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EARTHQUAKE ›› 2022, Vol. 42 ›› Issue (3): 21-36.doi: 10.12196/j.issn.1000-3274.2022.03.002

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Characterstics of Tectonic Deformation before the 2021 Yangbi MS6.4 Earthquake in Yunnan

ZOU Fang1, MENG Guo-jie2, SU Xiao-ning3, WU Wei-wei2, ZHAO Qian2, SHE Ya-wen2, Thant Myo4   

  1. 1. School of Civil and Transportation Engineering Guangdong University of Technology, Guangzhou 510006, China;
    2. State Key Laboratory of Earthquake Forecasting, Institute of Earthquake Forecasting, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100036, China;
    3. Lanzhou Jiaotong University Faculty of Geomatics, Lanzhou 730070, China;
    4. Department of Geology, University of Yangon, Yangon 11041, Myanmar
  • Received:2021-07-22 Revised:2021-11-09 Online:2022-07-31 Published:2023-03-29

Abstract: In May 2021, a series of moderate earthquakes occurred in Yangbi, Yunnan Province, which seriously threatened the safety of people’s lives and property. The epicenter of Yangbi MS6.4 earthquake is located near the Weixi—Qiaohou—Weishan fault in the South Yunnan block. The seismogenic fault is a newly discovered fault with a strike of 135°. Based on GPS observation data from 1998 to 2020, the long-term crustal movement velocity field in the study area is obtained, and the horizontal deformation background characteristics of the regional crust before these strong earthquakes in Yangbi are studied, as well as its relationship with the occurrence of earthquakes. Combined with the structural analysis, it is considered that the Yangbi earthquake occurred in the area where GPS horizontal velocity steeply change. Here the horizontal crustal movement was blocked and the strain accumulation is obvious with the high value area of surface strain rate and maximum shear strain rate. The seismogenic faults in this area are mainly affected by dextral shear and E-W extension.

Key words: the 2021 Yangbi MS6.4 earthquake, South Yunnan, GPS baseline, Crustal deformation

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