Abstract: This paper reviews the history and progresses of the research on active tectonics in China and overseas. By giving a brief introduction on histories of active tectonic researches in China and some other countries,the paper sums up the process and development on the quantitative investigation of active tectonics since the 1980's,and puts the focus on the main efforts and progresses that have been made in China on some aspects of the research,such as the basic survey and research and the applied investigation of active tectonics,the study on theories about regional active tectonics and their kinematics and geodynamics,the survey on the coupling relations between deep and shallow structures,the project on active fault survey and prospecting and seismic hazard assessment in urban areas,as well as the efforts on using the Quaternary geochronology. Further,the paper looks back to the Chinese efforts on the quantitative investigation of active tectonics,sums up those cognitions from studies on the determination of several basic and measurable parameters of active tectonics,such as the length of fault and fault-segment,coseismic slip and cumulative slip,fault slip rate,sequence of paleo-earthquake events,and the time elapsed from the latest event. At the same time,efforts and progresses in China on assessing long-term seismic potential for active fault and evaluating potential risk from potential active fault movement have been reviewed by summarizing researches on developing theories,models,methods and on application to the probabilistic assessment of time-dependent seismic potential,magnitude estimation for potential earthquake on active fault,and forecasting the potential risk caused by potential active fault movement. Finally,considering the realities and problems in the research of active tectonics in China,the authors put forward several suggestions for issues worthy of paying more attention to for further investigation in the future.

Key words: active tectonics, history and progress of research, quantitative investigation, problems and suggestions

摘要： 文中综述了国内外活动构造研究的历史与进展。在简要介绍国际以及中国早期活动构造研究历史的基础上,重点回顾了20世纪80年代以来活动构造及其定量研究的历史与发展,阐述了中国在活动构造基础调查研究、应用研究以及区域活动构造及其运动学、动力学理论研究等方面的主要工作与认识;进一步介绍了在活动构造定量参数测定方面的研究工作,以及基于这些定量参数进行的活动断裂潜在地震危险性与危害性评价工作与进展。最后,结合中国活动构造研究现状与存在的主要问题,提出今后宜重点加强工作的若干建议。

关键词: 活动构造, 研究历史与进展, 定量研究, 问题与建议