Annihilation model of quasi-stellar objects

The possibility that annihilation is a major source of energy in cosmic physics is discussed. Since Klein suggested that the Universe might be matter-antimatter symmetric over two decades ago, there have been a significant number of papers developing the consequences of this view. These, however, have been largely ignored in the general literature. There have also been a number of papers claiming to prove that there cannot be antimatter anywhere in the observable Universe. In the first part of this paper an assessment of the differing views is given, and it is shown that none of the arguments against antimatter is convincing. The existence of antimatter is not in conflict with any observational fact. The reason for the negative attitude towards the existence of antimatter seems to be that this view is in conflict with a number of speculative but generally accepted theories. However, recent magnetospheric and heliospheric research, includingin situ measurements of cosmic plasmas, is now drastically changing cosmic plasma physics in a way that leads to growing scepticism about quite a few of the speculative theories.An attempt is made to develop a simple phenomenological model of QSOs based on star-antistar collisions. This model can account for such basic observational properties as the acceleration to very large (non-cosmological) velocities, the existence of broad emission lines, and at the same time narrow absorption lines with different redshifts. The absence of blueshifts is also explained. The model predicts that relatively young QSOs should be at cosmological distances whereas the old ones may very well be much closer to us than indicated by their redshift.     

Hubble expansion in a euclidean framework

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Analytical theory of earth's artificial satellites (A.T.E.A.S.)

The problem of A.T.E.A.S. is treated, for the zonal perturbations, in its Hamiltonian form. The method consists in eliminating angular variables from the Hamiltonian function. Nearly identity canonical transformations are used, first to remove short periodic terms, second to remove long periodic terms. The general solution, up toJ ₂ ³ , is represented by the generators of the transformations and by the mean motions of averaged variables, known up toJ ₂ ⁴ . Open expressions in the eccentricity are avoided as far as possible. It permits to obtain a closed second order theory with closed third order mean motions.Proceedings of the Sixth Conference on Mathematical Methods in Celestial Mechanics held at Oberwolfach (West Germany) from 14 to 19 August, 1978.     

Origin and evolution of the solar system,II

(7)Formation of celestial bodies. The basic concepts of the accretional process are discussed, and the inadequacy of the contractional model is pointed out. A comparison is made between the general pre-planetary state on the one hand and the present state in the asteroidal region on the other. A model for accretion of resonance-captured grains leading to the formation of resonance-captured planets and satellites is suggested.(8)Spin and accretion. The relation between the accretional process and the spin of planets is analyzed.(9)Accretion of planets and satellites. It is shown that jet streams are a necessary intermediate stage in the formation of celestial bodies. The time sequence of planet formation is analyzed, and it is shown that the newly accreted bodies have a characteristic internal heat structure; the cases of the Earth and the Moon are considered in detail. A region of high initial temperature is found at 0.4 of the present Earth radius, whereas the culminating temperature of the Moon is near its present surface. An accretional heat wave is found to proceed outwards, and may produce the observed differentiation features.     

Geogas transport in fractured hard rock – Correlations with mining seismicity at 3.54 km depth, TauTona gold mine, South Africa

An on-site gas monitoring study has been conducted in the framework of an earthquake laboratory (The International NELSAM–DAFGAS projects) at the TauTona gold mine, South Africa. Five boreholes up to 60 m long were drilled at 3.54 km depth into the highly fractured Pretorius Fault Zone and instruments for chemical and seismic monitoring installed therein. Over the span of 4 years sensitive gas monitoring devices were continuously improved to enable the direct observation of geogas concentration variations in the DAFGAS borehole. The major gas concentrations are constant and air-like with about 78% N₂, 21% O₂, 1% Ar. The geogas components CO₂, CH₄, He and H₂ show the most interesting trends and variations on the minute-by-minute basis and significantly correlate with seismic data, while the ²²²Rn activity remains constant. Time series and cross correlation analysis allow the identification of different gas components (geogas and tunnel air) and the identification of two processes influencing the borehole gas composition: (1) pumping-induced tunnel air breakthrough through networks of initially water-saturated fault fractures; and (2) seismicity induced permeability enhancement of fault fractures to above ∼5 × 10^-10 m². The current set-up of the gas monitoring system is sensitive enough to quantify the resulting geogas transport during periods of intense blasting activities (including recorded blasts with seismic moment ?1 × 10⁹ Nm, located within 1000 m of the cubby) and, it is suggested, also during induced earthquakes, a final goal of the project.     

Effect of snow structure on water flow and solute transport

Water flow through a melting snow pack modifies its structure and stability and affects the release of water and nutrients into soils and surface waters. Field and laboratory observations indicate a large spatial variability on various scales of the liquid water content and flow, a dominant system feature currently not included in numerical models. We investigated experimentally water and dye tracer movement through microstructurally different snow pack horizons and the persistence of preferential flow paths. Naturally rounded snow of varying grain size was artificially packed to obtain well known conditions by sieving it into rectangular bins. Surface melt was induced with infrared lamps. The flow paths were visualized with tracers and liquid water content was monitored with time domain reflectometry probes. Vertical cuts through the snow pack were imaged. The dye tracer patterns allowed the two flow regimes ‘matrix flow’ and ‘preferential flow’ to be distinguished. Matrix flow is apparently dominated by film and capillary flow in the unsaturated snow matrix. The capillary barrier effect at a boundary between a fine over a coarse textured layer on matrix flow in snow was confirmed. In contrast, preferential flow appears as well‐defined flow fingers that advance from 0·1 to 1 cm s^?1. During a melt phase, the advancing flow fingers enlarge and are only partially time invariant. It remains to be shown whether the continuum concept, including the Darcy–Buckingham law is apt to describe the extremely non‐linear nature of water flow and the travel time of solutes in snow under conditions of melt water percolation. Probably, snow packs that include faceted crystals and large variations in bulk density, feature more pronounced capillary barriers and preferential flow triggering, but also stronger impeding of fingers by lateral dispersion. Further, triggering and persistence of preferential flow is complicated by the usually transient infiltration rate. Copyright © 2004 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

First investigations on the quaternary system Na2O-K2O-CaO-SiO2: synthesis and crystal structure of the mixed alkali calcium silicate K1.08Na0.92Ca6Si4O15

Mineralogy and Petrology - In the course of an exploratory study on the quaternary system Na2O-K2O-CaO-SiO2 single crystals of the first anhydrous sodium potassium calcium silicate have been...     

Quantifying Metabolically Driven pH and Oxygen Fluctuations in US Nearshore Habitats at Diel to Interannual Time Scales

We compiled and examined 15 years (2002–2016) of high-frequency monitoring data from the National Estuarine Research Reserve System (NERRS) to characterize diel to interannual variability of pH and dissolved oxygen (DO, % saturation) across 16 diverse, shallow-water habitats along the US Atlantic, Gulf of Mexico, Caribbean, and Pacific coasts. We asked whether these systems exhibit a common pH/DO relationship, whether there were detectable interannual trends in temperature, pH, and DO within and across systems, and how pH/DO dynamics would relate to measured levels of nutrients and chlorophyll. Our analyses confirmed that large, metabolically driven, and thus concurrent fluctuations of pH and DO are a unifying feature of nearshore habitats. Moreover, we derived well-constrained relationships that predict (i) monthly mean pH or (ii) mean diel pH fluctuations across systems based on habitat mean salinity and (i) mean DO or (ii) mean diel DO fluctuations. This suggests that common metabolic principles drive diel to seasonal pH/DO variations within as well as across a diversity of estuarine environments. Yearly pH and DO anomalies did not show monotonous trends over the study period and differed considerably between sites and regions. However, weekly anomalies of means, diel minima, and diel ranges of pH and DO changed significantly over time and were strongly correlated to temperature anomalies. These general patterns lend strong empirical support to the notion that coastal acidification—in addition to being driven by eutrophication and atmospheric CO₂ increases—is exacerbated simply by warming, likely via increasing community respiration. Nutrient and chlorophyll dynamics were inversely related in these shallow, well-mixed systems, but higher nutrient levels were still associated with lower pH and lower DO levels in most, but not all, systems. Our analyses emphasize the particular dynamics of nearshore habitats and the critical importance of NERRS and its system-wide monitoring program.     

Novel applications of fluid inclusions and isotope geochemistry in unravelling the genesis of fossil travertine systems

The Denizli Basin is a fault‐bounded Neogene–Quaternary depression located in the Western Anatolian Extensional Province, Western Turkey. The basin is a unique geological site with abundant active and fossil (Quaternary) travertine and tufa deposits. Fluid inclusion microthermometry and isotopic analysis were applied to study the genesis of the Ball?k fossil travertine deposits, located in the south‐eastern part of the basin. Microthermometry on fluid inclusions indicates that the main travertine precipitating and cementing fluids are characterized by low salinity (<0·7 wt% NaCl equivalent) and variable temperatures that cluster at <50°C and ca 100°C. Fluids of meteoric origin have been heated by migration to the deeper subsurface, possibly in a local high geothermal gradient setting. A later uncommon cementation phase is related to a fluid with a significantly higher salinity (25·5 to 26·0 wt% bulk). The fluid obtained its salinity by interaction with Late Triassic evaporite layers. Strontium isotopes indicate that the parent carbonate source rock of the different travertine precipitates is very likely to be the Triassic limestone of the Lycian Nappes. Carbon isotopes suggest that the parent CO₂ gas originated from thermal decarbonation of the Lycian limestones with minor contributions of magmatic degassing and organic soil CO₂. Oxygen isotopes confirm the meteoric origin of the fluids and indicate disequilibrium precipitation because of evaporation and degassing. Results were integrated within the available geological data of the Denizli Basin in a generalized travertine precipitation model, which enhanced the understanding of fossil travertine systems. The study highlights the novel application of fluid inclusion research in unravelling the genesis of continental carbonates and provides several recommendations for hydrocarbon exploration in travertine‐bearing sedimentary basins. The findings suggest that travertine bodies and their parent carbonate source rocks have the potential to constitute interesting subsurface hydrocarbon reservoirs.