Sound velocity and elastic properties of Fe–Ni and Fe–Ni–C liquids at high pressure

The sound velocity (V _P) of liquid Fe–10 wt% Ni and Fe–10 wt% Ni–4 wt% C up to 6.6 GPa was studied using the ultrasonic pulse-echo method combined with synchrotron X-ray techniques. The obtained V _P of liquid Fe–Ni is insensitive to temperature, whereas that of liquid Fe–Ni–C tends to decrease with increasing temperature. The V _P values of both liquid Fe–Ni and Fe–Ni–C increase with pressure. Alloying with 10 wt% of Ni slightly reduces the V _P of liquid Fe, whereas alloying with C is likely to increase the V _P. However, a difference in V _P between liquid Fe–Ni and Fe–Ni–C becomes to be smaller at higher temperature. By fitting the measured V _P data with the Murnaghan equation of state, the adiabatic bulk modulus (K _S0) and its pressure derivative (K _S ^′ ) were obtained to be K _S0 = 103 GPa and K _S ^′  = 5.7 for liquid Fe–Ni and K _S0 = 110 GPa and K _S ^′  = 7.6 for liquid Fe–Ni–C. The calculated density of liquid Fe–Ni–C using the obtained elastic parameters was consistent with the density values measured directly using the X-ray computed tomography technique. In the relation between the density (ρ) and sound velocity (V _P) at 5 GPa (the lunar core condition), it was found that the effect of alloying Fe with Ni was that ρ increased mildly and V _P decreased, whereas the effect of C dissolution was to decrease ρ but increase V _P. In contrast, alloying with S significantly reduces both ρ and V _P. Therefore, the effects of light elements (C and S) and Ni on the ρ and V _P of liquid Fe are quite different under the lunar core conditions, providing a clue to constrain the light element in the lunar core by comparing with lunar seismic data.     

The baryon clump within an extended dark matter region

As a model of the Lyman absorbing systems of quasar lights, the gravitational equilibrium of a baryon clump within an extended dark matter composed of collisionless particles is examined. There exists the critical mass below the clump is stable. It is highly probable that these baryon clumps may be the Lyman absorbers.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.     

The reversible effect of temperature on the chemical composition of interstitial water of marine sediment

The reversibility of the temperature effect on the chemical composition of interstitial waters of three deep-sea sediment samples was examined between 2 and 25°C for Cl, Na, K, Mg, Ca, Si, B, Mn and alkalinity. When the temperature of sediment samples was returned from 25°C to the initial value of 2°C, most chemical species gave nearly their initial concentrations. However, for alkalinity and in one case for magnesium, it took another three to four hours to reach their initial concentrations.     

Computer-processed potentiometric titration for the determination of calcium and magnesium in sea water

An improved potentiometric titration method for the determination of calcium and magnesium in sea water has been newly devised. In this method, a mini-computer is used for the automation of titrations, and ion-selective electrodes are used as an end-point detector. Calcium is determined by titration with EGTA, and total alkaline earth metals (magnesium + calcium + strontium) by titration with EDTA. Magnesium can be determined by the difference, strontium having been determined by a suitable method. In the present method, calcium and magnesium in sea water can be determined with a precision of 0.1 %.     

Experimental analysis of recruitment patterns of coral reef fishes in seagrass beds: Effects of substrate type, shape, and rigidity

Habitat choice of reef fish larvae at settlement is one of the mechanisms proposed to explain spatial patterns in the distribution of fishes and the corresponding spatial structure of communities. Field experiments using Pomacentridae were conducted at Iriomote Island, southern Japan, in order to determine if rare recruitment of coral reef fishes in seagrass beds is due to larval settlement preference. When three types of natural patch treatments (branching coral patch, seagrass patch, and control without patches) were established in cleared seagrass squares in the center of a seagrass bed, four pomacentrid species, Amblyglyphidodon curacao, Dischistodus prosopotaenia, Cheiloprion labiatus, and Dascyllus aruanus, recruited exclusively onto the coral patches, indicating that larvae distributed in the seagrass bed may have preferred a coral rather than seagrass substrate as a settlement habitat. The effects of differences in physical shape (grid structure for branching coral vs. vertical structure for seagrass leaves) and rigidity (rigid substrate for coral vs. flexible substrate for seagrass) between coral and seagrass substrates on such recruitment patterns were investigated using artificial coral and seagrass units. When artificial habitat units with predator exclusion cages were established in the cleared seagrass squares as above, high densities of A. curacao and D. prosopotaenia recruits were observed on the rigid rather than flexible habitat units (both unit types having similar shape), whereas differences in recruit numbers of the two species were unclear in differently shaped units. These results demonstrated that even though pomacentrid larvae are distributed in the seagrass bed, they do not settle on the seagrass substrate owing to their habitat choice being partially based on a preference for substrate rigidity. Moreover, non-recruitment of C. labiatus and D. aruanus on artificial habitat units suggested that the presence of living coral substrates rather than physical shape/rigidity of substrates are an important cue for habitat choice of these fishes.     

Rapid contamination during storage of carbonaceous chondrites prepared for micro FTIR measurements

Abstract— Organic contamination (?2965 and ?1260 cm^?1peaks) was found on Tagish Lake (C2) and Murchison (CM2) carbonaceous chondrites containing abundant hydrous minerals by Fourier transform infrared (FTIR) microspectroscopy on the samples pressed on Al plates. On the other hand, anhydrous chondrite (Moss, CO3) was not contaminated. This contamination occurred within one day of storage, when the samples pressed on Al were stored within containers including silicone rubber mats. Volatile molecules having similar peaks to the contaminants were detected by long‐path gas cell FTIR measurements for the silicone rubber mat. Rapid adsorption of the volatile contaminants also occurred when silica gel and hydrous minerals such as serpentine were stored in containers including silicone rubber, silicone grease, or adhesive tape. However, they did not show any contamination when stored in glass and polystyrene containers without these compounds. Therefore, precious astronomical samples such as meteorites, interplanetary dust particles (IDPs), and mission‐returned samples from comets, asteroids, and Mars, should be measured by micro FTIR within one day of storage in glass containers without silicone rubber, silicone grease, or adhesive tape.     

Kinetics of organic matter degradation in the Murchison meteorite for the evaluation of parent‐body temperature history

Abstract– To evaluate kinetic parameters for thermal degradation of organic matter, in situ heating experiments of insoluble organic matter (IOM) and bulk of Murchison (CM2) meteorite were conducted under Fourier transform infrared micro‐spectroscopy combined with a heating stage. Decreases of aliphatic C–H band area under Ar flow were well fitted with Ginstling‐Brounshtein three‐dimensional diffusion model, and the rate constants for decreases of aliphatic C–H were determined. Activation energies E_a and frequency factors A obtained from these rate constants at different temperatures using the Arrhenius equation were E_a = 109 ± 3 kJ mol^?1 and A = 8.7 × 10⁴ s^?1 for IOM, and E_a = 61 ± 6 kJ mol^?1 and A = 3.8 s^?1 for bulk, respectively. Activation energy values of aliphatic C–H decrease are larger for IOM than bulk. Hence, the mineral assemblage of the Murchison meteorite might have catalytic effects for the organic matter degradation. Using obtained kinetic expressions, the time scale for metamorphism can be estimated for a given temperature with aliphatic C–H band area, or the temperature of metamorphism can be estimated for a given time scale. For example, using the obtained kinetic parameters of IOM, aliphatic C–H is lost approximately within 200 years at 100 °C and 100 Myr at 0 °C. Assuming alteration period of 7.5 Myr, alteration temperatures could be calculated to be <15 ± 12 °C. Aliphatic C–H decrease profiles in a parent body can be estimated using time–temperature history model. The kinetic expression obtained by the infrared spectral band of aliphatic C–H could be used as an alternative method to evaluate thermal processes of organic matter in carbonaceous chondrites.     

Space–time distribution of interplate moment release including slow earthquakes and the seismo-geodetic coupling in the Sanriku-oki region along the Japan trench

Along the Japan trench where some Mw8 class interplate earthquakes occurred in the past century such as the 1896 Sanriku tsunami earthquake (M6.8, Mt8.6, 12×10²⁰ N m) and the 1968 Tokachi-oki earthquake (Mw8.2, 28×10²⁰ N m), the Pacific plate is subducting under northeast Japan at a rate of around 8 cm/year. The seismic coupling coefficient in this region has been estimated to be 20–40%. In the past decade, three ultra-slow earthquakes have occurred in the Sanriku-oki region (39°N–42°N): the 1989 Sanriku-oki (Mw7.4), the 1992 Sanriku-oki (Mw6.9), and the 1994 Sanriku-oki (Mw7.7) earthquakes. Integrating their interplate moments released both seismically and aseismically, we have the following conclusions. (1) The sum of the seismic moments of the three ultra-slow earthquakes was (4.8–6.6)×10²⁰ N m, which was 20–35% of the accumulated moment (18.6–23.0)×10²⁰ N m, in the region (39°N–40.6°N, 142°E–144°E) for the 21–26 years since the 1968 Mw8.2 Tokachi-oki earthquake. This is consistent with the previous estimates of the seismic coupling coefficient of 20–40%. On the other hand, the sum of the interplate moments including aseismic faulting is (11–16)×10²⁰ N m, leading to a “seismo-geodetic coupling coefficient” of 50–85%, which is an extension of the seismic coupling coefficient to include slow events. (2) The time constants showed a large range from 1 min (10² s) for the 1968 Tokachi-oki earthquake to 10–20 min (10³ s) for the 1896 Sanriku tsunami earthquake, to one day (10⁵ s) for the 1992 Sanriku-oki ultra-slow earthquake, to on the order of one year (10⁷ s) for the 1994 Sanriku-oki ultra-slow earthquakes. (3) Based on the space–time distribution, three “gaps of moment release,” (40.6°N–42°N, 142°E–144°E) 39°N–40°N, 142°E–143°E) and (39°N–40°N, 142°E–144°E), are identified, instead of the gaps of seismicity.     

Electrokinetic phenomena associated with a water injection experiment at the Nojima fault on Awaji Island, Japan

Abstract Self-potential variations were measured to estimate the magnitude of electrokinetic and hydrological parameters (zeta potential and permeability) of the Nojima Fault zone in Awaji, Japan. The study observed self-potential variations that seemed to be associated with water flow from the injection well to the fracture zone, which were induced by turning the injection on and off. Amplitudes of the variations were a few to 0.03 V across 320–450 m dipoles. These variations can be explained well with an electrokinetic model. The quantity k/ζ (permeability/zeta potential) is in the range 1.6 × 10⁻¹³− 5.4 × 10⁻¹³ m²/V. Permeability of the Nojima fault zone can be estimated as approximately 10⁻¹⁶–10⁻¹⁵ m² on the assumption that the zeta potential is in the range –0.01 to –0.001 V.