Relativistic expansion of magnetic loops at the self-similar stage

We obtained self-similar solutions of relativistically expanding magnetic loops taking into account the azimuthal magnetic fields. We neglect stellar rotation and assume axisymmetry and a purely radial flow. As the magnetic loops expand, the initial dipole magnetic field is stretched into the radial direction. When the expansion speed approaches the light speed, the displacement current reduces the toroidal current and modifies the distribution of the plasma lifted up from the central star. Since these self-similar solutions describe the free expansion of the magnetic loops, i.e.  d v /d t = 0  , the equations of motion are similar to those of the static relativistic magnetohydrodynamics. This allows us to estimate the total energy stored in the magnetic loops by applying the virial theorem. This energy is comparable to that of the giant flares observed in magnetars.     

Sources of uncertainty in estimating stream solute export from headwater catchments at three sites

Uncertainty in the estimation of hydrologic export of solutes has never been fully evaluated at the scale of a small‐watershed ecosystem. We used data from the Gomadansan Experimental Forest, Japan, Hubbard Brook Experimental Forest, USA, and Coweeta Hydrologic Laboratory, USA, to evaluate many sources of uncertainty, including the precision and accuracy of measurements, selection of models, and spatial and temporal variation. Uncertainty in the analysis of stream chemistry samples was generally small but could be large in relative terms for solutes near detection limits, as is common for ammonium and phosphate in forested catchments. Instantaneous flow deviated from the theoretical curve relating height to discharge by up to 10% at Hubbard Brook, but the resulting corrections to the theoretical curve generally amounted to <0.5% of annual flows. Calibrations were limited to low flows; uncertainties at high flows were not evaluated because of the difficulties in performing calibrations during events. However, high flows likely contribute more uncertainty to annual flows because of the greater volume of water that is exported during these events. Uncertainty in catchment area was as much as 5%, based on a comparison of digital elevation maps with ground surveys. Three different interpolation methods are used at the three sites to combine periodic chemistry samples with streamflow to calculate fluxes. The three methods differed by <5% in annual export calculations for calcium, but up to 12% for nitrate exports, when applied to a stream at Hubbard Brook for 1997–2008; nitrate has higher weekly variation at this site. Natural variation was larger than most other sources of uncertainty. Specifically, coefficients of variation across streams or across years, within site, for runoff and weighted annual concentrations of calcium, magnesium, potassium, sodium, sulphate, chloride, and silicate ranged from 5 to 50% and were even higher for nitrate. Uncertainty analysis can be used to guide efforts to improve confidence in estimated stream fluxes and also to optimize design of monitoring programmes. © 2014 The Authors. Hydrological Processes published John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Eutectic temperatures and melting relations in the Fe–O–S system at high pressures and temperatures

We have investigated melting relations in the Fe–O–S ternary system in the pressure range of 15–27 GPa and 1873 K. Subsolidus phase relations are Fe, Fe₃S₂, and FeO up to 17 GPa and Fe, Fe₃S, and FeO above this pressure. The eutectic temperature slightly decreases from ambient pressure to 17 GPa, whereas increases above this pressure. The eutectic temperature in this study is 100 K lower than that in the Fe–S binary system. The oxygen content in the Fe–O–S eutectic liquid drops when the coexisting solid phases changes from FeS to Fe₃S₂. The cotectic lines in the ternary phase diagram lie close to the Fe–FeS binary axis. The isothermal sections indicate that oxygen solubility in the Fe–O–S liquid increases with increasing temperature, and with increasing sulfur content. The solubility of sulfur in the solid Fe has a maximum value at the eutectic temperature, and decreases with increasing temperature. Our results could have important implications for formation and composition of the Martian core.     

Deep slab subduction and dehydration and their geodynamic consequences: Evidence from seismology and mineral physics

We present new pieces of evidence from seismology and mineral physics for the existence of low-velocity zones in the deep part of the upper mantle wedge and the mantle transition zone that are caused by fluids from the deep subduction and deep dehydration of the Pacific and Philippine Sea slabs under western Pacific and East Asia. The Pacific slab is subducting beneath the Japan Islands and Japan Sea with intermediate-depth and deep earthquakes down to 600 km depth under the East Asia margin, and the slab becomes stagnant in the mantle transition zone under East China. The western edge of the stagnant Pacific slab is roughly coincident with the NE–SW Daxing'Anling-Taihangshan gravity lineament located west of Beijing, approximately 2000 km away from the Japan Trench. The upper mantle above the stagnant slab under East Asia forms a big mantle wedge (BMW). Corner flow in the BMW and deep slab dehydration may have caused asthenospheric upwelling, lithospheric thinning, continental rift systems, and intraplate volcanism in Northeast Asia. The Philippine Sea slab has subducted down to the mantle transition zone depth under Western Japan and Ryukyu back-arc, though the seismicity within the slab occurs only down to 200–300 km depths. Combining with the corner flow in the mantle wedge, deep dehydration of the subducting Pacific slab has affected the morphology of the subducting Philippine Sea slab and its seismicity under Southwest Japan. Slow anomalies are also found in the mantle under the subducting Pacific slab, which may represent small mantle plumes, or hot upwelling associated with the deep slab subduction. Slab dehydration may also take place after a continental plate subducts into the mantle.     

“Spherulite-like” jadeite growth in shock-melt veins of the Novosibirsk H5/6 chondrite

The Novosibirsk H5/6 ordinary chondrite has signs of shock metamorphism, such as dark shock-melt veins (SMVs) crossing the chondrite host rock. The plagioclase composition grains (Ab₇₈An₁₄Or₇) with jadeite were found in the host-rock fragments inside the SMVs. Jadeite has an unusual radial-concentric spherulite-like microtexture. The spherulite-like jadeite formed from the molten plagioclase grain under high-pressure and high-temperature conditions during an impact event. The crystallization was accompanied by sodium-potassium differentiation between coexisting jadeite and residual melt. The PT-conditions of jadeite formation were estimated to be 3-14 GPa and 1400-2150 °C. Jadeite crystallization, Na-K differentiation, and the pressure-temperature estimates of jadeite formation in the Novosibirsk chondrite are very close to those in the Chelyabinsk LL5 chondrite. The spherulite-like microtexture and jadeite-glass coexistence, most likely, point to a high cooling rate of the SMVs at the pressure release stage of the metamorphic process.     

Density of peridotite melts at high pressure

Densities of ultramafic melts were determined up to 22 GPa by relative buoyancy experiments. Olivine and diamond were used as buoyancy markers. We confirmed that the density crossover of PHN 1611 melt and its equilibrium olivine (Fo94) occurs at around 13.5 GPa and 2030 °C and that olivine floats from deeper regions in the magma ocean of the primordial terrestrial mantle. The comparison of the compression curves of basic and ultrabasic melts implies that the basic melt is more compressible. This can be explained by the difference in the amount of compressible linkage of SiO_n and AlO_n polyhedra. The interstitial melt trapped by the density crossover can be the cause of the impedance anomaly of the seismic wave in the deep upper mantle.     

Variability of Monsoon Climate in East Asia at the End of the Last Glaciation

High-resolution paleomonsoon proxy records from peat and eolian sand–paleosol sequences at the desert–loess transition zone in China denote a rapid oscillation from cold–dry conditions (11,200–10,600¹⁴C yr B.P.) to cool–humid conditions (10,600–10,200¹⁴C yr B.P.), followed by a return to cold–dry climate (10,200–10,000¹⁴C yr B.P.). Variations in precipitation proxies suggest that significant climatic variability occurred in monsoonal eastern Asia during the Younger Dryas interval. Late-glacial climate in the Chinese desert–loess belt that lies downwind from Europe was strongly influenced by cold air from high latitudes and from the North Atlantic via the westerlies. The inferred precipitation variations were likely caused by variations in the strength of the Siberian high, which influenced the pressure gradient between land and ocean and therefore influenced the position of the East Asian monsoon front.     

A Study Of The Atmospheric Boundary Layer Using Radon And Air Pollutants As Tracers

Concentrations of radon ²²²Rn andair pollutants, meteorological parametersnear the surface and vertical profiles of meteorological elements were measured atUchio (Okayama City, Okayama Prefecture, Japan) 12 km north from the coast ofthe Inland Sea of Japan. In the nighttime, the ²²²Rn concentration increased in the case of weak winds, but did not increase as much in the case of moderate or strong winds, as had been expected. In the daytime, the ²²²Rn concentrationheld at a slightly higher than average level for the period from sunrise to about 1100 JST. It is considered that this phenomenon is due to a period of morning calm, that is, a transition period from land breeze to sea breeze.NO, which is sensitive to traffic volume,brought information concerning advection.Oxidant concentrations,which reflect the availability of sunlight,acted in the reverse manner to ²²²Rnconcentrations. Thus, a set of ²²²Rn and air pollutants could provide useful information regarding the local conditions of the atmospheric boundary layer.     

Melting of forsterite Mg2SiO4 up to 15 GPa

The melting curve of forsterite has been studied by static experiment up to a pressure of 15 GPa. Forsterite melts congruently at least up to 12.7 GPa. The congruent melting temperature is expressed by the Kraut-Kennedy equation in the following form: T_m(K)=2163 (1+3.0(V₀ ? V)/V₀), where the volume change with pressure was calculated by the Birch-Managhan equation of state with the isothermal bulk modulus K₀ = 125.4 GPa and its pressure derivative K′ = 5.33. The triple point of forsterite-β-Mg₂SiO₄-liquid will be located at about 2600°C and 20 GPa, assuming that congruent melting persists up to the limit of the stability field of forsterite. The extrapolation of the previous melting data on enstatite and periclase indicates that the eutectic composition of the forsterite-enstatite system should shift toward the forsterite component with increasing pressure, and there is a possibility of incongruent melting of forsterite into periclase and liquid at higher pressure, although no evidence on incongruent melting has been obtained in the present experiment.