The Northern End of the Xiannvshan Fault at the Three Gorges Area

作     者：Bi Minfeng Chu Quanzhi Deng Zhihui Pan Bo Zhang Changhou Zhou Qing 

作者机构：Institute of Geology China Earthquake Administration China University of Geosciences China Earthquake Networks Center 

出 版 物：《Earthquake Research in China》 (中国地震研究（英文版）)

年 卷 期：2012年第26卷第4期

页      面：457-466页

学科分类：070801[理学-固体地球物理学] 07[理学] 0708[理学-地球物理学] 

基　　金：funded by Geological Disaster Preventing Project of the Third Stage of Three Gorges Project of Ministry of Land and Resources,China (SXKY3-5) the Basic Research Project of the National Non-profit Research Institutes,Institute of Geology,CEA(IGCEA1001) 

主　　题：Three Gorges Area Xiannvshan fault Tectonic landform 

摘      要：The Xiannvshan fault zone, lying along the western margin of the Huangling anticline, is one of the most important fault zones in the Three Gorges reservoir area. The fault experienced strong activity during the Cenozoic Era. The question of whether the fault zone goes through the Yangtze River has been one of the key problems faced in previous studies as it has a significant influence upon the assessment of geological hazards and earthquake stability in the reservoir area. Based on tectonic and geomorphic observations along the fault zone between the Baixianchi village in Changyang county and Huangkou village in Zigui town, together with the comparisons between the geology in Guizhou and Quyuan town in the north bank of the Yangtze River and the Xiannvshan fault zone, it is suggested that the north end of this fault zone is located around Huangkou village and does not go through the Yangtze rivers northward. The evidence is as follows: ① On the basis of field data collection, it is found that the Xiannvshan Fault zone, which stretches 80km, underwent thrust movement in the Cenozoic period, resulting in ravines and fault scarps, topographically. Whereas, on the northern bank of the Yangtze River, faults are rarely found, and most of the faults are developed in the Jurassic strata,without topographical effects. Therefore, the Xiannvshan Fault zone has not stretched to the north bank of the Yangtze River. ② The fault gouge and tectonite zone were found developed on the Xiannvshan Fault zone at Baixianchi village, but only a tectonite zone was found at Zhouping village. There are also some branch faults close to the northern end of the fault zone. So, the activity of the fault zone weakened from south to north in Cenozoic. The fault zone extends northward and dies out at Huangkou. It doesn t stretch forward any longer as indicated by continuous strata, sparse joints, and small folds, etc.