Current and Turbidity Variations in the Western Part of Suo-Nada, the Seto Inland Sea, Japan: A Hypothesis on the Oxygen-Deficient Water Mass Formation

A hydrographic survey and a 25-hour stationary observation were carried out in the western part of Suo-Nada in the summer of 1998 to elucidate the formation mechanism of the oxygen-deficient water mass. A steep thermocline and halocline separated the upper layer water from the bottom water over the observational area except for near the Kanmon Strait. The bottom water, in comparison with the upper layer water, indicated lower temperature, higher salinity, lower dissolved oxygen, higher turbidity, and higher chlorophyll a. Turbidity in the upper layer water changed with semi-diurnal period while the bottom water turbidity showed a quarter-diurnal variation, though the M₂ tidal current prevailed in both waters. From the turbidity distribution and the current variation, it is revealed that the turbidity in the upper layer water is controlled by the advection due to the M₂ tidal current. On the other hand, the quarter-diurnal variation in the bottom water turbidity is caused by the resuspension of bottom sediments due to the M₂ tidal current. The steep thermocline and halocline were maintained throughout the observation period in spite of the rather strong tidal currents. This implies an active intrusion of the low temperature and high salinity water from the east to the bottom of Suo-Nada. Based on the observational results, a hypothesis on the oxygen-deficient water mass formation was proposed; the periodical turbidity variation in the bottom water quickly modifies the oxygen-rich water in the east to the oxygen-deficient bottom water in Suo-Nada in a course of circulation.     

Spatial Heterogeneity in Distributions of Chlorophyll a Derivatives in the Subarctic North Pacific during Summer

The distribution of chlorophyll a derivatives was examined in samples collected from the subarctic North Pacific during July to September 1997. Pheophorbide a, pheophytin a and pyropheophorbide a as determined by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC) were the major derivatives recorded. The distribution patterns of chlorophyll a and its derivatives showed a strong vertical and horizontal heterogeneity. Patches with high concentration of derivatives seemed to be associated with high concentration of chlorophyll a. A clear east-west gradient was observed in both chlorophyll a and pheophorbide a integrated from the surface to 100 m depth with significantly higher amounts of both the pigments in the Western Subarctic Gyre and in the Bering Sea than in the Alaskan Gyre. In contrast, no apparent gradient was observed in the integrated pyropheophorbide a and pheophytin a. Grazing experiments conducted with the copepod (Neocalanus cristatus) and salp (Cyclosalpa bakeri) fed on five species of phytoplankton cultures, showed a marked difference in the composition of the derivatives in their fecal pellets. Pyropheophorbide a was dominant in the copepod fecal pellet regardless of the phytoplankton species fed on. In the salp, however, pheophytin a and pheophorbide a were found in the fecal pellets, the relative concentrations varying with the algal food. Spatial heterogeneity in the distribution of the derivatives is considered to reflect local variations in dominant herbivorous processes.     

Structure refinement of a nonstoichiometric pyroxene synthesized under ambient pressure

Structure refinement was carried out on a nonstoichiometric clinopyroxene grown under the ambient pressure from a glass with composition of 23%(mol)Di+53%Es+24%An. The degree of nonstoichiometry in this crystal is significantly larger than those of clinopyroxenes reported previously, which were found in high pressure products. The refinement gave the empirical chemical formula (Ca_0.742Fe_0.087)(Mg_0.016Al_0.888Fe_0.075)(Al_0.500Si_1.500)O₆ for the crystal and showed that vacancies are located mainly at M2 sites. Despite replacement of Si by Al, the crystal has a smaller cell volume than diopside primarily owing to a significant amount of Mg at M1 being replaced by Al. Received: 25 June 1997 / Revised, accepted: 6 September 1997     

Production of bioplastics and hydrogen gas by photosynthetic microorganisms

Experiments on salimity tolerance of embryos and larvae of the southern bay scallopArgopecten irradians concentricus Say under controlled temperature of 28°C showed that although the eggs were fertilized and cleaved at salinity 18.1–37.4, they could further develop into normal D-shaped larvae only at salinity 23.4–36.1, while the trochophore larvae could develop into normal D—shaped larvae at salinity 22.1–39.9. For 72 hours, the larvae could tolerate salinity of 18.4–43.9, the salinity favoring growth was 19.8–42.4; the suitable range was 21–36, and the optimum at about 28. They metamorphosed at salinity 18.9–43.5, optimally at 24–32. Contribution No. 3301 from the Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences. The research was supported by the National Climbing Project B(PDB6-3-2).     

Modelling three‐dimensional non‐linear seismic performance of elevated bridges with emphasis on pounding of girders

Unseating of bridge girders/decks during earthquakes is very harmful to the safety and serviceability of bridges. Evidence from recent severe earthquakes indicates that in addition to damage along longitudinal direction, lateral displacement and rotation of bridge girders caused by pounding to adjacent girders can also lead to unseating. To simulate this effect, 3D modelling of the dynamic performance of whole bridge structures, including pounding, is needed strongly. This paper presents a 3D model that is practically suitable to precisely analyse pounding between bridge girders. Experiments have been conducted to verify the proposed pounding model. The 3D non‐linear modelling of steel elevated bridges is also discussed. A general‐purpose dynamic analysis program for bridges, namely dynamic analysis of bridge systems (DABS) has been developed. Seismic analyses on a chosen three‐span steel bridge are conducted for several cases including pounding as a case study. The applicability of the proposed pounding model is illustrated by the computations. The effects of poundings on the response of bridge girders are discussed and the computation results are given. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Spectrum analysis relevant to Indian monsoon

Recent investigations on Indian monsoon by the method of spectrum analysis are reviewed from the viewpoint of various aspects of its application. The assessment is also made on their results and discussions. Through these processes, it emerged that there exist at least two kinds of quasi-periodic variations in the summer monsoonal fluctuation over India and adjacent regions. One appears as a spectral peak around the 5-day period and another is around the 15-day period.The former one is conspicuous along the monsoon trough region in northern India. The results of cross-spectrum analysis show that it reflects the passage of westward-moving, synoptic-scale disturbances called monsoon lows. The latter seems to be related to the large-scale variation of monsoon activity itself, though it is also likely to have some associations with the cyclogenesis of monsoon depressions. The recent application of spectral method to this large-scale interrelation is also discussed along with the results of some non-spectral studies and the remaining problems are pointed out.     

Dynamic characterization of multiple tuned mass dampers and some design formulas

Multiple Tuned Mass Dampers (MTMD) consist of a large number of small oscillators with natural frequencies distributed around the natural frequency of a controlled mode of the structure. In the present paper, the modal characteristics and efficiency of the MTMD are studied analytically. Perturbation solutions for the modal properties of the MTMD–structure system are obtained and the modal characteristics are discussed. An explicit formula to estimate the effectiveness of the MTMD subjected to harmonic forces is also derived. It is shown that the MTMD is efficient when at least one of the oscillators is strongly coupled with the structure in any mode. Based on this observation, a critical bandwidth of the natural frequencies of the MTMD to make the system multiply tuned is derived in a simple form, and furthermore a robustness criterion for the frequency tuning under a given bandwidth is proposed. It is shown that, when properly designed, the MTMD can be much more stable (robust) than a conventional single TMD while maintaining more or less the same efficiency. Numerical studies verify the accuracy of the perturbation solutions and the proposed formulas.     

Swelling of a lava plug associated with a Vulcanian eruption at Sakurajima Volcano,Japan, as revealed by infrasound record: case study of the eruption on January 2, 2007

In order to clarify the time relation of the expansion of a gas pocket and failure of its overlying plug of lava during Vulcanian eruptions, infrasound records and video images of the Vulcanian eruption that occurred at Sakurajima volcano on January 2, 2007 were analyzed with respect to their origin times. Weak (≤3 Pa) and slowly increasing air pressure preceded the impulsive compression phase by 0.25–0.32 s, and a longer-period rarefaction phase of infrasound waves was recognized at all microphone stations. The velocity of the compression phase was assumed to be supersonic (ca. 400 m/s) up to 850 m above the crater bottom from other recent explosions. On the other hand, the propagation velocity of the preceding weak signal was regarded to be similar to the air sound velocity because the lack of impulsiveness is unlikely to be related to the main compression phase. Therefore, the estimated origin time of the main compression phase was delayed by 0.5–0.7 s from the preceding phase. The origin time of the preceding phase coincided with the onset of the isotropic expansion process of the pressurized gas pocket, which was obtained by the waveform inversion of the explosion earthquake. In contrast, the origin time of the main impulsive phase coincided with the time when the expansion rate reached its peak. This observation suggests that the volumetric increase of the gas pocket caused swelling of the surface of the crater bottom and its subsequent failure. When the expansion velocity exceeded a threshold level, the main impulsive compression phase radiated with a high velocity by the sudden releases of the pressurized gases. The volumetric change at the source was estimated to be 280–560 m³ from the preceding phase of the infrasound. This volume change indicates that the vertical displacement of the swelling ground was on the order of 1.0 m, assuming the radius of the lava plug was ca. 10 m.     

Mechanism of explosive eruption revealed by geophysical observations at the Sakurajima,Suwanosejima and Semeru volcanoes

A common sequence of phenomena associated with volcanic explosions is extracted based on seismic and ground deformation observations at 3 active volcanoes in Japan and Indonesia. Macroscopic inflation-related ground deformations are detected prior to individual explosions, while deflations are observed during eruptions. Precursory inflation occurs 5 min to several hours before eruption at the Sakurajima volcano, but just 1–2 min at Suwanosejima and 3–30 min at the Semeru volcano. The sequence commences with minor contraction, which is detected by extensometers 1.5 min before eruption at Sakurajima, as a dilatant first motion of the explosion earthquakes 0.2–0.3 s before surface explosions at Suwanosejima, and as downward tilt 4–5 s prior to eruption at the Semeru volcano. The sequence is detected for explosive eruptions with > 0.1 μrad tilt change at Sakurajima, 90% at Suwanosejima and 75% at Semeru volcanoes. It is inferred that the minor contraction is caused by a volume and pressure decrease due to the release of gas from a pocket at the top of the conduit as the gas pressure exceeds the strength of the confining plug. The subsequent violent expansion may be triggered by sudden outgassing of the water-saturated magma induced by the decrease in confining pressure.     

Characteristics of ChgH–GFP transgenic medaka lines, an in vivo estrogenic compound detection system

We previously reported the characteristics of a ChgH–GFP transgenic medaka line that indicates estrogenic compound pollution in environmental water by the green fluorescence of their liver. Recently, we established four more lines. In this study, the characteristics of the five transgenic medaka lines were investigated. The intensity of reporter gene expression varied among transgenic lines and generally correlated well with the amount of integrated transgene in each line. Line-specific ectopic expression was also observed. However, the sensitivity to 17-β estradiol did not differ among transgenic lines. Three transgenic lines are considered to be suitable as bio-indicators of estrogenic activity, due to the ease of observing green fluorescence in their livers. The transgenic lines can also detect the estrogenic activity of testosterone and 17-β trenbolone at the nominal concentration of 30 and 100 μg/l, respectively.