Trace-element and isotopic constraints on the source of magmas in the active volcano and Mariana island arcs, Western Pacific

Analytical results of the relative and absolute abundance of LIL-incompatible trace elements (K, Rb, Cs, Sr, and Ba) and isotopic compositions ( , , and ) are summarized for fresh samples from active and dormant volcanoes of the Volcano and Mariana island arcs. The presence of thickened oceanic crust (T 15–20 km) beneath the arc indicates that while hybridization processes resulting in the modification of primitive magmas by anatectic mixing at shallow crustal levels cannot be neglected, the extent and effects of these processes on this arc's magmas are minimized. All components of the subducted plate disappear at the trench. This observation is used to reconstruct the composition of the crust in the Wadati-Benioff zone by estimating proportions of various lithologies in the crust of the subducted plate coupled with analyses from DSDP sites. Over 90% of the mass of the subducted crust consists of basaltic Layers II and III. Sediments and seamounts, containing the bulk of the incompatible elements, make up the rest. Bulk Western Pacific seafloor has , δ ¹⁸O +7.2, K/Rb 510, K/Ba 46, and K/Cs 13,500. Consideration of trace-element data and combined systematics limits the participation of sediments in magmagenesis to less than 1%, in accord with the earlier results of Pb-isotopic studies. Combined data indicate little, if any, involvement of altered basaltic seafloor in magmagenesis. Perhaps more important than mean isotopic and LIL-element ratios is the restricted range for lavas from along over 1000 km of this arc. Mixtures of mantle with either the subducted crust or derivative fluids should result in strong heterogeneities in the sources of individual volcanoes along the arc. Such heterogeneities would be due to: (1) gross variations of crustal materials supplied to the subduction zone; and (2) lesser efficiency of mixing processes accompanying induced convection between arc segments (parallel to the arc) as compared to that perpendicular to the arc. The absence of these heterogeneities indicates that either some process exists for the efficient mixing of mantle and subducted material parallel to the arc or that subducted materials play a negligible role in the generation of Mariana-Volcano arc melts.Consideration of plausible sources in the mantle indicates that (1) an unmodified MORB-like mantle cannot have generated the observed trace-element and isotopic composition of this arc's magmas, while (2) a mantle similar to that which has produced alkali-olivine basalts (AOB) of north Pacific “hot spot” chains is indistinguishable in many respects spects from the source of these arc lavas.     

Photometric and photo accoustic measurement of the absorbance of micro-organisms and its relation to the micro-organism-grain hypothesis

Absorption ofE. Coli and other micro-organisms are measured by the standard optical spectroscopy and by the photo-accoustic method. The former method does not yield an extinction peak at =220 nm but yields a weak one at =270 nm, while by the latter method absorption peaks at =220 nm and a weaker one at =270 nm have been found for the spore of Bacillus subtilis. The well-known amino-acid, triptophan shows absorption peaks at =220 and 280 nm. It is tentatively concluded that for the micro-organism model of interstellar grains to be viable, they may have to be spores rather than ordinary cells.     

Seismological features of island arc crust as inferred from recent seismic expeditions in Japan

Crustal studies within the Japanese islands have provided important constraints on the physical properties and deformation styles of the island arc crust. The upper crust in the Japanese islands has a significant heterogeneity characterized by large velocity variation (5.5–6.1 km/s) and high seismic attenuation (Qp=100–400 for 5–15 Hz). The lateral velocity change sometimes occurs at major tectonic lines. In many cases of recent refraction/wide-angle reflection profiles, a “middle crust” with a velocity of 6.2–6.5 km/s is found in a depth range of 5–15 km. Most shallow microearthquakes are concentrated in the upper/middle crust. The velocity in the lower crust is estimated to be 6.6–7.0 km/s. The lower crust often involves a highly reflective zone with less seismicity, indicating its ductile rheology. The uppermost mantle is characterized by a low Pn velocity of 7.5–7.9 km/s. Several observations on PmP phase indicate that the Moho is not a sharp boundary with a distinct velocity contrast, but forms a transition zone from the upper mantle to the lower crust. Recent seismic reflection experiments revealed ongoing crustal deformations within the Japanese islands. A clear image of crustal delamination obtained for an arc–arc collision zone in central Hokkaido provides an important key for the evolution process from island arc to more felsic continental crust. In northern Honshu, a major fault system with listric geometry, which was formed by Miocene back arc spreading, was successfully mapped down to 12–15 km.     

Mid-Holocene Hydrologic Model of the Shingobee Watershed, Minnesota

A hydrologic model of the Shingobee Watershed in north-central Minnesota was developed to reconstruct mid-Holocene paleo-lake levels for Williams Lake, a surface-water body located in the southern portion of the watershed. Hydrologic parameters for the model were first estimated in a calibration exercise using a 9-yr historical record (1990–1998) of climatic and hydrologic stresses. The model reproduced observed temporal and spatial trends in surface/groundwater levels across the watershed. Mid-Holocene aquifer and lake levels were then reconstructed using two paleoclimatic data sets: CCM1 atmospheric general circulation model output and pollen-transfer functions using sediment core data from Williams Lake.Calculated paleo-lake levels based on pollen-derived paleoclimatic reconstructions indicated a 3.5-m drop in simulated lake levels and were in good agreement with the position of mid-Holocene beach sands observed in a Williams Lake sediment core transect. However, calculated paleolake levels based on CCM1 climate forcing produced only a 0.05-m drop in lake levels. We found that decreases in winter precipitation rather than temperature increases had the largest effect on simulated mid-Holocene lake levels. The study illustrates how watershed models can be used to critically evaluate paleoclimatic reconstructions by integrating geologic, climatic, limnologic, and hydrogeologic data sets.     

Incorporating inflow uncertainty into risk assessment for reservoir operation

An attempt of using stochastic hydrologic technique to assess the intrinsic risk of reservoir operation is made in this study. A stochastic simulation model for reservoir operation is developed. The model consists of three components: synthetic generation model for streamflow and sediment sequences, one-dimensional delta deposit model for sediment transport processes in reservoirs, and simulation model for reservoir operation. This kind of integrated simulation model can be used to simulate not only the inflow uncertainty of streamflow and sedimentation, but also the variation in operation rules of reservoirs. It is herein used for the risk assessment of a reservoir, and the simulation is performed for different operation scenarios. Simulation for the 100-year period of sediment transport and deposition in the river-reservoir system indicates that the navigation risk is much higher than that of hydropower generation or sediment deposition in the reservoir. The risk of sediment deposition at the river-section near the backwater profile is also high thereby the navigation at the river-segment near this profile takes high risk because of inadequate navigation depth.     

Alteration and mass transfer inferred from the Hirabayashi GSJ drill penetrating the Nojima Fault, Japan

Abstract Mineralogical and geochemical studies on the fault rocks from the Nojima–Hirabayashi borehole, south-west Japan, are performed to clarify the alteration and mass transfer in the Nojima Fault Zone at shallow depths. A complete sequence from the hornblende–biotite granodiorite protolith to the fault core can be observed without serious disorganization by surface weathering. The parts deeper than 426.2 m are in the fault zone where rocks have suffered fault-related deformation and alteration. Characteristic alteration minerals in the fault zone are smectite, zeolites (laumontite, stilbite), and carbonate minerals (calcite and siderite). It is inferred that laumontite veins formed at temperatures higher than approximately 100°C during the fault activity. A reverse component in the movement of the Nojima Fault influences the distribution of zeolites. Zeolite is the main sealing mineral in relatively deep parts, whereas carbonate is the main sealing mineral at shallower depths. Several shear zones are recognized in the fault zone. Intense alteration is localized in the gouge zones. Rock chemistry changes in a different manner between different shear zones in the fault zone. The main shear zone (MSZ), which corresponds to the core of the Nojima Fault, shows increased concentration of most elements except Si, Al, Na, and K. However, a lower shear zone (LSZ-2), which is characterized by intense alteration rather than cataclastic deformation, shows a decreased concentration of most elements including Ti and Zr. A simple volume change analysis based on Ti and Zr immobility, commonly used to examine the changes in fault rock chemistry, cannot account fully for the different behaviors of Ti and Zr among the two gouge zones.     

Intermittent Phase Transitions in a Slider-block Model as a Mechanism for Earthquakes

— The aperiodic behavior of a two-dimensional stick-slip slider-block model of earthquakes is the subject of this study. The phenomenon of temporal phase transitions between creep and stick-slip motions is thoroughly analyzed and attributed to type-I intermittency. Asymmetry in the elastic forces is shown to play a key role in the emergence of complex behavior in the model. The unpredictability of chaotic bursts in the intermittent regime indicates potential difficulties for earthquake forecasting.     

Photographic monitoring system for observing heavy free-falling objects: Multi-stage design packages of radioactive waste

In the consideration of safety it is required that packages containing radioactive wastes when dumped at sea should keep their integrity and retain their contents until they reach the seabed. Packages containing simulated radioactive wastes (non-radioactive) were tested by a free-fall method at depthsca. 4,300 m in an area for dumping industrial waste off Shikoku Island. Since the weight of the largest package was 4,300 kg, special attention was paid to the connection of a buoyancy system with mooring rope. Descent and ascent velocities of the free-fall system were calculated prior to the experiment. A free-fall experiment with an extremely heavy object, heavier than ever previously reported, was accomplished without trouble by using the free-fall system. Recovery of a camera, flash-light, and other components was successful in each of the three experiments. Successive photographing of the package during descent was made and its integrity was observed using the photographs taken by the recovered camera. The packages remained intact during descent and at least for a short time after arrival on the seabed.     

On the solution of the carbonate chemistry system in ocean biogeochemistry models

We present a simplified method for solving the local equilibrium carbonate chemistry in numerical ocean biogeochemistry models. Compared to the methods typically used, the scheme is fast, efficient and compact. The accuracy of the solution is dictated by the number of species retained in the expression for alkalinity and there is almost no computational penalty for retaining minor contributions. We demonstrate that this scheme accurately reproduces the results of the commonly used method in the context of a three-dimensional global ocean carbon cycle model. Using this model we also show that neglecting the regional variations in surface dissolved inorganic phosphorus and silicic acid concentrations can lead to significant systematic bias in regional estimates of air–sea carbon fluxes using such models.