Accretion process of the moon

Recent geochemical and geophysical data suggest that the initial temperature of the Moon was strongly peaked toward the lunar surface. To explain such an initial temperature distribution, a simple model of accretion process of the Moon is presented. The model assumes that the Moon was formed from the accumulation of the solid particles or gases in the isolated, closed cloud. Two equations are derived to calculate the accretion rate and surface temperature of the accreting Moon. Numerical calculations are made for a wide range of the parameters particle concentration and particle velocity in the cloud. A limited set of the parameters gives the initial temperature profiles as required by geochemical and geophysical data. These models of the proto-moon cloud indicate that the lunar outershell, about 400 km thick, was partially or completely molten just after the accretion of the Moon and that the Moon should have been formed in a period shorter than 1000 yr. If the Moon formed at a position nearer to the Earth than its present one, the Moon might have been formed in a period of less than one year.On leave from Geophysical Institute, University of Tokyo.Contribution No. 2104, Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology.     

Extinction curves flattened by reverse shocks in supernovae

We investigate the extinction curves of young galaxies in which dust is supplied from Type II supernovae (SNe II) and/or pair instability supernovae (PISNe). Since at high redshift ( z > 5), low-mass stars cannot be dominant sources for dust grains, SNe II and PISNe, whose progenitors are massive stars with short lifetimes, should govern the dust production. Here, we theoretically investigate the extinction curves of dust produced by SNe II and PISNe, taking into account reverse shock destruction induced by collision with ambient interstellar medium. We find that the extinction curve is sensitive to the ambient gas density around a SN, since the efficiency of reverse shock destruction strongly depends on it. The destruction is particularly efficient for small-sized grains, leading to a flat extinction curve in the optical and ultraviolet wavelengths. Such a large ambient density as   n _H≳ 1 cm⁻³  produces too flat an extinction curve to be consistent with the observed extinction curve for SDSS J1048+4637 at z = 6.2. Although the extinction curve is highly sensitive to the ambient density, the hypothesis that the dust is predominantly formed by SNe at z ∼ 6 is still allowed by the current observational constraints. For further quantification, the ambient density should be obtained by some other methods. Finally, we also discuss the importance of our results for observations of high- z galaxies, stressing a possibility of flat extinction curves.     

Adsorption and reaction of trichlorofluoromethane on various particles

As a possible tropospheric sink of trichlorofluoromethane (CCl₃F), its adsorption and reaction on solid particles were studied with or without UV light longer than 310 nm. The adsorption and photodesorption occurred for most of the particles examined. The amounts depended not only on the BET surface area but also on the chemical property of the particles. The reaction rates were less than 0.1% h^-1. The surface induced degradation of CCl₃F in air was confirmed under photoirradiation at room temperature by the detection of Cl^- or F^- on some metal oxides. When the particles were pretreated with heat and evacuation, the reaction rate became larger and disproportionation of CCl₃F took place. The tropospheric lifetime of CCl₃F was reevaluated based on a reported model. It is suggested that the heterogeneous reaction of CCl₃F on particles may be a possible tropospheric sink.     

Long-term stability of flow-path structure in crystalline rocks distributed in an orogenic belt, Japan

Most evaluations of the contaminant retardation processes likely to be important in geological disposal (e.g. for high level radioactive waste (HLW)) consider only the present characteristics of fractures and associated mineral infills. Relatively little attention has been given to possible long-term changes in these features, and their influence on groundwater flow. The work reported here seeks to provide analogous evidence that such changes are not likely to be important and hence to improve confidence in the presently adopted evaluation methodology and its long-term applicability.

In the orogenic belt that is formed by the Japanese islands, there are wide areas of crystalline rock. The rocks in each area have a distinctive age sequence which is partly reflected in the characteristics of the fracture systems and associated mineral fillings that occur. These characteristics generally imply that groundwater and solutes can be conducted through fracture networks, except in the cases of fault zones or crushed zones. The structural and mineralogical features of these networks readily illustrate how certain contaminants might react and be retarded by the fracture fillings and open pore geometry, due to chemical sorption and/or physical retardation.

Here, we describe the fracture systems developed in crystalline rocks with different ages that are intruded into the Japanese orogenic belt. The aim is to build a model for the long-term fracturing process and hence to evaluate fracture ‘stability’. In particular, the comparisons are made between the fracture geometries and the frequencies observed in the 1.9–0.8 Ma Takidani Granodiorite (the youngest exposed pluton in the world), the ca. 67 Ma Toki Granite and the ca. 117 Ma Kurihashi Granodiorite located in central to northwest Japan. The observations show that all these crystalline rocks have similar fracture frequencies, with 1 to 2 fractures per meter in the massive part of rock bodies. Mineralogical studies and dating analyses of fracture fillings also suggest that fractures are relatively physically stable. Major new fractures tend not to be created in the massive part of rock bodies even when a pluton has been subjected to the regional stresses of plate movements with a duration of about 100 Ma. The results show the unique characteristics of the fracture forming process and the relatively stable geometries of fracture network systems in crystalline rocks distributed within the orogenic belt. This analogue also enables us to provide a model to build confidence in a technical approach applicable for modeling of hydrogeology and geology over long time scales under the orogenic stress field present in Japan. The model may also be useful for other stable tectonic settings as well as for a characterizing sites in crystalline rocks for the possible geological disposal of HLW and other toxic wastes.     

WinASEAN for remote sensing data analysis

The image analysis system ASEAN (Advanced System for Environmental ANalysis with Remote Sensing Data) was designed and programmed by a software development group, ImaSOFr, Department of Remote Sensing Technology and GIS, Institute for Geography, National Centre for Natural Science and Technology of Vietnam under technical cooperation with the Remote Sensing Technology Centre of Japan and financial support from the National Space Development Agency of Japan. ASEAN has been in continuous development since 1989, with different versions ranging from the simplest one for MS-DOS with standard VGA 320×200×256 colours, through versions supporting SpeedStar 1.0 and SpeedStar PRO 2.0 true colour graphics cards, up to the latest version named WinASEAN, which is designed for the Windows 3.1 operating system. The most remarkable feature of WinASEAN is the use of algorithms that speed up the image analysis process, even on PC platforms. Today WinASEAN is continuously improved in cooperation with NASDA (National Space Development Agency of Japan), RESTEC (Remote Sensing Technology Center of Japan) and released as public domain software for training, research and education through the Regional Remote Sensing Seminar on Tropical Eco-system Management which is organised by NASDA and ESCAR In this paper, the authors describe the functionality of WinASEAN, some of the relevant analysis algorithms, and discuss its possibilities of computer-assisted teaching and training of remote sensing.     

Diamagnetic anisotropy of sheetsilicates

The diamagnetic properties of sheetsilicates are studied by measuring the magnetic orientation of micron-sized crystals. In the case of synthetic phlogopite with the average diameter of 0.65 μm and the thickness of 0.2 μm, the alignment of the grains is achieved in the magnetic field below 35 kOe. The planes of the platy single-crystal grains were alignned parallel to the field when the alignment was achieved. The alignment of the grains is realized because the field-induced anisotropic energy, caused by the diamagnetic anisotropy in the mineral's crystal structure, exceeds thermal agitation energy in the applied field. By analyzing the field dependence of grain alignment, the diamagnetic anisotropy per formula unit, Δ_χ, of sheetsilicate mineral is estimated even if a large single crystal is not provided. The field-induced anisotropic energy is proportional to NΔ_χ where N is the number of molecules in the grain. A linear correlation has been found between the Δ_χ value and the F/OH mole ratio among the measured sheetsilicates. This correlation supports the assumption that the hexagonally packed oxygen-layer in the crystal lattice induces the anisotropies of the sheetsilicates.     

Energy dissipation behaviour of shear panels made of low yield steel

This paper presents the results of a pilot test conducted for evaluating the energy dissipation behaviour of shear panels made of low yield steel whose 0.2 per cent offset yield stress is 120 MPa. A total of six full-scale shear panels were tested with the loading condition, stiffener spacing, and magnitude of axial force as test variables. The shear panels tested yielded at a shear force that is approximately 1/3 of the yield shear force of equivalent shear panels made of common mild steel. Shear panels with proper stiffener arrangement exhibited stable hysteresis, thus ensuring large energy dissipation capacity. Sufficient strain hardening was observed in the shear panels tested, with their energy dissipation capacity about 1.5 times larger than that of an equivalent linear-elastic and perfect-plastic system. Plate buckling did not lead the shear panels to immediate degradation in their energy dissipation capacity. Post-buckling resistance was found to be a subject that requires further studies for quantifying the performance of shear panels made of low yield stress steel as hysteretic dampers.