The radioracemization of isovaline. Cosmochemical implications

The optically pure d- and l-enantiomers of isovaline (I), which cannot be racemized by ordinary chemical mechanisms involving α-hydrogen removal, and which has been isolated in apparently racemic form from the Murchison meteorite, have been subjected to partial radiolysis by the ionizing radiation from a 3000 Ci ⁶⁰Co γ-ray source. Both in the anhydrous and hydrated solid states and as solid sodium or hydrochloride salts each enantiomer suffered significant radioracemization of the undestroyed residue during its partial radiolysis. The sodium salt of isovaline in 0.1 M aqueous solution suffered extensive radiolysis with relatively small radiation doses, but showed no detectable radioracemization. The significance of these observations with respect to the primordial enantiomeric composition of the isovaline (and other amino acids) indigenous to meteroties is discussed.     

Relations between surface deformation,fault geometry,seismicity, and rupture characteristics during the El Asnam (Algeria) earthquake of 10 October 1980

The El Asnam earthquake of October 10, 1980 (M_s=7.3) produced surface faulting on a northeast-trending thrust fault of 30 km length with displacements of up to 6.5 m, though average displacements were about 3 m. In addition, widespread tensional features were formed, some in clear association with folding above the thrust, and others, in an area beyond the exposure of the thrust at the surface, which may be related to buried reverse faults.The observed thrust fault is split into southern, central and northern segments. Local and teleseismic data are examined to show that the main shock nucleated at the southwest end of the fault, and propagated 12 km northeast where a second rupture of approximately equal moment occurred, continuing the faulting a further 12 km northeast along the central segment. Both ruptures nucleated at about 8–10 km depth. Displacements were largest on the central segment, where they were probably enlarged by aftershocks, including one of m_b=6.1 three hours after the main shock. The northern segment was much shorter than the other two, and showed smaller displacement.The junctions between fault segments are marked by distinct geomorphological characteristics and a change in strike of the faulting, as well as a sudden drop in the observed displacement. It appears that the rupture development is influenced by the changes in fault geometry between segments, and that such junctions or barriers have persisted through much of the late Quaternary.     

Simulation of the spatio‐temporal extent of groundwater flooding using statistical methods of hydrograph classification and lumped parameter models

This article presents the development of a relatively low cost and rapidly applicable methodology to simulate the spatio‐temporal occurrence of groundwater flooding in chalk catchments. In winter 2000/2001 extreme rainfall resulted in anomalously high groundwater levels and groundwater flooding in many chalk catchments of northern Europe and the southern United Kingdom. Groundwater flooding was extensive and prolonged, occurring in areas where it had not been recently observed and, in places, lasting for 6 months. In many of these catchments, the prediction of groundwater flooding is hindered by the lack of an appropriate tool, such as a distributed groundwater model, or the inability of models to simulate extremes adequately. A set of groundwater hydrographs is simulated using a simple lumped parameter groundwater model. The number of models required is minimized through the classification and grouping of groundwater level time‐series using principal component analysis and cluster analysis. One representative hydrograph is modelled then transposed to other observed hydrographs in the same group by the process of quantile mapping. Time‐variant groundwater level surfaces, generated using the discrete set of modelled hydrographs and river elevation data, are overlain on a digital terrain model to predict the spatial extent of groundwater flooding. The methodology is applied to the Pang and Lambourn catchments in southern England for which monthly groundwater level time‐series exist for 52 observation boreholes covering the period 1975–2004. The results are validated against observed groundwater flood extent data obtained from aerial surveys and field mapping. The method is shown to simulate the spatial and temporal occurrence of flooding during the 2000/2001 flood event accurately. British Geological Survey © NERC 2011. Hydrological Processes © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Modelling the chloride signal at Plynlimon,Wales, using a modified dynamic TOPMODEL incorporating conservative chemical mixing (with uncertainty)

The application of a modified version of dynamic TOPMODEL for two subcatchments at Plynlimon, Wales is described. Conservative chemical mixing within mobile and immobile stores has been added to the hydrological model in an attempt to simulate observed stream chloride concentrations. The model was not fully able to simulate the observed behaviour, in particular the short‐ to medium‐term dynamics. One of the primary problems highlighted by the study was the representation of dry deposition and cloud‐droplet‐deposited chloride, which formed a significant part of the long‐term chloride mass budget. Equifinality of parameter sets inhibited the ability to determine the effective catchment mixing volumes and coefficients or the most likely partition between occult mass inputs and chloride mass inputs determined by catchment immobile‐store antecedent conditions. Some success was achieved, in as much as some aspects of the dynamic behaviour of the signal were satisfactorily simulated, although spectral analysis showed that the model could not fully reproduce the 1/f power spectra of observed stream chloride concentrations with its implications of a wide distribution of residence times for water in the catchment. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Evolution of three unconformity‐bounded sandy carbonate successions in the McArthur River region of northern Australia: The Lawn,Wide and Doom Supersequences in a proximal part of the Isa Superbasin

Gamma‐ray curves from surface outcrops together with U–Pb SHRIMP zircon dating are used to redefine the evolution of a Palaeoproterozoic sandy dolostone succession from northern Australia. This case history indicates that gamma‐ray logging of surface sections should accompany lithostratigraphic logging or an inadequate interpretation of stratigraphic evolution is a likely outcome. The 1200 m‐thick Nathan Group from the McArthur River area had previously been interpreted as a more‐or‐less continuous package of carbonates deposited in lacustrine and associated shallow‐water environments. Now it is seen to comprise the preserved remnants of three truncated, second‐order supersequences—the Lawn, Wide and Doom Supersequences—each a few hundred metres thick and each deposited over a time period of a few million years. These supersequences are separated by major stratigraphic breaks each approaching probably 10 million years duration. Each supersequence comprises several third‐order sequences which themselves contain higher‐order cycles. These were deposited in a series of continental, shoreline, and inner to outer carbonate platform environments. Transgressive, high‐energy, fluvial to marginal marine, mixed clastic‐carbonate facies dominate most of the sequences. The middle, Wide Supersequence, however, preserves deeper water (mostly sub‐storm‐wave‐base) stromatolitic facies in one sequence, and storm‐reworked clastics in another. These are interpreted as condensed intervals deposited around their respective maximum flooding surfaces and are succeeded by regressive facies that probably represent highstand systems tracts. New correlations between these 1615–1575 Ma sandy carbonate successions of the McArthur Basin (Amos, Balbirini and Dungaminnie Formations) and time‐equivalent largely clastic successions in the Lawn Hill area (Lawn Hill and Doomadgee Formations), some 400 km to the southeast, are proposed.     

A data assimilation approach to discharge estimation from space

River discharge is currently monitored by a diminishing network of gauges, which provide a spatially incomplete picture of global discharges. This study assimilated water level information derived from a fused satellite Synthetic Aperture Radar (SAR) image and digital terrain model (DTM) with simulations from a coupled hydrological and hydrodynamic model to estimate discharge in an un‐gauged basin scenario. Assimilating water level measurements led to a 79% reduction in ensemble discharge uncertainty over the coupled hydrological hydrodynamic model alone. Measurement bias was evident, but the method still provided a means of improving estimates of discharge for high flows. The study demonstrates the potential of currently available synthetic aperture radar imagery to reduce discharge uncertainty in un‐gauged basins when combined with model simulations in a data assimilation framework, where sufficient topographic data are available. The work is timely because in the near future the launch of satellite radar missions will lead to a significant increase in the volume of data available for space‐borne discharge estimation. Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Improving efficiency in radio surveys for gravitational lenses

Many lens surveys have hitherto used observations of large samples of background sources to select the small minority which are multiply imaged by lensing galaxies along the line of sight. Recently surveys such as SLACS and OLS have improved the efficiency of surveys by pre-selecting double-redshift systems from SDSS. We explore other ways to improve survey efficiency by optimum use of astrometric and morphological information in existing large-scale optical and radio surveys. The method exploits the small position differences between FIRST radio positions of lensed images and the SDSS lens galaxy positions, together with the marginal resolution of some larger gravitational lens systems by the FIRST beam. We present results of a small pilot study with the VLA and MERLIN, and discuss the desirable criteria for future surveys.     

The design and flight performance of the PoGOLite Pathfinder balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter

In the 50 years since the advent of X-ray astronomy there have been many scientific advances due to the development of new experimental techniques for detecting and characterising X-rays. Observations of X-ray polarisation have, however, not undergone a similar development. This is a shortcoming since a plethora of open questions related to the nature of X-ray sources could be resolved through measurements of the linear polarisation of emitted X-rays. The PoGOLite Pathfinder is a balloon-borne hard X-ray polarimeter operating in the 25-240 keV energy band from a stabilised observation platform. Polarisation is determined using coincident energy deposits in a segmented array of plastic scintillators surrounded by a BGO anticoincidence system and a polyethylene neutron shield. The PoGOLite Pathfinder was launched from the SSC Esrange Space Centre in July 2013. A near-circumpolar flight was achieved with a duration of approximately two weeks. The flight performance of the Pathfinder design is discussed for the three Crab observations conducted. The signal-to-background ratio for the observations is shown to be 0.25 ±0.03 and the Minimum Detectable Polarisation (99 % C.L.) is (28.4 ±2.2) %. A strategy for the continuation of the PoGOLite programme is outlined based on experience gained during the 2013 maiden flight.