Large aperture seismic imaging at a convergent margin: Techniques and results from the Costa Rica seismogenic zone

In March and April 1995 a cooperative German, Costa Rican, and United States research team recorded onshore-offshore seismic data sets along the Pacific margin of Costa Rica using the R/V Ewing. Off the Nicoya Peninsula we used a linear array of ocean bottom seismometers and hydrophones (OBS/H) with onshore seismometers extending across much of the isthmus. In the central area we deployed an OBS/H areal array consisting of 30 instruments over a 9 km by 35-km area and had land stations on the Nicoya Peninsula adjacent to this marine array and also extending northeast on the main Costa Rican landmass. Our goal in these experiments was to determine the crustal velocity structure along different portions of this convergent margin and to use the dense instrument deployments to create migrated reflection images of the plate boundary zone and the subducting Cocos Plate. Our specific goal in the central area was to determine whether a subducted seamount is present at the location of the 1990, M 7 earthquake off the Nicoya Peninsula and can thus be linked to its nucleation. Subsequently we have processed the data to improve reflection signals, used the data to calculate crustal velocity models, and developed several wide-aperture migration techniques, based on a Kirchhoff algorithm, to produce reflection images. Along the northern transect we used the ocean bottom data to construct a detailed crustal velocity model, but reflections from the plate boundary and top and bottom of the subducting Cocos plate are difficult to identify and have so far produced poor images. In contrast, the land stations along this same transect recorded clear reflections from the top of the subducting plate or plate boundary, within the seismogenic zone, and we have constructed a clear image from this reflector beneath the Nicoya shelf. Data from the 3-D seismic experiment suffer from high-amplitude, coherent noise (arrivals other than reflections), and we have tried many techniques to enhance the signal to noise ratio of reflected arrivals. Due to the noise, an apparent lack of strong reflections from the plate boundary zone, and probable structural complexity, the resulting 3-D images only poorly resolve the top of the subducting Cocos Plate. The images are not able to provide compelling evidence of whether there is a subducting seamount at the 1990 earthquake hypocenter. Our results do show that OBS surveys are capable of creating images of the plate boundary zone and the subducting plate well into the seismogenic zone if coherent reflections are recorded at 1.8 km instrument spacing (2-D) and 5 km inline by 1 km crossline spacing for 3-D acquisition. However, due to typical high amplitude coherent noise, imaging results may be poorer than expected, especially in unfavorable geologic settings such as our 3-D survey area. More effective noise reduction in acquisition, possibly with the use of vertical hydrophone arrays, and in processing, with advanced multiple removal and possibly depth filtering, is required to achieve the desired detailed images of the seismogenic plate boundary zone.     

Bifurcation and chaos of an articulated loading platform with piecewise non-linear stiffness using the incremental harmonic balance method

The bifurcation behavior of an articulated loading platform subjected to harmonic excitation is investigated by the incremental harmonic balance (IHB) method. The platform is modeled as a single-degree-of-freedom (SDOF) non-linear system with piecewise non-linear restoring force characteristics. The elements of the Jacobian matrix and the residue vector arising in the IHB formulations are derived in closed form. The path-following procedure using the arc length continuation method is used to trace the response curves and bifurcation diagrams. The periodic solutions and the subharmonic solutions obtained by the IHB method compare very well with the numerically integrated solutions. The bifurcation points also compare well with the numerically obtained results. The system exhibits chaotic motion through a sequence of period doubling bifurcations. Isolated period 3 solutions are also present. The Lyapunov exponents are computed and the initial condition map corresponding to coexistent attractors are obtained by the interpolated cell mapping (ICM) method.     

Theoretical aspects of cap-rock and fault seals for single- and two-phase hydrocarbon columns

Cap-rock seals can be divided genetically into those that fail by capillary leakage (membrane seals) and those whose capillary entry pressures are so high that seal failure preferentially occurs by fracturing and/or wedging open of faults (hydraulic seals). A given membrane seal can trap a larger oil column than gas column at shallow depths, but below a critical depth (interval), gas is more easily sealed than oil. This critical depth increases with lower API gravity, lower oil GOR and overpressured conditions (for the gas phase). These observations arise from a series of modelling studies of membrane sealing and can be conveniently represented using pressure/ depth (P/D) profiles through sealed hydrocarbon columns. P/D diagrams have been applied to the more complex situation of the membrane sealing of a gas cap underlain by an oil rim; at seal capacity, such a two-phase column will be always greater than if only oil or gas occurs below the seal.These conclusions contrast with those for hydraulic seals where the seal capacity to oil always exceeds that for gas. Moreover, a trapped two-phase column, at hydraulic seal capacity will be less than the maximum-allowed oil-only column, but more than the maximum gas-only column. Unlike membrane seals, hydraulic seal capacity should be directly related to cap-rock thickness, in addition to the magnitude of the minimum effective stress in the sealing layer and the degree of overpressure development in the sequence as a whole.Fault-related seals are effectively analogous to membrane cap-rocks which have been tilted to the angle of the fault plane. Consequently, all of the above conclusions derived for membrane cap-rocks apply to both sealing faults sensu stricto (fault plane itself seals) and juxtaposition faults (hydrocarbon trapped laterally against a juxtaposed sealing unit). The maximum-allowed two-phase column trapped by a sealing fault is greater than for equivalent oil-only and gas-only columns, but less than that predicted for a horizontal membrane cap-rock under similar conditions. Where a two-phase column is present on both sides of a sealing fault (which is at two-phase seal capacity), a deeper oil/water contact (OWC) in one fault block is associated with a deeper gas/oil contact (GOC) compared with the adjacent fault block. If the fault seal is discontinuous in the gas leg, however, the deeper OWC is accompanied by a shallower GOC, whereas a break in the fault seal in the oil leg results in a common OWC in both fault blocks, even though separate GOC's exist. Schematic P/D profiles are provided for each of the above situations from which a series of fundamental equations governing single- and two-phase cap-rock and fault seal capacities can be derived. These relationships may have significant implications for exploration prospect appraisal exercises where more meaningful estimates of differential seal capacities can be made.The membrane sealing theory developed herein assumes that all reservoirs and seals are water-wet and no hydrodynamic flow exists. The conclusions on membrane seal capacity place constraints on the migration efficiency of gas along low-permeabiligy paths at depth where fracturing, wedging open of faults and/or diffusion process may be more important. Contrary to previous assertions, it is speculated that leakage of hydrocarbons through membrane seals occurs in distinct pulses such that the seal is at or near the theoretically calculated seal capacity, once this has been initially attained.Finally, the developed seal theory and P/D profile concepts are applied to a series of development geological problems including the effects of differential depletion, and degree of aquifer support, on sealing fault leakage, and the evaluation of barriers to vertical cross-flow using RFT profiles through depleted reservoirs. It is shown that imbibition processes and dynamic effects related to active cross-flow across such barriers often preclude quantitative analysis and solution of these problems for which simulation studies are usually required.     

台湾海峡金色小沙丁鱼幼鱼索饵群体研究

本文研究了台湾海峡南部和北部的金色小沙丁鱼当年生幼鱼计数性状和量度性状特征差异,并结合其生物学特性、产卵场、洄游及海区环境特征进行综合分析。结果表明,台湾海峡南部和北部的索饵幼鱼仍属于同一地方种群:闽南-台湾浅滩语地方种群。根据其索饵洄游特点,可分为台湾海峡南部和北部两个索饵群体.     

尖峰北盆地含气流体运聚疏导组合特征及对水合物成藏的控制作用

南海北部陆坡尖峰北盆地发育良好的气源及含气流体运聚疏导条件,具备较好的天然气水合物成藏潜力。为深入揭示尖峰北盆地水合物的成藏地质特征,基于高精度三维多道地震、浅地层剖面、多波束资料,深入分析了研究区深、浅部含气流体运聚疏导通道的地质、地球物理特征及对水合物成藏的控制作用。详细刻画了研究区深、浅部主要含气流体疏导通道的形态特征、发育规模、分布特点及对含气流体运聚的控制作用;重点剖析了深、浅部含气流体疏导通道组合特征及与水合物分布的耦合关系,最后结合水合物成藏地质条件,探讨了研究区水合物的成藏模式及影响因素。研究结果表明：尖峰北盆地的含气流体疏导通道主要以断裂型为主,亮点反射、反射空白带、BSR、声空白、声浑浊等含气流体运聚及水合物赋存指示标志多出现在沟源断层、古隆起伴生断层、多边形断层的顶部及邻近区域。以T3反射界面为界,其下伏沟源断层、古隆起伴生断层与上覆多边形断层构成的深、浅部含气流体疏导通道在垂向上相连通,沟通了深部气源层与浅层水合物稳定域,形成了“沟源断层—多边形断层”与“古隆起伴生断层—多边形断层”两种含气流体运移与水合物成藏模式。多边形断层的存在一方面促进了含气流体向浅层发生“中继疏导”,控制水合物富集成藏;另一方面,在多边形断层密集发育段,强烈的流体充注会引起局部温压平衡破坏和水合物分解、渗漏,导致“断续型”BSR的产生。浅层气体的渗漏和扩散可以持续作用至海底并对海底形态进行改造,导致海底滑塌、断裂、麻坑、丘状体等一系列海底微地貌的形成。     

Size of flatfish larvae at transformation, functional demands and historical constraints

At hatching the larvae of flatfish closely resemble the bilateral symmetric larvae of other teleosts, especially perciforms. Literature data show that transformation to asymmetric benthic juveniles normally occurs at body lengths between 10 and 25 mm. Unexpectedly, minimal size at its completion (including eye migration) can be 4.1 mm SL and maximal size is over 72 mm. In this paper we consider the functional requirements for a successful switch from a symmetric pelagic larva to a typical asymmetric juvenile benthic flatfish partly based on evidence from other teleosts. The unfavourable period of eye migration and transition to a benthic habitat requires some food reserves and rewiring and/or recalibration of vision and gravity-associated structures utilised previously by the still symmetric larvae for e.g. food detection. Binocular fixation of the prey probably occurs in that stage. Critical or sensitive periods occurring during development of fish larvae suggest that a completely functional symmetric stage of development must precede transformation. The normal size range in flatfish larvae at transformation seems to confirm our considerations. Recent data on temperature effects during development provide an explanation for metamorphosis at the minimal size. Some evidence for paedomorphic heterochrony in flatfish larvae is presented.     

多源地图数据出版的探讨

当前多源地图数据的非共享性等特点严重制约了地图数字出版流程的顺利开展。为了有效解决多源地图数据到印前数据的转换问题,根据多源地图数据的类型及特点,结合出版对地图数据的特殊要求,建立并实现了一套完整的由多源地图数据转换为印前数据的方案,并通过具体应用得到有效的验证。     

The vertical distribution of zooplankton in the western Irish Sea

Zooplankton diel vertical migration is evident on the mixed isothermal side of the western Irish Sea frontal system but is often influenced by large tides and persistent geostrophic currents. On the stratified side of the front, temperature acts as a controlling factor with most of the zooplankton occurring above the thermocline and carrying out pronounced vertical migration when chlorophyll a levels are low and diffuse. At higher chlorophyll levels, when discrete chlorophyll a maxima form, zooplankton vertical movement may be greatly modified with a large number of species and stages concentrating within these maxima at all times of the diel light cycle.