An integrated geophysical investigation of the upper crust in the epicentral area of the 1980, Ms=6.9, Irpinia earthquake (Southern Italy)

In this paper, we investigate the upper crustal structure of the Irpinia region, Southern Apennines thrust belt, Italy, through analysis and joint interpretation of gravity data, seismic reflection lines and subsurface information from many deep wells. The investigated region includes the epicentral area of the 1980 (M_s=6.9) Irpinia earthquake and is one of the Italian regions with the highest seismic hazard. The upper crustal structure is imaged by modeling a series of 15 SW-trending gravity profiles, spaced about 5 km apart, plentifully constrained by seismic reflection lines and wells, thus reducing the inherent ambiguity of the gravity modeling. Despite of the complexity of the modeled Bouguer anomalies, the application of a calibrating procedure to constrain the range of variability of the density values, as well as the use of geometric constraints, results in a good level of stability in the final density cross-sections, which in fact appear coherent both in the density values and in the geometrical features. The inferred model shows important lateral density variations that can be mostly related to NW-trending geologic structures. High-density bodies delineate carbonate platform thrust sheets and broad antiforms involving Mesozoic basinal rocks, while low-density shallow bodies are associated with Pliocene basins. In addition, important density (i.e. lithological) variations are evident along the strike of the range, the most relevant being an abrupt deepening of the Apulia Carbonate Platform in the southeastern part of the investigated region. In the epicentral region of the 1980 event, we find that the geometry of the high-density, high-velocity carbonates of the Apulia Platform appears correlated with the distribution of the aftershocks and with the P-wave velocity anomaly pattern as inferred from a previous local earthquake tomography. The structural highs of the Apulia Platform correspond to high-velocity regions, where aftershocks and coseismic slip of the mainshock are concentrated. This correlation suggests that the Apulia Carbonate Platform geometry played an important role in the rupture propagation and in the aftershock distribution.     

1997年10月北镇—赤峰剖面重力异常变化分析

本文主要讨论北镇至赤峰剖面重力场变化特征,尤其是在１９９７年１０月,该剖面出现大范重力场下降,最大值达－７０＊１０＾－８ｍ．ｓ＾－２。     

不完全阶次球谐位系数模型的研究

利用局部重力资料确定不完全阶次位系数模型的方法进行研究．首先根据Molodensky边值问题的数学理论和函数展为级数式的一般原理,论述了方法在理论上的正确性;然后根据模型结构,提出了位系数补偿因子,并给出其确定的原则及计算公式;接着构制一个适合局部区域的不完全阶次的高阶位系数模型的方法进行探讨;最后对其精度进行检验．结果显示局部区域2160阶不完全阶次模型对实测垂线偏差二分量的恢复精度分别为±2．56s和±2．61s．     

Night-to-night changes in the characteristics of gravity waves at stratospheric and lower-mesospheric heights

Observations made with the co-located Rayleigh lidar and MST radar systems at Aberystwyth (52.4°N, 4.1°W) in Wales and radiosondes from Valentia (51.9°N, 10.2°W) in Eire are used to investigate the changes in the vertical propagation of gravity waves during periods of 4 days in June 1995 and February 1993. In each month, the lidar observations show that the wave activity in the upper stratosphere and lower mesosphere changes between two pairs of days. The radar and radiosonde measurements indicate that mountain waves make no contribution to the changes in intensity. Instead, the changes seem to arise largely from the presence or absence of long-period waves with vertical wavelengths near 8 and 10 km in June and February, respectively. The influence of such waves on the vertical wavenumber spectra is examined and related to the evidence for convective instabilities provided by the temperature profiles.     

Observations of Atmospheric Solitary Waves in the Urban Boundary Layer

The simultaneous operation of a three-axis Doppler sodar system in the centralurban area of Rome and two similar systems in the suburban area, forming atriangle about 20 km on each side, provided evidence of solitary-type wavesin the urban boundary layer. Three events, each lasting from a few minutes toabout 30 min, and ranging in depth from the minimum range of the sodar (39 m) to over 500 m, are reported here. Two events were recognizable onall three sodar records while the third event could be observed at the urbanlocation only. Time-height acoustic echo intensity records showed no-echoregions within the wave indicating transport of trapped recirculating air.This is typical of large amplitude solitary waves. The time series plots ofsodar-derived vertical wind velocity revealed a maximum peak-to-peakvariation of about 5 m s^-1 during periods of wave-associated disturbance.The vertical velocity is found to increase with height up to the top of the closedcirculation within the wave and decreases further above. The normalisedamplitude-wavelength relationship for the two events indicates that theobserved waves are close to a strongly nonlinear regime.     

Investigation of temporal gravity variations in SG-records

Not all of the gravity signals commonly observed in records of superconducting gravimeters have a physically significant meaning. Instrumental noise or signal components generated by specific processing techniques can have a strong effect. This paper analyzes selected case studies from gravity data acquired during the first period of GGP and tries to give an answer to the question of which signals are significant. It is focused on small amplitude variations in the time domain, which are compared with those of conventional spring-type gravimeters. Coherent atmospheric gravity signals due to atmospheric processes associated with strong vertical convection could be observed by different sensors. The second part deals with temporal variations of main tidal parameters, which can be seen clearly in the tidal analysis results from SG data. Synthetic case studies show that they are not strongly influenced by the analysis procedure and therefore mainly reflect ocean loading processes.     

Potential field imaging of Palaeozoic orogenic structure in northern and central Europe

The Trans-European Suture Zone (TESZ) is the most fundamental lithospheric boundary in Europe, separating the ancient crust of the Fennoscandian Shield–East European Craton from the younger crust of central Europe, and extending deep into the mantle. Geophysical potential field images provide an overview of the entire Palaeozoic orogenic system of northern and central Europe for the first time. The TESZ is largely concealed by sedimentary basins of Permian–Cenozoic age; geological observations are largely restricted to local basement highs and deep boreholes, and the coverage of deep seismic surveys is widely spaced, despite experiments recently acquired within the EUROPROBE programme. By contrast, the potential field data offer a relatively detailed coverage of standardised observations throughout the TESZ. While some features of the images may be sourced in the near surface, particularly in the gravity image, much of their content reflects the structure of the underlying Palaeozoic basement. At the scale presented, the images highlight the most fundamental features of the crustal structure of the TESZ. These include the strong contrast between the highly magnetic crust of the East European Craton and the less magnetic Palaeozoic-accreted terranes of central Europe; the lateral continuity of terranes and their internal structure, particularly where arc-magmatic complexes are involved; and the location and geometry of the terrane boundaries (oceanic sutures and strike-slip zones) that separate them.     

中国东部逆断层及油气

传统上把我国的沉积盆地划分为东部拉张,中部过渡,西部挤压,这种观点曾经束缚了人们的地震解释思路,在中国东部的剖面上出现逆断层现象而不能予以确定。事实上,中国东部总体上以拉张构造为主,普遍发育正断层,但在勘探中也确实发现了逆断层,且对油气聚集具有重要的控制作用。从成因观点分析,这些逆断层主要可分为构造挤压型及重力滑动型两大类。构造挤压型逆断层按地质时代又可分为晚第三纪、白垩纪、古生代末等三个时期,它们分别对应于中国东部大地构造演化的三个“断陷—坳陷”旋回,断陷对应于构造拉张期,坳陷对应干构造挤压期,逆断层主要发育于坳陷发育时期。着重对两类逆断层的形成机制、演化规律及油气赋存状态进行了论述剖析。中国东部含油气盆地的构造运动不是一张到顶的;晚第三纪的构造挤压逆冲断层与重力滑动逆冲断层在形成机理上是有区别的;逆同生断层在晚期干上覆地层中形成的浅层构造,应是次生油气藏的良好场所。     

Gravitational perturbation theory for intersatellite tracking

 An analytical gravitational perturbation theory for the intersatellite tracking range and range-rate measurement between two satellites is developed. The satellite-to-satellite tracking (SST) range data measure the difference between the position perturbations of two satellites along the direction of the intersatellite range. The SST range-rate data measure the difference between the velocity perturbations along the direction of the intersatellite range, and the difference of the position perturbation along the direction perpendicular to the intersatellite range (cross-range). The SST range and range rate depend on different orbital excitations for mapping the gravity field. For the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE), approximately 97% of the geopotential coefficient pairs produce perturbations with a root-mean-square larger than 1 m on the range and 0.1 m/sec on the range rate based on the EGM96 gravity field truncated at degree and order 140. Results in this study showed that ocean tides produce significant perturbations in the range and range-rate measurements. An ocean tide field with a higher degree and order (>70) is required to model the ocean tide perturbations on the intersatellite range and range-rate measurement. Received: 17 May 2000 / Accepted: 3 September 2001     

The role of gravity waves in tropospheric processes

Summary The nature and the role of gravity waves in the troposphere is briefly discussed and reviewed. After describing some basic properties of gravity waves and their generation mechanisms, we analyze their ability to influence phase changes, trigger and organize convective cells, to produce and interact with turbulence, and to affect diffusive processes in the atmosphere. Throughout, the emphasis is placed on the physical processes involved in the interaction of gravity waves with mesoscale and planetary boundary layer phenomena. Also discussed and reviewed are those remote sensing devices which are particularly useful in revealing and measuring such waves. Finally, an attempt is made to outline possible lines of future work for the purpose of fully understanding the role of gravity waves in mesoscale and microscale dynamics.