A comparison of congeneric PCB patterns in American eels and striped bass from the Hudson and Delaware River estuaries

The Hudson River estuary has enormous spatial variation in polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) contamination due in large part to historical point source discharges above Troy Dam. The Delaware River estuary has accumulated significant levels of PCBs through decades of industrial, municipal, and non-point source inputs. The overall goal of this research was to use existing data sets to compare and contrast the patterns of accumulated PCB congeners in sub-populations of American eels and striped bass inhabiting these two estuaries and surrounding coastal waters. Using principal component analysis and analysis of covariance (ANCOVA), inter- and intra-estuarine differences in accumulated congeneric patterns were denoted for both species. Results from our study support the idea that migratory behaviors of striped bass hamper the use of accumulated congener-specific PCB patterns in providing information on localized contamination, although major regional differences were seen between upriver Hudson River fish, downriver Hudson River fish and fish from other areas within this study. This study provides additional evidence for the use of the American eel as a biomonitoring tool, since its limited home range provides finer resolution of regional contamination.     

Discussion: The Hawkesbury Sandstone: A critical review of proposed environmental models

A critical evaluation of conflicting hypotheses for the deposition of the Hawkes‐bury Sandstone suggests that the Barrier Island‐Tidal Delta Model of Conolly (1969) is preferable to the Low Sinuosity River (Brahmaputra) Model of Conaghan & Jones (1975).     

Stable isotope and fluid inclusion studies on the Mount Black lead‐zinc deposit,southern New South Wales

The Mount Black Pb‐Zn deposit is a quartz‐galena‐sphalerite replacement body in the Silurian Cooleman Limestone. Fluid inclusion homogenisation temperatures range from 120° to 170°C for paragenetically early sphalerite, to 210° to 315°C for late quartz, and 245° to 320°C for calcite from contiguous recrystallised limestone. Fluid salinities increased with rising temperature, during deposition of the minerals, and the fluid composition changed from NaCl‐rich to possibly CaCl₂‐NaCl (‐?MgCl₂)‐rich brines.

δ³⁴S values of sphalerite and galena range from —8.1 to —2.7 per mil, and —13,5 to —4.4 per mil respectively. Although a magmatic source for sulphur is not excluded, it is suggested that most probably the sulphur was derived by biogenic reduction of sea‐water sulphate during diagenesis. Carbon and oxygen isotope data for the Cooleman Limestone range from compositions typical of Silurian marine carbonate in samples distant from the deposit, to fluctuating, but ¹²C‐ and ¹⁶O‐enriched in recrystallised material adjacent to the quartz‐sulphide rocks. ¹²C‐enrichment probably reflects organic carbon oxidation during karst formation, continuing later during limestone recrystallisation and accompanied by ¹⁶O‐enrichment during the action of saline formation waters.

The process of formation of the Mount Black deposit may have been analogous to that of Mississippi Valley‐type deposits, but modified by and/or resulting from, an increasing geothermal gradient caused by nearby synchronous intrusions.     

Subregionalization of Low-Frequency Summer Drought Variability in the Southeastern United States

Freshwater resources are particularly limited in the Southeastern United States. In recent years, severe summer droughts have placed substantial strain on municipal and industrial water resources, emphasizing the need for further research on the causes of long-term moisture deficits. Previous research has identified a Southeast drought region and specific low-frequency ocean-atmosphere influences on drought. In this article, we identify three distinct subregions of low-frequency summer drought variability in the Southeastern United States using principal components analysis. Multidecadal drought variability is most pronounced in the Southeastern Atlantic Coastal States (SEACS) subregion. The SEACS drought variability is significantly associated with ocean-atmosphere variability in the Atlantic and Pacific basins. The significance of ocean-atmosphere influences on drought in the Southeast is spatially confined within only the SEACS subregion. The Eastern Gulf States (EGS) subregion exhibits a long-term increase in summer moisture that is significantly associated with Northern Hemisphere surface temperature increases during the last century. The peninsular Florida subregion is characterized by high-frequency drought variability that is not associated with any of the climate indexes included in this study.     

Io: Volcanic thermal sources and global heat flow

We have examined thermal emission from 240 active or recently-active volcanic features on Io and quantified the magnitude and distribution of their volcanic heat flow during the Galileo epoch. We use spacecraft data and a geological map of Io to derive an estimate of the maximum possible contribution from small dark areas not detected as thermally active but which nevertheless appear to be sites of recent volcanic activity. We utilize a trend analysis to extrapolate from the smallest detectable volcanic heat sources to these smallest mapped dark areas. Including the additional heat from estimates for “outburst” eruptions and for a multitude of very small (“myriad”) hot spots, we account for ～62 × 10¹² W (～59 ± 7% of Io’s total thermal emission). Loki Patera contributes, on average, 9.6 × 10¹² W (～9.1 ± 1%). All dark paterae contribute 45.3 × 10¹² W (～43 ± 5%). Although dark flow fields cover a much larger area than dark paterae, they contribute only 5.6 × 10¹² W (～5.3 ± 0.6%). Bright paterae contribute ～2.6 × 10¹² W (～2.5 ± 0.3%). Outburst eruption phases and very small hot spots contribute no more than ～4% of Io’s total thermal emission: this is probably a maximum value. About 50% of Io’s volcanic heat flow emanates from only 1.2% of Io’s surface. Of Io’s heat flow, 41 ± 7.0% remains unaccounted for in terms of identified sources. Globally, volcanic heat flow is not uniformly distributed. Power output per unit surface area is slightly biased towards mid-latitudes, although there is a stronger bias toward the northern hemisphere when Loki Patera is included. There is a slight favoring of the northern hemisphere for outbursts where locations were well constrained. Globally, we find peaks in thermal emission at ～315°W and ～105°W (using 30° bins). There is a minimum in thermal emission at around 200°W (almost at the anti-jovian longitude) which is a significant regional difference. These peaks and troughs suggest a shift to the east from predicted global heat flow patterns resulting from tidal heating in an asthenosphere. Global volcanic heat flow is dominated by thermal emission from paterae, especially from Loki Patera (312°W, 12°N). Thermal emission from dark flows maximises between 165°W and 225°W. Finally, it is possible that a multitude of very small hot spots, smaller than the present angular resolution detection limits, and/or cooler, secondary volcanic processes involving sulphurous compounds, may be responsible for at least part of the heat flow that is not associated with known sources. Such activity should be sought out during the next mission to Io.     

Binarity and multiperiodicity in high-amplitude δ Scuti stars

We have carried out a photometric and spectroscopic survey of bright high-amplitude δ Scuti (HADS) stars. The aim was to detect binarity and multiperiodicity (or both) in order to explore the possibility of combining binary star astrophysics with stellar oscillations. Here, we present the first results for 10, predominantly southern, HADS variables. We detected the orbital motion of RS Gru with a semi-amplitude of ∼6.5 km s⁻¹ and 11.5 d period. The companion is inferred to be a low-mass dwarf star in a close orbit around RS Gru. We found multiperiodicity in RY Lep from both photometric and radial velocity data and detected orbital motion in the radial velocities with hints of a possible period of 500–700 d. The data also revealed that the amplitude of the secondary frequency is variable on the time-scale of a few years, whereas the dominant mode is stable. Radial velocities of AD CMi revealed cycle-to-cycle variations, which might be due to non-radial pulsations. We confirmed the multiperiodic nature of BQ Ind, while we obtained the first radial velocity curves of ZZ Mic and BE Lyn. The radial velocity curve and the O–C diagram of CY Aqr are consistent with the long-period binary hypothesis. We took new time series photometry on XX Cyg, DY Her and DY Peg, with which we updated their O–C diagrams.     

The university of New South Wales automated patrol telescope

The Automated Patrol Telescope is a wide-field CCD imaging telescope of novel design. The telescope is a converted Baker-Nunn satellite tracking camera that has undergone extensive modification to its optical, mechanical and electronic systems. Telescope operation is entirely under computer control, and the instrument is to be used for a variety of astronomical survey and monitoring projects.     

The geochemistry, mineralogy and maturity of gossans derived from volcanogenic Zn–Pb–Cu deposits of the eastern Lachlan Fold Belt, NSW, Australia

The Eastern Highlands of Australia have probably been in existence since the Late Cretaceous or earlier and so there has been ample time for mature gossan profiles to form over outcropping volcanogenic Zn–Pb–Cu mineralisation in the eastern Lachlan Fold Belt. The mature gossan profiles are characterised by the upward progression from supergene sulfides to secondary sulfates, carbonates and phosphates into a Fe-oxide dominated surficial capping which may contain boxwork textures after the original sulfides (as at the Woodlawn massive sulfide deposit). However, the region has locally been subjected to severe erosion and the weathering profile over many deposits is incomplete (immature) with carbonate and phosphate minerals, especially malachite, being found in surficial material. These immature gossans contain more Cu, Pb and Zn but lower As, Sn (and probably Au) than the mature gossans. Although Pb is probably the best single pathfinder for Zn–Pb–Cu VHMS deposits of the eastern Lachlan Fold Belt, Ag, As, Au, Bi, Mo, Sb and Sn are also useful, with most of these elements able to be concentrated in substantial amounts in Fe oxides and alunite–jarosite minerals.     

Volcanism on Io: the view from Galileo

Io, Jupiter's innermost Galilean satellite, is the most volcanically active body in the solar system. Ashley Gerard Davies reviews the wealth of data returned by NASA's veteran spacecraft Galileo, that has led to a better understanding of the volcanic processes wracking Io.
Jupiter's moon Io is the only other body in the solar system known to have active, high-temperature volcanism like that found on Earth. The Galileo spacecraft has been observing Io regularly since June 1996, and the data that it has returned have led to many new insights into the volcanic processes that have shaped not only Io, but Earth in its distant past.