Abstract
Abstract Analysis of continuous GPS data 2000–2003 at 50 stations of the Korean GPS Network (KGN) suggests that the southern part of the Korean peninsula is tectonically more stable than other regions in the Eastern Asia. The average velocity was ∼1.5 mm/yr and the average overall strain rate was around −0.3 × 10−9str/yr. The obtained velocity field indicates the presence of anticlockwise rotation of the whole region with respect to Daejeon station (DAEJ), in the central part of South Korea. It also showed that KM-OB (Kyonggi Massif and the Okchon Basin) and YM-TB (Yeongnam Massif and Taebaeksan Basin) have left-lateral shearing movements. Both movements were confirmed by the deformation analysis of the KGN horizontal velocity field using the infinitesimal plate theory. The results show that South Korea moves toward the WNW direction with a velocity of 0.9 mm/yr with a slow anticlockwise rotation. The strain field in South Korea indicates the existence of both compression and tension. The compression and extension axes have WSW-EWE and NNW-SSE directions, respectively.
Highlights
The Korean peninsula is located close to the easternAsian active margin, and is located between the North and South China Blocks and Japanese island arcs as a part of the Eurasian or Amurian Plate
The Korean peninsula is divided into three main Archaean to midProterozoic blocks (Hurley et al, 1973; Reedman and Um, 1975; Ernst et al, 1988), which are from north to south: Nangrim-Pyongnam Massif (PB), Kyonggi Massif (KM), and Yeongnam Massif (YM)
Korea reveals that: 1) the average velocity (1.5 mm/yr) is relatively small reflecting the high stability and small seismic activity of the Korean Peninsula, 2) Most of the Kyonggi Massif (KM) stations move toward southwest, 3) Taebaeksan Basin (TB) stations move toward northwest, 4) Okchon Basin (OB) stations move toward south to southeast, and 5) Yeongnam Massif (YM) stations move toward northeast
Summary
Is located between the North and South China Blocks and Japanese island arcs as a part of the Eurasian or Amurian Plate. The recent tectonic environment in South Korea, shown, can be understood by considering the two massifs, i.e. Kyonggi Massif and Yeongnam Massif, and two basins, i.e. Okchun Basin and Taebaeksan Basin, separated by the five major faults, i.e. Bongwhajae, New-Okchun, New-Okchun, Taebk-seogchun and Yangsan. Space geodetic techniques, such as Global Positioning System (GPS), have been used as a useful tool in investigating global plate motions and regional tectonic movements (Argus and Heflin, 1995; Larson et al, 1997).
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