Early Cambrian Seismic Events and Their Tectonic Significance in Western Zhejiang

Abstract

The two early Cambrian seismic events could be found from sedimentary rocks at Peilingjiao section of Kaihua County, Baishi and Fangcun sections of Changshan County in western Zhejiang, except for Jiangshan area. The seismic event at Baishi outcrop can be correlated to the second seismic event at Peilingjiao section. Taking Fangcun as epicenter of the second seismic event, the magnitude of paleoseism in western Zhejiang is about 7~7.6. According to investigation on regional distribution of seismic events, the two seismic activities should be regulated by large Kaihua-Chun’an fault, but unrelated with Jiangshan-Shaoxing fault or Changshan-Xiaoshan fault. However, the formation time of Kaihua-Chun’an fault has not yet been determinate. Based on controlling on Silurian, the possible formation age was inferred to early Paleozoic. The distribution characteristics of seismites indicate that the Kaihua-Chun’an fault was already being active during early Cambrian and seismic activities may be response to Sinian tectonic events in western Zhejiang. By the way of analysis on paleoseismic rhythm, the time interval of the two seismic events in western Zhejiang is less than 5.0 Ma, which may be the result of early frequent activities of Kaihua-Chun’an fault.