Specimen-apparatus interaction during stick-slip in a tri axial compression machine: A decoupled two-degree-of-freedom model

The stick-slip of frictional sliding depends not only on material properties but also on the elastic and inertial properties of the loading system. To compare data from different testing machines or to apply them to the problem of natural seismogenic faulting, one must account for the differences in stiffness and mass. We develop a simple mechanical model to describe the stick-slip oscillation during frictional sliding in a triaxial-compression machine. The experimental system, the loading frame and rock specimen with precut sliding surface, is divided into two subsystems across this surface. The model is based upon two key assumptions: the kinetic friction is constant regardless of the relative motion of the subsystems, and the elastic restoring force is uniform throughout each subsystem. The first assumption leads to the decoupling of the subsystems, and the behavior of each becomes mathematically analogous to that of a simple spring/mass/slider-block model, owing to the second assumption. The theory agrees well with the experimental data from the dynamic measurements of stick-slip. The displacement-time function is of cosine form, the rise time of stick-slip is constant, and the relation between force drop and average displacement rate is linear. From this model we argue that the differences in the frictional behavior of experimental fault-gouges may indeed be ascribed to differences in the material properties of their specimens because the elastic and inertial properties of a particular testing machine are little influenced by the specimen itself, so long as all specimens are of about the same size. However, interlaboratory correlations may well be invalid unless machine effects are properly accounted for.     

泰国北部Inthanon带外来硅质岩块的中、晚二叠世放射虫：对与古特提斯消减有关的混杂岩形成时代的约束

The Inthanon Zone of Northern Thailand, origi-nally proposed by Barr and Macdonald (1991), is characterized by the occurrence of Paleo-Tethyan pe-lagic sediments including Carboniferous–Permian seamount-type carbonate associated with oceanic ba-saltic rocks and Middle Devonian–Middle Triassic radiolarian chert (Ueno, 1999; Ueno and Hisada, 2001; Ueno and Charoentitirat, 2011). These pelagic rocks have been mainly studied from the viewpoint of bio-stratigraphy to clarify the duration of their deposition. These studies concluded the Paleo-Tethys to be a vast ocean basin once existed between the Indochina and Sibumasu continental blocks during Devo-nian–Triassic times.     

Measuring the k–S–p relations on DNAPLs migration

Migration characteristics of dense non-aqueous phase liquids (DNAPLs) in the subsurface can be expressed as a water–DNAPL two-phase system based on mainly the k–S–p relations, which describe the relations among relative permeability (k), degree of water saturation (S), and capillary pressure head (p). The aims of this research are to develop an experimental system with new type of probes, such as the electrical conductivity probe for measuring the degree of water saturation and the hydrophilic and hydrophobic tensiometer for measuring the pore water and DNAPL pressures, and also to estimate the results obtained from the developed experimental system. From these tests, the excellent k–S–p relations were obtained and the efficiency and validity of this developed experimental system have been confirmed in terms of the concept of the scaling coefficient calculated by interfacial tensions.     

泰国北部三叠系Lampang群Doi Long组的有孔虫组合与沉积环境

A rich foraminiferal assemblage, consisting of abundant Aulotortus sinuosus and A. tumidus in association with Lamelliconus multispirus, Endoteba ex gr. controversa, E. ex gr. badouxi, Endotebanella kocaeliensis, Endotriada tyrrhenica, Endotriadella wirzi, Malayspirina fontainei, Ammobaculites rhaeticus, Diplotremina astrofimbriata, Agathammina austroalpina, and others, was found in the Doi Long Formation of the Triassic Lampang Group, Northern Thailand. These foraminifers suggest that the formation is referable to the Carnian (early Late Triassic), which is consistent with the age estimated by ammonoids. In microfacies, peloidal grainstone, bioclastic grainstone, sponge-microbial boundstone, and oolitic grainstone were recognized in the Doi Long Formation. Based on microfacies, three depositional facies, the lagoon facies, reef facies, and shoal facies, are recognized in this formation. These lines of evidence are suggestive that the Doi Long Formation was deposited in a reef or bank setting rather than a ramp setting.     

Excess228Th in the airborne dust: an indicator of continental dust from the East Asian deserts

Thorium isotopes in the airborne dust collected at Tsukuba Science City in Japan from January 1981 to December 1982 show clear seasonal variations. Especially²²⁸Th in the airborne particles have a typical maximum cincentration between February and April, which is about an order of magnitude higher than during the remainder of the year. According to the result of size distribution of thorium isotope-bearing particles in the air, about 53% of²²⁸Th is associated with the particles less than 1.6 μm aerodynamic diameter. These results reveal that²²⁸Th in the airborne particles is present in fine soily matters originating from the East Asian deserts.     

Opening and closing process of the Paleo-Tethys in Northern Thailand

The Paleo-Tethys formed a large ocean basin that existed between Laurasia and Gondwana during Late Paleozoic to Early Mesozoic times. It opened in the Early Devonian by the rifting of Gondwanaland and closed at around latest Triassic time by the collision of the Cimmerian continent to Laurasia (Metcalfe, 1999). We reconstructed opening and closing process of the Paleo-Tethys in Northern Thailand.     

Locomotor activity rhythm in the Japanese eel Anguilla japonica elvers

Under artificial LD cycles(6,12,18 L),the elvers of Japanese eel,Anguilla japonica,showed a 24 h cycle of locomotor activity rhythm being most active at light transitions:the eels' activity rose to a primary peak after lights-off,followed by a quiescent period during which they buried into the shelters or lying motionlessly on sand for most of the time,and then reached a secondary peak before lights-on.Elvers could resynchronize their activity rhythm with a new photo cycle within 4 d.Moreover,their activity level at dark phase significantly increased as the light period was prolonged:higher activity levels during shorter dark period.However,the elvers did not display clearly the existence of a circadian rhythm under constant light or dark conditions.The timing of daily activity rhythm evidenced in the Japanese eels may occur through the action of the LD cycles with a weak participation of an endogenous circadian system.In all the LD cycles,over 99% of the activity occurred in the dark phase,indicating that the eels were always nocturnally active no matter what time of day it might be.Under 12 L conditions,the eels' activity level and the time outside sand were significantly elevated both at light and dark phases as temperature increased from 10~15 to 20~25 ℃.The activity rhythm pattern(i.e.,two peaks occurring around light transitions) did not apparently change among temperatures.However,in contrast with the primary activity peaks immediately after lights-off at 20 and 25 ℃,the timing of the primary peaks at 10 and 15 ℃ showed a latency of a few hours following lights-off,indicating the inhibiting effect of low temperature on the eels' activity.     

Possibility of recent changes in vertical distribution and size composition of chlorophyll-a in the western North Pacific region

Our analysis of the last three decades of retrospective data of vertical distributions and size composition of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) over the western North Pacific has revealed significant changes of three indices related to Chl-a during summer season, as follows: (1) decreasing linear trend of the proportion of Chl-a in surface layer to that of the whole water column by 0.4 and 2.3% year⁻¹ in the subtropical area along 137°E (STA₁₃₇) during 1972 to 1997 and in the Kuroshio Extension area along 175°E (KEA₁₇₅) during 1990 to 2001; (2) increasing linear trend of the depth of subsurface Chl-a maximum (DCM) by 0.4 and 2.6 m year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅; and (3) decreasing linear trend of larger-size Chl-a (>3 μm) by 0.1 and 2.5% year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅, respectively. Water density (σ _θ ) at 75 m depth had also decreased by 0.006 and 0.05 year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅, respectively. The ratio of biogenic opal to biogenic CaCO₃ in the sinking flux decreased by 0.015 year⁻¹ in the subtropical region from 1997 to 2005. These findings may indicate that the subsurface chlorophyll maximum is deepening and larger phytoplankton such as diatoms has been decreasing during the past decade, associated with the decreasing density of surface water caused by warming in the western North Pacific, especially in the summer.     

High-velocity frictional behavior of Longmenshan fault gouge from Hongkou outcrop and its implications for dynamic weakening of fault during the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake

High-velocity friction experiments were conducted on clayey fault gouge collected from Hongkou outcrop of Beichuan fault,located at the southwestern part of Longmenshan fault system that caused the disastrous 2008 Wenchuan earthquake.The ultimate purpose of this study is to reproduce this earthquake by modeling based on measured frictional properties.Dry gouge of about 1 mm in thickness was deformed dry at slip rates of 0.01 to 1.3 m/s and at normal stresses of 0.61 to 3.04 MPa,using a rotary-shear high-...