Interannual variations of the Hawaiian Lee Countercurrent induced by potential vorticity variability in the subsurface

Interannual variations of the Hawaiian Lee Countercurrent (HLCC) in the 2000s were investigated using satellite and Argo profiling float observations. The satellite-observed sea surface height shows that the geostrophic eastward current was anomalously strong to the west away from Hawaii in 2003 and 2005. However, the trade winds and the orographic wind curl dipole in the lee of Hawaii that drives the climatological mean HLCC were not particularly strong in these years, suggesting that the accelerations of the HLCC were not caused by the wind stress curl forcing around Hawaii and subsequent Rossby wave propagation. Using Argo observations, we found negative potential vorticity (PV) anomalies in the subsurface north of the HLCC in these 2 years. The pycnocline is lifted northward as low PV waters of different densities stack up in the vertical, and the HLCC is then accelerated via the thermal wind. The intensification and/or southward intrusion of the eastern subtropical mode water and subtropical mode water seem to have induced negative PV anomalies in 2003 and 2005, respectively. Using high-resolution ocean simulations, we confirmed the migrations of PV anomalies and their contributions to the HLCC accelerations. Although the HLCC is located away from the cores of major mode waters, our results suggest that interannual variations of the HLCC are affected by those of mode waters.     

Decadal variability of the Kuroshio Extension: mesoscale eddies and recirculations

An eddy-resolving multidecadal ocean model hindcast simulation is analyzed to investigate time-varying signals of the two recirculation gyres present respectively to the north and south of the Kuroshio Extension (KE) jet. The northern recirculation gyre (NRG), which has been detected at middepth recently by profiling float and moored current meter observations, is a major focus of the present study. Low-frequency variations in the intensity of the recirculation gyres are overall highly correlated with decadal variations of the KE jet induced by the basin-wide wind change. Modulation of the simulated mesoscale eddies and its relationship with the time-varying recirculation gyres are also evaluated. The simulated eddy kinetic energy in the upstream KE region is inversely correlated with the intensity of the NRG, consistent with previous observational studies. Eddy influence on the low-frequency modulation of the NRG intensity at middepth is further examined by a composite analysis of turbulent Sverdrup balance, assuming a potential vorticity balance between the mean advection and the convergent eddy fluxes during the different states of the recirculation gyre. The change in the NRG intensity is adequately explained by that inferred by the turbulent Sverdrup balance, suggesting that the eddy feedback triggers the low-frequency modulation of the NRG intensity at middepth.     

Structure of hydrous aluminosilicate glasses along the diopside-anorthite join: A comprehensive one- and two-dimensional H and Al NMR study

We have taken a systematic approach utilizing advanced solid-state NMR techniques to gain new insights into the controversial issue concerning the dissolution mechanisms of water in aluminosilicate melts (glasses). A series of quenched anhydrous and hydrous (∼2 wt% H₂O) glass samples along the diopside (Di, CaMgSi₂O₆)—anorthite (An, CaAl₂Si₂O₈) join with varying An components (0, 20, 38, 60, 80, and 100 mol %) have been studied. A variety of NMR techniques, including one-dimensional (1D) ¹H and ²⁷Al MAS NMR, and ²⁷Al → ¹H cross-polarization (CP) MAS NMR, as well as two-dimensional (2D) ¹H double-quantum (DQ) MAS NMR, ²⁷Al triple-quantum (3Q) MAS NMR, and ²⁷Al → ¹H heteronuclear correlation NMR (HETCOR) and 3QMAS/HETCOR NMR, have been applied. These data revealed the presence of SiOH, free OH ((Ca,Mg)OH) and AlOH species in the hydrous glasses, with the last mostly interconnected with Si and residing in the more polymerized parts of the structure. Thus, there are no fundamental differences in water dissolution mechanisms for Al-free and Al-bearing silicate melts (glasses), both involving two competing processes: the formation of SiOH/AlOH that is accompanied by the depolymerization of the network structure, and the formation of free OH that has an opposite effect. The latter is more important for depolymerized compositions corresponding to mafic and ultramafic magmas.Aluminum is dominantly present in four coordination (Al^IV), but a small amount of five-coordinate Al (Al^V) is also observed in all the anhydrous and hydrous glasses. Furthermore, six-coordinate Al (Al^VI) is also present in most of the hydrous glasses. As Al of higher coordinations are favored by high pressure, Al^VIOH and Al^VOH may become major water species at higher pressures corresponding to those of the Earth’s mantle.     

Numerical study of Ashiyahama residential building damage in the Kobe Earthquake

Studies are made on the structural damage at the Ashiyahama residential high‐rise steel building complex due to the Hyogo‐ken Nanbu Earthquake (Kobe Earthquake), which occurred on 17 January 1995. The axial breakage of very thick‐plated steel columns of the mega‐structure is unprecedented and has been attracting the special attention of structural engineers. The cause of the damage is first investigated from numerical computation with recourse to an explicit method of dynamic analysis based on a continuous medium. The numerical result is compared with that obtained from a conventional multi‐mass lumped stiffness model combined with an equivalent lateral‐force procedure. By comparing both the numerical results, the latter conventional method is shown to be inadequate for achieving earthquake‐resistant capability. The destructive power of the ground motion is found to have exceeded the horizontal earthquake‐resistant capacity that is prescribed in the structural design criteria. Great axial stresses are produced in columns by combined action of bending moment and axial force due to overturning moment. The fracture of heavy steel columns is caused from only the horizontal component of seismic ground motion. Actual locations of significant damage are closely related to the occurrence of plastic hinges in the analysis. It is emphasized as a warning to avoid yielding concentration in particular storeys. Lastly, recommendations to enhance earthquake‐resistant design are proposed from a practical point of view. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

超声波技术在冻土物性测试中的应用探讨

超声波在冻土中的传播特性反映了冻土材料的动力学特征，利用超声波速度测试技术可以直接测试冻土的动力学弹性参数，实验结果表明，冻土的单轴压缩强度与冻土的超声波速度在单一影响因素改变时存在良好的相关关系，利用这种相关性，有可能采用超声波无损测试技术来估计冻土的强度，冻土的未冻水含量明显影响着冻土中超声波的传播速度，实验结果表明，超声波速度与未冻水含量之间存在很好的函数关系，它提示了超声波速度用于冻土未冻水含量测试的可能性。     

Vertical distribution of various elements in sediment cores from the Japan Sea

Deep-sea sediment cores ranging up to 30,000–80,000 yrs in age were taken from a southern region of the Japan Sea and subjected to analyses for 5 major and 11 trace elements by means of instrumental photon activation analysis with 30 MeV bremsstrahlung. These elements were Ca, Fe, Mg, Na, Ti, Ba, Ce, Co, Cr, Mn, Nb, Ni, Rb, Sr, Y and Zr. Additionally, Al was determined spectrophotometrically. Distribution patterns of these elements with depth in the sediment columns were derived. Enrichments of Ca and Sr by biogenous process were observed; these Ca maxima are well correlated with Mn maxima. Below the Holocene—Pleistocene boundary, continuous transportation of poorly degraded continental debris, which was low in metallic constituents, was noted. A distinct enrichment of the top layer of the sediments in Mn was observed. This is the result of post-depositional upward migration of Mn. Fe, Co and Ni were also enriched in the top layers. In the central part of the basin, the oxidized post-glacial zone appears to be a typical pelagic sediment.     

Sulfur speciation and network structural changes in sodium silicate glasses: Constraints from NMR and Raman spectroscopy

Information about the state of sulfur in silicate melts and glasses is important in both earth sciences and materials sciences. Because of its variety of valence states from S²⁻ (sulfide) to S⁶⁺ (sulfate), the speciation of sulfur dissolved in silicate melts and glasses is expected to be highly dependent on the oxygen fugacity. To place new constraint on this issue, we have synthesized sulfur-bearing sodium silicate glasses (quenched melts) from starting materials containing sulfur of different valence states (Na₂SO₄, Na₂SO₃, Na₂S₂O₃ and native S) using an internally heated gas pressure vessel, and have applied electron-induced SKα X-ray fluorescence, micro-Raman and NMR spectroscopic techniques to probe their structure. The wavelength shift of SKα X-rays revealed that the differences in the valence state of sulfur in the starting compounds are largely retained in the synthesized sulfur-bearing glasses, with a small reduction for more oxidized samples. The ²⁹Si MAS NMR spectra of all the glasses contain no peaks attributable to the SiO_4-nS_n (with n > 0) linkages. The Raman spectra are consistent with the coexistence of sodium sulfate (Na₂SO₄) species and one or more types of more reduced sulfur species containing S-S linkages in all the sulfur-bearing silicate glasses, with the former dominant in glasses produced from Na₂SO₄-doped starting materials, and the latter more abundant in more reduced glasses. The ²⁹Si MAS NMR and Raman spectra also revealed changes in the silicate network structure of the sulfur-bearing glasses, which can be interpreted in terms of changes in the chemical composition and sulfur speciation.     

Source model of Noto-Hanto-Oki earthquake tsunami of 7 February 1993

A source model was discussed for a small tsunami accompanied by the Noto-Hanto-Oki earthquake (M _s 6.6), striking Japan on 7 February, 1994. Assuming a fault model under the sea bottom, we estimated the focal parameters jointly, using synthesized tsunami source spectra as well as the tsunami numerical simulation. The fault proposed by this study consists of a plane sized 15×15 km, dipping N47°W with the dip angle of 42°, which is almost pure reverse fault (slip angle 87°) with a dislocation of 1 meter. The numerical simulation shows that the shallow sea in the source region caused a comparatively long recurring tsunami (the periods are 12–18 minutes) in spite of its small size. The model fault is corresponding to an aftershock area of this earthquake.     

Charcoal records from thermokarst deposits in central Yakutia, eastern Siberia: Implications for forest fire history and thermokarst development

Macroscopic charcoal records from a thermokarst lake deposit in central Yakutia, eastern Siberia, were used to reconstruct the history of forest fires and investigate its relationship to thermokarst initiation. High accumulation rates of charcoal and pollen were coincident in the basal deposits of the thermokarst lake, which suggests that both were initially deposited on the forest floor and subsequently reworked and accumulated in the thermokarst depression. High charcoal and pollen accumulation rates in the basal deposits, dating to 11,000-9000 cal yr BP, also indicate that the thermokarst topography developed during the early Holocene. A lower charcoal accumulation rate after ca. 9000 cal yr BP suggests that thermokarst development has been inhibited since this time. It also indicates that a surface-fire regime has been predominant at least since ca. 9000 cal yr BP in central Yakutia.