RESEARCH ON THE DEFORMATIONS IN QINGHAI-TIBET PLATEAU AND ITS MARGINS BY INVERTING SEISMIC MOMENT TENSORS AND GPS VELOCITIES

We have determined approximate average rates of deformation in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and its margins from the GPS data for last 10 years and the moment tensors from earthquakes between 1900 and 1999. We also determined the strain rate (seismic strain rate) associated with the seismic deformation using 254M_ω ≥ 5.0 earthquakes, and estimated the shortening and extension rates for every block in the area as well. We also estimated the strain rate (geodetic strain rate) by 80 GPS sites' velocity vectors and analyzed characteristic of kinematics by two kinds of strain rates and discussed earthquake potential in the area. As a result, the deformation rates from seismic moment tensors and from GPS velocities are basically agreed with each other. It is feasible to analyze seismic risk by comparing geodetic strain rate with seismic strain rate based on the opinion that strain energy will be released through earthquake. It is concluded that there is no strong earthquake potential (>M7) in the Qinghai-Tibet plateau and its margins, but there is earthquake potential (>M5) in middle Tibet in a few years.