Self-affine growth pattern of earthquake rupture zones

Data from 41 moderate and large earthquakes have been used to derive a scaling law for fault parameters. Fault lengthL, widthW and areaS are empirically related byLS andWS where 0.6<<0.7, 0.3<<0.4 and +=1. These relations indicate that the growth pattern of earthquake rupture zones is statistically self-affine. It is also found that these relations are similar to the relation derived from a diffusion-limited aggregation (DLA) model with anisotropic sticking probability. This suggests that a modified DLA model could describe the evolution of earthquake rupture zones.     

孕震凹形模式(摘要)

我们根据前人岩石标本模拟实验和10种震源孕震模式的研究成果及近14年唐山，澜沧，丽江，大同等78次5．0～7．8级地震的486个孕震凹形图与175个短临突跳孕震图，以倾斜凹形和地应力凹形为骨架，以流体运动为脉胳，经综合分析构建成孕震凹形模式。     

Deep structure and tomographic imaging of strong earthquake source zones

This work generalizes the results of tomographic imaging performed by the authors for epicentral zones. Seismic events in North Africa (the M _w = 5.8 earthquake of 1985 near the town of Constantine), eastern Anatolia (the Erzincan M _w = 6.7 earthquake of 1992), the Lesser and Greater Caucasus (the 1988 Spitak M _w = 6.8 and the 1991 Racha M _w = 7.0 earthquakes), and northern Sakhalin (the 1995 Neftegorsk M _w = 7.1 earthquake) are examined. It is shown how various morphokinematic types of active faults differ in the resulting tomographic images at various depths. A classification of tomographic images of strong earthquake source zones is proposed in accordance with the rank of their generating faults. The sources of the Spitak, Racha, and Erzincan earthquakes are confined to large boundary faults separating tectonic zones. Lower velocity bands are revealed in the tomographic images, and low velocity “pockets” 1–2 km or somewhat more in width penetrating to a depth of up to 15 km are observed near the fault zones. The Constantine and Neftegorsk earthquakes were generated by faults of a lower rank. The source zones of these events are imaged tomographically as narrow gradient zones.     

Brecciation processes in fault zones: Inferences from earthquake rupturing

Surface-rupture patterns and aftershock distributions accompanying moderate to large shallow earthquakes reveal a residual brittle infrastructure for established crustal fault zones, the complexity of which is likely to be largely scale-invariant. In relation to such an infrastructure, continued displacement along a particular master fault may involve three dominant mechanical processes of rock brecciation: (a)attrition brecciation, from progressive frictional wear along principal slip surfaces during both seismic and aseismic sliding, (b)distributed crush brecciation, involving microfracturing over broad regions when slip on the principal slip surfaces is impeded by antidilational jogs or other obstructions, and (c)implosion brecciation, associated with the sudden creation of void space and fluid-pressure differentials at dilational fault jogs during earthquake rupture propagation. These last, high-dilation breccias are particularly favorable sites for hydrothermal mineral deposition, forming transitory low-pressure channels for the rapid passage of hydrothermal fluids. Long-lived fault zones often contain an intermingling of breccias derived from all three processes.     

Coupling of tectonic loading and earthquake fault slips at subduction zones

Because of the viscoelastic behaviour of the earth, accumulation of elastic strain energy by tectonic loading and release of such energy by earthquake fault slips at subduction zones may take place on different spatial scales. If the lithospheric plate is acted upon by distant tectonic forces, strain accumulation must occur in a broad region. However, an earthquake releases strain only in a region comparable to the size of the rupture area. A two-dimensional finite-element model of a subduction zone with viscoelastic rheology has been used to investigate the coupling of tectonic loading and earthquake fault slips. A fault lock-and-unlock technique is employed so that the amount of fault slip in an earthquake is not prescribed, but determined by the accumulated stress. The amount of earthquake fault slip as a fraction of the total relative plate motion depends on the relative sizes of the earthquake rupture area and the region of tectonic strain accumulation, as well as the rheology of the rock material. The larger the region of strain accumulation is compared to the earthquake rupture, the smaller is the earthquake fault slip. The reason for the limited earthquake fault slip is that the elastic shear stress in the asthenosphere induced by the earthquake resists the elastic rebound of the overlying plate. Since rapid permanent plate shortening is not observed at subduction zones, there must be either strain release over a large region or strain accumulation over a small region over earthquake cycles. The former can be achieved only by significant aseismic fault slip between large subduction earthquakes. The most likely mechanism for the latter is the accumulation of elastic strain around isolated locked asperities of the fault, which requires significant aseismic fault slip between asperities.     

New advances of seismic tomography and its applications to subduction zones and earthquake fault zones: A review

Abstract There have been significant advances in the theory and applications of seismic tomography in the last decade. These include the refinements in the model parameterization, 3-D ray tracing, inversion algorithm, resolution and error analyses, joint use of local, regional and teleseismic data, and the addition of converted and reflected waves in the tomographic inversion. Applications of the new generation tomographic methods to subduction zones have resulted in unprecedentedly clear images of the subducting oceanic lithosphere and magma chambers in the mantle wedge beneath active arc volcanoes, indicating that geodynamic systems associated with the arc magmatism and back-arc spreading are related to deep processes, such as the convective circulation in the mantle wedge and deep dehydration reactions in the subducting slab. High-resolution tomographic imagings of earthquake fault zones in Japan and California show that rupture nucleation and earthquake generating processes are closely related to the heterogeneities of crustal materials and inelastic processes in the fault zones, such as the migration of fluids. Evidence also shows that arc magmatism and slab dehydration may also contribute to the generation of large crustal earthquakes in subduction regions.     

苏门答腊岛8.7级地震对我国南北地震带地震形势的影响

分析了苏门答腊8．7级地震对我国南北地震带尤其是川滇地震活动和前兆观测的巨大影响，以及历史上从印度安达曼到印度尼西亚苏门答腊区域的巨大地震与中国大陆西部尤其是南北地震带强震的关系。结果表明：这次苏门答腊8．7级地震对南北地震带地震活动和前兆观测的影响巨大；历史上安达曼—苏门答腊区域的巨大地震与中国大陆西部尤其是南北地震带强震存在较短时间尺度的呼应相关。     

Mercury indicating inflow zones and ruptures along the Wenchuan Ms 8.0 earthquake fault

During the Wenchuan Fault Scientific Drilling Project,we determined the values of total mercury(HgT)and gaseous elemental mercury(GEM) from drilled cores and drilling mud,respectively.Geochemical analysis shows HgT values ranging from 0.24 to 6.45 ng/g for the Penguan complex and from 2.90 to 137.54 ng/g for T3 sediment.The average levels of HgT for the Penguan complex and T3 sediments are 1.81 ± 0.26 ng/g and23.96 ± 4.80 ng/g,respectively.Major anomalous peaks of HgT appear at depth of 614,731,993 and 1,107 m,which correspond to the long-term high seismic activity during crustal deformation in response to tectonic stresses.Gaseous elemental mercury dissolved in drilling mud was also analyzed.We found fluid inflow zones with high GEM at depths of 590-750 m,suggesting that fluid-filled ruptures exist in the LMS fault zone.It indicates that mercury provides geochemical evidence for inflow zones and ruptures/fault zones in the Wenchuan Ms 8.0 earthquake fault.     

Do trench sediments affect great earthquake occurrence in subduction zones?

Seismic energy release is dominated by the underthrusting earthquakes in subduction zones, and this energy release is further concentrated in a few subduction zones. While some subduction zones are characterized by the occurrence of great earthquakes, others are relatively aseismic. This variation in maximum earthquake size between subduction zones is one of the most important features of global seismicity. Previous work has shown that the variation in maximum earthquake size is correlated with the variation in two other subduction zone properties: age of the subducting lithosphere and convergence rate. These two properties do not explain all the variance in maximum earthquake size. I propose that a third subduction zone property, trench sediments, explains part of the remaining variance in maximum earthquake size. Subduction zones are divided into two groups: (1) those with excess trench sediments, and (2) those with horst and graben structure at the trench. Thirteen of the 19 largest subduction zone events, including the three largest, occur in zones with excess trench sediments. About half the zones with excess trench sediments are characterized by great earthquake occurrence. Most of the other zones with excess trench sediments but without great earthquakes are predicted to have small earthquakes by the age-rate correlation. Two notable exceptions are the Oregon-Washington and Middle America zones. Overall, the presence of excess trench sediments appears to enhance great earthquake occurrence. One speculative physical mechanism that connects trench sediments and earthquake size is that excess trench sediments are associated with the subduction of a coherent sedimentary layer, which at elevated temperature and pressure, forms a homogeneous and strong contact zone between the plates.     

Fluid regime in the source and preparation area of an earthquake

Peculiarities of the fluid regime in the source and in the area of preparation of an earthquake which accommodates the evolution of the precursors are considered. The qualitative characteristics and the conditions of migration of the fluids, as well as their influence on the disjunctive deformations of the crust are discussed. During the development of the earthquake source, the fluid regime in this area depends on the redistribution of the fluids and their inflow from the outside. The fluid inflow and the increase in the fluid pressure are mainly due to the filtering from the subvertical permeable faults and the metamorphic dehydration of the rocks in the walls of the main fault. The fluids may also be supplied to the source from the near-surface horizons, and most of the induced earthquakes are associated with this process. These earthquakes can be considered as large-scale natural experiments which can shed light on the contribution of fluids in this phenomenon. A particular role in the mechanism of natural seismicity is played by the inflow of high-pressure fluids through the faults from the deep zones of the section.     

Stress wave patterns and the size of the non-elastic zones of an explosive source

Summary The travel-time curves of characteristic moments of stress wave patterns were investigated. The arrival time of the onset of stress wavet ₀, of the maximum amplitudet ₁ and of the moment terminating the pressure part (the first half-wave) of this wavet ₂ were taken to be representative. These travel-time curves were used to determine the velocities of propagation of these moments (V ₀,V ₁ andV ₂) as functions of the distance from the source. According to their variations it is possible to appoint the size of the cavity created by the explosion and to determine the distance at which the elastic source surface of stress waves is to be found. The radius of the cavity is given by 1.5 times the distance at whichV ₁ separates fromV ₀. The elastic source surface of stress waves is defined by the distance from whichV ₀ is constant and at whichV ₁ andV ₂ have minimum values. These two distances determine the points at which the character of the stress wave pattern changes: from shock wave in gases, through shock wave in a solid medium to a seismic wave.Paper presented at the General Assembly of the European Seismological Commission, Luxembourg, Sept. 21–29, 1970.     

川滇地区某些地震区未来震情研判

运用孕震断层多锁固段脆性破裂理论与相关预测方法,对川滇地区某些地震区未来震情进行了重新研判和分析,并给出了这些地震区未来中强震或强震的四要素预测结果.结果表明:若1973年炉霍大震不是Ms7.9级,则鲜水河地震区未来有Ms 7.9～8.1级的地震发生;其它地震区,包括小江、西昌、云龙、宜宾-长宁以及自贡-遂宁地震区,未来都将有破坏性地震发生.     

Thermodynamic constraints on phase changes as earthquake source mechanisms in subduction zones

Application of thermodynamic equations for phase transitions with a shock wave output from metastable to stable phases that are believed to occur in subduction zones indicates that while many show a volume reduction, and thus may contribute to slab pull mechanisms of plate tectonics, they do not satisfy criteria for the generation of shock waves. Of the reactions considered only one (antigorite + clinoenstatite → forsterite + talc) satisfies the criteria, and for this case the shock wave pressure is, in fact, less than the pressure calculated for the leading edge of the subduction zone. This would imply that if the transition does occur under shock conditions in the subduction zone, dilatational rather than compressional first motions for the associated earthquake are expected.     

渝南长岭-半边山断裂带第四纪活动性与潜在地震能力

本文通过野外地震地质考察和系统的年代学样品的采集与测试,对长岭-半边山断裂带的第四纪活动性进行了讨论。在探讨川东地区发震构造条件的基础上,笔者结合长岭-半边山断裂带的基本特征和年代学特征,认为该断裂具有发生最大潜在地震为5．0～6．0级的发震能力。     

Analysis of deep focal mechanisms and revealing of possible large earthquake zones in the Kuril-Okhotsk region

The relationship between shallow and deep seismicity is investigated. The 2006 and 2007 large earthquakes of M = 8.3 and 8.1, which occurred off the southeast coast of Simushir, Kuril Islands, have been preceded by noticeable deep seismicity in the subducting slab. The methods and algorithms of focal mechanism analysis are developed for revealing possible large earthquake zones in the Kuril-Okhotsk region. Deep-focus earthquakes occurring in distant regions of the subducting slab with significant probability have triggered the large shallow earthquakes along the deep sea trench.     

High-voltage rectifier of the Energy-2 generator for electromagnetic sounding and monitoring of earthquake source zones

The high-voltage rectifier is described developed for the Energy-2 generator, with a capacity of 200 kW in which a step-up power transformer is used as a converter. The Energy-2 generator is intended for solving problems of precision deep electromagnetic monitoring of seismoactive regions of the Earth’s crust to find earthquake precursors. Theoretical investigation and numerical simulation of the high-voltage rectifier are carried out and parameters of its elemental base are optimized. All the high-voltage rectifier components, heat sink, and forced cooling system were manufactured on the basis of the developed documentation. The high-voltage rectifier was successfully tested as part of the“Energy-2 generator in August 2009 during the “FENIKS-2009” experiment.     

Selection and scaling of earthquake records in assessment of structures in low-to-moderate seismicity zones

The behaviour of a building during an earthquake depends on many factors including the characteristics of the ground motion, the configuration and dynamic characteristics of the structure, the hysteretic behaviour of the structural components, the building's non-structural parts, and the local soil behaviour. When conducting seismic assessment studies, controlling the first factor involves selecting and scaling appropriate earthquake records. It is a common practice to scale the records to fit a target acceleration response S_a determined from a pre-determined spectrum or attenuation law. In doing so, two key-problems must be faced: (i) the value adopted for the “effective” period T₁,which lengthens as the structure enters the non-linear range, and (ii) the reliability of the reference value adopted for S_a(T₁). In this work, the influence of selecting appropriate values for these two parameters—T₁ and S_a(T₁)—on the response of the building is investigated from the study of two structures, of 4 and 8 stories. The study does not focus on evaluating a particular seismic code; rather, it uses a European attenuation model as the target spectrum. Non-linear dynamic response analyses are carried out to investigate the Collapse Prevention State of these structures subjected to records representative of a Performance-based Earthquake Engineering level characterized by 2% exceedence in 50 years with 2475 years of return time. The records are selected from a database of European earthquakes, and the failure of the structures is evaluated by statistical means. From the results of the analyses, it is proposed that in seismic assessment studies the reference period for scaling should be 1.1 times the fundamental period of the structure, and at least 30 records should be used to guarantee reliable results.     

Response spectrum of seismic design code for zones lack of near-fault strong earth- quake records

It was shown from the study on the recently near-fault earthquake ground motions that the near-fault effects were seldom considered in the existing Chinese seismic code. Referring to the UBC97 design concept for near-fault factors, based on the collected world-widely free-site records of near-fault earthquakes ground motions classified by earthquake magnitude and site condition, the attenuation relationship expressions of the acceleration spectrum demand at the key points within the long period and moderate period were established in term of the earthquake magnitude and the site condition. Furthermore, the near-fault factors’ expressions about the earthquake magnitude and the fault distance were deduced for the area lack of near-fault strong earthquake records. Based on the current Chinese Building Seismic Design Code, the near-fault effect factors and the modified design spectral curves, which were valuable for the seismic design, were proposed to analyze the seismic response of structures.     

P波随时间衰减:以两条加利福尼亚地震破裂带为例

地震预测是地震学研究一个基本目标,而理解地震周期是地震预测的重要环节.遗憾的是,由于地震断层带不但结构复杂,大地震前后短时间内的震源过程更是随时间迅速变化,这些复杂因素使得常规研究方法不再适用.一类特殊的微震成群地发生在主震断层几乎同一地点上,震源系数几乎相同,近年来地震学界通称其为震群(earthquakemultiplet).本文论证如何将这类特殊的微震作为一组人工震源来阐述美国西部两次大地震(LomaPrieta和MorganHill)的震后弛豫过程.在加利福尼亚LomaPrieta(1989年9月18日,M7.0)及MorganHill(1984年4月24日,M6.2)附近的主震破裂带中就发生了此类震群.其中有两组各包含11个重复地震的震群,分别位于这两个破裂带中,其波形资料质量高,波形及震级变化极小,因而可与实验室条件下的人工震源相比.这些震群地震资料可直接用于计算P波沿波程衰减(即t)的时间性变化,其方法的简单性及结果的精确性都与实验室水平相当.我们的结果显示,每个震群周围分别存在一个异常体,在其各自主震之后的10个月中,该异常体中的P波衰减迅速上升并降落.衰减峰值发生在LomaPrieta地震后2～3周,其震群深度为10.2km.此峰值在MorganHill地震后5～6个月发生,其震群中心深度为2.6km.这两个事例中,t波动峰值都超过此前获得的加利福尼亚大致同一地区t绝对值的100%[1].此结果显示了因同震裂隙张开和震后弛豫过程(如流体移动、裂隙复原及岩石压缩),以及孔隙度和流体饱和度在主震源体部分区域发生的变化.衰减达峰值的时间之显著差异则提示我们,裂隙闭合及伴随的流体移动是负载敏感的,深度越大达峰值越快,反之亦然.如将此方法应用于主震前多重地震的资料,将有望更好地理解最终导致主震断层带大破裂的震前微破裂的物理过程.     

重力场动态变化与汶川MS8.0地震孕育过程

基于中国大陆1998～2007年(复测周期2～3年)流动重力观测数据,结合GPS、水准观测成果和区域地质构造动力环境,分析研究了汶川8.0级地震区域重力场动态变化演化特征和孕震机理.结果表明:区域重力场动态演化大体反映了青藏高原物质东流的动态效应和汶川大震孕育的中长期(2～10年)信息;汶川大震孕育的显著重力标志为震中西南持续多年的正重力变化(上升)和出现较大规模的重力变化梯级带,前者有利于地震能量的不断积累,后者有利于地震剪切破裂的发生;与地震孕育相关重力场变化总体呈增大-加速增大-减速增大-发震的过程;8年累积重力变化幅差最大约200×10-8m·s-2;2001年昆仑山口8.1级地震孕育发生和震后恢复调整,对区域重力场动态变化和汶川大震的孕育发展具有重要影响;松潘-甘孜块体一般呈现负重力变化,可能反映深部壳幔局部上隆、壳内温度较高而膨胀,有利于逆冲或推覆体运动的形成和大震的发生.