X‐ray energy spectra of CAL87

We present X‐ray spectral analysis of the super‐soft source CAL87 using ASCA, Chandra, XMM‐Newton observations. Early ASCA CCD spectrum reported a strong oxygen absorption edge, which is considered to originate in the an optically thick white‐dwarf atmosphere. On the other hand, contemporaneous grating observations by Chandra and XMM‐Newton indicate emission line dominated spectra, which obviously indicate the optically thin origin. Fitting all the available CCD (ASCA and XMM‐Newton) and grating spectra (XMM‐Newton and Chandra) simultaneously, we show that the CAL87 X‐ray energy spectrum is in fact composed of both an optically thick component with deep absorption edges and an optically thin component with numerous emission lines. The current result supports the standard SSS model that the primary source of X‐ray emission is nuclear burning in the white dwarf atmosphere, surrounded by a highly photoionised, optically thin corona (© 2010 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)     

Pre-Japan-ARGO: Experimental Observation of Upper and Middle Layers South of the Kuroshio Extension Region Using Profiling Floats

We deployed two profiling floats in the region south of the Kuroshio Extension in March 2000. Temperature and salinity profiles from a depth of 1500 × 10⁴ Pa to the surface are reported every two and four weeks, respectively. The floats performed very well for first four months after deployment. Later they failed in surfacing for a few months when the sea surface temperature in the region was high. The salinity sensors seemed to suffer from some damage during their failure-in-surfacing period. Despite this trouble, the results clearly demonstrate that the profiling float is a very useful and cost-effective tool for physical oceanographic observation in the open sea. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Spectroscopic properties of Cr-doped and Cr,Li-doped synthetic forsterite crystals

Cr-droped and Cr,Li-doped forsterite crystals were grown and their optical properties were investigated. It was shown that when only Cr is doped, Cr³⁺ is substituted at the site of low crystal field, and the energy level ²E lie above the ⁴T₂ level, while ⁴T₂ is just above ²E when Cr and Li are codoped. The difference was rationalized by a deformation of the Cr substituted site with the introduction of Li.     

Single crystal X-ray and Mössbauer study of shocked ilmenite to 80 GPa

Shock loading experiments on single crystal ilmenite (FeTiO₃) are carried out up to peak pressures of 80 GPa using a newly built two-stage light gas gun. Shock effects are investigated by means of X-ray precission technique and Mössbauer spectroscopy. Shock effects are largely controlled by the anisotropic nature of the ilmenite structure. Considerable deformations are observed even in a pressure level of 30 GPa in the shocked crystal when the shock propagation direction is parallel to the c axis, whereas little effects are seen up to 55 GPa when the crystal is shocked parallel to the c plane (cleavage plane). The greatest deformation is introduced in the planes containing the c axis, while less remarkable effects are seen in the plane perpendicular to the c axis. Residual effects are favorably compared with the compression anomalies found in the Hugoniot measurements by King and Ahrens (1976). Mössbauer measurements also reveal that a fraction of highly disturbed regions increases with increasing shock loading pressure. These observations are explained in terms of current heterogeneous yielding model of brittle substances under shock loading, where internal fragmentation is preferentially formed so as to give c-platelet domains that are mutually misoriented with each other.     

Thermal expansion of fayalite,Fe2SiO4

Thermal expansion of single-crystal fayalite has been measured by a dilatometric method at temperatures between 25 °C and 850 °C. The results show the presence of anomalous expansion in the b axis, which is correlated to the anomalous variation of elastic moduli with temperature. Grüneisen's parameter is 1.10 and the thermal Debye temperature is 565 K, which is close to the acoustic Debye temperature of 511 K.     

Spectroscopic properties of Cr-doped melilite crystals

 Four kinds of Cr-droped melilite crystals, Ca₂MgSi₂O₇ (akermanite), CaAl₂SiO₇ (gehlenite), CaGa₂SiO₇ (Ga-gehlenite) and CaGa₂GeO₇ (GaGe-gehlenite), with different sizes of the sites for Cr ions to substitute, were grown in series, using both the CZ and FZ techniques. Although Cr⁴⁺ is regarded as a major species in melilites, the existence of Cr⁶⁺ in gehlenite is also suggested from the change in absorption spectra by annealing, and the dependence of distribution coefficient of Cr ions on growth atmosphere. Spectral peak shifts are not obvious if the host crystal field is altered in melilites, because the local environment of the sites for Cr ion is possibly changed by reforming the packing features of the host lattice. Received February 7, 1996 / Revised, accepted September 20, 1996     

Distribution of some trivalent ions between melt and single crystals of Mg2SiO4 grown by the Czochralski method

Partition coefficients for trace amounts of trivalent ions between artificial single crystals of Mg₂SiO₄ grown by the Czochralski method and the coexisting melt have been determined by neutron activation analysis. They are found to vary greatly with the amount of visible imperfections in the crystal and slightly with the concentration of the ions in the melt. Plots of the partition coefficients against ionic radius of the trace ions give a pattern which agrees qualitatively with that found in a natural olivine phenocryst-groundmass pair.     

Effective Emergency Transportation for Saving Human Lives

To save lives immediately after a catastrophic earthquake occurs, it is essential for an urban transportation system to retain its functional performance in order to carry injured people to hospitals. Recent seismic assessment studies have mostly been based on cost-benefit analyses, carried out in monetary terms that are reasonable for long-term considerations. However, many problems of seismic risk management still remain. For example, attributing a monetary value to a human life is considered impossible. Also, requirements for functioning of a transportation system are different in the period immediately after an earthquake. This paper concentrates on how to assess the importance of an urban transportation system as it relates to saving human life, and what system enhancements should be made to improve performance. This paper proposes a risk assessment method for the functional reliability of a transportation system immediately after an earthquake. In that period, system malfunction adversely affects the saving of lives as a result of time delays when moving injured people to medical facilities. A system dynamics simulation of transporting injured people is incorporated in the method, which uses two assessment approaches to evaluate the differences of cumulative injured people who receive medical care. In deciding on the destination of medical facility in the simulation, two ways of deciding are addressed; one uses information only on the road network, and the other uses information on both road network and hospital availability. Results of an application to an actual target area show the most vulnerable road links and differences of the two decision-making processes. A way to mitigate the loss due to damage to road links is examined. The paper also summarizes future developments in advanced information technology for emergency transportation systems.     

Carbon isotopic thermometry and geobarometry of sillimanite isograd in thermal aureoles: the depth of emplacement of upper crustal granitic bodies

Carbon isotope fractionation between coexisting calcite and graphite (C ) has been studied in metamorphosed limestones from three thermal aureoles around Cretaceous granitic bodies (i.e., Tanohata, Tono, and Senmaya aureoles) in the Kitakami Mountains, Northeast Japan. C in each aureole decreases toward the granitic bodies, and becomes virtually uniform near the sillimanite isograd for metapelites, although calcite has variable isotopic ratios reflecting the original sedimentary compositions. The relationships indicate that isotopic equilibrium has been attained in metamorphosed limestone of sillimanite grade. Estimated C at the sillimanite isograd is similar in the Tanohata and Tono aureoles, but different in the Senmaya aureole with smaller carbon isotopic fractionations. From the temperature dependence of C and the negative dP/dT of andalusite–sillimanite equilibrium, we conclude that the sillimanite isograd in the Senmaya aureole was under higher temperature and lower pressure than in the other two localities. Temperatures at the sillimanite isograd are estimated by using existing calibrations of carbon isotopic exchange between calcite and graphite, whereas pressures are estimated from carbon isotopic temperatures and the andalusite–sillimanite equilibrium (Holdaway and Mukhopadhyay 1993a). Consistency of the P–T estimates is examined in the light of phase equilibria in the pelitic system. The estimated pressures at the sillimanite isograd are at about 2.1–2.7(±0.2) kbar for the Tanohata and Tono aureoles and less than 1 kbar for the Senmaya aureole, respectively. Geobarometry of sillimanite isograd in thermal aureoles indicates a marked difference in the depth of solidification of upper crustal granitoids: the Senmaya pluton has intruded and solidified at a very shallow level of less than 4 km whereas the Tanohata and Tono plutons are more deep-seated (ca. 8–10 km). The method can also be an effective tool in studying low-pressure type metamorphism in which geothermobarometry using garnet is not always applicable.Editorial responsibility: J. Hoefs     

Rethinking the principle of abstention: the North Pacific and beyond

While the principle of abstention was established as part of the International North Pacific Fishery Convention in 1952, it was generally overlooked for several decades afterwards. The 1995 Straddling Stocks Agreement says that states parties to the Agreement enjoy a right to access to high seas fishery resources, but on the condition that they respect existing regional conservation and management measures. This Agreement also introduces the concept of a precautionary approach. The end result is that the 1995 Agreement fulfilled the same intent of the original 1952 principle of abstention—that is, it places some kinds of restrictions on high seas fishing. The degree of restrictions depends on the activities and policies of new regional fishery organizations like WCPFC and so on. Even if the new version of the principle of abstention succeeds in excluding distant fishing states from high seas, it will do little to solve the larger problems facing today's ocean fishery resources.