Gamma-ray bursts: optical afterglows in the deep Newtonian phase

Gamma-ray burst remnants become trans-relativistic typically in days to tens of days, and they enter the deep Newtonian phase in tens of days to months, during which the majority of shock-accelerated electrons will no longer be highly relativistic. However, a small portion of electrons are still accelerated to ultra-relativistic speeds and are capable of emitting synchrotron radiation. The distribution function for electrons is re-derived here so that synchrotron emission from these relativistic electrons can be calculated. Based on the revised model, optical afterglows from both isotropic fireballs and highly collimated jets are studied numerically, and compared to analytical results. In the beamed cases, it is found that, in addition to the steepening due to the edge effect and the lateral expansion effect, the light curves are universally characterized by a flattening during the deep Newtonian phase.     

The Proterozoic,albitite-hosted,Valhalla uranium deposit,Queensland, Australia: a description of the alteration assemblage associated with uranium mineralisation in diamond drill hole V39

The Valhalla uranium deposit, located 40 km north of Mount Isa, Queensland, Australia, is an albitite-hosted, Mesoproterozoic U deposit similar to albitite-hosted uranium deposits in the Ukraine, Sweden, Brazil and Guyana. Uranium mineralisation is hosted by a thick package of interbedded fine-grained sandstones, arkoses and gritty siltstones that are bound by metabasalts belonging to the ca. 1,780 Ma Eastern Creek Volcanics in the Western Succession of the Mount Isa basin. Alteration associated with U mineralisation can be divided into an early, main and late stage. The early stage is dominated by laminated and intensely altered rock comprising albite, reibeckite, calcite, (titano)magnetite ± brannerite. The main stage of mineralisation is dominated by brecciated and intensely altered rocks that comprise laminated and intensely altered rock cemented by brannerite, apatite, (uranoan)-zircon, uraninite, anatase, albite, reibeckite, calcite and hematite. The late stage of mineralisation comprises uraninite, red hematite, dolomite, calcite, chlorite, quartz and Pb-, Fe-, Cu-sulfides. Brannerite has U–Pb and Pb–Pb ages that indicate formation between 1,555 and 1,510 Ma, with significant Pb loss evident at ca. 1,200 Ma, coincident with the assemblage of Rodinia. The oldest ages of the brannerite overlap with ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages of 1,533 ± 9 Ma and 1,551 ± 7 Ma from early and main-stage reibeckite and are interpreted to represent the timing of formation of the deposit. These ages coincide with the timing of peak metamorphism in the Mount Isa area during the Isan Orogeny. Lithogeochemical assessment of whole rock data that includes mineralised and unmineralised samples from the greater Mount Isa district reveals that mineralisation involved the removal of K, Ba and Si and the addition of Na, Ca, U, V, Zr, P, Sr, F and Y. U/Th ratios indicate that the ore-forming fluid was oxidised, whereas the crystal chemistry of apatite and reibeckite within the ore zone suggests that F⁻ and were important ore-transporting complexes. δ¹⁸O values of co-existing calcite and reibeckite indicate that mineralisation occurred between 340 and 380°C and involved a fluid having δ¹⁸O_fluid values between 6.5 and 8.6‰. Reibeckite δD values reveal that the ore fluid had a δD_fluid value between −98 and −54‰. The mineral assemblages associated with early and main stages of alteration, plus δ¹⁸O_fluid and δD_fluid values, and timing of the U mineralisation are all very similar to those associated with Na–Ca alteration in the Eastern Succession of the Mount Isa basin, where a magmatic fluid is favoured for this style of alteration. However, isotopic data from Valhalla is also consistent with that from the nearby Mount Isa Cu deposit where a basinal brine is proposed for the transport of metals to the deposit. Based on the evidence to hand, the source fluids could have been derived from either or both the metasediments that underlie the Eastern Creek Volcanics or magmatism that is manifest in the Mount Isa area as small pegmatite dykes that intruded during the Isan Orogeny.     

The influence of volcanism on paleoclimate in the northeast of China： Insights from Jinchuan peat, Jilin Province, China

Just like contemporary sediments, peat itself is a good repository of information about climate change, the effects of volcanic activity on climate change have been truly recorded in peat, since it is a major archive of volcanic eruption incidents. A section of sand was identified as tephra from the Jinchuan peat, Jilin Province, China, for the grains look like slag with surface bubbles and pits, characterized by high porosity, and loose structure with irregular edges and corners. According to the peat characteristics of uniform deposition, the tephra was dated at 2002–1976 a B.P. by way of linear interpolation, so the time of volcanic eruption was 15 B.C.–26 A.D. (the calibrated age). While the geochemical characteristics of tephra in this study are quite the same as those of tephra from the Jinlongdingzi volcano at Longgang and from alkaline basaltic magma, with the contents of SiO₂<55%, and the similar contents to Al₂O₃ and Fe, but the contents of Na₂O>K₂O. We speculated that the tephra in this study came from the Longgang volcano group. Compared with 11 recorded volcanic eruption events as shown on the carbon and oxygen isotope curves of the Jinchuan peat cellulose, it is obviously seen that adjacent or large-scale volcanic eruptions are precisely corresponding to the minimum temperature and humidity. It seems that these volcanic eruptions indeed affected the local climate, leading to the drop of regional temperature and humidity. As a result, there was prevailing a cold and dry climate there, and all these changes can be well recorded in peat. So the comparison of volcanic eruption events with information about climate change developed from peat, can provide strong evidence for the impact of volcanism on climate change.     

Specific features of early-middle carboniferous sedimentation in the southern part of the east european platform

The work discusses peculiarities of sedimentation during the onset and middle phase of the postrift subsidence in the southern part of the East European Platform corresponding to the Early and Middle Carboniferous epochs, which were marked by an accumulation of the most contrasting (in lithology and formation setting) sediments: coals and radiolaria-bearing domanikoid rocks. These are the early-middle Visean (Early Carboniferous) and late Bashkirian-early Moscovian (Middle Carboniferous) epochs. It should be noted that precisely these epochs were marked by a substantial renewal in faunal and floral communities, which also resulted from the new phase of the postrift subsidence. Radiolaria-bearing domanikoid facies were formed in the marine basin with normal salinity. The reconstruction of sedimentation settings indicates that shallow-water sediments (algal limestones) of the inner shelf were separated from deep-sea domanikoid facies of the outer shelf and, probably, continental slope by a chain of bioherms with an apron of organogenic-detrital limestones or spiculebearing facies.     

Bristen granite: a highly differentiated,fluorite-bearing A-type granite from the Aar massif,Central Alps,Switzerland

Bristen granite is a body of fine-grained leucogranite occurring in the Gotthard rail base tunnel in the Central Alps. During construction of the tunnel, Bristen granite (Brgr) has been drilled along a 600 m long section. The aplite-granite belongs to the suite of Variscan granitoid intrusions of the Aar massif and contains a variety of accessory minerals typical of highly differentiated granites. Rock forming fluorite, partly enriched in yttrium (Y) and rare earth elements (REE), is intergrown with the late Y- and REE-bearing carbonate mineral synchysite. The granite contains a variety of Ti- and Y-REE-niobates, thorite, and zircon. Compared with the calc-alkaline central Aar granite (cAgr), Bristen granite is strongly depleted in Ti, P, Mg, Sr, and Ba and shows a remarkable enrichment in incompatible elements such as Rb, Th, U, Nb, Y, HREE and F. Bristen granite is the most evolved granitoid rock of the Aar massif. The composition of Brgr is typical of post-collisional reduced (ferroan) A-type granites. The Brgr melt formed in the lower crust and crystallized from a highly differentiated melt at the cotectic point in the quartz-feldspar system close to 100 MPa and 700 °C. The Brgr intruded as a small isolated stock pre-Variscan gneisses with sharply discordant contacts. The primary igneous host of Nb, Ta, Y, U, Th and REE is biotite in addition to minor amounts of allanite, and zircon. The presence of Y-REE-fluorite, synchysite, parisite and Y- and Ti-niobates and other REE-minerals can be related to reaction of igneous biotite and primary fluorite with hydrothermal fluids. The reaction is associated with alpine metamorphism, because Y-bearing fluorite and synchysite have been reported from Alpine fissures. The transformation of primary biotite to chlorite and muscovite released the heavy metal oxides under lower greenschist facies conditions that formed the Alpine diagnostic mineral stilpnomelane at about 300 °C.     

Mapping Soil Resources in Part of Northern India Using Spaceborne Multispectral Data

Abstract

Spaceborne multispectral measurements have been found very useful tool in delineating soilscape boundaries. The Indian Remote Sensing Satellite (IRS 1B) Linear Imaging Self‐scanning Sensor (LISS‐II) data in the form of false colour composite (FCC) prints at 1:50,000 scale covering part of a complex terrain ‐ hard rock intermixed with the alluvium, were interpreted visually for mapping soil resources. The physiography and lithology of the terrain have been found to have a direct bearing on the occurrence of soils. The image elements which are the reflection of surface drainage, land use/land cover, wetness, etc have been helpful in segregating the broad physiographic units into their components. These sub‐divisions were ultimately found to be associated with the characteristic soils. The methodology and results are discussed in detail.     

Geological evaluation of EIGEN-6C4 and GOCE derived gravity models in and around Karakoram shear zone,Leh, India

New generation high resolution gravity models derived from space-borne gravity data, integrated with land based surveys, have enabled understanding of regional gravity field over regions, which are till date considered to be inaccessible for land surveys, especially in mountainous terrains. In this study, we evaluate two high resolution gravity models EIGEN-6C4 and GO_CONS_GCF_2_TIM_R5 in order to understand its usability in identification of meso-scale regional geological features and lithological boundaries around the Karakoram shear zone, in Leh, India. The EIGEN-6C4 is a “hybrid” model integrating data from space-borne sensors and terrestrial data, whereas GO_CONS_GCF_2_TIM_R5 is a model derived from the latest space-borne GOCE sensor. Bouguer gravity anomaly has been derived for both the models and compared. It is seen that, the GOCE derived model pertains to the regional gravity field of the region and compares well with the regional derivative of the EIGEN-6C4 model. Further, the EIGEN-6C4 has been analyzed using horizontal derivatives (dx, dy), analytical signal (ANS) and tilt derivative (TDR) techniques. These, derived maps are then overlain on published geological map of the area to understand the correlation between sub-surface geology vis a vis gravitational signal. The major and distinct geological signatures as derived from the various derivative maps correlate well with the existing geological map. The source boundaries derived from the TDR map agrees reasonably well with the lithological boundaries. Further, the anomaly and derivative maps from EIGEN-6C4 indicates towards a possible continuation of the Shyok suture zone in the region. Therefore, for the given spatial extent of the area under consideration, the GOCE derived model represents the regional field, whereas the EIGEN-6C4 data and derivatives are of sufficient resolution for understanding the geological variability in and around the Karakoram shear zone.     

An analysis of climatic and human induced determinants of agricultural land use changes in Shupiyan area of Jammu and Kashmir state,India

The economy of the Jammu and Kashmir state depends mostly on traditional forms of occupation. Unaffected and unaltered by modern day industrial developments and changing times, the indigenous traditional occupations of farming, animal husbandry and horticulture forms the backbone of the state economy. But in the last few decades, Agriculture in the state as well as the study area is receiving a set back and Horticulture is flourishing leaps and bounds. The present study aims to analyze various determinants responsible for this change. Climatic as well as field data was thoroughly analyzed to comprehend the situation. A Mann–Kendall test was done on the climatic data to support the hypotheses. It was observed that initially changing climatic trends proved to be the triggering factor supporting this change, but in due course of time, the determinants took an economic and psychological turn. The perusal of Indian Meteorological Data reveals an increasing trend of annual mean maximum temperature from 16.78 °C in 1985 to 17.58 °C in 1995 and an increase from 5.30 °C to 7.00 °C in the annual mean minimum temperature, and as such acting as a triggering factor for the land use conversion. Further, the mean annual rainfall shows a decrease from 100.75 mm in 1981 to 79.43 mm in 1991. The greater economic returns from horticulture as well as the changing behavioral patterns of people over the time further cemented its growth. The farmers have since persisted with the horticulture activity as it has proven to be an economically a much better lucrative enterprise.     

Electrical and electromagnetic surveys to locate possible causes of water seepage to ground surface at a quarry open pit near Helwan city,Egypt

Water seepage to ground surface at a limestone quarry located at Wadi Garawy about 20 km south-east of Helwan city in Egypt posed a real threat to the mining activity at the quarry. The quarry area is known to be very dry for decades and away from water utilities and infrastructures that may cause water leaks to the quarry. Geophysical investigation including 1D Vertical Electrical Sounding (VES), 2D Electrical Resistivity Tomography (ERT) and 1D Transient Electromagnetic (TEM) surveys were conducted to characterize the rock sequence and locate what could be a possible source of water seepage to the quarry. The resistivity profiles generated from the VES and TEM surveys mapped the rock units in the area down to depths exceeded 100 m. The ERT profiles acquired from the quarrying zone close to the water seepage spot have imaged the top of groundwater level at few meters below the ground surface at the quarry open pit. The spot of groundwater seepage seemed to occur at an area of limestone dissolution that were filled by finer sediments. The finer sediments acted as a hydrological conduit that allowed an upward seepage of groundwater to ground surface under the capillary action effect.     

Uncertainty as the overlap of alternate conditional distributions

An important task in modern geostatistics is the assessment and quantification of resource and reserve uncertainty. This uncertainty is valuable support information for many management decisions. Uncertainty at specific locations and uncertainty in the global resource is of interest. There are many different methods to build models of uncertainty, including Kriging, Cokriging, and Inverse Distance. Each method leads to different results. A method is proposed to combine local uncertainties predicted by different models to obtain a combined measure of uncertainty that combines good features of each alternative. The new estimator is the overlap of alternate conditional distributions.