Origin of dolomite in Miocene Monterey Shale and related formations in the Temblor Range,California

Dolomites in thick sections of Miocene Monterey Shale and related formations in the Temblor Range of California acquired their isotopic compositions as they formed at shallow depth in the original sediment rich in organic matter, and retained the composition against the vicissitudes of burial diagenesis. The oxygen isotopes of dolomites of successive beds record changes in temperature of bottom water while the carbon isotopes of the same samples indicate changes in the kind of microbial activity (sulfate reduction vs carbohydrate fermentation) that prevailed at shallow depths in the sediment. In an auxiliary study, two samples of dolomite from sediments of Cariaco Basin off Venezuela (DSDP site 147) were found to have δ5C¹³ of ?14.1 and ?9.8 per ml PDB, although they occur in a heavy-carbon zone containing bicarbonate as heavy as +8.4 per ml. These dolomites probably originated at shallow depth in the light-carbon zone of microbial sulfate reducers and were buried under later sediments down into the heavy-carbon zone of microbial fermenters of carbohydrates without losing their original light-carbon composition.     

The 1963–65 eruption of Irazú volcano,Costa Rica (the period of March 1963 to October 1964)

The 1963–65 eruption of Irazú, like all others of this volcano during the historic period, produced only ash and other fragmental ejecta without lava. The initial outbreak on March 13, 1963 started with a series of great explosions that hurled out much ash, blocks, and bombs, but the activity soon settled down to alternating periods of explosive cruptions and quiet emission of steam. Ash was deposited mostly along a zone that extended westward from the summit to and beyond the city of San Jose, 24 km away. The prolonged ashfall severely damaged dairy, vegetable, and coffee farms, and for a while made daily life in the affected cities extremely difficult. Accelerated runoff of rainwater from the ash-covered slopes of the volcano caused destructive floods, mudflows, and landslides. The climax of the cruption probably occurred during December 1963 and January 1964, when ash and incandescent scoria were erupted voluminously and the magma rose to within 100 meters of the lip of the vent. Precise levelling along the highway to the summit in May 1964 by the Geographic Institute revealed the upper part of the volcano upheaved as much as 11 cm above levels determined in 1949. A repetition of the levelling in September 1964 showed a subsidence to approximately the 1949 configuration, indicating a distinct reduction of pressure in the magma chamber. Substantial amounts of pulverized wallrock were present in the ash along with fragments of scoria and pumice. Progressive caving of the vent walls, which enlarged the diameter of the vent from 200 meters to 525 meters, kept dropping wallrock down onto the exploding magma, and at times stopped the eruption for a day or two by plugging the vent. The scoriaceous and pumiceous bombs were porphyritic two-pyroxene olivine basaltic andesite, and their composition remained remarkably constant throughout the eruption. The ash section was about 2 meters thick, 800 meters downwind from the vent in June 1964. In the section, deposits of the rainy season could be distinguished by their well developed stratification from those of the dry season. A zone containing three persistent pumice horizons represents the climactic period of December 1963 to January 1964. The cloudburst of December 10, 1963 is recorded by a highly rilled surface, and the strong winds of the dry season of 1964 are indicated by a rippled lag deposit.     

Lattice dynamics of α-quartz including the effect of the width of the atomic electron distribution

On the basis of the polarizable-ion model (PIM) the effect of the width of the atomic electron distribution on the lattice dynamics of α-quartz was taken into account using the Birman method. The frequencies of optical mode, elastic constants and piezoelectric constants were reproduced using the parameters of this model (an effective charge z, a width parameter w, an electronic polarizability α, and force constants). The width parameter of oxygen atom was found to be about 0.59 Å, and the effective charge of the silicon atom 1.42 electron charges.     

Magma mixing model for the genesis of middle crust in the Izu–Bonin–Mariana arc: evidence from plutonic rocks in the Mineoka-Setogawa ophiolitic mélange,central Japan

ABSTRACT

A Paleogene accretionary complex, the Mineoka–Setogawa belt is distributed adjacent to the northern portion of the collision zone between Honshu and Izu–Bonin–Mariana (IBM) arcs in central Japan, comprising a mélange of ophiolitic fragments of various sizes. The Eocene-Oligocene plutonic rocks in this belt (gabbro, diorite, and tonalite) have been interpreted as fragments brought from the deep crust beneath the IBM arc through tectonic collisions. The geochemical characteristics of the gabbro and associated basaltic dike are similar to those of the Eocene IBM tholeiitic basalt; thus, the gabbro was likely formed via the crystallization of the Eocene tholeiitic basaltic magmas, which was produced by the partial meltings of a depleted mantle wedge. A comparison with experimental results and geochemical modeling indicates that the tonalite was generated by 10–30% dehydration melting of the gabbro. Actually, Eocene–Oligocene felsic veins, which are coeval with the plutonic rocks, occur in the Mineoka–Setogawa gabbro. Plagioclase crystals in the diorite comprise Ca-rich and -poor parts in a single crystal. Their compositional characteristics are consistent with those of plagioclase in the gabbro and tonalite, respectively. The textures and chemical composition of plagioclase indicate that the diorite was formed by the mixing between mafic and silicic magmas. The whole-rock composition of the diorite also indicates the evidence for the mixing between basaltic magmas which were fractionated to variable degrees and homogeneous silicic magma. The mixing model proposed from the first direct observations of the IBM middle crust exposed on the Mineoka–Setogawa belt is applied to the genesis of the Eocene to present intermediate rocks in the IBM arc. If the continental crust were created at intra-oceanic arc settings such as the IBM arc, the magma mixing model would be one of the most likely mechanisms for the genesis of the continental crust.     

Study of the effect of water-soluble fractions of heavy-oil on coastal marine organisms using enclosed ecosystems,mesocosms

Mesocosm facilities composed of 4 experimental and 2 reservoir tanks (1.5 m in diameter, 3.0 m in depth and 5 tons in capacity) made of FRP plastics, were constructed in the concrete fish rearing pond in the Fisheries Laboratory, The University of Tokyo. The water-soluble fraction of Rank A heavy residual oil was formed by mixing 500 g of the oil with 10 l of seawater, which was introduced to the 5000 l-capacity tanks. Experimental Run 4 was conducted from May 31 to June 7, 2000. Oil concentrations in the tanks were 4.5 microg/l called LOW, and 13.5 microg/l, called HIGH tank. Bacterial growth rates very quickly accelerated in the HIGH tank just after the loading of oil which corresponded with a high increase of bacterial cells in the same tank after 2 days. Later, bacterial numbers in HIGH tank rapidly decreased, corresponding with the rapid increase of heterotrophic nano-flagellates and virus numbers on the same day. Sediment traps were deployed at the bottom of the experimental tanks, and were periodically retrieved. These samples were observed both under light microscope and epi-fluorescent microscope with UV-excitation. It was observed that the main components of the vertical flux were amorphous suspended matter, mostly originating from dead phytoplankton and living diatoms. It was further observed from the pictures that vertical transport of oil emulsions were probably conducted after adsorption to amorphous suspended matter and living diatoms, and were settling in the sediment traps at the bottom of the tanks. This means that the main force which drives the soluble fraction of oil into bottom sediment would be vertical flux of such amorphous suspended particles and phytoplankton. Further incubation of the samples revealed that the oil emulsions were degraded by the activity of autochtonous bacteria in the sediment in aerobic condition.     

Melting of enstatite from 13 to 18 GPa under hydrous conditions

Experiments on MgSiO₃ enstatite were conducted in the pressure range from 13 to 18 GPa under hydrous conditions in order to clarify the effect of water on the melting phase relations of enstatite at pressures corresponding to the Earth’s mantle transition zone. In some previous experiments [Geol. Soc. Am. Bull. 79 (1968) 1685; Phys. Earth Planet. Inter. 85 (1994) 237], incongruent melting behavior to form Mg₂SiO₄ forsterite and SiO₂ enriched liquid up to 5 GPa was observed, and congruent melting behavior at pressures up to 12 GPa was observed. Under hydrous conditions, we found that the melting reaction changes from congruent to incongruent at around 13.5 GPa. Liquid formed above 13.5 GPa is enriched in MgO component relative to MgSiO₃ because it coexists with stishovite (SiO₂). Moreover, the solidus temperature decreases drastically at around 13.5 GPa, in unison with the change in the melting reaction. The solidus temperature is about 1400 °C at 13 GPa, but approximately 900 °C at 15 GPa. Our results show that the liquidus phase changes from clinoenstatite to stishovite with increasing pressure and water content above 13.5 GPa. MgSiO₃ enstatite is one of the major constituent minerals in the Earth’s mantle, and it is expected that MgO-enriched liquid will be generated in the transition zone if water is present.     

BSMILES - a balloon-borne superconducting submillimeter-wave limb-emission sounder for stratospheric measurements

A balloon-borne superconducting submillimeter-wave limb-emission sounder (BSMILES) was developed to observe thermal emission lines from stratospheric minor constituents. BSMILES carries a 300-mm-diameter offset parabolic antenna, a 624-639-GHz superconductor-insulator-superconductor (SIS) receiver, a three-axis fiber-optical gyroscope, and an acousto-optical spectrometer. BSMILES was launched from the Pacific Coast of Japan. All systems operated properly and emission line spectra of stratospheric gases, such as O/sub 3/, HCl, HO/sub 2/, and O/sub 3/ isotopes were measured. The system noise temperature in double sideband (DSB) during the flight was less than 460 K over the observing bandwidth with a best value of 330 K that is 11 times as large as the quantum limit (11h/spl nu//k/sub B/). After the observation, the gondola splashed down in the Pacific Ocean and was retrieved. Almost all instruments were waterproofed, and it has been proved that they are reusable.     

Radiometrically determined skin temperature and scalar roughness to estimate surface heat flux part II: Performance of parameterized scalar roughness for the determination of sensible heat

Several formulations and proposals to determine the value of the radiometric scalar roughness for sensible heatz _0h,r are tested with respect to their performance in the estimation of the sensible heat flux by means of the profile equations derived from Monin-Obukhov similarity theory. The equations are applied to the data set of spatially averaged surface skin temperature and profiles of wind speed and temperature observed in a pasture field during a growing season. The use of a physical model developed for a dense canopy to estimate scalar roughness for sensible heatz _0h,r produced sensible heat fluxH with a correlation coefficientr=0.884, the ratio of means being H _s /H=1.19 in a comparison with reference values ofH _s . In comparison, a proposal for a fixed value ofz _0h yieldedr=0.887, H _s /H=0.879. In both cases, the validity ofz _0h =z _0h,r was assumed. All expressions derived to estimatez _0h,r from a multiple linear regression with such predictors as leaf area index, solar radiation and the ratio of solar radiation to extraterrestrial radiation, were found to produce a better result, withr better than 0.90 and H _s /H around 1.0. However, when the constantsc andf of a linear regression equationHs=cH+f are used to evaluate the equations, a marked difference in performance of each formulation appeared. In general, equations with smaller numbers of predictors tend to produce a biased result, i.e., an overestimation ofH at largeH _s . These values ofH are used in conjunction with the energy balance equation to derive values of the latent heat fluxLE, which are shown to be in good agreement with the reference valuesLE _s , withr greater than 0.97.     

The effects of precipitation schemes and horizontal resolution on the major rainband in typhoon Flo (1990) predicted by the MRI mesoscale nonhydrostatic model

Summary ?This paper describes a numerical study of the major spiral rainband in typhoon Flo (1990) using the Meteorological Research Institute Mesoscale Nonhydrostatic Model (MRI-NHM). The effects of precipitation schemes and horizontal resolution on the representation of the simulated rainband are discussed. Dynamic and thermodynamic structures of the simulated major rainband to the north of the storm center are well represented in the model with a 5 km horizontal resolution. The structures are consistent with observational results reported for other tropical cyclones. Among the realistic features are: a cold pool and convergence on the inner side of the band; convergence above low-level inflow layers; and the outward slope of the updraft with height. The band is caused by the motion of the storm through its surroundings where horizontal wind has vertical shear. The simulation of the structure and precipitation pattern associated with the major rainband depends on the precipitation scheme rather than the horizontal resolution. The band appears more realistic when using explicit cloud microphysics as a precipitation scheme, rather than moist convective adjustment. This result is attributable to the difference in scheme triggering. In the simulation with moist convective adjustment, the elimination of vertical instability in low-level atmosphere is excessive, suppressing band formation. The overall structure of the band is also more realistic in the simulation using explicit cloud microphysics, because a cold pool exists in the lower layers and the vertical axis of upward flow tilts outward. This result suggests that prediction will partly depend on variables associated with cloud microphysics, such as the mixing ratio of cloud water. The horizontal grid distance, which varied between 5 and 20 km, quantitatively influenced the rainfall amount, although the large-scale band structure remained unchanged. The rainfall amount increased as the grid interval was reduced from 20 to 10-km but decreased as the interval was further reduced from 10 to 5 km. Received March 20, 2001; revised August 20, 2001     

High-West and Low-East Distribution Patterns of Chlorophyll a, Primary Productivity and Diatoms in the Subarctic North Pacific Surface Waters, Midwinter 1996

We have determined chlorophyll a (Chla) concentration, primary productivity, cell density and species composition of diatoms, and the number of microzooplankton at the surface in the subarctic North Pacific in January 1996. The wet weight of copepods obtained by vertical tows from 150 m to the surface was also measured during the cruise. Chla concentration and primary productivity tended to be higher in the region west of 180°, the western subarctic North Pacific (WSNP), than east of 180°, the eastern subarctic North Pacific (ESNP). The same results were observed for the total diatom cell densities and for the genera Thalassiosira and Denticulopsis. Significant linear relationships were observed between the Thalassiosira cell density and Chla concentration and primary productivity, indicating that Thalassiosira contributes to the high-WSNP and low-ESNP distribution patterns of Chla concentration and primary productivity. Moreover, naked ciliate abundance tended to be lower in the WSNP than in the ESNP, whereas copepod biomass showed an inverse trend. Significantly negative Spearman rank correlations were found between the Thalassiosira cell density and the number of naked ciliates and between the number of naked ciliates and the wet weight of copepods. These results indicate that copepod grazing indirectly controls Thalassiosira cell density via predation on the naked ciliates. We conclude that the high copepod biomass in the WSNP is a factor controlling the high-WSNP and low-ESNP Thalassiosira abundance and hence Chla concentration and primary productivity patterns.