Planetary embryos and planetesimals residing in thin debris discs

We consider constraints on the planetesimal population residing in the discs of AU Microscopii (AU Mic), β Pictoris (β Pic) and Fomalhaut taking into account their observed thicknesses and normal disc opacities. We estimate that bodies of radius 5, 180 and 70 km are responsible for initiating the collisional cascade accounting for the dust production for AU Mic, β Pic and Fomalhaut's discs, respectively, at break radii from the star where their surface brightness profiles change slope. Larger bodies, of radius 1000 km and with surface density of the order of 0.01 g cm⁻², are required to explain the thickness of these discs assuming that they are heated by gravitational stirring. A comparison between the densities of the two sizes suggests the size distribution in the largest bodies is flatter than that observed in the Kuiper belt. AU Mic's disc requires the shallowest size distribution for bodies with radius greater than 10 km suggesting that the disc contains planetary embryos experiencing a stage of runaway growth.     

Time-evolution of high-resolution topographic measurements of the sea floor using a 3-D laser line scan mapping system

A laser line scan system was used to characterize the high-resolution spatial variability and temporal evolution of the sea floor as a function of environmental conditions for a small section of the sea floor in the Gulf of Mexico during a period of nine days. High-resolution bathymetric profiles (<1 mm) covering about two sand ripple periods on the sea floor were acquired over a one-dimensional transect 1.35 m in length. The system was also used to measure reflectance and to produce three-dimensional bottom maps of the test area. Over the nine-day period, the sand ripple peak-to-trough height was observed to decrease slowly from about 2.5 cm to about 2.0 cm. Similar gradual changes we also observed in the time-evolution of bottom profile correlations and of the bottom roughness spectra. However, when smaller sections were examined individually, the time-evolution of the profile correlation was observed to vary acutely and in a transitory manner in some regions but not in others, and without preference for crests or troughs. In general, bottom roughness for spatial frequencies greater than 0.044 cycles/cm completely decorrelated within 20-30 h. However, this gradual trend was also marked by acute and transitory changes in bottom topography believed to be primarily from fish feeding on epibenthic prey.     

Mercury in Stratabound copper mineralization in the Mammoth area,northwest Queensland

Copper mineralization along the Mount Gordon Fault Zone in northwest Queensland contains sufficient mercury to permit mercury pathfinder techniques to be used for exploration for further deposits in the area. At the Mammoth mine, the No. 1 orebody contains 310–14000 ppb Hg, with the highest contents in “sooty chalcocite” which may be of supergene origin. The B orebody contains 100–4300 ppb Hg, with highest concentrations at the top of the deposit. Other deposits in the Mammoth area contain 10–1600 ppb Hg, with mean mercury contents > 200 ppb in fault-related mineralization.There is a strong positive correlation between mercury and copper, sulfur, silver, arsenic, bismuth, lead, antimony and thallium contents in the deposits which suggests mercury was introduced during the mineralizing process. However, most of the mercury occurs on the surfaces of sulfide minerals, indicating its introduction at a late stage of mineralization.Mercury in the No. 1 orebody is partly of supergene origin whereas primary mineralogy may control mercury distribution in the B orebody. The presence near the Mammoth Fault of a lens of pyrite containing high concentrations of mercury (geometric mean 820 ppb) suggests that the mercury content of pyrite encountered in future exploration programmes in the region might be used to indicate proximity to mineralized fault zones.Gossans derived from copper deposits contain more than five times the amount of mercury in ironstones developed over unmineralized or poorly mineralized fault zones. The mercury contents of iron-rich rocks may be used to discriminate gossans from the numerous fault ironstones in the Mammoth area.     

Macrofaunal involvement in the sublittoral decay of kelp debris: The sea urchin Psammechinus miliaris (Gmelin) (Echinodermata: Echinoidea)

Psammechinus miliaris occurs in the Clyde Sea area in large numbers (<18 individuals per 100 g^?1 weed dry wt) on sublittoral beds of detached Laminaria saccharina. Its rôle in weed decomposition has been examined by comparing its responses (behavioural choice, growth rate, absorption efficiencies of both carbon and protein, gut retention times and rate of faecal output) to fresh and rotting weed.Younger urchins grew faster than older individuals on a diet of rotting weed but not on fresh weed. Large seasonal variation existed, however, with fast growth occurring in June–August and little, or no, growth in December–February, irrespective of diet. Starved controls did not grow. Correcting for seasonality, rotting kelp still promoted faster growth of young urchins than did fresh weed. Larger (older) individuals showed no difference. Urchins fed fresh weed had significantly longer gut retention times. Protein absorption efficiency was higher on fresh than rotting weed, varying with weed protein content and size of urchin. Very young individuals can only digest high protein weed efficiently, eg. material derived from near the frond meristem. Organic carbon content of rotting weed was significantly lower than fresh weed. Carbon absorption efficiencies were significantly higher on fresh weed which related to organic carbon content. Standard-sized urchins fed rotting weed produced larger dry weights of faeces per day, reflecting increased ingestion rate. In closed-system choice experiments urchins preferred rotting weed kinetically. Size-frequency analysis of field populations suggested that weed beds are principally colonized by larval settlement from the plankton.Mature Psammechinus have evolved different ‘strategies’ for exploiting fresh and rotting weed. Fresh weed is relatively difficult to digest and long gut retention times allow high protein absorption efficiencies to be attained. Rotting weed has microbial protein in quantities and a lower organic carbon fraction. Some bacterial protein is seemingly unavailable though and lower protein absorption efficiencies result. Thus gut retention time is shortened and more food passed through the gut. Growth remains equivalent. Substratum digestion is of paramount importance for Psammechinus feeding on either fresh or rotting weed, cf. the ‘classical’ microbe-stripping detritivore of Fenchel.     

Ultraviolet photolysis and proton irradiation of astrophysical ice analogs containing hydrogen cyanide

Hydrogen cyanide (HCN) has been identified in the gas phase of the interstellar medium as well as in the comae of several comets. Terrestrially, HCN is a key component in the synthesis of biologically important molecules such as amino acids. In this paper, we report the results of low-temperature (18 K) ice energetic processing experiments involving pure HCN and mixtures of HCN with H₂O and NH₃. Ice films, 0.1 to several microns in thickness, were exposed to either ultraviolet photons (110-250 nm) or 0.8-MeV protons to simulate the effects of space environments. Observed products include HCNO (isocyanic acid), NH₄⁺ (ammonium ion), CN⁻ (cyanide ion), OCN⁻ (cyanate ion), HCONH₂ (formamide), and species spectrally similar to HCN polymers. Product formation rates and HCN destruction rates were determined where possible. Results are discussed in terms of astrophysical situations in the ISM and the Solar System where HCN would likely play an important role in prebiotic chemistry. These results imply that if HCN is present in icy mixtures representative of the ISM or in comets, it will be quickly converted into other species in energetic environments; pure HCN seems to be polymerized by incident radiation.     

Rainfall interception by trees of Pinus radiata and Eucalyptus viminalis in a 1300 mm rainfall area of southeastern New South Wales: II. Influence of wind-borne precipitation

Analyses were made of the concurrent canopy precipitation balances of a seed orchard pine and a mature forest eucalypt during protracted rainfalls selected for their representativeness of the range of variation encountered in the two canopy types at Tallanganda State Forest (ca. 990 m a.s.l.) in the Upper Shoalhaven Valley of southeastern New South Wales. Although their canopy storage capacities were widely different there was consistent interception behaviour in the pine and the eucalypt in all events. Detailed weather data and the time courses of interception loss provided circumstantial evidence for a varying and, at times, substantial influence of cloud or mist deposition on the canopy precipitation balances during rainfall that made a significant contribution to the variation in rainfall interception data. Mean evaporation rates from the saturated canopies during rainfall varied from ?0·02 mm hr^?1 up to 0·68 mm hr^?1 in the pine; and from ?0·04 mm hr^?1 up to 0·13 mm hr^?1 in the eucalypt. The implications of cloud-capture during rainfall for studies of rainfall interception in forests of southeastern Australia are discussed.     

REPEATED SHOCK AND THERMAL METAMORPHISM OF THE ABERNATHY METEORITE

Based on the example of Abernathy (L6 chondrite), this study shows how petrographic investigation can be used to unravel the nature, chronology and conditions of superposed metamorphic events in chondrites. Features considered include the texture of the rock, optical characteristics of olivine, pyroxene and plagioclase, refractive index of plagioclase, metallographical characteristics and microhardness of Fe-Ni alloys. From these data it is deduced that Abernathy has been involved in at least six metamorphic events since the formation of the chondrite. Four distinct shock events and two separate reheating events have been identified. The chronology of these events is established. The conditions for the last four events are reasonably well constrained. These include successively, i) severe reheating (T > 1200°C), ii) severe shock causing complete melting of plagioclase and local melting of the rock (90 < P < 110 GPa, 1250°GC < T < 1350°C), iii) mild shock (10 < P < 25 GPa, T<500°C), and iv) reheating below 800°C.     

Local magnitude,surface wave magnitude and seismic energy

Summary The local magnitude M_L at the seismological station Pruhonice (PRU) was converted into surface wave magnitude M_S using the formula M_S=–3.2+1.45 M_L and the seismic wave energy was estimated using the relation log E (Joule)=1.2+2.0 M_L. It was proposed to apply the same conversion formulae at seismological stations Kaperské Hory (KHC) and Berggiesshübel (BRG) where the calibrating functions for local magnitudes were determined for the same set of earthquakes with common reference magnitudes as in the case of the PRU station.