Poro-viscoelasticity modelling based on upscaling quasistatic fluid-saturated solids

In this paper, quasistatic models are developed for the slow flow of compressible fluids through porous solids, where the solid exhibits fading memory viscoelasticity. Problems of this type are important in practical geomechanics contexts, for example, in the context of fluid flow through unconsolidated reservoir sands and of wellbore deformation behaviour in gas and oil shale reservoirs, all of which have been studied extensively. For slow viscous fluid flow in the poro-viscoelastic media we are able to neglect the dynamic effects related to inertia forces, as well as the dissipation associated with the viscous flows. This is in contrast to the vast body of work in the poro-elastic context, where much faster flow of the viscous fluids may give rise to memory effects associated with microflows in pores of the solid media. Such problems have been treated extensively in both the dynamic and quasistatic cases. We are taking a specific type of the porous medium subject to slow deformation processes possibly inducing moderate pressure gradients and flow rates characterised by negligible inertia effects. As the result of homogenisation of such a two-phase medium, we observe the fading memory behaviour in the Biot modulus which controls the pressure increase due to skeleton macroscopic deformation and pore fluid content. Although our derivation leads to a result which is consistent with the formal phenomenological approach proposed by Biot (J Appl Phys 23:1482–1498, 1962), we offer the reader more insight into the structure of the poro-viscoelastic constitutive relations obtained; in particular, we can show that the Biot compressibility evolves in time according to the creep function while the skeleton stiffness is driven by the relaxation function.     

Petrological and Geochemical Constraints on the Evolution of the Alkaline Complex of Koraput in the Eastern Ghats Granulite Belt, India

The Koraput Alkaline Complex in the high-grade Eastern Ghats Belt, India, is synkinematically emplaced in a pull-apart structure and far from the Bastar cratonic margin. The suite comprises four distinct members, namely, mafic syenite, felsic syenite, nepheline syenite and perthite syenite. Fe-rich orthopyroxene rims on olivine in mafic syenite indicate iron-enrichment in the early stage of differentiation. With plagioclase of andesine composition it could be described as alkali-norite, the plutonic equivalent of hawiite. Felsic syenite with both alkali-feldspars and plagioclase of oligoclase composition could be described as two-feldspar syenite, the plutonic equivalent of mugearite. Albitic rims on nepheline indicates subsolvus reaction. Chemical trends in amphiboles and plagioclase feldspars, progressively more ferroan and more sodic respectively, are strong indications of mineral fractionation in the Koraput suite. Chemical trends in the variation diagrams are compatible with feldspar fractionation in the Koraput suite. A weak Fe-enrichment trend in the early stage of differentiation, as observed in the AFM diagram, is compatible with that of the alkali-basalt series. Nb anomalies, both positive and negative, are indicative of crustal contamination as expected in synkinematic plutons. In terms of Gondwana assembly and break up, the alkaline complexes are supposed to represent rift-related magmatism along the continental margin. In spite of petrological evidence of the magmatic character of the Koraput Complex, anorogenic setting is contra-indicated by mesoscopic and microscopic fabrics, more akin to synkinematic intrusion during F 2 folding in the host country rocks. The Proterozoic alkaline complexes in the Eastern Ghats Belt, could alternatively trace the path of moving Gondwana continent over mantle plumes.     

Influence of attenuation and site on microearthquakes’ spectra in Shillong region, of Northeast, India: A case study

We examine the influence of attenuation and site on the spectra of microearthquakes having origin within the Shillong region. The ratios of spectral amplitudes at lower and higher frequencies are measured for three different stations at varying epicentral distances to estimate Q value for both P- and S-wave in near and sub-surface layer. The average estimates of Q _P and Q _S are found to be 178 and 195. The ratio of Q _S to Q _P emerges to be greater than unity in major parts of the Shillong area, suggesting dominance of dry crust prevailing in Shillong region. The variation in corner frequencies for these spectra is inferred to be characteristics of the site. Besides, the disparity in spectral content with reference to hard rock site yields the inference that the incoming seismic signals get amplified considerably while traversing from southern part to northeastern part of Shillong, best outlined at 2 to 5 Hz, which is well corroborated by the existing lithology.     

Exploring potential human activities in physical and virtual spaces: a spatio‐temporal GIS approach

Today, the opportunity for potential human activity has gone beyond physical space to virtual space. Based on a proposed conceptual framework that models the relationships between physical and virtual spaces, this paper presents an attempt to adjust the space–time prism concept of Hägerstrand's time geography to identify potential activity opportunities in virtual space, focusing on the virtual space access channels available in physical space. A three‐dimensional (3D) spatio‐temporal Geographic Information System (GIS) design has been developed in this research to accommodate the adjusted space–time prism concept to support the representation, visualization, and analysis of potential human activities and interactions in physical and virtual spaces using the prism representation. Following the design, a prototype system has been successfully implemented in a 3D GIS environment. Such a system can provide powerful analytical tools for studies related to potential human activities and applications such as location‐based services (LBS) and accessibility analysis in the information age.     

A meltwater origin for Antarctic shelf bedforms with special attention to megalineations

The geomorphology of troughs crossing the Antarctic shelf is described and interpreted in terms of ice-stream hydrology. The scale of tunnel channels on the inner shelf and the absence of sediment at their mouths are taken to infer catastrophic drainage. Drumlins on the inner and outer shelves with pronounced crescentic and hairpin scours are also interpreted as products of catastrophic flow. Gullies and channels on the continental slope and turbidites on the rise and abyssal plain point to abundant meltwater discharge across the shelf. Attempts to explain this morphology and sedimentology in terms of release or discharge of meltwater by pressure melting, strain heating, Darcian flow, or advection in deforming till are shown to be unrealistic. We suggest that meltwater flow across the middle and outer shelves might have been in broad, turbulent floods, which raises the possibility that megascale glacial lineations (MSGL) on the shelf might originate by erosion in turbulent flow. This possibility is explored by use of analogs for MSGL from flood and eolian landscapes and marine environments. An extended discussion reflects on objections that stand in the way of the flood hypothesis.     

构造楔形体的识别与勘探——以准噶尔盆地南缘为例

构造楔形体的形成需要两个条件,一是两条相互连接的断层,二是这两条断层的位移传递方向相反。当反向传递的位移量切割了上覆地层,通常在楔形体前翼形成具指示意义的背斜构造,此类背斜可作为判断深部构造楔形体存在的直接依据。准噶尔盆地南缘3排背斜内带的构造楔形体模式非常典型,并表现为“混序”的特征。在山前深部楔形体沿侏罗系西山窑组煤层向北扩展过程中,部分位移量沿构造楔顶部的反冲断层向南消减,并切割上覆地层形成第一排背斜带,另一部分位移量则继续向北传递,在断坡位置引发褶皱变形,形成第二排和第三排背斜带。在总位移量保持稳定的前提下,这3排背斜带在走向上的此消彼长反映了位移量在南、北两个方向上的转换。准噶尔盆地南缘第二、三排背斜带中-新生界内部发育多个小型的构造楔形体,这些互相叠置的楔形构造横向延伸不大,但有可能构成独立的成藏系统,具有不同的油气水特征,从而造成同一个背斜带不同部位的含油气性迥异。在油气勘探中应通过加强地震采集、处理和解释攻关,力求精细刻画各个楔形构造在三维空间的展布,再针对已落实的楔形体展开钻探。     

龙门山和青藏高原的隆起与2008年汶川(M=7.9)地震

龙门山山脉,即2008年5月12日汶川（M=7．9）毁灭性地震的发生地,界定了喜马拉雅造山带的东缘,并显现出比青藏高原任何地方都大的地形起伏。然而,在这次地震之前,大地测量与地质调查工作都没有测到横跨该山系前缘有明显的缩短变形（Shenetal,2005;Meade,2007;Chenetal,2000）,从而引起了关于该山岳带地形的形成与发展过程的激烈争论。现已提出两个端元模型：（1）脆性地壳增厚,即具有大量滑动的逆冲断层切穿岩石层并引起隆起（Ta—pponnieretal,2001）;（2）地壳流动,即青藏高原下地壳的低粘度物质向外挤出,抬升了喜马拉雅山东北部的地壳（Roydenetal,1997;Burehfiel,2004;Bird,1991）。在此,我们使用平衡地质剖面来说明该山系前缘的地壳缩短、构造起伏与地形地貌是密切相关的。这表明,地壳缩短是位于青藏高原东缘的龙门山的隆起及其地形形成的主要驱动力。致使沿该山系前缘大型逆冲断层发生破裂,并造成数万人死亡和大范围破坏的2008年汶川地震（M=7．9）就是这种地壳缩短过程的作用表现。     

Wetland Monitoring,Serving as an Index of Land Use Change-A Study in Samaspur Wetlands,Uttar Pradesh,India

Wetlands are among the most productive ecosystems in the world and any alterations might lead to changes in their bio-physical, socio-economic and climatic conditions. Wetland dynamics as an index of land use change were studied. Satellite remote sensing was utilized to understand the periodic and seasonal dynamics of Samaspur wetlands using Landsat and RESOURCESAT-1 temporal data. Index-based (i.e., Normalized Difference Water Index (NDWI) and Normalized Difference Vegetation Index (NDVI)) classification resulted in meaningful discrimination of wetland classes. Results indicate (i) effective water spread areas have increased to optimum capacity at 1990 due to the influence of Sharda canal, (ii) expansion of the agricultural area has led to reduction of the wetland buffer area, and (iii) increase in vegetation biomass due to pesticide-fertilizer runoff and sedimentation load. We also reiterate (i) free availability of the Landsat satellite data in public domain facilitating such monitoring studies and (ii) availability and utility of SWIR band information in wetland classification exercise. The study concludes that policy-driven measures have both long and short term impacts on land use and its natural wetland ecosystems; and the characterizing the later serves as indictor of the former and perhaps vice versa.