Hydrogeochemical stratification of the unconfined Samobor aquifer (Zagreb,Croatia)

In the western part of the city of Zagreb, Croatia, hydrogeochemical and isotopic investigations of the Samobor aquifer were carried out with the aim of determining the differences in hydrogeochemical characteristics at increasing aquifer depths. The aquifer comprises 40-m thick gravelly–sandy deposits, with lenses and interlayers of silt and clay. The analyses have proven that with increasing aquifer depth, there are decreases in groundwater temperature and the values of electrical conductivity and increases in the sodium, iron and manganese concentrations. The δ¹³C distribution shows an evident increase in biogenic carbon concentrations with increasing aquifer depth. The measured specific ¹⁴C activities showed that the deeper part of the aquifer is characterized by slow water exchange, while the shallower part is influenced by current recharge, although the pumping wells located on the well-field downstream penetrate the aquifer fully. A direct exchange of water from the Sava River and groundwater occurs in the near vicinity of the river. This exchange weakens further away, while the difference in hydrogeochemical characteristics between the Sava River water and groundwater increases.     

A fault plane solution using theoretical P seismograms

We use the method of Hudson and Douglas, Hudson & Blarney to compute seismograms which simulate the codas of 10 short period P -wave seismograms from a shallow earthquake. The polarities and relative amplitudes of P and pP measured from seven of the observed seismograms are used to compute a fault plane solution with confidence limits, assuming that the source radiates as a double couple. This solution is in approximate agreement with that given for the same earthquake by Sykes & Sbar, who used only the onset polarities of short-period P waves. The small difference between the two solutions can be explained by interference between the true first motion of P and microseismic noise at two stations.
The results show that, for some shallow earthquakes, the relative amplitude method has the following advantages over the first motions method. First, a P/pP amplitude ratio (with appropriate confidence limits) can always be measured, even in seismograms which are so noisy that the first motion of P is uncertain. Second, the fault plane solutions obtained from relative amplitudes have known confidence limits. Finally, by using more information from each seismogram, the relative amplitude method requires considerably fewer seismograms than the first motions method.     

A mineral equilibria study of the hydrothermal alteration in mafic greenschist facies rocks at Kalgoorlie, Western Australia

The influx of a H₂O–CO₂‐dominated fluid into actinolite‐bearing metabasic rocks during greenschist facies metamorphism in the Kalgoorlie area of Western Australia resulted in a zoned alteration halo around inferred fluid conduits that contain gold mineralisation. The alteration halo is divided into two outer zones, the chlorite zone and the carbonate zone, and an inner pyrite zone adjacent to the inferred fluid conduits. Reaction between the fluid and the protolith resulted in the breakdown of actinolite and the development of chlorite, dolomite, calcite and siderite. In addition, rocks in the pyrite zone developed muscovite‐bearing assemblages as a consequence of the introduction of potassium by the fluid. Mineral equilibria calculations undertaken using the computer software thermocalc in the model system Na₂O–CaO–K₂O–FeO–MgO–Al₂O₃–SiO₂–H₂O–CO₂ show that mineral assemblages in the outer zones of the alteration halo are consistent with equilibrium of the protoliths with a fluid of composition X_CO2 = CO₂/(CO₂ + H₂O) = 0.1–0.25 for temperatures of 315–320 °C. The inner zone of the alteration halo reflect equilibrium with a fluid of composition X_CO2≈ 0.25. Fluid‐rock buffering calculations show that the alteration halo is consistent with interaction with a single fluid composition and that the zoned structure of the halo reflects the volume of this fluid with which the rocks reacted. This fluid is likely to have also been the one responsible for the gold mineralisation at Kalgoorlie.     

Seismicity of the northern part of Russian plate and its glaciostatic nature

The comparison of seismological materials with the front boundary of the latest continental glaciation has shown that all revealed really tectonic earthquakes occur exclusively in the occurrence area of a thick cover of this glaciation. The thickness of the glacier at a distance of about 50–100 km from its front could have reached 1 km, and the amplitude of glacioisostatic lowering and subsequent uplifts could have reached 0.3 km. The total amplitude of these movements, which were taking place during 20 thousand years, is comparable with the amplitudes of vertical neotectonic movements, which were taking place during 35–37 million years and on the average were three orders of magnitude more intense than neotectonic movements. With such amplitudes and speeds of vertical glacioisostatic movements, it looks quite plausible that the buried rupture zones could be revived recently (including in Holocene) with block movements of crystalline basement with an amplitude of a few tens of meters. This explains the localization of modern seismicity, which is a hazard to construction, within the occurrence domain of the latest glacial shield.     

Residual curvature migration velocity analysis for angle domain common imaging gathers

Pre-stack depth migration velocity analysis is one of the keys to influencing the imaging quality of pre-stack migration. In this paper we cover a residual curvature velocity analysis method on angle-domain common image gathers (ADCIGs) which can depict the relationship between incident angle and migration depth at imaging points and update the migration velocity. Differing from offset-domain common image gathers (ODCIGs), ADCIGs are not disturbed by the multi-path problem which contributes to imaging artifacts, thus influencing the velocity analysis. On the basis of horizontal layers, we derive the residual depth equation and also propose a velocity analysis workflow for velocity scanning. The tests to synthetic and field data prove the velocity analysis methods adopted in this paper are robust and valid.     

Sensitivity study of the seasonal mean circulation in the northern South China Sea

A study of the circulation in the northern South China Sea （SCS） is carried out with the aid of a three-dimensional, high-resolution regional ocean model. One control and two sensitivity experiments are performed to qualitatively investigate the effects of surface wind forcing, Kuroshio intrusion, and bottom topographic influence on the circulation in the northern SCS. The model results show that a branch of the Kuroshio in the upper layer can intrude into the SCS and have direct influence on the circulation over the continental shelf break in the northern SCS. There are strong southward pressure gradients along a zonal belt largely seaward of the continental slope. The pressure gradients are opposite in the southern and northern parts of the Luzon Strait, indicating inflow and outflow through the strait, respectively. The sensitivity experiments suggest that the Kuroshio intrusion is responsible for generating the imposed pressure head along the shelf break and has no obvious seasonal variations. The lateral forcing through the Luzon Strait and Taiwan Strait can induce the southwestward slope current and the northeastward SCS Warm Current in the northern SCS. Without the lateral forcing, there is the continental slope. The wind forcing mainly causes the The wind-induced water pile-up results in the southward no high-pressure-gradient zonal belt seaward of seasonal variation of the circulation in the SCS. high pressure gradient along the northwestern boundary of the basin. Without the blocking of the plateau around Dongsha Islands, the intruded Kuroshio tends to extend northwest and the SCS branch of the Kuroshio becomes wider and stronger. The analyses presented here are qualitative in nature but should lead to a better understanding of the oceanic responses in the northern SCS to these external influence factors.     

Black carbon and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in surface sediments of China’s marginal seas

This study investigates the distribution of black carbon (BC) and its correlation with total polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (ΣPAH) in the surface sediments of China’s marginal seas. BC content ranges from <0.10 to 2.45 mg/g dw (grams dry weight) in the sediments studied, and varied among the different coastal regions. The Bohai Bay sediments had the highest BC contents (average 2.18 mg/g dw), which comprises a significant fraction (27%–41%) of the total organic carbon (TOC) preserved in the sediments. In ...     

Outburst risk of barrier lakes in Sichuan,China

34 barrier lakes induced by earthquake have been formed by wedged debris on the river channels after a massive earthquake happening on May 12 in Sichuan, China. Among them, the Tangjiashan Barrier Lake is the largest one. It faces very urgent risk of dam breaking when water level reaches the top and begins overflow in case of storm rainfalls and continually aftershocks, threatening already devastated cities and villages with about 1.5 million people downstream. The outburst of a similar barrier lake occurred in the Minjiang River in 1933, causing a catastrophic flood. Risk analysis indicates that not all barrier lakes are highly dangerous. Only those lakes with very high dams and water to be filled up in short period need to be dealt with immediately.