Evolutionary properties of stochastic models of earthquake accelerograms: Their dependence on magnitude and distance

An approach to generate artificial earthquakeaccelerograms on hard soil sites is presented. Eachtime-history of accelerations is considered as arealization of a non-stationary gaussian stochasticprocess, with statistical parameters depending onmagnitude and source-to-site distance. In order tolink the values of these parameters for each groundmotion record with the corresponding magnitude andsource-to-site distance, semi-empirical functionalrelations called generalized attenuationfunctions are determined. The set of realground-motion time histories used to obtain thesefunctions correspond to shocks generated at differentsources and recorded at different sites in thevicinity of the southern coast of Mexico. The resultsshow significant dispersion in the parameters of themodel adopted, which reflect that associated with thereal earthquakes included in the sample employed.The problem of conditional simulation of artificialacceleration time histories for prescribed intensitiesis briefly presented, but its detailed study is leftfor a companion paper. The criteria and modelsproposed are applied to generate two families ofartificial acceleration records for recurrenceintervals of 100 and 200 years at a specific sitelocated in the region under study. The results shownin this article correspond to acceleration timehistories recorded on firm ground for earthquakesgenerated at the subduction zone that runs along thesouthern coast of Mexico, and cannot be generalized tocases of earthquakes generated at other sources orrecorded at other types of local conditions. Thismeans that the methods and functional forms presentedhere are applicable to these other cases, but thevalues of the parameters that characterize thosefunctions may differ from those presented here.     

Sky luminance distribution in Pamplona (Spain) during the summer period

In this work the outdoor daylight conditions in Pamplona (South Europe) during the summer period have been studied. The selected sky type (from fifteen standards) at a given moment is the one exhibiting the lowest RMSD when comparing the theoretical and experimental luminance distributions in the sky hemisphere. Two year data of luminance distribution registered every 10 min in 145 positions of the sky hemisphere have been used for selecting the sky type. The most frequent sky type in Pamplona is V.5 (cloudless polluted with a broad solar corona), with an occurrence of 29.5%. This result coincides with the one observed in a previous study in Athens.Six types of sky (V.5, IV.4, III.4, III.3, V.4 y II.2) out of the fifteen standards become practically the 80% of all the studied ones. Regarding a possible use in daylight climate studies, the frequency of occurrence of the fifteen types of sky for fourteen solar elevation intervals has been included.     

A summary of sulfur dioxide emission rate measuremnts from Guatemalan volcanoes

Measurements of the sulfur dioxide (SO₂) emission rate from three Guatemalan volcanoes provide data which are consistent with theoretical and laboratory studies of eruptive and shallow magma chamber processes. In particular, unerupted magma makes a major contribution to the measured SO₂ emission rates at Santiaguito, a continuously erupting dacitic volcanic dome. Varying shallow magma convection rates can explain the variations in SO₂ emission rates at Santiaguito. At Fuego, a basaltic volcano currently in repose, SO₂ emission rate measurements are consistent with a high level magma body that is crystallizing and releasing volatiles. At Pacaya, a continuously erupting basaltic volcano, recent SO₂ emission rate measurements support laboratory simulation studies of strombolian eruptions; these studies indicate that the majority of gas escapes during eruptions and little gas escapes between eruptions.Average SO₂ emission rates over the last 20 years for Santiaguito, Fuego and Pacaya are 80, 160 and 260 Mg/d, respectively. On a global scale, these three volcanoes account for 1% of the annual global volcanic output of SO₂. Santiaguito and Pacaya, together, emit 6% of the total annual SO₂ emitted by continuously erupting volcanoes.Even though SO₂ measurements at these volcanoes have been made infrequently and by different investigators, the collective data help to establish a useful baseline by which to judge future changes. A more complete record of SO₂ emission rates from these volcanoes could lead to a better understanding of their eruption mechanisms and reduce the impact of their future eruptions on Guatemalan society.     

Earthquake distribution and volcanism in Kamchatka,Kurile Islands,and Hokkaido Part 3: Southern Kuriles and Hokkaido

Summary The morphology of the Wadati-Benioff zone in the region of Southern Kuriles and Hokkaido, based on the distribution of 4015 earthquake foci, verified the existence of an intermediate depth aseismic gap and its relation to active andesitic volcanism. A paleosubduction zone activated by an intermediate depth collision with the active subduction zone was found and described.

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u Wadati-Benioff amu uu - u a¶rt;, aa a an¶rt;uu 4015 a mu, nm¶rt;ua mau n¶rt; au u amu a¶rt;um au. a a¶rt;a u nuaa a na¶rt;uu, amuuuaa nmu mu amu ¶rt;uu.

     

High-precision geoid determination in small areas: A case study in Doñana National Park (Spain)

Doñana National Park is an area of approximately 500 km² located on the SW coast of Spain that shows one of the greatest geoid gradients on the entire Iberian Peninsula, due to its peculiar tectonic characteristics. So, it is necessary to elaborate an accurate geoid model that can be used with GPS for precise surveying, since the existing ones are insufficient, due to their poor resolution and their limited adaptation to a small area with such a strong gradient. The least squares prediction method was tested in order to obtain the undulation from GPS/orthometric points. The results obtained were unsatisfactory because of the strong geoid gradient. In order to improve accuracy the remove-restore technique was used. Global geopotential model EIGEN-CG01C and a Digital Elevation Model (DEM) with a 25 × 25 m resolution and an accuracy better than 3 m were used. Thus, the final geometrical geoid obtained reaches the precision required by other disciplines (3 cm in any point within the Park). Particularly, the geoid model has allowed for the acquisition of a precision DEM that is essential to formulate a hydrodynamic model for the Doñana marsh functions.     

Neoproterozoic–Cambrian synsedimentary magmatism in the Central Iberian Zone (Spain): geology,petrology and geodynamic significance

Petrographic, geochemical and field studies in low grade metamorphic areas (Ciudad Rodrigo-Hurdes-Sierra de Gata domain, CRHSG, central-western Spain) show that Neoproterozoic-Lowermost Cambrian series in the Central Iberian Zone (CIZ) record two kinds of provenance sources including: (1) detrital material derived from recycled orogens and (2) a Cadomian coeval juvenile contribution that governs their isotopic signature. Evidence of magmatism contemporaneous with Neoproterozoic-Cambrian sedimentation is provided by the presence of coherent, massive volcanic rocks (metabasalts, metaandesites, and metarhyolites), volcaniclastic shales, sandstones, conglomerates and breccias. The appearance of volcanogenic lithic fragments and crystals mixed in different proportions with siliciclastic constituents and also present within calcareous components in the sedimentary succession, reinforces this evidence. Although most of the selected volcanic and volcaniclastic samples appear to show tholeiitic affinity, some of them display calc-alkaline affinity. Different trace element ratios, such as Sm/Nd, Nb/Yb and Ta/Yb, suggest a magmatic evolution in the same tectonic setting. The geochemical results reported here support the existence of an active geodynamic setting as a direct contributor to the synsedimentary and magmatic content of the Neoproterozoic–Lowermost Cambrian successions in the CIZ. In particular, the relatively high Nd _(T) values and the high range of f ^Sm/Nd ratios are consistent with an active margin during the Neoproterozoic–Early Cambrian. The existence of tectonic activity is also confirmed by the presence of synsedimentary deformation and volcanic rocks. All of these traits favour a geodynamic model in which the Iberian Cadomian segment represented in the CIZ would have been part of an active northern margin of Gondwana, with an associated magmatic arc and related basins during Neoproterozoic–Lower Cambrian times. A proposed link between the Ossa Morena and the Central Iberian Zones might account for late Cadomian pull-apart basins developed on both sides of the magmatic arc, sharing the same scenario and involving similar magmatic activity during the Neoproterozoic–Cambrian transition.

Impact of quarrying gypsum in a semidesert karstic area (Sorbas,SE Spain)

The Messinian gypsum of Sorbas is intensively karstified, with hundreds of dolines and numerous, highly unusual exo- and endokarstic forms. Amongst these the tumuli are especially spectacular, as are the large caverns, adorned with numerous speleothems, some of which have not been described anywhere else in the World. The extraction of the gypsum has impacted practically all the elements of the environment (landscape, water, soil, subsoil, flora, fauna, etc.) and, in particular, all of the karstic forms. In addition to endangering the caves and the natural treasures that they contain, it affects the surface waters, markedly modifying the hydrographic network. Groundwaters, which now occur in the bottom of a quarry, are also affected.     

An exotic Cretaceous kimberlite linked to metasomatized lithospheric mantle beneath the southwestern margin of the Francisco Craton,Brazil

We present major and trace element compositions of mineral concentrates comprising garnet xenocrysts,ilmenite,phlogopite,spinel,zircon,and uncommon minerals (ti...     

Late Carboniferous porphyry copper mineralization at La Voluntad,Neuquén,Argentina: Constraints from Re–Os molybdenite dating

The La Voluntad porphyry Cu–Mo deposit in Neuquén, Argentina, is one of several poorly known porphyry-type deposits of Paleozoic to Early Jurassic age in the central and southern Andes. Mineralization at La Voluntad is related to a tonalite porphyry from the Chachil Plutonic Complex that intruded metasedimentary units of the Piedra Santa Complex. Five new Re–Os molybdenite ages from four samples representing three different vein types (i.e., quartz–molybdenite, quartz–sericite–molybdenite and quartz–sericite–molybdenite ± chalcopyrite–pyrite) are identical within error and were formed between ~312 to ~316 Ma. Rhenium and Os concentrations range between 34 to 183 ppm and 112 to 599 ppb, respectively. The new Re–Os ages indicate that the main mineralization event at La Voluntad, associated to sericitic alteration, was emplaced during a time span of 1.7 ± 3.2 Ma and that the deposit is Carboniferous in age, not Permian as previously thought. La Voluntad is the oldest porphyry copper deposit so far recognized in the Andes and indicates the presence of an active magmatic arc, with associated porphyry style mineralization, at the proto-Pacific margin of Gondwana during the Early Pennsylvanian.