Complex strike-slip faulting during the 2021 Mw7.4 Maduo earthquake

Wei，Guoguang1; Chen，Kejie1; Lyu，Mingzhe1; Gong，Wenzheng1; Dal Zilio，Luca2; Ye，Lingling1; Tu，Hongwei3

2023-12-01

10.1038/s43247-023-00980-6

Communications Earth and Environment   Impact Factor & Quartile

2662-4435

Fault geometry is an essential component for understanding earthquake genesis and dynamic rupture propagation. Here we employed space-based geodetic observations and geological survey, adopting a fully Bayesian approach, to probabilistically estimate the fault geometry of the 2021 M7.4 Maduo earthquake. The fault is predominantly characterized by strike-slip motions with three main geometry irregularities, reflecting the segmented pattern of the earthquake rupture. On the west side of the epicenter, the fault exhibits north-dipping angles (75–81°), whereas on the east side, it shows sub-vertical angles (82–87°). For the southeast branch, geodetic inversion reveals an overall shallow-dipping (44 ± 5°) faulting, yet further segmentation of the branch in the model and analysis of aftershock mechnism indicate that the dip of the branch faults may vary between vertical and shallow angles. This finding warrants confirmation through future underground observation data.These results suggest that strike-slip faulting could occur on unsuitably orientated planes during any seismic event.

SCI

English

First ; Corresponding

National Natural Science Foundation of China-Yunnan Joint Fund[42074024];

Environmental Sciences & Ecology ; Geology ; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences

Environmental Sciences ; Geosciences, Multidisciplinary ; Meteorology & Atmospheric Sciences

WOS:001064698700001

SPRINGERNATURE

2-s2.0-85170388271

Scopus

1.Department of Earth and Space Sciences,Southern University of Science and Technology,Shenzhen,China
2.Institute of Geophysics,Department of Earth Sciences,ETH Zürich,Zürich,Switzerland
3.Qinghai Earthquake Agency,Xining,China

Wei，Guoguang,Chen，Kejie,Lyu，Mingzhe,et al. Complex strike-slip faulting during the 2021 Mw7.4 Maduo earthquake[J]. Communications Earth and Environment,2023,4(1).

Wei，Guoguang.,Chen，Kejie.,Lyu，Mingzhe.,Gong，Wenzheng.,Dal Zilio，Luca.,...&Tu，Hongwei.(2023).Complex strike-slip faulting during the 2021 Mw7.4 Maduo earthquake.Communications Earth and Environment,4(1).

Wei，Guoguang,et al."Complex strike-slip faulting during the 2021 Mw7.4 Maduo earthquake".Communications Earth and Environment 4.1(2023).