Seismic structure of the Helan–Liupan–Ordos western margin tectonic belt in North-Central China and its geodynamic implications

We study high-resolution three-dimensional P-wave velocity (Vp) tomography and anisotropic structure of the crust and uppermost mantle under the Helan–Liupan–Ordos western margin tectonic belt in North-Central China using 13,506 high-quality P-wave arrival times from 2666 local earthquakes recorded by 87 seismic stations during 1980–2008. Our results show that prominent low-velocity (low-V) anomalies exist widely in the lower crust beneath the study region and the low-V zones extend to the uppermost mantle in some local areas, suggesting that the lower crust contains higher-temperature materials and fluids. The major fault zones, especially the large boundary faults of major tectonic units, are located at the edge portion of the low-V anomalies or transition zones between the low-V and high-V anomalies in the upper crust, whereas low-V anomalies are revealed in the lower crust under most of the faults. Most of large historical earthquakes are located in the boundary zones where P-wave velocity changes drastically in a short distance. Beneath the source zones of most of the large historical earthquakes, prominent low-V anomalies are visible in the lower crust. Significant P-wave azimuthal anisotropy is revealed in the study region, and the pattern of anisotropy in the upper crust is consistent with the surface geologic features. In the lower crust and uppermost mantle, the predominant fast velocity direction (FVD) is NNE–SSW under the Yinchuan Graben and NWW–SEE or NW–SE beneath the Corridor transitional zone, Qilian Orogenic Belt and Western Qinling Orogenic Belt, and the FVD is NE–SW under the eastern Qilian Orogenic Belt. The anisotropy in the lower crust may be caused by the lattice-preferred orientation of minerals, which may reflect the lower-crustal ductile flow with varied directions. The present results shed new light on the seismotectonics and geodynamic processes of the Qinghai–Tibetan Plateau and its northeastern margin.     

Fabric dilatancy and the plasticity modeling of granular media

A novel conceptual model of the mechanics of sands is developed within an elastic–plastic framework. Central to this model is the realization that volume changes in anisotropic granular materials occur as a result of two fundamentally different mechanisms. The first is purely kinematic, dilative, and is the result of the changes in anisotropic fabric. There is also a second volume change in granular media that occurs as a direct response to changes in stress as in a standard elastic/plastic continuum. The inclusion of the two sources of volume change results in three important datum states. When subjected to isotropic strains, the resulting stress state in granular materials is not isotropic but lies upon the kinematic normal consolidation line. There exists a state at which the fabric‐induced volumetric strain rate becomes equal to the stress‐induced volumetric strain rate making the total plastic volumetric strain rate equal to zero. Granular response changes from contractive to dilative at this phase transformation line. The third datum state is the one in which the stress‐induced volumetric strain rate is zero. The sand, however, continues to dilate at this state with the difference between stress and dilation ratio a constant as predicted by Taylor's stress–dilatancy rule. These predictions are shown in accordance with experimental data from a series of drained tests and undrained on Ottawa sand. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Anisotropic Inhomogeneous Riemann S-Ellipsoids in Spheroidal Halos. I.

The classical Riemann S-ellipsoids are generalized to account for a Ferrers inhomogeneity in the mass distribution, a three-dimensional anisotropy of the velocity dispersions, and the gravitation of a spheroidal halo. The Ferrers inhomogeneity does not affect the equilibrium and stability conditions for the ellipsoids, but only changes the numerical coefficients in the equilibrium parameters. The anisotropy of the velocity dispersions changes both the equilibrium conditions and the criterion for stability of the ellipsoids, either extending or limiting the region in which the ellipsoids exist. A halo extends this region in all cases and stabilizes the ellipsoids. The observed of the velocity dispersions of stars in the neighborhood of the sun are obtained using the inhomgeneous model. __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 48, No. 4, pp. 613–632 (November 2005).     

混合型缓冲材料砌块渗透性及其各向异性研究

缓冲材料砌块具备良好的防渗性能,是保证高放废物处置库封闭性的关键。缓冲材料砌块经单轴加载挤压成型,块体尺寸大,测试与评价其渗透性能的均匀性和各向异性,对缓冲屏障设计具有重要价值。研究制备不同干密度的混合型缓冲材料砌块,定向切割获得砌块内部不同位置、不同方向的小试样,开展刚性壁和柔性壁渗透试验,综合评价了混合型缓冲砌块不同方向的水力传导系数。研究结果表明：砌块干密度越大,砌块的水力传导系数越低。所有砌块的水力传导系数均处于10?10 cm/s数量级,沿砌块z、?、r方向的水力传导系数基本相等,表明砌块渗透性具有良好的均匀性和各向同性,且满足高放缓冲材料防渗要求。两种试验方法获得的渗透结果差异较小,柔性壁渗透条件下砌块产生10%～20%的体积膨胀,导致其水力传导系数略大于刚性壁下的平行试样。引入CT试验,分析了渗透前后砌块的微观特性变化。试验证实,在饱和渗透之后,以CT值显示的砌块密度分布趋于均匀,砌块内部存在的微裂隙愈合消失。     

利用背景噪声成像研究合肥-金华剖面地壳速度结构及径向各向异性的东西差异

背景噪声成像能够为地壳内部结构提供地震波速的观测证据,能够增进对地壳结构与物性的认识.本文利用背景噪声成像方法对合肥-金华流动地震台阵55个台站数据进行了分析反演,获得了华北克拉通与华南块体东部构造边界附近区域的地壳S波速度与径向各向异性结构.成像结果表明,以东经118°-118.5°附近为界,西北部表现为地壳低速异常和中下地壳正的径向各向异性,东南部表现为地壳高速异常,下部地壳存在负的径向各向异性.由此,本文推测地震波速结构差异反映了地壳内部物质与温度的差异,这种差异与两个地区自中生代晚期以来经历了截然不同的岩浆活动相关.

     

基于背景噪声研究青藏高原东北缘瑞利波相速度和方位各向异性

本研究收集了甘肃、青海、宁夏等118个宽频带数字地震台站的连续波形资料,利用噪声互相关,经过计算和筛选,在5~38 s范围内,共得到5773条瑞利波相速度频散曲线.然后采用1°×1°的网格划分,反演获得青藏高原东北缘相速度和方位各向异性分布.结果表明：短周期8~12 s内,鄂尔多斯从低速异常变为高速异常;该周期范围内各向异性结果与区域断裂走向有很好的一致性.18~25 s周期内,祁连地块、松潘-甘孜地块、羌塘地块低速异常范围逐渐变大,随周期增加地壳低速异常与人工探测结果相符;鄂尔多斯表现为速度随周期增加逐渐变大,说明其中下地壳速度相对偏高,不存在低速异常;该周期范围内的各向异性特征表现为,祁连地块和松潘甘孜地块大致呈NW-SE方向,而青藏高原内部快波方向显示了顺时针旋转的形态.在30~35 s范围内面波速度主要受莫霍面深度和莫霍面附近介质速度的影响,与地壳厚度分布有非常好的吻合.综合不同方法获得的各向异性研究结果,支持印度-欧亚板块的碰撞使青藏高原东北缘地壳发生缩短和逐渐隆升的观点,认为整个岩石圈的垂直缩短变形是青藏高原东北缘的主要形成机制.

     

华北克拉通中部过渡带SKS波分裂研究:鄂尔多斯东南角的局部软流圈绕流

本文对布设在华北克拉通东西两块体交界区域的宽频带流动地震观测台阵和部分固定台站的远震波形记录开展了SKS波分裂研究.结果显示,鄂尔多斯块体内部的各向异性比较弱,剪切波分裂导致的时间延迟一般小于0.7 s.鄂尔多斯块体东缘的山西断陷带和太行山以及华北平原西部均表现出了比较强的各向异性,时间延迟大于1.0 s.特别是在太行山地区观测到的ENE趋向的快波偏振方向明显不同于鄂尔多斯块体和华北平原地区的近E-W和ESE方向的快波偏振方向.在华北克拉通东西两块体交界过渡带的太行山地区观测到的显著上地幔各向异性及变化可能对应于围绕鄂尔多斯块体东南角的局部软流圈绕流,而后者可能起因于鄂尔多斯块体的逆时针旋转以及青藏高原软流圈沿秦岭大别造山带向东的流动.