Unraveling the role played by a buried mud diapir: alternative model for 2016 Mw 6.4 MeiNong earthquake in southwestern Taiwan

Abstract Southwestern Taiwan exhibits multiple fold-thrust systems as a consequence of the interaction between the Philippine Sea Plate and the Eurasian Plate. A prominent geological feature of this region is the extensive layer of GuTingKeng mudstone, with a thickness of approximately 4 km, which serves as a source material for the formation of mud or shale diapirs. The 2016 Mw 6.4 Meinong earthquake, striking southwestern Taiwan at a depth of 15–20 km and inducing approximately 100 mm of uplift, has prompted investigations into the potential involvement of shallow structures (