Seismic signals in geothermal areas of active volcanism: a case study from ‘La Fossa’, Vulcano (Italy)

Since the last eruption (1888–1890) volcanism at Vulcano, Aeolian Archipelago, southern Tyrrhenian Sea, has taken the form of persistent fumarolic activity. The gas-vapour phases of the geothermal systems are mainly discharged within two restricted areas about 1 km apart from each other, in the northern part of the island. These areas are La Fossa crater, and the beach fumaroles of the Baia di Levante. Fluids released at the two main fumarolic fields display quite different chemical and temperature characteristics, implying different origins. The local seismicity essentially takes the form of discrete shocks of shallow origin (depth1 km) at La Fossa, usually with energy < 10¹³ ergs. They are thought to be related to the uprise of pressurized hot gases and vapours discharged at the crater fumaroles. The present investigation points to the existence of two principal categories of seismic events (called M-shocks and N-shocks). These are short events (normally < 10 s). M-type shocks are thought to be due to resonance vibrations within the interior of the volcano, probably driven by the excitation of shock-waves within cavities deeply affected by deposition and alteration of self-sealant hydrothermal minerals. N-type events display features that resemble those of volcano-tectonic earthquakes, but have no recognizable S-phases. Here they are tentatively attributed to microfracturing of rocks which have been extensively hydrothermally altered. Results of the present study permit a preliminary conceptual model of the local shallow seismic processes in the framework of geochemical modelling of fumarolic activity and geological inferences from geothermal drilling.     

Seismic hazard of Egypt

Earthquake hazard parameters such as maximum expected magnitude,M _max, annual activity rate,, andb value of the Gutenberg-Richter relation have been evaluated for two regions of Egypt. The applied maximum likelihood method permits the combination of both historical and instrumental data. The catalogue used covers earthquakes with magnitude 3 from the time interval 320–1987. The uncertainties in magnitude estimates and threshold of completeness were taken into account. The hazard parameter determination is performed for two study areas. The first area, Gulf of Suez, has higher seismicity level than the second, all other active zones in Egypt.b-values of 1.2 ± 0.1 and 1.0 ± 0.1 are obtained for the two areas, respectively. The number of annually expected earthquakes with magnitude 3 is much larger in the Gulf of Suez, 39 ± 2 than in the other areas, 6.1 ± 0.5. The maximum expected magnitude is calculated to be 6.5 ± 0.4 for a time span of 209 years for the Gulf of Suez and 6.1 ± 0.3 for a time span of 1667 years for the remaining active areas in Egypt. Respective periods of 10 and 20 years were reported for earthquakes of magnitude 5.0 for the two subareas.     

涠西南地区岩石特性及钻井液技术研究

北部湾盆地涠西南油田群是南海西部重要的原油产区，同时油田群紧邻众多国家级自然保护区，属于环境敏感区域。针对北部湾盆地涠西南地区环保要求，以及涠洲组和流沙港组钻井过程经常出现井壁失稳导致的憋卡、起下钻阻卡等问题，开展了涠西南地区地层泥页岩特性及环保钻井液技术研究。通过地层岩石黏土矿物分析、孔喉结构分析以及理化性能评价，明确了涠西南地区泥页岩井壁失稳的机理；提出以类油基的水溶性复合基基液为核心，构建了一套具有油基钻井液工程特性和水基钻井液环保特性的新型环保防塌钻井液技术，并进行了相关的现场应用。现场应用显示：应用井与邻井相比，12-1/4″井段阻卡划眼时间减少，井径扩大率大幅度降低，并且在128 h的长时间浸泡过程中没有复杂情况产生，有效地解决了涠洲组、流沙港组易失稳地层的井壁稳定问题；同时，钻井液环保性能达到一级海域环保要求，可以替代目前应用的油基钻井液体系，解决了海上使用油基钻井液存在配制成本高、含油钻屑需全回收及环境危害隐患大等技术难题。该研究对于涠西南油田环保、井壁失稳和钻井液技术发展具有较高的理论价值和借鉴意义。     

流体在岩浆型铬铁矿和铂族元素成矿过程中的作用及意义

镁铁- 超镁铁岩是揭示地幔物质组成和壳幔相互作用的重要窗口，也是Ni- Cu- PGE- Cr等金属矿产资源的重要载体。不同的镁铁- 超镁铁岩体赋矿特征明显不同：蛇绿岩以产出铬铁矿床为特征，阿拉斯加型岩体主要赋含铂族元素(PGE)矿床，大型层状岩体则可同时产出铬铁矿床、PGE矿床和Cu- Ni硫化物矿床。这种成矿差异显然与赋矿岩体形成的构造背景、母岩浆经历的岩浆演化过程有关，但缺少关键控制因素的研究。前人对上述不同种类矿床的研究工作主要集中于地幔源区的部分熔融、上升过程中或岩浆房内的围岩混染和结晶分异等岩浆过程，而极少关注流体作用。近年来，实验岩石学和岩石地球化学的研究均表明幔源岩浆演化过程中的流体活动可能对成矿元素的富集迁移起到至关重要的作用，同时这些成矿元素的赋存状态和分配系数也在不断更新。厘清Cr和PGE在熔体演化——尤其是流体出溶过程中的地球化学行为，刻画并揭示其迁移富集、分离和再富集的成矿过程及控制因素，已成为当前岩浆矿床研究的热点。本文围绕富水流体与铬铁矿和PGE成矿关系的科学问题，总结了不同镁铁- 超镁铁岩体的成矿差异以及铬铁矿和PGE矿床成矿过程中的流体活动记录，提出流体性质和组分对铬铁矿和PGE迁移富集的控制作用，强调有必要开展蛇绿岩、大型层状镁铁- 超镁铁岩体和阿拉斯加型岩体的对比研究。     

河北省唐山地区丰台—野鸡坨断裂第四纪活动性——来自14C和磁性地层年代学的证据

丰台—野鸡坨断裂为唐山地区主要断裂之一，西侧为鸦鸿桥凹陷，东侧为唐山凸起，断裂两侧第四系厚度之差巨大。本文依据该断层两侧钻孔对其第四纪以来活动性进行初步的探讨。通过对丰台—野鸡坨断裂上下两盘PZK14和PZK20孔磁性地层学研究，并结合钻孔岩石地层，及浅部光释光和¹⁴C测年结果，建立第四纪地层格架。结果表明：两孔底部“泥包砾”为新近纪沉积；PZK14孔下更新统底界埋深为387 m，中更新统底界埋深为114 m，上更新统底界埋深为71 m，全新统底界埋深为6 m；PZK20孔下更新统底界埋深为155 m，中更新统底界埋深为73 m，上更新统底界为36 m，无全新世地层。丰台—野鸡坨断裂活动在早更新世时表现为逐渐增强的特点，活动速率由早期的5.4 cm/ka增加到13.9 cm/ka。中更新世断裂活动基本处于停滞状态，活动速率为1.0 cm/ka。晚更新世以后，断裂重新活动，且更加剧烈，活动速率达到了54.5 cm/ka。     

井下记录的PP和SS震相

本文在系统分析静海台井下地震记录图的基础上,发现并解决了具有一定实际和理论意义的两个问题:其一是证明了最初误认为是干扰的“双脉冲”图形实际上均是微地震。从而指出研究静海周围地区的地震活动性应考虑微震活动问题。其二确认静海周围地区微震波形的4个主要震相是P、PP、S和SS,并对地面反射波PP和SS能够观测到的条件作了初步分析,其结果进一步说明井下地震记录较之地面记录更为“逼真”,复杂和丰富。     

X-ray spectroscopy of stellar coronae

Summary From the early discovery in 1948 of X-rays from the Solar corona, X-ray spectroscopy has proven to be an invaluable tool in studying hot astrophysical and laboratory plasmas. Because the emission line spectra and continua from optically thin plasmas are fairly well known, high-resolution X-ray spectroscopy has its most obvious application in the measurement of optically thin sources such as the coronae of stars. In particular X-ray observations with theEINSTEIN observatory have demonstrated that soft X-ray emitting coronae are a common feature among stars on the cool side of the Hertzsprung-Russell diagram, with the probable exception of single very cool giant and supergiant stars and A-type dwarfs. Observations with the spectrometers aboardEINSTEIN andEXOSAT have shown that data of even modest spectral resolution (/ = 10–100) permit the identification of coronal material at different temperatures whose existence may relate to a range of possible magnetic loop structures in the hot outer atmospheres of these stars. The higher spectral resolution of the next generation of spectrometers aboard NASA'sAXAF and ESA'sXMM will allow to fully resolve the coronal temperature structure and to enable velocity diagnostics and the determination of coronal densities, from which the loop geometry (i.e. surface filling factors and loop lengths) can be derived. In this paper various diagnostic techniques are reviewed and the spectral results fromEINSTEIN andEXOSAT are discussed. A number of spectral simulations forAXAF andXMM, especially high-resolution iron K-shell, L-shell, and2s-2p spectra in the wavelength regions around 1.9 Å, 10 Å, and 100 Å, respectively, are shown to demonstrate the capabilities for temperature, density, and velocity diagnostics. Finally, iron K-shell spectra are simulated for various types of detectors such as microcalorimeter, Nb-junction, and CCD.     

Tripartite climate reversal in Central Europe 5600-5300 years ago

The history of variations in water level of Lake Constance, as reconstructed from sediment and pollen analysis of a sediment sequence from the archaeological site of Arbon-Bleiche 3, shows an abrupt rise in lake level dendrochronologically dated to 5375 yr ago (5320 yr relative to AD 1950). This event, paralleled by the destruction of the Neolithic village by fire, provoked the abandonment of this prehistoric lake-shore location established in the former shallow bay of Arbon-Bleiche, and was the last of a series of three episodes of successively higher lake level, the first occurring at 5600-5500 cal yr B.P. The dendrochronologically dated rise event was synchronous with an abrupt increase in atmospheric ¹⁴C. This supports the hypothesis of an abrupt climate change forced by varying solar activity. Moreover, the three successive episodes of higher lake level between 5600 and 5300 cal yr B.P. at Arbon-Bleiche 3 coincided with climatic cooling and/or changes in moisture conditions in various regions of both hemispheres. This period corresponds to the mid-Holocene climate transition (onset of the Neoglaciation) and suggests inter-hemispheric linkages for the climate variations recorded at Arbon-Bleiche 3. This mid-Holocene climate reversal may have resulted from complex interactions between changes in orbital forcing, ocean circulation and solar activity. Finally, despite different seasonal hydrological regimes, the similarities between lake-level records from Lake Constance and from Jurassian lakes over the mid-Holocene period point to time scale as a crucial factor in considering the possible impact of climate change on environments.     

Large eddy simulation of hydrocyclone—prediction of air-core diameter and shape

Hydrocyclones are widely used in the mining and chemical industries. An attempt has been made in this study, to develop a CFD (computational fluid dynamics) model, which is capable of predicting the flow patterns inside the hydrocyclone, including accurate prediction of flow split as well as the size of the air-core. The flow velocities and air-core diameters are predicted by DRSM (differential Reynolds stress model) and LES (large eddy simulations) models were compared to experimental results. The predicted water splits and air-core diameter with LES and RSM turbulence models along with VOF (volume of fluid) model for the air phase, through the outlets for various inlet pressures were also analyzed. The LES turbulence model led to an improved turbulence field prediction and thereby to more accurate prediction of pressure and velocity fields. This improvement was distinctive for the axial profile of pressure, indicating that air-core development is principally a transport effect rather than a pressure effect.     

Fracture analysis in the south-western Corinth rift (Greece) and implications on fault hydraulic behavior

This paper reviews the data concerning the fracture network and the hydraulic characteristics of faults in an active zone of the Gulf of Corinth. Pressure gap measured through fault planes shows that in this area the active normal faults (Aigion, Helike) act, at least temporarily and locally, as transversal seal. The analysis of the carbonate cements in the fractures on both the hangingwall and the footwall of the faults also suggests that they have acted as local seals during the whole fault zone evolution. However, the pressure and the characteristics of the water samples measured in the wells indicate that meteoric water circulates from the highest part of the relief to the coast, which means it goes through the fault zones. Field quantitative analysis and core studies from the AIG-10 well have been performed to define both regional and fault-related fracture networks. Then laboratory thin section observations have been done to recognize the different fault rocks characterizing the fault zone components. These two kinds of approach give information on the permeability characteristics of the fault zone. To synthesize the data, a schematic conceptual 3D fluid flow modeling has been performed taking into account fault zone permeability architecture, sedimentation, fluid flow, fault vertical offset and meteoric water influx, as well as compaction water flow. This modeling allows us to fit all the data with a model where the fault segments act as a seal whereas the relays between these segments allow for the regional flow from the Peloponnese topographic highs to the coast.