I. A seismotectonic study of the Middle America Subduction Zone. II. Lithosphere and upper mantle structure of the Canadian Shield and Eastern North America

This thesis consists of two separate parts. Part I (Chapter 1) is concerned with seismotectonics of the Middle America subduction zone. In this chapter, stress distribution and Benioff zone geometry are investigated along almost 2000 km of this subduction zone, from the Rivera Fracture Zone in the north to Guatemala in the south. Particular emphasis is placed on the effects on stress distribution of two aseismic ridges, the Tehuantepec Ridge and the Orozco Fracture Zone, which subduct at seismic gaps. Stress distribution is determined by studying seismicity distribution, and by analysis of 190 focal mechanisms, both new and previously published, which are collected here. In addition, two recent large earthquakes that have occurred near the Tehuantepec Ridge and the Orozco Fracture Zone are discussed in more detail. A consistent stress release pattern is found along most of the Middle America subduction zone: thrust events at shallow depths, followed down-dip by an area of low seismic activity, followed by a zone of normal events at over 175 km from the trench and 60 km depth. The zone of low activity is interpreted as showing decoupling of the plates, and the zone of normal activity as showing the breakup of the descending plate. The portion of subducted lithosphere containing the Orozco Fracture Zone does not differ significantly, in Benioff zone geometry or in stress distribution, from adjoining segments. The Playa Azul earthquake of October 25, 1981, M_s=7.3, occurred in this area. Body and surface wave analysis of this event shows a simple source with a shallow thrust mechanism and gives M_o=1.3x10²⁷ dyne-cm. A stress drop of about 45 bars is calculated; this is slightly higher than that of other thrust events in this subduction zone. In the Tehuantepec Ridge area, only minor differences in stress distribution are seen relative to adjoining segments. For both ridges, the only major difference from adjoining areas is the infrequency or lack of occurrence of large interplate thrust events.

Part II involves upper mantle P wave structure studies, for the Canadian shield and eastern North America. In Chapter 2, the P wave structure of the Canadian shield is determined through forward waveform modeling of the phases P_nl, P, and PP. Effects of lateral heterogeneity are kept to a minimum by using earthquakes just outside the shield as sources, with propagation paths largely within the shield. Previous mantle structure studies have used recordings of P waves in the upper mantle triplication range of 15-30°; however, the lack of large earthquakes in the shield region makes compilation of a complete P wave dataset difficult. By using the phase PP, which undergoes triplications at 30-60°, much more information becomes available. The WKBJ technique is used to calculate synthetic seismograms for PP, and these records are modeled almost as well as the P. A new velocity model, designated S25, is proposed for the Canadian shield. This model contains a thick, high-Q, high-velocity lid to 165 km and a deep low-velocity zone. These features combine to produce seismograms that are markedly different from those generated by other shield structure models. The upper mantle discontinuities in S25 are placed at 405 and 660 km, with a simple linear gradient in velocity between them. Details of the shape of the discontinuities are not well constrained. Below 405 km, this model is not very different from many proposed P wave models for both shield and tectonic regions.

Chapter 3 looks in more detail at recordings of P_nl in eastern North America. First, seismograms from four eastern North American earthquakes are analyzed, and seismic moments for the events are calculated. These earthquakes are important in that they are among the largest to have occurred in eastern North America in the last thirty years, yet in some cases were not large enough to produce many good long-period teleseismic records. A simple layer-over-a-halfspace model is used for the initial modeling, and is found to provide an excellent fit for many features of the observed waveforms. The effects on P_nl of varying lid structure are then investigated. A thick lid with a positive gradient in velocity, such as that proposed for the Canadian shield in Chapter 2, will have a pronounced effect on the waveforms, beginning at distances of 800 or 900 km. P_nl records from the same eastern North American events are recalculated for several lid structure models, to survey what kinds of variations might be seen. For several records it is possible to see likely effects of lid structure in the data. However, the dataset is too sparse to make any general observations about variations in lid structure. This type of modeling is expected to be important in the future, as the analysis is extended to more recent eastern North American events, and as broadband instruments make more high-quality regional recordings available.

Observation and interpretation of tectonic strain release mechanisms

In four chapters various aspects of earthquake source are studied.

Chapter I

Surface displacements that followed the Parkfield, 1966, earthquakes were measured for two years with six small-scale geodetic networks straddling the fault trace. The logarithmic rate and the periodic nature of the creep displacement recorded on a strain meter made it possible to predict creep episodes on the San Andreas fault. Some individual earthquakes were related directly to surface displacement, while in general, slow creep and aftershock activity were found to occur independently. The Parkfield earthquake is interpreted as a buried dislocation.

Chapter II

The source parameters of earthquakes between magnitude 1 and 6 were studied using field observations, fault plane solutions, and surface wave and S-wave spectral analysis. The seismic moment, M_O, was found to be related to local magnitude, M_L, by log M_O = 1.7 M_L + 15.1. The source length vs magnitude relation for the San Andreas system found to be: M_L = 1.9 log L - 6.7. The surface wave envelope parameter AR gives the moment according to log M_O = log AR₃₀₀ + 30.1, and the stress drop, τ, was found to be related to the magnitude by τ = 0.54 M - 2.58. The relation between surface wave magnitude M_S and M_L is proposed to be M_S = 1.7 M_L - 4.1. It is proposed to estimate the relative stress level (and possibly the strength) of a source-region by the amplitude ratio of high-frequency to low-frequency waves. An apparent stress map for Southern California is presented.

Chapter III

Seismic triggering and seismic shaking are proposed as two closely related mechanisms of strain release which explain observations of the character of the P wave generated by the Alaskan earthquake of 1964, and distant fault slippage observed after the Borrego Mountain, California earthquake of 1968. The Alaska, 1964, earthquake is shown to be adequately described as a series of individual rupture events. The first of these events had a body wave magnitude of 6.6 and is considered to have initiated or triggered the whole sequence. The propagation velocity of the disturbance is estimated to be 3.5 km/sec. On the basis of circumstantial evidence it is proposed that the Borrego Mountain, 1968, earthquake caused release of tectonic strain along three active faults at distances of 45 to 75 km from the epicenter. It is suggested that this mechanism of strain release is best described as "seismic shaking."

Chapter IV

The changes of apparent stress with depth are studied in the South American deep seismic zone. For shallow earthquakes the apparent stress is 20 bars on the average, the same as for earthquakes in the Aleutians and on Oceanic Ridges. At depths between 50 and 150 km the apparent stresses are relatively high, approximately 380 bars, and around 600 km depth they are again near 20 bars. The seismic efficiency is estimated to be 0.1. This suggests that the true stress is obtained by multiplying the apparent stress by ten. The variation of apparent stress with depth is explained in terms of the hypothesis of ocean floor consumption.

Regional variations in upper mantle structure beneath North America

Several types of seismological data, including surface wave group and phase velocities, travel times from large explosions, and teleseismic travel time anomalies, have indicated that there are significant regional variations in the upper few hundred kilometers of the mantle beneath continental areas. Body wave travel times and amplitudes from large chemical and nuclear explosions are used in this study to delineate the details of these variations beneath North America.

As a preliminary step in this study, theoretical P wave travel times, apparent velocities, and amplitudes have been calculated for a number of proposed upper mantle models, those of Gutenberg, Jeffreys, Lehman, and Lukk and Nersesov. These quantities have been calculated for both P and S waves for model CIT11GB, which is derived from surface wave dispersion data. First arrival times for all the models except that of Lukk and Nersesov are in close agreement, but the travel time curves for later arrivals are both qualitatively and quantitatively very different. For model CIT11GB, there are two large, overlapping regions of triplication of the travel time curve, produced by regions of rapid velocity increase near depths of 400 and 600 km. Throughout the distance range from 10 to 40 degrees, the later arrivals produced by these discontinuities have larger amplitudes than the first arrivals. The amplitudes of body waves, in fact, are extremely sensitive to small variations in the velocity structure, and provide a powerful tool for studying structural details.

Most of eastern North America, including the Canadian Shield has a Pn velocity of about 8.1 km/sec, with a nearly abrupt increase in compressional velocity by ~ 0.3 km/sec near at a depth varying regionally between 60 and 90 km. Variations in the structure of this part of the mantle are significant even within the Canadian Shield. The low-velocity zone is a minor feature in eastern North America and is subject to pronounced regional variations. It is 30 to 50 km thick, and occurs somewhere in the depth range from 80 to 160 km. The velocity decrease is less than 0.2 km/sec.

Consideration of the absolute amplitudes indicates that the attenuation due to anelasticity is negligible for 2 hz waves in the upper 200 km along the southeastern and southwestern margins of the Canadian Shield. For compressional waves the average Q for this region is > 3000. The amplitudes also indicate that the velocity gradient is at least 2 x 10^-3 both above and below the low-velocity zone, implying that the temperature gradient is < 4.8°C/km if the regions are chemically homogeneous.

In western North America, the low-velocity zone is a pronounced feature, extending to the base of the crust and having minimum velocities of 7.7 to 7.8 km/sec. Beneath the Colorado Plateau and Southern Rocky Mountains provinces, there is a rapid velocity increase of about 0.3 km/sec, similar to that observed in eastern North America, but near a depth of 100 km.

Complicated travel time curves observed on profiles with stations in both eastern and western North America can be explained in detail by a model taking into account the lateral variations in the structure of the low-velocity zone. These variations involve primarily the velocity within the zone and the depth to the top of the zone; the depth to the bottom is, for both regions, between 140 and 160 km.

The depth to the transition zone near 400 km also varies regionally, by about 30-40 km. These differences imply variations of 250 °C in the temperature or 6 % in the iron content of the mantle, if the phase transformation of olivine to the spinel structure is assumed responsible. The structural variations at this depth are not correlated with those at shallower depths, and follow no obvious simple pattern.

The computer programs used in this study are described in the Appendices. The program TTINV (Appendix IV) fits spherically symmetric earth models to observed travel time data. The method, described in Appendix III, resembles conventional least-square fitting, using partial derivatives of the travel time with respect to the model parameters to perturb an initial model. The usual ill-conditioned nature of least-squares techniques is avoided by a technique which minimizes both the travel time residuals and the model perturbations.

Spherically symmetric earth models, however, have been found inadequate to explain most of the observed travel times in this study. TVT4, a computer program that performs ray theory calculations for a laterally inhomogeneous earth model, is described in Appendix II. Appendix I gives a derivation of seismic ray theory for an arbitrarily inhomogeneous earth model.

Investigation of strong earthquake ground motion

The pattern of energy release during the Imperial Valley, California, earthquake of 1940 is studied by analysing the El Centro strong motion seismograph record and records from the Tinemaha seismograph station, 546 km from the epicenter. The earthquake was a multiple event sequence with at least 4 events recorded at El Centro in the first 25 seconds, followed by 9 events recorded in the next 5 minutes. Clear P, S and surface waves were observed on the strong motion record. Although the main part of the earthquake energy was released during the first 15 seconds, some of the later events were as large as M = 5.8 and thus are important for earthquake engineering studies. The moment calculated using Fourier analysis of surface waves agrees with the moment estimated from field measurements of fault offset after the earthquake. The earthquake engineering significance of the complex pattern of energy release is discussed. It is concluded that a cumulative increase in amplitudes of building vibration resulting from the present sequence of shocks would be significant only for structures with relatively long natural period of vibration. However, progressive weakening effects may also lead to greater damage for multiple event earthquakes.

The model with surface Love waves propagating through a single layer as a surface wave guide is studied. It is expected that the derived properties for this simple model illustrate well several phenomena associated with strong earthquake ground motion. First, it is shown that a surface layer, or several layers, will cause the main part of the high frequency energy, radiated from the nearby earthquake, to be confined to the layer as a wave guide. The existence of the surface layer will thus increase the rate of the energy transfer into the man-made structures on or near the surface of the layer. Secondly, the surface amplitude of the guided SH waves will decrease if the energy of the wave is essentially confined to the layer and if the wave propagates towards an increasing layer thickness. It is also shown that the constructive interference of SH waves will cause the zeroes and the peaks in the Fourier amplitude spectrum of the surface ground motion to be continuously displaced towards the longer periods as the distance from the source of the energy release increases.

Estimating material elasticity by spherical indentation load-relaxation tests on viscoelastic samples of finite thickness

A two-step viscoelastic spherical indentation method is proposed to compensate for 1) material relaxation and 2) sample thickness. In the first step, the indenter is moved at a constant speed and the reaction force is measured. In the second step, the indenter is held at a constant position and the relaxation response of the material is measured. Then the relaxation response is fit with a multi-exponential function which corresponds to a three-branch general Maxwell model. The relaxation modulus is derived by correcting the finite ramp time introduced in the first step. The proposed model takes into account the sample thickness, which is important for applications in which the sample thickness is less than ten times the indenter radius. The model is validated numerically by finite element simulations. Experiments are carried out on a 10% gelatin phantom and a chicken breast sample with the proposed method. The results for both the gelatin phantom and the chicken breast sample agree with the results obtained from a surface wave method. Both the finite element simulations and experimental results show improved elasticity estimations by incorporating the sample thickness into the model. The measured shear elasticities of the 10% gelatin sample are 6.79 and 6.93 kPa by the proposed finite indentation method at sample thickness of 40 and 20 mm, respectively. The elasticity of the same sample is estimated to be 6.53 kPa by the surface wave method. For the chicken breast sample, the shear elasticity is measured to be 4.51 and 5.17 kPa by the proposed indentation method at sample thickness of 40 and 20 mm, respectively. Its elasticity is measured by the surface wave method to be 4.14 kPa. © 2011 IEEE.

Depth inversion in coastal water based on SAR image of waves

Wave-number spectrum technique is proposed to retrieve coastal water depths by means of Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image of waves. Based on the general dispersion relation of ocean waves, the wavelength changes of a surface wave over varying water depths can be derived from SAR. Approaching the analysis of SAR images of waves and using the general dispersion relation of ocean waves, this indirect technique of remote sensing bathymetry has been applied to a coastal region of Xiapu in Fujian Province, China. Results show that this technique is suitable for the coastal waters especially for the near-shore regions with variable water depths.

青藏高原及邻区面波频散反演--岩石圈-软流层体系结构研究

The Qinghai-Tibet Plateau lies in the place of the continent-continent collision between Indian and Eurasian plates. Because of their interaction the shallow and deep structures are very complicated. The force system forming the tectonic patterns and driving tectonic movements is effected together by the deep part of the lithosphere and the asthenosphere. It is important to study the 3-D velocity structures, the spheres and layers structures, material properties and states of the lithosphere and the asthenosphere for getting knowledge of their formation and evolution, dynamic process, layers coupling and exchange of material and energy. Based on the Rayleigh wave dispersion theory, we study the 3-D velocity structures, the depths of interfaces and thicknesses of different layers, including the crust, the lithosphere and the asthenosphere, the lithosphere-asthenosphere system in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its adjacent areas. The following tasks include: (1)The digital seismic records of 221 seismic events have been collected, whose magnitudes are larger than 5.0 over the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its adjacent areas. These records come from 31 digital seismic stations of GSN , CDSN、NCDSN and part of Indian stations. After making instrument response calibration and filtering, group velocities of fundamental mode of Rayleigh waves are measured using the frequency-time analysis (FTAN) to get the observed dispersions. Furthermore, we strike cluster average for those similar ray paths. Finally, 819 dispersion curves (8-150s) are ready for dispersion inversion. (2)From these dispersion curves, pure dispersion data in 2°×2° cells of the areas (18°N-42°N, 70°E-106°E) are calculated by using function expansion method, proposed by Yanovskaya. The average initial model has been constructed by taking account of global AK135 model along with geodetic, geological, geophysical, receiving function and wide-angle reflection data. Then, initial S-wave velocity structures of the crust and upper mantle in the research areas have been obtained by using linear inversion (SVD) method. (3)Taking the results of the linear inversion as the initial model, we simultaneously invert the S wave velocities and thicknesses by using non-linear inversion (improved Simulated Annealing algorithm). Moreover, during the temperature dropping the variable-scale models are used. Comparing with the linear results, the spheres and layers by the non-linear inversion can be recognized better from the velocity value and offset. (4)The Moho discontinuity and top interface of the asthenosphere are recognized from the velocity value and offset of the layers. The thicknesses of the crust, lithosphere and asthenosphere are gained. These thicknesses are helpful to studying the structural differentia between the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau and its adjacent areas and among geologic units of the plateau. The results of the inversion will provide deep geophysical evidences for studying deep dynamical mechanism and exploring metal mineral resource and oil and gas resources. The following conclusions are reached by the distributions of the S wave velocities and thicknesses of the crust, lithosphere and asthenosphere, combining with previous researches. (1)The crust is very thick in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, varying from 60 km to 80 km. The lithospheric thickness in the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau is thinner (130-160 km) than its adjacent areas. Its asthenosphere is relatively thicker, varies from 150 km to 230 km, and the thickest area lies in the western Qiangtang. India located in south of Main Boundary thrust has a thinner crust (32-38 km), a thicker lithosphere of about 190 km and a rather thin asthenosphere of only 60 km. Sichuan and Tarim basins have the crust thickness less than 50km. Their lithospheres are thicker than the Qinghai-Tibet Plateau, and their asthenospheres are thinner. (2)The S-wave velocity variation pattern in the lithosphere-asthenosphere system has band-belted distribution along east-westward. These variations correlate with geology structures sketched by sutures and major faults. These sutures include Main Boundary thrust (MBT), Yarlung-Zangbo River suture (YZS), Bangong Lake-Nujiang suture (BNS), Jinshajiang suture (JSJS), Kunlun edge suture (KL). In the velocity maps of the upper and middle crust, these sutures can be sketched. In velocity maps of 250-300 km depth, MBT, BNS and JSJS can be sketched. In maps of the crustal thickness, the lithospheric thickness and the asthenospheric thickness, these sutures can be still sketched. In particular, MBT can be obviously resolved in these velocity maps and thickness maps. (3)Since the collision between India and Eurasian plate, the “loss” of surface material arising from crustal shortening is caused not only by crustal thickening but also by lateral extrusion material. The source of lateral extrusion lies in the Qiangtang block. These materials extrude along the JSJS and BNS with both rotation and dispersion in Daguaiwan. Finally, it extends toward southeast direction. (4)There is the crust-mantle transition zone of no distinct velocity jump in the lithosphere beneath the Qiangtang Terrane. It has thinner lithosphere and developed thicker asthenosphere. It implies that the crust-mantle transition zone of partial melting is connected with the developed asthenosphere. The underplating of asthenosphere may thin the lithosphere. This buoyancy might be the main mechanism and deep dynamics of the uplift of the Qinghai-Tibet hinterland. At the same time, the transport of hot material with low velocity intrudes into the upper mantle and the lower crust along cracks and faults forming the crust-mantle transition zone.

青藏高原横波速度与各向异性结构及其壳幔形变印迹

As the most spectacular and youngest case of continental collision on the Earth, to investigate the crust and mantle of Tibetan plateau, and then to reveal its characters of structure and deformation, are most important to understand its deformation mechanism and deep process. A great number of surface wave data were initially collected from events occurred between 1980 and 2002, which were recorded by 13 broadband digital stations in Eurasia and India. Up to 1,525 source-station Rayleigh waveforms and 1,464 Love wave trains were analysed to obtain group velocity dispersions, accompanying with the detail and quantitative assessment of the fitness of the classic Ray Theory, errors from focal and measurements. Assuming the model region covered by a mesh of 2ox2o-sized grid-cells, we have used the damped least-squares approach and the SVD to carry out tomographic inversion, SV- and SH-wave velocity images of the crust and upper mantle beneath the Tibetan Plateau and surroundings are obtained, and then the radial anisotropy is computed from the Love-Rayleigh discrepancy. The main results demonstrate that follows, a) The Moho beneath the Tibetan Plateau presents an undulating shape that lies between 65 and 74 km, and a clear correlation between the elevations of the plateau and the Moho topography suggests that at least a great part of the highly raised plateau is isostatically compensated. b) The lithospheric root presents a depth that can be substantiated at ~140 km (Qiangtang Block) and exceptionally at ~180 km (Lhasa Block), and exhibits laterally varying fast velocity between 4.6 and 4.7 km/s, even ~4.8 km/s under northern Lhasa Block and Qiangtang Block, which may be correlated with the presence of a shield-like upper mantle beneath the Tibetan Plateau and therefore looked as one of the geophysical tests confirming the underthrusting of India, whose leading edge might have exceeded the Bangong-Nujiang Suture, even the Jinsha Suture. c) The asthenosphere is depicted by a low velocity channel at depths between 140 and 220 km with negative velocity gradient and velocities as low as 4.2 km/s; d) Areas in which transverse radial anisotropy is in excess of ~4% and 6% on the average anisotropy are found in the crust and upper mantle underlying most of the Plateau, and up to 8% in some places. The strength, spatial configuration and sign of radial anisotropy seem to indicate the existence of a regime of horizontal compressive forces in the frame of the convergent orogen at the same time that laterally varying lithospheric rheology and a differential movement as regards the compressive driving forces. e) Slow-velocity anomalies of 12% or more in southern Tibet and the eastern edge of the Plateau support the idea of a mechanically weak middle-to-lower crust and the existence of crustal flow in Tibet.

多波多分量地震资料走时近似方法的研究与应用

Compared with the conventional P wave, multi-component seismic data can markedly provide more information, thus improve the quality of reservoir evaluation like formation evaluation etc. With PS wave, better imaging result can be obtained especially in areas involved with gas chimney and high velocity formation. However, the signal-to-noise of multi-component seismic data is normally lower than that of the conventional P wave seismic data, while the frequency range of converted wave is always close to that of the surface wave which adds to the difficulty of removing surface wave. To realize common reflection point data stacking from extracted common conversion point data is a hard nut to crack. The s wave static correction of common receiver point PS wave data is not easy neither. In a word, the processing of multi-component seismic data is more complicated than P wave data. This paper shows some work that has been done, addressing those problems mentioned above. (1) Based on the AVO feature of converted wave, this paper has realized the velocity spectrum of converted waves by using Sarkar’s generalized semblance method taking into account of AVO factor in velocity analysis. (2)We achieve a method of smoothly offset division normal method.Firstly we scan the stacking velocities in different offset divisions for a t0, secondly obtain some hyperbolas using these stacking velocities, then get the travel time for every trace using these hyperbolas; in the end we interpolate the normal move out between two t0 for every trace. (3) Here realize a method of stepwise offset division normal moveout.It is similar to the method of smoothly offset division normal moveout.The main difference is using quadratic curve, sixth order curve or fraction curve to fit these hyperbolas. (4)In this paper, 4 types of travel time versus distance functions in inhomogeneous media whose velocity or slowness varies with depth and vertical travel time have been discussed and used to approximate reflection travel time. The errors of ray path and travel time based on those functions in four layered models were analyzed, and it has shown that effective results of NMO in synthetic or real data can be obtained. (5) The velocity model of converted PS-wave can be considered as that of P -wave based on the ghost source theory, thus the converted wave travel time can be approximated by calculation from 4 equivalent velocity functions: velocity or slowness vary linearly with depth or vertical travel time. Then combining with P wave velocity analysis, the converted wave data can be corrected directly to the P-wave vertical travel time. The improvements were shown in Normal Move out of converted waves with numerical examples and real data. (6) This paper introduces the methods to compute conversion point location in vertical inhomogeneous media based on linear functions of velocity or slowness versus depth or vertical travel time, and introduce three ways to choose appropriate equivalent velocity methods, which are velocity fitting, travel time approximation and semblance coefficient methods.

Fourier有限差分法深度偏移与正演模拟

With the development of seismic exploration, the target becomes more and more complex, which leads to a higher demand for the accuracy and efficiency in 3D exploration. Fourier finite-difference (FFD) method is one of the most valuable methods in complex structure exploration, which keeps the ability of finite-differenc method in dealing with laterally varing media and inherits the predominance of the phase-screen method in stablility and efficiency. In this thesis, the accuracy of the FFD operator is highly improved by using simulated annealing algorithm. This method takes the extrapolation step and band width into account, which is more suitable to various band width and discrete scale than the commonely-used optimized method based on velocity contrast alone. In this thesis, the FFD method is extended to viscoacoustic modeling. Based on one-way wave equation, the presented method is implemented in frequency domain; thus, it is more efficient than two-way methods, and is more convenient than time domain methods in handling attenuation and dispersion effects. The proposed method can handle large velocity contrast and has a high efficiency, which is helpful to further research on earth absorption and seismic resolution. Starting from the frequency dispersion of the acoustic VTI wave equation, this thesis extends the FFD migration method to the acoustic VTI media. Compared with the convetional FFD method, the presented method has a similar computational efficiency, and keeps the abilities of dealing with large velocity contrasts and steep dips. The numerical experiments based on the SEG salt model show that the presented method is a practical migration method for complex acoustical VTI media, because it can handle both large velocity contrasts and large anisotropy variations, and its accuracy is relatively high even in strong anisotropic media. In 3D case, the two-way splitting technique of FFD operator causes artificial azimuthal anisotropy. These artifacts become apparent with increasing dip angles and velocity contrasts, which prevent the application of the FFD method in 3D complex media. The current methods proposed to reduce the azimuthal anisotropy significantly increase the computational cost. In this thesis, the alternating-direction-implicit plus interpolation scheme is incorporated into the 3D FFD method to reduce the azimuthal anisotropy. By subtly utilizing the Fourier based scheme of the FFD method, the improved fast algorithm takes approximately no extra computation time. The resulting operator keeps both the accuracy and the efficiency of the FFD method, which is helpful to the inhancements of both the accuracy and the efficiency for prestack depth migration. The general comparison is presented between the FFD operator and the generalized-screen operator, which is valuable to choose the suitable method in practice. The percentage relative error curves and migration impulse responses show that the generalized-screen operator is much sensiutive to the velocity contrasts than the FFD operator. The FFD operator can handle various velocity contrasts, while the generalized-screen operator can only handle some range of the velocity contrasts. Both in large and weak velocity contrasts, the higher order term of the generalized-screen operator has little effect on improving accuracy. The FFD operator is more suitable to large velocity contrasts, while the generalized-screen operator is more suitable to middle velocity contrasts. Both the one-way implicit finite-difference migration and the two-way explicit finite-differenc modeling have been implemented, and then they are compared with the corresponding FFD methods respectively. This work gives a reference to the choosen of proper method. The FFD migration is illustrated to be more attractive in accuracy, efficiency and frequency dispertion than the widely-used implicit finite-difference migration. The FFD modeling can handle relatively coarse grids than the commonly-used explicit finite-differenc modeling, thus it is much faster in 3D modeling, especially for large-scale complex media.

利用台阵面波资料研究华北克拉通北缘燕山褶皱带及其邻区的地壳与上地幔结构

The continent of eastern China, especially the North China Craton (NCC), has endured intensive tectonic renovation during Mesozoic and Cenozoic, with the presence of widespread magmatism, high heat flow and development of large sedimentary basins and mountain ranges. The cratonic lithosphere of the region has been destroyed remarkably, which is characterized by not only a significant reduction in thickness but also complex modifications in physical and chemical properties of the lithosphere. As for the tectonic regime controlling the evolution of the NCC, various models have been put forward, including the impingement of mantle plumes (“mushroom cloud” model), the collision of south China block and north China block, the subduction of the Pacific plate, etc. Lithosphere delamination and thermal erosion were proposed as the two end-member mechanisms of the lithospheric thinning. However, given the paucity of the data, deep structural evidence is currently still scarce for distinguishing and testifying these models. To better understand the deep structure of the NCC, from 2000 to the present, temporary seismic array observations have been conducted in the NCC by the Seismological Laboratory of the Institute of the Geology and Geophysics, Chinese Academy of Sciences under the North China Interior Structure Project (NCISP). Many arrays extend from the North China Craton and the off-craton regions, and traverse a lot of main tectonic boundaries. A total of more than 300 broadband seismic stations have been deployed along several profiles that traversed the major tectonic units within the craton’s interior, at the boundary areas and in the neighboring off-craton regions. These stations recorded abundant high-quality data, which provides an unprecedented opportunity for us to unravel the deep structural features of the NCC using seismological methods. Among all the seismological methods, the surface wave method appears to be an efficient and widely adopted technique in studying the crustal and upper mantle structures. In particular, it can provide the absolute values of S-wave velocity that are difficult to obtain with other methods. Benefiting from the deployment of dense seismic arrays, progresses have been made in improving the spatial resolution of surface wave imaging, which makes it possible to resolve the fine-scale velocity structures of the crust and upper mantle based on surface wave analysis. Meanwhile, the differences in the S-wave velocities derived from Rayleigh and Love wave data can provide information on the radial anisotropy beneath the seismic arrays. In this thesis, using the NCISP-III broadband data and based on phase velocity dispersion analysis and inversion of fundamental mode Rayleigh and Love waves, I investigated the lateral variations in the S-wave velocity structure of the crust and uppermost mantle beneath the Yanshan Belt and adjacent regions at the northeastern boundary of the NCC. Based on the constructed structural images, I discussed possible deep processes of the craton destruction in the study region.

微动勘查方法在煤矿采区勘探中的应用研究

The conventional microtremor survey is based on the single point of exploration, which includes collecting field data，estimating the phase velocity, investing the dispersion curve and obtaining the S–wave velocity structure. In the case of large-scale exploration, and when making the two-dimensional velocity section, the inversion is quite time-consuming, laborious and its precision depends on the subjective interpretation, which makes the results differently from person to person. In fact，we do not need the S-wave velocity values but only need the relative variation of velocity. For these reasons, this paper is desired to calculate the apparent S-wave velocity (Vx) to replace the S-wave velocity inversion and to obtain the relative variation of the S-wave velocity. Using this method, we can decrease the analysts’ effect, shorten the data processing time and improve work efficiency. The apparent S-wave velocity is a variable of the surface wave property, which can clearly reflect the downcast columns, mined-out areas and other unusual geological bodies. In this paper, Matlab is used to establish the three-dimensional data volume of the apparent S-wave velocity, from which we can get any apparent S-wave velocity section we need. Through the application case, the designed method is proved to be reliable and effective. The downcast columns, mined-out areas and other unusual geological bodies can be clearly showed in the apparent S-wave velocity section. And from the contour of the apparent S-wave velocity, the interface shape of the major target layers can be controlled basically.

印度与欧亚板块强烈相互作用区深部结构特征研究

The central-south Tibet is a part of the products of the continental plate collision between Eurasia and India. To study the deep structure of the study area is significant for understanding the dynamics of the continental-continental collision. A 3-D density model matched well with the observations in the central-south Tibet was proposed in this study. In addition, this study has also used numerical simulation method to prove that Quasi-Love (QL) wave is deduced by anisotropy variation but not by lateral heterogeneity. Meanwhile, anisotropy variation in the upper mantle of the Qiangtang terrane and Lhasa terrane is detected by the QL waves observed in recorded seismograms. Based on the gravity modeling, some results are summarized as follows: 1) Under the constrain of geometrical structure detected by seismic data, a 3-D density model and Moho interface are proposed by gravity inversion of the central-south Tibet. 2) The fact that the lower crustal densities are smaller than 3.2 g/cm3, suggests absence of eclogite or partial eclogitization due to delamination under the central-south Tibet. 3) Seismicity will be strong or weak in the most negative Bouguer gravity anomaly. So there is no a certain relationship between seismicity and Bouguer gravity anomaly. 4) Crustal composition are determined after temperature-pressure calibration of seismic P wave velocity. The composition of lower crust might be one or a mixture of: 1. amphibolite and greenschist facies basalt beneath the Qiangtang terrane; 2. gabbro-norite-troctolite and mafic granulite beneath the Lhasa terrane. Because the composition of the middle crust cannot be well constrained by the above data set, the data set published by Rudnick & Fountain (1995) is used for comparison. It indicated the composition of the middle crust is granulite facies and might be pelitic gneisses.Granulite facies used to be interpreted as residues of partial melting, which coincidences with the previous study on partial melting middle crust. Amphibolite facies are thought to be produced after delamination, when underplating works in the rebound of the lower crust and lithospheric mantle. From the seismology study, I have made several followed conclusions: 1) Through the numerical simulation experiment of surface wave propagating in heterogeneity media, we can find that amplitude and polarization of surface wave only change a little when considering heterogeneity. Furthermore, it is proved that QL waves, generated by surface wave scattering, are caused by lateral variation of anisotropy but not by heterogeneity. 2) QL waves are utilized to determine the variation of uppermost mantle anisotropy of the Tibetan plateau. QL waves are identified from the seismograms of the selected paths recorded by the CAD station. The location of azimuth anisotropy gradient is estimated from the group velocities of Rayleigh wave, Love wave and QL wave. It suggests that south-north lateral variation of azimuthal anisotropy locates in Tanggula mountain, and east-west lateral variation in the north of Gandese mountain with 85°E longitude and near the Jinsha river fault with 85°E longitude.

中国大陆地区远震体波接收函数与岩石圈厚度的研究

Movements of separation and convergence between the continental plates, as well as the interaction beween the lithosphere and asthenosphere is the dominant factor in plate evolution. Moreover, those phenomena, the formation, enrichment and storage of energy and mineral strorage, as well as intraplate earthquakes are all relate to plate movement and evolution. Therefore, the study of continental lithosphere, is not only helpful to analysing the dynamic model between lithosphere and asthenoshere as well as different plates, but also important to the nation's economy and the people's livelihood. And the lithospheric thickness or Lithosphere-Asthenosphere Boundary (LAB) is one of the most important parameters in study of continental lithospheric formation and evolution. Chinese continent composed by many small plates, possesses diverse type of lithospheric structure. But our knowledge ahout Chinese continental lithosphere, especially the regional research, is almost based on the low-resolution results of surface wave dispersion analysis and seismic wave tomography. Howere, recently a technique employing S-to-P converted body waves (the S receiver function technique) has been developed that can be used to identify the LAB with a higher resolution. This thesis has collected waveform data of 232 broadband seismic stations that are located in China and neighboring regions. Using teleseismic S-wave and P-wave receiver functions have studied the Chinese continental lithospheric structure. The results of this study indicate that, the thickness of Chinese continental lithosphere become thinner from west to east, and obvious difference exists between different blocks. Four types of lithosphere have been detected: (1) Convergence thicking lithosphere in Tibetan Plateau; (2) Stable lithosphere in Tarim basin and upper Yangtze craton; (4) Active lithosphere in Orogenic belts; (4) Break-up thinning lithosphere in east China craton

各向异性介质中的地震面波和S波分裂

Surface wave propagation in the anisotropic media and S-wave splitting in China mainland are focused in this M.S. dissertation. We firstly introduced Anderson parameters in the research of surface wave propagation in the anisotropic media were deduced, respectively. By applying the given initial model to the forward calculation of Love wave, we compared dispersion curves of Love wave in the anisotropic media with the one in the isotropic media. the results show that, although the two kind of results are similar with each other, the effect of anisotropy can not be neglected. Furthermore, the variation of anisotropy factors will result in the variation of dispersion curves, especially for high-mode one. The method of grid dispersion inversion was then described for further tectonic inversion. We also deduced inversion equation on the condition that the layered media is anisotropic, and calculated the phase-velocity partial derivatives with respect to the model parameters, P- and S-wave velocities, density, anisotropic parameters for Rayleigh wave and Love wave. Having analyzed the results of phase-velocity partial derivatives, we concluded that the derivatives within each period decreased with the depth increasing, the phase-velocity of surface wave is sensitive to the S-wave velocities and anisotropic factors and is not sensitive to the densities of layers. Dispersion data of Love wave from the events occurred during the period from 1991 to 1998 around the Qinghai and Tibet Plateau, which magnitudes are more than 5.5, have been used in the grid dispersion inversion. Those data have been preprocessed and analyzed in the F-T domain. Then the results of 1°*1° grid dispersion inversion, the pure path dispersion data, in the area of Qianghai and Tibet Plateau were obtained. As an example, dispersion data have been input for the tectonic inversion in the anisotropic media, and the results of anisotropic factors under the region of Qianghai and Tibet Plateau were initially discussed. As for the other part of this dissertation. We first introduced the phenomena of S-wave splitting and the methods for calculation the splitting parameters. Then, We applied Butterworth band-pass filter to S-wave data recorded at 8 stations in China mainland, and analyzed S-wave splitting at different frequency bands. The results show the delay time and the fast polarization directions of S-wave splitting depend upon the frequency bands. There is an absence of S-wave splitting at the station of Wulumuqi (WMQ) for the band of 0.1-0.2Hz. With the frequency band broaden, the delay time of S-wave splitting decreases at the stations of Beijing (BJI), Enshi (ENH), Kunming (KMI) and Mudanjiang (MDJ); the fast polarization direction at Enshi (ENH) changes from westward to eastward, and eastward to westward at Hailaer (HIA). The variations of delay time with bands at Lanzhou (LZH) and qiongzhong (QIZ) are similar, and there is a coherent trend of fast polarization directions at BJI, KMI and MDJ respectively. Initial interpretations to the results of frequency band-dependence of S-wave splitting were also presented.