Evolution processes of Ordovician–Devonian arc system in the South‐Kitakami Massif and its relevance to the Ordovician ophiolite pulse

The South Kitakami Massif is one of the oldest geological domains in Japan having Silurian strata with acidic pyroclastic rocks and Ordovician–Silurian granodiorite–tonalite basement, suggesting that it was matured enough to develop acidic volcanisms in the Silurian period. On the northern and western margin of the South Kitakami Massif, an Ordovician arc ophiolite (Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite) and high‐pressure and low‐temperature metamorphic rocks (Motai metamorphic rocks) exhumed sometime in the Ordovician–Devonian periods are distributed. Chronological, geological, and petrochemical studies on the Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite, Motai metamorphic rocks, and other early Paleozoic geological units of the South Kitakami Massif are reviewed for reconstruction of the South Kitakami arc system during Ordovician to Devonian times with supplementary new data. The reconstruction suggests a change in the convergence polarity from eastward‐ to westward‐dipping subduction sometime before the Late Devonian period. The Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite was developed above the eastward‐dipping subduction through three distinctive stages. Two separate stages of overriding plate extension inducing decompressional melting with minor involvement of slab‐derived fluid occurred before and after a stage of melting under strong influence of slab‐derived fluids. The first overriding plate extension took place in the back‐arc side forming a back‐arc basin. The second one took place immediately before the ophiolite exhumation and near the fore‐arc region. We postulate that the second decompressional melting was triggered by slab breakoff, which was preceded by slab rollback inducing trench‐parallel wedge mantle flow and non‐steady fluid and heat transport leaving exceptionally hydrous residual mantle. The formation history of the Hayachine–Miyamori Ophiolite implies that weaker plate coupling may provide preferential conditions for exhumation of very hydrous mantle. Very hydrous peridotites involved in arc magmatism have not yet been discovered except for in the Cambrian–Ordovician periods, suggesting its implications for global geodynamics, such as the thermal state and water circulation in the mantle.     

Temporal variations in channel patterns and facies architecture in a gravelly fluvial system: The Paleogene Iwaki Formation on the Joban Coalfield,a forearc basin in Northeast Japan

This paper examined sequence‐stratigraphic features of a gravelly fluvial system of the Iwaki Formation, which developed in a forearc‐basin setting in Northeast Japan during the Eocene through Oligocene. On the basis of three‐dimensional architectural element analysis, we discriminated three major cycles of channel complexes, which contain ten component channel deposits in total in the fluvial succession. Component channel deposits in the uppermost part of each cycle are sandier and associated with overbank muddy deposits and coal beds as compared with those in the lower part of the cycle. Mean clast‐size also decreases upsection in the entire gravelly fluvial deposits. The fluvial succession is interpreted to have been deposited in response to an overall rise in relative sea level that was superimposed by three short‐term relative sea‐level rises on the basis of vertical stacking patterns and component lithofacies features of channel deposits, and of correlation of the fluvial succession with an age‐equivalent marine succession in an area about 50 km offshore. However, geometry and stacking patterns of the channel complexes do not exhibit any distinct temporal variation and amalgamated channel and bar deposits are dominant throughout the transgressive fluvial succession. On the other hand, an overall fining‐upward pattern of the entire Iwaki Formation fluvial deposits in association with three component fining‐upward patterns is distinct, and is interpreted to be consistent with the tenet of the standard fluvial sequence‐stratigraphic models. This indicates that the present example represents one type of variation in the standard fluvial sequence‐stratigraphic models, possibly reflecting the forearc‐basin setting, which is generally represented by higher valley slope, higher shedding of coarse‐grained sediments, and shorter longitudinal profiles to the coastal area as compared with a passive‐continental‐margin setting.     

Illawarra Reversal: The fingerprint of a superplume that triggered Pangean breakup and the end-Guadalupian (Permian) mass extinction

The Permian magnetostratigraphic record demonstrates that a remarkable change in geomagnetism occurred in the Late Guadalupian (Middle Permian; ca. 265 Ma) from the long-term stable Kiaman Reverse Superchron (throughout the Late Carboniferous and Early-Middle Permian) to the Permian–Triassic Mixed Superchron with frequent polarity changes (in the Late Permian and Triassic). This unique episode called the Illawarra Reversal probably reflects a significant change in the geodynamo in the outer core of the planet after a 50 million years of stable geomagnetism. The Illawarra Reversal was likely led by the appearance of a thermal instability at the 2900 km-deep core–mantle boundary in connection with mantle superplume activity. The Illawarra Reversal and the Guadalupian–Lopingian boundary event record the significant transition processes from the Paleozoic to Mesozoic–Modern world. One of the major global environmental changes in the Phanerozoic occurred almost simultaneously in the latest Guadalupian, as recorded in 1) mass extinction, 2) ocean redox change, 3) sharp isotopic excursions (C and Sr), 4) sea-level drop, and 5) plume-related volcanism. In addition to the claimed possible links between the above-listed environmental changes and mantle superplume activity, I propose here an extra explanation that a change in the core's geodynamo may have played an important role in determining the course of the Earth's surface climate and biotic extinction/evolution. When a superplume is launched from the core–mantle boundary, the resultant thermal instability makes the geodynamo's dipole of the outer core unstable, and lowers the geomagnetic intensity. Being modulated by the geo- and heliomagnetism, the galactic cosmic ray flux into the Earth's atmosphere changes with time. The more cosmic rays penetrate through the atmosphere, the more clouds develop to increase the albedo, thus enhancing cooling of the Earth's surface. The Illawarra Reversal, the Kamura cooling event, and other unique geologic phenomena in the Late Guadalupian are all concordantly explained as consequences of the superplume activity that initially triggered the breakup of Pangea. The secular change in cosmic radiation may explain not only the extinction-related global climatic changes in the end-Guadalupian but also the long-term global warming/cooling trend in Earth's history in terms of cloud coverage over the planet.     

Integrated “plume winter” scenario for the double-phased extinction during the Paleozoic–Mesozoic transition: The G-LB and P-TB events from a Panthalassan perspective

The event across the Paleozoic–Mesozoic transition involved the greatest mass extinction in history together with other unique geologic phenomena of global context, such as the onset of Pangean rifting and the development of superanoxia. The detailed stratigraphic analyses on the Permo-Triassic sedimentary rocks documented a two-stepped nature both of the extinction and relevant global environmental changes at the Guadalupian–Lopingian (Middle and Upper Permian) boundary (G-LB, ca. 260 Ma) and at the Permo-Triassic boundary (P-TB, ca. 252 Ma), suggesting two independent triggers for the global catastrophe. Despite the entire loss of the Permian–Triassic ocean floors by successive subduction, some fragments of mid-oceanic rocks were accreted to and preserved along active continental margins. These provide particularly important dataset for deciphering the Permo-Triassic paleo-environments of the extensive superocean Panthalassa that occupied nearly two thirds of the Earth’s surface. The accreted deep-sea pelagic cherts recorded the double-phased remarkable faunal reorganization in radiolarians (major marine plankton in the Paleozoic) both across the G-LB and the P-TB, and the prolonged deep-sea anoxia (superanoxia) from the Late Permian to early Middle Triassic with a peak around the P-TB. In contrast, the accreted mid-oceanic paleo-atoll carbonates deposited on seamounts recorded clear double-phased changes of fusuline (representative Late Paleozoic shallow marine benthos) diversity and of negative shift of stable carbon isotope ratio at the G-LB and the P-TB, in addition to the Paleozoic minimum in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr isotope ratio in the Capitanian (Late Guadalupian) and the paleomagnetic Illawarra Reversal in the late Guadalupian. These bio-, chemo-, and magneto-stratigraphical signatures are concordant with those reported from the coeval shallow marine shelf sequences around Pangea. The mid-oceanic, deep- and shallow-water Permian records indicate that significant changes have appeared twice in the second half of the Permian in a global extent. It is emphasized here that everything geologically unusual started in the Late Guadalupian; i.e., (1) the first mass extinction, (2) onset of the superanoxia, (3) sea-level drop down to the Phanerozoic minimum, (4) onset of volatile fluctuation in carbon isotope ratio, 5) ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio of the Paleozoic minimum, (6) extensive felsic alkaline volcanism, and (7) Illawarra Reversal.The felsic alkaline volcanism and the concurrent formation of several large igneous provinces (LIPs) in the eastern Pangea suggest that the Permian biosphere was involved in severe volcanic hazards twice at the G-LB and the P-TB. This episodic magmatism was likely related to the activity of a mantle superplume that initially rifted Pangea. The supercontinent-dividing superplume branched into several secondary plumes in the mantle transition zone (410–660 km deep) beneath Pangea. These secondary plumes induced the decompressional melting of mantle peridotite and pre-existing Pangean crust to form several LIPs that likely caused a “plume winter” with global cooling by dust/aerosol screens in the stratosphere, gas poisoning, acid rain damage to surface vegetation etc. After the main eruption of plume-derived flood basalt, global warming (plume summer) took over cooling, delayed the recovery of biodiversity, and intensified the ocean stratification. It was repeated twice at the G-LB and P-TB.A unique geomagnetic episode called the Illawarra Reversal around the Wordian–Capitanian boundary (ca. 265 Ma) recorded the appearance of a large instability in the geomagnetic dipole in the Earth’s outer core. This rapid change was triggered likely by the episodic fall-down of a cold megalith (subducted oceanic slabs) from the upper mantle to the D″ layer above the 2900 km-deep core-mantle boundary, in tight association with the launching of a mantle superplume. The initial changes in the surface environment in the Capitanian, i.e., the Kamura cooling event and the first biodiversity decline, were probably led by the weakened geomagnetic intensity due to unstable dipole of geodynamo. Under the low geomagnetic intensity, the flux of galactic cosmic radiation increased to cause extensive cloud coverage over the planet. The resultant high albedo likely drove the Kamura cooling event that also triggered the unusually high productivity in the superocean and also the expansion of O₂ minimum zone to start the superanoxia.The “plume winter” scenario is integrated here to explain the “triple-double” during the Paleozoic–Mesozoic transition interval, i.e., double-phased cause, process, and consequence of the greatest global catastrophe in the Phanerozoic, in terms of mantle superplume activity that involved the whole Earth from the core to the surface biosphere.     

A computational procedure for joining separate map sheets

Map sheets have been often used as a basic spatial unit for managing spatial data produced from paper maps. This often results in incompatibility between adjacent map sheets, because spatial objects do not cross the boundaries smoothly and even the boundaries themselves do not match their neighbors exactly. To solve the problem this paper proposes a computational procedure for joining separate map sheets to obtain seamless spatial data. Line objects digitized separately in different map sheets are considered, which are frequently used to represent road networks, gas pipelines, and boundaries of polygon objects. The procedure consists of three steps: (1) extraction of end nodes, (2) detection of matching nodes, and (3) transformation of the map sheet. Each step goes interactively so that unexpected errors can be avoided by human observation. To test the validity of the procedure, map sheets are combined containing the road network data of Tokyo 23-ku area, Japan. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Electron beam emission from the EXOS-B (JIKIKEN) satellite as a powerful diagnostic tool in the magnetosphere

In an electron beam emission experiment on board the EXOS-B (JIKIKEN) satellite (200 V, 1 mA-maximum), several types of waves are strongly excited by the beam such as plasma frequency, upper hybrid frequency, electron cyclotron frequency, their harmonics and nonlinear coupling of these waves. Measurements of these waves give information on local plasma density and magnetic field strength and it is revealed that the electron beam emission from the spacecraft is a powerful diagnostic tool in the magnetosphere. A long term observation in this electron beam experiment has provided us with the average plasma density profile in the magnetosphere. It is also useful for the detection of the plasmapause. Plasma density measurements down to the order of 10 cm^–3 are possible. The instrument itself is very simple and compact, so that it will be a powerful plasma diagnostic tool in future magnetospheric and planetary explorations.     

Occurrence of phosphatic microfossils in an Ediacaran–Cambrian mid-oceanic paleo-atoll limestone of southern Siberia

New phosphatic microfossils were recently discovered in an Ediacaran–Cambrian mid-oceanic paleo-atoll limestone in the southern Gorny Altai Mountains in southern Siberia. Microfossils with calcium phosphate shells are abundant in the limestone that occurs as an exotic block within a Cambrian accretionary complex in the Kurai area. SEM observations confirm that the calcium phosphatic shells are ellipsoidal and equal-sized, about 200–300 μm in diameter. Shell walls are about 1 μm thick. As the absence of external and internal structures hinders a detailed comparison/identification, these microfossils are tentatively treated here as paleontological problematica. EPMA-analysis confirmed the concentration of elements P and Ca in microfossil shells and the absence in the matrix, suggesting the primary phosphatic composition of the shells. Because phosphatic microfossils are generally scarce in the Ediacaran but abundant from the Lower Cambrian, in particular within pre-trilobitic SSF assemblages, the phosphatic fossil-bearing limestone in the Kurai area possibly belongs to the Lower Cambrian. The present find proves that mid-oceanic paleo-seamounts as well as continental shelf domains had already been inhabited by diverse metazoans in the Ediacaran–Cambrian transitional interval.