A major observational campaign on the hybrid pulsator HS0702+6043

HS0702+6043 (DW Lyn) is one of the very few known sdB pulsators which exhibit both pressure- and gravity-mode oscillations. Given its high potential for asteroseismology, we carried out an extensive campaign in integrated light photometry at the Steward Observatory 1.6 m Kuiper Telescope using the new CCD camera Mont4K, a joint venture between the Université de Montréal and the University of Arizona. Over a period starting November 1st 2007 up to March 14th 2008, we were able to gather some 424.5 hours of useful data. To our knowledge, never before a pulsating sdB star has been observed at such high frequency resolution and sensitivity. We present the results of a preliminary analysis of this unique data set.     

Prevalence and distribution of fecal indicator organisms in South Florida beach sand and preliminary assessment of health effects associated with beach sand exposure

Fecal indicator levels in nearshore waters of South Florida are routinely monitored to assess microbial contamination at recreational beaches. However, samples of sand from the surf zone and upper beach are not monitored which is surprising since sand may accumulate and harbor fecal-derived organisms. This study examined the prevalence of fecal indicator organisms in tidally-affected beach sand and in upper beach sand and compared these counts to levels in the water. Since indicator organisms were statistically elevated in sand relative to water, the study also considered the potential health risks associated with beach use and exposure to sand. Fecal coliforms, Escherichia coli, enterococci, somatic coliphages, and F(+)-specific coliphages were enumerated from sand and water at three South Florida beaches (Ft. Lauderdale Beach, Hollywood Beach, and Hobie Beach) over a 2-year period. Bacteria were consistently more concentrated in 100g samples of beach sand (2-23 fold in wet sand and 30-460 fold in dry sand) compared to 100ml samples of water. Somatic coliphages were commonly recovered from both sand and water while F(+)-specific coliphages were less commonly detected. Seeding experiments revealed that a single specimen of gull feces significantly influenced enterococci levels in some 3.1m(2) of beach sand. Examination of beach sand on a micro-spatial scale demonstrated that the variation in enterococci density over short distances was considerable. Results of multiple linear regression analysis showed that the physical and chemical parameters monitored in this study could only minimally account for the variation observed in indicator densities. A pilot epidemiological study was conducted to examine whether the length of exposure to beach water and sand could be correlated with health risk. Logistic regression analysis results provided preliminary evidence that time spent in the wet sand and time spent in the water were associated with a dose-dependent increase in gastrointestinal illness.     

A new pathway for Deep water exchange between the Natal Valley and Mozambique Basin?

Although global thermohaline circulation pathways are fairly well known, the same cannot be said for local circulation pathways. Within the southwest Indian Ocean specifically there is little consensus regarding the finer point of thermohaline circulation. We present recently collected multibeam bathymetry and PARASOUND data from the northern Natal Valley and Mozambique Ridge, southwest Indian Ocean. These data show the Ariel Graben, a prominent feature in this region, creates a deep saddle across the Mozambique Ridge at ca. 28°S connecting the northern Natal Valley with the Mozambique Basin. Results show a west to east change in bathymetric and echo character across the northern flank of the Ariel Graben. Whereby eroded plastered sediment drifts in the west give way to aggrading plastered sediment drift in the midgraben, terminating in a field of seafloor undulations in the east. In contrast, the southern flank of the Ariel Graben exhibits an overall rugged character with sediments ponding in bathymetric depressions in between rugged sub/outcrop. It is postulated that this change in sea-floor character is the manifestation of deep water flow through the Ariel Graben. Current flow stripping, due to increased curvature of the graben axis, results in preferential deposition of suspended load in an area of limited accommodation space consequently developing an over-steepened plastered drift. These deposited sediments overcome the necessary shear stresses, resulting in soft sediment deformation in the form of down-slope growth faulting (creep) and generation of undulating sea-floor morphology. Contrary to previous views, our works suggests that water flows from west to east across the Mozambique Ridge via the Ariel Graben.     

An evaluation of the relative importance of the effects of climate change and groundwater extraction on seawater intrusion in coastal aquifers in Atlantic Canada

To investigate the relative importance of projected sea-level rise, climate change effects on recharge, and groundwater extraction on seawater intrusion in important coastal aquifers in Atlantic Canada, a three-dimensional numerical model of density-dependent groundwater flow coupled with solute transport was developed for the Richibucto region of New Brunswick. The model was used, with an efficient 2^k factorial design approach, to perform simulations for the period 2011–2100. The results of the factorial analyses indicate that the relative importance of the three factors investigated varies depending on the model location considered. The effect of declining recharge is most significant at shallow to intermediate depths along the freshwater–seawater transition zone, while the effect of increasing pumping rates dominates at a location relatively close to the well field. The effect of sea-level rise is shown to be significant only at the much deeper inland toe of the transition zone. The spatial variation in importance is related to how different model boundary conditions influence freshwater flow at the different locations within the model domain. This investigation indicates that sea-level rise has the least significant effect (of the three factors considered) on future seawater intrusion in sandstone aquifers in the Richibucto region.     

Europrobe seismic reflection profiling across the eastern Middle Urals and West Siberian Basin

New deep seismic reflection data provide images of the crust and uppermost mantle underlying the eastern Middle Urals and adjacent West Siberian Basin. Distinct truncations of reflections delineate the late-orogenic strike-slip Sisert Fault extending vertically to ∼28 km depth, and two gently E-dipping reflection zones, traceable to 15–18 km depth, probably represent normal faults associated with the opening of the West Siberian Basin. A possible remnant Palaeozoic subduction zone in the lower crust under the West Siberian Basin is visible as a gently SW-dipping zone of pronounced reflectivity truncated by the Moho. Continuity of shallow to intermediate-depth reflections suggest that Palaeozoic accreted island-arc terranes and overlying molasse sequences exposed in the hinterland of the Urals form the basement for Triassic and younger deposits in the West Siberian Basin. A highly reflective lower crust overlies a transparent mantle at about 43 km depth along the entire 100 km long seismic reflection section, suggesting that the lower crust and Moho below the eastern Middle Urals and West Siberian Basin have the same origin.     

Thermal history of the Hodgkinson Province and Laura Basin,Queensland: Multiple cooling episodes identified from apatite fission track analysis and vitrinite reflectance data

Apatite fission track analysis and vitrinite reflectance data from outcrop and well samples in the Hodgkinson Province and Laura Basin reveal regional Cretaceous cooling. Apatite fission track analysis appears to define two discrete cooling episodes, in the mid‐Cretaceous (110–100 Ma) and Late Cretaceous (80–70 Ma), although in most samples data allow only definition of a single episode. Rocks now at outcrop cooled from Cretaceous palaeotemperatures generally between 50 and 130°C in the south of the region, and from >100°C in the north. Some samples from the Hodgkinson Province also show evidence for an Early Jurassic cooling episode, characterised by maximum palaeotemperatures varying from at least 95°C (from apatite fission track analysis) to ～200–220°C (from vitrinite reflectance), with cooling beginning at around 200 Ma. Apatite fission track analysis data do not reveal the earlier event in the Laura Basin, but on the basis of vitrinite reflectance data from Permian? units this event is also inferred to have affected the pre‐Jurassic basin units in this region. The regional extent of the Cretaceous cooling episode in the Hodgkinson Province suggests that the elevated palaeotemperatures in this region were most likely due to greater depth of burial, with subsequent cooling due to kilometre‐scale denudation. For a palaeogeothermal gradient of 30°C/km and a palaeosurface temperature of 25°C the total degree of Cretaceous cooling experienced by the samples corresponds to removal of between ～0.8 and >3.0 km of Triassic and younger section removed by denudation, beginning some time between ca 110 and 80 Ma. Higher palaeogradients would require correspondingly lower amounts of removed section. The geology of the Laura Basin suggests that an explanation of the observed Cretaceous palaeotemperatures in this region in terms of deeper burial may be untenable. Heating due to hot fluid flow may be a more realistic mechanism for producing the observed Cretaceous palaeothermal effects in the Laura Basin.     

Composition of jovian dust stream particles

The Cassini spacecraft encountered Jupiter in late 2000. Within more than 1 AU of the gas giant the Cosmic Dust Analyser onboard the spacecraft recorded the first ever mass spectra of jovian stream particles. To determine the chemical composition of particles, a comprehensive statistical analysis of the dataset was performed. Our results imply that the vast majority (>95%) of the observed stream particles originate from the volcanic active jovian satellite Io from where they are sprinkled out far into the Solar System. Sodium chloride (NaCl) was identified as the major particle constituent, accompanied by sulphurous as well as potassium bearing components. This is in contrast to observations of gas in the ionian atmosphere, its co-rotating plasma torus, and the neutral cloud, where sulphur species are dominant while alkali and chlorine species are only minor components. Io has the largest active volcanoes of the Solar System with plumes reaching heights of more than 400 km above the moons surface. Our in situ measurements indicate that alkaline salt condensation of volcanic gases inside those plumes could be the dominant formation process for particles reaching the ionian exosphere.     

A power spectrum description of Galactic neutral hydrogen

Angular power spectra for neutral hydrogen towardsl = 140°,b = 0° on scales from ≈ 1° to 1/10° are presented. The spectra are generally well fitted by a power-law dependence on radius in theuv-plane, with an index between ≈ -2.2 and ≈ -3.0. The more distant hydrogen, which corresponds to larger physical scales, tends to have a more negative index than does the nearer material. There is no preferred angular scale apparent at any velocity. For the distant hydrogen there is no obvious difference between the slope of power spectra for emission aligned perpendicular compared with that parallel to the Galactic plane.