Lower crustal seismic velocity-anomalies; magmatic underplating or serpentinized peridotite? Evidence from the Vøring Margin,NE Atlantic

On the Vøring volcanic passive margin offshore mid-Norway, NE Atlantic, a lower crustal body with P-wave velocities in the range of 7.1–7.7 km/s has been mapped by twenty two-dimensional Ocean Bottom Seismograph (OBS) profiles. The main aim of the present paper is to evaluate to what extent the lower crust is consistent with magmatic intrusions or serpentinized peridotite. The relatively low V _p/V _s ratios of 1.75–1.78 modelled for the lower crust under the continental part of the Vøring Plateau are consistent with mafic intrusions mixed with blocks of stretched continental crust, but not with the presence of partially serpentinized peridotites. The lower crustal high-velocity body is restricted to the area of the Late Cretaceous/Early Tertiary rift that lead to continental break-up in Early Eocene. The same model can explain the observations in the northern Vøring Basin, but in the central and southern Vøring Basin the seismic velocities do not preclude a model involving serpentinized peridotite in addition to intrusions and continental remnants. On the west Iberia non-volcanic margin a similar layer is interpreted as serpentinized peridotite. The existence of Moho reflections, the observation of S-wave anisotropy but absence of P-wave anisotropy, uncertainties regarding supply of water to allow for significant serpentinization and very low stretching factors compared with the west Iberia Margin, are among factors that argue against the presence of serpentinized peridotite in the Vøring Basin.     

Outline of the JNLT project

The Japanese National Large Telescope (JNLT) is a 7.5 m reflector with a monolithic thin meniscus main mirror, having the candidate construction site on the northwest cone of the Mauna Kea, Hawaii.The present concept of JNLT has the characteristics of a third generation infrared telescope, which should be capable of various observations of high spatial resolution in the optical-infrared region.Although the project is still under examination from the financial and administrative point of view, a wide range of technical studies were carried out by the JNLT Working Group with the collaboration of specialists from the academic and the industrial sectors.Paper presented at the symposium on the JNLT and Related Engineering Developments, Tokyo, November 29–December 2, 1988.     

Application of underwater optical data to estimation of primary productivity

We conducted time-series observations of optical fields near the base of the euphotic zone (approximately 40 m) using moored automatic optical sensors at a time-series station in the Western Pacific Subarctic Gyre from March 2005 to July 2006 (with some gaps). We used the ratio of photosynthetically available radiation at the surface (surface PAR) to in situ quantum irradiance (in situ QI) at about 40 m as an index of opacity (surface PAR/in situ QI), which began to increase in the middle of April and peaked between the end of June and the middle of July 2005. This ratio then decreased toward winter. The ratio increased again beginning in January 2006, and large peaks were observed in June and July 2006. As an index of chlorophyll abundance we used the ratio of spectral irradiance at wavelengths of 555 and 443 nm (Ed₅₅₅/Ed₄₄₃) at about 40 m; seasonal variability of this ratio synchronized well with the attenuation coefficient “k” estimated with surface PAR, in situ QI, and BLOOMS depth. We estimated primary productivity (PP) using Ed₅₅₅/Ed₄₄₃ and an empirical equation based on a previous model but improved on the basis of shipboard observations. Estimated PP agreed well with observed PP. Seasonal variability of estimated PP was synchronized with that of organic carbon flux observed by sediment traps from approximately 150, 540, 1000, and 5000 m. This study demonstrates that time-series observations of in situ optical fields could contribute to the estimation of primary productivity and the study of the biological pump in the ocean.     

Phylogeny and phylogeography of the land hermit crab Coenobita purpureus (Decapoda: Anomura: Coenobitidae) in the Northwestern Pacific Region

Hermit crabs of the family Coenobitidae comprise the land hermit crabs, with 16 Coenobita species, and the coconut crab Birgus latro. They are terrestrial but spend their marine life as planktonic larvae. Some coenobitid crabs are widely distributed in the Indo‐West Pacific region, and some species occupy narrower ranges. To improve our knowledge of coenobitid crab speciation and geographical distribution patterns, we examined the phylogenetic relationship between Coenobita purpureus, which has a narrow distribution in the Northwestern Pacific, and its more widely distributed coenobitids including B. latro, Coenobita brevimanus, Coenobita cavipes, Coenobita perlatus, Coenobita rugosus and Coenobita violascens based on the mtDNA cytochrome c oxidase subunit I (COI) and 16S rDNA genes. We also assessed the phylogeography of Co. purpureus populations based on the COI gene. Our phylogenetic and phylogeographical analyses revealed that (i) Co. purpureus clustered with Co. rugosus and (ii) the Co. purpureus population in the Ogasawara Islands was genetically distinct from those in other regions, which showed genetic panmixia. It has been hypothesized that Co. purpureus evolved in the isolated landmasses of the Ryukyu region during the Pliocene, and that its population expanded and colonized the Ogasawara Islands in the late Pleistocene. Further phylogeographical studies on Coenobita species with relatively narrow distributions coupled with characterization of their phylogenetic relationships with widely distributed congeners will advance our knowledge of the speciation and geographical distribution history of coenobitid crabs.     

Structural characteristics off Miyagi forearc region, the Japan Trench seismogenic zone, deduced from a wide-angle reflection and refraction study

The Japan Trench subduction zone, located east of NE Japan, has regional variation in seismicity. Many large earthquakes occurred in the northern part of Japan Trench, but few in the southern part. Off Miyagi region is in the middle of the Japan Trench, where the large earthquakes (M > 7) with thrust mechanisms have occurred at an interval of about 40 years in two parts: inner trench slope and near land. A seismic experiment using 36 ocean bottom seismographs (OBS) and a 12,000 cu. in. airgun array was conducted to determine a detailed, 2D velocity structure in the forearc region off Miyagi. The depth to the Moho is 21 km, at 115 km from the trench axis, and becomes progressively deeper landward. The P-wave velocity of the mantle wedge is 7.9–8.1 km/s, which is typical velocity for uppermost mantle without large serpentinization. The dip angle of oceanic crust is increased from 5–6° near the trench axis to 23° 150 km landward from the trench axis. The P-wave velocity of the oceanic uppermost mantle is as small as 7.7 km/s. This low-velocity oceanic mantle seems to be caused by not a lateral anisotropy but some subduction process. By comparison with the seismicity off Miyagi, the subduction zone can be divided into four parts: 1) Seaward of the trench axis, the seismicity is low and normal fault-type earthquakes occur associated with the destruction of oceanic lithosphere. 2) Beneath the deformed zone landward of the trench axis, the plate boundary is characterized as a stable sliding fault plain. In case of earthquakes, this zone may be tsunamigenic. 3) Below forearc crust where P-wave velocity is almost 6 km/s and larger: this zone is the seismogenic zone below inner trench slope, which is a plate boundary between the forearc and oceanic crusts. 4) Below mantle wedge: the rupture zones of thrust large earthquakes near land (e.g. 1978 off Miyagi earthquake) are located beneath the mantle wedge. The depth of the rupture zones is 30–50 km below sea level. From the comparison, the rupture zones of large earthquakes off Miyagi are limited in two parts: plate boundary between the forearc and oceanic crusts and below mantle wedge. This limitation is a rare case for subduction zone. Although the seismogenic process beneath the mantle wedge is not fully clarified, our observation suggests the two possibilities: earthquake generation at the plate boundary overridden by the mantle wedge without serpentinization or that in the subducting slab.     

Estimation of insolation over the Pacific Ocean off the Sanriku coast

Surface solar radiation over the Pacific Ocean off the Sanriku coast has been estimated using Visible and Infrared Spin Scan Radiometer data supplied by the Geostationary Meteorological Satellite 5 for September, 1996 to June, 1997, when the Ocean Color and Temperature Scanner was functioning. The hourly and daily insolation is estimated with a spatial resolution of 0.01-degree grid. Thein situ surface short wave radiation obtained by the research vessel,Kofu-Maru belonging to the Japan Meteorological Agency is used for validation of the estimated insolation. It is shown that the estimated hourly and daily insolation has an rms (root mean square) error of 17.05% and 8.13%, respectively, which are the ratios between the rms error (W/m²) and the mean insolation (W/m²).     

重矿物分析识别浊积体的沉积作用——日本中部Niigata弧后含油盆地新第三纪

沉积于中中新世到上新世的浊积砂体是第三纪Ｎｉｉｇａｔａ弧后盆地的主要油气储层之一,该盆地是日本列岛最富产石油的盆地。我们对这些浊积体的重矿物进行了详细和系统地分析,首先,作者展示了将重矿物分析和沉积作用分析相结合,从而得出有关沉积过程的全新观点的实例,沿着位于盆地东缘的世早期的浊积砂岩体的垂向和横向取样分析表明,砂全东半部重矿物的成分和西半部重矿物的成分不同。重矿物和沉积分析结果表明,发育在东半部的浅海陆架浊积砂岩和发育在西半部的深海水下浊积全在上新世早期是相互叠置的。其次,作者检验了用重矿物成分作为指标来表征某个特定浊积体的有效性,为此目的选重位于Ｎｉｉｇａｔａ盆地中部的许多浊积砂岩分析研究,得出以下结论。（１）基于主要重的,比如蛋白石、普通角闪石、紫苏辉石和普通辉石的定量综合分析,至少可将研究区的浊砂岩划分