Supernova remnants, planetary nebulae and the distance to NGC 4214

We present narrow band, continuum subtracted Hα, [S ii], Hβ, [O iii] and [O ii] data taken with the Wide Field Camera 3 on the Hubble Space Telescope in the nearby dwarf starburst galaxy NGC 4214. From these images, we identify seventeen new planetary nebula candidates, and seven supernova remnant candidates. We use the observed emission line luminosity function of the planetary nebulae to establish a new velocity-independent distance to NGC 4214. We conclude that the PNLF technique gives a reddening independent distance to NGC 4214 of 3.19±0.36 Mpc, and that our current best-estimate of the distance to this galaxy ids 2.98±0.13 Mpc.     

Geochemical Evolution of Great Salt Lake, Utah, USA

The Great Salt Lake (GSL) of Utah, USA, is the largest saline lake in North America, and its brines are some of the most concentrated anywhere in the world. The lake occupies a closed basin system whose chemistry reflects solute inputs from the weathering of a diverse suite of rocks in its drainage basin. GSL is the remnant of a much larger lacustrine body, Lake Bonneville, and it has a long history of carbonate deposition. Inflow to the lake is from three major rivers that drain mountain ranges to the east and empty into the southern arm of the lake, from precipitation directly on the lake, and from minor groundwater inflow. Outflow is by evaporation. The greatest solute inputs are from calcium bicarbonate river waters mixed with sodium chloride-type springs and groundwaters. Prior to 1930 the lake concentration inversely tracked lake volume, which reflected climatic variation in the drainage, but since then salt precipitation and re-solution, primarily halite and mirabilite, have periodically modified lake-brine chemistry through density stratification and compositional differentiation. In addition, construction of a railway causeway has restricted circulation, nearly isolating the northern from the southern part of the lake, leading to halite precipitation in the north. These and other conditions have created brine differentiation, mixing, and fractional precipitation of salts as major factors in solute evolution. Pore fluids and diagenetic reactions have been identified as important sources and especially sinks for CaCO₃, Mg, and K in the lake, depending on the concentration gradient and clays.     

Contribution of aluminum from abandoned surface mine pits in Raccoon Creek, Ohio

Middleton Run, a severely acid mine drainage (AMD) impacted tributary of Little Raccoon Creek, drains a sub-watershed area of 3.67 km² (2.28 square miles). Averaging 58.7 kg/day (129.4 lbs/day) at its mouth, demonstrated aluminum loads from Middleton Run are particularly severe. A preliminary study of two previously unmonitored tributaries was conducted to justify future treatment projects. Monthly chemical water quality data were collected for 6 months. Soil leachate samples collected on five strip mining sites within the sub-watershed were analyzed for acidity, alkalinity, pH, aluminum and iron. Soil leachate tests have shown that one of the pits has a much larger pollution production potential and should be targeted for remediation.     

IUE detector saturation and the new 2800 Å absorption featre ‘discovered’ by Karim,Hoyle, and Wickramasinghe

The broad 2800 Å absorption feature discovered by Karim, Hoyle, and Wickramasingle is instrumental in origin. The feature is produced by IUE detector saturation effects in overexposed spectra.     

Immunohistochemical localization of cytochrome P-450E in liver, gill and heart of scup (Stenotomus chrysops) and rainbow trout (Salmo gairdneri)

Monoclonal antibody directed against a major β-naphthoflavone (BNF)-induced form of teleost cytochrome P-450, P-450E (equivalent to P-450c in rat) was used to immunolocalize this enzyme in liver, gill and heart of scup and trout. Liver sections from both species showed P-450E in the cytoplasm of hepatocytes. No regional differences were observed which might indicate zonation of cytochrome P-450E within subpopulations of hepatocytes. Scup exocrine pancreatic cells were only weakly positive. In the gill of both fish, cytochrome P-450E was restricted to the endothelium (pillar cells) of secondary lamellae, where fluorescence appeared as a chain in longitudinal sections through lamellae and as star-shaped clusters in en face views. Sections of ventricular wall in both species revealed P-450E was restricted to endothelium at margins of muscle bands limiting heart ventricular lumen. Localization in the specific cells of these and other organs may be fundamentally important in understanding the role of cytochrome P-450E.