Crystallization of authigenic carbonates in mud volcanoes at Lake Baikal

This paper presents data on authigenic siderite first found in surface sediments from mud volcanoes in the Central (K-2) and Southern (Malen’kii) basins of Lake Baikal. Ca is the predominant cation, which substitutes Fe in the crystalline lattice of siderite. The enrichment of the carbonates in the ¹³C isotope (from +3.3 to +6.8‰ for the Malen’kii volcano and from +17.7 to +21.9‰ for K-2) results from the crystallization of the carbonates during methane generation via the bacterial destruction of organic matter (acetate). The overall depletion of the carbonates in ¹⁸O is mainly inherited from the isotopic composition of Baikal water.     

Cloning of cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) genes from the hermaphrodite fish Rivulus marmoratus and the Japanese medaka Oryzias latipes

To use two small fish Rivulus marmoratus (Cyprinodontiformes, Rivulidae) and the Japanese medaka Oryzias latipes (Belloniformes) as testing models in molecular ecotoxicology, we have cloned the cytochrome P450 1A (CYP1A) gene after screening of both genomic DNA libraries, and sequenced 11,863 and 7,243 bp including all the exons and introns with promoter regions, respectively. The Rivulus and the medaka CYP1A gene consisted of seven exons (including non-coding exons) with high homology to mammals. In the promoter region, Rivulus CYP1A gene has seven xenobiotic response elements (XREs) and two metal response elements (MREs), while the Japanese medaka CYP1A gene has six XREs and four MREs. Interestingly, medaka CYP1A gene has a number of MREs at the promoter, which may affect its response on metal exposure. We describe here the gene structure of both fish CYP1A genes.     

Petrological feature of spinel lherzolite xenolith from Oki-Dogo Island: An implication for variety of the upper mantle peridotite beneath southwestern Japan

Abstract   Spinel lherzolite is a minor component of the deep-seated xenolith suite in the Oki-Dogo alkaline basalts, whereas other types of ultramafic (e.g. pyroxenite and dunite) and mafic (e.g. granulite and gabbro) xenoliths are abundant. All spinel lherzolite xenoliths have spinel with a low Cr number (Cr#; < 0.26). They are anhydrous and are free of modal metasomatism. Their mineral assemblages and microtextures, combined with the high NiO content in olivine, suggest that they are of residual origin. But the Mg numbers of silicate minerals are lower (e.g. down to Fo₈₆) in some spinel lherzolites than in typical upper mantle residual peridotites. The clinopyroxene in the spinel lherzolite shows U-shaped chondrite-normalized rare-earth element (REE) patterns. The abundance of Fe-rich ultramafic and mafic cumulate xenoliths in Oki-Dogo alkali basalts suggests that the later formation of those Fe-rich cumulates from alkaline magma was the cause of Fe- and light REE (LREE)-enrichment in residual peridotite. The similar REE patterns are observed in spinel peridotite xenoliths from Kurose and also in those from the South-west Japan arc, which are non-metasomatized in terms of major-element chemistry (e.g. Fo > 89), and are rarely associated with Fe-rich cumulus mafic and ultramafic xenoliths. This indicates that the LREE-enrichment in mantle rocks has been more prominent and prevalent than Fe and other major-element enrichment during the metasomatism.     

Implications of Analcime Hydrothermally Formed from Na-alumino-borosilicate Glasses Containing Cs and Sr for the Stability of High-level Radioactive Waste Form

Abstract. In order to know the behaviors of radioactive elements such as cesium and strontium during a hydrothermal alteration of borosilicate glass of radioactive waste, some alumino-borosilicate glasses belonging to the systems Na₂O-Al₂O₃-B₂O₃-SiO₂-SrO, Na₂O-Al₂O₃-B₂O₃-SiO₂-Cs₂O and Na₂O-Al₂-O₃-B₂O₃-SiO₂-SrO-Cs₂O have been treated hydrothermally at 200C under a vapor pressure of 1.54 MPa. The result shows that all glasses are changed into crystalline phases with running time up to 60 days, and that analcime-type zeolite is formed as a major product. The formed zeolite is shown to contain cesium and/or strontium. Considering the fact that natural zeolite occurs in wide physicochemical conditions including hydrothermal one, the analcime-type zeolite is expected to fix stably the radioactive elements in the disposal site. Since aluminum is necessary for the formation of the analcime-type zeolite, the waste glass should have aluminum as one of major components.     

The multiple chronological techniques applied to the Lake Suigetsu SG06 sediment core,central Japan

The varved sediment of Lake Suigetsu (central Japan) provides a valuable opportunity to obtain high‐resolution, multi‐proxy palaeoenvironmental data across the last glacial/interglacial cycle. In order to maximize the potential of this archive, a well‐constrained chronology is required. This paper outlines the multiple geochronological techniques being applied – namely varve counting, radiocarbon dating, tephrochronology (including argon–argon dating) and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) – and the approaches by which these techniques are being integrated to form a single, coherent, robust chronology. Importantly, we also describe here the linkage of the floating Lake Suigetsu (SG06) varve chronology and the absolute (IntCal09 tree‐ring) time scale, as derived using radiocarbon data from the uppermost (non‐varved) portion of the core. This tie‐point, defined as a distinct (flood) marker horizon in SG06 (event layer B‐07–08 at 1397.4 cm composite depth), is thus derived to be 11 255 to 11 222 IntCal09 cal. years BP (68.2% probability range).     

Application of Convergence Confinement Analysis to the study of preceding displacement of a squeezing rock tunnel

Summary This paper deals with a study on the geomechanical behavior of the rock mass around the tunnel. The Convergence Confinement Analysis is one of the most appropriate way to estimate this behavior. Elasto-plastic models proposed by Hoek and Brown, Egger and Kastner were adopted in this study.Measurements of the preceding displacement were performed in a road tunnel in Japan, the geology of which is Neogene squeezing mudstone. The measured data was compared with the results of Convergence Confinement Analysis.The preceding displacement was about 40% against the upper bench face converged displacement and 17% against the final converged displacement. Meanwhile, it increased drastically in lower bench excavation step.Back analysis was also executed to calculate the extension of the plastic zone of the rock mass, which was half of that estimated by Convergence Confinement Analysis in upper bench excavation step. But, in lower bench excavation step, the results of the two analyses were very similar. The support pressure and support stiffness were also calculated.     

An interactive system to assist mineral identification in ore microscopy

An interactive computer system has been developed to assist the mineral identification in ore microscopy. The reference file of the system consists of optical, mechanical, and chemical properties of about 130 ore minerals. The properties are name, chemical formula, color, bireflectance, anisotropism, internal reflection, reflectance at wavelengths of 470, 546, 589, and 650 nm, and polishing hardness and micro-indentation hardness. All the properties except reflectance and microindentation hardness are qualitative or semi-qualitative. Most of the properties are given as characters relative to the more common minerals. This implies that most of the identification processes advance on the basis of the comparison between a subject mineral and coexisting minerals. For this reason, the system asks a user at first to input already identified mineral names. This is quite different from the mineral identification procedures used in petrographic microscopy. To reduce the number of possible minerals, the system presents a series of questions to a user, and the user selects any of the prepared answers according to his observation. The user can also choose any desired question independently of the sequence. The user is expected to be able to recognize some common minerals, such as pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, and hematite, without the assistance of the system.     

Pressure-temperature dependent compositional variation of phlogopitic micas in upper mantle peridotites

Compositional variation of phlogopitic micas in upper mantle peridotites is reviewed. Phlogopitic micas in garnet peridotites are systematically lower in Al (or eastonite component) than those in spinel peridotites. The core of phlogopite megacryst and phenocryst of kimberlite is always lower in Al than the rim. It is apparent that Al/(Al + Si) ratio or eastonite component in phlogopitic micas in ultramafic rocks is controlled by the equilibrium pressure and temperature. In the upper mantle peridotites containing garnet or spinel, the Al/(Al + Si) ratio of phlogopitic mica decreases with increasing pressure at constant temperature. Phlogopitic mica is a potential thermo-barometer in both garnet- and spinel-peridotite facies.