GEK measurements in a shallow water region

Evidence for the applicability of GEK (Geomagnetic Electrokinetography) measurements to shallow water regions is provided from observations in the shelf region of the East China Sea. The reason for the effectiveness of GEK measurements in this case is investigated theoretically, and it is shown to be attributable to the existence of a thick conductive sedimentary layer. In addition, it is shown that low conductive basement rock can be regarded as a good conductor for GEK measurements if the current width is broad enough and if the ratio of current width to water depth is larger than the resistivity ratio of basement rock to sea water. This implies that barotropic tidal currents can be measured with GEK in any ocean on the earth if they have significant magnitudes.     

State Estimation of the North Pacific Ocean by a Four-Dimensional Variational Data Assimilation Experiment

A four-dimensional variational data assimilation system has been applied to an experiment to describe the dynamic state of the North Pacific Ocean. A synthesis of available observational records and a sophisticated ocean general circulation model produces a dynamically consistent dataset, which, in contrast to the nudging approach, provides realistic features of the seasonally-varying ocean circulation with no artificial sources/sinks for temperature and salinity fields. This new dataset enables us to estimate heat and water mass transports in addition to the qualification of water mass formation and movement processes. A sensitivity experiment on our assimilation system reveals that the origin of the North Pacific Intermediate Water can be traced back to the Sea of Okhotsk and the Bering Sea in the subarctic region and to the subtropical Kuroshio region further south. These results demonstrate that our data assimilation system is a very powerful tool for the identification and characterization of ocean variabilities and for our understanding of the dynamic state of ocean circulation. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Numerical study of the meridional overturning circulation with “mixing hotspots” in the Pacific Ocean

Using an idealized ocean general circulation model, we examine the effect of “mixing hotspots” (localized regions of intense diapycnal mixing) predicted based on internal wave-wave interaction theory (Hibiya et al., 2006) on the meridional overturning circulation of the Pacific Ocean. Although the assumed diapycnal diffusivity in the mixing hotspots is a little larger than the predicted value, the upwelling in the mixing hotspots is not sufficient to balance the deep-water production; out of 17 Sv of the downwelled water along the southern boundary, only 9.2 Sv is found to upwell in the mixing hotspots. The imbalance as much as 7.8 Sv is compensated by entrainment into the surface mixed layer in the vicinity of the downwelling region. As a result, the northward transport of the deep water crossing the equator is limited to 5.5 Sv, much less than estimated from previous current meter moorings and hydrographic surveys. One plausible explanation for this is that the magnitude of the meridional overturning circulation of the Pacific Ocean has been overestimated by these observations. We raise doubts about the validity of the previous ocean general circulation models where diapycnal diffusivity is assigned ad hoc to attain the current magnitude suggested from current meter moorings and hydrographic surveys.     

The structure of the kuroshio front in the vicinity of separation point where the Kuroshio leaves the Japanese coast

By using existing data obtained in the offshore area from the Boso Peninsula to the Joban Coast, it was shown that the double structure of the Kuroshio Front — which is usually found along the northern edge of the Kuroshio Extension to the east 143°E (Nagataet al., 1986 ; Shinet al., 1988) — is hardly found at the edge of the Kuroshio when it is flowing along the Japanese coast or in the area to the west of 142°E. It was suggested that the cold and fresh water core beneath the density front of the double structure originates from the fresh and cold Oyashio Water which is captured beneath the Kuroshio Front just off the Kashima Coast. The double structure of the Kuroshio Front would be generated and developed very rapidly in the region between 142°E and 143°E just after the Kuroshio leaves the Japanese coast.     

Infrared polarization of venus: Its periodic fluctuations and evidence for thin haze

Infrared polarimetry of Venus over the phase angles from 18 to 171° has been made extending previous measurements (S. Sato, K. Kawara, Y. Kobayashi, H. Okuda, K. Noguchi, T. Mukai, and S. Mukai (1980). Icarus43, 288) in both wavelength λ and phase angle θ. The results of polarization measurements at 2.25 μm ? λ ? 5.0 μm are (i) small positive and negative values at K(2.25 μm), (ii) a remarkable variation with λ in the CVF(2.2?4.2μm) filter region, (iii) a nearly smooth curve as a function of θ having a peak value of ～36% at θ ～ 90° at both 3.6 μm and L′(3.8 μm), and (iv) a decrease with increasing field of view at M(5.0 μm) due to the contamination of thermal emission from the dark crescent. Furthermore, at 3.6 μm and L′(3.8 μm), (v) higher values at the poles than at the equator and (vi) 4.5- to 5.9-day periodic fluctuations are also found. From a comparison with model calculations, the results confirm the existence of a thin haze layer consisting of submicron-size particles above the main clouds of Venus; e.g., its optical thickness is about 0.1 at λ ～ 0.94 μm. In addition, result (vi) could be explained by a variation of the optical thickness of the haze layer or that of the brightness temperature of the main clouds.     

Stratigraphy and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of a Quaternary sequence along the Dong Nai River, southern Vietnam

The pre-Holocene Cenozoic sequence outcrops in the terrestrial part of the eastern margin of the Mekong Basin. However, the stratigraphy of the sequence is still unclear. Its detailed stratigraphy and chronology were therefore studied along the Dong Nai River, southern Vietnam, and the lithofacies and the relations among the formations were investigated from the outcrops. The ages of the deposits were determined by using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating.The Ba Mieu Formation was deposited about 176±52 ka during marine isotope stage (MIS) 7–6. The Thu Duc Formation was deposited about 97±27 ka during MIS 5. Both the Ba Mieu and Thu Duc formations are composed of fluvial and tidally influenced coastal deposits. The newly proposed Nhon Trach Formation was originally an eolian (blanket) deposit, but it has been partly reworked by fluvial processes. The Nhon Trach Formation was deposited about 10.9±4.7 ka, in the last part of the Pleistocene to the beginning of the Holocene. The OSL ages for the Ba Mieu, Thu Duc, and Nhon Trach formations are younger than the ages previously assigned to these formations.     

Chemical, Isotopic, and Fluid Inclusion Evidence for the Hydrothermal Alteration of the Footwall Rocks of the BIF-Hosted Iron Ore Deposits in the Hamersley District, Western Australia

Abstract. The petrography, chemical, fluid inclusion and isotope analyses (O, Rb-Sr) were conducted for the shale samples of the Mount McRae Shale collected from the Tom Price, Newman, and Paraburdoo mines in the Hamersley Basin, Western Australia. The Mount McRae Shale at these mines occurs as a footwall unit of the secondary, hematite-rich iron ores derived from the Brockman Iron Formation, one of the largest banded iron formations (BIFs) in the world. Unusually low contents of Na, Ca, and Sr in the shales suggest that these elements were leached away from the shale after deposition. The δ¹⁸O (SMOW) values fall in the range of + 15.0 to +17.9 per mil and show the positive correlation with calculated quartz/sericite ratios of the shale samples. This suggests that the oxygen isotopic compositions of shale samples were homogenized and equilibrated by postdepositional event. The pyrite nodules hosted by shales are often rimmed by thin layers of silica of varying crystallinity. Fluid inclusions in quartz crystals rimming a pyrite nodule show homogenization temperatures ranging from 100 to 240C for 47 inclusions and salinities ranging from 0.4 to 12.3 wt% NaCl equivalent for 18 inclusions. These fluid inclusion data give direct evidence for the hydrothermal activity and are comparable to those of the vein quartz collected from the BIF-derived secondary iron ores (Taylor et al, 2001). The Rb-Sr age for the Mount McRae Shale is 1,952 ± 289 Ma and at least 200 million years younger than the depositional age of the Brockman Iron Formation of ∼ 2.5 Ga in age. All the data obtained in this study are consistent with the suggestion that high temperature hydrothermal fluids were responsible for both the secondary iron ore formation and the alteration of the Mount McRae Shale.     

K–Ar geochronology of the temporal change of eruptive style in the eastern Izu peninsula, central Japan

Abstract   A recent K–Ar study elucidated that eruptive style in the eastern Izu peninsula changed from polygenetic to monogenetic volcano at 0.3–0.2 Ma. To narrow down the time of change, we determined 10 K–Ar ages on Togasayama Andesite of Amagi volcano, the youngest polygenetic volcano in the area, and Togasayama Monogenetic Volcano, one of the oldest monogenetic volcanoes in the area, which overlies a part of the Togasayama Andesite. Dating results showed that the Togasayama Andesite effused at least from 0.34 to 0.20 Ma, whereas the Togasayama Monogenetic Volcano erupted at 0.26–0.29 Ma, suggesting that the northern part of the Togasayama Andesite effused after the eruption of the Togasayama Monogenetic Volcano. Considering previous data, it is therefore inferred that change of eruptive style in the eastern Izu area occurred during the period 0.29–0.20 Ma, with considerable overlap of both polygenetic and monogenetic volcanism.     

Origin of layering in cumulate gabbros in the Oman ophiolite: Insights from magnetic susceptibility measurements in the Wadi Sadm area

Abstract   Magnetic susceptibility and the anisotropy of magnetic susceptibility were measured on an 800-cm-thick succession of cumulate gabbro in the Sadm area of the Oman ophiolite. The section contained three distinct cumulate units. The susceptibility tends to decrease upward in each from a melanocratic layer (several tens of centimeters thick) to a leucocratic layer (a few meters thick). The susceptibility decreases in accordance with the decreasing number of magnetite grains, which are the alteration product mainly of olivine minerals. This suggests the cyclic downward accumulation of olivine in the cumulate gabbro. The apparent strain deduced from the patterns of magnetic and grain fabrics was the result mostly of simple shear, so that the layering of gabbro is understood to be formed primarily by a crystal cumulus process followed by simple shear deformation.