Quantum-thermodynamic treatment of intrinsic anharmonicity; Wallace’s theorem revisited

Wallace (in Thermodynamics of crystals, 1972) developed a theorem, rooted in rigid lattice dynamics, which incorporates intrinsic anharmonic effects in solids. The practical application of this theorem in mineral physics is computationally involved and this is the main reason for the theorem not getting the attention it deserves. Because intrinsic anharmonicity is an important issue at the extreme conditions in planetary mantles, we derived a method which removes the computational obstacles in applying this theorem. We extended the theorem to incorporate details of the phonon spectrum and tested our algorithm on forsterite (Mg₂SiO₄). Using a least squares inversion technique applied to all available experimental data, we show that it results in an accurate representation of thermodynamic properties and sound wave velocities of Mg₂SiO₄ in its complete pressure–temperature stability range. We also show that the accuracy of our results is not significantly affected by the use of a different equation of state.     

The Globalization of a Panethnopolis: Richmond District as the New Chinatown in San Francisco

This paper briefly reviews the sociological literature on the “New” Chinatown phenomenon stressing its structural location vis-à-vis the “Old” Chinatown and the homeland. It defines the New Chinatown as a panethnopolis, that is a global neighborhood with a majority population of Chinese immigrants and of other ethnic groups of mostly Asian descent. It analyzes more particularly the formation, development, and integration of San Francisco’s Richmond District’s New Chinatown into both the city where it is located and the network of transglobal sites to which it belongs. It provides an interpretation of the New Chinatown as a cultural enclave within the context of globalization theory.     

Nouvelles données pour l’histoire des fluctuations holocènes du niveau du lac de Neuchatel (Suisse): la séquence sédimentaire de Marin-Les Piécettes

Resume. Les fouilles archéologiques réalisées de 1998 à 2002 sur le site néolithique de Marin-Les Piécettes sur la rive nord-ouest du lac de Neuchatel ont offert l’opportunité d’observer deux séquences sédimentaires intéressantes pour la reconstitution des variations holocènes du niveau du lac, en particulier au cours de la période correspondant au changement de cours de l’Aar en direction du nord-est, vers 5650–5500 cal BP. La géométrie des corps sédimentaires et les changements lithologiques permettent de reconna?tre plusieurs phases majeures de bas niveaux relatifs du plan d’eau vers 6870, 5660, 5060–3990, 3580, 2280, 1640 et 1170 cal BP. Le site néolithique de Marin-Les Piécettes s’est développé vers 5454–5433 cal BP à la faveur d’un court épisode de bas niveau du lac qui a interrompu une importante phase de haut niveau au début du Subboréal. Les événements paléohydrologiques identifiés à Marin-Les Piécettes apparaissent cohérents avec ceux reconstitués sur le site de Montilier au bord du lac de Morat, ainsi qu’avec les variations paléohydrologiques reconstituées à partir des lacs du Jura, du Plateau suisse et des Préalpes du Nord fran?aises. Ceci suggère qu’ils témoignent d’un signal climatique. La séquence sédimentaire de Marin-Les Piécettes met enfin en évidence la formation d’un cordon littoral sur la rive nord-ouest du lac juste après 5660 cal BP. Manuscrit re?u le 22 septembre 2004 Révision acceptée le 11 mars 2005     

Stratigraphy of Pleistocene glaciations in the St Elias Mountains,southwest Yukon,Canada

At least five Middle to Late Pleistocene advances of the northern Cordilleran Ice Sheet are preserved at Silver Creek, on the northeastern edge of the St Elias Mountains in southwest Yukon, Canada. Silver Creek is located 100 km up‐ice of the Marine Isotope Stage (MIS) 2 McConnell glacial limit of the St Elias lobe. This site contains ~3 km of nearly continuous lateral exposure of glacial and non‐glacial sediments, including multiple tills separated by thick gravel, loess and tilted lake beds. Infrared‐stimulated luminescence (IRSL) and AMS radiocarbon dating constrain the glacial deposits to MIS 2, 4, either MIS 6 or mid‐MIS 7, and two older Middle Pleistocene advances. This chronology and the tilt of the lake beds suggest Pleistocene uplift rates of up to 1.9 mm a^?1 along the Denali Fault since MIS 7. The non‐glacial sediment consists of sand, gravel, loess and organic beds from MIS 7, MIS 3 and the early Holocene. The MIS 3 deposits date to between 30–36 ¹⁴C ka BP, making Silver Creek one of the few well‐constrained MIS 3‐aged sites in Yukon. This confirms that ice receded close to modern limits in MIS 3. Pollen and macrofossil analyses show that a meadow‐tundra to steppe‐tundra mosaic with abundant herbs and forbs and few shrubs or trees, dominated the environment at this time. The stratigraphy at Silver Creek provides a palaeoclimatic record since at least MIS 8 and comprises the oldest direct record of Pleistocene glaciation in southwest Yukon.     

Light Curve Modelling and Evolutionary Status of the Short Period Binary 1SWASP J092328.76+435044

Light curve modeling for the newly discovered super contact low-mass WUMa system 1SWASPJ092328.76+435044 was carried out by using a new BVR complete light curves. A spotted model was applied to treat the asymmetry of the light curves. The output model was obtained by means of Wilson–Devinney code, which reveals that the massive component is hotter than the less massive one with about ΔT ～ 40 K. A total of six new times of minima were estimated. The evolutionary state of the system components was investigated based on the estimated physical parameters.     

Reconstruction of Horizontal Plasma Motions at the Photosphere from Intensitygrams: A Comparison Between DeepVel,LCT, FLCT,and CST

Direct measurements of plasma motions in the photosphere are limited to the line-of-sight component of the velocity. Several algorithms have therefore been developed to reconstruct the transverse components from observed continuum images or magnetograms. We compare the space and time averages of horizontal velocity fields in the photosphere inferred from pairs of consecutive intensitygrams by the LCT, FLCT, and CST methods and the DeepVel neural network in order to identify the method that is best suited for generating synthetic observations to be used for data assimilation. The Stein and Nordlund (Astrophys. J. Lett.753, L13, 2012) magnetoconvection simulation is used to generate synthetic SDO/HMI intensitygrams and reference flows to train DeepVel. Inferred velocity fields show that DeepVel performs best at subgranular and granular scales and is second only to FLCT at mesogranular and supergranular scales.