Magnetic and nuclear structure and thermal expansion of orthorhombic and monoclinic polymorphs of CoGeO3 pyroxene

CoGeO₃ was synthesized at 1,273 and 1,448 K using ceramic sintering techniques in the monoclinic and orthorhombic modification, respectively. The two compounds were analysed by magnetic susceptibility measurements and neutron diffraction in order to study magnetic ordering and spin structures at low temperature. The monoclinic form of CoGeO₃ has C2/c symmetry and orders magnetically below 36 K with a small negative paramagnetic Curie temperature θ _P = −4.6 (2) K. The magnetic structure can be described with k = (1, 0, 0) in the magnetic space group C2′/c′ having a ferromagnetic spin arrangement within the chains of M1 sites, but a dominating antiferromagnetic coupling between the chains. At the M1 sites the magnetic spins are aligned within the a–c plane forming an angle of 120° with the +a-axis and they are not parallel to the spins at M2. Here spins are also ferromagnetically coupled within, but antiferromagnetically coupled between the M1/M2 site bands. The orthorhombic phase of CoGeO₃ displays Pbca symmetry and transforms to an antiferromagnetically ordered state [θ _P = −18.6(2) K] below 33 K. The magnetic spin structure can be described with k = (0, 0, 0) in space group Pbca′ and it is similar to the one of the C2/c phase except that it is non-collinear in nature, i.e. there are components of the magnetic moment along all three crystallographic axes. Small magneto-elastic coupling is observed in the orthorhombic phase.     

Regional dynamical downscaling with CCLM over East Asia

Inspired by the framework of the Coordinated Regional Climate Downscaling Experiment (CORDEX), the hindcast (1971–2000) and projection (2021–2050) simulations based on a resolution of $0.44^\circ$ over the East Asia domain are performed with the regional climate model COSMO-CLM (CCLM). The simulations are driven by ERA-40 reanalysis data and output of the global climate model ECHAM5. This is the first time that the CCLM is adapted and evaluated for the East Asia Monsoon region; the setup is considered a starting point for further improvements in this region by the CCLM community. The evaluation results show that the CCLM is able to reasonably capture the climate features in this region, especially the monsoon dynamics on small scales. However, total precipitation in the northern part of the domain, over the Tibetan Plateau, and over east Indonesia has a pronounced wet bias. The projected climate change under the A1B scenario indicates an overall annual surface temperature increase of 1–2 K, but no significant precipitation changes.     

Nitrogen and Phosphorus Recovery from Human Urine by Struvite Precipitation and Air Stripping in Vietnam

A “No Mix” sanitation system was installed in a dormitory at the University of CanTho in South Vietnam, with the objective of recycling nutrients from source separated wastewater streams. This paper presents the “Yellow Water” treatment plant and its efficiency in recovering phosphorus and nitrogen from human urine. The pilot plant achieved phosphorus removal efficiencies of 98% with both diluted and undiluted urine. Phosphorus was recovered in the form of struvite, a solid mineral fertilizer with heavy metal concentrations being below the German Fertilizer Regulation's threshold limits. About 110 g of struvite could be generated after one treatment cycle, during which 50 L of urine were processed. Nitrogen removal by air stripping showed best results when circulating the urine for 3 h through the stripping column at a high flow rate (80 L/h). With these settings, more than 90% of the nitrogen could be removed from the urine, and virtually 100% of this nitrogen could be recovered in the form of liquid ammonium sulfate. In the future, treatment costs could be further reduced by making use of the solar energy that is available during daytime in South Vietnam.     

Origin of potassic (C-type) adakite magmas: Experimental and field constraints

The postcollisional, Mesozoic, C-type or high-K adakitic intrusions (K-adakites) of China lack either temporal or spatial association with subduction and have K₂O/Na₂O around unity. Otherwise, their geochemistry is very similar to ordinary adakites. New experimental data, geological observations and theoretical considerations lead us to suggest that these K-adakites were high-T (> 1050 and probably > 1075 °C), rather hydrous magmas ( 6 wt.% H₂O) produced by fluid-absent partial melting of metatonalites, meta-andesites, or possibly potassic metabasalts at pressures exceeding 2 GPa. Their peculiar chemistry is a consequence of both the elevated K₂O/Na₂O in the protolith and the very high pressure of partial melting. The most likely tectonic setting is one of extreme crustal thickening followed by delamination of the eclogitic keel and partial melting of this continental crustal material at mantle depths, with high mantle heat flow, during orogenic collapse.     

Granites are not diapiric!

How are granite magmas transported from their source regions in the deep crust, through 10–40 km of overlying solid rock and emplaced close to the Earth's surface? What are the mechanical processes that allow this to take place and how long does it all take? These problems have challenged and preoccupied geologists since the days of Hutton. In the ensuing 200 years or so, a range of ideas from the plausible to the eccentric have been put forward to explain the granite phenomenon. As a result of developments in our understanding of the physical behaviour of granitic magmas and their host rocks over the last decade, we are now in a position to begin to offer some more informed and realistic models of the processes involved.     

Population vulnerability models for asteroid impact risk assessment

An asteroid impact is a low probability event with potentially devastating consequences. The Asteroid Risk Mitigation Optimization and Research (ARMOR) software tool calculates whether a colliding asteroid experiences an airburst or surface impact and calculates effect severity as well as reach on the global map. To calculate the consequences of an impact in terms of loss of human life, new vulnerability models are derived that connect the severity of seven impact effects (strong winds, overpressure shockwave, thermal radiation, seismic shaking, ejecta deposition, cratering, and tsunamis) with lethality to human populations. With the new vulnerability models, ARMOR estimates casualties of an impact under consideration of the local population and geography. The presented algorithms and models are employed in two case studies to estimate total casualties as well as the damage contribution of each impact effect. The case studies highlight that aerothermal effects are most harmful except for deep water impacts, where tsunamis are the dominant hazard. Continental shelves serve a protective function against the tsunami hazard caused by impactors on the shelf. Furthermore, the calculation of impact consequences facilitates asteroid risk estimation to better characterize a given threat, and the concept of risk as well as its applicability to the asteroid impact scenario are presented.     

Ram-pressure stripping of the interstellar medium in NGC 4485

This paper describes submm, ¹²CO (J = 2–1) observations of the interacting pair of galaxies NGC 4490 and 4485, and together with high resolution H  i and multifrequency radio continuum data we investigate the evolution of the ISM in this system. We find the following. (i) The smaller member of the pair, NGC 4485, has had the atomic, molecular and dust components of its ISM stripped via ram pressure during its recent passage through the extended H  i distribution of NGC 4490. A bow-shock is identified in the H  i ahead of the stripped gas. (ii) Within the disc of NGC 4490 we find a very low H₂-to-H  i ratio as well as a strong correlation between thermal emission and mass of H₂ suggesting that the star formation rate is limited in this case by the conversion of H  i to H₂. (iii) ¹²CO emission from an H  i and radio-continuum bridge between the two galaxies is detected.     

Generation of fluorine-bearing fluids in hydrothermal experiments

Fluorine-bearing fluids can be generated by breakdown of PdF₂ in hydrothermal experiments. This promising technique allows addition of a fixed amount of F without affecting the composition of the rest of the system. The method is simpler, more flexible and potentially yields better results than most other techniques of F addition. Melting and crystallization experiments using natural starting materials are particularly well suited to application of this method.     

Nitrous Oxide Emissions in Sewer Systems

Nitrous oxide emissions from urban wastewater were measured in a combined sewer in Bayreuth, Germany. The closed-chamber method was used to evaluate N₂O emissions. Nitrous oxide was analysed by gas chromatography with electron capture detector. Longitudinal and daily variations of N₂O fluxes were determined. N₂O emissions ranged from 0.11…3.8 mg m^?2 h^?1 depending on the level of wastewater in the sewer. Data indicate that N₂O is mainly formed in the biofilm by nitrification and/or denitrification. In laboratory experiments, samples with wastewater and wastewater/biofilm mixture were incubated with and without NaCl. After two hours of incubation, N₂O release was in a range of 42…429 ng N₂O per millilitre wastewater or wastewater/biofilm. Incubated samples without NaCl addition showed no significant difference between wastewater and wastewater/biofilm mixture. If salt (NaCl) was added before incubation, samples with wastewater/biofilm mixture emitted 4.8 times more N₂O than wastewater samples. It is assumed that high concentrations of NaCl inhibit further microbial reduction of N₂O to N₂. Based on the field data, a first estimate for N₂O emission from sewers is 3.5 g N₂O per year and person.