The fault will experience different stress states in the process from compression to final rupture(earthquake outbreak). Researchers have defined the fault in meta-instability stage as the stress changes from quasi-static release to irreversible quasi-dynamic release. Meta-instability stage is the last stage of instability before earthquake and means earthquake is sure to break out. Various rock deformation experiments in laboratory show that there are observable meta-instability stage and evident synergism activity of physical field. Observing the evolution characteristics and laws of relevant physical parameters is fundamental and helpful for identifying short-term signals indicating earthquakes. In this paper, based on the theoretical characteristics of meta-instability stage obtained in laboratory and the results of repeated absolute and relative gravity measurements in Longmen Mountains area during 1996—2007, we analyze the characteristics of gravity variation in the meta-instable state before the 2008 Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake and propose a basis or method for determining the meta-instability fault using gravity data. The results are as follows:
(1)Gravity field variations of Longmenshan fault zone before the Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake showed a normal-state change during 1996 to 2001, regional anomaly occurred in 2001—2004, then an obvious reverse change appeared in 2004—2007, but the change was small and the faults were in a locking state for a year before the earthquake. The 2008 Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake occurred at the high gravity change belts and the epicenter was located near the zero isoline of the gravity converting from positive value to negative value. The patterns of the gravity variation with time match well with the linear steady-state, the deviation from linear steady-state and the meta-instability state in the process of steady-state loading to instability stage of rock experiments in the laboratory. The dynamic changes of gravity reflect the local gravity anomaly near the epicenter, thus help to judge the instability location.
(2)The time series of gravity variation of some stations adjacent to the epicenter are obtained. Gravity time-series variations are disordered and irregular in the east side of the fault zone near the Sichuan Basin, but increased and decreased simultaneously since 2002 on the west of the fault zone in the observation stations over the Houshan Fault. The 2008 Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake occurred on the Houshan Fault and the distribution of aftershocks was consistent with the strike of the fault. This shows the Houshan Fault is the main instability position of Longmenshan fault zone. The instability of the fault led to the consistent change of the gravity field of the measuring stations in this area. The characteristic of this change satisfies the conditions for determining the degree of synergism which is an indicator for identifying the stress state. Combined with other research results we can confirm that Houshan Fault is in a critical state of meta-instability stage since 2002.
(3)The spatio-temporal variations of gravity in the measuring stations on the west of the Longmenshan fault zone showed a synergism activity process before the 2008 Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake. It began with the gravity rise centered on station 607 and 612 in 2002 and expanded to station 606, 607 and 612 in 2006. Station 606 and 607 are located near Yingxiu Town, closest to the epicenter of Wenchuan earthquake and also in the instability area.
In summary, the retrospective research on the regional gravity field before the 2008 Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake using the meta-instability fault theory indicates that the evolution of the time-varying gravity field corresponds well to the processes of rock deformation and instability in the laboratory experiment, and the time-series variation of gravity stations generally reflects the synergism characteristics of physical field, which is a key indicator to identify a fault in a meta-instable stress state. Seismicity evolution varies in different tectonic positions, so more earthquake cases should be investigated profoundly when we are trying to find the gravity anomaly related to the meta-instability stage. Next, we will carry out a profound study, such as gravity observation and analysis of fixed-point stations, intensive absolute gravity measurement, and research on gravity time series changes of measuring stations near the epicenter before and after strong earthquakes.

The Hutubi M_S6.2 earthquake of December 8, 2016 is a pure thrust event in the northern Tianshan thrust fold belt. The earthquake occurred between the Qigu Fault and the Junggar southern margin fault, which are both thrust faults. Based on mobile gravity measurements from 2013 to 2018 in the northern Tianshan, the gravity net adjustment was accomplished using Urumqi absolute gravity observation point as the datum, and the absolute gravity value of surface observation points were obtained. In order to eliminate the seasonal effect on gravity variation, the paper uses the observation data in May per annual as studying objects and obtains the temporal-spatial dynamic evolution images of gravity field differences in the northern Tianshan at different time scales as well as the time series of gravity variation of some points in the adjacent area of the epicenter. The characteristics of regional gravity variation before and after the Hutubi M_S6.2 earthquake on December 8, 2016 and their relations are analyzed systematically. The results show that: 1)The gravity variations in the study area are dramatic in generally, and the contours of gravity variation are consistent with the main faults basically. There was a four-quadrant distribution near the epicenter before the earthquake, and the Hutubi M_S6.2 earthquake occurred near the center of the four-quadrant distribution and at the turn of the gravity variation contour. The three years' cumulative gravity variation before the earthquake and the gravity variation after the earthquake are inversed, and the variation amplitudes are equivalent, suggesting that the M_S6.2 earthquake has released the stress and the energy accumulated before the earthquake. 2)This paper focuses on the analysis of gravity variation at the observation points on both sides of the Junggar southern margin fault near the epicenter. Regional gravity variation and gravity time series show that gravity variations at the same side of the Junggar southern margin fault are basically consistent, however, gravity variations at the different sides of the Junggar southern margin fault are different from each other obviously, indicating the difference of material migration laws in different structural regions. In addition, the strain energy accumulated in the epicenter is basically released after the earthquake, and the area nearby the epicenter tends to be stable. 3)The Hutubi M_S6.2 earthquake occurred near the center of the four-quadrant and at the turn of the high-gradient zone of gravity variation, reflecting the location of strong earthquake is related to the distribution of four-quadrant of regional gravity variation, the high-gradient zone of regional gravity variation and its turn. It has a unique advantage in determining the location of strong earthquake using gravity variation results. The regional spatial-temporal gravity variation before the earthquake is manifested as a systematic evolution process of “steady state→regional gravity anomaly→four-quadrant distribution→earthquake occurring in the reverse process”. Studying the temporal-spatial evolution characteristics of gravity field before and after Hutubi M_S6.2 earthquake has important practical significance for understanding the occurrence law of large earthquakes and capturing the precursory information of earthquakes.

The location of the buried faults, the fault broken layers and the depth of breakpoints in the Tangshan-Hejian-Cixian seismotectonic zone are not clear. We implemented 4 shallow seismic exploration profiles on the Daming Fault, Cangxi Fault, and Dachengdong Fault. Line DZ1 is located on the Daming Fault in the southeast of Daming County. Five breakpoints were dectectd, which are all normal faults, with depths of 95~125m and displacements about 6~12m, offsetting late Pleistocene but not the Holocene. Line DZ2 is located in the east of Xianxian County to dectect the Cangxi Fault. Three breakpoints were detected, all are normal faults, with depths of 170~190m and displacements about 7~10m. The upper breakpoints of the three faults cut the middle Pleistocene. The lines DZ3 and DZ4 are located in the west of Litan Town, Dacheng County. Four breakpoints were detected, with the upper breakpoint depth of 120~130m and displacements about 5~15m. They are all normal faults, and the upper breakpoints of the faults cut the Pleistocene strata.
The result of the exploration of Cixian-Daming Fault is not consistent with the buried depth 1 200m proposed by XU Hua-ming. It is proved that the activity of the fault is also consistent with the overall activity of the Cixian-Daming Fault, which is an active fault since late Pleistocene.
The Dachengdong Fault and Cangxi Fault offset the middle Pleistocene strata. Although the late Pleistocene active faults are generally defined as active faults in the practice of active tectonics research in China, strong earthquakes in eastern China have shorter recurrence period, and earthquakes of magnitude 6 or so may also occur in some middle Pleistocene active faults.
During the compilation of GB18306-2015 “Seismic ground motion parameter zonation map of China”, there were no late Pleistocene active faults in the M6~6.5 potential source areas in eastern China. Therefore, we believe that the Dachengdong and Cangxi faults still have the ability to generate earthquake of magnitude 6 or so, and the faults have some similarities with the seismogenic structures of Xingtai earthquake swarm. Under the action of the latest tectonic stress field, the “deep faults” tearing ruptured successively and expanded upwards, resulting in stress migration and loading between two neighbouring en-echolon concealed faults, so, the Dachengdong and Cangxi faults are the product of this three-dimensional rupture process. The Dachengdong Fault is a “newly-generated” fault resulting from the tearing rupturing and upward expanding of the pre-existing concealed “deept faults” in the middle and lower curst.

In this study, we described a 14km-long paleoearthquakes surface rupture across the salt flats of western Qaidam Basin, 10km south of the Xorkol segment of the central Altyn Tagh Fault, with satellite images interpretation and field investigation methods. The surface rupture strikes on average about N80°E sub-parallel to the main Altyn Tagh Fault, but is composed of several stepping segments with markedly different strike ranging from 68°N~87°E. The surface rupture is marked by pressure ridges, sub-fault strands, tension-gashes, pull-apart and faulted basins, likely caused by left-lateral strike-slip faulting. More than 30 pressure ridges can be distinguished with various rectangular, elliptical or elongated shapes. Most long axis of the ridges are oblique(90°N~140°E)to, but a few are nearly parallel to the surface rupture strike. The ridge sizes vary also, with heights from 1 to 15m, widths from several to 60m, and lengths from 10 to 100m. The overall size of these pressure ridges is similar to those found along the Altyn Tagh Fault, for instance, south of Pingding Shan or across Xorkol. Right-stepping 0.5~1m-deep gashes or sub-faults, with lengths from a few meters to several hundred meters, are distributed obliquely between ridges at an angle reaching 30°. The sub-faults are characterized with SE or NW facing 0.5~1m-high scarps. Several pull-apart and faulted basins are bounded by faults along the eastern part of the surface rupture. One large pull-apart basins are 6~7m deep and 400m wide. A faulted basin, 80m wide, 500m long and 3m deep, is bounded by 2 left-stepping left-lateral faults and 4 right-stepping normal faults. Two to three m-wide gashes are often seen on pressure ridges, and some ridges are left-laterally faulted and cut into several parts, probably owing to the occurrence of repetitive earthquakes. The OSL dating indicates that the most recent rupture might occur during Holocene.
    Southwestwards the rupture trace disappears a few hundred meters north of a south dipping thrust scarp bounding uplifted and folded Plio-Quaternary sediments to the south. Thrust scarps can be followed southwestward for another 12km and suggest a connection with the south Pingding Shan Fault, a left-lateral splay of the main Altyn Tagh Fault. To the northeast the rupture trace progressively veers to the east and is seen cross-cutting the bajada south of Datonggou Nanshan and merging with active thrusts clearly outlined by south facing cumulative scarps across the fans. The geometry of this strike-slip fault trace and the clear young seismic geomorphology typifies the present and tectonically active link between left-lateral strike-slip faulting and thrusting along the eastern termination of the Altyn Tagh Fault, a process responsible for the growth of the Tibetan plateau at its northeastern margin. The discrete relation between thrusting and strike-slip faulting suggests discontinuous transfer of strain from strike-slip faulting to thrusting and thus stepwise northeastward slip-rate decrease along the Altyn Tagh Fault after each strike-slip/thrust junction.

Since the earthquake of M_L3.8 occurring on October 1, 2013 in Ruishan, Weihai City, Shandong Province, the sequence has lasted for about 4 years(Aug. 31, 2017). Seismicity is enhanced or weakened and fluctuated continuously. More than 13250 aftershocks have been recorded in Shandong Seismic Network. During this period, the significant earthquake events were magnitude 4.2(M_L4.7)on January 7, 4.0(M_L4.5)on April 4, M3.6(M_L 4.1)on September 16 in 2014 and M4.6(M_L5.0)on May 22, 2015. The earthquake of M_L5.0 was the largest one in the Rushan sequence so far. In order to strengthen the monitoring of aftershocks, 18 temporary stations were set up near the epicenter at the end of April, 2014(official recording began on May 7)by Shandong Earthquake Agency, which constitutes an intensified network in Rushan that surrounds the four quadrants of the small earthquake concentration area together with 12 fixed stations nearby, and provides an effective data foundation for the refinement of Rushan earthquake sequence.
The velocity structure offers important information related to earthquake location and the focal medium, providing an important basis for understanding the background and mechanism of the earthquake. In this paper, double-difference tomography method is used to relocate the seismic events recorded by more than six stations of Rushan array from May 7, 2014 to December 31, 2016, and the inversion on the P-wave velocity structure of the focal area is conducted. The Hyposat positioning method is used to relocate the absolute position. Only the stations with the first wave arrival time less than 0.1 second are involved in the location. A total of 14165 seismic records are obtained, which is much larger than that recorded by Shandong Seismic Network during the same period with 7708 earthquakes and 2048 localizable ones. A total of 1410 earthquakes with M_L ≥ 1.0 were selected to participate in the inversion. Precise relocation of 1376 earthquakes is obtained by using double-difference tomography, in which, there are 14318 absolute traveltime P waves and 63162 relative travel time P waves. The epicenters are located in distribution along NWW-SEE toward SEE and tend to WS, forming a seismic belt with the length about 3km and width about 1km. The focal depths are mainly concentrated between 4km and 9km, occurring mainly at the edge of the high velocity body, and gradually dispersing with time. It has obvious temporal and spatial cluster characteristics. Compared with the precise relocation of Shandong network, the accuracy of the positioning of Rushan array is higher. The main reason is that the epicenter of Rushan earthquake swarm is near the seaside, and the fixed stations of Shandong Seismic Network are located on the one side of the epicenter. The nearest three stations(RSH, HAY, WED)from the epicenter are Rushan station with epicentral distance about 13km, the Haiyang station with epicentral distance about 33km, and Wendeng station with epicentral distance about 42km. The epicentral distance of the rest stations are more than 75km. In addition, the magnitude of most earthquakes in Rushan sequence is small. The accuracy of phase identification is relatively limited due to the slightly larger epicentral distance of the station HAY and station WED in Shandong Seismic Network. Furthermore, the one-dimensional velocity model used in network location is simple with only the depth and velocity of Moho surface and Conrad surface. The epicentral distances of the 18 temporary stations in Rushan are less than 10km, and the initial phase is clear. The island station set up on the southeast side and the Haiyangsuo station on the southwest side form a comprehensive package for the epicenter. Compared with the double-difference algorithm method, the double-difference tomography method used in this paper is more accurate for the velocity structure, thus can obtain the optimal relocation result and velocity structure.
the velocity structure shows that there are three distinct regions with different velocities in the vicinity of the focal area. The earthquakes mainly occur in the intersection of the three regions and on the side of the high velocity body. With the increase of depth, P wave velocity increases gradually and there are two distinct velocity changes. The aftershock activities basically occur near the dividing line to the high velocity side. The south side is low velocity abnormal body and the north side is high velocity abnormal body. High velocity body becomes shallower from south to north, which coincides with the tectonic conditions of Rushan. Considering the spatial relationships between the epicenter distribution and the high-low velocity body and different lithology of geological structure, and other factors, it is inferred that the location of the epicenter should be the boundary of two different rock bodies, and there may be a hidden fault in the transition zone between high velocity abnormal body and low velocity abnormal body. The interface position of the high-low velocity body, the concentrating area of the aftershocks, is often the stress concentration zone, the medium is relatively weak, and the intensity is low. There is almost no earthquake in the high velocity abnormal body, and the energy accumulated in the high velocity body is released at the peripheral positions. It can be seen that the existence of the high-low velocity body has a certain control effect on the distribution of the aftershocks.

Many small earthquakes occurred intensively and continuously and formed an earthquake sequence after the M_L3.8 earthquake happened at Rushan County, Shandong Province on October 1, 2013. Up to March, 2017, more than 13 000 events have been recorded, with 3 429 locatable shocks, of which 31 events with M_L ≥ 3.0. This sequence is rarely seen in East China for its extraordinary long duration and the extremely high frequency of aftershocks. To track the developing tendency of the earthquake sequence accurately, 20 temporary seismometers were arranged to monitor the sequence activities around the epicenter of the sequence since May 6, 2014. Firstly, this paper adopts double difference method to relocate the 1 418 earthquakes of M_L ≥ 1.0 recorded by temporary seismometers in the Rushan earthquake sequence (May 7, 2014 to December 31, 2016), the result shows that the Rushan earthquake sequence mainly extends along NWW-SEE and forms a rectangular activity belt of about 4km long and 3km wide. In addition, the seismogenic fault of Rushan earthquake sequence stretches along NWW-SEE with nearly vertical strike-slip movement and a small amount of thrust component. Then we apply the P-wave initial motion and CAP to invert the focal mechanism of earthquakes with M_L ≥ 1.5 in the study area. The earthquakes can be divided into several categories, including 3 normal fault earthquakes (0.9%), 3 normal-slip earthquakes (0.9%), 229 strike-slip earthquakes (65.8%), 18 thrust fault earthquakes (5.2%), 37 thrust-slip earthquakes (10.6%)and 58 undefined (16.6%). Most earthquakes had a strike-slip mechanism in Rushan (65.8%), which is one of the intrinsic characteristics of the stress field. According to the focal mechanism solutions, we further utilized the LSIB method (Linear stress inversion bootstrap)to invert the stress tensor of Rushan area. The result shows that the azimuth and plunge of three principal stress (σ₁, σ₂, σ₃) axes are 25°, 10°; 286°, 45°; 125°, 43°, respectively. Based on the stress field inversion results, we calculated the focal mechanism solutions consistency parameter (θ)and the angle (θ₁)between σ₁ and P axis. The trend lines of θ and θ₁ were relatively stable with small fluctuation near the average line over time. Furthermore, the earthquake sequence can be divided into three stages based on θ and θ₁ values. The first stage is before September 16, 2014, and the variation of the θ and θ₁ values is relatively smooth with short period. All focal mechanism solutions of the three M_L ≥ 3.0 earthquakes exhibited consistence. The second stage started from September 16, 2014 to July 1, 2015, the fluctuation range of θ and θ₁ values is larger than that of the first stage with a relative longer period. The last stage is after July 1, 2015, values of θ and θ₁ gradually changed to a periodic change, three out of the four M_L ≥ 3.0 earthquakes (strike-slip type)displayed a good consistency. Spatially, earthquakes occurred mainly in green, yellow-red regions, and the focal mechanism parameters consistency θ was dominant near the green region (around the average value), which presents a steady state, and the spatial locations are concordant with the distribution of θ value. Moreover, all of M_L ≥ 3.0 earthquakes are located in the transitional region from the mean value to lower value area or region below the mean value area, which also indicates the centralized stress field of the region.

Using the 7 100 absolute first arrivals of P waves and 91 513 relative P arrival times of 726 events at the northeastern margin of the Ordos block since 2009, the 3D fine structure of P wave velocity within the depth of 15km in the crust was inverted by the double difference seismic tomography method. The results show that there exist obvious high-speed continuous bodies in the northwest of the study area, and their lateral areas increase gradually with depth, while the velocity of east and south is relatively low. The velocity inhomogeneity exists and differs at different depths. The lateral differences of velocity are related to seismicity and faults. The 5~15km depth profile shows that earthquakes tend to occur in the area with relatively high velocity or high speed transition zones, which to some extent reflects the fragility of regional crustal media and the strong differential movement of faults in vertical and horizontal directions where the crust body is easy to absorb and store strain energy and generate major earthquakes. A "Y"-shape low-velocity channel is present in the lower crust around Liangcheng, corresponding to the NW-trending Heilaoyao-Shahukou fault set, which may reveal the migration path of the Late Tertiary-Quaternary basalt eruption. The Helingeer M6.2 earthquake in 1976 was related to the formation of the locking section of the thermal welding in this area. The three-dimensional fine structure of P wave velocity presented in this paper provides intuitive seismological evidence for physical and chemical properties of crustal media and the deep tectonic environment of earthquake preparation.

Most of the regions in southeastern China are covered by thick Cenozoic sediments, or are the mountainous areas, so it is difficult to find and locate the active faults using the conventional geologic methods. The precisely relocated background seismicity in the seismically active region can be used to identify the buried active structure. In this paper, we investigated the relationship between regional tectonics and background seismicity, and interpreted the possible buried active faults in southeastern China using the relocated background seismicity. We relocated the background seismicity occurring in the region from 106°E to 122°E and from 22°N to 35°N between 1990 and 2014 using the doubble difference earthquake location algorithm. More than 51000 small earthquakes were relocated. In general, the relocated background seismicity corresponds well to the tectonics, showing the zonation features with typical seismicity pattern in each tectonic regime. It is observed that in the weakly active tectonic regime, the seismicity distributes dispersely or even scarcely, while in the strongly active tectonic region, the seismicity is highly clustered and organized to lineation pattern showing the same direction as the strike of the dominating fault zone. We interpreted the buried active faults using the lineation of seismicity. The inferred active faults are observed in the southeast coast region, the northwest Guangxi Province, the southeast boundary region of the Sichian Basin, and around the Huoshan Fault, many of which were not found by previous studies. The relocated hypocentral depth varies greatly in southeastern China. The shallowest earthquakes between 0 and 15km mainly distribute in the central region, indicating that the brittle deformation process only occurred in the upper crust, while the middle and lower crust are to be half-ductile and ductile deformation. There are earthquakes occurred in lower crust in the southeast coast region. The maximum depths distribute in the southeast boundary region of the Sichuan Basin, some are greater than 40km, indicating that the crust depth is larger than other places and the lower crust still sustains brittle deformation, which corresponds to the lower geothermal value and high crustal strength.

Based on analysis of background of geological tectonic movement and strong earthquake activity, we first obtained the focal mechanism solutions using amplitude ratio and CAP method, then determined the characteristic of average stress field of the study area by inversion of the stress field. On this basis, we selected the source mechanism consistency parameter as the inspection index to obtain the latest changes of stress field in Hetao seismic zone based on its temporal and spatial analysis. Two methods were used in the stress field inversion for comparison and analysis, which are average stress axis tensor and LSIB(Linear stress inversion bootstrap, LSIB). According to the geological tectonic movement and focal mechanism solutions of M_S≥4.0 earthquakes from 1970, we judge that the stress field evolution process of Hetao seismic belt is controlled jointly by vertical difference movement and horizontal shear movement, resulting in that the normal fault and strike-slip fault mechanisms are dominating.Taking into account the station layout of the study area, and in order to ensure the accuracy of calculation, we calculated 224 earthquakes focal mechanism solutions by using amplitude ratio and CAP method, including 164 earthquakes with 2.8≤M_L<3.5, 42 earthquakes with 3.5≤M_L<4.0, and 18 earthquakes with M_L≥4.0; The statistical results on type of focal mechanisms show that, there are 142 strike-slip earthquakes(63.4%), 50 normal fault earthquakes(22.3%)and 32 thrust fault earthquakes(14.3%). In this study period(from 2001 to 2012), most earthquakes had a strike-slip mechanism in Hetao seismic belt, this is one of the inherent characteristics of the stress field.The result of average stress axis tensor and LSIB shows that, the azimuth of maximum compressional stress is 47°～52°, direction is NE-SW; The azimuth of minimum compressional stress is 313°～322°, direction is NW-SE; This indicates that, the stress field characteristics of Hetao seismic belt and its sub-block are not completely consistent. Linhe Basin exhibits coordinated stress field characteristics with Hetao seismic belt, but Hubao Basin exhibits regional differences, direction of compressive stress has clockwise deflection in Baotou area, and the compressive stress direction is NEE. This heteropical character of stress field is also confirmed by horizontal projection distribution of stress axis of historical strong earthquakes and recent moderate and small earthquakes. Since 2003, the temporal sequence curve of consistency parameter of Hetao seismic belt had a downward trend, this change was caused by focal mechanism consistency parameter of Linhe to Wuhai area, which indicates that this structural position is possible to be a priority area for stress accumulation and accelerated release in future.

In this paper, according to the synthetic gravity anomaly of a horizontally infinite cylindrical geologic body, gravity gradient in horizontal direction was calculated by potential field discrete cosine transformation in frequency domain. In the calculation, the minimum curvature method was used to extend edge lines. We found that the gravity gradient field from the potential field transformation was dependable by comparison with synthetic gravity gradient, except the data in the edges. Then, the accumulative horizontal gravity gradients before Lushan M_S7.0 earthquake were calculated for the accumulative gravity anomaly from September 2010 to October 2012. In the north-south direction, gravity gradient in Daofu-Kangding-Shimian and Markang-Lixian-Lushan exhibited a positive high value, and the strike of the high value zone was in line with the strike of Xianshuihe Faults and Markang Faults. In the east-west direction, high value zone was not as obvious as that in the north-south direction. Gravity gradients in the direction along and vertical to the strike of Longmenshan Faults were calculated by the definition of directional derivative. In the along-strike direction, high gravity gradient values appeared in Markang-Lixian areas along Markang Faults and Daofu-Kangding-Shimian areas along Xianshuihe Faults, and extremum appeared in Kangding-Shimian and the area nearby Lixian. In the direction vertical to the strike of Longmenshan fault zone, high gravity gradient values appeared in Lixian-Lushan-Kangding-Shimian areas, and the extremum appeared in the area nearby Kangding. The results indicate that gravity gradient in the direction along and vertical to the strike of faults can better show the relative gravity change on the two sides of faults. Lushan M_S7.0 earthquake is located at the transition zone between the two high value zones of gravity gradient. The total horizontal gravity gradient shows that the location and strike of the high value zone are basically consistent with regional faults, and the extremums of total horizontal gravity gradient appeared nearby Lixian, Kangding and Shimian.

Based on faults surveying and research data in Tianjin area,through studying tectonic structure,Quaternary activity,deep structure,stress and strain fields and seismicity on the Tianjin Fault,the activity and tectonic features of the fault are determined synthetically.Using seismo-geological data,and the historical and moderm seismicity data,the frequency-magnitude relationship model reckoning by 500years is established and the relationship between the upper limit of maximum magnitude M_mu and a_t/b is fit,which is applied to evaluating potential earthquake's maximum magnitude on moderately and weakly active blind faults in the fault sub-areas of the region.Then Poisson probability model is adopted and quantitative parameters such as the maximum magnitude,occurrence probability,recurrence period of the south Tianjin Fault in the coming 50～200 years are calculated.

Through numerous comparison experiments and the correlation analysis at different time scales,the present study tried to get the important basis of statistic significance in aspect of the use of real-time relative changes of MODIS BT combined with field ST measurements from thermal infrared anomalies for directly investigating the short and imminent earthquake-related phenomena.Results of correlation analysis show that:1)Significant correlation exists between brightness temperature,air temperature and ground temperature in the view of the longer cycle time scale(monthly mean),even in the case of short cycle(daily means),where the correlation is significantly lower than that of longer cycle,they still have good correlations;2)The correlation between the mean brightness temperature and the surface temperature increases gradually with the increased pixel size involved.This indicates that the atmospheric and environmental effect on brightness temperature is more obvious for single pixel.Th

In the study of application of MODIS satellite remote sensing data to earthquake prediction,the paper put forward for the first time a quantificational method for the ratio of the pixels with abnormal brightness temperature(BT)increasing and a preliminary scheme for cloud removal.The principle is that firstly,the cloudless data observed by the same satellite at the same period of time but in different days(usually 1 to 3 days)are mosaiched to get high cloudless rate data,and then the brightness temperature variation curve and mean variance of each pixel are calculated with the data from the covered area to determine daily whether the brightness temperature data of the day is normal or not at certain pixel by using twice of the mean variance as criterion.The ratio of the pixels with abnormal BT increasing can be calculated by dividing the total number of abnormal pixels with the total pixels of the whole area.Analysis on a series of recent earthquakes in Taiwan area shows that the ratio of pixels with abnormal BT increasing,which normally undulates around zero,had a sudden jump 1 to 20 days before the medium-strong earthquakes.It is expected that a new method for identifying earthquake auspice could be found through special studies in regions with frequent seismic activity by analyzing the change of ratio of the pixels with abnormal BT increasing from MODIS satellite remote sensing infrared information on which the effect of cloud has been removed to a certain extent.