In situ strength measurements on natural upper-mantle minerals

Using in situ strength measurements at pressures up to 10 GPa and at room temperature, 400, 600, and 700°C, we examined rheological properties of olivine, orthopyroxene, and chromian-spinel contained in a mantle-derived xenolith. Mineral strengths were estimated using widths of X-ray diffraction peaks as a function of pressure, temperature, and time. Differential stresses of all minerals increase with increasing pressure, but they decrease with increasing temperature because of elastic strain on compression and stress relaxation during heating. During compression at room temperature, all minerals deform plastically at differential stress of 4–6 GPa. During subsequent heating, thermally induced yielding is observed in olivine at 600°C. Neither orthopyroxene nor spinel shows complete stress relaxation, but both retain some stress even at 700°C. The strength of the minerals decreases in the order of chromian-spinel ≈ orthopyroxene > olivine for these conditions. This order of strength is consistent with the residual pressure of fluid inclusions in mantle xenoliths.     

Vertical residual flow in Kasado Bay

Some observations were carried out to understand the structure of the vertical residual flow in Kasado Bay. The results of current measurements at three points in the lower layer indicated that a horizontal counterclockwise tidal residual circulation converges in the lower layer. The velocity of upward residual flow was estimated to be about 4.5×10^–3 cm s^–1. The distributions of water temperature, salinity and grain size in the sediment support the existence of this upward motion.     

Episodic outflow of suspended sediments from the Kii Channel to the Pacific Ocean in winter

Episodic outflow of suspended sediments from the Kii Channel to the Pacific Ocean in winter was observed by the sediment traps experiment above the shelf slope. When the current speed was weak and its direction was south or southwestward above the shelf slope the sinking sediment flux was nearly zero but the sinking sediment flux increased to 22g m^–2 day^–1 after the current speed was strong, its direction changed to south-west or westward and water temperature fell. Such intermitten sinking sediment flux above the shelf slope is considered to be related to the intermittent intrusion of the turbid and cold shelf water into the sub-surface layer of the transparent and warm slope water. Such episodic events may play a very important role in the material transport from the coastal sea to the open ocean.     

Coastal upwelling and downwelling events in the Seto Inland Sea

Prominent coastal upwelling and downwelling events due to Ekman transport were observed during the period from 14 to 18 August 1983 along the Misaki Peninsula in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan. The coastline of the Misaki Peninsula is aligned approximately in an ENE-WSW direction. When an ENE wind continued blowing for about two days, the warm water in the upper layer was pushed offshore and cold water in the lower layer upwelled along the peninsula. The estimated upwelling speed 3 m below the sea surface was 0.032 cm sec^–1. On the other hand, when a WSW wind continued blowing for about two days the warm water in the upper layer sank into the lower layer along the peninsula. The estimated downwelling speed 3 m below the sea surface was 0.080 cm sec^–1. The time lag between the variations of the alongshore wind and offshore current was about 0.5 days.     

Seasonal variation of water temperature in the Seto Inland Sea

The seasonal variation of water temperature in the Seto Inland Sea, Japan is examined using data analysis and numerical experiments and is shown to be controlled by heat exchange through the sea surface and horizontal heat dispersion from the Pacific Ocean. The average water temperature goes down from the Pacific Ocean to the center of the Seto Inland Sea indicating that 4.0 to 6.0×10¹⁵ cal day^?1 (1.6 to 2.5×10¹⁶ joule day^?1) of heat is transported from the Pacific Ocean to the Seto Inland Sea and is lost through the sea surface. The amplitude of seasonal variation of water temperature is large at the center of the Seto Inland Sea and the maximum water temperature is reached first at Bisan Straits and last at Iyo-Nada.     

Tidal energy balance in the Seto Inland Sea

The tidal volume transport in the Seto Inland Sea is calculated. The cross-section where the volume transport of the M₂ tide is zero, is located around the western part of Bisan Strait. The tidal energy dissipation of the M₂ tide by friction is 6.30×10¹⁶ ergs s^–1 in the Seto Inland Sea. The quality factorQ for the M₂ tide is 20.2. The total energy dissipation of the M₂, S₂, K₁ and O₁ tides is 7.99×10¹⁶ ergs s^–1.     

大气季节内振荡对印度洋—西太平洋地区热带低压/气旋生成的影响

文中利用EOF分析大气季节内振荡 (MJO)的时空变化的方法 ,研究了 1996年 9月～ 1997年 6月间的MJO活动对生成在印度洋—西太平洋海域的热带低压 /气旋的影响。结果发现 ,除西北太平洋之外 ,发生在其他区域的热带低压 /气旋有半数以上生成在向东移动的MJO的湿位相中。伴随MJO的向东传播 ,热带低压 /气旋平均生成位置也随之向东移动 ,而生成在西北太平洋的热带低压 /气旋分别受到向东和向西传播的MJO影响     

Oxygen isotope speedometry in granulite facies garnet recording fluid/melt–rock interaction (Sør Rondane Mountains,East Antarctica)

In situ analysis of a garnet porphyroblast from a granulite facies gneiss from Sør Rondane Mountains, East Antarctica, reveals discontinuous step‐wise zoning in phosphorus and large δ¹⁸O variations from the phosphorus‐rich core to the phosphorus‐poor rim. The gradually decreasing profile of oxygen isotope from the core (δ¹⁸O = ~15‰) to the rim (δ¹⁸O = ~11‰) suggests that the ¹⁸O/¹⁶O zoning was originally step‐wise, and modified by diffusion after the garnet rim formation at ~800°C and 0.8 GPa. Fitting of the ¹⁸O/¹⁶O data to the diffusion equation constrains a duration of the high‐T event (~800°C) to c. 0.5–40 Ma after the garnet rim formation. The low δ¹⁸O value of the garnet rim, together with the previously reported low δ¹⁸O values in metacarbonates, indicates regional infiltration, probably along a detachment fault, of low δ¹⁸O fluid/melt possibly derived from meta‐mafic to ultramafic rocks.     

Seasonal variation of horizontal material transport through the eastern channel of the Tsushima Straits

We conducted hydrographic observations ten times in the Tsushima Strait to reveal seasonal variations of horizontal material transports such as of heat, freshwater, chlorophyll a, and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and phosphorus (DIP) through the eastern channel of the Tsushima Strait (ECTS). The volume, freshwater, and heat transport results are of nearly the same order as results reported in previous studies. The annual mean DIN and DIP transports of 3.59 kmol/s and 0.29 kmol/s are large relative to those of the Changjiang and the Taiwan Strait and are horizontally transported through the ECTS. Nutrient transports are high in July–August and October and low in April and November. Increased nutrient transports in July–August and October are due to the appearance of a cold saline water mass in the bottom layer of the ECTS. Changes in DIN transports in summer and autumn, which account for two-thirds of the total annual DIN transport, would have a large effect on the nitrogen budget and biological productivity in the Tsushima Warm Current region.     

On shallow earthquakes widely scattered in the continents

Summary Seismicity in the continents is characterized by its foci distribution. Intermediate foci are packed into small spaces with depth range of about 100–200 km. Shallow foci on the other hand, scatter quite widely. Study in the present paper is focussed to the latter feature. A suggestion is given that the wide scattering of shallow earthquakes in the continents as well as the recent remarkable uplifts of mountains are both resulted from the stress in lithosphere plate without entrance (trench) the movement of which is being impeded.