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1.
Various earthquake fault types were analyzed for this study on the crust movement in the high region of the Tibetan plateau by analyzing mechanism solutions and stress fields. The results show that a lot of normal faulting type earthquakes are concentrated in the central High Tibetan plateau. Many of them are nearly perfect normal fault events. The strikes of the fault planes of normal faulting earthquakes are almost in an N-S direction based on the analyses of the Wulff stereonet diagrams of fault plane solutions. It implies that the dislocation slip vectors of the normal faulting type events have quite great components in the E-W direction. The extensions probably are an eastward extensional motion, being mainly a tectonic active regime in the plateau altitudes. The tensional stress in the E-W or NWW-SEE direction predominates earthquake occurrences in the normal event region of the central plateau. The eastward extensional motion in the high Tibetan plateau is attributable to the gravitational collapse of the high plateau and the eastward extrusion of hotter mantle materials beneath the east boundary of the plateau. Extensional motions from the relaxation of the topography and/or gravitational collapse in the high plateau hardly occurred along the N-S direction. The obstruction for the plateau to move eastward is rather weak. 相似文献
2.
Abstract: This paper analyzes various earthquake fault types, mechanism solutions, stress field as well as other geophysical data to study the crust movement in the Tibetan plateau and its tectonic implications. The results show that a lot of normal faulting type earthquakes concentrate in the central Tibetan plateau. Many of them are nearly perfect normal fault events. The strikes of the fault planes of the normal faulting earthquakes are almost in the N-S direction based on the analyses of the equal area projection diagrams of fault plane solutions. It implies that the dislocation slip vectors of the normal faulting type events have quite great components in the E-W direction. The extension is probably an eastward extensional motion, mainly a tectonic active regime in the altitudes of the plateau. The tensional stress in the E-W or WNW-ESE direction predominates the earthquake occurrence in the normal event region of the central plateau. A number of thrust fault and strike-slip fault type earthquakes with strong compressive stress nearly in the NNE-SSW direction occurred on the edges of the plateau. The eastward extensional motion in the Tibetan plateau is attributable to the eastward movement of materials in the upper mantle based on seismo-tomographic results. The eastward extensional motion in the Tibetan plateau may be related to the eastward extrusion of hotter mantle materials beneath the east boundary of the plateau. The northward motion of the Tibetan plateau shortened in the N-S direction probably encounters strong obstructions at the western and northern margins. Extensional motions from the relaxation of the topography and/or gravitational collapse in the altitudes of the plateau occur hardly in the N-S direction. The obstruction for the plateau to move eastward is rather weak. 相似文献
3.
本文系统解析并分析了1931年8月-2005年10月期间青藏高原及其周围发生的905个震级M4．5-8．5地震的震源机制结果,研究了青藏高原岩石圈的区域应力场与构造运动特征。结果表明,来自印度板块的北北东或北东方向的水平挤压应力控制了青藏高原及其周缘地区的岩石圈应力场。从喜马拉雅到贝加尔湖以南包括中国西部的广大范围内,主压应力P轴的水平分量位于近NE-SW方向,形成了一个广域的NE-SW方向的挤压应力场。特别是青藏高原周缘地区,除其东部边缘外,南部的喜马拉雅山前沿以及青藏高原的北部、西部边缘地区所发生的绝大部分地震都属于逆断层型或走滑逆断层型地震,表现出周缘地区的水平挤压应力更为强势。应力场特征充分表明, 印度板块的北上运动,以及它与欧亚板块之间的碰撞,所形成的挤压应力场是青藏高原强烈隆起的直接原因。在青藏高原周缘地区受到强烈挤压应力场控制的同时,有大量正断层型地震集中发生在青藏高原中部海拔4000m以上的地区,其中许多地震是纯正断层型地震。震源机制结果显示,近E-W向或WNW-ESE向的水平扩张应力控制着该区的岩石圈应力场;正断层型地震的断层走向多为南北方向,断层位错矢量的水平分量大体位于近东西方向。这表明青藏高原中部高海拔地区存在着近东西方向的扩张构造运动,且扩张构造运动是该区引张应力场的作用结果。其动力学原因可能与持续隆升的高原自重增大引起的重力崩塌及其周边区域构造应力状况有关。研究青藏高原存在挤压应力场与引张应力场及其构造运动的区域特征,对于认识青藏高原形成、发展的地球动力学机制,有着极其重要的意义。 相似文献
4.
大陆构造变形与地震活动——以青藏高原为例 总被引：5，自引：0，他引：5
大陆内部构造变形和地震活动往往突显出复杂的、区域性的特征,很难用板块构造理论来解释。青藏高原是大陆构造变形的典型实例,具有不同构造变形的分区特征,不仅表现在物质组成、地形地貌和断裂组合等方面的不同,而且还表现出不同的地震活动特征。东昆仑断裂带以北的青藏高原北部地块,主要发育一系列挤压环境下的盆岭构造,表现为以连续变形为特征的上地壳挤压缩短变形;高原中北部巴颜喀拉地块,具有整体向东运动的特点,变形主要集中在其边缘,表现为刚性块体运动特征。在东部,由于稳定的四川盆地(扬子地块)的阻挡,位于龙日坝和龙门山断裂带之间相对坚硬的龙门山地区受到东西向强烈挤压,西部边界为伸展变形;在高原中央腹地羌塘地块西部,由于上地壳物质在向东挤出的驱动下不断变形,沿一系列小型正断层和走滑断层以伸展变形为主,表现为弥散型变形特征。相比之下,羌塘地块的东部向东-南东方向挤出,在大型走滑断层之间形成一个刚性块体;高原南部地块以东西向伸展的南北向裂谷系为主要变形特征,高原南缘以南北向挤压的大型逆冲断裂系为特征。历史地震和仪器记录的大地震(M≥8)只发生在高原东北和东南部的大型走滑带,以及东部和南部边缘的大型逆冲断裂上,沿后者更为频发。到目前为止,高原其他地区只发生了8级以下地震。青藏高原这种分区域的地壳变形形式和地震活动分布是大陆构造变形的重要特征。 相似文献
5.
We performed numerical simulations to determine the contemporary maximum horizontal compressive stress (σHmax) in the northeast India region, the Bengal basin (Bangladesh), and the adjoining Indo-Burma Ranges, with different boundary conditions. The regional tectonic stress was simulated using the finite element method (FEM) under the plane stress condition. Most of the study areas show NE–SW regional stress orientation, which is consistent with other stress indicators, such as earthquake focal mechanism solutions. The E–W trending Dauki fault, which separates the Shillong plateau to the north from the Bengal basin to the south, plays a major role in the stress distribution and regional deformation. This fault alone accommodates ～25% of the regional surface displacement rate of the study area. The fault pattern of the study area was also simulated using rheological parameters and the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion. The simulated results reproduce the observed tectonic state of the area, including a strike-slip regime along the Dauki fault, in the southwestern part of the Bengal basin, and in the Tripura fold belt areas. The modeling indicates that the Brahmaputra valley to the north of the Shillong plateau and to the south of the Himalayan frontal thrust exhibits thrust/reverse faulting with a strike-slip component, and in the Indo-Burma Ranges, strike-slip faulting is predominant with a reverse fault component. 相似文献
6.
内蒙古狼山地区断裂构造十分复杂,主要发育有南北、东西、北东和北西走向的断裂构造.从南北向断裂的几何形态、运动性质、构造应力场特征入手进行研究,结合野外实地调查与测量,运用极射赤平投影方法,求出构造应力场的主应力轴方位,进而对本区的构造演化进行了探讨.初步认为,研究区发育的近南北向断裂至少受到过两期构造应力场的作用,第一期是在晚二叠世,由于华北克拉通向北、西伯利亚板块向南活动而形成碰撞拼贴运动所产生的近南北向近水平挤压构造应力场,此时构造应力场的主应力轴σ1为北偏东10°左右,向北倾伏,倾伏角为15°~20°.在这一期构造应力场的作用下,狼山地区发育了一套破裂系统,它们分别表现为近东西走向的挤压构造带和逆断层、近北东走向的以左行为主的走滑断层、近北西走向的以右行为主的走滑断层以及近南北走向的张性断层.这些早期的断裂系统也制约着该区域后来的构造活动,第二期构造应力场是侏罗纪以来古太平洋板块向亚洲大陆俯冲而产生的.此构造应力场的主应力轴σ1为北西-南东向,倾伏向为150°左右,倾伏角为10°~20°.第二期构造应力场的作用,使早期南北向断裂由原来的张性破裂面转为左行走滑,早期东西向断裂转为右行走滑,早期北东向左行滑动面转为压性面和褶皱轴方向,而早期的北西向破裂面则转为张性破裂性质. 相似文献
7.
Himalayan orogenic belt is the highest and largest continental collision and subduction zone on the Earth. The Himalayan orogenic belt has produced frequent large earthquakes and caused several geohazards due to landslides and housing collapse, having an impact on the safety of life and property along a length of over 2500 km. Here we took three earthquake clusters as examples, which occurred at Nepal Himalaya, eastern Himalayan syntaxis and western Himalayan syntaxis, respectively. Here we calculated the earthquake locations and fault plane solutions based on the waveform data recorded by seismic stations deployed in source areas by the Institute of Tibetan Plateau Research, Chinese Academy of Sciences. We found that at the Nepal Himalayan, the Main Himalayan Thrust is the major tectonic structure for large earthquakes to occur. At the eastern Himalayan syntaxis, most earthquakes are of the reverse or strike-slip faulting. The major tectonic feature is the combination of the NE-dipping thrust with the southeastern escape of the Tibetan plateau. At the western Himalayan syntaxis, intermediate-depth earthquakes are active. These observations reveal the geometry of the deep subduction of the continental plate with steep dipping angle. 相似文献
8.
喜马拉雅造山带是地球上海拔最高、规模最大的陆陆板块俯冲碰撞带在这条长达2 500 km的板块边界上,近年来多次发生破坏性地震,造成大规模的滑坡、房屋倒塌等次生灾害,给人民生命和财产安全造成严重的威胁。分别选取尼泊尔喜马拉雅、喜马拉雅东构造结和喜马拉雅西构造结地区近期发生的3个地震震群作为研究实例,基于中国科学院青藏高原研究所在研究区架设的区域流动地震台站记录的波形资料,对地震的震源位置和震源机制解进行计算。结果表明,在尼泊尔喜马拉雅地区,主喜马拉雅逆冲断裂是大地震的主要发震构造;东构造结地区的地震以逆冲和走滑型为主,表明印度板块向北东方向的逆冲推覆和青藏高原向东南逃逸的侧向挤出是该地区的主要构造背景;西构造结地区中深源地震多发,揭示了高角度大陆深俯冲的几何形态。 相似文献
9.
Active Faulting Pattern,Present-day Tectonic Stress Field and Block Kinematics in the East Tibetan Plateau 总被引：1，自引：0，他引：1
ZHANG Yueqiao DONG Shuwen YANG Nong Key Laboratory of Neotectonic Movement Geohazard Ministry of L Resources Beijing China Institute of Geomechanics Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences China Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences Beijing China 《《地质学报》英文版》2009,83(4)
This paper examines major active faults and the present-day tectonic stress field in the East Tibetan Plateau by integrating available data from published literature and proposes a block kinematics model of the region.It shows that the East Tibetan Plateau is dominated by strike-slip and reverse faulting stress regimes and that the maximum horizontal stress is roughly consistent with the contemporary velocity field,except for the west Qinling range where it parallels the striking of the major strike-slip... 相似文献
10.
新生代印度板块与欧亚板块的持续碰撞挤压,造成南羌塘地块向南逆冲于拉萨地块之上,并在南羌塘地块内部形成了一系列的由北往南的逆冲推覆构造。然而,到目前为止,我们对这些逆冲推覆构造及夹持其间的褶皱变形的结构组成、构造样式、形成时代以及缩短量分布等问题仍存在很大的争议。本文在详细的野外调查基础上,对赛布错-扎加藏布断裂（SZT）,多玛-其香错断裂（DQT）,隆鄂尼褶断带（LF）及南羌塘与中央隆起带分界的肖查卡-双湖断裂（XST）进行了几何学、运动学分析,建立了精细的构造框架。我们认为这些断裂为始新世以来形成的同时期的叠瓦状逆冲推覆;并通过野外褶皱形态,结合层面、节理面、断层面滑动矢量的分析,识别出南羌塘盆地4期构造应力场：1） 代表中特提斯俯冲碰撞阶段的近S-N 向的挤压;2） 中特提斯碰撞后,随着班公湖-怒江缝合带的形成,南羌塘地区构造应力场转为S-N 向的伸展;3） 新生代印度板块向欧亚板块俯冲碰撞,青藏高原进入陆内变形阶段,南羌塘盆地内表现为NE-SW 向的挤压,形成本文提及的一系列逆冲推覆构造;4） 随着高原的持续隆升,约14 Ma南北向裂谷开始活动,应力场转为NWW-SEE 向伸展,形成双湖裂谷系。 相似文献
11.
Three earthquakes of magnitude around 5 occurred offshore western Norway on 5th February, 1986, on 8th August, 1988, and on 23rd January, 1989. These earthquakes, representing the highest seismic activity level in this area for at least 30 years, were all felt by people over most of southern and central Norway. Focal-mechanism solutions for these earthquakes indicate thrust faulting along N-S to NNE-SSW striking fault planes, in response to NW-SE compressional stress, most probably of plate tectonic origin.
A number of high-quality digital recordings of the ground motions at various distances from these and other recent earthquakes in Norway have shown that source spectral as well as wave attenuation characteristics in this area are reasonably consistent with what has been derived from other intraplate areas. 相似文献
A number of high-quality digital recordings of the ground motions at various distances from these and other recent earthquakes in Norway have shown that source spectral as well as wave attenuation characteristics in this area are reasonably consistent with what has been derived from other intraplate areas. 相似文献
12.
13.
《Geodinamica Acta》1999,12(5):303-319
The South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) is located at the junction of three rift segments in southwestern Iceland. The presence of different types of faulting and of differently orientated subgroups in Upper Pliocene to Holocene formations indicate polyphase tectonism. We measured 736 minor faults at 25 sites. Two types of relationships between stress regimes are represented. The first type, named IDS (inhomogeneous data set), is characterized by the presence of two types of fault mechanisms, normal and strike-slip, consistent with a single direction of extension. The second type, named OSR (opposite stress regimes), is characterized by the presence of perpendicular directions of extensions for a single type (normal or strike-slip) of faulting. Because of contradictory chronological criteria, we infer that the OSR alternated during the brittle tectonic activity of the SISZ. Two stress regimes, primary and secondary, are characterized by directions of extension NW-SE and NE-SW, respectively. The general fracture pattern characterized for the primary stress regime in the SISZ includes NNE-SSW trending right-lateral strike-slip faults, conjugate ENE-WSW trending left-lateral faults and NE-SW normal faults. This distribution is quite consistent with a Riedeltype model of fault pattern in a left-lateral shear zone. The stress states characterized based on analysis of both the earthquake focal mechanisms and the recent faulting show great similarity in terms of stress directions. The main difference is the larger ratio of strike-slip motions representing 71 % of the total population in the case of earthquake focal mechanisms, whereas for the whole set of faults the proportion of strike-slip faulting was 50 %. We explain that a temporal evolution of the tectonic regime in the SISZ region, accompanied by a gradual change in stress field, starts with rift-type pure extension and progressively leads to development of preferentially strike-slip structures in the kinematic context of leftlateral transform motion. 相似文献
14.
为研究2013年4月20日芦山Mw6.6地震的发震构造及孕震机理, 基于4月20日—6月1日地震序列中114次M≥3.0余震震源机制解, 深入分析了余震震源机制及震源区应力场的时空分布特征, 获得的主要认识如下: (1)芦山M≥3.0余震以逆冲型为主, 走滑型次之, 正断型最少, 震源机制P轴方位一致性较好, 以近NWW-SEE为优势方向, 倾角分布在0~30°, 表明余震活动主要受龙门山断裂所在的区域应力场控制; (2)芦山余震区压应力S1方位存在明显的局部空间分区差异, 以主震震中为界, 余震区南边S1方向总体呈NWW方向, 而余震区北边S1方向表现出由NW经EW向NE的逆时针旋转, 可能反映了余震区北边发震断层错动以逆冲为主兼有一定的走滑分量; (3)压应力S1方位随时间的变化不明显, 呈近NWW方向, 但其倾角逐渐变水平, 应力张量方差逐渐变大, 震源机制错动类型始终以逆冲为主, 随时间变的相对紊乱, 反映了震源区应力场随时间的调整变化特性; (4)深度剖面结果显示压应力方位与发震断层走向的夹角在80°~120°, 即近乎垂直, 震源断层面向NW倾斜, 芦山余震活动受控于近垂直发震断裂的挤压作用, 属于典型的逆冲断层. 相似文献
15.
要通过在TM遥感图像解译和野外观测的基础上,描述了东昆仑断裂带东段活动形迹的组成和活动断层地貌特征,阐述了甘南高原西秦岭地区新近纪拉分盆地的沉积-构造特征,提出了该区东昆仑-秦岭断裂系晚新生代左旋走滑伸展-走滑挤压-走滑伸展的3个阶段的构造变形模式。指出,中新世晚期至上新世早期,东昆仑-秦岭断裂系以左旋走滑伸展活动为主,伴随着西秦岭地区拉分盆地的形成和超基性火山岩群的发育。这期左旋走滑伸展活动向东扩展导致了渭河盆地新近纪引张应力方向由早期的NE-SW向转变为晚期的NW—SE向。上新世晚期以来(约3．4Ma以前),东昆仑-秦岭断裂系以左旋走滑挤压活动为主,导致早期拉分盆地的轻微褶皱变形,走滑挤压活动主要集中在东昆仑东段玛沁-玛曲主断裂带上。该期构造变动持续到早更新世,它的向东扩展产生了广泛的地壳形变效应,包括青藏东缘岷山隆起带的快速崛起、华北地区汾-渭地堑系的形成和发展以及郯庐断裂带右旋走滑活动等。中、晚更新世时期,断裂系以走滑伸展变形为主,主要集中在东昆仑断裂带东段3个分支上,地块向东挤出伴随着顺时针旋转。 相似文献
16.
AbstractThe South Iceland Seismic Zone (SISZ) is located at the junction of three rift segments in southwestern Iceland. The presence of different types of faulting and of differently orientated subgroups in Upper Pliocene to Holocene formations indicate polyphase tectonism. We measured 736 minor faults at 25 sites. Two types of relationships between stress regimes are represented. The first type, named IDS (inhomogeneous data set), is characterized by the presence of two types of fault mechanisms, normal and strike-slip, consistent with a single direction of extension. The second type, named OSR (opposite stress regimes), is characterized by the presence of perpendicular directions of extensions for a single type (normal or strike-slip) of faulting. Because of contradictory chronological criteria, we infer that the OSR alternated during the brittle tectonic activity of the SISZ. Two stress regimes, primary and secondary, are characterized by directions of extension NW-SE and NE-SW, respectively. The general fracture pattern characterized for the primary stress regime in the SISZ includes NNE-SSW trending right-lateral strike-slip faults, conjugate ENE-WSW trending left-lateral faults and NE-SW normal faults. This distribution is quite consistent with a Riedel- type model of fault pattern in a left-lateral shear zone. The stress states characterized based on analysis of both the earthquake focal mechanisms and the recent faulting sow great similarity in terms of stress directions. The main difference is the larger ratio of strike-slip motions representing 71% of the total population in the case of earthquake focal mechanisms, whereas for the whole set of faults the proportion of strike-slip faulting was 50 %. We explain that a témpora evolution of the tectonic regime in the SISZ region, accompanied by a gradual change in stress field, starts with rift-type pure extension and progressively leads to development of preferentially strike-slip structures in the kinematic context of left- lateral transform motion. © Elsevier, Paris 相似文献
17.
西秦岭北缘构造带的新生代构造活动——兼论对青藏高原东北缘形成过程的指示意义 总被引：8，自引：0，他引：8
西秦岭北缘构造带是青藏高原东北部一条重要的北西西向构造带,它由一组近于平行的断裂组成,中部发育活动的左旋走滑断裂,两侧发育向外扩展的多条逆冲断裂,剖面上呈向北偏心的花状构造。自古近纪中晚期以来西秦岭北缘构造带成为青藏高原早期的北东边界,其新生代构造活动控制了两侧的新生代盆地沉积演化和构造变形。在构造带南侧滩歌盆地自古近纪中晚期堆积了一套厚度较大的砾岩和砂岩地层,但未见新近纪地层;沿西秦岭北缘构造带中部在中新世形成具有剪切拉张性质的武山—漳县盆地,沉积了厚度超过千米的砾岩、砂岩和泥岩序列;在构造带北侧陇西盆地从古近纪中晚期至中新世晚期一直处于前陆盆地发育阶段,沉积了连续的新生代地层序列。在中新世晚期以后,整个构造带遭受挤压变形,逆冲活动强烈,中部的武山—漳县盆地和北侧的陇西盆地相继消亡,新生代地层发生强烈构造变形,位于构造带南侧的滩歌盆地也同时发生轻微缩短变形。第四纪晚期以来西秦岭北缘构造带断裂活动主要表现为左旋走滑运动方式,而逆冲断裂活动则迁移到了北东方向的海原断裂和香山—天景山断裂(又称中卫—同心断裂)等构造带之上,实现了大区域范围内的应变分配。 相似文献
18.
P.Soedarmo Darmoatmodjo 《Tectonophysics》1974,23(4):339
Thirty nine focal mechanisms for shallow, intermediate and deep earthquakes that occurred during the period 1964–1967 in the Indonesian Region have been studied from the first initial motion of the P or PKP waves.The position of the two nodal planes, maximum-pressure axis and maximumtension axis are presented in this paper. The correlation between the state of the pressure distributions and earthquake generating stress systems that produce shallow, intermediate and deep earthquakes are also presented. There is some systematic agreement between the results of the same study already given by others and which is presented in this paper.The dominant modes of deformation are reverse or thrust fault and normal fault rather than strike-slip faulting. 相似文献
19.
龙门山地震带的地质背景与汶川地震的地表破裂 总被引：17，自引：0，他引：17
李勇 黄润秋 周荣军 Alexander L. DENSMORE Michael A. ELLIS 闫亮 董顺利 Nicholas RICHARDSON 张毅 何玉林 陈浩 乔宝成 马博琳 《工程地质学报》2009,17(1):3-18
龙门山位于青藏高原与扬子地台之间, 系由一系列大致平行的叠瓦状冲断带构成, 自西向东发育汶川茂汶断裂、映秀北川断裂和彭县灌县断裂,并将龙门山划分为3个构造地层带,分别为变形变质构造地层带（主要由志留系泥盆系浅变质岩和前寒武系杂岩构成）、变形变位构造地层带（主要由上古生界三叠系沉积岩构成）、变形构造地层带（主要由侏罗系至第三系红层和第四纪松散堆积构成）。
龙门山断裂带属地震危险区,3条主干断裂皆具备发生7级左右地震的能力,其中映秀北川断裂是引发地震的最主要断层,据对彭县灌县断裂青石坪探槽场地的研究结果表明,在该断裂带上最晚的一次强震发生在93040a.B.P.左右,据此,可以初步判定,这3条主干断裂的单条断裂上的强震复发间隔至少应在1000a左右,表明龙门山构造带及其内部断裂属于地震活动频度低但具有发生超强地震的潜在危险的特殊断裂,以逆冲-右行走滑为其主要运动方式。
汶川地震属于逆冲走滑型的地震,地表破裂分布于映秀北川断裂带和彭县灌县断裂带上。根据近南北向的断裂（小鱼洞断层、擂鼓断层和邓家坝断层）和地表断距可将映秀北川断层的地表破裂带划分为两个高值区和两个低值区,两个高值区分别位于南段的映秀-虹口一带和位于中北段的擂鼓北川县城邓家坝一带;两个低值区分别位于中南段的白水河茶坪一带和北段的北川黄家坝至平武石坎子一带,两个高值区分别与小鱼洞断层和擂鼓断层相关。根据保存于破裂面上的擦痕,可将该地震破裂过程划分为两个阶段,早期为逆冲作用,晚期为斜向走滑作用,其与地壳增厚构造模式和侧向挤出摸式在青藏高原东缘的推论具有不吻合性。鉴于龙门山的表层运动速率与深部构造运动速率具有不一致性,初步探讨了龙门山地区的地表过程与下地壳流之间的地质动力模型,认为下地壳物质在龙门山近垂向挤出和垂向运动,从而造成导致龙门山向东的逆冲运动、龙门山构造带抬升和汶川特大地震。在此基础上,根据汶川地震所引发的地质灾害,对地震灾后重建提出了的几点建议。 相似文献
20.
AbstractThe east Anatolian plateau and the Lesser Caucasus are characterised and shaped by three major structures: (1) NW- and NE-trending dextral to sinistral active strike-slip faults, (2) N-S to NNW-trending fissures and /or Plio-Quatemary volcanoes, and (3) a 5-km thick, undeformed Plio-Quatemary continental volcanosedimentary sequence accumulated in various strike-slip basins. In contrast to the situation in the east Anatolian plateau and the Lesser Caucasus, the Transcaucasus and the Great Caucasus are characterised by WNW-trending active thrust to reverse faults, folds, and 6-km thick, undeformed (except for the fault-bounded basin margins) continuous Oligocene-Quaternary molassic sequence accumulated in actively developing ramp basins. Hence, the neotectonic regime in the Great Caucasus and the Transcaucasus is compressional-contractional, and Oligocene-Quaternary in age; whereas it is compressional-extensional, and Plio-Quatemary in age in the east Anatolian plateau and the Lesser Caucasus.Middle and Upper Miocene volcano-sedimentary sequences are folded and thrust-to-reverse-faulted as a result of compressional- contractional tectonic regime accompanied by mostly calc-alkaline volcanic activity, whereas Middle Pliocene-Quaternary sequences, which rest with angular unconformity on the pre-Middle Pliocene rocks, are nearly flat-lying and dominated by strike-slip faulting accompanied by mostly alkali volcanic activity implying an inversion in tectonic regime. The strike-slip faults cut and displace dykes, reverse to thrust faults and fold axes of Late Miocene age up to maximum 7 km: hence these faults are younger than Late Miocene, i.e., these formed after Late Miocene. Therefore, the time period between late Serravalian (~ 12 Ma) continent-continent collision of Arabian and Eurasian plates and the late Early Pliocene inversion in both the tectonic regime, basin type and deformation pattern (from folding and thrusting to strike-slip faulting) is here termed as the Transitional period.Orientation patterns of various neotectonic structures and focal mechanism solutions of recent earthquakes that occurred in the east Anatolian plateau and the Caucasus fit well with the N-S directed intracontinental convergence between the Arabian plate in the south and the Eurasian plate in the north lasting since Late Miocene or Early Pliocene in places. © 2001 Éditions scientifiques et médicales Elsevier SAS 相似文献