The remote sensing observation in experiments of rock failure and the beginning of remote sensing rock mechanics

The remote sensing observational study for infrared radiation of rocks was proceeded during the loading on rocks until failure. The major instruments used in experiments were transient spectrum apparatus, intelligent spectrum apparatus, infrared radiation thermometer, infrared spectrum radiometer, and infrared thermal imaging system. The experiments for 26 kinds of rocks were made. The studies show that infrared radiation temperature of rocks increases along with increasing of stress. The amplitude of infrared radiation spectrum of rocks also increases along with increasing of stress. The observational results of infrared thermal imaging of rocks are consistent with infrared radiation temperature. Before formation of major faults for some rocks, the belt-shape thermal imaging of temperature anomaly displaies in position of future major faults. This study has led the new technology of remote sensing into rock mechanics and tend to establish a new field in rock mechanics — remote sensing rock mechanics (or remote sensing rock physics). The application of remote sensing rock mechanics in prediction of earthquake and rock burst, and in measurement of stress field in rock mass is expected. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,14, Supp., 645–652, 1992. Jin-Shen HAO, Ji-Han LI, Xiao-Hong LIU, Yi-Qiao ZHI, Jin-Kai ZHANG, Yong-Hong Lü, Yi LIU, Yun-Shen YU, He ZHANG, Quan-Quan JI, Xiao-Fan ZHU and Ning CHEN took part in this work. This subject is supported by the Chinese Joint Seismological Science Foundation (91006). Work of Institute of Geophysics, SSB (93A0009).