Abstract:

Based on the measurements of a GPS profile, which is composed of 10 GPS stations across the Bangong Co-Nujiang suture zone around Gaize area of the Tibetan Plateau, observed 3 times from 2007 to 2009 in campaign mode, we investigated the present-day crustal deformation of the Gaize area, and revealed that the principal strains of the region are north-south compression and east-west extension with the rates of (104.0±28.6) ×10^-9/a and (25.4±17.7) ×10^-9/a, respectively. Using the half-space elastic dislocation model and constrained with the GPS velocity vectors of the GPS profile, we inversed the present-day movement of the Bangong Co-Nujiang suture zone at Gaize area (known as Gaize-Dongcuo fault) is right-lateral with a rate of about (7.4±0.8) mm/a.

Key words: Bangong Co-Nujiang suture zone, GPS, crustal deformation, movement rate