Cyclic variations in the Earth’s flattening and questions of seismotectonics

For more than a decade, the global network of GPS stations whose measurements are part of the International GPS Service (IGS) have been recording cyclic variations in the radius vector of the geodetic ellipsoid with a period of one year and amplitude of ~10 mm. The analysis of the figure of the Earth carried out by us shows that the observed variations in the vertical component of the Earth’s surface displacements can induce small changes in the flattening of the Earth’s figure which are, in turn, caused by the instability of the Earth’s rotation. The variations in the angular velocity and flattening of the Earth change the kinetic energy of the Earth’s rotation. The additional energy is ~10²¹ J. The emerging variations in the flattening of the Earth’s ellipsoid lead to changes in the surface area of the Earth’s figure, cause the development of deformations in rocks, accumulation of damage, activation of seismotectonic processes, and preparation of earthquakes. It is shown that earthquakes can be caused by the instability of the Earth’s rotation which induces pulsations in the shape of the Earth and leads to the development of alternating-sign deformations in the Earth’s solid shell.     

Geophysical excitation of the Earth orientation parameters EOP and its contribution to GGOS

We discuss how the geophysical fluids affect the Earth orientation parameters (EOP) and in particular polar motion and nutation. We show that the Earth orientation modeling is a perfect example of the integrated approach recommended by GGOS. GGOS considers the Earth system as a whole, including the solid Earth as well as the fluid components; geodesy observes and models the dynamics inside this system through the static and time-varying gravity field, the station displacements, and the Earth orientation parameters and the associated length-of-day variation, nutation and polar motion. Global-scale transfer in the Earth system and its geodetic consequences is proposed to be the central theme of GGOS. We show that the Earth orientation parameters perfectly fit this theme.     

Geophysical excitation of the Earth orientation parameters EOP and its contribution to GGOS

We discuss how the geophysical fluids affect the Earth orientation parameters (EOP) and in particular polar motion and nutation. We show that the Earth orientation modeling is a perfect example of the integrated approach recommended by GGOS. GGOS considers the Earth system as a whole, including the solid Earth as well as the fluid components; geodesy observes and models the dynamics inside this system through the static and time-varying gravity field, the station displacements, and the Earth orientation parameters and the associated length-of-day variation, nutation and polar motion. Global-scale transfer in the Earth system and its geodetic consequences is proposed to be the central theme of GGOS. We show that the Earth orientation parameters perfectly fit this theme.     

固体地球内部几何结构成像和物性结构成像

本文评述了过去60年内固体地球内部几何结构和物性结构成像的进展,包括地震学研究的进展;重磁位场研究的进展;电磁学研究的进展.文章还指出了他们进一步发展的某些方面.     

Dependence of the Love numbers upon the inner structure of the Earth and comparison of theoretical models with results of measurements

Summary The question this paper is examining is the following: to what extent are the Love numbers dependent on certain characteristics of the inner structure of the Earth? It has been proven — on the basis of calculations carried out by the author-that these quantities are only in a small degree dependent on the density values measured on the surface of the Earth and on the selection of the density function in the mantle of the Earth. On the other hand the value of Love numbersh, k andl is considerably influenced by the assumptions made about the core of the Earth, namely by the position of the boundary between the core and the mantle and by the magnitude of the rigidity coefficient presumed in the core in the vicinity of the core-mantle boundary.The results of the calculations are compared with those mean values of Love numbers obtained from the data of stations operating at different places of the Earth. By reason of this it can be assumed that the core of the Earth has, in the vicinity of the core-mantle boundary, a coefficient of effective rigidity of the order of 10¹⁰ dyn/cm², if the core-mantle boundary is placed at the relative Earth radius of 0.545 from the centre of the Earth.     

地球形成和演化过程中的分异能计算方法研究

地球形成初期,构成地球的物质在组成上是大致均一的.目前地球的地核-地幔-地壳圈层结构,是由分异作用形成的.分异过程释放的能量称为分异能.Sorokhtin和Chilingarian等人从行星吸积的定义出发,导出了基于地球内部密度分布的势能计算公式,计算出的分异能大小为1.698×1031J.本文采用计算球体势能的思路,导出分异能计算的解析公式和数值计算公式,通过求取原始地球模型与均匀分层模型、PREM模型的势能差计算分异能.两种方法的计算结果分别为1.535×1031J和1.698×1031J.前者与Sorokhtin等的结果相近,后者与之相同.本文初步分析了方法间的异同以及造成结果偏差的主要原因.     

地球模型对季节性负荷形变计算的影响——以川滇地区为例

利用川滇地区的GNSS和GRACE数据,结合不同地球模型和负荷理论,研究了地球模型对地表季节性负荷形变计算的影响,该工作对于选取合适的地球模型开展负荷形变研究具有一定的参考价值。研究表明：(1)川滇地区GNSS观测的地壳垂向季节性形变振幅为20 mm左右,GRACE反演的垂向形变与GNSS的结果相位一致,振幅存在差异。(2)区域地球模型的负荷勒夫数与其他地球模型的差异较大,且负荷勒夫数h_n对地球结构的变化较为敏感。(3)区域地球模型可以改善GRACE反演的负荷形变结果,从而减小与GNSS观测结果的差异。(4)川滇地区大部分GNSS测站的加权均方根比值减小量呈现由东北向西南方向逐渐增加的变化趋势。     

Tectonomicrobiology: A new paradigm for geobiological research

Geomicrobiology is a sub-discipline of geobiology and emphasizes the interaction between microorganisms and their environment on Earth. There is a need to explicitly emphasize the biogeochemical processes performed by microorganisms associated with Earth’s tectonic activities, especially under the framework of the modern theory of plate tectonics. Tectonomicrobiology aims to create a better synergy between microbial and active tectonic processes. This explicit synergy should also foster better communications between solid Earth scientists and life scientists in terms of holistic Earth system dynamics at both tectonic and micro-scales.     

Effect of Meteorological Conditions on Tectonic Deformations in Hourly Period Range

Izvestiya, Physics of the Solid Earth - Abstract—Deviations of the vertical crustal velocities measured by a broadband seismic station from the Earth’s tidal velocities predicted by...     

Digital Earth在防震减灾工作中的应用——Google Earth为例

美国前副总统戈尔在1998年提出了Digital Earth的概念,本文对Digital Earth在防震减灾工作中的应用做了初步探索,对Digital Earth的主要软件——Google Earth做了介绍,并对其在防震减灾工作中的应用做了详细论述。介绍了Google Earth结合震害快速评估,构造研究、野外地震地质调查的具体应用。Digital Earth在不断发展,在我们的工作、生活中发挥了巨大作用,防震减灾工作中Digital Earth的应用才刚刚开始,可以肯定,Digital Earth作为当今科技制高点,将会使传统防震减灾工作的技术方式等产生根本性的改变。     

Core cooling by subsolidus mantle convection

Although vigorous mantle convection early in the thermal history of the Earth is shown to be capable of removing several times the latent heat content of the core, we are able to construct a thermal evolution model of the Earth in which the core does not solidify. The large amount of energy removed from the model Earth's core by mantle convection is supplied by the internal energy of the core which is assumed to cool from an initial high temperature given by the silicate melting temperature at the core-mantle boundary. For the smaller terrestrial planets, the iron and silicate melting temperatures at the core-mantle boundaries are more comparable than for the Earth, and the cores of these planets may not possess enough internal energy to prevent core solidification by mantle convection. Our models incorporate temperature-dependent mantle viscosity and radiogenic heat sources in the mantle. The Earth models are constrained by the present surface heat flux and mantle viscosity. Internal heat sources produce only about 55% of the Earth model's present surface heat flow.     

地震层析成像中的不确定性

地震层析成像已经是一种常用的探测地球内部三维波速结构的地球物理方法。这些深部地球结构信息是人们深入认识地球的重要依据,同时由于地表地质过程往往取决于深部动力过程,因此深部结构已经开始受到了地质学家们的广泛重视。但地震层析成像方法众多,所得到的参数和精度可能有所不同,这给非地震学专业的研究人员在使用层析成像结果的过程中造成了极大的不便。为了更好地实现地球物理,地球化学和地质等多学科交叉应用,本文系统分析了地震层析成像结果中可能存在的不确定性,同时提出了相应的建议以帮助地质学家们能够正确对待层析成像结果中的不确定性并合理利用地震层析成像结果。     

卫星重力梯度恢复地球重力场的频谱分析

根据仪器功率谱密度和重力位系数阶方差的定义,本文建立了卫星重力梯度测量噪声功率谱密度与重力场模型的误差阶方差的直接对应关系,并基于此讨论了重力梯度测量精度、卫星轨道高度以及运行时间对地球重力场恢复精度的影响.相比于传统的基于最小二乘法评估卫星载荷噪声对地球重力场恢复精度的影响而言,本文提出的方法简单、直接,有助于快速设计和确定卫星重力测量计划的有关参数.     

How dissipation and selection of the Earth model on the quality of the Earth tidal prediction

The influence exerted by dissipation and mass correction when calculating the gravimetric ocean effect, as well as by selection of the Earth model, on the degree of closeness of the predicted parameter values of the Earth’s tidal parameters to the observed values computed by the network of superconducting gravimeters is estimated. The role of the latitude dependence of the loading delta factors and the applicability of the hybrid model of the latitude dependence of the amplitude delta factors for an elastic oceanless Earth is briefly discussed.     

地球扁率在地质历史上的变化下限

为研究地球形状的长期变化,将地球假设为弹性椭球体,根据弹性动力学理论导出地球的扁率下限公式,扁率与地球的平均密度ρ、引力加速度g、自转角速度ω、平均半径R、弹性模量E、泊松比v相关.将新星云假说下地质历史时期半径、质量和角速度变化值代入公式计算出各地质历史时期地球扁率值,作为地球扁率变化值的下限值.地球的扁率自地球形成以来总体变化趋势是在减小.     

低轨卫星轨道误差对中性层延迟量影响的模拟研究

GPS掩星监测大气方法中需要载有GPS接收机的卫星的精密定轨信息，而该卫星的轨道 精度对GPS掩星监测大气的效果进行分析是十分必要的. 基于地球大气模式CIRA1986，本文采用三维射线跟踪方法模拟了有代表性的5次完整的GPS掩星事件，得到了卫星的轨道精度 对GPS掩星测量中关键参数的影响的初步结果. 结果表明，该卫星的常规轨道误差对掩星测量的影响较小，完全可以采用差分定位方法来获取掩星测量中所需要的卫星定轨信息.     

V. V. Beloussov and Geophysics: A Tribute on His 110th Birth Anniversary

The contribution made by V.V. Beloussov (1907–1990), an outstanding Earth scientist in the former Soviet Union and Russia, to the development of planetary geophysics is considered. Beloussov was a brilliant coordinator of international cooperation and direct inspirer of international scientific programs of paramount importance. He took up one of the key positions in organizing and holding the International Geophysical Year (IGY) in 1957–1958. In 1960, Beloussov was elected President of the International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics and proposed the project “The upper mantle and its influence on the Earth’s crust,” which subsequently became known worldwide as the Upper Mantle Project. The project underlined that the experience of the IGY should be extended to studies of the deep structure of the Earth and the processes taking place in the Earth’s interior. The fulfillment of this and the subsequent Geodynamic project resulted in a breakthrough in the knowledge about the deep structure of the Earth, particularly the structure of the oceans. Beloussov actively advocated integrating science of the Earth, geonomy, and in his scientific research sought a geonomic approach incorporating the entire complex of geological, geophysical, and geochemical data. Beloussov’s scientific heritage contains propositions that are of current importance and can be involved in modern developments of the Earth sciences.     

The progressive onset and evolution of Precambrian subduction and plate tectonics

Science China Earth Sciences - The regime of plate tectonics on early Earth is one of the fundamental problems in Earth sciences. Precambrian era takes the majority (ca. 88%) of Earth’s...     

利用体应变观测智利8.8级大地震激发的地球球型自由振荡

用河北省体应变的数字化观测资料,利用功率谱密度估计方法,在没有对资料进行处理的情况下,准确获得了2010年2月27日智利8.8级大地震激发的0S5-0S35摹频球型自由振荡,并与地球初步参考模型(PREM)的理论自由振荡频率进行对比,发现实测振荡频率与PREM预测的振荡频率基本符合.河北省体应变的数字化观测资料的确可以...     

Shock Wave Effects from the Impacts of Cosmic Objects with Diameters from 20 m to 3 km

Izvestiya, Physics of the Solid Earth - Abstract—Destruction on the Earth’s surface caused by a shock wave is one of the most important and dangerous effects from asteroid and comet...