Thermal stability of a layer with permeable boundaries and variable gravitational field

The aim of this paper is to investigate the thermal stability of a fluid layer with permeable boundaries and a variable gravitational field. It is observed that the principle of exchange of stabilities is valid when the layer is heated form below and the complex growth rate of an arbitrary oscillatory mode exists outside of a circle whose radius depends upon the permeability parameter, Prandtl number and wavelength of the mode. In the case of a layer heated from below, gravity increasing upward has a destabilizing effect whereas the permeability parameter has a stabilizing effect.     

The exact theory of inductive conductivity sensors for oceanographic application

The results of a general theoretical investigation of three commonly used types of inductive conductivity sensors, i.e., the single transformer, the double transformer, and the double transformer with an additional loop, are presented. The resulting formulas describe the dependence of the sensor output signal not only on the conductivity of the seawater but also on the parameters of the electrical circuit, among them the permeability of the transformer core(s), which-unlike the other parameters-shifts considerably during oceanographic in situ measurements. A mathematical discussion of these formulas shows that for certain circuit configurations, the sensor output is independent of changes in permeability. Most of these configurations form the basis of existing oceanographical conductivity sensors, among them the "classical" sensors developed by H. Hinkelmann [3], [4], and by N. L. Brown [14], while some others make evident further possibilities for eliminating the unwanted effects of shifting permeability. In the era of microelectronics, the latter might lead to a reassessment, especially of the single transformer-type sensor.     

Evolution of Electric Currents Associated with Two M-Class Flares

Using one-minute cadence vector magnetograms from Big Bear Solar Observatory (BBSO), we analyze the temporal behavior of derived longitudinal electric currents associated with two flares on July 26, 2002. One of the events is an M1.0 flare which occurred in active region NOAA 10044, while the other is an M8.7 flare in the adjacent region 10039. Rapid changes of magnetic fields in the form of flux emergence are found to be associated with both of these events. However, the temporal behavior of electric currents are very different. For the M1.0 flare, the longitudinal electric current density drops rapidly near the flaring neutral line; while for the M8.7 flare, the current density rapidly increases, confirming the picture of the current-carrying flux emergence. We offer a possible explanation for such a difference: magnetic reconnection at different heights for the two events, near the photosphere for the M1.0 flare, and higher up for the M8.7 flare.     

Nature of the Martian uplands: Effect on Martian meteorite age distribution and secondary cratering

Abstract— Martian meteorites (MMs) have been launched from an estimated 5–9 sites on Mars within the last 20 Myr. Some 80–89% of these launch sites sampled igneous rock formations from only the last 29% of Martian time. We hypothesize that this imbalance arises not merely from poor statistics, but because the launch processes are dominated by two main phenomena: first, much of the older Martian surface is inefficient in launching rocks during impacts, and second, the volumetrically enormous reservoir of original cumulate crust enhances launch probability for 4.5 Gyr old rocks. There are four lines of evidence for the first point, not all of equal strength. First, impact theory implies that MM launch is favored by surface exposures of near‐surface coherent rock (≤10² m deep), whereas Noachian surfaces generally should have ≥10² m of loose or weakly cemented regolith with high ice content, reducing efficiency of rock launch. Second, similarly, both Mars Exploration Rovers found sedimentary strata, 1–2 orders of magnitude weaker than Martian igneous rocks, favoring low launch efficiency among some fluvial‐derived Hesperian and Noachian rocks. Even if launched, such rocks may be unrecognized as meteorites on Earth. Third, statistics of MM formation age versus cosmic‐ray exposure (CRE) age weakly suggest that older surfaces may need larger, deeper craters to launch rocks. Fourth, in direct confirmation, one of us (N. G. B.) has found that older surfaces need larger craters to produce secondary impact crater fields (cf. Barlow and Block 2004). In a survey of 200 craters, the smallest Noachian, Hesperian, and Amazonian craters with prominent fields of secondaries have diameters of ?45 km, ?19 km, and ?10 km, respectively. Because 40% of Mars is Noachian, and 74% is either Noachian or Hesperian, the subsurface geologic characteristics of the older areas probably affect statistics of recognized MMs and production rates of secondary crater populations, and the MM and secondary crater statistics may give us clues to those properties.     

Metamorphic phase relations in orthopyroxene-bearing granitoids: implication for high-pressure metamorphism and prograde melting in the continental crust

In this work, the factors controlling the formation and preservation of high-pressure mineral assemblages in the metamorphosed orthopyroxene-bearing metagranitoids of the Sandmata Complex, Aravalli-Delhi Mobile Belt (ADMB), northwestern India have been modelled. The rocks range in composition from farsundite through quartz mangerite to opdalite, and with varying K₂O, Ca/(Ca + Na)_rock and FeO_tot + MgO contents. A two stage metamorphic evolution has been recorded in these rocks.
An early hydration event stabilized biotite with or without epidote at the expense of magmatic orthopyroxene and plagioclase. Subsequent high-pressure granulite facies metamorphism (∼15 kbar, ∼800 °C) of these hydrated rocks produced two rock types with contrasting mineralogy and textures. In the non-migmatitic metagranitoids, spectacular garnet ± K-feldspar ± quartz corona was formed around reacting biotite, plagioclase, quartz and/or pyroxene. In contrast, biotite ± epidote melting produced migmatites, containing porphyroblastic garnet incongruent solids and leucosomes.
Applying NCKFMASHTO T–M (H₂O) and P–T pseudosection modelling techniques, it is demonstrated that the differential response of these magmatic rocks to high-pressure metamorphism is primarily controlled by the scale of initial hydration. Rocks, which were pervasively hydrated, produced garnetiferous migmatites, while for limited hydration, the same metamorphism formed sub-solidus garnet-bearing coronae. Based on the sequence of mineral assemblage evolution and the mineral compositional zoning features in the two metagranitoids, a clockwise metamorphic P–T path is constrained for the high-pressure metamorphic event. The finding has major implications in formulating geodynamic model of crustal amalgamation in the ADMB.     

Central regions of the early-type galaxies in the NGC 3169 group

We have investigated the central regions of the galaxies in the NGC 3169/NGC 3166/NGC 3156 group with the multipupil fiber spectrograph of the 6-m telescope; the first (central) galaxy in the group is a spiral (Sa) one and the other two galaxies are lenticular ones. The group is known to have an extended HI cloud with a size of more than 100 kpc that is associated in its position, orientation, and rotation with the central galaxy NGC 3169. The mean age of the stellar populations in the centers of all three galaxies has been found to be approximately the same, ～1 Gyr. Since the galaxies are early-type ones and since NGC 3166 and NGC 3156 show no global star formation, we are dealing here with a synchronous star formation burst in the centers of all three galaxies.     

A synthesis map of the sky at 34.5 MHz

This paper describes a wide-field survey made at 34.5 MHz using GEETEE,1 the low frequency telescope at Gauribidanur (latitude 13°36′12′′N). This telescope was used in the transit mode and by per forming 1-D synthesis along the north-south direction the entire observable sky was mapped in a single day. This minimized the problems that hinder wide-field low-frequency mapping. This survey covers the declination range of-50° to + 70° (- 33° to +61° without aliasing) and the complete 24 hours of right ascension. The synthesized beam has a resolution of 26′ x 42′ sec (δ- 14°. 1). The sensitivity of the survey is 5 Jy/beam (1σ). Special care has been taken to ensure that the antenna responds to all angular scale structures and is suitable for studies of both point sources and extended objects This telescope is jointly operated by the Indian Institute of Astrophysics, Bangalore and the Roman Research Institute, Bangalore.