Asymptotic giant branch stars in the Phoenix dwarf galaxy

JHK _s near-infrared photometry of stars in the Phoenix dwarf galaxy is presented and discussed. Combining these data with the optical photometry of Massey et al. allows a rather clean separation of field stars from Phoenix members. The discovery of a Mira variable ( P = 425 d), which is almost certainly a carbon star, leads to an estimate of the distance modulus of 23.10 ± 0.18 that is consistent with other estimates and indicates the existence of a significant population of age ∼2 Gyr. The two carbon stars of Da Costa have   M _bol=−3.8  and are consistent with belonging to a population of similar age; some other possible members of such a population are identified. A Da Costa non-carbon star is  Δ K _s∼ 0.3  mag brighter than these two carbon stars. It may be an asymptotic giant branch star of the dominant old population. The nature of other stars lying close to it in the   K _s, ( J − K _s)  diagram needs studying.     

Thermal springs,fumaroles and gas vents of continental Yemen: Their relation with active tectonics,regional hydrology and the country’s geothermal potential

Most thermal springs of continental Yemen (about 65 emergences at 48 sampling sites) and a couple of fumaroles and boiling water pools have been sampled and analyzed for chemical and isotopic composition in the liquid phase and the associated free-gas phase. Whatever the emergence, all the water discharges have an isotopic signature of meteoric origin. Springs seeping out from high altitudes in the central volcanic plateau show a prevalent Na–HCO₃-composition, clearly affected by an anomalous flux of deep CO₂ deriving from active hydrothermal systems located in the Jurassic Amran Group limestone sequence and/or the Cretaceous Tawilah Group, likely underlying the 2000–3000 m thick volcanic suite. At lower elevations, CO₂ also affects the composition of some springs emerging at the borders of the central volcanic plateau.     

黄龙与黄石钙华微生物沉积作用比较研究

本文通过调查黄龙风景区水体的环境地质特征与微生物群落结构及多样性,并与黄石公园对比分析,探讨了两种特殊地理环境下的微生物群落结构和多样性及其对钙华沉积的影响。结果表明：黄龙沟泉水属于地下冷泉,且景区内覆盖着大量植被,水体中有大量藻类和细菌;黄石公园猛犸象温泉区泉水属于地下热泉,植被覆盖率很低,泉水中微生物多为嗜热菌,藻类较少。黄龙与黄石钙华主要由方解石组成并且微生物参与了钙华的形成过程。微生物对钙华沉积的作用,主要分为模板作用、产物诱导作用和代谢调控作用,对比探讨了特殊地质环境下的微生物对钙华沉积的贡献,指出微生物沉积作用在钙华沉积过程中的重要性,可为黄龙钙华“黑化”防治提供理论依据。     

Issues associated with the distinction between climatic and tectonic controls on Permian alluvial fan deposits from the Kotzen and Barnim Basins (North German Basin)

Facies analysis focussing on coarse-grained sediments has been carried out on more than 2500 m of drill cores from seven wells from southern margins of the North German Basin (NGB). The NGB forms a central element of the Southern Permian Basin (SPB). The wells exposed conglomerates and sandstones of the Rotliegend Grüneberg and Parchim Formations deposited in the Kotzen Basin and the Barnim Basin.17 lithofacies types have been grouped into six lithofacies associations. The studied successions are dominated by fluid gravity flow deposits (hyperconcentrated flows and stream flows) of alluvial fan and alluvial plain systems. Maximum particle size/bed thickness plots (MPS/BTh) support the interpretation as fluid gravity flow deposits. The MPS and BTh data have also been used to differentiate coarsening–thickening and fining–thinning trends of the fan systems.The dominance of water-rich mass flow processes together with sedimentary structures such as dewatering structures and outwashed tops suggests the presence of wet-type fans and plains under semi-humid to semi-arid seasonal climates in the central SPB. The investigated sediments show variation in clast composition subsequent to deep erosion processes on basin margins and changes of source areas. Synsedimentary normal faults and clastic dykes have been interpreted as indicators of tectonic activity of grabens itself and its frames. On a larger scale, then evolution from a half-graben to a graben is apparent for the Tuchen Sub-basin at least. The progradational/retrogradational cycles of the studied alluvial fan systems document combined local tectonic movements and influences of climatic changes. However, our data did not allow for a clear distinction between climatic and tectonic signals. Furthermore, a one-to-one correlation of fan cycles with depositional trends in the NGB basin centre would appear to be oversimplistic.     

Effects of reinforcement slippage on the non‐linear response under cyclic loadings of RC frame structures

This paper discusses the importance of including the bond‐slip effects in assessing the response under cyclic loads of reinforced concrete frames. The discussion is based on analyses performed using numerical models which are simple, computationally efficient and capable of representing the salient features of reinforced concrete frames under both static and dynamic loads. The numerical models comprise a displacement‐based, reinforced concrete frame element with bond‐slip and a rigid beam column joint element with bond‐slip. Two applications illustrate the model accuracy and show the importance of including bond‐slip. The first application considers a reinforced concrete beam‐column subassemblage experimentally tested under cyclic loads. The second application considers the shaking table test of a two‐story one‐bay reinforced concrete frame In both cases the analytical results correlate well with the experimental results in terms of strength, displacement demands and hysteretic energy dissipation. Furthermore, the paper shows how the analyses that include bond‐slip yield a better correlation with the experimental results with respect to the analyses that assume a perfect bond. Copyright © 2003 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Aliphatic hydrocarbons in metasomatized gabbroic xenoliths from Hyblean diatremes (Sicily): Genesis in a serpentinite hydrothermal system

Many tholeiite gabbro xenoliths from the Hyblean tuff-breccia deposits (Sicily, southern Italy) present mineralogical and geochemical evidence for hydrothermal alteration at different temperatures and water/rock ratios. In some cases, the primary mineral assemblage has been entirely replaced by Na-rich alkali feldspar, chlorite/smectite interlayers, zeolites, aegirine–augite, titanite, zircon etc. Hence the chemical composition of such metasomatic rocks displays larger amounts of volatiles, alkalis, Zr, Hf, U, Th and lower Ca, Mg, Fe with respect to the original gabbro. Five hydrothermally altered gabbroic xenoliths were selected for thermal decrepitation and bulk gas analyses by quadrupole mass spectrometry. All the samples analyzed display the same Electron Impact-Direct Pyrolysis Mass spectra (EI-DPMS). These show a series of peaks differing by 14 mass units due to loss of methylene groups (–CH₂), by a fragmentation process typical of saturated aliphatic and aliphatic–aromatic hydrocarbons. In addition, Fourier Transform Infrared (FT-IR) spectra of the samples present several bands typical of vibration frequencies of aliphatic hydrocarbons. The high-molecular-weight hydrocarbons observed probably originated from Fischer–Tropsch-type (FT-t) synthesis in the high temperature section of a serpentinite-hosted hydrothermal system. This suggestion may lend support to the recent hypothesis regarding the original oceanic nature of the Hyblean lithospheric basement.     

Temporal Variability of Major and Trace Element Concentrations in the Groundwaters of Mt. Etna (Italy): Effects of Transient Input of Magmatic Fluids Highlighted by Means of Cluster Analysis

Data for major, minor and trace elements in groundwaters from Mt. Etna volcano collected in 1994, 1995 and 1997 were analyzed using Cluster Analysis (CA). Two groups of sampling sites were identified (named clusters A and B), mainly on the basis of their different salinity and content of dissolved CO₂. The highest levels of both of these parameters were observed in the sites of cluster A, located in the lower south-western and central eastern flanks of the volcano. For both of the statistical groups CA was repeated, taking into account the mean values of each parameter in time, and the results allowed us to recognize four distinct groups of parameters for each group of sites on the basis of their temporal patterns. Four different types of temporal patterns were recognized: concave, convex, increasing, decreasing. The observed changes were basically interpreted as a result of the different response of dissolved chemical elements to changes in the aqueous environment and/or in their solubility/mobility in water due to different rates of input of magmatic gases to Etna’s aquifers. The main changes occurred in 1995, when Etna’s volcanic activity resumed after a two-year period of rest. The temporal changes of the majority of the studied parameters (water temperature, water conductivity, Eh, pH, Al, Mg, B, Ca, Cl⁻, Hg, Mn, Mo, Na, Ni, Se, Si, Sr, Cr Zn and pCO₂) were not cluster-dependent, therefore they were not apparently affected by differences in water salinity between the two groups of sampling sites. A limited number of parameters (Ti, K, Li, HCO₃⁻, As, Fe, SO₄²⁻, Cu and V), however, manifested different behaviors, depending on the cluster of sites to which they belonged, thus suggesting their apparent dependency on water salinity.     

Numerical simulation of internal boundary-layer development and comparison with atmospheric data

A finite-volume numerical model is employed to investigate the adaptation of the atmospheric boundary layer to a change in the underlying surface roughness, such as that existing in the transition from land to the free surface of a water body. Numerical results are validated by comparison with neutral stratification atmospheric data and compared with the internal boundary-layer (IBL) heights computed using a number of existing empirical formulae. The numerical analysis allows an extension of the fetch range in which the existing formulae, calibrated only by comparison with short fetch data, may be applied. An argument is offered that the spatial variability of the water surface roughness should be also taken into account for the IBL development over the surface of a water body.     

Studying travertines for neotectonics investigations: Middle–Late Pleistocene syn-tectonic travertine deposition at Serre di Rapolano (Northern Apennines, Italy)

Middle–Late Pleistocene tectonic activity has been inferred through studies on travertine deposits exposed in a tract of the hinterland Northern Apennines. A detailed study on the relationships between tectonics and travertine deposition coupled with ²³⁰Th/²³⁴U age determination of travertines at Cava Oliviera quarry, located close to Serre di Rapolano village (southern Tuscany, Northern Apennines), allowed us to recognise Pleistocene faults, whose activity has been referred to 157–24 ka, at least. Travertine deposition was tectonically controlled by WSW-ENE striking, oblique and normal faults, associated to a main fault (named as the Violante Fault). This structure dissected a regional normal fault (known as the Rapolano Fault) Early–Middle Pliocene in age, which bounded the eastern side of the Pliocene Siena Basin, and gave rise to space accommodation for clayey and sandy marine sediments. Hydrothermal circulation (and related travertine deposition) was favoured by the damaging enhancement due to the fault–fault intersection. Tectonic activity has been also documented by deformation recorded by travertines, which suggest a main tectonic event between 64 ± 5 and 40 ± 5 ka. The tectonic activity described for the study area agrees with the Quaternary tectonic evolution documented in the surrounding areas (e.g. Mt. Amiata and Mt. Vulsini), as well as the Tyrrhenian margin of the Central Apennines, indicating that a widespread tectonic activity affected the inner part of the Apennines until the latest Quaternary.