Field measurements of absolute gravity in East Antarctica

Abstract This paper reports the results of field-based absolute gravity measurements aimed at detecting gravity change and crustal displacement caused by glacial isostatic adjustment. The project was initiated within the framework of the 53rd Japanese Antarctic Research Expedition （JARE53）. Absolute gravity measurements, together with GPS measurements, were planned at several outcrops along the Prince Olav Coast and S6ya Coast of East Antarctica, including at Syowa Station. Since the icebreaker Shirase （AGB 5003） was unable to moor alongside Syowa Station, operations were somewhat restricted during JARE53. However, despite this setback, we were able to complete measurements at two sites： Syowa Station and Langhovde. The absolute gravity value at the Syowa Station IAGBN （A） site, observed using an FG-5 absolute gravimeter （serial number 210; FG-5 #210）, was 982 524 322.7＋0.1 ktGal, and the gravity change rate at the beginning of 2012 was -0.26 gGal.a-1. An absolute gravity value of 982 535 584.2~0.7 ktGal was obtained using a portable A-10 absolute gravimeter （serial number 017; A-10 #017） at the newly located site AGS01 in Langhovde.     

Analysis of tubular steel bridge piers

A one‐dimensional model is proposed for the static and dynamic analysis of tubular steel bridge piers subjected to strong ground motions. The present formulation does not require experimental results nor shell analysis to obtain the constitutive equation of the model, which shows strength deterioration. The material properties and dimensions of bridge piers are required for static and dynamic analysis of the present model. The present analysis consists of two steps. The first step is to obtain the stress and strain relationship of the base plastic‐hinge region, where local inelastic buckling is observed. The modified Shanley's model and fiber elements are used to establish the compressive skeleton curve. The strength deterioration is taken into account in the resulting constitutive model. The second step is to analyze static and dynamic responses of tubular steel bridge piers. For overall analysis, the base plastic‐hinge region is discretized in the circumferential direction by using fiber elements whose constitutive equation was obtained in the first step. The validity of the present model has been confirmed through comparisons with existing experimental results. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Astronomy in Japan

The research activity in Japanese astronomy is described, taking into account the social and historical background. A trend in the last two decades is shown by the numbers of papers in 13 branches of astronomy. Major research facilities and international collaboration programs are summerized. Future programs under consideration are briefly discussed.Paper presented at the Lembang-Bamberg IAU Colloquium No. 80 on Double Stars: Physical Properties and Generic Relations, held at Bandung, Indonesia, 3–7 June, 1983.     

Interpretation in terms of gyrotropic waves of Schumann-resonance-like line emissions observed at Nakatsugawa in possible association with nearby Japanese earthquakes

The observation of ULF/ELF electromagnetic waves in the frequency range below 50 Hz has been continued at Nakatsugawa (in the Gifu prefecture), Japan since 1998. This paper summarizes anomalous Schumann resonance (SR) phenomena and SR-like line emissions observed at Nakatsugawa in possible association with recent nearby earthquakes (EQs) (the 2004 Mid-Niigata prefecture and the 2007 Noto-Hanto (peninsula) EQs), which have been already described in detail by Ohta et al. (2009). The intensity of particular modes of SR increased before these large EQs and the excitation of other anomalous SR-like line emissions also existed at the frequency shifted by about 2 Hz from the typical SR modes. Since temporal changes of the anomalous SR modes and line emissions are synchronous in time, there might be a possibility that the line emission is a consequence of the anomalous SR. In this paper we propose an interpretation of those anomalous phenomena in terms of excitation of gyrotropic waves due to input wave from below with a band from 15 to 20 Hz as an exciter. The theoretical computational results seem to be generally consistent with the observational finding.     

Development of Long-period Ground Motions from the Nankai Trough, Japan, Earthquakes: Observations and Computer Simulation of the 1944 Tonankai (Mw 8.1) and the 2004 SE Off-Kii Peninsula (Mw 7.4) Earthquakes

Strong ground motions recorded in central Tokyo during the 1944 Tonankai Mw8.1 earthquake occurring in the Nankai Trough demonstrate significant developments of very large (>10 cm) and prolonged (>10 min) shaking of long-period (T > 10–12 s) ground motions in the basin of Tokyo located over 400 km from the epicenter. In order to understand the process by which such long-period ground motions developed in central Tokyo and to mitigate possible future disasters arising from large earthquakes in the Nankai Trough, we analyzed waveform data from a dense nation wide strong-motion network (K-NET and KiK-net) deployed across Japan for the recent SE Off-Kii Peninsula (Mw 7.4) earthquake of 5 September 2004 that occurred in the Nankai Trough. The observational data and a corresponding computer simulation for the earthquake clearly demonstrate that such long-period ground motion is primarily developed as the wave propagating along the Nankai Trough due to the amplification and directional guidance of long-period surface waves within a thick sedimentary layer overlaid upon the shallowly descending Philippine Sea Plate below the Japanese Island. Then the significant resonance of the seismic waves within the thick cover of sedimentary rocks of the Kanto Basin developed large and prolonged long-period motions in the center of Tokyo. The simulation results and observed seismograms are in good agreement in terms of the main features of the long-period ground motions. Accordingly, we consider that the simulation model is capable of predicting the long-period ground motions that are expected to occur during future Nankai Trough M 8 earthquakes.     

Understanding Amazonian fluvial rias based on a Late Pleistocene–Holocene analog

Fluvial rias are elongated lakes at tributary mouths that can reach dozens of kilometers in length, constituting one of the most remarkable features in the Amazonian landscape. Thus far, definitive data which documents the genesis of fluvial rias have not been published. The main goal of this work was to integrate morphological, sedimentological and chronological information in order to characterize fluvial paleorias in the interfluve of the Purus and Madeira Rivers and discuss the most likely hypothesis for their genesis. These paleorias were first observed through remote sensing imagery as several elongated and interconnecting belts of open vegetation that are in sharp contact with the surrounding dense forest. The belts are branched and form a dendritic pattern similar to many modern drainage networks. The sedimentary record of these belts revealed the prevalence of sharp‐based sandstones and mudstones arranged into fining‐upward successions, which are compatible with deposition within channels. Active channel and abandoned channel deposits were recognized. These are topped by continuous mudstones related to rapid channel abandonment and formation of a low energy basin or ria environment. Radiocarbon dating of these deposits recorded only Late Pleistocene and Holocene ages ranging from 21 547–22 285 cal yr bp to 5928–6124 cal yr bp . This chronology for sediment deposition is not compatible with the hypothesis of Amazonian rias being formed by fluvial erosion during the Last Glaciation Maximum low sea level, with sediment accumulation during the subsequent Holocene transgression. Instead, the studied paleorias record previous tributaries of the Madeira River that became abandoned as the position of this river shifted southeastward and its interfluve tilted northward, inverting the drainage systems. Therefore, a neotectonic origin of some Amazonian paleorias seems most likely. This hypothesis should be considered in further investigations aiming at understanding the origin of numerous modern fluvial rias that typify the Amazonian landscape. Copyright © 2014 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Equatorial field-aligned irregularities deduced from the echo-train and hybrid whistlers

Summary Equatorial field-aligned irregularities have been studied by using low-latitude echotrain and hybrid whistlers observed at Sakushima Station (geomag. lat. 24°). The structure is discussed in relation to the propagation mode trapped by field-aligned irregularities. We then find that the field-aligned irregularities responsible for the trapping of low latitude whistlers are of such small dimension as the HF ducts.     

Rheological contrast between garnet and clinopyroxene in the mantle wedge: An example from Higashi-akaishi peridotite mass,SW Japan

Garnet clinopyroxenites occur within foliated dunite in the Higashi-akaishi peridotite mass, located within the subduction-type high-pressure/low-temperature Sanbagawa metamorphic belt. The garnet clinopyroxenites contain 3–80% garnet, and garnet and clinopyroxene are homogeneously distributed. Garnet crystals contain extensive, regular dislocation arrays and dislocation networks, suggesting that dislocation creep was the dominant deformation mechanism. Analyses of crystallographic orientation maps indicate similar grain sizes and aspect ratios for garnet and clinopyroxene, regardless of modal composition, indicating that these minerals deformed with similar degree of plasticity. Moreover, indexes of crystallographic fabric intensity (i.e., J-index and M-index) for both garnet and clinopyroxene tend to increase with increasing modal composition of garnet. Fourier-transform infrared spectroscopy analysis revealed that water content in garnet is ～60 ppm, whereas that in clinopyroxene is ～70 ppm. Olivine crystal-preferred orientations in the Higashi-akaishi peridotite mass, characterized by [0 0 1] (0 1 0), are thought to have developed during deformation under wet conditions. Consequently, we argue that the presence of water could act to enhance garnet plasticity during deformation. The results reveal contrasting influences of water on the deformation of garnet and diopside: under wet conditions compared with dry, the strain rate increases by two orders of magnitude for garnet but by an order of magnitude for diopside. Given the influence of water on the creep strength of garnet, garnet within the Higashi-akaishi mass may have become significantly as weak as clinopyroxene during deformation.     

Incorporation of Be isotopes and other trace metals into marine ferromanganese deposits

Two-to threefold inward increase of ¹⁰Be, ⁹Be, Cu and Ni have been found in surface layers of marine ferromanganese deposits. We interpret this phenomenon as reflecting the manner in which the Be isotopes and probably other trace metals (e.g. Cu and Ni) are incorporated. On reaching the sea floor exchangeable Be is released from its carrier phase to the pore water of the ferromanganese deposits, diffuses inward and gets fixed into the deposits. The fixation process may be related to the mineralogical reorganizations suggested by previous studies. We have modeled this concept and applied it to a Mn crust on which detailed analyses of Cu, Ni and natural decay-series nuclides, as well as Be isotopes are made. Post-depositional fixation of Th isotopes may also occur. The redistributions of Be and Th isotopes are confined to regions very close to the surface of the deposits. For all practical purposes, they will not affect growth rate determinations conventionally done using these isotopes. The “linearly” extrapolated ${}^{10}\text{Be}{}^9\text{Be}$ ratio to the surface from deep layers of a Mn deposit does not necessarily represent that ratio in sea water.