Strike Of Active Faults Research Articles

Frequency-dependent Pms splitting measurements across the Longmenshan thrust belt in the eastern Tibetan Plateau

The mechanism of the crustal deformation at different depths under the eastern Tibetan Plateau is still unresolved. In this study, we conduct shear-wave splitting measurements using two-frequency bands (0.08–0.6 Hz and 0.6–1.0 Hz) Moho-converted Pms receiver-function analyses of teleseismic events recorded at 29 temporary seismic stations densely and linearly deployed across the Longmenshan thrust belt. Our results show that the average delay time between the fast and slow shear waves is ~0.37 s at the high-frequency band, which is smaller than ~0.49 s at the low-frequency band. The fast polarization directions are consistent beneath the Songpan-Ganzi Block between the high- and low-frequency bands, but they are much more heterogeneous at the high-frequency band than those at the low-frequency band beneath the Longmenshan thrust belt and the western Sichuan Basin. The dominated fast polarization direction at the high-frequency band, consistent with the strike of active faults on the surface, possibly reflects the upper crustal deformation, whereas at the low-frequency band it may reflect the lower crustal deformation. All these results suggest that the deformation between the upper and lower crust beneath the Songpan-Ganzi Block could be coupled, but it might be decoupled beneath the Longmenshan thrust belt and the western Sichuan Basin.

Shear wave anisotropy in the crust, mantle wedge, and subducting Pacific slab under northeast Japan

To study the anisotropic structure beneath northeast (NE) Japan, we made 4366 shear wave splitting measurements using high-quality seismograms of many earthquakes occurring in the crust and the subducting Pacific slab. Our results provide important new information on the S wave anisotropy in the upper crust, lower crust, mantle wedge, and subducting Pacific slab. In the upper crust, the anisotropy is mainly caused by the stress-aligned fluid-saturated microcracks. The measured delay times (DTs) increase to 0.10 s at 10–11 km depth; the fast velocity directions (FVDs) are parallel to either the tectonic stress or the strike of active faults. The maximum DTs for the low-frequency earthquakes near the Moho are 0.15–0.17 s, suggesting strong anisotropy at the base of the crust or in the uppermost mantle. The measurements for the intermediate-depth earthquakes in the Pacific slab show dominant E-W (trench-normal) FVDs in the back-arc area and N-S (trench-parallel) FVDs in the fore-arc area. The trench-normal FVDs in the back-arc area are caused by the corner flow in the mantle wedge as a result of the subduction of the Pacific plate. The maximum DTs for the slab earthquakes reach 0.30–0.32 s at 100 km depth, but only half of the total DTs are produced in the mantle wedge. The small DTs in the mantle wedge may result from an isotropic or weak anisotropic zone in the middle of the mantle wedge. In the fore arc, the dominant trench-parallel FVDs for the slab earthquakes are consistent with those for the upper crust earthquakes, and ∼80% of the total DTs can be accounted for by the anisotropy in the crust. In the subducting Pacific slab, the trench-parallel FVDs may reflect either the original fossil anisotropy in the Pacific plate when the plate was produced in the mid-ocean ridge or the preferred orientations of the crystals and cracks in the upper part of the subducting slab.

Crustal seismic anisotropy in Yunnan, Southwestern China

Using seismic data recorded by Yunnan Telemetry Seismic Network from January 1, 2000, to May 31, 2005, the polarization directions of fast shear waves are obtained at 15 seismic stations by SAM technique, which is a systematic analysis method on shear-wave splitting. The results show that predominant directions of polarizations of fast shear waves at most stations are mainly nearly in the N–S or NNW directions in Yunnan. The predominant polarization directions of fast shear waves at stations located on the active faults are consistent with the strike of active faults, directions of regional principal compressive strains from GPS measurement, and directions of regional principal compressive stress. A few of the stations show that polarization patterns of fast shear waves are more complicated or inconsistent with the strike of active faults and the directions of principal GPS compressive strains; these stations are always located at the junction of several faults. We conclude that the predominant polarization direction of fast shear waves indicates that the direction of the in situ maximum principal compressive stress is controlled by multiple tectonic aspects, such as the regional stress field and faults.

Seismic anisotropy of the crust in Yunnan, China: Polarizations of fast shear-waves

Using seismic data recorded by Yunnan Telemetry Seismic Network from January 1, 2000 to December 31, 2003, the dominant polarization directions of fast shear-waves are obtained at 10 digital seismic stations by SAM technique, a systematic analysis method on shear-wave splitting, in this study. The results show that dominant directions of polarizations of fast shear-waves at most stations are mainly at nearly N-S or NNW direction in Yunnan. The dominant polarization directions of fast shear-waves at stations located on the active faults are consistent with the strike of active faults, directions of regional principal compressive strains measured from GPS data, and basically consistent with regional principal compressive stress. Only a few of stations show complicated polarization pattern of fast shear-waves, or are not consistent with the strike of active faults and the directions of principal GPS compressive strains, which are always located at junction of several faults. The result reflects complicated fault distribution and stress field. The dominant polarization direction of fast shear-wave indicates the direction of the in-situ maximum principal compressive stress is controlled by multiple tectonic aspects such as the regional stress field and faults.

Detailed Mapping of Focal Mechanisms in/around the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake Rupture Zone.

Earthquake focal mechanisms before and after the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake have been investigated using seismic records from regional seismic networks. Before the mainshock, seismicity was very active at the Tamba Plateau, a neighboring area of the Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake rupture zone. In contrast, the seismicity along the Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake rupture zone was not so active. Most earthquakes in these regions had source mechanisms of E-W compression and were of the strike-slip or reverse-fault type. Most aftershocks along the Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake rupture zone have strike-slip solutions with P-axis in the E-W or ESE-WNW direction, which is compatible with the trend of aftershock distribution and the strike of active faults the same as the mainshock mechanism. Simultaneously, many other aftershocks were of the reverse-fault type with E-W compression. This area is still controlled by the regional stress field of E-W compression observed before the mainshock. Although, we could find various types of mechanisms in the aftershock sequence, some normal fault-type events were also observed in the mainshock rupture zone. We could find events of SE-NW compression, and this direction is nearly perpendicular to the trend of the mainshock rupture zone. Some aftershocks that occurred near the epicenter of the mainshock had solutions of N-S compression. The geometry of the active fault systems and/or local stress change induced by the mainshock may cause these complex features of focal mechanisms. After the mainshock, the focal mechanisms of earthquakes in the Tamba Plateau were approximately E-W compressional; the same as that before the mainshock.