The Sumba enigma: Is Sumba a diapiric fore-arc nappe in process of formation?

The anomalous updomed morphological expression of Sumba island, its enigmatic lack of strong Neogene deformation and the northward morphological indentation of southern Sumbawa and Flores require explanation.The stratigraphy of Sumba may be correlated with the Cretaceous to Miocene part of the Timor allochthon. The sedimentary and eruptive rock succession in Sumba shows remarkable similarities with the allochthonous Palelo, Wiluba and Cablac deposits of Timor. In both islands the Cretaceous parts of these sequences are regarded as characteristic of fore-arc deposits built on thin continental crust.The Timor nappe is interpreted as a 5 km thick tectonic flake of the Banda fore-arc thrust onto the Australian continental margin in the mid-Pliocene collision. The postulated Sumba nappe has not yet been thrust onto the Australian margin which, in the Sumba region, has not yet converged as close to the arc as in the Timor area. The postulated Sumba nappe is interpreted as a diapiric elongated dome of the Sunda fore-arc that is being squeezed by the converging margin of Australia against the volcanic islands of Sumbawa and Flores.The absence of indications on the seismic reflection profiles for the presence of the thrust fault of the Sumba nappe may perhaps be explained by the thrusts being nearly horizontal within flat-lying strata.The Savu thrust is correlated with the probably older (pre-Late Pliocene) Wetar Suture as a major southward dipping lithospheric rupture. East of 124°E, this suture does not seem to have moved much since the mid-Pliocene collision that emplaced the nappes on Timor. However, microearthquake data suggest some activity is continuing.     

Prediction of the abiotic degradability of organic compounds in the troposphere

A statistically relevant correlation between the reaction rate coefficient, k _OH, for the OH radical reaction with 161 organic compounds in the gas phase at 300 K, and the corresponding vertical ionisation energies E _i,v, reveals two classes of compounds: aromatics where –log(k _OH/cm³s^-1)3/2E _i,v(eV)–2 and aliphatics where –log(k _OH/cm³s^-1)4/5E _i,v(eV)+3. The prediction of the rate coefficient, k _OH, for the reaction of OH with organic molecules from the above equations has a probability of about 90%. Assuming a global diurnal mean of the OH radical concentration of 5×10⁵ cm³, the upper limit of the tropospheric half-life of organic compounds and their persistence can be estimated.     

Experiments on numerical modeling of intense convection

Results of numerical simulations using the WRF-ARW nonhydrostatic model are presented for eight episodes of intense convection over European Russia in the summer of 2007. The calculations were performed on four nested grids with horizontal grid meshes of 27, 9, 3, and 1 km. Convection was parametrized on the first two grids and explicitly resolved on the other two. It has been found that simulations on finer grids with explicit calculation of convective flows make it possible to reproduce heavy rainfalls and strong-wind zones in the areas of intense convection. A preliminary verification of the short-range predictions of convective systems shows that the maximum 12-h precipitation totals and the maximum winds at 10 m are close, in the order of magnitude, to the observed values. Prediction of convection centers is the weakest point. Difficulties in the model verification associated with the absence of data with high space-time resolution are discussed.     

TWO YEARS' SURVEY WITH CESIUM VAPOUR MAGNETOMETER*

The present paper shows that the techniques developed and exploited by qualified geophysicists have brought high sensitivity magnetic surveys to an industrial stage. It will appear that for most mining and oil problems, either on land or sea, the necessary modern equipment already exists without developing it further in the future. In particular, the digitalization of data is practically finished for the magnetometer itself as well as for some navigation techniques.     

On the magnetism of stars and planets

A self-consistent statistical approach to the problem of planetary and stellar magnetism is suggested. The mechanism of magnetic field generation in the astronomical objects, where the existence of fields is associated with the axial rotation of objects, is discussed. In the general case the light pressure, the centrifugal, gravitational and other forces produce partial -separation of the charges. As a result of the system rotation, the magnetic fields of the currents of these charges are not compensated. The influence of various factors on the magnetic field of some object is analysed.     

Evaluation of Interactions Between Oilfield Chemicals and Reservoir Rocks

Natural Resources Research - Sand failure and production occurs when the formation stress exceeds the strength of the formation, which is derived majorly from the natural material that cements the...