Table of Content

20 September 2016, Volume 38 Issue 3

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DISCUSSION ON ISSUES ASSOCIATED WITH SETBACK DISTANCE FROM ACTIVE FAULT

XU Xi-wei, GUO Ting-ting, LIU Shao-zhuo, YU Gui-hua, CHEN Gui-hua, WU Xi-yan

2016, 38(3):  477-502.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.001

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Living with disaster is an objective reality that human must face especially in China. A large number of earthquake case studies, such as the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, 2010 Yushu earthquake, 2014 Ludian earthquake, have demonstrated that earthquake heavy damage and casualties stem from ground-faulting or rupturing along seismogenic active fault, near-fault high ground accelerations and building catastrophic structural failure. Accordingly, avoidance of active faults may be an important measure to effectively reduce earthquake hazard, which may encounter in the future, but how to avoid an active fault and how much a setback distance from the active fault is required to ensure that the ground faulting and rupturing has no any direct impact on buildings. This has been the focus of debate both for domestic and foreign scholars. This paper, first of all, introduces the definition of active fault. Then, quantitative analyses are done of the high localization of earthquake surface ruptures and relationship between the localized feature of the coseismic surface ruptures and building damages associated with the measured widths of the historical earthquake surface rupture zones, and an average sstatistic width is obtained to be 30m both for the earthquake surface rupture zones and heavy damage zones along the seismogenic fault. Besides, the widths of the surface rupture zones and spatial distribution of the building damages of the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake and 2008 Wenchuan earthquake have also been analyzed to reveal a hanging-wall effect:Width of surface rupture zone or building damage zone on the hanging-wall is 2 or 3 times wider than that on its foot-wall for a dip-slip fault. Based on these latest knowledge learnt above, issues on avoidance object, minimum setback distance, location requirement of active fault for avoidance, and anti-faulting design for buildings in the surface rupture zone are further discussed. Finally, we call for national and local legislatures to accelerate the legislation for active fault survey and avoidance to normalize fault hazard zoning for general land-use planning and building construction. This preventive measure is significantly important to improve our capability of earthquake disaster reduction.

THE QUANTATIVE STUDY ON ACTIVITY OF DENGDENGSHAN-CHIJIACIWO FAULTS SINCE LATE QUATERNARY

MIN Wei, LIU Yu-gang, CHEN Tao, SHU Peng, YU Zhong-yuan

2016, 38(3):  503-522.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.002

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The Dengdengshan and Chijiaciwo faults situate in the northeast flank of Kuantanshan uplift at the eastern terminal of Altyn Tagh fault zone, striking northwest as a whole and extending 19 kilometers and 6.5 kilometers for the Dengdengshan and Chijiaciwo Fault, respectively. Based on satellite image interpretation, trenching, faulted geomorphology surveying and samples dating etc., we researched the new active characteristics of the faults. Three-levels of geomorphic surfaces, i.e. the erosion rock platform, terrace I and terrace Ⅱ, could be found in the northeast side of Kuantanshan Mountain. The Dengdengshan Fault dislocated all geomorphic surfaces except terrace I, and the general height of scarp is about 1.5 meters, with the maximum reaching 2.6 meters. Three paleoseismic events are determined since late Pleistocene through trenching, and the total displacement of three events is about 2.7 meters, the average vertical dislocation of each event changed from 0.5 to 1.2 meters. By collecting age samples and dating, the event Ⅰ occurred about 5ka BP, event Ⅱ occurred about 20ka BP, and event Ⅲ occurred about 35ka BP. The recurrence interval is about 15ka BP; and the vertical slip rate since the late Pleistocene is about 0.04mm/a.
The Chijiaciwo Fault, however, dislocated all three geomorphic surfaces, and the general scarp height is about 2.0 meters with the maximum up to 4.0 meters. Three paleoseismic events are determined since late Pleistocene through trenching, and the total displacement of three events is about 3.25 meters, the average vertical dislocation of each event changed from 0.75 to 1.5 meters, and the vertical slip rate since the late Pleistocene is about 0.06mm/a. Although the age constraint of paleoearthquakes on Chijiaciwo Fault is not as good as that of Dengdengshan Fault, the latest event on Chijiaciwo Fault is later than Dengdengshan Fault's. Furthermore, we infer that the recurrence interval of Chijiaciwo Fault is 15ka BP, which is close to that of Dengdengshan Fault.
The latest event on Chijiaciwo Fault is later than the Dengdengshan Fault's, and the vertical displacement and the slip rate of a single event in late Quaternary are both larger than that of Dengdengshan Fault. Additionally, a 5-kilometer-long discontinuity segment exists between these two faults and is covered by Quaternary alluvial sand gravel. All these indicate that the activity of the Chijiaciwo Fault and Dengdengshan Fault has obvious segmentation feature.
The size of Chijiaciwo Fault and Dengdengshan Fault are small, and the vertical slip rate of 0.04~0.06mm/a is far smaller than that of Qilianshan Fault and the NW-striking faults in Jiuxi Basin. All these indeicate that the tectonic deformation of this region is mainly concentrated on Hexi Corrider and the interior of Tibet Plateau, while the activties of Chijiaciwo and Dengdengshan faults are characterized by slow slip rate, long recurrence interval(more than 10ka)and slow tectonic deformation.

USING DEFORMED FLUVIALTERRACES OF THE QINGYIJIANG RIVER TO STUDY THE TECTONIC ACTIVITY OF THE SOUTHERN SEGMENT OF LONGMENSHAN FAULT ZONE

SU Peng, TIAN Qin-jian, LIANG Peng, LI Wen-qiao, WANG Lin

2016, 38(3):  523-545.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.003

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On 20 April 2013, a destructive earthquake, the Lushan M_S7.0 earthquake, occurred in the southern segment of the Longmenshan Fault zone, the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau in Sichuan, China. This earthquake did not produce surface rupture zone, and its seismogenic structure is not clear. Due to the lack of Quaternary sediment in the southern segment of the Longmenshan fault zone and the fact that fault outcrops are not obvious, there is a shortage of data concerning the tectonic activity of this region. This paper takes the upper reaches of the Qingyijiang River as the research target, which runs through the Yanjing-Wulong Fault, Dachuan-Shuangshi Fault and Lushan Basin, with an attempt to improve the understanding of the tectonic activity of the southern segment of the Longmenshan fault zone and explore the seismogenic structure of Lushan earthquake.
In the paper, the important morphological features and tectonic evolution of this area were reviewed. Then, field sites were selected to provide profiles of different parts of the Qingyijiang River terraces, and the longitudinal profile of the terraces of the Qingyijiang River in the south segment of the Longmenshan fault zone was reconstructed based on geological interpretation of high-resolution remote sensing images, continuous differential GPS surveying along the terrace surfaces, geomorphic field evidence, and correlation of the fluvial terraces.
The deformed longitudinal profile reveals that the most active tectonics during the late Quaternary in the south segment of the Longmenshan Fault zone are the Yanjing-Wulong Fault and the Longmenshan range front anticline. The vertical thrust rate of the Yanjing-Wulong Fault is nearly 0.6~1.2mm/a in the late Quaternary. The tectonic activity of the Longmenshan range front anticline may be higher than the Yanjing-Wulong Fault. Combined with the relocations of aftershocks and other geophysical data about the Lushan earthquake, we found that the seismogenic structure of the Lushan earthquake is the range front blind thrust and the back thrust fault, and the pop-up structure between the two faults controls the surface deformation of the range front anticline.

THE DISCUSSION FOR THE NEW ACTIVITY OF THE TIANQUAN SEGMENT OF LONGMENSHAN FAULT ZONE AND ITS RELATIONSHIP TO THE 1327 TIANQUAN EARTHQUAKE, SICHUAN

LIANG Ming-jian, CHEN Li-chun, RAN Yong-kang, WANG Hu, LI Dong-yu

2016, 38(3):  546-559.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.004

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The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake occurred along the Longmen Shan fault zone, only five years later, another M7 Lushan earthquake struck the southern segment where its seismic risk has been highly focused by multiple geoscientists since this event. Through geological investigations and paleoseismic trenching, we suggest that the segment along the Shuangshi-Dachuan Fault at south of the seismogenic structure of the Lushan earthquake is active during Holocene. Along the fault, some discontinuous fault trough valleys developed and the fault dislocated the late Quaternary strata as the trench exposed. Based on analysis of historical records of earthquakes, we suggest that the epicenter of the 1327 Tianquan earthquake should be located near Tianquan and associated with the Shuangshi-Dachuan Fault. Furthermore, we compared the ranges of felt earthquakes(the 2013 M7 Lushan earthquake and the 1970 M_S6.2 Dayi earthquake)and suggest that the magnitude of the 1327 Tianquan earthquake is more possible between 6½ and 7. The southern segment of the Longmen Shan fault zone behaves as a thrust fault system consisting of several sub-paralleled faults and its deep structure shows multiple layers of decollement, which might disperse strain accumulation effectively and make the thrust system propagate forward into the foreland basin, creating a new decollement on a gypsum-salt bed. The soft bed is thick and does not facilitate to constrain fault deformation and accumulate strain, which produces a weak surface tectonic expression and seismic activity along the southern segment, this is quite different from that of the middle and northern segments of the Longmen Shan fault zone.

GEOMORPHIC FEATURES OF THE HEIHE RIVER DRAINAGE BASIN IN WESTERN QILIAN SHAN-HEXI CORRIDOR AND ITS TECTONIC IMPLICATIONS

SU Qi, YUAN Dao-yang, XIE Hong

2016, 38(3):  560-581.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.005

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Using quantitative geomorphic factors for regional active tectonic evolution is becoming more and more popular. Qilian Mountains-Hexi Corridor which locates in the northern edge of Qinghai-Tibet plateau is the most leading edge of the plateau's northward extension. The uplift rate of all segments and the intensity of influence from tectonic activity are the important evidences to understand the uplift and extension of the plateau. Heihe River Basin is located at the northern piedmont of the western segment of Qilian Mountains, the development of the rivers is influenced by the tectonic activity of the Qilian Mountains, and the unique river morphology is important carriers of the regional tectonic uplift.
Geomorphologic indexes such as hypsometric integral, geomorphologic comentropy and river longitudinal profiles were extracted by GIS tools with free access to the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission(SRTM)DEMs, and according to the different expression of the geomorphological indexes in the Heihe River Basin, we divided the drainage basin into two parts and further compared them to each other.
Recent studies reveal that obvious differences exist in the landscape factors(hypsometric integral, geomorphology entropy and river profiles)in the east and west part of the Heihe Basin. The structural intensity of the west part is stronger than that of the east, for example, in areas above the main planation surface on the western part, the average HI value is 0.337 8, and on the eastern part the HI value is 0.355. Accordingly, areas under the main planation surface are just on the contrary, indicating different structural strength on both sides. Similar phenomenon exists in the whole drainage basins. Furthermore, by comparing the fitting river profiles with the real river profiles, differential uplift is derived, which indicates a difference between west and east(with 754m on the western part and 219m on the east). Comprehensive comparison and analysis show that the lithologic factors and precipitation conditions are less influencing on the geomorphic factors of the study area, and the tectonic activities, indicated by field investigation and GPS inversion, are the most important element for geomorphic evolution and development. The variation of the geomorphologic indexes indicates different tectonic strength derived from regional structures of the Qilian Shan.

ACTIVITY FEATURES OF FAULTS AT THE EAST OF ZHANGSHAN ON THE MIDDLE SEGMENT OF TANLU FAULT ZONE

YANG Yuan-yuan, ZHENG Hai-gang, YAO Da-quan, SHU Peng, ZHAO Peng, SHENG Xiao-qi

2016, 38(3):  582-595.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.006

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Given the scarcity of research on the activity of Xinyi-Sihong segment of the Tanlu Fault zone, this paper focuses on the Zhangshan segment where there are quite evident geomorphic features to complement the shortage of the research on the northern part of Xinyi-Sihong segment. This study enriches evidences for the late Quaternary activity and paleoseismological events on the Xinyi-Sihong segment. The Zhangshan segment is located at Xiaodian Town to Jintou Village of Suqian City, stretching towards NE for 7 kilometers with a dip angle of 60~80. Research of tectonic geomorphology shows that gullies in northern part of Zhangshan segment were evidently displaced, while in the southern, two NE-trending right-stepped fault scarps are developed, with an average height of 3 meters, which generally suggests that the fault was dominated by thrust and dextral motion. Two trenches were excavated in the southern part of Zhangshan segment, numbered Mayao trench 1 and Mayao trench 2. Both trenches reveal that:(1)within this segment, Tanlu Fault shows periodic fault activity, that is, normal faulting during Pliocene epoch while thrust faulting in Quaternary period; (2)an event occurred between 15.12ka BP to 11.82 BP; (3)the latest event possibly took place around 3 500 a BP. Based on integrated results of previous studies, we identify the dates of paleoseismic events on the Xinyi-Sihong segment as follows:more than 960 thousands years ago, early to middle period of late Pleistocene, (15.12~11.82)ka BP, (11.76±0.05)ka~(10.53±0.05)ka BP, (10.15±0.05)ka~(8.16±0.05)ka BP and 4 960~3 510a BP.

THE HOLOCENE SEISMIC EVIDENCE ON SOUTHERN SEGMENT OF THE RED RIVER FAULT ZONE

LI Xi, RAN Yong-kang, CHEN Li-chun, WANG Hu, YU Jiang, ZHANG Yan-qi, XIE Ying-qing

2016, 38(3):  596-604.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.007

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Nine earthquakes with M≥6 have stricken the northern segment of the Red River fault zone since the historical records, including the 1652 Midu M7 earthquake and the 1925 Dali M7 earthquake. However, there have been no earthquake records of M≥6 on the middle and southern segments of the Red River Fault, since 886 AD. Is the Red River fault zone, as a boundary fault, a fault zone where there will be not big earthquake in the future or a seismogenic structure for large earthquake with long recurrence intervals?This problem puzzles the geologists for a long time. Through indoor careful interpretation of high resolution remote sensing images, and in combination with detailed field geological and geomorphic survey, we found a series of fault troughs along the section of Gasha-Yaojie on the southern segment of the Red River fault zone, the length of the Gasha-Yaojie section is over ten kilometers. At the same time, paleoseismic information and radiocarbon dating result analysis on the multiple trenches show that there exists geological evidence of seismic activity during the Holocene in the southern segment of the Red River fault zone.

DISCOVERY OF SURFACE RUPTURE ZONE IN JIUXI BASIN, GANSU PROVINCE

LIU Xing-wang, YUAN Dao-yang, LEI Zhong-sheng, SHAO Yan-xiu

2016, 38(3):  605-616.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.008

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Qilian Shan-Hexi Corridor is located at the northeastern margin of Tibetan plateau. Series of late Quaternary active faults are developed in this region. A number of strong earthquakes even large earthquakes occurred in history and present-day. In the past, the study of active faults in the area was mostly concentrated in the northern margin fault zone of the Qilian Shan on the south side of the corridor, while the research on the interior and the north side of the corridor basin was relatively rare. We found a new fault scarp in the northern part of the Baiyanghe anticline in Jiuxi Basin in 2010. It is an earthquake surface rupture zone which has never been reported before. In this paper, we carried out palaeoearthquake trench analysis on the newly found earthquake surface rupture zone and textual research of relevant historical earthquakes data.
According to the interpretation of aerial photo and satellite image and field investigation, we found the surface rupture has the length of about 5km. The rupture shows as an arc-shaped line and is preserved intact comparably. The lower terrace and the latest flood alluvial fan are offset in addition to modern gullies. By differential GPS measurement, the height of the scarp is about 0.5~0.7m in the latest alluvial fan and about 1.5m in the T₁ terrace. From the residual ruins along the earthquake rupture zone, we believe the surface rupture might be produced by an earthquake event occurring not long ago. In addition, the rupture zone locates in the area where the climate is dry and rainless and there are no human activities induced damages. These all provide an objective condition for the preservation of the rupture zone. The trench along the fault reveals that the surface rupture was formed about 1500 years ago, and another earthquake event might have happened before it. Based on the textural research on the historical earthquake data and the research degree in the area at present, we believe that the surface rupture is related to the Yumen earthquake in 365, Yumen Huihuipu earthquake in 1785 or another unrecorded historical earthquake event.

LATE-QUATERNARY GEOLOGICAL EVIDENCE OF JIANQUANZI-BARKOL SINISTRAL FAULT SYSTEM IN EASTERNMOST TIENSHAN

WU Fu-yao, RAN Yong-kang, LI An, XU Liang-xin, CAO Jun

2016, 38(3):  617-630.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.009

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As we all know, Eastern Tienshan and Altaid in central Asia accommodate~10mm/a crustal shortening, accounting for 1/4 shortening between India and Eurasia(~40mm/a). A substantial portion of these deformations was absorbed in Altaid in the north through a combination of right-lateral strike-slip and counterclockwise vertical axis rotation of crustal blocks, but how the crustal deformation was accommodated in Eastern Tienshan is still in debate. Based on the field investigation in Jianquanzi, Barkol Tagh and Karlik Tagh in Eastern Tienshan in recent years, we identified a sinistral strike-slip fault system mapped in Eastern Tienshan. From west to east, the Jianquanzi-Tuolaiquan Fault(JTF), South Barkol Basin Fault (SBF) and Central Karliktagh Fault(CKF)constitute the tectonic frame of this large-scale fault system, which plays an important role in adjusting the strain distribution during the process of orogening in Eastern Tienshan in Quaternary even since Ceonozoic era. The fault system displays different late-Quaternary characteristics when its orientation changes with regional tectonic principal stress(NE). Specifically, the EW-trending JTF exhibits sinistral slip with little vertical component which can extend to Xiongkuer segment on EW-NW-trending SBF. The EW-NW SBF displays sinistral slip from east of Luobaoquanto, Barkol County and reverse slip with little horizontal component at east of Barkol County. In easternmost, the WNW-EW trending CKF shows sinistral slip with no obvious vertical motion. This fault system's activity coupled in the orogenic process of easternmost Tienshan, adjusting and accommodating a portion of deformation included in the orogenic process, and in turn we suggest that the deformation associated with range front fault in the orogen root may not be the only decisive way of deformation releasing.

CRUSTAL Q_s TOMOGRAPHY IN HAINAN ISLAND AND ADJACENT REGIONS

WANG Hui-lin, XU Xiao-feng, ZHOU Long-quan, ZHANG Xiao-dong, SHEN Fan-lua, LI Zhi-xiong, ZHAN Wei

2016, 38(3):  631-645.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.010

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Using double-difference precise location results of seismic S wave data from 2000 to 2012, distribution and variation of dynamic moving average Q_s value are imaged in Hainan Island and adjacent regions through seismic attenuation tomography. We explore regional crustal S-wave attenuation characteristics of temporal and spatial variation combined with seismic activity, volcanoes and heat distribution, and GPS baseline changes. The results show that:(1)Attenuation imaging shows that there is a significant lateral heterogeneity in Q_s distribution in the study area and the Q_s values are high in the central region and low in the north and south regions of Hainan Island. Low-Q_s areas are baseically converged to the north of Wangwu-Wenjiao Fault, to the south of Jianfeng-Diaoluo Fault, and to the east of Puqian-Qinglan Fault. Earthquakes are basically converged to the edge of the transitional regions of high and low Q_s values. Heat flow sites and volcanoes zones are located in low-Q_s area in the region. (2)There is a strong correlation between dynamic moving average Q_s value, seismic activity and Luzhou-Qiongzhong GPS baseline. From 2000 to 2008, the average Q_s value of the study area is relatively high, the seismic activity is strong, and Luzhou-Qiongzhong GPS baseline is decreasing. From 2008 to 2012, the average Q_s value of the study area shows a downward trend, the seismic activity is weak, and the Luzhou-Qiongzhong GPS baseline displays an elongation trend.

VISCOELASTIC STRESS TRANSFER BETWEEN 2008 AND 2014 YUTIAN M7 EARTHQUAKES, XINJIANG

WANG Hui, CAO Jian-ling, HONG Shun-ying, XU Yue-ren, JING Feng

2016, 38(3):  646-659.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.011

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Two earthquakes with magnitude larger than 7.0 occurred in 2008 and 2014 on the southwestern end of the Altyn Tagh Fault, which is located in the northwestern borderland of Tibetan plateau. Occurrences of these two earthquakes provide important insights into regional geodynamics and potential seismic risk. Layered viscoelastic model is employed in the paper to study the interaction between these two events. We find that most of aftershocks were triggered by coseismic stress produced by the 2008 Yutian earthquake, and the effect of this earthquake is insignificant on the occurrence of the 2014 Yutian earthquake. However, stress transfer by viscoelastic relaxation of postseismic deformation is in favor of occurrence of the 2014 Yutian earthquake. The coseismic and postseismic stress transfer produced by the 2014 Yutian earthquake leads to stress increasing on the western segment of the Altyn Tagh Fault. Since the occurrence time of the last major earthquake on the western segment of the Altyn Tagh Fault is tens of years ago, it should have accumulated large moment deficit on the fault segment. The Altyn Tagh Fault should be considered as a fault with high potential seismic risk.

CONSTRAINING THE FOCAL MECHANISM OF THE 2015 NEPAL EARTHQUAKE WITH OBSERVATIONS OF THE CONTINUOUS GRAVITY STATIONS

JIANG ying, LIU Zi-wei, LI Hui, ZHANG Xiao-tong, WEI-Jin, SHEN Chong-yang

2016, 38(3):  660-669.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.012

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On 25 April 2015, a magnitude M_S8.1 interplate thrust earthquake ruptured a densely instrumented region of Nepal. After earthquake, the focal mechanism solutions of Nepal earthquake were provided by well-respected international earthquake research institutions based on different data and methods, which were different. We compared free oscillations observed by 18 spring gravimeters of continuous gravity stations with synthetic normal modes corresponding to 3 different focal mechanisms for the Nepal earthquake, and the focal mechanisms solutions of Nepal earthquake were analyzed and constrained by spherical normal modes in a 2 to 5mHz frequency band. Based on the optimal focal mechanism, the accurate magnitude was searched. The results show that the focal mechanism of Nepal earthquake can be estimated by spherical modes in the 2 to 5mHz frequency band. The synthetic modes corresponding to the focal mechanism determined by the GCMT Moment Tensor Solution showed agreement to the observed modes, the average of misfit factors F was 0.03, and the average of scaling factors was 1.04, which was closest to 1, suggesting that earthquake magnitudes predicted in this way can reflect the total energy released by the earthquake. Based on the focal mechanism solutions provided by GCMT, keeping the strike, dip, slip, depth constant, adjusting the scalar moment, the real scalar moment was searched. When the average of scaling factors was 1, the average of misfit factors F was only 0.03. After calculation, the scalar moment of Nepal earthquake was 8.09×10²⁰ Nm, and the corresponding magnitude was M_W7.91.

PALEOSEISMIC EVENTS IN BANGUOBA TRENCH ALONG AKSAY SEGMENT OF THE ALTYN TAGH FAULT ZONE

LI Kang, XU Xi-wei, LUO Hao, Paul Tapponnier, Yann Klinger, GAO Ming-xing

2016, 38(3):  670-679.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.013

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As the boundary between the northern edge of the Tibetan plateau and the Tarim Basin, the active left-lateral strike-slip Altyn Tagh Fault (ATF) is a first-order structure accommodating the ongoing continental collision between India and Asia and extends from northwestern Tibet to eastern Gansu Province with a whole length of ~1 600km. It is regarded as one of the most active fault in Euro-Asia block and has been segmented eleven rupture segments. This study utilizes the high-resolution image data (Google Earth) in combination with detailed field investigation on the Aksay segment of the ATF to scan the gully offset by Trimble VX, which suggests that the latest earthquake offset is 6~7m. Through trenching and radiocarbon dating of charcoal samples, paleoseismic events of this segment are analyzed. The trench has revealed many different deformed and dislocated strata, which display four paleoseismic events. Combined with the previous research and using the progressive constraining method, we constrained the paleoseismic events in this segment, and the results suggest that the penultimate and the most recent event occurred~1180a BP and 507~230a BP, respectively.

A STUDY ON THE ALGORITHM FOR EXTRACTING EARTHQUAKE THERMAL INFRARED ANOMALIES BASED ON THE YEARLY TREND OF LST

SONG Dong-mei, ZANG Lin, SHAN Xin-jian, YUAN Yuan, CUI Jian-yong, SHAO Hong-mei, SHEN Chen, SHI Hong-tao

2016, 38(3):  680-695.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.014

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There are thermal infrared anomalies(TIA)before earthquake, and TIA has become one of the important parameters for assessing regional earthquake risk. However, not all of the surface infrared anomalies are related to tectonic activities or earthquakes. How to eliminate the influence of non-structural factors and extract the weak signals from strong disturbances is the key and difficult point for tectonic activities studies based on the thermal infrared remote sensing techniques. Land surface temperature(LST)background field is the basis for thermal infrared anomalies extraction. However, the established background fields in previous researches cannot eliminate the influence of climate changes, so the accuracy of thermal anomaly extraction is limited. Now an improved method is proposed. Combined with the periodic character of LST time series, harmonic analysis is lead into the process of LST background field establishment. Specifically, the yearly trend of LST is fitted based on Fourier Approximation method. As a new background field, the yearly trend is dynamic, includes the local and the yearly information. Then, based on the rule of "kσ", the earthquake anomalies, calculated by RST with the yearly trend of LST, can be extracted. At last, the effectiveness of the algorithm can be tested by the quantitative analysis of anomalies with anomaly area statistics, anomaly intensity statistics and distance index statistics. The Wenchuan earthquake was discussed again based on the proposed algorithm with MODIS land temperature products in 2008. The results show that, there were obvious pre-earthquake thermal anomalies along the Longmen Mountains faults with a longer time; but there were no anomalies when the earthquake happened; and the post-earthquake thermal anomalies occurred with much smaller amplitudes and scopes. Compared with the results derived from the traditional RST which is based on the spatial average of LST values, the TIA extracted by the new RST, which is based on the yearly trend of LST, is more fit with the active faults, and the process of the anomalies occurring and removing can be described in more detail. Therefore, as the background field to extract earthquake anomalies, the yearly trend of LST is more reliable.

ANALYSIS ON STRUCTURAL FEATURES:INSIGHTS FROM SATELLITE-DERIVED GRAVITY MODEL AND SEISMIC PATTERN

CHEN An-guo, ZHOU Tao-fa, WANG Jian, LIU Dong-jia, GE Can

2016, 38(3):  696-710.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.015

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In this paper, based on a large number of cumulative observational data from the seismic monitoring network in China, we grid the research area to calculate the density values at each grid node and convert the qualitative earthquake epicenter distribution to quantitative seismic pattern. Minimum magnitude of completeness(M_C)is determined by magnitude-rank analysis, which provides lower limit earthquake and original time. New satellite-derived gravity model v23.1, which is based on satellites CryoSat-2 and Jason-1 data, is used to determine the Bouguer gravity anomaly derived from free-air gravity anomaly and elevation database sets SRTM30, and ultimately, the complete Bouguer correction is obtained. In this paper, the Xingtai earthquake zone and Tanlu fault zone (Anhui segment) are selected for case study. Bouguer gravity anomaly presents a NE-trending U-shaped narrow strip in the Xingtai earthquake zone, and its location is consistent with Shulu Fault Basin. Grid density value contours are restricted by the U-shaped strip, and the extreme value of seismic activity density lies in the bottom of the U-shaped strip as shown in the cross section. The results of Bouguer gravity anomaly and upward continuations to the different heights show good linearity and gradient in the Tanlu fault zone (Anhui segment); and both long-axis direction of seismic pattern and nodal plane strike of seismogenic fault from focal mechanism solutions trend NNE. In short, the Tanlu fault zone(Anhui segment)is a large deep-seated fault that still has the ability to control seismic activity along it. Based on the measured gravity and magmatic data, using the edge detection TDX method to interpret the concealed boundary of the Anqing M4.8 earthquake near the Tanlu fault, and combining with the results from deep seismic reflection profiles of the study area, we discussed the causative fault of the Anqing earthquake.

MECHANISM OF THE 2015 PISHAN, XINJIANG, M_S6.5 MAINSHOCK AND RELOCATION OF ITS AFTERSHOCK SEQUENCES

ZHANG Guang-wei, ZHANG Hong-yan, SUN Chang-qing

2016, 38(3):  711-720.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.016

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Using the digital broadband seismic data recorded by Xinjiang network stations, we obtained focal mechanism of the July 3 Pishan, Xinjiang, M_S6.5 earthquake with generalized Cut and Paste(gCAP)inversion method. The strike, dip and rake of first nodal plane are 97°, 27°, 51°, and the second nodal plane are 318°, 70°, 107°. The centroid depth and moment magnitude are calculated to be 12km and 6.4. Combining with the distribution of aftershocks, we conclude that the first nodal plane is the seismogenic fault, and the main shock presents a thrust earthquake at low angle. We relocated 1014 earthquakes using the double-difference algorithm, and finally obtained 937 relocated events. Our results show that the earthquake sequences clearly demonstrate a unilateral extension about 50km nearly in NWW direction, and are mainly located above 25km depth, especially the small earthquakes are predominately located at the shallow parts. Furthermore, the focal depth profile shows a southwestward dipping fault plane at the main shock position, suggesting listric thrust faulting, which is consistent with the dip of the mainshock rupture plane. The spatial distribution of aftershocks represents that the Tarim block was thrust under the West Kunlun orogenic belt. In addition, the dip angle of the fault plane gradually increases along the NWW direction, possibly suggesting a gradual increase of strike-slip component during the NWW rupturing process. From above, we conclude that the Pishan M_S6.5 earthquake is the result of Tibet plateau pushing onto the Tarim block from south to north, which further confirms that the continuous collision of India plate and Eurasia plate has strong influence on the seismic activity in and around the Tibet plateau.

APPLICATION OF STABLE OXYGEN AND HYDROGEN ISOTOPES TO THE VERIFICATION OF GROUNDWATER ANOMALIES

ZHANG Lei, LIU Yao-wei, REN Hong-wei, GUO Li-shuang

2016, 38(3):  721-731.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.017

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Identifying the source of the observed fluid anomalies is a major tast in verifying the anomalies in seismic subsurface fluid research. The stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes are proved to be effective to trace the underground fluid origin and its development. In this study, we summarized the basic principles, water sampling and testing techniques in recognizing the fluid anomalies by using the stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes. We also enumerated the related applications in analyzing the sudden water level increase and the rapid shifting from limpid water to murky. The stable hydrogen and oxygen isotopes analysis can be used to verify the macroscopic underground fluid anomalies, such as subsurface water temperature, water level and chemical component changes, and the wide use of this method in seismic subsurface fluid research will be helpful to identify the tectonic or non-tectonic related influencing factors to the fluid anomalies.

CHANGES IN FAULT MOVEMENT PROPERTY AND GENETIC MECHANISM ON THE WESTERN SEGMENT OF THE XIANGSHAN-TIANJINGSHAN FAULT ZONE

LI Xin-nan, LI Chuan-you, ZHANG Pei-zhen, WANG Xu-guang, ZHANG Long-sheng

2016, 38(3):  732-746.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.018

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The Xiangshan-Tianjingshan fault zone is an important part of the arc tectonic zone in northeastern Tibet, whose eastern segment is characterized by primarily left-lateral slip along with thrust component. In contrast, the fault movement property on the western segment of the Xiangshan-Tianjingshan fault zone is more complicated. According to the offset geomorphic features and cross sections revealed by the trenches and outcrops, the western segment is mainly a left-lateral strike-slip fault with normal component, and only accompanied with reverse component at specific positions. To determine the genetic mechanism of fault movement property on the western segment, we obtained three main factors based on the integrated analysis of fault geometry:(1)Step-overs:the left-stepping parallel faults in a sinistral shear zone create extensional step-overs and control the nearby and internal fault movement property; (2)terminal structures:they are conductive to stop rupture propagation and produce compressive deformation at the end of the fault trace; and(3)double bends:strike-slip faults have trace that bends such that slip between two adjacent blocks creates a compressive stress and thrust fault. Additionally, the Tianjingshan sub-block moves to SEE and creates an extensional stress at the end of the sub-block associated with normal faults. It shows that the Xiangshan-Tianjingshan fault zone has a complex evolution history, which is divided into two distinctive periods and characterized by laterally westward propagating.

ANALYSIS ON THE 2013 BADONG M5.1 EARTHQUAKE SEQUENCE AND THE SEISMOGENIC STRUCTURE

ZHANG Li-fen, LIAO Wu-lin, LI Jing-gang, WEI Gui-chun, SHEN Xue-lin

2016, 38(3):  747-759.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.019

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On 16^th September 2013, an M5.1 earthquake occurred in Badong County, Hubei Province, which is the biggest one since the first water impounding in 2003 in the head region of the Three Gorges Reservoir area. The crustal velocity information is needed to determine the earthquake location and focal mechanism. By comparison, the 1-D velocity structure model from Zhao was adopted in this study. Double difference location method was applied to determine the precise locations of the M5.1 earthquake sequence. Relocation results show that the dominant distribution of this sequence is along NEE direction. In order to understand its seismogenic structure, focal depth profiles were made. Profile AA' was along the sequence distribution, and the earthquake sequence extended about 12km. Focal depth of mainshock is deeper than that of aftershocks, and earthquake rupture propagated laterally southwestward. The seismic profile BB' and CC' were perpendicular to profile AA', which represent the dip direction. Both profiles show that the focal depth becomes deeper toward southeast, and dip angle is about 50°. It means that the possible seismogenic fault strikes NEE and dips southeast. Focal mechanism could provide more information for judging the seismogenic structures. Many methods could obtain the focal mechanism, such as P-wave first motion method, CAP method, and some other moment tensor methods. In this paper, moment tensor inversion program made by Yagi Y is adopted. 12 regional seismic stations ranging from 100~400km are picked up, and before the inversion, we removed the mean and trend. The seismic waveforms were band pass filtered between 0.05 and 0.2Hz, and then integrated into displacement. Green's functions were calculated using the discrete wavenumber method developed by Kohketsu. The focal mechanism of the M5.1 mainshock manifests that the NEE-striking fault plane probably is the possible seismogenic fault, which is consistent with the analysis of focal depth profiles. The focal mechanisms of the M_L≥2.0 aftershocks are retrieved by P-wave first motion method, and the nodal plane I is in accordance with the earthquake sequence distribution and the fault plane of the mainshock. FMSI program was adopted to inverse the stress field in the earthquake area, and the results show that the earthquake sequence is under the control of the regional stress field. The earthquake sequence occurred on the stage of slow water unloading, and ETAS model was introduced to testify the influences of water level fluctuations on earthquakes. The results denote that the reservoir played a triggering role in the earthquake, however, the NEE-striking seismogenic fault is the controlling factor.

DEVELOPMENT OF EARTHQUAKE EMERGENCY DISASTER INFORMATION PRE-EVALUATION DATA BASED ON KM GRID

XU Jing-hai, AN Ji-wen, NIE Gao-zhong

2016, 38(3):  760-772.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.020

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After an earthquake, earthquake emergency response and rescue is one of the effective ways to reduce casualties from the earthquake. Earthquake emergency disaster information is one of crucial factors to effectively guide the rescue work. However, there is a "black box effect" on the emergency disaster information acquisition after an earthquake, which means real-time earthquake disaster information is insufficient. Hazard estimates are usually used as a substitute for the real-time disaster information in the "black box" period. However, it is subject to the accuracy and speed of the estimation.
The development of the km grid technology provides good prospect to solve this problem. The paper suggests to develop earthquake disaster information pre-estimation data with the support of the km grid technology. The definition and source of the pre-estimation data are introduced and its possibility in improving the estimation speed and accuracy are analyzed theoretically.
Then, we elaborate the calculation model of the pre-estimation data. The framework of the model includes disaster-bearing body data, disaster-causing factors used in calculation and calculation formula. The disaster-bearing body data in km grid format are introduced, including population data in km grid format and building data in km grid format. Then the four elements of the earthquake(earthquake occurrence time, earthquake location, earthquake magnitude and focal depth)are selected as disaster-causing factors for calculation. Map algebra method is used to realize the calculation model in which calculation parameters are associated with base map in the km grid format. So the pre-estimation data are developed by python and ArcGIS, which includes building damage dataset(100 layers), death toll dataset(10 layers)and direct economic loss dataset(5 layers).
Finally, the pre-estimation data based method for earthquake emergency disaster information estimation is presented. With the support of this method, two real earthquake cases are used to validate the effect of the pre-estimation data. The validation results show the pre-estimation data can not only significantly improve the speed of the estimation but also greatly improve the accuracy of the estimation. Another good result is found in the validation process that with the support of the pre-estimation data, the estimated result can display the spatial distribution of the disaster information, which will effectively aid earthquake emergency response and rescues.

REVIEW ON IN-SITU COSMOGENIC ¹⁴C DATING AND POTENTIAL APPLICATION IN PALEOEARTHQUAKE

YIN Jin-hui, YANG Xue, ZHENG Yong-gang

2016, 38(3):  773-782.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.021

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Over the last two decades, in-situ cosmogenic ¹⁴C dating has become an import tool in Quaternary geology and is recognized to geoscientists because of its potential to provide information on exposure age and process rate estimates for geomorphic studies. The in-situ cosmogenic radiocarbon has a relatively short half-life(5730 yr)and is substantially more sensitive than all the other cosmogenic nuclides used so far. It is therefore particularly useful to determine surface-exposure ages of Holocene landforms and quantify erosion rates in rapidly denuding landscapes during the past few tens of thousands of years. Moreover, in situ ¹⁴C is produced in quartz which is both highly resistant to weathering and common in nature, so it can be used in combination with other in-situ cosmogenic nuclides such as ³He, ¹⁰Be,²¹Ne,²⁶Al, and ³⁶Cl to constrain complex exposure histories involving burial and/or erosion occurring over the past 25ka.
The age and slip rate of Holocene normal fault have been undoubtedly a challenge for seismologists to be faced with as result from lack of appropriate late Quaternary sediment. Recently, the cosmogenic nuclides such as ³⁶Cl of preserved, seismically exhumed normal fault scarps were used to identify the last few major earthquakes and recover their ages and displacements through the modeling of the content of ³⁶Cl in the scarp rocks.
This paper mainly summarizes the development of in-situ ¹⁴C dating, including its research history, production rate estimate, production mechanism, chemical behavior and experimental method. The potential application of in-situ ¹⁴C dating to recovering past earthquakes, their timing, and the regularity of their recurrence for preserved, seismically exhumed normal fault scarps is also introduced.

ON THE INITIAL COLLISION BETWEEN THE INDIAN AND EURASIAN CONTINENTS

ZHAO Jun-meng, DU Pin-ren

2016, 38(3):  783-796.  DOI: 10.3969/j.issn.0253-4967.2016.03.022

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It is widely accepted that the India-Eurasia continental collision has created the Tibetan plateau, affecting tectonic deformation from Central Asia, Southeast Asia, East Asia to the West Pacific. This event has changed the states of many spheres of the Earth including from lithosphere to the atmosphere, thus is fundamental for research of motion and evolution of the Tibetan plateau. It remains, however, controversial when and where the initial collision between these two plates occurred. Based on the studies of the recent nearly 10 years, this paper attempts to review the advancements, existing important problems in this field, as well as the focused research subjects in the future. The specific issues discussed are:(1)What is the ancient latitudes of the southern margin of Asia when the initial collision began?(2)How big was Greater India?(3)What was the age of the uppermost marine strata in the Dingri area?(4)The collision before 55Ma was continent-continent collision or continent-arc collision? And(5)Can magma activity in the Trans-Himalaya determine the initial collision? Finally, this paper summarizes some studies on the timing of the initial collision, which were reported since 2004. These results suggest that the times are concentrated around K/E, E₁/E₂, and E₂/E₃, much earlier or later than that the precious work proposed. The author considers that the dispute among different points of views can help find existing problems and advance the study on this subject. It is also pointed out that in addition to uncertainties of various data and evidence, more efforts should be made to define precisely the ancient geographic positions of India and Asia, locations and sizes of island-arcs or micro continents in the Neo-Tethys ocean during late Cretaceous and Eogene times as well as differences in marks and effects between arc-continent and continent-continent collisions. In sum, the complexity during this collision process should be one of the focused issues to be deeply explored in the future.