The eruption of active region filaments and its relation to the triggering of a solar flare

The formation and eruption of active region filaments is supposed to be caused by the increase of a concentrated current embedded in the active region background magnetic field of an active region according to the theory of Van Tend and Kuperus (1978).The onset of a filament eruption is due to either changes in the background magnetic field or the increase of the filament current intensity. Both processes can be caused by the emergence of new magnetic flux as well as by the motion of the photospheric footpoints of the magnetic field lines. It is shown that if the background field evolves from a potential field to a nearly force-free field the vertical equilibrium of the current filament is not affected, but large forces are generated along the filament axis. This is identified as the cause of filament activation and the increase in filament turbulence during the flare build-up phase. Depending on the evolution of the background field and the current filament, two different scenarios for flare build-up and filament eruption are distinguished.This work was done while one of the authors (M.K.) was participating in the CECAM workshop on Physics of Solar Flares held at Orsay, France, in June 1979.     

The evolution of massive close binaries

The results of evolutionary computations for massive binary systems (initial masses of the primary 10M ) with mass ratios between 0.3 and 0.8 are summarized and compared with observations in order to verify how far one can go with the conservative assumption of mass exchange. It is found that conservative mass exchange leads to acceptable first-order models of W-R and massive X-ray binaries. However, the comparison between this theory and observation reveals that for the observed systems (W-R and X-ray binaries) a preference exists for low intial mass ratios; moreover, the X-ray luminosities of the theoretical models are systematically too low, though this may be due to the adopted wind model. In addition, the influences of several parameters (distance between the components, chemical composition, primary mass, mass ratio and atmosphere) are examined. These parameters influence the remnant mass and any further evolution only marginally. Attention is also given to the effect on the system parameters of a supernova explosion of the remnant of the mass-losing component. For a large range of systems a disruption probability smaller than 25% is found.     

A former asteroidal planet as the origin of comets

The idea of a missing planet between Mars and Jupiter has been with us since the formulation of the Titius-Bode law. The discovery of the asteroid belt in that location led to speculation about a planetary breakup event. Both ideas remained conjectures until Ovenden's finding in 1972, from which it could be derived that the mass of the missing planet was about 90 Earth masses and that its breakup was astronomically recent. Apparently much of that mass was blown out of the solar system during the disruption of the planet. Because of the action of planetary perturbations, only two types of orbits of surviving fragments could remain at present-asteroid orbits and once-around very-long-period elliptical orbits. Objects in the latter type of orbit are known to exist-the very-long-period comets. A large number of these are on elliptical trajectories with periods of revolution of 5 million years; yet they are known to have made no more than one revolution in an orbit passing close to the Sun. By direct calculation it is possible to predict the distribution of the orbital elements of objects moving on long-period ellipses which might have originated in a breakup event in the asteroid belt 5 million years ago. The comet orbits have the predicted distribution in every case where a measure is possible. Some of the distribution anomalies, such as a bias in the directions of perihelion passage, are statistically strong and would be difficult to explain in any other uncontrived way. In addition, a relative deficiency of orbits with perihelia less than 1 AU indicates that the comets must have had small perihelion distances since their origin, rather than that they have been perturbed into small perihelion orbits from a distant “cloud” of comets by means of stellar encounters. The comet orbital data lead to the conclusion that all comets originated in a breakup event in the asteroid belt (5.5±0.6) × 10⁶ years ago. Asteroid and meteoritic evidence can now be interpreted in a way which not only is supportive but also provides fresh insights into understanding their physical, chemical, and dynamical properties. Particularily noteworthy are the young cosmic-ray exposure ages of meteorites, evidence of a previous high-temperature/pressure environment and of chemical differentiation of the parent body, and compositional similarities among comets, asteroids, and meteorites. Certain “explosion signatures” in asteroid orbital element distributions are likewise indicative. Tektites may also have originated in the same event; but if so, there are important implications regarding the absolute accuracy of certain geological dating methods. Little is known about possible planetary breakup mechanisms of the requisite type, though some speculations are offered. In any case, the asteroid belt is an existing fact; and the arguments presented here that a large planet did disintegrate 5 million years ago must be judged on their merits, even in the absence of a suitable theory of planetary explosions.     

Microfabrics of calcite ultramylonites as records of coaxial and non-coaxial deformation kinematics: Examples from the Rocher de l'Yret shear zone (Western Alps)

Microfabrics were analysed in calcite mylonites from the rim of the Pelvoux massif (Western Alps, France). WNW-directed emplacement of the internal Penninic units onto the Dauphinois domain produced intense deformation of an Eocene-age nummulitic limestone under lower anchizone metamorphic conditions (slightly below 300 °C). Two types of microfabrics developed primarily by dislocation creep accompanied by dynamic recrystallisation in the absence of twinning. Coaxial kinematics are inferred for samples exhibiting grain shape fabrics and textures with orthorhombic symmetry. Their texture (crystallographic preferred orientation, CPO) is characterised by two c-axis maxima, symmetrically oriented at 15° from the normal to the macroscopic foliation. Non-coaxial deformation is evident in samples with monoclinic shape fabrics and textures characterised by a single oblique c-axis maximum tilted with the sense of shear by about 15°. From the analysis of suitably oriented slip systems for the main texture components under given kinematics it is inferred that the orthorhombic textures, which developed in coaxial kinematics, favour activity of <10–11> and <02–21> slip along the f and r planes, respectively, with minor contributions of basal-<a> slip. In contrast, the monoclinic textures, which developed during simple shear, are most suited for duplex <a> slip along the basal plane. The transition between the dominating slip systems for the orthorhombic and monoclinic microfabrics is interpreted to be due to the effects of dynamic recrystallisation upon texture development. Since oblique c-axis maxima documented in the literature are most often rotated not with but against the shear sense, calcite textures alone should not be used as unequivocal shear sense indicators, but need to be complemented by microstructural criteria such as shape preferred orientations, grain size estimates and amount of twinning.     

Can stable isotopes be used to monitor landfill leachate impact on surface waters?

Bacterially mediated methanogenesis in municipal solid waste landfills has been shown to cause an enrichment of carbon stable isotope ratios of dissolved inorganic carbon and hydrogen stable isotope ratios of water in landfill leachate. In the present study, we investigate the universality of this enrichment in leachate obtained from four diverse landfill sites in New Zealand. At each site, surface water samples upstream and downstream of landfills were analysed to examine the applicability of stable isotope ratios as a tool for monitoring leachate contamination in landfill-associated streams. The design of leachate collection systems, operational history, and landfill location appeared to strongly influence leachate isotopic values and the effectiveness of isotope ratios as an environmental monitoring tool for surface water.     

Developments in the characterisation of waste materials for environmental impact assessment purposes

The characterisation of waste is entering a new phase with the latest developments of characterisation leaching tests and associated modelling capabilities. The currently applied too simple testing approaches lead to poor choices in waste management. With the increased insight in release controlling processes chemical speciation aspects can be addressed even in the most complex and heterogeneous waste materials. From a composition perspective materials may be highly variable, but often materials are far more consistent in their leaching behaviour. This aspect should be exploited more extensively as it holds the key to treat waste materials in such a way that long term solutions are achieved rather than reaching temporary gains.     

Mesozoic transtensional basin history of the Eastern Cordillera, Colombian Andes: Inferences from tectonic models

Backstripping analysis and forward modeling of 162 stratigraphic columns and wells of the Eastern Cordillera (EC), Llanos, and Magdalena Valley shows the Mesozoic Colombian Basin is marked by five lithosphere stretching pulses. Three stretching events are suggested during the Triassic–Jurassic, but additional biostratigraphical data are needed to identify them precisely. The spatial distribution of lithosphere stretching values suggests that small, narrow (<150 km), asymmetric graben basins were located on opposite sides of the paleo-Magdalena–La Salina fault system, which probably was active as a master transtensional or strike-slip fault system. Paleomagnetic data suggesting a significant (at least 10°) northward translation of terranes west of the Bucaramanga fault during the Early Jurassic, and the similarity between the early Mesozoic stratigraphy and tectonic setting of the Payandé terrane with the Late Permian transtensional rift of the Eastern Cordillera of Peru and Bolivia indicate that the areas were adjacent in early Mesozoic times. New geochronological, petrological, stratigraphic, and structural research is necessary to test this hypothesis, including additional paleomagnetic investigations to determine the paleolatitudinal position of the Central Cordillera and adjacent tectonic terranes during the Triassic–Jurassic. Two stretching events are suggested for the Cretaceous: Berriasian–Hauterivian (144–127 Ma) and Aptian–Albian (121–102 Ma). During the Early Cretaceous, marine facies accumulated on an extensional basin system. Shallow-marine sedimentation ended at the end of the Cretaceous due to the accretion of oceanic terranes of the Western Cordillera. In Berriasian–Hauterivian subsidence curves, isopach maps and paleomagnetic data imply a (>180 km) wide, asymmetrical, transtensional half-rift basin existed, divided by the Santander Floresta horst or high. The location of small mafic intrusions coincides with areas of thin crust (crustal stretching factors >1.4) and maximum stretching of the subcrustal lithosphere. During the Aptian–early Albian, the basin extended toward the south in the Upper Magdalena Valley. Differences between crustal and subcrustal stretching values suggest some lowermost crustal decoupling between the crust and subcrustal lithosphere or that increased thermal thinning affected the mantle lithosphere. Late Cretaceous subsidence was mainly driven by lithospheric cooling, water loading, and horizontal compressional stresses generated by collision of oceanic terranes in western Colombia. Triassic transtensional basins were narrow and increased in width during the Triassic and Jurassic. Cretaceous transtensional basins were wider than Triassic–Jurassic basins. During the Mesozoic, the strike-slip component gradually decreased at the expense of the increase of the extensional component, as suggested by paleomagnetic data and lithosphere stretching values. During the Berriasian–Hauterivian, the eastern side of the extensional basin may have developed by reactivation of an older Paleozoic rift system associated with the Guaicáramo fault system. The western side probably developed through reactivation of an earlier normal fault system developed during Triassic–Jurassic transtension. Alternatively, the eastern and western margins of the graben may have developed along older strike-slip faults, which were the boundaries of the accretion of terranes west of the Guaicáramo fault during the Late Triassic and Jurassic. The increasing width of the graben system likely was the result of progressive tensional reactivation of preexisting upper crustal weakness zones. Lateral changes in Mesozoic sediment thickness suggest the reverse or thrust faults that now define the eastern and western borders of the EC were originally normal faults with a strike-slip component that inverted during the Cenozoic Andean orogeny. Thus, the Guaicáramo, La Salina, Bitúima, Magdalena, and Boyacá originally were transtensional faults. Their oblique orientation relative to the Mesozoic magmatic arc of the Central Cordillera may be the result of oblique slip extension during the Cretaceous or inherited from the pre-Mesozoic structural grains. However, not all Mesozoic transtensional faults were inverted.