Using computational intelligence techniques to model subglacial water systems

Measurements of water pressure beneath Trapridge Glacier, Yukon Territory, Canada show that the basal water system is highly heterogeneous. Three types of behaviour were recorded: pressure records which are strongly correlated, records which are strongly anticorrelated, and records which alternate between strong correlation and strong anticorrelation. We take the pressure in bore-holes that are connected to the evacuation route for basal water as the forcing, and the other pressures as the response to this forcing. Previous work (Murray and Clarke 1995) has shown that these relationships can be modelled using low-order nonlinear differential equations optimized by inversion. However, despite optimizing the model parameters we cannot be sure that the final model forms are themselves optimal. Computational intelligence techniques provide alternative methods for fitting models and are robust to missing or noisy data, applicable to non-smooth models, and attempt to derive optimal model forms as well as optimal model parameters. Four computational intelligence techniques have been used and the results compared with the more conventional mathematical model. These methods were genetic programming, artificial neural networks, fuzzy logic and self-organizing maps. We compare each technique and offer an evaluation of their suitability for modelling the pressure data. The evaluation criteria are threefold: (1) goodness of fit and an ability to predict subsequent data under different surface weather conditions; (2) interpretability, and the extent and significance of any new insights offered into the physics of the glacier; (3) computation time. The results suggest that the suitability of the computational intelligence techniques to model these data increases with the complexity of the system to be modelled.     

A wavelet method for detecting S‐waves in seismic data

Seismic signals consist of several typically short energy bursts, called phases, exhibiting several patterns in terms of dominant frequency, amplitude and polarisation. We present a fast algorithm to detect the so‐called S‐phase in a three‐component seismic signal. This new approach combines traditional S‐phase detection methods and the discrete wavelet transform. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

地震的应变张量观测与应用前景

地震发生时的动态应变场,在研究地震触发、地震破裂、地面破坏、水文和岩浆变化等方面都具有重要应用意义.地震的应变张量观测和现有的惯性地震仪观测的物理量不同.前者可以直接记录到地震发生时震源辐射的应变(应力)波,而后者记录到的是位移、速度或加速度.地震频率的应变测量在地震学中的应用前景主要表现在:①测量震源机制解理论预言的辐射4象限分布;②测量库仑应力变化;③换算成动态应力以评估地震烈度;④测量地震波的能量密度;⑤测量地震断层形变加速和形变局部化过程.用惯性地震仪的记录虽然在理论上也可以解算出动态应变值,然而种种原因导致计算结果的误差很大,往往不可接受.应变张量地震仪若能与现有的惯性地震仪配套起来,形成大规模台阵,则有可能推动应变地震学的诞生,在地震观测和地震学科领域引起重大革新.     

关于地震科学实验场的一些思考——地下云图

由中国地震局和美国国家科学基金委、地质调查局合作建立的地震预报研究实验场为中国早期地震工作的发展起到了良好的推动作用。由于种种客观原因,地震预报实验场的多数预想目标未能达成,发展受到了阻碍。最近几年,实验场重新受到重视,并更名为"地震科学实验场"。结合目前地震学发展的前沿和防震减灾事业的实际需求,本文提出增加"地下云图"作为实验场的新方向。利用高重复性、环境友好、安全性高的气枪震源,持续激发地震信号,实现对地下介质速度变化的连续监测;结合背景噪声成像获得的高分辨率3维地壳结构,构建4维(三维空间+一维时间)地下结构成像。"地下云图"可以反映地下速度和应力变化,为全国范围的地震监测预测提供新的业务手段,推动地震预测从经验预测到物理预测的转换。     

Some Thoughts on the Earthquake Science Experimental Site——The Underground Cloud Map

The Western Yunnan Earthquake Predication Test Site set up jointly by the China Earthquake Administration, the National Science Foundation Commission of America, and United States Geological Survey has played an important role in development of early earthquake research work in China. Due to various objective reasons, most of the predicted targets in the earthquake prediction test site have not been achieved, and the development has been hindered. In recent years, the experiment site has been reconsidered, and renamed the “Earthquake Science Experimental Site”. Combined with the current development of seismology and the practical needs of disaster prevention and mitigation, we propose adding the “Underground Cloud Map” as the new direction of the experimental site. Using highly repeatable, environmentally friendly and safe airgun sources, we could send constant seismic signals, which realizes continuous monitoring of subsurface velocity changes. Utilizing the high-resolution 3-D crustal structure from ambient noise tomography, we could obtain 4-D (3-D space + 1-D time) images of subsurface structures, which we termed the “Underground Cloud Map”. The “Underground Cloud Map” can reflect underground velocity and stress changes, providing new means for the earthquake monitoring forecast nationwide, which promotes the conversion of experience-based earthquake prediction to physics-based prediction.     

Experimental and numerical study on vortex-induced motions of a deep-draft semi-submersible

An experimental study on vortex-induced motions (VIM) of a deep-draft semi-submersible (DDS) was carried out in a towing tank, with the aim to investigate the VIM effects on the overall hydrodynamics of the structure. In order to study the fluid physics associated with VIM of the DDS, a comprehensive numerical simulation was conducted to examine the characteristics of vortex shedding processes and their interactions due to multiple cylindrical columns. The experimental measurements were obtained for horizontal plane motions including transverse, in-line and yaw motions as well as drag and lift forces on the structure. Spectral analysis was further carried out based on the recorded force time history. These data were subsequently used to validate the numerical model. Detailed numerical results on the vortex flow characteristics revealed that during the “lock-in”, the vortex shedding processes of the upstream columns enhance the vortex shedding processes of the downstream columns leading to the rapid increase of the magnitude of VIM. In addition to the experimental measurements, for the two uniform flow incidences (0° and 45°) investigated, comprehensive numerical data of the parametric study on the VIM characteristics at a wide range of current strength will also serve as quality benchmarks for future study and provide guidance for practical design.     

Predicting the effect of biofouling on ship resistance using CFD

This paper proposes a Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) based unsteady RANS model which enables the prediction of the effect of marine coatings and biofouling on ship resistance and presents CFD simulations of the roughness effects on the resistance and effective power of the full-scale 3D KRISO Container Ship (KCS) hull.Initially, a roughness function model representing a typical coating and different fouling conditions was developed by using the roughness functions given in the literature. This model then was employed in the wall-function of the CFD software and the effects of a typical as applied coating and different fouling conditions on the frictional resistance of flat plates representing the KCS were predicted for a design speed of 24 knots and a slow steaming speed of 19 knots using the proposed CFD model. The roughness effects of such conditions on the resistance components and effective power of the full-scale 3D KCS model were then predicted at the same speeds. The resulting frictional resistance values of the present study were then compared with each other and with results obtained using the similarity law analysis. The increase in the effective power of the full-scale KCS hull was predicted to be 18.1% for a deteriorated coating or light slime whereas that due to heavy slime was predicted to be 38% at a ship speed of 24 knots. In addition, it was observed that the wave resistance and wave systems are significantly affected by the hull roughness and hence viscosity.     

《地震工程与工程振动》的办刊理念及质量控制

总结《地震工程与工程振动》32年来的办刊经验,分析期刊服务范畴,围绕期刊办刊理念定位。阐述了提高期刊质量的具体方法,要掌握学科前沿的发展,提高论文的时效性,保证文章创新,把好学术质量关,对科研特色人才群体进行追踪,积极组织约稿等,为学术交流搭建快捷、高效的平台。     

Spectral-element simulations of elastic wave propagation in exploration and geotechnical applications

We apply the spectral-element method (SEM), a high-order finite-element method (FEM) to simulate seismic wave propagation in complex media for exploration and geotechnical problems. The SEM accurately treats geometrical complexities through its flexible FEM mesh and accurately interpolates wavefields through high-order Lagrange polynomials. It has been a numerical solver used extensively in earthquake seismology. We demonstrate the applicability of SEM for selected 2D exploration and geotechnical velocity models with an open-source SEM software package SPECFEM2D. The first scenario involves a marine survey for a salt dome with the presence of major internal discontinuities, and the second example simulates seismic wave propagation for an open-pit mine with complex surface topography. Wavefield snapshots, synthetic seismograms, and peak particle velocity maps are presented to illustrate the promising use of SEM for industrial problems.