Study on the Activity of the Toupo Fault in Southern Anhui Province

INTRODUCTIONThe Toupo Fault is located in the southwestern part of Anhui Province and to the south of theTancheng-Lujiang Fault zone.Its strikeis closetothe mainfault of Tancheng-Lujiang.Therefore somepeople thinkit to be part of the Tancheng-Lujiang Fault zone(Sun Ronggui,et al,1984).The faultstrikes N60°～70°Ein a linear route that is clear on satellitic image.It plays an important role incontrolling the tectonics,geomorphology and distribution of Mesozoic-Cenozoic basins and s…     

Analysis of Paleoseismic Events of Dahuzhuang Trench at the Xiadian Fault

The Xiadian Fault is a very important concealed active fault in the Beijing Plain. It is the seismogenic fault of the Sanhe-Pinggu M_S8.0 earthquake in 1679. The ancient earthquake sequence in the long historical period is of great significance to understand accurately the activity characteristics of the fault and effectively reduce the earthquake disaster risk in Beijing. We have re-interpreted the Dahuzhuang trench, and identified three layers of buried paleosol, six collapsed wedges and one sand liquefaction event. Further, through the comparison with the landmark strata and paleo-earthquake events revealed by other trenches on the fault, an ancient earthquake sequence with a long historical period of the Xiadian Fault was established:since the 31ka, the Xiadian Fault has 11 occurrences of earthquake events (including the 1679 earthquake), and the average recurrence interval is about 2.8ka. The paleo-seismic sequence also shows that there is an ancient earthquake cluster period from 25ka to 15ka, and there are 5 strong earthquakes in the cluster period. The average recurrence interval is about 2.0ka, which reflects the phase difference of the Xiadian Fault activity.     

Protolith ages and deformation mechanism of metamorphic rocks in the Zhangbaling uplift segment of the Tan-Lu Fault Zone

Protolith ages and Indosinian deformation mechanism of metamorphic rocks in the Zhangbaling uplift segment of the Tan-Lu Fault Zone are important, unsolved problems. Our LA-ICP-MS zircon dating work indicates that protolith ages of the greenschist-facies Zhangbaling Group are 754–753 Ma, and those of the amphibolite-facies Feidong Complex are 800–745 Ma. These rocks belong to the earliest cover of the Yangtze Plate. Their ages and metamorphic features suggest that the rocks did not come from the Dabie Orogen. The Indosinian structures in the Zhangbaling Group and lower Sinian strata formed in a flatlying ductile detachment zone with a shear sense of top-to-the-SSW whereas those in the underlying Feidong Complex are characterized by ENE-WSW inclined folds developed under a ductile regime. It is suggested therefore that the sinistral Tan-Lu Fault Zone of the Indosinian period is buried under the Hefei Basin west of the Zhangbaling uplift segment and the uplift segment is a displaced block neighboring the fault zone. Detachment deformation between the upper rigid and lower ductile crust during displacement of the Zhangbaling uplift segment resulted in the formation of the flat-lying ductile detachment zone and its underlying drag fold zone of a ductile regime. The protolith ages and deformation mechanism in the Zhangbaling uplift segment further prove sinistral origination of the Tan-Lu Fault Zone during the continent-continent collision of the North China and Yangtze plates and support the indentation model for the two-plate collision that considers the Tan-Lu Fault Zone as an oblique convergence boundary.     

SEISMOTECTONIC BACKGROUND AND RECURRENCE INTERVAL OF GREAT EARTHQUAKES IN 1679 SANHE- PINGGU M = 8 EARTHQUAKE AREA

Basined on comprehensive prospecting and investigation, the authors have ascertained that the 1679 San-he-Pinggu M = 8 earthquake occurred in the intersection region of active faults having deep-seated structural background. The NE-trending New Xiadian Fault, which was characterized by dextrall tensile-shear dislocation, was the seismogenic fault of the 1679 M = 8 earthquake. It is suggested that the macroscopic epicenter of the earthquake should be located in Pangezhuang area, where the vertical displacement of seismic faul' was up to 3.16m. According to the average seismic slip rate in this area, and the displacement value of earthequake with a certain magnitude, the recurrence interval of M = 7.5, M=7.0 and M = 8.5 earthquakes in the magistoseismic area of 1679 M = 8 earthquake on Xiadian Fault Zone have been estimated to be 3800,1750, and 800 years (the lower limit), respectively     

Recurrence Behaviors of Earthquakes along the Kefallinia Transform Fault, Ionian Sea, Greece

We examined the whole strong earthquake recurrence behaviors of two fault zones along the Kefallinia Transform, Ionian Sea, Greece, using seismological data and statistical methods. Our data include 29 events with %M%>5^5 for the period 1636～2003. We found different recurrence behaviors for the Kefallinia Fault Zone (clustering and time-predictable recurrence behaviors) and the Lefkada Fault Zone (near random and non-slip-predictable or non-time-predictable recurrence nature). The different modes may be attributed to: (a) segment interaction along-strike (Kefallinia) by static triggering and (b) the influence of fault systems to the north and east on the recurrence on Lefkada. Within the active periods, earthquake recurrence intervals are distributed in a more dispersed fashion, and can be fitted well by a Weibull distribution. In contrast, the distribution of the quiet periods is relatively less dispersed and difficult to describe by suitable probability functions.     

马尔马拉海地震监测网的首个钻孔开钻

2012年9月7日,在北安纳托利亚断层地球物理观测站(Geophysical Observatory at the North Anatolian Fault,GONAF)框架下,一个约300m深的地下钻孔开始钻     

长江三峡地区仙女山断裂北端延伸问题探讨

The Xiannvshan fault zone, lying along the western margin of the Huangling anticline, is one of the most important fault zones in the Three Gorges reservoir area. The fault experienced strong activity during the Cenozoic Era. The question of whether the fault zone goes through the Yangtze River has been one of the key problems faced in previous studies as it has a significant influence upon the assessment of geological hazards and earthquake stability in the reservoir area. Based on tectonic and geomorphic observations along the fault zone between the Baixianchi village in Changyang county and Huangkou village in Zigui town, together with the comparisons between the geology in Guizhou and Quyuan town in the north bank of the Yangtze River and the Xiannvshan fault zone, it is suggested that the north end of this fault zone is located around Huangkou village and does not go through the Yangtze rivers northward. The evidence is as follows: ① On the basis of field data collection, it is found that the Xiannvshan Fault zone, which stretches 80km, underwent thrust movement in the Cenozoic period, resulting in ravines and fault scarps, topographically. Whereas, on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, faults are rarely found, and most of the faults are developed in the Jurassic strata,without topographical effects. Therefore, the Xiannvshan Fault zone has not stretched to the north bank of the Yangtze River. ② The fault gouge and tectonite zone were found developed on the Xiannvshan Fault zone at Baixianchi village, but only a tectonite zone was found at Zhouping village. There are also some branch faults close to the northern end of the fault zone. So, the activity of the fault zone weakened from south to north in Cenozoic. The fault zone extends northward and dies out at Huangkou. It doesn’t stretch forward any longer as indicated by continuous strata, sparse joints, and small folds, etc.     

Holocene slip rate and paleoearthquake records of the Salt Lake segment of the Northern Zhongtiaoshan Fault,Shanxi Province

The Northern Zhongtiaoshan Fault is a major deep fault at the southern margin of the Yuncheng Basin. There have been few studies on the fault, and the historical earthquakes are few and weak. However, the intensity of activity on the fault should never be underestimated. Through interpretations of aerial images, topography measurements and excavation of trenches, this paper studied the fault distribution, the surface deformation and the activity of the normal fault south of Salt Lake near the city of Yuncheng. By tracing faults in the three trenches, it was found that there had been at least three large paleoseismic events, at 1–3.5, 3.6–4.4 and 7.4–8.8 ka BP. Employing 14 C dating, we determined the same gravel layers in the uplifted side and downthrown side. Making differential Global Positioning System measurements of the vertical difference and topographic profile, we obtained the mean slip rate of the Northern Zhongtiaoshan Fault since 24.7 ka BP(0.75±0.05 mm/a). Using the results of relevant studies, we calculated the possible vertical fault displacement of one earthquake(2.35 m) and obtained the recurrence interval of characteristic earthquakes as 2940–3360 a after dividing the displacement by the mean slip rate.     

Late Quaternary sinistral slip rate along the Altyn Tagh fault and its structural transformation model

The Altyn Tagh Fault (ATF) is a major boundaryfault on the northern margin of the Qinghai-TibetanPlateau and is also the longest sinistral strike-slip faultat a lithospheric scale in the Eurasian Plate. Its exis-tence has directly affected regional features of neotec-tonics, topography, geomorphology, Quaternary geol-ogy, recent crustal deformation, seismicity, climatechange and ecological environment for fauna and florain China[1—6]. The sinistral slip on the ATF and activethrusting-fo…     

Indication from finite-frequency tomography beneath the North China Craton: The heterogeneity of craton destruction

We picked new traveltime residual datasets in three frequency bands(0.02–0.1, 0.1–0.8, and 0.8–2.0 Hz) for P-waves from 793 teleseismic events and two frequency bands(0.02–0.1 and 0.1–0.8 Hz) for S-waves from 310 teleseismic events,recorded by 389 permanent stations of the China National Seismic Network and 832 broadband stations of 10 temporary arrays deployed in the North China Craton(NCC) region. The final datasets are composed of 65628 P-arrivals and 47050 S-arrivals.Based on previous research and our team's 2012 tomographic work, we constructed new three-dimensional P-velocity and Svelocity models of the NCC through some improvements, such as augmenting a much denser station coverage in the western NCC, considering the incident angle effect in crustal correction and using a multi-frequency joint inversion tomographic technique. The new velocity models provide several salient features, from which we draw possible inferences on regional dynamic processes. We observed high-velocity anomalies in the mantle transition zone(MTZ). Obvious morphological heterogeneities suggest buckling and/or fragmentation of the subducted Pacific slab, and some of the slab materials are visible below 660-km discontinuities. The velocity structure of the eastern NCC is dominated by small-scale lateral heterogeneities. At shallow depths, high-velocity anomalies beneath the southern part of the eastern NCC and the Yanshan region likely represent a remnant of cratonic lithosphere, which may suggest that the NCC destruction is spatially non-uniform. We also detected a highvelocity anomaly in the Sulu Orogen extending downward to ~300 km, which is seemingly controlled by the Tan-Lu Fault. The northern boundary of this anomaly spatially coincides with the Yantai-Qingdao-Wulian Fault, and is likely a remnant of the Yangtze cratonic lithosphere subducting northwestward. Significant low-velocity anomalies imaged beneath the central NCC show a spatial discordance between their northern and southern parts. The northern low-velocity anomaly extends downward to the top of MTZ with a lateral NW-SE strike, whereas the southern one tapers off at ~200–300 km. Low-velocity anomalies are present beneath the Phanerozoic orogenic belts surrounding the NCC, the Paleoproterozoic Trans-North China Orogen, and the Tan-Lu Fault. This feature not only shows excellent spatial correlation with the orogens at the surface, it also exhibits a consistent vertical continuity in a depth range of 60–250 km. This intriguing feature suggests that the collisional orogenic belts and Tan-Lu Fault are inherited weak zones, which may play a key role in craton destruction. By combining multidisciplinary results in this area, we suggest that the spatial heterogeneities associated with the NCC destruction most likely result from the combined effects of a spatially non-uniform distribution of wet upwellings triggered by the subducted Pacific slab and pre-existing weak zones in the cratonic lithosphere.     

study on crustal velocity structure beneath kouquan fault and adjacent area

Through simultaneous inversion of earthquake hypocenters and velocity structure, we obtained the precise locations of earthquakes occurring from 1981 to 2013 in northern Shanxi and the 3D velocity structure, and analyzed emphatically the Kouquan Fault. The result of earthquake relocation shows that earthquakes are concentrated in the central-north segment of Kouquan Fault and the distribution is sparse towards both south and north end of the fault, which indicates that the strong activity is in the central-north segment of Kouquan Fault and the seismicity becomes weaker towards both ends. The result of velocity structure shows that the earthquake concentrated segment of Kouquan Fault is on the side of relative low-velocity area in the high-velocity body, and the south segment of Kouquan Fault is the continuous low velocity. We can recognize the velocity gradient zone from the obvious depression near the Kouquan Fault, which, as we preliminarily speculate, may be the evidence of the presence of Kouquan Fault(or basement detachment)at the deep part. The parallel velocity profile (velocity ratio profile) to Kouquan Fault shows that the earthquake cluster in the central-north segment of Kouquan Fault is located in the abrupt change zone from high to low velocity(from high to low velocity ratio).     

research on characteristics of late quaternary activity of the jiangsu segment of anqiu-juxian fault in the tanlu fault zone

Anqiu-Juxian Fault is an important fault in the Tanlu fault zone, with the highest seismic risk, the most recent activity date, and the most obvious surface traces. Due to lack of credible geological evidences, there is big controversy on the Holocene activity in the Jiangsu segment of this fault. Research on the characteristics of late Quaternary activity in the Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault, particularly its latest activity time, is of great significance to assessment of its earthquake ability and seismic risk. Based on field investigations on the Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault, and combining with the results of fault activities identification on this fault in Suqian City, we discussed the characteristics of its activities in late Quaternary. Multiple geological sections we found in this study and the results of fault activities identification in Suqian City all indicate that there was an ancient seismic event occurring in middle period of Holocene in the segment from southern Maling Mountain to Suqian City; but the trench at Houchen village did not show any evidence of Holocene activity on the Chonggangshan segment of this fault. Based on method of shallow seismic exploration, we carried out a systematic exploration of this fault to get its accurate position and activity characteristics. The results show that Anqiu-Juxian Fault in Suqian City is mainly characterized by dextral strike-slip, associated with both thrusting and extensional movement in different positions. A series of low hills were formed along the fault in the north of Suqian City, and a small graben basin was formed in the south of Suqian City, both are controlled by the dextral strike-slip movement of this fault. The Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault in general is characterized by dextral strike-slip with thrusting movement. But some parts of it are characterized by dextral strike-slip with extensional movement. The Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault experienced a number of activities since the late Quaternary, with an obvious activity in Holocene. The seismic activities of Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault have the characteristic of high intensity and low frequency. Its activities decrease gradually from north to south as a whole.     

Stress behavior from fault data sets within a transtensional zone, South Central Cordillera, Luzon, Philippines: Implications for mineral occurrences

The structural signature in the area between the Baguio mineral district and Ansagan, Tuba, Benguet in the South Central Cordillera, northern Luzon, Philippines, is dominated by northeast- to ENE-trending faults, contained within a NNW–SSE-trending transtensional strip. This 50-km-long, 25-km-wide elongated tectonic zone is bounded to the west by the Pugo Fault and to the east by the Tebbo Fault, both being branches of the Philippine Fault System. Detailed structural geological (particularly microtectonic) analysis of fracture and mineral vein systems indicates strong conformity with the regional structural direction. Computed extensional stress axis σ₃ directions are oriented N150° on average, sub-parallel to the strike of the bounding faults. The existence of known mineral deposits and prospects within the tectonic strip implies an intimate relationship between transtension and mineral occurrence.     

Resistivity mapping using the VLF-MT method around surface fault ruptures of the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake, Japan

Abstract Distinctive fault ruptures, the Nojima Fault and Ogura Fault, appeared along the northwestern coast of Awaji Island at the time of the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake (Kobe earthquake). In order to delineate the shallow resistivity structures around the faults just after they formed, Very Low Frequency Magnetotelluric (VLF-MT) surveys were made at five sites along the Nojima Fault and at one site along the Ogura Fault. Fourteen transects were made at the one site on the Ogura Fault, and another transect covers the area between the two faults. Changes in apparent resistivity or phase, or both, commonly occur when crossing the surface location of one of the faults, except for the northern transects at OGR-0 on the Ogura Fault. Apparent resistivity values of less than 100 Ωm were observed for Tertiary and Quaternary sediments and values larger than 200 Ωm for granitic rocks. The resistivity structures are related to the morphological characteristics of the fault ruptures. Remarkably conductive zones (less than 10 Ωm in apparent resistivity and 30–40 m in width) were found where the surface displacement is distinct and prominent along a single fault plane. If remarkably conductive zones were formed at the time of the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake, the results provide a good constraint on the dimensions of a conductive zone near the surface that was made by one earthquake. Alternatively, if characteristic resistivity structures existed prior to the earthquake, the conductive zone was probably formed by some tens of earthquakes in relatively modern times. In this case, this phenomenon is inferred to be a concentration of fracturing in a narrow zone and is associated with the formation of clay minerals, which enhance rock conductivity.     

用浅层地震剖面研究大城东断裂的活动性

地震方法是针对厚覆盖区断裂的一种不可替代的探测技术,在大城东断裂上采用浅层地震探测方法,获得了2条高质量叠加时间剖面图以及深度剖面图,这些图像清晰地显示了大城东断裂的浅部构造特征以及活动特征。本次探测工作中,在大城东断裂的东侧发现了1条倾角较陡的断裂,表明大城东断裂是由2条断裂组成的断裂带。     

Analysis of fault scaling relations using fault seismic attributes

We have studied three‐dimensional fault geometries through a geologically integrated analysis of fault seismic attribute volumes. We used a series of coherence (semblance) and filtered coherence attribute volumes with parameters optimised for imaging faults in the studied seismic volumes. Fault geometric attributes such as along strike segment length and displacement were measured on fault seismic attributes. The scaling relationships of fault geometric attributes were studied using statistical methods such as the Bayesian information criterion, the likelihood ratio test, and the bootstrap method. Univariate distributions of fault segment length and maximum displacement show a truncated power law for most of the fault data. The statistical results indicate a piecewise‐linear relation with two slopes between depth and fault segments lengths: depth and mean displacement. For these relations, we observe consistent increases in fault segment lengths and mean displacements from the lower tip of the fault at depth toward a point of inflection at shallower depth at the vertical section. From that point, a reduction in fault segment lengths and mean displacements toward the upper tip of the fault at the shallower depth occurs. Fault segmentation along strike increases toward the lower and upper tips of the fault, but the maximum number of segments are located near the lower tip of the fault in two of the studied faults. The fault segment length is maximum, where the number of segments (along strike) is least close to the middle of the fault in the vertical section.     

东昆仑断裂东段下热尔断裂活动特征初步研究

下热尔断裂位于巴颜喀拉块体东北边界变形带即东昆仑断裂带东段与迭部-白龙江断裂2条剪切断裂之间挤压变形带内,在空间上属于“玛曲空段”范围.经野外考察及遥感资料验证,确定下热尔断裂走向为310°,长度约为20km,运动学特征表现为左旋走滑为主兼少量倾滑分量,沿断裂发育大量断错地貌,水平位移主要分布在3.5～5m,而未发现垂向断错地貌;垂直断裂走向开挖2处探槽,揭示断层切穿晚第四纪地层,被地表沼泽相泥炭层覆盖,结合相关地层年龄资料,初步得出平均水平滑动速率约为6.3mm/a.该断裂在几何学与运动学方面与东昆仑断裂带具有较好的一致性,推测两者之间存在一定相关性,属于东昆仑断裂带走滑断裂体系内的一条次级断裂或过渡性断裂.     

东昆仑断裂滑动速率变化及其对2017年九寨沟地震的应力加载

为了解东昆仑断裂活动对2017年8月8日九寨沟M_S7.0地震的影响,本文选取1999—2007年、2013—2017年GPS速度场作为约束,基于块体-位错模型反演计算东昆仑断裂两个时间段的块体运动速率、断裂滑动速率和滑动亏损率,并进一步研究青藏高原东缘最大剪应变率场和九寨沟震区的震间库仑应力累积速率.结果显示,东昆仑断裂中西段左旋走滑速率较高,东段走滑速率较低,自西向东逐步递减,存在明显的梯度.在两个时间段,阿坝块体刚性运动的方向顺时针偏转0.2°,运动速率由12.22mm·a^-1增大到15.96mm·a^-1;东昆仑断裂左旋走滑速率升高,其中西段较为明显(升高约1.2±0.3mm·a^-1);东昆仑断裂东段闭锁深度和闭锁程度增加;2013—2017年,东昆仑断裂滑动引起的九寨沟震区库仑应力累积速率是1999—2007年的3倍,最大剪应变率也明显升高.因此本文认为:2008年汶川地震和2013年芦山地震后,龙门山断裂部分解锁,阿坝地块活动性增强,东昆仑断裂滑动速率增大,导致九寨沟震区库仑应力加载速率增加,加速了九寨沟地震的孕育过程.     

Internal structure of Longmenshan fault zone at Hongkou outcrop,Sichuan, China,that caused the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

This paper reports the internal structures of the Beichuan fault zone of Longmenshan fault system that caused the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, at an outcrop in Hongkou, Sichuan province, China. Present work is a part of comprehensive project of Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, trying to understand deformation processes in Longmenshan fault zones and eventually to reproduce Wenchuan earthquake by modeling based on measured mechanical and transport properties. Outcrop studies could be integrated with those performed on samples recovered from fault zone drilling, during the Wenchuan Earthquake Fault Scientific Drilling (WFSD) Project, to understand along-fault and depth variation of fault zone properties. The hanging wall side of the fault zone consists of weakly-foliated, clayey fault gouge of about 1 m in width and of several fault breccia zones of 30–40 m in total width. We could not find any pseudotachylite at this outcrop. Displacement during the Wenchuan earthquake is highly localized within the fault gouge layer along narrower slipping-zones of about 10 to 20 mm in width. This is an important constraint for analyzing thermal pressurization, an important dynamic weakening mechanism of faults. Overlapping patterns of striations on slickenside surface suggest that seismic slip at a given time occurred in even narrower zone of a few to several millimeters, so that localization of deformation must have occurred within a slipping zone during coseismic fault motion. Fault breccia zones are bounded by thin black gouge layers containing amorphous carbon. Fault gouge contains illite and chlorite minerals, but not smectite. Clayey fault gouge next to coseismic slipping zone also contains amorphous carbon and small amounts of graphite. The structural observations and mineralogical data obtained from outcrop exposures of the fault zone of the Wenchuan earthquake can be compared with those obtained from the WFSD-1 and WFSD-2 boreholes, which have been drilled very close to the Hongkou outcrop. The presence of carbon and graphite, observed next to the slipping-zone, may affect the mechanical properties of the fault and also provide useful information about coseismic chemical changes.     

The 1627 Gargano earthquake (Southern Italy): Identification and characterization of the causative fault

We present the results of a study of the subsurface tectonic features of the Basso Molise, Western Gargano and Northern Capitanata regions (Southern Italy) aimed at the identification of the source of the disastrous 1627 Gargano earthquake. In the maximum-damage area of this earthquake we have recognised a normal fault, here called the Apricena Fault, which has been identified as the fault that caused the seismic event. The Apricena Fault, striking WNW-ESE and dipping towards SSW, extends in the subsurface for about 30 kilometres from Serracapriola to Santa Maria di Stignano cutting through the whole Quaternary sequence. Other important tectonic structures trending WNW-ESE recognized in the area belong to an inactive Pleistocene strike-slip-fault system that is linked to the Mattinata Fault and to its offshore continuation in the Gondola-Grifone structural high. The Mattinata Fault and the Gondola-Grifone High form a quite complex structural feature whose kinematic behaviour is still matter of debate in the regional geological literature. NW-SE structural features recognized in the area are extensional faults whose activity was probably related to the late flexure-hinge retreat of the Adria plate margin during the Late Pliocene-Early Pleistocene eastward migration of the thrust belt-foredeep-foreland system.