Primary potentials in cylindrical electro-osmotic cells

A review of literature reveals that regardless of the configuration of electro-osmotic cells, all previous laboratory investigations and interpretations have been based on the assumption of a constant potential gradient in the specimen. Appropriate solutions for electrical potentials for cylindrical cells are presented in this paper.     

Natural remanent magnetization studies of a layered Breccia Boulder from the lunar highland region

The average directions of natural remanent magnetization (NRM) of three texturally distinct layers (72215, 72255, and 72275) of a 2 m-sized breccia boulder were found to be the same, while the directions of their stable components of NRM were found to be widely divergent. One clast from 72275 yielded a stable NRM direction which was different from that of the matrix. Approximate paleointensity measurements showed that 72255 and 72275 could have obtained their stable remanence from an ancient magnetic field of the same magnitude. However, 72215 probably was magnetized by a magnetic field of a different intensity. We concluded that the coincident NRM directions owe their origin to a secondary imprint of less stable magnetization imparted during the assembly of the boulder at moderate temperatures (～ 450°C) on the South Massif. The stable directions, on the other hand, date from the last, higher-temperature (～ 770°C) magnetizing event experienced by the mineral and lithic components while they were part of the immature pre-Serenitatis regolith.     

Sorption behavior of heavy metal pollutants onto shales and correlation with shale geochemistry

The sorption of lead (II) and cadmium (II) on seven shales belonging to the Proterozoic Vindhyan basin, central India, and a black cotton soil, Mumbai, India, was studied and compared with sorbent geochemistry. The sorption equilibrium studies were conducted under completely mixed conditions in batch reactors (pH=5.0 and ionic strength= 0.01 M) at room temperature. The Freundlich model provided better fits to the experimental data compared to Langmuir model. High cadmium and lead sorption was observed for the calcareous shales with greater than 5% CaCO₃. The Freundlich isotherm parameter relating to sorption capacity, i.e., K_F, yielded a strong correlation with the calcium carbonate and calcium oxide content across the various geosorbents studied. The observed sorption pattern may be attributed to complex formation of CaCO₃ with Pb²⁺ and Cd²⁺ leading to surface precipitation. Moreover, the Ca²⁺ present in the sorbents may also involve in ion exchange reaction with lead and cadmium.     

High energy X-γ ray spectrometer on the Chandrayaan-1 mission to the Moon

The Chandrayaan-1 mission to the Moon scheduled for launch in late 2007 will include a high energy X-ray spectrometer (HEX) for detection of naturally occurring emissions from the lunar surface due to radioactive decay of the²³⁸U and²³²Th series nuclides in the energy region 20–250 keV. The primary science objective is to study the transport of volatiles on the lunar surface by detection of the 46.5 keV line from radioactive²¹⁰Pb, a decay product of the gaseous²²²Rn, both of which are members of the²³⁸U decay series. Mapping of U and Th concentration over the lunar surface, particularly in the polar and U-Th rich regions will also be attempted through detection of prominent lines from the U and Th decay series in the above energy range. The low signal strengths of these emissions require a detector with high sensitivity and good energy resolution. Pixelated Cadmium-Zinc-Telluride (CZT) array detectors having these characteristics will be used in this experiment. Here we describe the science considerations that led to this experiment, anticipated flux and background (lunar continuum), the choice of detectors, the proposed payload configuration and plans for its realization     

Quantitative interpretation of self potential anomalies of some specific geometric bodies

Summary Some direct and quantitative methods of SP anomalies caused by some specific geometric bodies have been developed in this paper. The models of current sources which have been considered are i) single pole, ii) a doublet, iii) a pair of single point poles separated by a horizontal distance, iv) single finite line pole, v) single infinite line pole and vi) two similar double infinite vertical line poles separated by a horizontal distance.     

Correlation of magnetic properties with Δ(Sr) of igneous rocks from the northeast Pacific and Gulf of California

The magnetic properties of basalts and diabases recovered under Legs 63 and 64 of the Deep Sea Drilling Project are summarized. They are first correlated with the measured grain sizes of the opaque minerals and the overall alteration states of the rocks, the latter measured by conventional chemical parameters such as water content, total volatiles content, and Fe₂O₃/FeO ratio. It is shown, however, that the decrease in ⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr upon leaching (Δ(^87/86Sr)) is perhaps the best quantifier of the overall alteration state of the whole rocks as well as of the degree of low-temperature oxidation suffered by the titanomagnetites. It is well correlated with Curie-point variations caused by changes in the Fe³⁺/Fe²⁺ ratio.     

Luminescence dating of Quaternary alluvial successions,Sellicks Creek,South Mount Lofty Ranges,southern Australia

Abstract

Quaternary alluvial and colluvial sediments infill major river valleys and form alluvial fans and colluvium-filled bedrock depressions on the range fronts and within the Mount Lofty Ranges of southern Australia. A complex association of alluvial successions occurs in the Sellicks Creek drainage basin, as revealed from lithostratigraphy, physical landscape setting and optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages. Correlation of OSL ages with the Marine Oxygen Isotope record reveals that the alluvial successions represent multiple episodes of alluvial sedimentation since the penultimate glaciation (Marine Isotope Stage 6; MIS 6). The successions include a penultimate glacial maximum alluvium (Taringa Formation; 160?±?15?ka; MIS 6), an unnamed alluvial succession (42?±?3.2?ka; MIS 3), a late last glacial colluvial succession within bedrock depressions (ca 15?ka; MIS 2) and a late last glacial alluvium (ca 15?ka; MIS 2) in the lowest, distal portion of Sellicks Creek. In addition, the Waldeila Formation, a Holocene alluvium (3.5?±?0.3?ka; MIS 1), and sediments deposited during a phase of Post-European Settlement Aggradation (PESA) are also identified. The age and spatial distribution of the red/brown successions, mapped as the Upper Pleistocene Pooraka Formation, directly relate to different topographic and tectonic settings. Neotectonic uplift locally enhanced erosion and sedimentation, while differences in drainage basin sizes along the margin of the ranges have influenced the timing and delivery of sediment in downstream locations. Close to the Willunga Fault Scarp at Sellicks Creek, sediments resembling the Pooraka Formation have yielded a pooled mean OSL age of 83.9?±?7?ka (MIS 5a) corroborating the previously identified extended time range for deposition of the formation. Elsewhere, within major river valleys, the Pooraka Formation was deposited during the last interglacial maximum (128–118?ka; MIS 5e). In general, alluviation occurred during interglacial and interstadial pluvial events, while erosion predominated during drier glacial episodes. In both cases, contemporaneous erosion and sedimentation continued to affect the landscape. For example, in the Sellicks Creek drainage basin, which lies across an actively uplifting fault zone, late glacial age sediments (MIS 2) occur within the ranges and near the distal margin of the alluvial fan complex. OSL dating of the alluvial successions reported in this paper highlights linkages between the terrestrial and marine environments in association with sea-level (base-level) and climatic perturbations. While the alluvial successions relate largely to climatically driven changes, especially in major river valleys, tectonics, eustasy, geomorphic setting and topography have influenced erosion and sedimentation, especially on steep-sloped alluvial fan environments.

1. KEY POINTS

2. Luminescence dating of the Sellicks Creek alluvial fan complex reveals that sedimentation occurred predominantly during the later stages of glacial cycles accompanying lower sea-levels than present.

3. Luminescence dating confirms that the stratigraphically lower portions of the Pooraka Formation are beyond the range of radiocarbon dating.

4. Upper Pleistocene alluvial fan sedimentation at Sellicks Creek correlates with pluvial events in southeastern Australia.

     

Velocity shear effect on the longitudinal wave in a strongly coupled dusty plasma

The characteristics of longitudinal dust acoustic wave (DAW) in presence of velocity shear have been investigated in a strongly coupled dusty plasma using the generalized hydrodynamic (GH) model. In the hydrodynamic regime (ωτ _m ?1), i.e. when characteristic time τ _m is slower than inverse of wave frequency, the viscosity in the GH model plays the usual role of wave damping, whereas in the kinetic regime (ωτ _m ?1), i.e. when characteristic time τ _m is larger than inverse of wave frequency, viscosity shows energy storing property in the wave. In the kinetic regime, we have studied the longitudinal mode $\omega^{2}=k^{2} (c_{d}^{2}+c_{l}^{2})$ (where ω is the frequency, k is the wave number, c _d is the dust acoustic velocity and c _l is the longitudinal velocity that arises due to viscosity) in presence of velocity shear. It is shown that velocity shear can destabilize this mode. Both nonmodal and modal techniques are employed to demonstrate the growth rate of the instability.     

Shake Table Tests and Numerical Modeling of Liquefaction of Kasai River Sand

As a part of the seismic safety evaluation of several bridges and other hydraulic structures located on Kasai River bed in India, the liquefaction potential of Kasai River sand is studied in 1-g shake table in laboratory and numerically using a commercial software FLAC 2D. The surface settlement, lateral spreading, predominant frequency, amplification of the ground motion and pore water pressure development in Kasai River sand in dry and liquefied states have been studied when subjected to sinusoidal motions of amplitude 0.35 g at a frequency of 2 Hz. The nonlinear curves used to represent shear strain dependency of stiffness and damping ratio of Kasai River sand are obtained from cyclic triaxial tests. Reasonably good agreement between the experimental and the numerical results is observed. It is found that the settlement and lateral spreading for the liquefied sand is 2.60 and 2.50 times than those of the sand in the dry state. The volumetric strain of the liquefied sand is found to be around 4%, which is significantly higher than 1.53% observed in the dry sand. It is observed that the amplification of the peak ground acceleration for the saturated sand is 1.08 and 1.32 times higher than that for the dry sand from theoretical and experimental results, respectively. The shear strain developed in the liquefied sand is 1.17 times more than that for dry sand. The fundamental and higher modal frequencies of dry sand are found to be 1.13, 1.117 and 1.119 times more than those for the saturated sand, respectively.     

Geochemistry and petrogenesis of radioactive Palaeoproterozoic granitoids of Kinwat crystalline inlier,Nanded and Yeotmal districts,Maharashtra

Kinwat crystalline inlier exposes Palaeoproterozoic granitoids belonging to the northern extensions of younger phase of Peninsular gneissic complex (PGC) within Deccan Trap country in Eastern Dharwar Craton (EDC) and bounded in south by a major NW-SE trending lineament (Kaddam fault). Geochemically, the Kinwat granitoids are similar to high-K, calc-alkaline to shoshonite magnesian granitoids and subdivided into two major groups, i.e. felsic group (pink and grey granites) and intermediate to felsic group (hybrid granitoids). The felsic group (∼67–74% SiO₂) shares many features with Neoarchaean to Palaeoproterozoic high potassic granites of PGC such as higher LILE and LREE content and marked depletion in Eu, P and HFSE, especially Nb, Ti, relative to LILE and LREE. The hybrid granitoids (∼58–67% SiO₂) have comparatively higher Ca, Mg and Na contents and slightly lower REE content than the granitoids of felsic group. Both, felsic and hybrid granitoids are metaluminous to weakly peraluminous and belong to highly fractionated I-type suite as evidenced by negative correlation of SiO₂ with MgO, FeO^t, CaO, Na₂O, Al₂O₃, whereas K₂O, Rb and Ba show sympathetic relationship with SiO₂. Moderate to strong fractionated REE patterns (Ce/Yb_N: ∼54–387) and strong negative Eu anomalies (Eu/Eu*: 0.13–0.41) are quite apparent in these granitoids. The geochemical characteristics together with mineralogical features such as presence of biotite±hornblende as the dominant ferromagnesian mineral phases point towards intracrustal magma source, i.e. derivation of magma by partial melting of probably tonalitic igneous protolith at moderate crustal levels for felsic granites, whereas hybrid granitoids appear to be products of juvenile mantle-crust interaction, in an active continental margin setting.