Possibility of recent changes in vertical distribution and size composition of chlorophyll-a in the western North Pacific region

Our analysis of the last three decades of retrospective data of vertical distributions and size composition of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) over the western North Pacific has revealed significant changes of three indices related to Chl-a during summer season, as follows: (1) decreasing linear trend of the proportion of Chl-a in surface layer to that of the whole water column by 0.4 and 2.3% year⁻¹ in the subtropical area along 137°E (STA₁₃₇) during 1972 to 1997 and in the Kuroshio Extension area along 175°E (KEA₁₇₅) during 1990 to 2001; (2) increasing linear trend of the depth of subsurface Chl-a maximum (DCM) by 0.4 and 2.6 m year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅; and (3) decreasing linear trend of larger-size Chl-a (>3 μm) by 0.1 and 2.5% year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅, respectively. Water density (σ _θ ) at 75 m depth had also decreased by 0.006 and 0.05 year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅, respectively. The ratio of biogenic opal to biogenic CaCO₃ in the sinking flux decreased by 0.015 year⁻¹ in the subtropical region from 1997 to 2005. These findings may indicate that the subsurface chlorophyll maximum is deepening and larger phytoplankton such as diatoms has been decreasing during the past decade, associated with the decreasing density of surface water caused by warming in the western North Pacific, especially in the summer.     

Dynamic slope stability analyses with a non-linear finite element method

A new technique is presented with which to investigate slope stability during strong earthquake motion. This technique is based on a non-linear finite element method that uses a joint element to express non-linear behaviour and the progressive failure of a slope. Joint elements are arranged at every interface between soil elements. Accordingly, each soil element is allowed to move in directions parallel, perpendicular and rotational to neighbouring elements; consequently, they express the sliding and separation at any interface between the soil elements. The method was used to investigate the stability of an existing slope during strong earthquake motions. Preliminary static analyses were made, and their results were compared with results obtained with Janbu's method in order to check the validity of our proposed method. The dynamic analyses also took into account the material non-linearity of the soil. The process of progressive failure was examined for a slope whose material constants are known. The influence of input excitations on slope stability is discussed in detail. The method also has been used to assess the effectiveness of a countermeasure used to prevent slope failure.     

Transport of water in frozen soil: V, Method for measuring the vapor diffusivity when ice is absent

A new experimental method is introduced for determining the relative magnitudes of liquid and vapor diffusion by using a small amount of soluble chemical as a tracer. The theoretical justification of the method is presented for the case where ice is absent. The feasibility of the method is demonstrated by an experiment using marine-deposited clay.     

On the stable growth of segregated ice in freezing soil under negligible overburden pressure

The stable growth condition of a segregated ice layer is studied by the use of the principle of mass and heat conservation. This condition evidently depends upon the properties of a thin transitional zone, which is believed to exist between the boundary of an ice layer and a 0[°C] isotherm. All probable models of the transitional zone are classified and the conditions for each model is derived. The effect of the small amount of soil minerals contained in an ice layer is also studied.     

Transport of water in frozen soil: I: Experimental determination of soil-water diffusivity under isothermal conditions

A new experimental method for measuring the soil-water diffusivity of frozen soil under isothermal conditions is introduced. The theoretical justification of the method is presented and the feasibility of the method is demonstrated by experiments conducted using marine deposited clay. The measured values of the soil-water diffusivity are found comparable to reported experimental data.     

Origin of high-magnesian andesites in the Setouchi volcanic belt,southwest Japan,I. Petrographical and chemical characteristics

High-magnesian andesites of middle Miocene age occur in southwest Japan, forming an obvious volcanic belt. These andesites have low FeO*/MgO ratios (0.546–0.931), and are rich in Ni (101–312 ppm), Co (30.0–45.1 ppm), and Cr (208–756 ppm). They are relatively aphyric (phenocrysts <10 vol.%), and the phenocrysts of magnesian olivine (～Fo₈₈) are in equilibrium with the host high-magnesian andesite magmas on the basis of the Fe-Mg exchange partitioning. These features suggest that the high-magnesian andesites are not differentiated or accumulative; they appear to represent primary andesites generated in the upper mantle. These southwest Japanese high-magnesian andesites are rich in incompatible elements, and show light rare earth enrichment relative to boninites, suggesting that the former is derived from a less depleted mantle source than the latter.     

Seepage and consolidation of bentonite saturated with pure- or salt-water by the method of unified molecular dynamics and homogenization analysis

Bentonite clay is a micro-inhomogeneous material, which consists of clay minerals (mainly montmorillonite), macro-grains (mainly quartz), water, air and others. Properties of the saturated bentonite clay are essentially characterized by the montmorillonite and water (i.e. montmorillonite hydrate). We analyze the molecular behavior of sodium montmorillonite hydrate Na_1/3Al₂[Si_11/3Al_1/3]O₁₀(OH)₂·nH₂O by applying a molecular dynamics (MD) simulation method. And by using the MD results we calculate the swelling property of the montmorillonite hydrate, and compare with an experimental result. Next, by using the same MD procedure we treat a montmorillonite mineral with a large number of external water molecules to check the properties of the water. Here we treat pure- and salt-water. Then we calculate the diffusivity and viscosity of water molecules and Na⁺ and Cl⁻ ions.

For extending the microscopic characteristics of constituent materials to a macroscopic seepage behavior of the micro-inhomogeneous material we apply a homogenization analysis (HA). That is, starting with the Navier–Stokes equation with distributed viscosity that is calculated by the former MD procedure we determine macroscopic permeability characteristics of bentonite for both cases of pure- and salt-water. Then, by using the permeability property we calculate long-term consolidation behavior of buffering clay, which is planed to be used for high-level radioactive waste (HLRW) management. Here the deformation is treated under the well-defined Cam clay model.     

Mantled feldspars in alkali rhyolite from Oki-Dogo island,Japan

Summary Feldspar phenocrysts in alkali rhyolite from Oki-Dogo island in the Sea of Japan show mantled textures with cores of anorthoclase and rims of sanidine. These feldspars were examined by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray microanalysis. Anorthoclase first crystallized, then was partially resorbed, and finally sanidine overgrew on the anorthoclase. Saw-tooth or comb-like interfaces between the cores and rims were likely formed at the magmatic stage of resorption and overgrowth. Optically perthitic intergrowths appear in thin sections cutting saw-tooth or comb-like interfaces of the mantled feldspars. The sanidine preserves primary cryptoperthitic textures of a periodicity smaller than 10 nm, which are considered to have been produced by subsolidus exsolution after the resorption event ended. The anorthoclase has no exsolution texture under an electron microscope.

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Feldspatkristalle in Alkali-Rhyolith von der Insel Oki-Dogo, Japan

Zusammenfassung Feldspatkristalle in Alkali-Rhyolith von der Oki-Dogo Insel im Japanischen Meer zeigen ummantelte Texturen mit Kernen von Anorthoklas und Rändern von Sanidin. Diese Feldspate wurden mit Elektronenmikroskopie, Röntgendiffraktion und Mikrosondenanalyse untersucht. Anorthoklas kristallisierte zuerst, wurde dann teilweise resorbiert und schließlich wuchs Sanidin über den Anorthoklas. Sägezahn- und Kamm-ähnliche Grenzen zwischen Kernen und Rändern wurden wahrscheinlich wahrend des magmatischen Stadiums von Resorption und Überwachsung gebildet. Unter dem Mikroskop erkennt man, daß perthitische Verwachsungen durch Sägezahn- oder Kamm-artige Grenzen der ummantelten Feldspäte hinwegsetzen. Der Sanidin erhellt primäre kryptoperthitische Texturen mit einer Periodizität von > 10 nm, die als Produkte einer Subsolidus-Entmischung nach der Resorption interpretiert werden. Anorthoklas läßt unter dem Elektronenmikroskop keine Entmischungstexturen erkennen.

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With 6 Figures     

Infrared brightness temperature of Saturn's rings based on the inhomogeneous multilayer assumption

Models of Saturn's rings based on the classical multilayer assumption have been studied in the infrared. Thermal energy balance of Saturn's rings is treated rigorously by solving the infrared radiative transfer equations. It was found that a homogeneous multilayer model is incompatible with the observed infrared brightness variation of the A and B rings, although it can fit that of the C ring. The alternative inhomogeneous multilayer model with dark particles within a bright haze of small icy particles is presented in order to satisfy the available infrared data of the A, B, and C rings. The results based on the inhomogeneous multilayer model may be summarized as follows: The observed infrared brightness data of the three rings are explained in terms of the different optical thickness without having significant differences in the ring-particle properties, such as albedo, spin rate, and sizes. But each ring contains a different amount of bright haze particles and their concentration within the rings depends on whether or not dark particles emit radiation mostly from one hemisphere (slow rotator and/or low thermal inertia). If a dark particle is an isothermal radiator, the possible ranges of A₁ and A₂ for all three rings are given by 0.9 ? A₁ ? 0.95 and 0.0 ? A₂ ? 0.15, where A₁ and A₂ are the bolometric bond albedos of a bright haze and a dark particle, respectively. The possible ranges of the optical thickness ratio X of the dark particle layer to the total ring layer for the rings A, B, and C are given by 0.65 ? X ? 0.75, 0.8 ? X ? 0.9, and 0.8 ? X ? 1.0, respectively. If a dark particle is a slow rotator, we obtain 0.9 ? A₁ ? 0.95 and 0.0 ? A₂ ? 0.4 for all three rings. The ranges of X for the rings A, B, and C are given by 0.35 ? X ? 0.7, 0.65 ? X ? 0.9, and 0.35 ? X ? 1.0, respectively. In this paper, for the first time, a consistent model is presented which is applicable to all three rings from the multilayer point of view.     

Transport of water in frozen soil IV. Analysis of experimental results on the effects of ice content

Effects of ice content on the transport of water in frozen soil are studied experimentally and theoretically under isothermal conditions. A physical law, that the flux of water in unsaturated frozen soil is proportional to the gradient of total water content is proposed. Theoretical justification is made by the use of the two-phase flow theory. The experimental results are shown to support the proposed physical law. The results of this study are presented in two parts and this is the second paper describing the theoretical aspects of the study.