A study of the depth of weathering and its relationship to the mechanical properties of near-surface rocks in the Mojave Desert

Weathered granite extends 70 m deep at Hi Vista in the arid central Mojave Desert of southern California. The low strength of this granite is due to the alteration of biotite and chlorite montmorillonite. Deep weathering probably occurs in most granites, although we cannot rule out some anomalous mechanisms at Hi Vista. Geophysical instruments set in these slightly altered rocks are limited by the unstable behavior of the rocks. Thus, tectonic signals from instruments placed in shallow boreholes give vague results. Geophysical measurements of these weathered rocks resemble measurements of granitic rocks near major faults. The rheology of the rocks in which instruments are placed limits the useful sensitivity of the instruments.     

The Earth's decelerated rotation and regularities in orientation of its surface lineaments and faults

The Earth's crust faults and lineaments group in clusters with predominant N-S and E-W (System I) and NW-SE and NE-SW (System II) directions. The earthquake epicenters of the Benioff seismofocal zones follow the same regularities. In other words, seismofocal zones (epicenters of earthquakes) constitute a part of the regular network of the Earth's crust and lithosphere faults and lineaments. Mathematical modeling of stress distribution in the lithosphere due to a change of the Earth's ellipsoid compression showed that the principal stresses σ₁ and σ₂ are oriented in N-S and E-W directions, while corresponding shear stresses τ are oriented in NE-SW and NW-SE directions. It is shown that the secular deceleration of the Earth's rotation can be a reasonable mechanism for the change of Earth's ellipsoid compression and, consequently, for the origin of the regular system of faults and lineaments described above.     

Average slip rate,earthquake rupturing segmentation and recurrence behavior on the Litang fault zone,western Sichuan Province,China

The Litang fault zone (LFZ) is an important active fault within the northwestern Sichuan sub-block. To-gether with the Garzê-Yushu, Xianshuihe, and An-ninghe fault zones on its northern, eastern and south-eastern sides, the LFZ constitutes the lateral extrusion tectonic system in the southeastern part of the Qing-hai-Tibetan Plateau[1,2] (Fig. 1). According to instru-mental records, historical recordings and field investi- gation, an earthquake (Ms7.3) occurred on its middle to south se…     

重磁三维反演伊犁盆地中部密度和磁性结构

伊犁盆地中部区域地处多个构造单元的交汇区,构造复杂,缺乏高精度地质资料,制约了对盆地构造演化的进一步认识.本文联合使用多种先验信息作为约束条件,利用高精度重磁数据反演获得了研究区地下海拔-10 km以浅的三维密度和磁性结构,增强了反演结果的可靠性.结果揭示以白石墩次凸为中心发育了一个"北断南超"的南西-北东向不对称型凹陷,北部沉积厚度大于南部;区内主要断裂具有高角度特征,生烃中心受断裂控制,阿吾拉勒山前凹陷浅部可能发育逆掩断裂;火成岩以侵入的基性火成岩为主,伴有部分喷出火成岩和中酸性火成岩.     

利用地面激光与地质雷达综合探测活断层浅层三维结构——以川西理塘毛垭坝盆地北缘正断层为例

快速获取活断层的高精度微地貌形态和对应的浅层三维结构是揭示活断层浅地表形迹与活动特征的关键。文中综合利用地面三维激光扫描仪和地质雷达技术,以川西理塘地区毛垭坝盆地北缘主边界断裂禾尼段的正断层崖为研究对象,获取了该处正断层错动2期最新地貌面的精确地表垂直位移量和浅层二维地质雷达图像,并初步建立了基于地面三维激光与地质雷达的活断层微地貌精细化三维测量方法,构建了断层崖微地貌的精细三维模型和浅表三维图像,揭示了正断层崖处发育的伸展地堑结构,同时初步实现了断层微地貌地表地下三维数据的一体化融合显示及相互解译。应用结果表明,该方法可以同时快速、高效、无损地获取大范围内的活断层微地貌及浅层结构的多层次、多视觉的空间数据,极大地提高了对活动断层微地貌形态与浅层结构进行快速调查与研究的精度和认识水平,也为更全面地认识和理解活断层的空间分布与变形特征、活动习性和多期古地震遗迹等提供重要的数据和方法支持。因此,对该方法的继续探索和完善,将显著提升和扩展其在活断层定量化和精细化研究中的实用性及应用前景。     

Investigation on causes of the Siruyeh Landslide, West Semirom (Iran)

The Siruyeh landslide occurred at the eastern side of the Siruyeh valley, 22 km west of Semirom city, south of Esfahān on 25th March, 2005 with large dimensions (2,400 m long, 450 m wide with total area of 1 km²). The sliding mass blocked the Siruyeh River making a 35-m-high natural dam and 6-acre lake 570,000 m³ in volume that poses a potential threat for the area. The landslide occurred in soil and intensely weathered marls of the Tarbur and Kashkan Formations (upper Cretaceous–Paleocene age). The overall comparison and interpretation of the gathered evidence from satellite images, field trips, and laboratory tests show that the most important factors involved in triggering the Siruyeh landslide in order of importance are heavy precipitation and snow melt and intense concentration of faults and fractures as well as weathered and weak lithology.     

覆盖型岩溶平原区岩溶塌陷脆弱性和开发岩溶地下水安全性评价——以广西黎塘镇为例

黎塘研究区塌陷脆弱性较高,为科学地开发该区的岩溶地下水,以满足工农业生产、生活需要,本文针对黎塘镇塌陷的主控触发因素为岩溶地下水动态变化这一特点,采用现场实时监测岩溶地下水动态变化特征和室内塌陷模拟试验相结合的方法,将监测结果与当地塌陷的临界条件进行对比来确定开发岩溶地下水的安全性.结果表明,在当前开采条件下,塌陷脆弱性分区与稳定分区并非完全重合:部分高脆弱和较高脆弱区,在目前开采条件下仍处于稳定状态,部分低脆弱区则处于危险状态,并为研究区十多年来塌陷的发育、分布特征所支持印证.据此认为,在塌陷脆弱性较高的地区未必就需要绝对禁止对岩溶地下水的开发,地下水的开发应以不增加当地塌陷的频率、加剧当地岩溶塌陷的危害为前提.      

广西黎塘岩溶塌陷监测

黎塘是一个构造和岩溶发育的地区,抵抗岩溶地面塌陷的能力较低,在一定的条件触发下较容易产生岩溶地面塌陷。研究表明,岩溶地下水动力条件变化和湿化崩解作用是黎塘塌陷的主要影响和触发因素。本文采用现场实时监测岩溶地下水动态变化特征和室内试验相结合的方法,研究黎塘开发岩溶地下水的安全性。监测结果表明, I、II、II I监测区的最大水压变化速度分别为0. 048kPa /s、0. 160kPa /s和0. 007k Pa /s,小于临界变化速度0. 163kPa /s;最大水力坡降分别为0. 717、1. 052和0. 566,小于临界坡降7. 5。但是, I区满足临界水位埋深条件, 而II区和II I区则未满足临界水位埋深条件。因此,在目前的开采条件下, II 区、III区处于相对稳定状态, I区处于不稳定状态。这说明在发生大规模塌陷后,当地政府从2000年起对地下水开发方案的调整是适当的。      

Monitoring tectonic movements in the Simitli Graben, SW Bulgaria

Long-term in situ monitoring of slow tectonic movements has been applied to a seismoactive region of SW Bulgaria, within the epicentral zone of one of the strongest earthquakes in Europe (4 April 1904, M=7.8). The region has been found the most seismoactive in Bulgaria being of interest to many scientists. Three spatial extensometers were installed here in carefully selected sites to reflect fault movements on fissures. The extensometer TM-71 used here, enables three-dimensional detecting of even very slow movements with the accuracy of 0.01 mm and high stability over time. After 17 years of measuring, the rates of tectonic movements were established at all three monitoring points. Movements recorded at point B6 located in the seismoactive Kroupnik fault zone are of a relatively high rate. Locally, they show left-lateral strike–slips at rates of ca. 2.7 mm year⁻¹, as well as thrusting with a mean rate of 1.9 mm year⁻¹. Monitoring point K7 located in a fissure of the same zone on a steep slope affected by recent earthquakes has shown an uplift tendency of the block W of the Strouma Fault, with a result of gradual slope subsidence occurring from time to time. Monitoring point K5 located in a fissure of Strouma Fault zone became increasingly active during the last 2 years after 8 years of relative quiescence. Before that, only low left-lateral movements could be observed. Long-term fissure monitoring has shown quite a number of details interpretable to the dynamics of a broad region. Permanent shear displacements were found to develop after earthquakes. It was established that only a certain distinct part of local earthquakes provide such a displacement reaction at the monitoring points showing particular seismic connections.     

四川理塘阿加隆洼-亚火金(铜)矿带地质特征及找矿前景

阿加隆洼—亚火金(铜)矿带位于甘孜—理塘裂谷带中段,是重要的金矿富集区。以阿加隆洼金矿为例,研究了区域成矿地质背景,矿床地质特征,总结了矿床地球化学特征,分析了矿床成因与找矿前景。