The status of spectroscopic data for the exoplanet characterisation missions

The status of laboratory spectroscopic data for exoplanet characterisation missions such as EChO is reviewed. For many molecules (eg H ₂O, CO, CO ₂, H\(_{3}^{+}\), O ₂, O ₃) the data are already available. For the other species work is actively in progress constructing this data. Much of the is work is being undertaken by ExoMol project (www.?exomol.?com). This information can be used to construct a mission-specific spectroscopic database.     

Biostratigraphy of the Mussau Trench (Caroline Basin)

A sedimentary rock complex overlays the deep layers of oceanic crust in the Mussau Trench (and the conjugated underwater ridge) of the Caroline Basin. Paleontological analyses supported the previous idea of Oligocene-Quaternary deposits. In addition, Upper Cretaceous (Acila ex gr. demessa, Anisomyon sp., and others) and Eocene (Heterostegina sp., Discocyclina sp., and others) deposits have been found, suggesting shallow water environments in Late Cretaceous-Early Cenozoic time. Later on, regional submergence started. The complex of the deep-seated formations of the Mussau Trench is not younger than the Early Cretaceous oceanic crust of the Ontong-Java Plateau.     

Towards the solution of the λ Bootis problem

Having analysed the accretion-based model of the dust–gas separation, which is regarded to be the most promising for the explanation of the anomalous properties of λ Bootis-type stars, we can conclude that: (i) for any reasonable density profiles of the shell, dust grains appear to be decoupled from the gaseous background within the region where the temperature drops to a value that is less than the condensation temperature of heavy elements such as Mg, Ca, Fe, etc; (ii) most likely, in the shell of λ Bootis-type stars only small dust particles (of less than ≈10⁻⁶ cm in size) can be created; (iii) significant alteration of the initial atmospheric chemical composition can take place in the case when the density in the shell changes as ∼ r ⁻².     

More about Diring Yuriakh: Unsolved geoarchaeological problems at a “lower” paleolithic site in central Siberia

The geoarchaeology of Diring Yuriakh, perhaps the oldest firmly documented archaeological site in Siberia, at more than 260,000 years old, is important for modeling the peopling of Northern Asia and North America. This article focuses on some important details about the stratigraphy of the Diring site, which have previously only been published in Russian. There are two major geoarchaeological problems at Diring. First, the stratigraphic position of the layer containing the supposed pebble tools (relative to Middle Pleistocene sediments at the site) is not well defined. Second, there remains doubt as to the nature of the association between the majority of the Diring artifacts and the sediments dated to between ca. 267,000 and 366,000 years ago. Until these problems are resolved, the proposed Lower Paleolithic dating for the Diring site must be considered as provisional. © 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Initiation and Propagation of Compaction Bands in Dry and Wet Bentheim Sandstone

We investigated initiation and propagation of compaction bands (CB) in six wet and four dry Bentheim sandstone samples deformed in axial compression tests with strain rates ranging from 3.2 × 10^?8 s^?1 to 3.2 × 10^?4 s^?1. Circumferential notches with 0.8-mm width and 5-mm depth served to initiate CB at mid-sample length. Wet samples were saturated with distilled water and deformed at 195 MPa confining pressure and 10 MPa pore pressure. Dry samples were deformed at 185 MPa confining pressure. Twelve P-wave sensors, eight S-wave sensors and two pairs of orthogonally oriented strain-gages were glued to the sample surface to monitor acoustic emission (AE), velocities and local strain during the loading process. Nucleation of compaction bands is indicated by AE clusters close to the notch tips. With progressive loading, AE activity increased and AE hypocenters indicated propagation of a single CB normal to the sample axis. CB propagation from the sample periphery towards the centre was monitored. Microstructural analysis of deformed samples shows excellent agreement between location of AE clusters and CBs. In both dry and wet samples the lateral propagation of CBs was about 100 times faster than axial shortening rates. At the slowest displacement rate, AE activity during band propagation was reduced and CB nucleation in wet samples occurred at 20% lower stresses. This may indicate an increasing contribution of stress corrosion processes to the formation of the compaction bands. In dry and wet samples inelastic compaction energy per area ranged between 16 and 80 kJ m^?2. This is in good agreement with previous estimates from laboratory and field studies.