Abstract not available

La Belgique et les régions voisines sont situées loin des limites des plaques tectoniques, pourtant, l'activité sismique y démontre l'existence de phénomènes géodynamiques récents. Le séisme historique le plus important (magnitude 6 ¼) au nord des Alpes s'est produit le 18 septembre 1692 dans le nord de l'Ardenne et a été fortement destructeur dans la région de Verviers, provoquant des dégâts légers jusqu'à Londres. L'étude de l'activité sismique en Ardenne et l'identification de failles actives en lien avec la tectonique active régionale est donc primordiale pour la caractérisation du cadre séismotectonique et donc de l'évaluation de l'aléa sismique de la région. L'activité sismique depuis 1985, date de l'installation du réseau sismique moderne en Belgique, a été étudiée en matière de localisation relative des séismes et de caractérisation de leur distribution spatiale en relation avec les mécanismes au foyer. Cette étude a été effectuée après adaptation, comparaison et évaluation de la qualité des différents algorithmes de relocalisation disponibles. Une structuration de l'Ardenne a été mise en évidence en étudiant la relation entre la distribution géographique et la profondeur d'occurrence des séismes. Différents alignements des foyers sismiques et le lien avec une structure plane ont été déterminés, par exemple dans la région de Charleroi, sous les Hautes-Fagnes ou dans la région de Manderfeld. La corrélation entre les structures de la croûte sous l'Ardenne mises en évidence par les grandes études géophysiques dans les années 70-80 et la distribution géographique des séismes illustrent le rôle important joué par la Zone Faillée de Hockai, qui limite l'Ardenne en terme de propriétés rhéologiques déduites de la profondeur des foyers sismiques. Nous montrons aussi la faiblesse de l'hypothèse affirmant que la Faille du Midi accommode la déformation actuelle dans nos régions. De même, la corrélation entre les anomalies magnétiques et gravimétriques de la croûte sous l'Ardenne a été étudiée qualitativement. Les causes et conséquences du soulèvement Cénozoïque ont été critiquées objectivement. Cette première partie permet de dessiner un cadre séismotectonique bien défini en Ardenne. L'identification de failles actives sur le terrain en Ardenne est compliquée par le faible taux de déformation qu'elle subi. Les grands tremblements de terre sont peu fréquents et leur trace éventuelle à la surface est rapidement effacée par l'érosion et l'altération. La Zone Faillée de Hockai (ZFH), siège supposé du séisme de 1692, a été étudiée par des méthodes de prospections géophysiques le long d'un profil de 6 km sur la Crête de la Vecquée. Différentes structures ont pu être mises en évidence, certaines en lien avec la stratigraphie et d'autres avec des structures faillées orientées dans une direction similaire à celles connues pour la ZFH. Ce premier profil d'envergure donne des arguments importants pour la recherche de failles actives en lien avec la ZFH au niveau de la Crête de la Vecquée et leur lien potentiel avec la séquence de séismes de 1989-1990.

Die geodätischen Beobachtungsverfahren leisten auf verschiedene Weise Beiträge zur Erforschung des Systems Erde: Einerseits beobachten sie die rezenten Prozesse und ihre zeitlichen Variationen direkt, andererseit liefert sie die Grundlage für die konsistente Betrachtung aller Einflüsse in einem einheitlichen geometrischen und gravimetrischen Bezug. Das Projekt des Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) der Internationalen Assoziation für Geodäsie (IAG) soll die Voraussetzungen zur Vereinigung der verschiedenen geodätischen Beobachtungsverfahren, Modelle und Auswertemethoden mit dem Ziel schaffen, mit einem konsistenten Satz geodätischer Parameter ein hochgenaues Monitoring des Systems Erde zu ermöglichen. Die Realisierung geodätischer Bezugssysteme mit höchsten Genauigkeitsansprüchen ist in diesem Kontext eine zentrale Aufgabe des GGOS und Thema der vorliegenden Arbeit. In der derzeit üblichen Darstellung umfasst eine Realisierung des Terrestrischen Referenzsystems (TRS) Stationspositionen zu einer spezifischen Epoche und ihre linearen Änderungen mit der Zeit. In diesem Konzept führen alle nichtlinearen Stationsbewegungen zu residualen Abweichungen, die geowissenschaftlich interpretiert werden können. Der natürliche Ursprung eines globalen TRS, so auch des International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS), liegt im Massezentrum des Systems Erde (CM). Mit Hilfe dynamischer Satellitenverfahren, wie GPS, lässt sich dieser Ursprung aus geodätischen Beobachtungen realisieren. In einem konsistenten Ausgleichungsansatz werden Satellitenbahnen, Stationspositionen und die in Kugelflächenfunktionen niedrigen Grades modellierte Auflastdeformation gemeinsam geschätzt. Die Grundlage der Realisierung des ITRS bilden in einem gemeinsamen Projekt der TU Dresden, der TU München und des GFZ Potsdam reprozessierte Beobachtungen eines über 200 Stationen umfassenden globalen GPS-Netzes des Beobachtungszeitraums 1994 bis 2007. Nach der Vorstellung der Grundprinzipien des GPS und seiner wesentlichen Fehlereinflüsse erfolgt die Beschreibung der Analyse der Beobachtungsdaten selbst. Sie umfasst die einheitliche Auswertung über den gesamten Zeitraum sowie Verbesserungen in der Modellierung der atmosphärischen Einflüsse und der Charakteristika der Sende- und Empfangsantennen sowie die Nutzung der Normalgleichungen zu Realisierung des ITRS. Der abgeleitete Terrestrische Referenzrahmen (TRF) wird Potsdam-Dresden-Reprocessing 2007 (PDR07) genannt. Zur Beurteilung der Genauigkeit und Zuverlässigkeit dieses TRF werden umfangreiche Analysen durchgeführt. So wird der PDR07 u.a. mit weiteren Realisierungen des ITRS, dem ITRF2000, dem ITRF2005 und den Realisierungen des International GNSS Service (IGS) IGb00 und IGS05, verglichen. Für eine Vielzahl geodynamischer Anwendungen werden GPS-Stationen in Messkampagnen beobachtet. Die hochgenaue Realisierung des ITRS in diesen regionalen GPS-Netzen ist für die geodynamische Interpretation der Ergebnisse zwingend erforderlich. Am Beispiel eines regionalen GPS-Netzes in der Antarktis wird untersucht, wie sich das ITRS in derartigen Netzen realisieren lässt und mit welcher Genauigkeit lineare Stationsbewegungen aus Kampagnenmessungen abgeleitet werden können. Im Anschluss werden die erhaltenen Bewegungsraten geodynamisch interpretiert: Aus den horizontalen Bewegungsraten wird die Bewegung der Antarktischen Kontinentalplatte im Konzept der Globaltektonik bestimmt und ihre innere Stabilität bewertet. Die vertikalen Stationsbewegungen werden genutzt, um Aussagen über rezente Krustendeformationen aufgrund glazialisostatischer Ausgleichsbewegungen und rezenter Massenvariationen des antarktischen Eises zu treffen. / The geodetic observation techniques contribute in several ways to the research of the system Earth: On the one hand they observe the recent processes and their variations in time directly, on the other hand they provide the basis for a consistent description of all effects in a consistent geometrical and gravimetrical reference. Within the project Global Geodetic Observing System (GGOS) of the International Association of Geodesy (IAG) the prerequisites for the combination of geodetic observation techniques, models and analysis strategies shall be created in order to enable a high accurate monitoring of the system Earth with consistent geodetic parameters. In this context the realization of geodetic reference systems with highest accuracy is a central task of the GGOS and subject of this thesis. At present, a common realization of the Terrestrial Reference System (TRS) consists of station positions according to a specific epoch and their linear changes with time. In this concept non-linear station motions yield to residual variations, which may be used for geoscientific interpretations. The natural origin of a global TRS, and this is also the case for the International Terrestrial Reference System (ITRS), is the center of mass of the system Earth (CM). This origin can be realized by observations of dynamic satellite techniques, such as GPS. In a consistent approach satellite orbits, stations positions and the lower degrees of harmonic surface mass load coefficients are estimated simultaneously. The ITRS is realized based on reprocessed observations of a global GPS network. In a joint effort TU Dresden, TU München and GFZ Potsdam analyzed the data of more than 200 stations of the observation time span 1994 to 2007. After an introduction to the basic principles of GPS and its major error sources the data analysis is described. This covers a homogeneous analysis over the entire period, improvements in atmosphere modeling and antenna phase center modeling as well as the usage of normal equations for the ITRS realization. The determined Terrestrial Reference Frame (TRF) is named Potsdam-Dresden-Reprocessing 2007 (PDR07). In order to assess the accuracy and stability of this TRF a variety of analyses is performed. For example, PDR07 is compared to other ITRS realizations, such as the ITRF2000, the ITRF2005 as well as the realizations of the International GNSS Service (IGS) IGb00 and IGS05. GPS campaign observations are often used to investigate geodynamic phenomena. The realization of the ITRS with highest accuracy in these regional GPS networks is essential for the geodynamic interpretation of the results. A regional GPS network in Antarctica is used to investigate the optimal way to realize the ITRS in such networks and the accuracy of linear station rates determined from campaign observations. Subsequently, the station rates are used for geodynamic interpretations: The horizontal station rates are used to determine the movement of the Antarctic Plate in the concept of global plate kinematics and to assess the inner stability of the Antarctic Plate. The vertical station rates are used to evaluate recent crustal deformations caused by glacial isostatic adjustment and recent mass changes of the Antarctic ice sheet.

Beitrag zu geodätischen Arbeiten im Gebiet des subglazialen Lake Vostok anläßlich einer Festschrift zum 65. Geburtstag von Prof. Reinhard Dietrich.

Longmen Shan Mountain Belt is a prominent orogeny along the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau. Its current deformation has significant implications for the Cenozoic tectonics of the Tibetan plateau. The M=8 Wenchuan earthquake substantially ruptured the Longmen Shan mountain in 2008. Numerous tectonics and rheological implications are concluded by this event on crustal dynamics along the eastern margin of the Tibetan plateau. Several high-resolution gravity surveys were conducted before and after the event to investigate the regional isostasy and crustal dynamics. From 2008 to 2011, four gravimetric surveys were carried out along two profiles across southern and northern Longmen Shan from the Sichuan Basin to the Songpan-Graze Terrane. The Bouguer gravity anomalies drop from -162 mGal to -431 mGal in the Aba Basin with a steep gradient of 0.84 mGal/km. There is a significant increase of crustal thickness from 40 km in the Sichuan to more than 60 km in the Tibetan plateau. Negative isostatic anomaly of -30 mGal over 150 km of the Songpan-Graze Terrane infers an over-compensation of excess crustal thickness up to 20 km. Hence, upward isostatic rebound is resulted and coupled with on-going crustal movement. Gravity values change significantly before and after the Wenchuan earthquake, ranging from -1.2 mGal to 0.7 mGal near the epicentral area. Significant thrust slip of 7.5m and normal slip of 4.5 m were simulated along the Beichuan fault and Wenchuan fault by an elastic dislocation theory. The co-existence of thrusting and normal faulting implies both compressional and extensional settings along Longmen Shan. The normal slip corroborates a large-scale crustal extension, lending support to a model with the inflation of lower crustal flow. The two-year post-seismic gravity variations were more than 0.1 mGal near the epicentral area. About 25% of them could be attributed to viscoelastic mantle relaxation. The dynamics topography along the eastern margin of the plateau is proposed to be a consequence of lower crustal flow squeezed by isostatic rebound and topographic load. The strong Yangtze Block is thought to obstruct the crustal flow horizontally and direct it to flow upward beneath Longmen Shan. The steep topography and seismicity along Longmen Shan are then resulted probably from the vertical stress induced in this upward flow. / published_or_final_version / Earth Sciences / Doctoral / Doctor of Philosophy

No description available.

This thesis describes the development and production of numerical simulations of the creation of a Hot Dry Rock (HDR) geothermal reservoir. This geothermal reservoir that was simulated is owned by Geodynamics Limited and is located in the Cooper Basin, South Australia. The simulations show the geometry of the geothermal reservoir and predict the productive lifespan of the reservoir. Geothermal energy, which is the thermal energy that is stored in the interior of the earth, is an enormous energy source and as such there is great interest in technology that allows this energy to be harnessed. The HDR process of extracting the geothermal energy from rock involves drilling a borehole to a suitable depth and injecting cold water into the rock via this well (known as the injection well) to create a reservoir by opening up fractures in the rock. As water is forced through the reservoir, heat is extracted from the rock via conduction and transferred to the water, creating an heat exchange. Warm water is brought to the surface via another well known as the extraction well. The heat from the water is used to generate electricity and then the water is fed back into the injection well, completing the cycle. The creation of a HDR geothermal reservoir comprises of many aspects: the injection of the fluid into the jointed rock system, the opening and shearing of the joints, the creation of the fluid reservoir in the rock and the temperature effects of the fluid flow through the joints. This work incorporates all of these aspects. Due to the multi-physics nature of this process multiple computational modelling strategies were implemented to allow for authentic simulation of the entire process. The mechanical rock behaviour was primarily simulated the Distinct Element Method. This two dimensional Distinct Element Method program allowed for a realistically scaled model of the whole geothermal reservoir to be developed. This model was particularly useful for modelling the joint behaviour as the discrete nature of this method compares well with the joint system on such a scale. A discrete particle based model was used to model the joint behaviour on a small scale. These models demonstrated the behaviour of joints under compressional strain, showing slip and the effects of joint dilatancy. The productive lifespan of the geothermal reservoir was modelled using a Finite Element Method program based on Darcy's Law and an height-averaged heat equation. The aim of this model was to simulate the effects on the rock temperature of the fluid flow through the reservoir. The lifespan of the reservoir with differing well geometries was tested using this model to show which geometry would extend the productive lifetime of the geothermal reservoir. The results produced from the DEM models showed that the reservoir geometry is very much dependent upon the joint angle, and under the Cooper Basin stress regime steeper joints will be more likely to open. Joint dilatancy also affects the fluid flow rates as the amount of joint opening is dependent upon the joint dilatancy angle. The modelling of the temperature drawdown of the rock due to the fluid flow showed that a square configuration of wells is the ideal configuration to prolong the productive lifespan of the HDR geothermal reservoir. Results produced with the modelling parameters provided by Geodynamics Limited indicate that the productive lifespan of the Cooper Basin HDR geothermal reservoir created is approximately 50 years. This reservoir is only one of many that can be created at the site to prolong the productivity of the energy plant. The combined results of this modelling strategy give an overall image of the creation and lifetime of the HDR geothermal energy plant in the Cooper Basin.

This thesis describes the development and production of numerical simulations of the creation of a Hot Dry Rock (HDR) geothermal reservoir. This geothermal reservoir that was simulated is owned by Geodynamics Limited and is located in the Cooper Basin, South Australia. The simulations show the geometry of the geothermal reservoir and predict the productive lifespan of the reservoir. Geothermal energy, which is the thermal energy that is stored in the interior of the earth, is an enormous energy source and as such there is great interest in technology that allows this energy to be harnessed. The HDR process of extracting the geothermal energy from rock involves drilling a borehole to a suitable depth and injecting cold water into the rock via this well (known as the injection well) to create a reservoir by opening up fractures in the rock. As water is forced through the reservoir, heat is extracted from the rock via conduction and transferred to the water, creating an heat exchange. Warm water is brought to the surface via another well known as the extraction well. The heat from the water is used to generate electricity and then the water is fed back into the injection well, completing the cycle. The creation of a HDR geothermal reservoir comprises of many aspects: the injection of the fluid into the jointed rock system, the opening and shearing of the joints, the creation of the fluid reservoir in the rock and the temperature effects of the fluid flow through the joints. This work incorporates all of these aspects. Due to the multi-physics nature of this process multiple computational modelling strategies were implemented to allow for authentic simulation of the entire process. The mechanical rock behaviour was primarily simulated the Distinct Element Method. This two dimensional Distinct Element Method program allowed for a realistically scaled model of the whole geothermal reservoir to be developed. This model was particularly useful for modelling the joint behaviour as the discrete nature of this method compares well with the joint system on such a scale. A discrete particle based model was used to model the joint behaviour on a small scale. These models demonstrated the behaviour of joints under compressional strain, showing slip and the effects of joint dilatancy. The productive lifespan of the geothermal reservoir was modelled using a Finite Element Method program based on Darcy's Law and an height-averaged heat equation. The aim of this model was to simulate the effects on the rock temperature of the fluid flow through the reservoir. The lifespan of the reservoir with differing well geometries was tested using this model to show which geometry would extend the productive lifetime of the geothermal reservoir. The results produced from the DEM models showed that the reservoir geometry is very much dependent upon the joint angle, and under the Cooper Basin stress regime steeper joints will be more likely to open. Joint dilatancy also affects the fluid flow rates as the amount of joint opening is dependent upon the joint dilatancy angle. The modelling of the temperature drawdown of the rock due to the fluid flow showed that a square configuration of wells is the ideal configuration to prolong the productive lifespan of the HDR geothermal reservoir. Results produced with the modelling parameters provided by Geodynamics Limited indicate that the productive lifespan of the Cooper Basin HDR geothermal reservoir created is approximately 50 years. This reservoir is only one of many that can be created at the site to prolong the productivity of the energy plant. The combined results of this modelling strategy give an overall image of the creation and lifetime of the HDR geothermal energy plant in the Cooper Basin.

This thesis describes the development and production of numerical simulations of the creation of a Hot Dry Rock (HDR) geothermal reservoir. This geothermal reservoir that was simulated is owned by Geodynamics Limited and is located in the Cooper Basin, South Australia. The simulations show the geometry of the geothermal reservoir and predict the productive lifespan of the reservoir. Geothermal energy, which is the thermal energy that is stored in the interior of the earth, is an enormous energy source and as such there is great interest in technology that allows this energy to be harnessed. The HDR process of extracting the geothermal energy from rock involves drilling a borehole to a suitable depth and injecting cold water into the rock via this well (known as the injection well) to create a reservoir by opening up fractures in the rock. As water is forced through the reservoir, heat is extracted from the rock via conduction and transferred to the water, creating an heat exchange. Warm water is brought to the surface via another well known as the extraction well. The heat from the water is used to generate electricity and then the water is fed back into the injection well, completing the cycle. The creation of a HDR geothermal reservoir comprises of many aspects: the injection of the fluid into the jointed rock system, the opening and shearing of the joints, the creation of the fluid reservoir in the rock and the temperature effects of the fluid flow through the joints. This work incorporates all of these aspects. Due to the multi-physics nature of this process multiple computational modelling strategies were implemented to allow for authentic simulation of the entire process. The mechanical rock behaviour was primarily simulated the Distinct Element Method. This two dimensional Distinct Element Method program allowed for a realistically scaled model of the whole geothermal reservoir to be developed. This model was particularly useful for modelling the joint behaviour as the discrete nature of this method compares well with the joint system on such a scale. A discrete particle based model was used to model the joint behaviour on a small scale. These models demonstrated the behaviour of joints under compressional strain, showing slip and the effects of joint dilatancy. The productive lifespan of the geothermal reservoir was modelled using a Finite Element Method program based on Darcy's Law and an height-averaged heat equation. The aim of this model was to simulate the effects on the rock temperature of the fluid flow through the reservoir. The lifespan of the reservoir with differing well geometries was tested using this model to show which geometry would extend the productive lifetime of the geothermal reservoir. The results produced from the DEM models showed that the reservoir geometry is very much dependent upon the joint angle, and under the Cooper Basin stress regime steeper joints will be more likely to open. Joint dilatancy also affects the fluid flow rates as the amount of joint opening is dependent upon the joint dilatancy angle. The modelling of the temperature drawdown of the rock due to the fluid flow showed that a square configuration of wells is the ideal configuration to prolong the productive lifespan of the HDR geothermal reservoir. Results produced with the modelling parameters provided by Geodynamics Limited indicate that the productive lifespan of the Cooper Basin HDR geothermal reservoir created is approximately 50 years. This reservoir is only one of many that can be created at the site to prolong the productivity of the energy plant. The combined results of this modelling strategy give an overall image of the creation and lifetime of the HDR geothermal energy plant in the Cooper Basin.

This thesis describes the development and production of numerical simulations of the creation of a Hot Dry Rock (HDR) geothermal reservoir. This geothermal reservoir that was simulated is owned by Geodynamics Limited and is located in the Cooper Basin, South Australia. The simulations show the geometry of the geothermal reservoir and predict the productive lifespan of the reservoir. Geothermal energy, which is the thermal energy that is stored in the interior of the earth, is an enormous energy source and as such there is great interest in technology that allows this energy to be harnessed. The HDR process of extracting the geothermal energy from rock involves drilling a borehole to a suitable depth and injecting cold water into the rock via this well (known as the injection well) to create a reservoir by opening up fractures in the rock. As water is forced through the reservoir, heat is extracted from the rock via conduction and transferred to the water, creating an heat exchange. Warm water is brought to the surface via another well known as the extraction well. The heat from the water is used to generate electricity and then the water is fed back into the injection well, completing the cycle. The creation of a HDR geothermal reservoir comprises of many aspects: the injection of the fluid into the jointed rock system, the opening and shearing of the joints, the creation of the fluid reservoir in the rock and the temperature effects of the fluid flow through the joints. This work incorporates all of these aspects. Due to the multi-physics nature of this process multiple computational modelling strategies were implemented to allow for authentic simulation of the entire process. The mechanical rock behaviour was primarily simulated the Distinct Element Method. This two dimensional Distinct Element Method program allowed for a realistically scaled model of the whole geothermal reservoir to be developed. This model was particularly useful for modelling the joint behaviour as the discrete nature of this method compares well with the joint system on such a scale. A discrete particle based model was used to model the joint behaviour on a small scale. These models demonstrated the behaviour of joints under compressional strain, showing slip and the effects of joint dilatancy. The productive lifespan of the geothermal reservoir was modelled using a Finite Element Method program based on Darcy's Law and an height-averaged heat equation. The aim of this model was to simulate the effects on the rock temperature of the fluid flow through the reservoir. The lifespan of the reservoir with differing well geometries was tested using this model to show which geometry would extend the productive lifetime of the geothermal reservoir. The results produced from the DEM models showed that the reservoir geometry is very much dependent upon the joint angle, and under the Cooper Basin stress regime steeper joints will be more likely to open. Joint dilatancy also affects the fluid flow rates as the amount of joint opening is dependent upon the joint dilatancy angle. The modelling of the temperature drawdown of the rock due to the fluid flow showed that a square configuration of wells is the ideal configuration to prolong the productive lifespan of the HDR geothermal reservoir. Results produced with the modelling parameters provided by Geodynamics Limited indicate that the productive lifespan of the Cooper Basin HDR geothermal reservoir created is approximately 50 years. This reservoir is only one of many that can be created at the site to prolong the productivity of the energy plant. The combined results of this modelling strategy give an overall image of the creation and lifetime of the HDR geothermal energy plant in the Cooper Basin.