Traction image method for irregular free surface boundaries in finite difference seismic wave simulation

In this study, we propose a new numerical method, named as Traction Image method, to accurately and efficiently implement the traction-free boundary conditions in finite difference simulation in the presence of surface topography. In this algorithm, the computational domain is discretized by boundary-conforming grids, in which the irregular surface is transformed into a 'flat' surface in computational space. Thus, the artefact of staircase approximation to arbitrarily irregular surface can be avoided. Such boundary-conforming gridding is equivalent to a curvilinear coordinate system, in which the first-order partial differential velocity-stress equations are numerically updated by an optimized high-order non-staggered finite difference scheme, that is, DRP/opt MacCormack scheme. To satisfy the free surface boundary conditions, we extend the Stress Image method for planar surface to Traction Image method for arbitrarily irregular surface by antisymmetrically setting the values of normal traction on the grid points above the free surface. This Traction Image method can be efficiently implemented. To validate this new method, we perform numerical tests to several complex models by comparing our results with those computed by other independent accurate methods. Although some of the testing examples have extremely sloped topography, all tested results show an excellent agreement between our results and those from the reference solutions, confirming the validity of our method for modelling seismic waves in the heterogeneous media with arbitrary shape topography. Numerical tests also demonstrate the efficiency of this method. We find about 10 grid points per shortest wavelength is enough to maintain the global accuracy of the simulation. Although the current study is for 2-D P-SV problem, it can be easily extended to 3-D problem.     

An analysis of intra-event precipitation variability for the United States (1980–2010)

Hourly precipitation data were collected from 143 first-order US weather stations during the period from 1980 to 2009 to assess the internal distribution of precipitation events lasting at least three hours. A total of 46,595 individual precipitation events were identified and evaluated using the mean, standard deviation, skewness, kurtosis, and the number of peaks occurring within an event. Mean event duration is longest along the West and Northwest coasts, the Mid-South, the Mid-Atlantic, and the Northeast; while shorter-duration events are more frequent in the Rocky Mountains, the Southwest, and the Great Plains. Mean event precipitation and standard deviation are greatest along the Gulf Coast and decrease inland. Precipitation events are positively skewed, indicating that more precipitation tends to occur earlier in the event. The most positively-skewed events are also located in regions flanking the Gulf of Mexico, while less-skewed events are common in the Northwest and Rocky Mountain regions. Event kurtosis is negative throughout the entire USA, with the highest negative values generally west of the Front Range, where cyclonic development and transition produce more evenly distributed precipitation within storms. Intra-event precipitation maxima were also evaluated, with western Florida and the desert Southwest having the greatest number per event.     

滑坡的摩擦力与正压力力偶的地震波场模拟

滑坡的地震波反演是确定滑坡动力学过程的有效途径.然而,目前的滑坡地震波反演大多基于点源模型,将滑坡面近似为点源,仅考虑滑体作用于滑床的摩擦力及其变化.但实际滑坡过程中,由于重力和滑动距离的存在,滑床还受到一个逐渐增加的正压力力偶作用.为定量探讨这一正压力力偶对滑坡地震波场的贡献,我们基于有限滑坡面模型,分别正演模拟了滑坡过程中摩擦力和正压力力偶的地震波场,得到了正压力力偶地震波场在整个滑坡地震波场中的能量比例及其随距离的变化.研究发现,正压力力偶地震波场具备近场项衰减特征,相较于摩擦力波场随距离衰减更快.正演模拟显示,正压力力偶地震波场在滑坡尺度2~3倍距离范围内较为显著;但在更远距离上,由于其幅度大致随距离的平方衰减,其贡献几可忽略.此外,正压力力偶波场在波形特征上与摩擦力波场也存在明显区别,二者的相对大小与摩擦系数和坡度等参数密切相关.本文模拟分析表明,完整的滑坡近场地震波场应该同时考虑摩擦力和正压力力偶的贡献;滑坡动力学参数反演中,利用近场地震波记录,考虑有限尺度的滑坡面,原则上我们不仅可以确定传统滑坡动力学参数,还有可能确定摩擦系数和流体压力等参数在空间上的变化分布.

     

台湾东部海域沉积物波特征及其成因探讨

利用地震剖面对沉积物波的分布、形态和内部结构进行了分析,结合区域地质背景对沉积物来源和成因进行了探讨。识别出的沉积物波域主要位于台东峡谷与陆坡其他峡谷的交汇区,单个波形的波长为0.8～7.2 km,波高为18～75 m左右,呈NE—SW向展布。台东峡谷弯曲段内侧向上坡迁移的沉积物波,其底界发育块体流沉积,内部可细分为下部过渡单元和上部波形单元。弯曲段外侧的沉积物波呈垂向加积的特征,底部无块体流沉积。基于沉积物波的几何形态,估算整个波域的流体厚度在196～356 m之间,流体速度在15～21 cm/s之间。沉积物波的形态特征、内部结构、分布规律以及数值计算表明这些沉积物波为浊流成因。台湾东部海域沉积物波域的发育与台湾西南部的沉积物波域一样,是台湾造山运动的沉积响应。距今3.5 Ma以来花东海脊的形成以及广燠火山岛—绿岛—兰屿火山岛间闸口的抬升和封闭使得沉积物经由卑南溪及海下水道向南输送到绿岛西侧的台东海槽残留弧前盆地时受阻,转而沿台东峡谷及陆坡冲沟体系向东输送入花东海盆。浊流沉积物沿着峡谷/沟谷体系向下坡方向输送的过程中,在峡谷/冲沟的嘴部等地形限制性降低的位置卸载,或在台东峡谷的高弯曲段漫溢出来,从而形成沉积物波域。     

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.     

Crust and Upper Structure of Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and Its Adjacent Regions From Surface Waveform Inversion

CRUST AND UPPER STRUCTURE OF QINGHAI-TIBET PLATEAU AND ITS ADJACENT REGIONS FROM SURFACE WAVEFORM INVERSION     

桂海碑林摩崖石刻水害成因分析及防治对策

桂海碑林摩崖石刻景区为国家第五批公布的全国重点文物保护单位,其现存的石刻具有极高的史料价值和书法艺术欣赏价值。由于长期受到地质营力的作用,石刻出现了不同程度的水患病害,严重威胁着文物的长期保存。本文通过现场调查将桂海碑林灰岩质摩崖石刻的水患病害归纳为渗（滴）水病害、坡面雨水冲刷病害和凝结水病害三种类型,并分析了裂隙水、雨水和凝结水诱发石刻损坏的成因机制。为查明裂隙水的运移特征,采用瑞雷波探测技术识别了石刻岩体内部潜在的渗流通道,并基于瑞雷波相速度VR分级对其进行了渗透性分级。基于探测结果结合石刻区的地貌特征,提出了在崖顶区采用土工合成材料黏土衬垫（GCL）防渗铺盖和坡顶截水,在石刻区采用裂隙注浆和表面防水封护的综合治理对策。