X-ray absorption contrast images of binary chemical reactions

Low-divergence synchrotron-sourced X-rays enable a radiographic imaging scheme for full characterization of binary chemical reactions and characterization by type of more complex reactions, in situ, in diamond anvil cells (DAC). Spatially resolved reactants are induced to react by laser heating of their interface. The spatially intermediate products are observed through X-ray absorption contrast. Limits to the technique include the ability to maintain controlled experiment geometry during compression and the ability to resolve chemical differences between reactants and products by X-ray absorption. The ability to make in situ observations at experimental pressure and temperature obviates the problem with quenching techniques for capturing liquid compositions in experiments with dimensions smaller than the diffusion length during quenching time. Partially molten Fe-alloy systems, of poor quenchability, are examined at DAC pressures and temperatures for relevance to Earth's core constitution and evolution. Determinations of eutectic melting in Fe–FeS match known results. Of the probable light elements that may alloy with Fe in the Earth's liquid outer core, Fe–FeS experiments show only modest quenching problems, but C and Si alloy experiments are highly vulnerable to quenching artifacts. The observed reactivity of FeS, Fe₃C, FeSi, and FeO(OH) with Fe in DAC makes the observed non-reactivity between Fe and FeO more significant, reducing the probability that oxygen alone is the major alloy in Earth's molten outer core.     

Zur Alpensynthese

Ohne Zusammenfassung     

Nachweis der allgemeinen Gültigkeit des Gefrierkernspektrums

Zusammenfassung Durch weitere experimentelle Untersuchungen wird festgestellt, dass das an destillierten Wassertropfen ermittelte Gefrierkernspektrum von speziellen Versuchsbedingungen unabhängig ist und auch für Wasserarten mit verschiedenen natürlichen oder künstlichen Verunreinigungen gilt. Es kann ausserdem in allen bisher im Laboratorium und in der Atmosphäre durchgeführten Untersuchungen über die Eiskeimbildung nachgewiesen werden. Dieser Befund stützt als notwendige Bedingung die Deutung des Gefrierkernspektrums durch Strukturänderungen des Wassers und besagt, dass im Laboratorium und in der Atmosphäre dieselben Gefrierkerne vorhanden sind und dass bei der atmosphärischen Eiskeimbildung auch nur die aus Untersuchungen im Laboratorium bekannten Besonderheiten des Gefrieveorgangs (im unterkühlten Wasser) vorliegen.

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Summary Further experimental investigations demonstrate the «Gefrierkernspektrum», which was found for droplets from destilled water, to be independent from special experimental conditions and valid for sorts of water containing natural or artificial impurities, too. Furthermore it can be pointed out from all existing investigations on ice-nucleation, made in laboratory and in the atmosphere. This result supports, as a necessary condition, the interpretation of the «Gefrierkernspektrum» by means of changes in the structure of water itself and proves, that there are the same freezing nuclei both in the laboratory and the fre atmosphere and that ice-nucleation in the atmosphere holds but the same peculiarities of freezing (of supercooled water), known from laboratory work.

     

Theory of linear cosmological perturbations in flat space-time theory of gravitation

Covariant linear cosmological perturbations are considered in flat space-time theory of gravitation. The background metric is not altered. The perturbed energy-momentum is given. The basic equations for the propagation of the perturbations are presented. The perturbed equations for a homogeneous, isotropic universe are stated.     

Sea-level and reef accretion history of Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 7 and late Stage 5 based on age and facies of submerged late Pleistocene reefs,Oahu, Hawaii

In situ Pleistocene reefs form a gently sloping nearshore terrace around the island of Oahu. TIMS Th–U ages of in situ corals indicate that most of the terrace is composed of reefal limestones correlating to Marine Oxygen Isotope Stage 7 (MIS 7, ~ 190–245 ka). The position of the in situ MIS 7 reef complex indicates that it formed during periods when local sea level was ~ 9 to 20 m below present sea level. Its extensiveness and geomorphic prominence as well as a paucity of emergent in situ MIS 7 reef-framework deposits on Oahu suggest that much of MIS 7 was characterized by regional sea levels below present. Later accretion along the seaward front of the terrace occurred during the latter part of MIS 5 (i.e., MIS 5a–5d, ~ 76–113 ka). The position of the late MIS 5 reefal limestones is consistent with formation during a period when local sea level was below present. The extensiveness of the submerged Pleistocene reefs around Oahu compared to the relative dearth of Holocene accretion is due to the fact that Pleistocene reefs had both more time and more accommodation space available for accretion than their Holocene counterparts.     

Functional morphology of Grammatodon inaequivalvis (Goldfuss) and implications for evolutionary pathways in arcoidean bivalves

Secondary soft-bottom dwellers evolved several times in the Arcoida. These include semi-infaunal endobyssate taxa and free-burrowing species. The Jurassic arcoid bivalve Grammatodon inaequivalvis (Goldfuss, 1837) is remarkable for showing different sculptures on its left and right valve. A functional analysis of the shell points to a reclining mode of life on soft bottoms. This interpretation is corroborated by the occurrence of this species in very fine-grained sediments, and by taphonomic patterns such as “butterflied” preservation. It is proposed here that this species was resting on its left valve on the sediment, probably without byssal attachment. This reclining mode of life of G. inaequivalvis was hitherto undescribed from soft-bottom dweller arcoid bivalves.     

The Bayesian approach to an internally consistent thermodynamic database: theory, database, and generation of phase diagrams

An internally consistent thermodynamic dataset has been derived for 148 endmember phases (145 solids and 3 fluids) comprising the elements Li, Na, K, Be, Mg, Ca, Ti, Cr, Mn, Fe, Zn, Al, Si, C, H, and O. This has been achieved by simultaneous treatment of phase property (like standard enthalpy of formation, standard entropy, molar heat capacity, molar volume, thermal expansivity, bulk modulus etc.) and reaction reversal data by the Bayesian method. The theory underlying the approach, and the computational methods involved, are briefly outlined. (For the benefit of readers unfamiliar with inference statistics, the basic concepts of the Bayes method are also presented in such a way that they can be grasped intuitively.) Although not yet addressed, this method can be extended to refine the thermodynamic mixing properties of crystalline solutions. The sources of the input data, culled from the literature, are summarized in the Appendix. The resulting database is succinctly documented in this paper. It includes the enthalpies of formation and entropies, their uncertainties, and the correlation among them. The database allows calculation of P-T, T-X _CO2, P-X _CO2, and T-f _O2 sections, with error propagation into the computed phase diagrams on a routine basis. A user-friendly computer program has been written to generate such phase diagrams. It is public domain software. The software and the thermodynamic database (which includes a complete documentation of the thermodynamic data above and beyond those listed (Table 2, here) may be downloaded from the web site http://homepage.ruhr-uni-bochum.de/niranjan.chatterjee/Index.htm. Examples of computed phase diagrams are given to illustrate the quality of the data and the capabilities of the software. Received: 11 March 1998 / Accepted: 11 June 1998