Nonlinear Time Series Analysis of Volcanic Tremor Events Recorded at Sangay Volcano,Ecuador

The assumption that volcanic tremor may be generated by deterministic nonlinear source processes is now supported by a number of studies at different volcanoes worldwide that clearly demonstrate the low-dimensional nature of the phenomenon. We applied methods based on the theory of nonlinear dynamics to volcanic tremor events recorded at Sangay volcano, Ecuador in order to obtain more information regarding the physics of their source mechanism. The data were acquired during 21–26 April 1998 and were recorded using a sampling interval of 125 samples s^–1 by two broadband seismometers installed near the active vent of the volcano. In a previous study Johnson and Lees (2000) classified the signals into three groups: (1) short duration (<1 min) impulses generated by degassing explosions at the vent; (2) extended degassing chugging events with a duration 2–5 min containing well-defined integer overtones (1–5 Hz) and variable higher frequency content; (3) extended degassing events that contain significant energy above 5 Hz. We selected 12 events from groups 2 and 3 for our analysis that had a duration of at least 90 s and high signal-to-noise ratios. The phase space, which describes the evolution of the behavior of a nonlinear system, was reconstructed using the delay embedding theorem suggested by Takens. The delay time used for the reconstruction was chosen after examining the first zero crossing of the autocorrelation function and the first minimum of the Average Mutual Information (AMI) of the data. In most cases it was found that both methods yielded a delay time of 14–18 samples (0.112–0.144 s) for group 2 and 5 samples (0.04 s) for group 3 events. The sufficient embedding dimension was estimated using the false nearest neighbors method which had a value of 4 for events in group 2 and was in the range 5–7 for events in group 3. Based on these embedding parameters it was possible to calculate the correlation dimension of the resulting attractor, as well as the average divergence rate of nearby orbits given by the largest Lyapunov exponent. Events in group 2 exhibited lower values of both the correlation dimension (1.8–2.6) and largest Lyapunov exponent (0.013–0.022) in comparison with the events in group 3 where the values of these quantities were in the range 2.4–3.5 and 0.029–0.043, respectively. Theoretically, a nonlinear oscillation described by the equation ++g(x)=fcost can generate deterministic signals with characteristics similar to those observed in groups 2 and 3 as the values of the parameters ,,f, are drifting, causing instability of orbits in the phase space.     

An investigation of analysis of variance as a tool for exploring regional differences in strong ground motions

The statistical technique known as analysis of variance is applied to a large set of European strong-motion data to investigate whether strong ground motions show a regional dependence. This question is important when selecting strong-motion records for the derivation of ground motion prediction equations and also when choosing strong-motion records from one geographical region for design purposes in another. Five regions with much strong-motion data (the Caucasus region, central Italy, Friuli, Greece and south Iceland) are investigated here. For the magnitude and distance range where there are overlapping data from the five areas (2.50 M_s 5.50, 0 d 35 km) and consequently analysis of variance can be performed, there is little evidence for a regional dependence of ground motions. There is a lack of data from moderate and large magnitude earthquakes (M_s > 5.5) so analysis of variance cannot be performed there. Since there is uncertainty regarding scaling ground motions from small to large magnitudes whether ground motions from large earthquakes are significantly different in different parts of Europe is not known. Analysis of variance has the ability to complement other techniques for the assessment of regional dependence of ground motions.     

Criteria for defining and recognizing the various orders of sequences in outcrop sequence stratigraphy

Sequence stratigraphy which began in the late seventies of the previous century has not only enriched and widened the scope of stratigraphy, but also has been widely used in sedimentary geology, basin analy-sis, exploration of oil and gas, and other fields of ge-ology. In the last two decades and more, sequence stratigraphy, as a new branch of stratigraphical disci-pline, has become a cornerstone of modern stratigra-phy, and has produced more profound influences than all others. The currently …     

Synthetically adaptive robust filtering for satellite orbit determination

The precise orbit information is the premise of the application of satellite, and the precise orbit deter- mination includes dynamic and geometric methods. The dynamic method estimates the position and veloc-ity of a satellite at one epoch by extending the obser-vational arc in order to include more observations of different epochs in it. It is realized by integrating the dynamic equation of the satellite so that the observa-tions at different epochs are related to the particular state. The dy…     

On the evolution and histology of some Cambrian protoconodonts,paraconodonts and primitive euconodonts

Although the history of Cambrian conodont study goes back to a century ago, it was not until 1959 that the systematic study of Cambrian conodonts was initi-ated[1]. During the last 44 years Cambrian conodonts have been well documented from all continents but Africa. However, the morphological evolution of para- conodonts and protoconodonts have been subjected to less study than the primitive euconodonts in the inter-val across the Cambrian-Ordovician boundary. Miller (1984) proposed a Weste…     

Geochemistry of the ophiolite and oceanic island basalt in the Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic mélange zone,South Qinling and their tectonic significance

Detailed studies indicate that Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic zone is a complicated mélange zone which includes many tectonic slabs of different origins. Ophiolite (MORB-type basalt), oceanic island tholeiite and alkaline basalt have been identified. Moreover, this tectonic mélange zone is eastward connected with the Mianlüe suture zone. The deformation characteristics, consisting components and volcanic rock geochemical features for the Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic mélange zone are much similar to those of the Mianlüe suture zone and Deerni ophiolite. Therefore, the Kangxian-Pipasi-Nanping tectonic mélange zone should be the westward extension part of the Mianlüe suture zone. It indicates that the Mianlüe suture zone had extended to the Nanping area.