Underground storage of carbon dioxide in depleted natural gas reservoirs and in useless aquifers

Depleted reservoirs of natural gas and petroleum can provide excellent traps for carbon dioxide. Deep aquifers, which are not used due to high salinity, can host larger amount of the carbon dioxide under their high formation pressure than natural gas and oir reservoirs. Small fraction of aquifers in sedimentary basins in the world are enough to host about 87 gigaton-C of carbon dioxide.

A preliminary technical and economical survey on the carbon dioxide injection system suggests that the energy requirement for carbon dioxide injection into subterranean aquifers is about 269 kWh/ton-C and that the investment and operation costs for system are 79 $/ton-C. By our preliminary cost estimation in Japan, the CO₂-emission-free electricity generation may become possible with a cost increase of 35% for natural-gas-fired power station, and of 60% for coal-fired-power station.     

GAME-TIBET青藏高原云和降水综合观测概况及初步结果

对中日合作青藏高原能量水分循环试验项目中云和降水的多普勒雷达观测使用的气象观测仪器和获取的资料等情况进行了总结,并给出了那曲地区水的日变化,不同 雨量计测量降水的对比分析,风速对测量降水影响,多普勒雷达资料的个例分析及云的数值模拟的等初步结果。     

Timescale of material circulation in subduction zone: U–Pb zircon and K–Ar phengite double‐dating of the Sanbagawa metamorphic complex in the Ikeda district,central Shikoku,southwest Japan

We have estimated the timescale of material circulation in the Sanbagawa subduction zone based on U–Pb zircon and K–Ar phengite dating in the Ikeda district, central Shikoku. The Minawa and Koboke units are major constituents of the high‐P Sanbagawa metamorphic complex in Shikoku, southwest Japan. For the Minawa unit, ages of 92–81 Ma for the trench‐fill sediments, are indicated, whereas the age of ductile deformation and metamorphism of garnet and chlorite zones are 74–72 Ma and 65 Ma, respectively. Our results and occurrence of c. 150 Ma Besshi‐type deposits formed at mid‐ocean ridge suggest that the 60‐Myr‐old Izanagi Plate was subducted beneath the Eurasian Plate at c. 90 Ma, and this observation is consistent with recent plate reconstructions. For the Koboke unit, the depositional ages of the trench‐fill sediments and the dates for the termination of ductile deformation and metamorphism are estimated at c. 76–74 and 64–62 Ma, respectively. In the Ikeda district, the depositional ages generally become younger towards lower structural levels in the Sanbagawa metamorphic complex. Our results of U–Pb and K–Ar dating show that the circulation of material from the deposition of the Minawa and Koboke units at the trench through an active high‐P metamorphic domain to the final exhumation from the domain occurred continuously throughout c. 30 Myr (from c. 90 to 60 Ma).     

A New Solar Imaging System for Observing High-Speed Eruptions: <Emphasis Type="Italic">Solar Dynamics Doppler Imager</Emphasis> (SDDI)

A new solar imaging system was installed at Hida Observatory to observe the dynamics of flares and filament eruptions. The system (Solar Dynamics Doppler Imager; SDDI) takes full-disk solar images with a field of view of \(2520~\mbox{arcsec} \times 2520~\mbox{arcsec}\) at multiple wavelengths around the \(\mathrm{H}\alpha\) line at 6562 Å. Regular operation was started in May 2016, in which images at 73 wavelength positions spanning from \(\mathrm{H}\alpha -9~\mathring{\mathrm{A}}\) to \(\mathrm{H}\alpha +9~\mathring{\mathrm{A}}\) are obtained every 15 seconds. The large dynamic range of the line-of-sight velocity measurements (\({\pm}\,400~\mbox{km}\,\mbox{s}^{-1}\)) allows us to determine the real motions of erupting filaments in 3D space. It is expected that SDDI provides unprecedented datasets to study the relation between the kinematics of filament eruptions and coronal mass ejections (CME), and to contribute to the real-time prediction of the occurrence of CMEs that cause a significant impact on the space environment of the Earth.     

Effects of cyclonic mesoscale eddies on the marine ecosystem in the Kuroshio Extension region using an eddy-resolving coupled physical-biological model

Effects of mesoscale eddies on the marine ecosystem in the Kuroshio Extension (KE) region are investigated using an eddy-resolving coupled physical-biological model. The model captures the seasonal and intra-seasonal variability of chlorophyll distribution associated with the mesoscale eddies, front variability, Kuroshio meanders, and upwelling. The model also reproduces the observed interannual variability of sea surface height anomaly (SSHA) in the KE region along a zonal band of 32–34°N from 2002 to 2006. The distribution of high surface chlorophyll corresponds to low SSHA. Cyclonic eddies are found to detach from the KE jet near 150°E and 158°E and propagate westward. The westward propagating cyclonic eddies lift the nutrient-rich thermocline into the euphotic zone and maintain high levels of chlorophyll in summer. In the subsurface layer, the pattern in chlorophyll is influenced by both lateral and vertical advection. In winter, convection inside the eddy entrains high levels of nutrients into the mixed layer, increasing production, and resulting in high chlorophyll concentration throughout the surface mixed layer. There is significant interannual variability in both the cyclonic eddy activity and the surface phytoplankton bloom south of the KE jet, although whether or not there is a causal link is unclear.     

Ventilation of the North Pacific subtropical pycnocline and mode water formation

The annual subduction rate of the North Pacific was calculated based on isopycnally averaged hydrographic climatology (HydroBase), high-resolution winter mixed-layer climatology (NWMLC), and various wind stress climatologies from ship reports, numerical weather prediction products, and satellite products. The calculation was performed using Lagrangian coordinates in the same manner as in previous works, except a less smoothed oceanic climatology (HydroBase and NWMLC) was used instead of a World Ocean Atlas. Differences in the wind stress climatologies have very little effect on subduction rate estimates. The subduction rate census for density classes showed peaks corresponding to subtropical mode water (STMW), central mode water (CMW), and eastern subtropical mode water (ESTMW). The deeper mixed layer and the associated sharper mixed-layer fronts in the present climatology resulted in a larger lateral induction, which boosted the subduction rate, especially for the potential density anomaly (σ_θ) range of the lighter STMW (25.0 < σ_θ < 25.2 kg m⁻³) and lighter CMW (26.0 < σ_θ < 26.2 kg m⁻³), compared to previous estimates. The renewal time of permanent pycnocline water was estimated as the volume of water divided by the subduction rate for each σ_θ class: 2–4 years for ESTMW (24.5 < σ_θ < 25.2 kg m⁻³), 2 years for the lighter STMW (25.0 < σ_θ < 25.3 kg m⁻³), 5–9 years for the denser STMW (25.3 < σ_θ < 25.6 kg m⁻³), 10–20 years for the lighter CMW (26.0 < σ_θ < 26.2 kg m⁻³), 20–30 years for the middle CMW (26.2 < σ_θ < 26.3 kg m⁻³), and 60 years or longer for the denser CMW (26.3 < σ_θ < 26.6 kg m⁻³). A comparison of the water volume and subduction rate in potential temperature–salinity (θ–S) space indicated that the upper permanent pycnocline water (25.0 < σ_θ < 26.2 kg m⁻³) was directly maintained by nondiffusive subduction of winter surface water, including STMW and lighter CMW. The lower permanent pycnocline water (26.2 < σ_θ < 26.6 kg m⁻³) may be maintained through the subduction of fresher and colder water from the subarctic–subtropical transition region and subsequent mixing with saltier and warmer water. Diagnosis of the potential vorticity (PV) of the subducted water demonstrated that the low PV of STMW was mainly due to the large subduction rate, whereas that of both ESTMW and CMW was due mainly to the small density advection rate (cross-isopycnal flow). Additionally, a relatively large subduction rate probably contributes to the low PV of part of the lighter CMW (ESTMW) formed in the region around 38°N and 170°W (28°N and 145°W), which is characterized by a relatively thick winter mixed layer and an associated mixed-layer front, causing a large lateral induction rate.     

2006 Fragmentation of Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3B observed with Subaru/Suprime-Cam

The fragmentation of the split Comet 73P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 B was observed with the prime-focus camera Suprime-Cam attached to the Subaru 8.2-m telescope. The fragmentation revealed dozens of miniature comets [Fuse, T., Yamamoto, N., Kinoshita, D., Furusawa, H., Watanabe, J., 2007. Publ. Astron. Soc. Jpn. 59 (2), 381-386]. We analyzed the Subaru/Suprime-Cam images, detecting no fewer than 154 mini-comets, mostly extending to the southwest. Three were close to the projected orbit of fragment B. We applied synchrone-syndyne analysis, modified for rocket effect analysis, to the mini-fragment spatial distribution. We found that most of these mini-comets were ejected from fragment B by an outburst occurring around 1 April 2006, and three fragments on the leading side of nucleus B could have been released sunward on the previous return. Several fragments might have been released by successive outbursts around 24 April and 2 May 2006. The ratio of the rocket force to solar gravity was 7-23 times larger than that exerted on fragment B. No significant color variation was found. The mean color index, V-R = 0.50 ± 0.07, was slightly redder than that of the Sun and similar to that of the largest fragment, C, which suggests that these mini-fragments were detected mainly through sunlight reflected by dust particles and materials on the nuclei. We examined the surface brightness profiles of all detected fragments and estimated the sizes of 154 fragments. We found that the radius of these mini-fragments was in the 5- to 108-m range (equivalent size of Tunguska impactor). The power-law index of the differential size distribution was q = −3.34 ± 0.05. Based on this size distribution, we found that about 1-10% of the mass of fragment B was lost in the April 2006 outbursts. Modeling the cometary fragment dynamics [Desvoivres, E., Klinger, J., Levasseur-Regourd, A.C., Lecacheux, J., Jorda, L., Enzian, A., Colas, F., Frappa, E., Laques, P., 1999. Mon. Not. Roy. Astron. Soc. 303 (4), 826-834; Desvoivres, E., Klinger, J., Levasseur-Regourd, A.C., Jones, G.H., 2000. Icarus 144, 172-181] revealed that it is likely that mini-fragments smaller than ∼10-20 m could be depleted in water ice and become inactive, implying that decameter-sized comet fragments could survive against melting and remain as near-Earth objects. We attempted to detect the dust trail, which was clearly found in infrared wavelengths by Spitzer. No brightness enhancement brighter than 30.0 mag arcsec⁻² (3σ) was detected in the orbit of fragment B.     

On sexual dimorphism in Paleoparadoxia tabatai

Abstract Upon studying the well preserved skulls referred to Paleoparadoxia tabatai from Japan, the short and low skull of the Yanagawa specimen requires an explanation. Six cranial and dental characters lead us to suggest that the Yanagawa individual is a female while the Izumi, Ohnohara, and Itsukaichi skulls are male. The important characters in the Yanagawa skull are its shortness and shallow depth, less pronounced sagittal and nuchal crests, smaller zygoma, and the small dentition with especially poorly erupted canines, most of which are indicative of weak masticatory musculature.     

The period–luminosity relation for type II Cepheids in globular clusters

We report the result of our near-infrared observations ( JHK _s) for type II Cepheids (including possible RV Tau stars) in galactic globular clusters. We detected variations of 46 variables in 26 clusters (10 new discoveries in seven clusters) and present their light curves. Their periods range from 1.2 d to over 80 d. They show a well-defined period–luminosity relation at each wavelength. Two type II Cepheids in NGC 6441 also obey the relation if we assume the horizontal branch stars in NGC 6441 are as bright as those in metal-poor globular clusters in spite of the high metallicity of the cluster. This result supports the high luminosity which has been suggested for the RR Lyr variables in this cluster. The period–luminosity relation can be reproduced using the pulsation equation     assuming that all the stars have the same mass. Cluster RR Lyr variables were found to lie on an extrapolation of the period–luminosity relation. These results provide important constraints on the parameters of the variable stars.
Using Two Micron All-Sky Survey (2MASS) data, we show that the type II Cepheids in the Large Magellanic Cloud (LMC) fit our period–luminosity relation within the expected scatter at the shorter periods. However, at long periods (   P > 40  d, i.e. in the RV Tau star range) the LMC field variables are brighter by about one magnitude than those of similar periods in galactic globular clusters. The long-period cluster stars also differ from both these LMC stars and galactic field RV Tau stars in a colour–colour diagram. The reasons for these differences are discussed.