Paleoclimatic Changes During the Last 2.5 Ma Recorded in the Kathmandu Basin, Central Nepal Himalayas

PALEOCLIMATIC CHANGES DURING THE LAST 2.5Ma RECORDED IN THE KATHMANDU BASIN, CENTRAL NEPAL HIMALAYAS     

青藏高原那曲地区冰冰雹天气系统中的大气电场

利用１９９８年４～９月间进行的ＧＡＭＥ－ＴＩＢＥＴ青堪稿原云和降水的多普勒雷达及大气平均电场加强期观测实验资料,对青藏高原那曲地区的冰雹天气系统中的大民电场作了定量观测和研究。结果表明：在降雹过程中大气电场强度基本上系统中的大气电场强度基本上均为负值,其峰值也均强于－２２ｋＶｍ＾－１;在降雹过程中随着降雹时间的临近,大民场强度基本不断增强,但降雹开始时大气电场强度并不达到其峰值,峰值出现的时刻比开     

青藏高原那曲地区冰雹天气系统中的大气电场

利用1998年4～9月间进行的GAME-TIBET青藏高原云和降水的多普勒雷达及大气平均电场加强期观测实验资料, 对青藏高原那曲地区的冰雹天气系统中的大气电场作了定量观测和研究.结果表明: 在降雹过程中大气电场强度基本上均为负值, 其峰值也均强于-22 kVm-1; 在降雹过程中随着降雹时间的临近, 大气电场强度不断增强, 但降雹开始时大气电场强度并未达到其峰值, 峰值出现的时刻比开始降雹的时刻略有滞后; 在各降雹日中, 较强的大气电场强度基本上对应着各冰雹谱分布段较多的冰雹数目, 而这种较好的相关在各谱分布段上都表现出来; 随着降雹时间的临近, 每5 min闪电频数不断增强.在开始降雹时每5 min闪电频数平均达到43, 峰值的出现时刻略滞后于开始降雹的时刻, 这一滞后时间一般平均在3 min左右; 在降雹过程中, 单位面积中的冰雹数目与对应时段内总闪电数有着较好的对数关系, 相关系数R为0.954 0.在降雹过程的时间序列上, 冰雹云成熟期过后, 总闪电次数与冰雹降雹率成反相关.     

Melting relations of a magnesian abyssal tholeiite and the origin of MORBs

Melting relations of a glassy magnesian olivine tholeiite from the FAMOUS area have been studied within the pressure range 1 atm to 15 kbar. From 1 atm to 10 kbar, olivine is the liquidus phase, followed by plagioclase and Ca-rich clinopyroxene. Above 10 kbar, Ca-rich clinopyroxene appears on the liquidus, followed by orthopyroxene and spinel. Near 10 kbar, olivine, orthopyroxene, clinopyroxene, spinel and plagioclase crystallize within 10°C of the liquidus. This indicates that a liquid of this magnesian olivine tholeiite composition could coexist with mantle peridotite at about 10 kbar. This result is in agreement with the geochemistry of Ni; the Ni concentration of the studied sample corresponds to the theoretical concentration in a primary magma [14,15].These data suggest that at least some magnesian mid-oceanic ridge basalts (MORBs) could be primary melts segregated from the mantle at depths near the transition zone between plagioclase lherzolite and spinel lherzolite (about 10 kbar). Based on this model, the residual mantle after extraction of MORBs should be lherzolite, not harzburgite.High-pressure (7–10 kbar) fractionation models involving olivine, plagioclase and clinopyroxene, which have been proposed by several workers (e.g. [36]) to explain the varieties of MORBs, were re-emphasized based on this melting study. The rare occurrence of clinopyroxene as a phenocryst phase in MORBs is explained by precipitation in a magma chamber at high pressure, or by dissolution of clinopyroxene formed earlier at high pressure.     

Case 24 reevaluation of anomalous vertical crustal movement associated with the 1964 Niigata, Japan, earthquake

It is widely acknowledged that the 1964 Niigata, Japan, earthquake is associated with the preseismic anomalous crustal movement detected by repetition of precise levelings, while some doubts have been raised on the validity of reported precursory movement. Validity of the crustal movement is tested by an analysis of tidal data. When we are able to deduce crustal movement referring to the determined mean sea level, we can discuss the absolute crustal movement. Tidal data along the Japan Sea coast of northeast Japan are analyzed by the method developed inTsumura (1963, 1970) for the period from 1955 to 1986.The final results at tidal station, Nezugaseki, indicate clearly the steady-state movement during 1955–1958, 4 cm of abnormal upheaval from 1959–1964, 20 cm of coseismic abrupt subsidence, and 4 cm of postseismic rapid subsidence, and finally very gradual subsidence. Thus the present results support the idea of the typical pattern of the seismic crustal movement, including the precursory movement.     

Contemporary crustal deformations in the Izu peninsula,Honshu, Japan and acceleration of plate bending in the northernmost part of the Philippine Sea plate

Since the beginning of the anomalous vertical crustal movement in the Izu peninsul, Honshu, Japan, many repeated precise levellings have been carried out by the Geographical Survey Institute. Trilaterations covering the entire Izu peninsula have also been carried out by the Geographical Survey Institute. A new technique is developed to adjust the results of levellings, because they had been carried out for different epochs along each levelling route and because of rapid vertical crustal movements. In conventional least-squares adjustment of levelling network, only corrections to the approximate height are assumed to be unknown, while in the present analysis a special model in which rates of vertical deformation at any bench marks are also assumed to be unknown, is adopted. In addition, tidal stations along the coast of the Izu peninsula yield the rate of vertical crustal movement from analysis of tidal data independent of levelling data. We select several special bench marks in which rates of vertical movement are determined by tidal analysis, thereafter special adjustment is applied according to the type of network.The results show that the peninsula is inclined to the south-west. Uplift in the northeastern part of the peninsula is accompanied by remarkable subsidence in the southwest. The rate of contemporary inclination is many times higher than the rate during the period from 1929 to 1972.The deformation is concentrated in the area whereNakamura (1979, 1980) pointed out the bending of the Philippine Sea plate. The mode and rate of the detected crustal deformation suggest the accelerated bending of the peninsula. There are some local uplift that deviate from the general pattern of deformation. The most remarkable land uplift was observed near Ito, a city within the peninsula, and the focus of this uplift migrated with time. The accelerated plate bending will produce an extension at the earth's surface and contraction in the deeper part of the subcrustal layer, additionally it triggered the intrusion of magma from the deeper part to the shallower. Moreover, the accelerated plate bending also triggered seismic swarms and destructive, earthquakes in and around the peninsula.     

Holocene estuarine sediments as a source of arsenic in Pleistocene groundwater in suburbs of Hanoi,Vietnam

Groundwater pollution by arsenic is a major health threat in suburban areas of Hanoi, Vietnam. The present study evaluates the effect of the sedimentary environments of the Pleistocene and Holocene deposits, and the recharge systems, on the groundwater arsenic pollution in Hanoi suburbs distant from the Red River. At two study sites (Linh Dam and Tai Mo communes), undisturbed soil cores identified a Pleistocene confined aquifer (PCA) and Holocene unconfined aquifer (HUA) as major aquifers, and Holocene estuarine and deltaic sediments as an aquitard layer between the two aquifers. The Holocene estuarine sediments (approximately 25–40 m depth, 9.6–4.8 cal ka BP) contained notably high concentrations of arsenic and organic matter, both likely to have been accumulated by mangroves during the Holocene sea-level highstand. The pore waters in these particular sediments exhibited elevated levels of arsenic and dissolved organic carbon. Arsenic in groundwater was higher in the PCA (25–94 μg/L) than in the HUA (5.2–42 μg/L), in both the monitoring wells and neighboring household tubewells. Elevated arsenic concentration in the PCA groundwater was likely due to vertical infiltration through the arsenic-rich and organic-matter-rich overlying Holocene estuarine sediments, caused by massive groundwater abstraction from the PCA. Countermeasures to prevent arsenic pollution of the PCA groundwater may include seeking alternative water resources, reducing water consumption, and/or appropriate choice of aquifers for groundwater supply.