Complex Slip Distribution of the 2021 Mw 7.4 Maduo, China, Earthquake: An Event Occurring on the Slowly Slipping Fault

The 21 May 2021 Maduo earthquake occurred on the Kunlun Mountain Pass–Jiangcuo fault (KMPJF), a seismogenic fault with no documented large earthquakes. To probe its kinematics, we first estimate the slip rates of the KMPJF and Tuosuo Lake segment (TLS, ∼75 km north of the KMPJF) of the East Kunlun fault (EKLF) based on the secular Global Positioning System (GPS) data using the Markov chain Monte Carlo method. Our model reveals that the slip rates of the KMPJF and TLS are 1.7 ± 0.8 and 7.1 ± 0.3 mm/yr, respectively. Then, we invert high-resolution GPS and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar observations to decipher the fault geometry and detailed coseismic slip distribution associated with the Maduo earthquake. The geometry of the KMPFJ significantly varies along strike, composed of five fault subsegments. The most slip is accommodated by two steeply dipping fault segments, with the patch of large sinistral slip concentrated in the shallow depth on a simple straight structure. The released seismic moment is ∼1.5×1020 N·m, equivalent to an Mw 7.39 event, with a peak slip of ∼9.3 m. Combining the average coseismic slip and slip rate of the main fault, an earthquake recurrence period of ∼1250−400+1120 yr is estimated. The Maduo earthquake reminds us to reevaluate the potential of seismic gaps where slip rates are low. Based on our calculated Coulomb failure stress, the Maduo earthquake imposes positive stress on the Maqin–Maqu segment of the EKLF, a long-recognized seismic gap, implying that it may accelerate the occurrence of the next major event in this region.

Overdetermination and subjective revision in Dong Kena's "Small Grass on the Kunlun Mountain"

Unfairness of the world appears nearly everywhere. It can be said as daily in our life. All this unfairness comes from discrimination. For many people, discrimination is an everyday reality. Discrimination is the unfair and prejudicial treatment that people and groups receive based on characteristics. Discrimination is based upon the primary requirement of difference. Only when difference appear over a group of people, discrimination shows its place. Discrimination comes from natural gifts that people are born with. Gender is the different for everyone. Every human is born with a gender assigned to. It’s whether, man or woman. Nevertheless, women are proven physically weaker than men. Science has proven their bodies to anatomically difference in return. Women are not only weaker in physical strength, but also are spiritually weaker. Eve was targeted by the serpent simply because she was the weaker vessel spiritually. With the different brain function, women are easily deceived, fantasists, and more emotional. These terms can especially drop atop love. Empty words, imagine, dreaming, and expression of emotions. Walking on a different branch of emotion, women are mentally weaker. The bible says women are the weaker vessels for a reason, we are also fragile mentally, and we are to be treated with great care and love to avoid breaking. Containing these natural discriminations, women receive unfair treatments from the world and the society.

Quantitative Estimates of Holocene Glacier Mass Fluctuations on the Western Tibetan Plateau

<p><strong><span>Knowledge of the alpine glacier mass fluctuations is a fundamental prerequisite for understanding glacier dynamics, projecting future glacier change, and assessing the availability of freshwater resources. The glaciers on the Tibetan Plateau (TP) are sources of water for most of the major Asian rivers and their fate remains unclear due to accurate estimates of glacier mass fluctuations are lacking over long time scales. Here, we used d</span><sup><span>18</span></sup><span>O record at a proglacial open lake as proxy to estimate the Holocene glacier mass fluctuations in the Western Kunlun Mountain (WKM) quantitatively and continuously. Relative to past decades, maximum WKM glacier mass loss (-28.62±25.76 Gt) occurred at 9.5-8.5 ka BP, and maximum glacier mass gain (24.53±25.02 Gt) occurred at 1.3~0.5 ka BP, the difference in WKM glacier mass between the two periods account for ~20% of the total glaciers. Long-term changes in glacier mass suggests the TP glaciers likely face severe threats at the current rates of global warming. </span></strong></p>

Investigating the Recent Surge in the Monomah Glacier, Central Kunlun Mountain Range with Multiple Sources of Remote Sensing Data

Several glaciers in the Bukatage Massif are surge-type. However, previous studies in this region focused on glacier area and length changes, and more information is needed to support the deep analysis of glacier surge. We determined changes in glacier thickness, motion, and surface features in this region based on TanDEM-X, ALOS/PRISM, Sentinel-1A, and Landsat images. Our results indicated that the recent surge of the Monomah Glacier, the largest glacier in the Bukatage Massif, started in early 2009 and ceased in late 2016. From 2009 to 2016, its area and length respectively increased by 6.27 km2 and 1.45 km, and its ice tongue experienced three periods of changes: side broadening (2009–2010), rapid advancing (2010–2013), and slow expansion (2013–2016). During 2000–2012, its accumulation zone was thinned by 50 m, while its ice tongue was thickened by 90 m. During 2015–2017, its flow velocity reduced from 1.2 to 0.25 m/d, and the summer velocities were much higher than winter velocities. We conclude that the recent Monomah Glacier surge is thermal-controlled. The subglacial temperature rose to the pressure-melting point because of substantial mass accumulation, and then the increased basal meltwater caused the surge.

Pillars of Heaven: The Symbolic Function of Column and Bracket Sets in the Han Dynasty

ABSTRACTWooden columns surmounted by bracket sets are a key element of the great buildings of Imperial China and have received a tremendous amount of attention from scholars and architectural professionals. This article revisits the question of their symbolic function during the Han dynasty (206 bce–ce 220). In addition to their structural role, column and bracket sets fulfilled important social and cultural needs related to the representation of celestial and spiritual qualities. Understood variously as pillars of heaven, gates of heaven, the constellations, Kunlun Mountain and celestial plants, column and bracket sets engendered a rich iconography that served to bond architecture closely to the heavens.

Glacier anomaly over the western Kunlun Mountains, Northwestern Tibetan Plateau, since the 1970s

ABSTRACTWestern Kunlun Mountain (WKM) glaciers show balanced or even slightly positive mass budgets in the early 21st century, and this is anomalous in a global context of glacier reduction. However, it is unknown whether the stability prevails at longer time scales because mass budgets have been unavailable before 2000. Here topographical maps, Shuttle Radar Topography Mission and Landsat data are used to examine the area and surface elevation changes of glaciers on the WKM since the 1970s. Heterogeneous glacier behaviors are observed not only in the changes of length and area, but also in the spatial distribution of surface elevation changes. However, on average, glacier area and elevation changes are not significant. Glaciers reduce in the area by 0.07 ± 0.1% a−1 from the 1970s to 2016. Averaged glacier mass loss is −0.06 ± 0.13 m w.e. a−1 from the 1970s to 1999. These findings show that the WKM glacier anomaly extends back at least to the 1970s.