Shine the dark ages

Recent WMAP results indicate quite early reionization of the universe. Here we discuss possible implications on CMB anisotropies and CMB polarization of the early reionization.     

Active spreading and hydrothermalism in North Fiji Basin (SW Pacific). Results of Japanese French Cruise Kaiyo 87

The aim of the Japanese-French Kaiyo 87 cruise was the study of the spreading axis in the North Fiji Basin (SW Pacific). A Seabeam and geophysical survey allowed us to define the detailed structure of the active NS spreading axis between 16° and 22° S and its relationships with the left lateral motion of the North Fiji Fracture Zone. Between 21° S and 18°10′ S, the spreading axis trends NS. From 18°10 S to 16°40 S the orientation of the spreading axis changes from NS to 015°. North of 16°40′ S the spreading axis trends 160°. These two 015° and 160° branches converge with the left lateral North Fiji fracture zone around 16°40′ S to define an RRFZ triple junction. Water sampling, dredging and photo TV deep towing give new information concerning the hydrothermal activity along the spreading axis. The discovery of hydrothermal deposits associated with living communities confirms this activity.     

Direct determination of barium in Sea water by inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry

A method for the determination of barium in sea water was investigated using inductively coupled plasma emission spectrometry, and sea water samples from the Japan Sea and the Pacific Ocean were directly analyzed by this method. Artificial sea water was used to prepare matrix matched standard solutions to overcome the problem of physical interference. The detection limit (signal/noise ratio=2) for barium in deionized and distilled water was 0.08µg l^?1 and in sea water, 0.12µg l^?1. The reproducibilities in the purified water and in the sea water at the 10µg l^?1 level were 0.7% a#FFFFFFnd 0.5%, respectively. The barium concentration in both the Japan Sea and the Pacific Ocean increased with depth and ranged between 5.5–10.0µg l^?1 and 4.1–18.4µg l^?1, respectively.     

Effective stress analyses of liquefaction-induced deformation in river dikes

A series of effective stress analyses is carried out on the seismic performance of river dikes based on the case histories during the 1993 Hokkaido-Nansei-oki and 1995 Hyogoken-Nambu earthquakes in Japan. Seven case histories selected for the analyses involve a crest settlement ranging from none to 2.7 m in the dikes 3–6 m high with evidence of liquefaction at foundation soil. The effective stress model used is based on a multiple shear mechanism and was developed by one of the authors. The soil parameters are evaluated based on the site investigation and laboratory test results. The results of the analyses are basically consistent with the observed performance of the river dikes. In particular, the effective stress model shows a reasonable capability to reproduce the varying degree of settlements depending on the geotechnical conditions of foundation soils beneath the dikes. The analyses also indicate that the effect of a cohesive soil layer mixed with the liquefiable sand layers beneath the dikes can be a primary factor for reducing the liquefaction-induced deformation of dikes.     

Traveling wave effects on a tall and narrow building: Observation and analysis

The purpose of this paper is to investigate the seismic response of a tall and narrow building, for example, a turbine building of thermal power plant, due to a traveling shear wave. It is considered that the dynamic response of the building can be affected by the spatial variance of seismic ground motion, because the building has a long-shaped foundation (43 meters wide by 343 meters long by 4 meters thick). First, analytical study was conducted using obliquely incident harmonic motion. And comparing the earthquake response observed at different points of foundation slab, it was found that the response at the end point where input wave reaches later is larger than that at the other end. From these studies, it was assured that the antisymmetric mode, which can be neglected in ordinary analysis, is excited by phase difference of input motion.     

Structure and crystal chemistry of a dense polymorph of tricalcium phosphate Ca3 (PO4)2: A host to accommodate large lithophile elements in the earth's mantle

A phase of Ca₃ (PO₄)₂, synthesized at 12GPa and 2300° C, is structurally analyzed by the single crystal X-ray diffraction method. This Ca₃(PO₄)₂ is found to be a dense polymorph of tricalcium phosphate isostructural with Ba₃ (PO₄)₂ and named γ-Ca₃ (PO₄)₂. In the structure of Ca₃ (PO₄)₂, a phosphorus atom is tetrahedrally coordinated by oxygen atoms and calcium atoms occupy two types of large metal sites. The Ca(1) site has twelve oxygen neighbours with the mean bond length of 2.739 Å while the other Ca(2) site is coordinated by ten oxygen atoms with the mean Ca-O distance of 2.588Å. The structure is characterized by the translationally interconnected polyhedral sequence PO₄-Ca(2)O₁₀-Ca (1)O₁₂-Ca (2)O₁₀-PO₄ in the direction of the c axis. This dense phase of Ca₃(PO₄)₂ with two large metal sites may be an important host for very large lithophile elements in the deep upper mantle of the earth.     

Resonant excitation of the solarg-modes through coupling of 5-min oscillations

It is proposed that the interacting solarg-modes are driven by the beat forcing ofg-modes by two 5-min oscillations, excited by ak-mechanism. The observational implications of the proposed mechanism are discussed.Paper presented at the IAU Third Asian-Pacific Regional Meeting, held in Kyoto, Japan, between 30 September–6 October, 1984.     

The Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect and Faraday rotation contributions of galaxy groups to the CMB angular power spectrum

The Sunyaev–Zel'dovich (SZ) effect and the Faraday rotation from haloes are examined over a wide mass range, including gas condensation and magnetic field evolution. Contributions to the cosmic microwave background (CMB) angular power spectrum are evaluated for galaxy clusters, galaxy groups and galaxies. Smaller mass haloes are found to play a more important role than massive haloes for the B -mode polarization associated with the SZ CMB anisotropies. The B modes from the Faraday rotation dominate the secondary B modes caused by gravitational lensing at  ℓ > 3000  . Measurement of B -mode polarization in combination with the SZ power spectrum can potentially provide important constraints on intracluster magnetic field and gas evolution at early epochs.