Petrologic constraints for eoalpine eclogite facies metamorphism in the austroalpine Ötztal basement

Metabasites of the southern Ötztal basement hitherto mapped as amphibolites, were identified as eclogites. Primary mineral parageneses are tschermakitic to pargasitic green amphiboles, omphacite (Jd₄₀), garnet II (Gr_20–30) Py₁₀), phengite (Si_3.5), zoisite, rutile and quartz. Al—pargasite (20 wt% Al₂O₃) rims between garnet and omphacite are interpreted as retrograde reaction products.Retrogression of the eclogite parageneses reflecting decreasing pressure and increasing temperature conditions are: Symplectites of diopside and plagioclase after omphacite, Al-and Na-poor green amphiboles, grossularite-poor garnet III surrounding garnet II partly with atoll textures and symplectites of biotite and plagioclase replacing phengite. Continuation of retrogression with decreasing temperature conditions is indicated by actinolitic amphiboles and albite-rims between amphibole II and quartz.     

Isolated olivines in the Yamato 82042 CM2 chondrite: The tracing of major condensation events in the solar nebula

Abstract— Yamato 82042 is an unusual CM2 chondrite consisting mainly of phyllosilicates, a few olivines and carbonates, very minor sulphides and trace metal. Olivine occurs: (1) as isolated grains dispersed in the phyllosilicate matrix, (2) as constituents of mineral aggregates or accretionary fragments associated with abundant phyllosilicates and minor sulphides, and (3) as objects which resemble barred olivine chondrules also associated with phyllosilicates. Olivine, from all occurrences, ranges in composition from 0.26 to 22.6 weight % FeO, but generally contains less than 1.25 wt.% FeO. Minor element contents, particularly Ca, Al, and Cr, are relatively high and are generally correlated, as reported for olivines in other carbonaceous chondrites. However, we report here uncorrected trends for the same minor elements which occur in distinct areas (volumes) within the same olivines. These compositional trends may be due to condensation of olivine from a vapor of non-solar composition and partial mobilization of Ca during later annealing. If this is the case, the data may be used to trace changes in the Ca/Al ratio of the parent medium during the formation of these olivines, provided that it is possible to distinguish the effects of any post-formation annealing which could have redistributed the minor elements. Some isolated olivines show distinctive minor element zoning which severely limits the possibility of any post-formation redistribution of these elements. Accordingly, these isolated olivines indeed retain evidence of early condensation processes in the solar nebula, though non-classic conditions are implied for their formation.     

Transit spectroscopy of temperate Jupiters with ARIEL: a feasibility study

Several temperate Jupiters have been discovered to date, but most of them remain to be detected. In this note, we analyse the expected infrared transmission spectrum of a temperate Jupiter, with an equilibrium temperature ranging between 350 and 500 K. We estimate its expected amplitude signal through a primary transit, and we analyse the best conditions for the host star to be filled in order to optimize the S/N ratio of its transmission spectrum. Calculations show that temperate Jupiters around M stars could have an amplitude signal higher than 10^?4 in primary transits, with revolution periods of a few tens of days and transit durations of a few hours. In order to enlarge the sampling of exoplanets to be observed with ARIEL (presently focussed on objects warmer than 500 K), such objects could be considered as additional possible targets for the mission.     

Stability of amorphous circumstellar silicate grains

Within the framework of classical nucleation theory we have shown that Mg₂SiO₄ grains (radii of nearly 0.1 μm) which are likely candidates as condensation products in circumstellar shells around late-type stars must condense at about 750 K to remain amorphous. If the condensation temperature is about 1000 K the newly formed grains must be rather small to rest in the amorphous state during cooling. Submicron sized MgSiO₃grains are entire stable against crystallization for T_cond ≤ 1000 K.     

Circumstellar dust shells around very young and massive stars

In this paper we investigate the properties of dust in circumstellar shells around very young massive compact IR sources (Becklin-Neugebauer objects).We found no correlation between the optical depth in the centre of the 10-m band and the 3.1-m ice band. An inverse correlation between the strength of the silicate feature and the colour temperature for the 8–13 m interval was detected. Our sample of BN objects extends this kind of relation already known for Mira stars and OH/IR stars to higher optical depths.We present a radiative transfer model for BN objects and discuss its main properties. Using this model, the interpretation of the observations led to the conclusion that the type of silicates present in the dust shells of very young stellar objects is different from that type around oxygen-rich giants and supergiants. These different silicates may be tentatively identified with pyroxenes and olivines, respectively.We studied the influence of the adopted dust model in deriving source parameters of BN objects. The object W3-IRS5 was discussed in some detail.Paper presented at a Workshop on The Role of Dust in Dense Regions of Interstellar Matter, held at Georgenthal, G.D.R., in March 1986.     

Dynamic stiffness of rigid rectangular foundations on the half-space

The dynamic soil–structure interaction of a rigid rectangular foundation with the subsoil represents a mixed-boundary value problem. This problem is formulated in terms of a system of coupled Fredholm integral equations of the first kind. The subsoil is modelled by a homogeneous, linear-elastic and isotropic half-space which is perfectly bonded to the rigid, rectangular foundation. An approximate solution for the resultant loads between the foundation and the half-space due to a unit forced displacement or rotation is obtained using the Bubnov–Galerkin method. Using this method the displacement boundary value conditions are exactly satisfied and the contact stress distributions between the foundation and the half-space are approximated by series expansions of Chebyshev polynomials. This method provides a simple means of studying the soil-structure interaction of rectangular foundations with different inertia properties.     

Modelling Groundwater Fluctuations and the Frequency of Movement of a Landslide in the Terres Noires Region of Barcellonnette (France)

Onn the basis of measurements of hydrological parameters and field monitoring of a landslide in the Terres Noires in the basin of Barcelonnette (France), a hydrological model was developed, describing groundwater fluctuations in relation to precipitation. These groundwater fluctuations can be used as input to a stability model in order to assess the temporal frequency of instability of the landslide. The calculated groundwater fluctuations, which can forecast years with landslide incidents, were roughly calibrated against dated movements obtained by dendrochronological research. The hydrological system of the landslide can be understood through a three-layer sequence: a rather permeable colluvial top layer underlain by a less permeable colluvial second layer, both overlying the nearly impermeable in situ non-weathered black marls (Terres Noires). The mean Ksat value for the matrix flow in the top layer is 15·7 cm/day and in the underlying layer 0·7 cm/day. However, water fluxes in these layers occur by two types of groundwater flow: matrix flow obeying Darcy's law, and more rapid gravitational flow through preferential flow paths, increasing the conductivity by a factor of 10 to 100, as cube method Ksat measurements revealed. The model shows long-term yearly fluctuations of the phreatic surface, with peaks at the end of winter, as well as at the beginning of spring, and minimum values during the dry summer period. These long-term fluctuations are explained by the high drainage capacity of the top colluvial layer and the relatively low vertical water fluxes within the underlying colluvial layer. The model shows that maximum critical peak height conditions of the groundwater, causing instability, occur in wet seasons, with at least six consecutive months with high amounts (more than 60 mm) of precipitation. © 1997 by John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Relative Fluxes by Spectrophotometry with RUBIKON

By means of the RUBIKON multi-channel detector system with integrated grism spectrograph, attached to the Bochum 61cm telescope, five primary standars stars have been intercompared and an additional secondary standard star (HD 37027 in the center field of the LMC) has been set up in the wavelength range of 326–777 nm.