A new method for determining the internal rotational angular velocity of the stars

Infrared spectra of submicrometre-sized particles of several protosilicates have been used to derive mass absorption coefficients. These data have been applied in order to describe the infrared radiation from the source OH 26.5+0.6 in terms of a simple model. A good fit of the 10 m absorption feature could be achieved, but some discrepancies remain in the 20 m region. The reasons for the weakness of the 20 m band in infrared sources are discussed.The laboratory spectra revealed that the samples contained a small admixture of carbonates. Thus, some statements about the infrared spectrum of submicrometre-sized carbonate particles could also be made.     

Estimation of mean residence times of subsurface waters using seasonal variation in deuterium excess in a small headwater catchment in Japan

We measured deuterium excess (d = δD ? 8δ¹⁸O) in throughfall, groundwater, soil water, spring water, and stream water for 3 years in a small headwater catchment (Matsuzawa, 0·68 ha) in the Kiryu Experimental Watershed in Japan. The d value represents a kinetic effect produced when water evaporates. The d value of the throughfall showed a sinusoidal change (amplitude: 6·9‰ relative to Vienna standard mean ocean water (V‐SMOW)) derived from seasonal changes in the source of water vapour. The amplitude of this sinusoidal change was attenuated to 1·3–6·9‰ V‐SMOW in soil water, groundwater, spring water, and stream water. It is thought that these attenuations derive from hydrodynamic transport processes in the subsurface and mixing processes at an outflow point (stream or spring) or a well. The mean residence time (MRT) of water was estimated from d value variations using an exponential‐piston flow model and a dispersion model. MRTs for soil water were 0–5 months and were not necessarily proportional to the depth. This may imply the existence of bypass flow in the soil. Groundwater in the hillslope zone had short residence times, similar to those of the soil water. For groundwater in the saturated zone near the spring outflow point, the MRTs differed between shallow and deeper groundwater; shallow groundwater had a shorter residence time (5–8 months) than deeper groundwater (more than 9 months). The MRT of stream water (8–9 months) was between that of shallow groundwater near the spring and deeper groundwater near the spring. The seasonal variation in the d value of precipitation arises from changes in isotopic water vapour composition associated with seasonal activity of the Asian monsoon mechanism. The d value is probably an effective tracer for estimating the MRT of subsurface water not only in Japan, but also in other East Asian countries influenced by the Asian monsoon. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Incessant excitation of the Earth's free oscillations: global comparison of superconducting gravimeter records

Records of superconducting gravimeters (SGs) at Canberra (Australia), Esashi (Japan), Metsähovi (Finland) and Syowa Stations (Antarctica) were analyzed to search for further evidence of background free oscillations of the Earth. Spectrograms for 1-year period and averaged power spectra for seismically quiet periods were obtained for each of the stations. Anomalous features of the oscillations observed at Syowa Station, such as an apparent seasonal variation and a high intensity at frequencies between 3 and 4 mHz, were absent at the other SG stations. Among the SG stations used in this study, the background free oscillations were detected most consistently and distinctly at Canberra, where the noise level was comparable to that at the IDA quietest station, while that at Syowa Station was close to the critical limit for detecting the oscillations. The background free oscillations provide a good reference to evaluate the noise level in the milliHertz band.     

Miocene fossil pinnipeds of the genera Prototaria and Neotherium (Carnivora; Otariidae; Imagotariinae) in the North Pacific Ocean: Evolution, relationships and distribution

Abstract Fossil otariid pinnipeds of the extinct genera Prototaria Takeyama and Ozawa, 1984, and Neotherium Kellogg, 1931, known from Middle Miocene deposits bordering the North Pacific Ocean, are small, primitive pinnipeds in the subfamily Imagotariinae. They have a small supraorbital process of the frontal or have lost it entirely, a three-rooted first molar, small paroccipital process, and ear morphology indicating that they belong in the subfamily Imagotariinae. Their unique derived characters include extreme intertemporal constriction and highly modified cheek teeth, the premolars having become molarized by the addition of protocones and lingual cingula. Prototaria Takeyama and Ozawa, 1984, the most primitive known imagotariine genus, contains two species, P. primigena Takeyama and Ozawa, 1984, and P. planicephala Kohno, 1994, both of early Middle Miocene age from Japan. Prototaria has a few derived characters, including a large antorbital process, narrow intertemporal region, and large orbit, but its primitive characters apparently were inherited from enaliarctine ancestors. The long enigmatic Neotherium mirum Kellogg, 1931, of Middle Miocene age from California, USA, is related to Prototaria, but differs by having an elongate skull, very slender zygomatic arch, ventrally exposed median lacerate foramen, and smaller but more molarized premolars. A more primitive new genus and species, Proneotherium repenningi Barnes, related to N. mirum, is from the early Middle Miocene Astoria Formation, coastal Oregon, USA. It shares some derived characters with Prototaria, and shares many other important derived characters with N. mirum. Imagotariines probably arose from some species of Early Miocene enaliarctines, became diverse in Middle and Late Miocene time, and are only known from the North Pacific realm. Although they might include the ancestors of true walruses of the subfamily Odobeninae, no known imagotariines appear to have been adapted for mollusk feeding as are the highly evolved modern walruses. Instead, imagotariines appear to have retained a primitive piscivorous diet, as did the fur seals and sea lions of the subfamily Otariinae.     

Canopy structure metrics governing stemflow funnelling differ between leafed and leafless states: Insights from a large-scale rainfall simulator

An increasing number of studies have examined the effects of various biotic and abiotic factors on stemflow production. Of those that have ascribed the importance of canopy structure to stemflow production, there has been a bias towards field studies. Coupling Bayesian inference with the NIED (National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Resilience, Tsukuba, Japan) large-scale rainfall simulator, this study leveraged a unique opportunity to control rainfall amounts and intensities to pinpoint the canopy structural metrics that differentially influence stemflow funnelling ratios for three common tree species between leafed and leafless canopy states. For the first time, we examined whether canopy structure metrics exert a static control on stemflow funnelling ratios or whether different elements of canopy structure are more or less important under leafed or leafless states, thereby allowing us to determine if tacit assumptions about the static influence of canopy structure on stemflow production (and funnelling) are valid (or not). Rainfall simulations were conducted at 15, 20, 30, 40, 50, and 100 mm h⁻¹ under both leafed and leafless tree conditions (12 simulations in total) to detect any differential effects on the presence or absence of foliage on stemflow funnelling ratios. For leafed conditions, the highest percentages of best-fitting models (ΔDIC ≤2) indicated that stemflow funnelling ratios were mainly controlled by total dry aboveground biomass (B_all), diameter at breast height (D_BH), total dry foliar biomass (B_f), tree height (H), and woody to foliar dry biomass ratio (BR). Whilst for the leafless state, the highest percentages of best-fitting models (ΔDIC ≤2) indicated that total dry branch biomass (B_br) was relatively dominant as was the interaction effects between crown projection area and species (CPA:species). These results compel us to reject any assumption of a static effect of different elements of canopy structure on stemflow funnelling.     

Advanced mosasaurs from the Upper Cretaceous Nakaminato Group in Japan

Plotosaurus is a highly aquatically adapted mosasaur, which is supposed to inhabit the deep ocean basin. The geographic occurrence of this genus has been limited only to the west coast of North America. In this study, two Plotosaurus-type mosasaur caudal vertebrae derived from the Upper Cretaceous Nakaminato Group in Ibaraki Prefecture, Japan, are described with discussion on the paleobiogeographic significance of the Late Cretaceous mosasaur fauna in the Northwestern Pacific region. The two specimens are an intermediate caudal vertebra found in a beach cobble, which presumably originated from the Hiraiso Formation (upper Campanian), and a terminal caudal vertebra found in situ in the lower Isoai Formation (lower Maastrichtian). Because their relative centrum lengths (ratio of centrum length/centrum height, ~0.7) are very close to that of Plotosaurus, the specimens are referred to cf. Plotosaurus sp. The two specimens provide the first evidence that highly specialized Plotosaurus-type mosasaurs inhabited the Northwestern Pacific Ocean, suggesting that such forms had a wider distribution than previously recognized and might have existed since the late Campanian in the Northwestern Pacific Ocean.     

Seismicity changes related to a water injection experiment in the Nojima Fault Zone

Abstract A water injection experiment was carried out by the scientific drilling program named the 'Nojima Fault Zone Probe' during the two periods 9–13 February and 16–25 March 1997. The pumping pressure at the surface was approximately 4 MPa. The total amount of injected water was 258 m³. The injection was made between depths of 1480 m and 1670 m in the Disaster Prevention Research Institute, Kyoto University (DPRI) 1800 m borehole drilled into the Nojima Fault zone. A seismic observation network was deployed to monitor seismic activity related to the water injections. Seismicity suddenly increased in the region not far from the injection hole 4 or 5 days after the beginning of each water injection. These earthquakes were likely to be induced by the water injections. Most of the earthquakes had magnitudes ranging from −2 to +1. Numerous earthquakes occurred during the first injection, but only one could be reliably located and it was approximately 2 km north of the injection site. Between the two injection periods, earthquakes concentrated in the region approximately 1 km northwest of the injection site. During and after the second injection experiment, earthquakes were located approximately 1.5 km west of the injection site. Those earthquakes were located approximately 3 km or 4 km from the injection point and between 2 km and 4 km in depth. Values of intrinsic permeability of 10⁻¹⁴–10⁻¹⁵ m² were estimated from the time lapse of the induced seismic activity. The coefficient of friction in the area where the induced earthquakes occurred was estimated to be less than 0.3.     

Forced vibration test of a building with semi‐active damper system

The authors developed a semi‐active hydraulic damper (SHD) and installed it in an actual building in 1998. This was the first application of a semi‐active structural control system that can control a building's response in a large earthquake by continuously changing the device's damping coefficient. A forced vibration test was carried out by an exciter with a maximum force of 100 kN to investigate the building's vibration characteristics and to determine the system's performance. As a result, the primary resonance frequency and the damping ratio of a building that the SHDs were not jointed to, decreased as the exciting force increased due to the influence of non‐linear members such as PC curtain walls. The equivalent damping ratio was estimated by approximating the resonance curves using the steady‐state response of the SDOF bilinear hysteretic system. After the eight SHDs were jointed to the building, the system's performance was identified by a response control test for steady‐state vibration. The elements that composed the semi‐active damper system demonstrated the specified performance and the whole system operated well. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Post‐Eocene intensification of deep‐water circulation in the central South Pacific: Micropalaeontological clues from dredged sites along the eastern Manihiki Plateau margin

Reconstruction of early Cenozoic deep‐water circulation is one of the keys to modelling Earth's greenhouse‐to‐icehouse surface evolution, but it has long been hampered by the paucity of information from the central South Pacific. To help overcome this knowledge gap, we present new micropalaeontological data from dredged carbonates (R/V Sonne Expedition SO193) at several eastern volcanic salients of the Manihiki Plateau. Interestingly, despite appreciable longitudinal separations among the dredged sites, ages indicated by the foraminiferal assemblages are consistently around the Middle Eocene (including mixed Turonian [Late Cretaceous]/Eocene at a single site), suggesting widespread post‐Eocene cessation of the pelagic sedimentation. By integrating with independent seismic and chronostratigraphic data (Deep Sea Drilling Project Leg 33) for large‐scale erosion of top‐Eocene–Oligocene sedimentary units on the eastern Manihiki Plateau, our results can be viewed as novel physical evidence for the intensification of central South Pacific deep‐water circulation since the Eocene/Oligocene climatic transition.     

1992 compilation of analytical data for rare-earth elements, scandium, yttrium, zirconium and hafnium in twenty-six GSJ reference samples

Abstract: Analytical data for fourteen rare-earth elements, scandium, yttrium, zirconium and hafnium, received by May 1992, have been compiled on twenty-six GSJ (Geological Survey of Japan) reference samples. Seventeen of them are 'Igneous rock series' and nine are "Sedimentary rock series". The reported data including personal communication were evaluated under the consideration on analytical methods and geochemical evidences. No significant difference has been observed between the values obtained by the different analytical methods. Based on the selected available data, 1992 compilation values were tabulated.