Stress Rotation in the Kachchh Rift Zone, Gujarat, India

Double difference relocations of the 1402 Kachchh events (2001–2006) clearly delineate two fault zones viz. south-dipping North Wagad fault (NWF) and almost vertical Gedi fault (GF). The relocated focal depths delineate a marked variation of 4 and 7 km in the brittle-ductile transition depths beneath GF and NWF, respectively. The focal mechanism solutions of 464 aftershocks (using 8–12 first motions) show that the focal mechanisms ranged between pure reverse and pure strike-slip except for a few pure dip-slip solutions. The stress inversions performed for five rectangular zones across the Kachchh rift reveal both clockwise and anticlockwise rotation (7–32°) in the σ₁ orientation within the rupture zone, favoring a heterogeneous stress regime with an average N-S fault normal compression. This rotation may be attributed to the presence of crustal mafic intrusives (5–35 km depth) in the rupture zone of the 2001 Bhuj main shock. Results suggest a relatively homogeneous stress regime in the GF zone favoring strike-slip motion, with a fault normal N-S compression.     

Relocation of Early and Late Aftershocks of the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake Using Joint Hypocentral Determination (JHD) Technique: Implication toward the Continued Aftershock Activity for more than Four Years

We employed layered model joint hypocentral determination (JHD) with station corrections to improve location identification for the 26 January, 2001 M_w 7.7 Bhuj early and late aftershock sequence. We relocated 999 early aftershocks using the data from a close combined network (National Geophysical Research Institute, India and Center for Earthquake Research Institute, USA) of 8–18 digital seismographs during 12–28 February, 2001. Additionally, 350 late aftershocks were also relocated using the data from 4–10 digital seismographs/accelerographs during August 2002 to December 2004. These precisely relocated aftershocks (error in the epicentral location<30 meter, error in the focal depth estimation < 50 meter) delineate an east-west trending blind thrust (North Wagad Fault, NWF) dipping (~ 45°) southward, about 25 km north of Kachchh main land fault (KMF), as the causative fault for the 2001 Bhuj earthquake. The aftershock zone is confined to a 60-km long and 40-km wide region lying between the KMF to the south and NWF to the north, extending from 2 to 45 km depth. Estimated focal depths suggest that the aftershock zone became deeper with the passage of time. The P- and S-wave station corrections determined from the JHD technique indicate that the larger values (both +ve and -ve) characterize the central aftershock zone, which is surrounded by the zones of smaller values. The station corrections vary from −0.9 to +1.1 sec for the P waves and from −0.7 to +1.4 sec for the S waves. The b-value and p-value of the whole aftershock (2001–2004) sequences of M_w ≥ 3 are estimated to be 0.77 ± 0.02 and 0.99 ± 0.02, respectively. The p-value indicates a smaller value than the global median of 1.1, suggesting a relatively slow decay of aftershocks, whereas, the relatively lower b-value (less than the average b-value of 1.0 for stable continental region earthquakes of India) suggests a relatively higher probability for larger earthquakes in Kachchh in comparison to other stable continental regions of the Indian Peninsula. Further, based on the b-value, mainshock magnitude and maximum aftershock magnitude, the Bhuj aftershock sequence is categorized as the Mogi's type II sequence, indicating the region to be of intermediate level of stresses and heterogeneous rocks. It is inferred that the decrease in p-value and increase in aftershock zone, both spatially as well as depth over the passage of time, suggests that the decay of aftershocks perhaps could be controlled by visco-elastic creep in the lower crust.     

Crustal seismic structure and depth distribution of earthquakes in the Archean Kuusamo region,Fennoscandian Shield

Two-dimensional crustal velocity models are derived from passive seismic observations for the Archean Karelian bedrock of north-eastern Finland. In addition, an updated Moho depth map is constructed by integrating the results of this study with previous data sets. The structural models image a typical three-layer Archean crust, with thickness varying between 40 and 52 km. P wave velocities within the 12–20 km thick upper crust range from 6.1 to 6.4 km/s. The relatively high velocities are related to layered mafic intrusive and volcanic rocks. The middle crust is a fairly homogeneous layer associated with velocities of 6.5–6.8 km/s. The boundary between middle and lower crust is located at depths between 28 and 38 km. The thickness of the lower crust increases from 5–15 km in the Archean part to 15–22 km in the Archean–Proterozoic transition zone. In the lower crust and uppermost mantle, P wave velocities vary between 6.9–7.3 km/s and 7.9–8.2 km/s. The average V_p/V_s ratio increases from 1.71 in the upper crust to 1.76 in the lower crust.The crust attains its maximum thickness in the south-east, where the Archean crust is both over- and underthrust by the Proterozoic crust. A crustal depression bulging out from that zone to the N–NE towards Kuusamo is linked to a collision between major Archean blocks. Further north, crustal thickening under the Salla and Kittilä greenstone belts is tentatively associated with a NW–SE-oriented collision zone or major shear zone. Elevated Moho beneath the Pudasjärvi block is primarily explained with rift-related extension and crustal thinning at ∼2.4–2.1 Ga.The new crustal velocity models and synthetic waveform modelling are used to outline the thickness of the seismogenic layer beneath the temporary Kuusamo seismic network. Lack of seismic activity within the mafic high-velocity body in the uppermost 8 km of crust and relative abundance of mid-crustal, i.e., 14–30 km deep earthquakes are characteristic features of the Kuusamo seismicity. The upper limit of seismicity is attributed to the excess of strong mafic material in the uppermost crust. Comparison with the rheological profiles of the lithosphere, calculated at nearby locations, indicates that the base of the seismogenic layer correlates best with the onset of brittle to ductile transition at about 30 km depth.We found no evidence on microearthquake activity in the lower crust beneath the Archean Karelian craton. However, a data set of relatively well-constrained events extracted from the regional earthquake catalogue implies a deeper cut-off depth for earthquakes in the Norrbotten tectonic province of northern Sweden.     

High-precision relocation of the aftershock sequence of the January 8, 2022, MS6.9 Menyuan earthquake

The 2022 Menyuan M_S6.9 earthquake, which occurred on January 8, is the most destructive earthquake to occur near the Lenglongling (LLL) fault since the 2016 Menyuan M_S6.4 earthquake. We relocated the mainshock and aftershocks with phase arrival time observations for three days after the mainshock from the Qinghai Seismic Network using the double-difference method. The total length and width of the aftershock sequence are approximately 32 km and 5 km, respectively, and the aftershocks are mainly concentrated at a depth of 7–12 km. The relocated sequence can be divided into 18 km west and 13 km east segments with a boundary approximately 5 km east of the mainshock, where aftershocks are sparse. The east and west fault structures revealed by aftershock locations differ significantly. The west fault strikes EW and inclines to the south at a 71º–90º angle, whereas the east fault strikes 133º and has a smaller dip angle. Elastic strain accumulates at conjunctions of faults with different slip rates where it is prone to large earthquakes. Based on surface traces of faults, the distribution of relocated earthquake sequence and surface ruptures, the mainshock was determined to have occurred at the conjunction of the Tuolaishan (TLS) fault and LLL fault, and the west and east segments of the aftershock sequence were on the TLS fault and LLL fault, respectively. Aftershocks migrate in the early and late stages of the earthquake sequence. In the first 1.5 h after the mainshock, aftershocks expand westward from the mainshock. In the late stage, seismicity on the northeast side of the east fault is higher than that in other regions. The migration rate of the west segment of the aftershock sequence is approximately 4.5 km/decade and the afterslip may exist in the source region.     

2017年8月8日九寨沟M7.0地震及余震震源机制解与发震构造分析

2017年8月8日在青藏高原东缘四川省九寨沟县发生M7.0级强烈地震,极震区烈度达Ⅸ度,但无明显地表破裂,一定程度上限制了发震构造的确定和后续地震危险性判定.本文基于截止至2017年8月14日的地震资料,采用多阶段定位方法,对主震及余震进行了重新定位,同时,利用CAP波形反演方法,获得了M7.0主震与13次M_L ≥ 4.0级余震的震源机制解和震源矩心深度,进而初步分析了本次地震的发震构造.结果显示,九寨沟M7.0地震的矩震级M_W6.4,震源矩心深度5 km,表明主震发生在上地壳浅部,与2003年伊朗巴姆（Bam）M_W6.5地震特征极为相似;12次M_L ≥ 4.0级余震的震源矩心深度6~12 km,显示这些余震发生在主震下部,仅1次例外.重新定位后的余震震中呈NW-SE向窄带展布,位于近NS向的岷江断裂与近EW向的东昆仑断裂带东端分支塔藏断裂所夹持的区域,余震带长轴长约38 km,主震位于余震带中部.根据余震震中分布、主震及余震震源机制解等,推测本次九寨沟M7.0地震及其余震的主发震构造为位于岷江断裂与塔藏断裂之间的树正断裂.震源机制解揭示,树正断裂呈左旋走滑,走向约152°,近SE,倾向SW,倾角约70°,该断裂应属于东昆仑断裂东端的分支断裂之一,或与东南侧的虎牙断裂构成统一断裂系.     

汶川M_S8.0地震部分余震重新定位及地震构造初步分析

利用双差地震定位法对5月12日汶川MS8.0地震至6月26日四川地震台网整理形成观测报告的2741个余震进行了重新定位。在此基础上,初步探讨了汶川地震的地震构造及其余震的破裂扩展。重新定位后震源深度主要分布在0~20km间的上地壳,25~40km的下地壳也有少量地震发生,与下地壳存在脆性变形的断裂活动相对应,在20~25km深度范围内的上下地壳之间存在一个明显的缺震层,推测其可能构成推覆构造的滑脱面。从震源分布与震源机制解在空间的变化上,地震破裂由南向北单侧破裂且存在明显的分段活动性,推测可能存在逆冲推覆与右旋走滑破裂相互转换的过程:逆冲推覆滑动主要发生在高川以南的段落上,震源机制解表现为以逆冲为主;地震破裂向北并未沿龙门山推覆构造带北段扩展,而是斜切青川断裂,震源分布刻画的结构面陡直,震源机制解表现为以右旋走滑错动为主     

An Appraisal of the 2001 Bhuj Earthquake (Mw 7.7, India) Source Zone: Fractal Dimension and b Value Mapping of the Aftershock Sequence

We examined seismic characteristics, b value and fractal dimension of the aftershock sequence of the January 26, 2001 Bhuj earthquake (Mw 7.7) that occurred in the Kutch failed rift basin, western margin of the Stable Continental Region (SCR) of India. A total of about 2,000 events (M?≥?2.0) were recorded within two and a half months, immediately after the main shock. Some 795 events were precisely relocated by simultaneous inversion. These relocated events are used for mapping the frequency-magnitude relation (b value) and fractal correlation dimension (Dc) to understand the seismic characteristics of the aftershocks and the source zone of the main shock. The surface maps of the b value and Dc reveal two distinct tectonic arms or zones of the V-shaped aftershock area, western zone and eastern zone. The b value is relatively higher (~1.6) in the western zone compared to a lower value (~1.4) in the eastern zone. The Dc map also shows a higher value (1.2–1.35) in the western zone compared to a lower Dc (0.80–1.15) in the eastern zone; this implies a positive correlation between Dc and b value. Two cross sections, E–W and N–S, are examined. The E–W sections show similar characteristics, higher b value and higher Dc in the western zone and lower in the eastern zone with depth. The N–S sections across the fault zones, however, show unique features; it imaged both the b and Dc characteristics convincingly to identify two known faults, the Kutch Mainland fault and the South Wagad fault (SWF), one stepping over the other with a seismogenic source zone at depth (20–35?km). The source zone at depth is imaged with a relatively lower b and higher Dc at the ‘fault end’ of the SWF showing a negative correlation. These observations, corroborated with the seismic tomography as well as with the proposed geological/tectonic model, shed a new light to our understanding on seismogenesis of the largest SCR earthquake in India in the recent years.     

High-resolution seismic tomography of the upper crust in the source region of the April 20, 2013 Lushan earthquake and its seismotectonic implications

Both P- and S-wave arrivals were collected for imaging upper crustal structures in the source region of the April 20, 2013 Lushan earthquake. High-resolution, three-dimensional P and S velocity models were constructed by travel-time tomography. Moreover, more than 3700 aftershocks of the Lushan earthquake were relocated via a grid search method. The P- and S-wave velocity images of the upper crust show largely similar characters, with high and low velocity anomalies, which mark the presence of significant lateral and vertical heterogeneity at the source region of the Lushan earthquake. The characteristics of the velocity anomalies also reflect the associated surface geological tectonics in this region. The distributions of high velocity anomalies of both P- and S-waves to 18 km depth are consistent with the distributions of relocated aftershocks, suggesting that most of the ruptures were localized inside the high velocity region. In contrast, low P and S velocities were found in the surrounding regions without aftershocks, especially in the region to the northeast of the Lushan earthquake. For the relocated aftershocks of the Lushan earthquake from this study, we found that most aftershocks were concentrated in a zone of about 40 km long and 20 km wide, and were located in the hanging wall of Dayi–Mingshan fault. The focal depths of aftershocks increase from the southeast to the northwest region in the direction perpendicular to the fault strike, suggesting that the fault ruptured at an approximate dip angle of 45°. The main depths of the aftershocks in the northwest of the main shock are significantly shallower than expected, revealing the different seismogenic conditions in the source region.     

A new fault rupture scenario for the 2003 Mw 6.6 Bam earthquake,SE Iran: Insights from the high-resolution QuickBird imagery and field observations

The December 26, 2003 M_w 6.6 Bam earthquake is one of the most disastrous earthquakes in Iran. QuickBird panchromatic and multispectral satellite imagery with 61 cm and 2.4 m ground resolution, respectively provide new insights into the surface rupturing process associated with this earthquake. The results indicate that this earthquake produced a 2–5 km-wide surface rupture zone with a complex geometric pattern. A 10-km-long surface rupture zone developed along the pre-existing Bam fault trace. Two additional surface rupture zones, each 2–5 km long, are oblique to the pre-existing Bam fault in angles of 20–35°. An analysis of geometric and geomorphic features also shows that movement on the Bam fault is mainly right-lateral motion with some compressional component. This interpretation is consistent with field investigations, analysis of aftershocks as well as teleseismic inversion. Therefore, we suggest that the 2003 Bam earthquake occurred on the Bam fault, and that the surface ruptures oblique to the Bam fault are caused by secondary faulting such as synthetic shears (Reidel shears). Our fault model for the Bam earthquake provides a new tectonic scenario for explaining complex surface deformations associated with the Bam earthquake.     

由初至P震相重新定位2017年九寨沟地震序列的主震与ML≥3.0余震并分析发震构造

综合利用区域台站和流动台站(近台)的记录,基于初至P震相重新测定了2017年九寨沟序列M_S7.0主震和M_L≥3.0余震的震源位置,并利用较高精度的定位结果分析余震分布与地震构造的关系,解释发震断裂带的结构.获得的新认识有:(1)九寨沟主震震源深度为16km,位于余震带中段的南缘;余震主要分布深度为4～17km.(2)沿余震带的走向,余震分布与主震同震位错大小的分布明显相关.余震带中段8～16km深度存在的余震稀疏区与同震位错的高值区相吻合,应是发震断裂带主凹凸体的部位,也是主震时应变释放较充分的部位;余震带南东段10～18km深度的余震密集区对应了同震位错的亏损区之一,三次M_L≥5.0余震都发生于此;余震带西北段在5～10km之下既缺少余震,又属同震位错的亏损区,可能与那里多条断裂的交汇或合并造成的构造复杂性有关;余震带中-北西段3～5km深度的也缺少余震,也对应了浅部的同震位错亏损区.(3)证实了九寨沟地震的发震构造为虎牙断裂带北段,同时新揭示出发震断裂带表现为由主断裂和分支断裂构成的、向上分叉的花状结构,尺度约为4.5km宽(最大)、35km长,主断裂朝SW陡倾.这些反映主震破裂可能不只受控于单一的断裂,而有可能是沿主断裂发生主破裂,而沿分支断裂发生次要破裂.另外,本文对发震断裂带结构的分段解释,是遵循构造地质学原理去综合震源排列、震源机制解、地表断层已知位置、相邻剖面断层解释结果等信息的分析结果,而不仅仅依据余震的密集分布进行推断.     

The Al Hoceima Mw 6.4 earthquake of 24 February 2004 and its aftershocks sequence

The Al Hoceima Mw 6.4 earthquake of 24 February 2004 that occurred in the eastern Rif region of Morocco already hit by a large event in May 1994 (Mw 5.9) has been followed by numerous aftershocks in the months following the event. The aftershock sequence has been monitored by a temporary network of 17 autonomous seismic stations during 15 days (28 March–10 April) in addition to 5 permanent stations of the Moroccan seismic network (CNRST, SPG, Rabat). This network allowed locating accurately about 650 aftershocks that are aligned in two directions, about N10-20E and N110-120E, in rough agreement with the two nodal planes of the focal mechanism (Harvard). The aftershock alignments are long enough, about 20 km or more, to correspond both to the main rupture plane. To further constrain the source of the earthquake main shock and aftershocks (mb > 3.5) have been relocated thanks to regional seismic data from Morocco and Spain. While the main shock is located at the intersection of the aftershock clouds, most of the aftershocks are aligned along the N10-20E direction. This direction together with normal sinistral slip implied by the focal mechanism is similar with the direction and mechanisms of active faults in the region, particularly the N10E Trougout oblique normal fault. Indeed, the Al Hoceima region is dominated by an approximate ENE-SSW direction of extension, with oblique normal faults. Three major 10–30 km-long faults, oriented NNE-SSW to NW-SE are particularly clear in the morphology, the Ajdir and Trougout faults, west and east of the Al Hoceima basin, respectively, and the NS Rouadi fault 20 km to the west. These faults show clear evidence of recent vertical displacements during the late Quaternary such as uplifted alluvial terraces along Oued Rihs, offset fan surfaces by the Rouadi fault and also uplifted and tilted abandoned marine terraces on both sides of the Al Hoceima bay.However, the N20E direction is in contrast with seismic sources identified from geodetic inversions, which favour but not exclusively the N110-120E rupture directions, suggesting that the 1994 and 2004 events occurred on conjugate faults. In any event, the recent seismicity is thus concentrated on sinistral N10-20E or N110-120E dextral strike-slip faults, which surface expressions remain hidden below the 3–5 km-thick Rif nappes, as shown by the tomographic images build from the aftershock sequence and the concentration of the seismicity below 3 km. These observations may suggest that strain decoupling between the thrusted cover and the underlying bedrock and highlights the difficulty to determine the source properties of moderate events with blind faults even in the case of good quality recorded data.     

Relocation of the M 8.0 Wenchuan earthquake and its aftershock sequence

We relocated M8.0 Wenchuan earthquake and 2706 aftershocks with M⩾2.0 using double-difference algorithm and obtained relocations of 2553 events. To reduce the influence of lateral variation in crustal and upper mantle velocity structure, we used different velocity models for the east and west side of Longmenshan fault zone. In the relocation process, we added seismic data from portable seismic stations close to the shocks to constrain focal depths. The precisions in E-W, N-S, and U-D directions after relocation are 0.6, 0.7, and 2.5 km respectively. The relocation results show that the aftershock epi-centers of Wenchuan earthquake were distributed in NE-SW direction, with a total length of about 330 km. The aftershocks were concentrated on the west side of the central fault of Longmenshan fault zone, excluding those on the north of Qingchuan, which obviously deviated from the surface fault and passed through Pingwu-Qingchuan fault in the north. The dominant focal depths of the aftershocks are between 5 and 20 km, the average depth is 13.3 km, and the depth of the relocated main shock is 16.0 km. The depth profile reveals that focal depth distribution in some of the areas is characterized by high-angle westward dipping. The rupture mode of the main shock features reverse faulting in the south, with a large strike-slip component in the north. Supported by the Basic Research Project of Institute of Geophysics, China Earthquake Administration (Grant No. DQJB08Z03)     

芦山MS7.0级地震余震序列重新定位及构造意义

利用四川省地震台网的震相数据和双差定位方法对芦山M_S7.0级地震及其余震序列进行了精确定位,根据余震分布确定了发震断层的位置和断层面的几何特征,并对余震活动进行了分析.结果显示,芦山M_S7.0级地震的震中位于30.28°N、102.99°E,震源深度为16.33 km.余震沿发震断层向主震两侧延伸,主要分布在长约32 km、宽约15~20 km、深度为5~24 km的范围内.地震破裂带朝西南方向扩展范围较大,东北方向略小,余震震级随时间迅速衰减.震源深度剖面清晰地显示出发震断层的逆冲破裂特征,推测发震断层为大川—双石断裂东侧约10 km的隐伏断层.该断层走向217°、倾向北西,倾角约45°,产状与大川—双石断裂相比略缓,它们同属龙门山前山断裂带的叠瓦状逆冲断层系.受发震断裂影响,部分余震沿大川—双石断裂分布,西北方向的余震延伸至宝兴杂岩体的东南缘,与汶川地震的破裂带之间存在50 km左右的地震空区,有可能成为未来发生强震的潜在危险区.     

Spatio-temporal variation and focal mechanism of the Wenchuan MS8.0 earthquake sequence

Based on abundant aftershock sequence data of the Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake on May 12, 2008, we studied the spatio-temporal variation process and segmentation rupture characteristic. Dense aftershocks distribute along Longmenshan central fault zone of NE direction and form a narrow strip with the length of 325 km and the depth between several and 40 km. The depth profile (section of NW direction) vertical to the strike of aftershock zone (NE direction) shows anisomerous wedgy distribution characteristic of aftershock concentrated regions; it is related to the force form of the Longmenshan nappe tectonic belt. The stronger aftershocks could be divided into northern segment and southern segment apparently and the focal depths of strong aftershocks in the 50 km area between northern segment and southern segment are shallower. It seems like 'to be going to rupture' segment. We also study focal mechanisms and segmentation of strong aftershocks. The principal compressive stress azimuth of aftershock area is WNW direction and the faulting types of aftershocks at southern and northern segment have the same proportion. Because aftershocks distribute on different secondary faults, their focal mechanisms present complex local tectonic stress field. The faulting of seven strong earthquakes on the Longmenshan central fault is mainly characterized by thrust with the component of right-lateral strike-slip. Meantime six strong aftershocks on the Longmenshan back-range fault and Qingchuan fault present strike-slip faulting. At last we discuss the complex segmentation rupture mechanism of the Wenchuan earthquake.     

2014年新疆于田MS7.3级地震序列重定位

2014年新疆于田发生MS7.3地震,这一地区6年来连续发生2次强烈地震,震中相距不到110km.由于初始定位误差较大,于田地震的发震断层仍不清楚.本研究的主要目标是利用地震精定位方法对于田地震序列及其背景地震活动进行重新定位,确定于田地震的发震断层.本研究使用双差定位方法对于田地震序列进行重新定位.这一方法假设两个地震的震源距小于事件到台站的距离,两个事件到同一台站的走时差主要归因于其空间位置的偏移,因此可消除由于速度模型不准确引起的定位误差.重定位后得到了435个地震的位置参数.结果表明,2014年于田MS7.3级地震发生在阿尔金断裂带的西端,余震分布的优势方向为北东向,展布长度约33km,震源深度主要集中在4~12km,多数余震位于主震的西南侧.NS,EW和UD方向的定位误差分别为0.5km,1.1km和1.7km.于田地震余震序列总体衰减较慢.根据余震分布特征和震源机制解,认为此次地震的断层面为北东向的节面,阿尔金断裂的西南延伸分支断层是这次地震的主要发震构造.于田地震的发生与巴颜喀拉块体的东南向运动有关.     

The Lemnos 8 January 2013 (M w = 5.7) earthquake: fault slip,aftershock properties and static stress transfer modeling in the north Aegean Sea

We investigate mainshock slip distribution and aftershock activity of the 8 January 2013 M _w?=?5.7 Lemnos earthquake, north Aegean Sea. We analyse the seismic waveforms to better understand the spatio-temporal characteristics of earthquake rupture within the seismogenic layer of the crust. Peak slip values range from 50 to 64 cm and mean slip values range from 10 to 12 cm. The slip patches of the event extend over an area of dimensions 16?×?16 km². We also relocate aftershock catalog locations to image seismic fault dimensions and test earthquake transfer models. The relocated events allowed us to identify the active faults in this area of the north Aegean Sea by locating two, NE–SW linear patterns of aftershocks. The aftershock distribution of the mainshock event clearly reveals a NE–SW striking fault about 40 km offshore Lemnos Island that extends from 2 km up to a depth of 14 km. After the mainshock most of the seismic activity migrated to the east and to the north of the hypocenter due to (a) rupture directivity towards the NE and (b) Coulomb stress transfer. A stress inversion analysis based on 14 focal mechanisms of aftershocks showed that the maximum horizontal stress is compressional at N84°E. The static stress transfer analysis for all post-1943 major events in the North Aegean shows no evidence for triggering of the 2013 event. We suggest that the 2013 event occurred due to tectonic loading of the North Aegean crust.     

Crustal velocity structure in the southern edge of the Central Alborz (Iran)

Inversion of local earthquake travel times and joint inversion of receiver functions and Rayleigh wave group velocity measurements were used to derive a simple model for the velocity crustal structure beneath the southern edge of the Central Alborz (Iran), including the seismically active area around the megacity of Tehran. The P and S travel times from 115 well-located earthquakes recorded by a dense local seismic network, operated from June to November 2006, were inverted to determine a 1D velocity model of the upper crust. The limited range of earthquake depths (between 2 km and 26 km) prevents us determining any velocity interfaces deeper than 25 km. The velocity of the lower crust and the depth of the Moho were found by joint inversion of receiver functions and Rayleigh wave group velocity data. The resulting P-wave velocity model comprises an upper crust with 3 km and 4 km thick sedimentary layers with P wave velocities (V_p) of ～5.4 and ～5.8 km s^?1, respectively, above 9 km and 8 km thick layers of upper crystalline crust (V_p ～6.1 and ～6.25 km s^?1 respectively). The lower crystalline crust is ～34 km thick (V_p ～ 6.40 km s^?1). The total crustal thickness beneath this part of the Central Alborz is 58 ± 2 km.     

Relocation of the MS5.7 Earthquake Sequence in Songyuan, Jilin Province, 2018 and the Analysis of Its Seismogenic Structure

The 2018,Songyuan,Jilin M_S5. 7 earthquake occurred at the intersection of the FuyuZhaodong fault and the Second Songhua River fault. The moment magnitude of this earthquake is M_W5. 3,the centroid depth by the waveform fitting is 12 km,and it is a strike-slip type event. In this paper,with the seismic phase data provided by the China Earthquake Network, the double-difference location method is used to relocate the earthquake sequence,finally the relocation results of 60 earthquakes are obtained. The results show that the aftershock zone is about 4. 3km long and 3. 1km wide,which is distributed in the NE direction. The depth distribution of the seismic sequence is 9km-10 km. 1-2 days after the main shock,the aftershocks were scattered throughout the aftershock zone,and the largest aftershock occurred in the northeastern part of the aftershock zone. After 3-8 days,the aftershocks mainly occurred in the southwestern part of the aftershock zone. The profile distribution of the earthquake sequence shows that the fault plane dips to the southeast with the dip angle of about 75°. Combined with the regional tectonic setting,focal mechanism solution and intensity distribution,we conclude that the concealed fault of the Fuyu-Zhaodong fault is the seismogenic fault of the Songyuan M_S5. 7 earthquake. This paper also relocates the earthquake sequence of the previous magnitude 5. 0 earthquake in 2017. Combined with the results of the focal mechanism solution,we believe that the two earthquakes have the same seismogenic structure,and the earthquake sequence generally develops to the southwest. The historical seismic activity since 2009 shows that after the magnitude 5. 0 earthquake in 2017,the frequency and intensity of earthquakes in the earthquake zone are obviously enhanced,and attention should be paid to the development of seismic activity in the southwest direction of the earthquake zone.     

The 20 April 2013 Lushan,Sichuan, mainshock,and its aftershock sequence: tectonic implications

Using the double-difference relocation algorithm, we relocated the 20 April 2013 Lushan, Sichuan, earthquake (M _S 7.0), and its 4,567 aftershocks recorded during the period between 20 April and May 3, 2013. Our results showed that most aftershocks are relocated between 10 and 20 km depths, but some large aftershocks were relocated around 30 km depth and small events extended upward near the surface. Vertical cross sections illustrate a shovel-shaped fault plane with a variable dip angle from the southwest to northeast along the fault. Furthermore, the dip angle of the fault plane is smaller around the mainshock than that in the surrounding areas along the fault. These results suggest that it may be easy to generate the strong earthquake in the place having a small dip angle of the fault, which is somewhat similar to the genesis of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. The Lushan mainshock is underlain by the seismically anomalous layers with low-V_P, low-V_S, and high-Poisson’s ratio anomalies, possibly suggesting that the fluid-filled fractured rock matrices might significantly reduce the effective normal stress on the fault plane to bring the brittle failure. The seismic gap between Lushan and Wenchuan aftershocks is suspected to be vulnerable to future seismic risks at greater depths, if any.     

2014年新疆于田MS7.3地震序列重定位及其发震构造初步研究

2014年2月12日在新疆于田县发生了M_S7.3地震,主震前一天在震区发生了M_S5.4前震,震后余震活动频繁,由于震区台站十分稀疏和不均匀、地壳速度结构复杂,台网常规定位结果精度有限,很难从中获得序列的空间分布特征和活动趋势的正确认识.本文首先利用位于震区附近的于田地震台5年记录的远震波形数据,采用接收函数方法研究了震区附近的地壳结构,建立了震源区的地壳速度模型.在此基础上,联合震相到时和方位角对2014年于田M_S7.3地震序列(从2014年02月11日-2014年04月30日,共计577次地震)进行了重新绝对定位.结果显示,(1) 重定位后的前震和主震震中位置明显向地表破裂带及其附近的阿尔金分支断裂(南肖尔库勒断裂和阿什库勒-肖尔库勒断裂)靠近,两者相距5.4 km,主震位置为36.076°N、82.576°E,震源深度为22 km, 前震位置为36.055°N、82.522°E,震源深度为19 km;(2) 本文重定位结果显示,余震序列沿NEE-SWW展布,优势分布长度约73 km、宽度约16 km,平均震源深度为14.8 km,其中77%的余震分布在地表破裂带的西南端,这部分余震中少数沿阿什库勒-肖尔库勒断裂分布,绝大多数沿北东东向的南肖尔库勒断裂分布,位于地表破裂带东北端的余震沿阿什库勒-肖尔库勒断裂分布,但发生在地表破裂带的余震极少;重定位后,位于地表破裂带西南侧的震中分布由台网目录的近南北向变为北东向,与地表破裂带、南肖尔库勒断裂和阿什库勒-肖尔库勒断裂走向一致;(3) 沿重定位剖面的地震分布,可推断位于地表破裂带西南段的南肖尔库勒断裂与位于北东段的阿什库勒-肖尔库勒断裂倾向反向,南肖尔库勒断裂的倾向为SE,阿什库勒-肖尔库勒断裂的倾向为NW,这与本次地震野外考察得到的断裂性质一致.综合重定位结果、地表破裂带分布、震源机制解、南肖尔库勒断裂和阿什库勒-肖尔库勒断裂的性质认为,2014年于田M_S7.3地震的发震构造为阿尔金断裂西南尾段的两条分支断裂——南肖尔库勒断裂和阿什库勒-肖尔库勒断裂.