Strength Anisotropy of Compacted Decomposed Granite Soils

In order to investigate the strength and deformation anisotropy of compacted decomposed granite soils, a series of drained triaxial compression tests was performed on unsaturated and saturated decomposed granite soils. The specimens were subjected to compression tests such that the angle δ of the direction of the major principal stress, σ ₁, during triaxial compression relative to the compaction plane (bedding plane) varies, with δ = 0°, 45° and 90°. Test results indicated that the compressive strain of the specimens subjected to isotropic consolidation was influenced strongly by the angle δ. In addition, the effect of the angle δ on the triaxial compressive strength and deformation was more evident in unsaturated specimens than in saturated specimens. Based on the test results, a procedure which can be used to estimate the shear strength of unsaturated soils taking into account various angles δ was proposed.     

Crystallization experiments of intercumulus melts for nakhlites under QFM ± 2 at 1 bar

Abstract— Crystallization of parent melts for nakhlites was experimentally studied under QFM ± 2 at one bar. Isothermal experiments suggest that melts having parent magma composition for nakhlites crystallize both augites and titanomagnetites at liquidus temperatures of 1144–1154 °C. Compositions of the augites are identical to those of phenocrystic core augites (En_36–38Fs_22–25Wo_39–40) in nakhlites. No olivines crystallize from the isothermal runs, and solidus temperature is about 1000 °C. Linear‐cooling experiments were carried out at various cooling rates (1–17 °C/h) ranging from liquidus to solidus temperatures under similar pressure conditions to the isothermal runs. Augites, titanomagnetites, and fayalites crystallized in the cooling runs, but magnesian olivines never crystallized there. Magnesian core augite in the cooling runs has the same composition as those of nakhlites. Rims of augite crystals from the cooling runs of 1–4 °C/h consist of two layers, ferroan augite inner rim and hedenbergite outer rim, which are very similar to those in the Miller Range (MIL) 03346 nakhlite. Small amounts of pyroxferroite crystallized in mesostasis and augite rims from two cooling runs. Titanomagnetites from cooling runs never accompany ilmenite lamellae as seen in nakhlites, suggesting that the subsolidus cooling rate of the cooling runs was much more rapid than those of nakhlite intercumulus melts. The cooling experiments reproduce the crystallization processes of pyroxenes and the compositional change of residual melt for a rapidly cooled magma such as MIL 03346.     

Characteristics of Seismoelectric Wave Fields Associated with Natural Microcracks

Properties of seismoelectric waves in relation to natural earthquakes have been investigated. The electromagnetic disturbances were analyzed to test the hypothesis that pulse-like electric variations are directly related to microcracks as source. Because variation is very difficult to detect, there have been few quantitative field investigations. We used selected events with clear S and P phases from the data catalog obtained before the Tohoku earthquake in 2011. The electric strength of the fast P wave (P_f), S wave (S), and electromagnetic wave (EM) associated with formation of cracks of tensile mode were estimated. The co-seismic electric signal accompanied by the S wave has the largest strength, well above the noise level, and the EM wave has the lowest strength. Analytical estimation of the ratio of the strengths of the P_f and EM phases to that of the S phase by use of Pride’s equations gave results partially in agreement with observation (the order was Ap_f > A_s > A_em). The strength of the observed electromagnetic mode is approximately two orders of magnitude larger than that estimated from the theory. We suggest this greater strength can be attributed to the converted modes at layer contracts or to the effect of the boundary between free atmosphere and crust. Overall agreement between observations and theoretical estimates suggests that electromagnetic anomalies, crustal deformation, and groundwater changes can be investigated on the basis of the unified equations for the coupled electromagnetics, acoustics, and hydrodynamics of porous media.     

Tropical Atlantic biases and their relation to surface wind stress and terrestrial precipitation

Most coupled general circulation models (GCMs) perform poorly in the tropical Atlantic in terms of climatological seasonal cycle and interannual variability. The reasons for this poor performance are investigated in a suite of sensitivity experiments with the Geophysical Fluid Dynamics Laboratory (GFDL) coupled GCM. The experiments show that a significant portion of the equatorial SST biases in the model is due to weaker than observed equatorial easterlies during boreal spring. Due to these weak easterlies, the tilt of the equatorial thermocline is reduced, with shoaling in the west and deepening in the east. The erroneously deep thermocline in the east prevents cold tongue formation in the following season despite vigorous upwelling, thus inhibiting the Bjerknes feedback. It is further shown that the surface wind errors are due, in part, to deficient precipitation over equatorial South America and excessive precipitation over equatorial Africa, which already exist in the uncoupled atmospheric GCM. Additional tests indicate that the precipitation biases are highly sensitive to land surface conditions such as albedo and soil moisture. This suggests that improving the representation of land surface processes in GCMs offers a way of improving their performance in the tropical Atlantic. The weaker than observed equatorial easterlies also contribute remotely, via equatorial and coastal Kelvin waves, to the severe warm SST biases along the southwest African coast. However, the strength of the subtropical anticyclone and along-shore winds also play an important role.     

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.     

Seasonal variations of the Hawaiian Lee Countercurrent induced by the meridional migration of the trade winds

Seasonal variations of the Hawaiian Lee Countercurrent (HLCC) are investigated using satellite observations of sea surface height and wind stress as well as eddy-resolving ocean model simulations. The HLCC is strong from summer to winter and weak in spring between the dateline and the Hawaiian Islands. In response to the seasonal migration of the northeast trade winds in the meridional direction, the wind curl dipole lee of Hawaii varies in strength, exciting westward-propagating Rossby waves. The analyses of both observations and simulations show that the propagation of Rossby waves south of the HLCC, driven by the southern pole of the wind curl dipole in the lee of the islands, contributes the most to the seasonal variations of the HLCC. Unlike the wind-driven seasonal variations, our analysis suggests that other mechanisms such as mode water intrusion or air–sea interaction may cause the interannual variations of the HLCC.     

A demineralization mechanism for Lake Balkhash

Lake Balkhash is one of the many closed lakes in Central Asia. Mechanisms of demineralization in Lake Balkhash were considered from results of surveys undertaken on the lake and along the Ili River. Electrical conductivity (EC) values at the eastern coast in south-western Lake Balkhash were higher than those of the western coast. The Ili River enters at the south-western corner of the lake, so that EC values of this area are low. This water flows westwards. The distribution of Ca₂₊ concentrations showed that these were lower value in Lake Balkhash than along the Ili River, implying Ca₂₊ removal by the lake. Amongst suspended mineral matter in the lake occur calcite and dolomite. Thus, a possible mechanism of calcium removal is that it is removed as crystals of calcite or dolomite. SO ₄ ^2– concentration within the lake has increased for the past 37 years. This may be caused by the discharge into the lake from the city of Balkhash of waste water from a copper smelter.     

Role of metal-organic complexes in the marine environment: A comparison of the copper and ligand titration methods

The differences in quality of the conditional stability constants deduced from ligand titration and metal titration methods are theoretically examined. The ecological role of the metal-organic complexes in seawater was considered on the basis of the concept of the metal buffering capacity index which is calculated from the conditional stability constant and the organic ligand concentration. The results of theoretical examination of the effect of metal contamination on the uptake of metals by phytoplankton indicate that the ecological significance of metal-organic complexes is essentially in the metal-buffering action. This means that the activities of free metal ions are maintained at a native constant level against relatively small perturbations by the addition or uptake of metals in the marine environment.     

Some properties of surf-beats

Long ocean waves with periods of several minutes (surf-beats) were observed at a marine observation tower. We have analysed time series data of an envelope of incident swell, long period current velocity and surface elevation fluctuations. Current velocity was measued by an electromagnetic flow meter. Surf-beats amplitudeH ^(l) is shown to be proportional to 3/2 power of incident swell amplitudeH ^(s), and decreases with increase of depthh in proportional toh ^–1/2 such thatH ^(l) H ^(s) (H ^(s)/h)^1/2. Frequency energy density functionP _LL (f) of surface elevation had two dominant peaks whose frequencies were highly stable through the entire observational period. Cross-spectral analysis suggested that those peaks correspond to traveling edge waves caused by the excess momentum and mass flux in the surf zone. The forced long ocean waves predicted byLonguet-Higgins andStewart (1964) was ditected. Phase-shift and wave height of the wave with respect to those of incident swell envelope are shown to be in remarkable agreement with the predictions. However the forced long wave is only a minor component in the total energy of surf-beats. Current fields are shown to be largely composed of non-surface modes.     

Seasonality of the Kuroshio Transport Revealed in a Kuroshio Assimilation System

The seasonal variation of the Kuroshio transport south of Japan has been investigated using the results of an assimilation model. Annual and semiannual variations of the transport and dynamic depth anomaly are reconstructed by CEOF (complex orthogonal empirical function) analysis. In the basin west of the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge, the annual component of the variation propagates westward with the phase speed of the long Rossby wave associated with the first baroclinic mode. The variation also shows a similar tendency to that reproduced in a wind-driven, two-layer model with a ridge. This suggests that the annual variation revealed in the assimilation model is associated with the baroclinic first mode of motion excited above the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge. Furthermore, it is found that both the semiannual component and the annual component are important members determining the seasonal variation of the Kuroshio transport south of Japan. The semiannual component is revealed as a double gyre pattern in the basin west of the Izu-Ogasawara Ridge. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.