Characteristics of the Activity of the Lintong-Chang＇an Fault in the Late Pleistocene

Analysis of fault outcrops and trench sections indicates fault displacements of 0.2m - 6.0 m on the bottom paleosol layer of the Epipleistocene with the maximum rate of 0.047 mm/a and an average displacement of 1.1 meters. The activity appears as fissures on the fault surface in the late Epipleistocene and there is no obvious displacement. The fault activity is weak and the most active segment is the Bailuyuan segment.     

On the Occurrence Time of an Earthquake Cluster in the Shanxi Reservoir

INTRODUCTIONEarthquake induced byreservoir is a kind of crust motion andis an outcome of the joint functionof current crustal movement andreservoir storage .The cause of reservoir-induced earthquakesincludesthe decrease of strengthand elasticity modulus of rockonthe one hand,andthe decrease of friction offault surface because of water permeation onthe other .The more large-scale reservoirs built ,the more reservoir-induced earthquakes will happen.As iswell known,reservoir-induced earthqua…     

Emissions of antifouling-biocides into the North Sea —an estimation

Summary Ship owners coat the wetted surface of vessels with toxic paints to prevent fouling which increases fuel consumption. The active biocides in the paints are mainly TBT (tributyl tin), copper, and organonitrogen compounds. The amounts of biocides emitted by the German fleet and the world fleet are estimated, and the theoretical concentrations of biocides in the North Sea caused by shipping are valididated by measurements of other authors.

---

Schätzung der Immissionen von Antifouling-Bioziden in die Nordsee

Zusammenfassung Die vom Seewasser benetzte Außenhaut von Schiffen wird mit giftigen Farben beschichtet. Damit verhindert man die Besiedelung durch Organismen, das fouling, das den Widerstand der Schiffe und damit den Brennstoffverbrauch steigert. Die aktiven Biozide der Farben bestehen hauptsächlich aus TBT (Tributyl-Zinn), Kupfer und Organo-Stickstoff-Verbindungen (S-Triazine). Für die deutsche Flotte und die Weltflotte werden Mengen der Biozide überschläglich berechnet. Außerdem wird die theoretische Konzentration der emitierten Biozide in der Nordsee vom Schiffsverkehr abgeleitet und mit Messungen anderer Autoren verglichen.

     

Radon emanation as an indicator of the intensity of Intergeospheric interactions at the Earth’s crust-atmosphere interface

The results of measurements of the volumetric activity of subsurface radon Rare given for several sections of the Earth’s crust located within the central part of the East European Platform. The influence of tectonic structures on the spatial zonality of radon emanation and the intensity of its temporal variations is shown. The temporal variations in radon emanation are characterized by periodicity with periods of approximately a day, as well as of 4, 14, and 29 days, and, as correlation analysis shows, they are determined by the cyclic recurrence of tidal deformations and by cyclonic processes in the atmosphere. The high correlation of the mean values of the volumetric activity of subsurface radon with the value of atmospheric pressure is established. The dependence of the volumetric activity of subsurface radon and its temporal variations on the depth within the range of depths 0.8–11.5 m is determined. As a result of laboratory experiments, the nonlinear nature of the dependence of radon emanation on the frequency of vibration action is established. For granites, the intensity of radon emanation is maximal at frequencies of 16 and 32 Hz. The results of complex measurements of the microseismic background and the volumetric activity of subsurface radon carried out in the region of the Nelidovo-Ryazan tectonic structure demonstrate the high correlation between the volumetric activity of subsurface radon and the relative amplitude of the quasi-monochromatic component of the microseismic background with a peak frequency of 16.5 Hz.     

Accurate Location of the Yao＇an Earthquake Sequence and the Yongsheng Earthquake Sequence

The Yao＇an Ms6.5 earthquake occurred on Jan. 15, 2000 and the Yongsheng Ms6.0 earthquake occurred on Oct. 27, 2001 in Yunnan Province, China. They are both located in the middle of the Dian block. Their epicenters are close to each other, the tectonic and strain characters of the earthquakes were similar, and there were many aftershocks after the two main shocks. In order to further study the spatial-temporal distributions and fault rupture characters of the main shocks and aftershocks, the latter are located using the Geiger earthquake location algorithm （Geiger） and the double difference earthquake location algorithm （DD） based on the seismic phase data of the two earthquake sequences. They were recorded by two Near Source Digital Seismic Networks （YNSSN and YSNSSN） deployed by the Yunnan Seismological Bureau （YNSB）. Then, two main shock parameters were relocated using DD based on the data of larger magnitude aftershocks and the two main shocks that were recorded by the Kunming Regional Digital Seismic Network （KMSN）. Combining the spatial- temporal distributions of the two earthquake sequences, the tectonic and strain characters of earthquakes, the rupture processes of the two aftershock sequences along faults are analyzed and discussed contrastively.     

The Rhythm of Earthquake Activity and an Analysis on the Earthquake Tendency of the World, the Chinese Continent and North China

Based on the Morlet complex wavelet transformation, the authors put forward a kind of new method for distinguishing periods of seismic activity and quietude and a new physical thought on the time-dependent wavelet accumulation energy spectrum with periods, the time-frequency distribution of wavelet vibration period spectrum and period-specific wavelet vibration spectrum. By applying the above methods to a time series which is composed of earthquake accumulation energy per year for the world, the Chinese continent and North China,respectively, we obtained some new information about the rhythm of shallow earthquake activity. Considering the historic earthquakes and the rhythm characteristics of current strong earthquake activity, the earthquake tendency in the next years is discussed.     

Use of Green’s function for determining the disturbing potential of an ellipsoidal Earth

A spherical approximation makes the basis for a majority of formulas in physical geodesy. However, the present-day accuracy in determining the disturbing potential requires an ellipsoidal approximation. The paper deals with constructing Green’s function for an ellipsoidal Earth by an ellipsoidal harmonic expansion and using it for determining the disturbing potential. From the result obtained the part that corresponds to the spherical approximation has been extracted. Green’s function is known to depend just on the geometry of the surface where boundary values are given. Thus, it can be calculated irrespective of the gravity data completeness. No changes of gravity data have an effect on Green’s function and they can be easily taken into account if the function has already been constructed. Such a method, therefore, can be useful in determining the disturbing potential of an ellipsoidal Earth.     

Is the invasion of the common reed,Phragmites australis,into tidal marshes of the eastern US an ecological disaster?

Studies of effects of the invasive brackish marsh plant Phragmites australis (common reed) on estuarine biota are reviewed. With few exceptions, most field studies indicate that these P. australis-dominated marshes have diverse and abundant benthic biota, and are utilized by nekton, comparable to Spartina alterniflora marshes. However, larval mummichogs, Fundulus heteroclitus, appear to be reduced in P. australis marshes compared with S. alterniflora marshes. Small epifauna living on plant stems also appear to be denser on S. alterniflora than P. australis stems. Other studies indicate that the detritus produced by decaying P. australis litter provides food value comparable to that of S. alterniflora and that its production enters estuarine food webs. Therefore, the general assumption that these marshes are ecologically "useless" is untrue. This information should be considered by marsh managers when making decisions about restoration projects.     

Systematics of Early Cambrian Paleomagnetic Directions from the Northern and Eastern Regions of the Siberian Platform and the Problem of an Anomalous Geomagnetic Field in the Time Vicinity of the Proterozoic–Phanerozoic Boundary

Representative paleomagnetic collections of Lower Cambrian rocks from the northern and eastern regions of the Siberian platform are studied. New evidence demonstrating the anomalous character of the paleomagnetic record in these rocks is obtained. These data confidently support the hypothesis (Pavlov et al., 2004) that in the substantial part of the Lower Cambrian section of the Siberian platform there are two stable high-temperature magnetization components having significantly different directions, each of which is eligible for being a primary component that was formed, at the latest, in the Early Cambrian. The analysis of the world’s paleomagnetic data for this interval of the geological history shows that the peculiarities observed in Siberia in the paleomagnetic record for the Precambrian–Phanerozoic boundary are global, inconsistent with the traditional notion of a paleomagnetic record as reflecting the predominant axial dipole component of the geomagnetic field, and necessitates the assumption that the geomagnetic field at the Proterozoic–Phanerozoic boundary (Ediacaran–Lower Cambrian) substantially differed from the field of most of the other geological epochs. In order to explain the observed paleomagnetic record, we propose a hypothesis suggesting that the geomagnetic field at the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary had an anomalous character. This field was characterized by the presence of two alternating quasi-stable generation regimes. According to our hypothesis, the magnetic field at the Precambrian–Cambrian boundary can be described by the alternation of long periods dominated by an axial, mainly monopolar dipole field and relatively short epochs, lasting a few hundred kA, with the prevalence of the near-equatorial or midlatitude dipole. The proposed hypothesis agrees with the data obtained from studies of the transitional fields of Paleozoic reversals (Khramov and Iosifidi, 2012) and with the results of geodynamo numerical simulations (Aubert and Wicht, 2004; Glatzmayer and Olson, 2005; Gissinger et al., 2012).     

Implications of seismic pounding on the longitudinal response of multi-span bridges - an analytical perspective

Seismic pounding between adjacent frames in multiple-frame bridges and girder ends in multi-span simply supported bridges has been commonly observed in several recent earthquakes. The consequences of pounding include damage to piers, abutments, shear keys, bearings and restrainers, and possible collapse of deck spans. This paper investigates pounding in bridges from an analytical perspective. A simplified nonlinear model of a multiple-frame bridge is developed including the effects of inelastic frame action and nonlinear hinge behavior, to study the seismic response to longitudinal ground motion. Pounding is implemented using the contact force-based Kelvin model, as well as the momentum-based stereomechanical approach. Parameter studies are conducted to determine the effects of frame period ratio, column hysteretic behavior, energy dissipation during impact and near source ground motions on the pounding response of the bridge. The results indicate that pounding is most critical for highly out-of-phase frames and is not significant for frame period ratios greater than 0.7. Impact models without energy dissipation overestimate the displacement and acceleration amplifications due to impact, especially for elastic behavior of the frames. Representation of stiffness degradation in bridge columns is cssential in capturing the accurate response of pounding frames subjected to far field ground motion. Finally, it is shown that strength degradation and pounding can result in significant damage to the stiffer frames of the bridge when subjected to large acceleration pulses from near field ground motion records.     

Characteristics of vertical ozone distribution in the lower troposphere in the Yangtze River Delta at Lin’an in the spring of 2001

Deterioration of air quality as a result of rapid eco- nomic development in the Yangtze River Delta (YRD) has attracted much scientific and public attention[1―7]. To explore the air quality of a region, measurement of pollutants in locations reflecting the “background” atmospheric conditions of the region is essential. The Regional Baseline Air Quality Monitoring Station of the Chinese Academy of Meteorological Sciences (CAMS) at Lin’an is located in such an area in Zhe- jiang Pro…     

Preliminary inquiry into the causes of anomaly increase of air temperature by an impending earthquake

Ｐｒｅｌｉｍｉｎａｒｙｉｎｑｕｉｒｙｉｎｔｏｔｈｅｃａｕｓｅｓｏｆａｎｏｍａｌｙｉｎｃｒｅａｓｅｏｆａｉｒｔｅｍｐｅｒａｔｕｒｅｂｙａｎｉｍｐｅｎｄｉｎｇ　ｅａｒｔｈｑｕａｋｅＸｉｕ－Ｄｅｎｇ；Ｘｉａｎｇ－ＭｉｎＸＵ；Ｓｈｅｎｇ－ＤｅｎｇＭＡａｎｄＧ...     

The coda attenuation of the Yao’an area in Yunnan Province

An earthquake withM=6.5 happened on January 15, 2000 in Yao’an of Yunnan Province. After the earthquake, a temporary digital network with 6 detectors around the epicenter area was set up. 402 aftershocks were located more precisely. According to coda short recording observed, the coda averaging quality factor has been acquired via Sato’s single scattering model analyses,Q _c(f)=49f ^0.95,f=1.5～20.0 Hz, which has the attenuation characteristics of high structural active region.     

A Preliminary Discussion on the Mechanism of Abnormal Intensity Zones of the M5.1 Wen＇an Earthquake in 2006

An earthquake measuring 5.1 on the Richter scale struck Wen'an county,Hebei Province on July 4,2006. No casualties have been reported,with only slight damage. The disaster level of this event is the slightest on the M4.9～5.1 events record tally since the CCDSN (China Center of Digital Seismic Network) was built in 1999. The epicenter intensity of this earthquake was low,while in areas like Beijing,which is 100km far away,abnormal high intensity zones appeared. This article discusses the reasons behind this abnormal phenomenon,with the diagrams of intensity isolines drawn by the intense seismic stations and networks in the capital circle area as references,as well as the seismogenic mechanism in the source,the seismic histories,the geological structures and the ray pathways of seismic waves in areas within 150km around the epicenter. It was concluded that the special dynamic and geological situations were the main causes for the lower intensity degree and slight damage in the epicenter area,but higher intensity in the surrounding areas.     

Comprehensive Multi-Level Exploration of Buried Active Faults： an Example of the Yinchuan Buried Active Fault

The paper introduces the steps and methods of multi-approach,multi-level exploration of buried faults in thick Quaternary sediment regions by taking the test exploration of the Yinchuan active fault as example.Based on the comprehensive analyses of previous data,we choose the Xinqushao Village of Xingqing District of Yinchuan City as the test site for the comprehensive exploration.Firstly,we adopted shallow seismic investigation with group intervals of 10m,5m and 1m to gradually trace layer by layer the master fault of the Yinchuan buried fault from a deep depth to a shallow depth where drilling could be used.Then,with composite geological profile drilling,we determined the precise location and dip angle of the fault.The drilling show the buried depth of the upper offset point is 8.3m.Finally,large-scale trenching revealed that the actual buried depth of the upper offset point of the fault is 1.5m from the ground surface and there are paleoearthquake events of 5 stages.Combined with the preliminary result of corresponding sample age,we conclude the Yinchuan buried fault is a mid to late Holocene active fault.