Production of Bauxite Certified Reference Material (BARC-B1201) for Nine Property Values (Al2O3, Fe2O3, SiO2, TiO2, V2O5, MnO,Cr2O3, MgO and LOI) Traceable to SI Units

The National Centre for Compositional Characterisation of Materials (NCCCM) / Bhabha Atomic Research Centre (BARC) and National Aluminium Company Limited (NALCO), India have produced an Indian origin bauxite certified reference material (CRM), referred to as BARC-B1201, certified for major (Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂, loss on ignition - LOI) and trace contents (V₂O₅, MnO, Cr₂O₃, MgO). Characterisation was undertaken by strict adherence to ISO Guides. A method previously developed and validated in our laboratory, using single step bauxite dissolution and subsequent quantitation (of Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂, V₂O_5, MnO, Cr₂O₃ and MgO) by ICP-AES (SSBD ICP-AES) was used for homogeneity studies and an inter-laboratory comparison exercise (ILCE) of the candidate CRM. LOI was determined by thermo-gravimetric analysis. Property values were assigned after an ILCE with participation from seventeen reputed government and private sector laboratories in India. The CRM was certified for nine property values: Al₂O₃, Fe₂O₃, SiO₂, TiO₂, V₂O_5, MnO, Cr₂O₃, MgO and LOI, which are traceable to SI units.     

Mesoscale raised rim depressions (MRRDs) on Earth: A review of the characteristics,processes, and spatial distributions of analogs for Mars

Fields of mesoscale raised rim depressions (MRRDs) of various origins are found on Earth and Mars. Examples include rootless cones, mud volcanoes, collapsed pingos, rimmed kettle holes, and basaltic ring structures. Correct identification of MRRDs on Mars is valuable because different MRRD types have different geologic and/or climatic implications and are often associated with volcanism and/or water, which may provide locales for biotic or prebiotic activity. In order to facilitate correct identification of fields of MRRDs on Mars and their implications, this work provides a review of common terrestrial MRRD types that occur in fields. In this review, MRRDs by formation mechanism, including hydrovolcanic (phreatomagmatic cones, basaltic ring structures), sedimentological (mud volcanoes), and ice-related (pingos, volatile ice-block forms) mechanisms. For each broad mechanism, we present a comparative synopsis of (i) morphology and observations, (ii) physical formation processes, and (iii) published hypothesized locations on Mars. Because the morphology for MRRDs may be ambiguous, an additional tool is provided for distinguishing fields of MRRDs by origin on Mars, namely, spatial distribution analyses for MRRDs within fields on Earth. We find that MRRDs have both distinguishing and similar characteristics, and observation that applies both to their mesoscale morphology and to their spatial distribution statistics. Thus, this review provides tools for distinguishing between various MRRDs, while highlighting the utility of the multiple working hypotheses approach.     

The far-ultraviolet albedo of Šteins measured with Rosetta-ALICE

During Rosetta’s flyby of the asteroid (2867) Šteins in 2008, we used the ALICE instrument to measure the first far-ultraviolet (FUV) reflectivity spectrum of an asteroid (850-2000 Å). It is very dark in the FUV, ∼4%, compared to its very high reflectivity (40%) at optical wavelengths. The FUV albedo does not exhibit a systematic color trend across the spectral range, but there is a broad absorption feature, not yet identified with a specific mineral, with maximum depth near 1650 Å. The shape of this feature implies a very low abundance of Fe²⁺ ions in the surface minerals. The FUV brightness exhibits a significant opposition surge at phases below 10°. The visible/FUV color gets much redder with increasing phase angle inside the opposition surge and gets gradually redder at larger phase angles. We also conducted a deep search for an exosphere of atoms sputtered from the surface and set upper limits on any column densities of oxygen and hydrogen atoms at the time of our observations. The upper limit for H is comparable to that predicted by the only theoretical prediction of which we are aware, while that for O is higher than predicted by about an order of magnitude.     

The internal structure of Jupiter family cometary nuclei from Deep Impact observations: The “talps” or “layered pile” model

We consider the hypothesis that the layering observed on the surface of Comet 9P/Tempel 1 from the Deep Impact spacecraft and identified on other comet nuclei imaged by spacecraft (i.e., 19P/Borrelly and 81P/Wild 2) is ubiquitous on Jupiter family cometary nuclei and is an essential element of their internal structure. The observational characteristics of the layers on 9P/Tempel 1 are detailed and considered in the context of current theories of the accumulation and dynamical evolution of cometary nuclei. The works of Donn [Donn, B.D., 1990. Astron. Astrophys. 235, 441-446], Sirono and Greenberg [Sirono, S.-I., Greenberg, J.M., 2000. Icarus 145, 230-238] and the experiments of Wurm et al. [Wurm, G., Paraskov, G., Krauss, O., 2005. Icarus 178, 253-263] on the collision physics of porous aggregate bodies are used as basis for a conceptual model of the formation of layers. Our hypothesis is found to have implications for the place of origin of the JFCs and their subsequent dynamical history. Models of fragmentation and rubble pile building in the Kuiper belt in a period of collisional activity (e.g., [Kenyon, S.J., Luu, J.X., 1998. Astron. J. 115, 2136-2160; 1999a. Astron. J. 118, 1101-1119; 1999b. Astrophys. J. 526, 465-470; Farinella, P., Davis, D.R., Stern, S.A., 2000. In: Mannings, V., Boss, A.P., Russell, S.S. (Eds.), Protostars and Planets IV. Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 1255-1282; Durda, D.D., Stern, S.J., 2000. Icarus 145, 220-229]) following the formation of Neptune appear to be in conflict with the observed properties of the layers and irreconcilable with the hypothesis. Long-term residence in the scattered disk [Duncan, M.J., Levison, H.F., 1997. Science 276, 1670-1672; Duncan, M., Levison, H., Dones, L., 2004. In: Festou, M., Keller, H.U., Weaver, H.A. (Eds.), Comets II. Univ. of Arizona Press, Tucson, pp. 193-204] and/or a change in fragmentation outcome modeling may explain the long-term persistence of primordial layers. In any event, the existence of layers places constraints on the environment seen by the population of objects from which the Jupiter family comets originated. If correct, our hypothesis implies that the nuclei of Jupiter family comets are primordial remnants of the early agglomeration phase and that the physical structure of their interiors, except for the possible effects of compositional phase changes, is largely as it was when they were formed. We propose a new model for the interiors of Jupiter family cometary nuclei, called the talps or “layered pile” model, in which the interior consists of a core overlain by a pile of randomly stacked layers. We discuss how several cometary characteristics—layers, surface texture, indications of flow, compositional inhomogeneity, low bulk density low strength, propensity to split, etc., might be explained in terms of this model. Finally, we make some observational predictions and suggest goals for future space observations of these objects.     

Chemical composition and photochemical reactivity of exhaust from aircraft turbine engines

Assessment of the environmental impact of aircraft emissions is required by planners and policy makers. Seveal areas of concern are: 1. exposure of airport workers and urban residents to toxic chemicals emitted when the engines operate at low power (idle and taxi) on the ground; 2. contributions to urban photochemical air pollution of aircraft volatile organic and nitrogen oxides emissions from operations around airports; and 3. emissions of nitrogen oxides and particles during high-altitude operation. The environmental impact of chemicals emitted from jet aircraft turbine engines has not been firmly established due to lack of data regarding emission rates and identities of the compounds emitted. This paper describes an experimental study of two different aircraft turbine engines designed to determine detailed organic emissions, as well as emissions of inorganic gases. Emissions were measured at several engine power settings. Measurements were made of detailed organic composition from C₁ through C₁₇, CO, CO₂, NO, NO _x , and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons. Measurements were made using a multi-port sampling pro be positioned directly behind the engine in the exhaust exit plane. The emission measurements have been used to determine the organic distribution by carbon number and the distribution by compound class at each engine power level. The sum of the organic species was compared with an independent measurement of total organic carbon to assess the carbon mass balance. A portion of the exhaust was captured and irradiated in outdoor smog chambers to assess the photochemical reactivity of the emissions with respect to ozone formation. The reactivity of emissions from the two engines was apportioned by chemical compound class.     

Temperature-dependent physiological response of Carcinus maenas exposed to copper

The effect of temperature on the heart rate (fH) of Carcinus maenas exposed to a sublethal nominal concentration (0.5 mg l(-1)) of copper is reported. Adult, intermoult males (4 cm carapace width) were collected from Stavanger Fjord (Norway) in August (seawater TEMPERATURE=17 degrees C) and maintained in the laboratory (fed ad libitum) at 5, 15 and 25 degrees C for 7 days. Following this holding period, crabs were exposed to waterborne copper at the same temperature. After 3 days of exposure, individual fH was measured using the non-invasive Computer Aided Physiological MONitoring system (CAPMON) method. Copper-exposed individuals demonstrated significantly increased fH compared with controls at 5 and 25 degrees C (P<0.01). It is inferred that physiological function in C. maenas may be more vulnerable to copper contamination at seasonal temperature extremes (5 and 25 degrees C) than at the 'standard' test temperature (15 degrees C). Additionally, cardiac arrest observed at 5 degrees C is interpreted as a physiological response to limit copper uptake while the erratic fH in the 25 degrees C group reflected enhanced copper toxicity.     

Poverty and Disasters in the United States: A Review of Recent Sociological Findings

This article synthesizes the literature on poverty and disasters in the United States and presents the results from a wide range of studies conducted over the past twenty years. The findings are organized into eight categories based on the stages of a disaster event. The review illustrates how people of different socioeconomic statuses perceive, prepare for, and respond to natural hazard risks, how low-income populations may be differentially impacted, both physically and psychologically, and how disaster effects vary by social class during the periods of emergency response, recovery, and reconstruction. The literature illustrates that the poor in the United States are more vulnerable to natural disasters due to such factors as place and type of residence, building construction, and social exclusion. The results have important implications for social equity and recommendations for future research and policy implementation are offered.     

Setting seagrass depth, coverage, and light targets for the Indian River Lagoon system, Florida

Seagrass protection and restoration in Florida’s Indian River Lagoon system (IRLS) is a mutual goal of state and federal programs. These programs require, the establishment of management targets indicative of seagrass recovery and health. We used three metrics related to seagrass distribution: areal coverage, depth limit, and light requirement. In order to account for the IRLS’s spatial heterogeneity and temporal variability, we developed coverage and depth limit targets for each of its 19 segments. Our method consisted of two steps: mapping the union of seagrass coverages from all availabe mapping years (1943, 1986, 1989, 1992, 1994, 1996, and 1999) to delineate wherever seagrass had been mapped and determining the distribution of depth limits based on 5,615 depth measurements collected on or very near the deep-edge boundary of the union coverage. The frequency distribution of depth limits derived from the union coverage, along with the median (50th percentile) and maximum (95th percentile) depth limits, serve as the seagrass depth targets for each segment. The median and maximum depth targets for the IRLS vary among segments from 0.8 to 1.8 and 1.2 to 2.8 m, respectively.Halodule wrightii is typically the dominant seagrass species at the deep-edge of IRLS grass beds. We set light requirement targets by using a 10-yr record of light data (1990–1999) and the union coverage depth limit distributions from the most temporally stable seagrass segments. The average annual light requirement, based on the medians of the depth limit distributions, is 33 ± 17% of the subsurface light. The minimum annual light requirement, based on of the 95th percentile of the depth distributions, is 20 ± 14%; the minimum growing season light requirement (March to mid September) is essentially the same (20 ± 13%). Variation in depth limits and light requirements, is probably due to factors other than light that influence the depth limit of seagrasses (e.g., competition, physical disturbance). The methods used in this study are robust when applied to large or long-term data sets and can be applied to other estuaries where grass beds are routinely monitored and mapped.     

Non-thermal effects associated with steep temperature gradients in the transition zone

We examine some of the possible consequences associated with the steep temperature gradients believed to exist in the transition zone. It is shown that the heat flux in the transition zone may be weakly electrostatically unstable and that the thermal electric field associated with the same step temperature gradients will lead to the generation of copious numbers of non-thermal electrons boiling off into the corona.