Diel Patterns in Chlorophyll <Emphasis Type="Italic">a</Emphasis> Specific Absorption Coefficient and Absorption Efficiency Factor of Picoplankton

Diel patterns in the chlorophyll a specific absorption coefficient of surface picoplankton, a*_pico (γ) (m²·[mg chlorophyll a]⁻¹), were studied at 7 stations under daily cycle of in situ light condition in the western subarctic Pacific and Japan Sea. All the data were normalized by dividing the anomaly with daily averaged a*_pico (γ). Opposite diel patterns were observed for the normalized a*_pico (443) and a*_pico (675) with maximum toward dawn or dusk and minimum toward midday at 4 stations under low-irradiance (LI) conditions and vice versa at 3 stations under high-irradiance (HI) conditions. The absorption efficiency factors at red absorption peak, Q _a (675), were determined by reconstruction with intracellular chlorophyll a concentration and cell diameter. The normalized Q _a (675) also showed diel pattern with maximum toward midday and minimum toward dawn or dusk under LI. The diel pattern in a*_pico (675) and Q _a (675) were primarily caused by changes in intracellular chlorophyll a concentration due to photoadaptation under LI. The diel pattern in a*_pico (443) was influenced by pigmentation, as recognized by blue to red ratio [a*_pico (443)/a*_pico (675)] under HI. This study proposed that the opposite diel pattern in a*_pico (γ) might occur for a wide range of algal species. The results presented here have important consequences for the interpretation of diel variations in optical properties observed in the open ocean.     

Seasonal and secular variations of water temperature in the East Tsushima Strait

The Fukuoka Prefectural Fisheries Experimental Station has been carrying out oceanographic observations on a fixed line in the East Tsushima Strait since 1913. Seasonal and secular changes in water temperature were investigated based on these data from 1919 to 1979. The deviations from the mean water temperature were large in summer, especially in the thermocline layer at 50 m. Abnormally high temperatures appear from spring to autumn whereas abnormally low temperature appears from autumn to spring. The secular variation of water temperature in the East Tsushima Strait shows a 6- or 8-year periodicity from 1919 to 1943 and a 6-year periodicity after 1948.     

Seasonal variation in the transport of suspended matter in the East China Sea

Seasonal variation in the transport of suspended matter across the East China Sea is investigated with the use of results of field observations and diagnostic numerical experiments. Suspended matter is transported from the shelf edge to the inner shelf in summer and from the inner shelf to the shelf edge in autumn and winter due to the vertical circulation mainly induced by the monsoon wind. The maximum transport of suspended matter from the inner shelf to the shelf edge occurs in autumn.     

Seasonal variation of circulations in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea

Seasonal variation of the water circulations in the East China Sea and the Yellow Sea is investigated with use of a robust diagnostic numerical model. Water circulations in four season are calculated diagnostically from the observed water temperature and salinity data from JODC (Japan Oceanographic Data Center) and wind data from COADS (Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set). Counter-clockwise circulations are developed at the upper and middle layers and a clockwise one at the lower layer in the central part of he Yellow Sea in summer. On the other hand, a clockwise circualtion is developed from the surface to the bottom in the Yellow Sea and a counter-clockwise one in, the northern part of the East China Sea in winter.     

Jellyfish patch formation investigated by aerial photography and drifter experiment

Jellyfish patch formation is investigated by conducting a drifter experiment combined with aerial photography of a sustained patch of the moon jellyfish in Hokezu Bay, Japan. Jellyfish patches are aggregations of individuals that are caused by a combination of swimming (active influence) and advection by currents (passive influence). The drifter experiment involved the injection of 49 drifters around a distinct surface patch of jellyfish within an area of approximately 300 m × 300 m. The drifters’ motion, caused only by the passive influence, was recorded in a series of 38 aerial photographs taken over approximately 1 h. The ambient uniform current field larger than the patch scale was estimated from the movement of the centroid position of drifters, while the distribution of horizontal divergence and relative vorticity around the patch was estimated from the time-derivative in areas of triangles formed by the drifters. The centroid positions of both drifters and patches moved stably toward the bay head at different speeds. The difference vector between the patch and drifter centroids was directed to the sun, and was opposite to the ambient current. The distributions of vorticity and divergence around patches exhibited inhomogeneity within the patch scale, and the drifters in this nonuniform current field aggregated near the convergence area within 1 h. The results suggest that horizontal patch formation is predominantly influenced by passive factors at the surface of Hokezu Bay. Furthermore, the upward swimming against downwelling may make sustained patch in surface layer.     

Evaluation of predictors of non‐linear seismic demands using ‘fishbone’ models of SMRF buildings

Predictors (or estimates) of seismic structural demands that are less computationally time‐consuming than non‐linear dynamic analysis can be useful for structural performance assessment and for design. In this paper, we evaluate the bias and precision of predictors that make use of, at most, (i) elastic modal vibration properties of the given structure, (ii) the results of a non‐linear static pushover analysis of the structure, and (iii) elastic and inelastic single‐degree‐of‐freedom time‐history analyses for the specified ground motion record. The main predictor of interest is an extension of first‐mode elastic spectral acceleration that additionally takes into account both the second‐mode contribution to (elastic) structural response and the effects of inelasticity. This predictor is evaluated with respect to non‐linear dynamic analysis results for ‘fishbone’ models of steel moment‐resisting frame (SMRF) buildings. The relatively small number of degrees of freedom for each fishbone model allows us to consider several short‐to‐long period buildings and numerous near‐ and far‐field earthquake ground motions of interest in both Japan and the U.S. Before doing so, though, we verify that estimates of the bias and precision of the predictor obtained using fishbone models are effectively equivalent to those based on typical ‘full‐frame’ models of the same buildings. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Database of molecular masers and variable stars

We present the database of maser sources in H2 O, OH and Si O lines that can be used to identify and study variable stars at evolved stages. Detecting the maser emission in H2 O, OH and Si O molecules toward infrared-excess objects is one of the methods for identifing long-period variables(LPVs, including miras and semiregulars), because these stars exhibit maser activity in their circumstellar shells. Our sample contains 1803 known LPV objects. Forty-six percent of these stars(832 objects) manifest maser emission in the line of at least one molecule: H2 O, OH or Si O. We use the database of circumstellar masers in order to search for LPVs which are not included in the General Catalogue of Variable Stars(GCVS). Our database contains 4806 objects(3866 objects without associations in GCVS) with maser detection in at least one molecule. Therefore it is possible to use the database in order to locate and study the large sample of LPV stars. The database can be accessed at http://maserdb.net.     

Mineralogy and geochemistry of granitoids from Kinnaur region,Himachal Higher Himalaya,India: Implication on the nature of felsic magmatism in the collision tectonics

Felsic magmatism in the southern part of Himachal Higher Himalaya is constituted by Neoproterozoic granite gneiss (GGn), Early Palaeozoic granitoids (EPG) and Tertiary tourmaline-bearing leucogranite (TLg). Magnetic susceptibility values (<3 ×10^?3 SI), molar Al₂ O ₃/(CaO + Na₂ O + K ₂O) (≥1.1), mineral assemblage (bt–ms–pl–kf–qtz ± tur ± ap), and the presence of normative corundum relate these granitoids to peraluminous S-type, ilmenite series (reduced type) granites formed in a syncollisional tectonic setting. Plagioclase from GGn (An₁₀–An₃₁) and EPG (An₁₅–An₃₃) represents oligoclase to andesine and TLg (An₂–An₁₅) represents albite to oligoclase, whereas compositional ranges of K-feldspar are more-or-less similar (Or₈₈ to Or₉₅ in GGn, Or₈₆ to Or₉₇ in EPG and Or₈₇ to Or₉₄ in TLg). Biotites in GGn (Mg/Mg + Fe^t= 0.34–0.45), EPG (Mg/Mg + Fe^t= 0.27–0.47), and TLg (Mg/Mg + Fe^t= 0.25–0.30) are ferribiotites enriched in siderophyllite, which stabilised between FMQ and HM buffers and are characterised by dominant 3Fe\(\rightleftharpoons \)2Al, 3Mg\(\rightleftharpoons \)2Al substitutions typical of peraluminous (S-type), reducing felsic melts. Muscovite in GGn (Mg/Mg + Fe^t=0.58–0.66), EPG (Mg/Mg + Fe^t=0.31?0.59), and TLg (Mg/Mg + Fe^t=0.29–0.42) represent celadonite and paragonite solid solutions, and the tourmaline from EPG and TLg belongs to the schorl-elbaite series, which are characteristics of peraluminous, Li-poor, biotite-tourmaline granites. Geochemical features reveal that the GGn and EPG precursor melts were most likely derived from melting of biotite-rich metapelite and metagraywacke sources, whereas TLg melt appears to have formed from biotite-muscovite rich metapelite and metagraywacke sources. Major and trace elements modelling suggest that the GGn, EPG and TLg parental melts have experienced low degrees (～13, ～17 and ～13%, respectively) of kf–pl–bt fractionation, respectively, subsequent to partial melting. The GGn and EPG melts are the results of a pre-Himalayan, syn-collisional Pan-African felsic magmatic event, whereas the TLg is a magmatic product of Himalayan collision tectonics.     

Identification of shear strength and seismic coefficient by back analyzing surficial slides in the 2004 Mid-Niigata prefecture earthquake

Sliding of natural and artificial slopes generally occurs during or following strong earthquakes. Such sliding is greatly affected by a combination of geological conditions and earthquake loading. Earthquake-induced landslides often cause more damage to infrastructure and human lives than the earthquake itself. Pseudo-static analysis is widely implemented as one of several design methods used in engineering practice to assess the seismic stability of natural and artificial slopes. However, the most important issue of pseudo-static analysis is to select the most appropriate method for measuring seismic coefficient. In order to investigate this, back analysis was conducted for surficial slides subjected to strong ground motion during the 2004 Mid-Niigata prefecture earthquake in Japan. This paper surveyed the stochastic properties of earthquake-induced surficial slides and clearly showed that the obtained results were applicable to back analysis of shear strength and seismic coefficient. In back analysis, soil properties such as soil strength and density and sliding depth were assumed as random variables owing to their uncertainties. Seismic coefficient is also assumed to be a random variable and varies with distance from the epicenter fault line. The analysis of 4504 recorded surficial slides clearly shows a unique relationship of landslide occurrence ratio with slope angle and distance from the epicenter fault line. This study’s results enhance the calculation of the shear strength of weathered soil covering slopes and the horizontal seismic coefficient through back analysis procedure. By considering possible stochastic properties of variables, some case studies were implemented in the back analysis.