Irregular extrasolar systems and dynamical instability

The astrometric search for extrasolar planetary systems can regard, at least in the first stage, only systems with high mass ratio (10^–2) of the largest planets to the central star. The formation of such systems is probably a common occurrence in the galaxy, as indicated by various theoretical arguments; these systems could have evolved in a regular way (near-circular and coplanar orbits, Titius-Bode law, etc.) until the most massive accumulating protoplanet exceeded the critical value of the mass ratio corresponding to dynamical instability. This phenomenon has been extensively investigated in recent years, showing that a three- orN-body system becomes unstable (for relative separations similar to the planetary ones) for >10^–2. Therefore, it seems likely that observations of systems within this range of mass ratio will show the irregular end-products of processes related to the instability (close encounters or ejections), which affected drastically the orbital configuration in the last phase of the planet formation.Paper presented at the European Workshop on Planetary Sciences, organised by the Laboratorio di Astrofisica Spaziale di Frascati, and held between April 23–27, 1979, at the Accademia Nazionale del Lincei in Rome, Italy.     

A real-time spectrum analyser with on-line definition of the confidence levels

This paper describes a real-time spectrum analyser with on-line definition of the confidence levels built at Trieste Observatory for a research program on periodical components of unknown period in optical sources. The system is realized by a photon counting photometer on-line to a computer that elaborates in real-time the data from the photometer and displays the spectrum of the source measured. The spectrum is normalized to unity mean value and the display is calibrated by the confidence levels relative to the distribution of the spectrum displayed. Some experimental data show the performance of the machine that operates in real-time at full efficiency up to 160 Hz. Work supported by Consiglio Nazionale delle Ricerche, Gruppo Nazionale di Astronomia, Settore Tecnologie Astronomiche. Trieste Observatory — Instruments and Data Processing Group (1/76).     

On Szebehely's problem for holonomic systems involving generalized potential functions

We consider the problem of finding the generalized potential function V = U _i(q ¹, q ²,..., q ⁿ)q ⁱ + U(q ¹, q ²,...;q ⁿ) compatible with prescribed dynamical trajectories of a holonomic system. We obtain conditions necessary for the existence of solutions to the problem: these can be cast into a system of n – 1 first order nonlinear partial differential equations in the unknown functions U ₁, U ₂,...;, U _n, U. In particular we study dynamical systems with two degrees of freedom. Using adapted coordinates on the configuration manifold M ₂ we obtain, for potential function U(q ¹, q ²), a classic first kind of Abel ordinary differential equation. Moreover, we show that, in special cases of dynamical interest, such an equation can be solved by quadrature. In particular we establish, for ordinary potential functions, a classical formula obtained in different way by Joukowsky for a particle moving on a surface.Work performed with the support of the Gruppo Nazionale di Fisica Matematica (G.N.F.M.) of the Italian National Research Council.     

Elucidation of different forms of organic carbon in marine sediments from the Atlantic coast of Spain using thermal analysis coupled to isotope ratio and quadrupole mass spectrometry

Analysis of river, estuary and marine sediments from the Atlantic coast of Spain using thermogravimetry–differential scanning calorimetry–quadrupole mass spectrometry–isotope ratio mass spectrometry (TG–DSC–QMS–IRMS) was used to (a) distinguish bulk chemical hosts for C within a sediment and humic acid fraction, (b) track C pools with differing natural C isotope ratios and (c) observe variation with distance from the coast. This is the first application of such a novel method to the characterisation of organic matter from marine sediments and their corresponding humic acid fractions. Using thermal analysis, a labile, a recalcitrant and a refractory carbon pool can be distinguished. Extracted humic fractions are mainly of recalcitrant nature. The proportion of refractory carbon is greatest in marine sediments and humic acid fractions. Quadrupole mass spectrometry confirmed that the greatest proportion of m/z 44 (CO₂) and m/z 18 (H₂O) were detected at temperatures associated with recalcitrant carbon (510–540 °C). Isotope analysis detected progressive enrichment in δ¹³C for the sediment samples with an increase in marine influence. Isotopic heterogeneity in the refractory organic matter in marine sediments could be due to products of anthropogenic origin or natural combustion products. Isotope homogeneity of humic acids confirms the presence of terrigenous C in marine sediments, allowing the terrestrial input to be characterised.     

HP–LT Variscan metamorphism in the Cubito-Moura schists (Ossa-Morena Zone, southern Iberia)

Multi-equilibrium thermobarometry shows that low-grade metapelites (Cubito-Moura schists) from the Ossa–Morena Zone underwent HP–LT metamorphism from 340–370 °C at 1.0–0.9 GPa to 400–450 °C at 0.8–0.7 GPa. These HP–LT equilibriums were reached by parageneses including white K mica, chlorite and chloritoid, which define the earliest schistosity (S₁) in these rocks. The main foliation in the schists is a crenulation cleavage (S₂), which developed during decompression from 0.8–0.7 to 0.4–0.3 GPa at increasing temperatures from 400–450 °C to 440–465 °C. Fe³⁺ in chlorite decreased greatly during prograde metamorphism from molar fractions of 0.4 determined in syn-S₁ chlorites down to 0.1 in syn-S₂ chlorites. These new data add to previous findings of eclogites in the Moura schists indicating that a pile of allochtonous rocks situated next to the Beja-Acebuches oceanic amphibolites underwent HP–LT metamorphism during the Variscan orogeny. To cite this article: G. Booth-Rea et al., C. R. Geoscience 338 (2006).     

Late Pleistocene highstand and recession of a small, high-altitude pluvial lake, Jakes Valley, central Great Basin, USA

Models of factors controlling late Pleistocene pluvial lake-level fluctuations in the Great Basin are evaluated by dating lake levels in Jakes Valley. “Jakes Lake” rose to a highstand at 13,870 ± 50 ¹⁴C Yr B.P., receded to a stillstand at 12,440 ± 50 ¹⁴C yr B.P., and receded steadily to desiccation thereafter. The Jakes Lake highstand is roughly coincident with highstands of lakes Bonneville, Lahontan and Russell. The rise to highstand and recession of Jakes Lake were most likely controlled by a storm track steered by the polar jet stream. The final stillstand of Jakes Lake helps constrain timing of northward retreat of the polar jet stream during the Pleistocene-Holocene transition.     

Permanent Scatterers for landslide investigations: outcomes from the ESA-SLAM project

Within the SLAM project (Service for Landslide Monitoring), launched in 2003 by the European Space Agency (ESA) the Permanent Scatterers (PS) technique, a multi-image interferometric approach, coupled with the interpretation of aerial-photos and optical satellite images, was carried out for landslide investigations. The PS analysis was applied at a regional scale as support for landslide inventory mapping and at local scale for the monitoring of single well-known slope movements. For the integration of the PS measurements within a landslide inventory the Arno river basin (Italy) was chosen as test site for the presence of a high number of mass movements (to date about 300 areas at high landslide risk and more than 27,000 individual landslides mapped by the institutional authorities). About 350 SAR images have been interferometrically processed by means of the PS technique, with the detection of about 600,000 PS. The use of optical images contributed spatial meaning to the point-wise information provided by the PS, making it easier to identify terrain features related to slope instability and the landslide boundaries. Here we describe the employed methodology and its impact in the updating of a preexisting landslide inventory. 6.8% of the total number of landslides were characterized by ground displacement measurements from the PS: 6.1% of already mapped landslides and 0.8% of new unstable areas detected through the PS analysis. Moreover, most of the PS are located in urban areas, showing that the proposed methodology is suitable for landslide mapping in areas with a quite high density of urbanization, but that over vegetated areas it still suffers from the limitations induced by the current space-borne SAR missions (e.g. temporal de-correlation). On the other hand, the use of InSAR for the monitoring of single slow landslides threatening built-up areas has provided satisfactory results, allowing the measurement of superficial deformations with high accuracy on the landslide sectors characterized by a good radar reflectivity and coherence.     

Crystallization conditions of Los Angeles, a basaltic Martian meteorite

The texture of Los Angeles (stone 1) is dominated by relatively large (0.5−2.0 mm) anhedral to subhedral grains of pyroxene, and generally subhedral to euhedral shocked plagioclase feldspar (maskelynite). Minor phases include subhedral titanomagnetite and ilmenite, Fe-rich olivine, olivine+augite-dominated symplectites [some of which include a Si-rich phase and some which do not], pyrrhotite, phosphate(s), and an impact shock-related alkali- and silica-rich glass closely associated with anhedral to euhedral silica grains. Observations and model calculations indicate that the initial crystallization of Mg-rich pigeonitic pyroxenes at ≤1150 °C, probably concomitantly with plagioclase, was followed by pigeonitic and augitic compositions between 1100 and 1050 °C whereas between 1050 and 920 to 905 °C pyroxene of single composition crystallized. Below 920 to 905 °C, single composition Fe-rich clinopyroxene exsolved to augite and pigeonite. Initial appearance of titanomagnetite probably occurred near 990 °C and FMQ-1.5 whereas at and below 990 °C and ≥FMQ-1.5 titanomagnetite and single composition Fe-rich clinopyroxene may have started to react, producing ilmenite and olivine. However, judging from the most common titanomagnetite compositions, we infer that most of this reaction likely occurred between 950 and 900 °C at FMQ-1.0±0.2 and nearly simultaneously with pyroxene exsolution, thus producing assemblages of pigeonite, titanomagnetite, olivine, ilmenite, and augite. We deem this reaction as the most plausible explanation for the formation of the olivine+augite-dominated symplectites in Los Angeles. But we cannot preclude possible contributions to the symplectites from the shock-related alkali- and silica-rich glass or shocked plagioclase, and the breakdown of Fe-rich pigeonite compositions to olivine+augite+silica below 900 °C. Reactions between Fe-Ti oxides and silicate minerals in Los Angeles and other similar basaltic Martian meteorites can control the T-fO₂ equilibration path during cooling, which may better explain the relative differences in fO₂ among the basaltic Martian meteorites.