Ambient air measurements of six bifunctional carbonyls in a suburban area

Low-molecular-weight carbonyl compounds, generated by photochemical reactions in the atmosphere and found in the exhaust of motor vehicles, have recently come to the attention of researchers because some of them are suspected carcinogens or mutagens. Six bifunctional carbonyl compounds were detected and measured in a suburban site 30 km northwest of the Tokyo metropolitan area. Samples were taken on five sunny days between 2 August and 11 August 2003 with a low-volume denuder and three-filter tandem system using O-(2,3,4,5,6-pentafluorobenzyl)hydroxylamine (PFBHA) as a sorbent. Bifunctional carbonyls were measured by gas chromatography–mass spectrometry after two derivatization processes with PFBHA and N,O-bis(trimethylsilyl)-trifluoroacetamide (BSTFA). The average total (gas plus particle) concentrations were 162.8 ng m^− 3 for pyruvic acid, 113.7 ng m^− 3 for methylglyoxal, 36.0 ng m^− 3 for glycolaldehyde and 58.6 ng m^− 3 for glyoxal.     

Population Development of the DinoflagellatesCeratium furca andCeratium fusus during Spring and Early Summer in Iwa Harbor, Sagami Bay, Japan

To examine the population development of the dinoflagellates, Ceratium furca and Ceratium fusus, daily field monitoring was conducted between April and July 2003 in the temperate coastal water of Sagami Bay, Japan. During the study period, the concentrations of C. furca were always lower than those of C. fusus. A sharp increase in the densities of both species was recorded on 5 May showing the maximum cell concentrations (C. furca = 14,800 cells L^-1, C. fusus = 49,600 cells L^-1). In the 7 days prior to the May bloom of the Ceratium species (29 April to 1 May), the highest density of the heterotrophic dinoflagellate Noctiluca scintillans was observed. Additionally, a second bloom of C. fusus occurred on 22 July. Here, two causes of the significant increases in the Ceratium populations during the two blooming periods (first time; 1 to 8 May, second time; 15 to 22 July) are presented. First, an increase in the nutrients of the surface layer regenerated by the breakdown of blooms by N.scintillans could be considered as a major cause of the population increase of the two Ceratium species. Second, a decrease in salinity (to 27 psu) was correlated with the later bloom ofC. fusus. These results suggest that the population development of the two Ceratium species requires nutrients regenerated after the reduction of the diatom population byN. scintillans and, forC. fusus, continuous low salinity conditions, compared to other environmental factors during the rainy season. Key words: Ceratium furca; Ceratium fusus; Noctiluca scintillans; Bloom process; Environmental factor     

Virtual velocity of sand transport in water

Using the 160‐m‐long flume at Tsukuba University we undertook an experiment to provide a first estimate of the virtual velocity of sand in the size range 0.5–2.0 mm. For the flow velocity used in our experiment this sediment‐size range would conventionally be regarded as suspended sediment. The virtual velocity was found to be 37–41% of the flow velocity. Paradoxically, virtual velocity decreases as particle size decreases. Such a lower virtual velocity of finer sediment is not inconceivable. First, trapping of the sediment appears to be a function of bed roughness, and there is a probable relationship between bed roughness and trapping efficiency for particles of different sizes. Second, finer particles are more likely to find sheltered positions on a rough bed and thus experience lower mobility, relative to the more exposed coarser grains, as observed for bedload transport. Third, the virtual velocity of particles undergoing bedload transport has been found, in some instances, to be lower for finer clasts. We combine our data with previous studies of virtual velocity of bedload to develop, for the first time, a hypothesis for a holistic analysis of sediment movement in rivers. Copyright © 2017 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Probing the evolution of early-type galaxies using multicolour number counts and redshift distributions

We investigate pure luminosity evolution models for early-type (elliptical and S0) galaxies (i.e. no number density change or morphological transition), and examine whether these models are consistent with observed number counts in the B , I and K bands, and redshift distributions of two samples of faint galaxies selected in the I and K bands. The models are characterized by the star formation time-scale τ _SF and the time t _gw when the galactic wind starts to blow, in addition to several other conventional parameters. We find that the single-burst model ( τ _SF=0.1 Gyr and t _gw=0.353 Gyr), which is known to reproduce the photometric properties of early-type galaxies in clusters, is inconsistent with the redshift distributions of early-type galaxies in the field environment, owing to overpredictions of the number of galaxies at z ≳1.4 even with strong extinction which is at work until t _gw. In order for dust extinction to be more effective, we treat τ _SF and t _gw as free parameters, and find that models with τ _SF≳0.5 Gyr and t _gw>1.0 Gyr can be made consistent with both the observed redshift distributions and the number counts, if we introduce strong extinction [ E ( B − V )≥1 as a peak value]. These results suggest that early-type galaxies in the field environment do not have the same evolutionary history as described by the single-burst model.     

Large-scale structure of galaxies in the Ophiuchus region

The large-scale structure around the Ophiuchus cluster of galaxies in the vicinity of the Galactic Centre ( l =05, b =95, cz =8500 km s⁻¹) is investigated on the basis of a galaxy survey and spectroscopic observations made for a 12°×17° area. The galaxy survey was performed using six ESO/SERC Sky Survey Atlas films, and 4021 galaxies were detected in total. Recession velocities were newly obtained for 179 galaxies to make the total number of galaxies in the survey area with known velocities 219.
In the distribution of bright galaxies, we identified seven new clumps of galaxies. Comparing the surface number density of bright galaxies with the Galactic extinction, which is estimated from the 100‐μm flux density in the IRAS Sky Survey Atlas, we demonstrate that the seven clumps are not spurious as a result of the inhomogeneity of the Galactic extinction. Among the seven clumps, two are found to be clusters and four to be groups on the basis of the histogram of recession velocities and the number of member galaxies. The Ophiuchus cluster, two newly identified clusters, and four groups are all concentrated at 9000 km s⁻¹. Field galaxies are also distributed centred at 8500 km s⁻¹. Hence field galaxies occupy a common three-dimensional region with galaxies in the clusters and groups, and altogether they form a large-scale structure of supercluster size. As opposed to the overdensity in the supercluster region, the mean number density of galaxies in the velocity range 0–5000 km s⁻¹ is only 25 per cent of the mean number density of the Universe, comparable with the density of the well-known Böotes void. Hence this nearby three-dimensional region in Ophiuchus is a void of galaxies also.     

Isomer specific determination of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) in small cetaceans from the South China Sea--Levels and temporal variation

A diastereoisomer (alpha, beta, and gamma) specific analytical method for measuring hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDs) was developed using liquid chromatography-tandem mass spectrometry (LC-MS-MS). The method developed was applied to analyze blubber of small cetaceans to divulge the distribution and temporal variation of HBCDs in the Asian marine environment. HBCDs were detected in all the blubber samples of finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) and Indo-Pacific humpback dolphins (Sousa chinensis) collected from the South China Sea during 1990-2001. Concentrations of HBCDs were higher in humpback dolphins (31-380 ng/g lipid) than in finless porpoises (4.7-55 ng/g lipid), which can be attributed to habitat differences. Average concentrations of alpha-HBCD in finless porpoises increased from 9.5 ng/g lipid in 1990 to 35 ng/g lipid in 2000/01. alpha-HBCD was predominant among the three isomers with some exceptions in finless porpoises collected in 1990. This is the first report on HBCDs contamination in marine mammals from Southeast Asia.     

MOA-cam3: a wide-field mosaic CCD camera for a gravitational microlensing survey in New Zealand

We have developed a wide-field mosaic CCD camera, MOA-cam3, mounted at the prime focus of the Microlensing Observations in Astrophysics (MOA) 1.8-m telescope. The camera consists of ten E2V CCD4482 chips, each having 2k×4k pixels, and covers a 2.2 deg² field of view with a single exposure. The optical system is well optimized to realize uniform image quality over this wide field. The chips are constantly cooled by a cryocooler at ??80° C, at which temperature dark current noise is negligible for a typical 1–3 min exposure. The CCD output charge is converted to a 16-bit digital signal by the GenIII system (Astronomical Research Cameras Inc.) and readout is within 25 s. Readout noise of 2–3 ADU (rms) is also negligible. We prepared a wide-band red filter for an effective microlensing survey and also Bessell V, I filters for standard astronomical studies. Microlensing studies have entered into a new era, which requires more statistics, and more rapid alerts to catch exotic light curves. Our new system is a powerful tool to realize both these requirements.     

Provenance diversification within an arc‐trench system induced by batholith development: the Cretaceous Japan case

By comparing detrital zircon U–Pb age spectra of coeval fore‐arc and back‐/intra‐arc basin sandstones, we identified the overall distributary pattern of terrigenous clastic material within the Cretaceous arc system of SW Japan. Abundant Proterozoic (c. 1500–2500 Ma) detrital grains from the interior of East Asia are present in the Cretaceous intra‐arc basin. However, after a barrier mountain range formed during batholith emplacement, Proterozoic clastics were rarely transported into the fore‐arc domain. Episodic batholith formation in Pacific‐type orogens likely played a major role in controlling terrigenous supply routes between coeval back‐arc and fore‐arc domains. The Cretaceous orogen in Japan thus provides a good template for analysing the tectono‐sedimentary development of other arc‐related basins.     

Contamination status of POPs and BFRs and relationship with parasitic infection in finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) from Seto Inland Sea and Omura Bay, Japan

Contamination status of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) and persistent organic pollutants (POPs) in blubber of finless porpoises (Neophocaena phocaenoides) stranded along the coasts of Seto Inland Sea and Omura Bay in Japan were investigated. Levels of PCBs, DDTs and CHLs were significantly higher than those of HCHs, HCB, PBDEs and HBCDs. Concentrations of PBDEs and HBCDs, as well as organochlorine compounds in males increased with body length (p<0.05). Among 14 PBDE congeners analyzed, BDE-47 was the predominant, which is similar to those generally reported in biota. PBDEs, HBCDs and PCBs showed no obvious temporal trend in concentrations during the study period, suggesting continuous environmental release of these chemicals. On the other hand, levels of DDT, CHLs and HCHs have decreased. Concentrations of PCBs in liver trematode infected individuals were significantly higher than those in not infected individuals, implying there could be a relationship between contaminant levels and parasitic infection.     

Contamination status and spatial distribution of organochlorine compounds in fishes from Nansei Islands, Japan

Two species of fishes (n=52; tilapia and mullet) from industrialized and urbanized areas of Okinawa Island (Manko-Noha river, Hija river and Shikaza river) and from a remote area of Ishigaki Island (Anparu mudflat), Japan were collected between August 2005 and July 2006, and analyzed for five organochlorine compounds (OCs), viz., DDTs, PCBs, CHLs, HCHs and HCB. Concentrations and the contamination patterns of OCs in fishes varied between locations. Considerable residue levels of OCs, especially CHLs and DDTs were found in both fishes from the main Okinawa Island. These levels were relatively higher than the reported values for seafood from Japanese coasts, indicating that even now pollution sources of these contaminants still exist in this region. On the other hand, lower concentrations of OCs were detected in fishes from Ishigaki Island waters than those of other Japanese coastal waters, suggesting that this region is less contaminated by OC contaminants.