家用电器重复出现的地震前兆异常

据有关报导,１９９５年神户地震前家用电器出现了奇怪的异常现象。我们在实验室中利用范德格拉夫静电发电机用磨擦生电的方法,证实了这些收音机和电视的噪音以及频道混乱现象的存在。     

Influence of non-photosynthetic pigments on light absorption and quantum yield of photosynthesis in the western equatorial Pacific and the Subarctic North Pacific

Regional variations in the contribution of non-photosynthetic pigments (ā _np^*) to the total light absorption of phytoplankton (ā _ph^*) and its influence on the maximum quantum yield of photosynthesis (φ _m) were investigated. In the western equatorial Pacific, the surface ā _np^* : ā _ph^* ratio was higher in the western warm pool than that in the upwelling region. This difference appears to be attributable to severe nitrate depletion and higher percentage of prokaryotes, which can accumulate very high concentrations of zeaxanthin in the western warm pool. In the subarctic North Pacific, the ā _np^* : ā _ph^* ratio was expected to be higher in the Alaskan Gyre where the thermocline is sharper and iron limitation may possibly be more severe than in the Western Subarctic Gyre. However, the ratio was actually higher in the Western Subarctic Gyre, contradictory to our expectations. This east-west variation appears to be attributable to changes in the taxonomic composition; cyanobacteria were more abundant in the Western Subarctic Gyre. The values of ā _np^* : ā _ph^* and its vertical variations were relatively small in the subarctic North Pacific compared to those in the western equatorial Pacific. These inter-regional variations appear to be attributable to the lower solar radiation intensity, smaller percentage of cyanobacteria, and relatively strong vertical mixing in the subarctic North Pacific. The spatial variations in ā _np^* : ā _ph^* significantly influence φ _m. In comparison with φ _m based on the total light absorption (φ _{m ph}), the values corrected for the contribution of non-photosynthetic pigments (φ _{m ps}) showed an increase in both the western equatorial Pacific and the subarctic North Pacific.     

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.

     

Reconstruction of the eruptive history of Usu volcano,Hokkaido, Japan,inferred from petrological correlation between tephras and dome lavas

Usu volcano has erupted nine times since 1663. Most eruptive events started with an explosive eruption, which was followed by the formation of lava domes. However, the ages of several summit lava domes and craters remain uncertain. The petrological features of tephra deposits erupted from 1663 to 1853 are known to change systematically. In this study, we correlated lavas with tephras under the assumption that lava and tephra samples from the same event would have similar petrological features. Although the initial explosive eruption in 1663 was not accompanied by lava effusion, lava dome or cryptodome formation was associated with subsequent explosive eruptions. We inferred the location of the vent associated with each event from the location of the associated lava dome and the pyroclastic flow deposit distribution and found that the position of the active vent within the summit caldera differed for each eruption from the late 17th through the 19th century. Moreover, we identified a previously unrecognized lava dome produced by a late 17th century eruption; this dome was largely destroyed by an explosive eruption in 1822 and was replaced by a new lava dome during a later stage of the 1822 event at nearly the same place as the destroyed dome. This new interpretation of the sequence of events is consistent with historical sketches and documents. Our results show that petrological correlation, together with geological evidence, is useful not only for reconstructing volcanic eruption sequences but also for gaining insight into future potential disasters.     

Migration of a volcanic front inferred from K–Ar ages of late Miocene to Pliocene volcanic rocks in central Japan

K–Ar ages have been determined for 14 late Miocene to Pliocene volcanic rocks in the north of the Kanto Mountains, Japan, for tracking the location of the volcanic front through the time. These samples were collected from volcanoes located behind the trench–trench–trench (TTT) triple junction of the Pacific, Philippine Sea, and North American plates. This junction is the site of subduction of slabs of the Pacific and the Philippine Sea plates, both of which are thought to have influenced magmatism in this region. The stratigraphy and K–Ar ages of volcanic rocks in the study area indicate that volcanism occurred between the late Miocene and the Pliocene, and ceased before the Pleistocene. Volcanism in adjacent areas of the southern NE Japan and northern Izu–Bonin arcs also occurred during the Pliocene and ceased at around 3 Ma with the westward migration of the volcanic front, as reported previously. Combining our new age data with the existing data shows that before 3 Ma the volcanic front around the TTT junction was located about 50 km east of the preset‐day volcanic front. We suggest that northward subduction of the Philippine Sea Plate slab ended at ～3 Ma as a result of collision between the northern margin of the plate with the surface of the Pacific Plate slab. This collision may have caused a change in the subduction vector of the Philippine Sea Plate from the original north‐directed subduction to the present‐day northwest‐directed subduction. This indicates that the post ～3 Ma westward migration of the volcanic front was a result of this change in plate motion.     

Occurrence of 3-hydroxy acids in microalgae and cyanobacteria and their geochemical significance

3-Hydroxy acids were detected in pure cultured microalgae: Chlorophyta—Chlamydomonas reinhardtii and Chlorella pyrenoidosa and Rhodophyta—Cyanidium caldarium (two strains), and cyanobacteria (Cyanophyta)—Anacystis nidulans, Phormidium foveolarum, Anabaena variabilis and Oscillatoria sp. Normal and branched (iso and anteiso) 3-hydroxy acids in the ranges of C₈-C₂₆ were found in all the samples studied at concentrations ranging from 0.036 to 2.3 and 0.000 to 0.12 mg g^?1 of dry sample, respectively. The major constituents were generally even-carbon numbered normal acids with carbon chain lengths below C₂₀. Microalgae and cyanobacteria may be the important sources of 3-hydroxy acids in natural environments.     

Magnetic Causes of the Eruption of a Quiescent Filament

During the JOP178 campaign in August 2006, we observed the disappearance of our target, a large quiescent filament located at S25°, after an observation time of three days (24 August to 26 August). Multi-wavelength instruments were operating: THEMIS/MTR (“MulTi-Raies”) vector magnetograph, TRACE (“Transition Region and Coronal Explorer”) at 171 Å and 1600 Å and Hida Domeless Solar telescope. Counter-streaming flows (+/?10 km?s^?1) in the filament were detected more than 24 hours before its eruption. A slow rise of the global structure started during this time period with a velocity estimated to be of the order of 1 km?s^?1. During the hour before the eruption (26 August around 09:00 UT) the velocity reached 5 km?s^?1. The filament eruption is suspected to be responsible for a slow CME observed by LASCO around 21:00 UT on 26 August. No brightening in Hα or in coronal lines, no new emerging polarities in the filament channel, even with the high polarimetry sensitivity of THEMIS, were detected. We measured a relatively large decrease of the photospheric magnetic field strength of the network (from 400 G to 100 G), whose downward magnetic tension provides stability to the underlying stressed filament magnetic fields. According to some MHD models based on turbulent photospheric diffusion, this gentle decrease of magnetic strength (the tension) could act as the destabilizing mechanism which first leads to the slow filament rise and its fast eruption.     

中国渤海地区海底地震观测的初步研究

本文是在日本造船振兴财团的经费赞助下在中国渤海地区发展海底地震观测的初步技术报告。本报告主要包括以下内容: (1) 渤海及其邻近地区的地震活动性与地震危险性估计; (2) 渤海地区海底地震观测的条件; (3) 渤海地区海底地震观测仪器与技术的某些初步研究结果; (4) 浅海情况下海底地震观测噪声的模拟实验研究结果。文中研究了该地区的历史与现代地震活动性、长期地震危险性以及发生在华北与日本的大地震之间的关系。还讨论了渤海强震和海啸对渤海及其邻近海域航海的影响问题。在这些研究结果的基础上对在渤海地区开展海底地震观测的必要性进行了解释。本文探讨了在渤海地区进行海底地震观测的某些仪器和技术问题。天津市地震局曾在渤海地区石油平台的油井中作过初步地震观测试验。日本气象厅气象研究所发展的海底地震观测中有关降低噪声与信号传输等方面的新技术与经验可用于渤海地区的海底地震观测。在这些研究的基础上,提出了一个在中国渤海地区发展渤海地震观测的初步设想。指出渤海海底地震观测试验应从观测和研究渤海海底海洋噪声谱开始。为了研究浅海情况下海底地震观测的噪声,本文完成了一项新的模拟试验工作。分别对海面源及海内源产生的噪声进行了实验研究。文中给出了一些重要实验结果。本文所得的初步结果,对发展渤海及邻近地区海底地震观测有一定的参考价值。     

Disparities and diversities among female‐headed households in rural Malawi after 20 years of economic liberalization

Using data from a survey carried out in six tobacco growing villages across Malawi in 2004–5, this paper summarizes some main differences found in subsistence production and income levels between male‐ and female‐headed households and the disparities among female‐headed households in the light of economic liberalization policies of the past two decades. The disadvantaged position of female‐headed households in terms of land and labour endowment, together with the high cost of inputs since the structural adjustment programmes and removal of subsidies since the 1980s has prevented poorer female‐headed households not only from attaining maize self‐sufficiency, but also from engaging in high‐return agriculture such as tobacco production. Although livelihood diversification is adopted by both male‐ and female‐headed households, many female‐headed households still depend on low‐entry‐barrier activities such as agricultural waged labour and are unable to break out of the poverty cycle. However, female‐headed households are a heterogeneous category and factors such as the availability of nonfarm income opportunities, social networks to access labour and capital, land acquisition through flexible applications of patrilineal inheritance rules, and the existence of formal channels for credit and informal tobacco trading have enabled some to improve agricultural productivity and achieve high incomes.     

Three‐dimensional microstructure of samples recovered from asteroid 25143 Itokawa: Comparison with LL5 and LL6 chondrite particles

In this study, the three‐dimensional (3‐D) microstructure of 48 Itokawa regolith particles was examined by synchrotron microtomography at SPring‐8 during the preliminary examination of Hayabusa samples. Moreover, the 3‐D microstructure of particles collected from two LL6 chondrites (Ensisheim and Kilabo meteorites) and an LL5 chondrite (Tuxtuac meteorite) was investigated by the same method for comparison. The modal abundances of minerals, especially olivine, bulk density, porosity, and grain size are similar in all samples, including voids and cracks. These results show that the Itokawa particles, which are surface materials from the S‐type asteroid Itokawa, are consistent with the LL chondrite materials in terms of not only elemental and isotopic composition of the minerals but also 3‐D microstructure. However, we could not determine whether the Itokawa particles are purely LL5, LL6, or a mixture of the two. No difference between the particles collected from Rooms A and B of the sample chamber, corresponding to the sampling sequence of the spacecraft's second and first touchdowns, respectively, was detected because of the statistically small amount of particles from Room B.