Space Geodetic Observations and Modeling of 2016 Mw 5.9 Menyuan Earthquake: Implications on Seismogenic Tectonic Motion
Determining the relationship between crustal movement and faulting in thrust belts is essential for understanding the growth of geological structures and addressing the proposed models of a potential earthquake hazard. A Mw 5.9 earthquake occurred on 21 January 2016 in Menyuan, NE Qinghai Tibetan pl...
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| Format: | Article |
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MDPI AG
2016-06-01
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| Series: | Remote Sensing |
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| Online Access: | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/8/6/519 |
| _version_ | 1819294070071099392 |
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| author | Yongsheng Li Wenliang Jiang Jingfa Zhang Yi Luo |
| author_facet | Yongsheng Li Wenliang Jiang Jingfa Zhang Yi Luo |
| author_sort | Yongsheng Li |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Determining the relationship between crustal movement and faulting in thrust belts is essential for understanding the growth of geological structures and addressing the proposed models of a potential earthquake hazard. A Mw 5.9 earthquake occurred on 21 January 2016 in Menyuan, NE Qinghai Tibetan plateau. We combined satellite interferometry from Sentinel-1A Terrain Observation with Progressive Scans (TOPS) images, historical earthquake records, aftershock relocations and geological data to determine fault seismogenic structural geometry and its relationship with the Lenglongling faults. The results indicate that the reverse slip of the 2016 earthquake is distributed on a southwest dipping shovel-shaped fault segment. The main shock rupture was initiated at the deeper part of the fault plane. The focal mechanism of the 2016 earthquake is quite different from that of a previous Ms 6.5 earthquake which occurred in 1986. Both earthquakes occurred at the two ends of a secondary fault. Joint analysis of the 1986 and 2016 earthquakes and aftershocks distribution of the 2016 event reveals an intense connection with the tectonic deformation of the Lenglongling faults. Both earthquakes resulted from the left-lateral strike-slip of the Lenglongling fault zone and showed distinct focal mechanism characteristics. Under the shearing influence, the normal component is formed at the releasing bend of the western end of the secondary fault for the left-order alignment of the fault zone, while the thrust component is formed at the restraining bend of the east end for the right-order alignment of the fault zone. Seismic activity of this region suggests that the left-lateral strike-slip of the Lenglongling fault zone plays a significant role in adjustment of the tectonic deformation in the NE Tibetan plateau. |
| first_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:20:28Z |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj.art-3413ebb620d4478b9661c93d14314961 |
| institution | Directory Open Access Journal |
| issn | 2072-4292 |
| language | English |
| last_indexed | 2024-12-24T04:20:28Z |
| publishDate | 2016-06-01 |
| publisher | MDPI AG |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Remote Sensing |
| spelling | doaj.art-3413ebb620d4478b9661c93d143149612022-12-21T17:15:49ZengMDPI AGRemote Sensing2072-42922016-06-018651910.3390/rs8060519rs8060519Space Geodetic Observations and Modeling of 2016 Mw 5.9 Menyuan Earthquake: Implications on Seismogenic Tectonic MotionYongsheng Li0Wenliang Jiang1Jingfa Zhang2Yi Luo3Institute of Crustal Dynamics, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100085, ChinaInstitute of Crustal Dynamics, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100085, ChinaInstitute of Crustal Dynamics, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100085, ChinaInstitute of Crustal Dynamics, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100085, ChinaDetermining the relationship between crustal movement and faulting in thrust belts is essential for understanding the growth of geological structures and addressing the proposed models of a potential earthquake hazard. A Mw 5.9 earthquake occurred on 21 January 2016 in Menyuan, NE Qinghai Tibetan plateau. We combined satellite interferometry from Sentinel-1A Terrain Observation with Progressive Scans (TOPS) images, historical earthquake records, aftershock relocations and geological data to determine fault seismogenic structural geometry and its relationship with the Lenglongling faults. The results indicate that the reverse slip of the 2016 earthquake is distributed on a southwest dipping shovel-shaped fault segment. The main shock rupture was initiated at the deeper part of the fault plane. The focal mechanism of the 2016 earthquake is quite different from that of a previous Ms 6.5 earthquake which occurred in 1986. Both earthquakes occurred at the two ends of a secondary fault. Joint analysis of the 1986 and 2016 earthquakes and aftershocks distribution of the 2016 event reveals an intense connection with the tectonic deformation of the Lenglongling faults. Both earthquakes resulted from the left-lateral strike-slip of the Lenglongling fault zone and showed distinct focal mechanism characteristics. Under the shearing influence, the normal component is formed at the releasing bend of the western end of the secondary fault for the left-order alignment of the fault zone, while the thrust component is formed at the restraining bend of the east end for the right-order alignment of the fault zone. Seismic activity of this region suggests that the left-lateral strike-slip of the Lenglongling fault zone plays a significant role in adjustment of the tectonic deformation in the NE Tibetan plateau.http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/8/6/519Menyuan earthquakeinterferometrySentinel-1A TOPSLenglongling faultcharacteristics of the tectonic environment |
| spellingShingle | Yongsheng Li Wenliang Jiang Jingfa Zhang Yi Luo Space Geodetic Observations and Modeling of 2016 Mw 5.9 Menyuan Earthquake: Implications on Seismogenic Tectonic Motion Remote Sensing Menyuan earthquake interferometry Sentinel-1A TOPS Lenglongling fault characteristics of the tectonic environment |
| title | Space Geodetic Observations and Modeling of 2016 Mw 5.9 Menyuan Earthquake: Implications on Seismogenic Tectonic Motion |
| title_full | Space Geodetic Observations and Modeling of 2016 Mw 5.9 Menyuan Earthquake: Implications on Seismogenic Tectonic Motion |
| title_fullStr | Space Geodetic Observations and Modeling of 2016 Mw 5.9 Menyuan Earthquake: Implications on Seismogenic Tectonic Motion |
| title_full_unstemmed | Space Geodetic Observations and Modeling of 2016 Mw 5.9 Menyuan Earthquake: Implications on Seismogenic Tectonic Motion |
| title_short | Space Geodetic Observations and Modeling of 2016 Mw 5.9 Menyuan Earthquake: Implications on Seismogenic Tectonic Motion |
| title_sort | space geodetic observations and modeling of 2016 mw 5 9 menyuan earthquake implications on seismogenic tectonic motion |
| topic | Menyuan earthquake interferometry Sentinel-1A TOPS Lenglongling fault characteristics of the tectonic environment |
| url | http://www.mdpi.com/2072-4292/8/6/519 |
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