Ion upflow and downflow at the topside ionosphere observed by the EISCAT VHF radar

We have determined the MLT distribution and KpK_P dependence of the ion upflow and downflow of the thermal bulk oxygen ion population based on a data analysis using the EISCAT VHF radar CP-7 data obtained at Tromsø during the period between 1990 and 1996: (1) both ion upflow and downflow events can be observed at any local time (MLT), irrespective of dayside and nightside, and under any magnetic disturbance level, irrespective of quiet and disturbed levels; (2) these upflow and downflow events are more frequently observed in the nightside than in the dayside; (3) the upflow events are more frequently observed than the downflow events at any local time except midnight and at any K_P level and the difference of the occurrence frequencies between the upflow and downflow events is smaller around midnight; and (4) the occurrence frequencies of both the ion upflow and downflow events appear to increase with increasing KP level, while the occurrence frequency of the downflow appears to stop increasing at some KP level     

Application of a modified hopfield neural network to noisy magnetotelluric data

A new approach is presented for processing noisy magnetotelluric time series, based on a neural network algorithm. This approach structures data and removes noise and distortions from them for the subsequent correct estimation of magnetotelluric response functions. The method was tested on real data contaminated by anthropogenic noise.     

Possibility of measuring the large scale electric field at ground level

A method is proposed for making measurements near the ground of a large scale electric field mapped from ionospheric and magnetospheric sources.     

Magmatic fluids of Tatun volcanic group,Taiwan

Two distinctive magmatic fluids were recognized in the Tatun volcanic group (TVG), Taiwan. One is a relatively reduced fluid represented by the fumarolic gases at Hsiao-you-ken (HYK) geothermal field. Another is an oxidized fluid containing high concentrations of HCl represented by the fumarolic gases at Da-you-ken (DYK). An intermediate gas was recognized at Gung-tze-ping (GTP) and She-hung-ping (SHP). The fumarolic gases at HYK and GTP possess the features of so-called primary steam generated on mixing of magmatic gas and meteoric groundwater. The fumarolic gases at DYK are a simple mixture between magmatic gas and water vapor of meteoric origin. The CO₂/H₂O molar ratio of the magmatic component in the fumarolic gases at DYK was estimated to be 0.018, meanwhile it was estimated to be 0.027 for the fumarolic gases at HYK and GTP, suggesting the magma beneath DYK is depleted in volatiles relative to the magma beneath HYK and GTP. The estimated CO₂/H₂O ratio for the magmatic component is comparable to that of some active volcanoes in Japan, suggesting the enrichment of volatiles in the magmas beneath TVG.     

Rocket observation of atomic oxygen and night airglow: Measurement of concentration with an improved resonance fluorescence technique

An improved resonant fluorescence instrument for measuring atomic oxygen concentration was developed to avoid the Doppler effect and the aerodynamic shock effect due to the supersonic motion of a rocket. The shock effect is reduced by adopting a sharp wedge-shaped housing and by scanning of the detector field of view to change the distance between the scattering volume and the surface of the housing. The scanning enables us to determine absolute values of atomic oxygen concentration from relative variation of the scattered light signal due to the self-absorption. The instrument was calibrated in the laboratory, and the numerical simulation reproduced the calibration result. Using the instrument, the altitude profile of atomic oxygen concentration was observed by a rocket experiment at Uchinoura (31°N) on 28 January 1992. The data obtained from the rocket experiment were not perfectly free from the shock effect, but errors due to the effect were reduced by the data analysis procedure. The observed maximum concentration was 3.8× 10¹¹ cm⁻³ at altitudes around 94 km. The systematic error is estimated to be less than ±0.7×10¹¹ cm⁻³ and the relative random error is less than±0.07× 10¹¹ cm⁻³at the same altitudes. The altitude profile of the OI 557.7-nm airglow was also observed in the same rocket experiment. The maximum volume emission rate was found to be 150 photons cm⁻³ s⁻¹ at 94 km. The observed altitude profiles are compared with the MSIS model and other in situ observations.     

Millennium‐scale recurrent uplift inferred from beach deposits bordering the eastern Nankai Trough,Omaezaki area,central Japan

A flight of Holocene marine terraces on the southwestern coast of Cape Omaezaki of central Japan provides evidence of recurrent millennium‐scale uplift events. We reconstructed the uplift history of these terraces by using facies analysis of drill core and geoslicer samples, environmental analysis of trace fossils, and ¹⁴C age determinations. Coastal uplift can be identified by the displacement of beach deposits such as foreshore deposits, which represent the intertidal swash zone of a wave‐dominated sandy coast. Three levels of former beach deposits facing the Nankai Trough were identified near the coast in the Omaezaki area. The highest of these, dated at about 3020–2880 BC, records a maximum of 2.2–2.7 m of emergence. The middle beach surface, of minimum age 370–190 BC, shows 1.6–2.8 m of emergence. The lowest beach surface, which is older than 1300–1370 AD, records 0.4–1.6 m of emergence. Our analysis of vertical crustal deformation data during the Holocene in this region suggests that rapid and strong uplift was restricted to the southwestern coast of the Omaezaki area and was probably caused by high‐angle thrusting on subsidiary faults branching from the underlying plate boundary megathrust.     

Seasonal variations of dissolved organic matter and nutrients in sediment pore water in the inner part of Tokyo Bay

At four stations in Tokyo Bay, pore water profiles of dissolved organic carbon (DOC), nitrogen (DON), phosphorus (DOP), and inorganic nutrients were determined at 3-month intervals over 6 years. Concentrations of dissolved organic matter (DOM) and nutrients were significantly higher in pore waters than in the overlying waters. Pore water DOC, DON, and DOP concentrations in the upper most sediment layer (0–1 cm) ranged from 246 to 888 μM, from 14.6 to 75.9 μM, and from 0.02 to 9.83 μM, respectively. Concentrations of DOM and nutrients in pore waters occasionally showed clear seasonal trends and were highest in the summer and lowest in the winter. The seasonal trends in the pore water DOM concentrations were coupled with trends in the overlying water temperature and dissolved oxygen concentration. Benthic effluxes of DON and DOP were low compared with those of inorganic nutrients, accounting for only 1.0 and 1.5 % of the total benthic effluxes of nitrogen and phosphorus, respectively; thus benthic DOM fluxes were quantitatively insignificant to the inorganic nutrient fluxes in Tokyo Bay. The DOM fluxes represented about 7, 3, and 10 % of the riverine discharge of DOC, DON, and DOP to Tokyo Bay, respectively.     

The structural behaviour of timber joints subjected to bi‐axial bending

This study investigates the structural performance of interior, exterior and corner traditional timber joints found in a traditional temple in Japan subjected to bi‐axial bending. A total of 36 half‐scale specimens were fabricated and tested under both uni‐axial and bi‐axial cyclic bending for comparison of their structural behaviour. The results show that the corner joints exhibit lower rotational stiffness than the interior and exterior joints. Further, connections subjected to only uni‐axial moments exhibit better performance with regard to moment resistance, energy dissipation and stiffness degradation as compared with those subjected to bi‐axial moments. Hence, this study suggests that if the timber joints are subjected to bi‐axial bending, this effect on timber joints should be considered during the design and evaluation process in the future. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Interferometer observations of a radio burst at 8.6 mm associated with a polarized hard X-ray event

Observations of a radio burst at 8.6 mm wavelength on 1970 November 5, are described with the particular interest on the correspondence between radio and polarized X-ray events. The radio observations were carried out using an interferometer with a half power width of 2.9 at the Dept. of Physics, Nagoya University, and indicated that the location of the radio burst coincided with preceding sunspots and the size of the burst source must be very small, less than about 1. Mechanisms of radio and X-ray emissions are discussed briefly.     

Dust influx reconstruction during the last 26,000 years inferred from a sedimentary leaf wax record from the Japan Sea

We obtained the high-resolution record of terrestrial biomarkers (C₂₉ and C₃₁ n-alkanes) for the last 26,000 years from Oki Ridge in the south Japan Sea that enabled us to discuss millennial scale climate changes. Our sampling resolution for the biomarker during the major deglaciation period (10–19.5 cal ka BP) is 300 years and for the elemental analyses (total organic carbon and total nitrogen) is as good as ca 200 years. The estimated mass accumulation rate of these molecules during the last glacial period is substantially higher than during the Holocene. They also exhibited two distinct peaks at 17.6 cal ka BP and 11.4 cal ka BP, which are coincident with Heinrich Event 1 and the latest stage of the Younger Dryas, respectively. The unique oceanographic setting of the Japan Sea tends to preferentially preserve organic material of aeolian origin. The nature of our biomarker record in fact suggests a strong aeolian signal, and hence their flux to the Japan Sea potentially reflects the climate conditions of the dust source regions and transport intensity. Our results are consistent with previously reported monsoon variations based on other proxies that is indicative of a strong linkage between North Atlantic climate and Asian monsoon intensity.