Post-processing HAZUS earthquake damage and loss assessments for individual buildings

Natural Hazards - Building damage probabilities are invaluable for assessing short-term losses from natural hazards. In many countries however, the individual building level data required for...     

The effect of magnetite particle size on paleointensity determinations of the geomagnetic field

The Thellier method for paleointensity determinations has been applied to prepared samples containing magnetites whose mean particle sizes range from single domain, SD, to multidomain, MD. Linear (ideal) PNRM-PTRM curves are obtained for samples containing SD and submicron magnetite particles. However, for MD particles non-linear (concave-up) PNRM-PTRM curves are observed such that a linear approximation to the lower blocking-temperature data leads to apparent paleointensities that are higher than the actual paleofield; however, the ratio of the end-points, NRM/TRM, yields the correct (laboratory) intensity. The non-linear (concave-up) PNRM-PTRM curves for the MD particles are explained in terms of the lack of symmetry of the domain-wall movements during the two heatings of the Thellier experiment. Low stabilities with respect to alternating fields and with respect to temperature cycles below magnetite's isotropic temperature are diagnostic in detecting samples most likely to exhibit non-linearities due to the MD effect.     

Brittle deformation in the Afikpo Basin （Southeast Nigeria）： Evidence for a terminal Cretaceous extensional regime in the Lower Benue Trough, Nigeria

This paper deals with the regional and structural framework of the Cretaceous rocks in the Afikpo Basin located in the southeastern part of the Lower Benue Trough. Results from regional tectonics are presented together with those of the microtectonic analysis of microfaults in the Owutu-Afikpo-Adadama area in the basin. The Owutu-Afikpo-Adadama ridge at the north-central part of the basin marks the boundary between the Late Cenomanian-Turonian-Conianian sediments and the Campanian-Maastrichtian sandstones. This ridge trends N45°E on average and is faulted in three main directions, namely: (1) N-S normal faults; (2) NE-SW strike-slip faults; and (3) NW-SE strike-slip faults. The faulted rocks along these brittle discontinuities are mainly cataclastics with internal fracture cleavage and sigmoidal quartz mosaics that are reminiscent of extensional deformation. The cataclasites often bear slickenside striations.     

THERMAL DEFORMATION AND FRACTURING IN OLIVINE-RICH SAMPLES

A study was made of the effect of low-temperature thermal fatigue on the generation of regular and irregular fractures in olivine-rich terrestrial rocks. The results appear to confirm the influence of thermal actions in the metamorphism of stony meteorites and lunar rocks.     

Burial metamorphic episodes in the Andean geosyncline,Central Chile

The burial metamorphism of the Andean geosynclinal deposits of Central Chile is studied. The stratigraphic units under consideration, Lower Jurassic to Upper Cretaceous and/or Lower Tertiary in age, have an accumulated thickness of 15,000 to 28,000 m, cover an area of nearly 2,500 km², and consist predominantly of basic and acid lavas, ignimbrites and volcanic-clastic sediments, deposited in marine and continental environments. Unconformities break up the sequence into several stratigraphic-structural units.A specific burial metamorphic pattern, or series, characterizes each of the units. Each series consists of a succession of mineral assemblages, the metamorphic grade increasing downwards. The isograds are essentially parallel to the bedding planes. The grade range in each series covers different intervals between the zeolite and greenschist facies. Each unconformity corresponds to a mineralogie break in the alteration, higher grade assemblages generally overlying lower grade assemblages. The downward increase in metamorphic grade as well as the mineralogie breaks seem to be unrelated to the volcanic versus sedimentary character and to the continental versus marine depositional environment of the rocks.The repeated pattern of burial metamorphism between unconformities suggests a history consisting of several burial metamorphic episodes, each taking place prior to a folding period and leaving unaffected the underlying units, which were apparently sealed up by the previous episode. This mechanism provides an explaination for the presence of such low-grade burial metamorphic facies at the bottom of a stratigraphic column as thick as that of the Andean Geosyncline.

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Zusammenfassung Die Auswirkungen der Versenkungsmetamorphose auf die Ablagerungen der andinen Geosynklinale in Mittel-Chile wurden untersucht. Die betrachteten stratigraphischen Einheiten, unterer Jura bis obere Kreide und/oder unteres Tertiär, haben eine kumulative Mächtigkeit von 15 000 bis 28 000 m; sie bedecken ein Gebiet von fast 2500 km² und bestehen in der Hauptsache aus basischen und sauren Laven, Ignimbriten und vulkanoklastischen Sedimenten, die unter marinen und kontinentalen Bedingungen abgelagert wurden. Diskordanzen unterteilen die Abfolge in mehrere stratigraphisch-strukturelle Einheiten.Jede Einheit ist in einer besonderen, für die Versenkungsmetamorphose typischen Abfolge von Mineralgesellschaften geprägt. Der Grad der Metamorphose steigt mit zunehmender Tiefe. Die Isograden verlaufen im wesentlichen parallel zu den Schichtflächen. Die Bandbreite jeder der metamorphen Mineralgesellschaften bedeckt verschiedene Intervalle zwischen der Zeolith- und Grünschiefer-Fazies. Jeder Diskordanz entspricht auch ein Sprung in der mineralogischen Zusammensetzung, wobei die höhergradigen Mineralgesellschaften in der Regel die tiefergradigen überlagern. Der mit der Tiefe zunehmende Grad der Metamorphose und die Sprünge in der mineralogischen Zusammensetzung scheinen von dem vulkanischen bzw. sedimentären Charakter der Gesteine ebenso unabhängig zu sein wie von deren marinen bzw. kontinentalen Bildungsbedingungen.Die sich wiederholenden Muster der Versenkungsmetamorphose zwischen den Diskordanzen lassen vermuten, daß mehrere Metamorphosen stattfanden, wobei jede einzelne Umwandlung vor einer Faltungsperiode ablief und die unterlagernden Einheiten unverändert ließ, die anscheinend durch die vorangegangene Metamorphose versiegelt wurden. Dieser Mechanismus liefert eine Erklärung für die niedriggradigen Fazies der Versenkungsmetamorphose im Liegenden einer so mächtigen stratigraphischen Abfolge wie der der andinen Geosynklinale.

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Resumen En este trabajo se describe el metamorfismo de sepultamiento en los depósitos del Geosinclinal Andino. Las unidades estratigráficas estudiadas son de edad jurásica inferior a cretácica superior y/o terciaria inferior, tienen un espesor acumulado de 15.000 a 28.000 m, cubren un area de aproximadamente 2.500 km² y consisten predominantemente de lavas básicas y ácidas, ignimbritas y rocas sedimentario-volcánicas, depositadas en ambiente marino y continental.Cada una de las unidades estratigráficas está caracterizada por una serie metamórfica de sepultamiento específica. Cada serie consiste de una sucesión de asociaciones minerales con un grado de metamorfismo que aumenta hacia abajo. Las isogradas son esencialmente paralelas a los planos de estratificación. El rango de grado metamórfico de cada serie abarca diferentes intervalos entre las facies de zeolita y esquistos verdes. Cada discordancia corresponde a una discontinuidad mineralógica en la alteración en la que generalmente las asociaciones de mayor grado metamórfico cubren asociaciones de menor grado. El aumento de grado hacia abajo, lo mismo que las discontinuidades mineralógicas, parecen ser independientes tanto del carácter sedimentario o volcánico como del ambiente continental o marino de la depositación.La repetición de series metamórficas de sepultamiento entre discordancias, indica varios episodios metamórficos, cada uno de ellos anterior al plegamiento de la unidad afectada; al mismo tiempo, cada episodio metamórfico dejó sin afectar las unidades subyacentes, las que aparentemente habrían sido selladas por el episodio anterior.Este mecanismo explicaría la presencia de una facies metamórfica tan baja como la que existe en el fondo de una columna estratigráfica tan potente como la del Geosinclinal Andino.

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