Fracture-zone conditions on a recently active fault: insights from mineralogical and geochemical analyses of the Hirabayashi NIED drill core on the Nojima fault, southwest Japan, which ruptured in the 1995 Kobe earthquake

An 1800-m-deep borehole into the Nojima fault zone was drilled at Nojima-Hirabayashi, Japan, after the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake. Three possible fracture zones were detected at depths of about 1140, 1300, and 1800 m. To assess these fracture zones in this recently active fault, we analyzed the distributions of fault rocks, minerals, and chemical elements in these zones. The central fault plane in the shallowest fracture zone was identified by foliated blue-gray gouge at a depth of 1140 m. The degree of fracturing was evidently greater in the hanging wall than in the footwall. Minerals detected in this zone were quartz, orthoclase, plagioclase, and biotite, as in the parent rock (granodiorite), and also kaolinite, smectite, laumontite, stilbite, calcite, ankerite, and siderite, which are related to hydrothermal alteration. Biotite was absent in both the hanging wall and footwall across the central fault plane, but it was absent over a greater distance from the central fault plane in the hanging wall than in the footwall. Major element compositions across this zone suggested that hydrothermal alteration minerals such as kaolinite and smectite occurred across the central fault plane for a greater distance in the hanging wall than in the footwall. Similarly, H₂O+ and CO₂ had higher concentrations in the hanging wall than in the footwall. This asymmetrical distribution pattern is probably due to the greater degree of wall–rock fracturing and associated alteration in the hanging wall. We attributed the characteristics of this zone to fault activity and fluid–rock interactions. We analyzed the other fracture zones along this fault in the same way. In the fracture zone at about 1300 m depth, we detected the same kinds of hydrothermal alteration minerals as in the shallower zone, but they were in fewer samples. We detected relatively little H₂O+ and CO₂, and little evidence for movement of the major chemical elements, indicating little past fluid–rock interaction. In the fracture zone at about 1800 m depth, H₂O+ and CO₂ were very enriched throughout the interval, as in the fracture zone at about 1140 m depth. However, smectite was absent and chlorite was present, indicating the occurrence of chloritization, which requires a temperature of more than 200 °C. Only smectite can form under the present conditions in these fracture zones. The chloritization probably occurred in the past when the fracture zone was deeper than it is now. These observations suggest that among the three fracture zones, that at about 1140 m depth was the most activated at the time of the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake.     

Temporal variability in physicochemical properties,phytoplankton standing crop and primary production for 7 years (2002–2008) in the neritic area of Sagami Bay,Japan

Seasonal and interannual variations in physicochemical properties (i.e., temperature, salinity, dissolved oxygen and dissolved inorganic nutrients), chlorophyll a (Chl-a), particulate carbon and nitrogen (PC and PN, respectively), and primary production were investigated in the neritic area of Sagami Bay, Kanagawa, Japan, from January 2002 to December 2008. These abiotic/biotic variables, except for NH₄ ⁺–N, repeated similar seasonal variations for all 7 years. On the basis of the analysis of data obtained on 167 sampling dates, depth-integrated primary production in this water can be easily estimated from Chl-a at the surface using the regression equations obtained in the present study. Intermittently high values of dissolved inorganic nutrients, Chl-a, PC, PN and primary productivity at the surface during the summer stratified period were induced by high freshwater discharge from the rivers after rainfalls and by the expansion of nutrient-rich Tokyo Bay Water. Temperature, salinity and dissolved inorganic nutrients showed drastic variations within a scale of a few days and/or weeks, and these variations were related to sea levels that represent the intrusion of the Kuroshio Water, Intermediate Oyashio Water or deep water from the continental slope. However, there was no consistent trend in the variations in Chl-a, PC, PN and primary production due to the complex effects of these waters.     

Groundwater recharge in suburban areas of Hanoi,Vietnam: effect of decreasing surface-water bodies and land-use change

Over-exploited groundwater is expected to remain the predominant source of domestic water in suburban areas of Hanoi, Vietnam. In order to evaluate the effect on groundwater recharge, of decreasing surface-water bodies and land-use change caused by urbanization, the relevant groundwater systems and recharge pathways must be characterized in detail. To this end, water levels and water quality were monitored for 3 years regarding groundwater and adjacent surface-water bodies, at two typical suburban sites in Hanoi. Stable isotope (δ¹⁸O, δD of water) analysis and hydrochemical analysis showed that the water from both aquifers and aquitards, including the groundwater obtained from both the monitoring wells and the neighboring household tubewells, was largely derived from evaporation-affected surface-water bodies (e.g., ponds, irrigated farmlands) rather than from rivers. The water-level monitoring results suggested distinct local-scale flow systems for both a Holocene unconfined aquifer (HUA) and Pleistocene confined aquifer (PCA). That is, in the case of the HUA, lateral recharge through the aquifer from neighboring ponds and/or irrigated farmlands appeared to be dominant, rather than recharge by vertical rainwater infiltration. In the case of the PCA, recharge by the above-lying HUA, through areas where the aquitard separating the two aquifers was relatively thin or nonexistent, was suggested. As the decrease in the local surface-water bodies will likely reduce the groundwater recharge, maintaining and enhancing this recharge (through preservation of the surface-water bodies) is considered as essential for the sustainable use of groundwater in the area.

     

Wakefieldite‐(Nd), a New Neodymium Vanadate Mineral in the Arase Stratiform Ferromanganese Deposit,Kochi Prefecture,Japan

Wakefieldite‐(Nd), NdVO₄, is a new mineral found from the Arase stratiform ferromanganese deposit in Kochi Prefecture, Shikoku Island, Japan. It is the Nd‐dominant analogue of wakefieldite‐(Y) and wakefieldite‐(Ce). The ferromanganese ore specimen mainly consists of hematite and caryopilite, and wakefieldite‐(Nd) is typically enclosed in caryopilite. Wakefieldite‐(Nd) is tetragonal, I4₁/amd, a = 7.338(16) Å, c = 6.509(19) Å, V = 350.5(18) ų, Z = 4. The four strongest lines in the X‐ray diffraction pattern [d(Å), I/I₀, hkl] using a Gandolfi camera are (3.67, 100, 200); (2.74, 51, 112); (4.84, 27, 101) and (1.89, 25, 312). Chemical composition of wakefieldite‐(Nd) are V₂O₃ 35.25, As₂O₃ 0.93, SiO₂ 0.14, MnO 1.45, Fe₂O₃ 0.41, Y₂O₃ 2.87, La₂O₃ 7.61, Ce₂O₃ 7.37, Pr₂O₃ 6.04, Nd₂O₃ 26.79, Sm₂O₃ 4.41, Eu₂O₃ 1.36, Gd₂O₃ 3.41, Tb₂O₃ 0.22, Dy₂O₃ 1.41, Er₂O₃ 0.10, total 99.77 wt.%. The empirical formula is (Nd_0.403La_0.118Ce_0.114Pr_0.093Y_0.064Sm_0.064Mn_0.052Gd_0.048Eu_0.020Dy_0.019Fe_0.013Tb_0.003Er_0.001)_1.012(V_0.981As_0.020Si_0.006)_1.007O₄ on the basis of O = 4. The calculated density is 4.782 g/cm³. Microtexture and co‐existing relationship between wakefieldite‐(Nd) and caryopilite suggest that recrystallization and dehydration of Fe‐ and Mn‐oxyhydroxide led to the generation of hematite, caryopilite, rhodochrosite and wakefieldite‐(Nd) by the metamorphism during the accretion of the host unit of the Arase deposit. Chondrite‐normalized REE pattern of the host ferromanganese ore, which is regarded as oceanic metalliferous sediment in origin, shows negative Ce anomaly. Chemical composition of wakefieldite‐(Nd) reflects Ce‐depleted bulk composition of REE‐enriched ferromanganese ore.     

Earthquake-related Changes in Groundwater Levels at the Dogo Hot Spring,Japan

The Dogo hot spring, situated in Matsuyama City, Ehime Prefecture, Japan, is one of the oldest and most famous hot springs in Japan. The groundwater level or discharge at the spring decreased four times during the past eight or nine Nankai earthquakes. These are large interplate earthquakes that have occurred repeatedly in the western part of the Nankai Trough at intervals of 100–200 years since A.D. 684. To clarify the mechanism of these earthquake-related changes in the water level at the spring, we analyzed groundwater-level data recorded at the spring immediately after the 1946 Nankai earthquake and over the period from 1985 to 2006. We detected the other nine postseismic increases in groundwater level and no decreases, except for a large decrease of 11.4 m related to the 1946 Nankai earthquake. The increases were probably caused by ground-shaking, while the decrease was caused by a change in coseismic volumetric strain. These results lead to the following explanation of the recorded earthquake-related changes in the groundwater level at the Dogo hot spring. Both coseismic changes in volumetric strain and ground-shaking can lead to postseismic changes in groundwater pressure. The increase in groundwater pressure arising from ground-shaking is generally greater than the change in pressure associated with changes in coseismic volumetric strain; however, at the time of the Nankai earthquakes, the spring experiences a large increase in coseismic volumetric strain, leading to a considerably larger decrease in the groundwater level than the increase associated with ground-shaking. Therefore, the groundwater level at the Dogo hot spring usually increases at times of relatively large earthquakes, although the groundwater level or discharge decreases in the case of the Nankai earthquakes.     

GEOLOGY OF MT. PHULCHOKI AREA, CENTRAL NEPAL

GEOLOGY OF MT. PHULCHOKI AREA, CENTRAL NEPAL     

Detection of Aseismic Slip on an Inland Fault by Crustal Movement and Groundwater Observations: A Case Study on the Yamasaki Fault, Japan

To understand the detailed process of fault activity, aseismic slip may play a crucial role. Aseismic slip of inland faults in Japan is not well known, except for that related to the Atotsugawa fault. To know whether aseismic slip does not occur, or is merely not detected, is an important question. The National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology constructed an observation site near Yasutomi fault, a part of the Yamasaki fault system, and has collected data on the crustal strain field, groundwater pressures, and crustal movement using GPS. In a departure from the long-term trend, a transient change of the crustal strain field lasting a few months was recorded. It indicated the possibility of an aseismic slip event. Furthermore, analyses of data from the extensometers at Yasutomi and Osawa observation vaults of Kyoto University, as well as GPS data from the Geographical Survey Institute (GEONET), revealed unsteady crustal strain changes. All data could be explained by local, left-lateral, aseismic slip of the order of 1 mm in the shallow part of the Yasutomi fault.