ALBERT

Description: The Vrancea region, in the Southeastern Carpathians (Romania), represents a unique case among the seismic areas in the world taking into account the extreme concentration and persistence of seismicity and the tectonic stress field. Subduction in a post-collisional phase is still active in a narrow area located at the sharp bend of the mountain belt. Our goal is to show that the particular shape of the shear-wave splitting can be interpreted in the light of the decoupling and slab-retreat processes, which hypothetically induce a specific configuration of the upper-mantle flow. Shear-wave splitting of SKS phases shows a relatively coherent pattern outside the epicentral area, suggesting a prominent NE-SW anisotropy, in agreement with previous estimations performed in Central and Eastern Europe and following the trends of the deformation field as outlined by the GPS measurements. A clear change is pointed out inside the Vrancea area, where strike-parallel polarization is emphasized. Toward the NW (wedge side), the polarization turns to a strike-perpendicular direction in agreement to an upwelling asthenospheric flow in the back-arc region (i.e., polarization aligned to the local strike of the slab). These shear-wave splitting attributes are not consistent with conventional models of 2-D mantle flow near subduction zones, nor with a sub-vertical down-dipping flow driven by the sinking of the slab. They correlate well with lateral inhomogeneities outlined by the tomography image, heat flow, seismic-wave attenuation and thermal field. We suggest that the eastward slab retreat, and decoupling between the underlying asthenosphere and the slab itself, have induced strike-parallel mantle flow, likely favoring detachment of the slab along the arcuate mountain belt. These processes are directly related to the strong anisotropy observed in the SE Carpathians. The anisotropy and GPS data suggest a strong coupling of the surface and mantle processes.

Description: Plant-driven fungal weathering is a major pathway of soil formation, yet the precise mechanism by which mycorrhiza alter minerals is poorly understood. Here we report the first direct in situ observations of the effects of a soil fungus on the surface of a mineral over which it grew in a controlled experiment. An ectomycorrhizal fungus was grown in symbiosis with a tree seedling so that individual hyphae expanded across the surface of a biotite flake over a period of three months. Ultramicroscopic and spectroscopic analysis of the fungus-biotite interfaces revealed intimate fungal-mineral attachment, biomechanical forcing, altered interlayer spacings, substantial depletion of potassium (similar to 50 nm depth), oxidation of the biotite Fe(II), and the formation of vermiculite and clusters of Fe(III) oxides. Our study demonstrates the biomechanical-chemical alteration interplay at the fungus-biotite interface at the nanometer scale. Specifically, the weathering process is initiated by physical distortion of the lattice structure of biotite within 1 mu m of the attached fungal hypha. Only subsequently does the distorted volume become chemically altered through dissolution and oxidation reactions that lead to mineral neoformation.

Description: We use traveltime data of local earthquakes and controlled sources observed by a large, temporary, amphibious seismic network to reveal the anatomy of the southcentral Chilean subduction zone (37–39°S) between the trench and the magmatic arc. At this location the giant 1960 earthquake (M = 9.5) nucleated and ruptured almost 1000 km of the subduction megathrust. For the three-dimensional tomographic inversion we used 17,148 P wave and 10,049 S wave arrival time readings from 439 local earthquakes and 94 shots. The resolution of the tomographic images was explored by analyzing the model resolution matrix and conducting extensive numerical tests. The downgoing lithosphere is delineated by high seismic P wave velocities. High v p/v s ratio in the subducting slab reflects hydrated oceanic crust and serpentinized uppermost oceanic mantle. The subducting oceanic crust can be traced down to a depth of 80 km, as indicated by a low velocity channel. The continental crust extends to approximately a 50-km depth near the intersection with the subducting plate. This suggests a wide contact zone between continental and oceanic crust of about 150 km, potentially supporting the development of large asperities. Eastward the crustal thickness decreases again to a minimum of about a 30-km depth. Relatively low v p/v s at the base of the forearc does not support a large-scale serpentinization of the mantle wedge. Offshore, low v p and high v p/v s reflect young, fluid-saturated sediments of forearc basins and the accretionary prism.

Description: We present a graphical user interface to facilitate the processing of teleseismic shear-wave splitting observations. In contrast to a fully automated technique, we present a manual, per-event approach that maintains user control during the sequence of processing. The SplitLab environment is intended to undertake the repetitive processing steps while enabling the user to focus on quality control and eventually the interpretation of the results. Pre-processing modules of SplitLab create a database of events and link the corresponding seismogram files. The seismogram viewer tool uses this database to perform the measurement interactively. Post-processing of the combined results of such a project includes a viewer and export option. Our emphasis lies in the application to teleseismic shear-wave splitting analysis, but our code can be extended easily for other purposes.

Description: Modern seismic networks can record high-quality digital data and transmit them back to a data-collection center in near real-time. This allows seismologists to monitor any ongoing seismic activity efficiently by determining the parameters of each earthquake, such as epicentral location and local magnitude. In addition, more recent developments during the last decade have made possible the inversion of regional waveforms for moment tensor derivation (e.g.. Ekström et al., 1998; Kao and Jian, 1999; Pondrelli et al., 2002). All such waveform processing can be performed fully automatically, giving scientists the opportunity to have a detailed picture of the seismicity in near real-time. The Greek region exhibits the highest seismicity in Europe and has experienced destructive earthquakes several times in the past (Papazachos and Papazachou, 1997). Therefore, it is particularly important to be able to monitor any seismic activity quickly and efficiently. The newly installed Hellenic broadband seismic network (HL) offers such capabilities by providing digital three-component waveform data recorded at 22 stations that cover the Greek region. This paper describes the network operation and routine waveform data processing, using as an example case the recent seismic unrest in the eastern Aegean Sea close to the Turkish coast. The analysis presented here also gives the first results on the spatial/temporal distribution of this seismic sequence and the faulting mechanism of 15 events with moment magnitudes between 3.9–5.6.

Description: Seismic anisotropy of the south Iberian upper mantle is investigated using shear-wave splitting of SKS phases. We analyzed teleseismic events recorded by sixteen permanent broadband stations installed on the southern Iberian Peninsula and in northern Africa, and we determined fast polarization directions ϕ, and delay times δt between fast and slow components. The area of investigation extends across two important geological structures in the Variscan Iberian Peninsula: the Variscan Iberian Massif in its center, and the Gibraltar arc in the Southeast, that represents the most westerly Alpine belt in the western Mediterranean. Shear-wave splitting measurements from stations in the Betic domain show homogeneous ENE–WSW fast directions nearly parallel to the trend of the mountain belt, and smooth spatial variations. Stations in the North, toward the southern part of the Variscan Iberian Massif show homogeneous fast directions however trending NS to NE–SW, different from those recorded in the Betic. These observations may reflect a post-Hercynian (Variscan) deformation of the Ossa-Morena zone, related to the main stages in the tectonic evolution of this part, namely transpressional stage, transtensional stage and shortening episode, or a deformation related to the posterior Alpine orogeny. Along the Gibraltar arc, we observe a smoothly varying ϕ trend changing from ENE–WSW in the Eastern Betics to NS in the area of Gibraltar and Ceuta, following more or less the general trend of the mountain belt around the Alboran Sea, and the coastline. Since a similar rotation is also visible in results from Pn anisotropy, this suggests that the anisotropy is vertically coherent starting from just below the Moho. Comparing the anisotropy pattern expected from various geodynamic models with the observed SKS splitting suggests that the anisotropy is best explained by a model of slab rollback, rather than by delamination models.

Description: We investigate depth variations of the 410 and 520 km-discontinuities beneath Asia and the Pacific which serve as examples for a continental and an oceanic region, respectively. The depths are derived from travel-time differences between the PP-phase and its precursors that are reflected at the discontinuities. After accounting for differences in average crustal thickness, we find that the depth of the ‘410’ is rather uniform but larger than expected beneath both regions with a value of approximately 418 km. Signals from the ‘520’ are slightly less pronounced. However, while the average depth of the ‘520’ beneath Asia is about 519 km, we obtain a value of about 531.5 km for the Pacific. Here, the depression of the discontinuities can be explained in view of thermal anomalies in relation to mantle plumes. For Asia, however, the observations seem to require a more complex pattern of thermal anomalies possibly complemented by variations in chemical composition.

Description: Non-linear teleseismic bodywave tomography with data of the 1999 CALIXTO field experiment (Carpathian Arc Lithosphere X-Tomography) in Romania provides high-resolution imaging of the upper-mantle structure. In this paper, we present the relative P-wave velocity distribution of the lithosphere/asthenosphere system. Smearing from strong crustal velocity anomalies into the upper mantle is successfully suppressed by traveltime corrections with an a priori 3-D regional crustal velocity model (see Martin et al. 2005, herein referenced as paper 1). Our high-resolution image shows a high-velocity body beneath Vrancea and the Moesian platform with a NE–SW orientation between 70 and 200 km depth. Beneath 200 km a change in the orientation from NE–SW to N–S can be observed. The body reaches a maximum depth of about 350–370 km. The velocity perturbation is maximal between 110 and 150 km depth (5.2–5.8 per cent) and almost constant for depths beneath 200 km (3.2–3.8 per cent). As most authors of previous studies agree on Miocene subduction along the arc followed by soft continental collision we interpret the high-velocity body as the subducted, yet not fully detached slab. The NE-part of the slab appears to be mechanically coupled to the Moesian lithosphere and hosts the intermediate depth seismicity. In contrast the aseismic SW-part is interpreted as decoupled from the overlying lithosphere and torn off from the underlying lithospheric material beneath 200 km depth. Low velocity anomalies NW of the slab above 110 km depth are interpreted as a shallow asthenospheric upwelling. Further low-velocity anomalies are in agreement with a lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary at 110–150 km depth below the Moesian platform and deeper than 200 km under the East European platform (EEP). The tomographic images support models proposing slab rollback during subduction/collision, followed by slab steepening and lithospheric delamination. The different degrees of mechanical coupling of the slab to the overlying lithosphere allow to understand the loci of seismicity as volumes of stress concentration. Independent on the specifics of data interpretation our high-resolution image is a novel contribution to understand the process of ongoing lithospheric detachment associated with strong intermediate-depth seismicity in SE-Romania.

Description: Three-component wide-angle seismic data acquired in southern Tibet during Project INDEPTH show strong P-to-S converted reflections from reflectors that are aligned at a depth of ∼15 kilometers beneath the northern Yadong-Gulu rift. These converted reflections are locally higher in amplitude than the corresponding P-wave reflections. Modeling of reflection mode conversion as a function of incidence angle indicates that this condition obtains for a reflector that is a solid over fluid interface; it is not typical of a solid-solid interface. The likely candidates for a fluid trapped within the crystalline crust of southern Tibet are granitic magma and water (brine).

Description: Crustal and upper-mantle seismic discontinuities beneath eastern Turkey are imaged using teleseismic S-to-P converted phases. Three crustal phases are observed: the Moho with depth ranging between 30 and 55 km, indicating variable tectonic regimes within this continental collision zone; an upper-crustal discontinuity at approximately 10 km depth; and various crustal low-velocity zones, possibly associated with recent Quaternary volcanism. Imaging of the upper mantle is complicated by the 3-D geometry of the region, in particular due to the Bitlis–Zagros suture zone. However, several upper-mantle S-to-P converted phase are identified as being the signature of the lithosphere–asthenosphere boundary (LAB). The inferred LAB for the Eastern Anatolian Accretionary Complex indicates that eastern Turkey has an anomalously thin (between ∼60 and 80 km) lithosphere which is consistent with an oceanic slab detachment model. The observed LAB phases for the Arabian shield and Iranian plateau indicate that lithospheric thickness for these stable regions is on the order of 100 to 125 km thick, which is typical of continental margins.

Description: The PISCO’94 (Proyecto de Investigatión Sismólogica de la Cordillera Occidental, 1994) seismological network of 31 digital broad band and short-period three-component seismometers was deployed in northern Chile between the Coastal Cordillera and the Western Cordillera. More than 5300 local seismic events were observed in a 100 day period. A subset of high-quality P and S arrival time data was used to invert simultaneously for hypocenters and velocity structure. Additional data from two other networks in the region could be included. The velocity models show a number of prominent anomalies, outlining an extremely thickened crust (about 70 km) beneath the forearc region, an anomalous crustal structure beneath the recent magmatic arc (Western Cordillera) characterized by very low velocities, and a high-velocity slab. A region of an increased Vp /Vs ratio has been found directly above the Wadati-Benioff zone, which might be caused by hydration processes. A zone of lower than average velocities and a high Vp /Vs ratio might correspond to the asthenospheric wedge. The upper edge of the Wadati-Benioff zone is sharply defined by intermediate depth hypocenters, while evidence for a double seismic zone can hardly be seen. Crustal events between the Precordillera and the Western Cordillera have been observed for the first time and are mainly located in the vicinity of the Salar de Atacama down to depths of about 40 km.

Description: The International Federation of Digital Seismographic Networks (FDSN) is a non-governmental organization formed by institutions dedicated to seismological research and seismic monitoring. The FDSN is a successful complement to the International Seismological Centre (ISC) in pursuing a more than a century old tradition of global seismic data exchange. The main goal of the FDSN is the production and dissemination of seismic waveform data from high fidelity seismic observatories. The federation is formed by 65 organizations from 52 countries that contribute data to three main data centers in the United States, Europe, and Japan. A subset of the stations that conform the FDSN send real-time to the data management center (DMC) of the Incorporated Research Institutions of Seismology (IRIS) in the United States. Data from this real-time network is crucial to the determination of the seismic parameters of large earthquakes in a very short time after their occurrence and to support the efforts of institutions that are responsible for disaster relief or prevention. Most notably, tsunami warning centers use this information as a fundamental underpinning to issue warnings and alerts. The FDSN is an early participant of the global earth observation system of systems (GEOSS), contributing high-quality, timely and freely accessible seismic data. The purpose of this paper is to provide an overview of the FDSN from the viewpoint of an integrated system of observatories and to share with other GEOSS networks the successes, challenges and lessons learned by the FDSN in promoting the open and free access of seismological data for the benefit of scientific research and disaster prevention and mitigation.

Description: The objective of the TRANSALP project is an investigation of the Eastern Alps with regard to their deep structure and dynamic evolution. The core of the project is a 340-km-long seismic profile at 12°E between Munich and Venice. This paper deals with the P-wave velocity distribution as derived from active source travel time tomography. Our database consists of Vibroseis and explosion seismic travel times recorded at up to 100 seismological stations distributed in a 30-km-wide corridor along the profile. In order to derive a velocity and reflector model, we simultaneously inverted refractions and reflections using a derivative of a damped least squares approach for local earthquake tomography. 8000 travel time picks from dense Vibroseis recordings provide the basis for high resolution in the upper crust. Explosion seismic wide-angle reflection travel times constrain both deeper crustal velocities and structure of the crust–mantle boundary with low resolution. In the resulting model, the Adriatic crust shows significantly higher P-wave velocities than the European crust. The European Moho is dipping south at an angle of 7°. The Adriatic Moho dips north with a gentle inclination at shallower depths. This geometry suggests S-directed subduction. Azimuthal variations of the first-break velocities as well as observations of shear wave splitting reveal strong anisotropy in the Tauern Window. We explain this finding by foliations and laminations generated by lateral extrusion. Based on the P-wave model we also localized almost 100 local earthquakes recorded during the 2-month acquisition campaign in 1999. Seismicity patterns in the North seem related to the Inn valley shear zone, and to thrusting of Austroalpine units over European basement. The alignment of deep seismicity in the Trento-Vicenza region with the top of the Adriatic lower crust corroborates the suggestion of a deep thrust fault in the Southern Alps.

Description: Glacier surfaces are known to harbour abundant and active microbial communities. Phosphorus has been shown to be deficient in glacial environments, and thus is one of the limits on microbial growth and activity. We quantified the phosphorus pool in cryoconite debris and the concentration of dissolved phosphorus in supraglacial water on Werenskioldbreen, a Svalbard glacier. The mean total P content of the cryoconite debris was similar to 2.2 mg g(-1), which is significantly more than would be expected in rock debris from local sources. 57% of this P was present in the fraction defined as organic P. It may account for the P in excess of the rock debris, and could be explained by allochthonous input of organic matter. The concentration of total dissolved P in supraglacial water was very low (5.2-8.5 mu g l(-1)), which was probably caused by efficient flushing and re-adsorption onto mineral surfaces. Dissolved organic P (DOP) was a very important component of the dissolved phosphorus pool on Werenskioldbreen, as concentrations of DOP typically exceeded those of dissolved inorganic P (or SRP) by more than four times in all the glacial water types. It is very difficult to assess whether P was limiting in this environment solely on the basis of the N:P ratios in the debris or biomass. There may be some degree of biological control over the C:N:P ratios in the debris, but the phosphorus cycling in the supraglacial environment on this glacier seems to be mainly controlled by physical and geochemical processes.

Description: Providing quantitative microzonation results that can be taken into account in urban land-use plans is a challenging task that requires collaborative efforts between the seismological and engineering communities. In this study, starting from the results obtained by extensive geophysical and seismological investigations, we propose and apply an approach to the Gubbio basin (Italy) that can be easily implemented for cases of moderate-to-low ground motion and that takes into account not only simple 1D, but also more complicated 3D effects. With this method, the sites inside the basin are classified by their fundamental resonance frequencies, estimated from the horizontal-to-vertical spectral ratio applied to noise recordings (HVNSR). The correspondence between estimates of the fundamental frequency from this method and those derived from earthquake recordings was verified at several calibration sites. The amplification factors used to correct the response spectra are computed by the ratio between the response spectra at sites within the basin and the response spectra at a hard-rock site using data from two seismic transects. Empirical amplification functions are then assigned to the fundamental frequencies after applying an interpolation technique. The suitability of the estimated site-specific correction factors for response spectra was verified by computing synthetic response spectra for stations within the basin, starting from the synthetic recording at a nearby rock station, and comparing them with observed ones.

Description: A local, broadband, seismic network of four observatory-quality stations (KTB-NET) was operated during the drilling of the KTB hole, within the framework of the interdisciplinary German Continental Deep Drilling Program (KTB). The aim was to investigate the seismic activity with regard to the tectonic stress field and to compare it with data from in situ measurements in the 9.1-km deep borehole sections (bottom temperature of 260°C and heat flow of 82–85 mW/m2). From October 1990 to November 1995, over 80 local microearthquakes with magnitudes from 0.2 to 2.8 ML were recorded: eight small events by the KTB-NET only and four earthquake swarms with 73 events by the KTB-NET and stations of the Vogtland/Western Bohemia networks. Six of the small events are located within or close to the KTB-NET. The swarm events occurred at the southwestern extension of the Ohre rift, in an area 20 km north of the drill site, which is revealed to be part of the Vogtland/Western Bohemia seismotectonic unit, characterized by swarm activity. The hypocenters are limited to the upper 13 km of the crust, with a distinct concentration between 10 and 12 km. All types of fault plane solutions are found, but at depths greater than 8 km, reversed faulting mechanisms predominate. P axes are very uniformly oriented in a NNW-SSE direction, corresponding to the well-known regional stress orientation in central Europe and in agreement with the special in situ stress measurements of the KTB program. The focal mechanism of a ML=1.2 event induced by a fluid injection experiment fits into the results obtained from the natural events. Possible indications for the brittle-ductile transition are discussed in view of the observed earthquake depth and focal mechanism distributions.

Description: Geophysical experiments next year in Romania may provide insight into a common but short-lived seismic process that can be observed and understood at only one spot on Earth at present. About 150 stations will be set up in the Vrancea area in the southeast Carpathian Mountains to, in effect, record the terminal phase of the detachment of a subducting slab of oceanic lithosphere. This is a major regional tomographic study using a large number of broadband seismometers, which will operate for 6 months. Images will be used for hazard assessment as well as for a delineation of detachment history.Active subduction of oceanic lithosphere at convergent plate boundaries involves earthquakes, magmatism, metamorphism, and deformation—some of the most vivid manifestations of any plate tectonic process. The initiation and termination of subduction, however, remains relatively poorly understood. When convergence of lithospheric plates ceases and the suction force of the subducting plate becomes negligible, the subducting slab moves into an almost vertical position. If subduction occurs in an arcuate geometry, the slab is likely to be segmented.

Description: For almost 10 years the KTB superdeep drilling project has offered an excellent field laboratory for adapting seismic techniques to crystalline environments and for testing new ideas for interpreting seismic reflections in terms of lithological or textural properties of metamorphic rock units. The seismic investigations culminated in a three-dimensional (3-D) reflection survey on a 19 × 19 km area with the drill site at its center. Interpretation of these data resulted in a detailed, structural model of the German Continental Deep Drilling Program (KTB) location with dominant, steep faults in the upper crust. The 3-D reflection survey was part of a suite of seismic experiments, ranging from wide-angle reflection and refraction profiles to standard vertical seismic profiles (VSP) and more sophisticated surface-to-borehole observations. It was predicted that the drill bit would meet the most prominent, steeply dipping, crustal reflector at a depth of about 6500–7000 m, and indeed, the borehole penetrated a major fault zone in the depth interval between 6850 and 7300 m. This reflector offered the rare opportunity to relate logging results, reflective properties, and geology to observed and modeled data. Post-Variscan thrusting caused cataclastic deformation, with partial, strong alterations within a steeply dipping reverse fault zone. This process generated impedance contrasts within the fault zone on a lateral scale large enough to cause seismic reflections. This was confirmed by borehole measurements along the whole 9.1 km deep KTB profile. The strongest, reflected signals originated from fluid-filled fractures and cataclastic fracture zones rather than from lithological boundaries (i.e., first-order discontinuities between different rock types) or from texture- and/or foliation-induced anisotropy. During the interpretation of seismic data at KTB several lessons were learned: Conventional processing of two-dimensional (2-D) reflection data from a presite survey showed predominantly subhorizontal layering in the upper crust with reflectivity striking in the Variscan direction. Drilling, however, revealed that all rock units are steeply dipping. This confirms that surface common depth point (CDP) seismics strongly enhances subhorizontal reflectivity and may thus produce a very misleading crustal image. Although this was shown for synthetic examples earlier, the KTB provides the experimental proof of how crucial this insight can be.

Description: The intention of this article is to present the definitions of different functionals of the Earth's gravity field and possibilities for their approximative calculation from a mathematical representation of the outer potential. [...] More or less, what is compiled here is well-known in physical geodesy but distributed over a lot of articles and books which are not cited here. In the first instance this text is targeted at non-geodesists and it should be "stand-alone readable".

Description: Hercynian basement rocks and Mesozoic ophiolites of the Calabria-Peloritani terrane drifted in the present position during the opening of western Mediterranean basins (namely Liguro-Provençal and Tyrrhenian basins) since the Oligocene. Basement rocks were partly involved by Alpine (late Cretaceous—Eocene) deformation and metamorphism before the onset of the drifting process. Even though the kinematics of the Alpine deformation in Calabria has been already defined, restoration of structural and kinematic data to the original position and orientation before the opening of the western Mediterranean has never been performed. In this work we present new structural and petrological data on a major tectonic contact of Alpine age exposed in central Calabria (Serre Massif). Structural and kinematic data are then restored at the original orientation in the early Oligocene time, to allow a correct tectonic interpretation. In the Serre Massif the Hercynian basement is sliced into three nappes emplaced during the Alpine orogeny. The upper nappe is formed by a nearly continuous section of the Hercynian crust, consisting of medium- to high-grade metamorphic rocks in the lower portion. The intermediate nappe mainly consists of orthogneisses, whereas the lower nappe is chiefly composed of phyllites. The contacts between the Alpine nappes are outlined by well developed mylonitic and cataclastic rocks. The Curinga-Girifalco Line is a well exposed shear zone that overprints mainly metapelitic rocks of the upper nappe and granitoid orthogneisses of the intermediate nappe. Mylonites of the intermediate nappe typically show overgrowths on garnet and hornblende with grossular-rich and tschermakitic composition, respectively. The Alpine mineral assemblage indicates that deformation took place in epidote-amphibolite facies at pressures ranging from 0.75 to 0.9 GPa. In the investigated area mylonites strike roughly WNW–ESE, with shallow dips towards SSW. Kinematic indicators in mylonites are mostly consistent with a top-to-the-SE shear sense in the present geographic coordinates. The mylonitic belt is affected by later extensional faults outlined by South-dipping cataclasite horizons. Published geochronological data indicate that mylonites and cataclasites developed in Eocene and early Miocene times, respectively. Considering rotational parameters coming from paleomagnetic studies and large-scale palinspastic reconstructions, the shear sense of the Curinga-Girifalco Line has been restored to the early Oligocene position and orientation. Through restoration a top-to-the-S shear sense is obtained. This result is in striking agreement with the convergence direction between Africa and W-Europe/Iberia during Eocene, computed from the North Atlantic magnetic anomalies. Our geodynamic reconstruction, combined with structural and petrological evidence, allows to relate the Curinga-Girifalco mylonites to a thrust related to the southeastern front of the double-verging Alpine chain. The adopted method could be used also for other exotic terranes, such as the Kabylie or the Corsica-Sardinia, to better constrain geometry and evolution of the southern Alpine belt.

Description: The Iquique Local Network (ILN), a temporal network of broadband and short period seismic stations has been operating in Northern Chile since 2009. The aim of this installation was to locally densify the permanent seismic installation of the Integrated Plate Boundary Observatory in Chile (IPOC), with the main goal to decrease the magnitude of detected earthquake, to improve the hypocentral location accuracy, to allow a more accurate investigation of seismic source parameters, and to analyse proposed seismogenic structures of the Northern Chile seismic gap. The network setup evolved with time, with different geometries at different installation phases, aiming to study different seismicity features. In the first phase, started in 2009 and operational since 2010 until autumn 2013, the network had a sparse configuration, targeting a broad region extending from 19.5° S in the North to approximately 21.3° S South of Iquique. In the following stage, operational until fall 2017, most broadband stations were rearranged into a small aperture seismic array (PicArray) close to the village of Pica, to monitor with array techniques the shallow seismicity at the plate interfacer, intermediate and deep focus seismicity. These data are freely available under the Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International Licence (CC BY 4.0) at the GEOFON data centre under network code IQ.

Description: Bram, K.: Logging under Extreme Conditions in the Super-Deep Borehole KTB-Oberpfalz HB. P. 3-26. Bram, K., Draxler, J. K., Zoth, G.: Achievements in Logging Infrastructure and HEL-Tool Development. P. 27-48. Bram, K.: Information on the Borehole KTB-Oberpfalz HB. P. 49-62. Bram, K., Draxler, J. K.: Acquisition, Presentation, Handling, Distribution and Archive of Data. P. 63-70. Draxler, J. K.: Logging Activity in the Borehole KTB-Oberpfalz HB: Interval 6013.5 m - 9101.0 m (driller's depth). P. 71-90. Draxler, J. K.: Intermediate Logging. P. 91-118. Draxler, J. K.: Logging Series. P. 119-268. Draxler, J. K.: New Tools. P. 269-284. Hirschmann, G., Lapp, M.: Evaluation of the Structural Geology of the KTB Hauptbohrung (KTB-Oberpfalz HB). P. 285-308. Kück, J.: Electrical Resistivity Anomalies in the super-deep Borehole KTB-Oberpfalz HB. P. 309-322. Kück, J.: Accuracy of the Borehole Horizontal Projection. P. 323-326. Brudy, M., Zoback, M.D., Huber, K., Bäßler, H., Kück, J., Fuchs, K.: Stress Orientation Profile to 8.6 km Depth in the KTB Main Borehole. P. 327-350. Gritto, R., Kaelin, B., Johnson, L. R.: Small Scale Crustal Structure: Consequences for Elastic Wave Propagation at the KTB Site. P. 351-366. Kästner, U.: Migration of Vertical Seismic Profiles Exploiting the Information from Three-Component Observations. P. 367-390. Thomas, R., Fertig, J., Klöckner, M., Körbe, M., Müller, B., Rehling, J., Rehmann, V., Tormann, M., ISO'89: KTB 3D-Steilwinkelseismik am DEKORP Processing Center Clausthal. P. 391-416. Cerv, V., Pek, J., Praus, O.: MT and MV Measurements in SW Bohemia. P. 417-460.

Description: Bram, K.: Logging and testing in the superdeep borehole KTB-Oberpfalz HB: Concept and first results of the depth interval 0 - 6018 m. p. 3-21. Zoth, G.: Logging Center. p. 25-57. Bram, K., Kück, J.: Information on the Borehole KTB-Oberpfalz HB. p. 61-65. Draxler, J.: Logging Programme. p. 69-73. Draxler, J., Kück, J.: Logging Activity in the Borehole KTB-Oberpfalz HB. p. 77-83. Draxler, J.: Intermediate Logs. p. 87-93. Draxler, J.: Logging Operations at Casing Depth 6018.0 m (driller's depth). p. 97-175. Draxler, J.: New Tools. p. 179-183. Hirschmann, G., Kück, J.: Data Evaluation and Reports: KTB Hauptbohrung - relations between the borehole deviation and the geological structure. p. 187-189. Kück, J.: Data Evaluation and Reports: BGLQUICK and MUDQUICK quicklook data plots. p. 191-197. Sturmeit, K.-D.: Data Evaluation and Reports: SEL - A computer program to manage and present data of downhole measurements. p. 199-213. Zoth, G.: Data Evaluation and Reports: Temperature measurements during the 6000 m logging campaign in the KTB-Oberpfalz HB. p. 215-217. Bram, K., Gatto, H.: Data Evaluation and Reports: Determination of sonic velocities from KTB borehole acoustic logs. p. 219-235. Stoll, J.: Data Evaluation and Reports: A Mise-a-la-Masse experiment for detecting an electric network in cataclastic zones around the KTB-site. p. 237-250. Gatto, H.: Data Evaluation and Reports: Determination of elements through geochemical logging in crystalline rocks of the KTB-Oberpfalz HB. p. 251-264. Peching, R., Wohlenberg, J.: Data Evaluation and Reports: EFA-LOG - The upper 3 km of the KTB-Hauptbohrung. p. 265-280. Brudy, M., Fuchs, K., Zoback, M. D.: Data Evaluation and Reports: Stress Orientation Profile to 6 km Depth in the KTB Main Borehole. p. 281-300. Engeser, B., Huenges, E., Kessels, W., Kück, J., Wohlgemuth, L.: Data Evaluation and Reports: The 6000 m hydrofrac test in the KTB main borehole design, implementation and preliminary results. p. 301-336. Kessels, W., Kück, J.: Data Evaluation and Reports: Hydraulic communication in crystalline rocks between the two boreholes of the Continental Deep Drilling Programme in Germany. p. 337-365.

Description: Fiala, J., Patocka, F.: The evolution of Variscan terranes of the Moldanubian Region, Bohemian Massif. p. 1-8. Bankwitz, P., Plotnikov, L. M.: Suturen in der mitteleuropäischen Erdkruste und die Position von KTB (Eine Diskussionsbemerkung). p. 9-18. Kachlik, V.: The Kladska unit - petrological and structural evidence for Variscan thrusting of the Marianske Lazne Complex over the Saxothuringian terrane (West Bohemia). p. 19-31. Chab, J., Zacek, V.: Metamorphism of the Teplá Crystalline Complex. p. 33-37. Mlcoch, B.: The geological structure of the crystalline basement below the North Bohemian brown coal basin. p. 39-46. Rohrmüller, J., Stettner, G.: Die KTB-Umfeldbohrungen des Bayerischen Geologischen Landesamtes. p. 47-62. Hirschmann, G., Stettner, G.,Rohrmüller, J.: The lithological units of the northern ZEV. p. 63-74. Walter,H., Krentz,O.: Zum Vorkommen organischer Reste in Metamorphiten der Kontinentalen Tiefbohrung Oberpfalz (Vorbohrung). p. 75-82. de Wall, H., Duyster, J., Hirschmann, G., Kontny, A., Lich, S., Spangenberg, E.: Die Störungszone in 7 km Tiefe - Ursachen eines seismischen Reflektors. p. 83-96. Schulte, B., Blümel, P.: Cenozoic Degradation History at the Western Margin of the Bohemian Massif. p. 185-190. Friedrich, D., Soffel, H., Weber, K.: Beziehung zwischen Gefüge und Anisotropie der magnetischen Suszeptibilität (AMS) von Amphiboliten aus der Kontinentalen Tiefbohrung und ihrem Umfeld. p. 109-122. Peterek, A., Hirschmann, G., Schröder, B., Wagner, G. A., Bischoff, R., Coyle, D. A., Haack, U., Lich, S., Rauche, H., Rust, S., Semmel, A., Stettner, G., Stöckhert, B., Umsonst, T., Wemmer, K., Zulauf, G.: Spät- und postvariszische tektonische Entwicklung im Umfeld der Kontinentalen Tiefbohrung Oberpfalz (KTB). p. 123-148. Hirschmann, G.: Bemerkungen zur Ausgangssituation und den Stadien der spätvariszischen Entwicklung aus regionaler Sicht. p. 149-155. Siebel, W.: Inferences about magma mixing and thermal events from isotopic variations in redwitzites near the KTB site. p. 157-164. Harms, U., Hölzl, S.: Lamprophyres from the KTB: petrogenetic implications from whole-rock geochemistry and Sr and Nd isotopes. p. 165-178. Menzel, D., Schröder, B.: Geologische Kriterien zur Unterbau-Exhumierung im Naab-Gebirge. p. 179-184. Schröder, B.: Cenozoic Degradation History at the Western Margin of the Bohemian Massif. p. 185-190. Suk, M.: The role of the present erosion level in the interpretation of the Bohemian Massif Hercynides. p. 191-199. Pflug, H.-D., Prössl, K. F.: Palynologie in der Kontinentalen Tiefbohrung - eine Erwiderung. p. 200.

Description: The PUNA (Plateau Untersuchung Nw Argentinien) seismograph network was deployed across the Andes at ∼23.5°S. The array was centered in the backarc, atop the Puna high plateau in NW Argentina and was in operation for approximately 100 days between late August and late November 1997. Most stations were equipped with short-period1-Hz 3-component seismometers and PDAS data loggers recording continuously 100 sps. The deployment was part of the collaborative research center „Deformation processes in the Andes - SFB267”. Waveform data are available from the GEOFON data centre, under network code ZB under CC-BY 4.0 license.

Description: In this study, we measure the interseismic deformation across the western Haiyuanfault. This fault is a major left-lateral fault at the north-eastern edge of the Tibetanplateau. Our aim is to better constrain its present mechanical behavior, at the originof two M ̃8 earthquakes in 1920 and 1927, and along which a seismic gap with highpotential seismic hazard has been identified. The gap is covered by ERS and Envisatdata along three adjacent tracks. Along the two easternmost tracks, a steep velocitygradient has been observed across the fault, consistent with a left-lateral slip at a rateof 6.3 ́s2 mm/yr below a small apparent locking depth (〈2 km), which may be in-dicative of transient superficial creep or related to a weak fault zone (Cavalié et al.2008). The western track has not yet been studied as it covers a very high mountain-ous area, which introduces strong geometrical decorrelation. In this study, we focuson this track and propose a new InSAR adaptive range filter algorithm. Generally, therange interferometric filter assumes a constant slope terrain and the new generation offilters, even if they shift bandwidth with respect to the terrain slope, perform a spectralcul for the whole range line. In our approach, a sliding moving window is used to per-form a local adaptive range filter. Areas over critical baseline and shadowed areas for example can be detected and masked with this approach. During the process, an op-timisation is performed to perfectly align the local common bandwidths. Preliminaryresults show an improvement of the coherence over mountainous area under study,making it possible to exploit the InSAR data archive in this area.

Description: This paper presents a first evaluation of the ESPRIT approach in polarimetric interferometric SAR. This evaluation is carried out by using 3D images obtained by SAR tomographic like an alternative to the acquisition of ground-truth data, which is an extremely complex task in the case of volume areas. All parameters over a volumetric area are directly visible in a tomographic image and can, therefore, be employed to validate the ESPRIT approach by comparing parameters generated by ESPRIT and the SAR tomography approach. This allows to identify the principal deficiencies of the ESPRIT method, which occur over high vegetation areas, where there is a misinterpretation of the ESPRIT results. Whereas, the ESPRIT approach is useful for building characterisation, identifying a good applicability area. Airborne L-band repeat-pass interferometric data of the German Aerospace Center (DLR) experimental airborne SAR are used to perform this evaluation.

Description: In this study, we measure the interseismic deformation across the western Haiyuanfault. This fault is a major left-lateral fault at the north-eastern edge of the Tibetanplateau. Our aim is to better constrain its present mechanical behavior, at the originof two M ̃8 earthquakes in 1920 and 1927, and along which a seismic gap with highpotential seismic hazard has been identified. The gap is covered by ERS and Envisatdata along three adjacent tracks. Along the two easternmost tracks, a steep velocitygradient has been observed across the fault, consistent with a left-lateral slip at a rateof 6.3 ́s2 mm/yr below a small apparent locking depth (〈2 km), which may be in-dicative of transient superficial creep or related to a weak fault zone (Cavalié et al.2008). The western track has not yet been studied as it covers a very high mountain-ous area, which introduces strong geometrical decorrelation. In this study, we focuson this track and propose a new InSAR adaptive range filter algorithm. Generally, therange interferometric filter assumes a constant slope terrain and the new generation offilters, even if they shift bandwidth with respect to the terrain slope, perform a spectralcul for the whole range line. In our approach, a sliding moving window is used to per-form a local adaptive range filter. Areas over critical baseline and shadowed areas for example can be detected and masked with this approach. During the process, an op-timisation is performed to perfectly align the local common bandwidths. Preliminaryresults show an improvement of the coherence over mountainous area under study,making it possible to exploit the InSAR data archive in this area.

Description: We use SAR interferometry to measure the strain accumulation along the left-lateral Haiyuan fault system (HFS), that marks the north-eastern boundary of the tibetan plateau. The last major earthquakes that occured along the HFS are the M~8 1920 Haiyuan earthquake (strike-slip mechanism) and the Ml=8-8.3 1927 Gulang earthquake that ruptured a thrust fault system. No large earthquake is reported on the central section of the HFS, the "Tianzhu seismic gap", since ~1000 years. We first analyze the complete ENVISAT SAR data archive along 4 descending and 2 ascending tracks for the 2003-2009 period and construct an InSAR-based mean Line-Of-Sight (LOS) velocity map around the HFS from the eastern end of the Qilian shan (102° E), to the west, to the Liupan shan (106° E), to the east. Data are processed using a small baseline chain type. For each track, all radar images are coregistrated to a single master and interferograms are produced using a local adaptative range filtering. Residual orbital and atmospheric delays are jointly inverted and corrected for each unwrapped interferogram. Atmospheric corrections are validated using the ERA40 global atmospheric model (ECMWF). The interferograms series on each track are then inverted to obtain the increments of LOS radar delays between acquisition dates, adapting the Lopez-Quiroz et al. 2009 time series analysis. The obtained LOS mean velocity maps show a dominant left-lateral motion across the fault with along-strike variations: some fault sections are locked at shallow depth while others are creeping and local vertical movements are observed (subsidence in the "Jingtai" pull-apart basin). For various fault slip rates imposed below 20 km (4-10 mm/yr), we model the shallow velocity by inverting the mean LOS velocity maps for both strike-slip and dip-slip motion on vertical, 5km x 2.5km discretized patches, using a least-square method with an appropriate degree of smoothing. The fault geometry follows the surface trace of the fault from SPOT images, with two main segments, on both sides of the Jingtai basin: one along the M~8 1920 rupture to the east and one along the creeping section to the west. For a far-field velocity of 6 mm/yr, the creeping rate is estimated to be up to 4 mm/yr on the western segment. We assess the influence of atmospheric noise on our velocity solution. Finally we compare the ENVISAT time series analysis with that obtained using the ERS dataset spanning the 1993- 1998 period to investigate for potential time variations of the strain accumulation across the Haiyuan fault.

Description: Shear-wave splitting analyses have been carried out on teleseismic data from the southwest of Ireland acquired during the Irish Seismological Lithospheric Experiment (ISLE). The data were gathered over a ten-month period by a temporary network of 23 broadband and short-period stations. The results are compared with data from two permanent broadband seismic stations, which have recorded SKS and SKKS phases for up to 10 years. The purpose of the experiment was to investigate possible anisotropy within the crust and mantle related to Caledonian deformation. Here we report splitting results which show an average delay time of 1.2 s and a variation of fast-polarisation direction with back azimuth that surprisingly suggests a much deeper origin for anisotropy than was anticipated.

Description: Fluctuations in the length of day (Δlod) can be caused by temporal variations of the inertia tensor described by the excitation function and by disturbances of the torque balance between core and mantle. Recent models of the atmospheric excitation of the variations of the lod certainly failed with respect to longer periods (e.g., at about 70 years), but seem to be responsible for the annual period, the 22 years period and for a part of the nearly 30 years period. So, another geophysical phenomenon is needed which is responsible for the remaining part of unexplained lod variations. Previous studies of the geomagnetic core-mantle coupling were re-examined using lod values from which atmospherically excited parts were removed. The remaining part of the 30 years period could be explained by core-mantle coupling. Additionally, the torque blance was realized by assuming lower values of the electrical conductivity at the bottom of the mantle. It was concluded that the consideration of geophysical processes within atmosphere and hydrosphere will be important for future refinements of the core-mantle coupling models of the decade fluctuations in the lod.

Description: The striking improvements in long- to medium-wavelengths gravity field recovery achieved with GPS-CHAMP and GPS-GRACE high-low and GRACE K-band range low-low satellite-to-satellite tracking prompted us to combine the satellite data with surface data from altimetry over the oceans and gravimetry over the continents to generate a new, high resolution global gravity field model: EIGEN-CG01C. The model is complete to degree/order 360 in terms of spherical harmonics and resolves half-wavelengths of 55 km in the geoid and gravity anomaly fields. A special band-limited combination method has been applied in order to preserve the high accuracy from the satellite data in the lower frequency band of the geopotential and to allow for a smooth transition to the high-frequency band, dominated by the surface data. Compared to pre-CHAMP/GRACE global high-resolution gravity field models, the accuracy was improved by one order of magnitude to 4 cm and 0.5 mgal in terms of geoid heights and gravity anomalies, respectively, at a spatial resolution of 200 km half-wavelength. The overall accuracy at degree/order 360 is estimated to be 20 cm and 5 mgal, respectively, and benefits significantly from recently released new gravity anomaly compilations over the polar regions. In general, the accuracy over the oceans is better than over the continents reflecting the higher quality of the available surface data.

Description: Seismic monitoring in Romania has more than 100 years of tradition. In spite of the World wars and critical periods, these activities progressed and have a good future. Presently a complex and high dynamic range real time seismic network ensures the seismic monitoring in Romania. A huge seismic database became a strong support for research and investigation in seismic field of activity. This insures a constant seismic data exchange with the global seismic monitoring systems. International collaboration is established with important scientific entities around of the world. There is a planning for a future upgrade of the National Seismic Network with more broadband seismic stations. Infrasound research project, as complementary activity for Romanian seismic monitoring, will start also.

Description: Seismological studies generally suggest that the Earth’s inner core is anisotropic and the anisotropic structure changes significantly both laterally and with depth. Previous body-wave studies of the inner core have relied on ray tracing or waveform modeling using one-dimensional (1D) models. Here we present non-linear tomographic inversions of the inner core anisotropy using three-dimensional (3D) ray tracing, spline parameterization, and a large collection of PKP differential travel times. We adapt a pseudo-bending ray tracing (PBR) method in spherical coordinates for seismic rays that traverse the inner core (PKP(DF) phase). The method iteratively perturbs each discontinuity point and continuous segment of the ray through 3D earth structure so that its travel time is minimum. The 3D anisotropic structure of the inner core is approximated to the first order as 3D heterogeneous (but isotropic) structure for a given ray. The data are corrected using a scaled mantle tomographic model. The inner core anisotropy model obtained has the following major features. (1) The model has strong hemispherical and depth variation. The isotropic velocity in the topmost inner core is greater in quasi-eastern hemisphere (QEH) (40–160°E) than in quasi-western hemisphere (QWH) (other longitudes). The anisotropy is weak in QEH to the depth of 600–700 km below the inner core boundary (ICB), while in QWH, the anisotropy increases at much shallower depth (about 100–200 km below the ICB) to about 3–4%, then remains at about 2–4% throughout the rest of the inner core. (2) The anisotropy form changes abruptly (over a depth range of about 150 km) at the radius of about 600 km, slightly less than half of the inner core radius, forming a distinct inner inner core (IIC). The velocity in the IIC has maximums at equatorial and polar directions and minimum at an angle of about 40° from the equatorial plane. The velocity in the outer inner core (OIC), however, changes little for ray directions 0–40° from the equatorial plane. (3) Despite large variation of the anisotropy, the isotropic velocity (Voigt average) throughout the inner core is nearly uniform. The results suggest that the OIC is likely composed of the same type of iron crystals with uniform chemistry, but the IIC may be composed of a different type of crystal alignment, a different iron phase, or a different chemical composition. Our tests on model parameterization, mantle correction, and linear and non-linear inversion suggest the main features of our model are very robust. However, fine scale structures are likely to differ, particularly in the major transition zones, e.g., in the topmost QWH (isotropy to anisotropy), between OIC and IIC (change in the form of anisotropy), and between QEH and QWH in OIC (difference in anisotropy strength). Searches for possible waveform complications from these boundaries need to be aware of the directional dependence and geographical variation to be successful.

Description: We investigate the geometry of deep subduction zone waveguides (depth 〉100 km). The wavefield characteristics for up-dip profiles are described and compared with data recorded at the Chile–Peru subduction zone. Observed distorted P onsets at stations in northern Chile near 21°S can be matched by 2-D finite difference simulations of a thin low-velocity layer (LVL) atop the slab in an IASP91 velocity model. The replacement of the LVL by simple random velocity undulations in the slab in the same model cannot explain the observations. Varying slab geometries are investigated and the distribution of guided wave onsets originating in deep waveguides is predicted relative to the slab surface. Further, double couple source position and orientation is explored and found to be closely limited by the guided wave observations. Sources situated above the layer and at distances more than 2 layer widths below the subducted Moho are not suitable. For the remaining favourable source locations, a strong link between pulse shapes and fault plane dip angle is evident. We conclude that up-dip guided wave observations at subduction zones follow a simple pattern given by slab geometry and modified by source position. The resulting onsets are shaped by layer thickness and velocity contrast and further influenced by the shape of the slab surface.