Correlation and variability of the HeI 4471 and MgII 4481 absorption lines in Be stars: A possible diagnostic tool for nonradial pulsations

In a total of 181 photographic spectrograms, obtained at the Manuel Foster Observatory of the Catholic University in Santiago (Chile), the equivalent widths of the absorption lines HeI 4471 and MgII 4481 have been determined for 10 selected southern Be stars and 4 normal B-type stars. The mean equivalent widths of each star are compared to published mean values from largers samples of B stars. On the average, Be stars coincide with normal B-type stars in their equivalent width. However, a striking difference between rapidly and slowly rotating stars in their line ratios (HeI/MgII) was found, which is probably an artifact due to a systematic misclassification of spectral types of rapidly rotating B stars (v sini>200 km s^–1). Six of the ten Be stars show evidence for variability in HeI and/or MgII with time-scales shorter than a few days and amplitudes up to a factor 2 in equivalent width. Line variability occurs in the entire range of projected rotation velocity (70 km s^–1<v sini<350 km s^–1), but seems to be restricted to spectral types B2-B4. In addition, variations at longer time-scales (years) were observed in two cases. Three of the variable stars (HR 4074, HR 4537, and Ara) present correlated variations in both lines, one ( Cen) anti-correlated variability. We interpret our results in terms of nonradial pulsations and stress the importance to study the HeI/MgII lines and their variability in a larger sample of Be, Bn, and normal B stars, including archival material in order to follow-up line variability for several decades in the past.     

A cloud mask methodology for high resolution remote sensing data combining information from high and medium resolution optical sensors

This study presents a novel cloud masking approach for high resolution remote sensing images in the context of land cover mapping. As an advantage to traditional methods, the approach does not rely on thermal bands and it is applicable to images from most high resolution earth observation remote sensing sensors. The methodology couples pixel-based seed identification and object-based region growing. The seed identification stage relies on pixel value comparison between high resolution images and cloud free composites at lower spatial resolution from almost simultaneously acquired dates. The methodology was tested taking SPOT4-HRVIR, SPOT5-HRG and IRS-LISS III as high resolution images and cloud free MODIS composites as reference images. The selected scenes included a wide range of cloud types and surface features. The resulting cloud masks were evaluated through visual comparison. They were also compared with ad-hoc independently generated cloud masks and with the automatic cloud cover assessment algorithm (ACCA). In general the results showed an agreement in detected clouds higher than 95% for clouds larger than 50 ha. The approach produced consistent results identifying and mapping clouds of different type and size over various land surfaces including natural vegetation, agriculture land, built-up areas, water bodies and snow.     

Changes in geomagnetic reversal frequency at times of tectonic change: Evidence for coupling between core and upper mantle processes

Coincidence of major plate tectonic changes about 42–45, 70–80, and 110–120 m.y. B.P. with changes in geomagnetic reversal frequency provides support for previous suggestions that processes in the upper mantle and those in the outer core are somehow coupled.     

THE COMPILATION OF A DTM AND A NEW SATELLITE IMAGE MAP FOR KING GEORGE ISLAND,ANTARCTICA

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Fluid evolution,wallrock alteration,and ore mineralization associated with the Rodalquilar epithermal gold-deposit in southeast Spain

At Rodalquilar gold mineralization is found in Late Tertiary volcanic rocks of the Sierra del Cabo de Gata and is related to a caldera collapse. Radial and concentric faults were preferred sites for gold deposition. Hydrothermal activity produced a specific alteration zoning around gold-bearing vein structures, grading from an innermost advanced argillic via an argillic into a more regionally developed propylitic zone. Advanced argillic alteration with silica, pyrophyllite, alunite, and kaolinite extends down to several hundred m indicating a hypogene origin. High-grade gold mineralization in vein structures is confined to the near-surface part of the advanced argillic alteration. Fine-grained gold is associated with hematite, jarosite, limonite, or silica. At a depth of about 120 m, the oxidic ore assemblage grades into sulfide mineralization with pyrite and minor chalcopyrite, covellite, bornite, enargite, and tennantite. Two types of fluids from different sources were involved in the hydrothermal system. Overpressured and hypersaline fluids of presumably magmatic origin initiated the hydrothermal system. Subsequent hydrothermal processes were characterized by the influx of low-salinity solutions of probable marine origin and by interactions between both fluids. Deep-reaching, advanced argillic alteration formed from high-salinity fluids with 20–30 equiv. wt% NaCl at about 225°C. Near-surface gold precipitation and silification are related to fluids with temperatures of about 175°C and 3–4 equiv. wt% NaCl. Gold was transported as Au(HS) ₂ ^– , and precipitation resulted from boiling with a concomitant decrease in temperature, pressure, and pH and an increase in fO₂. All features of the Rodalquilar gold deposit reveal a close relationship to acid-sulfate-type epithermal gold mineralization.     

Development and demonstration of a structured hydrological feature coding system for Europe

Abstract

Validation of large amounts of digital hydrological data and eventual exchange of data between various organisations can benefit from the development of a structured hydrological feature coding system. In this article we describe the development of such a system and present its implementation in the CCM2 structured hydrological feature data set, covering Europe to the Urals and including Turkey. We discuss the coding of river basins, catchments, lakes and rivers. The proposed coding system is largely inspired by the work of Otto Pfafstetter with additions for coding oceans, seas, islands and lakes. Furthermore the coding system can be transferred to features that geometrically intersect the coded hydrological features and we propose some rules on how to establish this transfer.

Citation de Jager, A. L. & Vogt, J. V. (2010) Development and demonstration of a structured hydrological feature coding system for Europe. Hydrol. Sci. J. 55(5), 661–675.     

Clay minerals as an indicator of the accumulation of the Upper Quaternary deposits in the St. Anna Trough (Kara Sea)

This paper is devoted to the studies of clay minerals from two cores collected in the northern and central regions of the St. Anna Trough, the largest trough of the Kara Sea. The Upper Quaternary glacial, glaciomarine, and marine deposits are characterized by various contents of kaolinite, chlorite, illite, and smectite. It is established that, from older to younger deposits, the amounts of kaolinite and chlorite generally decrease, while those of illite and smectite, on the contrary, increase. A joint analysis of the distributions of clay and heavy minerals over the section allowed us to refine the position of the sources for the terrigenous matter and their temporal variability. It is shown the changes in the sources of supply were directly related to the climate changes that occurred when passing from the glacial to marine sedimentation environments.