The April 1996 Irpinia seismic sequence: Evidence for fault interaction

The analysis of the Irpinia earthquake of 3 April 1996 (ML = 4.9), based on strong motion and short period local data, shows that it was a normal faulting event located within the epicentral area of the MS 6.9, 1980, earthquake. It was located at 40.67° N and 15.42° E at a depth of 8 km. The local magnitude (4.9) has been computed from the VBB stations of the MedNet network. The moment magnitude is Mw = 5.1 and the seismic moment estimated from the ground acceleration spectra is 5.0 1023 dyne cm. Spectral analysis of the strong motion recordings yields a Brune stress drop of 111 bars and a corner frequency of 1 Hz. The source radius associated to these values of seismic moment and stress drop is 1.3 km. The focal mechanism has two nodal planes having strike 297°, dip 74°, rake 290° and strike 64°, dip 25° and rake 220°, respectively. A fault plane solution with strike 295° ± 5°, dip 70° ± 5°, and rake 280° ± 10° is consistent with the S-wave polarization computed from the strong motion data recorded at Rionero in Vulture. We discuss the geometry and the dimensions of the fault which ruptured during the 1996 mainshock, its location and the aftershock distribution with respect to the rupture history of the 1980 Irpinia earthquake. The distribution of seismicity and the fault geometry of the 1996 earthquake suggest that the region between the two faults that ruptured during the first subevents of the 1980 event cannot be considered as a strong barrier (high strength zone), as it might be thought looking at the source model and at the sequence of historical earthquakes revealed by paleoseismological investigations.     

Constitutive relations for fault slip and earthquake instabilities

Constitutive relations for fault slip are described and adopted as a basis for analyzing slip motion and its instability in the form of earthquakes on crustal faults. The constitutive relations discussed include simple rate-independent slip-weakening models, in which shear strength degrades with ongoing slip to a residual frictional strength, and also more realistic but as yet less extensively applied slip-rate and surface-state-dependent relations. For the latter the state of the surface is characterized by one or more variables that evolve with ongoing slip, seeking values consistent with the current slip rate. Models of crustal faults range from simple, single-degree-of-freedom spring-slider systems to more complex continuous systems that incorporate nonuniform slip and locked patches on faults of depth-dependent constitutive properties within elastic lithospheric plates that may be coupled to a viscoelastic asthenosphere. Most progress for the rate and state-dependent constitutive relations is at present limited to single-degree-of-freedom systems. Results for stable and unstable slip with the various constitutive models are summarized. Instability conditions are compared for spatially uniform versus nonuniform slip, including the elastic — brittle crack limit of the nonuniform mode. Inferences of constitutive and fracture parameters are discussed, based on earthquake data for large ruptures that begin with slip at depth, concentrating stress on locked regions within a brittle upper crust. Results of nonlinear stability theory, including regimes of complex sustained stress and slip rate oscillations, are outlined for rate and state-dependent constitutive relations, and the manner in which these allow phenomena like time-dependent failure, restrengthening in nearly stationary contact, and weakening in rapidly accelerated slip, is discussed.     

三河—平谷8.0级地震区地壳结构和活动断裂研究——利用单次覆盖深反射和浅层地震剖面

跨1679年三河—平谷8.0级地震区完成的单次覆盖深地震反射剖面和浅层地震反射剖面,揭示了三河—平谷地震区的地壳结构和断裂的深、浅构造特征.结果表明,该区地壳以TWT6~7 s左右的强反射带为界分为上地壳和下地壳,上地壳厚约18~21 km,下地壳厚约13~15 km.剖面揭示的地壳深断裂和浅部活动断裂具有上下一致的对应关系,其中,陡倾角的深断裂切割了下地壳和壳幔过渡带,向上延伸至上地壳,将地壳深部构造与浅部活动断裂联系在一起,这种深、浅共存的断裂构造体系是控制该区地震孕育和发生的重要因素,也是三河—平谷8.0级地震的深、浅构造背景.     

Numerical Simulation of Earthquake Nucleation Process and Seismic Precursors on Faults

To understand precursory phenomena before seismic fault sliP,this work focuses onearthquake nucleation process on a fault plane through numerical simulation.Rate and statedependent friction law with variable normal stress is employed in the analysis.The resultsshow that in the late stage of nucleation process:(1)The maximum slip velocity ismonotonically accelerating;(2)The slipping hot spot(where the slip rate is maximum)migrates spontaneously from a certain instant,and such migration is spatially continuous;(3)When the maximum velocity reaches a detectable order of magnitude(at least one orderof magnitude greater than the loading rate),the remaining time is 20 hours or longer,andthe temporal variation of slip velocity beyond this point may be used as a precursoryindicator;(4)The average slip velocity is related to the remaining time by a log-log linearrelation,which means that a similar relation between rate of microseismicity and remainingtime may also exist;(5)when normal stress variation is taken int     

断层上的地震成核过程与前兆模拟研究

为了把握断层上地震的前兆规律,对连续介质中断层面上的地震成核过程进行了数值模拟研究。摩擦采用了速率及状态依赖怀本构关系,并考虑了正应力变化的影响。结果表明,在成核的后期阶段：①最大位移速率单调加速增加;②滑动热点（最大滑动速率处）在后期阶段开始自发性迁移,且在空间上③当最大滑动速率达到可以明显探测的量级时（高于加载速率一个数量级以上）,倒刘时间为２０小时或更长一些,这时的速率变化可作为临震预测标志     

临夏台地电阻率变化与震兆现象分析

以甘肃省临夏台1981年以来的地电阻率资料为基础,利用数理统计和相关分析方法,分析该台地电阻率的变化特征,探讨EW和NS两测向之间数据的相关性,以及与大夏河流量变化的对应关系,认为该台两测向数据间具有很高的相关性,可能与区域地下介质具有较均匀的电性结构有关;分析了该区降水和地下静水位对地电阻率的影响,认为地下静水位的影响更显著.此外,探讨了临夏台地电阻率资料作为地震前兆的意义,认为该台资料对甘东南及甘青交界地区的中强地震反应敏感,以下降型破年变异常为主,呈现出震级越大,异常持续时间越长的特点.该台资料同时对甘青地区成组中强地震有所反应,显示出异常持续时间长、幅度大和恢复慢的特点.     

Phodong (Sikkim) earthquake of 14 February 2006 and its aftershocks—Coulomb stress analysis

The 14 February 2006 Phodong (Sikkim) earthquake of moderate magnitude (Mw 5.3) triggered several aftershocks that were recorded by a local seismic network. The thrust earthquake is part of the continuing earthquake activity in the Himalayan seismic belt region that occurs on the detachment or ramp under the Higher Himalaya. The aftershocks of the earthquake occurred in increased stress regions caused by the earthquake rupture. Triggering of aftershocks by such a moderate magnitude earthquake implies that the faults in the Himalaya are critically stressed and even a small change of stress, about 0.001–0.002 MPa, can trigger earthquakes on such faults.     

Crustal Deformation Background Simulation of the Kekexili M_S8.1 Earthquake Happening in 2001

Using the GPS velocity data from 27 stations around the Eastern Kunlun fault as constraints,we first invert the slip velocities of the Eastern Kunlun fault,the north boundary fault of the Qaidam basin,the Mani-Yushu fault and the Margai Caka fault before the Kekexili MS8.1 earthquake with a 3-D elastic half-space dislocation model. The deformation field calculated from the slip movement of these faults can be considered the deformation background field of the earthquake. Based on the deformation background field with tectonic implications,we have obtained the strain field and earthquake moment accumulation field. The results show that there are two obvious high moment accumulation rate regions,one of which is the Dongdatan-Xidatan segment of the Eastern Kunlun fault where the M_S8.1 earthquake occurred in 2001.     

The Chi-Chi 1999 earthquake: Correlation between the spatio-temporal distribution of aftershocks and viscoelastic stress changes

The Chi-Chi 1999 (M_L = 7.3) earthquake generated a large number of aftershocks in the vicinity of the rupture plane. The spatial-temporal distribution of these aftershocks was recorded with high precision and thus provided a unique possibility to study whether the correlation between aftershocks and stress changes are primary due to coseismically induced stress changes (static), or whether stress relaxation processes (viscoelastic) in the lower crust contribute significantly to this correlation. From our analysis of a 3D finite element model simulating the viscoelastic stress changes due to the coseismic displacement and tectonic loading we found that the aftershocks are highly correlated with the stress variations (static and viscoelastic) caused by the main shock. Although we found that the correlation between seismicity rate changes and viscoelastic stress fluctuation is slightly better than that of the static stress changes, these differences can only be identified well in the lower crust. As a result, it is reasonable to conclude that static stress changes are the key mechanism for triggering early and shallow aftershocks in the upper crust. It is reasonable to infer that the viscoelastic relaxation in the lower crust does affect the occurrence of early aftershocks in the deep crust, but it does not significantly affect the shallow aftershocks. However, the stress changes induced from the lower crust gradually transfer to the upper crust and may influence the occurrence of aftershocks after a longer time period (>four Maxwell times).     

地壳垂直形变速率梯度,断层形变速率变化与强震危险区研究

应用最新的全国垂直变形速率图和各地区不同年代的形变图。编绘相应的形变速率梯度图，计算了若干跨断层测量台、点资料的低通滤波残差及其一阶和二阶差分。结合在相应空间和时间域内所发 生的强震，讨论了地壳形变与强震的关系，得到了一些有意的结果。     

Earthquake deformation in the northwestern Sierras Pampeanas of Argentina based on seismic waveform modelling

We investigate the seismic properties of modern crustal seismicity in the northwestern Sierras Pampeanas of the Andean retroarc region of Argentina. We modelled the complete regional seismic broadband waveforms of two crustal earthquakes that occurred in the Sierra de Velasco on 28 May 2002 and in the Sierra de Ambato on 7 September 2004. For each earthquake we obtained the seismic moment tensor inversion (SMTI) and tested for its focal depth. Our results indicate mainly thrust focal mechanism solutions of magnitudes M_w 5.8 and 6.2 and focal depths of 10 and 8 km, respectively. These results represent the larger seismicity and shallower focal depths in the last 100 years in this region. The SMTI 2002 and 2004 solutions are consistent with previous determinations for crustal seismicity in this region that also used seismic waveform modelling. Taken together, the results for crustal seismicity of magnitudes ≥5.0 in the last 30 years are consistent with an average P-axis horizontally oriented by an azimuth of 125° and T-axis orientation of azimuth 241° and plunge 58°. This modern crustal seismicity and the historical earthquakes are associated with two active reverse faulting systems of opposite vergences bounding the eastern margin of the Sierra de Velasco in the south and the southwestern margin of the Sierra de Ambato in the north. Strain recorded by focal mechanisms of the larger seismicity is very consistent over this region and is in good agreement with neotectonic activity during the last 11,000 years by Costa (2008) and Casa et al. (in press); this shows that the dominant deformation in this part of the Sierras Pampeanas is mainly controlled by contraction. Seismic deformation related to propagation of thrusts and long-lived shear zones of this area permit to disregard previous proposals, which suggested an extensional or sinistral regime for the geomorphic evolution since Pleistocene.     

短周期密集台阵被动源地震探测技术研究进展

近十年来,短周期密集台阵被动源探测技术日益成长为国内外深部结构探测领域的一项重要手段.该技术相较于传统宽频带地震探测具有高分辨、省时省钱、绿色环保等优点.尽管低频信号不足,对岩石圈地幔以深结构探测能力有限,但密集的台站间距使得地壳精细结构成像成为可能;台阵下方不同方位射线形成密集的交叉覆盖,从而可通过反演和叠加偏移等手段获取稳定的壳幔结构图像.因此,短周期密集台阵探测技术已广泛应用于深部速度和界面结构成像,以及矿产资源勘查、火山活动监测、微震精定位、发震断层的几何学和运动学特征研究等多种不同领域.本文系统的总结了短周期密集台阵在地壳结构研究和微震定位检测等方面的研究进展.展望未来,以科学问题为导向,利用天然地震及背景噪声观测、重力测量、InSAR数据、GPS测量等多种地球物理数据,开展联合反演和成像,并提取研究对象的多属性特征正日益成为减少解的非唯一性、揭示地质体真实赋存状态的有效途径;该领域方法技术的迅速提升有望大大促进地震学及地球动力学研究,在深部结构成像、矿产资源勘查等领域具有广阔应用前景.     

安宁河断层地震成核条件研究——来自天然花岗岩断层泥摩擦实验的启示

安宁河断层历史上发生过多次强震,现存的地震空区反映了其断层中部近30年来的断层闭锁和应变积累情况,是潜在的大地震危险区.本研究采用断层带内的新鲜花岗岩断层泥样品,在水热条件下开展了摩擦滑动实验,以研究安宁河断层摩擦特性和地震成核条件.实验有效正应力200 MPa,孔隙水压30 MPa,温度25~600℃,剪切滑移速率在1 μm·s^-1,0.2 μm·s^-1,0.04 μm·s^-1之间切换.实验结果显示,在100~400℃,摩擦系数随着温度的增加而增大（约0.663~0.704）,温度高于400℃时略有降低.从200℃开始,花岗岩断层泥的摩擦滑动表现出由速度强化向速度弱化转变,并随温度升高速度弱化程度增强,在600℃时仍然具有显著的速度弱化,具备地震成核条件.本研究获得的花岗岩断层发生不稳定滑动的温度范围为200~600℃,远大于已有研究中给出的350~400℃这一不稳定滑动的温度上限.本实验首次发现,在相同温度条件下花岗岩断层滑动稳定性与加载速率转变方向有关,向慢速切换或低速下（0.04 μm·s^-1）可以促进花岗岩断层由稳定滑动向不稳定滑动转变.基于本实验结果,结合川滇地区的地温梯度,推测得出安宁河断层中北段的地震成核深度为10~30 km,该断层的地震空区是断层闭锁的具体表现.

     

1918年南澳7.3级地震与强余震之参数复核

本文利用早期国际地震观测报告,采用现代地震定位理论和技术,对1918年南澳7．3级地震与2次强余震之参数进行了复核确定。结果表明,新核定的南澳地震及其强余震震中位置在南澎岛附近,是现代小震密集带,具有强地震活动的构造背景。     

珠江三角洲新构造运动与地壳稳定性分析

对珠江三角洲的活动断裂，断块构造，第四纪地质及地震活动特征进行了分析，认为该区的地壳稳定性主要中等，其中东江断块，番禺断隆，五桂山断隆，珠海断隆和新会断陷的地壳稳定性较好，灯笼沙断陷和万顷断裂是地壳稳定性较差的地区。     

南黄海地震序列时空参数的精细测定和分析

1984年5月21日的南黄海地震发生在海里，地震观测台站都偏在震中的西侧，距离最近的南通台和崇明台也在100km左右，给地震的精细测定带来了困难。用现有测震方法，得到的南黄海地震序列观测报告，震中分布比较离散。本文在进一步发展了无走时表定位法和相对定位法的基础上，对南黄海地震序列中的3级以上地震的时空参数作了重新测定和分析，取得了较精细的结果。     

Earthquake swarms and local crustal spreading along major strike-slip faults in California

Earthquake swarms in California are often localized to areas within dextral offsets in the linear trend in active fault strands, suggesting a relation between earthquake swarms and local crustal spreading. Local crustal spereading is required by the geometry of dextral offsets when, as in the San Andreas system, faults have dominantly strike-slip motion with right-lateral displacement. Three clear examples of this relation occur in the Imperial Valley, Coso Hot Springs, and the Danville region, all in California. The first two of these areas are known for their Holocene volcanism and geothermal potential, which is consistent with crustal spreading and magmatic intrusion. The third example, however, shows no evidence for volcanism or geothermal activity at the surface.     

安宁河断裂假玄武玻璃摩擦滑动实验研究

我们在安宁河断层带西侧的花岗片麻岩和碎裂岩中发现假玄武玻璃.并开展了假玄武玻璃的摩擦滑动实验,为国际首次.在化学成分和微观结构分析的基础上,本研究使用粉碎后的假玄武玻璃粉末作为模拟断层泥,在有效正应力250 MPa、温度100~500℃、孔隙水压30 MPa和干燥条件下开展了摩擦滑动实验.为获得假玄武玻璃摩擦系数的速度依赖性参数（a-b）,实验中的轴向加载速率在1 μm·s^-1,0.2 μm·s^-1,0.04 μm·s^-1之间进行切换.实验结果显示,在100~500℃假玄武玻璃的摩擦系数随着温度增加而增大,含孔隙水压条件下摩擦系数比干燥条件大.在加载速度为1~0.2 μm·s^-1条件下,100~300℃温度范围内,假玄武玻璃表现为速度强化型稳定摩擦滑动;在300~400℃的温度范围内,假玄武玻璃的摩擦滑动行为表现出由速度强化向速度弱化转变的趋势,在400~500℃时其表现出显著的速度弱化行为,从而在该温度范围内具备自发的地震成核条件.本实验还发现假玄武玻璃的滑动稳定性与加载速率有关,在相同温度条件下以及100~300℃的温度范围内,假玄武玻璃在实验室标速条件下（1~0.2 μm·s^-1）表现出速度强化的摩擦滑动行为;而在低速（0.2~0.04 μm·s^-1）条件下,表现出速度弱化.因此在100~500℃的温度条件下,降低剪切滑动速度可以促进假玄武玻璃的不稳定滑动.对比花岗岩与假玄武玻璃的摩擦强度与滑动稳定性表明,在100~500℃（5~30 km深度）,假玄武玻璃和花岗岩都具备地震成核的条件.假玄武玻璃的摩擦强度比花岗岩高,由此推测,被假玄武玻璃愈合的同震破裂,原地再次发生同震滑动的可能性小,但如果断裂带内存在假玄武玻璃,不仅能增加断层不稳定滑动和地震的风险,而且会促进同震动态破裂传播.

     

长乐-南澳断裂带两侧地壳结构差异的地震-重力联合反演

长乐-南澳断裂带出露于福建沿海地区,由于海陆过渡带的特殊性,地球物理探测受到许多限制,难以获得由陆到海的清晰而准确的深部构造形态.2014年福建省地震局采集了横跨长乐-南澳断裂带的广角反射/折射剖面（HX-6）,由于观测系统的缺陷和原始资料信噪比等问题,单纯使用地震数据反演长乐-南澳断裂带的深部地壳结构有很强的不确定性,无法解答断裂带两侧地壳结构存在何种差异,影响了对断裂带构造属性和区域构造演化的正确认识.基于岩石波速和密度有良好的对应关系,地震-重力联合反演可以有效降低多解性.本文采用地震走时拟合和重力异常拟合同步进行的方法,利用最新采集的高质量P波地震走时数据与高精度实测重力数据,反演得到了连城-厦门-金门外海剖面的二维地壳波速-密度结构模型.联合反演结果显示：长乐-南澳断裂带两侧地壳厚度差约3 km,壳内分层结构和上地幔顶部波速-密度无显著变化,推断长乐-南澳断裂带是华南地块正常陆壳和台湾海峡减薄陆壳的分界.本研究结果为进一步研究该区深部构造环境和长乐-南澳断裂带的地球动力学意义提供了新的地球物理学证据.

     

Variations of radon content in groundwaters and possible correlation with seismic activities in northern Taiwan

Radon (²²²Rn) concentration in geothermal waters and CO₂-rich cold springwaters collected weekly in duplicate samples from four stations in northern Taiwan were measured from July 1980 to December 1983. Seven spike-like radon anomalies (increases of 2 to 3 times the standard deviation above the mean) were observed at three stations. Following every anomaly except one, an earthquake ofM _L above 4.6 occurred within 4 to 51 days, at an epicentral distance 14 to 45 km, and at a focal depth of less than 10 km. The distribution of the earthquakes preceded by radon anomalies is skewed in certain directions from the radon stations; the radon stations seem to be insensitive to earthquakes occurring in the other directions. At the fourth station, near a volcanic area, much gas (mainly CO₂) is discharged from the well, together with hot water. A very high concentration of radon was detected in the discharged gas; therefore trapping of gas in the water can result in anomalously high radon contents. According to limited measurements, the radon concentration in water appears to be undersaturated with respect to that in gas. This suggests that hot water is very susceptible to radon loss, and monitoring of radon in gas is more desirable.