Wen-Jeng Huang

Shallow geological structures triggered during the Mw 6.4 Meinong earthquake, southwestern Taiwan

The Meinong earthquake generated up to ~10 cm surface displacement located 10-35 km W of the epicenter and monitored by InSAR and GPS. In addition to coseismic deformation related to the deep earthquake source, InSAR revealed three sharp surface displacement gradients. One of them is extensional and is inconsistent with the westward interseismic shortening of ~45 mm/yr in this region. The gradient sharpness suggests slip triggering on shallow structures, some of which were not well documented before. To characterize these shallow structures, we investigated potential surface ruptures in the field. Sets of ~NS tension cracks distributed over 25-300 m width, with cumulative extension in the same order as InSAR observations, were found along 5.5 km distance along the extensional gradient and are interpreted as surface rupture. We build two EW regional balanced cross-sections, based on surface geology, subsurface data, and coseismic and interseismic geodetic data. From the Coastal Plain to the E edge of the coseismic deformation area, we propose a series of three active W-dipping back-thrusts: the Houchiali fault, the Napalin-Pitou backthrust, and the Lungchuan back-thrust. They all root on the 3.5-4.0 km deep Tainan detachment located near the base of the 3-km-thick Gutingkeng mudstone. Further E, the detachment would ramp down to ~7 km depth. Coseismic surface deformation measurements suggest that, in addition to the deeper (15-20 km) main rupture plane, mostly the ramp, the Lungchuan back-thrust, and the Tainan detachment were activated during or right after the earthquake. Local extension is considered as transient deformation at the W edge of the shallow main slip zone. Article history: Received 2 November 2016 Revised 13 March 2017 Accepted 20 March 2017

Insights from heterogeneous structures of the 1999 Mw 7.6 Chi‐Chi earthquake thrust termination in and near Chushan excavation site, Central Taiwan

We describe and analyze the surface and subsurface deformation of the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake thrust termination of the Chelungpu fault in and near the Chushan excavation site, central Taiwan. In order to minimize damage to engineering structures within a deformation zone and formulate regulations for earthquake fault zones and fault setbacks, one needs to know the characteristics of the deformation zone and the connection between surface and subsurface deformation. The surface deformation zone of high strain induced by the earthquake faulting ranges from 15 to 70 m in width, and characterized by a 0.5 to 2 m high escarpment is much wider in the hanging wall. Exposures in the trench, 40 m long and 10 m deep, excavated across the earthquake ground rupture, show on the one hand the heterogeneous structure of a steep, monocline-like fold. On the other hand, strikingly different surface deformation profiles on either side of the 14 m wide trench, i.e., semiparabola-like and monoclinal, do not reflect in any obvious way the subsurface structure. The analysis of our detailed mapping results along with well logs suggests that the significant width variation of the surface deformation zone is attributed to secondary faults branching from the dominant fault at several tens of meters depth. The surface profile of the escarpment is controlled by the depth of the relevant fault tip, and the subsurface heterogeneous structure formed during at least four earthquakes.