The complexity of the crust from refraction/wide-angle reflection data

ThePmP wide-angle reflected signal from the Moho shows a wide variation in its characteristics when cornpared from region to region. If the earth's crust is simple and homogeneous and the Moho is a sharp discontinuity, supercriticalPmP wavelets are large and isolated in the 100 km to 300 km distance range when compared to the preceding signals on the seismic traces. If the crust itself has numerous short reflectors and the Moho transition zone is thick or badly disrupted from past tectonic disturbances, thenPmP is often poorly defined and difficult to identify in the coda of earlier arriving signals. These signals are poorly correlated because the reflectors themselves are in general not only discontinuous but tend to be distributed at various depths within the crust. The effect of the vertical velocity gradient in the crust is to make the reflective field for downgoing waves much greater than for upgoing waves. The large variations in reflection coefficients wiht angle of incidence has the effect of making the coda generated by a reflective machanism distance dependent. The reflected signals are also contaminated with scattered signals from smaller scale heterogeneities which may be distributed more uniformly within the crust.In conventional seismic inversion methods applied to crustal refraction experiments, emphasis is usually placed on obtaining a velocity model of the subsurface structure. These models are relatively simple and are limited in the amount of complexity which can be uniquely inferred from the data. The main problem arises because of the difficulties in the identification of the origin of the signals which are themselves often incoherent from trace to trace.In this paper it is shown how the conventional record section may be complemented with a normal moveout corrected intensity section which emphasizes areas of large signal complexities. Data from this intensity section is then used as input to obtain a quantitative measurement of a complexity parameter. These measurements may be used to infer or compare differences in crustal heterogeneity from one region to another. The discussion is illustrated with both numerical modeling data as well as data from recent crustal experiments which were conducted over the Canadian Shield.     

Interpretation of shallow refraction seismic data by reflection/refraction tomography

A new algorithm for tomographic inversion of traveltimes of reflected and refracted seismic waves is developed. The inversion gives interface configurations and velocity distributions in layers. The important features of the algorithm are: (a) the inclusion of shot time delays in the list of unknown parameters; (b) the regularization is applied in such a way that the most probable model is characterized by the similarity of neighbouring interfaces. As the problem under consideration is non-linear, several iterations are necessary in order to obtain the final model. In the case of a very inexact initial model, a 'layer-by-layer' inversion strategy is recommended as a first inversion step. The inversion program is supplied with a user interface, thanks to which one can: (a) pick interactively and identify seismic traveltimes; (b) build and edit depth/velocity models; and (c) display calculated traveltime curves and compare them with picked traveltimes as well as with the original seismic sections. The efficiency of the inversion software developed is illustrated by a numerical example and a field example in which shallow seismic data are considered. Application to wide-aperture reflection/refraction profiling (WARRP) data is also possible.     

Structure of Hawaiian volcanoes from seismic refraction data

Numerous seismic refraction traverses were carried out over the Hawaiian Islands to outline the structure of the volcanoes and determine the thickness of the layers of the crust. Results indicate that there is a progressive thickening of the crust in the area from younger to older volcanic islands. High velocity mantle-like material was detected under rift zones and in volcanic plugs. Volcanic regions were found to be intersected by flexure zones in the crust and in the mantle. The seismic refraction method, in conjunction with gravity and magnetic methods, was found to be successful in outlining the horizontal and vertical structures of rift zones and plugs of volcanoes.     

Homogeneity analysis of Turkish meteorological data set

The missing value interpolation and homogeneity analysis were performed on the meteorological data of Turkey. The data set has the observations of six variables: the maximum air temperature, the minimum air temperature, the mean air temperature, the total precipitation, the relative humidity and the local pressure of 232 stations for the period 1974–2002. The missing values on the monthly data set were estimated using two methods: the linear regression (LR) and the expectation maximization (EM) algorithm. Because of higher correlations between test and reference series, EM algorithm results were preferred. The homogeneity analysis was performed on the annual data using a relative test and four absolute homogeneity tests were used for the stations where non‐testable series were found due to the low correlation coefficients between the test and the reference series. A comparison was accomplished by the graphics where relative and absolute tests provided different outcomes. Absolute tests failed to detect the inhomogeneities in the precipitation series at the significance level 1%. Interestingly, most of the inhomogeneities detected on the temperature variables existed in the Aegean region of Turkey. It is considered that theseinhomogeneities were mostly caused by non‐natural effects such as relocation. Because of changes at topography at short distance in this region intensify non‐random characteristics of the temperature series when relocation occurs even in small distances. The marine effect, which causes artifical cooling effect due to sea breezes has important impact on temperature series and the orograhpy allows this impact go through the inner parts in this region. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Vegetation pattern of Istanbul from the Landsat data and the relationship with meteorological parameters

This paper discusses the preliminary results of a study on the vegetation pattern and its relationship with meteorological parameters in and around Istanbul. The study covers an area of over 6800 km² consisting of urban and suburban centers, and uses the visible and near-infrared bands of Landsat. The spatial variation of the Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI) and meteorological parameters such as sensible heat flux, momentum flux, relative humidity, moist static energy, rainfall rate and temperature have been investigated based on observations in ten stations in the European (Thracian) and Anatolian parts of Istanbul. NDVI values have been evaluated from the Landsat data for a single day, viz. 24 October 1986, using ERDAS in ten different classes. The simultaneous spatial variations of sensible heat and momentum fluxes have been computed from the wind and temperature profiles using the Monin-Obukhov similarity theory. The static energy variations are based on the surface meteorological observations. There is very good correlation between NDVI and rainfall rate. Good correlation also exists between: NDVI and relative humidity; NDVI, sensible heat flux and relative humidity; NDVI, momentum flux and emissivity; and NDVI, sensible heat flux and emissivity. The study suggests that the momentum flux has only marginal impact on NDVI. Due to rapid urbanization, the coastal belt is characterized by reduced NDVI compared to the interior areas, suggesting that thermodynamic discontinuities considerably influence the vegetation pattern. This study is useful for the investigation of small-scale circulation models, especially in urban and suburban areas where differential heating leads to the formation of heat islands. In the long run, such studies on a global scale are vital to gain accurate, timely information on the distribution of vegetation on the earth’s surface. This may lead to an understanding of how changes in land cover affect phenomena as diverse as the atmospheric CO² concentrations, the hydrological cycle and the energy balance at the surface-atmosphere interface.     

Estimation of annual actual evapotranspiration from nonsaturated land surfaces with conventional meteorological data

Land surface evapotranspiration is an important component both in earth surface heat and water bal-ance, on whose budgets weather and climate depend, to a great extent, for their changes are responsible for the formation and variation of vegetation features on the globe. Besides, the evapotranspiration is an im-portant topic of short-term flood forecasting and the estimation of runoff from mountainous sides. As a result, the problem as to the evapotranspiration has been one of the concerns in …     

A crustal section across the Eastern Alps based on gravity and seismic refraction data

Summary Existing gravity and seismic refraction data are used to deduce a crustal cross section across the Eastern Alps along the meridian 11°.4 East. The results suggest that a high density body of the Ivrea type is present under the southern margin of the Alps, that the Apennines do not have a crustal root extending to a depth of 50 km and that a profound discontinuity extending to the base of the crust exists between the Apennines and the Po Valley.Lamont-Doherty Contribution No. 1590.     

A new direction for shallow refraction seismology: integrating amplitudes and traveltimes with the refraction convolution section

The refraction convolution section (RCS) is a new method for imaging shallow seismic refraction data. It is a simple and efficient approach to full‐trace processing which generates a time cross‐section similar to the familiar reflection cross‐section. The RCS advances the interpretation of shallow seismic refraction data through the inclusion of time structure and amplitudes within a single presentation. The RCS is generated by the convolution of forward and reverse shot records. The convolution operation effectively adds the first‐arrival traveltimes of each pair of forward and reverse traces and produces a measure of the depth to the refracting interface in units of time which is equivalent to the time‐depth function of the generalized reciprocal method (GRM). Convolution also multiplies the amplitudes of first‐arrival signals. To a good approximation, this operation compensates for the large effects of geometrical spreading, with the result that the convolved amplitude is essentially proportional to the square of the head coefficient. The signal‐to‐noise (S/N) ratios of the RCS show much less variation than those on the original shot records. The head coefficient is approximately proportional to the ratio of the specific acoustic impedances in the upper layer and in the refractor. The convolved amplitudes or the equivalent shot amplitude products can be useful in resolving ambiguities in the determination of wave speeds. The RCS can also include a separation between each pair of forward and reverse traces in order to accommodate the offset distance in a manner similar to the XY spacing of the GRM. The use of finite XY values improves the resolution of lateral variations in both amplitudes and time‐depths. The use of amplitudes with 3D data effectively improves the spatial resolution of wave speeds by almost an order of magnitude. Amplitudes provide a measure of refractor wave speeds at each detector, whereas the analysis of traveltimes provides a measure over several detectors, commonly a minimum of six. The ratio of amplitudes obtained with different shot azimuths provides a detailed qualitative measure of azimuthal anisotropy and, in turn, of rock fabric. The RCS facilitates the stacking of refraction data in a manner similar to the common‐midpoint methods of reflection seismology. It can significantly improve S/N ratios.Most of the data processing with the RCS, as with the GRM, is carried out in the time domain, rather than in the depth domain. This is a significant advantage because the realities of undetected layers, incomplete sampling of the detected layers and inappropriate sampling in the horizontal rather than the vertical direction result in traveltime data that are neither a complete, an accurate nor a representative portrayal of the wave‐speed stratification. The RCS facilitates the advancement of shallow refraction seismology through the application of current seismic reflection acquisition, processing and interpretation technology.     

Leveraging ensemble meteorological forcing data to improve parameter estimation of hydrologic models

As continental to global scale high-resolution meteorological datasets continue to be developed, there are sufficient meteorological datasets available now for modellers to construct a historical forcing ensemble. The forcing ensemble can be a collection of multiple deterministic meteorological datasets or come from an ensemble meteorological dataset. In hydrological model calibration, the forcing ensemble can be used to represent forcing data uncertainty. This study examines the potential of using the forcing ensemble to identify more robust parameters through model calibration. Specifically, we compare an ensemble forcing-based calibration with two deterministic forcing-based calibrations and investigate their flow simulation and parameter estimation properties and the ability to resist poor-quality forcings. The comparison experiment is conducted with a six-parameter hydrological model for 30 synthetic studies and 20 real data studies to provide a better assessment of the average performance of the deterministic and ensemble forcing-based calibrations. Results show that the ensemble forcing-based calibration generates parameter estimates that are less biased and have higher frequency of covering the true parameter values than the deterministic forcing-based calibration does. Using a forcing ensemble in model calibration reduces the risk of inaccurate flow simulation caused by poor-quality meteorological inputs, and improves the reliability and overall simulation skill of ensemble simulation results. The poor-quality meteorological inputs can be effectively filtered out via our ensemble forcing-based calibration methodology and thus discarded in any post-calibration model applications. The proposed ensemble forcing-based calibration method can be considered as a more generalized framework to include parameter and forcing uncertainties in model calibration.     

利用地震折射和反射波资料研究银川盆地浅部结构和隐伏断裂

银川盆地是华北克拉通西部构造活动较为强烈的一个新生代断陷盆地.为了研究银川盆地的地壳浅部结构和活动断裂特征,我们利用2014年在银川盆地完成的深地震反射剖面数据,采用初至波层析成像方法得到了银川盆地高精度的基底P波速度结构和构造形态;考虑到仅根据速度结构剖面还难以确定断裂的准确位置、断层上断点埋深、断层的近地表构造组合样式等特征,研究中还采用浅层地震反射波勘探方法对银川盆地内的隐伏断裂和1739年平罗8.0级地震的地表破裂带浅部结构进行了高分辨率成像.研究结果表明：银川盆地与两侧地块的浅层P波速度结构和沉积盖层厚度差异较大,银川盆地总体呈现出明显的低速结构特征,盆地基底面起伏变化较大,基底最深处位于芦花台断裂和银川断裂之间的银川市下方,其深度约为7000~7200 m;贺兰山隆起区显示为明显的高速特征,地表出露中-古生代基岩地层,缺失新生代地层;鄂尔多斯地块西缘的浅层P波速度明显高于银川盆地,基底埋深相对较浅,推测其新生界地层厚度小于2500 m.浅层地震反射剖面揭示的地层反射界面形态和断裂的浅部构造特征非常清楚,黄河断裂、贺兰山东麓断裂、银川断裂和芦花台断裂不仅是错断盆地基底的断裂,而且还是第四纪以来的隐伏活动断裂,这些断裂的交替活动形成了"堑中堑"的盆地结构,并对银川盆地的形成、盆地内的新生代地层厚度和第四纪沉降中心具有重要的控制作用;在近地表这些断裂表现为由2~3条断层组成的"Y字形"断裂构造,且主断裂的最新活动可追踪至晚更新世末期或全新世,是构造继承性活动的结果.本文的研究结果不仅可为进一步分析银川盆地的基底结构、隐伏断裂特征和活动构造研究等提供新的地震学证据,而且还可为该区城市规划中避让活动断层提供科学依据.     

Site effects in Mexico City: Constraints from surface wave inversion of shallow refraction data

In order to understand and simulate site effects on strong ground motion records of recent earthquakes in Mexico City, it is fundamental to determine the in situ elastic and anelastic properties of the shallow stratigraphy of the basin. The main properties of interest are the shear wave velocities and Q-quality factors and their correlation with similar parameters in zones of the city. Despite population density and paved surfaces, it is feasible to gather shallow refraction data to obtain laterally homogeneous subsoil structures at some locations. We focused our analysis in the Texcoco Lake region of the northeastern Mexico City basin. This area consists of unconsolidated clay sediments, similar to those of the lake bed zone in Mexico City, where ground motion amplification and long duration disturbances are commonly observed. We recorded Rayleigh and Love waves using explosive and sledgehammer sources and 4.5 Hz vertical and horizontal geophones, respectively. Additionally, for the explosive source, we recorded three-component seismograms using 1 Hz seismometers. We obtained phase velocity dispersion curves from ray parameter-frequency domain analyses and inverted them for vertical distribution of S wave velocity. The initial model was obtained from a standard first-break refraction analysis. We also obtained an estimation of the Q_S shear wave quality factor for the uppermost stratigraphy. Results compare well with tilt and cone penetrometer resistance measurements at the same test site, emphasizing the importance of these studies for engineering purposes.     

Distance measurement with the aid of electromagnetic waves

Distance measurement with the aid of electromagnetic waves permits the determination of sides of any length with an accuracy equal or superior to that of a base length plus angular measurements. In conjunction with the automation of measurement and calculation, geodesy is now able to determine quickly and with high accuracy positions on the Earth's surface, and of objects on the surface or in outer space. Therefore, these procedures are of high importance to all geosciences.The theoretical fundamentals of the measuring procedures are described first. The form of the path curve and the determination of a representative wave velocity along this path curve are dealt with. The principles of the measuring instruments are explained, and a survey is given of the electro-optic and microwave instruments now available. Possible applications of the measuring procedures in geodesy and other sciences are discussed and applications in use are described.An outlook is provided on the future development of geodetic procedures for which electromagnetic distance measurement will play an important part.     

Modeling of Rayleigh waves dispersion in the Sannio region (Southern Italy) from seismic active refraction data

Short period surface waves, recorded during a seismic refractionsurvey in the Sannio region (Southern Italy), have been modeled to infera shallow velocity model for the area. Based on the decrease of resolutionwith depth, due to the bias on group velocity estimates arising frominterference of the Rayleigh waves with higher modes, we carried out aprocedure of fitting, with synthetic seismograms, of selected filtered traceswith a gaussian filter, having a width at half height equal to 1 Hz and acentral frequency lying in the range [1,4] Hz. We estimated the likelihoodbetween synthetic and observed seismograms by measuring their semblance.In this way we were able to infer a more refined local velocity modelcharacterized by a high Vp and Vs vertical gradient in the sedimentarycover. Two ad hoc resolution studies, based on group velocity andamplitude data respectively, indicate that the local velocity model is a goodvelocity model also for the entire studied area. The increase in the numberof available data when using amplitude information allows us to make amore selective choice in the model parameter space (Vp and Vs of eachlayer) and to solve for the Vp/Vs ratio. The inferred Vp velocity in thehalf-space is equal to 2.8 km/s. This value is in excellent agreement withthat inferred by other authors (3 km/s) by modeling P-wave travel timevs. distance. The best-fit model furnish low Vp/Vs for the sedimentarycover so indicating a high degree of the sediment's compaction in thestudied area. The inferred shallow high-velocity gradient indicates thatthe shallow sedimentary layer in the area could trap and focus the energytraveling into it.     

The application of wave field continuation for seismic refraction

Based on wave equation a fundamental formula for plane wave propagaton is derived, the theoretical method of inverting wave volocity structure of earth interior through the observational wave field is discussed in this paper. The observational wave field can be decomposed into the surface plane wave field by using τ −p transform. The maximum amplitude curve in the plane wave field can show stably the change tendency of wave velocity with depth in the Earth. This property can be used to restrict the solution space. By using the wave field continuation method more useful information from the observational wave field can be extracted and the inverion solution not only can be obtained simply and quickly, but also is stable and less influenced by the subjective factor. The wave field continuation is a fine inversion method. Theoretical analysis and numerical modelling are carried out in the study of wave field continuation. By applying homomorphic decovolution the signal — to — noese ratio is improved. Finaly a sonar refraction profile in the northern part of the South China Sea is interpreted and computed. It is found as a result that there is a velocity interface from 1.76 km/s to 2.21 km/s at the depth of 1.4 km. The velocity gradients in the upper and lower layers are 0.54 km · s⁻¹/km and 0.63 km · s⁻¹/km respectively. A discussion of the characteristics of shallow sea structure in the view of tectonic movements is geven. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,13. 41–52, 1991.     

Crustal structure of the Reykjanes Ridge near 62°N,on the basis of seismic refraction and gravity data

Explosion deep seismic sounding data sections of high quality had been obtained with RV Meteor in the Reykjanes Iceland Seismic Project (RRISP77 [Angenheister, G., Gebrande, H., Miller, H., Goldflam, P., Weigel, W., Jacoby, W.R., Pálmason, G., Björnsson, S., Einarsson, P., Pavlenkova, N.I., Zverev, S., Litvinenko, I.V., Loncarecic, B., Solomon, S., 1980. Reykjanes Ridge Iceland Seismic Experiment (RRISP 77). J. Geophys. 47, 228–238]) which close an information gap near 62°N. Preliminary results were presented by Weigel [Weigel, W., 1980. Aufbau des Reykjanes Rückens nach refraktionsseismischen Messungen. In: Weigel, W. (Ed.), Reykjanes Rücken, Island, Norwegischer Kontinentalrand. Abschlusskolloquium, Hamburg zur Meteor-Expedition, vol. 45. DFG, Bonn, pp. 53–61], and here we report on the data and results of interpretation. Clear refracted phases to 90 km distance permit crustal and uppermost mantle structure to be modelled by ray tracing. The apparent P-wave velocities are around 4.5, 6–6.5, 7–7.6 and 8.2–8.7 km/s, but no wide-angle reflections have been clearly seen. Accompanying sparker reflection data reveal thin sediment ponds in the axial zone and up to 400 m thick sediments at 10 Ma crustal age. Ray tracing reveals the following model below the sediments: (1) a distinct, 1–2 km thick upper crust (layer 2A) with Vp increasing with age (to 10 Ma) from <3.4 to 4.9 km/s and with a vertical gradient of 0.1–0.2 km/s/km, (2) a lower crust or layer 3 beginning at depths of 2 (axis) to 4 km (10 Ma age) below sea level with 6.1–6.8 km/s and similar vertical gradients as above, (3) the lower crust bottoms at 5.2–9.5 km depth below sea level (0–10 Ma) with a marked discontinuity, underneath which (4) Vp rises from about 7.5–7.8 km/s (0–10 Ma) with a positive vertical gradient of, again, 0.1–0.2 km/s/km such that 8 km/s would be reached at 12 km and deeper near the axis. Our preferred interpretation is that the mantle begins at the distinct discontinuity (“Moho”), but a deeper “Moho” of Vp ≈ 8 km/s cannot be excluded. From Iceland southward to 60°N several experiments show a decrease of crustal thickness from 14 to 8 km. Velocity trends with age across the ridge reflect cooling and filling of cracks, and thickness trends probably suggest volcanic productivity variations as previously suggested.Gravity inversion concentrates on a profile across the ridge with the above seismic a priori information; with 0.2–0.5 km depth uncertainty it leads to a good fit (±2.5 mGal where seismic data exist). Best fitting densities are (in kg/m³) for sediments, 2180; upper crust, 2450–2570; lower crust, 2850–2940; mantle lithosphere, 3215–3240 with a deficit for an asthenospheric wedge of no more than −100 kg/m³. The morphological ridges and troughs superimposed on the SE ridge flank are partly correlated, partly anti-correlated with the Bouguer anomaly and suggest that variable crustal density variations accompany the morphology variations.     

The influence of lateral variations on seismic refraction interpretation

The effects of unsuspected lateral variation in seismic velocities at depth on the interpretation of a seismic refraction profile are discussed with the aid of a numerical experiment. The results show that there will be bias in any velocity depth models derived by travel time analysis based on the assumption of horizontally layered media. This bias is examined for a lithospheric profile using both extremal and linearised travel time inversion. In addition quite mild subsurvace topography can have an appreciable effect on the amplitude distribution along the profile.     

Crustal deformation of Asia-Pacific area determined by the GPS data of APRGP97～APRGP99

IntroductionSince 1997, Asia-Pacific Space Geodynamics (APSG) has carried out the survey campaigns every year called Asia and Pacific Regional Geodesy Project (APRGP) by means of various space technologies, such as Very Long Baseline Interferometry (VLBI), Satellite Laser Ranging (SLR), Global Position System (GPS), Doppler Orbitography and Radio-positioning Integrated by Satellite (DORIS), Precise Range and Range rate Equipment (PRARE), etc. Many countries in Asia and P…     

Hydrological and meteorological data from research catchments at the Marcell Experimental Forest,Minnesota, USA

The Marcell Experimental Forest (MEF) in northern Minnesota, USA, with hydrological research and monitoring of peatland catchments in a low-topographic relief landscape, contrasts with the mountainous terrain that typifies most research catchments. Six research catchments were instrumented and hydrological and meteorological monitoring was initiated during 1960. Paired-catchment studies, which started during 1969, have been used to assess land management and environmental change effects on forests, water availability, and biogeochemistry. Over the decades, the research and collaborations have proliferated to include new monitoring and ecosystem experiments. We provide an overview of available datasets and access information for hydrological and meteorological data. Data on streamflow, water table elevation, precipitation, snow, ground frost, air temperature, soil moisture, upland runoff, and water chemistry are discoverable with associated metadata and are archived through several Web-based, community repositories. The research programme is ongoing and we anticipate updates on an annual or more frequent basis. Additionally, we aim to release other physical, chemical, and isotopic measurements associated with long-term catchment monitoring and studies at the MEF.     

Artificial refraction of radiowaves in the ionosphere

A method to control the propagation of a frequency-modulated wave packet in the ionosphere with the use of the dispersive refraction effect is considered. The problem is solved in the spectral domain on the basis of the superposition principle. In this spectral approach, the dispersive refraction is considered as space–time focusing of the spectral components of the wave packet. Numerical results demonstrate the possibility to use the dispersive properties of the ionosphere for the creation of controlled radio channels.