Computer modelling of mantled porphyroclasts in Newtonian and non-Newtonian simple shear viscous flows

In computer simulations based on creeping motion equations, the difference in stress sensitivity of strain rate between Newtonian rheology and non-Newtonian power-law rheology does not greatly influence the types of mantled porphyroclast developed in simple shear viscous flows. Porphyroclast type is determined by the radius of an initial spherical mantle. When a thin mantle lies within the separatrix, (δ₂-objects develop at small γ, then complex porphyroclasts appear with increasing γ. When the mantle is thicker and transected by the separatrix, φ-objects form at small γ and δ₂-objects appear with increasing γ during the same deformation. The transition from φ- to δ₂-objects is gradual, the transition strain being dependent on the initial radius of the mantle. Our simulations did not produce θ-, δ₁- or σ-objects.     

Hydrogeological and ground-water resource analysis using a geotechnical database

An application of a geotechnical database system for primary evaluation of ground-water resources in a sedimentary basin is proposed. The database consists of 1200 borehole logs including geologic columns,in situ test results, ground-water level, water quality data, and resistivity logs. The Kumamoto plain, situated in southwest Japan, is chosen as a study area. The evaluation process consists of two steps: (1) modeling of shapes of water-bearing strata, and (2) modeling of distribution of physical quantity which has some relationship with the porosity of those strata. In step (1), the shapes of upper and/or lower surface of the pyroclastic flow deposits and the andesitic lava were determined, whereas the three-dimensional distribution model of resistivity was constructed from resistivity logging data obtained from 100 boreholes and using the proposed interpolation method in the step (2). An empirical equation between the porosity and the resistivity of the lava was also identified. The integration of two types of model and the empirical equation contributed to an estimate of the total volume of the ground-water under the study area.     

Two timescales in beach erosion due to decrease in sediment sources with special reference to the formation and reduction of the delta of the Kurobe River flowing into the Japan sea

Beach erosion has advanced in many countries of the world, especially in Japan, because of a decrease in sediment sources from rivers and a lack of longshore sediment transport from the adjacent coasts due to coastal structures. The former cause concerns the reduction of river deltas due to a decrease in sediment input from the river. Two timescales important in beach erosion, a longer timescale which concerns a change in the location of the river mouth, and a shorter one which is due to a decrease in longshore sediment transport, are discussed in the formation and reduction of the delta of the Kurobe River. Based on these timescales, beach erosion control is considered.     

Three different downstream fates of the boreal-summer MJOs on their passages over the Maritime Continent

Climate Dynamics - The boreal-summer MJOs exhibit three distinctive downstream evolutions on their passages over the Maritime Continent (MC): (i) smoothly transitioning from Indian Ocean (IO) to...     

U–Pb ages of zircons from metamorphic rocks in the upper sequence of the Hidaka Metamorphic Belt,Hokkaido, Japan: Identification of two metamorphic events and implications for regional tectonics

The Hidaka Metamorphic Belt is a well-known example of island-arc crustal section, in which metamorphic grade increases westwards from unmetamorphosed sediment up to granulite facies. It is divided into lower (granulite to amphibolite facies) and upper (amphibolite to greenschist facies) metamorphic sequences. The metamorphic age of the belt was considered to be ~55 Ma, based on Rb – Sr whole-rock isochron ages for granulites and related S-type tonalities. However, zircons from the granulites in the lower sequence yield U – Pb ages of ~21 – 19 Ma, and a preliminary report on zircons from pelitic gneiss in the upper sequence gives a U – Pb age of ~40 Ma. In this paper we provide new zircon U – Pb ages from two pelitic gneisses in the upper sequence to assess the metamorphic age and also the maximum depositional age of the sedimentary protolith. The weighted mean ²⁰⁶Pb/²³⁸U ages from a biotite gneiss in the central area of the belt yield 39.6 ± 0.9 Ma for newly grown metamorphic rims and 53.1 ± 0.9 Ma for the youngest detrital cores. The ages of zircons from a cordierite–biotite gneiss in the southern area are 35.9 ± 0.7 Ma for metamorphic rims and 46.5 ± 2.8 Ma for the youngest detrital cores. These results indicate that metamorphism of the upper sequence took place at ~40 – 36 Ma, and that the sedimentary protolith was deposited after ~53 – 47 Ma. These metamorphic ages are consistent with the reported ages of ~37–36 Ma plutonic rocks in the upper sequence, but contrast with the ~21–19 Ma ages of metamorphic and plutonic rocks in the lower sequence. Therefore, we conclude that the upper and lower metamorphic sequences developed independently but coupled with each other before ~19 Ma as a result of dextral reverse tectonic movement.     

Spatial and Temporal Changes of Floating Population in China Between 1990 and 2000

By studying the county-level census data of 1990 and 2000, we analyzed the spatial and temporal changes in the floating population in China between 1990 and 2000. The results of the analysis revealed the following characteris- tics. First, the spatial distribution of the migrants (referred to as 'floaters' in this paper) became increasingly concentrated in the cities during the 1990s. Second, the number of floaters increased rapidly during this period, and the area in which the floaters settled expanded quickly into four population explosion belts: the coast, the Changjiang River Delta, the Beijing-Guangzhou Railway and national border belts. Third, the number of inter-province floaters increased rapidly and exceeded that of intra-province floaters in the 1990s. In addition, to obtain a quantitative relationship between the number of floaters and 10 socio-economic variables by using statistical methods and also to find the chiefly important pulling factors of the migration destination, the authors selected approximately 100 cities with the largest population of floaters. Consequently, we found that four factors-GDP, passenger trips per 10,000 persons, per capita GDP and foreign direct investment-could provide an explanation for 83.7% of the number of floaters in 2000. The GDP showed the highest correlation with the number of floaters, suggesting that a highly developed economy is the most important factor that attracts floaters. Furthermore, a fairly close relationship between the number of floaters and the GDP was also found in 2000 for all the counties.     

Simulation of compact groups of galaxies

Self-consistent simulations of seven groups of galaxies with halos have been performed to find a constraint upon the size of missing halos around spiral galaxies. An initial galaxy, which consists of 100 superstars, has half-mass radius 41 kpc and central velocity dispersion 235 km s^–1. The simulations start from the epoch of maximum expansion. The initial conditions involve a variety of spatial distributions of galaxies, and the velocity dispersion of galaxies as would be permitted for maximum expansion. Dense groups having collapse times shorter than (2/3)H ₀ ^–1 are shown to form multiple mergers in a Hubble timeH ₀ ^–1 . From a comparison of the frequencies of cD galaxies, or multiple mergers, in observed and simulated groups, it is concluded that the effective radius of missing halos is less than 41 kpc.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.     

Microstructural development of fine-grained quartz aggregates by syntectonic recrystallization

Experimental study of syntectonic recrystallization of fine-grained quartz aggregates was carried out in order to simulate the development of some natural microstructures of quartz tectonites and to understand their formation condition. Agate was axially compressed with a constant-strain-rate apparatus. Experiments were conducted at 4 kbar solid confining pressure, 700–1000°C and 10⁻⁴-10⁻⁶ sec⁻¹ to 10%–45% strain. In all runs, deformation has proceeded under wet condition caused by dehydration of pyrophyllite used as pressure medium.Two different types of microstructure were distinguished in the deformed specimens. One is P-type which is characterized by equant, equidimensional, and polygonal grains. The other is S-type which is characterized by the highly oblate grains with the largest dimension perpendicular to the compression axis. The P-type microstructure is developed at higher temperatures and slower strain rates, while the S-type developed at lower temperatures and faster strain rates. The transition between the S- and P-types is found to be very sharp.     

Frequency selective surfaces for radio astronomy

Frequency selective surfaces (FSSs) with the Jerusalem-cross array configuration have been developed for simultaneous observations of radio astronomical sources at the 40GHz and 80GHz bands. For supporting material, PET(polyethylene terephthalate: 200×220mm large, 12m thick, permittivity 3.0) was used, and copper was used for the conducting array. The measured characteristics were in good agreement with the calculated ones. The fabricated FSS has low insertion losses of less than 0.2dB and little distortion of polarization for each band. The characteristics of the developed FSS satisfy radio astronomical requirements.     

Primary productivity in coastal water adjacent to the Kuroshio off Shimoda

The primary productivity in coastal water adjacent to the Kuroshio off Shimoda was measured as part of the International Biological Program. The total amount of chlorophylla in the euphotic zone varied widely from 20 mg/m² to 60 mg/m² throughout the year and the maximum values were measured in early summer. These values were higher than those in the Kuroshio but agreed with those in the Oyashio. Vertical differentiation of photosynthetic characteristics was well developed and it was strongly related to the stratification of the water column. The light-saturated photosynthetic rate of surface phytoplankton varied from 5.8 mg C/(mg chl.h) in May to 2.0 mg C/(mg chl.h) in January. These rates were higher than those in the Kuroshio. The daily primary production was estimated by the chlorophyll method. Highest value was 0.5–1.5 g C/(m²day) in early summer and the lowest was 0.2 g C/(m²day) in winter. The primary productivity in the coastal water studied accorded fairly well with that in the Oyashio.Contribution No. 239 from Shimoda Marine Biological Station. This study is part of JIBP project entitled Studies on the Dynamic Status of the Biosphere, a Special Research Project supported by the Ministry of Education.