Direct determination of the quartz-coesite transition by in situ X-ray measurements

The quartz-coesite transition has been determined over the temperature range 600–1100° C by in Situ X-ray measurements with NaCl as internal pressure standard. An internally heated high-pressure X-ray apparatus (Belt-type) was used which is based on the principle developed by Freud and Sclar (1969). The obtained quartz-coesite equilibrium line may be represented by the equation P=31±1+0.0075 T where P is in kb and T in ° C.     

10 μm imaging of the nucleus of NGC 1068: The bell tolls for parsec-scale tori?

The potential of mid-infrared imaging, at a resolution of 0.5 or better, as a powerful tool in unravelling the complex environments in the vicinity of active galactic nuclei is discussed in the light of new data on the Seyfert nucleus in NGC 1068. In particular, we examine the growing body of evidence that the extinction of the broad-line region in NGC 1068 has its origins in an extended molecular disk and is the result of obscuration at 100 pc from the AGN.     

Change of black shale organic material surface area during oxidative weathering: Implications for rock-water surface evolution

Black shale oxidative weathering plays a significant role in a variety of processes including acid mine drainage and atmospheric CO₂ control. The modeling of weathering is highly dependent on reactive surface area. In this study it is shown that black shale oxidative weathering is regulated mainly by the external, geometrical surface area of rock polyhedrons and the organic matter’s (OM) internal surface area. The internal rock surface area decreases dramatically during OM dissolution from ∼15 m²/g to ∼5 m²/g. A linear relationship was found between the decrease of internal rock surface area and quantity of OM dissolved. Optical roughness analyses of black and bleached shale surface area reveal the formation of macropores due to the dissolution of mesoporous and probably microporous OM. However, due to deconsolidation, the geometrical external rock polyhedron surface area increases during weathering. Black shale polyhedrons show a doubling of their external surface area as OM decreases. This provokes an increase of the shale volume which is easily accessible by fluids. The increase of the external rock surface area seems to be self-accelerating during weathering. The upscaling of external and internal rock surface area evolution during weathering presented in this study demonstrates the possible application of these results to the improved understanding of a chemical transport in a variety of natural systems.     

Multiband photometric detection of a huge flare on the M9 dwarf 2MASSW J1707183+643933

We present simultaneous UV , G , R and I monitoring of 19 M dwarfs that reveal a huge flare on the M9 dwarf with an amplitude in the UV of at least 6 mag. This is one of the strongest detections ever of an optical flare in an M star and one of the first in an ultracool dwarf (spectral types later than about M7). Four intermediate-strength flares  (Δ m _UV < 4 mag)  were found in this and three other targets. For the whole sample we deduce a flare probability of 0.013 (rate of  0.022 h⁻¹  ), and  0.049 (0.090 h⁻¹)  for 2M1707+64 alone. Deviations of the flare emission from a blackbody is consistent with strong  Hα  line emission. We also confirm our previously found rotation period for 2M1707+64 and determine it more precisely to be  3.619 ± 0.015 h  .     

Performance documentation of the Longard Tube at Del Mar,California 1980–1983

The Longard Tube experimental revetment installed in Del Mar, California in December 1980 has been monitored and its performance documented until it subsided and became ineffective during the severe winter storms of December 1982 to March 1983. The data suggest that the tube had no measurable effect on the sand level at Del Mar beach. The beach profile monitoring program conducted by Scripps in Del Mar since 1974 served as important background information for the design and interpretation of the monitoring program measurements.The tube experienced relatively minor storm wave interaction during winter 1980–1981. This was followed by heavy beach accretion on the entire reach in spring 1981 and an unusually mild winter of 1981–1982. By July 1982 the tube was totally buried behind a berm extending 35 m seaward. The severe winter storm waves of 1982–1983 coupled with high sea level due to high spring astronomical tides, sustained onshore westerly winds and low atmospheric pressure, eroded the sand level on Del Mar beach to the lowest level in at least 10 years. The Longard Tube settled differentially by up to 2 m and was continually overtopped at high tide, rendering it ineffective by late January 1983. It was removed in March 1983. The principal conclusion of the study is that the Longard Tube configured as it was in the Del Mar test is not a substantial enough barrier to effectively prevent beach sand erosion during severe storm events on the Southern California coast.     

Proper motion measurements in various young stellar object jets in Taurus

We present proper motion measurements for a number of knots in the jets and bow shocks of the outflows from DG Tau, DG Tau B, T Tau, CoKu Tau 1, FS Tau, and FS Tau B in the nearby Taurus-Auriga star forming region. From these measurements and the available radial velocity data we derive tangential velocities, spatial velocities, angles of the outflows with respect to the plane of the sky, and in a couple of cases the pattern motions of the knots relative to the flow speed.