Spectral-temporal evolution of low-frequency pulsations in the microwave radiation of solar flares

Low-frequency pulsations of 22 and 37 GHz microwave radiation detected during solar flares are analyzed. Several microwave bursts observed at the Metsähovi Radio Observatory are studied with time resolutions of 100 and 50 ms. A fast Fourier transformation with a sliding window and the Wigner-Ville method are used to obtain frequency-time diagrams for the low-frequency pulsations, which are interpreted as natural oscillations of coronal magnetic loops; the dynamical spectra of the pulsations are synthesized for the first time. Three types of low-frequency fluctuations modulating the flare microwave radiation can be distinguished in the observations. First, there are fast and slow magneto-acoustic oscillations with periods of 0.5–0.8 s and 200–280 s, respectively. The fast magneto-acoustic oscillations appear as trains of narrow-band signals with durations of 100–200 s, a positive frequency drift dν/dt=0.25 MHz/min, and frequency splitting δν=0.01–0.05 Hz. Second, there are natural oscillations of the coronal magnetic loops as equivalent electrical circuits. These oscillations have periods of 0.5–10 s and positive or negative frequency drift rates dν/dt=8×10^?3 Hz/min or dν/dt=?1.3×10^?2 Hz/min, depending on the phase of the radio outburst. Third, there are modulations of the microwave radiation by short periodic pulses with a period of 20 s. The dynamical spectra of the low-frequency pulsations supply important information about the parameters of the magnetic loops: the ratio of the loop radius to its length r/L≈0.1, the plasma parameter β≈10^?3, the ratio of the plasma densities outside and inside the loop ρ_e/ρ_i≈10^?2, and the electrical current flowing along the loop I≈10¹² A.     

Diagnostics of solar flare and evaporated plasma using mm-wave emission

Pulsations of mm-wave emission with a period of about 5 s, which occurred during the impulsive phase of the flare of June 22, 1989, are investigated. It has been shown that these pulsations can be driven by Alfvénic oscillations of a flare loop excited due to upward motion of the chromospheric evaporated plasma. A method is proposed to determine the density and temperature of the evaporated plasma as well as the flare loop magnetic field and loop length in terms of Alfvénic oscillations of the loop and bremsstrahlung mechanism of mm-wave emission. The estimation of evaporated plasma energy has shown that for the flare of June 22, 1989 the energy content in electron beams is insufficient for chromospheric plasma evaporation. It is not excluded that the main energy release process occurs in the chromosphere.     

Circumstellar envelopes of hot stars: Formation of extended regions of weakly ionized gas

We propose a model explaining the presence of vast regions of partially ionized gas in the interstellar medium. The circumstellar envelope of a hot star absorbs soft ionizing radiation, but transmits an appreciable fraction of the hard photons, which are absorbed much more weakly than photons with energies close to the ionization limit. For this reason, the radiation attenuated by the envelope becomes harder, and can penetrate to larger distances. For stars hotter than 50 000 K, the transition zone between the ionized and neutral gas can extend to tens or hundreds of parsecs. Thus, a region of partially ionized hydrogen, with a small gradient of the degree of ionization without a well-defined inner HII zone, can form in the interstellar medium.     

Primary magmas at Oldoinyo Lengai: The role of olivine melilitites

The paper describes olivine melilitites at Oldoinyo Lengai, Tanzania, and from tuff cones from the Tanzanian rift valley in the vicinity of Oldoinyo Lengai. Oldoinyo Lengai is the only active carbonatite volcano and is distinguished by its alkali-rich natrocarbonatites. Lengai is also unique for its extreme peralkaline silicate lavas related directly to the natrocarbonatites. Primitive olivine melilitites are, according to their Mg# and Ni, Cr contents, the only candidates in the Lengai area for primary melt compositions. Incompatible trace elements, including REE, constrain the melting process in their sub-lithospheric sources to very low degrees of partial melting in the garnet stability field. The strong peralkaline trend at Oldoinyo Lengai is already recognisable in these primary or near-primary melts. More evolved olivine melilitites, with Mg# < 60 allow the fractionation line in its major and trace element expressions to be followed. Nevertheless, a large compositional gap separates the olivine melilitites and olivine-poorer melilitites from the phonolites and nephelinites that form the bulk of the Lengai cone. These silicate lavas show a high degree of peralkalinity and are highly evolved with very low Mg, Ni and Cr. Prominent examples of the recent evolution are the combeite–wollastonite nephelinites that are unique for Lengai. In their Sr, Nd, and Pb isotope relationships the olivine melilitites define a distinct group with the most depleted Sr and Nd ratios and the most radiogenic Pb isotopes. They are closest to a supposed HIMU end member of the Lengai evolution, which is characterised by an extreme spread in isotopic ratios, explained as a mixing line between HIMU and EM1-like mantle components.     

On the Origin of Pulsations of Sub-THz Emission from Solar Flares

We propose a model to explain fast pulsations in sub-THz emission from solar flares. The model is based on the approach of a flaring loop as an equivalent electric circuit and explains the pulse-repetition rate, the high-quality factor, Q≥10³, low modulation depth, pulse synchronism at different frequencies, and the dependence of the pulse-repetition rate on the emission flux, observed by Kaufmann et al. (Astrophys. J. 697, 420, 2009). We solved the nonlinear equation for electric current oscillations using a Van der Pol method and found the steady-state value for the amplitude of the current oscillations. Using the pulse rate variation during the flare on 4 November 2003, we found a decrease of the electric current from 1.7×10¹² A in the flare maximum to 4×10¹⁰ A just after the burst. Our model is consistent with the plasma mechanism of sub-THz emission suggested recently by Zaitsev, Stepanov, and Melnikov (Astron. Lett. 39, 650, 2013).     

Ferromanganese carbonate metasediments of the Sob area,Polar Urals: Bedding conditions,composition, and genesis

The paper presents the results of study of ferromanganese carbonate rocks in the Sob area (Polar Urals), which is located between the Rai-Iz massif and the Seida–Labytnangi Railway branch. These rocks represent low-metamorphosed sedimentary rocks confined to the Devonian carbonaceous siliceous and clayey–siliceous shales. In terms of ratio of the major minerals, ferromanganese rocks can be divided into three varieties composed of the following minerals: (1) siderite, rhodochrosite, chamosite, quartz, ± kutnahorite, ± calcite, ± magnetite, ± pyrite, ± clinochlore, ± stilpnomelane; (2) spessartite, rhodochrosite, and quartz, ± hematite, ± chamosite; (3) rhodochrosite, spessartite, pyroxmanite, quartz ± tephroite, ± fridelite, ± clinochlore, ± pyrophanite, ± pyrite. In all varieties, the major concentrators of Mn and Fe are carbonates (rhodochrosite, siderite, kutnahorite, Mn-calcite) and chlorite group minerals (clinochlore, chamosite). The chemical composition of rocks is dominated by Si, Fe, Mn, carbon dioxide, and water (L.O.I.): total SiO₂ + Fe₂O ₃ ^tot + MnO + L.O.I. = 85.6?98.4 wt %. The content of Fe and Mn varies from 9.3 to 55.6 wt % (Fe₂O ₃ ^tot + MnO). The Mn/Fe ratio varies from 0.2 to 55.3. In terms of the aluminum module Al_M = Al/(Al + Mn + Fe), the major portion of studied samples corresponds to metalliferous sediments. The δ¹³C_carb range (–30.4 to–11.9‰ PDB) corresponds to authigenic carbonates formed with carbon dioxide released during the microbial oxidation of organic matter in sediments at the dia- and/or catagenetic stage. Ferromanganese sediments were likely deposited in relatively closed seafloor zones (basin-traps) characterized by periodic stagnation. Fe and Mn could be delivered from various sources: input by diverse hydrothermal solutions, silt waters in the course of diagenesis, river discharges, and others. The diagenetic delivery of metals seems to be most plausible. Mn was concentrated during the stagnation of bottom water in basin-traps. Interruption of stagnation promoted the precipitation of Mn. The presence of organic matter fostered a reductive pattern of postsedimentary transformations of metalliferous sediments. Fe and Mn were accumulated initially in the oxide form. During the diagenesis, manganese and iron oxides reacted with organic matter to make up carbonates. Relative to manganese carbonates, iron carbonates were formed under more reductive settings and higher concentrations of carbon dioxide in the interstitial solution. Crystallization of manganese and iron silicates began already at early stages of lithogenesis and ended during the regional metamorphism of metalliferous sediments.     

Mineralogy, geochemistry and stratigraphy of the Maslovsky Pt–Cu–Ni sulfide deposit, Noril’sk Region, Russia

We report new data on the stratigraphy, mineralogy and geochemistry of the rocks and ores of the Maslovsky Pt–Cu–Ni sulfide deposit which is thought to be the southwestern extension of the Noril’sk 1 intrusion. Variations in the Ta/Nb ratio of the gabbro-dolerites hosting the sulfide mineralization and the compositions of their pyroxene and olivine indicate that these rocks were produced by two discrete magmatic pulses, which gave rise to the Northern and Southern Maslovsky intrusions that together host the Maslovsky deposit. The Northern intrusion is located inside the Tungusska sandstones and basalt of the Ivakinsky Formation. The Southern intrusion cuts through all of the lower units of the Siberian Trap tuff-lavas, including the Lower Nadezhdinsky Formation; demonstrating that the ore-bearing intrusions of the Noril’sk Complex post-date that unit. Rocks in both intrusions have low TiO₂ and elevated MgO contents (average mean TiO₂ <1 and MgO?=?12?wt.%) that are more primitive than the lavas of the Upper Formations of the Siberian Traps which suggests that the ore-bearing intrusions result from a separate magmatic event. Unusually high concentrations of both HREE (Dy+Yb+Er+Lu) and Y (up to 1.2 and 2.1?ppm, respectively) occur in olivines (Fo_79.5 and 0.25% NiO) from picritic and taxitic gabbro-dolerites with disseminated sulfide mineralization. Thus accumulation of HREE, Y and Ni in the melts is correlated with the mineral potential of the intrusions. The TiO₂ concentration in pyroxene has a strong negative correlation with the Mg# of both host mineral and Mg# of host rock. Sulfides from the Northern Maslovsky intrusion are predominantly chalcopyrite–pyrrhotite–pentlandite with subordinate and minor amounts of cubanite, bornite and millerite and a diverse assemblage of rare precious metal minerals including native metals (Au, Ag and Pd), Sn–Pd–Pt–Bi–Pb compounds and Fe–Pt alloys. Sulfides from the Southern Maslovsky intrusion have δ ³⁴S?=?5–6‰ up to 10.8‰ in two samples whereas the country rock basalt have δ ³⁴S?=?3–4‰, implying there was no in situ assimilation of surrounding rocks by magmas.     

The World’s Largest Fouta Djallon–Mandingo Bauxite Province (West Africa): Part III. The Influence of Geomorphic Factors and the Age of Relief on the Spatial Distribution,Size, and Quality of Bauxite Deposits

Geology of Ore Deposits - The scheme of geomorphic evolution of the region was substantially refined, compared to the previous understanding, based on the results of geologic and geomorphic...