Searching for an intrinsic stellar population in compact high-velocity clouds

We are investigating the hypothesis that Compact High-Velocity Clouds (CHVCs) are the left-over building blocks of Local Group galaxies. To this end, we are searching for their embedded stellar populations using FORS at the VLT. The search is done with single-star photometry in V and I bands, which is sensitive to both, young and old, stellar populations. Five CHVCs of our sample have been observed so far down to I=24. We pointed the VLT towards the highest HI column density regions, as determined in Effelsberg radio data. In an alternate approach, we searched 2MASS public data towards those 5 CHVCs down to K=16. While the VLT data probe the central regions out to distance moduli of about 27, the 2MASS data are sensitive to a population of red giant stars to distance moduli of about 20. The 2MASS data, on the other hand, cover a much wider field of view than the VLT data (radius of 1 degree versus FORS field of 6.8 arcmin). We did not find a stellar population intrinsic to the CHVCs in either data. In this paper, we illustrate our search methods. This revised version was published online in August 2006 with corrections to the Cover Date.     

Steady-state drift-dominated modulation models for galactic cosmic rays

A number of steady-state drift-dominated modulation models has been developed by the Potchefstroom modulation group. In this review a selection of these models is discussed and briefly compared. A short overview of the relevant drift theory incorporated into the models is also given.     

Geochemical characterization of the potential trace metal mobility in cohesive sediments

The Acid-Producing Potential (APP) and the Acid-Consuming Capacity (ACC) are introduced as basic parameters for long-term pollution assessment of mud disposal. They can be obtained by a four-step sequential leaching technique. The concentration of Ca extracted by the first Na-acetate step permits calculating the ACC. Both the Fe- and S-fractions deliberated by subsequent leaching steps are used to calculate the APP. When the APP of a sample is substacted from its ACC, a negative value indicates a potential increase of the bioavailability of the toxic metal load upon disposal of this mud in oxic environments.     

A seismic reconnaissance survey of the northern Congo Fan

To study the time-varying influence of the Congo River and the Benguela Current on the deposition at the Angola Continental Margin, a high-resolution reflection seismic survey was carried out on the northern Congo Fan. Four seismostratigraphic units have been defined for the upper 800 m (1000 ms TWT) of the data. The units record different depositional environments, ranging from pre-establishment of the Congo River drainage system to the influence of the Benguela Current. An indication of a general change in the turbidite system is provided by a shift in channel distribution and a relocation of the depocentre of coarse material. The ascent of salt is recorded up to the Pliocene. Gas that has migrated out of Lower Cretaceous shales and that was produced from large quantities of organic matter in the younger sediments can be found on the flanks and on top of the salt domes. In a few places, this gas even ascends to the ocean floor along structural pathways through the topmost unit.     

Review of resource analysis and related studies: Working group,Mathematical Geology,freie Universität Berlin

The working group Mathematical Geology of the Freie Universität Berlin was formed in 1971. We review quantitative methods used by the working group since 1983 to treat mineral exploration problems. The methods applied vary from elementary statistical analysis of multivariate exploration data to optimal strategies for selecting favorable targets, and from multiobjective decision-making for additional drill hole locations to expert systems in exploration.The methods applied are directly related to the level of information at each stage of the exploration process. Special emphasis was placed on the relationship between and evaluation of subjective and objective data. Case studies illustrating the various methods are presented for different kinds of mineral deposits and exploration environments.     

The GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam/Groupe de Recherche de Gèodésie Spatiale satellite-only and combined gravity field models: EIGEN-GL04S1 and EIGEN-GL04C

The recent improvements in the Gravity Recovery And Climate Experiment (GRACE) tracking data processing at GeoForschungsZentrum Potsdam (GFZ) and Groupe de Recherche de Géodésie Spatiale (GRGS) Toulouse, the availability of newer surface gravity data sets in the Arctic, Antarctica and North-America, and the availability of a new mean sea surface height model from altimetry processing at GFZ gave rise to the generation of two new global gravity field models. The first, EIGEN-GL04S1, a satellite-only model complete to degree and order 150 in terms of spherical harmonics, was derived by combination of the latest GFZ Potsdam GRACE-only (EIGEN-GRACE04S) and GRGS Toulouse GRACE/LAGEOS (EIGEN-GL04S) mean field solutions. The second, EIGEN-GL04S1 was combined with surface gravity data from altimetry over the oceans and gravimetry over the continents to derive a new high-resolution global gravity field model called EIGEN-GL04C. This model is complete to degree and order 360 and thus resolves geoid and gravity anomalies at half- wavelengths of 55 km at the equator. A degree-dependent combination method has been applied in order to preserve the high accuracy from the GRACE satellite data in the lower frequency band of the geopotential and to form a smooth transition to the high-frequency information coming from the surface data. Compared to pre-CHAMP global high-resolution models, the accuracy was improved at a spatial resolution of 200 km (half-wavelength) by one order of magnitude to 3 cm in terms of geoid heights. The accuracy of this model (i.e. the commission error) at its full spatial resolution is estimated to be 15 cm. The model shows a reduced artificial meridional striping and an increased correlation of EIGEN-GL04C-derived geostrophic meridional currents with World Ocean Atlas 2001 (WOA01) data. These improvements have led to select EIGEN-GL04C for JASON-1 satellite altimeter data reprocessing. Electronic Supplementary Material The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

Vulkanogene Glasscherben-Relikte in Kohlentonsteinen des Saar-Lothringer Oberkarbons sowie Herkunft und Menge der Pyroklastika

Zusammenfassung Obwohl Kohlentonsteine aus dem Saar-Lothringer Oberkarbon seit etwa 170 Jahren bekannt sind, gelang erst in jüngster Zeit der Nachweis und die Identifikation vulkanogener Relikte im petrographischen Stoffbestand. Diese befinden sich in Kohlentonsteinen des Stefan A: KTst 0=950; Westfal D: KTst 1=700; Westfal C: KTst 3 =400, KTst 4a=330, KTst 4aß=322, KTst 4=320, KTst 5=300 und im KTst 6=270. Das entspricht einem Anteil von ca. 18 % an der Gesamtzahl der in diesem limnischen Steinkohlenrevier beobachteten Kohlentonsteine, die hier große praktische und wissenschaftliche Bedeutung besitzen. Die pseudomorphen Relikte bestehen aus kleinen Splittern, kleinen und größeren Fragmenten mit teilweise gut erhaltenem blasigen Gefüge von Vitroklasten — sie zeigen die für Aschenschmelztuffe typisch verschweißte Scherbentextur. Die Glassubstanz ist meist zu mikrokristallinem Kaolinit devitrifiziert. Der eindeutige Nachweis dieser Relikte ist für die Genese bedeutungsvoll, liefern sie doch nun den sicheren Beweis, daß der primäre Stoffbestand aus aerisch abgelagertem pyroklastischen Material bestand, das intensive chemische Verwitterungs- und diagenetische Umbildungsprozesse erfahren hat. Für die 43 Kohlentonsteine des Saar-Lothringer Oberkarbons wird eine pyroklastische Eruptionsmenge von mindestens 8,2 km³ Festvolumen bzw. 20,5 km³ Lokkervolumen angenommen. Die Eruptionen erfolgten vermutlich aus der in der Nähe befindlichen Metz-Hunsrück-Südrand-Tiefenstörung, die nach Reflexionsseismik bis unter die Moho reicht.

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Tonsteins in the Carboniferous of the Saar-Lorraine basin are known since about 170 years. Volcanic glass remains, however, have been proven as constituents of the tonstein only recently. They occur in tonsteins of Stephanian A: KTst 0=950; Westphalian D: KTst 1=700; Westphalian C: KTst 3=400, KTst 4a=330, KTst 4aß= 322, KTst 4=320, KTst 5=300 and KTst 6=270. Tonsteins with volcanic glass fragments amount to 18% of the total tonsteins observed in the limnic Saar-Lorraine basin. They are important to applied geology, e.g. for seam identification and correlation, as well as for scientific reasons, namely for the determination of provenance and genesis of tonsteins.The volcanic remains consist of tiny glass splinters, glass fragments, and of fragments with well preserved gasbubble texture. The welded splinter texture is typical of welded pyroclastic ash deposits. Much of the glass has been devitrified to microcrystalline kaolinite. The indisputable evidence of volcanic remains is essential when considering the genesis of tonsteins, as they provide proof that tonsteins are primarily composed of eolian pyroclastic constituents which were altered by chemical weathering and diagenesis.For the 43 horizons of the coal tonsteins found in the Upper Carboniferous of the Saar-Lorraine basin, a pyroclastic eruption quantity of at least 8.2 km³ of solid volume or 20.5 km³ of bulk volume is assumed. The eruptions possibly took place along the nearby deep-seated Metz fault at the southern rim of the Hunsrück. This fault, reaches below the Moho according to reflection seismic.

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Résumé Bien que des tonstein du Carbonifère supérieur de SarreLorraine soient connus depuis 170 ans c'est seulement il y a peu de temps que des fragments de verre volcanique y ont été identifiés. Ces fragments ont été rencontrés dans les niveaux de tonstein suivants: Stephanien A: KTst 0=950; Westphalien D: KTst 1=700; Westphalien C: KTst 3=400, KTst 4a=330, KTst 4aß=322, KTst 4=320, KTst 5=300 et KTst 6=270. Ces niveaux représentent une proportion de l'ordre de 18% dans le total des couches de tonstein carbonifère rencontrées dans ce bassin houiller limnique où elles présentent un grand intérêt tant au point de vue pratique que scientifique. Les verres se présentent en esquilles et en fragments de tailles diverses, montrant parfois une structure bulleuse bien conservée; ils présentent également les structures d'agglomération propres aux tufs soudés à chaud. Le verre est le plus souvent dévitrifié en kaolinite microcristalline. La présence de ces fragments est d'un intérêt particulier pour la genèse du dépôt puisqu'elle fournit la preuve que celui-ci était constitué de matériaux primaires pyroclastiques sédimentés dans l'air, matériaux qui ont subi ensuite des altérations chimiques et des transformations diagénétiques intenses.Pour l'ensemble des 43 horizons de tonstein du Carbonifère supérieur de la Sarre-Lorraine, on admet un volume de matières pyroclastiques d'au moins 8,2 km³ (volume à l'état monolithique) ou de 20,5 km³ (volume à l'état fragmenté). Ces éruptions ont probablement pour origine la faille de Metz, située à proximité, qui forme la limite sud du Hunsrück et que la sismique-réflexion permet de prolonger jusqu'au Moho.

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Das Thema dieser Arbeit war Gegenstand des KurzvortragesBurger &Wolf (1987) auf dem XI. ICC in Peking (31. 8. bis 4. 9. 1987). Vorliegende Bearbeitung stellt die originäre Fassung dar.     

Transfer and early diagenesis of biogenic silica oxygen isotope signals during settling and sedimentation of diatoms in a temperate freshwater lake (Lake Holzmaar, Germany)

We have investigated the transfer of oxygen isotope signals of diatomaceous silica (δ¹⁸O_diatom) from the epilimnion (0-7 m) through the hypolimnion to the lake bottom (∼20 m) in freshwater Lake Holzmaar, Germany. Sediment-traps were deployed in 2001 at depths of 7 and 16 m to harvest fresh diatoms every 28 days. The 7 m trap collected diatoms from the epilimnion being the main zone of primary production, while the 16 m trap collected material already settled through the hypolimnion. Also a bottom sediment sample was taken containing diatom frustules from approximately the last 25 years. The δ¹⁸O_diatom values of the 7 m trap varied from 29.4‰ in spring/autumn to 26.2‰ in summer according to the temperature dependence of oxygen isotope fractionation and represent the initial isotope signal in this study. Remarkably, despite the short settling distance δ¹⁸O_diatom values of the 7 and the 16 m trap were identical only during spring and autumn seasons while from April to September δ¹⁸O_diatom values of the 16 m trap were roughly ∼1.5‰ enriched in ¹⁸O compared to those of the 7 m trap. Isotopic exchange with the isotopically lighter water of the hypolimnion would shift the δ¹⁸O_diatom value to lower values during settling from 7 to 16 m excluding this process as a cause for the deviation. Dissolution of opal during settling with intact organic coatings of the diatom cells and near neutral pH of the water should only cause a minor enrichment of the 16 m values. Nevertheless, opal from the bottom sediment was found to be 2.5‰ enriched in ¹⁸O compared to the weighted average of the opal from the 7 m trap. Thus, resuspension of bottom material must have contributed to the intermediate δ¹⁸O_diatom signal of the 16 m trap during summer. Dissolution experiments allowed further investigation of the cause for the remarkably enriched δ¹⁸O_diatom value of the bottom sediment. Experiments with different fresh diatomaceous materials show an increase of opaline ¹⁸O at high pH values which is remarkably reduced when organic coatings of the cells still exist or at near neutral pH. In contrast, high pH conditions do not affect the δ¹⁸O_diatom values of sub-fossil and even fossil opal. IR analyses show that the ¹⁸O enrichment of the sedimentary silica is associated with a decrease in Si-OH groups and the formation of Si-O-Si linkages. This indicates a silica dehydroxylation process as cause for the isotopic enrichment of the bottom sediment. Silica dissolution and dehydroxylation clearly induce a maturation process of the diatom oxygen isotope signal presumably following an exponential behaviour with a rapid initial phase of signal alteration. The dynamics of this process is of particular importance for the quantitative interpretation of sedimentary δ¹⁸O_diatom values in terms of palaeothermometry.