Temporal behavior of the background seismicity rate in central Japan, 1998 to mid-2003

We studied the temporal behavior of the background shallow seismicity rate in 700 circular areas across inland Japan. To search for and test the significance of the possible rate changes in background seismicity, we developed an efficient computational method that applies the space–time ETAS model proposed by Ogata in 1998 to the areas. Also, we conducted Monte Carlo tests using a simulated catalog to validate the model we applied. Our first finding was that the activation anomalies were found so frequently that the constant background seismicity hypothesis may not be appropriate and/or the triggered event model with constraints on the parameters may not adequately describe the observed seismicity. However, quiescence occasionally occurs merely by chance. Another outcome of our study was that we could automatically find several anomalous background seismicity rate changes associated with the occurrence of large earthquakes. Very significant seismic activation was found before the M6.1 Mt. Iwate earthquake of 1998. Also, possible seismic quiescence was found in an area 150 km southwest of the focal region of the M7.3 Western Tottori earthquake of 2000. The seismicity rate in the area recovered after the mainshock.     

Petrogenesis of lunar impact melt rock meteorite Oued Awlitis 001

Oued Awlitis 001 is a highly feldspathic, moderately equilibrated, clast‐rich, poikilitic impact melt rock lunar meteorite that was recovered in 2014. Its poikilitic texture formed due to moderately slow cooling, which judging from textures of rocks in melt sheets of terrestrial impact structures, is observed in impact melt volumes at least 100 m thick. Such coherent impact melt volumes occur in lunar craters larger than ~50 km in diameter. The composition of Oued Awlitis 001 points toward a crustal origin distant from incompatible‐element‐rich regions. Comparison of the bulk composition of Oued Awlitis 001 with Lunar Prospector 5° γ‐ray spectrometer data indicates a limited region of matches on the lunar farside. After its initial formation in an impact crater larger than ~50 km in diameter, Oued Awlitis 001 was excavated from a depth greater than ~50 m. The cosmogenic nuclide inventory of Oued Awlitis 001 records ejection from the Moon 0.3 Ma ago from a depth of at least 4 m and little mass loss due to ablation during its passage through Earth's atmosphere. The terrestrial residence time must have been very short, probably less than a few hundred years; its exact determination was precluded by a high concentration of solar cosmic ray‐produced ¹⁴C. If the impact that excavated Oued Awlitis 001 also launched it, this event likely produced an impact crater >10 km in diameter. Using petrologic constraints and Lunar Reconnaissance Orbiter Camera and Diviner data, we test Giordano Bruno and Pierazzo as possible launch craters for Oued Awlitis 001.     

近200年来黑河下游天鹅湖湖泊沉积记录的环境变迁

根据2002-2004年洞庭湖水质监测数据,参照GB3838-2002中Ⅲ类水质标准,选用内梅罗水污染指数法和黄浦江污染指数对洞庭湖水质现状进行评价,结果表明:(1)洞庭湖水体的主要污染指标是总磷,总氮和粪大肠菌群;(2)黄浦江污染指数平均值为0．27,所以洞庭湖12个断面水质无黑臭现象发生;(3)枯水期西洞庭湖和南洞庭湖水质污染最严重,平水期西洞庭湖水质污染最严重,洞庭湖丰水期的污染程度小于平水期;(4)洞庭湖的大部分水体的水质主要处于轻度污染的状态,局部水体的水质在枯水期达到重污染的状态．     

Molecular ecological study of <Emphasis Type="Italic">Siganus spinus</Emphasis> and <Emphasis Type="Italic">S. guttatus</Emphasis> from Okinawan waters based on mitochondrial DNA control region sequences

The mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA) control region was sequenced to examine the genetic variability and gene flow of juvenile Siganus spinus and S. guttatus. In total, 461 nucleotide sequences were obtained from 69 specimens of juvenile S. spinus from Okinawa Island and Ishigaki Island, in which 17 variable sites and 22 haplotypes were identified. Haplotype diversity (h) was high (0.9244 in Okinawa and 0.8984 in Ishigaki), whereas nucleotide diversity (π) was low (0.0063 in Okinawa and 0.0059 in Ishigaki). The two populations were not genetically distinct. Siganus guttatus, which do not form large schools at recruitment, in contrast S. spinus, were also analyzed by studying 152 individuals collected off Okinawa Island, Miyako Island, and Ishigaki Island. Of 476 nucleotide sequences, 50 were variable, and 42 haplotypes were identified. Genetic variability values were high (h = 0.8766 and π = 0.0151 in Okinawa; h = 0.9640 and π = 0.0192 in Miyako; h = 0.9161 and π = 0.0199 in Ishigaki). The Okinawa population was genetically isolated from the Miyako and Ishigaki populations. As a result, genetic diversity was high for each of these siganid populations despite their being target species for fisheries; however, the degree of inter-population gene flow was higher for S. spinus than S. guttatus, suggesting that these species exhibit different dispersal strategies.     

Growth of ringwoodite reaction rims from MgSiO3 perovskite and periclase at 22.5 GPa and 1,800 °C

The growth rate of ringwoodite reaction rims between MgSiO₃ perovskite and periclase was investigated at 22.5 GPa and 1,800 °C for 1–24 h using the Kawai-type high-pressure apparatus. The reaction was likely to proceed by a diffusion-controlled mechanism in which the dominant diffusion mechanism was grain-boundary diffusion. The reaction constant (the width of the ringwoodite reaction rim squared divided by time) determined from these experiments was between 1.3 × 10^?15 and 5.6 × 10^?15 m²/s. A Pt inert marker experiment indicated that the MgO component migrated faster than the SiO₂ component in ringwoodite. Thus, either Mg or O having the slower diffusion rate controlled the reaction. Because previous diffusion studies have shown that diffusion rates of O are slower than those of Mg, O would be a rate-controlling element for ringwoodite formation from MgSiO₃ perovskite and periclase. The growth rate appeared to be too fast to explain the observed topographic rise (~10 km) inside mantle plumes at the 660-km discontinuity.     

Physical parameters identification for full-scale ten-story reinforced concrete building with degrading tri-linear model by modal iterative error correction method

To assess the post-earthquake seismic safety of buildings, it is crucial to predict seismic response, and it is necessary to set the appropriate physical parameters of the response analysis model. Numerous methods have been proposed to identify physical parameters. However, most of them are limited to linear systems, and previous researches on nonlinear systems have difficulties in practical applications. In this paper, a nonlinear response analysis model is identified for a full-scale ten-story reinforced concrete building with the degrading tri-linear stiffness model by the modal iterative error correction (MIEC) method, and the accuracy of this technique is discussed by comparing with the shaking table test.