Barotropic unstable modes in zonal and meridional channel on the beta-plane

Abstract

The linear stability of a non-divergent barotropic parallel shear flow in a zonal and a non-zonal channel on the β plane was examined numerically. When the channel is non-zonal, the governing equation is slightly modified from the Orr-Sommerfeld equation. Numerical solutions were obtained by solving the discretized linear perturbation equation as an eigenvalue problem of a matrix. When the channel is zonal and lateral viscosity is neglected the problem is reduced to the ordinary barotropic instability problem described by Kuo's (1949) equation. The discrepancy between the stability properties of westward and eastward flows, which have been indicated by earlier studies, was reconfirmed. It has also been suggested that the unstable modes are closely related to the continuous modes discretized by a finite differential approximation. When the channel is non-zonal, the properties of unstable modes were quite different from those of the zonal problem in that: (1) The phase speed of the unstable modes can exceed the maximum value of the basic flow speed; (2) The unstable modes are not accompanied by their conjugate mode; and (3) The basic flow without an inflection point can be unstable. The dispersion relation and the spatial structure of the unstable modes suggested that, irrespective of the orientation of the channel, they have close relation to the neutral modes (Rossby channel modes) which are the solutions in the absence of a basic shear flow. The features mentioned above are not dependent on whether or not the flow velocity at the boundary is zero.     

A Reynolds-averaged turbulence modelling approach to the maintenance of the Venus superrotation

Abstract

A maintenance mechanism of an approximately linear velocity profile of the Venus zonal flow or superrotation is explored, with the aid of a Reynolds-averaged turbulence modelling approach. The basic framework is similar to that of Gierasch (Meridional circulation and maintenance of the Venus atmospheric rotation. J. Atmos. Sci. 1975, 32, 1038–1044) in the sense that the mechanism is examined under a given meridional circulation. The profile mimicking the observations of the flow is initially assumed, and its maintenance mechanism in the presence of turbulence effects is investigated from a viewpoint of the suppression of energy cascade. In the present work, the turbulent viscosity is regarded as an indicator of the intensity of the cascade. A novelty of this formalism is the use of the isotropic turbulent viscosity based on a non-local time scale linked to a large-scale flow structure. The mechanism is first discussed qualitatively. On the basis of these discussions, the two-dimensional numerical simulation of the proposed model is performed, with an initially assumed superrotation, and the fast zonal flow is shown to be maintained, compared with the turbulent viscosity lacking the non-local time scale. The relationship of the present model with the current general circulation model simulation is discussed in light of a crucial role of the vertical viscosity.     

Semi-empirical estimation of ground motion using observed records at a site in Shikoku, Japan

A semi-empirical approach using fore- or after-shockrecords as Green's functions is applicable to thesimulation of strong ground motion, however suchrecords are obviously not available for predictionpurposes. Thus we have predicted ground motion fora hypothetical large earthquake from other minorevents by adopting a distance correction based ongeometrical spreading. Another difficulty inprediction is fault modeling. Surface traces weresimplified as fault models 27, 46, 55, and 77 km inlength. Further, the actual fault rupture may beinhomogeneous, so an asperity distribution isassumed. This asperity model assumes thatdislocation and stress drop are double than theaverage values. Although, the near field term isneglected in our simulation, no significantdifference was seen in the motions estimated byindividual models for periods up to 2.0 seconds. This indicates that the dependence of source size issmall for strong motion, perhaps as a result of therandom summation of high-frequency phases.     

Terrestrial heat flow at Hirabayashi on Awaji Island, south-west Japan

Abstract Terrestrial heat flow at Hirabayashi in Awaji Island, south-west Japan, was investigated using the deep borehole penetrating through the Nojima Fault, which was activated during the 1995 Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake, by measuring the thermal conductivity of basement rocks. Using the temperature logging data, the value of terrestrial heat flow in Hirabayashi was found to be 56.6 ± 5.2 mW/m². The relationship between cut-off depth of aftershocks of the Hyogo-ken Nanbu earthquake in Hirabayashi and terrestrial heat flow are discussed. The cut-off depth roughly corresponds to isotherms of 300°C.     

Paleotectonic structures and their influence on recent seismo-tectonics in the south Kuril subduction zone

Abstract Bathymetric data from south of Hokkaido obtained during a cruise of R/V Hakuho-Maru are summarized, and their correlation with earthquake occurrence is discussed. There are structural lineations on the seaward slope of the Kuril Trench, oblique to the Kuril Trench axis and parallel to the magnetic lineations in the Pacific plate. The structural lineations comprise horst-grabens generated by normal faulting. This suggests that Cretaceous tectonic structures originating at the spreading centre affect present seismotectonics around the trench axis. The structural-magnetic relation is compared to the case of the Japan Trench. North-east of the surveyed area, there are two major fracture zones (Nosappu Fracture Zone and Iturup Fracture Zone) that divide the oceanic plate into three segments. If the fracture zones (FZ) and the zone of paleo-mechanical weakness, represented by magnetic lineations, can control the direction of normal faults at a trench, the extent of the resulting topographic roughness on the seaward slope of the trench would be different across an FZ because of the differences in ages. By studying recent large earthquakes occurring in the south Kuril region, it is shown that several main-aftershock distributions for large earthquakes in this region are bounded by the Nosappu FZ and the Iturup FZ. Two models (Barrier model and Rebound model) are presented to interpret earthquake occurrence near the south Kuril Islands. The Barrier model explains seismic boundaries seen in several examples for earthquake occurrence in the south Kuril regions. The fracture zone forming the boundary of two segments with different magnetic lineations is also the boundary of two different normal fault systems on their ocean bottom, and the difference in sea-bottom roughness between two normal fault systems should affect the seismic coupling at a plate interface. Due to the difference of seismic coupling, earthquake occurrence is controlled by an FZ and then the FZ acts as a seismic boundary (Barrier model). Existing normal faults created by plate bending of subducting oceanic plate should rebound after its subduction (Rebound model). This rebound of normal faults may cause intraplate earthquakes with a high-angle reverse-fault mechanism such as the 1994 Shikotan Earthquake. The energy released by an intraplate earthquake generated by normal-fault rebounding is not directly related to that of interplate earthquakes such as low-angle thrust earthquakes. It is a reason why large earthquakes occurred in the same region during a relatively short period.     

Monitoring degradation of the 1995 Nojima earthquake fault scarps at Awaji Island, southwestern Japan

The Nojima fault on the northwestern coast of Awaji Island, south of Kobe, was reactivated during the January 17, 1995 Hyogoken-nanbu earthquake. This fault rupture was dominated by right-lateral offset (max. 1.7 m) along a high-angle reverse fault which has a maximum vertical displacement of 1.3 m on the southeastern side. We repeatedly measured seven profiles across the fault scarp in two areas (Hirabayashi to the northeast and Ogura to the southwest) for approximately 1 year following the earthquake. The original profile of the fault scarp was an overhanging scarp at Hirabayashi and Ogura, corresponding to the 70–80 ° dip of the fault plane. The fault scarp at Hirabayashi displaces Plio-Pleistocene siltstones of the Osaka Group and is overlain by a thin bed of unconsolidated gravel. The Ogura area is entirely underlain by the Osaka Group. Scarp degradation at Hirabayashi occurred by collapse of the gravel bed and proceeded more quickly than at Ogura, where fault scarp degradation proceeded mainly by exfoliation of the Osaka Group siltstones. The degradation occurred at a very fast rate until March at Hirabayashi, and until June or July at Ogura. Since then, the degradation has been very slow. Our data strongly indicate that the scarp profile was initially controlled mainly by the dip of the fault plane, and scarp degradation has been primarily controlled by lithological factors. The degradation of the Nojima earthquake fault scarp proceeded much more quickly than that of normal fault scarps in the western U.S.A., where many observations of the initial stages of scarp degradation have been carried out. The extremely rapid degradation of the Nojima fault scarp in weak late Neogene siltstones might, in combination with rapid cultural modification of the landscape, explain the paucity of geomorphic scarps along the numerous active faults in Japan. This observation may also have implications for tectonic geomorphology and paleoseismicity studies in other countries characterised by weak bedrock and moderate to high rainfall regimes.     

The eruptive rate and history of Kuju volcano in Japan during the past 15,000 years

The eruptive history of Kuju volcano on Kyushu, Japan, during the past 15,000 years has been determined by tephrochronology and ¹⁴C dating. Kuju volcano comprises isolated lava domes and cones of hornblende andesite together with aprons of pyroclastic-flow deposits on its flanks. Kuju volcano produced tephras at roughly 1000-yr intervals during the past 5000 years and 70% of the domes and cones have formed during the past 15,000 years. The youngest magmatic activity of Kuju volcano was the 1.6 km³ andesite eruption about 1600 years ago which emplaced a lava dome and block-and-ash flow. Kuju volcano shows a nearly constant long-term eruption rate (0.7–0.4 km³ for 1000 years) during the past 15,000 years. This rate is within the range of estimated average eruption rates of late Quaternary volcanoes in the Japanese Arc, but is about one order of magnitude higher than the eruption rate of Unzen volcano. Kuju volcano has been in phreatic eruption since October 1995. The late Quaternary history of Kuju indicates that it poses a significant volcanic hazard, primarily due to block-and-ash flows from collapsing lava domes.