Processes of synchronization and interaction play a very special role in different physical problems concerning the dynamics of the Earth’s interior; they are of particular importance in the study of seismic phenomena, and their complexity is strongly affected by the variety of geological structures and inhomogeneities of the medium that hamper the course of these processes and their intensity. The attempt to tackle these problems is a great challenge from experimental, observational and theoretical point of view. We present in this Monograph the theoretical and experimental results achieved in the frame of the European Project “Triggering and synchronization of seismic/ acoustic events by weak external forcing as a sign of approaching the critical point” (INTAS Ref. Nr 05-1000008-7889); in this Project, which was inspired by Professor Tamaz Chelidze, our aim was to give grounds for better understanding and interpretation of dynamical interactive processes of physical ?elds, both found in the laboratory experiments as well as in ?eld observations. One of the leading problems – related to synchronization and interaction of different physical ?elds in fracture processes concerns triggering and initiation of rupture and displa- ments within the Earth interior. From this point of view, the results from laboratory studies on synchronization and interaction and those found and involved in ?eld observations, helped to improve the theoretical background. Reversely, some of the presented new theoretical approaches have served to stimulate laboratory and ?eld studies.
GeoPlanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences Series Editors Paweł Rowin´ski (Editor-in-Chief) Marek Banaszkiewicz Janusz Pempkowiak Marek Lewandowski For further volumes: http://www.springer.com/series/8821 . Valerio de Rubeis Roman Teisseyre l Zbigniew Czechowski l Editors Synchronization and Triggering: from Fracture to Earthquake Processes Laboratory, Field Analysis and Theories Editors Valerio de Rubeis Istituto Nazionale di Geofisica e Vulcanologia (INGV) Via Vigna Murata 605 00143 Roma Italy
[email protected] Zbigniew Czechowski Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Sciences Ks. Janusza 64 01-452 Warsaw Poland
[email protected] Roman Teisseyre Institute of Geophysics Polish Academy of Sciences Ks. Janusza 64 01-452 Warsaw Poland
[email protected] The GeoPlanet: Earth and Planetary Sciences Book Series is in part a continuation of Monographic Volumes of Publications of the Institute of Geophysics, Polish Academy of Sciences, the journal published since 1962 (http://pub.igf.edu.pl/index.php). ISSN 2190-5193 ISBN 978-3-642-12299-6 e-ISBN 978-3-642-12300-9 DOI 10.1007/978-3-642-12300-9 Springer Heidelberg Dordrecht London New York Library of Congress Control Number: 2010937646 # Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2010 This work is subject to copyright. All rights are reserved, whether the whole or part of the material is concerned, specifically the rights of translation, reprinting, reuse of illustrations, recitation, broadcasting, reproduction on microfilm or in any other way, and storage in data banks. Duplication of this publication or parts thereof is permitted only under the provisions of the German Copyright Law of September 9, 1965, in its current version, and permission for use must always be obtained from Springer. Violations are liable to prosecution under the German Copyright Law. The u