A new approach to geodetic networks

Studia Geophysica et Geodaetica - The linearized model of a geodetic network, expressed by the relationv=A h−I, does not generally satisfy the following conditions: Therefore, intermediary...     

Molecular dynamics simulations of interdiffusion in MgSiO3-Mg2SiO4 melts

Molecular dynamics simulations based on ab initio interatomic potentials have been performed to study the kinetics and mechanisms of interdiffusion in MgSiO₃ and Mg₂SiO₄ melts. Diffusion coefficients in the presence of a concentration gradient are lower than self-diffusion coefficients due to the requirements of local charge-balance within the system. Extrapolations of Mg²⁺ diffusion coefficients obtained at high temperatures (5000 to 3000 K) into geologically relevant temperatures (1500 to 2500 K) are reasonably accurate compared to experimental Mg²⁺ diffusion coefficients in a compositionally similar system. A significant system-size effect is also observed on the rates of diffusion obtained from the molecular dynamics simulations. Diffusion mechanisms involve movement of individual Mg²⁺ and O^2- ions and anionic [SiO_n]^(4–2n) complexes for both self-diffusion and interdiffusion.     

Quaternary sediments in the Dien Bien Phu fault zone, NW Vietnam: a record of young tectonic processes in the light of OSL-SAR dating results

The Dien Bien Phu fault zone (DBP), orientated NNE to N, is one of the most seismically active zones in Indochina. In NW Vietnam, this zone is 160 km long and 6–10 km wide, cutting sedimentary and metamorphic rocks of the Late Proterozoic, Palaeozoic and Mesozoic age, as well as Palaeozoic and Late Triassic granitoids. Along the DBP relatively small, narrow pull-apart basins occur, the three largest of which (Chan Nua, Lai Chau and Dien Bien Phu) have been studied in detail. All of them are bounded by sinistral and sinistral-normal faults, responsible for offset and deflected drainage, presence of numerous shutter ridges and displaced terraces and alluvial fans. The normal component of motion is testified to by well-preserved triangular facets on fault scarps, highly elevated straths in river watergaps, overhanging tributary valleys, as well as high and uneven river-bed gradients.Our observations indicate a minimum recent sinistral offset ranging from 6–8 to 150 m for Holocene valleys to 1.2–9.75 km for middle–late Pleistocene valleys in different fault segments. The thickness of Quaternary sediments varies from 5–25 m in the Lai Chau area to some 130 m in the Dien Bien Phu Basin. In the Lai Chau Basin, the middle terrace (23 m) alluvia of Nam Na River at Muong Te bridge have been optically stimulated luminescence/single aliquot regenerative dose technique (OSL-SAR) dated at 23–40 to 13 ka. These sediments were normal-faulted by some 11 m after 13 ka, and mantled by vari-coloured slope loams, 8–12 m thick, containing colluvial wedges composed of angular debris. These wedges were probably formed due to at least three palaeoseismic events postdating 6 ka. In the Dien Bien Phu Basin, in turn, alluvium of the upper Holocene terraces has been OSL-SAR dated to 6.5–7 and 1.7–1.0 ka, whereas the younger (sub-recent) terrace sediments give ages of 0.5–0.2 ka.Displaced terraces and alluvial fans allow us to suppose that the sinistral and sinistral-normal faults bounding narrow pull-apart basins in the southern portion of the DBP fault reveal minimum rates of left-lateral strike-slip ranging from 0.6 to 2 mm/year in Holocene and 0.5–3.8 mm/year in Pleistocene times, whereas rates of Holocene uplift tend to attain 1 mm/year north of Lai Chau and 0.4–0.6 mm/year west of Dien Bien Phu. More precise estimations, however, are difficult to obtain due to poor age control of the displaced drainage. Rates of Quaternary strike-slip are comparable with those of the Red River fault; the sense of movement being, however, opposite. Taking into account the presence of two phases of Late Cenozoic strike-slip of contrasting sense of motion, as well as the geometry of the two fault zones, we hypothesize that the Red River and Dien Bien Phu faults are conjugate faults capable of generating relatively strong earthquakes in the future.     

Oxygen isotope exchange kinetics between H2O and H4SiO4 from ab initio calculations

Oxygen isotope exchange between H₂O and H₄SiO₄ was modeled with ab initio calculations on H₄SiO₄ + 7H₂O. Constrained optimizations were performed with the B3LYP/6-31+G(d,p) method to determine reactants, transition states, and intermediates. Long-range solvation was accounted for using self-consistent reaction field calculations. The mechanism for exchange involves two steps, a concerted proton transfer from H₄SiO₄ forming a 5-coordinated Si followed by a concerted proton transfer from the 5-coordinated Si forming another H₄SiO₄. The 5-coordinated Si intermediate is C2 symmetric. At 298K and with implicit solvation included, the Gibbs free energy of activation from transition state theory is 66 kJ/mol and the predicted rate constant is 16 s⁻¹. Equilibrium calculations between 298K and 673K yield α_H4SiO4-H2O that are uniformly less than, but similar to, α_qtz-H2O, and therefore α_qtz-H4SiO4 is expected to be relatively small in this temperature range.     

A site‐consistent method to quantify sufficiency of alternative IMs in relation to PSDA

In probabilistic seismic demand analysis, evaluation of the sufficiency of an intensity measure (IM) is an important criterion to avoid biased assessment of the demand hazard. However, there exists no metric to quantify the degree of sufficiency as per the criterion of Luco and Cornell (2007). This paper proposes a site‐specific unified measure for degree of sufficiency from all seismological parameters under consideration using a total information gain metric. This unified metric for sufficiency supports not only comparison of the performance of different IMs given a response quantity but also assessment of the performance of a particular IM across different response quantities. The proposed sufficiency metric was evaluated for a 4‐story steel moment frame building, and the influence of ground motion selection on the degree of sufficiency was investigated. It was observed that ground motion selection can have a significant impact on IM sufficiency. Because computing the total information gain requires continuous deaggregation across the IM space, an approximate deaggregation technique that allows for a more practical estimation of marginal deaggregation probabilities is proposed. It is expected that the total information gain metric proposed in this paper will aid in understanding the efficiency‐sufficiency relation, thus enabling the selection of a proper scalar IM for a given site and application in probabilistic seismic demand analysis.