Finite element models to represent seismic activity of the Indian plate

Quantification of seismic activity is one of the most challenging problems faced by earthquake engineers in probabilistic seismic hazard analysis. Currently, this problem has been attempted using empirical approaches which are based on the regional earthquake recurrence relations from the available earthquake catalogue. However, at a specified site of engineering interest, these empirical models are associated with large number of uncertainties due to lack of sufficient data. Due to these uncertainties, engineers need to develop mechanistic models to quantify seismic activity. A wide range of techniques for modeling continental plates provides useful insights on the mechanics of plates and their seismic activity. Among the different continental plates, the Indian plate experiences diffused seismicity. In India, although Himalaya is regarded as a plate boundary and active region, the seismicity database indicates that there are other regions in the Indian shield reporting sporadic seismic activity. It is expected that mechanistic models of Indian plate, based on finite element method, simulate stress fields that quantify the seismic potential of active regions in India. This article explores the development of a finite element model for Indian plate by observing the simulated stress field for various boundary conditions, geological and rheological conditions. The study observes that the magnitude and direction of stresses in the plate is sensitive to these conditions. The numerical analysis of the models shows that the simulated stress field represents the active seismic zones in India.     

Tidal triggering of earthquakes in the subducting Philippine Sea plate beneath the locked zone of the plate interface in the Tokai region, Japan

We found a characteristic space–time pattern of the tidal triggering effect on earthquake occurrence in the subducting Philippine Sea plate beneath the locked zone of the plate interface in the Tokai region, central Japan, where a large interplate earthquake may be impending. We measured the correlation between the Earth tide and earthquake occurrence using microearthquakes that took place in the Philippine Sea plate for about two decades. For each event, we assigned the tidal phase angle at the origin time by theoretically calculating the tidal shear stress on the fault plane. Based on the distribution of the tidal phase angles, we statistically tested whether they concentrate near some particular angle or not by using Schuster's test. In this test, the result is evaluated by p-value, which represents the significance level to reject the null hypothesis that earthquakes occur randomly irrespective of the tidal phase angle. As a result of analysis, no correlation was found for the data set including all the earthquakes. However, we found a systematic pattern in the temporal variation of the tidal effect; the p-value significantly decreased preceding the occurrence of M ≥ 4.5 earthquakes, and it recovered a high level afterwards. We note that those M ≥ 4.5 earthquakes were considerably larger than the normal background seismicity in the study area. The frequency distribution of tidal phase angles in the pre-event period exhibited a peak at the phase angle where the tidal shear stress is at its maximum to accelerate the fault slip. This indicates that the observed small p-value is a physical consequence of the tidal effect. We also found a distinctive feature in the spatial distribution of p-values. The small p-values appeared just beneath the strongly coupled portion of the plate interface, as inferred from the seismicity rate change in the past few years.     

The effect of sampling scale on actualistic sandstone petrofacies

Empirical correlations between plate tectonic setting and sand/sandstone composition have been the basis for large scale petrological models. These models do not explicitly treat sampling scale. Four areas from the western USA with diverse tectonic settings and rock types provide a natural laboratory for sampling sand at three different scales: talus piles to small drainages (first order), streams and rivers draining mountain ranges (second order), and large rivers and marine environments (third order). Existing plate tectonic petrofacies models should only be applied to third order settings because the data were derived from studies of such settings. This is especially true in tectonic settings with diverse source rocks (e.g. continental rifts and transform settings). On the other hand, some settings, such as active magmatic arcs and foreland fold-thrust belts, provide uniform results at any sampling scale because of homogeneity of source rocks. The Rio Grande drainage area is especially complex, with diverse igneous, metamorphic and sedimentary source areas. Some components (e.g. basalt) are destroyed with minimal transport, whereas others (e.g. quartz) are relatively enriched with greater transport. In this complex continental rift setting, first and second order sand is diverse and heterogeneous due to input from tributaries. The Santa Clara River of southern California also has heterogeneous sand due to diverse source rocks in this transform setting. It is only after considerable homogenization and stabilization due to weathering and mixing with more stable components, and/or considerable transport, that homogeneous compositions are produced in these two settings. In contrast, the Cascade magmatic arc and the Canadian Rocky Mountain fold-thrust belt have uniform source rocks (dominantly volcanic in the former and dominantly sedimentary in the latter). Uniform sand composition that is unique to each of these tectonic settings results at any sampling scale in these two cases. Uniformity of data collection and analysis is essential for reproducible results. Use of the Gazzi-Dickinson point counting method allows direct comparison among source rocks (zero order samples), modern sand of any order and ancient sandstone of unknown provenance. Lack of recognition of the effect of sampling scale in the development of actualistic petrofacies models has led to incorrect rejection of many existing models. Third order sands are excellent predictors of plate tectonic setting, but first and second order sands can provide ambiguous plate tectonic interpretations in many settings. More complex actualistic petrofacies models based on diverse sampling scales are needed.     

On the connection between tidal friction and plate tectonics

The tectonic plate motion is considered as resulting from the interaction of lunar and solar tides with the non-linear elastic behavior of the mantle in the regions of phase transitions. The cumulative motion is generated by asymmetries of stress and strain at plate boundaries.     

岩石圈板块漂移引起岩石古剩磁偏角变化规律

依据古地磁基本原理,结合岩石圈板块在地球表面的欧拉旋转,通过赤平投影作图,探讨了岩石圈板块漂移引起古剩磁偏角的变化规律,得出古剩磁偏角的变化与岩石圈板块所处的半球、欧拉极所处的区间以及岩石圈板块东西向运动分量相关,在现今地理坐标下的古剩磁偏角是地质历史时期岩石圈板块多期活动引起古剩磁偏角变化的综合结果。由于欧拉极主要分布在绝对占优的两个区间,因此,岩石圈板块运动主要是欧拉极分布在这两个区间的旋转运动,而当欧拉极分布在这两个区间且当岩石圈板块所处的半球的东西向运动分量方向相同时,古剩磁偏角的变化规律较一致。进而可依据欧拉极分布在这两个区间岩石圈板块旋转引起古剩磁偏角变化规律,结合相邻两个时代形成的岩石古剩磁偏角和倾角之差,以及相对较老岩石形成时所处的半球,可定性确定岩石圈板块在这一地质历史时期的运动方向,为构造应力场演化提供一定的依据,使古地磁数据在大地构造研究中发挥出更大作用。     

Intra-plate seismicity gap along the Median Tectonic Line and oblique plate convergence in southwest Japan

The intra-plate seismicity map for southwest Japan, based on fairly complete historical data for the past four hundred years, reveals an inverse correlation between the seismic activity along the island arc and the slip-rate along the Median Tectonic Line during the Late Quaternary. In the eastern part, the tectonic line is geologically inactive but regional historic seismicity has been high. The intra-plate seismic activity is probably related with the well developed mosaic-like conjugate system of strike-slip faults there. Conversely, the historic seismicity has been low in the western part, especially low in an area along the most geologically active segment of the Median Tectonic Line. Since no creep movement has been found there, energy greater than that of the Mino-Owari earthquake of 1891 (M = 8.0) seems to be stored in this seismicity gap. The difference in seismic released energy between the two regions for the last four hundred years would be balanced by the strain energy accumulated in the seismic gap. The fairly uniform strain release is conformable to the idea, proposed on the basis of the trend of maximum compression axes, that the Philippine Sea plate is dragging southwest Japan southwestward along the Nankai trough.     

大陆地表温度场的时空变化与现今构造活动

试图利用地表温度场数据获取中国西部的构造活动信息。在建立热与应变关系的基础上,对中国西部MODIS/Terra地表温度产品进行分析处理。研究发现:(1)地表温度在一些地区发生偏离年变现象,这种年变偏离与一些活动构造带的活动有关;(2)在扣除年变基准场等主要气候因素后,年变残差(ΔT)中长周期成分(LSTLOW)更接近构造活动所引起的热信息,能为构造活动提供一定的指示信息。研究发现,一个地震的发生对周围不同构造区的影响不同,有的地区升温,有的地区降温。2004年印尼地震最大的影响是引起青藏高原中部巴颜喀拉—松潘地块的降温;(3)与前者相对应,发生在中国周边地区的不同地震引起的温度变化格局不同,对同一地区的影响也不同,例如2001年东昆仑8.1级地震引起龙门山断裂带升温,而2003年斋桑泊7.9级地震和2004年印尼9级地震却引起该带的降温;(4)不同地区地温变化的时间过程不同。这些现象均对构造变形过程有一定的启示。在上述现象的基础上,笔者结合GPS观测结果,不同深度的地温信息以及地震活动等资料,对地表温度场中包含构造活动信息进行了初步检验,并对地表温度场反映的区域构造变形模型进行了讨论。     

华北地块北缘中元古界几个重要不整合面的地质特征及构造意义

华北地块北缘中元古代沉积层序中出现多个沉积间断和不整合面。此次研究对其中5个不整合面进行了野外考察,分析了它们的地质特征和空间分布,认为它们与不同的地质过程有关。大红峪组底部不整合面是早期裂谷盆地演化为被动大陆边缘的记录,属于裂解不整合面性质;高于庄组底部和杨庄组底部的不整合面是海平面变化造成被动大陆边缘内部高地沉积间断和海岸超覆沉积的结果;铁岭组顶部不整合面可能与弧后环境发生挤压抬升有关;下马岭组沉积后的抬升可能是相邻大陆地块碰撞作用的产物。华北地块北缘中元古代层序中不整合面的形成与Columbia和Rodinia超大陆的形成和裂解过程密切相关。     

沿阿穆尔板块西边界的活动断层(蒙古领土)

阿穆尔板块西部边界在蒙古境内的空间位置尚不清楚,并且活动断层构造及其沿线地壳的应力状态研究较少。本文在沿此边界的三个区域——杭爱—肯特构造鞍部、布尔古特地块(鄂尔浑—土拉交汇处)和色楞格地块(包括色楞格凹陷和布伦—努鲁隆起),利用空间图像解译、地形起伏度分析、地质构造资料以及构造压裂和沿裂缝位移资料重建构造古应力,对活动断层进行研究。研究表明,活动断裂继承了古生代和中生代古构造的非均质性。这些断层沿着板块边界并不是单一的带,而是成簇的。它们的运动取决于走向:亚纬向断层是具有一定逆分量的左旋走滑断层,北西向断层是逆断层或逆冲断层,通常具有右旋走滑分量,海底断层是右旋走滑断层,北东向断层是正断层。位于色楞格凹陷和杭爱东部的断裂构造的活动始于上新世。逆断层和走滑断层与上新世情况不符,但多与更新世地貌相符,表明其活动年代较晚,为更新世时期。利用构造断裂和沿断裂的位移,重建活动断裂带变形末阶段的应力应变状态,结果表明断裂在最大挤压轴的北北东和北东方向上以压缩和走滑为主。只有在色楞格凹陷内,以扩张和走滑类型的应力张量为主,且在最小挤压轴的北西走向尤为显著。在南部,杭爱东部(鄂尔浑地堑)内有1个以扩张机制为主的局部区域,说明蒙古中部断裂在更新世—全新世阶段的活动以及现代地震活动主要受与印度斯坦和欧亚大陆汇聚过程相关的东北方向的附加水平挤压的控制。使研究区地壳产生走滑变形、贝加尔湖裂谷发散活动以及阿穆尔板块东南运动的另一个因素是东南方向软流圈流动对岩石圈底部的影响。阿穆尔板块和蒙古地块之间的边界在构造结构上是零碎的,代表了覆盖整个蒙古西部变形带的边缘部分。     

A classification of induced seismicity

In order to adopt the best safety procedures, man-made earthquakes should be differentiated as a function of their origin. At least four different types of settings can be recognized in which anthropogenic activities may generate seismicity: (I) fluid removal from a stratigraphic reservoir in the underground can trigger the compaction of the voids and the collapse of the overlying volume, i.e., graviquakes; the deeper the reservoir, the bigger the volume and the earthquake magnitude; (II) wastewater or gas reinjection provides the reduction of friction in volumes and along fault planes, allowing creep or sudden activation of tectonic discontinuities, i.e., reinjection quakes; (III) fluid injection at supra-lithostatic pressure generates hydrofracturing and micro-seismicity, i.e., hydrofracturing quakes; (IV) fluid extraction or fluid injection, filling or unfilling of artificial lakes modifies the lithostatic load, which is the maximum principal stress in extensional tectonic settings, the minimum principal stress in contractional tectonic settings, and the intermediate principal stress in strike-slip settings, i.e., load quakes; over given pressure values, the increase of the lithostatic load may favour the activation of normal faults, whereas its decrease may favour thrust faults. For example, the filling of an artificial lake may generate normal fault-related seismicity. Therefore, each setting has its peculiarities and the knowledge of the different mechanisms may contribute to the adoption of the appropriate precautions in the various industrial activities.     

全球应力场与构造分析

介绍了近年来全球构造应力研究方面的一些新进展并以“世界应力图”提供的资料为背景 ,结合一些最新的研究成果 ,阐述了全球构造应力场的分布特征及其与板块构造运动之间的联系。研究结果表明 :(1)全球存在大尺度的统一性构造应力场 ;(2 )全球大多数板块内部地区为挤压应力作用 ,其应力结构多为逆断型、走滑型或逆走滑型 ;(3)大陆板块内部的扩张区大多位于高海拔异常地区 ,其应力结构为正断型或正走滑型 ,如青藏高原、东非裂谷和贝加尔裂谷等 ;(4)全球大部分地区的地壳上部构造应力作用方向较为均一 ,存在区域统一应力场 ;(5 )全球大部分地区的最大水平主应力方向与板块绝对运动 (角速度 )迹线保持较好的一致性 ,反映出构造应力与板块运动的关系密切 ;(6 )板块汇聚、洋脊扩张可能是产生岩石圈上部构造应力的主要力源。     

岩石大地构造学说的兴起、没落与新生

在板块构造环境中形成的岩石组合(rock assemblages)被称为岩石大地构造组合(petrotectonic assemblages)。岩石大地构造学说创立于20世纪70~80年代,经历了兴起、没落与新生的曲折过程。研究表明,由Pearce等学者创立的岩石大地构造学说的理论基本正确,概括来说,洋中脊、洋岛和岛弧三大构造背景的源区是不同的,这是玄武岩判别图的理论基础。目前的情况是,三大构造背景源区不均一性可能比早先认为的更复杂。由于不同构造环境源区的复杂性,早先的玄武岩判别图采用的是抽样数据、典型地区、精确数据,显然不适合全球数据海量积累的情况,遂使玄武岩判别理论遇到了瓶颈。我们的研究发现,不同构造背景的所有岩石、矿物(包括玄武岩、苦橄岩、辉长岩、堆晶岩、橄榄石、单斜辉石、尖晶石等)几乎都保留了不同构造背景的“基因”信息,并且大多可采用大数据方法予以识别,遂使岩石大地构造学说焕发了青春。虽然本文提出了不同构造环境存在不同“基因”的假说,按照大数据方法判别的效果显著增加了。但是,这个不同构造背景的“基因”究竟是什么仍然不清楚。此外,上述“基因”假说的理论解释还非常不足,需要今后进一步探讨。     

Summary of the Lithospheric Dynamics in China

This paper presents a summary of the explanatory notes for the 1: 4, 000.000 scale"Lithgspheric Dynamics Map of China and Adjacent Seas". Which gives an outline of the geological and geophysical processes that are presently active or were once active during the Cenozoic. The focus is concentrated on intraplate phenomena and on explaining them in terms of fundamental plate tectonic processes.The lithosphere in China is very heterogeneous. Its dynamics can be described in terms of the relative motions of 8 active subplates and related 17 tectonic blocks, and the characteristics of neotectonic deformation. The present-day movement and deformation of the lithosphere in China, their relationship with the deep-seated processes, and the lateral heterogeneity, mass difference and stress state within it that will tend to cause crustal movement in the future are illustrated.The intraplate tectonics and stress field are mainly controlled by the heterogeneity of the lithosphere and the mode of interaction between subplates and their boundary conditions. The collision of the Indian plate with the Eurasian plate began and proceeded along the Tethys ocean side, which has produced a strong compressional stress in western China and brought about a high shear stress in the regions round the eastern and western corners of the Himalaya block. However, the eastern part of China is directly influenced by the western Pacific plate boundaries. The minimum principal stress here is tensional. which makes the shear stress high, it may be the cause of the high seismicity in North China and maritime region of southeastern China.     

发展中的板块边界:天山-贝加尔活动构造带

亚洲内陆的强地震密集地发生在天山-贝加尔一线,但该处并不存在一条连续的大断裂,学术界对这个问题的认识长期相左。文中分析了这条地震带的时空分布、分区特点、应力状态和活动周期,计算了欧亚大陆的布格重力异常场、均衡重力异常场,反演了上地幔的密度分布和剪切波速分布。发现在这个部位的70~250km的深部有一条北东向的密度、速度陡变带,它是新生代的冷地幔和热地幔的交界带,与浅部构造存在立交关系,对亚洲大陆的现今构造运动和应力场具有重要的控制作用。这个带的地震不同于传统意义上的板缘地震和板内地震,是一种因为深浅构造不同而造成的结构性地震,性质上为大陆内缘地震。文中还就深浅构造的空间立交关系、时间镜像关系进行了讨论,指出在南北地震带和伊朗东侧地震带的立交结构也与上地幔构造有关。天山-贝加尔活动构造带是正在发展中的板块边界,是大陆内部的一个典型构造,北侧为稳定的俄罗斯-西伯利亚次板块,南侧为活动的中国-东南亚次板块。     

A Late Cretaceous pole for the Pacific plate: implications for apparent and true polar wander and the drift of hotspots

We present a Late Cretaceous (81 Ma) pole position for the Pacific plate derived from paleomagnetic analyses of basalt samples from Detroit Seamount (of the Hawaiian–Emperor seamounts) that were oriented using Brunhes-age overprints. This pole is at much higher latitudes than the previously published Late Cretaceous pole positions based on the modeling of magnetic anomalies observed during marine surveys over seamounts. Our new pole suggests that the Pacific plate would have moved rapidly between 95 and 81 Ma at speeds as high as 19.8 (−10.8/+11.2) cm/year. The Pacific plate at this time was smaller than the present-day plate and had a substantial subducting boundary. The high-velocity estimates are comparable with those of other paleoplates having similar characteristics. Therefore, plate tectonic driving forces can explain the motion and there is no need to invoke true polar wander. Decreases in mantle drag associated with vigorous Late Cretaceous volcanism in the Pacific, however, may have contributed to the rapid plate speed. The new pole position, together with other reliable paleomagnetic indicators of Pacific apparent polar wander, further supports the notion of drift of the Hawaiian hotspot during the Late Cretaceous.     

Rigid Indian plate: Constraints from GPS measurements

We analyze GPS data from 26 sites located on the Indian plate and along its boundary. The large spatial coverage of the Indian plate by these sites and longer data duration helped us in refining the earlier estimates of the Euler pole for the Indian plate rotation. Our analysis suggests that the internal deformation of the Indian plate is very low (< 1–2 mm/year) and the entire plate interior region largely behaves as a rigid plate. Specifically, we did not infer any significant difference in motion on sites located north and south of the Narmada Son failed rift region, the most prominent tectonic feature within the Indian plate and a major source of earthquakes. Our analysis also constrains the motion across the Indo-Burmese wedge, Himalayan arc, and Shillong Plateau and Kopili fault in the NE India.     

南海及邻区新构造运动表现特征及其主控因素

南海具有复杂的地质构造背景,扩张结束以后,新构造运动活跃,但各区域新构造运动发生的时间及运动特征有较大差异。本文综合分析了南海各区域构造演化事件、现今构造格局及新构造运动的基本特征,认为南海新构造运动的起始时间为中中新世（约15 Ma）较合理。在此基础上,收集和整理了南海及邻区最新的地质和地球物理资料,对南海海域新构造期地层差异升降、活动断裂、天然地震以及岩浆活动等新构造表现形式进行了综合分析,系统总结了南海新构造运动特征,并根据活动断裂、天然地震以及岩浆活动等特征和分布规律分析,认为南海海域新构造的表现形式之间存在较大的耦合性。本文根据新构造运动表现形式在空间分布的不平衡性,将南海及邻区划分为1个强构造活动区、3个中等强度构造活动区以及1个弱构造活动区,并结合研究区应力场特征分析,认为南海新构造运动主要受控于东部菲律宾海板块和太平洋板块对东亚大陆边缘的持续俯冲碰撞作用。     

华北地区奥陶纪岩相古地理

通过收集、吸收前人研究以及最新的大地调成果资料,以"构造控盆、盆地控相"为编图思路,在现今纬度下对中国华北地区开展岩相古地理的研究。本文认为,华北板块在早奥陶世和中-晚奥陶世处于不同的构造背景之下,不同的板块边界类型以及原始构造单元的基底形态控制着该时期古地理的展布。在此基础上,采用优势相以及压缩相的方法,总结划分出潮坪、局限台地、开阔台地、蒸发台地、浅(礁)滩、台地边缘斜坡、深水斜坡-盆地等7类沉积环境类型;梳理了华北克拉通沉积盆地在奥陶纪的古地理演化过程,编制了早奥陶世特马豆克期、早奥陶世弗洛期、中奥陶世大坪期-达瑞威尔期、晚奥陶世桑比期-凯迪期早期以及晚奥陶世凯迪期晚期-赫南特期等5个时期的华北地区古地理图。     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987110000137

<正>This study attempts to acquire information on tectonic activity in western China from land surface temperature(LST) field data.On the basis of the established relationship between heat and strain,we analyzed the LST distribution in western China using the satellite data product MODIS/Terra.Our results show that:1. There are departures from annual changes of LST in some areas,and that these changes are associated with the activity of some active tectonic zones.2.When annual-change background values caused by climate factors are removed,the long-period component(LST_(LOW)) of temperature residual(△T) of the LST is able to serve as an indicator for tectonic activity.We have found that a major earthquake can produce different effects on the LST fields of surrounding areas.These effects are characterized by both rises and drops in temperature.For example, there was a noteworthy temperature decline associated with the Sumatran M9 earthquake of 2004 in the Bayan Har-Songpan block of central Tibetan Plateau.3.On the other hand,the LST field of a single area may respond differently to major shocks occurring in different areas in the regions surrounding China.For instance,the Kunlun M 8.1 event made the LST on the Longmen Mountains fault zone increase,whereas the Zaisan Lake M 7.9 quake of 2003,and the Sumatran M9 event of 2004.caused decreases in the same area's LST.4.The variations of land surface temperature(LST) over time are different in different tectonic areas.These phenomena may provide clues for the study of tectonic deformation processes.On the basis of these phenomena,we use a combination of temperature data obtained at varied depths,regional seismicity and strain results obtained with GPS measurements,to test the information related to tectonic activity derived from variations of the LST field,and discuss its implications to the creation of models of regional tectonic deformation.     

越南红河平原区新生代构造应力场特征

红河平原在新生代期间受印度板块、欧亚板块和太平洋板块三大板块的影响,其构造应力场复杂多样.通过研究红河平原新生代构造应力场的变化规律,确定在新生代早期红河平原地区的构造应力场特点为东西的挤压应力场与左旋走滑机制,晚期则转变为南北的挤压应力场与右旋走滑机制,且右旋走滑作用在东南部地区呈增加趋势.红河平原区的这种构造应力场的变化为对红河三角洲的形成和发展提供了条件,控制了红河平原地区的现代构造活动特征.