Flexural subsidence by 29 Ma on the NE edge of Tibet from the magnetostratigraphy of Linxia Basin, China

This study provides a detailed magnetostratigraphic record of subsidence in the Linxia Basin, documenting a 27 Myr long sedimentary record from the northeastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau. Deposition in the Linxia Basin began at 29 Ma and continued nearly uninterruptedly until 1.7 Ma. Increasing rates of subsidence between 29 and 6 Ma in the Linxia Basin suggest deposition in the foredeep portion of a flexural basin and constrain the timing of shortening in the northeastern margin of the plateau to Late Oligocene–Late Miocene time. By Late Miocene–Early Pliocene time, a decrease in subsidence rates in the Linxia Basin associated with thrust faulting and a 10° clockwise rotation in the basin indicates that the deformation front of the Tibetan plateau had propagated into the currently deforming region northeast of the plateau.     

Scaling effects on modeled surface energy-balance components using the NOAH-OSU land surface model

As surface exchange processes are highly non-linear and heterogeneous in space and time, it is important to know the appropriate scale for the reasonable prediction of these exchange processes. For example, the explicit representation of surface variability has been vital in predicting mesoscale weather events such as late-afternoon thunderstorms initiated by latent heat exchanges in mid-latitude regions of the continental United States. This study was undertaken to examine the effects of different spatial scales of input data on modeled fluxes, so as to better understand the resolution needed for accurate modeling. A statistical procedure was followed to select two cells from the Southern Great Plains 1997 hydrology experiment region, each 20 km×20 km, representing the most homogeneous and the most heterogeneous surface conditions (based on soil and vegetation) within the study region. The NOAH-OSU (Oregon State University) Land Surface Model (LSM) was employed to estimate surface energy fluxes. Three scales of study (200 m, 2 and 20 km) were considered in order to investigate the impacts of the aggregation of input data, especially soil and vegetation inputs, on the model output. Model results of net radiation and latent, sensible and ground heat fluxes were compared for the three scales. For the heterogeneous area, the model output at the 20-km resolution showed some differences when compared with the 200-m and 2-km resolutions. This was more pronounced in latent heat (12% decrease), sensible heat (22% increase), and ground heat flux (44% increase) estimation than in net radiation. The scaling effects were much less for the relatively homogeneous land area with 5% increase in sensible heat and 4% decrease in ground heat flux estimation. All of the model outputs for the 2- and 20-km resolutions were in close agreement. The results suggested that, for this study region, soils and vegetation input resolution of about 2 km should be chosen for realistic modeling of surface exchange processes. This resolution was sufficient to capture the effects of sub-grid scale heterogeneity, while avoiding the data and computational difficulties associated with higher spatial resolutions.     

Extracting flow structures from tracer data

A method of visualizing structures in closed chaotic flows out of homogenous particle distributions is presented in the example of models of a meandering jet. To this end, the system will be leaked or opened up by defining a region of the flow, so that a particle is considered to be escaped if it leaves this region. By applying this method to an ensemble of nonescaped tracers, we are able to characterize mixing processes by visualizing the converging and stretching filamentations (stable and unstable manifolds) in the flow without using additional mathematical tools. The possibility of applying the algorithm to analyze buoy data, and a comparison with the finite time manifolds are discussed.     

Crustal structure beneath the Songpan—Garze orogenic belt

The Benzilan-Tangke deepseismic sounding profile in the western Sichuan region passes through the Song-pan-Garze orogenic belt with trend of NNE.Based on the travel times and the related amplitudes of phases in the record sections,the 2-D P-wave crustal structure was ascertained in this paper.The velocity structure has quite strong lateral variation along the profile.The crust is divided into 5layers,where the first,second and third layer belong to the upper crust,the forth and fifth layer belong to the lower crust.The low velocity anomaly zone gener-ally exists in the central part of the upper crust on the profile,and it integrates into the overlying low velocity basement in the area to the north of Ma‘erkang.The crustal structure in the section can be divided into 4parts:in the south of Garze-litang fault,between Garze-Litang fault and Xianshuihe fault,between Xianshuihe fault and Longriba fault and in the north of Longriba fault,which are basically coincided with the regional tectonics division.The crustal thickness decreases from southwest to northeast along the profile,that is ,from62km in the region of the Jinshajiang River to 52km in the region of the Yellow River.The Moho discontinuity does not obviously change across the Xianshuihe fault basesd on the PmP phase analysis.The crustal average velocity along the profile is lower,about 6.30 km/s.The Benzilan-Tangke profile reveals that the crust in the study area is orogenic.The Xianshuihe fault belt is located in the central part of the profile,and the velocity is positive anomaly on the upper crust,and negative anomaly on the lower crust and upper mantle.It is considered as a deep tectonhic setting in favor of strong earthquake‘s accumulation and occurrence.     

Effect of asymmetry and irregularity of seismic waves on earthquake-induced differential settlement of buildings on natural subsoil

The effect of asymmetry and irregularity of the inputted seismic waves on the earthquake-induced differential settlement of the buildings on natural subsoil is investigated in terms of the earthquake damage phenomena, theoretical analyses, dynamic triaxial tests and shaking table tests. A conclusion can be drawn from the investigation results that, the asymmetrical and irregular character of the inputted seismic waves themselves may have a significant contribution to the differential settlement of subsoil and buildings in some cases, and this is a necessary factor to be considered in reasonable evaluation for the differential settlement and other problems relating to the soil deformation due to earthquakes.     

An Mw based earthquake Catalogue for central, northern and northwestern Europe using a hierarchy of magnitude conversions

Data from 25 local catalogues and 30special studies of earthquakes in central,northern and northwestern Europe have beenincorporated into a Databank. The dataprocessing includes discriminating eventtypes, eliminating fake events and dupletsand converting different magnitudes andintensities to M_w if this is not givenby the original source. The magnitudeconversion is a key task of the study andimplies establishment of regressionequations where no local relations exist.The Catalogue contains tectonic events fromthe Databank within the area44°N–72°N,25°W–32°E and the time period1300–1993. The lower magnitude level forthe Catalogue entries is setat M_w == 3.50. The area covered by thedifferent catalogues are associated withpolygons. Within each polygon only datafrom one or a small number of the localcatalogues, supplemented by data fromspecial studies, enter the Catalogue. Ifthere are two or more such catalogues orstudies providing a solution for an event,a priority algorithm selects one entry forthe Catalogue. Then M_w is calculatedfrom one of the magnitude types, or frommacroseismic data, given by the selectedentry according to another priority scheme.The origin time, location, M_w magnitude and reference are specified for eachentry of the Catalogue. So is theepicentral intensity, I₀, if providedby the original source. Following thesecriteria, a total of about 5,000earthquakes constitute the Catalogue.Although originally derived for the purposeof seismic hazard calculation within GSHAP,the Catalogue provides a data base for manytypes of seismicity and seismic hazardstudies.     

Regional Stress Field and Seismic Dynamics Along the Border Zone Between Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi Provinces

The regional stress field and seismic dynamics along the border zone between Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi Provinces are studied based on the seismo-geological data, GPS measurement, and seismicity. The results show that: (1) the principal compressional stress of the stress field is oriented in NW-SE direction and the principal extensional stress is in NE-SW direction; (2) the WNW-ward compression and collision of the Philippine Sea Plate to the eastern coast of Taiwan Island are the most direct and most important dynamic source for preparation and occurrence of strong earthquakes in the Taiwan area and along the border zone between Fujian, Guangdong and Jiangxi Provinces.     

青藏铁路抛石路基的温度特性研究

铁路道渣和片石铺层的对流换热为多孔介质的热传导问题，根据多孔介质中流体热对流的连续性方程、动量方程和能量方程，应用伽辽金法导出了多孔介质对流换热的有限元公式，并对抛石路基和传统道渣路基在未来25a创温度变化进行了预报分析和比较．计算结果表明，在150cm的抛石厚度，片石直径为10cm，年温度较差30℃的倩况下，在路基中心线y＝一5m处，抛石路基下的冻土温度要比传统路基的温度低2．45℃，抛石路基有对其下面的冻土提供冷能的制冷作用，可以保证冻土路基的稳定．因此，推荐该种路基作为青藏铁路高温冻土区的路基结构，可以最大限度地保护冻土区的铁路．     

古果属(Archae fructus)研究进展及其时代的讨论

迄今最早的被子植物—古果属(Archaefructus)，包括“辽宁古果”和“中华古果”，以其对折状心皮在轴上螺旋状排列、雄蕊成对状着生、具单沟状花粉等特征。显示了它们在早期被子植物中的原始性。古果属茎枝细弱、叶子细而深裂、叶柄基部多膨突等特征。反映了该属的水生革本特征。根据对其生殖器官及营养器官等特征研究，推测该属很可能源于现已灭绝的、古老的种子蕨类。结合对其伴生的植物化石及相关地质、地理背景等综合分析，认为古果属及叉县组下部的时代为晚侏罗世，而并非早白垩世。