THE SLIP RATE AND PALEOEARTHQUAKES OF THE YUMEN FAULT IN THE NORTHERN QILIAN MOUNTAINS SINCE THE LATE PLEISTOCENE |
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| Authors: | LI An WANG Xiao-xian ZHANG Shi-min CHEN Zhi-dan LIU Rui ZHAO Jun-xiang L&# Yan-wu |
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| Institution: | The Key Laboratory of Crustal Dynamics, the Institute of Crustal Dynamics, China Earthquake Adiministration, Beijing 100085, China |
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| Abstract: | The Yumen Fault lies on the west segment of the north Qilian Fault belt and adjacent to the Altyn-Tagh Fault,in the north margin of the Tibet Plateau.The tectonic location of the Yumen fault is special,and the fault is the evidence of recent activity of the northward growth of Tibetan plateau.In recent twenty years,many researches show the activity of the Yumen Fault became stronger from the early Pleistocene to the Holocene.Because the Yumen Fault is a new active fault and fold belt in the Qilian orogenic belt in the north margin of the Tibet Plateau,it is important to ascertain its slip rate and the recurrence interval of paleoearthquakes since the Late Pleistocene.Using the satellite image interpretation of the Beida river terrace,the GPS measurement of alluvial fans in front of the Yumen Fault and the trench excavation on the fault scarps,two conclusions are obtained in this paper.(1) The vertical slip rate of the Yumen Fault is about 0.41~0.48mm/a in the Holocene and about 0.24~0.30mm/a in the last stage of the late Pleistocene.(2) Since the Holocene epoch,four paleoearthquakes,which happened respectively in 6.12~10.53ka,3.6~5.38ka,1.64~1.93ka and 0.63~1.64ka,ruptured the surface scarps of the Yumen Fault.Overall,the recurrence interval of the paleoseismic events shortens gradually and the activity of the Yumen Fault becomes stronger since the Holocene.Anther characteristic is that every paleoearthquake probably ruptured multiple fault scarps at the same time. |
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| Keywords: | Qilian Mountains Yumen Fault slip rate paleoearthquake |
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