Seasonal and Interannual Variation of DIC in Surface Mixed Layer in the Oyashio Region: A Climatological View

Eight-year observation results of DIC from 1996 to 2003 in the Oyashio region have been analyzed to obtain a climatological view of its seasonal variation and interannual variation. Data of DIC obtained by several institutes are synthesized to give a dataset with an uncertainty lower than 5 μmol/kg. The obtained climatology of NDIC seasonal variation in the Oyashio mixed layer shows a seasonal amplitude of 176 μmol/kg, with a maximum in January and a minimum in September. These features closely resemble those observed in the southern half of the western subarctic North Pacific (WSNP) including Station KNOT, although the timing of the NDIC maximum is slightly advanced in the case of the Oyashio. Analysis using a quasi-conservative tracer Cp0 (NDIC - 106NP) shows that among 176 μmol/kg of NDIC seasonal variation, only 16 μmol/kg is attributed to hydrographic processes while the remaining 160 μmol/kg is attributed to biological processes. The Cp0 value in the Oyashio mixed layer also resembles that of the WSNP mixed layer during the months May to November, suggesting further resemblance of the Oyashio water mass to that of WSNP in terms of carbon dynamics. The present results also suggest that a single data obtained in Oyashio mixed layer contains 30 μmol/kg of potential uncertainty for the representativity of this region, which leads to a note about a need to treat with caution results obtained by a single observation in this region.     

The nature of megafaunal extinctions during the MIS 3–2 transition in Japan

The nature of late Quaternary megafaunal extinctions has been the subject of intense debate since the 1960s. Traditionally, scientists cite either climatic changes or human predation as the primary reason for worldwide megafaunal extinctions. In many island cases (e.g., Madagascar, New Zealand), scientists have had a tendency to lean toward humans as being the direct or indirect dominant cause for the relatively quick extirpation of indigenous megafaunas. This study evaluates the record for megafaunal (e.g., Palaeoloxodon, Mammuthus, Sinomegaceros) extinctions in the Japanese islands and draw the tentative conclusion that: (1) humans directly and/or indirectly influenced the extinction of some large herbivores; and (2) the megafaunal extinctions likely began earlier than originally proposed; during the marine isotope stage (“MIS”) 3–2 transition (～30–20 ka) rather than during the MIS 2–1 (～15–10 ka) shift that roughly coincides with the advent of the Jomon period in Japan. However, we temper our findings due to the current paucity of sites in Japan that have associated archaeology and vertebrate paleontological materials that date to the MIS 3–2 transition.     

Seasonal changes in size-fractionated primary production and nutrient concentrations in the temperate neritic water of Funka Bay,Japan

Size-fractionated primary productivity and chlorophylla concentration were studied at two stations in the temperate neritic water of Funka Bay, Japan, from April 1984 to May 1985. Size distributions of phytoplankton were discussed in relation to nutrient availability. In the central part of the bay, 66% of the annual primary production occurred during the spring phytoplankton bloom with 95% of the spring production being accounted for by the greater than 10µm size fraction, which was dominated by diatoms. The increase in this large fraction was enhanced at both stations when nutrient concentrations increased in the bay's upper layer. Under low nutrient concentrations during summer, small phytoplankters (<2µm) accounted for 40 to 75% (average 60%) of the total¹⁴C uptake at the central station, and from 25 to 59% (average, 45%) at the coastal station. However, a sudden nutrient enrichment at the coastal station during the summer triggered the growth of the large size fraction. These seasonal and regional changes in total¹⁴C uptake were attributed to the large size fraction, composed mainly of diatoms. From the decreases in various nutrients during diatom blooms, it was further suggested that the predominance of diatoms was determined, not only by nutrient concentrations, but also by their relative availability.Contribution No. 205 from the Research Institute of North Pacific Fisheries, Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University.     

Seasonal changes in the biomass of zooplankton and their food requirement in Funka Bay

Zooplankton biomass consisting of large and small-size copepods, copepod nauplii and tintinnids were investigated over a period of one year at two stations in Funka Bay, Japan. The food requirement of zooplankton was also estimated using the method of Ikeda and Motoda. Estimated total carbon requirement of zooplankton in the coastal and central parts of the bay was equivalent to 52 and 38% of the annual primary production, respectively. These corresponded to zooplankton production of 12–13 gC·m^–2·yr^–1.The total carbon requirement at each station increased to 63 and 74% of the primary production during summer compared with 26 and 3% in spring or 19 and 17% in winter. The microzooplankton (copepod nauplii and tintinnids) accounted for about half of the carbon requirement from April to November.Food requirements reached 161% at the coastal station and 194% at the central station of the daily organic carbon production during September. Zooplankton may also feed on carbon sources other than living phytoplankton. This could account for the observed decrease in particulate organic carbon in a water column.Contribution No. 202 from the Research Institute of North Pacific Fisheries, Faculty of Fisheries, Hokkaido University.     

Precise estimation of hourly global solar radiation for micrometeorological analysis by using data classification and hourly sunshine

We have developed a method for estimating hourly global solar radiation (GSR) from hourly sunshine duration data. This procedure requires only hourly sunshine duration as the input data and utilizes hourly precipitation and daily snow cover as auxiliary data to classify time intervals into six cases according to weather conditions. To obtain hourly GSR using a simple algebraic form, a quadratic function of the solar elevation angle and the sunshine duration ratio is used. Daily GSR is given by a sum of hourly GSRs. We evaluated the performance of the newly developed method using data obtained at 67 meteorological stations and found that the estimated GSR is highly consistent with that observed. Hourly and daily root-mean-square misfits are approximately 0.2 MJ/m²/h (~55 W/m²) and 1.4 to 1.5 MJ/m²/day (~16 to 17 W/m²), respectively. Our classification of weather conditions is effective for reducing estimation errors, especially under cloudy skies. Since the sunshine duration is observed at more meteorological stations than GSR, the proposed new method is a powerful tool for obtaining solar radiation with hourly resolution and a dense geographical distribution. One of the proposed methods, GSRgrn, can be applicable to hourly GSR estimations at different observation sites by setting local parameters (the precipitable water, surface albedo, and atmospheric turbidity) suitable to the sites. The hourly GSR can be applied for various micrometeorological studies, such as the heat budget of crop fields.     

利用ASTER数据估算2002年4月阿克苏地表特征和植被参数

利用ASTER卫星可见光和短波红外波段数据,估算了2002年4月12日阿克苏地区地表特征参数(地表温度T、地表反射率α)和植被参数(归一化植被指数NDVI、修正的土壤调整植被指数MSA-VI、植被覆盖度Pv和叶面积指数LAI等)。结果表明,各种植被参数在沙漠地区较小,而在绿洲中的值较大。同时本文认为ASTER遥感数据有较高的地面分辨率,利用它可以更好地反映地表的植被参数及地表特征参数状况;还指出了ASTER卫星数据在沙漠绿洲中的适用性。     

Compressibility of the calcium aluminosilicate, CAS, phase to 44 GPa

In situ X-ray diffraction measurements on a calcium aluminosilicate (CAS) phase have been carried out using a laser-heated diamond anvil cell up to a pressure of 44 GPa, employing a synchrotron radiation source. CAS is the major mineral formed from sediments subducted into the Earth's mantle. The sample was heated using a YAG laser after each pressure increment to relax the deviatoric stress in the sample. X-ray diffraction measurements were carried out at T = 300 K using an angle-dispersive technique. The pressure was calculated using an internal platinum metal pressure calibrant. The Birch–Murnaghan equation of state for the CAS phase obtained from the experimental unit cell parameters showed a density of ρ₀ = 3.888 g/cm³ and a bulk modulus of K₀ = 229 ± 9 GPa for K^′₀ = 4.7 ± 0.7. When the first pressure derivative of the bulk modulus was fixed at K^′₀ = 4, then the value of K₀ = 239 ± 2 GPa. From the experimental compressibility, the density of the CAS phase was observed to be lower than the density of co-existing Al-bearing stishovite, calcium perovskite, calcium ferrite-type phases, and (Fe,Al)-bearing Mg-perovskite in subducted sediments in the lower mantle. Therefore, the density of subducted sediments in the lower mantle decreases with increasing mineral proportion of the CAS phase.     

Comparison of Time-Dependent Tracer Ages in the Western North Pacific: Oceanic Background Levels of (SF6, CFC-11, CFC-12 and CFC-113

To verify the actual usefulness of time-dependent tracer dating techniques in the ocean, we simultaneously obtained two cross sections of sulfur hexafluoride (SF₆) and chlrofluoromethanes (CFC-11, trichlorofluoromethane; CFC-12, dichloro-difluromethane; CFC-113, trichlorotrifluoroethane) in the western North Pacific in 1998. The vertical distribution patterns of SF₆ and CFC-113 were similar in shape to those of CFC-11 and CFC-12. Maximum penetration depths of SF₆ and CFC-113 remained around 800 m in the subpolar region and 400 m in the tropical region, while the maximum penetration depths of CFC-11 and CFC-12 were still found below 1000 m depth. We also found all maximum contents of these tracers around 26.6−26.8σ_θ with a gradual decrease southward. This suggested that a new subsurface water mass in the subpolar region spread out over the entire North Pacific, which agrees closely with previous studies based on the salinity minimum. Moreover, we compared the tracer ages (the elapsed period of a water mass from when the water mass left from the ocean surface) using ten time-dependent tracer dating techniques, CFC-11, CFC-12, CFC-113, SF₆, CFC-11/CFC-12, CFC-113/CFC-11, CFC-113/CFC-12, SF₆/CFC-11, SF₆/CFC-12 and SF₆/CFC-113. This quantitative evaluation of multiple tracer dating techniques in the ocean was the first confirmation of its usefulness based on the observational data on the ocean basin-wide scale. We conclude that SF₆/CFC-11, SF₆/CFC-12, SF₆/CFC-113 and SF₆ dating techniques would be the most promising tools for determining the age of water mass not only just for the past several decades but for the future, too. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Observation and modeling of thermally induced upslope flow

Thermally induced upslope flows were observed on several slopes and in valleys, and a simple one-layer model of upslope flow was developed. In this model, the thickness and speed of upslope flow are expressed in terms of sensible heat flux from the slope surface, drag coefficient of the slope surface, slope steepness and stability of the ambient atmosphere. Model results compare favorably with the observations.The development process in the upslope direction of a steady upslope flow was investigated with this model. A steadily developing state in the upslope direction is expressed by the dimensionless equations together with a unique parameter associated with momentum advection. The vertical distance of the slope required for well-developed upslope flow has a minimum value for a moderate slope steepness, but increases monotonously with decreasing ambient stability. The effect of unsteadiness on upslope flow was also investigated. The transient time required to reach a steady state becomes shorter with increasing ambient stability and slope steepness.     

Encystment and excystment of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Gyrodinium instriatum</Emphasis> Freudenthal et Lee

In the present study, we have investigated the conditions influencing encystment and excystment in the dinoflagellate Gyrodinium instriatum under laboratory conditions. We incubated G. instriatum in modified whole SWM-3 culture medium and in versions of modified SWM-3 from which NO₃ ⁻, PO₄ ³⁻, NO₃ ⁻ + PO₄ ³⁻, or Si had been omitted and observed encystment. Percentage encystment was high in the media without N and without P, while the percentage encystment in the medium lacking both N and P was highest. Moreover, to investigate N or P concentration which induced the encystment, Gyrodinium instriatum was also incubated in media with different concentrations of inorganic N and P; the concentrations of NO₂ ⁻ + NO₃ ⁻ and PO₄ ³⁻ were measured over time. The precursors of cysts appeared within 2 or 3 days of a decrease in NO₂ ⁻ + NO₃ ⁻ or PO₄ ³⁻ concentration to values lower than 1 μM or 0.2 μM, respectively. When cysts produced in the laboratory were incubated, we observed excystment after 8–37 days, without a mandatory period of darkness or low temperature. We incubated cysts collected from nature at different temperatures or in the dark or light and observed excystments. Natural cysts excysted at temperatures from 10 to 30°C, in both light and dark, but excystment was delayed at low temperatures. These studies indicate that G. instriatum encysts in low N or P concentration and excysts over a wide temperature range, regardless of light conditions, after short dormancy periods.