Validation through HVSR measurements of a method for the quick detection of site amplification effects from intensity data: an application to a seismic area in Northern Italy

An instrumental validation is attempted of an innovative approach devoted to the quick individuation, from macroseismic data, of site amplification phenomena able to significantly modify seismic hazard levels expected on the basis of average propagation effects only. According to this methodology, two evaluations of hazard are performed at each investigated locality: the former, obtained by epicentral intensity data ‘reduced’ at the site through a probabilistic attenuation function and, the latter, computed by integrating such data with seismic effects actually observed at the site during past earthquakes. The comparison, for each locality, between these two hazard estimates allow to orientate the identification of those sites where local amplifications of earthquake ground motion could be significant. In order to check such methodology, indications obtained in this way from macroseismic data are compared with the estimates of transfer functions performed through the HVSR technique applied to microtremors. Results concerning municipalities located in a seismic area of Northern Italy indicate a good agreement between macroseismic and instrumental estimates.     

Foreshocks and aftershocks of the M W = 7.1, 1992, earthquake in the Atrato region, Colombia

We study the October 18, M _W = 7.1, 1992 Atrato earthquake, and its foreshocks and aftershocks, which occurred in the Atrato valley, northwestern Colombia. The main shock was preceded by several foreshocksof which the M _W = 6.6, October 17 earthquacke was the largest. Inparticular, we examine foreshocks and aftershocks performing joint-hypocenter relocations using high quality Pn and Sn wave readingsfrom permanent regional networks. We observed a few hours prior to the main shock a sudden increase of foreshocks. Maybe this could be used as a predictor since foreshocks have been known for other major events in the region. Our locations align for 90 km with a trend of 5^° ±4^° in agreement with the Harvard CMT solution showing the faultplane trending 9^° to be the plane of rupture. In relation to theepicenter of the main shock, maximum intensities were located to thesouth, consistent with a rupture that traveled from north to south witha larger energy release in the south as suggested by an empirical Green'sfunction study (Li and Toksöz, 1993; Ammon et al., 1994). The boundarybetween the Panama and North Andes blocks has been placed close to thePanama-Colombia border as either a sharp boundary or a diffuse zone. TheAtrato earthquake, however, shows that the plate boundary between thePanama and North Andes microblocks is a diffuse deformation zone. Thiszone has a width of at least 2^° stretching from 78^°W to 76^°W. Quantification of earthquake moment release (during the past30 years) in this zone shows a similar amount of moment release in thewestern and eastern parts of this zone.     

新疆北部降水的气候分布特片及其对ENSO的响应

分析研究了新疆北部地区近50年（1951-2000年）全年各月降水的气候分布特征和各季降水的年际变化规律，重点揭示了北疆多雨季节（4-7月）及其各月降水量对赤道东太平洋的海温SST和南方涛动指数SOI的显著响应关系，并用前期SST和SOI作为预报因子，建立了北疆地区雨季水量的预报方程。该方程可用于北疆地区雨季降水量的长期预报。     

天山北麓灌溉绿洲的形成和发展

17世纪以前，天山北麓是以牧为主地区，由“兵屯”建立的古代绿洲仅在交通要道呈星、点分布，且屡兴屡废。18－20世纪中叶，由清朝到民国，大力发展屯田，使社会发展进入半农半牧时期，这里形成的旧绿洲，呈断续岛状小片。1949年以后，由大规模农垦建立的新绿洲群，把分散小片旧绿洲联结在一起，形成与天山相平行绿洲带。本区绿洲形成特点是由屯垦和内地移民发展起来，起步虽晚，但发展很快；而且古绿洲、旧绿洲和新绿洲之间有延续性，不象塔里大盆地的很多古代绿洲已沦为沙漠、戈壁或风蚀地。     

A high-resolution diatom reconstruction between 21,000 and 17,4000 14C yr BP from the southern Bolivian Altiplano (18–23°S)

A diatom study of lacustrine sediments in the southern part of the Bolivian Altiplano (Salar of Coipasa) provides a continuous record of the period 21,000–17,500 ¹⁴C yr BP. Constrained by seven AMS ¹⁴C dates, this record provides evidence that the Coipasa basin was filled by a shallow body of water during this time. Diatom/salinity and diatom/ionic composition transfer functions indicate that the lake was saline, dominated by sodium-chloride throughout all the period.A comparison with regional data shows that Lake Titicaca could not have overflowed towards the southern Bolivian Altiplano at that time. As this dry phase was not registered in Lake Coipasa, this lake was probably supplied by winter precipitation originating from the Pacific. But, recent data from the deep basin of Lake Titicaca show that the lake-level was higher during this time interval, and the question arises whether precipitation from Atlantic and Amazonia sources could have played an important role on the Altiplano during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). This hypothesis needs to match other available paleoclimatic data from the lowlands of tropical South America, where there is evidence that during the LGM, conditions were drier than today. Global climate simulations suggest a positive P-E on the Altiplano, due to a strong cooling, reducing evaporative demand more than any increase in precipitations. An increase of winter precipitation from the Pacific is in agreement with data from the Chilean coast showing a northward locations of the Westerlies during the LGM. This paleoclimatic hypothesis is also in agreement with a coupled ocean-atmosphere model, which indicates weaker summer precipitation and stronger winter precipitation in the tropical areas.     

Infiltration on mountain slopes: a comparison of three environments

Water is well established as a major driver of the geomorphic change that eventually reduces mountains to lower relief landscapes. Nonetheless, within the altitudinal limits of continuous vegetation in humid climates, water is also an essential factor in slope stability. In this paper, we present results from field experiments to determine infiltration rates at forested sites in the Andes Mountains (Ecuador), the southern Appalachian Mountains (USA), and the Luquillo Mountains (Puerto Rico). Using a portable rainfall simulator–infiltrometer (all three areas), and a single ring infiltrometer (Andes), we determined infiltration rates, even on steep slopes. Based on these results, we examine the spatial variability of infiltration, the relationship of rainfall runoff and infiltration to landscape position, the influence of vegetation on infiltration rates on slopes, and the implications of this research for better understanding erosional processes and landscape change.Infiltration rates ranged from 6 to 206 mm/h on lower slopes of the Andes, 16 to 117 mm/h in the southern Appalachians, and 0 to 106 mm/h in the Luquillo Mountains. These rates exceed those of most natural rain events, confirming that surface runoff is rare in montane forests with deep soil/regolith mantles. On well-drained forested slopes and ridges, apparent steady-state infiltration may be controlled by the near-surface downslope movement of infiltrated water rather than by characteristics of the full vertical soil profile. With only two exceptions, the local variability of infiltration rates at the scale of 10° m overpowered other expected spatial relationships between infiltration, vegetation type, slope position, and soil factors. One exception was the significant difference between infiltration rates on alluvial versus upland soils in the Andean study area. The other exception was the significant difference between infiltration rates in topographic coves compared to other slope positions in the tabonuco forest of one watershed in the Luquillo Mountains. Our research provides additional evidence of the ability of forests and forest soils to preserve geomorphic features from denudation by surface erosion, documents the importance of subsurface flow in mountain forests, and supports the need for caution in extrapolating infiltration rates.     

冀北发现具鬣刺结构的超基性岩

冀北具鬣刺结构的超基性岩呈透镜状，产于华北克拉通北缘的早元古宙红旗营子群黑云斜长片麻岩之中。富MgO，贫CaO，A12O3和FeO*＝0．86，TiO2介于0．01％-0．02％之间，与SSZ型蛇绿岩中相应岩石的TiO2含量相当。原始地幔标准化的过渡元素配分型式表现为不对称的“W”型，在TiO2和Cu处形成两个明显的负异常“谷”。据此地球化学特征意味着它们可能来自于消减带之下上地幔，为上地幔高度部分熔融的残余物。岩石中鬣刺结构可能是叶蛇纹石高压分解的结果，表明研究区某些变质橄榄岩岩块曾经受过俯冲—消减作用。     

藏北新生代两套钾玄质火山岩系列地球化学特征

岩石学和元素地球化学特征研究表明，藏北新生代自南向北沿可可西里岩带和喀喇昆仑—玉门岩带出露有两套钾玄质系列火山岩。它们富集大离子亲石元素(LILE)和轻稀土(LREE)及明显亏损Nb—Ta—Ti，同时具有板内和岛弧(陆弧)的双重特征。源区来源于可能与俯冲带流体有关的相似交代富集地幔，成岩过程主要经历了低度(＜10％)辉石分离结晶作用，同时，源区伴有地壳物质的混染作用。     

1995年日本新泻北部M6.0地震及其由地震烈度和地下水地热异常分布所揭示的隐伏地震断层

1995年日本新泻北部M6.0地震发生在新泻地震空区的东部边缘.由于此次地震震源较浅(10 km),造成了55栋房屋倒塌、165栋房屋半倒.通过计算倾倒墓碑的地震矩,对本区地震烈度进行了分析,发现烈度6度区(据日本JMA度)为一覆盖面积6.1×1 km2,呈NNE-SSW向分布的条带,表明震中区的冲积平原下存在一条隐伏断层.震中区地下水的温度、电导率和Cl-浓度等异常区与呈线性分布的6度烈度区大致吻合,也有力地证明了震中区下面存在一条隐伏断层.这次地震可能是由高压型热水系沿隐伏活动断层喷溢引起.带着高温的高压热水降低了岩石的断裂强度,从而触发了地震.     

Anelastic structure of the upper mantle beneath the northern Philippine Sea

We investigated the upper mantle anelastic structure beneath the northern Philippine Sea region, including the Izu-Bonin subduction zone and the Shikoku Basin. We used regional waveform data from 69 events in the Pacific and the Philippine Sea slabs, recorded on F-net and J-array network broadband stations in western Japan. Using the S–P phase pair method, we obtained differential attenuation factors, δt^*, which represent the relative whole path Q. We conducted a tomographic inversion using 978 δt^* values to invert for a fine-scale (50–100 km) three-dimensional anelastic structure.

The results shows two high-Q regions (Q_P>1000) which are consistent with the locations of the Pacific and the Philippine Sea slabs. Also there is a low-Q (Q_P110) area extending to the deeper parts (350–400 km) of the model just beneath the old spreading center and the Kinan Seamount Chain in the Shikoku Basin. A small depth dependence of the laterally averaged Q_P was found, with values of 266 (0–250 km), 301 (250–400 km), and 413 (400–500 km).