The Gaoyou-Baoying M_S4.9 earthquake on July 20, 2012 occurred in the Gaoyou Sag in the Subei Basin. This earthquake was a relatively rare medium-strength earthquake in the weak seismicity region of eastern China. Although studies on the seismogenic structure of this earthquake have been conducted previously, the seismogenic structure itself is still under debate and needs to be further studied. This paper uses the methods such as distribution of seismic intensity, precise positioning of earthquake sequence, focal mechanism, regional tectonic stress, seismic exploration, etc. to comprehensively study the seismogenic structure of this earthquake.
The characteristics of earthquake sequence show that the seismic structure is a high dip-angle fault spreading along the NNE direction, dipping ESE. The result of focal mechanism solutions shows that the strike of one of the two nodal planes is NNE, and the fault plane shows high dip angle. The earthquake is mainly characterized by strike-slip motion. Through the seismic exploration lines(GYL1, GYL2)laid at the epicenter area of the earthquake, a fault structure is identified, which strikes nearly NNE and dips near ESE. This fault is located between the Linze sag and the Liubao low uplift, coinciding with the distribution of the Liuling Fault, the boundary fault in the northwest of the Gaoyou Sag, so it can be judged that all the detected breakpoints belong to the Liuling Fault. The “Y-shaped” breakpoints detected by the two seismic exploration lines are characterized by high dip angle. There is a very obvious wave group disorder area at the distance of 6 500~9 000m on the GYL1 seismic exploration line. This area is about 2.5km in width displayed on the post-stack migration profile and shows an uplifting trend. The disordered uplifting of wave group is caused by intrusion of soft material into the structural breakage and weakness, squeezed by horizontal stress. The GYL2 post-stack migration profile shows obvious uplift appearing in the reflection wave group(T_g)on the top of the bedrock. This arc-shaped uplift also reflects the effect of strong compression of horizontal stress.
In order to further discuss the seismogenic structure of the Gaoyou-Baoying M_S4.9 earthquake, we used the focal mechanism data to invert the modern tectonic stress field in the Northern Jiangsu-South Yellow Sea Basin where the earthquake occurred. The maximum principal stress in this area is NE-SW, while the minimum principal stress is NW-SE; both of them are nearly horizontal, and the intermediate principal stress is nearly vertical. According to Zoback's rule for dividing the types of dislocation in the direction of the force axis, the distribution of principal stresses in the Northern Jiangsu-South Yellow Sea Basin is equivalent to a strike-slip dislocation.
To sum up, the stress characteristics reflected by the Liuling Fault are consistent with the horizontal forces on the P-axis and T-axis shown by the focal mechanism solution results, and also consistent with the horizontal state of the stress in the tectonic stress field in this region. The above characteristics indicate that the development of the Liuling Fault is affected and controlled by modern tectonic activities. At the same time, the characteristics of the strike and dip of the seismic fault reflected by the methods of seismic intensity investigation, precise earthquake positioning, focal mechanism solution and seismic exploration, etc. are consistent with each other. Therefore, the occurrence of this earthquake may be the result of continuous stress accumulation and sudden instability and rupture of the NNE-trending Liuling Fault under the long-term compression of the NE-direction principal stress.

The middle-southern segment of the Tan-Lu fault zone and its adjacent area is located in the joint zone of the North China craton and Yangtze craton. It is a natural test ground for studying the problems of intracontinental collision, continental convergence and growth, geodynamics and lithospheric deformation. Although early research involved the central-south section of the Tan-Lu fault zone and its neighboring areas, it is difficult to carry out a detailed discussion on the S-wave velocity and azimuthal anisotropy in the middle and south section of the Tan-Lu fault zone and its adjacent areas, due to different research purposes and objects, the limitation in selecting research scope or the lack of resolution.
To obtain more detailed crust-mantle velocity structure and azimuthal anisotropy distribution characteristics in the study area, this paper uses waveform data recorded by 261 fixed wideband seismic stations in the middle-southern segment of the Tan-Lu fault zone and its adjacent zone for two consecutive years. The phase velocity dispersion curve of Rayleigh surface wave with 5~50s period was extracted by time-frequency analysis. Then, the study area was divided into 0.25°×0.25°grids, and the two-dimensional Rayleigh phase velocity and azimuthal anisotropy distribution image in the area was retrieved using the Tarantola method.
The phase velocity and azimuthal anisotropy distribution images of 6 representative periods were analyzed. These images reveal the lateral heterogeneity of the crust-mantle velocity structure and spatial differences in azimuthal anisotropy in the middle-southern segment of the Tan-Lu Fault and its adjacent areas. The results show that the distribution characteristics of phase velocity have a good correspondence with geological tectonic units. In the shallow part of the earth's crust, the basins covered by thick unconsolidated sedimentary layers and the bedrock exposed orogenic belts show low and high velocity anomalies, respectively. With the increase of the period(15~20s), the influence of the shallow sedimentary layer is weakened, and the high-speed anomaly appears in some plain areas such as the Hehuai Basin and Subei Basin. The distribution of phase velocity in the lower crust and upper mantle(25~30s)is affected by the thickness of the crust, which is inversely related to the burial depth of Moho surface. For example, the Dabie orogenic belt with a thickness of 40km changes from a short period high-speed to a low-speed distribution.
Due to the differences in the tectonic environment of each geological structural unit in the study area, the azimuthal anisotropy of Rayleigh waves has obvious spatial differences. In general, the strength of anisotropy increases with increasing period(depth), and the direction of fast wave is more regular and followable. Based on the consistent distribution of low velocity and azimuthal anisotropy from the shallow crust to the lithospheric mantle in the Subei Basin, we believe that there may be a strong crust-mantle coupling phenomenon. The results obtained by different seismic anisotropy observation methods are different manifestations of anisotropy. However, due to the one-sided and low-resolution problems of single observation method, it is necessary to carry out joint inversion or comprehensive multiple observation methods.

The Tan-Lu fault zone is the largest active tectonic zone in eastern China, with a complex history of formation and evolution, and it has a very important control effect on the regional structure, magmatic activity, the formation and distribution of mineral resources and modern seismic activity in eastern China. Xinyi City has a very important position as a segmental node in the Shandong and Suwan sections of the Tan-Lu fault zone. Predecessors have conducted research on the spatial distribution, occurrence and activity characteristics of the shallow crustal faults in the Suqian section of the Tan-Lu belt, and have obtained some new scientific understandings and results. However, due to different research objectives or limitations of research methods, previous researches have either focused on the deep crustal structure, or targeted on the Suqian section or other regions. However, the structural style and deep-shallow structural association characteristics of Xinyi section of Tan-Lu belt have not been well illustrated, nor its activity and spatial distribution have been systematically studied. In order to investigate the shallow crustal structure features, the fault activities, the spatial distribution and the relationship between deep and shallow structures of the Xinyi section of the Tan-Lu Fault, we used a method combining mid-deep/shallow seismic reflection exploration and first-break wave imaging. Firstly, a mid-deep seismic reflection profile with a length of 33km and a coverage number greater than 30 was completed in the south of Xinyi City. At the same time, using the first arrival wave on the common shot record, the tomographic study of the shallow crust structure was carried out. Secondly, three shallow seismic reflection profiles and one refraction tomography profile with high resolution across faults were presented. The results show that the Xinyi section of Tan-Lu fault zone is a fault zone composed of five concealed main faults, with a structural pattern of “two grabens sandwiched by a barrier”. The five main faults reveal more clearly the structural style of “one base between two cuts” of the Tan-Lu fault zone. From west to east, the distribution is as follows: on the west side, there are two high-angle faults, F₄ and F₃, with a slot-shaped fault block falling in the middle, forming the western graben. In the middle, F₃ and F₂, two normal faults with opposite dip directions, are bounded and the middle discontinuity disk rises relatively to form a barrier. On the east side, F₂ and F₁, two conjugate high-angle faults, constitute the eastern graben. The mid-deep and shallow seismic reflection profiles indicate that the main faults of the Xinyi section of Tan-Lu fault zone have a consistent upper-lower relationship and obvious Quaternary activities, which play a significant role in controlling the characteristics of graben-barrier structure and thickness of Cenozoic strata. The shape of the reflective interface of the stratum and the characteristics of the shallow part of the fault revealed by shallow seismic reflection profiles are clear. The Mohe-Lingcheng Fault, Xinyi-Xindian Fault, Malingshan-Chonggangshan Fault and Shanzuokou-Sihong Fault not only broke the top surface of the bedrock, but also are hidden active faults since Quaternary, especially the Malingshan-Chonggangshan Fault which shows strong activity characteristics of Holocene. The results of this paper provide a seismological basis for an in-depth understanding of the deep dynamics process of Xinyi City and its surrounding areas, and for studying the deep-shallow tectonic association and its activity in the the Xinyi section of the Tan-Lu Fault.

The NE-trending regional deep fault, i.e. the Jintan-Rugao Fault, is a boundary fault between the Subei depression and Nantong uplift, and its research has always received broad attention because of its importance and complexity. For the absence of definite proof, there is little consensus regarding the structure and spatial distribution of the fault among geoscientists, and its latest active time is ambiguous. The study of Quaternary activity characteristics of the Jintan-Rugao Fault is of great significance for earthquake trend prediction and engineering safety evaluation, and for earthquake prevention and disaster reduction in Jiangsu Province. In order to investigate the spatial location, characteristics and tectonic features and redefine the activity of the NE-segment of the Jintan-Rugao Fault, and on the basis of likely location and marker beds derived from petroleum seismic exploration sections, we collect and arrange 4 shallow seismic exploration profiles crossing the fault to conduct high-resolution seismic reflection imaging, following the working concept of ‘from known to unknown, from deep to shallow’. In this study, an observation system with trace intervals of 4~6m, shot intervals of 12~18m, and channels of 90~256 and 15~36 folds is used. In addition, by introducing different tonnage vibroseis to suppress the background noise, the raw data with high SNR(signal-noise ratio)can be obtained. By using the above working method and spread geometry, we obtained clear imaging results of the subsurface structure and fault structure in the coverage area of the survey lines. This exploration research accurately locates the NE-segment of Jintan-Rugao Fault, and further shows that it is not a single fault but a fault zone consisting of two normal faults with N-dipping and NE-striking within the effective detection depth. The shallow seismic profiles reveal that the up-breakpoint on the south branch with stronger activity is at depth of 235~243m, which offsets the lower strata of lower Pleistocene. Combining drilling data around the survey lines, we infer the activity time of this fault is early Pleistocene. The results of this paper provide reliable seismological data for determining the location and activity evaluation of the NE-segment of Jintan-Rugao Fault. In eastern China, where the sedimentary layer is thicker, the latest active age of faults can not be determined entirely according to the latest faulted strata. For a fault passing through the thicker area of new deposits, its latest active age should be based on the tectonic background, seismic activity, present tectonic stress field, topographic deformation, structural micro-geomorphological characteristics, sedimentary thickness of new strata, controlling effect of faults on new strata and the latest strata of faults, and combined with upper breakpoints, morphology, structure and occurrence of faults, the active state of the target concealed faults should be analyzed. If the activity of the fault is judged only by the upper faulted point, it may lead to overestimating the age of the fault activity.

Anqiu-Juxian Fault is an important fault in the Tanlu fault zone, with the largest seismic risk, the most recent activity date and the most obvious surface traces. It is also the seismogenic fault of the Tancheng M8 1/2 earthquake in 1668. There are many different views about the southern termination location of surface rupture of the Tancheng earthquake and the Holocene activity in Jiangsu segment of this fault. Research on the latest activity time of the Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault, particularly the termination location of surface rupture of the Tancheng earthquake, is of great significance to the assessment of its earthquake potential and seismic risk.
Based on trench excavation on the Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault, we discuss the time and characteristics of its latest activity. Multiple geological sections from southern Maling Mountain to Chonggang Mountain indicate that there was an ancient seismic event occurring in Holocene on the Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault. We suggest the time of the latest seismic event is about(4.853±0.012)~(2.92±0.3)ka BP by dating results. The latest activity is characterized by thrust strike-slip faulting, with the maximum displacement of 1m. Combined with the fault rupture characteristics of each section, it is inferred that only one large-scale paleo-earthquake event occurred on the Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault since the Holocene.
The upper parts of the fault are covered by horizontal sand layers, not only on the trench in the west of Chonggang mountain but also on the trench in Hehuan Road in Suqian city, which indicates that the main part of the Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault was probably not the surface rupture zone of the 1668 Tancheng M8 1/2 earthquake.
In short, the Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault has experienced many paleo-earthquake events since the late Pleistocene, with obvious activity during the Holocene. The seismic activities of the Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault have the characteristics of large magnitude and low frequency. The Jiangsu segment of Anqiu-Juxian Fault has the deep tectonic and seismic-geological backgrounds of big earthquakes generation and should be highly valued by scientists.