Ultrasonic Velocities, Acoustic Emission Characteristics and Crack Damage of Basalt and Granite

Acoustic emissions (AE), compressional (P), shear (S) wave velocities, and volumetric strain of Etna basalt and Aue granite were measured simultaneously during triaxial compression tests. Deformation-induced AE activity and velocity changes were monitored using twelve P-wave sensors and eight orthogonally polarized S-wave piezoelectric sensors; volumetric strain was measured using two pairs of orthogonal strain gages glued directly to the rock surface. P-wave velocity in basalt is about 3 km/s at atmospheric pressure, but increases by > 50% when the hydrostatic pressure is increased to 120 MPa. In granite samples initial P-wave velocity is 5 km/s and increases with pressure by < 20%. The pressure-induced changes of elastic wave speed indicate dominantly compliant low-aspect ratio pores in both materials, in addition Etna basalt also contains high-aspect ratio voids. In triaxial loading, stress-induced anisotropy of P-wave velocities was significantly higher for basalt than for granite, with vertical velocity components being faster than horizontal velocities. However, with increasing axial load, horizontal velocities show a small increase for basalt but a significant decrease for granite. Using first motion polarity we determined AE source types generated during triaxial loading of the samples. With increasing differential stress AE activity in granite and basalt increased with a significant contribution of tensile events. Close to failure the relative contribution of tensile events and horizontal wave velocities decreased significantly. A concomitant increase of double-couple events indicating shear, suggests shear cracks linking previously formed tensile cracks.     

Seismic Anisotropy and Velocity Variations in the Mantle beneath the Saxothuringicum-Moldanubicum Contact in Central Europe

—We report on results of a passive seismic experiment undertaken to study the 3-D velocity structure and anisotropy of the upper mantle around the contact zone of the Saxothuringicum and Moldanubicum in the western margin of the Bohemian Massif in central Europe. Spatial variations of P-wave velocities and lateral variations of the particle motion of split shear waves over the region monitor changes of structure and anisotropy within the deep lithosphere and the asthenosphere. A joint interpretation of P-residual spheres and shear-wave splitting results in an anisotropic model of the lithosphere with high velocities plunging divergently from the contact of both tectonic units. Lateral variations of the mean residuals are related to a southward thickening of the lithosphere beneath the Moldanubicum.     

Comparison of P- and S-waves velocities estimated from Biot-Gassmann and Kuster-Toksöz models with results obtained from acoustic wavetrains interpretation

Kuster-Toksöz and Biot-Gassmann models for estimating velocities of longitudinal and shear waves on the basis of well-logging data were analysed. P-wave and S-wave velocity models are crucial for interpretation of seismic data. Discussed models enable determination with quite good accuracy, in some cases higher than the acoustic full wavetrains interpretation. Because velocity strongly depends on lithology and saturation of pore space, the selection of parameters of rock matrix, hydrocarbons and formation waters has a strong effect on the quality of velocities estimation.     

Seismic velocity and Poisson’s ratio tomography of the crust beneath southwest Anatolia: an insight into the occurrence of large earthquakes

The western part of Anatolia is one of the most seismically and tectonically active continental regions in the world, and much of it has been undergoing NS-directed extensional deformation since the Early Miocene. In this study, we determine 3-D tomographic images of the crust under the southwestern part of the North Anatolian Fault Zone by inverting a large number of arrival time data of P and S waves. From the obtained P- and S-wave velocity models, we estimated the Poisson’s ratio structures for a more reliable interpretation of the obtained anomalies. Our tomographic results confirmed the major tectonic features detected by previous studies and revealed new structural heterogeneities related to the active seismotectonics of the studied area. High P-wave velocity anomalies are recognized near the surface, while at deeper crustal layers, low P-wave velocities are widely distributed. The crustal S-wave velocity and Poisson’s ratio exhibit more structural heterogeneities compared to the P-wave velocity structure. Microearthquake activity is intense along highly heterogeneous zones in the southwestern part, which is characterized by low to high P-wave velocity, low S-wave velocity, and high Poisson’s ratio anomalies. Large earthquakes are also concentrated in zones dominated by low velocities and low to high Poisson’s ratios. Results of the checkerboard and synthetic tests indicate that the imaged anomalies are reliable features down to a depth of 25 km. Moreover, they are consistent with many geological and geophysical results obtained by other researchers along the southwestern part of the North Anatolian Fault Zone. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Crustal structure of Tushka Region, Abu-Simbel, Egypt, inferred from spectral ratios of P waves of local earthquakes

The crustal structure of North Abu-Simbel area was studied using spectral ratios of short-period P waves. Three-component short period seismograms from the Masmas seismic station of the Egyptian National Seismic Network Stations were used. The Thomson-Haskell matrix formulation was applied for linearly elastic, homogeneous crustal layers. The obtained model suggests that the crust under the study region consists of a thin (0.8 km) superficial top layer with a P-wave velocity of 3.8±0.7 km/s and three distinct layers with a mean P-wave velocity of 6.6 km/s, overlaying the upper mantle with a P-wave velocity of 8.3 km/s (fixed). The results were obtained for 14 different earthquakes. The P-wave velocities of the three layers are: 5.8±0.6 km/s, 6.5±0.4 km/s and 7.2±0.3 km/s. The total depth to the Moho interface is 32±2 km. The crustal velocity model estimated using observations is relatively simple, being characterized by smooth velocity variations through the middle and lower crust and normal crustal thickness. The resultant crustal model is consistent with the model obtained from previous deep seismic soundings along the northern part of Aswan lake zone.     

Mutually consistent estimates of upper mantle composition from seismic velocity contrasts at 400 km depth

Seismologically determined properties of the 400 km discontinuity may be compared to experimentally determined properties of the associated phase transformation in order to place constraints upon upper mantle bulk composition. Disagreement among previous studies is commonly ascribed to differences in elastic equations of state (especially to assumptions about pressure and temperature derivatives) between studies. However, much of the disparity between studies is actually due to the selection of different seismic data functionals (P-wave velocity,S-wave velocity, etc.) for comparison to minnral clasticity calculations, rather than to the differences in elasticity data sets and equations of state. Within any given study, bulk sound velocity comparisons generally yield more olivine-rich compositional estimates than doP-wave velocity comparisons, which in turn indicate more olivine thanS-wave velocities. Indeed, such variation in compositional estimates within a given study (arising from choice of data functional) exceeds the variation between studies (arising from elastic equation of state approx mations). it can be argued that bulk sound velocities are better constrained seismologically than densities and, being independent of assumptions about shear moduli, should provide more reliable compositional estimates thanP-orS-wave velocities.Using recently measured bulk and shear moduli equations of state, mutually consistent estimates of upper mantle olivine content can be obtained fromP-wave,S-wave, and bulk sound velocity contrasts at 400 km only if ln /T of has a value of about–2×10^–4K^–1, yielding approximately 52% olivine by volume. A value of ln /T smaller in magnitude would require reassessment of several underlying assumptions.     

3-D P-wave Velocity Structure in Western Greece Determined from Tomography Using Earthquake Data Recorded at the University of Patras Seismic Network (PATNET)

—The 3-D P-wave velocity structure of the upper crust in the region of western Greece is investigated by inversion of about 1500 residuals of P-wave arrival times from local earthquake data recorded in the year 1996 by the newly established University of Patras Seismic Network (PATNET). The resulting velocity structure shows strong horizontal variations due to the complicated structure and the variation of crustal thickness. Relatively low-velocity contours are observed in the area defined by Cephallonia—Zakynthos Islands and northwestern Peloponnesos. This is in addition to some well localized peaks of relatively higher values of P-wave velocity may be related to the zone of Triassic evaporites in the region and correspond to diapirism that breaks through to the uppermost layer. Finally, a low P-velocity ‘deeping’ zone extending from Zakynthos to the Gulf of Patras is correlated with Bouguer anomaly map and onshore and offshore borehole drillings which indicate that thick sediments overly the evaporites which exist there at depth greater than 2 km.     

Application of Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves to S-Phase Wave Anisotropy Estimation

The Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) is an increasingly used technique for recognition of a shallow geological structure and estimation of geotechnical parameters, e.g., S-wave velocity, layer density, layer thickness, shear modulus, estimated P-wave velocity, and estimated Poisson ratio. MASW surveys were carried out in two limestone quarries in the southern part of Poland. The experimental areas are characterised by a simple geological structure: consolidated Triassic limestone. Measurement profiles were arranged as a shapely six-pointed star. For each survey line, 12 geophones with 2-meter (Deposit 1) and 3-meter (Deposit 2) spacing were applied. The research allowed to compare P- and S-wave velocity changes with the main crack systems in the studied rock masses.     

Experimental studies on elastic and rheological properties of amphibolites at high pressure and high temperature

The experimental studies done at high temperature and high pressure find that increased temperature can lead to dramatic velocity and strength reductions of most of rocks at high confining pressure[1,2]. What causes this phenomenon? Is it due to dehydrati…     

Testing the reference Moon model in respect of the thermal regime and chemical composition of the mantle: Thermodynamics versus seismology

The VPREMOON seismic reference Moon model (Garcia et al., 2011) has been tested with respect to the thermal regime and chemical composition of the mantle. Based on a self-consistent thermodynamic approach and petrological models of the lunar mantle covering a wide range of concentrations of CaO, Al₂O₃, and FeO, we convert the P- and S-wave velocity profiles to the temperature–depth profiles. The solution procedure relies on the method of the Gibbs free energy minimization and the equations of state for the mantle material which take into account the effects of phase transformations, anharmonicity, and anelasticity. We find that regardless of the chemical composition, the positive P- and S-wave velocity gradient in the lunar mantle leads to a negative temperature gradient, which has no physical basis. For adequate mantle temperatures, the P- and S-wave velocities should remain almost constant or slightly decrease with depth (especially V_S) as a result of the effects of the temperature, which grows faster than pressure. These findings underscore the importance of the relationship of the thermodynamics and physics of minerals with seismology.     

Simultaneous inversion of velocity structures and hypocentral locations: Application to the Friuli seismic area NE Italy

A layeredP- andS-wave velocity model is obtained for the Friuli seismic area using the arrival time data ofP- andS-waves from local earthquakes. A damped least-squares method is applied in the inversion.The data used are 994P-wave arrival times for 177 events which have epicenters in the region covered by the Friuli seismic network operated by Osservatorio Geofisico sperimentale (OGS) di Trieste, which are jointly inverted for the earthquake hypocenters andP-wave velocity model. TheS-wave velocity model is estimated on the basis of 978S-wave arrival times and the hypocenters obtained from theP-wave arrival time inversion. We also applied an approach thatP- andS-wave arrival time data are jointly used in the inversion (Roecker, 1982). The results show thatS-wave velocity structures obtained from the two methods are quite consistent, butP-wave velocity structures have obvious differences. This is apparent becauseP-waves are more sensitive to the hypocentral location thanS-waves, and the reading errors ofS-wave arrival times, which are much larger than those ofP-waves, bring large location errors in the joint inversion ofP- andS-wave arrival time. The synthetic data tests indicated that when the reading errors ofS-wave arrivals are larger than four times that ofP-wave arrivals, the method proposed in this paper seems more valid thanP- andS-wave data joint inversion. Most of the relocated events occurred in the depth range between 7 and 11 km, just above the biggest jump in velocity. This jump might be related to the detachment line hypothesized byCarulli et al. (1982). From the invertedP- andS-wave velocities, we obtain an average value 1.82 forV _p /V _s in the first 16 km depth.     

Multi-scale Tomography for Crustal <Emphasis Type="Italic">P</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">S</Emphasis> Velocities in Southern California

Seismic tomography is a viable tool in building depth-velocity models in the presence of strong lateral velocity variations. In this study 3-D P- and S-velocity models for the crust of southern California are constrained using more than 1,000,000 P-wave first arrivals and 130,000 S-wave arrivals from local earthquakes. To cope with the uneven distribution of raypaths, a multi-scale tomography is applied with overlapping model cells of different sizes. Within the 300 × 480 × 39 km³ model volume, the smallest cell size is 10 × 10 × 3 km³. During the iterations of velocity updating, earthquake hypocenters are determined using both P and S arrivals, and full 3-D ray tracing is implemented. Except near the edges and in the lower crust, the resultant models are robust according to various tests on the effects of reference models, resolution and signal-to-noise ratio. The tomographic velocities at shallow depths correlate very well with the regional geology of southern California. In the upper crust the P-wave and S-wave models exhibit slow velocities in major sedimentary basins and fast velocities in areas of crystalline rocks. Mid-crustal low velocity zones are present under the Coso Range, San Gabriel Mountains, and a large portion of the Mojave Desert. P- and S-velocity patterns maintain their similarity in the lower crust though the models are less reliable there.     

天水地震区深源岩石在1000MPa高压下的状态参数特征

本文重点介绍了天水地震区产出的深源岩石在１０００ＭＰａ高压下，测得的岩石的密度、纵横波速度和计算的波阻抗随压力的变化。发现不同时期产出的不同种类的深源岩石，它们的高压状态参数值变化范围很窄。压力上升到４００ＭＰａ以后，岩石的密度、纵横波速度的变化很小，几乎观测不到其变化。本文简单地讨论了岩石在４００ＭＰａ以上高压状态下，上述参数值变化不大的原因，并对４００ＭＰａ压力下取得的高压状态参数值做了实用误差分析，结果表明：在不考虑温度情况下，该压力下获得的状态参数值在实际应用中完全可以代替更高压力状态下（４００ＭＰａ－２０００ＭＰａ）的测量值。因此４００ＭＰａ特征压力下取得的岩石状态参数值对人工地震测深解释和重力解释仍是有参考意义的。     

Elastic properties of eclogite rocks from the Bohemian massif

Summary Compressional velocity anistropy has been studied in detail at atmospheric pressure for 78 specimens of 23 types of eclogite rocks from the Bohemian massif. For nine of these rock types, compressional and shear velocities were measured as a function of pressure to750 MPa at room temperature. The velocity anisotropy for both compressional and shear waves is less than4% at high pressure. The velocities increase with increasing garnet content and decrease with increasing symplectitization. The Moldanubian eclogites have significantly higher velocities, on the average, than the eclogites from the Kruné hory crystalline complex, although the densities of both groups are comparable.     

Velocity and Density Heterogeneities of the Tien-Shan Lithosphere

—The Tien-Shan orogene is a region in which the earth’s crust undergoes considerable thickening and tangential compression. Under these conditions the lithosphere heterogeneities (composi tion, rheological) create the prerequisites for the development of various phenomena of tectonic layering (lateral shearing, different deformation of layers). To study the distribution of velocity, density and other elastic parameters, the results from a seismic tomography study on P-wave as well as S-wave velocities were used. Using empirical as well as theoretical formulas on the relationship between velocity, density and silica content in rocks, their distribution in the Tien-Shan’s lithosphere has been calculated. In addition, other elastic parameters, such as Young’s modulus, shear modulus, Poisson’s ratio and coefficient of general compressions have been determined. Zoning of different types of crust was carried out for the region investigated. The characteristics of the "crust-mantle" transition have been investi gated. Large blocks with different types of the earth’s crust were distinguished. Layers with inverse values of velocity, density and shear and Young modulus are revealed in the Tien-Shan lithosphere. All of the above described features open new ways to solve geodynamics problems.     

The Effect of Varying Damage History in Crystalline Rocks on the P- and S-Wave Velocity under Hydrostatic Confining Pressure

Cracks play a very important role in many geotechnical issues and in a number of processes in the Earth’s crust. Elastic waves can be used as a remote sensing tool for determining crack density. The effect of varying crack density in crystalline rock on the P- and S-wave velocity and dynamic elastic properties under confining pressure has been quantified. The evolution of P- and S-wave velocity were monitored as a suite of dry Westerly granite samples were taken to 60, 70, 80 and 90 % of the unconfined uniaxial strength of the sample. The damaged samples were then subjected to hydrostatic confining pressure from 2 MPa to 200 MPa to quantify the effect of varying crack density on the P- and S-wave velocity and elastic properties under confining pressure. The opening and propagation of microcracks predominantly parallel to the loading direction during uniaxial loading caused a 0.5 and 6.3 % decrease in the P- and S-wave velocity, respectively. During hydrostatic loading, microcracks are closed at 130 MPa confining pressure. At lower pressures the amount of crack damage in the samples has a small but measureable effect. We observed a systematic 6 and 4 % reduction in P- and S-wave velocity, respectively, due to an increase in the fracture density at 2 MPa confining pressure. The overall reduction in the P- and S-wave velocity decreased to 2 and 1 %, respectively, at 50 MPa. The elastic wave velocities of samples that have a greater amount of microcrack damage are more sensitive to pressure. Effective medium modelling was used to invert elastic wave velocities and infer crack density evolution. Comparing the crack density results with experimental data on Westerly granite samples shows that the effective medium modelling used gave interpretable and reasonable results. Changes in crack density can be interpreted as closure or opening of cracks and crack growth.     

Homogeneous Velocity Models of The West Bohemian Swarm Region Obtained By Grid Search

West Bohemian earthquake swarms are used to determine the parameters of simple homogeneous velocity models of the individual subregions of the given area, based on a group of earthquakes that occurred in these subregions. The grid search method is used for location. Models yielding the minimum sum of squares of the travel-time residua in locating the whole group of earthquakes in the given subregion are considered suitable. Relocation obtained by grid search is compared with that obtained by the FASTHYPO method. The computations indicate that the subregions under consideration can be, from the point of view of earthquake location, sufficiently represented by homogeneous models, but the models differ for the data from different subregions. The velocities of these models are given. The models under consideration are compared with some of the previously published 1-D models of the broader region of Western Bohemia.     

Three-dimensional P-wave Velocity Structure of the Bear Valley Region of Central California

—The three-dimensional P-wave velocity structure of the Bear Valley region of central California is determined by applying a circular ray-tracing technique to 1735 P-wave arrivals from 108 locally recorded earthquakes. Comparison of the results obtained from one-dimensional and laterally varying starting models shows that many of the features in the structure determined are fairly insensitive to the choice of the starting model. Velocities associated with the Gabilan granites southwest of the San Andreas Fault are slightly higher than those in the Franciscan formation to the northeast, and these two features are separated in the southern part of the region by a narrow fault zone with very low velocities. In the southeastern part of the region, where the Gabilan granites do not abut the San Andreas Fault, the low velocities of the fault zone cross over to the southwestern side of the fault. They also appear to extend to depths of at least 15km, thus locally reversing the contrast across the San Andreas Fault that prevails farther to the northwest. In the northwestern part of the region, the low velocities of the fault zone split and follow the surface traces of the San Andreas and Calaveras Faults, but do not appear to extend to depths much deeper than about 6km. There also appears to be a well-defined contrast in structure in the middle of the Santa Clara Valley, suggesting the existence of a fault in the basement of the valley that may be a southern extension of the Sargent Fault into this region. Relocated hypocenters beneath the San Andreas Fault cluster in a zone that dips about 80° southwest and intersects the surface trace of the fault in the southern part of region.     

Frictional Properties of a Low-Angle Normal Fault Under In Situ Conditions: Thermally-Activated Velocity Weakening

The Zuccale fault is a regional, low-angle, normal fault, exposed on the Isle of Elba in central Italy that accommodated a total shear displacement of 6–8 km. The fault zone structure and fault rocks formed at <8 km crustal depth. The present-day fault structure is the final product of several deformation processes superposed during the fault history. In this study, we report results from a series of rotary shear experiments performed on 1-mm thick powdered gouges made from several fault rock types obtained from the Zuccale fault. The tests were done under conditions ranging from room temperature to in situ conditions (i.e., at temperatures up to 300 °C, applied normal stresses up to 150 MPa, and fluid-saturated.) The ratio of fluid pressure to normal stress was held constant at either λ = 0.4 or λ = 0.8 to simulate an overpressurized fault. The samples were sheared at a constant sliding velocity of 10 μm/s for at least 5 mm, after which a velocity-stepping sequence from 1 to 300 μm/s was started to determine the velocity dependence of friction. This can be represented by the rate-and-state parameter (a–b), which was determined by an inversion of the data to the rate-and-state equations. Friction of the various fault rocks varies between 0.3 and 0.8, similar to values obtained in previous studies, and decreases with increasing phyllosilicate content. Friction decreases mildly with temperature, whereas normal stress and fluid pressure do not affect friction values systematically. All samples exhibited velocity strengthening, conditionally stable behavior under room temperature conditions and (a–b) increased with increasing sliding velocity. In contrast, velocity weakening, accompanied by stick–slips, was observed for the strongest samples at 300 °C and sliding velocities below 10 μm/s. An increase in fluid pressure under these conditions led to a further reduction in (a–b) for all samples, so that they exhibited unstable, stick–slip behavior at low sliding velocity. The results suggest that phyllosilicate-bearing fault rocks can deform by stable, aseismic creep at low, resolved shear stress and low shear rate conditions. An increase in fluid pressure or loading of stronger portions could lead to a runaway instability. The runaway instability might be limited in size because of (1) the fault heterogeneity, (2) the observed strengthening at higher sliding velocities, and (3) a co-seismic drop in pore-fluid pressure.     

Acoustic and petrophysical relationships in low-shale sandstone reservoir rocks

This paper describes the measurements of the acoustic and petrophysical properties of two suites of low‐shale sandstone samples from North Sea hydrocarbon reservoirs, under simulated reservoir conditions. The acoustic velocities and quality factors of the samples, saturated with different pore fluids (brine, dead oil and kerosene), were measured at a frequency of about 0.8 MHz and over a range of pressures from 5 MPa to 40 MPa. The compressional‐wave velocity is strongly correlated with the shear‐wave velocity in this suite of rocks. The ratio V_P/V_S varies significantly with change of both pore‐fluid type and differential pressure, confirming the usefulness of this parameter for seismic monitoring of producing reservoirs. The results of quality factor measurements were compared with predictions from Biot‐flow and squirt‐flow loss mechanisms. The results suggested that the dominating loss in these samples is due to squirt‐flow of fluid between the pores of various geometries. The contribution of the Biot‐flow loss mechanism to the total loss is negligible. The compressional‐wave quality factor was shown to be inversely correlated with rock permeability, suggesting the possibility of using attenuation as a permeability indicator tool in low‐shale, high‐porosity sandstone reservoirs.