Estrogen equivalent concentration of individual isomer-specific 4-nonylphenol in Ariake sea water, Japan

Concentrations of 4-nonylphenol (NP) were determined by isomer-specific quantification of individual NP isomers based on relative response factor (RRF) quantification with GC–MS in combination with steam distillation extraction. Concentrations of NP in the Ariake Sea decreased with distance from the river mouth (St.A; 49 ng NP/l) to offshore areas (St.C; 11 ng NP/l). Even the least concentration in water from St.C in Ariake Sea was sufficient to have adverse effects on barnacles. The isomers, NP1–NP14 were separated by GC–PFC and identified structurally with NMR. The isomers varied in estrogenic activity with NP7 exhibiting the greatest estrogenic activity with a potency that was approximately 1.9 × 10⁻³ that of 17β-estradiol (E2) in recombinant yeast screen system. The coefficient of variation (CV) of NP isomer’s concentrations among three samples at St.A, B and C were 4–75%. This suggests that NP isomers might be independently degraded in aquatic environmental samples. The predicted estrogenic activity of measured concentrations of NP in Ariake Sea was 2.7–3.0-fold greater than the measured estrogen agonist activity.     

Morphodynamic effects of vegetation life stage on experimental meandering channels

Previous studies have demonstrated that riparian vegetation leads to channel transformation from a multi-bar to a single-thread channel planform. However, it still remains unclear how the presence of pioneer and mature vegetation affects the morphodynamics of single-thread meandering rivers. In this study, we therefore investigated the effects of vegetation strength on the morphodynamic evolution of an experimental meandering channel. Three physical laboratory experiments were conducted using alfalfa sprouts in different life stages – no vegetation, immature vegetation, and mature vegetation – to simulate different floodplain vegetation strengths. Our results demonstrate that vegetation plays a key role in mediating bank erosion and point-bar accretion, and that this is reflected in both the evolution of the channel bed as well as the sediment flux. The presence of mature vegetation maintained a deep, single-thread channel by reducing bank erosion, thereby limiting both channel widening and sediment storage capacity. Conversely, an unvegetated floodplain led to channel widening and high sediment storage capacity. Channel evolution in the unvegetated scenario showed that the active sediment supply from outer bank erosion led to slightly delayed point-bar accretion on the inner banks due to helical flow, deflecting the surface flow toward the outer banks and causing further erosion. In contrast, in the immature vegetation scenario, the outer banks were also initially eroded, but point-bar accretion did not clearly progress. This led to a greater width-to-depth ratio, resulting in a transition from a single- to a multi-thread channel with minor flow paths on the floodplain. The experimental results suggest that the eco-morphodynamic effects of young (low-strength) and mature (high-strength) vegetation are different. Notably, low-strength, early-stage vegetation increases channel complexity by accelerating both channel widening and branching, and therefore might promote the coexistence of multi-bars and pioneer vegetation.     

Effective location of active control devices for building vibrations caused by periodic excitation acting on intermediate storey

In order to investigate ways of reducing vibrations of building structures subjected to excitation acting on intermediate storey, active vibration controls are conducted with active control devices installed on different floors of the structure, and the effective location of control devices is also investigated. In this paper, we propose a new ‘Discrete‐Optimizing Control Method’ for vibration control. The control forces are determined analytically which makes the ‘discrete‐index function’ minimum. Through numerical simulation, the Discrete‐Optimizing Control Method is proved to be an effective control method. The response reduction effects are best when the control devices are concentrated on the adjacent three floors of the vibration source. Copyright © 2000 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The carbon isotopic ratio of atmospheric carbon dioxide at Tsukuba,Japan

To find out the secular and seasonal trends of the ¹³C value and CO₂ concentration in the surface air and the determination of the ¹³C in the atmospheric CO₂ collected at Tsukuba Science City was carried out during the period from July 1981 to October 1983. The monthly average of the ¹³C value of CO₂ in the surface air collected at 1400 LMT ranged from -7.52 to \s-8.45 with an average of -7.96±0.25 and the CO₂ concentration in the air varied from 334.5 l 1^-1 to 359 l 1^-1 with an average of 347.2±6.3 l 1^-1. The ¹³C value is high in summer and low in winter and is negatively correlated with the CO₂ concentration. In general, the relationship between the ¹³C and the CO₂ concentration is explainable by a simple mixing model of two different constant carbon isotopic species but the relationship does not always follow the model. The correlation between the ¹³C value and the CO₂ concentration is low during the plant growth season and high at other times. The observed negative deviation of the ¹³C value from the simple mixing model in the plant growth season is partly due to the isotopic fractionation process which takes place in the land biota.     

Assessing land-use and carbon stock in slash-and-burn ecosystems in tropical mountain of Laos based on time-series satellite images

In the tropical mountains of Southeast Asia, slash-and-burn (S/B) agriculture is a widely practiced and important food production system. The ecosystem carbon stock in this land-use is linked not only to the carbon exchange with the atmosphere but also with food and resource security. The objective of this study was to provide quantitative information on the land-use and ecosystem carbon stock in the region as well as to infer the impacts of alternative land-use and ecosystem management scenarios on the carbon sequestration potential at a regional scale. The study area was selected in a typical slash-and-burn region in the northern part of Laos. The chrono-sequential changes of land-use such as the relative areas of community age and cropping (C) + fallow (F) patterns were derived from the analysis of time-series satellite images. The chrono-sequential analysis showed that a consistent increase of S/B area during the past three decades and a rapid increase after 1990. Approximately 37% of the whole area was with the community age of 1–5 years, whereas 10% for 6–10 years in 2004. The ecosystem carbon stock at a regional scale was estimated by synthesizing the land-use patterns and semi-empirical carbon stock model derived from in situ measurements where the community age was used as a clue to the linkage. The ecosystem carbon stock in the region was strongly affected by the land-use patterns; the temporal average of carbon stock in 1C + 10F cycles, for example, was greater by 33 MgC ha⁻¹ compared to that in 1C + 2F land-use pattern. The amount of carbon lost from the regional ecosystems during 1990–2004 periods was estimated to be 42 MgC ha⁻¹. The study approach proved to be useful especially in such regions with low data-availability and accessibility. This study revealed the dynamic change of land-use and ecosystem carbon stock in the tropical mountain of Laos as affected by land-use. Results suggest the significant potential of carbon sequestration through changing land-use and ecosystem management scenarios. These quantitative estimates would be useful to better understand and manage the land-use and ecosystem carbon stock towards higher sustainability and food security in similar ecosystems.     

Seafloor environmental changes resulting from nineteenth century reclamation in Mishou Bay, Bungo Channel, Southwest Japan

This study reconstructed environmental changes to the seafloor associated with reclamation in Mishou Bay, Bungo Channel, Japan, based on measurements of sediment grain size, organic matter and sulfur contents of surface sediments and data from sediment cores. Grain size within sediment cores from the middle of Mishou Bay decreased from the beginning of the 1800s to the 1900s. In contrast, a grain size profile from the river mouth shows a gradual increase in grain size up through the sediment core. These changes in grain size indicate a decrease in tidal current velocity within the middle of the bay and that the delta system is gradually prograding from the river mouth. Records of organic matter composition and sulfur contents indicate that the effect of the river on seafloor sedimentation became stronger during the nineteenth century. These changes are related to reclamation during the late 1700s and 1800s. The decrease in sea area resulting from reclamation probably led to a decrease in tidal prism and current velocity. It is likely that the increasing effect of river water on sedimentation is associated with reclamation-related progradation of the river delta system.     

A preparation zone for volcanic explosions beneath Naka-dake crater,Aso volcano,as inferred from magnetotelluric surveys

The 1st crater of Naka-dake, Aso volcano, is one of the most active craters in Japan, and known to have a characteristic cycle of activity that consists of the formation of a crater lake, drying-up of the lake water, and finally a Strombolian-type eruption. Recent observations indicate an increase in eruptive activity including a decrease in the level of the lake water, mud eruptions, and red hot glows on the crater wall. Temporal variations in the geomagnetic field observed around the craters of Naka-dake also indicate that thermal demagnetization of the subsurface rocks has been occurring in shallow subsurface areas around the 1st crater. Volcanic explosions act to release the energy transferred from magma or volcanic fluids. Measurement of the subsurface electrical resistivity is a promising method in investigating the shallow structure of the volcanic edifices, where energy from various sources accumulates, and in investigating the behaviors of magma and volcanic fluids. We carried out audio-frequency magnetotelluric surveys around the craters of Naka-dake in 2004 and 2005 to determine the detailed electrical structure down to a depth of around 1 km. The main objective of this study is to identify the specific subsurface structure that acts to store energy as a preparation zone for volcanic eruption. Two-dimensional inversions were applied to four profiles across the craters, revealing a strongly conductive zone at several hundred meters depth beneath the 1st crater and surrounding area. In contrast, we found no such remarkable conductor at shallow depths beneath the 4th crater, which has been inactive for 70 years, finding instead a relatively resistive body. The distribution of the rotational invariant of the magnetotelluric impedance tensor is consistent with the inversion results. This unusual shallow structure probably reflects the existence of a supply path of high-temperature volcanic gases to the crater bottom. We propose that the upper part of the conductor identified beneath the 1st crater is mainly composed of hydrothermally altered zone that acts both as a cap to upwelling fluids supplied from deep-level magma and as a floor to infiltrating fluid from the crater lake. The relatively resistive body found beneath the 4th crater represents consolidated magma. These results suggest that the shallow conductor beneath the active crater is closely related to a component of the mechanism that controls volcanic activity within Naka-dake.     

Postglacial anthropogenic fires related to cultural changes in central Japan,inferred from sedimentary charcoal records spanning glacial–interglacial cycles

We examined long-term charcoal records spanning the glacial–interglacial cycles that are evident in two cores collected from Lake Biwa in central Japan. We found that the records of the two cores have a similar long-term variation pattern of charcoal concentrations and abundant large charcoal fragments in postglacial sediments, which indicates that frequent fires occurred near the shores of Lake Biwa during the postglacial period. Analogous natural conditions in the early postglacial period and the early part of the last interglacial period strongly suggest that the frequent fires that occurred only during the postglacial period were anthropogenic. A comparison between the charcoal records of Lake Biwa sediments and the cultural changes and human populations in this district suggests that anthropogenic fires in this district were influenced by the lifestyle and culture of each era rather than by the populations. Humans tended to use more fire at the start of the settlement during the early Neolithic era in this region, in spite of the small population size.     

http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S1674987114000280

Characteristic infrasound waves observed at Antarctic stations demonstrate physical interaction involving environmental changes in the Antarctic continent and the surrounding oceans.A Chaparraltype infrasound sensor was installed at Syowa Station(SYO;39°E,69°S),East Antarctica,as one of the projects of the International Polar Year(IPY2007—2008).Data continuously recorded during the three seasons in 2008—2010 clearly indicate a contamination of the background oceanic signals(microbaroms)with peaks between 4 and 10 s observed during a whole season.The peak amplitudes of the microbaroms have relatively lower values during austral winters,caused by a larger amount of sea-ice extending around the L(u|")tzow-Holm Bay near SYO,with decreasing ocean wave loading effects.Microbaroms measurements are useful tool for characterizing ocean wave climate,complementing other oceanographic and geophysical data.A continuous monitoring by infrasound sensors in the Antarctic firmly contributes to the Comprehensive Nuclear-Test-Ban Treaty(CTBT) in the southern high latitude,together with the Pan-Antarctic Observations System(PAntOS) under the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research(SCAR).Detailed measurements of the infrasound waves in Antarctica,consequently,could be a new proxy for monitoring regional environmental change as well as the temporal climate variations in the polar regions.