The activity characteristics of the southern section of the Taigu fault in Shanxi since the Late Pleistocene

The Taigu fault is the boundary fault of the Taiyuan basin, and its research degree is relatively low among faults in Jinzhong (central Shanxi) basin. Field geological survey shows that the fault is spread in the forefront of the loess tableland and faulted the alluvial fan and fluvial terrace of the basin, being a Holocene active fault. Three trenches were excavated in Shangcaoma and Beijia. According to the stratigraphic basic units and dating results, the trenches reveal three paleoseismic events, which took place after 8ka, after 11ka and after 17ka respectively. The vertical sliding rate of Holocene is 0.09mm/a, whereas the average sliding rate since Late Pleistocene is 0.16~0.19mm/a. The results obtained by the authors have perfected the study of the Taigu fault and provide reliable scientific basis for the prevention and mitigation of earthquake disaster in Jinzhong basin.