Observation of cosmic soft X-rays

Cosmic soft X-rays in the energy range between 0.14 and 7 keV were observed with thin polypropylene window proportional counters on board a sounding rocket. The field of view crossed the galactic plane in the Cygnus-Cassiopeia region at a large angle and reached the galactic latitudes of –55° and +30°. Referring also to the result with Be window counters, we obtained the energy spectrum of Cyg XR-2, the flux from the Cas A region and the distribution of the intensity of diffuse X-rays over the scanned region. The turn-over of the Cyg XR-2 spectrum at about 1 keV indicates that the distance of the Cyg XR-2 source lies between 600 and 800 pc, if the turn-over is due entirely to interstellar absorption. The flux from the Cas A region is obtained as 0.23±0.05 photons cm^–2 sec^–1 in the energy range between 1.1 and 4.1 keV. The intensity of diffuse soft X-rays depends on the galactic latitude more weakly than expected from the interstellar absorption of extragalactic X-rays and shows asymmetry with respect to the galactic equator, thus suggesting a contribution of galactic X-rays. The spectrum of extragalactic X-rays is approximately represented by a power lawE ^–1.8.     

Maximal size of chondrules in shock wave heating model: Stripping of liquid surface in a hypersonic rarefied gas flow

Abstract— We examined partially molten dust particles that have a solid core and a surrounding liquid mantle, and estimated the maximal size of chondrules in a framework of the shock wave heating model for chondrule formation. First, we examined the dynamics of the liquid mantle by analytically solving the hydrodynamics equations for a core‐mantle structure via a linear approximation. We obtained the deformation, internal flow, pressure distribution in the liquid mantle, and the force acting on the solid core. Using these results, we estimated conditions in which liquid mantle is stripped off from the solid core. We found that when the particle radius is larger than about 1–2 mm, the stripping is expected to take place before the entire dust particle melts. So chondrules larger than about 1–2 mm are not likely to be formed by the shock wave heating mechanism. Also, we found that the stripping of the liquid mantle is more likely to occur than the fission of totally molten particles. Therefore, the maximal size of chondrules may be determined by the stripping of the liquid mantle from the partially molten dust particles in the shock waves. This maximal size is consistent with the sizes of natural chondrules.     

Computation of Solar Radiative Fluxes by 1D and 3D Methods Using Cloudy Atmospheres Inferred from A-train Satellite Data

This study used realistic representations of cloudy atmospheres to assess errors in solar flux estimates associated with 1D radiative transfer models. A scene construction algorithm, developed for the EarthCARE mission, was applied to CloudSat, CALIPSO and MODIS satellite data thus producing 3D cloudy atmospheres measuring 61 km wide by 14,000 km long at 1 km grid-spacing. Broadband solar fluxes and radiances were then computed by a Monte Carlo photon transfer model run in both full 3D and 1D independent column approximation modes. Results were averaged into 1,303 (50 km)² domains. For domains with total cloud fractions A _c  < 0.7 top-of-atmosphere (TOA) albedos tend to be largest for 3D transfer with differences increasing with solar zenith angle. Differences are largest for A _c  > 0.7 and characterized by small bias yet large random errors. Regardless of A _c , differences between 3D and 1D transfer rarely exceed ±30 W m^?2 for net TOA and surface fluxes and ±10 W m^?2 for atmospheric absorption. Horizontal fluxes through domain sides depend on A _c with ～20% of cases exceeding ±30 W m^?2; the largest values occur for A _c  > 0.7. Conversely, heating rate differences rarely exceed ±20%. As a cursory test of TOA radiative closure, fluxes produced by the 3D model were averaged up to (20 km)² and compared to values measured by CERES. While relatively little attention was paid to optical properties of ice crystals and surfaces, and aerosols were neglected entirely, ～30% of the differences between 3D model estimates and measurements fall within ±10 W m^?2; this is the target agreement set for EarthCARE. This, coupled with the aforementioned comparison between 3D and 1D transfer, leads to the recommendation that EarthCARE employ a 3D transport model when attempting TOA radiative closure.     

Uncertainty Estimate of Surface Irradiances Computed with MODIS-, CALIPSO-, and CloudSat-Derived Cloud and Aerosol Properties

Differences of modeled surface upward and downward longwave and shortwave irradiances are calculated using modeled irradiance computed with active sensor-derived and passive sensor-derived cloud and aerosol properties. The irradiance differences are calculated for various temporal and spatial scales, monthly gridded, monthly zonal, monthly global, and annual global. Using the irradiance differences, the uncertainty of surface irradiances is estimated. The uncertainty (1σ) of the annual global surface downward longwave and shortwave is, respectively, 7?W?m^?2 (out of 345?W?m^?2) and 4?W?m^?2 (out of 192?W?m^?2), after known bias errors are removed. Similarly, the uncertainty of the annual global surface upward longwave and shortwave is, respectively, 3?W?m^?2 (out of 398?W?m^?2) and 3?W?m^?2 (out of 23?W?m^?2). The uncertainty is for modeled irradiances computed using cloud properties derived from imagers on a sun-synchronous orbit that covers the globe every day (e.g., moderate-resolution imaging spectrometer) or modeled irradiances computed for nadir view only active sensors on a sun-synchronous orbit such as Cloud-Aerosol Lidar and Infrared Pathfinder Satellite Observation and CloudSat. If we assume that longwave and shortwave uncertainties are independent of each other, but up- and downward components are correlated with each other, the uncertainty in global annual mean net surface irradiance is 12?W?m^?2. One-sigma uncertainty bounds of the satellite-based net surface irradiance are 106?W?m^?2 and 130?W?m^?2.     

Complex relationships between salt type and rock properties in a durability experiment of multiple salt–rock treatments

A laboratory salt weathering experiment was performed using five salts to attack eight types of rocks to determine the relative significance of rock durability and salt aggressivity to salt crystallization damage. The influence of individual rock properties on the salt susceptibility of the rocks was also evaluated. To study the relation between pore characteristics, salt uptake, and damage, the pre‐ and post‐experiment pore size distributions of the rocks were also examined. It is observed that both salt type and rock properties influenced the damage pattern. The durability ranking of the rocks became significantly altered with the salt type while the variation in salt efficacy ranking with rock type was less pronounced. Of the five salts used, sodium chloride and aluminium sulfate were invariably ineffective with all rock types while sodium carbonate, sodium sulfate, and magnesium sulfate, were markedly more effective in damaging most types of rock used. Of the rock properties investigated, the microporosity (of pores smaller than 0·05 or 0·1 µm) showed the most significant influence on deterioration of the rocks associated with salt crystallization, whereas microporosity of pores smaller than 5 µm played a more important role in salt uptake. Pore size distribution was thus the key factor controlling salt uptake and damage. Rocks with a large number of pores (<5 µm) and a high proportion of pores (<0·05 or 0·1 µm) were particularly susceptible to salt crystallization damage. However, anomalies arose that could not be explained in terms of rock properties or salt efficacy alone. Overall, the relative influences of salt type/efficacy and rock type/properties on salt damage propensity were not clear enough to draw a reasonable conclusion. Salt crystallization damage appears to be influenced by the individual interactions between salts and rocks, which could explain the anomalous results. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Crustal structure beneath Aso Caldera,Southwest Japan,as derived from receiver function analysis

Aso Volcano experienced a huge pyroclastic eruption 90 thousand years ago, and formed a large caldera (18 km × 25 km). In order to test the hypothesis of a magma body in the mid and lower crust that has been suggested geophysically and geochemically, we investigated seismic velocity discontinuities and velocity structure beneath Aso Caldera using receiver functions and a genetic algorithm inversion. We confirm the existence of the Moho at depths between 30 km and 35 km and a large velocity anomaly should exist in the deep portion of the crust beneath Aso Caldera, from imaging of receiver functions observed only at stations outside the caldera. As a result of a more detailed examination with GA inversion, a low velocity layer is detected at depths between 10 km and 24 km beneath the western part of the caldera. S-wave velocity of the layer is estimated to be 2.0–2.4 km/s. We estimate that the low velocity layer contains at most 15% melt or 30% aqueous fluid. The layer exists near the Conrad and at the same depths as the swarm of the low frequency earthquakes and a compressional and dilatational deformation source which are expected to be caused by fluid movement beneath the middle-eastern part of the caldera. Fluid contained in the layer might be related with huge pyroclastic eruptions of Aso Volcano.     

The POM-DOM piezophilic microorganism continuum(PDPMC)—The role of piezophilic microorganisms in the global ocean carbon cycle

The deep ocean piezosphere accounts for a significant part of the global ocean,hosts active and diverse microbial communities which probably play a more important role than hitherto recognized in the global ocean carbon cycle.The conventional biological pump concept and the recently proposed microbial carbon pump mechanism provide a foundation for our understanding of the role of microorganisms in cycling of carbon in the ocean.However,there are significant gaps in our knowledge and a lack of mechanistic understanding of the processes of microbially-mediated production,transformation,degradation,and export of marine dissolved and particulate organic matter(DOM and POM)in the deep ocean and the ecological consequence.Here we propose the POM-DOM piezophilic microorganism continuum(PDPMC)conceptual model,to address these important biogeochemical processes in the deep ocean.We propose that piezophilic microorganisms(bacteria and archaea)play a pivotal role in deep ocean carbon cycle where microbial production of exoenzymes,enzymatic breakdown of DOM and transformation of POM fuels the rapid cycling of marine organic matter,and serve as the primary driver for carbon cycle in the deep ocean.     

Recognition of a Locked State in Plate Subduction from Microearthquake Seismicity

—A tectonic state of a locked subduction is considered to be a possible source of a future interplate earthquake. Discriminating an actually locked state to verify its extent is therefore essential in constructing an accurate prospect against the forthcoming earthquake. Micorearthquake seismicity is an effective tool for such an analysis because it is considered to be a faithful indicator of the stress state, and is expected to exhibit a characteristic pattern in the area where the locked state in the subduction appears with a certain stress concentration. Focusing on the microearthquake seismicity around the Tokai district in central Japan, where a large interplate earthquake is feared to occur, we tried to identify such an area of locked subduction on the Philippine Sea plate, possibly related to the future earthquake. We investigated the microearthquake seismicity from various perspectives. First, the hypocenter distribution was analyzed to identify the extent of the locked area. The characteristic profile of the distribution was presumed to represent a stress concentrated area induced from the mechanical contact between both plates. The second approach is to interpret stress patterns reflected in focal mechanisms. The locked state was recognized and verified by a comparison of the P-axis distribution pattern with that expected from a model imaging a partially locked subduction. The third approach is to monitor the temporal change of the seismic wave spectrum. Analyzing predominant frequencies of P and S waves and monitoring their changes for a period of 10 years, we found a trend of gradual increase common to both waves. This means an increase of stress drop in microfracturings, and in its turn implies accumulation of stress around the focus area. The rate of the stress change converted from the frequency change was compared with the result derived from a numerical simulation. The simulation, performed on the basis of a constitutive friction law for a stick sliding on the plate interface, computed a changing rate of the maximum shear stress around the locked zone and showed its spatial variation along the subduction axis. Thus the simulated result indicated a certain compatibility with the observed one. Although ambiguities and uncertainties still exist in the study, all the results derived here seem to indicate an identical conclusion that the plate subduction is actually locked in this region at present.     

The Variation of Stresses due to Aseismic Sliding and its Effect on Seismic Activity

— Numerical simulation of recurring large interplate earthquakes in a subduction zone is conducted to explore the effects of aseismic sliding on the variation of stresses and the activity of small earthquakes. The frictional force obeying a rate- and state-dependent friction law is assumed to act on the plate interface in a 2-D model of uniform elastic half-space. The simulation results show that large earthquakes repeatedly occur at a constant time interval on a shallow part of the plate interface and that aseismic sliding migrates from the upper aseismic zone as well as from the lower aseismic zone into the central part of the seismogenic zone before the occurrence of a large interplate earthquake. This spatiotemporal variation of aseismic sliding significantly perturbs the stresses in the overriding plate and in the subducting oceanic plate, leading to the precursory seismic quiescence in the overriding plate and the activation of the intermediate-depth earthquakes of down-dip tension type. After the occurrence of a large interplate earthquake, the activity of the intermediate-depth earthquakes of down-dip compression type in the subducting slab is expected to increase and migrate downward. This is because the downward propagation of postseismic sliding causes the downward migration of compressional-stress increase in the down-dip direction of the plate interface. The simulation result further indicates that episodic events of aseismic sliding may occur when the spatial distributions of friction parameters are significantly nonuniform. The variation of stresses due to episodic sliding is expected to cause seismicity changes.