time, the seismic intensity of surface shaking was abnormally low even in direct proximity to the seismic fault system. Usually it was no more than 7–8 degrees. This macroseismic phenomenon may turn out to be rather typical for many major earthquakes.     

The seismicity and tectonic stress field characteristics of the Longmenshan fault zone before the Wenchuan MS8.0 earthquake

The seismicity of Longmenshan fault zone and its vicinities before the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake is studied. Based on the digital seismic waveform data observed from regional seismic networks and mobile stations, the focal mechanism solutions are determined. Our analysis results show that the seismicities of Longmenshan fault zone before the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake were in stable state. No obvious phenomena of seismic activity intensifying appeared. According to focal mechanism solutions of some small earthquakes before the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, the direction of principal compressive stress P-axis is WNW-ESE. The two hypocenter fault planes are NE-striking and NW-striking. The plane of NE direction is among N50°?70°E, the dip angles of fault planes are 60°?70° and it is very steep. The faultings of most earthquakes are dominantly characterized by dip-slip reverse and small part of faultings present strike-slip. The azimuths of principal compressive stress, the strikes of source fault planes and the dislocation types calculated from some small earthquakes before the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake are in accordance with that of the main shock. The average stress field of micro-rupture along the Longmenshan fault zone before the great earthquake is also consistent with that calculated from main shock. Zipingpu dam is located in the east side 20 km from the initial rupture area of the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. The activity increment of small earthquakes in the Zipingpu dam is in the period of water discharging. The source parameter results of the small earthquakes which occurred near the initial rupture area of the 12 May 2008 Wenchuan earthquake indicate that the focal depths are 5 to 14 km and the source parameters are identical with that of earthquake.     

A new technique for moment tensor inversion with applications to the 2008 Wenchuan <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>S</Subscript>8.0 earthquake sequence

A M_S8.0 earthquake occurred in Wenchuan County, Sichuan Province, China, on May 12, 2008, and subsequently, numerous aftershocks followed. We obtained the moment tensor solutions and source time functions (STFs) for the Wenchuan earthquake and its seven larger aftershocks (M_S5.0～6.0) by a new technique of moment tensor inversion using the broadband and long-period seismic waveform data from the Global Seismic Network (GSN). Firstly, the theoretical background and technical flow of the new technique was briefly introduced, and an aftershock of the Wenchuan earthquake sequence was employed to illustrate the real procedure for inverting the moment tensor; secondly, the moment tensor solutions and STFs of the eight events, including the main shock, were presented, and finally, the interpretation of the results was made. The agreement of our results with the GCMT results indicates the new approach is efficient and feasible. By using this approach, not only the moment tensor solution can be obtained but also the STF can be retrieved; the inverted STFs indicate that the source rupture process may be complicated even for the moderate earthquakes. The inverted focal mechanisms of the Wenchuan earthquake sequence show that the most of the aftershocks occurred in the main faults of the Longmenshan fault zone with predominantly thrustingwith minor right-lateral strike-slip component, but some of them may have occurred in the subfaults with strike-slip faulting in the vicinity of the main faults.     

Seismotectonic studies of the pleistoseist area of the <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis> <Subscript> <Emphasis Type="Italic">s</Emphasis> </Subscript> = 6.9 Ilin-Tass earthquake in northeast Yakutia

The complex seismotectonic studies of the pleistoseist area of the Ilin-Tas earthquake (M_s = 6.9), one of the strongest seismic events ever recorded by the regional seismic network in northeastern Russia, are carried out. The structural tectonic position, morphotectonic features of present-day topography, active faults, and types of Cenozoic deformations of the epicentral zone are analyzed. The data of the instrumental observations are summarized, and the manifestations of the strong seismic events in the Yana–Indigirka segment of the Cherskii seismotectonic zone are considered. The explanation is suggested for the dynamical tectonic setting responsible for the Andrei-Tas seismic maximum. This setting is created by the influence of the Kolyma–Omolon indenter, which intrudes into the Cherskii seismotectonic zone from the region of the North American lithospheric plate and forms the main seismogenic structures of the Yana–Indigirka segment in the frontal zone (the Ilin-Tas anticlinorium). The highest seismic potential is noted in the Andrei- Tas block—the focus of the main tectonic impacts from the Kolyma–Omolon superterrane. The general trend of this block coincides with the orientation of the major axis of isoseismal ellipses (azimuth 50°–85°), which were determined from the observations of macroseismic effects on the ground after the Uyandina (M_s = 5.6), Andrei-Tas (M_s = 6.1), and Ilin-Tas (M_s = 6.9) earthquakes.