Signatures of slope failures and river‐delta collapses in a perialpine lake (Lake Lucerne,Switzerland)

Historical reports from the 17th Century document two destructive tsunamis with run‐ups exceeding 5 m, affecting proximal basins of Lake Lucerne (Switzerland). One event in ad 1601 is coeval with a strong nearby earthquake (M_W ca 5·9) which caused extensive slope failures in many parts of the lake. The second event in ad 1687 is associated with an apparently spontaneous partial collapse of the Muota river delta. This study combines high‐resolution bathymetry, reflection seismic and lithological data to document the sedimentary and morphological signatures of the two subaqueous mass movements that probably generated the observed tsunamis. Such mass movements are significant as a common sedimentation process and as a natural hazard in fjord‐type lakes and similar environments. The deposits, covering large parts of the basins with thicknesses reaching >10 m, consist of two subunits: A lower ‘massflow deposit’ contains variably deformed sediments from the source areas. Its emplacement affected pre‐existing sediments, incorporating thin sediment slices into the deposit and increasing its volume. Deep‐reaching deformation near basin margins is expressed as bulges on the lake floor. An overlying ‘megaturbidite’, featuring a graded, sandy base and a thick homogeneous muddy part, was deposited from suspended particles. The source area for the ad 1601 event, gently dipping lateral slopes with an unconsolidated hemipelagic sediment cover, hosts a pronounced slide scar with sharp escarpments and sliding surfaces. The source area for the ad 1687 event on an active delta slope has been overprinted by continued sedimentation and does not show an unambiguous scar. The case studies are exemplary for end‐member types of source areas (lateral versus delta slopes) and trigger mechanisms (seismic versus aseismic); they show that morphological mapping and reconstructions of past events are key components of a hazard assessment for mass movement‐generated tsunamis.     

A Quantitative Method for Active Fault Migration Distance Assessment on both Sides of Mid-Ocean Ridges—Based on Multi-Beam Data

Fracture-fissure systems found at mid-ocean ridges are dominating conduits for the circulation of metallogenic fluid. Ascertaining the distribution area of active faults on both sides of mid-ocean ridges will provide a useful tool in the search for potential hydrothermal vents, thus guiding the exploration of modern seafloor sulfides. Considering the Mid-Atlantic Ridge 20°N–24°N (NMAR) and North Chile Rise (NCR) as examples, fault elements such as Fault Spacing (?S) and Fault Heave (?X) can be identified and quantitatively measured. The methods used include Fourier filtering of the multi-beam bathymetry data, in combination with measurements of the topographic slope, curvature, and slope aspect patterns. According to the Sequential Faulting Model of mid-ocean ridges, the maximal migration distance of an active fault on either side of mid-ocean ridges—that is, the distribution range of active faults—can be measured. Results show that the maximal migration distance of active faults at the NMAR is 0.76–1.01 km (the distance is larger at the center than at the ends of this segment), and at the NCR, the distribution range of active faults is 0.38–1.6 km. The migration distance of active faults on the two study areas is positively related to the axial variation of magma supply. In the NCR study area, where there is an abundant magma input, the number of faults within a certain distance is mainly affected by the variation of lithospheric thickness. Here a large range of faulting clearly corresponds to a high proportion of magmatism to seafloor spreading near mid-ocean ridges (M) value, and in the study area of the NMAR, there is insufficient magmatism, and the number of faults may be controlled by both lithospheric thickness and magma supply, leading to a less obvious positive correlation between the distribution range of active faults and M.     

The dynamics of a bathymetrically arrested estuarine front

The mixing and circulation associated with a bathymetrically arrested estuarine front was studied using hydrographic and current data. A quasisteady front, exhibiting strongly convergent surface flows, is formed along the steeply sloping inner margins of the flood tide delta during each semidiurnal tide cycle. This front separates the brackish ambient water within a deep estuarine basin from the incoming oceanic tidal water. The position of the front is dependent on the local water depth and the difference in density between the two water masses. Beneath the surface there is an inclined frontal interface where static stability is very low and vertical mixing intense. A vertically integrated horizontal momentum equation was derived for flow in the upper layer and an estimate made as to the value of the associated entrainment coefficient.     

Merged GLORIA sidescan and Hydrosweep pseudo-sidescan: Processing and creation of digital mosaics

We have replaced the usual band of poor-quality data in the near-nadir region of our GLORIA long-range sidescan-sonar imagery with a shaded-relief image constructed from swath bathymetry data (collected simultaneously with GLORIA) which completely cover the nadir area. We have developed a technique to enhance these pseudo-sidescan images in order to mimic the neighbouring GLORIA backscatter intensities. As a result, the enhanced images greatly facilitate the geologic interpretation of the adjacent GLORIA data, and geologic features evident in the GLORIA data may be correlated with greater confidence across track. Features interpreted from the pseudo-sidescan may be extrapolated from the near-nadir region out into the GLORIA range where they may nt have been recognized otherwise, and therefore the pseudo-sidescan can be used to ground-truth GLORIA interpretations. Creation of digital sidescan mosaics utilized an approach not previously used for GLORIA data. Pixels were correctly placed in cartographic space and the time required to complete a final mosaic was significantly reduced. Computer software for digital mapping and mosaic creation is incorporated into the newly-developed Woods Hole Image Processing System (WHIPS) which can process both low- and high-frequency sidescan, and can interchange data with the Mini Image Processing System (MIPS) most commonly used for GLORIA processing. These techniques are tested by creating digital mosaics of merged GLORIA sidescan and Hydrosweep pseudo-sidescan data from the vicinity of the Juan Fernandez microplate along the East Pacific Rise (EPR).     

Comparison of volcanic rifts on La Palma and El Hierro, Canary Islands and the Island of Hawaii

The meso-scale (km) morphology of the well-studied volcanic rift zones on the Island of Hawaii is compared to the morphology of the lesser known rift zones of La Palma and El Hierro, Canary Islands. We find that there are both differences and similarities in their morphologic characteristics. In general, the rift zones on La Palma and El Hierro are shorter (a few tens of km in length) than those on Hawaii (ranging up to >100 km in length), perhaps reflecting both magma supply and composition. Many of the rift zones on Hawaii have well defined axial zones, both on-and offshore. In contrast, the rift zones on La Palma and El Hierro display various geometries ranging from linear ridges having smooth to irregular crests to structures with a broad fan-like morphology in plan view. The pronounced fanning may be a reflection of: 1) the stress field within the rift being insufficient to trap dikes within a narrow region, 2) dike injection and volcanism shifting laterally through time, 3) volcanoes building nearly one atop of another in the Canary Islands, superimposing the stress field of one structure on the other and thus yielding a more complex distribution of gravitational stresses, and 4) low rate of magma supply producing low magma pressures and thus randomly oriented dike injections. Irregularities and curvature along the axes of the rifts on La Palma and El Hierro may be a reflection of differences in the rate of magma production. Unlike the volcanoes on the Island of Hawaii there may be insufficient volumes of lavas erupted on La Palma and El Hierro to smooth out irregularities. The superposition of rifts from different volcanoes may also add to topographic irregularities in the Canary Islands, especially if eruption rates are low.     

滨浅海单波束测深潮汐改正的方法

单波束测深仪在现在的海上地质调查中被广泛应用,潮汐校正是必不可少的内容。我们给出一种利用潮汐预报值进行潮汐改正的方法和过程,并介绍该方法在黄河三角洲环境地质补充调查项目中的应用。     

Using inverse theory and seabeam bathymetry to improve seismic refraction data corrections

An array consisting of ocean bottom seismometer and on-bottom hydrophones, was used to conduct a seismic experiment on 0.4 Ma crust east of the Juan de Fuca Ridge. Seismic sources were large (>50 kg) explosive charges detonated by SUS devices set to explode at 1829 or 2438 m nominal depth. The objectives of the experiment were to determine the compressional wave velocity and attenuation structures of the uppermost 500 m depth. The relative positions of shots and receivers were originally determined by treating each shot-receiver pair independently, via raytracing of various water waves. Due to the reflection of some of these water waves by the rough bottom, significant scatter resulted, preventing a determination of a physically realizable velocity-depth function. A new method is described that co-locates shot and receiver positions, including receiver depths consistent withseabeam bathymetry, using only the water waves that do not interact with the bottom. Several potential pitfalls are outlined using this method. A stable solution could only be achieved by discarding shots located well outside the array. The water path corrections were applied to the refracted arrivals, again using theseabeam bathymetry. The joint inversion location procedure, along with the use of precise gridded bathymetry, reduced the travel time scatter to a level whereby a velocity-depth function could be determined. The results, using only the hydrophone data, indicate an initial velocity at the seafloor of 2.7 km s^-1 with gradients from 4.6 s^-1 slowly decreasing to 4.1 s^-1 at 679 m depth. This velocity is similar to others conducted over very young oceanic crust, and can be interpreted as being due to a high porosity at the surface, due to cracks, fissures, and open pores, which rapidly diminish with depth.     

Segmentation and morphotectonic variations along a slow-spreading center: The Mid-Atlantic Ridge (24°00′ N– 30°40′ N)

Analysis of Sea Beam bathymetry along the Mid-Atlantic Ridge between 24°00 N and 30°40 N reveals the nature and scale of the segmentation of this slow-spreading center. Except for the Atlantis Transform, there are no transform offsets along this 800-km-long portion of the plate boundary. Instead, the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is offset at intervals of 10–100 km by nontransform discontinuities, usually located at local depth maxima along the rift valley. At these discontinuities, the horizontal shear between offset ridge segments is not accommodated by a narrow, sustained transform-zone. Non-transform discontinuities along the MAR can be classified according to their morphology, which is partly controlled by the distance between the offset neovolcanic zones, and their spatial and temporal stability. Some of the non-transform discontinuities are associated with off-axis basins which integrate spatially to form discordant zones on the flanks of the spreading center. These basins may be the fossil equivalents of the terminal lows which flank the neovolcanic zone at the ends of each segment. The off-axis traces, which do not lie along small circles about the pole of opening of the two plates, reflect the migration of the discontinuities along the spreading center.The spectrum of rift valley morphologies ranges from a narrow, deep, hourglass-shaped valley to a wide valley bounded by low-relief rift mountains. A simple classification of segment morphology involves two types of segments. Long and narrow segments are found preferentially on top of the long-wavelength, along-axis bathymetric high between the Kane and Atlantis Transforms. These segments are associated with circular mantle Bouguer anomalies which are consistent with focused mantle upwelling beneath the segment mid-points. Wide, U-shaped segments in cross-section are preferentially found in the deep part of the long-wavelength, along-axis depth profile. These segments do not appear to be associated with circular mantle Bouguer anomalies, indicating perhaps a more complex pattern of mantle upwelling and/or crustal structure. Thus, the long-recognized bimodal distribution of segment morphology may be associated with different patterns of mantle upwelling and/or crustal structure. We propose that the range of observed, first-order variations in segment morphology reflects differences in the flow pattern, volume and temporal continuity of magmatic upwelling at the segment scale. However, despite large first-order differences, all segments display similar intra-segment, morphotectonic variations. We postulate that the intra-segment variability represents differences in the relative importance of volcanism and tectonism along strike away from a zone of enhanced magma upwelling within each segment. The contribution of volcanism to the morphology will be more important near the shallowest portion of the rift valley within each segment, beneath which we postulate that upwelling of magma is enhanced, than beneath the ends of the segment. Conversely, the contribution of tectonic extension to the morphology will become more important toward the spreading center discontinuities. Variations in magmatic budget along the strike of a segment will result in along-axis variations in crustal structure. Segment mid-points may coincide with regions of highest melt production and thick crust, and non-transform discontinuities with regions of lowest melt production and thin crust. This hypothesis is consistent with available seismic and gravity data.The rift valley of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge is in general an asymmetric feature. Near segment mid-points, the rift valley is usually symmetric but, away from the segment mid-points, one side of the rift valley often consists of a steep, faulted slope while the other side forms a more gradual ramp. These observations suggest that half-grabens, rather than full-grabens, are the fundamental building blocks of the rift valley. They also indicate that the pattern of faulting varies along strike at the segment scale, and may be a consequence of the three-dimensional, thermo-mechanical structure of segments associated with enhanced mantle upwelling beneath their mid-points.     

Morpho-tectonic analysis of the Azores Volcanic Plateau from a new bathymetric compilation of the area

The existing studies of the Azores triple junction, although based on specific geological or geophysical data, largely rely upon morphological considerations. However, there is no systematic bathymetric coverage of this area, and the quality of the available bathymetric charts does not allow consistent morpho-structural analysis.In this work we present a new bathymetric grid elaborated with all the available data sources in an area comprised between 24° W to 32° W and 36° N to 41° N. The basic data set corresponds to the merge of NGDC data with new swath profiles. This new map, included as an Appendix, combined with other results from seismology and neotectonics, is the basis for the study of the morpho-structural pattern of the Azores area, the present day stress field and its implications on the current view of the Azores geodynamics.As a major result, we conclude that the Azores region is controlled by two sets of conjugated faults with 120° and 150° strikes that establish the framework for the onset of volcanism, expressing as linear volcanic ridges or as point source volcanism. This interaction develops what can be considered as the morphological signature of the Azores Spreading axis segmentation. We argue that the Azores domain, presently in a broad transtensional regime, is acting simultaneously as a ultra slow spreading centre and as a transfer zone between the MAR and the dextral Gloria Fault, as it accommodates the differential shear movement between the Eurasian and African plates.     

舰载浅水激光测深系统研究

本文提出了近海浅水区域水深测量的激光双频相位法测量方案，采用声光调制1064nm和532nm光波分别测量水面和水底距离。在实验室进行了该系统的模拟实验，证实了该方案的可行性。