The HNCO ring in the Sgr B2 region

The large-scale structure associated with the 2′N HNCO peak in Sgr B2 [Minh, Y.C., Haikala, L., Hjalmarson, Å., Irvine, W.M., 1998. ApJ 498, 261 (Paper I)] has been investigated. A ring-like morphology of the HNCO emission has been found; this structure may be colliding with the Principal Cloud of Sgr B2. This “HNCO Ring” appears to be centered at (l,b) = (0.7°,−0.07°), with a radius of 5 pc and a total mass of 1.0 × 10⁵ to 1.6 × 10⁶ M. The expansion velocity of the Ring is estimated to be 30–40 km s⁻¹, which gives an expansion time scale of 1.5 × 10⁵ year. The morphology suggests that collision between the Ring and the Principal Cloud may be triggering the massive star formation in the Sgr B2 cloud sequentially, with the latest star formation taking place at the 2′N position. The chemistry related to HNCO is not certain yet, but if it forms mainly via reaction with the evaporated OCN⁻ from icy grain mantles, the observed enhancement of the HNCO abundance can be understood as resulting from shocks associated with the collision between the Principal Cloud and the expanding HNCO Ring.     

Nature of the archean midcrust in the core of the Vredefort dome, Central Kaapvaal Craton, South Africa

Extreme uplift associated with the formation of the 2.02 Ga Vredefort dome has exposed a substantial cross section through the crystalline early Archean basement complex rocks of the Kaapvaal craton. The rocks comprise polydeformed high-grade tonalite-trondhjemite-granodiorite (TTG) gneisses, migmatites and late-tectonic intrusive granitoids that straddle the upper amphibolite-to granulite-facies transition. Field, petrographic and geochemical data indicate that compositional heterogeneity occurs on a local scale and reflects the migmatitic character of the rocks rather than crustal-scale layering as has been previously proposed. No evidence has been found to support exposure of either a melt-depleted, refractory, lower crust or an upper crustal batholithic granite layer; however, the immense volume of granitic leucosome in the rocks suggests that the exposed section represents an intermediate level between these two zones. Granitic leucosomes in the upper amphibolite-facies migmatites appear to be intrusive into the predominantly trondhjemitic host rocks, rather than of in situ derivation. Leucosome compositions in the granulite-facies migmatites are more variable, ranging from granitic and charnockitic to enderbitic, probably reflecting at least some local derivation. Leucosomes and small granitoid bodies show local-scale geochemical variation that can be explained in terms of variable amounts of melt segregation and migration, and fractionation of minerals such as K-feldspar within the melts.     

Rockburst research at Falconbridge's Strathcona Mine,Sudbury, Canada

Microseismic systems at five mines in the Sudbury Basin provide the basic data for Falconbridge Limited's rockburst research. Daily and long-term analysis of this data as well as underground observations have confirmed the fault-slip mechanism at three mines. A detailed analysis of the complete history of Falconbridge Mine is being conducted and Distinct Element numerical models are being used to simulate both the stick-slip behaviour of faults and the dynamic effects of the induced vibrations on rock and backfill. University research includes acoustic tomographic imaging of the rock mass based on seismic wave propagation and collection of full microseismic waveforms to allow application of advanced seismic and statistical analysis techniques.Formerly with Mines Technical Services, Falconbridge Limited, Sudbury Operations, Falconbridge , Ont., P0M 1S0.Presented at the Fred Leighton Memorial Workshop on Mining Induced Seismicity, Montreal, Canada, August 30, 1987.     

Population genetic diversity and structure of a dominant tropical seagrass,Cymodocea rotundata,in the Western Pacific region

Cymodocea rotundata is an ecologically important tropical pioneer seagrass species distributed in the Indo‐Pacific region. The population genetic diversity and structure of this species were analysed at 46 sites spanning the Philippines, Ryukyu Islands (northern limit) and Hainan Island, by using microsatellite simple sequence repeat (SSR) markers. Analyses revealed the persistence of C. rotundata likely relies on local population dynamics and fitness influenced by environmental gradients, with sexual reproduction prevalent in the Philippines while the Ryukyu and Hainan populations were predominantly established by clonal spread. Analysis of molecular variance showed significant genetic differentiation (P < 0.001) among three geographic regions: the Philippines, Ryukyu and Hainan. Furthermore, the mean fixation index value was very high (F_ST = 0.36), indicating poor dispersal potential or limited gene flow. Allelic richness and heterozygosity of C. rotundata was comparable in the Philippines and Ryukyu Islands populations. More private alleles were found in the Philippines and excess heterozygotes in the Ryukyu Islands. STRUCTURE analysis revealed that the Ryukyu and Hainan populations were mosaics of admixed alleles of individuals from the Philippines. An assignment test suggested that recruitment occurs from the Northeast Philippines to Ryukyu Islands. These results suggest that the Philippine populations are tropical seagrass hotspots and perhaps the origin of the populations in the Ryukyu and Hainan Islands. This scenario is most likely driven by the Kuroshio Current and island integration events during plate tectonic activities. The Philippine Archipelago is considered of high importance for conservation objectives and management plan of seagrasses. Likewise, the Ryukyu Islands are also important in terms of conserving regional diversity because locally adapted genotypes have important evolutionary potential in the face of environmental change.     

冕洞演化与太阳活动周的关系及在日地预报中的应用

冕洞的研究在近二十多年里取得了丰硕的成果。本文回顾了冕洞的发现及观测历史，系统阐述了冕洞的结构特征、形成及演化规律，讨论了冕洞对日地空间产生的影响，冕洞与超级活动区的关系以及冕洞在太阳活动预报中所起的作用，在此基础上利用１９７０—１９９５年的冕洞资料对冕洞的时空分布和磁极性演化规律与太阳活动周的关系，以及冕洞与太阳风速度、地磁扰动等方面进行分析研究，得出以下结论：（１）冕洞在南北半球的分布在形态上基本是对称的，但在冕洞数量上北半球稍占优势；（２）冕洞的盛衰演化呈周期性，表现为赤道冕洞周期与黑子周期是完全一致的，极冕洞周期与黑子周期相位相差１８０°；（３）赤道冕洞的纬度分布随太阳活动周上升而上升，当太阳活动周达到极大值时，它也达到极大，然后再随太阳活动周下降而下降，极冕洞的纬度延伸方向演化与赤道冕洞相反；（４）极冕洞的极场呈１１年周期性，并且极场反转出现在太阳活动峰年期间；（５）太阳风和地磁扰动与冕洞的演化有着密切的关系     

From the Sun to the Earth: The 13 May 2005 Coronal Mass Ejection

We report the results of a multi-instrument, multi-technique, coordinated study of the solar eruptive event of 13 May 2005. We discuss the resultant Earth-directed (halo) coronal mass ejection (CME), and the effects on the terrestrial space environment and upper Earth atmosphere. The interplanetary CME (ICME) impacted the Earth’s magnetosphere and caused the most-intense geomagnetic storm of 2005 with a Disturbed Storm Time (Dst) index reaching ?263 nT at its peak. The terrestrial environment responded to the storm on a global scale. We have combined observations and measurements from coronal and interplanetary remote-sensing instruments, interplanetary and near-Earth in-situ measurements, remote-sensing observations and in-situ measurements of the terrestrial magnetosphere and ionosphere, along with coronal and heliospheric modelling. These analyses are used to trace the origin, development, propagation, terrestrial impact, and subsequent consequences of this event to obtain the most comprehensive view of a geo-effective solar eruption to date. This particular event is also part of a NASA-sponsored Living With a Star (LWS) study and an on-going US NSF-sponsored Solar, Heliospheric, and INterplanetary Environment (SHINE) community investigation.     

A numerical model of the partitioning of trace chemical solutes during drop freezing

Partitioning of volatile chemicals among the gas, liquid, and solid phases during freezing of liquid water in clouds can impact trace chemical distributions in the troposphere and in precipitation. We describe here a numerical model of this partitioning during the freezing of a supercooled liquid drop. Our model includes the time-dependent calculation of the coupled processes of crystallization kinetics, heat transport, and solute mass transport, for a freezing hydrometeor particle. We demonstrate the model for tracer partitioning during the freezing of a 1000 μm radius drop on a 100 μm ice substrate, under a few ambient condition scenarios. The model effectively simulates particle freezing and solute transport, yielding results that are qualitatively and quantitatively consistent with previous experimental and theoretical work. Results suggest that the ice shell formation time is governed by heat loss to air and not by dendrite propagation, and that the location of ice nucleation is not important to freezing times or the effective partitioning of chemical solutes. Even for the case of nucleation at the center of the drop, we found that dendrites propagated rapidly to form surface ice. Freezing then proceeded from the outside in. Results also indicate that the solid-liquid interfacial surface area is not important to freezing times or the effective partitioning of chemical solutes, and that the rate aspects of trapping are more important than equilibrium solid-liquid partitioning to the effective partitioning resulting from freezing.