Characteristics of the Deep Crustal Structure of the Greenland–Iceland–Faroe Ridge in the North Atlantic

The Greenland–Iceland–Faroe Ridge,located between the central eastern part of Greenland and the northwestern edge of Europe,spans across the North Atlantic.As the core component of the Greenland–Iceland–Faroe Ridge,the Iceland is an alkaline basalt area,which belongs to the periodic submarine magmatism and submarine volcano eruption resulting from mantle plume upwelling(Jiang et al.,2020).For the oceanic plateaus,the characteristics of the Iceland are closest to the continental crust,so the Iceland is considered the most suitable for simulating the earliest continental crust on the Earth(Reimink et al.,2014).

Analysis of microseismic activity in rock mass controlled by fault in deep metal mine

Aiming at evaluating the stability of a rock mass near a fault,a microseismic(MS) monitoring system was established in Hongtoushan copper mine.The distribution of displacement and log(/),the relationship between MS activity and the exploitation process,and the stability of the rock mass controlled by a fault were studied.The results obtained from microseismic data showed that MS events were mainly concentrated al the footwall of the fault.When the distance to the fault exceeded 20 m,the rock mass reached a relatively stable state.MS activity is closely related to the mining process.Under the strong disturbance from blasting,the initiation and propagation of cracks is much faster.MS activity belongs in the category of aftershocks after large scale excavation.The displacement and log(C/) obtained from MS events can reflect the difference in physical and mechanical behavior of different areas within the rock mass,which is useful in judging the integrity and degradation of the rock mass.

Anomalously deep earthquakes related to the Ojo de Agua Lineament and its tectonic significance,Sierras Pampeanas of Córdoba,Central Argentina

The Sierras de Cordoba are the easternmost uplifted ranges of the Sierras Pampeanas geological province of Argentina. They are composed of a Neoproterozoic-Paleozoic basement arranged in north-south aligned mountain ranges, limited by west-vergent reverse faults, reactivated or formed by compressive tectonics during the Andean orogeny. The ranges are also affected by oblique subvertical lineaments,probably related to pan-Gondwanan structures. The recorded seismicity shows anomalously deep earthquakes（up to 80 km depth） concentrated in the northwestern area. We attribute this seismicity to the current tectonic activity of the Ojo de Agua Lineament. This lineament is a N13°-135° strike, 70°-80° NE dip,macrostructure with more than 80 km depth and 160 km length. A sinistral transcompressional kinematics（convergent oblique shear） is deduced by the focal mechanism of a deep earthquake, together with hydrological and geomorphological features strongly modified. The continental lithosphere under the Sierras de Cordoba would be colder and more rigid than in a normal subduction area, due to the retraction of the asthenospheric wedge to the foreland, causing seismicity to depths greater than 40 km, below the Mohorovicic discontinuity. Neogene volcanism would be closely related to this lineament, allowing the rapid ascent of melts from the mantle.

Study on crust-mantle tectonics and its velocity structure along the Beijing-Huailai-Fengzhen profile

In order to investigate the interrelations of crust and upper mantle tectonics and its velocity distribution as well as seismicity in the Yanhuai basin and its surrounding area, a nearly EW trending Beijing Huailai Fengzhen wide angle reflection/refraction profile, which obliquely passes through seismic zone of Zhangjiakou Bohai Sea and coincides with a deep reflection profile in the Yanhuai basin, was completed recently. The results show: The crust presents layered structures and its thickness gradually increases from 35.0 km in Shunyi to 42.0 km in the west end of the profile; the interior crustal interfaces appear approximately horizontal or slowly sloping down from east to west; In the Yanhuai basin, the crust presents the characteristics of higher velocities alternating with the lower ones and the low velocity bodies obviously exist in the lower part of upper crust. Moreover, there are two deep crustal fault zones which stretch to the Moho discontinuity, are closely related with the seismicity in the Yanhuai area.

Multisphere Tectonics of the Earth System

The fundamental theoretical framework of the Multisphere Tectonics of the Earth System is as follows:(1)It intends to extend the geotectonic studies from the crustal and lithospheric tectonics to the multisphere tectonics of the Ear th system as a whole.(2)The global dynamics driven by both the Earth system and the cosmic celestial system:solar energy,multispheric interactions of the Earth system and the combined effects of the motions of celestial bodies in the cosmos syste m are the driving forces of various geological processes.(3)The Continent-Ocean transformation theory:the continent and ocean are two opposite yet unified geological units,which can be transformed into each other;neither continent nor ocean wi ll survive forever;there is no one-way development of continental accretion or ocean extinction;the simple theory of one-way continental accretion is regarded as invalid.(4)The continental crust and mantle are characterized by multiple layers,with different layers liable to slide along the interfaces between them,but corroboration is needed that continents move as a who le or even drift freely.(5)The cyclic evolution theory:the development of Earth’s tectonics is not a uniform change,but a spiral forward evolution,characterized by a combination of non-uniform,non-linear,gradual and catastrophic changes;different evolutionary stages(tectonic cycles)of Earth have distinctive global tectonic patterns and characteristics,one tectonic mo del should not be applied to different tectonic cycles or evolutionary stages.(6)The structure and evolution of Earth are asymmetric and heterogeneous,thus one tectonic model cannot be applied to different areas of the world.(7)The polycyclic evolution of the continental crust:the continental crust is formed by polycyclic tectonics and magmatism,rather than simply lateral or vertical accretion.(8)The role of deep faults:the deep fault zones cutting through different layers of the crus t a nd mantle usually play important roles in tectonic evolution.For example,the present-day mid-ocean ridge fault zones,transform fault zones and Benioff zones outline the global tectonic framework.Different tectonic cycles and stages of Earth’s evolutio n must have their own distinctive deep fault systems which control the global tectonic framework and evolutionary processes during different tectonic cycles and stages.Starting from the two mantle superplumes Jason(Pacific)and Tuzo(Africa),the study of the evolutionary process of the composition and structure of the crust and mantle during the great transformation an d reorganization of the Meso-Cenozoic tectonic framework in China and the other regions of Asia is a good demonstration of theory of Multisphere Tectonics of the Earth System.

Three-dimensional Q structure in Jiashi earthquake region of Xinjiang

3-D S-wave Q structure in Jiashi earthquake region is inverted based on the attenuation of seismic waves recorded from earthquakes in this region in 1998 by the Research Center of Exploration Geophysics (RCEG), CSB, and a rough configuration of deep crustal faults in the earthquake region is presented. First, amplitude spectra of S-waves are extracted from 450 carefully-chosen earthquake records, called observed amplitude spectra. Then, after instrumental and site effect correction, theoretical amplitude spectra are made to fit observed amplitude spectra with nonlinear damped least-squares method to get the observed travel time over Q, provided that earthquake sources conform to Brune's disk dislocation model. Finally, by 3-D ray tracing method, theoretical travel time over Q is made to fit observed travel time over Q with nonlinear damped least-squares method. In the course of fitting, the velocity model, which is obtained by 3-D travel time tomography, remains unchanged, while only Q model is modified. When fitting came to the given accuracy, the ultimate Q model is obtained. The result shows that an NE-trending low Q zone exists at the depths of 10-18 km, and an NW-trending low Q zone exists at the depths of 12-18 km. These roughly coincide with the NE-trending and the NW-trending low velocity zones revealed by other scientists. The difference is that the low Q zones have a wider range than the low velocity zones.