Magnetic field and differential rotation in the radiative zone of the Sun

The problem of the interaction between magnetic fields and differential rotation in the radiative zone of the Sun is investigated. It is demonstrated that effects of magnetic buoyancy can be neglected in the analysis of this interaction. It is shown that hydromagnetic torsional waves propagating from the solar core cannot be responsible for the 22-year solar cycle. A possible geometry of the magnetic field that conforms with stationary differential rotation is considered. A verifying method for hypotheses on the structure of the magnetic field and torsional oscillations in the radiative zone of the Sun is proposed based on helioseismic data.     

Porphyroblast inclusion-trail orientation data: eppure non son girate*!

Extensive examination of large numbers of spatially orientated thin sections of orientated samples from orogens of all ages around the world has demonstrated that porphyroblasts do not rotate relative to geographical coordinates during highly non-coaxial ductile deformation of the matrix subsequent to their growth. This has been demonstrated for all tectonic environments so far investigated. The work also has provided new insights and data on metamorphic, structural and tectonic processes including: (1) the intimate control of deformation partitioning on metamorphic reactions; (2) solutions to the lack of correlation between lineations that indicate the direction of movement within thrusts and shear zones, and relative plate motion; and (3) a possible technique for determining the direction of relative plate motion that caused orogenesis in ancient orogens.     

Evolutionary state of W UMa-type systems

The evolutionary status of a sample of 31 W UMa-type systems (20 of W, 9 of A, and 2 of A/W sub-class) is examined and discussed on the basis of their positions in the H-R, mass-radius and mass-luminosity diagrams. The absolute elements of these systems have been evaluated by use of their spectroscopic and photometric data as they were found in the literature. Since different analysis methods have been used by the various investigators this gives the opportunity to make different H-R, mass-radius and mass-luminosity diagrams, according to the method used, and compare the results.Moreover, from the spectral type-period diagram of those systems that have spectral types from O to G2 it was found that all of them lie in the evolved region. Finally, the log (L _l/L _s) log (M _l/M _s) diagrams are presented and discussed.     

A circular passive synthetic array: an inverse problem approach

Based on the general concept of the inverse acoustic radiation problem, the temporal scanning of a stationary acoustic field along a closed contour is used to simplify the measurement approach for obtaining information on source directionality. The mathematical formulation is derived from a model of the two-dimensional acoustic field. The formulation of the inverse problem is also investigated to establish a methodology for improving the angular resolution of the array processing. The fundamental relationship between the sound sources and the circular passive synthetic array is explored, utilizing existing mathematical methods, in order to develop the processing algorithm. Other subjects of practical interest, such as directional ambiguity, effect of Doppler frequency, interference noise, and processing gain are discussed. It is concluded that the results can be used to establish guidelines for engineering design and deployment of this type of synthetic array, and to further exploit the new array signal processing technique     

Recent warming in southeastern Zaire (Central Africa) inferred from disturbed geothermal gradients

Several temperature-depth profiles measured in Kasai and in Shaba provinces of Zaire using mining exploration boreholes exhibit a significant negative temperature gradient near the surface. This anomalous curvature which extends to 100–200 m depth could reflect the effect of variations in surface conditions. Applying the theory of heat conduction in a semi-infinite homogeneous medium, these profiles indicate a surface warming by 3–4°C. This warming is related to the effect of the environmental changes associated with the mining exploitation and the urbanization during the last 40–90 years.     

A sedimentary record from a deep Quaternary valley in the southern Lillebælt area, Denmark: Eemian and Early Weichselian lithology and chronology at Mommark

A unique sequence of Late Saalian, Eemian and Early Weichselian strata is exposed in a coastal outcrop at Mommark in the western Baltic. The sedimentary facies and faunas reflect palaeoenvironmental changes from an initial freshwater lake followed by marine transgression and interglacial deposition in a palaeo-Baltic sea. The upper part of the Eemian marine record indicates regression followed by lacustrine sedimentation and deposition of Early Weichselian aeolian sediments, which are truncated by an erosional unconformity overlain by a till bed. The lower and middle parts of the sequence have previously been correlated with the European glacial-interglacial stratigraphy on the basis of pollen analysis, while the upper part has been dated for the present study using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) of samples from the aeolian and glacial deposits. A similar complete glacial-interglacial-glacial succession has not previously been recorded from this area. The Mommark sequence of conformable strata has been subjected to lateral compression, evidenced by folding and low-angle reverse faults. Seismic records from the adjacent waters in the western Baltic reveal a system of buried Quaternary valleys in the area. It is suggested that the interglacial deposition took place in a basin within one of these valleys and that a slab constituting the Mommark sequence, originating from the margin of a valley, has been glaciotectonically displaced northwestwards to the present location.     

Formation of galactic subsystems in light of the magnesium abundance in field stars: The thin disk

Data from our compiled catalog of spectroscopically determined magnesium abundances in stars with accurate parallaxes are used to select thin-disk dwarfs and subgiants according to kinematic criteria. We analyze the relations between the relative magnesium abundances in stars, [Mg/Fe], and their metallicities, Galactic orbital elements, and ages. The [Mg/Fe] ratios in the thin disk at any metallicity in the range ?1.0 dex <[Fe/H] < ?0.4 dex are shown to be smaller than those in the thick disk, implying that the thin-disk stars are, on average, younger than the thick-disk stars. The relative magnesium abundances in such metal-poor thin-disk stars have been found to systematically decrease with increasing stellar orbital radii in such a way that magnesium overabundances ([Mg/Fe] > 0.2 dex) are essentially observed only in the stars whose orbits lie almost entirely within the solar circle. At the same time, the range of metallicities in magnesium-poor stars is displaced from ?0.5 dex < [Fe/H] < +0.3 dex to ?0.7 dex < [Fe/H] < +0.2 dex as their orbital radii increase. This behavior suggests that, first, the star formation rate decreases with increasing Galactocentric distance and, second, there was no star formation for some time outside the solar circle, while this process was continuous within the solar circle. The decrease in the star formation rate with increasing Galactocentric distance is responsible for the existence of a negative radial metallicity gradient (grad _R[Fe/H] = ?0.05 ± 0.01 kpc^?1) in the disk, which shows a tendency to increase with decreasing age. At the same time, the relative magnesium abundance exhibits no radial gradient. We have confirmed the existence of a steep negative vertical metallicity gradient (grad _Z[Fe/H] = ?0.29 ± 0.06 kpc^?1) and detected a significant positive vertical gradient in relative magnesium abundance (grad _Z[Mg/Fe] = 0.13 ± 0.02 kpc^?1); both gradients increase appreciably in absolute value with decreasing age. We have found that there is not only an age-metallicity relation, but also an age-magnesium abundance relation, in the thin disk. We surmise that the thin disk has a multicomponent structure, but the existence of a negative trend in the star formation rate along the Galactocentric radius does not allow the stars of its various components to be identified in the immediate solar neighborhood.     

The Siberian Solar Radio Telescope: the current state of the instrument,observations, and data

The Siberian Solar Radio Telescope (SSRT) is one of the world's largest solar radio heliographs. It commenced operation in 1983, and since then has undergone several upgrades. The operating frequency of the SSRT is 5.7 GHz. Since 1992 the instrument has had the capability to make one-dimensional scans with a high time resolution of 56 ms and an angular resolution of 15 arc sec. Making one of these scans now takes 14 ms. In 1996 the capability was added to make full, two-dimensional images of the solar disk. The SSRT is now capable of obtaining images with an angular resolution of 21 arc sec every 2 min. In this paper we describe the main features and operation of the instrument, particularly emphasizing issues pertaining to the imaging process and factors limiting data quality. Some of the data processing and analysis techniques are discussed. We present examples of full-disk solar images of the quiet Sun, recorded near solar activity minimum, and images of specific structures: plages, coronal bright points, filaments and prominences, and coronal holes. We also present some observations of dynamic phenomena, such as eruptive prominences and solar flares, which illustrate the high-time-resolution observations that can be done with this instrument. We compare SSRT observations at 5.7 GHz, including computed `light curves', both morphologically and quantatively, with observations made in other spectral domains, such as 17 GHz radio images, Hα filtergrams and magnetograms, extreme-ultraviolet and X-ray observations, and dynamic radio spectra.     

A Quantitative Method to Optimise Magnetic Field Line Fitting of Observed Coronal Loops

Many authors use magnetic-field models to extrapolate the field in the solar corona from magnetic data in the photosphere. The accuracy of such extrapolations is usually judged qualitatively by eye, where a less judgemental quantitative approach would be more desirable. In this paper, a robust method for obtaining the best fit between a theoretical magnetic field and intensity observations of coronal loops on the solar disk will be presented. The method will be applied to Yohkoh data using a linear force-free field as an illustration. Any other theoretical model for the magnetic field can be used, provided there is enough freedom in the model to optimize the fit.     

Structurally controlled gold and sulfosalt mineralization: the Altenberg example, Salzburg Province, Austria

Summary ?In the south-eastern Altenbergkar–Silbereck area in the eastern Tauern window (Lungau, Salzburg) structurally controlled precious-metal (Au–Ag) mineralization is hosted in marbles of the Permo(?)-Mesozoic Silbereck Formation and in the underlying Variscan Central gneiss. During the Alpine otogeny both lithologies were affected by ductile deformation (shearing, D1; folding, D2/D3) and subsequent brittle deformation (tension gashes, D4; normal faulting, D5) related to the uplift and exhumation of the Tauern window. Mineralization is controlled by brittle D4 structures. NE–SW trending steeply dipping tension gashes of the “Tauerngoldgang” type occur within the Central gneiss. Three different marble-hosted ore types following fracture systems as well as foliation and bedding planes can be distinguished: 1) metasomatic replacement ores, 2) ores in tension gashes and 3) ores in talc-bearing structures, often containing high-grade gold and silver mineralization (native gold in association with Ag–Pb–Bi–sulfosalts). Four stages of mineralization can be distinguished which occur in all ore types: arsenopyrite–pyrite–pyrrhotite (first stage), Au–(Ag–Pb–Bi–sulfosalts) (second stage), base-metal sulfides and tetrahedrite–tennantite (third stage) and Ag-rich galena (fourth stage). Preliminary fluid inclusion data indicate temperatures of ore formation well above 300 °C (346 °C mean) for the second stage within the Central gneiss and temperatures between 310 and 230 °C for the second and third stages in the marble. Received October 12, 2001; revised version accepted September 5, 2002 Published online March 10, 2003