Cosmological constraints from Chandra X-ray observations of galaxy clusters

Chandra X-ray observations of rich, dynamically relaxed galaxy clusters allow the properties of the X-ray gas and the total gravitating mass to be determined precisely. Here, we discuss how Chandra observations may be used as a powerful tool for cosmological studies. By combining Chandra X-ray results on the X-ray gas mass fractions in clusters with independent measurements of the Hubble constant and the mean baryonic matter density of the universe, we obtain a tight constraint on the mean total matter density of the universe, Ο_m, and an interesting constraint on the cosmological constant, Ο_Λ. Using these results, together with the observed local X-ray luminosity function of the most X-ray luminous galaxy clusters, a mass-luminosity relation determined from Chandra and ROSAT X-ray data and weak gravitational lensing observations, and the mass function predicted by numerical simulations, we obtain a precise constraint on the normalization of the power spectrum of density fluctuations in the nearby universe,σ₈. We compare our results with those obtained from other, independent methods. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Swimming with…Devonian fish

Armoured jawless fish, or 'ostracoderms', lived 450–360 million years ago, and display unusual morphologies, unlike any modern fish group. Since they left no living descendants, their mode of swimming has, until recently, remained speculative, although this is a crucial question as the first true pectoral fins evolved within the 'ostracoderms'. The discovery of the oldest-known fish trails, from the Early Devonian (400 million year old) 'Lower Old Red Sandstone' of south-east Wales offers new insights into the swimming behaviour of these early fish, notably the osteostracan 'ostracoderms' (or cephalaspids), whose horseshoe-shaped head and paddle-shaped pectoral fins have remained a functional riddle.     

Constraints on the formation of layered tektites from the excavation and analysis of layered tektites from northeast Thailand

Abstract— The size, shape, composition, and vesicle content of 6 kg of layered tektite fragments, excavated near the town of Huai Sai, Thailand, place some constraints on the formation of layered tektites. The mass, shape, and distribution of the fragments are not consistent with an origin as a “puddle” of impact melt but suggest that they were derived from a single equant block. The presence of vesicles up to 7 mm in mean diameter within the tektite fragments suggests that the material was too viscous to allow for significant gravity-driven flow. These results suggest that layered tektites may be analogous to lava bombs, which may have been stretched and deformed in flight but underwent little flow after landing. Rather than being a product of “unusual circumstances,” such as multiple impacts, layered tektites may differ from splash-form tektites only in initial temperature of formation, speed of ejection, and small differences in initial composition.     

A Faraday rotation template for the Galactic sky

Using a set of compilations of measurements for extragalactic radio sources, we construct all-sky maps of the Faraday rotation produced by the Galactic magnetic field. In order to generate the maps, we treat the radio source positions as a kind of 'mask' and construct combinations of spherical harmonic modes that are orthogonal on the masked sky. As long as relatively small multipoles are used, the resulting maps are quite stable to changes in the selection criteria for the sources, and show clearly the structure of the local Galactic magnetic field. We also suggest the use of these maps as templates for cosmic microwave background (CMB) foreground analysis, illustrating the idea with a cross-correlation analysis between the Wilkinson Microwave Anisotropy Probe ( WMAP ) data and our maps. We find a significant cross-correlation, indicating the presence of a significant residual contamination.     

Reviews

OFFICE DEVELOPMENT: A Geographical Analysis by M. Bateman. 14 × 22 cm, xvi and 175 pages. Croom Helm: London 1985 (ISBN 0 7099 0697 8) $A35.95 (cloth).

ATLAS OF YOUTH UNEMPLOYMENT, 1981: The Geographic Distribution of Youth Unemployment in Australian Cities from the 1981 Census According to Birthplace and Gender by P. Matwijiw with E. Bamford and C. Maher. 21 × 29 cm, 127 pages. Australian Institute of Multicultural Affairs: Melbourne 1985 (ISBN 949890 33 2) $A12.00 (limp).

ENVIRONMENT AND HEALTH by A. J. Rowland and P. Cooper. 23 × 16 cm, vi and 205 pages. Edward Arnold: London 1983 (ISBN 0 7131 2855 0) $A27.95 (limp).

FAMINE AS A GEOGRAPHICAL PHENOMENON edited by B. Currey and G. Hugo. 17 × 24 cm, vi and 202 pages. Reidel: Dordrecht 1984 (ISBN 90 277 1762 1) Dfl 95.00, $US37.00 (cloth).

SOUTH AUSTRALIA'S CHANGING POPULATION (South Australian Geographical Papers No. 1) by G. J. Hugo. 25 × 18 cm, 71 pages. Royal Geographical Society of Australasia (SA Branch): Adelaide 1983 (ISBN 0 909112 05 03) $A4.00 (limp).

DEVELOPMENTS IN POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY edited by M. A. Busteed. 23 × 15 cm, 340 pages. Academic Press: London 1983 (ISBN 0 12 148420 3) $US42.00 (cloth).

NEITHER JUSTICE NOR REASON: A Legal and Anthropological Analysis of Aboriginal Land Rights by M. Gumbert. 22 × 14 cm, xv and 215 pages. University of Queensland Press: St Lucia 1984 (ISBN 0 7022 1746 8) $A20.00 (cloth).

RURAL RESOURCE MANAGEMENT by P. J. Cloke and C. C. Park. 14 × 22 cm, xiii and 473 pages. Croom Helm: London 1985 (ISBN 0 7099 2037 7) $A44.95 (cloth).

FARM POLICY IN AUSTRALIA by R. K. Hefford. 14 × 22 cm, xviii and 415 pages. University of Queensland Press: St Lucia 1985 (ISBN 0 7022 1698 4) $A40.00 (cloth).

TRANSPORT AND COMMUNICATIONS FOR PACIFIC MICROSTATES: Issues in Organisation and Management edited by C. C. Kissling. 14 × 21 cm, 192 pages. Institute of Pacific Studies, University of the South Pacific: Suva 1984. $A10.00 (cloth), $A8.00 (limp).

TIMES OF CRISIS: Epidemics in Sydney 1788–1900 by P. H. Curson. 15 × 25 cm, xii and 195 pages. Sydney University Press: Sydney 1985 (ISBN 0 424 00112 8). $A35.00 (cloth).

PEASANTS, SUBSISTENCE, ECOLOGY AND DEVELOPMENT IN THE HIGHLANDS OF PAPUA NEW GUINEA by L. S. Grossman. 24 × 16 cm, xxi and 302 pages. Princeton University Press: Princeton, NJ 1984 (ISBN 0 691 09406 3) $US45.50.

THE WORLD FOOD PROBLEM 1950–1980 by D. Grigg. 15 × 24 cm, 276 pages. Basil Blackwell: Oxford 1985 (ISBN 0 631 13481 6) $A58.50 (cloth).

POPULATION REDISTRIBUTION AND DEVELOPMENT IN SOUTH ASIA edited by L. A. Kosinski and K. M. Elahi. 17 × 24 cm, 243 pages. Reichel: Dordrecht 1985 (ISBN 90 277 1938 1) Dfl 120.00, $US44.00, £30.50 (cloth).

GEOGRAPHY AND ETHNIC PLURALISM edited by C. Clarke, D. Ley and C. Peach. 15 × 23 cm, xvii and 294 pages. Allen & Unwin: London 1984 (ISBN 0 04 309107 5) $A45.00 (cloth); (ISBN 0 04 309108 3) $A24.95 (limp).

SOCIAL GEOGRAPHY IN INTERNATIONAL PERSPECTIVE edited by J. Eyles. 14 × 22 cm, 295 pages. Croom Helm: London 1986 (ISBN 0 7099 0944 6) $A49.95 (cloth).

THE GENTRIFICATION OF INNER MELBOURNE: A Political Geography of Inner City Housing by W. S. Logan. 14 × 22 cm, xvi and 328 pages. University of Queensland Press: St. Lucia 1985 (ISBN 0 7022 1729 8) $A50.00 (cloth).

YELLOWCAKE AND CROCODILES: Town Planning, Government and Society in Northern Australia by J. Lea and R. Zehner. 14 × 22 cm, xxvi and 200 pages. Allen & Unwin: Sydney 1986 (ISBN 0 86861 875 6) $A24.95 (cloth); (ISBN 0 86861 843 8) $A 14.95 (limp).

THE BUNGALOW: The Production of a Global Culture by A. D. King. 20 × 25 cm, xii and 310 pages. Routledge & Kegan Paul: London 1984 (ISBN 0 7100 9538 4) $A62.50 (cloth).

THE WEST EUROPEAN CITY: A Social Geography by P. White. 15 × 23 cm, xviii and 269 pages. Longman: London 1984 (ISBN 0 582 30047 9) $A22.95 (limp).

THE SHAPING OF AMERICA: A Geographical Perspective on 500 years of History. Volume 1. Atlantic America, 1492–1800 by D. W. Meinig. 18 × 25 cm, xii and 500 pages. Yale University Press: New Haven 1986 (ISBN 0 300 03548 9) $US35.00 (cloth).

CANBERRA: MYTHS AND MODELS. Forces at Work in the Formation of the Australian Capital by K. F. Fischer. 21 × 30 cm, 166 pages. Institute of Asian Studies: Hamburg 1984 (ISBN 3 88910 009 0).

THE GEOGRAPHY OF PEACE AND WAR edited by D. Pepper and A. Jenkins. 15 × 23 cm, vi and 222 pages. Basil Blackwell: Oxford 1985 (ISBN 0 631 13559 6) $A75.00 (cloth); (ISBN 0 631 14069 7) $A23.95 (limp).

POLITICAL GEOGRAPHY: World‐economy, Nation‐state and Locality by P. J. Taylor. 15 × 23 cm, × and 238 pages. Longman: London 1985 (ISBN 0 582 30088 6) $A24.95 (limp).

THE INDUSTRIAL GEOGRAPHY OF CANADA by A. Blackbourn and R. G. Putnam 14 × 22 cm, 201 pages. Croom Helm: London 1984 (ISBN 0 7099 0622 6) $A42.50 (cloth).

THE FOODMAKERS by S. Sargent. 13 × 20 cm, 296 pages. Penguin: Ringwood 1985 (ISBN 0 14 007359 0) $A8.95 (limp).

LIMITS TO PREDICTION edited by R. B. McKern and G. C. Lowenthal. 13 × 19 cm, xiii and 163 pages. Australian Professional Publications: Sydney 1985 (ISBN 0 949416 029) $A14.95 (limp).

THE KANGAROO KEEPERS edited by H. J. Lavery. 18 × 25 cm, xxvi and 211 pages. University of Queensland Press: St Lucia 1985 (ISBN 0 7022 1875 8).

PRACTICAL ECOLOGY by D. D. Gilbertson, M. Kent and F. B. Pyatt. 15 × 23 cm, 320 pages, Hutchinson: London 1985 (ISBN 0 09 162651 X) £8.95.

BASIC BIOGEOGRAPHY (Second edition) by N. Pears. 15 × 24 cm, × and 358 pages. Longman: London 1985 (ISBN 0 582 30120 3) $A24.95 (limp).

ENVIRONMENTAL CHANGE (Second edition) by A. Goudie. 23 × 15 cm, xi and 258 pages. Oxford University Press: Oxford 1983 (ISBN 0 19 874135 9) A16.00 (limp).

MEGA‐GEOMORPHOLOGY edited by R. Gardner and H. Scoging. 16 × 24 cm, xiii and 240 pages. Oxford University Press: Oxford (ISBN 0 19 823244 6) $A48.00.

GRANITE LANDFORMS by C. R. Twidale. 25 × 17 cm, xxiii and 372 pages. Elsevier: Amsterdam 1982 (ISBN 0 444 42116 5) $A148.25.     

Magma sources for Mesozoic anorogenic granites of the White Mountain magma series,New England,USA

The magma sources for granitic intrusions related to the Mesozoic White Mountain magma series in northern New England, USA, are addressed relying principally upon Nd isotopes. Many of these anorogenic complexes lack significant volumes of exposed mafic lithologies and have been suspected of representing crustal melts. Sm–Nd and Rb–Sr isotope systematics are used to evaluate magma sources for 18 felsic plutons with ages ranging from about 120 to 230 Ma. The possibility of crustal sources is further examined with analyses of representative older crust including Paleozoic granitoids which serve as probes of the lower crust in the region. Multiple samples from two representative intrusions are used to address intrapluton initial isotopic heterogeneities and document significant yet restricted variations (<1 in _Nd). Overall, Mesozoic granite plutons range in _Nd [T] from +4.2 to -2.3, with most +2 to 0, and in initial ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr from 0.7031 to 0.709. The isotopic variations are roughly inversely correlated but are not obviously related to geologic, geographic, or age differences. Older igneous and metamorphic crust of the region has much lower Nd isotope ratios with the most radiogenic Paleozoic granitoid at _Nd [180 Ma] of -2.8. These data suggest mid-Proterozoic separation of the crust in central northern New England. Moreover, the bulk of the Mesozoic granites cannot be explained as crustal melts but must have large mantle components. The ranges of Nd and Sr isotopes are attributed to incorporation of crust by magmas derived from midly depleted mantle sources. Crustal input may reflect either magma mixing of crustal and mantle melts or crustal assimilation which is the favored interpretation. The results indicate production of anorogenic granites from mantle-derived mafic magmas.     

Development of the mixed conifer forest in northern New Mexico and its relationship to Holocene environmental change

Chihuahueños Bog (2925 m) in the Jemez Mountains of northern New Mexico contains one of the few records of late-glacial and postglacial development of the mixed conifer forest in southwestern North America. The Chihuahueños Bog record extends to over 15,000 cal yr BP. An Artemisia steppe, then an open Picea woodland grew around a small pond until ca. 11,700 cal yr BP when Pinus ponderosa became established. C/N ratios, δ¹³C and δ¹⁵N values indicate both terrestrial and aquatic organic matter was incorporated into the sediment. Higher percentages of aquatic algae and elevated C/N ratios indicate higher lake levels at the opening of the Holocene, but a wetland developed subsequently as climate warmed. From ca. 8500 to 6400 cal yr BP the pond desiccated in what must have been the driest period of the Holocene there. C/N ratios declined to their lowest Holocene levels, indicating intense decomposition in the sediment. Wetter conditions returned after 6400 cal yr BP, with conversion of the site to a sedge bog as groundwater levels rose. Higher charcoal influx rates after 6400 cal yr BP probably result from greater biomass production rates. Only minor shifts in the overstory species occurred during the Holocene, suggesting that mixed conifer forest dominated throughout the record.     

Evaluation of approaches to calculate debris-flow parameters for hazard assessment

Many different runout prediction methods can be applied to estimate the mobility of future debris flows during hazard assessment. The present article reviews the empirical, analytical, simple flow routing and numerical techniques. All these techniques were applied to back-calculate a debris flow, which occurred in 1982 at La Guingueta catchment, in the Eastern Pyrenees. A sensitivity analysis of input parameters was carried out, while special attention was paid to the influence of rheological parameters. We used the Voellmy fluid rheology for our analytical and numerical modelling, since this flow resistance law coincided best with field observations. The simulation results indicated that the “basal” friction coefficients rather affect the runout distance, while the “turbulence” terms mainly influence flow velocity. A comparison of the velocity computed on the fan showed that the analytical model calculated values similar to the numerical ones. The values of our rheological parameters calibrated at La Guingueta agree with data back-calculated for other debris flows. Empirical relationships represent another method to estimate total runout distance. The results confirmed that they contain an important uncertainty and they are strictly valid only for the conditions, which were the basis for their development. With regards to the simple flow routing algorithm, this methods could satisfactorily simulate the total area affected by the 1982 debris flow, but it was not able to directly calculate total runout distance and velocity. Finally, a suggestion on how different runout prediction methods can be applied to generate debris-flow hazard maps is presented. Taking into account the definition of hazard and intensity, the best choice would be to divide the resulting hazard maps into two types: “final hazard maps” and “preliminary hazard maps”. Only the use of numerical models provided final hazard maps, because they could incorporate different event magnitudes and they supplied output-values for intensity calculation. In contrast, empirical relationships and flow routing algorithms, or a combination of both, could be applied to create preliminary hazard maps. The present study only focussed on runout prediction methods. Other necessary tasks to complete the hazard assessment can be looked up in the “Guidelines for landslide susceptibility, hazard and risk zoning” included in this Special Issue.     

The Ca-Eskola component in eclogitic clinopyroxene as a function of pressure, temperature and bulk composition: an experimental study to 15 GPa with possible implications for the formation of oriented SiO2-inclusions in omphacite

Experiments have been conducted in the P-T range 2.5–15 GPa and 850–1,500°C using bulk compositions in the systems SiO₂–TiO₂–Al₂O₃–Fe₂O₃–FeO–MnO–MgO–CaO–Na₂O–K₂O–P₂O₅ and SiO₂–TiO₂–Al₂O₃–MgO–CaO–Na₂O to investigate the Ca-Eskola (CaEs Ca_0.5□_0.5AlSi₂O₆) content of clinopyroxene in eclogitic assemblages containing garnet + clinopyroxene + SiO₂ ± TiO₂ ± kyanite as a function of P, T, and bulk composition. The results show that CaEs_ss in clinopyroxene increases with increasing T and is strongly bulk composition dependent whereby high CaEs-contents are favoured by bulk compositions with high normative anorthite and low diopside contents. In this study, a maximum of 18 mol% CaEs_ss was found at 6 GPa and 1,350°C in a kyanite-eclogite assemblage garnet + clinopyroxene + kyanite + rutile + coesite. By comparison, no significant increase in CaEs_ss with increasing P could be observed. If the formation of oriented SiO₂-rods frequently observed in eclogititc clinopyroxenes is due to the retrogressive breakdown of a CaEs-component then these textures are a cooling rather than a decompression phenomenon and are most likely to be found in kyanite-bearing eclogites cooled from temperatures ≥750°C. The presence of clinopyroxene with approx. 4 mol% CaEs_ss in an experiment conducted at 2.5 GPa/850°C confirms earlier suggestions based on field data that vacancy-rich clinopyroxenes are not necessarily restricted to ultrahigh pressure metamorphic conditions. Electronic supplementary material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.