Magnetic pulsation Pi2 and substorm onset

Coincidence between the onset of sudden brightening of the auroral arc in the auroral oval and the onset of Pi2 magnetic pulsation in low latitudes is examined based on the auroral data obtained at a chain of stations in Alaska and the Pi2 data obtained at the low-latitude station Onagawa. The result shows that the low-latitude Pi2 occurs almost simultaneously with the sudden brightening of the auroral arc, i.e. the onset of an auroral substorm (T = 0). It is concluded that the onset of substorms can be identified quite well with the onset of the low-latitude Pi2.     

Rocket measurements of the 6300 Å and 3914 Å dayglow features

Rocket results are presented on the OI 6300 Å line and on the N₂⁺ 3914 Å band in the dayglow. An altitude range of 78–335 km is covered. Theoretical interpretations are given, using results of simultaneous measurements of electron density and electron temperature. The apparent brightness of the 6300 Å line at the base of the emitting region is found to be 13 kR, of which 5.5 kR are ascribed to excitation through the Schumann-Runge dissociation of O₂ by the solar UV radiations, 0.55 kR to the dissociative recombination of O₂⁺ and NO⁺ ions, and 0.03 kR to the excitation of O by thermal electrons. An additional source of excitation above 280 km is suggested. The deactivation of O(¹D) by O₂(X³Σ_g⁻) is found to be appreciable below 200 km, and its rate coefficient is estimated to be 2 × 10⁻¹⁰ cm³/sec. The apparent brightness of the 3914 Å band at the base of the emitting region is found to be 6.5 kR, decreasing to 3.2 kR at 330 km. Assuming that fluorescent scattering of solar radiation is the mechanism involved the distribution of N₂⁺ ions is calculated. The rate coefficients for the loss of these ions are hence calculated.     

Hα Emission Stars in the Cepheus OB3 Region

H emission objects were searched for, using the objective-prismSchmidt plates in a 36 deg² sky area covering the Cepheus OB3 association.Hundred and eight emission stars have been found, 68 of which are newfindings to our knowledge. The properties of the IRAS point sourcesidentified with H emission stars indicate that most of theH emission stars are T Tauri stars or related objects. Hemission stars associated with IRAS sources and those unassociated havedifferent distributions, suggesting an age sequence among them.Altogether, they show a ring- or shell-like surface distribution, whichalmost coincides with that of heated dusts, and these distributionsappear to be encompassed by an HI shell.     

Superzoned garnets in the coesite-bearing Brossasco-Isasca Unit, Dora-Maira massif, Western Alps, and the origin of the whiteschists

Rare centimeter-sized superzoned garnets (SZGs) were discovered in two coesite-bearing whiteschists of the Brossasco-Isasca Unit (BIU), southern Dora-Maira massif (DMM), Western Alps. The superzoned garnet consists of a reddish-brown almandine core crowded with inclusions of staurolite, chloritoid, kyanite, chlorite and paragonite, and of a pinkish pyrope rim with sporadic inclusions of kyanite, and magnesian chlorite. The core–rim contact is relatively sharp and marks the termination of the inclusion-rich portion. The core composition of the superzoned garnet is almost identical to, or slightly richer in Mg, than that of the rim of porphyroblastic garnet in metapelites from the same unit. In the rim of the superzoned garnet, Mg–Fe ratio increases abruptly towards the outermost rim, whose composition is identical to that of the common pyrope in the whiteschist. At the core–rim boundary, there is no chemical gap. Chloritoid and staurolite are common inclusions in the core of the superzoned garnet in the whiteschist and in the porphyroblastic garnet in the metapelite. The staurolite composition (Si=2.00 and total R²⁺<2.0 for O=23 basis) and its reverse Fe–Mg distribution with respect to garnet suggest a HP origin. The Fe–Mg distribution between chloritoid and garnet is reverse in the superzoned garnet, but normal in the garnet of metapelite. Because normal Fe–Mg distribution was reported from other eclogite-facies metapelites, a model petrogenetic grid was constructed in the FMASH model system considering St, Cld, Ky, Chl, Grt, and assuming the following Fe–Mg partitioning of St>Grt>Cld>Chl. The resulting petrogenetic grid suggests that the core of the superzoned garnet contains incompatible assemblages, such as St–Cld–Chl vs. Cld–Chl–Ky. New and literature data and results of experiments in the KFASH system suggest that: (1) the superzoned garnet was formed under a single prograde high-pressure/ultra high-pressure (HP/UHP) Alpine metamorphism, (2) the almandine inclusion-rich core of the superzoned garnet crystallized at disequilibrium in a pelitic composition system at around 600°C and less than 16 kbar, probably from a former metapelite xenolith included in a Variscan granitoid, and (3) the chemical environment of the host rock suddenly changed from the normal pelite to the whiteschist composition by a metasomatic process during the rim growth, i.e., at a stage close to the UHP climax.     

Rupture process of the Miyagi-Oki,Japan, earthquake of June 12, 1978

The faulting mechanism and multiple rupture process of the M = 7.4 Miyagi-Oki earthquake are studied using surface and body wave data from local and worldwide stations. The main results are as follows. (1) P-wave first motion data and radiation patterns of long-period surface waves indicate a predominantly thrust mechanism with strike N10° E, dip 20°W, and slip angle 76°. The seismic moment is 3.1 × 10²⁷ dyne-cm. (2) Farfield SH waveforms and local seismograms suggest that the rupture occurred in two stages, being concordant with the two zones of aftershock activity revealed by the microearthquake network of Tohoku University. The upper and lower zones, located along the westward-dipping plate interface, are separated by a gap at a depth of 35 km and have dimensions of 37 × 34 and 24 × 34 km², respectively. Rupture initiated at the southern end of the upper aftershock zone and propagated at N20°W subparallel to the trench axis. About 11 s later, the second shock, which was located 30 km landward (westward) of the first, initiated at the upper corner of the lower aftershock zone and propagated down-dip N80°W. Using Haskell modelling for this rupture process, synthetic seismograms were computed for teleseismic SH waves and nearfield body waves. Other parameters determined are: seismic moment $\text{M}{}_0\text{= 1.7 × 10}{}^{27}\text{dyne-cm, slip dislocation}\text{u}\text{= 1.9}\text{m}\text{, Δσ = 95}\text{bar, rupture velocity}\text{ν = 3.2}\text{km s}{}^{\mathrm{?1}}\text{,}\text{rise time}\text{τ = 2}\text{s}$, for the first event; $\text{M}{}_0\text{= 1.4 × 10}{}^{27}\text{dyne-cm}\text{,}\text{u}\text{= 2.4}\text{m}\text{, Δσ = 145}\text{bar}$, for the second event; and time separation between the two shocks ΔT = 11 s. The above two-segment model does not explain well the sharp onsets of the body waves at near-source stations. An initial break of a small subsegment on the upper zone, which propagated down-dip, was hypothesized to explain the observed near-source seismograms. (3) The multiple rupture of the event and the absence of aftershocks between the two fault zones suggests that the frictional and/or sliding characteristics along the plate interface are not uniform. The rupture of the first event was arrested, presumably by a region of high fracture strength between the two zones. The fracture energy of the barrier was estimated to be 10¹⁰ erg cm^?2. (4) The possible occurrence of a large earthquake has been noted for the region adjacent to and seaward of the area that ruptured during the 1978 event. The 1978 event does not appear to reduce the likelihood of occurrence of this expected earthquake.     

Evolution of a precipitating cloud and cloud droplets

The evolution of a precipitating convective cloud was studied by a time-dependent numerical model in which for the simplification of dynamical framework the domain under consideration was expressed by three regions: inner region of cloud, outer region of cloud and environmental region. Clouds are assumed to have no ice-phase. The size distribution of water drops is described using five size-groups. Two types of cloud droplets (case A and case B) were given at cloud base. There are more small cloud droplets in case B than in case A. The slower production of raindrops in case B results in the later formation of a downdraft and rainfall than in case A. In consequence rainfall efficiency is lower in case B. These differences of both cases had a tendency to be larger in a less unstable atmosphere.     

TRMM/PR资料在中尺度模式MM5中的应用(英)

将中尺度非静力模式MM5中的积云参数化Grell方案作了改进,使它含有降水云的云水,即雨水含量,并用该模式对1998年6月29日08时-30日08时(北京时)和1998年7月1日08时-2日08时(北京时)发生在淮河流域的两次特大暴雨进行数值模拟研究,同时通过采用R-qr关系将TRMM/PR(Tropical Rainfall MeasuringMission/Precipition Radar)得到的降水强度资料R计算出比含水量qr,然后用q'v=qv+qr取代原模式中的比湿qv。结果表明将TRMM/PR资料加入模式后,由于PR雷达具有较高的空间分辨率,能够很好地反映中小尺度系统的空间结构,能够使湿度值接近实际,缩短了中尺度系统的发展时间,使得模拟出来的降雨强度、雨量中心位置以及雨带形状更接近实况。     

Pseudosection analysis for talc-Na pyroxene-bearing piemontite-quartz schist in the Sanbagawa Belt, Japan

Abstract Various modes of occurrence of talc were identified in piemontite‐quartz schists collected from schist and eclogite units in the Kotsu area of the Sanbagawa Belt, eastern Shikoku, Japan. They can be classified into the following types: (A) matrix and (B) pull‐apart talc. The matrix talc is associated with aegirineaugite or glaucophane in the eclogite unit and with albite or chlorite in the schist unit. The pull‐apart talc is developed at the pull‐apart of microboudin structures of Na‐amphibole, along with albite or chlorite in samples from both units, suggesting that the pull‐apart talc was formed by Na‐amphibole consuming reactions in both units. The talc–aegirineaugite–phengite association is found in a thin layer (a few millimetres thick), with higher Na₂O/(Na₂O + Al₂O₃ + MgO) ratio in the ANM (Al₂O₃–Na₂O–MgO) diagram projected from phengite, epidote and other minerals, in the eclogite unit. Crystals of aegirineaugite have decreased jadeite content [= 100 × Al/(Na + Ca)] and increased aegirine content [= 100 × (Na – Al)/(Na + Ca)] from the core (ca Jd₄₀Aeg₄₀Di₂₀) to the rim (ca Jd₂₃Aeg₅₃Di₂₄), and are replaced by winchite and albite in varying degrees at the crystal margins. Na‐amphibole is glaucophane/crossite, commonly rimmed by Al‐poor crossite or winchite at the margin in the eclogite unit, although it is relatively homogeneous crossite in the schist unit. These textures suggest that the talc‐phengite‐(aegirineaugite or glaucophane) assemblage equilibrated during an early stage of metamorphism and the pull‐apart talc was formed at a later stage in the eclogite unit. A plausible petrogenetic grid in the NCKFe³⁺MASH system with excess piemontite (regarded as epidote), hematite, quartz and water, pseudosection analysis for the aegirineaugite‐bearing layer and the observed mineral assemblages suggest that the talc‐aegirineaugite‐phengite assemblage is stable under high pressure conditions (ca 560–580°C and 18–20 kbar). The pull‐apart talc was formed at ca 565–580°C and 9.5–10.5 kbar by the reaction of glaucophane/crossite + paragonite = talc + albite during the decompression stage, suggesting that the piemontite‐quartz schist in the eclogite unit experienced high‐pressure metamorphism at ca 50–60 km depth and was then exhumed to ca 30 km depth under nearly adiabatic conditions.     

Temporal changes in benthic communities of seagrass beds impacted by a tsunami in the Andaman Sea,Thailand

Seagrass beds are susceptible to various natural and human-induced disturbances. Disturbances affect not only seagrasses, but also the abundance and diversity of associated macrofaunal communities. The Andaman Sea coast of Thailand was heavily affected by the tsunami of December 26, 2004. To examine its impact on seagrass macrofaunal communities, we compared the abundance, diversity and taxa composition by quantitative samplings in 2001 (before the tsunami) and in 2005 and 2006 (after the tsunami). Macrobenthic animals and sediments were collected from vegetated and nonvegetated areas of two sites that had received different levels of tsunami disturbances. A large decline in abundance and diversity was observed in the nonvegetated areas after the tsunami, whereas an increase was observed in the vegetated areas. The magnitude of decline and subsequent recovery of abundance and diversity of macrobenthic animals in nonvegetated areas were similar between the two sites, suggesting that their temporal changes were not solely related to the magnitude of the tsunami disturbance. Similarity of the benthic animals differed greatly between 2001 and 2005–2006 at the nonvegetated areas, whereas it varied less among the 3 years at the seagrass-vegetated areas. This study demonstrated that the presence of seagrass vegetation alters the patterns of temporal variation in macrofaunal assemblages and subsequent recovery processes following a tsunami.     

Coupled process-based cyclone surge simulation for the Bay of Bengal

We have developed a wind-wave-surge coupled process-based numerical model for simulating storm surge, consisting of a meso-scale atmospheric model (MM5), a third-generation spectral wave model (WW3) and a coastal ocean model (POM). We introduced an additional sea surface shear stress by wave dissipation into the model to consider the process of energy transfer from winds to currents through whitecap breaking. We demonstrate the importance of this energy transfer path through a hindcast simulation of a cyclone surge in April, 1991 in the Bay of Bengal: it helps generate mean current and has wave effects on wind-induced current fields in extremely shallow water areas.