Waveform inversion of weak vrancea (Romania) earthquakes

Summary The inversion of high-frequency seismograms is performed to retrieve source mechanisms, hypocentral depths and source time functions of two weak Vrancea earthquakes (M_L=3.3), one that occurred in the crust, the other in the lithospheric part of the mantle. The digital waveforms recorded by the local Romanian network are used. Synthetic seismograms are computed by the modal summation method, using the point source approximation, for horizontally layered anelastic media. For each source-to-station path a different structural model is adopted which represents the best 1-D approximation of the medium in this azimuth. Thus, lateral inhomogeneities are taken into account in a simplified way. The source is described by the full moment tensor, allowing both deviatoric and volumetric components to be resolved.Although the structural models are simplified for the range of epicentral distances (15<<<170 km) considered, we find that the fit between the synthetic and observed seismograms is satisfactory for frequencies less than a few Hz. The few P-wave polarities available are not sufficient to determine a reliable source mechanism by standard methods, while the waveform inversion allows us to retrieve source mechanisms that are stable with respect to different boundary conditions and in good agreement with the observed polarities. The source time function is the less stable inverted parameter, being the most influenced by the simplification of the structural models.     

Smoothing the source time function – a tool to soften inadequate modelling of the medium during inversion of local waveforms?

The inconsistency of records of local earthquakes and synthetic seismograms due to noise contamination of the data and/or to improper Green function because of an inexact structural model often results in high frequency oscillations of the source time function, which prolongs it spuriously. A priori limit on the roughness of the source time function turned out to reduce the spurious oscillations but it keeps its spurious extension unchanged. Thus, it may yield a severe distortion of the seismic moment. However, it reduces the spurious volumetric component of the mechanism resulting from improper modelling of the structure and, thus, may help decide whether the retrieved volumetric component is real or false. The demand for the smoothness is incorporated as a penalty function in the minimization of the least square residuals, which allows us to decide about the degree of the smoothness. The minimization is performed with a simple genetic algorithm, which offers the advantage of a detailed exploration of the model space reducing the danger of being trapped in local minima.     

Seismic Anisotropy and Velocity Variations in the Mantle beneath the Saxothuringicum-Moldanubicum Contact in Central Europe

—We report on results of a passive seismic experiment undertaken to study the 3-D velocity structure and anisotropy of the upper mantle around the contact zone of the Saxothuringicum and Moldanubicum in the western margin of the Bohemian Massif in central Europe. Spatial variations of P-wave velocities and lateral variations of the particle motion of split shear waves over the region monitor changes of structure and anisotropy within the deep lithosphere and the asthenosphere. A joint interpretation of P-residual spheres and shear-wave splitting results in an anisotropic model of the lithosphere with high velocities plunging divergently from the contact of both tectonic units. Lateral variations of the mean residuals are related to a southward thickening of the lithosphere beneath the Moldanubicum.     

An analysis of Skylab X-ray pictures of a giant coronal arch

The limb event of 13/14 August, 1973, imaged by Skylab in soft X-rays, proved to be a giant arch, quite similar to those observed in 1980–1986 on SMM. High spatial resolution (by a factor of 4–5 better than in SMM data) made it possible to see the internal structure of the arch. Its brightest part consisted of loops very similar to, but higher than, post-flare loops, surrounded by a rich system of weak loop structures extending up to altitudes of 260 000 km. While the main brightest structure of the arch was newly formed, the weak very large loops had existed above the active region before and were only enhanced during the event.Skylab data support the model proposed by Kopp and Poletto that the giant arch is formed by reconnections high in the corona, different from the reconnection process in the underlying flare. However, contrary to Kopp and Poletto's suggestion, the data strongly indicate that the field lines that reconnect in the arch did not open before, as in the Kopp and Pneuman model: more likely, we encounter here an interaction of large-scale loops high in the corona. (The interaction of two of them is clearly seen.) Thus, while post-flare loops are formed by the Kopp and Pneuman mechanism, giant arches above eruptive flares may originate through interactive reconnections of large-scale magnetic field lines which form loops high in the corona. These loops are brought close to each other in consequence of changes in the coronal structure caused by the eruptive flare phenomenon. The arch-associated enhancement of the pre-existing large-scale active-region loops may be caused by electrons accelerated during the reconnection process and diffusing across field lines, as suggested by Achterberg and Kuipers (1984).     

Spotless flares and type II radio bursts

Flares accompanied by type II meter radio bursts that occurred in plages with no visible spots are examined in this paper. There have been found 12 such spotless flares observed in the period of January 1981–August, 1990. Six out of all the flares may be said to have not been associated with any filament activation or disruption. A few of these flares have shown features of major events. The study suggests that a filament activation seems not to be the crucial factor for the occurrence of major flares in regions with no visible spots.     

Temperature paleogradient estimations in the central Bohemian basin

Summary The coalification data of 12 boreholes in the Central Bohemian Basin are used to evaluate the paleotemperature gradients for the Upper Carboniferous period of the basin's development. Two versions of the burial history considered are supposed to yield an upper and a lower estimate. According to the more probable lower version, the average values of the paleogradient suggest an increasing tendency from west to east in the interval of 45–53K/km. The current geothermal gradients vary in the range of 28–35K/km. By combining the present thermal conductivity and the paleogradients, we have tried to estimate the Upper Carboniferous heat flow. Its values range from 96mW/m ² to 117mW/m ² .The results obtained can be compared with the paleogradient estimates in the Saar-Nahe Basin (F. R. of Germany). This region, which is similar with respect to the time of origin and tectonic pattern to the Central Bohemian Basin, displays on the average a slightly higher Permo-Carboniferous geothermal gradient of 60K/km.     

Solubility of tin,tungsten and molybdenum oxides in felsic magmas

Saturation versus undersaturation of granitic melts in tin, tungsten and molybdenum oxides is discussed on the basis of experimental data. Results of dry and hydrothermal experiments are evaluated under the assumption of ideal solubility of Sn, W and Mo oxides in granitic melts. A conservative interpretation arrives at concentration levels of 1000 ppm SnO₂, WO₃ and MoO₃ respectively, considered as the maximum solubility of these components in granitic melts at 750°C-800 °C. Such values are never reached in natural granites unaffected by hydrothermal alteration and therefore even highly evolved granites are expected to be undersaturated in these metals. Consequently cassiterite and scheelite are neither common liquidus minerals of ore-bearing granites nor restite minerals from partial melting events.     

On vortex flow structures in the outer heliosphere

Summary The vortex flow pattern in the outer heliosphere is calculated on the basis of hydrodynamical equations. Quantitative solution in cylindrical coordinates is used. Moving vortices may be formed due to the heliolatitudinal solar wind velocity dependence and nonstationary boundary conditions near the Sun. The flow pattern consists of a system of cyclones and anticyclones.     

Temperature modelling along the Taratashskiy profile crossing the ural mountains

Summary The temperature-depth distribution was calculated to a depth of 70 km along the 520 km long Taratashskiy refraction profile crossing the Ural Mts., approximately along latitude 56°N. The steady-state model was solved numerically using the finite-difference method, the vertical distribution of heat production was derived from the observed seismic velocities. It was shown that at the Moho boundary, the mantle heat flow varied between 10 and 25 mWm^–2, and the Moho temperature amounted to 300–550°C for the two versions studied.     

Hα and hard X-ray development in two-ribbon flares

Morphological features of two-ribbon flares have been studied, using simultaneous ISEE-3 hard X-ray records and high-resolution Big Bear H movies for more than 20 events. Long-lasting and complex hard X-ray bursts are almost invariably found associated with flares of the two-ribbon type. We find at least three events, namely March 31, 1979, April 10, 1980, and July 1, 1980, where the occurrence of individual spikes in hard X-ray radiation coincides with suddenly enhanced H emission covering the sunspot penumbra. There definitely exist important ( 1B) two-ribbon H flares without significant hard X-ray emission.