Active Strike-Slip Faulting and Systematic Deflection of Drainage Systems along the Altyn Tagh Fault, Northern Tibetan Plateau

Systematic deflection of drainage systems along strike-slip faults is the combination repeated faulting slipping and continuous headward erosion accumulated on stream channels. The measurement analysis systematically deflected channels will enhance our understanding deformational behaviors relationship between topographic response active faulting. In this study, detailed interpretation remote sensing images DEM data were carried out Altyn Tagh Fault, one typical large-scale fault in northern Tibetan Plateau, together with statistical results offset amounts 153 channels, revealed that (i) have been and/or sinistral Fault; (ii) recorded by vary range 7 m to 72 km, indicate a positively related linear upstream length L amount D, channel bedrock generally has better correlation D than non-bedrock upstream; (iii) River capture abandonment are commonly developed which probably disturbed accumulation individual channel, suggesting real maximum cumulative displacement might be larger km (lower bound) Fault. Along displacements other regional-scale these demonstrate magnitude tectonic extrusion first-order after collision India–Asia plates limited.