In order to solve the problems in the observation with the SS-Y extensometer, such as background noise and discontinuity of earth tide curve, this paper proposed to improve the stability of the instrument and the smoothness of the earth tide curve by improving the baseline structure of the instrument. In this study, a new φ20*1.2 invar tube was introduced in replacement of the existing φ6 invar rod as the baseline of the instrument and compared with the existing φ6 invar rod on the instrument’s linearity,sensitivity and other indexes. Firstly, the SS-Y extensometers using φ6 invar rod and cp20*1.2 invar tube were tested. Test results were then calculated, and accuracy errors of the instruments based on the two baselines were obtained. Finally, their accuracy errors and earth tide curves were compared. Results showed that, compared with the extensometer based on the existing φ6 invar rod, the extensometer based on the new φ20*1.2 invar tube was superior in performance, with linearity error reducing to 0.495% from 0.937%, sensitivity increasing to 68.65 mV/μm from 65.46 mV/μm, and earth tide curve growing more stable and continuous.
On 3 July 2015, a Mw 6.4 earthquake occurred on a blind fault struck Pishan, Xinjiang,China. By combining Crustal Movement Observation Network of China（CMONOC） and other Static Global Positioning System（GPS） sites surrounding Pishan region, it provides a rare chance for us to constrain the slip rupture for such a moderate event. The maximum displacement is up to 12 cm, 2 cm for coseismic and postseismic deformation, respectively,and both the deformation patterns show a same direction moving northeastward. With rectangular dislocation model, a magnitude of Mw6.48, Mw6.3 is calculated based on coseismic, postseismic deformation respectively. Our result indicates the western Kunlun range is still moving toward Tarim Basin followed by an obvious postseismic slip associated with this earthquake. To determine a more reasonable model for postseismic deformation, a longer GPS dataset will be needed.
We report a new horizontal Global Positioning System velocity field in the Chinese mainland from the data analysis of about 2000 GPS sites observed in 2009, 2011 and 2013 through three campaigns of the CMONOC project. Assuming the crustal block to characterize their kinematic behaviors, we estimate parameters of 22 crustal blocks to fit the GPS-derived velocity by using GIPSY software. We restrict us to compare two competing models in which the rigid blocks and the deforming blocks are involved. Our modeling suggests that the most crustal blocks characterized by coherent movement and internal strain may be better in describing the kinematics of crustal deformation in the Chinese mainland.
The 2008 Nura Mw6.7 earthquake occurred in front of the Trans-Alai Range, central Asia. We present Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar （InSAR） measurements of its coseismic ground deformation that are available for a major earthquake in the region. Analysis of the InSAR data shows that the earthquake ruptured a secondary fault of the Main Pamir Thrust for about 20 kin. The fault plane striking N46~E and dipping 48~SE is dominated by thrust slip up to 3 m, most of which is confined to the uppermost 2-5 km of the crust, similar to the nearby 1974 MwT.0 Markansu earthquake. The elastic model of interseismic deformation constrained by GPS measurements suggests that the two earthquakes may have resulted from the failures of two high-angle reverse faults that are about 10 km apart and rooted in a locked dScollement at depths of 5-6 kin. The elastic strain is built up by a freely creeping decollement at about 16 mm/a.
