Day-side ionospheric conductivities at Mars

We present estimates of the day-side ionospheric conductivities at Mars based on magnetic field measurements by Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) at altitudes down to ∼100 km during aerobraking orbits early in the mission. At Mars, the so-called ionospheric dynamo region, where plasma/neutral collisions permit electric currents perpendicular to the magnetic field, lies between 100 and 250 km altitude. We find that the ionosphere is highly conductive in this region, as expected, with peak Pedersen and Hall conductivities of 0.1-1.5 S/m depending on the solar illumination and induced magnetospheric conditions. Furthermore, we find a consistent double peak pattern in the altitude profile of the day-side Pedersen conductivity, similar to that on Titan found by Rosenqvist et al. (2009). A high altitude peak, located between 180 and 200 km, is equivalent to the terrestrial peak in the lower F-layer. A second and typically much stronger layer of Pedersen conductivity is observed between 120 and 130 km, which is below the Hall conductivity peak at about 130-140 km. In this altitude region, MGS finds a sharp decrease in induced magnetic field strength at the inner magnetospheric boundary, while the day-side electron density is known to remain high as far down as 100 km. We find that such Titan-like behaviour of the Pedersen conductivity is only observed under regions of strongly draped magnetospheric field-lines, and negligible crustal magnetic anomalies below the spacecraft. Above regions of strong crustal magnetic anomalies, the Pedersen conductivity profile becomes more Earth-like with one strong Pedersen peak above the Hall conductivity peak. Here, both conductivities are 1-2 orders of magnitude smaller than the above only weakly magnetised crustal regions, depending on the strength of the crustal anomaly field at ionospheric altitudes. This nature of the Pedersen conductivity together with the structured distribution of crustal anomalies all over the planet should give rise to strong conductivity gradients around such anomalies. Day-side ionospheric conductivities on Mars (in regions away from the crustal magnetic anomalies) and Titan seem to behave in a very similar manner when horizontally draped magnetic field-lines partially magnetise a sunlit ionosphere. Therefore, it appears that a similar double peak structure of strong Pedersen conductivity could be a more general feature of non-magnetised bodies with ionised upper atmospheres, and thus should be expected to occur also at other non-magnetised terrestrial planets like Venus or other planetary bodies within the host planet magnetospheres.     

A geophysical view of the Southeastern Brazilian margin at Santos Basin: Insights into rifting evolution

This study investigates the rifting structures of Santos Basin at the Southeastern Brazilian margin, based on an integrated geophysical approach. Our aim is to constrain the crustal basement topography of central and northern Santos basin, the presence of magmatism and the role of inherited structures in space and time through the rifting processes. We present a new high resolution aeromagnetic dataset, which in correlation with gravity anomalies enables us to interpret the tectonic trends and crustal basement structures. We calculated the magnetic basement depth for the central and northern Santos Basin using power spectrum analysis. The obtained depths range between 2 and 9 kms, and are comparable with results from previous works. From our integrated study, three margin domains could be identified, which display distinct rifting structures and are characterized by important lateral variation along the margin. The proximal domain displays trends and magnetic basement blocks NE–SW oriented, i.e., parallel to inherited onshore crustal basement with an inflexion to E–W oriented trends; the necking domain is characterized by oblique magnetic basement highs and lows (E–W and NW–SE) and a structural trend change. The trends and magnetic basement highs are bounded by NW–SE negative anomalies, interpreted as transfer zones. Oceanwards at the distal domain, the lineaments and transfer zones show a progressive structural inflexion to ENE and E–W, sub-parallel to adjacent South Atlantic Fracture Zones. The observed crustal basement architecture and segmentation suggest the reactivation of pre-rift structures at the proximal margin and the obliquity of rifting relative to them. From the proximal domain oceanwards the structural pattern may reflect the passage from a “continental type” domain, where lithospheric inheritance controls the deformation, to a distal margin where this influence diminishes and “new” structural trends are formed. We propose that northern Santos Basin show evidences of an intensely deformed zone, where rift evolved under oblique extension, similar to that observed at transform margin segments.     

东营凹陷金东—柳桥地区油气化探数据中的地表干扰与排除

东营凹陷南斜坡金东—柳桥地区地表条件复杂,化探信号干扰强烈,造成假异常大面积出现。在对金东—柳桥地区油气化探数据中干扰类型识别的基础上,用Mallat小波分析法,发现分析尺度为3时的连续序列呈现出地表干扰信息,由此进行了地表干扰排除。经过封盖条件校正与异常识别,获得了该区油气化探异常。干扰排除后的异常与断层、圈闭及已发现的油气藏或油气显示相吻合,表明这些异常主要反映的是地下油气藏信息。     

内蒙古艾勒格庙地区找矿前景初探

通过对艾勒格庙地区成矿的地质背景及构造、围岩、岩浆岩条件的初步分析,结合土壤地球化学异常信息及矿化点的信息的分析判断,得出结论:在艾勒格庙地区找寻矽卡岩型矿床的前景较好;同时指出了可能的矿体赋存部位、可能的含矿构造及可能的热液矿床或者矽卡岩型矿床的产出部位;还指出,在该区有望沿槽、台断裂带寻找低温热液矿化带,以至寻找低温热液矿床。     

梅河口市香炉碗子金矿床地球化学特征

本文在系统搜集以往研究成果的基础上,详细归纳总结了矿床的成矿地质背景、微量元素、稀土元素、硫同位素、氢氧同位素、铅同位素的特征,进而探讨了成矿物质及成矿流体的来源。归纳总结了矿区区域1∶20万化探异常、岩石化探异常,土壤异常特征。     

A robust satellite technique for monitoring seismically active areas: The case of Bhuj–Gujarat earthquake

A robust satellite data analysis technique (RAT) has been recently proposed as a suitable tool for satellite TIR surveys in seismically active regions and already successfully tested in different cases of earthquakes (both high and medium–low magnitudes).In this paper, the efficiency and the potentialities of the RAT technique have been tested even when it is applied to a wide area with extremely variable topography, land coverage and climatic characteristics (the whole Indian subcontinent). Bhuj–Gujarat's earthquake (occurred on 26th January 2001, M_S  7.9) has been considered as a test case in the validation phase, while a relatively unperturbed period (no earthquakes with M_S ≥ 5, in the same region and in the same period) has been analyzed for confutation purposes. To this aim, 6 years of Meteosat-5 TIR observations have been processed for the characterization of the TIR signal behaviour at each specific observation time and location.The anomalous TIR values, detected by RAT, have been evaluated in terms of time–space persistence in order to establish the existence of actually significant anomalous transients. The results indicate that the studied area was affected by significant positive thermal anomalies which were identified, at different intensity levels, not far from the Gujarat coast (since 15th January, but with a clearer evidence on 22nd January) and near the epicentral area (mainly on 21st January). On 25th January (1 day before Gujarat's earthquake) significant TIR anomalies appear on the Northern Indian subcontinent, showing a remarkable coincidence with the principal tectonic lineaments of the region (thrust Himalayan boundary).On the other hand, the results of the confutation analysis indicate that no meaningful TIR anomalies appear in the absence of seismic events with M_S ≥ 5.     

辽宁金杖子地区水系沉积物地球化学特征

金杖子地区位于冀东-辽西金成矿带,区内矿产资源丰富,成矿地质条件优越。本文在1∶25000水系沉积物测量工作的基础上,结合该区地质特征和成矿地质条件,对该地区10种元素的地球化学特征、离散程度及综合异常特征进行研究,圈定综合异常3处,为进一步的地质勘查工作提供了依据。     

威德尔海的重磁场特征及其构造意义

威德尔海是南极洲最大的边缘海。通过搜集威德尔海的重磁资料、历史文献以及总结前人的相关研究成果,介绍了威德尔海的重磁场基本特征以及指示的构造意义。威德尔海最显著的重力特征是在威德尔海的中北部分布着以鲱骨式结构展布的一系列NW-SE向重力异常,其上可见一系列弧形、上凹的以E-W为主要方向的磁力异常。沿南极半岛陆架边缘的重力高一直可延伸到南侧海域,高值区与陆架平行,但是在磁异常上反映不明显。威德尔海原始海盆的形成约在150 Ma,并伴随南北向张裂,随后在140 Ma发生东西向扩张,到约120 Ma异常形成现代南极洲、非洲和南美洲板块的分布格局,鲱骨式结构异常脊也形成于该时期。     

2-D or 3-D interpretation of conductivity anomalies: example of the Rhine-Graben conductivity anomaly

Summary. Evidence of a conductivity anomaly in the Rhine-Graben was first given about 15 years ago and consequently led to the definition of various models of induction in the region for periods ranging from a few minutes to a few hours. These models reflect two antagonistic ways of explaining the observed anomalous variations of the magnetic field: direct induction in a two-dimensional (2-D) structure or static distortion of telluric currents by the resistive crystalline Vosges (France) and Schwarzwalde (Germany) massifs. We discuss the two approaches using a simple formalism. In particular, we show that the self-induction related to the anomalous currents flowing in the Rhine-Graben is negligible for periods larger than 1000 s, and that, even though the static distortion of telluric currents does account for the observed anomaly, 2-D models can explain some of its features. We also show how the channelled currents are induced in the large sedimentary basins surrounding the area under study.
An experimental verification of this result is given.