New 1982 — 1990 photometry of λ Andromedae and its 11-year cycle

We present photoelectric photometry of λ And never before published, obtained between February 1982 and December 1990 at 29 different observatories. Then we combine it with all other photometry available to us (previously published, contained in the I.A.U. Commission 27 Archives, and obtained with the Vanderbilt 16-inch automatic telescope but not yet published), to yield a 14.8-year data base. Analysis reveals a long-term cycle in mean brightness, with a full range of 0^m.15 and a period of 11.4 ± 0.4 years. Because most of our new photometry was concentrated in the 1983-84 observing season, we analyze that one well-defined light curve with a two-spot model. Spot A keeps a 0^m.04 amplitude throughout four rotation cycles whereas the amplitude of spot B diminishes from 0^m.09 down almost to 0^m.03. The spot rotation periods were 55^d.9 ± 0^d.6 and 520^d.8 ± 1^d.0, respectively.     

Neutralino annihilations and the gas temperature in the dark ages

Assuming that the dark matter is entirely made up of neutralinos, we re-visit the role of their annihilation on the temperature of diffuse gas in the high-redshift universe  ( z > 10)  , before the formation of luminous structures. We consider neutralinos of particle mass 36 and 100 GeV. The former is able to produce  ∼7  e ⁻ e ⁺  particles per annihilation through the fremionic channel, and the latter ∼53 particles assuming a purely bosonic channel. High-energy   e ⁻ e ⁺  particles up-scatter the cosmic microwave background (CMB) photons into higher energies via the inverse-Compton scattering. The process produces a power-law   e ⁻ e ⁺  energy spectrum of index −1 in the energy range of interest, independent of the initial energy distribution. The corresponding energy spectrum of the up-scattered photons is a power law of index −1/2, if absorption by the gas is not included. The scattered photons photoheat the gas by releasing electrons which deposit a fraction (14 per cent) of their energy as heat into the ambient medium. For uniformly distributed neutralinos, the heating is insignificant. The effect is greatly enhanced by the clumping of neutralinos into dense haloes. We use a time-dependent clumping model which takes into account the damping of density fluctuations on mass-scales smaller than  ∼10⁻⁶ M_⊙  . With this clumping model, the heating mechanism boosts the gas temperature above that of the CMB after a redshift of   z ∼ 30  . By   z ≈ 10  , the gas temperature is nearly 100 times its temperature when no heating is invoked. Similar increase is obtained for the two neutralino masses considered.     

Power spectra of the interplanetary magnetic field

Power spectra based on Pioneer 6 interplanetary magnetic field data in early 1966 exhibit a frequency dependence of f ^–2 in the range 2.8 × 10^–4 to 1.6 × 10^–2 cps for periods of both quiet and disturbed field conditions. Both the shape and power levels of these spectra are found to be due to the presence of directional discontinuities in the microstructure (< 0.01 AU) of the interplanetary magnetic field. Power spectra at lower frequencies, in the range of 2.3 × 10^–6 to 1.4 × 10^–4 cps, reflect the field macrostructure (> 0.1 AU) and exhibit a frequency dependence roughly between f ^–1 and f ^–3/2. The results are related to theories of galactic cosmic-ray modulation and are found to be consistent with recent observations of the modulation.     

Radiocarbon dating of Danube Delta deposits

The Holocene history of the Danube Delta has been studied using ¹⁴C analyses of faunal material. The principal phases of development include: (1) initial Letea Caroarman spit, 11,700–9800 yr B.P. in its central part, 8800-5500 yr B.P. in its southern part; (2) Sf. Gheorghe I Delta, 8900-7200 yr B.P.; (3) Sulina Delta, 7200-2000 yr B.P., and (4) Sf. Gheorghe II Delta-Chilia Delta 2000 yr B.P.-present. Other smaller-scale features have also been dated, including secondary deltas (Co?na and Sinoe Deltas) and littoral bars. Age determinations carried out on whole samples were erratic and it was found that individual species had to be separated and dated. In all cases, the older dates were of transported material whereas the younger dates gave the true age of the formation.     

A Comparative Study of Five Reference Materials and the Lombard Meteorite for the Determination of the Platinum‐Group Elements and Gold by LA‐ICP‐MS

A range of independently characterised reference materials (RMs) for LA‐ICP‐MS, used for the determination of the platinum‐group elements (PGE) and Au in a sulfide matrix, were analysed and compared: 8b, PGE‐A, NiS‐3, Po727‐T1, Po724‐T and the Lombard meteorite. The newly developed RM NiS‐3 was used as the RM for the calibration of all LA‐ICP‐MS analyses and the measured concentrations of the other RMs compared against their published concentrations. This data were also used to assess the consistency of concentrations calibrated against the different RMs. It was found that Po727‐T1 and 8b produced results that were comparable, within uncertainty, for all elements. Po727‐T1 also produced consistent results with NiS‐3 for all elements. All other RMs showed differences for some elements, especially Ru in Po724‐T, and Os, Ir and Au in PGE‐A. The homogeneity of the PGE and Au in each RM was assessed, by comparing the precision of multiple LA‐ICP‐MS spot analyses with the average uncertainty of the signal. Po724‐T, Po727‐T1 and the Lombard meteorite were found to be homogeneous for all elements, but 8b, PGE‐A and NiS‐3 were heterogeneous for some elements. This is the first direct comparison between a range of independently characterised PGE and Au LA‐ICP‐MS RMs.     

Significance of ancient sulfide PGE and Re–Os signatures in the mantle beneath Calatrava,Central Spain

Spinel lherzolite and wehrlite xenoliths from the Cenozoic Calatrava volcanic field carry the geochemical imprint of metasomatic agents that have affected the subcontinental lithospheric mantle beneath Central Iberia. Some xenoliths (mainly wehrlites) were enriched in REE, Sr, P, and CO₂ by silicic-carbonate-rich metasomatic melts/fluids, while others record the effects of subduction-related hydrous silicate fluids that have precipitated amphibole and induced high Ti/Eu in primary clinopyroxene. The petrographic observations and geochemical data suggest that interstitial glass in the xenoliths represent the quenched products of Si-rich melts that infiltrated the mantle peridotite shortly before the entrainment of the xenoliths in the host magmas that erupted ca 2 million years ago. During their infiltration, the metasomatic melts reacted with peridotite, resulting in silica enrichment, while remobilizing grains of iron-rich monosulfide solid solution (Fe-rich Mss) initially enclosed in, or intergranular to, primary olivine and pyroxenes. In situ laser ablation inductively coupled plasma-mass spectrometry analysis of single sulfide grains reveals that the Fe-rich Mss in glass shows platinum-group element (PGE) patterns and ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os compositions identical to the Fe-rich Mss occurring as inclusions in, or at grain boundaries of primary silicates. Moreover, independent of its microstructural position, Fe-rich Mss exhibits PGE and ¹⁸⁷Os/¹⁸⁸Os signatures typical of Mss either residual after partial melting or crystallized directly from sulfide melts. Our findings reveal that young metasomatic melt(s)/fluid(s) may carry remobilized sulfides with PGE and Os-isotopic signatures identical to those of texturally older sulfides in the peridotite xenolith. These sulfides thus still provide useful information about the timing and nature of older magmatic events in the subcontinental mantle.     

The Linear Coregionalization Model and the Product–Sum Space–Time Variogram

The product covariance model, the product–sum covariance model, and the integrated product and integrated product–sum models have the advantage of being easily fitted by the use of marginal variograms. These models and the use of the marginals are described in a series of papers by De Iaco, Myers, and Posa. Such models allow not only estimating values at nondata locations but also prediction in future times, hence, they are useful for analyzing air pollution data, meteorological data, or ground water data. These three kinds of data are nearly always multivariate and because the processes determining the deposition or dynamics will affect all variates, a multivariate approach is desirable. It is shown that the use of marginal variograms for space–time modeling can be extended to the multivariate case and in particular to the use of the Linear Coregionalization Model (LCM) for cokriging in space–time. An application to an environmental data set is given.     

Detection of subsidence conditions by photogeology

A variety of air-photo interpretation criteria need to be used for detecting areas of potential subsidence. An initial step is to search for past failures showing on air photographs, to establish the cause and to interpret the boundaries of the environment that might be affected. Causes detectable include karstic terrain, areas liable to piping, or containing concealed peat, old shafts, and stratiform or vein workings. Airborne imaging conditions can be selected to improve the possibility of detection in some situations.

The technique can indicate situations where risks are high, but cannot be used to map with certainty voids liable to collapse.