Fracture-zone conditions on a recently active fault: insights from mineralogical and geochemical analyses of the Hirabayashi NIED drill core on the Nojima fault, southwest Japan, which ruptured in the 1995 Kobe earthquake

An 1800-m-deep borehole into the Nojima fault zone was drilled at Nojima-Hirabayashi, Japan, after the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake. Three possible fracture zones were detected at depths of about 1140, 1300, and 1800 m. To assess these fracture zones in this recently active fault, we analyzed the distributions of fault rocks, minerals, and chemical elements in these zones. The central fault plane in the shallowest fracture zone was identified by foliated blue-gray gouge at a depth of 1140 m. The degree of fracturing was evidently greater in the hanging wall than in the footwall. Minerals detected in this zone were quartz, orthoclase, plagioclase, and biotite, as in the parent rock (granodiorite), and also kaolinite, smectite, laumontite, stilbite, calcite, ankerite, and siderite, which are related to hydrothermal alteration. Biotite was absent in both the hanging wall and footwall across the central fault plane, but it was absent over a greater distance from the central fault plane in the hanging wall than in the footwall. Major element compositions across this zone suggested that hydrothermal alteration minerals such as kaolinite and smectite occurred across the central fault plane for a greater distance in the hanging wall than in the footwall. Similarly, H₂O+ and CO₂ had higher concentrations in the hanging wall than in the footwall. This asymmetrical distribution pattern is probably due to the greater degree of wall–rock fracturing and associated alteration in the hanging wall. We attributed the characteristics of this zone to fault activity and fluid–rock interactions. We analyzed the other fracture zones along this fault in the same way. In the fracture zone at about 1300 m depth, we detected the same kinds of hydrothermal alteration minerals as in the shallower zone, but they were in fewer samples. We detected relatively little H₂O+ and CO₂, and little evidence for movement of the major chemical elements, indicating little past fluid–rock interaction. In the fracture zone at about 1800 m depth, H₂O+ and CO₂ were very enriched throughout the interval, as in the fracture zone at about 1140 m depth. However, smectite was absent and chlorite was present, indicating the occurrence of chloritization, which requires a temperature of more than 200 °C. Only smectite can form under the present conditions in these fracture zones. The chloritization probably occurred in the past when the fracture zone was deeper than it is now. These observations suggest that among the three fracture zones, that at about 1140 m depth was the most activated at the time of the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu (Kobe) earthquake.     

Characteristics of Porphyry Cu Mineralization at Waisoi (Namosi District), Viti Levu, Fiji

The porphyry Cu deposits at Waisoi in Namosi district, Viti Levu are separated into two deposits: the Waisoi East deposit and the Waisoi West deposit. In the Waisoi East deposit, quartz porphyry is exposed and in the Waisoi West deposit, diorite porphyry is sporadically exposed in addition to a small body of quartz porphyry. The mineralization in the Waisoi East deposit is characterized by the bornite–chalcopyrite–pyrite assemblage associated with traces of molybdenite and native gold. Polyphase fluid inclusions in stockwork quartz veinlets show homogenization temperatures ranging from 210 to >500°C. The high‐grade Cu mineralization in the Waisoi West deposit is characterized by the bornite–chalcopyrite–pyrite assemblage accompanied with sheeted and stockwork quartz veinlets. Polyphase fluid inclusions occasionally containing hematite flakes in quartz veinlets in the center of the Waisoi West deposit homogenize at temperatures ranging from 450°C to >500°C. However, fluid inclusions in stockwork quartz veinlets in the periphery, homogenize at lower temperatures around 210°C. Both in the Waisoi East and Waisoi West deposits, primary bornite–chalcopyrite–pyrite assemblage in the high Cu‐grade zone was deposited at the upper stability limit of chalcopyrite with respect to sulfur fugacity. Thus, the principal Cu mineralization at the Waisoi deposits occurred at a relatively high sulfur fugacity, that is, in a high‐sulfidation environment.     

Fluid infiltration associated with seismic faulting: Examining chemical and mineralogical compositions of fault rocks from the active Chelungpu fault

In order to understand the fault zone architecture and mechanisms that caused the Chi-Chi earthquake, the Chelungpu drilling project was conducted during April 2000 through a collaborative project between Japan and Taiwan. In this study, chemical and mineralogical variations within the overall Chelungpu fault zone, including variations between less damaged host rocks, damaged zones, and fault cores caused by the Chi-Chi earthquake were examined. Slopes of TiO₂ immobile isocons were consistently > 1 for analyses comparing host rocks with rocks from damaged zones or with gouges from fault cores, indicating that volume loss occurred in damaged zones and the fault cores. These results strongly imply that pervasive fluid infiltration occurred within the fault zone. Volume loss within the damaged zone and fault core is interpreted to result from a two-stage process involving: (i) coseismic mechanical wearing and/or dissolution in the fault core, and (ii) fluid infiltration within the fault zone during postseismic and interseismic periods along cracks caused by seismic failure. Semi-quantitative XRD analysis indicates that the kaolinite content consistently increases from the less damaged host rocks to the damaged zone and gouges in each fault core. Mineralogic changes indicate that pervasive acidic fluid infiltration occurred within the fault zones and reacted with the feldspars or muscovite to form kaolinite. Enrichment of kaolinite and illite found in the fault zones of southern drilling site could play some role on the slipping behavior of the southern part of the Chelungpu fault. Greater volume loss in the fault core may have resulted from moderate permeability, combined with the very fine grain nature of pulverized material in the fault core, which enhanced chemical reactions including transformation of feldspars and muscovite to clay minerals. The study results indicate that pervasive fluid infiltration occurred and changed the mineralogical and chemical architecture of fault zones caused by the cyclic earthquakes.     

Monitoring system for environmental risk management of a landfill disposal site

A landfill disposal site can be described as “an artificial vessel” and must satisfy the following three demands (1) storage and disposal of waste; (2) protection of the environment; and (3) benefit for nearby residents by taking advantage of consequential effects. The concept of risk was effectively considered to emphasize the importance of monitoring systems in landfill disposal sites, especially to protect the environment. Because a part of the R&D was involved in creating a monitoring system for a landfill disposal site, the present development and future potential of a system which can detect the leakage of watershield sheets, was discussed.     

Zoned Calc-Alkaline Plutons in Northeastern Kamchatka,Russia: Implications for the crustal growth in magmatic arcs

Summary The Upper Cretaceous oceanic and island-arc terranes of Northeastern Kamchatka (Russia) are intruded by numerous ultramafic and mafic to intermediate plutons. Ultramafic plutons north of Epilchik Lake show a concentric structure: dunites in the core pass progressively outwards into wehrlites and pyroxenites and into gabbros along the rim which are occasionally phlogopite- and amphibole-bearing. Compositional layering and mineral orientations marked by spinel clusters in the dunites and by acicular amphiboles in the marginal gabbros are parallel to the contacts. The mafic to intermediate plutons studied in the Machevna area show similar concentric structure with a dioritic core and a gabbroic rim. Magmatic flow lines are near-vertical in the central part of the plutons. These internal structures and general geometry of the plutons suggest vertical magma intrusion into mega-tension gashes developed initially at a high angle to the subduction zone.Olivine, pyroxenes, and plagioclase have primitive compositions. Al-rich, highpressure amphiboles are followed by Al-poor, low-pressure hornblendes. A two stage model of pluton crystallization and emplacement is proposed: initial crystallization and seggregation at the Moho level below the intraoceanic island are (approximately 22–25 km depth) and final emplacement followed by partial recycling of primary ultramafic cumulates and solidification at upper crustal levels (approximately 8–10 km depth). Emplacement of the arc plutons was accompanied by epidote amphibolite-facies contact metamorphism of host volcanic and pyroclastic rocks.Major- and trace-element analyses of plutonic rocks indicate calc-alkaline affinities and emplacement in a primitive arc setting. The tectonic setting, age, and emplacement structures suggest that these plutons mark the change of geodynamic conditions from arc-related compression to local extension probably related to the initial stages of opening of the proto-Komandorsky basin. A two stage model for the crustal growth in magmatic arcs is proposed based on northeastern Kamchatka plutons. During stage I, primitive basaltic melts were emplaced along the crust-mantle boundary below the arc. Continuous fractionation and accumulation of olivine-rich cumulate rocks at the base of the growing island-arc crust resulted in production of evolved melt which was further emplaced in the upper arc crust. Crystal fractionation of a shallow, stage II magmatic reservoir below the active arc volcanoes resulted in formation of a significant amount of plutonic rocks and eruption of mafic to intermediate calc-alkaline lavas at the surface.

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Zonierte kalk-alkalische Plutone im nardöstlichen Kamchatka, Russland: Hinweise auf Krusten Wachstum inmagmatischen Bögen

Zusammenfassung Zahlreiche ultramafische, Bowie mafische bis intermediäre Plutone intrudieren die oberkretazischen ozeanischen und Inselbogen-Terrains in Nordost-Kamchatka (Russland). Ultramafische Plutone nördlich des Epilchik Lake zeigen eine konzentrische Struktur: Dunite im Kern gehen graduell in Wehrlite und Pyroxenite, und schließlich am Rand in Gabbros über, die gelegentlich Phlogopit und Amphibol führen. Lagenbau und Orientierung von Mineralkörnern sind durch Spinell-Kluster in den Duniten und durch nadelige Amphibole in den randlichen Gabbros gekennzeichnet und liegen parallel zu den Kontakten. Die mafischen bis intermediären Plutone in dem Machevna-Gebiet zeigen ähnliche konzentrische Strukturen mit einem dioritischen Kern und einem gabbroischen Rand. Magmatische Flußlinien Bind fast vertikal in den zentralen Teilen der Plutone. Diese internen Strukturen und die allgemeine Geometrie der Plutone legen es nahe, daß es sich hier um vertikale Magmen-Intrusion in Mega-Strukturen handelt, die sich ursprünglich in einem hohen Winkel zur Subduktionszone gebildet haben.Olivine, Pyroxene und Plagioklase haben primitive Zusammensetzungen. Auf Alreiche Hochdruck-Amphibole folgen Al-arme Tiefdruck-Hornblenden. Ein Modell, das zwei Stadien der Pluton-Kristallisation und Platznahme vorsieht, wird vorgeschlagen: Ursprüngliche Kristallisation und Segregation im Moho-Niveau zwischen dem intraozeanischen Inselbogen (ungefähr 22–25 km Tiefe) und schließliche Platznahme gefolgt von teilweise Recycling primärer ultramafischer Kumulate und Verfestigung in oberen Krustenniveaus (ungefähr 8–10 km Tiefe). Die Platznahme der Bogen-Plutone war von Epidot-Amphibolit-Fazies Kontaktmetamorphose der intrudierten Vulkanite und Pyroklastite begleitet.Haupt- und Spurenelement-Analysen der plutonischen Gesteine weisen auf kalkalkalischen Charakter und eine Platznahme in einem primitiven Insenbogensetting hin. Die tektonische Situation, das Alter und die Strukturen der Platznahme lassen erkennen, daß these Plutone den Wechsel in geodynamischen Bedingungen von Inselbogenbezogener Kompression zu lokaler Extension repräsentieren, Vorgänge die mit den initialen Stadien der Öffnung des proto-Komandorsky Beckens zusammenhängen. Auf der Basis der Plutone des nordöstlichen Kamchatka wird ein Modell des Krustenwachstums in magmatischen Bögen vorgeschlagen, das auf zwei Stadien beruht. Während des ersten Stadiums werden primitive basaltische Schmelzen längs der Kruste-MantelGrenze unter dem Bogen intrudiert. Andauernde Fraktionicrung und Akkumulation Olivin-reicher Kumulatgesteine an der Basis der wachsenden Inselbogenkruste resultiert dann in der Produktion einer entwickelten Schmelze die spdter in der Kruste des oberen Bogens Platz genommen hat. Kristallfraktionierung eines seichten magmatischen Reservoirs des zweiten Stadiums unter den aktiven Vulkanen des Bogens führte dann zur Bildung signifikanter Mengen plutonischer Gesteine und zur Eruption von mafischen bis intermediären kalk-alkalischen Laven an der Oberfläche.

     

Specific affinity for phosphate uptake and specific alkaline phosphatase activity as diagnostic tools for detecting phosphorus-limited phytoplankton and bacteria

We analyzed responses of soluble reactive phosphorus (SRP), bioavailable phosphate (PO₄), particulate phosphorus, turnover time of orthophosphate (T_t), and alkaline phosphatase activity (APA) to varying degrees of nutrient stress. The nutrient stress was evoked by different treatments in concentration and combination of inorganic nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P), and labile organic carbon (glucose) to mesocosms in experiments carried out in eutrophic southern (Odense Fjord, Denmark) and northern (Tvärminne Archipelago, Finland) coastal zones of the Baltic Sea. Despite seasonal and geographical differences, similar responses were observed in both experiments. Low SRP (<100 nmol l^?1), shortT _t (<10 h), and increased levels of APA were observed in both N+P balanced and P deficient treatments, while the opposite trend was observed in P replete treatments. The shortestT _t and the highest APA were found when glucose was combined with N treatment. Bioavailable PO₄ was estimated usingT _t and P uptake rates as derived from stoichiometric conversion of carbon based primary and bacterial production. With shorterT _t, the PO₄ pool declined to <1 nmol-P l^?1, whereas the SRP background pool (difference between SRP and PO₄) remained relatively constant (c. 50 nmol l^?1). APA was inversely related to PO₄ but not to SRP. Responses of specific APA and specific affinity for PO₄ uptake, which are APA and PO₄ uptake rates (inverse ofT _t), respectively, normalized to the summed P biomass of phytoplankton and bacteria, responded consistently to the pattern and magnitude of nutrient limitation evoked in our experiments. Our results, together with a literature survey, suggest that both parameters can be useful in examining PO₄ availability for the natural phytoplankton and bacteria community in P starved aquatic systems.     

Evaluation of the resistance of coastal Pinus thunbergii Parlat. forests to the tsunami fluid force in Japan

Natural Hazards - Coastal forests can protect coastal areas from the effects of tsunamis. However, the coastal forests of Tohoku were destroyed by the Great East Japan Tsunami, which was triggered...     

Evaluation of Genetic Diversity in Zostera japonica (Aschers. et Graebn.) for Seagrass Conservation in Brackish Lower Reaches of the Hii River System, Japan

This study examined the genetic diversity and composition of 15 populations of Zostera japonica in the Hii River system, Japan. Genetic and genotypic diversity were consistently higher in populations in the Ohashi River than those in Lake Nakaumi, and the local tidal movements may explain the observed patterns of genetic diversity. Pairwise fixation index values among the populations in Lake Nakaumi were higher than among those in the Ohashi River, even though the ranges of the distances among the populations in the two locations were almost the same. The gene flow from the Ohashi River populations was important for some populations in Lake Nakaumi. The low genotypic diversity and gene flow in Lake Nakaumi seemed similar to those of marginal populations. If this low genotypic diversity and genetic differentiation were partly caused by human activities, the promotion of gene flow should be taken into account in conserving the populations in Lake Nakaumi.     

Mechanism and future risk of slope instability induced by extreme rainfall event in Izu Oshima Island,Japan

Natural Hazards - A volcanic slope in Izu Oshima Island in Japan experienced a profound rain-induced disaster in October 2013. Since this slope had been stable for centuries except for minor...     

Decision-theoretic sensitivity analysis for reservoir development under uncertainty using multilevel quasi-Monte Carlo methods

At various stages of petroleum reservoir development, we encounter a large degree of geological uncertainty under which a rational decision has to be made. In order to identify which parameter or group of parameters significantly affects the output of a decision model, we investigate decision-theoretic sensitivity analysis and its computational issues in this paper. In particular, we employ the so-called expected value of partial perfect information (EVPPI) as a sensitivity index and apply multilevel Monte Carlo (MLMC) methods to efficient estimation of EVPPI. In a recent paper by Giles and Goda, an antithetic MLMC estimator for EVPPI is proposed and its variance analysis is conducted under some assumptions on a decision model. In this paper, for an improvement on the performance of the MLMC estimator, we incorporate randomized quasi-Monte Carlo methods within the inner sampling, which results in an multilevel quasi-Monte Carlo (MLQMC) estimator. We apply both the antithetic MLMC and MLQMC estimators to a simple waterflooding decision problem under uncertainty on absolute permeability and relative permeability curves. Through numerical experiments, we compare the performances of the MLMC and MLQMC estimators and confirm a significant advantage of the MLQMC estimator.