Spatial and Temporal Variability of Satellite Primary Production in the Japan Sea from 1998 to 2002

The spatial and seasonal variability of primary production in the Japan Sea from 1998 to 2002 was estimated using a satellite primary production model. A size-fractionated primary production model was validated by in situ primary production data measured in the Japan Sea. Estimated primary production and in situ primary production showed a good positive correlation. Estimated primary production showed spatial variability. Annual primary production levels were 170, 161, 191 and 222 gC m⁻²year⁻¹ at the Russian coast, in the middle of the Japan Basin, the southeastern area and the southwestern area, respectively. It was higher to the south around 40°N than to the north, and higher in the western area than in the eastern one. Peaks of primary production appeared twice, in spring and fall, in the southern area, while a single peak appeared in the northern area. Primary production along the Russian coast was higher than in other areas during summer. The spring bloom contributed 42% to the annual primary production in these four areas. Furthermore, estimated primary production showed an interannual variability that was largest in spring. Primary production in fall also showed interannual variability, especially in the middle of the Japan Basin and the southwestern area. This corresponded mainly to the size of the phytoplankton bloom in each year. Winter convection by wind and the depth of nutrient-rich, cold subsurface water underlying the Tsushima Current may contribute to the nutrient supply to upper layer and interannual variations of primary production in spring.     

Strong tidal currents observed near the bottom in the Suruga Trough,central Japan

Current measurements carried out at the depth of 4 m above the sea bottom near the northern edge of the Suruga Trough in the early fall of 1985 indicated the existence of strong semidiurnal tidal currents, which were considered to be associated with internal tides. In order to examine the spatial structure of the bottom intensified tidal flow, more detailed current observations were carried out at three or four depths at two stations along the main axis of the Suruga Trough during about 70 days from August to October 1988. We obtained the following results: (1) the variations of the current velocity caused by the semidiurnal and diurnal internal tides are evident in all of the records, and the orientation of the major axis of each tidal ellipse nearly coincides with that of the main axis of the trough; (2) the semidiurnal internal tide is dominant over the diurnal internal tide at 4 m above the sea bottom at both stations; (3) at the northern station the semidiurnal internal tide is dominant over the diurnal internal tide, whereas they are nearly equal at the southern station except at 4 m above the sea bottom; (4) the biharmonic internal tides with 1/3 day and 1/4 day periods, are found near the sea bottom and the major axis of the tidal ellipse is perpendicular to the orientation of the main axis of the Suruga Trough.     

On the mean sea levels at various locations along the coasts of Japan

The yearly variations of mean sea levels at various locations along the coasts of Japan have been investigated, based upon the data of observation taken at 55 tide-gauge stations from 1953 to 1970, and some discussions have been made on the relationships between those variations and meteorological and oceanographical conditions, etc. The results obtained are as follows:

1. In cases covering 90% of all the tide-gauge stations, the magnitude of the annual mean rate of variation of ground level is less than 10 mm/year, and the mean value of the magnitude for all the stations is ?3.17 mm/year, while that exclusive of Osaka is ?1.7 mm/year.
2. The effect of atmospheric pressure variation on the height of annual mean sea level is of the order of several centimeters in view from both time and place.
3. In view of the characteristic types of variations, the coasts of Japan may be divided into five regions of similar mean sea level deviations. And in the yearly variations of mean sea levels, there can be seen a kind of variation which corresponds to the variation of oceanographical conditions such as abnormal fall of seawater temperature.
4. The mean sea level deviations at various locations along the coasts of Japan, referred to the standard sea level “T.P.” are different for different places. Namely, (1) on the coast of the Japan Sea, the west coast of Kyushu, the coast of Sanriku and the coast of Hokkaido, the mean sea level is higher than on the Pacific coasts from Southern Kyushu to Southern Honshu. (2) Along the coast of the Seto-Inland Sea, the mean sea level is generally higher.

As for the leading causes of the above deviations, we may safely enumerate the following ones, viz. (a) the effect of the deflecting force of the earth's rotation on currents, and (b) the effect of variation of seawater density. However, as regards the relative importance of these two effects, no decisive conclusion can yet be given for the present.     

Evaluation of an active variable-damping structure

We present a numerical evaluation of the potential improvements in seismic disturbance rejection to be obtained by using active variable damping control in a structure. Using the responses to seismic excitation of an optimally controlled variable structure and of a minimax-optimal designed fixed structure, we obtain an upper bound on the achievable performance and a lower bound on the acceptable performance of a control system for a variable-damping structure. Both of these bounds are relative to an energy-function criterion. Our numerical experiments lead to the following conclusions:

• (i) The gap between the upper and lower bounds is rather small, which makes designing a feedback law, that results in performance superior to that of a minimax-optimal designed structure, very difficult. The best choice for a feedback law appears to be continuous moving horizon control, whose implementation requires ground motion prediction up to 0.2 sec ahead, possibly using sensors located a small distance away from the site.
• (ii) A minimax-optimal designed structure gives very good seismic disturbance suppression, not only for the earthquakes used in its design, but also for other earthquakes of similar intensity. Controlled variable structures are likely to offer advantages when earthquakes are moderate to severe, particularly at sites, such as landfills and dry lake beds, where resonances can be expected, but the resonance frequency cannot be estimated in advance.

     

GAME-TIBET青藏高原云和降水综合观测概况及初步结果

对中日合作青藏高原能量水分循环试验项目中云和降水的多普勒雷达观测使用的气象观测仪器和获取的资料等情况进行了总结,并给出了那曲地区水的日变化,不同 雨量计测量降水的对比分析,风速对测量降水影响,多普勒雷达资料的个例分析及云的数值模拟的等初步结果。     

Element transport by dehydration of subducted sediments: Implication for arc and ocean island magmatism

High-pressure experiments on a natural pelite have been conducted at 2–11-GPa pressures in order to evaluate contributions of subducted sediments to arc and ocean island magmatism. Obtained phase relations suggest that, at least in modern subduction zones, subsolidus dehydration of chlorite and phengitic muscovite in the subducted sediments, rather than partial melting, is a predominant process in overprinting sediment components onto the magma source region. Trace element compositions of sediment-derived fluids are estimated based on dehydration experiments at 5.5 GPa and 900/1300°C. Pb is effectively transported by fluids relative to other elements. This results in the Pb enrichment for arc basalts by fluids, generated by the dehydration of subducted sediments, together with altered mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB), and complementary depletion of Pb in subducted sediments. Inferred arc magma compositions obtained by model calculations based on the present experimental results agree well with a natural primitive arc basalt composition. A large increase in the U/Pb ratio in the subducted sediments at deeper levels than major dehydration depths results in a high Pb isotopic ratio through radioactive decay after long periods of isolation. Combined with other isotopic ratios such as Sr and Nd, it is possible to produce the EM II source, one of the enriched geochemical reservoirs for ocean island basalt magmas, by mixing of a small amount of subducted sediments with depleted or primitive mantle.     

Comparative response and performance of base‐isolated and fixed‐base structures

A building with a seismic isolation system, in an earthquake, is recognized as producing substantially smaller accelerations and deformations compared with a building that use other systems. This type of system is therefore expected to better protect the building's nonstructural components, equipment, and other contents that are essential for the activities conducted in the building. Unlike many available studies on building responses, only a small number of studies on a buildings' nonstructural component responses are available, and no study has directly addressed building performance with regard to nonstructural component protection. This paper therefore measures the performance of various seismically isolated buildings. Specifically, the effects of important structural parameters, namely, isolation stiffness, isolation damping ratio, and number of stories on the response of base‐isolated structures are investigated parametrically. Ground motions with 2% exceedence in 50years Maximum Considered Earthquake (MCE) are used. Performance is compared with that of fixed‐base structures in order to present data that will be useful in justifying the more costly technology. The buildings are 3, 9, and 20 stories, represented by MDOF shear‐beam models. As examples of displacement‐sensitive and acceleration‐sensitive components, partition walls and ceilings are considered, respectively. The Pacific Earthquake Engineering Research Center performance‐based earthquake engineering methodology is adopted to evaluate the failure return periods of the examples based on their available fragility curves. In addition, the curves are varied hypothetically to understand the sensitivity of the return period to the curve features. Then, the median and dispersion of fragility curves required to satisfy the components' desired failure return period are obtained. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Control strategy for variable damping element considering near‐future excitation influence

A control strategy is proposed for variable damping elements (VDEs) used together with auxiliary stiffness elements (ASEs) that compose a time‐varying non‐linear Maxwell (NMW) element, considering near‐future excitation influence. The strategy first composes a state equation for the structural dynamics and the mechanical balance in the NMW elements. Next, it establishes a cost function for estimating future responses by the weighted quadratic norms of the state vector, the controlled force and the VDEs' damping coefficients. Then, the Euler equations for the optimum values are introduced, and also approximated by the first‐order terms under the autoregressive (AR) model of excitation information. Thus, at each moment t_k, the strategy conducts the following steps: (1) identify the obtained seismic excitation information to an AR model, and convert it to a state equation; and (2) determine VDEs' damping coefficients under the initial conditions at t_k and the final state at t_k+L, using the first‐order approximation of the Euler equations. The control effects are examined by numerical experiments. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.