Mt. Melbourne volcano,antarctica: Evidence of seismicity related to volcanic activity

Characterization of the microseismic activity (M _L <2.0) has been performed at Mt. Melbourne since 1990. We recorded a group of low frequency events with common morphological characteristics, i.e., an emerging onset, an unclear second phase and a sharply dropping coda. Spectral analysis of events recorded at more than one station indicates that the seismogram characteristics and spectral content are largely due to source effects. A polarization filter applied to a set of three component data revealed a first phase made up ofP waves followed (after about 0.9–1.4 sec.) by a second phase probably composed ofSH-type waves. Particle motion analysis detected a seismic ray angle direction mainly between N70°E and N110°E and apparent angle of incidence between 35° and 48° for the first phase. The studied seismicity was localized in an area on the eastern slope of Mt. Melbourne Volcano which presents a surface temperature anomaly (Mazzarini andSalvini, 1994). We formulate two hypotheses for the type of earthquakes recorded: 1) long-period events involving active presence of magmatic fluids in the source processes; 2) or the result of fracturing processes (shear?) in a medium characterized by transition between brittle and plastic behaviors. In the latter hypothesis the superficial thermal anomaly may be a symptom of this behavior at depth and is confirmed by the lown values observed for the exponential fit in the codaQ analysis.     

北京及邻区微震活动的初步分析

通过对北京遥测地震台网近年来记录到的北京及邻区地震的震中分布,地震活动频度及能量释放强度的分析,得到本区地震活动在时间分布上具有“聚堆性”。在年发震频度,地震强度和能释放方面均具有双峰值特征,并且具有较好的一致性和同步性,在空间分布上具有条带特征,且形成北东～南西和北西～南东的两条相互交汇的条带。又通过统计分析得到本区发震概率最大的时间段是每年的１０月前后,而地震主要发生在北西～南东带上。     

赣东北鹅湖岭组的再认识

在分析赣东北鹅湖岭组及有关地层的地质特征、地层划分现状及产生分岐的原因的基础上,提出以岩性、岩相为划分依据,将鹅湖岭组与喷发相相对应,将其下界、上界分别置于沉积喷发相与喷发相、喷发相与喷发沉积相的相变界面上。从而将北京地质学院指定的打鼓顶组建组剖面上的"打鼓顶组"并入鹅湖岭组;将赣东北其它地区的鹅湖岭组下界由安山岩层顶界处上移至安山岩层之上灰绿色砂岩层的顶界处,将铅山一上饶一带鹅湖岭组上界下移至原鹅湖岭组上部的底界处。     

The origin of accretionary lapilli

Experimental investigations in a recirculating wind tunnel of the mechanisms of formation of accretionary lapilli have demonstrated that growth is controlled by collision of liquid-coated particles, due to differences in fall velocities, and binding as a result of surface tension forces and secondary mineral growth. The liquids present on particle surfaces in eruption plumes are acid solutions stable at 100% relative humidity, from which secondary minerals, e.g. calcium sulphate and sodium chloride, precipitate prior to impact of accretionary lapilli with the ground. Concentric grain-size zones within accretionary lapilli build up due to differences in the supply of particular particle sizes during aggregate growth. Accretionary lapilli do not evolve by scavenging of particles by liquid drops followed by evaporation — a process which, in wind tunnel experiments, generates horizontally layered hemispherical aggregates. Size analysis of particles in the wind tunnel air stream and particles adhering to growing aggregates demonstrate that the aggregation coefficient is highly grain-size dependent. Theoretical simulation of accretionary lapilli growth in eruption plumes predicts maximum sizes in the range 0.7–20 mm for ash cloud thicknesses of 0.5–10 km respectively.     

Micromechanics of the velocity and normal stress dependence of rock friction

Among the second-order effects on friction the most important are those of variable normal stress and of slip velocity. Velocity weakening, which is usually considered the source of the stick-slip instability in rock friction, has been observed in velocity stepping experiments with Westerly granite. The friction change, , was –0.01 to –0.008 for a tenfold velocity increase. Using normal closure measurements, we observed dilation upon each increase in sliding rate. We also observed, for the first time, time-dependent closure between surfaces during static loading. The dilation that occurred during the velocity stepping experiment was found to be that expected from the static time-dependent closure phenomenon. This change in closure was used to predict friction change with an elastic contact model. The calculated friction change which results from a change in contact area and asperity interlocking, is in good agreement with the observed velocity dependence of steady-state friction. Variable normal stress during sliding has two effects, first in creating new partial slip contacts and locking some existing fully sliding contacts and second in increasing interlocking, for instance when normal load is suddenly increased. As a result, a transient change in friction occurs upon a sudden change in normal load.     

Textural segmentation of digital rock images into bedding units using texture energy and cluster labels

The texture of digital rock images, as recorded, for instance, with borehole imaging devices, is shown to reflect different bedding types. Textural segmentation of borehole images, therefore, subdivides the recorded sequence into bedding units. We show that a textural segmentation algorithm based on the concept of texture energy achieves good results when compared with synthetic as well as real data in which petroleum geologists have performed zonations on cores. Texture energy involves filtering of the original image with a set of texture sensitive masks. The filtering is done as a finite convolution over the size of the masks. On the resulting images the variance is computed over a relatively large sliding window, which, in its practical implementation, covers the full width of the image. The resulting nine one-dimensional curves are then clustered hierarchically into a user-determined number of image texture or lithological bedding classes. Principal component analysis previous to clustering can be used to reduce redundancy in the data. A recurring and relatively ill-defined problem in this field are macro-textures, i.e., the cyclic interbedding of two or more bedding types. We show that sliding Fourier transforms and variable mask scale can successfully address the zonation of macro-textures. In general, the method gives best results with mask sizes equivalent to 2–4 centimeters, reflecting the length scale at which the investigated geological bedding seems to have its highest variation.     

Palaeolimnological studies of the eutrophication of volcanic Lake Albano (Central Italy)

We use palaeolimnological techniques to reconstruct the eutrophication history of a volcanic lake (Lake Albano, central Italy) over the past three centuries. The presence of annual varves down to the bottom of the core (c. 1700 A.D.) indicated the lack of bioturbation and likely long-term meromixis. Sedimentation rates were estimated by varve counts (calcite/diatom couplets), indicating a mean rate of 0.15 cm yr^–1. The reconstruction of eutrophication was traced using past populations of algal and photosynthetic bacteria (through their fossil pigment), and geochemistry, as well as fossil remains of chironomids. Phaeophorbidea and the red carotenoid astaxanthin were used to detect past zooplankton development.The first sign of trophic change related to human activities is datedc. 1870 A.D. From that period onward a sharp increase of authigenic CaCO₃, nitrogen, N:P ratio, and dinoxanthin, a characteristic carotenoid of Chrysophyceae and Dinophyceae, is observed.Chironomid analyses showed the near absence of a deep water fauna throughout the core length. The populations of chironomid larvae are restricted to oxygenated littoral zones. In fact, the few fossil remains found are primarily of littoral origin, representing shallow water midges that were transported to profundal waters. The reduction of total chironomid in the uppermost layers of the core is to be related to human land uses.     

“Tripoli”的含义及译名的讨论

“Tripoli”是一种新型的石英质工业矿物原料,在我国长期被误译为硅藻土,影响地质部门对这一新矿种的认识和寻找。本文追溯了“Tripoli”一名的由来,正确地阐述了“Tripoli”的本质特征,分析了在国内文献中长期被误译的根源,指明了其正确含义,并建议废除各种不正确的中译名,译为“粉石英”。     

论南岭成矿带大宝山斑岩型铜矿的特殊性及其勘查意义

广东省大宝山矿床是南岭成矿带唯一的大型铜多金属矿床，此次研究在矿区中南部发现了细脉浸染状铜矿的新类型。为确定其是否为斑岩型铜矿的成因类型，本文在梳理南岭成矿带铜成矿条件和成矿规律的基础上，查明了矿区中南部英安斑岩的蚀变和铜矿化特征。综合研究认为南岭成矿带早侏罗世中酸性斑岩的小岩体较多，叠加多期断裂构造和碳酸盐岩建造，非常有利于铜多金属成矿物质的运移、富集。大宝山英安斑岩发育黑云母化、钾长石化、青磐岩化、绢英岩化、泥化等蚀变类型，铜矿化与绢英岩化、绿泥石化关系密切。大宝山铜矿中的英安斑岩沿逆冲推覆构造侵位并呈岩墙状产出，冷却过程中受区域构造应力产生了一组平行裂隙，岩浆房去气作用排出的热液沿裂隙蚀变围岩并充填成矿。大宝山斑岩型铜矿取得的找矿勘查成果表明，“全位成矿，缺位找矿”理念可以有效指导靶区圈定和老矿山外围（深部）找矿勘查，早侏罗世的南岭具有形成较大规模斑岩型铜矿的条件。     

杨山晚古生代沉积盆地成因类型及其与桐柏-大别造山带关系的探讨

杨山晚古生代沉积盆地位于桐柏-大别山北麓,它具有明显的前陆盆地沉积特点,由早期(D₂?—C₁)的复理石建造到晚期(C₁—P?)的磨拉石建造;古生物地理分析表明其与华北、扬子陆块都有密不可分的联系,其间不可能有古洋盆的存在,因而它应当是桐柏一大别造山带碰撞造山过程中形成的前陆盆地。杨山晚古生代前陆盆地的形成说明,扬子陆块和华北陆块的陆-陆碰撞起始于晚泥盆世之前(S₃—D₂),而桐柏-大别造山带中生代的构造事件则可能代表一次大规模陆内逆冲-推覆作用。