Observations of SN1988e: A mature supernova

We present the spectrum of the supernova SN1988e over the wavelength range 4750–9000 Å as recorded on 11 February, 1988. The spectrum was taken in one 2000 s exposure using the Faint Object Spectrograph on the 4.2 m William Herschel Telescope (WHT) at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos.We conclude that SN1988e was a type I supernova, and that at the time of observation it had faded 7.5 mag from its predicted magnitude at maximum light. Spectra taken at such late stages in the light curve are comparatively rare, and are made possible only with the application of modern instrumentation.     

Observations of the supernova 1985F with a new spectrograph

We present the spectrum of the supernova 1985F over the wavelength range 4600 to 10000 Å as recorded in one 200 s exposure on 16 May, 1985, when its age was estimated to bet240 days. This wideband measurement with a resolution of 20 Å was made with the new Faint Object Spectrograph on the Isaac Newton Telescope (INT) at the Observatorio del Roque de los Muchachos. Broad line features were observed for the ionsOi,Oii, andOiii, Caii, and Nai although broad H was noteably absent. This suggests type I rather than type II properties but Filippenko and Sargent (1985c) have concluded this object to be of neither type and of a new peculiar class. We have observed the Caii infra-red triplet at 8600 Å which has not been previously reported in the spectrum of SN1985F and alsoCi] at 9800 Å.     

Investigating the effect of ballasting by CaCO3 in Emiliania huxleyi, II: Decomposition of particulate organic matter

The quantitative relationship between organic carbon and mineral contents of particles sinking below 1800 m in the ocean indicates that organisms with mineral shells such as coccolithophores are of special importance for transporting carbon into the deep sea. Several hypotheses about the mechanism behind this relationship between minerals and organic matter have been raised, such as mineral protection of organic matter or enhanced sinking rates through ballast addition. We examined organic matter decomposition of calcifying and non-calcifying Emiliania huxleyi cultures in an experiment that allowed aggregation and settling in rotating tanks. Biogenic components such as particulate carbon, particulate nitrogen, particulate volume, pigments, transparent exopolymer particles (TEP), and particulate amino acids in suspended particles and aggregates were followed over a period of 30 d. The overall pattern of decrease in organic matter, the amount of recalcitrant organic matter left after 30 d, and the compositional changes within particulate organic matter indicated that cells without a shell are more subject to loss than calcified cells. It is suggested that biogenic calcite helps in the preservation of particulate organic matter (POM) by offering structural support for organic molecules. Over the course of the experiment, half the particulate organic carbon in both calcifying and non-calcifying cultures was partitioned into aggregates and remained so until the end of the experiment. The partial protection of particulate organic matter from solubilization by biominerals and by aggregation that was observed in our experiment may help explain the robustness of the relationship between organic and mineral matter fluxes in the deep ocean.     

River stabilisation due to changing climate and vegetation during the late Quaternary in western Tasmania, Australia

The Stanley River in western Tasmania, Australia, contains sub-fossil rainforest logs within the channel and floodplain. Of the more than 85 radiocarbon dates obtained, all but 3 date from 17 ka to the present and permit an interpretation of fluvial and related environmental changes over this period. Particular attention is focused on the interactive relationship between the river and its riparian rainforest. Following the Last Glacial Maximum, the Stanley River was a laterally active gravel-load system reworking most of its valley floor in the upstream reaches. With ameliorating conditions at the end of the Pleistocene, climate became less seasonal and flow regimes less energetic. Huon pines already present in the catchment, re-asserted themselves in the form of dense tree cover along the river banks and floodplains with basal floodplain deposition shifting from gravels to coarse sands and granules. By about 3.5 ka, a further change in climate reduced stream discharges substantially. As a result the channel reduced in size, transported finer sediment, became laterally stable, and the floodplain accreted with overbank deposits of sand and silt. Huon pines falling into the channel formed obstructions of woody debris, some surviving for 2 ka. These have reduced stream power and boundary shear stress, further contributing to channel stability. Generational sequences of Huon pines on the river banks, some extending back 1–2 ka, are additional evidence of this stability. Since the Pleistocene, changing climate and the re-establishment of dense riparian rainforest appear to have stabilised the river channels and floodplains of western Tasmania.     

A review of Karoo vulcanicity in Southern Africa

Vocanic rocks of Karoo age which today cover more than 140,000 km² of the southern African sub-continent occur as scattered outliers representing eroded remnants of an originally more extensive volcanic province. The rocks are best preserved in central southern Africa including Lesotho, and the continental margin areas of Namibia in the west and Mozambique. Zambabwe, Swaziland and South Africa in the east. Extensive lava fields (yet few volcanoes) dykes, sills, layered intrusions and at least two major dyke swarms characterise the region. Volcano-stratigraphic and geochemical mapping have been used to subdivide the volcanic successions found in the different areas and recently adopted nomenclature is presented. Considerable more variability and complexity occurs in the volcanic succession than was previously recognised: geochemical variations and stratigraphic relationships indicating that four major provinces can be recognised. Rocks from the central Karoo areas are primarily of basaltic composition whereas those from the western and eastern marginal areas include mafic basic, intermediate and acid types. Emplacement of rocks such as carbonatites, nephelinites, and picrite basalts enriched in incompatible elements, indicate that derivation from a heterogeneously enriched source played a significant role in the petrogenesis of a large proportion of the Karoo mafic and basic rocks. Age relationships of the volcanic rocks reveal that vulcanicity extended over a period of 130 m.y. from mid-Triassic to early Cretaceous time.     

Modeling the impact of partial surface mulch on soil heat and water flow

Summary Surface residue is an integral part of many cropping systems, and there are opportunities to optimise its value as mulch by improving our understanding of how it affects the near surface soil physical environment. In this study we use field measurements and a coupled soil heat and water flow model to demonstrate the effects of partial surface mulch on the near surface soil physical environment. The model is based on general physical laws and allows analysis of general system behaviour in response to changes in both inputs and systems variables. The field measurements were obtained on both a clay and a sand soil from experiments carried out in the semi-arid tropics. The treatments included a bare soil surface and 0 (completely mulched), 5 cm and 15 cm bare row zones. Both measurements and simulations showed that partial surface mulch cover can have dramatic effects on the soil physical environment near the soil surface, with the development of very strong horizontal gradients across bare soil—mulched soil boundaries. They also show that bare row zones are able to act as either a source or sink for heat and water, and that the resultant soil environmental conditions will exert strong control of soil biological activity. Although model simulations did not always match exactly with the specific measurements, they did capture the major trends given by the field data. While this suggests a certain robustness about the way the processes are modeled, there are several areas in which the model needs improvement and these are highlighted in the paper.Journal Paper No. J16277 of the Iowa Agricultural Home Economics Experiment Station, Ames, IA.With 9 Figures     

Crop residue effects on surface radiation and energy balance — review

Summary Crop residues alter the surface properties of soils. Both shortwave albedo and longwave emissivity are affected. These are linked to an effect of residue on surface evaporation and water content. Water content influences soil physical properties and surface energy partitioning. In summary, crop residue acts to soil as clothing acts to skin. Compared to bare soil, crop residues can reduce extremes of heat and mass fluxes at the soil surface. Managing crop residues can result in more favorable agronomic soil conditions. This paper reviews research results of the quantity, quality, architecture, and surface distribution of crop residues on soil surface radiation and energy balances, soil water content, and soil temperature.With 6 Figures