Intra-annual perturbations of stable isotopes in tufas: Effects of hydrological processes

Tufas, which are freshwater carbonates, are potential archives of terrestrial paleoclimate. Time series of stable isotopic compositions commonly show regular seasonal patterns controlled by temperature-dependent processes, and some perturbation intrinsic to the locality. We examined three tufa-depositing sites in southwestern Japan with similar temperate climates, to understand the origin of local characteristics in the isotopic records. Seasonal change in the oxygen isotope is principally reflected by temperature-dependent fractionation between water and calcite but was perturbed after heavy rainfalls overwhelming the stability of the δ¹⁸O value of the groundwater at one site. Isotopic mass balance indicates an undersaturated and relatively small aquifer at this locality. Water δ¹⁸O values at the other two sites were stable, reflecting a regular seasonal change in the δ¹⁸O value of tufa. Perturbation of the δ¹³C values in tufa is largely due to CO₂ degassing from the stream, which significantly increases the δ¹³C values of dissolved inorganic carbon (DIC). At a site with remarkably high pCO₂ in springwater and a sensitive response of flow rate to rainfall, the amount of CO₂ degassing changed distinctly with flow rate. In contrast, the other two sites having low pCO₂ springwater reflect a regular seasonal pattern of δ¹³C in DIC and tufa specimens.     

A satellite cross-calibration experiment

Recently, the Advanced Earth Observing Satellite 2 (ADEOS-2) was launched (December 14, 2002) successfully, and the Global Imager (GLI) onboard the ADEOS-2 satellite became operational in April 2003. In a first calibration checkup, the radiometric performance of GLI was compared relatively to that of other sensors on different satellites with different calibration backgrounds. As a calibration site, a large snowfield near Barrow, Alaska, was used, where space sensors in polar orbits view the same ground target on the same day with small differences in the local crossing times. This is why GLI, the Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (Terra, Aqua), the Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-view Sensor, the Advanced Very High Resolution Radiometer (N16, N17), the Medium Resolution Imaging Spectrometer, and the Advanced Along Track Scanning Radiometer datasets were selected for the following clear-sky condition days: April 14 and 26, 2003. At the same time, ground-truth experiments (e.g., measurements of ground reflectance, bidirectional reflectance distribution function, aerosol optical thickness) were carried out. Thereinafter, top-of-atmosphere (TOA) radiance/reflectance was forward calculated by means of radiative transfer code for each sensor, each band, and each day. Finally, the vicariously retrieved TOA signal was compared to TOA sensor Level 1B data. As a result, GLI's performance is encouraging at that time of the mission. GLI and the other seven sensors deliver similar sensor output in the range of about 5% to 7% around the expected vicariously calculated TOA signal.     

A model of ocean-crust accretion for the Superior province, Canada

One of the keys to understanding the origin of Archaean greenstone belts lies in the geological relationships between mafic and ultramafic greenstones, felsic to intermediate volcanic rocks and terrigenous sediments. Traditional models for greenstone belt evolution have been based on in-situ stratigraphic relationships. Most of these models, for example an oceanic island-arc developed on oceanic basement, back-arc basins, and the recently popular plume model, predict concordant stratigraphic relationships among the various greenstone belt lithologies. However, rather than being depositional in nature, several authors have indicated that many of the relationships between the different lithologies in greenstone belts are in fact tectonic, suggesting an allochthonous origin for most greenstone sequences. All of these latter models make analogies to Phanerozoic tectonic processes involving accretion of oceanic materials with volcanism related to both plate subduction and rifting.

In this paper, we have evaluated the geological relationships between volcanic rocks and sediments in three regions in the Superior province, where the accretion of oceanic material can be documented, and direct comparisons are made to geological processes in Phanerozoic accretionary complexes. In the Malartic area in the southeastern Abitibi Subprovince, 3 to 4 km thick slices of komatiite and tholeiite, with intercalated terrigenous sediment, are tectonically imbricated and are overlain by calc-alkaline volcanics which postdate tectonic stacking. In both the Larder Lake region of the southwestern Abitibi belt and in the Beardmore-Geraldton belt, at the south-eastern limit of the Wabigoon belt, slices of iron-rich tholeiite and chemical sediments of an oceanic origin are tectonically imbricated with terrigenous sediment.

The Malartic-Val d'Or area is considered to be an example of accretion of an Archaean oceanic plateau, while the Larder Lake and the Beardmore-Geraldton regions are potentially typical of accretion of normal oceanic crust in an arc-environment. Phanerozoic accretion of oceanic crust is accompanied by a step-back in subduction, and in this paper we suggest that oceanic crust accretion may have been the principal mechanism by which the locus of subduction migrated towards the south of the Superior province. Asthenospheric upwelling associated with the isolated sinking plate may have been responsible for widespread late-magmatism. This scenario requires that magmas be erupted through previously accreted volcanic, plutonic and sedimentary material. Furthermore, later ridge subduction will result in transpressional tectonics and eruption of mafic sequences over mature and immature volcano-plutonic sequences. The combined result of the plate tectonic scenario envisaged would result in the well-described “cyclic stratigraphy” of many granite greenstone sequences.     

Experimental calibration of sapphirine–spinel Fe–Mg exchange thermometer: Implication for constraints on P–T condition of Howard Hills, Napier Complex, East Antarctica

The Fe²⁺–Mg distribution coefficients between sapphirine and spinel:

were experimentally determined at pressures of 9–13 kbar and temperatures of 950–1150 °C using a natural ultrahigh-temperature (UHT) granulite with paragenesis of these minerals from the Napier Complex in East Antarctica [X_Mg = Mg / (Fe + Mg); X_Fe = Fe / (Fe + Mg)]. A new sapphirine–spinel geothermometer has been obtained as:

We applied the exchange thermometer to UHT or high-grade metamorphic rocks that were reported from various complexes in the world. If the K_D values of 2.63–4.34 obtained from low-Cr mineral pairs such as X_Cr^Spr < 0.016 and X_Cr^Spl < 0.047 were substituted into the equation, their temperature conditions would be estimated as 806–1050 °C at 11 kbar. The X_Cr means Cr / (Al + Cr(+ Fe³⁺)). These temperatures are reasonable retrograde or near peak metamorphic condition.     

Distributed object‐based software environment for urban system integrated simulation under urban‐scale hazard—Part II: Application

A software prototype of a simulation service software environment, called DOSE (distributed object‐based software environment), is developed to realize the integrated simulation of an urban system under the risk of urban‐scale hazards such as earthquakes. DOSE infrastructure is built on three basic building blocks, namely: modularity, scalability, and interoperability. In this paper, the application of DOSE to real‐world urban systems is described in order to provide an evidence for DOSE modularity and scalability. An overview of DOSE is presented and then followed by a beverage application to simulate earthquake hazard in an urban system. The urban system is developed for the city of Kobe (Kobe district) with dimensions of 700 × 500 (m) and Bunkyo ward (Tokyo district) with dimensions of 800 × 600 (m) where DOSE simulation participants are identified for each district. The effectiveness of data exchange among different participants through a distributed service exchange network is described as an evidence for DOSE modularity that facilitates the integration process. On the other hand, the effectiveness of processing time when applying the simulation to different urban system sizes and/or using different third‐party applications is described as an evidence for DOSE scalability. The details of the underlying infrastructure of DOSE are beyond the scope of this paper and are presented in an accompanying paper work. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Distributed object‐based software environment for urban system integrated simulation under urban‐scale hazard—Part I: Infrastructure

In this paper, a distributed object‐based software environment (DOSE) has been developed to facilitate the integrated simulation of an urban system under the risk of urban‐scale hazards such as earthquakes. It is understood that individual simulation participants perform their simulation services in separate environments, bartering service exchange relationships to get what they need to resolve their part of the problem. This is the communication gap between the scientists on one side and the end users who need to understand knowledge and employ it on the other side. The authors envision a distributed simulation service software environment running in parallel with the activities of simulation participants. DOSE has lent itself to integrate interdisciplinary participants through an infrastructure that has three basic building blocks, namely: modularity, scalability, and interoperability. The modular, object‐based, design of DOSE architecture is described in terms of key functionalities of four distinct layers, namely: resource, core, domain, and interface layers. DOSE scalability in terms of urban system size and participant third‐party application complexity is enabled through the interface layer. A message passing model is developed using the Message Passing Interface standard and a control room is provided to schedule the interaction/communication among model processes. DOSE interoperability with the vulnerability analysis third‐party applications is enabled through the Industry Foundation Classes (IFC) standard. An adopted analogy between DOSE and construction industry is employed to provide interpretation and implementation for DOSE interoperability. While interfacing IFC object model to solve DOSE interoperability questions, an extension model for the structural view of IFC is proposed and accepted by the International Alliance for Interoperability. The DOSE application for real‐world urban systems is beyond the scope of this paper and is presented in an accompanying paper work. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Structural seismic response analysis based on multiscale approach of computing fault–structure system

Structural safety for earthquake waves emitted from a nearby fault is a major concern. For a large complex structure, it might be desired to estimate its seismic response by analyzing a fault–structure system: a full three‐dimensional model in which a source fault and a target structure are modeled so that fault processes, wave propagation and amplification processes, and resulting dynamic responses of the structure can be computed numerically. To analyze this fault–structure system, this paper proposes an efficient approach based on multiscale analysis, i.e. waves emitted from the source fault are computed in the entire system in the geological length‐scale; then they are refined in a small part of the system that includes the structure, and the seismic response of the structure is accurately computed in the engineering length‐scale. Using a long highway tunnel as an example, this paper examines the validity of the proposed approach. The usefulness and applicability of the proposed approach to estimate the structural seismic responses are discussed. Copyright © 2008 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A nonlinear parametric model based on a power law relationship for predicting the coastal tsunami height

When a subduction-zone earthquake occurs, the tsunami height must be predicted to cope with the damage generated by the tsunami. Therefore, tsunami height prediction methods have been studied using simulation data acquired by large-scale calculations. In this research, we consider the existence of a nonlinear power law relationship between the water pressure gauge data observed by the Dense Oceanfloor Network System for Earthquakes and Tsunamis (DONET) and the coastal tsunami height. Using this relationship, we propose a nonlinear parametric model and conduct a prediction experiment to compare the accuracy of the proposed method with those of previous methods and implement particular improvements to the extrapolation accuracy.