Collisional bending of the western Paleo‐Kuril Arc deduced from paleomagnetic analysis and U–Pb age determination

The Paleo‐Kuril Arc in the eastern Hokkaido region of Japan, the westernmost part of the Kuril Arc in the northwestern Pacific region, shows a tectonic bent structure. This has been interpreted, using paleomagnetic data, to be the result of block rotations in the Paleo‐Kuril Arc. To understand the timing and origin of this tectonic bent structure in the Paleo‐Kuril arc‐trench system, paleomagnetic surveys and U–Pb radiometric dating were conducted in the Paleogene Urahoro Group, which is distributed in the Shiranuka‐hill region, eastern Hokkaido. The U–Pb radiometric dating indicated that the Urahoro Group was deposited at approximately 39 Ma. Paleomagnetic analysis of the Urahoro Group suggested that the Shiranuka‐hill region experienced a 28° clockwise rotation with respect to East Asia. The degree of clockwise rotation implied from the Urahoro Group is smaller than that of the underlying Lower Eocene Nemuro Group (62°) but larger than that of the overlying Onbetsu Group (?9°). It is thus suggested that the Shiranuka‐hill region experienced a clockwise rotation of approximately 34° between the deposition of the Nemuro and Urahoro Groups (50–39 Ma), and a 38° clockwise rotation between the deposition of the Urahoro and Onbetsu Groups (39–34 Ma). The origin of the curved tectonic belt of the Paleo‐Kuril Arc was previously explained by the opening of the Kuril Basin after 34 Ma. The age constraint for the rotational motion of the Shiranuka‐hill region in this study contradicts this hypothesis. Consequently, it is suggested that the process of arc–arc collision induced the bent structure of the western Paleo‐Kuril Arc.     

Hydraulic model tests for propagation of flow and sediment in floods due to breaking of a natural landslide dam during a mountainous torrent

During mountain torrents, large-magnitude floods may result from heavy rainfall and cause the breakage of landslide dams naturally formed by heavy rainfall, earthquakes, and so on. The characteristics of longitudinal spreading of clear water discharge and changes in flow depth must be clarified because the changes in peak depth have not yet been examined in steep-slope torrents and because there are few data on spreading of flash floods and related sedimentation in mountainous torrents. In the present study, experimental data were collected through hydraulic model tests over a rigid bed, and the spreading of water, fine sediment, bed load, and large boulders due to flooding are discussed assuming that flash flooding/debris flows occur in the upstream reach. The effects of changes in flow width, such as expansions and contractions in the flow width, as well as changes in meandering channels, sediment transportation, and spreading flow depth resulting from bores are examined using flume data for a steep-slope torrent. The data obtained in the present study reveal that fine sediment components are transported to the downstream reach if large-magnitude floods occur and that the spreading rate and peak lags of the fine sediment and water level indicate the occurrence of a flood in the upstream reach.     

Drought analysis and its implication in sustainable water resource management in Barind area,Bangladesh

The study analyzes drought using Standardized Precipitation Index (SPI) and Mann-Kendall (MK) Trend Test in the context of the impacts of drought on groundwater table (GWT) during the period 1971-2011 in the Barind area, Bangladesh. The area experienced twelve moderate to extreme agricultural droughts in the years 1972, 1975, 1979, 1982, 1986, 1989, 1992, 1994, 2003, 2005, 2009 and 2010. Some of them coincide with El Niño events. Hydrological drought also occurred almost in the same years. However, relationship between all drought events and El Niño is not clear. Southern and central parts of the area frequently suffer from hydrological drought, northern part is affected by agricultural drought. Trends in SPI values indicate that the area has an insignificant trend towards drought, and numbers of mild and moderate drought are increasing. GWT depth shows strong correlation with rainy season SPI values such that GWT regaining corresponds with rising SPI values and vice versa. However, 2000 onwards, GWT depth is continuously increasing even with positive SPI values. This is due to over-exploitation of groundwater and changes in cropping patterns. Agricultural practice in Barind area based on groundwater irrigation is vulnerable to drought. Hence, adaptation measures to minimize effects of drought on groundwater ought to be taken.     

Assessment of hydrological extremes in the Kamo River Basin,Japan

A suite of extreme indices derived from daily precipitation and streamflow was analysed to assess changes in the hydrological extremes from 1951 to 2012 in the Kamo River Basin. The evaluated indices included annual maximum 1-day and 5-day precipitation (RX1day, RX5day), consecutive dry days (CDD), annual maximum 1-day and 5-day streamflow (SX1day, SX5day), and consecutive low-flow days (CDS). Sen’s slope estimator and two versions of the Mann-Kendall test were used to detect trends in the indices. Also, frequency distributions of the indices were analysed separately for two periods: 1951–1981 and 1982–2012. The results indicate that quantiles of the rainfall indices corresponding to the 100-year return period have decreased in recent years, and the streamflow indices had similar patterns. Although consecutive no rainfall days represented by 100-year CDD decreased, continuous low-flow days represented by 100-year CDS increased. This pattern change is likely associated with the increase in temperature during this period.

EDITOR D. Koutsoyiannis

ASSOCIATE EDITOR E. Gargouri     

The rate of fluvial incision during the Late Quaternary period in the Abukuma Mountains, northeast Japan, deduced from tephrochronology

Abstract River incision into bedrock results in the decrease of burial depths, which can be of critical importance, for example, in the safe long‐term storage of high‐level radioactive waste. For the long‐term prediction of river erosion, it is essential to know the rate of incision during the Late Quaternary period. In the Abukuma Mountains on the forearc side of northeast Japan, a low‐relief peneplain that was uplifted in the Pliocene period is widely developed. Degradational fluvial terraces that are discontinuously distributed along draining rivers are scattered in the study area. The fluvial sediments were mainly transported from the summit regions as debris flows or hyperconcentrated flows. The terrace deposits are capped by a series of eolian veneers containing key tephra beds. From the oldest to the youngest, these tephra beds are the 150–125 ka Iizuna–Kamitaru tephra, the 135–125 ka Hiuchigatake–Tagashira tephra, the 120 ka Adatara–Dake tephra, the 70–80 ka Bandai–Hayama‐2 tephra, the 45 ka Numazawa–Mizunuma tephra and the 42 ka Bandai–Hayama‐1 tephra. Using tephrochronological data, the terraces are divided into three groups: higher, middle and lower. The ages of formation of the higher, middle and lower terraces are estimated to be within marine isotope stage (MIS) 6, MIS 5.4–5.2 and MIS 3 to MIS 2, respectively. The incision rate, calculated from the relative height between the terrace surface and present‐day valley floor fill, is 1.5–0.8 m/10 000 years in the elevations from 350 to 700 m. The calculated rate does not show significant differences between the higher, middle and lower terraces. All the relative heights decrease with increasing elevation, because the erosional rates of streams in the upper reaches are lower than those in downstream reaches where the discharge rates are higher. This value can be regarded as an estimate of the rate of incision in granitic mountains where there is no volcanic or distinct tectonic activity.     

关于地铁地震响应的模型振动试验及数值分析

为明确大地震时地铁的破坏过程及原因,以1995 年日本阪神－淡路大地震中遭受严重破坏的神户大开地铁车站为对象,进行了一系列的模型振动试验和动力有限元分析。对于作用于地下结构的地震动土压的发生原理、地震波输入方向、结构的埋设深度、地基与结构间的刚性比对地震动土压的影响及在地基-结构系统的非线性响应下结构周围地基终局状态时的地震动土压进行了研究。明确了地震动土压的极限值及在大地震时周围地基的残余应变引起的静止土圧力的存在。为今后改进地震土压力计算方法、提高地下结构抗震设计水平提供了依据。     

Distribution of Fe among octahedral sites and its effect on the crystal structure of pumpellyite

Two pumpellyites with the general formula W ₈ X ₄ Y ₈ Z ₁₂O_56-n (OH) _n were studied using ⁵⁷Fe Mössbauer spectroscopic and X-ray Rietveld methods to investigate the relationship between the crystal chemical behavior of iron and structural change. The samples are ferrian pumpellyite-(Al) collected from Mitsu and Kouragahana, Shimane Peninsula, Japan. Rietveld refinements gave Fe(X):Fe(Y) ratios (%) of 41.5(4):58.5(4) for the Mitsu pumpellyite and 46(1):54(1) for the Kouragahana pumpellyite, where Fe(X) and Fe(Y) represent Fe content at the X and Y sites, respectively. The Mössbauer spectra consisted of two Fe²⁺ and two Fe³⁺ doublets for the Mitsu pumpellyite, and one Fe²⁺ and two Fe³⁺ doublets for the Kouragahana pumpellyite. In terms of the area ratios of the Mössbauer doublets and the Fe(X):Fe(Y) ratios determined by the Rietveld refinements, Fe²⁺(X):Fe³⁺(X):Fe³⁺(Y) ratios are determined to be 22:14:64 for the Mitsu pumpellyite and 27:8:65 for the Kouragahana pumpellyite. By applying the Fe²⁺:Fe³⁺-ratio determined by the Mössbauer analysis and the site occupancies of Fe at the X and Y sites given by the Rietveld method together with chemical analysis, the resulting formula of the Mitsu and Kouragahana pumpellyites are established as Ca₈(Fe _0.88 ²⁺ Mg_0.68Fe _0.77 ³⁺ Al_1.66)_Σ3.99(Al_5.67Fe _2.34 ³⁺ )_Σ8.01Si₁₂O_42.41(OH)_13.59 and Ca₈(Mg_1.24Fe _0.65 ²⁺ Fe _0.46 ³⁺ Al_1.66)_Σ4.01(Al_6.71Fe _1.29 ³⁺ )_Σ8.00Si₁₂O_42.14(OH)_13.86, respectively. Mean Y–O distances and volumes of the YO₆ octahedra increase with increasing mean ionic radii, i.e., the Fe³⁺→Al substitution at the Y site. However, change of the sizes of XO₆ octahedra against the mean ionic radii at the X site is not distinct, and tends to depend on the volume change of the YO₆ octahedra. Thus, the geometrical change of the YO₆ octahedra with Fe³⁺→Al substitution at the Y site is essential for the structural changes of pumpellyite. The expansion of the YO₆ octahedra by the ionic substitution of Fe³⁺ for Al causes gradual change of the octahedra to more symmetrical and regular forms.