Detecting the first objects in the mid-infrared with the Next Generation Space Telescope

We calculate the expected mid-infrared (MIR) molecular hydrogen line emission from the first objects in the Universe. As a result of their low masses, the stellar feedback from massive stars is able to blow away their gas content and collect it into a cooling shell where H₂ rapidly forms and IR roto-vibrational (as for example the rest-frame 2.12 μm) lines carry away a large fraction (up to 10 per cent) of the explosion energy. The fluxes from these sources are in the range 10⁻²¹–10⁻¹⁷ erg s⁻¹ cm⁻² . The highest number counts are expected in the 20-μm band, where about 10⁵ sources deg⁻² are predicted at the limiting flux of 3×10⁻¹⁸ erg s⁻¹ cm⁻². Among the planned observational facilities, we find that the best detection perspectives are offered by the Next Generation Space Telescope ( NGST ), which should be able to reveal about 200 first objects in one hour observation time at its limiting flux in the above band. Therefore, mid-IR instruments appear to represent perfect tools to trace star formation and stellar feedback in the high ( z ≳5) redshift Universe.     

Thermohaline Anomalies in the Spring and Early Summer of 2000 in the Gulf of Trieste

Abstract. In the framework of the Interreg II Project (July 1998 - June 2001), hydro-logical, chemical and biological data were collected in the Gulf of Trieste.
During spring and summer 2000, some particular thermohaline anomalies were observed in the Gulf of Trieste. Especially in May and June the water body showed: a very strong thermohaline stratification, an increase of advective salt water coming from the south and the presence of sharp pycnoclines. In July the temperature was higher than usual in the whole water column. Moreover, in late May and in June, massive mucilaginous aggregates were observed along the water column and at the surface.
In order to highlight these particular thermohaline features the hydrological data of 16 stations were analysed (Fig. 1). Two stations, in particular, were considered: one offshore (St. AA1, average depth 20 m) and one close to the coast (St. C1, average depth 17 m). For these two stations a best-fit analysis, computed over 11 and 7 years, respectively, was performed on temperature, salinity and density excess data.
Moreover, the hydrological features were compared with the rainfall, air temperature, wind speed data (Istituto Sperimentale Talassografico di Trieste - ISTT) and the Isonzo River's flow rate (Direzione Regionale dell'Ambiente - Regione F. V. G.) collected from January 1998 to December 2000.     

Magnetic anisotropy produced by magma flow: theoretical model and experimental data from Ferrar dolerite sills (Antarctica)

Volcanic rocks forming sills, dykes or lava flows may display a magnetic anisotropy derived from the viscous flow during their emplacement. We model a sill as a steady-state flow of a Bingham fluid, driven by a pressure gradient in a horizontal conduit. The magma velocity as a function of depth is calculated from the motion and constitutive equations. Vorticity and strain rate are determined for a reference system moving with the fluid. The angular velocity and the orientation of an ellipsoidal magnetic grain immersed in the fluid are calculated as functions of time or strain. Magnetic susceptibility is then calculated for a large number of grains with a uniform distribution of initial orientations. It is shown that the magnetic lineation oscillates in the vertical plane through the magma flow direction, and that the magnetic foliation plane changes periodically from horizontal to vertical. The results are compared with the magnetic fabric of Ferrar dolerite sills (Victoria Land, East Antarctica) derived from low-field susceptibility measurements.     

Observations of borehole-source amplitude reduction due to casing

Theoretical results show that the amplitude of a borehole source is reduced when the well in which it is operated is cased and cemented. This reduction is a strong function of the formation velocity and is more weakly dependent on the direction of propagation of the wave travelling from source to receiver and on the diameter of the borehole itself. We have tested these predictions with data gathered in a cross-hole seismic experiment conducted in two stages in 1990 and 1991. The source and receivers were located in the MIT/Stech 1-21A and MIT/Burch 1-20B wells at the Earth Resources Laboratory (ERL) test site in Michigan (USA). Though the source well (MIT/Stech 1-21A) was uncased in 1990, a steel casing and cement were added prior to the collection of data in 1991. Several receiver positions were reoccupied to compare data collected with the source in open and cased holes. Using a velocity model for this area and borehole diameter measurements from a calliper log, a compensation factor can be computed that will adjust the data collected in 1991 to have amplitudes comparable to that collected in the first stage of the experiment. The accuracy of the results demonstrates the validity of the theory, which can be very useful in better understanding seismic waveforms recorded in cross-hole experiments.     

Interpretation of radon anomalies in seismotectonic and tectonic-gravitational settings: the south-eastern Crati graben (Northern Calabria, Italy)

The study area is located in the south-eastern part of the Crati valley (Northern Calabria, Italy), which is a graben bordered by N–S trending normal faults and crossed by NW–SE normal left-lateral faults. Numerous severe crustal earthquakes have affected the area in historical time. Present-day seismic activity is mainly related to the N–S faults located along the eastern border of the graben. In this area, much seismically induced deep-seated deformation has also been recognised.In the present paper, radon concentrations in soil gas have been measured and compared with (a) lithology, (b) Quaternary faults, (c) historical and instrumental seismicity, and (d) deep-seated deformation.The results highlight the following:

(a) There is no evidence of a strong correlation between lithology and the radon anomalies.

(b) A clear correlation between the N–S geometry of radon anomalies and the orientation of main fault systems has been recognised, except in the southernmost part of the area, where the radon concentrations are strongly affected by the superposition of the N–S and the NW–SE fault systems.

(c) Epicentral zones of instrumental and historical earthquakes correspond to the highest values of radon concentrations, probably indicating recent activated fault segments. In particular, high radon values occur in the zones struck by earthquakes in 1835, 1854, and 1870.

(d) Deep-seated gravitational deformation generally coincides with zones characterised by low radon concentrations.

In the studied area, the anisotropic distribution of radon concentrations is congruent with the presence of neotectonic features and deep-seated gravitational phenomena. The method used in this study could profitably contribute towards either seismic risk or deep-seated gravitational deformation analyses.     

The effect of crystallization on the rheology and dynamics of lava flows

The dynamics of a lava flow is studied by a two-dimensional model describing a viscous fluid with Bingham rheology, flowing down a slope. The temperature in the flow is calculated assuming that heat is transferred through the plug by conduction and is lost by radiation to the atmosphere at the top of the flow. Taken into account is that the increasing crystallization takes place in the flow as a consequence of cooling. The lava viscosity and yield stress are expressed as a function of crystallization degree as well as of temperature: in particular it is assumed that yield stress reaches a maximum value above the solidus temperature, according to experimental data. Dynamical variables, such as velocity and thickness of the flow, are calculated for different values of the maximum crystallization degree and the flow rate. The model shows how the lava flow dynamics is affected by cooling and crystallization. The cooling of the flow is controlled by the increase of yield stress, which produces a thicker plug and makes the heat loss slower. The increasing crystallization has two opposing effects on viscosity: it produces an increase of viscosity, but at the same time produces an increase of yield stress and hence reduces the heat loss and keeps the internal temperature high. As a consequence, lava flows are significantly affected by the dependence of yield stress on temperature and scarcely by the maximum crystallization degree.     

A viscoelastic shear zone model of compressional and extensional plate boundaries

A model is proposed describing the mechanical evolution of a shear zone along compressional and extensional plate boundaries, subject to constant strain rate. The shear zones are assumed as viscoelastic with Maxwell rheology and with elastic and rheological parameters depending on temperature and petrology. Stress and strain are computed as functions of time and depth. For both kinds of boundaries the model reproduces the existence of a shallow seismogenic zone, characterized by a stress concentration. The thickness of the seismogenic layer is evaluated considering the variations of shear stress and frictional strength on faults embedded in the shear zone. Assuming that a fault dislocation takes place, the brittle-ductile transition is assumed to occur at the depth at which the time derivative of total shear stress changes from positive to negative values. The effects of different strain rates and geothermal gradients on the depth of the brittle-ductile transition are studied. The model predictions are consistent with values inferred from seismicity data of different boundary zones.     

The impact of dust on the scaling properties of galaxy clusters

We investigate the effect of dust on the scaling properties of galaxy clusters based on hydrodynamic N -body simulations of structure formation. We have simulated five dust models plus radiative cooling and adiabatic models using the same initial conditions for all runs. The numerical implementation of dust was based on the analytical computations of Montier & Giard. We set up dust simulations to cover different combinations of dust parameters that make evident the effects of size and abundance of dust grains. Comparing our radiative plus dust cooling runs with a purely radiative cooling simulation, we find that dust has an impact on cluster scaling relations. It mainly affects the normalization of the scalings (and their evolution), whereas it introduces no significant differences in their slopes. The strength of the effect critically depends on the dust abundance and grain size parameters as well as on the cluster scaling. Indeed, cooling due to dust is effective in the cluster regime and has a stronger effect on the 'baryon driven' statistical properties of clusters such as   L _X– M , Y – M , S – M   scaling relations. Major differences, relative to the radiative cooling model, are as high as 25 per cent for the   L _X– M   normalization, and about 10 per cent for the Y – M and S – M normalizations at redshift zero. On the other hand, we find that dust has almost no impact on the 'dark matter driven'   T _mw– M   scaling relation. The effects are found to be dependent in equal parts on both dust abundances and grain size distributions for the scalings investigated in this paper. Higher dust abundances and smaller grain sizes cause larger departures from the radiative cooling (i.e. with no dust) model.     

Distribution and sources of aliphatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments of Sergipe River estuarine system

The assessment of aliphatic hydrocarbons was performed in the Sergipe River estuarine system, northeastern Brazil. Aliphatic hydrocarbons concentration ranged from 9.9 ug g?1 up to 30.8 ug g?1 of dry sediment. The carbon preference index (CPI, based on nC?? to nC?? range), indicated predominance of petrogenic input in two of the sites analyzed (P4 and P5). The unresolved complex mixture (UCM) was found to be present in seven of the nine sites sampled (except for P4 and P5). Overall, the results of this work suggest that there is a mix of organic matter sources to the sediment. Although the coast of Sergipe has an intense off shore petroleum exploration and the Sergipe River crosses the entire city of Aracaju, the capital city of Sergipe, non-significant anthropogenic fingerprint was assessed.     

Ecological Differences in the Distribution of two Tethya (Porifera, Demospongiae) Species Coexisting in a Mediterranean Coastal Lagoon

Abstract. In the Sicilian lagoon Stagnone di Marsala, Tethya aurantium and T. citrina show different ecological distributions, although some overlapping occurs. The first species reaches its highest density where linear currents are maximal, and in this habitat it is particularly frequent on Posidonia oceanica rhizomes. The second species is more abundant in still water locations and is equally common on Posidonia rhizomes and on calcareous concretions. Such distributions can be related to water movement, Posidonia shoot density, and associated factors such as sedimentation and food availability. These observations are consistent with an adaptive interpretation of the morphofunctional features distinguishing the two species.