Do extrusion ages reflect magma generation processes at depth? An example from the Neogene Volcanic Province of SE Spain

The high-K calc-alkaline volcanic rocks along the Neogene Volcanic Province of SE Spain represent crustal anatectic melts mixed with mantle components during the opening of the Alborán Sea. Partially melted metapelitic enclaves, along with the geochemical signature, provide evidence of their crustal source. U–Pb SHRIMP geochronology on monazite and zircon from enclaves and their hosting lavas in the localities of El Hoyazo, Mazarrón and Mar Menor reveals variable delays between the melting at depth and the eruption of the volcanics. These data indicate that: (1) the most important event of anatexis in the Neogene spanned at least the 3 m.y. interval between 12 and 9 Ma; (2) there is no trend in age of crustal melting; and (3) the delay between magma generation and extrusion varies from more than 3 m.y. at El Hoyazo to ~0.5 m.y. and possibly 2.5 m.y. at Mar Menor, with no significant delay measurable at Mazarrón. The variable time delay between anatexis and lava extrusion indicates that radiometric ages of volcanics may provide misleading information on the timing of magma genesis occurring at depth. This highlights the pitfall of basing detailed geodynamic models on volcanic extrusion ages alone. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Using very long-range terrestrial laser scanner to analyze the temporal consistency of the snowpack distribution in a high mountain environment

This study demonstrated the usefulness of very long-range terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) for analysis of the spatial distribution of a snowpack, to distances up to 3000 m, one of the longest measurement range reported to date. Snow depth data were collected using a terrestrial laser scanner during 11 periods of snow accumulation and melting, over three snow seasons on a Pyrenean hillslope characterized by a large elevational gradient, steep slopes, and avalanche occurrence. The maximum and mean absolute snow depth error found was 0.5-0.6 and 0.2-0.3 m respectively, which may result problematic for areas with a shallow snowpack, but it is sufficiently accurate to determine snow distribution patterns in areas characterized by a thick snowpack. The results indicated that in most cases there was temporal consistency in the spatial distribution of the snowpack, even in different years. The spatial patterns were particularly similar amongst the surveys conducted during the period dominated by snow accumulation (generally until end of April), or amongst those conducted during the period dominated by melting processes (generally after mid of April or early May). Simple linear correlation analyses for the 11 survey dates, and the application of Random Forests analysis to two days representative of snow accumulation and melting periods indicated the importance of topography to the snow distribution. The results also highlight that elevation and the Topographic Position index (TPI) were the main variables explaining the snow distribution, especially during periods dominated by melting. The intra- and inter-annual spatial consistency of the snowpack distribution suggests that the geomorphological processes linked to presence/absence of snow cover act in a similar way in the long term, and that these spatial patterns can be easily identified through several years of adequate monitoring.     

Labile and stabile soil organic carbon fractions in surface horizons of mountain soils–relationships with vegetation and altitude

Global and local climate changes could disturb carbon sequestration and carbon stocks in forest soils. Thus, it is important to characterize the stability of soil organic matter and the dynamics of soil organic carbon (SOC) fractions in forest ecosystems. This study had two aims: (1) to evaluate the effects of altitude and vegetation on the content of labile and stabile forms of organic carbon in the mountain soils; and (2) to assess the impact of the properties of soil organic matter on the SOC pools under changing environmental conditions. The studies were conducted in the Karkonosze Mountains (SW Poland, Central Europe). The content of the most labile fraction of carbon (dissolved organic carbon, DOC) decreases with altitude, but the content of fulvic acids (FA), clearly increases in the zone above 1000 m asl, while the stabile fraction (humins, non-hydrolyzing carbon) significantly decreases. A higher contribution of stabile forms was found in soils under coniferous forests (Norway spruce), while a smaller - under deciduous forests (European beech) and on grasslands. The expected climate change and the ongoing land use transformations in the zone above 1000 m asl may lead to a substantial increase in the stable humus fraction (mainly of a non-hydrolyzing carbon) and an increase in the SOC pools, even if humus acids are characterized by a lower maturity and greater mobility favorable to soil podzolization. In the lower zone (below 1000 m asl), a decrease in the most stable humus forms can be expected, accompanied by an increase of DOC contribution, which will result in a reduction in SOC pools. Overall, the expected prevailing (spatial) effect is a decreasing contribution of the most stable humus fractions, which will be associated with a reduction in the SOC pools in medium-high mountains of temperate zone of Central Europe.     

X-ray and ultraviolet observations of AG Draconis during quiescence and outburst

We describe the first X-ray monitoring of a symbiotic star during phases of enhanced activity. AG Dra is a Pop II object with a composite spectrum, characterized by a cool K-type component, prominent high ionization emission lines and a strong UV continuum which is attributed to a hot dwarf companion. Periodic variability of the UV radiation during minimum could be attributed to the orbital motion of the system. In April 1980 HEAO-2 detected an intense, soft X-ray flux from AG Dra, stronger than in other symbiotic stars. After one major outburst of November 1980, which continued until 1983, two more outbursts occurred in February 1985 and January 1986, and coordinated X-ray (EXOSAT) and ultraviolet (IUE) observations were organized to study the behaviour of AG Dra during different activity phases. EXOSAT observations made during decline after the 1985 outburst, revealed a weak X-ray flux in the Thin Lexan filter of the Low Energy dedtector. Observations made during minimum, in June and November 1985, at phases 0.22 and 0.50 of the UV light curve, disclosed the presence of an intense X-ray flux, which was not occulted in November. AG Dra was again observed with EXOSAT in February 1986 when the stellar luminosity was still at maximum. No X-ray flux was detected, in spite of the prominent, high ionization UV spectrum observed with IUE.A detailed discussion of the X-ray and ultraviolet results on AG Dra in the light of possible models is in progress.Paper presented at the IAU Colloquium No. 93 on Cataclysmic Variables. Recent Multi-Frequency Observations and Theoretical Developments, held at Dr. Remeis-Sternwarte Bamberg, F.R.G., 16–19 June, 1986.     

Masses for which triple collision is regularizable

We consider the regularization by continuity w.r.t. initial conditions (geometric or Easton method) which has a sense both in physical and computational aspects. Using the idea of triple collision manifold of McGehee we study the values of masses for which the invariant manifolds of equilibrium points coincide. Local analytical equations are continuated numerically. So one gets the masses satisfying a necessary condition. Again analytically we discuss the neighbourhood of t.c.m. at the equilibrium points. A necessary and sufficient condition in terms of integrals along invariant manifolds is found for the rectilinear case. This can be tested for the masses obtained above. Only a countable (symmetric) set of masses remains. Then, due to errors in physical measurements or numerical integrations we can never expect a regular behaviour. Extension to the planar case is also taken into account.Proceedings of the Sixth Conference on Mathematical Methods in Celestial Mechanics held at Oberwolfach (West Germany) from 14 to 19 August, 1978.     

Quiet-time periods observed by EPHIN/SOHO during the minimum of the 22nd solar cycle

An analysis of the hydrogen and helium isotopic composition from EPHIN data, during the quiet-time period from January 1 to June 1, 1996, is presented. An isotopic discrimination and background rejection have been applied and relationships between the abundances of ²H/¹H, ³He/⁴He, and ⁴He/¹H have been calculated. The energy spectra in the 4–50 MeV nucl^–1 range have been obtained and the contribution of the different spectral components have been analysed in this energy range. We conclude that the main contribution to the ⁴He spectrum is of anomalous origin, while the proton and ³He spectra have contributions mainly from particles of solar origin at low energies and from the galactic cosmic radiation modulated by the heliosphere at high energies. The deuterium spectrum is mainly of galactic origin.     

A Search for Warm Neutral Gas Associated with the Giant HII Region NGC 604

The characteristics of the halo gas and its interaction with the galactic disk in spiral galaxies are poorly known; this is particularly true for the warm neutral gas associated with HVCs and galactic chimneys. The detection of absorption features such as the NaI D or the CaII (H,K)lines is instrumental to study its detailed physical properties but requires very long integration times. In this work very deep optical spectra of NGC 604, the brightest giant HII region among the nearby spirals, are presented. The detection of two absorption components at LSR velocities -255 km/s and −20 km/s respectively, is reported; the first component is associated with the HII region. The inferred line width after deconvolution is 155 km/s; this large width is produced by the blending of the multiple absorption components produced by the diverse sources of internal motion (expanding shells and general turbulence). The radial velocity of the CaII absorption is slightly larger than the measured in the HII emission lines suggesting a possible flow of gas into the halo above the young star cluster. The large ratio x = W _λ (NaID_2)/W _λ (CaIIK) = 0.7indicates the probable presence of shocks which release Ca from the dust grains into the gas phase. The lower velocity component most likely trace galactic gas. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Radio Emission from Three-dimensional Relativistic Hydrodynamic Jets: Observational Evidence of Jet Stratification

High-resolution, high signal-to-noise ratio, blue-violet spectra of three red giant branch tip stars in M15 have been obtained with the Keck I High-Resolution Echelle Spectrograph. These spectra have been analyzed to determine the abundances of several neutron-capture elements, including the radioactive chronometer element thorium. There are two principal results of this study. First, the abundances of the heavier (Z>/=56) elements for each of the three stars is well matched by a scaled solar system r-process abundance distribution. Second, a weighted mean-observed Th/Eu ratio for the stars implies an age for the neutron-capture material in M15 stars of 14+/-3 Gyr, in reasonable agreement with other recent age estimates for Galactic globular clusters.     

Scaling Law for the Heating of Solar Coronal Loops

We report preliminary results from a series of numerical simulations of the reduced magnetohydrodynamic equations used to describe the dynamics of magnetic loops in active regions of the solar corona. A stationary velocity field is applied at the photospheric boundaries to imitate the driving action of granule motions. A turbulent stationary regime is reached, characterized by a broadband power spectrum Ek approximately k-3&solm0;2 and heating rate levels compatible with the energy requirements of active region loops. A dimensional analysis of the equations indicates that their solutions are determined by two dimensionless parameters: the Reynolds number and the ratio between the Alfvén time and the photospheric turnover time. From a series of simulations for different values of this ratio, we determine how the heating rate scales with the physical parameters of the problem, which might be useful for an observational test of this model.