Excitation of non-spherical waves in solar atmosphere in the presence of toroidal magnetic field

It has been shown that non-spherical waves could be excited in rotating stellar convective envelopes. In this paper, the manner of excitation of such waves is examined in the presence of toroidal magnetic field. The result shows that one of these waves might be considered to induce the formation of the observed magnetic unipolar regions of the sun.Visiting Scientist to the High Altitude Observatory on leave of absence from the Department of Astronomy, University of Tokyo, Japan.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.     

Distribution of the diffuse component of cosmic soft X-rays

The celestial distribution of the intensity of diffuse soft X-rays is mapped by reference to a critical review of observations available. The soft X-rays of extragalactic origin are subtracted, taking the interstellar absorption into account. The distribution of the galactic component thus obtained shows irregularities, but the general behaviour can be accounted for in terms of a cylindrical distribution of the X-ray emissivity with the scale height of 100300 pc in the direction perpendicular to the galactic plane. Correlations with various celestial objects, such as supernova remnants, radio spurs, flaring stars, and so forth, are discussed.     

针对IPCC评估报告中海洋碳循环的疑问——δ13C收支平衡法的验证

 通过对比IPCC历次评估报告中全球碳循环的收支发现,尽管评估报告在估算各主要碳库及其间的通量时差别不大,但表层至中深层海水间溶解无机碳通量却存在巨大差异。利用δ¹³C的收支平衡检验了这一通量的适用范围,结果表明：IPCC 1996年和2007年评估报告对此通量估计过大,而1990年和2001年评估报告估计偏小。     

Seismic structure of the upper mantle beneath the western Philippine Sea

We investigate the seismic structure of the western Philippine Sea using two sets of seismological observations: ScS reverberations, which provide the layering framework for a regional upper mantle model, and observations of frequency-dependent phase delays for direct S waves, surface-reflected phases (sS, SS, sSS), and surface waves (R₁, G₁), which constrain the velocity and anisotropy structure within the layers. The combined data set, comprising 17 discontinuity amplitudes and layer travel times from the ScS-reverberation stack and more than 1000 frequency-dependent phase delays, was inverted for a path-averaged, radially anisotropic model. Mineralogical estimates of the bulk sound velocity and density are incorporated as complementary constraints. The final model, PHB3, is characterized by a 11.5-km thick crust, an anisotropic lid bounded by a sharp negative G discontinuity at 89 km, an anisotropic low-velocity layer extending to 166 km, a subjacent high-gradient region, and transition-zone discontinuities at depths of 408 km, 520 km and 664 km. The lid is slower than in a comparable model for the Tonga–Hawaii corridor (PA5), but also significantly thicker, requiring a compositional variation between the two regions. We explore the hypothesis that the thickness of the oceanic lid is controlled by the melting depth at the spreading centers during crust formation, and that the thicker crust and lid in the Philippine Sea results from deeper melting owing to a higher potential temperature and perhaps a higher water content in the upper mantle.     

Nonuniform and Unsteady Sliding of a Plate Boundary in a Great Earthquake Cycle: A Numerical Simulation Using a Laboratory-derived Friction Law

—A numerical study is conducted to simulate complicated sliding behavior and earthquake activity on a subducting plate boundary. A 2-D model of a uniform elastic half-space with a semi-infinite thrust fault is set up, and the frictional stress prescribed by a rate- and state-dependent friction law is assumed to act on the plate boundary fault. Spatial nonuniformity of friction parameters representing rate-dependence of friction and of slip-dependence of friction are introduced in the model to obtain complicated sliding behavior in the numerical simulation. Analogs of great earthquakes that break the entire seismogenic plate boundary repeatedly occur at a constant time interval. Smaller events of seismic or aseismic sliding occur during a great earthquake cycle. Regions of rate-strengthening of friction and of a large characteristic distance in slip-dependence of friction behave as barriers or asperities. Rupture propagation is often arrested in such a region and a great earthquake occurs later when the region is broken. The variety of earthquake activity observed in many regions along real plate boundaries may be explained by similar nonuniformity in friction parameters. Conversely, the friction parameters on plate boundaries might be estimated from comparison of theoretical simulations with observations of earthquake activity. Simulation results indicate that spatiotemporal variation in stress due to aseismic sliding may play an important part in generating earthquakes.     

Influence of Redox Mediators and Electron Donors on the Anaerobic Removal of Color and Chemical Oxygen Demand from Textile Effluent

Color removal was evaluated in anaerobic assays using synthetic (SE) and real (RE) effluents containing the dye Direct Black 22 (DB22). The focus was on the individual influence of two electron donors (EDs), sucrose and ethanol; and their combination with two redox mediators (RMs), lawsone and riboflavin. In addition to SE assays, the EDs were combined with sulfate which was present in the RE. Distinct behavior was observed with both assays. In the case of SE, using the EDs sucrose and ethanol resulted in DB22 removal efficiency of 93 and 83%, respectively; but only 27% in the control. The respective removal rates were 27.8‐ and 4.4‐fold higher than that of the control. Using the EDs with the RM lawsone resulted in color removal higher than that with riboflavin. Interestingly, in the ethanol + sulfate assay, late release of the last was observed, possibly due to the desulfonation reaction of the aromatic structures during the DB22 molecule breakdown. In the case of RE, no improvement was observed with either EDs; and some combinations with the RMs even resulted in decreased color removal. Therefore, the used EDs and RMs showed positive effect on color removal in SEs; but unexpectedly not in REs.     

The early Miocene (~25 Ma) volcanism in the northern Kyushu-Palau Ridge,enriched mantle source injection during rifting prior to the Shikoku backarc basin opening

The northern Kyushu-Palau Ridge (KPR), remnant conjugate arc of the Izu-Ogasawara (Bonin)-Mariana (IBM) active arc, is dominated by basalt-andesite except for the Komahashi-Daini Seamount where acidic plutonic rocks of 38 Ma were recovered. These mafic to intermediate volcanics are produced by the rifting volcanism in the proto-IBM arc associated with spreading of the Shikoku Basin. The HFSE and HREE contents and ratios of these volcanics indicate enriched source mantle composition compared to recent volcanic front. The LILE ratios exhibit similar characteristics to reararc volcanism of the recent Izu arc, and some enriched volcanics exhibit high abundance of sediment melt inputs. Based on these observations and compilations of the published data set, the replacement event of the wedge mantle under the IBM arc occurred two times. The first event occurred between 45 and 38 Ma, with Pacific type mantle being replaced by depleted Indian type mantle. The second event occurred between 36 and 25 Ma, enriched mantle flowed from reararc side. The slab component during the proto-IBM arc rifting was a similar characteristic to recent reararc volcanism of the Izu arc, and sediment melt added in a local area.     

3-D internal architecture of methane hydrate-bearing turbidite channels in the eastern Nankai Trough, Japan

The reservoir architecture of methane hydrate (MH) bearing turbidite channels in the eastern Nankai Trough, offshore Japan is evaluated using a combination of 3-D seismic and well data. On the 3-D seismic section, the MH-bearing turbidite channels correspond to complex patterns of strong seismic reflectors, which show the 3-D internal architecture of the channel complex. A seismic-sequence stratigraphic analysis reveals that the channel complex can be roughly classified into three different stages of depositional sequence (upper, middle, and lower). Each depositional sequence results in a different depositional system that primarily controls the reservoir architecture of the turbidite channels. To construct a 3-D facies model, the stacking patterns of the turbidite channels are interpreted, and the reservoir heterogeneities of MH-bearing sediments are discussed. The identified channels at the upper sequence around the β1 well exhibit low-sinuosity channels consisting of various channel widths that range from tens to several hundreds of meters. Paleo-current flow directions of the turbidite channels are typically oriented along the north-northeast-to-south-southwest direction. High-amplitude patterns were identified above the channels along the north-to-south and north-northeast-to-south-southeast directions. These roughly coincide with the paleo-current flow of the turbidite channels. An interval velocity using high-density velocity analysis shows that velocity anomalies (>2000 m/s) are found on the northeastern side of the turbidite channels. The depositional stage of the northeastern side of the turbidite channels exhibits slightly older sediment stages than the depositional stages of the remaining channels. Hence, the velocity anomalies of the northeastern side of the channels are related to the different stages of sediment supply, and this may lead to the different reservoir architectures of the turbidite channels.