Dike rock generation and magma interactions in the Bir Safsaf igneous complex,south-west Egypt: Implications for the Pan-African evolution in north-east Africa

The geological setting, ages, petrography and geochemistry of late Pan-African ( 580 Ma) calc-alkaline and tholeiitic dike rocks in the Bir Safsaf igneous complex of south-west Egypt are discussed. These basaltic to rhyolitic dikes intruded contemporaneously and shortly after the intrusion of granitoids. The major and trace element data, Sr and Nd isotope relations, in combination with textural observations, confirm complex interactions between most of the intermediate calcalkaline dike melts and plutonic melts, with different degrees of mixing, assimilation, replenishment and tapping of magma chambers. Trachytic and rhyolitic dikes are strongly differentiated melts from the granitic pluton. The tholeiitic dikes evolved dominantly by fractional crystallization processes. It is inferred that open system and closed system processes operated in calc-alkaline magma chambers, and that the calc-alkaline melts came from a garnet-and amphibole-bearing mantle, modified by a subduction component. Tholeiitic rocks were formed later by fractional crystallization and assimilation processes. Magma ascent of both dike types took place in an extensional environment and the presumed subduction zone has to be seen in connection with the Atmur-Delgo suture zone.     

Long,accurate time series measurements of radial velocities of solar-type stars

We have been measuring changes in the radial velocities (RV's) of solar-type stars to search for gravitational perturbations by planets. We transmit violet starlight through a Fabry-Perot etalon interferometer and sense changes in Doppler shift from changes in the fluxes of light on the slopes of stellar absorption lines. Our data now span 6 years. Our observations of the Sun showed earlier that both our technique and the profiles of solar photospheric violet absorption lines can be stable enough to reveal planetary perturbations. We now carry this validation to the spectra of other near-solar-type stars. Annual averages of our RV's of Draconis and Virginis are stable to ±6 m s^–1. The slope of our five-year series of RV's of Bootis A is consistent with the star's well-determined visual astrometric orbit about Bootis B. The Fabry-Perot technique of Doppler shift measurement is fully capable of detecting perturbations due to planets with masses and orbits similar to those of Jupiter.Paper presented at the Conference onPlanetary Systems: Formation, Evolution, and Detection held 7–10 December, 1992 at CalTech, Pasadena, California, U.S.A.     

A coronal loop model for the production of X-ray and radio flares in the RS CVn binary HR 1099

The RS CVn binary stellar system HR 1099 is a source of both X-ray and radio flares. We present here a model of the system in which the two types of flare are produced by the same population of mildly-relativistic ( 10) electrons, injected into a coronal loop. After reviewing possible radiation mechanisms we conclude that, given the probable conditions in the flaring region, the radio emission is gyrosynchrotron radiation and the X-ray emission is thermal bremsstrahlung. The thermal X-ray source must lie in the stellar chromosphere, but the apparent absence of plasma absorption at radio frequencies indicates that the radio source is located high in the coronal loop. Using the relationships given by Dulk and Marsh (1982) for the radio emission from a power-law electron energy spectrum,N() ( - 1)^–, we conclude that 3 7, with 30% of the electron population trapped in the radio source. Some implications of these results for one particular version of the model are discussed.     

A model of impulsive loop flares revisited

A critical examination of the components of the recent impulsive loop flare model of Takakura is made. It is found that his analysis of the stability of the electron distribution resulting from anomalous heat conduction is in error and electron plasma waves would not be excited. Rather, in the regions where the electron/proton temperature ratioT _e/T _i 10, electrostatic ion-cyclotron waves would be excited and in the regions whereT _e 10, ion-acoustic waves would be excited. Ratios ofT _e/T _i 10 occur only in the late time development behind the conduction fronts. Since the anomalous resistivity due to electrostatic ion-cyclotron waves is fortuitously about 70% of the one used by Takakura, the general development will follow closely the one calculated by him. Because the anomalous resistivity due to ion-acoustic waves is about 95 times the one used by Takakura, the development in the parts of the loop whereT _e/T _i 10 for late times would be altered considerably.Also Guest Worker at NOAA Space Environment Laboratory, Boulder, Colorado, U.S.A.     

Potential cauchy-poisson waves generated by submarine eruptions of kick 'em Jenny volcano

Kick 'em Jenny is the only known currently active submarine volcano in the Lesser Antilles. The volcano has erupted at least 10 times since first being discovered in 1939 and the summit has shoaled from a depth of 232 m in 1962 to its present-day depth of 150 m. Kick 'em Jenny is located in a province of explosive volcanism, has a known history of explosive eruptions and erupts magma of an explosive type. Future eruptions are likely to become increasingly more violent as the effect of the overlying water pressure becomes less. A preliminary study (Smith and Shepherd, 1993) suggests that Kick 'em Jenny is a prime candidate for tsunamigenic eruptions on a potentially hazardous scale, possibly affecting the whole of the eastern Caribbean region.The classic approach to problems of water waves generated by sudden disturbances of the free surface makes use of the Cauchy-Poisson-Lamb theory. A large number of theoretical developments to this theory have been made for specific forms of surface disturbance. A development by Unoki and Nakano (1953a, b) considers both two- and three-dimensional Cauchy-Poisson waves generated by finite initial elevations and impulses applied to a free surface of infinitely deep water. Unoki and Nakano's results compared well to the wave systems recorded following submarine eruptions of the Myojinsho Reef volcano in 1952–53.Given the similarity of the two situations, Unoki and Nakano's theory is applied to Kick 'em Jenny to provide estimates of potential Cauchy-Poisson wave heights throughout the eastern Caribbean for a range of eruption magnitudes. The results show that, although the waves generated are unlikely to pose much of a threat to the eastern Caribbean as a whole, they should be considered a hazard to the islands immediately adjacent to the volcano including Grenada, the Grenadines, and St Vincent.     

Far-infrared observations of main sequence stars surrounded by dust shells

We present 50 and 100µm photometry and size information for several main sequence stars surrounded by dust shells. The observations from NASA's Kuiper Airborne Observatory include the Vega-like stars, Beta Pic, Fomalhaut, as well as four stars suggested by Walker and Wolstencroft to belong possibly to the same class. The results of our observations are best interpreted as upper limits to the far-infrared sizes of the dust clouds around all of the stars except Fomalhaut and Beta Pic. We have also fit simple, optically thin models to the Beta Pic data to explore the range of shell parameters consistent with our limits and with previous observations.     

Uranus: Disk structure within the 7300-Å methane band

Orthogonal narrow-band (100 Å) photoelectric slit scan photometry of Uranus has been used to infer the basic two-dimensional structure of the disk within the 7300-Å methane band. Numerical image reconstruction and restoration techniques have been applied to quantitatively estimate the degrees of polar and limb brightening on the planet. Through partial removal of atmospheric smearing, an effective spatial resolution of approximately 0.9 arcsec has been achieved. Peak polar, limb, and central intensities on the disk are in the respective proportions 3:2:1. In addition, the bright polar feature is displaced from the geometric pole towards the equator of the planet.     

Remote spectroscopic identification of carbonaceous chondrite mineralogies: Applications to Ceres and Pallas

High-resolution spectroscopic observations of asteroids Ceres and Pallas have been obtained in the 1.0- to 2.6-μm region. Combined with previous spectralmeasurements at other wavelengths, this work presents the broadband spectral reflectances of these asteroids over the 0.4 to 3.6-um region. This extended coverage permits new analyses of the surface mineralogies of these objects. Using laboratory comparison spectra of meteorites and mixtures of terrestrial minerals, the surfaces of Ceres and Pallas are consistent with mixtures of opaques and hydrated silicates, such as are found in types C1 and C2 meteorites. This research emphasizes the importance of the 3-um spectral region for studying by remote methods the relationship of carbonaceous chondrite mineralogies to asteroid surfaces.     

Spectropolarimetry of the methane and ammonia bands of Jupiter between 6800 and 8200 Å

Spectropolarimetry of Jupiter at resolutions between 22 and 35 Å reveals a strong increase of linear polarization in the 7250-$\text{A}\text{?}$ CH₄ band. This is very probably due to the decreasing contribution toward the band center of the higher orders of scattering, which have a smaller net polarization than the first few orders. The linear polarization is also enhanced in the band at 7900 $\text{A}\text{?}$ comprising the 7920-$\text{A}\text{?}$ NH₃ and 7600- to 8200-$\text{A}\text{?}$ CH₄ bands. The normalized circular polarization shows a feature at 7250 $\text{A}\text{?}$ with a dispersion shape. This is most probably produced in a double-scattering process involving either a solid or liquid aerosol with an absorption at 7250 $\text{A}\text{?}$. Methane aerosols, the obvious candidates from a spectroscopic point of view, are, however, forbidden if current estimates of the Jovian atmospheric temperature are correct.     

A remote unmanned ELF/VLF goniometer receiver in Antarctica

In March 1977 an unmanned ELF/VLF goniometer receiving station was deployed on the Antarctic plateau 110 km south south west of the British Antarctic Survey base at Halley. A UHF Telemetry link enabled the ELF and VLF signals to be monitored and recorded at Halley, simultaneously with data from an identical ELF/VLF receiver at Halley. The remote station was designed for unattended operation with a wind driven generator to recharge its battery. Design considerations and problems encountered are discussed and some preliminary results are presented.