Sharp Changes of Crustal Seismic Anisotropy Across the Central Tanlu Fault Zone in East China

Abstract

AbstractBoth seismic and geodetic data suggested that the ∼120‐km long Weifang segment of the Tanlu fault zone, a large‐scale active strike‐slip system at east China, is a seismic gap with no obvious along‐strike shear motion at surface. Measuring crustal deformation around the segment is crucial to constrain stress/strain buildup and potential seismic risk at the fault. We measured crustal and upper mantle seismic anisotropy using P‐to‐S converted waves at the Moho (Pms) and core‐mantle boundary (SKS) recorded by broadband arrays across the Weifang fault segment. The measured crustal anisotropy inside the fault zone shows a fast direction of ∼NNE, parallel to the fault orientation. Right east to the fault zone, the fast axis rotates by almost 90° to ESE. The crustal anisotropy within the fault zone could be caused by aligned microcracks and foliated minerals due to long‐lasting shear motion inside the fault zone.