The worldwide character of the 1969–1970 impulse of the secular acceleration rate

This paper continues earlier studies to ascertain whether the distribution of the 1969–1970 jump of the secular variation rate has a worldwide character. The geometry of the jump presents some similarities with the geometry of the secular variation itself. We give a new estimation of the westward drift rate and information about spatial and temporal variations of the secular variation field.     

An Application of Hydraulic Tomography to a Large‐Scale Fractured Granite Site,Mizunami, Japan

While hydraulic tomography (HT) is a mature aquifer characterization technology, its applications to characterize hydrogeology of kilometer‐scale fault and fracture zones are rare. This paper sequentially analyzes datasets from two new pumping tests as well as those from two previous pumping tests analyzed by Illman et al. (2009) at a fractured granite site in Mizunami, Japan. Results of this analysis show that datasets from two previous pumping tests at one side of a fault zone as used in the previous study led to inaccurate mapping of fracture and fault zones. Inclusion of the datasets from the two new pumping tests (one of which was conducted on the other side of the fault) yields locations of the fault zone consistent with those based on geological mapping. The new datasets also produce a detailed image of the irregular fault zone, which is not available from geological investigation alone and the previous study. As a result, we conclude that if prior knowledge about geological structures at a field site is considered during the design of HT surveys, valuable non‐redundant datasets about the fracture and fault zones can be collected. Only with these non‐redundant data sets, can HT then be a viable and robust tool for delineating fracture and fault distributions over kilometer scales, even when only a limited number of boreholes are available. In essence, this paper proves that HT is a new tool for geologists, geophysicists, and engineers for mapping large‐scale fracture and fault zone distributions.     

Spectacular low- and mid-latitude electrical fields and neutral winds during a superstorm

In November 2004, a major magnetic storm occurred, a lengthy portion of which was recorded by the Upper Atmospheric Radar Chain. On the 9th and 10th, the Jicamarca Radar detected the highest magnitude penetrating electric fields (±3 mV/m) and vertical drifts (±120 m/s) ever seen at this premiere facility. These large and variable drifts were highly correlated with the interplanetary magnetic and electric fields and created a double F layer on the dayside and unusual TEC behavior throughout the low-latitude zone. These solar wind-induced drifts both suppressed and generated irregularities at the magnetic equator at different times. Large-scale thermospheric disturbances were generated by high-latitude heating and tracked through the middle- to low-latitude zones where both parallel and perpendicular plasma drifts created major ionospheric changes. The auroral oval was located at a magnetic L shell of about three for many hours.     

Pigmenting agents in Martian soils: inferences from spectral, Mossbauer, and magnetic properties of nanophase and other iron oxides in Hawaiian palagonitic soil PN-9

We have examined a Hawaiian palagonitic tephra sample (PN-9) that has spectroscopic similarities to Martian bright regions using a number of analytical techniques, including Mossbauer and reflectance spectroscopy, X-ray diffraction, instrumental neutron activation analysis, electron probe microanalysis, transmission electron microscopy, and dithionite-citrate-bicarbonate extraction. Chemically, PN-9 has a Hawaiitic composition with alkali (and presumably silica) loss resulting from leaching by meteoric water during palagonitization; no Ce anomaly is present in the REE pattern. Mineralogically, our results show that nanophase ferric oxide (np-Ox) particles (either nanophase hematite (np-Hm) or a mixture of ferrihydrite and np-Hm) are responsible for the distinctive ferric doublet and visible-wavelength ferric absorption edge observed in Mossbauer and reflectivity spectra, respectively, for this and other spectrally similar palagonitic samples. The np-Ox particles appear to be imbedded in a hydrated aluminosilicate matrix material; no evidence was found for phyllosilicates. Other iron-bearing phases observed are titanomagnetite, which accounts for the magnetic nature of the sample; olivine; pyroxene; and glass. By analogy, np-Ox is likely the primary pigmenting agent of the bright soils and dust of Mars.     

华北地台南缘张士英岩体的锆石SHRIMP U-Pb测年、Hf同位素组成及其地质意义

张士英岩体位于华北地台南缘,岩石类型包括钾长花岗岩、似斑状花岗岩和石英斑岩脉,其中只在钾长花岗岩中发育有暗色岩石包体,在包体和寄主岩中发育反映岩浆混合作用的岩石结构。钾长花岗岩、似斑状花岗岩和石英斑岩脉的SHRIMP锆石U-Pb年龄分别为107.3±2.4Ma、106.7±2.5Ma和101±3Ma。锆石Hf同位素分析结果显示,钾长花岗岩的锆石εHf(t)为-15.96～-20.80,单阶段模式年龄(tDM1)为1396～1643Ma,两阶段模式年龄(tDM2)为1880～2018Ma;似斑状花岗岩的锆石εHf(t)为-18.97～-22.18,tDM1为1512～1640Ma,tDM2为1925～2080Ma;除了一粒年龄为2.6Ga的锆石具有εHf(t)为-0.71、tDM1为2943Ma和tDM2为3036Ma的组成,石英斑岩的锆石εHf(t)为-23.41～-27.95,tDM1为1678～1896Ma,tDM2为2144～2330Ma。这些数据暗示,除了存在少量太古宙地壳物质的贡献外,张士英岩体的物质来源可能主要为1.9～2.3Ga期间形成的新生地壳,但也不排除古老地壳与富集地幔源混合的可能。综合分析前人研究成果表明,在太平洋板块俯冲方向发生转变的过程中,先存断裂带发生拉张。张士英岩体与中国东部同期岩浆活动一起可能形成于这种受断裂带控制的伸展环境。     

Numerical and Experimental Study on Progressive Failure of Marble

This study presents a framework for numerical simulations based upon micromechanical parameters in modeling progressive failures of heterogeneous rock specimens under compression. In our numerical simulations, a Weibull distribution of the strength and elastic properties of the finite elements is assumed, and the associated Weibull parameters are estimated in terms of microstructural properties, such as crack size distribution and grain size, through microscopic observations of microcracks. The main uncertainty in this procedure lies on the fact that various ways can be used to formulate a ``microcrack size distribution' in relating to the Weibull parameters. As one possible choice, the present study uses the number of counted cracks per unit scanned volume per grain size to formulate the crack distributions. Finally, as a tool, the Rock Failure Process Analysis code (RFPA^2D) is adopted for simulating the progressive failure and microseismicity of heterogeneous rocks by using an elastic-damage finite-element approach. To verify our framework, compression tests on marble specimens are conducted, and the measured acoustic emissions (AE) are compared with those predicted by the numerical simulations. The mode of failure, compressive strength and AE pattern of our simulations basically agree with experimental observations.     

Meiobenthos assemblages in the mekong estuarine system with special focus on free-living marine nematodes

Meiobenthos assemblages in eight estuaries of the Mekong river system were investigated in August 2008 (from the Cua Tieu estuary to the Tran De estuary). In each estuary, one sampling station was established for meiobenthos sampling. Twelve major taxa of meiobenthos were recorded in this estuarine system, including Nematoda, Copepoda, Turbellaria, Polychaeta, Oligochaeta, Tardigrada, Bivalvia, Ostracoda, Amphipoda, Cumacea, Gastrotricha, Gastropoda, and Crustacean Nauplii larvae. The densities of the meiobenthos range from 581 to 3168 inds/10 cm². Nematodes always occupy the highest numbers with a percentage ranging from 64–99%. There are 135 nematode genera recorded in this study with the following as dominant genera Desmodora, Leptolaimus, Halalaimus, Thalassomonhystera, Theristus, Daptonema, Rhynchonema, Parodontophora, and Oncholaimus. Although the biodiversity of the meiobenthos at higher taxa level is not high compared to other marine environments, the estimates of nematode biodiversity at the genus level indicates high values. The increase in number of genera with increasing sampling intensity illustrate that the diversity is underestimated and would have been higher if the authors had considered a larger number of individuals, more replicates per station, and more sampling stations.