Discharge of H2 from the Atotsugawa and Ushikubi Faults,Japan, and its relation to earthquakes

The concentration of H₂ in soil gases has been measured weekly at five stations on the Atotsugawa and Ushikubi faults in northern central Main Island, Japan, since 1981 in search of possible relationship with earthquakes. The observed H₂ concentration varies from lower than 1 ppm to 7.8% in time and place. When a large earthquake (M: 7.7, epicenter distance: 486 km) occurred on 26 May 1983, an outstanding discharge of H₂ was observed at all five stations, preseismically at three of them, and coseismically at the other two. Simultaneous H₂ emission was also observed at some stations in seven other occasions. These periods of unusual H₂ discharge nearly coincided with occurrences of major earthquakes in Japan, but not of local minor earthquakes along the Atotsugawa fault. This fault, being a deep fracture zone, may be sensitive to large-scale crustal stress changes which incidentally cause the major earthquakes. Increased H₂ may be produced by rock fracture caused by the increased stresses on the fault and by the earthquakes themselves. Local minor earthquakes along Atotsugawa fault with magnitude lower than 3 may be unable to cause sufficient rock fracture to produce significant H₂.     

Paleomagnetic record from Academician Ridge, Lake Baikal: a reversal excursion at the base of marine oxygen isotope stage 6

Paleomagnetic and rock-magnetic studies on a hydraulic piston core (Ver98-1, St.6) from Academician Ridge, Lake Baikal showed the occurrence of a reversal excursion at 670-696 cm depth, which is at the base of marine oxygen isotope stage 6. A correlation of X-ray CT values, as a proxy of relative density, to the marine oxygen isotope record provides an age of 177-183 ka for this reversal excursion. It can be correlated with other excursion records from Lake Baikal, found in Core 287-K2 from Academician Ridge [King et al., Russ. Geol. Geophys. 34 (1993) 148-162] and in core BDP93-1 drilled on the Buguldeika saddle [BDP-93, Quat. Int. 37 (1997) 3-17]. We correlate the Lake Baikal reversal excursion with a well documented excursion in the Brunhes Chron, the Iceland Basin event (186-189 ka) from ODP Sites 983 and 984 in the North Atlantic [Channell, J. Geophys. Res. 104 (1999) 22937-22951]. Also the relative paleointensity record agrees well with that from ODP Site 983 [Channell, J. Geophys. Res. 104 (1999) 22937-22951]. The Lake Baikal excursion and the Iceland Basin event correspond to the minimum of relative intensity at 188 ka in Sint-800 [Guyodo and Valet, Nature 399 (1999) 249-252]. We argue that it is distinct from the Jamaica/Pringle Falls excursion, estimated at 205-215 ka [Langereis et al., Geophys. J. Int. 129 (1997) 75-94]. This is supported by the recalibration of the age of another excursion found in Core St.16 in Lake Baikal [Sakai et al., Bull. Nagoya Univ. Furukawa Mus. 13 (1997) 11-22] with an age of ∼223 ka, which is close to the age of the Jamaica/Pringle Falls excursion, as suggested earlier [King et al., Russ. Geol. Geophys. 34 (1993) 148-162]. The VGP path of the reversal excursion (177-183 ka) consists of a southward swing through the North Atlantic, followed by a loop through Africa and the Indian Ocean. The path morphology is similar to that of the Iceland Basin event from the North Atlantic [Channell, J. Geophys. Res. 104 (1999) 22937-22951].     

Induction of female‐to‐male sex change in a large protogynous fish,Choerodon schoenleinii

Most behavioral studies on hermaphroditic fishes have focused on small‐sized species, which are tractable for research. Although many species of large hermaphroditic fishes are important fishery resources, their proximate mechanisms (visual, chemical and/or behavioral cues) in the social regulation of sex change have not been determined. Determination of these would inform resource management and aquaculture. In order to get closer to understanding the proximate mechanisms underlying the social regulation of female‐to‐male sex change in large hermaphroditic fishes, this study reports situations that induced female‐to‐male sex change in black‐spot tuskfish, Choerodon schoenleinii, a species of large protogynous fish, in massive laboratory tanks. The situations differed in the possibility of male‐to‐female tactile contact and in the group sex ratio, enabling us to infer plausible proximate mechanisms underlying sex change induction. Tactile contact between individuals is suspected to be closely related to the incidence of female‐to‐male sex change in C. schoenleinii. Visual and chemical cues alone may be insufficient to inhibit such sex changes. Male‐to‐female tactile contact may have an important influence on female‐to‐male sex change, i.e., inhibition of this sex change, in this species. The effect of sex ratio of a social group on the incidence of sex change may be due to the relative frequency and intensity of male tactile contact with each female, which may vary with the number of females. In the absence of a dominant male, tactile contact among females may affect the incidence of sex change, as well as determine which individuals change sex.     

Overview of NOPACCS (Northwest Pacific Carbon Cycle Study)

The Northwest Pacific Carbon Cycle Study (NOPACCS) was a program aimed at investigating the carbon cycle of the North Pacific Ocean, which can be thought of as a large reservoir of carbon dioxide. NOPACCS was also aimed at estimating the North Pacific's capacity as a carbon sink. Project design, scientific results, and data availability, and subsequent projects resulting from this project are also described in this review. Studies of the upper ocean processes focused on the latitudinal differences in the fugacity of carbon dioxide; and on the detail of plankton community structures. Intermediate water was studied in relation to the formation of North Pacific Intermediate Water and the amount of accumulated anthropogenic carbon. The sedimentation process, past carbon cycle and coral reefs were also studied during the project. A preliminary, overall view of the carbon cycle of the North Pacific was drawn from the results of the project and compared to global values.     

Selection effects on the size and frequency distribution of cosmic gamma-ray bursts

We investigate selection effects on the size and frequency relation (logN-logS curve) of cosmic gamma-ray bursts. After analyzing the published data, we find an indication that an effect is caused by the different time profiles of the bursts. The effect is important for small bursts and causes significant changes in the logN-logS curve. in order to avoid this selection effect, we mention that it is essential to use the logN-logP relation of the logN-logS relation, as already suggested by other authors. Here,P is the peak flux of the burst, which is free from bias due to the difference in time profiles. After an analysis of the published data, we find a distribution nearP ^–3/2 in the range above a peak flux of 40 counts/0.25 s.We also show that the relation between the logN-logP curve and the observed celestial distribution for the bursts can easily be explained by our general arguments on a disk-like spatial distribution of burst sources in the Galaxy.     

Infrared detector for mid-infrared astronomy

Recent developments of infrared detectors and arrays for mid-infrared astronomical observations are discussed with an emphasis on technical issues in designing and fabricating photometers and cameras. The discussion includes a small-scale silicon bolometer array being tested at the Steward Observatory.Paper presented at the Symposium on the JNLT and Related Engineering Developments, Tokyo, November 29–December 2, 1988.