Predicted Planck extragalactic point-source catalogue

An estimation of the number and amplitude (in flux) of the extragalactic point sources that will be observed by the Planck Mission is presented in this paper. The study is based on the Mexican Hat wavelet formalism introduced by Cayón et al. Simulations at Planck observing frequencies are analysed, taking into account all the possible cosmological, Galactic and extragalactic emissions together with noise. With the technique used in this work, the Planck Mission will produce a catalogue of extragalactic point sources above the following flux values: 1.03 Jy (857 GHz), 0.53 Jy (545 GHz), 0.28 Jy (353 GHz), 0.24 Jy (217 GHz), 0.32 Jy (143 GHz), 0.41 Jy (100 GHz, high-frequency instrument), 0.34 Jy (100 GHz, low-frequency instrument), 0.57 Jy (70 GHz), 0.54 Jy (44 GHz) and 0.54 Jy (30 GHz), which are only slightly model dependent (see text). Amplitudes of these sources are estimated with errors below ∼15 per cent. Moreover, we also provide a complete catalogue (for the point-source simulations analysed) with errors in the estimation of the amplitude below ∼10 per cent. In addition we discuss the possibility of identifying different point-source populations in the Planck catalogue by estimating their spectral indices.     

LS I +61 303 as a potential neutrino source on the light of magic results

Very high energy γ-rays have recently been detected from the microquasar LS I +61 303 using the MAGIC telescope. A phenomenological study on the concomitant neutrinos that would be radiated if the γ-ray emission is hadronic in origin is herein presented. Neutrino oscillations are considered, and the expected number of events in a km-scale detector such as ICECUBE is computed under different assumptions including orbital periodicity and modulation, as well as different precision in the modeling of the detector. We argue that the upper limits already imposed on the neutrino emission of LS I +61 303 using AMANDA-II and the forthcoming measurements by ICECUBE may significantly constrain – in an independent and unbiased way – the γ-ray to neutrino flux ratio, and thus the possibility of a hadronic origin of the γ-rays. The viability of hadronic models based on wind–jet interactions in the LS +61 303 system after MAGIC measurements is discussed.     

The Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect as a cosmological discriminator

We show how future measurements of the Sunyaev–Zel'dovich effect (SZE) can be used to constrain the cosmological parameters. We combine the SZ information expected from the Planck full-sky survey, N ( S ), where no redshift information is included, with the N ( z ) obtained from an optically identified SZ-selected survey covering less than 1 per cent of the sky. We demonstrate how with a small subsample (≈300 clusters) of the whole SZ catalogue observed optically it is possible to reduce the degeneracy among the cosmological parameters drastically. We have studied the requirements for performing the optical follow-up and we show the feasibility of such a project. Finally, we have compared the cluster expectations for Planck with those expected for Newton–XMM during their lifetimes. It is shown that, owing to its larger sky coverage, Planck will detect a factor of ∼5 times more clusters than Newton–XMM and also provide a larger redshift coverage.     

THE METEOR FLUX: IT DEPENDS HOW YOU LOOK

In this paper, we use radar observations from a 50 MHz radar stationed near Salinas, Puerto Rico, to study the variability of specular as well as non-specular meteor trails in the E-region ionosphere. The observations were made from 18:00 to 08:00 h AST over various days in 1998 and 1999 during the Coqui II Campaign [Urbina et al., 2000, Geophys. Rev. Lett. 27, 2853–2856]. The radar system had two sub-arrays, both produced beams pointed to the north in the magnetic meridian plane, perpendicular to the magnetic field, at an elevation angle of approximately 41 degrees. The Coqui II radar is sensitive to at least two types of echoes from meteor trails: (1) Specular reflections from trails oriented perpendicular to the radar beam, and (2) scattering, or, non-specular reflections, from trails deposited with arbitrary orientations. We examine and compare the diurnal and seasonal variability of echoes from specular and non-specular returns observed with the Coqui II radar. We also compare these results with meteor head echo observations made with the Arecibo 430 MHz radar. We use common region observations of these three types of meteor echoes to show that the diurnal and seasonal variability of specular trails, non-specular trails, and head echoes are not equivalent. The implications of these results on global meteor mass flux estimates obtained from specular meteor observations remains to be examined.     

3D Marchenko applications: implementation and examples

We implement the 3D Marchenko equations to retrieve responses to virtual sources inside the subsurface. For this, we require reflection data at the surface of the Earth that contain no free-surface multiples and are densely sampled in space. The required 3D reflection data volume is very large and solving the Marchenko equations requires a significant amount of computational cost. To limit the cost, we apply floating point compression to the reflection data to reduce their volume and the loading time from disk. We apply the Marchenko implementation to numerical reflection data to retrieve accurate Green's functions inside the medium and use these reflection data to apply imaging. This requires the simulation of many virtual source points, which we circumvent using virtual plane-wave sources instead of virtual point sources. Through this method, we retrieve the angle-dependent response of a source from a depth level rather than of a point. We use these responses to obtain angle-dependent structural images of the subsurface, free of contamination from wrongly imaged internal multiples. These images have less lateral resolution than those obtained using virtual point sources, but are more efficiently retrieved.     

Geochemistry and Provenance of Springs in a Baja California Sur Mountain Catchment

Fractured rock aquifers cover much of Earth's surface and are important mountain sites for groundwater recharge but are poorly understood. To investigate groundwater systematics of a fractured-dominated aquifer in Baja California Sur, Mexico, we examined the spatial patterns of aquifer recharge and connectivity using the geochemistry of springs. We evaluate a range of geochemical data within the context of two endmember hypotheses describing spatial recharge patterns and fracture connectivity. Hypothesis 1 is that the aquifer system is segmented, and springs are fed by local recharge. Hypothesis 2 is that the aquifer system is well connected, with dominant recharge occurring in the higher elevations. The study site is a small <15 km² catchment. Thirty-four distinct springs and two wells were identified in the study area, and 24 of these sites were sampled for geochemical analyses along an elevation gradient and canyon transect. These analyses included major ion composition, trace element and strontium isotopes, δ¹⁸O and δ²H isotopes, radiocarbon, and tritium. δ¹⁸O and δ²H isotopes suggest that the precipitation feeding the groundwater system has at least two distinct sources. Carbon isotopes showed a change along the canyon transect, suggesting that shorter flowpaths feed springs in the top of the transect, and longer flowpaths discharge near the bottom. Geochemical interpretations support a combination of the two proposed hypotheses. Understanding of the connectivity and provenance of these springs is significant as they are the primary source of water for the communities that inhabit this region and may be impacted by changes in recharge and use.     

Hydroid assemblages from the Southwestern Atlantic Ocean (34–42° S)

This paper provides updated taxonomic knowledge about hydrozoan species and provides ecological information including geographical and bathymetric distributions and biological substrata for the various hydroid assemblages from the Sub-Antarctic Biogeographical Region, mainly Buenos Aires and the Uruguayan coasts. Five of the 41 species found are new records for the study region. Thirty-one species (75.6%), all found at depths of less than 80 m, have cosmopolitan distributions. Biodiversity decreased markedly below 80 m depth, where nine species (≈22%) distributed in the Southern hemisphere and one endemic species (2.4%) were found. Most species were non-specific epizoites, occurring on diverse substrata. A non-parametric multivariate similarity analysis revealed nine species groups that were correlated with large-scale and local oceanographic patterns and with the availability of suitable substrata. The main hydroid substrata for eight of the groups were cnidarians, molluscs (mainly blue mussels), quartzite rocks and sponges. In a single group found in Patagonian scallop beds, the main biological substrata were polychaete tubes, other hydroids and scallops.     

Diagenetic evolution of lower Jurassic platform carbonates flanking the Tazoult salt wall (Central High Atlas,Morocco)

Platform carbonates diagenesis in salt basins could be complex due to potential alterations of fluids related and non-related to diapirism. This paper presents the diagenetic history of the Hettangian to Pliensbachian platform carbonates from the Tazoult salt wall area (central High Atlas, Morocco). Low structural relief and outcrop conditions allowed to define the entire diagenetic evolution occurred in the High Atlas diapiric basins since early stages of the diapiric activity up to their tectonic inversion. Precipitation of dolomite and calcite from both warmed marine-derived and meteoric fluids characterised diagenetic stages during Pliensbachian, when the carbonate platforms were exposed and karstified. Burial diagenesis occurred from Toarcian to Middle Jurassic, due to changes of salt-induced dynamic related to increase in siliciclastic input, fast diapir rise and rapid burial of Pliensbachian platforms. During this stage, the diapir acted as a physical barrier for fluid circulation between the core and the flanking sediments. In the carbonates and breccias flanking the structures, dolomite and calcite precipitated from basinal brines, whereas carbonate slivers located in the core of the structure, were affected by the circulation of Mn-rich fluids. The final diagenetic event is characterised by the income of meteoric fluids into the system during uplift caused by Alpine orogeny. These results highlight the relevant influence of diapirism on the diagenetic modifications in salt-related basins in terms of diagenetic events and involved fluids.