Wind effects on sub-tidal currents in Puget Sound

Wind effects on sub-tidal currents are studied using current meter records obtained at six moorings across the main basin of Puget Sound. High correlations between wind speeds and currents are found near the surface and at mid-depths of about 100 m. Empirical Orthogonal Function analysis applied to the axial currents in 1984 and 1985 shows that mode 1, containing over 60% of the variance, is highly correlated with wind speed even without any near surface current records. When near surface stratification is strong, direct wind effects are limited to the upper 30 m with counter currents in the lower layer indicating a baroclinic response. The transport in the lower layer almost balances the transport in the upper layer. When near surface stratification is weak, direct wind effects on currents can be detected to about 100 m. In this case, there is no clear and consistent depth at which one can separate the upper from the lower layer. Time series show that the acceleration in the surface layer initially increases in the same direction as the wind when the wind starts blowing, but it reaches a maximum, starts decreasing, and eventually changes to the opposite direction (decelerates) while the wind continues to blow in one direction. Results of a continuously stratified normal mode model and estimations from the observations suggest that friction at solid boundaries is a major cause of these phenomena. The model shows that modal currents of normal modes 2 and 3 are as important as mode 1, although the resultant vertical structure of total current shows a two-layer type pattern with only one zero crossing. The effect of the baroclinic pressure gradient is only apparent at low frequencies and among lower modes.     

Hydrothermal plumes in the eastern Manus Basin, Bismarck Sea: CH4, Mn, Al and pH anomalies

We present evidence for strong hydrothermal activity in the eastern Manus Basin (depth: 1700–2100 m), the existence of large scale triple-layered buoyant plumes at depths of 1100 m (“shallow plume”), 1700 m (“deep plume”), and 1400 m (“middle plume” with less extent than the other two plumes) that were revealed from water column anomalies of CH₄, Mn, Al and pH observed in November to December 1990. Judging from the horizontal distribution of these parameters, the deep plume seems to originate from two distinct hydrothermal sites (eastern and western sites) in the research area, the eastern site being visually ascertained with deep-tow observations at the same time. The CH₄/Mn ratio (mol mol⁻¹) of the deep plume (0.02–0.05) is the lowest yet observed in hydrothermal plumes. The order of magnitude difference of CH₄/Mn ratios between the shallow plume and the deep plume suggests that different kinds of fluid-rock interaction occurred to make the hydrothermal end members for the deep and shallow plumes. The shallow plume, which had an areal extent of more than 50 km, may be an episodic “megaplume”, because it was not recognized in the previous CH₄ profiles in 1986, and because it has a similar CH₄/Mn ratio as the megaplume observed in the North Fiji Basin. We found that the eastern deep plume is characterized by enormously high aluminium concentrations (0.6– 1.5 μmol kg⁻¹), pH anomalies (0.1) and high Al/Mn ratios (10–17). The endmember fluid for the eastern deep plume may have an unusually low pH value to dissolve this much aluminum during fluid-rock interaction, or this plume may originate from an eruption-influenced fluid.     

High belowground biomass allocation in an upland black spruce (Picea mariana) stand in interior Alaska

The root system of forest trees account for a significant proportion of the total forest biomass. However, data is particularly limited for forests in permafrost regions. In this study, therefore, we estimated the above- and belowground biomass of a black spruce (Picea mariana) stand underlain with permafrost in interior Alaska. Allometric equations were established using 4–6 sample trees to estimate the biomass of the aboveground parts and the coarse roots (roots >5 mm in diameter) of P. mariana trees. The aboveground biomass of understory plants and the fine-root biomass were estimated by destructive sampling. The aboveground and coarse-root biomasses of the P. mariana trees were estimated to be 3.97 and 2.31 kg m^?2, respectively. The aboveground biomass of understory vascular plants such as Ledum groenlandicum and the biomass of forest floor mosses and lichens were 0.10 and 0.62 kg m^?2, respectively. The biomass of fine roots <5 mm in diameter was 1.27 kg m^?2. Thus, the above- and belowground biomasses of vascular plants in the P. mariana stand were estimated to be 4.07 and 3.58 kg m^?2, respectively, indicating that belowground biomass accounted for 47% of the total biomass of vascular plants. Fine-root biomass was 36% of the total root biomass, of which 90% was accumulated in the surface organic layer. Thus, this P. mariana stand can be characterized as having extremely high belowground biomass allocation, which would make it possible to grow on permafrost with limited soil resource availability.     

Metal-rich carbon stars in the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy

We present spectroscopic observations from the Spitzer Space Telescope of six carbon-rich asymptotic giant branch (AGB) stars in the Sagittarius dwarf spheroidal galaxy (Sgr dSph) and two foreground Galactic carbon stars. The band strengths of the observed C₂H₂ and SiC features are very similar to those observed in Galactic AGB stars. The metallicities are estimated from an empirical relation between the acetylene optical depth and the strength of the SiC feature. The metallicities are higher than those of the Large Magellanic Cloud, and close to Galactic values. While the high metallicity could imply an age of around 1 Gyr, for the dusty AGB stars, the pulsation periods suggest ages in excess of 2 or 3 Gyr. We fit the spectra of the observed stars using the dusty radiative transfer model and determine their dust mass-loss rates to be in the range  1.0–3.3 × 10⁻⁸ M_⊙ yr⁻¹  . The two Galactic foreground carbon-rich AGB stars are located at the far side of the solar circle, beyond the Galactic Centre. One of these two stars shows the strongest SiC feature in our present Local Group sample.     

The Asymmetry of Recirculation of a Double Gyre in a Two Layer Ocean

Using an eddy-resolving two layer primitive-equation model forced by symmetric wind stress, we investigate the asymmetry of the recirculation of a double gyre (subpolar gyre and subtropical gyre). In the case where the layer thickness change is large, cyclonic recirculation becomes unstable and splits into meso-scale vortices more easily than anti-cyclonic recirculation in their developing stage. The subpolar gyre is, therefore, filled with more vortices than the subtropical gyre. Moreover, the effect of the upper layer potential vorticity on the lower layer potential vorticity in the subpolar gyre is stronger than that in the subtropical gyre. The characteristic of turbulence in the subpolar gyre is different from that found in the subtropical gyre and, therefore, the asymmetry of the recirculation of the double gyre is maintained by this difference. The asymmetry can not be produced in a quasi-geostrophic model because it ignores the nonlinearity associated with layer thickness change. Moreover, we investigate the effects of layer thickness and lateral viscosity on the asymmetry of the recirculation of the double gyre. In the case of realistic physical parameters, the asymmetry of the recirculation of the double gyre is noticeable from the view of the activities of the eddies. In the case with the shallowest upper layer, the position of separation of the western boundary current moves further southward.     

Effects of coastal erosion on landslide activity revealed by multi-sensor observations

Coastal erosion is becoming an increasingly serious consequence of climate change. This study demonstrates the effects of coastal erosion on landslide activity while considering the amount of erosion and changes in pore water pressure. To determine the factors related to landslide slip generation, we specifically measured the displacement, deformation, pore water pressure, and amount of erosion with high temporal resolution (1 s–1 h) for a coastal landslide in Hokkaido, north-eastern Japan, for 7 months. It has been determined that landslides occur simultaneously with high pore water pressure. Toe erosion events also occurred several times, while the landslide exhibited major displacement. Because toe erosion and the increase in pore water pressure occurred simultaneously, we tried to determine which of the two contributed majorly to the landslide displacement by conducting a stability analysis that incorporates the effects of the two factors. From the actual observed data, toe erosion and the increase in pore water pressure had comparable effects on the destabilization of the studied landslide. Specifically, the time series for the safety factor shows that the landslide in the case with toe erosion was destabilized more than that in the case with no erosion, with a difference of more than 5% in the safety factor. The model with toe erosion provided a better explanation for the landslide displacement. Furthermore, the inclination data suggested that erosion took place at least 1 month before the landslide displacement. This implied that coastal erosion played a role in the preparation and ongoing displacement of the coastal landslide. Inland landslides with toes that are subject to undercutting due to river incision or artificial construction have geomorphological settings that are similar to those of the studied landslide. The knowledge obtained here can contribute to the understanding of destabilization mechanisms and terrain changes related to such landslides. © 2020 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Collision of comets with meteoroids

Statistical analysis of the quantity of dust in the cometary atmosphere in relation to the direction of motion of the comet about the Sun suggests an excess of dust for the retrograde comets. This excess is analyzed in the light of Harwit's theory of the cloud of “boulders” and of Öpik's impact theory. A comparison is also made between these excesses and other cometary phenomena such as splittings and outbursts.