A new fault rupture scenario for the 2003 Mw 6.6 Bam earthquake, SE Iran: Insights from the high-resolution QuickBird imagery and field observations

The December 26, 2003 M_w 6.6 Bam earthquake is one of the most disastrous earthquakes in Iran. QuickBird panchromatic and multispectral satellite imagery with 61 cm and 2.4 m ground resolution, respectively provide new insights into the surface rupturing process associated with this earthquake. The results indicate that this earthquake produced a 2–5 km-wide surface rupture zone with a complex geometric pattern. A 10-km-long surface rupture zone developed along the pre-existing Bam fault trace. Two additional surface rupture zones, each 2–5 km long, are oblique to the pre-existing Bam fault in angles of 20–35°. An analysis of geometric and geomorphic features also shows that movement on the Bam fault is mainly right-lateral motion with some compressional component. This interpretation is consistent with field investigations, analysis of aftershocks as well as teleseismic inversion. Therefore, we suggest that the 2003 Bam earthquake occurred on the Bam fault, and that the surface ruptures oblique to the Bam fault are caused by secondary faulting such as synthetic shears (Reidel shears). Our fault model for the Bam earthquake provides a new tectonic scenario for explaining complex surface deformations associated with the Bam earthquake.     

Effect of surface stress on magneto-elastic surface waves in finitely conducting media

This paper deals with the investigation of the effect of surface stress and conductivity on the propagation of surface wave in isotropic, homogeneous, elastic media under the action of a primary magnetic field. Formulation of the general surface wave propagation problem has been made, and the corresponding frequency equation has been derived. Frequency equations for Rayleigh wave, surface shear wave and Stoneley wave have been deduced from that of general surface wave as special cases. The effects of surface stress and magnetic field on the wave velocities and attenuation factors of Rayleigh wave and surface shear wave are shown by numerical calculations and graphs. Some important wave velocity equations, as obtained by other authors, have been deduced as special cases from the wave velocity equation for Stoneley wave. It is found that the combined effect of surface stress and magnetic field modulates the wave velocity ratios and attenuation factors of Rayleigh wave and surface shear wave to a considerable extent.     

Simulation of Atmospheric Boundary Layer Characteristics during Indian Summer Monsoon using Observations from Monsoon Trough Boundary Layer Experiment at Jodhpur, India

The diurnal structure of the boundary layer during Indian summer monsoon period is studied using a one-dimensional meteorological boundary layer model and the observations collected from the Monsoon Trough Boundary Layer Experiment conducted in 1990 at Jodhpur, India. The model was initialized with the observed temperature profiles at 0530 LST on 17 July, 1990 at Jodhpur and was run for 26 hours. The study is carried out with a geostrophic wind speed of 9.5 m s⁻¹ corresponding to the strong wind simulation. The mean thermodynamic and wind structure simulated by the model are in good agreement with those observed from 30 m tower. The computed surface layer characteristics such as the surface fluxes, TKE and standard deviations of velocity components are found to be reasonably in good agreement with those based on turbulence measurements. The shear and buoyancy budget computed from the model are also compared with the turbulence measurements. The integrated cooling budget in the nocturnal boundary layer is examined.     

Pure aluminium shear panels as dissipative devices in moment‐resisting steel frames

The use of energy dissipation systems for the seismic control of steel structures represents a valid alternative to conventional seismic design methods. The seismic devices currently employed are mostly based on the metallic yielding technology due to the large feasibility and efficiency they can provide. Within this context, in the current paper an innovative solution based on the adoption of low‐yield‐strength pure aluminium shear panels (SPs) for seismic protection of steel moment‐resisting frames is proposed and investigated. In order to prove the effectiveness of the system, a wide numerical study based on both static and dynamic non‐linear analyses has been carried out, considering a number of different frame‐to‐shear panel combinations, aiming at assessing the effect of the main influential parameters on the seismic response of the structure. The obtained results show that the contribution provided by aluminium SPs is rather significant, allowing a remarkable improvement of the seismic performance of the structure in terms of stiffness, strength and ductility, with the possibility to strongly limit the damage occurring in the members of moment‐resisting frames. In particular, it is clearly emphasized that the stiffening effect provided by SPs allows a more rational design procedure to be adopted, since the serviceability limit state check does not lead to unavoidable and uneconomical increase of the size of main structural members. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Towards error‐free hybrid simulation using mixed variables

Two procedures are developed and implemented in a hybrid simulation system (HSS) with the aim of enhancing the accuracy and reliability of the online, i.e. pseudo‐dynamic, test results. The first procedure aims at correcting the experimental systematic error in executing the displacement command signal. The error is calculated as the difference between command and feedback signals and correlated to the actuator velocity using the least‐squares method. A feed‐forward error compensation scheme is devised leading to a more accurate execution of the test. The second procedure employs mixed variables with mode switching between displacement and force controls. The newly derived force control algorithm is evaluated using a parametric study to assess its stability and accuracy. The implementation of the mixed variables procedure is designed to adopt force control for high stiffness states of the structural response and displacement control otherwise, where the resolution of the involved instruments may favour this type of mixed control. A simple pseudo‐dynamic experiment of steel cantilever members is used to validate the HSS. Moreover, two experiments as application examples for the two developed procedures are presented. The two experiments focus on the seismic response of (a) timber shear walls and (b) reinforced concrete frames with and without unreinforced masonry infill wall. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

1997/1998年El Nino/La Nina期间洋流的演变特征和影响的分析

利用ＴＯＧＡ—ＴＡＯ赤道次表层海流与海温观测资料，比较清楚地揭示了１９９７／１９９８年Ｅｌ Ｎｉｎｏ期间在赤道西太平洋暖池上空西风异常的驱动下，次表层异常海流的产生机制和向东传播过程中的变化特征。对比分析了海表、次表层异常海流的两种热力平流过程，即水平温度平流和因海流水平辐合辐散造成的垂直上翻（或下沉）运动对混合层及海表温度异常的贡献，结果证实了后一效应对ＥＮＳＯ发生发展的重要意义。最后还对文中的海流异常是否就是理论分析得到的Ｋｅｌｖｉｎ波在海流场上的反映进行了讨论。     

地质信息可视化的应用——城市环境地质研究之发展方向

随着21世纪人类城市化建设的发展，城市环境地质研究成为水工环地质研究领域的一个重要组成部分，城市建设中的最主要问题是水资源问题和环境地质问题。城市水资源问题有：城市后备水源地的研究，以及应急水资源地和地下水库的研究。城市环境地质问题主要包括：（1）围绕城市建设和发展的一般性资源、地质环境问题；（2）城市地质作用产生的地质环境问题；（3）城市人口密集区及工业区的土壤和水体有机污染问题。解决城市环境地质问题的关键是对地下空间地层岩性及构造条件的研究，通过这些基础条件研究分析城市地质环境和地下水资源问题。可视化研究技术通过对城市地质体在地下空间的相对位置、形态、物化特征等三维构模处理，使这些城市赖以存在的地质基础条件可为非专业的决策层所理解，并在城市发展的规划中体现这些大自然所赋予人类的地下空间资源的价值。应用三维可视化技术对城市环境地质研究是一个全新的研究领域，目前尚没有系统完整的应用先例。三维可视化技术将在城市化环境地质研究中，开拓一个崭新的环境地质研究时代，成为城市环境地质研究的发展方向。     

剪切带倾角尺度律与局部化启动跳跃稳定研究

研究了剪切带倾角是如何依赖于岩样高度以及剪切带的不稳定性。建立了准脆性材料试件剪切带倾角尺度效应模型,得到了剪切带倾角尺度效应的解析解,且与实验结果比较相符。研究结果表明:剪切带倾角随着试件高度的增加而增加,但其增加幅逐渐减缓,最终趋于稳定值。笔者还对剪应变局部化启动、跳跃和稳定进行了理论分析,解释了实验所观测到的剪切带跳跃现象和砂岩岩样应变局部化较煤样滞后的原因。剪应变局部化是否发生跳跃,关键取决于全程应力-应变曲线软化段是否存在拐点。对于没有拐点的情形,宏观剪切带图案不跳跃。局部化是导致准脆性材料试件剪切带倾角尺度效应的原因。     

一次新疆强切变线天气的分析

对1998年3月新疆强切变线天气的分析表明，蒙古阻塞高压对切变线形成起决定性作用，切变线是一个冷性结构的风辐合带，白天较弱、夜晚较强。在切变线上维持一个纬向的次级环流，该次级环流加强了切变线东部的降水。水汽在对流层中上层的切变线附近辐合，大降水落区与切变线相一致。     

根据构造环境剪应力值水平区分地震和核爆炸

根据地震破裂的断裂力学模式，导出了震源参数与地震发生处的构造环境剪应力值t0之间的函数关系．据此，可以大量计算震源处的构造环境剪应力值或背景应力值．若把核爆炸当作地震来计算，发现核爆炸的t0值平均在20MPa左右，明显地高于同震级地震的t0值．其结果可以作为区分地震与核爆炸的依据．