FRACTAL ANALYSIS OF MOUNTAIN RANGES AND FAULTS IN CHINA

A fractal and statistical analysis of mountain ranges and faults has been made respectively for southwest China and the whole continental area of China. It is found that the fractal dimension is 1.63 for mountain ridges in continental area of China, and 1.35 for those in southwest China. The fractal dimension is 1.65 for mountain ranges or faults indicates the difference of the frequency of distribution of mountain ridges or faults. The higher frequency of long mountain ranges or faults in southwest China than in the whole continental area of China, leads to the smaller fractal dimension of mountain ridges or faults in southwest China than in the whole continental area of China. It is concluded that both faults and mountain ridges are results of tectonic movements.