ChemiX: a Bragg crystal spectrometer for the <Emphasis Type="Italic">Interhelioprobe</Emphasis> interplanetary mission

Interhelioprobe (IHP), an analogue to the ESA Solar Orbiter, is the prospective Russian space solar observatory intended for in-situ and remote sensing investigations of the Sun and the inner heliosphere from a heliocentric orbit with the perihelion of about 60 solar radii. One of several instruments on board will be the Bragg crystal spectrometer ChemiX which will measure X-ray spectra from solar corona structures. Analysis of the spectra will allow the determination of the elemental composition of plasma in hot coronal sources like flares and active regions. ChemiX is under development at the Wroc?aw Solar Physics Division of the Polish Academy of Sciences Space Research Centre in collaboration with an international team (see the co-author list). This paper gives an overview of the ChemiX scientific goals and design preparatory to phase B of the instrument development.     

Observations of the Ly-α Forest

We analyze four high resolution rich samples of Ly-α and metal lines (two at z ≥ 2 and two at z ≤ 0.2). We describe evolution of the observed Doppler parameters and absorbers separation and propose a model of the forest. We argue that all absorption lines are formed in gaseous caustics created in stable DM subclouds. The absorption lines are described by two local characteristics, the Doppler parameter and the column density of neutral hydrogen. We show that evolution of the Doppler parameter is very slow and its mean value increases by a factor ≤1.5 at redshifts 0 ≤ z ≤ 3. We show that absorbers separation increases as <d_sep ∝ (1 + z)?2. We describe evolution of absorbers in the framework of a two component model: the first population represents absorbers with just one line created in compact stable DM clouds with random spatial distribution, and the second population includes absorbers with two, three and more absorption lines formed in more massive and extended random DM clouds. Slow evolution of the Doppler parameter indicates high stability of caustics and conditions within clouds. For absorbers of the second population relative velocity of lines slowly increases with time.     

Multiphase magmatic activity in the Variscan Kłodzko–Złoty Stok intrusion,Polish Sudetes: evidence from SHRIMP U–Pb zircon ages

International Journal of Earth Sciences - The Kłodzko–Złoty Stok intrusion (KZSI), located in the NE part of the Bohemian Massif of Central Europe, has preserved records of the...     

Ultrasonic constraint of the microfracture anisotropy of flysch rocks from the Podhale Synclinorium (Poland)

International Journal of Earth Sciences - This paper attempts to show the relationship between joints observed in flysch formations in the field and microfracture fabrics invisible to the naked eye...     

Planning the Colca Canyon and the Valley of the Volcanoes National Park in South Peru

The economic development of the Rio Colca region and related infrastructure endangers the environment of the deepest canyon worldwide. The unique values of the Colca Valley and Canyon and its tributary Valley of the Volcanoes are summarised. They include a magnificent, deep section of the orogenic belt 100 km long, different geological formations, active faults, a variety of fold structures, young volcanoes, hot springs, geysers, several ecological zones and the largest condor habitat in the Andes. Based on the observed land use, development and regional planning, the threats and conflict areas are outlined. Studies performed by the Polish Scientific Expedition to Peru since 2003 add greatly to the knowledge of geology, landscape and pioneering biota development of the area and its importance to the world heritage of nature. They are aimed to give scientific background to the project of the Canyon Colca and Valley of the Volcanoes National Park. The article gives the proposed limits of the park and its buffer zones, categories of protection zones compatible with the SINANPE system of Peru and suggestions on tourist accessibility. The strict protection zone should cover the most inaccessible part of the area where human economic activity practically does not exist. Traditional farming and animal husbandry, wildlife, cultural tourism and some forms of adventure tourism will be allowed in the zone of special usage. The new park would strengthen the relatively poor system of the protected areas in the Arequipa Department, increase tourist attractiveness and determine constraints for sustained regional development. The expected actions of the park authority and local governments are specified.     

Protomylonite evolution potentially revealed by the 3D depiction and fractal analysis of chemical data from a feldspar

Tourmalinization associated with peraluminous granitic intrusions in metapelitic host-rocks has been widely recorded in the Iberian Peninsula, given the importance of tourmaline as a tracer of granite magma evolution and potential indicator of Sn-W mineralizations. In the Penamacor-Monsanto granite pluton (Central Eastern Portugal, Central Iberian Zone), tourmaline occurs: (1) as accessory phase in two-mica granitic rocks, muscovite-granites and aplites, (2) in quartz (±mica)-tourmaline rocks (tourmalinites) in several exocontact locations, and (3) as a rare detrital phase in contact zone hornfels and metapelitic host-rocks. Electron microprobe and stable isotope (δ¹⁸O, δD, δ¹¹B) data provide clear distinctions between tourmaline populations from these different settings: (a) schorl–oxyschorl tourmalines from granitic rocks have variable foititic component (^X□ = 17–57 %) and Mg/(Mg + Fe) ratios (0.19–0.50 in two-mica granitic rocks, and 0.05–0.19 in the more differentiated muscovite-granite and aplites); granitic tourmalines have constant δ¹⁸O values (12.1 ± 0.1 ‰), with wider-ranging δD (?78.2 ± 4.7 ‰) and δ¹¹B (?10.7 to ?9.0 ‰) values; (b) vein/breccia oxyschorl [Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 0.31–0.44] results from late, B- and Fe-enriched magma-derived fluids and is characterized by δ¹⁸O = 12.4 ‰, δD = ?29.5 ‰, and δ¹¹B = ?9.3 ‰, while replacement tourmalines have more dravitic compositions [Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 0.26–0.64], close to that of detrital tourmaline in the surrounding metapelitic rocks, and yield relatively constant δ¹⁸O values (13.1–13.3 ‰), though wider-ranging δD (?58.5 to ?36.5 ‰) and δ¹¹B (?10.2 to ?8.8 ‰) values; and (c) detrital tourmaline in contact rocks and regional host metasediments is mainly dravite [Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 0.35–0.78] and oxydravite [Mg/(Mg + Fe) = 0.51–0.58], respectively. Boron contents of the granitic rocks are low (<650 ppm) compared to the minimum B contents normally required for tourmaline saturation in granitic melts, implying loss of B and other volatiles to the surrounding host-rocks during the late-magmatic stages. This process was responsible for tourmalinization at the exocontact of the Penamacor-Monsanto pluton, either as direct tourmaline precipitation in cavities and fractures crossing the pluton margin (vein/breccia tourmalinites), or as replacement of mafic minerals (chlorite or biotite) in the host-rocks (replacement tourmalinites) along the exocontact of the granite. Thermometry based on ¹⁸O equilibrium fractionation between tourmaline and fluid indicates that a late, B-enriched magmatic aqueous fluid (av. δ¹⁸O ~12.1 ‰, at ~600 °C) precipitated the vein/breccia tourmaline (δ¹⁸O ~12.4 ‰) at ~500–550 °C, and later interacted with the cooler surrounding host-rocks to produce tourmaline at lower temperatures (400–450 °C), and an average δ¹⁸O ~13.2 ‰, closer to the values for the host-rock. Although B-metasomatism associated with some granitic plutons in the Iberian Peninsula seems to be relatively confined in space, extending integrated studies such as this to a larger number of granitic plutons may afford us a better understanding of Variscan magmatism and related mineralizations.     

Ichnodiversity and ichnoabundance: Revealing depositional trends in a confined turbidite system

Ichnological studies are still in their infancy when it comes to the interpretation of deep‐marine deposits. The Eocene–Oligocene turbidite system of the Grès d'Annot Formation in south‐east France is well‐studied sedimentologically, but its trace‐fossil content is poorly known. Here, an integrated ichnological–sedimentological study is presented from the Annot sub‐basin for the first time, which demonstrates its value for interpreting proximal to distal and axial to marginal trends in confined turbidite systems. A comprehensive trace‐fossil data set was collected from seven outcrops situated in the southern part of the basin. These data are presented following a morphology‐based classification scheme to allow easy recognition and characterization of ichnotaxa. Ichnodiversity and the abundance of ichnotaxa are regarded as important parameters in such interpretations. Instead of simply counting ichnotaxa per outcrop or stratigraphic unit, an equation has been developed in which the ‘ichnoabundance’ (new term) of each counted ichnotaxon is calculated. An exponential growth factor is applied to the increase of the frequency of trace fossils, and is assumed in this equation to better reflect the population dynamics of benthic organisms. A comparison of the solution for pre‐turbidite and post‐turbidite trace‐fossil suites seems to be more suitable for revealing regional and stratigraphic trends compared with conventional approaches. Despite varying size and conditions of the studied outcrops, the results achieved from the Grès d'Annot Formation can help in the reconstruction of sedimentary processes acting in this confined turbidite basin.     

Periglacial structures within fluvio‐aeolian successions of the end of the Last Glaciation – examples from SE Poland and NW Ukraine

The nature of permafrost and related environmental conditions in the Weichselian Late Pleniglacial and Lateglacial are reconstructed based on the assessment of frost structures that are best documented in the Loess Belt and in plateau areas composed of glacial till. Investigations were conducted in the central‐eastern part of the European Sand Belt (SE Poland and NW Ukraine) on a fluvio‐aeolian sedimentary succession and took into account its chronological context given by luminescence dating. Various generations of periglacial structures found in these deposits indicate not only the development of permafrost (ice‐wedge pseudomorphs) and decreased humidity (composite wedge casts) but also the degradation of permafrost (large‐scale involutions) and, finally, the establishment of deep seasonal frost (frost cracks). The diversity of structures in the study region appears to result from local conditions rather than increasing continentality of climate towards the east.     

The EURONEAR Lightcurve Survey of Near Earth Asteroids 2017–2020

Earth, Moon, and Planets - The Perseverance rover (Mars 2020) mission, the first step in NASA’s Mars Sample Return (MSR) program, will select samples for caching based on their potential to...