Jupiter’s Great Red Spot: compactness condition and stability

Linear Rossby wave dispersion relationships suggest that Jupiter’s Great Red Spot (GRS) is a baroclinic structure embedded in a barotropic shearing zonal flow. Quasi-geostrophic (QG) two-layer simulations support the theory, as long as an infinitely deep zonal flow is assumed. However, once a finite depth of the lower layer is assumed, a self-interaction of the baroclinic eddy component produces a barotropic radiating field, so that the GRS-like eddy can no longer remain compact. Compactness is recovered by explicitly introducing a deep dynamics of the interior for the lower layer, instead of the shallow QG formulation. An implication of the result is a strong coupling of the GRS to a convectively active interior.Paper presented to the NP Symposia of the 1991 Wiesbaden EGS Assembly on “Nonlinear processes in Geophysics”     

The Machangqing copper-molybdenum deposits, Yunnan, China — an example of Himalayan porphyry-hosted Cu-Mo mineralization

Summary The Machangqing copper-molybdenum deposits occur in the Shanjian fold belt, Yunnan Province, China. Two types of ores are distinguished: (1) Cu-Mo quartz veinlets in magnetite-series granite porphyry; and (2) Cu-Mo skarns occurring at the contact between the Ordovician sedimentary sequence and the granite porphyry. With decreasing temperature and of hydrothermal fluids initially in equilibrium with K-feldspar, the following alteration patterns developed within the porphyry, from the center outwards: silicification, K-silicate, phyllic and argillic alteration. The paragenetic sequence of alteration minerals observed in the Cu-Mo skarns resulted from decreasing temperature and/or increasing of the hydrothermal fluids initially in equilibrium with grandite garnet. Fluid inclusions in quartz suggest boiling during the mineralization. The mineralization temperatures based on filling temperatures and salinities of quartz are in the following ranges: about 265° to 400 °C and 5.0 to 14.6 wt.% NaCl eq. for the Cu-Mo veinlets; and 200° to 500 °C and 10.2 to 42.0 wt.% NaCl eq. for the Cu-Mo skarns. As is evident from log fo₂-pH diagrams, ores of the early stage of mineralization in the Cu-Mo skarns, characterized by the assemblage magnetite + pyrite + rare pyrrhotite + K-feldspar + quartz, were deposited from highly alkaline and high temperature fluids. With decreasing temperature and fo₂, the pH of the ore fluids was shifted towards slightly alkaline to neutral, with the resultant formation of the main stage ores, characterized by the assemblage chalcopyrite + pyrite + molybdenite + sphalerite + K-feldspar +sericite (muscovite) + epidote + uartz. Very minor amounts of ore minerals, including matildite, bismuthinite and electrum, are associated with a late stage of ore formation.In the case of the Cu-Mo veinlets, it can be stated roughly that both fs₂ and fo₂ conditions were in the stability field of pyrite, with pH of the ore fluids buffered by the assemblage sericite + K-feldspar +quartz ± calcite. K-Ar age determinations were made on the granite porphyry, biotite phenocrysts and hydrothermal biotite in the Cu-Mo skarns, giving ages of 42.5 to 34.6 Ma, 52.3 Ma, and 39.2 to 26.4 Ma, respectively.It is concluded that the Cu-Mo mineralization at Machangqing shows a close spatial and temporal association with the Himalayan felsic magmatism of the magnetite-series type.

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Die Machangqing Kupfer-Molybdän-Lagerstätten, Yunnan, China — Ein Beispiel für prophyrische Cu-Mo Vererzung im Himalaya

Zusammenfassung Die Kupfer-Molybdän-Lagerstätten von Machangqing treten im Shanjian Faltengürtel in der Provinz Yunnan, China, auf. Zwei Erztypen sind unterscheidbar: (1) Cu-Mo Quarzgängchen in einem porphyrischen Granit der Magnetit-Serie; (2) Cu-Mo-Skarne am Kontakt zwischen der ordovizischen Sedimentabfolge und dem porphyrischen Granit. Mit Abnahme der Temperatur und des Verhältnisses der hydrothermalen Fluide, die ursprünglich mit Alkalifeldspat im Gleichgewicht waren, entwickelten sich in diesem Porphyrstock vom Zentrum randwärts folgende Alterationszonen: Silizifizierung, K-silikatische, phyllische und argillische Alteration. Die paragenetische Abfolge der Alterationsminerale, die in den Cu-Mo Skamen zu beobachten sind, sind das Resultat abnehmender Temperatur und/oder einer Zunahme des -Verhältnisses der hydrothermalen Fluide, die ursprünglich mit Grandit-Granat im Gleichgewicht waren. Flüssigkeitseinschlüsse in Quarz weisen auf Siedeprozesse während der Mineralisation hin. Die aus den Einschlußtemperaturen und Salinitäten in Quarz bestimmten Mineralisationstemperaturen liegen für die Cu-Mo-Gängchen zwischen 265–400 °C und zwischen 5–14.6 Gew.% NaCI Äquiv. und zwischen 200–500 °C und 10.2–42 Gew.% NaCI Äquiv. für die Cu-Mo Skarne. Wie aus log fo₂-pH Diagrammen hervorgeht, ist die im Frühstadium der Cu-Mo Skamvererzung entstandene Vergesellschaftung von Magnetit +Pyrit+selten Magnetkies + Alkalifeldspat + Quarz durch Ausfällung aus sehr alkalischen und hochtemperierten Fluiden entstanden. Mit Temperatur- und fo₂-Abnahme wurde der pH der Lösungen leicht alkalisch bis neutral. Dies resultierte in der Bildung der Erze des Hauptstadiums, das durch Chalcopyrit + Pyrit + Molybdänit + Sphalerit + Alkalifeldspat + Serizit (Muscovit) + Epidot + Quarz charakterisiert ist. Sehr geringe Mengen an Erzmineralen inklusive Matildit, Bismuthinit und Elektrum sind dem Spätstadium der Vererzung zuzuordnen. Für die Cu-Mo-Gängchen läßt sich etwas verallgemeinernd feststellen, daß fo₂ und fs₂ im Stabilitätsbereich von Pyrit lagen, wobei der pH der Erzfluide durch die Paragenese Serizit+Alkalifeldspat+Quarz+Calcit gepuffert wurde. K-Ar Altersbestimmungen wurden am porphyrischen Granit, an Biotit-Phänokristallen und an hydrothermal gebildetem Biotit der Cu-Mo Skarne durchgeführt. Sie ergaben Alter von 42.5–34.6, 52.3 bzw. 39.2-26.4 Ma.Die Cu-Mo Vererzung von Machangqing zeigt eine räumliche und zeitliche Assoziation mit dem sauren Magmatismus der Magnetit-Serie im Himalaya.

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With 12 Figures     

Cloning and sequencing of the allophycocyanin genes fromSpirulina maxima (Cyanophyta)

The genes coding for the α-and β-subunit of allophycocyanin (apcA andapcB) from the cyanophyteSpirulina maxima were cloned and sequenced. The results revealed 44.4% of nucleotide sequence similarity and 30.4% of similarity of deduced amino acid sequence between them. The amino acid sequence identities betweenS. maxima andS. platensis are 99.4% for α subunit and 100% for β subunit.

     

Transposable genetic elements inSpirulina and potential applications for genetic engineering

Transposable elements in cyanobacteria are briefly reviewed. Evidence is presented to show that transposable elements inSpirulina platensis is actually reflected on the phenotype change, i e., helical to straight filaments. Transposition intermediates of DNA were isolated from the extrachromosome and the transposition was related to helical variations inSpirulina. Uses of transposable elements for microalgal recombination are discussed based on the transposition mechanism.

     

Visualising Crime Clusters in a Space‐time Cube: An Exploratory Data‐analysis Approach Using Space‐time Kernel Density Estimation and Scan Statistics

For an effective interpretation of spatio‐temporal patterns of crime clusters/hotspots, we explore the possibility of three‐dimensional mapping of crime events in a space‐time cube with the aid of space‐time variants of kernel density estimation and scan statistics. Using the crime occurrence dataset of snatch‐and‐run offences in Kyoto City from 2003 to 2004, we confirm that the proposed methodology enables simultaneous visualisation of the geographical extent and duration of crime clusters, by which stable and transient space‐time crime clusters can be intuitively differentiated. Also, the combined use of the two statistical techniques revealed temporal inter‐cluster associations showing that transient clusters alternatively appeared in a pair of hotspot regions, suggesting a new type of “displacement” phenomenon of crime. Highlighting the complementary aspects of the two space‐time statistical approaches, we conclude that combining these approaches in a space‐time cube display is particularly valuable for a spatio‐temporal exploratory data analysis of clusters to extract new knowledge of crime epidemiology from a data set of space‐time crime events.     

Extracellular release of β-lactamase by osmotic shock inSynechococcus transformant

A unicellular cyanobacteriumSynechococcus sp. strain PCC 7002 was transformed with plasmid pQL1, on which β-lactamase gene (bla) and β-galactosidase gene (lacZ) were encoded. The transformant cells released β-lactamase into medium by an abrupt drop of osmotic pressure. This result indicates that this cyanobacterium recognizes and processes the signal sequence of β-lactamase, and accumulates the enzyme in periplasm. Repeated release of β-lactamase was possible by repeated osmotic shocks wihout, impairing cell viability. On the other hand, most of the β-galactosidase remained in cytoplasm under the osmotic shock.

     

A model of thermal convection in the major planets with a strongly density-stratified atmospheric layer

Abstract

As an extension of a model by Busse (1983a), a two-layer model of thermal convection in the self-gravitating rotating spherical fluid is considered. The upper layer with arbitrary vertical distributions of density and potential temperature representing the atmospheric layer of major planets is imposed on the spherical Boussinesq fluid. The Prandtl number P and the ratio of the mass of the upper layer to that of the lower layer are used as small expansion parameters. The modification of the critical Rayleigh number by imposing the upper layer are clearly separated into two parts, proportional to (1) the mass of the upper layer and to (2) an integral representing a measure of convective instability of the upper layer. Some implications for atmospheric dynamics of the major planets are also presented.     

The north-south elongated solitary Rossby wave

As far as the author knows, the previous models of solitary Rossby wave have been restricted to the case of the east-west elongated one. However, now, it is shown by Yano and Tsujimura that the north-south elongated KdV-type solitary Rossby wave is also possible. In this note, a typical example of the north-south elongated elongated KdV-type solitary Rossby wave in the shallow water β-plane model is examined.The conventional east-west elongated solitary Rossby wave is governed by the KdV equation in the longitudinal direction at each latitude. The same is true for the case of the north-south elongated solitary Rossby wave. The main difference is that, however, the KdV-soliton defined at each latitude has drifted by the local phase velocity, which is different for each latitude. Hence, the wave pattern is deformed continuosly with time in the latitudinal direction, and the separable solution is not possible as is in the case of the east-west elongated solitary wave.