Geometry and tectonic deformation of the seismogenic structure for the 8 August 2017 M_S 7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake sequence, northern Sichuan, China

To reveal the geometry of the seismogenic structure of the Aug. 8, 2017M_S 7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake in northern Sichuan, data from the regional seismic network from the time of the main event to Oct. 31, 2017 were used to relocate the earthquake sequence by the tomoDD program, and the focal mechanism solutions and centroid depths of theM_L ≥ 3.5 events in the sequence were determined using the CAP waveform inversion method. Further, the segmental tectonic deformation characteristics of the seismogenic faults were analyzed preliminarily by using strain rosettes and areal strains (As). The results indicate: (1) The relocatedM_S 7.0 Jiuzhaigou earthquake sequence displays a narrow ~ 38 km long NNW-SSE-trending zone between the NW-striking Tazang Fault and the nearly NS-striking Minjiang Fault, two branches of the East Kunlun Fault Zone. The spatial distribution of the sequence is narrow and deep for the southern segment, and relatively wide and shallow for the northern segment. The initial rupture depth of the mainshock is 12.5 km, the dominant depth range of the aftershock sequence is between 0 and 10 km with an average depth of 6.7 km. The mainshock epicenter is located in the middle of the aftershock region, showing a bilateral rupture behavior. The centroid depths of 32M_L ≥ 3.5 events range from 3 to 12 km with a mean of about 7.3 km, consistent with the predominant focal depth of the whole sequence. (2) The geometric structure of the seismogenic fault on the southern section of the aftershock area (south of the mainshock) is relatively simple, with overall strike of ~150° and dip angle ~75°, but the dip angle and dip-orientation exhibit some variation along the segment. The seismogenic structure on the northern segment is more complicated; several faults, including the Minjiang Fault, may be responsible for the aftershock activities. The overall strike of this section is ~159° and dip angle is ~59°, illustrating a certain clockwise rotation and a smaller dip angle than the southern segment. The differences between the two segments demonstrate variation of the geometric structure along the seismogenic faults. (3) The focal mechanism solutions of 32M_L ≥ 3.5 events in the earthquake sequence have obvious segmental characteristics. Strike-slip earthquakes are dominant on the southern segment, while 50% of events on the northern segment are thrusting and oblique thrusting earthquakes, revealing significant differences in the kinematic features of the seismogenic faults between the two segments. (4) The strain rosettes for the mainshock and the entire sequence of 31M_L ≥ 3.5 aftershocks correspond to strike-slip type with NWW-SEE compressional white lobes and NNE-SSW extensional black lobes of nearly similar size. The strain rosette andAsvalue of the entire sequence of 22M_L ≥ 3.5 events on the southern segment are the same as those of theM_S 7.0 mainshock, indicating that the tectonic deformation here is strike-slip. However, the strain rosette of the entire sequence of 10M_L ≥ 3.5 events on the northern segment show prominent white compressional lobes and small black extensional lobes, and the relatedAsvalue is up to 0.52, indicating that the tectonic deformation of this segment is oblique thrusting with a certain strike-slip component. Differences between the two segments all reveal distinctly obvious segmental characteristics of the tectonic deformation of the seismogenic faults for the Jiuzhaigou earthquake sequence.