Radio search for pulsed emission from X-ray pulsars

An experiment has been performed at 325 MHz, with a 10 m tracking dish, for the search of pulsed radio emission associated with X-ray pulsars. No evidence of radio pulses has been found in the four sources investigated, although the radio pulsar PSR 0329+54, used as a testing object, has been detected successfully.     

Conservation laws and mass distribution in the planet formation process

Within the framework of the nebular theory of the origin of the solar system, conservation laws are applied to the condensation of a ring shaped cloud of orbiting particles. The final configuration is assumed to be a point-like planet in a circular orbit around the Sun. On this ground, it is possible to relate the masses of the planets with the interplanetary distances. This relation is confirmed satisfactorily by the observed masses and orbital radii of several planets and satellites of the solar system.     

A search for solar neutrons near solar maximum,II

A plastic scintillator counter with anticoincidence screen has flown in four balloon flights at a floating altitude variable between 4 and 5 mb, during night to day, day-time and night-time flights. The analysis and comparison of the day-time and night-time parts of the flights has given for the continuous emission flux an upper limit of 5.5 × 10^–3 n/cm²s over the energy range from 10 MeV to 200 MeV. This upper limit is converted into upper limit differential solar neutron spectrum to be compared with the results obtained from other experiments.An irregular excess in counting rate observed in one of the flights, resulting in a day-night difference, is discussed.Finally the problems encountered in the operation of this type of detector at a high level of sensitivity are also discussed.This research has been sponsored in part by the Air Force Cambridge Research Laboratories through the European Office of Aerospace Research, OAR, USAF under contract F61052-68-C-0050.     

Comparing different models of aftershock rate decay: The role of catalog incompleteness in the first times after main shock

We evaluated the efficiency of various models in describing the time decay of aftershock rate of 47 simple sequences occurred in California (37) from 1933 to 2004 and in Italy (10) from 1976 to 2004. We compared the models by the corrected Akaike Information Criterion (AIC_c) and the Bayesian Information Criterion (BIC), both based on the log-likelihood function and also including a penalty term that takes into account the number of independent observations and of free parameters of each model. These criteria follow two different approaches (probabilistic and Bayesian respectively) well covering the wide spectra of current views on model comparison. To evaluate the role of catalog incompleteness in the first times after the main shock, we compared the performance of different models by varying the starting time T_s and the minimum magnitude threshold M_min for each sequence. We found that Omori-type models including parameter c are preferable to those not including it, only for short T_s and low M_min while the latters generally perform better than the formers for T_s longer than a few hours and M_min larger than the main shock magnitude M_m minus 3 units. For T_s > 1 day or M_min > M_m − 2.5, only about 15% of the sequences still give a preference to models including c. This clearly indicates that a value of parameter c different from zero does not represent a general property of aftershock sequences in California and Italy but it is very likely induced in most cases by catalog incompleteness in the first times after the main shock. We also considered other models of aftershock decay proposed in the literature: the Stretched Exponential Law in two forms (including and not including a time shift) and the band Limited Power Law (LPL). We found that such models perform worse than the Modified Omori Model (MOM) and other Omori-type models for the large majority of sequences, although for LPL, the relatively short duration of the analyzed sequences (one year) might also contribute to its poor performance. Our analysis demonstrates that the MOM with c kept fixed to 0 represent the better choice for the modeling (and the forecasting) of simple sequence behavior in California and Italy.     

Fluids in early stage hydrothermal alteration of high-sulfidation epithermal systems: A view from the Vulcano active hydrothermal system (Aeolian Island,Italy)

High-sulfidation (HS) epithermal systems have elements in common with passively degassing volcanoes associated with high T, acid fumarole fields or acid crater lakes. They are considered to form in two stages, the first of which involves advanced argillic alteration resulting from intense, strongly acidic fluid–rock interaction. The La Fossa hydrothermal system (Vulcano Island) represents a classic example of such an active HS system and can be considered as a modern analogue of this early stage of alteration, resulting in a core of intense silicic (90–95% pure SiO₂) alteration surrounded by alunitic alteration zones.     

K-Rb ratio in high grade metamorphism: A confirmation of the hypothesis of a continual crustal evolution

The K:Rb ratio (R) in a metamorphic sequence with increasing metamorphism of the West Alps has been analysed. By a regression analysis a comparison is made with the trends observed for R byShaw (1968) in many magmatic processes. The K:Rb ratio in the metamorphic rocks shows a marked increase with increasing metamorphism in relation to a removal of the K content. The arithmetic averages of R in the rocks of amphibolite and granulite facies are 231 and 505 respectively. In some samples of granulite facies the R values are higher than those of the continental alkalic basalts and approximate to the oceanic tholeiites. The variations in the K:Rb ratio may be imputed, according toShaw, to an anatexis process which took place under high grade metamorphic conditions. The marked increase of the K:Rb ratio in the deep material would be caused by partial separation between K and Rb in the granulite assemblages and by an upward migration of Rb, relative to K, from the deep crustal levels of granulite facies. These considerations seem to confirmShaw’s hypothesis of the possibility of a marked crustal stratification and consequently of a continual crustal evolution.     

European blocking and Atlantic jet stream variability in the NCEP/NCAR reanalysis and the CMCC-CMS climate model

The relationship between atmospheric blocking over Europe and the Atlantic eddy-driven jet stream is investigated in the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis and in a climate model. This is carried out using a bidimensional blocking index based on geopotential height and a diagnostic providing daily latitudinal position and strength of the jet stream. It is shown that European Blocking (EB) is not decoupled from the jet stream but it is mainly associated with its poleward displacements. Moreover, the whole blocking area placed on the equatorward side of the jet stream, broadly ranging from Azores up to Scandinavia, emerges as associated with poleward jet displacements. The diagnostics are hence applied to two different climate model simulations in order to evaluate the biases in the jet stream and in the blocking representation. This analysis highlights large underestimation of EB, typical feature of general circulation models. Interestingly, observed blocking and jet biases over the Euro-Atlantic area are consistent with the blocking-jet relationship observed in the NCEP/NCAR Reanalysis. Finally, the importance of sea surface temperatures (SSTs) is investigated showing that realistic SSTs can reduce the bias in the jet stream variability but not in the frequency of EB. We conclude highlighting that blocking-related diagnostics can provide more information about the Euro-Atlantic variability than diagnostics simply based on the Atlantic jet stream.     

Long‐term demographic and reproductive trends in Ciona intestinalis sp. A

Ciona intestinalis sp. A (Tunicata, Ascidiacea) is a marine invertebrate with a widespread distribution and high invasive potential, yet little is known about its ecology. Here, the macrodynamics of demographic and reproductive trends were first determined using archive data covering 2002–2012. Species abundance in the central Tyrrhenian Sea (Campania, Italy ‐ NW Mediterranean) displayed Poisson distribution across 2002–2008, massive die‐off in 2009/2010 and population recovery in 2011/2012. We defined the seasonal ranges of sea surface temperature in which sampling size, animal size and reproductive status reached their highest values. In 2003/2004, self and non‐self fertilization appeared to follow reverse trends across the year. The long‐term recording run here on Ciona intestinalis sp. A provides novel insights into its population biology and ecology, and represents a valuable tool for sampling management and research planning.     

Excavation of the Aica-Mules pilot tunnel for the Brenner base tunnel: information gained on water inflows in tunnels in granitic massifs

The construction of the Aica-Mules tunnel, completed in 2010, provides a relevant case history for improving the knowledge of hydrogeological issues related to the excavation of deep tunnels in granitic massifs. The Aica-Mules tunnel is a 10 km-long structure, forming part of the high-speed railway connection between Austria and Italy across the Alpine chain, located at an average depth of 500–1,000 m below the surface. Prior to and during the construction, intense hydrogeological monitoring was set up, allowing the collection of abundant data concerning: (1) the evolution of water inflows into the tunnel; (2) the chemistry and temperature of drained groundwater; and (3) the influence of tunnel drainage on springs. Based on detailed analysis of geological/hydrogeological data, this article provides an insight into the permeability distribution in granitic rocks affected by relevant brittle tectonic deformation, and the consequences of water inflow during excavation. The available time series from the principal water discharges in the tunnel have been used in order to test the reliability of some of the most commonly applied analytical methods for the forecast of water inflows into tunnels.