Accelerated continental-scale snowmelt and ecohydrological impacts in the four largest Siberian river basins in response to spring warming

River runoff from the four largest Siberian river basins (the Ob, Yenisei, Lena, and Kolyma) considerably contributes to freshwater flux into the Arctic Ocean from the Eurasian continent. However, the effects of variation in snow cover fraction on the ecohydrological variations in these basins are not well understood. In this study, we analysed the spatiotemporal variability of the maximum snow cover fraction (SCF_max) in the four Siberian river basins. We compared the SCF_max from 2000 to 2016 with data in terms of monthly temperature and precipitation, night-time surface temperatures, the terrestrial water storage anomaly (TWSA), the normalised difference vegetation index (NDVI), and river runoff. Our results exhibit a decreasing trend in the April SCF_max values since 2000, largely in response to warming air temperatures in April. We identified snowmelt water as the dominant control on the observed increase in the runoff contribution in May across all four Siberian river basins. In addition, we detected that the interannual river runoff was predominantly controlled by interannual variations in the TWSA. The NDVI in June was strongly controlled by the timing of the snowmelt along with the surface air temperature and TWSA in June. The rate of increase in the freshwater flux from the four Siberian rivers decreased from 2000 to 2016, exhibiting large interannual variations corresponding to interannual variations in the TWSA. However, we identified a clear increase trend in the freshwater flux of ~4 km³/year when analysing the long-term 39-year historical record (1978–2016). Our results suggest that continued global warming will accelerate the transition towards the earlier timing of snowmelt and spring freshwater flux into the Arctic Ocean. Our findings also highlight the effects of earlier snowmelt on ecohydrological changes in the Northern Hemisphere.     

Effect of bedrock flow on catchment rainfall‐runoff characteristics and the water balance in forested catchments in Tanzawa Mountains,Japan

In this paper, we examined the role of bedrock groundwater discharge and recharge on the water balance and runoff characteristics in forested headwater catchments. Using rigorous observations of catchment precipitation, discharge and streamwater chemistry, we quantified net bedrock flow rates and contributions to streamwater runoff and the water balance in three forested catchments (second‐order to third‐order catchments) underlain by uniform bedrock in Japan. We found that annual rainfall in 2010 was 3130 mm. In the same period, annual discharge in the three catchments varied from 1800 to 3900 mm/year. Annual net bedrock flow rates estimated by the chloride mass balance method at each catchment ranged from ?1600 to 700 mm/year. The net bedrock flow rates were substantially different in the second‐order and third‐order catchments. During baseflow, discharge from the three catchments was significantly different; conversely, peak flows during large storm events and direct runoff ratios were not significantly different. These results suggest that differences in baseflow discharge rates, which are affected by bedrock flow and intercatchment groundwater transfer, result in the differences in water balance among the catchments. This study also suggests that in these second‐order to third‐order catchments, the drainage area during baseflow varies because of differences between the bedrock drainage area and surface drainage area, but that the effective drainage area during storm flow approaches the surface drainage area. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Can the visualization of rip currents prevent drowning accidents? Consideration of the effect of optimism bias

Drowning accidents at beach in Japan are caused by rip currents. To reduce these accidents, a new technology that can detect rip currents and notify beachgoers by using the Internet of Things (IoT) and Artificial Intelligence (AI) was proposed. However, studies on the effect of visualizing rip currents or considering the effect of optimism bias have not been conducted. This study investigates if visualization of rip currents might help in preventing drowning accidents, while considering the effect of optimism bias. The participants were 90 Japanese beachgoers. They were asked to answer questions based on their knowledge of the beach and rip currents, their optimism bias regarding rip currents, and awareness with or without visualization. The results of the analyses suggest that despite optimism bias, the visualization of rip currents increases the tendency of beachgoers to perceive and avoid rip currents. As described above, it was found that by visualizing the rip current, beachgoers were able to perceive and avoid rip currents. In addition, an understanding of rip currents is positively related to the intent to avoid rip currents even when rip currents are visualized. Therefore, it is necessary not only to enhance the avoidance tendency by visualizing rip currents, but also to further enhance knowledge of beachgoers to deepen the understanding of rip currents including the danger associated and methods to avoid them.

     

Transformation textures,mechanisms of formation of high‐pressure minerals in shock melt veins of L6 chondrites,and pressure‐temperature conditions of the shock events

Abstract— The high‐pressure polymorphs of olivine, pyroxene, and plagioclase in or adjacent to shock melt veins (SMVs) in two L6 chondrites (Sahara 98222 and Yamato 74445) were investigated to clarify the related transformation mechanisms and to estimate the pressure‐temperature conditions of the shock events. Wadsleyite and jadeite were identified in Sahara 98222. Wadsleyite, ringwoodite, majorite, akimotoite, jadeite, and lingunite (NaAlSi₃O₈‐hollandite) were identified in Yamato 74445. Wadsleyite nucleated along the grain boundaries and fractures of original olivine. The nucleation and growth of ringwoodite occurred along the grain boundaries of original olivine, and as intracrystalline ringwoodite lamellae within original olivine. The nucleation and growth of majorite took place along the grain boundaries or fractures in original enstatite. Jadeite‐containing assemblages have complicated textures containing “particle‐like,” “stringer‐like,” and “polycrystalline‐like” phases. Coexistence of lingunite and jadeite‐containing assemblages shows a vein‐like texture. We discuss these transformation mechanisms based on our textural observations and chemical composition analyses. The shock pressure and temperature conditions in the SMVs of these meteorites were also estimated based on the mineral assemblages in the SMVs and in comparison with static high‐pressure experimental results as follows: 13–16 GPa, >1900 °C for Sahara 98222 and 17–24 GPa, >2100 °C for Yamato 74445.     

Empirical analysis of path effects on prediction equations of pseudo‐velocity response spectra in northern Japan

We study path effects on prediction equations of pseudo‐velocity response spectra (natural period of 0.1–5.0 s) in northern Japan, where heterogeneous attenuation structure exists. The path effects have been examined by comparing the regression analysis results for two different prediction equations. The first equation consists of a single term of anelastic attenuation conventionally. The second equation consists of two terms of anelastic attenuation in consideration of the heterogeneous attenuation structure. In the second equation, we divide a source‐to‐site distance into two distances at the attenuation boundary beneath the volcanic front. The boundary is considered to separate the relatively high Q fore‐arc side mantle wedge (FAMW) from the low Q back‐arc side mantle wedge (BAMW). Strong motion records (hypocentral distances less than 300 km) from interplate and intraslab events with Mw 5.1–7.3 are used. Regression analysis results show that the standard errors are significantly reduced by the second prediction equation at short periods (0.1–0.5 s), whereas the difference in standard errors from both prediction equations is negligible at intermediate and long periods. The Qs values (quality factor for S‐wave) converted from two anelastic attenuation coefficients for the second prediction equation are remarkably similar to the path‐averaged Qs values for the FAMW and BAMW by other studies using spectral inversion method. From these findings, we conclude that the path effects on the prediction equation of pseudo‐velocity response spectra are satisfactorily accomplished by the second prediction equation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

A new fracture criterion for brittle rocks

A general form of a “fracture function” for isotropic brittle materials is expressed in terms of the three invariants of the stress tensor. The coefficients in the function are determined by use of the small number of experimental data under specific conditions. This function is applicable to an estimate of the fracture condition of brittle rocks under a general stress state i.e., σ₁ ≠ σ₂ ≠ σ₃. The application of this function is attempted for the data of three brittle rocks i.e., Dunham dolomite, Mizuho trachyte, and Westerly granite, reported by previous workers. For the first two, this criterion gives a good estimation of the effect of the intermediate principal stress σ₂ on failure. For the last, the fracture strength at high confining pressure is estimated by use of the several data obtained under very low confining pressures, and the agreement with experimental data is also satisfactory.     

Algal lipids as a possible contributor to the polymethylene chains in kerogen

Lipid fraction and cell-wall materials have been separated from three types of algae (blue green, Microcystis sp.; green, Scenedesmus sp. and diatomaceous Diatoma sp.) and their KMnO₄ oxidation products (aliphatic $\text{α,ω-C}{}_2\text{-C}{}_{12}$ dicarboxylic acids; aliphatic normal C₁₄–C₂₄ monocarboxylic acids; benzoic acid and C₁₈ isoprenoidal ketone) examined by gas chromatography and gas chromatographymass spectrometry. The results suggest that the lipid material could make a greater contribution to polymethylene chains in kerogen than the cell-wall material, when the kerogens are mainly derived from algal components.     

Sequential solutions with the bandtype system of Observation equations

The construction of formulas for sequentially computing solutions and a variance-covariance matrix with the bandtype system of observation equations, which is inherent in geodetic networks, is carried out; these formulas are illustrated with a simple numerical example in which the adjustment for the trilateration of triply coupled quadrilaterals is executed.