Three-Dimensional Velocity Field and Cross-Frontal Water Exchange in the Kuroshio Extension

A spread of warm water from the first crest of the Kuroshio Extension is periodically enhanced by northward warm water intrusions from the main current. The water type in the spread area was previously found to be the same as that in the Kuroshio front at depth. In looking for the possible mechanism responsible for the northward warm water intrusions, a dynamic analysis in the Kuroshio front was carried out by using CTD, ADCP, AVHRR and ARGOS buoy data, obtained in 1996 by the R.V. Hakuho Maru. Downstream, cross-stream and vertical velocities in the Kuroshio Extension were found by using a "stream coordinate system". The velocity field in the Kuroshio front at the first crest showed a double structure with two surface velocity maxima. In the inner part of the front, relatively high cross-stream (northward) and vertical (upward) velocities were found. Thus, this study suggests that while water particles flow downstream along the first stationary meander of the Kuroshio Extension, they also experience lateral and vertical movements which allow the deeper water from an upstream location to rise to the surface layer, and in certain locations to deflect northward. By assuming isopycnal movement and conservation of potential vorticity, it was found that in those locations where anticyclonic curvature of the meander increases, warm water is more likely to deflect northward. High ageostrophic components observed in the first 300 m of the water column are probably related to the relatively high cross-stream and vertical velocities in the inner part of the front.     

Possible creep-related tilt precursors obtained in the Central Apennines (Italy) and in the Southern Caucasus (Georgia)

Daily averaged tilt component data from two sites of the Central Apennines (Italy) and of the Southern Caucasus (Georgia), respectively, revealed intermediate-term tilts as possible precursors to earthquakes (M=3.0÷4.7) which occurred in the above-mentioned seismic areas within a distance of 50 km from the sites. A good temporal correlation as well as a fair spatial correspondence between these residual tilts (with amplitude and duration of some microradians and months, respectively) and main shocks were pointed out, by removing both secular trends and seasonal thermoelastic effects from the raw tilts. An attempt was made to justify the above-mentioned results, based on the assumption that the observed intermediate-term preseismic tilts are the manifestation of aseismic creep episodes of comparable duration in the fault materials of thrust faults close to the tilt sites. The mechanism refers to a strain field slowly propagating from the preparation focal area to the tilt site, through crustal blocks separated by weak transition zones. This propagation is thought to be the cause of the local aseismic fault slip recorded by the tiltmeters. Previously, both discrete structures and strain propagation effects were revealed in the Central Apennines and are thought also to exist in the Southern Caucasus. As in the past, the rheological properties of fault materials are revealed as viscoelastic ones. In fact, creep equations obtained by applying several viscoelastic models on our data, proved to fit quite well some of the observed tilt precursors, producing viscosity and rigidity values very similar to those reported in literature.Professor Petr Viktorovich Manjgaladze died during the writing of this paper     

Fracture analysis in the south-western Corinth rift (Greece) and implications on fault hydraulic behavior

This paper reviews the data concerning the fracture network and the hydraulic characteristics of faults in an active zone of the Gulf of Corinth. Pressure gap measured through fault planes shows that in this area the active normal faults (Aigion, Helike) act, at least temporarily and locally, as transversal seal. The analysis of the carbonate cements in the fractures on both the hangingwall and the footwall of the faults also suggests that they have acted as local seals during the whole fault zone evolution. However, the pressure and the characteristics of the water samples measured in the wells indicate that meteoric water circulates from the highest part of the relief to the coast, which means it goes through the fault zones. Field quantitative analysis and core studies from the AIG-10 well have been performed to define both regional and fault-related fracture networks. Then laboratory thin section observations have been done to recognize the different fault rocks characterizing the fault zone components. These two kinds of approach give information on the permeability characteristics of the fault zone. To synthesize the data, a schematic conceptual 3D fluid flow modeling has been performed taking into account fault zone permeability architecture, sedimentation, fluid flow, fault vertical offset and meteoric water influx, as well as compaction water flow. This modeling allows us to fit all the data with a model where the fault segments act as a seal whereas the relays between these segments allow for the regional flow from the Peloponnese topographic highs to the coast.     

A way to synchronize models with seismic faults for earthquake forecasting: Insights from a simple stochastic model

Numerical models are starting to be used for determining the future behaviour of seismic faults and fault networks. Their final goal would be to forecast future large earthquakes. In order to use them for this task, it is necessary to synchronize each model with the current status of the actual fault or fault network it simulates (just as, for example, meteorologists synchronize their models with the atmosphere by incorporating current atmospheric data in them). However, lithospheric dynamics is largely unobservable: important parameters cannot (or can rarely) be measured in Nature. Earthquakes, though, provide indirect but measurable clues of the stress and strain status in the lithosphere, which should be helpful for the synchronization of the models.The rupture area is one of the measurable parameters of earthquakes. Here we explore how it can be used to at least synchronize fault models between themselves and forecast synthetic earthquakes. Our purpose here is to forecast synthetic earthquakes in a simple but stochastic (random) fault model. By imposing the rupture area of the synthetic earthquakes of this model on other models, the latter become partially synchronized with the first one. We use these partially synchronized models to successfully forecast most of the largest earthquakes generated by the first model. This forecasting strategy outperforms others that only take into account the earthquake series. Our results suggest that probably a good way to synchronize more detailed models with real faults is to force them to reproduce the sequence of previous earthquake ruptures on the faults. This hypothesis could be tested in the future with more detailed models and actual seismic data.     

Deep seismic reflection study over the Vindhyans of Rajasthan: Implications for geophysical setting of the basin

This paper presents results of high-resolution deep seismic reflection profiling of the Proterozoic Vindhyan basin of the Rajasthan area along the Chandli-Bundi-Kota-Kunjer profile. Seismic images have been used to estimate the thickness of Vindhyan strata as well as to understand the tectonic framework of the basin. The results are constrained by gravity, magnetic and magnetotelluric data. The study reveals gentle SE-dipping reflection bands representing the Vindhyan strata. The seismic sections depict gradual thickening of the Vindhyan succession towards southeast from Bundi. The velocities of the upper and lower Vindhyans are identified as 4.6-4.8 km/s and 5.1-5.3 km/s. The NW limit of the Vindhyan basin is demarcated by the Great Boundary Fault (GBF) that manifests as a 30 km wide NW dipping thrust fault extending to a depth of 30 km.     

西藏俄卡地银多金属异常区地球化学

异常形态、分布严格受推覆断裂控制,范围大、浓集中心明显,浓度变化及因子载荷表明。区内找Ag、Pb有利,而Sb又为其最佳指示元素。     

山东省胶莱盆地东北缘宋家沟金矿地质特征及其成因初探

山东省宋家沟金矿位于胶莱盆地东北缘 ,产于莱阳群林寺山组断裂破碎带中。牟—即断裂带为切割莱阳群的断裂 ,对金矿起控制作用。早白垩纪晚期的火山—岩浆活动为深部含金热液的运移提供了通道 ,并在其有利的构造部位沉淀成矿。稀土元素特征和氧、硫同位素特征亦说明宋家沟金矿的物质来源以深源为主 (幔源及下地壳中的金 ) ,是早白垩世晚期的火山—岩浆活动作用的结果。     

电阻率图像中的地下水和断层

目的：将电阻率层析成像应用于探测潜伏断层的研究中，本文发现了断层和地下水的一些基本电阻率分布特征，这对于工程物探意义重大，一般情况下，断层两侧具有不同的电阻率特征，但是，根据电阻率层析图像中的电阻率分布，通常难以区分断层和地下水层，这是因为两者不仅都具有低电阻率值，而且还具有非常相似的电阻率异常特征。资料和方法：运用电阻率层析图像的数据，电阻率层析图像中的断层会呈现如下特征：1）由于孔隙度的加大和地下水的存在，使得断层表现出高角度的低阻线性结构。它们既可以出现在浅部盖层中，也可以存在于深部基岩中，特别是在深部区域，它们尤为明显；2）它们还呈现出高角度的线性梯度带，在该梯度带两边的电阻率结构出现整体性的差异，通常情况下，正断层的上盘表现出低阻或／和班驳状的高阻和低阻扰动区，而下盘则为完整的高阻区，这与逆冲断层正好相反；3）与断层有关的电阻率异常区常常具有良好的大尺度水平连续性，并且可以追瞎异常区附近的精细电性结构。而地下水的电阻率特征为：1）如果没有裂隙，地表水所引起的低阻区非常浅，即使存在丰富的水源以及高孔隙度的砾岩和中粗砂。一般情况下，其底端深度不超过强风化区；2）地下水的电阻率值非常低，特别在高矿化度的地区。地下水，包括岩溶水和砂岩水，的电阻率总显示出局部水平延伸或／和面团状特征；3）地下水层的深度朝某个固定方向逐渐增加，并且其电阻率图像会随季节而变；4）一般情况下，在水下渗的地区，会出现降水漏斗，其上部为高阻，而下部为低阻，从而便形成了“Y”或“V”字型的典型结构。结果：利用上述的基本特征一般可以区分断层和地下水。结论：仅依靠电阻率层析图像，可能极难准确地区分断层和裂隙水，这是因为裂隙水不但可能具有高角度的低阻线性结构，而且在一定尺度上具有很好的水平连续性，还有，由于电阻率层析成像较差的垂直分辨率，难以精确确定断层的上端点位置，所以结合其它的物探手段如钻探和浅层地震勘探是非常必要的。