Saturation of groundwaters with respect to minerals of the host rocks

Calculations of the saturation of groundwaters with respect to minerals of the rocks hosting these waters indicate that most of the analyzed groundwaters were saturates with respect to calcite, dolomite, and quartz. Brines of chloride-calcic composition were determined to be saturated with respect to calcite, whereas brines of chloride-sodic composition are saturated with respect to dolomite and quartz. The solution was simultaneously saturated with respect to six minerals for the association ankerite-calcite-dolomite-pyrite-quartz-strontianite. An increase in the number of minerals with respect to which solution is saturated is correlated with an increase in the diversity of types of groundwaters and an increase in the runoff rate. The paper proposes possible avenues for searches for relations between hydrogeological and geochemical parameters that make it possible to adapt the thermodynamic models to real geological-hydrogeological conditions. The research was centered on the testing of groundwaters for their saturation with respect to minerals of the rocks hosting these waters. This parameter plays a significant part in forming the geochemical type of natural waters because it reflects the crystallization of a mineral from a solution and, consequently, the removal of an element from the aqueous solution.     

Superposition of gold mineralisation on pre‐existing carbonate alteration: Structural evidence from the Mulgarrie gold deposit,Yilgarn Craton

Carbonate alteration at the Mulgarrie gold mine in the Eastern Goldfields of Western Australia, is represented by porphyroblasts, veins and pervasive, texturally destructive, carbonatisation. Two foliations, S_1M and S_2M, were produced by two separate deformation events at the mine‐scale, D_1M and D_2M. D_1M and D_2M both occurred in response to regional D₂ tectonism. Carbonate alteration was the product of two separate episodes of fluid ingress: the earlier produced magnesite and the latter Fe‐dolomite. Both periods of carbonate alteration occurred pre‐ to early syn‐D_2M, when mafic to ultramafic komatiitic rocks reacted with fluids that moved along regional faults and pre‐date the alteration associated with regional peak metamorphism. Gold at Mulgarrie overprints pre‐ and late syn‐D₂ quartz veins in zones of massive carbonate alteration, suggesting it has a late‐ to post‐D₂ timing. This late timing agrees with the generally accepted syn‐D₃ (and younger) age for gold mineralisation in the Eastern Goldfields. We suggest that carbonate alteration at Mulgarrie is not a product of the hydrothermal event responsible for the gold mineralisation. Rather, the different relative timing of magnesite, Fe‐dolomite and gold indicates there were two carbonate‐producing fluid systems and a fluid transporting the gold overprinted these. Similarly, early carbonate alteration may play a role in localising auriferous vein deposits throughout the Yilgarn and other Archaean cratons.     

Meteorological excitation of the annual polar motion

Summary. Numerous studies have indicated that the annual term in the polar motion cannot be explained in any detail by meteorological/hydrological excitation and no reasonable alternative excitations have been put forward. Part of the problem has been that the hydrostatic adjustment of the oceans to the atmospheric pressure changes has traditionally been computed using the inverse barometer approach. This approach does not properly model the gravitational interaction between the atmosphere and oceans, and the inverse barometer theory is modified in this paper to account for this properly. The information necessary to compute the ocean tide and polar excitation caused by any change in the atmospheric pressure pattern is presented. The results of the application of this theory to two global atmospheric pressure data sets are examined and compared to results of other workers.
It is concluded that the atmosphere is observed well enough to answer the question of the annual excitation of polar motion and it is argued that the ground water excitation is the component with the largest error and remains the chief obstacle to the successful solution of this problem.     

Suggestion for the search of H2CC in cool cosmic objects

The transition 1₁₁ ? 1₁₀ at 4.829 GHz of formaldehyde (H₂CO) was the first one showing the anomalous absorption, i.e., the absorption against the cosmic microwave background. Anomalous absorption is an unusual phenomena. Structure of H₂CC is very similar to that of H₂CO and H₂CS. Both H₂CO and H₂CS have already been identified in a number of cosmic objects. Though H₂CC is not yet identified in the cosmic objects, we propose that H₂CC may be identified in cool cosmic objects through its transition 1₁₁ ? 1₁₀ at 4.85 GHz in anomalous absorption.     

A New Protocol for the Astrometric Follow-up of Near Earth Asteroids

A new protocol was devised to improve the efficiency of astrometric follow-up observations of Near Earth Asteroids for the accurate determination of their orbits. It was implemented in the activities of the Spaceguard Central Node (SCN, a facility of the Spaceguard Foundation, established with the support of the European Space Agency) in the form of a Priority List. Here we describe this protocol and results obtained during five years of activity (2000–2004).     

Observations of the structure and evolution of solar flares with a soft X-ray telescope

132 soft X-ray flare events have been observed with The Aerospace Corporation/Marshall Space Flight Center S-056 X-ray telescope that was part of the ATM complement of instruments aboard Skylab. Analyses of these data are reported in this paper. The observations are summarized and a detailed discussion of the X-ray flare structures is presented. The data indicated that soft X-rays emitted by a flare come primarily from an intense well-defined core surrounded by a region of fainter, more diffuse emission. Loop structures are found to constitute a fundamental characteristic of flare cores and arcades of loops are found to play a more important role in the flare phenomena than previously thought. Size distributions of these core features are presented and a classification scheme describing the brightest flare X-ray features is proposed. The data show no correlations between the size of core features and: (1) the peak X-ray intensity, as indicated by detectors on the SOLRAD satellite; (2) the rise time of the X-ray flare event, or (3) the presence of a nonthermal X-ray component. An analysis of flare evolution indicates evidence for preliminary heating and energy release prior to the main phase of the flare. Core features are found to be remarkably stable and retain their shape throughout a flare. Most changes in the overall configuration seem to be the result of the appearance, disappearance or change in brightness of individual features, rather than the restructuring or re-orientation of these features. Brief comparisons with several theories are presented.     

Petrophysical properties of rocks in seismogenic crustal blocks of the southeastern Greater Caucasus and their geological and geophysical interpretation

The elastic and density properties of rocks of the Shamakha-Ismailly seismogenic blocks are studied by the ultrasonic pulse method in quasi-hydrostatic high pressure apparatuses. An attempt is made to more accurately determine the upper crustal lithology of these blocks. The observed values of the elastic and density characteristics of the rocks at high pressures suggest that the upper layers in the Ismailly and Shamakha blocks can consist of sedimentary carbonate rocks such as marls, sandstones, mudstones, and limestones. The middle layers apparently consist of volcaniclastic rocks: lithoclastic tuffs, andesites, etc. The lower layer (basement) in both blocks is likely composed of basic rocks such as basalts, trachybasalts, etc. According to the values of elastic wave velocities and densities, gabbroid rocks may compose the fourth layer of the Buinuz intrusion, identified from seismic data.     

Contributions from oceanic and ionospheric dynamos to the lunar daily variation at Alibag

Summary. The contributions from the oceanic and ionospheric dynamos, L_o and L_I respectively, to the geomagnetic lunar daily variation, L , at Alibag, a coastal station in the Indian equatorial region, are calculated from the L harmonics derived from a 41–yr long series of observations. The analysis in the calendar months shows a steady and significant ocean dynamo contribution in the vertical component, Z, in all the months except April. Examination, by an analysis of the data year by year, of the association of L_o and L_I with varying solar and magnetic activities reveals, surprisingly, a stable correlation between the magnetic activity index A _P and the oceanic part in the horizontal and vertical components but not in declination, which probably indicates the influence of induced currents, along the latitudes, on L _o.