The western Qinling Mountains, located between the East Kunlun fault and the West Qinling fault, hold the key to investigating the outward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau. We use up-to-date GPS observations to derive high spatial–temporal resolution crustal velocity and strain rate fields for this region. Our results suggest that a series of NEE-trending faults bounding the eastern margin of the western Qinling Mountains experience right-lateral strike slip with low rates of ~ 1 mm/yr. In addition, our results suggest that crustal deformation of the western Qinling Mountains could be governed by a right-lateral shear zone trending NNE at a rate of ~ 6 mm/yr, producing a clockwise rotation of subblocks: left-lateral and right-lateral strike slip on the NWW-trending and NEE-trending faults, respectively. The eastward extrusion of the Tibetan Plateau along the western Qinling Mountains is limited further east. In contrast, the NNE-ward expansion of the northeastern Tibetan Plateau is the primary motion which extends through the western Qinling Mountains and the Longxi block. The results of this study improve our understanding of the outward expansion of the Tibetan Plateau influenced by the Indian–Eurasian collision.

中文翻译：

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西秦岭地区现今地壳变形及其运动学意义

西秦岭山脉位于东昆仑断裂和西秦岭断裂之间，是研究青藏高原向外扩张的关键。我们使用最新的 GPS 观测来推导出该区域的高时空分辨率地壳速度和应变率场。我们的研究结果表明，围绕西秦岭东缘的一系列 NEE 走向的断层经历了大约 1 毫米/年的低速率的右侧走滑。此外，我们的研究结果表明，西秦岭山脉的地壳变形可能受一个以 6 mm/yr 左右的速度向 NNE 走向的右侧剪切带控制，产生子块的顺时针旋转：左侧和右侧分别在 NWW 向和 NEE 向断层上发生走滑。青藏高原沿西秦岭向东挤压的范围进一步向东有限。相比之下，青藏高原东北部的NNE向扩张是贯穿西秦岭山脉和陇西地块的主要运动。这项研究的结果提高了我们对受印度-欧亚碰撞影响的青藏高原向外扩张的理解。