Observation of cosmic soft X-rays

Cosmic X-rays in the energy range between 0.210 keV were observed with polypropylene window proportional counters on board a sounding rocket. The field of view crossed the galactic plane in the Sgr region and reached galactic latitudes of 50° and –90°. A new soft X-ray source was found in the Aries-Taurus region. The soft X-ray flux from the direction of NGC 1275 was conspicuous, whereas that of Sgr region source were very weak. The distribution of the intensity of diffuse soft X-rays over the scanned region indicates the galactic emission of soft X-rays.     

Shock metamorphism on the moon

Shock metamorphism of the lunar samples is discussed. All types of lunar glasses formed by various-size collision-type impact are found as impact glass, ropy glass and agglutinates. The agglutinates bonded by crystal and glassy materials contain hydrogen and helium from the solar wind components. Lunar shocked minerals of plagioclase and silica show anomalous compositions and densities. There are typical two formation processes on planetary materials formed by shock events; that is (1) shocked quartz formed by silica-rich target rocks (esp. on evolved planets of the Earth and Mars), and (2) shocked silica with minor Al contents formed from plagioclase-rich primordial crusts of the Moon. The both shocked silica grows to coarse-grain normal crystals after high-temperature metamorphism which cannot distinguish the original main formation event of impact process.     

Candidates for families in Apollo-Amor type asteroids

The asteroids whose perihelion distances (q) are smaller than 0.983 AU and aphelion distances (% MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiGc9yrFr0xXdbba91rFfpec8Eeeu0x% Xdbba9frFj0-OqFfea0dXdd9vqaq-JfrVkFHe9pgea0dXdar-Jb9hs% 0dXdbPYxe9vr0-vr0-vqpWqaaeaabiGaciaacaqabeaadaqaaqGaaO% qaaiqadgfagaqeaaaa!3D1C!\[\bar Q\]) are larger than 1.017 AU are called Apollo type objects. Similarly Amor type objects are defined by the conditions: 0.987 AU < % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiGc9yrFr0xXdbba91rFfpec8Eeeu0x% Xdbba9frFj0-OqFfea0dXdd9vqaq-JfrVkFHe9pgea0dXdar-Jb9hs% 0dXdbPYxe9vr0-vr0-vqpWqaaeaabiGaciaacaqabeaadaqaaqGaaO% qaaiqadghagaqeaaaa!3D3C!\[\bar q\] < 1.382 AU and % MathType!MTEF!2!1!+-% feaafeart1ev1aaatCvAUfeBSjuyZL2yd9gzLbvyNv2CaerbuLwBLn% hiov2DGi1BTfMBaeXafv3ySLgzGmvETj2BSbqefm0B1jxALjhiov2D% aebbfv3ySLgzGueE0jxyaibaiGc9yrFr0xXdbba91rFfpec8Eeeu0x% Xdbba9frFj0-OqFfea0dXdd9vqaq-JfrVkFHe9pgea0dXdar-Jb9hs% 0dXdbPYxe9vr0-vr0-vqpWqaaeaabiGaciaacaqabeaadaqaaqGaaO% qaaiqadgfagaqeaaaa!3D1C!\[\bar Q\] > 1.666 AU. Both types are peculiar asteroids and have common dynamical behaviors. So, we regard these two type asteroids as one group and try to search for families among them.     

Excitation of non-spherical waves in solar atmosphere in the presence of toroidal magnetic field

It has been shown that non-spherical waves could be excited in rotating stellar convective envelopes. In this paper, the manner of excitation of such waves is examined in the presence of toroidal magnetic field. The result shows that one of these waves might be considered to induce the formation of the observed magnetic unipolar regions of the sun.Visiting Scientist to the High Altitude Observatory on leave of absence from the Department of Astronomy, University of Tokyo, Japan.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Distribution of the diffuse component of cosmic soft X-rays

The celestial distribution of the intensity of diffuse soft X-rays is mapped by reference to a critical review of observations available. The soft X-rays of extragalactic origin are subtracted, taking the interstellar absorption into account. The distribution of the galactic component thus obtained shows irregularities, but the general behaviour can be accounted for in terms of a cylindrical distribution of the X-ray emissivity with the scale height of 100300 pc in the direction perpendicular to the galactic plane. Correlations with various celestial objects, such as supernova remnants, radio spurs, flaring stars, and so forth, are discussed.     

A model with rigid rotations and slip deficits for the GPS-derived velocity field in Southwest Japan

We interpret the GPS-derived velocity field in southwest Japan by a superposition of the elastic deformation caused by fault interactions (slips or slip deficits) on the rigid motion of tectonic blocks (or plates). Based on the strain rate field and crustal seismicity, we apply a model with three blocks (Inner Arc, Outer Arc, and the northern Ryukyu block) and slip deficits along the block boundaries.Several characteristics of the synthesized contributions are found:

(1) Westward motion of the outer arc relative to the Amurian plate and the inner arc,

(2) southeastward motion of the northern Ryukyu block relative to the Amurian plate,

(3) 2−4 mm/yr deficits of left lateral slip rates along the boundary at 32°N in southern Kyushu,

(4) 0−8 mm/yr deficits of right lateral slip rates along the Median Tectonic Line and the Beppu-Shimabara Graben,

(5) slip deficit rates on the plate interface smaller than those in the case without any consideration for rigid block motions,

(6) clockwise deflection of slip deficit rate vector on the plate interface from that estimated when not taking rigid block motions into consideration.

Perturbed physics ensemble using the MIROC5 coupled atmosphere–ocean GCM without flux corrections: experimental design and results

In this study, we constructed a perturbed physics ensemble (PPE) for the MIROC5 coupled atmosphere–ocean general circulation model (CGCM) to investigate the parametric uncertainty of climate sensitivity (CS). Previous studies of PPEs have mainly used the atmosphere-slab ocean models. A few PPE studies using a CGCM applied flux corrections, because perturbations in parameters can lead to large radiation imbalances at the top of the atmosphere and climate drifts. We developed a method to prevent climate drifts in PPE experiments using the MIROC5 CGCM without flux corrections. We simultaneously swept 10 parameters in atmosphere and surface schemes. The range of CS (estimated from our 35 ensemble members) was not wide (2.2–3.2?°C). The shortwave cloud feedback related to changes in middle-level cloud albedo dominated the variations in the total feedback. We found three performance metrics for the present climate simulations of middle-level cloud albedo, precipitation, and ENSO amplitude that systematically relate to the variations in shortwave cloud feedback in this PPE.     

针对IPCC评估报告中海洋碳循环的疑问——δ13C收支平衡法的验证

 通过对比IPCC历次评估报告中全球碳循环的收支发现,尽管评估报告在估算各主要碳库及其间的通量时差别不大,但表层至中深层海水间溶解无机碳通量却存在巨大差异。利用δ¹³C的收支平衡检验了这一通量的适用范围,结果表明：IPCC 1996年和2007年评估报告对此通量估计过大,而1990年和2001年评估报告估计偏小。     

Cathodoluminescence of high-pressure feldspar minerals as a shock barometer

Cathodoluminescence (CL) analyses were carried out on maskelynite and lingunite in L6 chondrites of Tenham and Yamato-790729. Under CL microscopy, bright blue emission was observed in Na-lingunite in the shock veins. Dull blue-emitting maskelynite is adjacent to the shock veins, and aqua blue luminescent plagioclase lies farther away. CL spectroscopy of the Na-lingunite showed emission bands centered at ~330, 360–380, and ~590 nm. CL spectra of maskelynite consisted of emission bands at ~330 and ~380 nm. Only an emission band at 420 nm was recognized in crystalline plagioclase. Deconvolution of CL spectra from maskelynite successfully separated the UV–blue emission bands into Gaussian components at 3.88, 3.26, and 2.95 eV. For comparison, we prepared K-lingunite and experimentally shock-recovered feldspars at the known shock pressures of 11.1–41.2 GPa to measure CL spectra. Synthetic K-lingunite has similar UV–blue and characteristic yellow bands at ~550, ~660, ~720, ~750, and ~770 nm. The UV–blue emissions of shock-recovered feldspars and the diaplectic feldspar glasses show a good correlation between intensity and shock pressure after deconvolution. They may be assigned to pressure-induced defects in Si and Al octahedra and tetrahedra. The components at 3.88 and 3.26 eV were detectable in the lingunite, both of which may be caused by the defects in Si and Al octahedra, the same as maskelynite. CL of maskelynite and lingunite may be applicable to estimate shock pressure for feldspar-bearing meteorites, impactites, and samples returned by spacecraft mission, although we need to develop more as a reliable shock barometer.