Invariant imbedding and Chandrasekhar's planetary problem of radiative transfer

In connection with Chandrasekhar's planetary problem of radiative transfer the total scattering and the diffuse transmission functions have been discussed by several authors (cf. Chandrasekhar, 1950; van de Hulst, 1948; Sobolev, 1948; Bellman,et al., 1967; Kagiwada and Kalaba, 1971). With the aid of the Bellman-Krein formula for the resolvent kernel of the auxiliary equation governing the source function, we show how the invariant imbedding equations governing the diffuse scattering and transmission functions can readily be obtained. So far as we know, the Cauchy system of the functional equations for the scattering and transmission functions is new and is well-suited for the numerical computation.Supported by the National Science Foundation under Grant No. GP 29049, and by the Atomic Energy Commission under Grant No. AT (40-3)-113 Project 19.     

Ion microprobe analysis of graphite from ca. 3.8 Ga metasediments, Isua supracrustal belt, West Greenland: Relationship between metamorphism and carbon isotopic composition

In-situ ion microprobe measurements of carbon isotopic compositions of graphite were made in seven metasediments and two carbonate rocks from the ca. 3.8 Ga Isua supracrustal belt, West Greenland. The δ¹³C values of micron-scale graphite globules in the metasediments and the carbonate rocks vary from -18 to +2‰ and from -7 to -3‰, respectively. The maximum δ¹³C value of graphite globules in the metasediment rises from -14 to -5‰, as the metamorphic grade increases from epidote-amphibolite to upper amphibolite facies. In a single hand specimen, the δ¹³C values of graphite inclusions in garnet are ∼7‰ lower on average than those outside garnet. Similarly, graphite armored by quartz apparently shows a few permil lower δ¹³C values than those on grain boundaries between noncarbonate minerals. The fact that early crystallized minerals include relatively ¹³C-depleted graphite indicates that the regional metamorphism increased the δ¹³C values of the Isua graphite. This is consistent with the regional trend of ¹³C-enrichment accompanied by the increase of metamorphic grade. The minimum fractionation between graphite and carbonate is consistent with the equilibrium fractionation at about 400 to 550 °C. These observations indicate that isotopic exchange with isotopically heavy carbonate caused ¹³C-enrichment of Isua graphite. The δ¹³C values of graphite reported here (δ¹³C > -18‰) were produced either as a metamorphic modification of organic carbon with initially much lower δ¹³C values, or as an abiological reaction such as decomposition of carbonate. If the isotopic exchange between carbonate and graphite during regional metamorphism controlled the ¹³C-enrichment of Isua graphite, previously reported large ¹³C-depletion of graphite, especially armored by apatite (Mojzsis et al., 1996) was probably premetamorphic in origin. This supports the existence of life at Isua time (ca. 3.8 Ga).     

Contents of strontinm-90 and ruthenium-106 in beach and shallow water deposits of noto peninsula

⁹⁰Sr,¹⁰⁶Ru, natural strontium and major elements were studied in 12 samples of beach deposits from Togi, Fukuura and Shiga, and in 26 samples of shallow water sediments from sea off Fukuura, Noto Peninsula, Ishikawa Pref., Japan.The average contents of natural strontium and⁹⁰Sr in the beach deposits were 488 ppm ranging from 247 to 1,550 ppm and 45±9 pCi kg^–1-dry mud ranging from 18 to 72 pCi kg^–1-dry mud, respectively. While the average contents of natural strontium,⁹⁰Sr and¹⁰⁶Ru in the sediments were 234 ppm ranging from 136 to 415 ppm, 22±6 pCi kg^–1-dry sand ranging from 7 to 48 pCi kg^–1-dry sand and 0.6 ±0.2 nCi kg^–1-dry ranging from 0.3 to 1.2 nCi kg^–1-dry, respectively.The average contents of each natural strontium and⁹⁰Sr in the beach deposits were about two times higher than those in the shallow water sediments. But no obvious relation of natural strontium to⁹⁰Sr was found in all the samples. The enrichment of⁹⁰Sr and¹⁰⁸Ru in the beach deposits or tthe sediments were as high as 150320 and of 2,0003,000 compared with average contents of⁹⁰Sr and¹⁰⁶Ru in a liter of surface water from the Japan Sea. It is to be noticed that the average¹⁰⁶Ru to⁹⁰Sr ratio of 27 for the shallow water sediments is much higher than the average of 1.0 for surface sea water of the Japan Sea.As to major elements of the samples, the beach deposits are rich in silicon (Av. 70.89 ±0.92% SiO₂), but poor in iron (Av. 2.99±0.32% Fe₂O₃). Whereas the shallow water sediments are poor in silicon (Av. 52.96±10.33% SiO₂) and rich in iron (Av. 5.50±1.90% Fe₂O₃), calcium (Av. 9.64±9.22% CaO) and magnesium (Av. 2.83±1.58% MgO).     

Software framework for distributed experimental–computational simulation of structural systems

Supported by the recent advancement of experimental test methods, numerical simulation, and high‐speed communication networks, it is possible to distribute geographically the testing of structural systems using hybrid experimental–computational simulation. One of the barriers for this advanced testing is the lack of flexible software for hybrid simulation using heterogeneous experimental equipment. To address this need, an object‐oriented software framework is designed, developed, implemented, and demonstrated for distributed experimental–computational simulation of structural systems. The software computes the imposed displacements for a range of test methods and co‐ordinates the control of local and distributed configurations of experimental equipment. The object‐oriented design of the software promotes the sharing of modules for experimental equipment, test set‐ups, simulation models, and test methods. The communication model for distributed hybrid testing is similar to that used for parallel computing to solve structural simulation problems. As a demonstration, a distributed pseudodynamic test was conducted using a client–server approach, in which the server program controlled the test equipment in Japan and the client program performed the computational simulation in the United States. The distributed hybrid simulation showed that the software framework is flexible and reliable. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Construction of a genomic DNA library with a TA vector and its application in cloning of the phytoene synthase gene from the cyanobacteriumSpirulina platensis M-135

INTRODUCTIONThesignalproaningschemeofmostpnsentsonarsyStasuChaseChosounder,fishfinder,etc.,deteCtsthesignaIsaanrdingt0theamPlitudethasholdafterthefilter.However,inacomplicatalandfrequenhychangingunderotCfacousticalchanne,thesta-bilityandreiabilityofthiskindofsonarsySteIndroeshamlyasanysySthenoisewhleadt0anindedion.AmplitudefaderesultingfromstrongsignalfluCtuationcauseslossofdata.InsomesyStetnS,suchasndnelocatingsonar,highrangingamCyisneded,soasinglededionschernecann0tadapttoit.Resul…     

Measurements of electric charge distribution in volcanic plumes at Sakurajima Volcano,Japan

Measurements of perturbations in the atmospheric potential gradient around volcanic plumes at multiple (from two to five) sites, and measurements of the charge-mass ratio of ash particles falling from volcanic plumes, were carried out at Sakurajima Volcano, Japan. Results from 28 and 29 October 1995, show that the nature of the perturbations depends on the intensity of plume activity. Although plume activity was vigorous on 28 October, negative perturbations were predominant. As plume activity peaked, the magnitude of negative perturbations decreased just below the plume and increased at an off-axis site. During the peak period, positively charged ash particles fell out from the plume. This suggests that the active plume dominantly contained negatively charged materials, and that positively and negatively charged materials were added to the lower and upper parts of the plume, respectively, during the peak period. On the other hand, as plume activity became less vigorous on 29 October, the perturbations were characterized by a positive anomaly followed by a negative anomaly. Because wind velocity increased with altitude that day, we infer that positive and negative charges were distributed in the upper and lower parts of the plume, respectively. The differences in perturbations observed on 28 and 29 October suggest that volcanic plumes are generally composed of three parts: an upper part with positively charged gas and aerosol, a middle part with negatively charged fine ash particles, and a lower part with positively charged coarse ash particles. The compilation of present and previous results from Sakurajima and other volcanoes indicates that the effect of the negative charge in the middle part was predominant in most cases, although positive perturbations caused by the upper part were observed around some weak plumes. The effect of positively charged particles in the lower part was observable only when plume activity was sufficiently strong because positively charged coarse particles tended to fall out near the vent.     

Paleointensity determination by a modified thellier method

It has been frequently observed that the ferromagnetic minerals in volcanic rocks may undergo some physical/chemical changes when they are heated in a laboratory. For paleointensity determinations, it is therefore desirable to use the Thellier method, in which internal consistency of the data assures that such undesirable changes did not take place in a particular sample. The most serious drawback of this method is that it requires a considerable number of heatings and coolings and measurements of the remanent magnetization. Following a suggestion of Kono, a modified version of Thellier's technique was developed and applied to a historical lava flow of Hawaii and Oligocene rhyolites and welded tuffs of San Juan volcanic field, Colorado, U.S.A. Samples were heated only once to each temperature and cooled under a magnetic field applied perpendicular to the NRM directions. Results were compared to those obtained by the conventional Thelliers' technique. It was found that the modified method gives results as satisfactory as the original method. With the selection of appropriate samples, the modified method will cut down the time required for the experiment to almost half of what is required in the original method, without losing the merits of Thelliers' technique.     

Paleomagnetism of the Chibougamau greenstone belt,Quebec, and the effects of Grenvillian post-orogenic uplift

A paleomagnetic survey (34 sites, 200 core samples) of an Archean greenstone belt just north of the Grenville Front is described. Sixty per cent of the samples have blocking temperatures less than 400° C and remanent coercive forces predominantly below 100 Oe, and they provide no information about the Precambrian geomagnetic field. The other samples contain many magnetizations of which two (CS and CH) can be clearly recognized. The CS magnetization occurs in basic sills, and has high blocking temperature (550 to 650°C) and remanent coercive force (often exceeding 1000 Oe) and a direction (186°,?38°) that is not significantly different from that in Matachewan diabase dikes (2690 m.y.). CS is thought to have been caused by uplift following the Kenoran orogeny and its age is probably about 2600 m.y. No older magnetization has been found. The CH magnetization occurs in several different bodies and has a direction (119°, +51°) similar to that observed in rocks from other places close to the Grenville Front. CH has more variable blocking temperatures (200 to 650°C) and remanent coercive forces (200 to > 1000 Oe) and is considered to have been acquired by heating during uplift of the highly metamorphose Grenville Province to the south. Uplift occurred about 1000 m.y. ago, and the CH magnetization is considered to be of this age. Evidence is presented to support the suggestion that there was an extensive magnetization episode both within and adjacent to the Grenville Province at that time.     

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.