Planetary nebulae in the Galaxy

It is shown that the planetary nebulae can be divided into three types according to the values of the mass of shell and a central star. The criteria are given using which one can determine the mass type of the nebula. The distance scale of each mass-type planetary nebulae is given. The distribution of planetary nebulae in the Galaxy, their formation rate, scale-height and other physical and kinematic characteristics are investigated. A catalogue of planetary nebulae emitting in the radio range is given.     

The distribution law of stellarp-modes

We show that the overall densityg() of asymptotic acoustic frequencies of a star obeys a Weyl lawg() ^D–1, whereD is the dimensionality of the oscillating stellar configuration. For realistic stars with a finite non-zero surface sound speed,D is equal to the actual dimensionality of the star,D=3. For formal models with a vanishing sound velocity at the surface, heuristic arguments lead to a dimensionality parameterD=4.5. The empirical frequencies of Eddington's standard model are found to be consistent with the latter distribution, with reasonable agreement already occurring in the low-frequency range > _i 2× fundamental radial mode. We argue that real stars obey this 3.5-power law in some finite frequency interval _i << _f , _f being a very high frequency critically depending on the surface sound velocity, while the full asymptotic law, withD=3, holds for > _f .     

Venusian novae (Astra): Classification and associations to different geological environments

On the Venusian surface, there can be found a rather large population of structures with prominent radial features. The term “nova” or “astrum/astra” are used to describe this special group of volcanotectonic structures with a stellate fracture pattern radiating around a central summit or fracture. In this paper, we studied the distribution and characteristics of 74 novae to determine if there are suitable ways to categorize them and to find out how this categorization could explain the differences in nova characteristics. The nova locations establish that these structures are not distributed sporadically, but they display both latitudinal and longitudinal concentrations. In addition, it is evident that the geological environments represent the major differences between individual novae. Most of them, in general, are connected to some larger volcanotectonic unit. The differences in geological surroundings can be used as the basis for characterizing novae by dividing them into different categories: (a) novae located either within or close to a rather large deformation zone, (b) novae located on plains, (c) novae located close to tessera terrain, and (d) novae situated within volcanic areas either close to volcanoes or within an area with a high density of coronae. The analysis of this characterization establishes that geological environments are the main cause for divergent nova characteristics, i.e., differences in morphology, volcanism, and topography, which, on the other hand, are possible ways to classify novae. In particular, the morphological classification (Type I, novae with features radiating from the same point; Type II, radial structures radiating from a fissure or other linear structure; Type III, lava flows or fields covering radiant point area; Type IV, semiradial structures which do not radiate from a well-defined radiant point, fissure, or area) shows some correlations between geological environments and the type of nova, indicating that the morphological appearance and the location—and, thereby, the geologic environment—of the novae are correlated to some extent.     

Buried paleo-channels on the New Jersey continental margin: channel porosity structures from electromagnetic surveying

We report on a marine electromagnetic (EM) survey across two portions of the New Jersey continental margin that have been previously shown to contain buried paleo-channels. The EM method used provides bulk porosity estimates to depths of around 20 m below the seafloor and is thus able to place porosity constraints on the nature of the channel infill and the contrast in physical properties across the channel boundaries. Our data show that a key condition for the channels to have an electrical signature is that they incise an underlying regional unconformity, R, thought to represent a subaerially eroded surface, exposed during the late Wisconsinan glaciation. Channels that cut R are seen through increases in apparent porosity. Another seismically imaged channel sequence, which lies within the outer-shelf sediment wedge sequence above R, does not have an electrical signature, indicating that the sediments above and below the channel boundaries have similar physical properties.     

Artificial Maturation of Organic Matter from Recent Venezuelan Sediments

Laboratory simulation of the catagenesis of organic matter in sedimentary rocks has been used to provide an understanding of the processes involved in petroleum generation. Several of these studies have focused on the thermal evolution of organic matter (OM) present in Recent sediments. This study examines the geochemical characteristics and experimental thermal evolution of primary organic matter from two organic facies that are thought to be major contributors to Venezuelan hydrocarbon source rocks. A third facies, generally considered unimportant for petroleum formation, is used to contrast the experimental results. Hydrous pyrolysis maturation experiments were performed for three intermediate temperatures. The products of the final 330°C stage are shown in this paper because they best illustrate the changes in the OM during catagenesis. Results from the hydrous pyrolysis experiments show that at 280°C and higher all three samples yield liquid hydrocarbons similar in composition to natural crudes and the transformed organic matter is similar to kerogen that occurs in natural source rocks. Chromatograms from the saturated fraction of extracts at 330°C are similar to natural crudes with respect to n-alkane distribution and abundance of beta; and beta;alpha; hopanes. The only difference seems to be the relative abundance of 22R over 22S isomers, which indicates immature oil. This is in contrast to indications from the R _o and T _max parameters measured on the accompanying kerogen.     

Effect of polychromatic X‐ray microtomography imaging on the amino acid content of the Murchison CM chondrite

X‐ray microcomputed tomography (μCT) is a useful means of characterizing cosmochemical samples such as meteorites or robotically returned samples. However, there are occasional concerns that the use of μCT may be detrimental to the organic components of a chondrite. Small organic compounds such as amino acids comprise up to ~10% of the total solvent extractable carbon in CM carbonaceous chondrites. We irradiated three samples of the Murchison CM carbonaceous chondrite under conditions akin to and harsher than those typically used during typical benchtop X‐ray μCT imaging experiments to determine if detectable changes in the amino acid abundance and distribution relative to a nonexposed Murchison control sample occurred. After subjecting three meteorite samples to ionizing radiation dosages between ~300 Gray (Gy) and 3 kGy with bremstrahlung X‐rays, we analyzed the amino acid content of each sample. Within sampling and analytical errors, we cannot discern differences in the amino acid abundances and amino acid enantiomeric ratios when comparing the control samples (nonexposed Murchison) and the irradiated samples. We conclude that a polychromatic X‐ray μCT experiment does not alter the abundances of amino acids to a degree greater than how well those abundances are measured with our techniques and therefore any damage to amino acids is minimal.     

Sea-level rise and flooding in coastal riverine flood plains

Abstract

This work presents a method for calculating the contributions of sea-level rise and urban growth to flood risk in coastal flood plains. The method consists of hydraulic/hydrological, urban growth and flood-damage quantification modules. The hydraulic/hydrological module estimates peak annual flows to generate flood stages impacted by sea-level rise within flood plains. A model for urban growth predicts patterns of urbanization within flood plains over the period 2010–2050. The flood-damage quantification module merges flood maps and urbanization predictions to calculate the expected annual flood damage (EAFD) for given scenarios of sea-level rise. The method is illustrated with an application to the Tijuana River of southern California, USA, and northwestern Mexico, where the EAFD is predicted to increase by over US$100 million because of sea-level rise of 0.25–1.0 m and urban growth by the year 2050. It is shown that urbanization plays a principal role in increasing the EAFD in the study area for the range of sea-level rise considered.

Editor Z.W. Kundzewicz

Citation Garcia, E.S. and Loáiciga, H.A., 2013. Sea-level rise and flooding in coastal riverine flood plains. Hydrological Sciences Journal, 59 (1), 204–220.     

Symplectic Mappings of Co-orbital Motion in the Restricted Problem of Three Bodies

The dynamics of co-orbital motion in the restricted three-body problem are investigated by symplectic mappings. Analytical and semi-numerical mappings have been developed and studied in detail. The mappings have been tested by numerical integration of the equations of motion. These mappings have been proved to be useful for a quick determination of the phase space structure reflecting the main characteristics of the dynamics of the co-orbital problem.     

Soil moisture potential and water content in the unsaturated zone within the arid Ejina Oasis in Northwest China

Three soil profiles were selected in the Ejina Oasis, northwest China, to determine water content profiles and evolution of soil moisture potentials in the unsaturated zone within the arid area. The total soil moisture potentials have been monitored for about 3 months in 2001 at different depths in the soil profiles. The occurrence and movement of water in the unsaturated zone was analyzed using the zero flux plane (ZFP) method. It is shown that convergent ZFPs and divergent ZFPs may occur at depths between 0.5 and 3.0 m, and that the depth of the ZFPs was controlled by the root zone of plants growing on the land surface. Profiles of the total soil moisture potentials were observed to be coincident with those of the water contents at the three experimental sites. The total soil moisture potential showed a slight increasing trend and the ZFPs tend to vanish from summer to winter as the water extraction by roots decreased. Evapotranspiration through vegetation has an important bearing on the water content and the total potential in the unsaturated zone.