10,610 research outputs found
An aseismic slip pulse in northern Chile and along-strike variations in seismogenic behavior
We use interferometric synthetic aperture radar, GPS, and seismic observations spanning 5 to 18 years to reveal a detailed kinematic picture of the spatiotemporal evolution of fault slip in a region corresponding to the 30 July 1995 M_w 8.1 subduction zone megathrust earthquake in northern Chile. In a single area, we document a complex mosaic of phenomena including large earthquakes, postseismic afterslip with a spatial distribution that appears to be tied to variations in coastal morphology, and a completely aseismic pulse that may have triggered a M_w 7.1 earthquake on 30 January 1998. In contrast to simple models of fault slip behavior, this spatial heterogeneity indicates that frictional parameters on the fault do not have a systematic transition with depth and also vary rapidly along strike. The low amount of afterslip from the M_w 8.1 earthquake relative to other similar events suggests that postseismic behavior may be modulated by the amount of sediment subducted
Distribution of slip from 11 M_w > 6 earthquakes in the northern Chile subduction zone
We use interferometric synthetic aperture radar, GPS, and teleseismic data to constrain the relative location of coseismic slip from 11 earthquakes on the subduction interface in northern Chile (23°–25°S) between the years 1993 and 2000. We invert body wave waveforms and geodetic data both jointly and separately for the four largest earthquakes during this time period (1993 M_w 6.8; 1995 M_w 8.1; 1996 M_w 6.7; 1998 M_w 7.1). While the location of slip in the teleseismic-only, geodetic-only, and joint slip inversions is similar for the small earthquakes, there are differences for the 1995 M_w 8.1 event, probably related to nonuniqueness of models that fit the teleseismic data. There is a consistent mislocation of the Harvard centroid moment tensor locations of many of the 6 6 earthquakes, as well as three M_w > 7 events from the 1980s. All of these earthquakes appear to rupture different portions of the fault interface and do not rerupture a limited number of asperities
New results on q-positivity
In this paper we discuss symmetrically self-dual spaces, which are simply
real vector spaces with a symmetric bilinear form. Certain subsets of the space
will be called q-positive, where q is the quadratic form induced by the
original bilinear form. The notion of q-positivity generalizes the classical
notion of the monotonicity of a subset of a product of a Banach space and its
dual. Maximal q-positivity then generalizes maximal monotonicity. We discuss
concepts generalizing the representations of monotone sets by convex functions,
as well as the number of maximally q-positive extensions of a q-positive set.
We also discuss symmetrically self-dual Banach spaces, in which we add a Banach
space structure, giving new characterizations of maximal q-positivity. The
paper finishes with two new examples.Comment: 18 page
Post-seismic and interseismic fault creep I: model description
We present a model of localized, aseismic fault creep during the full interseismic period, including both transient and steady fault creep, in response to a sequence of imposed coseismic slip events and tectonic loading. We consider the behaviour of models with linear viscous, non-linear viscous, rate-dependent friction, and rate- and state-dependent friction fault rheologies. Both the transient post-seismic creep and the pattern of steady interseismic creep rates surrounding asperities depend on recent coseismic slip and fault rheologies. In these models, post-seismic fault creep is manifest as pulses of elevated creep rates that propagate from the coseismic slip, these pulses feature sharper fronts and are longer lived in models with rate-state friction compared to other models. With small characteristic slip distances in rate-state friction models, interseismic creep is similar to that in models with rate-dependent friction faults, except for the earliest periods of post-seismic creep. Our model can be used to constrain fault rheologies from geodetic observations in cases where the coseismic slip history is relatively well known. When only considering surface deformation over a short period of time, there are strong trade-offs between fault rheology and the details of the imposed coseismic slip. Geodetic observations over longer times following an earthquake will reduce these trade-offs, while simultaneous modelling of interseismic and post-seismic observations provide the strongest constraints on fault rheologies
Geodetic, teleseismic, and strong motion constraints on slip from recent southern Peru subduction zone earthquakes
We use seismic and geodetic data both jointly and separately to constrain coseismic slip from the 12 November 1996 M_w 7.7 and 23 June 2001 M_w 8.5 southern Peru subduction zone earthquakes, as well as two large aftershocks following the 2001 earthquake on 26 June and 7 July 2001. We use all available data in our inversions: GPS, interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) from the ERS-1, ERS-2, JERS, and RADARSAT-1 satellites, and seismic data from teleseismic and strong motion stations. Our two-dimensional slip models derived from only teleseismic body waves from South American subduction zone earthquakes with M_w > 7.5 do not reliably predict available geodetic data. In particular, we find significant differences in the distribution of slip for the 2001 earthquake from models that use only seismic (teleseismic and two strong motion stations) or geodetic (InSAR and GPS) data. The differences might be related to postseismic deformation or, more likely, the different sensitivities of the teleseismic and geodetic data to coseismic rupture properties. The earthquakes studied here follow the pattern of earthquake directivity along the coast of western South America, north of 5°S, earthquakes rupture to the north; south of about 12°S, directivity is southerly; and in between, earthquakes are bilateral. The predicted deformation at the Arequipa GPS station from the seismic-only slip model for the 7 July 2001 aftershock is not consistent with significant preseismic motion
Species Limits and Phylogeography of North American Cricket Frogs (Acris: Hylidae)
Cricket frogs are widely distributed across the eastern United States and two species, the northern cricket frog (Acris crepitans) and the southern cricket frog (A. gryllus) are currently recognized. We generated a phylogenetic hypothesis for Acris using fragments of nuclear and mitochondrial genes in separate and combined phylogenetic analyses. We also used distance methods and fixation indices to evaluate species limits within the genus and the validity of currently recognized subspecies of A. crepitans. The distributions of existing A. crepitans subspecies, defined by morphology and call types, do not match the distributions of evolutionary lineages recovered using our genetic data. We discuss a scenario of call evolution to explain this disparity. We also recovered distinct phylogeographic groups within A. crepitans and A. gryllus that are congruent with other codistributed taxa. Under a lineage-based species concept, we recognize Acris blanchardi as a distinct species. The importance of this revised taxonomy is discussed in light of the dramatic declines in A. blanchardi across the northern and western portions of its range
Tail States in Disordered Superconductors with Magnetic Impurities: the Unitarity Limit
When subject to a weak magnetic impurity distribution, the order parameter
and quasi-particle energy gap of a weakly disordered bulk s-wave superconductor
are suppressed. In the Born scattering limit, recent investigations have shown
that `optimal fluctuations' of the random impurity potential can lead to the
nucleation of `domains' of localised states within the gap region predicted by
the conventional Abrikosov-Gor'kov mean-field theory, rendering the
superconducting system gapless at any finite impurity concentration. By
implementing a field theoretic scheme tailored to the weakly disordered system,
the aim of the present paper is to extend this analysis to the consideration of
magnetic impurities in the unitarity scattering limit. This investigation
reveals that the qualitative behaviour is maintained while the density of
states exhibits a rich structure.Comment: 18 pages AMSLaTeX (with LaTeX2e), 6 eps figure
Coming to America: Multiple Origins of New World Geckos
Geckos in the Western Hemisphere provide an excellent model to study faunal assembly at a continental scale. We generated a time-calibrated phylogeny, including exemplars of all New World gecko genera, to produce a biogeographic scenario for the New World geckos. Patterns of New World gecko origins are consistent with almost every biogeographic scenario utilized by a terrestrial vertebrate with different New World lineages showing evidence of vicariance, dispersal via temporary land bridge, overseas dispersal, or anthropogenic introductions. We also recovered a strong relationship between clade age and species diversity, with older New World lineages having more species than more recently arrived lineages. Our data provide the first phylogenetic hypothesis for all New World geckos and highlight the intricate origins and ongoing organization of continental faunas. The phylogenetic and biogeographical hypotheses presented here provide an historical framework to further pursue research on the diversification and assembly of the New World herpetofauna
Distribution of the spacing between two adjacent avoided crossings
We consider the frequency at which avoided crossings appear in an energy
level structure when an external field is applied to a quantum chaotic system.
The distribution of the spacing in the parameter between two adjacent avoided
crossings is investigated. Using a random matrix model, we find that the
distribution of these spacings is well fitted by a power-law distribution for
small spacings. The powers are 2 and 3 for the Gaussian orthogonal ensemble and
Gaussian unitary ensemble, respectively. We also find that the distributions
decay exponentially for large spacings. The distributions in concrete quantum
chaotic systems agree with those of the random matrix model.Comment: 11 page
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