The transition from subduction to continental collision: crustal structure in the North Canterbury region, New Zealand

The North Canterbury region marks the transition from Pacific plate subduction to continental collision in the South Island of New Zealand. Details of the seismicity, structure and tectonics of this region have been revealed by an 11-week microearthquake survey using 24 portable digital seismographs. Arrival time data from a well-recorded subset of microearthquakes have been combined with those from three explosions at the corners of the microearthquake network in a simultaneous inversion for both hypocentres and velocity structure. The velocity structure is consistent with the crust in North Canterbury being an extension of the converging Chatham Rise. The crust is about 27 km thick, and consists of an 11 km thick seismic upper crust and 7 km thick seismic lower crust, with the middle part of the crust being relatively aseismic. Seismic velocities are consistent with the upper and middle crust being composed of greywacke and schist respectively, while several lines of evidence suggest that the lower crust is the lower part of the old oceanic crust on which the overlying rocks were originally deposited.
The distribution of relocated earthquakes deeper than 15 km indicates that the seismic lower crust changes dip markedly near 43S. To the south-west it is subhorizontal, while to the north-east it dips north-west at about 10. Fault-plane solutions for these earthquakes also change near 43S. For events to the south, P -axes trend approximately normal to the plate boundary (reflecting continental collision), while for events to the north, T -axes are aligned down the dip of the subducted plate (reflecting slab pull). While lithospheric subduction is continuous across the transition, it is not clear whether the lower crust near 43S is flexed or torn.     

Large-scale Vertical Momentum,Kinetic Energy and Moisture Fluxes in the Antarctic Sea-ice Region

There are very strong thermal gradients between the Antarctic continent and the sea-ice zone, and between that zone and the ocean to the north. As a result of these contrasts the sea-ice domain is one of strong cyclogenesis and high cyclone frequency. In this study we explore many aspects of that cyclonic behaviour and investigate the manner in which these systems influence, and are influenced by, the sea ice. Using the NCEP-DOE re-analyses (1979–2002) we have determined variables that are proportional to the mean of the wind stress and the mean rate at which mechanical energy is imparted to the surface. Using two decompositions of the wind field we have obtained estimates of how much of these fluxes are contributed to by the transient eddies. We find these to be significant over the sea ice and the ocean to the north, particularly when a new decomposition is used. The presence of frequent and vigorous cyclones is a central factor that determines the positive mean freshwater flux over the sea-ice zone in all seasons. This transfer to the ocean is smallest in summer (0.49 mm day⁻¹) and assumes a maximum of 1.27 mm day⁻¹ in winter.     

The waiting point approximation inr-process calculations

The steady flow approximation to ther-process has been used to evaluate the validity of the waiting point assumption (that, for a given charge numberZ, neutron captures become balanced by neutron photodisintegrations) under a variety of conditions. The criterion for the accuracy of the approximation for any set of nuclei with the same value ofZ is that the ratio of the total rate of neutron photodisintegration in those nuclei to the total rate of neutron captures should be close to unity. We have failed to find any set of conditions involving neutron production by helium thermonuclear reactions (at temperatures up to 10⁹ K) for which the waiting point approximation is useful for all values ofZ, and we recommend that all suchr-process calculations not use this approximation. At higher temperatures, such as those characteristic of explosive carbon burning (2×10⁹ K), the waiting point approximation is much better.     

Vaporization in comets; Outbursts from comet Schwassmann-Wachmann 1

We propose that the outbursts frequently observed from Comet P/Schwassmann-Wachmann 1 do not require storage of energy as suggested by many authors. We present revised estimates to show that the total mass and kinetic energy in a typical outburst are lower than previously estimated and we show that this mass is comparable to the mass of gas vaporized as inferred from recent observations of CO⁺ in this comet. We propose simple equilibrium vaporization of CO₂ or CO which is suddenly exposed on a nucleus which is otherwise composed primarily of H₂O. Calculations of the variation of vaporization with rotational phase under these conditions indicate that quantitatively the mechanism can produce outbursts of the size observed.     

Collaborative geomatics and the Mushkegowuk Cree First Nations: Fostering adaptive capacity for community-based sub-arctic natural resource management

The remote First Nation (FN) communities of the Mushkegowuk Territory on the west coast of James Bay, Ontario, Canada are currently facing increased development pressures and the imposition of a government land use planning process. The land use planning process is mandated in the Far North Act (received Royal Assent on September 23, 2010). There is a need for capacity enhancement for community-based natural resource planning and management in the Territory. A number of frameworks are emerging for addressing change brought on by resource development and building resilience to such change at the community level. Among these include the concept of adaptive capacity. In collaboration with FN community leaders, we explored the use of “collaborative geomatics” tools to foster adaptive capacity. Our action research suggests that collaborative geomatics technologies should enhance the Mushkegowuk First Nations’ adaptive capacity to address environmental and policy change by allowing them to collect and manage data collaboratively (e.g., traditional environmental knowledge, western science) to create opportunities for innovative community development, including natural resource development and management.     

Hybrid Simulation of Collisionless Shock Formation in Support of Laboratory Experiments at Unr

The problem of producing collisionless shocks in the laboratory is of great interest for space and astrophysical plasmas. One approach is based on the idea of combining strong magnetic field (up to 100 Tesla) created during a Z-pinch discharge with a plasma flow produced in the process of the interaction of a laser pulse with a solid target. In support of laboratory experiments we present hybrid simulations of the interaction of the plasma flow with frozen in it magnetic field, with the spherical obstacle. Parameters of the flow correspond to a laser plasma ablation produced in the laboratory during irradiation of the target by a 3 J laser. Magnetic fields in the plasma flow and around the obstacle are created by the currents produced by the pulse power ZEBRA voltage generator. With the appropriate set of initial conditions imposed on the flow collisionless shocks can be created in such a system. Using independent generators for plasma flow and magnetic field allows for the exploration of a wide range of shock parameters. We present simulations of the formation of supercritical collisionless shock relevant to the experiment, performed with the 2D version of the hybrid code based on the CAM-CL algorithm [Planet. Space Sci. 51, 649, 2003].     

Spectra of solar flares from 8.5 Å to 16 Å

X-ray spectra of solar flares in the spectral range from 8.5 Å to 16 Å have been obtained from a Naval Research Laboratory crystal spectrometer flown on the sixth Orbiting Solar Observatory (OSO-6). A list of emission features is presented and tentative identifications of some of the features are suggested. The time-behavior of the emission lines during flares is discussed, and the possibility of determining electron densities in flare plasmas using density sensitive lines of highly ionized iron is considered. Approximate calculations are performed for a density sensitive line of Fexxii.     

Vaporization of comet nuclei: Light curves and life times

We have examined the effects of vaporization from the nucleus of a comet and show that a latitude dependence of vaporization can, in some cases, explain asymmetries in cometary light curves. We also find that a non-uniform distribution of solar radiation over a comet can considerably shorten the vaporization lifetime compared to the results normally obtained by assuming that the nuclear surface is isothermal.Independent of any latitude effects, comets with CO₂-dominated nuclei and with perihelion distances less than 0.5 AU have vaporization lifetimes less than or comparable to their dynamical ejection times. This may explain the observed deficit of comets with small perihelion distances. Similarly comets with CO₂-dominated nuclei and perihelia near Jupiter's orbit have vaporization lifetimes that are shorter than the time for capture into short-period orbits. We suggest, therefore, that at least some new comets are composed in large part of CO₂, while only H₂O-dominated comets, with lower vaporization rates, can survive to be captured into short-period orbits.     

Seismic hazard assessment for Guatemala City

Guatemala is one of the Central American countries that for some years now have been participating in a regional program for natural hazard assessment and disaster reduction, funded by the Nordic countries and coordinated by a regional institution (CEPREDENAC). Recent work related to seismic hazard has included the standardization, reporting and processing of seismicity data across the borders, followed by regional hazard modeling. The work presented here for Guatemala City represents a step from a regional to a more local level, based on reevaluation of historical seismicity, geological data related to active faults, and attenuation relations recently derived from analysis of strong motion records from the region. The site specific hazard calculations indicate that expected values of peak ground acceleration are ranging from less than 2 to more than 6 m s^–2, corresponding to annual exceedence probabilities ranging from 0.1 to 0.001, respectively.

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