A practical model to estimate photosynthetically active radiation using general meteorological elements in a temperate humid area and comparison among models

Although accurately evaluating photosynthetically active radiation is important, much effort is required to measure this radiation using a quantum sensor. We develop a new model that makes estimates using only general meteorological data—solar radiation, atmospheric pressure, air temperature, and relative humidity. Root mean square deviations for eight datasets at five sites in Japan were smaller than 5.2 %, similar to error in other studies and to individual differences of quantum sensors. Most root mean square deviations of nine previous models and our eight datasets are larger than that of the new estimation model, which performed well. This suggests that the model is useful for estimating photosynthetically active radiation in a temperate, humid area of Japan.     

Biotic response of benthic foraminifera in Aso-kai lagoon,central Japan,to changes in terrestrial climate and ocean conditions (~AD 700–1600)

We investigated responses of shallow-water benthic foraminifera to changes in climate and ocean conditions, using sediment core ASC2 from Aso-kai lagoon, central Japan. Six AMS ¹⁴C dates reveal that the studied interval corresponds to sediments deposited from ~AD 700 to 1600. Sulfur content of the bulk sediment and multi-dimensional scaling (MDS) axis 1 of fossil benthic foraminifera indicate that the composition of the benthic foraminifera community was closely related to dissolved oxygen (DO) concentration in the hypolimnion. The sulfur content and MDS axis 1 also revealed two shifts over the 900-year interval. In the first phase (~AD 700–1250), the Shannon–Wiener Index (H′), E (S₂₀₀), evenness and rank abundance curve (RAC) kurtosis indicate a gradual deterioration in structure of the benthic foraminifera community. In that period, there are statistically significant correlations between the faunal composition (MDS axis 1) and faunal structure [Shannon–Wiener (H′), E (S₂₀₀), evenness and RAC kurtosis]. In the second phase (~AD 1250–1600), however, faunal composition and structure show no marked correspondence. Instead, abundance of benthic foraminifera fluctuated on a scale of ~200 years. Thus, a shift in the biotic response of benthic foraminifera in Aso-kai lagoon occurred in ca. AD 1250. Gradual deterioration of benthic foraminifera, with taxonomic losses, is consistent with declining DO in the first phase, possibly associated with the increasing influence of the Tsushima Warm Current. The possibility that closure of Aso-kai lagoon and development of the sand bar affected benthic foraminifera cannot, however, be ruled out. No corresponding response was observed in the second phase, during which there was no distinct taxonomic loss. Large variations in abundance, however, were a consequence of strength of the East Asian summer and winter monsoons. The shift in the biotic response of benthic foraminifera in Aso-kai lagoon during the period AD 700–1600 was apparently a result of changes in climate and ocean conditions on the East Asian continental margin.     

Stabilities of NAL and Ca-ferrite-type phases on the join NaAlSiO<Subscript>4</Subscript>-MgAl<Subscript>2</Subscript>O<Subscript>4</Subscript> at high pressure

Stabilities of hexagonal new aluminous (NAL) phase and Ca-ferrite-type (CF) phase were investigated on the join NaAlSiO₄-MgAl₂O₄ in a pressure range from 23 to 58 GPa at approximately constant temperature of 1,850 K, on the basis of in situ synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements in a laser-heated diamond-anvil cell. The results show that NAL is formed as a single phase up to 34 GPa, NAL + CF between 34 and 43 GPa, and only CF at higher pressures in 40%NaAlSiO₄-60%MgAl₂O₄ bulk composition. On the other hand, both NAL and CF coexist below 38 and 36 GPa, and only CF was obtained at higher pressures in 60%NaAlSiO₄-40%MgAl₂O₄ and 20%NaAlSiO₄-80%MgAl₂O₄ composition, respectively. These results indicate that NAL appears only up to 46 GPa at 1,850 K, and CF forms continuous solid solution at higher pressures on the join NaAlSiO₄-MgAl₂O₄. NAL has limited stability in subducted mid-oceanic ridge basalt crust in the Earth’s lower mantle and undergoes a phase transition to CF in deeper levels.     

Evidences of increasing primary production in the ocean by Stommel's perpetual salt fountain

The American physical oceanographer Henry Stommel and co-workers proposed “the perpetual salt fountain” and suggested the possibility of upwelling deep seawater without an energy source. In the open ocean, deep seawater containing rich nutrients becomes a source of primary production. Previously, we have tested Stommel's hypothesis by numerical simulations and in ocean experiments, and confirmed the upwelling of a perpetual salt fountain. In the present study, we conducted an open-ocean experiment in the Philippines Sea, and succeeded to demonstrate an increase in chlorophyll concentration. The chlorophyll concentration at the pipe outlet was much greater than that in the surrounding seawater. Satellite ocean-color image around the pipe was analyzed, and the signal of artificial upwelling is investigated. Composite analysis of satellite chlorophyll image indicates an increased surface chlorophyll distribution in the vicinity of pipe position, in which the increasing signal is much larger than the expected production based on nutrient supply. Although the problem must be further discussed, this increased signal is shown to be statistically significant. This mechanism may contribute to effective utilization of fishery resources in subtropical oligotrophic region.     

Hydrogen sulfide and organic carbon at the sediment–water interface in coastal brackish Lake Nakaumi, SW Japan

The relationship among H₂S, total organic carbon (TOC), total sulfur (TS) and total nitrogen contents of surface sediments (0–1 cm) was examined to quantify the relationship between H₂S concentrations and TOC content at the sediment water interface in a coastal brackish lake, Nakaumi, southwest Japan. In this lake, bottom water becomes anoxic during summer due to a strong halocline. Lake water has ample dissolved SO₄ ^2? and the surface sediments are rich in planktic organic matter (C/N 7–9), which is highly reactive in terms of sulfate reduction. In this setting the amount of TOC should be a critical factor regulating the activity of sulfate reduction and H₂S production. In portions of the lake where sediment TOC content is less than 3.5 %, H₂S was very low or absent in both bottom and pore waters. However, in areas with TOC >3.5 %, H₂S was correlated with TOC content (pore water H₂S (ppm) = 13.9 × TOC (%) ? 52.1, correlation coefficient: 0.72). H₂S was also present in areas with sediment TS above 1.2 % (present as iron sulfide), which suggests that iron sulfide formation is tied to the amount of TOC. Based on this relationship, H₂S production has progressively increased after the initiation of land reclamation projects in Lake Nakaumi, as the area of sapropel sediments has significantly increased. This TOC–H₂S relationship at sediment–water interface might be used to infer H₂S production in brackish–lagoonal systems similar to Lake Nakaumi, with readily available SO₄ ^2? and reactive organic matter.     

泰国东南部Rayong省Klaeng地区的中-晚泥盆世放射虫

Tectonic subdivision of mainland Thailand has been discussed by means of Paleozoic and Mesozoic stratigraphy, micropaleontology represented by fo-raminiferal and radiolarian biostratigraphy and paleo-biogeography, tectonic settings of granitoids, and ul-tramafic rocks that are distinctive of suture lines. Re-cently, Ueno (2002) and Ueno and Charoentitilat (2011) proposed a new tectonic scheme of mainland Thailand and divided it into three geotectonic units: the Sibu-masu Block, Sukhothai Zone, and Indochina Block from west to east, which are separated by the Mae Yuan Fault, the Chiang Rai Tectonic Line, and the Nan–Uttaradit Suture, respectively. In Northern Thai-land, moreover, the peculiar Inthanon Zone is recog-nized in the eastern part of the Sibumasu Block, where Paleo-Tethyan oceanic rocks are widely distributed as tectonic slices. These geotectonic subdivisions in Northern Thailand are relatively clear. However, the tectonic subdivisions of Central and Southeast Thai-land have not been well documented and are still con-troversial because there is short of information about basement rocks in those areas. In this circumstance, we have examined Paleozoic to Mesozoic stratigraphy, lithology, and radiolarian ages of siliceous rocks dis-tributed in Southeast Thailand to clarify the geotec-tonic belongings of this area and the southern exten-sions of geotectonic units consisting of Northern Thailand. In the course of this research, we could ob-tain Middle to Late Devonian radiolarians from well-bedded siliceous rocks distributed in southwest of Klaeng, Rayong Province. In this study, we report lithology and age of the radiolaria-bearing rocks and discuss their stratigraphy and geological correlation nearby the Klaeng region.     

Compression of Na0.4Mg0.6Al1.6Si0.4O4 NAL and Ca-ferrite-type phases

Compression behaviors of two Al-rich phases in the lower mantle, hexagonal new aluminum-rich (NAL) phase and its high-pressure polymorph Ca-ferrite-type (CF) phase, were examined for identical Na_0.4Mg_0.6Al_1.6Si_0.4O₄ (40?% NaAlSiO₄–60?% MgAl₂O₄) composition. The volumes of the NAL and CF phases were obtained at room temperature up to 31 and 134?GPa, respectively, by a combination of laser-annealed diamond-anvil cell techniques and synchrotron X-ray diffraction measurements. Fitting of the third-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state to such pressure–volume data yields bulk modulus K ₀?=?199(6) GPa at 1?bar and its pressure derivative K ₀′?=?5.0(6) for the NAL phase and K ₀?=?169(5) GPa and K ₀′?=?6.3(3) for the CF phase. These results indicate that the bulk modulus increases from 397 to 407 GPa across the phase transition from the NAL to CF phase at 43 GPa, where the NAL phase completely transforms into the CF phase on Na_0.4Mg_0.6Al_1.6Si_0.4O₄. Density also increases by 2.1?% across the phase transition.     

High-temperature compression experiments of CaSiO3 perovskite to lowermost mantle conditions and its thermal equation of state

In order to examine pressure–volume–temperature (P–V–T) relations for CaSiO₃ perovskite (Ca-perovskite), high-temperature compression experiments with in situ X-ray diffraction were performed in a laser-heated diamond anvil cell (DAC) to 127 GPa and 2,300 K. We also employed an external heating system in the DAC in order to obtain P–V data at a moderate temperature of 700 K up to 113 GPa, which is the reference temperature for constructing an equation of state. The P–V data at 700 K were fitted to the second-order Birch–Murnaghan equation of state, yielding K _700,1bar = 207 ± 4 GPa and V _700,1bar = 46.5 ± 0.1 Å³. Thermal pressure terms were evaluated in the framework of the Mie–Grüneisen–Debye model, yielding γ _700,1bar = 2.7 ± 0.3, q _700,1bar = 1.2 ± 0.8, and θ _700,1bar = 1,300 ± 500 K. A thermodynamic thermal pressure model was also employed, yielding α_700,1bar = 5.7 ± 0.5 × 10^?5/K and (?K/?T) _V  = ?0.010 ± 0.004 GPa/K. Computed densities along a lower mantle geotherm demonstrate that Ca-perovskite is denser than the surrounding lower mantle, suggesting that Ca-perovskite-rich rocks do not rise up through the lower mantle. One of such rocks might be a residue of partial melting of subducted mid-oceanic ridge basalt (MORB) at the base of the mantle. Since the partial melt is FeO-rich and therefore denser than the mantle, all the components of subducted MORB may not return to shallow levels.