On the long-term seismic hazard analysis in the Zhangjiakou–Penglai seismotectonic zone, China

The Zhangjiakou–Penglai seismotectonic zone (ZPSZ) lies in the northern part of North China and extends along the Zhangjiakou–Beijing–Tianjin–Bohai Bay–Penglai–Yellow Sea. It is about 900 km long and some 250 km wide in a northwest direction. The great Sanhe-Pinggu (M_S=8.0) earthquake occurred on September 1679 and the Tangshan (M_S=7.8) earthquake on July 1976 caused serious economic and life losses. According to some differences in crust structure and regional tectonic stress field, the ZPSZ is divided into western and eastern segment by the 117°E line for study on long-term seismic hazard analysis. An analysis of Gutenberg–Richter's empirical relation of earthquake-frequency and time process of historic and recent earthquakes along the eastern and western segments shows that the earthquake activity obeys a Poisson process, and these calculations indicate that the earthquake occurrence probability of M_S=6.0–6.9 is 0.77–0.83 in the eastern segment and the earthquake occurrence probability of M_S=7.0–7.9 is 0.78–0.80 in the western segment of the ZPSZ during a period from 2005 to 2015.     

Quasi-simultaneous VLBI and RATAN-600 observations of active galactic nuclei

VLBI observations of several quasars and BL Lacertae objects were carried out at 1.66 GHz in November–December 1999 using six antennas (Medvezh'i Ozera, Svetloe, Pushchino, Noto, HartRAO, and Shanghai). Maps of six sources (0420+022, 0420-014, 1308+326, 1345+125, 1803+784, and DA 193) obtained with milliarcsecond resolution are presented and discussed, together with their broad-band (1–22 GHz) spectra obtained on the RATAN-600 radio telescope at epochs close to those of the VLBI observations. Comparison of the VLBI maps with maps of these sources obtained on standard VLBI networks and with the RATAN-600 quasisimultaneous total-flux measurements indicates the reliability of the results obtained on this Low Frequency VLBI Network and the good efficiency of this network.     

Improving Sequential Simulation with a Structured Path Guided by Information Content

Multiple-point simulation is a newly developed geostatistical method that aims at combining the strengths of two mainstream geostatistical methods: object-based and pixel-based methods. It maintains the flexibility of pixel-based algorithms in data conditioning, while enhancing its capability of reproducing realistic geological shapes, which is traditionally reserved to object-based algorithms. However, the current snesim program for multiple-point simulation has difficulty in reproducing large-scale structures, which have a significant impact on the flow response. To address this problem, we propose to simulate along a structured path based on an information content measure. This structured path accounts for not only the information from the data, but also some prior structural information provided by geological knowledge. Various case studies show a better reproduction of large-scale structures. This concept of simulating along a structured path guided by information content can be applied to any sequential simulation algorithms, including traditional variogram-based two-point geostatistical algorithms.     

Transformation of garnet epidote amphibolite to eclogite, western Dabie Mountains, China

Omphacite and garnet coronas around amphibole occur in amphibolites in the Hong'an area, western Dabie Mountains, China. These amphibolites consist of an epidote–amphibolite facies assemblage of amphibole, garnet, albite, clinozoisite, paragonite, ilmenite and quartz, which is incompletely overprinted by an eclogite facies assemblage of garnet, omphacite and rutile. Coronas around amphibole can be divided into three types: an omphacite corona; a garnet–omphacite–rutile corona; and, a garnet–omphacite corona with less rutile. Chemographic analysis for local reaction domains in combination with petrographical observations show that reactions Amp + Ab + Pg = Omp +Czo + Qtz + H₂O, and Amp + Ab = Omp ± Czo + Qtz + H₂O may lead to the development of omphacite coronas. The garnet–omphacite–rutile corona was formed from the reaction Amp + Ab + Czo + Ilm ± Qtz = Omp + Grt + Rt + H₂O. In garnet–omphacite coronas, the garnet corona grew during an early stage of epidote amphibolite facies metamorphism, whereas omphacite probably formed by the reactions forming the omphacite corona during the eclogite facies stage. It is estimated that these reactions occurred at 0.8–1.4 GPa and 480–610 °C using the garnet–clinopyroxene thermometer and omphacite barometer in the presence of albite.     

Accurate U-Pb Age and Trace Element Determinations of Zircon by Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry

Various zircons of Proterozoic to Oligocene ages (1060-31 Ma) were analysed by laser ablation-inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry. Calibration was performed using Harvard reference zircon 91500 or Australian National University reference zircon TEMORA 1 as external calibrant. The results agree with those obtained by SIMS within 2s error. Twenty-four trace and rare earth elements (P, Ti, Cr, Y, Nb, fourteen REE, Hf, Ta, Pb, Th and U) were analysed on four fragments of zircon 91500. NIST SRM 610 was used as the reference material and ²⁹Si was used as internal calibrant. Based on determinations of four fragments, this zircon shows significant intra-and inter-fragment variations in the range from 10% to 85% on a scale of 120 μm, with the variation of REE concentrations up to 38.7%, although the chondrite-normalised REE distributions are very similar. In contrast, the determined age values for zircon 91500 agree with TIMS data and are homogeneous within 8.7 Ma (2 s ). A two-stage ablation strategy was developed for optimising U-Pb age determinations with satisfactory trace element and REE results. The first cycle of ablation was used to collect data for age determination only, which was followed by continuous ablation on the same spot to determine REE and trace element concentrations. Based on this procedure, it was possible to measure zircon ages as low as 30.37 0.39 Ma (MSWD = 1.4; 2 s ). Other examples for older zircons are also given.     

Crustal structure of the southern Dabie ultrahigh-pressure orogen and Yangtze foreland from deep seismic reflection profiling

A new 140‐km‐long seismic reflection profile provides a high‐resolution crustal‐scale image of the southern Dabieshan high‐pressure (HP) metamorphic belt and the Yangtze foreland fold‐and‐thrust belt. The seismic image of the stacked section shows that the southern Dabieshan metamorphic terrane and Yangtze foreland belt are separated by a large north‐dipping fault. In the foreland the upper crust is dominated by a series of folds and thrusts formed during the collisional stage in the mid‐Triassic; it was reworked by crustal extension resulting in the formation of a late Jurassic and Cretaceous red‐bed basin. The southern Dabieshan profile shows stacked crustal slabs developed along the margin of the collisional orogenic belt. The Moho reflectors at 10–11 s (～30–33 km) are seismically prominent and segmented by a number of south‐verging thrusts that were probably developed by foreland‐directed thrusting of the deeply subducted continental crust during exhumation. The seismic reflection profile suggests that structures related to the Triassic–Jurassic subduction and exhumation of the Yangtze plate are preserved despite the severe crustal extension superimposed during the late Mesozoic and Cenozoic.     

Simulations of a coupled hydro-chemo-mechanical system in rocks

A coupled hydro-chemo-mechanical numerical model is developed for these coupled phenomena in many engineering fields. The model has been applied to predicting the response of a stressed rockmass column to an injected reactive fluid (reagent) flow. The response includes evolutions of porosity, permeability, reagent and mineral concentrations during dissolution. In the model, the progress of dissolution is defined by the change in porosity ratio and the porosity increases with dissolution assuming there is no precipitation. The numerical evolutions of porosity, permeability, reagent and mineral concentrations during dissolution are validated against steady state solutions. The model results show that these evolutions are regulated to a certain extent by the applied external loadings: an applied extensional stress enhances the progress of the dissolution process while an applied compression stress slows the progress of the dissolution process. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

湖北新春花岗岩类锆石SHRIMP年龄:大别山造山带内弱变质—未变质晋宁期花岗岩类的发现

蕲春花岗质杂岩体包括斑状二长花岗岩和花岗岩两部分,它们之间在化学性质上存在着很大的差异,前者表现为高Al_2O_3(15.73％)、相对高CaO(2.46％)、Na_2O含量明显高于K_2O(Na_2O/K_2O=1.27),尤以强烈亏损重稀土元素和极强的轻、重稀土元素分馏程度[(La/Yb)_N=46.8]为特征而类似于太古宙高Al_2O_3的TTG岩石。而后者则以较低的Al_2O_3含量(14.05％)、贫CaO(0.82％)、K_2O含量明显高于Na_2O(Na_2O/K_2O=0.81)为特征,轻、重稀土元素的分馏程度[(La/Yb)_N=10.89]也较片麻状二长花岗岩中弱得多。两类岩石中锆石的U-PbSHRIMP年龄分别为824.6±17.6 Ma和784±20 Ma,该时代与大别山造山带内花岗片麻岩的原岩形成年龄类似。大别山造山带内弱变质-未变质晋宁期花岗岩的出现表明扬子板块印支期向北俯冲时,该花岗质杂岩处于俯冲板片的后缘,可代表造山带内扬子基底的原地露头。而岩体周围的高压变质杂岩应是折返上来的无根构造岩片,大别山造山带内高压-超高压变质杂岩的出露不是整体性抬升剥蚀的结果。     

Tracing the protolith, UHP metamorphism, and exhumation ages of orthogneiss from the SW Sulu terrane (eastern China): SHRIMP U–Pb dating of mineral inclusion-bearing zircons

Orthogneisses are the major country rocks hosting eclogites in the Sulu UHP terrane, eastern China. All of the analyzed orthogneiss cores from the main drilling hole of the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Project (CCSD-MH) have similar major and trace element compositions and a granite protolith. These rocks have relatively high LREE/HREE ratios, strong negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu*=0.20–0.39), and negative Ba anomalies (Ba/Ba*=0.25–0.64). Coesite and coesite-bearing UHP mineral assemblages are common inclusions in zircons separated from orthogneiss, paragneiss, amphibolite, and (retrograded) eclogite of the CCSD-MH. This suggests that the eclogite, together with its country rocks, experienced in situ ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphism. Laser Raman spectroscopy and cathodoluminescence (CL) images show that zircons from the orthogneisses are zoned and that they have distinct mineral inclusions in the different zones. Most zircons retain early magmatic cores with abundant low-pressure mineral inclusions, which are mantled with metamorphic zircon-containing inclusions of coesite and other UHP minerals. The outermost rims on these grains contain low-pressure mineral inclusions, such as quartz and albite. SHRIMP U–Pb dating of the zoned zircons gives three discrete and meaningful groups of ages: Proterozoic ages for the protolith, 227±2 Ma for the coesite-bearing mantles, and 209±3 Ma for the amphibolite facies retrograde rims. The widespread occurrence of UHP mineral inclusions in zircons from the Sulu metamorphic belt dated at about 227 Ma suggests that voluminous continental crust experienced late Triassic subduction to depths of at least 120 km and perhaps more than 200 km. Eighteen million years later, the terrane was rapidly exhumed to midcrustal levels, and the UHP rocks were overprinted by amphibolite facies metamorphism. The exhumation rate deduced from the zircon age data and previously obtained metamorphic P–T data is estimated to be 5.6–11.0 km/Ma. Such rapid exhumation of the Sulu UHP terrane may be due to the buoyancy forces produced by subduction of low-density continental material into the deep mantle.     

Pressure State in Deep Crust and Formation Depth of UHP Metamorphic Rocks

INTRODUCTIONSincethediscoveryofeclogiteswithcoesiteanddia mondinclusionsrelatedtothecontinent continentcollision orogenyenvironment,theultrahigh pressuremetamorphism(UHPM )intheDabie Suluhasarousedgreatinterestinmanygeologists (Liouetal .,1994 ;Xuetal.,1992 ) .Experimentalstudieshaveprovedthatsuchmineralsasdia mond ,coesiteandomphaciteoccurredat 2 - 5GPa (andatthecorrespondingtemperatures) (Stevenetal.,1982 ;MirwaldandMasonne ,1980 ) .However,itdoesnotmeanthatthemetamorphicrockscanbe…