GPS Height and Gravity Variations Due to Ocean Tidal Loading Around Taiwan

This study presents predicts ocean tidal loading (OTL) effects using a Green’s function approach and validates a novel tidal model for Taiwan. Numerical integration of OTL is performed using the Gauss quadrature method and a local tidal model for the inner zone and a global model for the outer zone. Observed time series of GPS-derived vertical displacements and gravity variations (3–7 days) at five co-located GPS-gravimeter stations along the South East China and Taiwan coasts were utilized to assess the accuracy of the proposed models and two other models. The OTL-induced gravity variations are 3–16 μgal and the vertical site displacements are 13–27 mm. Generally, an OTL model using a mixed global and local tidal model generates better agreement with the observations than an OTL model using a global tidal model only. However, containing a local model inside a global model does not always produce a good agreement with the observations. The relatively large discrepancies between modeled and observed OTL values at some stations indicate that there is a need for an improved local tidal model in the study area. An erratum to this article can be found at     

Interaction of waves,currents and tides,and wave-energy impact on the beach area of Sylt Island

Erosion due to waves is an important and actual problem for most coastal areas of the North Sea. The objective of this study was to estimate the impact of wave action on the coastline of Sylt Island. From a 2-year time series (November 1999 to October 2001) of hydrological and wave parameters generated with a coupled wave–current modelling system, a period comprising storm ‘Anatol’ (3–4 December 1999) is used to investigate the effects of waves on currents and water levels and the input of wave energy into the coastline. The wave-induced stress causes an increase of the current velocity of 1 m/s over sand and an additional drift along the coast of about 20 cm/s. This produces a water level increase of more than 20 cm in parts of the tidal basin. The model system also calculates the wave energy input into the coastline. Scenario runs for December 1999 with a water level increase of 50 cm and wind velocity increased by 10% show that the input of the wave energy into the west coast of Sylt Island increases by 30% compared to present conditions. With regard to the forecasted near-future (Woth et al., Ocean Dyn 56:3–15, 2006) increase of strong storm surges, the scenario results indicate an increased risk of coastal erosion in the surf zone of Sylt Island.     

Sediment Thicknesses and Q<Subscript>s</Subscript> vs. Q<Subscript>p</Subscript> Relations in the Kachchh Rift Basin,Gujarat, India Using Sp Converted Phases

Delineation of the top sedimentary structure and its Q_s vs. Q_p relationship using the travel-time difference of direct S and converted Sp phase is key to understanding the seismic hazard of any sedimentary basin area. We constructed filtered displacement waveforms from local ETNA Episensor acceleration recordings as well as local velocity recordings of aftershocks of the 2001 Bhuj earthquake recorded by the Kachchh seismological network of the National Geophysical Research Institute (NGRI), Hyderabad, India during 2001–2004. Stations are within 15–70km of epicenters, and the resulting displacement waveforms are generally simple, displaying prominent P, Sp, and S wave pulses. Particle motion of P and S waves suggest near-vertical raypaths consistent with preliminary depth estimates. The direct S wave on the horizontal component is characterized by lower frequency content than the converted Sp phase on the vertical component. This difference in frequency content between S and Sp phases can be explained in terms of different attenuation effects for P and S waves in the unconsolidated sediments. The Sp phase is generated by S-to-P phase conversion at the base of Mesozoic sediments of the Kachchh basin. Travel-time inversion (VELEST) of 2565 P and 2380 S arrivals from 658 well located aftershocks recorded at 8–14 three-component local seismic stations led to 1 D velocity models indicated very slow sediments in the upper 0–2 km depth range (Vp: 2.92 km/s and Vs: 0.90 km/s) and an increasing trend of velocities with depth at 2–40 km depth. The estimated sediment thicknesses beneath 12 accelerograph and 6 seismograph sites from the estimated velocity model and the travel-time difference between S and converted Sp phases reaches a maximum of (1.534 ± 0.117) km beneath Bandri (near the location of 2001 Bhuj mainshock) and attains a minimum sediment thickness of (0.858 ± 0.104) km beneath Ramvav and Burudia. The spectral ratios between Sp and S from 159 three-component accelerograms have been used to study seismic wave attenuation in the Kachchh rift basin. The estimated Q_s vs. Q_p relations for 12 accelerograph sites vary from Q_s = 0.184 Q_p (at Chobari) to Q_s = 0.505 Q_p (at Dudhai). For stations Chobari, Chopdwa, Jahawarnagar, Vondh and Tapar, the spectral ratio slopes and hence the calculated Q_s vs. Q_p relations are effectively the same, and the correlation coefficients are quite high (0.91–0.93). Stations Adhoi, Manfara, New Dudhai, Dudhai and Sikara have similar Q_s vs. Q_p relationships to each other and also have high correlation coefficients (0.78–0.87). The spectral ratios for stations Anjar and Ramvav are small and poorly constrained, resulting in less reliable Q_s vs. Q_p relations. This could be due to noisy data, fewer available waveforms, or scattering due to velocity heterogeneities and/or interface irregularities.     

Regimes of magma recharge and their control on the eruptive behaviour during the period 2001–2005 at Mt. Etna volcano

Mount Etna volcano (Italy) during the period 2001–2005 has undergone a period of intense eruptive activity marked by three large eruptions (2001, 2002–2003 and 2004–2005). These eruptions encompassed diverse eruptive styles and regimes: from intensely explosive, during 2001 and 2002–2003 eruptions, to exclusively effusive in the 2004–2005 event. In this work, we put forward the idea that these three eruptions are the response of the progressive arrival into the uppermost segment of the open-conduit system of a new magma, which was geochemically distinct in terms of trace element and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope signature from the products previously emitted by the Etnean volcano. The magma migrated upwards mainly through a peripheral tectonic system, which can be considered as eccentric in spite of its relative proximity to the main system. The ingress of the new magma and its gradual displacement from the eccentric system into the uppermost sector of the open-conduit gave rise to different eruptive behaviours. At the beginning, the ascent of the undegassed magma, able to exsolve a gas phase at depth, and its interaction with closed-system magma reservoirs less than 10 km deep gave rise to the explosive events of 2001 and 2002–2003. Later, when the same magma entered into the open-conduit system, it took part in the steady-state degassing and partially lost its volatile load, leading to a totally effusive eruption during the 2004–2005 event. One further consideration highlighted here is that in 2001–2005, migration of the feeding axis from an eccentric and peripheral position towards the main open-conduit has led to the development of a new vent (South East Crater 2) located at the eastern base of the South East Crater through which most of the subsequent Etnean activity occurred.     

An interval-valued fuzzy linear programming with infinite ��-cuts method for environmental management under uncertainty

In this study, an interval-valued fuzzy linear programming with infinite α-cuts (IVFLP-I) method is developed for municipal solid waste (MSW) management under uncertainty. IVFLP-I can not only tackle uncertainties expressed as intervals and interval-valued fuzzy sets, but also take all fuzzy information into account by discretizing infinite α-cut levels to the interval-valued fuzzy membership functions. Through adoption of the interval-valued fuzzy sets, IVFLP-I can directly communicate information of waste managers’ confidence levels over various subjective judgments into the optimization process. Compared to the existing methods in which only finite α-cut levels exist, IVFLP-I would have enhanced the robustness in the optimization efforts. A MSW management problem is studied to illustrate the applicability of the proposed method. Four groups of optimal solutions can be obtained through assigning different intervals of α-cut levels. The results indicate that wider intervals of α-cut levels could lead to a lower risk level of constraint violation associated with a higher system cost; contrarily, narrower intervals of α-cut levels could lead to a lower cost with a higher risk of violating the constraints. The solutions under different intervals of α-cut levels can support in-depth analyses of tradeoffs between system costs and constraint-violation risks.     

Major-ion bulk deposition around an active volcano (Mt. Etna, Italy)

Bulk atmospheric deposition of major cations (Na, K, Ca, Mg) and anions (Cl, F, SO₄) were measured at 15 sites around an active volcano, Mount Etna, from 2001 to 2003. Their composition indicates several natural sources, among which deposition of plume-derived volcanogenic gas compounds is prevalent for F, Cl and S. Plume-derived acidic compounds are also responsible for the prevailing acidic composition of the samples collected on the summit of the volcano (pH in the 2.45–5.57 range). Cation species have complex origin, including deposition of plume volcanogenic ash and aerosols and soil-dust wind re-suspension of either volcanic or carbonate sedimentary rocks. Variation of the deposition rates during the March 2001–March 2003 period, coupled with previous measurements from 1997 to 2000 (Appl Geochem 16:985–1000, 2001), were compared with the variation of SO₂ flux, volcanic activity and rainfall. The deposition rate was mainly controlled by rainfall. Commonly, about 0.1–0.9% of HF, HCl and SO₂ emitted by the summit crater's plume were deposited around the volcano. We estimate that ∼2 Gg of volcanogenic sulphur were deposited over the Etnean area during the 2002–2003 flank eruption, at an average rate of ∼24 Mg day⁻¹ which is two orders of magnitude higher than that typical of quiescent degassing phases.     

Elastic model for the gravity and elevation changes before the 2001 eruption of Etna volcano

For 5 months before the 2001 Mt. Etna eruption, a progressive gravity decrease was measured along a profile of stations on the southern slope of the volcano. Between January and July 2001, the amplitude of the change reached 80 μGal, while the wavelength of the anomaly was of the order of 15 km. Elevation changes observed through GPS measurements during a period encompassing the 5-month gravity decrease, remained within 4–6 cm over the entire volcano and within 2–4 cm in the zone covered by the microgravity profile. We review both gravity and elevation changes by a model assuming the formation of new cracks, uniformly distributed in a rectangular prism. The inversion problem was formulated following a global optimization approach based on the use of Genetic Algorithms. Although it is possible to explain the observed gravity changes by means of the proposed analytical formulation, the results show that calculated elevation changes are significantly higher than those observed. Two alternative hypotheses are proposed to account for this apparent discrepancy: (1) that the assumptions behind the analytical formulation, used to invert the data, are fallacious at Etna, and thus, numerical models should be utilized; (2) that a second process, enabling a considerable mass decrease to occur without deformation, acted together with the formation of new cracks in the source volume.     

Strombolian explosive styles and source conditions: insights from thermal (FLIR) video

Forward Looking Infrared Radiometer (FLIR) cameras offer a unique view of explosive volcanism by providing an image of calibrated temperatures. In this study, 344 eruptive events at Stromboli volcano, Italy, were imaged in 2001–2004 with a FLIR camera operating at up to 30 Hz. The FLIR was effective at revealing both ash plumes and coarse ballistic scoria, and a wide range of eruption styles was recorded. Eruptions at Stromboli can generally be classified into two groups: Type 1 eruptions, which are dominated by coarse ballistic particles, and Type 2 eruptions, which consist of an optically-thick, ash-rich plume, with (Type 2a) or without (Type 2b) large numbers of ballistic particles. Furthermore, Type 2a plumes exhibited gas thrust velocities (>15 m s⁻¹) while Type 2b plumes were limited to buoyant velocities (<15 m s⁻¹) above the crater rim. A given vent would normally maintain a particular gross eruption style (Type 1 vs. 2) for days to weeks, indicating stability of the uppermost conduit on these timescales. Velocities at the crater rim had a range of 3–101 m s⁻¹, with an overall mean value of 24 m s⁻¹. Mean crater rim velocities by eruption style were: Type 1 = 34 m s⁻¹, Type 2a = 31 m s⁻¹, Type 2b = 7 m s⁻¹. Eruption durations had a range of 6–41 s, with a mean of 15 s, similar among eruption styles. The ash in Type 2 eruptions originates from either backfilled material (crater wall slumping or ejecta rollback) or rheological changes in the uppermost magma column. Type 2a and 2b behaviors are shown to be a function of the overpressure of the bursting slug. In general, our imaging data support a broadening of the current paradigm for strombolian behavior, incorporating an uppermost conduit that can be more variable than is commonly considered.     

The generation of phytoplankton patchiness by mesoscale current patterns

 Elken et al. (1994) suggested that phytoplankton patchiness can be generated by mesoscale eddies in light-limited, nutrient-replete environments. This hypothesis is explored using two ecological models of different physical complexity. The model results support the idea that the coupling of mesoscale eddy circulation and phytoplankton growth leads to differential growth rates and thus generates variability in phytoplankton distributions. The specific circulation of a cyclonic eddy isolates a phytoplankton population in its core. Due to the reduced vertical mixing, a higher growth rate is supported in the core, and phytoplankton concentrations increase compared to the surrounding environment. A one-dimensional model is used to explore the hypothesis in general and to perform sensitivity studies. A more realistic simulation uses a coupled three- dimensional model for the western Baltic Sea. Starting from vertically and horizontally homogeneous distributions for nutrients and plankton, the models generate patchiness due to the proposed mechanism. The described mechanism may apply for other mesoscale variable environments during light-limited growth periods as well, e.g., the frontal region of the Southern Ocean. Received: 31 March 2001 / Accepted: 31 August 2001     

Momentum transfer at the ocean–atmosphere interface: the wave basis for the inertial coupling approach

 The inertial coupling approach for the momentum transfer at the ocean–atmosphere interface, which is based on the assumption of a similarity hypothesis in which the ratio between the water and air reference velocities is equal to the square root of the ratio between the air and water densities, is reviewed using a wave model. In this model, the air and water reference velocities are identified, respectively, with the spectrally weighted phase velocity of the gravity waves and the Stokes velocity at the water roughness length, which are evaluated in terms of the dimensionless frequency limits in Toba's equilibrium spectrum. It is shown that the similarity hypothesis is approximately satisfied by the wave model over the range of wave ages encountered in typical sea states, and that the predicted values of the dimensionless surface drift velocity, the dimensionless water reference velocity, and the Charnock constant are in reasonable agreement with observational evidence. The application of the bulk relationship for the surface shear stress, derived from the inertial coupling hypothesis in general circulation modeling, is also discussed. Received: 6 January 2001 / Accepted: 28 June 2001     

Recent developments in seismically isolated buildings in Japan

The Building Standard Law of Japan and related Enforcement Order and Notifications have been substantially revised since the year 2000 to introduce a performance-based regulatory and deregulation system for building control systems. Up to then, time-history analyses were mandatory for isolated buildings and had to be specially approved by the Minster of the Ministry of Construction (MOC). Simplified design procedures based on the equivalent linear method for seismically isolated buildings have been issued as “Notification 2009 — Structural calculation procedure for buildings with seismic isolation” from MOC, and are now integrated into the Ministry of Land, Infrastructure, and Transportation (MLIT). Along with Notification 2009, “Notification 1446 of year 2000 — Standard for specifications and test methods for seismic isolation devices” was also issued. Buildings with heights equal to or less than 60m and that are designed according to these Notifications, including base isolated buildings, only need approval from local building officials, and no longer require the special approval of the Minister of MLIT. This paper summarizes: 1) some statistics related to buildings with seismic isolation completed up to the end of 2001; 2) simplified design procedures required by Notification 2009 of year 2000; and 3) performance of seismic isolation devices required by Notification 1446 of year 2000.     

Modelling of convective turbulence with a two-equation k-ɛ turbulence closure scheme

 In this study we aim at comparing turbulence parameters from field observations and model simulations under convective conditions. The comparison is focused on the depth dependence and temporal dynamics of viscous and diffusive dissipation rates ɛ and χ. The near-surface observations were obtained by using a quasi-free-rising profiler which measured small-scale shear and temperature fluctuations to within the vicinity of the water surface. Convective conditions during the experiment are characterized by low wind speeds (between 0 and 4 m s⁻¹) and a typical heat loss of about 150 Wm⁻². We applied a state-of-the-art two-equation k-ɛ turbulence model with an algebraic second-moment closure scheme. The qualitative agreement of the turbulence quantities resulting from observations and simulations is rather good. The temporal dynamics of the temperature field is simulated correctly, whereas in the spatial dynamics some deficiencies of the model due to its local character can be seen. It is concluded that such models realistically reproduce convective turbulence and therefore represent a reasonable compromise between complexity and simplicity, so that they can be used with acceptable costs in large-scale models. Received: 31 October 2001 / Accepted: 20 September 2002 Acknowledgements The whole project was intitiated by Peter Schlittenhardt, who strongly supported the development of the observational technique in uprising mode and encouraged us to undertake the experiment in Lake Maggiore; for which we will thank him most. Performing the measurement campaign was only possible with the help of several colleagues from the Marine Environment Unit at the Joint Research Centre. Thanks to all of them, but especially to Dirk van d. Linde, Ulisse Devisioni, Bjarke Rasmussen and Hartmut Prandke. The Istituto Italiano di Idrobiologia, Verbania Pallanza, provided the boat Livia for the installation and removal of the measurement system; thanks to the master Stefano Maurizio for his engagement. Ute Tschesche provided the data evaluation and presentation software and Judith Challis helped to polish our English. Part of the study was␣supported by the PROVESS project (MAS3-CT97-0159); thanks to our sponsors at the European Commission. We are further grateful to two anonymous referees for their constructive comments. Responsible Editor: Charitha Pattiaratchi     

Influence of the modified global ocean tide model with local tides of East and South China Seas on load gravity in China and its neighbor area

Introduction With the development of science and technology, the accuracy of gravity measurement is im-proved. The gravity observation with FG5 gravimeter has reached accuracy of μ magnitude. And the high accurate superconducting gravimeter can detect the tiny signal of 10?2 μ magnitude in frequency domain. With the high-accuracy gravity observation on Earth′s surface, the Earth′s tidal parameters can be determined precisely. And the observations can also be used to invert the struc-ture…     

Decadal evolution of a degassing magma reservoir unravelled from fire fountains produced at Etna volcano (Italy) between 1989 and 2001

Between 1989 and 2001, five eruptions at Etna displayed a regular alternation between repose periods and episodes rich in gas, termed quasi-fire fountains and consisting of a series of Strombolian explosions sometimes leading to a fire fountain. This behaviour results from the coalescence of a foam layer trapped at the top of the reservoir which was periodically rebuilt prior to each episode (Vergniolle and Jaupart, J Geophys Res 95:2793–2809, 1990). Visual observations of fire fountains are combined with the foam dynamics to estimate the five degassing parameters characteristic of the degassing reservoir, i.e. the number of bubbles, gas volume fraction, bubble diameter, reservoir thickness and reservoir volume. The study of decadal cycles of eruptive patterns (Allard et al., Earth Sci Rev 78:85–114, 2006) suggests that the first eruption with fire fountains occurred in 1995 while the last one happened in 2001. The number of bubbles and the gas volume fraction increase smoothly from the beginning of the cycle (1995) to its end (2001). The increasing number of bubbles per cubic metre, from 0.61–20×10⁵ to 0.1–3.4×10⁹, results from cooling of the magma within the reservoir. The simultaneously decreasing bubble diameter, from 0.67–0.43 to 0.30–0.19 mm, is related to the decreasing amount of dissolved volatiles. Meanwhile, the thickness and the volume of the degassing reservoir diminish, from values typical of the magma reservoir to values characteristic of a very thin bubbly layer, marking the quasi-exhaustion of volatiles. The magma reservoir has a slender vertical shape, with a maximum thickness of 3,300–8,200 m and a radius of 240 m (Vergniolle 2008), making its detection from seismic studies difficult. Its volume, at most 0.58–1.4 km³, is in agreement with geochemical studies (0.5 km³) (Le Cloarec and Pennisi, J Volcanol Geotherm Res 108:141–155, 2001). The time evolution of both the total gas volume expelled per eruption, and the inter-eruptive gas flux results from the competition between the increasing number of bubbles and the decreasing bubble diameter. The smooth temporal evolution of the five degassing parameters also points towards bubbles being produced by a self-induced mechanism within the magma reservoir rather than by a magmatic reinjection prior to each eruption. The decadal cycles are therefore initiated by a magmatic reinjection, in agreement with a typical return time of 14–80 years (Albarède 1993). Hence, the 1995 eruption results from a fresh magma being newly emplaced while the magma from the following eruptions is progressively depleted in volatiles species until reaching a state of quasi-exhaustion in 2001. A magmatic reinjection of 0.13–0.6 km³ every few decades is sufficient to explain the expelled gas volume, including SO₂. A scenario is also proposed for the alternation between gas-rich summit eruptions and gas-poor flank eruptions which are observed during decadal cycles. The scenario proposed for Etna could also be at work at Piton de la Fournaise and Erta ’Ale volcanoes.     

Source study of two small earthquakes of Delhi, India, and estimation of ground motion from future moderate, local events

We study source characteristics of two small, local earthquakes which occurred in Delhi on 28 April 2001 (Mw3.4) and 18 March 2004 (Mw2.6). Both earthquakes were located in the heart of New Delhi, and were recorded in the epicentral region by digital accelerographs. The depths of the events are 15 km and 8 km, respectively. First motions and waveform modeling yield a normal-faulting mechanism with large strike-slip component. The strike of one of the nodal planes roughly agrees with NE–SW orientation of faults and lineaments mapped in the region. We use the recordings of the 2004 event as empirical Green’s functions to synthesize expected ground motions in the epicentral region of a Mw5.0 earthquake in Delhi. It is possible that such a local event may control the hazard in Delhi. Our computations show that a Mw5.0 earthquake would give rise to PGA of ~200 to 450 gal, the smaller values occurring at hard sites. The estimate of corresponding PGV is ~6 to 15 cm/s. The recommended response spectra, Sa, 5% damping, for Delhi, which falls in zone IV of the Indian seismic zoning map, may not be conservative enough at soft sites for a postulated Mw5.0 local earthquake.     

The South China Sea warm-core ring 94S and its influence on the distribution of chemical tracers

 In this paper, the distributions of currents and chemical tracers were studied along two hydrographic sections across ring 94S, a warm-core ring found in the South China Sea. Results suggest that while currents on its offshore side maintained quasigeostrophic balance, such a balance was not reached on its onshore side. Therefore, it is suggested that interactions of ring 94S with the slope may play an important role: it may break down the quasigeostrophic balance and cause a deformation of the current field. The observed distribution of δ¹⁸O supports the hypothesis that water masses inside the ring originate from the Kuroshio. Distributions of chemical tracers reveal a strong vertical disturbance of the isolines at the edge of ring 94S, where it approaches the shelf. This phenomenon may play an important role in the vertical exchange of biochemical elements across the thermocline. Possible reasons, i.e., enhanced vertical mixing and upwelling, are discussed. Received: 16 May 2001 / Accepted: 5 November 2001     

An evidence for earthquake occurrence time related with geologic structure — Relations between local mean lunar times of earthquake occurrence and their fault trends

The relation between the local mean lunar time τ of earthquake occurrence and their fault trends is studied in this paper. The local mean lunar times τ of 53 earthquakes in 24 groups are calculated. Because the tidal generation force arisen by the moon is a cyclic function of about 12 hours 25 minutes in the main, the two tidal generation forces anywhere in the earth arising by the moon are equal in general when the moon lies to the two sites of 180° interval of local mean lunar time. Based on this phenomenon the values Δτ of τ₁–τ₂ or τ₁–τ₂ ± 180° of two earthquakes occurring repetitiously in the same place are also calculated. The calculated results show that if the fault trends of the two earthquakes in the same place is near, the Δτ is usually smaller and if the fault trends of the two ones is not near, the Δτ is usually larger and the distribution of the local mean lunar time τ of earthquakes in different places is dispersive even if fault trends of these earthquakes are near, and the τ does not concentrate on the lower and upper transit of the moon. The above phenomena clear up that the triggering earthquake of earth solid tide arisen by the moon is relative with the fault trends of earthquakes and we ought to think over the difference of environmental conditions of earthquake preparation of each seismogenic zone and can not make statistics to earthquakes in different places when we study the relation between the solid earth tide arisen by the moon and earthquakes.     

Minimum‐cost optimization of nonlinear fluid viscous dampers and their supporting members for seismic retrofitting

This paper presents an effective approach for achieving minimum‐cost designs for seismic retrofitting using nonlinear fluid viscous dampers. The damping coefficients of the dampers and the stiffness coefficients of the supporting braces are designed by an optimization algorithm. A realistic retrofitting cost function is minimized subject to constraints on inter‐story drifts at the peripheries of frame structures. The cost function accounts for costs related to both the topology and the sizes of the dampers. The behavior of each damper‐brace element is defined by the Maxwell model, where the force–velocity relation of the nonlinear dampers is formulated with a fractional power law. The optimization problem is first posed and solved as a mixed integer problem. For the reduction of the computational effort required in the optimization, the problem is then reformulated with continuous variables only and solved with a gradient‐based algorithm. Material interpolation techniques, which have been successfully applied in topology optimization and in multi‐material optimization, play a key role in achieving practical final design solutions with a reasonable computational effort. Promising results attained for 3‐D irregular frames are presented and discussed. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Sea level variability at Antalya and Mente? tide gauges in Turkey: atmospheric, steric and land motion contributions

Sea level trends and interannual variability at Antalya and Menteş tide gauges are investigated during the 1985–2001 period, quantifying the roles of atmospheric, steric and local land motion contributions. Tide gauge sea level measurements, temperature/salinity climatologies and GPS data are used in the analyses and the results are compared with the output of a barotropic model forced by atmospheric pressure and wind. The overall sea level trends at two tide gauges collocated with GPS are in the range of 5.5 to 7.9 mm/yr during the study period, but showing different behaviour in the sub-periods 1985–1993 and 1993–2001 due to variations in the contributing factors both in space and time. After the removal of the atmospheric forcing and steric contribution from sea level records, the resulting trends vary between 1.9 to 4.5 mm/yr in Antalya and −1.2 to −11.6 mm/yr in Menteş depending on the period considered. Vertical land movement estimated from GPS data seems to explain the high positive residual trend in Antalya during the whole period. On the other hand, the source of the highly negative sea level trend of about −14 mm/yr in Menteş during 1985–1993 could not be resolved with the available datasets. Interannual variability of wind and atmospheric pressure appear to dominate the sea level at both tide gauges during the study period. Atmospheric and steric contributions together account for ∼50% of the total sea level variance at interannual time scales. Mass induced sea level variations which were not considered in this study may help to close the sea level trend budgets as well as to better explain the interannual sea level variance.     

Gravity evolution and earthquake activities of the northeastern edge of Qinghai-Xizang block

The relationship between temporal-spatial evolution of gravity and earthquake activity during 1992–2001 has been analyzed systematically by integrally adjusting the gravity observation data of the northeastern edge of Qinghai-Xizang (Qingzang) block. The result shows that the gravity observation data of the northeastern edge of Qingzang block obtained by using the uniform starting datum can completely reflect the precursory gravity information appearing during the seismogenic process. In the genesis stage of an earthquake, regional gravity anomaly appears in a large area, resulting in related local gravity anomaly. The dynamic image of gravity field can clearly reflect the orderly evolution and earthquake activity. Foundation item: Key Project of China Earthquake Administration during the tenth Five-year Plan (100501-05-05).