2009年7月15日新西兰南岛西海岸近海地震破裂过程快速反演

用地震破裂过程快速反演方法,在2009年7月15日新西兰南岛西海岸近海地震发生后,采用全球地震台网（GSN）的宽频带地震资料,快速反演了这次地震的破裂过程,并于震后4小时内得出了这次地震破裂过程的反演结果．结果表明,这次新西兰南岛西海岸近海地震的破裂过程具有如下基本特征:① 矩震级约为MW7.8;② 地震主要破裂持续时间约为40s;③ 滑动量在断层面上的分布比较简单,整个地震破裂只包含一个滑动量较大的区域;④ 这次地震基本上是一次单侧破裂事件,破裂主要朝向西南方向．      

国外新构造研究进展述评

过去10多年间,新构造学的研究前沿集中在地表过程和地壳过程相互作用的理论模型和实际观察方面。文中从造山带构造、地表侵蚀过程和气候的相互作用,大陆裂谷带中裂谷段的相互作用,横向水系和夷平面等4个方面介绍了国外的最新研究进展并给予评述。作者认为:在地球动力学模型中包括了地表过程是认识造山带和裂开边缘发育的明显进步;横向水系和夷平面成因的地貌学经典概念依然具有生命力     

Source process of very-long-period events accompanying long-period signals at Cotopaxi Volcano,Ecuador

Renewed seismic activity of Cotopaxi, Ecuador, began in January 2001 with the increased number of long-period (LP) events, followed by a swarm of volcano-tectonic (VT) earthquakes in November 2001. In late June 2002, the activity of very-long-period (VLP) (2 s) events accompanying LP (0.5–1 s) signals began beneath the volcano. The VLP waveform was characterized by an impulsive signature, which was accompanied by the LP signal showing non-harmonic oscillations. We observed temporal changes of both the VLP and LP signals from the beginning until September 2003: The VLP signal gradually disappeared and the LP signal characterized by decaying harmonic oscillations became dominant. Assuming possible source geometries, we applied a waveform inversion method to the observed waveforms of the largest VLP event. Our inversion and particle motion analyses point to volumetric changes of a sub-vertical crack as the VLP source, which is located at a depth of 2–3 km beneath the northeastern flank. The spectral analysis of the decaying harmonic oscillations of LP events shows frequencies between 2.0 and 3.5 Hz, with quality factors significantly above 100. The increased VT activity and deformation data suggest an intrusion of magma beneath the volcano. A release of gases with small magma particles may have repetitively occurred due to the pressurization, which was caused by sustained bubble growth at the magma ceiling. The released particle-laden gases opened a crack above the magma system and triggered the resonance of the crack. We interpret the VLP and LP events as the gas-release process and the resonance of the crack, respectively.     

A stochastic ground motion model with separable temporal and spectral nonstationarities

A fully nonstationary stochastic model for strong earthquake ground motion is developed. The model employs filtering of a discretized white‐noise process. Nonstationarity is achieved by modulating the intensity and varying the filter properties in time. The formulation has the important advantage of separating the temporal and spectral nonstationary characteristics of the process, thereby allowing flexibility and ease in modeling and parameter estimation. The model is fitted to target ground motions by matching a set of statistical characteristics, including the mean‐square intensity, the cumulative mean number of zero‐level up‐crossings and a measure of the bandwidth, all expressed as functions of time. Post‐processing by a second filter assures zero residual velocity and displacement, and improves the match to response spectral ordinates for long periods. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Parametric study of ductile moment‐resisting steel frames: A first step towards Eurocode 8 calibration

A parametric study of 13 608 ductile moment‐resisting steel frames designed according to Eurocodes 3 and 8 is performed. A flowchart for the evaluation of the seismic‐resistant capacity of the designed frames is developed based on the N2 method. The design structural overstrength, ductility supply, plastic redistribution parameter, supply reduction factor and performance ratio of the frames are analysed. We determine that the frames have performance ratios higher than 1, mostly due to high values of design structural overstrength, showing that the seismic supply produced by the restraints of Eurocodes 3 and 8 is always higher than the seismic demand. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seasonal closures as a measure of trawling effort control in two Mediterranean trawling grounds: effects on epibenthic communities

Within the framework of ecosystem-based management, we focused on the use of seasonal closures as effective measures to minimise the degradation of benthic communities by trawling. These closures imply the complete cessation of trawling fleet activity and are commonly used in the Mediterranean to reduce the annual fishing effort, with the ultimate goal of effective resource management. In this study, we aimed to investigate how epibenthic communities respond to seasonal closures. The potential benefits of short-term annual closures in two Mediterranean fishing grounds were evaluated by analysing changes in community structure and composition that were linked to the closure. A decrease of faunal abundance was observed with the resumption of fishing activity after the closure at both fishing grounds. Remarkably, results indicated that some large and mobile fauna were able to respond to these closures. We concluded that the currently planned closures are too short to benefit benthic communities.     

The behavior of specific sediment yield in different grain size fractions in the tributaries of the middle Yellow River as influenced by eolian and fluvial processes

Based on data from 35 stations on the tributaries of the Yellow River, annual specific sediment yield (Y_s) in eight grain size fractions has been related to basin‐averaged annual sand–dust storm days (D_ss) and annual precipitation (P_m) to reveal the influence of eolian and fluvial processes on specific sediment yield in different grain size fractions. The results show that Y_s in fine grain size fractions has the highest values in the areas dominated by the coupled wind–water process. From these areas to those dominated by the eolian process or to those dominated by the fluvial process, Y_s tends to decrease. For relatively coarse grain size fractions, Y_s has monotonic variation, i.e. with the increase in D_ss or the decrease in P_m, Y_s increases. This indicates that the sediment producing behavior for fine sediments is different from that for relatively coarse sediments. The results all show that Y_s for relatively coarse sediments depends on the eolian process more than on the fluvial process, and the coarser the sediment fractions the stronger the dependence of the Y_s on the eolian process. The Y_s–D_ss and Y_s–P_m curves for fine grain size fractions show some peaks and the fitted straight lines for Y_s–D_ss and Y_s–P_m relationships for relatively coarse grain size fractions show some breaks. Almost all these break points may be regarded as thresholds. These thresholds are all located in the areas dominated by the coupled wind–water process, indicating that these areas are sensitive for erosion and sediment production, to which more attention should be given for the purpose of erosion and sediment control. A number of regression equations were established, based which the effect of rainfall, sand–dust storms and surface material grain size on specific sediment yield can be assessed. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

2004年苏门答腊大地震激发的T-波

T-波是由海底地震或者海陆边界俯冲带附近地震激发,并在海洋低速层中传播的声波.2004年12月26日,在印度洋东部印尼苏门答腊岛附近发生MW=9.3级大地震,其产生的能量在印度洋中激发了巨大的海啸,造成了严重的人员伤亡和财产损失,受到了世界科学家们极大的关注.本文从台站(PALK)及台站(DGAR)记录到的地震的信号中,提取出了清晰的高频T-波,并在频率域内分析,最终得到了T-波的频谱已及频率随时间变化图像.另外,通过对大地震时间域和频率域内T-波信号的分析,了解到此次大地震断层破裂过程持续的时间大致为500 s,其间伴随有两次明显的能量释放过程.分析数据表明两次能量释放过程的间隔大致为80~100 s.T-波分析将为推断海洋地震以及海陆边界俯冲带附近地震的特征,提供一种独立的研究手段和方法.     

Observation and study on the whole process of cloud-to-ground lightning using narrowband radio interferometer

A narrowband radio interferometer has been developed and used to locate the entire sources of VHF radiations from a negative cloud-to-ground (CG) lightning discharge which contains 19 strokes. This system uses five antennas to form an array consisting of short- and long-baselines along two or- thogonal directions. The system error which comes from frequency conversion is reduced by phase detection through direct high frequency amplifying. An interactive graphic analysis procedure is used to remove the fringe ambiguities which exist inherently in interferometry and to determine the direction of lightning radiation sources in two dimensions (azimuth and elevation) as a function of time at a time resolution of microsecond orders. With the developed system, the whole progression process in time and space of a lightning flash can be reconstructed. In this paper, combining the synchronous data of electric filed change and VHF radiation, the whole processes of an example negative CG flash have been studied in detail. It is found that the preliminary breakdown event of the CG flash started from negative charge region and exhibited firstly a downward pregression and then an upward propagation. There were very intense and continuous radiations during stepped leaders which became much stronger when the first return stroke began. In contrast, there were less and only discrete radiations during dart leaders. Stepped leader and dart leader may transform to each other depending on the state of the ionization of the path. The progression speed of initial stepped leaders was about 105 ms?1, while that was about 4.1×106 and 6.0×106 ms?1 for dart leaders and dart-stepped leaders, respectively. M events produced hook-shaped field changes accompanied by active burst of radiations at their begin- nings. Followed these active radiation processes, M events appeared to contact finally into conducting main discharge channels. The mean progression speed of M events was about 7×107 ms?1, greater than that of the dart leaders and dart-step leaders. K events and attempted leaders were essentially the same as dart leaders except that they could not reach the ground and initiate return strokes.     

动载荷作用下岩石破坏过程的数值试验研究

采用基于细观损伤力学基础上开发的动态版RFPA2D数值模拟软件,对动载荷作用下应力波延续时间、应力波峰值和围压对岩石试样破坏的影响进行了数值研究,结果表明,应力波延续时间较短,则尾随应力波波前的高应力区范围较窄,应力波衰减较快;相反,应力波延续时间较长,则紧跟应力波波前的高应力区范围较大,岩石处于破坏状态的时间延长,岩石的破碎程度加大。此外,存在一个合适的应力波延续时间,过分地加大应力波延续时间,反而不利于岩石裂隙的发育。动载荷的峰值越大,试样的破坏程度越大,当峰值达到一定值时,试样顶部呈现粉碎状,试样从上到下破坏程度逐渐减弱。在冲击载荷作用下的岩石随着围压的增加更难破碎,但当围压增大到一定程度时,岩石会突然失稳破坏。