FOCAL MECHANISM AND SEISMOGENIC STRUCTURE OF THE M5.0 YUEXI EARTHQUAKE ON 1 OCT. 2014, SOUTHWESTERN CHINA |
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| Authors: | YI Gui-xi LONG Feng ZHAO Min GONG Yue ZHANG Zhi-wei QIAO Hui-zhen |
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| Institution: | 1. Sichuan Earthquake Administration, Chengdu 610041, China;
2. Sichuan Seistech Corporation Ltd., Chengdu 610041, China |
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| Abstract: | The Oct.1,2014 M5.0 Yuexi earthquake occurred on the Daliang Shan fault zone where only several historical moderate earthquakes were recorded.Based on the waveform data from Sichuan regional seismic network,we calculated the focal mechanism solution and centroid depth of the M5.0 Yuexi earthquake by CAP (Cut and Paste) waveform inversion method,and preliminarily analyzed the seismogenic structure.We also calculated the apparent stress values of the M5.0 earthquake and other 14 ML≥4.0 events along the Shimian-Qiaojia fault segment of the eastern boundary of the Sichuan-Yunnan block.The result indicates that the parameters of the focal mechanism solution are with a strike of 256°,dip of 62°,and slip of 167° for the nodal plane Ⅰ,and strike of 352°,dip of 79°,and slip of 29° for the nodal plane Ⅱ.The azimuth of the P axis is 121° with dip angle of 11°,the azimuth of T axis is 217° with dip angle of 28°,and the centroid depth is about 11km,and moment magnitude is MW5.1.According to the focal mechanism solution and the fault geometry near the epicenter,we infer that the seismogenic fault is a branch fault,i.e.,the Puxiong Fault,along the central segment of the Daliang Shan fault zone.Thus,the nodal plane Ⅱ was interpreted as the coseismic rupture plane.The M5.0 Yuexi earthquake is a strike-slip faulting event with an oblique component.The above findings reveal the M5.0 Yuexi earthquake resulted from the left-lateral strike-slip faulting of the NNW Dalang Shan fault zone under the nearly horizontal principal compressive stress regime in an NWW-SEE direction.The apparent stress value of the Yuexi earthquake is 0.99MPa,higher than those of the ML ≥ 4.0 earthquakes along the eastern boundary of the Sichuan-Yunnan block since 2008 Wenchuan M8.0 earthquake,implying a relatively high stress level on the seismogenic area and greater potential for the moderate and strong earthquake occurrence.It may also reflect the current increasing stress level of the entire area along the eastern boundary,and therefore,posing the risk of strong earthquakes there. |
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| Keywords: | M5 0 Yuexi earthquake focal mechanism seismogenic structure Daliang Shan fault zone apparent stress |
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