Brown dwarfs and the cataclysmic variable period minimum

Using improved, up-to-date stellar input physics tested against observations of low-mass stars and brown dwarfs, we calculate the secular evolution of low-mass donor cataclysmic variables (CVs), including those that form with a brown-dwarf donor. Our models confirm the mismatch between the calculated minimum period ( P _min70 min) and the observed short-period cut-off (80 min) in the CV period histogram. We find that tidal and rotational corrections applied to the one-dimensional stellar structure equations have no significant effect on the period minimum. Theoretical period distributions synthesized from our model sequences always show an accumulation of systems at the minimum period, a feature absent from the observed distribution. We suggest that non-magnetic CVs become unobservable as they are effectively trapped in permanent quiescence before they reach P _min, and that small-number statistics may hide the period spike for magnetic CVs.     

An interdisciplinary study of weathering effects in ordinary chondrites from the Acfer region,Algeria

Abstract— Weathering effects on meteorite finds from the Acfer region were studied by various analytical techniques and in dependence on the depth of sampling. In thin sections of weathered meteorites, weathering effects usually decrease from the outside to the interior of the meteorite. The results of evolved gas analysis indicate that variation in weathering between surface and core is not significant in respect to the formation of Fe-oxyhydroxides. The secondary alteration effects in the noble gases are distributed unevenly throughout the specimens, as seen in the nonsystematic differences observed for the heavy noble gases. Chemical analyses show significant enrichment of Ba and Sr in the outer parts of the weathered samples due to element contamination through aqueous solution. Iron, Ni, and Co are partly flushed from the system as the metal oxidation proceeds. Oxygen isotopes show increases in δ¹⁸O and δ¹⁷O with increasing terrestrial age. For a set of H3 chondrites, the degree of weathering determined from the water content was correlated with terrestrial ages and is discussed with respect to possible weathering mechanisms.     

Numerical Investigation of the Somali Jet Interaction with the Western Ghat Mountains

—Several major features of the interaction of the Somali jet with the Western Ghat Mountains have been observed. These include a pressure ridge, strong vertical motions, and occurrences of highly reflective cloud and heavy rainfall rates along the west coast of India. A triple nested regional weather prediction model has been used to investigate the dynamic interaction between the Somali jet and the Western Ghat Mountains. Two numerical experiments were conducted; one with the topography of western India and the other without. In the experiment without topography, the Western Ghat Mountains were removed from the innermost domain. The results for the innermost domain in the two experiments were analyzed and compared. The results from the simulation with topography captured several of the observed features of the Somali jet interaction with the Western Ghat Mountains. The simulation without topography failed to reveal these features. The results suggest that the blocking effect of the Western Ghats plays an important role in the prediction of the rainfall over the west coast of India.     

Observation of Filterable Bromine Variabilities During Arctic Tropospheric Ozone Depletion Events in High (1hour) Time Resolution

The halogen ions Br^- and Cl^- together with NO₃ ^-, SO₄ ⁼, MSA^- (methane sulfonate), Na⁺ and NH₄ ⁺ were analysed by ion chromatography in extracts of more than 800 aerosol cellulose filter samples taken at Ny Ålesund, Svalbard (79°N, 12°E) in spring 1996 (March 27 - May 16) within the European Union project ARCTOC (Arctic Tropospheric Ozone Chemistry). Anticorrelated variations between f-Br (filterable bromine, i.e. water soluble bromine species that can be collected by aerosol filters) and ozone within the arctic troposphere were evaluated at a resolution of 1 or 2 hours for periods with depleted ozone and 4 hours at normal ozone. A mean f-Br concentration of 11 ng m^-3 (0.14 nmol m^-3) was observed for the whole campaign, while maximum concentrations of 80 ng m^-3 (1 nmol m^-3) were detected during two total O₃-depletion events (O₃ drop to mixing ratios below the detection limit of < 2 ppb). Anticorrelation between f-Br and O₃ was also seen during minor O₃-depletion episodes (sudden drop in O₃ by at least 10 ppb, but O₃ still exceeding the detection limit) and even for ozone variations near its background level (40-50 ppb). A time lag of about 10 hours between the change of ozone and of f-Br concentrations could only be found during a total ozone depletion event, when f-Br reached its maximum values several hours after ozone was totally destroyed. Bromine oxide (BrO) concentrations, measured by DOAS (Differential Optical Absorption Spectroscopy), and f-Br showed a coincident variability during almost the entire campaign (except in the case of total O₃-loss). Frequently enhanced anthropogenic nitrate and sulphate concentrations were observed during O₃-depletion periods. At O₃ concentrations < 10 ppb sulphate and nitrate exceed their typical mean level by 54% and 77%, respectively. This may indicate a possible connection between acidity and halogen release.     

Tectonics of the Dabieshan (eastern China) and possible exhumation mechanism of ultra high-pressure rocks

The Dabieshan is divided into three tectonic domains. The Southern Dabieshan is a stack of allochtons, from top to bottom: (i) unmetamorphosed Cambrian–Early Triassic series unconformably covered by Jurassic sandstone; (ii) weakly metamorphosed Proterozoic slate; (iii) HP rocks mostly retrogressed into greenschist facies; (iv) UHP allochton; (v) UHP-free gneisses. These units exhibit a NW–SE lineation and top-to-the-NW shearing reworked by S-verging folds. The Central Dabieshan is a migmatitic dome superimposed on UHP metamorphism and bounded by a detachement fault responsible for the exhumation of the UHP unit during its retrogression into amphibolite facies. In the Northern Dabieshan, early foliation and N–S trending compressional lineation are deformed by N-verging folds coeval to the syn-exhumation ductile structures of the Central Dabieshan. A geodynamic model involving coeval thrusting and normal faulting is discussed.     

Waveform and packet structure of lion roars

The Equator-S magnetometer is very sensitive and has a sampling rate of normally 128 Hz. The high sampling rate allows for the first time fluxgate magnetometer measurements of ELF waves between the ion cyclotron and the lower hybrid frequencies in the equatorial dayside magnetosheath. The so-called lion roars, typically seen by the Equator-S magnetometer at the bottom of the magnetic troughs of magnetosheath mirror waves, are near-monochromatic packets of electron whistler waves lasting for a few wave cycles only, typically 0.25 s. They are right-hand circularly polarized waves with typical amplitudes of 0.5–1 nT at around one tenth of the electron gyrofrequency. The cone angle between wave vector and ambient field is usually smaller than 1.5°.     

Plutonism in the Variscan Odenwald (Germany): from subduction to collision

 Latest Devonian to early Carboniferous plutonic rocks from the Odenwald accretionary complex reflect the transition from a subduction to a collisional setting. For ∼362 Ma old gabbroic rocks from the northern tectonometamorphic unit I, initial isotopic compositions (ε_Nd=+3.4 to +3.8;⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr =0.7035–0.7053;δ¹⁸O=6.8–8.0‰) and chemical signatures (e.g., low Nb/Th, Nb/U, Ce/Pb, Th/U, Rb/Cs) indicate a subduction-related origin by partial melting of a shallow depleted mantle source metasomatized by water-rich, large ion lithophile element-loaded fluids. In the central (unit II) and southern (unit III) Odenwald, syncollisional mafic to felsic granitoids were emplaced in a transtensional setting at approximately 340–335 Ma B.P. Unit II comprises a mafic and a felsic suite that are genetically unrelated. Both suites are intermediate between the medium-K and high-K series and have similar initial Nd and Sr signatures (ε_Nd=0.0 to –2.5;⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr=0.7044–0.7056) but different oxygen isotopic compositions (δ¹⁸O=7.3–8.7‰ in mafic vs 9.3–9.5‰ in felsic rocks). These characteristics, in conjunction with the chemical signatures, suggest an enriched mantle source for the mafic magmas and a shallow metaluminous crustal source for the felsic magmas. Younger intrusives of unit II have higher Sr/Y, Zr/Y, and Tb/Yb ratios suggesting magma segregation at greater depths. Mafic high-K to shoshonitic intrusives of the southern unit III have initial isotopic compositions (ε_Nd=–1.1 to –1.8;⁸⁷Sr/⁸⁶Sr =0.7054–0.7062;δ¹⁸O=7.2–7.6‰) and chemical characteristics (e.g., high Sr/Y, Zr/Y, Tb/Yb) that are strongly indicative of a deep-seated enriched mantle source. Spatially associated felsic high-K to shoshonitic rocks of unit III may be derived by dehydration melting of garnet-rich metaluminous crustal source rocks or may represent hybrid magmas. Received: 7 December 1998 / Accepted: 27 April 1999     

40Ar/39Ar Thermochronology west of the Main Uralian fault, southern Urals, Russia

West of the Main Uralian fault, the main suture in the southern Urals, ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar apparent ages of amphibole, muscovite and potassium feldspar are interpreted as cooling ages. A fast exhumation of the metamorphic complex of Kurtinsky during Upper Carboniferous time is indicated by the small age difference (15 Ma) between cogenetic amphibole and muscovite. Differentiated movement in the footwall of the Main Uralian fault along strike is indicated by the age difference of 70 Ma between the metamorphic complexes of Kurtinsky (north) and Maksyutov (south). No Upper Paleozoic (Uralian) medium- to high-temperature event is recorded in ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar data from the metamorphic complex of Beloretzk (MCB). An amphibole age of 718±5 Ma and the occurrence of mafic intrusions might signal the break-up of Rodinia and therefore indicate the rifting period followed by the separate movement of the "Beloretzk terrane". Muscovite ages of approximately 550±5 Ma, the unique pre-Ordovician tectonometamorphic evolution of the MCB and the Late Vendian sedimentary history of the western Bashkirian Megaanticlinorium (BMA) imply the existence of a Neoproterozoic orogeny at the eastern margin of Baltica. This orogeny might have been initiated by the accretion of the "Beloretzk terrane". The metamorphic grade of the overlain Silurian shales and the K/Ar microcline ages from the "Beloretzk terrane" give evidence for a new thermal event at approximately 370 Ma. A microcline age of 530–550 Ma obtained for the Vendian conglomerate in the western BMA suggests that a maximum temperature of approximately 200°C was reached in Cambrian or Vendian times. An orthoclase age (590–630 Ma) of the Vendian Zigan flysch deposits might be inherited from the eastern source area, the Cadomian orogen. An orthoclase age (910–950 Ma) from the Riphean Zilmerdak conglomerate coincides with a documented decrease in the subsidence rate of the Upper Riphean basin.