Behavior of heavy metals and particulate matters in seawater expected from that of radioactive nuclides

Vertical profiles of²¹⁰Pb and²³⁰Th in the deep water were analyzed by using a simple one-dimensional model. Both nuclides are considered to settle down with the velocity of 1×10^–4 cm/sec. The diameter of particle corresponding to the velocity is calculated to be 5, while only about 10 % of the nuclides can be collected on filter paper with a pore size of 0.5. It is supposed that the nuclides exist in particulate materials which is changeable in size. This suggestion is supported from the following evidences. (1) The directly observed behavior of marine snow and the size distribution of particles observed with a coulter counter. (2) The existence of many chemical elements of which residence time is about 150 years. (3) Their possible existence as eutectic solid phases in the seawater. (4) The consistency of the observed accumulation rate of pelagic sediments with that estimated from the settling velocity. (5) The consistency of the decomposition rate of organic matter in the deep water estimated from the oxygen comsumption with that from the settling velocity.     

Path Transition of the Kuroshio Due to Mesoscale Eddies: A Two-Layer, Wind-Driven Experiment

We have executed numerical experiments using a two-layer, wind-driven ocean model with simplified coastal geometry and bottom topography to investigate the possibility of the Kuroshio path transition due to mesoscale eddies. A straight path easily changes into a meandering path due to the eddy action. For this transition, an anticyclonic eddy is preferable to a cyclonic one when imposed in the beginning region of the Kuroshio (east of Taiwan). When imposed southeast of Kyushu, on the other hand, a cyclonic eddy is more effective than an anticyclonic one. The reverse transition, from a meandering to a straight path, did not occur at all in this experiment. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Sea surface temperature observation by Global Imager (GLI)/ADEOS-II: Algorithm and accuracy of the product

A sea surface temperature (SST) retrieval algorithm for Global Imager (GLI) aboard the ADEOS-II satellite has been developed. The algorithm is used to produce the standard SST product in the Japan Aerospace Exploration Agency (JAXA). The algorithm for cloud screening is formed by combinations of various types of tests to detect cloud-contaminated pixels. The combination is changed according to the solar zenith angle, which enables us to detect clouds even in the sun glitter region in daytime. The parameters in the cloud-detection tests have been tuned using the GLI global observations. SST is calculated by the Multi-Channel SST (MCSST) technique from the detected clear pixels. Using drifting buoy measurements, match-up data are produced to derive the coefficients of the MCSST equations and to examine their performance. The bias and RMSE of the GLI SST are 0.03 K and 0.66 K for daytime and, −0.01 K and 0.70 K for nighttime, respectively.     

Stratigraphic architecture of sedimentary basin induced by mantle diapiric upwelling and eustatic event

The stratigraphic architecture of sedimentary basin provides important constraints on the rheological structure of the upper mantle and the crust, eustatic events and tectonic movements. In this study, we examined the convective coupling between the uppermost mantle and ductile lower crust as a formation mechanism of sedimentary basins. In this mechanism, the lower crust is squeezed by the upper mantle flow associated with mantle diapiric upwelling, resulting in the surface subsidence and formation of sedimentary basin. We investigated the stratigraphic architecture by taking into account the horizontal migration of the upwelling in time and spatial domains. The sedimentary basin is characterized by both the thickness and formation period for its gross feature and the sequence stratigraphy. The decay of the upwelling causes the surface uplift, and some parts of sediments deposited during the surface subsidence are consequently eroded. The subsidence area moves as the activity of upwelling horizontally migrates, resulting in the formation of unconformity for the uplifted and eroded area over the previous upwelling. We also incorporated the effects of third order eustasy, with amplitude of 100 m and period of 1 Myr, into convective coupling model. An application of our model to Karatsu-Sasebo coalfield in the Tertiary of the northwest Kyushu, Japan, indicates that the stratigraphic architecture of sedimentary basin including two effects, i.e. convective coupling and eustasy, may provide important information about the viscosity structure of the lower crust and uppermost mantle and spatio-temporal growth and decay histories of the mantle diapiric upwelling.     

Latitudinal and downcore (0–750 ka) changes in n-alkane chain lengths in the eastern equatorial Pacific

The n-alkane C₃₁/(C₂₉ + C₃₁) ratios from surface sediments in the eastern equatorial Pacific (EEP) exhibit higher values to the north and lower values to the south across the southern edge (2–4°N) of the Intertropical Convergence Zone (ITCZ). Since plants tend to synthesize longer chain length n-alkanes in response to elevated temperature and/or aridity, the higher C₃₁/(C₂₉ + C₃₁) ratios at northern sites suggest a higher contribution of vegetation under hot and/or dry conditions. This is consistent with the observation that northern sites receive higher levels of plant waxes transported by northeasterly trade winds from northern South America, where hot and dry conditions prevail. Furthermore, from a sediment core covering the past 750 ka (core HY04; 4°N, 95°W) we found that C₃₁/(C₂₉ + C₃₁) ratios exhibit a long-term decrease from MIS (marine oxygen isotope stage) 17 to 13. During this period, the zonal SST (sea-surface temperature) gradient in the equatorial Pacific increased, suggesting an increase in Walker circulation. Such intensified Walker circulation may have enhanced moisture advection from the equatorial Atlantic warm pool to the adjacent northern South America, causing arid regions in northern South America to contract, which may explain long-term decrease in n-alkane chain lengths.     

Surface microtopography of metamorphic white micas

Gold decoration and platinum-carbon-shadowing techniques of electron microscopy have been applied to study the surface microtopographs of noncleavage (001) faces of porphyroblastic white micas and sericite crystals collected from the chlorite, biotite, and garnet zones in the Shiragayama area in the Sanbagawa metamorphic terrain, Shikoku, Japan. Two different types of surface microtopograph have been observed; parallel step system and saw-tooth step system. The former is interpreted as representing the surface microtopographs formed either by growth or under near equilibrium conditions, the latter either by dissolution or under rigorous kinetic conditions. The former has been observed on porphyroblastic white micas occurring in the middle portion of each metamorphic zone and on all sericite crystals, the latter on most sericites and on porphyroblastic white micas occurring along the boundaries of the neighboring metamorphic zones. It is suggested that the observed variations in the surface microtopographic characteristics are due to Ostwald ripening during a kind of sintering process in which interstitial water plays an essential role, and that the drastic changes along the metamorphic zone boundaries are due to dehydration reactions. Retrogressive metamorphism is considered to have an almost negligible effect, if any, upon the surface microtopographs.     

Plagioclase zoning in the setogawa ash-flow sheet of the Nohi rhyolite complex,central Japan

Single whole crystals of calcic augite from M. Etna, Sicily, which display both sector and oscillatory zoning, have been serially sectioned and the form of the sectors mapped out. The principal intersectorial chemical variation is shown to be that of Ti and Al by as much as 39% (cation %) change in each, and the least variation, that of Ca (showing a 0.77 to 3.20% change). For each of three isochronous surfaces the ratio of Ti∶Al is shown to be individually constant no matter what the sector and this is thought to indicate near equilibrium conditions at the crystal/liquid interface. In addition to sector zoning these crystals display two types of concentric banding, having dimensions of about 0.25 mm, 20 μm. The 20 μm banding is shown to be both optically and chemically oscillated. Relative diffusion rates of cationic species in the melt, and growth rates of crystal faces are thought to play an important role in the formation of the oscillations, and the sector zoning.     

Fine-grained aggregates in L3 chondrites

The textures and chemical compositions of the constituent minerals of the fine-grained aggregates (FGA's) of L3 chondrites were studied by the backscattered electron image technique, electron probe microanalysis, and transmission electron microscopy. Plagioclase and glass in the interstices between fine grains of olivine and pyroxene indicate that the FGA's once partly melted. Compositional zoning and decomposition texture of pyroxenes are similar to those observed in chondrules, indicating a common cooling history of the FGA's and chondrules. Therefore, the mechanism that caused melting of the FGA's is considered to be the same as for chondrules. Bulk compositions of the FGA's are within the range of those of chondrules, so some chondrules probably were produced by complete melting of the same precursor materials as those of the FGA's. The precursor materials must have included fine olivine and other grains that probably are condensates.     

Petrological study of Nasu-Chausudake Volcano (ca. 16 ka to Present), northeastern Japan

Chausudake Volcano is representative of the active volcanoes in northeastern Japan, and has a record of many historical eruptions. Because its 16-ky eruptive history is well documented, Chausudake is well-suited for examining the temporal change of magma chamber processes and for assessing potential hazards. The activity of the Chausudake Volcano can be divided into six magmatic units (CH1-CH6). Most of its products have similar characteristics, but those from unit CH1 show wider variation. Most rocks are andesite and have plagioclase, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, and Fe-Ti oxides as phenocrysts, with or without olivine or quartz. Mafic inclusions, which are observed in most products, are basaltic andesites that have various combinations of the same phenocryst species. Petrographic features observed in host rocks and mafic inclusions, such as disequilibrium phenocrysts and resorbed textures, suggest magma mixing/co-mingling. Whole rock compositions of both host rocks and mafic inclusions show linear trends in variation diagrams, which suggest that the rocks are derived from the mixing/co-mingling between mafic and felsic end members. Bulk silica content of the mafic end-member magma is estimated to be ca. 52%, and contains Mg-rich olivine and An-rich plagioclase. The temperature of this end member is estimated to have been higher than 1,100 °C. Bulk silica content of the felsic end-member magma is estimated to be ~66%, and contains Mg-poor pyroxenes, An-poor plagioclase, and quartz phenocrysts, with a temperature of between 800 and 900 °C. Trace element compositions show that the end members have different origins, but have changed little over the entire 16-ky of activity. The mafic end-member magmas might come from a lower-crustal homogeneous, large magma chamber, whereas the felsic end-member magmas may be partial melts of crustal materials produced by the heat of the mafic end member. Felsic end-member magma may have accumulated in the middle crust before CH1 activity. The mixing ratio of the felsic to mafic end members was 0.5:0.5 to 0.4:0.6 for the CH1 unit, and ca. 0.4:0.6 for the other units. Considering that ca. 75% of the total volume of the eruptive products form the first unit, its wider compositional variation is attributed to more heterogeneous mixing ratios.