High-resolution sequence stratigraphy of clastic shelves V: Criteria to discriminate between stratigraphic sequences and sedimentological cycles

In contrast to high-frequency sequences driven by high-magnitude relative sea-level changes, those controlled by short-term, minor relative sea-level and/or sediment supply changes may be difficult to discriminate from sedimentological cycles (i.e., bedsets) unrelated to shoreline shifts, especially in case of limited outcrop exposures. In fact, meter-scale, fully shallow-marine high-frequency sequences and typical meter-scale bedsets may share a similar, simple facies succession documenting either an upward increase or decrease of event beds. It is therefore necessary to define a set of criteria that allows to discriminate between thin high-frequency sequences and bedsets, based on sedimentological, stratigraphic, micropaleontological, mineralogical and diagenetic data. In particular, the sedimentological and stratigraphic criteria that aid discriminating between high-frequency sequences and bedsets include: 1) occurrence of environmental changes across bounding surfaces; 2) occurrence of water-depth changes across bounding surfaces; 3) physical appearance of bounding surfaces and associated substrate-controlled ichnofacies; 4) lateral extent of bounding surfaces; 5) presence of condensed deposits; 6) cycle thickness; 7) recognition of a set of clinoforms in a regressive shoreface-shelf succession. Moreover, the formation of wave-ravinement surfaces in the shoreface is usually associated with an increase in the percentage of benthic micro-foraminifera specimens documenting energetic conditions, and in the abundance of heavy minerals. Extensive cementation may also be found just below and/or above transgressive surfaces. However, the integration of more than one of the above criteria is necessary to reliably discriminate between sequence stratigraphic surfaces (and therefore high-frequency sequences) and bedset boundaries, the latter being only related to changes of energy level and/or local sediment supply without shoreline shifts. This work is essential to correctly reconstruct the sequence stratigraphic framework of a given succession and to interpret the factors that controlled the cyclicity.     

Effect of seismic sequences in reinforced concrete frame buildings located in soft-soil sites

On September 19 and 20, 1985, two strong subduction interface earthquakes struck Mexico City leading to a large stock of damaged, or even collapsed, reinforced concrete (RC) building structures located in soft soil sites of the former lake-bed zone. The aim of this study is to gain further understanding on the effects of soft-soil seismic sequences on the seismic response of RC framed-buildings. This investigation employed artificial sequences since only two real sequences were gathered during the 1985 earthquakes. The nonlinear response, in terms of peak and residual lateral inter-story drift demands of four RC buildings having 4, 8, 12, and 16 stories, was evaluated. Results show that the relationship of the damaged period of the building (i.e. period of the building after the mainshock) to the predominant period of the aftershock, which is a measure of its frequency content, has a significant impact in the building response.     

2013年甘肃岷县—漳县交界Ms6.6地震序列双差定位研究

利用甘肃遥测台网2013年7月22日至9月22日的震相观测报告,对2013年7月22日07时45分甘肃省岷县漳县交界Ms 6.6地震的地震序列进行双差定位研究.结果表明,地震序列呈北西向分布,与临潭宕昌断裂的走向基本一致,地震分布长度约10 km.震源深度剖面显示断层面向西南倾斜,浅部倾角较陡,深部略缓,表现为“铲形”逆冲断层的特征.余震区存在一条向西南延伸的余震带,与发震断层相交成y字型,推测可能是逆冲推覆构造中常见的反冲断层.     

The 20 April 2013 Lushan,Sichuan, mainshock,and its aftershock sequence: tectonic implications

Using the double-difference relocation algorithm, we relocated the 20 April 2013 Lushan, Sichuan, earthquake (M _S 7.0), and its 4,567 aftershocks recorded during the period between 20 April and May 3, 2013. Our results showed that most aftershocks are relocated between 10 and 20 km depths, but some large aftershocks were relocated around 30 km depth and small events extended upward near the surface. Vertical cross sections illustrate a shovel-shaped fault plane with a variable dip angle from the southwest to northeast along the fault. Furthermore, the dip angle of the fault plane is smaller around the mainshock than that in the surrounding areas along the fault. These results suggest that it may be easy to generate the strong earthquake in the place having a small dip angle of the fault, which is somewhat similar to the genesis of the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake. The Lushan mainshock is underlain by the seismically anomalous layers with low-V_P, low-V_S, and high-Poisson’s ratio anomalies, possibly suggesting that the fluid-filled fractured rock matrices might significantly reduce the effective normal stress on the fault plane to bring the brittle failure. The seismic gap between Lushan and Wenchuan aftershocks is suspected to be vulnerable to future seismic risks at greater depths, if any.     

苏德尔特构造带贝14块兴安岭群层序地层分析

以层序地层学理论为指导,利用岩心、测井、地震资料相结合的分析手段,建立了苏德尔特构造带贝14块兴安岭群的层序地层等时格架,将兴安岭群划分为3个三级层序和短期中期基准面旋回。分析了个层序的主要构型及其成因,认为盆地由断陷向凹陷转化,沉积速率也随之降低,盆地各层序的厚度由厚变薄。兴安岭群内部层序界面多为沉积间断,不同沉积时期的岩性、物性以及沉积物叠置关系具有明显的韵律性变化。层序发育明显受构造活动的控制,幕式构造活动是构成层序主要构型的成因。     

Dynamic responses under the excitation of pulse sequences

This paper studies the dynamic responses of SDOF system under pulse-dominant excitations. The purpose of the study is to prepare for scrutiny of some near-field pulse-dominant ground motions and their potential to cause structural damage. Extending the single pulse dynamics, we consider the effect of pulse sequences. This kind of excitation was particularly obvious in some of previous earthquakes such as Northridge (1994) and Chi-Chi (1995). Based on the duration,peak and rise and decay era of the main pulse as well as its relationship with the predecessor and successor pulses, we propose a classification for the pulse sequences. Consequent studies have been carried out for acceleration, velocity and displacement response spectra of the main pulse with either a predecessor or a successor pulse. The analysis also includes general response behaviors in different fundamental period segments and special aspects of response at certain points (e.g., the corresponding peak points).     

接收台阵、震源阵的传递函数与双聚束法的初步研究

根据汶川地震序列,选出距离合适、波形相关性较好的事件作为震源阵,联合永久台阵(那曲、和田台阵),进行震源阵与固定台阵组合研究,计算其台阵响应.结果表明,地震序列可以形成震源阵,按照地震台阵的特殊方法进行研究,可以提高信噪比,为揭示地下精细结构提供条件.     

BAC end sequencing of Pacific white shrimp <Emphasis Type="Italic">Litopenaeus vannamei</Emphasis>: a glimpse into the genome of Penaeid shrimp

Little is known about the genome of Pacific white shrimp (Litopenaeus vannamei). To address this, we conducted BAC (bacterial artificial chromosome) end sequencing of L. vannamei. We selected and sequenced 7 812 BAC clones from the BAC library LvHE from the two ends of the inserts by Sanger sequencing. After trimming and quality filtering, 11 279 BAC end sequences (BESs) including 4 609 paired- ends BESs were obtained. The total length of the BESs was 4 340 753 bp, representing 0.18% of the L. vannamei haploid genome. The lengths of the BESs ranged from 100 bp to 660 bp with an average length of 385 bp. Analysis of the BESs indicated that the L. vannamei genome is AT-rich and that the primary repeats patterns were simple sequence repeats (SSRs) and low complexity sequences. Dinucleotide and hexanucleotide repeats were the most common SSR types in the BESs. The most abundant transposable element was gypsy, which may contribute to the generation of the large genome size of L. vannamei. We successfully annotated 4 519 BESs by BLAST searching, including genes involved in immunity and sex determination. Our results provide an important resource for functional gene studies, map construction and integration, and complete genome assembly for this species.     

Terrace aggradation during the 1978 flood on Powder River, Montana, USA

Flood processes no longer actively increase the planform area of terraces. Instead, lateral erosion decreases the area. However, infrequent extreme floods continue episodic aggradation of terraces surfaces. We quantify this type of evolution of terraces by an extreme flood in May 1978 on Powder River in southeastern Montana. Within an 89-km study reach of the river, we (1) determine a sediment budget for each geomorphic feature, (2) interpret the stratigraphy of the newly deposited sediment, and (3) discuss the essential role of vegetation in the depositional processes.Peak flood discharge was about 930 m³ s^− 1, which lasted about eight days. During this time, the flood transported 8.2 million tons of sediment into and 4.5 million tons out of the study reach. The masses of sediment transferred between features or eroded from one feature and redeposited on the same feature exceeded the mass transported out of the reach. The flood inundated the floodplain and some of the remnants of two terraces along the river. Lateral erosion decreased the planform area of the lower of the two terraces (~ 2.7 m above the riverbed) by 3.2% and that of the higher terrace (~ 3.5 m above the riverbed) by 4.1%. However, overbank aggradation, on average, raised the lower terrace by 0.16 m and the higher terrace by 0.063 m.Vegetation controlled the type, thickness, and stratigraphy of the aggradation on terrace surfaces. Two characteristic overbank deposits were common: coarsening-upward sequences and lee dunes. Grass caused the deposition of the coarsening-upward sequences, which had 0.02 to 0.07 m of mud at the base, and in some cases, the deposits coarsened upwards to coarse sand on the top. Lee dunes, composed of fine and very fine sand, were deposited in the wake zone downstream from the trees. The characteristic morphology of the dunes can be used to estimate some flood variables such as suspended-sediment particle size, minimum depth, and critical shear velocity. Information about depositional processes during extreme floods is rare, and therefore, the results from this study aid in interpreting the record of terrace stratigraphy along other rivers.     

2008年盈江地震序列的震源参数和震源机制相关系数研究

基于云南数字地震台网记录的2008年盈江地震序列的数字波形资料,采用波谱分析方法和Brune震源模型,得到盈江地震序列的震源参数。利用两次地震事件的相同台站的震源谱参数（零频振幅）计算谱振幅相关系数,据此对地震的震源机制进行聚类分组,并收集和对比地震序列已知的震源机制解结果,发现每组内震源机制解P轴的相关性较好,且相关系数越大,P轴的方位角就越接近。将盈江地区划分为三个研究区,联合震源参数的应力降和聚类分组中每组的平均震源机制解结果研究地震序列发生过程中应力的释放水平和应力场方向变化特征。结果表明：不同阶段震源机制解类型的变化和转化特征一定程度上反映了孕震过程中区域应力场随时间的变化特征,并且地震震源机制解类型在时间段上的集中并向区域构造应力场方向转换的现象可能是发生强震的标志。震源机制解分组类型和对应类型的地震的应力降有一定依赖关系,震源机制解类型反映的应力场与区域应力场接近的地震应力降高,震源机制解类型反映的应力场与区域应力场差距较大的地震应力降普遍较低。