Large earthquakes in the macquarie ridge complex: Transitional tectonics and subduction initiation

While most aspects of subduction have been extensively studied, the process of subduction initiation lacks an observational foundation. The Macquarie Ridge complex (MRC) forms the Pacific-Australia plate boundary between New Zealand to the north and the Pacific-Australia-Antarctica triple junction to the south. The MRC consists of alternating troughs and rises and is characterized by a transitional tectonic environment in which subduction initiation presently occurs. There is a high seismicity level with 15 large earthquakes (M>7) in this century. Our seismological investigation is centered on the largest event since 1943: the 25 MAY 1981 earthquake. Love, Rayleigh, andP waves are inverted to find: a faulting geometry of right-lateral strike-slip along the local trend of the Macquarie Ridge (N30°E); a seismic moment of 5×10²⁷ dyn cm (M _w=7.7) a double event rupture process with a fault length of less than 100km to the southwest of the epicenter and a fault depth of less than 20km. Three smaller thrust earthquakes occurred previous to the 1981 event along the 1981 rupture zone; their shallow-dipping thrust planes are virtually adjacent to the 1981 vertical fault plane. Oblique convergence in this region is thus accommodated by a dual rupture mode of several small thrust events and a large strike-slip event. Our study of other large MRC earthquakes, plus those of other investigators, produces focal mechanisms for 15 earthquakes distributed along the entire MRC; thrust and right-lateral strike-slip events are scattered throughout the MRC. Thus, all of the MRC is characterized by oblique convergence and the dual rupture mode. The true best-fit rotation pole for the Pacific-Australia motion is close to the Minster & Jordan RM2 pole for the Pacific-India motion. Southward migration of the rotation pole has caused the recent transition to oblique convergence in the northern MRC. We propose a subduction initiation process that is akin to crack propagation; the 1981 earthquake rupture area is identified as the crack-tip region that separates a disconnected mosaic of small thrust faults to the south from a horizontally continuous thrust interface to the north along the Puysegur trench. A different mechanism of subduction initiation occurs in the southernmost Hjort trench region at the triple junction. newly created oceanic lithosphere has been subducted just to the north of the triple junction. The entire MRC is a soft plate boundary that must accommodate the plate motion mismatch between two major spreading centers (Antarctica-Australia and Pacific-Antarctica). The persistence of spreading motion at the two major spreading centers and the consequent evolution of the three-plate system cause the present-day oblique convergence and subduction initiation in the Macquarie Ridge complex.     

The elastic properties of the lithosphere beneath Scotian basin

To assess the possibility that the North Atlantic Ocean may subduct at Scotian basin east of Canada, we investigate the present compensation state of this deep basin. A Fourier domain analysis of the bathymetry, depth to basement and observed gravity anomalies over the oceanic area east of Nova Scotia indicates that the basin is not isostatically compensated. Moreover, the analysis emphasizes that in addition to the sediments, density perturbations exist beneath the basin. The load produced by the sediments and these density perturbations must have been supported by the lithosphere. We simulate the flexure of the lithosphere under this load by that of a thin elastic plate overlying an inviscid interior. It is shown that a plate with a uniform rigidity does not adequately represent the lithosphere beneath the basin as well as the oceanic lithosphere far from the basin, rather the rigidity of the lithosphere directly beneath the basin is about one to two orders of magnitude smaller than elsewhere. We relate this weakening to the thermal blanketing effects of the thick sediments and the fact that the lithosphere has a temperature-dependent rheology. We suggest that this weak zone would have a controlling effect on the reactivation of normal faults at the hinge zone of the basin, that were formed during the break-up of Africa and North America and were locked in the early stages after the break-up. The weak zone would facilitate reactivation of the faults if tensional stresses were produced by possible reorientation of the spreading direction of the North Atlantic Ocean in the future. The reactivation of the faults would create a free boundary condition at the hinge zone, allowing further bending of the lithosphere beneath the basin and juxtaposition of this lithosphere to the mantle beneath the continent. This may provide a favorable situation for initiation of slow subduction due to subsequent compressional forces.     

THE PEATLAND/ICE AGE HYPOTHESIS REVISED, ADDING A POSSIBLE GLACIAL PULSE TRIGGER

Carbon sequestering in peatlands is believed to be a major climate‐regulating mechanism throughout the late Phanerozoic. Since plant life first evolved on land, peatlands have been significant carbon sinks, which could explain significant parts of the large variations in atmospheric carbon dioxide observed in various records. The result is peat in different degrees of metamorphosis, i.e. lignite, hard coal and graphite. During phases of extensive glaciations such as the 330–240 Ma Pangea Ice Age, atmospheric carbon dioxide was critically low. This pattern repeats itself during the Pleistocene when carbon dioxide oscillates with an amplitude of c. 200–300 ppmv. This paper suggests that the ice age cycles during the Pleistocene are generated by the interglacial growth of peatlands and the subsequent sequestering of carbon into this terrestrial pool. The final initiation of ice age pulses towards the end of inter‐glacials, on the other hand, is attributed to the cyclic influx of cosmic dust to the Earth surface, which in turn regulates cloud formation and the incoming shortwave radiation. These shorter cycles have a frequency of c. 1000‐1250 years and might be connected to sunspot or other low frequency solar variations. In a wider context the ice age cycling could be regarded as an interplay between terrestrial life on the high latitudes of the northern hemisphere and the marine subsurface life in the southeast. If the results presented here are correct, the present global warming might just be the early part of a new warm period such as the Bronze Age and the Roman and Medieval Warm periods. This could be caused by entry into another phase of decreasing influx rates of cosmic dust. The increasing concentrations of atmospheric carbon dioxide might have contributed to this warming but, most important of all, it might temporarily have saved us from a new ice age pulse.     

贵州盘县石桥矿区地质灾害研究

通过对贵州省盘县某煤矿区地质灾害的实地调查,矿区主要发育的地质灾害主要有滑坡、崩塌、地裂缝、地面塌陷等,其形成与发展固然与自然地质环境相关,但长期较大规模的煤炭资源开发和无序的开采等人类工程活动是主要影响因素,采用科学的煤炭资源开发方案与采矿方法才是避免与减轻地质灾害发生的主要途径。     

东亚和南亚典型大河三角洲晚第四纪地层结构及成因对比

通过整理东亚、南亚典型河口三角洲末次冰消期以来演化历史的研究进展,对比各河口晚第四纪地层结构、沉积体系演替和三角洲开始建造的时间,分析其沉积历史的主要控制因素。结果显示,末次冰消期以来各河口具相似的地层结构和演变过程,即早全新世下切古河谷充填和河口湾发育,中—晚全新世三角洲建造,该过程主要受海平面变化的控制。但是各河口地层结构和沉积历史也存在差异,其中以三角洲开始建造的时间差别最为明显。对比发现这种差异与流域地貌、基岩以及河口沉积盆地的差别有关。流程短、流域基岩易侵蚀的河流,入海泥沙量大,其三角洲开始建造的时间显著早于其他河流,其中以恒河三角洲最为典型。另外,以珠江三角洲为典型,其半封闭、基底浅的河口沉积盆地特征,也有助于中全新世湾顶三角洲的建造。     

A Track Initiation Method for the Underwater Target Tracking Environment

A novel efficient track initiation method is proposed for the harsh underwater target tracking environment (heavy clutter and large measurement errors): track splitting, evaluating, pruning and merging method (TSEPM). Track initiation demands that the method should determine the existence and initial state of a target quickly and correctly. Heavy clutter and large measurement errors certainly pose additional difficulties and challenges, which deteriorate and complicate the track initiation in the harsh underwater target tracking environment. There are three primary shortcomings for the current track initiation methods to initialize a target: (a) they cannot eliminate the turbulences of clutter effectively; (b) there may be a high false alarm probability and low detection probability of a track; (c) they cannot estimate the initial state for a new confirmed track correctly. Based on the multiple hypotheses tracking principle and modified logic-based track initiation method, in order to increase the detection probability of a track, track splitting creates a large number of tracks which include the true track originated from the target. And in order to decrease the false alarm probability, based on the evaluation mechanism, track pruning and track merging are proposed to reduce the false tracks. TSEPM method can deal with the track initiation problems derived from heavy clutter and large measurement errors, determine the target’s existence and estimate its initial state with the least squares method. What''s more, our method is fully automatic and does not require any kind manual input for initializing and tuning any parameter. Simulation results indicate that our new method improves significantly the performance of the track initiation in the harsh underwater target tracking environment.     

基于卫星云图的对流初生预测技术综述

简要回顾了国内外利用静止气象卫星云图资料进行对流初生预测研究工作的进展,详细介绍了近年来国外提出的对流分析追踪(SATCAST)和对流初生临近预报(UWCI)两种方法的原理和流程,重点对这两种方法在实际应用中的技术性能进行了对比分析。     

边界层辐合线对强对流系统形成和发展的作用

应用天津CINRAD/SA雷达探测到的边界层辐合线信息,对2008—2009年6—9月发生在天津地区的边界层辐合线进行了统计分析,与2002—2007年海风锋触发形成的局地强对流天气分析相结合,研究结果表明:天津地区边界层辐合线的雷达低仰角基本反射率因子产品的回波特征一般表现为弱的窄带回波,回波强度仅为15~25 dBZ,宽度一般为3~10 km。在合适的层结状态和水汽条件下,这些边界层辐合线的演变和碰撞与强对流天气的发生、发展密切相关。单一边界层辐合线一般不能形成大范围的雷暴天气;两条以上边界层辐合线之间碰撞,一般在碰撞交叉处能够形成强对流天气。若已存在强对流天气,则强对流天气将加强。     

Automated suitable drainage network extraction from digital elevation models in Taiwan's upstream watersheds

Automatically extracting drainage networks from digital elevation models coupled with the constant stream threshold value is a regular method. These extracted networks can be verified by comparing the channel initiation points with those from real networks. From the results analysed, the differences in channel initiation points will affect the network geometries, geomorphological indices and hydrological responses. This paper develops two automatic algorithms, the headwater‐tracing method and the fitness index, to trace the flow paths from headwaters to the outlet and to calculate the reasonable stream threshold. Instead of the method determined by trial and error or field survey, the accurate channel initiation points can be obtained from airborne photographs coupled with high‐resolution SPOT images for suitable drainage network extraction. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Channel network extent in the context of historical land use,flow generation processes,and landscape evolution in the North Carolina Piedmont

Intensive agricultural land use in the 18th to early 20th centuries on the southeastern Piedmont resulted in substantial soil erosion and gully development. Today, many historically farmed areas have been abandoned and afforested, and such landscapes are an opportunity to study channel network recovery from disturbance by gullying. Channel initiation mapping, watershed area–slope relationships, and field monitoring of flow generation processes are used to identify channel network extent and place it in hydrologic, historical and landscape evolution context. In six study areas in the North Carolina Piedmont, 100 channel heads were mapped in fully‐forested watersheds, revealing a channel initiation relationship of 380 = AS^1.27, where A is contributing area (m²) and S is local slope (m/m). Flow in these channels is generated by subsurface and overland flow. The measured relative slope exponent is lower than expected based on literature values of ~2 for forested watersheds with subsurface and overland flow, suggesting that the channel network extent may reflect a former hydrological regime. However, geomorphic evidence of recovery in channel heads within fully forested watersheds is greater than those with present day pasture. Present day channel heads lie within hollows or downslope of unchanneled valleys, which may be remnants of historical gullies, and area–slope relationships provide evidence of colluvial aggradation within the valleys. Channel network extent appears to be sensitive to land use change, with recovery beginning within decades of afforestation. Channel initiation mapping and area–slope relationships are shown to be useful tools for interpreting geomorphic effects of land use change. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.