Observation of recent tectonic movements by extensometers in the Pannonian Basin

In Hungary four extensometric observatories were established in the last two decades. The extensometers were installed primarily for observations of Earth tides. A 15-year continuous data series (1991–2005) was recorded at the Sopronbánfalva station and a 7-year record (1993–1999) was obtained at the Pécs station. The length of the measured continuous data series at the two other stations (Bakonya and Budapest) is only a few years. The long-term data records were also applied to the investigation of long-periodic deformations caused by recent tectonic movements. To get an insight into the present day tectonic processes on the margin of the Pannonian Basin, the measurement results of two additional stations (Vyhne in Slovakia and Beregovo in Ukraine) were also included into the investigations. The seasonal variations in the long data series due to temperature and air pressure effects were eliminated. The residual curve – after the correction of the seasonal effects and filtering the “high frequency” components (e.g. earthquakes, Earth tides, etc.) – contains the instrumental drift. It is impossible to determine this curve mathematically. It can be diminished by special instrumental solutions and by regular calibration of the instruments. This paper shows methods and possible solutions how the instrumental drift was investigated and eliminated in order to get the most reliable data for studying recent tectonic movements. The reliability of the extensometric measurements was tested by the tidal evaluation of the data series. The results of the observations show that the Pannonian Basin is under compressive stress. The strain rates measured by extensometers on the margin of the basin are about three orders of magnitude higher than the intra-plate strains obtained by GPS measurements. The reason for this large difference arises from the interaction between the plate boundary and intra-plate forces and from the different measurement techniques. Investigations showed that the rate of the tectonic movements varies, and depends on the local geographical and topographical conditions.     

New investigations or recent vertical movements in the Carpatho-Balkan region

Recent work concerning the investigation of vertical movements in the Carpatho-Balkan Region is reported, based on the “Explanatory Text to the Map of Recent Vertical Movements in the Carpatho-Balkan Region”.For this investigation, the following countries supplied information: Bulgaria, Czechoslovakia, GDR, Hungary, Poland, Romania, USSR, Austria, and Italy. The activities were coordinated by the Hungarian Geodetic Service. Hungary undertook the task of collecting the data, their preparation for adjustment, and the adjustment of the investigation network, as well as the compilation and publication of the map of vertical movement. The authors present the algorithm of the rigorous adjustment: the height differences of the second leveling have been adjusted jointly with the velocities derived from the first and second levelings.In this paper the applied geodetic and oceanographic data, as well as the main character of the investigation network are presented. The interpretation of the adjustment is outlined.The map of Recent Vertical Movements in the Carpatho-Balkan Region (CBR) is printed at the scale of 1:1,000,000.In general, it is claimed that due to the new methods of investigation, the new CBR map of vertical movements provides a better tool to help with further investigations.     

Maps of recent vertical crustal movements in Romania: Similarities and differences

A new map of recent crustal vertical movements (RCVM) in Romania, on the basis of high-precision geodetical measurements by the repeated levelling method, had become necessary firstly as a consequence of the great seismic event of March 4, 1977 with foci under the Vrancea Region (the most important seismic zone in the country) and secondly because many years had passed since the previous edition.Certainly, there are similitudes and differences between the two editions, and the authors will try to put these into evidence and explain them.The general view of the major geological units of Romania in both maps is the same: the mountain regions being zones of more or less continuous uplift, the plains showing subsidence movements and the plateau regions presenting a relative stability. Some modifications became apparent owing to the improvement of the national geodetical network on which the repeated levelling measurements were performed and following the choice of the Harbour of Constanţa as the fundamental point.     

A new determination of recent vertical movements of the Earth's crust in Poland

A new determination of recent vertical movements of the Earth's crust in Poland is described in this paper. It resulted from the joint adjustment of the network of repeated levelling in 7 countries of Eastern and Central Europe. The author presents the characteristics of the levelling data sets used (measurements made in 1953–1957 and 1974–1979), results of the repeated levelling, the method of determination of the recent crustal movements and of the preparation of the map at a scale of 1:2.500.000 presenting these movements for the area of the whole country. The results of the determination of the Earth's crustal movements are discussed, and causes of the prevailing appearance of sinking movements are suggested. Differences between the values of vertical movements of the Earth's crust obtained during various determinations are presented, as well as the maximum mean error of the difference between new and old determinations. The conformity of these determinations is assessed.     

The effect of a vertical temperature gradient in the lithosphere on seismic and tectonic waves

A linear analysis of the stability of the lithosphere considered as a viscoelastic layer with an equilibrium vertical gradient of temperature is carried out. The problem is solved with a complete system of linearized equations of a continuous medium represented in the dimensionless form and containing a set of dimensionless parameters that determine thermomechanical properties of the lithosphere. As a result of the stability analysis, decrements are found that give the time dependence of perturbations and correspond to high-frequency seismic waves and low-frequency tectonic waves. The frequency and velocity of seismic waves are determined by the elasticity and inertial properties of the lithosphere, and their attenuation, by viscous properties of the lithosphere. The temperature gradient existing in the lithosphere influences seismic waves very weakly. On the contrary, the pattern of tectonic waves is controlled by the temperature gradient and viscous properties, while the effect of elastic and inertial properties on these waves is negligibly small. The stability of a viscoelastic lithosphere is examined using such rheological models as the Maxwell, standard linear, and Andrade media (the frequency of tectonic waves is zero in the Maxwell medium).     

A rectified map of recent vertical surface movements in the West Carpathians in Slovakia

The first-order relevelling network in Slovakia (International Relevelling Program) was supplemented by second-order relevelling lines measured at the time of the International Relevelling Program (1973–1978) or after its completions, in order to gain more detailed information on the movement activity of the West Carpathians in Slovakia. Mathematical evaluation of relevelling results allowed of drawing a map of recent vertical movements in the region at the scale of 1:1,000,000.The Czechoslovak Uniform Levelling Network of 1947–1962 and the 2nd Czechoslovak Relevelling Network of 1973–1983 constitute the geodetic basis of the map. The relative annual movement velocities, as related to the Initial Fundamental Benchmark Pitelová near Žiar nad Hronom (approximately in the centre of Slovakia) are represented by isolines at intervals of 0.5 mm per year.An analysis of the map 1952–1977 indicates an overall subsidence of lowland regions with respect to the mountanous regions of the West Carpathiams. Central Carpathian morphostructures feature uplifts, with some regions appearing to be stable. Over the entire period under study, the maximal values of vertical movements were + 1.0 mm/year (uplifts) and -4.0 mm (subsidences), the total range being 5 mm/year.     

The relationship of recent vertical movements to the morphostructural pattern of the Kazakh shield

The geodetic data on recent vertical crustal movements within the Kazakh shields is in good correlation with its development in the Holocene (according to a study of juvenile river terraces); they point to gradual transition of the shield to the platform morphostructures of Western Siberia and a contrasting joining with the Central Asia orogenic belt. Small gradients of recent vertical movements dominate the shield. Moderate gradients are typical of local structures, whereas increased and extremely high gradients belong to active deep fault zones.     

Field experiment and numerical study on active vibration isolation by horizontal blocks in layered ground under vertical loading

In this paper, a series of field experiments were carried out to investigate the active vibration isolation for a surface foundation using horizontal wave impedance block (WIB) in a multilayered ground under vertical excitations. The velocity amplitude of ground vibration was measured and the root-mean-square (RMS) velocity is used to evaluate the vibration mitigation effect of the WIB. The influences of the size, the embedded depth and the shear modulus of the WIB on the vibration mitigation were also systematically examined under different loading conditions. The experimental results convincingly indicate that WIB is effective to reduce the ground vibration, especially at high excitation frequencies. The vibration mitigation effect of the WIB would be improved when its size and shear modulus increase or the embedded depth decreases. The results also showed that the WIB may amplify rather than reduce the ground vibration when its shear modulus is smaller or the embedded depth is larger than a threshold value. Meanwhile, an improved 3D semi-analytical boundary element method (BEM) combined with a thin layer method (TLM) was proposed to account for the rectangular shape of the used WIB and the laminated characteristics of the actual ground condition in analyzing the vibration mitigation of machine foundations. Comparisons between the field experiments and the numerical analyses were also made to validate the proposed BEM.     

重力垂直梯度的测定及其应用与潜力

近年来,随着重力垂直梯度测量精度的提高及间接推求方法的改善,它在地球科学的研究中的作用日益扩大,本文叙述了利用高精度重力仪直接测量垂直梯度的方法与注意事项,阐明了垂直梯度在地学研究中的意义与作用,其中包括(1)可以更精确测定大地水准面与正高;(2)可以更好探测地下的物质的分布及界面起伏;(3)可根据垂直梯度及形变资料反演场源及解释引起上述变化的动力机制.关于如何进一步发掘其潜力,这里也提出了建议.     

重力及其垂直梯度交叉约束联合密度结构反演方法

重力垂直梯度能突出浅部地质目标, 具有较高的水平分辨率, 而重力异常则可以更好地保留较深场源的信息, 重力与重力梯度联合勘探常用来获取不同深度场源的异常特征.本文提出重力及其垂直梯度交叉约束联合密度结构反演方法, 其采用交叉梯度实现重力与重力梯度数据联合反演, 并将二者单独反演结果作为归一化权函数约束联合反演过程.该方法可有效改善不同参量反演结果集中于异常变化较大区域的缺点, 提升不同深度场源的分辨率, 更加准确地揭示深部场源的分布.模型试验结果表明该方法能清晰恢复不同深度场源的密度结构分布特征, 且具有良好抗噪能力.针对辽源采空区勘查开展重力与其垂直梯度联合测量, 利用本文数据联合反演圈定出了6个采空区, 与以往已知矿点位置完全一致, 且与高密度电阻率法解释结果吻合良好, 为区域规划建设提供了准确的依据.此外, 我们还对长白山火山地区卫星重力及其梯度数据进行反演, 估计了岩浆囊的位置和范围, 且与前人地球物理勘探结果较为吻合, 进一步证明了本文方法的实用性.

     

The map of vertical crustal movements in Czechoslovakia and its interpretation

In addition to the measurements carried out in the framework of the 1973–1978 international relevellings, further levelling lines have been remeasured on the territory of Czechoslovakia till now. Considering all new relevellings on the region under study, an independent adjustment of annual velocities of vertical movements in whole network was performed. The values of vertical movements were determined relatively to the fundamental benchmark Želešice in the central part of Czechoslovakia, monumented in the bedrock of the southeastern border of the Bohemian Massif. The results are presented in a map of vertical movements and preliminarily interpreted in connection to the geological features of the territory under study.     

High-resolution crustal velocity structure in the Shanxi rift zone and its tectonic implications

The Shanxi rift zone, located in the Trans-North China Orogen(TNCO) of the North China Craton(NCC), is wellknown for hosting large intraplate earthquakes in continental China. The TNCO is a suture zone formed by the amalgamation of the eastern and the western blocks of the NCC. After its formation, it was reactived and deformed by later tectonic activities,which result in complex lithospheric heterogeneities. Thus, the detailed crustal structure of the Shanxi rift zone is critical for understanding the tectonics and seismogenic mechanism in this area, which will shed new lights on the formation and dynamic evolution of the NCC. In this study, we applied ambient noise tomography based on 18 months continuous records from 108 seismic stations located in Shanxi and its surroundings, in order to constrain its detailed crustal structure. We measured 4437 Rayleigh wave phase velocity dispersion curves in the period of 5–45 s from the cross-correlation functions. Next, a surface wave direct inversion algorithm based on surface-wave ray tracing was used to resolve a 3-D S-wave velocity model in the upper 60 km with lateral resolution of ～50–80 km. The tomographic images show that the sedimentary thickness of the Taiyuan Basin is less than 5 km. At depth of 0–10 km, we observe a good correlation between the imaged structural variations with geological and topographic features at the surface. For example, the center of rift shows low-velocity anomalies and the uplifting areas on both sides are characterized by high velocity anomalies. The western and eastern boundaries of the slow materials coincide with the faults that control the basin. The slow material extends from the shallow surface to depth of about 15 km but it getting smaller in shape at deeper depth. For the Taiyuan Basin, Linfen Basin, and Yuncheng Basin in the central and southern parts, the structure is dominant by slow materials in the upper crust but changes to strong high-velocity anomalies in the lower crust and the uppermost mantle at depth deeper than 25 km. We interprete these high-velocity anomalies to be associated with the cold remnant of the underplated basalt in the lower crust that were formed in early Tertiary before the basin was stretched. We also observe the low-velocity anomaly beneath the Datong volcanic area, which extends from the uppermost mantle to a depth of20 km vertically and migrates from west to east laterally. It may reflect the upwelling channel of the magmatic material in Datong. Moreover, the strong low-velocity anomalies presented north of 38°N could be related to the heated crustal materials with paritial melting as a result of the intensive magmatic activities of the Datong Volcano since the Cenozoic. In our study region, seismicity mainly concentrates in the depth range of 5–20 km and we find that most earthquakes appear to occur in places where velocity changes from high to low rapidly, with slight higher concentration in the faster material areas. In summary, our high-resolution 3-D crustal velocity model provides important seismological constraints to understand the tectonic evolution and seismicity across the Shanxi rift zone.     

秦祁接合带造山缝合带磁组构特征及其构造意义

结合构造及磁化率各向异性研究详细解剖了秦祁接合带唐藏—关子镇—武山和新阳—元龙造山缝合带的应变及岩组特征.41个采点168个构造岩样品的平均磁化率全部较低,磁化率椭球形态分析表明其以平面和压扁应变为主,磁化率各向异性度普遍较高,属强变形岩石组构类型,结合野外观察认为其与变形强度明显正相关.此外,磁化率各向异性参数T、P′可能受岩石类型一定程度的影响.磁化率椭球主轴方位与变形密切相关,提供了丰富的岩组信息.两构造带具有类似的岩组特征,磁面理大致分为呈共轭形态的两组,暗示高应变剪切带在平面上可能以网格状形态出露;高倾伏角磁面理与占优势的低倾伏角、近水平磁线理表明了构造带明显的走滑特征,部分高角度磁线理可能与构造带的挤压和（或）转换挤压相关;磁组方法不能简单用于判别复杂强变形带的运动指向,糜棱面理的复杂变化及Kmin与构造带夹角过高使其判别结果意义不明,而野外及显微构造观察都表明了构造带的右行走滑特征.上述结果表明,沿缝合带大规模的右行转换挤压形成了秦祁接合带反“S”型的平面构造形态,暗示在南北板块拼合过程中,西秦岭诸中、小块体一定程度的向西挤逸.     

Toward international cooperation in the study of recent crustal movements in Africa

How might an international plan for crustal-movement studies in Africa be implemented? This was the basic question underlying much of the discussion at the First International Symposium on Crustal Movements in Africa, convened in May 1981 in Addis Ababa at the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa. Three years later, in November/December 1984, the Second Symposium was held in Cairo, Egypt; and in April 1986, some outstanding questions were dealt with at the Third Symposium on Geodesy in Africa held in Yamoussoukro, Ivory Coast, and at the International Symposium on Global Changes in Africa during the Quaternary, held in Dakar, Senegal.The present state and possible development of recent crustal movement studies in Africa are discussed. Finally, the cooperation of all scientists interested in such studies is solicited.     

Field of tectonic stresses from focal mechanisms of earthquakes and recent crustal movements from GPS measurements in China

Orientations of the principal axes of the tectonic stress field reconstructed from seismological data on focal mechanisms of earthquakes and strain fields determined from GPS measurements in China are compared. The data of GPS measurements used in the paper were obtained by the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (about 1000 stations) in the period of 1998–2004. On the basis of information on the recent horizontal crustal motions, the strain field is calculated for the study territory by the finite element method. Calculations of the strain tensor using GPS data were carried out with a step of 1° in latitude and longitude. A catalog of earthquake focal mechanisms was used for the reconstruction of tectonic stress field components. Focal mechanisms of earthquakes were calculated with the use of seismological data on signs of first arrivals from the bulletin of the International Seismological Center. To estimate characteristics of the regional stress field, an approach based on the kinematic method proposed by O.I. Gushchenko was applied. The tectonic stress field was reconstructed in depth intervals of 0 < H < 35 km and 35 km < H < 70 km from data on focal mechanisms of earthquakes over the periods of 1998–2004 and 1985–2004. Comparison of directions of the principal strain axes at the surface (according to GPS measurements) and directions of the principal stress axes (reconstructed from focal mechanisms of earthquakes) showed their good convergence. Seismotectonic strains and GPS measurements coincide within a larger part of the territory. The coincidence is best in a depth interval of 0 < H < 35 km. Maximum misfit values are confined to areas of high 3-D gradients of strain axis directions and are possibly related to the structural heterogeneity of the region, zones with strains of the same type along both horizontal axes (compression or extension along all directions), or areas of small absolute values of recent horizontal movements. Areas with invariable directions of the stress axes are recognizable regardless of the depth of initial data. Good reproducibility of results obtained by two different methods made it possible to check the method of stress field reconstruction using data on focal mechanisms of earthquakes.     

A new version of the map of recent vertical crustal movements in the Carpatho-Balkan region based on the collocation method

The paper is concerned with the problem of adequate mapping of resulting discrete values of the movement velocity as a field. The authors used a statistical method (collocation) to represent measurement results for the Carpatho-Balkan region as a field of recent crustal movement velocity. The collocation method gives a possibility of avoiding a strong influence that the available geomorphological and geological knowledge of the area and individual notions of map-makers have on the drawing of isolines of velocity movements. The new version of the map of recent vertical movements in the Carpatho-Balkan region shows some notable differences from the 1979 version.     

垂直重力梯度反演Moho面的频谱域公式及其应用

通过求解引力相等原则下的Fredholm积分方程,可以得到不规则单一密度界面(Moho面)的起伏.本文充分参考了前人的理论研究,推导出扰动垂直重力梯度确定Moho面深度的频谱域表达式,该式具有二次项迭代精度.运用此公式进行了全球Moho面的恢复计算,并将该结果与CRUST1.0模型和GEMMA Moho模型进行了对比和验证.