Late Quaternary Slip Rates and Paleoseismicity on the Western Segment of the Jiali Fault Zone and Implications for Tectonic Deformation and Slip Partitioning in the Central Tibetan Plateau

AbstractThe western segment of the Jiali fault zone (WJLF), which is a part of the Karakorum‐Jiali fault zone, is highly important for understanding the tectonic deformation and slip partitioning in the central Tibetan Plateau. Based on field mapping, paleoseismic trenching, and dating, we revealed two or three events on the three fault sections of the WJLF. Specifically, three events on the Naqu section (NQS) were constrained at 19,655–15,435 cal BP, 13,820–5,380 cal BP, and 3,725–225 cal BP. Two paleoseismic events on the Xiama section (XMS) were constrained at 16,285–8,300 cal BP and 2,190–2,430 cal BP, whereas three events on the Jiali section (JLS) occurred at 8,985–8,785 cal BP, 8,255–3,625 cal BP, and 3,500–495 cal BP. Moreover, the right‐lateral slip rates on the three sections are constrained to be slightly greater than 1.2 ± 0.2 mm/yr (NQS), 1.7 ± 0.4 mm/yr (XMS), and 3.8 ± 0.9 mm/yr (JLS). Although the aforementioned events might not be complete, we suggest that the three fault sections are Holocene‐active, which indicates that the related seismic risk for the region needs to be highly focused, especially with historical records showing no large earthquakes. Moreover, the moderate slip rates on the WJLF might be dominantly influenced by the ∼NS‐trending Yadong‐Gulu rift, which indicates that the two fault systems might have contributed to regional slip partitioning and collectively accommodated the eastwards escape of the Tibetan Plateau.