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Focal depths and fault plane solutions of earthquakes and active tectonics of the HimalayaSynthetic seismograms were compared with long-period body waves for nine earthquakes with epicenters in the Himalayan arc to determine depths of foci and to improve fault plane solutions. Focal depths are shallow (10-20 km). Inferred slip vectors are locally perpendicular to the mountain range; they plunge very gently (about 10 deg) in the eastern sections of the range and more steeply (about 25 deg) in western sections. Assuming India to be a rigid plate, the radially oriented slip vectors imply that southern Tibet extends at about half the rate of underthrusting in the Himalaya and therefore probably at about 5-10 mm/yr. The shallow depths and gentle dips of the fault planes, at least for the events in the eastern half of the range, are consistent with coherent underthrusting of the Indian plate beneath, at least, the Lesser Himalaya. The steeper dips of fault planes in the western part of the arc might reflect deformation of the overriding thrust plate or simply a steepening of the main underthrusting zone beneath the Greater Himalaya.
Document ID
19840061094
Acquisition Source
Legacy CDMS
Document Type
Reprint (Version printed in journal)
Authors
Baranowski, J.
(Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Palisades, NY, United States)
Armbruster, J.
(Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Palisades, NY, United States)
Seeber, L.
(Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory Palisades, NY, United States)
Molnar, P.
(MIT Cambridge, MA, United States)
Date Acquired
August 12, 2013
Publication Date
August 10, 1984
Publication Information
Publication: Journal of Geophysical Research
Volume: 89
ISSN: 0148-0227
Subject Category
Geophysics
Accession Number
84A43881
Funding Number(s)
CONTRACT_GRANT: NAG5-41
CONTRACT_GRANT: NSF EAR-81-21184
Distribution Limits
Public
Copyright
Other

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