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Tectonic Deformation of the Northeastern Tibetan Plateau and Its Surroundings Revealed With GPS Block Modeling
Author(s) -
Li Xinnan,
Pierce Ian K. D.,
Bormann Jayne M.,
Hammond William C.,
Zhang Zhuqi,
Li Chuanyou,
Zheng Wenjun,
Zhang Peizhen
Publication year - 2021
Publication title -
journal of geophysical research: solid earth
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.983
H-Index - 232
eISSN - 2169-9356
pISSN - 2169-9313
DOI - 10.1029/2020jb020733
Subject(s) - geology , global positioning system , tectonics , seismology , block (permutation group theory) , slip (aerodynamics) , block model , plateau (mathematics) , active fault , fault (geology) , kinematics , geodesy , fault block , scale (ratio) , geometry , cartography , geography , mining engineering , computer science , telecommunications , mathematical analysis , physics , mathematics , classical mechanics , thermodynamics
The northeastern Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings are a tectonically complex region resulting from the continuing collision of India with Eurasia. We studied the tectonic deformation of this region using a GPS block model, which was produced using the most recently published, dense, precise, and complete GPS velocities available combined with a detailed fault geometry. The comparison between our preferred model with numerous faults and a model with fewer faults demonstrates the need for inclusion of lesser active faults affords a closer examination of strain partitioning. The predicted senses of motion and slip rates of active faults in our preferred model are consistent with the geological estimates, supporting the assumption that the decadal GPS slip rates are representative of millennial‐scale geologic slip rates. The observed fault kinematics in the northeastern Tibetan Plateau and its surroundings can be interpreted as the consequence of relative motions between different blocks and block rotations.