Anomalous Behavior of the Linear Polarization of the Herbig Ae Star WW Vul during the 1997 Minimum

In the course of photopolarimetric monitoring of the Herbig Ae star WW Vul, an unusual variation of linear polarization upon energence from a deep minimum was recorded, which cannot be explained by the standard mechanism for such objects (UX Ori stars): a variable contribution of radiation scattered by circumstellar dust. An analysis of possible causes of the anomalous behavior of polarization shows that it was most likely due to the presence of aligned, aspherical dust grains in the dust cloud crossing the line of sight at that time.     

Bizarre geochemistry of komatiites from the Crixás greenstone belt,Brazil

Komatiite lava flows in the Crixás greenstone belt, Goiás, Brazil, have textures and volcanic structures typical of Archean komatiites, but are geochemically most unusual. The flows are porphyritic and massive, or layered with spinifex upper parts and olivine cumulate lower parts. MgO contents range from 18 to 40%. In such lavas, only olivine (and minor chromite) can have crystallized, but neither major nor trace elements fall on olivine control lines. In MgO variation diagrams, CaO and Sr fall on lines with slopes steeper than olivine control lines; SiO₂, FeO, Na₂O, K₂O and Y show little systematic variation; Zr shows a large variation that does not correlate with MgO; and Al₂O₃ decreases markedly with decreasing MgO. The aberrant behaviour is highlighted by the REE (rare earth elements) in spinifex and olivine cumulate layers from three flows: in the spinifex layers, chondrite-normalized REE patterns are hump-shaped with maxima at Nd or Sm ((La/Sm)_N=0.6, (Gd/Yb)_N=1.6–2.3), whereas cumulate zones in the same flows have steadily sloping patterns, with LREE enriched relative to HREE ((La/Sm)_N=1.3, (Gd/Yb)_N=1.4). Neither normal magmatic processes acting during emplacement of the komatiites, nor thermal erosion and wall-rock assimilation can explain these effects, and we speculate that elements commonly thought of as “immobile” (e.g. Al, Zr, REE) migrated during hydrothermal alteration or metamorphism. A Pb-Pb whole rock isochron gave an age of 2,728±140 Ma and selected Sm-Nd analyses an apparent isochron age of 2,825±98 Ma (ɛ_Nd≈0). The Pb-Pb age is believed to be the approximate time of emplacement. Interpretation of the Sm-Nd data is complicated by the evidence of mobility of REE.     

GIS in the K-12 Curriculum: A Cautionary Note

Two qualitative case studies, one focusing on K-12 teachers and the other on middle school students, explore key factors associated with using Geographic Information Systems in the classroom. In both studies, access to appropriate hardware is a critical barrier. Time is another critical barrier—time to learn the GIS software and time in the curriculum to incorporate GIS as a learning experience. In both case studies, learning the technology at the expense of learning spatial analysis was a danger, suggesting the need for conscious focus on the goal of using GIS to learn how to “do geography.”     

Consistency grammar for 3D indoor model checking

Indoor 3D models are digital representations of building interiors reconstructed from scanned data acquired by laser scanners, digital depth (RGBD) cameras, and CAD drawings. Consequently, there is noise in the source data and a notable variety in the methods used to treat the noise and to process these data into reconstructed models. Alas, the correctness of these reconstructions and thus their suitability for a given application are uncertain. There is a lack of a robust base logic that would allow for controlling the consistency of these (automatically) generated models. Fortunately, correctness criteria are well‐defined through existing international standards. Hence, we propose a conceptual framework based on formal grammars to check the semantic, geometric, and topological consistency of a reconstructed 3D model. The proposed method proceeds in three steps to validate the model: (1) correctness checking of individual components; (2) consistency verification of instances’ interactions; and (3) model consistency check for targeted applications. Our method identifies the components in the model that violate the given rules derived from the current standards and expert knowledge. Ultimately, we propose a quantified formulation of our method that may be straightforwardly integrated into industrial‐level model checkers. The approach is independent of level of details and reconstruction method.     

Modelling atmospheric and hydrologic processes for assessment of meadow restoration impact on flow and sediment in a sparsely gauged California watershed

The restoration of meadowland using the pond and plug technique of gully elimination was performed in a 9‐mile segment along Last Chance Creek, Feather River Basin, California, in order to rehabilitate floodplain functions such as mitigating floods, retaining groundwater, and reducing sediment yield associated with bank erosion and to significantly alter the hydrologic regime. However, because the atmospheric and hydrological conditions have evolved over the restoration period, it was difficult to obtain a comprehensible evaluation of the impact of restoration activities by means of field measurements. In this paper, a new use of physically based models for environmental assessment is described. The atmospheric conditions over the sparsely gauged Last Chance Creek watershed (which does not have any precipitation or weather stations) during the combined historical critical dry and wet period (1982–1993) were reconstructed over the whole watershed using the atmospheric fifth‐generation mesoscale model driven with the US National Center for Atmospheric Research and US National Center for Environmental Prediction reanalysis data. Using the downscaled atmospheric data as its input, the watershed environmental hydrology (WEHY) model was applied to this watershed. All physical parameters of the WEHY model were derived from the existing geographic information system and satellite‐driven data sets. By comparing the prerestoration and postrestoration simulation results under the identical atmospheric conditions, a more complete environmental assessment of the restoration project was made. Model results indicate that the flood peak may be reduced by 10–20% during the wet year and the baseflow may be enhanced by 10–20% during the following dry seasons (summer to fall) in the postrestoration condition. The model results also showed that the hydrologic impact of the land management associated with the restoration mitigates bank erosion and sediment discharge during winter storm events. Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Effective collision strengths for fine-structure forbidden transitions among the 3s23p4 levels of Cl ii

The ab initio R -matrix method is used to calculate effective collision strengths for electron-impact excitation of the sulphur-like ion Cl  ii in the close-coupling approximation. All 10 astrophysically important fine-structure forbidden transitions within the 3s²3p⁴     ,     ,     ground configuration levels are considered. The 12 lowest LS target states are included in the calculation. Effective collision strengths are obtained by averaging the electron collision strengths over a Maxwellian distribution of electron velocities. Results are presented for electron temperatures in the range  log  T (K)=3.3  to  log  T (K)=5.5  , appropriate for astrophysical applications. These are the only effective collision strength data that are currently available.     

On the asymmetry of moustaches

A careful photometry of moustaches is carried out to reveal asymmetry of their emission in the far wings ( 1 Å), if it exists. The presence of background continuous emission in spectra of moustaches demands special care with the photometry, and makes the current method of comparison of rest-intensities inadequate. The other sources of errors are also discussed. The blue asymmetry, as a systematic difference of intensities between the blue and the red wing shows itself in some cases, being 2–3 times larger than the probable errors. In most moustaches investigated, the accompanying background continuous emission shows a rapid increase to the violet.     

Intraplate deformation and 3D rheological structure of the Rhine Rift System and adjacent areas of the northern Alpine foreland

The lithosphere of the Northern Alpine foreland has undergone a polyphase evolution during which interacting stress-induced intraplate deformation and upper mantle thermal perturbations controlled folding of the thermally weakened lithosphere. In this paper we address relationships among deeper lithospheric processes, neotectonics and surface processes in the Northern Alpine foreland with special emphasis on tectonically induced topography. We focus on lithosphere memory and neotectonics, paying special attention to the thermo-mechanical structure of the Rhine Graben System and adjacent areas of the northern Alpine foreland lithosphere. We discuss implications for mechanisms of large-scale intraplate deformation and links with surface processes and topography evolution.