Geodynamic Effects Research Articles

Late Cenozoic stress state distributions at the intersection of the Hellenic and Cyprus Arcs, SW Turkey

The history of the Late Cenozoic stress regime was determined for an area between the gulfs of Fethiye and Antalya. Fault kinematic analysis and inversion of focal mechanisms of shallow earthquakes reveal significant evolution of the regional stress regime in SW Anatolia, i.e., the area of interaction between the Hellenic and Cyprus arcs, from the Mio-Pliocene to the present time. Fault kinematic analysis yields two different normal faulting stress regimes along the southwestern part of Fethiye-Burdur Fault zone, e.g., in and around Çameli Basin (Zone A1) and two different strike-slip to normal faulting stress regimes characterized by a roughly orthogonal set of extensional axes between Fethiye and Demre (Zone B) with an older NW–SE σ3 axis for Mio-Pliocene and a younger NE–SW σ3 axis for Plio-Quaternary time. Inversion of focal mechanisms of the earthquakes occurring in Zone A1 provides an extensional stress state with approximately N-S σ3 axis. Inversion of those occurring in Zone B, south of Zone A1, yields a dominantly strike-slip stress state with a NE-SW σ3 axis and a NW-SE σ1 axis respectively. The inversion slip vectors from fault planes yield a consistent normal faulting stress regime in Burdur Basin and its surroundings (i.e., along the northeastern part of Fethiye-Burdur Fault Zone, (Zone A2)) during Plio-Quaternary, continuing into recent time as indicated by earthquake focal mechanism inversions. Both states have a consistent NW–SE σ3 axis. Fault kinematic analysis indicates NW-SE extension acting in Zone C (subarea between Demre and Antalya), south of Zone A2, during Mio-Pliocene time. The inversion of focal mechanisms yields normal faulting also characterized by a consistent NW-SE σ3 axis. The nearly orthogonal extensional stress regimes (NW-SE and NE-SW) obtained by inversion of both measured and seismic faults seem to have been acting contemporaneously with each other at different intensities from the Mio-Pliocene onwards in SW Turkey. This may be attributed to the geodynamic effects related to the subduction of the African plate beneath Anatolia diffusing along the Hellenic and Cyprus arcs and in the west-southwestward extrusion of Anatolia. The cause of the early NW–SE extension is the slab-pull force due to the subduction process along the Cyprus arc, considered to be dominant until the Plio-Quaternary in the western part of the study area in zones A1 and B. The dominant status of the Cyprus arc continues today in the eastern part of study area in zones A2 and C. The later NE–SW to present day approximately N–S extension, dominant since the Plio-Quaternary, is related to the combined forces of the Anatolian extrusion and the subduction process along the Hellenic arc.

Upper Ordovician – Upper Silurian conodont biostratigraphy, Devon Island and southern Ellesmere Island, Canadian Arctic Islands, with implications for regional stratigraphy, eustasy, and thermal maturation

The conodont biostratigraphy for the Upper Ordovician – Upper Silurian carbonate shelf (Irene Bay and Allen Bay formations) and interfingering basinal (Cape Phillips Formation) facies is established for parts of Devon and Ellesmere islands, central Canadian Arctic Islands. Revisions to the interpreted regional stratigraphic relationships and correlations are based on the stratigraphic distribution of the 51 conodont species representing 32 genera, identified from over 5000 well-preserved conodonts recovered from 101 productive samples in nine stratigraphic sections. The six zones recognized are, in ascending order, Amorphognathus ordovicicus Local-Range Zone, Aspelundia fluegeli Interval Zone, Pterospathodus celloni Local-Range Zone, Pt. pennatus procerus Local-Range Zone, Kockelella patula Local-Range Zone, and K. variabilis variabilis – Ozarkodina confluens Concurrent-Range Zone. These provided a more precise dating of the members and formations and, in particular, the range of hiatuses within this stratigraphic succession. The pattern of regional stratigraphy, facies changes, and hiatuses is interpreted as primarily related to the effects of glacioeustasy associated with the terminal Ordovician glaciation and smaller Early Silurian glacial phases, the backstepping of the Silurian shelf margin, and the geodynamic effects of the collision with Laurentia by Baltica to the east and Pearya to the north. Conodont colour alteration index values (CAI 1–6.5) from the nine sections complement earlier graptolite reflectance data in providing regional thermal maturation data of value in hydrocarbon exploration assessments.

Multistage exhumation and partial melting of high-T ultrahigh-pressure metamorphic rocks in continental subduction-collision zones

High-temperature (HT; >850°C) metamorphism in continental collision orogens, particularly for those ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic rocks, has become one of the remarkable topics in Earth science. It has bearing on the element and isotope behaviors of UHP rocks, their partial melting and related geodynamic effects during exhumation. In this paper, five representative continental collision orogens with typical HT/UHP rocks, including the Dabie orogen in China, the Kokchetav in Kazakhstan, the Caledonides in Greenland, the Rhodope in Greece, and the Erzgebirge in Germany are introduced, and their HT/UHP metamorphism and evolution processes are summarized. In addition, metamorphic P-T-t paths, multistage exhumation processes, and partial melting and preservation and retrogression of UHP index minerals during exhumation and their possible mechanisms are discussed. On this basis, the forthcoming key fields and scientific subjects of HT/UHP rocks within continental subduction channel are proposed.

Оцінка факторів обмеження ефективності транспортних схем при підготовці запасів вугілля в умовах шахт Західного Донбасу

Оцінка факторів обмеження ефективності транспортних схем при підготовці запасів вугілля в умовах шахт Західного Донбасу

Spin state transition and partitioning of iron: Effects on mantle dynamics

Experimental studies at pressure and temperature conditions of the Earth's lower mantle have shown that iron in ferropericlase (Fp) and in Mg-silicate perovskite (Pv) undergoes a spin state transition. This electronic transition changes elastic and transport properties of lower mantle minerals and can play an important role in mantle convection. Here we focus on the geodynamic effect of the spin-induced density modifications caused by the volume collapse of Fp and by the variation of Fe partitioning (KPv–Fp) between Fp and Pv. Since KPv–Fp behavior strongly depends on alumina content, we explore two end-member compositions, one Al-bearing (with 4.7 wt% Al2O3 in Pv) and the other Al-free. We use the theoretical model by Sturhahn et al. (2005) to calculate the spin configuration of Fp over a range of pressure–temperature conditions, and use experimental results to model Fe partitioning. We then apply the Mie–Grüneisen–Debye equation of state to obtain the density of the mineral assemblages. The calculated amplitude of the density change across the spin state transition is less than 1%, consistent with experiments by Mao et al. (2011); our density profiles differ from PREM by less than 1.5%. The spin-induced density variations are included in a three dimensional convection code (Stag3D) for a compressible mantle. We find small temperature differences between models with and without spin state transitions, since over billions of years the relative temperature difference is less than 50 K. However the relative RMS vertical velocity difference is up to 15% for an Al-free system, but only less than 6% for an Al-bearing system.

Геологические факторы проявления геодинамических явлений в угольных шахтах Японии

Геологические факторы проявления геодинамических явлений в угольных шахтах Японии

Is the geodynamic process in preparation of strong earthquakes reflected in the geomagnetic field?

A methodology of detecting geomagnetic variations caused by dangerous geodynamic processes at depth has been developed. This methodology was tested using data from three Japanese observatories within the network of the International project ‘Intermagnet’ (www.intermagnet.org 2011). Anomalous behaviour of the geomagnetic field was detected during the period of the great Tohoku-oki earthquake on 11 March 2011. Theoretical evaluation of the possible mechanisms of these anomalous geomagnetic variations (AGV) has been examined. The possibility of the emergence of an AGV in the vicinity of earthquake epicentres in Japan and their rapid monitoring (online or with a delay of one day) is demonstrated. The main tool of the developed methodology is delineation of the geodynamic magnetic effect by the use of a differential function.

Exhumation mechanisms of melt‐bearing ultrahigh pressure crustal rocks during collision of spontaneously moving plates

AbstractA series of 2D petrological–thermomechanical numerical experiments was conducted to: (i) characterize the variability of exhumation mechanisms of ultrahigh pressure metamorphic (UHPM) rocks during collision of spontaneously moving plates and (ii) study the possible geodynamic effects of melting at ultrahigh pressure conditions for the exhumation of high‐temperature–ultrahigh pressure metamorphic (HT–UHPM) rocks. To this end, the models include fluid‐ and melt‐induced weakening of rocks. Five distinct modes of exhumation of (U)HPM rocks associated with changes in several parameters in the models of plate collision and continent subduction are identified as follows: vertical crustal extrusion, large‐scale crustal stacking, shallow crustal delamination, trans‐lithospheric diapirism, and channel flow. The variation in exhumation mechanisms for (U)HPM rocks in numerical models of collision driven by spontaneously moving plates contrasts with the domination of the channel flow mode of exhumation in a majority of the published results from numerical models of collision that used a prescribed plate convergence velocity and/or did not include fluid‐ and melt‐induced weakening of rocks. This difference in the range of exhumation mechanisms suggests that the prescribed convergence velocity condition and the neglect of fluid‐ and melt‐related weakening effects in the earlier models may inhibit development of several important collisional processes found in our experiments, such as slab breakoff, vertical crustal extrusion, large‐scale stacking, shallow crustal delamination and relamination, and eduction of the continental plate. Consequently, the significance of channel flow for the exhumation of UHPM rocks may have been overstated based on the results of the earlier numerical experiments. In addition, the results from this study extend over a larger proportion of the high‐temperature range of P–T conditions documented from UHPM rocks, including those retrieved from HT–UHPM rocks, than the results of experiments from previous numerical models. In particular, the highest peak metamorphic temperatures (up to 1000 °C) are recorded in the case of the vertical crustal extrusion model in which subducted continental crust is subjected to a period of prolonged heating by asthenospheric mantle abutting the continental side of the vertically hanging slab. Nonetheless, some extreme temperature conditions which have been suggested for the Kokchetav and Bohemian massifs, perhaps up to 1100–1200 °C, are still to be achieved in experiments using numerical models.

Detection of gravitational geodynamic effects with gravitational-wave interferometers

We study the operation of the laser gravitational-wave long-base interferometer as a detector of tidal variations of the Earth’s gravitational field. Empirical estimates of the low-frequency noise level of that detector, as well as an estimate of the magnitude of the detected signal accompanying the Earth’s inner core oscillations have been obtained.

Late cenozoic stress field in the Cameli Basin, SW Turkey

A history of deformation has been determined for the Cameli Basin located in the western part of the major Fethiye–Burdur Fault Zone, interpreted as the on-land continuation of Pliny–Strabo fault system (e.g., eastern boundary of the Hellenic Arc). Inversion of fault slip vectors affecting Mio-Pliocene to Quaternary formations in the Cameli Basin, in the southwestern segment of the transtensional Fethiye–Burdur Fault Zone, yields two different normal faulting stress regimes characterized by a roughly orthogonal set of extensional axes; a NW–SE (N129 ± 19 °E) σ 3 axis and a NE–SW (N50 ± 16 °E) σ 3 axis. The orientation of fault sets is predominantly around the NE–SW direction in the major Fethiye–Burdur Fault Zone, making the extension NW–SE. The mean R values are 0.74 and 0.69 for both extensions indicating a triaxial stress state, which is clearly different from radial extension and from transitional to strike-slip stress state. The NW–SE extension is probably responsible for the formation of the Cameli Basin during Mio-Pliocene time. In contrast, the inversion of focal mechanism solutions of shallow earthquakes occurring within the Cameli basin identifies a present-day, predominantly extensional stress regime, characterized by an approximately N–S (N184 °E) σ 3 axis, which has an R value of 0.637 indicating a triaxial stress state. The nearly orthogonal extensional stress regimes seem to have been acting contemporaneously with each other at different intensities from the Mio-Pliocene onwards in SW Turkey. This may be attributed to the geodynamic effects related to the subduction of the African plate beneath Anatolia, diffusing along Hellenic and Cyprus arcs and in the west-southwestward extrusion of Anatolia. Our hypothesis is that the cause of the early NW–SE extension is the slab-pull force due to the subduction process along the Cyprus arc, considered to be dominant up to Plio-Quaternary. The later NE–SW to present-day ∼ N–S extension, dominant since the Plio-Quaternary, is related to the combined forces of the Anatolian extrusion and the subduction process along the Hellenic arc.

Possible influence of polymorphic transitions in minerals (according to the quartz example) on seismotectonic processes in the lithosphere

The thermally activated physical processes essential for earthquake source physics and the formation of mylonite layers and deep shear zones are examined. The possibility of the influence of polymorphic (structural) phase transitions in the rock-forming minerals on the geodynamic effects is discussed. On the basis of experimental data, the deformation-strength and elastic properties of stratum containing quartz in the region of the α-β transition in quartz are studied as an example. It is shown that the α-β transition in quartz corresponds in a number of ways to the observed features specific to the physical properties of substance in connection with seismic processes.

Persistent sand bars explained by geodynamic effects

[1] The persistent nature of intertidal sand bars has been the subject of much speculation concerning the hydrodynamic mechanisms involved, but its origin remains enigmatic. Here, we introduce salient geophysics in contrast to the physics of fluids above the sediments. The geophysical evidence combined with theoretical modeling and analysis demonstrates that the geodynamic processes ensuing during exposure periods have a profound impact, yielding the persistent nature of the intertidal bars under severe hydrodynamic forcing which would otherwise lead to unstable bar behavior. The feedback between the effects of the dynamics of suction, i.e. negative pore water pressure relative to atmospheric air pressure, and sediment transport and morphology is found to play a crucial role in the intertidal bar morphodynamics. Our finding may fundamentally alter the current perspective, leading to a new level of understanding, of sediment transport and bar behavior at waterfronts that are ubiquitous in rivers, estuaries, and coastal seas.

Basin Analysis: Principles and Applications.: PHILIP A. ALLEN AND JOHN R. ALLEN. Second Edition. 2005. Pp. 549. Blackwell Publishing. ISBN 0-632-05207-4. Price US$92.95.

Pitched squarely toward the serious and specialized end of basin analysis, Philip Allen (Imperial College of London) and John Allen (BHP Billiton Petroleum) provide in this book an updated comprehensive overview of large-scale crustal and related basin processes. It is important to note that the authors did not include the word “sedimentary” in the title; this book is not just about sedimentary basins, but also the lithosphere as a whole. With a strong emphasis on quantifying tectonic, depositional, and postdepositional processes, the focus of the second edition of this book is very much oriented toward the structure and modeling of basins—specifically, their geodynamic drivers, mass balance, and burial effects. Those familiar with the first edition of this popular book (Allen and Allen, 1990) will immediately notice major changes in the second edition: not only is it …

Global Biomass Variation and Its Geodynamic Effects: 1982–98

Abstract Redistribution of mass near Earth’s surface alters its rotation, gravity field, and geocenter location. Advanced techniques for measuring these geodetic variations now exist, but the ability to attribute the observed modes to individual Earth system processes has been hampered by a shortage of reliable global data on such processes, especially hydrospheric processes. To address one aspect of this deficiency, 17 yr of monthly, global maps of vegetation biomass were produced by applying field-based relationships to satellite-derived vegetation type and leaf area index. The seasonal variability of biomass was estimated to be as large as 5 kg m−2. Of this amount, approximately 4 kg m−2 is due to vegetation water storage variations. The time series of maps was used to compute geodetic anomalies, which were then compared with existing geodetic observations as well as the estimated measurement sensitivity of the Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment (GRACE). For gravity, the seasonal amplitude of biomass variations may be just within GRACE’s limits of detectability, but it is still an order of magnitude smaller than current observation uncertainty using the satellite-laser-ranging technique. The contribution of total biomass variations to seasonal polar motion amplitude is detectable in today’s measurement, but it is obscured by contributions from various other sources, some of which are two orders of magnitude larger. The influence on the length of day is below current limits of detectability. Although the nonseasonal geodynamic signals show clear interannual variability, they are too small to be detected.

Long-term evolution of the global carbon cycle: historic minimum of global surface temperature at presen

We present a minimal model for the global carbon cycle of the Earth containing the reservoirs mantle, ocean floor, continental crust, continental biosphere, and the kerogen, as well as the aggregated reservoir ocean and atmosphere. This model is coupled to a parameterised mantle convection model for describing the thermal and degassing history of the Earth. In this study the evolution of the mean global surface temperature, the biomass, and reservoir sizes over the whole history and future of the Earth under a maturing Sun is investigated. We obtain reasonable values for the present distribution of carbon in the surface reservoirs of the Earth and find that the parameterisation of the hydrothermal flux and the evolution of the ocean pH in the past has a strong influence on the atmospheric carbon reservoir and surface temperature. The different parameterisations give a rather hot as well as a freezing climate on the early Earth (Hadean and early Archaean). Nevertheless, we find a pronounced global minimum of mean surface temperature at the present state at 4.6 Gyr. In the long-term future the external forcing by increasing insolation dominates and the biosphere extincts in about 1.2 Ga. Our study has the implication that the Earth system is just before the point of evolution where this external forcing takes over the main influence from geodynamic effects acting in the past.

Geodynamic Effects on the Dams in Cascade of the Sulak Hydraulic Power Systems

Geodynamic Effects on the Dams in Cascade of the Sulak Hydraulic Power Systems

Space geodesy monitors mass transports in global geophysical fluids

Large‐scale mass transports in the Earth system produce variations in Earth's rotation, gravity field, and geocenter. Although relatively small, these global geodynamic effects have been measured by space geodetic techniques to increasing, unprecedented accuracy, opening up important new avenues of research that will lead to a better understanding of global mass transport processes and the Earth's dynamic responses.To take full advantage of these advances, the International Earth Rotation Service (IERS), the organization that monitors the rotational motions of the Earth and related properties, saw the need in 1998 to create an infrastructure to facilitate the link between the space geodetic measurement and the geodynamic “global change” research communities [Dehant et al., 1997]. Hence was born the IERS Global Geophysical Fluids Center (GGFC).

Coseismic Excitation of the Earth’s Polar Motion

AbstractApart from the “shaking” near the epicenter that is the earthquake, a seismic event creates a permanent field of dislocation in the entire Earth. This redistribution of mass changes (slightly) the Earth’s inertia tensor; and the Earth’s rotation will change in accordance with the conservation of angular momentum. Similar to this seismic excitation of Earth rotation variations, the same mass redistribution causes (slight) changes in the Earth’s gravitational field expressible in terms of changes in the Stokes coefficients of its harmonic expansion. In this paper, we give a historical background of the subject and discuss the related physics. We then compute the geodynamic effects caused by earthquakes using Chao and Gross’ (1987) formulas based on Gilbert’s (1970) normal-mode summation scheme. The effects are computed using the centroid moment tensor (CMT) solutions for 15,814 major earthquakes from Jan., 1977, through Feb., 1999, as provided in the Harvard CMT catalog. The computational results update those of Chao and Gross (1987) and Chao et al. (1996), further strengthening their findings and conclusions: (i) the strong tendency for earthquakes to make the Earth rounder and more compact (however slightly) continues; (ii) so does the trend in the seismic “nudging” of the rotation pole toward the general direction of ~ 140°E, roughly opposite to that of the observed polar drift, but two orders of magnitude smaller in drift speed.

Monitoring and prediction of geodynamic effects on dams of the sequence of Sulak hydroelectric stations during seismic activity in Dagestan

Monitoring and prediction of geodynamic effects on dams of the sequence of Sulak hydroelectric stations during seismic activity in Dagestan

Evaluation of the state of the dam and rock foundation of the Zeya hydroelectric station

1. The result of on-site observations of the behavior of section joints and horizontal displacements as well as of the stress state of the dam and strains of the rock foundation show that individual sections of the dam, primarily at high elevations, are able to shift relative to one another both in longitudinal and transverse directions. It is admissible to assume the existence of only constant local force contacts between the heads of individual sections. 2. A geodynamic effect on the structures from the surrounding rock masses undoubtedly takes place. However, the level of this effect and the reaction of the structure to it according to the data given in [2] with respect to the stress-strain state of the dam and foundation cannot be considered substantiated. 3. The actual characteristics of the geodynamic effect on the structure can be determined only after eliminating other factors influencing the monitored indices of its state. The values of the indices of the state of the structure should be determined with the use of a mathematical model of its behavior, with consideration of the entire spectrum of loads and climatic effects applied to it.