Petrology of a mantle-derived rhyolite, Hokkaido, Japan

The Miocene Kitami rhyolite, consisting of orthopyroxene and plagioclase-phyric lavas and dikes, occurs on the back-arc side of the Kuril arc with coeval basalts and Fe-rich andesites. Temperatures estimated from orthopyroxene–ilmenite pairs exceed 900°C. Although the whole rock compositions of the Kitami rhyolite correspond to S-type granites (i.e., high K, Al, large ion lithophile elements, and low Ca and Sr), Sr–Nd isotope compositions are remarkably primitive, and similar to those of the coeval basalts and andesites. They are distinct from those of lower crustal metamorphic rocks exposed in the area. Comparison of chondrite-normalized rare earth element (REE) patterns between the rhyolite and the basalts and andesites show that the rhyolite is more light REE enriched, but has similar heavy REE contents than the basalts. All rhyolites show negative Eu anomalies. The geochemical data suggest that did not formed by simple dehydration melting of basaltic rocks or fractional crystallization of basaltic magmas. The features of slab-derived fluids expected from recent high pressure experimental studies indicates that mantle wedge is partly metasomatized with “rhyolitic” materials from subducted slabs; it is more likely that very low degree partial melting of the metasomatized mantle wedge formed the rhyolite magma.     

华南地区中生代Cu (Mo) W Sn矿床成矿作用与洋岭/转换断层俯冲

华南地区是我国重要的金属矿产资源产地,除了发育大量的钨锡钼铋和稀土等金属矿产外,还有铜金矿床分布。本文通过对华南地区29个典型CuMoWSn矿床的时空分布及其与之有关的花岗质岩体的侵位年龄分析,探讨了与不同成矿类型有关的花岗质岩石的地球化学特征。本文认为华南地区10个典型的与Cu有关的矿床主要发生在180~170Ma、160~150Ma以及105~90Ma三个时期,而10个钨矿床主要集中于170~130Ma;4个WSn矿床集中于170~130Ma和120~110Ma;而5个Sn矿床则发育于170~150Ma、130~110Ma以及100~90Ma三个时期。Cu矿床主要与同熔型花岗岩有关,而Mo、WSn既与同熔型花岗岩有关,又与改造型花岗岩有关。在岩石地球化学上,与Cu(Mo)WSn成矿作用有关的花岗质岩石也表现出不同的地球化学特点,如,从Cu(Mo)矿床到WSn矿床SiO2含量有逐渐增大、氧化性逐渐降低、还原性逐渐增加以及分异演化程度有逐渐增高的趋势。与Cu(Mo)Au矿床有关的花岗质岩石具有较低的SiO2（60.3%~68.1%）,氧化性较高（Fe2O3/FeO=0.31~1.81）,分异演化程度较低（Rb/Sr=0.05~3.3）的特点;与Cu(Pb)(Zn)矿床有关的花岗质岩石具有相对较高的SiO2（73.3%~75.2%）,氧化性稍高（Fe2O3/FeO=0.68~1.74）,分异程度稍低（Rb/Sr=10.8~57.8）的特点;而与Mo矿床有关的花岗质岩石具有较宽的SiO2（67.3%~76.2%）变化范围,氧化性稍低（Fe2O3/FeO=0.68~1.74）,分异演化程度稍低（Rb/Sr=0.6~9.29）;与W矿有关的花岗质岩石的SiO2含量为69.9%~80.1%,还原性稍低（Fe2O3/FeO=0.19~0.76）,分异演化程度稍高（Rb/Sr=21.9~61.7）;与WSn矿床有关的SiO2为74.8%~78.7%,还原性较低（Fe2O3/FeO=0.08~0.59）,分异程度较高（Rb/Sr=10.8~139）;与Sn矿床有关的花岗质岩石的SiO2为64.8%~76.9%,还原性高（Fe2O3/FeO=0.01~0.58）,分异演化程度高（Rb/Sr=1~530）。在结合华南地区花岗岩类岩石的分布特征以及盆岭构造的特点,本文提出华南地区CuMoWSn矿床的成矿作用是不同时期大洋板块或者洋岭多阶段俯冲结果的新成因模型,即早侏罗世休眠的FarallonIzanagi洋岭俯冲导致早—中侏罗世Cu成矿作用;中—晚侏罗世活动的FarallonIzanagi洋岭和转换断层俯冲是中晚侏罗世Cu(Mo)(W)成矿作用以及多阶段WSn成矿作用的触发动力,而白垩纪Izanagi大洋板块俯冲则是白垩纪斑岩型CuWSn成矿作用的诱因。该模型的提出较好地解释了华南中生代大规模岩石圈拆沉—减薄—伸展的机制及其大规模成矿作用的动力。     

A CASE STUDY ON THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN A PRECEDING LA NINA EVENT AND EAST ASIAN SUMMER ATMOSPHERIC CIRCULATION*

This study examined the relationship between mature phase of the cold event in 1999 and the East Asian summer atmosphere circulation in 2000.The cold event reaches its mature phase in the autumn and winter of 1999,which is the strongest La Nina episode in recent 11 years.There is a clear anomalous pattern of the atmosphere circulation around East Asia in the summer of 2000, i.e.the negative anomaly centers around the Cherski Mountains and 20°N,170°E at 500 hPa,the main body of the subtropical high keeps in further northern position than usual and the negative anomaly of precipitation located in southern central China.This pattern is thought as the response to the preceding strong cold event in autumn of 1999.It is also identified that the response of the East Asian atmosphere circulation in summer of 2000 to the strong La Nina event in 1999 belongs to the top rank in recent 43 years.On the other hand,the inactive blocking anticyclone around East Asia in summer of 2000 is associated with the positive SST anomaly and the 850 hPa temperature anomaly around the Bering Sea simultaneously.Nevertheless,although the impact on the summer atmosphere circulation around East Asia from La Nina events could not rank with that from E1 Nino,the impact could not be neglected especially in a strong La Nina case.     

Four-dimensional variational ocean reanalysis: a 30-year high-resolution dataset in the western North Pacific (FORA-WNP30)

We produced a four-dimensional variational ocean re-analysis for the Western North Pacific over 30 years (FORA-WNP30). It is the first-ever dataset covering the western North Pacific over 3 decades at eddy-resolving resolution. The four-dimensional variational analysis scheme version of the Meteorological Research Institute Multivariate Ocean Variational Estimation system (MOVE-4DVAR) is employed to conduct a long-term reanalysis experiment during 1982–2012. After evaluating the basic performance of FORA-WNP30, the interannual to decadal variability is analyzed. Overall, FORA-WNP30 reproduces basic features in the western North Pacific well. One of outstanding features in FORA-WNP30 is that anomalous events such as the Kuroshio large meander and anomalous intrusion of the Oyashio in the 1980s, when there were no altimeter data, are successfully reproduced. FORA-WNP30 is therefore a valuable dataset for a variety of oceanographic research topics and potentially for related fields such as climate study, meteorology and fisheries.     

The effects of mesoscale convective cells on the surface wind field over the ocean

Near-surface wind velocities were measured on an array of anchored spar buoys in the East China Sea in February 1975 as a part of the Japanese AMTEX '75 (Air Mass Transformation Experiment), a subprogram of GARP. These data were used to determine the effects of atmospheric convection associated with mesoscale convective cells (MCC) on near-surface winds over the ocean. When MCC were present, a peak occurred in the near-surface wind spectrum in the so-called spectral gap.     

Mass balance of heavy metals in the seto inland sea, Japan

To discuss the geochemical and environmental behavior of heavy metals in the Seto Inland Sea, the largest semi-enclosed coastal sea in Japan, mass balances of Cu and Zn were studied by application of a simple box model using sedimentation rates and heavy metal contents of core sediments. In 1980, total sedimentary loads of Cu and Zn over the whole area of the Sea were estimated to be 630 and 3500 tons year⁻¹, respectively. Further, the sedimentary loads without (natural) and with human activities were estimated separately to be, respectively, 320 and 310 tons year⁻¹ for Cu and 1800 and 1700 tons year⁻¹ for Zn. Total inputs of Cu and Zn into the Sea, in 1980 were estimated to be 870 and 4250 tons year⁻¹ about one half of this being the result of human activities. 70% of the Cu input and 80% of the Zn input are taken into the sediments. Mean residence times of Cu and Zn in the Sea are calculated to be ≈0.3 and 0.2 years, respectively. Since these values are relatively small compared to the mean residence time of the seawater (0.9 years), Cu and Zn supplied to the Sea are considered to be accumulated rapidly in the sediments.     

Pre-Japan-ARGO: Experimental Observation of Upper and Middle Layers South of the Kuroshio Extension Region Using Profiling Floats

We deployed two profiling floats in the region south of the Kuroshio Extension in March 2000. Temperature and salinity profiles from a depth of 1500 × 10⁴ Pa to the surface are reported every two and four weeks, respectively. The floats performed very well for first four months after deployment. Later they failed in surfacing for a few months when the sea surface temperature in the region was high. The salinity sensors seemed to suffer from some damage during their failure-in-surfacing period. Despite this trouble, the results clearly demonstrate that the profiling float is a very useful and cost-effective tool for physical oceanographic observation in the open sea. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

A Generation Mechanism for Mesoscale Eddies in the Kuril Basin of the Okhotsk Sea: Baroclinic Instability Caused by Enhanced Tidal Mixing

Mesoscale eddies, particularly anticyclonic ones, are dominant features in the Kuril Basin of the Okhotsk Sea. In 1999, both surface drifter and hydrographic observations caught the same anticyclonic eddy northwest of Bussol’ Strait, which has a diameter of ∼100 km, typical surface velocity of 0.2–0.3 m s⁻¹, and less dense core extending to a depth of ∼1200 m. Based on an idea that the generation of mesoscale eddies is caused by strong tidal mixing in and around Kuril Straits, we have conducted a series of three-dimensional numerical model experiments, in which strong tidal mixing is simply parameterized by increasing coefficients of vertical eddy viscosity and diffusivity along the eastern boundary. Initially, a regular series of disturbances with a wavelength of ∼70 km starts to develop. The disturbances can be clearly explained by a linear instability theory and regarded as the baroclinic instability associated with the near-surface front formed in the region between the enhanced mixing and offshore regions. In the mature phase, the disturbances grow large enough that some eddies pinch off and advect offshore (westward), with the scale of disturbances increasing gradually. Typical eddy scale and its westward propagation speed are ∼100 km and ∼0.6 km day⁻¹, respectively, which are consistent with the observations by satellites. The westward propagation can be explained partly due to nonlinear effect of self-offshore advection and partly due to the β-effect. With the inclusion of the upper ocean restoring, the dominance of anticyclonic eddy, extending from surface to a depth of ∼1200 m, can be reproduced.     

Late Cenozoic Metallogeny of Southwest Hokkaido, Japan

Abstract: This paper reviews the Miocene to Pleistocene tectonic framework, geology, magmatic style and stress field of southwest Hokkaido, Japan, and compiles deposit form, type, ore and alteration minerals, strike and length of mineralized veins, and associated igneous activity. The late Cenozoic tectonic regime of the Sapporo‐Iwanai ore district is divided into five periods on the basis of the subduction mode of the Pacific plate: Period 1 (15.0–12.1 Ma) oblique‐subduction setting with an orthogonal convergence rate (OCR) of 51–81 mm/y; Period 2 (12.1–6.2 Ma) normal subduction with an OCR of 81–94 mm/y; Period 3 (6.2–3.6 Ma) oblique subduction setting with an OCR of 73–99 mm/y; Period 4 (3.6–1.5 Ma) normal‐subduction setting with an OCR of 99–103 mm/y and Period 5 (1.5–0 Ma) oblique‐subduction setting with an OCR from 99 to 57 mm/y. The hydrothermal deposits in the district include Kuroko deposits of Period 1 and epithermal vein‐type deposits of Periods 2 to 5. The Kuroko deposits were accompanied by submarine monogenetic rhyolite volcanism associated with tholeiitic basalt in the backarc region. In contrast, Late Miocene to Pliocene epithermal vein‐type deposits were associated mainly with polygenetic andesite and monogenetic rhyodacite volcanism of calc‐alkaline series. These different styles of magmatism occurred in an extensional tectonic regime (Period 1), and weakened extensional (Periods 2–3) or neutral tectonic regimes (Periods 4). Periods 2–5 epithermal vein‐type deposits are divided into base‐metal and precious‐metal deposits. The base‐metal deposits are associated mainly with large (>5 km in diameter) polygenetic andesitic volcanoes and subvol‐canic intrusions. The precious‐metal deposits are associated with small (<5 km in diameter) polygenetic or monogenetic volcanoes and/or subvolcanic intrusions of andesite, dacite and rhyolite near the volcanic arc front. This difference in distribution is ascribed to different states of horizontal differential stress. Productive vein‐type deposits, such as Toyoha, Inakuraishi, Ohe and Chitose, formed in the neutral regime with a large horizontal differential stress during Period 4, which may have promoted strike‐slip faulting and non–extrusive, subvol‐canic intrusion. This tectonic regime and stress field resulted from the normal subduction of the Pacific plate with elevated velocity. This observation leads to the conclusion that large metallic deposits in southwest Hokkaido are expected to have formed primarily during Pliocene magmatic‐hydrothermal activity, when the orthogonal convergence rate was highest and strike‐slip faulting was active.