Sublimation-driven evolution of the local radius and the moment of inertia of a long-period comet

In this paper we intend to analyze how the sublimation of ice from cometary nuclei affects changes of the moments of inertia. Our aim is to show general trends for different orientations of cometary nucleus’ rotation axis. Thus we apply numerical model of a hypothetical homogeneous and initially spherical nucleus composed of water ice and dust. As an example we present simulations for a model comet of the orbital elements and the nucleus size the same as determined for C/1995 O1 Hale-Bopp, a widely analyzed long-period comet. We calculated water production from the nucleus and changes of the shape (initially spherical) and of the moment of inertia versus time. Simulations are performed for the full range (0–90°) of inclinations I of the rotation axis. The second paramater related to the orientation of the rotation axis is the argument Φ (0–360°). The heat conductivity of the nucleus spans over the vast range, 0.04–4 W m⁻¹ K⁻1.     

Equatorial paleopoles and behavior of the dipole field during polarity transitions

One of the reasons for performing paleomagnetic studies is to determine whether the geomagnetic field remains dipolar during a polarity transition. Data on 23 field reversals of Recent, Tertiary and Upper Mesozoic age are examined with regard to the longitudinal and latitudinal distribution of paleomagnetic poles during a polarity change. Both frequency distributions of the transitional pole positions are not random. The results suggest that some field reversals are characterized by the rotation of the dipole axis in the meridional plane and show that two preferential meridional bands of polarity transitions exist centered on planes through 40°E–140°W and 120°E–60°W respectively. The latitudinal distribution of transitional paleopoles shows that there is a decrease in the number of observed poles with decreasing latitude. This is interpreted as the result of an acceleration in the motion of the dipole axis when it approaches the equator. Comparison of transitional velocities and paleointensity magnitudes reveals that the dipole moment is very weak only for a short part of the transitional period when the paleopole position lies within the latitudes of 10°N and 10°S. The overall conclusion is that the geomagnetic field retains its dipolar character during polarity changes.     

Motion of the north magnetic pole within the scope of the dynamic model of the main geomagnetic field sources

The dipole model of the main geomagnetic field sources has been developed by the authors for several years. At present, the model includes 13 sources that existed and continuously developed during the 20th century. It has been assumed that the main dipole motion can be related to the motion of the Earth’s axis of inertia. At the same time, the known sharp changes in the direction of this motion, the so-called “wanderings” of the axis of inertia coincide in time with a change in the coordinates of the exit point of the main dipole magnetic moment vector on the Earth’s surface, dependent mostly on changes in the vector inclination. The motion of the north magnetic pole has been studied based on the model. It has been obtained that the dynamics of the main dipole parameters and, mainly, a stable variation in the inclination of the magnetic moment vector are responsible for the westward pole motion. At the same time, the observed rapid northward motion of the pole is related to the time variations in the parameters of 12 sources approximating the so-called nondipole part of the main field.     

Negative inclination anomalies from the Medicine Lake Highland Lavas,Northern California

Paleomagnetic directions have been determined for 21 flows of Quaternary age from the Medicine Lake Highlands in northern California. The mean direction for the area is I = 49.3° and D = 3.8° with an α₉₅ of 5.4°. The corresponding mean VGP is located at 78.0°N and 42.4°E, a point which is offset 12° to the far, right-handed side of the rotation axis from the sampling site. The results here indicate only order of magnitude agreement with proposed models for offset poles. Together with other data from western United States there is an indication that large-scale regional field variations produce the observed inclination anomalies.     

Paleomagnetic results of the Cretaceous marine sediments in Tongyouluke, southwest Tarim

Southwest Tarim (hereafter SW Tarim) is one of afew areas that well developed Cretaceous marinesedimentary rocks in China [1]. The Cretaceous marinesediments are stretched in front area along the Tian-shan and Kunlun Mountains. Toward the center ofTarim Basin, the Cretaceous sediments are buried bygreat thickness of Tertiary and Quaternary sedimentswith little exposure. Compared with the Cretaceousterrestrial strata of north Tarim, the Cretaceous marinestrata of SW Tarim continue and d…     

川滇地块西部差异性旋转的构造意义:青藏高原东南缘白垩纪红层古地磁学新证据

印度—欧亚板块碰撞以来青藏高原内部及其周缘地区经历了复杂的构造演化,复杂构造变形区的复合构造使得古地磁的数据解释究竟代表区域的构造旋转还是只能反映局部的构造变形一直是备受关注的问题.本文通过采集川滇地块西缘渔泡江断裂东侧三岔河地区白垩纪红层古地磁样品,揭示采样区差异性旋转并探讨川滇地块西部自中新世以来的构造演化规律.前人的地质调查表明川滇地块渔泡江断裂东侧上白垩统赵家店组地层发育倾伏褶皱.三岔河剖面以三岔河镇为界分为南北两段,三岔河南段剖面高温剩磁分量平均方向在倾斜校正后Ds=29.3°,Is=45.7°,ks=54.3,α95=6.6°,倾伏地层产状校正后Ds=30.6°,Is=46.6°,ks=69.3,α95=5.8°;而三岔河北侧剖面高温剩磁分量平均方向在倾斜校正后Ds=350.4°,Is=42.1°,ks=69.4,α95=9.2°,倾伏地层产状校正后Ds=347.4°,Is=41.9°,ks=96.6,α95=7.8°;两组高温剩磁分量均通过了褶皱检验,表明其获得于褶皱形成之前.相对于东亚稳定区80Ma古地磁极,三岔河南侧剖面发生了20.5°±4.8°的顺时针构造旋转量,与楚雄盆地核部之间不存在差异性旋转;但三岔河镇以北剖面却发生了22.7°±6.6°的逆时针旋转.综合分析川滇地块内部的古地磁数据表明自中新世以来川滇地块南部楚雄盆地经历了约20°的顺时针构造旋转,而三岔河镇北侧经历了约20°逆时针旋转.进一步分析表明三岔河北侧剖面相对于南侧剖面经历了约40°的逆时针旋转,可能由于研究区的滑脱构造导致岩石薄弱层拆离滑脱所引起.     

Inversion of source process and related studies of the Taiwan Strait earthquake using genetic algorithm

Applying genetic algorithm to inversion of seismic moment tensor solution and using the data of P waveform from digital network and initial motion directions of P waves of Taiwan network stations, we studied the moment tensor solutions and focal parameters of the earthquake of M=7.3 on 16 September of 1994 in Taiwan Strait and other four quakes of M _L≥5.8 in the near region (21°–26°N, 115°–120°E). Among the five earthquakes, the quake of M=7.3 on September 16, 1994 in Taiwan Strait is the strongest one in the southeastern coast area since Nan’ao earthquake of M=7.3 in 1918. The results show that moment tensor solution of M=7.3 earthquake is mainly double-couple component, and is normal fault whose fault plane is near NW. The strike of the fault plane resembles that of the distributive bands of earthquakes before the main event and fracture pattern shown by aftershocks. The tension stress axis of focal mechanism is about horizontal, near in NE strike, the compressive stress axis is approximately vertical, near in NWW strike. It seems that this quake is controlled by the force of Philippine plate’s pressing Eurasian plate in NW direction. But from the viewpoint of P axis of near vertical and T axis of near horizontal, it is a normal fault of strong tensibility. There are relatively big difference between focal mechanism solution of this quake and those of the four other strong quakes. The complexity of source mechanism solution of these quakes represents the complexity of the process of the strait earthquake sequences. Contribution No. 98A01001, Institute of Geophysics, State Seismological Bureau, China. The subject is supported and helped by Academician Yun-Tai CHEN, Profs. Qing-Yao HONG, Zhen-Xing YAO, Tian-Yu ZHENG, Yao-Lin SHI, Ji-An XU, Bo-Shou HUANG and colleague Mei-Jian AN, Xue-Reng DING, Rui-Feng LIU. De-Chong ZHANG and Ming Li provided the digital data warm-heartedly. Lin-Ying WANG offered us the catalogue of earthquakes in southeastern coastal area in China. Xi-Li WANG and Tong-Xia BAI provided us the issued annual reports data. The authors would like to express their gratitude to all of these people. This paper is sponsored by the National Natural Science Foundation of China and Scientific and Technological Commission of Shantou, Guangdong Province.     

Paleomagnetic result of the Lower-Cretaceous from Luanping basin,Hebei Province and its tectonic implications*

A paleomagnetic study of about 95 samples from 16 sites sampled in the Early Cretaceous in Luanping basin in Hebei Province was reported. Stepwise thermal demagnetization was used to isolate magnetic components. Most samples have a characteristic direction with a high temperature component above 500°C. The tectonic-corrected data areD = 347.8°,I = 50.4°, α₉₅ = 7.l°, and the corresponding pole position is at 76.1°N, 346.3°E,with dp =6.4°,dm = 3.8°, paleolatitude λ = 31.1°N. This result indicates a counterclockwise post-Cretaceous rotation of 30.7° ±9.8° with respect to the stable Ordos basin in the west of North China Block, and a non-significant northward motion. This rotation could be related to local fault action or structural detachment, or regional NNW-NWWward motion and collision of Kula-Pacific plate with eastern China since the Early Cretaceous.

     

Tempo-spatial rupture process of the 1997 Mani, Xizang (Tibet), China earthquake of M S=7.9

An earthquake of M _S=7.4 occurred in Mani, Xizang (Tibet), China on November 8, 1997. The moment tensor of this earthquake was inverted using the long period body waveform data from China Digital Seismograph Network (CDSN). The apparent source time functions (ASTFs) were retrieved from P and S waves, respectively, using the deconvolution technique in frequency domain, and the tempo-spatial rupture process on the fault plane was imaged by inverting the azimuth dependent ASTFs from different stations. The result of the moment tensor inversion indicates that the P and T axes of earthquake-generating stress field were nearly horizontal, with the P axis in the NNE direction (29°), the T axis in the SEE direction (122°) and that the NEE-SWW striking nodal plane and NNW-SSE striking nodal plane are mainly left-lateral and right-lateral strike-slip, respectively; that this earthquake had a scalar seismic moment of 3.4×10²⁰ N·m, and a moment magnitude of M _W=7.6. Taking the aftershock distribution into account, we proposed that the earthquake rupture occurred in the fault plane with the strike of 250°, the dip of 88° and the rake of 19°. On the basis of the result of the moment tensor inversion, the theoretical seismograms were synthesized, and then the ASTFs were retrieved by deconvoving the synthetic seismograms from the observed seismograms. The ASTFs retrieved from the P and S waves of different stations identically suggested that this earthquake was of a simple time history, whose ASTF can be approximated with a sine function with the half period of about 10 s. Inverting the azimuth dependent ASTFs from P and S waveforms led to the image showing the tempo-spatial distribution of the rupture on the fault plane. From the "remembering" snap-shots, the rupture initiated at the western end of the fault, and then propagated eastward and downward, indicating an overall unilateral rupture. However, the slip distribution is non-uniform, being made up of three sub-areas, one in the western end, about 10 km deep ("western area"); another about 55 km away from the western end and about 35 km deep ("eastern area"); the third about 30 km away from the western end and around 40 km deep ("central area"). The total rupture area was around 70 km long and 60 km wide. From the "forgetting" snap-shots, the rupturing appeared quite complex, with the slip occurring in different position at different time, and the earthquake being of the characteristics of "healing pulse". Another point we have to stress is that the locations in which the rupture initiated and terminated were not where the main rupture took place. Eventually, the static slip distribution was calculated, and the largest slip values of the three sub-areas were 956 cm, 743 cm and 1 060 cm, for the western, eastern and central areas, respectively. From the slip distribution, the rupture mainly distributed in the fault about 70 km eastern to the epicenter; from the aftershock distribution, however, the aftershocks were very sparse in the west to the epicenter while densely clustered in the east to the epicenter. It indicated that the Mani M _S=7.9 earthquake was resulted from the nearly eastward extension of the NEE-SWW to nearly E-W striking fault in the northwestern Tibetan plateau. Contribution No. 99FE2016, Institute of Geophysics, China Seismological Bureau. This work is supported by SSTCC Climb Project 95-S-05 and NSFDYS 49725410.     

印欧大陆碰撞前亚洲大陆南缘古位置再研究:林周盆地上白垩统红层的古地磁新结果

拉萨地块林周盆地白垩系红层的古地磁数据一直都有较大争议.过去认为磁倾角变浅可能是造成这些分歧的主要原因.我们在林周盆地设兴组背斜两翼进行了系统的古地磁采样,15个采样点的特征剩磁分量在倾斜校正和倾伏褶皱校正后平均方向为D=339.3°,I=22.9°(α_(95)=5.1°).特征剩磁分量在大约69%展开时获得最大集中,表明其为同褶皱重磁化;此时平均方向为D=339.1°,I=27.3°(α_(95)=4.1°),对应的古地磁极为65.4°N,327.5°E(A_(95)=3.5°),参考点29.3°N/88.5°E的古纬度为15.0°N±3.5°.薄片镜下分析显示赤铁矿为次生矿物,岩石磁组构(AMS)也表现为过渡型构造变形组构.样品的特征剩磁方向应为重磁化的结果,E/I(elongation vs inclination)校正法显示特征剩磁方向并没有发生倾角变浅.根据区域构造,重磁化时代约为72.4±1.8 Ma到64.4±0.6 Ma.综合考虑拉萨地块东西部的古地磁数据以及地震层析成像资料后我们认为,碰撞前拉萨地块大约呈NW-SE向准线性分布,并处于~10°N-15.0°N;自~70 Ma以来,拉萨地块与稳定欧亚大陆之间至少存在1200±400 km(11.1°±3.5°)的南北向构造缩短量;印度大陆与欧亚大陆的碰撞不应晚于55 Ma.     

Cenozoic latitudinal shift of the Hawaiian hotspot and its implications for true polar wander

Pacific plate equatorial sediment facies provide estimates of the northward motion of the Pacific plate that are independent of paleomagnetic data and hotspot tracks. Analyses of equatorial sediment facies consistently indicate less northward motion than analyses of the dated volcanic edifices of the Hawaiian-Emperor chain. The discrepancy is largest 60–70 Ma B.P.; the 60- to 70-Ma equatorial sediment facies data agree with recent paleomagnetic results from deep-sea drilling on Suiko seamount [1] and from a northern Pacific piston core [2]. Equatorial sediment facies data and paleomagnetic data, combined with K-Ar age dates along the Emperor chain [3], indicate a position of the spin axis at 65 Ma B.P. of 82°N, 205°E in the reference frame in which the Pacific Ocean hotspots are fixed. This pole agrees well with the position of the spin axis in the reference frame in which the Atlantic Ocean hotspots and the Indian Ocean hotspots are fixed [4,5], supporting the joint hypotheses that (1) the Pacific Ocean hotspots are fixed with respect to the hotspots in other oceans, (2) the hotspots have shifted coherently with respect to the spin axis, and (3) the time average of the earth's magnetic field 65 Ma B.P. was an axial geocentric dipole. Global Neogene paleomagnetic data suggest that a shift of the mantle relative to the spin axis has been occurring during the Neogene in the same direction as the shift between 65 Ma B.P. and the present. All data are consistent with a model in which the hotspots (and by inference the mantle) have shifted with respect to the spin axis about a fixed Euler pole at a constant rate of rotation for the last 65 Ma.     

Rotation of the Iberian arc: Palaeomagnetic results from North Spain

NRM directions measured from 32 sites in Middle Cambrian, Upper Silurian/Lower Devonian and Lower Carboniferous redbeds follow the trend of the Variscan arc in North Spain. Thermal demagnetisation does not significantly alter this pattern. Fold tests show that the NRM is earlier than the ?₁ folds which form the arc; consistency of angle between bedding and the tilt-corrected NRM inclination (22–28°), similarity of the corresponding palaeolatitudes to Carboniferous values and microscopic evidence of Variscan redistribution of hematite indicates that the magnetisation is post-Lower Carboniferous. A statistical plot of the orientation of ?₁ fold traces against angle between ?₁ fold traces and declination of NRM shows that where these folds curve through 165° the NRM has been rotated through 110°: the arc is an orocline. Restoration of this rotation, and that needed to close the Bay of Biscay, brings the calculated mean palaeomagnetic pole reasonably close to the Upper Carboniferous part of the apparent polar wander path for Europe.     

Paleomagnetism and magnetic fabrics of Mio-Pliocene hypabyssal rocks of the Combia event,Colombia: tectonic implications

Mio-Pliocene hypabyssal rocks of the Combia event in the Amagá basin (NW Andes-Colombia), contain a deformational record of the activity of the Cauca-Romeral fault system, and the interaction of terranes within the Choco and northern Andean blocks. Previous paleomagnetic studies interpreted coherent counterclockwise rotations and noncoherent modes of rotation about horizontal axes for the Combia intrusives. However, rotations were determined from in-situ paleomagnetic directions and the existing data set is small. In order to better understand the deformational features of these rocks, we collected new paleomagnetic, structural, petrographic and magnetic fabric data from well exposed hypabyssal rocks of the Combia event. The magnetizations of these rocks are controlled by a low-coercivity ferromagnetic phase. Samples respond well to alternatingfield demagnetization isolating a magnetization component of moderate coercivity. These rocks do not have ductile deformation features. Anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility and morphotectonic analysis indicate that rotation about horizontal axes is consistently to the south-east, suggesting the need to apply a structural correction to the paleomagnetic data. The relationships between magnetic foliations and host-rock bedding planes indicate tectonic activity initiated before ~10 Ma. We present a mean paleomagnetic direction (declination D = 342.8°, inclination I = 12.1°, 95% confidence interval α₉₅ = 12.5°, precision parameter k = 8.6, number of specimens n = 18) that incorporates structural corrections. The dispersion S = 27° of site means cannot be explained by secular variation alone, but it indicates a counterclockwise rotation of 14.8° ± 12.7° relative to stable South America. Paleomagnetic data within a block bounded by the Sabanalarga and Cascajosa faults forms a more coherent data set (D = 336.5°, I = 17.4°, α₉₅ = 11.7°, k = 12.5, n = 14), which differs from sites west of the Sabanalarga fault and shows a rotation about a vertical axis of 20.2° ± 10.7°. Deformation in the Amagá basin may be tentatively explained by the obduction of the Cañas Gordas terrane over the northwestern margin of the northern Andean block. However, it can also be related to the local effects of the Cauca-Romeral fault system.     

天山地震带境内外主要断层滑动速率和地震矩亏损分布特征研究

本文搜集、整理1998—2013年境内外天山及周边地区(包括中国新疆、哈萨克斯坦、吉尔吉斯斯坦等)500余个GPS观测点数据,采用GAMIT/GLOBK软件对其进行解算和平差计算,并利用了弹性块体模型计算区域块体边界断层闭锁深度、块体运动参数和主要活动断层的滑动速率.研究结果表明,东、西昆仑地震带闭锁深度最大(19km),其次为南天山地区,闭锁深度达到17km,闭锁深度最小的为哈萨克斯坦(13km);各块体相对欧亚板块作顺(逆)时针旋转,旋转速率最大(-0.7208±0.0034°/Ma)为塔里木块体,其围绕欧拉极(38.295±0.019°N,95.078±0.077°E)顺时针方向转动,旋转速率最小为天山东段(0.108±0.1210°/Ma),而天山东、西两段无论是在旋转速率上还是在旋转方向上都有显著的区别.西昆仑断裂带的滑动速率(10.2±2.8mm·a-1)最大,南天山西段滑动速率为9.5±1.8mm·a-1,其东段为3.9±1.1mm·a-1;而北天山东段滑动速率(4.7±1.1mm·a-1)高于北天山西段(3.7±0.9mm·a-1);塔里木盆地南缘的阿尔金断裂带平均滑动速率为7.6±1.4mm·a-1,其结果与阿勒泰断裂带滑动速率(7.6±1.6mm·a-1)基本相当;天山断裂带运动方式主要以挤压为主,而阿尔金、昆仑、阿尔泰以及哈萨克斯坦断裂带均是以走滑运动方式为主,除阿勒泰断裂带走滑方式为右旋以外,其余几个断裂带均为左旋运动.最后,利用主要断裂带的滑动速率计算出各地震带的地震矩变化率以及1900年以来地震矩累计变化量,其结果与利用地震目录计算所得到的地震矩进行比较,判定出各地震带上地震矩均衡分布状态,研究结果显示阿尔金、西昆仑、东昆仑和北天山东段断裂带存在较大的地震矩亏损,均具有发生7级以上地震的可能性,南天山东段和哈萨克斯坦断裂带地震矩亏损相对较小,具有孕育6~7级地震的潜能,而天山西段、阿勒泰地震矩呈现出盈余状态,不具在1~3年内有发生强震的可能.     

A detailed paleomagnetic and rock-magnetic investigation around Cretaceous-Paleogene boundary: the Autlan (Western Mexico) volcanic sequence revisited

We present a detailed rock-magnetic and paleomagnetic survey from Autlan volcanic succession in western Mexico. The principal aim of this study is to extend paleomagnetic data from Autlan lavas in order to confirm vertical-axis rotation observed in reconnaissance study and to evaluate long-term variation of the geomagnetic field strength based on existing and global data. The mean inclination (44.7°) is in agreement with the expected inclination for 60 and 70 Ma, as derived from available reference poles for the North American craton. The declination (333.6°), however, is significantly different from those expected, which suggests a statistically significant counterclockwise tectonic rotation ranging between 10° ± 6° and 14° ± 7°. As a measure of paleosecular variation (PSV), we obtained a geomagnetic field dispersion of 9.6° (upper and lower limits: 7.2°–11.9°) in perfect agreement with the previously published PSV compilation of selected Cretaceous data from lavas. The mean virtual dipole moments available for Autlan lavas are about 65% of the present geomagnetic axial dipole but are in reasonably good agreement with other comparable quality determinations between 5 and 90 Ma. This reinforces the hypothesis that low geomagnetic field strengths persisted for the entire Jurassic extending into the Upper Cretaceous.     

Estimation of inner-core rotation rate by using the Earth’s free oscillation

We estimate a rate of inner-core differential rotation from time variations of splitting functions of seven core modes of the Earth’s free oscillations excited by eight large earthquakes in a period of 1994–2003. The splitting functions and moment tensor elements are simultaneously determined for each core mode by a spectral fitting technique. The estimated moment tensor well agrees with Harvard CMT solution. The splitting functions are corrected for the effect of mantle heterogeneity using a 3D mantle velocity model. Inner-core rotation angle about the Earth’s spin axis is determined for each core mode as a function of event year by comparison of the corrected and reference splitting functions. Mean rotation rate of six core modes is estimated at 0.03±0.18° per year westward, and this value is insignificantly different from zero. Therefore, the inner core is not rotating at a significant rate relatively to the crust and mantle.     

New constraints on the evolution of the Gibraltar Arc from palaeomagnetic data of the Ceuta and Beni Bousera peridotites (Rif,northern Africa)

The Betic Cordillera and the Moroccan Rif together form one of the smallest and tightest orogenic arcs on Earth and almost completely close the Mediterranean to the west. For the explanation of the geodynamic evolution of the mountain belt, palaeomagnetic data that generally found clockwise block rotations in the Iberian and anticlockwise rotations in the Moroccan part of the mountain belt, have played a key role in recent works. This palaeomagnetic study has found new constraints on the rotations and timing of the peridotitic bodies outcropping in the key position at the westernmost margin of the mountain belt, in Ceuta and Beni Bousera (Rif, northern Africa).Detailed thermal demagnetization of 115 individually oriented samples from 14 sites was combined with rock magnetic and scanning electron microscopic experiments to analyze the magnetic mineralogy responsible for the remanences and the mechanisms and relative times of their acquisition. In Ceuta, up to three magnetic components, and in Beni Bousera, up to two magnetic components have been found, that are all to be interpreted as chemical remanent magnetizations (CRM). The data suggests the following succession of geodynamic events affecting the peridotites until recent times: (1) after their exhumation and subsequent cooling about 20 Ma ago, they recorded a characteristic remanent magnetization of both normal and reversed polarities, carried by (pseudo-)single-domain magnetite grains; (2) after their dismembering, the Ceuta peridotites were tilted southward by 22–34° about a horizontal or tilted axis (up to plunge 50°) with an azimuth of 72–145° and the Beni Bousera peridotites were rotated anticlockwise by 72.3 ± 12.1° about a vertical axis and (3) both recorded another magnetic signal of normal polarity only, carried by multi-domain magnetite grains; and finally (4) the Ceuta peridotites rotated anticlockwise by 19.7 ± 5.9° about a vertical axis.This study provides the first palaeomagnetic data for the Ceuta peridotites that, with their tilt and recent small net rotation, had a distinct geodynamic evolution from the large net rotations about vertical axes in Beni Bousera and Ronda (Betic Cordillera). Moreover, earlier palaemagnetic data for Beni Bousera is improved, as mixed polarities have been found in the older of the remanences for the first time, and its interpretation as a CRM changes the rotation timing that was proposed previously. The sequence of events exposed in this work are important constraints that need to be incorporated in any geodynamic model of the evolution of the Betic–Rifean mountain belt.     

Temporal Variations in Sea Surface Topography and Dynamics of the Earth's Inertia Ellipsoid

Temporal variations in the nine elements of the Earth's inertia ellipsoid due to sea surface topography dynamics were derived from TOPEX/POSEIDON altimeter data 1993 - 1996. The variations amount to about 10 mm in the position of the center of the Earth's inertia ellipsoid (E _i ), 0.15' in the polar axis direction of E _i and to about 0.0003 in the denominator of its polar flattening. The approach used is based on the temporal variations of distortions computed by means of the geopotential model EGM96 which is used as reference.     

Variations in the schumann resonance polarization ellipse in the horizontal and vertical planes according to observations at the Barentsburg and Lovozero observatories

The diurnal variations in the amplitude and parameters of polarization ellipses of the first Schumann resonance according to three magnetic field components, observed on December 1–10, 2007, at the Barentsburg and Lovozero observatories, have been studied. Ellipses have been constructed in the (H, D) and (H, Z) planes. The value of the minor axis, inclination of the major axis, ellipticity, and the rotation direction have been estimated. The vertical magnetic component of the Schumann resonance is three to four times as small as the horizontal component. The difference in the diurnal variations in the ellipse parameters between both observatories has been found. The effect can be caused by a difference in the Earth’s conductivity in the vicinity of the observatories and by conductivity anisotropy. The major axis inclination and ellipticity have semidiurnal components. The polarization vector mostly rotates from D to H in the horizontal plane and from Z to H in the vertical plane at both stations.     

Weak velocity anomaly in the Earth’s outer core from seismic data

Experimental data on the differential travel time t _BC–t _DF of seismic waves PKP_DF and PKP_BC in the Earth’s core under Africa and Australia are analyzed. The differential travel-time residuals beneath Africa in a narrow range of angles from 21° to 25° between the direction of the seismic ray in the core and the Earth’s rotation axis exhibit a scoop-shaped peculiarity not accounted for by cylindrical anisotropy in the inner core. A model with a 0.2–0.8% P-wave velocity anomaly with a radius of 1375 km in the cylindrical region in the outer core is proposed, which closely fits the experimental data. We suggest that the velocity anomaly is generated by the dynamical processes occurring in the outer core, namely, the growth of the inner core and the convection in the outer core, both leading to the formation of a low-density anomaly in the outer core.