Far field effects of Alpine plate tectonism in the Iberian microplate recorded by fault-related denudation in the Spanish Central System

Apatite fission track analysis was performed on 56 samples from central Spain to unravel the far field effects of the Alpine plate tectonic history of Iberia. The modelled thermal histories reveal complex cooling in the Cenozoic, indicative of intermittent denudation. Accelerated cooling events occurred across the Spanish Central System (SCS) from the Middle Eocene to Recent. These accelerated cooling events resulted in up to 2.8±0.9 km of denudation in the western Sierra de Gredos and 3.6±1.0 km in the central and eastern Gredos (assuming a paleogeothermal gradient of 28±5 °C and a surface temperature of 10 °C). The greatest amount of denudation (5.0±1.6 km) occurred in the Sierra de Guadarrama. Accompanying rock uplift was 4.7±1.0 and 5.9±1.6 km in the eastern Gredos and Guadarrama, respectively. Most denudation in the Gredos occurred from the Middle Eocene to the Early Miocene and can be related to the N–S stress field, induced by the Pyrenean compression. In the Guadarrama, the greatest denudation was Pliocene to Recent of age and seems related to the ongoing NW–SE Betic compression. The fact that the formation of the E–W trending Gredos coincides with the N–S Pyrenean compression and the creation of the present day morphology of the NE–SW trending Guadarrama with the younger NW–SE Betic compression, indicates that they record the far field effects of Alpine plate tectonics on Iberia. The trend of pre-existing lineaments was of major importance in influencing the style and magnitude of these of far field effects.     

Impact of evaporation on field capacity during water drainage redistribution in a soil

To this day, field capacity (FC) is rarely defined in the context of soil properties, and the use of non-physical simplistic models is the common way to normalize water content at FC. In this study, the problem of water drainage redistribution in a soil column with and without the presence of evaporation (EV) was extensively studied. Analytical solutions for the Richards equation were established for the case of water drainage redistribution through a deeply wetted soil water column with and without EV at FC conditions. Water retention and depth evolution curves were plotted first, using different EV values of (2 $\frac{\mathbf{mm}}{\mathbf{day}}$, 5 $\frac{\mathbf{mm}}{\mathbf{day}}$ and 8 $\frac{\mathbf{mm}}{\mathbf{day}}$) and second, for different drainage redistribution durations of (1 day, 4 days and 6 days) where EV was set to zero for the case with no EV or to a fixed value of 5 $\frac{\mathbf{mm}}{\mathbf{day}}$ for the case with EV. The results suggest that EV plays a significant role in soil water drainage suggesting that, in the presence of EV, the FC drying front reaches much higher depths in the soil water profile than if EV is turned off. It was also concluded that FC reaches deeper depths faster the stronger EV is acting at the surface of a soil water column. Additionally, the results suggest that the texture of the soil receiving drainage controls the amount of water available for EV and as a result, EV was found to play a stronger role the smaller the hydraulic conductivity of the soil is.     

Global distributions of storm-time ionospheric currents as seen in geomagnetic field variations

To investigate temporal and spatial evolution of global geomagnetic field variations from high-latitude to the equator during geomagnetic storms, we analyzed ground geomagnetic field disturbances from high latitudes to the magnetic equator. The daytime ionospheric equivalent current during the storm main phase showed that twin-vortex ionospheric currents driven by the Region 1 field-aligned currents （R1 FACs） are intensified significantly and expand to the low-latitude region of-30~ magnetic latitude. Centers of the currents were located around 70~ and 65~ in the morning and afternoon, respectively. Corresponding to intensification of the R1 FACs, an enhancement of the eastward/westward equatorial electrojet occurred at the daytime/nighttime dip equator. This signature suggests that the enhanced convection electric field penetrates to both the daytime and nighttime equa- tor. During the recovery phase, the daytime equivalent current showed that two new pairs of twin vortices, which are different from two-cell ionospheric currents driven by the R1 FACs, appear in the polar cap and mid latitude. The former led to enhanced north- ward Bz （NBZ） FACs driven by lobe reconnection tailward of the cusps, owing to the northward interplanetary magnetic field （IMF）. The latter was generated by enhanced Region 2 field-aligned currents （R2 FACs）. Associated with these magnetic field variations in the mid-latitudes and polar cap, the equatorial magnetic field variation showed a strongly negative signature, produced by the westward equatorial electrojet current caused by the dusk-to-dawn electric field.     

地球磁尾和磁层顶磁场变化的随机特性

本文讨论了平板模型下电阻不稳定性使磁力线由对称平衡状态进入随机状态的可能性;给出该模型下以（x,z）为正则坐标的哈密顿函数表达式;在Harris平衡磁场分布下分析了撕裂模不稳定性,驱动重联和涡旋诱发重联引起的磁力线随机特性;估计了两个磁岛相互作用时磁力线进入随机态的临界值.本文结果可用于讨论地球磁层顶和磁尾处磁场的性质.     

Injection and arrest of dykes: implications for volcanic hazards

Dykes are the principal channels through which magma reaches the surface in volcanic eruptions. For this reason dykes observed in the field are commonly assumed to be feeders to lava flows. The actual proportion of dykes reaching the surface is, however, poorly known. In order to develop models for the purpose of estimating volcanic hazard, this proportion must be known. This follows because such models should not only consider the probability of dykes being injected from magma chambers during periods of unrest in the associated volcanoes, but also the probability of the injected dykes being arrested. This paper presents field data on several thousand dykes from Iceland and Tenerife (Canary Islands) indicating that many, and probably most, dykes become arrested at various crustal levels and never reach the surface to feed eruptions. Using the results of analytical and numerical models, it is shown that, for common loading conditions, the stress field in the vicinity of a magma chamber may favour the injection and propagation of dykes while the stress field at a certain distance from the chamber favours dyke arrest. This means that many dykes that are injected from the chamber propagate only for a very limited distance from the chamber to the point where they become arrested. The implication is that during periods of unrest in volcanoes, the probability of volcanic eruption is only a small fraction of the probability of dyke injection from the source magma chamber.     

一种适用于各向异性土体的破坏准则

自然界的土体通常具有各向异性的特点,而传统的破坏准则大多只适用于各向同性的土体。结合应力张量和反映材料各向异性状态的组构张量,定义了修正偏应力及其不变量,提出了适用于各向异性土体材料的破坏准则。给出了共轴条件下正交各向异性和横向各向异性材料在一般应力空间的破坏曲线以及不同应力区中主应力系数b与摩擦角的关系曲线,并分析了它们的特性以及与各向同性材料相应曲线的区别。通过与真三轴试验数据的比较,表明该准则能很好地描述各向异性土体材料的强度特点。     

Estimation of the wave-related ripple characteristics and induced bed shear stress

A large data set on ripples was collected and examined. A set of new formulas for the prediction of the ripple characteristics is proposed with an emphasis on the disappearance of the ripples. The ripple wavelength was observed to be proportional to the bottom wave excursion but also to be a function of the grain-related Shields parameter and wave period parameter introduced by Mogridge et al. (1994). The ripple steepness was found to be nearly constant for orbital ripples, and with a sharp decrease for suborbital ripples. Two empirical functions are added including the effects of the critical Shields parameters (inception of transport and inception of sheet flow), i.e. giving the boundaries for the ripple existence's domain. The proposed formulas yield better prediction capabilities compared to the previously published formulas, especially when ripples are washed out. The effect of the ripple characteristics on the roughness height and the calculation of the bed shear stress is also discussed. It appeared that the bed shear stress calculation is more sensitive to the empirical coefficient a_r introduced in the estimation of the ripple-induced roughness height or to the limits of existence of the ripples than the ripple characteristics themselves.     

Experimental simulation of degrading structures through active control

In experimental studies of structural behaviour, it is often desirable, even necessary, to perform tests on a test structure from its undamaged state, through its damaged states, and finally to failure. The fact that experiments of this type are not often done primarily because of its prohibitive cost. In this paper, a testing procedure is proposed in which a test structure is allowed to undergo its degradation in real time yet it is not physically damaged, thus allowing it to be reused. The underlying concept is that of active structural control. Considerable research and development of active structural control in civil engineering has taken place relative to responsive control of structures against damaging environmental loads. While the use of active control systems to simulate damage in an experimental setting as proposed in this paper appears to be new, much of the existing knowledge base in active structural control is directly applicable. © 1998 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fracture development in Paleozoic shale of Chongqing area (South China). Part two: Numerical simulation of tectonic stress field and prediction of fractures distribution

A tectonics sedimentation evolution has been researched in Southeast Chongqing, and the reasonable Longmaxi shale highstand system tract (HST) and transgressive system tract (TST) geological model were built respectively based on the rock mechanical test and acoustic emission experiment which the samples are from field outcrop and the Yuye-1 well. The Longmaxi shale two-dimension tectonic stress field during the Cenozoic was simulated by the finite element method, and the distribution of fractures was predicted. The research results show that the tectonic stress field and the distribution of fractures were controlled by lithology and structure. As a result of Cretaceous movement, there are trough-like folds (wide spaced synclines), battlement-like folds (similar spaces between synclines and anticlines) and ejective folds (wide spaced anticlines), which are regularly distributed from southeast to northwest in the study area. Since the strain rate and other physical factors such as the viscosity are not taken into account, and the stress intensity is the main factor that determines the tectonic strength. Therefore, the stronger tectonic strength leads the higher stress intensity in the eastern and southeastern study area than in the northwest. The fracture zones are mainly concentrated in the fold axis, transition locations of faults and folds, the regions where are adjacent to faults. The fragile mineral contents (such as siliceous rock, carbonate rock and feldspar) in the shelf facies shale from south of the study area are higher than in the bathyal facies and abyssal facies shale from center of the study area. The shales characterized by low Poisson’s ratio and high elastic modulus from south of the study area are easily broken during Cenozoic orogenic movement.