Errors due to the anisotropic-common-ray approximation of the coupling ray theory

The common-ray approximation eliminates problems with ray tracing through S-wave singularities and also considerably simplifies the numerical algorithm of the coupling ray theory for S waves, but may introduce errors in travel times due to the perturbation from the common reference ray. These travel-time errors can deteriorate the coupling-ray-theory solution at high frequencies. It is thus of principal importance for numerical applications to estimate the errors due to the common-ray approximation applied. The anisotropic-common-ray approximation of the coupling ray theory is more accurate than the isotropic-common-ray approximation. We derive the equations for estimating the travel-time errors due to the anisotropic-common-ray (and also isotropic-common-ray) approximation of the coupling ray theory. The errors of the common-ray approximations are calculated along the anisotropic common rays in smooth velocity models without interfaces. The derivation is based on the general equations for the second-order perturbations of travel time.     

Stress Sensitivity of Seismic and Electric Rock Properties of the Upper Continental Crust at the KTB

We test the hypothesis that the general trend of P-wave and S-wave sonic log velocities and resistivity with depth in the pilot hole of the KTB site Germany, can be explained by the progressive closure of the compliant porosity with increasingly effective pressure. We introduce a quantity θ_c characterizing the stress sensitivity of the mentioned properties. An analysis of the downhole measurements showed that estimates of the quantitiy θ_c for seismic velocities and electrical formation factor of the in situ formation coincide. Moreover, this quantity is 3.5 to 4.5 times larger than the averaged stress sensitivity obtained from core samples. We conclude that the hypothesis mentioned above is consistent with both data sets. Moreover, since θ_c corresponds approximately to the inverse of the effective crack aspect ratio, larger in situ estimates of θ_c might reflect the influence of fractures and faults on the stress sensitivity of the crystalline formation in contrast to the stress sensitivity of the nearly intact core samples. Finally, because the stress sensitivity is directly related to the elastic nonlinearity we conclude that the elastic nonlinearity (i.e., deviation from linear stress-strain relationship i.e., Hooke's law) of the KTB rocks is significantly larger in situ than in the laboratory.     

Seismicity before and after the two great Sumatra earthquakes of 2004 and 2005

The Harvard CMT catalogue contains 481 shallow earthquakes that occurred between 1 January 1977 and 30 November 2005 within a broad region defined by the geographical latitude from 3°S to 14°N and by the longitude from 91°E to 102°E. There are 230 events that occurred before the great earthquake of 26 December 2004. Their surface distribution is not uniform and the source area of the 2004 great event appears as an area of seismic quiescence with a radius of about 100 km. There are 186 events that occurred between the two great earthquakes of 26 December 2004 and 28 March 2005. Practically all of them are located to the northwest from the great earthquake of 2005, that in turn was followed by 63 events, mostly located to the southeast. The cumulative seismic moment from earthquakes before the occurrence of the great event of 2004 increased rather regularly with time, with sudden increase about twenty years and two years before the occurrence of the great event. The seismic moment of earthquakes between the two great events increased rapidly during the first ten-fifteen days, then flattened out and increased slowly with time. After the great event of 2005 the seismic moment shows quiet increase during some 115 days, then sudden jump, followed by very small activity till the end of our observations. From the spatial distribution of seismic moment of earthquakes that occurred before the great event of 2004 it follows that its largest release appeared to the southeast from the great event, around the rupture area of the great earthquake of 2005. The largest release of seismic moment from earthquakes between the two great events is observed in the vicinity of the 2004 event and further up to the north. The seismic moment from earthquakes that occurred after the great event of 2005 was mostly released in its vicinity and further down to the south.     

Seismic Moment Tensor Resolution on a Local Scale: Simulated Rockburst and Mine-induced Seismic Events in the Kopanang Gold Mine, South Africa

Seismic records contain information about the effect of the source as well as the effect of wave propagation through the rock mass. The effect of wave propagation is usually not well known as only simplified models of geological structures are available. Therefore, the information about the source retrieved by inverting seismograms may include errors due to incomplete knowledge of the rock mass along the propagation path, which in turn cause a distortion in the calculated moment tensor (MT). The distortion of the MT on a local scale was observed by inverting records of a simulated rockburst conducted at the Kopanang gold mine in South Africa. A dominant isotropic component of the explosive characteristics was found from the inversion. The deviatoric components retrieved from the blast are spurious. A test of their stability indicated that they are not significant, assuming an uncertainty above 5% for velocities and 10% for attenuation within the homogeneous model available for the mine. Thus, the retrieval of the MT from records of local networks in mines using a homogeneous model of the rock mass seems to be feasible. However, the homogeneous model of the rock mass can only be applied to close stations, within a few kilometers of the source. The seismic records from distant stations were too complex to be modelled by a homogeneous rock mass. Records of six mine-induced seismic events recorded at the Kopanang gold mine were also inverted. A vertical linear dipole along the pressure (P) axis was found for three of the events, suggesting a pillar burst. The mechanism of two events contains an isotropic implosion together with a nearly vertical dip-slip, and seems to indicate a combination of a cavity collapse with a down dip-slip along a nearly vertical fault. One event corresponds to a dipole along the tensional (T) axis. However, it is vertical, thus its association with tensile faulting of the hangingwall is uncertain.     

Seismic hazard assessment for derivation of earthquake scenarios in Risk-UE

The main features of the Risk-UE project approach to assessing the ground-shaking (and related hazards) distribution within urban areas are described, as a basis for developing seismic damage scenarios for European cities. Emphasis was placed in the project on adoption of homogeneous criteria in the quantitative treatment of seismicity and in constructing the ground-shaking scenarios, despite wide differences in amount and quality of data available for the cities involved. The initial steps of the approach include treatment of the regional seismotectonic setting and the geotechnical zonation of the urban area, while the hazard assessment itself takes the form of both a deterministic analysis, and of a probabilistic, constant-hazard spectra analysis. Systematic 1D site response analyses were used, mostly in the softer soil zones, to modify (when needed) the obtained ground motion maps. Earthquake induced hazard effects, such as liquefaction and landsliding, are also briefly dealt with at the end.     

2006年4月21日石棉麂子坪4.3级地震宏观考察

2006年4月21日03时18分03.7秒,石棉县发生一次ML4.3级地震,仪器测定震中位于北纬29°05′、东经102°12′,即安顺乡麂子坪南西侧。经现场实地考察确定宏观震中位于麂子坪南—紫马之间的山区地带,宏观震中烈度为Ⅳ度强(Ⅳ ),其震中区面积约100平方千米;Ⅳ度区面积约为2 000平方千米;此次地震有感区范围广泛,北至泸定、天全等县,南到冕宁、越西,西达九龙东至汉源县乌斯河镇等地,有感区面积约20 000平方千米。经调查,地震没有造成人员、牲畜等的伤亡,震害地区内个别房屋的屋瓦出现梭动。     

东亚南北地震带大震活动性研究

根据中国南北地震带与青藏-印尼“歹”字型构造带在成因上的联系，提出东亚南北地震带的观点，认为该地震带包含蒙古、中国西部、缅甸和印尼苏门答腊地区。研究了该带大地震活动的同步性、主体活动区的有序转移、大地震之间的多次相关迁移与重复等特征，并划分出了该带的5个大震活跃幕：1887-1912年、1913-1937年、1938-1957年、1958-1976年、1977-2005年。苏门答腊2004年12月26日8．7级和2005年3月29日8．5级巨震标志着该地震带最近一次以主体活动区南移到苏门答腊为特征的活跃时段即将结束。尽管未来一、两年内地震带的中部存在发生7级地震的有利时段，但结合强震图像异常指标反映的孕震状况分析，未来7级地震危险区尚不明朗。     

地震安全性评价数据的集中管理

本文分析了目前地震安全性评价数据管理的现状和数据集中管理的优势,提出了实现集中管理地震安全性评价数据的技术,以及数据安全防护措施。     

雷雨天气预防数字探空仪突失应注意的问题

通过对数字探空仪在雷雨天气中容易发生突失的原因分析，提出相应的应对措施。     

煤层陷落柱高分辨率地震探测技术

在华北、华东及西北地区近20多个煤田的石炭二叠系中，普遍存在着因煤系地层基底厚层灰岩古岩溶塌陷形成的煤层陷落柱，尤以山西省西山及汾河沿岸的煤田、河北省太行山中段的煤田更为普遍。煤层陷落柱发育形态分为圆锥形、筒形、斜塔形、不规则形等特点，应用高分辩地震勘探技术，根据陷落柱发育区反射波同相轴中断、扭曲、能量变弱、连续性变差、分叉合并或圈闭、产状突变等特征，可有效地探测其空间位置及形态。