Submarine slope–fan sedimentation in an ancient forearc related to contemporaneous magmatism: The Upper Cretaceous Izumi Group,southwestern Japan

The Izumi Group in southwestern Japan is considered to represent deposits in a forearc basin along an active volcanic arc during the late Late Cretaceous. The group consists mainly of felsic volcanic and plutonic detritus, and overlies a Lower to Upper Cretaceous plutono‐metamorphic complex (the Ryoke complex). In order to reconstruct the depositional environments and constrain the age of deposition, sedimentary facies and U–Pb dating of zircon grains in tuff were studied for a drilled core obtained from the basal part of the Izumi Group. On the basis of the lithofacies associations, the core was subdivided into six units from base to top, as follows: mudstone‐dominated unit nonconformably deposited on the Ryoke granodiorite; tuffaceous mudstone‐dominated unit; tuff unit; tuffaceous sandstone–mudstone unit; sandstone–mudstone unit; and sandstone‐dominated unit. This succession suggests that the depositional system changed from non‐volcanic muddy slope or basin floor, to volcaniclastic sandy submarine fan. Based on a review of published radiometric age data of the surrounding region of the Ryoke complex and the Sanyo Belt which was an active volcanic front during deposition of the Izumi Group, the U–Pb age (82.7 ±0.5 Ma) of zircon grains in the tuff unit corresponds to those of felsic volcanic and pyroclastic rocks in the Sanyo Belt.     

Lunar gravity field determination using SELENE same-beam differential VLBI tracking data

A lunar gravity field model up to degree and order 100 in spherical harmonics, named SGM100i, has been determined from SELENE and historical tracking data, with an emphasis on using same-beam S-band differential VLBI data obtained in the SELENE mission between January 2008 and February 2009. Orbit consistency throughout the entire mission period of SELENE as determined from orbit overlaps for the two sub-satellites of SELENE involved in the VLBI tracking improved consistently from several hundreds of metres to several tens of metres by including differential VLBI data. Through orbits that are better determined, the gravity field model is also improved by including these data. Orbit determination performance for the new model shows improvements over earlier 100th degree and order models, especially for edge-on orbits over the deep far side. Lunar Prospector orbit determination shows an improvement of orbit consistency from 1-day predictions for 2-day arcs of 6 m in a total sense, with most improvement in the along and cross-track directions. Data fit for the types and satellites involved is also improved. Formal errors for the lower degrees are smaller, and the new model also shows increased correlations with topography over the far side. The estimated value for the lunar GM for this model equals 4902.80080±0.0009 km³/s² (10 sigma). The lunar degree 2 potential Love number k ₂ was also estimated, and has a value of 0.0255 ± 0.0016 (10 sigma as well).     

The seasonal cycle in coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models

We examine the seasonal cycle of near-surface air temperature simulated by 17 coupled ocean-atmosphere general circulation models participating in the Coupled Model Intercomparison Project (CMIP). Nine of the models use ad hoc “flux adjustment” at the ocean surface to bring model simulations close to observations of the present-day climate. We group flux-adjusted and non-flux-adjusted models separately and examine the behavior of each class. When averaged over all of the flux-adjusted model simulations, near-surface air temperature falls within 2?K of observed values over the oceans. The corresponding average over non-flux-adjusted models shows errors up to ～6?K in extensive ocean areas. Flux adjustments are not directly applied over land, and near-surface land temperature errors are substantial in the average over flux-adjusted models, which systematically underestimates (by ～5?K) temperature in areas of elevated terrain. The corresponding average over non-flux-adjusted models forms a similar error pattern (with somewhat increased amplitude) over land. We use the temperature difference between July and January to measure seasonal cycle amplitude. Zonal means of this quantity from the individual flux-adjusted models form a fairly tight cluster (all within ～30% of the mean) centered on the observed values. The non-flux-adjusted models perform nearly as well at most latitudes. In Southern Ocean mid-latitudes, however, the non-flux-adjusted models overestimate the magnitude of January-minus-July temperature differences by ～5?K due to an overestimate of summer (January) near-surface temperature. This error is common to five of the eight non-flux-adjusted models. Also, over Northern Hemisphere mid-latitude land areas, zonal mean differences between July and January temperatures simulated by the non-flux-adjusted models show a greater spread (positive and negative) about observed values than results from the flux-adjusted models. Elsewhere, differences between the two classes of models are less obvious. At no latitude is the zonal mean difference between averages over the two classes of models greater than the standard deviation over models. The ability of coupled GCMs to simulate a reasonable seasonal cycle is a necessary condition for confidence in their prediction of long-term climatic changes (such as global warming), but it is not a sufficient condition unless the seasonal cycle and long-term changes involve similar climatic processes. To test this possible connection, we compare seasonal cycle amplitude with equilibrium warming under doubled atmospheric carbon dioxide for the models in our data base. A small but positive correlation exists between these two quantities. This result is predicted by a simple conceptual model of the climate system, and it is consistent with other modeling experience, which indicates that the seasonal cycle depends only weakly on climate sensitivity.     

Orbit determination of the SELENE satellites using multi-satellite data types and evaluation of SELENE gravity field models

The SELENE mission, consisting of three separate satellites that use different terrestrial-based tracking systems, presents a unique opportunity to evaluate the contribution of these tracking systems to orbit determination precision. The tracking data consist of four-way Doppler between the main orbiter and one of the two sub-satellites while the former is over the far side, and of same-beam differential VLBI tracking between the two sub-satellites. Laser altimeter data are also used for orbit determination. The contribution to orbit precision of these different data types is investigated through orbit overlap analysis. It is shown that using four-way and VLBI data improves orbit consistency for all satellites involved by reducing peak values in orbit overlap differences that exist when only standard two-way Doppler and range data are used. Including laser altimeter data improves the orbit precision of the SELENE main satellite further, resulting in very smooth total orbit errors at an average level of 18 m. The multi-satellite data have also resulted in improved lunar gravity field models, which are assessed through orbit overlap analysis using Lunar Prospector tracking data. Improvements over a pre-SELENE model are shown to be mostly in the along-track and cross-track directions. Orbit overlap differences are at a level between 13 and 21 m with the SELENE models, depending on whether 1-day data overlaps or 1-day predictions are used.     

Alkali (Rb/K) abundances in Allende barred-olivine chondrules: Implications for the melting conditions of chondrules

Abstract— In order to study abundances of alkali metals in chondrules, 25 petrographically characterized chondrules, including 18 barred olivine (BO) chondrules from the Allende (CV3) meteorite, were analyzed for alkalis (K and Rb) and alkaline earths (Sr, Ba, Ca and Mg) by mass spectrometric isotope dilution. Most BO chondrules with higher alkalis (>CI level) have nearly CI-chondritic Rb/K ratios, while those with lower alkalis clearly show higher Rb/K ratios than the CI-chondritic. In general, BO chondrules with higher Rb/K exhibit more depletion of alkalis relative to Ca. The mean olivine Fa for individual chondrules positively correlates with bulk alkali concentrations in BO type but not in porphyritic type chondrules. These observations suggest that some BO chondrules formed from more reducing assemblages of precursor minerals, which experienced more intensive vaporization losses of alkalis, accompanied by Rb/K fractionation, during the chondrule-formation melting.     

Characteristics of Seismoelectric Wave Fields Associated with Natural Microcracks

Properties of seismoelectric waves in relation to natural earthquakes have been investigated. The electromagnetic disturbances were analyzed to test the hypothesis that pulse-like electric variations are directly related to microcracks as source. Because variation is very difficult to detect, there have been few quantitative field investigations. We used selected events with clear S and P phases from the data catalog obtained before the Tohoku earthquake in 2011. The electric strength of the fast P wave (P_f), S wave (S), and electromagnetic wave (EM) associated with formation of cracks of tensile mode were estimated. The co-seismic electric signal accompanied by the S wave has the largest strength, well above the noise level, and the EM wave has the lowest strength. Analytical estimation of the ratio of the strengths of the P_f and EM phases to that of the S phase by use of Pride’s equations gave results partially in agreement with observation (the order was Ap_f > A_s > A_em). The strength of the observed electromagnetic mode is approximately two orders of magnitude larger than that estimated from the theory. We suggest this greater strength can be attributed to the converted modes at layer contracts or to the effect of the boundary between free atmosphere and crust. Overall agreement between observations and theoretical estimates suggests that electromagnetic anomalies, crustal deformation, and groundwater changes can be investigated on the basis of the unified equations for the coupled electromagnetics, acoustics, and hydrodynamics of porous media.     

Improving the prospects for detecting extrasolar planets in gravitational microlensing events in 2002

Gravitational microlensing events of high magnification have been shown to be promising targets for detecting extrasolar planets. However, only a few events of high magnification have been found using conventional survey techniques. Here we demonstrate that high-magnification events can be readily found in microlensing surveys using a strategy that combines high-frequency sampling of target fields with on-line difference imaging analysis. We present 10 microlensing events with peak magnifications greater than 40 that were detected in real-time towards the Galactic bulge during 2001 by the Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA) project. We show that Earth-mass planets can be detected in future events such as these through intensive follow-up observations around the event peaks. We report this result with urgency as a similar number of such events are expected in 2002.     

Study by MOA of extrasolar planets in gravitational microlensing events of high magnification

A search for extrasolar planets was carried out in three gravitational microlensing events of high magnification, MACHO  98–BLG–35  , MACHO  99–LMC–2  and OGLE  00–BUL–12  . Photometry was derived from observational images by the MOA and OGLE groups using an image subtraction technique. For MACHO  98–BLG–35  , additional photometry derived from the MPS and PLANET groups was included. Planetary modelling of the three events was carried out in a supercluster computing environment. The estimated probability for explaining the data on MACHO  98–BLG–35  without a planet is <1 per cent. The best planetary model has a planet of mass ∼(0.4–1.5)× M _Earth at a projected radius of either ∼1.5 or ∼2.3 au. We show how multiplanet models can be applied to the data. We calculate exclusion regions for the three events and find that Jupiter-mass planets can be excluded with projected radii from as wide as about 30 au to as close as around 0.5 au for MACHO  98–BLG–35  and OGLE  00–BUL–12  . For MACHO  99–LMC–2  , the exclusion region extends out to around 10 au and constitutes the first limit placed on a planetary companion to an extragalactic star. We derive a particularly high peak magnification of ∼160 for OGLE  00–BUL–12  . We discuss the detectability of planets with masses as low as Mercury in this and similar events.     

The MOA catalogue of eclipsing binary stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud

We present a catalogue of 167 eclipsing binary stars in the Small Magellanic Cloud (SMC) derived from the data base of time-series photometry for 400 000 SMC stars acquired by the Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA) project during 1997. We print coordinates, ephemerides, magnitudes and light curves for the 35 new detections; similar data and finding charts are available electronically for the whole catalogue. The majority of periods lie within the range 0.4 to 20 d; six systems are possibly eccentric while 14 are probably or certainly so. The majority of the newly identified systems lie in the outer regions of the SMC.     

Small-Scale Activity Above the Penumbra of a Fast-Rotating Sunspot

High-resolution observations of small-scale activity above the filamentary structure of a fast-rotating sunspot of NOAA Active Region 10930 are presented. The penumbral filament that intrudes into the umbra shows a central dark core and substructures. It almost approached another end of the umbra, like a light bridge. The chromospheric Ca ii H images show many jet-like structures with a bright leading edge above it. These bright jets move across the filament tips and show coordinated up and down motions. Transition region images also show brightening at the same location above the intrusion. Coronal 195 Å images suggest that one end of the bright coronal loop footpoints resides in this structure. The intrusion has opposite polarity with respect to the umbra. Strong downflows are observed at the edges along the length of the intrusion where the opposite-polarity field is enhanced. We also observe a counter-Evershed flow in the filamentary structure that also displays brightening and energy dissipation in the upper atmosphere. This scenario suggests that the jets and brightenings are caused by low-altitude reconnection driven by opposite-polarity fields and convective downflows above such structures.