An ultimate steady-state pattern of c-axis fabric of quartz in metamorphic tectonites

The c-axis fabrics of quartz grains at the hinge zones of the orthorhombic buckle folds of quartz-rich layers which were collected from the Sambagawa crystalline schists of Shikoku, Japan, have been described and discussed. Especially, attempt to correlate the pattern of the quartz fabric with the strain picture has been made. It has been pointed out that the high concentration of quartz axes on two positions which are symmetrically placed on the plane of the longest principal axis and the shortest principal axis of the strain ellipsoid and at an angle of ca. 30 to the latter axis may be regarded as an ultimate steady-state pattern of preferred orientation of quartz axes developed under non-rotational two dimensional strain.

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Zusammenfassung Untersucht wurden die Quarzachsen-Gefüge in den Scheiteln der orthorhombischen Biegefalten der quarzreichen Lagen aus dem Sambagawa-Schiefer von Shikoku, Japan. Besonders wurde es versucht, die Quarzachsen-Orientierung mit dem Verformungsbild zu vergleichen. Zwei Quarzachsen-Maxima in der Ebene von der lÄngsten Hauptachse und der kürzesten Hauptachse des Verformungsellipsoides, die symmetrisch zur kürzesten Hauptachse im Abstand von etwa 30 liegen, wurden als bevorzugte Endlagenorientierung der Quarzachsen angesprochen, die durch die zweidimensionale Verformung ohne Rotation erzeugt wurden.

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Résumé La fabrique c-axiale des grains de quartz dans les charnières de plis, collectionnés dans les schistes cristallins de Sambagawa prés de Shikoku (Japon) sont décrits et interprétés dans cette étude. Il a été essayé spécialement de comparer le type de la fabrique du quartz au type de la déformation. Enfin il a été prouvé que la forte concentration des axes de quartz en deux lieux fixes des diagrammes, qui sont situés symétriquement aux deux axes principaux (long et petit) de l ellipsoide de déformation et qui forment un angle de 30 avec le petit axe, sont les positions définitives et stables de l'orientation préférée des axes de quartz qui à été produite par une déformation bi-dimensionelle sans rotation.

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Development of new drain method for protection of existing pile foundations from liquefaction effects

Pile foundation as well as other underground structures could be seriously affected by soil liquefaction during strong earthquakes. Damages on pile foundation due to liquefaction can be reduced by implementation of some soil improvement method. Main objective of present study is developing of drain method that can improve the soil in order to mitigate the destructiveness of liquefaction on superstructure supported by pile foundation. Series of shaking table tests were conducted on 2×2 pile foundation and soil model was improved by drains. Configurations of drains around piles, intensity of shaking were one of the parameters that were changing during the tests in order to investigate the response of pile foundation in improved soil condition.Shaking table tests and performed On-site experiment showed the following effects of the new drain method. (1) When the intensity of earthquake motion is 200 gal or less, generation of excess pore water pressure is reduced and the pile bending moment is decreased, (2) when the intensity of earthquake motion is stronger (300 gal or more), drainage effect prevents disappearance of subgrade reaction, and (3) proposed new type of drain can control excess pore water pressure without clogging.     

Ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic records hidden in zircons from amphibolites in Sulu Terrane, eastern China

Abstract The amphibolites occur sporadically as thin layers and blocks throughout the Sulu Terrane, eastern China. All analyzed amphibolite from outcrop and drill cores from prepilot drill hole CCSD‐PP1 and CCSD‐PP2, Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Project in the Sulu Terrane, are retrograded eclogites overprinted by amphibolite‐facies retrograde metamorphism, with characteristic mineral assemblages of amphibole + plagioclase + epidote ± quartz ± biotite ± ilmenite ± titanite. However, coesite and coesite‐bearing ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) mineral assemblages are identified by Raman spectroscopy and electron microprobe analysis as inclusions in zircons separated from these amphibolites. In general, coesite and other UHP mineral inclusions are preserved in the cores and mantles of zircons, whereas quartz inclusions occur in the rims of the same zircons. The UHP mineral assemblages consist mainly of coesite + garnet + omphacite + rutile, coesite + garnet + omphacite, coesite + garnet + omphacite + phengite + rutile + apatite, coesite + omphacite + rutile and coesite + magnesite. Compositions of analyzed mineral inclusions are very similar to those of matrix minerals from Sulu eclogites. These UHP mineral inclusion assemblages yield temperatures of 631–780°C and pressures of ≥2.8 × 10³ MPa, representing the P–T conditions of peak metamorphism of these rocks, which are consistent with those (T = 642–726°C; P ≥ 2.8 × 10³ MPa) deduced from adjacent eclogites. These data indicate that the amphibolites are the retrogressive products of UHP eclogites.     

A Point-process Analysis of the Matsushiro Earthquake Swarm Sequence: The Effect of Water on Earthquake Occurrence

Temporal characteristics of the famous Matsushiro earthquake swarm were investigated quantitatively using point-process analysis. Analysis of the earthquake occurrence rate revealed not only the precise and interesting process of the swarm, but also the relation between pore water pressure and the strength of the epidemic effect, and the modified Omori-type temporal decay of earthquake activity. The occurrence rate function (t) for this swarm is represented well aswhere f(t) represents the contribution of the swarm driver, which was the erupting water from the deep in this case, and the second term represents an epidemic effect of the modified Omori type. Based on changes in the form of f(t), this two-year long swarm was divided into six periods and one short transitional epoch. The form of f(t) in each period revealed the detail of the water erupting process. In the final stage, f (t) decayed according to the modified Omori-formula form, while it decayed exponentially in the brief respite of the water eruption in the fourth period. When an exponential decay of swarm activity is observed, we have to be cautious of a sudden restart of the violent activity. The epidemic effect is stronger when the pressure of the pore water is higher. Even when the pressure is not high, the p value in the epidemic effect is small, when there is plenty of pore water. However, the epidemic effect produced about a quarter of the earthquakes even though there was not much pore water in the rocks.     

CALCIUM-ALUMINIUM-RICH CHONDRULES IN THE UNEQUILIBRATED ORDINARY CHONDRITES

Calcium-aluminium-rich chondrules were found in L-3 (ALH-77015) and LL-3 (ALH-77278) chondrites. They consist of spinel, olivine, fassaite and glassy groundmass enriched in anorthite component. The bulk chemical compositions of the two chondrules are nearly the same and resemble those of the calcium-aluminium-rich inclusions in the carbonaceous chondrites, but the former is more enriched in MgO and SiO₂ and depleted in Al₂O₃ and CaO. The calcium-aluminium-rich chondrules would have been primarily early condensates which existed at the place where the chondrules were formed, and heated up to 1400 °C or higher to have melted and cooled at the rate similar to those for other chondrules, or the products of intensive heating followed by reaction with gas.     

Deformation fabrics of the Cima di Gagnone peridotite massif, Central Alps, Switzerland: evidence of deformation at low temperatures in the presence of water

We report a new observation of the olivine B-type lattice-preferred orientation (LPO), from the garnet peridotite at Cima di Gagnone, Switzerland. The olivine B-type fabric forms at low temperatures and/or high stress in the presence of water, and is of particular interest because it may be used to explain the trench-parallel shear-wave splitting that is often observed at subduction zones. In conjunction with the olivine B-type fabric, we have found strong orthopyroxene LPO that is identical to those formed under water-free conditions. This suggests that water may not have a significant effect on orthopyroxene fabric. From the olivine microstructure, we determine that a stress of 22 ± 8 MPa was applied during the deformation event that formed the olivine LPO. Using an olivine flow-law, and assuming geological strain-rates, we determine the temperature of deformation to be 800 ± 175°C. This does not preclude an ultra-deep origin for the ultramafic rocks at Cima di Gagnone, but indicates that much of the deformation recorded in the microstructure occurred at modest temperatures.Communicated by T.L. Grove     

Mechanism and future risk of slope instability induced by extreme rainfall event in Izu Oshima Island,Japan

Natural Hazards - A volcanic slope in Izu Oshima Island in Japan experienced a profound rain-induced disaster in October 2013. Since this slope had been stable for centuries except for minor...     

Early warning system using tilt sensors in Chibo,Kalimpong, Darjeeling Himalayas,India

The National Flash Flood Prevention Project, which mainly consists of non-structural and supplementary structural measures, has been conducted for 6 years in China. Some preliminary achievements have contributed to the prevention of flash flood in China. Based on the latest information, this article introduces China’s flash flood prevention system, primarily from the perspective of its development process, components, investment, and characteristics. To date, the system has incorporated many distinguished large-scale features such as the largest rain gauge network (approximately 0.5 million stations) in the world, massive disaster observation and preparedness networks, people-and-expert combined monitoring and forecasting data integration system, and a vast implementation area. Based on its early achievements and some typical case investigations of such flash flood prevention system, the article also discusses China’s prospects for preventing flash flood disasters in the future.     

Correlation of predicted seismic response using hybrid modelling with EPRI/TPC lotung experimental data

The hybrid modelling method is presented herein along with the equivalent linearization method to take account of the strain-dependent non-linearity of soils in a soil-structure interaction (SSI) seismic analysis. A refined substructuring of the soil-structure system is utilized and two separate analyses are made to determine the soil free-field and SSI motions induced by earthquake excitation. This method is used to predict the seismic response of a 1/4-scale containment model built in the seismically active area of Lotung, Taiwan. The results obtained show excellent correlation with the field test results.     

Mineral inclusions in zircons of para- and orthogneiss from pre-pilot drillhole CCSD-PP1, Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Project

The pre-pilot drillhole CCSD-PP1, Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling Project (CCSD), with depth of 432 m, is located in the Donghai area in the southwestern Sulu terrane. The core samples are mainly comprised of paragneiss, orthogneiss and ultramafic rock with minor intercalated layers of eclogite and phengite-bearing kyanite quartzite. All analyzed paragneiss and orthogneiss samples were overprinted on amphibolite facies retrograde metamorphism. Coesite and coesite-bearing ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) mineral assemblages were identified by Raman spectroscopy and electron microprobe analysis as inclusions in zircons separated from paragneiss, eclogite and phengite-bearing kyanite quartzite samples. In the paragneiss samples, UHP mineral inclusion assemblages mainly consist of Coe+Omp+Grt+Phe, Coe+Jd+Phe+Ap preserved in the mantles (M) and rims (R) of zircons. These UHP mineral inclusion assemblages yield temperatures of 814–852 °C and pressures of ≥28 kbar, presenting the P–T condition of UHP peak metamorphism of these country rocks. According to the mineral inclusions and cathodoluminescence images of zircons, the orthogneisses can be divided into two types: UHP (OG1) and non-UHP (OG2). In OG1 orthogneisses, low-pressure mineral inclusion assemblage, mainly consisting of Qtz+Phe+Ab+Ksp+Ap, were identified in zircon cores (C), while coesite or coesite-bearing UHP mineral inclusions were identified in the mantles (M) and rims (R) of the same zircons. These features suggest that the OG1 orthogneisses, together with the paragneisses, phengite-bearing kyanite quartzite and eclogite experienced widespread UHP metamorphism in the Sulu terrane. However, in the zircons of OG2 orthogneiss samples, no UHP mineral inclusions were found. Inclusions mainly comprised Qtz+Phe+Ap and were identified in cores (C), mantles (M) and rims (R) of OG2 zircons; the cathdoluminescence images of all analyzed zircons showed clear zonings from cores to rims. These features indicate that the OG2 orthogneisses in pre-pilot drillhole CCSD-PP1 did not experience UHP metamorphism. Therefore, we should not rule out the possibility that some orthogneisses in Sulu terrane might represent relatively low-pressure granitic intrusives emplaced after the UHP event.