Detection of crevasses over polar ice shelves using Satellite Laser Altimeter

Ice shelf breakups account for most mass loss from the Antarctic Ice Sheet as the consequence of the propagation of crevasses(or rift)in response to stress.Thus there is a pressing need for detecting crevasses’location and depth,to understand the mechanism of calving processes.This paper presents a method of crevasse detection using the ICESat-1/GLAS data.A case study was taken at the Amery Ice Shelf of Antarctica to verify the accuracy of geo-location and depth of crevasses detected.Moreover,based on the limited crevasse points,we developed a method to detect the peak stress points which can be used to track the location of the crack tips and to identify the possible high-risk area where an ice shelf begins to break up.The spatial and temporal distribution of crevasse depth and the spatial distribution of peak stress points of the Amery Ice Shelf were analyzed through 132 tracks in 16 campaign periods of ICESat-1/GLAS between 2003 and 2008.The results showed that the depth of the detected crevasse points ranged from 2 to 31.7 m,which were above the sea level;the crevasse that advected downstream to the front edge of an ice shelf has little possibility to directly result in breakups because the crevasse depth did not show any increasing trend over time;the local stress concentration is distributed mainly in the suture zones on the ice shelves.     

Distribution of medium-scale acoustic gravity waves in polar regions according to satellite measurement data

The peculiarities of the distribution of medium-scale acoustic gravity waves (AGWs) in polar regions according to the data of measurements on board the Dynamics Explorer 2 satellite are studied. Over polar regions of both hemispheres at heights of 250–400 km, wave variations in neutral atmospheric parameters were systematically registered. These variations were identified as AGWs with horizontal wavelengths of 500–650 km. The relative amplitudes of polar AGWs in a neutral concentration reach 10%. Wave trains extend over the polar caps to thousands of kilometers and show a distinct spatial relationship with the auroral oval. A systematic direction is found in AGW propagation from the nighttime sector of the oval into the day-time sector, where wave activity is strictly limited. An assumption is formulated that this restriction is caused by dynamic interactions between AGWs and the zonal wind in the daytime sector of the auroral oval.     

中国大陆重力场动态变化研究

利用国家重大科学工程"中国地壳运动观测网络"1998—2008年间绝对重力和相对重力的观测资料,初步获得了中国大陆起算基准统一的重力场及其动态变化.重力场变化既具有时空分布的不均匀性和重力变化分区现象,同时又具有与活动断裂构造密切相关和与地震孕育发展有着内在联系.中国大陆6.8级以上大震主要发生在重力场变化分布差异较为剧烈的地区(重力变化≥90×10-8m·s-2)和重力变化发生转折的时段.     

Effects of geomagnetic disturbances in daytime variations of the atmospheric electric field in polar regions

We have studied the influence of daytime polar substorms (geomagnetic bays under the IMF Bz > 0) on variations of the vertical gradient of the atmospheric electric field potential (Ez) observed at the Polish Hornsund Station (Svalbard, Norway). Only the observations of Ez under “fair weather” conditions were used, i.e. in the absence of strong wind, precipitations, low cloud cover, etc. We studied more than 20 events of daytime polar substorms registered by the Scandinavian chain of IMAGE magnetometers in 2010–2014 during the “fair weather” periods at the Hornsund Station. Analysis of the observations showed that Ez significantly deviates from the its background variations during daytime, as a rule, when the Hornsund Station is in the region of projection of the daytime auroral oval, the position of which was determined from OVATION data. It was shown that the development of a daytime polar substorm leads to fluctuating enhance of Ez values. It was found that Ez surges are accompanied by intensification of field-aligned electric currents outflowing from the ionosphere, which were calculated from the data of low-orbit communication satellites of the AMPERE project.     

2016年射阳M_S 4.4地震前后重力场变化

利用江苏重力测网2014—2017年重力场观测资料,采用绝对重力控制与相对重力联测相结合的平差方法,获取2016年射阳M_S 4.4地震前后重力场变化图。根据射阳M_S 4.4地震前后射阳地区各测线重力段差变化特点,绘制重力场等值线并进行对比分析,结合相关机理,探讨重力场变化与该地震的内在联系。同震观测数据显示:射阳M_S 4.4地震发生在重力异常值高梯度带附近,发震时震中地区位于NS挤压正异常、EW张拉负异常状态,震后区域重力梯度变化量开始减小,是一种典型的重力异常调整现象。     

云南鲁甸MS6.5地震震源区和周边三维密度结构及重力场变化

2014年8月3日云南鲁甸发生M_S6.5地震,震源机制显示该地震为左旋走滑型,断层破裂面以北西向为主,与昭通断裂带近乎垂直.本文基于三维重力反演技术,采用Crust1.0地壳结构模型和最新Moho面深度模型联合约束,反演得到了该地震震源区及周边的三维密度结构特征.反演结果表明：鲁甸地震震源区南北两侧块体运动受到昭通断裂不同程度阻隔,在地质时间尺度上,昭通断裂北段地壳物质运移的阻挡能力相比南段更强.通过进一步调查距离震中较近的流动重力测点的点值变化发现,从2014年3月至2014年6月大海村（P1）重力点值减小,减小幅度达到19 μGal,而位于昭通断裂东北侧的江底（P5）重力点值同期变化显示为增加,其他距离较远测点在震前重力变化不明显.综上结果对鲁甸地震的成因机制给出了初步解释.本文结果对于认识孕震区深部结构及地球物理场时空变化特征具有一定的意义.对识别与局部重力变化有关的地震前兆也同样具有参考意义.     

2016年射阳MS 4.4地震前后重力场变化

利用江苏重力测网2014-2017年重力场观测资料,采用绝对重力控制与相对重力联测相结合的平差方法,获取2016年射阳M_S 4.4地震前后重力场变化图。根据射阳M_S 4.4地震前后射阳地区各测线重力段差变化特点,绘制重力场等值线并进行对比分析,结合相关机理,探讨重力场变化与该地震的内在联系。同震观测数据显示：射阳M_S 4.4地震发生在重力异常值高梯度带附近,发震时震中地区位于NS挤压正异常、EW张拉负异常状态,震后区域重力梯度变化量开始减小,是一种典型的重力异常调整现象。     

Secular variation of the geomagnetic field over the past 4000 years recorded in the lavas and pyroclastics of the Northern Group of Kamchatka volcanoes: New data

New paleomagnetic determinations satisfying the up-to-date methodical and instrumental standards of paleomagnetic studies are obtained from the lava flows and volcanic ash of the Northern Group of Kamchatka volcanoes. In the past 4000 years, 12 stratigraphic levels with tephrostratigraphic ages are explored. The obtained directions of the geomagnetic field fill a gap in the data on the secular variation for northeastern Asia and can be used for developing global models. Besides, a promising outlook for the use of the variations of the geomagnetic field for the regional correlation of volcanic events is demonstrated.     

中国东北地区重力场研究——剩余重力场与重点油气勘探盆地的关系及油气勘探新领域

本文利用基于余弦变换的匹配滤波技术对中国东北地区布格重力异常进行了分离.根据分离的剩余场异常特征,以黑河-齐齐哈尔-白城断裂带和佳木斯-伊通断裂带为分界线,把东北地区分布的主要盆地划分为西部盆地、中部盆地和东部盆地.指出研究区主要盆地的构造样式与剩余场相关的正负异常圈闭呈现一一对应的关系,其地质边界范围与剩余场反应的边...     

Regional spatiotemporal variations of a nondipole magnetic field over the Chinese mainland and neighboring regions in millennial scale

Spatiotemporal variations of the nondipole (ND) magnetic field over the Chinese mainland and neighboring regions from 10000 BC to 1990 AD were analyzed using the latest global geomagnetic models CALS10K.1b, CALS3K.4, and IGRF11. Moreover, for field sources, we investigated 2 ⁿ (n = 2–10) pole ND fields and their energies. The results suggest that the study period can be divided into three. The intensity of the ND field has been mainly positive since 10000 BC and lasted almost 7500 years, then gradually decreased to negative in 2500 BC to 1500 AD, and finally sharply increased to positive. The anomaly areas of the ND field in East Asia took shape for n = 3, when the anomaly areas in East Asia were shaped into closed circles in the mainland. This suggests that the first three harmonic degrees account for most of the ND field. The energy of the ND field rapidly attenuates at the core–mantle boundary and is stable at the surface.     

Testing Stokes-Helmert geoid model computation on a synthetic gravity field: experiences and shortcomings

We report on testing the UNB (University of New Brunswick) software suite for accurate regional geoid model determination by use of Stokes-Helmert’s method against an Australian Synthetic Field (ASF) as “ground truth”. This testing has taken several years and has led to discoveries of several significant errors (larger than 5mm in the resulting geoid models) both in the UNB software as well as the ASF. It was our hope that, after correcting the errors in UNB software, we would be able to come up with some definite numbers as far as the achievable accuracy for a geoid model computed by the UNB software. Unfortunately, it turned out that the ASF contained errors, some of as yet unknown origin, that will have to be removed before that ultimate goal can be reached. Regardless, the testing has taught us some valuable lessons, which we describe in this paper. As matters stand now, it seems that given errorless gravity data on 1′ by 1′ grid, a digital elevation model of a reasonable accuracy and no topographical density variations, the Stokes-Helmert approach as realised in the UNB software suite is capable of delivering an accuracy of the geoid model of no constant bias, standard deviation of about 25 mm and a maximum range of about 200 mm. We note that the UNB software suite does not use any corrective measures, such as biases and tilts or surface fitting, so the resulting errors reflect only the errors in modelling the geoid.     

Climatic change and geomagnetic field reversals: A statistical correlation

Dates of climatic episodes recorded in deep-sea cores are compared with the dates of palaeomagnetic polarity transitions during the Upper Pliocene period. The chance that the number of observed coincident dates will be a random occurrence can be as low as 3 × 10^?4, and if a suitable simple probability model holds there is apparently a probability of about 0.4 that a climatic event will cause a magnetic field reversal.     

日本MW9.0地震震区及其周缘2002—2015年卫星重力变化时空特征

本文在考虑全球陆面数据同化系统陆地水储量变化影响后,利用2002年4月—2015年4月GRACE卫星RL05月重力场模型获取了2011年日本M_W9.0地震震中及其周边区域的重力场信息;然后给出了日本及其周边2003—2015年的年度累积重力变化和差分重力变化,并且利用经验正态函数方法深入分析了该地震过程中同震重力变化对区域重力场的贡献. 结果显示:日本M_W9.0地震前研究区域出现了幅值高达2×10-8 m/s2的异常重力变化,其同震效应的时间和空间特征均出现在第一模态,且同震重力变化和震后区域重力场变化特征显著,这充分表明该地震对区域重力场的影响显著.      

The geoelectric field at Vostok, Antarctica: its relation to the interplanetary magnetic field and the cross polar cap potential difference

The vertical geoelectric field measured at Vostok, Antarctica (78.5°S, 107°E, L=75.0) over the 13 month interval May 1979–May 1980 is correlated with the interplanetary magnetic field (IMF) components B_y and B_z at times when Vostok is connected to the dayside magnetosphere. No significant association with IMF B_x is found. The interaction of the solar wind and the Earth’s magnetic field generally results in anti-sunward plasma flow in the high-latitude, polar ionosphere driven by a dawn-to-dusk, cross polar cap potential difference pattern. Using the IZMEM model to infer the contribution of the cross polar cap potential difference to the potential difference between the ionosphere and the ground at Vostok for the measured IMF conditions, we show that this provides a viable mechanism for the IMF associations found. We demonstrate that the direct association of the geoelectric field with the cross polar cap potential difference is independent of a result (Park, 1976. Solar magnetic sector effects on the vertical atmospheric electric field at Vostok, Antartica. Geophysical Research Letters 3(8), 475–478) showing an 15% decrease in the vertical geoelectric field measured at Vostok, 1–3 days after the passage of IMF sector boundaries. Evidence is also presented supporting the Park result, for which a mechanism is yet to be confirmed.     

Review Paper: Historical development of the total normalized gradient method in profile gravity field interpretation

In the Russian school, the total normalized gradient method belongs to the most wide-spread of direct interpretation methods for potential field data. This method was also used and partly developed by many experts from abroad. The main advantage of the total normalized gradient method is its relative independence of parameters such as the expected differential density of interpreted structures. The method is built from a construction of a specially transformed field (total normalized gradient) on a section crossing the potential field sources. The special properties of this transformed field allow it to be used to detect the source positions. From the 1960s, the mathematical basis of the method underwent enormous development and several modifications of the method have been elaborated. The total normalized gradient operator itself represents a relatively complicated, non-linear band-pass filter in the spectral domain. The properties of this operator can be handled by means of several parameters that act to separate the information about field sources at different depth levels. In this contribution, we describe the development of the method from its very beginning (based mostly on qualitative interpretation of simple total normalized gradient sections) through to more recent numerical improvements to the method. These improvements include the quasi-singular points method, which refines the filter properties of the total normalized gradient operator and defines an objective criteria (so called criterion ‘α’ and ‘Г') for the definition of source depths in the section. We end by describing possibilities for further development of the method in the future.     

Highly-reduced dynamic orbits and their use for global gravity field recovery: A simulation study for GOCE

The so-called highly reduced-dynamic (HRD) orbit determination strategy and its use for the determination of the Earth’s gravitational field are analyzed. We discuss the functional model for the generation of HRD orbits, which are a compromise of the two extreme cases of dynamic and purely geometrically determined kinematic orbits. For gravity field recovery the energy integral approach is applied, which is based on the law of energy conservation in a closed system. The potential of HRD orbits for gravity field determination is studied in the frame of a simulated test environment based on a realistic GOCE orbit configuration. The results are analyzed, assessed, and compared with the respective reference solutions based on a kinematic orbit scenario. The main advantage of HRD orbits is the fact that they contain orbit velocity information, thus avoiding numerical differentiation on the orbit positions. The error characteristics are usually much smoother, and the computation of gravity field solutions is more efficient, because less densely sampled orbit information is sufficient. On the other hand, the main drawback of HRD orbits is that they contain external gravity field information, and thus yield the danger to obtain gravity field results which are biased towards this prior information.     

GIA-induced secular variations in the Earth's long wavelength gravity field: Influence of 3-D viscosity variations

Predictions of present day secular variations in the Earth's long wavelength geopotential driven by glacial isostatic adjustment (GIA) have previously been analyzed to infer the radial profile of mantle viscosity and to constrain ongoing cryospheric mass balance. These predictions have been based on spherically symmetric Earth models. We explore the impact of lateral variations in mantle viscosity using a new finite-volume formulation for computing the response of 3-D Maxwell viscoelastic Earth models. The geometry of the viscosity field is constrained from seismic-to-mographic images of mantle structure, while the amplitude of the lateral viscosity variations is tuned by a free parameter in the modeling. We focus on the zonal J˙_? harmonics for degrees ? = 2,…,8 and demonstrate that large-scale lateral viscosity variations of two to three orders of magnitude have a modest, 5-10%, impact on predictions of J˙₂. In contrast, predictions of higher degree harmonics show a much greater sensitivity to lateral variation in viscosity structure. We conclude that future analyses of secular trends (for degree ? > 2) estimated from ongoing (GRACE, CHAMP) satellite missions must incorporate GIA predictions based on 3-D viscoelastic Earth models.     

Grim4-C1, -C2p: combination solutions of the global earth gravity field

On the basis of the GRIM4-S1 satellite-only Earth gravity model, being accomplished in a common effort by DGFI and GRGS, a combination solution, called GRIM4-C1, has been derivcd using 1° × 1° mean gravity anomalies and 1° × 1° Seasat altimeter derived mean geoid undulations. In the meantime improvements could be achieved by incorporating more tracking data (GEOSAT, SPOT2-DORIS) into the solution, resulting in the two new parallel versions, the satellite-only gravity model GRIM4-S2 and the combined solution GRIM4-C2p (preliminary). All GRIM4 Earth gravity models cover the spectral gravitational constituents complete up to degree and order 50.In this report the emphasis is on the discussion of the combined gravity models: combination and estimation techniques, capabilities for application in precise satellite orbit computation and accuracies in long wavelength geoid representation. It is shown that with the new generation of global gravity models general purpose satellite-only models are no longer inferior to combination solutions if applied to satellite orbit restitution.     

A new analysis of gravity and topography data over the Mid-Atlantic Ridge: non-compensation of the axial valley

Topographic and associated gravity signals often result from the interference of several phenomena. In the present paper, an admittance function for the superposition of several physical mechanisms acting in the same waveband is derived. If the processes are not phase related, the resulting admittance function is the average of the individual admittance functions weighted by the squared amplitude of the topography for each process.We use this concept of superposition of different processes to understand the compensation of the Atlantic ridge valley. Classical transfer function studies applied to slow-spreading ridges have concluded that the topography was emplaced on an elastic plate about 10 km thick. These analyses of gravity and topography seem to contradict the physical models explaining the median rift valley, which is thought to be due to dynamical effects and thus to be uncompensated. We obtain an “average axial valley” gravity and topography profile by stacking several profiles perpendicular to the Mid-Atlantic Ridge and subtracting a long-wavelength thermal effect. We find that the gravity over topography spectral ratio of the “average axial valley signal” is consistent with an uncompensated process. Our study thus confirms that the mode of formation of the axial valley of a slow-spreading ridge involves an uncompensated mechanism. The presence of an additional process characterized by low admittance values, uncorrelated from one profile to the other, is also suggested in order to explain the observed admittance function. The study of the long wavelength (λ > 300 km) gravity and topography signal leads us to invoke the cooling of the upper portion of the crust by water circulation and to exclude the presence of a large amount of partial melt at depth (more than 5% over a 20 km thick layer at a mean depth of 60 km).