Estimation of Major Earthquake Cycle and Future Tendency in Hexi Corridor and Its Adjacent Area, NW
Affected by the Late Mesozoic-Early Cenozoic collision between Indian Plate and Eurasian Plate and the continuous northward compression the Hexi corridor and its adjacent area occur as a strong crustal movement zone, as marked by earthquakes. Since 1555AD, two active periods and two quiet periods have been recognized and now are in the second active period since 1920. The second active period in the past 100 years can be divided into five active stages and five quiet stages. Study of major earthquake cycle indicates that the major earthquakes (MS = 7.0 ~7.5) happen at the interval of 2 000 ~ 3 000 years in the study area.