The Kapoeta howardite: Implications for the regolith evolution of the howardite-eucrite-diogenite parent body

Abstract— A large hand sample and numerous polished thin sections, made from the hand sample, of the Kapoeta howardite and its many diverse lithic clasts were studied in detail by optical microscopy and electron microprobe techniques in an attempt to understand the surface processes that operated on the howardite-eucrite-diogenite (HED) parent body (most likely the asteroid 4 Vesta). Four unique, unusually large clasts, designated A (mafic breccia), B (granoblastic eucrite), D (howardite) and H (melt-coated breccia), were selected for detailed study (modal analysis, mineral microprobe analysis, and noble gas measurements). Petrographic studies reveal that Kapoeta consists of a fine-grained matrix made mostly of minute pyroxene and plagioclase fragments, into which are embedded numerous different lithic and mineral clasts of highly variable sizes. The lithic clasts include pyroxene-plagioclase (eucrite), orthopyroxenite (diogenite), howardite, impact-melt, metal-sulfide-rich, and carbonaceous chondrite clasts. The howardite clasts include examples of lithic clasts that constitute breccias-within-breccias, suggesting that at least two regolith generations are represented in the Kapoeta sample we studied. The clast assemblage suggests that repeated shock lithification was an important process during regolith evolution. Noble gas analyses of clast samples fall into two populations: (a) solar-gas-rich clasts H (rim only) and D and (b) clasts A and B, which are essentially free of solar gases. The concentrations of solar noble gases in the two matrix samples differ by a factor of ～40. It appears that clast D is a true regolith breccia within the Kapoeta howardite (breccia-within-breccia), while clast H is a regolith breccia that has been significantly impact reworked. Our data indicate that the Kapoeta howardite is an extraordinarily heterogeneous rock in modal mineral and lithic clast abundances, grain size distributions, solar-wind noble gas concentrations and cosmic-ray exposure ages. These results illustrate the repetitive nature of impact comminution and lithification in the regolith of the HED parent body.     

Formation of the radio profile components of the Crab pulsar

The induced Compton scattering of radio emission off the particles of the ultrarelativistic electron–positron plasma in the open field line tube of a pulsar is considered. We examine the scattering of a bright narrow radio beam into the background over a wide solid angle and specifically study the scattering in the transverse regime, which holds in a moderately strong magnetic field and gives rise to the scattered component nearly antiparallel to the streaming velocity of the scattering particles. Making use of the angular distribution of the scattered intensity and taking into account the effect of rotational aberration in the scattering region, we simulate the profiles of the backscattered components as applied to the Crab pulsar. It is suggested that the interpulse (IP), the high-frequency interpulse (IP') and the pair of so-called high-frequency components (HFC1 and HFC2) result from the backward scattering of the main pulse (MP), precursor (PR) and low-frequency component (LFC), respectively. The components of the high-frequency profiles, the IP' and HFCs, are interpreted for the first time. The HFC1 and HFC2 are argued to be a single component split by the rotational aberration close to the light cylinder. It is demonstrated that the observed spectral and polarization properties of the profile components of the Crab pulsar as well as the giant pulse phenomenon outside the MP can be explained in terms of our model.     

GNSS精密轨道产品不连续性分析及评估

按照目前的国际规范, 高精度GNSS (Global Navigation Satellite System)轨道产品一般以天为周期进行发布, 提供给用户使用. 连续使用多天的产品存在不同天间的跳变问题. 利用德国地学研究中心(GFZ)、欧洲定轨中心(COD)、欧空局(ESA)、美国喷气试验室(JPL)以及上海天文台(SHA)共5个GNSS分析中心2013---2017年的轨道产品, 分析了轨道跳变的特性. 计算结果表明: GFZ、COD、ESA、SHA和JPL的3维轨道跳变平均分别为7.79cm、1.51cm、7.77cm、11.75cm和2.51cm. 轨道跳变序列的周期特性分析表明: 序列存在90d、120d、340d左右的显著周期项, 对应于海潮对地球自转的影响, 其振幅为数毫米至1cm左右. 表明精密轨道确定需要进一步精化该项模型; GPS的跳变序列还存在与卫星星座相关的175d和352d左右的交点年显著周期项. 此外, 针对COD产品外推轨道的分析, 验证了地球反照辐射压和太阳光压模型等动力学模型对轨道的差异.     

On the Classification of Meteorites

The classification of meteorites as a whole is briefly presented and discussed; in particular, it is pointed out that the intermediate or transitional group, now universally known as the siderolites (symbol, So), consists of 2 main subdivisions, namely the “irony stones,” hereinafter termed sideraerolites (Sa), and the “stony irons” or so-called lithosiderites (Li).     

Radiation chemistry in the Jovian stratosphere: laboratory simulations

Low-pressure continuous-flow laboratory simulations of plasma induced chemistry in H2/He/CH4/NH3 atmospheres show radiation yields of hydrocarbons and nitrogen-containing organic compounds that increase with decreasing pressure in the range 2-200 mbar. Major products of these experiments that have been observed in the Jovian atmosphere are acetylene (C2H2), ethylene (C2H4), ethane (C2H6), hydrogen cyanide (HCN), propane (C3H8), and propyne (C3H4). Major products that have not yet been observed on Jupiter include acetonitrile (CH3CN), methylamine (CH3NH2), propene (C3H6), butane (C4H10), and butene (C4H8). Various other saturated and unsaturated hydrocarbons, as well as other amines and nitriles, are present in these experiments as minor products. We place upper limits of 10(6)-10(9) molecules cm-2 sec-1 on production rates of the major species from auroral chemistry in the Jovian stratosphere, and calculate stratospheric mole fraction contributions. This work shows that auroral processes may account for 10-100% of the total abundances of most observed organic species in the polar regions. Our experiments are consistent with models of Jovian polar stratospheric aerosol haze formation from polymerization of acetylene by secondary ultraviolet processing.     

I.R. Radiation of the upper atmosphere

A theory of the i.r. radiation (2–20 μ) of the upper atmosphere (90–250 km height) has been developed. It includes the calculation of concentrations and temperatures as well as the analysis of atomic and molecular level population kinetics. Various excitation and quenching processes are analysed. Results are given for the following bands: NO (5.3μ), NO⁺(4.3μ.), CO (4.7 μ), N¹⁴N¹⁵ (4.4 μ), CO₂(4.3 and 15 μ), H₂O(2.7 and 6.3 μ), N₂O(4.5; 7.8 and 17μ), O₃(9.6 and 14.4 μ). The energy aspect of the problem is discussed. It is found that at a height of 120 km intensity in the region of 2 to 20 μ 3 to 10 is that of the 63 μ line of atomic oxygen. The comparison of theory with the experiment was carried out and satisfactory agreement obtained. The correlations of intensities in i.r. bands and emissions in visible and u.v. spectra were considered.     

Aqueous alteration of the Nakhla meteorite

Abstract— Interior samples of three different Nakhla specimens contain an iron-rich silicate “rust” (which includes a tentatively identified smectite), Ca-carbonate (probably calcite), Ca-sulfate (possibly gypsum or bassanite), Mg-sulfate (possibly epsomite or kieserite), and NaCl (halite); the total abundance of these phases is estimated as <0.01 weight percent of the bulk meteorite. Rust veins are truncated and decrepitated by fusion crust and are preserved as faulted segments in partially healed olivine crystals, indicating that the rust is pre-terrestrial in origin. Because Ca-carbonate and Ca-sulfate are intergrown with the rust, they are also indicated to be of pre-terrestrial origin. Similar textural evidence regarding origins of the NaCl and Mg-sulfate is lacking. Impure and poorly crystallized sulfates and halides on the fusion crust of the meteorite suggest leaching of interior (pre-terrestrial) salts from the interior after Nakhla arrived on Earth but coincidental addition of these same salts by terrestrial contamination cannot be excluded. At least the clay-like silicate “rust,” Ca-carbonate, and Ca-sulfate were formed by precipitation from water-based solutions on the Nakhla parent planet although temperature and pressure conditions of aqueous precipitation are unconstrained by currently available data. It is possible that aqueous alteration on the parent body was responsible for the previously observed disturbance of the Rb-Sr geochronometer in Nakhla at or near 1.3 Ga.     

The Fukang pallasite: Characterization and implications for the history of the Main‐group parent body

We report the results of a study of the Fukang pallasite that includes measurements of bulk composition, mineral chemistry, mineral structure, and petrology. Fukang is a Main‐group pallasite that consists of semiangular olivine grains (Fo 86.3) embedded in an Fe‐Ni matrix with 9–10 wt% Ni and low‐Ir (45 ppb). Olivine grains sometimes occur in large clusters up to 11 cm across. The Fe‐Ni phase is primarily kamacite with accessory taenite and plessite. Minor phases include schreibersite, chromite, merrillite, troilite, and low‐Ca pyroxene. We describe a variety of silicate inclusions enclosed in olivine that contain phases rarely or not previously reported in Main‐group pallasites, including clinopyroxene (augite), tridymite, K‐rich felsic glass, and an unknown Ca‐Cr silicate. Pressure constraints determined from tridymite (<0.4 GPa), two‐pyroxene barometry (0.39 ± 0.07 GPa), and geophysical calculations that assume pallasite formation at the core–mantle boundary (CMB), provide an upper estimate on the size of the Main‐group parent body from which Fukang originated. We conclude that Fukang originated at the CMB of a large differentiated planetesimal 400–680 km in radius.     

Improved Estimation of Earth Rotation Parameters Using the Adaptive Ridge Regression

The multicollinearity among regression variables is a common phenomenon in the reduction of astronomical data. The phenomenon of multicollinearity and the diagnostic factors are introduced first. As a remedy, a new method, called adaptive ridge regression (ARR), which is an improved method of choosing the departure constant θ in ridge regression, is suggested and applied in a case that the Earth orientation parameters (EOP) are determined by lunar laser ranging (LLR). It is pointed out, via a diagnosis, the variance inflation factors (VIFs), that there exists serious multicollinearity among the regression variables. It is shown that the ARR method is effective in reducing the multicollinearity and makes the regression coefficients more stable than that of using ordinary least squares estimation (LS), especially when there is serious multicollinearity. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

基于ALMA高分辨率的多谱线数据对 NGC 1068核区中物理性质的研究

利用ALMA干涉阵望远镜(Atacama Large Millimeter/submillimeter Array)的高分辨(～0.2′′–0.7′′)的多谱线数据,包括CO (1-0)、CO (2-1)、CO (3-2)、HCN (1-0)、HCO⁺(1-0)、 HCN (3-2)、 HCO⁺(3-2)、HCN (4-3)和HCO+(4-3),并结合连续谱数据对近邻星系NGC 1068核区的物理性质进行了研究.速度积分强度图显示核周盘(CircumNuclear Disk, CND)呈现不对称的环状结构,尺度～300 pc.各分子谱线均显示, CND上的东发射结(E-knot)比西发射结(W-knot)有着更强的发射,且E-knot处表现出的分子气体的速度比W-knot更高.致密分子气体含量占比(用HCN或HCO⁺不同转动跃迁线与CO (1-0)的积分强度比值表示),以及致密分子气体比值(HCN/HCO⁺)均在CND的东部表现出更高的值,意味着CND东部和西部有着不同的物理环境或化学组成. CO ...     

XUV image of the sun from eclipse observations of the ionospheric E-region

Ionospheric E-region observations from Boulder (40.0 N, 105.3 W), Grand Bahama (26.6 N, 78.2 W), Mexico City (19.3 N, 99.2 W), Vandenberg (35.6 N, 120.6 W), and Wallops Island (37.9 N, 75.5 W) during the total solar eclipse of 7 March, 1970 are used for reconstructing the distribution of the ionizing XUV radiation over the solar disk. The derived solar image compares reasonably well with the EUV and X-ray pictures of the Sun obtained from rockets.     

Love numbers of the moon and of the terrestrial planets

In the IERS Standards (1989), for the Moon the adopted value of the tide Love number, k ₂, is equal to 0.0222. In this paper using the latest geodetic parameters of the Moon a group of internal structure models are constructed for this celestial body (see Table V), then the dependence of the Moon's core size on calculated value of k ₂ is explored. The obtained results indicate that the second degree Love number, k ₂ = 0.02664, of the lunar model 91–04 is near its observed value (0.027 ± 0.006). This implies that the Moon may possess an outer core of 660 km radius and of 300 kbar mean rigidity. With the same method the static Love numbers from degree 2 to 30 are computed for the terrestrial planets — Mercury, Venus, and Mars (see Table VII), and the influence of some parameters (such as the rigidity) of the outer core on low degree Love numbers is discussed. Finally, the likely range of the second degree Love numbers is determined for the terrestrial planets (see Table XI). It seems that if low degree Love numbers of a terrestrial planet can be detected in the future space explorations, there is some possibility to improve the planetary internal structure model. For example, as soon as space techniques yield an observed value of k ₂ > 0.10 for Mercury, there will be reason to anticipate that a partly melted iron core exists in this planet.     

Decadal to millennial cyclicity in varves and turbidites from the Arabian Sea: hypothesis of tidal origin

We have analyzed a Late Holocene record, almost 5000 years long, consisting of varved sediments deposited in the oxygen-minimum zone (OMZ) off Pakistan. We searched for cyclicity in the series of varve thickness (“varve” cycles), of unusually large excursions in varve thickness (“agitation” cycles), and of abundance of turbidites (“turbidite” cycles). We found the following high-frequency cycles (periods between 10 and 100 years) in one or several of the three types of series as follows: near 12.4, 14–15, 16.8, 18.6 (strong, agitation), 25–26 (strong, turbidite), 29–31 (strong, agitation), 39 (varve), 44 (strong, turbidite), 51–54 (strong, agitation), 56 (strong, varve), 64 (strong, turbidite), 69, 77 (strong, turbidite), 82 (very strong, agitation), and 95 years (strong, varve). Low-frequency cycles center around 99–115, 125 (very strong, varve), 164, 177, 202, 242–255 (strong, agitation and turbidite), 280 (strong, varve; doubled, turbidite), 340–370 and 460–490 years.Some cycles of varve thickness match the cyclicity of turbidite frequency (12.3, 14–15, 25–26, 245–255 years) but similarities between spectra are not striking. Taken as a whole, however, the sequence of cycles detected (by autocorrelation and standard Fourier analysis) seems to contain a large proportion of multiples of the basic tidal cycles 4.425 (lunar perigee cycle) and 9.3 years (lunar half-nodal cycle). This impression is supported by testing the three binned spectra for whole-number multiples and fractions as well as whole-number beat structure. We therefore propose that a large proportion of the cyclicity detected can be ascribed to tidal action. Our record also contains evidence for the presence of the 1470-year cycle previously reported from the glacial-age Greenland ice record. The main harmonics of this Greenland cycle can be tied to the pattern of periods seen in the varved sediments. We hypothesize that tidal action produces the cycle, and that the reason for its great length is the requirement that maximum tidal activity has to fall into a narrow seasonal window to be geologically effective.     

Mineral and chemical composition of the new iron meteorite Javorje from Slovenia

Abstract– The single‐piece iron meteorite Javorje, with a mass of 4920 g, is the heaviest and largest meteorite found in the territory of Slovenia. The meteorite Javorje is a medium octahedrite with kamacite bandwidth of 0.85 ± 0.26 mm. The bulk composition of Ni (7.83 wt%), Co (0.48 wt%) and trace elements Ga (25 μg/g), Ge (47 μg/g), Ir (7.6 μg/g), As (5.8 μg/g), Au (0.47 μg/g), and Pt (13.4 μg/g) indicates that the meteorite Javorje belongs to the chemical group IIIAB. Mineral and bulk chemical compositions are consistent with other reported group IIIAB meteorites. The presence of numerous rhabdites, carlsbergite, sparse troilite, and chromite and abundance of daubréelites are in accordance with low‐Ni and low‐P IIIAB iron meteorites. The severely weathered surface and secondary weathering products in the interior of the meteorite suggest its high terrestrial age.     

Survival of endospores of Bacillus subtilis on spacecraft surfaces under simulated martian environments: implications for the forward contamination of Mars

Experiments were conducted in a Mars simulation chamber (MSC) to characterize the survival of endospores of Bacillus subtilis under high UV irradiation and simulated martian conditions. The MSC was used to create Mars surface environments in which pressure (8.5 mb), temperature (-80, -40, -10, or +23 degrees C), gas composition (Earth-normal N2/O2 mix, pure N2, pure CO2, or a Mars gas mix), and UV-VIS-NIR fluence rates (200-1200 nm) were maintained within tight limits. The Mars gas mix was composed of CO2 (95.3%), N2 (2.7%), Ar (1.7%), O2 (0.2%), and water vapor (0.03%). Experiments were conducted to measure the effects of pressure, gas composition, and temperature alone or in combination with Mars-normal UV-VIS-NIR light environments. Endospores of B. subtilis, were deposited on aluminum coupons as monolayers in which the average density applied to coupons was 2.47 x 10(6) bacteria per sample. Populations of B. subtilis placed on aluminum coupons and subjected to an Earth-normal temperature (23 degrees C), pressure (1013 mb), and gas mix (normal N2/O2 ratio) but illuminated with a Mars-normal UV-VIS-NIR spectrum were reduced by over 99.9% after 30 sec exposure to Mars-normal UV fluence rates. However, it required at least 15 min of Mars-normal UV exposure to reduce bacterial populations on aluminum coupons to non-recoverable levels. These results were duplicated when bacteria were exposed to Mars-normal environments of temperature (-10 degrees C), pressure (8.5 mb), gas composition (pure CO2), and UV fluence rates. In other experiments, results indicated that the gas composition of the atmosphere and the temperature of the bacterial monolayers at the time of Mars UV exposure had no effects on the survival of bacterial endospores. But Mars-normal pressures (8.5 mb) were found to reduce survival by approximately 20-35% compared to Earth-normal pressures (1013 mb). The primary implications of these results are (a) that greater than 99.9% of bacterial populations on sun-exposed surfaces of spacecraft are likely to be inactivated within a few tens of seconds to a few minutes on the surface of Mars, and (b) that within a single Mars day under clear-sky conditions bacterial populations on sun-exposed surfaces of spacecraft will be sterilized. Furthermore, these results suggest that the high UV fluence rates on the martian surface can be an important resource in minimizing the forward contamination of Mars.     

Effect of Wave Motions in the Active Region of the Solar Surface on Convection

The results of the observations of the active region (facula) near the center of the solar disk obtained with the German Vacuum Tower Telescope (VTT; Tenerife, Spain), are discussed. We have determined that the decrease in the contrast (brightness) of the facula with the magnetic field increasing from 130 to 160 mT is due to the fact that the V_V phase shift of waves in this range of magnetic field densities is close to zero (Φ _VV ≈ 0), i.e., the wave becomes stationary and does not transfer energy from the photosphere to the chromosphere. The sound waves that propagate from the chromosphere towards the photosphere significantly affect the temperature characteristics of turbulent vortices at the level of formation of the continuous spectrum. In particular, the contrast of granules under the influence of these waves can increase by 25%.     

现代天王星卫星运动定量理论的研究和发展

1986年“旅行者2号”飞越天于星期间，由空间无线电和光学观测获得的卫星资料首次给出天王星5颗主要卫星质量的可靠估计，从而推动了现代天王星卫星运动定量理论的建立。Laskar于1986年建立了第一个相对完整的天王星主要卫星的(半）分析理论——GUST86，其高精度已被许多学者的实算证实。之后，对理论的改进作出贡献的学者有：Malhotra等人(1989）、Lazzaro等人(1987，1991)分析研究了天王星卫星系统中近共振项对长期摄动解的影响；Taylor(1998)采用数值积分拟合观测资料，以更精确地测定卫星质量；Christou和Murray(1997)则将一个2阶Laplace—Lagrange理论应用于天王星卫星系统。对这些学者的工作作一概述。     

Morphology and geometry of the distal ramparts of Martian impact craters

Abstract— We used Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA), Thermal Emission Imaging System visible light (THEMIS VIS), and Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) data to identify and characterize the morphology and geometry of the distal ramparts surrounding Martian craters. Such information is valuable for investigating the ejecta emplacement process, as well as searching for spatial variations in ejecta characteristics that may be due to target material properties and/or latitude, altitude, or temporal variations in the climate. We find no systematic trend in rampart height that would indicate regional variations in target properties for 54 ramparts at 37 different craters 5.7–35.9 km in diameter between 52.3°S to 47.6°N. Rampart heights for multi‐lobe and single‐lobe ejecta are each normally distributed with a common standard deviation, but statistically distinct mean values. Ramparts range in height from 20–180 m, are not symmetric, are typically steeper on their distal sides, and may be as much as ?4 km wide. The ejecta blanket proximal to parent crater from the rampart may be very thin (<5 m). A detailed analysis of two craters, Toconao crater (21°S, 285°E) (28 measurements), and an unnamed crater within Chryse Planitia (28.4°N, 319.6°E) (20 measurements), reveals that ejecta runout distance increases with an increase in height between the crater rim and the rampart, but that rampart height is not correlated with ejecta runout distance or the thickness of the ejecta blanket.