A sensitivity of squall-line intensity to environmental static stability under various shear and moisture conditions

Squall lines develop in various climate regions having diverse environmental profiles of wind shear, moisture, and temperature. In order to explore the sensitivity of squall lines to these environmental profiles, we have performed an extensive set of numerical simulations under various shear and moisture conditions in midlatitude-continental and tropical–oceanic temperature environments. From the results of the sensitivity simulations and the analyses of the environmental parameters, it is found that the static stability in a convectively unstable layer is of primary importance in determining the strength of squall lines. Under temperature environments having the same static stability, convective available potential energy (CAPE) and precipitable water content (PWC) well describe the squall-line intensity. Vertical shear also plays an important role in determining the squall-line structure as well as the intensity through the interaction with surface cold pool. The combination of the static stability in a convectively unstable layer, CAPE, and PWC should be examined in diagnosing the intensity of squall lines that develop with an optimal shear for their environment.     

Crustal structure in and around the region of the 1995 Kobe Earthquake deduced from a wide-angle and refraction seismic exploration

Abstract The 1995 Kobe (Hyogo-ken Nanbu) earthquake (M_JMA 7.2, M_w 6.9) occurred on Jan. 17, 1995, at a depth of 17 km, beneath the areas of southern part of Hyogo prefecture and Awaji Island. To investigate P-wave velocity distribution and seismological characteristics in the aftershock area of this great earthquake, a wide-angle and refraction seismic exploration was carried out by the Research Group for Explosion Seismology (RGES) . The profile including 6 shot points and 205 observations was 135 km in length, extending from Keihoku, Northern Kyoto prefecture, through Kobe, to Seidan on Awaji Island. The charge of each shot was 350–700 kg. The P-wave velocity structure model showed a complicated sedimentary layer which is shallower than 2.5 km, a 2.5 km-thick basement layer whose velocity is 5.5 km/s, overlying the crystalline upper crust, and the boundary between the upper and lower crust.
Almost all aftershock hypocenters were located in the upper crust. However, the structure model suggests that the hypocenters of the main shock and some aftershock clusters were situated deeper than the boundary between the upper and lower crust. We found that the P-velocity in the upper crust beneath the northern part of Awaji Island is 5.64 km/s which is 3% lower than that of the surrounding area. The low-velocity zone coincides with the region where the high stress moment release was observed.     

Instability of coral limestone cliffs due to extreme waves

Many boulders are located around the coastal cliffs with height of below 5 m made of coral limestone at Kuro‐shima, Okinawa, Japan. The origin of the boulders appears to be coral limestone cliffs which show developed notches. We undertook stability analysis, involving the wave pressure due to tsunamis, of wave‐induced collapse of the cliffs. We find that extreme waves are capable of inducing cliff collapse, as observed in circumstances where gravity is insufficient. Copyright © 2010 John Wiley and Sons, Ltd.     

Effects of plant roots on the soil erosion rate under simulated rainfall with high kinetic energy

ABSTRACT

This study examined the effects of herbaceous plant roots on interrill erosion using two herbaceous species: clover (Trifolium repens) and oats (Avena sativa). We developed a simple rainfall simulator with relatively high normalized kinetic energy (KE; 23.2 J m^?2 mm^?1). Under simulated rainfall, we measured eroded soil for 42 boxes with various amounts of aboveground and belowground biomass. Aboveground vegetation had a significant effect on the soil erosion rate (SER). We found a clear negative relationship between the percent vegetation cover (c) and the SER. In contrast, plant roots showed no effects on the SER. The SER was not significantly different between the boxes with and without plant roots under similar c conditions. Thus, plant roots could have less of an effect on the SER under higher KE conditions.

Editor M.C. Acreman Associate editor N. Verhoest     

Formation process of pyrite polyframboid based on the heavy-metal analysis by micro-PIXE

Pyrite framboid in sedimentary rocks could be concerned with arsenic contamination in groundwater of acidic environment and has been studied for the formation process of its unique morphology. However, not much has been discussed about the formation process based on the heavy-metal distribution in pyrite framboids and their aggregates. To reveal the formation process of pyrite framboids and their aggregates, mudstone from the Late Cretaceous Hakobuchi Group, central Hokkaido, Japan, are investigated for mode, petrographical, mineralogical, and micro-PIXE (particle-induced X-ray emission) analysis in this study. Spherical and sub-spherical pyrite framboids observed in polyframboids can be divided into two types based on the diameter of framboids (D) and the average diameter of microcrystals (d) within framboids: type 1, ranging from 2 to 9 μm and from 0.4 to 0.9 μm, respectively, and type 2, ranging from 8 to 50 μm and from 0.5 to 1.8 μm, respectively. Based on the quantitative traverse analyses and 2-D elemental mapping results by micro-PIXE, heterogeneities in the concentrations of heavy metals within the analyzed aggregations of pyrite are exhibited. On the basis of the As and Pb zoning patterns, the time range and chronological stages of pyrite-aggregation growth are revealed.     

Holocene calcrete crust deposits on the moraine of Batura Glacier, northern Pakistan

Abstract   Calcretes can be observed on the surface of old moraines around Batura Glacier in the upper Hunza Valley, Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan. They develop as a calcareous crust cementing small gravels under boulders. In order to understand the genesis of the calcrete crust, a variety of methods were employed: (i) study of mineralogy and geochemistry of a calcrete crust precipitated on the lateral moraine using X-ray diffractometer and electron probe microanalysis; (ii) analysis of solute chemistry of surface water and ice bodies around the Batura Glacier; and (iii) accelerator mass spectrometry ¹⁴C dating of the crust itself. The results indicate that the calcrete crust has definite laminated layers composed of a fine-grain and compact calcite layer, and a mineral fragment layer. The chemical composition of the calcite layer is approximately 60% CaO and 1% MgO. The mineral fragment layer consists of rounded grain materials up to 0.2 mm in diameter. It shows a graded bedding structure with fine grains of quartz, albite and muscovite. Meanwhile, as the Paleozoic Pasu limestone is distributed around the terminal of Batura Glacier, Ca cations dissolve in the melt water of the glacier. Accordingly, the calcrete crust is precipitated by decreases in CO₂ partial pressure from glacier ice and evaporation of the melt water, including high concentration of Ca²⁺ at ephemeral streams and small ponds stagnating between the moraine and glacial ice. On the basis of the AMS ¹⁴C age, the calcrete is considered to have formed approximately 8200 calibrated years bp under the Batura glacial stage.     

Formation and shortening deformation of a back-arc rift basin revealed by deep seismic profiling, central Japan

The northern Fossa Magna (NFM) basin is a Miocene rift system produced in the final stages of the opening of the Sea of Japan. It divides the major structure of Japan into two regions, with north-trending geological structures to the NE of the basin and EW trending structures to the west of the basin. The Itoigawa-Shizuoka Tectonic Line (ISTL) bounds the western part of the northern Fossa Magna and forms an active fault system that displays one of the largest slip rates (4–9 mm/year) in the Japanese islands. Deep seismic reflection and refraction/wide-angle reflection profiling were undertaken in 2002 across the northern part of ISTL in order to delineate structures in the crust, and the deep geometry of the active fault systems. The seismic images are interpreted based on the pattern of reflectors, the surface geology and velocities derived from refraction analysis. The 68-km-long seismic section suggests that the Miocene NFM basin was formed by an east dipping normal fault with a shallow flat segment to 6 km depth and a deeper ramp penetrating to 15 km depth. This low-angle normal fault originated as a comparatively shallow brittle/ductile detachment in a high thermal regime present in the Miocene. The NFM basin was filled by a thick (>6 km) accumulation of sediments. Shortening since the late Neogene is accommodated along NS to NE–SE trending thrust faults that previously accommodated extension and produce fault-related folds on their hanging wall. Based on our balanced geologic cross-section, the total amount of Miocene extension is ca. 42 km and the total amount of late Neogene to Quaternary shortening is ca. 23 km.     

An interactive system to assist mineral identification in ore microscopy

An interactive computer system has been developed to assist the mineral identification in ore microscopy. The reference file of the system consists of optical, mechanical, and chemical properties of about 130 ore minerals. The properties are name, chemical formula, color, bireflectance, anisotropism, internal reflection, reflectance at wavelengths of 470, 546, 589, and 650 nm, and polishing hardness and micro-indentation hardness. All the properties except reflectance and microindentation hardness are qualitative or semi-qualitative. Most of the properties are given as characters relative to the more common minerals. This implies that most of the identification processes advance on the basis of the comparison between a subject mineral and coexisting minerals. For this reason, the system asks a user at first to input already identified mineral names. This is quite different from the mineral identification procedures used in petrographic microscopy. To reduce the number of possible minerals, the system presents a series of questions to a user, and the user selects any of the prepared answers according to his observation. The user can also choose any desired question independently of the sequence. The user is expected to be able to recognize some common minerals, such as pyrite, chalcopyrite, galena, and hematite, without the assistance of the system.     

Gold Mineralization and Occurrence of Sinter in the Hoshino Area, Fukuoka Prefecture, Japan

Abstract. Several epithermal gold deposits occur in the Hoshino area, which is located in the western end of the late Cenozoic Hohi volcanic zone, north‐central Kyushu, Japan. The area is characterized by intermediate to felsic extrusive rocks of Pliocene age. In the Hoshino area, the shallow manifestation of the hydrothermal activity is exposed on the surface. Several outcrops of sinter are still preserved on the top of hydro thermally altered volcanic rocks, and high‐grade gold‐bearing quartz veins occur on the surface at lower levels. The hydrothermal alteration resulted into well‐developed alteration zones. The zonal alteration pattern, primarily of near‐neutral pH type, is characterized by the outer smectite zone of a lower temperature, and the inner mixed layer minerals zone of a higher temperature. Quartz vein‐related or fracture‐controlled alteration, is represented by the occurrence of interstratified illite/smectite and K‐feldspar, suggesting a potassium‐enriched alteration. The mineralization in the Hoshino area is recognized on the surface by the occurrence of gold‐bearing quartz veins distributed mainly in the mixed layer minerals zone. The fracture system related to the gold mineralization is mainly characterized by NW‐SE trend. The alteration pattern and the mineralogical composition of the veins suggest that the mineralizing fluids had near‐neutral pH and the mineralization is of low‐sulfidation‐type. Fluid inclusion data and textures observed in quartz veins indicate that gold precipitated during boiling. The chemical composition of quartz veins shows that high‐grade gold‐bearing quartz veins are characterized by higher content of Al₂O₃, K₂O and Rb. Several outcrops of silica‐sinters are distributed on the top of the mixed layer minerals zone. Although their structures are not very well preserved, because of later silicification, the Hoshino sinters still show characteristic textures identical to those observed in modern sinters, such as the presence of plant fossil incorporated into the sinters, the strongly developed depositional laminations and the columnar structures perpendicular to the depositional surfaces. Quartz is the only silica mineral constituting the Hoshino sinters presently. The conversion of amorphous silica into quartz was probably governed by higher temperatures resulting from later hydrothermal activity. This later hydrothermal activity is reflected by the intense silicification affecting mainly the lower parts of the sinters and also by the presence of quartz veins cutting the sinters. The distribution of sinters in the Hoshino area is very significant. The presence beneath the sinters of concealed high‐grade gold‐bearing quartz veins should be highly considered and exploration work is strongly suggested.