Distribution of early-type stars and dusty matter in the direction of the stellar cluster NGC 1893

The distribution of 255 O-B9-A2, K-G stars and interstellar dust in the direction of the stellar cluster NGC 1893 is studied using V, B-V, and U-B photometric data. Sixteen groups of stars (associations) are discovered at various distances. The first group includes 9 stars of different spectral classes of later types in the sun’s neighborhood lying at a distance of 110 pc. The next 3 groups, at distances of 420, 890, and 14300 pc, are type B associations and the remaining twelve groups are OB associations. They are designated as Aur 0.11, Aur B 0.43, Aur B 0.89, Aur OB 1.4, Aur OB 2.6, AurOB 3.8, Aur OB 4.6, Aur OB 5.4, Aur OB 6.1, Aur OB 7.4, Aur OB 9.3, Aur OB11.6, Aur OB14.3, Aur OB 17.9, Aur OB 25.9, and Aur OB 31.3. For most of these stars the absorption lies within the range from 0m.45 to 5m.41. Such high absorption may be caused by circumstellar absorption as well as by the diffuse nebula IC 410. The dusty matter is distributed nonuniformly in the Aur 0.11, Aur B 0.43, and Aur B 0.89 associations. There is no dust in the space between the associations. There is essentially no dust within the groups (associations) at distances greater than 0.9 kpc. (See Table 2.) __________ Translated from Astrofizika, Vol. 50, No. 2, pp. 243–251 (May 2007).     

Analysis of the spectral features of a recent supernova 1987n

We present an attempt to analyse the spectra of SN 1987n in NGC 7606, covering a period of 10 days from the time of maximum brightness. The velocities in the rest frame of NGC 7606 and the depths of the spectral lines at maximum light are very close to those of SN 1981b in NGC 4536, slight differences being nevertheless present. A distance to NGC 7606 of 46±11 Mpc for anH ₀ value of 50 km s^–1 Mpc^–1 is inferred from Pskovskii's relation.The analysis carried out within a standard simple model of spectral synthesis involves a high uncertainty in the abundance determinations for the intermediate-mass elements quoted. This uncertainty arises on the one hand from the free choice of the excitation temperature and from the sensitivity to changes in the excitation temperature of the depths of the strongest lines of those elements and, on the other hand, from the impossibility of obtaining within this model an estimate of other abundances — He, O, Na, S — which have NLTE populations.The analysis developed in a new model based (as is the standard one) on Sobolev's approximation but allowing for a more realistic continuum treatment points to an important attenuation effect on the radiation in the lines, due to the continuum scattering, which can also affect abundance determinations.     

Adsorption of copper, nickel and lead ions from synthetic semiconductor industrial wastewater by palm shell activated carbon

Granular activated carbon produced from palm kernel shell was used as adsorbent to remove copper, nickel and lead ions from a synthesized industrial wastewater.Laboratory experimental investigation was carried out to identify the effect of pH and contact time on adsorption of lead, copper and nickel from the mixed metals solution. Equilibrium adsorption experiments at ambient room temperature were carried out and fitted to Langmuir and Freundlich models. Results showed that pH 5 was the most suitable, while the maximum adsorbent capacity was at a dosage of 1 g/L, recording a sorption capacity of 1.337 mg/g for lead, 1.581 mg/g for copper and 0.130 mg/g for nickel. The percentage metal removal approached equilibrium within 30 min for lead, 75 min for copper and nickel, with lead recording 100 %, copper 97 % and nickel 55 % removal, having a trend of Pb²⁺ > Cu²⁺ > Ni²⁺. Langmuir model had higher R² values of 0.977, 0.817 and 0.978 for copper, nickel and lead respectively, which fitted the equilibrium adsorption process more than Freundlich model for the three metals.     

Ar–Ar age determinations of eclogitic clinopyroxene and garnet inclusions in diamonds from the Venetia and Orapa kimberlites

Ar–Ar age measurements are reported for selected eclogitic clinopyroxene and garnet inclusions in Orapa diamonds and clinopyroxene inclusions in Venetia diamonds. Laser drilling of encapsulated clinopyroxene inclusions within Venetia diamonds released a maximum of 3% of the total ⁴⁰Ar, indicating little diffusive transfer and storage of radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar at the diamond–inclusion boundary. Apparent ages obtained during stepped heating of three diamonds are consistent with diamond crystallisation occurring just prior to the kimberlite eruption 520 Ma ago. Stepped heating of three clinopyroxene-bearing Orapa diamonds gave ages of 906–1032 Ma, significantly above the eruption age, but consistent with previously determined isotopic ages. A few higher apparent ages hint at the presence an older generation of Orapa diamonds that formed >2500 Ma ago. Orapa garnets also contain measurable K contents, and record a range of ages between 1000 and 2500 Ma. The old apparent ages and lack of significant interface ⁴⁰Ar released by the laser probe, suggests that pre-eruption radiogenic ⁴⁰Ar and mantle-derived ⁴⁰Ar components are trapped in microinclusions within the pyroxene and garnet inclusions.     

Investigation of ammonia removal from polluted waters by Clinoptilolite zeolite

Ammonia nitrogen compounds in the wastewaters and effluents have harmful effects on water resources. Ion exchange with zeolites is a separation process for ammonia removal from effluents. The objective of this research was to study the efficiency of an ammonia removal and the factor affecting to this process. The Clinoptilolite was obtained from Semnan mines at the north part of Iran. The samples were grounded and sieved based on the U.S. standard mesh number 20, 30, 40 and conditioned by ammonia sulfate and sodium chloride solutions. The characteristics of samples for ammonia removal and the selectivity sequence for adsorbing interfering cations were then determined. Results shown that the average ion exchange capacity of zeolite in batch and continuous systems were 6.65–16 and 16.31–19.5 mg NH₄ ⁺ /g zeolite weight, respectively. In study on the zeolite for selective cations showed the ranking of K⁺, NH₄ ⁺, Na⁺, Ca²⁺ and Mg²⁺ respectively. Results indicated that high level of regeneration (95–98%) might be achieved with NaCl solution. Based on the results, Clinoptilolite may be effective applied in wastewater treatment, both from technical and economical aspects.     

An 40Ar/39Ar study of a polymetamorphic complex in the Arunta Block,Central Australia

A polymetamorphic complex in the Arunta Block, Central Australia, which has undergone metasomatism involving introduction of Rb and loss of Sr has been investigated by ⁴⁰Ar/ ³⁹Ar step and total-degassing techniques in an attempt to date five metamorphic events (M1–M5) identified microstructurally. The complex isotopic data and apparent age spectra obtained have been interpreted in the light of constraints provided by an associated tectonometamorphic study, together with independent geochronological controls from the immediate study area and elsewhere in the Arunta Block. This has led to the delineation of ages of 1,780–1,820 M.y. for M1, 1,690–1,720 M.y. for M2, 1,450–1,500 M.y. for M3, 1,030–1,060 M.y. for M4 and 370–510 for M5. The polyphase M5 event is correlated with the Alice Springs Orogeny, previously accorded younger age limits of 330–370 M.y. The latter are interpreted to reflect closure of mica K/Ar systems as uplift continued subsequent to the close of the event, possibly culminating in minor high-level brittle deformation and the development of pseudotachylytes in the study area.Apparent age spectra recorded in this study do not all conform with generally accepted patterns of behaviour of mineral systems which have undergone polythermal histories. Two hornblendes have survived subsequent high temperature metasomatic reheating without loss of argon or resetting of their ages. Their resistance to argon loss may be attributable to low water contents, due to their growth under anhydrous granulite facies conditions, and may reflect a relationship between argon loss from hornblende and the water content of hornblende, which decreases with increasing metamorphic grade (Kostyuk and Sobolev 1969). Other samples display false plateaux in their apparent age spectra and in three cases the spectra are indistinguishable from those of undisturbed spectra.The age data recorded in this study suggest that during basement reactivation loss of argon is mainly confined to the vicinity of shear zones, implying that diffusion of argon from minerals in the deep crust may be dependent more on deformation than on reheating. However, thermal activity may also be associated with active shear zones, through the medium of superheated fluids streaming up the shear zones from below. The wide spread of K/Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar ages (330–510 M.y.), recorded for the Alice Springs Orogeny in the Arunta basement, may reflect such controls.     

Groundwater mixing in a sand-island freshwater lens: density-dependent flow and stratigraphic controls

This paper focuses on a small back-barrier sand-island on the southeast coast of Queensland. The freshwater lens in the study area exhibits anomalously high short-range salinity gradients at shallow depths, which cannot be explained using a standard seawater intrusion model. The island groundwater system consists of two aquifers: a semiconfined aquifer hosting saline to hypersaline groundwater and an overlying unconfined freshwater aquifer. The deeper aquifer is semiconfined within an incised paleovalley, and groundwater flow is restricted to an east – west direction. Tidal response observations show that the tidal signal propagates far more rapidly and is of much higher magnitude in the semiconfined aquifer than the unconfined aquifer. The tidal wave-pulse amplitude is also subject to greater attenuation in the unconfined aquifer. A conceptual hydrogeological model illustrates how upwelling of hypersaline groundwater, induced by density-dependent flow and tidal pumping, has contaminated the shallow groundwater resource. Salinisation at shallow depths is restricted to an area proximal to the paleovalley aquifer. The spatial distribution of lithological heterogeneity is an initial limiting control on the movement of the upwelling saline plume. The extent of shallow groundwater contamination is also limited by the presence of a baroclinic field, resulting from lateral variations in fluid density. Hydrochemical signatures have been used to support the model hypothesis and link the salinisation of fresh groundwater with the semiconfined aquifer as opposed to the surrounding estuarine surface water. The geometry and thickness of the freshwater lens are further controlled by the presence of the largely impermeable bedrock paleosurface between 9 and 12 m depth. The combination of hypersaline groundwater and hydraulically restrictive lithology at shallow depths has produced excessive thinning of the freshwater lens, demonstrating that the application of a model such as the Dupuit – Ghyben – Herzberg relationship would grossly overestimate the available groundwater resource.     

A preliminary case study of potential ceramic raw materials in the Aileu area of Timor Leste

The newly independent country of Timor Leste is located in the eastern half of Timor Island (Indonesian archipelago). Geological studies of the country’s mineral resources and extractive activities are practically non-existent. There is evidence of the exploitation of ceramic raw materials at outcrop level and two small brick kilns, nowadays inactive, in the Dili and Aileu areas. Near Aileu, there are light-coloured silt-rich deposits, interpreted as overbank deposits, interbedded with ancient river terraces (post-Pliocene) overlying metamorphic bedrock. These sediments are the subject of this study, which encompassed geological mapping and preliminary characterisation. Tectonically, the area is a graben, preserving alluvium and colluvium deposits. Five channel samples representative of the silt-rich deposits were collected. Semi-quantitative mineralogical analysis shows that the samples are made of illite, quartz and kaolinite clays, with accessory illite/vermiculite interstratified minerals and K-feldspar. The chemical data show agreement with the estimated mineralogical composition. The grain size distribution points to a silt-dominated assemblage. Most samples have a satisfactory extrudability but deficient moulding properties. After firing, the sampled raw materials form a final product with possible ceramic capability for whiteware production.