Re-evaluation of focal depths and source mechanisms of selected earthquakes in the Afar depression

We present a stepwise inversion procedure to assess the focal depth and model earthquake source complexity of seven moderate-sized earthquakes  (6.2 > M _w > 5.1)  that occurred in the Afar depression and the surrounding region. The Afar depression is a region of highly extended and intruded lithosphere, and zones of incipient seafloor spreading. A time-domain inversion of full moment tensor was performed to model direct P and SH waves of teleseismic data. Waveform inversion of the selected events estimated focal depths in the range of 17–22 km, deeper than previously published results. This suggests that the brittle–ductile transition zone beneath parts of the Afar depression extends more than 22 km. The effect of near-source velocity structure on the moment tensor elements was also investigated and was found to respond little to the models considered. Synthetic tests indicate that the size of the estimated, non-physical, non-isotropic source component is rather sensitive to incorrect depth estimation. The dominant double couple part of the moment tensor solutions for most of the events indicates that their occurrence is mainly due to shearing. Parameters associated with source directivity (rupture velocity and azimuth) were also investigated. Re-evaluation of the analysed events shows predominantly normal faulting consistent with the relative plate motions in the region.     

Assessing potential land suitable for surface irrigation using groundwater in Ethiopia

Although Ethiopia has abundant land for irrigation, only a fraction of its potential land is being utilized. This study evaluates suitability of lands for irrigation using groundwater in Ethiopia using GIS-based Multi-Criteria Evaluation (MCE) techniques in order to enhance the country's agricultural industry. Key factors that significantly affect irrigation suitability evaluated in this study include physical land features (land use, soil, and slope), climate (rainfall and evapotranspiration), and market access (proximity to roads and access to market). These factors were weighted using a pair-wise comparison matrix, then reclassified and overlaid to identify suitable areas for groundwater irrigation using a 1-km grid. Groundwater data from the British Geological Survey were used to estimate the groundwater potential, which indicates the corresponding irrigation potential for major crops. Results indicated that more than 6 million ha of land are suitable for irrigation in Ethiopia. A large portion of the irrigable land is located in the Abbay, Rift Valley, Omo Ghibe, and Awash River basins. These basins have access to shallow groundwater (i.e., depth of groundwater less than 20 m from the surface) making it easier to extract. The comparison between available groundwater and total crop water requirements indicate that groundwater alone may not be sufficient to supply all suitable land. The study estimates that only 8% of the suitable land can be irrigated with the available shallow groundwater. However, groundwater is a viable option for supplementing surface water resources for irrigation in several basins in the country.     

一次东北冷涡过程的宏微观物理特征分析

利用2019年5月20日机载DMT和SPEC粒子测量系统获取的飞机云微物理探测资料,结合高空、地面、卫星云图产品等常规气象数据,分析了东北冷涡在发展成熟期的云宏微观结构特征。结果表明:飞机探测区域为冷性层积混合云,云水充沛。云粒子探头(CDP)和二维云粒子图像探头(CIP)探测到的最大粒子数浓度分别为362.10cm-3、191.08L-1,液态含水量变化范围为0~0.88g/m3;CDP粒子谱呈指数型下降,谱宽较窄;CIP粒子谱呈双峰结构。云粒子图像探测仪CPI表明,层积云上部主要为冰雪晶粒子,以冰晶的核化和凝华增长为主;中上部粒子主要为小冰晶形态,也有冰晶聚合体和枝状冰晶;中下部是过冷水和冰晶粒子的共存区,过冷水较为丰富。     

Spatial-temporal characterization of the San Andreas Fault by fault-zone trapped waves at seismic experiment site,Parkfield, California

In this article, we review our previous research for spatial and temporal characterizations of the San Andreas Fault (SAF) at Parkfield, using the fault-zone trapped wave (FZTW) since the middle 1980s. Parkfield, California has been taken as a scientific seismic experimental site in the USA since the 1970s, and the SAF is the target fault to investigate earthquake physics and forecasting. More than ten types of field experiments (including seismic, geophysical, geochemical, geodetic and so on) have been carried out at this experimental site since then. In the fall of 2003, a pair of scientific wells were drilled at the San Andreas Fault Observatory at Depth (SAFOD) site; the main-hole (MH) passed a ～200-m-wide low-velocity zone (LVZ) with highly fractured rocks of the SAF at a depth of ～3.2 km below the wellhead on the ground level (Hickman et al., 2005; Zoback, 2007; Lockner et al., 2011). Borehole seismographs were installed in the SAFOD MH in 2004, which were located within the LVZ of the fault at ～3-km depth to probe the internal structure and physical properties of the SAF. On September 282004, a M6 earthquake occurred ～15 km southeast of the town of Parkfield. The data recorded in the field experiments before and after the 2004 M6 earthquake provided a unique opportunity to monitor the co-mainshock damage and post-seismic heal of the SAF associated with this strong earthquake. This retrospective review of the results from a sequence of our previous experiments at the Parkfield SAF, California, will be valuable for other researchers who are carrying out seismic experiments at the active faults to develop the community seismic wave velocity models, the fault models and the earthquake forecasting models in global seismogenic regions.     

太湖地区HJ-1卫星CCD数据反演气溶胶及大气校正

针对HJ-1卫星CCD数据,利用改进的暗像元法反演气溶胶光学厚度(AOD),再利用反演的AOD对其进行大气校正。将反演的气溶胶与地基太阳光度计数据进行对比验证,发现当反演的AOD值大于0.2时,反演值与地基观测值的相关系数为0.964,符合MODIS业务化反演AOD的精度要求。再将反演得到的气溶胶带入6S辐射传输模型中,对HJ-1卫星CCD数据进行大气校正实验。结果表明,该方法能有效提高HJ-1卫星CCD数据大气校正的精度,更好地复原地物的真实光谱信息。     

阿尔山地区积雪变化特征

选取阿尔山气象站1981—2015年冷季(10月—次年4月)气象资料,利用滑动平均、线性倾向估计和Mann-Kendall等方法,对年最大积雪深度、积雪日数、气温和降水量进行分析。结果表明,阿尔山地区年最大积雪深度主要发生在1月至3月,其中2月份概率最大,达50%;34 a内最大积雪深度呈上升趋势(2.77 cm/10a),年平均增加0.98%,且年最大积雪深度在1998年发生了突变,即在1998年之前增长缓慢,在2000年以后上升趋势显著。积雪日数的统计分析表明,初始积雪日数和有效积雪日数呈现略微减少趋势,而稳定积雪日数有微弱的增加趋势;通常初始积雪日数比有效积雪日数大30天左右。年最大积雪深度与稳定积雪时期的降水量、积雪日数、日照时数有显著的相关性,相关系数分别为0.647、0.515、0.584,但与稳定积雪时期的气温没有明显的相关性。在全球变暖的大环境下,积雪深度随着降水量和日照时数的增加而增加,且积雪深度受降水量的影响大于日照时数的影响。     

培矮64S冷灌繁种技术研究

通过对低温敏核不育系培矮６４Ｓ育性敏感期间冷水处理后温度场分布特征和自交结实率的资料分析，得出培矮６４Ｓ的灌水始期是冷灌后的见穗期往前推１８天，终止期为见穗期往前推３天，灌水深度前１０天为１５ｃｍ，，后５天为２０ｃｍ，，为“冷繁”技术在生产上应用提供了理论依据。     

Interpretation of transient electromagnetic soundings over three-dimensional structures for the central-loop configuration

Summary. An assessment is made of the bias of fitting constrained layered-earth models to transient electromagnetic data obtained over 3-D structures. In this assessment we use the central-loop configuration and show that accurate estimates of the depth of burial of 3-D structures can be obtained with layered-earth model fitting. However, layered-earth interpretations are not reliable for estimating depth extents and resistivities of 3-D structures. When layered earths are used for interpretation, it is advantageous in some cases to use data based on the magnetic field instead of the voltage. A magnetic-field definition of apparent resistivity, in contrast to a definition based on the voltage, eliminates apparent-resistivity overshoots and undershoots in the data. A resistivity undershoot in the data can produce an extraneous and misleading layer in an interpretation of a 3-D resistive structure. Due to 3-D effects, apparent-resistivity soundings (magnetic field and voltage) may rise so steeply at late times that it may not be possible to fit a sounding to a reasonable layered-earth model. Truncating such a sounding, over a buried conductor, allows for a reasonable layered-earth fit and an accurate estimate of the depth to the conductor. However, the resistivity of the conductor is overestimated.
Measurements of the horizontal field in the central-loop configuration can map 3-D structures, provided the sensor is located accurately at the centre of the transmitting loop. Horizontal-field calculations show that the transients peak on the flanks of a 3-D structure, but are depressed over the structure's centre. Weak transient responses flanked by two large transient responses, which are opposite in sign, locate the structure. The sign reversal is caused by a corresponding reversal in the currents that are channelled through or deflected away from conductive or resistive structures, respectively.