Onset of secular chaos in planetary systems: period doubling and strange attractors

As a result of resonance overlap, planetary systems can exhibit chaotic motion. Planetary chaos has been studied extensively in the Hamiltonian framework, however, the presence of chaotic motion in systems where dissipative effects are important, has not been thoroughly investigated. Here, we study the onset of stochastic motion in presence of dissipation, in the context of classical perturbation theory, and show that planetary systems approach chaos via a period-doubling route as dissipation is gradually reduced. Furthermore, we demonstrate that chaotic strange attractors can exist in mildly damped systems. The results presented here are of interest for understanding the early dynamical evolution of chaotic planetary systems, as they may have transitioned to chaos from a quasi-periodic state, dominated by dissipative interactions with the birth nebula.     

POLARIX: a pathfinder mission of X-ray polarimetry

Since the birth of X-ray astronomy, spectral, spatial and timing observation improved dramatically, procuring a wealth of information on the majority of the classes of the celestial sources. Polarimetry, instead, remained basically unprobed. X-ray polarimetry promises to provide additional information procuring two new observable quantities, the degree and the angle of polarization. Polarization from celestial X-ray sources may derive from emission mechanisms themselves such as cyclotron, synchrotron and non-thermal bremsstrahlung, from scattering in aspheric accreting plasmas, such as disks, blobs and columns and from the presence of extreme magnetic field by means of vacuum polarization and birefringence. Matter in strong gravity fields and Quantum Gravity effects can be studied by X-ray polarimetry, too. POLARIX is a mission dedicated to X-ray polarimetry. It exploits the polarimetric response of a Gas Pixel Detector, combined with position sensitivity, that, at the focus of a telescope, results in a huge increase of sensitivity. The heart of the detector is an Application-Specific Integrated Circuit (ASIC) chip with 105,600 pixels each one containing a full complete electronic chain to image the track produced by the photoelectron. Three Gas Pixel Detectors are coupled with three X-ray optics which are the heritage of JET-X mission. A filter wheel hosting calibration sources unpolarized and polarized is dedicated to each detector for periodic on-ground and in-flight calibration. POLARIX will measure time resolved X-ray polarization with an angular resolution of about 20 arcsec in a field of view of 15 × 15 arcmin and with an energy resolution of 20% at 6 keV. The Minimum Detectable Polarization is 12% for a source having a flux of 1 mCrab and 10⁵ s of observing time. The satellite will be placed in an equatorial orbit of 505 km of altitude by a Vega launcher. The telemetry down-link station will be Malindi. The pointing of POLARIX satellite will be gyroless and it will perform a double pointing during the earth occultation of one source, so maximizing the scientific return. POLARIX data are for 75% open to the community while 25% + SVP (Science Verification Phase, 1 month of operation) is dedicated to a core program activity open to the contribution of associated scientists. The planned duration of the mission is one year plus three months of commissioning and SVP, suitable to perform most of the basic science within the reach of this instrument. A nice to have idea is to use the same existing mandrels to build two additional telescopes of iridium with carbon coating plus two more detectors. The effective area in this case would be almost doubled.     

Structural evolution of a 2M 1 phengite mica up to 11 GPa: an in situ single-crystal X-ray diffraction study

The structural evolution at high pressure of a natural 2M ₁-phengite [(K_0.98Na_0.02)_Σ=1.00(Al_1.55Mg_0.24Fe_0.21Ti_0.02)_Σ=2.01(Si_3.38Al_0.62)O₁₀(OH)₂; a = 5.228(2), b = 9.057(3), c = 19.971(6)Å, β = 95.76(2)°; space group: C2/c] from the metamorphic complex of Cima Pal (Sesia Zone, Western Alps, Italy) was studied by single-crystal X-ray diffraction with a diamond anvil cell under hydrostatic conditions up to ~11 GPa. A series of 12 structure refinements were performed at selected pressures within the P range investigated. The compressional behaviour of the same phengite sample was previously studied up to ~25 GPa by synchrotron X-ray powder diffraction, showing an irreversible transformation with a drastic decrease of the crystallinity at P > 15–17 GPa. The elastic behaviour between 0.0001 and 17 GPa was modelled by a third-order Birch–Murnaghan Equation of State (BM-EoS), yielding to K _T0 = 57.3(10) GPa and K′ = ?K _T0/?P = 6.97(24). The single-crystal structure refinements showed that the significant elastic anisotropy of the 2M ₁-phengite (with β(a):β(b):β(c) = 1:1.17:4.60) is mainly controlled by the anisotropic compression of the K-polyhedra. The evolution of the volume of the inter-layer K-polyhedron as a function of P shows a negative slope, Fitting the P–V(K-polyhedron) data with a truncated second-order BM-EoS we obtain a bulk modulus value of K _T0(K-polyhedron) = 26(1) GPa. Tetrahedra and octahedra are significantly stiffer than the K-polyhedron. Tetrahedra behave as quasi-rigid units within the P range investigated. In contrast, a monotonic decrease is observed for the octahedron volume, with K _T0 = 120(10) GPa derived by a BM-EoS. The anisotropic response to pressure of the K-polyhedron affects the P-induced deformation mechanism on the tetrahedral sheet, consisting in a cooperative rotation of the tetrahedra and producing a significant ditrigonalization of the six-membered rings. The volume of the K-polyhedron and the value of the ditrigonal rotation parameter (α) show a high negative correlation (about 93%), though a slight discontinuity is observed at P >8 GPa. α increases linearly with P up to 7–8 GPa (with ?α/?P ≈ 0.7°/GPa), whereas at higher Ps a “saturation plateau” is visible. A comparison between the main deformation mechanisms as a function of pressure observed in 2M ₁- and 3T-phengite is discussed.     

Quality assessment of the Italian Landslide Inventory using GIS processing

Landslides constitute one of the most important natural hazards in Italy as they are widespread and result in considerable damage and fatalities every year. The Italian Landslide Inventory (IFFI) Project was launched in 1999 with the aim of identifying and mapping landslides over the entire Italian territory. The inventory currently holds over 480,000 landslides and has been available by means of Web services since 2005. The aim of this study is to define quality indices for evaluation of the homogeneity and completeness of the IFFI database. In order to estimate the completeness of the landslide attribute information, a heuristic approach has been used to assign weighting values to significant parameters selected from the landslide data sheet. The completeness and homogeneity of the landslide mapping has been evaluated by means of three different methods: an area-frequency distribution analysis; the proximity of the landslides surveyed to urban areas; variation of the landslide index within the same lithology. The quality indices have allowed identification of areas with a high level of completeness and critical areas in which the data collected have been underestimated or are not very accurate. The quality assessment of collected and stored data is essential in order to use the IFFI database for definition and implementation of landslide susceptibility models and for land use planning and management.     

Measuring persistence in time series of temperature anomalies

Studies on persistence are important for the clarification of statistical properties of the analyzed time series and for understanding the dynamics of the systems which create these series. In climatology, the analysis of the autocorrelation function has been the main tool to investigate the persistence of a time series. In this paper, we propose to use a more sophisticated econometric instrument. Using this tool, we obtain an estimate of the persistence in global land and ocean and hemispheric temperature time series.     

Buried pockmarks on the Top Chalk surface of the Danish North Sea and their potential significance for interpreting palaeocirculation patterns

Three-dimensional (3D) seismic data from the southern Danish North Sea were used to analyse the morphology and spatial distribution of depressions in the Danian Chalk deposit. Previously, these depressions were either interpreted as karst structures or pockmarks. The observed depressions occur in an interval from 25 ms below to 12 ms above the Top Chalk surface. Three types of depressions were differentiated based on their plan-view geometry and their degree of symmetry: Type 1, comprising sub-circular and symmetrical depressions, is the dominant group (ca. 70 %). Type 2, elongated and symmetrical depressions, represents only a small fraction (ca. 5 %). The elongated and asymmetrical depressions of Type 3 compose ca. 25 %. In cross section, each depression type can be either characterised by a V- or a U-shape. The maximum size of the depressions ranges from 50 to 580 m, with an average internal depth of 10 m. We interpret the depressions as pockmarks formed by the expulsion of biogenic or thermogenic fluids at the Danian seafloor. Likely, the initial form of the pockmarks has been circular (Type 1) and was subsequently modified for Types 2 and 3 to an elongated form by currents. The long axis of the pockmarks is interpreted to represent the effective current direction. The inferred direction is sub-parallel to the palaeobathymetric contours. The 3D seismic interpretation of pockmarks presented in this paper contributes to the understanding of fluid migration and palaeocirculation patterns during the sedimentation of the terminal Chalk Group in the southern Danish North Sea.     

A numerical approach to estimate shaft friction of bored piles in sands

A new approach to estimate shaft capacity of bored piles in sandy soils, based on numerical analysis, is presented. The topic is relevant as current design methods often largely underestimate the shaft capacity of piles in sands, thus resulting in an over-conservative design. The proposed approach is based on explicitly modelling the thin cylinder of soil surrounding the pile, where strain localization concentrates (shear band), and on the fundamental mechanic behaviour of sandy soils (e.g. dilatancy, softening). This approach is both simple and easy to apply. Results of a broad parametric study involving axially loaded single piles embedded in different sandy soils are presented, highlighting that relative density and grain size distribution mainly affect the shaft capacity. The capability of the procedure to predict shaft friction is checked against data from a well-documented full-scale axial load test on instrumented pile. Some suggestions for calibration and application of the method are also reported.     

Training Images from Process-Imitating Methods

The lack of a suitable training image is one of the main limitations of the application of multiple-point statistics (MPS) for the characterization of heterogeneity in real case studies. Process-imitating facies modeling techniques can potentially provide training images. However, the parameterization of these process-imitating techniques is not straightforward. Moreover, reproducing the resulting heterogeneous patterns with standard MPS can be challenging. Here the statistical properties of the paleoclimatic data set are used to select the best parameter sets for the process-imitating methods. The data set is composed of 278 lithological logs drilled in the lower Namoi catchment, New South Wales, Australia. A good understanding of the hydrogeological connectivity of this aquifer is needed to tackle groundwater management issues. The spatial variability of the facies within the lithological logs and calculated models is measured using fractal dimension, transition probability, and vertical facies proportion. To accommodate the vertical proportions trend of the data set, four different training images are simulated. The grain size is simulated alongside the lithological codes and used as an auxiliary variable in the direct sampling implementation of MPS. In this way, one can obtain conditional MPS simulations that preserve the quality and the realism of the training images simulated with the process-imitating method. The main outcome of this study is the possibility of obtaining MPS simulations that respect the statistical properties observed in the real data set and honor the observed conditioning data, while preserving the complex heterogeneity generated by the process-imitating method. In addition, it is demonstrated that an equilibrium of good fit among all the statistical properties of the data set should be considered when selecting a suitable set of parameters for the process-imitating simulations.     

Shallow and deep reservoirs involved in magma supply of the 1944 eruption of Vesuvius

 During the 1944 eruption of Vesuvius a sudden change occurred in the dynamics of the eruptive events, linked to variations in magma composition. K-phonotephritic magmas were erupted during the effusive phase and the first lava fountain, whereas the emission of strongly porphyritic K-tephrites took place during the more intense fountain. Melt inclusion compositions (major and volatile elements) highlight that the magmas feeding the eruption underwent differentiation at different pressures. The K-tephritic volatile-rich melts (up to 3 wt.% H₂O, 3000 ppm CO₂, and 0.55 wt.% Cl) evolved to reach K-phonotephritic compositions by crystallization of diopside and forsteritic olivine at total fluid pressure higher than 300 MPa. These magmas fed a very shallow reservoir. The low-pressure differentiation of the volatile-poor K-phonotephritic magmas (H₂O<1 wt.%) involved mixing, open-system degassing, and crystallization of leucite, salite, and plagioclase. The eruption was triggered by intrusion of a volatile-rich magma batch that rose from a depth of 11–22 km into the shallow magma chamber. The first phase of the eruption represents the partial emptying of the shallow reservoir, the top of which is within the volcanic edifice. The newly arrived magma mixed with that resident in the shallow reservoir and forced the transition from the effusive to the lava fountain phase of the eruption. Received: 14 September 1998 / Accepted: 10 January 1999