Brittle deformation events at the western border of the Bohemian Massif (Germany)

Investigations of brittle deformation structures, present within the crystalline rocks of the Bavarian Oberpfalz, reveal a complex late to post-Variscan crustal evolution. Upper Carboniferous (mainly Westphalian) granites were emplaced into semibrittle to brittle rocks of the ZEV (zone of Erbendorf-Vohenstrauß) and the EGZ (Erbendorf greenschist unit), respectively. From both the alignment of the granites and the direction of granite-related tension gashes a north-east-south-west extension must be assumed for the period of magmatic activities. Apart from the granite intrusions, rapid crustal uplift (about 1.5 km/my) led to an increase in the geothermal gradient from < 30 °C/km (late Variscan pre-granitic) to > 40 °C/km (late Variscan post-granitic). The increased geothermal gradient persisted during the succeeding reverse faulting which results from late Carboniferous (probably Stephanian) east-west and northeast-south-west compression. Although not evidenced directly in the area considered, strike-slip faults seem to have played an important part during the late Variscan crustal evolution, particularly in the Early Permian. The strike-slip events indicate further crustal shortening and indentation under north-south compression.A similar indentation was present in Cretaceous time. After a weak phase of Early Cretaceous reverse faulting, which results from north-south compression, strike-slip faults formed under north-west-south-east and north-south compression. All these faults, in particular the strike-slip faults, seem to be related to the Cretaceous and lowermost Tertiary convergence of the Alpine/Carpathian orogeny.A late stage of crustal extension, characterized by a radial stress tensor (₂ = ₃), is indicated through high angle normal faults which probably formed during the subsidence of the adjacent Neogene Eger Graben.     

Structural study of a semiductile strike-slip system in the Central Iberian Zone (Variscan Fold Belt,Spain): structural controls on gold deposits

The Villalcampo shear system is a regional dextral strike-slip fault zone that affects Late Variscan granites and their metamorphic country rocks over an area of about 150 km². The detailed geometry of this subvertical north-west—south-east shear zone is outlined. The system forms an extensional fan to the northwest and extends to the south-east as a broad extensional duplex. Particular attention is focused on the distribution of fault rocks and associated veins in its north-west splay. A structural study of the shear bands (encompassing both geometric and kinematic criteria) and a microscopic study of the fault rocks has led to the interpretation of the system as a brittle—ductile shear zone. Calculations give a shear strain value of = 1.5 and a minimum displacement of s = 3700 m. The localization of gold mineralization in mylonite-filled subvertical extensional veins is a product of the formation of the Villalcampo shear system. The subvertical faults and veins underwent a process of cyclical sealing and reopening. As such they acted as valves controlled by fluid pressure regulating fluid—rock interactions and gold deposition. Conditions favouring these processes occur near the base of the seismogenic zone in the vicinity of the frictional—quasi-plastic transition at mid-greenschist metamorphic conditions (T = 350°C and 10–15 km depth).     

Deformable backstop as seaward end of coseismic slip in the Nankai Trough seismogenic zone

Wide-angle seismic surveys performed in the last decade have clarified the 3-D crustal structure along the Nankai Trough. The geometry and velocity structure of the southwestern Japan subduction zone are now well constrained. Comparing these observations with the rupture distribution of historic great thrust earthquakes, it appears that the coseismic rupture occurred along plate boundaries deeper than the wedge/backstop boundary (the boundary between the Neogene-Quaternary accretionary wedge and the crust forming the backstop). From the view of spatial relationship, both rupture distributions of the last two large events and the crust forming the backstop are considerably retreated from the trough axis in the west and east off the Kii Peninsula. In both areas, seamount or ridge subduction is apparent in seismic results, geomorphological data and geomagnetic data. The landward indentation of the deformable backstop, which corresponds to the crustal block of old accreted sediments, may be formed by seamount subduction according to published results of sandbox modeling. In particular, the subducted seamount may be a structural factor affecting the recession of the crustal block forming the backstop.     

汶川地震前后b值的时空变化及构造意义

地震b值与地应力具有密切的关系,即高应力对应低b值,研究汶川地震区b值的时空变化可以获得地震前后的应力演化过程.本文通过震源位置和速度模型联合反演的方法和双差定位法对龙门山地区汶川地震(M_s8.0)前后的地震进行了重定位工作,在此基础上精确计算了汶川地震前后不同时间段内b值大小的变化趋势及b值空间分布.结果显示:(1)b值在深度上存在明显的分层性,15 km以上b值较高,15 km以下b值较低,反映上部岩石为脆性,下部岩石为韧性的特征;(2)区域平均b值在汶川地震之后出现下降,而后有所恢复并逐渐增加,芦山地震后又降低,反映了龙门山断裂带的同震变化和震后愈合过程;(3)分时段b值空间分布结果显示,在芦山地震之后,汶川地震破裂区b值下降,即应力增加,这意味着汶川芦山地震之间的空段存在韧性变形,且芦山地震的发生促进了汶川地震破裂区的愈合;(4)映秀附近彭灌杂岩区在震前呈现低b值异常,反映该区域存在较大的差应力,可能是震后最大位错发生在该区域的根本原因.     

Effect of brittle fracture on the rheological structure of the lithosphere and its application in the Ordos

An empirical formula for the fracture strength of the principal rock type in the lithosphere is obtained based on the experimental data from previous studies, in which the effects of the confining pressure, size of the rock sample, temperature, strain rate and the pore pressure are taken into account, the empirical formulae for the effects of them are also presented. By comparing the frictional strength to the fracture strength calculated using the new empirical formula, it is shown that frictional sliding is dominant in the upper crust but brittle fracture is dominant in the lower part of the crust and the lithosphere beneath the crust. Therefore the fracture mechanism must be taken into account in the study of the rheological structure of the lithosphere. The empirical formula for the fracture strength is applied to study the rheological structure of the lithosphere in the Ordos block. Brittle regime in the rheological structure can be divided into two sub-regions, in one of which brittle fracture and in the other frictional sliding are dominant, respectively, unlike previous conventional studies in which frictional sliding is assumed to be the only factor; the magnitude of the rheological strength of the lithosphere calculated by the empirical formula is also lower than that obtained in previous conventional studies.     

Open Fissure Folds record coseismic loading and postseismic stress relaxation

Open Fissure Folds hosted by high pressure/low temperature metamorphic rocks of south Evia (Greece) are introduced, their structural and microstructural record is analysed, and a mechanical model is proposed. Open Fissure Folds are preserved as at least two parallel folded quartz–feldspar veins separated by narrow buckled rock columns. The veins originated as tensile cracks that propagated in the middle crust driven by high differential stress. Features diagnostic for Open Fissure Folds indicate that the rock columns represented the layers of high viscosity, and not the veins as consistently reported in many previous studies on folded veins. This record is taken to indicate that buckling of the rock columns initiated after arrest of the fractures and terminated prior to complete vein sealing. Accordingly, mechanical decoupling by open fissures allowed for buckling of the rock columns in response to episodic creep of the host rocks according to stress relaxation, as expected for postseismic deformation in the earthquake cycle. I propose that the parental fractures propagated in response to quasi-instantaneous coseismic loading of the middle crust. Buckling was attributed to transient postseismic creep and stress relaxation. Complete sealing of the veins occurred when stresses were largely relaxed. Each Open Fissure Fold records the stress and strain history of a single earthquake.     

构造楔形体的识别与勘探——以准噶尔盆地南缘为例

构造楔形体的形成需要两个条件,一是两条相互连接的断层,二是这两条断层的位移传递方向相反。当反向传递的位移量切割了上覆地层,通常在楔形体前翼形成具指示意义的背斜构造,此类背斜可作为判断深部构造楔形体存在的直接依据。准噶尔盆地南缘3排背斜内带的构造楔形体模式非常典型,并表现为“混序”的特征。在山前深部楔形体沿侏罗系西山窑组煤层向北扩展过程中,部分位移量沿构造楔顶部的反冲断层向南消减,并切割上覆地层形成第一排背斜带,另一部分位移量则继续向北传递,在断坡位置引发褶皱变形,形成第二排和第三排背斜带。在总位移量保持稳定的前提下,这3排背斜带在走向上的此消彼长反映了位移量在南、北两个方向上的转换。准噶尔盆地南缘第二、三排背斜带中-新生界内部发育多个小型的构造楔形体,这些互相叠置的楔形构造横向延伸不大,但有可能构成独立的成藏系统,具有不同的油气水特征,从而造成同一个背斜带不同部位的含油气性迥异。在油气勘探中应通过加强地震采集、处理和解释攻关,力求精细刻画各个楔形构造在三维空间的展布,再针对已落实的楔形体展开钻探。     

Exploration into the causes of uncertainty in UDEC Grain Boundary Models

Considerable research has recently been undertaken to investigate the simulation of brittle fracture mechanisms using distinct element grain boundary models. However, to date, few studies have addressed the limitations of these models when used for predictive analysis. Our research suggests that mesh geometry dependencies can impart irreducible uncertainties into the method despite apparent calibration. In addition, Voronoi meshing routines can limit the kinematic freedom, and increase the degree of interlocking and localized tensile failure; whereas, more recently introduced triangular mesh geometries can have an opposite effect, increasing kinematic freedom, and predisposing models towards shear failure mechanisms.     

青海湖北岸原生砂楔的发现及其古气候意义

青海湖北岸刚察县城东与泉吉乡西发现原生砂楔群, 楔内充填物均为中细粒砂, 楔体底部中细粒砂ESR测年数据表明, 刚察县城东3个原生砂楔发育时代分别为(774±70) ka、(773±70) ka和(229±20) ka, 泉吉乡西1个原生砂楔形成时代为(197±18) ka, 反映该区至少发育两期原生砂楔, 其形成时代分别对应昆仑冰期和倒数第二次冰期. 基于原生砂楔的特殊形成环境, 估算青海湖盆地在昆仑冰期早期的年均温不高于-7.5~-10 ℃, 比现今至少低9.2~11.7 ℃, 中更新世早期青海湖盆地发育多年冻土, 青藏高原东北部可能已经进入冰冻圈; 倒数第二次冰期的年均温不高于-9.5~-10 ℃, 比现今低11 ℃以上.