Paleomagnetic record from Academician Ridge, Lake Baikal: a reversal excursion at the base of marine oxygen isotope stage 6

Paleomagnetic and rock-magnetic studies on a hydraulic piston core (Ver98-1, St.6) from Academician Ridge, Lake Baikal showed the occurrence of a reversal excursion at 670-696 cm depth, which is at the base of marine oxygen isotope stage 6. A correlation of X-ray CT values, as a proxy of relative density, to the marine oxygen isotope record provides an age of 177-183 ka for this reversal excursion. It can be correlated with other excursion records from Lake Baikal, found in Core 287-K2 from Academician Ridge [King et al., Russ. Geol. Geophys. 34 (1993) 148-162] and in core BDP93-1 drilled on the Buguldeika saddle [BDP-93, Quat. Int. 37 (1997) 3-17]. We correlate the Lake Baikal reversal excursion with a well documented excursion in the Brunhes Chron, the Iceland Basin event (186-189 ka) from ODP Sites 983 and 984 in the North Atlantic [Channell, J. Geophys. Res. 104 (1999) 22937-22951]. Also the relative paleointensity record agrees well with that from ODP Site 983 [Channell, J. Geophys. Res. 104 (1999) 22937-22951]. The Lake Baikal excursion and the Iceland Basin event correspond to the minimum of relative intensity at 188 ka in Sint-800 [Guyodo and Valet, Nature 399 (1999) 249-252]. We argue that it is distinct from the Jamaica/Pringle Falls excursion, estimated at 205-215 ka [Langereis et al., Geophys. J. Int. 129 (1997) 75-94]. This is supported by the recalibration of the age of another excursion found in Core St.16 in Lake Baikal [Sakai et al., Bull. Nagoya Univ. Furukawa Mus. 13 (1997) 11-22] with an age of ∼223 ka, which is close to the age of the Jamaica/Pringle Falls excursion, as suggested earlier [King et al., Russ. Geol. Geophys. 34 (1993) 148-162]. The VGP path of the reversal excursion (177-183 ka) consists of a southward swing through the North Atlantic, followed by a loop through Africa and the Indian Ocean. The path morphology is similar to that of the Iceland Basin event from the North Atlantic [Channell, J. Geophys. Res. 104 (1999) 22937-22951].     

Overview of NOPACCS (Northwest Pacific Carbon Cycle Study)

The Northwest Pacific Carbon Cycle Study (NOPACCS) was a program aimed at investigating the carbon cycle of the North Pacific Ocean, which can be thought of as a large reservoir of carbon dioxide. NOPACCS was also aimed at estimating the North Pacific's capacity as a carbon sink. Project design, scientific results, and data availability, and subsequent projects resulting from this project are also described in this review. Studies of the upper ocean processes focused on the latitudinal differences in the fugacity of carbon dioxide; and on the detail of plankton community structures. Intermediate water was studied in relation to the formation of North Pacific Intermediate Water and the amount of accumulated anthropogenic carbon. The sedimentation process, past carbon cycle and coral reefs were also studied during the project. A preliminary, overall view of the carbon cycle of the North Pacific was drawn from the results of the project and compared to global values.     

Distribution of ductile deformation around the Main Central Thrust zone at the frontal part of nappe in southeastern Nepal Himalaya

A geological survey and morphological analysis of quartz grains were performed to investigate the distribution of ductile deformation caused by the Himalayan Main Central Thrust (MCT) around Dhankuta, southeastern Nepal. The MCT was mapped as the lithological boundary between the gneiss of the Higher Himalayan Crystalline (HHC) as the hanging wall and the inverted metamorphic sequence of the Lesser Himalayan Sediments (LHS) as the footwall. The MCT was found to truncate various stratigraphic levels of LHS and cuts a map‐scale gentle fold developed in the LHS. Ductile deformation was quantified by fractal dimension between size and perimeter of dynamically recrystallized quartz grains in bedded metaquartzite intercalated in both HHC and LHS. Serrate and polygonal shapes of quartz indicate large and small strain rates, respectively, when the temperature during ductile deformation was assumed to be uniform. A peak of strain rate was found at the lithological boundary with the peak width of ca. 500 m. Such a thin shear zone is favorable for producing frictional heat to promote the inverted metamorphism in LHS.     

Tidal Correction of Altimetric Data in the Japan Sea

Satellite altimetric data have been very useful in the study of variation in the eddy field of the ocean. In order to investigate the variation in the eddy field, we have to remove tidal signals from altimetric data. However, global tidal models do not have sufficient accuracy in marginal seas such as the Japan Sea. In this study, we carried out harmonic analysis of temporal fluctuations of sea surface height data in the Japan Sea measured by TOPEX/POSEIDON. We could eliminate the tidal signals from altimetric data of TOPEX/POSEIDON and also from ERS-2 altimetric data with use of the harmonic constants derived from TOPEX/POSEIDON and tide gauge data along the coast. We draw co-tidal and co-range charts in the Japan Sea using the result of the harmonic analysis of TOPEX/POSEIDON altimetric data and tide gauge data along the coast. The results obtained turn out to be very useful for the tidal correction of altimetric data from satellite in the Japan Sea.     

Evaluation of the non-hydrostatic stress produced in a multi-anvil high pressure apparatus

Olivine single crystals have been deformed under high confining pressure (P=5?GPa) and temperature (T=1400?°C) conditions in a multi-anvil high pressure apparatus. NaCl, diamond and NaCl+diamond (2:1 by volume) powders were encapsulated along with the olivine single crystals in order to produce a range of stress states. The change of the non-hydrostatic stress transmitted to the olivine samples, enclosed within these three different media, during heating has been evaluated by observation of dislocation microstructure and density. A higher differential stress can be generated with diamond powder (0.1?GPa) than with NaCl powder (0.02?GPa). Although an intermediate differential stress between 0.1?GPa and 0.02?GPa had been expected to be generated using NaCl+diamond powder, the generation of non-hydrostatic stress in the olivine sample was unsuccessful. This may be caused by the fact that compaction (or sintering) proceeded in the capsule throughout the experiments. The most important finding of these experiments is that a constant non-hydrostatic stress can be applied to a sample under very high pressure and temperature conditions within the multi-anvil high pressure apparatus for the duration of the experiment. This approach is therefore suitable for investigating the steady-state rheological properties of mantle minerals at near-mantle conditions.     

Selection effects on the size and frequency distribution of cosmic gamma-ray bursts

We investigate selection effects on the size and frequency relation (logN-logS curve) of cosmic gamma-ray bursts. After analyzing the published data, we find an indication that an effect is caused by the different time profiles of the bursts. The effect is important for small bursts and causes significant changes in the logN-logS curve. in order to avoid this selection effect, we mention that it is essential to use the logN-logP relation of the logN-logS relation, as already suggested by other authors. Here,P is the peak flux of the burst, which is free from bias due to the difference in time profiles. After an analysis of the published data, we find a distribution nearP ^–3/2 in the range above a peak flux of 40 counts/0.25 s.We also show that the relation between the logN-logP curve and the observed celestial distribution for the bursts can easily be explained by our general arguments on a disk-like spatial distribution of burst sources in the Galaxy.     

Infrared detector for mid-infrared astronomy

Recent developments of infrared detectors and arrays for mid-infrared astronomical observations are discussed with an emphasis on technical issues in designing and fabricating photometers and cameras. The discussion includes a small-scale silicon bolometer array being tested at the Steward Observatory.Paper presented at the Symposium on the JNLT and Related Engineering Developments, Tokyo, November 29–December 2, 1988.     

New automated maritime telephone system

As one of the most valuable services in telecommunication service, NTT has developed a new automated maritime telephone system for public use. Calls between ship and land subscribers, or between one ship and another can be connected automatically by subscribers' dialing in the nationwide system. The new system adopts a lot of technical features such as automatic location registration, new signaling methods, etc. An outline of system performance and function is described herein.