DISCUSSING THE INFLUENCE OF MAJOR EARTHQUAKE SEQUENCE IN THE LONGMENSHAN AREA ON THE LUSHAN EARTHQUAKE FROM STRESS EVOLUTION

Calculating the coseismic static Coulomb stress change induced by an earthquake and interseismic stress change permits to explain the distribution of aftershocks, the earthquake sequence and other seismic observations. Four earthquakes greater than M7 have occurred in the Longmenshan area before the 2013 Lushan earthquake since 1900. This paper analyzes the influence of these four events on the Lushan earthquake, the stress evolution after the Lushan earthquake accompany with strong earthquake sequence on Longmenshan Fault, and the stress state of the gap between the Lushan and Wenchuan earthquakes. To address these issues would help future seismic risk assessment in the region. We construct a three dimensional finite element model based on the geological structure, the deep inversion results of density and velocity, and the GPS and the stress observation data. The simulation results show that the annual variation rate of Coulomb stress is higher on the Xianshuihe fault and southern segment of the Longmenshan fault, which is consistant with the regional seismicity. The coseismic Coulomb stresses induced by Kangding, Songpan, and Wenchuan earthquakes at the Lushan earthquake epicenter is greater than 0, implying that the three earthquakes may promote the occurrence of the Lushan earthquake, especially the Wenchuan earthquake. The viscous relaxation is remarkable which cannot be ignored in the analysis of stress evolution. From the stress evolution of this area, we can find that the gap between the Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes is still at a relatively high stress level after the Lushan earthquake.