Design and Implementation of e-Learning System at the Faculty of Science, Okayama University

岡山大学理学部ではe-ラーニングシステム(理学部LMS)が導入され運用されている。理学部LMSの導入に際しては商用またはオープンソフトウェアの様々な学習管理システムを調査し，Moodleが採用された。理学部でのMoodleはセキュアで信頼性の高いPCベースのGNU/Linux，Apache，MySQLおよびPHPが稼動するコンピュータによって運用されている。理学部LMSを使用するための初期コストは，学部を構成している教員と学生の持つ利用能力に応じて可能な限りコストパフォーマンスを高める様にデザインされた。LMSとして採用したMoodleがベースとしている社会構築主義は講義を改善する強力なポテンシャルを有するが，理学部LMSシステムの有効性はユーザの能力によって制限されるかもしれない

Mineral paragenesis in thermally metamorphosed serpentinites, Ohsa-yama, Okayama Prefecture

The Ohsa-yama ultramafic body, which consists of several types of serpentinized peridotites, underwent contact metamorphism caused by a Cretaceous granite intrusion ; this metamorphism resulted in the formation of contact aureole, 1.5-2.0 km wide, around the granite intrusion, and produced progressive mineral changes in metaserpentinites toward the contact between the Ohsa-yama body and the granite intrusion. On the basis of analysis of mineral paragenetic relations, the Ohsa-yama ultramafic body can be divided into three zones with progressive changes in mineral assemblages as follows : Zone Ⅰ : serpentine ± chlorite ± brucite Zone Ⅱ : olivine + talc ± tremolite ± chlorite Zone Ⅲ : olivine + orthopyroxene ± tremolite ± spinel Zone Ⅰ corresponds to the parts unaffected by the thermal event, and Zones Ⅱ and Ⅲ correspond to the thermally metamorphosed parts of the Ohsa-yama body. The results obtained in this study are generally consistent with those of the previous studies on metamorphic peridotites from the Sangun and Muzuru zones

Petrography of primary peridotites from the Ohsa-yama area, Okayama Prefecture

Ultramafic rocks exposed around Mt. Ohsa(= Ohsa-yama), Okayama prefecture, designated as "Ohsa-yama ultramafic body" all together, are one of the Alpine-type peridotites in the Sangun metamorphic belt. They are intensely serpentinized and locally suffered contact metamorphism by younger granitic intrusions. In a por-tion of the ohsa-yama body where it has been affected by the contact metamorphism, the constituent minerals, texture and structure of primary ultramafic rocks have been locally preserved. Petrographic studies revead that the primary ultramafic rocks of the ohsa-yama body consist domimantly of dunite and harzburgite possessing no obvious layering, and their constituent minerals are similar in composition to those of the Tari-Misaka and Ashidachi ultramafic bodies. These features indicate that unlike the Ochiai-Hokubo body, the Ohsa-yama ultra-mafic body belongs to the "massive group" of the Arai's (1980) classification

岡山県に分布する白亜紀前期羽山層砕屑物質の供給源：砕屑粒の鉱物化学組成とモード組成から導かれる制約

Petrographic and phase chemistry studies of detrital grains were carried out on sandstones from the Lower Cretaceous Hayama Formation, Inner Zone of Southwest Japan, to determine their provenance and the tectonic setting during the early Cretaceous. The results of the modal mineralogy suggest that the Hayama Formation has magmatic arc provenance and that deposition of the sediments took place in the back-arc areas with detritus mostly derived from the magmatic arc and rifted continental margins. The chemical compositions of chromian spinel, chlorite and sphene indicate that significant proportions of the detrital grains were derived from mafic and/or ultramafic sources. The source areas are the mafic and ophiolitic rocks in the Sangun-Renge and Akiyoshi terranes and the felsic volcanic rocks probably from either the Akiyoshi terrane or a source not presently exposed in southwest Japan. However, minor amounts of the detritus were derived from the basement rocks; i.e., carbonates and siliciclastic rocks of the Akiyoshi terrane and the metamorphosed mafic rocks of the Chizu terrane

Provenance of Lower Cretaceous sediments in the Nariwa and Hokubo areas, Okayama Prefecture, deduced from detrital modes and geochemistry of sandstones

Petrographic and geochemical study of sandstones from the Kenseki Formation have shown that the sandstones are compositionally immature. The immaturity is reflected geochemically by their low SiO2 contents (52-66 wt%) and petrographically by low modal percents of quartz and K-feldspar, and high modal percents of plagioclase and volcanic lithic fragmants. The Kensaki sandstones are, however, poor in Na2O (up to 2.1 wt%). Both petrography and geochemistry suggest a heterogeneous source lithologies of acidic and basic volcanics, sedimentary, and ultramafic rocks. Petrographic evidence is supplied by quartz and plagioclase of volcanic origin, acidic volcanic fragments, basic volcanic fragments, volcanic glass, serpentinite fragments and detrital spinel grains. Geochemical evidence is provided by high FeO* (total iron as FeO), MgO, TiO2, CaO and K2O contents. Petrographic and geochemical study of the Kenseki sandstones indicate calc-alkaline oceanic island are provenance. The sediments were locally derived, with Alpine-type ultramafic rocks exposed in the north and volcanic materials of the Akiyoshi Belt supplying the bulk of the detritus

ガーナ,南部アシャンティ帯の原生代プリンスタウン・グラニトイド岩体に関する主成分地球化学

The Pateoproterozoic metavolcanic rocks of the southern Ashanti greenstone belt of Ghana are intruded by three major suites of granitoids, locally called Prince's Town, Dixcove and Ketan plutons. The Prince's Town pluton is the largest intrusive body in the Axim area, and tends to separate the Axim volcanic branch from the Cape Three Points branch. The Pluton consists of granitic to dioritic rocks, which are generally massive but occasionally display alignment of ferromagnesian minerals. The rocks contain mainly plagioclase, K-feldspar, quartz, amphibole, biotite and opaques. The feldspars are mostly sericitized and saussuritized, and alteration of amphibole and biotite to epidote and chlorite is common. Accessory minerals include apatite, sphene and zircon. The geochemical data indicate that the rocks are tonalitic to granodioritic in composoition, metaluminous (ASI<1) and have I-type characteristics. The granitoids have the SiO2 content of 63-70% ; total iron, as Fe2 O3 of 3.10-5.80% ; (Na2O+K2O) content of 5.01-6.96% and Na2O/K2O ratios from 1.34 to 2.70 ; and are characterized by Mg# ranging from 53 to 48. The Fe*(=FeOtot/FeOtot+MgO) and modified alkali-lime index (MALI) of the rocks indicate that the Prince's Town pluton is dominantly magnesian and calcic in nature. Higher values in molar CaO/(MgO+FeOtot) coupled with low molar AI2O3/(MgO+FeOtot) may suggest their derivation from partial melting of metabasaltic to metatonalitic sourcc, with a possible contribution from metagreywacke, but preclude any contribution from metapelitic sources. The Birimaian metavolcanic rocks are the likely source material candidate for the rocks. CIPW norm calculations yielded a crystallization temperature of～650-685℃ and a pressure of 4-7kb for the rocks, suggesting a lower crustal souree. The Prince's Town plutonic rocks also show characteristice of plutons emplaced in a volcanic are tectonic setting environment. This observation is largely consistent with previous studies conducted on granitoids from other parts of the southern Ashanti greenstone belt c and the belt-type granitoids of Ghana as a whole

ガーナ, ビルム・ダイヤモンド産地のアクァティア地域に分布する沖積層の重鉱物分析

Heavy mineral analysis was carried out on Pliocene to Recent alluvial sediments from the Birim diamondiferous field od Ghana. The main objective of the study was to examine the mineral composition of heavy fractions in order to identify : (1) the heavy mineral assenblage that occur in the sediments, (2) particular diamond indicator minerals associated with the diamonds, and (3) the provenance of the alluvial sediments. The heavy minerals are essentially composed of staurolite, ilmenite and magnetite in varying proportions, with trace amounts of leucoxene, rutile, garnet and zircon. The heavy mineral assenblage and chemical composition of ilmenite and gamet suggest their derivation from phyllites and schists which reflect directly the composition of the basement rocks developed in the study area. The absence of diamond indicatior minerals such as apatite, pyrope garmet, chromian spinel, and picroilmenite in the heavy fraction is unlikely to be due to their destruction during intense weathering and/or diagenesis but rarher their non-occurrence in the area

ガーナ，アシャンティ火山帯南部に分布する古原生代変火山岩類のSr-Nd 同位体組成

Neodymium (Nd) and strontium (Sr) isotopic data are presented for Paleoproterozoic metavolcanic rocks in the southern part of the Ashanti volcanic belt of Ghana. The metavolcanic rocks are predominantly basalts/basaltic andesites and andesites with minor dacites. Two types of basalts/basaltic andesites (B/A), Type I and Type II, have been identified. The Type I B/A are stratigraphically overlain by the Type II B/A, followed by the andesites and the dacites. The analyzed volcanic rocks commonly have low initial (87)Sr/(86)Sr ratios consistent with previous studies on Paleoproterozoic rocks from the West African craton. The LREE-depleted, tholeiitic Type I B/A exhibit back-arc basin geochemical signatures and show high positive epsilon Nd (i.e., ε(Nd) (2.1 Ga) = +3.89 to +7.21), which suggest a long term depleted source and also indicate that they were produced in an entirely oceanic environment devoid of influence of continental crust. The isotope signatures are thus consistent with the previously published trace element data of the Type I basalts/basaltic andesites in suggesting that their parent magma was generated from a depleted mantle. The Type I B/A have Nd model ages (T(DM2)) of 1.83–2.09 Ga similar to their formation ages, suggesting that they were juvenile at their time of formation. The andesites and the Type II B/A andesites show LREE-enriched patterns and exhibit characteristics of subduction zone-related magmas, and show initial ε(Nd) (2.1Ga) values of –1.15 to + 1.35 and Nd model ages (T(DM2)) of 2.32–2.58 Ga. The LREE-enriched dacitic porphyry also exhibits characteristics of subduction zone-related magmas, and have initial ε(Nd) (2.1Ga) value of –2.24 and Nd model ages (T(DM2)) of 2.64 Ga. The Nd isotopic data confirms the juvenile character of the Birimian crust, but also suggests some contributions of a pre-Birimian crustal material (or Archean?) in the genesis of some of the metavolcanic rocks. Our isotopic result is consistent with the island arc complex model which views Paleoproteozoic terranes of West Africa in the context of subduction–accretion processes

Relict igneous minerals of the Sangun metamorphic rocks of the Tsuboi district, Okayama Prefecture

The Sangun metamorphic rocks of the Maniwa Group are well developed in the Tsuboi district, Okayama Prefecture. These metamorphic rocks consist mainly of psammitic and pelitic sedimentary rocks and lavas and pyroclastics of basic to acidic compositions that recrystallized during the Sangun low-grade regional metamorphism. The metamorphic rocks in this district underwent to a considerable extent a mineralogical and textural transformation, but still preserve in parts their original, mineralogical and textural features. Unaltered, relict clinopyroxenes and hornblendes are commonly observed in the metamorphic rocks derived from basic lavas and intermediate pyroclastics. Microprobe analyses of these relict minerals suggest that their host rocks were probably derivatives of magma(s) with a non-alkaline affinity

Petrology of the Oceanographer Fracture Zone (35ºN35ºW)

During a geological and geophysical survey of the Oceanographer Fracture Zone (35°N, 35°W), seventeen dredge hauls containing a variety of rocks were obtained. Petrographic study shows that these rock samples can be classified into six main rock types: fresh basalt, weathered basalt, metabasalt, gabbro, metagabbro, and serpentinite. Most of the dredge hauls were positioned on the steep, southern wall of the fracture zone, and an inference from the dredging results suggests that basalt is the most abundant rock type which outcrops at the junction between the rift valley and the fracture zone; however, as we move away from the junction, metabasalts and metagabbros apparently become more abundant in the outcrops on the wall of the fracture zone. Fresh basalts from the Oceanographer Fracture Zone are characterized by the petrography, mineralogy, and major element chemistry typical of abyssal tholeiites, but are somewhat enriched in large ion lithophile elements (K, La, etc.). The major constituent minerals observed in these fresh tholeiitic basalts are olivine, plagioclase, clinopyroxene, and opaque minerals. Compositional variation of olivine within a given specimen is small, and fayalite contents steadily increase as FeO*(total iron as FeO)/MgO in the host basalt increases. Clinopyroxenes of these tholeiitic basalts are mostly augites, and no Ca-poor pyroxene is observed. Plagioclase including those that occur in the groundmass show an overall compositional range from An86 to An44. There is a positive correlation between albite content and Fe/(Fe+Mg) in these plagioclases; i.e., Fe/(Fe+Mg) increases as plagioclase becomes more sodic. Major element analyses of tholeiitic basalts from two adjacent dredge hauls (RD 7 and 8) show that these tholeiitic basalts are closely related chemically and that they apparently represent points on a continuous liquid line of descent. This compositional variation can be ascribed to fractional crystallization of phenocryst phases observed in these tholeiites. Metamorphic rocks from the Oceanographer Fracture Zone range in metamorphic grade from zeolite to greenschist facies. Metabasalts are massive and show no evidence of deformation; metagabbros are to some degree deformed. Petrographic study of these metagabbros indicates that. plagioclase grains are commonly strained, bent, and ruptured, whereas pyroxene and hornblende grains are replaced by a metamorphic mineral assemblage made up mainly of actinolite and chlorite. Apparently, plagioclase responded differently than the mafic minerals to these tectonic and metamorphic conditions. The Oceanographer rock collection is characterized by abundant rocks with the hornblende plus plagioclase assemblage. It is suggested that this rock type must be considered as one of the potential candidates for the constitution of oceanic crust