Influence ofNoctiluca's predation on theAcartia population in Ise Bay,central Japan

The influence ofNoctiluca's predation on theAcartia population in Ise Bay was examined by taking samples at 27 stations once a month from May to December, 1974.The copepod eggs were found inNoctiluca mainly in May and June. Considering from various spawning types of copepods, the eggs were presumed to beAcartia, the most numerous species of all copepods in the bay.Noctiluca was dominant plankton in May and June whenAcartia was abundantly distributed.Acartia eggs were found in 33.2–39.3% of individuals ofNoctiluca in May and June.Noctiluca was more frequently observed to contain one egg ofAcartia per individual. It was suggested that 55.0 eggs perAcartia female per day were eaten by theNoctiluca population in May wherease 3.5 eggs in June. It was deduced that 74% of the eggs produced byAcartia was preyed on byNoctiluca (about 5% in June). The predation byNoctiluca as well as that by the sand-eel must influence greatly to the production ofAcartia in the bay.     

Circulation pattern and current variations with respect to tidal frequency in the sea near the head of Suruga Bay

Current measurements were conducted 10 m below the sea surface near the head of Suruga Bay intermittently from 1970 to 1978. The circulation pattern is usually counterclockwise; northward along the east coast (off Heda and at the mouth of Uchiura Inlet), westward along the north coast (off Fuji), and southwestward along the west coast (off Shimizu). The amplitudes of the four major tidal constituents of current variation, M₂, S₂, K₁ and O₁, are much larger than those expected from sea level variations along the coast. The amplitudes of the diurnal constituents of current variation are much larger than those of the semidiurnal constituents, while the amplitudes of the semidiurnal constituents of sea level variation are much larger than those of the diurnal constituents. The observed amplitude of the predominant diurnal constituents exhibit large seasonal changes and tend to increase with the development of the stratification of the upper part of the water in Suruga Bay. These facts strongly suggest that the observed current variations are mainly associated with internal tides in Suruga Bay.     

Thermohaline staircases in the Warm-Core Ring off Cape Erimo,Hokkaido and their fluxes due to salt finger

Thermohaline staircases off Cape Erimo, Hokkaido are described and their physical properties are compared with those in other seas. The mean fluxes for heat and salt across the interface induced by salt finger were estimated as 105 cal cm^–2d^–1, and 0.03 g cm^–2d^–1, respectively. These values were in the same order as those in Caribbean Sea. The effective eddy diffusivities were also in the same order as the Caribbean ones. This suggests that the double-diffusive convection plays on important role on the water mass conversions occurring in the interfrontal zone between the Oyashio and the Kuroshio Waters.     

Large-scale ripple marks on the shelf margin of the Northern Okinawa Trough

Trains of large-scale ripple marks (megaripples and sand waves) were found on the Amakusa and East China Sea shelves bordering the northern Okinawa Trough. Side-scan sonar surveys were carried out in 1974 and 1976 to investigate sea-floor features lying along a proposed submarine cable line. Megaripples were found on the outer margin of the Amakusa shelf between depths of 140 and 200 m. The megaripples were especially well developed at a depth of 167 m. They were typically straight-transverse crested with asymmetrical profiles, and measured 7 to 15 m in wavelength and 0.4 to 1.4 m in waveheight. Formation of the megaripples on the Amakusa shelf is probably controlled by relatively complex oceanographic conditions. A secondary circulation associated with the Gotô-nada clock-wise Current may be responsible for formation of the ripple marks. Local vorticities generated in the coastal boundary layer as a result of curvature of the Gotô-nada Current are known to cause the complex flow pattern at the Gotô and Amakusa shelf margins. The main semidiurnal (M₂) tidal current may also interact with these fluid processes.On the East China Sea shelf, megaripples and sand waves were found between depths of 140 and 220 m. Sand waves (200 m in wavelength) were observed in seismic reflection profiles. Large-scale lunate megaripples were observed at a depth of 154 m by the side-scan sonar. They had wavelengths of 10 to 30 m and waveheights of 1 to as high as 3 m. It appears from the types and nature of distribution of the megaripples that they are responding to the present-day flow regime, and it is partly ascertained from our observations over an interval of two years that the megaripples appear to be short-term response elements compared wit hteh sand waves. We conclude that the megaripples on the East China Sea shelf are current-formed during peak typhoon flow in August to November. From their distribution, the long term path of the main flow of the Tsushima Current is inferred at the edge of the East China Sea shelf. An area of low sediment mud content (less than 20 per cent) coincides with this path giving further support to our interpretation.     

Spatial Distributions of Phyllosoma Larvae (Crustacea: Decapoda: Palinuridae and Scyllaridae) in Taiwanese Waters

Distributions and taxonomy of phyllosoma larvae were examined in Taiwanese waters, based on ichthyoplankton samples collected from May 1990 to July 1995. Phyllosoma larvae belonged to the two families Scyllaridae and Palinuridae representing 6 genera and 13 species. Of the collected phyllosoma larvae, those of Scyllarus and Panulirus species were most abundant, forming 90% of total numbers. Early stage Scyllarus and Panulirus phyllosoma larvae were abundant in Taiwanese waters. Middle to late stages (except the final stage) of Panulirus phyllosoma larvae were absent from the waters throughout the year, while those of Scyllarus phyllosoma larvae were collected in the waters. This suggests that all stages of Scyllarus phyllosoma larvae may be retained in the northern part of the waters around northern Taiwan while middle to late stages of Panulirus phyllosoma larvae may be flushed out from the waters, the sub-final and final stages then possibly returning to the waters. An anticlockwise eddy existed in the waters off northeastern Taiwan, which may be closely related to flushing out and returning of Panulirus phyllosoma larvae through a much longer planktonic period. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Vertical Distributions of Phyllosoma Larvae of Palinurid and Scyllarid Lobsters in the Western North Pacific

Vertical distributions of phyllosoma larvae were examined in waters east of the Philippines or west of the Mariana Islands (18°56′ N to 19°04′ N; 129°10′ E to 129°35′ E) based on zooplankton samples collected with an Isaacs-Kidd Midwater Trawl on September 22–24, 1986. Phyllosoma larvae belonged to the two families Scyllaridae and Palinuridae comprising 4 genera and 9 species. Of the collected phyllosoma larvae, those of Scyllarus cultrifer and Panulirus longipes were most abundant and showed similar vertical distributions: (1) both species were collected from the mixed layer at night but not in the day, (2) their vertical distributions did not change with their stages, and (3) the upper limit of their vertical distributions during the day accorded with the base of mixed layer. Furthermore, their vertical distributions were similar to those of lepthocephalus larvae which were collected using the same sampling stations and gear in the present study. Vertical distributions of phyllosoma larvae were discussed in relation to their horizontal distributions. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Vertical profile of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in a sediment core from a reservoir in Osaka City

Concentrations of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) were measured in a dated sediment core from a reservoir at Osaka City, Southwest Japan. The sediment core consisted of deposits collected over a period of almost 70 years whose PAH content would serve as a historical record of atmospheric environment at Osaka City. Total PAH concentrations varied from 4.2 to 26 mg kg⁻¹ dry wt, and peaked in the 1940s, reflecting the occurrence of a large fire due to air attacks during World War II. The results indicated that warfare had the largest impact on atmospheric environment in Osaka City. Total PAH concentrations decreased in the post-war period except for a small peak. In the 1950s, there was a downward trend from the 1970s to the present. These trends can be ascribed to the growth of industrial activities and the regulation of atmospheric pollutant emissions, respectively.     

合欢树生物电位地震前兆数字化观测的研究与应用

合欢树是一种敏感性植物,利用它进行地震前兆观测是短临地震预报的一种新探索.20多年的研究表明,合欢树的生物电位在正常情况下具有一定的规律性,地震前电场、磁场的变化、地下水位等等异常都会刺激合欢树的根部,引起合欢树生物电位的异常变化,它们之间存在着一定的相关性.合欢树的庞大根系在地下向三维空间扩展,每一条根就犹如一个"活的"地震探测器,它们比人工制作的传感器件更能如实地"报告"地下发生的最新"信息",实时"监视"着地下的变化情况.     

Subaqueous sand blow deposits induced by the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake, Japan

Abstract The 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu Earthquake (Mw 6.9) occurred in the region around Kobe City and Awaji Island in south-west Japan. Co-seismic liquefaction caused subsidence of the land and damage to sea wall caissons on the man-made Port Island at Kobe City. A zone 2–3 m wide behind the caissons of the northern wharf on the island subsided into the intertidal zone and a sandy deposit settled into this subsided zone. The depos-it consists of upward-fining sequences that are subdivided into three parts, in ascending order: graded coarse- to medium-grained sand, parallel-laminated fine- to very-fine-grained sand, and massive mud. Grain fabric analysis (employing the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility method and microscopic measurement) of these sequences shows that there is a remarkable contrast in grain fabric between the lowest portion of the graded sand division and the laminated sand division. The former has a high q -value (magnetic lineation/foliation) and a unimodal orientation of elongate grains in the horizontal plane, but random orientation in the vertical plane. Conversely, the latter is characterized by a low q -value and a grain fabric in which the long axes of the grains have random orientations and are nearly parallel to the plane of deposition. This result shows that the main depositional processes changed from a combination of flow and allied processes to the force of gravity. As still water is essential for gravity to be the dominant factor in deposition, this deposit is regarded as subaqueous sand blow deposits. If this interpretation is correct, the grain fabric produced by gravity alone is a useful criterion for distinguishing between subaqueous sand blow deposits and other liquefaction-induced deposits.