Stability of polar oscillations of non-rotating Newtonian superfluid stars

In this paper, we shall study the problem of stability of polar oscillations of a non-rotating Newtonian superfluid star. We find that the stability of the latter system is guaranteed by the positive definiteness of a matrix quantity. We also find conditions which characterize the occurrence of zero-frequency polar modes, which marks the onset of polar instability. We find that the negative definiteness of the mentioned matrix quantity implies instability of the system. We apply our results to show that the polar oscillations of a non-rotating Newtonian superfluid star in the zero-temperature approximation are marginally stable.     

NOIRCAT – the Northern HIPASS Optical/IR Catalogue

We present the Northern HIPASS (H  i Parkes All-Sky Survey) Optical/Infrared Catalogue (NOIRCAT), an optical/near-infrared (NIR) counterpart to the Northern HIPASS Catalogue (NHICAT). Of the 1002 sources in NHICAT, 655 (66 per cent) have optical counterparts with matching optical velocities. A further 85 (8 per cent) sources have optical counterparts with matching velocities from previous radio emission-line surveys. We find a correlation between the gas and stellar content of the NOIRCAT sources. Our H  i -selected sample of isolated galaxies also presents a wider range in NIR colours than previous optically selected studies of regular, isolated galaxies. All H  i detections in optically unobscured fields could be matched with either a NASA/IPAC Extragalactic Database optical counterpart, or a galaxy visible in Second Palomar Observatory Sky Survey or Digitized Sky Survey images. However, as over 200 of these matched galaxies have no velocity information, further follow-up observations are needed to confirm the matches, and hence confirm or deny the existence of dark galaxies in this data set.     

The oxidation state diagram — a potential tool for studying redox chemistry in seawater

With minor modifications, the oxidation state diagram may be used to study the redox chemistry of elements in marine waters. In addition to indicating the most stable oxidation state of an element, the diagram also shows the possible existence of metastable species. Oxidation state diagrams of the nitrogen and the manganese systems are presented. The inferences drawn from these diagrams are consistent with our present understanding of the marine geochemistry of these elements.     

The stability of dissolved inorganic species of iodine in seawater

An oxidation state diagram was used to study the relative stability of inorganic iodine species in an aqueous system. It is shown that although iodate is the most stable form, iodide may exist as a metastable form in a basic solution. Molecular iodine may undergo disproportionation to form iodide and iodate. Results from laboratory studies suggest that molecular iodine is rapidly taken up by seawater, and hypoiodite is probably formed. Hypoiodite is also unstable in seawater, and may react with organic matter or undergo autodecomposition. Direct reactions between molecular iodine and organic matter were not observed.     

Modelling of vibratory pile driving in sand

A model for vibro-driving of rigid piles in sand is proposed incorporating the interaction of the vibrator–pile–soil system. The vibro-driver force and the non-linear soil resistance (dynamic f–w and q–w relationships) have been quantified in terms of in situ stress, relative density and particle size. The influence of relative density (0·65 and 0·90), particle size (effective grain size of 0·2 mm and 1·2 mm) and in situ stress (up to 20 psi) on the vibro-driving of a closed-ended pipe pile was investigated experimentally using a large-scale laboratory testing system. The vibro-driving model predicted the observed driving history reasonably well. A computer program (UHVIBRO) has been developed to analyse vibratory pile driving using the dynamic soil resistance relationships developed along with correlation factors from the systematic laboratory study.     

Total selenium and selenium (IV) in the James River estuary and southern Chesapeake Bay

The concentrations of total selenium (Se) and Se (IV) were determined in the surface waters of 30 stations located in the James River and southern Chesapeake Bay. The concentrations of total Se and Se (IV) ranged from 0·28 to 1·91 nM and from 0·07 to 1·36 nM, respectively, between salinities of 31·78 and 0·06‰. The concentration of Se (VI), calculated as the difference between the concentrations of total Se and Se (IV), ranged from 0·08 to 0·67 nM. While total Se seemed to be conservative in this study area at salinities above 0·36‰, Se (IV) might have been removed during estuarine mixing. The removal of Se (IV) occurred primarily at salinities below 4‰ possibly via the oxidation of Se (IV) to Se (VI).     

Numerical simulation of unsteady fluid flow and propagation of a circular hydraulic fracture

A computational procedure is developed for solving the problem of a circular hydraulic fracture propagating under the action of frac-0fluid being pumped in at a central wellbore. The crack is modelled as continuous distributions of ring dislocations and the resulting elasticity singular integral equation is solved numerically. The fluid flow equations are approximated by local and global interpolation finite difference schemes. The coupling between elasticity and fluid flow is handled numerically, by, two different algorithms: one iterates on crack tip velocity whereas the other varies the time step size until it agrees with the chosen increment in crack length. Sample results are given; it is found that the velocity algorithm is computationally more, efficient and more stable. The model allows detailed tracing of pressure distribution and fluid flow in the fracture, even under complex conditions of cyclic injection and fluid rheology. It may serve as a stand-alone model of (horizontal) hydrafracs–especially at shallow depths–or it may be used as a reference frame to test the various numerical formulation/algorithms required for the ongoing development of a fully 3-D hydrafrac simulator.     

Cesium-137, metals and organic carbon in the sediments of the James River estuary,Virginia

A wide variety of sedimentary subenvironments are found within a 10-km stretch of James River including a flood dominated channel (Rocklanding Channel) and its bank (Rocklanding Shoal), a shoal with a water depth of 1 m separating two channels (Point of Shoals), an ebb-dominated channel (Burwell Bay Channel) and its bank (Burwell Bay Bank) and a tributary (Warwick River). The concentrations of Cs-137, Cu, Pb, Zn and organic carbon in the fine-grained sediments (i.e. < 63 μm) and the amount of fine-grained sediments in eight cores covering these subenvironments were determined. The sedimentation rates, estimated by Cs-137 geochronology, range from 0·4 to > 3 cm year^?1. The sedimentation rates in the Burwell Bay region are two or more, times those in the Point of Shoals and in the Rocklanding Channel and Shoal, reflecting the weaker currents in the Burwell Bay region. These sedimentation rates agree well with those obtained independently by measuring changes in the bathymetry of this area between 1873 and 1943. The concentrations of Cs-137, Cu, Pb, Zn and organic carbon in surface sediments vary by a factor of two to three. The concentrations are higher in the Burwell Bay region, probably as a result of the higher rates of accumulation of recently formed sediments in these subenvironments. The inventories of fine-grained sediments and of Cs-137, Cu, Pb, Zn and organic carbon accumulated since 1954 are also up to an order of magnitude higher in the Burwell Bay region. Although the concentrations of fine-grained sediments in three cores obtained in this region are similar, the inventories still vary by a factor of two to three. The inventories of Cs-137, Cu, Pb, Zn, organic carbon and fine-grained sediments correlate well with each other indicating that Cs-137 can be a useful tracer for studying the fate of these metals and organic carbon in estuarine environments. The inhomogeneity of the concentrations and inventories of the different elements along a 10-km segment of a river suggests that a closely-spaced sampling programme is essential for characterizing the sedimentary provinces within an estuary. The concentrations of Cs-137, metals and organic carbon in the coarse-grained sediments (i.e. > 63 μm) are considerably lower than those in fine-grained sediments. Thus, the contribution of coarse-grained sediments to the total inventory of these elements is small.     

Crime risk in urban neighbourhoods: the use of insurance data to analyse changing spatial forms

Summary The recent British Crime Surveys have confirmed that there are significant spatial variations in the distribution of crime risk. However, it is notoriously difficult to represent the spatial patterns in Britain convincingly, owing to the statistical inadequacy of the official crime data. This paper discusses the use of home contents insurance data as a proxy measure of crime risk, and examines the changing spatial distribution of crime risk in the two Northern conurbations of Merseyside and Greater Manchester. The analysis provides an explicit urban focus in order to establish links between the spatial distribution of crime risk and other patterns of deprivation or inequality in the urban environment. Since insurance data is used as a proxy measure of crime risk in the Department of the Environment's Index of Local Conditions, this analysis serves as an interesting basis for both academic and policy discussion.     

Dissolved iodine across the Gulf Stream Front and in the South Atlantic Bight

The distributions of iodide, iodate and total iodine were determined along a transect from the Sargasso Sea and across the Gulf Stream to the continental shelf of the South Atlantic Bight during November 1990. The western boundary of the Gulf Stream at the outer shelf-upper slope was characterized by steeply sloping isotherms and isopleths of iodide and iodate, resulting from a dome of cold water that was rich in iodate and nearly devoid of iodide at the slope. Both the mid and the inner shelf were relatively well mixed vertically. The concentration of iodate in the surface waters decreased shoreward from >0.3 μM in the Sargasso Sea/Gulf Stream/outer shelf, to 0.29 μM in the midshelf, 0.19 μM in the outer-inner shelf and 0.11 /IM in the inner-inner shelf. Concomitantly, the concentration of iodide increased from <161 nM to 175 nM, 257 nM and 300 nM. The concentration changes were more abrupt in the inner-inner shelf within about 30 km from the shore. There was no evidence of significant concentrations of organic iodine. These distributions of iodide and iodate suggest that the South Atlantic Bight may act as a geochemical processor of dissolved iodine. Iodate is added to the shelf during topographically induced upwelling and frontal exchange with the Gulf Stream. In the shelf waters, iodate is reduced to iodide in situ. Iodide is exported from the shelf to the Gulf Stream which may eventually further transport it to the ocean interior. A ☐ model calculation suggests that 28% and 43% of the iodate added to the Bight and the inner shelf, respectively, are converted to another form in these waters, almost all of which is iodide. About a third of the reduction of iodate to iodide in the Bight occurs in the inner shelf. Thus, the inner shelf may be the most geochemically active zone within the Bight. The residence times of iodide relative to its production and that of iodate relative to its removal are 3.1 and 3.6 months in the Bight and 0.9 and 1.8 months in the inner shelf.