Effects of bottom topography and density stratification on the formation of western boundary currents

A wind-driven, general circulation for a two-layer ocean with continental shelf-slope along the western boundary is studied numerically. Special attention is focused on the formation process of the western boundary current in the subtropical gyre. The western boundary current develops in the upper layer along the western boundary on the shelf-slope with a bottom trapped poleward flow in the lower layer. The poleward undercurrent is concentrated approximately along the contour lines of the potential vorticity,f/D, wheref is the Coriolis parameter andD the depth of the ocean. The separation of upper- and lower-layer flows on the shelf-slope represents a typical transient response. As the response approaches a steady state, the poleward undercurrent decreases in amplitude, and the motion tends to be confined to the upper layer. The flow pattern becomes similar to that found in a flat bottom ocean. A steady-state response is expected to be isostatic (no motion in the lower layer), even on the shelf-slope, as conservation of potential vorticity would suggest.The remarkable increase in transport of the western boundary current produced by the formation of an anticyclonic vortex on the shelf-slope extending throughout the hemisphere (Holland, 1973) does not occur in the wind-driven general circulation.     

X-ray observation of the Jovian impacts of comet Shoemaker - Levy 9

An ASCA observation of the Jovian impact of the comet Shoemaker-Levy 9 is reported. Four impacts of H, L, Q1 and R were observed and four impacts of B, C, G, and Q2 were observed within 60 minutes after their impacts. No significant flaring of X-ray emission was observed. Upper limit X-ray fluxes of 90 % confidence level, averaged 5 minutes just after the impacts, were 2.4 × 10^–13 erg sec^–1 cm^–2, 3.5 × 10^–13 erg sec^–1 cm^–2, 1.6 × 10^–13 erg sec^–1 cm^–2 and 2.9 × 10^–13 erg sec^–1 cm^–2 for the impacts of H, L, Q1 and R, respectively, in the 0.5(0.7 for H and Q1)–10 keV energy range. However, a hint of X-ray enhancement around Jupiter from July 17 to July 19 was detected with about 2 6 × 10^–14 erg sec^–1 cm^–2 in the 0.5–10 keV energy range.     

Mass-dependent fractionation of quadruple stable sulfur isotope system as a new tracer of sulfur biogeochemical cycles

Sulfur isotope studies of post-Archean terrestrial materials have focused on the ratio ³⁴S/³²S because additional isotopes, ³³S and ³⁶S, were thought to carry little information beyond the well-known mass-dependent relationship among multiple-isotope ratios. We report high-precision analyses of Δ³³S and Δ³⁶S values, defined as deviations of ³³S and ³⁶S from ideal mass-dependent relationships, for international reference materials and sedimentary sulfides of Phanerozoic age by using a fluorination technique with a dual-inlet isotope ratio mass spectrometer. Measured variations in Δ³³S and Δ³⁶S are explained as resulting from processes involve branching reactions (two or more reservoirs formed) or mixing. Irreversible processes in closed systems (Rayleigh distillation) amplify the isotope effect. We outline how this new isotope proxy can be used to gain new insights into fundamental aspects of the sulfur biogeochemical cycle, including additional constraints on seawater sulfate budget and processes in sedimentary sulfide formation. The isotope systematics discussed here cannot explain the much larger variation of Δ³³S and Δ³⁶S observed in Archean rock records. Furthermore, Phanerozoic samples we have studied show a characteristic Δ³³S and Δ³⁶S relationship that differs from those measured in Archean rocks and laboratory photolysis experiments. Thus, high precision analysis of Δ³³S and Δ³⁶S can be used to distinguish small non-zero Δ³³S and Δ³⁶S produced by mass-dependent processes from those produced by mass-independent processes in Archean rocks and extraterrestrial materials.     

Impact of Changes in Redox Conditions on Leaching of Some Elements from MSW Fly Ash

Abstract. Oxidation and reduction processes can influence extent of leaching of elements from solid waste. Three samples of municipal solid waste combustion fly ash were subjected to oxidizing and reducing conditions in order to evaluate leaching of elements in the Milli-Q water and fly ash (liquid to solid ratio, 100) mixtures. Although the oxidizing and reducing conditions were applied for 6 hours only, elements like Cs, Li, Mg, Sb, Tl and V leached more under oxidizing condition than under reducing condition in the case of all three ash samples. Cadmium, Pb and Zn leached more from all samples under reducing condition than under oxidizing condition. Leaching of other elements like Al, Ba, Cr, Cu, Ni and Rb was inconsistent with oxidizing or reducing conditions and varied from sample to sample, suggesting that factors other than redox may be more important in controlling leaching of these elements. Strong acid neutralization capacity of the fly ash samples let the pH vary within a narrow range, and thus severely limited the extent of leaching during the course of the experiment. Lead and Zn were the most sensitive while K and Na were the least sensitive to changes in redox conditions.     

Magnetotelluric Investigation of the Hydrothermal System and Heat Source in the Muine-Toyoha Geothermal Area, Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract. Magnetotelluric (MT) surveys were carried out around the Muine volcano, Hokkaido, Japan, where it is expected that the heat and metal source forming the polymetallic Ag-Pb-Zn-Cu-In Toyoha deposit is present at depth. Measurements were performed at 20 sites, 18 of which were located along a WSW-ENE profile traversing the north ridge of Mt. Muine. A resistivity model obtained from 2D inversion of the MT data shows subsurface specific conductive and resistive features. Conductive layers are present at the surface of Mt. Muine. The low resistivity is probably due to the clay-rich rocks associated with the hydrothermal alteration. A high resistivity layer, which corresponds to the pre-Tertiary Usubetsu Formation, crops out east of Mt. Muine and dips westward. At the west foot of Mt. Muine, relatively high resistive layers are widely exposed. The resistivity increases with depth and exceeds 1000 ohm-m. This fact indicates that this region is not influenced by the recent hydrothermal activity. An extremely conductive zone about 3–6 km wide and 6–9 km thick exists at a depth of 2 km below Mt. Muine. This zone mostly corresponds to an elastic wave attenuation zone detected by a seismic survey. It is interpreted as a large hydrothermal reservoir or melted magma, which is a heat source of the hydrothermal system in this area.     

类石材料--灰泥的冻融过程

Serious failure on the slope of rock ground can be caused by a cyclic action of freezing and thawing in the cold regions. The frost susceptibility and the effect of freezing and thawing onthe rock material, however, have not been well investigated. In order to find out the freezing effect on the rock materials, mortar specimens are frozen as a pseudo-rock material under the constant rate of freezing by means of controlling the temperature of both ends of specimen. The freezing process is given one-dimensionally to the cylindrical samples in the laboratory to simulate the in-situ freezing phenomena in the natural ground. Formation of ice lens, frost heave and water intake during freezing process are observed on the mortar specimen under constant freezing rate, which probably causes cracks or large deformation in the real rock ground. The values of the velocity of elastic wave propagation are compared before and after freezing process to estimate the degree of weathering due to freezing and thawing.     

Polymetallic Mineralization at the Suttsu Vein-type Deposit, Southwestern Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract. The Suttsu polymetallic vein-type deposit, hosted by tuff, tuff breccia and shale of the Miocene Kunnui Formation and propylitized hornblende-augite andesite, is located in southwestern Hokkaido, Japan. It has been exploited and explored for Cu, Pb, Zn and Ag until 1962.
In this study, we examined K-Ar ages, ore mineralogical characteristics and fluid inclusions to obtain new data for the deposit.
The K-Ar ages on sericite indicate that the polymetallic mineralization occurred in Late Miocene (8.1–5.7 Ma). The polymetallic banded ore from the Ohkubo vein is characterized by an abundance of Au, Ag, Sn, Bi, in, Se and Te. These metals are mainly ascribed to electrum (30.3–37.8 atom% Ag), Se-bearing pavonite (8.5–9.5 wt% Se), gustavite-lillianite solid solution, Se-bearing bismuthinite (5.0–5.3 wt% Se), kawazulite, cassiterite, Sn-bearing chalcopyrite (3.3–4.2 wt% Sn), In-bearing stannite, stannite-chalcopyrite solid solution, and In- and Sn-bearing sphalerite (2.6–8.4 wt% In and 1.8–4.3 wt% Sn), occurring in narrow bands of the ore. The In- and Sn-bearing sphalerite likely forms a sphalerite-roquesite-stannite solid solution with the contents of roquesite and stannite being about 2–9 and 2-A mole%, respectively. Temperatures and salinities (in wt% NaCl equiv.) of the ore fluids are estimated to be 180-250C and 3–4 wt%, respectively. The Sn-bearing chalcopyrite therefore probably precipitated metastably. The geologic and mineralogical features suggest that pre-Tertiary basement rocks rich in organic material underlie the Miocene Kunnui Formation nearby the deposit and that they contributed to local and temporary reduction of magnetite-series magmas favorable for the early stage tin-polymetallic mineralization.     

Rare Earth, Major and Trace Elements in the Kunimiyama Ferromanganese Deposit in the Northern Chichibu Belt, Central Shikoku, Japan

Abstract. Rare earth, major and trace element geochemistry is reported for the Kunimiyama stratiform ferromanganese deposit in the Northern Chichibu Belt, central Shikoku, Japan. The deposit immediately overlies greenstones of mid-ocean ridge basalt (MORB) origin and underlies red chert. The ferromanganese ores exhibit remarkable enrichments in Fe, Mn, P, V, Co, Ni, Zn, Y and rare earth elements (excepting Ce) relative to continental crustal abundance. These enriched elements/ Fe ratios and Post-Archean Average Australian Shale-normalized REE patterns of the ferromanganese ores are generally analogous to those of modern hydrothermal ferromanganese plume fall-out precipitates deposited on MOR flanks. However in more detail, Mn and Ti enrichments in the ferromanganese ores are more striking than the modern counterpart, suggesting a significant contribution of hydrogenetic component in the Kunimiyama ores. Our results are consistent with the interpretation that the Kunimiyama ores were umber deposits that primarily formed by hydrothermal plume fall-out precipitation in the Panthalassa Ocean during the Early Permian and then accreted onto the proto-Japanese island arc during the Middle Jurassic. The presence of strong negative Ce anomaly in the Kunimiyama ores may indicate that the Early Permian Panthalassa seawater had a more striking negative Ce anomaly due to a more oxidizing oceanic condition than today.     

Isotopic tracers for water masses in the coastal region of eastern Hokkaido

In this study we used two stable isotopes, δ¹³C and δ¹⁸O, for water mass classification in the coastal region off eastern Hokkaido. δ¹³C* values, which were corrected for the biological effect, and δ ¹⁸O values up to 300 m depth suggested that the isotopic character of the onshore and offshore water in the southern Okhotsk Sea, the Nemuro Strait and the western North Pacific could be explained by the mixing of three source waters: the Oyashio water (OYW), Soya Warm Current water (SWCW) and East Sakhalin Current water (ESCW). In summer, δ ¹³C*-δ ¹⁸O plots indicated mixing between SWCW from the southern Okhotsk Sea and OYW in the Pacific coast of southeastern Hokkaido, while temperature-salinity plots of the onshore water showed minimal difference from the offshore OYW. In winter, on the other hand, the mixed water of ESCW and OYW (or SWCW) appeared in the Pacific coastal region, distributed as cold, low salinity onshore water. Finally, we estimated mixing ratios of OYW, SWCW and ESCW in the coastal region of western North Pacific using their mean values of δ ¹³C* and δ ¹⁸O as endmembers. These results suggest seasonal and yearly changes of water mass combination en route from the southern Okhotsk Sea to the western North Pacific.