The anisotropy of cosmic ray arrival directions around 10 eV

Anisotropy in the arrival directions of cosmic rays with energies above 10¹⁷ eV is studied using data from the Akeno 20 km² array and the Akeno Giant Air Shower Array (AGASA), using a total of about 114 000 showers observed over 11 years. In the first harmonic analysis, we have found a strong anisotropy of 4% around 10¹⁸ eV, corresponding to a chance probability of 0.2% after taking the number of independent trials into account. with two-dimensional analysis in right ascension and declination, this anisotropy is interpreted as an excess of showers near the directions of the Galactic Center and the Cygnus region.     

Prediction of ground motion in the Osaka sedimentary basin associated with the hypothetical Nankai earthquake

We studied the long-period ground motions in the Osaka sedimentary basin, Japan, which contains a 1- to 3-km thickness of sediments and is the site of many buildings or construction structures with long-natural period. We simulated the broadband ground motions likely to be produced by the hypothetical Nankai earthquake: the earthquake expected to give rise to the most severe long-period ground motion within the basin. For the simulation, we constructed multiscale heterogeneous source models based on the Central Disaster Management Council of Japan (CDMC) source model and adopted a hybrid computation method in which long-period motion and short-period motion are computed using a 3-D finite difference method and the stochastic Green’s function method, respectively. In computing long-period motions, we used a 3-D structure model of the crust and the Osaka sedimentary basin. The ground motions are estimated to have peak velocities of 50–90 cm/s, prolonged durations exceeding 300 s, and long predominant periods of 5–10 s in the area with great thickness of sediments. The predominant periods are in agreement with an approximate evaluation by 4 H/V _s where H and V _s are the thickness of the sediment and the average S wave velocity, respectively.     

The difference in chemical composition of the 1962 lava from miyakezima magma reservoir in Japan

Many examples of mixed magmas in banded lavas have been studied. Another type of mixed magmas or inhomogeneity of magma reservoir found in the 1962 lava flows of Miyake-zima Volcano erupted from fissures is reported.     

Detection of large color variation in the potentially hazardousasteroid （297274） 1996 SK

Low-inclination near-earth asteroid(NEA)(297274) 1996 SK,which is also classified as a potentially hazardous asteroid,has a highly eccentric orbit.It was studied by multi-wavelength photometry within the framework of an NEA color survey at Lulin Observatory.Here,we report the finding of large color variation across the surface of(297274) 1996 SK within one asteroidal rotation period of4.656 ± 0.122 hours and classify it as an S-type asteroid according to its average colors of B- V = 0.767 ± 0.033,V- R = 0.482 ± 0.021,V- I = 0.801 ± 0.025and the corresponding relative reflectance spectrum.These results might be indicative of differential space weathering or compositional inhomogeneity in the surface materials.     

Multiple sulfur isotope chemostratigraphy across the Permian–Triassic boundary at Chaotian,China: Implications for a shoaling model of toxic deep-waters

Previous studies on multiple sulfur isotopes (³²S, ³³S, and ³⁴S) in sedimentary pyrite at the end-Permian suggested a shoaling of anoxic/sulfidic deep-water contributing to the extinction. This scenario is based on an assumption that the sedimentary sulfur cycle was largely controlled by benthos activity, though a stratigraphic correlation between the sulfur records and ichnofabrics of the sediments at the end-Permian has not yet been examined. We report the multiple sulfur isotopic composition of pyrite in the Permian–Triassic boundary interval at Chaotian, South China. Our data can be generally explained by a mixing of sulfur in sulfide from two different sources: one produced via sulfate reduction in an open system with respect to sulfate and the other produced in a closed system. In particular, the former with the substantially low δ³⁴S (<−40 ‰) and high ∆³³S (up to +0.100 ‰) values was likely produced via water-mass sulfate reduction or via sulfate reduction in oxic sediments with common burrows. The frequent occurrence of small pyrite framboids (mostly <5 μm in diameter) in the Lopingian (Late Permian) Dalong Formation of deep-water facies supports the enhanced water-mass sulfate reduction in an anoxic deep-water mass. The negative ∆³³S values are observed only in the oxic limestones, and no substantial ∆³³S change is observed across the extinction horizon despite of the disappearance of bioturbation. Our results are apparently inconsistent with the previous shoaling model. We expand the model and infer that, when the deep-water was sulfidic and its shoaling rate was high, a substantial amount of hydrogen sulfide (H₂S) was supplied onto the shelf via the shoaling; that resulted in the positive ∆³³S value of the bulk sediments. The observed ∆³³S variation on a global scale suggests a substantial variation in H₂S concentration and/or in upwelling rate of shoaling deep-waters during the Permian–Triassic transition.     

Interactive behavior of soil–pile-superstructure system in transient state to liquefaction by means of large shake table tests

Shaking table tests were conducted by means of a large-scale laminar box with 4 m in length, 2 m in width and 2 m in height in order to investigate behavior of a soil-pile-superstructure system in liquefiable ground. A model two-storey structure, supported by a pile group, was set in a saturated sand deposit, and subjected to a sinusoidal base motion with increasing amplitude. Discussions are focused on the transient behavior until soil liquefaction occurs. Main interests are characteristics of springs used in a sway-rocking model and a multi-freedom lumped mass (MFLM) model that are frequently used in soil–pile interaction analysis. The spring constant in the sway-rocking model is represented by restoring force characteristics at the pile head, and that in the MFLM system is represented by an interaction spring connecting the pile to the free field. The transient state prior to soil liquefaction is shown to be important in the design of a pile because dynamic earth pressure shows peak response in this state. The reduction of the stiffness due to excess porewater generation and strain dependent nonlinear behavior is evaluated.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987114000917

Important ecological changes of the Earth(oxidization of the atmosphere and the ocean) increase in nutrient supply due to the break-up of the super continent(Rodinia) and the appearance of multi-cellular organisms(macroscopic algae and metazoan) took place in the Ediacaran period,priming the Cambrian explosion.The strong perturbations in carbon cycles in the ocean are recorded as excursions in carbonate and organic carbon isotope ratio(δ~(13)C_(carb) and δ~(13)C_(org)) from the Ediacaran through early Cambrian periods.The Ediacaran-early Cambrian sediment records of δ~(13)C_(carb) and δ~(13)C_(org),obtained from the drill-core samples in Three Gorges in South China,are compared with the results of numerical simulation of a simple one-zone model of the carbon cycle of the ocean,which has two reservoirs(i.e.,dissolved organic carbon(DOC) and dissolved inorganic carbon(DIC).The fluxes from the reservoirs are assumed to be proportional to the mass of the carbon reservoirs.We constructed a model,referred to here as the Best Fit Model(BFM),which reproduce δ~(13)C_(carb) and δ~(13)C_(org) records in the Ediacaran-early Cambrian period noted above.BFM reveals that the Shuram excursion is related to three major changes in the carbon cycle or the global ecological system of the Earth:(1) an increase in the coefficient of remineralization by a factor of ca.100,possibly corresponding to a change in the dominant metabolism from anaerobic respiration to aerobic respiration,(2) an increase of carbon fractionation index from 25‰ to 33‰,possibly corresponding to the change in the primary producer from rock-living cyanobacteria to free-living macro algae,and(3) an increase in the coefficient of the organic carbon burial by a factor of ca.100,possibly corresponding to the onset of a biological pump driven by the flourishing metazoan and zooplankton.The former two changes took place at the start of the Shuram excursion,while the third occurred at the end of the Shuram excursion.The other two excursions are explained by the tentative decrease in primary production due to cold periods,which correspond to the Gaskiers(ca.580 Ma) and Bikonor(ca.542 Ma) glaciations.     

Diamond in metasedimentary crustal rocks from Pohorje,Eastern Alps: a window to deep continental subduction

We report the first finding of diamond and moissanite in metasedimentary crustal rocks of Pohorje Mountains (Slovenia) in the Austroalpine ultrahigh‐pressure (UHP) metamorphic terrane of the Eastern Alps. Microscopic observations and Raman spectroscopy show that diamond occurs in situ as inclusions in garnet, being heterogeneously distributed. Under the optical microscope, diamond‐bearing inclusions are of cuboidal to rounded shape and of pinkish, yellow to brownish colour. The Raman spectra of the investigated diamond show a sharp, first order peak of sp³‐bonded carbon, in most cases centred between 1332 and 1330 cm^?1, with a full width at half maximum between 3 and 5 cm^?1. Several spectra show Raman bands typical for disordered graphitic (sp²‐bonded) carbon. Detailed observations show that diamond occurs either as a monomineralic, single‐crystal inclusion or it is associated with SiC (moissanite), CO₂ and CH₄ in polyphase inclusions_. This rare record of diamond occurring with moissanite as fluid‐inclusion daughter minerals implies the crystallization of diamond and moissanite from a supercritical fluid at reducing conditions. Thermodynamic modelling suggests that diamond‐bearing gneisses attained P–T conditions of ≥3.5 GPa and 800–850 °C, similar to eclogites and garnet peridotites. We argue that diamond formed when carbonaceous sediment underwent UHP metamorphism at mantle depth exceeding 100 km during continental subduction in the Late Cretaceous (c. 95–92 Ma). The finding of diamond confirms UHP metamorphism in the Pohorje Mountains, the most deeply subducted part of Austroalpine units.     

Fluid-rock history of granulite facies humite-marbles from Ambasamudram, southern India.

An extensive humite‐bearing marble horizon within a supracrustal sequence at Ambasamudram, southern India, was studied using petrological and stable isotopic techniques to define its metamorphic history and fluid characteristics. At peak metamorphic temperatures of 775±73°C, based on calcite‐graphite carbon isotope thermometry, the mineral assemblages suggest layer‐by‐layer control of fluid compositions. Clinohumite + calcite‐bearing assemblages suggest X_CO2 < 0.4 (at 700°C and 5 kbar), calcite + forsterite + K‐feldspar‐bearing assemblages suggest X_CO2>0.9 (at 790°C); and local wollastonite + scapolite + grossular‐bearing zones formed at X_CO2 of c. 0.3. Retrograde reaction textures such as scapolite + quartz symplectites after feldspar and calcite and replacement of dolomite + diopside or tremolite+dolomite after calcite+forsterite or calcite+clinohumite are indicative of retrogression under high X_CO2 conditions. Calcite preserves late Proterozoic carbon and oxygen isotopic signatures and the marble lacks evidence for extensive retrograde fluid infiltration, while during prograde metamorphism the possible infiltration of aqueous fluids did not produce significant isotopic resetting. Isotopic zonation of calcite and graphite grains was likely produced by localized CO₂ fluid infiltration during retrogression. Contrary to the widespread occurrence of humite‐marbles related to retrograde aqueous fluid infiltration, the Ambasamudram humite‐marbles record a prograde‐to‐peak metamorphic humite formation and retrogression under conditions of low X_H2O.     

Gas seepage from Tokamachi mud volcanoes, onshore Niigata Basin (Japan): Origin, post-genetic alterations and CH4-CO2 fluxes

Methane and CO₂ emissions from the two most active mud volcanoes in central Japan, Murono and Kamou (Tokamachi City, Niigata Basin), were measured in from both craters or vents (macro-seepage) and invisible exhalation from the soil (mini- and microseepage). Molecular and isotopic compositions of the released gases were also determined. Gas is thermogenic (δ¹³C_CH4 from −32.9‰ to −36.2‰), likely associated with oil, and enrichments of ¹³C in CO₂ (δ¹³C_CO2 up to +28.3‰) and propane (δ¹³C_C3H8 up to −8.6‰) suggest subsurface petroleum biodegradation. Gas source and post-genetic alteration processes did not change from 2004 to 2010. Methane flux ranged within the orders of magnitude of 10¹-10⁴ g m⁻² d⁻¹ in macro-seeps, and up to 446 g m⁻² d⁻¹ from diffuse seepage. Positive CH₄ fluxes from dry soil were widespread throughout the investigated areas. Total CH₄ emission from Murono and Kamou were estimated to be at least 20 and 3.7 ton a⁻¹, respectively, of which more than half was from invisible seepage surrounding the mud volcano vents. At the macro-seeps, CO₂ fluxes were directly proportional to CH₄ fluxes, and the volumetric ratios between CH₄ flux and CO₂ flux were similar to the compositional CH₄/CO₂ volume ratio. Macro-seep flux data, in addition to those of other 13 mud volcanoes, supported the hypothesis that molecular fractionation (increase of the “Bernard ratio” C₁/(C₂ + C₃)) is inversely proportional to gas migration fluxes. The CH₄ “emission factor” (total measured output divided by investigated seepage area) was similar to that derived in other mud volcanoes of the same size and activity. The updated global “emission-factor” data-set, now including 27 mud volcanoes from different countries, suggests that previous estimates of global CH₄ emission from mud volcanoes may be significantly underestimated.