Characterizing the influence of tide on the physico-chemical parameters and nutrient variability in the coastal surface water of the northern Bay of Bengal during the winter season

The spatial distribution of physico-chemical parameters(sea surface temperature(SST), p H, sea surface salinity(SSS), dissolved oxygen(DO) and Secchi depth) along with filterable nutrients(dissolved inorganic nitrate(DIN),dissolved inorganic phosphate(DIP) and reactive silicate(DSi)) are measured in the winter months of November,December, January and February for four consecutive years from 2009–2010 to 2012–2013 on the shallow continental shelf(20 m bathymetry) of the coastal waters(up to 18 km away from shoreline) of the northern Bay of Bengal(n Bo B) during the highest high tide(HHT) and lowest low tide(LLT) hours for the first time. The variability of the coastal biogeochemical environment is assessed during the HHT and LLT hours and for this purpose, seawater samples are collected from seven different locations of a transect in the coastal region. Physicochemical parameters(except SST) show significant difference in magnitude during the HHT and LLT hours respectively. p H, SSS and DO are found to increase in the HHT hours and vice-versa. The data reveal that during the LLT hours, a relative increase of freshwater input in the n Bo B can have elevated the nutrient concentration compared with that observed during the HHT hours. The ratio of nutrient concentration is found to deviate significantly from the Redfield ratio. The abundance of DIP is much higher compared with that of DIN and DSi.The anthropogenic sources of DIP from the upstream flow(especially the domestic effluent of several metropolises) can be mainly attributed behind such an observation. In order to characterize and establish the trend of such variation in such an important bio-climatic region, long-term and systematic ecosystem monitoring in the coastal water of the n Bo B northern Bay of Bengal should be carried out throughout the year.     

The Planetary Nebula Spectrograph elliptical galaxy survey: the dark matter in NGC 4494

We present new Planetary Nebula Spectrograph observations of the ordinary elliptical galaxy NGC 4494, resulting in positions and velocities of 255 planetary nebulae out to seven effective radii (25 kpc). We also present new wide-field surface photometry from MMT/Megacam, and long-slit stellar kinematics from VLT/FORS2. The spatial and kinematical distributions of the planetary nebulae agree with the field stars in the region of overlap. The mean rotation is relatively low, with a possible kinematic axis twist outside  1 R _e  . The velocity dispersion profile declines with radius, though not very steeply, down to  ∼70 km s⁻¹  at the last data point.
We have constructed spherical dynamical models of the system, including Jeans analyses with multi-component Λ cold dark matter (CDM) motivated galaxies as well as logarithmic potentials. These models include special attention to orbital anisotropy, which we constrain using fourth-order velocity moments. Given several different sets of modelling methods and assumptions, we find consistent results for the mass profile within the radial range constrained by the data. Some dark matter (DM) is required by the data; our best-fitting solution has a radially anisotropic stellar halo, a plausible stellar mass-to-light ratio and a DM halo with an unexpectedly low central density. We find that this result does not substantially change with a flattened axisymmetric model.
Taken together with other results for galaxy halo masses, we find suggestions for a puzzling pattern wherein most intermediate-luminosity galaxies have very low concentration haloes, while some high-mass ellipticals have very high concentrations. We discuss some possible implications of these results for DM and galaxy formation.     

Cosmogenic and trapped noble gases in individual chondrules: Clues to chondrule formation

Abstract— We studied the elemental and isotopic abundances of noble gases (He, Ne, Ar in most cases, and Kr, Xe also in some cases) in individual chondrules separated from six ordinary, two enstatite, and two carbonaceous chondrites. Most chondrules show detectable amounts of trapped ²⁰Ne and ³⁶Ar, and the ratio (³⁶Ar/²⁰Ne)_t (from ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites) suggests that HL and Q are the two major trapped components. A different trend between (³⁶Ar/²⁰Ne)_t and trapped ³⁶Ar is observed for chondrules in enstatite chondrites indicating a different environment and/or mechanism for their formation compared to chondrules in ordinary and carbonaceous chondrites. We found that a chondrule from Dhajala chondrite (DH‐11) shows the presence of solar‐type noble gases, as suggested by the (³⁶Ar/²⁰Ne)_t ratio, Ne‐isotopic composition, and excess of ⁴He. Cosmic‐ray exposure (CRE) ages of most chondrules are similar to their host chondrites. A few chondrules show higher CRE age compared to their host, suggesting that some chondrules and/or precursors of chondrules have received cosmic ray irradiation before accreting to their parent body. Among these chondrules, DH‐11 (with solar trapped gases) and a chondrule from Murray chondrite (MRY‐1) also have lower values of (²¹Ne/²²Ne)_c, indicative of SCR contribution. However, such evidences are sporadic and indicate that chondrule formation event may have erased such excess irradiation records by solar wind and SCR in most chondrules. These results support the nebular environment for chondrule formation.     

Lidar depolarization measurements for aerosol source and property studies over Chungli (24.58° N, 121.1° E)

Aerosol depolarization ratio and aerosol optical depth (AOD) were measured at Chungli (24.58° N, 121.1° E), Taiwan during the period from 2002–2004. The depolarization ratios of background aerosol have values mostly less than 0.06. The maximum AOD in the altitude range of 0.7 to 2km occurs in the summer (June–August) while between 2 and 5km, the spring (March–May) shows the maximum. The former is mainly related to strong convection and humidity; however the latter is due to anthropogenic aerosols transported from East China and Southeast Asia based on calculations of backward trajectories. This seasonal variation of AOD inferred from different transport mechanisms and aerosol compositions which are supported by the height distributions of aerosol extinction and origins.     

A comparative study of slip velocity models for the prediction of performance of floatex density separator

The separation features of the floatex density separator (FDS) are investigated through experimental and computational approaches. It has been shown that the performance of the FDS can be predicted reasonably well using a slip velocity model and steady-state mass balance equations. The approach for the formulation of the slip velocity model makes a difference in the prediction of FDS performance. The computed data from four different slip velocity models have been compared and contrasted with the experimental observations. It has been shown that a slip velocity model based on the modified Richardson and Zaki equation, in which the dissipative pressure gradient is considered to be the primary driving force for separation, predicts the performance more accurately than the other three. A deslimed feed is recommended for better performance of the FDS.     

Response of Precambrian zircon to the chemical abrasion (CA-TIMS) method and implications for improvement of age determinations

Electron backscatter imaging, Raman spectroscopy and U-Pb geochronology have been applied to Precambrian zircon grains that were annealed at 1000 and 1450 °C for various times, then leached with HF to constrain the conditions for healing radiation damage and attaining primary U-Pb zircon ages using the chemical abrasion (CA-TIMS) method. SEM images reveal a variety of textures for ZrO₂ overgrowths on 1450 °C annealed and leached zircon surfaces that depend on the degree of radiation damage and annealing history. Highly damaged zircon produces finer textures than zircon with less damage.Raman spectroscopy indicates that crystals with different levels of radiation damage are only partially restored by annealing at 1000 °C for 2-3 days. Longer annealing periods of 20 days are not noticeably more effective. Annealing at 1450 °C for 1 h results in partial breakdown of zircon but restores Raman peak widths and wave numbers to values characteristic of undamaged zircon after ZrO₂ overgrowths are removed by HF. Raman spectra are much less sensitive to polarization angle for annealed highly damaged grains than for weakly damaged zircon.U-Pb isotopic analyses of low to moderately damaged zircon (alpha fluence ranging up to 10¹⁹/g corresponding to an amorphization volume fraction of 80% or more) yield almost concordant data (0.3-0.5% discordance) after high-temperature annealing at 1450 °C followed by HF leaching at 195 °C. Analyses of cracked zircon annealed at 1450 °C and leached may remain discordant but those of uncracked grains are concordant. Most analyses show primary ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages although cracked grains annealed at 1450 °C may produce discordant data with ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages that are too young after leaching. The solubility of highly damaged, very disordered zircon (amorphization level of 99%) is only slightly reduced by annealing, and analyses of leach residues are strongly discordant although primary ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ages are obtained.Annealing of highly damaged zircon under any conditions apparently results in a mass of randomly oriented micro-crystals that pseudomorph the original grain. This could explain the fine-scale pattern observed on etched crystal surfaces, reduced anisotropy at the 5 μm scale of the Raman laser beam and high solubility in HF. It may be impossible to restore primary U-Pb isotopic ages in such cases but precise ages can still potentially be determined from ²⁰⁷Pb/²⁰⁶Pb ratios or by application of the air abrasion method.     

Evolution of double layers in magnetised plasmas contaminated with dust charge fluctuations

Coherent structures entailing the existence of double layers have been studied in magnetised plasma contaminated with dust charging fluctuations. It has been shown that the dust charging in magnetic plasma leads to complexity in the derivation of the Sagdeev wave equation, but under way new procedure enable one to study the nature of double layers showing the effective role of the constituents of the plasma. A parametric analysis is a subject of interest in laboratory and space plasmas, and it has been explained with the input of various typical plasma numerics. The proposed mathematical mechanism has shown the success to yield plasma acoustic modes in a dusty plasma which, in turn, has been solved convincingly for double layers. Observations have been evaluated in an appropriate model with a view to agree with the observations in astrophysical problems dealing with present new findings.     

Vertical structure of tropical mesoscale convective systems: observations using VHF radar and cloud resolving model simulations

This study examines the time–height variation and structure of a tropical mesoscale convective system (TMCS). Convection experiments using VHF (53 MHz) radar aimed at improving the understanding of the vertical structure of TMCS occurred over Gadanki (13.5°N, 79.2°E), India during 21–22 June 2000 has been selected for the study. The time–height variations of reflectivity and vertical velocity exhibits four distinct patterns and have been used to classify four subjectively identified types of echoes; viz., formative, mature, transition zone and stratiform regions associated with TMCS. Average vertical velocity profiles were distinctive for each region. The mean vertical motion is upward at all levels in the troposphere during the formative phase. The vertical motion in the mature region is downward in the lower troposphere and upward in the middle and upper troposphere. The maximum upward motion is found in the middle troposphere and secondary maxima near the tropopause level. The transition zone is characterized by strong downdraft in the lower troposphere with local pockets of updrafts in the middle and upper troposphere. The magnitude of the mean vertical motion is considerably reduced in the stratiform region and is downward in the lower troposphere and upward in the upper troposphere. Time–height variation of reflectivity has been analyzed separately for each region. The observed diminished echo zone and tropopause break/weakening during the mature phase and two enhanced reflectivity zone in the stratiform region is also observed. A Cloud System Resolving Model (CSRM) simulation of the same event has been carried out. The CSRM simulations were able to capture the structure of the storm and are consistent with the observations. The model output in conjunction with observations has been used to validate the hypothesis.