Recent stress field in the east of the Russian Plate and the Urals from macro- and mesostructural evidence

This paper presents the first cartographic reconstruction of the recent stress field for the southeastern Russian Plate and the southern Urals based on computer analysis of the extensive body of measurements of mesostructural kinematic markers. Comparison of this reconstruction with macro- and mesostructural data on the dynamics of recent dislocations at the platform leads to the following conclusions: (1) spatial variations of the stress field reflect the pressure on the platform’s lithosphere from the Caucasus-Kopet Dagh collisional orogen and the intraplate linear rise of the recent Urals, presumably related to the Central Asian collision zone; (2) when passing through the heterogeneous crust of the platform, the collision stresses were distorted: in the vertical section, compression decreased upward (especially in strike-slip-stress regime) and even gave way to extension above uplifting hanging wall of thrust faults and crests of swells; in plan view, compression (including in the strike-slip-stress regime) increased at basement uplifts; on the contrary, extension increased near syneclises, as well as lateral squeezing directed here along strike-slip faults; (3) reconstructions based on data variable in scale and type (results of macro- and mesostructural observations processed by differing statistical means with leading use of computer programs) do not contradict but supplement one another. Taken together, they represent the complete pattern of the recent stress state; (4) our results can be used for applied purposes to introduce clarity into the kinematics of the known faults, especially for revealing strike-slip offsets and how the intraplate earthquakes relate to faults and flexures of a certain kinematics. In general, they indicate that tectonodynamic analysis is promising for solving regional tectonic problems.     

Nature of spatiotemporal variations in the rigidity of rock masses in seismically active zones of the San Andreas fault (Northern California)

The paper presents results of analysis of spatiotemporal variations in the rigidity of seismically active rock masses obtained from California Integrated Seismic Network data on first arrivals of P waves from local background (M < 5.0) earthquakes. The main goal was to determine sizes of zones of an anomalous response to the nucleation of strong earthquakes and to reveal specific features of dynamic manifestations of anomalies in crustal fault zones. As a result, conclusions are drawn on the nature of the variations, their implications for the development of strong earthquake sources, and their suitability for earthquake prediction.     

Earthquake source nucleation process in the zone of a permanently creeping deep fault

The worldwide practice of earthquake prediction, whose beginning relates to the 1970s, shows that spatial manifestations of various precursors under real seismotectonic conditions are very irregular. As noted in [Kurbanov et al., 1980], zones of bending, intersection, and branching of deep faults, where conditions are favorable for increasing tangential tectonic stresses, serve as “natural amplifiers” of precursory effects. The earthquake of September 28, 2004, occurred on the Parkfield segment of the San Andreas deep fault in the area of a local bending of its plane. The fault segment about 60 km long and its vicinities are the oldest prognostic area in California. Results of observations before and after the earthquake were promptly analyzed and published in a special issue of Seismological Research Letters (2005, Vol. 76, no. 1). We have an original method enabling the monitoring of the integral rigidity of seismically active rock massifs. The integral rigidity is determined from the relative numbers of brittle and viscous failure acts during the formation of source ruptures of background earthquakes in a given massif. Fracture mechanisms are diagnosed from the steepness of the first arrival of the direct P wave. Principles underlying our method are described in [Lykov and Mostryukov, 1996, 2001, 2003]. Results of monitoring have been directly displayed at the site of the Laboratory (http://wwwbrk.adm.yar.ru/russian/1_512/index.html) since the mid-1990s. It seems that this information has not attracted the attention of American seismologists. This paper assesses the informativeness of the rigidity monitoring at the stage of formation of a strong earthquake source in relation to other methods.     

Rigidity of rocks of an earthquake source region in the period of aftershock activity

Aftershock series of known strong earthquakes differ in duration and energetics. The study of geological properties of an earthquake source region is of interest in two aspects: (1) acquisition of constraints on the source development process and (2) detection of precursors of strong aftershocks. The latter are dangerous because they complete the process of damage of industrial and civil structures. Cases of aftershocks comparable in energy to the main event are known in seismological practice (the Tashkent, 1966, and Gazli, 1976, earthquakes). The seismic situation in Koryakia (2006) is very significant in this respect. The paper assesses the possibilities of rigidity monitoring for the study of the aftershock stage of the source development process with the use of earthquakes in California (the United States) as an example.     

Field of tectonic stresses from focal mechanisms of earthquakes and recent crustal movements from GPS measurements in China

Orientations of the principal axes of the tectonic stress field reconstructed from seismological data on focal mechanisms of earthquakes and strain fields determined from GPS measurements in China are compared. The data of GPS measurements used in the paper were obtained by the Crustal Movement Observation Network of China (about 1000 stations) in the period of 1998–2004. On the basis of information on the recent horizontal crustal motions, the strain field is calculated for the study territory by the finite element method. Calculations of the strain tensor using GPS data were carried out with a step of 1° in latitude and longitude. A catalog of earthquake focal mechanisms was used for the reconstruction of tectonic stress field components. Focal mechanisms of earthquakes were calculated with the use of seismological data on signs of first arrivals from the bulletin of the International Seismological Center. To estimate characteristics of the regional stress field, an approach based on the kinematic method proposed by O.I. Gushchenko was applied. The tectonic stress field was reconstructed in depth intervals of 0 < H < 35 km and 35 km < H < 70 km from data on focal mechanisms of earthquakes over the periods of 1998–2004 and 1985–2004. Comparison of directions of the principal strain axes at the surface (according to GPS measurements) and directions of the principal stress axes (reconstructed from focal mechanisms of earthquakes) showed their good convergence. Seismotectonic strains and GPS measurements coincide within a larger part of the territory. The coincidence is best in a depth interval of 0 < H < 35 km. Maximum misfit values are confined to areas of high 3-D gradients of strain axis directions and are possibly related to the structural heterogeneity of the region, zones with strains of the same type along both horizontal axes (compression or extension along all directions), or areas of small absolute values of recent horizontal movements. Areas with invariable directions of the stress axes are recognizable regardless of the depth of initial data. Good reproducibility of results obtained by two different methods made it possible to check the method of stress field reconstruction using data on focal mechanisms of earthquakes.     

Electromagnetic signals close in time to earthquakes

The search for electromagnetic effects of earthquakes has discovered pulsed signals preceding or following the time of an event. The advance or lag amounts to 0–5 min. The signals are observed as single or paired pulses in the frequency range 0–5 Hz. Dynamic spectra of the signals are presented and their characteristics are discussed. A hypothesis on the seismoelectromagnetic origin of the signals is suggested and verified.     

Possibilities of Using the Method of Median Gradients to Reveal Changes in Apparent Electrical Resistivity during the Nucleation of Earthquakes

Izvestiya, Atmospheric and Oceanic Physics - Changes in apparent electrical resistivity are calculated using one of the electrical survey methods—the median gradient—over the earthquake...