Transmission and reflection of Rayleigh waves at a thin low velocity vertical layer: A laboratory and theoretical study

A three-dimensional ultrasonic modelling was used to study the Rayleigh waves reflected from a thin low velocity vertical layer and those transmitted through the same zone. The reflection and transmission coefficients of the Rayleigh waves have been calculated by an approximate method based on the Green function technique. Nonrigid contact boundary conditions were used for the low velocity layer modelling. A rather good correspondence between the theoretical and experimental absolute values of the reflection and the transmission coefficients was obtained. Some discrepancies between experimental and theoretical results, in particular with regard to phase shifts, may be explained by a certain inadequacy of the theoretical model to the low velocity layer investigated by the ultrasonic modelling.     

A combined study of macroseismic data and focal mechanisms applied to the West-Bohemian earthquake,Czechoslovakia

The main shock of the West-Bohemian earthquake swarm, Czechoslovakia, (magnitudem=4.5, depthh=10 km) exhibits an irregular areal distribution of macroseismic intensities 6° to 7° MSK-64. Four lobes of the 6° isoseismal are found and the maximum observed intensity is located at a distance of 8 km from the instrumentally determined epicentre. This distribution can be explained by the energy flux of the directS wave generated by a circular source, the hypocentral location and focal mechanism of which are taken from independent instrumental studies. The theoretical intensity, which is assumed to be logarithmically proportional to the integrated squared ground-motion velocity (i.e.,I=const+log v ² (t)dt), fits the observed intensity with an overall root-mean-square error less than 0.5°. It is important that the present intensity data can also be equally well explained by the isotropic source. The fit was attained by means of a horizontally layered model though large fault zones and an extended sedimentary basin suggest a significant lateral heterogeneity of the epicentral region. The results encourage a broader application of the simple modelling technique used.     

M computed from strong motion accelerograms recorded in Yugoslavia

It is shown that the new definition¹ of strong motion local magnitude M leads to stable estimates of magnitudes for earthquakes in Yugoslavia, with epicentral distances R <100 km and for 2.5 < M < 6.5. Tables with magnitudes computed using this new procedure are presented for all earthquakes contributing to the strong motion accelerogram files in EQINFOS for Yugoslavia.² The similarity of our findings with the analogous analyses for California suggests new possibilities for relative calibration between various local magnitude scales, which are used in southeastern Europe, and M_L in California.     

Intercomparison of measurements of stratospheric hydrogen fluoride

Observations of the vertical profile of hydrogen fluoride (HF) vapor in the stratosphere and of the vertical column amounts of HF above certain altitudes were made using a variety of spectroscopic instruments in the 1982 and 1983 Balloon Intercomparison Campaigns. Both emission instruments working in the far infrared spectral region and absorption instruments using solar occultation in the 2.5m region were employed. No systematic differences were seen in results from the two spectral regions. A mean profile from 20–45 km is presented, with uncertainties ranging from 20% to 50%. Total columns measured from ground and from 12 km are consistent with the profile if the mixing ratio for HF is small in the tropophere and low stratosphere.     

Numerical study of droplet size dependent chemistry in oceanic,wintertime stratus cloud at southern mid-latitudes

Cloud droplet chemistry is modelled for the first 150 m of rise in a wintertime, mid-latitude, marine stratus cloud using observations made at and near the Cape Grim Baseline Station as a source of input parameters. The emphasis in this work was to study the variation in droplet chemistry as a function of both droplet size and nucleus composition, with a particular focus on the way in which oxidation of dissolved sulfur dioxide varied.At 150 m above the condensation level, solute concentration as a function of droplet size was found to increase by as much as 2 to 3 orders of magnitude for only a factor of 2 increase in droplet radius, primarily as a consequence of the 1/r dependence in the droplet growth equation. This type of size dependence exists at all levels in the model cloud, and has a significant influence on oxidation rate of sulfur dioxide in droplets growing on sulfate nuclei, oxidation by ozone being favoured in the smallest droplets, but oxidation by hydrogen peroxide being favoured in the larger droplets. Oxidation by ozone is favoured at all sizes in droplets formed on sea-salt nuclei as a result of the initially high alkalinity of these droplets, and in the cloud overall is calculated to be the more important oxidation pathway. Although based on a simplified chemical scheme, these results suggest that both size-dependent and nucleus-dependent chemistry of cloud droplets may need to be considered explicitly in cloud modelling work.Volume-weighted mean pH values in the range 5 to 6 were predicted from sensitivity studies in which input variables were varied over reasonable ranges, in agreement with two sets of bulk cloud-water pH data obtained by aircraft near Cape Grim.     

Structure of the marine boundary layer over north western Indian Ocean during 1983 summer monsoon

The spatial variability of the structure of the lower troposphere over the northwestern Indian Ocean for the period 12th July to 2nd September, 1983 has been studied using upper air data collected during the first scientific cruise of ORV Sagar Kanya.An analysis of thermodynamic structure and kinematics of the marine boundary layer for different zonal and meridional sections revealed the following features: (a) Temperature and humidity inversions were generally absent over the study area except over a few locations in the western region; (b) Large-scale subsidence was found over the central equatorial Indian Ocean; (c) The convective activity over the western Indian Ocean was found to be moderately suppressed as compared to the eastern region; (d) The zonal and meridional components of winds along the equator and 10° N zonal section exhibited a mirror-image-like distribution.     

Petrology,isotope characteristics,and K-Ar ages of the Maranhão,northern Brazil,Mesozoic basalt province

Northern Brazil contains remnants of Mesozoic flood basalts and hypabyssal rocks that were apparently emplaced during tectonism related to opening of the Atlantic Ocean. Analyses and new K-Ar ages reveal that this 700x250 km Maranhão province (5°–8°S) has low-Ti basalts (1.1 wt% TiO₂) in the western part that range about 160 to 190 Ma, and high-Ti basalts (3.4–4.4 wt% TiO₂) in the eastern part about 115–122 Ma. Low-Ti basalt compositions are less evolved and have a smaller range, Mg# 62-56, than the high-Ti basalts, Mg# 44–33. General characteristics of the least evolved members of low- and high-Ti groups include, respectively, Zr 100 and 250 ppm, Sr 225 and 475 ppm, Ba 200 and 500 ppm, Nb 10 and 26 ppm, Y 29 and 36 ppm, La/Yb_(n) 4.2 and 8.8, where La_(n) is 30 and 90. Overall compositions resemble the low- and high-Ti basaltic rocks of the Mesozoic Serra Geral (Paraná) province in southern Brazil. The Maranhão low-Ti basalts have more radiogenic Sr and Pb and higher ¹⁸O than the high-Ti basalts. Respectively, low- vs high-Ti: _Sr26–54 vs 15–18; ²⁰⁶Pb/²⁰⁴Pb=18.25–.78 vs 18.22–.24; and ¹⁸O 8.9–12.6 vs 6.5–8.6. Nd isotopes overlap: _Nd–1.6 to –3.8 vs –2.1 to –3. Ages, compositions, and isotopes indicate that the low- and high-Ti groups had independent parentages from enriched subcontinental mantle. However, both groups can be modeled from one source composition if low-Ti basalt isotopes reflect crustal contamination, and if the parentages for each group were picritic liquids that represent either higher (for low-Ti) or lower (for high-Ti) percentages of melting of that single source. When comparing Pb isotopes of Maranhão and Serra Geral high-Ti basalts (uncontaminated) to evaluate the DUPAL anomaly, Maranhão has Pb 7/4=4.6–11, and Pb 8/4=72–87; Serra Geral has Pb 7/4=10–13, and Pb 8/4=95–125. The small difference is not enough to conform to DUPAL contours, and is inconsistent with large-scale isotopic heterogeneity of mantle beneath Brazil prior to rifting of South America from Africa. Maranhão low-Ti magmas probably relate to the opening of central North Atlantic, and high-Ti magmas to the opening of equatorial Atlantic. The proposed greater percentage of source melting for low-Ti basalts may reflect a Triassic-Jurassic hotspot, while lesser melting for high-Ti magmas may relate to Cretaceous decompressional (rifting) melting.     

The distribution of infrared sources in the galactic plane

A study of the galactic structure has been made by deriving the brightness distribution of the galactic plane at 2.2 m and 4.2 m near infrared region using infrared objects detected by ground-based sky surveys. The infrared brightness distribution shows distinct peaks at every 8–12° galactic longitude and indicates a periodic structure. The one-to-one positional correlation observed between the periodic structure in 2.2 m infrared brightness and the 2.6 mm CO emission line suggests that the near-infrared sources are strongly associated with dense clouds of molecular hydrogen distributed in the galactic plane.     

Hill stability of satellite orbits

Szebehely's criterion for Hill stability of satellites is derived from Hill's problem and a more exact result is obtained. Direct, Hill stable, circular satellites can exist almost twice as far from the planet as retrograde satellites. For direct satellites the new result agrees with Kuiper's empirical estimate that such satellites are stable up to a distance of half the radius of action of the planet. Comparison with the results of numerical experiments shows that Hill 'stability is valid for direct satellites but meaningless for retrograde satellites. Further accuracy for the maximum distance of Hill stable orbits is obtained from the restricted problem formulation. This provides estimates for planetary distances in double star systems.     

Formation of the Bencubbin polymict meteoritic breccia

The Bencubbin meteorite is a polymict breccia consisting of a host fraction of ~60% metal and ~40% ferromagnesian silicates and a selection of carbonaceous, ordinary and ‘enstatite’ chondritic clasts. Concentrations of 27 elements were determined by neutron activation in replicate samples of the host silicates and the ordinary and carbonaceous chondritic clasts; 12 elements were determined in the host metal. Compositional data for the ordinary chondrite clast indicate a classification of LL4 ± 1. Refractory element data for the carbonaceous chondrite clast indicate that it belongs to the CI-CM-CO clan; its volatile element abundances are intermediate between those of CM and CO chondrites. Abundances of nonvolatile elements in the silicate host are similar to those in the carbonaceous chondrite clast and in CM chondrites; the rare earths are unfractionated. We conclude that it is not achondritic as previously designated, but chondritic and that it is probably related to the CI-CM-CO clan; its volatile abundances are lower than those in CO chondrites. Oxygen isotope data are consistent with these classifications. Host metal in Bencubbin and in the closely related Weatherford meteorite has low abundances of moderately volatile siderophiles; among iron meteorite groups its nearest relative is group IIIF.We suggest that Bencubbin and Weatherford formed as a result of an impact event on a carbonaceous chondrite regolith. The impact generated an ‘instant magma’ that trapped and surrounded regolithic clasts to form the polymict breccia. The parent of this ‘magma’ was probably the regolith itself, perhaps mainly consisting of the so-called ‘enstatite’ chondrite materials. Accretion of such a variety of materials to a small parent body was probably only possible in the asteroid belt.