Igor’ Alekseevich Shiklomanov (February 28, 1939–August 22, 2010)

Chronicles

Igor’ Alekseevich Shiklomanov (February 28, 1939–August 22, 2010)     

Viktor Yur’evich Trakhtengerts (April 14, 1939–December 04, 2007)

Obituary

Viktor Yur’evich Trakhtengerts (April 14, 1939–December 04, 2007)     

Martin Gaikovich Khublaryan (March 5, 1935–July 27, 2009)

Chronicle

Martin Gaikovich Khublaryan (March 5, 1935–July 27, 2009)     

The July–August 2001 eruption of Mt. Etna (Sicily)

The July–August 2001 eruption of Mt. Etna stimulated widespread public and media interest, caused significant damage to tourist facilities, and for several days threatened the town of Nicolosi on the S flank of the volcano. Seven eruptive fissures were active, five on the S flank between 3,050 and 2,100 m altitude, and two on the NE flank between 3,080 and 2,600 m elevation. All produced lava flows over various periods during the eruption, the most voluminous of which reached a length of 6.9 km. Mineralogically, the 2001 lavas fall into two distinct groups, indicating that magma was supplied through two different and largely independent pathways, one extending laterally from the central conduit system through radial fissures, the other being a vertically ascending eccentric dike. Furthermore, one of the eccentric vents, at 2,570 m elevation, was the site of vigorous phreatomagmatic activity as the dike cut through a shallow aquifer, during both the initial and closing stages of the eruption. For 6 days the magma column feeding this vent was more or less effectively sealed from the aquifer, permitting powerful explosive and effusive magmatic activity. While the eruption was characterized by a highly dynamic evolution, complex interactions between some of the eruptive fissures, and changing eruptive styles, its total volume (~25×10 ⁶ m ³ of lava and 5–10×10 ⁶ m ³ of pyroclastics) was relatively small in comparison with other recent eruptions of Etna. Effusion rates were calculated on a daily basis and reached peaks of 14–16 m ³ s ^-1, while the average effusion rate at all fissures was about 11 m ³ s ^-1, which is not exceptionally high. The eruption showed a number of peculiar features, but none of these (except the contemporaneous lateral and eccentric activity) represented a significant deviation from Etna's eruptive behavior in the long term. However, the 2001 eruption could be but the first in a series of flank eruptions, some of which might be more voluminous and hazardous. Placed in a long-term context, the eruption confirms a distinct trend, initiated during the past 50 years, toward higher production rates and more frequent eruptions, which might bring Etna back to similar levels of activity as during the early to mid seventeenth century.     

Centroid-moment tensor solutions for April–June, 1985

Centroid-moment tensor solutions are presented for 170 earthquakes that occurred during the second quarter of 1985. The solutions are obtained using corrections for aspherical Earth structure.     

Eduard Leont’evich Afraimovich (March 12, 1940–November 8, 2009)

Obituary

Eduard Leont’evich Afraimovich (March 12, 1940–November 8, 2009)     

Development of high latitude phase fluctuationsduring the January 10, April 10–11, and May 15, 1997magnetic storms

GPS satellite transmissions have been used to study the development of moderateionospheric phase irregularities. The use of the multi-station, multi-path observations of the GPSbeacons has allowed the study of the time development of irregularities as a function of latitudeand longitude of individual storms. The basic storms studied were those of January 10, April10–11, and May 15, 1997. The results from studying these storms showed the unique nature ofeach storm. For the three storms, data were available from four stations near 65° CorrectedGeomagnetic Latitude (CGL); the stations ranged from Fairbanks to Tromso. In addition, datafrom higher latitude stations are analysed. For the January storm, irregularity development startedat Fairbanks. Then as magnetic midnight approached longitudes to the west, the storm effectsreached the Tromso–Kiruna longitudes. For the April magnetic storm, at 65° CGL, irregularitydevelopment maximized at approximately the same UT at stations ranging in longitude fromFairbanks to Kiruna. For this storm, the development of irregularities was dominated by stormtime. The May storm irregularities were dominated by magnetic local time once the stormcommenced.With both total electron content and rate of change of total electron content (phasefluctuations) available, it was noted that over periods of minutes, clumps of irregularities wereaccompanied by increases in TEC. In addition total electron content increased over large areasduring maximum magnetic activity in the auroral oval. During the storms, ionograms showed thatthe altitude of maximum electron density fluctuated; at times the dominant maximum frequencywas noted in the E layer and at other times in the F layer. This fluctuation of electron density ineach layer during storms led to the conclusion that the turbulent activity within the auroral regiondominated the development of irregularities. The irregularities that are noted on trans-ionosphericpaths are therefore thought to be in both the E and the F layers with a combination of structuredhard and soft electron precipitation and coupling initiating the turbulent activity. The generalpositive correlation of one periods phase scintillation data with the Ultra Violet Imagerobservations as shown on POLAR indicates the importance of 100–200 km precipitation.However the very high occurrence of spread F at high latitudes as shown by both ground andsatellite ionosondes indicates the considerable contributions of F layer irregularities.     

Ionospheric precursor of a destructive earthquake that occurred on April 6, 2009 at L’Aquila (Italy)

On the basis of the 15-min data from a series of ground-based vertical ionospheric sounding stations, a study of variations of the foF2 critical frequency before the strong earthquake (M = 6.3) that occurred on April 6, 2009 at L’Aquila (Italy) was carried out. The earthquake epicenter was located 85 km north-eastward from Rome. Approximately 20 h prior to the earthquake, a well-pronounced statistically significant effect of foF2 increase relative to the average background for magnetically quiet days was observed for almost 1.5 h at the Rome ionospheric station. In this case, at control stations distanced from the earthquake epicenter, no statistically significant deviations of foF2 from the background values were detected during the same observations period. This fact provides grounds for consideration of the foF2 increase observed at Rome station as a possible ionospheric precursor of this earthquake.     

Variations in the total electron content during the powerful typhoon of August 5–11, 2006, near the southeastern coast of China

The variations in the total electron content (TEC), obtained from the data of 11 ground-based GPS stations in the region (5°S–80°N; 110–160°E) in the period August 2–15, 2006, have been analyzed in order to search for possible ionospheric manifestations of the SAOMAI powerful typhoon (August 5–11, 2006) near the south-eastern coast of China. The global TEC maps (GIM) have also been used. In the region of the typhoon action during the magnetic storm of August 7, 2006, an intensification of the TEC variations in the evening local time within the 32–128 min periods range was detected. However, this effect was most probably caused by the dynamics of the irregular structure of the equatorial anomaly and by the disturbed geomagnetic situation (Kp ～ 3–6, Dst varied from ?74 to ?153 nT). The analysis of the diurnal variations in the absolute values of TEC and TEC variations with periods of 2–25 min did not reveal a substantial increase in the intensity and changes in the spectrum of the TEC variations in the period of typhoon action as compared to the adjacent days. Thus, we failed to detect ionospheric disturbances unambiguously related to the SAOMAI typhoon.     

OH(6–2) spectra and rotational temperature measurements at Davis, Antarctica

The OH(6 – 2) band was monitored during 1990 at Davis, Antarctica (68.6°S, 78.0°E) using a Czerny-Turner scanning spectrometer. Spectra obtained with a 0.15-nm bandwidth and wavelength steps of 0.005 nm have been recorded in an attempt to isolate auroral features. This has enabled detailed study of weak features in the region 837.5–855.5nm. These weak features can contribute to the apparent intensity of P-branch lines and to the background. Their presence is allowed for in our calculation of rotational temperature, but the P₁ (3) line is excluded because of significant contamination. An average temperature of 221 ± 2K is obtained from a selected data set of 104 spectra. The mid-winter average temperature, for the months of May, June and July, is 224 ± 2K, which is consistent with the 1986 CIRA model values for mid-winter at this height and latitude, but this result is dependent on the choice of transition probabilities. Preliminary assessments of seasonal and diurnal variations in rotational temperature and intensity are presented.     

地震反射波P_(11)、S_(11)的特征及其应用

前言 我国大陆地震大都发生在莫霍界面以上的地壳内,属于浅源地震。不论是浅源地震还是深源地震,波从震源发出后,在传播过程中,遇到介质界面便要发生反射现象。形成地震波全反射的条件是:地震波在地壳介质传播过程中必须遇有明显的介质界面;地震波必须先从低传播速度的介质中入射,透过界面传向高传播速度的介质中,并同时发生远离法线的折射;入射波的入射角必须大于临界角。若上述三个条件得到满足,地震波则在界面发生全反射。这是广义的描述地震波全反射现象。广义的地震波全反射波可以在较远的距离观测到,例如地面爆破反射波P_(11)、S_(11)在震中距180公里左右仍可清晰地记     

6th April 2009 L��Aquila earthquake, Italy: reinforced concrete building performance

On 6th April 2009 an earthquake of magnitude M _w =  6.3 occurred in the Abruzzo region; the epicentre was very close to the city of L’Aquila (about 6 km away). The event produced casualties and damage to buildings, lifelines and other infrastructures. An analysis of the main damage that reinforced concrete (RC) structures showed after the event is presented in this study. In order to isolate the main causes of structural and non-structural damage, the seismological characteristics of the event are examined, followed by an analysis of the existing RC building stock in the area. The latter issue came under scrutiny after the release of official data about structural types and times of construction, combined with a detailed review of the most important seismic codes in force in the last 100 years in Italy. Comparison of the current design provisions of the Italian and European codes with previous standards allows the main weaknesses of the existing building stock to be determined. Damage to structural and non-structural elements is finally analyzed thanks to photographic material collected in the first week after the event; the main causes of damage are then inferred.     

Local variability of the ground shaking during the 2009 L��Aquila earthquake (April 6, 2009��Mw 6.3): the case study of Onna and Monticchio villages

The 2009 Mw 6.3 L’Aquila event caused extensive damage in the city of L’Aquila and in some small towns in its vicinity. The most severe damage was recognized SE of L’Aquila town along the Aterno river valley. Although building vulnerability and near-source effects are strongly responsible for the high level of destruction, site effects have been invoked to explain the damage heterogeneities and the similarities between the 2009 macroseismic field with the intensities of historical earthquakes. The small village of Onna is settled on quaternary alluvium and suffered during the L’Aquila event an extremely heavy damage in the masonry structures with intensity IX–X on the Mercalli-Cancani-Sieberg (MCS) scale. The village of Monticchio, far less than 1.3 km from Onna, is mostly situated on Mesozoic limestone and suffered a smaller level of damaging (VI MCS). In the present paper, we analyze the aftershock recordings at seismic stations deployed in a small area of the middle-Aterno valley including Onna and Monticchio. The aim is to investigate local amplification effects caused by the near-surface geology. Because the seismological stations are close together, vulnerability and near-source effects are assumed to be constant. The waveform analysis shows that the ground motion at Onna is systematically characterized by large high-frequency content. The frequency resonance is varying from 2 to 3 Hz and it is related to alluvial sediments with a thickness of about 40 m that overlay a stiffer Pleistocene substrate. The ground motion recordings of Onna are well reproduced by the predictive equation for the Italian territory.     

用P_(11)、S_(11)振幅比资料测定震源参数

本文讨论用P_(11)、S_(11)振幅比资料测定震源参数的可行性问题;文中提出算法原理并以北京、河北地区廿五个台站的不同分布组合构成44种资料采集方式进行人工数据试验。结果表明,在台站甚偏地分布于震中一侧的情况下,本文的方法仍然有效。     

Site effects in the Aterno River Valley (L’Aquila,Italy): comparison between empirical and 2D numerical modelling starting from April 6th 2009 Mw 6.3 earthquake

In this paper, we focused our attention on a cross-section of the Aterno River Valley where a good quality geological and geophysical dataset allowed to reconstruct accurately the geometry and the Vs profiles along all the plane of the section. Its trace is deliberately aligned close to the strong motion stations that recorded the Mw 6.3 (April 6th 2009) L’Aquila earthquake. We analysed strong and weak motion data available at these latter stations as well as at one of the temporary stations installed during the Microzonation activities and located on outcropping bedrock, in proximity of the cross-section. We used the H/V technique to select a reliable reference site and once we found it, we applied the SSR technique to compute amplification functions in correspondence of two strong motion stations. In turn, for both sites we performed a site response numerical modelling with two different 2D codes and we compared simulated versus experimental transfer functions. We found that the cross-section is well constrained based on the very reasonable agreement between results of numerical modelling and earthquake data analysis. We pointed out also a strong amplification of the deposit at the centre of the valley due to the constructive interference of S and surface waves, not predictable by means of 1D numerical modelling. We also compared the H/V as well as the SSR obtained from strong motion data with the ones computed from weak motion finding evidences of non-linearity in soil behaviour.