Peak metamorphic temperatures in type 6 ordinary chondrites: An evaluation of pyroxene and plagioclase geothermometry

Abstract— Quantifying the peak temperatures achieved during metamorphism is critical for understanding the thermal histories of ordinary chondrite parent bodies. Various geothermometers have been used to estimate equilibration temperatures for chondrites of the highest metamorphic grade (type 6), but results are inconsistent and span hundreds of degrees. Because different geothermometers and calibration models were used with different meteorites, it is unclear whether variations in peak temperatures represent actual ranges of metamorphic conditions within type 6 chondrites or differences in model calibrations. We addressed this problem by performing twopyroxene geothermometry, using QUILF95, on the same type 6 chondrites for which peak temperatures were estimated using the plagioclase geothermometer (Nakamuta and Motomura 1999). We also calculated temperatures for published pyroxene analyses from other type 6 H, L, and LL chondrites to determine the most representative peak metamorphic temperatures for ordinary chondrites. Pyroxenes record a narrow, overlapping range of temperatures in H6 (865–926 °C), L6 (812–934 °C), and LL6 (874–945 °C) chondrites. Plagioclase temperature estimates are 96–179 °C lower than pyroxenes in the same type 6 meteorites. Plagioclase estimates may not reflect peak metamorphic temperatures because chondrule glass probably recrystallized to plagioclase prior to reaching the metamorphic peak. The average temperature for H, L, and LL chondrites (～900 °C), which agrees with previously published oxygen isotope geothermometry, is at least 50 °C lower than the peak temperatures used in current asteroid thermal evolution models. This difference may require minor adjustments to thermal model calculations.     

Cosmological implications of BL Lac objects

It has become clear in recent years that relativistic beaming is a good explanation for the BL Lac phenomenon. Of studies based on the relativistic beaming model of BL Lac objects, we note that the orientation of jet's axis to the line-of-sight is very small and, therefore, the observed flux emitted from a rapidly moving source is orders of magnitude higher than the flux in its rest-frame:F _obs = ^{3 +} F _intr, where is the bulk relativistic Doppler factor. Then the observed apparent magnitudem _v must be corrected for this effect. For our 39 samples, the corrected apparent magnitudem _v ^corr and logZ have a good correlation.     

Observations of interstellar HOCO+: abundance enhancements toward the galactic center

A survey of the 4(04)-3(03) and 1(01)-0(00) transitions of HOCO+ has been made toward several molecular clouds. The HOCO+ molecule was not observed in any sources except Sgr B2 and Sgr A. The 5(05)-4(04) and 4(14)-3(13) transitions were also detected toward Sgr B2. The results indicate that gas phase CO2 is not a major carbon reservoir in typical molecular clouds. In Sgr B2, the HOCO+ antenna temperature exhibits a peak approximately 2' north of the Sgr B2 central position (Sgr B2[M]) and the 4(04)-3(03) line emission is extended over a approximately 10' x 10' region. The column density of HOCO+ at the northern peak in Sgr B2 is approximately 3 x 10(14) cm-2, and the fractional abundance relative to H2 > or = 3 x 10(-10), which is about 2 orders of magnitude greater than recent predictions of quiescent cloud ion-molecule chemistry.     

Exponential distance relations in planetary-like systems generated at random

It is often thought that the exponential distance relations that can be found amongst the distances of the planets and of the satellites of Jupiter, Saturn, and Uranus, of the form a _n = ⁿ , with a _n being the semi-major axis of the n ^th body, can be similarly represented by sequences of sorted random numbers generated with some constraints corresponding to certain physical processes. We give in this paper some indications showing that pure chance or random processes only cannot explain the planetary and satellite distance distributions, in particular the exponential spacings, by comparing the distance relations of the real systems to these of planetary-like systems generated at random.Exponential distance relations for the present planetary and satellites systems of Jupiter, Saturn and Uranus are described, considering the two cases without and with introduction of holes for the large spacings observed in the sequences of bodies.Random systems are created by generating distances at random following uniform, normal and exponential distributions, with no consideration for other orbital elements or masses as we are only interested in distance relations. Random systems without constraints are first compared to the real systems. In a following step, random systems with a corresponding number of bodies to that of the real systems and with the constraint of having a number of large spacings equivalent to that of the real systems are investigated. In a later step, we impose on the generation process the additional constraint of the closeness not too close condition, i.e. for the random systems to have distances between adjacent bodies greater than critical attraction distances calculated by considering the present masses of the real main planets and satellites.Comparisons of the regression coefficients means of the exponential distance relations of random systems to the characteristics of the real systems show that there are significant differences, in particular the coefficients of the random systems are on average smaller than for the corresponding real systems, except for some particular cases which are shown not to be significant.It is concluded that distance relations observed in the present real systems can not be compared to sequences of sorted random numbers. Furthermore, additional physical processes other than the closeness not too close, have to be considered to explain the observed distance relations and in particular the exponential spacings.     

A high-resolution bragg spectrometer for the observation of the hot interstellar medium X-ray emission

We present a high-resolution Bragg spectrometer designed for the observation of the soft X-ray cosmic diffuse background. The instrument concept is derived from the de Broglie geometry for the study of extended sources. It consists in a mosaïc of spherical TlAP crystals associated with position sensitive detectors located on the focussing surface. The spectral resolution and its variation with the field of view is estimated by Monte-Carlo simulations for different X-ray energies chosen among the most intense lines emitted by an astrophysical plasma in the temperature range 1–4×10⁶K. The estimated sensitivity and the simulations of actual space observations show that the instrument is capable to separate the strongest lines emitted by the most abundant ions (OVII,OVIII, FeXVII, NeIX, etc.) and to map the whole sky during a six month mission.     

Emission curve of growth for Feii in chromospheric limb spectra

The 270 chromospheric emission lines of Feii ranging between 2000 and 3200 Å observed by Skylab at a height of 4 (2900 km) above the limb of the quiet Sun are analyzed by the emission curve of growth method, using newly calculated gf-values. It is derived that the excitation temperature is 7.2 × 10³ K and that the turbulent velocity is consistent with the previous results that the microturbulent velocity is lower than 10 km s^–1 in the cool (<10⁴ K) region of the chromosphere.Contributions from the Kwasan and Hida Observatories, University of Kyoto, No. 270.     

Use of the population potential model for predicting the growth of cities in a region (with reference to Moscow Oblast)

"A modification of the population potential model is used to analyze the structure of the potential of population for cities of the Moscow region, to develop a relationship between population potential and city size, and to use this procedure to forecast future population change in Moscow Oblast cities." Cities in the region with a population of 50,000 or more at the censuses of 1959, 1970, and 1979 are included.     

The magnetic and thermodynamical structure of a coronal hole

A nonpolytropic model of a polar coronal hole at 2 R R 5 R is constructed. Our main assumptions are: (1) the magnetic structure of the Sun can be described by a combination of dipole-like and radial fields; (2) in the magnetically dominated region [(v ²/2) < (B ²/8)] the influence of the outflow on the magnetic structure is negligible. The magnetic and thermodynamic structures are obtained by solving the force balance equation for plasma with the observationally derived electron density. Profiles of velocities in the acceleration regime are presented and the influence of the outflow on the thermodynamic structure of the solar corona above the polar region is discussed.This paper is the first part of a joint project of the Space Environment Laboratory, the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics, and the High Altitude Observatory, NCAR. The second paper by Munro and Tzur is in preparation.Work done while at the Space Environment Laboratory, NOAA, ERL, Boulder, CO 80303, U.S.A.1982–83 Visiting Fellow at the Joint Institute for Laboratory Astrophysics, National Bureau of Standards and University of Colorado.The National Center for Atmospheric Research is sponsored by the National Science Foundation.Visitor at NCAR.     

Optical observations of the interstellar absorption lines towards the M8 Nebula

High resolution optical observations (FWHM ～ 10–13 km s^?1) of the I-S gas towards the early-type stars HD 164 794, HD 164816, and HD 165052 in the M8 Nebula are presented. A high velocity componentV _LSR=?26 km s^?1 has been detected in all 3 stars' spectra. A line profile fitting analysis has been carried out on the observed Caii and Nai absorption lines to determine cloud component column densities and to subsequently determine the physical and chemical conditions of the associated I-S gas.     

The Hα-cyclonic spectra of a flare loop system on 1981 April 27

The data such as the H-spectrum-spectroheliographic (SSHG) observations, the H-chromospheric observations, etc., of a flare loop prominence which occurred on the western solar limb on 1981 April 27 have been obtained at Yunnan Observatory. The distribution of the internal motions and the macroscopical motion of the flare loop prominence with time and space in the course of its eruption and ascension is derived from the comprehensive analysis of the data. The possible physical pictures and the instability of the motions of the loop are inferred and discussed.