The hydrothermal system of Volcan Puracé, Colombia

This paper presents chemical and isotopic data for thermal waters, gases and S deposits from Volcan Puracé (summit elevation 4600 m) in SW Colombia. Hot gas discharges from fumaroles in and around the summit crater, and thermal waters discharge from three areas on its flanks. The waters from all areas have D values of-75±1, indicating a single recharge area at high elevation on the volcano. Aircorrected values of³He/⁴He in thermal waters range from 3.8 to 6.7 R_A, and approach those for crater fumarole gas (6.1–7.1 R_A), indicating widespread addition of magmatic volatiles. An economic S deposit (El Vinagre) is being mined in the Rio Vinagre fault zone at 3600 m elevation. Sulfur isotopic data are consistent with a magmatic origin for S species in thermal waters and gases, and for the S ore deposit. Isotopic equilibration between S species may have occurred at 220±40°C, which overlaps possible equilibration temperatures (170±40°C) determined by a variety of other geothermometers for neutral thermal waters. Apparent CH₄–CO₂ equilibration temperatures for gases from thermal springs (400±50°C) and crater fumaroles (520±60°C) reflect higher temperatures deeper in the system. Hot magmatic gas ascending through the Rio Vinagre fault zone is though to have precipitated S and generated thermal waters by interaction with descending meteoric waters.     

Secondary episodes of star formation in elliptical galaxies

We put upper limits on the secondary burst of star formation in elliptical galaxies of the González sample, based on the colour dispersion around the U  −  V versus central velocity dispersion relation, and the equivalent width of Hβ absorption. Note that most of these galaxies locate in small groups. There is a significant number of Hβ strong galaxies that have EW(Hβ) > 2 Å, but they do not always have bluer colours in U  −  V . To be consistent with the small colour dispersion of U  −  V , the mass fraction of the secondary burst to the total mass should be less than 10 per cent at the maximum within the most recent 2 Gyr. This result suggests that even if recent galaxy merging has produced some ellipticals, it should not have been accompanied by an intensive starburst, and hence it could not involve large gas-rich systems. The capture of a dwarf galaxy is more likely to explain the dynamical disturbances observed in some elliptical galaxies. The above analysis, based on the U  −  V , is not compatible with the one based on the line indices, which requires that more than 10 per cent of mass is present in a 2-Gyr-old starburst to cover the full range of the observed Hβ (de Jong &38; Davies). The discrepancy might be partly explained by the internal extinction localized at the region where young stars form. However, considering that the Hβ index might have great uncertainties both in models and in observational data, we basically rely on U − V analysis.     

Measurement of Noble Gas Solubility in Seawater Using a Quadrupole Mass Spectrometer

A quadrupole-based mass spectrometric system for determining noble gas (He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe) abundances in a liquid sample has been developed and applied to seawater equilibrated with the atmosphere at several temperatures. After known amounts of isotopic spikes (²²Ne, ³⁶Ar, ⁸⁶Kr and ¹²⁴Xe) were introduced into the preparation vacuum line, dissolved gases were extracted from seawater and well mixed with the spikes by ultrasonic vibration. Noble gases were purified using three-stage hot Ti getters and separated by two activated charcoal traps held at low temperature (liquid nitrogen and dry ice—ethanol). Noble gas abundances were measured by a relatively inexpensive quadrupole mass spectrometer based on the isotope dilution technique. Precisions obtained by repeated measurements for He, Ne, Ar, Kr and Xe are 1.5%, 0.4%, 0.4%, 0.4% and 0.6%, respectively. Noble gas abundances in air-saturated seawater at eight temperature steps (1.0°C, 5.5°C, 10.0°C, 14.4°C, 17.0°C, 21.3°C, 24.6°C, and 29.6°C) were measured using the analytical system. The overall variation of the abundances with temperature agrees well with those of NaCl brines reported in the literature. We propose here new constants to fit observed data to empirical equation of noble gas solubility in seawater with its temperature variation.     

<Emphasis Type="Italic">In situ</Emphasis> Enclosure Experiment Using a Benthic Chamber System to Assess the Effect of High Concentration of CO<Subscript>2</Subscript> on Deep-Sea Benthic Communities

In order to evaluate the environmental impact associated with sequestration of carbon dioxide in the deep sea, a free fall type field experimental device, the benthic chamber, was developed. In situ experiments to expose deep-sea communities to elevated concentrations of carbon dioxide (average of 20,000 ppm, 5,000 ppm and control) were carried out using this device 3 times, viz., in the winter of 2002 and in the spring and the summer of 2003, in the Kumano Trough at a depth of 2,000 m. In the long-term experiments (about two weeks in winter of 2002 and summer of 2003), the abundance of meiobenthos declined whereas that of bacteria increased under the condition of 20,000 ppm carbon dioxide compared with the control. Among meiofauna, the abundance of foraminifers at the same concentration of carbon dioxide became less than the control even in the short-term (3 days in spring of 2003) experiment, suggesting that organisms with a calcium carbonate exoskeleton are more sensitive to the raised concentration of carbon dioxide. The respiration rate of the benthic community exposed to 20,000 ppm was lower in the early stage of the experiment than in the latter half, whereas it was opposite under the condition of 5,000 ppm. The increase of biological activity in the 20,000 ppm exposure group is probably due to an increase of bacteria adapted to high carbon dioxide concentrations. The present results suggest that the influence of carbon dioxide on the deep-sea benthic ecosystem does not follow a simple, linear relationship with concentration.     

Citrate-dithionite-bicarbonate extractable phosphorus (CDB-P) pool in the suspended and surface sediments of the tidal flat area in inner Ariake Bay,Japan

CDB-P (phosphorus extractable by the citrate-dithionite-bicarbonate extraction procedure) was used as the indicator of bio-available inorganic P in the suspended and surface sediments in the inner part of Ariake Bay. The CDB-P pool of suspended and surface sediments in the tidal flat area was estimated to be 10 ton and 90 ton, respectively (total of 100 ton), which corresponds to 1.5 times the average dissolved inorganic phosphorus standing stock. During the summer periods of hypoxia, the CDB-P concentration in the surface sediments decreased with the decline of Eh, losing 43–47% of the CDB-P observed in April. These results suggest that the phosphorus dynamics have been affected by the decrease of resuspended sediment concentrations brought about by the reduction of the tidal currents and phosphate release from the surface sediments during frequently occurring summer hypoxia events.     

Errors in sampling procedure for the determination of dissolved oxygen by Winkler method

Sources of systematic error in the sampling procedure by Winkler method were examined. In the laboratory experiment, the dissolution of atmospheric oxygen into oxygenfree sea water during sampling amounts to 0.022 ml/l, and the effect of dissolved oxygen in sea water remaining in oxygen bottle is 0.019 ml/l. The effect of reagents added amounts to 0.017 ml/l. In the sampling procedures aboard, the effect of dissolution became bigger, and the table is presented for the correction to the reported value of dissolved oxygen measured by the “Manual of Oceanographic Observation”. The corrected value of dissolved oxygen in the routine analysis may not be correct within 0.02 ml/l.     

Japanese anchovy egg accumulation at the sea surface or pycnocline—Observations and model

Near surface vertical distributions of Japanese anchovy eggs (isolated and pelagic) were studied at western Wakasa Bay, Japan. Samples were collected in horizontal tows with four plankton nets simultaneously operated at different four depths of 0, 0.5, 1.0, and 2.0 m. The egg concentration was found to decrease exponentially with depth. The egg concentration profile can be explained by considering the balance of the eggs' ascent and vertical diffusion. Taking further into account vertical difference in rising/sinking rates of the eggs, a clear accumulation of the eggs on a pycnocline, observed elsewhere, also can be explained. Vertical eddy diffusivity in the surface layer in a calm sea was 1–10 cm² s^–1, as estimated from the egg concentration profile and the velocities of the eggs in the vertical direction.     

Mechanism of two rapid and long-runout landslides in the 16 April 2016 Kumamoto earthquake using a ring-shear apparatus and computer simulation (LS-RAPID)

Around hundred landslides were triggered by the Kumamoto earthquakes in April 2016, causing fatalities and serious damage to properties in Minamiaso village, Kumamoto Prefecture, Japan. The landslides included many rapid and long-runout landslides which were responsible for much of the damage. To understand the mechanism of these earthquake-triggered landslides, we carried out field investigations with an unmanned aerial vehicle to obtain DSM and took samples from two major landslides (Takanodai landslide and Aso-ohashi landslide) to measure parameters of the initiation and the motion of landslides. A series of ring-shear tests and computer simulations were conducted using a measured Kumamoto earthquake acceleration record from KNet station KMM005, 10 km west of Aso-ohashi landslide. The research results supported our assumed mechanism of sliding-surface liquefaction for the rapid and long-runout motion of these landslides.