Evidence for surface variegation in Rosetta OSIRIS images of asteroid 2867 Šteins

The OSIRIS camera onboard Rosetta successfully acquired images of asteroid 2867 Steins through a variety of color filters during the flyby on 5 September 2008. The best images of this 5 km diameter asteroid have a resolution of 78 m per pixel. We process the images by deconvolving with the point spread function and enlarging through the Mitchell-Netravali filter. The enhanced set is analyzed by means of various techniques (PCA, band ratios, stereo anaglyphs) to study surface morphology and search for variegation. We identify a landslide, which supports a YORP origin for Steins’ unusual diamond shape. In addition, we find that the interior of one of two large craters on the south pole is bluer than the rest of the body.     

Taxon-specific δ13C analysis of chitinous invertebrate remains in sediments from Strandsjön,Sweden

Taxon-specific stable carbon isotope (δ¹³C) analysis of chitinous remains of invertebrates can provide valuable information about the carbon sources used by invertebrates living in specific habitats of lake ecosystems (for example, sediments, water column, or aquatic vegetation). This is complementary to δ¹³C of sedimentary organic matter (SOM), which provides an integrated signal of organic matter produced in a lake and its catchment, and of diagenetic processes within sediments. In a sediment record from Strandsjön (Sweden) covering the past circa 140 years, we analyzed SOM geochemistry (δ¹³C, C:N_atomic, organic carbon content) and δ¹³C of chitinous invertebrate remains in order to examine whether taxon-specific δ¹³C records could be developed for different invertebrate groups and whether these analyses provide insights into past changes of organic carbon sources for lacustrine invertebrates available in benthic and planktonic compartments of the lake. Invertebrate taxa included benthic chironomids (Chironomus, Chironomini excluding Chironomus, Tanytarsini, and Tanypodinae), filter-feeders on suspended particulate organic matter (Daphnia, Plumatella and Cristatella mucedo), and Rhabdocoela. δ¹³C of chironomid remains indicated periodic availability of ¹³C-depleted carbon sources in the benthic environment of the lake as δ¹³C values of the different chironomid taxa fluctuated simultaneously between ?34.7 and ?30.5 ‰ (VPDB). Daphnia and Bryozoa showed parallel changes in their δ¹³C values which did not coincide with variations in δ¹³C of chironomids, though, and a 2–3 ‰ decrease since circa AD 1960. The decrease in δ¹³C of Daphnia and Bryozoa could indicate a decrease in phytoplankton δ¹³C as a result of lower lake productivity, which is in accordance with historical information about the lake that suggests a shift to less eutrophic conditions after AD 1960. In contrast, Rhabdocoela cocoons were characterized by relatively high δ¹³C values (?30.4 to ?28.2 ‰) that did not show a strong temporal trend, which could be related to the predatory feeding mode and wide prey spectrum of this organism group. The taxon-specific δ¹³C analyses of invertebrate remains indicated that different carbon sources were available for the benthic chironomid larvae than for the filter-feeding Daphnia and bryozoans. Our results therefore demonstrate that taxon-specific analysis of δ¹³C of organic invertebrate remains can provide complementary information to measurements on bulk SOM and that δ¹³C of invertebrate remains may allow the reconstruction of past changes in carbon sources and their δ¹³C in different habitats of lake ecosystems.     

Comparison of soil solution chemistry sampled by centrifugation, two types of suction lysimeters and zero-tension lysimeters

The choice of sampling method for soil solution is of great importance. In this paper soil solution chemistry sampled by centrifugation, two types of suction lysimeters and zero-tension lysimeters have been studied with the purpose of investigating systematic differences between them. The samples were taken at 4 depths from an acidified forest soil as well as from adjacent lime and ash treated soils. A centrifugation drainage method was compared with two types of suction lysimeters (‘Rhizon’ and ‘Prenart’) and zero-tension lysimeters. About half of the 27 variables measured showed a significant difference between the sampling methods used. Typically the centrifuged samples had lower pH (4.0 vs. 4.4), Ca (21 μM vs. 30 μM) and Mg (25 μM vs. 34 μM) concentrations and higher Cl (330 μM vs. 230 μM) and DOC (4.4 mM vs. 3.2 mM) concentrations than the Rhizon lysimeters. Also the other lysimeters showed significant differences compared to the centrifuged samples for about half the number of analytes. Centrifuged samples had higher concentrations of all analytes except NO₃ and PO₄ compared to zero-tension lysimeters and also for all analytes except NO₃ and Al compared to Prenart lysimeters. Among the environmental factors considered depth showed an influence to some extent, while sampling occasion had a great significant impact on the difference between the centrifugation method and the Rhizon lysimeters. Factors like individual pits or soil treatment did not show any influence on the difference between the methods.     

Effect of hematite on thiosulphate leaching of gold

Hematite, as a typical iron oxide slime in sulphide ore slurries, was artificially added into the leaching systems of pure gold and a sulphide ore respectively, in an attempt to investigate the effect of iron oxide slimes on the ammoniacal thiosulphate leaching of gold. The presence of hematite significantly reduced the dissolution of gold and this detrimental effect became more pronounced with increasing hematite concentration. Hematite formed coatings on gold surfaces, which could prevent leach solution from diffusing to the gold surfaces and hence, inhibit gold dissolution. Hematite catalysed the oxidative decomposition of thiosulphate to polythionates with oxygen present. XPS studies indicated a thin layer of iron oxide coating as well as the deposition of some copper and sulphur species on gold surfaces. SEM images revealed a lesser extent of corrosion for gold after leaching in the presence of hematite. The gold extraction from the sulphide ore was reduced with the addition of hematite and this effect became more noticeable with an addition of hematite at a higher concentration. A natural guar type surfactant (Gempolym M47) reduced the detrimental effect of hematite on gold extraction likely due to the prevention of hematite coating on gold and mineral particles and the dispersion of the mineral slurry. Gempolym M47 stabilised thiosulphate by weakening the interaction between cupric ions and thiosulphate and by minimising the catalytic effect of hematite on thiosulphate decomposition.     

Chronostratigraphy and paleoclimatic meaning of cryogenic deformations in the Central European loess

Cryoturbations in loess reflect cold and wet environments but not necessarily permafrost. Only flat bottomed cryoturbations are indicative of it. Outside the permafrost zone they occur during the wet period of the last glaciation: during the early Weichselian, the lower pleniglacial, the end of the middle pleniglacial and the late glacial. Their morphology ist related to the frost susceptibility of the superimposed layers, expressed in form of differential frost heaving, ruled by the drainage quality and the frost susceptibility gradient. Their diagenesis is discussed.     

The radial velocity of the companion star in the low-mass X-ray binary 2S 0921–630: limits on the mass of the compact object

In this paper we report on optical spectroscopic observations of the low-mass X-ray binary 2S 0921–630 obtained with the Very Large Telescope. We found sinusoidal radial velocity variations of the companion star with a semi-amplitude of  99.1 ± 3.1 km s⁻¹  modulated on a period of 9.006 ± 0.007 d, consistent with the orbital period found previously for this source, and a systemic velocity of  44.4 ± 2.4 km s⁻¹  . Owing to X-ray irradiation, the centre of light measured by the absorption lines from the companion star is probably shifted with respect to the centre of mass. We try to correct for this using the so-called K -correction. Conservatively applying the maximum correction possible and using the previously measured rotational velocity of the companion star, we find a lower limit to the mass of the compact object in 2S 0921–630 of   M_X sin³ i > 1.90 ± 0.25 M_⊙  (1σ errors). The inclination in this system is well constrained since partial eclipses have been observed in X-ray and optical bands. For inclinations in the range  60° < i < 90°  we find  1.90 ± 0.25 < M_X < 2.9 ± 0.4 M_⊙  . However, using this maximum K -correction we find that the ratio between the mass of the companion star and that of the compact object, q , is 1.32 ± 0.37, implying super-Eddington mass-transfer rates; however, evidence for that has not been found in 2S 0921–630. We conclude that the compact object in 2S 0921–630 is either a (massive) neutron star or a low-mass black hole.