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Seismicity in far western Nepal reveals flats and ramps along the Main Himalayan Thrust

2021; Oxford University Press; Volume: 226; Issue: 3 Linguagem: Inglês

10.1093/gji/ggab159

1365-246X

Marine Laporte, Laurent Bollinger, H. Lyon‐Caen, Roser Hoste-Colomer, Clara Duverger, Jean Letort, Magali Riesner, Binod Prasad Koirala, M. Bhattarai, T. Kandel, Chintan Timsina, Lok Bijaya Adhikari,

Geological and Geochemical Analysis

SUMMARY Unravelling relations between lateral variations of mid-crustal seismicity and the geometry of the Main Himalayan Thrust (MHT) system at depth is a key issue in seismotectonic studies of the Himalayan range. These relations can reveal along strike changes in the behaviour of the fault at depth related to fluids or the local ramp-flat geometry and more generally of the stress build-up along the fault. Some of these variations may control the rupture extension of intermediate, large or great earthquakes, the last of which dates back from 1505 CE in far western Nepal. The region is also associated to lateral spatio-temporal variations of the mid-crustal seismicity monitored by the Regional Seismic Network of Surkhet–Birendranagar. This network was supplemented between 2014 and 2016 by 15 temporary stations deployed above the main seismic clusters giving new potential to regional studies. Both absolute and relative locations together with focal mechanisms are determined to gain insight on the fault behaviour at depth. We find more than 4000 earthquakes within 5 and 20 km-depth clustered in three belts parallel to the front of the Himalayan range. Finest locations reveal close relationships between seismic clusters and fault segments at depth among which mid-crustal ramps and reactivated tectonic slivers. Our results support a geometry of the MHT involving several fault patches at depth separated by ramps and tear faults. This geometry most probably affects the pattern of the coseismic ruptures breaking partially or totally the locked fault zone as well as eventual along strike variations of seismic coupling during interseismic period.