Computational modeling of cyclic mobility and post-liquefaction site response

Under seismic excitation, liquefied clean medium to dense cohesionless soils may regain a high level of shear resistance at large shear strain excursions. This pattern of response, known as a form of cyclic mobility, has been documented by a large body of laboratory sample tests and centrifuge experiments. A plasticity-based constitutive model is developed with emphasis on simulating the cyclic mobility response mechanism and associated pattern of shear strain accumulation. This constitutive model is incorporated into a two-phase (solid–fluid), fully coupled finite element code. Calibration of the constitutive model is described, based on a unique set of laboratory triaxial tests (monotonic and cyclic) and dynamic centrifuge experiments. In this experimental series, Nevada sand at a relative density of about 40% is employed. The calibration effort focused on reproducing the salient characteristics of dynamic site response as dictated by the cyclic mobility mechanism. Finally, using the calibrated model, a numerical simulation is conducted to highlight the effect of excitation frequency content on post-liquefaction ground deformations.     

洞室数字正射影像展示图的生成

针对常规洞室研究成果缺少直观性和形象性的缺陷，综合了数字摄影测量技术和图像处理技术，把洞室的原始影像通过一系列数字处理，生成了数字正射影像展示图，加强了对洞室的自动化研究。     

富集培养条件下湖泊和沿海海域水体硫酸盐还原菌的耐氧性特征

硫酸盐还原菌（sulfate-reducing bacteria，SRB） 是一类兼性厌氧菌，在湖泊和海洋有机物矿化过程和生物源性黄铁矿 的生成过程中都扮演着重要角色。环境溶解氧浓度对硫酸盐还原过程影响较大，硫酸盐还原菌在水体中的耐氧性是目前的研 究热点。文章采集了象山港和水口水库不同溶解氧水平下的水样，并在相应的溶解氧梯度下进行富集培养，以探讨不同溶解 氧浓度下硫酸盐还原菌的耐氧性特征及硫代谢相关菌的组成。结果显示，在富集培养条件下湖泊和沿海海域中Desulfovibrio （脱硫弧菌属） 和Desulfomicrobium （脱硫微菌属） 为主要硫酸盐还原细菌，而Shewanella （希瓦氏菌属） 和Sulfurospirillum （硫小螺体属） 为其硫代谢相关菌。Desulfovibrio的相对丰度与溶解氧水平密切相关，随溶解氧浓度的减少，其相对丰度增加。 SRB 的耐氧上限为6.68 mg/L，明显高于以往纯培养或共培养的耐氧上限值。作者推测这不仅与其高氧环境的适应策略有关， 还可能得益于共存菌的贡献，后者可能通过消耗环境中的氧为Desulfovibrio提供生态位，提高其耐氧水平。     

Recent significant tornadoes in China

正1.Introduction Compared with the United States,whose annual number of tornadoes can exceed 1000,the average number of tornadoes per year in China over the past half a century is estimated to be fewer than 100(Fan and Yu,2015),even though both countries are located in a similar latitudinal zone of the Northern Hemisphere.The annual average recorded number of F1(Fujita scale)or EF1(enhanced Fujita scale)intensity or higher tornadoes in China between 1961 and 2010 is about     

琼东南盆地深水区新近系海底扇沉积特征与资源潜力

综合利用钻井、岩心、薄片及分析化验资料研究了琼东南盆地深水区新近系海底扇沉积特征,并利用最新的三维地震资料,通过井震精细标定、多属性融合技术、方差体切片、三维地貌砂体镂空等综合技术手段,精细刻画了海底扇砂体的空间分布特征。研究结果表明,深水区新近系海底扇是由陆架区的砂体滑塌并二次搬运形成,形成过程具有多期次性。受不同物源的影响,海底扇岩性和物性存在较大的差异。海底扇岩性及沉积构造具有砂质滑塌、碎屑流、浊流和深水底流改造的特征。海底扇的沉积微相、厚度、砂泥比和砂泥岩空间配置关系直接控制了地震振幅反射强度和频率的变化。砂体纵向叠置,横向连片,并被后期泥质水道切割分块形成多个岩性圈闭。综合分析认为,深水区海底扇砂体发育区烃源条件优越,储盖配置关系和圈闭条件良好,具备形成大中型岩性油气藏的有利条件,具有较大的油气勘探潜力。     

A new landslide-induced tsunami simulation model and its application to the 1792 Unzen-Mayuyama landslide-and-tsunami disaster

By combining landslide dynamics research and tsunami research, we present an integrated series of numerical models quantitatively simulating the complete evolution of a landslide-induced tsunami. The integrated model simulating the landslide initiation and motion uses measured landslide dynamic parameters from a high-stress undrained dynamic-loading ring shear apparatus. It provides the numerical data of a landslide mass entering and moving under water to the tsunami simulation model as the trigger of tsunami. The series of landslide and tsunami simulation models were applied to the 1792 Unzen-Mayuyama megaslide and the ensuing tsunami disaster, which is the largest landslide disaster, the largest volcanic disaster, and the largest landslide-induced tsunami disaster to have occurred in Japan. Both the 1792 megaslide and the tsunami portions of the disaster are well documented, making this an excellent test of the reliability and precision of the new simulation model. The simulated tsunami heights at the coasts well match the historical tsunami heights recorded by “Tsunami-Dome-Ishi” (a stone showing the tsunami reaching point) and memorial stone pillars.     

Investigation of gas content of organic-rich shale:A case study from Lower Permian shale in southern North China Basin,central China

Measuring gas content is an essential step in estimating the commerciality of gas reserves. In this study,eight shale core samples from the Mouye-1 well were measured using a homemade patented gas desorption apparatus to determine their gas contents. Due to the air contamination that is introduced into the desorption canister, a mathematical method was devised to correct the gas quantity and quality.Compared to the chemical compositions of desorbed gas, the chemical compositions of residual gas are somewhat different. In residual gas, carbon dioxide and nitrogen record a slight increase, and propane is first observed. This phenomenon may be related to the exposure time during the transportation of shale samples from the drilling site to the laboratory, as well as the differences in the mass, size and adsorptivity of different gas molecules. In addition to a series of conventional methods, including the USBM direct method and the Amoco Curve Fit(ACF) method, which were used here for lost gas content estimation, a Modified Curve Fit(MCF) method, based on the 'bidisperse' diffusion model, was established to estimate lost gas content. By fitting the ACF and MCF models to gas desorption data, we determined that the MCF method could reasonably describe the gas desorption data over the entire time period, whereas the ACF method failed. The failure of the ACF method to describe the gas desorption process may be related to its restrictive assumption of a single pore size within shale samples. In comparison to the indirect method, this study demonstrates that none of the three methods studied in this investigation(USBM, ACF and MCF) could individually estimate the lost gas contents of all shale samples and that the proportion of free gas relative to total gas has a significant effect on the estimation accuracy of the selected method. When the ratio of free gas to total gas is lower than 45%, the USBM method is the best for estimating the lost gas content, whereas when the ratio ranges from 45% to 75% or is more than 75%, the ACF and MCF methods, are the best options respectively.     

The dominant driving force for supercontinent breakup: Plume push or subduction retreat?

Understanding the dominant force responsible for supercontinent breakup is crucial for establishing Earth's geodynamic evolution that includes supercontinent cycles and plate tectonics. Conventionally,two forces have been considered: the push by mantle plumes from the sub-continental mantle which is called the active force for breakup, and the dragging force from oceanic subduction retreat which is called the passive force for breakup. However, the relative importance of these two forces is unclear. Here we model the supercontinent breakup coupled with global mantle convection in order to address this question. Our global model features a spherical harmonic degree-2 structure, which includes a major subduction girdle and two large upwelling(superplume) systems. Based on this global mantle structure,we examine the distribution of extensional stress applied to the supercontinent by both subsupercontinent mantle upwellings and subduction retreat at the supercontinent peripheral. Our results show that:(1) at the center half of the supercontinent, plume push stress is ～3 times larger than the stress induced by subduction retreat;(2) an average hot anomaly of no higher than 50 K beneath the supercontinent can produce a push force strong enough to cause the initialization of supercontinent breakup;(3) the extensional stress induced by subduction retreat concentrates on a ～600 km wide zone on the boundary of the supercontinent, but has far less impact to the interior of the supercontinent. We therefore conclude that although circum-supercontinent subduction retreat assists supercontinent breakup, sub-supercontinent mantle upwelling is the essential force.