Textural evidence for recent co-seismic circulation of fluids in the Nojima fault zone, Awaji island, Japan

The Hirabayashi borehole (Awaji Island, Japan) was drilled by the Geological Survey of Japan (GSJ) 1 year after the Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake (1995, M_JMA=7.2). This has enabled scientists to study the complete sequence of deformation across the active Nojima fault, from undeformed granodiorite to the fault core. In the fault core, different types of gouge and fractures have been observed and can be interpreted in terms of a complex history of faulting and fluid circulation. Above the fault core and within the hanging wall, compacted cataclasites and gouge are cut by fractures which show high apparent porosity and are filled by 5–50 μm euhedral and zoned siderite and ankerite crystals. These carbonate-filled fractures have been observed within a 5.5-m-wide zone above the fault, but are especially abundant in the vicinity (1 m) of the fault. The log-normal crystal size distributions of the siderite and ankerite suggest that they originated by decaying-rate nucleation accompanied by surface-controlled growth in a fluid saturated with respect to these carbonates. These carbonate-filled fractures are interpreted as the result of co-seismic hydraulic fracturing and upward circulation of fluids in the hanging wall of the fault, with the fast nucleation of carbonates attributed to a sudden fluid or CO₂ partial pressure drop due to fracturing. The fractures cut almost all visible structures at a thin section scale, although in some places, the original idiomorphic shape of carbonates is modified by a pressure-solution mechanism or the carbonate-filled fractures are cut and brecciated by very thin gouge zones; these features are attributed to low and high strain-rate mechanisms, respectively. The composition of the present-day groundwater is at near equilibrium or slightly oversaturated with respect to the siderite, calcite, dolomite and rhodochrosite. Taken together, this suggests that these fractures formed very late in the evolution of the fault zone, and may be induced by co-seismic hydraulic fracturing and circulation of a fluid with a similar composition to the present-day groundwater. They are therefore potentially related to recent earthquake activity (<1.2 Ma) on the Nojima fault.     

Formation of olivine textures in pallasites and thermal history of pallasites in their parent body

An analysis of the textures of pallasites has been made using data concerning the kinetic and rheological properties of silicates and metals. Pallasites containing rounded olivines (e.g., the Springwater and Brehnam pallasites) have been heated to above the solidus temperature of the metallic iron phases, ～ 1270 K. The rounded olivines of grain size 0.5–1.0 cm observed in the Springwater pallasites were formed between 1270 and 1370 K. On the other hand, those of grain size 0.5–1.0 mm as found in the Brehnam pallasites may have been heated to above 1370 K; however, the duration of heating at such high temperatures must have been less than 5 × 10³ y. Pallasites containing angular olivines with microscopically rounded corners (e.g., the Eagle Station, Dora pallasites) have suffered shock events fracturing the olivine grains, which may correspond to collisions during the accretional stage of the parent body, and experienced successive annealing during cooling from a temperature between 1150 and 1270 K.     

High-pressure X-ray diffraction studies on β- and γ-Mg2SiO4

Pressure effects on the lattice parameters of β- and γ-Mg₂SiO₄ have been measured at room temperature and at pressures up to 100 kbar using a multi-anvil high-pressure X-ray diffraction apparatus. The volume changes (ΔV/V₀) at 90 kbar are 5.4 · 10^?2 and 4.2 · 10^?2 for β- and γ-Mg₂SiO₄, respectively. Isothermal bulk moduli at zero pressure have been calculated from least-square fits of the data to straight lines. They turn out to be 1.66 ± 0.4 and 2.13 ± 0.1 Mbar for β- and γ-Mg₂SiO₄, respectively. The α → γ transition obeys Wang's linear V_φ?ρ relation but the α → β transition does not.     

Melting relations of peridotite and the density crossover in planetary mantles

Melting relations of primitive peridotite were studied up to 25 GPa. The change of the liquidus phase from olivine to majorite occurs at 16 GPa. We confirmed the density crossover of the FeO-rich peridotite melt and the equilibrium olivine (Fo₉₀) at 7 GPa. Sinking of equilibrium olivine (Fo₉₅) in the primitive peridotite melt was observed up to 10 GPa. The compression curves of FeO-rich peridotitic and komatiite melts reported in this and earlier work suggest that the density crossover in the Earth's mantle will be located at 11–12 GPa at 2000°C, consistent with an previous estimation by C.B. Agee and D. Walker.

The density crossover can play a key role in the Moon and the terrestrial planets, such as the Earth, Venus and Mars. Majorite and some fraction of melt could have separated from the ascending diapir and sunk downwards at the depths below the density crossover. This process could have produced a garnet-rich transition zone in the Earth's mantle. The density crossover may exist in the FeO-rich lunar mantle at around the center of the Moon. The density crossover which exists at the depth of 600 km in the Martian mantle plays a key role in producing a fractionated mantle, which is the source the parent magmas of the SNC meteorites.     

南极乔治王岛雪藻的分布及其相关的雪物理和化学特征

研究了南极乔治王岛地区雪藻的分布和种类组成,以及相关的有色雪的物理和化学特征,如积雪性状、雪融水的ｐＨ、电导率和营养盐浓度,以便了解影响雪藻分布的环境因子。乔治王岛地区的大多数雪藻是属绿藻门的种类,与其他淡水生境相比,兰藻和硅藻数量稀少。利用菲尔德斯半岛和阿德雷岛沿岸的三种主要雪型研究雪藻群落的生态学：由绿藻的红色休眠细胞占优势的红色雪,由一种丝状绿藻（Ｋｌｅｂｓｏｒｍｉｄｉｕｍｓｐ．）占优势的绿色雪和由一种小球状的金藻占优势的褐色雪。红色雪和褐色雪趋向于以粗糙粒状雪的性状出现,而绿色雪则趋向于以渍水性雪的性状出现。所有有色雪的ｐＨ值处于同一水平（ｐＨ为５～６）,但绿色雪融水的电导率和氨氮（ＮＨ４－Ｎ）浓度高于红色和褐色雪,且绿色雪的叶绿素ａ含量比红色雪高得多。有色雪的叶绿素ａ含量与ＮＨ４－Ｎ和ＰＯ４－Ｐ浓度的相关性不明显,但在所研究的环境因子中,雪的性状、雪融水的电导率和ＮＨ４－Ｎ浓度对雪藻的分布有影响。     

Relative transport in the Alaskan Stream in winter

Between late January and March of 1966, the western Subarctic region was widely investigated by MVArgo and MVG. B. Kelez. That is the first oceanographic measurement in this region during winter season. Oceanographic conditions and relative transports are discussed using these data. The Alaskan Stream which is closely related with the formation of the salmon fishing ground, is continuous as far west as long. 170°E and the westward transport of 8×10⁶m³/sec occurs across long. 165°W. That are similar to the conditions in summer. The isolated warm water mass separated from the Alaskan Stream is more clearly defined as a clockwise gyre at the west of Komandorski Ridge. Transport of approximately 9×10⁶m³/sec in the East Kamchatka Current reaches east of the Kurile Islands, where its water, mixing with the Okhotsk Sea water, forms the Oyashio Current having the volume transport of 7×10⁶m³/sec. Generally, the circulation pattern in winter is similar to that in summer. Schematic diagram of relative transport and circulation in the Subarctic region in the North Pacific Ocean in winter is proposed.     

Continuous Observation of Groundwater and Crustal Deformation for Forecasting Tonankai and Nankai Earthquakes in Japan

In 2006, we started construction of an observation network of 12 stations in and around Shikoku and the Kii Peninsula to conduct research for forecasting Tonankai and Nankai earthquakes. The purpose of the network is to clarify the mechanism of past preseismic groundwater changes and crustal deformation related to Tonankai and Nankai earthquakes. Construction of the network of 12 stations was completed in January 2009. Work on two stations, Hongu-Mikoshi (HGM) and Ichiura (ICU), was finished earlier and they began observations in 2007. These two stations detected strain changes caused by the slow-slip events on the plate boundary in June 2008, although related changes in groundwater levels were not clearly recognized.     

Structure and cation disorder of hydrous ringwoodite, γ-Mg1.89Si0.98H0.30O4

The structure of a single crystal hydrous ringwoodite, Mg_1.89Si_0.98H_0.30O₄ synthesized at conditions of 1300?°C and 20?GPa has been analyzed. Crystallographic data for hydrous ringwoodite obtained are; Cubic with Space group: Fd3m (no. 227). a= 8.0693(5)?Å, V=526.41(9)?ų, Z=8, D_calc= 3.48?g?cm^?3. The results of site occupancy refinement using higher angle reflections showed the existence of a small degree of Mg²⁺-Si⁴⁺ disorder in the structure such as (Mg_1.84Si_0.05□_0.11)(Si_0.93Mg_0.05□_0.02)H_0.30O₄. The IR and Raman spectra were measured and OH vibration spectra were observed. A broad absorption band was observed in the IR spectrum and the maxima were observed at 3160?cm^?1 in the IR and at 3165?cm^?1 and 3685?cm^?1 in relatively sharp Raman spectra, which suggest that locations between O-O pairs around the octahedral 16c and 16d sites are possible sites for hydrogen.     

A new hydrous phase δ-AlOOH synthesized at 21 GPa and 1000 °C

A new phase of AlOOH (tentatively called δ-AlOOH) was synthesized at 21?GPa and 1000?°C and its crystal structure was identified by a powder X-ray diffraction method. Rietveld refinement revealed that this aluminum oxide hydroxide has an orthorhombic unit cell, a?=?4.7134(1) Å, b?=?4.2241(1) Å, c?=?2.83252(8) Å, V?=?56.395 (5) ų, and Z?=?2 in the space group of P2₁?nm. A calculated density is 3.533?g?cm^?3, which is about 4.48 and 15.04% denser than that of diaspore and boehmite, respectively. The δ-[Al_0.86Mg_0.07Si_0.07]OOH is also stable at 21?GPa and 1000?°C, coexisting with majorite and phase egg, and its cell parameters are a?=?4.710(1) Å, b?=?4.215(1) Å, c?=?2.839(1) Å, and V?=?56.37(1) ų.     

浙江舟山群岛邻近海域微,小型浮游植物与赤潮生物研究

报道了舟山群岛邻近海域未发生赤潮与发生赤潮时的微、小型浮游植物组成、数量分布、赤潮生物种类与环境的关系。舟山群岛邻近海域共有浮游植物 1 69种 ,其中赤潮生物为 59种。赤潮发生时比未发生赤潮时水域的浮游植物密度高 1 0～ 1 0 0个 /dm3,浮游植物密度与硅酸盐、硝酸盐浓度成负相关 ,与溶解氧和透明度成正相关。平均浮游植物密度 :春季表层水样为4.5× 1 0 4 个 /dm3,底层水样为 5.2× 1 0 3个 /dm3,网样为 2 .7× 1 0 5个 /m3;秋季网样为 3.7× 1 0 6个 /m3。表层水样的赤潮生物优势种 :春季为微型的三鳍原甲藻 ,平均细胞密度为 3.3× 1 0 5个/dm3,占总细胞密度的 77.2 % ;秋季为微型的中肋骨条藻 ,平均密度为 2 .7× 1 0 3个 /dm3,占总细胞密度的 72 .2 %。三鳍原甲藻、海洋原甲藻、夜光藻等为浙江舟山群岛邻近海域常见的有害赤潮生物。