伽师地震区地壳细结构及发震断层的初步研究

199年至1998年伽师地区共出现9次震级为6.1-6.8级的强震. 在一个非常短的时间间隔内和非常小的地区范围内接连出现这么多次震级非常接近的地震,确实非常罕见. 为研究伽师强震区的深部构造背景和孕震机制,本文对伽师地震区的余震观测资料进行了分析处理. 利用联合反演技术同时得到了地震震源位置和地震区地壳三维速度结构. 余震震中沿一北北东向条带分布,与强震分布的两个条带中的北东向条带位置基本重合. 三维反演得到的速度结构结果表明,在地下12 km以下存在一条北北东向和一条北北西向的低速条带. 上述两低速条带与强震分布的两个条带位置很接近. 初步推测,低速条带对应了地壳深部的两条断裂. 在我们观测期间,北北东向断裂有微震活动,北北西向断裂相对平静.     

Seismic identification of geothermal prospecting in Harrat Rahat,Northern Arabian Shield

Influenced by mining activities in adjacent coal seams, stresses on rocks surrounding roadway were redistributed, and the roadways in lower coal seam were subjected to the asymmetrical roof falling and roof sagging. Considering stresses effect on the plastic zone around the roadway, numerical models were carried out by FLAC to investigate plastic zone with respect to stress ratio and direction of stresses. The relationship between the properties of surrounding rock and plastic zone boundary was also investigated by another numerical model and analytical study, whereby the tailgate stability of panel 30,501 in Tashan coal mine was implemented. It is shown that the rocks surrounding a roadway in the lower coal seam were subjected to unequal stresses, and the principal stress direction was deflected from the original direction. High stresses and big stress ratio can produce butterfly-shaped or X-shaped plastic zone. The direction of stresses was deflected, causing the plastic zone around the roadway to be transferred from the shoulder to the roof of the roadway. Consequently, asymmetrical stresses produce asymmetrical plastic zone. On this basis, the tailgate should be assigned conditions of the stresses and stress ratio at a low level. In this way, the tailgate was arranged at the position where the horizontal distance from the roadway in the lower seam to the centre line of the coal pillar in the upper seam (x) is 52.5 m, and was stable relatively.     

Exploring the association between the occurrence of earthquakes and the geologic-tectonic variables in the Red Sea using logistic regression and GIS

Al-Ahmadi et al. (Arab J Geosci doi:10.1007/s12517-013-0974-6, 2013) applied spatial pattern analysis techniques to a seismic data catalogue of earthquakes beneath the Red Sea in order to explore and detect global and local spatial patterns in the occurrence of earthquakes over the years from 1900 to 2009 using a geographical information system (GIS). They found that the techniques of spatial pattern analysis that they applied could detect global and local clusters and broader spatial patterns in the occurrence of earthquakes and concluded that earthquakes with higher magnitudes were notably concentrated beneath the central and southern areas of the Red Sea, while earthquakes with low and moderate magnitudes were concentrated beneath the northern area of the Red Sea. The aim of this paper is to report on the application of logistic regression models to explore the associations between the likelihood of the occurrence of an earthquake beneath the Red Sea and four selected variables, namely: (1) proximity to the boundary of the African–Arabian plates, (2) proximity to transform faults, (3) proximity to the mid-Red Sea ridge and (4) the stage of rift evolution. The study was undertaken to evaluate the potential of logistic regression modelling for research exploring potential associations between earthquakes and geological and tectonic variables. The results revealed that none of the assumptions underpinning the logistic regression models had been violated for the three logistic regression models that were used in this research. The authors inferred that the occurrence of the earthquakes beneath the Red Sea was statistically significantly associated with the proximity to the African–Arabian plate boundary. We concluded that earthquakes of moderate magnitudes occurred in the zone which represents the late evolutionary stage of the Red Sea rift, including the transition zone beneath the central area and the late-stage continental rift zone beneath the northern area of the Red Sea. In contrast, earthquakes with high magnitudes tended to occur in close proximity to the mid-ridges of the Red Sea.     

Flash flood hazard mapping based on quantitative hydrology,geomorphology and GIS techniques (case study of Wadi Al Lith,Saudi Arabia)

Flash floods are considered as catastrophic phenomena possessing major hazardous threat to the coastal cities, towns, villages and infrastructures. This study deals with the evaluation of flash flood hazard in the ungauged Wadi Al Lith basin depending on detailed morphometric characteristics of Al Lith basin and its sub-basins. For the detailed study, ASTER data were used for preparing digital elevation model (DEM), and geographical information system (GIS) was used in the evaluation of linear, areal and relief aspects of morphometric parameters. The major parameters such as watershed boundary, flow accumulation, flow direction, flow length and stream ordering are prepared using the ArcHydro Tool. Surface Tool in ArcGIS-10 software, and ASTER (DEM) was used to create different thematic maps such as DEM, contour, slope aspect and hill shade maps. Twenty-five morphometric parameters were measured, calculated and interlinked to produce nine effective parameters for evaluation of the flash flood hazard degree of the study area. Based on nine morphometric parameters which affect the hydrologic behaviour of the Wadi, by influence on time of concentration which has a direct influence on flooding prone area. The flash flood hazard of the Al Lith basin and its sub-basins was identified and classified into three groups (high, medium and low hazard degree). The study provides details on the flash flood-prone area (Wadi Al Lith) and the mitigation measures. This study also helps to plan rainwater harvesting and watershed management in the flash flood alert zones.     

Estimation of source parameters and attenuation using digital waveforms of Al-Ays 2009 earthquake,Saudi Arabia

On 19 May 2009, an earthquake sequence of M _w?=?4.8 occurred at 25.20°N 37.76°E about 60 km onshore of the Red Sea coastline, Saudi Arabia. In the present study, the digital waveform data from the largest four events were used to estimate the source parameters and attenuation characteristics along the source-to-station path in the Arabian Shield. A grid search technique, combined with an assumption of circular source model, was applied to find the best-fit spectral amplitude over the space parameters: long period spectral level (Ω ₀), corner frequency (f ₀) and asymptotic high-frequency fall-off (γ). Consequently, the spectral parameters were used to estimate source parameters: seismic moment, fault radius (assumed circular rupture model) and stress drop. Seismic moments are founded to be within the range of 2.34E+14 to 2.83E+16 Nm and their corresponding moment magnitudes range from 3.5 to 4.8; the fault radius ranges from 369 to 1,498 m, and stress drops are observed in the range of 8.7 to 32.0 b. The spectral slopes beyond the corner frequency displayed ω ^?2.4 to ω ^?2.6 behaviours in contrast with Brune's source model of ω ^?2. This finding requires more detailed investigations on large data sets to distinguish the behaviour mechanism of the spectral slopes at high frequencies. By taking the ratio between observed and calculated spectra, the attenuation curves for P and S waves were derived along the source-to-station paths. The preliminarily results exhibited high quality factors of Q _α?=?3,883 and Q _β?=?3,530 for P and S waves, respectively. To this end, the ratio Q _β/Q _α is founded to be slightly less than unity indicating that the body waves from source-to-station paths crossed a crustal volume that is partially saturated with fluids causing lower attenuation effect on P waves than on S waves in the Arabian Shield.     

Indoor Air Background Levels of Volatile Organic Compounds and Air-Phase Petroleum Hydrocarbons in Office Buildings and Schools

A background indoor air study has been completed which includes the collection of indoor air samples from office buildings and schools. The anonymous study was designed with input from the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection. The sampling was implemented in 2013, 2014, and 2015 and included the collection of 25 school building samples and 61 office building samples. The study generated 14,668 new indoor air background data points, with samples collected from buildings located in 26 cities in 18 states, including Arizona, California, Connecticut, Indiana, Kansas, Maine, Massachusetts, Minnesota, Montana, New Hampshire, New Jersey, New York, Nevada, North Carolina, Ohio, Texas, Utah, and Washington. Indoor air background concentrations of target compound volatile organic compounds (VOCs) ranged from less than the laboratory method reporting limit of 0.044 μg/m³ to concentrations up to 1190 μg/m³, with hydrocarbon ranges from less than the reporting method limit of 10 μg/m³ to concentrations up to 3000 μg/m³. Some VOCs were identified ubiquitously in indoor air background, and some were identified at concentrations which exceeded risk-based regulatory screening levels. These study results provide useful and updated information on indoor air background and air quality in offices and schools and can be used in future regulatory guidance update considerations, for further examination of relationships between these data and residential study data, in human health risk assessments and risk communication, and in planning future studies.     

Investigation of the weathering layer using seismic refraction and high-resolution seismic reflection methods, NE of Riyadh city

Five seismic refraction and five high-resolution seismic reflection (HRSR) profiles were carried out in northeastern part of Riyadh city to investigate depth of the weathering layer. Results obtained from seismic refraction survey reveal the depths of weathering layer at 12, 25, 17, 12, and 16?m, respectively. On the other hand, HRSR stack sections illustrate the depths of weathering layer at 14, 28, 20, 13, and 18?m, respectively. The weathering layer is composed of alluvial sediments and gravel, which is underlain by a sequence of limestone and dolomite layer. Seismic results from site no. 2 have been found to be in good agreement with lithological information reported from the adjacent water well. The HRSR data generally reveal better signal-to-noise ratio and enhanced resolution compared to the refraction data. Although, the HRSR data failed in achieving high-quality common midpoint (CMP) stacking profile at site no. 3, it provide an improved image of the subsurface features than the refraction data, recognizing it as a potential seismic technique.     

Seismic risk assessment at the proposed site of Gemsa wind power station,southwestern coast of Gulf of Suez,Egypt

Gemsa has been chosen as the site for one of a new generation of power stations along the south-western margin of the Gulf of Suez. This site has been affected by a number of destructive earthquakes (M_w> 5), in addition to large number of earthquakes with magnitudes of less than 5. In this study seismic activities in the region were collected and re-evaluated, and the main earthquake prone zones were identified. It is indicated that this site is affected by the southern Gulf of Suez, northern Red Sea and Gulf of Aqaba source zones. The southern Gulf of Suez source zone is the nearest to the proposed site. The stochastic simulation method has been applied to estimate the Peak GroundAcceleration at the site of the proposed Gemsa power plant. It was noticed that the pseudo-spectral acceleration (PSA) reaches 175 cm/sec2 resulting from the southern Gulf of Suez seismic source. In addition, the response spectrum was conducted with a damping value of 5% of the critical damping, and the predominant period reached 0.1sec at the site. These results should be taken into consideration by civil engineers and decision-makers for designing earthquake resistant structures.     

The porosity and engineering properties of vesicular basalt in Saudi Arabia

The presence of non-connected vesicles in extensive basalt flows in western Saudi Arabia greatly affects their engineering properties such as compressive strength, modulus of elasticity, Poisson's ratio and sonic velocities. In order to evaluate some of these properties, the density and/or the porosity of the material must be known. Using conventional methods to determine the porosity or the density of irregular lumps proved to be erroneous. An image analysis technique is suggested to estimate the porosity of the vesicular basalt. The estimated values were correlated against the calculated porosity values using core samples, and were found to have excellent correlation (R=0.99). The estimated porosity values were also correlated against the static and dynamic properties of the basalt and a good level of correlation (R=0.77) was obtained.