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Geoscience ›› 2025, Vol. 39 ›› Issue (04): 898-907.DOI: 10.19657/j.geoscience.1000-8527.2024.129

• Tectonic Geology • Previous Articles     Next Articles

Fluvial Geomorphological Characteristics and Their Relationship with Tectonic Activity in the Babianjiang Fault Zone, Southwest Yunnan

TIAN Peng1,2(), ZHOU Qingyun1,2,*(), BAI Xianfu1,2, LUO Weidong1,2, LIU Jingnan1,2   

  1. 1. Yunnan Earthquake Agency, Kunming, Yunnan 650225, China
    2. Kunming Institute of Earthquake Prediction, China Earthquake Administration, Kunming, Yunnan 650224, China
  • Online:2025-08-10 Published:2025-08-27
  • Contact: ZHOU Qingyun

Abstract:

The Babianjiang Fault is located in a seismically active region of southwestern Yunnan. As a non-boundary fault with no historical records of major earthquakes, its tectonic activity remains poorly understood. Based on field investigations, this study extracts topographic parameters and hypsometric integral (HI) values of drainage basins in the Babianjiang Fault Zone using a digital elevation model (DEM). It aims to explore the dominant factors controlling regional topography and geomorphology, and quantitatively analyze the relationship between fluvial geomorphic characteristics and tectonic activity in the Babianjiang Fault Zone. The results indicate that tectonic activity is the primary control on regional geomorphic features. Spatial variations in topographic relief and HI values reveal significant along-strike segmentation in the fault’s tectonic activity: the northern segment is more active, whereas the central segment is relatively weaker. Notably, HI values across the fault show an “east-high, west-low” asymmetric pattern, suggesting that the eastern block has experienced relative tectonic uplift compared to the western block-indicating reverse faulting activity. This study concludes that the Babianjiang Fault is primarily characterized by reverse faulting with a dextral strike-slip component, and geomorphic parameters clearly respond to its tectonic activity.

Key words: Babianjiang fault, geomorphic parameters, hypsometric integral, tectonic activity, SouthwestYunnan

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