The Magnetic Topological Structure and Energy of the 2B/X2 Flare in NOAA 8100

In this paper, we reconstruct the finite energy force-free magnetic field of the active region NOAA 8100 on 4 November 1997 above the photosphere. In particular, the 3-D magnetic field structures before and after a 2B/X2 flare at 05:58 UT in this region are analyzed. The magnetic field lines were extrapolated in close coincidence with the Yohkoh soft X-ray (SXR) loops accordingly. It is found that the active region is composed of an emerging flux loop, a complex loop system with differential magnetic field shear, and large-scale, or open field lines. Similar magnetic connectivity has been obtained for both instants but apparent changes of the twisting situations of the calculated magnetic field lines can be observed that properly align with the corresponding SXR coronal loops. We conclude that this flare was triggered by the interaction of an emerging flux loop and a large loop system with differential magnetic field shear, as well as large-scale, or open field lines. The onset of the flare was at the common footpoints of several interacting magnetic loops and confined near the footpoints of the emerging flux loop. The sheared configuration remained even after the energetic flare, as demonstrated by calculated values of the twist for the loop system, which means that the active region was relaxed to a lower energy state but not completely to the minimum energy state (two days later another X-class flare occurred in this region).     

An Ecosystem Model Coupled with Nitrogen-Silicon-Carbon Cycles Applied to Station A7 in the Northwestern Pacific

A model based on that of Kishi et al. (2001) has been extended to 15 compartments including silicon and carbon cycles. This model was applied to Station A7 off Hokkaido, Japan, in the Northwestern Pacific. The model successfully simulated the observations of: 1. a spring bloom of diatoms; 2. large seasonal variations of nitrate and silicate concentrations in the surface water; and 3. large inter-annual variations in chlorophyll-a. It also reproduced the observed features of the seasonal variations of carbon dioxide partial pressure (pCO₂)—a peak in pCO₂ in winter resulting from deep winter convection, a rapid decrease in pCO₂ as a result of the spring bloom, and an almost constant pCO₂ from summer through fall (when the effect of increasing temperature cancels the effect of biological production). A comparison of cases with and without silicate limitation shows that including silicate limitation in the model results in: 1. decreased production by diatoms during summer; and 2. a transition in the dominant phytoplankton species, from diatoms to other species that do not take up silicate. Both of these phenomena are observed at Station A7, and our results support the hypothesis that they are caused by silicate limitation of diatom growth. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Process of Housing Damage Assessment: The 1995 Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster Case

Rebuilding of victims' livelihoods was a crucial issue in the restoration process in the1995 Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster. Housing damage assessment influencedmost of the rebuilding of the livelihood in the long term, because the Victim Certificatesissued by the local governments based on the results of the Housing damage assessmentwas required to receive most of the individual assistance measures. In the process ofHousing damage assessment, many complex problems arose, leading to extensivework on the part of the disaster responders. Consequently, a considerable number ofvictims were dissatisfied with the assessment and applied for a resurvey. Due to a floodof requests for resurvey, disaster responders had to work on damage assessment, leavingrelief activities aside.In order to facilitate Housing damage assessment, this paper discusses thefollowing five points: (1) the processes and the problems of assessments performedin the Hanshin-Awaji Earthquake Disaster, (2) the changes in the nature of informationneeded by the victims, (3) the improvements over the present damage assessment, (4)the housing situation in Japan, and (5) the international situation on damage assessment.It is obvious from the results that a poor damage assessment system and the size ofthe disaster produced a very large work load. Differences in appreciation among theinvestigators also contributed to unfair assessments and led to the victims beingincreasingly dissatisfied by the survey results. Finally, a design concept for acomprehensive damage assessment system, which has been derived from theabove five points, is proposed for post-disaster management.     

Preliminary palaeomagnetic results of an Archaean dolerite dyke of west Greenland: geomagnetic field intensity at 2.8 Ga

The geomagnetic field intensity during Archaean times is evaluated from a palaeomagnetic and chronological study of a dolerite dyke intruded into the 3000 Ma Nuuk Gneisses at Nuuk (64.2°N, 51.7°W), west Greenland. Plagioclase from the dolerite dyke yields a mean K-Ar age of 2752 Ma. Palaeomagnetic directions after thermal demagnetization of the dyke and the gneiss reveal a positive baked-contact test, indicating that the high-temperature-component magnetization of the dyke is primary. Thellier experiments on 12 dyke specimens yield a palaeointensity value of 13.5±4.4 μT. The virtual dipole moment at ca. 2.8 Ga is 1.9±0.6 × 10²² Am², which is about one-quarter of the present value. The present study and other available data imply that the Earth's magnetic field at 2.7 ∼ 2.8 Ga was characterized by a weak dipole moment and that a fairly strong geomagnetic field similar to the present intensity followed the weak field after ca. 2.6 Ga.     

The effective stress concept and the evaluation of changes in pore air pressure under jacketed isotropic compression tests for dry sand based on the 2‐phase porous theory

The effective stress concept for solid‐fluid 2‐phase media was revisited in this work. In particular, the effects of the compressibility of both the pore fluid and the soil particles were studied under 3 different conditions, i.e., undrained, drained, and unjacketed conditions based on a Biot‐type theory for 2‐phase porous media. It was confirmed that Terzaghi effective stress holds at the moment when soil grains are assumed to be incompressible and when the compressibility of the pore fluid is small enough compared to that of the soil skeleton. Then, isotropic compression tests for dry sand under undrained conditions were conducted within the triaxial apparatus in which the changes in the pore air pressure could be measured. The ratio of the increment in the cell pressure to the increment in the pore air pressure, m, corresponds to the inverse of the B value by Bishop and was obtained during the step loading of the cell pressure. In addition, the m values were evaluated by comparing them with theoretically obtained values based on the solid‐fluid 2‐phase mixture theory. The experimental m values were close to the theoretical values, as they were in the range of approximately 40 to 185, depending on the cell pressure. Finally, it was found that the soil material with a highly compressible pore fluid, such as air, must be analyzed with the multi‐phase porous mixture theory. However, Terzaghi effective stress is practically applicable when the compressibilities of both the soil particles and the pore fluid are small enough compared to that of the soil skeleton.