Calibration of the Regional Crustal Waveguide and the Retrieval of Source Parameters Using Waveform Modeling

v--vRegional crustal waveguide calibration is essential to the retrieval of source parameters and the location of smaller (M < 4.8) seismic events. This path calibration of regional seismic phases is strongly dependent on the accuracy of hypocentral locations of calibration (or master) events. This information can be difficult to obtain, especially for smaller events. Generally, explosion or quarry blast generated travel-time data with known locations and origin times are useful for developing the path calibration parameters, but in many regions such data sets are scanty or do not exist. We present a method which is useful for regional path calibration independent of such data, i.e. with earthquakes, which is applicable for events down to M_w = 4 and which has successfully been applied in India, central Asia, western Mediterranean, North Africa, Tibet and the former Soviet Union. These studies suggest that reliably determining depth is essential to establishing accurate epicentral location and origin time for events. We find that the error in source depth does not necessarily trade-off only with the origin time for events with poor azimuthal coverage, but with the horizontal location as well, thus resulting in poor epicentral locations. For example, hypocenters for some events in central Asia were found to move from their fixed-depth locations by about 20 km. Such errors in location and depth will propagate into path calibration parameters, particularly with respect to travel times. The modeling of teleseismic depth phases (pP, sP) yields accurate depths for earthquakes down to magnitude M_w = 4.7. This M_w threshold can be lowered to four if regional seismograms are used in conjunction with a calibrated velocity structure model to determine depth, with the relative amplitude of the P_nl waves to the surface waves and the interaction of regional sPmP and pPmP phases being good indicators of event depths. We also found that for deep events a seismic phase which follows an S-wave path to the surface and becomes critical, developing a head wave by S to P conversion is also indicative of depth. The detailed characteristic of this phase is controlled by the crustal waveguide. The key to calibrating regionalized crustal velocity structure is to determine depths for a set of master events by applying the above methods and then by modeling characteristic features that are recorded on the regional waveforms. The regionalization scheme can also incorporate mixed-path crustal waveguide models for cases in which seismic waves traverse two or more distinctly different crustal structures. We also demonstrate that once depths are established, we need only two-stations travel-time data to obtain reliable epicentral locations using a new adaptive grid-search technique which yields locations similar to those determined using travel-time data from local seismic networks with better azimuthal coverage.     

Geophysical Applications of Multidimensional Filtering with Wavelets

--We present imaging results in geophysics based on using multidimensional Gaussian wavelets as a filter in a 2-D Cartesian domain. Besides decomposing the field into various distinct lengthscales, we have also constructed the 2-D maps describing the spatial distributions of the maximum of the wavelet-transformed L₂-norm E_max (x,y) and its corresponding local wavenumber k_max (x,y), where x and y are the Cartesian coordinates. For geoid anomalies, using a wavelet filter extending to 90 degrees, we have discerned the distinct outlines of convergent and divergent tectonic zones and have conducted a quantitative comparison of the short-wavelength gravitational anomalies at those wavelengths between two different geographical locations. We have also compared the wavelet results with a nonlinear bandpass filter in the spectral domain where a Gaussian filter with the logarithm of the degree l acting as the argument has been employed. A wavelet solution, with a length-scale corresponding to 256 degrees, would need a filter with over 400 spherical harmonics centering around l=157 for an optimal spatial fit. The computational effort with the bandpass filter technique greatly exceeds those associated with wavelets. We have also shown the ability of the wavelets to analyze the vastly different scales present in high Rayleigh number convection and the mixing of passive heterogeneities driven by thermal convection. Wavelets will be a useful tool for rapid analyzing of the large multidimensional fields to be captured in many other geophysical endeavors, such as the upcoming gravity satellite missions and satellite radar interferometry images.     

Earthquake Hazard Parameters in Crete Island and its Surrounding Area Inferred from Bayes Statistics: An Integration of Morphology of the Seismically Active Structures and Seismological Data

-- The study addresses the evaluation of earthquake hazard parameters such as maximum regional magnitude (M_max) and the slope of Gutenberg-Richter law # (where b=# log e) for the Hellenic Wadati-Benioff zone and the overriding lithospheric plate in the area of Crete and its surroundings. The seismicity of the area is divided in a cellular (1.0° 2 1.0°) manner allowing analysis of the localized earthquake hazard parameters and graphical representation of their spatial variation. Our approach incorporates the recently updated earthquake catalogue for Greece and the adjacent areas, the consideration of the morphology of the deep seismically active structures in the studied area and use of a probabilistic procedure for estimating the earthquake hazard parameters.¶One of the main inconsistencies in the earthquake hazard assessment is the estimation of the maximum magnitude and the related uncertaint y. The Bayesian approach, applied in the present, is a straightforward technique for evaluating the earthquake hazard parameters and is based on the following assumptions: Poissonian character of seismic events flow, a frequency-magnitude law of Gutenberg-Richter's type with cutoff maximal value for estimated parameter and a seismic catalogue, having a rather sizeable number of events (i.e., 50 events at least per cell). For five cells in which the number of events is less than 50, an effort is made to produce synthetic data. The re-assessed parameters obtained from the synthetic data show no significant difference and the real data (of the five cells) are finally taken into account although the estimated uncertainty is high.¶For four random cells we constructed hazard curves showing the probabilities that a certain magnitude M will be exceeded in one year and the return periods (in years) that are expected for a given magnitude. These are particularly useful for the mapping of earthquake hazard in regions of either low or high seismic activity, as is Crete and the adjacent area.¶The obtained results show that the W and E parts of both subducting and overriding plates differ in the spatial distribution of all the estimated earthquake hazard parameters. The M_max distribution indicates strong coupling between the western portions of the interacting plates (M_max > 6.3) to the south of 36°N. The smaller values of M_max (M_max < 6.3) estimated in the SE part of the studied area indicate weak coupling between the eastern portions of the subducting and overriding plates.¶Values of b > 1.0 are found to the south and east of Crete for the Wadati-Benioff zone, and over the central part of the island and the area to the northeast of it (cell 11) for the continental wedge, which suggests nonuniform stress field and/or heterogeneous material.     

The Problem of Regionalization in the Study of Magnitude-intensity Correspondences in the Mediterranean Area: A Distribution-free Approach

--A distribution-free statistical approach is proposed for tackling the problem of regionalization devoted to the study of magnitude-intensity relationships in the Mediterranean area. The training-set constitutes a compilation of more than 2000 earthquakes which occurred in the Mediterranean region since the end of the nineteenth century, when instrumental data became available, with epicentral or maximum intensity S VI and M_S magnitude values. Firstly an empirical magnitude-intensity correspondence has been computed for each intensity class by using the entire data set in the assumption of homogeneity at the regional scale. Residuals of such relation have been analyzed by a distribution-free statistical approach in order to evaluate the opportunity of a regionalization able to locally improve the performances of magnitude-intensity relationships. The analysis indicates that data concerning larger earthquakes (intensity S VII) do not suggest the opportunity of zonation, and that unbiased estimates of macroseismic magnitude can also be obtained in the assumption that magnitude-intensity correspondences are uniform over the entire Mediterranean area. Therefore, better constrained relations determined for the entire Mediterranean region should be preferred to ill-defined local ones. As concerns smaller events (intensity VI), the procedure suggests that medium/small-scale lateral variations (on a wavelength lower than 10² km) should be taken into account if an efficient estimate of magnitudes from maximum observed intensity is pursued, but that data presently available are not sufficient to suggest any reliable zonation of the area under study.     

Biochemical characteristics of alga-bacterial mats and invertebrates from shallow-water hydrothermal fields of the West Pacific Ocean

In this study we assessed the biochemical adaptations of biotic specimens from the hydrothermal vent fields from different geographical zones. Algabacterial and bacterial mats and specimens of bivalves (9 species) and sea urchins (2 species) from different coastal shallow-water fields of hydrothermal activity along the West Rift zones of the Pacific Ocean were sampled to compare biochemical activities to volcanogenic chemical characteristics. The algabacterial and bacterial mat cells and subcellular fractions of bivalve gills and sea urchin guts were measured for 5-aminolevulinic acid (ALA), cytochromes b, (c + c₁), (a + a₃) and P450 (CYP), and activities of ALA synthetase and CYP-dependent aminopyrine N-demethylase (APND). The algabacterial mats from the Kuril Islands and New Zealand displayed comparable ALA and cytochrome levels and enzyme activities. Similar ALA synthesis, APND activity, and levels of cytochromes b and (c + c₁) were observed in bacterial mats from hydrothermal fields from Kuriles, New Britain Island and New Zealand. More active ALA synthesis, APND activity and enhanced content of cytochromes b and (c + c₁) and lower levels of CYP were found in bacterial mats than in algabacterial mats. Further, all bivalves influenced by hydrothermal discharges had elevated CYP levels and APND activity as well as a significant increase in ALA content and ALA synthesis (P < 0.05). Statistically sufficient (P < 0.05) alterations in ALA synthesis, APND activity and total CYP level were found in sea urchins under hydrothermal influence. Our findings contribute to the global assessment of hydrothermal effluents on biota and indicate that living conditions near hydrothermal vents accelerate metabolism of bivalves and sea urchins in examined hydrothermal zones in the northern and southern West Pacific Ocean.     

Optimized Seismic Threshold Monitoring – Part 1: Regional Processing

v--v Continuous seismic threshold monitoring is a technique that has been developed over the past several years to assess the upper magnitude limit of possible seismic events that might have occurred in a geographical target area. The method provides continuous time monitoring at a given confidence level, and can be applied in a site-specific, regional or global context.¶In this paper (Part 1) and a companion paper (Part 2) we address the problem of optimizing the site-specific approach in order to achieve the highest possible automatic monitoring capability of particularly interesting areas. The present paper addresses the application of the method to cases where a regional monitoring network is available. We have in particular analyzed events from the region around the Novaya Zemlya nuclear test site to develop a set of optimized processing parameters for the arrays SPITS, ARCES, FINES, and NORES. From analysis of the calibration events we have derived values for beam-forming steering delays, filter bands, short-term average (STA) lengths, phase travel times (P and S waves), and amplitude-magnitude relationships for each array. By using these parameters for threshold monitoring of the Novaya Zemlya testing area, we obtain a monitoring capability varying between m_b 2.0 and 2.5 during normal noise conditions.¶The advantage of using a network, rather than a single station or array, for monitoring purposes becomes particularly evident during intervals with high global seismic activity (aftershock sequences), high seismic noise levels (wind, water waves, ice cracks) or station outages. For the time period November-December 1997, all time intervals with network magnitude thresholds exceeding m_b 2.5 were visually analyzed, and we found that all of these threshold peaks could be explained by teleseismic, regional, or local signals from events outside the Novaya Zemlya testing area. We could therefore conclude within the confidence level provided by the method, that no seismic event of magnitude exceeding 2.5 occurred at the Novaya Zemlya test site during this two-month time interval.¶As an example of particular interest in a monitoring context, we apply optimized threshold processing of the SPITS array for a time interval around 16 August 1997 m_b 3.5 event in the Kara Sea. We show that this processing enables us to detect a second, smaller event from the same site (m_b 2.6), occurring about 4 hours later. This second event was not defined automatically by standard processing.     

Characteristics of Cloud Drop Spectra at Different Levels and with Respect to Cloud Thickness

--Measurements on drop size spectra were made in cumulus clouds over Pune (inland) region on many days during the summer monsoon seasons. In this paper, the measurements in non-raining cumulus clouds made in the years 1984, 1985 and 1986 at different levels and for different cloud thickness have been studied. In general, the drop size spectra broadened with height and the concentration of drops with diameter > 50 wm (N_L), mean volume diameter (MVD), liquid water content (LWC) and dispersion increased with height while the concentration of drops with diameter < 20 wm (N_S) and the total concentration of drops (N_T) decreased with height. The average drop size distributions were unimodal at the lower levels while they were bimodal at the higher levels. High water contents were confined to drops in the size range 5-25 wm at both higher and lower levels. The average drop size spectra were broader and N_L, LWC, MVD and dispersion greater while N_T and N_S smaller for thicker clouds (range of vertical extent 1.1-2.1 km) as compared to those for thinner clouds (range of vertical extent 0.3-1.1 km). Water contents for the drops > 28 wm were higher while those for the drops > 28 wm lower in thicker clouds than in thinner clouds. The average drop size distributions were bimodal in the former case, while they were unimodal in the other case.     

Experimental Study of the Process Zone,Nucleation Zone and Plastic Area of Earthquakes by the Shadow Optical Method of Caustics

-- On a plexiglass sample, a penetrating crack was prefabricated by laser. The crack is inclined towards the major principal stress †₁(†_y) at an angle of about 30°. Using this sample and by means of shadow optical method of caustics and microcrack location, the process zone, nucleation zone and plastic area of earthquakes were studied experimentally, and the strain variation in the shadow area was monitored. From the result, we comprehend the following. When the stress †_y was increased to a certain value, shadow areas were formed around the prefabricated crack and at its tips, with that at the tips being larger. These shadow areas become larger with the increase of load and smaller with unloading. In the shadow area the strain was inhomogeneous: it was very large in some places but very small in others. When the shadow area reached a critical state, microcracks appeared at the tips of the prefabricated crack. Microcracks appeared on one side of the prefabricated crack where the strain and the shadow were both smaller. The zone with concentrated microcracks, or the process zone, was always located at the crack tip; this zone together with a half length of the original crack formed the nucleation zone which fell into the shadow area but was smaller than it. The shadow optical area of caustics bears a certain quantitative relation with the plastic area. Therefore, if an appropriate method is available to obtain the shadow optical area of caustics, it would be possible to detect the area with strong differential deformation change, and hence to determine the zone where strong fracture (an earthquake) would take place.     

Relocation of Swarm Events in the June 1987 Earthquake Sequence from the Lake Aswan Area in Egypt

--We have examined the digital waveform data and relocated a number of events within the June 1987 earthquake swarm, which occurred beneath the northern part of Lake Aswan, 70 km southwest of the Aswan High Dam in Egypt. This swarm occurred between June 17th and 19th with a maximum magnitude event of "M_L"=3.5.¶Cross correlation between a chosen master and the analyzed events has been carried out on seismograms from stations of the Aswan network. The cross correlation demonstrates the presence of a difference in both the P wave ((t_p) and the S wave ((t_s) arrival times at each station in the network relative to the arrival times of the master event at the same stations. (t_p ranges between т.15 and 0.11 second, while (t_s ranges between т.17 and 0.11 second.¶The primary interpretation is that the se time differences represent an error in the manually picking arrival times. Then, (t_p and (t_s values for each event result from a change in the hypocentral parameters from those of the master event, assuming the P- and S-wave velocity distribution remains constant during the swarm activity. This interpretation enables us to determine the relative distribution of hypocenters with respect to the hypocentral location of the master event. We present the results from a swarm of 9 events demonstrating they originate from a nearly unique location, rather than the zone identified from the preliminary locations which used manually picked onset times.     

On the Generation of ULF Magnetic Variations by Conductivity Fluctuations in a Fault Zone

v--vPrior to the October 18, 1989 Loma Prieta M_s 7.1 earthquake, Fraser-Smith et al. (1990) recorded a 10-100 fold increase in ultra-low frequency (ULF) magnetic fields near the earthquake epicenter. Several mechanisms for generation of these ULF fields by fluid flow in the earth have been advanced, but all appear to require unrealistic fluid velocities or hydraulic permeabilities to match the observations. As an alternative explanation, Merzer and Klemperer (1998) proposed that the increase in ULF magnetic fields could result from induced electric currents flowing in a fault-zone made temporarily much more electrically conductive by stress-induced reorganization of pore geometry. Using a numerical model we show that while this mechanism could produce a significant increase in ULF variations, mutual induction between the fault zone and the surrounding crust would probably limit the amplitude increase to levels well below those observed at Loma Prieta. We consider a variant on this quasi-static conductive fault zone model in which low frequency telluric currents are modulated by small higher frequency variations of bulk fault zone conductivity. We show that because the spectrum of natural EM variations is red, substantially larger relative increases in ULF magnetic fields could be produced by this mechanism with even small conductivity fluctuations at these frequencies. These variations would be easy to detect with a well-designed experiment, if they occurred. In principle this mechanism could explain the Loma Prieta ULF observations, however the magnitude of conductivity fluctuations that would be required to match the very large reported amplification factors still appears to be too large to be physically plausible.     

Observation of Double-mixing Line Structure in the Convective Boundary Layer During the Summer Monsoon Season

v--vThe special aerological observations carried out as a part of Land Surface Processes Experiment (LASPEX) were used to investigate the thermodynamic structure of the convective boundary layer during the summer monsoon of 1997. The analysis suggested that the convective boundary layer top was found at 700 hPa which was associated with Š_e minimum and Š_es maximum values. Double-mixing line structure was noticed in the conserved variable diagrams which was possibly attributed to the radiative warming/evaporation of falling precipitation.     

Changes in the photosynthetic coefficients α and Pm of Planktothrix rubescens grown on light-dark cycles

The relationship between photosynthesis and irradiance was investigated in a strain of the cyanobacterium Planktothrix rubescens isolated from Lake Zürich, using cultures grown on a 12:12-h light-dark cycle. From the photosynthesis-irradiance (P/I) curves, values of the light-affinity coefficient, f, and the maximum rate of photosynthesis, P_m, were determined: in different cultures f ranged from 0.02-0.08 7mol mg^-1 h^-1 (7mol m^-2 s^-1)^-1 and P_m from 0.6-2.6 7mol mg^-1 h^-1 (rates of O₂ production related to dry biomass). Comparisons made at different phases of the light-dark cycle in individual cultures showed that in the first hour of the light phase f rose by an average of 21 % and P_m by 7 %. In cultures that had been grown in many light-dark cycles, however, the rise occurred only if light was given at the beginning of the notional light phase; cultures kept in darkness showed no rise. It is concluded that the observed increases in f and P_m after dawn were in response to the exogenous irradiance rather than due to endogenous rhythms. These findings are discussed in relation to diel variations in the photosynthetic coefficients of natural populations of P. rubescens in Lake Zürich.     

Slip- and Time-dependent Fault Constitutive Law and its Significance in Earthquake Generation Cycles

-- By integrating effects of microscopic interactions between statistically self-similar fault surfaces, we succeeded in deriving a slip- and time-dependent fault constitutive law that rationally unifies the slip-dependent law and the rate- and state-dependent law. In this constitutive law the slip-weakening results from the abrasion of surface asperities that proceeds irreversibly with fault slip. On the other hand, the restoration of shear strength after the arrest of faulting results from the adhesion of surface asperities that proceeds with contact time. At the limit of high slip-rate the unified constitutive law is reduced to the slip-weakening law. At the limit of low slip-rate it shows the well-known log t strengthening of faults over the wide range of contact time t. In the steady state with a constant slip-rate V the shear strength has the negative log V dependence, known as the velocity-weakening. Another important property expected from the unified constitutive law is the gradual increase of the critical weakening displacement D_c with stationary contact time. We numerically examined behavior of a single degree of freedom elastic system following the slip- and time-dependent constitutive law, and found that the periodic stick-slip motion is realized when the adhesion rate is high in comparison with the loading rate. If the adhesion rate is very low, behavior of the system gradually changes from stick-slip motion to steady sliding with time.     

A Method to Remove Electromagnetic Coupling from Induced Polarization Data for an "Exponential" Earth Model

--The electromagnetic (EM) coupling effect in induced polarization (IP) data is an important problem. In many works it has been computed only considering homogeneous or layered earth models with discretely uniform conductivity. In this study, an algorithm has been developed to compute the EM coupling effect in IP data measured on the earth, whose conductivity varies (increases or decreases) exponentially with depth. The EM coupling effects for Percent Frequency Effect (PFE) and phase data are computed for a dipole-dipole array with different separations, however the method can be applied to any electrode array. The results obtained for the cases of increasing and decreasing conductivity as a function of depth indicate that the EM coupling effect strongly depends on the subsurface resistivity and the dipole length. Here an "exponential" earth model is considered to remove EM coupling from the IP data in frequency and phase domain. For this purpose, first, the region of pseudo-section is divided into segments, and within each segment a typical average apparent resistivity („_a) curve is constructed. An exponential conductivity model is fitted to average „_a data. The conductivity model is then used to compute EM responses. Next the data are corrected for the EM coupling contribution. This decoupling process is applied to field data from a galenite-pyrite mineralization area at the Dolluk site, in western Turkey. The results from the decoupling method developed here are compared with other techniques.     

Viscosity of hydrous Etna basalt: implications for Plinian-style basaltic eruptions

Water dissolved in a silicate melt can strongly influence its physical properties and thus magma behavior during crystallization, degassing, foaming and fragmentation. Etna is a basaltic volcano whose activity is dominated by effusive eruptions which have long represented a threat to the densely populated, surrounding area. Recently, recognition of the products of a Plinian eruption (122 B.C.) has raised further issues for hazard assessment at Etna and other basaltic volcanoes. Constraining the behavior of Etna magma under conditions relevant to both effusive and explosive hazards requires viscosity data under conditions near the glass transition. Here we have investigated the viscosity of hydrous Etna lava in order to better understand eruptive processes which characterize this volcano. The experimental methods which have been used include piston cylinder synthesis of the hydrated melts, micropenetration viscometry for low-temperature viscosity measurements, and near-infrared spectroscopy for the evaluation of sample homogeneity and measurements of water content. Additionally, scanning calorimetric determinations were performed to check whether incipient crystallization had occurred. Sample compositions were determined using electron microprobe analysis and ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. Results from this study are compared with previous reports of trachytic, phonolitic and model calc-alkaline rhyolite (HPG8) compositions. The viscosity of the basaltic melt (dry and wet) has been parameterized in terms of temperature and water content via the non-Arrhenian equation: log₁₀-=-4.643+(5,812.44-427.042H₂O)/(T(K)-499.31+28.742ln(H₂O)) where - is the viscosity in Pa s, H₂O is the water content in wt%, and T is the temperature in Kelvin. We observe that the viscosity of alkali basalt (at more than 0.5 wt% H₂O) is similar to that of an alkaline trachyte (Agnano-Monte Spina eruption, Phlegrean Fields) and much higher than that of a peralkaline phonolite (Teide, Tenerife) at similar silica contents and NBO/T. For water contents above 1.5 wt%, the viscosity of the basalt is similar to that of rhyolitic melts with similar water contents. At temperatures ranging from 1,050 to 1,150 °C and with water contents between 0.5 and 2.3 wt% (eruptive conditions), the viscosities calculated using the equation defined in this study are (1) in reasonable agreement with those calculated using Shaw's model, and (2) much lower than those experimentally determined in a previous study. However, outside these temperature and water content ranges, the agreement with Shaw's model (1972) breaks down.     

3-D Simulation of Earthquake Generation Cycles and Evolution of Fault Constitutitve Properties

--The earthquake generation cycle consists of tectonic loading, quasi-static rupture nucleation, dynamic rupture propagation and stop, and subsequent stress redistribution and fault restrengthening. From a macroscopic point of view, the entire process of earthquake generation cycles should be consistently described by a coupled nonlinear system of a slip-response function, a fault constitutive law and a driving force. On the basis of such a general idea, we constructed a realistic 3-D simulation model for earthquake generation cycles at a transcurrent plate boundary by combining the viscoelastic slip-response function derived for a two-layered elastic-viscoelastic structure model, the slip- and time-dependent fault constitutive law that has an inherent mechanism of fault restrengthening, and the steady relative plate motion as a driving force into a single closed system. With this model we numerically simulated the earthquake generation cycles repeated in a seismogenic region on a plate interface, and examined space-time changes in shear stress, slip deficits and fault constitutive properties during one complete cycle in detail. The occurrence of unstable dynamic slip brings about decrease both in fault strength and shear stress to a constant residual level. After the arrest of dynamic slip, the breakdown strength drop j†_p of fault is restored rapidly and the process of stress accumulation resumes in the seismogenic region. On the other hand, the restoration of the critical weakening displacement D_c proceeds gradually with time through the interseismic period. The restoration of D_c can be regarded as the macroscopic manifestation of the microscopic recovery process of fractal fault surface structure. Through numerical simulation with a multi-segmented fault model, we examined the effects of viscoelastic fault-to-fault interaction. The effect of transient viscoelastic stress transfer through the asthenosphere is significant as well as the direct effect of elastic stress transfer, and it possibly explains the time lag of the sequential occurrence of large events along a plate boundary.     

Parallel PSM/FDM Hybrid Simulation of Ground Motions from the 1999 Chi-Chi,Taiwan, Earthquake

-- A new technique for the parallel computing of 3-D seismic wave propagation simulation is developed by hybridizing the Fourier pseudospectral method (PSM) and the finite-difference method (FDM). This PSM/FDM hybrid offers a good speed-up rate using a large number of processors. To show the feasibility of the hybrid, a numerical 3-D simulation of strong ground motion was conducted for the 1999 Chi-Chi, Taiwan earthquake (M_w 7.6). Comparisons between the simulation results and observed waveforms from a dense strong ground motion network in Taiwan clearly demonstrate that the variation of the subsurface structure and the complex fault slip distribution greatly affect the damage during the Chi-Chi earthquake. The directivity effect of the fault rupture produced large S-wave pulses along the direction of the rupture propagation. Slips in the shallow part of the fault generate significant surface waves in Coastal Plain along the western coast. A large velocity gradient in the upper crust can propagate seismic waves to longer distances with minimum attenuation. The S waves and surface waves were finally amplified further by the site effect of low-velocity sediments in basins, and caused the significant disasters.     

Thermal-mechanical Coupling in Shear Deformation of Viscoelastic Material as a Model of Frictional Constitutive Relations

-- We propose a thermal-mechanical model of shear deformation of a viscoelastic material to describe the temperature-dependence of friction law. We consider shear deformation of one-dimensional layer composed of a Maxwell linear viscoelastic material under a constant velocity V and temperature T_w at the boundary. The strain rate due to viscous deformation depends both on temperature and shear stress. The temperature inside the layer changes owing to frictional heating and conductive cooling. Steady-state calculations show that the sign of d†^ss/dV, where †^ss is steady-state stress, changes from positive to negative as V increases, and that the threshold velocity above which the sign of d†^ss/dV is negative increases with increasing T_w. These results are in accordance with the conjecture that the downdip limit of seismogenic zones is marked by the transition in the sign of d†^ss/dV due to temperature rise with depth. We also find that the response of steady state to a step change in V is quite similar to the response of frictional slip with constitutive laws which employ state variables. These findings suggest that by further improving the present model a model of constitutive relations along faults or plate boundaries can be developed which contains temperature-dependence in a physically-sound manner.     

2014年安徽霍山MS4.3地震前地下流体典型异常特征分析

通过对2014年4月20日安徽霍山M_S4.3地震前地下流体异常进行回溯性分析,总结了流体异常特征。结果显示,在时间上,流体异常具有配套性、阶段性特征,震前11个月异常月频次逐渐增加;震前3个月异常月频次加速上升,进入临震阶段,震前1.5个月,部分异常结束,异常月频次转折下降;在空间上,流体异常主要集中在震中200km范围内,且外围流体异常主要表现为趋势上升或低值,震中附近流体异常表现为突升。震前流体异常还与测项有关,水温、水化测项映震效果较好,水氡、氢气突升异常短临意义明显。     

Seismic Potential of the Main Active Faults in the Granada Basin (Southern Spain)

-- The main active faults of the Granada Basin are located in its central-eastern sector, where the most important tectonic activity is concentrated, uplifting its eastern part and sinking the western border. Several parameters related to the seismic potentiality of these active, or in some cases probably active, faults in this basin are used for the first time. Many of these faults can generate earthquakes with magnitudes larger than 6.0 M_W, although this is not the general case. The fault situated to the N of Sierra Tejeda, probably the one responsible for the big earthquake of 25/12/1884, stands out, because it could generate an earthquake with magnitude 6.9 M_W. Although at present all the data needed are not fully known, we consider that the final results show, as a whole, the average expected return periods of the faults in the Granada Basin.