Tidal dwarfs in the M81 group: the second generation?

We present a quantitative star formation history derivation of the four suspected tidal dwarf galaxies in the M 81 group: Holmberg IX, BK3N,Arp-loop (A0952+69) and Garland using HST/WFPC2 images of these galaxies. We construct a library of synthetic Colour-Magnitude Diagrams(CMDs) based on theoretical isochrones and data-derived determinations of photometric errors. These synthetic CMDs were combined linearly andχ²-compared to observed photometry. All the galaxies show continuous star formation between about 20 and 200 Myr ago with star formation rates between 7.5⋅10^-3 M_⊙/yr and 7.67⋅10^-4 M_⊙/yr. The metallicity of the detected stars is spanning rather a wide range, being lower than solar abundance. We suppose, that all the galaxies were formed out of material from metal-poor outer part of the giant spiral galaxy M81after tidal interaction about 200 Myr ago. However, this suggestion requires significantly more deep color-magnitude diagrams to be sure with the scenario of the galaxy evolution. This revised version was published online in July 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Multiple stellar populations in the Sextans dwarf spheroidal galaxy?

We present wide-field     multiband ( BVI ) CCD photometry (down to     of the very low surface brightness dwarf spheroidal galaxy Sextans. In the derived colour–magnitude diagrams we find evidence suggesting the presence of multiple stellar populations in this dwarf spheroidal. In particular, we discover (i) a blue horizontal branch tail that appears to lie on a brighter sequence with respect to the prominent red horizontal branch and the RR Lyrae stars, very similar to what was found by Majewski et al. for the Sculptor dwarf spheroidal, (ii) hints of a bimodal distribution in colour of the red giant branch stars, (iii) a double red giant branch bump. All of these features suggest that (at least) two components are present in the old stellar population of this galaxy: the main one with     and a minor component around     . The similarity to the Sculptor case may indicate that multiple star formation episodes are also common in the most nearby dwarf spheroidals that ceased their star formation activity at very early epochs.     

The Mordor Alkaline Igneous Complex,Central Australia: PGE-enriched disseminated sulfide layers in cumulates from a lamprophyric magma

The Mordor Alkaline Igneous Complex (MAIC) is a composite intrusion comprising a body of syenite and a funnel-shaped layered mafic–ultramafic intrusion of lamprophyric parentage, the Mordor Mafic–Ultramafic Intrusion or MMUI. The MMUI is highly unusual among intrusions of lamprophyric or potassic parentage in containing primary magmatic platinum-group element (PGE)-enriched sulfides. The MMUI sequence consists largely of phlogopite-rich pyroxenitic cumulates, with an inward dipping conformable layer of olivine-bearing cumulates divisible into a number of cyclic units. Stratiform-disseminated sulfide accumulations are of two types: disseminated layers at the base of cyclic units, with relatively high PGE tenors; and patchy PGE-poor disseminations within magnetite-bearing upper parts of cyclic units. Sulfide-enriched layers at cycle bases contain anomalous platinum group element contents with grades up to 1.5 g/t Pt+Pd+Au over 1-m intervals, returning to background values of low parts per billion (ppb) on a meter scale. They correspond to reversals in normal fractionation trends and are interpreted as the result of new magma influxes into a continuously replenished magma chamber. Basal layers have decoupled Cu and PGE peaks reflecting increasing PGE tenors up-section, due to increasing R factors during the replenishment episode, or progressive mixing of between resident PGE-poor magma and more PGE-enriched replenishing magma. The presence of PGE enriched sulfides in cumulates from a lamprophyric magma implies that low-degree partial melts do not necessarily leave sulfides and PGEs in the mantle restite during partial melting. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Wave-Current Forces on Vertical Cylinders in Side-by-Side Arrangement for Irregular Waves Combined With Opposing Current

- The wave-current forces on vertical piles in side-by-side arrangement induced by irregular waves with opposing current are investigated experimentally in this paper. The characteristics in both time and frequency domain of in-line, lift and resultant forces are analyzed. The grouping effect coefficients of inline, lift and resultant forces on piles related to KC number and relative spacing parameters are given. These results are compared with those in the case of irregular waves combined with following currents. It is found that the results in these two cases are quite different. The range of KC number tested is 10- 60, the range of Reynolds number is (0.55-3.43) ×104.     

Refraction-Diffraction Mathematical Model for Waves With Lateral Energy Transmission Mechanism and Its Verification

To solve problems concerning wave elements and wave propagation, an effective way is the wave energy balance equation, which is widely applied in oceanography and ocean dynamics for its simple computation. The present papaer advances wave energy balance equations considering lateral energy transmission and energy loss as the governing equation for the study of wave refraction-diffraction. For the mathematical model, numerical simulation is made by means of difference method, and the result is verified with two examples.     

伶仃洋L＿2和L＿（16）孔第四纪有孔虫群与孢粉化石带特征及其地质意义

本文所依据的分析样品是取自珠江最大的一个河口湾伶仃洋中部的水下钻孔岩芯，其底部到达花岗岩基底。通过对第四纪有孔虫群与孢粉化石带特征的分析，阐明在相同的钻孔岩芯中，有孔虫分布变化所反映的古沉积环境特征与孢粉分析的古气候特征较为吻合，并与相应的沉积相对应，结合￣（１４）Ｃ和￣（２３０）Ｔｈ／￣（２３２）Ｔｈ比值法测年数据，从而较好地重塑本区晚更新世中期以来的地质历史。     

Multi-scale variability of beach profiles at Duck: A wavelet analysis

Beach profiles have been observed to change over a range of spatial and temporal scales; however techniques for quantifying this variability have not been fully established. In this paper, a wavelet technique is introduced as a method to study the multi-scale variability of beach profiles. The beach profile data comprising a 22-year time series surveyed at the US Army Corps of Civil Engineers Field Research Facility (FRF) at Duck are analysed using the adapted maximal overlap discrete wavelet transform (AMODWT). The analysis successfully identifies strong local features in the variability of beach profiles in time and space separately that cannot be isolated by traditional statistical methods. The analysis of spatial wavelet variances provides a new means of investigating the depth of closure. Analysis of variances by temporal scales shows that the combined effects of several temporal scales with one or two dominant scales can be seen at particular points across profiles whilst the dominant temporal scales are different at different portions of the profiles. The method allows for the extremely nonstationary behaviour of beach profile to be analysed into separate frequency bands that can facilitate the interpretation of morphological changes in terms of physical processes.     

济宁颜店铁矿地质特征及济宁岩群含矿性研究

伏于济宁滋阳山一带千米盖层之下的古元古代济宁岩群是一套低绿片岩相变质含铁岩系,主要岩石组合为千枚岩、板岩、磁铁石英岩等,其原岩为海相含灰质泥岩、砂岩类中酸性火山岩、硅铁岩等,该套岩系最大控制厚度达580m。其中赋存的条带状磁铁石英岩呈层状、似层状埋深在1612．89～1796．54m之间,共有5层铁矿,总厚度85．53m。估算预测的铁矿资源量（334）9．76亿t,mFe平均品位22．37％;低品位矿体预测的资源量（334）2．64亿t,mFe平均品位16．99％。     

Uncertainty as the overlap of alternate conditional distributions

An important task in modern geostatistics is the assessment and quantification of resource and reserve uncertainty. This uncertainty is valuable support information for many management decisions. Uncertainty at specific locations and uncertainty in the global resource is of interest. There are many different methods to build models of uncertainty, including Kriging, Cokriging, and Inverse Distance. Each method leads to different results. A method is proposed to combine local uncertainties predicted by different models to obtain a combined measure of uncertainty that combines good features of each alternative. The new estimator is the overlap of alternate conditional distributions.