New discoveries in dynamics of an M8 earthquake-phenomena and their implications from the 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake using a long term monitoring cabled observatory

At the 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake of M8, seafloor phenomena such as a generation process of tsunami, seafloor uplifts, turbidity current, etc., were observed using a cabled observatory installed on the seafloor. The turbidity current was observed as a benthic storm caused presumably by the mainshock. The seafloor uplifts were observed at the mainshock and continuously after the mainshock. The uplifts were 0.35, 0.37, and 0.12 m for epicentral distances of 25.5, 31.4, and 81.7 km, respectively. After the mainshock, a continuous uplift of the seafloor is observed at all three pressure gauge locations indicating that there was a change in the state of friction on the plate boundary interface by the mainshock. In this paper, we first show what was observed using the cabled observatory installed right above the focal area of the earthquake, and then we discuss to summarize these phenomena associated with the earthquake, its possible causes, and future directions in long term monitoring of seismogenic processes.     

Evaluation of tsunami impacts on shallow marine sediments: An example from the tsunami caused by the 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake, northern Japan

A combined approach of field geology and numerical simulation was conducted for evaluating the tsunami impacts on the shelf sediments. The 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake, M 8.0, that occurred on 25 September 2003 off southeastern Hokkaido, northern Japan, generated a locally destructive tsunami. Maximum run-up height of the tsunami waves reached 4 m above sea level. In order to estimate the tsunami impacts on shallow marine sediments, we compared pre- and post-tsunami marine sediments in water depths of 38–112 m in terms of grain size, sedimentary structure, and microfossil content. Decreases of fine fractions, especially finer than very fine sand, which led to coarsen the mean grain size, were detected in the inner shelf of the northern part of the study area. Foraminiferal assemblages also changed in the coarsened sediments. On the other hand, the other shelf sediments largely unchanged or slightly fined. We also simulated the tsunami wave velocity and direction, and grain size entrained by the modeled tsunami. The numerical simulation resulted in that the 2003 tsunami could transport very fine sand in water depths shallower than 45–95 m at the northern part of the study area. This is comparable with the actual grain-size changes after the tsunami had passed. However, some storms and tidal currents might also be possible to stir the surface sediments after the pre-tsunami survey, so we could not conclude that the grain-size changes had been caused only by the tsunami. Nevertheless, a combined approach of sampling and modeling was powerful for estimating the tsunami impacts under the sea.     

The 2003 Lefkada earthquake: Field observations and preliminary microzonation map based on liquefaction potential index for the town of Lefkada

A strong earthquake (Mw = 6.2) occurred offshore the island of Lefkada (or Lefkas) on August 14, 2003. The maximum intensity has been evaluated Io = VIII (EMS) at Lefkada municipality, while VI to VII+ intensities were evaluated at many other villages of the island. The offshore NNE-SSW oriented strike-slip right-lateral fault was activated by the main shock. This fault is the northern termination of the Cephalonia transform fault. The most characteristic macroseismic effects were extensive typical ground failures like rock falls, soil liquefactions, subsidence, densification, ground cracks and landslides. These macroseismic effects are remarkably similar to those reported from some historical Lefkada shocks, e.g. 1704, 1914 (Ms = 6.3) and 1948 (Ms = 6.5). Sand boils and ground fissures with ejection of mud were observed at the seaside of the town of Lefkada, and in the villages of Nydri and Vassiliki.In situ soil profiles are obtained based mainly on borings after the earthquake. Boreholes records with SPT values (standard penetration test) are obtained and the “simplified procedure” originally developed by Seed and Idriss was employed to evaluate the liquefaction resistance of soils. The results indicated that the silty sandy layer, which lies beneath the artificial fill in the coastal zone in Lefkada town, had liquefied during the 14 August Earthquake. An attempt was also made to establish a preliminary microzonation map for Lefkada town using the data from Liquefaction Potential Index analyses. Our map was validated by the occurrence of liquefaction phenomena inside the town.     

Structural characteristics off Miyagi forearc region, the Japan Trench seismogenic zone, deduced from a wide-angle reflection and refraction study

The Japan Trench subduction zone, located east of NE Japan, has regional variation in seismicity. Many large earthquakes occurred in the northern part of Japan Trench, but few in the southern part. Off Miyagi region is in the middle of the Japan Trench, where the large earthquakes (M > 7) with thrust mechanisms have occurred at an interval of about 40 years in two parts: inner trench slope and near land. A seismic experiment using 36 ocean bottom seismographs (OBS) and a 12,000 cu. in. airgun array was conducted to determine a detailed, 2D velocity structure in the forearc region off Miyagi. The depth to the Moho is 21 km, at 115 km from the trench axis, and becomes progressively deeper landward. The P-wave velocity of the mantle wedge is 7.9–8.1 km/s, which is typical velocity for uppermost mantle without large serpentinization. The dip angle of oceanic crust is increased from 5–6° near the trench axis to 23° 150 km landward from the trench axis. The P-wave velocity of the oceanic uppermost mantle is as small as 7.7 km/s. This low-velocity oceanic mantle seems to be caused by not a lateral anisotropy but some subduction process. By comparison with the seismicity off Miyagi, the subduction zone can be divided into four parts: 1) Seaward of the trench axis, the seismicity is low and normal fault-type earthquakes occur associated with the destruction of oceanic lithosphere. 2) Beneath the deformed zone landward of the trench axis, the plate boundary is characterized as a stable sliding fault plain. In case of earthquakes, this zone may be tsunamigenic. 3) Below forearc crust where P-wave velocity is almost 6 km/s and larger: this zone is the seismogenic zone below inner trench slope, which is a plate boundary between the forearc and oceanic crusts. 4) Below mantle wedge: the rupture zones of thrust large earthquakes near land (e.g. 1978 off Miyagi earthquake) are located beneath the mantle wedge. The depth of the rupture zones is 30–50 km below sea level. From the comparison, the rupture zones of large earthquakes off Miyagi are limited in two parts: plate boundary between the forearc and oceanic crusts and below mantle wedge. This limitation is a rare case for subduction zone. Although the seismogenic process beneath the mantle wedge is not fully clarified, our observation suggests the two possibilities: earthquake generation at the plate boundary overridden by the mantle wedge without serpentinization or that in the subducting slab.     

Quasi-static slip on the plate boundary associated with the 2003 M8.0 Tokachi-oki and 2004 M7.1 off-Kushiro earthquakes, Japan

We analyzed small repeating earthquakes recorded over a 13-year period and GPS data recorded over an 8-month period to estimate interplate quasi-static slip associated with the 2003 Tokachi-oki earthquake (M8.0) and the 2004 off-Kushiro earthquake (M7.1). The repeating-earthquake analysis revealed that the slip rate near the source region of the Tokachi-oki earthquake was relatively low (< 5 cm/year) prior to the earthquake; however, in the last 3 years leading up to the event, a minor acceleration in slip occurred upon the deeper extension of the coseismic slip area of the earthquake. Repeating-earthquake and GPS data indicate that large amounts of afterslip occurred around the rupture area following the earthquake; the afterslip mainly propagated to the east of the coseismic slip area. We also infer that the occurrence of the 2004 off-Kushiro earthquake, located about 100 km northeast of the epicenter of the Tokachi-oki earthquake, was advanced by the afterslip associated with the Tokachi-oki earthquake.     

Geometry of the fault zone of the 2003 Ms = 7.5 Chuya earthquake and associated stress fields, Gorny Altai

The co-seismic deformations produced during the September 27, 2003 Chuya earthquake (Ms = 7.5) that affected the Gorny Altai, Russia, are described and discussed along a 30 km long segment. The co-seismic deformations have manifested themselves both in unconsolidated sediments as R- and R′-shears, extension fractures and contraction structures, and in bedrock as the reactivation of preexisting schistosity zones and individual fractures, as well as development of new ruptures and coarse crushing zones. It has been established that the pattern of earthquake ruptures represents a typical fault zone trending NW–SE with a width reaching 4–5 km and a dextral strike–slip kinematics. The initial stress field that produced the whole structural pattern of co-seismic deformations during the Chuya earthquake, is associated with a transcurrent regime with a NNW–SSE, almost N–S, trending of compressional stress axis (σ₁), and a ENE–WSW, almost E–W, trending of tensional stress axis (σ₃). The state of stress in the newly-formed fault zone is relatively uniform. The local stress variations are expressed in insignificant deviation of σ₁ from N–S to NW–SE or NE–SW, in short-term fluctuations of relative stress values in keeping their spatial orientations, or in a local increase of the plunge angle of the σ₁. The geometry of the fault zone associated with the Chuya earthquake has been compared with the mechanical model of fracturing in large continental fault zones with dextral strike–slip kinematics. It is apparent that the observed fracture pattern corresponds to the late disjunctive stage of faulting when the master fault is not fully developed but its segments are already clearly defined. It has been shown that fracturing in widely different rocks follows the common laws of the deformation of solid bodies, even close to the Earth surface, and with high rates of movements.     

Characterization of slip zone associated with the 1999 Taiwan Chi-Chi earthquake: X-ray CT image analyses and microstructural observations of the Taiwan Chelungpu fault

To characterize the fault-related rocks within the Chelungpu fault, we performed X-ray computed tomography (CT) image analyses and microstructural observations of Hole B core samples from the Taiwan Chelungpu-fault Drilling Project. We identified the slip zone associated with the 1999 Chi-Chi earthquake, within the black gouge zone in the shallowest major fault zone, by comparison with previous reports. The slip zone was characterized by low CT number, cataclastic (or ultracataclastic) texture, and high possibility to have experienced a mechanically fluidized state. Taking these characteristics and previous reports of frictional heating in the slip zone into consideration, we suggested that thermal pressurization was the most likely dynamic weakening mechanism during the earthquake.     

长诏断裂带垂直运动与地震关系初探

利用跨断层短水准资料分析了长诏断裂带断层活动特征,结果表明:长诏断裂带总体活动性质基本相同,分时段活动性质有所不同。断层各段多数以压性逆断为主,不同于历史地质考察结果。此外,长诏断裂带各断裂都具有分段活动特点。     

Fracture-zone conditions on a recently active fault: insights from mineralogical and geochemical analyses of the Hirabayashi NIED drill core on the Nojima fault, southwest Japan, which ruptured in the 1995 Kobe earthquake

An 1800-m-deep borehole into the Nojima fault zone was drilled at Nojima-Hirabayashi, Japan, after the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake. Three possible fracture zones were detected at depths of about 1140, 1300, and 1800 m. To assess these fracture zones in this recently active fault, we analyzed the distributions of fault rocks, minerals, and chemical elements in these zones. The central fault plane in the shallowest fracture zone was identified by foliated blue-gray gouge at a depth of 1140 m. The degree of fracturing was evidently greater in the hanging wall than in the footwall. Minerals detected in this zone were quartz, orthoclase, plagioclase, and biotite, as in the parent rock (granodiorite), and also kaolinite, smectite, laumontite, stilbite, calcite, ankerite, and siderite, which are related to hydrothermal alteration. Biotite was absent in both the hanging wall and footwall across the central fault plane, but it was absent over a greater distance from the central fault plane in the hanging wall than in the footwall. Major element compositions across this zone suggested that hydrothermal alteration minerals such as kaolinite and smectite occurred across the central fault plane for a greater distance in the hanging wall than in the footwall. Similarly, H₂O+ and CO₂ had higher concentrations in the hanging wall than in the footwall. This asymmetrical distribution pattern is probably due to the greater degree of wall–rock fracturing and associated alteration in the hanging wall. We attributed the characteristics of this zone to fault activity and fluid–rock interactions. We analyzed the other fracture zones along this fault in the same way. In the fracture zone at about 1300 m depth, we detected the same kinds of hydrothermal alteration minerals as in the shallower zone, but they were in fewer samples. We detected relatively little H₂O+ and CO₂, and little evidence for movement of the major chemical elements, indicating little past fluid–rock interaction. In the fracture zone at about 1800 m depth, H₂O+ and CO₂ were very enriched throughout the interval, as in the fracture zone at about 1140 m depth. However, smectite was absent and chlorite was present, indicating the occurrence of chloritization, which requires a temperature of more than 200 °C. Only smectite can form under the present conditions in these fracture zones. The chloritization probably occurred in the past when the fracture zone was deeper than it is now. These observations suggest that among the three fracture zones, that at about 1140 m depth was the most activated at the time of the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake.     

Pre-seismic, co-seismic and post-seismic displacements associated with the Bhuj 2001 earthquake derived from recent and historic geodetic data

The 26th January 2001 Bhuj earthquake occurred in the Kachchh Rift Basin which has a long history of major earthquakes. Great Triangulation Survey points (GTS) were first installed in the area in 1856–60 and some of these were measured using Global Positioning System (GPS) in the months of February and July 2001. Despite uncertainties associated with repairs and possible reconstruction of points in the past century, the re-measurements reveal pre-seismic, co-seismic and post-seismic deformation related to Bhuj earthquake. More than 25 Μ-strain contraction north of the epicenter appears to have occurred in the past 140 years corresponding to a linear convergence rate of approximately 10 mm/yr across the Rann of Kachchh. Motion of a single point at Jamnagar 150 km south of the epicenter in the 4 years prior to the earthquake, and GTS-GPS displacements in Kathiawar suggests that pre-seismic strain south of the epicenter was small and differs insignificantly from that measured elsewhere in India. Of the 20 points measured within 150 km of the epicenter, 12 were made at existing GTS points which revealed epicentral displacements of up to 1 m, and strain changes exceeding 30 Μ-strain. Observed displacements are consistent with reverse co-seismic slip. Re-measurements in July 2001 of one GTS point (Hathria) and eight new points established in February reveal post-seismic deformation consistent with continued slip on the Bhuj rupture zone.     

来自新疆皮山县克里阳剖面磷灰石裂变径迹记录的启迪——对塔里木地块现今向西昆仑山体俯冲的疑义

皮山县克里阳剖面是塔南坳陷带中—新生界发育最为完整、变形现象最具代表性的剖面。系统的磷灰石裂变径迹分析表明,上白垩统—中新统砂岩样品的平均径迹年龄均大于相应的地层时代,样品的P(x2)大部分小于0.1%,说明不属于同组年龄。磷灰石单颗粒径迹年龄最大值为180～190Ma,最小年龄为10～20Ma,峰值年龄为80～90Ma和50～70Ma,磷灰石的平均径迹长度为(10.82±2.01)～(9.06±2.01)μm。径迹记录表明晚白垩世至中新世时期,沉积层的主体部分并未下沉到达磷灰石的退火带深度而导致早期径迹记录的全部消失。说明新生代时期,特别是新近纪以来,尽管西昆仑造山带存在强烈的热构造作用,山前坳陷带也发生了构造沉降,但并不存在塔里木地块向西昆仑山体的大规模的陆内俯冲作用,总体看塔南坳陷带的下插深度并未超过7km(磷灰石的退火带深度)。     

Mechanism of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake (Mw 9.0) and tsunami: Insight from seismic tomography

To clarify the generating mechanism of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake (Mw 9.0) and the induced tsunami, we determined high-resolution tomographic images of the Northeast Japan forearc. Significant lateral variations of seismic velocity are visible in the megathrust zone, and most large interplate thrust earthquakes are found to occur in high-velocity (high-V) areas. These high-V zones may represent high-strength asperities at the plate interface where the subducting Pacific plate and the overriding Okhotsk plate are coupled strongly. A shallow high-V zone with large coseismic slip near the Japan Trench may account for the mainshock asperity of the 2011 Tohoku-oki earthquake. Because it is an isolated asperity surrounded by low-velocity patches, most stress on it was released in a short time and the plate interface became decoupled after the Mw 9.0 earthquake. Thus the overriding Okhotsk plate there was shot out toward the Japan Trench and caused the huge tsunami.     

俯冲板片中微量元素的活动性:西天山榴辉岩相运输脉的制约

西天山的基性高压变质岩显示互相连接的榴辉岩相脉体网络来源于蓝片岩的进变质脱水作用,通过这些网脉可以洞察在俯冲带高压条件下远程流体流动中的流体-岩石相互作用和元素负载。岩相学证据表明外来流体的渗透作用产生运输脉,而流体持续的沟道式流动导致主岩蓝片岩的淋滤。脉和蓝片岩蚀变带中锂(Li)的含量几乎是蓝片岩主岩中锂的两倍,它支持流体是外部来源的设想。这些流体触发了蓝片岩主岩的榴辉岩化作用而形成蓝片岩蚀变带。由于成脉流体中的微量元素含量低,所以导致与流体发生化学反应的主岩中所有微量元素的强烈淋滤。在此过程中有53%~81%的微量元素被活化,与大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素的损失相符合,它们的损失量几乎是重稀土元素和高场强元素损失量的两倍。     

Intrinsic and scattering attenuation in western India from aftershocks of the 26 January, 2001 Kachchh earthquake

176 vertical-component, short period observations from aftershocks of the M_w 7.7, 26 January, 2001 Kachchh earthquake are used to estimate seismic wave attenuation in western India using uniform and two layer models. The magnitudes (M_w) of the earthquakes are less than 4.5, with depths less than 46 km and hypocentral distances up to 110 km. The studied frequencies are between 1 and 30 Hz. Two seismic wave attenuation factors, intrinsic absorption (Q_i^− 1) and scattering attenuation (Q_s^− 1) are estimated using the Multiple Lapse Time Window method which compares time integrated seismic wave energies with synthetic coda wave envelopes for a multiple isotropic scattering model. We first assume spatial uniformity of Q_i^− 1, Q_s^− 1 and S wave velocity (β). A second approach extends the multiple scattering hypothesis to media consisting of several layers characterized by vertically varying scattering coefficient (g), intrinsic absorption strength (h), density of the media (ρ) and shear wave velocity structure. The predicted coda envelopes are computed using Monte Carlo simulation. Results show that, under the assumption of spatial uniformity, scattering attenuation is greater than intrinsic absorption only for the lowest frequency band (1 to 2 Hz), whereas intrinsic absorption is predominant in the attenuation process at higher frequencies (2 to 30 Hz). The values of Q obtained range from Q_t = 118, Q_i = 246 and Q_s = 227 at 1.5 Hz to Q_t ≈ 4000, Q_i ≈ 4600 and Q_s ≈ 33,300 at 28 Hz center frequencies, being Q_t^− 1 a measure of total attenuation. Results also show that Q_i^− 1, Q_s^− 1 and Q_t^− 1 decrease proportional to f^−ν. Two rates of decay are clearly observed for the low (1 to 6 Hz) and high (6 to 30 Hz) frequency ranges. Values of ν are estimated as 2.07 ± 0.05 and 0.44 ± 0.09 for total attenuation, 1.52 ± 0.21 and 0.48 ± 0.09 for intrinsic absorption and 3.63 ± 0.07 and 0.06 ± 0.08 for scattering attenuation for the low and high frequency ranges, respectively. Despite the lower resolution in deriving the attenuation parameters for a two layered crust, we find that scattering attenuation is comparable to or smaller than the intrinsic absorption in the crust whereas intrinsic absorption dominates in the mantle. Also, for a crustal layer of thickness 42 km, intrinsic absorption and scattering estimates in the crust are lower and greater than those of the mantle, respectively.     

Rupture mechanism of the 1993 Killari earthquake, India: constraints from aftershocks and static stress change

The Killari earthquake of September 29, 1993 (Mw=6.2) in peninsular India triggered several aftershocks that were recorded by a network of 21 stations. We computed the change in regional static stress caused by coseismic slip on the earthquake rupture and correlated it with the aftershocks with a view to constrain some of the rupture parameters of this earthquake. We evaluated the six available estimates of fault plane solutions for this earthquake and concluded that reverse slip on a 42° dipping, N112° trending fault, which extends up to the surface from a depth of 7 km, produces maximum correlation between the increased static stress and aftershock distribution. Our analysis suggests that the majority of coseismic slip occurred on the part of the rupture that lies in the depth range of 3–6.5 km.     

索伦-林西缝合带北缘构造属性：来自内蒙古扎鲁特旗北部寿山沟组变沉积岩及其安山岩透镜体的制约

本文选择扎鲁特旗北部达巴艾勒地区出露的一套下二叠统寿山沟组变沉积岩及其安山岩透镜体作为研究对象,在野外地质调查的基础上,通过岩相学、年代学、岩石地球化学等方面的系统研究,深入探讨索伦-林西缝合带北缘晚古生代的构造属性。下二叠统寿山沟组变质沉积岩LA-ICP-MS锆石U-Pb测年结果显示其最小峰值年龄为282.3±4.2Ma和285.9±5.6Ma,限定了沉积下限为早二叠世,另外还含有少量400~500Ma以及个别700~800Ma、1700Ma的单颗粒碎屑锆石年龄,表明其物源区主要来自于北侧的锡林浩特岩浆弧。碎屑锆石年龄图谱反映其沉积背景为汇聚背景下的弧前盆地。地球化学特征表明寿山沟组变质沉积岩物源主要来自中酸性岩浆岩源区,形成于大陆岛弧环境。该套沉积岩中的晚石炭世安山岩透镜体锆石U-Pb测年结果为304.9±4.7Ma,地球化学特征显示其具有高镁安山岩特征,为俯冲洋壳释放含水流体交代地幔楔发生部分熔融的产物,形成于大陆边缘弧构造背景。综合分析,索伦-林西缝合带北缘在晚石炭世-早二叠世处于洋内俯冲向洋陆俯冲过渡的转换环境。

     

Ground Surface Ruptures and Near‐Fault,Large‐Scale Displacements Caused by the Wenchuan Ms8.0 Earthquake Derived from Pixel Offset Tracking on Synthetic Aperture Radar Images

The 12 May 2008 Wenchuan Ms8.0 earthquake produced surface displacements along the causative fault, the Yingxiu–Beichuan Fault, which are up to several meters near the fault. Because of the large gradient, satellite synthetic aperture radar (SAR) interferometric data are strongly incoherent; the usual SAR interferometry method does not allow such displacements to be measured. In the present study, we employed another approach, the technique based on pixel offset tracking, to solve this problem. The used image data of six tracks are from the Advanced Land Observing Satellite, Phased Array type L-band Synthetic Aperture Radar (ALOS/ PALSAR) dataset of Japan. The results show that the entire surface rupture belt is 238 km long, extending almost linearly in a direction of 42° north–east. It is offset left laterally by a north–west-striking fault at Xiaoyudong, and turns at Gaochuan, where the rupture belt shifts toward the south by 5 km, largely keeping the original trend. In terms of the features of the rupture traces, the rupture belt can be divided into five sections and three types. Among them, the Beichuan–Chaping and Hongkou–Yingxiu sections are relatively complex, with large widths and variable traces along the trend. The Pingtong–Nanba and Qingping–Jingtang sections appear uniform, characterized by straight traces and small widths. West of Yingxiu, the rupture traces are not clear. North of the rupture belt, surface displacements are 2.95 m on average, mostly 2–3.5 m, with 7–9 m the maximum near Beichuan. South of the rupture belt, the average displacement is 1.75 m, dominated by 1–2 m, with 3–4 m at a few sites. In the north, the displacements in the radar line of sight are of subsidence, and in the south, they are uplifted, in accordance with a right-slip motion that moves the northern wall of the fault to the east, and the southern wall to the west, respectively. Along the Guanxian–Jiangyou Fault, there is a uplift zone in the radar line of sight, which is 66 km long, 1.5–6 km wide, and has vertical displacements of approximately 2 m, but no observable rupture traces.     

云南下侏罗统禄丰组恐龙足迹的发现和张北足迹属新观察

记述了云南省禄丰县腰站乡下侏罗统禄丰组2个恐龙足迹,命名了棋盘张北足迹（Changpeipus pareschequier ichnosp. nov.）一新种。这是在禄丰组中首次发现恐龙足迹化石,重新观察并修订了张北足迹一属的属征。滦平张北足迹（Changpeipus luanpingeris）应为石炭张北足迹（Changpeipus carbonicus）的亚成年个体,为同物异名。此前被认为是石炭张北足迹（Changpeipus carbonicus）前足迹的IVPP V2472 2a,应为其未成年体的后足迹。张北足迹与卡岩塔足迹（Kayentapus）类似。综合种种特征,棋盘张北足迹（新种）的造迹恐龙很可能为禄丰组的腔骨龙类（Coelophysoidea）     

雅鲁藏布江缝合带白朗县白岗尖晶石—石榴子石相二辉橄榄岩的相界反应及其意义

西藏白朗县白岗村蛇绿混杂岩中有一罕见的尖晶石石榴子石二辉橄榄岩小岩块,被松软的蛇纹岩化尖晶石二辉橄榄岩包裹其中。岩块中发育有碎基单斜辉石、斜方辉石中出溶单斜辉石、切过出溶单斜辉石的贯入单斜辉石和外来碎粒单斜辉石及钙质辉石+铬尖晶石→钙铁石榴子石相界反应。同时,在岩块和包壳岩石的橄榄石中出现针状硅镁石出溶物。计算这些矿物的温度压力表明,它们的温度压力都处于>800℃,>1.8GPa以上的地幔石榴子石域超高压环境,而且,经历过一个上升→俯冲→上升的"N"字形历程。     

Vp/Vs ratio along the Vøring Margin, NE Atlantic, derived from OBS data: implications on lithology and stress field

A total of 13 regional Ocean Bottom Seismograph (OBS) profiles with an accumulated length of 2207 km acquired on the Vøring Margin, NE Atlantic have been travel time modelled with regards to S-waves. The V_p/V_s ratios are found to decrease with depth through the Tertiary layers, which is attributed to increased compaction and consolidation of the rocks. The V_p/V_s ratio in the intra-Campanian to mid-Campanian layer (1.75–1.8) in the central Vøring Basin is significantly lower than for the layers above and beneath, suggesting higher sand/shale ratio. This layer was confirmed by drilling to represent a layer of sandstone. This mid-Cretaceous ‘anomaly’ is also present in the northern Vøring Basin, as well as on the southern Lofoten Margin further north. The V_p/V_s ratio in the extrusive rocks on the Vøring Plateau is estimated to be 1.85, conformable with mafic (basaltic) rocks. Landward of the continent/ocean transition (COT), the V_p/V_s ratio in the layer beneath the volcanics is estimated to be 1.67–1.75. These low values suggest that this layer represents sedimentary rocks, and that the sand/shale ratio might be relatively high here. The V_p/V_s ratio in the crystalline basement is estimated to be 1.67–1.75 in the basin and on the landward part of the Vøring Plateau, indicating the presence of granitic/granodioritic continental crust. In the lower crust, the V_p/V_s ratio in the basin decreases uniformly from southwest to northeast, from 1.85–1.9 to 1.68–1.73, suggesting a gradual change from mafic (gabbroic) to felsic (granodioritic) lower crust. Significant (3–5%) azimuthal S-wave anisotropy is observed for several sedimentary layers, as well as in the lower crust. All these observations can be explained by invoking the presence of liquid-filled microcracks aligned vertically along the direction of the present day maximum compressive stress (NW–SE).