The interanual rainfall variability in Indonesia corresponding to El Niño Southern Oscillation and Indian Ocean Dipole

The Impact of the Indian Ocean Dipole(IOD) and the El Ni?o Southern Oscillation(ENSO) event for Indonesian rainfall has been investigated for the period from 1950 to 2011. Inter-annual change of IOD and ENSO indices are used to investigate their relationship with Indonesian rainfall. By using the wavelet transform method, we found a positive significant correlation between IOD and Indonesian rainfall on the time scale of nearly 2.5–4 years.Furthermore, the positive significant correlation between ENSO(sea surface temperature anomaly at Ni?o3.4 area indices) and Indonesian rainfall exists for shorter than 2 years and between 5.5 to 6.5-year time scales.     

Vertical double silicate maxima in the sea-ice reduction region of the western Arctic Ocean: Implications for an enhanced biological pump due to sea-ice reduction

The R/V Mirai conducted hydrographic surveys in the western Arctic Ocean during summer 2004 (Mirai04) over wide east-west ranges from Alaska to eastern Siberia, where sea-ice cover has been greatly reduced in recent summers. The obtained data reveal differences in silicate profiles between shelf slope areas east and west of the Chukchi Plateau, the ridge that divides the Canada Basin into the Alaskan and east Siberian sides. East of the plateau, a single silicate maximum was found in a layer of Pacific-origin winter water, as examined in many previous studies. In contrast, west of the plateau, we found vertical double silicate maxima, which are reported for the first time in this study. The shallower silicate maximum corresponded to an N** minimum, signaling denitrification at the shelf bottom. This suggests that the shallower silicate maximum was caused by the spreading of shelf water. In contrast, the deeper silicate maximum corresponded to an oxygen minimum and a maximum silicate/phosphate ratio (Si/P), suggesting that this deeper maximum resulted from the decomposition of opal-shelled organisms. We also compared a silicate profile from Mirai04 to aprofile from the Arctic Ocean Section 94 (AOS94) expedition of 1994, a heavy ice year. The results suggest that sea-ice loss has enhanced biological activities, likely resulting in the appearance of the deeper silicate maximum.     

Longitudinal dispersion processes in the upper tamar estuary

Measurements of velocity, salinity, and suspended solids concentration have been used to investigate the intra-tidal variation of vertical and transverse shear-induced dispersion. For the study research the interaction of the longitudinal density gradient and vertical shear during the early part of the ebb tide accounted for much of the net longitudinal dispersion of solute landward. The same mechanism also is shown to lead to a net particulate transport landward. The landward flux, however, takes place during the flood tide. The field data are also used to elucidate the tidally averaged tidal pumping mechanism.     

Least squares and integral methods for the spherical harmonic analysis of theSq-field

Spherical harmonic coefficients (SHCs) for the daily magnetic variation fields (solar and lunar) and the main field of the earth are usually estimated by the method of least squares applied to a truncated spherical harmonic series. In this paper, an integral method for computing the SHCs for the solar quiet daily magnetic variation fieldSq is described and applied toSq data for May and June 1965. TheSq SHCs thus derived are then compared with the results obtained using both unweighted and weighted versions of the least squares method. The weighting used tends to orthogonalize the least squares terms. The integral and weighted least squares results agree closely for terms up to order 4 and degree 30, but both disagree considerably for the higher degree terms with the results of the unweighted least squares. Errors introduced by the numerical integration can be shown to be small, hence the disagreement between integral and unweighted least squares coefficient sets arises from improper weighting. Also, it is concluded that discrepancies between the geomagnetic northward and eastward component-derived coefficient sets arise from either time-dependent external sources that produce non-local-time, based fields or nonpotential sources and not from truncation of the spherical harmonic series as has previously been suggested.Deceased.     

Variation of precipitation in Langtang Valley,Himalayas

The variation of the δ 18O in precipitation and the relationship with precipitation amountat Kyangjin Base House and Yala Glacier Camp in Langtang Valley, Nepal Himalayas were ana-lyzed. The variations of the δ 18O with precipitation had great scatter, and the correlations betweenthe δ18O and precipitation changed with time on the synoptic scale. On the seasonal scale, therewas marked amount effect at Kyangjin Base House. However, the δ18O-precipitation gradient wassmaller than that on the synoptic scale. Because of the maintenance of the basic equilibrium be-tween stable isotopic compositions in atmospheric vapor and precipitation, the evaporation en-richment was light during the rainy season. Therefore, the variation of stable isotopic compositionsin precipitation was independent on the sampling intervals. Simulations show that the rainfall inLangtang Valley was not the outcome of the initial condensation of ocean vapor that originatedfrom low latitudes. The stable isotopic compositions in precipitation were greatly depleted due tothe strong rainout of the vapor from oceans as the vapor was raised over the Himalayas     

Mesozoic radiolarians and radiolarian-bearing sequences in the circum-Pacific regions: A report of the symposium-'Radiolarians and Orogenic Belts'

Abstract This paper contains extended abstracts of the seven papers presented at the symposium 'Radiolarians and Orogenic Belts' held at the seventh meeting of the International Association of Radiolarian Paleontologists (INTERRAD). Important results of the symposium include the following: (1) Upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic cherts are widely distributed within accretionary complexes in the circum-Pacific orogenic belt. Radiolarian dating reveals that long durations of chert sedimentation in a pelagic environment are recorded on both sides of Pacific-rim accretionary complexes (e.g. New Zealand, Japan, Russian Far East, Canadian Cordillera). (2) Triassic radiolarian faunas from New Zealand and the Omolon Massif, northeast Siberia are similar in composition and are characterized by the absence of typical Tethyan elements. This suggests that radiolarian faunal provincialism may have been established as early as the Triassic. High-latitude radiolarian taxa exhibit a bi-polar distribution pattern. (3) The Lower Triassic interval in chert dominant pelagic sequences is mechanically weaker than other levels and acted as a décollement in accretionary events. This lithologic. contrast in physical property is considered to reflect radiolarian evolution, such as the end-Permian mass extinction.     

Subaqueous eruption and emplacement of the Shinjima Pumice, Shinjima (Moeshima) Island, Kagoshima Bay, SW Japan

The Shinjima Pumice is a fines-depleted pumice lapilli tuff emplaced several thousands years ago at about 100–140 m below sea level. This 40-m-thick deposit comprises many poorly defined flow units, which are 1–10 m thick, diffusely stratified and showing upward-coarsening of pumice clasts with a sharp to transitional base. Parallel to wavy diffuse stratifications are commonly represented by alignment of pumice clasts, especially in the lower half of the flow units. Pumice clasts of block to coarse-lapilli size commonly have thermal-contraction cracks best developed on the surfaces, demonstrating that they were hot but cooled down to the ambient temperatures prior to their emplacement. These features are suggestive of the direct origin of the Shinjima Pumice from subaqueous eruptions. A theoretical consideration on the behavior of subaqueous eruption plumes and hot and cold pumice clasts suggests that subaqueous eruption plumes commonly collapse by turbulent mixing with the ambient water and are transformed into water-logged mass flows.     

Anhydrous and water-saturated melting experiments of an olivine andesite from Mt Yakushi-Yama, northeastern Shikoku, Japan

Abstract Melting experiments have been carried out on an olivine andesite of Mt Yakushi-Yama from the Miocene Setouchi volcanic belt in northeastern Shikoku, Japan. This andesite has been characterized by a low ratio of FeO*/Mg° (= 0.78). Phase relations have been determined within the pressure range of 2.8 to 19.3 kbar at 1000-1300°C under anhydrous and water-saturated conditions. At pressures less than 8.8 kbar, olivine is a liquidus phase. Orthopyroxene appears on the liquidus at 9.3 kbar under the anhydrous conditions. The multiple saturation point rises up to 17.5 kbar for water-saturated experiments. The andesite melt coexists with olivine and orthopyroxene just below the liquidus at 8.8–9.3 kbar and 1230°C for dry conditions, and at 17.5 kbar and 1060°C under water-saturated conditions. These experimental results indicate that the Yakushi-Yama olivine andesite magma could coexist with a harzburgitic mantle at depths between about 30 and 60 km, and at temperatures between 1060 and 1230°C. Experimental data also suggest a possibility that a high magnesian andesite magma would be generated by a direct partial melting of the uppermost harzburgitic mantle under anhydrous conditions.     

Age model, physical properties and paleoceanographic implications of the middle Pleistocene core sediments in the Choshi area, central Japan

Abstract   A continuous, well-preserved core was obtained from the Choshi area, on the Pacific side of Japan, to investigate paleoceanographic and paleoclimatic changes around the northwestern Pacific region during the middle Pleistocene. Siliciclastic sequences in the core are divided into five formations – the Obama, Yokone, Kurahashi and Toyosato Formations in the Inubo Group and the Katori Formation, in ascending order. Examination of calcareous nannofossils and magnetic polarities detected four datums in the core sediments of the Inubo Group: the top of Reticulofenestra asanoi , the base of Helicosphaera inversa , the top of Pseudoemiliania lacunosa and the Brunhes–Matuyama boundary. Fourteen marine isotope stages (MIS24–MIS11) were identified in the δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C records based on detected datums and the graphic correlation with the standard stack oxygen isotope curve. Magnetic susceptibility and gamma-ray attenuation porosity evaluator density were also measured and low values characterize the glacial intervals. Biogenic sedimentation by primary production may be larger during the glacial periods because of invasions of nutrient-rich northern surface-waters related to the southward shift of the Kuroshio front in the Choshi area.