Precipitation of poorly crystalline antigorite under hydrothermal conditions

Magnesium silicate precipitation experiments were carried out in alkaline solutions in the temperature range 39°C-150°C. Titrations were carried out at room temperature where the pH of an aqueous solution containing magnesium and silica was raised to bring about precipitation of a magnesium silicate. The precipitation of the magnesium silicate was rapid. Equilibrium between the solution and the precipitate was attained in a period of less than one hour up to a month at around 90°C, depending on the initial degree of oversaturation. Relative magnesium and silica depletion in the experimental solutions and IR spectra of the precipitate show that the magnesium silicate resembles poorly developed antigorite (p-antigorite). Values for its solubility constant were obtained and an equation describing its solubility in the temperature interval 0°-200°C calculated. The equation is: log K_sp = 9303/T + 3.283, where T is in K, and it is valid for the following reaction:

     

Harmonic by harmonic removal technique for improving vibroseis data quality

In this paper, an improved method is presented to reduce vibrator harmonic distortion, one harmonic at a time and the method is illustrated with both simulated and field data. This method improves on the previous method that treated all the harmonics at once. The significant contribution in this procedure is a considerable reduction for the harmonics without any alteration for the weakest signals possibly present in positive and negative times. The core of the proposed technique depends on an accurate simulation for all the harmonics one by one existing in the positive and negative times of the data after cross‐correlation with the fundamental sweep and then subtracting the simulated harmonics from the original data using an optimization procedure. The steps and mathematical equations of the procedure are explained in detail in the body of the article in the section titled ‘harmonic by harmonic attenuation procedure’. Accordingly, a well‐developed procedure for enhancing the vibroseis data quality in both down‐ and up‐sweep data is illustrated. The procedure was tested on both synthetic and field data sets.     

Relativistic and the first sectorial harmonics corrections in the critical inclination

The problem of the critical inclination is treated in the Hamiltonian framework taking into consideration post-Newtonian corrections as well as the main correction term of sectorial harmonics for an earth-like planet. The Hamiltonian is expressed in terms of Delaunay canonical variables. A canonical transformation is applied to eliminate short period terms. A modified critical inclination is obtained due to relativistic and the first sectorial harmonics corrections.     

Opposite polarity dusty plasma expansion in Earth’s mesosphere

The self-similar expansion method is applied on the fluid system of equations which describes a plasma system consisting of opposite polarity dust grains, positive ions and electrons. The resultant system of equations is solved numerically to study the properties of the plasma expansion of this system. It is found that the presence of the second species of the dust has a great effect on the properties of the expansion of the other species.     

Open cluster membership probability based on K-means clustering algorithm

In the field of galaxies images, the relative coordinate positions of each star with respect to all the other stars are adapted. Therefore the membership of star cluster will be adapted by two basic criterions, one for geometric membership and other for physical (photometric) membership. So in this paper, we presented a new method for the determination of open cluster membership based on K-means clustering algorithm. This algorithm allows us to efficiently discriminate the cluster membership from the field stars. To validate the method we applied it on NGC 188 and NGC 2266, membership stars in these clusters have been obtained. The color-magnitude diagram of the membership stars is significantly clearer and shows a well-defined main sequence and a red giant branch in NGC 188, which allows us to better constrain the cluster members and estimate their physical parameters. The membership probabilities have been calculated and compared to those obtained by the other methods. The results show that the K-means clustering algorithm can effectively select probable member stars in space without any assumption about the spatial distribution of stars in cluster or field. The similarity of our results is in a good agreement with results derived by previous works.     

A field study investigating the potential use of phosphorus combined with organic amendments on cadmium accumulation by wheat and subsequent rice

A field study was performed to determine the efficiency of diammonium phosphate (DAP) applied alone or combined with biochar, lignite, and farmyard manure (FYM) on growth and cadmium (Cd) accumulation in wheat and rice. Before crop sowing, different treatments were applied in the field such as a control (T₁), DAP alone (0.1%, T₂), DAP + lignite (0.05% each, T₃), DAP + FYM (0.05% each, T₄), and DAP + biochar (0.05% each, T₅). Afterwards, the wheat seeds were sown in the soil. At wheat postharvest, rice was sown without any further treatment. Raw effluent was applied as an irrigation source during the whole growth period of both crops since it is the common practice of the farmers of study area. It was revealed that the use of amendments enhanced the yield and photosynthesis but lowered the Cd contents in straw as well as grains of both crops. In both crops, the highest yield of straw and grain was found in DAP + FYM whereas the lowest Cd concentration was found in DAP alone. The ammonium bicarbonate-DTPA extractable Cd of post wheat and post rice soils were decreased while the soil pH and immobilization index were increased in all treatments as compared with the control. The present field study highlighted that the DAP + FYM can be effective in increasing yield with decreased Cd concentrations in crop grains.     

Stratigraphy and structure of Sarda, Manil, Changpur and Naghal areas, district Kotli, Jammu & Kashmir

The Chauki, Mandi, Manil colony, Changpur, Khawas and Naghal areas are situated in between the limbs of Hazara Kashmir Syntaxis (HKS). HKS is the part of Himalayan fold and thrust belt that lies in sub-Himalayan domain. Seismically, this is an active zone. Early Miocene to Recent sedimentary rocks are exposed in the area. The stratigraphic units in Kashmir basin are the cover sequence of the Indian plate. These non-marine lithostratigraphic units are molasse deposits formed by the deposition of sediments coming from north carried by the rivers originated from higher Himalayas. Murree Formation of early Miocene age is the oldest rock unit in the studied area. Siwalik Group; Chinji, Nagri, Dhok Pathan and Soan formations of early Miocene to Pliocene and Mirpur Formation of Pleistocene age is exposed. The area is structurally deformed into folds and faults. The Sarda Sarhota syncline, Mandi syncline and Fagosh anticline are major folds in the area. These folds are isoclinal to open in nature, southwest or northeast verging and thrust direction is southwest or northeast. Major reverse faults are Riasi fault and Fagosh fault. The Changpur fault is a normal fault. Primary sedimentary structures present in the area are load cast, ripups and cross bedding. The facing of beds have been marked on the basis of these sedimentary structures.     

Testing the validity of detrital zircon chemistry as a provenance indicator

Zircon grains from the Nile Delta beach sediments were mineralogically investigated for their provenance perspective. Electron microprobe backscattered electron images, and wavelength dispersive spectroscopy line scans showed well-developed oscillatory and sector zoning in the majority of the studied zircon grains. In addition, some grains showed inclusions represented mainly by apatite. The zoning in zircon reflects compositional variations of Zr, Si, Hf, P, Y, and rare earth elements (REE). Based on the electron probe microanalyzer data, the calculated formula of the studied detrital zircon is ^A(Zr_3.82Hf_0.05Th_0.003Ca_0.10Fe_0.008REE_0.033Tl_0.03Y_0.001)∑_4.04 ^T(Si_3.90P_0.08Al_0.011V_0.003Sc_0.004)∑_4.00O₄. Th, Y, P, Sc, and Fe are substituted into zircon either by simple or coupled substitution mechanisms. Additional zircon grains separated from Abu Swayel granites and metamorphic gneisses, south Eastern Desert of Egypt were similarly investigated for comparison. Although evidence based on morphological characteristics, zoning, apatite inclusions, and mineral chemistry supports a derivation of zircon from granitic rocks including the hydrothermally altered varieties, the possibility that the zircon grains may have more than one source cannot be ruled out due to the large area of the Nile watershed.     

Trace metal and radionuclide pollution in marine sediments of the Aegean Sea (Izmir Bay and Didim)

To determine radioactivity and trace metal levels, surface sediments were collected from two important areas (?zmir Bay and Didim) in the Aegean Sea region of Turkey, and were analyzed for concentrations of ²¹⁰Po, ²¹⁰Pb and trace metals (Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, Mn, Ni, Pb and Zn). The average ²¹⁰Po and ²¹⁰Pb massic activities in sediments varied in the range of 24 ± 5 to 126 ± 6 Bq kg^?1 dry wt. and 18 ± 3 to 59 ± 4 Bq kg^?1 dry wt., respectively. Izmir Bay exhibited the highest polonium activities in sediments, likely due to specific sedimentation processes and other sediment characteristics. The trace metal results showed that the Izmir Bay is facing trace metal pollution. The metal concentrations in sediment samples are low compared to those from the other neighboring marine environments.