The absorption of energetic electrons by molecular hydrogen gas

The processes by which energetic electrons lose energy in a weakly ionized gas of molecular hydrogen are analysed and calculations are carried out taking into account the discrete nature of the excitation processes. The excitation, ionization and heating efficiencies are computed for electrons with energies up to 100 eV absorbed in a gas with fractional ionizations up to 10^?2 and the mean energy per neutral hydrogen atom pair is calculated.     

The Tookoonooka marine impact horizon,Australia: Sedimentary and petrologic evidence

Abstract– Ejecta from the large subsurface Tookoonooka impact structure have been found in the Lower Cretaceous strata of the extensive Eromanga Basin of central Australia. Observations from 31 wells spanning 400,000 km² of the basin provide compelling evidence for the presence of a marine impact horizon of regional extent. Drill core was examined to determine the sedimentary context of the Tookoonooka impact event, the presence of ejecta, and the nature of the impact horizon. The base of the Wyandra Sandstone Member of the Cadna‐owie Formation is an unconformity commonly overlain by very poorly sorted sediment with imbricated pebbles, exotic clasts, and occasional boulders. The basal Wyandra Sandstone Member is bimodal: a fine sand mode reflects an ambient sediment contribution and a coarse mode is interpreted to be impact‐derived. Wells Thargomindah‐1 and Eromanga‐1, within four crater radii of Tookoonooka, contain distinctive clast‐supported breccia‐conglomerate beds at the base of the Wyandra Sandstone Member. Clasts in these beds include altered accretionary and melt impactoclasts, as well as lithic and mineral grains corresponding to the Tookoonooka target rock sequence, including basement. Petrographic evidence includes shock metamorphosed quartz and lithic grains with planar deformation features. These breccia‐conglomerates are in stark contrast to the underlying, laterally persistent, unimodal Cadna‐owie sediments and overlying shales deposited in an epeiric sea. The base of the Wyandra Sandstone Member is therefore interpreted to be the Tookoonooka impact horizon. The timing of the impact event is confirmed to be the Barremian‐Aptian boundary, at 125 ± 1 Ma. The Wyandra Sandstone Member preserves both impact ejecta and postimpact marine sediments.     

The relativistic dynamics of a thin spherically symmetric radiating shell in the presence of a central body

We construct an idealized spherically symmetric relativistic model of an exploding object within the framework of the theory of surface layers in GR. A Vaidya solution for a radially radiating star is matched through a spherical shell of dust to a Schwarzschild solution. The (incomplete) equations for the motion of the spherical shell of dust and the radiation density of the Vaidya solution, as given by the matching conditions, are reduced to a first-order system and a general analysis of the characteristics of the motion is given. This system of differential equations is completed, adding a relation between the unknowns which represents the simplest way to avoid an unphysical singularity in the motion. The results of a numerical integration of the equations are presented in two cases which we think may have some relationship to stellar explosions. A comparative set of results for other solutions is also given, and some possible generalizations of the model are pointed out.     

FORGING ASIA'S GLOBAL TRANSPARK IN THE PEARL RIVER DELTA AT ZHUHAI

The main purpose of the paper is to introduce the concept of the Global TransPark (GTP). It is a critical time to develop air logistics infrastructure in the New Economy. The paper also presents a brief review of the air cargo industry in the Asian-Pacific region and China, in particular China's development in the industry as its economy has grown rapidly and globalized in the past two decades. The paper argues that China needs to develop a GTP to support its future growth, and explains why the Pearl River Delta-Hong Kong-Macao city-region or Extended Metropolitan Region (EMR) is the best location. Finally, it proposes that Zhuhai Airport, one of the five airports in the EMR, is the best site for the GTP. New policies from Chinese government as well as close cooperation between local governments of Guangdong and the two Special Administrative Regions of Hong Kong and Macao will be needed to make the establishment of the GTP possible.     

Spectroscopic and photometric observations of symbiotic nova PU Vul during 2009–2016

A new set of low-resolution spectral and UBVJHKL-photometric observations of the symbiotic nova PU Vul is presented. The binary has been evolving after its symbiotic nova outburst in 1977 and now it is in the nebular stage. It is found that the third orbital cycle(after 1977) was characterized by great changes in associated light curves. Now, PU Vul exhibits a sine-wave shape in all the light curves(with an amplitude in the U band of about 0.7 mag), which is typical for symbiotic stars in the quiescent state. Brightness variability due to pulsations of the cool component is now clearly visible in the VRI light curves. The amplitude of the pulsations increases from 0.5 mag in the V band to 0.8 mag in the I band. These two types of variability, as well as a very slow change in the physical parameters of the hot component due to evolution after the outburst of 1977, influence the spectral energy distribution(SED)of the system. The variability of emission lines is highly complex. Only hydrogen line fluxes vary with orbital phase. An important feature of the third orbital cycle is the first emergence of the OVI, 6828  Raman scattering line. We determine the temperature of the hot component by means of the Zanstra method applied to the He II, 4686  line. Our estimate is about 150 000 K for the spectrum obtained near orbital maximum in 2014. The VO spectral index derived near pulsation minimum corresponds to M6 spectral class for the cool component of PU Vul.     

Fe-Mn partitioning between garnet and ilmenite: experimental calibration and applications

A new mineralogic geothermometer based on the partitioning of Fe and Mn between garnet and ilmenite has been calibrated by reversal experiments in the P-T range 600–900° C, 2 and 5 kbars and for fO₂=QFM. The results constitute a sensitive geothermometer applicable over a broad range of composition and conditions. Garnetilmenite thermometry has advantages relative to existing geothermometers because of its accurate calibration, marked temperature sensitivity and the chemical and structural simplicity of the crystalline solutions involved. Application to natural assemblages reveals that the garnet-ilmenite geothermometer yields temperatures that agree well with other estimates. The reactivity of, and relatively rapid Fe-Mn diffusion in ilmenite may lead to retrograde resetting of high temperature partition values, but these factors may be useful for estimating rock cooling rates. Analysis of the experimental data indicates minor positive deviations from ideality for Fe-Mn garnets and ilmenites. Absolute magnitudes of interaction parameters (W _AB) derived from a regression analysis are subject to considerable uncertainty. The partition coefficient is, however, strongly dependent on the difference between solution parameters. These differences are well constrained with a magnitude of W _FeMn ^ilm –W _FeMn ^gar 300 cal mol^–1. The accuracy and applicability of garnet-ilmenite thermometry will improve with the availability of better thermodynamic data for garnet crystalline solutions.Abbreviations and symbols used in text R universal gas constant (cal/mol/°K) - T absolute temperature (°K or °C) - P pressure (kbars) - V ⁰ volume change of reaction (1) - H _{1, T} ⁰ standard state enthalpy change of reaction (1) at 1 bar and the T of interest, in cal/mole - S _T ⁰ entropy change of reaction (1) at T of interest, in cal/mole/°K - G _P,T ⁰ standard free energy change of reaction (1) at the T and P of interest, in cal/mole - distribution coefficient for Fe-Mn partitioning between garnet and ilmenite - K apparent equilibrium coefficient for reaction (1) - _i ^j activity of component i in phase j - W _A-B binary A-B interaction (Margules) parameter - gar garnet - ilm ilmenite - biot biotite - ol olivine - opx orthopyroxene     

The imaging and slitless spectroscopy instrument for surveys (ISSIS) for the world space observatory-ultraviolet (WSO-UV)

ISSIS is the Imaging and Slitless Spectroscopy Instrument for the World Space Observatory-Ultraviolet (WSO-UV) mission. ISSIS is a multipurpose instrument designed to carry out high resolution (<0.1 arcsec) imaging in the far UV with fields of view ≥2×2 arcmin². ISSIS has two acquisition channels: the High Sensitivity Channel (HSC) and the Channel for Surveys (CfS). The HSC is equipped with an MCP-type detector to guarantee high sensitivity in the 1150–1750 ? range and high rejection of lower energy radiation. The CfS is equipped with a large CCD detector (4k×4k) to obtain images from the far UV to the red (1150–8500 ?); the CfS is implemented to allow observing UV bright sources such as reflection nebulae or nearby massive star forming regions. The design drivers and the current status of the instrument are described in this contribution.     

Nonlinear methods of statistic simulation of virtual parameter values for investigating uncertainties in orbits determined from observations

Determination of orbital parameters from observations is formally a nonlinear inverse problem for solving which evidently nonlinear methods are required. Meanwhile, an accompanying stage in solving the inverse problem is the evaluation of parametric accuracy to which, however, linear methods are conventionally applied. This is quite justified if parametric errors caused by observation errors are rather small, otherwise this is not at all since the nonlinearity of the inverse problem can be considerable to influence on the evaluations of parametric accuracy especially when the observations are very few. With the advent of quick-operating and multiprocessor computers, recently one tends to employ statistic simulation of virtual parameter values for investigating uncertainties in orbits determined from observations. In the paper are just discussed the methods designed specially for nonlinear statistic simulation of virtual parameter values. Their efficiency is investigated in application to estimating uncertainties in the orbit of Jovian satellite S/2003 J04 whose orbital parameters are ill-determined owing to scanty available observations. Indices of nonlinearity are introduced for making decision in the choice between linear and nonlinear methods.     

Biostratigraphy versus isotope geochronology: Testing the Urals island arc model

Formation of the Urals volcanic-hosted massive sulphide(VHMS) deposits is considered to be related with the intra-oceanic stage of island arc(s) development in the Upper Ordoviciane Middle Devonian based on the biostratigraphic record of ore-hosting sedimentary rocks. However, the direct Re-Os dating of four known VHMS systems in the Urals gives significantly younger Re-Os isochron ages ranging from355 ± 15 Ma up to 366 ± 2 Ma. To address this discrepancy, we performed SHRIMP U-Pb dating on zircons extracted from rhyodacites(Eifelian biostratigraphic age of 393 -388 Ma) from the footwall of the Alexandrinka VHMS deposit which has a Re-Os isochron age of sulphides of 355 ± 15 Ma.New ²⁰⁶ Pb/²³⁸ U mean age of 374 ± 3 Ma(MSWD ? 1.4 and probability ? 0.11) is considered to be the crystallisation age of the host volcanic rock. This age is ca. 15 Ma younger than the Eifelian(393 -388 Ma)biostratigraphic age and overlaps the Frasniane Famennian boundary(372 ± 2 Ma), characterised by the final stages of Magnitogorsk Arc e East European continent collision. Such an inconsistency with geochronological age may be due to a reburial of conodonts during resedimentation as a result of erosion of older rocks in younger sedimentary sequences.     

Unifying Batch-Dissolution Kinetics for Salts: Probing the Back Reaction for Gypsum and Calcite by Means of the Common-Ion Effect

Recent success in fitting the shrinking object model for dissolution kinetics to biogenic silica, silica gel, simple salts, sucrose and gypsum prompted this study of the effects of common ions upon gypsum dissolution kinetics. Middle-ground dissolutions were mainly studied, in which shrinkage of the surface area, S, is significant, and the system approaches, but does not reach, saturation, c _sat. Dissolution was monitored by conductimetry. At a constant ionic strength of 0.060 M, the net rate for gypsum dissolution is given by \textNet \textRate = k_\textb ·S ·(c_\textsat - c ) {\text{Net}}\,{\text{Rate}} = k_{\text{b}} \cdot S \cdot (c_{\text{sat}} - c ) , where k _b is a rate constant, and c can be expressed alternatively in terms of either [Ca²⁺], [SO₄ ²⁻] and [ε_±], that part of the electrolyte concentration contributed by gypsum dissolution, or as the equivalent total concentrations of these species, for example, [SO₄ ²⁻]_T. The presence of either calcium or sulphate as a common ion slows dissolution, and the effect of this upon c _sat, k _b and k _f, the forward rate constant, is discussed. Contrary to previous experience, it is emphasised that each fitting of the shrinking object model demands its own value of the Solubility of gypsum, c _sat, which can be derived from the Solubility Product. This experience with gypsum is aligned with previous work on calcite, to develop a unified approach to the batch dissolution of salts. It highlights serious deficiencies in the way earlier common-ion experiments were conceived and enacted, and in particular with the rate equation of Sj?berg (Geochim Cosmochim Acta 40:441–447, 1976) for calcite above a pH of 7. Common-ion experiments are shown to be crucially important for probing the back reaction to dissolutions and might be applied to the far bigger problem of silicate-mineral dissolution, where ‘non-linear kinetics’ are often observed.