Moisture rainout fraction over the Indian Ocean during austral summer based on $$^{18}\hbox {O}/{}^{16}\hbox {O}$$ ratios of surface seawater,rainwater at latitude range of 10°N–60°S

Oxygen isotope ratios (\(^{18}\hbox {O}/^{16}\hbox {O}\)) of surface seawater and rainwater samples from the Indian Ocean region (10°N–60°S) during austral summer collected onboard ORV Sagar Nidhi during 2011–2013 have been measured along with salinity, sea surface temperature and relative humidity. The rainwater is isotopically lighter (by \(4.6\pm 2.7\permille )\) compared to the equilibrium condensation of the vapour arising from the seawater at the ambient condition. The isotopic composition of the vapour at high altitude responsible for the rain formation at the sampling location is estimated from a global atmospheric water isotope model (IsoGSM2). The apparent deficit of \(\sim \)5\(\permille \) can be explained by invoking a high degree of rainout (on average, about 70% of the overhead atmospheric moisture) during transport of the source vapour to the sampling location undergoing a Rayleigh fractionation. The required rainout fraction is higher (\(\sim \)80%) in the latitude belt 40°–60°S compared to the equatorial belt (\(\sim \)60%). The pattern of variation in the rainout fraction with latitude is consistent with the well-known evaporation/precipitation processes in the Indian Ocean.     

Imaging polarimetry of Comet 9P/Tempel before and after the Deep Impact

The NASA's Deep Impact mission was the first impact experiment to a cometary nucleus. The target of the mission was Comet 9P/Tempel, one of the Jupiter family comets. The impact was performed on July 4th, 2005. Imaging polarimetric observations were carried out by Polarimetric Imager for COmets (PICO) mounted on the Lulin One-meter Telescope (LOT) at Lulin Observatory, Taiwan. Intensity and linear polarization degree maps were obtained on July 3-5, 2005. Impact ejecta plume was clearly recognized in the enhanced intensity map. Furthermore, arc-shaped region of high polarization was recognized in the polarization map. Dust grains in this region had larger expansion velocity than the grains which provided the brightest area in the intensity map. comparing our results with the MIR spectroscopy obtained by Subaru Telescope we conclude that very small carbonaceous grains might be responsible for the region of high polarization.     

Age and paleoclimatic implication of middle to upper Miocene plant-bearing strata in the southern Kanazawa area,Ishikawa Prefecture,Central Japan,based on refined Neogene palynostratigraphy in the Hokuriku district

13–8 Ma (middle to late Miocene) is a key period for understanding how the unique vegetation was established in Japan. Palynostratigraphy is useful for estimating the ages of plant-bearing strata deposited in shallow-marine and non-marine environments, but has low temporal resolution for this key period in Japan. We compiled Neogene and early Quaternary palynological records for the Hokuriku district of Central Japan to clarify palynostratigraphic events that may improve the temporal resolution. Our results showed that palynoassemblages changed considerably during 10–6.4 Ma in the Hokuriku district, following a relatively stable period during 13–10 Ma. We found that evergreen Quercus abundance increased at 11.5–10 Ma. We used these palynostratigraphic signatures, along with other biostratigraphic markers, to infer the ages of the Miocene plant-bearing Saikawa and Koderayama Formations in the southern Kanazawa area of Ishikawa Prefecture in the Hokuriku district. The ages of the Saikawa and Koderayama Formations were inferred as ~13 and 10–6.4 Ma, respectively. The palynoflora of the Koderayama Formation shows floristic similarity to that of present south China, implying that the unique flora of Japan established after the age of the Koderayama Formation.     

Carbonic fluid inclusions in ultrahigh-temperature granitoids from southern India

The granite plutons of Vattamalai (VT), Gangaikondan (GK) and Pathanapuram (PT) intruding granulite facies rocks in southern India were emplaced during the Late Neoproterozoic tectonothermal event. Feldspar thermometry of mesoperthites from the granites yield temperatures of 800–1000?°C indicating high- to ultrahigh-temperature conditions, comparable to similar estimates derived from some of the host granulite facies rocks in the region. This study reports results from a detailed investigation of fluid inclusions in the three granite plutons. Carbonic inclusions characterize the major fluid species in all the cases and their unique abundance in some of these plutons indicates up to 1 wt.% CO₂. In most of the cases, the inclusions show a near-pure CO₂ composition as deduced from melting temperatures which cluster close to $?56.6°$C, and as confirmed by laser Raman spectroscopy. The VT granite preserves the highest density CO₂ fluids among all the three plutons with a density up to 0.912 g?cm^?3 (molar volume of 48.25 cm³?mol^?1). A combination of CO₂ isochores, feldspar thermometry data and dehydration melting curves, and liquidus for water-undersaturated granitic systems clearly bring out a genetic link between these granites and granulitic lower crust. The ultimate origin of the CO₂-rich fluids is linked to sub-lithospheric mantle sources through tectonic processes associated with the assembly of the Gondwana supercontinent. To cite this article: M. Santosh et al., C. R. Geoscience 337 (2005).     

Complexes of activity of the solar cycle and very large scale convection

The magnetic field pattern associated with large scale convective motions, which are much larger than the supergranules and have been conceived as a source of maintenance of the solar differential rotation, is calculated in the framework of a slowly and differentially rotating thin spherical shell, including the effects of thermal conductivity and viscosity. The approximations of Boussinesq are used and the initial state of the magnetic field is assumed to be purely toroidal.The resulting magnetic field pattern rotates rigidly on the differentially rotating Sun with some phase delay to the convective pattern, if it is assumed that only the predominant mode with the maximum growth rate is actually realized in the solar convection zone. The obtained magnetic and convective patterns and their properties seem to explain naturally the various aspects of large scale ordering of solar activity such as the existence and behavior of complexes of activity, the rigid body rotation of proton flare active longitudes, their association with UMR's, the existence of ghost and mirror image of UMR's themselves and the fact that the rotational period derived from sunspot data is shorter than that derived spectroscopically from fluid velocity.     

内蒙古苏尼特地下水氟污染形成机理研究

为了研究内蒙古苏尼特地区地下水氟污染机理,本文运用水文地球化学分类方法,从水文地质、水化学特征两方面研究其地下水的水质特征、氟的起源、分布规律及污染形成机理。研究结果发现:高氟地下水的主要水质类型为HCO3—Na型,pH值在7.08～9.38之间,氟浓度与井深有关,即井越浅,氟浓度越高;地下水中氟浓度最高达14.78mg/L,5～9月地下水氟浓度相对增长率在7.8～23.1之间;F-浓度与Li+、Br-相关系数达0.89和0.82,受断层影响的深层地下水中F-浓度几乎与Li+、Br-没有相关关系,这暗示着氟来源于浅部,并受到强烈的蒸发作用影响而使水中的氟浓缩;地质调查发现该地区还有数个萤石矿存在,显微镜分析结果证实表层土壤中普遍存在CaF2,地下水中的氟来自CaF2。高氟地下水存在于潜水层,深部含水层的地下水可供开采。从断层带涌出的水对潜水层有稀释作用。     

High-resolution observations of the Orion bright bar

High resolution strip maps of CS (J=1–0) and H51 line emission across the Orion bright bar are presented. They reveal the existence of a high density molecular layer (molecular sheet) plane parallel to the ionization front. This molecular sheet is redshifted relative to the ambient molecular cloud by about 2 km s^–1. The rapid decrease of the CS emission at about 50 arc sec from the bar suggests that a shock front exists here and the sheet is a post shock layer.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.This work was carried out under the common use observation program at the Nobeyama Radio Observatory (NRO). NRO, a branch of the Tokyo Astronomical Observatory, University of Tokyo, Japan, is a cosmic radio observing facility open to outside users.     

Effect of iron enrichment on the dynamics of transparent exopolymer particles in the western subarctic Pacific

Dynamics of transparent exopolymer particles (TEP) was studied during the first in situ iron-enrichment experiment conducted in the western subarctic Pacific in July–August 2001, with the goal of evaluating the contribution of TEP to vertical flux as a result of increased primary production following iron enrichment in open ocean ecosystems. Subsequent to the enhancement of phytoplankton production, we observed increase in TEP concentration in the surface layer and sedimentation of organic matter beneath it. Vertical profiles of TEP, chlorophyll a (Chl a) and particulate organic carbon (POC) were obtained from six depths between 5 and 70 m, from a station each located inside and outside the enriched patch. TEP and total mass flux were estimated from the floating sediment traps deployed at 200 m depth. Chl a and TEP concentrations outside the patch varied from 0.2 to 1.9 μg L⁻¹ and 40–60 μg XG equiv. L⁻¹, respectively. Inside the patch, Chl a increased drastically from day 7 reaching the peak of 19.2 μg L⁻¹ on day 13, which coincided with the TEP peak of 189 μg XG equiv. L⁻¹. TEP flux in the sediment trap increased from 41 to 88 mg XG equiv. m⁻² d⁻¹, with 8–14% contribution of TEP to total mass flux. This forms the basic data set on ambient concentrations of TEP in the western subarctic Pacific, and evaluation of the effect of iron enrichment on TEP.