Geometric form of Haiyuan fault zone in the crustal interior and dynamics implications

The deep seismic reflection data on profile HY2 are reprocessed by the method of simultaneous inversion of velocity distribution and interface position. By the travel-time inversion with the data of the diving wave Pg and fault plane reflection wave, we determine the geometric form and velocity of Haiyuan fault zone interior and surrounding rock down to 10 km depth. The measured data show that the amplitudes have strong attenuation in the range of stake number 37–39 km, suggesting the fault zone has considerable width in the crustal interior. The results of this paper indicate that to the north of the fault zone the crystalline basement interface upheaves gradually from southwest to northeast and becomes shallow gradually towards northeast, and that to the south of the fault zone, within the basin between Xihua and Nanhua mountains, the folded basement becomes shallow gradually towards southwest. The obliquity of the fault zone is about 70° above the 3 km depth, about 60° in the range of the 3–10 km depths. From the results of this paper and other various citations, we believe that Haiyuan fault zone is in steep state from the Earth’s surface to the depth of 10 km. Foundation item: Joint Seismological Science Foundation of China (201001) and State Key Basic Research Development and Programming Project (95-13-02-02). Contribution No. RCEG200308, Exploration Geophysical Center, China Earthquake Administration.     

Similarities between strike-slip faults at different scales and a simple age determining method for active faults

Abstract Several differently scaled strike‐slip faults were examined. The faults shared many geometric features, such as secondary fractures and linkage structures (damage zones). Differences in fault style were not related to specific scale ranges. However, it was recognized that differences in style may occur in different tectonic settings (e.g. dilational/contractional relays or wall/linkage/tip zones), different locations along the master fault or different fault evolution stages. Fractal dimensions were compared for two faults (Gozo and San Andreas), which supports the idea of self‐similarity. Fractal dimensions for traces of faults and fractures of damage zones were higher (D ～1.35) than for the main fault traces (D ～1.005) because of increased complexity due to secondary faults and fractures. Based on the statistical analysis of another fault evolution study, single event movements in earthquake faults typically have a maximum earthquake slip : rupture length ratio of approximately 10^?4, although this has only been established for large earthquake faults because of limited data. Most geological faults have a much higher maximum cumulative displacement : fault length ratio; that is, approximately 10^?2 to 10^?1 (e.g. Gozo, ～10^?2; San Andreas, ～10^?1). The final cumulative displacement on a fault is produced by accumulation of slip along ruptures. Hence, using the available information from earthquake faults, such as earthquake slip, recurrence interval, maximum cumulative displacement and fault length, the approximate age of active faults can be estimated. The lower limit of estimated active fault age is expressed with maximum cumulative displacement, earthquake slip and recurrence interval as T ? (d_max /u) · I(M).     

Design Earthquakes in the U.K.

Three sites in the UK are taken, representative of low, medium and high hazard levels (by UK standards). For each site, the hazard value at 10⁻⁴ annual probability is computed using a generic seismic source model, and a variety of ground motion parameters: peak ground acceleration (PGA), spectral acceleration at 10 Hz and 1 Hz, and intensity. Disaggregation is used to determine the nature of the earthquakes most likely to generate these hazard values. It is found (as might be expected) that the populations are quite different according to which ground motion parameter is used. When PGA is used, the result is a rather flat magnitude distribution with a tendency to low magnitude events (\le 4.5 ML) which are probably not really hazardous. Hazard-consistent scenario earthquakes computed using intensity are found to be in the range 5.8–5.9 ML, which is more in accord with the type of earthquake that one expects to be a worst-case event in the UK. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Seismic reflection imaging of an oceanic detachment fault: Atlantis megamullion (Mid-Atlantic Ridge, 30°10′N)

We present multichannel seismic reflection data collected over the Atlantis megamullion, at the eastern ridge-transform intersection of Atlantis fracture zone on the northern Mid-Atlantic Ridge, and over its conjugate crust. These data image for the first time the internal structure of a young, well-developed megamullion dome formed by tectonic extension across a long-lived oceanic detachment fault. The exposed, corrugated detachment-fault surface exhibits a sharp, coherent reflection that contrasts with less organized reflectivity of surrounding basaltic seafloor. At the termination of the megamullion the fault is imaged ∼13 km along-strike beneath a volcanic hanging-wall block at a sub-seafloor depth of 0.2-0.5 s two-way travel time, reaching north as far as 30°19′N. The eastward dipping of the fault beneath the hanging-wall block is estimated to be ∼6-14°. The corrugated fault surface is underlain by a continuous, strong, and relatively smooth reflection (D) at 0.2-0.25 s sub-bottom below the central axis of the dome. This reflection deepens up to 0.6 s sub-bottom beneath the western slope and it appears to intersect the seafloor on the eastern slope. We suggest that Atlantis massif formed by sequential slip on two different detachment faults that merged at depth, with breakaways as little as ∼2 km apart. The initial detachment is represented by reflection D, and the second corresponds to the presently exposed fault surface. In this interpretation, much of the sliver between the faults is interpreted to be strongly serpentinized peridotite with reduced seismic velocity; it lies in contact with less altered, higher-velocity mantle below the first detachment, resulting in the strong, smooth character of reflection D. Mantle rocks exposed in the megamullion indicate that the feature formed during a period of extreme tectonic extension and probably limited magmatism. In conjugate crust corresponding to termination of the megamullion, observed sub-bottom reflections are interpreted as base of seismic layer 2A. This layer is as thick as or thicker (∼570-900 m) than layer 2A in normal Atlantic crust, and it suggests that relatively normal crustal accretion occurred by the time the megamullion stopped forming.     

A coherency function model of ground motion at base rock corresponding to strike-slip fault

IntroductionEarthquakedamagesurveyandresearchresultshavedemonstratedthatspatialdistributiondifferenceofgroundmotionisoneoftheimportantreasonswhichcausedlongstructure(eglongspanbridge,undergroundpipe)destroy.Thathowtoprovideareasonableinputofgroundmotionfieldforaseismicdesignoflongstructureisaurgentprobleminearthquakeengineeringfield.Atpresent,themethodtostudyspatialvariationofgroundmotionsisadoptingstatisticanalysisbasedondensearrayrecordssuchasSMART-1array,etc,togetcoherencyfunctionofground…     

Investigation of upper crust anisotropy in Ghaen-Birjand region, east-central Iran

IntroductionWhenpropagatingthroughananisotropicmedium,ashearwavesplitsintotwo(quasi)shearwaveswithdifferentpropagationspeedsandpolarizedorthogonally.Owingtotherecentdevel-opmentofseismicobservationsystem,detectionofshearwavessplittingwithverysmalldelaytimesbetweenfasterandslowershearwavesbecameavailableandprovidedpowerfulapproachfordetectionofcrustalanisotropy.Crampin(1978)emphasizedtheroleofalignedmicrocracksasacauseofcrustalanisotropyandpointedoutthatforverticallyalignedmicrocracksthedirecti…     

Fundamental study on the response characteristics of drivers during an earthquake based on driving simulator experiments

After the 1995 Kobe earthquake, the expressway structures in Japan were retrofitted and they will not now be seriously damaged under a certain level of strong earthquake motion. However, the stability of a moving vehicle has not been investigated yet. It has been reported that drivers feel seismically induced vibrations, especially in the transverse direction of vehicles. Owing to this phenomenon, drivers have some difficulty in controlling the vehicles during strong shaking. For further safety promotion of the expressway networks, it is important to understand the drivers' reactions to seismic motion. The present authors have performed a series of seismic response analyses of a moving vehicle to investigate its response characteristics based on numerical simulation. However, the responses of the driver were not considered in the simulation process. In order to investigate the drivers' reactions during an earthquake, a series of virtual tests were conducted using a driving simulator. This driving simulator has six servomotor‐powered electric actuators that control its motions. Several types of tests were carried out for different examinees to investigate drivers' responses while controlling the simulator under seismic motion. The results of this study showed that a larger response time lag to strong shaking and over turning of the steering wheel may shift the vehicle into the next lane. According to this finding, trafficaccidents could possibly occur under strong ground shaking in the case of heavy traffic. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

议京西大台地区的燕山运动

作者研究了京西大台地区的燕山运动，初步研究表明：这里不存在强烈的挤压变形迹象和显著的角度不整合．缺乏磨拉石建造。龙门组是厚度有限的河流相沉积，九龙山组是具有弱火山活动的湖相一滨湖相沉积。在隆起带和沉降带之间侏罗系地层显著的厚度变化率、大安山一斋堂滑覆构造及其派生的髫髻山断陷盆和大量高角度滑动面理，都显示了伸展构造背景下基底断块的差异升降。髫髻山组与壳幔相互作用有关的一套火山岩显示了上述运动的深部背景。     

Sedimentology and kinematics of a large, retrogressive growth-fault system in Upper Carboniferous deltaic sediments, western Ireland

Growth faulting is a common feature of many deltaic environments and is vital in determining local sediment dispersal and accumulation, and hence in controlling the resultant sedimentary facies distribution and architecture. Growth faults occur on a range of scales, from a few centimetres to hundreds of metres, with the largest growth faults frequently being under‐represented in outcrops that are often smaller than the scale of feature under investigation. This paper presents data from the exceptionally large outcrops of the Cliffs of Moher, western Ireland, where a growth‐fault complex affects strata up to 60 m in thickness and extends laterally for ≈ 3 km. Study of this Namurian (Upper Carboniferous) growth‐fault system enables the relationship between growth faulting and sedimentation to be detailed and permits reconstruction of the kinematic history of faulting. Growth faulting was initiated with the onset of sandstone deposition on a succession of silty mudstones that overlie a thin, marine shale. The decollement horizon developed at the top of the marine shale contact for the first nine faults, by which time aggradation in the hangingwall exceeded 60 m in thickness. After this time, failure planes developed at higher stratigraphic levels and were associated with smaller scale faults. The fault complex shows a dominantly landward retrogressive movement, in which only one fault was largely active at any one time. There is no evidence of compressional features at the base of the growth faults, thus suggesting open‐ended slides, and the faults display both disintegrative and non‐disintegrative structure. Thin‐bedded, distal mouth bar facies dominate the hangingwall stratigraphy and, in the final stages of growth‐fault movement, erosion of the crests of rollover structures resulted in the highest strata being restricted to the proximity of the fault. These upper erosion surfaces on the fault scarp developed erosive chutes that were cut parallel to flow and are downlapped by the distal hangingwall strata of younger growth faults.     

The Role of Pre-existing Structures in the Origin, Propagation and Architecture of Faults in the Main Ethiopian Rift

Four major fault systems oriented N–S to NNE–SSW, NE–SW, E–W and NW–SE are identified from Landsat Thematic Mapper (TM) images and a high resolution digital elevation model (DEM) over the Ethiopian Rift Valley and the surrounding plateaus. Most of these faults are the result of Cenozoic - extensional reactivation of pre-existing basement structures. These faults interacted with each other at different geological times under different geodynamic conditions. The Cenozoic interaction under an extensional tectonic regime is the major cause of the actual volcano-tectonic landscape in Ethiopia. The Wonji Fault Belt (WFB), which comprises the N–S to NNE–SSW striking rift floor faults, displays peculiar propagation patterns mainly due to interaction with the other fault systems and the influence of underlying basement structures. The commonly observed patterns are: curvilinear oblique-slip faults forming lip-horsts, sinusoidal faults, intersecting faults and locally splaying faults at their ends. Fault-related open structures such as tail-cracks, releasing bends and extensional relay zones and fault intersections have served as principal eruption sites for monogenetic Plio-Quaternary volcanoes in the Main Ethiopian Rift (MER).