Coseismic Source Model of the February 2023 Mw 6.8 Tajikistan Earthquake from Sentinel-1A InSAR Observations and Its Associated Earthquake Hazard

Abstract

On 23 February 2023, an Mw 6.8 earthquake struck the border of Tajikistan and Xinjiang China, the source mechanism remains controversial according to different seismic inversions. To better comprehend the source characteristics and the surface deformation pattern, we used the ascending and descending orbital Sentinel-1A SAR data to obtain the coseismic deformation of this earthquake based on the traditional two-pass differential interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR). The source model is inverted from the InSAR coseismic deformation results. The possible Coulomb Failure Stress (CFS) transfer is analyzed based on the preferred source model. The results illustrate that the earthquake ruptured a blind left-lateral strike-slip fault of strike 28.1° with a maximum slip of 1.53 m and the total geodetic moment is 1.99 × 1019 N·m (Mw 6.83). The strike direction and the fault characteristics suggest the Seismogenic fault is a secondary fault of the Sarez–Karakul Fault System. The 2015 Mw 7.2 Sarez Earthquake plays a triggering role in the occurrence of the 2023 Tajikistan earthquake. Earthquake hazard on Sarez–Karakul Fault System and Sarez–Murghab Thrust System is enhanced due to the Coulomb stress loaded by the Tajikistan earthquake.

Keywords

• 2023 Tajikistan earthquake
• InSAR coseismic deformation
• source mechanism
• secondary fault
• Coulomb Failure Stress transfer
• earthquake hazard