Features of Seismicity in the Northeastern China Region and Their Relation to the Subduction of the Japan Sea Plate

Based on the analyses of grouped activity features of deep-focus (M≥6.0) and shallow-focus (M S≥5.0) earthquakes in the Northeast China region, the time-space correlation between deep focus “strong earthquake group" and shallow focus “strong earthquake group" have been studied. The study was mainly on the characteristics of earthquake distribution on the collision zone between the west Pacific plate and the Eurasian plate and on its relations to the morphological feature of the western Pacific subduction zone. Moreover, emphasis was laid on analysis of the effect of the west Pacific plate on the seismicity of Eurasian plate. It is shown that in the region where the west Pacific plate subducts at low angles, the seismicity on the plate collision zone is strong, the effect of plate subduction on Eurasian continent is strong too, and the subduction zone is under a state of high compressional stress. However, in the region where the west Pacific plate subducts at high angles, the seismicity along the plate collision zone is weak, the effect of plate subduction on Eurasian continent is weak too, and the tensile stress produced by the subduction zone at depth is enhanced. We therefore propose that the seismicity in the northeast China region will enter an active period of shallow “strong earthquake group" in the future 10 years. In the period, six earthquakes of M S≥5.0 may occur. Therefore, the work of earthquake monitoring and prediction in this region shall be strengthened.