Radiation patterns of point sources situated close to structural interfaces and to the earth's surface

The seismic wave field is considerably influenced by local structures close to the source and to the receiver. This applies to sources and receivers situated close to localized inhomogeneities, to structural interfaces, to the earth's surface, etc. In this paper we concentrate our attention mainly to the ray-theoretical radiation patterns of point sources situated close to the structural interfaces and to the earth's surface. In numerical modeling of high-frequency seismic wave fields by the ray method, the interaction of the source with the earth's surface has not usually been taken into account.The proposed procedure of the computation of the radiation patterns of point sources situated directly on structural interfaces and on the earth's surface is based on the zero-order approximation of the ray method, assuming that the length of the ray between the source and the receiver is long. The derived equations are extended to point sources located close to structural interface, to the earth's surface and to thin transition layers using the hybrid ray-reflectivity method, seeervený (1989). The thin layer need not be homogeneous; it may include an arbitrary inner layering (transition layers, laminas, etc.) The only requirement is for the layer to be thin. Roughly speaking, we require its thickness to be less than one quarter of the prevailing wavelength. The hybrid ray-reflectivity method describes well even certain non-ray effects (tunneling.S ^* waves, etc.). Explicit analytical expressions for radiation patterns for all above listed point sources are found. These expression have a local character and may be easily implemented into computer codes designed for the routine computation of ray amplitudes and synthetic ray seismograms in 2-D and 3-D, laterally varying isotropic layered and block structures by the ray method.Numerical examples of radiation patterns ofP andS waves of point sources situated close to the earth's surface and to a thin low-velocity surface layer are presented and discussed. The explosive point source (center of dilatation) and the vertical and horizontal single force point sources are considered. It has been ascertained that the radiation patterns of point sources depend drastically on the depth of the source below the surface even if the depths vary within one quarter of the prevailing wavelength.     

Population structure and conservation status of the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata (Risso, 1826) in the Eastern Adriatic Sea

Gorgonians are important structuring species of the Mediterranean hard‐bottom communities that are threatened by disturbances such as increasing seawater temperature, mucilaginous events and destructive fishing, among others. In this study we assessed for the first time the population structure and conservation status of one of the most common gorgonians in the Eastern Adriatic Sea, the red gorgonian Paramuricea clavata. During late spring 2009, nine populations dwelling between 30 and 50 m depth were examined by SCUBA diving along 200 km of the Croatian coastline. The density ranged between 7 and 20 colonies·m^?2. The mean and maximum colony heights were 31.2 ± 22.7 cm (±SD) and 138 cm, respectively. Two main patterns of P. clavata size frequency distributions were observed: the first one with a higher proportion of juveniles (~30%) observed mostly in the northernmost populations, and the second one with a higher proportion of larger colonies (>25% of colonies >40 cm in height). Regarding the disturbance impact level, the proportion of healthy colonies (with <10% of injured surface) was high in almost all of the studied populations (>60%) and the mean extent of injury (i.e. denuded axis or epibiosis) was 9.7 ± 4% (±SD), indicating low impacts. Contrasting population size structures with high recruitment in mature populations provides new insights into the demographic structure of the Mediterranean gorgonian forests dwelling in their upper bathymetric range (<50 m depth). Furthermore, these size structures and the low impact levels suggest a current favorable conservation status of the studied populations in the Eastern Adriatic Sea and provide a baseline for their monitoring in the future.     

The computation of the elastic constants of an anisotropic medium from the velocities of body waves

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Dedicated to 90th Birthday of Professor Frantiek Fiala     

Colour schlieren representation of compressional-stress fields with respect to focal zone study

Summary A method of colour schlieren recording of the compressional-stress field gradients, suitable for focal zone study on models, is suggested. The study presents colour schlieren records of the compressional-stress fields in loaded square plates, containing inhomogeneities which give instant quantitative information on these fields. If the inhomogeneity is shaped like Griffith's diagonal slit, good agreement is demonstrated between the experiment and the theoretical calculation of the compressional-stress field in a model.     

Ray amplitudes in a three-dimensional inhomogeneous medium

Summary A system of five ordinary differential equations of the first order to compute the geometrical spreading of the wave front of seismic body waves in a three-dimensional medium is suggested.     

Influence of geological factors on seismic ground-motions (seismic microzoning of Prague)

Summary Seismic microzoning of Prague was performed using geological data and seismic response (ground shaking) computations. The Prague territory was covered by a square grid, each square 250 m×250 m being characterized by a simplified geological cross-section from the Earth's surface to the bedrock boundary. The data were obtained from detailed engineering-geological maps 1:5000. The geological cross-sections were transformed into a set of layered models, specified by the thicknesses of individual layers and corresponding compressional and shear-wave velocities, densities and parameters of the causal absorption. The seismic responses were computed by the matrix method. The main amplitude and frequency characteristics of the responses are demonstrated in the form of microzoning maps. The maps do not depend on the specific type of seismic excitation. They make it possible to predict the relative amplification of P and S waves, with respect to the bedrock outcrop, all over the city.     

Computation of ray amplitudes of seismic body waves in vertically inhomogeneous media

Summary Standard methods of interpolating the velocity-depth distribution v=v(z) do not guarantee the continuity of the first and second derivatives of velocity and generate false interfaces of a higher order. These false interfaces cause anomalies in the amplitude-distance curves. It is suggested to apply the smoothed spline approximation to the depth-velocity distribution z=z(v). In this case, the ray integrals can be evaluated in a closed form. The amplitude-distance curves become quite smooth and stable. All necessary formulae and numerical examples are presented.