A Hamiltonian Particle Method with a Staggered Particle Technique for Simulating Seismic Wave Propagation

We present a Hamiltonian particle method (HPM) with a staggered particle technique for simulating seismic wave propagation. In the conventional HPM, physical variables, such as particle displacement and stress, are defined at the center, i.e., at the same position, of each particle. As most seismic simulations using finite difference methods (FDM) are practiced with staggered grid techniques, we know the staggered alignment of space variables could improve the numerical accuracy. In the present study, we hypothesized that staggered technique could improve the numerical accuracy also in the HPM and tested the hypothesis. First, we conducted a plane wave analysis for the HPM with the staggered particles in order to verify the validity of our strategy. The comparison of grid dispersion in our strategy with that in the conventional one suggests that the accuracy would be improved dramatically by use of the staggered technique. It is also observed that the dispersion of waves is dependent on the propagation direction due to the difference in the average spacing of the neighboring two particles for the same parameters, as is usually observed in FDM with a rotated staggered grid. Next, we compared the results from the conventional Lamb’s problem using our HPM with those from an analytical approach in order to demonstrate the effectiveness of the staggered particle technique. Our results showed better agreement with the analytical solutions than those from HPM without the staggered particles. We conclude that the staggered particle technique would be a method to improve the calculation accuracy in the simulation of seismic wave propagation.     

Compound chondrule formation in the shock-wave heating model: Three-dimensional hydrodynamics simulation of the disruption of a partially-molten dust particle

We carried out three-dimensional hydrodynamics simulations of the disruption of a partially-molten dust particle exposed to high-speed gas flow to examine the compound chondrule formation due to mutual collisions between the fragments (fragment-collision model; [Miura, H., Yasuda, S., Nakamoto, T., 2008a. Icarus194, 811-821]).In the shock-wave heating model, which is one of the most plausible models for chondrule formation, the gas friction heats and melts the surface of the cm-sized dust particle (parent particle) and then the strong gas ram pressure causes the disruption of the molten surface layer. The hydrodynamics simulation shows details of the disruptive motion of the molten surface, production of many fragments and their trajectories parting from the parent particle, and mutual collisions among them. In our simulation, we identified 32 isolated fragments extracted from the parent particle. The size distribution of the fragments was similar to that obtained from the aerodynamic experiment in which a liquid layer was attached to a solid core and it was exposed to a gas flow. We detected 12 collisions between the fragments, which may result in the compound chondrule formation. We also analyzed the paths of all the fragments in detail and found the importance of the shadow effect in which a fragment extracted later blocks the gas flow toward a fragment extracted earlier. We examined the collision velocity and impact parameter of each collision and found that 11 collisions should result in coalescence. It means that the ratio of coalescent bodies to single bodies formed in this disruption of a parent particle is R_coa=11/(32-11)=0.52. We concluded that compound chondrule formation can occur just after the disruption of a cm-sized molten dust particle in shock-wave heating.     

Topography of the Moho and Conrad discontinuities in the Kyushu district,Southwest Japan

The first P-arrival time data from local earthquakes are inverted for two-dimensional variation of the depths to the Conrad and Moho discontinuities in the Kyushu district, southwest Japan. At the same time, earthquake hypocenters and station corrections are determined from the data. The depths to the discontinuities are estimated by minimizing the travel time residuals of first P-arrival phases for 608 earthquakes observed at 57 seismic stations. In the land area of Kyushu, the Conrad and Moho discontinuities are located within the depth ranges of 16–18 and 34–40 km, respectively. The Conrad discontinuity is not as largely undulated as the Moho discontinuity. The depth to the Moho is deep along the east coast of Kyushu, and the deepest Moho is closely related to markedly low velocity of P wave. We regard the deepest Moho as reflecting the Kyushu–Palau ridge subducting beneath the Kyushu district, together with the Philippine Sea slab. In western Kyushu, the shallow Moho is spreading in the north–northeast–south–southwest direction in the Okinawa trough region. Based on the presence of low-velocity anomaly in three-dimensional velocity structure and seismogenic stress field of shallow crustal earthquakes, the shallow Moho is interpreted as being due to lower crustal erosion associated with a small-scale mantle upwelling in the Okinawa trough region. The velocity discontinuity undulation basically has insignificant effect on hypocenter determination of the local earthquakes, but the Moho topography makes changes in focal depths of some upper mantle earthquakes. The depth variation of the Moho discontinuity has a good correlation with the Bouguer gravity anomaly map; i.e., the shallow Moho of western Kyushu and the deep Moho of eastern Kyushu closely correlate with the positive and negative Bouguer gravity anomalies, respectively.     

Jovian magnetosphere-ionosphere current system characterized by diurnal variation of ionospheric conductance

We developed a new numerical model of the Jovian magnetosphere-ionosphere coupling current system in order to investigate the effects of diurnal variation of ionospheric conductance. The conductance is determined by ion chemical processes that include the generation of hydrogen and hydrocarbon ions by solar EUV radiation and auroral electrons precipitation. The model solves the torque equations for magnetospheric plasma accelerated by the radial currents flowing along the magnetospheric equator. The conductance and magnetospheric plasma then change the field-aligned currents (FACs) and the intensity of the electric field projected onto the ionosphere. Because of the positive feedback of the ionospheric conductance on the FAC, the FAC is the maximum on the dayside and minimum just before sunrise. The power transferred from the planetary rotation is mainly consumed in the upper atmosphere on the dayside, while it is used for magnetospheric plasma acceleration in other local time (LT) sectors. Further, our simulations show that the magnetospheric plasma density and mass flux affect the temporal variation in the peak FAC density. The enhancement of the solar EUV flux by a factor of 2.4 increases the FAC density by 30%. The maximum density of the FAC is determined not only by the relationship between the precipitating electron flux and ionospheric conductance, but also by the system inertia, i.e., the inertia of the magnetospheric plasma. A theoretical analysis and numerical simulations reveal that the FAC density is in proportion to the planetary angular velocity on the dayside and to the square of the planetary angular velocity on the nightside. When the radial current at the outer boundary is fixed at values above 30 MA, as assumed in previous model studies, the peak FAC density determined at latitude 73°-74° is larger than the diurnal variable component. This result suggests large effects of this assumed radial current at the outer boundary on the system.     

Diverse mineralogical and oxygen isotopic signatures recorded in CV3 carbonaceous chondrites

We describe the petrography and mineralogy of six CV3 carbonaceous chondrites. LAP02206, LAP02228, LAP04843, and GRA06101 are classified as oxidized Allende-like chondrites (CV3_oxA). RBT04143 and QUE97186 are classified as members of the reduced subtype (CV3_red). Chondrules in the CV3_oxA chondrites show extensive Fe–Mg zoning. Fe-rich olivine in the rims of the CV3_oxA chondrules are ¹⁶O-poor relative to Mg-rich olivine in the cores, suggesting that in addition to Fe and Mg, oxygen was exchanged between chondrules and matrix during weak thermal metamorphism. The CV3_red chondrites appear to have formed through various processes. QUE97186 shows chondrule flattening with a preferred orientation, which is interpreted to have resulted from shock impact at a pressure of ～20 GPa. The post-shock residual heat (～1000 °C) is likely to be responsible for the restricted Fe/Mg ratios of matrix olivine. Based on the degree of Fe–Mg homogenization of matrix olivines, we estimate the spatial scale of the shock-heated region to be ～1 m. RBT04143 is a breccia containing many clasts of two types of lithologies: reduced-type material and very weakly altered material.     

Analyzing rainfall-induced mass movements in Taiwan using the soil water index

This study applied the soil water index (SWI), which can represent the conceptual soil water contents as influenced by present and antecedent rainfall, for analyzing rainfall-induced mass movements in Taiwan. The SWI has been used in Japan for nationwide mass movement warnings. This study examined whether the SWI can be also applied to Taiwan, which has a climatic condition and high-relief topography similar to Japan. We used data for mass movements for 2006–2012 (n = 263) for the main analyses and those for 2013 (n = 19) for verification. The SWI values before the rainfall events that triggered mass movements were used as the indicator of the antecedent rainfall condition. We found that when SWI values before rainfall events increased from <17.5 to >35, the upper threshold of rainfall conditions needed for triggering mass movements significantly decreased. The mass movements in 2013 support this finding. We classified rainfall conditions for triggering mass movements into two types, short duration–high intensity (SH) and long duration–low intensity (LL), based on a principal component analysis (PCA). The SH type is associated with a rapid increase in SWI, and the LL type is associated with a gradual rise and subsequent constancy of SWI except in some extremely long rainfall events. Based on this result, we modeled the general trend of the time series changes in SWI for the two types, which was verified using the mass movements in 2013.     

Fragment-collision model for compound chondrule formation: Estimation of collision probability

We propose a new scenario for compound chondrule formation named as “fragment-collision model,” in the framework of the shock-wave heating model. A molten cm-sized dust particle (parent) is disrupted in the high-velocity gas flow. The extracted fragments (ejectors) are scattered behind the parent and the mutual collisions between them will occur. We modeled the disruption event by analytic considerations in order to estimate the probability of the mutual collisions assuming that all ejectors have the same radius. In the typical case, the molten thin () layer of the parent surface will be stripped by the gas flow. The stripped layer is divided into about 200 molten ejectors (assuming that the radius of ejectors is 300 μm) and then they are blown away by the gas flow in a short period of time (). The stripped layer is leaving from the parent with the velocity of depending on the viscosity, and we assumed that the extracted ejectors have a random velocity Δv of the same order of magnitude. Using above values, we can estimate the number density of ejectors behind the parent as . These ejectors occupy ∼9% of the space behind the parent in volume. Considering that the collision rate (number of collisions per unit time experienced by an ejector) is given by Rcoll=σcollneΔv, where σcoll is the cross-section of collision [e.g., Gooding, J.K., Keil, K., 1981. Meteoritics 16, 17-43], we obtain by substituting above values. Since most collisions occur within the short duration () before the ejectors are blown away, we obtain the collision probability of Pcoll∼0.36, which is the probability of collisions experienced by an ejector in one disruption event. The estimated collision probability is about one order of magnitude larger than the observed fraction of compound chondrules. In addition, the model predictions are qualitatively consistent with other observational data (oxygen isotopic composition, textural types, and size ratios of constituents). Based on these results, we concluded that this new model can be one of the strongest candidates for the compound chondrule formation. It should be noted that all collisions do not necessarily lead to the compound chondrule formation. The formation efficiency and the future works which should be investigated in the forthcoming paper are also discussed.     

Research on the seismotectonics of the January 17, 1995 Hanshin M 7.2 earthquake

Based on the geological tectonics, aftershock activity, earthquake surface rupture and peak ground motion, the geometric and dynamic characteristics of seismogenic tectonics about the 1995 Hanshin earthquake are analysed. Nojima fault and Rokko fault have the same trending direction, but opposite dips. Their rising and falling plates are in symmetrically diagonal distribution. The two faults can be defined as thrust-strike slip faults and constitute a pivotal strike-slip fault. The earthquake just occurred at the pivot, which is the seismotectonics for the earthquake to develop and occur. The pivotal movement along a strike-slip fault often leads to the occurrence of large earthquakes, whose dynamic process can be demonstrated by the stress analysis on the torsion of a beam with rectangle section. The displacement of earthquake surface rupture, aftershock density and peak acceleration change in a certain range of epicentral distance just similar as the shear stress changes from the center to the sides in the rectangle section. The distribution characteristics of the heaviest damage areas are also discussed in the article from the aspects of special geological tectonics and seismotectonic condition. The result obtained from the article can be applied not only to realizing the potencial earthquake sources in middle-long time, but also to build reasonably the prediction model about earthquake hazard.     

D/H fractionation factors between serpentine and water at 100° to 500°C and 2000 bar water pressure,and the D/H ratios of natural serpentines

D/H fractionation factors between serpentine (clinochrysotile) and water were experimentally determined to be: 1000 In α_ser-w = 2.75 × 10 ⁷/T² ? 7.69 × 10⁴/T + 40.8 in the temperature range from 100 to 500°C. The present results do not support the semi-empirical fractionation factors employed by Wenner and Taylor [1] for the interpretation of δD values of natural serpentines. About 100 serpentines from the Japanese Islands have δD values from ?110 to ?40‰ SMOW, with antigorite being from ?40 to ?60‰. The results are in accord with the two conclusions by Wenner and Taylor [1,2], that is, the presence of a latitude ?δD correlation and the more uniform and higher δD values of antigorite than chrysotile and lizardite.According to the present fractionation factors, almost none of the continental lizardite-chrysotile serpentines could have formed at a temperature below 500°C under equilibrium with fluids of δD values similar to the present-day local meteoric waters. The fluid responsible for oceanic serpentinization could be either a mixture of oceanic and magmatic water or oceanic water alone. However, full interpretation of the δD values of natural serpentines should wait until kinetic behaviors of hydrogen isotopes in serpentinization are better understood.     

Detection and Evaluation of Gas Hydrates in the Eastern Nankai Trough by Geochemical and Geophysical Methods

Abstract: Interstitial waters extracted from the sediment cores from the exploration wells, “BH‐1” and “MITI Nankai Trough”, drilled ～60 km off Omaezaki Peninsula in the eastern Nankai Trough, were analyzed for the chloride and sulfate concentrations to examine the depth profiles and occurrence of subsurface gas hydrates. Cored intervals from the seafloor to 310 mbsf were divided into Unit 1 (～70 mbsf, predominated by mud), Unit 2 (70–150 mbsf, mud with thin ash beds), Unit 3 (150–250+ mbsf, mud with thin ash and sand), and Unit 4 (275–310 mbsf, predominated by mud). The baseline level for Cl “concentrations was 540 mM, whereas low chloride anomalies (103 to 223 mM) were identified at around 207 mbsf (zone A), 234–240 mbsf (zone B), and 258–265 mbsf (zone C) in Unit 3. Gas hydrate saturation (Sh %) of sediment pores was calculated to be 60 % (zone A) to 80 % (zones B and C) in sands whereas only a few percent in clay and silt. The total amount of gas hydrates in hydrate‐bearing sands was estimated to be 8 to 10 m³ of solid gas hydrate per m², or 1.48 km³ CH₄ per 1 km². High saturation zones (A, B and C) were consistent with anomaly zones recognized in sonic and resistivity logs. 2D and high‐resolution seismic studies revealed two BSRs in the study area. Strong BSRs (BSR‐1) at ～263 mbsf were correlated to the boundary between gas hydrate‐bearing sands (zone C) and the shallower low velocity zone, while the lower BSRs (BSR‐2) at～289 mbsf corresponded to the top of the deeper low velocity zone of the sonic log. Tectonic uplift of the study area is thought to have caused the upward migration of BGHS. That is, BSR‐1 corresponds to the new BGHS and BSR‐2 to the old BGHS. Relic gas hydrates and free gas may survive in the interval between BSR‐1 and BSR‐2, and below BSR‐2, respectively. Direct measurements of the formation temperature for the top 170 m interval yield a geothermal gradient of ～4.3d?C/ 100 m. Extrapolation of this gradient down to the base of gas hydrate stability yields a theoretical BGHS at～230 mbsf, surprisingly ～35 m shallower than the base of gas hydrate‐bearing sands (zone C) and BSR‐1. As with the double BSRs, another tectonic uplift may explain the BGHS at unreasonably shallow depths. Alternatively, linear extrapolation of the geothermal gradient down to the hydrate‐bearing zones may not be appropriate if the gradient changes below the depths that were measured. Recognition of double BSRs (263 and 289 mbsf) and probable new BGHS (～230 mbsf) in the exploration wells implies that the BGHS has gradually migrated upward. Tectonically induced processes are thought to have enhanced dense and massive accumulation of gas hydrate deposits through effective methane recycling and condensation. To test the hypothetical models for the accumulation of gas hydrates in Nankai accretionary prism, we strongly propose to measure the equilibrium temperatures for the entire depth range down to the free gas zone below predicted BGHS and to reconstruct the water depths and uplift history of hydrate‐bearing area.