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Abstract On 7 January 2025, a M w 7.1 normal‐faulting earthquake occurred in the Dinggye Rift zone, southern Tibetan plateau. In this study, we present high‐resolution crustal S‐wave isotropic and P‐wave azimuthally anisotropic velocity models around the source region of this earthquake, constructed using novel adjoint‐state traveltime tomography techniques. We find that the high‐slip zone of the mainshock rupture coincides with a high‐strength asperity (Lhagai gneiss dome) characterized by negligible seismic anisotropy. The source region is subject to basal shear imposed by the underthrusting Indian slab and impinging fluid flow through a slab window, as evidenced by the observations of convergence‐parallel anisotropy and pronounced low‐velocity anomalies below the hypocenter. These tectonic forces collectively reconfigure the local stress field to favor normal faulting by counteracting the convergence‐induced compression, and together with the high elastic strain accumulation facilitated by the fault asperity, contributes to the generation of this high‐magnitude normal‐faulting continental earthquake.
Zhang et al. (Sat,) studied this question.