Characteristics of normal fatty acids from sediments as a function of geologic-geochemical factors

Forty-nine samples from Mesozoic rocks of Northern Bulgaria and from recent marine muds of the Black Sea have been analyzed for fatty acids (FA), using extraction, treatment with ion exchange resin and gas chromatography. There is a higher concentration of normal (n) FA in the recent marine sediments, as well as in their bitumen extracts than in the rocks as a whole. There is twice as much n-FA in the rocks containing dispersed organic matter (DOM) formed mainly by benthonic organisms as compared to ancient sediments with planktonic DOM. The content of n-FA has decreased nine and five times, respectively in planktonic DOM in the sequence: limestones-marls-argillites and clayey siltstones, while the amount of organic carbon has risen four and two times. The n-FA are chiefly represented by C₁₆ and C₁₈ and in the recent sediments also by C₂₂ molecules. However when the level of maturity of DOM corresponds to the katagenetic degrees of MK₃ and MK₄, maximum is in n-FA with 19 and 20 carbon atoms. A gradual decrease in the amount of the n-FA with even-numbered carbon atoms was noted as maturity of the planktonic DOM increases from early diagenesis in recent marine sediments to the katagenetic degrees of MK₃ and MK₄ in ancient rocks. The ratios $\text{FA}\text{HC}$ and $\text{FA}\text{HC}\text{+ FA}$ have also decreased when the katagenetic maturity of DOM changes from PK₃ degree to MK₄ degree. These geochemical features may be used as an additional criterion in determining the principal phase of oil formation.     

Two-color search for the posteclipse brightening of Io

Blue-violet photoelectric photometry of a reappearance of Io on 10 October 1974 is presented. Observations were made with a single-beam photometer on the Hvar Observatory 65-cm telescope. A brightness anomaly of about 0.15 and 0.25 mag in V and B, respectively, was detected, but owing to the relativity large estimated errors, 0.04 and 0.05 mag, respectively, detection is regarded astentative. The wavelength dependence, reported previously by some investigators, was confirmed. The urgent need of multicolor photometry is briefly stressed.     

In between β Lyrae and Algol: The Case Of V356 Sgr

The eclipsing binary system V356 Sgr is of considerable interest, since it is probably at the very end of its mass transfer phase, i.e. between β Lyrae and Algol. Hence, the binary provides an opportunity to directly examine the exposed core of a star for signatures of nuclear burning, and to test stellar evolution models. The system is composed of an early B star accreting matter from a Roche-lobe filling A2 II star. Recently, with progress in the UV spectral region, significant revision of previous values for absolute parameters has been made. Therefore, we find it justified and important to present a new photometric solution. Our model is compared to an early disk model, and is discussed in the framework of mass transfer processes in this binary system.     

Heating rate profiles in galaxy clusters

In recent years, evidence has accumulated suggesting that the gas in galaxy clusters is heated by non-gravitational processes. Here, we calculate the heating rates required to maintain a physically motivated mass flow rate, in a sample of seven galaxy clusters. We employ the spectroscopic mass deposition rates as an observational input along with temperature and density data for each cluster. On energetic grounds, we find that thermal conduction could provide the necessary heating for A2199, Perseus, A1795 and A478. However, the suppression factor of the classical Spitzer value is a different function of radius for each cluster. Based on the observations of plasma bubbles, we also calculate the duty cycles for each active galactic nucleus (AGN), in the absence of thermal conduction, which can provide the required energy input. With the exception of Hydra-A, it appears that each of the other AGNs in our sample requires duty cycles of roughly 10⁶–10⁷ yr to provide their steady-state heating requirements. If these duty cycles are unrealistic, this may imply that many galaxy clusters must be heated by very powerful Hydra-A type events interspersed between more frequent smaller scale outbursts. The suppression factors for the thermal conductivity required for combined heating by AGN and thermal conduction are generally acceptable. However, these suppression factors still require 'fine-tuning' of the thermal conductivity as a function of radius. As a consequence of this work, we present the AGN duty cycle as a cooling flow diagnostic.     

Sorption and Chemical Reactions of PAHs with Dissolved Humic Substances and Related Model Polymers

Sorption coefficients measured for PAHs on dissolved humic substances by SPME and FQT were found to be inevitably different and method‐dependent – SPME provides activity‐based and FQT concentration‐based sorption coefficients. Poly(acrylic acid) esters as well‐defined model polymers were used in sorption experiments, leading to the conclusion that short aliphatic chains are more effective in binding PAHs than aromatic moieties. FQT was inappropriate to measure sorption coefficients for the interaction of pyrene with poly(acrylic acid) esters but the experiments revealed a characteristic shift in the fluorescence spectrum. Using pyrene as a probe for the molecular environment in the sorbed state, the observed spectral shift indicated a highly hydrophobic microenvironment. The empirical relationships between lg K_DOC and lg K_OW were generalized on the basis of a modified Flory‐Huggins concept. Introducing only one sorbent‐specific parameter, the solubility parameter δ_DOM, the calculation of sorption coefficients became possible for a wide range of HOCs using fundamental data readily available from the literature. Long‐term experiments showed that reactive PAHs (such as acenaphthylene and 9‐methylanthracene) are able to react with HAs under strictly abiotic and anoxic conditions, whereas less reactive PAHs (such as naphthalene and dihydroanthracene) do not form bound residues. The HA reveals two functions in the interaction, behaving as a reaction partner and as a protecting ligand.     

CCD‐Δa and BV R photometry of NGC 7296

The first CCD photometric investigation of the open cluster NGC 7296 up to now was performed within the narrow band Δa photometric system, which enables us to detect peculiar objects. A deeper investigation of that cluster followed, using the standard BV R ‐Bessel filter set. The age and E (B – V ) was determined independently to log t = 8.0 ± 0.1 and 0.15 ± 0.02, respectively by using Δa and broadband photometry. In total five Be/Ae objects and two metal‐weak stars showing significant negative Δa ‐values as well as one classical chemically peculiar star could be identified within that intermediate age open cluster. (© 2005 WILEY‐VCH Verlag GmbH & Co. KGaA, Weinheim)