Monitoring the Kuroshio Extension with Dynamically Constrained Synthesis of the Acoustic Tomography, Satellite Altimeter and in situ Data

A finite-difference quasigeostrophic (QG) model of an open ocean region has been employed to produce a dynamically constrained synthesis of acoustic tomography and satellite altimetry data with in situ observations. The assimilation algorithm is based upon the 4D variational data interpolation scheme controlled by the model's initial and boundary conditions. The data sets analyzed include direct and differential travel times measured at the array of five acoustic transceivers deployed by JAMSTEC in the region of the Kuroshio Extension in 1997, Topex/Poseidon altimetry, CTD soundings, and ADCP velocity profiles. The region monitored is located within the area 27.5°–36.5°N, 143°–155°. The results of assimilation show that mesoscale variability can be effectively reconstructed by five transceivers measuring direct and reciprocal travel times supported by relatively sparse in situ measurements. The misfits between model and data lie within the observational error bars for all the data types used in assimilation. We have compared the results of assimilation with the statistical inversion of travel time data and analyzed energy balances of the optimized model solution. Energy exchange between the depth-averaged and shear components of the observed currents reveals a weak decay of the barotropic mode at the rate of 0.2 ± 0.7⋅10⁻⁵ cm²/s³ due to topographic interaction. Mean currents in the region are unstable with an estimate of the available potential energy flux from the mean current to the eddies of 4.7 ± 2.3⋅10⁻⁵ cm²/s³. Kinetic energy transition has the same sign and is estimated as 2.8 ± 2.5⋅10⁻⁵ cm²/s³. Potential enstrophy is transferred to the mesoscale at a rate of 5.5 ± 2.7⋅10⁻¹⁸ s⁻³. These figures provide observational evidence of the properties of free geostrophic turbulence which were predicted by theory and observed in numerical experiments. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Reconstruction of sea surface dimethylsulfide in the North Pacific during 1970s to 2000s

We proposed an empirical equation of sea surface dimethylsulfide (DMS, nM) using sea surface temperature (SST, K), sea surface nitrate (SSN, μM) and latitude (L, °N) to reconstruct the sea surface flux of DMS over the North Pacific between 25°N and 55°N: ln DMS = 0.06346 · SST − 0.1210 · SSN − 14.11 · cos(L) − 6.278 (R² = 0.63, p < 0.0001). Applying our algorithm to climatological hydrographic data in the North Pacific, we reconstructed the climatological distributions of DMS and its flux between 25 °N and 55 °N. DMS generally increased eastward and northward, and DMS in the northeastern region became to 2–5 times as large as that in the southwestern region. DMS in the later half of the year was 2–4 times as large as that in the first half of the year. Moreover, applying our algorithm to hydrographic time series datasets in the western North Pacific from 1971 to 2000, we found that DMS in the last three decades has shown linear increasing trends of 0.03 ± 0.01 nM year^− 1 in the subpolar region, and 0.01 ± 0.001 nM year^− 1 in the subtropical region, indicating that the annual flux of DMS from sea to air has increased by 1.9–4.8 μmol m^− 2 year^− 1. The linear increase was consistent with the annual rate of increase of 1% of the climatological averaged flux in the western North Pacific in the last three decades.     

Sequence of faulting and deformation during the 2000 eruptions of the Usu Volcano, Hokkaido, Japan—interpretation and image analyses of aerial photographs

Significant faulting and deformation of the ground surface has been rarely known during volcanic eruptions. Usu Volcano, Hokkaido, Japan, is a unique example of deformation due to felsic magma intrusion. Usu Volcano has a history of such types of eruptions as phreatic, pumice eruption (Plinian type), pyroclastic flowing and lava doming since 1663. On March 31, 2000, phreatomagmatic to phreatic eruptions took place after 23 years of dormancy in the western piedmont, followed by explosions on the western flank of Usu Volcano. They were associated with significant deformation including faulting and uplift. The eruptions and deformation were continuing up to the end of May 2000.We identified the faulting using total nine sets of aerial photographs taken from before the eruption (March 31, 2000) to more than 1 year (April 27, 2001) after the end of the activity, and traced deformation processes through image processing using aerial photographs. We found that some of the new faults and the associated phreatic eruptions were related to old faults formed during the 1977–1981 eruptive episode.The image processing has revealed that the surface deformation is coincident with the area of faulting forming small grabens and the phreatic explosion vents. However, the faulting and main explosive eruptions did not take place in the highest uplift area, but along the margin. This suggests that the faulting and explosive activities were affected by small feeder channels diverging from the main magma body which caused the highest uplift.     

Changes in the abundance and composition of picophytoplankton in relation to the occurrence of a Kyucho and a bottom intrusion in the Bungo Channel,Japan

The Bungo Channel in southwestern Japan receives both warm, called Kyucho, and cold deep-water intrusions (bottom intrusion) from the Pacific Ocean. Abundances of Prochlorococcus, Synechococcus, and eukaryotic picophytoplankton were monitored from 18 July to 17 August 2001 to clarify whether advected picophytoplankton from the Pacific Ocean can grow in the channel or not. Synechococcus cells were further discriminated into low- and high-PUB types according to their fluorescence property in flow cytometry. From 18 to 25 July, the water temperature decreased by 3 °C at a 5-m depth at all stations, indicating the occurrence of a bottom intrusion. From 25 July to 4 August, a Kyucho occurred and the water temperature rapidly increased. From 4 to 17 August, a bottom intrusion and a Kyucho both occurred twice, although the intensities were smaller than those occurring until 4 August. From 18 to 30 July, the abundance of both Prochlorococcus and a high-PUB type of Synechococcus drastically decreased because of a bottom intrusion; however, the abundances rapidly increased due to the advection by a Kyucho. These advected cells increased from 4 to 17 August in the channel and Kitanada Bay. Changes in the abundance of low-PUB type of Synechococcus and eukaryotic picophytoplankton were less noticeable than those in the abundance of Prochlorococcus and high-PUB type. The present study demonstrated that oceanic picophytoplankton advected by the Kyucho could grow in the channel. However, abundances of low-PUB type and eukaryotic picophytoplankton increased higher than those of Prochlorococcus and high-PUB type did. Thus, these oceanic phytoplankters will be excluded when Kyucho does not occur for a long time. The co-occurrence of various types of picophytoplankton found in the channel is probably achieved by both Kyucho event and their growth capability in the channel.     

Possibility of recent changes in vertical distribution and size composition of chlorophyll-a in the western North Pacific region

Our analysis of the last three decades of retrospective data of vertical distributions and size composition of chlorophyll-a (Chl-a) over the western North Pacific has revealed significant changes of three indices related to Chl-a during summer season, as follows: (1) decreasing linear trend of the proportion of Chl-a in surface layer to that of the whole water column by 0.4 and 2.3% year⁻¹ in the subtropical area along 137°E (STA₁₃₇) during 1972 to 1997 and in the Kuroshio Extension area along 175°E (KEA₁₇₅) during 1990 to 2001; (2) increasing linear trend of the depth of subsurface Chl-a maximum (DCM) by 0.4 and 2.6 m year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅; and (3) decreasing linear trend of larger-size Chl-a (>3 μm) by 0.1 and 2.5% year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅, respectively. Water density (σ _θ ) at 75 m depth had also decreased by 0.006 and 0.05 year⁻¹ in STA₁₃₇ and KEA₁₇₅, respectively. The ratio of biogenic opal to biogenic CaCO₃ in the sinking flux decreased by 0.015 year⁻¹ in the subtropical region from 1997 to 2005. These findings may indicate that the subsurface chlorophyll maximum is deepening and larger phytoplankton such as diatoms has been decreasing during the past decade, associated with the decreasing density of surface water caused by warming in the western North Pacific, especially in the summer.     

Transport of water in frozen soil: V, Method for measuring the vapor diffusivity when ice is absent

A new experimental method is introduced for determining the relative magnitudes of liquid and vapor diffusion by using a small amount of soluble chemical as a tracer. The theoretical justification of the method is presented for the case where ice is absent. The feasibility of the method is demonstrated by an experiment using marine-deposited clay.     

Transport of water in frozen soil: I: Experimental determination of soil-water diffusivity under isothermal conditions

A new experimental method for measuring the soil-water diffusivity of frozen soil under isothermal conditions is introduced. The theoretical justification of the method is presented and the feasibility of the method is demonstrated by experiments conducted using marine deposited clay. The measured values of the soil-water diffusivity are found comparable to reported experimental data.     

Sr isotope diversity of hot spring and volcanic lake waters from Zao volcano,Japan

The ratio of ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr was measured from different water samples of thermal/mineral (hot spring as well as crater lake) and meteoric origins, in order to specify the location and to verify the detailed model of a volcano-hydrothermal system beneath Zao volcano. The ratio showed a trimodal distribution for the case of thermal/mineral water: 0.7052–0.7053 (Type A, Zao hot spring), 0.7039–0.7043 (Type B, Okama crater lake and Shin-funkiko hot spring), and 0.7070–0.7073 (Type C, Gaga, Aone, and Togatta hot springs), respectively. However, in comparison, the ratio was found to be higher for meteoric waters (0.7077–0.7079). The water from the central volcanic edifice (Type B) was found to be similar to that of nearby volcanic rocks in their Sr isotopic ratio. This indicates that the Sr in water was derived from shallow volcanic rocks. The ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratio for water from the Zao hot spring (Type A) was intermediate between those of the pre-Tertiary granitic and the Quaternary volcanic rocks, thus suggesting that the water had reacted with both volcanic and granitic rocks. The location of the vapor–liquid separation was determined as the boundary of the pre-Tertiary granitic and the Quaternary volcanic rocks by comparing the results of this strontium isotopic study with those of Kiyosu and Kurahashi [Kiyosu, Y., Kurahashi, M., 1984. Isotopic geochemistry of acid thermal waters and volcanic gases from Zao volcano in Japan. J. Volcanol. Geotherm. Res. 21, 313–331.].     

Mantled feldspars in alkali rhyolite from Oki-Dogo island,Japan

Summary Feldspar phenocrysts in alkali rhyolite from Oki-Dogo island in the Sea of Japan show mantled textures with cores of anorthoclase and rims of sanidine. These feldspars were examined by electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and X-ray microanalysis. Anorthoclase first crystallized, then was partially resorbed, and finally sanidine overgrew on the anorthoclase. Saw-tooth or comb-like interfaces between the cores and rims were likely formed at the magmatic stage of resorption and overgrowth. Optically perthitic intergrowths appear in thin sections cutting saw-tooth or comb-like interfaces of the mantled feldspars. The sanidine preserves primary cryptoperthitic textures of a periodicity smaller than 10 nm, which are considered to have been produced by subsolidus exsolution after the resorption event ended. The anorthoclase has no exsolution texture under an electron microscope.

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Feldspatkristalle in Alkali-Rhyolith von der Insel Oki-Dogo, Japan

Zusammenfassung Feldspatkristalle in Alkali-Rhyolith von der Oki-Dogo Insel im Japanischen Meer zeigen ummantelte Texturen mit Kernen von Anorthoklas und Rändern von Sanidin. Diese Feldspate wurden mit Elektronenmikroskopie, Röntgendiffraktion und Mikrosondenanalyse untersucht. Anorthoklas kristallisierte zuerst, wurde dann teilweise resorbiert und schließlich wuchs Sanidin über den Anorthoklas. Sägezahn- und Kamm-ähnliche Grenzen zwischen Kernen und Rändern wurden wahrscheinlich wahrend des magmatischen Stadiums von Resorption und Überwachsung gebildet. Unter dem Mikroskop erkennt man, daß perthitische Verwachsungen durch Sägezahn- oder Kamm-artige Grenzen der ummantelten Feldspäte hinwegsetzen. Der Sanidin erhellt primäre kryptoperthitische Texturen mit einer Periodizität von > 10 nm, die als Produkte einer Subsolidus-Entmischung nach der Resorption interpretiert werden. Anorthoklas läßt unter dem Elektronenmikroskop keine Entmischungstexturen erkennen.

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With 6 Figures