PheniX: a new vision for the hard X-ray sky

We are proposing a mission devoted to high energy X-ray astronomy that is based on a focusing telescope operating in the 1?C200?keV energy range but optimized for the hard X-ray range. The main scientific topics concern: Physics of compact objects: The proximity of compact objects provides a unique laboratory to study matter and radiation in extreme conditions of temperature and density in strong gravitational environment. The emission of high energy photons from these objects is far from being understood. The unprecedented sensitivity in the high energy domain will allow a precise determination of the non-thermal processes at work in the vicinity of compact objects. The full 1?C200?keV energy coverage will be ideal to disentangle the emission processes produced in the spacetime regions most affected by strong-gravity, as well as the physical links: disk?Cthermal emission?Ciron line?Ccomptonisation?Creflection?Cnon-thermal emission?Cjets. Neutron stars?Cmagnetic field?Ccyclotron lines: Time resolved spectroscopy (and polarimetry) at ultra-high sensitivity of AXP, milliseconds pulsars and magnetars will give new tools to study the role of the synchrotron processes at work in these objects. Cyclotron lines?Cdirect measurement of magnetic filed?Cequation of state constraints?Cshort bursts?Cgiant flares could all be studied with great details. AGN: The large sensitivity improvement will provide detailed spectral properties of the high energy emission of AGN??s. This will give a fresh look to the connection between accretion and jet emission and will provide a new understanding of the physical processes at work. Detection of high-redshift active nuclei in this energy range will allow to introduce an evolutionary aspect to high-energy studies of AGN, probing directly the origin of the Cosmic X-ray Background also in the non-thermal range (> 20?keV). Element formation?CSupernovae: The energy resolution achievable for this mission (<0.5?keV) and a large high energy effective area are ideally suited for the 44Ti line study (68 and 78?keV). This radioactive nuclei emission will give an estimate of their quantities and speed in their environment. In addition the study of the spatial structure and spectral emission of SNR will advance our knowledge of the dynamics of supernovae explosions, of particles acceleration mechanisms and how the elements are released in the interstellar medium. Instrumental design: The progress of X-ray focusing optics techniques allows a major step in the instrumental design: the collecting area becomes independent of the detection area. This drastically reduces the instrumental background and will open a new era. The optics will be based on depth-graded multi-layer mirrors in a Wolter I configuration. To obtain a significant effective area in the hundred of keV range a focal length in the 40?C50 meters range (attainable with a deployable mast) is needed. In addition such a mission could benefit from recent progress made on mirror coating. We propose to cover the 1?C200?keV energy range with a single detector, a double-sided Germanium strip detector operating at 80?K. The main features will be: (a) good energy resolution (.150?keV at 5?keV and <.5?keV at 100?keV), (b) 3 dimensional event localization with a low number of electronic chains, (c) background rejection by the 3D localization, (d) polarisation capabilities in the Compton regime.     

Ore paragenesis of recent hydrothermal deposits at the Cocos-Nazca plate boundary (Galápagos Rift) at 85‡ 51' and 85‡ 55' W: Complex massive sulfide mineralizations,non-sulfidic mineralizations and mineralized basalts

Complex massive sulfide ores (»black smokers«) as well as mineralized basalts and unconsolidated sediments were sampled during the German research expedition »Garimas 1« in the eastern portions of the Galapagos Rift at 85 50' W longitude. The massive sulfide ores are characterized by a porous, layered, compositional texture with typical colloidal and/or gel textures. Local occurrences of organism remains (worm tubes), which are embedded in the ore, were also found. The composition of the massive sulfide ores exhibits a considerable range, from iron sulfide ores (pyrite, melnikovite-pyrite, marcasite) to copper-rich ores (chalcopyrite), and/or zinc-dominated ores (sphalerite, wurtzite, schalenblende). Additional new types of hydrothermal mineralizations were found, which consist primarily of manganese hydroxide, limonite or Fe-rich smectite (Fe-rich »protosmectite«) together with limonite and opaline silica. Hydrothermally altered basalts may be characterized by significant sulfide contents (primarily pyrite) and, locally, by hematite. Sediments in the vicinity of the »black smokers« frequently contain fragments of complex massive sulfide ores. With increasing distance from the »black smokers« these massive sulfide fragments exhibit complete replacement and pseudomorphism by limonite. Some replacement and pseudomorphism of microorganisms in unconsolidated sediments by limonitic material is also observed. In places, the unconsolidated sediments contain manganese hydroxide mineralizations of hydrothermal origin.

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Zusammenfassung Anlä\lich der deutschen Forschungsfahrt »Garimas 1« wurden im östlichen Teil des Galápagos-Riftes bei 85 50' W vor allem komplexe massive Sulfiderze (»Schwarze Raucher« — »Black Smokers«) gewonnen, daneben au\erdem vererzte Basalte sowie unverf estigte Sedimente. Die massiven Sulfiderze sind durch einen porösen, lagig bis krustigschaligen Aufbau gekennzeichnet und weisen charakteristische Kolloidalgefüge bzw. Geltexturen auf. Stellenweise liegen Organismenreste (z. B. Wurmröhren), eingebettet in Erz, vor. Die Zusammensetzung der jeweiligen massiven Sulfiderze schwankt erheblich und reicht von praktisch nur aus Eisensulfid (Pyrit, Melnikovitpyrit, Markasit) beste-henden Bildungen bis zu solchen, die reich an Kupfersulfid (Kupferkies) und/oder Zinksulfid (Zinkblende, Wurtzit, Schalenblende) sind. Als weitere und neue Typen hydrothermaler Bildungen bzw. von »Schwarzen Rauchern« konnten hydrothermale Mineralisationen nachgewiesen werden, die vorherrschend entweder aus Manganhydroxid, aus Limonit oder aus eisenreichem Montmorillonit (Fe-reicher »Protosmektit«) mit Limonit und amorphem SiO₂ bestehen. Die alterierten Basalte können stellenweise durch eine reichliche Sulfidführung (vor allem Pyrit) ausgezeichnet sein, wobei gelegentlich auch Eisenglanz beibricht. Die Sedimente aus der Nachbarschaft der »Schwarzen Raucher« enthalten öfters zahlreiche Bruchstücke der komplexen Massivsulfiderze. Diese Sulfiderz-Bruchstücke lassen häufig mit zunehmender Entfernung von den »Schwarzen Rauchern« starke bis völlige Verdrängung und Pseudomorphosierung durch Limonit erkennen. Die in diesen Lockersedimenten vorliegenden rezenten Mikroorganismen zeigen stellenweise Verdrängung und Pseudomorphosierung durch Limonit. In den Lockersedimenten treten Ausscheidungen von Manganhydroxid hydrothermaler Herkunft auf.

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Résumé Dans la partie est de la dorsale des Galapagos, par 85 50' de longitude ouest, l'expédition allemande »GARIMAS I« a récolté des minerais sulfurés complexes massifs (minerais de »fumeurs noirs«), ainsi que des basaltes minéralisés et des échantillons de sédiments meubles. Les sulfures massifs présentent un aspect poreux lité à écailleux et montrent des structures colloÏdales caractéristiques. Localement des traces d'organismes (p. ex. des trous de vers) sont inclues dans le minéral. Les sulfures massifs présentent diverses compositions depuis des formations constituées uniquement de sulfures de Fe (pyrite, pyrite »colloÏdale«, marcasite) jusqu'à d'autres qui sont riches en sulfures de cuivre (chalcopyrite) et/ou de zinc (blende, wurtzite, blende zonaire). De plus, d'autres minéralisations hydrothermales, nouvelles dans l'environnement des fumeurs noirs, ont été mises en évidence: elles sont constituées soit d'oxydes et hydroxydes de Mn, soit de limonite ou de montmorillonite riche en fer (»protosmectite« ferreuse) avec de la limonite et silice amorphe. Les basaltes hydrothermalisés peuvent montrer localement une teneur élevée en sulfure (surtout de la pyrite) éventuellement accompagné d'hématite. Les sédiments recueillis au voisinage des fumeurs noirs renferment souvent de nombreux fragments de sulfures complexes massifs. Au fur et à mesure qu'on s'éloigne des fumeurs, ces fragments sont progressivement et mÊme complètement pseudomorphosés en limonite. Cette pseudomorphose limonitique affecte également, par endroits, les micro-organismes récents inclus dans les sédiments meubles. Dans ces derniers ont lieu des formations d'hydroxydes de manganèse d'origine hydrothermale.

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Water table variations in Atacama Desert alluvial fans: discussion of “Evidence of short-term groundwater recharge signal propagation from the Andes to the central Atacama Desert: a singular spectrum analysis approach”*

ABSTRACT

Using a statistical approach, Scheihing attempts to demonstrate the direct influence of recharge events in the Precordillera and the Andean Piedmont on water table variations in downstream alluvial fans. The author “unquestionably” discards the existence of ephemeral recharge processes in alluvial fans although they are frequently impacted by major floods. However, the author does not consider previous publications about recharge processes in arid alluvial fans, the hydraulic setting of the Pampa del Tamarugal Aquifer (PTA) and anthropogenic pressure changes in the PTA. Because the sustainable management of groundwater resources in drylands depends on a good understanding of hydrogeological processes, we propose a thorough reinterpretation of the short- and long-term PTA water table variations addressed by the author. In this comment, we illustrate the limits of the sole use of a statistical approach for characterizing both recharge processes and factors controlling the water table variations in the Atacama Desert.     

Some relationships between VAN Seismic Electric Signals (SES) and earthquake parameters: Study for the 1995–2007 period

A 12-year period experimental data, from 1 January 1995, to 20 August 2007, have been examined for possible correlations between Seismic Electric Signals (SES) of the VAN method and source parameters of the corresponding earthquakes in Western Greece. During that period 13 earthquakes of magnitude M _W ≥ 5 with epicenters in the area 19–24°E, 36–41°N and available the CMT solutions (Centroid Moment Tensor focal mechanism solutions) have been found to be preceded by a SES each time at one of the three VAN stations of IOA, PIR or PAT. The results of IOA and PIR stations are compared to those reported by Uyeda et al. 1999, for the previous period 1983–1994. The IOA station seems to be sensitive to earthquakes with thrust type mechanisms being mainly consistent to its past behavior. The PIR station, which is moved from its previous position by few kilometers, exhibits some changes. It detects now both strike slip and thrust type earthquakes and becomes sensitive to new areas indicating probably the strong dependence of the SES station detection ability upon its location.     

Analysis of tsunami impact scenarios at an oil refinery

This work analyses the potential consequences of two tsunami scenarios and their impacts on an oil refinery located in Sicily. Two credible tsunamis originating in the Tyrrhenian Sea were selected based on historical data. The potential for damage and hazardous materials releases resulting from the tsunami impacts to a refinery was assessed. The results obtained by the JRC tsunami propagation and inundation code HyFlux2 indicate that in both scenarios there would be eighteen storage tanks (of 43 located within 400 m from the shoreline) at the refinery subject to flooding. Water flow velocities were found to be generally low, <1 m/s, except for a central section of the refinery near the shoreline where the water flow velocities reach 3?C4 m/s. These results indicate that any damage would most likely occur due to buoyancy loads particularly in the western part of the facility where inundation levels are higher and storage tanks are less protected. Potential damage caused by impact of floating debris may be a problem in the central area of the refinery near the shoreline due to high flow velocities (3?C4 m/s) in both tsunami scenarios. Small hazardous materials releases could occur due to breakage of connected pipes and flanges caused by floating off of almost empty storage tanks or other equipment. Salt water intrusion could affect electrical equipment, such as control panels, pumps, and motors that are not raised above the inundation level. We conclude that in the two tsunami scenarios analysed, the risk to nearby residents and neighbouring facilities from potential hazardous materials releases, fires or explosions triggered by the tsunamis is likely to be small. Nonetheless, recommendations are made on prevention measures to reduce the risk of tsunami-triggered accidents and to mitigate their consequences if they do occur. The results of this study are limited by the uncertainty in the input data and most importantly by the accuracy of the elevation data and the model resolution.