Grain size and transport characteristics of non-uniform sand in aeolian saltation

Size frequency distributions of sediment particles in a wind tunnel containing a bed of non-uniform sand are investigated by re-interpreting existing experimental data using particle-size analysis. Each particle sample is classified into one of eight groups according to its size grading. The analysis reveals that the modal shape of the particle-size frequency distributions of the saltating sand at different elevations or longitudinal distances is similar to that of the mixed sand in the bed once the boundary layer is fully developed. The standard deviation of the grain-size frequency distribution increases with increasing elevation above the bed then stays constant, whereas its skewness decreases. The mean grain size decays exponentially with elevation. The aeolian sand mass flux is determined for each size grading at different vertical and horizontal measurement locations. The vertical profile of aeolian horizontal mass flux depends on the size grading. The distribution of the sand transport rate according to the mean grain size in each grading fits the normal distribution. A parameter w_i is defined to reflect the likelihood of saltation for sand particles of the i-th size grading, and the mean sand size corresponding to the maximum value of w_i is found to be 0.2 mm. In addition, wind velocity strongly influences the magnitudes of the particle-size distribution and the sand mass flux distribution in both vertical and longitudinal directions.     

Seismic amplitude tomography for crustal attenuation beneath China

Amplitude tomography reconstructs seismic attenuation directly from recorded wave amplitudes. We have applied the tomography to amplitude data reported in the 'Annual Bulletin of Chinese Earthquakes' and interpreted the regionally varying crustal attenuation in terms of tectonics. The seismic amplitudes were originally recorded for determining the M _L and M _S magnitudes. They generally correspond to the maximum amplitudes of the horizontal components of the short-period S waves and intermediate-period Rayleigh waves. Both sets of measurements are sensitive to crustal structure. The peak amplitudes from M _L amplitudes spread spherically with significant dispersion and scattering. M _S amplitudes show cylindrical spreading with little dispersion. Average crustal Q values for attenuation at 1 Hz are 737 and 505 for M _L and M _S, respectively, with substantial regional variations. Frequency dependence in the attenuation is also indicated. Regions with the lowest attenuation (high Q values) are beneath the south China Block, Sichuan Basin, Ordos Platform, the Daxinganling and the Korea Craton. These tend to be tectonically inactive regions, which are generally dominated by intrusive and cratonic rocks in the upper crust. Regions with the highest attenuation (low Q values) are beneath Bohai Basin, Yunnan, eastern Songpan-Ganzi Terrain, margins of the Ordos platform and the Qilian Shan. These are predominantly active basins, grabens and fold belts. The continental margin also highly attenuates both S and surface waves.     

安徽北淮阳构造变形带特征与应力状态研究

在分析安徽北淮阳构造变形带变形特征和活断层作用的基础上,利用该区现代中小地震资料,采用近震直达P波、S波垂直向最大振幅比方法、震源机制的系统聚类和统计分析法,反演部分地震震源机制,并分析现代中小地震活动特征及应力场状态。结果表明,北淮阳构造变形带上主要断层现今处于活动状态;现代中小地震震源总体较浅,在2次6级地震震中附近形成小震密集区,可能反映了震源区介质相对破碎。震源机制的系统聚类和统计分析结果显示,该区断层以走滑或斜滑型破裂为主,但存在倾滑的逆断层;区内应力作用方向以水平为主,也存在部分垂向力作用;主压应力P轴的优势分布为近EW向,其中既有华北应力场,也有华南应力场作用;有少量近NS向应力场作用存在。反映该区处于应力场过渡区,因此将其作为华北、南华地块区的边界是合理的。     

龙门山周边地区地震波速度结构的有限频率反演

2008年5月12日发生的汶川地震研究中有一系列亟待解决的问题。震源所在的龙门山地区位于中国大陆东、西部构造和地貌的分界线上,西部为青藏高原的东缘,莫霍面深度约为60km;东部为四川盆地,莫霍面深度约为45km。     

汶川地震北川县城建筑物震害分析

汶川地震中,原北川县城位于地震烈度达到Ⅺ度的极震区内,建筑物几乎破坏殆尽。为了对建筑物震害机制开展相应的研究,防灾科技学院科考小组于2008年8月中旬前往北川县城及周边区域开展了现场科学调查。调查和分析结果表明,多种致灾机制共同作用于北川县城造成建筑破坏极为严重,建筑物震害指数基本上都在0.8以上,根据震害机制不同可以将县城区域划分为多个区域,不同区域内起主导作用的建筑物震害机制之间存在差异,典型建筑物充分地体现了不同震害机制的特点。     

华北地区第四活动期两次地震活动过程的相似性研究

着重分析研究华北地区第四活动期以来M_S≥5.0地震时空分布特征。结果表明,该地区第四活动期从1820年至1976年期间,地震活动出现了前后两次基本相似的强弱起伏活动过程,分别历时69年和66年。前后两个活动过程不但时序结构类似,进程一致,且空间演化格局相似,都是先从华北地区的中南部开始,再迁移至东北部辽东半岛及附近海域,最终在华北地区北部集中出现一系列强震活动,而完成整个活动过程。进一步分析表明,前后两活动过程的第一阶段6级以上强震,在空间分布上除南黄海地区外,基本上互不重复。这一现象的发现,有助于该地区今后地震活动主体区域的分析判断。     

Stationary phase approximation in the ambient noise method revisited

The method of extracting Green's function between stations from cross correlation has proven to be effective theoretically and experimentally.It has been widely applied to surface wave tomography of the crust and upmost mantle.However,there are still controversies about why this method works.Snieder employed stationary phase approximation in evaluating contribution to cross correlation function from scatterers in the whole space,and concluded that it is the constructive interference of waves emitted by the scatterers near the receiver line that leads to the emergence of Green's function.His derivation demonstrates that cross correlation function is just the convolution of noise power spectrum and the Green's function.However,his derivation ignores influence from the two stationary points at infinities,therefore it may fail when attenuation is absent.In order to obtain accurate noise-correlation function due to scatters over the whole space,we compute the total contribution with numerical integration in polar coordinates.Our numerical computation of cross correlation function indicates that the incomplete stationary phase approximation introduces remarkable errors to the cross correlation function,in both amplitude and phase,when the frequency is low with reasonable quality factor Q.Our results argue that the distance between stations has to be beyond several wavelengths in order to reduce the influence of this inaccuracy on the applications of ambient noise method,and only the station pairs whose distances are above several (5) wavelengths can be used.     

Inertia gravity wave activity in the troposphere and lower stratosphere observed by Wuhan MST radar

The troposphere and lower stratosphere (TLS) is a region with active atmospheric fluctuations. The Wuhan Mesosphere-Stratosphere-Troposphere (MST) radar is the first MST radar to have become operational in Mainland China. It is dedicated to real-time atmospheric observations. In this paper, two case studies about inertia gravity waves (IGWs) derived from three-dimensional wind field data collected with the Wuhan MST radar are presented. The intrinsic frequencies, vertical wavelengths, horizontal wavelengths, vertical wavenumber spectra, and energy density are calculated and analyzed. In this paper, we also report on multiple waves existing in the lower stratosphere observed by the Wuhan MST radar. Lomb-Scargle spectral analysis and the hodograph method were used to derive the vertical wavenumber and propagation direction. Meanwhile, an identical IGW is observed by Wuhan MST radar both in troposphere and lower stratosphere regions. Combining the observations, the source of the latter IGW detected in the TLS would be the jet streams located in the tropopause region, which also produced wind shear above and below the tropopause.