A study on 3-D velocity structure of crust and upper mantle in Sichuan -Yunnan region, China

Many evidences indicate that the collision of two plates deformed strongly the crust of the SYR, and the deformation has been continued up to the present. In addition, the SYR is in the south segment of the South-North Seismic Zone of China, which is one of the regions in the Chinese mainland, where the seismic activity is very high, and the strong earthquakes frequently occurred. Since the 1970s, a series of large earthquakes with magnitude M>7.0 occurred in SYR, such as the 1970 Tongha…     

A study on 3-D velocity structure of crust and upper mantle in Sichuan-Yunan region, China

Based on the first arrival P and S data of 4 625 regional earthquakes recorded at 174 stations dispersed in the Yunnan and Sichuan Provinces, the 3-D velocity structure of crust and upper mantle in the region is determined, incorporating with previous deep geophysical data. In the upper crust, a positive anomaly velocity zone exists in the Sichuan basin, whereas a negative anomaly velocity zone exists in the western Sichuan plateau. The boundary between the positive and negative anomaly zones is the Longmenshan fault zone. The images of lower crust and upper mantle in the Longmenshan fault, Xianshuihe fault, Honghe fault and others show the characteristic of tectonic boundary, indicating that the faults likely penetrate the Moho discontinuity. The negative velocity anomalies at the depth of 50 km in the Tengchong volcanic area and the Panxi tectonic zone appear to be associated with the temperature and composition variations in the upper mantle. The overall features of the crustal and the upper mantle structures in the Sichuan-Yunnan region are the lower average velocity in both crust and uppermost mantle, the large crustal thickness variations, and the existence of high conductivity layer in the crust or/and upper mantle, and higher geothermal value. All these features are closely related to the collision between the India and the Asia plates. The crustal velocity in the Sichuan-Yunnan rhombic block generally shows normal value or positive anomaly, while the negative anomaly exists in the area along the large strike-slip faults as the block boundary. It is conducive to the crustal block side-pressing out along the faults. In the major seismic zones, the seismicity is relative to the negative anomaly velocity. Most strong earthquakes occurred in the upper-mid crust with positive anomaly or normal velocity, where the negative anomaly zone generally exists below. Foundation item: National Scientific and Technological Development Program (95-973-02-02), the Climb Program (95-S-05-01) of National Scientific and Technological Ministry of China, and the State Natural Sciences Foundation of China (49874021). Contribution No. 02FE2004, Institute of Geophysics, China Seismological Bureau.     

Seismic measurements of the internal properties of fault zones

The internal properties within and adjacent to fault zones are reviewed, principally on the basis of laboratory, borehole, and seismic refraction and reflection data. The deformation of rocks by faulting ranges from intragrain microcracking to severe alteration. Saturated microcracked and mildly fractured rocks do not exhibit a significant reduction in velocity, but, from borehole measurements, densely fractured rocks do show significantly reduced velocities, the amount of reduction generally proportional to the fracture density. Highly fractured rock and thick fault gouge along the creeping portion of the San Andreas fault are evidenced by a pronounced seismic low-velocity zone (LVZ), which is either very thin or absent along locked portions of the fault. Thus there is a correlation between fault slip behavior and seismic velocity structure within the fault zone; high pore pressure within the pronounced LVZ may be conductive to fault creep. Deep seismic reflection data indicate that crustal faults sometimes extend through the entire crust. Models of these data and geologic evidence are consistent with a composition of deep faults consisting of highly foliated, seismically anisotropic mylonites.     

Crustal structure of mainland China from deep seismic sounding data

Since 1958, about ninety seismic refraction/wide angle reflection profiles, with a cumulative length of more than sixty thousand kilometers, have been completed in mainland China. We summarize the results in the form of (1) a new contour map of crustal thickness, (2) fourteen representative crustal seismic velocity–depth columns for various tectonic units, and, (3) a Pn velocity map. We found a north–south-trending belt with a strong lateral gradient in crustal thickness in central China. This belt divides China into an eastern region, with a crustal thickness of 30–45 km, and a western region, with a thickness of 45–75 km. The crust in these two regions has experienced different evolutionary processes, and currently lies within distinct tectonic stress fields. Our compilation finds that there is a high-velocity (7.1–7.4 km/s) layer in the lower crust of the stable Tarim basin and Ordos plateau. However, in young orogenic belts, including parts of eastern China, the Tianshan and the Tibetan plateau, this layer is often absent. One exception is southern Tibet, where the presence of a high-velocity layer is related to the northward injection of the cold Indian plate. This high-velocity layer is absent in northern Tibet. In orogenic belts, there usually is a low-velocity layer (LVL) in the crust, but in stable regions this layer seldom exists. The Pn velocities in eastern China generally range from 7.9 to 8.1 km/s and tend to be isotropic. Pn velocities in western China are more variable, ranging from 7.7 to 8.2 km/s, and may display azimuthal anisotropy.     

Wind and water: Environmental learning in early colonial New Zealand

Abstract:  In the 19th century, pamphlets and handbooks written for intending settlers often depicted New Zealand as environmentally benign. Upon arrival, however, the newcomers experienced episodes of stormy weather and flooding. They also found greater variations across the country, between the seasons, and from year to year, than they had been led to expect. Primarily by experience, but in part guided by Māori informants, rural people learned to recognize the signs of impending storms and flooding in lowland rivers. They also came to appreciate the less predictable features of eastern South Island weather systems, and found ways to reduce their economic and environmental impact.     

An Exploration of Future Patterns of the Contributions to OpenStreetMap and Development of a Contribution Index

OpenStreetMap (OSM) represents one of the most well‐known examples of a collaborative mapping project. Major research efforts have so far dealt with data quality analysis but the modality of OSM's evolution across space and time has barely been noted. This study aims to analyze spatio‐temporal patterns of contributions in OSM by proposing a contribution index (CI) in order to investigate the dynamism of OSM. The CI is based on a per cell analysis of the node quantity, interactivity, semantics, and attractivity (the ability to attract contributors). Additionally this research explores whether OSM has been constantly attracting new users and contributions or if OSM has experienced a decline in its ability to attract continued contributions. Using the Stuttgart region of Germany as a case study the empirical findings of the CI over time confirm that since 2007, OSM has been constantly attracting new users, who create new features, edit the existing spatial objects, and enrich them with attributes. This rate has been dramatically growing since 2011. The utilization of a Cellular Automata‐Markov (CA‐Markov) model provides evidence that by the end of 2016 and 2020, the rise of CI will spread out over the study area and only a few cells without OSM features will remain.     

Analysis of surface waves from the light weight deflectometer

The combination of high strain modulus from conventional light weight deflectometer (LWD) analysis and low strain modulus from LWD-induced seismic analysis would move the pavement community towards field characterization of non-linear soil stiffness for use in mechanistic-empirical pavement design. This paper explores the experimental and numerical analysis of surface seismic waves during conventional light weight deflectometer testing. Field experiments were conducted on clay, silt and gravel soils to characterize the nature of LWD-induced surface waves and to determine both low and high strain moduli. The usable high frequency limit was found to be 300 Hz for LWD-induced surface waves, enabling the low strain modulus characterization of the top 0.3–0.5-m-thick soil layer. A numerical investigation revealed that modal interference is a significant contributor to near field effects, and that a distance of one wavelength between the LWD center and receiver array center is required to minimize these effects. The LWD-induced surface wave strain levels at a 1 m offset from the LWD were found to be on the order of 10⁻² to 10⁻³% compared to the 10⁻³ to 10⁻⁴% strain levels associated with conventional small hammer-induced surface waves. The measured low and high strain modulus compares well with published modulus reduction functions.     

Mangrove (Avicennia marina subsp. australasica) litter production and decomposition in a temperate estuary

Mangrove forests can provide important cross-boundary subsidies of organic matter to adjacent habitats through the production, export, decomposition and assimilation of litter. We quantified two of these components in a temperate mangrove forest in Whangamata Harbour, New Zealand: 1) litter production; and 2) decomposition rates as a function of tidal elevation, sediment type and burial depth. Litter traps sampled monthly for a year measured an annual detrital input of 3.24–5.38 t DW ha^?1, of which 77% occurred in summer. Decomposition rates depended on litter type, with leaves decomposing faster (63 d to decay by 50%) than pneumatophore and wood material (316 and 460 d, respectively). Buried leaf and wood litter decomposed 1.3–1.4 times slower than litter on the sediment surface; however, tidal elevation and sediment type (mud vs. sand) had no effect. The slow decay of litter (an order of magnitude slower than tropical mangrove litter) suggests that its incorporation into temperate marine food webs may be relatively slow.     

Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus): a review of life history and key vulnerabilities in New Zealand

Snapper (Chrysophrys auratus) is an important coastal fish species in New Zealand for a variety of reasons, but the large amount of research conducted on snapper has not been reviewed. Here, we review life history information and potential threats for snapper in New Zealand. We present information on snapper life history, defining stages (eggs and larvae, juvenile and adult), and assess potential threats and knowledge gaps. Overall we identify six key points: 1. post-settlement snapper are highly associated with certain estuarine habitats that are under threat from land-based stressors. This may serve as a bottleneck for snapper populations; 2. the largest knowledge gaps relate to the eggs and larvae. Additional knowledge may help to anticipate the effects of climate change, which will likely have the greatest influence on these early life stages; 3. ocean acidification, from land-based sources and from climate change, may be an important threat to larval snapper; 4. a greater understanding of population connectivity would improve certainty around the sustainability of fishery exploitation; 5. the collateral effects of fishing are likely to be relevant to fishery productivity, ecosystem integrity and enduser value; 6. our understanding of the interrelationships between snapper and other ecosystem components is still deficient.     

Watershed Export Events and Ecosystem Responses in the Mission–Aransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, South Texas

While inputs from land are recognized as important resources supporting production in estuaries, the role that storm events play in resource delivery and the response of estuarine systems to pulsed inputs are less well appreciated. Temporal variations in (1) watershed export via the Mission and Aransas rivers and (2) nutrient and organic matter dynamics in Copano Bay were examined in the Mission?CAransas National Estuarine Research Reserve, south Texas. Inorganic nutrient, dissolved organic matter (DOM), and particulate organic matter (POM) concentrations in the rivers varied substantially with discharge, as did carbon and nitrogen stable isotope ratios of POM. Accounting for these variations was critical for calculating robust watershed export estimates. In Copano Bay, soluble reactive phosphorus, POM, and DOM remained elevated for several months following major runoff events, whereas inorganic nitrogen was rapidly depleted. Chlorophyll-a concentrations and POC-??¹³C in Copano Bay showed that increased POM concentrations were linked to enhanced in situ production.