The Sichuan-Yunnan region is located in the southeastern part of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau. Because of the compression and collision dynamics of the Indian Plate and the Eurasian Plate, the tectonic deformation is strong and seismic activities occur frequently. There have been many earthquakes above magnitude 7.0 in history. A series of active fault zones have developed in the region, among which the Sichuan-Yunnan rhombus block bounded by multiple active faults has attracted great research interests in recent years. The Longpan-Qiaohou fault zone is a boundary fault of the Sichuan-Yunnan rhombus block. The fault zone starts from Longpan in the north, passes through Jiuhe, Jianchuan, and Shaxi in the south, and ends at Qiaohou. It is about 120km long and the fault trend is 15°~20°. This fault zone is large in scale and highly active, with frequent seismic activity, complex mechanical properties, and variable movement patterns. The Mesozoic movement was intense. In the early Cenozoic, compression-thrust movement was dominant, and in the late Cenozoic, tension-strike movement was dominant. Since the Holocene, the fault zone has been characterized by left-lateral strike-slip movement with normal faulting properties, and earthquakes of magnitude 5 or above have occurred many times. Therefore, studying the activity of this fault zone is of great significance for the prediction and evaluation of regional strong earthquake risk. Thick calcite veins are well developed on the Henancun Fault of the Jianchuan section of the Longpan-Qiaohou fault zone, providing very valuable materials for fault dating. Calcite veins are coseismic rapid precipitation formed during seismic activity or syntectonic precipitation that filled along fractures after seismic activity. Therefore, their ages represent the latest time at which seismic activity occurred. Previous studies have shown that tensional fissures formed during coseismic events can close in a short period of time(days to months), suggesting that the filling of calcite veins within fault fissures is a relatively rapid process. This paper uses the ESR method to conduct dating study on the calcite veins in the study area. The results show that the ages of the four calcite veins(HNC-ESR01, HNC-ESR02, HNC-ESR03 and HNC-ESR04) are: (7.1±0.8)ka, (7.1±0.9)ka, (7.3±1.7)ka and (6.9±1.5)ka, respectively. The age results are concentrated, and the average age is(7.1±1.3)ka, indicating that the fault was active no later than(7.1±1.3)ka. The age results are consistent within the error range with the second paleoseismic event time revealed by trenching work in the area(between(6 130±30)a BP and(6 320±40)a BP), indicating that the dating of ESR in the fault zone is an effective dating method for the study of active tectonics and paleo-earthquakes. It is an effective chronological method for research, but it can be seen that compared with 14C and luminescence dating, the error of ESR results is relatively large. For faults with short earthquake recurrence intervals, it is still very challenging to accurately judge their activity. In the follow-up work, it is necessary to further improve the experimental process and reduce experimental errors, including refinement of sample pretreatment, accurate monitoring of irradiation dose, and accurate calculation of dose rate. In addition, by using five fitting functions(LIN, SSE, DSE, EXP+LIN and Dgamma)to calculate the equivalent dose values of calcite vein samples in this study, we found that the SSE function is capable of providing the best fitting effect.
The relationship between large-scale landslides and active faults has attracted much attention. From the point of view of active tectonics and disaster geology, the late Quaternary activity of the Jinsha River fault zone is investigated and studied, and the relationship between large-scale landslides and activity of the Jinsha River fault zone is emphatically analyzed. The Jinsha River fault zone was formed during the closure of the Paleotethys Ocean. According to the distribution of the 5km-wide ophiolitic melange zone, the ultramafic rock zone, and the local migmatization and progressive metamorphism around the Variscan intermediate acid intrusive rock mass distributed along the fault, it is inferred that the fault zone was once a strongly active superlithospheric fault zone with obvious compressive properties. The Jinsha River fault zone is a large-scale, long-term active suture structure, with many branches, forming a 50km wide structural fracture zone. Affected by the eastward compression of the Tibet Plateau, it has changed into a strike-slip fault zone characterized by dextral shear since Pliocene. In the study area, the fault landforms are clear along the Zengdatong, Xulong, Nizhong, Lifu-riyu, Langzhong and Guxue faults, which are mainly manifested as straight fault trough, linear ridge, fault scarp, and directional aligned fault facets. Results of field geological and geomorphological investigation and chronology show that the late Pleistocene and Holocene deposits are faulted, indicating the faults are active during the late Quaternary and dominated by dextral strike-slip with an average horizontal slip rate of 3.5~4.3mm/a in Holocene. The study area is located in the middle and north of the world-famous Jinsha River suture of the north-south structural belt in Sichuan, Yunnan and Tibet, and the geological structural conditions are very complex. The main structural line is distributed in NS direction, interwoven with NE and NW faults and fold axes in network shape, and the structure is complex. Strong neotectonic movement, huge topographic elevation difference, steep mountains, dry-hot valleys microclimate and other factors have caused serious internal dynamic geological disasters on both banks of Jinsha River. The landslide in the area has the characteristics of high frequency, large scale and serious damage. There are 23 large-scale and super large-scale landslides in the main stream and its tributaries of Jinsha River within the 38km-long section from Narong to Rongxue. Most of them are super large-scale landslides with a volume of more than 10 million cubic meters, even have a volume of more than 100 million cubic meters. Most of the landslides are located within 1km on both sides of faults, and many of them are developed on the fault zone. The occurrence of these large-scale landslides is closely related to the long-term activity, evolution history and complex structure of Jinsha River fault zone along the river, as a result, the rock mass structure gets fragmented and the continuous tectonic activity becomes the main cause of landslides. Active faulting is the fundamental controlling factor for the occurrence of large landslides along the river, especially for large landslides, and is an important internal dynamic condition for the formation of landslides. Further analysis of the fault structure shows that landslide is closely related to the movement evolution history of Jinsha River fault zone. Special structural combination parts(mechanical mechanism)such as closely adjacent faults, acute angle area of fault intersection, right turning parts of the faults and the intersection area between the main faults and the transverse faults are the key sites where the tectonic stress is easy to concentrate, thus conducive to generating large-scale landslides. Many large landslides occur in these structural parts. The controlling effect of active faults on landslides is not only embodied in the process of large earthquakes, but also can lead to the intensive occurrence of large and super large landslides in a natural state(non seismic action). This research has positive scientific significance for understanding the formation mechanism and development law of landslides on both sides of Jinsha River, and for understanding the relationship between fault activities and large landslides.
The Weixi-Qiaohou Fault is located in the west boundary of Sichuan-Yunnan rhombic block, and also the north extension segment of active Red River fault zone. Strengthening the research on the late Quaternary activity of Weixi-Qiaohou Fault is of great theoretical and practical significance for further understanding the seismogeological background in northwest Yunnan and the structural deformation mechanism of the boundary of Sichuan-Yunnan block. Based on the 1︰50 000 active fault mapping and the research results of the National Natural Science Fund project, this paper mainly elaborates the latest active times of the fault and paleoseismic events along it revealed by exploration trenches at Matoushui, Shiyan, and Yushichang. Matoushui trench revealed three faults developed in late Pleistocene and Holocene pluvial fan accumulation, and the latest ages of faulted strata are(638±40)a BP and(1 335±23)a BP, respectively. The Shiyan trench revealed six faults, three in the western section and three in the eastern section. The three faults in the western section dislocated the late Pleistocene and Holocene accumulation, and the 14C ages of the latest faulted strata are(4 383±60)a BP, (4 337±52)a BP and(4 274±70)a BP, respectively; the other three faults revealed in the eastern part of the trench offset the Holocene fluvial facies accumulation, the 14C age of the latest faulted strata in the footwall of the main fault is(9 049±30)a BP, and the 14C ages of two sets of faulted sag pond deposits in the hanging wall are(1 473±41)a BP and(133±79)a BP, separately. Five active faults are revealed in Yushichang trench. Among them, the F1 and F2 dislocated the gray-white gravelly clay layer and the black peat soil layer. The 14C age of the gray-white gravelly clay layer is(1 490±30)a BP, and 14C ages of the upper and lower part of the black peat soil layer are(1 390±30)a BP and(1 190±30)a BP, respectively. The F3 and F4 faults offset the gray-white gravelly clay layer, the black peat soil layer and the brown yellow sand bearing clay, and the OSL age of brown yellow sand bearing clay is(0.6±0.2)ka. The F5 fault dislocated the gray-white gravelly clay layer, its 14C age is(1 490±30)a BP. According to the relationship between strata and the analysis of dating data, the Yushichang trench revealed two seismic events, the first one occurred at(1 490±30)~(1 390±30)a BP, as typified by the faulting of F5, the second paleoseismic event is represented by the faulting of F1, F2, F3 and F4.The F1 and F2 faulted the gray-white gravelly clay layer and the black peat soil. Fault F3 and F4 dislocated the gravelly clay, the peat soil and the sandy clay, and a seismic wedge is developed between fault F3 and F4, which is filled with the brownish yellow sandy clay. The OSL dating result of the brownish yellow sandy clay layer is(0.6±0.2)ka. Judging from the contact relationship between strata and faults, F3 and F4may also faulted the upper brownish yellow sandy clay layer, but the layer was eroded due to later denudation. Therefore, fault F1, F2, F3 and F4 represent the second event. Combined with the analysis of fault scarps with a height of 2~2.5m and clear valley landform in the slope near the fault, it is estimated that the time of the second paleoearthquake event is about 600 years ago, and the magnitude could reach 7. The trench at Gaichang reveals that the seismic wedge, soft sedimentary structure deformation and the medium fine sand uplift(sand vein)and other ancient seismic phenomena are well developed near the fault scarp. All these phenomena are just developed below the fault scarp. The vertical dislocation of the strata on both sides of the seismic wedge is 35cm, and 14C ages of the misinterpreted peat clay are(36 900±350)a BP and(28 330±160)a BP, respectively, so, the occurrence time of this earthquake event is estimated to be about 28 000a BP. If the fault scarp with a height of 2m was formed during this ancient earthquake, and considering the 0.35m vertical offset revealed by the trench, the magnitude of this ancient earthquake could reach 7.The Matoushui trench revealed three faults, which not only indicated the obvious activity of the faults in late Pleistocene to Holocene, but also revealed two paleoseismic events. Among them, the OSL age of the faulted sand layer by fault F1 is(21.54±1.33)ka, which represents a paleoearthquake event of 20 000 years ago. The faulted strata by fault F2 and F3 are similar, which represent another earthquake event. The 14C dating results show that the age of the latest faulted strata is(638±40)Cal a BP, accordingly, it is estimated that the second earthquake time is about 600 years ago. A clear and straight fault trough with a width of several ten meters and a length of 4km is developed from Meiciping to Matoushui. Within the fault trough, there are fault scarps with different heights and good continuity, the height of which is generally 3~5m, the lowest is 2~3m, and the highest is 8~10m. Tracing south along this line, the eastern margin of Yueliangping Basin shows a fault scarp about 5m high. After that, it extends to Luoguoqing, and again appears as a straight and clear fault scarp several meters high. In addition, in the 2km long foothills between Hongxing and Luoguoping, there are huge rolling stones with diameters of 2~5m scattered everywhere, the maximum diameter of which is about 10m, implying a huge earthquake collapse occurred here. According to the length, height, width and dislocation of the rupture zone, and combined with the experience of Yiliang M≥7 earthquake and Myanmar Dongxu M7.3 earthquake, this earthquake magnitude is considered to be ≥7.
Although the landslides triggered during earthquake events are common phenomena in the southwest China, the occurrence of the Hongshiyan landslide triggered by the MS6.5 Ludian earthquake in 2014 is attractive for its giant volume which exceeds ten million cubic meters. The Hongshiyan landslide formed a quake lake and inundated a village. Based on the geological and geomophological data obtained through the immediate field investigation after the earthquake, we build the Hongshiyan slope model and at the same time, we apply numerical simulation to study the landslide formation. Result indicates that the Hongshiyan slope was at safe conditions with the Factor of safety (Fs) value greater than 1, but the ground seismic motion during the Ludian earthquake lowered its Fs to a value smaller than 1, which resulted in the occurrence of the landslide. Moreover, this study shows that an existing slip surface is important for generating a giant landslide, and steep slopes without existing slip surfaces are likely to generate shallow landslides with normal volumes.
The epicenter region of the Aug. 31 2013 M5.9 earthquake lies near the northwest boundary of the Sichuan-Yunnan rhombic block in the junction area of the three rivers geosynclinal folded system and Songpan-Ganzi geosynclinal folded system. The geological structure of this area is quite complicated, where the near-SN trending Jinshajiang Fault zone and the NW-trending Deqin-Zhongdian-Daju Fault zone converge. The Jinshajiang Fault zone is a large-scale ultra-lithosphere fault zone and an old suture line structure after the closing of the ancient Tethys Sea, which generally consists of 5-6 faults, constituting a 50km wide fault zone, with a long history of geological evolution. Since Cenozoic, the faults are mainly dominated by intense near east-west extrusion, thus, absorb partially the energy of the movement of east Tibet block towards Sichuan and Yunnan block. Therefore, the fault zone is dominated by dextral strike-slip since Pliocene. According to the results of field geological and geomorphic investigations, the late Quaternary activity of Jinshajiang Fault zone is mainly embodied by the Zengdatong Fault, the Lifu-Riyu Fault, the Langzhong Fault and the Guxue Fault, with straight fault troughs, linear ridges, orientated facets in landforms and clear linear features in satellite imagery. These faults are obviously active in late Quaternary, and dominated by dextral strike-slip motion and partially thrust motion, with an average rate of 3.5~4.3mm/a horizontally and 0.9~1.1mm/a vertically, respectively since Holocene. Historically, the October 20, 1923, Batang M 6 (1/2) earthquake occurred near to the fault zone. The Deqin-Zhongdian-Daju Fault is also obviously active in late Quaternary and dominated by dextral strike-slip motion and normal motion, the latest active time is from late-Pleistocene to Holocene with an average rate of 1.7~2.0mm/a horizontally and 0.6~0.7mm/a vertically, respectively. Along the fault, several string-beaded Quaternary basins are developed. The fault has played an obvious control role in the development of the Benzilan Basin, the Zhongdian Basin, the Haba Basin and the Daju Basin, and has a strict control on the boundary of the basins. Historically, several moderate-size earthquakes occurred around the fault, e.g. the 1961 Zhongdian M6.0 earthquake, the 1966 Zhongdian M5.2 earthquake and the 2013 Benzilan M5.9 earthquake, etc. It is an important NW-treading fault developed along the northwestern boundary of the Sichuan and central Yunnan rhombic block, and together with the Jinshajiang Fault, composes up the northwestern boundary of the Sichuan and central Yunnan rhombic block. The Deqin-Zhongdian-Daju Fault is a significant dextral strike-slip fault under the east-west extension of the Qinghai-Tibetan plateau and plays a role of regulating the southeast movement of the plateau substances. The long axis of the intensity distribution of the 2013 Benzialn M5.9 earthquake is NW-directed, consistent with the strike of Deqin-Zhongdian-Daju Fault. According to the focal mechanism solutions, the M5.9 earthquake is of dextral strike-slip with normal faulting, the attitude of the NW nodal plane is consistent with the strike of the fault too, and the seismic rupture is identical to the kinematical characteristic of the fault. The linear distribution of the earthquake-induced landslides and collapse is consistent with the strike of the fault as well. Based on all these features and phenomena, we can conclude that the Deqin-Zhongdian-Daju Fault is the seismogenic fault of the Benilan M5.9 earthquake. The earthquake is closely related to the Deqin-Zhongdian-Daju Fault, but the Jinshajiang fault zone may be also the breeding structure. Based on analysis of the earthquake intensity and frequency, there is the possibility to generate larger earthquake in this area.
The Zhaotong-Ludian Fault zone, composed mainly of three right-step en echelon faults, namely, the Zhaotong-Ludian Fault, the Sayuhe Fault and the Longshu Fault, strikes 40°~60° on the whole, with the Sayuhe Fault and the Longshu Fault dipping SE and the Zhaotong-Ludian Fault dipping NW, and they all together constitute a complicated thrust fault system. Based on years of field investigation results of geology and geomorphography, we elaborate the late Quaternary active features, the geological and geomorphic evidences of the latest activity of the Zhaotong-Ludian Faults. Our observation shows that: the late Cenozoic basins along the Zhaotong-Luian Fault zone are obviously dominated by the fault; there are many neo-active fault landforms, such as, flat and straight fault troughs, directional aligned fault facets and fault scarps, and the upper Pleistocene to Holocene strata are offset by the fault. The fault zone has been active since the late Quaternary. For example, the fault at Daqiaobian dislocated a set of strata of the Pliocene, and middle to upper Pleistocene, with an apparently reverse character. The fault trending NE is developed in the Holocene diluvium with oblique striation on the fault plane at Guangming Village. Deposits with an OSL age of(23.4±1.8)ka BP on T2 terrace of a small river near Beizha town was offset by the fault. There is a fault scarp trending NE 40°, 0.5~2.0m in height, on the first terrace of the Longshu River near the Longshu Village. Several Quaternary faults are revealed by the trench which offset the late Pleistocene to Holocene strata and there are three poleo-earthquake events discovered in the trench. At Yanjiao Village the gravel layer has risen steeply and is aligned in a line because of squeezing effect of the fault; the rivers and ridges nearby are synchronously offset dextrally up to 30~40m. The fault zone is dominated by reverse faulting with a small amount of right-lateral motion. Besides, there are some NW-trending faults interweaving with the NE-trending fault zone, some of which are active since late Quaternary as well, and they are the conjugate structures with the NE-trending faults. Surface deformation, such as NE- and NW-trending ground fissures and reverse scarp landforms, has been generated in the epicenter area of the 2014 Ludian M6.5 earthquake, the distribution of which is in consistence with the NE- and NW-trending faults. Because of far-field deformation response and energy exchange and transfer between blocks, the Liangshan active sub-block formed on the east of the Sichuan-Yunnan block, and the Zhaotong-Ludian Fault zone lies in the forefront of the SE movement of this sub-block. On account of its distinct location and its complicated geometric structure, the Zhaotong-Ludian Fault zone is one of main carriers of the tectonic deformation of the Liangshan active sub-block to absorb and accommodate the strains produced by the block's SE movement, and is the southern boundary of the Liangshan sub-block. From the point of view of the regional tectonic positions and the kinematic characteristics, the relation of Zhaotong-Ludian Fault zone to the Liangshan active sub-block is exactly as the relation of the Longmanshan Faults to Bayan Har block. Consequently, the Zhaotong-Ludian Fault zone has an important significance in the division of active block boundaries and the regional tectonic framework, and meanwhile, it is also an important seismogenic structure in the northeastern Yunnan.
The June 24th 2012 Ninglang-Yanyuan MS 5.7 earthquake happened at 30km northwest of the Lijiang-Xiaojinhe Fault, a region seismically active in history and prone to earthquake in northwestern Yunnan. Tectonics in the earthquake region is complex,where two groups of faults are developed,trending NW and NE,respectively,and distributed in a chessboard pattern. Field survey results reveal that there are the NW-trending Yongning Fault and the NE-trending Rigulu-yanwa Fault developed near the epicenter,both are active in late Pleistocene.The Yongning Fault,composed of Wenquan Fault,Yongning Fault,and Alaao Fault,shows obvious fault landforms and clear linear features on satellite imagery.The fault has played an obvious control role in the development of the Yongning Quaternary Basin and Lugu Lake Basin,with several hot springs developed along the fault. Several tributaries of Qiansuo River run along the fault,and there are dextral displacements observed in many parts of the rivers along the fault,such as between Baqi and Haiyijiao,Shancuo village east of Rigulu. Near Alaao,the fault offset the late Pleistocene deposit on the T2 terrace,and the latest TL age of the offset stratum is (21.19±1.80)ka,indicating it is a normal with dextral strike-slip,late Pleistocene active fault.The Rigulu-Wayan Fault has played a noticeable control role in the development of the Tertiary Basins such as Wayan,Rigulu,and Lijiazui and the Quaternary Basin of Yongning. It offset the mid Pleistocene and the upper Pleistocene strata. Between Zhongwadu and Lijiazui,several streams were synchronously displaced left-laterally. There are obvious signs showing the fault was active in the late Pleistocene,dominated by sinistral strike-slip. According to the focal mechanism solutions,the Ninglang-Yanyuan MS 5.7 earthquake is of normal faulting with dextral strike-slip,the attitude of the NW nodal plane is basically consistent to the Yongning Fault,and the seismic rupture pattern is identical to the kinematical characteristic of Yongning Fault.The major axis of the isoseismals,the linear distribution of intensity Ⅷ anomaly sites and the direction of tectonic ground fissures are all consistent to the strike of Yongning Fault. Through analysis,it is believed that Yongning Fault is the seismogenic fault of Ninglang-Yanyuan MS 5.7 earthquake. Furthermore,the 1996 Lijiang M7.0 earthquake,the 1976 Zhongdian M5.5 earthquake and this M5.7 earthquake all have apparent normal dip-slip component. These earthquakes are located in the periphery of the neo-tectonic uplift of Haba Snow Mountain and Yulong Snow Mountain. Based on analyses of regional topography,the normal faulting in this area is most likely related to the gravitational potential energy resulting from the big topography contrast.
There are evident neotectonic characteristics along the Dayingjiang Fault,with fault landforms developed,such as fault facet,linear ridges,fault troughs etc. ,and clear linear features in satellite images.The Quaternary Basins of Lianghe,Yingjiang,Sanggang and Xipahe are obviously controlled by the fault.Based on field investigation results at home and abroad in recent years,the fault has displaced the Late Pleistocene or Holocene strata,as revealed by the outcrops at Dapingzi,Binghui,Laoxinzhai and Guangyun.At Binghui village,the age of the displaced stratum is(56.56±4.81)ka BP,and on the fault plane,loosely consolidated gouge is developed.The ages of the displaced strata at Laoxinzhai village are(24.80±2.11)ka BP and(28.80±2.45)ka BP.At Xipahe of Myanmar,there is a fault trench developed on T2 terrace,with 500m in length,12~16m in width and 5~8m in depth,and the terrace formation age is(10.13±0.86)ka BP.It means that the latest active time of Dayingjiang Fault is late-Pleistocene to Holocene,and the fault has been dominated by left-lateral slip,with an average left-slip rate of 1.5~2.5mm/a along the northeastern segment and 1.2~1.6mm/a along the southwestern segment.