Effect of local variations of vertical and horizontal stresses on the Cenozoic structuring of the mid-Norwegian shelf

The mid-Norwegian margin has a complex history and has experienced several phases of changing horizontal and vertical stresses on regional and local scale during the Cenozoic time. In addition to regional stresses related to the opening of the North Atlantic (i.e. ridge push), local variations in stress history may be important for development, distribution and reactivation of structures in the Vøring area in Cenozoic time. Presence and stability of flexural hinge zones between areas of relative uplift and subsidence have played an important role for focusing shallow horizontal stresses within the basins. Emplacement of lower crustal bodies during break-up will, whatever the nature of these bodies, have substantial isostatic effects, and modelling show that this could cause many hundred meters of temporal uplift above the lower crustal bodies, locally exceeding 1300 m of surface uplift. Effects of intra plate stress (IPS) are modelled along three 2D transects across the Vøring Basin. Modelling shows that IPS may have given substantial vertical motions in certain areas of the mid-Norwegian shelf, both with extensional IPS at the time of break-up, and later with compressive IPS during Tertiary time. The modelling assumes a strongly reduced effective elastic thickness (EET) due to lithospheric heating at break-up and later increasing EET as the lithosphere cooled towards present time. Our modelling takes into account the tectonic and isostatic effects of loading faulting and lithospheric thinning throughout the geological history, including several phases of extension prior to the Cenozoic compression. This approach emphasizes the importance of the deformation history of the lithosphere compared to other studies that only take into account the effects of Cenozoic processes of compression and loading on the sedimentary units. We do not state that isostatic uplift or intra plate stress are the most important causes for Cenozoic uplift and compressional deformation in this area, but point to the fact that these factors locally may have played an important role in focusing deformation caused by an interplay of different mechanisms.     

On the role of heat flow, lithosphere thickness and lithosphere density on gravitational potential stresses

Gravitational potential stresses (GPSt) are known to play a first-order role in the state of stress of the Earth's lithosphere. Previous studies focussed mainly on crust elevation and structure and little attention has been paid to modelling GPSt using realistic lithospheric structures. The aim of the present contribution is to quantify gravitational potential energies and stresses associated with stable lithospheric domains. In order to model realistic lithosphere structures, a wide variety of data are considered: surface heat flow, chemical depletion of mantle lithosphere, crustal thickness and elevation. A numerical method is presented which involves classical steady-state heat equations to derive lithosphere thickness, geotherm and density distribution, but additionally requires the studied lithosphere to be isostatically compensated at its base. The impact of varying surface and crustal heat flow, topography, Moho depth and crust density on the signs and magnitudes of predicted GPSt is systematically explored. In clear contrast with what is assumed in most previous studies, modelling results show that the density structure of the mantle lithosphere has a significant impact on the value of the predicted GPSt, in particular in the case of thick lithospheres. Using independent information from the literature, the method was applied to get insights in the state of stress of continental domains with contrasting tectono-thermal ages. The modelling results suggest that in the absence of tectonic stresses Phanerozoic and Proterozoic lithospheres are spontaneously submitted to compression whereas Archean lithospheres are in a neutral to slightly tensile stress state. These findings are in general in good agreement with global stress measurements and observed geoid undulations.     

The Stress Field in the Upper Crust as Determined from In Situ Measurements

This paper provides a synopsis of the state of stress in the upper parts of the earth's crust based uponin situ rock stress determinations. Despite the large scatter of the data, two dominant trends can be detected in the variations of average horizontal stress with depth in various geological environments. Basement rocks in ancient shields and deformed rocks in fold belts usually show horizontal stresses larger than the theoretical overburden pressure. Sedimentary cover rocks and fissured massive rocks show horizontal stresses smaller than the overburden pressure. The ratio of the maximum to the minimum horizontal stress exhibits a clear stress anisotropy in most cases. Directions of maximum horizontal compression are fairly consistent in areas where sufficient measurements are available (North America and Fennoscandia), although in many instances they do not conform to any simple predicted stress pattern. Many factors complicate the interpretation ofin situ stress determinations. There is no simple relationship between the stress trajectories and the free surface. Topographic features and erosional processes may cause horizontal stress concentrations. Remanent stresses of great age can be superimposed on current tectonic stresses, while sometimes current stresses no longer coincide with the stress systems that caused observable faulting and folding. Observation of remanent stresses in ancient rocks shows that rocks in the upper crust have finite strength even under geological time intervals. From the viewpoint of global tectonics,in situ stress determinations ought to be used with great caution, and in conjunction with focal mechanism solutions of earthquakes. Although the state of stress is everywhere compressive, the fact that undeformed sedimentary cover rocks often show no excess horizontal stress would seem to indicate that no active global horizontal compression is required. Horizontal stresses larger than the overburden pressure in regions of intense palaeodeformation may be due to remanent stress effects and to the influence of the local structure. It is premature to advance any general statement on tectogenesis on the basis ofin situ stress determinations. More measurements, and a quantitative evaluation of the factors affecting them, are required before further progress can be made.     

Formation of diapiric structure in the deformation zone,central Indian Ocean: A model from gravity and seismic reflection data

Analyses of bathymetry, gravity and seismic reflection data of the diffusive plate boundary in the central Indian Ocean reveal a new kind of deformed structure besides the well-reported structures of long-wavelength anticlinal basement rises and high-angle reverse faults. The structure (basement trough) has a length of about 150 km and deepens by up to 1 km from its regional trend (northward dipping). The basement trough includes a rise at its center with a height of about 1.5km. The rise is about 10 km wide with rounded upper surface and bounded by vertical faults. A broad freeair gravity low of about 20 mGal and a local high of 8 mGal in its center are associated with the identified basement trough and rise structure respectively. Seismic results reveal that the horizontal crustal compression prevailing in the diffusive plate boundary might have formed the basement trough possibly in early Pliocene time. Differential loading stresses have been generated from unequal crust/sediment thickness on lower crustal and upper mantle rocks. A thin semi-ductile serpentinite layer existing near the base of the crust that is interpreted to have been formed at mid-ocean ridge and become part of the lithosphere, may have responded to the downward loading stresses generated by the sediments and crustal rocks to inject the serpentinites into the overlying strata to form a classic diapiric structure.     

Compositional,structural, and geodynamic controls of the evolution of inter- and intramontane basins of the Tien Shan

The crustal orogeny which formed the present-day Tien Shan results from the complex interaction between two independent processes. The first is the lateral (horizontal) compression related to the collision between the Indian and Eurasian Plates. The second is the rearrangement and flow of crustal material at different levels of the lithosphere beneath the mountain belt. Two broad morphologic and genetic types of mountain basins (intramontane and intermontane/foreland) are proposed as indicators of specific geodynamic factors controlling the topographic relief of the orogenic belt. The first-type basins, having the upper crustal roots, reflect mainly the N–S crustal compression and correspond to simple (elementary) longitudinal folds with basement involvement. The second type basins developed mostly in response to deep processes in the upper mantle and lower crust.     

某黄金矿山地下应力的计算

一般认为地应力的形成主要与地球的各种动力运动有关，且构造应力场与重力场是地应力的主要组成部分。以某黄金矿山为例，以地球物理学的基本观点及地球重力场理论为指导，得出重力所致竖向地应力和水平地应力的表达式；认为地下应力产生的最根本原因在于重力(地心引力)，重力不仅可以产生竖向地应力，而且还可以产生水平地应力。计算证明黄金矿山(地下工程)水平地应力远大于竖向地应力。地壳内黄金矿山采掘巷道所受的各种压力均来源于地心对岩土(石)的引力。     

An analytical model of continental rift fault patterns

Two proposed mechanisms of rift initiation are crustal uplift alone and a combination of crustal uplift and regional horizontal extension. A three-dimensional, thick-plate, elastic analysis has been used to model the crustal stress state and the fault patterns associated with these mechanisms. Small ratios of uplift width to crustal thickness (<10) necessitate the thick-plate approach.For the crustal uplift model, the surface fault pattern is characterized by normal faults trending parallel to the major uplift axis at the uplift center and radial normal faults toward the ends of the major uplift axis. Zones of compressional structures (e.g., strikeslip and thrust faults) may develop at the periphery of the uplift. Superposition of regional horizontal tension with the stresses produced by crustal uplift eliminates the compressive stresses at the uplift periphery producing normal faults parallel to the major uplift axis at the uplift center and normal faults perpendicular to the major uplift axis at the uplift periphery.A comparison of these predicted fault patterns with the faults of the Rhine graben suggests that the combination of crustal uplift and regional horizontal extension contributed to the formation of that rift system. The stresses produced by crustal uplift promoted the formation of the central graben and the fan-shaped troughs toward the ends of the major uplift axes, while superposed regional horizontal tension eliminated the large compressive stresses at the uplift periphery promoting the normal faulting and dike intrusions observed on the Rhine graben flanks.     

汶川地震断裂带科学钻探1号井(WFSD-1)非弹性应变恢复法(ASR法)三维地应力测试与"5.12"汶川地震的形成机制

汶川地震断裂带科学钻探1号井(WFSD-1)的ASR三维地应力测试结果表明,龙门山前陆逆冲带与其下伏的龙门山前陆盆地和上覆的松潘-甘孜地块的构造及地应力状态存在有重大差异。从整体上看,在汶川地震中,龙门山前陆逆冲带表现为在强烈的区域性挤压背景下,深部物质沿壳内拆离层自SW向NE方向的"层状"流动,在地壳上部转化为沿映秀-北川断裂(YBF)的快速垂向挤出,而其西侧的松潘-甘孜地块作自SE往NW方向的重力滑覆,东侧的龙门山前陆盆地则表现为自NE往SW方向的走滑或右行旋转。晚新生代以来,扬子地块相对于青藏高原东缘的龙门山造山带并无明显的或大尺度的陆内俯冲作用发生。龙门山前陆逆冲带深部高温低粘度物质垂直向上的、快速的流动和挤出,直接导致了"5.12"汶川地震的发生,而松潘-甘孜地块E向扩展导致龙门山前陆带的强烈挤压和陆壳增厚及深部应力和地震能量的积聚则是诱导深部位移场发生突变和物质快速垂向挤出的主因,E向扩展是深部地震能量积聚和快速垂向挤出作用的必要条件,而非地震发生的直接原因。ASR地应力测试得出的主压应力方向完全平行于GPS同震速度场的位移方向,似乎表明ASR测试获得的原地应力场或许真实地反映了或最接近于地震过程中的构造应力状态。     

Estimation of the influence of daily rotation of the earth on the stress state of the continental crust

The problem of formation of additional planetary stresses in the crust initiated by the action of tangential inertia mass forces that are caused by the daily rotation of the Earth is considered. It is established that the stress state formed in the crust has three levels of different geodynamic types: horizontal tension, shear, and compression with a meridional orientation of maximum compression. It is shown that the revealed deep zonality of planetary stresses can explain the regularity of representation of ruptures of various types for planetary fracturing.     

Gravitational orogenic collapse vs plate-boundary stresses: a numerical modelling approach to the Permo-Carboniferous evolution of Central Europe

A two-dimensional thermo-mechanical finite element model is used to study the Permo-Carboniferous evolution of Central Europe along a lithosphere-scale transect from the Variscan Internides to the undeformed foreland. The study concentrates on a quantitative evaluation of the processes controlling late-orogenic extension and destruction of the Variscides, particularly the gravitational instability of thickened crust. Modelling results suggest that gravitational forces along cannot reproduce the observed timing and amount of Permo-Carboniferous crustal thinning. Tensile plate-boundary forces are required in addition to gravitation to restore a crustal thickness of approximately 30?km in the Variscan Internides. Stresses as little as 10?MPa result in up to 28% extension and a good fit between observed data and model predictions. It is concluded that the Stephanian to Rotliegend evolution in the vicinity of the modelled traverse resulted not from gravitational forces inherited from Variscan crustal thickening, but was related to a change in orientation of the plate-boundary stresses at the end of the Westphalian.     

三峡工程库首区及狮子口重力滑动构造系统的构造应力场研究

基于野外实测和室内测试,计算分析及有限元模拟,对三峡工程库首区燕山期和喜山期的区域构造应力场以及狮子口重力滑动构造应力场进行研究。区域构造应力场的主要特征是：燕山主期σ1和σ1近水平,分别近S－N向和E－W向,σ2近直立,差异应力200MPa、变化范围150－250MPa;喜山主期σ1近水平,总体方向NNE70－SW250°,差异应力100MPa,变化范围80－120MPa,在空间变化上,前者表现为南部差异应力高于北部差异应力,后者的变化规律不太明显。狮子口重力滑动构造系统的应力场比较复杂,总体呈近E－W向的前缘挤压、后缘拉伸,而滑动系统内部叠置产出的三个滑块也分别表现出后缘拉伸、前缘挤压并交替出现的特点,反映了区域应力场背景下的局部构造应力场特征。     

青藏高原重力构造

青藏高原的范围大致由昆仑山、阿尔金山、祁连山、龙门山及喜马拉雅山所围限。是一个边部群峰耸立、内部相对平坦的广阔高原,具有山高地势平的地貌景观。地壳厚度一般为50—70公里,成为全球地势最高、地壳最厚的地区。 中新世晚期,喜马拉雅尚未成山,其高度接近海面,仅约数百米。而由冈底斯山至昆仑山的广大地区,此时形成了统一的夷平面,具有与喜马拉雅地区相似的高度。     

层状地壳的等效力学模量和分层应力

针对地球动力学研究中的板壳力学模型的分层问题,根据等效原则, 给出了用各分层弹性参数和厚度表示的中性面位置、折合抗弯刚度和等效弹性参数。结合实际地壳受横向和侧向力作用时产生的弯曲形变和应力,具体介绍了用这种折算模量的方法去求解地壳中的应力、应变状态, 并通过比较等效应力与各分层应力的差异, 阐明了岩石力学性质的不同对各圈层应力的影响作用。研究进一步表明,来自地壳深部的垂直向上的力是造成上部地壳伸展类构造的重要因素之一。     

The influence of elastic compressibility of the mantle on thermal-gravitational convection: The convective instability of the gravitational stress pattern

The set of equations for the problem of thermal-gravitational convection accounts for compressibility of solid bodies, which changes for elementary volumes moving during convection process in fields of the initial temperature and the initial gravitational stress pattern for rheology of an elastic-viscous Maxwell body. It was shown that equations of momentum conservation in the vertical direction and heat transfer for steady convection differ from the equation for incompressible liquid by terms containing the rate of elastic volume change and the connected rate of heat change. It was established that an additional term in the momentum conservation equation defines a new class of the instable state of a solid body, which is able to form huge deformations at the expense of plasticity and creep at large segments of time—flow in the field of gravity force—instability of the gravitational stress pattern of elastic-plastic body. Analysis of different boundary conditions for which this instability can be realized in the form of convective cells showed that the convection rate is totally defined by reconstruction processes of vertical stresses on horizontal boundaries close to the initial gravitation pattern. Alignment process of these stresses can be provided not only by erosion and denudation processes occurring on the Earth’s surface, but also by processes on the inner boundaries of the tectonosphere which provide isostasy in the mantle.     

青藏高原东北缘海原-六盘山断裂带现今地壳应力环境的数值分析

海原-六盘山断裂是青藏高原东北缘的大型边界断裂带,是中国大陆典型的地震危险区。地壳构造加载特征的定量研究有助于分析区域孕震环境,参考青藏高原东北缘GPS形变和岩石圈精细结构等资料,本文建立海原-六盘山断裂带周缘的三维岩石圈分层模型,分析现今构造加载作用下区域地壳形变和应力演化特征。数值计算结果显示:青藏高原东北缘现今处于以北东-南西向的水平挤压为主导和北西-南东向的水平引张的变形特征。青藏高原东北缘中-下地壳流变性质影响上覆脆性地壳应力环境,中地壳较低粘滞系数对应的模型地壳应力计算值与研究区实际地壳应力场相近。海原断裂中-西段构造加载作用显著,具有相对较高的库仑应力积累和最大剪应力分布;而六盘山断裂周缘地壳应力和最大剪应力小于海原断裂带。构造应力积累的空间分布差异说明六盘山断裂具有较弱的构造孕震环境,而研究区走滑型断裂的孕震加载作用显著。尽管六盘山处于较低的应力状态,但仍不能轻易忽视其长期存在的强震空区所暗示的发震潜力。     

地质作用深度测算中的问题

迄今为止,地质作用的深度通常是用压力除以密度来计算的。这种方法只在假设岩石处于静止的液体状态下才是正确的。然而,实际上从浅部地壳直至地幔深处的岩石都是固体状态而不是液体状态,且粘性系数随浓度递增。实测数据表明,地下水平压应力总是大于垂直压应力,说明构造力在量值上超过重力。所以,在地壳中进行地质作用深度的测算必须把岩石看作是固体并依据固体物理理论。因此,吕古贤等在文献〔１６〕中提出的深度测算方法（１     

Numerical modelling of the three-dimensional stress field in southwestern Japan

It has been inferred from the focal mechanism of earthquakes and their hypocenter distribution (Shiono, 1977) that the stress field in southwestern Japan indicates complicated features; a NW-SE compression at shallow depths along the Nankai trough, an E-W or ESE-WNW compression in the inland crust, an extension parallel to the leading edge of the Philippine Sea plate at subcrustal depths in the region from the southern Chubu to northwestern Shikoku, and a down-dip tension beneath the Kyushu island.In order to investigate possible sources of these complex features of the stress state, a three-dimensional finite element method is employed to model the configuration of the subducting Philippine Sea plate, taking into consideration the following three possible types of forces:

1. (1) A negative buoyancy due to the density contrast between the subducting plate and the surrounding mantle.

2. (2) A northwestward compressive force generated by the movement of the Philippine Sea plate.

3. (3) A westward compressive force due to the movement of the Pacific plate.

For various combinations of different magnitudes of these forces, and of different elastic moduli, the stresses at a number of selected sites are calculated, and their directions are compared with those inferred from the focal mechanism and other geophysical information.It is found that the observed extensional stresses parallel to the leading edge of the subducting Philippine Sea plate may be caused mainly by the negative buoyancy. The northwestward compressive force may not play an important role in generating the complex stress field in southwestern Japan. The observed E-W compressional stress field prevailing in the inland region appears to result mainly from the westward-moving Pacific plate. The present results suggest that if a thin low-velocity transitional layer exists just above the subducting Philippine Sea plate, it could give appreciable effects on the mechanism of low-angled thrust faulting off the Kii peninsula and the Shikoku island.The magnitude of the shear stress in the continental crust and in the subducting plate is estimated to be of the order of several hundred bars, although the calculated shear stresses are considerably affected by the configuration of the subducting plate and also by the applied forces.It is interesting that the stress distribution appears to have some relations to seismicity of subcrustal earthquakes, and to the rupture process of large thrust earthquakes along the plate boundary.     

中国大陆主要成矿域地壳速度结构与成矿作用

文章汇集了中国11条地球科学断面和数十条人工地震剖面，对中国大陆的地壳结构进行了综合研究。获得了主要成矿域的地壳分层结构模型。根据各层的厚度和地震波速度差异，揭示出主要成矿域地壳速度结构的横向变化，勾绘出壳内低速层的分布特征。文中还探讨了中国大陆主要成矿域岩石圈的现今活动性，以及地壳厚度、壳内低速层、“墙式”地震剪切波垂向低速带和下地壳底部高速层(体)的分布特征以及与成矿作用的关系。     

On the stress state of the Sakhalin crust according to the data of drilling deep boreholes

The stress state of the sedimentary rocks in the oil-and-gas fields of Sakhalin is estimated and analyzed; data from exploratory boreholes in the eastern Pacific (San-Andreas fault zone) are considered. The vertical and limiting horizontal stresses are calculated for different depths. The maximum sublateral compression can exceed the vertical stress by a factor of 1.2–4 on average in northern and southern Sakhalin. It is shown that the limiting horizontal stress and the maximum shear stress grow as the depth increases.     

鄂尔多斯临兴西区深煤层地应力场特征及应力变化分析

大小及方向对深部煤层气开发影响显著。以鄂尔多斯东缘临兴西区为对象, 基于实 验测试、井壁崩落法和断层摩擦系数地应力法,分析了三向主应力方向与大小,阐释了基本特征及其空间发育规律。结果显示：8号煤层垂向应力介于44.94 ~ 50.46 MPa,平均48.47MPa;水平最大主应力介于35.16 ~ 44.53 MPa,平均40.62MPa;水平最小主应力介于28.79~39.45 MPa,平均33.02MPa。9号煤层垂向应力介于45.03~ 50.46 MPa,平均48.57MPa;水平最大主应力介于35.33~44.53 MPa,平均40.69MPa;水平最小主应力介于29.01 ~ 39.45 MPa,平均33.11MPa。误差分析显示此地应力计算结果可靠。三向地应力大小与埋深呈正相关关系。在垂向上,三向地应力相对大小表现出明显分带性,即埋深＜1000m左右为Sh＜Sv＜SH为特征的剪切型地应力带、埋深介于1000~1800m 表现为Sh＜SH＜Sv过渡带、埋深>1800m左右表现为Sh＜SH＜Sv为特征的正断型地应力带。在平面上,地应力在平面上总体呈西北部低、中部与南部高、其余地区适中,主要在T-23-2井和T-19井区存在应力低值带。最大水平主应力地应力方向主要以EW-NEE向为主。地应力场的阐释将为研究区深煤层储层物性评价、勘探选区及钻完井工程设计提供地质参考。