The temple of apollo (Delphi) strengthens novel thermoluminescence dating method

The temple of Apollo in Delphi (Greece), built in 550 B.C., has been used to reconfirm a novel method of dating carved megalithic stone buildings using thermoluminescence (TL) (Liritzis, 1994). A calcitic (marble) sample was taken from the western side of the well-known inscribed polygonal wall, which constitutes the southern external support foundations of the temple. A partially bleached TL methodology was devised to determine first the ancient residual TL and then the correct archaeological dose. The obtained TL age of 420 ± 300 B.C. is compatible, within the margin of error, with the archaeological age. © 1997 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.     

Experimental evaluation of biases associated with sampling estuarine fishes with seines

Beach seines are widely used to estimate the density and species richness of fishes in estuaries. We evaluated the causes and extent of bias in estimates from seines using a series of field experiments in small estuaries in southern California, USA. Seining in spatially paired areas that were either enclosed by block nets or not, revealed that seines used without block nets und erestimated density by more than 4-fold and species richness by more than 2-fold relative to blocked areas. Seining in paired blocked areas with seines of two lengths revealed that net length affected estimates of density, but not species richness; a 7.6-m long seine produced 1.6-fold higher estimates of total density than did a 15.2-m long seine due to increased catches of demersal fishes, but not midwater species. Paired sampling in blocked areas also revealed that many fishes initially evaded capture by the seine. Estimates of density but not species richness were significantly higher in areas through which a seine was swept 5 times compared to once. This was due to higher catches of demersal fishes but not midwater fishes in areas seined 5 times. Repeated seining through blocked areas revealed that the vast majority (90% or more) of species and individuals of midwater fishes were captured within the first 5 sweeps, compared to only about 50% of the individuals of demersal species. A mark-recapture study in blocked areas revealed lower probabilities of capture for demersal species relative to midwater species.     

On the atomic constants of ReI

We have experimentally studied the excitation of the rhenium atom by collisions with slow monoenergetic electrons and measured 47 excitational cross sections for lines of ReI at an electron energy of 50 eV. Previously published information about the probabilities of radiative transitions of ReI is analyzed. The data for two experimental studies of the ratios Iλ/gA for transitions with a common upper level differ by three orders of magnitude.     

Underground Temperature Measurements as a Tool for Volcanic Activity Monitoring in the Island of Tenerife, Canary Islands

The spatial distribution of groundwater temperatures in the volcanic island of Tenerife, Canary Islands, has been inferred through measurements of water temperatures collected in the vast network of wells and subhorizontal tunnels, locally called “galleries,” which constitutes the main water supply of the island. The spatial coverage of the network of galleries allows us to reach from depth almost any geological feature of the island. The complex spatial distribution of temperatures in the interior of Tenerife is the result of the complex geological evolution of the island. Groundwater temperatures are greatly affected by groundwater flow and are considerably warmer in those galleries located in areas where water circulation is reduced due to the low permeability of materials and/or to the low infiltration rate of cooling meteoric water. In this sense, groundwater temperature should be characterized in quiescent conditions (background level), in order to facilitate monitoring changes in heat flow, such as those induced by ascending gases expected with an increase in volcanic activity.     

Tidal contribution of the satellites to removing the angular momentum of Jupiter

Summary It has been shown that dynamically, on the basis of the distribution of angular momenta, the Jovian system cannot be considered an analogue within the Solar system. The total tidal decrease in the angular momentum of Jupiter and in its angular velocity of rotation have been estimated, as well as the loss of mechanical energy due to tidal dissipation. It has been concluded that there are no dynamical contradictions with the hypothesis of the common cosmogonic origin of Jupiter and of its eight close satellites.

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Features of the upper atmosphere revealed by analysis of the orbit of cosmos 1009 rocket, 1978-50B

COSMOS 1009 rocket was launched on 19 May 1978 into an orbit with initial perigee height 150 km and apogee 1100 km: its lifetime was only 17 days. The orbit has been determined daily during the final 14 days of its life, using the RAE orbit refinement program PROP6,with about 1100 observations supplied by NORAD. An average accuracy of about 60 m, radial and cross-track, was achieved.The orbits were analysed to reveal three features of the upper atmosphere at heights between 125 and 175 km. From the decrease in perigee height, five values of density scale height, accurate to ±4%, were obtained. The first three were within 10% of those from CIRA 1972; the fourth, after a magnetic storm, was higher than expected; the fifth gave evidence of the decrease in drag coefficient at heights below 130 km.Atmospheric oblateness produced a change of 4° in perigee position during the last four days of the life. Analysis showed that the ellipticity of the upper atmosphere was approximately equal to that of the Earth, f, for the first two of the four days, and about $\text{1}\text{2}\text{f}$ in the last two.The orbital inclination decreased during the 14 days by about 50 times its standard deviation, and the observed variation was analysed to determine zonal winds at heights of 150–160 km at latitudes near 47° north. The zonal wind was very weak (0±30 m/s) for 23–28 May at local times near 03h; and 90±30 m/s east-to-west for 29 May to 4 June at local times near 01 h.     

TV system for navigation and guidance

A TV system for navigation and guidance (TVSNG) has been designed for solving the navigation and scientific tasks of the Phobos-Grunt mission. It consists of two narrow-angle and two wide-angle television cameras. Each camera has a built-in processor for the real-time processing of received images. The program of TVSNG observations includes three modes: Imaging of Stars, Sequential Imaging, and Landing. The first two modes will be used to calibrate the TVSNG against the stars, to take images of Phobos and Mars, and to detect the dust rings of Mars. In the Landing mode, the height and velocity components of the spacecraft during the landing on Phobos will be measured, and an autonomous selection of the landing site will be made.     

A stochastic Monte Carlo approach to model real star cluster evolution – II. Self-consistent models and primordial binaries

The new approach outlined in Paper I to follow the individual formation and evolution of binaries in an evolving, equal point-mass star cluster is extended for the self-consistent treatment of relaxation and close three- and four-body encounters for many binaries (typically a few per cent of the initial number of stars in the cluster mass). The distribution of single stars is treated as a conducting gas sphere with a standard anisotropic gaseous model. A Monte Carlo technique is used to model the motion of binaries, their formation and subsequent hardening by close encounters, and their relaxation (dynamical friction) with single stars and other binaries. The results are a further approach towards a realistic model of globular clusters with primordial binaries without using special hardware. We present, as our main result, the self-consistent evolution of a cluster consisting of 300 000 equal point-mass stars, plus 30 000 equal-mass binaries over several hundred half-mass relaxation times, well into the phase where most of the binaries have been dissolved and evacuated from the core. The cluster evolution is about three times slower than found by Gao et al. Other features are rather comparable. At every moment we are able to show the individual distribution of binaries in the cluster.     

Differentiation for High-Precision GPS Velocity and Acceleration Determination

Accurate estimates of the velocity and acceleration of a platform are often needed in high dynamic positioning, airborne gravimetry, and geophysics. In turn, differentiation of GPS signals is a crucial process for obtaining these estimates. It is important in the measurement domain where, for example, the phase measurements are used along with their instantaneous derivative (Doppler) to estimate position and velocity. It is also important in postprocessing, where acceleration is usually estimated by differentiating estimates of position and velocity. Various methods of differentiating a signal can have very different effects on the resulting derivative, and their suitability varies from situation to situation. These comments set the stage for the investigations in this article. The objective is twofold: (1) to carry out a comprehensive study of possible differentiation methods, characterizing each in the frequency domain; and (2) to use real data to demonstrate each of these methods in both of the measurement and position domains, in conditions of variable, high, or unknown dynamics. Examples are given using real GPS data in both the measurement domain and in the position and velocity domain. The appropriate differentiator is used in several cases of varying dynamics to derive a Doppler signal from carrier phase measurements (rather than using the raw Doppler generated by the receiver). In the statistic case, it is seen that the accuracy of velocity estimates can be improved from 4.0 mm/s to 0.7 mm/s by using the correct filter. In conditions of medium dynamics experienced in an airborne gravity survey, it is demonstrated that accelerations as the 2–4 mGal level (1 mGal = 0.00001 m/s²) can be obtained at the required filtering periods. Finally, a precision motion table is used to show that when using the correct filter, velocity estimates under high dynamics can be improved by an order of magnitude to 27.0 mm/s. ? 1999 John Wiley & Sons, Inc.