Quantitative morphometric analysis of the Jama River profile in a tectonically active margin (Northwestern Ecuador)

The longitudinal profile of a river channel can be described in function of mathematical expressions. The logarithmic fit is the most used method to describe the relative equilibrium of a channel elevation profile. Rivers showing zones of high channel gradient and convex-upward profiles can be evaluated in function of the offset distance with respect to the logarithmic curve. The Jama River profile has been constructed using differential GPS data for the downstream reach and 4-m-grid DEM data base for the remaining headward profile. The resulting longitudinal profile shows a prominent knickpoint of about 80 m in elevation characterized by sharp local convexity. The offset distance in vertical direction from the logarithmic plot is interpreted as the successive accumulation of multiple uplift episodes associated with the Jama Fault System activity. The horizontal offset is suggested to represent the remaining retreated distance for the upstream propagation of the Jama knickpoint. The highly resistant Cretaceous rocks outcropping along the Jama knickpoint reach acts as an inflection point between two subprofiles that show well-fitted logarithmic curves, thereby representing a temporary partitioned equilibrium along the Jama River profile.     

Reconstruction of earthquake hazard in regions of sparse seismic monitoring

Studying strong motion records and the spatial distribution of ground shaking is of great importance in understanding the underlying causes of damage in earthquakes. Many regions in the world are either not instrumented or are sparsely instrumented. As such, significant opportunities for motion-damage correlations are lost. Two recent and damaging earthquakes belong to the class of lost opportunities, namely the Kashmir (Pakistan) earthquake of October 2005 and the Yogyakarta (Indonesia) earthquake of May 2006. In this paper, an overview of the importance of supply and demand studies in earthquake-stricken regions is given, followed by two examples of investigative engineering seismology aimed at reconstructing the hazard from sparse data. The paper closes with a plea for responsible authorities to invest in seismic monitoring networks in the very near future.     

Geochemistry and Petrogenesis of Late Ediacaran Rare-metalAlbite Granites of the Arabian-Nubian Shield

The Abu Dabbab albite granite(ADAG), in the central Eastern Desert of Egypt, hosts the most significant rare metal ore deposit in the northern part of the Neoproterozoic Arabian-Nubian Shield. Here, we report detailed field,petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical investigation of the ADAG, an isolated stock-like granitic body with sharp intrusive contacts against metamorphic country rocks, probably emplaced at about 600 Ma. The fine-grained porphyritic upper unit is a preserved remnant of the shallowly-emplaced apex of the magma chamber, whereas the medium-grained lower unit crystallized at deeper levels under subvolcanic conditions. The peraluminous leucocratic ADAG shares common geochemical characteristics with post-collisional intraplate A-type magmas. In addition to the conspicuous enrichment in Na2 O, the ADAG is remarkable for its anomalous concentrations of Ta, Nb, Li, Hf, Ga, Sn, Zn and heavy rare-earth elements. Nb-Ta minerals in the ADAG are mixed with Fe-Mn oxides, forming black patches that increase in abundance toward of the base of the intrusion. Columbite-tantalite, cassiterite and wolframite are the most important ore minerals.Pronounced negative Eu anomalies(Eu/Eu* = 0.10–0.24) reflect extreme magmatic fractionation and perhaps the effects of late fluid-rock interaction. The ADAG was most likely generated by partial melting of the juvenile middle crust of the ANS as the geotherm was elevated by erosional uplift following lithospheric delamination and it was emplaced at the intersection of lineations of structural weakness. Although formation of the ADAG and its primary enrichment in rare metals are essentially due to magmatic processes, late-stage metasomatism caused limited redistribution of rare metals. Fluid-driven subsolidus modification was limited to the apex of the magma chamber and drove development of greisen, amazonite, and quartz veins along fracture systems.     

非均匀孔隙介质中的弥散作用——(2)层状二维空间间断系统的预报

第一部分(Plumb和whitaker,本期)提出的闭合法对层状系统和二维空间间断系统进行了求解,其中我们所说的w和η区形成了在空间分布的孔隙介质。闭合法问题的解使我们得到确定大范围弥散张量所需要的数据和解大范围弥散方程所需要的另外一些参数。层状系统的理论结果展示的纵向弥散系数与利用室内视均质孔隙介质根据传统关系式所得到的纵向弥散系数相比要增大几个数量级。对于这种情况的研究,混合时间—空间系数看来是重要的,而且能够引起弥散系数增大的条件该系数值也增大。二维空间间断系统的结果与实验观测是一致的,而且我们发现非均匀性的规模和两个区之间的水力传导系数的差别对大范围弥散张量具有重要影响。正如层状介质情况那样,时间—空间混合导数(不对称向量)的系数的预测值表明该项可能是非均质孔隙介质的物质运移预报的一个重要的因子。     

滑脱断层带内流体与岩石相互作用的构造样式

北美科迪勘拉地区变质核部杂岩体和相关的滑脱断层表现为缓倾斜、正向位移型剪切带(滑脱断层带),热的深层地壳沿着滑脱断层带从脆性扩张的上盘岩板下面上和向外运移。滑脱断层带由韧性向脆性演化期间形成的构造,可以用来恢复剪切带内不同层次的流体压力和差应力的相对大小。发生在脆韧性过渡带以下滑脱断层更深地段的糜棱岩化作用,局部地伴随有指示低的偏应力和商的流体压力的张性破裂。这种状态说明最早期是脆性变形,然后由于流体压力的降低和偏应力的升高而形成了剪性破裂。在低的流体压力条件下,上盘岩扳岩石广泛发育脆性变形。构造和地球化学资料说明,滑脱断层带上的正向位移导致了两套流体系统的形式:(1)以近静水压力下大气的和同生的流体占优势,并通过热对流驱动的上盘岩板系统,(2)剪切带更深层次内的系统,此处流体主要来自岩浆源,而流体迁移服从扩容泵机制。滑脱断层带上正向位移的晚期,在构造上使受两套流体系统影响的岩石同时存在,并局部地使剪切带岩石经受与上盘岩扳流体系统相关的矿化作用的影响。     

拉斑玄武质岩浆极端分异之实例—Loch Ba环状岩墙的岩石学与地球化学

苏格兰西北部马尔地区Loch Ba环状岩墙系由条带状流纹溶结凝灰岩组成。该流纹岩含有大量暗色隐晶质包体。根据流纹岩及其暗色包体的结构构造特征、斑晶矿物及组合、含量、化学成分特征和全岩的常量元素变化特征，认为Loch Ba岩墙之深部存在着一强烈分带的岩浆房，岩浆房上部为流纹质岩浆，其下为强烈分带区，由英安质至底部至少是镁铁质安山岩浆组成。岩浆的分异结晶作用、深部岩浆对来自上部岩浆的捕获晶的同化作用及蚀变作用是造成岩石主要元素一系列变化的原因。     

干旱预测

干旱预测是个古老的问题,但最近萨赫勒干旱的严重性使人们清楚地认识到需要改进预测干旱方法,使之具有一定程度的准确性。根据现有的科学水平,干旱预测即使可能,但仍很困难。在探索适当的技术方面,两个主要途径看来是重要的:这些包括遥相关的应用和数值模式的研制。实质上,有时滞的遥相关取决于这样的假设:在全球范围内,任一地区诱发的变化,可能在另一地方产生相应的有时滞差的变化。1972～1973年南美洲的西海岸的厄尔尼诺是一个很好的事例。数值模式的研制不仅考虑到气候因素,而且也考虑到人对自然环境的影响;大气环流模式(GCMs)的研制提供一些线索,可能有助于改进干旱预测的技术。     

台湾地区的三维P波和S波速度结构:岛弧-大陆碰撞带的深部结构

台湾岛是欧亚大陆架和属菲律宾海板块的吕宋岛弧向北延伸形成的弧形列岛间少有的活动碰撞产物。为了更好地认识这个碰撞的演化和近代构造,我们从台湾遥测地震台网记录的50000个原始记录中挑选了1260个好的地震记录,用于决定该岛下的一维和三维P与S波速度结构。速度结构和地震再定位的结果指出,该岛在构造上分为三个不同的地带。在东部,菲律宾海板块正俯冲于欧亚板块的东部,其北西向边界由地震活动和高速度区圈定。在南部,欧亚大陆板块正俯冲于菲律宾海板块,在大约23°N的东西向边界的南端,它可由壳下地震活动性和相当低的速度区很好地圈定。消减大陆的倾角很小,在吕宋岛弧东边,距主要岛屿50 km内都是这样。在该岛23°N以北的主要部分的结构指出,中央山脉的西部25 km的深度以上有一低速度缓倾带,而在那个深度以下,至少到50 km,呈现窄而陡的倾斜。由窄地震活动带勾画出该低速区的倾向,并延伸到100 km。这个地震带处于速度的鞍部,在24°N的中部低速区呈现明显的断错。因而,欧亚大陆消减带在台湾的证据在该岛下处处存在,地幔低速区证实,但未必需要,在大陆下地壳约6—16 km的消减带至少已达50 km的深度。在23°N速度结构和地震活动性的明显变化及在24°N低速范围的水平断错表明,在通过这些纬度时,消减带特性有突然变化。这些变化可以是吕宋岛弧和消减大陆架相互作用引起,它类似于表面的相互影响。最后,消减的菲律宾海板块的速度结构指出,在70 km深度以下,地震不在板块的高速区内发生,但有可能处于板块的上缘附近。地震位置和速度结构也指出,消减板块是分段的,而且消减作用当今正在22°N的南部发生。