Abstract: We developed an inversion algorithm to determine the Source Time Function and Moment Tensor of intermediate and deep earthquakes from a set of teleseismic body wave records. The method proceeds in two stages. First, a nonlinear inversion by simulated annealing is performed to simultaneously (a) align the waveforms in time, (b) determine a common source time function, and (c) measure a collection of observed station amplitudes. The station amplitudes are then used, in a second stage, as secondary observables to invert for the moment tensors. We perform three different inversions to estimate the complete moment tensor solution, the pure deviatoric solution, and the double-couple solution. All the calculations are extremely simple and, in particular, it is not necessary to compute synthetic seismograms. The method requires well-isolated phases at different stations, which restricts its application to intermediate and deep events. The algorithm is applied to the FDSN broadband records corresponding to the period 1990–2005 of worldwide intermediate and deep seismicity (depth $\ges$100 km) of magnitude greater than 6.5. The source time functions are compared to those obtained from other studies of intermediate and deep events. The moment tensors are also systematically compared to the Harvard-CMT and USGS solutions. Both show a very good agreement with previous studies.

Abstract: Atmospheric O2 trend measurements are used to partition global oceanic and land biotic carbon sinks on a multiannual basis. The underlying principle is that a terrestrial uptake or release of CO2 is accompanied by an opposite flux of O2. The molar ratio of the CO2 and O2 terrestrial fluxes should be 1, if no other elements are considered. However, reactive nitrogen produced by human activities (e.g., fertilizers, N deposition) is also being incorporated into plant tissues. The various reaction pathways of the terrestrial nitrogen cycle cause fluxes of atmospheric O2. Thus the cycles of nitrogen, carbon, and oxygen must be linked together. We report here on previously unconsidered anthropogenic nitrogen-related mechanisms which impact atmospheric O2 trends and thus the derived global carbon sinks. In particular, we speculate that anthropogenic-driven changes are driving the global nitrogen cycle to a more oxidized state, primarily through nitrification, nitrate fertilizer industrial production, and combustion of fossil fuels and anthropogenic biomass burning. The sum of these nitrogen-related processes acts to additionally decrease atmospheric O2 and slightly increase atmospheric CO2. We have calculated that the effective land biotic O2:CO2 molar ratio ranges between 0.76 and 1.04 rather than 1.10 (moles of O2 produced per mole of CO2 consumed) over the period 1993–2003, depending on which of four contrasting nitrogen oxidation and reduction pathway scenarios is used. Using the scenario in which we have most confidence, this implies a 0.23 PgC yr?1 correction to the global land biotic and oceanic carbon sinks of most recently reported estimates over 1993–2003, with the land biotic sink becoming larger and the oceanic sink smaller. We have attributed large uncertainties of 100% to all nitrogen-related O2 and CO2 fluxes and this corresponds up to ±0.09 PgC yr?1 increase in global carbon sink uncertainties. Thus accounting for anthropogenic nitrogen-related terrestrial fluxes of O2 results in a 45% larger land biotic sink of 0.74 ± 0.78 PgC yr?1 and a slightly smaller oceanic sink of 2.01 ± 0.66 PgC yr?1 for the decade 1993–2003.

Abstract: The distribution of the fossil fuel component in atmospheric CO2 cannot be measured directly at a cheap cost. Could anthropogenic tracers with source patterns similar to fossil fuel CO2 then be used for that purpose? Here we present and evaluate a methodology using surrogate tracers, CO, SF6, and C2Cl4, to deduce fossil fuel CO2. A three-dimensional atmospheric chemistry transport model is used to simulate the relationship between each tracer and fossil fuel CO2. In summertime the regression slopes between fossil fuel CO2 and surrogate tracers show large spatial variations for chemically active tracers (CO and C2Cl4), although C2Cl4 presents less scatter than CO. At two tall tower sites in the United States (WLEF, Wisconsin, and WITN, North Carolina), we found that in summertime the C2Cl4 (CO) versus fossil CO2 slope is on average up to 15% (25%) higher than in winter. We show that for C2Cl4 this seasonal variation is due to OH oxidation. For CO the seasonal variation is due to both chemistry and mixing with nonanthropogenic CO sources. In wintertime the three surrogate tracers SF6, C2Cl4, and CO are about equally as good indicators of the presence of fossil CO2. However, our model strongly underestimates the variability of SF6 at both towers, probably because of unaccounted for emissions. Hence poor knowledge of emission distribution hampers the use of SF6 as a surrogate tracer. From a practical point of view we recommend the use of C2Cl4 as a proxy of fossil CO2. We also recommend the use of tracers to separate fossil CO2. Despite the fact that the uncertainty on the regression slope is on the order of 30%, the tracer approach is likely to have less bias than when letting one model with one inventory emission map calculate the fossil CO2 distribution.

Abstract: We present a new three-dimensional Sv wave speed and azimuthal anisotropy model for the upper mantle of eastern Asia constrained by the analysis of more than 17,000 vertical component multimode Rayleigh wave seismograms. This data set allows us to build an upper mantle model for Asia with a horizontal resolution of a few hundred kilometers extending to ?400 km depth. At 75–100 km depth, there is approximately ±9% wave speed perturbation from the “smoothed PREM” reference model used in our analysis, and the pattern of azimuthal anisotropy is complex. Both the amplitude of the Sv wave speed heterogeneity and the complexity and amplitude of the azimuthal anisotropy decrease with depth. Above ?200 km depth the upper mantle structure of the model correlates with surface geology and tectonics; below ?200 km depth the structures primarily reflect the advection of material in the upper mantle. Since shear wave speed is principally controlled by temperature rather than by composition, Vs(z) can be used to calculate the temperature T(z), and hence map the lithospheric thickness. We use the relationship of Priestley and McKenzie to produce a contour map of the lithospheric thickness of eastern Asia from the surface wave tomography. This shows an extensive region of thick lithosphere beneath the Siberian Platform and the West Siberian Basin that extends to the European Platform, forming the stable Eurasian craton or core. The eastern portion of the Eurasian craton has controlled the geometry of continental deformation and the distribution of kimberlites in eastern Asia.

Abstract: We analyze data spanning up to 5 years from 18 continuous GPS stations in Iceland, computing daily positions of the stations with three different high-level geodetic processing software packages. We observe large-scale crustal deformation due to plate spreading across Iceland. The observed plate divergence between the North American and the Eurasian plates is in general agreement with existing models of plate motion. Spreading is taken up within a ?100–150 km wide plate boundary zone that runs through the island. Of the two parallel branches of the plate boundary in south Iceland, the eastern volcanic zone is currently taking up the majority of the spreading and little is left for the western volcanic zone. The plate boundary deformation field has been locally and temporarily affected in south Iceland by two M w = 6.5 earthquakes in June 2000, inflation at Katla volcano during 2000 to 2004, and an eruption of Hekla volcano in February 2000. All stations with significant vertical velocities are moving up relative to the reference station REYK, with the highest velocity exceeding 20 mm/yr in the center of the island.