Constructing the Optimal Model of the Geoelectric Section Using Vertical Electrical Sounding Data: Case Study of the Central Part of the Garm Research Area

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - In geophysical studies, particularly when searching for precursors of earthquakes, there are problems of investigating the geoelectric structure of the...     

Relocation of shallow earthquakes in southern Alaska using Joint Hypocenter Determination method

A subset of 2660 shallow earthquakes (0–50 km) that occurred from 1988 to 1996 in south central Alaska between 155°W and 145°W and 59°N and 63°N was relocated using the joint hypocenter determination (JHD) method. Both P- and S-wave observations recorded by the regional seismic network were used. Events were relocated in twenty different groups based on their geographic location and depth using two velocity models. As a result of the relocation, the majority of the hypocenters shifted downward, while the epicenter locations did not change significantly. The distribution of the shallow subduction zone earthquakes indicates the existence of two seismically independent blocks, with one block occupying the northeastern part and the other occupying the central and western parts of the study area. The boundary between the blocks is marked by a 15 to 20 km wide seismicity gap to the southeast of 149.5°W and 62°N. The analysis of the fault plane solutions for shallow subduction zone earthquakes shows that an overwhelming majority of the solutions represent normal, oblique-normal or strike-slip faulting with predominant WNW-ESE orientation of T-axes. This indicates a down-dip extensional regime for the subducting slab at shallow depths. Very few earthquakes yielded fault plane solutions consistent with thrusting on a contact zone between the overriding and subducting plates. This result may be an indication that currently either the strain energy is not released at the contact zone or it is associated with aseismic motion.     

A Customization of the Arc Marine Data Model to Support Whale Tracking via Satellite Telemetry

The Arc Marine data model is a generalized template to guide the implementation of geographic information systems (GIS) projects in the marine environment. It developed out of a collaborative process involving research and industry shareholders in coastal and marine research. This template models and attempts to standardize common ocean and coastal data types to facilitate data sharing and analytical tool development. In this study, Arc Marine is extended from its core model to fit the research goals of the whale satellite-telemetry-tagging program of the Oregon State University Marine Mammal Institute (MMI). The study sought the best customization of the generic Arc Marine data model to enhance the key advantages of satellite telemetry for mapping the distribution and movement of endangered marine mammal species. It was found that three new groups of object classes were needed (Animal, Telemetry, and Operations). Further customization involved the development of a comprehensive framework for animal tracking with Argos satellite telemetry data. A new multidimensional data cube model was also devised, showing how this extension of Arc Marine serves as an appropriate target schema for the application of on-line analytical processing (OLAP) tools and spatial data mining of satellite telemetry tracking datasets.     

Orion: A 1–5 Micron Focal Plane for the 21st Century

The Orion program is a project to develop a 2K × 2K infrared focal plane using InSb p-on-n diodes for detectors. It is the natural follow-up to the successful Aladdin 1K × 1K program started in the early 90's. The work is being done at the Raytheon Infrared Operations Division (RIO, previously known as the Santa Barbara Research Center) by many of the same people who created the Aladdin focal plane. The design is very similar to the successful Aladdin design with the addition of reference pixels, whole array readout (no quadrants), two-adjacent-side buttability, and a packaging design that includes going directly to the ultimate focal plane size of 4K × 4K. So far we have successfully made a limited number of hybrid modules with InSb detectors. In this paper we will describe the design features and test data taken from some of these devices. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Estimating the influence of filtering during the operation of the Pauzhetka and Mutnovskii high-temperature geothermal fields,Kamchatka, Russia

It is shown that the productive reservoir received considerable quantities of meteoric water during the operation of the Pauzhetka geothermal field (1960–2007), which amounted to 30% of the total with-drawal of heat carrier. This led to cooling of the productive reservoir and reduced steam extraction. Modeling the operation process with the infiltration zones sealed shows that steam extraction can be enhanced by 23.2%. Multi-option modeling for the operation of the Dachnyi site of the Mutnovskii geothermal field shows that the most-likely scenario is infiltration of meteoric water with a discharge of about 60 kg/s into the productive reservoir from above. These results are consistent with the decrease in the steam concentration during the first 4 years of operation.     

Petrogeochemical aspects of the Late Cretaceous and Paleogene ignimbrite volcanism of East Sikhote-Alin

The chemical and trace-element features of the Late Cretaceous and Early Paleogene ignimbrite complexes of East Sikhote Alin are discussed. The Turonian-Campanian volcanic rocks of the Primorsky Complex compose linear structure of the Eastern Sikhote Alin volcanic belt. They are represented by crystalrich rhyolitic, rhyodacitic, and dacitic S-type plateau ignimbrites produced by fissure eruptions of acid magmas. The Maastrichtian-Paleocene volcanic rocks occur as isolated volcanic depression and caldera structures, which have no structural and spatial relations with the volcanic belt. This period is characterized by bimodal volcanism. The Samarginsky, Dorofeevsky, and Severyansky volcanic complexes are made up of basalt-andesite-dacite lavas and pyroclastic rocks, while the Levosobolevsky and Siyanovsky complexes are comprised of rhyolitic and dacitic tuffs and ignimbrites. Petrogeochemically, the felsic volcanic rocks are close to the S-type plateau ignimbrites of the Primorsky Complex. The Paleocene-Early Eocene silicic volcanics of the Bogopolsky Complex are represented by S- and A-type dacitic and rhyolitic tuffs and ignimbrites filling collapsed calderas. The eruption of A-type ferroan hyaloignimbrites occurred at the final stage of the Paleogene volcanism (Bogopolsky Complex). The magmatic rocks show well expressed mineralogical and geochemical evidence for the interaction between the crustal magmas and enriched sublithospheric mantle. It was shown that the revealed differences in the mineralogical and geochemical composition of the ignimbrite complexes are indicative of a change in the geodynamic regime of the Asian active continental margin at the Mesozoic-Cenozoic transition.     

SOME NOTES ON THE CONTACT BETWEEN THE YANGFANG GRANITE AND THE OVERLYING TIAO-CHI-SHAN BEDS.

Early in July, 1928, Mr. H. K. Lin, the noted lawyer of Peking, approached Dr. W. H. Wong, director of the Geological Survey of China, for solution of some water supply problems, recently arisen in a tract of hilly land (of which Mr. Lin is the owner) in the eastern foot of the Mont Miao FengShan