Zircon U–Pb ages of granitic and mafic dikes associated with granitoids and metamorphic rocks of the Ryoke Belt in the eastern Kii Peninsula,southwest Japan

Zircon U–Pb dates for felsic and intermediate to mafic dikes intruding into the Ryoke granitoids and metamorphic rocks at selected outcrops in the Takamiyama area of the eastern Kii Peninsula, southwest Japan, were determined along with their geology and petrography to reveal the history of Cretaceous magmatism. At each outcrop, the felsic and intermediate to mafic dikes exhibit specific structures that are indicative of magma intermingling and have coeval intrusion ages of ca. 81–77 Ma. Our zircon U–Pb data complement previously published data, suggesting that the mafic magmatism continued intermittently from 83 to 76 Ma in the Takamiyama area and that magmatism migrated eastward within the Ryoke Belt. A comparison of intrusion ages between a dike and a host Ryoke granitoid at one outcrop indicates that the host rock experienced ductile deformation at ~88 to ~83 Ma. Judging from the small number of zircons and the concordant date distributions, we didn't recognize the evidence suggesting the partial melting of the host rocks, as Nakajima et al. (Journal of the Geological Society of Japan, 2021, 127, 69–78) reported.     

Measurement of Impact Ejecta from Regolith Targets in Oblique Impacts

This paper reports the results of experiments on projectile impact into regolith targets at various impact angles. Copper projectiles of 240 mg are accelerated to 197 to 272 m s⁻¹ using an electromagnetic gun. The ejecta are detected by thin Al foil targets as secondary targets, and the resulting holes on the foil are measured to derive the spatial distribution of the ejecta. The ejecta that penetrated the foil are concentrated toward the downrange azimuths of impacting projectiles in oblique impacts. In order to investigate the ejecta velocity distribution, the nondimensional volume of ejecta with velocities higher than a given value is calculated from the spatial distribution. In the case of the vertical impact of the projectile, most ejecta have velocities lower than 24% of the projectile speed (∼50 m s⁻¹), and there are only several ejecta with velocities higher than 72 m s⁻¹. This result confirms the existence of an upper limit to the ejection velocity in the ejecta velocity distribution (Hartmann cutoff velocity) (W. K. Hartmann, 1985, Icarus63, 69-98). On the other hand, it is found that, in the oblique impacts, there are a large number of ejecta with velocities higher than the Hartmann cutoff velocity. The relative quantity of ejecta above the Hartmann cutoff velocity increases as the projectile impact angle decreases. Taking these results with the results of S. Yamamoto and A. M. Nakamura (1997, Icarus128, 160-170) from impact experiments using an impact angle of 30°, it can be concluded that the ejecta from these regolith targets exhibit a bimodal velocity distribution. Below a few tens of m s⁻¹, we see the expected velocity distribution of ejecta, but above this velocity we see a separate group of high-velocity ejecta.     

VIDEO AND PHOTOGRAPHIC SPECTROSCOPY OF 1998 AND 2001 LEONID PERSISTENT TRAINS FROM 300 TO 930 nm

Spectra of persistent meteor trains were observed at wavelength between 300 and 930 nm. Two obtained train spectra during the 1998 and 2001 Leonid meteor showers are reported here. During the 1998 Leonids, one train was detected by a photographic camera with a spectrograph covering 370–640 nm region. On the other hand, during the 2001 Leonids, video observations were carried out using image intensified cameras in ultraviolet (UV), visible and near infrared (near-IR) wavelengths. Temperatures in persistent trains have been measured by atmospheric O₂ A(0,1) band at the wavelength near 864.5 nm. From a video spectrum obtained just 7 s after parent fireball’s flare, a rotational temperature of 250 K at altitude of 88.0±0.5 km was estimated. We can say that the cooling time scale of train strongly depends on the initial mass of its fireball at least for Leonids. Based on cooling constant calculated from our results, we estimated a temperature of ∼ ∼130 K as a final exothermic temperature at early stage of persistent trains.     

Transient crater growth in granular targets: An experimental study of low velocity impacts into glass sphere targets

We experimentally studied the formation and collapse processes of transient craters. Polycarbonate projectiles with mass of 0.49 g were impacted into the soda-lime glass sphere target (mean diameters of glass spheres are ∼36, 72, and 220 μm, respectively) using a single-stage light-gas gun. Impact velocity ranged from 11 to 329 m s⁻¹. We found that the transient crater collapses even at laboratory scales. The shape (diameter and depth) of the transient crater differs from that of the final crater. The depth-rim diameter ratios of the final and transient craters are 0.11-0.14 and 0.26-0.27, respectively. The rim diameter of both the transient and final crater depends on target material properties; however, the ratio of final to transient crater diameter does not. This suggests that target material properties affect the formation process of transient craters even in the gravity regime, and must be taken into account when scaling experimental results to planetary scales. By observing impacts into glass sphere targets, we show that although the early stage of the excavation flow does not depend on the target material properties, the radial expansion of the cavity after the end of vertical expansion does. This suggests that the effect of target material properties is specifically important in the later part of the crater excavation and collapse.     

Prediction method of sand-movement direction in water by geochemical elements

The analysis of sand samples by x-ray fluorescent spectroscopy (XRF) gives the ratio of the geochemical elements to construct the sand samples. The x-ray analysis therefore shows the geochemical characteristics of sand in the sampled area. In this study, sand is sampled on coasts and rivers of the Noto Peninsula to determine the geochemical elements and to show the geological characteristics that occur, especially iron and calcium. The experiments show the effect of rivers and Kotogahama beach on iron and calcium, respectively. Applying the method of ratio matching to the measured data of the geochemical elements, the direction of movement of sand on the coast is determined by considering the correlation matrix and the ratio of geochemical elements between sand samples at two locations. The predominant longshore direction movement of sand offshore in the study area is from south to north. Sand in rivers is not directly transported to adjacent beaches; however, offshore sand is transported to beaches. The estimated direction of movement of sand longshore near coastal structures agrees with observations. The proposed method to predict the direction of movement of sand gives the correct one in comparison with the observed data in rivers.     

Japan’s Nation-Wide Electronic Geotechnical Database Systems by Japanese Geotechnical Society

On October 15, 2010, the Japanese Geotechnical Society (JGS) announced the public release of ‘Nation-wide Electronic Geotechnical Database Systems,’ which provides geotechnical information to the public on the internet. The information the system provides is a collection of ground models at 250 m by 250 m in plan built by using data from various geotechnical information databases. The paper first describes historical development of the geotechnical information databases in Japan, and introduces a 5-year project, ‘Integrated Geophysical and Geological Information Database in Japan,’ led by the National Research Institute for Earth Science and Disaster Prevention (NIED), and participated by the JGS. The paper then presents the JGS’ ‘Nation-wide Electronic Geotechnical Database Systems,’ and describes why such system was proposed and built, followed by the presentation of the examples for possible application of the system.     

In situ strength measurements on natural upper-mantle minerals

Using in situ strength measurements at pressures up to 10 GPa and at room temperature, 400, 600, and 700°C, we examined rheological properties of olivine, orthopyroxene, and chromian-spinel contained in a mantle-derived xenolith. Mineral strengths were estimated using widths of X-ray diffraction peaks as a function of pressure, temperature, and time. Differential stresses of all minerals increase with increasing pressure, but they decrease with increasing temperature because of elastic strain on compression and stress relaxation during heating. During compression at room temperature, all minerals deform plastically at differential stress of 4–6 GPa. During subsequent heating, thermally induced yielding is observed in olivine at 600°C. Neither orthopyroxene nor spinel shows complete stress relaxation, but both retain some stress even at 700°C. The strength of the minerals decreases in the order of chromian-spinel ≈ orthopyroxene > olivine for these conditions. This order of strength is consistent with the residual pressure of fluid inclusions in mantle xenoliths.     

Geochemical analyses of geological layers and groundwater flows

X-ray fluorescent spectroscope analysis easily finds ratios of geochemical elements in soil. Applying the method of ratio matching to measured ratios, the classification of geological layers, and the flow directions of groundwater can be determined. This method is applied to three hill slopes in Japan and the results are in good agreement with the observations and measurements of soil cores obtained by drilling. The classification of geological layers is found to be quantitatively connected with the rates of organic matter in soil cores. Received: 5 February 1999 · Accepted: 7 September 1999     

Fractionation of sulfur isotopes and selenium between coexisting sulfide minerals from the Besshi deposit,Central Shikoku,Japan

Fractionation of sulfur isotopes and selenium was measured between coexisting pyrite and chalcopyrite and between coexisting pyrrhotite and chalcopyrite from the Besshi deposit of Kieslager-type, Central Shikoku, Japan. In all the pyrite-chalcopyrite pairs studied, ³⁴S is enriched in pyrite relative to chalcopyrite, while selenium is enriched conversely in chalcopyrite relative to pyrite. The mean ³⁴S_py-cp value is +0.53±0.36 per mil, and the mean value of the distribution coefficient of selenium, D_cp-py, is 2.58±0.64. In all the pyrrhotite-chalcopyrite pairs studied, the two minerals are very close to each other both in sulfur isotope and Se/S ratios. The mean ³⁴S_po-cp value is –0.08±0.16 per mil and the mean D_cp-po value is 0.99±0.05. The results have been discussed in comparison with similar data obtained for the Hitachi deposits of Kieslager-type, Japan (Yamamoto et al. 1983).