DEFORMATION OF THE BRITTLE-PLASTIC TRANSITION ZONE AT THE POST-SEISMIC RELAXATION PERIOD: A CASE STUDY OF THE RED RIVER FAULT

The transition from microscopic brittle deformation to microscopic plastic deformation is called brittle-plastic transition, which is considered as a key layer for determining the limit of lower continental crust seismicity. The depth and deformation mechanism of the brittle-plastic transition zone is controlled mainly by temperature. Besides, the strain rate and fluid pore pressure also affect the transition during the different deformation stages at the seismic cycle. In this paper, microstructure observation of catalcastic samples collected from the Red River Fault was carried out using optical polarized microscopy and scanning electron microscopy. The morphology, microstructures of deformation characteristics, mineral composition, water-rock reaction, pressure solution, exsolution, crack healing in the samples were systematically observed. The mineral components quantitative analyses were examined using the EDS. Water-rock reaction and pressure solution were systematically observed under SEM. The fabric of the main minerals in the samples was measured using electron backscattered diffraction(EBSD). Based on these analyses, the deformation mode was setup for the brittle-plastic transition zone of the fault during the post-seismic relaxation period. Both brittle deformation and plastic deformation were developed in the cataclastic samples. EBSD data shows that the c axial fabrics of quartz present low-temperature plastic deformation characteristics. The feldspar deformed as cataclastic rock, and the micro-fracture in feldspar was healed by static recrystallized quartz and calcite veins. The calcite vein underwent plastic deformation, which represents the post-seismic relaxation deformation. Based on the analysis of deformation mechanism of cataclastic samples in brittle-plastic transition zone of the Red River Fault, and combined with previous studies, we concluded that the brittle fracture and fracture healing is the main deformation mode at brittle-plastic transition zone in the post-seismic relaxation. High stress and high strain rate at post-seismic relaxation lead to brittle fracture of high-strength minerals such as feldspar in rocks. Plastic deformation occurs in low-strength minerals such as quartz and mica. Under the fluid condition, micro-fractures were healed by quartz and calcite. The minerals such as quartz and calcite in the fracture transformed from static recrystallization to dynamic recrystallization with stress gradually accumulating. With fracture healing and stress accumulation, the fault strength gradually increases which could accumulate energy for the next earthquake.     

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.     

宗务隆山南缘断裂构造地貌特征与晚第四纪滑动速率

宗务隆山南缘断裂位于柴达木盆地东北缘,是祁连山南缘与柴达木盆地的边界逆断裂,对其晚第四纪活动性进行研究对于理解祁连山地区应变分配模式以及该地区断裂向柴达木盆地内部的挤压扩展过程具有重要意义。文中通过遥感影像解译和野外地质调查,结合GPS地形剖面测量以及宇宙成因核素与光释光定年,对宗务隆山南缘断裂拜京图和蓄集乡等段落开展了详细的研究。综合分析拜京图和蓄集乡地区不同期次洪积扇的垂直位错以及相应地貌面的年龄,得到宗务隆山南缘断裂晚第四纪以来的平均垂直滑动速率为(0. 41±0. 05) mm/a,水平缩短速率为0. 47～0. 80mm/a,约占祁连山地区地壳缩短速率的10%。这些结果有助于进一步理解祁连山地区的应变分配模式以及柴达木盆地北缘地区的构造变形机制。     

青藏高原地球物理与大陆动力学研究的新进展

岩石圈地球物理探测、深部结构成像与各向异性等研究是青藏高原大陆动力学研究的基础.近年来,随着深部地球物理探测技术和反演成像技术的进步,信息提取与细节分辨能力不断提升,青藏高原壳幔结构、碰撞和隆升动力学、资源与地质灾害的深部机制等研究进展显著.本专辑收录33篇论文,主要分布在深部结构与地球物理探测、地震各向异性与变形、断裂性质与地震活动等三个主要研究领域.本文重点围绕这些论文,对近年来青藏高原地球物理研究进展进行综述.     

DETERMINATION OF SLIP RATE ON THE SOUTHERN SEGMENT OF THE ANNINGHE FAULT

The Anninghe Fault has been suggested as an important segment of the fault system along the eastern boundary of the Sichuan-Yunnan faulted block in the southeastern region of the Tibetan plateau. Reliable determination of the Late Quaternary slip rate on the Anninghe Fault is very helpful and significant for revealing deformation mechanism and kinematic characteristics of the Sichuan-Yunnan faulted block, which further helps us understand fault activity and seismic potential of the region. However, previous studies were focused mainly on the northern segment of the Anninghe Fault, while slip rate on its southern segment has been less studied. Therefore, in this paper, we chose two sites at Dashuigou and Maoheshan on the southern segment of the Anninghe Fault, and used high-resolution images of unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV)photogrammetry technology, detailed field survey, multiple paleoseismic trenching and radiocarbon dating methods to constrain slip rate on the southern fault segment of the Anninghe Fault. Specifically, we suggest that the slip rate at the Dashuigouo site is narrowly constrained to be~4.4mm/a since about 3^￣￣300a^￣￣BP based on a linear regression calculation method, and speculate that a slip rate of 2.6~5.2mm/a at the Maoheshan site would be highly possible, although we poorly constrained the whole deformation amount of the two branch faults at the Maoheshan site from multiple paleoseismic trenching. The data at the two sites on the southern segment show a consistent slip rate compared with that of the northern segment of the Anninghe Fault. Moreover, considering a similar paleoseismic recurrence interval on the two segments of the Anninghe Fault from previous studies, we further suggest that the fault activity and deformation pattern on the two segments of the Annignhe Fault appears to be well consistent, which is also in agreement with the regional tectonic deformation.     

GEOLOGICAL HAZARD CHARACTERISTICS AND MACROSCOPIC EPICENTER OF NOVEMBER 25, 2016, ARKETAO,XINJIANG, MW6.6 EARTHQUAKE

The M_W6.6 Arketao earthquake occurred on November 25, 2016 in Muji Basin of the Kongur extensional system in the eastern Pamir. The region is the Pamir tectonic knot, one of the two structural knots where the India plate collides with the Eurasian plate. This region is one of the most active areas in mainland China. The seismogenic structure of the earthquake is preliminarily determined as the Muji dextral-slip fault which locates in the north of Kongur extensional system. Based on field surveys of seismic geological hazard, and combined with the characteristics of high altitude area and the focal mechanism solution, this paper summarizes the associated distribution and development characteristics of sandy soil liquefaction, ground fissures, collapse, and landslide. There are 2 macroscopic epicenters of the earthquake, that is, Weirima village and Bulake village. There are a lot of geological hazards distributed in the macroscopic epicenters. Sand liquefaction is mainly distributed in the south of Kalaarte River, and area of sand liquefaction is 1 000m². The liquefaction material gushed along the mouth of springs and ground fissures, because of the frozen soil below the surface. More than 60% of soil liquefactions are formed in the mouth of springs. According to the trenching, these liquefactions occurred in 1.8 meters underground in the gray green silty clay and silty sand layers. The ground fissures are mainly caused by brittle failure, and the deformation of upper frozen soil layer is caused by the deformation of lower soil layer. The ground fissures at Weirima village are distributed in a chessboard-like pattern in the flood plain of Kalaarte River. In the Bulake village, the main movement features of the ground fissure are tension and sinistral slip, and the directions of ground fissures are 90°~135°. The collapse and landslide are one of the important geological disasters in the disaster area. The rolling stones falling in landslide blocked the roads and smashed the wire rods, and the biggest rolling stone is 4 meters in length. We only found a small landslide in the earthquake area, but there are a large number of unstable slopes and potential landslides in the surroundings. The ground fissures associated with sand liquefaction are an important cause of serious damage to the buildings.     

THE ACTIVITY CHARACTERISTICS OF ZHENGZHOU-KAIFENG FAULT DURING KAINOZOIC

As one of the rhombic blocks in North China, Kaifeng depression is on the south of the northern Huabei depression and in the north of the southern Huabei depression, bounded by Xinxiang-Shangqiu Fault and Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Fault, respectively. So far, the activity of Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Fault during Kainozoic era and the relationship between Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Fault and Xinxiang-Shangqiu Fault is still unknown. We interpreted several deep seismic profiles across Taikang uplift and Kaifeng depression on the basis of the strata sequence exposed by the 8 drill holes in the related area. The outcomes indicate that the Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Fault strikes EW on the whole, presenting undulating feature in plain, with a length about 154km. The profiles show the dip angle of the fault is steeper in the shallow than that in the deep, with an obvious "L-shaped" turning point. In Paleogene, the fault was a normal fault. In its hanging wall, the Kaifeng depression, there deposited hundreds of meters of Eogene. After middle Himalayan movement, Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Fault converted to a strike-slip fault, the dip angle became steeper, but the activity became weaker. The Zhengzhou-Kaifeng Fault ended its activity before Quaternary. As a response to the compression in the footwall caused by the sustained sinistral shearing, there developed a series of NW-trending, en echelon wide and gentle folds. Then, the activity in Kaifeng depression shifted to its north boundary.     

ACTIVE CHARACTERISTICS OF THE SANWEISHAN FAULT IN THE NORTHERN MARGIN OF THE TIBETAN PLATEAU DURING LATE PLEISTOCENE

The Sanweishan fault is located in the northern margin of the Tibetan plateau. It is a branch of the Altyn Tagh fault zone which extends to the northwest. A detailed study on Late Quaternary activity characteristics of the Sanwei Shan Fault can help understanding the strain distribution of the Altyn Tagh fault zone and regional seismic activity and northward growth of the Tibetan plateau. Previous research on this fault is insufficient and its activity is a controversial issue. Based on satellite images interpretation, field investigations and geological mapping, this study attempts to characterize this feature, especially its activity during Late Quaternary. Trench excavation and sample dating permit to address this issue, including determination of paleoseismic events along this fault. The results show that the Sanweishan fault is a large-scale active structure. It starts from the Shuangta reservoir in the east, extending southward by Shigongkouzi, Lucaogou, and Shugouzi, terminates south of Xishuigou, with a length of 175km. The fault trends in NEE, dipping SE at angles 50°~70°. It is characterized by left-lateral strike-slip with a component of thrust and local normal faulting. According to the geometry, the fault can be divided into three segments, i.e. Shuangta-Shigongkouzi, Shigongkouzi-Shugouzi and Shugouzi-Xishuigou from east to west, looking like a left-or right-step pattern. Plenty of offset fault landforms appear along the Sanweishan Fault, including ridges, left-lateral strike-slip gullies, fault scarps, and fault grooves. The trench study at the middle and eastern segments of the fault shows its activity during Late Pleistocene, evidenced by displaced strata of this epoch. Identification marks of the paleoearthquakes and sample dating reveal one paleoearthquake that occurred at(40.3±5.2)~(42.1±3.9) ka.     

STUDY ON PALEOEARTHQUKES ALONG THE FODONGMIAO-HONGYAZI FAULT,GANSU PROVINCE

The Fodongmiao-Hongyazi Fault is a Holocene active thrust fault, belonging to the middle segment of northern Qilianshan overthrust fault zone, located in the northeastern edge of the Tibet plateau. The Hongyapu M7(1/4) earthquake in 1609 AD occurred on it. A few paleo-seismology studies were carried out on this fault zone. It was considered that four paleoearthquakes occurred on the Fodongmiao-Hongyazi Fault between(6.3±0.6) ka BP and(7.4±0.4) ka BP, in(4.3±0.3) ka BP, in(2.1±0.1) ka BP and in 1609 AD. The occurrences of the earthquakes suggested the quasi-periodic characteristic with a quasi-periodic recurrence interval between 1 600~2 500a(Institute of Geology, State Seismological Bureau, Lanzhou Institute of Seismology, State Seismological Bureau. 1993; Liu et al., 2014). There was no direct evidence for the Hongyapu M7(1/4) earthquake in 1609 AD from trench research in the previous studies. Great uncertainty exists because of the small number of the chronology data, as a few TL and OSL measurement data and several¹⁴ C data, and it was insufficient to deduce the exact recurrence interval for the paleoearthquakes. Five trenches were excavated and cleared up respectively in the eastern segment, middle segment and western segment along the Fodongmiao-Hongyazi Fault. After detail study on the trench profiles, the sedimentary characteristics, sequence relationship of the stratigraphical units, and fault-cuts in different stratigraphical units were revealed in these five trenches. Four paleoearthquakes in Holocene were distinguished from the five trenches, and geology evidences of the Hongyapu M7(1/4) earthquake in 1609 AD were also found. More accurate constraint of the occurring time of the paleo-earthquakes since Holocene on the Fodongmiao-Hongyazi Fault is provided by the progressive constraining method(Mao and Zhang, 1995), according to amounts of ¹⁴ C measurement data and OLS measurement data of the chronology samples from different stratigraphical units in the trenches. The first paleoevent, E4 occurred 10.6ka BP. The next event, E3 occurred about 7.1ka BP. The E2 occurred about 3.4ka BP. The last event, E1 is the Hongyapu M7(1/4) earthquake in 1609 AD. Abounds of proofs for the occurrences of the events of E1, E2 and E3 were found in the trench Tc1, trench Tc2, trench Tc4 and trench Tc3, located in the eastern, middle and western segments of the Fodongmiao-Hongyazi Fault accordingly. It's considered that the events E1, E2 and E3 may cause whole segment rupturing according to the proofs for these three events found together in individual trenches. The event E4 was only found in the trench Tc5 profile in the west of the Xiaoquan village in the eastern segment of the Fodongmiao-Hongyazi Fault. The earthquake rupture characteristics of this event can't be revealed before more detailed subsequent research. The time intervals among the four paleoearthquakes are ca 3.5ka, ca 3.7ka, and ca 3.0ka. The four events are characterized by ca 3.4ka quasi-periodic recurrence interval.     

利用GRACE重力和重力梯度变化估计2012年苏门答腊地震断层参数

2012年4月11日苏门答腊北部附近海域发生M_W=8.6地震,国际上采用不同数据获得了该地震的断层滑动模型,但断层走滑性质存在较大差异.卫星重力GRACE（Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment）观测覆盖震中区域,可以提供很好的断层参数估计约束.本文采用GRACE月重力场模型数据提取了此次地震同震重力和重力梯度变化,表明了北向分量的优越性.并与断层模型理论计算结果进行了比较,分析了T_xx（北-北向重力梯度）分量对断层参数的敏感性,以及基于粒子群算法以及Okubo位错模型反演了该地震断层参数.结果表明GRACE观测到的同震重力梯度变化在空间形态分布上与断层模型模拟结果符合较好,但振幅差异较大.重力和重力梯度的北向分量可以很好地压制条带误差,其中g_N（北向重力变化）和T_xx的误差最小,其次是T_xz（北-上向重力梯度）,误差最大和对条带误差抑制效果最差的是T_xy（北-东向重力梯度）.T_xx对断层的深度不敏感,对其余断层参数较敏感.基于GRACE反演得到的断层的走向角为113.63°,倾角为89.99°,滑移角为175.26°,平均滑移量为28.18 m,相应的矩震为8.71级,且此次地震的走滑性质为右旋走滑.