USArray及其近期科学发现

USArray and Latest Scientific Discoveries

美国台阵(USArray)是EarthScope计划的主要内容之一。旨在探测北美大陆变形、结构及其演化。USArray主要由平移/滚动台阵和机动台阵两部分构成。滚动台阵由400个宽频带地震台站组成,以向前滚动的方式扫过美国本土和阿拉斯加。利用来自该台阵的数据,科学家能获得地球内部精细图像,藉此考察地震和火山的过程。作为滚动台阵的补充,机动台阵被用于对关键目标进行详细观测和短期测量。美国台阵计划启动5年来,采集的数据已经提供了足以令科学界考虑重新审视地震物理、火山过程、核幔结构、活动变形构造、大陆结构及其演化、地球动力学和地壳流体等基本科学问题的基础资料。

USArray is one key component of EarthScope experiment to explore the formation, structure and evolution of the North American continent. The most important element of the USArray is Transportable and Flexible Array. The transportable Array consists of 400 broadband seismic stations installed across the continental United States and Alaska in a roll-along fashion. With data from this dense network of seismometers, researchers will be able to collect detailed images of the Earth＇s interior and investigate the processes controlling earthquakes and volcanoes. As the complement of Transportable Array, Flexible Array is available to scientists for dispatching to targeted areas for very detailed and short period studies.During the 5 years since it was started, the data acquired by USArray sensors have been providing the anticipated foundation for scientific community actively gaining new insights into earthquake physics, volcanic processes, core-mantle interactions, active deformation and tectonics, continental structure and evolution, geodynamics, and crustal fluids.