The spectroscopic observations of CoRoT asteroseismic targets with HARPS

CoRoT photometric measurements of asteroseismic targets need complementary ground-based spectroscopic observations. We are using the planet-hunter HARPS spectrograph attached to the 3.6m-ESO telescope in the framework of two consecutive Large Programmes. We discuss its use to study line-profile variations and we report on a specific result obtained for the Delta Sct star HD 170699.Comment: Proceedings of the 20th Stellar Pulsation Conference Series: "Impact of new instrumentation & new insights in stellar pulsations", 5-9 September 2011, Granada, Spai

Lateral Changes of seismic anisotropy in the upper mantle around the Northern Apennines

We performed three-dimensional analysis of anisotropic parameters of body waves to develop a 3D self-consistent dynamic model of the syn-convergent extension in the Northern Apennines within the multidisciplinary project RETREAT. Simultaneous extension within the convergent margin can be the consequence of the retreat of the subducting Adriatic plate from the orogenic front, caused by sub-lithosphere mantle processes that seismic anisotropy can help to decipher. We use data recorded by the RETREAT temporary array consisting of 35 stations complemented by data of permanent INGV observatories. Currently, 18-months of data are available from some stations, representing half of the passive experiment duration. We detect many examples of core-refracted shear-wave splitting within the upper mantle, and observe both distinct lateral variations of anisotropic parameters and their dependence on the direction of propagation. In particular, the fast shear-wave polarization changes from slab-perpendicular to slab-parallel along the Apennines chain. There is also a distinct change in the anisotropic signals across the presumed boundary of the Tyrrhenian and Adriatic micro-plates. Variations of the splitting time delays and orientation of the fast shear waves, together with considerations on the geodynamics of the area, seem to exclude simple sub-lithosphere mantle corner flow as the only source of the observed anisotropy. Alternate models include (1) a frozen-in fabric of different lithosphere domains, and (2) complex mantle flow associated with the Plio-Pleisocene uplift and extension of Tuscany

Extension of direct displacement-based design methodology for bridges to account for higher mode effects

An improvement is suggested to the direct displacement-based design (DDBD) procedure for bridges to account for higher mode effects, the key idea being not only the proper prediction of a target-displacement profile through the effective mode shape (EMS) method (wherein all significant modes are considered), but also the proper definition of the corresponding peak structural response. The proposed methodology is then applied to an actual concrete bridge wherein the different pier heights and the unrestrained transverse displacement at the abutments result in an increased contribution of the second mode. A comparison between the extended and the 'standard' DDBD is conducted, while further issues such as the proper consideration of the degree of fixity at the pier’s top and the effect of the deck’s torsional stiffness are also investigated. The proposed methodology and resulting designs are evaluated using nonlinear response-history analysis (NLRHA) for a number of spectrum-compatible motions. Unlike the 'standard' DDBD, the extended procedure adequately reproduced the target-displacement profile providing at the same time a good estimate of results regarding additional design quantities such as yield displacements, displacement ductilities etc., closely matching the results of the more rigorous NLRHA. However, the need for additional iterations clearly indicates that practical application of the proposed procedure is feasible only if it is fully 'automated', i.e. implemented in a software package

Expansion of the Tibetan Plateau during the Neogene

The appearance of detritus shed from mountain ranges along the northern margin of the Tibetan Plateau heralds the Cenozoic development of high topography. Current estimates of the age of the basal conglomerate in the Qaidam basin place this event in Paleocene-Eocene. Here we present new magnetostratigraphy and mammalian biostratigraphy that refine the onset of basin fill to â 1/425.5 Myr and reveal that sediment accumulated continuously until â 1/44.8 Myr. Sediment provenance implies a sustained source in the East Kunlun Shan throughout this time period. However, the appearance of detritus from the Qilian Shan at â 1/412 Myr suggests emergence of topography north of the Qaidam occurred during the late Miocene. Our results imply that deformation and mountain building significantly post-date Indo-Asian collision and challenge the suggestion that the extent of the plateau has remained constant through time. Rather, our results require expansion of high topography during the past 25 Myr

Triggering of the 2014 M_w7.3 Papanoa earthquake by a slow slip event in Guerrero, Mexico

Since their discovery two decades ago, slow slip events have been shown to play an important role in accommodating strain in subduction zones. However, the physical mechanisms that generate slow slip and the relationships with earthquakes are unclear. Slow slip events have been recorded in the Guerrero segment of the Cocos–North America subduction zone. Here we use inversion of position time series recorded by a continuous GPS network to reconstruct the evolution of aseismic slip on the subduction interface of the Guerrero segment. We find that a slow slip event began in February 2014, two months before the magnitude (M_w) 7.3 Papanoa earthquake on 18 April. The slow slip event initiated in a region adjacent to the earthquake hypocentre and extended into the vicinity of the seismogenic zone. This spatio-temporal proximity strongly suggests that the Papanoa earthquake was triggered by the ongoing slow slip event. We demonstrate that the triggering mechanism could be either static stress increases in the hypocentral region, as revealed by Coulomb stress modelling, or enhanced weakening of the earthquake hypocentral area by the slow slip. We also show that the plate interface in the Guerrero area is highly coupled between slow slip events, and that most of the accumulated strain is released aseismically during the slow slip episodes

Deep drilling reveals massive shifts in evolutionary dynamics after formation of ancient ecosystem

The scarcity of high-resolution empirical data directly tracking diversity over time limits our understanding of speciation and extinction dynamics and the drivers of rate changes. Here, we analyze a continuous species-level fossil record of endemic diatoms from ancient Lake Ohrid, along with environmental and climate indicator time series since lake formation 1.36 million years (Ma) ago. We show that speciation and extinction rates nearly simultaneously decreased in the environmentally dynamic phase after ecosystem formation and stabilized after deep-water conditions established in Lake Ohrid. As the lake deepens, we also see a switch in the macroevolutionary trade-off, resulting in a transition from a volatile assemblage of short-lived endemic species to a stable community of long-lived species. Our results emphasize the importance of the interplay between environmental/climate change, ecosystem stability, and environmental limits to diversity for diversification processes. The study also provides a new understanding of evolutionary dynamics in long-lived ecosystems