Shock waves in a self-gravitating gas

The CCW method (see Chester, 1854; Chisnell, 1955; Whitham, 1958) has been used to investigate the propagation of diverging shock waves through an ideal gas under its own gravitation having an initial density distribution ₀ = exp(–r , where is the density at the plane/axis/origin, respectively, for plane, cylindrical, and spherical symmetry of the shock and, is non-dimensional constant, for the two situations: viz., (i) when the shock is weak and (ii) when it is strong, simultaneously. Analytical relations for shock velocity and shock strength have been obtained. Expressions for the pressure, the density and the particle velocity immediately behind the shock have been derived. Their numberical estimates for plane and cylindrical symmetry of the shock, have been computed.     

Source parameters and scaling relations for small earthquakes in the Kachchh region of Gujarat,India

The scaling relationships for stress drop and corner frequency with respect to magnitude have been worked out using 159 accelerograms from 34 small earthquakes (M _w 3.3–4.9) in the Kachchh region of Gujarat. The 318 spectra of P and S waves have been analyzed for this purpose. The average ratio of P- to S-wave corner frequency is found to be 1.19 suggestive of higher corner frequency for P wave as compared to that for S wave. The seismic moments estimated from P waves, M ₀(P), range from 1.98 × 10¹⁴ N m to 1.60 × 10¹⁶ N m and those from S waves, M ₀(S), range from 1.02 × 10¹⁴ N m to 3.4 × 10¹⁶ N m with an average ratio, M ₀(P)/M ₀(S), of 1.11. The total seismic energy varies from 1.83 × 10¹⁰ J to 2.84 × 10¹³ J. The estimated stress drop values do not depend on earthquake size significantly and lie in the range 30–120 bars for most of the events. A linear regression analysis between the estimated seismic moment (M ₀) and corner frequency (f _c) gives the scaling relation M ₀ f _c ³  = 7.6 × 10¹⁶ N m/s³. The proposed scaling laws are found to be consistent with similar scaling relations obtained in other seismically active regions of the world. Such an investigation should prove useful in seismic hazard and risk-related studies of the region. The relations developed in this study may be useful for the seismic hazard studies in the region.     

Assessment of predominant frequencies using ambient vibration in the Kachchh region of western India: implications for earthquake hazards

The Kachchh region is the second most seismically active region in India after the Himalaya. One of the disastrous Indian earthquakes of the millennium was the Bhuj earthquake of January 26, 2001, which caused about 14,000 casualties and huge property damage. The main reason for such devastation is due to lack of earthquake awareness and poor construction practices. Hence, an increase in the knowledge and awareness, based on improved seismic hazard assessment, is required to mitigate damage due to an earthquake. Natural predominant ground frequencies have been investigated in the Kachchh region of western India using ambient vibrations. The horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio technique has been applied to estimate the predominant frequency at 126 sites. The ambient vibration measurements were conducted for about 1 h at each site in the continuous mode recording at 100 samples/s. We have validated the estimated predominant frequency with earthquake data recorded at six broadband stations in the region. It has been observed that geological time period has a significant effect on predominant frequency of the ground. The estimated predominant frequencies vary from 0.24 to 2.25 Hz for the Quaternary, 0.41–2.34 Hz for the Tertiary, 0.32–4.91 Hz for the Cretaceous, and 0.39–8.0 Hz for the Jurassic/Mesozoic. In the Deccan trap, it varies from 1.30 to 3.80 Hz. We found distinct variation of predominant frequencies of sites associated with hard rock and soft soil. The predominant frequencies were related to the thickness of the sediments, which are deduced by other geophysical and geological methods in the region. Our results suggest that frequencies of the region reveals the site characteristics that can be considered for studying the seismic risks to evolve a plan for disaster risk mitigation for the region.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987112001259

The eastern Pontides orogenic belt provides a window into continental arc magmatism in the Alpine-Himalayan belt.The late Mesozoic-Cenozoic geodynamic evolution of this belt remains controversial.Here we focus on the nature of the transition from the adakitic to non-adakitic magmatism in the Kale area of Gumushane region in NE Turkey where this transition is best preserved.The adakitic lithologies comprise porphyries and hyaloclastites.The porphyries are represented by biotite-rich andesites,hornblende-rich andesite and dacite.The hayaloclastites represent the final stage of adakitic activity and they were generated by eruption/intrusion of adakitic andesitic magma into soft carbonate mud.The non-adakitic lithologies include basaltic-andesitic volcanic and associated pyroclastic rocks. Both rock groups are cutting by basaltic dikes representing the final stage of the Cenozoic magmatism in the study area.We report zircon U-Pb ages of 48.71±0.74 Ma for the adakitic rocks,and 44.68±0.84 Ma for the non-adakitic type,suggesting that there is no significant time gap during the transition from adakitic to non-adakitic magmatism.We evaluate the origin,magma processes and tectonic setting of the magmatism in the southern part of the eastern Pontides orogenic belt.Our results have important bearing on the late Mesozoic-Cenozoic geodynamic evolution of the eastern Mediterranean region.     

Geochronology and magmatic oxygen fugacity of the Tongcun molybdenum deposit, northwest Zhejiang, SE China

The Tongcun Mo porphyry deposit in northwest Zhejiang is hosted in three porphyry units: Huangbaikeng, Songjiazhuang, and Tongcun, from southwest to northeast. U–Pb zircon ages of 162?±?3.0 Ma for the Huangbaikeng porphyry, 159.9?±?3.0 Ma for the Songjiazhuang porphyry, and 167.6–155.6 Ma for the Tongcun porphyry indicate that these intrusions formed during the Jurassic and are most likely associated with the northwestward subduction of the Izanagi Plate. Trace element compositions of zircons from the Tongcun deposit constrain the oxygen fugacity (fO₂) of the magma using zircon Ce anomalies and Ti-in-zircon temperatures. The average magmatic fO₂ for the porphyries in the Tongcun deposit is fayalite–magnetite–quartz (FMQ)?+?2.7, which is similar to the Shapinggou (FMQ?+?3.2) and Dabaoshan (FMQ?+?3.5) Mo porphyry deposits, but much higher than that of the reduced Cretaceous ore-barren Shangjieshou porphyry (FMQ-1.1) around 8 km away from the Tongcun deposit. The distinct difference in magmatic oxygen fugacity between the Jurassic and Cretaceous porphyries may help to explain the absence of Mo porphyry mineralization in northwest Zhejiang during the Cretaceous.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S167498711400156X

<正>Continental reconstructions in Central Asia are represented by orogenesis along some large orogenic belts in the Altaid collage(Fig.1)or Central Asian Orogenic Belt(CAOB),which separate the East European and Siberian cratons to the north from the Tarim and North China cratons to the south(Sengor et al.,1993;Jahn et al.,2004;Windley et al.,2007;Qu et al.,2008;     

Determinants of agricultural commercialization and mechanization in the hinterland of a city in Nepal

In view of the significance of agricultural commercialization for rural development, this study analyzed factors determining agricultural commercialization and mechanization in the hinterland of an urban centre in Morang district, Nepal. Information needed for the study was collected through a questionnaire survey, covering 120 farm households, and group discussion and key informant interviews. The regression analysis of determinants of agricultural commercialization revealed four significant variables, namely, the amount of inorganic fertilizer used, area under tractor-ploughing, area under pump-set irrigation and landholding size. The predicted R value of 0.87, R square of 0.75, and adjusted R square of 0.75 indicate the high explanatory power of the model as a whole. The regression model related to the area under pump-set irrigation predicted the degree of agricultural commercialization and the distance from the city as significantly influencing factors, with a predicted R value of 0.79, R square of 0.63, and adjusted R square of 0.62. The analysis of determinants of the area under tractor-ploughing found only the degree of commercialization as a significantly influencing factor, with a predicted R value of 0.77, R square of 0.59, and adjusted R square of 0.58. In both instances of farm mechanization, the degree of commercialization is the most influential factor, indicating the significant role of mechanization in agricultural commercialization. The major policy implications of the findings of the study are outlined.