On 16th September 2013, an M5.1 earthquake occurred in Badong County, Hubei Province, which is the biggest one since the first water impounding in 2003 in the head region of the Three Gorges Reservoir area. The crustal velocity information is needed to determine the earthquake location and focal mechanism. By comparison, the 1-D velocity structure model from Zhao was adopted in this study. Double difference location method was applied to determine the precise locations of the M5.1 earthquake sequence. Relocation results show that the dominant distribution of this sequence is along NEE direction. In order to understand its seismogenic structure, focal depth profiles were made. Profile AA' was along the sequence distribution, and the earthquake sequence extended about 12km. Focal depth of mainshock is deeper than that of aftershocks, and earthquake rupture propagated laterally southwestward. The seismic profile BB' and CC' were perpendicular to profile AA', which represent the dip direction. Both profiles show that the focal depth becomes deeper toward southeast, and dip angle is about 50°. It means that the possible seismogenic fault strikes NEE and dips southeast. Focal mechanism could provide more information for judging the seismogenic structures. Many methods could obtain the focal mechanism, such as P-wave first motion method, CAP method, and some other moment tensor methods. In this paper, moment tensor inversion program made by Yagi Y is adopted. 12 regional seismic stations ranging from 100~400km are picked up, and before the inversion, we removed the mean and trend. The seismic waveforms were band pass filtered between 0.05 and 0.2Hz, and then integrated into displacement. Green's functions were calculated using the discrete wavenumber method developed by Kohketsu. The focal mechanism of the M5.1 mainshock manifests that the NEE-striking fault plane probably is the possible seismogenic fault, which is consistent with the analysis of focal depth profiles. The focal mechanisms of the ML≥2.0 aftershocks are retrieved by P-wave first motion method, and the nodal plane I is in accordance with the earthquake sequence distribution and the fault plane of the mainshock. FMSI program was adopted to inverse the stress field in the earthquake area, and the results show that the earthquake sequence is under the control of the regional stress field. The earthquake sequence occurred on the stage of slow water unloading, and ETAS model was introduced to testify the influences of water level fluctuations on earthquakes. The results denote that the reservoir played a triggering role in the earthquake, however, the NEE-striking seismogenic fault is the controlling factor.
On 27th and 30th March 2014, an M4.2 and M4.5 earthquake sequence occurred in Zigui County, Hubei Province, and the earthquake sequence type is double seismic type. The two earthquake sequences occurred at the water unloading stage of the 175m trial impounding, and G-R relations showed the similar characteristics with that of the tectonic earthquakes. In order to verify the influences of dam reservoir on earthquake triggering, ETAS model was introduced, the results showed that the slow water level changes had little impact on the occurrence of earthquake. Double difference precision relocation results indicated that the two earthquake sequences occurred at the intersection part of a NE-striking fault and the NNW-striking Xiannvshan Fault, and the preferred direction of aftershock distribution was separately NE and NNW. Moment tensor inversion method and P wave initial motion method were used to determine the focal mechanisms of the two earthquakes, and the results indicated that the two earthquakes were controlled by the regional tectonic stress field and were of reverse-slip type. Comprehensive analysis showed that the M4.2 earthquake was caused by a small-scale fault striking NE with a big dip angle. From the hypocenter profile, it can be seen that the M4.2 earthquake sequence was restrained by an east-dip fault, and the M4.5 earthquake sequence was the product under the conjugate action of the NE-striking fault and the NNW-striking Xiannvshan fault.
Ruichang-Yangxin earthquake is another moderate-size earthquake in the Yangxin-Jiujiang area since the M5.7 Jiujiang-Ruichang earthquake in 2005.In order to have a better understanding of the seismic activities in this area,we investigate the moment tensor solution and the seismogenic structure of Ruichang-Yangxin earthquake. Precise earthquake relocation shows that the main shock occurred on the southwestern part of the NE-trending fault and aftershocks are distributed along both NNE and NW directions. By comprehensive analysis of the earthquake distribution,isoseismal features,focal mechanism,and regional structure characteristics,it is inferred that the this earthquake is caused by the southern segment of the NNE-trending Tanlu Fault(TLF).In addition,it has close relationship with the conjugated NW-trending fault as well.