宁夏地质梗要

宁夏位于中朝准地台和昆仑秦岭地槽褶皱区两大地质构造单元的衔接部位。区内各时代地层均有出露;岩浆岩不发育;构造运动活跃。该区地质构造的演化大致经历了4个阶段。     

Vertical soil water movement in a tropical rainforest catchment in northeast queensland

In a tropical rainforest catchment, shallow piezometers respond almost instantaneously to rainfall, but the dominant ground water recharge mechanisms are not well understood. To improve understanding, the downward movement of soil water on a runoff plot was traced using tritiated water injected at 0·20 m below the surface which marks the lower boundary of active subsurface storm flow. The tritium pulse was translated slowly down the profile, apparently dominated by interstitial piston flow on the lines described by Zimmermann's theoretical model. This recharge mechanism accounted for about 35 per cent of rainfall or 50 per cent of throughfall. The pulse's advance may have also been delayed by the upward movement of soil water indicated by the distribution of hydraulic potential under different hydrological conditions. The result was an increase in soil water transit time particularly below 1·0 m. There was also evidence in the tracer profiles for rapid by-pass flow but the volumes concerned could not be quantified in this experiment.     

Discriminant analysis as a possible tool in landslide investigations

As part of an investigation of mass movement on outslopes of contour surface-mines in West Virginia, discriminant analysis was used to determine whether selected spoil properties could statistically distinguish failed and unfailed embankments. The analysis utilized the variables degree of saturation, liquid limit, and shrinkage limit, and the a priori assignment of samples into either actively failing, unfailed, or regraded categories. Results were encouraging, with seventy-four percent of the samples being correctly classified. All misclassifications involved samples from active or regraded landslides, suggesting the method was conservative. Performance of discriminant analysis could probably be improved by modifying the sampling plan.     

PROGRESS IN APPLICATION OF GNSS TO DIVISION OF ACTIVE TECTONIC BLOCKS IN CONTINENTAL CHINA

Chinese scientists proposed that large earthquakes that occurred in mainland China are controlled by the movement and deformation of active tectonic blocks. This scientific hypothesis explains zoned phenomenon of seismicity in space. The active tectonic blocks are intense active terranes formed in late Cenozoic and late Quaternary, and the tectonic activity of block boundaries is the intensest. Global Navigation Satellite System(GNSS)has advantages of high spatio-temporal resolution, broad coverage, and high accuracy, and is utilized to monitor contemporary crustal deformation. High accuracy and resolution of GNSS velocity field within mainland China and vicinities provided by previous studies clearly demonstrate that different active tectonic blocks behave as different patterns of movement and deformation, and block interaction boundaries have intense tectonic deformation. The paper firstly introduces the GPS networks operated by the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China(CMONOC)since 1999, and GNSS data processing methods, including GAMIT, BERNESE and GIPSY/OASIS, and discusses the advantages of using South China block as a regional reference frame for GNSS velocity field, then proposes three strategies of block division, F-test, quasi-accurate detection(QUAD), and clustering analysis. Furthermore, we introduce rigid and non-rigid block motions. Rigid block motion can be denoted by translation and rotation, while non-rigid block motion can be described by rigid motion and internal strain deformation. Internal strain deformation can be divided into uniform and linear strains. We also review the usage of F-test to distinguish whether the block acts as rigid deformation or not. In addition, combining with recent GNSS velocity results, we elaborate the characteristics of present movement of rigid block, such as the South China, Tarim, Ordos, Alashan, and Northeast China, and that of non-rigid block, such as the Tibetan plateau, Tian Shan, and North China plain. Especially, the Tibetan plateau and Tian Shan seem to deform continuously with significant internal deformation. In order to enrich and perfect the active tectonic block hypothesis, we should carefully design dense GNSS networks in inner blocks and block boundaries, optimize utilizing other space geodesy technologies such as InSAR, and strengthen combining study of geodesy, seismogeology and geophysics. Through systematic summary, this paper is very useful to employing GNSS to investigate characteristics of block movement and dynamics of large earthquakes happening in block interaction boundaries.     

PRESENT-DAY KINEMATICS OF THE ORDOS BLOCK AND ITS SURROUNDING AREAS FROM GPS OBSERVATIONS

Located among the South China block, Tibetan plateau, Alxa block and Yinshan orogenic belt, the Ordos block is famous for its significant kinematic features with stable tectonics of its interior but frequent large earthquakes surrounding it. After the destruction of the North China Craton, the integrity, rotation movement and kinematic relations with its margins are hotly debated. With the accumulation of active tectonics data, and paleomagnetic and GPS observations, some kinematic models have emerged to describe rotation movement of the Ordos block since the 1970's, including clockwise rotation, anticlockwise rotation, clockwise-anticlockwise-alternate rotation, and sub-block rotation, etc. All of these models are not enough to reflect the whole movement of the Ordos block, because the data used are limited to local areas.
In this study, based on denser geophysical observations, such as GPS and SKS splitting data, we analyzed present-day crustal and mantle deformation characteristics in the Ordos block and its surrounding areas. GPS baselines, strain rates, and strain time series are calculated to describe the intrablock deformation and kinematic relationship between Ordos block and its margins. SKS observations are used to study the kinematic relationship between crust and deeper mantle and their dynamic mechanisms, combined with the absolute plate motion(APM)and kinematic vorticity parameters. Our results show that the Ordos block behaves rigidly and rotates anticlockwise relative to the stable Eurasia plate(Euler pole: (50.942±1.935)°N, (115.692±0.303)°E, (0.195±0.006)°/Ma). The block interior sees a weak deformation of~5 nano/a and a velocity difference of smaller than 2mm/a, which can be totally covered by the uncertainties of GPS data. Therefore, the Ordos block is moving as a whole without clear differential movement under the effective range of resolution of the available GPS datasets. Its western and eastern margins are characterized by two strong right-lateral shearing belts, where 0.2°~0.4°/Ma of rotation is measured by the GPS baseline pairs. However, its northern and southern margins are weakly deformed with left-lateral shearing, where only 0.1°/Ma of rotation is measured. Kinematics in the northeastern Tibetan plateau and western margin of the Ordos block can be described with vertical coherence model with strong coupling between the crust and deeper mantle induced by the strong extrusion of the Tibetan plateau. The consistency between SKS fast wave direction and absolute plate motion suggests the existence of mantle flow along the Qinling orogenic belt, which may extend to the interior of the Ordos block. SKS fast wave directions are consistent with the direction of the asthenosphere flow in Shanxi Rift and Taihang Mountains, indicating that the crustal deformation of these areas is controlled by subduction of the Pacific plate to North China. The week anisotropy on SKS in the interior of Ordos block is from fossil anisotropy in the craton interior. After comparing with the absolute plate motion direction and deformation model, we deem that anisotropy in the interior of Ordos block comes from anisotropy of fossils frozen in the lithosphere. In conclusion, the Ordos block is rotating anticlockwise relative to its margins, which may comes from positive movement of its margins driven by lithospheric extrusion or mantle flow beneath, and its self-rotation is slight. This study can provide useful information for discussion of kinematics between the Ordos block and its surrounding tectonic units.     

Some applications of a backpropagation neural network in geo-engineering

A MATLAB based backpropagation neural network (BPNN) model has been developed. Two major geo-engineering applications, namely, earth slope movement and ground movement around tunnels, are identified. Data obtained from case studies are used to train and test the developed model and the ground movement is predicted with the help of input variables that have direct physical significance. A new approach is adopted by introducing an infiltration coefficient in the network architecture apart from antecedent rainfall, slope profile, groundwater level and strength parameters to predict the slope movement. The input variables for settlement around underground excavations are taken from literature. The neural network models demonstrate a promising result predicting fairly successfully the ground behavior in both cases. If input variables influencing output goals are clearly identified and if a decent number of quality data are available, backpropagation neural network can be successfully applied as mapping and prediction tools in geotechnical investigations.     

Observations of several characteristics of aeolian sand movement in the Taklimakan Desert

With both sides of the Taklimakan Desert highway line as the study area, three typical aeolian sand landforms, i.e. complex dune ridge, barchan dune and flat sand land, were selected as sand beds for the observation, analysis and research of the characteristics of aeolian sand movement such as aeolian sand stream structure, sand transport intensity, etc. in the Taklimakan Desert. The results show that there is a linear relation between the height and the log of sand transport rate over transverse dune chain, longitudinal dune ridge and flat sand land, i.e. the sand transport percentage decreases exponentially with increasing height. Sand transport rate within the 10 cm height above the bed surface accounts for 80%-95% of the total sand transport rate of the observed height (40 cm), while the sand transport rate in 20 cm occupies 98% of the total amount. Sand transport rate (g·cm-1·min-1) differs greatly with respect to different landform types and different topographic positions. Based on the investig     

A fluidized landslide on a natural slope by artificial rainfall

An experiment to induce a fluidized landslide by artificial rainfall was conducted on a natural slope at Mt. Kaba-san in the village of Yamato, Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan. The experimental slope was 30 m long, 5 m wide, and the average slope gradient was 33°. A landslide initiated 24,627.5 s (410 m/27.5 s) after the start of sprinkling at a rainfall intensity of 78 mm/h. The landslide mass was 14 m long and 1.2 m deep (at maximum). It first slid, then fluidized, and changed into a debris flow. The travel distance was up to 50 m in 17s. The apparent friction angle of the fluidized landslide was 16.7°. Formation of the sliding surface was detected by soil-strain probes. Motion of the surface of the failed landslide mass was determined by stereo photogrammetry.     

基于PPAR模型视二维地震时间序列预测的初步研究

PP投影寻踪是一种长于分析非正态、非线性的高维数据的新统计方法,它通过投影降维,客观地寻找反映高维数据结构特征的投影方向,从而解决“维数祸根”和高维数据间的非正态、非线性问题。将PP理论和时间序列分析中的自回归(AR(K))模型结合起来,建立投影寻踪自回归预测模型(PPAR)。尝试实现地震震级和时间的视二维预测,即在固定研究区里。实现震级和时间二要素的预测,进而建立视二维地震时间序列的投影寻踪自回归模型。研究中首先选取北天山地区作为实验区,模型的回归拟合和外符检验效果较理想,可实现视二维预测目标。考虑到实际预测意义。即中强地震的预测,又以天山地区为研究区。令其震级序列的震级阈值分别为5．0和5．5,分别以未删除余震和删除余震的序列建立模型。对比分析表明,后所建立的模型要优于前的模型。特别是对时间间隔序列的预测。两外符检验的合格率均较高,故认为对于震级和时间二要素的预测是有一定实效的。