Mechanism of Strike-slip Transfer along the East Kunlun Fault in Northern Tibet, China

Strike-slip faults of considerable scale play a pivotal role in accommodating crustal deformation resulting from the Cenozoic India-Eurasia collision. The manner in which strike-slip motion is transferred along faults remains a topic of ongoing debate. In this study, we have meticulously compiled millennial strike-slip rates and GPS-derived strike-slip data along the extensive ~1800 km East Kunlun Fault (EKF). Our objective is to discern the slip distribution pattern and evaluate the mode of strike-slip transfer. The findings reveal a segmented pattern of strike-slip activity, characterized by a consistently high strike-slip rate exceeding 10 mm/yr along the central segments. In contrast, the eastern segment exhibits a reduced slip rate, measuring less than 5 mm/yr, and further diminishes to approximately 1 mm/yr along its eastern fault tip zone. Notably, strike-slip drop events occur within the fault bending zone, or in areas where the fault bifurcates, forming a horsetail structure. To complement our observational insights, numerical modeling has been employed to validate that the fault geometry may serve as a crucial controlling factor in the observed variation of strike-slip rates, Additionally, it influences the local stress situation along the fault, further contributing to the earthquake risk along the fault and the associated hazards impacting the local area.