Estimation of Recurrence Interval of Large Earthquakes on the Central Longmen Shan Fault Zone Based on Seismic Moment Accumulation/Release Model

Recurrence interval of large earthquake on an active fault zone is an important parameter in assessing seismic hazard. The 2008 Wenchuan earthquake (Mw 7.9) occurred on the central Longmen Shan fault zone and ruptured the Yingxiu-Beichuan fault (YBF) and the Guanxian-Jiangyou fault (GJF). However, there is a considerable discrepancy among recurrence intervals of large earthquake in preseismic and postseismic estimates based on slip rate and paleoseismologic results. Post-seismic trenches showed that the central Longmen Shan fault zone probably undertakes an event similar to the 2008 quake, suggesting a characteristic earthquake model. In this paper, we use the published seismogenic model of the 2008 earthquake based on Global Positioning System (GPS) and Interferometric Synthetic Aperture Radar (InSAR) data and construct a characteristic seismic moment accumulation/release model to estimate recurrence interval of large earthquakes on the central Longmen Shan fault zone. Our results show that the seismogenic zone accommodates a moment rate of (2.7 ± 0.3) × 1017 N m/yr, and a recurrence interval of 3900 ± 400 yrs is necessary for accumulation of strain energy equivalent to the 2008 earthquake. This study provides a preferred interval estimation of large earthquakes for seismic hazard analysis in the Longmen Shan region

Numerical investigation of airborne contaminant transport under different vortex structures in the aircraft cabin.

Airborne contaminants such as pathogens, odors and CO2 released from an individual passenger could spread via air flow in an aircraft cabin and make other passengers unhealthy and uncomfortable. In this study, we introduced the airflow vortex structure to analyze how airflow patterns affected contaminant transport in an aircraft cabin. Experimental data regarding airflow patterns were used to validate a computational fluid dynamics (CFD) model. Using the validated CFD model, we investigated the effects of the airflow vortex structure on contaminant transmission based on quantitative analysis. It was found that the contaminant source located in a vorticity-dominated region was more likely to be "locked" in the vortex, resulting in higher 62% higher average concentration and 14% longer residual time than that when the source was on a deformation dominated location. The contaminant concentrations also differed between the front and rear parts of the cabin because of different airflow structures. Contaminant released close to the heated manikin face was likely to be transported backward according to its distribution mean position. Based on these results, the air flow patterns inside aircraft cabins can potentially be improved to better control the spread of airborne contaminant

Topological Corner States in Graphene by Bulk and Edge Engineering

Two-dimensional higher-order topology is usually studied in (nearly) particle-hole symmetric models, so that an edge gap can be opened within the bulk one. But more often deviates the edge anticrossing even into the bulk, where corner states are difficult to pinpoint. We address this problem in a graphene-based $\mathbb{Z}_2$ topological insulator with spin-orbit coupling and in-plane magnetization both originating from substrates through a Slater-Koster multi-orbital model. The gapless helical edge modes cross inside the bulk, where is also located the magnetization-induced edge gap. After demonstrating its second-order nontriviality in bulk topology by a series of evidence, we show that a difference in bulk-edge onsite energy can adiabatically tune the position of the crossing/anticrossing of the edge modes to be inside the bulk gap. This can help unambiguously identify two pairs of topological corner states with nonvanishing energy degeneracy for a rhombic flake. We further find that the obtuse-angle pair is more stable than the acute-angle one. These results not only suggest an accessible way to "find" topological corner states, but also provide a higher-order topological version of "bulk-boundary correspondence"

Miamia maimai n. sp., a new Pennsylvanian stem-orthopteran insect, and a case study on the application of cladotypic nomenclature

A new stem-orthopteran insect assignable to the – traditional – genus and the – cladotypic-defined – taxon Miamia Dana, 1864 is described based on abundant material collected from the Xiaheyan locality (Ningxia, China; Early Pennsylvanian). Intra-specific wing venation variability in Miamia maimai n. sp. is appreciated based on wing pairs of single individuals, and on a complete series of conditions. Rare variants are reported. Details of head and leg morphology are documented: the new species possesses a five-segmented tarsus provided with paired claws and arolium, and labial palps with at least four segments, probably five. The nomenclatural section is conducted under the cladotypic nomenclatural procedure, but in a way largely consistent with the traditional usage. This experiment demonstrates that a combination composed of a "genus level-taxon" name previously associated with a definition and type material (e.g. Miamia), a specific epithet (e.g. maimai), and authorship information (e.g. Béthoux et al. 2012), with further mention to "Miamia maimai" or "M. maimai", provides a suitable reference to the species under all nomenclatural procedures, including the traditional one.doi:10.1002/mmng.20120000