Inclusions and Megacrysts from Undersaturated Tuffs and Basanites, East Fife, Scotland

This paper deals with inclusions, megacrysts, and nodules froma group of Stephanian and Permian vents and associated intrusiveson the Fife (Scotland) coast near Elie. The petrography andchemistry of inclusions of spinel Iherzolite, wehrlite, andclinopyroxenite are described. The Elie Ness vent contains coarse-grainedplutonic nodules (Elie type nodules) and megacrysts of pyrope,sub-calcic augite, kaersutite, and anorthoclase. Elie type nodulesare divisible into five groups: (1) kaersutite-olivine-pyroxenite,(2) type 1 +oligoclase, (3) biotite-pyroxenite, (4) sodic amphibole-biotite-albite,(5) biotite-albite. Experimental studies show that sub-calcic augite and pyropephenocrysts could have coprecipitated from an alkali basaltmagma at P > 25 kb, T = 1300–1450 ?C. It is proposedthat the primary alkali basalt liquid was formed by partialmelting of a vapour-free, mica-bearing garnet Iherzolite mantleat a depth of c. 100 km, with subsequent pyrope-augite phenocrystcrystallization at not less than 70 km depth. Geochemical studiesof clinopyroxenes from the Elie type nodules indicate crystallizationwithin the lower crust. It is proposed that types 1 and 2 nodulesare cumulates from the alkaline basaltic liquid, intercumuluskaersutite representing compositions of liquids intermediateon the Fife basalt trend. Type 3 nodules may represent basalticliquids at the basic end of the Fife trend, wholly crystallizedat pressure from 10–15 kb. Experimental data on stabilityof anorthoclase in its host basanite show it to be present inthe basanite melting interval only at P < 9 kb (dry). Itis thought that crystallization of anorthoclase may be associatedwith formation of types 4 and 5 nodules, possibly from a trappedpocket of evolved alkaline liquid at upper crustal levels. TheElie Ness eruption must have been rapid enough to strip theaccumulated pyroxenites from the lower crust and carry unresorbedgarnet megacrysts from depths of over 70 km. Spinel-lherzoliteinclusions are found only in late stage basic sheets whose intrusionmay be unrelated to the initial violent tuff eruptions.     

Effects of suprathermal grains

Grains ejected from stars at velocities of 10⁷ cm s^–1 and/or grains accelerated by the pressure of starlight in the intercloud medium to velocities in the range 2×10⁶–10⁷ cm s^–1 are slowed to velocities of about 2×10⁵ cm s^–1 in a typical interstellar cloud. The interaction of fast grains with gas atoms as they are slowed in clouds could provide (a) the dominant heat source for interstellar clouds; (b) sites for molecule formation; and (c) a mechanism of providing a pressure balance between clouds and the intercloud medium.Paper presented at the Symposium on Solid State Astrophysics, held at the University College, Cardiff, Wales, between 9–12 July, 1974.     

Rare-earth elements in Lower Palaeozoic epicontinental and eugeosynclinal sediments from the Oslo and Trondheim regions

Eight rare-earth elements (REE) have been determined in Cambro-Silurian sediments and volcanics from nine stratigraphic units in the Trondheim Region and ten stratigraphic units in the Oslo Region by neutron-activation analyses. In the eugeosynclinal sediments from the Trondheim Region the REE variations are related to variations in source material, which mainly are volcanic debris of local origin. In the foreland sediments from the Oslo Region significant development of clays has occurred and therefore the REE variations reflect the deposition environment.     

Oscillations of coronal electron traps inferred from hard X-ray data

The work of Brown and Hoyng (1975) on the betatron acceleration of hard X-ray source electrons trapped in a vibrating flux tube is generalised to include Fermi acceleration by the varying transverse field. This development can explain the trajectory of bursts in a plot of equivalent thick-target electron flux versus spectral index as inferred from observations obtained by ESRO TD1A. Specifically the loops observed in this , diagram, unexplained in Brown and Hoyng's anslysis are accounted for by a changing phase relationship between the varying field strength f(t) and magnetic scale length g(t)- Application of the formalism to the detailed TD1A observations of the large events of 1972, August 4 and 7, allows inference of the evolution of f(t), g(t) in these events.Now at: Space Sciences Laboratory, University of California, Berkeley, U.S.A.     

On the relative magnitude of streaming velocities of alpha particles and protons at 1 AU

The occurrence at a heliocentric distance of 1 AU of alpha particle streaming velocities larger than proton streaming velocities,v /v _p >1 (Ogilvie, 1975) is investigated on the basis of the theory suggesting the existence in the solar wind of an accelerating force acting preferentially on the alpha particles.Accurate solution of the three-fluid model equations for the quiet solar wind indicates that anecessary andsufficient condition for (v /v _p )_{1 AU}>1 is the presence of a relativelyweak accelerating forceacting in a limited region in the vicinity of 1 AU. If the force is effectiveonly at small heliocentric distances, the alpha particle streaming velocity excess vanishes at distances less than 1 AU, because of the (equalization) action of the dynamical friction force.     

The concept of limiting magnitude and the performance of the Isaac Newton telescope for prime focus photography

A quantitative definition of limiting magnitude for stellar photographs is proposed, together with a method of measurement employing a Racine prism. Limiting magnitudes inU, B andV for the Isaac Newton telescope at Herstmonceux derived from a total of 72 prime focus photographs are presented and the results correlated with the size of the photographed image. The limiting magnitude for an extrapolated value of the seeing of 1 isB=22^m.0, in good agreement with a value obtained by scaling the limiting magnitudes of the 200 inch telescope.     

Upper limits for high energy γ-rays in association with Vela bursts

A sea-level cosmic ray burst detector was in operation at the time of occurrence of 16 Vela bursts, between 1970 and 1973. No events were seen. Upper limits for primary -rays of 10¹¹ eV or higher were set at 10^–29 erg cm^–2 Hz^–1.Paper presented at the COSPAR Symposium on Fast Transients in X- and Gamma-Rays, held at Varna, Bulgaria, 29–31 May, 1975.     

The spectral reflectivity of select areas on Europa

The July 12, 1973, occultation of Europa by Io was observed in 30 wavelength channels in the spectral region λλ3200-11, 000 Å with the 200-inch Hale telescope and a multichannel spectrometer. The data are presented in absolute units above the Earth's atmosphere. The data are analyzed to obtain the spectral reflectivity of seven localized areas on the disk of Europa centered on 324°W longitude. The equatorial material is confirmed to be darker than the eastward-skewed bright north polar cap and a hint is evident that the darker material as well may be somewhat redder than the cap material.     

The atmosphere of Io from Pioneer 10 radio occultation measurements

The occultation of the Pioneer 10 spacecraft by Io (JI) provided an opportunity to obtain two S-band radio occultation measurements of its atmosphere. The dayside entry measurements revealed an ionosphere having a peak density of about 6 × 10⁴ elcm^?3 at an altitude of about 100 km. The topside scale height indicates a plasma temperature of about 406 K if it is composed of Na⁺ and 495 K if N₂⁺ is principal ion. A thinner and less dense ionosphere was observed on the exit (night side), having a peak density of 9 × 10³ elcm^?3 at an altitude of 50 km. The topside plasma temperature is 160 K for N₂^? and 131 K for Na⁺. If the ionosphere is produced by photoionization in a manner analogous to the ionospheres of the terrestrial planets, the density of neutral particles at the surface of Io is less than 10¹¹?10¹² cm³, corresponding to a surface pressure of less than 10^?8 to 10^?9 bars. Two measurements of its radius were also obtained yielding a value of 1830 km for the entry and 192 km for the exit. The discrepancy between these values may indicate an ephemeris uncertainty of about 45 km. The two measurements yield an average radius of 1875 km, which is not in agreement with the results of the Beta Scorpii stellar occultation.