Optical identifications of five INTEGRAL hard X-ray sources in the Galactic plane

The results of optical identifications of five hard X-ray sources in the Galactic plane from the INTEGRAL all-sky survey are presented. The X-ray data on one source (IGR J20216+4359) are published for the first time. The optical observations were performed with the 1.5-m RTT-150 telescope (Turkish National Observatory, Antalya, Turkey) and the 6-m BTA telescope (Special Astrophysical Observatory, Nizhny Arkhyz, Russia). A blazar, three Seyfert galaxies, and a high-mass X-ray binary are among the identified sources.     

Rebuttal to “Comment on the paper “Comparison of the composition of the Tempel 1 ejecta to the dust in Comet C/Hale-Bopp 1995 O1 and YSO HD 100546” by C.M. Lisse, K.E. Kraemer, J.A. Nuth III, A. Li, and D. Joswiak"

This response is to address the comments made by Drs. J. Crovisier and D. Bockelee-Morvan concerning the spectral analysis of Lisse et al. [Lisse, C.M., Kraemer, K.E., Nuth, J.A., Li, A., Joswiak, D., 2007. Icarus 187, 69-86] of the mid-IR ISO SWS spectrum of Comet Hale-Bopp 1995 O1 taken on October 6, 1996, and to support the conclusions made in Lisse et al. concerning the positive detection of PAHs in this comet. We also present some additional information determined from the Deep Impact and STARDUST missions, demonstrating the presence of PAHs in other comets, to support the plausibility of the Hale-Bopp PAH detection.     

Simultaneous mapping of H2O and H2O2 on Mars from infrared high-resolution imaging spectroscopy

New maps of martian water vapor and hydrogen peroxide have been obtained in November-December 2005, using the Texas Echelon Cross Echelle Spectrograph (TEXES) at the NASA Infra Red Telescope facility (IRTF) at Mauna Kea Observatory. The solar longitude Ls was 332° (end of southern summer). Data have been obtained at 1235-1243 cm⁻¹, with a spectral resolution of 0.016 cm⁻¹ (R=8×¹⁰⁴). The mean water vapor mixing ratio in the region [0°-55° S; 345°-45° W], at the evening limb, is 150±50 ppm (corresponding to a column density of 8.3±2.8 pr-μm). The mean water vapor abundance derived from our measurements is in global overall agreement with the TES and Mars Express results, as well as the GCM models, however its spatial distribution looks different from the GCM predictions, with evidence for an enhancement at low latitudes toward the evening side. The inferred mean H₂O₂ abundance is 15±10 ppb, which is significantly lower than the June 2003 result [Encrenaz, T., Bézard, B., Greathouse, T.K., Richter, M.J., Lacy, J.H., Atreya, S.K., Wong, A.S., Lebonnois, S., Lefèvre, F., Forget, F., 2004. Icarus 170, 424-429] and lower than expected from the photochemical models, taking in account the change in season. Its spatial distribution shows some similarities with the map predicted by the GCM but the discrepancy in the H₂O₂ abundance remains to be understood and modeled.     

IRCS/Subaru observations of water in the inner coma of Comet 73P-B/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3: Spatially resolved rotational temperatures and ortho-para ratios

Comet 73P-B/Schwassmann-Wachmann 3 was observed with IRCS/Subaru at geocentric distance of 0.074 AU on UT 10 May 2006. Multiple H₂O emission lines were detected in non-resonant fluorescence near 2.9 μm. No significant variation in total H₂O production rate was found during the (3 h) duration of our observations. H₂O rotational temperatures and ortho-to-para abundance ratios were measured for several positions in the coma. The temperatures extracted from two different time intervals show very similar spatial distributions. For both, the rotational temperature decreased from ∼110 to ∼90 K as the projected distance from the nucleus increased from ∼5 to ∼30 km. We see no evidence for OPR change in the coma. The H₂O ortho-para ratio is consistent with the statistical equilibrium value (3.0) for all spatially resolved measurements. This implies a nuclear spin temperature higher than ∼45 K.     

Radar topography of domes on planetary surfaces

We investigate the possibility of measuring the heights and morphology of viscously emplaced domes using radar imagery. We accurately reproduce the known height and shape of a terrestrial salt dome, and estimate the heights of several venusian pancake domes to within a factor of two. The terrestrial salt dome is consistent with a Bingham flow, while the much larger venusian pancake domes are consistent with a Newtonian flow. Applying the same techniques to Ganesa Macula, a potential cryovolcanic dome on Titan, we estimate a height between 2.0-4.9 km. Additional factors such as variable roughness and composition might account for some of the discrepancies observed.     

Detection of C2HD and the D/H ratio on Titan

We report here the first detection of mono-deuterated acetylene (acetylene-d1, C₂HD) in Titan's atmosphere from the presence of two of its emission bands at 678 and 519 cm⁻¹ as observed in CIRS spectral averages of nadir and limb observations taken between July 2004 and mid-2007. By using new laboratory spectra for this molecule, we were able to derive its abundance at different locations over Titan's disk. We find the C₂HD value () to be roughly constant with latitude from the South to about 45° N and then to increase slightly in the North, as is the case for C₂H₂. Fitting the 678 cm⁻¹ν₅ band simultaneously with the nearby C₂H₂ 729 cm⁻¹ν₅ band, allows us to infer a D/H ratio in acetylene on Titan with an average of the modal values of 2.09±0.45×¹⁰⁻⁴ from the nadir observations, the uncertainties being mainly due to the vertical profile used for the fit of the acetylene band. Although still subject to significant uncertainty, this D/H ratio appears to be significantly larger than the one derived in methane from the CH₃D band (upper limit of 1.5×¹⁰⁻⁴; Bézard, B., Nixon, C.A., Kleiner, I., Jennings, D.E., 2007. Icarus, 191, 397-400; Coustenis, A., Achterberg, R., Conrath, B., Jennings, D., Marten, A., Gautier, D., Bjoraker, G., Nixon, C., Romani, P., Carlson, R., Flasar, M., Samuelson, R.E., Teanby, N., Irwin, P., Bézard, B., Orton, G., Kunde, V., Abbas, M., Courtin, R., Fouchet, Th., Hubert, A., Lellouch, E., Mondellini, J., Taylor, F.W., Vinatier, S., 2007. Icarus 189, 35-62). From the analysis of limb data we infer D/H values of (at 54° S), (at 15° S), (at 54° N) and (at 80° N), which average to a mean value of 1.63±0.27×¹⁰⁻⁴.     

First Spitzer observations of Neptune: Detection of new hydrocarbons

We present the first spectra of Neptune taken with the Spitzer Space Telescope, highlighting the high-sensitivity, moderate-resolution 10-20 μm (500-1000 cm⁻¹) spectra. We report the discovery of methylacetylene (CH₃C₂H) and diacetylene (C₄H₂) with derived 0.1-mbar volume mixing ratios of (1.2±0.1)×¹⁰⁻¹⁰ and (3±1)×¹⁰⁻¹² respectively.     

Geoheritage at the small scale: tidal-zone bubble-sand structures as diagnostic paleo-environmental indicators,and their geoheritage significance

In identifying sites of geoheritage significance, commonly there has been an emphasis on the larger-scale features. However, the story of geology and the significant features that are critical to unravel geological processes and geological history are commonly small in scale. This contribution focuses on bubble sand and bubble-sand structures as features that are small-scale but nonetheless important to geology, and hence are of geoheritage significance. Bubble sand and bubble-sand structures are ubiquitous on modern beaches and tidal flats, occurring in the uppermost tidal zone of sandy beaches, as a distinct layer in a shoaling beach-to-dune stratigraphy, and are a diagnostic indicator of upper-tidal conditions where a rising tide and a concomitantly rising water-table interacts with the upper swash-zone wave processes. On sandy tidal flats, bubble sand and bubble-sand structures may occur in the mid- to upper-tidal zones; here they are also diagnostic indicators of tidal conditions, forming during a rising tide where a rising water-table forces air upwards to be trapped in moist sand. If found in ancient sequences, bubble-sand structures are a powerful environmental indicator of tidal conditions and, for beach sequences, an indicator of the high-tide level and sea level. Bubble-sand structures have been found in a number of ancient sequences throughout the geological record as far back as the Neoproterozoic, e.g. within beach-to-dune stratigraphy in Pleistocene limestones of the Perth Basin and in southeastern USA, and in tidal-flat sands of the Mesozoic Broome Sandstone of the Canning Basin. The bubble-sand structure is a significant geological tool for use in paleo-environmental and paleo-oceanographic reconstructions, and determination of the position of a paleo-water-table. Given the rarity of their preservation, these occurrences of bubble-sand structures are of geoheritage significance in their own right and, depending on age of sequence and how common they are in the region, they may be nationally significant or globally significant.     

Analyzing the gravity response of the Serra Geral Basalts and its impacts for the gravity interpretation in the northern Paraná Basin

The intraplate Paraná Basin encompasses an area of 1,127,400 km² in the Brazilian territory and is characterized by the presence of thick basalt and intrusive units of the Serra Geral Formation. Around 70% of its surface is covered by flood basalts. The regional interpretation of the dataset, located in the northern portion of the basin, led to new insights regarding the structure of the basin and its relationship with the Proterozoic surroundings. A 3D model of the basalts, which at the center of the basin has a thickness around 2 km, was built in order to analyze its signal content and the effects in anomaly caused by the structure of the depocenter. The gravity effect of the basalt model on the Terrain Corrected Anomaly map was removed, using forward modeling, generating a new residual anomaly map giving a view of the depocenter anomaly without the interference of the basalts. The result suggests a SW-NE depocenter whose plan shape appears to be more irregular than previously thought and a basement structure divided into three clearly defined compartments separated by structural features, some defined in this work and others already known from previous studies. Following the workflow for regional gravity studies, the Moho gravity effect was also removed using three different crustal thickness models. The results of this step completely changed the low frequency framework of the dataset, addressing extensive highs spread from the central to the eastern portion of the survey area, not enhancing any anomalies related to known geological features mapped in prior geophysical studies.     

北京西郊玉泉山地区岩溶水强径流路径地球物理分析

为研究北京西郊玉泉山地区岩溶水径流路径,需查明区内地层结构和断裂构造发育情况,故在玉泉山周边地区开展了综合地球物理勘查工作。完成1∶25000面积性重力测量3670点,在重力数据解释推断成果基础上,有针对性地布设可控源音频大地电磁测深(CSAMT)剖面测量5.1 km及微动测深点4个。综合研究了基岩起伏形态和构造展布特征,新解释推断了10条可能存在的断裂构造。结合区域水文地质资料,对主要断裂的水文地质意义进行了分析,形成了玉泉山地区岩溶水强径流路径新的认识,部分成果与最新的同位素水化学研究成果一致。本研究为玉泉山泉恢复确定合理的回灌方案提供了地球物理依据。