High-resolution (2–7 kHz) acoustic and geometric characters of submarine creep deposits in the South Korea Plateau, East Sea

A synthesis of high-resolution (Chirp, 2–7 kHz) seismic profiles in the South Korea Plateau reveals that large masses of wavy stratified sediment (≈60–90 m thick) cover broad, gently sloping (<0·5°) ridges in water depths of 1000–2000 m. The wavy stratified sediment (WSS) is characterized by wavy (0·2–5 km in wavelength and <15 m in relief), continuous reflective layers with a basal deformed zone that overlies undeformed, strong reflectors. The WSS exhibits systematic variation in wave dimensions and thickness of internal reflective layers with changes in slope gradient. The troughs of the waves are commonly associated with internal growth faults, and wave amplitude generally increases with subbottom depth. On steep slopes around the ridges, the WSS masses are bounded downslope by slide and slump deposits including slightly translated or rotated WSS blocks. The acoustic and geometric characters, and association with downslope slides and slumps on the steeper slopes, suggest that the WSS masses were most probably formed by slow creep movement before slope failure. In the absence of significant sediment input to the South Korea Plateau, the deep (1000–2000 m in water depth) mass movements were probably triggered by earthquakes that have occurred frequently in this region. Some slightly displaced, intact WSS blocks in the associated slides and slumps downslope reflect a progressive evolution from submarine creep into slide and slump.     

Methodology for Landslide Susceptibility Mapping by Means of a GIS. Application to the Contraviesa Area (Granada,Spain)

This article presents a method to map landslide susceptibility in rock massifs using Geographical Information Systems (GIS). The method is based on making an inventory of rupture zones of different types of slope movements and then analysing the bivariate correlation of these with the factors that determine instability. After determining the factors that present the highest correlation with each type of movement, a matrix is created to combine these factors and to determine the percentage of the rupture zone in each combination, which provides an expression of the susceptibility of the terrain. The map thus obtained is divided into susceptibility classes. The susceptibility maps (made in 1995) for each type of movement are first calibrated with the inventory of the movements from which they are derived (previous to 1995), and subsequently validated by another inventory elaborated after the susceptibility maps (in 1997). In both cases, significant correlation coefficients were obtained (the Goodman–Kruskal coefficients were over 0.8 and sometimes exceeded 0.9). The relative error (degree of accumulated fit for very low to low susceptibility classes) was always less than 5%,while the relative success rate was always above 50%. These resultsillustrate the adequacy of the method and of the maps obtained.     

广东沿海新构造运动的大陆动力学背景

广东沿海新构造运动的大陆动力学背景了受周边板块运动影响外，还受该区大地构造演化的历史和壳幔深部结构制约。该区新构造应力场变化为：晚第三纪，陆缘裂陷盆地区为SSE为拉张，粤东、粤中沿海陆地局部为近SN向挤压；上新世晚期至今，为NWW-SEE向挤压。燕山晚期以来沿海地区“华夏山系”的造山后拉伸塌陷和岩石圈拆沉作用，导致地壳张裂，软流圈上涌，对广东沿海的新构造运动重要的控制作用。此外，广东沿海上地幔的高热状态和地壳内部的流变分层结构，是该区新构造运动和地震发生的重要的深部结构因素。     

Tensile strength of peat: laboratory measurement and role in Irish blanket bog failures

The morphological characteristics of bogflows, bog bursts and other types of peat failures suggest that the tensile strength of peat may have had a significant influence on their occurrence and development. This paper describes a method for the determination of peat tensile strength utilising small block samples (100 mm × 100 mm, up to 60 mm thick) in a newly developed laboratory apparatus. The results, demonstrating good reproducibility and being consistent with published data, were applied to a case example. The stability of a recent 35,000-m³ bogflow on Maghera Mountain, Co. Clare, Ireland, was analysed using a standard limit equilibrium technique. The breaking stress (i.e. maximum tensile strength) of the acrotelm peat at the Maghera bogflow was 5.35 kPa (range 2.9–7.6 kPa). Using this value to represent the overall strength of the acrotelm in the model, analyses showed that even above the crest of an escarpment, the acrotelm was strong enough to contain a large volume of low or zero-strength lower catotelm peat within the blanket bog upslope from the escarpment. Furthermore, simple analysis of single blocks of peat at the upslope edge of a retrogressively developing failure established the size of blocks that should develop, i.e. 3–4 m. The floating acrotelm rafts observed in the Maghera bogflow, typically up to around 3 m, were broadly consistent with this analysis. This paper therefore presents for the first time quantitative evidence of the importance of the acrotelm tensile strength in bogflows and a new method for routinely obtaining tensile strength data.     

Mass movements in hilly areas (with examples from Nigeria)

In mountainous areas of great relief, mass movements occur regularly as the result of the normal cyclic landscape development process. However, mass movements also occur in areas of lower relief, i.e. in areas of less geomorphic activity. An extreme case of this type has been found in the development of cracks in a flat savannah area of Nigeria which has generally been ascribed to purely hydrological causes. Nevertheless, it can be shown that the development of the cracks occurs along the shear lines of the neotectonic stress field, so thatgeotectonic processes represent the ultimate cause of the mass movements here as well. Conditions intermediate between those obtaining in mountainous and flat areas are found inhilly regions. In this instance, we have investigated a further particular area of Nigeria: the hills and river valleys near Ankpa in Benue State. Nevertheless, the instabilities in the ground may again have a much deeper primary cause. The primary unstable features appear as gullies; these are seen to form a definite orientation pattern; - which fact would point to a tectonic predesign. This contention can be substantiated by studying numerically the orientation pattern of the gullies/cracks and making a statistical analysis thereof. The pattern of the gullies is then compared with joint orientation measurements. It turns out that the pertinent orientation patterns agree within a few degrees with each other indicating that the gullies/cracks and the joints have been created by the same cause: viz. by the action of the stress field: the latter must beneotectonic, since the joints are found in recent laterite.     

Rainfall as a trigger of shallow mass movements. A case study in the Dolomites, Italy

 The article presents results of regional analysis on a historical basis correlating the occurrence of shallow mass movements and disruptive events in time with precipitation trends. For the latter, different time-spans have been considered in an attempt to find the most typical ones which might have triggered landslides. Research was carried out in the 850 km² wide basin of the River Cordevole in the Dolomites (NE Italy). Data concerning slope movements and floods, which have affected the area since the last century, were collected. Events which took place after 1920 have been correlated with the significant pluviometric events recorded. In spite of the regionally high variability of both geological conditions and spatial distribution of precipitation, three types of typical pluviometric trends related to an effective rainfall period of 15 days and to a peak rainfall of 24–48 h preceding the onset of the movements were identified. Received: 1 November 1996 · Accepted: 25 June 1997