Geochemical indicators and seismic phenomena

Bulletin of Volcanology - The results obtained from the study of the Atami Geyser. of Hakone Volcano fumaroles, and of Kagai hot springs can be used for the geochemical prediction of ‘great...     

Surface mass balance on Glacier No. 31 in the Suntar–Khayata Range,eastern Siberia,from 1951 to 2014

This study presents a 64-year(1951–2014) reconstruction of the surface mass balance of Glacier No. 31, located in the Suntar-Khayata Range of the eastern Siberia, where the ablation zone is characterized by the extensive dark ice surface. We use a temperature index-based glacier mass-balance model, which computes all major components of glacier mass budget and is forced by daily air temperature and precipitation from a nearby meteorological station. The glacier shows a mean annual mass balance of –0.35 m w.e.a~(–1) during the past 64 years, with an acceleration of –0.50 m w.e. a~(–1) during the recent years. A cumulative mass loss of the glacier is ~22.3 m w.e. over the study period, about 56% of which is observed during 1991–2014. In addition to the contribution of temperature rise and precipitation decrease to recent mass loss of the glacier, an experimental analysis, in which the cleanand dark ice surfaces are respectively assumed to cover the entire ablation zone, indicates that dark ice surface, caused by insoluble impurities consisting of mineral dusts, cryoconite granules, and ice algae, plays a crucial role in the changing mass balance through enhancing melt rates in the ablation zone of the glacier.     

Configuration of the subducting Philippine Sea slab in the eastern part of southwestern Japan with seismic array and Hi-net data

It is important to know the shape of a subducting slab in order to understand the mechanisms of inter-plate earthquakes and the process of subduction. Seismicity data and converted phases have been used to detect plate boundaries. The configuration of the Philippine Sea slab has been obtained at the western part of southwestern Japan. At the eastern part of southwestern Japan, however, the configuration of the Philippine Sea slab has not yet been confirmed. A spatially high-density seismic network makes it possible to detect the boundaries of the Philippine Sea slab. We used a spatially high-density temporal seismic array in the area. The configuration of the Philippine Sea plate is obtained at the eastern part of southwestern Japan using the temporal seismic array and permanent seismic network data and comparing the seismic structure obtained from the results of refraction surveys. The configuration of the Philippine Sea plate obtained by this study does not bend sharply compared to previous models obtained from receiver function analyses. We delineated the upper boundary of the slab to a depth of about 45 km. The weak image of the boundary, which corresponds to the upper mantle reflector beneath the source area of the 2000 Western Tottori earthquake, was detected using the spatially dense array.     

Identification of 1771 Meiwa Tsunami deposits using a combination of radiocarbon dating and oxygen isotope microprofiling of emerged massive Porites boulders

The Meiwa Tsunami, one of the largest tsunamis recorded in historical documents in Japan struck Ishigaki Island and neighboring islands of the Ryukyu Arc in April 1771 AD, killing more than 12 000 people. An enormous number of massive Porites coral boulders are scattered on the shore and in the reef moat of eastern Ishigaki Island. Although these boulders likely were cast ashore by the Meiwa Tsunami, a detailed examination has not yet been conducted. When the marine reservoir effect is taken into account, one of mode values of calibrated radiocarbon dates possibly corresponds to the time of the 1771 event. However, the range of calibrated radiocarbon ages indicates that the transport of the boulders cannot be ascribed solely to the tsunami. Oxygen isotope microprofiling, which indicates sea-surface temperature variation, was therefore conducted to further investigate the mechanism of transport. The results suggest that the skeletal growth of most coral colonies was interrupted in summer or autumn; hence, tropical storms and typhoons are also very likely to be agents of transport. Thus, by combining radiocarbon dating with oxygen isotope microprofiling to investigate Porites coral boulders, it is possible to separate paleotsunami boulders from those transported by storm events as far as tsunamis occurred during the non-storm season.     

Multiple‐indicator study of groundwater flow and chemistry and the impacts of river and paddy water on groundwater in the alluvial fan of the Tedori River,Japan

To investigate the source, flow paths, and chemistry of rich resources of high‐quality, shallow groundwater in the alluvial fan between the Tedori and Sai rivers in central Japan, we analysed stable isotope ratios of H, O, and Sr and concentrations of major dissolved ions and trace elements in groundwater, river water, and paddy water. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of the groundwater are related to near‐surface geology: groundwater in sediment from the Tedori River has high ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (>0.711), whereas that from the Sai River in the north of the fan has low ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios (<0.711). δ²H and δ¹⁸O values and ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios indicate that groundwater in the central and southern fans is recharged by the Tedori River, whereas recharge in the north is from the Sai River. Mg²⁺, Ca²⁺, Sr²⁺, HCO₃^?, and SO₄^2? concentrations and δ²H and δ¹⁸O values in the groundwater are high in the central fan and, except for the northern area, tend to increase with distance from the Tedori River. There are linear relationships between ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio and the reciprocal concentrations of Sr²⁺, Mg²⁺, and Ca²⁺. These geochemical characteristics suggest that as groundwater recharged from the Tedori River flows towards the central fan, it mixes with waters derived from precipitation and paddy water that have become enriched in these components during downward infiltration. These results are consistent with our hydrological analysis and numerical simulation of groundwater flow, thus verifying the validity of the model we used in our simulation of groundwater flow. Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Ocean Bottom Seismographs used in a crustal study of an area covered with flood-basalt off Lofoten,N. Norway

Seismic refraction measurements were made in August 1988 to study the crustal structure off Lofoten, Northern Norway. Twenty-four 3-component Ocean Bottom Seismographs (OBS) were used, of which seven were deployed in the area covered by landward-flowing basalt deposited during the early Eocene break-up between Norway and Greenland. The main purpose of the OBS survey was to investigate whether this method can be used to map structures below the basalt, which is not easy to penetrate with conventional seismic reflection techniques. The records obtained showed that the OBS data contain considerable information about structures below the flood-basalt; preopening sediments up to 4.0 km thick is indicated below the 1.0–2.5 km-thick landward-flowing basalt. The success of the OBS survey indicates that such measurements can become an important tool in investigations on passive volcanic margins and, potentially, in other areas where highly reflective boundaries make the reflection technique difficult to apply.     

Stability of genetic diversity in an intertidal goby population after exposure to tsunami disturbance

Massive tsunami disturbances have potentially detrimental effects on genetic diversity and effective population size of coastal marine species, and evaluating these effects can be useful for devising conservation strategies for coastal marine environments. Local populations of the intertidal goby Chaenogobius annularis, which are distributed on scattered rocky beaches of the Japanese Archipelago, show demographic independence without overlapping generations, making this an ideal species with which to study the effects of tsunami disturbance on genetic diversity. Some of these populations were affected by the tsunami of the 2011 off the Pacific coast of Tohoku Earthquake. Here, we investigated the change in genetic diversity of a local population of this species, which was located close to the epicenter of the earthquake, across the cohorts before and after the tsunami and evaluated the impact of the tsunami disturbance. Genetic diversity was maintained after the tsunami, and no change in the effective population size was observed. Our results suggest that the tsunami disturbance has had no marked impact on the genetic diversity of C. annularis.