What type was SN 1987A?

A comparison is made of the light and colour curves of the SN 1987A in the first 280 days with the mean properties of type II supernovae. The conclusion is that even though it has H lines, and was not a typical type II supernova, but a peculiar object from a photometric point of view. The implications for inclusion of SN 1987A in the context of the usual Minkowski-Zwicky classification are explicitly discussed.     

An analysis of 3.5 kHz acoustic reflections and sediment physical properties

Near-bottom normal incidence acoustic reflection data and sediment physical property data are used to study the relationships between acoustic reflections and sediment physical properties. A pinger-hydrophone experiment was performed to obtain the necessary acoustic reflection data. In addition, a standard piston core was retrieved in the acoustic survey area for physical property analysis. The piston core was sampled and 13 properties were measured at 55 locations within the top 12 m of the core. Correlation studies amongst the sediment physical properties resulted in the following strong correlations: acoustic impedance ($\text{Z}$) and porosity ($\text{N}$), (0.96); water content ($\text{WC}$) and $\text{Z}$, (0.95); bulk density ($\text{BD}$) and $\text{Z}$, (0.99).The empirical orthonormal function (EOF) method was employed for acoustic signal analysis. This method assumes no a-priori models of the sediment or causality. The EOF method reduced the acoustic data to 8 functions that contained 97.6% of the sample variance. The EOFs were subsequently analysed by using cepstrum analysis which reveals time delay information and enhances detecting zones of reflectivity. The result of the sediment physical property and cepstrum analysis indicates that zones of reflectivity are essentially zones of relatively high acoustic impedance, low porosity, and low phi (high mean grain size).     

Magnetic anomalies in the canary basin and the Mesozoic evolution of the central North Atlantic

The data from a recent magnetic compilation by Verhoefet al. (1991) off west Africa were used in combination with data in the western Atlantic to review the Mesozoic plate kinematic evolution of the central North Atlantic. The magnetic profile data were analyzed to identify the M-series sea floor spreading anomalies on the African plate. Oceanic fracture zones were identified from magnetic anomalies and seismic and gravity measurements. The identified sea floor spreading anomalies on the African plate were combined with those on the North American plate to calculate reconstruction poles for this part of the central Atlantic. The total separation poles derived in this paper describe a smooth curve, suggesting that the motion of the pole through time was continuous. Although the new sea floor spreading history differs only slightly from the one presented by Klitgord and Schouten (1986), it predicts smoother flowlines. On the other hand, the sea floor spreading history as depicted by the flowlines for the eastern central Atlantic deviates substantially from that of Sundvik and Larson (1988). A revised spreading history is also presented for the Cretaceous Magnetic Quiet Zone, where large changes in spreading direction occurred, that can not be resolved when fitting magnetic isochrons only, but which are evident from fracture zone traces and directions of sea floor spreading topography.Deceased 11 November 1991     

A new approach for predicting the extreme response of structures

In this article a method to estimate the mean upcrossing intensity, μ(u), of a stochastic process is proposed. It is assumed that the stochastic process is a sum of a Gaussian process and a second-order correction term. The method is based on the two-dimensional Saddlepoint approximation. The accuracy of the method is tested on processes having analytical solutions for μ(u). Numerical examples are given where the stochastic process represents (i) the horizontal response of a floating offshore structure in a Gaussian sea, and (ii) the response of a structure subjected to a Gaussian wind velocity process. In addition, the estimates are compared to empirical upcrossing intensities of simulated responses. For case (ii), the obtained μ(u) estimates are compared to estimates obtained by numerical integration.     

Extension of the solution of Kepler's equation to high eccentricities

The classic Lagrange's expansion of the solutionE(e, M) of Kepler's equation in powers of eccentricity is extended to highly eccentric orbits, 0.6627 ... <e<1. The solutionE(e, M) is developed in powers of (e–e*), wheree* is a fixed value of the eccentricity. The coefficients of the expansion are given in terms of the derivatives of the Bessel functionsJ _n (ne). The expansion is convergent for values of the eccentricity such that |e–e*|<(e*), where the radius of convergence (e*) is a positive real number, which is calculated numerically.     

Development of site-specific design ground motions in Western and Eastern North America

This paper presents results recently obtained for generating site-specific ground motions needed for design of critical facilities. The general approach followed in developing these ground motions using either deterministic or probabilistic criteria is specification of motions for rock outcrop or very firm soil conditions followed by adjustments for site-specific conditions. Central issues in this process include development of appropriate attenuation relations and their uncertainties, differences in expected motions between Western and Eastern North America, and incorporation of site-specific adjustments that maintain the same hazard level as the control motions, while incorporating uncertainties in local dynamic material properties. For tectonically active regions, such as the Western United States (WUS), sufficient strong motion data exist to constrain empirical attenuation relations for M up to about 7 and for distances greater than about 10–15 km. Motions for larger magnitudes and closer distances are largely driven by extrapolations of empirical relations and uncertainties need to be substantially increased for these cases.

For the Eastern United States (CEUS), due to the paucity of strong motion data for cratonic regions worldwide, estimation of strong ground motions for engineering design is based entirely on calibrated models. The models are usually calibrated and validated in the WUS where sufficient strong motion data are available and then recalibrated for applications to the CEUS. Recalibration generally entails revising parameters based on available CEUS ground motion data as well as indirect inferences through intensity observations. Known differences in model parameters such as crustal structure between WUS and CEUS are generally accommodated as well. These procedures are examined and discussed.     

断层参数对承压水体上采煤的影响分析

根据流固耦合理论,采用有限元数值模拟的方法,针对承压水体上采煤过程中断层参数(断距、倾角)对煤层、围岩的应力、变形和水压力变化的影响进行了模拟分析,探讨了存在断层时突水的机理和可能的突水点位置,并定量分析了防水煤柱的预留距离。得出以下结论:(1)当存在正断层时,多发生断层破坏型突水,而底板破坏型突水发生的几率较小;(2)突水性质和突水发生位置受断层断距和倾角的影响不大,煤层和采煤工作面附近的底板围岩都可能成为突水涌出点;(3)随着断层断距和倾角的增加,防水煤柱的合理留设距离应随之增大。以上结果可为实际矿井采煤防突水设计提供参考。 更多还原     

基于灰色关联与模糊数学的重力式挡土墙震害评估

龙门山地区强震荷载导致大量已建边坡支挡结构严重受损,如何对震区受损挡土墙进行震害评估成为亟待解决的技术难点。本文首先通过对研究区挡土墙的震害分析,总结出其主要破坏模式包括滑移破坏、沉降破坏、倾覆破坏、墙身破坏以及越顶破坏5类。然后根据全面性、重要性以及科学性原则对影响震害评价的因子进行定性分析和分类,并结合挡墙的破坏模式,综合分析得到挡土墙安全评估的敏感性因子和一般因子。将震害范围60%作为挡墙评价的敏感性因子,而一般因子分为两级共10个指标,包括:滑移距离,沉降深度,倾斜角度,裂缝数量,裂缝长度比,开裂深度比,开裂宽度,错动距离,垮塌范围,覆盖范围。最后,采用灰色关联分析与模糊数学理论相结合的方法构建挡土墙震害评估体系,从而变事后处理为事先预防,为灾后恢复重建服务。     

Dynamic process analysis of the Niumiangou landslide triggered by the Wenchuan earthquake using the finite difference method and a modified discontinuous deformation analysis

The Niumiangou landslide was the largest landslide triggered by the 2008 Wenchuan earthquake, which was significantly affected by the amplification effect of seismic acceleration. The ringshear experiments indicated that the materials in the source area of the Niumiangou landslide were subjected to friction degradation under a big shear displacement, which may result in rapid movement of the landslide. In order to better understand the landslide movement and study the effect of the friction degradation on movement mechanisms, the dynamic process of Niumiangou landslide was simulated with a new numerical method, which combines the finite difference method(FDM) and the discontinuous deformation analysis(DDA). First, the FDM was used to study the initiation time, amplification effect and velocity of the landslide. Afterwards, these initiation velocities were applied to the blocks in the DDA model by corresponding coordination in the FDM model. A displacementdependent friction model of the sliding surface was incorporated into DDA code to further understand the kinetic behavior of the landslide. The results show that the displacement-dependent friction strongly decreases the friction coefficient of sliding surface under a big displacement, which can obviously promote the run-out and velocity of landslide. The model output well matches the topographic map formed by the landslide. This implies that the proposed model can be applied to the simulation of earthquake-induced landslides with amplification effect, and the friction degradation model is important to clarify the movement mechanism of high-speed and long-distance landslides.