At 2:04 on May 22, 2021, an earthquake of M7.4 occurred in Maduo County, Golog Prefecture, Qinghai Province, with the focal depth of 17 kilometers, the epicenter at 34.59°N and 98.34°E. This earthquake was the largest after the Wenchuan earthquake in China. The epicenter of the earthquake is 38km away from Maduo county seat and 385km from Xining, the provincial capital. The earthquake caused some houses to collapse and some damage to roads in the epicenter. But due to the sparse population in the epicenter area, the earthquake did not cause casualties.

Seismologist believe that the earthquake is the result of the continuous activity of the boundary fault of the Bayankala block, which is geographically located in the north of the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and is the hub for the transformation of the direction of the crustal movement of the plateau. In recent years, many destructive earthquakes occurred inside the block. This earthquake is another strong earthquake after the M7.1 Yushu earthquake in Qinghai in 2010. According to the analysis of this earthquake briefing, the fault zone that induced this earthquake is speculated to be the Maduo-Gande fault zone or the Kunlun Mountains Pass-Jiangcuo fault zone.

In order to find out which fault is the seismogenic structure and the distribution of the seismogenic structure of this earthquake, we relocated the dense earthquakes by double-difference method based on the data of 1357 aftershocks in the Maduo M7.4 earthquake area recorded by 72 fixed stations of the digital seismic network of Gansu and its adjacent seismic network and 12 portable seismographic stations during the May 22 to May 27, and obtained the source parameters for 1289 earthquakes. The accurately located small earthquakes distribute along both sides of the Kunlun Mountains Pass-Jiangcuo Fault, which is NNW-trending obviously. It shows that the seismogenic structure of this earthquake is the Kunlun Mountains Pass-Jiangcuo Fault, rather than the Maduo Gande Fault as considered previously by some scholars. This is consistent with the research results of surface fracture zone, magnetotelluric detection, InSAR coseismic deformation and relocation of other aftershocks. Most earthquakes distribute at the depth range of 0~15km of the crust after the relocation, and the result shows that the focal depths are more concentrated. The relocation also shows that the east and west ends of the main fault have bifurcations. It may be that the complex stress distribution triggered two new branch faults during the occurrence of the great earthquake, and the overall fault shows a “tree-type” structure. The west branch trends 306°and intersects the main fault at 21°. The east branch is nearly EW trending and connected with the east section of the main fault.

Generally, the earthquakes are closely related to active tectonics, large earthquakes and its aftershocks usually occur on fault zones with obvious activity. The distribution of small earthquakes is related to the complex underground stress state and the complex structure of the fault zone. We can inverse the shapes and positions of the fault planes using spatial distribution of hypocenters of mainshock and the corresponding aftershocks, according to the principle that clustered earthquakes occur near the faults. Six rectangular regions are selected according to the distribution characteristics of relocated aftershocks and by reference to the distribution of geological faults and earthquake rupture zones. We obtained the detailed parameters of fault plane in each region by using the simulated annealing algorithm and the Gauss-Newton algorithm according to the source information after the relocation in 6 rectangular areas. On this condition, rake angle of the fault plane is further inferred from regional tectonic stress parameters. The results show that the main fault is a large, high dip angle, sinistral strike-slip fault with thrust component, striking 285°~290° and about 146km long. It extends from Tanggema Township of Maduo in the southeast(34.49°N, 98.91°E)to Gazejialong Township in the northwest(34.81°N, 97.54°E). The movement characteristics of the newly generated western segment 2 show dextral strike slip and thrust, which is diametrically opposite to that of the main fault. This shows the complexity of the earthquake rupture process, and further research is needed on the tectonic mechanics and deep structures that produce this special rupture.

Compared with the focal mechanism solutions obtained by domestic and foreign authorities, the fault plane parameters obtained in this paper are similar to them, indicating that our conclusions are reliable. Besides, the spatial distribution of inverted fault plane is basically identical to that of the rupture zone derived from post-earthquake investigation in the earthquake area.

Fold scarps, a type of geomorphic scarp developed near the active hinge of active folds due to the local compressive stress, are formed by folding mechanisms of hinge migration or limb rotation. At present, there are several proven methods, which are only based on the fold scarp geometry combined with the occurrences of underlying beds and do not use the subsurface geometry of thrust fault and fold to obtain the folding history. The use of these methods is of great significance to illuminate the seismic hazards and tectonic processes associated with blind thrust systems.
The Sansuchang fold-thrust belt is a fault-propagation anticline controlled by the Sansuchang blind thrust fault located in the southern Longmen Shan foreland area. Previous study used the area-depth method to calculate the shortening history of the Sansuchang anticline since the late Pleistocene(73~93ka)based on the terrace deformation of Qingyijiang River. However, due to the serious erosion damage to the terrace after its formation, the shortening history obtained by incomplete terrace deformation needs to be further verified.
A~9km long scarp was found on the Dansi paleo-alluvial fan on the eastern limb of the Sansuchang fold-thrust belt. According to the detailed field investigation and the fold geometry built by the seismic profile, we found the scarp is near the synclinal hinge, which separates beds dipping 10°~17° and 43°~57° east and parallels with the Sansuchang fold hinge. Therefore, we determined the scarp is a fold scarp formed by the forelimb hinge migration of the fault-propagation fold.
The maximum height of the scarp, extracted by the swath topographic profile across the scarp, is about 28~35m. According to the parameters of the fold scarp height, the underlying beds dip angle near the fold scarp, and the quantitative geometric relationship between shortening and the blind Sansuchang thrust fault, it can be estimated that, after the deposition of the Dansi paleo-pluvial fan((185±19)ka), the anticline forelimb horizontal shortening rate is~0.1mm/a, the fault tip propagation rate of the Sansuchang blind fault is(0.5+0.3/-0.1)mm/a, and the total shortening rate of the Sansuchang anticline is(0.3+0.2/-0.1)mm/a.
The folding rates of the Sansuchang fold-thrust belt since the late middle Pleistocene has been obtained by the local deformation characteristics of the fold scarp in this study. The result is basically consistent with the shortening rate since late Pleistocene obtained by complete terrace deformation across the anticline, which proves that the shortening rate of the Sansuchang anticline is relatively stable at~0.3mm/a. It provides a new idea for studying the activity characteristics of fold-thrust belts in the southern Longmen Shan foreland thrust belt area with a fast denudation rate and discontinuous geomorphic surface.

The Daxing Fault is an important buried fault in the Beijing sub-plain, which is also the boundary fault of the structural unit between Langgu sub-sag and Daxing sub-uplift. So far, there is a lack of data on the shallow tectonic features of the Daxing Fault, especially for the key structural part of its northern section where it joins with the Xiadian Fault. In this paper, the fine stratigraphic classifications and shallow tectonic features of the northern section in the main Daxing Fault are explored by using three NW-trending shallow seismic reflection profiles. These profiles pass through the Daxing earthquake(M6¾)area in 1057AD and the northern section of the main Daxing Fault. The results show that seven strong reflection layers(T₀₁—T₀₃, T_Q and T₁₁—T₁₃)are recognized in the strata of Neogene and Quaternary beneath the investigated area. The largest depth of strong reflection layer(T₁₃)is about 550~850ms, which is interpreted as an important surface of unconformity between Neogene and Paleogene or basement rock. The remaining reflection layers, such as T₀₁ and T_Q, are interpreted as internal interfaces in Neogene to Quaternary strata. There are different rupture surfaces and slip as well as obviously different structural features of the Daxing Fault revealed in three shallow seismic reflection profiles. The two profiles(2-7 and 2-8)show obvious rupture surfaces, which are the expression of Daxing Fault in shallow strata. Along the profile(2-6), which is located at the end of the Daxing fault structure, a triangle deformation zone or bending fracture can be identified, implying that the Daxing Fault is manifested as bending deformation instead of rupture surfaces at its end section. This unique structural feature can be explained by a shearing motion at the end of extensional normal fault. Therefore, the Daxing Fault exhibits obviously different tectonic features of deformation or displacement at different structural locations. The attitude and displacement of the fault at the shallow part are also different to some extent. From the southwest section to the northeast section of the fault, the dip angle gradually becomes gentler(80°~60°), the upper breakpoint becomes deeper(160~600m), and the fault displacement in Neogene to Quaternary strata decreases(80~0m). Three shallow seismic reflection profiles also reveal that the Daxing Fault is a normal fault during Neogene to early Quaternary, and the deformation or displacement caused by the activity of the fault reaches the reflection layer T₀₂. This depth is equivalent to the sedimentary strata of late Early-Pleistocene. Therefore, the geometry and morphology of the Daxing Fault also reveal that the early normal fault activity has continued into the Early Pleistocene, but the evidence of activity is not obvious since the late Pleistocene. The earthquakes occurring along the Daxing Fault, such as Daxing earthquake(M6¾)in 1057AD, may not have much relation with this extensional normal fault, but with another new strike-slip fault. A series of focal mechanism solutions of modern earthquakes reveal that the seismic activity is closely related to the strike-slip fault. The Daxing Fault extends also downwards into the lower crust, and may be cut by the steeply dipping new Xiadian Fault on deep seismic reflection profile. The northern section of the Daxing Fault strikes NNE, with a length of about 23km, arranged in a right step pattern with the Xiadian Fault. Transrotational basins have been developed in the junction between the northern Daxing Fault and the southern Xiadian Fault. Such combined tectonic features of the Daxing Fault and Xiadian Fault evolute independently under the extensional structure background and control the development of the Langgu sub-sag and Dachang sub-sag, respectively.

The giant sinistral Altyn Tagh Fault(ATF)is the northern boundary of the Tibetan Plateau. It has been playing important role in adjusting the India-Eurasia collision and the tectonic evolution of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau. Knowledge of the evolution of the ATF can provide comprehensive understanding of the processes and mechanisms of the deformation of the Tibetan Plateau. However, its timing of commencement, amount of displacement and strike-slip rate, as well as the tectonic evolution of the region are still under debate. South of the ATF, there exist a series of oroclinal-like arcuate structures. Knowledge of whether these curved geometries represent original curvatures or the bending of originally straight/aligned geological units has significant tectonic implications for the evolution of the ATF. The Yingxiongling arcuate belt in the western Qaidam Basin and the northern Qaidam marginal thrust belt(NQMTB)north of the Qaidam Basin are the two typical arcuate thrust belts, where the former has a "7-types" structure, and the latter has a reverse "S-type" structure. Successive Cenozoic sediments are well exposed and magnetostratigraphically dated in both belts.
Paleomagnetic declination has great advantage to reveal vertical-axis rotations of geological bodies since they become magnetized. Recently conducted paleomagnetic rotation studies in different parts of these two thrust belts revealed detailed Cenozoic rotation patterns and magnitudes of the region. By integrating these paleomagnetic rotation results with regional geometric features and lines of geological evidence, we propose that these two arcuate thrust belts were most likely caused by different rotations in different parts of these curvatures, due to the sinistral strike-slip faulting along the ATF, rather than originally curved ones. The Yingxiongling arcuate belt was shaped by the significant counterclockwise(CCW)rotations of its northwestern half(the Akatengnengshan anticline)near the ATF during~16~11Ma BP, while its southeastern half(the Youshashan anticline)had no significant rotations since at least~20Ma BP. The geometry of the NQMTB was developed firstly by remarkable clockwise rotations of its middle part during~33~14Ma BP, and later possibly CCW rotations of its northwestern part during the Middle to Late Miocene, similar to that of the northwestern part of the Yingxiongling arcuate belt. The characteristics of two-stage strike-slip evolution of the ATF since the Early Oligocene were enriched:1)During the Early Oligocene to mid-Miocene, fast strike-slip faulting along the ATF was proposed to accommodate the eastward extrusion of the northern Tibetan Plateau with its sinistral shear confined to the fault itself. While in the NQMTB and farther east area in the Qilian Shan, its sinistral shear was transferred to the interior of the plateau and was accommodated by deformation of differential crustal shortenings and block rotations in these regions. Thus, the displacement along the ATF west of the NQMTB is larger than that east of the NQMTB. 2)Since the mid-late Miocene, sinistral shear of the ATF was widespread distributed within the northern Tibetan Plateau, instead of concentrated to the fault itself. Its sinistral offsets were partially absorbed by the shortening deformation within the Qaidam Basin and the Qilian Shan, leading the offsets along the ATF decreasing to the east. With the sinistral frictional drag of blocks(the Tarim Basin and the Altyn Tagh Range)on the other side during the second stage evolution of the ATF, a transitional zone south of the ATF was likely developed by remarkable CCW rotations during the Middle to Late Miocene, which is probably confined to east of the Tula syncline. Combining the sinistral offsets along the ATF derived from the paleomagnetic rotations during the Early Oligocene to mid-late Miocene and that by piercing points since the Late Miocene, the post Oligocene strike-slip offsets were constrained as at least~350~430km for the reference in the western Qaidam Basin and~380~460km for the reference in the NQMTB, with an average slip rate of at least~10.6~13.9mm/a. The post Early Oligocene offsets are consistent with the widely accepted offsets of~300~500km obtained by piercing point analyses.

The Hongtong earthquake occurring on 25 September 1303 in both Linfen Basin (LFB)and Taiyuan Basin (TYB)in Shanxi Graben is the first M8.0 earthquake based on the Chinese literature in China mainland, 392 years later, the Linfen M7.5 earthquake occurred on 18 May 1695 in Linfen Basin with its macro-epicenter distance of only 40km south of the Hongtong earthquake. Due to their close macro-epicenter distance and shortly interval of 392a, it attracted continuous attention to the geoscientists around Southern Shanxi Graben, southeastern Orods Plate. This paper combines the historical documents and interpreting the coseismic triggered disasters in study area. The results show that:1)the number of building damaged in the southern TYB and Lingshi Uplift (LSU)during 1303 Hongtong earthquake is similar to that of the LFB, indicating that the TYB and LSU maybe suffered the same or even worse earthquake disaster losses during the 1303 Hongtong earthquake. While the 1695 Linfen earthquake is confined within the LFB and south of Hongtong County; 2)More than 11 000 loess landslides were triggered by the 1303 Hongtong earthquake event between LFB and TYB, which is consistent with the literature records. We suggested the macro-epicenter of the 1303 Hongtong earthquake should move about 60km northward from the present location (36.3°N, 111.7°E)near Hongtong County to the new location (36.8°N, 111.7°E) between Huozhou City and Lingshi County, the new macro-epicenter location can reasonably explain the large-scale centralized earthquake-triggered landslides during the event. The landslides had aggravated the severity of the loss; 3)Our result helps to understand the spatial distribution of the two strong earthquakes and the relationship between them, especially the distribution map of earthquake-induced loess landslides by 1303 Hongtong earthquake extracted using the Google Earth images, which supports the amendment of the macro-epicenter.

In this paper, a method for measuring the color of Quaternary sediments based on digital image analysis is proposed, which has the advantages of simple and quick operation, and improving the research efficiency of sediment color. In order to demonstrate the feasibility of this method, the measurement results are compared with the traditional colorimetric measurement methods. The results show that:1) Both the traditional sediment color measurement method and the digital image color measurement method are controlled by sediment grain size. Sediment color research can be carried out on fine sand or finer sediments, but for medium grained sand and coarse sand, the error will be larger. Compared with the traditional measurement methods, digital image method can reduce the inherited color interference of coarse clastic sediments; 2) The particle size and water content of clastic sediments affect the numerical value of digital image sediment color. Generally, the wet-color values obtained by the digital image method are lower than the dry-color values obtained by using a spectrophotometer, and the color value variation is large, and the undulation of chromaticity/brightness curve is greater; 3) Compared with the traditional sediment color measurement method, digital image method has good consistency of color measurement of redness and yellowness, but the brightness is affected by uneven illumination, resulting in some error. Sediment digital image extraction of sediment color information can replace the indoor measurement method to a certain extent, and can be used to establish a more complete sediment color sequence under more complex sedimentary environment, so as to provide information for the Quaternary stratigraphic division, paleoclimate research, paleosol recognition and paleoearthquake event identification, thus expanding the application of colorimetric results to the geological direction.

The Ganzi-Yushu Fault, the boundary of Bayan Har active tectonic block, Qiantang active tectonic block and Sichuan-Yunan active tectonic block, is a sinistral strike-slip fault zone with intensive Holocene activity. Thus, the study of activity characteristics and rupture behavior of paleoearthquakes in the late Quaternary on the Ganzi-Yushu Fault is of fundamental importance for understanding the future seismic risk of this fault. The southeast section of Ganzi-Yushu Fault is made up of three segments of Ganzi, Manigange and Dengke, where a M_S7.3 earthquake in 1866, a M_S7.7 earthquake in 1854 and a M_S7.3 in 1896 occurred, respectively. There is still lack of in-depth study on the active features and the cascading rupture possibility of these segments, which hindered the evaluation of seismic risk for the southeast section of Ganzi-Yushu Fault. By the means of field geological survey and micro topography measurement, this paper studied the geological and geomorphological features of the southeast section of the Ganzi-Yushu Fault. The results show that the Ganzi and Dengke segments show obvious extension movement, in addition to the left-lateral movement. For Manigange segment, the characteristics of the movement are mainly left-lateral strike-slip and thrusting, and the maximum vertical displacement of the Holocene strata is greater than 2m. In part areas, the movement is normal faulting, which perhaps relates to the left stepping zone in the local stress environment. Therefore, combining the research results such as the fracture distribution in different motion characteristics, rupture behavior of paleoearthquakes, and the distribution of historical earthquake surface ruptures, we divide the southeast section of Ganzi Yushu Fault into Ganzi, Manigange and Dengke segment, and consider the Yakou and the Dengke Basin as the stepovers and the segments' boundaries. As the small scale of impermanent barriers including Dengke Basin and the ridge near Yakou, of which the width is about 1~2km, they may be broken through in great earthquake rupture in future. A trench was excavated in Zhuqing township to investigate the paleoearthquakes on the Manigange segment, radiocarbon dating was employed and 3 paleoseismic events were revealed in the Zhuqing trench, which are the seismic events occurring respectively at 3875~3455BC, after 775BC, and the latest one that ruptured the surface. Compared with the previous results of paleoseismology in the southeast section of Ganzi-Yushu Fault, it is found that the paleoseismic events in the Manigange segment are obviously different with that in Ganzi segment and Dengke segment. Due to the lack of sufficient data on the southeast section of the Ganzi-Yushu Fault, it still needs further discussion whether the cascade-rupturing between these segments exists.

A complete understanding to the disasters triggered by giant earthquakes is not only crucial to effectively evaluating the reliability of existing earthquake magnitude, but also supporting the seismic hazard assessment. The great historical earthquake with estimated magnitude of M8.5 in Huaxian County on the 23^rd January 1556, which caused a death toll of more than 830 000, is the most serious earthquake on the global record. But for a long time, the knowledge about the hazards of this earthquake has been limited to areas along the causative Huashan piedmont fault(HSPF) and within the Weihe Basin. In this paper, we made a study on earthquake triggered landslides of the 1556 event along but not limited to the HSPF.
Using the high-resolution satellite imagery of Google Earth for earthquake-triggered landslide interpretation, we obtained two dense loess landslides areas generated by the 1556 earthquake, which are located at the east end and west end of the HSPF. The number of the interpreted landslides is 1 515 in the west area(WA), which is near to the macro-epicentre, and 2 049 in the east area(EA), respectively. Based on the empirical relationship between the landslide volume and area, we get the estimated landslide volume of 2.85~6.40km³ of WA and EA, which is equivalent or bigger than the value of ~2.8km³ caused by Wenchuan earthquake of M_W7.9 on 12^th May 2008. These earthquake triggered landslides are the main cause for the death of inhabitants living in houses or loess house caves located outside of the basin, such as Weinan, Lintong, Lantian(affected by WA) and Lingbao(affected by EA). Our results can help deeply understand the distribution characteristics of coseismic disaster of the 1556 Huaxian earthquake to the south of Weihe Basin, and also provide important reference for the modification of the isoseismals.

Most earthquakes result from fault activity under heterogeneous loading and complex physical properties, also affected by fault structure and interaction between faults. Such a complicated mechanism makes often failures of the "seismic gap" theory in the effort of medium-and long-term earthquake prediction. This study attempts to address this issue using the finite element method(FEM).The friction behavior of faults can be used to simulate the non-uniformity of rupture processes of the seismogenic structure. So we use the FEM containing non-linear friction to simulate fault ruptures in the Daliangshan sub-block and adjacent areas, and compare the results with time-space evolution of historical M_S ≥ 7 earthquakes since 1840 in this region. In the simulation, the sequence of large-batch fault contact nodes change from "stick state" to "slip state" in short time, which mimics the sudden fault slip and the occurrence of major earthquakes. The results show that the fault breaking lengths from simulation are largely consistent with the magnitudes of historical earthquakes in the study area, such as the 1850 Puge-Xichang M_S7.5, and 1887 Shiping M_S7.0 earthquakes. The simulation also shows the development of seismic gaps and "gap breaks" by major earthquakes on the Xianshuihe fault, such as 1955 Kangding M_S7.5 earthquake. Especially, the results illustrated the very long time of the seismogenic process of the 2008 Wenchuan M_S8.0 earthquake, and the corresponding sudden big rupture along the Longmenshan Fault, which is very similar to the observed surface rupture and very long incubation time and sudden co-seismic process. Then, this simulation is further applied to long-term earthquake prediction for the study area by calculation on a much longer time. The simulation results suggest that the Xiaojiang fault and the Zemuhe fault have relatively higher seismic risk, while moderate-sized earthquakes might occur on the Daliangshan fault and the Aninghe fault, and major earthquakes might rupture the northern segment of the Xianshuihe fault in a much longer time.

Apatite (U-Th)/He dating has gained popularity since its rejuvenation as geochronometry and thermochronometry applied in the deduction of the geological processes of the upper-three-km crust.However,this irreplaceable method,which has the lowest known closure temperature (~70℃),sometimes is suffering from large dispersion and deviation because of its dating theory,its analytical method,and its diffusion process.In this paper,we summarized ten factors impacting the accuracy of (U-Th)/He dating.They are grain size,fluid and mineral inclusions,α-particle ejection,α-particle implantation,U-Th zonation,radiation damage,chemical composition,samarium concentration,multiple thermal events,and U-series disequilibrium.We discussed how these ten factors would affect the (U-Th)/He ages and how to reduce and/or avoid the deviation caused by them.The factors of grain size (different size,different diffusion domain) and inclusions (parentless ⁴He) can be suppressed in the procedure of grain selection under binocular.It is the precise measurement of a homogenous crystal that endows the (U-Th)/He dating method credible due to the correction of α-particle ejection based on the dimension of crystals.The possible implantation of α-particles can be evaluated by the negative correlation of age and eU (eU=[U]+0.235[Th]).U-Th zonation,a heterogeneous distribution of parent nuclides,makes the correction of α-particle ejection inaccurate;besides,this factor also amplifies the side effects of radiation damage and grain size.LA-ICP-MS can detect this phenomenon.Radiation damage outstands when the samples experience reheating or long residence time in partial retention zone (40~70℃),indicated by the positive correlation between age and eU/[⁴He].Apatite (U-Th)/He age can be entangled by higher Cl content,with which the crystal accumulates more radiation damage,leading to a larger age,meanwhile this factor needs more investigation.Having larger half-life than U-series nuclides,the ¹⁴⁷Sm is not a big problem in the dating of a large timescale,while more precise event needs the data of ¹⁴⁷Sm in the age calculation.The multiple thermal events should be evaluated to exclude thermal perturbation,when applying the (U-Th)/He geo/thermochronology to the deduction of a particular thermal event.U-series disequilibrium has an impact on the ages smaller than 1Ma,making the age results larger than the true one.U-series disequilibrium method and mineral couples can solve this problem.Inclusion,α-particle ejection and implantation,and U-Th zonation are at the mercy of analytical methods.The factors stemming from helium diffusion in the crystals are grain size,radiation damage,Cl content,multiple thermal events.The dating theory of (U-Th)/He method renders U-series disequilibrium and ¹⁴⁷Sm outstand as side effects in some specific conditions.It would be our pleasure if this paper could provide some useful information for the works relevant to this dating method.

Isostatic gravity anomaly is considered a sign of the isostatic state of the crust, and studies show that the isostatic state of crust is closely connected with the structural features and seismicity in many areas. In order to investigate the isostatic state of crust and to understand its relation to structural features and seismicity in North China Craton, a new isostatic residual gravity map of North China Craton has been computed using recently released earth gravitational model and digital terrain models. Free-air gravity anomalies of North China Craton have been prepared using the gravity data set of Earth Gravitational Model 2008(EGM2008). EGM2008 data set is believed to be reliable and studies show that EGM2008 free-air gravity anomalies have a general accuracy of 10.5mGal(1mGal=10^-3cm/s²)in China. The topographic-isostatic corrections were computed based on an Airy-Heiskanen model of local compensation using a strict algorithm based on digital elevation model(DEM), the average crust thickness of the study area was derived from CRUST2.0, and the topographic and bathymetric data sets were derived from digital elevation model ASTER GDEM 2009(1arc second resolution)and ETOPO1(1arc minute resolution)respectively. Topographic-isostatic corrections were then added to the free-air gravity anomalies to determine the isostatic gravity anomalies of North China Craton with a gridding resolution of 5arc minutes. According to the results of calculations, distribution of isostatic gravity anomalies and its relations to structural features and seismicity of North China Craton were discussed. The results indicate that the spatial distribution of isostatic gravity anomalies is remarkably uneven in North China Craton, and isostatic gravity anomalies are very different between different fault blocks. Isostatic gravity anomalies of North China Craton are mainly controlled by neo-tectonic movements, and are significantly influenced both by lateral variations in crust density and deep structures. The close relation between isostatic gravity anomalies and neo-tectonic movements may imply that there are crustal features that are not compensated regionally and isostatic disequilibrium in North China Craton. The results also indicate that there are some connections between the distributions of isostatic gravity anomalies and seismicity in North China Craton, earthquakes tend to occur around areas with remarkable high or low isostatic gravity anomalies and at transition zones between positive and negative gravity anomalies, and we suggest that special attention should be paid to areas with similar isostatic gravity anomaly characteristics when performing seismic hazard analysis.

Based on the electromagnetic theory,the forward formula is obtained for the long-period magnetotelluric(LMT)method in a layered spherical earth. The computer program for computing the LMT response is worked out and the forward modeling is completed for some theoretical models. According to the results of forward modeling,we analyzed how the earth's curvature influences the electromagnetic response. The results show that the apparent resistivity will decline and the phase will increase with an increased probing depth. However,the impact of the Earth's curvature can be ignored in the case of one-dimensional base regarding the measurement accuracy of the LMT instrument at present; But with the development of instrument,it is necessary to take the earth's curvature into account in the future.

Shear wave splitting is a possible method for earthquake stress-forecasting.We applied shear wave splitting analysis to a seismic dataset generated by airguns in a reservoir.We found that the seismic data contains shear waves(Sg and SmS).The shear waves are converted at the water-solid interface from P-waves generated by the airgun source,and the energy of the converted shear wave is equivalent to the energy released by a M_L 1.6 earthquake.We analyzed the data recorded by a seismic line deployed over the Yanshan uplift.The results show that the predominant polarizations of the fast shear wave are in the directions of NWW and NEE,which are affected by the characteristics of the local fault system.Using an airgun as a repeatable seismic source and recording the data at a fixed point,the variation of shear wave splitting parameters can indicate the variation of local stress-strain fields,and hence provides a method for earthquake stress-forecasting.

By studying the MAPGIS-based management system of the 1/500000 digital geologic map database of the People's Republic of China,we focus the study on the search codes of geological and geographic factors and establish the coding rules for retrieval. The database'search code is composed of geologic factor and geographic content. The geologic factor search code includes: chronostratigraphy,geologic borderline and fault,genesis type,metamorphic rock,intrusive rock,volcanic rock,well core,isotope and crater age,logic hierarchy and so on. Geographic content search code includes eight parts,namely,the inhabited area,river,lake,border,communication,culture,ocean,and the others. In this paper,we also give the fields for data of each type and for retrieving. For the convenience of MapInfor users,the authors convert the data format of the database management system into MapInfor format,and adopt Visual Basic 6.0 to transform the MAPGIS-based database management system of the 1/500000 digital geological map of the People's Republic of China into MapInfor platform. The software include: [FILE],[SPACE SCOPE SEARCH],[GEOGPHIC CONTENT SEARCH],[GEOLOGIC FACTOR SEARCH],[EXIT]. At last,instructions are attached on how to use the 1/500000 digital geological map of the People's Republic of China based on MapInfor platform.

Haiyuan active fault zone is a main active fault in the northeast boundary of Qing-hai-Xizang plateau. Geologically, mapping of 1:50,000 has been made along the fault zone. The results show that Haiyuan active fault zone, 237km long, striking WNW in its west segment and striking NW in the east segment, has been a strike-slip fault sense since middle-late early Pleistoncene. The horizontal offset is 12-14.5km from middle-late early Pleistocene, with the slip rate of 11.7-19.2mm/a. The strong activity has been going on since the begining of the Holocene, with the sinistral strike slip rate of 6-10mm/a.Haiyuan strike slip fault zone consists of 11 secondary shear faults, mostly left stepping pinnate, partly right stepping pinnate. 8 pull-apart basins and 2 pushed-up blocks were formed along the fault zone. Pull-apart basins showing 2 types of romb and elongated, big ones began to develop in middle Pleistocene, small ones in late Pleistocene. The largest thickness of sediments is greater than 750m. A tensile-shear fault with the sinistral strike-slip was formed in some pull-apart basins.The tensile-shear fault links up two secondary shear faults which control pull-apart basin, intersecting them with low angle. After the formation of this kind fault, pull-apart process of the basin decreased and pull-apart basin gradually became feeble and die. The thrust faults intersecting the secondary shear faults with high angle was formed in the pushing area, appeared as an uplift in topography.A great earthquake of magnitude 8.6 occurred in Haiyuan, in December 16, 1920. The surface ruptures of earthquake can be divided as 15 fracture segments, which developed along secondary shear faults, tensile shear faults on pull-apart basin and boundary normal fault at both ends of pull-apart basin. The horizonal dislocation of 268 values have been measured. The maximum displacement of left-lateral strike-slip is 10-11m.At the southeast end of Haiyuan strike slip fault, a rare end compressional area, which consists of thrust fault zone of east pediment of Liupan Mountain, Madong Mountain fold zone and Xiaoguan Mountain thrust fault zone, striking nearly NS, was formed. The detail mapping and studying have been made on the deformation features of these compressional structure belts and calculation on the amount of crust shortening have been made, and the value is about 12.4-16.7km, which is about equal to the sinistral offset amount of Haiyuan active fault zone.

On the basis of field tectonic mapping and measurement of the water setting displacement, we concluded in this paper that the Xiangshan-Tianjingshan arc fracture zone experienced two different active stages in the Cretaceous, i. e. strongly compression in the beginning and left-lateral strike-slip with compression at the end. The time boundary and cause of transition were analyzed and discussed. The appearance and range of the seismic deformation zone of the 1709 south of Zhongwei M = 7¹/₂ earthquake is also described.

Through the mapping on the large scale and measurement in the epicentral area of the Haiyuan earthquake, left-lateral displacements of the gullies of various kinds which cross the earthquake fault are found. The data show that the larger the gullies are, the larger the horizontal displacements. Among these displacements, there are 73 offsets of small gullies and farming banks which were formed in the earthquake of 1920 (M= 8.5) with the maximum of about 10m.Displacements of various gullies are relatively large between the Yanghuzhang valley and the Gudunzi valley.On the basis of displacements of gullies on the second terrace, initial time of offseting as well as the average and maximal displacements associated with a great earthquake, we have calculated the slip rate and seismic recurrence for 8.5 earthquakes along the studied fault.