Hydrographic profiling across the East China sea shelf edge by an underwater sliding vehicle with CTD sensors

Temperature, salinity and density structures were observed on Sept. 23 and 24, 1986 at one vertical section across the East China Sea shelf edge by an advanced type of towed vehicle with CTD sensors which was developed by the Japan Marine Science and Technology Center. The vehicle was towed at a speed of 2.5 m s⁻¹ down to 150 m depth and at intervals of 170–500 m width. The observed profile was 50 km long on Sept. 23 and 70 km long on Sept. 24 along the cross-shelf section. An on-ship acoustic Doppler current profiler was simultaneously used to measure current velocities at depths of 20, 50 and 100 m.Interesting features were noticed. Firstly, there was a vertical displacement of pycnoclines at the lower edge of the surface mixed layer accompanied by vertical inversion of the salinity and temperature in the vicinity of the shelf edge. Pycnoclines were displaced upward by 12 m toward the outer edge on Sept. 23 and by 20 m on Sept. 24. On Sept. 23, the salinity inversion took place in a layer 20 m thick and 8 km wide, whereas the temperature inversion took place in a layer 8 m thick and 1.5 km wide. These vertical inversions were probably generated by vertical shear of tidal currents which was observed by the Doppler current profiler. These results throw light on understanding the vertical mixing process of stratified water on the continental shelf edge. Secondly, an intrusion of the shelf water into the Kuroshio water was observed along pycnoclines below the surface mixed layer 60 to 70 m deep in the Kuroshio region outer break. The measurement was successful in showing a horizontal mixing process of the shelf water and the Kuroshio water which could not be found out by standard CTD observations.     

Spatial distribution, diversity and composition of bacterial communities in sub-seafloor fluids at a deep-sea hydrothermal field of the Suiyo Seamount

Spatial distribution, diversity, and composition of bacterial communities within the shallow sub-seafloor at the deep-sea hydrothermal field of the Suiyo Seamount, Izu-Bonin Arc, Western Pacific Ocean, were investigated. Fluids were sampled from four boreholes in this area. Each borehole was located near or away from active vents, the distance ranging 2–40 m from active vents. In addition, fluids discharging from a natural vent and ambient seawater were sampled in this area. We extracted DNA from each sample, amplified bacterial 16S rRNA genes by PCR, cloned the PCR products and sequenced. The total number of clones analyzed was 348. Most of the detected phylotypes were affiliated with the phylum Proteobacteria, of which the detection frequency in each clone library ranged from 84.6% to 100%. The bacterial community diversity and composition were different between hydrothermal fluids and seawater, between fluids from the boreholes and the vent, and even among fluids from each borehole. The relative abundances of the phylotypes related to Thiomicrospira, Methylobacterium and Sphingomonas were significantly different among fluids from each borehole. The phylotypes related to Thiomicrospira and Alcanivorax were detected in all of the boreholes and vent samples. Our findings provide insights into bacterial communities in the shallow sub-seafloor environments at active deep-sea hydrothermal vent fields.     

Modeling of EIS Spectrum Drift from Instrumental Temperatures

An empirical model has been developed to reproduce the drift of the spectrum recorded by the EIS on Hinode using instrumental temperatures and relative motion of the spacecraft. The EIS spectrum shows an artificial drift in wavelength dimension in sync with the revolution of the spacecraft, which is caused by temperature variations inside the spectrometer. The drift amounts to 70 km s⁻¹ in Doppler velocity and introduces difficulties in velocity measurements. An artificial neural network is incorporated to establish a relationship between the instrumental temperatures and the spectral drift. This empirical model reproduces observed spectrum shift with an rms error of 4.4 km s⁻¹. This procedure is robust and applicable to any spectrum obtained with EIS, regardless of the observing field. In addition, spectral curvatures and spatial offset in the north – south direction are determined to compensate for instrumental effects.     

Quartz microtextures of the Sambagawa schists and their implications in convergent margin processes

Abstract Quartz c-axis fabrics of the Sambagawa schists produced along a late Mesozoic convergent plate margin were analysed so that their tectono-metamorphic history could be clarified. It has been noted by many authors that quartz fabrics produced by earlier phase deformation are easily modified by strain increment during later phase deformation. This paper attempts to elucidate the high-temperature phases of prograde metamorphism (Sim-Bim phase) and of retrograde metamorphism (Sb₁ phase and Sb₂₋₁ phase) from quartz grains included in garnet and plagioclase porphyroblasts. Quartz c-axis fabrics for all these phases are explained in terms of a type I crossed girdle, without (only rarely with) higher concentration in the principal axis of strain Y (X>Y>Z), that must have been produced by the activity of a dominant slip system such as rhomb and basal. As a result, the plastic deformation of quartz, which was responsible for the formation of the type I crossed girdle, occurred even under temperatures greater than 500°C and pressures a little greater than 10–11 kb, which correspond to the physical condition of the Sim-Bim phase. It has been assumed that a high strain rate (and/or low H₂O content) caused rhomb and basal to be active as dominant slip systems in the subduction zone related to the formation of the Sambagawa schists even under high temperatures (> 500°C).     

The EUV Imaging Spectrometer for Hinode

The EUV Imaging Spectrometer (EIS) on Hinode will observe solar corona and upper transition region emission lines in the wavelength ranges 170?–?210 Å and 250?–?290 Å. The line centroid positions and profile widths will allow plasma velocities and turbulent or non-thermal line broadenings to be measured. We will derive local plasma temperatures and densities from the line intensities. The spectra will allow accurate determination of differential emission measure and element abundances within a variety of corona and transition region structures. These powerful spectroscopic diagnostics will allow identification and characterization of magnetic reconnection and wave propagation processes in the upper solar atmosphere. We will also directly study the detailed evolution and heating of coronal loops. The EIS instrument incorporates a unique two element, normal incidence design. The optics are coated with optimized multilayer coatings. We have selected highly efficient, backside-illuminated, thinned CCDs. These design features result in an instrument that has significantly greater effective area than previous orbiting EUV spectrographs with typical active region 2?–?5 s exposure times in the brightest lines. EIS can scan a field of 6×8.5 arc?min with spatial and velocity scales of 1 arc?sec and 25 km?s^?1 per pixel. The instrument design, its absolute calibration, and performance are described in detail in this paper. EIS will be used along with the Solar Optical Telescope (SOT) and the X-ray Telescope (XRT) for a wide range of studies of the solar atmosphere.     

A Massive Coccolithophorid Bloom Observed in Mikawa Bay, Japan

In April 1996, a massive algal bloom of the coccolithophorid Gephyrocapsa oceanica developed in both Chita Bay and Atsumi Bay which comprise the bay known as Mikawa Bay of Japan. It was the first record of such a bloom in this area. In Chita Bay, the bloom persisted until the middle of May, however in Atsumi Bay, it remained until early June. From the analysis of salinity, water temperature, and current velocity and direction data, it is considered that the following mechanism accounts for the occurrence and maintenance of the bloom: Before the bloom, the standing crop of phytoplankton was poor, resulting in relatively rich nutrients throughout the bay. Thereafter, with the influx of oceanic water into Mikawa Bay, high salinity occurred firstly in Chita Bay. Under these hydrographic conditions, the bloom occurred first in Chita Bay, and extended throughout the bay with the clockwise circulation of water into Atsumi Bay. In Chita Bay, the bloom was influenced by rainfall and G. oceanica flowed out from this area. Whereas, in Atsumi Bay, the bloom persisted for longer due to the clockwise circulation and another influx of oceanic water.     

An ultimate steady-state pattern of c-axis fabric of quartz in metamorphic tectonites

The c-axis fabrics of quartz grains at the hinge zones of the orthorhombic buckle folds of quartz-rich layers which were collected from the Sambagawa crystalline schists of Shikoku, Japan, have been described and discussed. Especially, attempt to correlate the pattern of the quartz fabric with the strain picture has been made. It has been pointed out that the high concentration of quartz axes on two positions which are symmetrically placed on the plane of the longest principal axis and the shortest principal axis of the strain ellipsoid and at an angle of ca. 30 to the latter axis may be regarded as an ultimate steady-state pattern of preferred orientation of quartz axes developed under non-rotational two dimensional strain.

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Zusammenfassung Untersucht wurden die Quarzachsen-Gefüge in den Scheiteln der orthorhombischen Biegefalten der quarzreichen Lagen aus dem Sambagawa-Schiefer von Shikoku, Japan. Besonders wurde es versucht, die Quarzachsen-Orientierung mit dem Verformungsbild zu vergleichen. Zwei Quarzachsen-Maxima in der Ebene von der lÄngsten Hauptachse und der kürzesten Hauptachse des Verformungsellipsoides, die symmetrisch zur kürzesten Hauptachse im Abstand von etwa 30 liegen, wurden als bevorzugte Endlagenorientierung der Quarzachsen angesprochen, die durch die zweidimensionale Verformung ohne Rotation erzeugt wurden.

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Résumé La fabrique c-axiale des grains de quartz dans les charnières de plis, collectionnés dans les schistes cristallins de Sambagawa prés de Shikoku (Japon) sont décrits et interprétés dans cette étude. Il a été essayé spécialement de comparer le type de la fabrique du quartz au type de la déformation. Enfin il a été prouvé que la forte concentration des axes de quartz en deux lieux fixes des diagrammes, qui sont situés symétriquement aux deux axes principaux (long et petit) de l ellipsoide de déformation et qui forment un angle de 30 avec le petit axe, sont les positions définitives et stables de l'orientation préférée des axes de quartz qui à été produite par une déformation bi-dimensionelle sans rotation.

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Zooplankton investigations in Yatsushiro-kai,western Kyushu,I

The occurrence of the zooplankton at 21 stations in Yatsushiro-kai, western Kyushu, was investigated in June, September and November of 1968, and March of 1969. Copepods formed the most predominant constituent among the collected Zooplankton. AlthoughParacalanus parvus was abundant in most of the surveyed region, other copepods occurred dominantly in the following order when going from the northeastern area toward the southwest: Oithona nana→Acartia clausi→Microsetella norvegica→Oithona similis→Corycaeus spp. Yatsushiro-kai can be characterized biologically by dividing it into two main regions. The northern half is more embaymental and the southern half is more oceanic, bordered by an area whereMicrosetella norvegica occurred as the dominant. The area whereAcartia clausi occurred dominantly is the most embaymental in the northern half, and the area whereCorycaeus spp. occurred dominantly is the most oceanic in the southern half.     

A new potassium-iron-nickel sulphide from a nodule in kimberlite

A new K-rich sulphide phase is described from a clinopyroxene-ilmenite intergrowth from the Frank Smith kimberlite diatremes. The mineral occurs as ovoid blebs, which also contain pyrrhotite and pentlandite, in close spatial association with the ilmenite lamellae, and as individual grains in cracks in the clinopyroxene host. Chemical analyses from twelve grains show the following ranges of composition (wt.%): K, 8.12–13.01; Cu, 1.24–2.99; Fe, 38.47–41.76; Ni, 11.65–15.04; S, 32.09–34.34. Electron diffraction data indicate a primitive cubic unit cell,a = 10.29 ± 0.03Å, with no systematically absent reflections. Three models for the origin of this sulphide, liquid immiscibility, multiple exsolution, and metasomatism, are considered. The discovery of potassic sulphide in a kimberlite nodule has important implications, not only as a potential source of K in the upper mantle, but also for those models which propose removal of K and S from the lower mantle into the core.