1992 compilation of analytical data for rare-earth elements, scandium, yttrium, zirconium and hafnium in twenty-six GSJ reference samples

Abstract: Analytical data for fourteen rare-earth elements, scandium, yttrium, zirconium and hafnium, received by May 1992, have been compiled on twenty-six GSJ (Geological Survey of Japan) reference samples. Seventeen of them are 'Igneous rock series' and nine are "Sedimentary rock series". The reported data including personal communication were evaluated under the consideration on analytical methods and geochemical evidences. No significant difference has been observed between the values obtained by the different analytical methods. Based on the selected available data, 1992 compilation values were tabulated.     

PALEOCEANOGRAPHY AND EVOLUTION OF THE CENO-TETHYS: MICROPALEONTOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FROM PELAGIC SEDIMENTS IN THE YARLUNG ZANGBO SUTURE ZONE, SOUTHERN TIBET

PALEOCEANOGRAPHY AND EVOLUTION OF THE CENO-TETHYS: MICROPALEONTOLOGICAL EVIDENCE FROM PELAGIC SEDIMENTS IN THE YARLUNG ZANGBO SUTURE ZONE, SOUTHERN TIBET     

Identification of the Unchanging Reference Component of Compositional Data from the Properties of the Coefficient of Variation

In analyses of compositional data, it is important to select a suitable unchanging component as a reference to detect the behavior of a single variable in isolation. This paper introduces two tests for detecting the unchanging component, based on a new approach that utilizes the coefficient of variation of component ratios. That is, the coefficient of variation of a compositional ratio is subject to change when the unchanging component is switched between the denominator and numerator, and the coefficient of variation tends to be small when the unchanging component occurs as the denominator against any arbitrary components (Test 1). In addition, the ratio of the component pair that gives the lowest coefficient of variation is most likely to represent the two unchanging components (Test 2). However, Tests 1 and 2 are not necessary and sufficient conditions for uniquely finding the unchanging component. To verify the effectiveness of the tests, 500 artificial datasets were analyzed and the results suggest that the tests are able to identify the unchanging component, although Test 1 underperforms when the dataset includes a component with skewness greater than 0.5, and Test 2 fails when the dataset includes components with a correlation coefficient greater than 0.75. These defects can be overcome by interpreting the two test results in a complementary manner. The proposed tests provide powerful yet simple criteria for identifying the unchanging component in compositional data; however, the reliability of this approach needs to be assessed in further studies.     

Spatial and Temporal Variation of a Cyclonic Eddy Detected Downstream of the Tsushima Islands in November 2007

Horizontal, vertical and temporal distribution of a cyclonic (counterclockwise) eddy, where biological productivity is high, downstream of the Tsushima Islands in the eastern channel of the Tsushima Straits in November 2007 was revealed using conductivity–temperature–depth and acoustic Doppler current profiler data. The eddy had a horizontal scale of approximately 40–60 km, and the accompanying baroclinic current was more than 15 cm s⁻¹ at the edge of the eddy. The island-induced cyclonic eddy moved east-northeastward at about 10 km day⁻¹ (∼10 cm s⁻¹) along the Tsushima Warm Current and was intensified by the barotropic instability in the current shear. The cyclonic eddy with high surface chlorophyll a concentrations intensified in the vicinity of the Tsushima Islands and was advected by the Tsushima Warm Current towards the southwestern Japan Sea.     

Silica minerals in cumulate eucrites: Insights into their thermal histories

Some eucrites contain up to 10 vol% silica minerals; however, silica minerals have not been studied in detail so far. We performed a mineralogical study of silica minerals in three cumulate eucrites (Moore County, Moama, and Yamato [Y] 980433). Monoclinic tridymite was common in all three samples. Moama contained orthorhombic tridymite as lamellae within monoclinic tridymite grains. Y 980433 included quartz around an impact melt vein. The presence of orthorhombic tridymite in Moama indicates that Moama cooled more rapidly than the other two samples at low temperatures (<400 °C). This result is different from the slower cooling rates of Moama (?0.0004 °C yr^?1) than that of Moore County (>0.3 °C yr^?1, after the shock event) at high temperatures (>500 °C) estimated from compositional profiles of pyroxene exsolution lamellae. The difference of the cooling rates may reflect their geological settings. Y 980433 cooled slowly at low temperature, as did Moore County. Quartz in Y 980433 could be a local product transformed from monoclinic tridymite by a shock event. We suggest that silica minerals in meteorites record thermal histories at low temperatures and shock events.     

Influence of climate fluctuation on clay formation in the Baikal drainage basin

Sedimentary cores BDP 96 and 98 and VER 96-2 St. 3 from Academician Ridge in Lake Baikal were investigated to investigate the effect of climatic fluctuations on rock weathering and clay formation in the Baikal drainage basin. Illite, smectite, vermiculite, and kaolinite were identified as the major clay minerals in the sediments by X-ray diffraction analysis. Biotite in gravels in alluvial soils of the Baikal drainage area weathers through illite to vermiculite, smectite, and finally to kaolinite. To investigate the relationship between weathering and climate, we measured the clay content and the concentration of biogenic silica in the sediments. High surface productivity (increased biogenic silica) and high chemical weathering (decreased clay content) occurred simultaneously, showing that crustal weathering and soil formation were enhanced under warm climatic conditions.Clay formation was enhanced in the watershed from the Late Miocene to the Middle Pliocene, and mechanical weathering of rocks increased during glacial intervals after the climate began to cool in Late Pliocene time. This change in the weathering mode in the watershed reduced the nutrient flux and aquatic productivity of Lake Baikal.     

Acute toxicity of temporally varying seawater CO2 conditions on juveniles of Japanese sillago (Sillago japonica)

CO(2) ocean storage by which liquefied CO(2) is injected into the deep-sea to mitigate the climate change would increase the CO(2) concentrations of the surrounding seawater. The biological impacts of such dynamic CO(2) environments are, however, unknown. We examined the acute toxicity of temporally changing seawater CO(2) concentrations on juveniles of Sillago japonica. Step-wise increases in ambient CO(2) to fCO(2) (fractional CO(2) concentration of the gas mixture bubbled into seawater) levels of 7% and 9% resulted in mortalities of 0.15 and 0.40-0.67 after 18 h, respectively. In contrast, one-step increases to these CO(2) levels killed all fish within 15 min. Further, a sudden drop of fCO(2) from 9-10% CO(2) to normocapnia (0.038%) killed all the surviving fish within a few minutes. These results demonstrate that impacts of ocean CO(2) storage need to be examined under conditions mimicking the dynamic changes in CO(2) levels expected to occur by the CO(2) injection procedure.     

Effective elastic thickness of island arc lithosphere under Japan

Abstract Using topography and observed gravity anomalies, we have estimated the effective elastic thickness as a measure of strength of Japanese island arc lithosphere. The thickness is found to range from about 3 km to >20 km. The thickness seems to be controlled primarily by the thermal state of the lithosphere. The higher the heat flow, the thinner is the elastic plate. However, several areas show significant deviations. The smaller effective elastic thickness in the northern Ryukyu arc than that inferred from heat flow may be attributed to the stress regime. In Japan, extensional tectonics are going on only in the Ryukyu arc region. Shallow subducting slab under the south-western Japan frontal arc probably increases the effective thickness by several kilometers. The determined effective elastic thickness suggests that when we consider vertical movements in the volcanic arc, we should take account of topographic and subsurface loading over a few hundred kilometers. However, if the dip of the slab is shallow, the flexural responses of the underlying slab, not only that of the island arc lithosphere, should be taken into account for the compensation, as is the case of the south-western Japan frontal arc.     

Relation between stable isotope in monsoon precipitation in southern Tibetan Plateau and moisture transport history

The moisture transport history to the south of the Tibetan Plateau was modeled using the meteorological data provided by NCEP in this paper, and the modeled results were compared with the measured δ¹⁸O in the south of the Tibetan Plateau. The relation between δ¹⁸O in precipitation in the south of the Tibetan Plateau and moisture trajectories was discussed. The results show that the extremely low δ¹⁸O in precipitation in the south of the Tibetan Plateau is always related to the moisture from the low-level sea surface evaporation. The long-distance transport of moisture also contributes to low δ¹⁸O in precipitation probably due to the rainout process during moisture transport. It is also found that low δ¹⁸O in precipitation is also related with deep layer transport of moisture, and with intensive condensation in the upper layers of the atmosphere, resulting in low δ¹⁸O because of depletion of heavy isotopes in deep condensation. However, high δ¹⁸O in precipitation whether in monsoon period or not is always companied with moisture coming from the upper layers, and the moisture is from northern or western sides of the plateau. The interpretation of the modeled results is in agreement with the isotope fractionation processes.

     

Late Anisian radiolarian assemblages from the Yarlung‐Tsangpo Suture Zone in the Jinlu area,Zedong, southern Tibet: Implications for the evolution of Neotethys

Abundant Triassic radiolarian fossils were obtained from varicolored bedded cherts exposed in the Buruocang section near Jinlu village, Zedong, southern Tibet. The radiolarian‐bearing rocks represent fragmented remnants of the Neotethys oceanic sediments belonging to the mélange complex of the east part of the Yarlung‐Tsangpo Suture Zone. Two new middle Late Anisian radiolarian assemblages recognized from this section named Oertlispongus inaequispinosus and Triassocampe deweveri, respectively, are compared with those known from Europe, Far East Russia, Japan, and Turkey. These Anisian radiolarian fossils are the first reported in southern Tibet and the oldest radiolarian record within the Yarlung‐Tsangpo Suture Zone. They improve time constraints for the evolution of Neotethys in southern Tibet.