Concentration and distribution of 210Po in the tissues of the scallop Chlamys varia and the mussel Mytilus edulis from the coasts of Charente-Maritime (France)

Polonium-210 (210Po) has been analysed in the soft parts of two bivalves species, the scallop Chlamys varia and the common mussel Mytilus edulis, from the Bay of La Rochelle and Ré Island, on the French Atlantic coast. Between those sites, the highest 210Po concentrations have been found in whole scallop soft parts from La Rochelle, reaching 1,181 +/- 29 Bq kg(-1) dry weight (dwt), a size effect being related to the highest 210Po concentration in the smallest scallops. The results show a significant difference in concentrations for similar size individuals between species in each site (C. varia > M. edulis) and between sites for each species (Ré Island > Bay of La Rochelle). Very high 210Po concentrations have been found in the digestive gland of C varia, ranging 3,150-4,637 Bq kg(-1) dwt. Thus, the digestive gland contains up to 60% of the radionuclide. Subcellular investigations have shown that approximately 40% of the 210Po contained in the digestive gland is in the cytosolic fraction, suggesting a high bioavailability of the 210Po from this fraction to the trophic upper level. Calculations will show that approximately 4 kg of scallops flesh intake would be necessary to reach the annual incorporation limit of 1 mSv.     

Effects of PCBs on reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by the immune cells of Paracentrotus lividus (Echinodermata)

The impact of four PCB congeners: 3,3',4,4'-tetrachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC congener #77), 3,3',4,4',5-pentachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC #126), 2,2',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC #153) and 3,3',4,4',5,5'-hexachlorobiphenyl (IUPAC #169) was investigated on the reactive oxygen species (ROS) production by coelomocytes of the echinoid Paracentrotus lividus, an important species in marine benthic ecosystems. PCBs were found to increase ROS production and to delay the time of peak production. These effects were stronger on bacteria-stimulated cells and were congener-specific: coplanar congeners (#77, 126 and 169) had more effect than the non-coplanar PCB #153. Among coplanar congeners, PCB #169 showed dose-dependent effects whereas PCB #77 and 126 were more toxic at high and low doses, respectively. The relative immunotoxicity of the different PCB congeners is discussed in the light of their structural properties and biological affinities.     

Measurement of a Peak in the Cosmic Microwave Background Power Spectrum from the North American Test Flight of Boomerang

We describe a measurement of the angular power spectrum of anisotropies in the cosmic microwave background (CMB) at scales of 0&fdg;3 to 5 degrees from the North American test flight of the Boomerang experiment. Boomerang is a balloon-borne telescope with a bolometric receiver designed to map CMB anisotropies on a long-duration balloon flight. During a 6 hr test flight of a prototype system in 1997, we mapped more than 200 deg(2) at high Galactic latitudes in two bands centered at 90 and 150 GHz with a resolution of 26&arcmin; and 16&farcm;5 FWHM, respectively. Analysis of the maps gives a power spectrum with a peak at angular scales of 1 degrees with an amplitude 70 μK(CMB).     

The Spectroscopic Orbit of the Planetary Companion Transiting HD 209458

Three new silicon-bearing radicals of astrophysical interest, SiCCH and the two nearly isoenergetic isomers SiCN and SiNC, were detected in a laboratory discharge in their X2Pi ground states by Fourier transform microwave and millimeter-wave absorption spectroscopy. Hyperfine structure was observed in the low rotational transitions of the (2)Pi(1/2) ladder, and well-resolved Lambda-doubling was observed in both fine-structure ladders. With the spectroscopic constants derived from the laboratory measurements, the spectra of all three can be calculated to an uncertainty of less than 0.1 km s(-1) in equivalent radial velocity over the entire range of interest to radio astronomers. SiCN, with a dipole moment of 2.9 D, is probably the most promising of the three for astronomical discovery.     

安徽女山橄榄岩包体的氧同位素比值和微量元素组成：地幔交代作用

本文的研究对象是9个来自安徽女山新生代玄武岩的橄榄岩包体,利用激光氟化技术系统分析了橄榄石、单斜辉石和斜方辉石的氧同位素比值;利用LA-ICPMS技术分析了单斜辉石的微量元素组成。结果显示,女山橄榄岩存在辉石与橄榄石之间的氧同位素不平衡分馏现象,其中△Cpx-Ol18O(=δ18OCpx-δ18OOl)出现低至-0．5‰的负值;含角闪石包体中的单斜辉石明显富集大离子亲石元素(LILE,如Sr、Th、LREE)和亏损高场强元素(HFSE,如Nb、Zr、Ti)。氧同位素的数据表明,女山上地幔曾经经历过俯冲洋壳流体参与的交代作用,根据单斜辉石和橄榄石之间氧同位素分馏值△Cpx-Ol18O与包体形成深度之间的负相关性,提出了一个“上升 缓冲”的流体交代模型。虽然微量元素特征也表明女山上地幔受到过地壳流体的影响,但是氧同位素的不平衡分馏和LILE的富集／HFSE的亏损并不是同步的,对这种现象的可能解释是:引起氧同位素不平衡分馏的交代作用和造成女山单斜辉石微量元素特征的交代作用不是同一期的,即女山上地幔曾经发生过至少2次交代事件。     

奥斯特/GPS掩星与地面雷达联合观测电离层电子密度的初步结果

1999年2月丹麦发射了一颗奥斯特小卫星,它装载了两台GPS接收机,其中一台用于电离层和中性大气掩星测量,另一台用于自主定位。本文给出了1999年10月奥斯特/GPS掩星与日本MU雷达和数字测高仪的联合观测结果。奥斯特掩星反演得到的电子密度剖面与地面雷达观测的进行了比较,结果表明:天基和地基雷达观测的电子密度是一致的。文章还给出利用GPS的单频信号反演电离层电子密度剖面技术和3维射线追踪技术模拟掩星结果。     

SHRIMP U-Pb Dating of Zircons of a Dark Eclogite and aGarnet-bearing Gneissic Granitic Rock from Bixiling, EasternDabie Area, Anhui Province: Isotope Chronological Evidenceof Neoproterozoic UHP Metamorphism

The paper reports SHRIMP U-Pb zircon data of a dark eclogite and a post-eclogite garnet-bearing gneissic granitic rock from the Bixiling area, Yuexi County, Anhui Province, in the eastern Dabie Mountains. The eclogite, which is metamorphosed basic tuff, contains very scarce zircons in omphacite or garnet, but more zircons in quartz. They usually exhibit a double-layered texture, as shown clearly in cathodoluminescence images. Their inner main parts give a 206Pb/238U age of 757±7 Ma, representing the approximate age of the high-pressure (HP)- ultrahigh-pressure (UHP) metamorphic event during which the eclogite was formed. The outer peripheral parts of the zircons, which have been modified by late-stage fluids, give an age of 223±3 Ma. The granitic rock contains more zircons of anatectic origin found mostly in feldspar and quartz and usually also showing a similar composite texture. The inner main parts of the anatectic zircons with oscillatory zoning give a 206Pb/238U age of 727±15 Ma for the approxim