Origin of cenozoic petrographic provinces of Japan and surrounding areas

Three petrographic provinces can be recognized in the Cenozoic volcanic fields of Japan and surrounding areas. A province of a tholeiite series lies on the Pacific side of the Japanese Islands and includes the Izu Islands, whereas that of an alkali rock series occupies the Japan Sea side of the Islands with a narrow offshoot extending across central Honsyū (Honshū) and a continuation westward to Korea and Manchuria. A province of a calc-alkali rock series is superposed on the two provinces and occupies the greater part of the Japanese Islands exclusive of the Izu Islands and the islands in the Japan Sea southwest of Honsyū and north of Kyūsyū (Kyūshū). The boundary lines between the tholeiite and alkali provinces are located very closely to those between the areas where earthquakes occur at depths shallower than about 200 km and those for deeper ones. It is suggested that the parental tholeiite magma is produced by partial melting of the periodotite layer at depths shallower than 200 km. In the Izu Islands, except Nii-zima(Nii-jima) and Kōzu-sima(Kōzu-shima) close to Honsyū, the magma erupts to the surface without assimilating granitic material because the granitic layer is absent, resulting in volcanoes made up exclusively of the tholeiite series. The parental alkali olivine basalt magma is produced by partial melting of the peridotite layer at depths greater than 200 km. In the Japan Sea region, Korea, and Manchuria, it erupts to the surface without assimilating the granitic material, although it passes through a thick granitic layer, resulting in volcanoes made up exclusively of the alkali series. However, in the Cenozoic orogenic belt of the Japanese Islands, both types of parental magma assimilate granitic material during passage to the surface and erupt to form volcanoes of the calc-alkali series.     

Overview of the MITI Nankai Trough Wells: A Milestone in the Evaluation of Methane Hydrate Resources

Abstract. Bottom-simulating reflectors suggestive of the presence of methane hydrates are widely distributed below the ocean floor around Japan. In late 1999, drilling of the MITI Nankai Trough wells was conducted to explore this potential methane hydrate resource and a Tertiary conventional structure. The wells are located in the Northwest Pacific Ocean off Central Japan at a water depth of 945 m. A total of six wells were drilled, including the main well, two pilot wells, and three post survey wells at intervals of 10–100 m. All wells except the first confirmed the occurrence of hydrates based on logging-while-drilling, wire-line logging and/or coring using a pressure and temperature coring system in addition to conventional methods. Based on the various well profiles, four methane hydrate-bearing sand-rich intervals in turbidite fan deposits were recognized. Methane hydrates fill the pore spaces in these deposits, reaching saturation of up to 80 % in some layers. The methane hydrate-bearing turbiditic sand layers are less than 1 m thick, with a total thickness of 12–14 m. The bottom depth of high hydrate concentration correlates well with the depth of the bottom-simulating reflector. Based on these exploration results, the Japanese government inaugurated a 16-year methane hydrate exploitation program in 2001.     

Size distributions of aerosol number concentrations and water-soluble constituents in Toyama, Japan: A comparison of the measurements during Asian dust period with non-dust period

Size-separated aerosol number concentrations and water-soluble constituents were measured in Toyama, the Hokuriku district, near the coast of the Japan Sea, during the spring and summer in 2003. The number concentrations of coarse particles were significantly high in April, which was due to Asian dust events called Kosa in Japanese. Particulate nssCa²⁺, which is mostly present in the coarse-mode particles, was significantly high in April. On the other hand, the concentrations of NH₄⁺ and nssSO₄²⁻, which mainly exist as the accumulation-mode particles were not high in April. The mass-size distributions of water-soluble constituents were compared with the size-separated number concentrations of particles. Backward trajectory analysis was also employed to examine the transport process of the air mass in Toyama.     

Hydrothermal carbonates in altered wall rocks at the Uwamuki Kuroko deposits, Japan

Magnesite, siderite and dolomite are characteristic alteration minerals occurring in Miocene hanging wall rocks of dacitic composition which host the Kuroko orebodies. These carbonates generally occur in a more stratigraphically upper horizon than chlorite alteration zone surrounding the orebodies. The Mg/(Mg+Fe) ratios of the carbonates decrease from the central alteration zone to marginal zone. The Mg/(Mg+Fe) ratios of carbonates and chlorite positively correlate. The δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values of magnesite, siderite and dolomite positively correlate with each other and lie between the igneous and marine carbonate values. The petrographic, isotopic and fluid inclusion characteristics and thermochemical modelling calculations indicate that magnesite and dolomite formed in the central zone close to the orebodies due to the interaction of hydrothermal solutions with the biogenic marine carbonates. Calcite formed further from the orebodies from hydrothermal fluids which did not contain a biogenic marine carbon component. The compositional and textural relationships indicate that superimposed alterations (chlorite alteration and carbonate alteration) occurred in hanging wall rocks. The mode of occurrences and the Mg/(Mg+Fe) ratios of magnesite and dolomite occurring in hanging wallrocks are useful in the exploration for concealed volcanogenic massive sulfide-sulfate deposits. Received: 9 September 1997 / Accepted: 23 September 1997     

Magnetic and electric field observations during the 2000 activity of Miyake-jima volcano, Central Japan

Magnetic and electric field variations associated with the 2000 eruption of Miyake-jima volcano are summarized. For about 1 week prior to the July 8 phreatic explosion, significant changes in the total intensity were observed at a few stations, which indicated uprising of a demagnetized area from a depth of 2 km towards the summit: this non-magnetic source can be regarded as a vacant space itself. Electric and magnetic field variations were observed simultaneously associated with the tilt-step event, which was the abrupt (∼50 s) inflation at a few km depth within the volcano followed by gradual recovery (∼several hours). The electric field is ascribed to the electrokinetic effect most probably due to forced injection of fluids from the source, while the magnetic field to the piezomagnetic effect due to increased pressure. Large magnetic variations amounting to a few tens of nT were observed at several stations since July 8, and they turned almost flat after the August 18 largest eruption. Magnetic changes are explained mostly by the vanishing of magnetic mass in the summit and additionally by the thermal demagnetization at a rather shallow depth. A large increase in the self-potential by 130 mV was also observed near the summit caldera associated with the August 18 eruption, which suggests that the hydrothermal circulation system sustained within the volcano for the past more than 10 years was destroyed by this eruption.     

U–Pb zircon geochronology of the North Pole Dome adamellite in the eastern Pilbara Craton

Supracrustal rocks around the North Pole Dome area, Western Australia, provide valuable information regarding early records of the evolution of crustal processes, surface environments, and biosphere. Owing to the occurrence of the oldest known microfossils, the successions at the North Pole Dome area have attracted interest from many researchers. The Paleoarchean successions (Warrawoona Group) mainly comprise mafic‐ultramafic greenstones with intercalated cherts and felsic lavas. Age constraints on the sediments have been mainly based on zircon U–Pb geochronology. However, many zircon grains have suffered from metamictization and contain anomalously high contents of common Pb, which makes interpretation of the U–Pb data complicated. In order to provide more convincing chronological constraints, an U–Pb Concordia age is widely accepted as the best estimate. Most zircons separated from two adamellites also suffered from severe metamictization. In our analyses, less metamictized domains were selected using a pre‐ablation technique in conjunction with elemental mapping, and then their U–Pb isotopic compositions were determined with a laser ablation inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry. Most analyzed domains contained certain amounts of common Pb (²⁰⁴Pb/²⁰⁶Pb > 0.000 1), whereas three and five U–Pb data points with less common Pb (²⁰⁴Pb/²⁰⁶Pb < 0.000 1) were obtained. These U–Pb datasets yielded U–Pb Concordia ages of ca 3 445 Ma and 3 454 Ma, respectively. These ages represent the timing of the adamellite intrusion, and constrain the minimum depositional age of the Warrawoona Group. In addition, a single xenocrystic zircon grain showed a ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb age of ca 3 545 Ma, supporting the idea that the sialic basement of the Pilbara Craton existed prior to 3 500 Ma. The in situ U–Pb zircon dating combined with the pre‐ablation technique has the potentials to identify non‐metamictized parts and to yield precise and accurate geochronological data even from partially metamictized zircons.     

Geochemical characteristics of zircons in the Ashizuri A‐type granitoids: An additional granite topology tool for detrital zircon studies

Zircon is resistant to alteration over a wide range of geological environments, and isotopic ratios within the mineral provide constraints on ages and their parental magmas. Trace element compositions in zircon are also expected to reflect those of their parent magmas, and have a potential as essential indicators for their host rocks. Because most detrital zircons that accumulate at river mouths are derived primarily from granitoids, the classification of zircon within granitoids is potentially meaningful. This study employs the conventional classification scheme of granites (I‐, S‐, M‐, and A‐types). To clarify geochemical characteristics of zircons in A‐type granites, trace element compositions of zircons extracted from the A‐type Ashizuri granitoids were examined. Zircons from the Ashizuri granitoids commonly show enrichments of heavy rare earth elements and positive Ce anomalies, indicating that these zircons were igneous in origin. In addition, zircons in these A‐type granites are characterized by enrichments of Nb, Y, Ta, Th, and U and strong negative Eu anomalies, which exhibit good positive correlations with those in their whole rocks. This fact indicates that these signatures in zircons reflect well those in their parental bodies and are useful in identifying zircons derived from A‐type granite. Based on compilations of available data, zircons from A‐type granites can be clearly discriminated from other‐types of granites within Nb/Sr–Eu anomaly, U/Sr–Eu anomaly, Nb/Sr–U/Sr, and Nb/Sr–Ta/Sr cross‐plots. All indices used in these diagrams were selected based on the geochemical features of both zircon and whole rock of A‐type granites. Application of these discrimination diagrams to detrital zircons will likely provide further insights. For example, some Hadean detrital zircons plot in similar fields to A‐type granites, implying the existence of A‐type magmatism in the Earth's earliest history.     

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.     

Sedimentary inorganic nitrogen and its isotope ratio in the western subarctic Pacific over the last 145 kyr

We have measured inorganic nitrogen (IN) content and the isotope ratio of IN (δ¹⁵N_IN) in a sediment core covering the last 145 kyr in the western subarctic Pacific (WSAP). IN content was generally high during glacial periods and shows positive correlations with both eolian dust content and the ratio of organic carbon (C) to organic nitrogen (ON) (C/ON) found in our previous studies. This means that IN was transported from continental areas to the WSAP together with eolian dust and that the IN was not contaminated by volcanic materials, because the eolian dust content was reconstructed using metal components to remove contaminating volcanic materials. Therefore, IN content in the WSAP sediments, the clay fraction of which is not greatly affected by drift deposits seen at the other sites in this region, may potentially be an effective proxy for eolian dust, without the need to consider contamination by volcanic materials. δ¹⁵N_IN was generally low during glacial periods and shows negative correlations with IN, eolian dust, and C/ON. The possible causes of the observed variations in δ¹⁵N_IN are as follows: (1) authigenic fixation of NH₄ ⁺ in water-column and pore water of sea-floor sediments to clay minerals; (2) contamination of measured IN by highly resistant organic matter; or (3) variations in the continental source region of the eolian dust supplied to the WSAP and climatically induced changes in δ¹⁵N of soil organic matter there. The last mechanism shows the potential for δ¹⁵N_IN to be used as a proxy for climate change on land, and is consistent with other published explanations of the spatial distribution of δ¹⁵N_IN in modern sea-floor sediments.