Present‐Day Strike‐Slip Faulting and Intracontinental Deformation of North China: Constraints From Improved GPS Observations

Abstract We investigate the present‐day strike‐slip faulting and intracontinental deformation of North China using horizontal GPS velocities and a block modeling strategy. The data demonstrate that the fault slip rates and block rotations in North China can be better constrained using GPS velocities...

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Main Authors: Xinnan Li, William C. Hammond, Ian K. D. Pierce, Jayne M. Bormann, Zhuqi Zhang, Chuanyou Li, Wenjun Zheng, Peizhen Zhang
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Wiley 2023-07-01
Series:Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
Subjects:
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GC010781
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author Xinnan Li
William C. Hammond
Ian K. D. Pierce
Jayne M. Bormann
Zhuqi Zhang
Chuanyou Li
Wenjun Zheng
Peizhen Zhang
author_facet Xinnan Li
William C. Hammond
Ian K. D. Pierce
Jayne M. Bormann
Zhuqi Zhang
Chuanyou Li
Wenjun Zheng
Peizhen Zhang
author_sort Xinnan Li
collection DOAJ
description Abstract We investigate the present‐day strike‐slip faulting and intracontinental deformation of North China using horizontal GPS velocities and a block modeling strategy. The data demonstrate that the fault slip rates and block rotations in North China can be better constrained using GPS velocities where the influence of groundwater extraction has been reduced by applying median spatial filtering of the velocity field. The modeled senses of motion and slip rates on active faults are generally in good agreement with the geological estimates. The left‐lateral slip rate along the boundary fault of Weihe Graben is apparently lower than the differential motion between the South China Block and Ordos Block. The missing left‐lateral slip is accommodated by the counterclockwise rotation of the Ordos Block. The sinistral slip rate along the eastern segment of the Altyn Tagh‐Haiyuan‐Qinling fault system decreases eastward from ∼1.0 to ∼0 mm/yr, much slower than that expected in the fast eastward extrusion hypothesis. We interpret the systematic counterclockwise rotation of blocks and left/right‐lateral faulting in North China to be driven both by the left‐lateral shear between the South China Block to the south and Yinshan‐Yanshan Block to the north and a push from the Tibetan Plateau on the southwestern margin of the Ordos Block.
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spelling doaj.art-1e0af93ae62e437b8f4a9772d40a7d4b2023-11-03T17:01:14ZengWileyGeochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems1525-20272023-07-01247n/an/a10.1029/2022GC010781Present‐Day Strike‐Slip Faulting and Intracontinental Deformation of North China: Constraints From Improved GPS ObservationsXinnan Li0William C. Hammond1Ian K. D. Pierce2Jayne M. Bormann3Zhuqi Zhang4Chuanyou Li5Wenjun Zheng6Peizhen Zhang7State Key Laboratory of Earthquake Dynamics Institute of Geology China Earthquake Administration Beijing ChinaNevada Geodetic Laboratory Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology University of Nevada Reno NV USADepartment of Earth Sciences University of Oxford Oxford UKScripps Institution of Oceanography University of California San Diego La Jolla CA USAState Key Laboratory of Earthquake Dynamics Institute of Geology China Earthquake Administration Beijing ChinaState Key Laboratory of Earthquake Dynamics Institute of Geology China Earthquake Administration Beijing ChinaSchool of Earth Science and Geological Engineering Sun Yat‐Sen University Guangzhou ChinaState Key Laboratory of Earthquake Dynamics Institute of Geology China Earthquake Administration Beijing ChinaAbstract We investigate the present‐day strike‐slip faulting and intracontinental deformation of North China using horizontal GPS velocities and a block modeling strategy. The data demonstrate that the fault slip rates and block rotations in North China can be better constrained using GPS velocities where the influence of groundwater extraction has been reduced by applying median spatial filtering of the velocity field. The modeled senses of motion and slip rates on active faults are generally in good agreement with the geological estimates. The left‐lateral slip rate along the boundary fault of Weihe Graben is apparently lower than the differential motion between the South China Block and Ordos Block. The missing left‐lateral slip is accommodated by the counterclockwise rotation of the Ordos Block. The sinistral slip rate along the eastern segment of the Altyn Tagh‐Haiyuan‐Qinling fault system decreases eastward from ∼1.0 to ∼0 mm/yr, much slower than that expected in the fast eastward extrusion hypothesis. We interpret the systematic counterclockwise rotation of blocks and left/right‐lateral faulting in North China to be driven both by the left‐lateral shear between the South China Block to the south and Yinshan‐Yanshan Block to the north and a push from the Tibetan Plateau on the southwestern margin of the Ordos Block.https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GC010781GPSslip rateblock motionTibetNorth China
spellingShingle Xinnan Li
William C. Hammond
Ian K. D. Pierce
Jayne M. Bormann
Zhuqi Zhang
Chuanyou Li
Wenjun Zheng
Peizhen Zhang
Present‐Day Strike‐Slip Faulting and Intracontinental Deformation of North China: Constraints From Improved GPS Observations
Geochemistry, Geophysics, Geosystems
GPS
slip rate
block motion
Tibet
North China
title Present‐Day Strike‐Slip Faulting and Intracontinental Deformation of North China: Constraints From Improved GPS Observations
title_full Present‐Day Strike‐Slip Faulting and Intracontinental Deformation of North China: Constraints From Improved GPS Observations
title_fullStr Present‐Day Strike‐Slip Faulting and Intracontinental Deformation of North China: Constraints From Improved GPS Observations
title_full_unstemmed Present‐Day Strike‐Slip Faulting and Intracontinental Deformation of North China: Constraints From Improved GPS Observations
title_short Present‐Day Strike‐Slip Faulting and Intracontinental Deformation of North China: Constraints From Improved GPS Observations
title_sort present day strike slip faulting and intracontinental deformation of north china constraints from improved gps observations
topic GPS
slip rate
block motion
Tibet
North China
url https://doi.org/10.1029/2022GC010781
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