Influence of ignimbrite on the chemistry of river water in Shirasu plateau,Japan

River, rain and spring water samples from a region covered in “Shirasu” ignimbrite were collected on Kyushu Island, Japan. The analytical results were subjected to multivariate statistical analysis and stoichiometric calculation to understand the geographical distribution of chemical components in water and to extract geochemical underlying factors. The multivariate statistical analysis showed that the river-water chemistry is only slightly influenced by hot springs or polluted waters, but is highly controlled by weathering of ignimbrite. On the basis of the stoichiometric calculation based on water–rock interaction, the water chemistry was successfully estimated by a simple equation:\({\left[ {{\text{Si}}} \right]}{\text{ = 2}}{\left[ {{\text{Na}}^{{\text{ + }}} } \right]}{\text{ + }}{\left[ {{\text{Mg}}^{{{\text{2 + }}}} } \right]}\) in the upstream area, complemented by \({\left[ {{\text{Si}}} \right]}{\text{ = }}{\left[ {{\text{Na}}^{{\text{ + }}} } \right]}{\text{ - 3}}{\left[ {{\text{K}}^{{\text{ + }}} } \right]}{\text{ + }}{\left[ {{\text{Mg}}^{{{\text{2 + }}}} } \right]}{\text{ - 2}}{\left[ {{\text{Ca}}^{{{\text{2 + }}}} } \right]}\) in the downstream area.     

Effects of large-scale wind on the Kuroshio path south of Japan in a 60-year historical OGCM simulation

The effects of large-scale wind forcing on the bimodality of the Kuroshio path south of Japan, the large meander (LM) and non-large meander (NLM), were studied by using a historical simulation (1948–2007) with a high-resolution Ocean general circulation models (OGCM). The Kuroshio in this simulation spent much time in the NLM state, and reproduced several aspects of its long-term path variability for the first time in historical OGCM simulation, presumably because the eddy kinetic energy was kept at a moderate level. By using the simulated fields, the relationships between wind forcing (or Kuroshio transport) and path variation proposed by past studies were tested, and specific roles of eddies in those variations were investigated. The long-term variation of the simulated net Kuroshio transport south of Japan was largely explained by the linear baroclinic Rossby wave adjustment to wind forcing. In the simulated LM events, a triggering meander originated from the interaction of a wind-induced positive sea surface height (SSH) anomaly with the upstream Kuroshio and was enlarged by cyclonic eddies from the recirculation gyre. The cyclonic eddy of the trigger meander was followed by a sizable anticyclonic eddy on the upstream side. Subsequently, a weak (strong) Kuroshio favored the LM (NLM). The LM tended to be maintained when the Kuroshio transport off southern Japan was small, and increasing Kuroshio transport promoted decay of an existing LM. The supply of disturbances from upstream, which is related to the wind-induced SSH variability at low latitudes, contributed to the maintenance of an existing LM.     

On measuring settlement by magnetic method at any depth

Abstract

When artificial islands are constructed, they are subject to surface subsidence, which is the resultant sum of the consolidation strata, many of which seem differ in character. When these strata are soft and thick, or heavily loaded, it becomes very difficult to estimate how much settlement will eventually take place, and over how long a period. For the estimate to be accurate, the settlement characteristics of each layer must first be determined.

For this purpose, the authors have investigated a new method of measuring settlement, based on two unique principles. One principle is the application of a permanent magnet as an indicator of settlement, and the other is the exploitation of semiconductor, magneto‐resistance elements for detecting the magnetic fields. In advance of the observation, the magnets are forced into the earth, being pushed out through the bore‐hole casing by the oil jack at suitable depths and intervals. The small‐sized magneto‐resistance element is essential to the practicality and efficiency of this method.

In this study, the principles of this method, measuring procedure, the special characteristics and potential of this system, and the results of field trials are described.     

Balloon-Borne Hard X-Ray Spectrometer Using CdTe Detectors

Spectroscopic observation of solar flares in the hard X-ray energy range, particularly the 20 ∼ 100 keV region, is an invaluable tool for investigating the flare mechanism. This paper describes the design and performance of a balloon-borne hard X-ray spectrometer using CdTe detectors developed for solar flare observation. The instrument is a small balloon payload (gondola weight 70 kg) with sixteen 10×10×0.5 mm CdTe detectors, designed for a 1-day flight at 41 km altitude. It observes in an energy range of 20−120 keV and has an energy resolution of 3 keV at 60 keV. The second flight on 24 May 2002 succeeded in observing a class M1.1 flare.     

Decomposition of kyanite and solubility of Al2O3 in stishovite at high pressure and high temperature conditions

In order to constrain the high-pressure behavior of kyanite, multi-anvil experiments have been carried out from 15 to 25 GPa, and 1,350 to 2,500°C. Both forward and reversal approaches to phase equilibria were adopted in these experiments. We find that kyanite breaks down to stishovite + corundum at pressures above ∼15 GPa, and stishovite + corundum should be the stable phase assemblage at the pressure–temperature conditions of the transition zone and the uppermost part of the lower mantle of the Earth, in agreement with previous multi-anvil experimental studies and ab initio calculation results, but in disagreement with some of the diamond-anvil cell experimental studies in the literature. The Al₂O₃ solubility in nominally dry stishovite has been tightly bracketed by forward and reversal experiments; it is slightly but consistently reduced by pressure increase. Its response to temperature increase, however, is more complicated: increases at low temperatures, maximizes at around 2,000°C, and perhaps decreases at higher temperatures. Consequently, the Al₂O₃ solubility in dry stishovite at conditions of high temperature–high pressure is very limited.     

Mechanisms of uranium mineralization by the yeast Saccharomyces cerevisiae

We determined the association of uranium in yeast cells S. cerevisiae grown in medium containing high (1 g · L^-1) or low (0.2 g · L^-1) concentrations of phosphate after exposure for 96 h to a 4 × 10^-4 mol · L^-1 U(VI) solution at pH 3.2 or 4.7. The analysis was made using a field emission scanning electron microscope equipped with energy dispersive spectroscopy (FESEM-EDS), transmission electron microscopy (TEM), and visible diffuse reflectance spectrometry. Cells grown in the high-phosphate medium rapidly accumulated U(VI) from solution at pH 3.2 over the first 24 h, followed by a slow uptake until 96 h, whereas in cells grown in low-phosphate medium, U(VI) accumulation reached a steady state within 24 h. FESEM-EDS analyses revealed the formation of a U(VI)-bearing precipitate on the yeast cells grown in high-phosphate medium after only 48 h exposure; no precipitate was detected on cells grown in low-phosphate medium up to 96 h. These results suggest that sorption onto the cell surfaces was the dominant process initially. Analysis of the U(VI)-bearing precipitates by all three methods demonstrated the presence of H-autunite, HUO₂PO₄ · 4H₂O. Thermodynamic calculations suggest that the chemical compositions of the solutions containing yeast grown in high-phosphate medium were undersaturated with respect to H-autunite, but were supersaturated with ten times more U(VI) and P than were actually observed. Apparently, the sorbed U(VI) on the cell surfaces reacts with P released from the yeast to form H-autunite by local saturation. The U(VI) uptake by yeast cells grown in high phosphate medium at pH 4.7, along with the thermodynamic calculation, indicated that more H-autunite is precipitated in neutral pH solution than in acid solution. Thus, U(VI)-phosphate mineralization on the cells of microorganisms should be taken into account for predicting U(VI) mobility in the environment.     

A search for absorption of Mg and Ca compounds in molecular clouds towards Galactic continuum sources

Absorption lines of MgH and CaH N  = 1 − 0 transitions were searched for in foreground molecular clouds towards the continuum sources associated with Sgr B2 (M) and W49A (N). None of these lines was detected with our sensitivity level of ∼20 mK. Millimetric absorption lines of MgO, MgOH, CaO and CaOH were also searched for towards Sgr B2 (M) without success. The fractional abundances relative to molecular hydrogen are ≲ 1.0 × 10⁻¹¹ for MgH, ≲ 7.9 × 10⁻¹³ for MgO, ≲ 1.6 × 10⁻¹⁰ for MgOH, ≲ 1.6 × 10⁻⁹ for CaH, ≲ 2.0 × 10⁻¹² for CaO, and ≲ 2.5 × 10⁻¹⁰ for CaOH, respectively. The low abundances measured in absorption indicate that a significant fraction of interstellar magnesium and calcium cannot be tied up in their monohydrides, monoxides and monohydroxides. The low abundance of MgH also implies that grain-surface chemistry involving magnesium is not efficient and that magnesium is depleted on to grains to a factor of ≳ 10^2.5 in well-shielded molecular clouds.