Relating rapid plate-motion variations to plate-boundary forces in global coupled models of the mantle/lithosphere system: Effects of topography and friction

Recent high-resolution models of past plate motions and their comparison with plate motion models inferred from space geodetic techniques reveal a number of short-term variations in global plate velocities over the past 10 Myrs. Such variations serve as powerful probe into the nature and magnitude of plate boundary forces, because they are unlikely to originate from changes in mantle buoyancy forces, which evolve on longer time scales. Here we explore the constraints of the velocity record using a novel coupled modeling-approach of global neo-tectonic simulations combined with realistic plate driving forces obtained from mantle circulation models (MCMs) to arrive at simple global budgets of mantle, lithosphere and plate boundary forces. We focus on three plate boundary systems along the Nazca/South America plate margin, the Aleutian trench and the India/Australia plate boundary to show that gravitational spreading from high topography in the Andes and Tibet contributes substantially to the global plate tectonic force balance and that this contribution is sufficient to explain some 35% of recent velocity changes over the Earth's surface, including among others the observed 30% convergence reduction between the Nazca/South America plates. Our models make a number of specific predictions such as significant lateral variations in plate coupling forces along a given margin revealed by trench-parallel gravity and bathymetry anomalies and the occurrence of large earthquakes, as well as differences by as much as a factor of five from margin to margin. They also support the notion of a relatively young plate boundary separating the India and Australia plates, which has been previously suggested based on independent observations. Importantly, we find that the modeled Nazca/South America convergence reduction explains recent spreading-rate variations in the South Atlantic and South Pacific, which points to the importance of far field effects on the adjacent continents in explaining the spreading record of oceanic basins. Our numerical results demonstrate (a) that detailed budgets of forces acting upon plates can be obtained and (b) support the notion of strong forcing along weak plate boundaries.     

Hidden negative spatial autocorrelation

Mostly lip service treatments of negative spatial autocorrelation (NSA) appear in the literature, although spatial scientists confront it in practice. NSA was detected serendipitously in recalcitrant empirical analyses containing a sizeable amount of global positive spatial autocorrelation (PSA) unaccounted for by standard spatial statistical models, and labeled hidden because conventional spatial statistical tools detected only PSA while giving absolutely not hint of NSA existing. The meaning of this phenomenon is explored empirically, with findings including: a better understanding of NSA, spatial filter model construction guidelines, effective illustrations of NSA, and how hidden NSA furnishes a diagnostic for model misspecification.

基于偏差原则利用MODIS红外资料反演大气廓线以及表层温度

遥感方程或大气辐射传输方程是属于第一类非线性Fredholm积分方程,这类方程的显著特征是不适定的,尤其此类问题解的不稳定性,增加了反演的难度.因此需要研究控制反演不稳定性和提高反演精度的有效方法.为了使解稳定,光滑参数γ作为约束因子是必要的.文中结合牛顿非线性迭代法反演大气廓线,利用偏差原则来最优选择光滑参数γ,即在同步反演大气廓线的同时对γ采用分步迭代的原则.最后利用中分辨率和成像光谱仪(MODIS)红外资料进行反演试验,反演结果表明采用偏差原则选取γ明显优于经验法,反演的表层温度和大气可降水量与美国国家宇航局(NASA)的MOD07产品类似.     

Experiment on Dust Flux During Duststorm Periods over Desert Area

The present study investigates the characteristics of turbulent transfer and the conditions for dust emission and transport using the dust concentration and micrometeorological data obtained during dust events occurring in the spring of 2004 over the Hunshandake desert area. The turbulent exchange coefficients and turbulent fluxes of momentum and heat are calculated. The relationships between dust flux, friction velocity, and wind speed are also explored. The results show that thermal turbulence is dominant during daytime of non-dusty days. The dynamic turbulence increases obviously and the sensible heat flux reduces by different degrees during dust events. There is an efficient downward transfer of momentum before duststorm occurrence, and both the dynamic turbulence and the thermal turbulence are important in the surface layer. The dynamic turbulence even exceeds the thermal turbulence during severe duststorm events. The values of dust flux vary in the range of -5 5, -30 30, and -200-300 μg m^-2 s^-1 during non-dusty days, blowing dust, and duststorm events, respectively. A slight upward transport of dust is observed during non-dusty days. The dust flux gradually varies from positive to negative during duststorm periods, which indicates the time evolution of dust events from dust rising to stably suspending and then deposition. The dust flux is found to be proportional to u＊^3. The threshold values of wind speed and friction velocity are about 6 and 0.4 m s^-1, respectively.     

深长摩擦桩的非局部摩擦分析

本文对Oden等提出的非局部摩擦模型进行了修正,并利用Mindlin问题的位移解导出了深长摩擦桩侧阻力的弹性解,对深长摩擦桩进行非局部摩擦分析,将所得的侧阻力与局部摩擦下的侧阻力进征比较,结果表明是合理有效的.     

A new method for estimating driven pile static skin friction with instrumentation at the top and bottom of the pile

A numerical technique is presented to estimate ultimate skin friction of a driven pile using instrumentation installed at the top and bottom of a pile. The scheme is based on an analytical solution of the 1D wave equation with static skin friction and damping along with a genetic algorithm for solution. Specifically, acceleration and strains measured at both the top and bottom of the pile are used to develop an observed Green's function, which is matched to an analytical Green's function, which is a function of secant stiffness and viscous damping. Requiring 1–3 s of analysis time per blow, the algorithm provides a real time assessment of average skin friction along the pile. The technique was applied to four driven piles having ultimate skin frictions varying from 700 to 2000 kN, with the predicted skin frictions generally consistent with measured static load test results.     

支座滑道半径对摩擦摆基础隔震结构地震反应的影响

对摩擦摆基础隔震结构进行了地震反应分析,研究了支座滑道半径对支座位移、楼层加速度和楼层剪力的影响,表明当支座的摩擦系数较小时,随着支座滑道半径的增大,隔震结构的自振周期增大,摩擦摆支座位移逐渐增大,结构的加速度反应和楼层剪力减小当支座的摩擦系数较大时,改变支座的滑道半径,调整基础隔震结构周期对支座位移、结构加速度反应和...     

Intelligent seismic isolation system using air bearings and earthquake early warning

Recently strong seismic waves or long period seismic waves have been observed in various earthquakes that occurred in Japan. As a result improvements of existing seismic isolation systems are deemed necessary. The present study proposed an intelligent seismic isolation system encompassing air bearings and earthquake early warning (EEW) system. Such system exhibits adequate isolation performance. The air bearings are isolation device that may render infinite the superstructure natural period by floating them, and the EEW is applied for a trigger of isolation. This paper illustrates the proposed system and discusses the experimental results of a test carried out with the system. Laboratory tests carried out in the present research demonstrate the effectiveness of the proposed base isolated systems and prove its efficacy in mitigating the effects of three-dimensional seismic waves. For example, the system suppressed the horizontal response acceleration of an isolation target to 38% of input acceleration.     

Analytical layer-element solution to axisymmetric consolidation of multilayered soils

After the application of a Laplace–Hankel transform, the governing equations of Biot’s consolidation are solved analytically by using the eigenvalue approach. Then the analytical layer-element of a single soil layer can be obtained in the transformed domain by synthesizing the generalized displacements and stresses, which are both expressed by six arbitrary constants. The elements of the analytical layer-element only contain negative exponential functions, which leads to a considerable improvement in computation efficiency and stability. The global stiffness matrix equation of multilayered soils is further obtained by assembling the interrelated layer-elements, and the actual solution is achieved by numerical inversion of the Laplace–Hankel transform after the solution in the transformed domain is obtained. Numerical examples are given to demonstrate the accuracy of this method and to study the influence of the layered soil properties and time history on the consolidation behavior.