Interferometry in the era of time-domain astronomy

The physical nature of time variable objects is often inferred from photometric light-curves and spectroscopic variations. Long-baseline optical interferometry has the power to resolve the spatial structure of time variable sources directly in order to measure their physical properties and test the physics of the underlying models. Recent interferometric studies of variable objects include measuring the angular expansion and spatial structure during the early stages of novae outbursts, studying the transits and tidal distortions of the components in eclipsing and interacting binaries, measuring the radial pulsations in Cepheid variables, monitoring changes in the circumstellar discs around rapidly rotating massive stars, and imaging starspots. Future applications include measuring the image size and centroid displacements in gravitational microlensing events, and imaging the transits of exoplanets. Ongoing and upcoming photometric surveys will dramatically increase the number of time-variable objects detected each year, providing many potential targets to observe interferometrically. For short-lived transient events, it is critical for interferometric arrays to have the flexibility to respond rapidly to targets of opportunity and optimize the selection of baselines and beam combiners to provide the necessary resolution and sensitivity to resolve the source as its brightness and size change. We discuss the science opportunities made possible by resolving variable sources using long baseline optical interferometry.     

Infrared observations of gravitational lensing in Abell 2219 with CIRSI

We present the first detection of a gravitational depletion signal at near-infrared wavelengths, based on deep panoramic images of the cluster Abell 2219 ( z =0.22) taken with the Cambridge Infrared Survey Instrument (CIRSI) at the prime focus of the 4.2-m William Herschel Telescope. Infrared studies of gravitational depletion offer a number of advantages over similar techniques applied at optical wavelengths, and can provide reliable total masses for intermediate-redshift clusters. Using the maximum-likelihood technique developed by Schneider, King & Erben, we detect the gravitational depletion at the 3 confidence level. By modelling the mass distribution as a singular isothermal sphere and ignoring the uncertainty in the unlensed number counts, we find an Einstein radius of (66 per cent confidence limit). This corresponds to a projected velocity dispersion of _v 800 km s¹, in agreement with constraints from strongly lensed features. For a Navarro, Frenk & White mass model, the radial dependence observed indicates a best-fitting halo scalelength of 125 h ¹ kpc. We investigate the uncertainties arising from the observed fluctuations in the unlensed number counts, and show that clustering is the dominant source of error. We extend the maximum-likelihood method to include the effect of incompleteness, and discuss the prospects of further systematic studies of lensing in the near-infrared band.     

The impact of exceptional events on erosion,bedload transport and channel stability in a step‐pool channel

Sediment transport in the Erlenbach, a small stream with step‐pool morphology in the canton of Schwyz, Switzerland, has been monitored for more than 20 years. During this time three exceptional events (events with high sediment yield and long return times that have a large effect on channel morphology) have impacted the stream and partly or completely rearranged the existing step‐pool morphology. In the aftermath of the events, sediment transport rates at a given discharge and total sediment yield remained elevated for about a year or longer. For the last event, dated on the 20 June 2007, observations of boulder mobility and step destruction were used to interpret channel stability. Boulders with median diameters of up to 135 cm and estimated weights of more than 2·5 tons have moved during the 2007 event. Using hydraulic observations and shear stress calculations boulders up to 65 cm in diameter were predicted to have been fully mobile in peak conditions, even if form resistance and increased critical stresses needed for the initiation of motion in steep streams were taken into account. For two of the events, estimated peak shear stresses at the bed exceeded 1000 Pa, calculated both from observations of the flow hydraulics and from boulder mobility. This suggests that highly energetic flows occur relatively frequently in small, steep streams and that large boulders can be transported by fluvial processes in such streams. The observations have potential significance for hazard risk mitigation, stream engineering and restoration. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Temporal dynamics of evapotranspiration in semiarid native forests in Brazil and Spain using remote sensing

Evapotranspiration (ET) plays an important role in integrated water resource planning, development and management. This process is particularly relevant in semiarid regions. The aim of this study is, hence, to compare spatial and temporal patterns of actual ET, as well as the temporal trends in two different semiarid forests, Caatinga (Brazil) and Tierra de Pinares (Spain). We used the surface energy balance algorithm for land (SEBAL) to assess actual evapotranspiration (ET_a) in both areas. In the Brazilian semiarid forest, Caatinga is the main vegetation, while it is Pinares in Spain. For this purpose, 69 Landsat-5 and 42 Landsat-8 images (1995–2019) were used. The Mann–Kendall test was applied to assess the occurrence of trends in precipitation, temperature and potential ET data; and the Temporal Stability Index (TSI) to know which areas have greater seasonal ET_a. The annual amplitude of the potential evapotranspiration (ET₀) is the same in both areas, however, the Caatinga values are higher. In the Caatinga forest, when ET₀ presents its highest values throughout the year, ET_a presents the lowest, and vice versa. In the Pinares forest, ET_a follows the ET₀ dynamics during the year, and the difference between ET₀ and ET_a is maximum during the summer. The Caatinga forest showed a greater spatial variation of ET_a than the Pinares forest as well as a greater extension with lower temporal stability of ET_a than the Pinares forest. Both the Caatinga forest and the Pinares forest showed significant positive trends in annual ET₀ and ET_a. We estimate that the value of ET_a increases more rapidly in Pinares than in the Brazilian Caatinga. Taking Caatinga as a hydrological mirror, some consequences are expected to Pinares, such as significant changes in the water balance, increase of biodiversity vulnerability, and reduction of water availability in soil and reservoirs.     

Time-series of δ26Mg values in a headwater catchment reveal decreasing magnesium isotope variability from precipitation to runoff

Data on temporal variability in Mg isotope ratios of atmospheric deposition and runoff are critical for decreasing the uncertainty associated with construction of isotope mass balances in headwater catchments, and statistical evaluation of isotope differences among Mg pools and fluxes. Such evaluations, in turn, are needed to distinguish between biotic and abiotic contributions to Mg²⁺ in catchment runoff. We report the first annual time-series of δ²⁶Mg values simultaneously determined for rainfall, canopy throughfall, soil water and runoff. The studied 55-ha catchment, situated in western Czech Republic, is underlain by Mg-rich amphibolite and covered by mature spruce stands. Between 1970 and 1996, the site received extremely high amounts of acid deposition and fly ash form nearby coal-burning power plants. The δ²⁶Mg values of open-area precipitation (median of −0.79‰) at our study site were statistically indistinguishable from the δ²⁶Mg values of throughfall (−0.73‰), but significantly different from the δ²⁶Mg values of soil water (−0.55‰) and runoff (−0.55‰). The range of δ²⁶Mg values during the observation period decreased in the order: open-area precipitation (0.57‰) > throughfall (0.27‰) > runoff (0.21‰) > soil water (0.16‰). The decreasing variability in δ²⁶Mg values of Mg²⁺ from precipitation to soil water and runoff reflected an increasing homogenization of atmospheric Mg in the catchment and its mixing with geogenic Mg. In addition to atmospheric Mg, runoff also contained Mg mobilized from the three major solid Mg pools, bedrock (δ²⁶Mg of −0.32‰), soil (−0.28‰), and vegetation (−0.31‰). The drought of summer 2019 did not affect the nearly constant δ²⁶Mg value of runoff. Collectively, our data show that within-catchment processes buffer the Mg isotope variability of the atmospheric input.     

Extragalactic science with the FRESNEL imager

The space Fresnel Interferometric Imager, originally proposed to the ESA Cosmic Vision plan, is an innovative concept providing enhanced capabilities in terms of spatial resolution and dynamical range. In this paper we describe some of the most promising applications of the Fresnel Interferometric Imager concept in extragalactic studies. There are two different topics where the FII could make major progress. The first one is the mapping of star-formation in galaxies, from the local universe to ??75?C85% look back time, based on the first version of FII which is optimized for the UV and optical domains. The second topic is a test case for a subsequent improved version of FII, with a larger collecting area and optimized for the near-IR, focusing on the physical properties of the first galaxies.     

Multivariate Block-Support Simulation of the Yandi Iron Ore Deposit,Western Australia

Mineral deposits frequently contain several elements of interest that are spatially correlated and require the use of joint geostatistical simulation techniques in order to generate models preserving their spatial relationships. Although joint-simulation methods have long been available, they are impractical when it comes to more than three variables and mid to large size deposits. This paper presents the application of block-support simulation of a multi-element mineral deposit using minimum/maximum autocorrelation factors to facilitate the computationally efficient joint simulation of large, multivariable deposits. The algorithm utilized, termed dbmafsim, transforms point-scale spatial attributes of a mineral deposit into uncorrelated service variables leading to the generation of simulated realizations of block-scale models of the attributes of interest of a deposit. The dbmafsim algorithm is utilized at the Yandi iron ore deposit in Western Australia to simulate five cross-correlated elements, namely Fe, SiO₂, Al₂O₃, P and LOI, that are all critical in defining the quality of iron ore being produced. The block-scale simulations reproduce the direct- and cross-variograms of the elements even though only the direct variograms of the service variables have to be modeled. The application shows the efficiency, excellent performance and practical contribution of the dbmafsim algorithm in simulating large multi-element deposits.     

Xenotime–hematite aggregates on opaline filaments: evidence for biomineralization in weathered siliciclastic rocks, Capanema, Quadrilátero Ferrífero of Minas Gerais, Brazil

Dissolution cavities in weathered pebbly quartzite of the ~2.5-Ga Moeda Formation at Capanema, Quadrilátero Ferrífero of Minas Gerais, Brazil, are decorated with suspended filaments of opaline silica. The filaments sustain xenotime–hematite aggregates in the open space. Xenotime occurs as inclusions in buds and botryoidal aggregates of hematite. The filamentous structures consist of strand-forming buds, hypha-like extensions, and thin strands that compose mat-like arrangements. They resemble microbial filaments that were replaced by opaline silica and fossilized. The occurrence of spherical hematite as protuberances on hematite-free opaline hyphae is interpreted as accretion of dissolved iron onto extracellular polymers. Phosphate sites in polymeric substances expelled from the microbial filaments might have adsorbed yttrium and heavy rare-earth elements from groundwater to the iron-accreting polymers. These would have resulted in botryoidal aggregates of hematite with xenotime inclusions. The presence of authigenic xenotime in the weathering zone opens a new possibility to constrain the evolution of lateritic profiles by xenotime geochronology.