Volume 32 Issue 3
Jun.  2026
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Article Navigation >  Journal of Geomechanics  > 2026  >  32(3): 620-637
CHU T S，REN J J，2026. Response of geomorphic indices to segmental activity of the Kouquan Fault on the western boundary of the Datong Basin[J]. Journal of Geomechanics，32（3）：620−637 doi: 10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.2024134
Citation: CHU T S，REN J J，2026. Response of geomorphic indices to segmental activity of the Kouquan Fault on the western boundary of the Datong Basin[J]. Journal of Geomechanics，32（3）：620−637 doi: 10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.2024134
shu

Response of geomorphic indices to segmental activity of the Kouquan Fault on the western boundary of the Datong Basin

doi: 10.12090/j.issn.1006-6616.2024134
  • 1.

    School of Earth Sciences and Resources, China University of Geosciences, Beijing 100083, China

  • 2.

    School of Emergency Management Science and Engineering, University of Chinese Academy of Sciences, Beijing 100049, China

  • 3.

    National Institute of Natural Hazards, Ministry of Emergency Management of China, Beijing 100085, China

  • 4.

    State Key Laboratory of Deep Earth Exploration and Imaging, Beijing 100083, China

Funds:  This research was financially supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. U2139201) and the Project on Active Fault Exploration and Seismic Hazard in Datong City (Grant No. SXXXZC-2019-018).
More Information
  • Received: 2024-12-07
  • Revised: 2025-09-10
  • Accepted: 2025-10-10
    • Available Online: 2026-05-21
  • Published: 2026-06-28
    Abstract
  •   Objective  Segmentation studies of active tectonics are of great significance for earthquake prediction and hazard assessment. To investigate whether geomorphic indices can reflect differential activity along fault segments, this study focuses on the Kouquan Fault—a typical normal fault located at the mountain–basin transition on the western boundary of the Datong Basin—and conducts a segmentation analysis based on geomorphic indices.   Methods  Using 12.5 m-resolution ALOS-PALSAR DEM data, we extracted 55 drainage basins on the footwall of the fault and calculated various geomorphic indices, including basin slope, mountain-front sinuosity ($ S\mathrm{_{mf}} $), hypsometric integral ($ HI $), valley-floor-width-to-height ratio ($ VF $), basin asymmetric factor ($ AF $), basin elongation ratio ($ Re $), and normalized channel steepness index ($ k\mathrm{_{sn}} $). We analyzed their spatial distribution across different fault segments, examined the influence of non-tectonic factors (such as lithology and climate), and compared the results with existing tectonic activity data (e.g., late Quaternary slip rates).   Results  The geomorphic indices, primarily controlled by tectonic uplift, exhibit clear segmentation. Values in the central segment are significantly higher than those in the northern and southern segments. This spatial variation aligns with the fault's slip rate trend, indicating that geomorphic indices can effectively reflect differential fault activity. Some indices, however, are more influenced by lithology or precipitation and therefore exhibit lower sensitivity to tectonic activity.  Conclusions  The study demonstrates that fluvial geomorphic indices reveal the segmental activity of the Kouquan Fault and can serve as an effective tool for assessing fault segmentation. Furthermore, the geomorphic indices of the Kouquan Fault are mainly controlled by tectonic activity, among which the $ VF $, $ S\mathrm{_{mf}} $, and $ k\mathrm{_{sn}} $indices exhibit the highest sensitivity. [Significance] This research validates the effectiveness and objectivity of geomorphic indices in identifying active fault segmentation. It proposes a new, generalizable approach for fault segmentation studies based on high-precision, quantitative geomorphic analysis.

     

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