Timing and seismic origin of Nixu rock avalanche in southern Tibet and its implications on Nimu active fault

Zeng, Qingli; Gao, Yuan; McSaveney, Mauri; Ma, Feifei; Wei, Ruichao; Liao, Liye; Du, Hao

doi:10.1016/j.enggeo.2020.105522

Cited by 21 publications

(21 citation statements)

References 47 publications

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“…(6) There are substantial stratigraphic differences and weak lithologies along this route; the stratigraphic direction is consistent with the trend of the fault zone. Based on the interaction of the above-mentioned natural characteristics, fractures in the rock mass are widespread, which is conducive to rainwater infiltration [21]. These factors not only lead to frequent landslide disasters, but also induce large-scale, high-level, and long-distance landslides.…”

Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Landslide Detection in the Linzhi–Ya’an Section along the Sichuan–Tibet Railway Based on InSAR and Hot Spot Analysis Methods

et al. 2021

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Construction of the 998.64-km Linzhi–Ya’an section of the Sichuan‒Tibet Railway has been influenced by landslide disasters, threatening the safety of Sichuan‒Tibet railway projects. Landslide identification and deformation analysis in this area are urgently needed. In this context, it was the first time that 164 advanced land-observing satellite-2 (ALOS-2) phased array type L-band synthetic aperture radar-2 (PALSAR-2) images were collected to detect landslide disasters along the entire Linzhi‒Ya’an section. Interferogram stacking and small baseline interferometry methods were used to derive the deformation rate and time-series deformation from 2014‒2020. After that, the hot spot analysis method was introduced to conduct spatial clustering analysis of the annual deformation rate, and the effective deformation area was quickly extracted. Finally, 517 landslide disasters along the Linzhi‒Ya’an route were detected by integrating observed deformation, Google Earth optical images, and external geological data. The main factors controlling the spatial landslide distribution were analyzed. In the vertical direction, the spatial landslide distribution was mainly concentrated in the elevation range of 3000‒5000 m, the slope range of 10‒40°, and the aspect of northeast and east. In the horizontal direction, landslides were concentrated near rivers, and were also closely related to earthquake-prone areas, fault zones, and high-precipitation areas. In short, rainfall, freeze–thaw weathering, seismic activity, and fault zones are the main factors inducing landslides along this route. This research provides scientific support for the construction and operation of the Linzhi‒Ya’an section of the Sichuan‒Tibet Railway.

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Section: Study Areamentioning

confidence: 99%

Landslide Detection in the Linzhi–Ya’an Section along the Sichuan–Tibet Railway Based on InSAR and Hot Spot Analysis Methods

et al. 2021

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“…The Nyixoi Chongco rock avalanche (NCRA) is located in the Angang graben in the middle segment of the Yadong-Gulu Rift (YGR), southern Tibet (Figure 1). It is considered to be the product of a large earthquake event (Wu et al, 2015;Zeng et al, 2020). However, preconditioned slopes may fail as a result of a number of factors (e.g., earthquakes, glacial events, and heavy rainfall) (Mitchell et al, 2007;Korup et al, 2013).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…The NCRA has been inferred to have occurred during the latest tectonic event (strong seismic event) on the normal fault bounding the Angang graben at 2.4 ± 0.2 ka based on the optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) age of the normal fault-scarp colluvium (Wu et al, 2015). Zeng et al (2020) reported a 14 C age of 820 ± 30 years BP (1,220 ± 30 years cal AD) for the NCRA, which was dated from a humus substrate. A correlation between the NCRA and the Chubusi earthquake (1264 AD), which occurred outside the Angang graben, was simply proposed (Zeng et al, 2020).…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Zeng et al (2020) reported a 14 C age of 820 ± 30 years BP (1,220 ± 30 years cal AD) for the NCRA, which was dated from a humus substrate. A correlation between the NCRA and the Chubusi earthquake (1264 AD), which occurred outside the Angang graben, was simply proposed (Zeng et al, 2020). However, it should be noted that Zeng et al (2020) only provided a single radiocarbon age for a bulk organic sample and misinterpreted the upper age as the event age of the NCRA.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

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Radiocarbon Dating of the Nyixoi Chongco Rock Avalanche, Southern Tibet: Search for Signals of Seismic Shaking and Hydroclimatic Events

Liu

Cai

et al. 2022

Front. Earth Sci.

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Landslides are important agents of the surface processes involved in the growth of mountainous topography. Dating prehistoric landslides is a prerequisite for establishing the relationships between prehistoric slope instability, and past climatic regimes and paleoseismic records. The Nyixoi Chongco rock avalanche (NCRA) is located in the Angang graben within the N–S trending rift zone in southern Tibet. It represents a giant prehistoric mass wasting event that was characterized by exceptional mobility and a large volume. However, the exact emplacement time and origin of the NCRA are still controversial. In this study, we conducted 14C dating of peat layers and snail shells to constrain the emplacement age of the NCRA. The 14C ages of the organic material and plant remnants in the basal peat layer are 1272–1389 and 1299–1404 cal AD, respectively. The 14C ages of aquatic snail shells and the bog overlying the rock avalanche are 425–565 and 1022–159 cal AD, respectively. These results indicate that the NCRA consisted of at least two separate and distinct events, instead of the single event suggested by previous studies. Based on field investigations and temporal correlations, we infer that there may be no paleoseismic records in the Angang graben that would corroborate a coseismic trigger for the NCRA. Therefore, we suggest that the 14C ages of the sediments below and above the landslide rocks should be interpreted carefully. The 14C ages alone do not provide sufficient evidence to infer the true trigger of the NCRA event.

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“…Similarly, he has assessed the magnitude of the historical or prehistorical earthquake by comparing coseismal landslide distributions of prehistorical events with well-documented recent earthquakes in New Zealand and Central Asia (Adams, 1981). Practically, Zeng et al (2020) used the empirical equations of the total volume of all paleolandslides triggered in an earthquake and the moment magnitude (Keefer, 1984) to evaluate the earthquake magnitude that triggered the Nixu rock avalanche event (∼Mw7.0-7.2). Taking Soviet Central Asia as an example, Nikonov (1988) had an understanding: large seismogravitational dislocations, such as landslides, occur due to earthquakes of magnitude 6-6.5 or more and are always located within the highest isoseismal (about 10-25 km), tending to be along its major axis.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 99%

A Historical Earthquake-Induced Landslide Damming Event at the Qiaojia Reach of the Jinsha River, SE Tibetan Plateau: Implication for the Seismic Hazard of the Xiaojiang Fault

Reicherter

et al. 2021

Front. Earth Sci.

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In bedrock mountainous areas where active faults and deep river valleys interact, earthquake-induced landslides can be used to explore local seismic hazards. The intersection of the highly active Xiaojiang Fault and the Jinsha River and its main tributaries in southwest China is a site of abundant earthquake-induced landslides. We found some boulders inappropriately scattered on the east bank of the Qiaojia reach of the Jinsha River, where the Qiaojia Segment of the Xiaojiang Fault passes through. We investigated the lithology and topography nearby and confirmed its source area, as well as the existence of a landslide damming event in the field. A high-resolution Digital Surface Model (DSM) generated from Unmanned Aerial Vehicle (UAV) images was used to analyze its characteristics and calculate its parameters. Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) and 14C dating methods on the related dammed lake sand shows the age of the landslide, which is not later than 878 AD. The characteristics of large size with limited depositional extent, spatial relevance between the landslide and Xiaojiang Fault, and temporal-coincidence of the landslide with 624 AD earthquake support the seismic origin of this landslide. Moreover, the 624 AD earthquake was reanalyzed for its magnitude and macro-epicenter based on the coseismic displacement of the Heishui River floodplain. It was calculated to be Mw7.7 or Ms7.9 and relocated to the Qiaojia area. No M ≥ 7 earthquakes have occurred on the Qiaojia Segment for nearly 1,400 years since 624 AD. The elapsed time is close to the average recurrence interval of large earthquakes on the Qiaojia Segment. Therefore, the seismic hazard of the Qiaojia area should be considered in the future.

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Timing and seismic origin of Nixu rock avalanche in southern Tibet and its implications on Nimu active fault

Cited by 21 publications

References 47 publications

Landslide Detection in the Linzhi–Ya’an Section along the Sichuan–Tibet Railway Based on InSAR and Hot Spot Analysis Methods

Landslide Detection in the Linzhi–Ya’an Section along the Sichuan–Tibet Railway Based on InSAR and Hot Spot Analysis Methods

Radiocarbon Dating of the Nyixoi Chongco Rock Avalanche, Southern Tibet: Search for Signals of Seismic Shaking and Hydroclimatic Events

A Historical Earthquake-Induced Landslide Damming Event at the Qiaojia Reach of the Jinsha River, SE Tibetan Plateau: Implication for the Seismic Hazard of the Xiaojiang Fault

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