Changes in abundance and nature of microimpact craters on the surfaces of Australasian microtektites with distance from the proposed source crater location

Abstract– Over 4600 Australasian microtektites from 11 sediment cores along an N–S transect in the Central Indian Ocean have been investigated optically for microimpact features on their surfaces. Detailed scanning electron microscope examination of 68 microtektites along this transect shows 4091 such features. These samples are located between approximate distances of 3900–5000 km from the suggested impact site in Indochina and therefore constitute distal ejecta. The morphology of the microimpacts seems to show distinct variations with distance from the source crater. The total number of microcraters on each microtektite decreases drastically from North to South indicating systematic decrease in the spatial density of the ejecta, and decrease in collisional activity between microtektites with distance from the proposed source crater location. Closer to the proposed source crater location, the microcraters are predominantly small (few μm), pit bearing with radial and concentric cracks, suggestive of violent interparticle collisions. The scenario is reverse farther from the source crater with smaller numbers of impacted microtektites due to increased dispersion of the ejecta and the microcraters are large and shallow, implying gentle collisions with larger particles. These observations provide systematic ground truth for the processes that take place as the ejecta of a large oblique impact which generated the Australasian tektite strewn field is emplaced. The microimpacts appear to take place during the descent of the ejecta and their intensity and number density decrease as a function of the spatial density of the ejecta at any given place and with distance from the source region. These features could help understand processes that take place during ejecta emplacement on planets with substantial atmosphere such as Mars and Venus.     

Determination of Ruthenium,Palladium and Iridium in 27 In ternational Reference Silicate and I Ron-Formation Rocks,Ores and Related Materials By Isotope Dilution Inductively-Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometry*

Ruthenium, palladium and iridium have been determined in 27 international reference rocks, ores and related materials by inductively-coupled plasma mass spectrometry using isotope dilution and sample introduction by solution nebulization and electrothermal vaporization, after chemical separation by co-precipitation with tellurium. The accuracy of the procedure is discussed by comparison of the results obtained with synthetic solutions and standard samples.     

ONDE AMORTIE DE TYPE RAYLEIGH À L'INTERFACE DE DEUX MILIEUX SOLIDES À FORT CONTRAST DE DENSITÉS ET DE VITESSES*

Damped Rayleigh-type waves at the interface of two solid media with strong density and wave velocity contrast have been studied theoretically and experimentally with a two-dimensional model; plexiglas and brass were used as model materials.     

Phylogenetic analysis and biological characteristic tests of marine bacteria isolated from Southern Ocean (Indian sector) water

Fifty-seven bacteria were isolated from Southern Ocean(Indian sector) water samples which were collected from different latitude and longitude of the ocean. All the isolates were able to grow at 4°C, 20°C, 37°C and tolerable Na Cl concentration up to 13.5%(w/v). 29 out of 57 isolates were identified using 16 S rDNA amplification and the sequences were submitted to National Center for Biotechnology Information(NCBI). All the isolates were classified by using Ribosomal Database Project(RDP) and found that isolates belongs to Proteobacteria and Bacteriodes. The average G+C content was 56.4%. The isolates were screened for the presence of extracellular enzymes, viz. amylase, catalase, urease, esterase, lipase and protease. The disc diffusion method is used to screen antibiotic production by the isolates against four pathogenic bacteria, viz. Salmonella typhimurium(NCIM 2501),Staphylococcus aureus(NCIM 2122), Bacillus subtilis(NCIM 2193), and Pseudomonas aeruginosa(NCIM 2036).Nine out of 29 were found to be antibiotic producer.