A toppled structure with sliding in the Siwalik Hills, midwestern Nepal

Not only the high mountainous regions but also the southern hilly regions of Nepal frequently suffer from landslides and debris flows. An interesting toppled structure with sliding was distinguished on an excavated slope facing the major highway in one such region, the Siwalik Hills. These hills are mostly composed of alternating beds of sandstones and mudstones of the Siwalik Group. A distinct contrast in the direction of dip of the strata was recognized on the excavated slope; the strata in the upper portion of the slope dipped southward, whereas those of the foot slope dipped northward. This indicated that toppling of strata had occurred. The northward direction of toppling and the angle and axis of rotation of the block were determined by examining the distribution of the attitudes of the strata.

Steeply dipping strata influenced by southward thrusting along the major tectonic line, contrasting rigidity between sandstone and mudstone, and rapid dissection by a river were the major causes of the toppling. The bottom surface of the toppled part dipped gently not only northward but also partially westward, showing that the toppled block slid westward after toppling. Evidence for tension cracking and scarplets on the top slope indicated that the block was still actively sliding.

Because steeply dipping sandstone and mudstone strata are widely distributed in the Siwalik Hills, similar structures are inferred to exist in many places. Therefore, the investigation of such slope structures is important, and their instability must be evaluated before road construction and excavation projects are carried out in Nepal.     

A fundamental study of manganese nodules development by the electromagnetic system

Presently, several methods for development of manganese nodules have received practical application. One of the important problems associated with these methods is contamination of the ocean by stirring pelagic sediments. In this paper, the results of a fundamental and experimental study on manganese nodules development by electromagnetic method are discussed.     

Global mapping of the degree of space weathering on asteroid 25143 Itokawa by Hayabusa/AMICA observations

Abstract— We obtained color images of near‐Earth asteroid 25143 Itokawa by the Hayabusa multiband imaging camera to characterize the regional color properties. Images were obtained for the whole disk from the gate position (GP) and home position (HP) at a spatial resolution of 0.8–3.7 m/pixel. Whole‐disk spectra are adjusted to the telescopic data obtained by the University of Hawai'i's 88‐inch telescope using the Eight Color Asteroid Survey (ECAS) system. The disk‐resolved measurements show large variations in the three visible channels. We present a map of an index related to the degree of space weathering, which has been newly developed based on laboratory measurements. We find large variations in the degree of space weathering on Itokawa. Fresh materials are observed in regions of steep slopes and craters, whereas mature materials are ubiquitously distributed. This result suggests that pristine ordinary chondrite‐like materials have been exposed through weathered layers by excavation. By also examining close‐up images obtained during touchdown rehearsal, we find that most rocks in Itokawa's rough terrains are weathered. Instead of a regolith blanket, the surface of this small asteroid is covered with weathered rocks and gravels.