Seismic scattering and absorption parameters in the W-Bohemia/Vogtland region from elastic and acoustic radiative transfer theory

In this study, frequency-dependent seismic scattering and intrinsic attenuation parameters for the crustal structure beneath the W-Bohemia/Vogtland swarm earthquake region close to the border of Czech Republic and Germany are estimated. Synthetic seismogram envelopes are modelled using elastic and acoustic radiative transfer theory. Scattering and absorption parameters are determined by fitting these synthetic envelopes to observed seismogram envelopes from 14 shallow local events from the October 2008 W-Bohemia/Vogtland earthquake swarm. The two different simulation approaches yield similar results for the estimated crustal parameters and show a comparable frequency dependence of both transport mean free path and intrinsic absorption path length. Both methods suggest that intrinsic attenuation is dominant over scattering attenuation in the W-Bohemia/Vogtland region for the investigated epicentral distance range and frequency bands from 3 to 24 Hz. Elastic simulations of seismogram envelopes suggest that forward scattering is required to explain the data, however, the degree of forward scattering is not resolvable. Errors in the parameter estimation are smaller in the elastic case compared to results from the acoustic simulations. The frequency decay of the transport mean free path suggests a random medium described by a nearly exponential autocorrelation function. The fluctuation strength and correlation length of the random medium cannot be estimated independently, but only a combination of the parameters related to the transport mean free path of the medium can be computed. Furthermore, our elastic simulations show, that using our numerical method, it is not possible to resolve the value of the mean free path of the random medium

The influence of crustal heterogeneity on translational and rotational motions in the seismic coda: The influence of crustal heterogeneity on translational and rotational motionsin the seismic coda

In this study Monte Carlo solutions to the radiative transfer equations are used to model translational and rotational motion seismogram envelopes in random elastic media with deterministic background structure assuming multiple anisotropic scattering. The results of the Monte Carlo radiative transfer theory simulations are verified by comparisons with 3D full wave field finite difference simulations. The observation and modeling of the three additional components of rotational ground motions can provide independent information about seismic wave propagation in the Earth’s structure. Rotational motions around the vertical axis observed in the P-wave coda are of particular interest as they can only be excited by horizontally polarized shear waves and therefore indicate the conversion from P- to SH-energy by multiple scattering at 3D-heterogeneities. Scattering and attenuation parameters in south-east Germany beneath the Gräfenberg array and in the Vogtland region are estimated by comparisons of synthesized multi-component seismogram envelopes to seismic data from local and regional swarm earthquakes and to teleseismic events. In a first step, frequency dependent scattering and attenuation parameters from a local data set are estimated for the Vogtland region using nearby swarm earthquakes. The results from the elastic simulations are compared to outcomes from acoustic radiative transfer simulations. Both methods yield similar results and suggest that intrinsic attenuation dominates scattering attenuation. From the elastic simulations it is observable, that forward scattering is required to explain the data. However, the amount of forward scattering strength remains unresolvable. In a second step scattering and attenuation parameters beneath the Gräfenberg array are estimated using a nonlinear genetic inversion of seismogram envelopes from regional events at high frequencies (4–8 Hz). The preferred model of crustal heterogeneity consists of a random medium described by an exponential auto correlation function with a transport mean free path length of ∼ 420 km. The quality factor for elastic S-wave attenuation Q iS is around 700. In a final step simulations of teleseismic P-wave arrivals, using this estimated set of scattering and attenuation parameters, are compared to observed seismogram envelopes from deep events. Simulations of teleseismic events with the parameters found from the regional inversion show good agreement with the measured seismogram envelopes. This includes ringlaser observations of vertical rotations in the teleseismic P-wave coda that naturally result from the proposed model of wave scattering. The model also predicts, that the elastic energy recorded in the teleseismic P-coda is not equipartitioned, unlike the coda of regional events, but contains an excess of shear energy. The combined results from the three different data sets suggest that scattering generating the seismic coda mainly occurs in the crustal part of the lithosphere beneath the receivers. The observations do not require scattering of high frequency waves in the mantle, but weak scattering in the lithospheric mantle cannot be ruled out.In dieser Studie werden Monte Carlo Lösungen für die Energietransfergleichungen genutzt, um Seismogrammeinhüllende von Translations- und Rotationsbewegungen zu modellieren. Die Ergebnisse der Monte Carlo Simulationen werden durch einen Vergleich mit 3D finiten Differenzen Simulationen verifiziert. Diese Modellierung findet in einem elastischen Zufallsmedium mit deterministischer Hintergrundstruktur unter Annahme multipler anisotroper Streuung statt. Die Beobachtung und Modellierung der drei zusätzlichen Komponenten der Rotationsbodenbewegungen kann unabhängige Informationen über die Ausbreitung seismischer Wellen im Erdkörper liefern. Rotationsbewegungen um die vertikale Achse in der P-Wellen Koda sind in diesem Zusammenhang von speziellem Interesse, da sie nur von horizontal polarisierten Scheerwellen angeregt werden können. Die gemessenen Rotationsbewegungen deuten folglich auf Konversionen von P- zu SH-Energie durch multiple Streuung an 3D-Heterogenitäten hin. Für die Bestimmung von Streu- und Dämpfungsparametern im Südosten Deutschlands (Gräfenberg Array, Vogtland) werden synthetisch erzeugte, mehrspurige Seismogrammeinhüllende mit Daten lokaler und regionaler Schwarmbeben und teleseismicher Ereignisse verglichen. In einem ersten Schritt werden frequenzabhängige Krustenparameter für die Vogtlandregion mittels eines lokalen Datensatzes von nahen Schwarmbeben bestimmt. Die Resultate mittels elastischer Energietransfertheorie werden mit Ergebnissen aus Simulationen mittels akustischer Energietransfertheorie verglichen. Beide Methoden liefern ähnliche Parameter und sagen einen größeren Einfluss der intrinsichen Dämpfung im Vergleich zur Streudämpfung voraus. Aus den elastischen Simulationen geht hervor, dass für die Beschreibung der Daten Vorwärtsstreung angenommen werden muss, die Stärke dieser lässt sich jedoch nicht auflösen. In einem zweiten Schritt werden die Streu- und Dämpfungseigenschaften der Erdkruste im Untergrund des Gräfenberg Arrays untersucht. Hierzu wird eine nicht-lineare genetische Inversion von Seismogrammeinhüllenden regionaler Ereignisse bei hohen Frequenzen (4–8 Hz) verwendet. Das bevorzugte Modell der Krustenheterogenität wird durch ein exponentielles Zufallsmedium, einer mittleren freien Transportweglänge von ca. 420 km und einem Qualitätsfaktor für S-Wellen Q iS von ca. 700 beschrieben. Ein letzter Schritt vergleicht Simulationen von teleseismischen P-Welleneinsätzen mit beobachteten Seismogrammeinüllenden von tiefen Erdbeben unter der Nutzung der Parameter aus der regionalen Inversion. Die Simulationen der teleseismischen Ereignisse mit den Parametern der regionalen Inversion zeigen eine gute Übereinstimmung mit den gemessenen Seismogrammeinhüllenden. Dieser Vergleich beinhaltet Ringlaserbeobachtungen der Rotationsbewegungen um die vertikale Achse, welche aus dem angenommenen Streumodell resultieren. Das Modell sagt voraus, dass die elastische Energie in der teleseismischen P-Wellen Koda im Gegensatz zur Koda lokaler oder regionaler Ereignisse nicht gleichverteilt ist, sondern einen Überschuss an Scheerenergie beinhaltet. Die Resultate aus den Untersuchungen der lokalen, regionalen und teleseismischen Datensätze zeigen, dass die Streuereignisse, welche die seismische Koda erklären, hauptsächlich in der Kruste unterhalb der seismischen Empfänger stattfinden. Streuung des Wellenfeldes im Mantel wird für die Erklärung der Daten nicht benötigt, schwache Streuung im lithosphärischen Mantel kann jedoch nicht ausgeschlossen werden

A multi-technology analysis of the 2017 North Korean nuclear test

On 3 September 2017 official channels of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea announced the successful test of a thermonuclear device. Only seconds to minutes after the alleged nuclear explosion at the Punggye-ri nuclear test site in the mountainous region in the country's northeast at 03:30:02 (UTC), hundreds of seismic stations distributed all around the globe picked up strong and distinct signals associated with an explosion. Different seismological agencies reported body wave magnitudes of well above 6.0, consequently estimating the explosive yield of the device on the order of hundreds of kT TNT equivalent. The 2017 event can therefore be assessed as being multiple times larger in energy than the two preceding North Korean events in January and September 2016. This study provides a multi-technology analysis of the 2017 North Korean event and its aftermath using a wide array of geophysical methods. Seismological investigations locate the event within the test site at a depth of approximately 0.6&thinsp;km below the surface. The radiation and generation of P- and S-wave energy in the source region are significantly influenced by the topography of the Mt. Mantap massif. Inversions for the full moment tensor of the main event reveal a dominant isotropic component accompanied by significant amounts of double couple and compensated linear vector dipole terms, confirming the explosive character of the event. The analysis of the source mechanism of an aftershock that occurred around 8&thinsp;min after the test in the direct vicinity suggest a cavity collapse. Measurements at seismic stations of the International Monitoring System result in a body wave magnitude of 6.2, which translates to an yield estimate of around 400&thinsp;kT TNT equivalent. The explosive yield is possibly overestimated, since topography and depth phases both tend to enhance the peak amplitudes of teleseismic P waves. Interferometric synthetic aperture radar analysis using data from the ALOS-2 satellite reveal strong surface deformations in the epicenter region. Additional multispectral optical data from the Pleiades satellite show clear landslide activity at the test site. The strong surface deformations generated large acoustic pressure peaks, which were observed as infrasound signals with distinctive waveforms even at distances of 401&thinsp;km. In the aftermath of the 2017 event, atmospheric traces of the fission product 133Xe were detected at various locations in the wider region. While for 133Xe measurements in September 2017, the Punggye-ri test site is disfavored as a source by means of atmospheric transport modeling, detections in October 2017 at the International Monitoring System station RN58 in Russia indicate a potential delayed leakage of 133Xe at the test site from the 2017 North Korean nuclear test.</p

The assembly and alignment of the 4MOST Wide Field Corrector

The 4-metre Multi-Object Spectroscopic Telescope (4MOST) is a fibre-fed multi-object spectrograph for the VISTA telescope at the ESO Paranal Observatory in Chile. The goal of the 4MOST project is to create a general-purpose and highly efficient spectroscopic survey facility for astronomers in the 4MOST consortium and the ESO community. The instrument itself will record 2436 simultaneous spectra over a ∼4.2 square degree field of view and consists of an optical Wide-Field Corrector (WFC), a fibre positioner system based on a tilting spine design, and three spectrographs giving both high and low spectral dispersion. The WFC comprises of 6 lenses grouped into 4 elements, 2 of which are cemented doublets that act as an atmospheric dispersion corrector (ADC). The first lens element is 0.9m in diameter whilst the diameter of the other elements is 0.65m. For the instrument to meet its science goals, each lens needs to be aligned to ∼50µm – a major challenge. This is achieved using contact metrology methods supplemented by pencil beam laser probes. In particular, a novel off-axis laser beam system has been implemented to test the optics’ alignment before and after shipment. This paper details the alignment and assembly methods and presents the latest results on the achieved lens positioning and projected performance of the WF

Somatic Mutations of the Immunoglobulin Framework Are Generally Required for Broad and Potent HIV-1 Neutralization

Broadly neutralizing antibodies (bNAbs) to HIV-1 can prevent infection and are therefore of great importance for HIV-1 vaccine design. Notably, bNAbs are highly somatically mutated and generated by a fraction of HIV-1-infected individuals several years after infection. Antibodies typically accumulate mutations in the complementarity determining region (CDR) loops, which usually contact the antigen. The CDR loops are scaffolded by canonical framework regions (FWRs) that are both resistant to and less tolerant of mutations. Here, we report that in contrast to most antibodies, including those with limited HIV-1 neutralizing activity, most bNAbs require somatic mutations in their FWRs. Structural and functional analyses reveal that somatic mutations in FWR residues enhance breadth and potency by providing increased flexibility and/or direct antigen contact. Thus, in bNAbs, FWRs play an essential role beyond scaffolding the CDR loops and their unusual contribution to potency and breadth should be considered in HIV-1 vaccine design

Measuring the Loschmidt amplitude for finite-energy properties of the Fermi-Hubbard model on an ion-trap quantum computer

Calculating the equilibrium properties of condensed matter systems is one of the promising applications of near-term quantum computing. Recently, hybrid quantum-classical time-series algorithms have been proposed to efficiently extract these properties from a measurement of the Loschmidt amplitude $\langle \psi| e^{-i \hat H t}|\psi \rangle$ from initial states $|\psi\rangle$ and a time evolution under the Hamiltonian $\hat H$ up to short times $t$. In this work, we study the operation of this algorithm on a present-day quantum computer. Specifically, we measure the Loschmidt amplitude for the Fermi-Hubbard model on a $16$-site ladder geometry (32 orbitals) on the Quantinuum H2-1 trapped-ion device. We assess the effect of noise on the Loschmidt amplitude and implement algorithm-specific error mitigation techniques. By using a thus-motivated error model, we numerically analyze the influence of noise on the full operation of the quantum-classical algorithm by measuring expectation values of local observables at finite energies. Finally, we estimate the resources needed for scaling up the algorithm.Comment: 18 pages, 12 figure

Cortical thickness and resting-state cardiac function across the lifespan: a cross-sectional pooled mega analysis

Understanding the association between autonomic nervous system [ANS] function and brain morphology across the lifespan provides important insights into neurovisceral mechanisms underlying health and disease. Resting state ANS activity, indexed by measures of heart rate [HR] and its variability [HRV] has been associated with brain morphology, particularly cortical thickness [CT]. While findings have been mixed regarding the anatomical distribution and direction of the associations, these inconsistencies may be due to sex and age differences in HR/HRV and CT. Previous studies have been limited by small sample sizes, which impede the assessment of sex differences and aging effects on the association between ANS function and CT. To overcome these limitations, 20 groups worldwide contributed data collected under similar protocols of CT assessment and HR/HRV recording to be pooled in a mega-analysis (N = 1,218 (50.5% female), mean age 36.7 years (range: 12-87)). Findings suggest a decline in HRV as well as CT with increasing age. CT, particularly in the orbitofrontal cortex, explained additional variance in HRV, beyond the effects of aging. This pattern of results may suggest that the decline in HRV with increasing age is related to a decline in orbitofrontal CT. These effects were independent of sex and specific to HRV; with no significant association between CT and HR. Greater CT across the adult lifespan may be vital for the maintenance of healthy cardiac regulation via the ANS – or greater cardiac vagal activity as indirectly reflected in HRV may slow brain atrophy. Findings reveal an important association between cortical thickness and cardiac parasympathetic activity with implications for healthy aging and longevity that should be studied further in longitudinal research

Performance of the International Monitoring System Seismic Network Based on Ambient Seismic Noise Measurements

All nuclear explosions are banned by the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty. In the context of the treaty a verification regime was put into place to detect, locate, and characterize nuclear explosions at any time, by anyone and everywhere on the Earth. The International Monitoring System, which plays a key role in the verification regime, was set up by the Preparatory Commission of the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty Organization. Out of the several different monitoring techniques applied in the International Monitoring System the seismic waveform approach is the most effective and reliable technology for monitoring nuclear explosions underground. This study introduces a deterministic method of threshold monitoring that allows to asses a lower body wave magnitude limit of a potential seismic event in a certain geographical region, that can be detected by those seismic stations being part of the International Monitoring System network. The method is based on measurements of ambient seismic noise levels at the individual seismic stations along with global distance corrections terms for the body wave magnitude. The results suggest that an average global detection capability of approximately body wave magnitude 4.0 can be achieved using only stations from the primary seismic network of the International Monitoring System. The incorporation of seismic stations from the auxiliary seismic network leads to a slight improvement of the detection capability, while the use and analysis of wave arrivals from distances greater than 120∘ results in a significant improvement of the detection capability. Temporal variations in terms of hourly and monthly changes of the global detection capability can not be observed. Overall, comparisons between detection capability and manually retrieved body wave magnitudes from the Reviewed Event Bulletin suggest, that our method yields a more conservative estimation of the detection capability and that in reality detection thresholds might be even lower than estimated.Bundesanstalt für Geowissenschaften und Rohstoffe (BGR) (4230

The influence of crustal heterogeneity on translational and rotational motions in the seismic coda: The influence of crustal heterogeneity on translational and rotational motionsin the seismic coda

In this study Monte Carlo solutions to the radiative transfer equations are used to model translational and rotational motion seismogram envelopes in random elastic media with deterministic background structure assuming multiple anisotropic scattering. The results of the Monte Carlo radiative transfer theory simulations are verified by comparisons with 3D full wave field finite difference simulations. The observation and modeling of the three additional components of rotational ground motions can provide independent information about seismic wave propagation in the Earth’s structure. Rotational motions around the vertical axis observed in the P-wave coda are of particular interest as they can only be excited by horizontally polarized shear waves and therefore indicate the conversion from P- to SH-energy by multiple scattering at 3D-heterogeneities. Scattering and attenuation parameters in south-east Germany beneath the Gräfenberg array and in the Vogtland region are estimated by comparisons of synthesized multi-component seismogram envelopes to seismic data from local and regional swarm earthquakes and to teleseismic events. In a first step, frequency dependent scattering and attenuation parameters from a local data set are estimated for the Vogtland region using nearby swarm earthquakes. The results from the elastic simulations are compared to outcomes from acoustic radiative transfer simulations. Both methods yield similar results and suggest that intrinsic attenuation dominates scattering attenuation. From the elastic simulations it is observable, that forward scattering is required to explain the data. However, the amount of forward scattering strength remains unresolvable. In a second step scattering and attenuation parameters beneath the Gräfenberg array are estimated using a nonlinear genetic inversion of seismogram envelopes from regional events at high frequencies (4–8 Hz). The preferred model of crustal heterogeneity consists of a random medium described by an exponential auto correlation function with a transport mean free path length of ∼ 420 km. The quality factor for elastic S-wave attenuation Q iS is around 700. In a final step simulations of teleseismic P-wave arrivals, using this estimated set of scattering and attenuation parameters, are compared to observed seismogram envelopes from deep events. Simulations of teleseismic events with the parameters found from the regional inversion show good agreement with the measured seismogram envelopes. This includes ringlaser observations of vertical rotations in the teleseismic P-wave coda that naturally result from the proposed model of wave scattering. The model also predicts, that the elastic energy recorded in the teleseismic P-coda is not equipartitioned, unlike the coda of regional events, but contains an excess of shear energy. The combined results from the three different data sets suggest that scattering generating the seismic coda mainly occurs in the crustal part of the lithosphere beneath the receivers. The observations do not require scattering of high frequency waves in the mantle, but weak scattering in the lithospheric mantle cannot be ruled out.In dieser Studie werden Monte Carlo Lösungen für die Energietransfergleichungen genutzt, um Seismogrammeinhüllende von Translations- und Rotationsbewegungen zu modellieren. Die Ergebnisse der Monte Carlo Simulationen werden durch einen Vergleich mit 3D finiten Differenzen Simulationen verifiziert. Diese Modellierung findet in einem elastischen Zufallsmedium mit deterministischer Hintergrundstruktur unter Annahme multipler anisotroper Streuung statt. Die Beobachtung und Modellierung der drei zusätzlichen Komponenten der Rotationsbodenbewegungen kann unabhängige Informationen über die Ausbreitung seismischer Wellen im Erdkörper liefern. Rotationsbewegungen um die vertikale Achse in der P-Wellen Koda sind in diesem Zusammenhang von speziellem Interesse, da sie nur von horizontal polarisierten Scheerwellen angeregt werden können. Die gemessenen Rotationsbewegungen deuten folglich auf Konversionen von P- zu SH-Energie durch multiple Streuung an 3D-Heterogenitäten hin. Für die Bestimmung von Streu- und Dämpfungsparametern im Südosten Deutschlands (Gräfenberg Array, Vogtland) werden synthetisch erzeugte, mehrspurige Seismogrammeinhüllende mit Daten lokaler und regionaler Schwarmbeben und teleseismicher Ereignisse verglichen. In einem ersten Schritt werden frequenzabhängige Krustenparameter für die Vogtlandregion mittels eines lokalen Datensatzes von nahen Schwarmbeben bestimmt. Die Resultate mittels elastischer Energietransfertheorie werden mit Ergebnissen aus Simulationen mittels akustischer Energietransfertheorie verglichen. Beide Methoden liefern ähnliche Parameter und sagen einen größeren Einfluss der intrinsichen Dämpfung im Vergleich zur Streudämpfung voraus. Aus den elastischen Simulationen geht hervor, dass für die Beschreibung der Daten Vorwärtsstreung angenommen werden muss, die Stärke dieser lässt sich jedoch nicht auflösen. In einem zweiten Schritt werden die Streu- und Dämpfungseigenschaften der Erdkruste im Untergrund des Gräfenberg Arrays untersucht. Hierzu wird eine nicht-lineare genetische Inversion von Seismogrammeinhüllenden regionaler Ereignisse bei hohen Frequenzen (4–8 Hz) verwendet. Das bevorzugte Modell der Krustenheterogenität wird durch ein exponentielles Zufallsmedium, einer mittleren freien Transportweglänge von ca. 420 km und einem Qualitätsfaktor für S-Wellen Q iS von ca. 700 beschrieben. Ein letzter Schritt vergleicht Simulationen von teleseismischen P-Welleneinsätzen mit beobachteten Seismogrammeinüllenden von tiefen Erdbeben unter der Nutzung der Parameter aus der regionalen Inversion. Die Simulationen der teleseismischen Ereignisse mit den Parametern der regionalen Inversion zeigen eine gute Übereinstimmung mit den gemessenen Seismogrammeinhüllenden. Dieser Vergleich beinhaltet Ringlaserbeobachtungen der Rotationsbewegungen um die vertikale Achse, welche aus dem angenommenen Streumodell resultieren. Das Modell sagt voraus, dass die elastische Energie in der teleseismischen P-Wellen Koda im Gegensatz zur Koda lokaler oder regionaler Ereignisse nicht gleichverteilt ist, sondern einen Überschuss an Scheerenergie beinhaltet. Die Resultate aus den Untersuchungen der lokalen, regionalen und teleseismischen Datensätze zeigen, dass die Streuereignisse, welche die seismische Koda erklären, hauptsächlich in der Kruste unterhalb der seismischen Empfänger stattfinden. Streuung des Wellenfeldes im Mantel wird für die Erklärung der Daten nicht benötigt, schwache Streuung im lithosphärischen Mantel kann jedoch nicht ausgeschlossen werden