Implication of the temporal sulphur isotopic variation during the 2000 eruption of Miyakejima Volcano, Japan

Abstract   The variation of sulphur isotopic composition during the 2000 eruption of the Miyakejima Volcano was examined in order to monitor the temporal change of the volcanic activity. The δ³⁴S values of water-soluble sulphate leached from volcanic ash effused during intermittent eruptions from July to September 2005 range from +5 to +11‰ with a fluctuation of ca 3‰ within a single eruption. The δ³⁴S value of sulphuric acid mist collected with 'Cu-metal trap' placed on the flank of the volcano from December 2000 to January 2001 is +6.2‰. These sulphur isotopic compositions of sulphate, which were isotopically equilibrated in the subvolcanic hydrothermal system, indicate that the temperature of the hydrothermal system beneath the caldera increased after the period of intermittent phreatic and phreatomagmatic eruptions. Then, the δ³⁴S value of sulphuric acid trapped from January to March 2001 was +9.0‰ and the δ³⁴S value of water-soluble sulphate on volcanic ash emitted with minor eruption in May 2001 was +11.0‰, suggesting a decrease in temperature of the subvolcanic hydrothermal system.     

Chemical reaction diversity of geofluids revealed by hydrothermal experiments under sub- and supercritical states

Abstract   Hydrothermal experiments of dissolution of granite and quartz with pure water up to 600°C and 60 MPa were carried out in order to evaluate chemical reaction under sub- and supercritical conditions. The supercritical region beyond the critical point for water has been inferred to be a homogeneous state, which does not correspond to either a true liquid phase, or a true vapor phase. Results of dissolution experiments of granite and quartz in a supercritical state (artificially defined as higher pressures and temperatures than the critical point), show this fluid can be subdivided into two apparent phases comprising a 'liquid-like' region and a 'vapor-like' region. Chemical phenomena with respect to dissolution reactions in the 'liquid-like' region are more similar to those of subcritical water, whilst those reactions in the 'vapor-like' region even in the supercritical state are considered to be weak. The critical point of various kinds of geofluids, composed of solutions in the H₂O-CO₂-NaCl system was experimentally determined using a visible type autoclave. Chemical reaction diversity, depending on location of the critical point for a given solution and apparent phase boundary in terms of chemical reaction within the supercritical state, was recognized by hydrothermal experiments.     

Oxygen isotopic and chemical compositions of cosmic spherules collected from the Antarctic ice sheet: Implications for their precursor materials

Bulk chemical compositions and oxygen isotopic compositions were analyzed for 48 stony cosmic spherules (melted micrometeorites) collected from the Antarctic ice sheet using electron- and ion-microprobes. No clear correlation was found between their isotopic compositions and textures. The oxygen isotopic compositions showed an extremely wide range from −28‰ to +93‰ in δ¹⁸O and from −21‰ to +13‰ in Δ¹⁷O. In δ¹⁸O-δ¹⁷O space, most samples (38 out of 48) plot close to the terrestrial fractionation line, but 7 samples plot along the carbonaceous chondrite anhydrous mineral (CCAM) line. Three samples plot well above the terrestrial fractionation line. One of these has a Δ¹⁷O of +13‰, the largest value ever found in solar system materials. One possible precursor for this spherule could be ¹⁶O-poor planetary material that is still unknown as a meteorite. The majority of the remaining spherules are thought to be related to carbonaceous chondrites.     

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MOVEMENT OF THE MEIYU/BAIU RAIN BELT AND THE PERIODIC NORTHWESTWARD PROPAGATION OF THE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY FROM TROPICAL WEST PACIFIC*

In order to investigate the effect of the factors in tower latitudes on Meiyu/Baiu front,a diagnostic analysis for the two cases during June to July of 1985 and 1986 was examined.We found that (1) when the tropical convective activity moves westward to 10.5-15.5'N/140°E from east side of 10.5-15.5°N/160°E,the northward shifts of the Meiyu/Baiu rain belt occurs;(2)the main factor which results in the northward and southward shifts of Meiyu/Baiu rain belt is thought as the 8,18 and 30 day oscillations of the tropical convective activity around West Pacific.Meanwhile,the wave train propagating from Lake Baikal via Okhotsk Sea to the tropics could sometimes shift Baiu rain belt southward;(3) the onsets of Meiyu in China of both cases tend to take place just when the convective activity around lower latitudes moves westward through about 140°E with the 8,18 and 30 day oscillation periods firstly coming to June.     

Secondary episodes of star formation in elliptical galaxies

We put upper limits on the secondary burst of star formation in elliptical galaxies of the González sample, based on the colour dispersion around the U  −  V versus central velocity dispersion relation, and the equivalent width of Hβ absorption. Note that most of these galaxies locate in small groups. There is a significant number of Hβ strong galaxies that have EW(Hβ) > 2 Å, but they do not always have bluer colours in U  −  V . To be consistent with the small colour dispersion of U  −  V , the mass fraction of the secondary burst to the total mass should be less than 10 per cent at the maximum within the most recent 2 Gyr. This result suggests that even if recent galaxy merging has produced some ellipticals, it should not have been accompanied by an intensive starburst, and hence it could not involve large gas-rich systems. The capture of a dwarf galaxy is more likely to explain the dynamical disturbances observed in some elliptical galaxies. The above analysis, based on the U  −  V , is not compatible with the one based on the line indices, which requires that more than 10 per cent of mass is present in a 2-Gyr-old starburst to cover the full range of the observed Hβ (de Jong &38; Davies). The discrepancy might be partly explained by the internal extinction localized at the region where young stars form. However, considering that the Hβ index might have great uncertainties both in models and in observational data, we basically rely on U − V analysis.     

Effects of longshore variation of coastline geometry and bottom topography on coastal upwelling in a two-layer model

Effects of the longshore variation of the coastline geometry and the bottom topography on coastal upwelling are discussed. Longshore variations of the topography cause local enhancing or weakening of upwelling in the process of the generation and propagation of internal Kelvin and the shelf waves.     

Response of a two-layer ocean to typhoon passage in the western boundary region

Effect of the typhoon passage on the western boundary region of a two-layer ocean with bottom topography is studied. The ocean is initially at rest and is set in motion by a typhoon passing parallel to the west coast. Equations that represent barotropic and baroclinic modes of motions are solved numerically by means of the method of finite differences. Motions of the barotropic mode are assumed to be horizontally non-divergent. In this mode, an elongated vortex is produced by the typhoon and propagates toward the south after passage of the typhoon. Behavior of the vortex may be interpreted as continental shelf waves. It is found that the formation and propagation of continental shelf waves are hardly affected by the density stratification. As for the baroclinic response, the typhoon causes considerable interface displacements along its track. The interface displacements are associated with geostrophic motions and remain for long time, though they are formed on the continental slope. Besides the large scale baroclinic response, internal Kelvin waves are induced along the artificial east wall.     

Upwelling front and two-cell circulation

A two-cell circulation associated with a front observed in coastal upwelling regions is studied numerically in a three-dimensional level model. An ocean with a flat bottom is forced by the wind stress with a longshore variation. Upwelling is induced in the region next to the coast. In association with the upwelling, the pycnocline slopes up toward the coast and intersects the sea surface forming a front. After that, downwelling is induced just inshore-side of the front and upwelling offshore-side. The transverse circulation in the present model seems to reproduce the observed two-cell circulation. It is found that the generation of the two-cell circulation is due to deviations of the longshore flow from the thermal-wind relation (geostrophy). The deviations are caused by the onshore-offshore movements of the front. Although no vorticity input through the wind stress is assumed, several barotropic vortices are induced by the effect of the inclination of the pycnocline and grow as long as the winds continue to blow. The observed poleward undercurrent may be interpreted as a combination of motions of the internal mode associated with the front and a barotropic flow associated with a cyclonic vortex.     

Cooling history of pyroxene chondrules in the Yamato-74191 chondrite (L3)—an electron microscopic study

Fine textures of clinopyroxene in an excentroradial pyroxene chondrule (EPC) and a comb-like pyroxene chondrule (CPC) in the Yamato-74191 chondrite (L3) have been studied by analytical electron microscopy. Both pyroxenes consist of three regions different in composition and texture; core, mantle and marginal regions, though the pyroxenes of the CPC are more Fe-rich than those of the EPC. The core region is the most Mg-rich with no Ca component and commonly shows polysynthetic (100) twins. The mantle region is slightly calcic, and the marginal region shows a rapid increase of Ca outward.The polysynthetic twins, cracks and subgrain boundaries in the core in the EPC and CPC must have formed during the transition from proto-type to clino-type pyroxenes. The exsolution textures in the mantle and marginal regions indicate initial crystallization of pigeonite-C followed by decomposition into pigeonite-P and augite. The decomposition must have taken place by nucleation growth in the mantle region and by spinodal decomposition in the marginal region. The periodicity of 15–20 nm in the spinodal decomposition textures indicates that the cooling rate of the pyroxenes, when passing through about 1000°C, was of the order of a few tens to several degrees centigrade per hour. The cooling history of the chondrules has been explained by a monotonous cooling controlled by the cooling rate of the surrounding medium.