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On January 21st, 2016, a Ms 6.4 earthquake hit Menyuan County, Qinghai province, China. The nearest known fault is the Leng Long Ling (LLL) fault which is located approximately 7 km north of the epicenter. This fault has mainly shown sinistral strike-slip movement since the late Quaternary Period. However, the focal mechanism indicates that it is a thrust earthquake, which is different from the well-known strike-slip feature of the LLL fault. In this study, we determined the focal mechanism and primary nodal plane through multi-step inversions in the frequency and time domain by using the broadband regional seismic waveforms recorded by the China Digital Seismic Network (CDSN). Our results show that the rupture duration was short, within 0–2 s after the earthquake, and the rupture expanded upwards along the fault plane. Based on these fault parameters, we then solve for variable slip distribution on the fault plane using the InSAR data. We applied a three-segment fault model to simulate the arc-shaped structure of the northern LLL fault, and obtained a detailed slip distribution on the fault plane. The inversion results show that the maximum slip is 0.43 m, and the average slip angle is 78.8°, with a magnitude of Mw 6.0 and a focal depth of 9.38 km. With the geological structure and the inversion results taken into consideration, it can be suggested that this earthquake was caused by the arc-shaped secondary fault located at the north side of the LLL fault. The secondary fault, together with the LLL fault, forms a normal flower structure. The main LLL fault extends almost vertically into the base rock and the rocks between the two faults form a bulging fault block. Therefore, we infer that this earthquake is the manifestation of a neotectonics movement, in which the bulging fault block is lifted further up under the compresso-shear action caused by the Tibetan Plateau pushing towards the northwest direction. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the working principle of satellite radars, the earthquake deformation field measured by interferometric synthetic aperture (InSAR) is the projection of ground displacement associated with the seismogenic fault in the line of sight (LOS) of the satellite. However, LOS projections are complex, and are not only related to the ascending/descending modes and incidence angles of SAR data, but also related to the strike and motion senses of the fault. Even for the same earthquake, the LOS deformation derived from different ascending/descending data can be almost identical in one case, but quite different in another case, which makes the interpretation of InSAR seismic deformation and its comparison with field observations difficult. In this study, we undertook a quantitative analysis of the relationships between LOS observation sensitivity of InSAR and fault strike, fault motion sense, and ascending/descending modes, as well as 3D deformation fields. We studied the features and differences of the LOS deformation fields in different types of earthquakes using ascending/descending modes, with a particularly detailed analysis of the relations for a strike-slip type of earthquake. We also summarized the characteristics of LOS deformation fields of faults with different strikes and optimal observational data modes. Taking the strike-slip Yushu earthquake and the normal Gaize event as examples, we used SAR data of the ascending/descending modes to verify the results of quantitative calculations. These analyses will not only provide a more reasonable interpretation of InSAR seismic deformation fields and but also help understand the differences of seismic deformation fields revealed by data with different observational modes, therefore promoting the application of InSAR technology in seismology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On September 16, 2015, a magnitude 8.3 earthquake struck west of Illapel, Chile. We analyzed Sentinel-1A/IW InSAR data on the descending track acquired before and after the Chile Mw8.3 earthquake of 16 September 2015. We found that the coseismic deformation field of this event consists of many semi circular fringes protruding to east in an approximately 300km long and 190km wide region. The maximum coseismic displacement is about 1.33m in LOS direction corresponding to subsidence or westward shift of the ground. We inverted the coseismic fault slip based on a small-dip single plane fault model in a homogeneous elastic half space. The inverted coseismic slip mainly concentrates at shallow depth above the hypocenter with a symmetry shape. The rupture length along strike is about 340 km with maximum slip of about 8.16m near the trench. The estimated moment is 3.126×1021 N.m(Mw8.27), the maximum depth of coseismic slip near zero appears to 50km. We also analyzed the postseismic deformation fields using four interferograms with different time intervals. The results show that postseismic deformation occurred in a narrow area of approximately 65km wide with maximum slip 11cm, and its predominant motion changes from uplift to subsidence with time. that is to say, at first, the postseismic deformation direction is opposite to that of coseismic deformation, then it tends to be consistent with coseismic deformation. It maybe indicates the differences and changes in the velocity between the Nazca oceanic plate and the South American continental plate. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Using SAR interferometry on C band Envisat descending track and L band ALOS ascending track SAR images, respectively, we firstly obtain two coseismic deformation fields and one postseismic deformation of the 2010 Yushu earthquake, Tibet, China. In the meanwhile, we also obtain the azimuthal coseismic deformation of the Yushu event by Multi Aperture Interferometry (MAI) technique. With the 3 components of one-dimensional coseismic InSAR measurements, we resolve the complete 3-dimensional deformation of the 2010 Yushu event, which shows conformity and complexity to left lateral slip mechanism. The horizontal deformation is basically consistent with a sinistral slip event; whereas the vertical displacement does show certain level of complexity, which we argue is indicative of local fault geometry variation. Based on the InSAR data and elastic dislocation assumption, we invert for coseismic fault slip and early after-slip of the Yushu event. Our inversion results show major coseismic left lateral strike slip with only minor thrust component. The after-slip model fills most of the slip gaps left by the coseismic fault slip and finds a complementary slip distribution to the coseismic fault slip, which is a good indicator that future earthquake potential on the Yushu segment has been significantly reduced. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: We applied a joint inversion of teleseismic data and InSAR measurements, aiming at obtaining a robust rupture process and slip distribution of the 2010 Yushu earthquake, through reducing the trade-off between slip timing and location. With the condition of the final static deformation of InSAR measurements, the rupture history can be achieved with more confidence. Surface offset constraint is also applied to our inversion. Through synthetic data inversion we find that InSAR data can resolve better fault slip at near surface depth range of 0–15km than teleseismic data; yet it has much poorer resolution at near hypocenter area, where teleseismic data has a relatively better resolution. Our final joint inversion results show that the 2010 Yushu earthquake has an essential rupture time around 20s, during which 90% of the seismic moment has been released. Two peak energy releasing moments occur at 8 and 12s after the earthquake initiation, respectively. The fault slip breaks the surface at most segments of the total 76km fault model and the maximum slip reaches 2.2m. We also find two peak-slip asperities, one at near hypocentral area, mainly distributed at depth around 10–15km; the other distributed in a large area at the eastern segments at near surface. Our most robust estimation of the seismic moment reaches 2.30×1019 N.m, equivalent to a moment magnitude of M w 6.9. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: We obtained the coseismic deformation field of the Ms7.1 earthquake in Yushu, Qinghai, China on 14 April 2010 using L band and C band SAR images. The results show that the deformation fields derived from L and C bands separately are consistent in general. They are all characterized by concentric elliptic interference fringes surrounding a NW trending fault with two local intensively deformed regions. Meanwhile they have small differences in area coverage of the deformation field, magnitude of LOS displacements and other details of deformation nearby the fault. The deformation from C band and L band covers 89∗59km square and 77∗43km square, with maximum displacements of about 45cm and 65cm in the radar line of sight, respectively. Using these two kinds of InSAR measurements separately and jointly, we constructed a three-segment fault model and inverted the coseismic fault slip of the Yushu event. The inversion results show that the slip distributions constrained by the two kinds of inSAR data are in agreement on the whole. They all indicate two concentration regions of slip distribution, one is located near the Jiegu town on the southeastern segment of the Yushu fault with a large area and the maximum slip of 2.4m, and the other is at the epicenter on the northwestern segment of the fault with a relatively small area. There are also discrepancies between the two kinds of slip distribution models. In general, the scale, magnitude, and depth of slip distribution constrained by C band ASAR data are larger than that by L band PALSAR data. The slip distribution from a joint inversion of the two kinds of SAR data is considered to be the most robust model compared to the results of that constrained by L band SAR data or C band SAR data alone. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Investigating relationships between temporally- and spatially-related continental earthquakes is important for a better understanding of the crustal deformation, the mechanism of earthquake nucleation and occurrence, and the triggering effect between earthquakes. Here we utilize Global Positioning System (GPS) velocities before and after the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake to invert the fault coupling of the Longmenshan Fault (LMSF) and investigate the impact of the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake on the 2013 Mw 6.6 Lushan earthquake. The results indicate that, before the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, fault segments were strongly coupled and locked at a depth of ~18 km along the central and northern LMSF. The seismic gap between the two earthquake rupture zones was only locked at a depth < 5 km. The southern LMSF was coupled at a depth of ~10 km. However, regions around the hypocenter of the 2013 Mw 6.6 Lushan earthquake were not coupled, with an average coupling coefficient ~0.3. After the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, the central and northern LMSF, including part of the seismic gap, were decoupled, with an average coupling coefficient smaller than 0.2. The southern LMSF, however, was coupled to ~20 km depth. Regions around the hypocenter of the 2013 Mw 6.6 Lushan earthquake were also coupled. Moreover, by interpreting changes of the GPS velocities before and after the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, we find that the upper crust of the eastern Tibet (i.e., the Bayan Har block), which was driven by the postseismic relaxation of the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake, thrust at an accelerating pace to the Sichuan block and result in enhanced compression and shear stress on the LMSF. Consequently, downdip coupling of the fault, together with the rapid accumulation of the elastic strain, lead to the occurrence of the 2013 Mw 6.6 Lushan earthquake. Finally, the quantity analysis on the seismic moment accumulated and released along the southern LMSF show that the 2013 Mw 6.6 Lushan earthquake should be defined as a “delayed” aftershock of the 2008 Mw 7.9 Wenchuan earthquake. The seismic risk is low along the seismic gap, but high on the unruptured southwesternmost area of the 2013 Mw 6.6 Lushan earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

On 8 August 2017, a Ms7.0 earthquake stroke the city of Jiuzhaigou, Sichuan, China. The Jiuzhaigou earthquake occurred on a buried fault in the vicinity of three well-known active faults and this event offers a unique opportunity to study tectonic structures in the epicentral region and stress transferring. Here we present coseismic displacement field maps for this earthquake using descending and ascending Sentinel-1A Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data. Deformation covered an area of approximately 50 × 50 km, with a maximum line-of-sight (LOS) displacement of ~22 cm in ascending and ~14 cm in descending observations on the west side of the source fault. Based on InSAR and Global Positioning System (GPS) measurements, both separately and jointly, we constructed a one-segment model to invert the coseismic slip distribution and dip angle of this event. Our final fault slip model suggests that slip was concentrated at an upper depth of 15 km; there was a maximum slip of ~1.3 m and the rupture was dominated by a left-lateral strike-slip motion. The inverted geodetic moment was approximately 6.75 × 10 18  Nm, corresponding to a moment magnitude of Mw6.5, consistent with seismological results. The calculated static Coulomb stress changes indicate that most aftershocks occurred in stress increasing zones caused by the mainshock rupture; the Jiuzhaigou earthquake has brought the western part of the Tazang fault 0.1–0.4 MPa closer to failure, indicating an increasing seismic hazard in this region. The Coulomb stress changes caused by the 2008 Mw7.8 Wenchuan earthquake suggest that stress loading from this event acted as a trigger for the Jiuzhaigou earthquake. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Based on the dense GPS velocity field in the northeastern margin of the Tibetan Plateau from 1999 to 2016, we have produced the deformation and strain characteristics of the Haiyuan fault and the Liupanshan fault. Estimated long-term slip rate along the Haiyuan-Liupanshan fault zones show a gradual decrease from 6.4 ± 1.6 mm/yr at the Tuolaishan fault to 2.9 ± 1.2 mm/yr at the Southern Liupanshan fault. Left-lateral thrusting movement was inverted for the Xiangshan-Tianjingshan fault (XS-TJS), which has an average slip rate of 2.1 ± 3.4 mm/yr during the study period. We also calculated the heterogeneous distribution of interseismic coupling along the fault zones. Our result also shows the locking depth of the Tianzhu seismic gap is ∼22 km. The slip rate deficit, the seismic moment accumulation rate, and the Coulomb stress accumulation rate are high on the fault planes, whereas the second invariant of the strain rate is low at the surface. The Liupanshan fault is locked to a depth of ∼23 km, and the corresponding seismic moment accumulation rate on the fault plane is high, while the strain rate at the surface is low. The accumulated strain along the Tianzhu seismic gap and the Liupanshan fault could be balanced by earthquakes with magnitudes of Mw7.9 and Mw7.4, considering the absence of large earthquakes over the last 1000 years and 1400 years respectively. The Haiyuan segments had ruptured during 1920 Haiyuan earthquake, and the estimated locking depth for period 1999–2016 is 5–10 km. Its seismic moment accumulation rate at depth is low and the strain rate at the surface is high. Our result indicates that 70% of the strike-slip along the Haiyuan segments transforms into thrusting along the Liupanshan fault, while the remaining 30% is related to the orogeny of the Liupanshan. For slip between the Haiyuan fault and the XS-TJS, about 27–34% of the slip is partitioned on the XS-TJS. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]