Journal of Geodynamics最新文献

Land subsidence monitoring in Bandung, Indonesia, was initiated in the 2000 s. However, the monitoring has been limited to geometric observations only, which may restrict the further physical interpretation of the cause of the subsidence. In this study, we combine geometric and gravity observation methods to monitor surface subsidence in Bandung. 63 Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) images from Sentinel-1A covering the period of 2014–2020 were used to estimate the mean surface geometric changes. For the gravity observations, a hybrid gravity configuration that incorporates absolute (2008–2014) and relative (2011–2016) gravity observations were used to estimate the gravity changes. We estimated geometric changes of up to − 160 mm/yr, indicating rapid subsidence in the greater Bandung area. We obtained gravity changes ranging between − 56.7 and 40.1 μGal/yr. Upon subtracting the deformation-induced gravity field from the observed field, we produced a residual gravity field that was presumed to be dominated by the groundwater signal, which was then investigated further. We found that the gravity-derived groundwater signal was mainly negative, indicating subsurface mass loss. We further compared the signal with the modeled gravity effect from deep groundwater observations (1996–2008). The median difference between the observed and modeled groundwater gravity signal was estimated to be 2.8 ± 18.0 μGal/yr or equivalent to 0.08 ± 0.55 m/yr in terms of water height if we set the integration cap and groundwater depth to 1.4 km and 150 m, respectively. The discrepancy can be attributed to modeling (simple geohydrological assumption) and measurement (different observation periods and noise) factors. Nevertheless, both measurements indicate that the mass is decreasing due to groundwater depletion, demonstrating the potential of geometric-gravimetric observations to infer sub-surface mass loss.

Amphibole peridotites and neighboring hornblendites are often found in subduction zones. To understand the effect of amphibole-rich rocks on seismic anisotropy in subduction zones, we studied the lattice-preferred orientation (LPO) of olivine and amphibole in amphibole peridotites and neighboring hornblendites in Gapyeong, South Korea. The major minerals of amphibole peridotites were olivine (31–51% in volume), amphibole (28–47%), and orthopyroxene (7–16%). Amphibole in amphibole peridotites showed relatively high SiO₂ and low TiO₂ and Na₂O contents (S-type amphibole), indicating that it was formed under supra-subduction conditions. Amphibole in amphibole peridotites showed the type-I, type-II, and type-IV LPO, whereas amphibole in neighboring hornblendites showed the type-III and type-IV LPO. In the case of olivine, most samples showed a mixture of A- and B-type LPO, and one sample showed a mixture of B- and C-type LPO. Many serpentine inclusions were found in olivines. Fourier-transform infrared (FTIR) analysis of the samples showed that the olivines contained a large amount of water (∼29000–45000 ppm H/Si). We also found many dislocations in olivines. These observations indicate that samples showing a mixture of A- and B-type LPO and a mixture of B- and C-type LPO of olivine were deformed under water-rich conditions by dislocation creep. In amphibole peridotites, the P-wave anisotropy of olivine was relatively low (0.9–4.8%), whereas the P-wave anisotropy of amphibole was high (6.5–17.7%). The maximum S-wave anisotropy of olivine was also relatively low (0.87–2.89%), whereas the maximum S-wave anisotropy of amphibole was high (3.81–15.19%). In hornblendites, the P-wave anisotropy and maximum S-wave anisotropy of amphibole were high (6.9–13.6% and 4.27–10.61%, respectively). The P-wave anisotropy and maximum S-wave anisotropy of the amphibole peridotites were in the range of 2.6–8.4% and 1.73–7.30%, respectively. The seismic velocity and anisotropy pattern of amphibole peridotites were more similar to those of amphibole than those of olivine, indicating that the seismic properties of amphibole peridotites were more strongly affected by amphibole than by olivine. Furthermore, the seismic anisotropy of the mixture of amphibole peridotite and hornblendite in subduction zones was also found to be significantly affected by the amphibole LPO in hornblendite.

The mechanisms of magma ascent, transport and emplacement of the volcanic pile from LIPs are key issues regarding the understanding of the complex construction of volcanic systems and magma transport through the crust. The integrated approach of morphology of the volcanic and subvolcanic bodies, whole rock geochemistry and ASM data provides a robust tool to unravel the flow dynamics of the volcanic bodies and the sequence of the magmatic events. Such approach allows building up a model of construction of the lava pile considering the role played by the plumbing system. This paper investigates the emplacement mechanism of sill and lava flows of the Serra Geral Group (SGG), in the southern part of Mesozoic Paraná-Etendeka Magmatic Province (PEMP) in Brazil. Geologic and geochemical analysis were integrated with anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility (AMS), anisotropy of anhysteretic remanent magnetization (AARM) and rock magnetism experiments on 14 sampling sites in the Morro da Igreja region, top of the lava pile in Santa Catarina. The area is composed of low-Ti basaltic (with predominance of rubbly pahoehoe) and silicic lava flows, both intruded by a tabular sill that reaches a few hundred meters wide. The mafic lava flows are composed of Gramado, Urubici and Esmeralda magma-type basalts and andesite basalts. The silicic lava flows are massive or foliated, classified as Palmas type dacites. The sill has regular columnar joints and is classified as Esmeralda type. Magnetic mineralogy data suggests magnetite or Ti-poor magnetite as the main magnetic mineral for all the igneous rocks, and AARM results show anomalous fabric for the lava flows and normal or intermediate fabric for the sill. Besides the anomalous fabric sites, AMS data provide reliable directional data to infer flow direction for the sill, with initial propagation towards NE, followed by a preferential SE direction of magma flow. For the silicic rocks, the presence of vertical and inclined magnetic foliation suggest a lava dome geometry. The dynamics of the magmatic flow of the sill and lava flows associated with the compositional characteristics of the rocks allows stablishing the stratigraphy of the magmatic events in the area as well as the proposition of an emplacement model for the sequence.

High-pressure-low-temperature (HP-LT) rocks such as eclogites and blueschists preserve valuable information about the history and geodynamics of subduction zones. HP-LT rocks exposed in Iran formed during subduction of Paleo-Tethys and Neo-Tethys oceanic lithosphere beneath the Iran microplate and were subsequently exhumed from the Permian to the Early Eocene. The Shanderman and Anarak complexes are associated with Paleo-Tethys, and the Shahrekord, Hajiabad-Esfandaghe, Sistan, Makran, and Sabzevar complexes are related to Neo-Tethys. The assemblage garnet + omphacite + amphibole (Na-, Na-Ca) + white mica + albite ± zoisite formed at the peak metamorphism stage of the eclogites, and amphibole (Na-, Na-Ca) + albite ± white mica ± zoisite ± epidote ± lawsonite formed in blueschists. Retrograde metamorphism replaced peak assemblages with epidote-amphibolite and greenschist facies mineral assemblage (Ca-amphibole + Na-Ca plagioclase + epidote + chlorite). For the various complexes, geothermobarometry calculations and phase diagram modeling show peak P-T conditions of 23 kbar - 600 °C (Shanderman), 14 kbar - 560 °C (Anarak), 25 kbar - 670 °C (Shahrekord), 17 kbar - 530 °C (Hajiabad-Esfandaghe), 24 kbar - 650 °C (Sistan), 15 kbar - 560 °C (Makran), and 17 kbar - 570 °C (Sabzevar). Their retrograde P-T conditions are ∼6 kbar - 470 °C, 7 kbar - 500 °C, 6 kbar - 530 °C, 10 kbar - 450 °C, 8 kbar - 500 °C, 7 kbar − 500 °C and 6 kbar - 490 °C, respectively. The obtained P-T conditions represent a geothermal gradient of 12–16 °C/km for the Paleo-Tethys HP-LT complexes and 7–11 °C/km for the Neo-Tethys. Field and petrographic studies reveal that subduction metamorphism occurred mostly along clockwise P-T paths, except for the Hajiabad-Esfandaghe, Makarn and a subunit of the Anarak complexes that endured counter-clockwise paths. The differences may show a greater subduction angle of Neo-Tethys oceanic lithosphere than Paleo-Tethys, resulting in a cold geothermal gradient and development of continental back-arc basins during the Mesozoic.

We investigate the complex flow field around the Vrancea slab in Romania, a steeply sinking seismogenic lithospheric block that experienced lateral tear-off and possible rotation. The Vrancea slab is located beneath the South-East Carpathians and generates frequent seismicity despite its remote location from active collisional boundaries. We analyse core-refracted shear wave (SKS) splitting recorded by permanent broadband seismic stations from the Romanian Seismic Network for periods up to 10 years, and compare our results with seismic tomography of the upper mantle. We identify several stations with large backazimuthal variations of SKS fast axis polarization and delay times both in the slab hinge zone, the back-arc and the circum-slab region, indicating complex mantle deformation patterns. To investigate the effect of a two-level rotated slab we invert SKS waveforms using cross-convolutional misfit combined with a neighbourhood search algorithm to model two layers of anisotropy. In the shallow mantle, anisotropy aligns with the upper slab strike and reorients along the strike of the lower slab at depths below the hinge zone. In the back-arc trench-perpendicular anisotropy switches to trench-parallel, due to the recent retreat and roll-back of the slab. Our results have important implications for understanding SKS interference from subducted slab fragments and provide evidence of the recent retreat, break-off and rotation of two Vrancea slab levels sinking into the upper mantle.

We investigate the presence of the quasi-Love wave (qL) at 51 seismic stations of a temporary seismic network across the western Arabia-Eurasia collision zone. We quantify the intensity of the qL observations from the April 12, 2014 Solomon Islands earthquake by calculating the peak-to-peak amplitude ratios of the qL and Love waves, and compare them with predicted qL intensities from previous shear-wave splitting results. We determine the polarity, timing, and period-dependence of the qL observations within the period range of 50–100 s. Our analysis reveals that the qL observations at stations in the Zagros and Alborz mountain belts exhibit opposite characteristics. In contrast to the Alborz stations, the intensity of qL observations at the Zagros stations exhibits relatively negligible dependence on the period, while their receiver-scatterer distances are considerably period-dependent. We approximately locate the anisotropic gradients that generate the qL waves. Our results suggest that a lithospheric gap is responsible for the shallow and abrupt variation in the belt-parallel trend of fast-axis orientations in the westernmost part of the Zagros. Additionally, the period/depth dependence of the anisotropic gradients along the boundary between the central Zagros and central Iran provides insight into the variation in the downward dip of the Arabian lithosphere. The anisotropic gradient located to the north of the Doruneh fault in eastern Iran indicates its role as a major shear zone and lithospheric boundary. Finally, we observe that the spatial distribution of the anisotropic gradient in northeastern Iran matches the higher strain-rate areas in the Kopet Dagh Mountains, suggesting coupling between the lithospheric mantle and crust in that region.

Global Positioning System (GPS) stations in Lombok, Indonesia showed postseismic displacement following the 2018 Lombok earthquake sequence which occurred on 28 July 2018 (Mw 6.4), 5 August 2018 (Mw 6.9), 9 August 2018 (Mw 5.9), and the 19 August 2018 (Mw 6.3 and Mw 6.9). This research has investigated the contribution of afterslip and viscoelastic relaxation during the one-month period after the mainshock on 19 August 2018. This study utilizes continuous GPS data available from 20 August 2018–19 September 2018. The analysis reveals that the afterslip was distributed at the shallower portion of the fault, complementary to the deeper coseismic slip of the mainshock. Viscoelastic relaxation, involving a gravitational Maxwell viscoelastic response with viscosity of 9.0 × 10¹⁷ Pa s, was estimated. This research also found that the depth of elastic upper crust in this region is 50 km. Observations made during the one-month period after the mainshock revealed that afterslip was responsible for most of the ongoing postseismic deformation. Although the viscoelastic relaxation contributed only insignificantly during the one-month period, this research shows that viscoelastic relaxation is expected to increase with time.

For the past half century, I have been fortunate in maintaining collaborations with Czech scientists in the Czech Republic (formerly Czechoslovakia) from the Geofyzikálníústav-GFU (Institute of Geophysics) of the Československá Akademie Věd-ČSAV (Czechoslovak Academy of Sciences). These collaborations have included my exchange visits to Prague (Praha) and convening international workshops in 1976, 1986 and 1996 in castles used by the ČSAV as well as visits by Czech colleagues to Stony Brook University. This tribute is in memory of my dear friend and colleague Vladislav Babuška.