Scattered light models of the dust shell around HD 179821

The dust shell around the evolved star HD 179821 has been detected in scattered light in near-IR imaging polarimetry observations. Here, we subtract the contribution of the unpolarized stellar light to obtain an intrinsic linear polarization of between 30 and 40 per cent in the shell that seems to increase with radial offset from the star. The J - and K -band data are modelled using a scattering code to determine the shell parameters and dust properties. We find that the observations are well described by a spherically-symmetric distribution of dust with an r ⁻² density law, indicating that when mass-loss was occurring, the mass-loss rate was constant. The models predict that the detached nature of a spherically-symmetric, optically-thin dust shell, with a distinct inner boundary, will only be apparent in polarized flux. This is in accordance with the observations of this and other optically-thin circumstellar shells, such as IRAS 17436+5003. By fitting the shell brightness we derive an optical depth to the star that is consistent with V -band observations and that, assuming a distance of 6 kpc, gives an inner-shell radius of     , a dust number density of     at r _in and a dust mass of     . We have explored axisymmetric shell models but conclude that any deviations from spherical symmetry in the shell must be slight, with an equator-to-pole density contrast of less than 2:1. We have not been able to fit simultaneously the high linear polarizations and the small     colour excess of the shell and we attribute this to the unusual scattering properties of the dust. We suggest that the dust grains around HD 179821 either are highly elongated or consist of aggregates of smaller particles.     

Measurement of the redox speciation of iron in seawater by catalytic cathodic stripping voltammetry

Catalytic cathodic stripping voltammetry (CSV) preceded by adsorptive collection of complexes of 1-nitroso-2-napthol (NN) can be used to determine iron in seawater. It is shown here that iron(II) is effectively masked in the presence of 2,2-dipyridyl (Dp) so that iron(III) is measured selectively. The concentration of iron(II) is then calculated as the difference between the concentrations of reactive iron (Fe_R) in the absence and presence of 2 μM Dp, Fe_R being defined as that which was complexed by 20 μM NN at pH 6.9 in the presence of 1.8 mM H₂O₂ and 5 ppm sodium dodecyl sulphate. A 30 min reaction time was allowed for Dp to react with iron(II) in seawater prior to the determination of reactive iron(III) using the same conditions as used for Fe_R. Detection limits of 0.08 nM, 0.077 nM and 0.12 nM were obtained for Fe_R, iron(III) and iron(II), respectively, using a 60 s deposition time.The method was utilised to determine the redox speciation of iron in the northern North Sea. Concentrations of Fe_R ranged between 0.8 and 3.5 nM with nutrient-like depth profiles. Iron(II) was found to be present at concentrations up to 1.2 nM, the highest concentrations occurring in the upper 20 m of the water column.     

Early Proterozoic isotopic ages in the East Greenland Caledonian fold belt

Rb-Sr whole rock isochron ages of 1950 m.y. and 1725 m.y. obtained on rock units of the Hagar migmatite sheet indicate that it is an early Proterozoic gneiss complex and not part of a mobile Caledonian infrastructure. New isotopic ages and recent fieldwork give no support to the concept of mobile Caledonian migmatitic masses rising into the suprastructure as envisaged in the classic stockwerke model for the East Greenland Caledonian fold belt. However, K-Ar mineral ages ranging from 415–462 m.y. indicate a significant Caledonian thermal event. Relationships between the Hagar sheet and bordering metasediments are discussed, including evidence for a middle Proterozoic group of sediments metamorphosed before deposition of the late Precambrian Petermann Series and Eleonore Bay Group.     

Strontium isotope ratios in volcanic rocks from the south-eastern part of the Hellenic arc

Isotopic ratios of strontium in 9 volcanic rocks from the south-eastern part of the Hellenic arc range from 0.7037 to 0.7075. Within individual series of differentiation, there seems to be a correlation between Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶ and K₂O/SiO₂.All strontium isotope data for the Hellenic arc are reviewed. Comparable (but slightly smaller) ranges of Sr isotope ratios are found in other island arcs with continental basement. To explain the high values of Sr⁸⁷/Sr⁸⁶ ratio for the Hellenic arc, a selective addition of Sr⁸⁷ from the wall rock, and a process of assimilation involving water, perhaps from subducted sediments, are suggested. Since closely-spaced individual volcanic centres of similar ages have very different Sr isotope ratios, and since the range of Sr isotopic composition in individual centres is quite large, the variation is unlikely to be due to primary variation in mantle composition.     

Near-infrared polarimetry and modelling of the dusty young planetary nebula IRAS 19306+1407

We present near-infrared polarimetric images of the dusty circumstellar envelope (CSE) of IRAS 19306+1407, acquired at the United Kingdom Infrared Telescope (UKIRT) using the UKIRT 1–5 μm Imager Spectrometer (UIST) in conjunction with the half-waveplate module IRPOL2. We present additional 450- and 850-μm photometry data obtained with the Submillimetre Common-User Bolometer Array (SCUBA) at the James Clerk Maxwell Telescope (JCMT), as well as archived Hubble Space Telescope ( HST ) F606W - and F814W -filter images. The CSE structure in polarized flux at J and K bands shows an elongation north of north-east and south of south-west with two bright scattering shoulders north-west and south-east. These features are not perpendicular to each other and could signify a recent 'twist' in the outflow axis. We model the CSE using an axisymmetric light scattering ( als ) code to investigate the polarization produced by the CSE, and an axisymmetric radiation transport ( dart ) code to fit the spectral energy distribution. A good fit was achieved with the als and dart models using silicate grains, 0.1–0.4 μm with a power-law size distribution of a ^−3.5, and an axisymmetric shell geometry with an equator-to-pole ratio of 7:1. The spectral type of the central star is determined to be B1 i supporting previous suggestions that the object is an early planetary nebula. We have constrained the CSE and interstellar extinction as 2.0 and 4.2 mag, respectively, and have estimated a distance of 2.7 kpc. At this distance, the stellar luminosity is ∼4500 L_⊙ and the mass of the CSE is ∼0.2 M_⊙. We also determine that the mass loss lasted for ∼5300 yr with a mass-loss rate of ∼3.4 × 10⁻⁵ M_⊙ yr⁻¹.     

Axisymmetry in protoplanetary nebulae – II. A near-infrared imaging polarimetric survey

In an imaging polarimetry survey of candidate post-AGB stars, scattering envelopes are detected around 20 objects. These envelopes represent the final mass-loss phases at the end of the AGB. In all cases, evidence for axisymmetry in the dust density is seen, suggesting that the presence of an axisymmetric outflow may be a ubiquitous phenomenon of the AGB to post-AGB transition. We use the polarized flux images to classify the objects into detached shell, bipolar and unresolved targets. Modelling based on a simple axisymmetric shell geometry supports the contention that post-AGB objects fall into one of two classes that differ in the amount of dust in the circumstellar environment: the detached shells correspond to stars with an optically thin expanding circumstellar envelope (CSE) whereas the bipolar and unresolved targets have optically thick dust structures, probably in the form of discs, which remain bound to the star, rather than partaking in the expansion of the AGB CSE. It is suggested that this bifurcation in morphology is rooted in the presence or absence of a binary companion, which determines whether or not a disc forms. Because the detached shell objects also appear axisymmetric, an additional mechanism for generating the axisymmetry, such as a magnetically shaped outflow, is needed if they do indeed have single star progenitors.