Fault Kinematics and Slip Distribution of the 2023 Mw 6.1 Earthquake in Jishishan County (Gansu, China) Based on InSAR Observations

Fault Kinematics and Slip Distribution of the 2023 Mw 6.1 Earthquake in Jishishan County (Gansu, China) Based on InSAR Observations | Research Square window.SnipcartSettings = { analytics: { enabled: false } }; (function() { var accessVector = localStorage.getItem('access_vector') || ''; window.dataLayer = window.dataLayer || []; if (accessVector) { window.dataLayer.push({ user: { profile: { profileInfo: { snid: accessVector } } } }); } })(); (function(w,d,s,l,i){w[l]=w[l]||[];w[l].push({'gtm.start':new Date().getTime(),event:'gtm.js'});var f=d.getElementsByTagName(s)[0],j=d.createElement(s),dl=l!='dataLayer'?'&l='+l:'';j.async=true;j.src='https://www.googletagmanager.com/gtm.js?id='+i+dl;f.parentNode.insertBefore(j,f);})(window,document,'script','dataLayer','GTM-K279D39R'); Browse Preprints In Review Journals COVID-19 Preprints AJE Video Bytes Research Tools Research Promotion AJE Professional Editing AJE Rubriq About Preprint Platform In Review Editorial Policies Our Team Advisory Board Help Center Sign In Submit a Preprint Cite Share Download PDF Research Article Fault Kinematics and Slip Distribution of the 2023 Mw 6.1 Earthquake in Jishishan County (Gansu, China) Based on InSAR Observations shuyuan yu, Shubi Zhang, Zhejun Li, Jiaji Luo, Yuanyuan Yang, and 1 more This is a preprint; it has not been peer reviewed by a journal. https://doi.org/ 10.21203/rs.3.rs-4787159/v2 This work is licensed under a CC BY 4.0 License Archived Versions: Posted Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Abstract On December 18, 2023, a M w 6.1 earthquake occurred in Jishishan County, Linxia Prefecture, Gansu Province. This earthquake is the largest recorded since the establishment of seismic observations on the Lajishan fault zone along the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. This study utilizes Sentinel-1A satellite data to obtain the coseismic deformation field from ascending and descending tracks of the 2023 Jishishan earthquake, using this information to constrain the inversion of the earthquake's fault kinematic parameters and fault slip distribution characteristics. Finally, integrating the characteristics of Coulomb stress changes with regional tectonic background research results, we assess the seismic hazard of the region. The study indicates that the deformation field generated by this earthquake is oriented predominantly in the WNW direction, with the coseismic deformation from both ascending and descending tracks mostly exhibiting uplift. The maximum line-of-sight (LOS) displacement for the ascending track is approximately 6 cm, while for the descending track it is about 6.7 cm. The results of slip testing on the coseismic fault suggest that both east-dipping and west-dipping fault geometric models can adequately explain the parameters of the fault that caused this earthquake. Based on aftershock relocation and comprehensive analysis of the regional tectonic background, the study concludes that the rupture likely occurred on a northeast-dipping fault, potentially a concealed reverse fault with an WNW orientation located along the southern margin of Lajishan. Calculations of static Coulomb stress changes indicate that the occurrence of the 2023 Jishishan earthquake has increased the risk of future seismic events along segments of the NWW-oriented southern and northern margins of the Lajishan fault, as well as to the east of the epicenter along the Xiqinling northern fault and the Daotanghe-Linxia fault. 2023 Jishishan earthquake InSAR fault slip distribution Coulomb stress changes Full Text Cite Share Download PDF Archived Versions: Posted Version 2 posted You are reading this latest preprint version Research Square lets you share your work early, gain feedback from the community, and start making changes to your manuscript prior to peer review in a journal. As a division of Research Square Company, we’re committed to making research communication faster, fairer, and more useful. We do this by developing innovative software and high quality services for the global research community. Our growing team is made up of researchers and industry professionals working together to solve the most critical problems facing scientific publishing. Also discoverable on Platform About Our Team In Review Editorial Policies Advisory Board Help Center Resources Author Services Accessibility API Access RSS feed Manage Cookie Preferences © Research Square 2026 | ISSN 2693-5015 (online) Privacy Policy Terms of Service Do Not Sell My Personal Information {"props":{"pageProps":{"initialData":{"identity":"rs-4787159","acceptedTermsAndConditions":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"archivedVersions":[{"code":2,"date":"2025-03-21 01:37:34","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"earth-planets-and-space","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"epsp","sideBox":"Learn more about [Earth, Planets and Space](http://earth-planets-space.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/epsp/default.aspx","title":"Earth, Planets and Space","twitterHandle":"@SpringerOpen","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"articleType":"Research Article","associatedPublications":[],"authors":[{"id":431810934,"identity":"4884741c-6071-437d-a84e-09a64822702b","order_by":0,"name":"shuyuan yu","email":"data:image/png;base64,iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAZAAAAAyAQMAAABI0h/eAAAABlBMVEX///8AAABVwtN+AAAACXBIWXMAAA7EAAAOxAGVKw4bAAAAzElEQVRIiWNgGAWjYBACfmbm4z8SKv7L8bM3EKlFsp0tQeLBGWZjyZ4DRGoxOM9jIPmwjTlxw40EYm1p5jEwSDjDxjhz5uONNxhqbKIJauFnZitISKjgYeaXTiu2YDiWlttA2BbmDQcSzkiwSc7OMZNgbDhMWIvBYQbDhsQ2Ax6Dm2eI1sJizJDYliBhcIOHSC2SzWxpDAlnDhhI9gD9kkCMX/j5Dx9j/FFxoL6f/fDGGx9qbAhrQXGkRAIpyiFaSNUxCkbBKBgFIwMAAKAJQBuRs4ESAAAAAElFTkSuQmCC","orcid":"https://orcid.org/0000-0001-7761-755X","institution":"China University of Mining and Technology - Xuzhou Campus: China University of Mining and Technology","correspondingAuthor":true,"prefix":"","firstName":"shuyuan","middleName":"","lastName":"yu","suffix":""},{"id":431810935,"identity":"b40ca3b6-b4b9-40fa-b960-2a381295222c","order_by":1,"name":"Shubi Zhang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"China University of Mining Technology: China University of Mining and Technology","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Shubi","middleName":"","lastName":"Zhang","suffix":""},{"id":431810936,"identity":"e4962252-1bbb-4958-99ff-5ff82a614412","order_by":2,"name":"Zhejun Li","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Anhui Earthquake Administration","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Zhejun","middleName":"","lastName":"Li","suffix":""},{"id":431810937,"identity":"dca286ec-b1bd-4b2c-a09a-7680a253131a","order_by":3,"name":"Jiaji Luo","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Anhui Earthquake Administration","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Jiaji","middleName":"","lastName":"Luo","suffix":""},{"id":431810938,"identity":"a5b463d3-8e26-43a5-b074-77423b8f1dcc","order_by":4,"name":"Yuanyuan Yang","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Anhui Earthquake Administration","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Yuanyuan","middleName":"","lastName":"Yang","suffix":""},{"id":431810939,"identity":"01fccdbc-2a42-4526-8575-07a33627dce2","order_by":5,"name":"Juan Ding","email":"","orcid":"","institution":"Anhui Earthquake Administration","correspondingAuthor":false,"prefix":"","firstName":"Juan","middleName":"","lastName":"Ding","suffix":""}],"badges":[],"createdAt":"2024-07-23 08:58:47","currentVersionCode":2,"declarations":"","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4787159/v2","doiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4787159/v2","draftVersion":[],"editorialEvents":[{"content":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-025-02199-5","type":"published","date":"2025-08-19T15:56:51+00:00"}],"editorialNote":"","failedWorkflow":false,"files":[{"id":89847125,"identity":"1107a206-b01e-434a-b200-ece92b4b3cbb","added_by":"auto","created_at":"2025-08-25 16:40:47","extension":"pdf","order_by":1,"title":"","display":"","copyAsset":false,"role":"manuscript-pdf","size":1879997,"visible":true,"origin":"","legend":"","description":"","filename":"ManuscriptEPSShuyuanYuRevised3.6.pdf","url":"https://assets-eu.researchsquare.com/files/rs-4787159/v2_covered_bcee711c-3a19-4b3d-b997-a9a87118fcac.pdf"}],"financialInterests":"","formattedTitle":"Fault Kinematics and Slip Distribution of the 2023 Mw 6.1 Earthquake in Jishishan County (Gansu, China) Based on InSAR Observations","fulltext":[],"fulltextSource":"","fullText":"","funders":[],"hasAdminPriorityOnWorkflow":false,"hasManuscriptDocX":false,"hasOptedInToPreprint":true,"hasPassedJournalQc":"","hasAnyPriority":false,"hideJournal":false,"highlight":"","institution":"","isAcceptedByJournal":true,"isAuthorSuppliedPdf":true,"isDeskRejected":"","isHiddenFromSearch":false,"isInQc":false,"isInWorkflow":true,"isPdf":true,"isPdfUpToDate":true,"isWithdrawnOrRetracted":false,"journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"earth-planets-and-space","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"epsp","sideBox":"Learn more about [Earth, Planets and Space](http://earth-planets-space.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/epsp/default.aspx","title":"Earth, Planets and Space","twitterHandle":"@SpringerOpen","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true},"keywords":"2023 Jishishan earthquake, InSAR, fault slip distribution, Coulomb stress changes","lastPublishedDoi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4787159/v2","lastPublishedDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.21203/rs.3.rs-4787159/v2","license":{"name":"CC BY 4.0","url":"https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/"},"manuscriptAbstract":"\u003cp\u003eOn December 18, 2023, a \u003cem\u003eM\u003c/em\u003e\u003csub\u003ew\u003c/sub\u003e 6.1 earthquake occurred in Jishishan County, Linxia Prefecture, Gansu Province. This earthquake is the largest recorded since the establishment of seismic observations on the Lajishan fault zone along the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. This study utilizes Sentinel-1A satellite data to obtain the coseismic deformation field from ascending and descending tracks of the 2023 Jishishan earthquake, using this information to constrain the inversion of the earthquake's fault kinematic parameters and fault slip distribution characteristics. Finally, integrating the characteristics of Coulomb stress changes with regional tectonic background research results, we assess the seismic hazard of the region. The study indicates that the deformation field generated by this earthquake is oriented predominantly in the WNW direction, with the coseismic deformation from both ascending and descending tracks mostly exhibiting uplift. The maximum line-of-sight (LOS) displacement for the ascending track is approximately 6 cm, while for the descending track it is about 6.7 cm. The results of slip testing on the coseismic fault suggest that both east-dipping and west-dipping fault geometric models can adequately explain the parameters of the fault that caused this earthquake. Based on aftershock relocation and comprehensive analysis of the regional tectonic background, the study concludes that the rupture likely occurred on a northeast-dipping fault, potentially a concealed reverse fault with an WNW orientation located along the southern margin of Lajishan. Calculations of static Coulomb stress changes indicate that the occurrence of the 2023 Jishishan earthquake has increased the risk of future seismic events along segments of the NWW-oriented southern and northern margins of the Lajishan fault, as well as to the east of the epicenter along the Xiqinling northern fault and the Daotanghe-Linxia fault.\u003c/p\u003e","manuscriptTitle":"Fault Kinematics and Slip Distribution of the 2023 Mw 6.1 Earthquake in Jishishan County (Gansu, China) Based on InSAR Observations","msid":"","msnumber":"","nonDraftVersions":[{"code":1,"date":"2024-08-30 17:45:58","doi":"10.21203/rs.3.rs-4787159/v1","editorialEvents":[{"type":"communityComments","content":0},{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2024-08-10T15:17:37+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2024-08-06T03:37:59+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2024-08-05T04:28:32+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Earth, Planets and Space","date":"2024-07-23T04:32:11+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""}],"status":"published","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"earth-planets-and-space","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"epsp","sideBox":"Learn more about [Earth, Planets and Space](http://earth-planets-space.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/epsp/default.aspx","title":"Earth, Planets and Space","twitterHandle":"@SpringerOpen","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}},{"code":"","date":"2024-10-31 04:04:34","doi":"","editorialEvents":[{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2024-10-31T04:04:34+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2024-10-31T02:44:45+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2024-10-25T10:16:46+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Earth, Planets and Space","date":"2024-10-23T20:35:46+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"decision","content":"Minor Revision","date":"2024-09-18T00:28:10+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"notPreprinted","content":""}],"status":"timeline","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"earth-planets-and-space","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"epsp","sideBox":"Learn more about [Earth, Planets and Space](http://earth-planets-space.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/epsp/default.aspx","title":"Earth, Planets and Space","twitterHandle":"@SpringerOpen","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}},{"code":"","date":"2025-02-06 05:51:02","doi":"","editorialEvents":[{"type":"reviewerAgreed","content":"","date":"2025-02-06T05:51:02+00:00","index":0,"fulltext":""},{"type":"reviewersInvited","content":"","date":"2025-02-02T22:14:34+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"editorAssigned","content":"","date":"2025-02-01T05:16:41+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"submitted","content":"Earth, Planets and Space","date":"2025-01-31T20:43:05+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"decision","content":"Minor Revision","date":"2024-09-18T00:28:10+00:00","index":"","fulltext":""},{"type":"notPreprinted","content":""}],"status":"timeline","journal":{"display":true,"email":"[email protected]","identity":"earth-planets-and-space","isNatureJournal":false,"hasQc":true,"allowDirectSubmit":false,"externalIdentity":"epsp","sideBox":"Learn more about [Earth, Planets and Space](http://earth-planets-space.springeropen.com)","snPcode":"","submissionUrl":"https://www.editorialmanager.com/epsp/default.aspx","title":"Earth, Planets and Space","twitterHandle":"@SpringerOpen","acdcEnabled":true,"dfaEnabled":true,"editorialSystem":"em","reportingPortfolio":"BMC/SO AJ","inReviewEnabled":true,"inReviewRevisionsEnabled":true}}],"origin":"","ownerIdentity":"2ad29cdc-3b0d-4a84-8305-4fee8f095030","owner":[],"postedDate":"March 21st, 2025","published":true,"recentEditorialEvents":[],"rejectedJournal":[],"revision":"","amendment":"","status":"published-in-journal","subjectAreas":[],"tags":[],"updatedAt":"2025-08-25T16:31:10+00:00","versionOfRecord":{"articleIdentity":"rs-4787159","link":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-025-02199-5","journal":{"identity":"earth-planets-and-space","isVorOnly":false,"title":"Earth, Planets and Space"},"publishedOn":"2025-08-19 15:56:51","publishedOnDateReadable":"August 19th, 2025"},"versionCreatedAt":"2025-03-21 01:37:34","video":"","vorDoi":"10.1186/s40623-025-02199-5","vorDoiUrl":"https://doi.org/10.1186/s40623-025-02199-5","workflowStages":[]},"version":"v2","identity":"rs-4787159","journalConfig":"researchsquare"},"__N_SSP":true},"page":"/article/[identity]/[[...version]]","query":{"redirect":"/article/rs-4787159","identity":"rs-4787159","version":["v2"]},"buildId":"XKTyCvWXoU3ODBz1xrDgd","isFallback":false,"isExperimentalCompile":false,"dynamicIds":[84888],"gssp":true,"scriptLoader":[]}