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Three‐Dimensional Resistivity Imaging Constrains Crustal Heterogeneity Beneath the 2010 Yushu Ms 7.1 Earthquake Rupture

Year: 2026

Type: article

Abstract: The 2010 Yushu (eastern Tibetan Plateau) Ms 7.1 strike‐slip earthquake ruptured unilaterally toward the southeast but left a hypocentral segment without mapped surface rupture, followed by a two‐stage reorganization of aftershocks. We present a 3‐D electrical resistivity model from 70 quality‐controlled magnetotelluric sites acquired shortly after the event. Alternative data‐component inversions, 2‐D/3‐D comparisons, and anomaly‐focused forward tests identify the best‐resolved features. A conductive mid–lower crust beneath the Qiangtang block abuts more resistive Bayan Har crust. The mainshock and early aftershocks lie near upper‐crustal resistivity transitions, while a broad shallow conductor extends beneath and beyond the hypocentral surface‐rupture gap. The late conjugate swarm extends into a sparsely sampled sector. The underlying electrical structure is therefore not well resolved. The results indicate that crustal heterogeneity may have influenced rupture segmentation and early aftershock redistribution, whereas the relation to the late swarm requires denser observations.

Source: Geophysical Research Letters

DOI: 10.1029/2026gl122551