The Kangding earthquake swarm of November, 2014

Abstract

There was an earthquake swarm of two major events of M S6.3 and M S5.8 on the Xianshuihe fault in November, 2014. The two major earthquakes are both strike-slip events with aftershock zone along NW direction. We have analyzed the characteristics of this earthquake sequence. The b value and the h value show the significant variations in different periods before and after the M S5.8 earthquake. Based on the data of historical earthquakes, we also illustrated the moderate-strong seismic activity on the Xianshuihe fault. The Kangding earthquake swarm manifests the seismic activity on Xianshuihe fault may be in the late seismic active period. The occurrence of the Kangding earthquake may be an adjustment of the strong earthquakes on the Xianshuihe fault. The Coulomb failure stress changes caused by the historical earthquakes were also given in this article. The results indicate that the earthquake swarm was encouraged by the historical earthquakes since 1893, especially by the M S7.5 Kangding earthquake in 1955. The Coulomb failure stress changes also shows the subsequent M S5.8 earthquake was triggered by the M S6.3 earthquake.