Characteristics of L-band (1.5 GHz) and VHF (244 MHz) amplitude scintillations recorded at Kolkata during 1996–2006 and development of models for the occurrence probability of scintillations using neural network

L-band (1.5 GHz) and VHF (244 MHz) amplitude scintillations observed from Kolkata (22.58°N lat, 88.38° E long, 32°N dip), over a solar cycle 1996–2006 are presented in this paper. Situated near the northern crest of the equatorial anomaly, it is an excellent platform for scintillation studies. Based on 11 years’ data, an attempt is made to develop models of hourly percentage occurrence of scintillations for the rising and declining phases of solar cycle using Neural Network. The relation between fading rate at VHF with the S4 index at L-band is also investigated.     

Aysén seismic swarm (January 2007) in southern Chile: analysis using Joint Hypocenter Determination

A seismic swarm at the Aysén fjord started in January, 2007, reaching its highest activity between January and April, 2007. It was punctuated by the Mw5.3 23rd January event and the Mw6.2 21st April event which triggered a water-wave due to massive landslides; both with dextral strike slip focal mechanisms. More than 100 events were relocated with the Joint Hypocenter Determination method to study the depth distribution of the events of the swarm recorded by the Chile Ridge Subduction Project local network. The events are associated to a small area of approximately 7?×?7 km located in the Aysén fjord, on one of the main branches of the Liquiñe–Ofqui fault. Distribution in depth is located between 0 and 8 km and presents a west high dip with almost NS strike, consistent with the main trending of the Liquiñe–Ofqui fault and the published focal mechanisms. These characteristics, among others, suggest that the Liquiñe–Ofqui fault is active in this region and thus seismic risk has to be re-determined.     

Monitoring of East Channel dredge areas benthic fish population and its implications

Regional annual sampling of commercial fish stocks formed a high priority for monitoring studies attendant with the granting of aggregate dredging licenses in the Eastern Channel Region (ECR) which had previously not been dredged. An assessment of 4 m beam trawl sampling between 2005 and 2008 following the granting of licences in 2006 is provided. The majority of fish species have shown marked reductions in abundance since commencement of dredging. Draghead entrainment has been identified as a possible contributory cause based upon the known vulnerability of selected species (Drabble, 2012). Other environmental factors considered offer no explanation for the changes in abundance. Comparative analyses with ICES data for plaice and sole over the study period demonstrate that changes in the ECR do not result from seasonal flux in the wider populations. An alternative impact model and potential mitigation measures are suggested.     

The photokinetics of thermo‐tolerance in Symbiodinium

There is currently much debate about the ecological advantages for reef corals of hosting multiple types of the symbiotic dinoflagellate Symbiodinium. Amongst these is their apparent capacity to tolerate higher than normal water temperatures. There is strong photokinetic evidence that the trait of heat‐tolerance in plants is accompanied by energetic tradeoffs but little such evidence yet exists for corals. We use rapid light curves (RLCs) to investigate the photokinetic basis for thermo‐tolerance in the reef coral Acropora millepora with symbionts of contrasting thermal tolerance for which there are measured differences in energetics. Our results show that under non‐stressful temperatures, corals with heat‐tolerant type D Symbiodinium had a 41% lower maximum relative electron transport rate (rETRmax) and lower light absorption efficiency (α) due to lower cell Chl a content compared with corals with heat‐sensitive type C2 symbionts. Our results provide support for a photokinetic link between heat tolerance and deficits in holobiont (coral + symbiont) growth, lipid stores and reproduction. Reduced electron transport rate and light absorption capacity may be genotype‐specific attributes that enable clade D symbionts and their cnidarian hosts to cope with temperature stress but they inherently influence the photosynthetic function of the symbionts and thus have negative downstream effects on the coral.     

Features of galactic halo in a brane world model and observational constraints

Several aspects of the  4 d   imprint of the  5 d   bulk Weyl radiation are investigated within a recently proposed model solution. It is shown that the solution has a number of physically interesting properties. The constraints on the model imposed by combined measurements of rotation curve and lensing are discussed. A brief comparison with a well-known scalar field model is also given.     

40Ar‐39Ar age determinations of lunar basalt meteorites Asuka 881757, Yamato 793169, Miller Range 05035, La Paz Icefield 02205, Northwest Africa 479, and basaltic breccia Elephant Moraine 96008

Abstract— ⁴⁰Ar‐³⁹Ar data are presented for the unbrecciated lunar basaltic meteorites Asuka (A‐) 881757, Yamato (Y‐) 793169, Miller Range (MIL) 05035, LaPaz Icefield (LAP) 02205, Northwest Africa (NWA) 479 (paired with NWA 032), and basaltic fragmental breccia Elephant Moraine (EET) 96008. Stepped heating ⁴⁰Ar‐³⁹Ar analyses of several bulk fragments of related meteorites A‐881757, Y‐793169 and MIL 05035 give crystallization ages of 3.763 ± 0.046 Ga, 3.811 ± 0.098 Ga and 3.845 ± 0.014 Ga, which are comparable with previous age determinations by Sm‐Nd, U‐Pb Th‐Pb, Pb‐Pb, and Rb‐Sr methods. These three meteorites differ in the degree of secondary ⁴⁰Ar loss with Y‐793169 showing relatively high Ar loss probably during an impact event ?200 Ma ago, lower Ar loss in MIL 05035 and no loss in A‐881757. Bulk and impact melt glass‐bearing samples of LAP 02205 gave similar ages (2.985 ± 0.016 Ga and 2.874 ± 0.056 Ga) and are consistent with ages previously determined using other isotope pairs. The basaltic portion of EET 96008 gives an age of 2.650 ± 0.086 Ga which is considered to be the crystallization age of the basalt in this meteorite. The Ar release for fragmental basaltic breccia EET 96008 shows evidence of an impact event at 631 ± 20 Ma. The crystallization age of 2.721 ± 0.040 Ga determined for NWA 479 is indistinguishable from the weighted mean age obtained from three samples of NWA 032 supporting the proposal that these meteorites are paired. The similarity of ⁴⁰Ar‐³⁹Ar ages with ages determined by other isotopic systems for multiple meteorites suggests that the K‐Ar isotopic system is robust for meteorites that have experienced a significant shock event and not a prolonged heating regime.     

Changes in the red giant and dusty environment of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi following the 2006 eruption

We present near-infrared spectroscopy of the recurrent nova RS Ophiuchi (RS Oph) obtained on several occasions after its latest outburst in 2006 February. The  1–5 μ  m spectra are dominated by the red giant, but the H  i , He  i and coronal lines present during the eruption are present in all our observations. From the fits of the computed infrared spectral energy distributions to the observed fluxes, we find   T _eff= 4200 ± 200   K for the red giant. The first overtone CO bands at  2.3 μ  m, formed in the atmosphere of the red giant, are variable. The spectra clearly exhibit an infrared excess due to dust emission longward of  5 μ  m; we estimate an effective temperature for the emitting dust shell of 500 K, and find that the dust emission is also variable, being beyond the limit of detection in 2007. Most likely, the secondary star in RS Oph is intrinsically variable.     

Geology and geochemistry of Pachmarhi dykes and sills,Satpura Gondwana Basin,central India: problems of dyke-sill-flow correlations in the Deccan Traps

Many tholeiitic dyke-sill intrusions of the Late Cretaceous Deccan Traps continental flood basalt province are exposed in the Satpura Gondwana Basin around Pachmarhi, central India. We present field, petrographic, major and trace element, and Sr–Nd–Pb isotope data on these intrusions and identify individual dykes and sills that chemically closely match several stratigraphically defined formations in the southwestern Deccan (Western Ghats). Some of these formations have also been identified more recently in the northern and northeastern Deccan. However, the Pachmarhi intrusions are significantly more evolved (lower Mg numbers and higher TiO₂ contents) than many Deccan basalts, with isotopic signatures generally different from those of the chemically similar lava formations, indicating that most are not feeders to previously characterized flows. They appear to be products of mixing between Deccan basalt magmas and partial melts of Precambrian Indian amphibolites, as proposed previously for several Deccan basalt lavas of the lower Western Ghats stratigraphy. Broad chemical and isotopic similarities of several Pachmarhi intrusions to the northern and northeastern Deccan lavas indicate petrogenetic relationships. Distances these lava flows would have had to cover, if they originated in the Pachmarhi area, range from 150 to 350 km. The Pachmarhi data enlarge the hitherto known chemical and isotopic range of the Deccan flood basalt magmas. This study highlights the problems and ambiguities in dyke-sill-flow correlations even with extensive geochemical fingerprinting.     

Volatile composition of microinclusions in diamonds from the Panda kimberlite, Canada: Implications for chemical and isotopic heterogeneity in the mantle

In order to better investigate the compositions and the origins of fluids associated with diamond growth, we have carried-out combined noble gas (He and Ar), C and N isotope, K, Ca and halogen (Cl, Br, I) determinations on fragments of individual microinclusion-bearing diamonds from the Panda kimberlite, North West Territories, Canada. The fluid concentrations of halogens and noble gases in Panda diamonds are enriched by several orders of magnitude over typical upper mantle abundances. However, noble gas, C and N isotopic ratios (³He/⁴He = 4-6 Ra, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁶Ar = 20,000-30,000, δ¹³C = −4.5‰ to −6.9‰ and δ¹⁵N = −1.2‰ to −8.8‰) are within the worldwide range determined for fibrous diamonds and similar to the mid ocean ridge basalt (MORB) source value. The high ³⁶Ar content of the diamonds (>1 × 10⁻⁹ cm³/g) is at least an order of magnitude higher than any previously reported mantle sample and enables the ³⁶Ar content of the subcontinental lithospheric mantle to be estimated at ∼0.6 × 10⁻¹² cm³/g, again similar to estimates for the MORB source. Three fluid types distinguished on the basis of Ca-K-Cl compositions are consistent with carbonatitic, silicic and saline end-members identified in previous studies of diamonds from worldwide sources. These fluid end-members also have distinct halogen ratios (Br/Cl and I/Cl). The role of subducted seawater-derived halogens, originally invoked to explain some of the halogen ratio variations in diamonds, is not considered an essential component in the formation of the fluids. In contrast, it is considered that large halogen fractionation of a primitive mantle ratio occurs during fluid-melt partitioning in forming silicic fluids, and during separation of an immiscible saline fluid.