THREE-DIMENSIONAL STRUCTURAL FEATURES OF THE PENGXIAN ACTIVE BLIND FAULT IN THE CENTRAL LONGMEN SHAN FRONT BELT |
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| Authors: | WANG Zhen-nan LU Ren-qi XU Xi-wei HE Deng-fa CAI Ming-gang LI Ying-qiang LUO Jia-hong |
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| Affiliation: | 1. State Key Laboratory of Earthquake Dynamics, Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100029, China;
2. Institute of Crustal Dynamics, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100085, China;
3. China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China |
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| Abstract: | The Pengxian blind fault is a typical active fault in the central Longmen Shan front belt. It has important reference value for understanding the growth mode and process of the eastern Tibetan plateau. Because the fault is covered by the thick Upper Cenozoic strata in the western Sichuan Basin, its three-dimensional spatial distribution, structural style and formation mechanism remain unclear. In this paper, based on several high-resolution 3-D seismic reflection profiles, together with near-surface geological data and borehole data, we investigate the structural geometry of the Pengxian blind fault and build a 3-D model based on the results. We analyze the shape and scale of underground spatial distribution of the fault through a three-dimensional fault model. According to the theory of fault-related fold and fold-accommodation fault, this paper discusses the forming mechanism of the Pengxian buried structures. The shallow tectonic deformation in front of Longmen Shan is closely related to the detachment layer of the Middle and Lower Triassic, and this detachment layer f1 horizontally propagates into the Longquanshan anticline in the western Sichuan Basin. The Pengxian buried fault is a typical fault-bend fold and the f1 horizontally propagates into the western Sichuan Basin with a fault slip of 3.5km. The Pengxian blind fault is a high angle(50°~60°)thrust fault developed in the front wing of the kink-band zone, striking NE-SW, with a total length of~50km; But the fault is not connected with the Dayi buried fault in the south section of Longmen Shan. They are two different faults, and this defines the scale of the Pengxian blind fault. This limitation makes sense for analyzing and evaluating the magnitudes of potential earthquake. All above study provides research basis for further analysis of the potential seismic risk in this area. The Pengxian blind fault is parallel to the anticlinal axis with small amount of offset as a fold-accommodation fault. We believe that the fault formation is related to the fold deformation of the fold front limb. The study reveals the geometry, kinematics and formation mechanism of the Pengxian active fault, and provides a basis for further analysis of fault activity and hazard. Therefore, there is little possibility of strong earthquakes at the Pengxian blind fault due to its formation mechanism of the fault which is generally characterized by fold deformation and shortening deformation. In this paper, we discuss the location of Pengxian blind fault in the middle of Longmen Shan and Sichuan Basin. Because the Pengxian buried structures are in the transition area, the shortening amount in Pengxian indicates that the absorption in the basin is quite limited. It reflects the blocking effect of Sichuan Basin. In the study, we find that the relationship between folds, faults and sediments is an important part of tectonic interpretation; the theory of fault-related fold and fold-accommodation fault is well used for analysis. This would have great significance for the study of structural deformation, which can help to build a three-dimensional model of fault. |
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| Keywords: | seismic interpretation Pengxian blind fault fault-related folding fold-accommodation fault 3-D model central Longmen Shan |
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