Interplanetary diffusive shock acceleration: Exponential or power-law spectra?

A new method for solving the transport equation and boundary condition describing diffusive shock acceleration for interplanetary corotating interaction regions is provided. It involves inverting a quindiagonal matrix. Application of this method to realistic parameters indicates that the parallel diffusion coefficient magnitude is critical in determining whether observed particle distribution functions are exponential or power law.     

Some problems associated with past mining at a mine in the Witbank coalfield, South Africa

 Mining in the Witbank Coalfield commenced at the turn of the century. Initially there was little environmental degradation associated with mining activities; however, in the late 1930s and early 1940s a pillar-robbing programme commenced. At one particular mine this has had marked effects on the environment. Primary effects include subsidence, the appearance of tension cracks at the surface and crownhole development. Secondary effects include spontaneous combustion of the coal worked, as air has been provided with ready access to the mine, accelerated subsidence due to the strength of many pillars being reduced by burning, and a marked deterioration in groundwater quality in the area. Spoil heaps also form blemishes on the landscape. These contain significant amounts of coal and have undergone spontaneous combustion. The deterioration in the water quality has led to the decimation of vegetation in some areas and the eradication of aquatic flora and fauna in a nearby stream. Received: 5 March 1997 · Accepted: 1 July 1997     

Late Triassic fluvial and marine shelf succession, Quebrada Doña Inés Chica, Atacama region, northern Chile

A 400-meter-thick volcanic and fine-grained clastic sedimentary succession in Quebrada Doña Ines Chica (26°07′S latitude; 69°20'W longitude) provides a record of Late Triassic deposition in the Atacama region of northern Chile. The strata are conformably overlain by fossiliferous marine limestones and sandstones of Late Triassic to Early Jurassic (Sinemurian) age which contain the oldest ichthyosaur remains known from Central and South America. The clastic succession is interpreted as coastal fluvial deposits, with the overlying limestones representing shelf deposits.     

Fault‐controlled fluid flow inferred from hydrothermal vents imaged in 3D seismic reflection data,offshore NW Australia

Fluid migration pathways in the subsurface are heavily influenced by pre‐existing faults. Although studies of active fluid‐escape structures can provide insights into the relationships between faults and fluid flow, they cannot fully constrain the geometry of and controls on the contemporaneous subsurface fluid flow pathways. We use 3D seismic reflection data from offshore NW Australia to map 121 ancient hydrothermal vents, likely related to magmatic activity, and a normal fault array considered to form fluid pathways. The buried vents consist of craters up to 264 m deep, which host a mound of disaggregated sedimentary material up to 518 m thick. There is a correlation between vent alignment and underlying fault traces. Seismic‐stratigraphic observations and fault kinematic analyses reveal that the vents were emplaced on an intra‐Tithonian seabed in response to the explosive release of fluids hosted within the fault array. We speculate that during the Late Jurassic the convex‐upwards morphology of the upper tip‐lines of individual faults acted to channelize ascending fluids and control where fluid expulsion and vent formation occurred. This contribution highlights the usefulness of 3D seismic reflection data to constraining normal fault‐controlled subsurface fluid flow.     

Visible spectral reflectance measurements (0.33–1.1 μm) of the Galilean satellites at many orbital phase angles

One hundred eighty-seven reflectance spectra (0.33–1.10 μm) of the Galilean satellites have been obtained. Solar phase angle color correction coefficients were derived and the spectra corrected to a solar phase of 6°. Solar phase angle coefficients beyond 0.55 μm are presented for the first time. The spectra as a function of orbital phase angle are presented in the form of images to display hemispheric spectral variations. Io and Europa are redder on their trailing hemispheres while Callisto is redder on its leading hemisphere. Ganymede shows small longitudinal color variations despite the complex albedo structure visible in Voyager images. Comparisons of these data with previous measurements reveal that most differences can be attributed to the solar calibration. Reflectance measurements of Io at 0.73 μm observed 8.5 years apart show a 6% global reflectance decrease. However, it is difficult to unambigously attribute this particular decrease in reflectance to a change in Io's surface composition.     

The influence of turbulence on drag

The use of the Reynolds number as the only correlating factor for drag force measurements may be inadequate in circumstances involving highly turbulent flows. The results of previous investigations relating to the effects of turbulence scale and intensity are examined. Of special interest is the possibility of a drag minimum, even at low Reynolds number, for a free-stream turbulence intensity of about 5%. This appears to be the result of interaction between the free stream and the boundary layer. As intensity increases beyond 5%, the minimum may be succeeded by an increase in drag to values exceeding the laminar flow values. Further elucidation of the subject is required, particularly because of its importance in various problems related to geophysical flows.     

The Sponge Community in a Semi-Submerged Temperate Sea Cave: Density, Diversity and Richness

Abstract. The sponge communities inhabiting a temperate semi-submerged sea cave were investigated at Lough Hyne Marine Nature Reserve, Co. Cork, Ireland. Thirty-one species of sponge were reported, the majority of which exhibited either an encrusting or massive morphology. Sponge density (averaged over depth) increased with horizontal distance (5  m intervals) into the cave until approximately 30  m, corresponding to the maximum algal intrusion (algal information from Norton et al. , 1971) . Species diversity and richness (averaged over depth) were highest at 10  m horizontal distance from the cave entrance. Variability in sponge density, diversity and richness was observed with increasing vertical depth (0.5  m intervals) at most horizontal intervals sampled (5  m apart). These three variables increased initially with depth, but then decreased towards the seabed. Bray-Curtis Similarity Analysis and Multi-Dimensional Scaling (MDS) showed cave sponge community composition to have greater similarity (50 %) with local loose rock habitats than the nearby cliffs. Similar processes structuring cave and loose rock sponge communities may account for this situation. Information collected from this and previous studies on the biotic (algal communities, other fauna and competition) and abiotic factors (water flow rate, depth, aerial exposure, light, cave morphology, nutrient depletion and humidity) affecting this and other caves is discussed with respect to its influence on the sponges inhabiting different parts of the cave. Although horizontal zonation patterns have been considered analogous to vertical distribution patterns for algal communities (due to similar decreases in light), this was not the case for the studied sponge communities.     

The cumulus and post-cumulus evolution of chrome-spinels in ultrabasic layered intrusions: evidence from the Cuillin Igneous Complex,Isle of Skye,Scotland

Chrome-spinels from the layered Peridotilte Series of the unmetamorphosed, anorogenic 60 Ma Cuillin Igneous Complex, Isle of Skye, display a wide variety of compositions. Cumulus (within seams) chrome-spinels from the lowest exposed portion of the Peridotite Series exhibit features indicative of textural equilibrium, are rich in Al and Mg, and have low values of the ratio Cr/(Cr+Al). Cumulus chrome-spinels from higher up in the series are different from these: particularly, textural disequilibrium is evident, intercumulus plagioclase and olivine are present, and the chrome-spinels are rich in Cr, Fe and Ti, with high values of the ratio Cr/(Cr+Al). Intercumulus (dispersed) chrome-spinels tend towards anhedral forms and define enrichment trends towards Fe (both Fe²⁺ and Fe³⁺) with decreasing Mg, Cr and Al, and towards Al, with decreasing Fe²⁺ and Cr (and increasing Mg). Individual crystals are completely homogeneous and are devoid of reaction rims. The observed textural characteristics and compositional data of the chrome-spinels documented here suggest that the semi-quantitative peritectic reaction: aluminous chrome-spinel + meltplagioclase + olivine + chromian chrome-spinel, is responsible for the observed parageneses, and that both the environment of crystallization (eumulus or intercumulus) and the role of plagioclase ±olivine crystallization are critical parameters for this geochemical trend in spinels within upper crustal magmatic systems. The effects of pyroxene crystallization on the development of this geochemical trend are also considered. This investigation highlights the need to consider the role of post-cumulus mineral-melt reactions and their influences upon the final compositions of major oxide and silicate phases within layered intrusions.     

High-resolution atmospheric observations by the Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System

High-resolution observations of atmospheric phenomena by the Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) during its first mapping year are presented. An atmospheric campaign was implemented on the basis of previous spacecraft imaging. This campaign, however, proved of limited success. This appears to be due to the late local time of the Odyssey orbit (the locations of activity at 4–6 p.m. appear to be different from those at 2 p.m.). Ironically, images targeting the surface were more useful for study of the atmosphere than those images specifically targeting atmospheric features. While many previously recognized features were found, novel THEMIS observations included persistent clouds in the southern polar layered deposits, dust or condensate plumes on the northern polar layered deposits, dust plumes as constituent parts of local dust storms, and mesospheric clouds. The former two features tend to be aligned parallel and normal to polar troughs, respectively, suggesting a wind system directed normal to troughs and radially outward from the center of the polar deposits. This is consistent with katabatic drainage of air off the polar deposits, analogous to flow off Antarctica. The observation of dust lifting plumes at unprecedented resolution associated with local dust storms not only demonstrates the importance of mean wind stresses (as opposed to dust devils) in initiation of dust storms, but is also seen to be morphologically identical to dust lifting in terrestrial dust storms. As Odyssey moves to earlier local times, we suggest that the atmospheric campaign from the first mapping year be repeated.