Postseismic deformation observation，mechanism and lithospheric rheology of the central and northern Tibetan Plateau after the 2001 M_W7.8 Kunlun earthquake：Insights and challenges

The 2001 M_W7.8 Kokoxili earthquake was the largest earthquake in the central and northern part of the Tibetan Plateau in the recent half century. The large coseismic stress disturbance caused by the coseismic rupture drives and controls the significant postseismic deformation following this major earthquake. A decade of geodetic measurements documented large-spatial-scale, long-time-span and time-dependent postseismic deformation and their different evolution processes, and the geodetic measurements also revealed the complex fault kinematics characteristics, friction properties along fault strike and lateral heterogeneity of lithospheric rheological properties/structure in north-central Tibetan Plateau. In this paper, we briefly summarize postseismic deformation observations and their spatiotemporal characteristics of the Kokoxili earthquake based on InSAR time-series and GPS observations on a decadal scale. Particularly, the spatiotemporally dense InSAR observations are deemed as an important supplement to the postseismic GPS observations in this tectonic area. We summarize the models of large-scale postseismic deformation and the revealed postseismic deformation processes, various dynamic mechanisms and their relationships. Finally, we summarize the scientific understanding and unsolved scientific problems associated with the 2001 Kokoxili earthquake in the past 20 years: On the one hand, it is necessary to continuously observe and study the large-scale surface deformation of the Kunlun fault; On the other hand, the postseismic deformation model should be updated continuously to deepen our understanding of the earthquake cycle deformation of the Kunlun fault, the control of regional tectonics on earthquake cycle deformation, and the spatiotemporal evolution mechanism of complex fault movement in this region.