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.     

Applications of Engineering Seismology for Site Characterization

We determined the seismic model of the soil column within a residential project site in Istanbul, Turkey. Specifically, we conducted a refraction seismic survey at 20 locations using a receiver spread with 484.5-Hz vertical geophones at 2-m intervals. We applied nonlinear tomography to first-arrival times to estimate the P-wave velocity-depth profiles and performed Rayleigh-wave inversion to estimate the S-wave velocity-depth profiles down to a depth of 30 m at each of the locations. We then combined the seismic velocities with the geotechnical borehole information regarding the lithology of the soil column and determined the site-specific geotechnical earthquake engineering parameters for the site. Specifically, we computed the maximum soil amplification ratio, maximum surface-bedrock acceleration ratio, depth interval of significant acceleration, maximum soil-rock response ratio, and design spectrum periods TA-TB. We conducted reflection seismic surveys along five line traverses with lengths between 150 and 300 m and delineated landslide failure surfaces within the site. We recorded shot gathers at 2-m intervals along each of the seismic line traverses using a receiver spread with 4 840-Hz vertical geophones at 2-m intervals. We applied nonlinear tomograpby to first-arrival times to estimate a P-wave velocity-depth model and analyzed the reflected waves to obtain a seismic image of the deep near-surface along each of the line traverses.     

加强区域数字地震台网建设推进数字地震学的应用研究

简要回顾了数字地震学诞生以来所取得的科学成果。结合我国地震观测系统大规模数字化改造的实践,着重阐述了区域数字化地震台网的观测优势,以及在台网建设目标、观测资料的充分利用和高素质人才培养方面存在的劣势和不足。还提出了对关于区域数字地震台网建设和发展过程中的指导思想、“软件”和“硬件”的关系、基础和应用研究与地震预报的关系、数字地震学的发展与高素质人才培养的关系等等问题的思考和建议。     

地震活动性预测并划分未来地震发生的潜在区域方法研究

采用网格地震方法,选取面积百分比(33%),确定圈闭区域的半径,统计后期地震发生在圈闭区域内的概率。在我国4个不同构造环境和地震活动水平的地区,分别统计了后期地震发生在圈闭区域内的概率。结果表明,4个地区后期地震发生在圈闭区域的概率远远大于面积百分比。说明未来地震是高度地聚集在过去地震发生的区域内,采用地震活动性预测并划分未来地震发生的潜在区域的方法是可行的。     

The reflection seismic survey of project TIPTEQ—the inventory of the Chilean subduction zone at 38.2° S

We describe results of an active-source seismology experiment across the Chilean subduction zone at 38.2°S. The seismic sections clearly show the subducted Nazca plate with varying reflectivity. Below the coast the plate interface occurs at 25 km depth as the sharp lower boundary of a 2–5 km thick, highly reflective region, which we interpret as the subduction channel, that is, a zone of subducted material with a velocity gradient with respect to the upper and lower plate. Further downdip along the seismogenic coupling zone the reflectivity decreases in the area of the presumed 1960 Valdivia hypocentre. The plate interface itself can be traced further down to depths of 50–60 km below the Central Valley. We observe strong reflectivity at the plate interface as well as in the continental mantle wedge. The sections also show a segmented forearc crust in the overriding South American plate. Major features in the accretionary wedge, such as the Lanalhue fault zone, can be identified. At the eastern end of the profile a bright west-dipping reflector lies perpendicular to the plate interface and may be linked to the volcanic arc.