Stress pattern in two seismogenic sources in Nepal-Himalaya and its vicinity

The composite stereographic projection of orientations of the compression and tension axes using thirty-nine fault-plane solutions of earthquakes from two active seismogenic sources of Nepal and adjoining areas were examined and the nature of stress pattern and their influence on tectonics in the region have been studied. The seismogenic source located in Eastern Nepal region, which has been the site of 1934 Bihar-Nepal great earthquake of M 8.4, is presently experiencing N-S to NE-SW directed compressive stresses. The inferred pattern of compression axes in Western Nepal region suggests a shallow compressive stress, dipping N-S to NE-SW. Approximately similar nature of the stress regime is observed in Western and Eastern regions of Nepal, separated by nearly 700 km; it shows N-S to NNE-SSW direction of compression and underthrusting of the Indian Plate beneath the Himalaya at a shallow angle. Present study indicates that the stress is being released along the strikes of some of the transverse faults present in the region since the compressive stress exerted by the northward movement of the Indian Plate is approximately perpendicular to the Himalayan collision belt. Unilateral stress pattern generated by the northward movement of the Indian Plate in the central part of the Himalaya reveals that the present day collision occurs roughly perpendicular to the local strike of the Himalaya.