The definition of active block is given from the angles of crustal deformation and strain. The movement and strain parameters of active blocks are estimated according to the unified velocity field composed of the velocities at 1598 GPS stations obtained from GPS measurements carried out in the past years in the Chinese mainland and the surrounding areas. The movement and strain conditions of the blocks are analyzed. The active blocks in the Chinese mainland have a consistent E-trending movement component, but its N and S components are not consistent. The blocks in the western part have a consistent N-trending movement and the blocks in the eastern part have a consistent S-trending movement. In the area to the east of 90°E, that is the area from Himalayas block towards NE, the movement direction of the blocks rotates clockwisely and the movement rates of the blocks are different. Generally, the movement rate is large in the west and south and small in the east and north with a difference of 3 to 4 times between the rates in the west and east. The distributions of principal compressive strain directions of the blocks are also different. The principal strain of the blocks located to the west of 90oE is basically in the SN direction, the principal compressive strain of the blocks in the northeastern part of Qingzang plateau is roughly in the NE direction and the direction of principal compressive strain of the blocks in the southeastern part of Qingzang plateau rounds clockwisely the east end of Himalayas structure. In addition, the principal strain and shear strain rates of the blocks are also different. The Himalayas and Tianshan blocks have the largest principal compressive strain and the maximum shear strain rate. Then, Lhasa, Qiangtang, Southwest Yunnan (SW Yunnan), Qilian and Sichuan-Yunan (Chuan-Dian) blocks followed. The strain rate of the blocks in the eastern part is smaller. The estimation based on the stain condition indicates that Himalayas block is still the area with the most intensive tectonic activ
LI Yanxing (李延兴) YANG Guohua (杨国华) LI Zhi (李 智) GUO Liangqian (郭良迁) HUANG Cheng (黄珹) ZHU Wenyao (朱文耀) FU Yang (符 养) WANG Qi (王 琪) JIANG Zaisen (江在森) WANG Min (王 敏)
Based on the active crustal block structures, the Holocene active faults and the wave velocity structures with a resolution of 1°×1°, a two-dimensional finite element model for the tectonic stress-strain field of the Chinese mainland is constructed in the paper. Using GPS measurements, the velocity boundary conditions for the model are deduced, then, the annual change patterns of the present-day stress-strain field of the Chinese mainland are simulated. The results show that (1) the general pattern of the recent tectonic deformation in the Chinese mainland is governed by the interactions of its surrounding plates, of which, the Indian Plate plays a major role. There is a NNE-directed velocity distribution in the west of the Chinese mainland. The maximum slip rate appears at the collision boundary. The north-directed components decrease, while the east-directed components increase gradually from south to north and from west to east. In the east part, there is a general east-directed movement, with a certain amount of south-directed components. (2) The present-day tectonic stress field in the Chinese mainland has undergone the process of enhancement in recent years, and this process presents a general pattern of radiating eastwards from the Qinghai-Xizang (Tibet) Plateau as the center. The general pattern is similar to the ambient tectonic stress field, indicating the inheritance of contemporary tectonic deformation on the Chinese mainland. (3) The maximum principal strain presents an obvious pattern of being high in the west and low in the east. The tectonic movement in the west is stronger than that in the east. Large active faults are all located in the high-value zones of maximum principal strain. However, the magnitude of strain is smaller in the interior of the active crustal blocks, which are enclosed by these faults. (4) The stress-strain field of the Sichuan-Yunnan region is unique. It may not be governed by collision of plates alone but a combination of the movement of peripheral active blocks, materia
