Abstract: Oil and gas exploration conducted in the main fault zone of the Fuman Oilfield has yielded large-scale and high-production results. Against this background, the non-fault zone has emerged as a new domain for oil exploration endeavors. Nevertheless, the establishment of a unified sequence division scheme for the study area remains unachieved, primarily constrained by two key factors: first, the high costs associated with ultra-deep high-density coring operations; and second, the inconspicuous response characteristics exhibited by logging curves. This absence of a standardized scheme has further impeded the progress of oil and gas exploration in the non-main fault inter-region within the study area. Consequently, the present study is based on multi-source data, including seismic data, logging data, and field outcrop data. The magnetic susceptibility of the cement plant section and the natural gamma data sequence of the Yangjikan section were measured for cyclostratigraphy analysis. The sedimentary noise model was introduced to reconstruct the sea level, and the sequence division scheme of the Fuman area was discussed. The results show that the Middle-Lower Ordovician Yijianfang Formation-Penglaiba Formation preserves relatively intact astronomical signals. The DYNOT model reconstructs a good correspondence between sea level rise and fall and field characteristics, which can be used as a new method for sequence division in this area. Finally, the third-order and fourth-order sequence division schemes in Fuman area are proposed. The Yijianfang Formation-Penglaiba Formation is divided into 4 third-order sequences and 11 fourth-order sequences, which provides a basis for the characterization of dominant facies belts in Fuman area and regional exploration between non-faults.

Abstract: In 2023-2025, a research named “Application of nuclear, seismic and infrasound methods for assessing climate change and mitigating the effects of climate change” was conducted in Kazakhstan under the Targeted Funding Program. The main task of the research was to create an observation network for processes occurring in the glaciers of the high Tien Shan. Seismic and infrasound methods were used for signal recording, and meteorological data was additionally used for the analysis. A network of seismic, infrasound and meteorological stations has been installed near the large glaciers of Tien Shan in Kazakhstan. The paper presents the results of the recorded data in terms of seismic and infrasound noise levels, its daily variations, and the relationship between noise and changes in temperature and wind speed. The threshold of the expected minimal magnitude and energy classes of glacial earthquakes for day and night was assessed. Seismic and infrasound monitoring has proven to be a reliable, all-season and all-weather tool for monitoring the dynamics of glacial processes. Among huge number of recorded glacial events, more than 4,000 have been located, and a seismic bulletin that includes information on location, magnitude and energy class of each even has been compiled.

Abstract: New Zealand, located along the boundary between the Pacific and Australian plates, is among the most seismically active regions in the world. In such an area, reliable short-term forecasting of strong aftershocks is essential for seismic risk mitigation. In this study, we apply NESTORE (NExt STRong Related Earthquake), a machine learning probabilistic forecasting algorithm, to the New Zealand earthquake catalogue to evaluate the probability that a mainshock of magnitude Mm will be followed by an event of magnitude ≥ Mm –1 within a defined space–time window. NESTORE uses nine features describing early post-mainshock seismicity and outputs the probability that a cluster is Type A (i.e., containing a strong aftershock) or not (Type B). We assess performance using two testing strategies: chronological training–testing splits and k-fold cross-validation, and refine the training set using the REPENESE outlier-detection procedure. The k-fold approach proves more robust than the chronological one, despite changes in catalogue characteristics over time. Eighteen hours after the mainshock, NESTORE correctly classified 88% of clusters (77% for Type A and 92% for Type B). Notably, the highly destructive 2010–2011 Canterbury–Christchurch sequence was correctly identified as Type A. These findings support the applicability of NESTORE for short-term aftershock forecasting in New Zealand.

Abstract: Analysing seismic data with modern statistical methods has opened up the possibility of predicting major earthquakes and those of specific magnitudes. However, comprehensive analysis for each location is particularly labour-intensive, while such data necessitates continuous observation. It is therefore desirable to detect anomalies with ease. We demonstrate that this objective can be achieved not by examining complex regional ge-ometries, but simply by dividing the study area into a mesh. Moreover, unexpected properties emerged from the data collected in this manner, which we also present.

Abstract: During the magmatic stage, base and rarer metals segregate from silicate melts to form ore deposits. The usual case is the porphyry (PD) type (Cu, Mo, W) above subduction zones. The metal grade increases from some ppb or ppm up to percent levels. A new type of trans-porphyry (TPD) deposits (Sn, Ta, Nb, gems) results from large-scale shear between cratons within continental plates, internal decoupling and vertical motion. The bulk ore generation process develops along three stages, from magma generation; emplacement; and formation of an immiscible magmatic phase (MIP), fluids and melt. However, in TPD, metals segregate from the crust during melting below 800 °C, breakdown of biotites, and the melt remains below the critical point (731 °C). Fluids advection competes with chemical diffusion yielding the required enrichment. The subcritical MIP splits into a silicate-rich and an aqueous rich phase, both incompatible with each other. Granite, pegmatites and greisen coexist in the magma chamber. Their respective extraction from a composite mush involves electrons exchanges between charges, or orbitals, yielding metal oxides through chemical diffusion. In contrast, metals (Nb, Ta) observed in pegmatites, and also in gems, electrons rearrange their electronic cloud through its polarizability. At last, gems independently grow under the influence of the extremely hard fluids (Li, Be, B). Magma generation, involving the lower crust (garnet, pyroxene) result in melts that form the two observed pegmatites groups (NYF, LCT)., each being associated with alkaline (A-type) or continental (S-type) granitic melts.

Abstract: The TCGS-SEQUENTION framework, a timeless ontology constructed upon a 4D "timeless counterspace" (C) from which the observable 3D world (Σ) is projected, has historically faced the central empirical challenge of distinguishing true 4D "slice-invariants" from 3D "foliation-dependent artifacts." This report, an augmented version of our foundational synthesis, demonstrates that this challenge is now met by a robust, two-pillar empirical foundation from the geological sciences. Pillar I (The Slice) utilizes the geochemical analysis of Chicxulub impact spherules. This work provides a non-trivial anchor for the framework’s core *ontology*, by chemically separating, within a single co-genetic set of samples, a static, mass-independent *source invariant* (the 17-25% impactor contribution) from a dynamic, mass-dependent *process artifact* (the δ25Mg fractionation signature). Pillar II (The Foliation) utilizes the geophysical analysis of the Geological Time Scale. This work provides an anchor for the framework’s core *geometry*, demonstrating that the "timeline" of geological events is not a human convention but a "scaling (hence hierarchical) ’megaclimate’ regime" with a quantifiable "multifractal" structure. We demonstrate that the "Compound Multifractal-Poisson Process" (CMPP) proposed by Lovejoy et al. is a direct, testable empirical model of the TCGS projection mechanism (X : C → Σ). Together, these findings provide a powerful, multi-domain validation of the framework’s core axioms (A2, A3, A4) and its associated "Gravito-Capillary Foam" model.

Abstract: The article presents the results of research conducted on several rare metal deposits and ore occurrences within the North-Western Kalba region (Eastern Kazakhstan). The high demand for rare metals such as Li, Ta, Cs, Be, Sn, and the limited study of this region, are the driving factors behind the interest in this area. The article provides data on the geological structure of several ore occurrences, as well as the results of mineralogical and geochemical studies of granites, pegmatites, and greisen. Based on the analysis of the obtained results, it is concluded that all the rare metal deposits in North-Western Kalba formed through a unified process of differentiation of the parental magmas of the Kalba granite complex. It is suggested that the North-Western Kalba region could be considered promising for the discovery of new rare metal deposits.

Abstract: Modern statistical techniques allow quantitative characterization of seismic activity. Analysis of the 2011 Tohoku megathrust earthquake revealed clear precursory signals: shortened inter-event intervals, increased magnitude scale (σ), and a pronounced precur-sory swarm immediately before the mainshock. While unique to this magnitude 9 event, here I present subtler anomalies may precede magnitude 7-class events, especially when swarms occur. In such cases, magnitude distributions often differ from background seis-micity, frequently showing elevated location (μ) and scale (σ). Conversely, σ was some-times reduced, particularly in volcanic regions, where large earthquakes may occur with-out discernible swarms. Detection of swarm activity and analysis of magnitude parame-ters thus remain central to seismic risk assessment. If swarm characteristics resemble background levels, the likelihood of a major event is presumably low. However, the dis-tinct, immediate precursory swarm observed before the Tohoku earthquake was not repli-cated elsewhere. These findings indicate that statistical anomalies may signal elevated risk but are unlikely to enable precise temporal prediction of seismic events.

Abstract: Based on the author's self-developed Seismo-Geothermal Theory (SGT) system, this paper uses the M 4.0+ earthquake catalog of China and surrounding areas from the California Earthquake Center, USA, to determine the geographical and three-dimensional spatial distribution characteristics of earthquakes and volcanoes in the study area, the temporal progression of sub-crustal earthquakes, and the relationship between the stratified activity of Seismic Cone Tectonics (SCT) and strong intra-crustal earthquakes. It conducts detailed yet concise studies on 6 SCTs closely related to the study area, preliminarily depicting the surrounding environment of seismic activity in China, and introduces the concept of the upper mantle T-type tectonic belt, which spans the junction of the Pacific Ocean and the Eurasian continent. Operating in the mode of "T-type tectonic belt providing energy for the SCT driving layer → active layer conversion → energy storage layer accumulation → dissipation layer rupture leading to intra-crustal strong earthquakes and/or volcanic eruptions", it may become a powerful driver and source of power for seismic activity in China and surrounding areas. Sub-crustal earthquakes are an important geophysical parameter of the upper mantle that can currently be detected by human seismic instruments, and the stratified activity ε₀ values of sub-crustal earthquakes may also become a predictive indicator for strong intra-crustal earthquakes. On this basis, it may be possible to use multiple precursor indicators to explore the possibility of future moderate to strong seismic activity in the study area, contributing to mitigating disasters caused by intra-crustal strong earthquakes and volcanic eruptions.

Abstract: Long-term monitoring of radon (222Rn) and thoron (220Rn) radioactive gases has been used in earthquake forecasting. Seismic activity before earthquakes raise the levels of these gases, causing abnormalities in the baseline values of Radon and Thoron Time Series (RTTS) data. This study reports applications of Kernel Density Estimation (KDE) and Wavelet-Based Density Estimation (WBDE) to detect anomalies in radon, thoron, and meteorological time-series data. Anomalies appearing in the RTTS data have been assessed for their potential correlation with seismic events. Using KDE and WBDE, radon anomalies were observed on March 12, August 15, September 17, in the year 2017, and January 19, 2018. Thoron anomalies were recorded on March 12, August 15, September 17, 2017, and February 28, 2018. Irregularities in RTTS were observed several days before seismic events. Anomalies in RTTS, detected using KDE, successfully correlated five out of nine seismic events while WBDE identified four anomalies in RTTS which were successfully correlated with the corresponding seismic events. The wavelet transform has been used to reduce noise at higher decomposition levels in radon and thoron time series. Findings of the study reveal the potential of radon and thoron time series that can be used as precursors for earthquake forecasting.

Abstract: Saudi Arabia is experiencing interactions between ongoing urbanization, tourism growth, infrastructure projects in western regions along the Red Sea, and volcanic hazards. The area contains extensive monogenetic volcanic fields with hundreds of volcanoes formed during the Quaternary period. The large scale of the region contributes to volcanological research often being limited and fragmented, resulting in insufficient age and chemical data for understanding the spatial and temporal development of many volcanic fields. Increased tourism has created a need for volcanic hazard as-sessments, particularly since some volcanic fields are considered as possible tourist destinations. Harrat Lunayyir, in northwestern Saudi Arabia, is an example where such assessments have been conducted. Hazard assessments seek to provide infor-mation about potential future eruption types, locations, and impacts over timeframes relevant to urban planning and risk management. Due to rapid local development, these assessments may be required on short notice for specific small areas within larg-er volcanic fields, even when geological data are limited. This report presents a deter-ministic, scenario-based method for addressing such requests in the Lunayyir Volcanic Field. Results indicate a young Holocene eruption site characterized by a complex sco-ria cone associated with lava spattering, Strombolian, violent Strombolian activity and extensive transitional type lava effusion.

Abstract:

The Itombwe belt is a North-South oriented structure which belongs to the Neoproterozoic rift system of central Africa including at least four troughs folded during the Pan-African orogeny. This Neoproterozoic rift located inside the Congo craton is tectonically dependent of the far away (400 to 800 km) Pan-African belts surrounding the Congo Craton. The N-S opening of this Itombwe structure around 662 Ma and its folding by 550 Ma is linked to the eastern Pan-African Mozambique belt and to the Southern Lufilian belt (Katanga). This study includes geological observations from the thin section to the regional scale deformations. The model is compared to similar regional rift systems such as the Tertiary Mid-European and the East African rifts. An overall geodynamic explanation based on field studies and radiometric data is proposed.

Abstract: The seismicity of the Salton Trough area over the past 2,000 years has been linked to the repeated flooding of Lake Cahuilla, whose modern successor is the Salton Sea, suggesting that the lake's water content may have triggered seismicity through the propagation of pore pressure. In this paper, earthquake data since 1900 are analyzed to compare this hypothesis with the alternative that seismicity is triggered by groundwater recharge. Statistical methods were used to assess the degree of time correlation between the occurrence of Mw≥5.7 earthquakes, Salton Sea level fluctuations, and subsurface water recharge, using the Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) as a proxy. The results show that only PDSI correlates well with seismicity, indicating that groundwater recharge should be preferred over Salton Sea level rise as a possible triggering factor. In particular, the drastic drop in seismicity over the past 38 years (just one earthquake compared to 14 in the previous 88 years, averaging one every 6.3 years) may be related to the series of extreme drought phases of the last few decades, particularly to the megadrought of 2000-2021. A similar correlation applies to the rest of Southern California, leading to the postulation of large-scale processes that act beyond strictly local climate and geological conditions. The statistical result is not sufficient to prove a causal relationship, but it may help guide further investigations. It suggests focusing on mechanisms related to the infiltration of meteoric water at depth rather than on water accumulation in the lake.

Abstract: The Nezamabad Fault System (NFS) in the Fars area of the Zagros Fold–Thrust Belt represents a persistent, basement-rooted transverse shear zone that fundamentally controls the regional hydrocarbon system. This study integrates seismicity distribution, isopach analysis, and tectono-stratigraphic modeling from the Triassic to the Cenozoic to unravel how recurrent basement reactivation governs trap evolution. Isopach maps reveal a pronounced southwest-thickening asymmetry, with Triassic successions exceeding 1,400 meters, indicating long-term differential subsidence during four key phases: (1) Triassic syn-rift salt accumulation (Dashtak Formation) forming the primary detachment; (2) Jurassic–Early Cretaceous passive subsidence promoting source rock deposition; (3) Mid-Cretaceous transpression enhancing reservoir dolomitization; and (4) Late Cretaceous–Cenozoic inversion generating hybrid traps. Seismicity analysis of over 240 events confirms the 256-km-long NFS is a crustal-scale structure, with most foci at 10–33 km depth and others extending to 150 km, implying lithospheric stress transfer. This deep-crustal activity has periodically reorganized stress, enhanced fracture permeability, and rejuvenated traps through seismic pumping and cross-scale mechanical coupling. The results demonstrate that hydrocarbons in the Fars area are not a passive outcome of folding but a dynamic expression of lithospheric coupling. The findings establish a predictive framework for identifying analogous basement-influenced petroleum systems in other foreland fold–thrust belts worldwide.

Abstract: This paper presents the development of OpenCHIRP, an innovative subbottom profiler (SBP) designed for high-resolution seismic reflection surveys in shallow-water marine and lacustrine environments. The instrument employs chirped (frequency- modulated) im-pulses to penetrate the first few meters of sediments below the seafloor. Key characteristics include low cost, lightweight, and low energy consumption, making it particularly suita-ble for deployment onboard Autonomous Surface Vehicles (ASVs). We discuss design, functionality, and potential applications of this innovative instrument, as well as results of the preliminary tests. All information necessary to reproduce the OpenCHIRP isare in-cluded in this paper.

Abstract: The estimation of subsurface seismic velocities is fundamental in seismic data processing, as it enables the accurate positioning of reflections and diffractions within the subsurface. However, traditional methods often face challenges in scenarios characterized by strong velocity contrasts, blind zones, and complex geological structures, which limit the reliability of the resulting models. This study presents a seismic tomography approach based on neural networks. A total of 100,000 synthetic one-dimensional (1D) lithological models were randomly generated with increasing velocities and sharp contrasts. These models were spatially discretized into blocks, each assigned a specific velocity and density. Acoustic impedance and reflectivity profiles were derived from each model, and the reflectivity profiles were labeled according to their corresponding velocity models. The dataset was divided into training, validation, and testing subsets to develop and evaluate the model. The trained neural network accurately predicted velocity profiles from reflectivity data, even in cases involving strong velocity contrasts. The model exhibited strong generalization performance on unseen data, validating its robustness. This approach provides a fast and accurate alternative for estimating seismic velocity profiles, significantly reducing manual intervention and offering a reliable solution for subsurface characterization in complex geological environments.

Abstract: Here we present the results of an integrated targeting study covering the central-eastern Archean Yilgarn Craton of Western Australia, a region that is known for its substantial gold endowment of >40 Moz Au. The cornerstones of our study included custom built geophysical and remote sensing targeting tools, a new lithostructural interpretation of the area, a new targeting model structured according to the mineral systems approach, and a best practice approach to mineral potential modeling (MPM) that involved the use of five complimentary modeling techniques. The geophysical targeting tools served to identify proximity, association and abundance relationships between gold mineralization and gravity ridges ± edges as well as 95th percentile K/Th radiometric and remotely sensed goethite-clay-iron feature depth index ratio anomalies. The lithostructural interpretation unraveled structural trends that are oblique, or orthogonal, to the NNW-SSE-striking greenstone belts and likely represent important structural controls on the location of gold mineralization. Fry analysis, a method used to analyze the spatial distribution of geological point patterns, revealed similar directions of maximum gold occurrence alignment. Together, these new observations served as excellent predictors of gold prospectivity in the MPM component of this targeting study. The MPM not only identified most of the known gold occurrences but also several areas of gold potential that are underexplored. The highest priority MPM targets represent an order of magnitude reduction of the search space, the hallmark of a well-performing, practically useful targeting technique.

Abstract: The Jucar is a perennial river with a high sedimentary load which has transferred sediment to the continental shelf in the form of a deltaic lobe since pre-historic times. The aim of this study is to analyze the changes that have occurred in the submerged delta of the Jucar since the nineteenth century. With this aim in mind, five nautical charts were georeferenced, covering the period from 1893 to the present day, from which Digital Elevation Models were generated and compared using Geographic In-formation Systems. The results indicate that the large-scale contributions of the nine-teenth century caused the submerged delta to grow, during the cold, dry period of the Little Ice Age. In the mid-twentieth century, the flow and solid load of the river were reduced by the construction of dams, leading to the stabilization of the delta. The bursting of the Tous Dam in 1982 and the ensuing ordinary floods that occurred until its reconstruction, led to huge contributions of sediment that counteracted the an-thropic action generated by the sediment trap of the dams. The climate of the twen-ty-first century, characterized by frequent extreme weather events, has allowed the deltaic lobe to continue to grow until the present day, since these events increased sediment input to the shelf. Coastal erosion is also observed.

Abstract:

A recent comprehensive study, considered as important for the geodynamic, crustal and lithospheric geological structures and active tectonics in Vrancea, presented geological updates based on geophysical and geological data interpretation: a) Wrench tectonics system, crossing NE-SW the Romanian territory; b) Romanian Trough, interpreted as the prolongation of the Polish Trough beneath the East Carpathians; c) Volcanism and intrusive processes in the Vrancea area; d) Geophysical and tectonic model for the Vrancea seismic zone. When interpreting causes of Vrancea zone crustal seismicity, they are here considered to be associated at crustal depths with active normal faults situated within a graben geological structure, in an extensional regime. At lithospheric level the causes of high magnitude seismicity are related to strike-slip movements of a regional transcurrent fault, in a transtensional regime. High magnitude seismic events are considered to be located at the junction of the WT Southern Fault with a NW-SE trending strike-slip regional fault system, namely the Peceneaga-Camena, Capidava-Ovidiu and Mangalia faults.

Abstract: Volcanoes serve as the primary pathways for heat and material transfer from Earth’s interior to its surface, providing valuable insights into subsurface processes. Active and potentially active volcanoes have influenced human history and are closely related to current tectonic activity. Consequently, many active volcanoes have been studied using geophysical methods. However, the internal structure of ancient volcano complexes remains poorly understood. We investigated ancient volcano complexes by comparing magnetotelluric (MT) observations from Zhibo (ZB) ancient volcano with active mid-oceanic ridges volcanoes from Iceland and intracontinental volcanoes from north China. The MT responses of magma chambers in these active volcanoes showed similar low-resistivity values ranging from several to tens of Ω·m, indicating a comparable resistivity of the active magma. Assuming that the ancient active volcano chambers had a similar resistivity to that of current active volcanoes, we reconstructed the ancient Carboniferous volcano complex in ZB using the ratio of the lower portion of the MT responses from ZB ancient volcanic edifices and active volcanoes. The results implied the existence of fossil magma chambers at a depth of 5 km marking the site of a former volcanic center. This finding supports the magmatic origin of the ZB volcanic rock-hosted iron deposits.