The 550-au Mission: a critical discussion

We have studied the science rationale, goals and requirements for a mission aimed at using the gravitational lensing from the Sun as a way of achieving high angular resolution and high signal amplification. We find that such a mission concept is compromised by several practical problems. Most severe are the effects due to the plasma in the solar atmosphere which cause refraction and scattering of the propagating rays. These effects either limit the frequencies that can be observed to those above ∼1 THz, or they move the optical point outwards beyond the vacuum value of ≥550 au. (Thus for observing frequency of 300 GHz the optical point is moved outwards to ∼ 680 au.) Density fluctuations in the inner solar atmosphere will further cause random pathlength differences for different rays. The corrections for the radiation from the Sun itself will also be a major challenge at any wavelength used, but could be mitigated with coronographic techniques. Given reasonable constraints on the spacecraft (particularly in terms of size and propulsion), source selection as well as severe navigational constraints further add to the difficulties for a potential mission. Nevertheless, unbiased surveys of small-scale structure on the sky at short wavelengths might be the most promising application of such a mission.     

Effects of pulp bleach plant effluents on hepatic xenobiotic biotransformation enzymes in fish: Laboratory and field studies

The present preliminary report on studies of the influence of pulp bleach plant effluents on hepatic biotransformation enzymes in fish is a part of a major characterisation of biochemical and physiological effects of effluents from pulp industries in Sweden. Our studies on the xenobiotic biotransformation enzymes demonstrate, so far, that the pulp effluents have the potential to strongly induce 7-ethoxyresorufin-O-deethylase activity (EROD) in fish liver and that fish living in the receiving water of an effluent from a pulp bleach plant have induced hepatic EROD activities as well as higher hepatic UDP glucuronyltransferase activities than those living in an unpolluted area. It is thus apparent that measures of induction of biotransformation enzymes in fish liver may be a useful approach in monitoring the presence of potential hazardous compounds released from pulp industries.     

Photometric properties of outer planetary satellites

We present optical broadband photometry for the satellites J6, J7, J8, S7, S9, U3, U4, N1, and polarimetry for J6, obtained between 1970 and 1979. The outer Jovian satellites resemble C-type asteroids; J6 has a rotational lightcurve with period ～9.5 hr. The satellites beyond Jupiter also show C-like colors with the exception of S7 Hyperion. S9 Phoebe has a rotational lightcurve with period near either 11.25 or 21.1 hr. For U4 and N1 there is evidence for a lightcurve synchronous with the orbital revolution. The seven brighter Saturnian satellites show a regular relation between the ultraviolet dropoff and distance to the planet, probably related with differences in the rock component on their surfaces.     

Evaluation of different downscaling techniques for hydrological climate-change impact studies at the catchment scale

Hydrological modeling for climate-change impact assessment implies using meteorological variables simulated by global climate models (GCMs). Due to mismatching scales, coarse-resolution GCM output cannot be used directly for hydrological impact studies but rather needs to be downscaled. In this study, we investigated the variability of seasonal streamflow and flood-peak projections caused by the use of three statistical approaches to downscale precipitation from two GCMs for a meso-scale catchment in southeastern Sweden: (1) an analog method (AM), (2) a multi-objective fuzzy-rule-based classification (MOFRBC) and (3) the Statistical DownScaling Model (SDSM). The obtained higher-resolution precipitation values were then used to simulate daily streamflow for a control period (1961–1990) and for two future emission scenarios (2071–2100) with the precipitation-streamflow model HBV. The choice of downscaled precipitation time series had a major impact on the streamflow simulations, which was directly related to the ability of the downscaling approaches to reproduce observed precipitation. Although SDSM was considered to be most suitable for downscaling precipitation in the studied river basin, we highlighted the importance of an ensemble approach. The climate and streamflow change signals indicated that the current flow regime with a snowmelt-driven spring flood in April will likely change to a flow regime that is rather dominated by large winter streamflows. Spring flood events are expected to decrease considerably and occur earlier, whereas autumn flood peaks are projected to increase slightly. The simulations demonstrated that projections of future streamflow regimes are highly variable and can even partly point towards different directions.     

Fluid flow and pore pressure development throughout the evolution of a trough mouth fan,western Barents Sea

Using a combination of geophysical and geotechnical data from Storfjorden Trough Mouth Fan off southern Svalbard, we investigate the hydrogeology of the continental margin and how this is affected by Quaternary glacial advances and retreats over the continental shelf. The geotechnical results show that plumites, deposited during the deglaciation, have high porosities, permeabilities and compressibilities with respect to glacigenic debris flows and tills. These results together with margin stratigraphic models obtained from seismic reflection data were used as input for numerical finite element models to understand focusing of interstitial fluids on glaciated continental margins. The modelled evolution of the Storfjorden TMF shows that tills formed on the shelf following the onset of glacial sedimentation (ca. 1.5 Ma) acted as aquitards and therefore played a significant role in decreasing the vertical fluid flow towards the sea floor and diverting it towards the slope. The model shows that high overpressure ratios (up to λ ca. 0.6) developed below the shelf edge and on the middle slope. A more detailed model for the last 220 kyrs accounting for ice loading during glacial maxima shows that the formation of these aquitards on the shelf focused fluid flow towards the most permeable plumite sediments on the slope. The less permeable glacigenic debris flows that were deposited during glacial maxima on the slope hinder fluid evacuation from plumites allowing high overpressure ratios (up to λ ca. 0.7) to develop in the shallowest plumite layers. These high overpressures likely persist to the Present and are a critical precondition for submarine slope failure.     

Protein carbonyls and antioxidant defenses in corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops) from a heavy metal polluted and a PAH polluted site

The use of fish in environmental monitoring has become increasingly important in recent years as anthropogenic substances, many of which function as prooxidants, are accumulating in aquatic environments. We have measured a battery of antioxidant defenses as a measure of oxidative status, as well as protein carbonylation as a measure of oxidative damage, in corkwing wrasse (Symphodus melops) captured near a disused copper mine, where water and sediment are contaminated with heavy metals, and an aluminum smelter, a site contaminated with PAHs. Results were compared to two different reference sites. Fish at the heavy metal site had lower glucose-6-phosphate dehydrogenase activity and elevated protein carbonyls (1.8 times) compared to fish from the reference site. At the PAH site, EROD was increased 2-fold, while total glutathione and methemoglobin reductase concentration, were decreased. No differences were seen in protein carbonyl levels at the PAH site. Measures of both antioxidant defenses and oxidative damage should be used when assessing effects of xenobiotics on oxidative stress in fish species.     

Stochastic Structural Modeling

A consistent stochastic model for faults and horizons is described. The faults are represented as a parametric invertible deformation operator. The faults may truncate each other. The horizons are modeled as correlated Gaussian fields and are represented in a grid. Petrophysical variables may be modeled in a reservoir before faulting in order to describe the juxtaposition effect of the faulting. It is possible to condition the realization on petrophysics, horizons, and fault plane observations in wells in addition to seismic data. The transmissibility in the fault plane may also be included in the model. Four different methods to integrate the fault and horizon models in a common model is described. The method is illustrated on an example from a real petroleum field with 18 interpreted faults that are handled stochastically.     

Clues from Current High CO2 Environments on the Effects of Ocean Acidification on CaCO3 Preservation

Acidification of surface seawater owing to anthropogenic activities has raised serious concerns on its consequences for marine calcifying organisms and ecosystems. To acquire knowledge concerning the future consequences of ocean acidification (OA), researchers have relied on incubation experiments with organisms exposed to future seawater conditions, numerical models, evidence from the geological record, and recently, observations from aquatic environments exposed to naturally high CO₂ and low pH, e.g., owing to volcanic CO₂ vents, upwelling, and groundwater input. In the present study, we briefly evaluate the distribution of dissolved CO₂–carbonic acid parameters at (1) two locations in the Pacific and the Atlantic Ocean as a function of depth, (2) a mangrove environment in Bermuda, (3) a seasonally stratified body of water in a semi-enclosed sound in Bermuda, and (4) in temporarily isolated tide pools in Southern California. We demonstrate that current in situ conditions of seawater pCO₂, pH, and CaCO₃ saturation state (Ω) in these environments are similar or even exceed the anticipated changes to these parameters in the open ocean over the next century as a result of OA. The observed differences between the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans with respect to seawater CO₂–carbonic acid chemistry, preservation of CaCO₃ minerals, and the occurrence and distribution of deep-sea marine calcifiers, support the hypothesized negative effects of OA on the production and preservation of CaCO₃ in surface seawater. Clues provided from shallow near-shore environments in Bermuda and Southern California support these predictions, but also highlight that many marine calcifiers already experience relatively high seawater pCO₂ and low pH conditions.     

Mudstones of the Tanqua Basin, South Africa: an analysis of lateral and stratigraphic variations within mudstones, and a comparison of mudstones within and between turbidite fans

Permian deep‐water mudstones in the Tanqua Basin, South Africa, have been studied using geochemical and spectral gamma ray techniques. The mudstones occur as thick sequences between sand‐rich submarine fans, but also occur as thinner mud‐rich units within each fan. The interfan mudstones are interpreted to have accumulated during transgression and the consequent period of relatively high sea‐level, while the submarine fans and their intrafan mudstones were deposited during regression and relatively low sea‐level. Geochemical analyses revealed systematic differences between interfan and intrafan mudstones because the two types of mudstones have slightly different source lithologies. Differences between the two types of mudstone suggest that changes in relative sea‐level played a role in controlling exposure of sediment source areas. There are geochemical signals that display systematic stratigraphic trends within both interfan and intrafan mudstones. These are best explained by gradual denudation, exposure and weathering of different lithologies within a single sediment source area. Both interfan and intrafan mudstones have uniform geochemical signals along the flow direction except for the relative amount of uranium. It is most likely that the basinward increase in uranium in the mudstones is the result of reduced clastic dilution of uranium‐bearing pelagic fallout.     

Ekman layer damping of r modes revisited

We investigate the damping of neutron star r modes due to the presence of a viscous boundary (Ekman) layer at the interface between the crust and the core. Our study is motivated by the possibility that the gravitational wave driven instability of the inertial r modes may become active in rapidly spinning neutron stars, for example, in low-mass X-ray binaries, and the fact that a viscous Ekman layer at the core–crust interface provides an efficient damping mechanism for these oscillations. We review various approaches to the problem and carry out an analytic calculation of the effects due to the Ekman layer for a rigid crust. Our analytic estimates support previous numerical results, and provide further insight into the intricacies of the problem. We add to previous work by discussing the effect that compressibility and composition stratification have on the boundary-layer damping. We show that, while stratification is unimportant for the r-mode problem, composition suppresses the damping rate by about a factor of 2 (depending on the detailed equation of state).