Temporal variation in primary magma compositions in the northeast Japan Arc

Abstract A remarkable temporal variation in primary magma compositions has been found in the Northeast Japan arc. The trench-side magmas have become more enriched in FeO* and the backarc-side magmas have become more depleted in FeO* while retaining almost constant SiO, levels for the last ∼20 million years. In order to understand the origin of the temporal variation, FeO* and SiO, contents in partial melts are modeled for an adiabatically-rising mantle as a function of potential temperature and original composition of the mantle material. The result demonstrates that the primary magmas that are more depleted in FeO* were derived from the mantle materials either at lower potential temperatures or with compositions more depleted in basaltic components. A possible mechanism for the inferred primary magma variability is the change in depth intervals with time of magma production in a compositionally-layered mantle wedge; greater degrees of depletion at a greater depth is reconciled with a probable thermal regime in the mantle wedge.     

Clean and safe supply of fish and shellfish to clear the HACCP regulation by use of clean and cold deep ocean water in Rausu, Hokkaido, Japan

For the supply of fish and shellfish to consumers in fresh condition, clean handling after catch from the sea is essential. According to HACCP （Hazard Analysis and Critical Control Points）, it is important to meet such requirement by keeping fish and shellfish under a certain low temperature and clean conditions after catching. The deep ocean water （DOW） characterized by low temperature and cleanliness has been chosen for fish and shellfish handlings, particularly for salmon, cod, and sea urchin in Town ＇Rausu＇ in Hokkaido, Japan. DOW below 2.9℃ of an amount of nearly 5 000 m^3 is planned to be pumped up every day from a depth of about 350 m, and temporarily stored in a large simulated tank on land. DOW is then supplied to fish boats through hydrants distributed throughout the harbor and used for keeping salmon in clean and cold conditions. Ice made from DOW is also used for lowering temperature if necessary. DOW and ice made from DOW are also used during the transportation of fish and shellfish. The entire system is scheduled to be completed by the summer of 2005.     

Upstream perturbation and floodplain formation effects on chute-cutoff-dominated meandering river pattern and dynamics

A sustained dynamic inflow perturbation and bar–floodplain conversion are considered crucial to dynamic meandering. Past experiments, one-dimensional modelling and linear theory have demonstrated that the initiation and persistence of dynamic meandering require a periodic transverse motion of the inflow. However, it remains unknown whether the period of the inflow perturbation affects self-formed meander dynamics. Here, we numerically study the effect of the inflow perturbation period on the development and meander dynamics of a chute-cutoff-dominated river, which requires two-dimensional modelling with vegetation forming floodplain on bars. We extended the morphodynamic model Nays2D with growth and mortality rules of vegetation to allow for meandering. We tested the effect of a transversely migrating inflow boundary by varying the perturbation period between runs over an order of magnitude around typical modelled meander periods. Following the cutoff cascade after initial meander formation from a straight channel, all runs with sufficient vegetation show series of growing meanders terminated by chute cutoffs. This generates an intricate channel belt topography with point bar complexes truncated by chutes, oxbow lakes, and scroll-bar-related vegetation age patterns. The sinuosity, braiding index and meander period, which emerge from the inherent biomorphological feedback loops, are unrelated to the inflow perturbation period, although the spin-up to dynamic equilibrium takes a longer time and distance for weak and absent inflow perturbations. This explains why, in previous experimental studies, dynamic meandering was only accomplished with a sustained upstream perturbation in flumes that were short relative to the meander wavelength. Our modelling of self-formed meander patterns is evidence that scroll-bar-dominated and chute-cutoff-dominated meanders develop from downstream convecting instabilities. This insight extends to many more fluvial, estuarine and coastal systems in morphological models and experiments, which require sustained dynamic perturbations to form complex patterns and develop natural dynamics. © 2019 The Authors. Earth Surface Processes and Landforms Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.     

Characteristics of an atypical large-meander path of the Kuroshio current south of Japan formed in September 2017

Since September 2017, the Kuroshio has taken a large-meander (LM) path in the region south of Japan. We examined characteristics of the 2017–present LM path in comparison with previous LM paths, using tide gauge, altimetric sea surface height, and bottom pressure data. The 2017–present LM path was formed from a path passing through a channel south of Hachijo-jima Island, while a typical LM path originated from a path through a channel north of Miyake-jima Island. The meander trough of this atypical path was found to be shifted far to the east and to vary on a timescale of months. These characteristics are different from those of a typical LM path but they are similar to those of the 1981–1984 LM path. Therefore, we identified two types of LM path; a stable and unstable LM paths. The 2017–present unstable type large meander has a zonal scale greater than that of the 2004–2005 stable type large meander and protrudes from the eastern boundary of the Shikoku Basin, i.e., Izu-Ogasawara Ridge. No significant bottom pressure depression was observed, associated with the formation of the 2017–present LM path, indicating that baroclinic instability was not important in the formation of this LM path. Due to no significant bottom steering, even during the 2017–present LM period, a mesoscale current path disturbance occurred southeast of Kyushu, propagated eastward, and amplified the offshore displacement of the Kuroshio.

     

Methane with Abnormally High δ13C and δD Values from the Coastal Hot Springs in Lake Baikal

Lithology and Mineral Resources - We studied the composition and isotopic characteristics (δ13C and δD) of hydrocarbon gases from the Kotelnikovsky, Zmeiny, and Goryachnisky hot springs...     

Spatial variation in organic matter utilization by benthic communities from Yura River–Estuary to offshore of Tango Sea,Japan

We investigated the distribution of δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N of organic matter among benthic communities from the upper estuary of Yura River to offshore of Tango Sea, Japan, to determine spatial variation in utilization of organic matter by benthic communities. The δ¹³C values of benthic animals ranged from −27 to −15‰ in the upper estuary, −21 to −15‰ in the lower estuary, −20 to −16‰ in the shallow coast (5–10 m depths), −18 to −16‰ in the deep coast (30–60 m depths) and −19 to −15‰ in offshore (100–150 m depths) stations. Adapting the dual isotope values to mixing models, we estimated the relative contributions of potential food sources to the benthos diet. Phytoplankton and macroalgae that intruded the estuary in summer were utilized as alternative food aside from the terrestrial-origin organic matter assimilated by the estuarine benthic consumers. Resuspended benthic microalgae were important source of energy in the shallow coastal stations, while abundant supply of phytodetritus fueled the deep coastal and offshore benthic food webs. Spatial difference in the diet of benthic communities depends largely on the shifts in the primary carbon source. Thus, benthic communities are important link of autochthonous/allochthonous production and secondary production in the continuous river–estuary–marine system.     

Subsidence associated with the LUSI mud eruption,East Java,investigated by SAR interferometry

A mud volcano LUSI initiated its eruption on 29 May 2006, adjacent to a hydrocarbon exploration well in East Java. Ground subsidence in the vicinity of the LUSI eruptive vent was well recorded by a Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) PALSAR onboard the Japanese ALOS satellite. We apply an Interferometric SAR (InSAR) technique on ten PALSAR data scenes, acquired between 19 May 2006 and 21 May 2007, in order to obtain continuous maps of ground displacements around LUSI. Although the displacements in the area closest to the eruptive vent (spatial extension of about 1.5 km) are not detectable because of the erupted mud, all the processed interferograms indicate subsidence in an ellipsoidal area of approximately 4 km (north–south) × 3 km (east–west), centered at the main eruptive vent. In particular, interferograms spanning the first four months until 4 Oct. 2006 and the subsequent 46 days between 4 Oct. 2006 and 19 Nov. 2006 show at least about 70 cm and 80 cm of displacements away from the satellite, respectively. Possible causes of the subsidence, i.e., 1) loading effect of the erupted mud, 2) creation of a cylindrical mud conduit, and 3) pressure decrease and depletion of materials at depth, are investigated. The effects of the first two causes are found to be insufficient to explain the total amount of subsidence observed in the first six months. The third possibility is quantitatively examined using a boundary element approach by modeling the source of deformation as a deflating oblate spheroid. The spheroid is estimated to lie at depths of a few hundred to a thousand meters. The estimated depths are significantly shallower than determined from analyses of erupted mud samples; the difference is explained by presence of significant amount of inelastic deformation including compaction and downward transfer of material.     

Occurrence of juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus in brackish estuaries

Juvenile Japanese flounder Paralichthys olivaceus usually inhabit high salinity inshore sandy areas. In June–August 1997, 25 individuals of juvenile Japanese flounder (33–75 mm total length) were collected in the Natori and Nanakita River estuaries in Sendai Bay, Japan. This is the first record of this species being collected in brackish estuaries in which salinities fluctuate from 0 to 30 over a spring tidal cycle. Factors of rainfall, river flow, or year class strength of Japanese flounder were unable to explain the unusual occurrence of this species in the estuaries. The collected juvenile Japanese flounder were considered to have migrated into the estuaries around the time of the passage of an unusually early typhoon that affected this area, indicating the possibility that this species utilizes estuaries for refuge from strong disturbance in its usual habitats. The juveniles fed mainly upon mysids both in the estuaries and the sandy beach area, indicating that estuaries can be a substitute nursery habitat for this species.     

Finite element analysis of a meniscus mirror

Finite element analyses were carried out for a 7.5 m meniscus mirror of 20 cm thickness. Calculations were made for deformations of the mirror surface due to the gravity and the effect of a hole through which a lateral supporting mechanism would be installed. Vibrational eigenmodes were also calculated when the mirror is fixed by three axial and three lateral hard points.Paper presented at the symposium on the JNLT and Related Engineering Developments, Tokyo, November 29–December 2, 1988.