First Discovery of North-South Striking Normal Faults near the Potential Eastern End of Altyn Tagh Fault

Bo Zhang; Daoyang Yuan; Wengui He; Wei Pang; Pengtao Wang; Ming Wu

doi:10.1007/s12583-018-0827-z

Volume 29 Issue 1

Jan 2018

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Journal of Earth Science > 2018 > 29(1): 182-192.

Bo Zhang, Daoyang Yuan, Wengui He, Wei Pang, Pengtao Wang, Ming Wu. First Discovery of North-South Striking Normal Faults near the Potential Eastern End of Altyn Tagh Fault. Journal of Earth Science, 2018, 29(1): 182-192. doi: 10.1007/s12583-018-0827-z

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Bo Zhang, Daoyang Yuan, Wengui He, Wei Pang, Pengtao Wang, Ming Wu. First Discovery of North-South Striking Normal Faults near the Potential Eastern End of Altyn Tagh Fault. Journal of Earth Science, 2018, 29(1): 182-192. doi: 10.1007/s12583-018-0827-z

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First Discovery of North-South Striking Normal Faults near the Potential Eastern End of Altyn Tagh Fault

doi: 10.1007/s12583-018-0827-z

1.
Lanzhou Institute of Seismology, China Earthquake Administration, Lanzhou 730000, China
2.
Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing 100029, China
3.
Second Monitoring and Application Center, China Earthquake Administration, Xi'an 710054, China

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Corresponding author: Wengui He, hewengui321@163.com
Received Date: 26 Oct 2016
Accepted Date: 10 Jul 2017
Publish Date: 01 Feb 2018

Abstract

Abstract

The Altyn Tagh fault is the northern boundary of Tibetan Plateau. As one of the most well-known strike-slip fault in the world, great achievements on tectonic deformation and Late Quaternary slip rate have been made. However, there is a long-lasting debate on whether the Altyn Tagh fault extends into the Jinta Basin or even eastward. In this paper, we use satellite image interpretation, field investigation, trench excavation, and optical stimulated luminescence dating to study newly found NS striking scarps in the eastern end of Jinta Nan Shan. The results are as follows: firstly, a group of normal faults develop on terrace T2 of Heihe River, the total length amounts to ~40 km, total scarp height is 30±5 m; secondly, four paleoseismic events have been interpreted from three trenches, approximate ages of events are 79.97±19.14 ka BP, 62.55±13.10~55.41±10.77 ka BP, before 16.89±2.08 ka BP, 8.52±1.49 ka BP, respectively; thirdly, just like NS normal faults in the western end of Altyn Tagh fault, the newly found NS extensional faults are likely the terminating tectonics of the eastern end of Altyn Tagh fault, the large Altyn Tagh fault may end in the eastern end of Jinta Nan Shan.
- Altyn Tagh fault,
- normal fault,
- Jinta Nan Shan fault,
- Heihe River,
- paleoseismic events

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References

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First Discovery of North-South Striking Normal Faults near the Potential Eastern End of Altyn Tagh Fault

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