Multiple phases analysis of deep seismic sounding records in North China Craton*

The North China Craton (NCC) is a key region to study the destruction of the ancient craton. Two groups of phases (denoted as “Pw1” and “Pw2”), which are parallel to the PmP phase reflected from the Moho discontinuity and the PLP phase reflected from the Lithosphere and Asthenosphere Boundary (LAB) respectively, are found on the record section of the Rongcheng-Xinzhou-Alxa long-range deep seismic sounding profile. The nature of the two phases is still unclear, although they are clearly observable and reverberant. In this paper, we use travel time inversion and amplitude forward modelling to fit the reflected and refracted phases in the lithosphere. The results show: (1) the Pw1 is a multiple reflected phase which is successively reflected by the crystalline basement, the surface, the Moho and then finally received on the surface; (2) the Pw2 phase is also a multiple reflected phase successively reflected by the crystalline basement, the surface, the LAB interface and then received on the surface. We conclude that the significant velocity difference between the thick sedimentary cover and the crystalline basement in the North China rifted basin may be the main reason for generating the multiple reflections. Furthermore, the two multiple reflections provide potent constraints on the lithospheric velocity model, and constitute seismological evidence for the lithospheric thinning in the eastern NCC.     

Possible link between weak bottom simulating reflections and gas hydrate systems in fractures and macropores of fine-grained sediments: Results from the Hikurangi Margin,New Zealand

Small amounts of free gas in interstitial sediment pores are known to significantly lower compressional (P-) wave velocity (Vp). This effect, combined with moderately elevated Vp from the presence of gas hydrates, is usually thought to be the cause for the often observed strong negative reflection coefficients of bottom simulating reflections (BSRs) at the base of gas hydrate stability (BGHS). At several locations however, weak BSRs have been observed, which are difficult to reconcile with a presence of gas in sediment pores. We here present a rock physics model for weak BSRs on the Hikurangi Margin east of New Zealand. Thin sections of a fine-grained mudstone sample from a submarine outcrop in the vicinity of a weak BSR show macroscopic porosity in the form of fractures and intrafossil macropores. We apply the Kuster-Toksöz theory to predict seismic velocities for a rock with water-saturated interstitial micropores and gas or hydrates in macroscopic pore space simulating fractures or compliant macropores. We match field observations of a weak BSR with a reflection coefficient of −0.016 with two end-member models; (1) rocks with gas hydrate-filled voids with a concentration of <4% of bulk sediment overlying water-filled voids, or (2) fully gas-saturated voids at a concentration of <2% beneath water-filled voids. A natural system is likely to consist of a combination of these end-members and of macroporosity filled with a mixture of water and gas or hydrate. Our results suggest weak BSRs may be caused by gas hydrate systems in fractures and macropores of fine-grained sediments with fully water-saturated interstitial pore space. Gas may be supplied into the macroscopic pore space by diffusion-driven short-range migration of methane generated within the gas hydrate stability field or, our favoured model based on additional geologic considerations, long-range advective migration from deeper sources along fractures.     

Quadratic normal moveouts of symmetric reflections in elastic media: A quick tutorial

The design of reflection traveltime approximations for optimal stacking and inversion has always been a subject of much interest in seismic processing. A most prominent role is played by quadratic normal moveouts, namely reflection traveltimes around zero-offset computed as second-order Taylor expansions in midpoint and offset coordinates. Quadratic normal moveouts are best employed to model symmetric reflections, for which the ray code in the downgoing direction coincides with the ray code in the upgoing direction in reverse order. Besides pure (non-converted) primaries, many multiply reflected and converted waves give rise to symmetric reflections. We show that the quadratic normal moveout of a symmetric reflection admits a natural decomposition into a midpoint term and an offset term. These, in turn, can be be formulated as the traveltimes of the one-way normal (N) and normal-incidence-point (NIP) waves, respectively. With the help of this decomposition, which is valid for propagation in isotropic and anisotropic elastic media, we are able to derive, in a simple and didactic way, a unified expression for the quadratic normal moveout of a symmetric reflection in its most general form in 3D. The obtained expression allows for a direct interpretation of its various terms and fully encompasses the effects of velocity gradients and Earth surface topography.     

具吸收边界条件的波动方程偏移的拟合分解方法

本文讨论了在波动方程偏移问题中构造吸收边界条件方程的原则,并提出了求解具有吸收边界条件的偏移问题的一种新方法--矩阵拟合分解方法。这一方法的特点在于所构造的差分方程的拟合分解格式可以通过三点褶积和正、反递归被快速求解。 通过合成记录和野外实际资料的偏移对这一方法进行了验证。理论分析和实际计算都表明,该方法可以有效地消除来自网格边界的人工反射,减少了因增加边道或其他方法所需要的辅助计算而带来的计算工作量,提高了计算效率,因而是一种有效方法。     

THE CRUSTAL STRUCTURE BENEATH THE EASTERN QINGHAI

THE CRUSTAL STRUCTURE BENEATH THE EASTERN QINGHAI     

关于《福建省志·地震志》(1996—2005年)编纂工作的思考

对《福建省志·地震志》(1996—2005年)修志工作中的具体环节,包括志书总体框架设计、档案资料目录编写、图片素材收集、资料归档工作和修志人员队伍建设等进行了总结和分析,以期为今后志书的修编工作提供经验和指导,提高志书编纂的效率和质量。     

Geochemistry, petrofabrics and seismic properties of eclogites from the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling boreholes in the Sulu UHP terrane, eastern China

We present an integrated study of geochemistry, petrofabrics and seismic properties of strongly sheared eclogites from the Chinese Continental Scientific Drilling (CCSD) project in the Sulu ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane, eastern China. First, geochemical data characterize diverse protoliths of the studied eclogites. The positive Eu- and Sr-anomalies, negative Nb anomaly and flat portion of heavy rare earth elements in coarse-grained rutile eclogites (samples B270 and B295) suggest a cumulate origin in the continental crust, whereas the negative Nb anomaly and enrichment of light rare earth elements in retrograde eclogites (samples B504, B15 and B19) imply an origin of continental basalts or island arc basalts. Second, P-wave velocities (V_p) of three typical eclogite samples were measured under confining pressures up to 500 MPa and temperatures to 700 °C. At 500 MPa and room temperature, the mean V_p reaches 8.50-8.53 km/s in samples B270 and B295 but drops to 7.86 km/s in sample B504, and the P-wave anisotropy changes from 1.7-2.7% to 5.5%, respectively. The pressure and temperature derivatives of V_p are larger in the retrograde eclogite than in fresh ones. Third, the electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD) measurements of the eclogites reveal random crystal preferred orientation (CPO) of garnet and pronounced CPO of omphacite, which is characterized by a strong concentration of [001]-axes sub-parallel to the lineation and of (010)-poles perpendicular to the foliation. The asymmetric CPO of omphacite in sample B270 recorded a top-to-the-south shear event during subduction of the Yangtze plate. The calculated fastest V_p is generally sub-parallel to the lineation, but a different deformation environment during exhumation could form second-order variations in omphacite CPO and affect the V_p distribution in eclogites (e.g., the fastest V_p is at ~ 35° from the foliation in sample B295). Comparison between measured and calculated seismic properties indicates that the CPO of omphacite controls the seismic anisotropy of eclogites at high pressure, and compositional layering and retrograde minerals will increase the anisotropy. Calculated P-wave velocities agree well with velocities measured at 500 MPa and room temperature for fresh eclogites, but much higher than those of retrograde eclogite. As a case study, the laboratory-derived V_p-P and V_p-T relationships were used to estimate P-wave velocities of eclogites and peridotites beneath the Western Superior Province, Canada. The results indicate that besides the fabric-induced anisotropy, the direction dependence of pressure and temperature derivatives of V_p can significantly increase seismic anisotropy of eclogites with depth, which results in eclogites being an important candidate for the seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle. Due to their very high density and velocity, garnet-rich eclogites within peridotite could be detected in seismic reflections in subduction zones.