Prompt particle acceleration around moving X-point magnetic field during impulsive phase of solar flares

We present a model for high-energy solar flares to explain prompt proton and electron acceleration, which occurs around moving X-point magnetic fields during the implosion phase of the current sheet. We derive the electromagnetic fields during the strong implosion of the current sheet, which is driven by the converging flow toward the center of the magnetic arcade. We investigated a test particle motion in the strong electromagnetic fields derived from the MHD equations. It is shown that both protons and electrons can be promptly (within 1 s) accelerated to 70 and 200 MeV, respectively. This acceleration mechanism can be applicable for the impulsive phase of the gradual gamma-ray and proton flares (gradual GR/P flare), which have been called two-ribbon flares.     

Water content of primitive low-K tholeiitic basalt magma from Iwate Volcano,NE Japan arc: implications for differentiation mechanism of frontal-arc basalt magmas

The water content of low-K tholeiitic basalt magma from Iwate volcano, which is located on the volcanic front of the NE Japan arc, was estimated using multi-component thermodynamic models. The Iwate lavas are moderately porphyritic, consisting of ~8 vol.% olivine and ~20 vol.% plagioclase phenocrysts. The olivine and plagioclase phenocrysts show significant compositional variations, and the Mg# of olivine phenocrysts (Mg#78–85) correlates positively with the An content of coexisting plagioclase phenocrysts (An_85–92). The olivine phenocrysts with Mg# > ~82 do not form crystal aggregates with plagioclase phenocrysts. It is inferred from these observations that the phenocrysts with variable compositions were primarily derived from mushy boundary layers along the walls of a magma chamber. By using thermodynamic calculations with the observed petrological features of the lavas, the water content of the Iwate magma was estimated to be 4–5 wt.%. The high water content of the magma supports the recent consensus that frontal-arc magmas are remarkably hydrous. Using the estimated water content of the Iwate magma, the water content and temperature of the source mantle were estimated. Given that the Iwate magma was derived from a primary magma solely by olivine fractionation, the water content and temperature were estimated to be ~0.7 wt.% and ~1,310 °C, respectively. Differentiation mechanisms of low-K frontal-arc basalt magmas were also examined by application of a thermodynamics-based mass balance model to the Iwate magma. It is suggested that magmatic differentiation proceeds primarily through fractionation of crystals from the main molten part of a magma chamber when it is located at <~200 MPa, whereas magma evolves through a convective melt exchange between the main magma and mushy boundary layers when the magma body is located at >~200 MPa.     

SHRIMP U–Pb zircon geochronology and Sr–Nd isotopic systematic of the Neoproterozoic Ghimbi-Nedjo mafic to intermediate intrusions of Western Ethiopia: a record of passive margin magmatism at 855 Ma?

The reworked Pre-Neoproterozoic and juvenile Neoproterozoic terrane of the Western Ethiopian Shield (WES) consists of three N–S trending terranes. These are the western migmatitic gneissic terrane, the central metavolcano sedimentary terrane (CVST) and the eastern migmatitic gneissic terrane. The eastern part of the CVST mostly consists of suture-related ultramafic-metasedimentary complexes, whereas metavolcanics predominate in the western part. Gabbroic to granitic intrusions frequently occur in the CVST and in adjacent areas. New zircon SHRIMP U–Pb ages for two gabbros and three diorites in the Ghimbi-Nedjo region of the WES indicate magmatic crystallization ages. Two pulses of magmatism, at 860–850 and 795–785 Ma, are documented with the former for the first time. The tholeiitic Kemashi diorite and Bikilal-Ghimbi gabbros have oceanic affinities and yield U/Pb zircon ages of 856.3 ± 9.8 and 846.0 ± 7.6 Ma, respectively. The calc-alkaline Gebeya Kemisa pyroxene diorite, and the Senbet Dura hornblende diorite plus the tholeiitic Wayu Meni gabbro, which collectively have arc-back arc characteristics are indistinguishable at ages of 794.3 ± 9.4, 787.7 ± 8.8 and 778.1 ± 6.3 Ma, respectively. Positive εNd (4.5–7.0) and low initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (0.7029 ± 0.0002) and a mean T _DM model age of 0.95 Ga for the Ghimbi-Nedjo region (mean T _DM model age of 0.95 Ga for the WES overall) indicate that the magmas were generated from juvenile Neoproterozoic depleted mantle sources, with no discernable involvement of pre-Neoproterozoic continental crust. The occurrence of gabbros and diorites with oceanic tholeiite affinities combined with the new ages suggests that the intrusions were emplaced in the earliest stages of the rifting of Rodinia. This event in the WES led to the development of a passive margin and associated plume-type magmatism at ~855 Ma. The two intrusive groups with differing magma chemistry and ages suggest that the earliest magmatism was tholeiitic and associated with the passive margin system followed by continental breakup to form the Mozambique Ocean. The combination of tholeiitic and calc-alkaline magmatism was related to arc and back-arc basin formation and later terrane accretion (~830–690 Ma).     

Spin Temperature of Ammonia Determined from NH2 in Comet C/2001 A2 (LINEAR)

The ortho-to-para ratio (OPR) of a cometary molecule is one of primordial character in comets. The OPR which is characterized by a spin temperature, is thought to reflect the formation conditions of the molecule. In this paper we show the high-dispersion spectrum of cometary NH₂ in Comet C/2001 A2 (LINEAR), from which the OPR of NH₂ is determined based on the fluorescence excitation model. Since the NH₂ is a photodissociation product of cometary ammonia, we applied the permutation group theory to the whole reaction system (i.e. the photodissociation reaction of ammonia to NH₂ and H) in order to derive the OPR of ammonia from that of NH₂. The derived OPR of ammonia is 1.12 ± 0.03 in Comet C/2001 A2 (LINEAR). This value corresponds to a spin temperature of 30⁺³ _-2 K. If this reflects the temperature where the comet formed in the protosolar nebula, our result indicates that thiscomet was formed in the region of the giant planets between Jupiter and Neptune.     

Characteristics of plasma temperature variation during two-current-loop collisions

Characteristics of plasma temperature variations during two-current-loop collisions are described. It is revealed that plasma temperature has an oscillatory feature with damping amplitude and growing quasi-period in the case of anI-type collision. In the case of aY-type collision, if the initial current becomes strong enough, there also occur pulsations of the temperature. However, the temperature profile of anX-type collision is characterized by a single pulse only.     

A model of thermal convection in the major planets with a strongly density-stratified atmospheric layer

Abstract

As an extension of a model by Busse (1983a), a two-layer model of thermal convection in the self-gravitating rotating spherical fluid is considered. The upper layer with arbitrary vertical distributions of density and potential temperature representing the atmospheric layer of major planets is imposed on the spherical Boussinesq fluid. The Prandtl number P and the ratio of the mass of the upper layer to that of the lower layer are used as small expansion parameters. The modification of the critical Rayleigh number by imposing the upper layer are clearly separated into two parts, proportional to (1) the mass of the upper layer and to (2) an integral representing a measure of convective instability of the upper layer. Some implications for atmospheric dynamics of the major planets are also presented.     

Geochemistry of late Cenozoic lavas on Kunashir Island, Kurile Arc

Middle Miocene to Quaternary lavas on Kunashir Island in the southern zone of the Kurile Arc were examined for major, trace, and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope compositions. The lavas range from basalt through to rhyolite and the mafic lavas show typical oceanic island arc signatures without significant crustal or sub-continental lithosphere contamination. The lavas exhibit across-arc variation, with increasingly greater fluid-immobile incompatible element contents from the volcanic front to the rear-arc; this pattern, however, does not apply to some other incompatible elements such as B, Sb, and halogens. All Sr–Nd–Pb isotope compositions reflect a depleted source with Indian Ocean mantle domain characteristics. The Nd and Pb isotope ratios are radiogenic in the volcanic front, whereas Sr isotope ratios are less radiogenic. These Nd isotope ratios covary with incompatible element ratios such as Th/Nd and Nb/Zr, indicating involvement of a slab-derived sediment component by addition of melt or supercritical fluid capable of mobilizing these high field-strength elements and rare earth elements from the slab. Fluid mobile elements, such as Ba, are also elevated in all basalt suites, suggesting involvement of slab fluid derived from altered oceanic crust. The Kurile Arc lavas are thus affected both by slab sediment and altered basaltic crust components. This magma plumbing system has been continuously active from the Middle Miocene to the present.     

The Impact of Orographically-Induced Gravity Wave on the Diurnal Cycle of Rainfall over Southeast Kalimantan Island

Precipitation measurements from the Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM) satellite indicate that the southeastern area of Kalimantan (Borneo) Island receives much less rainfall than elsewhere on the island during the period from July to October.Results from sur-face meteorological observations show that the diurnal cycle of rainfall differs greatly between the eastern and western coasts of the island.Rainfall on the western coast of the island is frequent in the afternoon and evening,whereas almost all rainfall on the eastern coast occurs in the morning.Meanwhile,the Global Positioning System (GPS)-derived precipitable water (PW) on the eastern coast shows a substantial decrease in moisture in the af-ternoon and evening.Numerical experiments with a mesoscale model reveal that gravity waves driven by di-urnal heating of the elevated land surface of the moun-tains on Sulawesi Island,which lies approximately 300 kilometers to the east of Kalimantan Island,significantly affect the diurnal cycle of rainfall over southeast Kali-mantan Island.     

Geology and geochemistry of Karasugasen lava dome, Daisen–Hiruzen Volcano Group, southwest Japan

Abstract   The geology and geochemistry of pyroclastic flows and fallout tephras formed during the Karasugasen dome eruption in the Daisen–Hiruzen Volcano Group in southwest Japan have been examined in detail. The Karasugasen lava dome erupted at about 26 ka. The eruption began with a vulcanian ash fall, and this was followed by at least eight block and ash flows and a pumice flow. The block and ash flows were produced by the successive collapses of a growing lava dome. This main eruption phase was followed by an eruption of vulcanian ash falls, and finally ended with a sub-Plinian pumice fall. This eruption sequence is typical of the Daisen Volcano during the last three eruption events, which occurred at 58, 26 and 17 ka. The magma produced during the Karasugasen eruption was a typical adakite, with extremely high Sr/Y ratios and low HREE/LREE ratios compared to normal arc lavas. The chemistry of the Karasugasen lavas is almost identical to other Daisen–Hiruzen lavas that were produced from eruptions over an interval of a million years. The continuous supply of a huge amount of adakitic magma (>100 km³) for such a long period suggests a massive homogeneous source material, such as molten Philippine Sea Plate slab. Slab melting is a plausible mechanism for the production of the adakitic lavas at Karasugasen, and hence the Daisen–Hiruzen Volcano Group.