A crustal seismic velocity model for the UK, Ireland and surrounding seas

A regional model of the 3-D variation in seismic P -wave velocity structure in the crust of NW Europe has been compiled from wide-angle reflection/refraction profiles. Along each 2-D profile a velocity–depth function has been digitised at 5 km intervals. These 1-D velocity functions were mapped into three dimensions using ordinary kriging with weights determined to minimise the difference between digitised and interpolated values. An analysis of variograms of the digitised data suggested a radial isotropic weighting scheme was most appropriate. Horizontal dimensions of the model cells are optimised at 40 × 40 km and the vertical dimension at 1 km. The resulting model provides a higher resolution image of the 3-D variation in seismic velocity structure of the UK, Ireland and surrounding areas than existing models. The construction of the model through kriging allows the uncertainty in the velocity structure to be assessed. This uncertainty indicates the high density of data required to confidently interpolate the crustal velocity structure, and shows that for this region the velocity is poorly constrained for large areas away from the input data.     

Crust and Upper Mantle Structure in the Caribbean Region by Group Velocity Tomography and Regionalization

An overview of the crust and upper mantle structure of Central America and the Caribbean region is presented as a result of the processing of more than 200 seismograms recorded by digital broadband stations from SSSN and GSN seismic networks. Group velocity dispersion curves are obtained in the period range from 10s to 40s by FTAN analysis of the fundamental mode of the Rayleigh waves; the error of these measurements varies from 0.06 and 0.09 km/s. From the dispersion curve, seven tomographic maps at different periods and with average spatial resolution of 500 km are obtained. Using the logical combinatorial classification techniques, eight main groups of dispersion curves are determined from the tomographic maps and eleven main regions, each one characterized by one kind of dispersion curves, are identified. The average dispersion curves obtained for each region are extended to 150s by adding data from a larger-scale tomographic study (Vdovin et al., 1999) and inverted using a nonlinear procedure. A set of models of the S-wave velocity vs. depth in the crust and upper mantle is found as a result of the inversion process. In six regions we identify a typically oceanic crust and upper mantle structure, while in the other two the models are consistent with the presence of a continental structure. Two regions, located over the major geological zones of the accretionary crust of the Caribbean region, are characterized by a peculiar crust and upper mantle structure, indicating the presence of lithospheric roots reaching, at least, about 200 km of depth.     

极地记录冰川和达尔克冰川流速的遥感监测研究

测定南极冰川的流速 ,对于研究南极冰雪物质平衡、南极环境变化及其对全球环境的影响有重大意义。本文论述了利用多时相卫星遥感影像监测冰川变化的原理和方法 ,通过对英格里特 .克里斯泰森海岸不同时期的遥感影像进行几何纠正和配准及叠加处理 ,测量和计算出极地记录冰川和达尔克冰川的平均流速 ,并对它们的变化特点进行了初步的分析和评价。     

Thermoelastic model of minerals: application to Al2O3

 A thermoelastic model for calculating the high-pressure and high-temperature properties of isotropic solids is presented by extending the formalism by Thomsen and combining the resulting one with the Vinet model for static lattice and the Debye model for lattice vibration. Applying it to polycrystalline corundum, we have shown that the calculated values of entropy and heat capacity at constant pressure are in agreement with literature values to 2325 K at zero pressure and that the calculated values of thermal expansivity agree reasonably with experimental data to 1100 K at zero pressure. The model reproduces experimental data of sound velocities v _p and v _s of compressional and shear waves to 1825 K at zero pressure and those to 62 GPa at room temperature, and it reproduces also experimental shock-wave equation of state to 150 GPa. The velocity correlation (∂ln v _s /∂ln v _p ) _S was found to have weak pressure and temperature dependences and the results under lower mantle conditions are compared with those of magnesian and calcium silicate perovskites and magnesiowüstite, and the PREM values of the Earth's lower mantle. Received: 12 February 2000 / Accepted: 15 July 2000     

The phase velocities of Rayleigh waves and the lateral variation of lithospheric structure in Tibetan Plateau

According to a Sino-U. S. joint project, eleven broadband digital PASSCAL seismometers had been deployed inside the Tibetan Plateau, of which 7 stations were on the profile from Lhasa to Golmud and other 4 stations situated at Maxin, Yushu, Xigatze and Linzhi. Dispersions and phase velocities of the Rayleigh surface waves (10s–120s) were obtained on five paths distributed in the different blocks of Tibetan Plateau. Inversions of the S-wave velocity structures in Songpan-Ganzi block, Qiang-Tang block, Lhasa block and the faulted rift zone were obtained from the dispersion data. The results show that significant lateral variation of the S-wave velocity structures among the different blocks exists. The path from Wenquan to Xigatze (abbreviated as Wndo-Xiga) passes through the rift-zone of Yadong-Anduo. The phase velocities of Rayleigh waves from 10s to 100s on this path are significantly higher than that on other paths. The calculated mean crustal velocity on this path is 3.8 km/s, much greater than that on other paths, where mean crustal velocities of 3.4–3.5 km/s are usually observed. Low velocity zones with different thicknesses and velocities are observed in the middle-lower crust for different paths. Songpan-Ganzi block, located in the northern part of Tibetan Plateau is characterized by a thinner crust of 65 km thick and a prominent low velocity zone in the upper mantle. The low velocity zone with a velocity of 4.2 km/s is located at a depth form 115 km to 175 km. While in other blocks, no low velocity zone in the upper mantle is observed. The value of Sn in Songpan-Ganzi is calculated to be 4.5 km/s, while those in Qiang-Tang and Lhasa blocks are about 4.6 km/s. The Chinese version of this paper appeared in the Chinese edition ofActa Seismologica Sinica,14, Supp., 566–573, 1992.     

Hot pressing of polycrystals of high-pressure phases of mantle minerals in multi-anvil apparatus

In the 1960s, E. Schreiber and his colleagues pioneered the use of hot-pressed polycrystalline aggregates for studies of the pressure and temperature dependence of the elastic wave velocities in minerals. We have extended this work to the high-pressure polymorphs of mantle minerals by developing techniques to fabricate large polycrystalline specimens in a 2000-ton uniaxial split-sphere apparatus. A new cell assembly has been developed to extend this capability to pressures of 20 GPa and temperatures of 1700°C. Key elements in the new experimental design include: a telescopic LaCrO₃ forT>1200°C; Toshiba Tungaloy grade F tungsten carbide anvils; and the use of homogeneous glasses or seeded powder mixtures as starting material to enhance reactivity and maximize densities. Cell temperatures are linearly related to electrical power to 1700°C and uniform throughout the 3 mm specimens. Pressure calibrations at 25°C and 1700°C are identical to 15 GPa. Cylindrical specimens of the beta and spinel phases of Mg₂SiO₄, stishovite (SiO₂-rutile), and majorite-pyrope garnets have been synthesized within their stability fields in runs of 1–4 hr duration and recovered at ambient conditions by simultaneously decompressing and cooling along a computer-controlledP-T path designed to preserve the high-pressure phase and to relax intergranualar stress in the polycrystalline aggregate. These specimens are single-phased, fine-grained (<5 micron), free of microcracks and preferred orientation, and have bulk densities greater than 99% of X-ray density. The successful fabrication of these high-quality polycrystalline specimens has made possible experiments to determine the pressure dependence of acoustic velocities in the ultrasonics laboratory of S. M. Rigden and I. Jackson at the Australian National University.CHiPR: NSF Science and Technology Center for High Pressure Research.     

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.