Imaging the crustal structure beneath the Longmenshan fault zone and
geodynamics for Wenchuan Mw 7.9 and Lushan Ms 7.0 earthquakes
Abstract
Although many velocity and electrical models have been proposed in the
Longmenshan fault zone (LFZ) and its neighboring areas, the deep
structure of seismic gap and the geodynamics of two different
earthquakes remain uncertain. Based on aeromagnetic and gravity data,
the Sichuan basin shows two NE-trending banded and strong positive
magnetic anomalies and high Bouguer gravity anomalies. The banded
magnetic anomalies represent the Neoproterozoic magmatic events in the
center of Sichuan basin, rather than the rigid Neoarchean and
Paleoproterozoic crystalline basement. The Songpan-Ganzi fold belt
(SGFB) is weak positive magnetic and low Bouguer gravity anomalies. The
LFZ is the boundary of two anomaly areas but similar to the feature of
Sichuan basin. Three models are created by 2D magnetic and gravity
forward modeling and provide more reliable and integrated geophysical
interpretation for the deep structure of earthquake epicenter and
seismic gap. The models reveal that the crust of Sichuan basin consists
of double layer magnetic basement. More importantly, the basement
subducted to about 33km west of the Wenchuan-Maoxian fault with low dip
angle beneath the middle segment of the LFZ, whereas the distance
decrease to about 17 and 19 km under the south segment. So, the crust of
Sichuan basin beneath the middle segment extends further than the one
beneath the south segment with the seismic gap as transition zone.
Therefore, we propose the irregular shape of basement in western margin
of Sichuan basin maybe the main reason for the different focal mechanism
and geodynamic of Wenchuan and Lushan earthquakes.