Geodynamic Evolution of the Eastern Segment of the Azores-Gibraltar Zone: The Gorringe Bank and the Gulf of Cadiz Region

Detailed structural interpretation of the recently acquired deep seismic multichannel profiles along the Iberian Atlantic Margins (IAM Project) provides new results on the geodynamic evolution of the eastern part of the Azores-Gibraltar plate boundary. Thrusting and folding of the oceanic basement and of Mesozoic and Cenozoic sedimentary cover of the Gorringe Bank region are consistent with the N–S convergence of Iberia and Africa. Compressive structures in the Gorringe Bank region are spread over a wide area. Deformation under compression took place mainly in Tertiary times, as is evidenced by a basal unconformity and several discontinuities in Tertiary sediments, although some deformation has also been recorded in Quaternary sediments. The compressive structures in the Gulf of Cadiz are E–W oriented thrusts, folds and related diapiric structures. N–S oriented transpressive deformation is likely to occur in the western Portuguese platform. There is no continuity of structures from the oceanic to the continental domain, suggesting that deformation transfers from one side to the other through a transcurrent fault zone. The fault contact between the two domains is located in the ocean-continent transition zone.     

Velocity-Interface Structure of the Southwestern Ryukyu Subduction Zone from EW9509-1 OBS/MCS Data

A wide-angle seismic survey, combining ocean-bottom seismometers (OBS) and multi-channel seismic (MCS) profiling, was implemented in the southwestern Ryukyu subduction zone during August and September 1995. In this paper, we present the data analysis of eight OBSs and the corresponding MCS line along profile EW9509-1 from this experiment. Seismic data modeling includes identification of refracted and reflected arrivals, initial model building from velocity analysis of the MCS data, and simultaneous and layer-stripping inversions of the OBS and MCS arrivals. The velocity-interface structure constructed along profile EW9509-1 shows that the northward subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate has resulted in a northward thickening of the sediments of the Ryukyu Trench and the Yaeyama accretionary wedge north of the trench. The boundary between the subducting oceanic crust and the overriding continental crust (represented by a velocity contour of 6.75 km/s) and a sudden increase of the subducting angle (from 5 degrees to 25 degrees) are well imaged below the Nanao Basin. Furthermore, velocity undulation and interface variation are found within the upper crust of the Ryukyu Arc. Therefore, the strongest compression due to subduction and a break-off of the slab may have occurred and induced the high seismicity in the forearc region. This revised version was published online in November 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

New finite-gap solutions for the coupled Burgers equations engendered by the Neumann systems

On the tangent bundle TS^N-1 of the unit sphere S^N-1, this paper reduces the coupled Burgers equations to two Neumann systems by using the nonlinearization of the Lax pair, whose Liouville integrability is displayed in the scheme of the r-matrix technique. Based on the Lax matrix of the Neumann systems, the Abel--Jacobi coordinates are appropriately chosen to straighten out the restricted Neumann flows on the complex torus, from which the new finite-gap solutions expressed by Riemann theta functions for the coupled Burgers equations are given in view of the Jacobi inversion.     

基于无人机高光谱遥感技术对内陆养殖池塘水质监测的研究

为准确、快速、全面获取内陆养殖小区池塘及尾水处理池水体水质变化情况,建立养殖水环境实时预警调控及数字化管控机制,选择浙江湖州市集中连片的养殖小区为试验区,于2020年12月采用搭载GaiaSky-mini高光谱相机的无人机进行试验区近地遥感图像采集,并进行图像拼接、辐射校正和几何校正等预处理;然后对反射波段进行差值、比...     

Spatiotemporal variation and mechanisms of temperature inversion in the Bay of Bengal and the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean

In the northern Bay of Bengal, the existence of intense temperature inversion during winter is a widely accepted phenomenon. However, occurrences of temperature inversion during other seasons and the spatial distribution within and adjacent to the Bay of Bengal are not well understood. In this study, a higher resolution spatiotemporal variation of temperature inversion and its mechanisms are examined with mixed layer heat and salt budget analysis utilizing long-term Argo（2004 to 2020） and RAMA（2...     

澳大利亚波拿巴盆地N区块岩性圈闭识别探讨

澳大利亚N区块是海上勘探区块,钻探成本高,存在一定的勘探风险,尽可能地降低风险和找寻可能存在的最大圈闭资源规模,成为勘探的重点和难点。为此,在澳大利亚N区块开展了构造和岩性等多种类型圈闭的识别评价。在构造圈闭落实的情况下,利用澳大利亚N区块二维、三维地震资料,在高精度层序地层格架下,结合物源方向、古地貌和沉积体系空间配置关系分析,建立了岩性圈闭发育模式。通过目标层位的地震叠后属性、叠前同时反演等综合分析,采用纵横波速度比（Vp/Vs）等地震属性预测了岩性圈闭的分布特点及含油气性。在上述工作基础上,开展了岩性圈闭的油气成藏条件研究和圈闭资源量估算,扩大了澳大利亚N区块的资源规模,使其具备了一定的勘探价值。     

Seismic lamination and anisotropy of the Lower Continental Crust

Seismic lamination in the lower crust associated with marked anisotropy has been observed at various locations. Three of these locations were investigated by specially designed experiments in the near vertical and in the wide-angle range, that is the Urach and the Black Forrest area, both belonging to the Moldanubian, a collapsed Variscan terrane in southern Germany, and in the Donbas Basin, a rift inside the East European (Ukrainian) craton. In these three cases, a firm relationship between lower crust seismic lamination and anisotropy is found. There are more cases of lower-crustal lamination and anisotropy, e.g. from the Basin and Range province (western US) and from central Tibet, not revealed by seismic wide-angle measurements, but by teleseismic receiver function studies with a P–S conversion at the Moho. Other cases of lamination and anisotropy are from exhumed lower crustal rocks in Calabria (southern Italy), and Val Sesia and Val Strona (Ivrea area, Northern Italy). We demonstrate that rocks in the lower continental crust, apart from differing in composition, differ from the upper mantle both in terms of seismic lamination (observed in the near-vertical range) and in the type of anisotropy. Compared to upper mantle rocks exhibiting mainly orthorhombic symmetry, the symmetry of the rocks constituting the lower crust is either axial or orthorhombic and basically a result of preferred crystallographic orientation of major minerals (biotite, muscovite, hornblende). We argue that the generation of seismic lamination and anisotropy in the lower crust is a consequence of the same tectonic process, that is, ductile deformation in a warm and low-viscosity lower crust. This process takes place preferably in areas of extension. Heterogeneous rock units are formed that are generally felsic in composition, but that contain intercalations of mafic intrusions. The latter have acted as heat sources and provide the necessary seismic impedance contrasts. The observed seismic anisotropy is attributed to lattice preferred orientation (LPO) of major minerals, in particular of mica and hornblende, but also of olivine. A transversely isotropic symmetry system, such as expected for sub-horizontal layering, is found in only half of the field studies. Azimuthal anisotropy is encountered in the rest of the cases. This indicates differences in the horizontal components of tectonic strain, which finally give rise to differences in the evolution of the rock fabric.     

3D behaviour of contamination in landfill sites using 2D resistivity/IP imaging: case studies in Portugal

Aiming at defining a valid spatial contamination model, resistivity and induced polarization (IP) measurements were used to investigate contamination plumes in the vicinity of two municipal landfills (Ovar and ílhavo). Previous geophysical surveys and underground water samples confirmed the contamination. However 2D resistivity/IP surveys enabled in obtaining a more accurate spatial model. The Ovar survey consisted of two profiles with nine Wenner soundings each; the ílhavo survey was carried out along two individual lines using a Wenner standard pseudo-section. In both situations, negative IP values were found associated with positive IP values, which can be explained mainly by 2D or 3D geometric effects caused by the presence of the conductive plumes. The data were modelled using a 2D inversion program (RES2DINV) and the resulting resistivity and chargeability distributions were displayed as pseudo-sections. The resistivity and chargeability pseudo-sections define the contamination plumes and the sedimentary structure. These case studies illustrate the advantages of 2D resistivity/IP surveys for the mapping of shape and dimension of contamination associated with landfills.     

Synergy of multiple geophysical approaches to unravel explosive eruption conduit and source dynamics - A case study from Stromboli

An effective approach to understanding the dynamics of explosive volcanic eruptions and the conduit systems that drive them is through synergy of multiple data sets. Three data sets that lend themselves to ease of integration are seismic, infrasonic and thermal. Although approaches involving these data have been used to record volcanological phenomena since 1862, 1955 and 1965, respectively, their integrated use has only developed since 1999. When combined, these three data sets allow constraint of shallow system geometry and the dynamics of the explosive events that occur within that system. Using Stromboli volcano (Italy) as a case study, we review the complete range of geochemical and geophysical studies that can be applied. In doing so, we aim to show how integration of these diverse studies allows insights into a plumbing system and the dynamics of the eruptive activity that the system feeds. When combined at Stromboli, these data provide constraint of multiple system parameters including chamber depths, gas and magma fluxes, shallow system magma residence times, explosion source depths, and the rise/ejection velocities of ascending gas slugs and ejecta. In turn, these results allow various conduit and eruption dynamic models to be applied and tested.The persistent and repeated mildly explosive events that characterize Stromboli have been modeled in terms of the coalescence of gas within the magma to form large gas slugs that ascend the remaining portion of the conduit to burst at the free surface. Our integrated seismic, infrasonic and thermal data sets indicate that gas coalescence occurs at a depth of ∼260 m, with a typical event frequency of ∼9/h. Infrasonic and thermal data show the explosion source to be located 20-220 m below the vent. Thermal data give emission velocities for the ejected fragments of 8-20 m/s, which converts to gas jet velocities of 23-39 m/s. Tracking these parameters in space and time shows that, although eruptions at Stromboli can be grouped into two characteristic types (simple and complex-each of which characterizes a particular crater, NE and SW, respectively), events within each type show significant short-term variability. The system does, however, appear robust, maintaining its characteristic strombolian eruption style after significant effusive phases and more energetic explosive events.     

Earthquakes in Switzerland and surrounding regions during 2006

This report of the Swiss Seismological Service summarizes the seismic activity in Switzerland and surrounding regions during 2006. During this period, 572 earthquakes and 91 quarry blasts were detected and located in the region under consideration. Of these earthquakes, two occurred in conjunction with the construction of the new Gotthard railway tunnel and 165 were induced artificially by the stimulation of a proposed geothermal reservoir beneath the city of Basel. With 20 events with M _L ≥ 2.5, five of which were artificially induced, the seismic activity in the year 2006 was far below the average over the previous 31 years. Nevertheless, six events were felt by the public, most prominently the strongest of the induced Basel events (M _L 3.4), which caused some non-structural building damage. Noteworthy are also the two earthquakes near Cortaillod (M _L 3.2), on the shore of Lake Neuchatel, and in Val Mora (M _L 3.5), between the Engadin and Val Müstair, as well as the 42 aftershocks of the M _L 4.9 Vallorcine earthquake, between Martigny and Chamonix, of September 2005. Editorial handling: Stefan Bucher