Earthquakes as beacons of stress change

Aftershocks occurring on faults in the far-field of a large earthquake rupture can generally be accounted for by changes in static stress on these faults caused by the rupture. This implies that faults interact, and that the timing of an earthquake can be affected by previous nearby ruptures. Here we explore the potential of small earthquakes to act as 'beacons' for the mechanical state of the crust. We investigate the static-stress changes resulting from the 1992 Landers earthquake in southern California which occurred in an area of high seismic activity stemming from many faults. We first gauge the response of the regional seismicity to the Landers event with a new technique, and then apply the same method to the inverse problem of determining the slip distribution on the main rupture from the seismicity. Assuming justifiable parameters, we derive credible matches to slip profiles obtained directly from the Landers mainshock. Our results provide a way to monitor mechanical conditions in the upper crust, and to investigate processes leading to fault failure.     

Spatiotemporal characteristics of the energy radiation sources of the three great earthquakes near Sumatra Island in September 2007

Three strong earthquakes with magnitudes of Mw 8.4, Mw 7.9 and Mw 7.0 occurred in the sea west of Sumatra Island on September 12 and 13, 2007. We relocated the epicenters and focal depths of the three events by means of the reversal-time imaging technique using broadband digital seismic data from worldwide stations ranging from 30° to 90°, imaged the spatiotemporal variation of the energy radiation sources by means of the nonplane wave array technique using the broadband digital seismic data from a generalized array made up of 33 stations of the Capital Region Digital Seismograph Network （CRDSN）, and obtained the rupture duration times, extents and rupture velocities. Also, we discussed the correlations between the locations of the energy radiation sources of the three events.     

中国大陆南缘不活动大陆边缘和拉裂盆地

中国大陆南缘经历了太平洋板块和特提斯板块与欧亚板块会聚作用的复杂过程,并在不晚于早第三纪早期,已经由活动的大陆边缘转换为不活动的,具有典型的不活动边缘的重力效应特征。根据构造演化分析,大陆南缘的陆缘盆地属不活动边缘拉裂盆地,南海中央海金则属于边缘海盆地。本文阐述了亚洲大陆南缘的主要转换断裂系统,讨论了这些断裂系统所反映的太平洋—特提斯板块和欧亚板块之间板块边界的应力机制和活动方式,认为在特提斯—印度洋域,这些转换断裂系统从西向东延伸,分别属于右旋和左旋滑移。它们对中国大陆南缘边缘构造带和含油气盆地的形成和地质演化起着重要的作用。     

Three-dimensional crustal velocity structure of P-wave in East China from wide-angle reflection and refraction surveys

The 3-D crustal structure of P-wave velocity in East China is studied based on the data obtained by wide-angle seismic reflection and refraction surveys.The results suggest that a deep Moho disconti-nuity exists in the western zone of the study region,being 35―48 thick.High-velocity structure zones exist in the upper crust shallower than 20 km beneath the Sulu and Dabie regions.The cause of high-velocity zones is attributable to high-pressure metamorphic(HPM) and ultra-high-pressure metamorphic(UHPM) terran...     

Effect of the free surface on the earthquake energy: A case study of reverse faulting

Based on the representation theorem of seismic energy radiation, in this study, we have quantitatively investigated the effect of free surface on the radiation energy distribution due to a coupling interaction between free surface and near surface finite fault for the reverse earthquake faulting. Corresponding to the finite faulting, a 2-D pseudostatic-reverse-fault-dislocation solution has been used in the calculation of the work done by the seismic response against free surface. The results indicate that, due to a strong coupling interaction between the free surface and near surface fault, the total radiated seismic energy ER is much larger than that radiated only from the fault itself （EF）, especially for the shallow reverse faulting. In convention, EF is commonly used in the estimation of earthquake energy radiation. However, when the fault depth H, the distance between the free surface and top of fault location, increases, the effect of the coupling interaction between the fault and free surface decreases gradually. Therefore, the total radiated energy ER approaches to the EF when the depth H is about 2 times the fault length L The current study could provide us a partial explanation of the apparent stress discrepancy observed at the far field and near field in the recent large earthquake. Moreover, the current study also has a significant implication of how to quantitatively describe the near fault strong ground motion and associated seismic hazard from the earthquake source energy point of view.     

Foreshock sequences and short-term earthquake predictability on East Pacific Rise transform faults

East Pacific Rise transform faults are characterized by high slip rates (more than ten centimetres a year), predominantly aseismic slip and maximum earthquake magnitudes of about 6.5. Using recordings from a hydroacoustic array deployed by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, we show here that East Pacific Rise transform faults also have a low number of aftershocks and high foreshock rates compared to continental strike-slip faults. The high ratio of foreshocks to aftershocks implies that such transform-fault seismicity cannot be explained by seismic triggering models in which there is no fundamental distinction between foreshocks, mainshocks and aftershocks. The foreshock sequences on East Pacific Rise transform faults can be used to predict (retrospectively) earthquakes of magnitude 5.4 or greater, in narrow spatial and temporal windows and with a high probability gain. The predictability of such transform earthquakes is consistent with a model in which slow slip transients trigger earthquakes, enrich their low-frequency radiation and accommodate much of the aseismic plate motion.     

The early Holocene optimum inferred from a hish-resolution pollen record of Husuansyan Maar Lake in southern China

A high-resolution pollen record of the past 13000 a from Huguangyan Maar Lake reveals the vegetation and environment changes in southern China during the Holocene. It shows that （i） pollen percentage of trees and shrubs reached 56% during the early Holocene （11600-7800 cal a BP）, of which the pollen percentage of tropical trees reached a maximum at 9500-8000 cal a BP, reflecting a hot and wet environment; （ii） during the mid-Holocene （7800-4200 cal a BP）, the pollen percentage of montane coniferous trees and herbs increased, while the percentage of tropical-subtropical trees decreased, indicating lower temperature and humidity; （iii） in the late Holocene spanning from 4200 to 350 cal a BP, the pollen percentage of herbs and montane conifer increased significantly, indicating a marked decrease of temperature and humidity. Our pollen data reveal that the time period 9500-8000 cal a BP in southern China represents a climatic optimum for the Holocene characterized by hot and wet conditions. This is consistent with the Holocene optimum found in lower latitude regions globally. We speculate that strong insolation might cause the northward migration of the ITCZ and subtropical summer monsoon front, which resulted in an early Holocene optimum in the Huguangyan area. The dry tendency and climate fluctuations of the middle and late Holocene could be associated with a decrease in solar insolation and frequent ENSO event.     

Compressive stress field in the crust deduced from shear-wave anisotropy: an example in capital area of China

The rocks in the crust are pervaded by stress-aligned fluid-saturated microcracks, and the complex fault tectonics and stress control the configuration of the microcracks, however shear-wave splitting could indicate this kind of characteristics. In this paper, Capital Area Seismograph Network （CASN）, the widest scope and highest density of regional seismograph network presently in China, is adopted to deduce the principal compressive stress field distribution pattern from polarizations of fast shear- waves, based on shear-wave splitting analysis. The principal compressive stress in capital area of China is at NE85.7°±41.0° in this study. Compared with the results of principal compressive stress field in North China obtained from other methods, the results in this study are reliable in the principal com- pressive stress field distribution in capital area. The results show that it is an effective way, although it is the first time to directly obtain crustal stress field from seismic anisotropy. It is effectively applied to the zones with dense seismograph stations.     

Spatial segmentation characteristic of focal mechanism of aftershock sequence of Wenchuan Earthquake

Moment tensor solutions of 88 earthquakes were determined by using the broadband waveform data recorded in six stations within 450 km around the Wenchuan Earthquake sequence by means of the time domain moment tensor inversion method. It was found that the type of the focal mechanism solution is characteristic of obvious spatial segmentation. There are six segments along the main rupture zone from southwest to northeast, where initially the focal mechanism is of main thrust type, finally of main right-lateral strike-slip type and between these two areas there is a transition zone characterized in multiple types of focal mechanisms appearing in turn. Earthquakes of left-lateral strike-slip type perpendicular to the main rupture zone occurred near Xiaoyudong Town. The stress field of each segment is inversed by means of the FMSI program, and it was found that, along the main rupture zone from southwest to northeast, the direction of the maximum principal stress is gradually changing from near EW to NW-SE, and finally changing back to near EW.     

Tracing the major source area of the mountainous runoff generation of the Heihe River in northwest China using stable isotope technique

Based on the data of δ^18O in precipitation during the period of April 2006 through May 2007 in the upper catchment of the main stream of the Heihe River in the Qilian Mountains, we found that there existed an evident altitude effect on δ^18O in precipitation, and the δ^18O-altitude gradient was -0.18‰/100 m. When δ^18O in river water at the outlet of the mountainous drainage area of the main stream of the Heihe River was combined with the δ^18O-altitude relation, it was realized that the mountainous runoff was generated mostly at high altitudes. Using two component models, we revealed that 80.2% of the annual total mountainous runoff amount was generated at the alpine permafrost-snow-ice zone with an altitude of above 3600 m a.s.I.     

Near-field postseismic deformation along the rupture of 2008 Wenchuan earthquake and its implications

At first time, we observed the postseismic deformation, which actually is a kind of creep after slip, along the intra-plate active fault associated with the Wenchuan earthquake. To understand the near-field postseismic deformation following 2008 Wenchuan earthquake in Sichuan Province of China, we compared the fault scarp or flexure scarp profiles measured in different campaigns. Our result shows that among total 19 observation sites, on 13 sites (68% of 19) fault scarps fall back with an average about 9.7% decrease; on 5 sites (26% of 19) fault scarps present no change; and on one site (6% of 19) fault scarp continues to uplift with 12.8% increase. The variety of fault scarp we observed results mainly from near-field postseismic deformation, after slip occurred in shallow. Based on our observations, the following are demonstrated: except for the southwestern end near Yingxiu Town where coseismic slip deficit and some elastic energy residue exist there, fall back (68%) or non-changing (26%) of fault scarp shows energy balance or energy deficit due to overthrust, implying that the likelihood of occurrence of strong aftershocks of ≥ M7 becomes very small in these energy-released areas. Moreover, we suggest that a minimum of 10% error due to near-field postseismic deformation should be considered when evaluating the magnitude of historic and paleoearthquake or slip rate based on the fault scarp dis-placement, even though the error caused by erosion has been accounted already.     

穿越走滑断层隧道错动影响分区及隧道节段式衬砌抗错断性能控制

为了揭示我国西部地区穿越活动断裂公路隧道工程的变形及力学特性,通过数值模拟分析了断层左旋走滑运动对隧道结构产生的错动响应,建立隧道受断层错动影响分区,并提出隧道节段衬砌铰接设计这一抗错断措施。通过对比在影响区内设置不同长度节段衬砌时隧道结构的应力、位移响应规律,得出最优衬砌节段布置形式。研究结果表明：断层走滑错动2.5m时,隧道结构受错影响范围为断层与活动盘交界面附近2.7d(d为隧道跨径)内,定义1d~2.7d范围内为次要影响区,1d范围内为主要影响区;通过对比分析发现3 m节段对衬砌结构水平位移和最大剪应力的控制效果最好,峰值最大降低率分别达到了3.38%和43.34%;隧道结构在断层交界面附近水平位移达到最大,随后向两侧较远位置变形不断减小至平稳;可见隧道结构沿纵向所受的最大剪应力值集中在错动影响区内,且在此范围内变化相较此范围外更加剧烈,错动影响区是抗断层错动设防重点关注对象。研究结果可为隧道抗错断设计提供参考。     

Double-side fabrication process and millimeter wave response of intrinsic Josephson junctions

We adopted double-side fabrication process to prepare intrinsic Josephson junctions (IJJs) based on Bi₂Sr₂CaCu2O_8+x (BSCCO) single crystals. Using crystal cleavage and double-side argon ion milling, we have successfully fabricated very uniform IJJs with the thickness of single crystal slice less than 200 nm. Using quasi-optical system, the response of the IJJs to millimeter wave radiation was studied. With applied magnetic field perpendicular to a-b plane, we have observed Shapiro steps under millimeter wave radiation, and the Josephson oscillation of each junction was phase-locking. Supported by the National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 60571007, 10778602, 60721063, 60610050), National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2006CB601006) and the Fund of Jiangsu Province (Grant No. BK2007713)     

Interaction between adjacent left-lateral strike-slip faults and thrust faults: the 1976 Songpan earthquake sequence

Based on the published focal mechanisms we have built the fault model of the main shocks of the 1976 Songpan earthquake sequence and calculated the coseismic Coulomb stress changes in the region. The results show that most of the aftershocks had occurred in the region where the Coulomb stresses had been increased, indicating a triggering relationship between the main shocks and the aftershocks. We also show that the first main shock （Ms = 7.2）, which is a left-lateral slip event, had increased the Coulomb stresses by 5×10^5 Pa at the second main shock （a thrust event with Ms = 6.7）. Therefore, we conclude that the first main shock had triggered the second main shock. The third main shock is also a left-lateral event, however, the triggering relationship between the third main shock and the previous two events is less obvious. General model calculations show that there is a good triggering relationship between adjacent left-lateral slip fault and thrust fault, but triggering between parallel slip faults is rather weak.     

Initial movement of the Karakorum Fault in western Tibet： constraints from SHRIMP U-Pb dating of zircons

The Karakorum Fault zone(KFZ)plays an important role in understanding the formation,evolvement and deformation of the Tibetan Plateau.The high-T dextral shearing metamorphic rocks,e.g.,mylonites or mylonitized gneisses-granites,locally crop out along the southeastern part of the KFZ in the Ayila Ri’gyüRange area.The SHRIMP U-Pb dating of the syn-kinematic crystallized zircons indicates that the initial age of the KFZ is~27 Ma,~10 Ma older than previous results.The extensive high-T dextral shearing along the KFZ started at least at 27-20 Ma,accompanied by the syn-kinematic emplacement of leuco-granites.Deformation and concomitant fluid circulation during shearing most likely occurred as early as at 25-13 Ma.The KFZ probably grew from southeast to northwest along the fault as a result of continuous convergence between the India plate and Eurasia plate.     

Arctic dipole anomaly and summer rainfall in Northeast China

A dipole structure anomaly in summer Arctic atmospheric variability is identified in this study, which is characterized by the second mode of empirical orthogonal function （EOF） analysis of summer monthly mean sea level pressure （SLP） north of 70°N, accounting for 12.94% of the variance. The dipole anomaly shows a quasi-barotropic structure with opposite anomalous centers over the Canadian Arctic and the Beaufort Sea and between the Kara Sea and the Laptev Sea. The dipole anomaly reflects alternating variations in location of the polar vortex between the western and eastern Arctic regions. The positive phase of the dipole anomaly corresponds to the center of the polar vortex over the western Arctic, leading to an increase in summer mean rainfall in Northeast China. The dipole anomaly has a predominant 6-year periodicity, and shows interdecadal variations in recent decades.     

不同温度场下断层黏滑失稳过程模拟

随着国家对深部工程开发的需求增大，深部高岩温条件下断层黏滑失稳过程的演化规律和形成机制亟待研究.为此，本文借助离散元数值模拟手段，构建热力耦合数值模型，对6种不同温度场条件下的断层黏滑力学行为进行了详细研究，探究了不同温度场对断层黏滑失稳过程的影响机制.结果表明:随着温度场的不断上升，断层黏滑的破坏形态以及破坏模式均发生改变；断层黏滑次数、启滑应力以及启滑应力降整体上随温度上升，呈现不断下降的变化趋势；断层黏滑能量耗散以摩擦滑动为主；断层启滑时，总应变能与温度呈正相关，耗散能与温度呈负相关.     

郯庐断裂带演化动力学——多力源多时期分段作用模式

提出了郯庐断裂带的演化动力学--多力源多时期分段作用模式.早-中侏罗世,扬子与华北地块碰撞后的持续会聚力、古太平洋板块的挤压力(安第斯型)联合作用于郯庐断裂带,产生了左旋压扭活动.晚侏罗世,西太平洋型的古太平洋板块挤压力作用机制率先作用于中国大陆边缘的北部地区,并一直持续到古近纪.其在郯庐断裂带中、北段诱发出上地幔上涌力,使其产生了右旋拉张活动;郯庐断裂带南段直至晚白垩世才受到这种机制作用.晚新生代以来,西太平洋俯冲带后退,上地幔上涌力作用已退到边缘海地区,郯庐断裂带全段受到边缘海地区上地幔上涌力诱发的次级挤压作用力,形成了右旋挤压活动.     

Structural deformation and fault activity of the Tan-Lu Fault zone in the Bohai Sea since the late Pleistocene

The Tan-Lu Fault zone (TLFZ) is a significant fractural zone in eastern China and also a seismicity belt in North China. Based on total 4000-km-long shallow penetrated single seismic data with high-resolution, structural deformation and fault activity of the TLFZ in the Bohai Sea since the late Pleistocene are discussed in detail. The results show that the TLFZ with a discontinuous distribution and a general NNE-trending consists of 14 active subfaults with an NNE or NE strike in the Bohai Sea. Seismic data reveal that de-formation zones along the subfaults in the central Bohai Sea and the Laizhou Bay are wider and more complex than those in the Liaodong Gulf. Related folds and lots of secondary normal faults which are characterized by nearly vertical fault planes and a same or reverse dip construct the fractural zone in the Laizhou Bay and the central Bohai Sea. Usually, micro symmetrical grabens develop on the top of anticlines. In the Liaodong Gulf, subfault fractural zones usually consist of secondary normal faults with the same inclination or opposite inclination. Ages of seismic sequences and cutting relation between subfaults and seismic sequences suggest that the latest faulting age of the TLFZ is the end of the late Pleistocene in the Liaodong Gulf and the early Holocene in the Laizhou Bay and the central Bohai Sea. There is a good match between distribution of earthquakes and that of the subfaults in the Laizhou Bay and the central Bohai. Statistical result shows that total vertical offset of the TLFZ since the late Pleistocene ranges from 6 to 11 m. On the basis of offsets of the subfaults, the vertical slip rate is calculated and results show that average vertical slip rates in the central Bohai Sea are larger than those in the Liaodong Gulf and the Laizhou Bay. Slip rates more than 0.06 mm/a during 23–10 ka B.P. and 85–65 ka B.P. are larger than those in other stages. The TLFZ was mainly dominated by tensional normal component since the late Pleistocene. Synthesizing shallow deformation, activity and distribution of earthquakes, the TLFZ in the Bohai Sea can be divided into three segments: the Laizhou-Bay segment, the Bozhong segment, and the Liaodong-Gulf segment.     

Nd isotopic variations and its implications in the recent sediments from the northern South China Sea

The chondrite-normalized REE distribution patterns in recent sediments from the northern South China Sea and surrounding areas are similar, with the HREE values being almost equal to or slightly higher, and the La_N/Lu_N ratio being lower, than PAAS standards. However, samples from the Xijiang River, a major branch of the Pearl River system, show opposite trends, i.e., with slightly lower HREE values and higher La_N/Lu_N ratio than PAAS. The distribution of Nd isotopes in sediments from the northern South China Sea was controlled by the Pearl River and the inshore area of South China, respectively. The volume of ε_Nd(0) from inshore areas of southern China is apparently higher than that from the Pearl River, and ε_Nd(0) values in offshore sediments and Taiwan Island are between these values. The results clearly show that ε_Nd(0) volume in the northeastern South China Sea is higher than in the southwest part of the northern South China Sea, indicating different source rock types. The main source rock of the Pearl River sediment is carbonate types and affects sediment deposition in the southwest of the northern South China Sea, while the source rock in the inshore area of southern China, mainly Mesozoic and Cenozoic granites, contributes to sediments in the northeastern area of the northern South China Sea. Due to different source rock types, the HREE values and the volume of ε_Nd(0) in recent sediments supplied by the inshore area of southern China are higher than those from the Pearl River. Over 80% of the rapidly accumulated sediments on the northern slope of the South China Sea in the southeast of Dongsha Islands area were derived from Taiwan Island and from inshore areas of South China, with only less than 20% from the Pearl River. Supported by National Natural Science Foundation of China (Grant Nos. 40276019, 40238060 and 40621063), and National Basic Research Program of China (Grant No. 2007CB819501)