Tectonic setting and geological manifestations of the 2003 Altai earthquake

Geological and geomorphic manifestations of the source of the earthquake that occurred in the southern Gorny Altai on September 27, 2003, are described. This earthquake, the strongest over the entire history of seismological observations, caused damage to buildings and structures in the Chuya and Kurai basins and was accompanied by exposure of its source at the surface with formation of a system of seismic ruptures trending in the northwestern direction. The linear zone of seismic rupture was traced for more than 70 km on the northern slopes of the North Chuya and South Chuya ranges, and a developed network of related splays was found. The secondary (gravitational and vibrational) seismic dislocations were expressed as downfalls, landslides, and gryphons in the pleistoseist zone. These dislocations occur over an area of approximately 90 × 25 km² that broadly coincides with the region of quakes having intensities of IX–VII. The paleoseismogeological investigations performed in the source region of the 2003 earthquake have shown that seven seismic events with M = 7.0–8.0 occurred in its source over the last 5000 years with a 500-to 900-year recurrence period. The study of the tectonic setting of the earthquake source in the Gorny Altai has allowed northward tracing of the main seismically active zones of the Mongolian and Gobi Altai, where earthquakes with a magnitude M > 7.0 occurred repeatedly, in particular, during the 20th century, and combination of all mountain systems of the Greater Altai into a common high-magnitude seismotectonic province.     

Tectonic position and geological and seismic manifestations of the Gorkha earthquake of April 25, 2015, in Nepal

The characteristics of sources of the Gorkha earthquake’s mainshock (April 25, 2015, Nepal) and strongest aftershock are given. Macroseismic data and examples of seismic dislocations are provided. The course of seismic energy release during the aftershock process is analyzed. The data on seismological precursors of the mainshock and the strongest aftershock of May 12, 2015, are presented, which allowed the aftershock to be predicted in a short-term interval.     

Back-analysis of liquefaction in the 2006 Mozambique earthquake

A magnitude 7 earthquake occurred in southwest Mozambique in February 2006, triggering extensive liquefaction around the fault rupture. Samples were recovered from the liquefied soils for laboratory testing to calibrate a numerical model for the assessment of liquefaction susceptibility. Laboratory tests and simulations confirm that the alluvial sands from the area affected by the earthquake have a very high susceptibility to liquefaction, although this depends strongly on the in situ density, which is likely to be low since the soils are deposited in a major flood plain. Since many areas of Mozambique, including parts of the major coastal cities, are on similarly loose and saturated deposits, there could be a significant liquefaction hazard in future earthquakes.     

March 11, 2011 M 9.0 Tohoku earthquake in Japan: Tectonic setting of source,macroseismic, seismological,and geodynamic manifestations

The results of interpretation of seismological, geological, geophysical, geodetic, and macroseismic data on the source zone of the catastrophic Tohoku earthquake with M = 8.8–9.0 (from different estimates), which occurred March 11, 2011 off the eastern coast of Honshu Island, are reported. Consideration of the seismotectonic features of the Western Pacific; the distribution of epicenters and hypocenters of the main shock, fore- and aftershocks; the solution of focal mechanisms of the strongest shocks; and the data on directions of lateral and vertical displacement of the island surface makes it possible to contour the source region, reconstruct the structure of the source in the subsurface, and estimate the deformation of the lithosphere resulted from this great seismic event.     

岷县漳县地震灾后重建场地黄土震害预测

通过对取自2013年岷县漳县Ms6.6地震影响区8个灾后重建安置点的黄土进行室内动、静三轴试验,研究了极震区2个灾后重建场地黄土的动、静力学特性,分析了地震影响区内3个灾后重建安置场地的黄土斜坡稳定性和5个场地黄土的震陷性;并结合安置点的地形地貌特点,对灾后重建场地潜在黄土地震地质灾害进行了预测。结果表明:极震区黄土在静力作用下具有明显的应力强化特性,在循环动荷载作用下具有刚度迅速衰减和粘滞性急剧增强的特征;MX-2和MX-3重建场地的斜坡在地震作用下存在失稳的可能;Ⅷ度以上地震作用下,MX-1、ZX-1、LT-1和LX-1场地存在产生不同破坏等级震陷灾害的风险;Ⅷ度以上地震作用下MX-1场地的黄土可产生液化,存在导致山体液化滑坡、泥流以及建构筑物地基失稳和不均匀沉降等地震灾害的风险。     

深井开采地质灾害及矿山地震研究

矿山地震，又称为“矿震”，是深井开采中的地质灾害。它具有震源浅，震级小，烈度大，破坏性强等特点。文章基于地球动力区划的理论和方法，以北票台吉矿的实际研究资料为例，对地质动力引起的矿山灾害及矿震的发生规律进行了研究。认为“矿震”的发生是受区域构造应力场的影响，与地下采矿活动密切相关的一种地质动力突变现象，一般发生在地质构造比较复杂、断裂新活动比较显著的地区。文中还讨论了矿山地质动力的作用特征、井下活动断裂的变形与错动规律和对岩层与地表移动的影响。研究了“矿震”的震源机制、断裂错动及其与构造应力场和区域地方震之间的关系。     

Tectonic stress field in the epicentral zone of the Latur earthquake of 1993

In situ stress measurements by hydraulic fracturing were carried out in the 617 m deep borehole specially drilled in the epicentral zone of the 1993 Latur earthquake for the purpose of research. The stress measurements carried out at 592 m depth in this borehole are the deepest of all such measurements made so far in the Indian shield. The maximum and minimum principal horizontal stresses (S _H max andS _h min) have been derived from the hydrofracture data using the classical method. TheS _{H max} andS _h min are found to be 16.5 and 9.6 MPa at 373 m depth, and 25.0 and 14.1 MPa at 592 m depth, indicating that the vertical gradients ofS _hmax andS _hmin in the epicentral zone are 39 MPa/km and 21 MPa/km respectively. The principal horizontal stresses in the epicentral zone are comparable with those at Hyderabad and 30% higher than in most other comparable intra-continental regions. Analysis of the results indicate that the stresses in the focal region of the 1993 Latur earthquake have not undergone any significant change following its occurrence and this is in agreement with a similar inference drawn from the seismic data analysis. It appears that the Latur earthquake was caused due to rupturing of the overpressured fault segment at the base of the seismogenic zone.     

勉略构造带构造变形过程及其地质意义

勉略构造带是印支期华北板块与扬子板块碰撞,并叠加后期陆内变形作用形成的复杂蛇绿构造混杂岩带,勉略构造带的形成演化对全面理解秦岭造山带构造演化具有非常重要的研究意义.本文以勉略构造带广泛发育的褶皱、断裂等构造现象为研究对象,通过详细的构造解析和古应力反演,揭示出勉略构造带经历三期构造变形:D1期变形为NW-SE向挤压,以发育轴面直立的紧闭同斜褶皱和高角度逆断层为特征,形成于早—中三叠世华北与扬子两大块体碰撞阶段;D2期变形为NE-SW向挤压,主要发育左行走滑剪切变形,叠加于早期构造形迹之上,构造带内普遍发育东西向近水平拉伸线理,局部发育倾竖褶皱,形成于晚三叠世—中侏罗世,该阶段秦岭造山带由早期的碰撞转为陆内变形,沿东西向断裂带发生大规模左行走滑;D3期变形为N-S向挤压,在晚侏罗世—白垩纪多向汇聚构造体制下,勉略构造带受南北向挤压,形成一系列共轭剪切断裂,该期断裂切割前两期构造变形,区域上表现为北侧的大巴山、西秦岭向南逆冲推覆,扬子北缘沿米仓山一带向北楔入秦岭造山带,形成向南突出的大巴山弧形逆冲推覆构造带、西秦岭武都-舟曲弧形构造带和一系列北东、南西走向的共轭剪切断裂系.     

Volcanic-sedimentary complex of Otrozhnaya sheet in the Ust-Belaya Terrane,western Koryakia

New data on the structure and composition of the rock complexes making up the Otrozhnaya sheet of the Ust-Belaya Terrane are discussed. This sheet is currently regarded as a complete section of the Early Devonian oceanic crust. The U-Pb age of zircon (547 ± 17 Ma) from plagiogranite porphyry that cuts through the ultramafic-gabbroic complex indicates that the country rocks are much older. Basalts of volcanic complex are similar to MORB-type rocks. The contact between volcanic and volcano-sedimentary complexes is tectonic. No volcanic-cherty association of rocks typical of ophiolites has been established at the base of the sedimentary sequence. The U-Pb age of detrital zircons from the base of this section is 571 Ma. As follows from the composition of terrigenous rocks and the suprasubduction origin of andesitic lavas and tuffs, the rocks of the lower part of volcano-sedimentary complex were deposited at the marginal part of the basin near convergent boundary. The remains of conodont elements make it possible to estimate the age of the upper part of the volcano-sedimentary complex as Late Devonian. The composition of terrigenous rocks shows that the provenance has abruptly changed. Sporadic rock fragments evidence the erosion of ophiolitic sections. Silurian rocks became the main source of clastic material. This is corroborated by redeposited microfauna species and U-Pb age of detrital zircons (～432 Ma). The geochemistry of dacite pebbles from conglomerate indicates that this volcanic rock was formed in a suprasuduction setting. The Ordovician-Silurian island arc could have been a source.     

Engineering geological conditions and the effects of the 1981 earthquake in Athens,Greece

The 1981 earthquakes, manifested in the Gulf of Corinth, brought serious structural damage to buildings in the city of Athens. Because of the observed concentration of damages in the Halandri district of Athens, an investigation of soil conditions was carried out. This included boreholes, measurement of physicomechanical properties of soil and weak rock units and determination of the depth to top-of-rock and thickness of recent deposits. Based on stratigraphy, the area studied was divided in five zones. For each zone, the total number of damaged buildings was determined and the percentages of damage to three-storey and multi-storey buildings were calculated. Seismic characteristics, acceleration and dominant period of soil and weak rock formations were estimated. From the above analysis, it is concluded that the dominant period of the soil, in the zones where most of the damage to multi-storey buildings was observed, is approximately equal to the dominant period of these buildings.     

塔吉克斯坦帕米尔地区构造单元划分及其特征

塔吉克斯坦帕米尔地区由一系列呈近东西向、向北凸出的弧形活动构造带构成,被称为“西构造结”。由于地缘关系及国内外研究程度差异,塔吉克帕米尔地区在构造单元属性及其与国内构造单元对比上仍存在分歧。本文在系统分析塔吉克帕米尔地区、昆仑和藏北地区区域地质调查和科研成果资料的基础上,结合野外地质调查,着重从物质组成、构造变形两个方面进行对比,以坦尼马斯、如山-帕沙尔特缝合带为界将塔吉克帕米尔地区自北向南划分为北帕米尔、中帕米尔、南帕米尔三个构造单元,其中北帕米尔进一步细化为北带、中带、南带,南帕米尔分为东南帕米尔和西南帕米尔。初步探讨了各单元构造属性,提出了与我国昆仑、藏北地区相邻构造单元的对接方案,为推进帕米尔地区区域地质研究提供支撑。     

Tectonic implications of the earthquake swarm of 1997 in the Michoacan Triangle, Mexico

An earthquake swarm occurred during February and March 1997 in the vicinity of the Tancitaro Volcano, in the southern part of the tectonically complex Michoacan Triangle. A study of these events provides an opportunity to map the active faults in the area and to learn if the orientation and the sense of motion on these faults are consistent with the mapped faults and the alignment of cinder cones in the region. The foci of 230 earthquakes, which could be located, are distributed between 10 and 18 km depth, and show an alignment in, roughly, a NE direction. The focal mechanisms and seismic moments of the 27 best-recorded events were determined by waveform modeling of P and S waves. These mechanisms show two distinct patterns. More than 50% of the solutions are left-lateral strike–slip mechanisms with a normal component. The preferred fault plane strikes NE. Another group of events, probably caused by triggered seismicity on the Chapala–Oaxaca fault zone, shows left-lateral strike–slip mechanisms with a large-thrust component on NW-trending faults. S wave splitting shows 1–2.5% crustal-anisotropy. The direction of the anisotropy coincides with the NE alignment of events, and the preferred nodal plane. This is also the alignment of cinder cones, suggesting that preexisting fractures and cracks are responsible for the seismicity and anisotropic behavior of the crust. The resulting stress orientation, NE compression, is the one expected for the fore-arc region. We conclude that although Michoacan Triangle lies in the Trans-Mexican Volcanic Belt, it does not form part of this stress province where the stress orientation is NS extension.     

汉中地区构造演化及寒武系页岩气形成地质条件研究

近年来陕南地区页岩气勘探取得了一定的成果,与其同属扬子板块北缘的汉中地区也被认为具有较好的页岩气资源前景。本文利用野外地质调查、二维地震、岩石学及有机地球化学等资料,对汉中地区构造演化及寒武系页岩气地质条件开展研究。结果表明,汉中地区经历了南华纪—三叠纪海相演化、三叠纪末—白垩纪陆内演化和新生代断陷盆地三个演化阶段,寒武系牛蹄塘组和石牌组为海陆过渡相沉积,其中暗色泥岩有机质类型以Ⅱ1型和Ⅱ2型为主,TOC含量0. 45%~2. 79%,Ro为0. 61%~1. 21%,整体属于中等—好的成熟烃源岩,具备良好的生烃潜力;且牛蹄塘组灰黑色粉砂质泥岩中有机质较为丰富,石英等脆性矿物及黏土矿物含量较高,微裂缝及孔隙发育,有利于页岩气生成、赋存以及后期开发。综合分析认为汉中地区寒武系具备良好的页岩气资源前景,且东部地质条件优于西部。     

Tectonic significance of an earthquake sequence in the Zacoalco half-graben, Jalisco, Mexico

We studied a sequence of small earthquakes that occurred during the months of April and May of 1997, in Jalisco, southwestern Mexico. The earthquakes were located along a set of active faults that form the Zacoalco half-graben (La Lima fault system), west of Lake Chapala, within the rift–rift–rift triple junction. A total of 33 events were located, with magnitudes ranging from 1.5 to 3.5, recorded by a portable array of broadband seismographs. We identified two groups of events: one corresponding to a shallow normal fault, synthetic to La Lima fault system, and another group associated with a deeper fault. The events that occurred on the synthetic fault show normal faulting oriented on a NW–SE plane, dipping shallowly towards the SW. The other group of mechanisms showed either a normal fault oriented NW–SE and dipping steeply to the NE, or a very shallow-dipping normal fault, dipping to the SW. Earthquake distribution and fault plane solutions suggest that the Zacoalco half-graben developed from blocks that rotate as slip occurs on listric faults. These mechanisms could represent the type of motion expected for larger earthquakes in the area, like the one that occurred in 1568.     

内蒙古集宁地区徐武家变质辉长岩的形成背景及其地质意义

徐武家变质辉长岩出露于内蒙古集宁土贵乌拉地区,侵入在孔兹岩系中,与孔兹岩系的超高温变质作用和深熔作用存在密切的成因联系.本文在区域地质填图基础上,对徐武家辉长岩开展了岩石学、岩石地球化学和同位素年代学等研究.徐武家辉长岩属偏碱性中基性岩,钾钠含量变化大.岩石富集稀土,轻、重稀土分馏强烈,显弱负铕异常.微量元素表现大离子亲石元素Rb、Ba、K、Sr、Pb富集,高场强元素Th、U、Nb、Ta、Ti明显亏损.从变质辉长岩中获得了1917±12 Ma的岩浆结晶年龄和1910±26 Ma、1915±11 Ma的变质年龄.锆石Hf同位素测试显示εHf(t)多为负值,Hf模式年龄(TDM)为2273~2501 Ma.综合研究表明徐武家辉长岩可能来源于富集地幔,在上升过程中遭受了地壳物质的混染,并在就位后遭受了麻粒岩相变质作用和富钾质流体的交代.辉长岩就位于下地壳,表明在其侵位之前孔兹岩系已处于地壳深部.结合怀安地块上高压麻粒岩的形成年龄(1.95~1.93 Ga),集宁孔兹岩系原岩沉积时代应早于1.95 Ga.徐武家变质辉长岩应形成于古元古代陆-陆碰撞造山过程中由挤压背景向伸展背景的转换阶段,是碰撞造山峰期俯冲板片断离、幔源岩浆上涌侵位的产物,对造山峰期的时限有重要制约作用.     

Secondary geological hazard analysis in Beichuan after the Wenchuan earthquake and recommendations for reconstruction

The Wenchuan earthquake, also known as 2008 Sichuan Earthquake, occurred along the Longmenshan fault zone on 12 May 2008 at 14:28:01.42 CST (06:28:01.42 UTC). It caused serious damage to structures in the region. Beichuan is a town which is within these severely damaged areas. According to the earthquake intensity distribution map of 2008 Wenchuan earthquake officially released by the China Earthquake Administration, the earthquake intensity in Beichuan was XI on the China seismic intensity scale. As the earthquake occurred in a mountainous area, there were thousands of landslides, rockfalls, debris flows, and surface ruptures triggered by the earthquake over a broad area. These secondary geological hazards substantially increased the human, social and economic impact of the earthquake. This paper presents a post-earthquake analysis on the secondary geological hazards in Beichuan. The risk analyses associated with construction of the National Earthquake Memorial Museum in Beichuan are assessed and recommendations on risk mitigations for the mass reconstruction over the ruins are also provided based on this field study.