Fault Geometry and Mechanism of the Mw 5.7 Nakchu Earthquake in Tibet Inferred from InSAR Observations and Stress Measurements

Different types of focal mechanism solutions for the 19 March 2021 Mw 5.7 Nakchu earthquake, Tibet, limit our understanding of this earthquake's seismogenic mechanism and geodynamic process. In this study, the coseismic deformation field was determined and the geometric parameters of the seismogenic fault were inverted via Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) processing of Sentinel-1 data. The inversion results show that the focal mechanism solutions of the Nakchu earthquake are 237 degrees/69 degrees/-70 degrees (strike/dip/rake), indicating that the seismogenic fault is a NEE-trending, NW-dipping fault dominated by the normal faulting with minor sinistral strike-slip components. The regional tectonic stress field derived from the in-situ stress measurements shows that the orientation of maximum principal compressive stress around the epicenter of the Nakchu earthquake is NNE, subparallel to the fault strike, which controlled the dominant normal faulting. The occurrence of seven M >= 7.0 historical earthquakes since the M 7.0 Shenza earthquake in 1934 caused a stress increase of 1.16 x 10(5) Pa at the hypocenter, which significantly advanced the occurrence of the Nakchu earthquake. Based on a comprehensive analysis of stress fields and focal mechanisms of the Nakchu earthquake, we propose that the dominated normal faulting occurs to accommodate the NE-trending compression of the Indian Plate to the Eurasian Plate and the strong historical earthquakes hastened the process. These results provide a theoretical basis for understanding the geometry and mechanics of the seismogenic fault that produced the Nakchu earthquake.

Automated summary

This study analyzed the focal mechanism solutions and regional tectonic stress distribution of the Nakchu earthquake using InSAR processing, revealing that the dominant normal faulting occurred due to the influence of historical major earthquakes. These results provide important theoretical support for understanding the geometry and mechanics of the seismogenic fault that produced the Nakchu earthquake.