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Delineation of western boundary of Paleo-Tethys

suture zone in Myanmar
Conference Paper November 2015

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The 4th Symposium of the International Geosciences Programme (IGCP) 589 Chulalongkorn
University, Bangkok, Thailand, 26-27 October 2015
Delineation of western boundary of Paleo-Tethys suture zone in Myanmar
Hla Hla Aung1*
1 Senior Researcher, Myanmar Earthquake Committee, Myanmar Engineering Society, Myanmar
Earthquake Committee MES Building, Hlaing University Campus, Yangon, Myanmar
*Corresponding author: hhlaaung@gmail.com
Abstract: In this paper, the author presents data obtained from interpretation of satellite images,
topographic maps and aerial photographs,that delineate the length, geometry, kinematics, and tectonic
geomorphology of the western boundary fault of the Paleo-Tethys suture zone in eastern Myanmar.
Between longitude 98 4 E- 98 6 E and latitude 20 N 23 N, there is a longitudinal fault with dextral
strike-slip sense which passes through the Loi-ma Haw Hill or Loi-se Hill with the height of 5,636 feet at
20 30 N - 98 E, trending in N-S. Due north of the Loi-se range, at about latitude 23 N in Northern Shan
State, there is Loi-Han-Hun volcano with a mass of columnar basalt (olivine basalt), situated on Loi-len
range with the height of 8,777 feet (latitude 22 30 N-longitude 98 E) (Chibbher, 1934). Loi-len hill
range has been composed of Plateau Limestone and trending in N-S direction overlying the older
Paleozoic rocks and Pre-Cambrian Chaung Magyi rocks of slates and quartzites. Along the foot of the
range they are cut by a fault of a considerable throw. The quartzites and slates occupy the cores of the
range and rise into lofty ridges and peaks, attaining altitudes of between 4,000 and 6,000 feet above
sea-level. The appearance of the lineament between Loi-se range and Loi-len range is rather vague as it
cuts across the limestone area. From the ground it can be difficult to trace the fault features, but from
the satellite image their overall alignment is far more obvious (Fig.1). The fault, herein named the Loi seLoilen fault creates a prominent scarp that runs in N-S along the base of a series of hills such as 5169;
4773; 4915; and Loi-len range (8771). Then the fault extends to the northeast direction and join with
Kejie-Nantingne fault in West Yunnan, Southwest China. In the south of Loi-se range, there is a NE-SW
trending lineament which is superbly displayed as the river is engraved along the weak zone forming
shutter ridges on both banks. Then the fault extends to the south to join with the Mae Yuam fault in
northern Thailand. On Landsat TM image, Sshaped sigmoidal structure and structural bends that
dominate the crustal fabrics in the suture zone are found in the east of the Loi-se-Loi-len fault, that
appear to be presently active as attested by the sharpness of their traces on the satellite imagery and by
seismicity.
Deformation kinematics of the suture zone Southeastward extrusion of the Indochina
plate controls the active tectonics of eastern Myanmar. Map of active faults has been drawn using
Landsat TM images interpretation (TNI Conference paper,2012). From these studies, several NE- to ENEoriented sinistral strike-slip faults
-- 1 --

The 4th Symposium of the International Geosciences Programme (IGCP) 589 Chulalongkorn
University, Bangkok, Thailand, 26-27 October 2015
that appear to be active on Landsat images are Mae Chan fault, Nan Ma fault, Menxing fault, Jinghong
fault, Menglien fault and Nantinge fault in the north within the suture zone. Between these fault
segments of a fault zone, many of localized pull-apart basins occur at fault bends near the tips of the
fault segment of NE-to NNE-trending sinistral faults. These basins are Kyaing Ton basin, Mongphat basin,
Mong Yong basin, Tarlay basin and Tar-chi Leik basin. The present-day deformation of the Than Lwin belt
is consistant with roughly NW-SE extension and NE-SW striking compression and, but with more
conjugate strike-slip faulting and only minor normal faulting. Le Dain et al. (1984) summarized the
historical earthquakes of Myanmar in which earthquake of December 26, 1941, M=7; and April 16, 1941,
M-7; February 2, 1950 with M=7 reseptively occurred within the broad seisically active belt. Laos
earthquaake of 16 May, 2007 with M=6.3 occurred near Mae Chan fault. The recent Tarlay earthquake
of March 24, 2011 (M=6.8) occurred on the Nan Ma fault in eastern Myanmar.

Fig.1.Northern part of the Loi-se-Loi-len fault (red line), drawn on Google map. The fault is clearly
visible passing at the foot of the hills to Loi-len range. Loi-len range is in the north of Mongyai. The
northern tip of the Loi-se-Loi-len fault join to Keijei fault in Yunnan in the north.
Several earthquakes occurred near the trace of Loi-se-Loi-len fault, 25 miles Northeast of Nam Sam
(Southern Shan State). Numerous events of earthquakes and geometry on active faults clearly show that
active tectonics of this region is dominated by strike-slip faulting and normal faulting. The stress fields of
the region from the studies of focal mechanism solution of earthquakes (CMT from Harvard and
epicenters from Engdhal, GIAC Report, Rangin 1996-1999) indicate that this area has been undergoing
NW-SE extension and NE-SW compression.

-- 2 --

The 4th Symposium of the International Geosciences Programme (IGCP) 589 Chulalongkorn
University, Bangkok, Thailand, 26-27 October 2015
Conclusion
Finally, it is concluded that the major fault which can be traced continuously on the setallite imageries,
from Mae Yuam fault in the south (Thailand) to the north in Myanmar territory, along Loi-se hill range in
Southern Shan State, passing through the limestone hill ranges to Loi-len range in Northern Shan State
can be regarded as the western boundary of Than Lwin belt. The fault ends abruptly in the north where
it appears to be truncated by the Nantinge fault which further extends to meet the KejeiNantinge fault
in Yunnan. The author feel it necessary to give a formal name to this fault as the Loi-se-Loi-len fault, the
last fault which separated the step-fault structures in the west from the sigmoidal wrench structures to
the east (Aung, 2009). The regular extent of the fault is 250 km in north-south. However, many lines of
evidence such as detailed field work, substantial field confirmation, data of geometry, kinematics,
tectonic geomorphology and related structures are necessary to complete for the Loi-se-Loi-len fault,
the western boundary of Paleo-Tethys suture zone in Myanmar.
Key words: delinate, suture zone, Loi-se range, Loi-len range, western boundary
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Aung, H.H. 2009. Recognition of Paleo-Tethys Suture Zone in eastern Myanmar, ActaGeoscientica
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Conference on Tectonics of Northwestern Indochina (TNI) 2012,Thailand; 19 p.
Chhibber, F.1983; Geology of Burma, Gebruder Borntraeger, BerlinStittgart, Germany.
Le Dain, A.Y., P.Tapponier and P.Molnar (1984): Active faulting and tectonics of Burma and surrounding
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