Simulated biogeochemical responses to iron enrichments in three high nutrient, low chlorophyll (HNLC) regions

To fill temporal gaps in iron-enrichment experimental data and gain further understanding of marine ecosystem responses to iron enrichments, we apply a fifteen-compartment ecosystem model to three iron-enrichment sites, namely SEEDS (the Subarctic Pacific Iron Experiment for Ecosystem Dynamics Study; 48.5°N, 165°E) in the western North Pacific, SOIREE (the Southern Ocean Iron RElease Experiment; 61°S, 140°E) in the Southern Ocean, and IronExII (the second mesoscale iron enrichment experiment; 3.5°S, 104°W) in the Equatorial Pacific. The ecological effects of iron in the model are represented by changing two photosynthetic parameters during the iron-enrichment period. The model results successfully reproduce the observed biogeochemical responses inside and outside the iron patch at each site, such as rapid increases in plankton biomass and biological productivity, and decreases in surface nutrients and pCO₂, inside the patch. However, the modeled timing and magnitude of changes differ among the sites because of differences in both physical environments and plankton species. After the iron enrichment, the diatom productivity is strongly controlled by light at SOIREE and by silicate at IronExII and SEEDS. Light limitation due to self-shading by the phytoplankton is significant during the bloom at all sites. Sensitivity analysis of the model results to duration of the iron enrichment reveals that long-term multiple infusions over more than a week would not be effective at SEEDS because of strong silicate limitation on diatom growth. Sensitivity of the model to water temperature shows that export production is higher at lower temperatures, because of slower recycling of particulate organic carbon. Therefore, the e-ratio (the ratio of export production to primary production) is inversely correlated with temperature, and the relationship can be described with a linear function. Through this study, we conclude that ecosystem modeling is a powerful tool to help design future iron-enrichment experiments and observational plans.     

He,Ne and Ar in peridotitic and eclogitic paragenesis diamonds from the Jwaneng kimberlite,Botswana—Implications for mantle evolution and diamond formation ages

We have undertaken helium, neon and argon step-heating, isotopic analyses of eleven polycrystalline diamonds of known peridotite/eclogite paragenesis from the Jwaneng kimberlite pipe, Botswana. In contrast to the findings of crustal noble gases in framesites from the same kimberlite pipe (Honda et al., 2004. Unusual noble gas compositions in polycrystalline diamonds: preliminary results from the Jwaneng kimberlite, Botswana. Chem. Geol. 203, 347–358.), the Jwaneng polycrystalline diamonds appear to contain similar noble gas isotopic compositions (particularly Ne) to those representing a mantle source for MORBs. This implies that the Jwaneng polycrystalline diamonds may have formed in recent times, possibly close to the time of kimberlite emplacement at ~ 235 Ma. In contrast, Jwaneng framesites could be as old as gem diamonds (mineral inclusion ages of ~ 2.9 Ga). Furthermore, the data indicate that the sub-continental mantle lithosphere in the region has heterogeneous Ne isotopic compositions, or that these compositions changed over time from crustal Ne (as observed in the framesites) to MORB-like (as observed in the polycrystalline diamonds).     

Trapping of rare gases during the condensation of solids

Rare gas trapping during crystallization from vapor phases of (1) CdTe, (2) Zn, (3) Mg and (4) Fe₃O₄ has been studied. Samples were deposited as very fine crystals (about several hundred angströms) in ambient Ar atmospheres of various pressures. It was found that the amount of Ar trapped in the samples was proportional to the ambient Ar pressure. Stepheating degassing of the crystals showed that Ar was rather loosely trapped and released at relatively low temperatures. However, on a simple mechanical compaction of the crystal powder the retentivity of Ar was considerably enhanced.     

Mixing of asthenospheric and lithospheric mantle-derived basalt magmas as shown by along-arc variation in Sr and Nd isotopic compositions of Early Miocene basalts from back-arc margin of the NE Japan arc

We report trace element and Sr–Nd isotopic compositions of Early Miocene (22–18 Ma) basaltic rocks distributed along the back-arc margin of the NE Japan arc over 500 km. These rocks are divided into higher TiO₂ (> 1.5 wt.%; referred to as HT) and lower TiO₂ (< 1.5 wt.%; LT) basalts. HT basalt has higher Na₂O + K₂O, HFSE and LREE, Zr/Y, and La/Yb compared to LT basalt. Both suite rocks show a wide range in Sr and Nd isotopic compositions (initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr (SrI) = 0.70389 to 0.70631, initial ¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd(NdI) = 0.51248 to 0.51285). There is no any systematic variation amongst the studied Early Miocene basaltic rocks in terms of Sr–Nd isotope or Na₂O + K₂O and K₂O abundances, across three volcanic zones from the eastern through transitional to western volcanic zone, but we can identify gradual increases in SrI and decreases in NdI from north to south along the back-arc margin of the NE Japan arc. Based on high field strength element, REE, and Sr–Nd isotope data, Early Miocene basaltic rocks of the NE Japan back-arc margin represent mixing of the asthenospheric mantle-derived basalt magma with two types of basaltic magmas, HT and LT basaltic magmas, derived by different degrees of partial melting of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle composed of garnet-absent lherzolite, with a gradual decrease in the proportion of asthenospheric mantle-derived magma from north to south. These mantle events might have occurred in association with rifting of the Eurasian continental arc during the pre-opening stage of the Japan Sea.     

UT variation of internal Sq currents and the oceanic effect during 1980 March 1–18

Summary. UT variation of the internal part of S _q currents is examined using the geomagnetic data during 1980 March 1–18, and the effect of the ocean is found. The ratio of the internal currents to the external increases when the external current vortex comes above the Atlantic and Pacific Oceans, and the internal current vortex shifts to the oceans when the external vortex approaches the edge of the oceans. The existence of the ocean increases the total induced current by about 30 per cent and this amount is consistent with model calculations for S _q by previous workers.     

Performance evaluation of a ground-source heat pump system utilizing a flowing well and estimation of suitable areas for its installation in Aizu Basin,Japan

Development of a ground-source heat pump (GSHP) system with higher efficiency, and evaluation of its operating performance, is essential to expand the growth of GSHP systems in Japan. A closed-loop GSHP system was constructed utilizing a flowing (artesian) well as a ground heat exchanger (GHE). The system was demonstrated for space-heating and space-cooling of a room (area 126.7 m²) in an office building. The average coefficient of performance was found to be 4.5 for space-heating and 8.1 for space-cooling. The maximum heat exchange rate was 70.8 W/m for space-heating and 57.6 W/m for space-cooling. From these results, it was determined that a GSHP system with a flowing well as a GHE can result in higher performance. With this kind of highly efficient system, energy saving and cost reduction can be expected. In order to assess appropriate locations for the installation of similar kinds of GSHP systems in Aizu Basin, a suitability map showing the distribution of groundwater up-flowing areas was prepared based on the results of a regional-scale three-dimensional analytical model. Groundwater up-flowing areas are considered to be suitable because the flowing well can be constructed at these areas. Performance evaluation of the GSHP system utilizing the flowing well, in conjunction with the prepared suitability map for its installation, can assist in the promotion of GSHP systems in Japan.     

Book review

Although visible bands of high-resolution multispectral imagery are used for bathymetry, the relative utility of different bands is poorly understood. Therefore, we evaluated the relative utility of the six visible bands of WorldView-2. We statistically selected the visible bands that gave the best accuracy under different situations, tallying how often each band was included in the best combination. The average frequency was greater than 50% for every band and differed between bands by only 17%. We conclude that all visible bands are useful for remote sensing of water depth, although the utility depends on the image and number of training pixels available.     

Size distributions of chondrules and dispersed droplets caused by liquid breakup: An application to shock wave conditions in the solar nebula

We present the results of an aerodynamic liquid dispersion experiment using initially molten silicate samples. We investigate the threshold of breakup and the size distribution of dispersed droplets. The breakup threshold is consistent with the previous experiments using water and a mixture of water and glycerol. Also, we confirm the previous results that the size distributions of dispersed droplets are represented by an exponential form and that the characteristic size of dispersed droplets is related to the dynamic pressure of high-velocity gas flow. The size distribution has a similar form to that of chondrules, though the experiment is not exactly corresponding to the shock heating models for chondrule formation that consider solid precursors which are molten by the shocks. The experimental results indicate that, if liquid chondrule-precursors were dispersed by high-velocity flow, the dynamic pressure of the flow is ∼10 kPa. A chondrule formation condition in a shock-wave heating model suggests that this pressure can be realized at the regions within ∼1 AU in the minimum solar-nebula mass models. However, if the nebula had a larger mass and gravitational instabilities occurred, this pressure may be realized in the spiral arms at 2-3 AU and chondrules may be formed in asteroid belt.     

Breakup of liquids by high velocity flow and size distribution of chondrules

As a new approach to understanding the chondrule formation process, we carried out aerodynamic experiments in which a liquid layer was attached to solid cores, and the breakup of this layer occurred by means of the interaction with a high-velocity gas flow. The size distribution of the dispersed droplets was investigated and compared with the size distributions of chondrules. Both distributions had an exponential form. Using the experimental results, the hydrodynamic pressure to produce the chondrule size distributions was estimated to be ∼ 10⁴ Pa.