Residual deformations and seismic hazard of fault zones in underground workings

The results of long-term measurements of residual deformations in the area of the Severomuiskii tunnel during its construction are given. Comparison of spatial and temporal distributions between deformations and earthquakes shows that they are interrelated. The nonlinear behavior of disintegrated and waterlogged rocks within tectonic fault zones should be taken into account even for moderate intensity earthquakes, since they are accompanied by ground subsidence. Underground workings within such sites are subjected to loads that are greater than expected according to current hypotheses, which are the basis for calculations of rock pressure. It is established that the most probable mechanism of ground subsidence and residual deformation in underground workings could be the gravity load of the overlying strata of disintegrated and waterlogged rocks within a fault zone, which leads to instability of the rocks. Approximate stress estimations are made on the basis of the results of measurements of residual deformations of roof supports (linings).     

Evidence of gas hydrate accumulation and its resource estimation in Andaman deep water basin from seismic and well log data

2D and 3D seismic reflection and well log data from Andaman deep water basin are analyzed to investigate geophysical evidence related to gas hydrate accumulation and saturation. Analysis of seismic data reveals the presence of a bottom simulating reflector (BSR) in the area showing all the characteristics of a classical BSR associated with gas hydrate accumulation. Double BSRs are also observed on some seismic sections of area (Area B) that suggest substantial changes in pressure–temperature (P–T) conditions in the past. The manifestation of changes in P–T conditions can also be marked by the varying gas hydrate stability zone thickness (200–650 m) in the area. The 3D seismic data of Area B located in the ponded fill, west of Alcock Rise has been pre-stack depth migrated. A significant velocity inversion across the BSR (1,950–1,650 m/s) has been observed on the velocity model obtained from pre-stack depth migration. The areas with low velocity of the order of 1,450 m/s below the BSR and high amplitudes indicate presence of dissociated or free gas beneath the hydrate layer. The amplitude variation with offset analysis of BSR depicts increase in amplitude with offset, a similar trend as observed for the BSR associated with the gas hydrate accumulations. The presence of gas hydrate shown by logging results from a drilled well for hydrocarbon exploration in Area B, where gas hydrate deposit was predicted from seismic evidence, validate our findings. The base of the hydrate layer derived from the resistivity and acoustic transit-time logs is in agreement with the depth of hydrate layer interpreted from the pre-stack depth migrated seismic section. The resistivity and acoustic transit-time logs indicate 30-m-thick hydrate layer at the depth interval of 1,865–1,895 m with 30 % hydrate saturation. The total hydrate bound gas in Area B is estimated to be 1.8 × 10¹⁰ m³, which is comparable (by volume) to the reserves in major conventional gas fields.     

Experimental impact cratering: A summary of the major results of the MEMIN research unit

This paper reviews major findings of the Multidisciplinary Experimental and Modeling Impact Crater Research Network (MEMIN). MEMIN is a consortium, funded from 2009 till 2017 by the German Research Foundation, and is aimed at investigating impact cratering processes by experimental and modeling approaches. The vision of this network has been to comprehensively quantify impact processes by conducting a strictly controlled experimental campaign at the laboratory scale, together with a multidisciplinary analytical approach. Central to MEMIN has been the use of powerful two-stage light-gas accelerators capable of producing impact craters in the decimeter size range in solid rocks that allowed detailed spatial analyses of petrophysical, structural, and geochemical changes in target rocks and ejecta. In addition, explosive setups, membrane-driven diamond anvil cells, as well as laser irradiation and split Hopkinson pressure bar technologies have been used to study the response of minerals and rocks to shock and dynamic loading as well as high-temperature conditions. We used Seeberger sandstone, Taunus quartzite, Carrara marble, and Weibern tuff as major target rock types. In concert with the experiments we conducted mesoscale numerical simulations of shock wave propagation in heterogeneous rocks resolving the complex response of grains and pores to compressive, shear, and tensile loading and macroscale modeling of crater formation and fracturing. Major results comprise (1) projectile–target interaction, (2) various aspects of shock metamorphism with special focus on low shock pressures and effects of target porosity and water saturation, (3) crater morphologies and cratering efficiencies in various nonporous and porous lithologies, (4) in situ target damage, (5) ejecta dynamics, and (6) geophysical survey of experimental craters.     

A self-similar solution for a supernova explosion with allowance for accelerated relativistic particles

A self-similar solution to Sedov’s problem of a strong explosion in a homogeneous medium is generalized to the case of relativistic-particle generation in a supernova remnant; the particles are accelerated by Fermi’s mechanism at the shock front and in the perturbed post-shock region. Self-similarity takes place if the thickness of the prefront is small compared to its radius and if the pressure ratio of the relativistic and nonrelativistic components at the shock front is kept constant. In the presence of relativistic particles, the time dependence of the shock-front radius remains the same as that in their absence, but the plasma parameters in the inner perturbed region change appreciably. The shell of the matter raked up by the explosion is denser and thinner than that in the nonrelativistic case, the relativistic-particle pressure in the central region remains finite, and the nonrelativistic-gas pressure at the explosion center approaches zero. The influence of relativistic particles on the transition to the radiative phase of expansion of the supernova remnant and on its dynamics is studied. It is shown that relativistic particles can decrease several-fold the remnant radius at which the transition to the radiative phase occurs.     

Magnetic field of a neutron star with a superconducting quark core in the CFL-phase

The Ginzburg-Landau equations are derived for the magnetic and gluomagnetic gauge fields in the color superconducting core of a neutron star containing a CFL-condensate of diquarks. The interaction of the diquark CFL-condensate with the magnetic and gluomagnetic gauge fields is taken into account. The behavior of the magnetic field in a neutron star is studied by solving the Ginzburg-Landau equations taking correct account of the boundary conditions, including the gluon confinement conditions. The magnetic field distribution in the quark and hadronic phases of a neutron star is found. It is shown that a magnetic field generated in the hadronic phase by the entrainment effect penetrates into the quark core in the form of quark vortex filaments because of the presence of screening Meissner currents. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 50, No. 1, pp. 87–98 (February 2007).     

Evolutionary characteristics of the orbits of outer Saturnian,Uranian, and Neptunian satellites

We present the results of our systematic study of the long-period orbital evolution of all of the outer Saturnian, Uranian, and Neptunian satellites known to date. The plots of the orbital elements against time give a clear idea of the pattern of the orbital evolution of each satellite. The tabular data allow us to estimate the basic parameters of the evolving orbits, including the ranges of variation in the semimajor axes, eccentricities, and ecliptical inclinations as well as the variation periods and mean motions of the arguments of pericenters and the longitudes of the nodes. We compare the results obtained by numerically integrating the rigorous equations of the perturbed motion of the satellites with the analytical and numerical-analytical results. The satellite orbits with a librational pattern of variation in the arguments of pericenters are set apart.