Distributed object‐based software environment for urban system integrated simulation under urban‐scale hazard—Part II: Application

A software prototype of a simulation service software environment, called DOSE (distributed object‐based software environment), is developed to realize the integrated simulation of an urban system under the risk of urban‐scale hazards such as earthquakes. DOSE infrastructure is built on three basic building blocks, namely: modularity, scalability, and interoperability. In this paper, the application of DOSE to real‐world urban systems is described in order to provide an evidence for DOSE modularity and scalability. An overview of DOSE is presented and then followed by a beverage application to simulate earthquake hazard in an urban system. The urban system is developed for the city of Kobe (Kobe district) with dimensions of 700 × 500 (m) and Bunkyo ward (Tokyo district) with dimensions of 800 × 600 (m) where DOSE simulation participants are identified for each district. The effectiveness of data exchange among different participants through a distributed service exchange network is described as an evidence for DOSE modularity that facilitates the integration process. On the other hand, the effectiveness of processing time when applying the simulation to different urban system sizes and/or using different third‐party applications is described as an evidence for DOSE scalability. The details of the underlying infrastructure of DOSE are beyond the scope of this paper and are presented in an accompanying paper work. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Coordinated mineralogical and isotopic analyses of a cosmic symplectite discovered in a comet 81P/Wild 2 sample

We have discovered in a Stardust mission terminal particle a unique mineralogical assemblage of symplectically intergrown pentlandite ((Fe,Ni)₉S₈) and nanocrystalline maghemite (γ‐Fe₂O₃). Mineralogically similar cosmic symplectites (COS) have only been found in the primitive carbonaceous chondrite Acfer 094 and are believed to have formed by aqueous alteration. The O and S isotopic compositions of the Wild 2 COS are indistinguishable from terrestrial values. The metal and sulfide precursors were thus oxidized by an isotopically equilibrated aqueous reservoir either inside the snow line, in the Wild 2 comet, or in a larger Kuiper Belt object. Close association of the Stardust COS with a Kool mineral assemblage (kosmochloric Ca‐rich pyroxene, FeO‐rich olivine, and albite) that likely originated in the solar nebula suggests the COS precursors also had a nebular origin and were transported from the inner solar system to the comet‐forming region after they were altered.     

Summer Water Balance Characteristics of Koryto Glacier, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia

The daily water balance for the drainage basin of Koryto Glacier, Kamchatka Peninsula, Russia, was calculated during the period from August to September 2000. The result shows that 14×10⁶ m³ of meltwater and 2×10⁶ m³ of rainwater entered the basin, while 26×10⁶ m³ of water drained from the basin through proglacial streams. Thus, about ?9×10⁶ m³ of water storage reduction occurred in the basin. Vertical displacements of the glacier surface showed that the volume change due to contraction of subglacial cavities was nearly 20% of the total storage change. The remaining fraction of water storage during the period is thought to be stored in englacial and supraglacial locations. The estimate of water balance components in the early ablation season in 2000 indicates that meltwater was already stored within the glacier before the spring, even during the previous year, and that the stored water drained through the ablation season.     

Intergranular trace elements in mantle xenoliths from Russian Far East: Example for mantle metasomatism by hydrous melt

Based on both major and trace element chemistry, the occurrence of the intergranular component in mantle-derived xenoliths from far eastern Russia has been constrained. Whole-rock trace element measurements of one xenolith show apparent negative anomalies in Ce, Th, and high field strength elements on normalized trace element patterns. The trace element pattern of the whole rock differs from those of constituent minerals, indicating that the anomalies in the whole rock are attributable to the presence of an intergranular component. That assumption was confirmed using in situ analysis of trace elements in the intergranular substance and melt inclusion using laser ablation inductively coupled plasma–mass spectrometry. Both the intergranular component and the melt inclusions have identical trace element patterns, which mean that these materials are a cognate metasomatizing agent. The anomalies are regarded as mantle metasomatism related to an aqueous fluid. Hydrous minerals were observed on the wall of the melt inclusions using micro-Raman spectroscopy, indicating that the melt inclusions contained a large amount of water. Thus, this study reveals a trace element composition of a hydrous metasomatizing agent in the mantle.     

Spatial distribution of organic matter in the Bells CM2 chondrite using near‐field infrared microspectroscopy

Abstract– Distributions of organic functional groups as well as inorganic features were analyzed in the Bells (CM2) carbonaceous chondrite using near‐field infrared (NFIR) spectroscopy. NFIR spectroscopy has recently been developed to enable infrared spectral mapping beyond the optical diffraction limit of conventional Fourier transform infrared microspectroscopy. NFIR spectral mapping of the Bells 300 nm thick sections on Al plates for 7.5 × 7.5 μm² areas showed some C‐H‐rich areas which were considered to represent the organic‐rich areas. Heterogeneous distributions of organic matter as well as those of inorganic phases such as silicates (Si‐O) were observed with 1 μm spatial resolution. The NFIR mappings of aliphatic C‐H (2960 and 2930 cm^?1) and structural OH (3650 cm^?1) confirm that organic matter is associated with phyllosilicates as previously suggested. The NFIR mapping method can provide 1 μm spatial distribution of organic functional groups and their association with minerals. High local sensitivity of NFIR enables us to find organic‐rich areas and to characterize them by their aliphatic CH₂/CH₃ ratios. The aliphatic CH₂/CH₃ ratio of Bells is slightly higher than Murchison, similar to Orgueil, and lower than literature values of IDPs and cometary dust particles.     

Penetration tracks in aerogel produced by Al2O3 spheres

Abstract— We conducted impact experiments into SiO₂‐based aerogel of uniform density (0.02 g cm^?3) with spherical corundum projectiles. The highly refractory nature and mechanical strength of corundum minimizes projectile deformation and continuous mass loss by ablation that might have affected earlier experiments with soda‐lime glass (SLG) impactors into aerogel targets. We find that corundum is a vastly superior penetrator producing tracks a factor of 2.5 longer, yet similar in diameter to those made by SLG. At velocities <4 km s^?1 a cylindrical “cavity” forms, largely by melting of aerogel. The diameter and length of this cavity increase with velocity and impactor size, and its volume dominates total track volume. A continuously tapering, exceptionally long and slender “stylus” emerges from this cavity and makes up some 80–90% of the total track length; this stylus is characterized by solid‐state deformations. Tracks formed below 4 km s^?1 lack the molten cavity and consist only of a stylus. Projectile residues recovered from a track's terminus substantially resemble the initial impactors at V > 4 km s^?1, yet they display two distinct surfaces at higher velocities, such as a blunt, forward face and a well‐preserved, hemispherical trailing side; a pronounced, circumferential ridge of compressed and molten aerogel separates these two surfaces. Stringers and patches of melt flow towards the impactor's rear where they accumulate in a characteristic melt tip. SEM‐EDS analyses indicate the presence of Al in these melts at velocities as low as 5.2 km s^?1, indicating that the melting point of corundum (2054 °C) was exceeded. The thermal model of aerogel impact by Anderson and Cherne (2008) suggests actual aerogel temperatures <5000 K at comparable conditions. We therefore propose that projectile melting occurs predominantly at those surfaces that are in contact with this very hot aerogel, at the expense of viscous heating and associated ablation. Exposure to superheated aerogel may be viewed as extreme form of “flash heating.” This seems consistent with observations from the Stardust mission to comet Wild 2, such as relatively pristine interiors of rather large, terminal particles, yet total melting of most fine‐grained dust components.     

Seasonal and interannual variability of sea surface chlorophyll a concentration in the Japan/East Sea (JES)

Seasonal and interannual variability of chlorophyll a concentration in the Japan/East Sea (JES) was detected spatially by ocean color satellite remote sensing. Start timing of the spring bloom was different spatially. The spring bloom started at the subpolar front and southward of it in March, northward of subpolar front, along the Primorye coast and off Hokkaido in April and in the middle of the Japan Basin in May. The start of the spring bloom showed interannual variability that corresponded with the wind speed in the area. The spring bloom in 1998 and 2002 appeared about four weeks earlier than in 1997, 1999 and 2001, and it corresponded with weak winds that can lead to an early development of the thermocline. The bloom was late in 1999 and 2001 in the Japan Basin and along the Primorye coast, and in the southern area in 2000. It corresponded with stronger wind stress that delayed seasonal thermocline formation. The bloom along the Primorye coast appeared later in 1999, and it corresponded with stronger wind stress, and at the same time, it seemed to be related with the delay of melting of sea ice in Mamiya Strait. The fall bloom appeared from early October to early December, and it did not have a clear temporal transition. The area where chlorophyll a concentration exceeded 0.8 μg l⁻¹ was wider in the western area than in the eastern area every year. The magnitude of the fall bloom was different between years, but it did not show a correlation with average wind speed in fall. Those results indicated that the timing of the seasonal bloom in the JES is largely affected by the variability of global climate such as ENSO events.     

An atomic level study of rhenium and radiogenic osmium in molybdenite

Local atomic structures of Re and radiogenic Os in molybdenite from the Onganja mine, Namibia, were examined using X-ray absorption fine structure (XAFS). Rhenium L_III-edge X-ray absorption near-edge structure (XANES) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) show that the oxidation state of Re, the interatomic distances between Re and the neighboring atoms, and the coordination number of Re to S are very similar to those of Mo in molybdenite. The results confirm that Re is present as Re(IV) in the Mo site in molybdenite.Measurement of L_III-edge XANES and EXAFS of a minor concentration (8.55 ppm) of radiogenic Os was accomplished in fluorescence mode by removing the interfering X-rays from Re and other elements using a crystal analyzer system. The data indicate that the oxidation state of radiogenic Os is Os(III) and Os(IV) and clearly different from Os(II) in natural sulfide minerals, such as OsS₂ (erlichmanite). XANES data also suggest that radiogenic Os does not form a secondary Os phase, such as OsS₂ or Os metal, in molybdenite.EXAFS of radiogenic Os was successfully simulated assuming that Os is present in the Mo site in molybdenite. The data are consistent with the XANES data; Os does not form Os phases in molybdenite. The EXAFS simulation showed that the interatomic distance between Os and S is 2.27 Å, which is 0.12 Å smaller than the distances of Re-S and Mo-S (2.39 Å) in molybdenite. Similar valences and ionic sizes of Re and Mo in molybdenite support the fact that large amounts of Re can be incorporated into the Mo site as has been observed in previous studies, whereas the different properties of Os compared to Mo and Re suggested here support much lower abundance of common Os in molybdenite. This makes molybdenite an ideal mineral for the Re-Os geochronometer as shown in many studies. However, the shorter distance between radiogenic Os and S compared to those of Re-S and Mo-S in molybdenite suggests that the radiogenic Os has a smaller ionic size than Re(IV) and Mo(IV). Furthermore, Os may be partly present as Os(III). Smaller and lower charge Os can diffuse faster than larger and higher charge Re in molybdenite at a given set of conditions. Hence, our study provides an atomic-level explanation for the high mobility of Os compared to Re, which has been suggested by earlier workers using laser ablation ICP-MS.     

Fate of carbonates within oceanic plates subducted to the lower mantle, and a possible mechanism of diamond formation

We report on high-pressure and high-temperature experiments involving carbonates and silicates at 30–80 GPa and 1,600–3,200 K, corresponding to depths within the Earth of approximately 800–2,200 km. The experiments are intended to represent the decomposition process of carbonates contained within oceanic plates subducted into the lower mantle. In basaltic composition, CaCO₃ (calcite and aragonite), the major carbonate phase in marine sediments, is altered into MgCO₃ (magnesite) via reactions with Mg-bearing silicates under conditions that are 200–300°C colder than the mantle geotherm. With increasing temperature and pressure, the magnesite decomposes into an assemblage of CO₂ + perovskite via reactions with SiO₂. Magnesite is not the only host phase for subducted carbon—solid CO₂ also carries carbon in the lower mantle. Furthermore, CO₂ itself breaks down to diamond and oxygen under geotherm conditions over 70 GPa, which might imply a possible mechanism for diamond formation in the lower mantle.     

Occurrence of arsenic (V) in forearc mantle serpentinites based on X-ray absorption spectroscopy study

We examined As concentration, mineralogical site, and oxidation state in the serpentinites associated with the Tso Morari eclogitic rocks in the Indus suture zone, northwest Himalaya, to examine how highly fluid-soluble elements like As are transferred from slabs to arc magmas in subduction zones. The serpentinite samples represent hydrated peridotites at the base of the mantle wedge beneath Eurasia, and were exhumed from a depth of ∼100 km during subduction of the Indian continental margin. The bulk serpentinite samples contain total As concentrations ranging from 6 to 275 ppm. Arsenic in the samples is most likely present with magnetite and antigorite, since electron probe analysis yielded up to 90 ppm As in these minerals. X-ray absorption near-edge structure spectra indicate that As in serpentinites is mostly As(V) and that the neighboring atoms of As are O, although there are minute grains of sulfides and arsenides. The ratio of As(V) to total As is greater in samples with higher As contents, suggesting that the major source of As was oxidized As(V), introduced to the mantle wedge. Arsenic(V), originally adsorbed on Fe-oxides in slabs and overlying sediments, was most likely liberated during their subduction and incorporated subsequently in the overlying mantle wedge. Our data constrain the introduction of As into the mantle wedge at relatively shallow levels, much shallower than 25 km. Arsenic incorporated in the serpentinites was transported to deeper levels by mantle flow downward along the subduction zone, to be subsequently exhumed together with eclogitic rocks.