Estimating the impact force generated by granular flow on a rigid obstruction

Flowing sediments such as debris and liquefied soils could exert a tremendous amount of force as they impact objects along their paths. The total impact force generally varies with slope angle, velocity at impact, and thickness of the flowing sediment. Estimation of the impact force of flowing sediments against protective measures such as earth retaining structures is an important factor for risk assessment. In this paper, we conduct small-scale laboratory physical modeling of sand flow at different slopes and measure the impact force exerted by this material on a fixed rigid wall. We also conduct numerical simulations in the Eulerian framework using computational fluid dynamics algorithms to analyze and reproduce the laboratory test results. The numerical simulations take into consideration the overtopping of the wall with sand, which influenced the measured impact force–time history responses. In addition, the numerical simulations are shown to capture accurately the change of the impact force with slope angle. Finally, the modeling approach conducted in this study is used to estimate the quasi-static force generated by the sediment as it comes to rest on the wall following impact.     

Micro-X-ray fluorescence-based comparison of skeletal structure and P, Mg, Sr, O and Fe in a fossil of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum sp., NW Pacific

Micro-scale distributions of trace and minor elements in, for example, coral skeletons are crucial as geochemical tracers of past environmental conditions, because they have the inherent advantage of accounting for confounding diagenetic and physiological effects. To extract reproducible paleoceanographic records from coral skeletons, a selective measurement of specific ultrastructures at high spatial resolution is required. Compared to warm-water reef-building corals, such data are limited in cold-water corals and, to the best of the authors’ knowledge, the latter have to date not been examined by means of micro-X-ray fluorescence. This technique was used for micrometer-scale imaging of P, Mg, Sr, O, and Fe intensities (counts per unit time) in a fossil specimen (as yet unknown age) of the cold-water coral Desmophyllum sp. from surface sediments of the NW Pacific. Cross plots confirmed that the micro-XRF signals were associated with corresponding trends in elemental concentration (ppm). Two major structural components of the septum—centers of calcification (COCs) and the surrounding fibrous aragonite portion—differed in composition. The COCs were characterized by higher intensities of P and Mg (650 and 220 counts per 5 s, respectively), and lower intensities of Sr (2,800) and O (580; corresponding values for the fibrous aragonite are 370, 180, 3,300 and 620 counts per 5 s, respectively). Oxygen intensity values were mostly homogeneous, but slightly lower in COCs and substantially higher in a well-defined patch in the fibrous aragonite. The mostly homogeneous P signals in the fibrous aragonite confirm the utility of this structural component and of coral septa in general for tracer studies of oceanic P. Nevertheless, spot occurrences of elevated P (>950 counts per 5 s) spanning tens of micrometers in specific parts of the fibrous region of the septum would cause overestimates of oceanic P, and should evidently not be overlooked in future research. The distribution of Fe showed no correlation with P, indicating no significant contamination in the form of P-bearing diagenetic ferromanganese precipitates. Such hotspots plausibly reflect the presence of other mineral phases, such as crystalline hydroxylapatite inclusions or contamination with organic material. The P signal intensity was positively correlated with Mg (r=0.553, p<0.001), and negatively with Sr (r=–0.489, p<0.001) and O (r=–0.311, p<0.001). There was no discernible evidence of control by water temperature in the Sr distribution pattern. These findings establish micro-X-ray fluorescence as a highly suitable pre-screening tool in cold-water coral sclerochronology, which can serve to refine sampling strategies without sample damage, and complement other micrometer-scale spatial distribution analyses of elements (notably, Ca) based on well-known approaches involving micro-milling, electron microprobes, secondary ion mass spectrometry, and laser ablation.     

Intra-oceanic island arc origin for Iratsu eclogites of the Sanbagawa belt,central Shikoku,southwest Japan

New geochemical and Sr–Nd isotopic data for the Iratsu eclogite and surrounding metamorphic rocks of the Sanbagawa belt, Japan, show that, while the protoliths of the metamorphic rocks formed in a variety of tectonic settings, the Iratsu body represents a deeply subducted and accreted island arc. The igneous protoliths of eclogites and garnet amphibolites were probably generated from a mantle source that had components of both a depleted mantle modified by slab-released fluid (as seen in a negative Nb anomaly) and an enriched mantle, similar to that of ocean island basalts (OIB). Fractional crystallization modeling indicates that the protoliths of some garnet clinopyroxenites from the Iratsu body are cumulates from a basaltic magma that crystallized under high O₂ and H₂O fugacities in the middle to lower crust. The source characteristics and crystallization conditions suggest that the protoliths of the Iratsu rocks formed in an oceanic island arc. Quartz eclogites from the marginal zone of the Iratsu body have geochemical signatures similar to turbidites from the Izu–Bonin island arc (as seen in a negative Nb anomaly and a concave REE pattern). The protoliths might be volcaniclastic turbidites that formed in a setting proximal to the oceanic island arc. Geochemical and isotopic signatures of the surrounding mafic schists are similar to normal (N-) and enriched (E-) mid-ocean-ridge basalt (MORB), and distinct from the rocks from the Iratsu body. The protoliths of the mafic schists likely formed in a plume-influenced mid-ocean ridge or back-arc basin. Pelitic schists from the surrounding rocks and pelitic gneisses from the marginal zone of the Iratsu body have evolved, continental geochemical signatures (as seen in a negative ε_Nd(t) value (~?5)), consistent with their origin as continent-derived trench-fill turbidites.     

Variations in snowmelt energy and energy balance characteristics with larch forest density on Mt Iwate,Japan: observations and energy balance analyses

The variation in snowmelt energy and energy components were evaluated with respect to forest density. Surface snowmelt rates, surface evaporation from snow cover and meteorological elements were measured in the open and under sparse (411 trees/ha) and dense (1433 trees/ha) larch canopies. The surface snowmelt rate decreased as the forest density increased. Based on the observations and energy balance analyses, we concluded the following. (1) Albedo decreased while the bulk coefficient for latent heat increased with forest density. (2) The duration of snowmelt increased with forest density because the energy for nocturnal cooling of the snow cover decreased. (3) When comparing the open and forested sites, the changes in snowmelt energy with forest density were caused by sensible heat flux. However, the contribution of net radiation was highest in the forested sites. Therefore, the effects of forest cover on the snowmelt energy were different when comparing both the open and forested sites and the sparse and densely forested sites. (4) The ratio of net radiation to snowmelt energy increased with forest density; although both snowmelt energy and net radiation decreased with increased forest density, the snowmelt energy decreased more rapidly. Sensible heat also decreased as forest density increased. Both albedo and downward long‐wave radiation influenced net radiation. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Seasonal dynamics influencing coastal primary production and phytoplankton communities along the southern Myanmar coast

Myanmar is tenth among the world’s fish-producing countries and third in ASEAN (Association of Southeast Asian Nations). To understand the mechanisms underlying the high production, oceanographic and phytoplankton surveys, including primary productivity measurements based on pulse amplitude modulation fluorometry, were conducted near an active fishing ground near Myeik City. Three surveys, one in each of the representative seasons and covering the characteristic coastal environments, showed well-defined seasonality in primary production and phytoplankton occurrence. End of the dry season was the most productive, with productivity of 2.59 ± 1.56 g C m^?2 day^?1 and high concentration of chlorophyll a (3.14 ± 2.64 µg L^?1). In this season, the phytoplankton population was dominated by high densities of the diatoms Bellerochea horologicalis and Chaetoceros curvisetus, whereas primary productivity was low at the onset of the dry season, 1.36 ± 0.77 g C m^?2 day^?1. However, this low primary production might be compensated by activation of microbial food chains originating from high dissolved organic carbon. The rainy season exhibited the lowest production, 6.6% of the end of the dry season, due to the extensive discharge of turbid water from the rivers which lowered euphotic layer depth and resulted in an unusually high diffuse attenuation coefficient of 2.30 ± 1.03 m^?1. This incident of turbid water may be related to soil erosion from deforestation and mangrove deterioration. This research reveals the seasonal trend in Myanmar’s coastal productivity and its relationship to the tropical monsoon climate as well as emphasizing the importance of tropical coastal environments to the sustainability of the fisheries.     

Genetic algorithm for fitting a mixed Bingham distribution to 3D orientations: a tool for the statistical and paleostress analyses of fracture orientations

The clustering of fracture orientations is important for tectonic studies and for geotechnical engineering. In this study, a real‐coded genetic algorithm was adopted to fitting a mixed Bingham distribution to orientation data by maximizing the log‐likelihood function of the distribution. The maximization is a difficult problem, because the function has multimodality and singularity. It was found that the algorithm was effective for this problem. Given the orientations of dilational fractures, the present method determines not only the stress axes and stress ratio of each of the fracture groups but also the maximum non‐dimensionalized fluid pressure at the time of their formation. In addition, the software calculates the 95 % error ellipses of the concentration axes. The present method found that the orientations of ore veins of the Akenobe Mine, SW Japan, should be partitioned into three clusters. It is shown that two of the groups had distinctive Zn and Sn contents, and that the ore fluids had overpressures only slightly greater than the minimum principal stress at the time of the deposition of Zn‐ and Sn‐rich veins.     

Mesozoic radiolarians and radiolarian-bearing sequences in the circum-Pacific regions: A report of the symposium-'Radiolarians and Orogenic Belts'

Abstract This paper contains extended abstracts of the seven papers presented at the symposium 'Radiolarians and Orogenic Belts' held at the seventh meeting of the International Association of Radiolarian Paleontologists (INTERRAD). Important results of the symposium include the following: (1) Upper Paleozoic and Mesozoic cherts are widely distributed within accretionary complexes in the circum-Pacific orogenic belt. Radiolarian dating reveals that long durations of chert sedimentation in a pelagic environment are recorded on both sides of Pacific-rim accretionary complexes (e.g. New Zealand, Japan, Russian Far East, Canadian Cordillera). (2) Triassic radiolarian faunas from New Zealand and the Omolon Massif, northeast Siberia are similar in composition and are characterized by the absence of typical Tethyan elements. This suggests that radiolarian faunal provincialism may have been established as early as the Triassic. High-latitude radiolarian taxa exhibit a bi-polar distribution pattern. (3) The Lower Triassic interval in chert dominant pelagic sequences is mechanically weaker than other levels and acted as a décollement in accretionary events. This lithologic. contrast in physical property is considered to reflect radiolarian evolution, such as the end-Permian mass extinction.     

Preserved paleo-oceanic plateaus in accretionary complexes: Implications for the contributions of the Pacific superplume to global environmental change

We have reinvestigated the mid-Cretaceous plume pulse in relation to paleo-oceanic plateaus from accretionary prisms in the circum-Pacific region, and we have correlated the Pacific superplume activity with catastrophic environmental changes since the Neoproterozoic. The Paleo-oceanic plateaus are dated at 75–150 Ma; they were generated in the Pacific superplume region and are preserved in accretionary prisms. The volcanic edifice composed of both modern and paleo-oceanic plateaus is up to 10.7 × 10⁶ km² in area and 19.1 × 10⁷ km³ in volume. The degassing rate of CO₂ (0.82 − 1.1 × 10¹⁸ mol/m.y.) suggests a significant impact on Cretaceous global warming. The synchronous occurrence of paleo-oceanic plateaus in accretionary complexes indicates that Pacific superplume pulse activities roughly coincided at the Permo-Triassic boundary and the Vendian–Cambrian boundary interval. The CO₂ expelled by the Pacific superplume probably contributed to environmental catastrophes. The initiation of the Pacific superplume contributed to the snowball Earth event near the Vendian–Cambrian boundary; this was one of the most dramatic events in Earth's history. The scale of the Pacific superplume activity roughly corresponds to the scale of drastic environmental change.     

Latest Jurassic–earliest Cretaceous radiolarian fauna from the Xialu chert in the Yarlung Zangbo suture zone, southern Tibet: Comparison with coeval western Pacific radiolarian faunas and paleoceanographic implications

Abstract The Xialu chert radiolarian fauna is latest Jurassic–earliest Cretaceous in age (Pseudodictyomitra carpatica zone) and contains many taxa in common with coeval northern hemisphere middle‐latitude (temperate) radiolarian faunas represented by the Torinosu fauna in southwest Japan. Common elements include Eucyrtidiellum pyramis (Aita), Protunuma japonicus Matsuoka & Yao, Sethocapsa pseudouterculus Aita, Sethocapsa (?) subcrassitestata Aita, Archaeodictyomitra minoensis (Mizutani), Stichocapsa praepulchella Hori and Xitus gifuensis (Mizutani). The Xialu fauna is less similar to low‐latitude (tropical) assemblages represented by the Mariana fauna. For this reason, the Xialu fauna is regarded as representative of a southern hemisphere middle‐latitude (temperate) fauna. A mirror‐image bi‐temperate provincialism to the equator in radiolarian faunas is reconstructed for the Ceno‐Tethys and Pacific Ocean in latest Jurassic–earliest Cretaceous time.     

Difference in the prevailing periods of internal tides between Sagami and Suruga Bays: Numerical experiments

Current measurements in the surface layer in Sagami and Suruga Bays showed existence of significant tidal currents which are considered to be mainly due to internal tides (Inaba, 1982; Ohwaki,ea al., 1991). In addition, the prevailing period of the tidal currents is semidiurnal in Sagami Bay, but diurnal in Suruga Bay. To explain this difference in the prevailing, periods, numerical experiments were carried out using a two layer model. The internal tides are generated on the Izu Ridge outside the two bays. The semidiurnal internal tide propagates into Sagami Bay having characteristics of an internal inertia-gravity wave, while it propagates into Suruga Bay having characteristics of either an internal inertia-gravity wave or an internal Kelvin wave. The diurnal internal tide behaves only as an internal Kelvin wave, because the diurnal period is longer than the inertia period. Thus, the diurnal internal tide generated on the Izu Ridge can be propagated into Suruga Bay, while it cannot propagate into the inner region of Sagami Bay, though it is trapped around Oshima Island, which is located at the mouth of Sagami Bay. The difference in the propagation characteristics between the semidiurnal and diurnal internal tides can give a mechanism to explain the difference in the prevailing periods of the internal tides between Sagami and Suruga Bays.