Tectonic stress of northeastern Indian region derived from seismic focal mechanisms and the effect of focal mechanism on stress drop: a comparative analysis with Kachchh intraplate region of India

Abstract

SUMMARY In this study, the focal mechanism solutions and source parameters of recent earthquakes that occurred in the northeastern region of India have been determined. The region has very complex tectonics as it is subjected to the compressional forces from all sides, due to the collision of the Indian Plate with the Eurasian, Burma and Tibetan plates. Waveform data from deployed broad-band seismographs (BBS) and strong motion accelerographs (SMA) in the northeastern India are used to determine the focal mechanism solutions and source parameters of moderate earthquakes, respectively. The estimated focal mechanisms are used to understand the existing stress field in the region. It is found that the Shillong-Plateau as well as the Indo-Burma subduction zone is dominated by the compressional tectonic regime, Mikir Hills and Bengal basin are dominated by the trans-tension tectonic regime, and the easternmost Himalayan region is dominated by the strike-slip tectonic regime. The maximum horizontal stress direction Shmax is also determined for above subregions. The direction of Shmax is southeast in the Bengal basin, northeast in Mikir Hills and Indo-Burma subduction zone whereas it is NNE in Shillong Plateau and SSW in the eastern Himalayas. The estimated stress drop value of the earthquakes in the region ranges from 2.11 to 23.89 MPa. The relationship between the source parameters and focal mechanisms is also explored. It is found that the earthquakes with a strike-slip mechanism have the highest average stress drop (7.05 MPa) followed by reverse (6.82 MPa) and normal (5.12 MPa) in the northeastern region of India. According to the examined data set, the stress drop is found to be dependent on the type of focal mechanism, seismic moment and hypocentral depths. The comparison of the results with the Kachchh intraplate region in western India shows earthquakes in Kachchh have larger mean stress drop for all types of mechanisms. In both intraplate and interplate regions of India, the stress drop of earthquakes depends on the type of focal mechanism solution.