57Fe mössbauer study of synthetic Fe3+-melilites

Synthetic Fe³⁺-melilites containing NaCaFe³⁺-Si₂O₇-, Ca₂Fe³⁺AlSiO₇- or Sr₂Fe³⁺AlSiO₇-components have been studied by ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopy. The spectrum of åkermanite containing an NaCaFe³⁺Si₂O₇-component consists of one doublet identified to belong to Fe³⁺ in T1 sites. The spectra of åkermanite and gehlenite containing Ca₂Fe³⁺ AlSiO₇- or Sr₂Fe³⁺ AlSiO₇-component consist of two doublets. The inner and outer doublets are identified to belong to Fe³⁺ in the less distorted T1 and that in the more distorted T2 sites, respectively. The area ratios of the spectra show that the site occupancy of Fe³⁺ (T1) in gehlenite is less than that in åkermanite in which the distribution of Fe³⁺ in T1 and T2 sites is apparently random. The different distributions can be explained in terms of competition between minimizing the deficiency in the electrostatic valence and the preference of Al for T1 sites which the isomer shift measurements show to be more ionic.     

A preliminary study of D/H ratios of chlorites

Chemistry dependence of D of chlorites is inferred from data for natural chlorites. D of water equilibrated with those chlorites is estimated to be –2–8.     

Non-linear models for simulating the dynamic damaging process of low-rise reinforced concrete buildings during severe earthquakes

This paper is a study of idealizing a planar reinforced concrete frame as a non-linear dynamic system for the purpose of simulating its inelastic behaviour during severe earthquakes. After having estimated the restoring force characteristics of all constituent members by experimental means (represented, for example, by a group of empirical equations), it is possible to estimate the non-linear characteristics of the complete structure and to trace the damaging process for each constituent member under a given ground motion disturbance. However, this technique, which is directly based on member-level properties, generally requires rather laborious computational procedures; for practical reasons it is necessary to develop a simplified model, reducing the required calculation without losing the substance of the mechanical phenomena. Thus the reliability of simplification by conventional shear modelling is examined in direct comparison with the response results from rigorous modelling. It is concluded that the shear modelling generally yields an inadequate and, in many cases, erroneous result. The primary cause leading to this discrepancy is identified and, based on this discussion, a more appropriate modelling as simple as conventional shear modelling is proposed.     

Is the single scattering model invalid for the coda excitation at long lapse time?

Supposing that the distribution of scatterers in a three-dimensional medium is not uniform but fractally homogeneous with fractal dimensionD, we have made the dimensional analysis for the temporal decay of the multiple scattering energy density at the hypocenter.The number of scatters in a sphere of radiusR is assumed to be proportional toR ^D . Then, the energy density of thekth order scattering decays according to the [(D–2)k–3]th power of lapse time. A fractal dimension ofD=3 corresponds to the uniform distribution. If 2<D3, multiple scattering terms of orderk2 dominate over the single scattering term (k=1) at long lapse time. IfD=2, energy density of every order decays according to the — 3rd power of lapse time. The single scattering model survives on conditionD<2; the single scattering term dominates over the higher order multiple scattering terms even at long lapse time, since the negative power of lapse time fork=1 is the smallest of all.     

Synthesis,TEM characterization and thermal behaviour of LiNiSi<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>6</Subscript> pyroxene

A pyroxene with composition LiNiSi₂O₆ was synthesized at T = 1,473 K and P = 2.0 GPa; the cell parameters at T = 298 K are a = 9.4169(6) Å, b = 8.4465(7) Å, c = 5.2464(3) Å, β = 110.534(6)°, V = 390.78(3) Å³. TEM examination of the LiNiSi₂O₆ pyroxene showed the presence of h + k odd reflections indicative of a primitive lattice, and of antiphase domains obtained by dark field imaging of the h + k odd reflections. A HT in situ investigation was performed by examining TEM selected area diffraction patterns collected at high temperature and synchrotron radiation powder diffraction. In HTTEM the LiNiSi₂O₆ was examined together with LiCrSi₂O₆ pyroxene. In LiCrSi₂O₆ the h + k odd critical reflections disappear at about 340 K; they are sharp up to the transition temperature and do not change their shape until they disappear. In LiNiSi₂O₆ the h + k odd reflections are present up to sample deterioration at 650 K. A high temperature synchrotron radiation powder diffraction investigation was performed on LiNiSi₂O₆ between 298 and 773 K. The analysis of critical reflections and of changes in cell parameters shows that the space group is P-centred up to the highest temperature. The comparative analysis of the thermal and spontaneous strain contributions in P2₁/c and C2/c pyroxenes indicates that the high temperature strain in P-LiNiSi₂O₆ is very similar to that due to thermal strain only in C2/c spodumene and that a spontaneous strain contribution related to pre-transition features is not apparent in LiNiSi₂O₆. A different high-temperature behaviour in LiNiSi₂O₆ with respect to other pyroxenes is suggested, possibly in relation with the presence of Jahn–Teller distortion of the M1 polyhedron centred by low-spin Ni³⁺.     

Field measurement and modeling of near-bed sediment transport processes with fluid mud layer in Tokyo Bay

Tokyo Bay is one of the estuaries in Japan with a high population of almost 26 million people in the basin area. One of the major concerns for the environment in this water area is the decreasing ecosystem functions including the deterioration of water and sediment qualities caused by various anthropogenic activities. Since the bottom sediments around almost the entire area of the inner bay consist of fine materials with a high organic content, which cause the deterioration of water quality through processes such as hypoxia, an understanding of the fine sediment dynamics in the Bay is crucial for an environmental assessment of the water area. This paper proposes a model for the key processes of fine sediment dynamics, which reflects field data about muddy bed structures and their dynamics obtained during the monitoring campaign in 2007. One of the specific features of the sediment in the Bay at present is the persistent existence of fluid mud layers (water content over 300?%) with a thickness of around a few decimeters, which might be caused by deposition of abundant organic particles due to eutrophication. The present study shows that diffusion flux model delivers quite reliable results for estimating erosion flux from the top of fluid mud layers after calibrating the model parameter against the time series data of vertical flux measured by an acoustic Doppler velocimeter system. This study also derives analytical solutions, based on the Bingham fluid concept, of advection flux in the fluid mud layer on which external shear stress force is applied.     

Symplectic integrators and their application to dynamical astronomy

Symplectic integrators have many merits compared with traditional integrators:     

Changes of microbial populations in a ship's ballast water and sediments on a voyage from Japan to Qatar

Colony-forming eutrophic marine microorganisms in ballast water were counted in samples taken on board in 2002 and 2003. In the ballast water in Japan, viable cell numbers were highly variable but not by more than 10(5.1) colony-forming units (CFU)ml(-1) regardless of season. Even when ballast water was discharged offshore, values varied but not by more than 10(5.0) CFUml(-1). The effectiveness of the ballast water exchange was unconfirmed, except for the February 2003 voyage. No microbial colonies were counted in the reloaded ballast water in the high seas on that voyage, which contributed to the reduction of the total number of viable cells sampled in the discharged ballast water at the Ras Laffan port in Qatar. In sediment samples, the values of 10(5.2) - 10(6.0) CFUml(-1) were estimated for all seasons in which voyages took place. The maximum of the marine Vibrio species, 110 CFUml(-1), was observed in the ballast water sample taken in July 2003. The estimated total viable cell numbers in sediments were higher than those counted in the ballast water throughout the experiments, indicating the importance of sediment management as well as ballast water management on vessels traveling from Japan.