On the question of influence of remote earthquakes on seismicity

The responses of the Kamchatka earthquakes with a minimum energy class of completeness K ≥ 8.5 to 214 strong worldwide earthquakes with magnitudes M ≥ 7.5 and to 40 earthquakes with M ≥ 8 are studied. The analysis covers the time interval of 1963–2012. The distances from the sources of the strongest earthquakes to the center of the seismically active Kamchatka zone range from 600 to 16000 km. It is established that the remote earthquakes enhanced seismic activity in Kamchatka, at least in the cases when the dynamic strain was above 10^?6, which corresponds to the additional stresses of 10^?2 MPa, accelerations above 0.1 cm/s², and the periods of the surface waves of ～20 s. The response to the remote events gradually increased within a few days. The sensitivity of the response to the remote earthquakes varied in the course of time, which is identified on the intervals of a few dozens of years.     

Accelerated Seismic Release and Related Aspects of Seismicity Patterns on Earthquake Faults

—Observational studies indicate that large earthquakes are sometimes preceded by phases of accelerated seismic release (ASR) characterized by cumulative Benioff strain following a power law time-to-failure relation with a term (t _f?t) ^m , where t _f is the failure time of the large event and observed values of m are close to 0.3. We discuss properties of ASR and related aspects of seismicity patterns associated with several theoretical frameworks. The subcritical crack growth approach developed to describe deformation on a crack prior to the occurrence of dynamic rupture predicts great variability and low asymptotic values of the exponent m that are not compatible with observed ASR phases. Statistical physics studies assuming that system-size failures in a deforming region correspond to critical phase transitions predict establishment of long-range correlations of dynamic variables and power-law statistics before large events. Using stress and earthquake histories simulated by the model of Ben-Zion (1996) for a discrete fault with quenched heterogeneities in a 3-D elastic half space, we show that large model earthquakes are associated with nonrepeating cyclical establishment and destruction of long-range stress correlations, accompanied by nonstationary cumulative Benioff strain release. We then analyze results associated with a regional lithospheric model consisting of a seismogenic upper crust governed by the damage rheology of Lyakhovsky et al. (1997) over a viscoelastic substrate. We demonstrate analytically for a simplified 1-D case that the employed damage rheology leads to a singular power-law equation for strain proportional to (t _f?t)^?1/3, and a nonsingular power-law relation for cumulative Benioff strain proportional to (t _f?t)^1/3. A simple approximate generalization of the latter for regional cumulative Benioff strain is obtained by adding to the result a linear function of time representing a stationary background release. To go beyond the analytical expectations, we examine results generated by various realizations of the regional lithospheric model producing seismicity following the characteristic frequency-size statistics, Gutenberg-Richter power-law distribution, and mode switching activity. We find that phases of ASR exist only when the seismicity preceding a given large event has broad frequency-size statistics. In such cases the simulated ASR phases can be fitted well by the singular analytical relation with m = ?1/3, the nonsingular equation with m = 0.2, and the generalized version of the latter including a linear term with m = 1/3. The obtained good fits with all three relations highlight the difficulty of deriving reliable information on functional forms and parameter values from such data sets. The activation process in the simulated ASR phases is found to be accommodated both by increasing rates of moderate events and increasing average event size, with the former starting a few years earlier than the latter. The lack of ASR in portions of the seismicity not having broad frequency-size statistics may explain why some large earthquakes are preceded by ASR and other are not. The results suggest that observations of moderate and large events contain two complementary end-member predictive signals on the time of future large earthquakes. In portions of seismicity following the characteristic earthquake distribution, such information exists directly in the associated quasi-periodic temporal distribution of large events. In portions of seismicity having broad frequency-size statistics with random or clustered temporal distribution of large events, the ASR phases have predictive information. The extent to which natural seismicity may be understood in terms of these end-member cases remains to be clarified. Continuing studies of evolving stress and other dynamic variables in model calculations combined with advanced analyses of simulated and observed seismicity patterns may lead to improvements in existing forecasting strategies.     

Earthquake Potential in the Zagros Region,Iran

Seismic strain and b value are used to quantify seismic potential in the Zagros region (Iran). Small b values (0.69 and 0.69) are related to large seismic moment rates (9.96×10¹⁷ and 4.12×10¹⁷) in southern zones of the Zagros, indicating more frequent large earthquakes. Medium to large b values (0.72 and 0.92) are related to small seismic moment rates (2.94×10¹⁶ and 6.80×10¹⁶) in middle zones of the Zagros, indicating less frequent large earthquakes. Small b value (0.64) is related to medium seismic moment rate (1.38×10¹⁷) in middle to northern zone of the Zagros, indicating frequent large earthquakes. Large b value (0.87) is related to large seismic moment rate (2.29×10¹⁷) in northwestern zone, indicating more frequent large earthquakes. Recurrence intervals of large earthquakes (M > 6) are short in southern (10 and 14 years) and northwestern (13 years) zones, while the recurrence intervals are long in the middle (46 and 114 years) and middle to northern (25 years) zones.     

A Dislocation Model of Seismic Wave Attenuation and Micro-creep in the Earth: Harold Jeffreys and the Rheology of the Solid Earth

—A microphysical model of seismic wave attenuation is developed to provide a physical basis to interpret temperature and frequency dependence of seismic wave attenuation. The model is based on the dynamics of dislocation motion in minerals with a high Peierls stress. It is proposed that most of seismic wave attenuation occurs through the migration of geometrical kinks (micro-glide) and/or nucleation/migration of an isolated pair of kinks (Bordoni peak), whereas the long-term plastic deformation involves the continuing nucleation and migration of kinks (macro-glide). Kink migration is much easier than kink nucleation, and this provides a natural explanation for the vast difference in dislocation mobility between seismic and geological time scales. The frequency and temperature dependences of attenuation depend on the geometry and dynamics of dislocation motion both of which affect the distribution of relaxation times. The distribution of relaxation times is largely controlled by the distribution in distance between pinning points of dislocations, L, and the observed frequency dependence of Q, Q, Q∝ω^α is shown to require a distribution function of P(L)∝L ^-m with m=4-2α The activation energy of Q ^?1 in minerals with a high Peierls stress corresponds to that for kink nucleation and is similar to that of long-term creep. The observed large lateral variation in Q ^?1 strongly suggests that the Q ^?1 in the mantle is frequency dependent. Micro-deformation with high dislocation mobility will (temporarily) cease when all the geometrical kinks are exhausted. For a typical dislocation density of ～ 10⁸ m^?2, transient creep with small viscosity related to seismic wave attenuation will persist up to the strain of ～ 10^?6, thus even a small strain (～ 10^?6?10^?4) process such as post-glacial rebound is only marginally affected by this type of anelastic relaxation. At longer time scales continuing nucleation of kinks becomes important and enables indefinitely large strain, steady-state creep, causing viscous behavior.     

Source modeling of the Hsingtai,China earthquakes of March 1966

The Hsingtai, China earthquakes of March 1966 were a series of destructive earthquakes associated with the Shu-lu graben. Five strong shocks of M_s ≥ 6 occurred within a period of less than a month, the largest of which was M_s 7.2. Body and surface waves over the period range from several to 100 s have been modeled for the four largest events using synthetic seismograms in the time domain and spectral analysis in the frequency domain. Data from ground deformation, local geology, regional seismic network, and teleseismic joint epicenter determination have also been used to constrain the source model and the rupture process.The fault mechanism of the Hsingtai sequence was mainly strike-slip with a small component of normal dip-slip. The strikes of the four largest shocks range from ～ N26° to 30°E, approximately along strike of the major faults of the Shu-lu graben and the aftershock distribution. The source mechanisms can be explained with a NNW-SSE extensional stress and a NEE-SWW compressional stress acting in the area. The major shocks all had focal depths ～ 10 km.The four largest shocks in the sequence were characterized by a relatively simple and smooth dislocation time history. The durations of the far-field source time functions ranged from 3.5 to 5 s, while the rise times were all ～ 1 s. The seismic moments of the four largest earthquakes ranged from 1.43 × 10²⁵ to 1.51 × 10²⁶ dyne cm^?1. The fault sizes of the four events were very close. Assuming circular faults, the diameters of the four events were determined to be between 10 and 14 km. Stress drops varied from ～ 52 to 194 bars. A trend of increasing stress drop with earthquake size was observed.A survey of stress drop determinations for 15 major intraplate earthquakes shows that on the average the magnitude of stress drop of oceanic intraplate earthquakes and passive continental margin events is higher (～ 200 to several hundred bars) than that of continental intraplate earthquakes (～ 100 bars or less).     

鲜水河断裂带的应力积累与释放

本文根据历史地震(Ms6.0)的资料,研究了鲜水河断裂带的地震活动性,并利用断层的位错模式进一步研究该断裂带的应力积累和释放过程.结果表明,该断裂带的强震活动大致以道孚为界,形成北西和南东两个活动地段,呈现南北交替活动的特征.地震能量的这种交替释放似具有准周期性质,Ms7.0级地震的平均复发周期为27.6年.给出该断裂带在三个不同时间段(1700-1811,1816-1967,1816-1982)强震断层作用引起的应力释放图象,讨论了前两个时间段地震应力场对其后发生的第一个大地震的重要影响.计算了1893年以来在断裂带南东段(相对闭锁段)的应力积累,示出相应的最大剪应力和流体静应力等值线图.最后,根据应力积累、附加应力变化、地震活动规律和应变释放曲线特征,估计了鲜水河断裂带的地震趋势.认为在本世纪末,在断裂带南东段的(1)康定-磨西段或(2)道孚-乾宁段或(3)乾宁-康定段将可能发生 Ms=7.40.3地震.      

On the relationships of water-level variations in the E-1 well, Kamchatka to the 2008–2009 resumption of activity on Koryakskii volcano and to large (M ≥ 5) earthquakes

We discuss the water-level variations in the E-1 well for the time period between May 2006 and 2010, inclusive. A trend towards an increasing level at an abnormally high rate occurred from mid-2006 to December 2009. This increase is regarded as the response of the aquifer of gas-saturated ground water that exists in the volcanogenic-sedimentary deposits of the Avacha volcano-tectonic depression to volumetric compression strain changes during the precursory period and the occurrence of a swarm of small earthquakes $\left( {K_{S_{\max } } = 8.3} \right)$ in the area of Koryakskii Volcano and to its phreatic eruption. We estimated the volumetric compression as ??? = ?(4.1 × 10^?6?1.5 × 10^?5) from the amplitude of water-level rise using the elastic parameters of the water-saturated rocks. While the strain source was active, we observed a decreasing sensitivity of the hydrodynamic regime in the well to the precursory processes before large (M ?? 5.0) tectonic earthquakes.     

Earthquake doublets in the Solomon Islands

Large, shallow, thrust earthquakes in the Solomon Islands region tend to occur in closely related pairs. Two recent sequences are July 14, 1971 (M_S = 7.9) and July 26, 1971 M(_S = 7.9) and 14^h37^m, July 20, 1975 (M_S = 7.9) and 19^h54^m, July 20, 1975 (M_S = 7.7). The mechanism of these seismic doublets has important bearing on the triggering mechanism of earthquakes in subduction zones. Detailed analysis of the seismic body waves and surface waves were performed on the 1971, 1974, and 1975 doublets, providing a better understanding of: (1) the mechanics of seismic triggering, (2) the state of stress on the fault plane, and (3) the nature of subduction between the Pacific and Indian plates. The results indicate that although the geometry of the subduction zone in the Solomon Islands is complicated by the presence of several sub-plates, the slip direction of the Indian plate with respect to the Pacific plate is relatively uniform over the entire region. The large seismic moments of the 1971 sequence (1.2 · 10²⁸ and 1.8 · 10²⁸ dyne cm) indicate that these events directly represent the underthrusting of the Indian and Solomon plates beneath the Pacific plate. The body waves from these doublets, recorded on the WWSSN long-period seismograms, are remarkably impulsive and simple compared with those from events of comparable seismic moment in other subduction zones. In addition, the source dimensions of the body waves are 30–70 km in length, substantially smaller than the overall rupture surfaces radiating the surface waves which are 100–300 km in length. These facts suggest the existence of relatively large, isolated high-stress zones on the fault plane. This type of stress distribution is distinct from other regions which have more heterogeneous stress distribution on the fault plane, and this is proposed as the principal characteristic of this region responsible for the occurrence of the doublets and for the apparent efficiency of triggering in the Solomon trench. Prior to the 1971 sequence, similar sequences have occurred in the same area in 1919–1920 and 1945–1946. From the amount of slip (1.3 m) determined for the 1971 sequence and the apparent recurrence interval of 25 years, a seismic slip rate of 5 cm yr^?1 is determined. This value is a significant portion of the convergence rate between the Indian and Pacific plates indicating that the plate motion here is taken up largely by seismic slip.     

四川芦山7.0级地震前中小地震P轴方位角CV值的变化

通过对2003年1月1日—2013年4月1日芦山地震前震源区中小地震震源机制解的分析,发现不同阶段的震源机制解在一定程度上反映了强震孕育过程中构造应力场随时间的变化。震源区中小地震的P轴方位角C_V值在芦山M7.0地震发生前有一个上升-下降-上升的过程,只是相比于汶川8.0级地震前C_V值的下降-上升过程经历了更长的时间,这表明四川芦山M7.0地震的孕育经历了长时间的应力积累,与许多研究结果相一致。2007年1月1日—2014年4月1日C_V值空间分布的非均匀性特征在龙门山断裂带南段有显著的增强与减弱过程,对于发震地点可能有一定的指示意义。     

Influence of fluids on deep crustal Jabalpur earthquake of 21, May 1997: Geophysical evidences

We present the geophysical evidences on the role of fluids for generation of the lower crustal Jabalpur earthquake (21 May 1997, mb 6.0, Mw 5.8), in the mid-continental fracture zone of the Indian Peninsular Shield. With a focal depth of 35 km, it indicates a high angled (< 62^∘ enclosed with maximum principal stress direction) reverse fault with small component of left-lateral strike slip in the lower crust. The Son-Narmada-Tapti (SONATA) magalineament, during the past two centuries, has experienced about 25 moderate to strong earthquakes; two of which namely the Son Valley (1927, M 6.5) and Jabalpur (21 May 1997) were disastrous. Historical earthquakes and recent earthquake swarms indicate a moderate to high seismicity in SONATA belt that is due to high strain accumulation, flexuring of the crust and neotectonic movements of the faults in the rift zones. By analyzing geophysical parameters such as Zero-Free air-based (ZFb) gravity anomalies (∼ −10 to –30 mGals), heat flow values (45–47 mWm⁻²), magneto-telluric values (1- Ohm m), strain rate (1.5 × 10⁻⁸) and failure stress conditions, we identify plausible causative factors for the occurrence of lower crustal earthquake in this region Fluids, due to dehydration of serpentinite in the lower crust, are suggested to be present in the earthquake source zone. The estimated pore-fluid factor for the Jabalpur earthquake (λ _v ) is 0.95. The diffusion of pore-pressure relaxation, represented as pressure perturbation generated by coseismic stress change was seen in the form of swarm activity two years prior to the Jabalpur earthquake. We suggest the existence of a deep pre-fractured zone with low shear stress (τ = 15–18 MPa) that indicates the presence of fluid filled fractured mafic material in the felsic crust, in critical state of unstable failure condition, and also fluid driven migration of swarm activity before the Jabalpur earthquake.     

Earthquakes Along the Passive Margin of Greenland: Evidence for Postglacial Rebound Control

—?An intriguing observation in Greenland is a clear spatial correlation between seismicity and deglaciated areas along passive continental margins, a piece of evidence for earthquake triggering due to postglacial rebound. Another piece of evidence for induced seismicity due to deglaciation derives from earthquake source mechanisms. Sparse, low magnitude seismicity has made it difficult to determine focal mechanisms from Greenland earthquakes. On the basis of two normal faulting events along deglaciated margins and from the spatial distribution of epicenters, earlier investigators suggested that the earthquakes of Greenland are due to postglacial rebound. This interpretation is tested here by using more recent data. Broadband waveforms of teleseismic P waves from the August 10, 1993 (m _b = 5.4) and October 14, 1998 (m _b = 5.1) earthquakes have been inverted for moment tensors and source parameters. Both mechanisms indicate normal faulting with small strike-slip components: the 1993 event, strike = 348.9°, dip = 41.0°, rake =?56.3°, focal depth = 11?km, seismic moment = 1.03?×?10²⁴ dyne-cm, and M _w = 5.3; the 1998 event, strike = 61.6°, dip = 58.0°, rake =?95.5°, focal depth = 5?km, seismic moment = 5.72?×?10²³ dyne-cm, and M _w = 5.1. These and the two prior events support the theory that the shallow part of the lithosphere beneath the deglaciated margins is under horizontal extension. The observed stress field can be explained as flexural stresses due to removal of ice loads and surface loads by glacial erosion. These local extensional stresses are further enhanced by the spreading stress of continental crust and reactivate preexisting faults. Earthquake characteristics observed from Greenland suggest that the dominant seismogenic stresses are from postglacial rebound and spreading of the continental lithosphere.     

滇西区域水准观测的负位错反演与应变积累分析

利用1981～2006年滇西地区5个时段的区域水准观测资料,借助负位错模型反演,参考典型大震应力触发计算及跨断层等形变观测结果,研究了活动块体边界断裂应变积累的状况、分段差异性、时空演变及其与强震孕育—发生过程的关系。结果表明,该区6级以上地震多发生在断裂强锁定段或锁定程度显著加强段及其附近;目前宾川—南华以南、南涧以北,洱源、丽江一带可能反映相对较高的应变能积累背景,南定河断裂附近反映一定程度的应变积累特性。     

青藏高原东缘地应变演化特征

利用青藏高原东缘1999—2013年间多期GPS水平速率观测数据,基于多面函数拟合,计算球面坐标系下区域不同时期的面应变和最大剪应变,分析地应变的时空演化特征,结合不同时期发生的中强以上地震(MS6.0),研究期间大震分布与地应变时空演化特征的关系,主要结论如下:(1)青藏高原东缘面应变分布与地块有一定的对应关系,面应变的差异会在块体边界和内部形成不同的断层闭锁形式,与地震发生位置和震源机制有一定的关联;(2)区域最大剪应变的高值区对应于构造活动性较强的断裂带,这些断裂带鲜有地震发生;低值区对应于活动性较弱的断裂带,在区域地壳运动剧烈的背景下,在这些活动性相对较弱的断层上易形成应变能积累,因而会发生地震。区域绝大多数地震都发生在最大剪应变的低值区。     

Evolving Towards a Critical Point: A Review of Accelerating Seismic Moment/Energy Release Prior to Large and Great Earthquakes

—There is growing evidence that some proportion of large and great earthquakes are preceded by a period of accelerating seismic activity of moderate-sized earthquakes. These moderate earthquakes occur during the years to decades prior to the occurrence of the large or great event and over a region larger than its rupture zone. The size of the region in which these moderate earthquakes occur scales with the size of the ensuing mainshock, at least in continental regions. A number of numerical simulation studies of faults and fault systems also exhibit similar behavior. The combined observational and simulation evidence suggests that the period of increased moment release in moderate earthquakes signals the establishment of long wavelength correlations in the regional stress field. The central hypothesis in the critical point model for regional seismicity is that it is only during these time periods that a region of the earth’s crust is truly in or near a "self-organized critical" (SOC) state, such that small earthquakes are capable of cascading into much larger events. The occurrence of a large or great earthquake appears to dissipate a sufficient proportion of the accumulated regional strain to destroy these long wavelength stress correlations and bring the region out of a SOC state. Continued tectonic strain accumulation and stress transfer during smaller earthquakes eventually re-establishes the long wavelength stress correlations that allow for the occurrence of larger events. These increases in activity occur over longer periods and larger regions than quiescence, which is usually observed within the rupture zone of a coming large event. The two phenomena appear to have different physical bases and are not incompatible with one another.     

Hydrostatic theory of the Earth and its mechanical implications

A second-order hydrostatic theory is developed on the assumption that the trace of the Earth's inertia tensor, its mass and mean radius are invariant under any process causing deviations from the hydrostatic state.The hydrostatic flattening and the zonal coefficients of the hydrostatic gravitational field are obtained as ?^?1 = 299.638, J₂ = 1072.618 × 10^?6 and J₄ = ?2.992 × 10^?6, respectively.The internal theory using the preliminary reference earth model (PREM) of Dziewonski and Anderson (1981) yields ?^?1 = 299.627, J₂ = 1072.701 × 10^?6 and J₄ = ?2.992 × 10^?6. The agreement between these and the hydrostatic values indicate that PREM is suitable as a reference model as it represents the spheroidal density distribution in a state of zero non-hydrostatic stress while satisfying the fundamental geodetic observations of the invariant quantities.The small discrepancy between the hydrostatic flattening and the value deduced from PREM suggests that the density is underestimated at large depths and/or it is slightly overestimated in shallow regions of the Earth.The discrepancies between the hydrostatic and observed quantities persist after the removal of the accountable effects of isostatically compensated topography, permanent tidal deformation and the present mass anomalies associated with the Late-Pleistocene deglaciation. These ‘corrected’ discrepancies point to a triaxial non-hydrostatic figure which cannot be explained by the delayed response of the Earth to tidal deceleration.     

A probabilistic approach for the classification of earthquakes as ��triggered�� or ��not triggered��

The occurrence time of earthquakes can be anticipated or delayed by external phenomena that induce strain energy changes on the faults. ??Anticipated?? earthquakes are generally called ??triggered??; however, it can be controversial to label a specific earthquake as such, mostly because of the stochastic nature of earthquake occurrence and of the large uncertainties usually associated to stress modelling. Here we introduce a combined statistical and physical approach to quantify the probability that a given earthquake was triggered by a given stress-inducing phenomenon. As an example, we consider an earthquake that was likely triggered by a natural event: the M?=?6.2 13 Jan 1976 Kópasker earthquake on the Grímsey lineament (Tj?rnes Fracture Zone, Iceland), which occurred about 3?weeks after a large dike injection in the nearby Krafla fissure swarm. By using Coulomb stress calculations and the rate-and-state earthquake nucleation theory, we calculate the likelihood of the earthquake in a scenario that contains only the tectonic background and excludes the dike and in a scenario that includes the dike but excludes the background. Applying the Bayes?? theorem, we obtain that the probability that the earthquake was indeed triggered by the dike, rather than purely due to the accumulation of tectonic strain, is about 60 to 90?%. This methodology allows us to assign quantitative probabilities to different scenarios and can help in classifying earthquakes as triggered or not triggered by natural or human-induced changes of stress in the crust.     

Research on the regionalQ values of coda waves for the aftershocks in Luquan,Yunnan of 1985

Based on the scattering coda model by which local and regional earthquakes are interpreted (K. Aki, 1969), and using observational coda data of 68 aftershocks of the 1985 Luquan, Yunnan earthquake registered by the VGK seismographs installed at 12 stations in the Yunnan regional short-period network, theQ-values of coda waves are calculated respectively for 6 time intervals. It is observed that within the frequency range of 0.40–1.65 Hz of the observed data, theQ-values are closely related with the frequencies and the calculated codaQ ranges between 80–240 with the coefficient of frequency dependence η=0.45. The calculated source factorsB(f> _p) of the coda waves which indicate the scattering strength are mostly within the order 10^?23–10^?24. Areas with lowQ-values present high scattering. It should be noted that by comparing data obtained before and after the Luquan earthquake, clear changes can be detected in theQ-values measured at stations close to the epicentral region, and that theQ-values of the aftershock coda are less than about one half of the pre-shock values. It may be mentioned that the time-dependent regional variations of theQ-values might possibly bring about practical significance in earthquake prediction. Moreover, aftershock focal parameters are determined. Through discussions on the quantitative relations between the focal parameters, we get: 1gE=1.59M _L+ 11.335;E=(2.10 × 10^?5)M ₀; length of focal rupturea=0.40?0.80 km for 3.0≤M _L<5.0 events; stress drop Δσ=(6.0–130) ×10⁵ Pa. Through interpretation of the data, we have also learned the important characteristics that there is no linear relation between the stress drops and the earthquake magnitudes.     

Examination of a Rock Failure Criterion Based on Circumferential Tensile Strain

—Uniaxial compression, triaxial compression and Brazialian tests were conducted on several kinds of rock, with particular attention directed to the principal tensile strain. In this paper we aim to clarify the effects of the experimental environment—such as confining pressure, loading rate, water content and anisotropy—on the critical tensile strain, i.e., the measured principal tensile strain at peak load.¶It was determined that the chain-type extensometer is a most suitable method for measuring the critical tensile strain in uniaxial compression tests. It is also shown that the paper-based strain gage, whose effective length is less than or equal to a tenth of the specimen’s diameter and glued on with a rubber-type adhesive, can be effectively used in the Brazilian tests.¶The effect of confining pressure P _C on the critical tensile strain ? _TC in the brittle failure region was between ?0.02 × 10^?10 Pa^?1 and 0.77 × 10^?10 Pa^?1. This pressure sensitivity is small compared to the critical tensile strain values of around ?0.5 × 10^?2. The strain rate sensitivities ?? _TC /?{log(d|?|/dt)} were observed in the same way as the strength constants in other failure criteria. They were found to be from ?0.10 × 10^?3 to ?0.52 × 10^?3 per order of magnitude in strain rate in the triaxial tests. The average magnitude of the critical tensile strain ? _TC increased due to the presence of water by 4% to 20% for some rocks, and decreased by 22% for sandstone. It can at least be said that the critical tensile strain is less sensitive to water content than the uniaxial compressive strength under the experimental conditions reported here. An obvious anisotropy was observed in the P-wave velocity and in the uniaxial compressive strength of Pombetsu sandstone. It was not observed, however, in the critical tensile strain, although the data do show some variation.¶A "tensile strain criterion" was proposed, based on the above experimental results. This criterion signifies that stress begins to drop when the principal tensile strain reaches the critical tensile strain. The criterion is limited to use within the brittle failure region. The critical tensile strain contains an inelastic strain component as well as an elastic one. It is affected by the strain rate, however, it is relatively insensitive to the confining pressure, the presence of water and anisotropy.     

Seismicity and seismotectonic deformations of the crust in the Southern Baikal basin

This paper addresses the seismicity of the Southern Baikal basin, where the M _w = 6.0 earthquake of 1999 was the strongest over the period of instrumental observations in this region. Focal mechanisms of background earthquakes and aftershocks are analyzed in relation to faults mapped on flanks of and within the basin. Based on a supplemented catalog of focal mechanisms, the value and direction of seismotectonic strain are evaluated. The results show that the territory to the west of the transverse Angara fault (the Mishikhinskaya depression) experiences deformation of pure extension, while the E-W basin segment west of the fault is subjected to deformation of extension with shear (the transtension regime). The crustal deformation directions as determined from GPS measurements and seismological observations are found to agree well. The average seismotectonic strain rate of the crust amounts to 2.95 × 10^?9 yr^?1, which is about an order of magnitude smaller than the value obtained from geodetic observations.     

Short-period PKP phases and the anelastic mechanism of the inner core

Short-period seismograms are synthesized for PKP phases in anelastic Earth models. The synthetics were constructed using a synthetic technique valid at grazing incidence, a source-time function appropriate for deep-focus earthquakes, and an instrument response for either a short-period WWSSN or SRO seismograph. The agreement between predicted and observed amplitudes and spectral ratios requires neither a low-Q_α zone at 0.2–2 Hz nor a low or negative P-velocity gradient at the bottom of the outer core. Thin low-Q_α zones beneath the inner core boundary fit spectral ratio data that sample the upper 200 km of the inner core but fail to fit data that sample the lower inner core. Only a model having Q_α^?1?[0.003, 0.004] at 0.2–2 Hz, nearly constant with depth in the inner core, satisfies all of the spectral ratio and amplitude data. The assumption of a bulk viscosity of 10-10³ Pa s for the liquid phase of a partially molten inner core combined with the observation of low shear attenuation in the inner core at frequencies less than 0.005 Hz limit the physical parameters associated with two possible attenuation mechanisms: (1) fluid flow and viscous relaxation due to ellipsoidally shaped inclusions of melt, and (2) the solid-liquid phase transformation induced by the stress change during the passage of a seismic wave. Both mechanisms require an order of 0.1% partial melt to reproduce the observed Q_α^?1. In the outer core, the time constant of the mechanism of phase transformation is predicted to be 10⁴–10⁶ s. Confirmation of small shear attenuation in the inner core in the frequency band of seismic body waves would favor the mechanism of phase transformation.