Thorite versus huttonite: stability, electronic properties and X-ray emission spectra from first-principle calculations

The structural, electronic properties and stability of thorium orthosilicate ThSiO₄ polymorphs: thorite and huttonite are investigated by means of the full-potential linearized augmented-plane-wave method with the generalized gradient approximation for the exchange-correlation potential (FLAPW-GGA). The forbidden gaps of thorite and huttonite are estimated at about 7.8 and 7.6 eV, respectively. It is found that Th5f states in ThSiO₄ partially overlap with occupied O2p bands. The data obtained showed that thorite is more stable than huttonite; in turn both ThSiO₄ polymorphs are unstable with respect to their constituent binary oxides (thorianite ThO₂ and α-quartz SiO₂) in agreement with the experiments. The theoretical shapes of X-ray emission (XES) (Si,O)Kα,β spectra for thorite, huttonite as well as for SiO₂ and ThO₂ are calculated and discussed. We show that the XES spectroscopy near the (Si,O)K edge may be very useful technique not only for detailed investigation of the bulk-electronic structure of Th silicates but also for the phase analysis of complex mineral samples containing these species.     

Immiscible silicate liquid partition coefficients: implications for crystal-melt element partitioning and basalt petrogenesis

This study investigates partitioning of elements between immiscible aluminosilicate and borosilicate liquids using three synthetic mixtures doped with 32 trace elements. In order to get a good spatial separation of immiscible liquids, we employed a high-temperature centrifuge. Experiments were performed at 1,050–1,150°C, 1 atm, in sealed Fe and Pt containers. Quenched products were analysed by electron microprobe and LA ICP-MS. Nernst partition coefficients (D’s) between the Fe-rich and Si-rich aluminosilicate immiscible liquids are the highest for Zn (3.3) and Fe (2.6) and the lowest for Rb and K (0.4–0.5). The plots of D values against ionic potential Z/r in all the compositions show a convex upward trend, which is typical also for element partitioning between immiscible silicate and salt melts. The results bear upon the speciation and structural position of elements in multicomponent silicate liquids. The ferrobasalt–rhyolite liquid immiscibility is observed in evolved basaltic magmas, and may play an important role in large gabbroic intrusions, such as Skaergaard, and during the generation of unusual lavas, such as ferropicrites.     

Climatic and geographic patterns of river runoff formation in Northern Eurasia

Siberian rivers are of global importance as they impact on the freshwater budget of the Arctic Ocean, which affects the Thermo-Haline circulation in the North Atlantic Ocean. Siberian rivers, in particular the tributaries to the larger rivers, are under-represented in the international river-regime databases. The runoff of three Russian rivers in the Central Siberian taiga (Kureyka, Karabula and Erba) is modelled to analyse the relative influence of climate. In addition three rivers (Rhine, Maas and Odra) in Western Europe are similarly assessed as a control. The results show that the role of precipitation and autocorrelation as factors in the formation of river runoff is stronger under oceanic climate conditions, increasing from the central regions of Northern Eurasia towards the Arctic Ocean in the North and the Atlantic in the West. At the same time the influence of summer temperatures is weakened. The formation of Northern Eurasian river runoff appears to be influenced by periodically thawing top horizons of permafrost soil. Time served as an indicator for land use change after inclusion of meteorological data in the models. Maas and Erba showed a significant influence of the time factor. For the Erba the onset of agricultural land use in the catchment coincides with a drop in runoff. A similar causal relationship is suggested for the Maas. Land use can change the formation of runoff, which in turn can be used as an environmental indicator for sustainable land use.     

Structure of flow over alluvial bedforms: an experiment on linking field and laboratory methods

This paper presents results of a field study designed to examine the structure of flow over mobile and fixed bedforms in a natural stream and to compare the results with findings of previous laboratory studies within the framework of double time–space averaging approach. Measurements of turbulence were obtained in a small river in Illinois, USA, over a fine spatial grid of sampling points above a mobile sandy bedform and its artificially moulded replica. Flow structure over the artificial bedform is similar to that observed in laboratory studies, but is markedly different from the flow structure over natural bedforms. These differences are most pronounced in the roughness sublayer, whereas flow in the logarithmic layer over natural and artificial sand waves is fairly similar and exhibits spatial uniformity. The double time–space averaged distributions of turbulence statistics conform to the multilayer model of flow structure over bedforms. Mean velocity distributions indicate neither classical flow recirculation nor substantial reduction of velocities in the lee of bedform crests. However, vertical patterns of turbulence statistics over depth suggest that stacked wakes similar to those observed in laboratory studies exist above the bedforms. Thus, despite the absence of flow separation, wake development seems to be induced by the systematic influence of upstream bedforms on the vertical structure of turbulence. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Fire Danger Monitoring Using ERS-1 SAR Images in the Case of Northern Boreal Forests

Research was carried out to assess the potential of imaging radar systems formonitoring forest fire danger. In Canada, daily forest fire danger ratings are generated by the Canadian ForestFire Danger Rating System (CFFDRS), based on estimates of fire weather indices (FWI) and measured foliar moisturecontent (FMC). To evaluate the potential of imaging radar, an experiment was conducted using test sitesconsisting of jack pine, black spruce and white spruce stands located in the MacKenzie river basin, NorthwestTerritories, Canada. Radar image intensity values from ERS-1 SAR imagery collected over these stands in 1994 werecompared to FWI indices and FMC data. FWI indices were calculated using data from local weather stations.Seasonal trends in radar backscatter (⁰) were shown to correlate with temperature and precipitation. Significant relationships were found between ⁰ and FWI codes and indices, particularly in thecase of the black spruce stands, with slow-drying fuels, like duff moisture code (DMC), drought code (DC), and build-upindex (BUI). Rates of changes in ⁰were related to rates of changes in FMC, particularly in the case ofthe jack pine stands for old FMC and in the case of white spruce stands for composite FMC.     

High Resolution Stepped-Combustion Mass Spectrometry: Application to the Detection and Analysis of Fine-Grained Diamond in Meteorites and Rocks

An analytical system and operating protocol are described for high resolution, stepped-combustion mass spectrometry, designed for the extraction, purification, quantification and isotopic analysis of light elements (e.g. C and N) in fine-grained reduced components (e.g. diamond) which have been chemically extracted from natural samples (e.g. meteorites). Specifically, a simple model has been developed for the extraction of diamond from meteorite and its analysis by high resolution stepped heating under an atmosphere of oxygen. Changes in the pressure of oxygen within the range 1.3 to 12kPa (10 to 90 torr) were not found to have any detectable effect on the combustion. Results obtained by this procedure were compared with those predicted by a model and excellent agreement was found, taking into account the limitations of this approach. Results of a preliminary attempt to find fine-grained diamond in a lamproite are outlined.     

Magnetic activity and evolution of Algol-type stars – II

We examine the possibility of probing dynamo action in mass-losing stars, components of Algol-type binaries. Our analysis is based on the calculation of non-conservative evolution of these systems. We model the systems U Sge and β Per where the more massive companion fills its Roche lobe at the main sequence (case AB) and where it has a small helium core (early case B) respectively. We show that to maintain evolution of these systems at the late stages which are presumably driven by stellar 'magnetic braking', an efficient mechanism for producing large-scale surface magnetic fields in the donor star is needed. We discuss the relevance of dynamo operation in the donor star to the accelerated mass transfer during the late stages of evolution of Algol-type binaries. We suggest that the observed X-ray activity in Algol-type systems may be a good indicator of their evolutionary status and internal structure of the mass-losing stellar components.