Biogenic Silica Record in Lake Biwa of Central Japan over the Past 145,000 Years

The record of the biogenic silica flux (BSF, g cm⁻²(10³yr)⁻¹) in Lake Biwa reflects changes in diatom productivity in the lake and provides information regarding changes in paleoclimatic conditions. The BSF record of Lake Biwa demonstrates five periods over the past ca. 145,000 yr when the BSF values were significantly greater than 7.5 g cm⁻²(10³yr)⁻¹, and five intervals when they were lower. The data imply that paleoclimatic conditions were warmer and wetter from ca. 123,000 to 115,000, 103,000 to 95,000, 88,000 to 72,000, 57,000 to 32,000 yr B.P., and around ca. 6000 yr B.P. when the BSF values were greater, and relatively dry and cold from ca. 141,000 to 123,000 yr B.P. and during intervals between two of the five warm and wet episodes when the BSF values were lower. Time series of the BSF record can be correlated with the record of biogenic silica content in Lake Baikal and the marine oxygen isotope stages 1 through 6. Furthermore, the BSF values varied with much higher amplitude during the last interglaciation than during the last glaciation, probably implying that the diatom productivity in Lake Biwa was likewise more variable and had a larger range under interglacial conditions than under glacial conditions.     

Late Pleistocene-Holocene Paleoclimatic History of the Southern Kerala Basin, Southwest India

The South Kerala Sedimentary Basin (SKSB) constitutes one of the most significant landward extensions of the southwest offshore sedimentary basins of India, and is situated between 8^o45^' and 10^o15^' N latitudes. With a maximum width of about 20 km and incorporating a 700 m thick sedimentary succession ranging in age from Early Miocene to Holocene, this belt lies almost entirely under water or alluvium-covered coastal plains. In this study, we use two continuously cored bore holes at Eruva (7.25m deep) and Muthukulam (3m deep) separated by a distance of about 7km to investigate the depositional environment as well as paleo ecology of the depocentre and climatic aspects during the Late Pleistocene and Holocene. Results from C¹⁴ dating of shell fragments from Eruva (depth zone: 2.10–6.64m) yielded ages in the range of 36.2 to 42.5 kyBP corresponding to the late Pleistocene. Wood fragments in the Muthukulam core sample (depth zone: 1.27–3.00m) gave C¹⁴ ages in the range of 3.7 to 7.2 kyBP indicating a Holocene history. The lower half of the Eruva bore hole indicates a marginal marine environment with an abundant supply of terrestrial carbonaceous debris probably corresponding to a period of abnormally high rainfall recorded in many parts of the globe covered by the Asian summer monsoon. The sediments in the upper part of this bore hole indicate a continuation of this environment but with much less input of terrestrial organic carbon. The lower part of the bore hole from this locality, corresponding to the Holocene transgression, is similar to the lower part of Eruva bore hole in the case of TOC. Deposition took place in water bodies with considerable marine influence but receiving high amounts of terrestrial plant debris-mostly in the form of finely divided particles mixed with mud. This transgressive sequence was also deposited during a time when the Asian summer monsoon was abnormally high in intensity as indicated by many examples in India, Africa, Madagascar and elsewhere. It is significant that during the deposition of this part, the sea level was probably the same as present or higher suggesting possible lowering of the stream velocities and resultant deposition of only muddy sediments laden with terrestrial organic material along the coast. The upper part of the section shows a progressively reduced rainfall pattern culminating in a period of very low precipitation with the development of a paleosol, which is traceable all over the SKSB where Late Holocene sediments are available. This period also witnessed aeolian activity modifying the sand ridges in the ridge-runnel systems formed by the Holocene regression.     

Sources of groundwater recharge at the confluence of the Niles, Sudan

 Due to the rapid expansion of the Sudanese capital city far away from its three Niles, it has become a necessity to estimate the sustainability of the groundwater resources in this arid area. The purpose of this study – based on the stable-isotopic composition of groundwater – is to identify the sources of recharge and their relative contribution. The results show that groundwater infiltrated from the Niles under the present prevailing arid climate, with greater contribution from the White Nile compared to the Blue Nile, occupies an extension of 12 km from the Niles within the two main aquifers. Paleogroundwater of meteoric origin, infiltrated in the cooler pluvial earlier Holocene, occupies the outer zones beyond the Niles' effect. A rational utilization policy is recommended to preserve the finite groundwater resources. Received: 27 August 1998 · Accepted: 2 March 1999     

On the effects of compression of a gaseous disc by thermal and dynamical pressures of intergalactic gas

We consider a galaxy moving in a cluster of galaxies and study the effects of compression of the gas disc by both thermal and dynamical pressures of intergalactic gas. As the result of compression, massive gas clouds are formed. They are not stripped by dynamical pressure of the intergalactic gas but stay in the galaxy until they are disrupted by formation of massive stars.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.     

Electron-microscope study of snow crystal nuclei: II

Summary Experimental work was conducted in an igloo, half way up Mt. Taisetsu (1050 m), Mt. Tokachi (1030 m) and Mt. Okuteine (820 m) in Hokkaido. One solid nucleus (center nucleus) was observed almost always in the central portion of a snow crystal. From their electron micro-diffraction patterns, the materials of the nuclei were classified into three kinds; a single crystal, polycrystalline or amorphous substances. The patterns of the single crystal gave a hexagonal cross grating, the atomic arrangement in their basal plane had some similarity to that of an ice crystal. Some polycrystalline center nuclei were small sea salt, particles. Their shape was similar to that of the nuclei of sea sprays, and their patterns coincide with that of the sea salt. Some amorphous center nuclei were observed which looked like a liquid droplet under the operating condition of the electron-microscope. It seemed that they are chemical components in the sea salt such as KCl or MgCl particles.In the other parts of snow crystal, many smaller nuclei (condensation nuclei) were observed. These nuclei are also aerosols in the atmosphere; their size was 0.10.01 in diameter. They gave the Debye-Scherrer ring; their patterns were different in each specimen. Their materials consist of various substances. From these data, the origin of nuclei and the mode of action of center nucleus were discussed.     

Two-stage model for chemical evolution of galactic halo

We propose a model of chemical evolution of the galactic halo which consists of a succession of two different evolutionary stages; each stage is characterized by different outflow rate of gas from the star-forming region so that different metal-enrichment rate is resulted. The low-metal stars with [Fe/H]<–0.8 are formed mainly during the first 3×10⁸ yr, and most of the high-metal stars with [Fe/H]–0.8 are formed during the succeeding 2×10⁹ yr. This model naturally explains the metallicity distribution of globular clusters in the galactic halo including both the metal-rich and the metal-poor clusters. We also discuss the implications of the present model on the formation and evolution of the galactic halo.