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Tectonic map of East Asia. Thick black and gray lines are major plate boundaries and tectonic faults, respectively. Black vectors denote neighboring plate motions relative to the Eurasian plate. Red dots show earthquakes with M ≥ 4.5 from 1 January 1960 to 31 December 2016 (http://earthquake.usgs.gov). Three orange stars highlight the epicentral locations of the 1976 Tangshan, 2001 Kokoxili, and 2008 Wenchuan earthquakes, respectively.
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We process rigorously GPS data observed during the past 25 years from continental China to derive site secular velocities. Analysis of the velocity solution leads to the following results. (a) The deformation field inside the Tibetan plateau and Tien Shan is predominantly continuous, and large deformation gradients only exist perpendicular to the I...
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Citations
... In contrast, the controlling effect of the DTF on SLs decreased from 6th to 11th (Fig. 10f), indicating that DTF exerts a stronger control on VSLs compared to SLs. The GPS velocity field of the Eurasian Plate reveals a maximum plate motion velocity of 10.43 mm/year in the HXC region, with an average velocity of 5.48 mm/year (Wang and Shen, 2020). This slow tectonic movement in the HXC region is highly likely to regulate the motion of VSLs. ...
With the escalation of global climate change and human activity, geohazards become increasingly frequent which cause severe casualties and property losses to local communities. To alleviate this situation and provide scientific guidance for risk reduction, it is imperative to address some of the basic questions related to geo-hazards, including: i) how to detect active geohazards (AGs) rapidly and automatically over a wide area; ii) how to determine the region with a high level of hazard activity; iii) what are the primary conditioning factors (CFs) of AGs; and iv) do factors operate independently or are they interconnected. To tackle these issues, we propose a universally applicable framework for wide area automated detection of AGs. The framework is based on multi-source Earth observations which capture surface deformation ranging from millimeters to meters. Our study has focused on the Hexi Corridor (HXC) in Gansu Province, China, covering an area of 210,000 km 2 with a length of 1100 km. First, we construct an AGs database for the HXC with high automatic and rapid update capabilities, including a total of 4492 AGs (3652 active landslides and 840 land subsidence areas). Second, using the Geographic Detectors method, we determine the primary CFs including elevation, land surface temperature, and precipitation. We find that faults exert greater control over very slow-moving landslides, but are less effective over slow-moving landslides. Third, we analyzed the interactive effects of dual CFs on geohazard actives. Any interaction effect of dual CFs contributes to the bivariate enhancement of geohazard activity. This study significantly enhances the capabilities of the wide area automated detection of AGs, and provides a crucial dataset for hazard prediction and mitigation along the HXC.
... Owing to the limited coverage of the GNSS network in this specific geographical area, previous geodetic investigations have seldom prioritized the assessment of seismic risks in this region. For example, a couple of studies (e.g., Wang et al., 2015;Zheng et al., 2018;Rui and Stamps, 2019a;Wang and Shen, 2020;Stevens and Avouac, 2021) have evaluated the seismic hazards of the mainland China in which the SCB is included, however, due to the limited GNSS dataset, none of these studies have been able to depict the seismic hazards of the SCB in detail. In this work, we aim to finely quantify the seismic hazards of SCB, especially the densely populated CCEZ region, by developing a probabilistic earthquake forecast model, using regional strain rates derived from 187 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) horizontal velocities. ...
... We note that, based on the long-term position time series of the continuous GNSS sites (spanning 2011-2023) with discontinuities removed, we see no significant postseismic deformation in this region. This is consistent with the study of Wang and Shen, (2020) which shows that previous devastating earthquakes (including the 2004 Sumatra Mw9.0 earthquake, the 2008 Wenchuan Mw7.8 earthquake, the 2011 Tohoku-Oki Mw9.0 earthquake, and the 2013 Lushan Mw6.7 earthquake) have little impact on GNSS sites in SCB. This result is also consistent with the study of Rui and Stamps (2016) which shows that little postseismic transient deformation is found immediately after the 2008 Wenchuan Mw7.8 earthquake at the continuous GNSS site QLAI which is located in SCB and close to the epicenter. ...
The Sichuan basin (SCB) is situated at the southeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau where widespread seismicity has occurred. In the past decades, seismic events occurred in and around SCB have been responsible for more than 100 thousand casualties. To quantify the present-day seismic hazard of this region, especially the densely populated Chengdu-Chongqing economic zone (CCEZ), we develop a probabilistic earthquake forecast model using strain rates derived from 187 Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) horizontal velocities, of which 102 velocity vectors are first released. The second invariant of the strain rate tensor suggests that the Shimian County and its surroundings are exposed to the highest seismic hazard in and around SCB. The second most dangerous area is located between 103–105°E. The Chongqing area is the least dangerous. The principal strain rate axes interior of the Sichuan basin suggest that this region is experiencing broad-scale extension, which according to our knowledge, is first revealed by our dense GNSS network. The comparison between the cumulative histograms of the second invariant of geodetic strain rate and earthquake count indicates that the geodetic strain rates in this region can serve as a reliable predictor of M≥6 earthquake locations. Thus, we proceed to calculate the total seismic moment anticipated for the entire area within the next 30 years.
... In the Eurasia fixed reference frame, the westward motion in the western Tibetan Plateau is tapered to zero while the eastward velocities increase over ∼1,000 km distance across the eastern plateau before decreasing rapidly outside the plateau (M. Wang & Shen, 2020). Deformation within the plateau and the Tian Shan to the north is broadly distributed whereas outside these areas there are large undeforming regions with deformation mainly affecting the perimeter of these regions (Ge et al., 2015;W. ...
... ce across the eastern plateau before decreasing rapidly outside the plateau (M. Wang & Shen, 2020). Deformation within the plateau and the Tian Shan to the north is broadly distributed whereas outside these areas there are large undeforming regions with deformation mainly affecting the perimeter of these regions (Ge et al., 2015;W. Li et al., 2022;M. Wang & Shen, 2020;Zheng et al., 2017). One of these undeforming regions, the Tarim Basin between the plateau and Tian Shan, has been observed to rotate clockwise at a rate of ∼0.4-0.6°/Myr with respect to Eurasia since the Cenozoic era (Avouac & Tapponnier, 1993;Craig et al., 2012;Z.-K. Shen et al., 2001;M. Wang & Shen, 2020;J. Zhao et al., 2019). ...
... ions (Ge et al., 2015;W. Li et al., 2022;M. Wang & Shen, 2020;Zheng et al., 2017). One of these undeforming regions, the Tarim Basin between the plateau and Tian Shan, has been observed to rotate clockwise at a rate of ∼0.4-0.6°/Myr with respect to Eurasia since the Cenozoic era (Avouac & Tapponnier, 1993;Craig et al., 2012;Z.-K. Shen et al., 2001;M. Wang & Shen, 2020;J. Zhao et al., 2019). ...
The distribution and magnitude of forces driving lithospheric deformation in the India‐Eurasia collision zone have been debated over many decades. Here we test a two‐dimensional (2‐D) Thin Viscous Shell approach that has been adapted to explicitly account for displacement on major faults and investigate the impact of lateral variations in depth‐averaged lithospheric strength. We present a suite of dynamic models to explain the key features from new high‐resolution Sentinel‐1 Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar as well as Global Navigation Satellite System velocities. Comparisons between calculated and geodetically observed velocity and strain rate fields indicate: (a) internal buoyancy forces from Gravitational Potential Energy acting on a relatively weak region of highest topography (>2,000 m) contribute to dilatation of the high plateau and contraction on the margins; (b) a weak central Tibetan Plateau (∼10²¹ Pa s compared to far‐field depth‐averaged effective viscosity of at least 10²²–10²³ Pa s) is required to explain the observed long‐wavelength eastward velocity variation; (c) localized displacement on fault systems enables strain concentration and clockwise rotation around the Eastern Himalayan Syntaxis. We discuss the tectonic implications for rheology of the lithosphere, distribution of geodetic strain, and partitioning of active faulting and seismicity.
... In March 2011, Japan experienced a powerful 9.0 magnitude earthquake, one of the strongest in nearly 35 years. This earthquake triggered widespread regional horizontal movements and continued horizontal slip in Northeast Asia [26,27], significantly altering the regional motion dynamics and leading to noticeable deformation post-earthquake [28][29][30]. These deformations may have altered the stress field in the Japan region, as reflected in the b-values, which represent the underground stress state [4], and manifested in the wavelet scaleogram obtained through periodic analysis based on b-values. ...
Studying the temporal characteristics of earthquake activity contributes to enhancing earthquake prediction capabilities. The seismic b-value is a key indicator describing the relationship between seismic frequency and magnitude. This study investigates the correlation between the occurrence of major earthquakes and seismic b-values using earthquake activity records in Japan from 1990 to 2023. Local singularity analysis and wavelet analysis of earthquake frequency and b-value time series reveal significant 5-year periodic features in seismic activity in Japan. Furthermore, our research identifies that this periodicity is also prominent in major earthquakes with magnitudes of 7 and above. Additionally, through a detailed analysis of the cross-correlation between seismic b-values and the occurrence time of major earthquakes, we uncover a notable pattern: major earthquakes often occur approximately two years after the peak of seismic b-values. This discovery offers a new perspective on earthquake prediction and may play a crucial role in future earthquake early warning systems.
... al., 2017) with InSAR from two different Sentinel-1a/b tracks in ascending and descending geometries spanning the period between 2014 and 2021 to generate a high-resolution continuous 3D velocity field for central Afar following the method described in Pagli et al. (2014). Then we calculate the horizontal strain rates (Cardozo & Allmendinger, 2009;M. Wang & Shen, 2020) (See the Supporting Information S1 file for strain rate analysis). Our results show that the highest extensional and shear strain rates occur at the DMH and ASAL segments (Figure 2), likely due to the presence of crustal magma (Drouin et al., 2017). Outside of the two magmatic segments, relatively higher strain rates occur in a ∼ NW-SE ...
Plain Language Summary
Rifts are places where tectonic plates move away from each other. They normally start as short, isolated features, and then grow and connect together to eventually form oceans. Central Afar in East Africa is a great location to study how these rifts form and grow by connecting with other rifts. In this area, the Red Sea (RS) and Gulf of Aden (GoA) rifts interact, but it is not clear how this happened through time. Some studies suggest that the two rifts form an overlap zone where blocks within the overlap rotate, while others argue that the two rifts directly link and form a continuous rift zone. To resolve this debate, we conducted a high‐resolution computer simulation of the evolution of the RS and GoA rifts in central Afar. We compared our model results with earthquake positions and satellite data that constrain the present‐day motion of the plates. Our results demonstrate that the RS and GoA rifts first overlapped for a few millions of years, and then formed a direct linkage. Our study suggests that both conceptual models can be reconciled when we consider the temporal evolution of the two rifts through geological times.
... uring the Mesozoic (e.g., Zhao & Xue, 2010;J. P. Zheng et al., 2007; R. X. Zhu & Chen, 2011). There is a potential linkage between the NCB's deformation and the far-field effects of the India-Eurasian plate collision during the late Cenozoic. Recent studies, through large-scale tomographic kinematic modeling (Huang et al., 2008(Huang et al., , 2014M. Wang & Shen, 2020), tectonic simulations (Schellart et al., 2019), and geochemical analyses (e.g., M. Liu et al., 2004;Menzies et al., 1993;Tang et al., 2006), support this scenario. Nevertheless, the Cenozoic tectonic evolution of the BBB, particularly its responses to the far-field effects of the India-Eurasian plate collision, remains a mystery due to ...
... The northward movement of the Indian plate during the Cenozoic has pushed large continental lithosphere fragments away from the collision zone toward the western Pacific and Indonesia subduction zone (M. Wang & Shen, 2020;Q. Wang et al., 2001). ...
... The NCB, positioned between the eastward-moving South China block and the relatively stationary Central Asian orogenic belt (M. Wang & Shen, 2020;Y. G. Zhang et al., 2018), has undergone experienced significant sinistral shearing since the Neogene . ...
Plain Language Summary
As the largest Meso‐Cenozoic basin in Eastern China, the Bohai Bay basin (BBB) is an ideal site for studying basin evolution. However, the tectonic processes within the basin during the Cenozoic remain largely enigmatic. Seismic radial anisotropy, indicative of subhorizontal layering and/or shearing during crustal/lithospheric accretion, can offer valuable insights into Earth's dynamic processes. In this study, we use a direct inversion method called DRadiSurfTomo to create high‐resolution three‐dimensional models of shear‐wave velocity and radial anisotropy in the BBB. Our findings indicate that current crustal radial anisotropy patterns in the basin reflect multiple dynamic stages since the Cenozoic. The strong positive radial anisotropy observed in the western BBB is primarily due to the subduction of the Pacific plate, whereas the weak radial anisotropy in the eastern BBB is mainly influenced by tension‐shear forces resulting from the India‐Eurasian collision. We also infer that the high shear‐wave velocity and negative radial anisotropy in the upper‐middle crust of the Luxi uplift are likely induced by rigid metamorphic rocks, hindering the basin's eastward expansion.
... In downstream of SRC, near the Jinsha River valley, the motion field captured by Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) shows a higher movement rate (Wang and Shen 2020), which may be related to the dextral strike slip in the middle and lower sections of the Jinshajiang Fault. ...
... In downstream of SRC, near the Jinsha River valley, the motion field captured by Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS) shows a higher movement rate (Wang and Shen 2020), which may be related to the dextral strike slip in the middle and lower sections of the Jinshajiang Fault. ...
The Shuiluo River Catchment (SRC) is the front zone of the southeast compression and uplift of the Tibetan Plateau,
with intense tectonic activity. In the basin, a series of regional large NW–SE trending active faults are developed.
Studying clearly the geomorphic evolution of the SRC is conducive to further understanding the uplift and expansion
mechanism of the SE edge of Tibetan Plateau. Our research was based on geographic information system, numerical
analysis tool, and digital elevation model data, to extract six geomorpic parameters (hypsometric integral, asymmetry
factor, basin shape ratio, valley foor width–valley height ratio, normalized channel steepness index and index of relative
active tectonics) in SRC. After eliminating the impacts of climate, catchments area, and glacier, the geomorphic evolu�tion of the SRC is mainly afected by geological structure and diferential tectonic uplift movement; in the upstream
and midstream (upper part), the shape of valleys and stream longitudinal profle shapes are afected by lithology;
afected by geological structure and tectonic uplift, the tectonic activity in the midstream and downstream is rela�tively strong, and the intensity of activity in the downstream is stronger than that in the midstream, which may
suggest that the faults’ activity in the downstream is stronger; the index of relative active tectonics values of the SRC are
consistent with the regional seismic intensity, feld-work and low-temperature thermochronology which indicates it
is reasonable to use the fuvial geomorphic parameters to study the regional geomorphic evolution. The morphologi�cal parameters we extracted show diferent values in diferent regions of SRC, which may be the result of diferential
uplift in the southeastern of the Tibetan Plateau.
... Recent studies suggested the strike-slip rate of these fault zones was likely to be overestimated, while a continuous downward trend from west to east persisted [16][17][18]. Multiple segments of the Haiyuan fault system exhibit sinistral strike-slip movements, with a rate of 4.5-9 mm/yr based on GPS observations in recent years [11,19,20]. Nevertheless, InSAR observations during 2016-2021 reveal that the strike-slip rate of the western end of the Haiyuan fault system (close to HLHF) is 1.8 ± 0.3 mm/yr, exhibiting a gradual increase towards the east. ...
... Therefore, we processed the SAR data covering the 2022 coseismic deformation area and masked some of the incoherent phases near the fault. The measured data before and after masking the low coherence phase were used for the inversion of coseismic slip distribution, which was then combined with the early field geological survey [25,26] and the spatial distribution of aftershocks [20,21], with the aim to investigate the source models of both events and elucidate tectonic movement characteristics of seismogenic faults. ...
... In addition, both InSAR observations and field investigation [25,26] suggest a rapid change in the strike direction of the surface trace of the north branch fault between F3 and F4 ( Figure 3). This variation in strike direction is further supported by the spatial position obtained by the relocated aftershock [20] ( Figure 1c). On this basis, the primary segment of the northern branch rupture zone was divided into two faults: a 12.7 km fault (F2) and an 8 km fault (F5). ...
The Haiyuan fault system plays a crucial role in accommodating the eastward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau (TP) and is currently slipping at a rate of several centimeters per year. However, limited seismic activities have been observed using geodetic techniques in this area, impeding the comprehensive investigation into regional tectonics. In this study, the geometric structure and source models of the 2022 Mw 6.7 and the 2016 Mw 5.9 Menyuan earthquakes were investigated using Sentinel-1A SAR images. By implementing an atmospheric error correction method, the signal-to-noise ratio of the 2016 interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) coseismic deformation field was significantly improved, enabling InSAR observations with higher accuracy. The results showed that the reliability of the source models for those events was improved following the reduction in observation errors. The Coulomb stress resulting from the 2016 event may have promoted the strike-slip movement of the western segment of the Lenglongling fault zone, potentially expediting the occurrence of the 2022 earthquake. The coseismic slip distribution and the spatial distribution of aftershocks of the 2022 event suggested that the seismogenic fault may connect the western segment of the Lenglongling fault (LLLF) and the eastern segment of the Tuolaishan fault (TLSF). Additionally, the western segment of the surface rupture zone of the northern branch may terminate in the secondary branch close to the Sunan-Qilian fault (SN-QL) strike direction, and the earthquake may have triggered deep aftershocks and accelerated stress release within the deep seismogenic fault.
... Contemporary horizontal deformation surrounding the Ordos block is mainly characterized by NE-SW-directed contraction and NW-SE-directed extension with attendant minor block rotations and fault slip (Chen et al., 2005;Li et al., , 2023a, while strain rates inside the Ordos block are negligible Li et al., 2020b;Middleton et al., 2017Middleton et al., , 2018Wang and Shen, 2020;Zheng et al., 2017). Geodetic and geologic observations have been used to propose a "book-shelf" model to explain the Cenozoic deformation within the North China Craton (NCC) via a large-scale WNW-ESE left-lateral shear zone induced from differen-tial motion between the Amurian and the South China blocks ( Fig. 1A; Xu and Ma., 1992;Zhang et al., 2018). ...
... They appear a little disordered within the Ordos block because of low SNR except in its northeastern corner (Figs. 5A and 5C; Cui et al., 2016;Hao et al., 2021;Li et al., 2020b;Middleton et al., 2017Middleton et al., , 2018Su et al., 2018;Wang and Shen, 2020). The contraction direction west of the Ordos block is mainly northeastward, kinematically consistent with shortening associated with the northeastward growth of the Tibetan Plateau related to extrusion from collision with the Indian Plate. ...
... Low rates of extension internal to the Ordos block mainly occur to the northeast and southwest of the block and along the northern Shanxi rift and Taihang Mountains (sites 1-3 in Fig. 5B; Northrup et al., 1995;Schellart and Lister, 2005;Hao et al., 2021;Li et al., 2020b;Middleton et al., 2017;Zhao et al., 2017). In the northeastern Tibetan Plateau, Qinling Orogenic Belt, and Yinshan-Yanshan Mountains, crustal horizontal deformation is mainly characterized by contraction associated with convergence (sites 4 and 5 in Fig. 5B; Su et al., 2018;Wang and Shen, 2020). Strike-slip mainly occurs along the western and eastern peripheries of the Ordos block (Figs. ...
The Ordos block is a rigid portion of the North China Craton lying within the India-Eurasia collision zone that experiences little internal deformation, but is surrounded by active faulting, extensional grabens, and seismicity. In the surrounding region, geodetic studies have imaged complex crustal deformation, while seismic studies have suggested that the lithosphere is encountering regional modification by mantle convection. The Ordos block thus presents a valuable opportunity to compare seismic and geodetic constraints and investigate geodynamic processes affecting the region’s lithosphere. We here robustly image vertical land motion and horizontal strain rates using observations from the geographically extensive Global Navigation Satellite System and leveling networks in and around the Ordos block. Our results indicate that the Ordos block uplifts with some lateral variability at 0.5−2.0 mm/yr. In the northeastern Ordos block and Datong volcanic area, the crustal uplift rates are 2.0−4.0 mm/yr on average, much faster than those elsewhere on the block. We correct for non-tectonic vertical motion from surface hydrological loading and glacial isostatic adjustment, finding that these do not explain the vertical rate anomalies. Horizontal crustal extension and uplift are accompanied by a pattern of crustal contraction at the Datong volcanic field. Additionally, we find uplift west of and subsidence east of the Qinling Orogenic Belt, which are inconsistent with eastward crustal extrusion along it, suggesting instead a negligible migration of crustal materials especially to the east of 106°E. Comparing the geodetic measurements to evidence from seismic velocity anomalies and numerical simulation, we argue that the motions are consistent with lithospheric re-equilibration resulting from the heterogeneous thinning of the lithosphere by convective mantle upwelling and radial flow as well as shortening from the India-Eurasia collision.
