Changes in source parameters of foreshocks and aftershocks of the 2001 M_S=6.0 Yajiang, Sichuan, earthquake

Introduction An MS=6.0 earthquake occurred on February 23, 2001 in Yajiang county, Sichuan Province. The earthquake is located on the east of the southeast segment of the Litang-Dewu fault with strike of NW. Before the event, on February 14, an MS=5.0 earthquake took place nearly in the same place. In 1948 an MS=7.3 earthquake occurred on the northwestern segment of the Litang fault. The length of the surface rupture belt caused by the earthquake is 70 km, which extended from Litang to…     

Recurrence characteristics of late-quaternary strong earthquakes on the major active faults along the northern border of Ordos block

Through study on trenches, analysis of recurrence characteristics and recurrence interval cluster/gap of strong earthquakes along the major active faults on the northern border of Ordos block, we found 62 paleoearthquakes that occurred in the late Quaternary, including 33 earthquakes occurring in the Holocene. The recurrence characteristics of the paleoearthquakes are different at three levels, segments, faults, and fault zones. The strong seismic sequence on the independent segments is mostly characterized by long- and short-interval recurrences, while that on the faults and in fault zone is characterized clearly by random and cluster recurrences. Results of the moving window test indicate that the probabilities of "temporal cluster or gap", caused by random coincidence as opposed to intersegment contagion, are 64% and 70% for the Serteng piedmont fault and for the south-border fault of Wula Mountains, respectively, no clear interaction among the segments of each fault; while the probability is 26.8% for the whole fault zone, suggesting a clear interaction among the faults of this fault zone. These recurrence characteristics may imply an effect of the entire block motion on the recurrence of strong earthquakes. Moreover, the elapsed time for the Wujumeng Pass-Dongfeng Village segment of Serteng piedmont fault and the Tuzuo Banner-Wusutu and the Hohhot segments of Daqingshan piedmont fault has exceeded the average recurrence interval, hence these three segments may be the possible places for future strong earthquakes.     

Geomechanical Properties of Shear Zones in the Eastern Aar Massif,Switzerland and their Implication on Tunnelling

Summary ¶Rock zones containing a high fracture density and/or soft, low cohesion materials can be highly problematic when encountered during tunnel excavation. For example in the eastern Aar massif of central Switzerland, experiences during the construction of the Gotthard highway tunnel showed that heavily fractured areas within shear zones were responsible for overbreaks in the form of chimneys several metres in height. To understand and estimate the impact of the shear zones on rock mass behaviour, knowledge concerning the rock mass strength and deformation characteristics is fundamental. A series of laboratory triaxial tests, performed on samples from granite- and gneiss-hosted shear zones revealed that with increasing degree of tectonic overprint, sample strength decreases and rock behaviour shows a transition from brittle to ductile deformation. These trends may be explained by increasing fracture densities, increasing foliation intensity, increasing thickness of fine-grained, low cohesion fracture infill, and increasing mica content associated with the increasing degree of tectonic overprint. As fracture density increases and the influence of discrete, persistent discontinuities on rock mass strength decreases, behaviour of the test samples becomes more and more representative of rock mass behaviour, i.e. that of a densely fractured continuum. For the purpose of numerical modeling calculations, the shear zones may be subdivided with respect to an increasing fracture density, foliation intensity and mica content into a strongly foliated zone, a fractured zone and a cohesionless zone, which in turn exhibit brittle, brittle-ductile and ductile rock mass constitutive behaviour, respectively.Received December 17, 2001; accepted January 9, 2003 Published online April 29, 2003     

Weather as a Chronic Hazard for Road Transportation in Canadian Cities

Inclement weather creates a chronic hazard for Canadian travellers. Past studies indicate that road collision rates increase during precipitation, although the magnitude of theincrease varies from study to study, partly as a result of variations in weather and driving conditions,but also because of differences in methods. The goal of the current study is to improve ourunderstanding of the links between weather and travel risk in mid-sized Canadian cities by using astandardized method for analyzing data from six cities with different climates: Halifax-Dartmouth,Ottawa, Québec, Hamilton, Waterloo Region, and Regina. The study has four interrelated objectives: (1) Toconduct a sensitivity analysis to determine the extent to which risk estimates vary depending onthe criteria used to define precipitation events and `normal' conditions; (2) To compare therelative risk of collision and injury during precipitation relative to `normal' conditions; (3) Todetermine the extent to which weather-related risks vary fordifferent Canadian cities; and (4) To explore any differences in collision characteristics between events and controls, especially as theyvary from city to city. Results are based on a matched-pair analysis, using six-hour time blocks over afour-year period, 1995 to 1998. Results indicate only modest sensitivity to the criteria used to define precipitation events and `normal' conditions. On average, precipitation is associated with a 75 percentincrease in traffic collisions and a 45 percent increase in related injuries, as compared to `normal'seasonal conditions, but risk levels vary depending on the characteristics of the weather event.Both sensitivity to specific weather conditions and weather-related accident profiles vary from city tocity in ways that are not easily explained.     

湖南中生代陆内构造变形的深部过程：煌斑岩地球化学示踪

湖南煌斑岩以富集大离子亲石元素和轻稀土元素，而亏损高强场元素(Nb-Ta-Ti)为特征，同位素以高^87Sr/^86Sr、低^143Nd／^144Nd为特征。源区可能为早期俯冲交代的古老岩石圈富集地幔。煌斑岩的侵入是软流圈上涌的结果，表明湖南地区于晚三叠世已从岩石圈的挤压阶段开始向岩石圈伸展-减薄阶段转换。     

无伸缩缝桥梁的动力特性研究

针对无伸缩缝桥梁的结构特点，提出一个土-结构的非线性相互作用模型。在此基础上对-无伸缩缝实桥建立有限元模型，分析了不同烈度地震作用下结构的动力特性，并与相应的有伸缩缝桥梁进行比较。文中还计算了主要结构参数对动力特性的影响。研究结果有助于对该类桥梁力学性能的认识。     

影响广西的孟湾风暴

统计分析了1973年以来影响广西的孟湾风暴天气气候情况及环流特征,总结出该类天气演变的一般规律及预报着眼点,为提高天气预报准确率提供有益参考。     

南宁致洪暴雨面雨量特征分析

应用面雨量分析了致洪暴雨的特点,对郁江南宁段洪涝过程的面雨量和洪水水位进行分析,研究了流域的面雨量与洪水水位的关系,提出了致洪面雨量的条件,给预报决策服务提供参考。     

典型带状云系强降雨过程卫星云图演变特征分析

通过对两个典型的带状云系的强降水过程的卫星云图进行定量分析,初步验证了可以用云带0℃边界反映冷高压和副高的活动态势,揭示了降雨强度与云带强度指数及TBB面积指数有很好的对应关系。同时,还研究了暴雨落区与对流云团活动范围的关系,强降水时段与对流云团的发展阶段的对应关系。     

由卫星和航空磁测成果推断中国岩石圈的磁性特征

根据前人所得卫星和航磁异常解释结果，作者的综合研究表明：(1)在塔里木、四川和松辽盒地，地壳呈强磁性，至少可分为两层，上层磁化强度为1A／m，下层为2A／m或更强一些。在上述盆地中央，地幔顶部约10km厚，也是强磁性的，此外，在南中国海，地壳和地幔顶部也是强磁性的，卫星磁异常的源位于上述部位。(2)西藏高原，中国东南沿海一带以及其他一些褶皱带之下，地壳是弱磁性的，磁性层在地表以下30km以内，磁化强度约0.66A/m。特别要指出的是，在东南沿海一带，磁性层底面和莫霍面重合，而居里等温面恰在莫霍面之下，因此这个带可能是Wasilewsky PJ等提出的“莫霍面是一个磁性界面”的一例。