Physics of the Omori law: Inferences from interevent time distributions and pore pressure diffusion modeling

Empirical laws and statistics of earthquakes are valuable as a basis for a better understanding of the earthquake cycle. In this paper we focus on the postseismic phase and the physics of aftershock sequences. Using interevent time distributions for a catalogue of Icelandic seismicity, we infer that the parameter C₂ in the Omori law, often considered to represent incomplete detection of aftershocks, is at least in part related to the physics of the earthquake process. We investigate the role of postseismic pore pressure diffusion after two Icelandic earthquakes on the rate of aftershocks and what we can infer about the physical meaning of C₂ from the diffusion process. Using the Mohr–Coulomb failure criterion we obtain a rate of triggered points in our diffusion model that agrees with the modified Omori law, with a value of C₂ that is consistent with data. Our pore pressure diffusion model suggests that C₂ is related to the process of reducing high pore pressure gradients existing across a fault zone at short times after a main shock.     

Multiwavelength Study of two Unidentified γ-ray Sources

Most counterparts of the identified low-latitude γ-ray sources are isolated neutron stars (INSs). Since INSs are characterized by an extremely high value of f _X/f _opt, a systematic X-ray/optical coverage of the fields of unidentified low-latitude γ-ray sources is the best way to unveil INS counterparts of unidentified sources. Since the low-latitude sources are heavily affected by the interstellar absorption in both the X-ray and optical bands, we decided to apply the above strategy to two middle-latitude EGRET sources, which could belong to a local galactic population: 3EG J0616-3310 and 3EG J1249-8330. Here we report on the global X-ray characterization of about 300 objects, on their candidate optical counterparts and on the preliminary results of their identification.     

CODAR in Germany--A status report valid November 1985

The use of CODAR by the University of Hamburg has extended to a wide variety of experimental and oceanographic activities over the last three years. These have ranged from Arctic studies from land and ships to observations of the Dead Sea, all yielding surface current data. Hardware improvements have been investigated, including IF amplifier changes and loop-antenna arrays for shipboard operation.     

Introducing top-down methods in assessing compliance with the Kyoto Protocol

Abstract

The Kyoto Protocol has an ambitious reporting and review system to assess Parties' compliance with their emission commitments. It is based on a ‘bottom-up’ approach; that is, each Party is required to submit detailed inventories of emissions and removals. This requires considerable resources and may still not detect all important cases of non-compliance. We consider the case for introducing ‘top-down’ methods; that is, independent inverse modelling methods that calculate probable emissions using measured concentrations of gases in the atmosphere and meteorological models. We argue that the top-down methods are at present too inaccurate, too cumbersome, and politically too problematic to serve as independent alternatives to the reported emission inventories for assessing compliance, although they could be useful in monitoring the global success of the protocol. We conclude that these top-down approaches may supplement the traditional emission inventories, in particular those dealing with fluorinated gases, thereby providing input for improving the emission inventory methods.