Anisotropic phase transition of rutile under shock compression

Shock recovery experiments for single crystal and powdered specimens of TiO₂ with the rutile structure were performed in the pressure range up to 72 GPa. Single crystal specimens were shocked parallel to [100], [110] and [001] directions. X-ray powder diffraction analysis showed that the amount of -PbO₂ type TiO₂ produced by shock-loading depended strongly on the shock propagation direction. The maximum yield (about 70%) was observed for shock loading to 36 GPa parallel to the [100] direction. In the [001] shock direction, the yield is much smaller than that of the [100] direction. This anisotropic yield was consistent with the observed anisotropy of the phase transition pressure in shock compression measurements. However, transformation to the -PbO₂ type cannot explain the large volume change observed above about 20 GPa. On the basis of the high pressure behavior of MnF₂, we assumed that the high pressure phase was either fluorite or distorted fluorite type and that the phase conversion to the -PbO₂ type was induced spontaneously in the pressure reduction process.We present a displacive mechanism of phase transition under shock compression from the rutile structure to the fluorite structure, in which the rutile [100] is shown to correspond to the fluorite [001] or [110] and the rutile [001] to the fluorite [110]. Direct evidence is obtained by examining the [100] shocked specimen by high resolution electron microscopy.     

Long-term climato-limnological cycles found in a 3.5-million-year continental record

Analysis of physical properties in long sediment cores (BDP96) from Academician Ridge in Lake Baikal indicates that major climato-limnological changes during the past 3.5 Myr occurred at about 2.5–2.8, 1.7–1.9, and 0.9–1.2 Ma, which were close to times of major geomagnetic polarity reversals (Matuyama/Gauss, Olduvai, Jaramillo + Matuyama/Brunhes). The principal climato-limnological oscillation has a long-term period of nearly 1,000 kyr, which corresponds to the periodicity of fluctuation in solar insolation. It also seems to be related to geomagnetic field intensity. Other long-term period of 400 kyr corresponds to Milankovitch parameters of eccentricity. These results suggest that changes in solar insolation were closely related to long-term environmental variations in the deep continental interior.     

Climato-limnological signals during the past 260 000 years in physical properties of bottom sediments from Lake Baikal

The St.16 core obtained from the Academician Ridge of Lake Baikal in eastern Siberia may span about 260 000 years, and some physical properties of the core samples are closely related to aquatic paleoproductivity and climatic change. The median of grain size, grain density, and water content fluctuate synchronously. They also are connected with change in the abundance of biogenic silica (diatoms). The physical parameters indicate that there were high aquatic productivity periods around interglacial periods (MIS 5 and 7; 70 000-125 000 yr B.P. and 180 000-250 000 yr B.P.). Comparatively large clastics were transported from outside of the lake through various routes (ice rafting, etc.) in addition to fluvial routes during the glacials or 'stadials. There are ca. 20 000 yr, 40 000 yr and 100 000 yr periods in the variations of physical properties. These are related to the three Milankovitch parameters of solar insolation.     

Concentrations of 137Cs, 90Sr, 108m Ag, 239+240 Pu and atom ratio of 240Pu/239Pu in tanner crabs, Chionoecetes japonicus and Chionoecetes opilio collected around Japan

The anthropogenic radionuclides, ¹³⁷Cs, ⁹⁰Sr, ^108mAg, ^239+240Pu, were measured in two Chionoecetes species, red queen crab (Chionoecetes japonicus) and snow crab (Chionoecetes opilio) collected around Japan during 1996–2007. There was no increase in the concentrations of these radionuclides and no large variation of the atom ratio of ²⁴⁰Pu/²³⁹Pu during this research period. These results indicated that the source of the radionuclides was not the radioactive wastes dumped by the former USSR and Russia and originated from past nuclear weapon tests. The higher atom ratio in the crab species than that from global fallout would be contributed by the Pacific Proving Grounds close-in fallout. The variability of the concentration of radionuclides in the crab species would result from the variability of the composition and quantity in the diet. However, the decrease in the concentration of radionuclides with sampling depth would depend on the concentration in the seawater and diet.     

基于幂函数法则对放牧梯度上种群空间异质性的定量分析

 在呼伦贝尔草原的克氏针茅群落选择轻牧、中牧、重牧3个不同的放牧梯度,沿着50 m样线设置100个50 cm×50 cm的L型样方,每个L型样方内划分4个25 cm×25 cm的S型样方,以物种出现的频度（p）作为植被空间分布的观测指标,采用幂函数法则对放牧梯度上草原植物群落物种的空间异质性进行了定量研究。结果表明,在不同放牧强度下,种类结构发生明显改变,轻度放牧区羊草和星状刺骨藜、中度放牧区藜和糙隐子草、重度放牧区猪毛菜和多根葱具有高的出现频度,群落物种数随着放牧压力的增大而减小。整体来看,放牧梯度上物种的空间分布呈现明显的聚集分布,物种空间异质性（δi）随着放牧强度的增大而增加,拟合于幂函数规律曲线;群落的空间异质性（δc）随着轻牧-中牧-重牧放牧演替的进展呈现降低趋势,种群个体分布呈现片断化特征。在群落内部各个种群具有不同的异质化分布特点,物种结构主要表现出密集型种群和疏散型种群两大类型。这些趋势与种群的繁殖策略、生活史对策、群落的再生产策略等生理与生态特性密切相关。     

放牧梯度上群落物种数与物种组成结构异质性的数量分析

放牧干扰对草原的植物物种组成以及群落结构的影响过程是群落生态学的重要内容.在内蒙古呼伦贝尔草原轻牧、中牧、重牧3个样地上,设置100个0.25 m2的小样方,通过调查种类组成,比较小尺度区分面积上的物种多样性及物种数目的空间分异性;采用Bray - Curtis相似性指数法研究了不同放牧梯度上物种组成结构异质性的变化趋势.结果表明:样地群落物种数表现为轻牧＞中牧＞重牧,而小尺度样方内物种数与物种多样性均呈现中牧＞轻牧＞重牧趋势;在轻牧条件下,整体来看,小样方内物种数目的分布围绕平均值具有较小波动;在重度放牧区,不存在维持多个物种数的样方;而在中度放牧区,物种数的空间分布呈现“凹型”格局,相比于轻牧、重牧阶段,物种数在样方中的平均分布程度降低,即物种数目很多或很少的样方大量存在.从物种结构的空间异质性来看,轻牧区样方之间种类组成的相似性不明显,群落物种形成均匀分布;中度和重度放牧区,具有随机分布的群落物种结构.牧压影响小尺度区间面积上的物种数、种类构成及其空间异质性,物种数目的频度分布及种类成分相似性的蒙特卡罗模似统计运算,能够较好地拟合不同放牧梯度上物种分布的空间格局,反映群落演替动态.     

Meteor Showers Originated from 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann

The nucleus of the Comet 73P/Schwassmann–Wachmann had been split into many fragments at least past two returns. Since the related dense dust trail has been detected in the space infrared observation, the strong activity of the meteor shower is highly expected in the future. We applied the so-called dust-trail theory to this interesting object, and obtained several results on the future encounter with the dust trail. In this paper we introduce our results on the forecasts.     

Fifteen years progress of the TRITON array in the Western Pacific and Eastern Indian Oceans

The Triangle Trans‐Ocean Buoy Network (TRITON) project by the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology began with deployment in the western tropical Pacific Ocean in 1998 and has shifted to steady, long-term observations since 1999. After on-site inter-comparison with the Autonomous Temperature Line Acquisition System mooring system of the Tropical Atmosphere and Ocean (TAO) array by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, the TRITON array became the international TAO/TRITON array in 2000 as a key component of the Global Ocean and Climate Observing Systems. The TAO/TRITON array took over from the TAO array, which was developed during the Tropical Ocean and Global Atmosphere program (1985–1994), and replaced the western part of TAO with new additional real-time measurements of salinity and ocean currents. In 2001, two TRITON moorings were deployed in the eastern Indian Ocean for capturing the eastern pole of the Indian Ocean Dipole. From this initiative, the Indian Ocean Observing System (IndOOS) was designed, and the Indian Ocean mooring array (Research Moored Array for Africa–Asian–Australian Monsoon Analysis and Prediction) was developed as a key component of IndOOS. In this paper, 15 years of progress in the TRITON project in the western Pacific and eastern Indian Oceans is reviewed with regards to scientific outcomes, technological development, and collaborations with international and domestic partners. Future directions for sustainable observation in the Pacific and Indian Oceans are also discussed.     

Coastal upwelling events along the southern coast of Java during the 2008 positive Indian Ocean Dipole

To understand the coastal upwelling system along the southern coast of Java, we investigated ocean temperature and salinity obtained from an Argo float. In 2008, a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) event began to develop in early May and anomalously cool SST developed around south of Java from May to September. During the peak of the IOD, an Argo float successfully observed vertical structure of temperature and salinity within 90 km from Java. The float observed two intraseasonal-scale temperature cooling events in July and August, with significant upward movements of the thermocline more than 90 m. Concurrent with the signals, anomalous southeasterly alongshore winds, lowering of local SST and sea level, and upward expansion of high-salinity water were also observed. During the event in August, vertical velocity estimated by the anomalous wind stress agreed well with the observations. These results indicate that the Argo float observed the coastal upwelling, which was enhanced by the 2008 positive IOD, along the southern coast of Java.