Abstract
We estimate faulting geometrey, depth, and seismic moment of 32 moderate-sized earthquakes in the Tien Shan by matching observed and synthetic seismographs recorded at regional distances. The moment-tensor compression axes are oriented in the direction 170°-350°, consistent with the orientation of India-Eurasia convergence. This compression is manifested in reverse faulting on roughly east-west trending fault planes. Faults within the mountain system have moderate-to-steep dips, but range-bounding faults appears to dip more gently. Earthquake source depths are in the range 5-25 km, consistent with those determined from local earthquake studies. The distribution and mechanism of earthquakes in the Tien Shan suggests that a significant proportion of the active deformation in the Tien Shan is absorbed by shortening across intramontane basins. The absence of strike-slip earthquake mechanisms associated with the Talas-Ferghana Fault suggests that the fault is prsently locked, with deformation accommodated on neighboring compressional structures.
Original language | English (US) |
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Pages (from-to) | 3181-3184 |
Number of pages | 4 |
Journal | Geophysical Research Letters |
Volume | 25 |
Issue number | 16 |
DOIs | |
State | Published - Aug 15 1998 |
All Science Journal Classification (ASJC) codes
- Geophysics
- Earth and Planetary Sciences(all)