Kinematic model of crustal deformation of Fenwei basin, China based on GPS observations

• Construct a kinematic model of crustal deformation of Fenwei basin using GPS.
• Carry out unbiasedness and efficiency tests of various models.
• Conduct significance tests of the strain parameters of the models.
• Examine the reasonability of the assumed conditions of the models.

Using high precision GPS data for the period of 1999–2007 from the China Crustal Movement Observation Network, we have constructed a plate kinematic model of crustal deformation of Fenwei basin, China. We have examined different kinematic models that can fit the horizontal crustal deformation of the Fenwei basin using three steps of testing. The first step is to carry out unbiasedness and efficiency tests of various models. The second step is to conduct significance tests of strain parameters of the models. The third step is to examine whether strain parameters can fully represent the deformation characteristics of the 11 tectonic blocks over the Fenwei basin. Our results show that the degree of rigidity at the Ordos, Hetao, Yinshan and South China blocks is significant at the 95% confidence level, indicating the crustal deformation of these blocks can be represented by a rigid block model without the need to consider differential deformation within blocks. We have demonstrated that homogeneous strain condition is suitable for the Yinchuan basin but not for other 6 blocks. Therefore, inhomogeneous strains within blocks should be considered when establishing the crustal deformation model for these blocks. We have also tested that not all of the quadratic terms of strain parameters are needed for the Yuncheng-Linfen block. Therefore, four kinds of elastic kinematic models that can best represent the detailed deformation characteristics of the 11 blocks of Fenwei basin are finally obtained. Based on the established model, we have shown that the current tectonic strain feature of the Fenwei basin is mainly characterized by tensile strain in the NW–SE direction, and the boundaries betweem the Ganqing and Ordos blocks and the Shanxi graben possess the maximum shear strain. A comparison between our results and past geological and geophysical investigations further confirms that the model established in this paper is reasonable.