Effects of acidified seawater on calcification,photosynthetic efficiencies and the recovery processes from strong light exposure in the coral Stylophora pistillata

The aim of this study was to investigate whether coral photosynthetic efficiencies and recovery processes are affected by CO₂‐driven ocean acidification in symbiont photosynthesis and coral calcification. We investigated the effects of five CO₂ partial pressure (pCO₂) levels in adjusted seawater ranging from 300 μatm (pre‐industrial) to 800 μatm (near‐future) and strong and weak light intensity on maximum photosynthetic efficiency and calcification of a branching coral, Stylophora pistillata, as this species has often been used in rearing experiments to investigate the effects of acidified seawater on calcification and photosynthetic algae of corals. We found that, the photosynthetic efficiencies and recovery patterns under different light conditions did not differ among pCO₂ treatments. Furthermore, calcification of S. pistillata was not affected by acidified seawater under weak or strong light conditions. Our results indicate that the photosynthetic efficiency and calcification of S. pistillata are insensitive to changes in ocean acidity.     

Relative displacement response spectra with pounding effect

To avoid unseating of a deck, an adequate seat width must be provided. The seat width is basically determined from maximum relative displacement between two bridge segments. Under a strong ground excitation, pounding between two decks may occur at a joint. The pounding will affect the response of two bridge segments. This research is conducted to investigate the effect of pounding on the relative displacement between two adjacent bridge segments. A simplified analytical model of two linear single‐degree‐of‐freedom systems is employed. To take into account the pounding, the laws of conservation of momentum and energy are applied. The analytical results are represented in the form of relative displacement response spectra with pounding effect. It is found that due to the pounding the relative displacement can be amplified, resulting in the requirement of a longer seat width to support a deck. The formulation of normalized relative displacement response spectra is presented together with an application example. It is found that the seat width determined from the relative displacement response spectra with pounding effect becomes close to the value specified in the Japanese design specifications for structures with large difference of natural periods. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Miocene pillowed sills in the Shimane Peninsula, SW Japan

Two Miocene basaltic andesite pillowed sills in the Shimane Peninsula, SW Japan, were intruded into wet marine sediments, plastically deforming them. The pillows are elongated, constricted, interconnected and relatively closely packed. Individual pillows have a poorly to moderately vesiculated, somewhat crystalline rind thinner than a few centimeters and a moderately to well vesiculated, more crystalline core; contraction cracks and spreading cracks are poorly developed. The pillows in the sills morphologically resemble pillow lava flows, and during sill intrusion, the magma bifurcated into pillow lobes in a manner similar to pillow lavas. Formation of pillows in sill probably occurs when the magma is intruded into wet sediments and protrudes fingers by the instability of the magma-sediment interface with little turbulence of magma flow.     

Theoretical and experimental dynamic behaviour of a curved model bridge structure

Correlations between analytical and experimental seismic responses of a curved model bridge structure, which was constructed to have the same features as a typical full-scale high curved highway bridge structure, are presented. Dynamic behaviour and seismic response of the experimental bridge model are examined with particular emphasis on the discontinuous behaviour of expansion joints. Modelling of Coulomb type friction with slippages and impacting at the expansion joints is described. Correlations of displacement response of the bridge model carried out for three seismic excitations are presented. Parameter studies conducted to assist in the interpretation of correlation results are presented and the characteristics of the dynamic behaviour of the bridge model are discussed.     

Cosmic ray sidereal diurnal variation of galactic origin observed by neutron monitors

We have analyzed the sidereal diurnal variation of cosmic rays, using 620 station-years of neutron monitor data during the period 1958–1979. The sidereal variation averaged over the period for all the stations in the Northern Hemisphere is different from the corresponding variation in the Southern Hemisphere. The difference is statistically significant and can be identified with the spurious sidereal variation produced from the stationary anisotropy of solar origin, responsible for the solar semi-diurnal variation. The variation common to both hemispheres is also exceptionally significant from the statistical point of view and could be regarded as being due to a uni-directional galactic anisotropy. This variation has an amplitude of 0.0204 ± 0.0015% and a phase of 6.8 ± 0.3 h and is clearly different from that ( ～ 0.05%, 0 ～ 3 h) observed in the high rigidity region (500 ～ 10⁴ GV). The physical meaning of the variation is discussed from the standpoint of the heliomagnetospheric modulation of galactic anisotropy.     

Determination of Multiple Trace Element Compositions in Thin (> 30 μm) Layers of NIST SRM 614 and 616 Using Laser Ablation-Inductively Coupled Plasma-Mass Spectrometry (LA-ICP-MS)

To understand and/or avoid small-scale chemical heterogeneities within geological materials prepared as normal thin sections, in situ multiple trace element determination coupled with the simultaneous microscopic observation of the sample during analysis is preferable. We have examined fifty trace elements in thin (< 30 μm) layers of the NIST SRM 614 and 616 glass reference materials by LA-ICP-MS using different pit diameters and internal standard elements (Ca and Si). Compositional heterogeneities of Tl, Bi, As and Cd were found in NIST SRM 614 and 616 at the spatial resolution of ca. 10 0 μm. Except for these elements, the RSDs of six determinations for most elements were better than 10% in NIST SRM 614 when ablation diameters were < 50 μm. The measured concentrations for most elements in NIST SRM 614 and 616 agree with previous values in the literature at the 95% confidence level with the exception of W and Bi. New LA-ICP-MS data for K, As and Cd are also reported. The results support the view that the latest LA-ICP-MS is a powerful and flexible analytical technique for the determination of multiple ultra-trace element compositions in geological materials prepared as normal thin sections of the type that has been used for polarising optical microscopic observations since the end of the 19th century.     

Deformation structures in shale bed indicate flow direction of overlying Miocene subaqueous pyroclastic flow

Thrusts, pinch-and-swell structures and undulations are present within a 2-m-thick layered shale bed of Miocene age that is overlain by a rhyolite subaqueous pyroclastic flow deposit 2–3 m thick. The deformation structures were caused by loading and lateral compression by the subaqueous pyroclastic flow, probably analogous to those observed in layered muds deformed by a sand mass advancing across them. Prominent thrusts strike east-west and dip south, and the crests of undulations strike east-west, indicating that the subaqeuous pyroclastic flow moved northward.     

Earthquake response spectra taking account of number of response cycles

Proposed is a new definition of earthquake response spectra, which takes account of the number of response cycles N. The Nth largest amplitude of absolute acceleration response of a linear oscilator with natural period T and damping ratio h, which is subjected to ground motion at its base, is defined as S_A(T, h, N). By defining a reduction factor η(T, h, N) as S_A(T, h, N)/S_A(T, h, 1), characteristics of η(T, h, N) were investigated based on 394 components of strong motion records obtained in Japan. Two practical empirical formulae to assess the reduction factor η(T, h, N) are proposed.     

Ambient air measurements of six bifunctional carbonyls in a suburban area

Low-molecular-weight carbonyl compounds, generated by photochemical reactions in the atmosphere and found in the exhaust of motor vehicles, have recently come to the attention of researchers because some of them are suspected carcinogens or mutagens. Six bifunctional carbonyl compounds were detected and measured in a suburban site 30 km northwest of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Samples were taken on five sunny days between 2 August and 11 August 2003 with a low-volume denuder and three-filter tandem system using O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine (PFBHA) as a sorbent. Bifunctional carbonyls were measured by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry after two derivatization processes with PFBHA and N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA). The average total (gas plus particle) concentrations were 162.8 ng m^− 3 for pyruvic acid, 113.7 ng m^− 3 for methylglyoxal, 36.0 ng m^− 3 for glycolaldehyde and 58.6 ng m^− 3 for glyoxal.     

Hydraulic and numerical study on the generation of a subaqueous landslide-induced tsunami along the coast

By carrying out the hydraulic experiments in a one-dimensional open channel and two-dimensional basin, we clarified the process of how a landslide on a uniform slope causes the generation of a tsunami. The effect of the interactive force that occurs between the debris flow layer and the tsunami is significant in the generation of a tsunami. The continuous flow of the debris into the water makes the wave period of the tsunami short. The present experiments apply numerical simulation using the two-layer model with shear stress models on the bottom and interface, and the results are compared. The simulated debris flow shows good agreement with the measured results and ensures the rushing process into the water. We propose that the model use a Manning coefficient of 0.01 for the smooth slope and 0.015 for the rough slope, and a horizontal viscosity of 0.01 m²/s for the landslide; an interactive force of 0.2 for each layer is recommended. The dispersion effect should be included in the numerical model for the propagation from the shore.