Rupture behavior and deformation localization of the Kunlunshan earthquake (<Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript><Emphasis Type="Italic">w</Emphasis></Subscript>7.8) and their tectonic implications

Earthquake surface rupture is the result of transformation from crustal elastic strain accumulation to permanent tectonic deformation. The surface rupture zone produced by the 2001 Kunlunshan earthquake (M _w 7.8) on the Kusaihu segment of the Kunlun fault extends over 426 km. It consists of three relatively independent surface rupture sections: the western strike-slip section, the middle transtensional section and the eastern strike-slip section. Hence this implies that the Kunlunshan earthquake is composed of three earthquake rupturing events, i.e. the M _w =6.8, M _w =6.2 and M _w ⩽=7.8 events, respectively. The M _w =7.8 earthquake, along the eastern section, is the main shock of the Kunlunshan earthquake, further decomposed into four rupturing subevents. Field measurements indicate that the width of a single surface break on different sections ranges from several meters to 15 m, with a maximum value of less than 30 m. The width of the surface rupture zone that consists of en echelon breaks depends on its geometric structures, especially the stepover width of the secondary surface rupture zones in en echelon, displaying a basic feature of deformation localization. Consistency between the Quaternary geologic slip rate, the GPS-monitored strain rate and the localization of the surface ruptures of the 2001 Kunlunshan earthquake may indicate that the tectonic deformation between the Bayan Har block and Qilian-Qaidam block in the northern Tibetan Plateau is characterized by strike-slip faulting along the limited width of the Kunlun fault, while the blocks themselves on both sides of the Kunlun fault are characterized by block motion. The localization of earthquake surface rupture zone is of great significance to determine the width of the fault-surface-rupture hazard zone, along which direct destruction will be caused by co-seismic surface rupturing along a strike-slip fault, that should be considered before the major engineering project, residental buildings and life line construction. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant No. 40474037) and the National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2004CB418401)     

The active fault system of SW Alps

Historical and active seismicity in the south-western Alps (France and Italy) shows the recurrence of relatively high-magnitude earthquakes (M ≥ 5.8), like the one that recently affected the Italian Apennine range (M = 6.3 on the 30th March 2009). However, up-to-date detailed mapping of the active fault network has been poorly established. The evaluation of seismological hazard in particular in the highly populated French and Italian coastal region cannot be done without this. Here, we present a detailed study of the main active fault system, based on geological observations along the south-western flank of the Alpine arc. This N140° right-lateral strike-slip active fault system runs along the edge of the Argentera-Mercantour range and can be followed down to the Mediterranean Sea. It is evidenced by (1) Holocene offsets of glacial geomorphology witnessing ongoing fault activity since 10 ka, (2) widespread recent (10–20 Ma) pseudotachylytes featuring long term activity of the faults, (3) active landslides along the main fault zone, (4) geothermal anomalies (hot springs) emerging in the active faults, (5) ongoing low-magnitude seismic activity and (6) localization of the main historical events. In the light of our investigations, we propose a new tectonic pattern for the active fault system in the south-western Alps.     

On the nature of lead–lag relationships during glacial–interglacial climate transitions

Analysis of leads and lags between different paleoclimate records remains an important method in paleoclimatology, used to propose and test hypotheses about causal relationships between different processes in the climate system. The robust lead of Antarctic temperature over CO₂ concentration during several recent glacial–interglacial transitions inferred from the Antarctic ice cores apparently contradicts the concept of CO₂-driven climate change and still remains unexplained. Here, using an Earth system model of intermediate complexity and generic scenarios for the principal climatic forcings during glacial–interglacial transitions we performed a suite of experiments that shed some light on the complexity of phase relationships between climate forcing and climate system response. In particular, our results provide an explanation for the observed Antarctic temperature lead over CO₂ concentration. It is shown that the interhemispheric oceanic heat transport provides a crucial link between the two hemispheres. We demonstrate that temporal variations of the oceanic heat transport strongly contribute to the observed phase relationship between polar temperature records in both hemispheres. It is shown that the direct effect of orbital variations on the Antarctic temperature is also significant and explains the observed cooling trend during interglacials. In addition, an imbedded δ¹⁸O model is used to demonstrate that during glacial–interglacial transitions, the temporal evolution of deep calcite marine δ¹⁸O in different locations and at different depths can considerably deviate from that implied by the global ice volume change. This finding indicates that the synchronization of different marine records by means of foraminiferal calcite δ¹⁸O yield large additional uncertainties. Based on our results, we argue that the analysis of leads and lags alone, without a comprehensive understanding and an adequate model of all relevant climate processes, cannot provide direct information about causal relationships in the climate system.     

The nature of MIS 3 stadial–interstadial transitions in Europe: New insights from model–data comparisons

15 abrupt warming transitions perturbed glacial climate in Greenland during Marine Isotope Stage 3 (MIS 3, 60–27 ka BP). One hypothesis states that the 8–16 °C warming between Greenland Stadials (GS) and Interstadials (GI) was caused by enhanced heat transport to the North Atlantic region after a resumption of the Atlantic Meridional Overturning Circulation (AMOC) from a weak or shutdown stadial mode. This hypothesis also predicts warming over Europe, a prediction poorly constrained by data due to the paucity of well-dated quantitative temperature records. We therefore use a new evidence from biotic proxies and a climate model simulation to study the characteristics of a GS–GI transition in continental Europe and the link to enhanced AMOC strength. We compare reconstructed climatic and vegetation changes between a stadial and subsequent interstadial – correlated to GS15 and GI14 (～55 ka BP) – with a simulated AMOC resumption using a three-dimensional earth system model setup with early-MIS 3 boundary conditions. Over western Europe (12°W–15°E), we simulate twice the annual precipitation, a 17 °C warmer coldest month, a 8 °C warmer warmest month, 1300 °C-day more growing degree days with baseline 5 °C (GDD5) and potential vegetation allowing tree cover after the transition. However, the combined effect of frequent killing frosts, <20 mm summer precipitation and too few GDD5 after the transition suggest a northern tree limit lying at ～50°N during GI14. With these 3 climatic limiting factors we provide a possible explanation for the absence of forests north of 48°N during MIS 3 interstadials with mild summers. Finally, apart from a large model bias in warmest month surface air temperatures, our simulation is in reasonable agreement with reconstructed climatic and vegetation changes in Europe, thus further supporting the hypothesis.     

Silicate absorption in heavily obscured galaxy nuclei

Spectroscopy at 8–13 μm with T-ReCS on Gemini-S is presented for three galaxies with substantial silicate absorption features, NGC 3094, NGC 7172 and NGC 5506. In the galaxies with the deepest absorption bands, the silicate profile towards the nuclei is well represented by the emissivity function derived from the circumstellar emission from the red supergiant, μ Cephei which is also representative of the mid-infrared absorption in the diffuse interstellar medium in the Galaxy. There is spectral structure near 11.2 μm in NGC 3094 which may be due to a component of crystalline silicates. In NGC 5506, the depth of the silicate absorption increases from north to south across the nucleus, suggestive of a dusty structure on scales of tens of parsecs. We discuss the profile of the silicate absorption band towards galaxy nuclei and the relationship between the 9.7-μm silicate and 3.4-μm hydrocarbon absorption bands.     

Characterization of Oscillatory Motions in the Stable Atmosphere of a Deep Valley

In a valley sheltered from strong synoptic effects, the dynamics of the valley atmosphere at night is dominated by katabatic winds. In a stably stratified atmosphere, these winds undergo temporal oscillations, whose frequency is given by $N \sin {\alpha }$ N sin α for an infinitely long slope of constant slope angle $\alpha $ α , $N$ N being the buoyancy frequency. Such an unsteady flow in a stably stratified atmosphere may also generate internal gravity waves (IGWs). The numerical study by Chemel et al. (Meteorol Atmos Phys 203:187–194, 2009) showed that, in the stable atmosphere of a deep valley, the oscillatory motions associated with the IGWs generated by katabatic winds are distinct from those of the katabatic winds. The IGW frequency was found to be independent of $\alpha $ α and about $0.8N$ 0.8 N . Their study did not consider the effects of the background stratification and valley geometry on these results. The present work extends this study by investigating those effects for a wide range of stratifications and slope angles, through numerical simulations for a deep valley. The two oscillatory systems are reproduced in the simulations. The frequency of the oscillations of the katabatic winds is found to be equal to $N$ N times the sine of the maximum slope angle. Remarkably, the IGW frequency is found to also vary as $C_\mathrm{w}N$ C w N , with $C_\mathrm{w}$ C w in the range $0.7$ 0.7 – $0.95$ 0.95 . These values for $C_\mathrm{w}$ C w are similar to those reported for IGWs radiated by any turbulent field with no dominant frequency component. Results suggest that the IGW wavelength is controlled by the valley depth.