Teleconnection and climatic oscillation in aquifer water level in Kumamoto plain,Japan

Relative little is known about the interaction between climate change and groundwater. Analysis of aquifer response to climatic variability could improve the knowledge related to groundwater resource variations and therefore provides guidance on water resource management. In this work, seasonal and annual variations of groundwater levels in Kumamoto plain (Japan) and their possible interactions with climatic indices and El Niño Southern Oscillation (ENSO) were analyzed statistically. Results show the following: (1) The water level in the recharge area mainly fluctuates at 1‐ and 2‐year periods, whereas the significant periodicity for water level oscillation in the coastal aquifer is 0.5 year. (2) The aquifer water levels are possibly influenced by variability in precipitation, air temperature, barometric pressure, humidity variances and ENSO. Relative high correlations and large proportions of similarities in wavelet power patterns were found between these variables and water levels. (3) Aquifer response to climatic variances was evaluated using cross wavelet transform and wavelet coherence. In recharging aquifers, the ENSO‐induced annual variations in precipitation, air temperature, humidity and barometric pressure affect aquifer water levels. The precipitation, air temperature and humidity respond to ENSO with a 4‐, 6‐ and 8‐month time lag, respectively, whereas the ENSO imparts weak influence on the barometric pressure. Significant biennial variation of water levels during 1991–1995 is caused primarily by precipitation and humidity variations. In the coastal aquifer, the 0.5‐year variability in ENSO is transferred by precipitation, barometric pressure and humidity to aquifer water levels, and the precipitation/humidity influence is more significant comparing with the barometric pressure. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Activity Profile of the Sextantid Meteor Shower

The detailed activity profile of the Sextandids - one of the day-time meteor showers - is poorly known and still unclear. Using the forward-scatter radio technique we have successfully been able to obtain further detailed overall activity profile of the Sextantids for seven consecutive years: 1991–1997. Analysis confirmed the Sextantid activity duration in solar longitude (J2000) of at least 184–193° and the maximum solar longitude at 188.35 ± 0.10° with a full width at half maximum (FWHM) of 2.0 ± 0.2°. Performing the numerical integrations, we also substantiated a possibility of the association between Apollo-type asteroid (3200) Phaethon and the Sextantids. Furthermore, we roughly estimated relative maximum flux rate of Sextantids : Geminids as 1 : 3 amplitude ratio. Depending upon the flux rates and the time lags of the orbital evolution with Phaethon, we conclude that the Sextantids are at a more progressive stage of orbital evolution than the Geminids if both meteor streams are really associated with Phaethon. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Star formation induced by supersonic turbulence in interstellar molecular cloud

We studied fragmentation process of the interstellar molecular cloud which is predominated by supersonic turbulence with special regard to collisions of turbulent gas elements and formation of a shock-compressed layer by receding shock waves. The propagation of the shock waves and the evolution of the compressed layer are followed by one-dimensional gas dynamical simulation until self-gravity becomes significant, taking account of the effects of thermal properties of the molecular gas and magnetic fields. It is shown that the efficient cooling by CO molecules and its sensitive dependence on gas density make the shock-compressed layer so cold and dense that the layer becomes gravitationally unstable and breaks into fragments even if the gas elements are gravitationally stable prior to the collision. The mass of the unstable fragment is estimated to be about two solar masses or less, irrespective of the presence of the magnetic field. The stars formed by collisions of supersonic turbulent gas elements accelerate the surrounding gas in T Tauri stage and replenish the turbulent energy to maintain the mechanical equilibrium of the molecular cloud.     

PETROLOGY OF THE YAMATO METEORITES (j), (k), (l), AND (m) FROM ANTARCTICA*

The Yamato (j), (k), (l), and (m) meteorites collected from near the Yamato Mountains in December, 1973, are respectively an H-4 and L-5 chondrite, a howardite, and an L-5 chondrite. Yamato (l), the howardite, is a polymict breccia of diogenite and eucrite clasts. Olivine in the chondrites ranges in composition from Fo₇₅ to Fo₈₀, whereas in the howardite, where it is rare, the composition is about Fo₆₀. Pyroxenes in the chondrites are mostly orthopyroxenes and (En₈₃), while the pyroxenes in the howardite are more complex, comprising orthopyroxene, pigeonite, augite, and rare clinohypersthene (in the order of decreasing abundance), with the range from En₈₀ to En₃₇. They form a definite trend, probably formed by the fractional crystallization of the parental magma of the achondrite, and later subjected to exsolution phenomena during the slow cooling. Plagioclase is high-temperature oligoclase in the chondrites, and anorthite in the howardite. Maskelynitization is sometimes observed. Other shock effects are also observed. Opaque phases consist mostly of nickel-iron, troilite, chromite, and rarely ilmenite. Intergrowth of these minerals are common. The accessory minerals comprise quartz, cristobalite, apatite, spinel, and rare uranium-bearing minerals. The bulk composition and genetic significance are discussed.     

Laboratory annealing experiments of refractory silicate grain analogs using differential scanning calorimetry

Abstract– Exothermic reactions during the annealing of laboratory synthesized amorphous magnesium‐bearing silicate particles used as grain analogs of cosmic dust were detected by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC) in air. With infrared spectroscopy and transmission electron microscopy, we show that cosmic dust could possibly undergo fusion to larger particles, with oxidation of magnesium silicide and crystallization of forsterite as exothermic reactions in the early solar system. The reactions begin at approximately 425, approximately 625, and approximately 1000 K, respectively, and the reaction energies (enthalpies) are at least 727, 4151, and 160.22 J g⁻¹, respectively. During the crystallization of forsterite particles, the spectral evolution of the 10 μm feature from amorphous to crystalline was observed to begin at lower temperature than the crystallization temperature of 1003 K. During spectral evolution at lower temperature, nucleation and/or the formation of nanocrystallites of forsterite at the surface of the grain analogs was observed.     

Characteristic features in Venus’ nightside cloud-top temperature obtained by Akatsuki/LIR

Mid-infrared images of almost the entire Venus nightside hemisphere obtained by the Longwave Infrared Camera (LIR) onboard Akatsuki on December 9 and 10, 2010 reveal that the brightness temperature of the cloud-top ranges from 237 K in the cold polar collars to 243 K in the equatorial region, significantly higher than the values obtained by Venera 15. Other characteristic features of the temperature distributions observed are zonal belt structures seen in the middle and low latitudes and patchy temperature structures or quasi-periodic streaks extending in a north–south direction in the northern middle latitudes and southern low latitudes.     

Use of temperature profiles and stable isotopes to trace flow lines: Nagaoka area, Japan

In this study, we use borehole temperature data and stable isotopes to delineate the flow system and estimate the effect of urbanization in the Nagaoka area of Japan. Temperature profiles were measured four times in observation wells during the period 2000-2001 and compared with those measured in the same wells during the period 1977-1983 (Taniguchi 1986). Water was sampled in both observation and pumping wells during the same period. The temporal and spatial variability in temperature indicate clearly the effect of urban warming and heavy pumping on the ground water system. Urban warming caused higher temperatures recently as compared to the older values, and pumping caused induced recharge from the river to the ground water. The stable isotope data show the ground water flow system is divided into shallow, intermediate, and deep systems, and that land use and infiltration rate are affecting the shallow flow system.     

Simplified methods for design of base‐isolated structures in the long‐period high‐damping range

A recent trend in the design of base‐isolated structures is the extension of the natural period and the incorporation of high damping. This paper shows that the existing simplified methods perform less accurately in this field of application, mainly due to inappropriate use of spectral data and insufficiently adjusted equivalent models. The paper proposes new period‐dependent concepts to reduce pseudo‐acceleration spectra and to transform these values into total accelerations with respect to the viscous damping ratio. The model of equivalent damping is adjusted to reflect several period‐dependent effects. The estimation of the accelerations in MDOF systems is based on additional period shifts. All modifications are derived for a simplified linear approach based on eigenforms, and a non‐linear approach based on pushover and capacity spectrum analysis. To illustrate observed problems and to demonstrate the capabilities of the proposed concepts, example structures are studied in detail. Furthermore, intensive statistical tests prove the effectiveness of the modifications in a wide parameter range and show considerable improvements over traditional approaches. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

应用二维有限元方法恢复阿留申岛弧边缘晚白垩世板块增生附加体古构造应力场

一系列有限单元模型模拟了阿留申岛弧板块边缘附加体在晚白垩世板块增生过程中古构造应力场的演变特征。该地区板块增生过程中的楔形附加体具有不同的长度和厚度,在数学模拟过程中,附加体被假定为弹性连续体,根据有限单元程序计算出数学模型应力场,断裂发育状况是根据库仑-莫尔准则确定的。有限单元模型的边界条件为太平洋板块相对北美大陆板块的俯冲及与板块俯冲作用有关的大洋地壳的逆冲作用。数学模拟实验的结果表明,附加体古构造应力场有一定的演化规律。在板块增生的早期阶段,古应力1σ表现为近水平方向的压应力,逆断层发育于附加体中。大洋地壳的逆冲作用使得附加体应力轨迹重新定向,正断层发育于楔形附加体的底部,平移断层发育于大洋地壳的深部位置。逆冲作用可能导致了楔形附加体的侧向增生和垂直方向上的厚度加大。在板块增生的晚期阶段,楔形附加体中晚白垩统沉积岩尚未固结时,古应力1σ表现为近于垂直方向的压应力;当晚白垩统沉积岩固结之后,1σ为近于水平方向的压应力,逆断层发育于楔形附加体顶部。晚白垩统沉积岩的成岩过程对楔形附加体顶端古应力场分布特征和断层发育状况影响较大。