Trace element and isotopic studies of Permo-Carboniferous carbonate nodules from Talchir sediments of peninsular India: Environmental and provenance implications

Syngenetic carbonate nodules constitute an interesting feature of the glaciogene sediments of various Talchir basins in peninsular India. Petrographic, cathodoluminescence and sedimentary results suggest that many of these nodules contain primary carbonate precipitates whose geochemical signatures can be used for determining environment of deposition and provenance of the sediments and drainage source. Several nodules were collected from Gondwana basins of east-central India and analyzed for stable carbon and oxygen isotope ratios, REE and trace element composition, and Sr isotope ratio. The mean δ¹⁸O and δ¹³C values of the calcites in the nodules are — 19.5% and-9.7% (w.r.t. PDB) respectively suggesting a freshwater environment (probably lacustrine) for formation of these objects. Trace element ratios (Eu/Eu * and La/Yb) of the nodule samples show that the source of the sediments in the Damodar valley basin was the granites, gneisses and intrusives in the Chotanagpur region. The sediments in the Mahanadi valley were derived from granulites, charnockites and granites of the eastern ghat region. The Sr concentration of the carbonate phase of the nodules is low, ranging from 10–60 ng/g. The⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of the samples from the west Bokaro basin and Ramgarh basin vary from 0.735 to 0.748 (mean: 0.739) and from 0.726 to 0.733 (mean: 0.730) respectively. These values are consistent with our proposition that water of these basins drained through the granitic rocks of the Chotanagpur region. In contrast, the⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios of the samples from the Talchir basin (Type area) of Mahanadi valley vary from 0.718 to 0.723 (mean: 0.719). These⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr ratios are close to those of the granulites in the adjoining eastern ghat belt suggesting that area as the drainage source.     

The new intermediate polar RX J1238 − 38: a system below the period gap?

We present optical observations of the recently discovered ROSAT source RX J1238 − 38, which is a new member of the intermediate polar class of asynchronous magnetic cataclysmic variables (CVs). Optical photometry reveals two coherent periodicities at 1860 and 2147 s respectively, with similar amplitudes of ∼ 8 per cent. Infrared ( J -band) intensity variations are detected only at the 1860-s period, at an amplitude of ∼ 15 per cent. The initial hypothesis, that these two periods were the spin and synodic (i.e., beat) period respectively, appears not to be supported by the spectroscopic data. The emission lines vary on the longer photometric period, and radial velocity variations are detected at this period and at a longer period of ∼ 5300 s, which we identify as the spin and orbital periods respectively. The most likely explanation for the 1860-s period is that it is the first harmonic of the ω − Ω sideband, leading to an improved determination of the orbital period as 5077 s (= 84 min). If this interpretation is correct, RX J1238 − 38 joins EX Hya as the only other intermediate polar below the 2–3 h period gap, and with an orbital period close to the minimum for CVs with non-degenerate secondaries. The spin-modulated emission-line radial velocities and widths appear to be anticorrelated, with maximum width occurring at maximum blueshift. Such an anticorrelation is expected for aspect changes of accretion curtains. Polarimetric observations of RX J1238 − 38 were inconclusive, although we can put a limit of 0.4 per cent on any variability on the circular polarization, and certainly there is no indication of variations at the photometric or spectroscopic periods.