Siberian traps: Hypotheses and seismology data

Siberian traps are the result of huge basalt eruptions which took place about 250 Ma ago over a vast territory of Siberia. The genesis of Siberian traps is attributed to a mantle plume with a center in the region of Iceland or beneath the central Urals in terms of their present coordinates. The eruption mechanism is associated with delamination—replacement of the mantle lithosphere by the deep magma material. The receiver function analysis of the records from the Norilsk seismic station (NRIL) allows comparing these hypotheses with the factual data on the depth structure of the region of Siberian traps. The S-wave velocity section place the seismic lithosphere/asthenosphere boundary (LAB) at a depth of 155–190 km, commensurate with the data for the other cratons. The mantle lithosphere has a high S-wave velocity characteristic of cratons (4.6–4.8 km/s instead of the typical value 4.5 km/s). The seismic boundary, which is located at a depth around 410 km beneath the continents is depressed by ~10 km in the region of the NRIL station. The phase diagram of olivine/wadsleyite transformation accounts for this depression by a 50–100°С increase in temperature. At the depths of 350–400 km, the S-wave velocity drops due to partial melting. A new reduction in the S-wave velocities is observed at a depth of 460 km. The similar anomalies (deepening of the 410-km seismic boundary and low shear wave velocity at depths of 350–400 and 460–500 km, respectively) were previously revealed in the other regions of the Meso-Cenozoic volcanism. In the case of a differently directed drift of the Siberian lithosphere and underlying mantle at depths down to 500 km, these anomalies are barely accountable. In particular, if the mantle at a depth ranging from 200 to 500 km is fixed, the anomalies should be observed at the original locations where they emerged 250 Ma ago, i.e. thousands of km from the Siberian traps. Our seismic data suggest that despite the low viscosity of the asthenosphere, the mantle drift at depths ranging from 200 to 500 km is correlated with the drift of the Siberian lithospheric plate. Furthermore, the position of the mantle plume beneath the Urals is easier to reconcile with the seismic data than its position beneath Iceland because of the Siberian traps being less remote from the Urals.     

趣味地震学(2):世界海啸意识日

现在的“世界日”愈来愈多。除却卫生日、野生动物日、气象日、地球母亲日、环境日、减灾日(10 月13 日)等几十项外,近两年又增加了一项?海啸意识日。海啸并不常有,却是致命的。根据联合国2018 年公布的数据[1](http://www.un.org/en/events/tsunamiday/),在过去100 年里,58 场海啸夺走逾26 万人的生命,平均每场海啸丧生4 600 人,超过其他任何自然灾害,尤以2004年印度洋海啸的死亡人数最多.     

区域数字地震台网开展近场源剪切波分裂的实用化研究

作者最近在进行台湾微震台网(郑秀芬等,2005)产出的台湾西南部嘉义地震序列的剪切波分裂应力预测研究中,在上地壳各向异性的近场源剪切波分裂方法、基本原理、应用领域和数据处理等方面,开展了深入研究,取得了一定的成果。本文通过浅显易懂的解释说明,希望地震台网、地震台站和开展相关研究工作的数据处理人员能够对各向异性、剪切波分裂等概念有所了解,对所处地区有可能开展的研究方向有所把握,并积极开展常规准实时剪切波分裂研究,为提升台网和台站工作人员的科研能力,促进科研成果和方法的实用化转化提供借鉴和参考。     

Converted-wave seismology in anisotropic media revisited,Part I: Basic theory

We have developed new basic theories for calculating the conversion point and the travel time of the P-SV converted wave (C-wave) in anisotropic, inhomogeneous media. This enables the use of conventional procedures such as semblance analysis, Dix-type model building and Kirchhoff summation, to implement anisotropic processing, and makes anisotropic processing affordable. Here we present these new developments in two parts: basic theory and application to velocity analysis and parameter estimation. This part deals with the basic theory, including both conversion-point calculation and moveout analysis. Existing equations for calculating the PS-wave (C-wave) conversion point in layered media with vertical transverse isotropy (VTI) are strictly limited to offsets about half the reflector depth (an offset-depth ratio, xlz, of 0.5), and those for calculating the C-wave traveltimes are limited to offsets equal to the reflector depth (x/z=l.0). In contrast, the new equations for calculating the conversion-point extend into offsets about three-times the reflector depth (x/z=3.0), those for calculating the C-wave traveltimes extend into offsets twice the reflector depth (x/z=2.0). With the improved accuracy, the equations can help in C-wave data processing and parameter estimation in anisotropic, inhomogeneous media. This work is funded by the Edinburgh Anisotropy Project (EAP) of the British Geological Survey. First author: Xiangyang Li, Mr. Li is currently a professorial research seismologist (Grade 6) and technical director of the Edinburgh Anisotropy Project in the British Geological Survey. He also holds a honorary professorship in multicomponent seismology at the School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh. He received his BSc(1982) in Geophysics from Changchun Geological Institute, China, an MSc (1984) in applied geophysics from East China Petroleum Institute (now known as the China University of Petroleum), and a PhD (1992) in seismology from the University of Edinburgh. During 1984–1987, he worked as a lecturer with the East China Petroleum Institute. Since 1991, he has been employed by the British Geological Survey. His research interests include seismic anisotropy and multicomponent seismology.     

滤波原理和一般线性时间不变系统──地震学上用的数字信号处理的基本原理与实例(讲座1)

从滤波和系统理论的一些基本概念出发，介绍了简单的阻容滤波器原理，它的微分方程表达，频率响应函数，传递函数以及在离散数据处理中滤波器的差分方程表达。最后推广到对一般线性时间不变系统的处理。这些概念和原理是数字信号处理的基础。     

Selecting time windows of seismic phases and noise for engineering seismology applications: a versatile methodology and algorithm

Seismic signal windowing is the preliminary step for many analysis procedures in engineering seismology (standard spectral ratio, quality factor, general inversion techniques, etc.). Moreover a noise window is often necessary for the data quality control through the signal-to-noise verification. Selecting the noise window can be challenging when large heterogeneous datasets are considered, especially when they include short pre-event noise signals. This study proposes a fully automatic and configurable (i.e., with default parameters that can also be user-defined) algorithm to windowing the noise and the P, S, coda and full signal once the P-wave (T _P ) and S-wave (T _S ) first arrivals are known. An application example is given on a KiK-net dataset. A Matlab language implementation of this algorithm is proposed as an online resource.     

趣味地震学(4):人为失误的头号地质灾难

国际地球年启动之时,联合国教科文组织(UNESCO)[1]于2008 年2 月12 日公布了《工程师和地质学家错误引发的灾难警示录》(Cautionary Tales Caused by the Failure of Engineers and Geologists),共有5 个最严重事件。除1985 年哥伦比亚火山泥流、2002 年北奥塞梯的冰川坍塌、2004 年印度洋海啸、全球洪水外,位居首位的是意大利瓦依昂水库的滑坡(图1)。研究该工程的奥地利地质学家Müller L 沉重地讲:“这是人类的错误、科学的错误,也是缺乏知识的结果”[2]。我们需要认真地了解,错误出在何处?     

Converted-wave seismology in anisotropic media Revisited,Part II: Application to parameter estimation

In transversely isotropic media with a vertical symmetry axis (VTI), the converted-wave (C-wave) moveout over intermediate-to-far offsets is determined by four parameters. These are the C-wave stacking velocity V _C2, the vertical and effective velocity ratios γ ₀and γ _eff, and the anisotropic parameter X _eff. We refer to the four parameters as the C-wave stacking velocity model. The purpose of C-wave velocity analysis is to determine this stacking velocity model. The C-wave stacking velocity model V _C2, γ ₀, γ _geff, and X _eff can be determined from P- and C-wave reflection moveout data. However, error propagation is a severe problem in C-wave reflection-moveout inversion. The current short-spread stacking velocity as deduced from hyperbolic moveout does not provide sufficient accuracy to yield meaningful inverted values for the anisotropic parameters. The non-hyperbolic moveout over intermediate-offsets (x/z from 1.0 to 1.5) is no longer negligible and can be quantified using a background γ. Non-hyperbolic analysis with a γ correction over the intermediate offsets can yield V _C2 with errors less than 1% for noise free data. The procedure is very robust, allowing initial guesses of γ with up to 20% errors. It is also applicable for vertically inhomogeneous anisotropic media. This improved accuracy makes it possible to estimate anisotropic parameters using 4C seismic data. Two practical work flows are presented for this purpose: the double-scanning flow and the single-scanning flow. Applications to synthetic and real data show that the two flows yield results with similar accuracy but the single-scanning flow is more efficient than the double-scanning flow. This work is funded by the Edinburgh Anisotropy Project of the British Geological Survey. First Author Li Xiangyang, he is currently a professorial research seismologist (Grade 6) and technical director of the Edinburgh Anisotropy Project in the British Geological Survey. He also holds a honorary professorship multicomponent seismology at the School of Geosciences, University of Edinburgh. He received his BSc(1982) in Geophysics from Changchun Geological Institute, China, an MSc (1984) in applied geophysics from East China Petroleum Institute (now known as the China University of Petroleum), and a PhD (1992) in seismology from the University of Edinburgh. During 1984–1987, he worked as a lecturer with the East China Petroleum Institute. Since 1991, he has been employed by the British Geological Survey. His research interests include seismic anisotropy and multicomponent seismology.     

Ambient noise as the new source for urban engineering seismology and earthquake engineering: a case study from Beijing metropolitan area

In highly populated urban centers, traditional seismic survey sources can no longer be properly applied due to restrictions in modern civilian life styles. The ambient vibration noise, including both microseisms and microtremor, though are generally weak but available anywhere and anytime, can be an ideal supplementary source for conducting seismic surveys for engineering seismology and earthquake engineering. This is fundamentally supported by advanced digital signal processing techniques for effectively extracting the useful information out from the noise. Thus, it can be essentially regarded as a passive seismic method. In this paper we first make a brief survey of the ambient vibration noise, followed by a quick summary of digital signal processing for passive seismic surveys. Then the applications of ambient noise in engineering seismology and earthquake engineering for urban settings are illustrated with examples from Beijing metropolitan area. For engineering seismology the example is the assessment of site effect in a large area via microtremor observations. For earthquake engineering the example is for structural characterization of a typical reinforced concrete high-rise building using background vibration noise. By showing these examples we argue that the ambient noise can be treated as a new source that is economical, practical, and particularly valuable to engineering seismology and earthquake engineering projects for seismic hazard mitigation in urban areas.     

MODALL: a practical tool for designing and optimizing capture systems

The primary goals for most ground water capture systems (i.e., pump-and-treat systems) are that (1) all contaminants within zones of interest will eventually be captured and (2) the extraction and reinjection wells are best located and operated at optimal flow rates, creating hydraulically efficient flow systems. A new tool, MODular ALLocation (MODALL), is presented to aid in the design and assessment of capture systems. MODALL uses the MODFLOW-calculated cell-by-cell flow terms to evaluate internodal flow balances to determine the percentage of flow in each cell which has either originated from a given source(s) or flows to a specified sink(s). Output from MODALL can be easily displayed in isopleths of "capture fraction" (CF) to indicate the certainty or strength of capture in various areas. MODALL results are compared to the results from an analytical solution, a pathline analysis using MODPATH, and solute transport simulation with MT3DMS. A brief case study is also presented where MODALL is used to optimize an existing pump-and-treat system to more effectively and more efficiently contain a 5000-m long plume.     

Heterogeneous destruction of the North China Craton: Coupled constraints from seismology and geodynamic numerical modeling

The prevailing academic view regards mantle flow and the metasomatism triggered by the subduction of the Pacific plate as the cause and mechanism for the destruction of the North China Craton (NCC). However, the geodynamic destruction process remains ambiguous, necessitating detailed information at this stage. Combining the structural images obtained by the exploration of dense seismic arrays and the geodynamic simulations inspired by numerical modeling, this paper arrives at the following conclusions: the spatial variation of the P- and S-wave velocities, as well as their velocity ratio in the mantle transition zone, are key evidences of the nonuniform dehydration of the Pacific plate, the subducted plate induces hot upwellings in the mantle transition zone (MTZ), resulting in the heterogeneous distribution of the melt/fluid beneath the craton, characterized by small scale anomalies in the seismic velocity field, and as revealed by dense seismic array observation, the heterogeneities in the upper mantle structure and deformation are the synthetic results of lithospheric strain localization and the heterogeneous distribution of the melt/fluid. It is known that the nonuniform dehydration of the Pacific slab and the heterogeneous distribution of the melt/fluid have occured in the Cenozoic. If these scenarios could have already occurred in the Early Cretaceous, their interaction with the NCC lithosphere would be the dynamic mechanism for the heterogeneous lithospheric destruction of the NCC. The inference in this study is significant for further reconciling the multidisciplinary evidences in the NCC.     

Real-time seismology for the 05/12/2008 Wenchuan earthquake of China: A retrospective view

The devastating 05/12/2008 Wenchuan earthquake (M_w7.9) in Sichuan Province of China showed very few precursory phenomena and occurred on a fault system once assigned to be of moderate long term seismic risk. Given the existing coverage of seismograph stations in Sichuan Province, real-time seismology could have been effective in avoiding some earthquake damage and helping post-earthquake emergency response. In a retrospective view, we demonstrated that the epicenter can be located with 20 km accuracy using just two broadband stations with three-component, which takes only about 10 s after the onset of the earthquake. Initial magnitude is estimated to be M7 with the Tc measurement over first 4 seconds of P waves. Better magnitude estimate can be obtained within 2 min by modeling Pnl waves for stations about 500 km away where the S waveforms are clipped. The rupture area is well revealed by teleseismically-recorded >M5 early aftershocks within two hours after the mainshock. Within a few hours, teleseismic body waves were inverted to derive a more detailed rupture process and the finite fault model can be readily used to calculate ground motions, thus providing vital information for rescue efforts in the case where no real-time strong motion records are available. Supported by the Knowledge Innovation Program of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (Grant No. KZCX2-YW-116-1) and National Key Technology Research and Development Program of China (Grant No. 2006BAC03B00)