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EARTHQUAKE ›› 2007, Vol. 27 ›› Issue (1): 120-130.

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Structural research on the 1837 northern Minxian M6 earthquake in Gansu Province and its causative structure

ZHENG Wen-jun1,2,3, LEI Zhong-sheng1,2, YUAN Dao-yang1,2,3 HE Wen-gui1,2, GE Wei-peng1,2, LIU Xing-wang1,2   

  1. 1. Lanzhou Base of Institute of Earthquake Science, CEA, Lanzhou 730000;
    2. Lanzhou Institute of Seismology, CEA, Lanzhou 730000;
    3. State key Laboratory of Earthquake Dynamics, Institute of Geology, CEA, Beijing 100029, China
  • Received:2006-05-08 Revised:2006-07-05 Online:2007-01-31 Published:2021-10-29

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Abstract: According to the detailed textual research of the historical earthquake records and its causative structure on the northern Minxian M6 earthquake, we have found that the most serious disaster area located in Wuqi village, Minxian County and Chenqi village, Lintan County (about 15 km, eastern to Taozhou County at that time). So, we can conclude that the extremely seismic area of the 1837 A.D. northern Minxian M6 earthquake occurred on the common boundary of the Minxian, Lintan and Zhuoni Counties, in Gansu Province, the intensity is Ⅷ, the epicenter is 34.7°N, 103.9°E, the error of the location is less than 10 km. Tectonically, this area is situated in the transitional region of stress transfer and structural transform between the east Kunlun fault and the northern margin fault of west Qinling range. In middle, the activity of the Lintan-Tanchang fault zone has obvious difference, only the partial segment shows the activity of Holocene. There are landslides and collapses with different scale in the extremely seismic area. Through comprehensive, we consider that the fore-fault of Minxian-Tanchang segment of the Lintan-Tanchang fault is causative structure of the 1837 A.D. northern Minxian M6 earthquake, in Gansu Province.

Key words: Historical earthquake, Textual research, Causative structure, Northern Minxian

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