Seismic stratigraphy records the deglacial history of Jakobshavn Isbræ, West Greenland

Jakobshavn Isbræ is one of the largest ice streams in the Greenland Ice Sheet, presently draining c. 6.5% of the Inland Ice. Here we present high‐resolution Chirp and Sparker sub‐bottom profiles from a seismic survey conducted just outside of the Jakobshavn Isfjord, which provides detailed insight into the glacimarine sedimentary history of the Jakobshavn ice stream during the Holocene. We observe acoustically stratified and homogeneous sediments that drape an irregular substratum and were deposited between ～10 and c. 7.6k cal a BP. The stratified lower units are interpreted as the product of ice‐proximal glacimarine sedimentation deposited rapidly when the grounded ice margin was located close to depositional basins on topographic highs. The upper acoustically homogenous units reflect suspension settling of fine‐grained material and gravitational flows that were extruded from an increasingly unstable ice margin as the ice retreated into the fjord. Proximity to the ice margin and bedrock topography were the dominant controls on sediment accumulation during deglaciation although the 8.2‐ka cooling event probably influenced the position of the ice margin at the fjord mouth. The post‐glacial sedimentary record is characterized by glacimarine and hemipelagic rainout with an increased ice‐rafted detritus fraction that records sedimentation following ice stream retreat into Jakobshavn Isfjord sometime after c. 7.8k cal a BP. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

The potential for Earth-mass planet formation around brown dwarfs

Recent observations point to the presence of structured dust grains in the discs surrounding young brown dwarfs, thus implying that the first stages of planet formation take place also in the substellar regime. Here, we investigate the potential for planet formation around brown dwarfs and very low-mass stars according to the sequential core accretion model of planet formation. We find that, for a brown dwarf mass 0.05 M_⊙, our models predict a maximum planetary mass of  ∼5   M_⊕  , orbiting with semimajor axis ∼ 1 au. However, we note that the predictions for the mass–semimajor axis distribution are strongly dependent upon the models chosen for the disc surface density profiles and the assumed distribution of disc masses. In particular, if brown dwarf disc masses are of the order of a few Jupiter masses, Earth-mass planets might be relatively frequent, while if typical disc masses are only a fraction of Jupiter mass, we predict that planet formation would be extremely rare in the substellar regime. As the observational constraints on disc profiles, mass dependencies and their distributions are poor in the brown dwarf regime, we advise caution in validating theoretical models only on stars similar to the Sun and emphasize the need for observational data on planetary systems around a wide range of stellar masses. We also find that, unlike the situation around solar-like stars, Type II migration is totally absent from the planet formation process around brown dwarfs, suggesting that any future observations of planets around brown dwarfs would provide a direct measure of the role of other types of migration.     

The Bouguer gravity field and crustal structure of eastern Timor

The results from a recent North—South gravity traverse across eastern Timor show that the Bouguer gravity field is characterized by a strong, 6 mGal/km, gradient on the north coast. This gradient appears to be a fundamental feature of Timor and of the Outer Banda Arc. Preliminary computer models suggest that, to a first approximation, the gradient is due to a vertical fault at the north coast of Timor separating oceanic crust from continental crust. The fit between the computed and observed gradient can be improved significantly by assuming a northward-dipping lithospheric slab, north of Timor. The model further indicates that the Australian continental crust extends at least as far as the north coast of Timor.     

Seasonal variation of the diurnal cycle of rainfall in the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean

Summary The diurnal cycle of rainfall over the eastern equatorial Indian Ocean was studied for the period 23^rd October 2001 to 31^st October 2003 using hourly data from the Triton buoy positioned at 1.5° S and 90° E. An analysis of the active and weak spells of rainfall for different seasons revealed peaks in the late evening hours in Winter, Summer and Fall and in early morning hours (in Spring) in 2002. The active spell of rainfall peaked in the afternoon hours, during Winter, Spring and Summer in 2003, which agrees with the previous results of Janowiak et al. (1994). An analysis of rainfall events showed that Fall 2002 had a maximum number of rainfall events (90) and minimum (60) were observed in Spring 2003. Further it was found that the majority of rain events (>60%) were less than 3 hours in duration throughout the study period. The longer duration rainfall events (i.e. rain events greater than 6 hour duration) contributed significantly to Spring 2002 (20% of the total rainfall) and Winter 2003 (21% of the total rainfall). Harmonic analysis of the hourly rainfall data for different seasons revealed that diurnal harmonic explains more than 80% of the variance for all seasons. Furthermore, the diurnal harmonic has a maximum amplitude for all seasons except summer, where the semidiurnal and six hourly harmonics are significant.     

Ab initio calculations on (OH)4 defects in α-quartz

Ab initio total energy calculations based on a new optimized oxygen psuedopotential have been used to study the structures and relative energies of α-quartz, a partly (OH)₄ substituted version of the α-quartz structure, and interstitial water molecules in α-quartz. Hydrogen bonds formed from two hydroxyl groups of the (OH)₄ defects in the substituted α-quartz structure promote a stable structure for the defect α-quartz at low temperature. Comparable ab initio calculation of the energy of the interstitial water molecule in the quartz structure indicates that, energetically, the (OH)₄ defect is likely to be strongly favoured as a mode for the incorporation of water. Ab initio stress calculations confirm that the (OH)₄ defect in quartz has a large associated stress field which is likely to lead to segregation of these defects on supersaturation in wet quartz. The calculations indicate that segregation should occur in the plane (10 0) of the α-quartz structure.     

The Use of Close Range Photogrammetry for Studying Ice Accretion on Aerofoil Sections

This paper describes the use of photogrammetry to measure and quantify ice accretion on an aerofoil section. A series of stereoscopic photographs was taken during the ice accretion on the section in an icing tunnel. From measurements made on these photographs with a Kern (Leica) DSR 14 analytical photogrammetric plotter, a series of three dimensional models of the ice surfaces was constructed. The results of the project are discussed and possible improvements in the methodology are suggested.     

Guidelines for the good practice of surface wave analysis: a product of the InterPACIFIC project

Surface wave methods gained in the past decades a primary role in many seismic projects. Specifically, they are often used to retrieve a 1D shear wave velocity model or to estimate the V_S,30 at a site. The complexity of the interpretation process and the variety of possible approaches to surface wave analysis make it very hard to set a fixed standard to assure quality and reliability of the results. The present guidelines provide practical information on the acquisition and analysis of surface wave data by giving some basic principles and specific suggestions related to the most common situations. They are primarily targeted to non-expert users approaching surface wave testing, but can be useful to specialists in the field as a general reference. The guidelines are based on the experience gained within the InterPACIFIC project and on the expertise of the participants in acquisition and analysis of surface wave data.     

Multiproxy late Holocene peat records from Ireland: towards a regional palaeoclimate curve

Two new peat‐based climate records from Ireland covering the late Holocene are presented. The sequences are dated by a strong chronological framework formed by AMS radiocarbon dates and SCPs. Three proxy indicators (testate amoebae, macrofossils and humification) have been determined allowing the limitations and strengths of each to be identified and utilised to provide a bog surface wetness (BSW) record for both sites. Age–depth models take into account the potential for accumulation rates to vary with bog vegetation. The records from each site have been used to derive a combined BSW record that displays changes to a wetter/cooler climate from ca. AD 30 (1920 BP), ca. AD 310 (1640 BP), ca. AD 805 (1145 BP), ca. AD 1040 (910 BP) and ca. AD 1300 (650 BP). Changes follow closely those identified in a northern Britain composite BSW record and largely correspond with lake‐level data in central France suggesting the main changes in water balance were coherent over a large region. Correspondence with increases in IRD and slower Iceland‐Scotland Overflow Water (ISOW) suggests that these changes were related to oceanic forcing influencing the track of dominant westerly air flow over Ireland. Copyright © 2007 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

SiO maser emission and the intrinsic properties of Mira variables

This paper presents observations of SiO maser emission from 161 Mira variables distributed over a wide range of intrinsic parameters like spectral type, bolometric magnitude and amplitude of pulsation. The observations were made at 86.243 GHz, using the 10-4 m millimeter-wave telescope of the Raman Research Institute at Bangalore, India. These are the first observations made using this telescope. From these observations, we have established that the maser emission is restricted to Miras having mean spectral types between M6 and M10. The infrared period-luminosity relation for Mira variables is used to calculate their distances and hence estimate their maser luminosities from the observed fluxes. The maser luminosity is found to be correlated with the bolometric magnitude of the Mira variable. On an H-R diagram, the masing Mira variables are shown to lie in a region distinct from that for the non-masing ones.