Intra-oceanic island arc origin for Iratsu eclogites of the Sanbagawa belt,central Shikoku,southwest Japan

New geochemical and Sr–Nd isotopic data for the Iratsu eclogite and surrounding metamorphic rocks of the Sanbagawa belt, Japan, show that, while the protoliths of the metamorphic rocks formed in a variety of tectonic settings, the Iratsu body represents a deeply subducted and accreted island arc. The igneous protoliths of eclogites and garnet amphibolites were probably generated from a mantle source that had components of both a depleted mantle modified by slab-released fluid (as seen in a negative Nb anomaly) and an enriched mantle, similar to that of ocean island basalts (OIB). Fractional crystallization modeling indicates that the protoliths of some garnet clinopyroxenites from the Iratsu body are cumulates from a basaltic magma that crystallized under high O₂ and H₂O fugacities in the middle to lower crust. The source characteristics and crystallization conditions suggest that the protoliths of the Iratsu rocks formed in an oceanic island arc. Quartz eclogites from the marginal zone of the Iratsu body have geochemical signatures similar to turbidites from the Izu–Bonin island arc (as seen in a negative Nb anomaly and a concave REE pattern). The protoliths might be volcaniclastic turbidites that formed in a setting proximal to the oceanic island arc. Geochemical and isotopic signatures of the surrounding mafic schists are similar to normal (N-) and enriched (E-) mid-ocean-ridge basalt (MORB), and distinct from the rocks from the Iratsu body. The protoliths of the mafic schists likely formed in a plume-influenced mid-ocean ridge or back-arc basin. Pelitic schists from the surrounding rocks and pelitic gneisses from the marginal zone of the Iratsu body have evolved, continental geochemical signatures (as seen in a negative ε_Nd(t) value (~?5)), consistent with their origin as continent-derived trench-fill turbidites.     

Chemical characteristics of chromian spinel in plutonic rocks: Implications for deep magma processes and discrimination of tectonic setting

We summarize chemical characteristics of chromian spinels from ultramafic to mafic plutonic rocks (lherzolites, harzburgites, dunites, wehrlites, troctolites, olivine gabbros) with regard to three tectonic settings (mid‐ocean ridge, arc, oceanic hotspot). The chemical range of spinels is distinguishable between the three settings in terms of Cr# (= Cr/(Cr + Al) atomic ratio) and Ti content. The relationships are almost parallel with those of chromian spinels in volcanic rocks, but the Ti content is slightly lower in plutonics than in volcanics at a given tectonic environment. The Cr# of spinels in plutonic rocks is highly diverse; its ranges overlap between the three settings, but extend to higher values (up to 0.8) in arc and oceanic hotspot environments. The Ti content of spinels in plutonics increases, for a given lithology, from the arc to oceanic hotspot settings by mid‐ocean ridge on average. This chemical diversity is consistent with that of erupted magmas from the three settings. If we systematically know the chemistry of chromian spinels from a series of plutonic rocks, we can estimate their tectonic environments of formation. The spinel chemistry is especially useful in dunitic rocks, in which chromian spinel is the only discriminating mineral. Applying this, discordant dunites cutting mantle peridotites were possibly precipitated from arc‐related magmas in the Oman ophiolite, and from an intraplate tholeiite in the Lizard ophiolite, Cornwall.     

Gas seepage from Tokamachi mud volcanoes, onshore Niigata Basin (Japan): Origin, post-genetic alterations and CH4-CO2 fluxes

Methane and CO₂ emissions from the two most active mud volcanoes in central Japan, Murono and Kamou (Tokamachi City, Niigata Basin), were measured in from both craters or vents (macro-seepage) and invisible exhalation from the soil (mini- and microseepage). Molecular and isotopic compositions of the released gases were also determined. Gas is thermogenic (δ¹³C_CH4 from −32.9‰ to −36.2‰), likely associated with oil, and enrichments of ¹³C in CO₂ (δ¹³C_CO2 up to +28.3‰) and propane (δ¹³C_C3H8 up to −8.6‰) suggest subsurface petroleum biodegradation. Gas source and post-genetic alteration processes did not change from 2004 to 2010. Methane flux ranged within the orders of magnitude of 10¹-10⁴ g m⁻² d⁻¹ in macro-seeps, and up to 446 g m⁻² d⁻¹ from diffuse seepage. Positive CH₄ fluxes from dry soil were widespread throughout the investigated areas. Total CH₄ emission from Murono and Kamou were estimated to be at least 20 and 3.7 ton a⁻¹, respectively, of which more than half was from invisible seepage surrounding the mud volcano vents. At the macro-seeps, CO₂ fluxes were directly proportional to CH₄ fluxes, and the volumetric ratios between CH₄ flux and CO₂ flux were similar to the compositional CH₄/CO₂ volume ratio. Macro-seep flux data, in addition to those of other 13 mud volcanoes, supported the hypothesis that molecular fractionation (increase of the “Bernard ratio” C₁/(C₂ + C₃)) is inversely proportional to gas migration fluxes. The CH₄ “emission factor” (total measured output divided by investigated seepage area) was similar to that derived in other mud volcanoes of the same size and activity. The updated global “emission-factor” data-set, now including 27 mud volcanoes from different countries, suggests that previous estimates of global CH₄ emission from mud volcanoes may be significantly underestimated.     

Chemostratigraphic documentation of a complete Miocene intermediate-depth section in the Southern Ocean: Ocean Drilling Program Site 1120, Campbell Plateau off New Zealand

An integrated chemostratigraphic (⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O) study of benthic foraminifera is presented for a 210 m-thick, intermediate depth (upper/middle bathyal transition), Miocene nannofossil ooze section of Ocean Drilling Program Site 1120, Campbell Plateau off New Zealand. Our results indicate that new ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr, δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O profiles are wholly consistent with their respective Miocene reference curves. These observations facilitate identification of a total of five reliable chemostratigraphic datums, which are based on the fundamental structural changes in the ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr curve and paired simultaneous δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O events. The resultant age–depth relationship clearly shows that the Miocene (20–5 Ma) biopelagic sedimentation on the Campbell Plateau was essentially continuous at a moderate to high, linear sedimentation rate (17.5 m/m.y. with an exception of the uppermost 13 m). Our findings do not support the shipboard biostratigraphic age model, which assumes that the critical early–middle Miocene transition was interrupted by a major hiatus (<~3 m.y.). Because of its unique bathymetric setting at a paleowater-depth of ~ 600 m, which is among the shallowest of the coeval isotopically studied deep-sea sections in the South Pacific/Southern Ocean, Site 1120 will serve as a reference section for surveying the evolution of intermediate-water paleoceanography in the Southern Hemisphere across the middle Miocene climatic transition.     

Influence of flooding on groundwater flow in central Cambodia

Cambodia is affected by flooding from the Mekong, Tonle Sap and Bassac rivers every year, which harms human populations and damages property, as well as alters the water quality in aquifer systems. The objective of this paper is to highlight the effects of river flooding on groundwater flow using numerical simulation. A two-dimensional groundwater flow model coupled with a groundwater recharge model was applied to the research area in central Cambodia. River level variation was included in model processes, and flood areas and periods were assigned. The results showed that during flooding periods, floodwater from the three rivers played an important role in recharging groundwater. During the dry season, Tonle Sap River received groundwater supply from the northwest, and levels in the Bassac and Mekong River dropped to lower than the groundwater level. This study improves understanding of the surface water and groundwater flow system in the study area.     

Breaking pattern and critical breaking condition of Japanese pine trees on coastal sand dunes in huge tsunami caused by Great East Japan Earthquake

Coastal vegetation is widely recognized to reduce tsunami damage to people and buildings, and it has been studied recently because it requires relatively little capital investment compared with artificial measures, provides human-friendly beach fronts, and enhances inter-relationships with other ecological systems. However, the tsunami caused by the Great East Japan Earthquake at 14:46 JST on March 11, 2011, with a magnitude of 9.0 and epicenter 129?km east of Sendai, broke most of the sea wall (tsunami gates, large embankments) and caused catastrophic damage to coastal forests in the Tohoku and Kanto districts of Japan. A field survey was conducted to elucidate the critical breaking condition of Japanese coastal pine trees. Tree-trunk breakage was observed when the sea embankment was washed out or when there was no sea embankment and the tree was under strong inertia force or impact force by debris. Even though the trunk bending and breaking phenomena are different, statistical analysis showed that the critical diameters for trunk bending and trunk breaking were not very different. The overturning phenomenon is a little more complex than trunk breaking because the resistive force is a function of the substrate and root anchorage. An equation to determine the critical diameters for trunk bending, trunk breaking, and overturning was derived as a function of tsunami water depth, soil-root strength, and the hydrodynamic parameter (H _D ) formulated by Froude number, drag coefficient, and the ratio of impact force to drag force considering the physical mechanisms to resist the tsunami. Trunk bending and breaking were closely related to tsunami water depth and the hydrodynamic parameter (H _D ), but tree overturning was found to be more site specific, and the root-soil strength greatly affected the critical value. The proposed critical diameter equation and its coefficient are useful for the design of an inland forest of pine trees that can trap large trees, cars, debris, etc., to its breaking limit. The trapping function should be utilized more in the future designs of inland forests, if possible, on embankments.     

Ecosystem Responses of the Subtropical Kaneohe Bay,Hawaii, to Climate Change: A Nitrogen Cycle Modeling Approach

The global coastal zone is characterized by high biological productivity and serves as an important channel through which materials are transferred from land to the open ocean, yet little is known how it will be affected by climate change. Here, we use Kaneohe Bay, Hawaii, a semi-enclosed subtropical embayment partially surrounded by a mountainous watershed and fed by river runoff as an example to explore the potential impact of climate change on the pelagic and benthic cycling of nitrogen. We employ a nine-compartment nitrogen cycle biogeochemical box model and perturb it with a set of four idealized climate scenarios. We find that hydrological changes play a dominant role in determining the ecosystem structure, while temperature changes are more important for the trophic state and stability of the ecosystem. The ecosystem stability against storm events does not significantly change under any scenario. The system remains autotrophic in the future; however, it becomes significantly less autotrophic under drier climate, while it turns slightly more autotrophic under wetter climate. These findings may have implications for other high island watershed and coastal ecosystems in the tropics and subtropics.     

Geometry of the Nojima Fault at Nojima-Hirabayashi, Japan – II. Microstructures and their Implications for Permeability and Strength

Samples of damage-zone granodiorite and fault core from two drillholes into the active, strike-slip Nojima fault zone display microstructures and alteration features that explain their measured present-day strengths and permeabilities and provide insight on the evolution of these properties in the fault zone. The least deformed damage-zone rocks contain two sets of nearly perpendicular (60–90° angles), roughly vertical fractures that are concentrated in quartz-rich areas, with one set typically dominating over the other. With increasing intensity of deformation, which corresponds generally to increasing proximity to the core, zones of heavily fragmented rock, termed microbreccia zones, develop between prominent fractures of both sets. Granodiorite adjoining intersecting microbreccia zones in the active fault strands has been repeatedly fractured and locally brecciated, accompanied by the generation of millimeter-scale voids that are partly filled with secondary minerals. Minor shear bands overprint some of the heavily deformed areas, and small-scale shear zones form from the pairing of closely spaced shear bands. Strength and permeability measurements were made on core collected from the fault within a year after a major (Kobe) earthquake. Measured strengths of the samples decrease regularly with increasing fracturing and fragmentation, such that the gouge of the fault core and completely brecciated samples from the damage zone are the weakest. Permeability increases with increasing disruption, generally reaching a peak in heavily fractured but still more or less cohesive rock at the scale of the laboratory samples. Complete loss of cohesion, as in the gouge or the interiors of large microbreccia zones, is accompanied by a reduction of permeability by 1-2 orders of magnitude below the peak values. The core samples show abundant evidence of hydrothermal alteration and mineral precipitation. Permeability is thus expected to decrease and strength to increase somewhat in active fault strands between earthquakes, as mineral deposits progressively seal fractures and fill pore spaces.     

武汉和京都台站超导重力仪高精度潮汐重力观测结果

利用高精度潮汐重力场观测研究地球物理学和地球动力学问题已成为当今地学工作者的共识.由于某些信号十分微弱且具有区域和全球分布特征,相当一部分信号被混合在常规仪器的观测噪声水平上,因此获得全球分布的第一手高精度观测资料显得尤为重要.超导重力仪具有精度高,连续性和稳定性好等特征,期望能在测定区域和全球重力场的精细结构方面发挥重要作用.有18个台站参加的全球地球动力学合作项目于1997年7月份开始实施,其主要目的是解决诸如固体潮、地核近周日晃动、核模、地球自转和极移,地球和大气海洋的耦合机理以及由构造运动引起的重力场变化等热点问题.我们曾研究过中比法三国的超导重力仪潮汐观测资料,获得了欧洲和亚洲不同地区潮汐常数及分布特征.本文将利用武汉和日本京都三台超导重力仪观测资料研究亚洲地区大陆和海岛上的潮汐波振幅因子和相位滞后的时间变化特征以及各参数的误差估计等,同时将检测由大气和海潮变化产生的重力信号.文章分数据处理方法、潮汐参数测定、大气重力信号、海潮重力信号、潮汐参数的时间变化、非潮汐重力场变化特征等几方面叙述.