An example of stress tensor distribution deduced from the aftershocks of the November 23, 1980 southern Italy earthquake

The total inversion algorithm (Tarantola and Valette, 1982) is applied to a set of focal mechanisms corresponding to the aftershocks of the southern Italy November 23, 1980 earthquake (M_s = 6.9), and the elements of several stress tensors are computed. The obtained complex distribution of stress for this region is analyzed, and two zones around the main event, corresponding to areas of tension and compression distributed at different depths, are delimited. A stress tensor was sought for a third region, corresponding to events which occurred along the strike of the main event and with magnitudes greater than 2.2, but with ambiguous results.     

Mechanics of low-angle normal faulting: An example from Roosevelt Hot Springs geothermal area, Utah

Roosevelt Hot Springs geothermal area is located in the Mineral Mountains of southern Utah. The geothermal reservoir is formed by systems of faults and joints in Cenozoic plutonic and Precambrian metamorphic rocks. Low-angle denudation faults, dipping between 5° and 35° to the west, form an important component of the reservoir's structure. These faults developed simultaneously with steeply dipping faults that dissect the low-angle fault plates and merge into denudation faults at depth.Gently westward dipping joints provided planes of weakness along which the denudation faults nucleated. The average coefficient of sliding friction along the faults was less than 0.5 and probably ranged between 0.15 and 0.4. The maximum depth for formation of the denudation faults was estimated as 5 km. Hydrothermally altered cataclasite preserved in the fault zones indicates that faulting occurred under brittle conditions in the presence of chemically reactive fluids. The hydrothermal alteration may have significantly reduced friction in the fault zones.Hydrothermal alteration along fractures in the present geothermal reservoir is similar to that observed in the exhumed denudation faults, indicating that the frictional resistance along faults and joints in the reservoir could be significantly lower than along similar structures in unaltered granitic rock. Studies of the structural stability of the reservoir as a consequence of fluid withdrawal and reinjection should consider possible mechanical effects of this hydrothermal alteration.     

Aftershocks of the june 20, 1978, Greece earthquake: A multimode faulting sequence

A 10-station portable seismograph network was deployed in northern Greece to study aftershocks of the magnitude (m_b) 6.4 earthquake of June 20, 1978. The main shock occurred (in a graben) about 25 km northeast of the city of Thessaloniki and caused an east-west zone of surface rupturing 14 km long that splayed to 7 km wide at the west end. The hypocenters for 116 aftershocks in the magnitude range from 2.5 to 4.5 were determined. The epicenters for these events cover an area 30 km (east-west) by 18 km (north-south), and focal depths ranges from 4 to 12 km. Most of the aftershocks in the east half of the aftershock zone are north of the surface rupture and north of the graben. Those in the west half are located within the boundaries of the graben. Composite focalmechanism solutions for selected aftershocks indicate reactivation of geologically mapped normal faults in the area. Also, strike-slip and dip-slip faults that splay off the western end of the zone of surface ruptures may have been activated.The epicenters for four large (M 4.8) foreshocks and the main shock were relocated using the method of joint epicenter determination. Collectively, those five epicenters form an arcuate pattern convex southward, that is north of and 5 km distant from the surface rupturing. The 5-km separation, along with a focal depth of 8 km (average aftershock depth) or 16 km (NEIS main-shock depth), implies that the fault plane dips northward 58° or 73°, respectively. A preferred nodal-plane dip of 36° was determined by B.C. Papazachos and his colleagues in 1979 from a focal-mechanism solution for the main shock. If this dip is valid for the causal fault and that fault projects to the zone of surface rupturing, a decrease of dip with depth is required.     

Tectono-magmatic control on vertical dip slip basement faulting: An example from the Fennoscandian Shield

Vertical dip-slip basement faults play an important role in the evolution and structuring of the Earth's crust. The Proterozoic anorogenic rapakivi-anorthosite setting of the Fennoscandian Shield in southern Finland exhibits a widespread pattern of vertical dip-slip basement faults that are deeply eroded. The Porkkala-Mantsala (PM)-fault, located c. 30 km W of Helsinki is part of a system of crustal lineaments that closely follows the outcrop pattern of Mid-Late Proterozoic anorogenic crustal elements, such as basic dyke swarms, the outline of rapakivi granites and remnants of sediment-filled grabens. These lineaments are formed by low-grade dip-slip faults that overprint Svecofennian shear zones. Structural analysis of the PM-fault supports an interpretation in terms of reactivation of a high-grade ductile wrench zone. Successive stages of brittle deformation visible in as well the PM-fault and the Obbnäs granite demonstrate that brittle deformation in the PM-fault is coeval with the intrusion of the anorogenic Obbnäs rapakivi granite. Based on the spatial and temporal relationship of anorogenic magmatism and block faulting, a genetic relationship is proposed.     

Blind reverse faulting system associated with the Mont Chenoua-Tipaza earthquake of 29 October 1989 (north-central Algeria)

A shallow and damaging earthquake struck the region of Tipaza located on the coast, 70 km to the west of Algiers (north-central Algeria). The main shock was felt as far as 200 km from the epicentral area and particularly in the urbanized zone of Algiers. The main shock epicentre determined by CRAAG is on Mt Chenoua, close to the coastline. Coseismic surface breaks with 4.0 km of fault length and 7.0 cm of vertical displacement appeared on the southern side of Mt Chenoua. They consist of cracks and fissures on vertical bedding planes that belong to a Neogene flexure. The aftershock activity was recorded for several weeks and comprised more than 100 seismic events per day, with 1 < M < 5. Aftershocks are distributed in a ENE-WSW to NE-SW zone extending offshore. A NW-SE cross-section indicates that seismic events affect the crust to a maximum depth of 20 km, showing a complex fault-plane geometry dipping to the NW. For the main shock, the focal mechanism solution obtained from the readings of first motion polarities of seismograms yields an ENE-WSW reverse fault dipping to the NNW, which is in good agreement with both field observations and the aftershock distribution at depth.
The occurrence of the Mt Chenoua-Tipaza moderate-sized event in a previously identified active zone improves the seismotectonic characterization of this part of the Tellan Atlas mountains. This thrust and fold geological domain also shows active folds capable of producing larger earthquakes. Since only a small portion of the Sahel anticline ridge has been reactivated, a serious seismic hazard must be urgently recognized in the Algiers region.     

Geological and archaeological evidence for post-Roman earthquake surface faulting at Cibyra,SW Turkey

The NE–SW-trending Burdur–Fethiye fault zone is one of the major active fault zones of southwestern Turkey and the ancient city of Cibyra is located on this zone. Segments of the Burdur–Fethiye fault zone have ruptured in the historical period and during the 20th century. A detailed investigation in the ancient city of Cibyra showed the presence of faults sinistrally offset sitting rows of the stadium up to 50 cm. In addition, there are broken corners of blocks, collapsed walls, broken columns, and tilted and toppled blocks in existing major buildings in the city centre. Field observations showed that fractures and associated damage at Cibyra were produced by a post-Roman earthquake, possibly during the 417-A.D.-earthquake which had an intensity of 9 on the MSK scale.     

High-resolution stratigraphy reveals repeated earthquake faulting in the Masada Fault Zone, Dead Sea Transform

A detailed study of the syndepositional Masada Fault Zone (MFZ) provides an example for fundamental characteristics of earthquakes, such as long term temporal clustering, repeated faulting on the same planes for a limited time of the order of a few thousands of years, and the formation of subaqueous breccia layers interpreted as seismites. The MFZ was studied in outcrops of 70–15 ka Lake Lisan sediments. Detailed columnar sections on both sides of well-exposed faults show that each individual fault exhibits a cluster, up to 4 ky long, with 3–5 slip events on the same plane. Each slip event is associated with the formation of widespread layers exhibiting soft sediment deformation, which are interpreted to be seismite layers. The uppermost part of the Lisan section, about 5 m, is not faulted, hence the last cluster of slip events ended about 25 ky ago. The clusters of activity of individual faults coalesce to form larger clusters. These are evident in the distribution of seismite layers throughout the entire Lisan section which shows earthquake clustering during periods of 10 ky. The clusters are separated by relatively quiescent periods of comparable duration.     

The Dolodau dykes,Canada: An example of an archean carbonatite

Summary The Archean Dolodau carbonatite dykes occur near a late tectonic syenite stock located in the Northern Volcanic Zone of the Abitibi greenstone belt. The biotite sovite and amphibole-biotite silicocarbonatite dykes produced fenitization of the host rocks. The Dolodau carbonatites compare favourably with Phanerozoic carbonatites in petrography, mineralogy and geochemistry. An Archean age is suggested by field geology and the isotope data available. The similarities suggest that Archean carbonatite petrogenetic processes were similar to modern day processes.

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Die Dolodaugänge, Kanada: ein Beispiel eines archaischen Karbonatites

Zusammenfassung Die archaischen Karbonatitgänge von Dolodau liegen in der Nähe eines spättektonischen Syenit-Stockes in der nördlichen vulkanischen Zone des Abitibi Greenstone Belts. Die Biotit-Sovit- and Amphibol-Biotit Silicokarbonatit-Gänge führten zu Fenitisierung der umgebenden Gesteine. Die Dolodau-Karbonatite lassen sich gut mit phanerozoischen Karbonatiten vergleichen, was Petrographie, Mineralogie and Geochemie betrifft. Ein archaisches Alter wird durch Geländebeziehungen and Isotopendaten belegt. Diese Ähnlichkeiten weisen darauf hin, daß archaische Karbonatit-bildende Vorgänge ihren modernen äquivalenten ähnlich sind.

     

Fault–valve action and vein development during strike–slip faulting: An example from the Ribeira Shear Zone, Southeastern Brazil

Fluid inclusion microthermometry and structural data are presented for quartz vein systems of a major dextral transcurrent shear zone of Neoproterozoic–Cambrian age in the Ribeira River Valley area, southeastern Brazil. Geometric and microstructural constraints indicate that foliation–parallel and extensional veins were formed during dextral strike–slip faulting. Both vein systems are formed essentially by quartz and lesser contents of sulfides and carbonates, and were crystallized in the presence of CO₂–CH₄ and H₂O–CO₂–CH₄–NaCl immiscible fluids following unmixing from a homogeneous parental fluid. Contrasting fluid entrapment conditions indicate that the two vein systems were formed in different structural levels. Foliation–parallel veins were precipitated beneath the seismogenic zone under pressure fluctuating from moderately sublithostatic to moderately subhydrostatic values (319–397 °C and 47–215 MPa), which is compatible with predicted fluid pressure cycle curves derived from fault–valve action. Growth of extensional veins occurred in shallower structural levels, under pressure fluctuating from near hydrostatic to moderately subhydrostatic values (207–218 °C and 18–74 MPa), which indicate that precipitation occurred within the near surface hydrostatically pressured seismogenic zone. Fluid immiscibility and precipitation of quartz in foliation–parallel veins resulted from fluid pressure drop immediately after earthquake rupture. Fluid immiscibility following a local pressure drop during extensional veining occurred in pre-seismic stages in response to the development of fracture porosity in the dilatant zone. Late stages of fluid circulation within the fault zone are represented dominantly by low to high salinity (0.2 to 44 wt.% equivalent NaCl) H₂O–NaCl–CaCl₂ fluid inclusions trapped in healed fractures mainly in foliation–parallel veins, which also exhibit subordinate H₂O–NaCl–CaCl₂, CO₂–(CH₄) and H₂O–CO₂–(CH₄)–NaCl fluid inclusions trapped under subsolvus conditions in single healed microcracks. Recurrent circulation of aqueous–carbonic fluids and aqueous fluids of highly contrasting salinities during veining and post-veining stages suggests that fluids of different reservoirs were pumped to the ruptured fault zone during faulting episodes. A fluid evolution trending toward CH₄ depletion for CO₂–CH₄–bearing fluids and salinity depletion and dilution (approximation of the system H₂O–NaCl) for aqueous–saline fluids occurred concomitantly with decrease in temperature and pressure related to fluid entrapment in progressively shallower structural levels reflecting the shear zone exhumation history.     

An example of landslide-inflicted damage to tunnel in the 2004 Mid-Niigata Prefecture earthquake

A large number of landslides induced by the 2004 Mid Niigata Prefecture earthquake resulted in the closure of 233 segments of national and prefectural routes in Higashiyama mountain district, and 61 localities were completely isolated. Since railway and road facilities follow closely the motion of soils, damage to these facilities has to be discussed in terms of soil deformations that they experienced. The example of Kizawa tunnel shows that even relatively small soil deformations can be large enough to cause serious cracking of tunnel lining.     

Pillow-beds: a new type of seismites? An example from an Oligocene turbidite fan complex,Alicante, Spain

A new type of soft sediment deformed beds, termed ‘pillow-beds’, originally a packet of calcarenitic turbidites, show sand-in-sand loading with plane lower and upper surfaces. The pillow-beds have some resemblance to ball and pillow structures and they are considered to have formed as a result of dewatering. The pillow-beds are Oligocene in age and are part of turbidite lobes in a submarine fan system, which was fed through a canyon along the southern border of the ancient Iberian continent. Three hypotheses may explain their occurrence: overloading, sliding or seismic shock. A seismic origin is preferrred on the basis of the flat, undeformed lower surface of the pillow-beds, excluding dewatering of—and loading into—the previously deposited beds. Furthermore, the pillow-bed structures are related to grain size and may show repetitions, thus excluding sliding. The scale and nature of the pillow-beds suggest they could be the result of an earthquake with a magnitude of 6–7 on the Richter scale.     

Seismotectonic significance of the 29 January 1989 Etne earthquake, SW Norway

The integrated analysis of geological, seismological and field observations with lineament data derived from satellite images allows the identification of a possible seismogenic fault zone for an earthquake which occurred near Etne in southwestern Norway, on 29 February 1989. The hypocentre of the earthquake was located at the mid-crust at a depth of 13.8±0.9 km which is typical of small intraplate earthquakes. The Etne earthquake occurred as a result of normal faulting with a dextral strike-slip component on a NW–SE trending fault. Available geological and lineament data indicate correlation of the inferred seismogenic fault with the NW–SE trending Etne fault zone. An aeromagnetic anomaly related to the Etne fault zone forms a regional feature intersecting both Precambrian basement and allochthonous Caledonian rocks. Based on these associations the occurrence of the Etne event is ascribed to the reactivation of a zone of weakness along the Etne fault zone. Slope-instabilities developed in the superficial deposits during the Etne event demonstrate the existence of potentially hazardous secondary-effects of such earthquakes even in low seismicity areas such as southwestern Norway.     

Landslides triggered by slipping-fault-generated earthquake on a plateau: an example of the 14 April 2010, Ms 7.1, Yushu, China earthquake

On 14 April 2010 at 07:49 (Beijing time), a catastrophic earthquake with Ms 7.1 struck Yushu County, Qinghai Province, China. A total of 2,036 landslides were interpreted from aerial photographs and satellite images, verified by selected field checking. These landslides cover about a total area of 1.194 km². The characteristics and failure mechanisms of these landslides are presented in this paper. The spatial distribution of the landslides is evidently strongly controlled by the locations of the main co-seismic surface fault ruptures. The landslides commonly occurred close together. Most of the landslides are small; there were only 275 individual landslide (13.5 % of the total number) surface areas larger than 1,000 m². The landslides are of various types. They are mainly shallow, disrupted landslides, but also include rock falls, deep-seated landslides, liquefaction-induced landslides, and compound landslides. Four types of factors are identified as contributing to failure along with the strong ground shaking: natural excavation of the toes of slopes, which mean erosion of the base of the slope, surface water infiltration into slopes, co-seismic fault slipping at landslide sites, and delayed occurrence of landslides due to snow melt or rainfall infiltration at sites where slopes were weakened by the co-seismic ground shaking. To analyze the spatial distribution of the landslides, the landslide area percentage (LAP) and landslide number density (LND) were compared with peak ground acceleration (PGA), distance from co-seismic main surface fault ruptures, elevation, slope gradient, slope aspect, and lithology. The results show landslide occurrence is strongly controlled by proximity to the main surface fault ruptures, with most landslides occurring within 2.5 km of such ruptures. There is no evident correlation between landslide occurrences and PGA. Both LAP and LND have strongly positive correlations with slope gradient, and additionally, sites at elevations between 3,800 and 4,000 m are relatively susceptible to landslide occurrence; as are slopes with northeast, east, and southeast slope aspects. Q₄ al-pl, N, and T₃ kn ¹ have more concentrated landslide activity than others. This paper provides a detailed inventory map of landslides triggered by the 2010 Yushu earthquake for future seismic landslide hazard analysis and also provides a study case of characteristics, failure mechanisms, and spatial distribution of landslides triggered by slipping-fault generated earthquake on a plateau.     

The Mlindi ring structure. An example of an ultrapotassic pyroxenite to syenite differentiated complex

The Mlindi ring complex in southern Malawi, dated at 495 Ma, is intrusive in the Proterozoic migmatite basement composed mainly of hornblende- and biotite-bearing paragneiss and dolomitic marble. Three main lithologic facies have been distinguished: (1) syenite, which crops out in the outer part of the complex as an oval-shaped ring dike (7 km×9 km) and as a rim of massive bodies cutting the mafic rocks of the central part, (2) two types of diopside-biotite gabbro (syenogabbro and gabbronorite), and (3) a banded phlogopite pyroxenite cumulate intruded by the diopside-biotite gabbro. Major- and trace-element geochemistry shows these rocks to form a continuous suite from pyroxenite to syenite with two potassium trends: a highpotassium trend comprising pyroxenite and syenogabbro in which ultrapotassic rocks (K₂O/Na₂O > 3) are developed, and a low-potassium trend with gabbronorite and sodic syenite. The major-element geochemistry of the phlogopite pyroxenite is similar to that of the kamafugitic series volcanic rocks containing micaceous pyroxenite inclusions. The pyroxenite is poorer in compatible elements (e.g. Ni=100–200 ppm, Cr=40–1200 ppm, Cu=5–200 ppm and Co=50 ppm) than other mafic cumulates or lamproite and lamprophyre, which suggests that the Mlindi rocks crystallized from an already differentiated magma. On the other hand, the pyroxenite has a very high content of incompatible elements (e.g. Th or REE) due to abundant apatite; consequently their REE patterns are commonly similar to that of apatite. The A1₂O₃ (2%) and TiO₂ (<0.4%) contents of diopside are very low, whereas the biotite (or phlogopite) is rich in TiO2 (3–4%). Compositional changes, especially Fe-Mg substitution, in these minerals were small during differentiation.     

城区复杂环境岩溶地面塌陷灾害成因与致灾规律研究——以贵港市北环新村岩溶地面塌陷灾害为例

岩溶地面塌陷是岩溶发育地区常见的地质灾害类型。岩溶塌陷对基础设施和人民生命财产安全构成极大威胁。文章以贵港市北环新村岩溶地面塌陷灾害为例,采用地质分析与颗粒流离散元数值模拟相结合的方法,研究岩溶塌陷成因与致灾规律。结果表明：本次塌陷是由多类因素共同导致,主要包括地质环境、地下水位波动与管道渗漏及工程建设活动等;白云岩、灰岩差异性风化所形成的粉砂质土极易诱发土洞与岩溶塌陷灾害;塌陷灾害可分为土洞形成阶段、土洞发展阶段和土洞塌陷阶段,其土洞规模、形状及影响存在显著差别;土洞形成发展过程中,地表沉降量从塌陷中心向四周逐渐减小,存在明显的沉降敏感区,塌坑边缘的竖向临空面存在拉应力作用,极易再次诱发塌陷。研究成果可为岩溶地面塌陷灾害防控与预警提供一定的理论参考。     

Fluid flow evolution in petroleum reservoirs with a complex diagenetic history: An example from Veracruz, Mexico

This paper discusses the fluid flow evolution in the Veracruz petroleum province of eastern Mexico based on results of an integrated diagenetic, sedimentological and structural analysis. The area progressively changed from passive foreland towards an active fold-and-thrust belt into a passive belt with infill of the foreland basin and finally underwent transpressional deformation. This varied kinematic evolution resulted in numerous fluid flow events, among which were four different petroleum migration pulses.     

量子地震模型:对汶川地震的解释

从大量的地震参数分析可知,在由同一主震引发的所有的余震发生的位置都不同。在发生地震之前,地震的震中位置都是一些相互独立、互不连续且发生了弹性应变的单元个体,笔者称这些独立不连续的弹性应变单元称为应变量子。综合前人研究成果,笔者建立了一个地震模型。运用该模型对2008年5月12日发生在中国汶川地震作了解释:由于在龙门山断裂带周围形成了许多的应变量子,这些应变量子的形成阻碍了龙门山断裂的运动,产生滑移亏损,从而造成在地震前测量到的龙门山断裂带速度场变化很不显著。2008年5月12日14时28分时,在龙门山断裂周围已形成应变量子中的其中一应变量子最先达到它的最大储能,释放它所储存的应变能,引发了汶川Ms8.0地震。此次地震产生的地震波引发了龙门山断裂周围地壳应力的重分布,使得其他应变量子提前达到最大储能,释放出能量,于是触发成千上万次余震。此外,我们或许可以通过观测断裂滑移速率的变化情况来预测断裂周围应变量子的形成,从而来预测该断裂是否存在潜在地震的可能。