Determination of Vertical Velocity Field of Southernmost Longitudinal Valley in Eastern Taiwan: A Joint Analysis of Leveling and GPS Measurements

• Main Authors: Horng-Yue Chen, Jian-Cheng Lee, Hsin Tung, Shui-Beih Yu, Ya-Ju Hsu, Hungkyu Lee
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Published: Chinese Geoscience Union 2012-01-01
• Series: Terrestrial, Atmospheric and Oceanic Sciences
• Subjects: Precise leveling; GPS; Interseismic vertical velocity; Longitudinal Valley; Taiwan
• Online Access: http://tao.cgu.org.tw/images/attachments/v234p355.pdf
• ISSN: 1017-0839; 2311-7680

In order to provide a detailed vertical velocity field in southernmost Longitudinal Valley where shows a complex three-fault system at the plate suture between Philippine Sea plate and Eurasia, we conducted leveling and GPS measurements, compiled data from previous surveys and combined them into a single data set. We compiled precise leveling results from 1984 to 2009, include 5 E-W trending and one N-S trending routes. We calculated the GPS vertical component from 10 continuous stations and from 89 campaign-mode stations from 1995 to 2010. The interseismic vertical rates are estimated by removing the co- and post-seismic effects of major large regional and nearby earthquakes. A stable continuous station S104 in the study area was adopted as the common reference station. We finally establish a map of the interseismic vertical velocity field. The interseismic vertical deformation was mainly accommodated by creeping/thrusting along two east-dipping strands of the three-fault system: the Luyeh and Lichi faults. The most dominant uplift of 30 mm yr-1 occurs at the hanging wall of the Lichi fault on the western Coastal Range. However the rate diminishes away from the fault in the hanging wall. The Quaternary tablelands inside of the Longitudinal Valley reveals uplift with a rate of 5 - 10 mm yr-1. Outside of the tablelands, the rest of the Longitudinal Valley flat area indicates substantial subsidence of -10 to -20 mm yr-1. Finally, it appears that the west-dipping blind fault under the eastern side of the Central Range does not play a significant role on interseismic deformation with subsidence rate of -5 to -10 mm yr-1.