Chemical reaction diversity of geofluids revealed by hydrothermal experiments under sub- and supercritical states

Abstract   Hydrothermal experiments of dissolution of granite and quartz with pure water up to 600°C and 60 MPa were carried out in order to evaluate chemical reaction under sub- and supercritical conditions. The supercritical region beyond the critical point for water has been inferred to be a homogeneous state, which does not correspond to either a true liquid phase, or a true vapor phase. Results of dissolution experiments of granite and quartz in a supercritical state (artificially defined as higher pressures and temperatures than the critical point), show this fluid can be subdivided into two apparent phases comprising a 'liquid-like' region and a 'vapor-like' region. Chemical phenomena with respect to dissolution reactions in the 'liquid-like' region are more similar to those of subcritical water, whilst those reactions in the 'vapor-like' region even in the supercritical state are considered to be weak. The critical point of various kinds of geofluids, composed of solutions in the H₂O-CO₂-NaCl system was experimentally determined using a visible type autoclave. Chemical reaction diversity, depending on location of the critical point for a given solution and apparent phase boundary in terms of chemical reaction within the supercritical state, was recognized by hydrothermal experiments.     

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN THE MOVEMENT OF THE MEIYU/BAIU RAIN BELT AND THE PERIODIC NORTHWESTWARD PROPAGATION OF THE CONVECTIVE ACTIVITY FROM TROPICAL WEST PACIFIC*

In order to investigate the effect of the factors in tower latitudes on Meiyu/Baiu front,a diagnostic analysis for the two cases during June to July of 1985 and 1986 was examined.We found that (1) when the tropical convective activity moves westward to 10.5-15.5'N/140°E from east side of 10.5-15.5°N/160°E,the northward shifts of the Meiyu/Baiu rain belt occurs;(2)the main factor which results in the northward and southward shifts of Meiyu/Baiu rain belt is thought as the 8,18 and 30 day oscillations of the tropical convective activity around West Pacific.Meanwhile,the wave train propagating from Lake Baikal via Okhotsk Sea to the tropics could sometimes shift Baiu rain belt southward;(3) the onsets of Meiyu in China of both cases tend to take place just when the convective activity around lower latitudes moves westward through about 140°E with the 8,18 and 30 day oscillation periods firstly coming to June.     

Wave dispersion and optimal mass modelling for one-dimensional periodic structures

Discrete analysis methods are frequently used for the study of the structure and soil. However, the assumption of the displacement interpolation function makes the waves dispersive, which means the numerical dispersion. The wave dispersion induced by the discretization depends on the mass modelling. Also, the existence of added lumped masses makes waves dispersive even for the continuum modelling. In order to examine these wave dispersions, a one-dimensional periodic structure is adopted as an analysis model and the dynamic transfer matrix method is applied. A wave solution and a finite element solution are used for the evaluation of the transfer matrix. The phase and group velocities in the structure are explicitly represented. These values are compared among the continuum modelling and the discretization modelling in which several consistent mass ratios are adopted. The optimal consistent mass ratio, which makes the wave velocity of the discrete model the same as that of the continuum model, is newly developed here. The validity of this mass modelling technique is presented by examining the frequency response function and impulse response function.     

Cooling history of pyroxene chondrules in the Yamato-74191 chondrite (L3)—an electron microscopic study

Fine textures of clinopyroxene in an excentroradial pyroxene chondrule (EPC) and a comb-like pyroxene chondrule (CPC) in the Yamato-74191 chondrite (L3) have been studied by analytical electron microscopy. Both pyroxenes consist of three regions different in composition and texture; core, mantle and marginal regions, though the pyroxenes of the CPC are more Fe-rich than those of the EPC. The core region is the most Mg-rich with no Ca component and commonly shows polysynthetic (100) twins. The mantle region is slightly calcic, and the marginal region shows a rapid increase of Ca outward.The polysynthetic twins, cracks and subgrain boundaries in the core in the EPC and CPC must have formed during the transition from proto-type to clino-type pyroxenes. The exsolution textures in the mantle and marginal regions indicate initial crystallization of pigeonite-C followed by decomposition into pigeonite-P and augite. The decomposition must have taken place by nucleation growth in the mantle region and by spinodal decomposition in the marginal region. The periodicity of 15–20 nm in the spinodal decomposition textures indicates that the cooling rate of the pyroxenes, when passing through about 1000°C, was of the order of a few tens to several degrees centigrade per hour. The cooling history of the chondrules has been explained by a monotonous cooling controlled by the cooling rate of the surrounding medium.     

Secondary episodes of star formation in elliptical galaxies

We put upper limits on the secondary burst of star formation in elliptical galaxies of the González sample, based on the colour dispersion around the U  −  V versus central velocity dispersion relation, and the equivalent width of Hβ absorption. Note that most of these galaxies locate in small groups. There is a significant number of Hβ strong galaxies that have EW(Hβ) > 2 Å, but they do not always have bluer colours in U  −  V . To be consistent with the small colour dispersion of U  −  V , the mass fraction of the secondary burst to the total mass should be less than 10 per cent at the maximum within the most recent 2 Gyr. This result suggests that even if recent galaxy merging has produced some ellipticals, it should not have been accompanied by an intensive starburst, and hence it could not involve large gas-rich systems. The capture of a dwarf galaxy is more likely to explain the dynamical disturbances observed in some elliptical galaxies. The above analysis, based on the U  −  V , is not compatible with the one based on the line indices, which requires that more than 10 per cent of mass is present in a 2-Gyr-old starburst to cover the full range of the observed Hβ (de Jong &38; Davies). The discrepancy might be partly explained by the internal extinction localized at the region where young stars form. However, considering that the Hβ index might have great uncertainties both in models and in observational data, we basically rely on U − V analysis.     

Upwelling front and two-cell circulation

A two-cell circulation associated with a front observed in coastal upwelling regions is studied numerically in a three-dimensional level model. An ocean with a flat bottom is forced by the wind stress with a longshore variation. Upwelling is induced in the region next to the coast. In association with the upwelling, the pycnocline slopes up toward the coast and intersects the sea surface forming a front. After that, downwelling is induced just inshore-side of the front and upwelling offshore-side. The transverse circulation in the present model seems to reproduce the observed two-cell circulation. It is found that the generation of the two-cell circulation is due to deviations of the longshore flow from the thermal-wind relation (geostrophy). The deviations are caused by the onshore-offshore movements of the front. Although no vorticity input through the wind stress is assumed, several barotropic vortices are induced by the effect of the inclination of the pycnocline and grow as long as the winds continue to blow. The observed poleward undercurrent may be interpreted as a combination of motions of the internal mode associated with the front and a barotropic flow associated with a cyclonic vortex.     

Effects of longshore variation of coastline geometry and bottom topography on coastal upwelling in a two-layer model

Effects of the longshore variation of the coastline geometry and the bottom topography on coastal upwelling are discussed. Longshore variations of the topography cause local enhancing or weakening of upwelling in the process of the generation and propagation of internal Kelvin and the shelf waves.     

Response of a two-layer ocean to typhoon passage in the western boundary region

Effect of the typhoon passage on the western boundary region of a two-layer ocean with bottom topography is studied. The ocean is initially at rest and is set in motion by a typhoon passing parallel to the west coast. Equations that represent barotropic and baroclinic modes of motions are solved numerically by means of the method of finite differences. Motions of the barotropic mode are assumed to be horizontally non-divergent. In this mode, an elongated vortex is produced by the typhoon and propagates toward the south after passage of the typhoon. Behavior of the vortex may be interpreted as continental shelf waves. It is found that the formation and propagation of continental shelf waves are hardly affected by the density stratification. As for the baroclinic response, the typhoon causes considerable interface displacements along its track. The interface displacements are associated with geostrophic motions and remain for long time, though they are formed on the continental slope. Besides the large scale baroclinic response, internal Kelvin waves are induced along the artificial east wall.     

Molecular and isotopic composition of hydrate-bound and dissolved gases in the southern basin of Lake Baikal, based on an improved headspace gas method

Assessments of the molecular and isotopic composition of hydrate-bound and dissolved gases in pore water were conducted during the multi-phase gas hydrate project (MHP-09) cruise VER09-03 to the southern basin of Lake Baikal in September 2009. To avoid changes in gas composition during core sampling and transport, various headspace methods were investigated aimed at preserving the dissolved gases in pore water. When distilled water was added to the sediment samples, the concentrations of carbon dioxide and oxygen decreased because of dissolution into the water and/or microbial consumption. When the headspace was not flushed with inert gases, trace levels of hydrogen and ethylene were detected. The findings suggest that best preparation is achieved by flushing the headspace with helium, and adding a saturated aqueous solution of sodium chloride. This improved headspace method served to examine the molecular and isotopic compositions of gas samples retrieved at several new sites in the southern basin. Methane was the major component, and the proportion of ethane ranged widely from 0.0009 to 1.67?mol% of the total hydrocarbon gases. The proportions of propane and higher hydrocarbons were small or less than their detection limits. The carbon isotope signatures suggest that microbial-sourced methane and ethane were dominant in the Peschanka study area, whereas ethane was of thermogenic origin at all other study sites in the southern basin of Lake Baikal.