Hypervelocity capture of meteoritic particles in nonsilica aerogels

Abstract– The Stardust mission captured particles from the comet 81P/Wild 2 in gradient density silica aerogel and returned the collected samples to earth in 2006. The analyses of these particles have revealed several new insights into the formation of our solar system. However, since the aerogel used as the capture material was silica, the elemental analyses of the silica‐rich particles were made more complicated in certain ways due to the mixing of the silicon of the particles and that of the aerogel. By using a nonsilica aerogel, future elemental analyses of silica–rich particles captured in aerogel could be made more straightforward. Resorcinol/formaldehyde (RF), alumina, and zirconia aerogels were impact tested with meteoritic fragments and the captured fragments were mapped with synchrotron‐based X‐ray microprobe (XRM) and the particles were analyzed with X‐ray fluorescence (XRF). The resorcinol/formaldehyde aerogel proved to be the best capture material, in that it could be keystoned and XRF could be used to locate and analyze particles that were less than 10 μm.     

The use of invariant manifolds for transfers between unstable periodic orbits of different energies

Techniques from dynamical systems theory have been applied to the construction of transfers between unstable periodic orbits that have different energies. Invariant manifolds, trajectories that asymptotically depart or approach unstable periodic orbits, are used to connect the initial and final orbits. The transfer asymptotically departs the initial orbit on a trajectory contained within the initial orbit’s unstable manifold and later asymptotically approaches the final orbit on a trajectory contained within the stable manifold of the final orbit. The manifold trajectories are connected by the execution of impulsive maneuvers. Two-body parameters dictate the selection of the individual manifold trajectories used to construct efficient transfers. A bounding sphere centered on the secondary, with a radius less than the sphere of influence of the secondary, is used to study the manifold trajectories. A two-body parameter, κ, is computed within the bounding sphere, where the gravitational effects of the secondary dominate. The parameter κ is defined as the sum of two quantities: the difference in the normalized angular momentum vectors and eccentricity vectors between a point on the unstable manifold and a point on the stable manifold. It is numerically demonstrated that as the κ parameter decreases, the total cost to complete the transfer decreases. Preliminary results indicate that this method of constructing transfers produces a significant cost savings over methods that do not employ the use of invariant manifolds.     

Alfven Wave Reflection model of field-aligned currents at Mercury

An Alfven Wave Reflection (AWR) model is proposed that provides closure for strong field-aligned currents (FACs) driven by the magnetopause reconnection in the magnetospheres of planets having no significant ionospheric and surface electrical conductance. The model is based on properties of the Alfven waves, generated at high altitudes and reflected from the low-conductivity surface of the planet. When magnetospheric convection is very slow, the incident and reflected Alfven waves propagate along approximately the same path. In this case, the net field-aligned currents will be small. However, as the convection speed increases, the reflected wave is displaced relatively to the incident wave so that the incident and reflected waves no longer compensate each other. In this case, the net field-aligned current may be large despite the lack of significant ionospheric and surface conductivity. Our estimate shows that for typical solar wind conditions at Mercury, the magnitude of Region 1-type FACs in Mercury’s magnetosphere may reach hundreds of kilo-Amperes. This AWR model of field-aligned currents may provide a solution to the long-standing problem of the closure of FACs in the Mercury’s magnetosphere.     

Experimental studies of Ta2O5 and columbite–tantalite solubility in fluoride solutions from 300 to 550°C and 50 to 100 MPa

It is well established that the fractionation of Li–F granitic magmas at depth leads to the accumulation of flux elements such as F and Li, and metal cations such as Ta and Nb in residual melts. However, it remains to be determined whether magmatic fractionation is sufficient to concentrate Nb and Ta into economically significant quantities, and what role hydrothermal–metasomatic processes play in the formation of such ore deposits. In the literature, reliable data about the solubility of Ta and Nb in hydrothermal solutions is missing or incomplete. This study provides a quantitative experimental estimation of the possible contribution from hydrothermal processes in Ta enrichment in cupolas of albitized and greisenized Li–F granite. Experimental studies of Ta₂O₅ and columbite–tantalite (Mn,Fe)(Nb,Ta)₂O₆ solubility were carried out in fluoride solutions consisting of HF, NaF, KF, and LiF. At low fluoride concentrations (0.01 and 0.1 m), Ta₂O₅ solubility at 550°C and 100 MPa under Co–CoO oxidizing conditions is low (near 10^?5–10^?4 m) in all fluoride solutions (HF, NaF, KF, LiF). At high fluoride concentrations (1 and 2 m) the highest Ta₂O₅ concentrations (10^?1 m) were detected in HF solutions. In KF, NaF, and LiF solutions, the Ta₂O₅ solubility is also high (10^?3–10^?2 m). The dependence of columbite–tantalite (Nb₂O₅-59 wt. %, Ta₂O₅-18 wt. %) solubility as a function of solution composition, T, and P has also been investigated. Tantalum and Nb concentrations have the highest values in HF solutions at reduced conditions (up to 10^?3 to 10^?2 m Ta in 1 m HF). In 1 m NaF solutions, the concentrations of Nb and Ta are, respectively, 2.5 and 3 orders of magnitude less than those in the 1 m HF solutions. Solubility of Ta and Nb in KF solutions has intermediate values. It is established that in NaF and KF solutions the dependence of solubility on pressure is distinctly negative. The Nb and Ta contents increase with increasing concentrations of HF and KF in solution, however, they do not change with increasing NaF concentration. In NaHCO₃, Na₂CO₃, and HCl solutions columbite–tantalite solubility is low. Even in 1 m chloride solutions the content is within the limits of 10^?5 m for Nb and 10^?6 to 10^?8 m for Ta. We conclude that hydrothermal transport of Ta and Nb is possible only in concentrated fluoride solutions.     

The Role of One- and Two-Electron Transfer Reactions in Forming Thermodynamically Unstable Intermediates as Barriers in Multi-Electron Redox Reactions

In the aquatic geochemical literature, a redox half-reaction is normally written for a multi-electron process (n > 2); e.g., sulfide oxidation to sulfate. When coupling two multi-electron half-reactions, thermodynamic calculations indicate possible reactivity, and the coupled half-reactions are considered favorable even when there is a known barrier to reactivity. Thermodynamic calculations should be done for one or two-electron transfer steps and then compared with known reactivity to determine the rate controlling step in a reaction pathway. Here, thermodynamic calculations are presented for selected reactions for compounds of C, O, N, S, Fe, Mn and Cu. Calculations predict reactivity barriers and agree with one previous analysis showing the first step in reducing O₂ to O₂ ^? with Fe²⁺ and Mn²⁺ is rate limiting. Similar problems occur for the first electron transfer step in these metals reducing NO₃ ^?, but if reactive oxygen species form or if two-electron transfer steps with O atom transfer occur, reactivity becomes favorable. H₂S and NH₄ ⁺ oxidation in a one-electron transfer step by O₂ is also not favorable unless activation of oxygen can occur. H₂S oxidation by Cu²⁺, Fe(III) and Mn(III, IV) phases in two-electron transfer steps is favorable but not in one-electron steps indicating that (nano)particles with bands of orbitals are needed to accept two electrons from H₂S. NH₄ ⁺ oxidation by Fe(III) and Mn(III, IV) phases is generally not favorable for both one- and two-electron transfer steps, but their reaction with hydroxylamine and hydrazine to form N₂O and N₂, respectively, is favorable. The anammox reaction using hydroxylamine via nitrite reduction is the most favorable for NH₄ ⁺ oxidation. Other chemical processes including photosynthesis and chemosynthesis are considered for these element–element transformations.     

Insights into North American Paleogeography and Paleotectonics from U–Pb ages of detrital zircons in Mesozoic strata of the Colorado Plateau, USA

Individual U–Pb ages for 5,655 detrital zircons (DZ) in 61 sandstone samples from Mesozoic strata of the Colorado Plateau and nearby areas provide insights into paleogeographic relations across the interior of North America and the paleotectonic evolution of North American continental margins. Pre-Mesozoic DZ grains derived either directly, or ultimately through sediment recycling, from distant sources in eastern North America are more abundant than DZ grains derived from the nearby Cordilleran magmatic arc of western North America. Sediment dispersal patterns included Triassic fluvial transport of detritus westward from the Ouachita orogen uplifted along the northern flank of rift highlands precursor to the oceanic Gulf of Mexico, Jurassic eolian transport southward into widespread ergs from deflation of floodplains of transcontinental paleorivers with headwaters in pre-Atlantic Appalachian highlands, and Jurassic-Cretaceous recycling of eolianite DZ from retroarc Sevier thrust sheets and from sedimentary cover of the Mogollon paleohighlands flanking the Border rift system.     

Using simulated hydrologic response to revisit the 1973 Lerida Court landslide

Hydrologically driven mass wasting in the form of landslides on steep slopes is a worldwide occurrence. High-profile events in, for example, Brazil, Chile, the Philippines, Puerto Rico, and Venezuela during the last three decades all clearly illustrate, based upon significant losses of life and property, that hydrologically driven slope instability in developed (urban) areas can be a major geologic/environmental hazard. The focus of this study is the 1973 hydrologically driven Lerida Court landslide in Portola Valley, CA, USA. Physics-based hydrologic-response simulation, with the comprehensive Integrated Hydrology Model, was employed to forensically estimate the spatiotemporal pore pressure distributions for the Lerida Court site. Slope stability, driven by the simulated pore pressure dynamics, was estimated for the Lerida Court site with the infinite slope/Factor of Safety approach. The pore pressure dynamics for the Lerida Court site were reasonably captured by the hydrologic-response simulation. The estimated time of slope failure for the Lerida Court site compares well with field observations. A recommendation is made that hydrologically driven slope stability estimates including variably saturated subsurface flow be standard protocol for development sites in steep urban settings.     

Terrestrial surface-area increment: the effects of topography,DEM resolution,and algorithm

The area increment of land surface compared with its projected area is an effect of topographic relief and is also a source of environmental variations. To examine the effects of topography and data resolution on surface area calculation, we calculated incremental area coefficients (IACs), based on two different algorithms, for a DEM of China at a series of spatial resolutions. Sampling the DEM with a regional network of 50?km?×?50?km cell size, we explored the relationships among the two IACs and topographic features. Both IACs studied were exponential functions of resolution. At 30-m resolution, the IACs were 4.31 and 4.89% over China, respectively. The largest increment for a 50?km?×?50?km cell was >45%. Between the IACs there was a linear relationship that varied with DEM resolution. Hierarchical variation partitioning revealed that the factors included contributed in a very similar percentage composition to the two IACs, mean slope (37.5 or 38.7%) and standard deviation of slope (22.3 or 19.6%) at local scale dominated the area increment, followed by regional elevation range. Data resolution contributed about 10%, while the deviation of slope exposure only had minimal (1.4 or 1.7%) impact on surface-area increment. For a specific type of geomorphology, a threshold resolution of DEM can be determined, below which the surface-area increment (i.e., IAC) is negligible. Our results provided the first comprehensive estimate of the contributions of the topographic features, DEM resolution, and algorithms for the surface-area increment, and indicated the scale-related properties and potential environmental consequences of topographic heterogeneity in various estimates of natural resources and ecosystem functions when area needs to be taken into account.