Faulting on the Anninghe fault zone, Southwest China in Late Quaternary and its movement model

The Anninghe fault is one of the significant earthquake-generating fault zones in the Southwest China. Local his-torical record shows that a M≥7 strong earthquake occurred in the year of 1536. On the basis of the detailed air-photographic interpretation and field investigation, we have acquired the following knowledge: 1 The average sinistral strike-slip rate since the Late Pleistocene is about 3~7 mm/a; 2 There is important reverse faulting along the fault zone besides the main left-lateral strike-slip motion, and the shortening rate across the Anninghe fault zone due to the reverse faulting is about 1.7~4.0 mm/a. If the Xianshuihe fault zone is simply partitioned into the Anninghe and Daliangshan faults, we can also get a slip rate of 3~7 mm/a along the Daliangshan fault zone, which is the same as that on the Anninghe fault zone. Moreover, on the basis of our field investigation and the latest knowledge concerning the active tectonics of Tibetan crust, we create a dynamic model for the Anninghe fault zone.     

New constraints on the seismic history of the Castrovillari fault in the Pollino gap (Calabria, southern Italy)

The Pollino Range area represents the mostprominent gap in seismicity within thesouthern Apennines. Geomorphic andtrenching investigations along theCastrovillari fault indicate that thisnormal fault is a major seismogenic faultwithin the southern part of this gap. Atleast four surface-faulting earthquakeshave occurred on this fault since latePleistocene age. Radiocarbon dating coupledwith historical consideration set thetime of the most recent earthquake as mostlikely to be between 530 A.D. and 900 A.D.,with the possible widest interval of530–1100 A.D. No evidence for this eventhas been found in the historical records,although its age interval falls within thetime spanned by the seismic catalogues.Slip per event ranges between 0.5 and1.6 m, with a minimum rupture length of13 km. These values suggest a M 6.5–7.0 forthe paleoearthquakes. The minimum long-termvertical slip rate obtained from displacedgeomorphic features is of 0.2–0.5 mm/yr. Avertical slip-rate of about 1 mm/yr is alsoinferred from trenching data. Theinter-event interval obtained from trenchdata ranges between 940 and 7760 years(with the young part of the intervalpossibly more representative; roughly940–3000 years). The time elapsed since themost recent earthquake ranges between aminimum of 900–1100 and a maximum of 1470years. The seismic behavior of this faultappears to be consistent with that of othermajor seismogenic faults of thecentral-southern Apennines. The Pollinocase highlights the fact thatgeological investigations represent apotentially useful technique tocharacterize the seismic hazard of `silent' areas for which adequate historical andseismological data record are notavailable.     

晚第四纪以来安宁河断裂的构造活动与演化

在进行１：５万地质填图过程中,通过对安宁河断裂区域内晚更新世 一新世地层岩性,岩极及组成的各级地貌特征并结合地层的对年龄测定较为实际的研究与划分了断裂的活动期,次,并据此进一步研究了断裂活动的性质,方式与演化简史。     

临潭—宕昌断裂现今闭锁程度及地震危险性分析

甘东南地区位于青藏高原东北部,受印度板块与欧亚板块碰撞及印度板块向北楔入挤压的影响,构造活动强烈,中强地震发生较为频繁( Dewey et al,1973;Tapponnier et al, 1982,2001;Métivier et al,1998;Molnar et al,2009).在大地构造上,该区地处中国南北...     

Late Quaternary surface deformation and rupture behavior of strong earthquake on the segment north of Mianning of the Anninghe fault

The Anninghe fault is an important active fault along the eastern boundary of Sichuan-Yunnan active tectonic block, and the study of its surface deformation and rupture behavior during strong earthquake in the late Quaternary is of fundamental importance for understanding the future seismic risk of the fault zone or even the entire western Sichuan region. Using the methods of detailed geomorphic and geological survey, digital image analysis, total station instrument survey, excavation of combined trench and dating, we analyze the geomorphologic sequences of the offset strata at several sites where the late Quaternary deformation remnants are fairly well preserved and obtain some new results as follows: Strong earthquake events with left-lateral displacements of about 3 m occurred at the two sites of Zimakua and Yejitong at 1634-1811, 1030-1050 and 280-550 a BP, respectively, and the recurrence interval is 520-660 a; The youngest event in the area of Dahaizi-Ganhaizi should be the earthquake of 1536, other events are at 1768-1826, 2755-4108 and 4108-6593 a BP, respectively, with a recurrence interval of 1300-1900 a. The strong earthquake activity shows a clustering character. The possibility of occurrence of a strong earthquake exists on the north segment of the Anninghe fault sometime in the future.     

Precursory quiescence before the August 1982 Stone Canyon,San Andreas fault,earthquakes

The Stone Canyon earthquake sequence started during August 1982 and lasted for about four months. It contained four mainshocks withM _L 4, each with an aftershock zone about 4 km long. These mainshocks, progressing from southeast to northwest, ruptured a segment of the fault approximately 20 km long leaving two gaps, which were later filled by theM _L =4.6 mainshocks of January 14, and May 31, 1986. The equivalent magnitude of the sequence isM _L =5.0.Precursory seismic quiescence could be identified in: (1) the northernmost 10 km of the aftershock zone which contained three of the mainshocks; and (2) the southern gap in the aftershock zone. The fault segment containing the first mainshock and its aftershocks did not show quiescence. This pattern of precursory quiescence is very similar to two cases in Hawaii where the rupture initiation points of the mainshocks (M _S =7.2 and 6.6, respectively) were located in volumes of constant seismicity rate, surrounded by volumes with pronounced precursory quiescence.The precursory quiescence before the August 1982 Stone Canyon earthquakes lasted for 76 weeks, amounted to a reduction in rate of about 60%, and could be recognized without any false alarms. That is, the anomaly was unique within the 60 km study segment of the fault and in the years 1975 through August 1982. Eighteen foreshocks occurred between July 27 and August 7, 1982. We conclude that the August 1982 mainshocks could have been predicted, based on seismic quiescence and foreshocks.     

祁连山地震带西段2019年以来小震空区现象分析

2019年10月1日以来,祁连山地震带西段出现MS≥3.0地震平静现象,截至2020年5月27日,平静时长已达176天,但该地区外围地震相对活跃.分析认为,在祁连山地震带西段形成MS≥3.0地震空区,其长轴为510 km,方位角为90°,短轴为410 km,围空地震12个,最大方位角不超过120°,空区内部与外围形成围...     

川西地区地壳形变和断层位移活动

大地测量资料的分析表明，川西地区的地壳形变和断层位移活动沿着已发展成为块体边界线的鲜水河断裂带—安宁河断裂带—则木河断裂带表现为最强，两侧块体内的断裂活动相对次之。区内的现今形变活动趋势仍继承着晚第四纪以来新构造活动的格局，地震形变是现今形变的最佳表现，断层位移活动具有显著的不均匀性。     

Precursory seismic quiescence: A preliminary assessment of the hypothesis

Numerous cases of precursory seismic quiescence have been reported in recent years. Some investigators have interpreted these observations as evidence that seismic quiescence is a somewhat reliable precursor to moderate or large earthquakes. However, because failures of the pattern to predict earthquakes may not, in general, be reported, and because numerous earthquakes are not preceded by quiescence, the validity and reliability of the quiescence precursor have not been established.We have analyzed the seismicity rate prior to, and in the source region of, 37 shallow earthquakes (M 5.3–7.0) in central California and Japan for patterns of rate fluctuation, especially precursory quiescence. Nonuniformity in rate for these pre-mainshock sequences is relatively high, and numerous intervals with significant (p<0.10) extrema in rate are observed in some of the sequences. In other sequences, however, the rate remains within normal limits up to the time of the mainshock. Overall, in terms of an observational basis for intermediate-term earthquake prediction, no evidence is found in the cases studied for a systematic, widespread or reliable pattern of quiescence prior to the mainshocks.In earthquake sequences comprising full seismic cycles for 5 sets of (M 3.7–5.1) repeat earthquakes on the San Andreas fault near Bear Valley, California, the seismicity rates are found to be uniform. A composite of the estimated rate fluctuations for the sequences, normalized to the length of the seismic cycle, reveals a weak pattern of a low rate in the first third of the cycle, and a high rate in the last few months. While these observations are qualitative, they may represent weak expressions of physical processes occurring in the source region over the seismic cycle.Re-examination of seismicity rate fluctuations in volumes along the creeping section of the San Andreas fault specified by Wyss and Burford (1985) qualitatively confirms the existence of low-rate intervals in volumes 361, 386, 382, 372 and 401. However, only the quiescence in volume 386 is found by the present study to be statistically significant.     

六盘山断裂带的地震构造特征与强震危险背景

集成活动构造与震源机制解、重新定位小震分布、历史与现今地震、GPS速度场等资料,综合分析了六盘山断裂带的构造动力学条件与变形方式、横剖面构造、历史强震破裂背景、GPS形变以及现代地震活动性,进而探讨了该断裂带的强震危险背景.结果表明：NNW向六盘山断裂带的运动与变形主要缘于青藏地块东北缘的向东水平挤出受到相对稳定的华北地块西缘（鄂尔多斯地块）阻挡而聚集的水平挤压作用;此外,海原和陇县-宝鸡两条NW向走滑断裂带的左旋运动在右阶区的局部会聚作用,也由六盘山断裂带的变形与运动来承受与转换.横剖面上,六盘山断裂带表现为向东推覆的大型逆冲构造带,主滑脱带位于~25 km深处,之下很可能存在分隔青藏与华北地块的超壳-岩石圈型深断裂带.沿六盘山断裂带中-南段以及更靠南东的陇县-宝鸡断裂带存在总长为120~140 km、至少最近~1400年未发生M ≥ 6½强震破裂的地震空区.地震空区内的断裂,GPS形变显示已有显著应变积累,地震活动上出现为小震稀疏或空缺的部位,以及低b值区,反映那里的断面业已闭锁,并已有高应力积累.因此,六盘山断裂带中-南段和陇县-宝鸡断裂带应是未来可能发生强震/大地震的两个危险地段,潜在地震的最大矩震级估值分别为M_W=7.3±和7.2±.

     

The Feature of Segmentation Activity on the Northern Segment of the Anninghe Fault Zone Since Late Pleistocene

Based on fault geometric features,composite pattern,faulting land-forms and seismic data,this paper discussed the activity behavior along the northern segment of the Anninghe fault(from Xichang to Shimian)since the Late Pleistocene.The fault can be divided into three active segments by discrepancies of their activity:the segment from Xichang to Mianning,the segment from Mianning to Zimakua,and the segment from Zimakua to Tianwan.The southern segment has the background of occurrence of great earthquakes,but the middle and the northern segments can generate strong and moderate events respectively.According to the features of quartz from fault gouges by scanning electron microscopy(SEM),this paper discussed the movement features along the fault and indicated the stick-slipping feature on the segment from Xichang to Zimakua,the creeping feature on the segment from Jiziping to Tianwan and the transitional feature on the segment in between.     

Earthquake triggering and delaying caused by fault interaction on Xianshuihe fault belt,southwestern China

The coseismic Coulomb stress change caused by fault interaction and its influences on the triggering and delaying of earthquake are briefly discussed.The Xianshuihe fault belt consists of Luhuo,Daofu,Kangding,Qianning and Ganzi fault.Luohuo(Ms=7.6,1973)-Kangding(Ms=6.2,1975)-Daofu(Ms=6.9,1981)-Ms=6.0,1982)earthquake is a seismic sequence continuous on the time axis with magnitude greater than6.0.They occurred on the Luhuo.Kangding,Daofu and Ganzi fault,respectively.The coseismic Coulomb stress changes caused by each earthquake on its surrounding major faults and microcracks are calculated,and their effects on the triggering and delaying of the next earthquake and aftershocks are analyzed.It is shown that each earthquake of the sequence occurred on the fault segment with coseismic Coulomb stress increases caused by its predecessors,and most after-shocks are distributed along the microcracks with relatively larger coseismic Coulomb stress increases resulted from the main shock.With the fault interaction considered,the seismic potential of each segment along Xianshuihe fault belt is reassessed,and contrasted with those predicted results ignoring coseismic Coulomb stress change,the significance of fault interaction and its effect on triggering and delaying of earthquake are emphasized.It is con-cluded that fault interaction plays a very important role on seismic potential of Xianshuihe fault belt,and the maximal change of future earthquake probability on fault segment is up to 30.5%.     

Resistivity structure of a seismic gap along the Atotsugawa Fault, Japan

Seismicity along the Atotsugawa Fault, located in central Japan, shows a clear heterogeneity. The central segment of the fault with low-seismicity is recognized as a seismic gap, although a lot of micro-earthquakes occur along this fault. In order to elucidate the cause of the heterogeneity in seismicity, the electrical resistivity structure was investigated around the Atotsugawa Fault by using the magnetotelluric (MT) method. The regional geoelectrical strikes are approximately parallel to the fault in a low-frequency range. We constructed two-dimensional resistivity models across the fault using TM-mode MT responses to minimize three-dimensional effects on the modeling process. A smooth inversion algorithm was used, and the static-shifts on the apparent resistivity were corrected in the inversion process.A shallow, low resistivity zone along the fault is found from the surface to a depth of 1-2 km in the best-fit model across the high-seismicity segment of the fault. On the other hand, the corresponding low resistivity zone along the low-seismicity segment is limited to a shallower depth less than 1 km. The low resistivity zone along the Atotsugawa Fault is possibly due to fluid in the fracture zone; the segment with higher levels of seismicity may have higher fluid content in the fault zone compared with the lower seismicity segment. On a view of the crustal structure, a lateral resistivity variation in a depth range of 3-12 km is found below the fault trace in the high-seismicity segment, while a resistive layer of wide extent is found at a depth of about 5 km below the fault trace in the low-seismicity segment. The resistive layer is explained by less fluid condition and possibly characterized as high rigidity. Differences in the resistivity structures between low and high-seismicity segments of the fault suggest that the seismic gap in the central part of the Atotsugawa Fault may be interpreted as a locked segment. Thus, MT is an effective method in evaluating a cause and future activity of seismic gaps along active faults.The lower crust appears as a conductive zone beneath the low-seismicity segment, less conductive beneath the high-seismicity segment. Fluid is inferred as a preferable cause of the conductive zone in this study. It is suggested that the conductive lower crust beneath the low-seismicity segment is recognized where fluid is trapped by an impermeable layer in the upper crust. On the other hand, fluid in the lower crust may upwell to the surface along the high-seismicity segment of the fault.     

断层场地地震反应特征研究

如何合理评价断层场地对地震动影响进而为重大工程抗震设计提供依据是当前急需解决但尚未解决好的工程场地问题。针对根据工程经验抽象出的8种设想断层场地模型，应用显式有限元模拟计算了脉冲P波、SV波倾斜入射下的地震反应。根据数值模拟结果，总结和给出了断层倾向、破碎带宽度、破碎带形态对地震动影响的初步定量规律。     

Characteristics of seismic activity before the MS8.0 Wenchuan earthquake

The characteristics of spatio-temporal seismicity evolution before the Wenchuan earthquake are studied. The results mainly involve in the trend abnormal features and its relation to the Wenchuan earthquake. The western Chinese mainland and its adjacent area has been in the seismically active period since 2001, while the seismic activity shows the obvious quiescence of M≥?7.0, M≥?6.0 and M?≥5.0 earthquakes in Chinese mainland. A quiescence area with M?≥7.0 has been formed in the middle of the North-South seismic zone since 1988, and the Wenchuan earthquake occurred just within this area. There are a background seismicity gap of M?≥5.0 earthquakes and a seismogenic gap of M_L?≥4.0 earthquakes in the area of Longmenshan fault zone and its vicinity prior to the Wenchuan earthquake. The seismic activity obviously strengthened and a doughnut-shape pattern of M?≥4.6 earthquakes is formed in the middle and southern part of the North-South seismic zone after the 2003 Dayao, Yunnan, earthquake. Sichuan and its vicinity in the middle of the doughnut-shape pattern show abnormal quiescence. At the same time, the seismicity of earthquake swarms is significant and shows heterogeneity in the temporal and spatial process. A swarm gap appears in the M4.6 seismically quiet area, and the Wenchuan earthquake occurred just on the margin of the gap. In addition, in the short term before the Wenchuan earthquake, the quiescence of earthquake with M_L≥?4.0 appears in Qinghai-Tibet block and a seismic belt of M_L?≥3.0 earthquakes, with NW striking and oblique with Longmenshan fault zone, is formed.     

Average slip rate,earthquake rupturing segmentation and recurrence behavior on the Litang fault zone,western Sichuan Province,China

The Litang fault zone (LFZ) is an important active fault within the northwestern Sichuan sub-block. To-gether with the Garzê-Yushu, Xianshuihe, and An-ninghe fault zones on its northern, eastern and south-eastern sides, the LFZ constitutes the lateral extrusion tectonic system in the southeastern part of the Qing-hai-Tibetan Plateau[1,2] (Fig. 1). According to instru-mental records, historical recordings and field investi- gation, an earthquake (Ms7.3) occurred on its middle to south se…     

Assessing current faulting behaviors and seismic risk of the Anninghe-Zemuhe fault zone from seismicity parameters

Introduction Strong and large earthquakes are prepared and generated on specific segments of active fault zones, especially on the asperity parts of the zones (Aki, 1984; Wiemer, Wyss, 1997; Wyss, et al, 2000). Therefore, both the faulting-behavior identification and the rupture segmentation mainly based on the method of active tectonics are always important aspects in active fault research (DING, et al, 1993). The purposes of the two aspects of research focus on determining fault units tha…     

Methods for Measuring Seismicity Rate Changes: A Review and a Study of How the M w 7.3 Landers Earthquake Affected the Aftershock Sequence of the M w 6.1 Joshua Tree Earthquake

The development of fault interaction models has triggered the need for an accurate estimation of seismicity rate changes following the occurrence of an earthquake. Several statistical methods have been developed in the past to serve this purpose, each relying on different assumptions (e.g., stationarity, gaussianity) pertaining to the seismicity process.In this paper we review these various approaches, discuss their limitations, and propose further improvements. The feasibility of mapping robust seismicity rate changes, and more particularly rate decreases (i.e., seismicity shadows), in the first few days of an aftershock sequence, is examined. To this aim, the hypothesis of large numbers of earthquakes, hence the use of Gaussian statistics, as is usually assumed, must be dropped.Finally, we analyse the modulation in seismicity rates following the 1992, June 28 M_w 7.3 Landers earthquake in the region of the 1992, April 22 M_w 6.1 Joshua Tree earthquake. Clear instances of early triggering (i.e., in the first few days) followed by a seismicity quiescence, are observed. This could indicate the existence of two distinct interaction regimes, a first one caused by the destabilisation of active faults by the travelling seismic waves, and a second one due to the remaining static stress perturbation.     

华北块体中等地震活动平静特征

采用累计频度方法,对华北活动地块Ms≥5．5地震前中等地震聚集活动区的地震做了时空扫描,并对平静现象进行了定量分析,结果表明：对各Ⅱ级活动地块采用不同的扫描方法．在强震前都表现出明显的增强、平静过程,平静的时间长短与所给定的构造区域有关。本文给出了华北3个Ⅱ级活动地块的发震模式。对各活动地块分别进行了R值检验,表明3个活动地块采用不同的发震模式均具有较高的预报效能。