Present-day tectonic movement in the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibetan) plateau as revealed by earthquake activity

Characteristics of present-day tectonic movement in the northeastern margin of Qinghai-Xizang plateau (Tibetan) are studied based on earthquake data. Evidence of earthquake activity shows that junctures between blocks in this area consist of complicated deformation zones. Between the Gansu-Qinghai block and Alxa block there is a broad compressive deformation zone, which turns essentially to be a network-like deformation region to the southeast. The Liupanshan region, where the Gansu-Qinghai block contacts the Ordos block, is suffering from NE-SW compressive deformation. Junction zone between the Ordos and Alxa block is a shear zone with sections of variable trend. The northwestern and southeastern marginal region of the Ordos is under NNW-SSE extension. The above characteristics of present-day tectonic deformation of the northeastern Qinghai-Xizang plateau may be attributed to the northeastward squeezing of the plateau and the resistance of the Ordos block, as well as the southeastward extrusion of the plateau materials.