A simple model for lensing by black holes in galactic nuclei

The lensing properties of the Plummer model with a central point mass and external shear are derived, including the image multiplicities, critical curves and caustics. This provides a simple model for a flattened galaxy with a central supermassive black hole. For the Plummer model with black hole, the maximum number of images is four, provided the black hole mass is less than an upper bound which is calculated analytically. This introduces a method to constrain black hole masses by counting images, thus applicable at cosmological distance. With shear, the maximum number of images is six and we illustrate the occurrence of an astroid caustic and two metamorphoses.     

Environmental overview of Eckernförde Bay,northern Germany

This environmental overview of Eckernförde Bay (northern Germany) summarizes the results of previous studies relevant to the Office of Naval Research's Coastal Benthic Boundary Layer (CBBL) Baltic field exercise conducted during 1993–1994. Significant environmental characteristics include the following: (1) surface sediment distribution is related to water depth, dictated primarily by hydrodynamic reworking of older glacial deposits; (2) the origin and characteristics of small-scale sedimentary structures depend on storm-generated waves and currents; (3) the proximity of the sea surface and sediment —water interface results in a pelagic—benthic coupling that drives biogeochemical processes and produces organicrich, acoustically turbid sediments; and (4) the bay floor is complicated topographically by pockmarks and manmade sedimentary structures.     

Über Den Aufbau Der Stern- Und Galaxienhaufen

In star clusters and in galaxy clusters the exponentn of the generalized law of Schuster statistically decreases with increasing masses of the clusters or increasing numbersL of their members. In most casesn(gal. cl.) is smaller thann(st. cl.). It is confirmed, that in larger galaxy clusters the brighter members are somewhat more concentrated at the center than the fainter members.

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Mitteilungen Serie A.     

The effect of rock moisture on Schmidt hammer rebound: tests on rock samples from Marion Island and South Africa

In an assessment of the influence of internal rock moisture content on Schmidt hammer readings, rebound (R) values are found to decrease with increasing moisture content. For samples of basalt, sandstone and dolerite the maximum decrease in R‐values is found between oven dry values and saturated rock rebound values, the magnitude of which varies from 2 to 10 points on the R‐scale. A quartzite block has the greatest decline of 6 points at 60 per cent saturation. For certain rock types under differing site‐to‐site field moisture conditions the moisture effect can be a significant factor in the interpretation of the relative state of weathering from rebound values. Copyright © 2002 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Dissolution rates and activation energy for dissolution of brucite (001) : A new method based on the microtopography of crystal surfaces

Scanning Force Microscopy (SFM) was used to develop a method which can provide quantitative kinetic data of crystal growth and dissolution. Based on observations of single crystal faces in monolayer resolution, morphology and temperature dependent growth and dissolution rates can be obtained. From these kinetic data activation energies can be calculated and compared with existing theories. The experimental method works by extracting grown or dissolved terrace areas and step densities from image sequences taken at different temperatures. As an example, the method is applied for dissolution on the brucite (001) surface in acidic water (pH 2.7) within the temperature range of 21 to 35°C. At these conditions the dissolution rate depends nonlinearly on the step density and gives evidence for interstep interaction. The calculated activation energy for dissolution is 60 ± 12 kJ mol⁻¹. With this high activation energy, dissolution cannot be regarded as a transport-controlled process, and is therefore surface controlled.     

Reconstruction of palaeosalinity using carbon isotopes and benthic associations: a comparison

Carbon and oxygen isotopes were determined on 40 recrystallized shells of Late Jurassic bivalves from the Lusitanian Basin of Portugal. In contrast with the oxygen isotopes, which exhibited considerable diagenetic distortion, the carbon isotopes are thought to preserve a record of the salinity of the Jurassic marginal marine seas in which these bivalves lived. The reconstructed palaeosalinities range from 35%o (euhaline) to 5% (oligohaline). Comparing these values with the palaeosalinity reconstructed from a palaeoecological analysis of 17 stratigraphic levels within the basin, the independently derived values agree in most cases. Strongly differing values are explained as being due to biotic factors and to diagenetic distortion of the isotopic signal; they are less likely to be due to smallscale time-averaging or insufficient microstratigraphic sampling. On the whole, the carbon isotope analyses are thought to produce reasonable palaeosalinity values, although data from infaunal, originally aragonitic bivalves appear to be less reliable than those from epifaunal bivalves with a predominantly or exclusively calcitic shell. As diagenetic alteration of the carbon isotope signal is, however, unpredictable and biotic effects on the isotopic composition are insufficiently known, palaeosalinity reconstructions based on stable isotope data should be supported by palaeoecological data.     

Species richness,diversity and density of understory vegetation along disturbance gradients in the Himalayan conifer forest

We investigated whether species richness, diversity and density of understory herbaceous plants differed along logging(gap) and grazing(primarily by cattle) disturbance gradients, and sought to identify drivers of richness, diversity and density of understory vegetation of logged sites. A factorial experiment was conducted in the mixed conifer forest of Gidakom in Western Bhutan. Levels of the logging treatment included small(0.15 – 0.24 ha), medium(0.25 – 0.35 ha) and large(0.36 – 1.31 ha) gaps. The grazing treatment included grazed(primarily by cattle) and ungrazed(where herbivores were excluded by a fence) plots nested within each gap. Data were collected from 12 gaps(4 replicates at each level of logging) using the point intercept method. Shannon Weaver Diversity and Margalef's indices were used to estimate species diversity and describe species richness, respectively. Soil samples were analyzed for pH and nutrients. The interaction effect of logging and grazing was significant(p≤0.001) only on species diversity. Relative to ungrazed areas, species diversity was significantly higher(0.01≤p≤0.05) in medium grazed gaps. Under grazed conditions, soil P was negatively correlated with gap size and species diversity. While species diversity was positivelycorrelated(0.01≤p≤0.05) with soil N in grazed plots species richness was positively correlated(0.001≤p≤0.01) with soil N in ungrazed plots. Relative density of Yushania microphylla and Carex nubigena were higher under ungrazed conditions. Our study suggests that the combined effect of cattle grazing and logging results in higher species diversity of understory vegetation in medium and grazed gaps in mixed conifer forests of Bhutan,whereas increase or decrease in relative density of major species is determined primarily by the independent effects of grazing and logging. From management perspective, forest managers must refrain from creating large gaps to avoid loss of nutrients(mainly P and N), which may eventually affect tree regeneration. Managers intending to maintain understory vegetation diversity must consider the combined effects of grazing and logging, ensuring low to moderate grazing pressure.     

Relative influence of vegetation on urban energy budgets and surface temperatures

Two deterministic models were combined: one for canopy leaf energy budgets and one for street canyon energy budgets. The effects of street parks and roof gardens in contrast to non-vegetated city blocks were examined by the use of four typical urban morphologies, which were exposed latitudinally to summer and winter simulations. A variety of increases and decreases in shortwave radiation, net radiation, sensible heat flux, and system reradiation resulted. These changes appear to represent the generalized limits of the possible responses to the addition of vegetation to non-vegetated city blocks.