Small variation of annual temperature in deep tunnel can produce annual variation in tilt and strain

In this paper,finite element method (FEM) of axisymmetric linear elastic model has been used to calculate the tilt and strain induced by small annual temperature variations in a deep tunnel. The results show that even if the am-plitude of the annual variation meets the construction standard of seismic station issued by China Earthquake Ad-ministration (the annual temperature variation amplitude in the tunnel is no more than 0.5 °C),a small annual tem-perature variation of amplitude just 0.2 °C in the tunnel would produce 10?7 rad changes in tilt and 10?7 changes in strain. Especially,at the end and the corner of the tunnel,changes of tilt and strain can be even larger. Therefore,in the future,it is an important task to reduce the annual temperature variation in the tunnel as far as possible. Within the tunnel,for both baseline instrument and pendulum instrument,the modeling suggests ways of construction of the tunnel and installation of the instrument to decrease the influence of the annual temperature variation.     

An Efficient System for Creating Synthetic InSAR Images from Simulations

In this work we visualize tsunami and earthquake simulation results with graphics hardware acceleration. The rapid improvement in the computational power of graphics hardware and its programmability has made general computation on Graphics Processing Units (GPUs) very compelling. We generate Synthetic InSAR images using GPUs. Interference phenomena have formed the underlying theory for Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) in unveiling dynamical Earth movements. In our approach light path differences are defined by the surface values to be visualized. These path differences then modulate the lighting intensity to generate the interference patterns. We can interactively visualize surface deformation patterns by leveraging the computational power of GPUs. Our visualization method is applied to simulations of rupture fault displacements during the tsunamogenic earthquake events, which are vital to understanding the subsequent wave propagation. We also integrate the visualization results into Google Earth virtual globe to provide the geological context of the visualized regions.     

First record of contourites from Lower Devonian Liptrap Formation in southeast Australia

Typical contourite deposits associated with submarine turbidite fan deposits are recognized for the first time from the Lower Devonian Liptrap Formation at Cape Liatrap, Victoria in southeast Australia. The contourites are well integrated within the turbidite fan deposits and are characterized by thin (5-8 cm), lenticular, well-sorted coarse-grained siltstones to fine-grained sandstones with current-ripples and cross beddings. The palaeocurrent directions of the turbidite fan and contourites are perpendicular to each other, with the former directed generally westward while the latter varying from 165° to 190° southward. In view of the facies types and architecture, we suggest that the turbidite fan was developed at the base of a westward inclined palaeo-slope, at the front of which the contourites were deposited as a result of southward flowing deep-sea contour (geostrophic) currents. The depositional setting inter- preted for the Liptrap Formation thus may provide a provisional model for the Lower Devonian conti- nental slope and abyssal basin environment in the southeastern part of the Melbourne Trough.     

Stretching characteristics and its dynamic significance of the northern continental margin of South China Sea

To investigate the thinning of the whole crust, and the contribution of the upper versus lower crust to the stretching since Cenozoic, we calculated the stretching factor of the northern margin of South China Sea with data such as whole crustal thickness, depth of Cenozoic sedimentary basement and the horizontal displacement of faults. An isometric line drawing on whole crustal stretching factor is then obtained. Along the seismic Line 1530 in Baiyun sag, we also calculated the stretching factors of the upper and lower crust. The results suggest that the whole crustal thickness decreases seaward while the whole crustal stretching factor increases from shelf to slope. The Moho upwells highest beneath where the crust is thinned most. The value of the whole crustal stretching factor ranges from 1.5 to 6. Two areas were thinned intensely: the center of Yinggehai Basin, and the Baiyun sag in the Pearl River Mouth Basin. The calculation of the upper and lower crustal stretching factors from DSP1530 in Baiyun sag shows that the original crust of Baiyun sag should be thinned before deformation. Its pre-Cenozoic evolution as well as tectonic position during Cenozoic might be responsible for that.     

Dynamic simulation of interactions between major earthquakes on the Xianshuihe fault zone

The authors firstly evaluate the strain accumulation rate of the Xianshuihe fault zone based on earth- quake activity. We calculated the stress and seismic moment accumulation rate for each subsection of the Xianshuihe fault zone based on the distribution of geological slip rate and GPS survey results. According to the results, we get the recurrence intervals of characterized earthquakes on each sub- section respectively. A three-dimensional finite element model for western Sichuan is constructed to discuss the earthquakes triggering among major earthquakes (M>6.7) that occurred along the Xianshuihe fault zone since 1893. The calculated Coulomb failure stress changes (ΔCFS) show that 5 of the 6 earthquakes with Ms>6.7 were triggered by positive ΔCFS. The interactions between major earthquakes not only influence recurrence intervals of characterized earthquakes on each subsection, but also change recurrence behavior of major earthquakes along the whole fault zone.     

Constraints on rupture speed of the 2001 <Emphasis Type="Italic">M</Emphasis><Subscript>S</Subscript> 8.1 West Kunlun Mountain Pass earthquake by co-seismic surface rupture slip displacements based on the slip-weakening mechanism with frictional undershoot involved

With co-seismic surface rupture slip displacements provided by the field observation for the 2001 M_S8.1 West Kunlun Mountain Pass earthquake, this paper estimates the rupture speed on the main faulting segment with a long straight fault trace on the surface based on a simple slip-weakening rupture model, in which the frictional overshoot or undershoot are involved in consideration of energy partition during the earthquake faulting. In contrast to the study of Bouchon and Vallée, in which the rupture propagation along the main fault could exceed the local shear-wave speed, perhaps reach the P-wave speed on a certain section of fault, our results show that, under a slip-weakening assumption combined with a frictional undershoot (partial stress drop model), average rupture speed should be equal to or less than the Rayleigh wave speed with a high seismic radiation efficiency, which is consistent with the result derived by waveform inversion and the result estimated from source stress field. Associated with the surface rupture mechanism, such as partial stress drop (frictional undershoot) associated with the apparent stress, an alternative rupture mechanism based on the slip-weakening model has also been discussed.     

经验格林函数法与随机有限断层法在合成近场强地震动中的联合运用

本文采取将经验格林函数法与随机有限断层法相结合的方式,突出体现了各自方法的优点,通过经验格林函数法确定地震震源参数,用随机有限断层法计算参数、检验其合理性。利用1998年新疆阿图什M6．9级地震的肘L4．7级余震记录,合成了这次地震的最大余震Ms6．0级地震的加速度记录,并将合成的结果与实际记录在频域和时域做了对比,分析研究了地震动特征和这次最大余震的可能破裂特征。同时对经验格林函数法需进一步改进的方向进行了探讨。     

几种海洋蓝藻生长条件的研究

对Ｓｙｎｅｃｈｏｃｏｃｃｕｓ ｂａｃｉｌｌａｒｉｓ，Ｏｓｃｉｌｌａｔｏｒｉａ ｌｕｄ，Ｓｃｈｉｚｏｔｈｒｉｘ ｃａｌｃｉｃｏｌａ，Ｓｐｉｒｕｌｉｎａ ｐｌａｔｅｎｓｉｓ等４各海洋蓝藻的生长条件的研究表明，除Ｓ．ｐｌａｔｅｎｓｉｓ外，其他３种蓝藻在“ｆ／２”培养基中生长良好，外源生长因子对生长有不同程度的促进作用。Ｓ．ｂａｃｉｌｌａｒｉｓ适应较高光强，其温度和ｐＨ最适范围较窄，Ｓ．ｃａｌｃｉｃｏｌａ     

东亚夏季风的年际变化及其对环流和降水的影响

Using NCEP/NCAR reanalysis geopotential height (GHT) and wind at 850 hPa, GHT at 500 hPa, precipitation rate, sea level pressure (SLP) and precipitation observations from more than 600 stations nationwide in June–August from 1951 to 2006, and focusing on the East Asia-West Pacific region (10°–80°N, 70°–180°E), interannual variation of East Asian summer monsoon (EASM) and its correlations with general circulation and precipitation patterns are studied by using statistical diagnostic methods such as 9-point high pass filtering, empirical orthogonal function (EOF) analysis, composite analysis and other statistical diagnosis, etc. It is concluded as follows: (1) EOF analysis of SLP in the East Asia-West Pacific region shows the existence of the zonal dipole oscillation mode (APD) between the Mongolia depression and the West Pacific high, and APD index can be used as an intensity index of EASM. (2) EOF analysis of GHT anomalies at 500 hPa in the East Asia-West Pacific region shows that the first EOF mode is characterized with an obvious meridional East Asian pattern (EAP), and EAP index can also be used as an EASM intensity index. (3) The composite analysis of high/low APD index years reveals the close correlation of APD index with EAP at 500 hPa (or 850 hPa). The study shows an obvious opposite correlation exists between APD index and EAP index with a correlation coefficient of −0.23, which passes the confidence test at 0.10 level. (4) Both APD and EAP indexes are closely correlated with precipitation during flood-prone season in China and precipitation rate over the East Asia-West Pacific region. The significant correlation area at 5% confidence level is mainly located from the southern area of the Yangtze River valley to the ocean around southern Japan, and the former is a positive correlation and the latter is a negative one. Foundation: Cooperative Project funded by the Ministry of Science and Technology of the People’s Republic of China, No.2007DFB20210; National Natural Science Foundation of China, No.90502003; JICA China-Japan Technical Cooperative Project “China-Japanese Cooperative Research Center on Meteorological Disasters”. Author: Yu Shuqiu, Associate Professor, specialized in climate and climate change.