The magnetic-field geometry in polar ray structures of the solar corona

Variations in the positions of the intersection points of tangents to ray structures in the polar corona of the Sun during the solar cycle are considered. At first glance, the decrease in the distance q between the tangent intersection point and the center of the solar disk during activity maximum contradicts harmonic analyses that indicate that the relative weight of higher harmonics in the global field increases during this period. Indeed, the higher the harmonic number in an axisymmetric field, the closer the intersection point of the field-line tangents (the magnetic focus) to the solar surface. It is shown that q for a field composed of two harmonics with opposite polarities at the poles can be smaller than q for either of them taken alone. A simple model representing the global field using the third and seventh harmonics is analyzed; this model can reproduce quite satisfactorily the observed dynamics of magnetic foci of the polar field.     

Observed features of a two-phase stellar wind from WR 136 in the vicinity of NGC 6888

A number of features are detected outside the nebula NGC 6888, within 1.2° (30 pc) of the star WR 136, which can be explained in a two-phase stellar-wind model. These include regions with fine filamentary gas structure that do not contain sources of stellar wind, extended radial “streams,” ultra-compact HII regions with high-velocity gas motions, and high-velocity gas motions outside the envelope of NGC 6888. The two-phase wind consists of a rarefied component and dense compact condensations, or “bullets.” The bullets generate cylindrical shocks in the interstellar gas, resulting in the presence of high-velocity gas up 20–30 pc from the star, outside the cavity formed by the rarified component of the wind.     

Near-polar starspots and polar dynamo waves

A possible mechanism for the formation of near-polar magnetic spots on some stars with convective envelopes is proposed. The mechanism is based on the idea that the maximum of the dynamo waves that are excited in thin convective shells by the dynamo mechanism is shifted appreciably from the maximum of the magnetic-field sources in the direction of motion of the dynamo wave. If there is no region of super-rotation near the equator for some reason (as a consequence of disruption due to tidal interaction with a companion in a binary system, for example) and the wave of stellar activity propagates toward the poles rather than toward the equator, this maximum will be in the near-polar regions.     

Massive close binary stars and gamma-ray bursts

We analyze the observed parameters of massive extremely close binaries containing Wolf-Rayet stars and black holes, and identify those systems whose supernova outbursts lead to the formation of rapidly rotating Kerr black holes. It is proposed that the formation of such a black hole is accompanied by a strong gamma-ray burst. Several types of observed systems satisfy the conditions necessary for the formation of a Kerr black hole: BH+WR, BH+OB, WR+O, and BH+K,M.     

Analysis of a high-amplitude event in component A of the gravitational lens QSO 2237+0305

We present an analysis of a high-amplitude event in the flux curve of component A of the gravitational lens QSO 2237+0305 observed by the OGLE and GLITP groups in autumn 1999. Hypothesizing this event to be associated with microlensing of a fold caustic, we analyzed the observational data using a method for the successive reconstruction of branches of the one-dimensional strip brightness distribution across the source corresponding to positive and negative arguments. The search for the branches was carried out on compact sets of nonnegative, monotonically nonincreasing, convex downward functions. The resulting shape of the strip brightness distribution for the accretion disk of the quasar is in agreement with results obtained earlier via model fitting. Features in the lensing curve that could be associated with curvature of the caustic, nearness of a cusp, or the influence of nearby caustics are noted.     

Mantle Xenoliths from the Southeastern Slave Craton: Evidence for Chemical Zonation in a Thick, Cold Lithosphere

We present the first data on the petrology of the mantle lithosphereof the Southeastern (SE) Slave craton, Canada. These are basedon petrographic, mineralogical and geochemical studies of mantlexenoliths in Pipe 5034 of the Cambrian Gahcho Kué kimberlitecluster. Major types of mantle xenoliths include altered eclogite,coarse garnet or spinel peridotite, and deformed garnet peridotite.The peridotites belong to the low-temperature suite and formedat T=600–1300°C and P= 25–80 kbar in a thick(at least 220–250 km), cool lithosphere. The SE Slavemantle is cooler than the mantle of other Archaean cratons andthat below other terranes of the Slave craton. The thick lithosphereand the relatively cool thermal regime provide favourable conditionsfor formation and preservation of diamonds beneath the SE Slaveterrane. Similar to average Archaean mantle worldwide, the SESlave peridotite is depleted in magmaphile major elements andcontains olivine with forsterite content of 91–93·5.With respect to olivine composition and mode, all terranes ofthe Slave mantle show broadly similar compositions and are relativelyorthopyroxene-poor compared with those of the Kaapvaal and Siberiancratons. The SE Slave spinel peridotite is poorer in Al, Caand Fe, and richer in Mg than deeper garnet peridotite. Thegreater chemical depletion of the shallow upper mantle is typicalof all terranes of the Slave craton and may be common for thesubcontinental lithospheric peridotitic mantle in general. Peridotiticxenoliths of the SE Slave craton were impregnated by kimberliticfluids that caused late-stage recrystallization of primary clinopyroxene,spinel, olivine and spinel-facies orthopyroxene, and formationof interstitial clinopyroxene. This kimberlite-related recrystallizationdepleted primary pyroxenes and spinel in Al. The kimberliticfluid was oxidizing, Ti-, Fe- and K-rich, and Na-poor, and introducedserpentine, chlorite, phlogopite and spinel into peridotitesat P < 35 kbar. KEY WORDS: kimberlite xenolith; lithosphere; mantle terrane; chemical zoning; thermobarometry; Slave craton     

A Sequence of Pan-African and Hercynian Events Recorded in Zircons from an Orthogneiss from the Hercynian Belt of Western Central Iberia--an Ion Microprobe U-Pb Study

Sensitive high-resolution ion microprobe U–Pb dating showsthat a biotite orthogneiss from the Hercynian belt of westerncentral Iberia contains 1000–300 Ma zircon. Older, 1000–570Ma ages within this range represent inherited, detrital materialamong which four age components may be recognized:     

Indicator Simulation Accounting for Multiple-Point Statistics

Geostatistical simulation aims at reproducing the variability of the real underlying phenomena. When nonlinear features or large-range connectivity is present, the traditional variogram-based simulation approaches do not provide good reproduction of those features. Connectivity of high and low values is often critical for grades in a mineral deposit. Multiple-point statistics can help to characterize these features. The use of multiple-point statistics in geostatistical simulation was proposed more than 10 years ago, on the basis of the use of training images to extract the statistics. This paper proposes the use of multiple-point statistics extracted from actual data. A method is developed to simulate continuous variables. The indicator kriging probabilities used in sequential indicator simulation are modified by probabilities extracted from multiple-point configurations. The correction is done under the assumption of conditional independence. The practical implementation of the method is illustrated with data from a porphyry copper mine.     

The 1.80–1.74-Ga gabbro–anorthosite–rapakivi Korosten Pluton in the Ukrainian Shield: a 3-D geophysical reconstruction of deep structure

The deep structure of the gabbro–anorthosite–rapakivi granite (“AMCG-type”) Korosten Pluton (KP) in the northwestern Ukrainian Shield was studied by 3-D modelling of the gravity and magnetic fields together with previous seismic data. The KP occupies an area of ca. 12,500 km² and comprises several layered gabbro-anorthositic intrusions enveloped by large volumes of rapakivi-type granitoids. Between 1.80 and 1.74 Ga, the emplacement of mafic and associated granitoid melts took place in several pulses. The 3-D geophysical reconstruction included: (a) modelling of the density distribution in the crust using the observed Bouguer anomaly field constrained by seismic data on Moho depth, and (b) modelling of the magnetic anomaly field in order to outline rock domains of various magnetisation, size and shape in the upper and lower crust. The density modelling was referred to three depth levels of 0 to 5, 5 to 18, and 18 km to Moho, respectively. The 3-D reconstruction demonstrates close links between the subsurface geology of the KP and the structure of the lower crust. The existence of a non-magnetic body with anomalously high seismic velocity and density is documented. Most plausibly, it represents a gabbroic stock (a parent magma chamber) with a vertical extent of ca. 20 km, penetrating the entire lower crust. This stock has a half-cylindrical shape and a diameter of ca. 90 km. It appears to be connected with a crust–mantle transitional lens previously discovered by EUROBRIDGE seismic profiling. The position of the stock relative to the subsurface outlines of the KP is somewhat asymmetric. This may be due to a connection between the magmatism and sets of opposite-dipping faults initially developed during late Palaeoproterozoic collisional deformation in the Sarmatian crustal segment. Continuing movements and disturbances of the upper mantle and the lower crust during post-collisional tectonic events between 1.80 and 1.74 Ga may account for the long-lived, recurrent AMCG magmatism.