“Cretaceous black flysch” in the Pieniny Klippen Belt, West Carpathians: a case of geological misinterpretation

This is a critical assessment of the paper by Oszczypko et al. (2004: Cretaceous Research 25, 89–113), in which they tried to prove a mid-Cretaceous age for the Szlachtowa (“black flysch”) and Opaleniec Formations, in the Pieniny Klippen Belt, West Carpathians, both of which had previously been shown to be of Jurassic age. We argue that the mid-Cretaceous age assignment is a misinterpretation, primarily resulting from their field samples having been collected from some Cretaceous lithostratigraphic units, tectonically associated with the Jurassic formations, and/or from tectonic contact-breccias involving Jurassic and Cretaceous strata. In addition, we suggest that they have overlooked a number of significant palaeontological papers, published since 1962, which record the presence of in situ ammonites, aptychi, belemnites, thin-shelled bivalves (Bositra), gryphaeids, foraminifera, and ostracod assemblages, all indicating a Jurassic (mainly Aalenian), and not a Cretaceous, age for the Szlachtowa Formation, and also the in situ Jurassic (Bajocian) ammonites and thin-shelled bivalves (Bositra), Bositra-microfacies, and age-diagnostic foraminiferal assemblages of the Opaleniec Formation.Our presentation here of recently published dinocyst data from well-preserved assemblages further supports the Jurassic ages for the Szlachtowa (“black flysch”) and Opaleniec Formations.     

High-frequency X-ray variability as a mass estimator of stellar and supermassive black holes

There is increasing evidence that supermassive black holes in active galactic nuclei (AGN) are scaled-up versions of Galactic black holes. We show that the amplitude of high-frequency X-ray variability in the hard spectral state is inversely proportional to the black hole mass over eight orders of magnitude. We have analysed all available hard-state data from RXTE of seven Galactic black holes. Their power density spectra change dramatically from observation to observation, except for the high-frequency (≳10 Hz) tail, which seems to have a universal shape, roughly represented by a power law of index −2. The amplitude of the tail,   C _M   (extrapolated to 1 Hz), remains approximately constant for a given source, regardless of the luminosity, unlike the break or quasi-periodic oscillation frequencies, which are usually strongly correlated with luminosity. Comparison with a moderate-luminosity sample of AGN shows that the amplitude of the tail is a simple function of black hole mass,   C _M = C / M   , where   C ≈ 1.25 M_⊙ Hz⁻¹  . This makes   C _M   a robust estimator of the black hole mass which is easy to apply to low- to moderate-luminosity supermassive black holes. The high-frequency tail with its universal shape is an invariant feature of a black hole and, possibly, an imprint of the last stable orbit.     

Diurnal atmospheric forcing and temporal variations of the nutation amplitudes

A 29-year time-series of four-times-daily atmospheric effective angular momentum (EAM) estimates is used to study the atmospheric influence on nutation. The most important atmospheric contributions are found for the prograde annual (77 μas), retrograde annual (53 as), prograde semiannual (45 as), and for the constant offset of the pole (δψsinɛ₀=−86 as, δɛ=77 as). Among them only the prograde semiannual component is driven mostly by the wind term of the EAM function, while in all other cases the pressure term is dominant. These are nonnegligible quantities which should be taken into account in the new theory of nutation. Comparison with the VLBI corrections to the IAU 1980 nutation model taking into account the ocean tide contribution yields good agreement for the prograde annual and semiannual nutations. We also investigated time variability of the atmospheric contribution to the nutation amplitudes by performing the sliding-window least-squares analysis of both the atmospheric excitation and VLBI nutation data. Almost all detected variations of atmospheric origin can be attributed to the pressure term, the biggest being the in-phase annual prograde component (about 30 as) and the retrograde one (as much as 100200 as). These variations, if physical, limit the precision of classical modeling of nutation to the level of 0.1 mas. Comparison with the VLBI data shows significant correlation for the retrograde annual nutation after 1989, while for the prograde annual term there is a high correlation in shape but the size of the atmospherically driven variations is about three times less than deduced from the VLBI data. This discrepancy in size can be attributed either to inaccuracy of the theoretical transfer function or the frequency-dependent ocean response to the pressure variations. Our comparison also yields a considerably better agreement with the VLBI nutation data when using the EAM function without the IB correction for ocean response, which indicates that this correction is not adequate for nearly diurnal variations. Received: 10 September 1997 / Accepted: 5 March 1998     

Improvement of the geoid in local areas by satellite-to-satellite tracking

Summary The concept of satellite-to-satellite tracking measuring the relative velocity of two orbiting satellites spaced some hundreds kilometers on a close orbit, provides now possibilities for the investigation of the Earth’s gravity field. In the paper only medium and short wave length effects affecting the measured relative velocity have been considered. Collocation is used in such an analysis of local geoid improvement, because this method allows to combine heterogeneous data in a consistent way. Covariance functions relevant for the particular case of a circular equatorial orbit are given. Two kinds of observation equations have been formulated. The choice of observation equation with regard to satellites configuration is discussed. It is found that it is sufficient to have a limited number of satellite-to-satellite observations in a 7^o×7^o area around the estimation point with distances between profiles of about 1^o.5 and between the two satellites forming the pair of 200+350 km; the altitude of satellite-to-satellite observations should be as low as possible. The accuracy of the geoid determination strongly depends on the degree and order of the reference field used. An accuracy of about ±1 m can be achieved with an assumed reference field of (40,40). The influence of measuring errors is discussed and it is shown that only satellite-to-satellite observations with accuracy better then 0.1 mm/sec will give an improvement of the geoid. Finally, some results on the combination of low-low satellite-to-satellite tracking and terrestrial gravity data are given. The proposed method seems to be especially interesting for unsurveyed areas. Furthermore, it has the practical advantage that only a local coverage data is needed.     

An approach to response-based reliability analysis of quasi-linear Errors-in-Variables models

The paper presents an approach to internal reliability analysis of observation systems known as Errors-in-Variables (EIV) models with parameters estimated by the method of least squares. Such problems are routinely treated by total least squares adjustment, or orthogonal regression. To create a suitable environment for derivations in the analysis, a general nonlinear form of such EIV models is assumed, based on a traditional adjustment method of condition equations with unknowns, also known as the Gauss–Helmert model. However, in order to apply the method of reliability analysis based on the approach to response assessment in systems with correlated observations, presented in the earlier work of this author, it was necessary to confine the considerations to a quasi-linear form of the Gauss–Helmert model, representing quasi-linear EIV models. This made it possible to obtain a linear disturbance/response relationship needed in that approach. Several specific cases of quasi-linear EIV models are discussed. The derived formulas are consistent with those already functioning for standard least squares adjustment problems. The analysis shows that, as could be expected, the average level of response-based reliability for such EIV models under investigation is lower than that for the corresponding standard linear models. For EIV models with homoscedastic and uncorrelated observations, the relationship between the average reliability indices for the independent and the dependent variables is formulated for multiple regression and coordinate transformations. Numerical examples for these two applications are provided to illustrate this analysis.     

Groundwater dating with 3H and SF6 in relation to mixing patterns,transport modelling and hydrochemistry

A comprehensive study of a sandy aquifer of deltaic origin in southern Poland included water chemistry, isotopes, dissolved trace gases and transport modelling. Tritium, sulphur hexafluoride (SF₆) and freons (F‐11, F‐12 and F‐113) showed the presence of modern waters in the recharge areas and shallow confined parts of the aquifer. The presence of older Holocene waters farther from the recharge areas was indicated by lack of ³H, SF₆ contents ≤0·02 fmol l⁻¹ and relatively low ¹⁴C values. The discharge from the system is by upward seepage in the valley of a major river. Pre‐Holocene waters of a cooler climate, identified on the basis of δ¹⁸O, δ²H, ¹⁴C, Ne and Ar data, were found in some distant wells. Concentrations of N₂, Ne and Ar determined by gas chromatography were used for calculating the noble gas temperatures, air excess needed for correction of SF₆, and nitrogen content released by denitrification process. The time series of ³H content available for some wells supplied quantitative information on age distributions and the total mean ages of flow through the unsaturated and saturated zones. The derived ³H age distributions turned out to be very wide, with mean values in the range of about 30 to 160 years. For each well with determined ³H age, the SF₆ data showed either a lower age range or the possibility of a lower age as expected due to shorter travel times of SF₆ through the unsaturated zone, which most probably also resulted in different types of age distributions of these tracers. Freons appeared to be of little use for individual age determinations. A quantitative estimation of two‐component mixing from SF₆ ³H relations is not possible unless the travel time of ³H through the unsaturated zone is comparable to that of SF₆. The ratio of integrals of the response function over the age range with tracer and the whole response function yields the ratio of water with tracer to total flow of water. That ratio is a tracer‐dependent function of time. Transport modelling of SF₆ tracer done with MT3D code yielded initially large discrepancies between calculated and measured tracer concentrations. Some discrepancies remained even after calibration of the transport model with SF₆. Simulation of tritium contents with a calibrated transport model yielded reasonable agreement with measured contents in some wells and indicated a need for further investigations, particularly in the eastern part of the aquifer. The existence of distinct hydrochemical zones is consistent with the tracer data; young waters with measurable ³H and SF₆ contents are aerobic and of HCO₃ Ca or HCO₃ SO₄ Ca types. Slightly elevated Na and Cl contents, as well as the highest concentrations of SO₄ and NO₃ within this zone are due to anthropogenic influences. Anaerobic conditions prevail in the far field, under the confining cover, where pre‐bomb era Holocene waters dominate. In that zone, dissolved oxygen, NO₃ and U contents are reduced, and Fe, Mn and NH₄ contents increase. In the third zone, early Holocene and glacial waters occur. They are of HCO₃ Ca Na or HCO₃ Na types, with TDS values higher than 1 g l⁻¹ and Na content higher than 200 mg l⁻¹, due to either small admixtures of ascending or diffusing older water or freshening of marine sediments, a process that is probably occurring till the present time. Copyright © 2005 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Physics of accretion in the millisecond pulsar XTE J1751 − 305

We have undertaken an extensive study of X-ray data from the accreting millisecond pulsar XTE J1751 − 305 observed by RXTE and XMM–Newton during its 2002 outburst. In all aspects this source is similar to the prototypical millisecond pulsar SAX J1808.4 − 3658, except for the higher peak luminosity of 13 per cent of Eddington, and the optical depth of the hard X-ray source, which is larger by a factor ∼2. Its broad-band X-ray spectrum can be modelled by three components. We interpret the two soft components as thermal emission from a colder  ( kT ∼ 0.6 keV)  accretion disc and a hotter (∼1 keV) spot on the neutron star surface. We interpret the hard component as thermal Comptonization in plasma of temperature ∼40 keV and optical depth ∼1.5 in a slab geometry. The plasma is heated by the accretion shock as the material collimated by the magnetic field impacts on to the surface. The seed photons for Comptonization are provided by the hotspot, not by the disc. The Compton reflection is weak and the disc is probably truncated into an optically thin flow above the magnetospheric radius. Rotation of the emission region with the star creates an almost sinusoidal pulse profile with an rms amplitude of 3.3 per cent. The energy-dependent soft phase lags can be modelled by two pulsating components shifted in phase, which is naturally explained by a different character of emission of the optically thick spot and optically thin shock combined with the action of the Doppler boosting. The observed variability amplitude constrains the hotspot to lie within 3°–4° of the rotational pole. We estimate the inner radius of the optically thick accreting disc to be about 40 km. In that case, the absence of emission from the antipodal spot, which can be blocked by the accretion disc, gives the inclination of the system as ≳70°.     

The statistical effects of galactic tides on the Oort cloud

This report is a comment on two papers by Matese and Whitman (1989, 1992). We discuss here the applicability of uniform probability densities for the orbital parameters of the Oort cloud comets.