Regionality of deep low-frequency earthquakes associated with subduction of the Philippine Sea plate along the Nankai Trough, southwest Japan

The Fukuoka District Meteorological Observatory recently logged three possible deep low-frequency earthquakes (LFEs) beneath eastern Kyushu, Japan, a region in which LFEs and low-frequency tremors have never before been identified. To assess these data, we analyzed band-pass filtered velocity seismograms and relocated LFEs and regular earthquakes using the double-difference method. The results strongly suggest that the three events were authentic LFEs, each at a depth of about 50 km. We also performed relocation analysis on LFEs recorded beneath the Kii Peninsula and found that these LFEs occurred near the northwest-dipping plate interface at depths of approximately 29–38 km. These results indicate that LFEs in southwest Japan occur near the upper surface of the subducting Philippine Sea (PHS) plate. To investigate the origin of regional differences in the occurrence frequency of LFEs in western Shikoku, the Kii Peninsula, and eastern Kyushu, we calculated temperature distributions associated with PHS plate subduction. Then, using the calculated thermal structures and a phase diagram of water dehydration for oceanic basalt, the water dehydration rate (wt.%/km), which was newly defined in this study, was determined to be 0.19, 0.12, and 0.08 in western Shikoku, the Kii Peninsula, and eastern Kyushu, respectively; that is, the region beneath eastern Kyushu has the lowest water dehydration rate value. Considering that the Kyushu–Palau Ridge that is subducting beneath eastern Kyushu is composed of tonalite, which is low in hydrous minerals, this finding suggests that the regionality may be related to the amount of water dehydration associated with subduction of the PHS plate and/or differences in LFE depths. Notable dehydration reactions take place beneath western Shikoku and the Kii Peninsula, where the depth ranges for dehydration estimated by thermal modeling agree well with those for the relocated LFEs. The temperature range in which LFEs occur in these regions is estimated to be 400–500 °C.     

利用断层应力积累探讨大地震发生的地点——以日本2011年东北9级大地震为例

大地震在哪里发生是地震预报首先要解决的问题.利用反演GNSS观测数据得到的2011年日本东北9级大地震前7年（2004—2010年）断层上的应力变化,我们发现了这次地震断层的孕震区.为了进一步研究该孕震区的演化过程,本文继续反演这次大地震在1997—2003年间的断层应力变化过程.通过这两期的反演工作,我们看到,在这14年中,断层应力的年变化图案的主要特征基本是稳定的,并存在明显的应力增加区和降低区.前者与地震的破裂区吻合,后者与前震、重复小地震和无震滑动的区域一致.显著的剪切应力增加区不但与主震,而且还与大余震的破裂区相符合.我们发现断层面上高应力积累区的零剪应力和零正应力变化的等值线不重合,前者在断层面上的深度大于后者,这意味着在剪应力增加区存在着正应力降低区或剪切强度降低区（由于剪切强度与正应力成正比）.断层初始破裂点似乎更偏好零正应力等值线附近的位置,这是因为该处不但靠近剪切强度降低区,而且位于剪应力积累最显著的地方.研究结果表明,正应力变化对大地震的初始破裂有影响;本文所使用的断层应力变化反演方法,可以用来作为预测大地震发生位置的一种手段.

     

A new set of MCSST equations for NOAA-9/AVHRR

A new set of multi-channel sea surface temperature (MCSST) equations for the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (AVHRR) on NOAA-9 is derived from regression analyses between two-channel brightness temperatures andin situ SST obtained from moored buoys around Japan. Two equations are derived: one for daytime and the other for nighttime. They are linear split window type and both the equations contain a term dependent on satellite zenith angle, which has not been accounted for in the previous daytime split window equations for NOAA-9. It is shown that the new set of equation can give SSTs in much better precision than those without the zenith-angle-dependent terms. It is also found that the split window equation for NOAA-9 provided by the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration/National Environmental Satellite, Data and Information Service (NOAA/NESDIS) considerably underestimates the daytime SSTs; sometimes nighttime SSTs are evenhigher than daytime SSTs. This is because the zenith angle effect to the radiation deficiet is neglected in the daytime equation by NOAA/NESDIS. By using the new MCSST equations, it is expected that the quality of satellite MCSST would be much improved, at least in regional applications around Japan, for the period of NOAA-9's operation.     

Large kinetic power in FRII radio jets

We investigate the total kinetic powers (L _j) and ages (t _age) of powerful jets of four FR II radio sources (Cygnus A, 3C 223, 3C 284, and 3C 219) by the detail comparison of the dynamical model of expanding cocoons with observed ones. It is found that these sources have quite large kinetic powers with the ratio of L _j to the Eddington luminosity (L _Edd) resides in 0.02<L _j/L _Edd<10. Reflecting the large kinetic powers, we also find that the total energy stored in the cocoon (E _c) exceed the energy derived from the minimum energy condition (E _min): 2<E _c/E _min<160. This implies that a large amount of kinetic power is carried by invisible components such as thermal leptons (electron and positron) and/or protons.     

Short-term variability of Jupiter’s extended sodium nebula

Ground-based optical observations of D₁ and D₂ line emissions from Jupiter’s sodium nebula, which extend over several hundreds of jovian radii, were carried out at Mt. Haleakala, Maui, Hawaii using a wide field filter imager from May 19 to June 21, 2007. During this observation, the east-west asymmetry of the nebula with respect to the Io’s orbital motion was clearly identified. Particularly, the D₁+D₂ brightness on the western side of Jupiter is strongly controlled by the Io phase angle. The following scenario was developed to explain this phenomenon as follows: First, more ionospheric ions like NaX⁺, which are thought to produce fast neutral sodium atoms due to a dissociative recombination process, are expected to exist in Io’s dayside hemisphere rather than in the nightside one. Second, it is expected that more NaX⁺ ionospheric ions are picked up by the jovian co-rotating magnetic field when Io’s leading hemisphere is illuminated by the Sun. Third, the sodium atom ejection rate varies with respect to Io’s orbital position as a result of the first two points. Model simulations were performed using this scenario. The model results were consistent with the observation results, suggesting that Io’s ionosphere is expected to be controlled by solar radiation just like Earth.     

Physical conditions producing slab stagnation: Constraints of the Clapeyron slope, mantle viscosity, trench retreat, and dip angles

Recent seismic tomography has revealed various morphologies in the subducted lithosphere. In particular, significant flattening and stagnation of slabs around the 660-km boundary are seen in some areas beneath the northwestern Pacific subduction zones. We examined the cause of slab stagnation in terms of the Clapeyron slope of the phase transformation from ringwoodite to perovskite + magnesiowüstite, trench retreat velocity, dip angles, and high viscosity of the lower mantle based on two-dimensional (2-D) numerical simulations of thermal convection. In particular, we examined the conditions necessary for slab stagnation assuming a very small absolute value of the Clapeyron slope, which were proposed based on recent high-pressure, high-temperature (high P–T) experiments. Our calculations show that slabs tend to stagnate above the 660-km boundary with an increasing absolute value of the Clapeyron slope, viscosity jump at the boundary, and trench retreat velocity and a decreasing initial dip angle. Stagnant slabs could be obtained numerically for a realistic range of parameters obtained from high P–T experiments and other geophysical observations combining buoyancy, high lower-mantle viscosity, and trench retreat. We found that a low dip angle of a descending slab at the bottom of the upper mantle plays an important role in slab stagnation. Two main regimes underlie slab stagnation: buoyancy-dominated and viscosity-dominated regimes. In the viscosity-dominated regime, it is possible for slabs to stagnate above the 660-km boundary, even when the value of the Clapeyron slope is 0 MPa/K.     

Differential timing of vertical-axis block rotations in the northern Ryukyu Arc: Paleomagnetic evidence from the Koshikijima Islands,Japan

Over 300 samples for paleomagnetic analysis and K–Ar dating were collected from 27 sites at NW–SE and NE–SW trending dike swarms (herein, NW dikes and NE dikes, respectively) in the Koshikijima Islands, northern Ryukyu Arc. The NW dikes are Middle Miocene in age and have directions (D = ? 37.7^°, I = 51.8^°, α₉₅ = 9.6^°, and κ = 40.8) that are deflected westward relative to the stable eastern Asian continent. Conversely, the NE dikes, of Late Miocene age, have directions (D = 16.1^°, I = 57.7^°, α₉₅ = 7.1^°, and κ = 41.9) that show no such deflection. These differences are interpreted as indicating that the Koshikijima Islands underwent approximately 40^° of counter-clockwise rotation during the Middle to Late Miocene. A synthesis of the paleomagnetic and structural data suggests a three-stage history of extensional deformation: (1) displacement upon normal faults (F₁ faults) without vertical-axis block rotation, (2) strike-slip reactivation of F₁ faults and oblique-normal displacement on NE–SW-trending faults (F₂ faults) with vertical-axis block rotation, and (3) oblique-normal displacement on F₂ faults without vertical-axis block rotation. Regional differences in the timing and amount of counter-clockwise vertical-axis block rotations indicate that the northern Ryukyu Arc rotated as several distinct rigid blocks.     

P‐O‐rich sulfide phase in CM chondrites: Constraints on its origin on the CM parent body

CM chondrites are a group of primitive meteorites that have recorded the alteration history of the early solar system. We report the occurrence, chemistry, and oxygen isotopic compositions of P‐O‐rich sulfide phase in two CM chondrites (Grove Mountains [GRV] 021536 and Murchison). This P‐O‐rich sulfide is a polycrystalline aggregate of nanometer‐size grains. It occurs as isolated particles or aggregates in both CM chondrites. These grains, in the matrix and in type‐I chondrules from Murchison, were partially altered into tochilinite; however, grains enclosed by Ca‐carbonate are much less altered. This P‐O‐rich sulfide in Murchison is closely associated with magnetite, FeNi phosphide, brezinaite (Cr₃S₄), and eskolaite (Cr₂O₃). In addition to sulfur as the major component, this sulfide contains ~6.3 wt% O, ~5.4 wt% P, and minor amounts of hydrogen. Analyses of oxygen isotopes by SIMS resulted in an average δ¹⁸O value of ?22.5 ‰ and an average Δ¹⁷O value of 0.2 ± 9.2 ‰ (2σ). Limited variations in both chemical compositions and electron‐diffraction patterns imply that the P‐O‐rich sulfide may be a single phase rather than a polyphase mixture. Several features indicate that this P‐O‐rich sulfide phase formed at low temperature on the parent body, most likely through the alteration of FeNi metal (a) close association with other low‐temperature alteration products, (b) the presence of hydrogen, (c) high Δ¹⁷O values and the presence in altered mesostasis of type‐I chondrules and absence in type‐II chondrules. The textural relations of the P‐O‐rich sulfide and other low‐temperature minerals reveal at least three episodic‐alteration events on the parent body of CM chondrites (1) formation of P‐O‐rich sulfide during sulfur‐rich aqueous alteration of P‐rich FeNi metal, (2) formation of Ca‐carbonate during local carbonation, and (3) alteration of P‐O‐rich sulfide and formation of tochilinite during a period of late‐stage intensive aqueous alteration.     

Stress field change around the Mount Fuji volcano magma system caused by the Tohoku megathrust earthquake, Japan

Crustal deformation by the M _w 9.0 megathrust Tohoku earthquake causes the extension over a wide region of the Japanese mainland. In addition, a triggered M _w 5.9 East Shizuoka earthquake on March 15 occurred beneath the south flank, just above the magma system of Mount Fuji. To access whether these earthquakes might trigger the eruption, we calculated the stress and pressure changes below Mount Fuji. Among the three plausible mechanisms of earthquake–volcano interactions, we calculate the static stress change around volcano using finite element method, based on the seismic fault models of Tohoku and East Shizuoka earthquakes. Both Japanese mainland and Mount Fuji region are modeled by seismic tomography result, and the topographic effect is also included. The differential stress given to Mount Fuji magma reservoir, which is assumed to be located to be in the hypocentral area of deep long period earthquakes at the depth of 15 km, is estimated to be the order of about 0.001–0.01 and 0.1–1 MPa at the boundary region between magma reservoir and surrounding medium. This pressure change is about 0.2 % of the lithostatic pressure (367.5 MPa at 15 km depth), but is enough to trigger an eruptions in case the magma is ready to erupt. For Mount Fuji, there is no evidence so far that these earthquakes and crustal deformations did reactivate the volcano, considering the seismicity of deep long period earthquakes.