Two dimensional ion acoustic shocks in electron-positron-ion plasmas with warm ions,and q-nonextensive distributed electrons and positrons

Two dimensional ion acoustic shocks in electron-positron-ion (e-p-i) plasma with warm ions, and nonthermal electrons and positrons following the q-nonextensive velocity distribution are studied in the presence of weak transverse perturbations. The kinematic viscosity of warm ions is included for the dissipation in the plasma system. Kadomtsev–Petviashvili–Burgers (KPB) equation is derived by using reductive perturbation method in small amplitude limit and its analytical solution is also presented. The effects of variations of positrons concentration, q-indices of electrons and positrons, ion temperature and kinematic viscosity of ions, on the propagation characteristic of two dimensional shock profile are also discussed.     

Interaction Between Two CMEs During 14 – 15 February 2011 and Their Unusual Radio Signature

We report a detailed analysis of an interaction between two coronal mass ejections (CMEs) that were observed on 14?–?15 February 2011 and the corresponding radio enhancement, which was similar to the “CME cannibalism” reported by Gopalswamy et al. (Astrophys. J. 548, L91, 2001). A primary CME, with a mean field-of-view velocity of 669 km?s^?1 in the Solar and Heliospheric Observatory (SOHO)/Large Angle Spectrometric Coronagraph (LASCO), was more than as twice as fast as the slow CME preceding it (326 km?s^?1), which indicates that the two CMEs interacted. A radio-enhancement signature (in the frequency range 1 MHz?–?400 kHz) due to the CME interaction was analyzed and interpreted using the CME data from LASCO and from the Solar Terrestrial Relations Observatory (STEREO) HI-1, radio data from Wind/Radio and Plasma Wave Experiment (WAVES), and employing known electron-density models and kinematic modeling. The following results are obtained: i) The CME interaction occurred around 05:00?–?10:00 UT in a height range 20?–?25 R_⊙. An unusual radio signature is observed during the time of interaction in the Wind/WAVES dynamic radio spectrum. ii) The enhancement duration shows that the interaction segment might be wider than 5 R_⊙. iii) The shock height estimated using density models for the radio enhancement region is 10?–?30 R_⊙. iv) Using kinematic modeling and assuming a completely inelastic collision, the decrease of kinetic energy based on speeds from LASCO data is determined to be 0.77×10²³ J, and 3.67×10²³ J if speeds from STEREO data are considered. vi) The acceleration, momentum, and force are found to be a=?168 m?s^?2, I=6.1×10¹⁸ kg?m?s^?1, and F=1.7×10¹⁵ N, respectively, using STEREO data.     

UVMag: stellar formation,evolution, structure and environment with space UV and visible spectropolarimetry

Important insights into the formation, structure, evolution and environment of all types of stars can be obtained through the measurement of their winds and possible magnetospheres. However, this has hardly been done up to now mainly because of the lack of UV instrumentation available for long periods of time. To reach this aim, we have designed UVMag, an M-size space mission equipped with a high-resolution spectropolarimeter working in the UV and visible spectral range. The UV domain is crucial in stellar physics as it is very rich in atomic and molecular lines and contains most of the flux of hot stars. Moreover, covering the UV and visible spectral domains at the same time will allow us to study the star and its environment simultaneously. Adding polarimetric power to the spectrograph will multiply tenfold the capabilities of extracting information on stellar magnetospheres, winds, disks, and magnetic fields. Examples of science objectives that can be reached with UVMag are presented for pre-main sequence, main sequence and evolved stars. They will cast new light onto stellar physics by addressing many exciting and important questions. UVMag is currently undergoing a Research & Technology study and will be proposed at the forthcoming ESA call for M-size missions. This spectropolarimeter could also be installed on a large UV and visible observatory (e.g. NASA’s LUVOIR project) within a suite of instruments.     

Reconstruction of the variability of the southwest monsoon during the past 3 ka,from the continental margin of the southeastern Arabian Sea

From temporal variation in δ¹⁸O in Globigerinoides ruber and G. sacculifer and geochemical indices of weathering/erosion (chemical index of alteration, Al and Ti), we infer rapid southwest monsoon (SWM) deterioration with dwindling fluvial and detrital fluxes at ca. 450–650, 1000 and 1800–2200 cal. a BP during the late Holocene. We have evaluated the role of solar influx (reconstructed) and high‐latitude climate variability (archived in GRIP and GISP‐2 cores) on SWM precipitation. Broadly, our δ¹⁸O climate reconstruction is concordant with GRIP and GISP‐2, and supports a teleconnection through atmospheric connection between the SWM and the North Atlantic climate – albeit temporal extents of the Little Ice Age and Medieval Warm Period from high latitude are not entirely coeval. Moreover, there is a humid climate and enhanced precipitation during the terminal stages of the Little Ice Age. The medieval warming (ca. AD 800–1300) is not synchronous either, and is punctuated by an arid event centred at 1000 a BP. Although the delineation of the specific influence of solar influx on SWM precipitation is elusive, we surmise that SWM precipitation is a complex phenomenon and local orography along southwestern India may have a role on the entrapment of moisture from the southwest trade winds, when these hit land. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evolution of the Archean-Palaeoproterozoic Bundelkhand Massif, central India—evidence from granitoid geochemistry

The Bundelkhand massif of Archean-Palaeoproterozoic age is primarily a granite-gneiss complex. Three distinct granitoid suites have been identified within the massif hornblende granitoids, biotite granitoids and leucogranitoids, in order of decreasing age. These granitoids were emplaced in previously deformed basement consisting of gneisses, banded iron formations and other metasediments, mafic to felsic volcanics.
The granitoids exhibit a large compositional range from quartz diorite to syenogranite and show a calc-alkaline trend. They are metaluminous to peraluminous and have I-type characteristics. The SiO₂ content ranges from 49 to 77 wt%. Low K₂O/Na₂O characterizes the granitoids. The oldest hornblende granitoids have low Rb and Yb contents compared to the younger biotite granitoids and leucogranitoids. Rb/Sr values for most of the granitoids are low (< 1). K/Rb ratios range from 95 to 373 which is, in general, comparable with other calc-alkaline suites. Y/Nb ratios of the granitoids are > 1.2 which is a characteristic feature of magmas derived from sources chemically similar to island arc or continental margin basalts.
The features mentioned above coupled with concentrations of Rb, Y, Nb, Yb, Ta and Th indicate a volcanic-arc tectonic setting for the granitoids. It is proposed that the massif represents subduction-related magmatism of an ocean in the southern part of the massif (an Andean plate margin).     

Studies of clump structure of photodissociation regions at millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelengths

To interpret the millimeter and sub-millimeter line emissions of atomic and molecular species from galactic and extragalactic photodissociation regions, warm gas components and molecular clouds, generally, escape probability formalism of Tielens & Hollenbach (herein referred as TH) are employed which is based on the assumption of plane parallel geometry of infinite slab allowing photons to escape only from the front. Contrary to the assumption observationally it is found that these lines are optically thin except OI(63μ m) and low rotational transitions of CO and some other molecules. This observational evidence led us to assume that emitting regions are finite parallel plane slab in which photons are allowed to escape from both the surfaces (back and front). Therefore, in the present study escape of radiations from both sides of the homogeneous and also clumpy PDR/molecular clouds are taken into consideration for calculating the line intensities at millimeter and sub-millimeter wavelengths (hereinafter referred as QA). Results are compared with that of the TH model. It is found that thermal and chemical structures of the regions are almost similar in both the formalisms. But line intensities are modified by differing factors. Particularly at low density and low kinetic temperature and also for optically thin lines line intensities calculated from TH and QA model differ substantially. But at density higher than the critical density and also for optically thick lines TH and QA models converge to almost same values. An attempt has been made to study the physical conditions of the M17 region employing the present formalism.     

Segmentation of Airborne Point Cloud Data for Automatic Building Roof Extraction

Roof plane segmentation is a complex task since point cloud data carry no connection information and do not provide any semantic characteristics of the underlying scanned surfaces. Point cloud density, complex roof profiles, and occlusion add another layer of complexity which often encounter in practice. In this article, we present a new technique that provides a better interpolation of roof regions where multiple surfaces intersect creating non-manifold points. As a result, these geometric features are preserved to achieve automated identification and segmentation of the roof planes from unstructured laser data. The proposed technique has been tested using the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing benchmark and three Australian datasets, which differ in terrain, point density, building sizes, and vegetation. The qualitative and quantitative results show the robustness of the methodology and indicate that the proposed technique can eliminate vegetation and extract buildings as well as their non-occluding parts from the complex scenes at a high success rate for building detection (between 83.9% and 100% per-object completeness) and roof plane extraction (between 73.9% and 96% per-object completeness). The proposed method works more robustly than some existing methods in the presence of occlusion and low point sampling as indicated by the correctness of above 95% for all the datasets.     

An approach of understanding acid volcanics and tuffaceous volcaniclastics from field studies: A case from Tadpatri Formation,Proterozoic Cuddapah basin,Andhra Pradesh,India

The lower stratigraphic part of the Cuddapah basin is marked by mafic and felsic volcanism. Tadpatri Formation consists of a greater variety of rock types due to bimodal volcanism in the upper part. Presence of bimodal volcanism is an indication of continental rift setting. Various genetic processes involved in the formation of such volcanic sequence result in original textures which are classified into volcaniclastic and coherent categories. Detailed and systematic field works in Tadpatri–Tonduru transect of SW Cuddapah basin have provided information on the physical processes producing this diversity of rock types. Felsic volcanism is manifested here with features as finger print of past rhyolite-dacite eruptions. Acid volcanics, tuffs and associated shale of Tadpatri Formation are studied and mapped in the field. With supporting subordinate studies on geochemistry, mineralogy and petrogenesis of the volcanics to validate field features accurately, it is understood that volcanism was associated with rifting and shallow marine environmental condition. Four facies (i.e., surge, flow, fall and resedimented volcaniclastic) are demarcated to describe stratigraphic units and volcanic history of the mapped area. The present contribution focuses on the fundamental characterization and categorization of field-based features diagnostic of silica-rich volcanic activities in the Tadpatri Formation.