Abstract: Gansu and its adjacent areas are on the northeastern margin of the Qinghai-Tibet plateau. The study area locates at the junction of Alashan,Qilian,Qaidam and Ordos blocks. The tectonic structure is complicated in this area. The research of tectonic stress field in the study area has an important scientific significance for earthquake prediction of Gansu. Characteristics of present-day tectonic stress field is studied based on 245 M_L≥3.5 focal mechanism solutions since January 2001 to June 2012 in Gansu and its adjacent areas.
For solving the stress field,we follow Wan's(2000)method to solve the rake angle according to two nodal planes' strikes and dips of the focal mechanisms. We treat the stress tensor solution of each fault plane as the optimal solution of the area when the slip on the fault plane minus the angle between shear stress direction and strike is minimal. We use F test to get the confidence interval of the four parameters, as well as the confidence interval of the principal compressive and tensile stress axes. We divide the whole area into 1°×1°grids. In order to cover the whole study region and get the smoothed stress field,we select the data within the square areas of 2°×2° centered at the grid point. The direction and the relative size of the tectonic stress field in 2°×2° grid in Gansu and its adjacent areas are presented for the first time. These results show that the dip angles of maximum principal compressive stress axes of the whole region are generally small. And the dip angles of maximum principal tensile stress axes vary widely,which are small in the western part,and relatively larger in the east. It indicates that the tectonic stress field with horizontal action of compression acts as the major in the west. Many deep large strike-slip faults in Qilian seismic belt correspond with the results. The geological structure of southeastern area of Gansu is complex,and the characteristics of stress field indicate that strike-slip reverse faulting is likely to occur. Result of the inverted tectonic stresses also shows that maximum principal compressive stress axis strikes near NE on the plate margin of Tibet plateau. This is caused by Qinghai-Tibet plateau moving to the northeast. At the outer edge of the Tibet plateau plate,its strikes show a radiated pattern,i.e. NS in west part,NNE in the middle section,and NNW in the east. The reason is that Qinghai-Tibet plateau,when moving to the northeast,is encountered with stable Ordos and Alashan blocks,therefore the material moves to southeast. The stress directions show that the source of the stress field in Gansu and its adjacent areas is extrusion of the India plate to Eurasian plate. Our inversion results are similar with the previous results,indicating the correctness of the approach. The relative stress values are more than 0.5 in the western areas and less than 0.5 in the eastern areas. According to Wan's research(2011), the maximum principle compressive stress solutions are more reliable in the western area,while the maximum principle tensile stress solutions are more reliable in the eastern areas.
The results indicate a non-uniform stress field spatial distribution in Gansu area,and have certain reference significance for explaining the seismo-geological background and earthquake prediction research.

Key words: tectonic stress field, focal mechanism solutions, Gansu area

摘要： 构造应力场对地震预测具有十分重要的科学意义。文中搜集了甘肃及邻区2001年以来245个M_L≥3.5的震源机制解数据，由多个震源机制解反演该区平均应力场，首次给出了覆盖甘肃及邻区的1°×1°的构造应力场方向和相对大小。反演结果显示，青藏高原板块内缘最大主压应力呈NE向分布，外缘最大主压应力由西向东呈现出顺时针旋转的特征，即最大主压应力轴由西段近NS向转向中段NNE向，到东段转至NNW向。该区力源来自印度板块向欧亚板块的挤压。反演结果与前人的研究结果具有相似性，印证了处理方法的正确性，并且反演得到了甘肃地区的非均匀应力场的空间分布，这些结果为解释甘肃地区的地震地质背景和地震预测研究具有一定参考意义。

关键词: 构造应力场, 震源机制解, 甘肃地区