Elemental composition from gamma‐ray spectroscopy of the NEAR‐Shoemaker landing site on 433 Eros

Abstract— Elemental composition and composition ratios derived from gamma‐ray measurements collected by the NEAR‐Shoemaker spacecraft while on the surface of 433 Eros are reported. Performance of the gamma‐ray spectrometer (GRS) during cruise and orbit is reviewed. The best gamma‐ray data were collected on the surface of Eros after the spacecraft's controlled descent on 2001 February 12. Methods used in spectral analysis, to convert peak areas to incident photons, and photons to elemental composition are described in some detail. The elemental abundance of K and the Mg/Si, Fe/Si, Si/O and Fe/O abundance ratios were determined. The Mg/Si and Si/O ratios and the K abundance are roughly chondritic, but the Fe/Si and Fe/O ratios are low compared to expected chondritic values. Three possible explanations for the apparent Fe depletion are considered.     

Mass distribution in the asteroid belt

The dependence of the cumulative number of numbered asteroids (up to 3720) on their absolute magnitude is investigated. The differential mass index k is derived from these relations for fainter asteroids. A steeper slope (2.2 < k < 2.4) is found in the four most populous asteroid familes (Flora, Koronis, Eos and Themis) and a flatter slope (1.3 < k < 1.6) for non-family asteroids. This indicates that there are two different asteroid populations in the asteorid belt. Total masses of the asteroid families may be greater than it is commonly accepted.     

Reactions of Cl Atoms with Selected VOCs: Kinetics, Products and Mechanisms

The reactions of isoprene, MBO (2-methyl-3-buten-2-ol) and toluene with chlorine atoms have been studied at 298 ± 5 K and 740 ± 5 Torr with the use of FTIR spectroscopy. Major products of the isoprene-Cl reaction and of the MBO-Cl reaction have been identified and quantified, and reaction mechanisms have been tentatively proposed in order to explain the products formed. The reaction between isoprene and Cl atoms yields mainly HCl, formyl chloride, formic acid, methylglyoxal (pyruvic aldehyde), CO and CO2, while the MBO-Cl reaction forms acetone, HCl, formyl chloride, formic acid, CO, CO2. As products from the reaction between toluene and Cl we identified and quantified HCl and benzaldehyde. The rate constants for the reactions of isoprene and toluene with Cl atoms have also been determined using a relative rate method. The measured values are: kisoprene = (5.5 ± 1.0) × 10–10 cm3 molecule–1 s–1 and ktoluene = (5.6 ± 1.3) × 10–11 cm3 molecule–1 s–1. Atmospheric lifetimes have been estimated from these values.     

Diurnal variations of winds over an upwelling region off Oregon

The diurnal variation of surface winds off the coast of Oregon is described and compared with a recent analysis of winds off the coast of Peru. The Oregon wind speeds have a distinct 24-h periodicity, while the Peru wind speeds were reported to have an irregular 12-h variation. The long-and trans-shore components of both winds exhibit 24-h periodicities; the ratio of the long-shore to trans-shore diurnal amplitudes off Oregon is 2.8, twice the ratio found off Peru. Although meteorological conditions off Oregon were quasi-stationary during the period investigated, there were considerable day-to-day variations in diurnal amplitudes and phases. Diurnal amplitudes were found to be correlated with the daily mean long-shore winds.     

Geoelectrical and geological structure of the crust in Western Slovakia

Electrical resistivity of the Earth’s crust is sensitive to a wide range of petrological and physical parameters, and it particularly clearly indicates crustal zones that have been tectonically or thermodynamically disturbed. A complex geological structure of the Alpine nappe system, remnants of older Hercynian units and Neogene block tectonics in Western Slovakia has been a target of recent magnetotelluric investigations which made a new and more precise identification of the crustal structural elements of the Western Carpathians possible. A NW-SE magnetotelluric profile, 150 km long, with 30 broad-band and 3 long-period magnetotelluric sites, was deployed, crossing the major regional tectonic elements listed from the north: Brunia (as a part of the European platform), Outer Carpathian Flysch, Klippen Belt, blocks of Penninic or Oravicum crust, Tatricum and Veporicum. Magnetotelluric models were combined with previous seismic and gravimetric results and jointly interpreted in the final integrated geological model. The magnetotelluric models of geoelectrical structures exhibit strong correlation with the geological structures of the crust in this part of the Western Carpathians. The significant resemblance in geoelectrical and crustal geological structures are highlighted in shallow resistive structures of the covering formations represented by mainly Tertiary sediments and volcanics. Also in the deeper parts of the crust highly resistive and conductive structures are shown, which reflect the original building Hercynian crust, with superposition of granitoids or granitised complexes and lower metamorphosed complexes. Another important typical feature in the construction of the Western Carpathians is the existence of young Neogene steep fault zones exhibited by conductive zones within the whole crust. The most significant fault zones separate individual blocks of the Western Carpathians and the Western Carpathians itself from the European Platform.     

Hydromagnetic spin-up under conditions of the earth's core-mantle boundary

Summary The disturbances of the velocity and magnetic fields close to the Earth's core-mantle boundary, caused by sudden irregular changes in the Earth's rotation, are investigated. The problem leads to the investigation of the structure of the Ekman-Hartman hydromagnetic boundary layer, the magnetic diffusive region and the currentless region. Precise Laplacean inversions of the images of all disturbances in the Earth's core-mantle system are obtained for the limiting case of a zero magnetic Prandtl number, =0. The disturbance of the velocity in the direction of the axis of rotation (Ekman suction) in the currentless region has the nature of inertial oscillations with a frequency of 2. Additional disturbances (with respect to the case of =0) of the velocity in the azimuthal and radial directions, particularly for the EHL and MDR region, are determined for the case when 0< « 1. The disturbance in the velocity again has the character of inertial oscillations with the frequency 2, being exponentially damped in EHL asexp (–2²t) and in MDR asexp (–²t).     

Noble gases in Grant and Carbo and the influence of S‐ and P‐rich mineral inclusions on the 41K‐40K dating system

Abstract— Cosmogenic He, Ne, and Ar were measured in the iron meteorites Grant (IIIAB) and Carbo (IID) to re‐determine their preatmospheric geometries and exposure histories. We also investigated the influence of sulphur‐ and/or phosphorus‐rich inclusions on the production rates of cosmogenic Ne. Depth profiles measured in Grant indicate a preatmospheric center location 117 mm left from the reference line and 9 mm below bar B, which is clearly different (?10 cm) from earlier results (?165 mm left from the reference line on bar F). For Carbo the preatmospheric center location was found to be 120 mm right of the reference line and 15 mm above bar J, which is in agreement with literature data. The new measurements indicate a spherical preatmospheric shape for both meteorites and, based on literature ³⁶C1 data, the radii were estimated to be about 32 cm and 70 cm for Grant and Carbo, respectively. We demonstrate that minor elements like S and P have a significant influence on the production rates of cosmogenic Ne. In our samples, containing on average 0.5% S and/or P, about 20% of ²¹Ne was produced from these minor elements. Using measured ²¹Ne concentrations and endmember ²²Ne/²¹Ne ratios for Fe + Ni and S + P, respectively, we show that it is possible to correct for ²¹Ne produced from S and/or P. The thus corrected data are then used to calculate new ⁴¹K‐⁴⁰K exposure ages—using published K data—which results in 564 ± 78 Ma for Grant and 725 ± 100 Ma for Carbo. The correction always lowers the ²¹Ne concentrations and consequently decreases the ⁴¹K‐⁴⁰K exposure ages. The discrepancies between ³⁶Cl‐³⁶Ar and ⁴¹K‐⁴⁰K ages are accordingly reduced. The existence of a significant long‐term variation of the GCR, which is based on a former 30–50% difference between ⁴¹K‐⁴⁰K and ³⁶Cl‐³⁶Ar ages, may warrant re‐investigation.     

Soil Microbial and Enzyme Activities Response to Pollution Near an Aluminium Smelter

The aim of this research was to assess the impact caused by a long‐term pollution by fluoride and heavy metals in two soils (PS1 and PS2) near an aluminium smelter in Slovakia, on soil microbial biomass C (MBC), basal respiration, metabolic quotient (qCO₂) water‐soluble organic C (WSOC) and enzymes activities involved in the C, N and P biogeochemical cycles. An unpolluted soil was used as control (C0). Results obtained for soil fluoride content reflected a gradient of fluoride exposure in topsoils of contaminated sites. Decreases in microbial and enzymatic activities and in MBC to organic C ratio were found in PS2 site, which is closer to the smelter and exhibited the highest fluoride content. PS1‐soil showed an extreme alkaline pH caused by leaching of waste effluents from the smelter dumping site, higher contents of Zn, Cu, Pb and Cd, significantly larger MBC, qCO₂ and catalase and urease activities, and much larger basal respiration and dehydrogenase activity than PS2 and C0‐soil. Phosphatase, β‐glucosidase and BAA‐protease were negatively correlated with WSOC, basal respiration and dehydrogenase activity, and showed some degree of inhibition in polluted sites. These results may indicate different responses of microbial communities to ecosystem disturbances, caused by the drastic changes in soil's physicochemical properties as result of the long‐term emissions of fly ash with high levels of contaminants that are still affecting soil microbial and enzymatic activities.     

A Generalized Structure-Activity Relationship for the Decomposition of (Substituted) Alkoxy Radicals

A novel and readily applicable Structure-Activity Relationship (SAR) for predicting the barrier height E_b to decomposition by C-C scission of (substituted) alkoxy radicals is presented. Alkoxy radicals are pivotal intermediates in the atmospheric oxidation of (biogenic) volatile organic compounds, and their fate is therefore of crucial importance to the understanding of atmospheric VOC degradation mechanisms. The SAR is based on available theoretical energy barriers and validated against barriers derived from experimental data. The SAR is expressed solely in terms of the number(s) N_i of alkyl-, hydroxy- and/or oxo-substituents on the - and -carbons of the breaking bond: E_b(kcal/mol) =17.5 – 2.1 × N(alk) – 3.1 ×N(alk) – 8.0 × N_,(OH) – 8.0 × N(O=) – 12 × N(O=). For barriers below 7 kcal/mol, an additional, second-order term accounts for the curvature. The SAR reproduces the available experimental and theoretical data within 0.5 to 1 kcal/mol. The SAR generally allows conclusive predictions as to the fate of alkoxy radicals; several examples concerning oxy radicals from prominent atmospheric VOC are presented. Specific limitations of the SAR are also discussed. Using the predicted barrier height E_b, the high-pressure rate coefficient for alkoxy decomposition k _diss (298 K) can be obtained from k _diss (298 K) = L ×1.8 × 10¹³ exp(–E_b/RT) s^–1, with L the reaction path degeneracy.