巴基斯坦地方地震台网的监控能力与可靠性

使用Bungum和Huseby方法对地方地震台网的监控能力和可靠性进行了分析。用震源位置的标准计算机码重新定位地震事件。由频率震级分布导出50％，90％和100％的累积监控能力阀值，对这些阀值23年内记录资料的监控能力水平作了估测。分析表明，在台网内发生的地震事件的台网100％监控能力水平为ML=1.7，从台网内固定实时震源对台网震源解精度作了分析。地震事件在台网内发生时，震中误差低于4km。最后讨论了地方地震台网连续运行期间影响监控能力的因素。     

Equatorial radius of the Earth: A dynamical determination

An intrresting variation on the familiar method of determining the earth's equatorial radius a_e, from a knowledge of the earth's equatorial gravity is suggested. The value of equatorial radius thus found is 6378,142±5 meters. The associated parameters are GM=3.986005±.000004 × 10²⁰ cm³ sec-⁻² which excludes the relative mass of atmosphere ≅10⁻⁶ ξ GM, the equatorial gravity γ_e 978,030.9 milligals (constrained in this solution by the Potsdam Correction of 13.67 milligals as the Potsdam Correction is more directly, orless indirectly, measurable than the equatorial gravity) and an ellipsoidal flattening of f=1/298.255.     

Geochemical Aspects of Hypogene Hydrothermal Alteration Zones in the Chol-qeshlaghi Area, NW Iran: Constrains on REEs

Chol-qeshlaghi altered area lies in the northwestern part of the post-collisional Urumieh-Dokhtar magmatic arc, NW Iran. Pervasive silicic, argillic, phyllic and propylitic altered zones appears to be intimately affiliated to the fluids derivative of upper Oligocene Khankandi granodiorite. This paper is dedicated to the identification of geochemical characteristics of hydrothermal alterations, focusing on the determination of the mass gains and losses of REEs, to gain significant insights regarding the chemical exchanges prevailed between the host rocks and hydrothermal fluids. The low pH and high activity of SO_4~(-2) ligands in silicic alteration fluids, resulting in depletion of entire REEs. Decreasing of LREEs appeared in argillic zone may attributed to reduce in adsorption ability of clay minerals in low pH; whereas HREEs enrichment in phyllic zone was inclined to put it down to the abundance of sericite(± Fe oxides). A significant reduction of Eu/Eu* ratio in silicic zone can be attributed to negligible sulfides and clay minerals as some effective agents in adsorption of released Eu~(+2). Factors such as changes in pH, the abundance of absorptive neomorph mineral phases, activity of ligands play an important role in controlling the distribution and concentration of REEs in Chol-qeshlaghi alteration system.     

Modelling and predicting the spatial dispersion of skin cancer considering environmental and socio-economic factors using a digital earth approach

ABSTRACT

Almost all causative factors of diseases depend on location. The Digital Earth approach is suitable for studying diseases globally. Geospatial information systems integrated with statistical models can be used to model the relationship between a disease and its causative factors. Through modelling, the most important causative factors can be extracted and the epidemiology of the disease can be observed. In this paper, skin cancer (the most common type of cancer) has been modelled based on its causative factors, including climate factors, people's occupations, nutrition habits, socio-economic factors, and usage of chemical fertiliser. To fit the model, a data framework was first designed, and then data were gathered and processed. Finally, the disease was modelled using Generalised Linear Models (GLM), a statistical model based on the location of the factors. The results of this study identify the most important causative factors together with their relative priority. Furthermore, a model was used to predict the change in skin cancer occurrences caused by a change in one of its causative factors. This work illustrates the ability of the model to predict disease occurrence. Thus, by using this Digital Earth approach, skincancer can be studied in all the key countries around the world.     

Transient analysis of wave propagation in non‐homogeneous elastic unbounded domains by using the scaled boundary finite‐element method

The scaled boundary finite‐element method has been developed for the dynamic analysis of unbounded domains. In this method only the boundary is discretized resulting in a reduction of the spatial dimension by one. Like the finite‐element method no fundamental solution is required. This paper extends the scaled boundary finite‐element method to simulate the transient response of non‐homogeneous unbounded domains with the elasticity modulus and mass density varying as power functions of spatial coordinates. To reduce the number of degrees of freedom and the computational cost, the technique of reduced set of base functions is applied. The scaled boundary finite‐element equation for an unbounded domain is reformulated in generalized coordinates. The resulting acceleration unit‐impulse response matrix is obtained and assembled with the equation of motion of standard finite elements. Numerical examples of non‐homogeneous isotropic and transversely isotropic unbounded domains demonstrate the accuracy of the scaled boundary finite‐element method. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ground viscosity and stiffness measurements for near surface seismic velocity

In land surveys, the weathering layer can often distort the seismic signal due to it passing through rapid velocity and density changes, dispersion, scattering and inelastic absorption. In a simple spring‐dashpot model for the earth response, an equivalent medium groups these complex phenomena into two parameters only; these are called ground viscosity and ground stiffness. The most recent controllers for vibrators can estimate both parameters. To validate these measurements, Saudi Aramco conducted an experiment measuring ground viscosity and stiffness from two different vibrator control systems over an area of varying terrain conditions, including unconsolidated sand and limestone outcrop. The two systems measured different values, but detected similar trends that correlated well with weathering conditions and surface geology, e.g. lower viscosity values on the outcrop than on the sand. The ratio of ground viscosity to ground stiffness can approximate the shallow S‐wave velocity, which we converted into P‐wave velocity through calibration with sparse uphole data. Static corrections incorporating this velocity information somewhat improved the focusing of seismic time sections. This new approach does not require additional acquisition efforts, and can model shallow complex formations in arid areas where classical static methods often fail.     

Early Cretaceous sedimentary provenance and structural evolution of the central Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone,Iran: implications for palaeogeographic reconstructions of the northern Neo-Tethyan margin

ABSTRACT

The Early Cretaceous was an important epoch in the evolution of the Earth system in which major tectonic episodes occurred, especially along the Alpine–Himalayan belt. The paucity of reliable palaeogeographic data from the central segment of this geological puzzle, however, hampers the reconstruction of a panoramic view of its Early Cretaceous palaeogeography and geodynamic setting. Here we present multidisciplinary provenance data from Lower Cretaceous strata of the overriding plate of the Neo-Tethyan subduction zone (the Sanandaj–Sirjan Zone; SSZ, of central Iran), including structural, basin-fill evolution, petrographic and geochemical analyses. Sandstone provenance analysis of Lower Cretaceous red beds suggests the occurrence of sub-mature litho-quartzose sandstones attributed to an active continental arc margin in convergent setting predominantly derived from plutonic, quartzose sedimentary and metamorphic rocks exposed in the central SSZ. Weathering indices indicate moderate chemical weathering in the source area which may be related to close source-to-sink relationships or arid climate. Our palaeogeographic reconstructions and original geological mapping indicate that the erosion of uplifted basement rocks exposed in horst blocks provided the sediment sources for the syn-extensional deposition of uppermost Jurassic–lowermost Cretaceous conglomerates and Lower Cretaceous siliciclastic red beds within a continental retro-arc basin during initiation of the ‘Neo-Tethys 2?. The polyphase tectonic reactivation along the principal fault of the study area controlled the syn- and post-extensional tectonostratigraphic evolution that reflect the corresponding mechanical decoupling/coupling along the northern Neo-Tethyan plate margin.     

On the occurrence and origin of anthropogenic radionuclides found in a fragment of the Chelyabinsk (LL5) meteorite

A piece of the 2013 Chelyabinsk meteorite was investigated for its content of anthropogenic radionuclides. In addition to traces of cesium‐137 that had been previously reported for this particular fragment, we found an unusually high amount of strontium‐90, which indicates that the source of this contamination was the Kyshtym accident (1957). A high Sr‐90/Cs‐137 activity ratio is characteristic for Kyshtym‐derived contaminations. Based on the cesium‐137 content in the soil from the finding site, it is estimated that the fragment was contaminated with soil particles in the milligram range upon impact. Investigation of the soil revealed very unusual ferromagnetic characteristics and an iron‐rich chemical composition. Mössbauer spectroscopy indicated the presence of steel components in this soil, suggesting that the investigated meteorite fragment was found in an industrial dumping site rather than natural soil.     

Three‐dimensional nonlinear finite element analysis of pile groups in saturated porous media using a new transmitting boundary

The dynamic behaviour of pile groups subjected to an earthquake base shaking is analysed. An analysis is formulated in the time domain and the effects of material nonlinearity of soil, pile–soil–pile kinematic interaction and the superstructure–foundation inertial interaction on seismic response are investigated. Prediction of response of pile group–soil system during a large earthquake requires consideration of various aspects such as the nonlinear and elasto‐plastic behaviour of soil, pore water pressure generation in soil, radiation of energy away from the pile, etc. A fully explicit dynamic finite element scheme is developed for saturated porous media, based on the extension of the original formulation by Biot having solid displacement (u) and relative fluid displacement (w) as primary variables (u–w formulation). All linear relative fluid acceleration terms are included in this formulation. A new three‐dimensional transmitting boundary that was developed in cartesian co‐ordinate system for dynamic response analysis of fluid‐saturated porous media is implemented to avoid wave reflections towards the structure. In contrast to traditional methods, this boundary is able to absorb surface waves as well as body waves. The pile–soil interaction problem is analysed and it is shown that the results from the fully coupled procedure, using the advanced transmitting boundary, compare reasonably well with centrifuge data. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.