The Geodynamic Mechanism of the MS8.0 Wenchuan Earthquake

Located on the east boundary of Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau, the M8.0 Wenchuan earthquake is the strongest event to hit the active block since the 2001 Kunlun Mountains Pass earthquake. In this study, a simplified source model of the Wenchuan earthquake is constructed based on the deep/shallow tectonic settings and crust/mantle structure features of the Longmenshan thrust fault zone. On the basis of dynamic model abstraction, we construct a system of dynamical equations for the seismogenic process and obtain the analytical expressions of stress and strain in the seismogenic process. A preliminary study of the seismogenic process of the M8.0 Wenchuan earthquake, based on the analytical solution of the model and observation of tectonic deformation in the Longmenshan region, indicates that the seismogenic process of the Wenchuan earthquake took place over a period of more than 3200 years. The slow process of seismogeny and the long recurrence period of strong earthquakes are attributed to the low deformation rate of the Longmenshan tectonic zone.