Stress drop assessment of the August 8, 2017, Jiuzhaigou earthquake sequence and its tectonic implications*

By using a broadband Lg attenuation model developed for the Tibetan Plateau, we isolate source terms by removing attenuation and site effects from the observed Lg-wave displacement spectra of the M7.0 earthquake that occurred on August 8, 2017, in Jiuzhaigou, China, and its aftershock sequence. Thus, the source parameters, including the scalar seismic moment, corner frequency and stress drop, of these events can be further estimated. The estimated stress drops vary from 47.1 kPa to 7149.6 kPa, with a median value of 59.4 kPa and most values falling between 50 kPa and 75 kPa. The estimated stress drops show significant spatial variations. Lower stress drops were mainly found close to the mainshock and on the seismogenic fault plane with large coseismic slip. In contrast, the highest stress drop was 7.1 MPa for the mainshock, and relatively large stress drops were also found for aftershocks away from the major seismogenic fault and at depths deeper than the zone with large coseismic slip. By using a statistical method, we found self-similarity among some of the aftershocks with a nearly constant stress drop. In contrast, the stress drop increased with the seismic moment for other aftershocks. The amount of stress released during earthquakes is a fundamental characteristic of the earthquake rupture process. As such, the stress drop represents a key parameter for improving our understanding of earthquake source physics.     

Features of different types of seismic events in China’s Capital Region

Seismic records produced by different seismic sources vary. In this study, we compared the waveform records and time-frequency characteristics of tectonic earthquakes, artificial explosions, and mine collapses in China’s Capital Region. The results show that tectonic earthquakes are characterized by stronger S-wave energy than P-wave energy, obvious high-frequency components, and wide frequency bands of P and S waves. Artificial explosions are characterized by greater P-wave amplitude than S-wave amplitude and near-station surface wave development. Mine collapses are characterized by lower overall frequency, more obvious surface waves, and longer duration. We extracted quantitative discriminants based on the analysis of different event records, with 31 feature values in 7 categories (P/S maximum amplitude ratio, high/low frequency energy ratio, P/S spectral ratio, corner frequency, duration, the second-order moment of spectrum, and energy strongest point). A comparison of the ability of these feature values to recognize distinct events showed that the 6–17 Hz P/S spectral ratio was able to completely distinguish artificial explosions from the other two types of events. The S-wave corner frequency performed relatively well in identifying all three types of events, with an accuracy of over 90%. Additionally, a support vector machine was used to comprehensively distinguish multiple features, with an accuracy for all three types of events reaching up to 100%.     

Aerodynamic Characteristics of the Crest with Membrane Attachment on Cretaceous Pterodactyloid Nyctosaurus

The Nyctosaurus specimen KJ1 was reconstructed under the hypothesis that there is a membrane attached to the crest;the so-called headsail crest.The aerodynamic forces and moment acting on the headsail crest were analyzed.It was shown that KJ1 might adjust the angle of the headsail crest relative to the air current as one way to generate thrust (one of the aerodynamic forces,used to overcome body drag in forward flight) and that the magnitude of the thrust and moment could vary with the gesture angle and ...     

岩土工程可靠度分析的改进四阶矩方法

岩土工程可靠度分析中,功能函数往往呈隐式且具有强非线性性质,而目前最为实用的矩方法,如JC法、二次二阶矩法,主要适用于显式功能函数情形。为此,将高效的统计矩估计方法和可靠度分析的高阶矩法相结合,提出了一种岩土工程可靠度分析的改进四阶矩方法。首先,通过引入变量的独立化变换和线性变换将功能函数转换为参考变量的函数,并结合多变量函数的单变量降维近似方法和参考变量计算节点与权系数的确定方法,建立了功能函数前四阶矩的高效点估计法。然后,将上述统计矩与立方正态变换假设相结合,提出了易于实现的岩土工程可靠度分析的改进四阶矩方法。最后,由数学算例验证了统计矩估计方法的效率和精度,并通过经典的岩土工程算例验证了建议的改进四阶矩方法具有高效率、高精度且操作简单等特点。     

鄂东南铁山梯形石香肠构造基质层中的应变测量与分析

鄂东南铁山是全球第二个梯形石香肠构造的发现点。以该区成层分布、形态相近的梯形石香肠构造为研究对象,利用惯量椭圆法对其基质层进行有限应变测量,获得真应变差、岩层厚度比、运动学涡度分布等。结合梯形石香肠几何形态学、岩石学特征,对所得数据综合分析研究表明:剪切带中垂直剪切方向的厚度比值与其所受真应变差趋于负相关;该梯形石香肠构造是由其上、下相邻基质层厚度差异,基质层中总体上的纯剪切,局部相对集中的简单剪切及相对富集于张裂隙处角岩层中的热液流体等综合作用形成的;发育成层分布且形态相近的梯形石香肠构造所需特征性条件是能干层上、下相邻基质层厚度相差较大,且受总体上持续的平行层面拉伸、垂直层面压缩的纯剪切与局部的简单剪切共同作用。该类石香肠构造是较好的岩石流变学标志。