Tectonics of the Laptev Sea – Moma `Rift' Region: Investigation with Seismologic Broadband Data

Based on teleseismic broadband data, mainly recorded from stationsof the Incorporated Research Institute for Seismology (IRIS) and theGräfenberg (GRF) array in Germany, the focal mechanism and thefocal depth of the largest earthquakes in northeastern Siberia in thetime interval 1976–1996 were determined. For 9 events the relativeanelastic attenuation of the shear wave with respect to the compressionalwave along the travel paths could be calculated. Using the slip vectorsfrom the best constrained focal mechanisms and additional slip vectorsfrom Jemsek et al. (1986) and Parfenov et al. (1988), we obtained the North American–Eurasian pole of rotation west of the Cherskii mountainsat 67.1^° N, 132.3^° E.The investigation shows that the extension of the Arctic Mid-Ocean Ridgeinto the continental shelf acts as a continental graben structure.Actually, the crustal extension is concentrated on the eastern LaptevSea area and the seismicity of the western part of the Laptev Sea canbe explained by the assumption of a separate microplate. In the continentsoutheast of the Laptev Sea a series of northwest trending depressions,known as the Moma `Rift', are observed. Although in this region elevatedheat flow, recent volcanism and a low crustal thickness were found (i.e.Duchkov and Sokolova, 1985; Devyatkin, 1985), there is only a poorcorrelation between the seismicity and the rift valleys. So the Momastructures seem to be related to an aborted rift structure.     

Seismic activity at the MCT in Sikkim Himalaya

A microearthquake survey in the Sikkim Himalaya raised a question whether the north–south segment of the Main Central Thrust (MCT) in this part of the Himalaya is seismically active(?). Fault-plane solution of a cluster of events occurred below this segment of the MCT shows right-lateral strike-slip motion. The seismic observations and the geological evidences suggest that a NNE–SSW trending strike-slip fault, beneath this segment, caused right lateral movement on the MCT, and is seismically active.     

Transtensional deformation in the Lake Tahoe region, California and Nevada, USA

Dextral transtensional deformation is occurring along the Sierra Nevada–Great Basin boundary zone (SNGBBZ) at the eastern edge of the Sierra Nevada microplate. In the Lake Tahoe region of the SNGBBZ, transtension is partitioned spatially and temporally into domains of north–south striking normal faults and transitional domains with conjugate strike-slip faults. The normal fault domains, which have had large Holocene earthquakes but account only for background seismicity in the historic period, primarily accommodate east–west extension, while the transitional domains, which have had moderate Holocene and historic earthquakes and are currently seismically active, primarily record north–south shortening. Through partitioned slip, the upper crust in this region undergoes overall constrictional strain.Major fault zones within the Lake Tahoe basin include two normal fault zones: the northwest-trending Tahoe–Sierra frontal fault zone (TSFFZ) and the north-trending West Tahoe–Dollar Point fault zone. Most faults in these zones show eastside down displacements. Both of these fault zones show evidence of Holocene earthquakes but are relatively quiet seismically through the historic record. The northeast-trending North Tahoe–Incline Village fault zone is a major normal to sinistral-oblique fault zone. This fault zone shows evidence for large Holocene earthquakes and based on the historic record is seismically active at the microearthquake level. The zone forms the boundary between the Lake Tahoe normal fault domain to the south and the Truckee transition zone to the north.Several lines of evidence, including both geology and historic seismicity, indicate that the seismically active Truckee and Gardnerville transition zones, north and southeast of Lake Tahoe basin, respectively, are undergoing north–south shortening. In addition, the central Carson Range, a major north-trending range block between two large normal fault zones, shows internal fault patterns that suggest the range is undergoing north–south shortening in addition to east–west extension.A model capable of explaining the spatial and temporal partitioning of slip suggests that seismic behavior in the region alternates between two modes, one mode characterized by an east–west minimum principal stress and a north–south maximum principal stress as at present. In this mode, seismicity and small-scale faulting reflecting north–south shortening concentrate in mechanically weak transition zones with primarily strike-slip faulting in relatively small-magnitude events, and domains with major normal faults are relatively quiet. A second mode occurs after sufficient north–south shortening reduces the north–south S_hmax in magnitude until it is less than S_v, at which point S_v becomes the maximum principal stress. This second mode is then characterized by large earthquakes on major normal faults in the large normal fault domains, which dominate the overall moment release in the region, producing significant east–west extension.     

A study of microearthquake seismicity and focal mechanisms within the Sea of Marmara (NW Turkey) using ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs)

We have carried out seismological observations within the Sea of Marmara (NW Turkey) in order to investigate the seismicity induced after Gölcük–İzmit (Kocaeli) earthquake (M_w 7.4) of August 17, 1999, using ocean bottom seismometers (OBSs). High-resolution hypocenters and focal mechanisms of microearthquakes have been investigated during this Marmara Sea OBS project involving deployment of 10 OBSs within the Çınarcık (eastern Marmara Sea) and Central-Tekirdağ (western Marmara Sea) basins during April–July 2000. Little was known about microearthquake activity and their source mechanisms in the Marmara Sea. We have detected numerous microearthquakes within the main basins of the Sea of Marmara along the imaged strands of the North Anatolian Fault (NAF). We obtained more than 350 well-constrained hypocenters and nine composite focal mechanisms during 70 days of observation. Microseismicity mainly occurred along the Main Marmara Fault (MMF) in the Marmara Sea. There are a few events along the Southern Shelf. Seismic activity along the Main Marmara Fault is quite high, and focal depth distribution was shallower than 20 km along the western part of this fault, and shallower than 15 km along its eastern part. From high-resolution relative relocation studies of some of the microearthquake clusters, we suggest that the western Main Marmara Fault is subvertical and the eastern Main Marmara Fault dips to south at 45°. Composite focal mechanisms show a strike-slip regime on the western Main Marmara Fault and complex faulting (strike-slip and normal faulting) on the eastern Main Marmara Fault.     

芦山MS7.0级地震余震序列重新定位及构造意义

利用四川省地震台网的震相数据和双差定位方法对芦山M_S7.0级地震及其余震序列进行了精确定位,根据余震分布确定了发震断层的位置和断层面的几何特征,并对余震活动进行了分析.结果显示,芦山M_S7.0级地震的震中位于30.28°N、102.99°E,震源深度为16.33 km.余震沿发震断层向主震两侧延伸,主要分布在长约32 km、宽约15~20 km、深度为5~24 km的范围内.地震破裂带朝西南方向扩展范围较大,东北方向略小,余震震级随时间迅速衰减.震源深度剖面清晰地显示出发震断层的逆冲破裂特征,推测发震断层为大川—双石断裂东侧约10 km的隐伏断层.该断层走向217°、倾向北西,倾角约45°,产状与大川—双石断裂相比略缓,它们同属龙门山前山断裂带的叠瓦状逆冲断层系.受发震断裂影响,部分余震沿大川—双石断裂分布,西北方向的余震延伸至宝兴杂岩体的东南缘,与汶川地震的破裂带之间存在50 km左右的地震空区,有可能成为未来发生强震的潜在危险区.     

山东及邻区地震重新定位及其与活动构造的关系

Earthquakes taking place from 1975 to 2010 in and around Shandong Province are relocated using double-difference （HypoDD） and Hypoinvers 2000 （Hypo2000） methods, after correction of the onset times of seismic phases. The results show that the relocated seismicity is clearly associated with regional tectonics in space, and is also in agreement with the existence of deep faults imaged by wide-angle and deep seismic reflection profiling ; most of the focal depths are in the range of 5 - 25km, and there are clearly two predominant depths： 10km and 16km, which are inferred to be on the bottom of the upper crust and in the middle crust, respectively. The pattern of seismic activity indicates that moderate and strong earthquakes are likely to occur in the brittle-ductile transition zone between the upper and the lower crust, as the outcome of the deep tectonic dynamic process and the movement and deformation of faults in the upper and shallow crust under the regional stress field.     

Genesis of deformation structures affecting Plio-Pleistocene sediments in the western Portuguese mainland (West Iberia). Implication on the regional neotectonics

A careful analysis of the morphology, geologic setting, stratigraphic distribution and sedimentological context of deformation features in sediments can give valuable information for the interpretation of their genesis, namely if they are of sedimentary or tectonic origin. This approach was used for the study area, located in the western region of the Portuguese mainland (West Iberian margin), where significant neotectonic and seismic activities occur, contrasting with the stabler interior of Iberia. Notwithstanding the regional neotectonics (intended as upper Pliocene to Recent), part of the deformation features observed in the studied deposits (Pliocene to Pleistocene in age) may be attributed to other phenomena but seismic shaking and/or active faulting. Slump beds and flame structures in coarse sand deposits are probably related to sedimentary overloading in high supply delta plain setting. Part of the deformation observed in the sediments that overlie Jurassic marls and limestones was probably induced by karst sink. This process is plausible even in Plio-Pleistocene sediments that overlie low carbonate content basement rocks, such as marl dominated successions. Thus, the abundance of deformation features affecting the studied Plio-Pleistocene sedimentary cover may lead to an overestimation of the regional active tectonics. The neotectonic activity in this area is reconsidered from the interpretation of the triggering mechanisms responsible for the observed deformation.     

Active faulting and seismicity along the Siculo–Calabrian Rift Zone (Southern Italy)

Southern Italy is dominated by extensional tectonics that in the Calabrian arc and Eastern Sicily produced the development of the Siculo–Calabrian Rift Zone (SCRZ). This zone is represented by a ≈ 370 km-long fault belt consisting of 10 to 50 km long distinct fault segments which extend both offshore and on land being also responsible of the crustal seismicity of this region. The geological and morphological observations indicate that the active normal faults of the SCRZ are characterized by throw-rates ranging from 0.7 to 3.1 mm/a. They accommodate an almost uniform horizontal extension-rate of about 3.0 mm/a along a WNW–ESE regional extension direction. Based on our field observations and following empirical relationships between magnitude and surface rupture length connections between large crustal earthquakes and distinct fault segments of the SCRZ have been also tentatively tested. Our data indicate moreover that the magnitudes (M) of the historical and instrumental earthquakes are consistent with the estimated values and that the geometry and kinematics of the fault segments and the related different crustal features of the SCRZ control the different seismic behaviours of adjacent portions of the active rift zone.     

东昆仑活动断裂带及其强震活动

本文在简述东昆仑活动断裂带的构造背景与演化历史的基础上，重点叙述了该活动断裂带的展布，几何结构，第四纪运动和强震活动等特征，指出，这是一条具有长期演化历史，深部构造背景和第四纪乃至全新强烈活动的断裂带。因而在我国大地构造演化，尤其在青藏高原隆起形成，占有重要地位，同时，它还是我国西部地区一条主要的强震活动构造带，根据现代强震活动记录和在全带新发现的多期全新世古地震及其地表破裂带，分析了大震在断裂带     

1996年3月19日新疆阿图什6.9级地震烈度与发震构造

１９９６年３月１９日新疆阿图什、伽师县东北部发生６．９级主震－余震型地震，震中烈度达ＩＸ度。极震区内边坡裂缝、山体塌陷、山石崩塌。伽师县卧里托乎拉克乡、古尔鲁克乡、西克尔镇和阿图什市的格大良乡、农三师红旗农场等地许多房屋倒塌，大多数房屋出现不同程度的破坏。水坝和公路出现塌陷、裂缝。在地下水位较高、土质松散的地区出现大面积喷砂冒水现象。地震造成直接经济损失３．８７亿元。此次地震是托特供拜孜－阿尔帕勒克断裂最新活动的表现。