Influence of the asymmetrical cratering rate on the lunar cratering chronology

The lunar cratering rate studied over the past 1.1 Gyr, which is a foundation of the lunar cratering chronology, is a decreasing function of the angular distance from the apex of the orbital motion due to the synchronous rotation of the Moon. We here evaluate an influence of the asymmetrical rate upon the age determination.     

Retardation capacity of altered granitic rock distributed along fractured and faulted zones in the orogenic belt of Japan

There are wide areas of granitic rocks in the Japanese orogenic belt. These granitic bodies inevitably contain fracture and fault systems associated with alteration zones. However, relatively little attention has been given to the possible influence of such widely distributed alteration zones on the migration of radionuclides from any radioactive waste repository that might in future be sited within granitic rock. In particular, the influences of alteration products and micro-fractures, due to chemical sorption and/or physical retardation require further consideration. In order to understand the retardation capacity of the altered deep granitic rocks, detailed geometrical characterization of pores, geochemical analysis, and batch sorption and flow-through experiments have been carried out. Those results show that the altered granite has a large volume of accessible pores, particularly in potassium-feldspar grains, which would influence nuclide retardation more than the accessible porosity in other minerals present, such as biotite. The distribution coefficients, Kd estimated from batch sorption tests and flow-through experiments suggest that altered granite has a high capability to retard the migration of nuclides. The retardation would probably be due to sorption on altered minerals such as sericite and iron hydroxides formed along grain boundaries and in pores created by dissolution, in addition to sorption on primary sorptive minerals. These results provide confidence that even altered and fractured parts of any granitic rock that might be encountered in a site for the disposal of high level radioactive waste may still retard radionuclide migration and thereby help the geosphere to function as a barrier.     

Application of the global modal approach to the spiral galaxies

We have tested the applicability of the global modal approach in the density wave theory of spiral structure for a sample of spiral galaxies with measured axisymmetric background properties. We report here the results of the simulations for four galaxies: NGC 488, NGC 628, NGC 1566, and NGC 3938. Using the observed radial distributions for the stellar velocity dispersions and the rotation velocities we have constructed the equilibrium models for the galactic disks in each galaxy and implemented two kinds of stability analyses - the linear global analysis and 2D-nonlinear simulations. In general, the global modal approach is able to reproduce the observed properties of the spiral arms in the galactic disks. The growth of spirals in the galactic disks can be physically understood in terms of amplification by over-reflection at the corotation resonance. Our results support the global modal approach as a theoretical explanation of spiral structure in galaxies. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Rare-earth and trace elements in the Quaternary volcanic rocks of Hokkaido,Japan

Seven rare-earth elements (La, Ce, Sm, Eu, Tb, Yb, Lu) and Co, Cr, Sc, Ba, Hf and Th have been determined by non-destructive neutron activation analysis on the Quaternary volcanic rocks in Hokkaido, Japan. The trace-element abundances are discussed in terms of the petrological problems, particularly the origin of calc-alkali magma. On the basis of the La/Sm ratio and the contents of K, Ba, Th and La, lateral variations in the contents of trace elements exist across the Kurile and the northern Honshū arcs. The calc-alkali rocks can be classified into three types which correspond to Kuno's three basalt-magma types. There is no essential difference in the rare-earth patterns between the basaltic rocks and the associated calc-alkali rocks in each petrographic province. This suggests that the calcalkali rocks may be derived from the basaltic magmas by fractional crystallization under certain conditions.     

Observation of Pore Spaces and Microcracks Using a Fluorescent Technique in Some Reservoir Rocks of Oil, Gas and Geothermal Fields in the Green Tuff Region, Japan

Abstract: Pore spaces and microcracks in representative oil, gas and geothermal reservoir rocks from the Green Tuff region, Japan, were examined using a fluorescent technique. This technique was developed to visualize microscopically pore spaces and microcracks filled with synthetic resin mixed with fluorescent paint under ultraviolet light. Various morphology of pore spaces and microcracks was clearly identified. Spaces in studied reservoir rocks are classified into following three types: pore spaces in matrix, pore spaces in particles, and microcracks. It is observed that valuable oil and gas reservoir rocks relatively include many pore spaces, while microcracks are important for geothermal rocks. Correlation between textural characteristics and porosity or permeability was found in the oil reservoir rocks. Effective permeability depends upon pore spaces in matrix more than upon other components such as pore spaces in particles and microcracks. Looseness in matrix caused by larger grain size of particles is strongly correlated with permeability. Pore spaces play an important role as a reservoir in oil and gas fields, but are less important in geothermal field. Instead, microcracks are important for geothermal reservoir system.     

Characteristics of ionic components in precipitation in Kitakyushu City,Japan

Precipitation samples were collected by filtrating bulk sampler in Kitakyushu City, Japan, from January 1988 to December 1990. Volume weighted annual mean of pH was 4.93, but the pH distribution indicated that most probable value lay in the range pH 6.0–6.4. Volume weighted annual mean concentrations of major ionic components were as follows; SO ₄ ^2– : 84.2, NO ₃ ^– : 28.1, Cl^–: 86.3, NH ₄ ⁺ : 45.5, Ca²⁺: 63.3, Mg²⁺: 27.0, K⁺: 3.4, Na⁺: 69.0 µ eq l^–1. The highest concentrations of these ionic components were observed in winter and the lowest occurred in the rainy season. The ratio of ex-SO ₄ ^2– /NO ₃ ^– exhibited the lowest ratio in summer, and the highest ratio in winter. Good correlations were obtained between Cl^– and Na⁺, ex-SO ₄ ²⁺ and ex-Ca²⁺, NO ₃ ^– and ex-Ca²⁺, and NH ₄ ⁺ and ex-SO ₄ ^2– , respectively. However, no correlation between Cl^– and Na⁺ with Ca²⁺ was observed. The relationship of H⁺ with (ex-SO ₄ ^2– + NO ₃ ^– ) - (ex-Ca²⁺ + NH ₄ ⁺ ) indicated positive correlation.     

Earthquake‐related geomorphic environment and pond sediment information

Shaking during the 1995 Kobe earthquake caused surface material to be more mobile in catchment areas in the Rokko Mountains, Kobe, where there are some active fault lines. As a result, there were many landslides associated with the earthquake. The sedimentation rate in a pond in the mountains increased several fold, then exponentially decreased with seasonality over several years. Six years after the earthquake there were no marked surface movements related to the earthquake, even though the sedimentation rates had increased slightly. A new steady state for the structure of the earthquake‐modi?ed surface had evidently been reached. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Reflection on the development of the tool kits of Bertin’s methods

ABSTRACT

Bertin’s first book, Semiology of Graphics, was published in 1967. His second book, Graphics and Graphic Information Processing, was subsequently published in 1977. The word “processing” in the title of the second book is interesting because in those days there were no personal computers with an interactive display system. But in Bertin’s laboratory there were many kinds of tool kits – basically manually developed thematic maps and data analysis. Bertin’s methods were concerned with making a thematic map and data visualization. Maps, and more generally graphics, were represented by sets of cartographic symbols. Thus, they are abstractions that demand both theoretical and technical literacy to represent and understand them. If the representation is systematic, a sort of tool kit might be necessary, because the representation demands consistency based on the theory. Otherwise a cartographer faces the risk of an unstable and unintelligible representation. In this paper, we discuss the discrimination between tool kits intended either for an automated system or a process assisting system. The latter process might be useful and necessary to develop a graphic way of thinking. This investigation refers to Bertin’s books, materials conserved at the National Archives in Paris, and other related software developed later.

Abbreviation: EHESS: Ecole des Hautes Etudes en Sciences Sociales inherited Ecole Pratique des Hautes Etudes since 1975     

Multi-scale limit load analysis for discontinuous rock mass based on the homogenization method

A new method to evaluate the strength of rock mass structures is proposed and examined. The method is based on the collapse load analysis of elasto-perfectly plastic material along with the homogenization method, which enables the multi-scale analyses for heterogeneous media. The homogenization process replaces a rock mass with cracks by an equivalent continuum medium with macroscopic stiffness while the failure criterion for the rock mass is estimated in the localization process. It is shown that both the averaged stiffness and the macroscopic failure criterion of the discontinuous rock mass are numerically obtained via the finite element analyses. Thus, the failure strength of a rock mass structure is evaluated by the collapse load analysis in the form of Linear Programming with the macroscopic failure criterion. This is the first attempt to apply the homogenization method to the strength analysis of rock mass. Copyright © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

In-situ survey of nanomolar manganese in seawater using an autonomous underwater vehicle around a volcanic crater at Teishi Knoll,Sagami Bay,Japan

We present the results of a chemical survey at a submarine volcano, Teishi Knoll, obtained using a submersible in-situ Mn analyzer (GAMOS) mounted on an autonomous underwater vehicle (AUV) platform. During this survey, high-resolution data of dissolved Mn were obtained in three dimensions in nearly real time. The AUV enabled continuous detailed observations along a preprogrammed pathway, which could not have been performed with conventional CTD hydrocasts. During this observation, anomalously high dissolved Mn concentrations were obtained within the crater, corresponding to high water temperatures. The anomalies might be a hydrothermal signature due to volcanic activity from the crater.