ALBERT

Description: The partially agravitropic growth habit of roots of an auxin-resistant mutant of Arabidopsis thaliana, axr4, was restored by the addition of 30-300 nM 1-naphthaleneacetic acid (NAA) to the growth medium. Neither indole 3-acetic acid (IAA) nor 2,4-dichlorophenoxyacetic acid (2,4-D) showed such an effect. Growth of axr4 roots was resistant to IAA and 2,4-D, but not at all to NAA. The differential effects of the three auxins suggest that the defects of axr4 result from a lower auxin influx into its cells. The partially agravitropic growth habit of axr1 roots, which was less severe than that of axr4 roots, was only slightly affected by the three auxins in the growth medium at concentrations up to 300 nM; growth of axr1 roots was resistant to all three of the auxins. These results suggest that the lesion of axrl mutants is different from that of axr4.

Description: The VHF band MU radar at Shigaraki, Japan, has been in full operation successfully since April 1985. Dynamical features found primarily in the data obtained by the radar during a one year period from December 1985 to November 1986 are examined. These include: basic wind observations, quasi-monochromatic gravity waves generated by the jet stream or through a geostrophic adjustment process, seasonal variation of the mesoscale wind variability, the momentum flux due to gravity wave motions, and saturated gravity wave spectrum. A short discussion is added to the relationship between turbulent layers and ambient wind field in the mesosphere.

Description: Wind motions were observed at 60 to 90 km altitudes with the MU radar during daylight hours (0800 to 1600 LT) from 13 to 31 October 1986. Quasi-monochromatic gravity waves were evident on 16 of the 19 days of observations. They were characterized by typical vertical wavelength of 5 to 15 km and intrinsic periods centered at about 9 hours. The propagation direction of the gravity waves, determined by the gravity wave dispersion relation, was mostly equatorward. The vertical wave number spectra of the horizontal components of the mesoscale wind fluctuations are explained well by saturated gravity wave theory. The frequency spectrum of vertical wind component has a slope of + 1/3, while the oblique spectra have a slope of -5/3 up to 4 x 10(-3) (c/s); these agree fairly well with model gravity wave spectra. Doppler shift effects on the frequency spectra are recognized at higher frequencies. Upward flux was determined of horizontal momentum flux induced by waves with periods from 10 min to 8 hours, and westward and northward body forces of 5.1 and 4.0 m/s/day, were estimated respectively.

Description: Electric field and plasma density data gathered on a sounding rocket launched from Uchinoura Space Center, Japan, reveal a complex electrodynamics associated with sporadic-E layers and simultaneous observations of quasiperiodic radar echoes. The electrodynamics are characterized by spatial and temporal variations that differed considerably between the rocket's up-leg and down-leg traversals of the lower ionosphere. Within the main sporadic-E layer (95- 110 km) on the up-leg, the electric fields were variable, with amplitudes of 2 4 mV1m that changed considerably within altitude intervals of 1-3 km. The identification of polarization electric fields coinciding with plasma density enhancements and/or depletions is not readily apparent. Within this region on the down-leg, however, the direction of the electric field revealed a marked change that coincided precisely with the peak of a single, narrow sporadic-E plasma density layer near 102.5 km. This shear was presumably associated with the neutral wind shear responsible for the layer formation. The electric field data above the sporadic-E layer on the upleg, from 110 km to the rocket apogee of 152 km, revealed a continuous train of distinct, large scale, quasi-periodic structures with wavelengths of 10-15 km and wavevectors oriented between the NE-SW quadrants. The electric field structures had typical amplitudes of 3-5 mV/m with one excursion to 9mV/m, and in a very general sense, were associated with perturbations in the plasma density. The electric field waveforms showed evidence for steepening and/or convergence effects and presumably had mapped upwards along the magnetic field from the sporadic-E region below.

Description: A comparison is made of microstructures of droplets of Ni-Sn alloys rapidly solidified by gas atomization and in a glass emulsifying medium. Cooling rate of the gas atomized particles ranged from 10 to the 3rd to 10 to the 6th K/s depending on droplet diameter (20-230 microns). In the hypoeutectic alloy studied, /Ni-(25 wt pct Sn)/, most particles showed a dendritic structure. These same particles, melted and resolidified in a glass medium using DTA (Differential Thermal Analysis), showed undercoolings up to 280 K: the structures were dendritic at low undercoolings and nondendritic at undercoolings above 220 K. It is concluded that the gas atomized particles exhibited little or no undercooling before nucleation; the solidification time of the undercooled emulsified droplets is substantially less than that of gas atomized droplets, and the undercooling required to achieve nondendritic structure depends on sample size.

Description: The Hayabusa spacecraft was launched on May 9, 2003 and reached an asteroid Itokawa (25143 Itokawa) in September 2005. After accomplishing several scientific observations, the spacecraft tried to collect the surface material of Itokawa by touching down to the asteroid in November. The spacecraft was then navigated for the earth. In encountering several difficulties, Hayabusa finally returned to the earth on June 12, 2010 and the entry capsule was successfully recovered. Initially, a g-scale of solid material was aimed to be captured into the entry capsule. Although the sample collection was not perfectly performed, it was hoped that some extraterrestrial material was stored into the capsule. After careful and extensive examination, more than 1500 particles were recognized visibly by microscopes, most of which were eventually judged to be extraterrestrial, highly probably originated from Itokawa [1]. Several years before the launching of the Hayabusa spacecraft, the initial analysis team was officially formed under the selection panel at ISAS. As a member of this team, we have been preparing for the initial inspection of the returned material from many scientific viewpoints [2]. Once the recovered material had been confirmed to be much less than 1 g, a scheme for the initial analysis was updated accordingly [3]. In this study, we aim to analyze tiny single grains by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA). As the initial analysis is to be started in mid-January, 2011, some progress for the initial analysis using INAA is described here. Analytical procedure

Description: International Ocean Discovery Program (IODP) Expedition 353 (29 November 2014–29 January 2015) drilled six sites in the Bay of Bengal, recovering 4280 m of sediments during 32.9 days of on-site drilling. Recovery averaged 97%, including coring with the advanced piston corer, half-length advanced piston corer, and extended core barrel systems. The primary objective of Expedition 353 is to reconstruct changes in Indian monsoon circulation since the Miocene at tectonic to centennial timescales. Analysis of the sediment sections recovered will improve our understanding of how monsoonal climates respond to changes in forcing external to the Earth’s climate system (i.e., insolation) and changes in forcing internal to the Earth’s climate system, including changes in continental ice volume, greenhouse gases, sea level, and the ocean-atmosphere exchange of energy and moisture. All of these mechanisms play critical roles in current and future climate change in monsoonal regions. The primary signal targeted is the exceptionally low salinity surface waters that result, in roughly equal measure, from both direct summer monsoon precipitation to the Bay of Bengal and runoff from the numerous large river basins that drain into the Bay of Bengal. Changes in rainfall and surface ocean salinity are captured and preserved in a number of chemical, physical, isotopic, and biological components of sediments deposited in the Bay of Bengal. Expedition 353 sites are strategically located in key regions where these signals are the strongest and best preserved. Salinity changes at IODP Sites U1445 and U1446 (northeast Indian margin) result from direct precipitation as well as runoff from the Ganges-Brahmaputra river complex and the many river basins of peninsular India. Salinity changes at IODP Sites U1447 and U1448 (Andaman Sea) result from direct precipitation and runoff from the Irrawaddy and Salween river basins. IODP Site U1443 (Ninetyeast Ridge) is an open-ocean site with a modern surface water salinity very near the global mean but is documented to have recorded changes in monsoonal circulation over orbital to tectonic timescales. This site serves as an anchor for establishing the extent to which the north to south (19°N to 5°N) salinity gradient changes over time.

Description: The history of the Arctic Ocean during the Cenozoic era (0–65 million years ago) is largely unknown from direct evidence. Here we present a Cenozoic palaeoceanographic record constructed from 〉400 m of sediment core from a recent drilling expedition to the Lomonosov ridge in the Arctic Ocean. Our record shows a palaeoenvironmental transition from a warm 'greenhouse' world, during the late Palaeocene and early Eocene epochs, to a colder 'icehouse' world influenced by sea ice and icebergs from the middle Eocene epoch to the present. For the most recent approx14 Myr, we find sedimentation rates of 1–2 cm per thousand years, in stark contrast to the substantially lower rates proposed in earlier studies; this record of the Neogene reveals cooling of the Arctic that was synchronous with the expansion of Greenland ice (approx3.2 Myr ago) and East Antarctic ice (approx14 Myr ago). We find evidence for the first occurrence of ice-rafted debris in the middle Eocene epoch (approx45 Myr ago), some 35 Myr earlier than previously thought; fresh surface waters were present at approx49 Myr ago, before the onset of ice-rafted debris. Also, the temperatures of surface waters during the Palaeocene/Eocene thermal maximum (approx55 Myr ago) appear to have been substantially warmer than previously estimated. The revised timing of the earliest Arctic cooling events coincides with those from Antarctica, supporting arguments for bipolar symmetry in climate change.