THE KRAMER CREEK,COLORADO METEORITE: A NEW L4 CHONDRITE

The Kramer Creek, Colorado, chondrite was found in 1966 and identified as a meteorite in 1972. Bulk chemical analysis, particularly the total iron content (20.36%) and the ratio of Fe_total/SiO₂ (0.52), as well as the compositions of olivine (Fa_21.7) and orthopyroxene (Fs_18.3) place the meteorite into the L-group of chondrites. The well-defined chondritic texture of the meteorite, the presence of igneous glass in the chondrules and of low-Ca clinopyroxene, as well as the slight variations in FeO contents of olivine (2.4% MD) and orthopyroxene (5.6% MD) indicate that the chondrite belongs to the type 4 petrologic class.     

An ion-exchange technique for concentrating ammonia from small volumes of seawater

An ion-exchange technique was used to concentrate ammonia from seawater. Precipitation of bivalent cations, prior to concentration, reduced the variability of ammonia recovery from the ion-exchange column and lengthened column life. Analysis of the eluate was by the phenolhypochlorite reaction. The method was designed for use with small seawater samples (>10ml) and has the advantage that it can be adapted for use with small volumes of seawater with no loss in sensitivity. In a 10 ml seawater example NH₃-N concentrations of 10–150 μg l^?1 were accurately determined.     

On the Principle of Least Interaction Action and the Laplacean satellites of Jupiter and Uranus

The Principle of Least Interaction Action, which explains the observed preference in the Solar System for two-satellite resonant configurations, is shown to apply also to the Laplacean satellites of Jupiter and Uranus, in the sense that these triplet resonant structures lie close to configurations for which the time-mean of the action associated with the mutual interaction of the satellites is an overall minimum. Far from the minimum configuration, significant changes take place in the major semi-axes on time-scales ～10⁶-10⁷y. Both systems require times ～10⁸ y to come close to the minimum configuration; to approach resonance to the observed precision of the Laplace relationship (3×10^?4 for the Uranian case, 2×10^?7 for the Jovian case) requires, for both systems, a time closely comparable with the age of the solar system.     

Particle saturation of the outer zone: A nonlinear model

Properties of the steady state and transient behavior of geomagnetically trapped radiation are analyzed by means of phenomenological equations that concisely summarize the operative dynamical processes. The equations provide for a realistic coupling between electromagnetic wave energy, particle intensity, and pitch-angle anisotropy in the context of the outer zone. Applications include magnetospheric enforcement of a limit on stably trapped particle flux. the smooth transition between weak pitch-angle diffusion and strong diffusion, parasitic particle precipitation by natural and man-made radio signals, natural and artificial injections of trapped radiation, and the consequences of magnetospheric cold-plasma injection.     

The acquisition of post-depositional detrital remanent magnetization in a variety of natural sediments

Summary. Post-depositional detrital remanent magnetization (pDRM) is the primary means whereby many sediments acquire their palaeomagnetic signal. We have studied the acquisition of this magnetization in a variety of natural sediments. Our technique involves determining the magnetic direction recorded by a sediment as a function of the water content present in the sediment when the sediment experiences a change in the direction of the applied magnetic field. Most of the sediments used in this study were collected wet from natural environments and were preserved in their original state until they were used in the experiments. Grain sizes were measured by the settling tube method which led to the determination of the clay, silt and sand fractions in each sediment. Isothermal remanent magnetization acquisition studies indicated that the predominant magnetic carriers were magnetite. In the pDRM acquisition studies two distinct modes of behaviour were found. For sediments with a sand content less than 60 per cent, the original direction of magnetization was preserved regardless of the water content. Such behaviour is not consistent with a theoretical model which assumes that at high water contents the magnetic carriers remain mobile within fluid-filled voids and hence are able to realign along a new magnetic field direction. For sediments with a sand content in excess of 60%, remagnetization along a new magnetic field direction occurred as expected, provided the sediments were sufficiently wet. Studies of natural sediments and corresponding samples of dried and reconstituted sediments have demonstrated that the magnetic characterization of a sediment can be reliably determined even for older, desiccated sediments.     

Constraints on the composition of the Venus atmosphere from microwave measurements near 1.35 cm wavelength

The determination of the brightness temperature of Venus near 1.35 cm wavelength is reviewed. The observed brightness temperature is compared with models for the microwave emission based on the physical and chemical structure of the atmosphere as obtained from spacecraft. Upper limits are set on the concentrations of microwave-absorbing minor constituents. In particular, upper limits are determined for SO₂ (180 ppm) and H₂O (0.3%) for a mixing-ratio profile that is uniformly mixed up to the cloud bottom at 50 km and is rapidly depleted ($\text{scale height}\text{? 1}\text{km}\text{)}$ at higher altitudes. The total optical depth of the cloud region at or above 50 km is <0.17 at 1.35 cm wavelength. The SO₂ upper limit is only in marginal agreement with the spacecraft results, and it may be that the latter have been overestimated, or that the distribution of SO₂ is more complex than given by the uniform mixing model.     

Regional seismic travel times for central Asian epicentres

Summary. Travel times for central Asia studied by Gogna, Jeffreys and Shimshoni are modified. Corrected surface times of P and S are tabulated and a structure is computed. We tabulate also full travel-time tables for all usual depths of focus.