On the mass-luminosity relation

The results of a least-squares study of the mass-luminosity relation for eclipsing and visual binary stars consisting of main sequence components are presented. Two methods are discussed. In Part A, the values of the coefficientsA andB in the relation logM=A+BM _Bol are determined. Part B presents a technique which permits the determination of α and β in the relationM=αL ^β, when only the sum of the masses, and not the individual masses of each component, is known. The results and a comparison of the two methods are discussed. It is found that the following massluminosity relation represents the observational data satisfactorily: $$log M = 0.504 - 0.103M_{BOL,} {\text{ }} - \leqslant M_{BOL} \leqslant + 10.5$$ . A discussion of the data and of the possibility that separate mass-luminosity relations may exist for visual and eclipsing binaries is given. The possiblity that more than one mass-luminosity relation is required in the range ?8≤M _Bol ≤+13 is also discussed.     

Generalized Lyzenga's Predictor of Shallow Water Depth for Multispectral Satellite Imagery

Multispectral satellite remote sensing can predict shallow-water depth distribution inexpensively and exhaustively, but it requires many in situ measurements for calibration. To extend its feasibility, we improved a recently developed technique, for the first time, to obtain a generalized predictor of depth. We used six WorldView-2 images and obtained a predictor that yielded a 0.648 m root-mean-square error against a dataset with a 5.544 m standard deviation of depth. The predictor can be used with as few as two pixels with known depth per image, or with no depth data, if only relative depth is needed.     

On the mass determination of collapsed objects in close binaries: Applications to black-holes and neutron stars

Observational information required for determination of the masses of collapsed objects in close binaries is examined. Assumptions commonly used to evaluate the masses or thier lower limits, in the absence of the required observational data, are critically discussed. A reliable determination of the mass of a collapsed object in X-ray emitting binaries is yet to be made. No definitive case has been made for or against the existence of a black-hole in CygX-1.     

On the possibility of a geocoronal contribution to the celestial soft X-ray background

The possibility is investigated that a significant fraction of the X-ray background in the energy range 0.2–0.28 keV originates in the geocorona through bremsstrahlung. It is concluded that the geocoronal flux must be substantial at some times and the possibility exists that an observable geocoronal background exists at all times. The existing data on the soft X-ray background is found to be compatible with the hypothesis of a geocoronal component.     

Palaeoproterozoic U–Pb SHRIMP zircon age from basement rocks in Bangladesh: A possible remnant of the Columbia supercontinent

We present new U–Pb SHRIMP zircon geochronological data for basement rocks in Bangladesh, and discuss the relationship with the formation of the Columbia supercontinent. Euhedral zircons from a diorite sample yield a concordia age of 1730 ± 11 Ma, which is interpreted as the crystallization age. The Palaeoproterozoic age of the examined basement rock and the common occurrences of similar 1.7-Ga geologic units in the Central Indian Tectonic Zone and Meghalaya-Shillong Plateau in Indian Shield suggest their apparent continuation. This, together with the occurrence of similar 1.7-Ga geologic units in the Albany-Fraser belt in Australia and East Antarctica, are used to suggest that the basement rocks in Bangladesh formed towards the final stages of the assembly of the Columbia supercontinent.     

Geochemistry and tectonic implications of Proterozoic amphibolites in the northeastern part of the Yeongnam massif, South Korea

Abstract   Amphibolites in the Haenggongni area (Haenggongni amphibolite) and the Okbang area (Okbang amphibolite) in northeastern Yeongnam massif, South Korea occur as a sill-like body or inclusions within the metasedimentary sequences of the Proterozoic Wonnam Group. Major and trace element characteristics demonstrate that both amphibolites have tholeiitic chemical affinity. They are characterized by nearly flat rare earth element (REE) patterns, and low contents of immobile incompatible elements and have low values of Zr/Y, Ti/Y, La/Nb and Ta/Yb ratios, indicating enriched (E)-type mid-oceanic ridge basalt (MORB) affinities for their protoliths. This suggests that amphibolite protoliths formed in an extensional rift setting leading up to ocean opening. In combination with the previous studies in Yeongnam massif, three protolith types of amphibolites are assumed (E-type MORB, within-plate basalt and volcanic arc basalt). They could have been originated in different tectonic settings and/or different episodes. These characteristics are clearly different from the amphibolites in the Gyeonggi massif and Okcheon belt, in which most of the amphibolites show a within-plate basalt affinity that developed in continental rift zone.     

Book review

Although visible bands of high-resolution multispectral imagery are used for bathymetry, the relative utility of different bands is poorly understood. Therefore, we evaluated the relative utility of the six visible bands of WorldView-2. We statistically selected the visible bands that gave the best accuracy under different situations, tallying how often each band was included in the best combination. The average frequency was greater than 50% for every band and differed between bands by only 17%. We conclude that all visible bands are useful for remote sensing of water depth, although the utility depends on the image and number of training pixels available.     

Thermal diffusivity of stishovite

The thermal diffusivity of synthetic polycrystalline stishovite was determined by the Ångstrom method in the temperature range 300–550 K at 1 atm. The calculated thermal conductivity of stishovite at 300 K is 0.086 W cm^?1 K^?1 which is comparable to that for TiO₂-rutile but much lower than for GeO₂ and SnO₂. The observed thermal conductivities of rutile-structure oxides increase systematically with increasing density, in contrast with the expected behavior for isostructural compounds.     

On the physical parameters for Centaurus X-3 and Hercules X-1

Upper and lower limits on the physical parameters for Cen X-3 and Her X-1 have been computed from a simple assumption involving the mass function.     

Miocene provenance change in Himalayan foreland basin and Bengal Fan sediments,with special reference to detrital garnet chemistry

Bengal Fan Miocene sediments were collected during International Ocean Discovery Program Expedition 354 and investigated using petrographic and detrital garnet chemistry analyses. The Miocene Siwalik Group, which is composed of sediments deposited in the Himalayan foreland basin, was also analyzed for comparison with the Bengal Fan data for the provenance change during the Miocene. Our petrographic analyses revealed that the Miocene sediments of the Bengal Fan and Siwalik Group consist predominantly of Higher Himalayan Crystalline (HHC)-derived detritus such as chloritoid, staurolite, sillimanite, and/or kyanite, which appear among the accessory minerals. The chemistry of the detrital garnet varies across the stratigraphy; most of the garnet is rich in almandine and poor in spessartine and pyrope. However, pyrope-rich garnet, which is considered to originate from the HHC core (granulite facies), was found in the lower to upper Miocene deposits. The deposition of HHC-derived detrital garnet began before the Middle Miocene (15 Ma) and before the Late Miocene (10–9 Ma) in the Siwalik Group. The Bengal Fan data, by contrast, indicated that pyrope-rich garnet appeared in the Early Miocene (17.3 Ma) and Late Miocene (8.5–6.5 Ma). We conclude that the Bengal Fan sediments record the erosion of the HHC zone since the Early Miocene that appears in the Siwalik sediments. Furthermore, we found that the HHC-derived inputs decreased from the late Middle Miocene (12 Ma) to the early Middle Miocene (10 Ma) in both the Nepal Himalaya foreland basin and the Bengal Fan. The disappearance of the HHC-derived detritus is probably the result of dilution by Lesser Himalayan detritus, which suggests that the Lesser Himalayan zone, which is composed of metamorphosed and unmetamorphosed sedimentary rocks, was uplifted.