Discussion on origin of Pn velocity variationin China and adjacent region

Pn velocity lateral variation and anisotropy images were reconstructed by adding about 50 000 travel times from the regional seismic networks to the datum set of near 40 000 travel times from National Seismic Network of China used by WANG, et al. We discussed the relation of Pn velocity variation to Moho depth, Earths heat flow, distribution of Cenozoic volcanic rock and the result of rock experiment under high pressure and high temperature. The result of quantitative analysis indicates that Pn velocity is positively correlated with the crust thickness and negatively correlated with the Earths heat flow. Two linear regression equations, one between Pn velocity and crust thickness, and the other between Pn velocity and heat flow, were obtained. The rate of variation of Pn veloc-ity vP with pressure P, Pv/p, estimated from the velocity variation with crust thickness Hv/p, is close to the result obtained from the rock experiment under high pressure and high temperature. If the effect of crust thick-ness on Pn velocity is deducted from the velocity variation, then the low Pn velocity beneath Qinghai-Xizang pla-teau is more notable. The low Pn velocity regions well agree with the Cenozoic volcanic rock. In the several re-gions with significant anisotropy, the direction of fast Pn velocity is consistent with the orientation of maximum principal crustal compressive stress, and also with the direction of present-day crustal movement. It indicates that the fast Pn velocity direction may be related to the deformation or flow of top mantle material along the direction of maximum pressure.

火星古发电机及超大型撞击事件

火星高强度的地壳剩余磁场表明火星演化早期存在过活跃的发电机作用,研究结果显示火星演化早期的超大型撞击事件很可能是导致火星发电机"死亡"的重要原因.本文分别对火星古发电机数值模拟,超大型撞击事件及其对发电机作用影响的研究进展进行归纳总结,并基于目前研究现状提出下一步研究方案,为揭示超大型撞击事件是否导致火星发电机湮灭提供有效信息.

Deep Background of Wenchuan Earthquake and the Upper Crust Structure beneath the Longmen Shan and Adjacent Areas

By analyzing the deep seismic sounding profiles across the Longmen Shan, this paper focuses on the study of the relationship between the upper crust structure of the Longmen Shan area and the Wenchuan earthquake. The Longmen Shan thrust belt marks not only the topographical change, but also the lateral velocity variation between the eastern Tibetan Plateau and the Sichuan Basin. A low-velocity layer has consistently been found in the crust beneath the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau, and ends beneath the western Sichuan Basin. The low-velocity layer at a depth of -20 km beneath the eastern edge of the Tibetan Plateau has been considered as the deep condition for favoring energy accumulation that formed the great Wenchuan earthquake.

Comparison of ground truth location of earthquake from InSAR and from ambient seismic noise: A case study of the 1998 Zhangbei earthquake

Because ambient seismic noise provides estimated Green’s function （EGF） between two sites with high accuracy, Rayleigh wave propagation along the path connecting the two sites is well resolved. Therefore, earthquakes which are close to one seismic station can be well located with calibration extracting from EGF. We test two algorithms in locating the 1998 Zhangbei earthquake, one algorithm is waveform-based, and the other is traveltime-based. We first compute EGF between station ZHB （a station about 40 km away from the epicenter） and five IC/IRIS stations. With the waveform-based approach, we calculate 1D synthetic single-force Green’s functions between ZHB and other four stations, and obtain traveltime corrections by correlating synthetic Green’s functions with EGFs in period band of 10–30 s. Then we locate the earthquake by minimizing the differential travel times between observed earthquake waveform and the 1D synthetic earthquake waveforms computed with focal mechanism provided by Global CMT after traveltime correction from EGFs. This waveform-based approach yields a location which error is about 13 km away from the location observed with InSAR. With the traveltime-based approach, we begin with measuring group velocity from EGFs as well as group arrival time on observed earthquake waveforms, and then locate the earthquake by minimizing the difference between observed group arrival time and arrival time measured on EGFs. This traveltime-based approach yields accuracy of 3 km, Therefore it is feasible to achieve GT5 （ground truth location with accuracy 5 km） with ambient seismic noises. The less accuracy of the waveform-based approach was mainly caused by uncertainty of focal mechanism.

Characteristic of Gravity and Magnetic Anomalies in the Daba Shan and the Sichuan basin, China: Implication for Architecture of the Daba Shan

The Dabashan nappe structural belt links the Hannan block to the west with the Huangling block to the east between Yangxian and Xiangfan. The Dabashan arc-shaped fold belt formed during late Jurassic and was superposed on earlier Triassic folds. To achieve an improved understanding of the deep tectonics of the Dabashan nappe structural belt, we processed and interpreted the gravity and magnetic data for this area using new deep reflection seismic and other geophysical data as constraints. The results show that the Sichuan basin and Daba Mountains lie between the Longmenshan and Wulingshan gravity gradient belts. The positive magnetic anomalies around Nanchong-Tongjiang-Wanyuan-Langao and around Shizhu result from the crystalline basement. Modeling of the gravity and magnetic anomalies in the Daba Mountains and the Sichuan basin shows that the crystalline basement around Nanchong-Tongjiang-Wanyuan-Langao extends to the northeast underneath the Wafangdian fault near Ziyang. The magnetic field boundary in the Zhenba-Wanyuan-Chengkou-Zhenping area is the major boundary of the Dabashan nappe thrusting above the Sichuan Basin. This boundary might be the demarcation between the south Dabashan and the north Dabashan structural elements. The low gravity anomaly between Tongjiang and Chengkou might be partly caused by thickened lower crust. The local low gravity anomaly to the south of Chengkou-Wanyuan might result from Mesozoic strata of low density in the Dabashan foreland depression area.

Tomographic structure of East Asia:I.No fast(slab) anomalies beneath 660 km discontinuity

This is the first of two papers that describes a regional tomography investigation, which combines P-wave arrival times of both regional and teleseismic earthquakes to obtain 3D mantle structures of East Asia up to 1 000 km depth. The most important findings of this tomography study are reported in this paper as follows. （1） No fast P-wave velocity anomalies can be related to subducted oceanic slabs beneath the 660 km discontinuity; instead the subducted oceanic slabs become flattened and stagnant within the transition zone. （2） The high velocity anomalies in the transition zone extend up to 1 500 km to the westward of the active trenches, which is a unique feature in the worldwide subduetion systems. （3） Slow P-wave velocity anomalies are visible up to -250 km underneath most of the East Asia on the east of 115°E, similar to the area of the stagnant slabs. These observations have important implications for the geodynamic process at depths beneath the East Asia, which might in turn control the widespread Cenozoic volcanism and associated extensional tectonics seen at the Earth＇s surface.

Tomographic structure of East Asia:Ⅱ.Stagnant slab above 660 km discontinuity and its geodynamic implications

P-wave arrival times of both regional and teleseismic earthquakes were inverted to obtain mantle structures of East Asia. No fast （slab） velocity anomalies was not find beneath the 660-kin discontinuity through tomography besides a stagnant slab within the transition zone. Slow P-wave velocity anomalies are present at depths of 100-250 km below the active volcanic arc and East Asia. The western end of the flat stagnant slab is about 1 500 km west to active trench and may also be correlated with prominent surface topographic break in eastern China. We suggested that active mantle convection might be operating within this horizontally expanded ＂mantle wedge＂ above both the active subducting slabs and the stag- nant flat slabs beneath much of the North China plain. Both the widespread Cenozoic volcanism and associated extensional basins in East Asia could be the manifestation of this vigorous upper mantle convection. Cold or thermal alaomalies associated with the stagnant slabs above the 660-km discontinuity have not only caused a broad depression of the boundary due to its negative Clapeyron slope but also effectively shielded the asthenosphere and continental lithosphere above from any possible influence of mantle plumes in the lower mantle.

Estimating Moho basement and faults using gravity inversion in Yushu-earthquake area,China

A gravity survey was conducted one month after the 2010 Yushu earthquake in the epicenter area. The cross-fauh survey line was 500 km long, from Langqian county to Qingshuihe county, in a transition zone between Bayan Har block and Qiangtang block, in an area of high elevation, large undulating terrain, and complex geological features. An interpretation of the data was carried out together with other kinds of data, such as seismic exploration and magnetic exploration. The result shows that gravity is sensitive to fault bounda- ry ; the geologic structure of the region is complex at middle and upper depths, and the density profile reveals an eastward-pushing fault movement.

The thickness and structural characteristics of the crust across Tibetan plateau from active-sources seismic profiles

The Tibetan plateau as one of the youngest orogen on the Earth was considered as the result of continent-continent collision between the Eurasian and Indian plates. The thickness and structure of the crust beneath Tibetan plateau is essential to understand deformation behavior of the plateau. Active-source seismic profiling is most available geophysical method for imaging the structure of the continental crust. The results from more than 25 active-sources seismic profiles carried out in the past twenty years were reviewed in this article. A preliminary cross crustal pattern of the Tibetan Plateau was presented and discussed. The Moho discontinuity buries at the range of 60-80 km on average and have steep ramps located roughly beneath the sutures that are compatible with the successive stacking/accretion of the former Cenozoic blocks northeastward. The deepest Moho （near 80 km） appears closely near IYS and the crustal scale thrust system beneath southern margin of Tibetan plateau suggests strong dependence on collision and non-distributed deformation there. However, the -20 km order of Moho offsets hardly reappears in the inline section across northern Tibetan plateau. Without a universally accepted, convincing dynamic explanation model accommodated the all of the facts seen in controlled seismic sections, but vertical thickening and northeastern shorten of the crust is quite evident and interpretable to a certain extent as the result of continent-continent collision. Simultaneously, weak geophysical signature of the BNS suggests that convergence has been accommodated perhaps partially through pure-shear thickening accompanied by removal of lower crustal material by lateral escape. Recent years the result of Moho with -7 km offset and long extend in south-dip angle beneath the east Kunlun orogen and a grand thrust fault at the northern margin of Qilian orogen has attract more attention to action from the northern blocks. The broad lower-velocity area in the upper-middle crust of the Lhasa block was once considered as resulted from partially melted rocks. However the low normal vp/vs ratio and the Moho stepwise rise fail to support significant partial melting in the middle-lower crust of the central-northern Tibetan plateau. Furthermore, the lower-velocity of crust occasionally disappears, and/or local thinned exhibits their non-stationary spatial distribution.

Modeling of the Groundwater Flow and Saltwater Intrusion in the Coastal Aquifer of Fum Al Wad, Province of Laayoun, Morocco

Saltwater intrusion caused by groundwater over-exploitation from coastal aquifers poses a severe problem in many regions. The Fum Al Wad aquifer is located between Atlantic Ocean in the West and Laayoun in the East. This aquifer covers an area of 250 Km2, and represents an essential water resource for Laayoun city and the periphery regions. It is heavily exploited for water supply, agriculture and industry. The freshwater-saltwater interface is affected by groundwater extraction by public supplies, irrigation wells, and domestic wells in the coastal of this aquifer. The position of the interface is controlled by several factors: these include precipitation, recharge rate, dryness, evapotranspiration, hydraulic conductivity and hydraulic head. Landward migration of the interface freshwater-saltwater often results in a significant decrease in the water resources available for coastal communities. The volume pumped by public for irrigation and the domestic usage in 2010-2011 is estimated 2.5 Mm3/year, and in 2015 about 2.91 Mm3/year only for domestic usages. The objectives of this work are to model the groundwater flow and saltwater intrusion in the coastal aquifer of Fum Al Wad, by SEAWAT-2000 program which coupled both the version of MODFLOW-2000 and MT3DMS. They are designed to simulate variable-density groundwater flow and solute transport in three dimensions. The model is calibrated for hydraulic conductivity, specific yield, porosity, and recharge rate as well as dispersivity coefficient. The result of simulation of the hydrodynamic model during the period of 1986-2015 has revealed a piezometric drawdown with 2.3 m approximately at the level of the pumping zone. Furthermore, this piezometric depression is caused by excessive pumping of the various uses of water and its corresponding that has resulted in the migration of the saltwater intrusion into freshwater with 4.3 km approximately. The simulations result for scenarios 2020 and 2030 of Fum Al Wad aquifer showed a vertical decrease of the piezometric head (about 2.5 m) in 2030, but the saltwater intrusion has advanced diagonally to reach 4.7 km under the freshwater of groundwater of this aquifer.

The updated crustal attenuation in North China using M_L amplitude tomography

We have updated the lateral variations of the quality factor Q0（Q at 1 Hz） beneath the crust of North China using ML amplitude tomography with near three times data.The data were selected from the Annual Bulletin of Chinese Earthquakes（ABCE） in 1985-2009,including 26 283 ML amplitude readings from 4 204 events recorded by 38 stations.The result is similar with previous research but has higher resolution.Estimated Q0 values are consistent with tectonic and topographic structure in North China.Q0 is low in the active tectonic regions having many faults,such as Bohai bay,North China basin,the Shanxi and Yinchuan grabens,while it is high in the stable Ordos craton.Q0 values are low in several topographically low-lying areas,such as the North China,Taikang-Hefei,and Subei-Huanghai Sea basins,whereas it is high in mountainous and uplift regions exhibiting surface expressions of crystalline basement rocks：the Yinshan,Yanshan,Taihang,Qinling and Dabie mountains,Luxi and Jiaoliao uplifts.Quality factor estimates are also consistent with Pn and Sn velocity patterns.High velocity values in general correspond with high Q0 and vice versa.This coincides with a common temperature influence in the crust and uppermost mantle.

Joint inversion of gravity and seismic data along a profile across the seismogenic fault of 2010 Yushu Ms7. 1 earthquake

Yushu Ms7.1 earthquake occurred on the Ganzi-Yushu fault zone, across which we carried out a joint relative-gravity and seismic-reflection survey, and then performed a gravity inversion constrained by the seismic-reflection result. Based on the data of complete Bouguer gravity anomaly and seismic reflection, we obtained a layered interface structure in deep crust down to Moho. Our study showed that the inversion could reveal the interfaces of strata along the survey profile and the directions of regional faults in two-dimension. From the characteristics of the observed topography of the Moho basement, we tentatively confirmed that the uplift of eastern edge of Qinghai-Tibet plateau was caused by the subduetion of the Indian plate.

200-kg large explosive detonation facing 50-km thick crust beneath west Qinling,northeastern Tibetan plateau

It is difficult to acquire deep seismic reflection profiles on land using the standard oil-industry acquisition parameters. This is especially true over much of Tibetan plateau not only because of severe topography and rapid variation of both velocity and thickness of near-surface layer, but also strong attenuation of seismic wave through the thickest crust of the Earth. Large explosive sources had been successfully detonated in US, but its application in Tibetan plateau rarely has an example of good quality. Presented herein is the data of a 200-kg single shot we recorded in west Qinling, northeastern Tibetan plateau. The shot gather data with phenomenal signal-to-noise ratios illustrate the energy of the Prop phase. Although the observations are only limited to the northeastern Tibetan plateau and thus cannot comprise an exhaustive study, they nevertheless suggest that large explosions may be a useful exploration tool in Tibetan Plateau where standard seismic sources and profiling methods fail to produce adequate data of low crust.

Relationship between Crustal 3D Density Structure and the Earthquakes in the Longmenshan Range and Adjacent Areas

This paper presents the 3D density structure of crust in the Longmenshan range and adjacent areas, with constraints from seismic and density data. The density structure of crust shows that the immense boundary plane of density distribution in relation to the Longmeshan fault belt is extended downward to -80 km deep. This density boundary plane dips towards the northwest and crosses the Moho. With the proximity to the Longmenshan fault belt, it has a larger magnitude of undulation in the upper and middle crust levels. Density changes abruptly across Longmeshan fault belt. Seismic data show that most of the earthquakes in the Longmenshan area after the 2008 Ms8.0 Wenchuan Earthquake occurred within the upper to middle crust. These earthquakes are clearly distributed in the uplifted region of the basement. A few of them occurs in the transitional zone between the uplifted and subsided areas. But most of the earthquakes distributes in transitional zone from subsided to uplifted areas in the upper and middle crust where relatively large density changes occurr The 3D density structure of crust in the Longmenshan and adjacent areas can thus help us to understand the pattern of overthrusting from the standpoint of deep crust and where the earthquakes occurred.

On Mars, Location and Orientation of Dykes Exposed along the Valles Marineris Walls Reveal Expected and Unexpected Stress Fields

Structural and geomorphological analysis of the Martian surface in the visible spectral range using the NASA/Viking images in the 90’s,complemented by experimental modelling(Mège and Masson,1996a;Mège et al.,2003)suggested that the Valles Marineris trough(chasma)system is aligned with a mafic dyke swarm,named the Syria Planum Dyke Swarm.Cross-cutting relationships and

The Ophir Chasma Dyke Swarm: Description and Implications for the Genesis of the Valles Marineris Northern Troughs

An extensive survey of dykes in the Valles Marineris troughs(chasmata)on Mars has been undertaken.Most dykes are observed along the chasma walls(Mège and Gurgurewicz,2016),in the spur-and-gully morphology that

Geometry and kinematics of brittle deformation in the Central Cameroon Shear Zone (Kékem area): Implication for gold exploration within the Central Africa Fold Belt in Cameroon

The Central Africa Fold Belt(CAFB)is a collision belt endowed with gold deposits in Eastern Cameroon area mined for about 50 years.However,favorable areas for gold exploration are poorly known.This paper presents(1)the kinematics of the brittle deformation in the Kékem area in the SW portion of the Central Cameroon Shear Zone and(2)constraints gold mineralization events with respect to the collisional evolution of the CAFB.The authors interpret that the conjugate ENE to E and NNW to NW trending lineament corresponds to the synthetic(R)and the antithetic(R’)shears,which accompanied the dextral slip along the NE to ENE striking shear.The latter coincides with the last 570-552 Ma D3 dextral simple shear-dominated transpression,which is parallel to the BétaréOya shear zone hosting gold deposits.Gold mineralizations,which mainly occurred during the last dextral shearing,are disseminated within quartz veins associated to Riedel’s previous structures reactivated due to late collisional activities of the CAFB as brittle deformation.Gold mineralizations occurred mainly during the 570-552 Ma D3 event.The reactivation,which might be due to dextral simple shear during mylonitzation,plausibly remobilized the early gold deposits hosted in syn-compressional rocks and/or possibly focused deep-sourced fluid mixed with those released by dehydration.Therefore,the Central Cameroon Shear Zone where Kékem is located,and which shows similar petrographical and structural features to those controling Batouri gold district,is a target area for gold exploration in Cameroon.

Arrival time measurements of first arrival phases P and PKIKP using the method of fixed scale wavelet transformation ratio

The arrival times of first teleseismic phases are difficult to be measured precisely because of slowly and gradually changed onsets and weak amplitudes. The arrival times measured manually are usually behind the real ones. In this paper, using the ratio method of fixed scale wavelet transformations improved by us, the arrival times for the first arrival phases (such as P and PKIKP) at the teleseismic and far-teleseismic distances were measured. The results are reasonable and reliable based on the analysis and discussion of the reliabilities and errors.

A new method to calculate near-field radiation excited by heterogeneous fault rupture

This paper derives from the representation theory the formula for calculating the radiation excited by heterogeneous fault rupture based on box-like discretization scheme. Preliminary validation indicates that our algorithm has very high computation precision and efficiency; therefore, it is a very practical tool to investigate strong ground motion problems. Additionally, the equations given in this study can also be used to invert the fault rupture process.