Monte-Carlo simulation of Mercury's exosphere

Because of its proximity to the Sun and its small size, Mercury has not been able to retain its atmosphere and only a thin exosphere surrounds the planet. The exospheric pressure at the planetary surface is approximately 10⁻¹⁰ mbar, set by the Mariner 10 occultation experiment. The existence of gaseous species H, He, and O has been established by Mariner 10. In addition Na, K, and Ca have been observed by ground based instrumentation. Other elements are expected to be found in Mercury's exosphere since the total pressure of the known species is almost two orders of magnitude less than the exospheric pressure.It is intended to measure these exospheric particle densities in situ with an instrument on board of ESA's BepiColombo Mercury Planetary Orbiter (MPO) spacecraft. Since the expected exospheric densities are very small we developed a Monte-Carlo computer model to investigate if such a measurement is feasible along the MPO spacecraft orbit. We model energy and ejection angle distributions of the particles at the surface, with the emission process determining the actual distribution functions. Our model follows the trajectory of each particle by numerical integration until the particle hits Mercury's surface again or escapes from the calculation domain. Using a large set of these trajectories bulk parameters of the exospheric gas are derived, e.g., particle densities for various atomic and molecular species. Our study suggests that a mass spectrometric measurement is feasible and, at least at MPO's periherm, all species that are released from the surface will be observed.     

Preparation,collisional decay and transfer of alignment in C2H2 21

Stimulated Raman scattering is used to prepare ensembles of aligned acetylene molecules in thev ₂=1 excited vibrational level. Decay and transfer of the alignment is followed by laser induced fluorescence. Measurements of the initially excited alignment agree well with theoretical calculations. The rate constants for decay decrease as the rotational quantum numberJ of the excited level increases.     

Crustal structure of the Eastern Alps along the TRANSALP profile from wide-angle seismic tomography

The objective of the TRANSALP project is an investigation of the Eastern Alps with regard to their deep structure and dynamic evolution. The core of the project is a 340-km-long seismic profile at 12°E between Munich and Venice. This paper deals with the P-wave velocity distribution as derived from active source travel time tomography. Our database consists of Vibroseis and explosion seismic travel times recorded at up to 100 seismological stations distributed in a 30-km-wide corridor along the profile. In order to derive a velocity and reflector model, we simultaneously inverted refractions and reflections using a derivative of a damped least squares approach for local earthquake tomography. 8000 travel time picks from dense Vibroseis recordings provide the basis for high resolution in the upper crust. Explosion seismic wide-angle reflection travel times constrain both deeper crustal velocities and structure of the crust–mantle boundary with low resolution. In the resulting model, the Adriatic crust shows significantly higher P-wave velocities than the European crust. The European Moho is dipping south at an angle of 7°. The Adriatic Moho dips north with a gentle inclination at shallower depths. This geometry suggests S-directed subduction. Azimuthal variations of the first-break velocities as well as observations of shear wave splitting reveal strong anisotropy in the Tauern Window. We explain this finding by foliations and laminations generated by lateral extrusion. Based on the P-wave model we also localized almost 100 local earthquakes recorded during the 2-month acquisition campaign in 1999. Seismicity patterns in the North seem related to the Inn valley shear zone, and to thrusting of Austroalpine units over European basement. The alignment of deep seismicity in the Trento-Vicenza region with the top of the Adriatic lower crust corroborates the suggestion of a deep thrust fault in the Southern Alps.     

The holstein interglaciation: Time-stratigraphic position and correlation to stable-isotope stratigraphy of deep-sea sediments

Marine molluscan shells from para-type and other loclities of the Holsteinian interglaciation were dated by Th/U and the electron spin resonance (ESR) method to more than 350,000 and 370,000 yr B.P., beyond the limit of Th/U dating. The high age estimate is corroborated by a K/Ar age of 420,000 yr B.P. determined from volcanic ash near the base of the Ariendorf paleosol in the Middle Rhine valley believed to be a pedostratigraphic equivalent of the Holsteinian. Shells from the Herzeele marine unit III, an equivalent of the Wacken (Dömnitz) warm stage in northern France and subsequent to the Holsteinian, revealed ages between 300,000 and 350,000 yr B.P. A correlation of these two warm stages with marine oxygen-isotope stages 11 and 9 on the SPECMAP and CARTUNE time scales is suggested. From the benthic oxygen-isotope record one may infer that no exceptionally high global sea-level rise corresponds to the large transgressions of the Holstein Sea in northern Germany. Therefore, a significant proportion of the transgression was probably the result of an unusually large local glacial-isostatic depression caused by the extreme buildup of ice during the preceding Elster glaciation (stage 12). According to the deep-sea record, it lasted approximately 50% longer than the subsequent cold stage 10. The outstanding soil formation with Braunlehm and the well-developed thermal optimum of the Holsteinian are tentatively related to a phase of minimum sea-ice cover in the Norwegian-Greenland Sea, as deduced from long benthic carbon-isotope records from the central Atlantic.     

Effects of natural attenuation processes on groundwater contamination caused by abandoned waste sites in Berlin

The aim of this research project is to identify, characterize and quantify natural attenuation (NA) processes in groundwater affected by emissions of abandoned waste disposal sites in Berlin-Kladow/Gatow, Germany. It is part of the funding priority called KORA established by the Federal Ministry for Education and Research (BMBF) to explore the extent to which NA can be used for remedial purposes for varied forms of soil and groundwater contamination. Information on the emission behaviour of individual parameters is generated on the basis of hydrogeochemical comparison of 20 years old and new data. Using groundwater-modelling and CFC-analysis, information on the transport and retention of pollutants in groundwater is compiled. The microbial colonization of contaminated aquifers is characterized by molecular biological methods [polymerase chain reaction (PCR) and denaturing gradient gel electrophoresis (DGGE)] to differentiate between contaminated and not contaminated zones.     

Cracking risk of partially saturated porous media—Part I: Microporoelasticity model

Drying of deformable porous media results in their shrinkage, and it may cause cracking provided that shrinkage deformations are hindered by kinematic constraints. This is the motivation to develop a thermodynamics‐based microporoelasticity model for the assessment of cracking risk in partially saturated porous geomaterials. The study refers to 3D representative volume elements of porous media, including a two‐scale double‐porosity material with a pore network comprising (at the mesoscale) 3D mesocracks in the form of oblate spheroids, and (at the microscale) spherical micropores of different sizes. Surface tensions prevailing in all interfaces between solid, liquid, and gaseous matters are taken into account. To establish a thermodynamics‐based crack propagation criterion for a two‐scale double‐porosity material, the potential energy of the solid is derived, accounting—in particular—for mesocrack geometry changes (main original contribution) and for effective micropore pressures, which depend (due to surface tensions) on the pore radius. Differentiating the potential energy with respect to crack density parameter yields the thermodynamical driving force for crack propagation, which is shown to be governed by an effective macrostrain. It is found that drying‐related stresses in partially saturated mesocracks reduce the cracking risk. The drying‐related effective underpressures in spherical micropores, in turn, result in a tensile eigenstress of the matrix in which the mesocracks are embedded. This way, micropores increase the mesocracking risk. Model application to the assessment of cracking risk during drying of argillite is the topic of the companion paper (Part II). Copyright © 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Beiträge zur Geologie der Insel Salina (Äolischer Archipel,Sizilien)

Zusammenfassung Auf Salina beginnt die vulkanische Tätigkeit mit der Förderung von Labradorit-Andesiten und -Trachyandesiten, die den alten Pollara-Vulkan und den Vulkanstock des Mte. Rivi aufbauen. Der letzte wird von mindestens zwei größeren Vulkanen — dem südwestlichen und dem nordöstlichen Mte. Rivi-Vulkan — zusammengesetzt. Anschließend kam es im Südosten der Insel zu der Extrusion sauerer Laven in Form von Staukuppen und Staurücken (mit rhyodazitischem Chemismus).Im Bereich der alten Rivi-Vulkane und jenem der saueren Laven im SE-Teil von Salina sind marine Brandungsterrassen mit 2- bis 4 m mächtigen, groben Küstenkonglomeraten nachweisbar: sie haben Höhen von maximal + 30 m (NE-Teil von Salina) und + 10 bis + 15 m (SE-Teil der Insel). Da diese beiden Terrassensysteme auch auf anderen Inseln des Archipels ausgebildet sind, wird ihre Entstehung durch eustatische Spiegelschwankungen des Mittelmeeres während des Pleistozäns erklärt: die höheren Terrassen entsprechen dem Tyrrhenien I (Mindel/Riß-Interglazial — oberes Mittelpleistozän), die tieferen dürften dem Monastirien I/II (= Tyrrhenien II — Riß/Würm-Interglazial — mittleres Jungpleistozän) zuzuordnen sein. Der Beginn der vulkanischen Tätigkeit im Bereich des Äolischen Archipels muß damit wesentlich jünger als bisher angenommen angesetzt werden: nämlich nicht im Miozän und Frühpliozän, sondern erst im Quartär beginnend.Im jüngeren Quartär bildeten sich auf Salina etwa gleichzeitig die beiden großen Stratovulkankegel des Mte. dei Porri und der Fossa delle Felci, die nicht basischen Chemismus aufweisen, wie bisher angenommen wurde, sondern von rhyodazitischen Laven und Tuffen zusammengesetzt werden. Sie sind altersmäßig mit dem großen Stratovulkan auf Lipari — dem Mte. S. Angelo — zu parallelisieren.Als jüngstes vulkanisches Ereignis auf Salina fand die Aussprengung des großen Kraters von Pollara und die Förderung quarzlatitischer Bimssteine statt. Diese Bimsstein-Tuffe führen reichlich xenolithische Auswürflinge, unter denen granitische bis dioritische Tiefengesteine, kristalline Schiefer, Marmore, Kalksilikatfelse und thermometamorph sehr wenig veränderte, reichlichglobigerinen-führende mergelige Kalke des Tertiärs besonders auffallen. Als untermeerischer Sockel der Äolischen Inseln ist damit die NW-Fortsetzung der Kalabrisch-Peloritanischen Masse belegt.Der Vulkanismus der Äolischen Provinz ist durch die posthume quartäre Bruchtektonik im Raum der heutigen Tyrrhenis bedingt. Durch diese Schollenbewegungen entstanden Brüche, längs denen sialisch-anatektische Restmagmen pazifischer Sippe empordringen konnten.

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The volcanic activity on the island of Salina (Eolian archipelago) began with the eruption of labradorite-andesites and trachyandesites, which compose the old volcano of Pollara and that of Mte. Rivi. Thereupon endogenous domes with rhyodacitic chemism had been formed in the southeastern part of the island.In the region of the above mentioned old volcanoes and domes two old coastlines are developed: the higher is recognizable in the northeastern part of Salina and lies + 30 m above sea-level, the lower one is exposed in the southeastern part of the island and differs between + 10 and + 15 m above sea-level. These old coast-lines are likewise developed on other islands of the Eolian archipelago. By this fact their origin is interpreted by eustatic variations of the sea-level in the Mediterranian during the Pleistocene. The higher coast-lines are corresponding to the Tyrrhenian I (= upper part of the middle-Pleistocene), the lower ones are paralleled with the Monastirian I/II (= Tyrrhenian II = middle part of the upper-Pleistocene). By these facts it becomes apparently, that the volcanic activity in the Eolian archipelago began not in Miocene and lower Pliocene, but only in Quaternary times.The volcanism on Salina continued in the younger Quaternary with the approximately contemporaneous formation of two great strato-volcanoes (Mte. dei Porri and Fossa delle Felci), which are of rhyodacitic, but not of basaltic chemism as hitherto assumed. The youngest volcanic event was the ejection of quartz-latitic pumices and the formation of the great crater of Pollara. These pumice-tuffs are rich in xenolithic ejecta (as for instance granitic and dioritic rocks, gneisses, marbles, calc-silicate rocks formed by contact metamorphism, and slightly altered marly limestones of Tertiary age, rich in globigerines). These xenolithes are the proof, that the base of the Eolian Islands is represented by the continuation of the Calabrian-Peloritanian Massive.The volcanism of the Eolian volcanic province was caused by Quaternary tectonics, which were the result of subsidence of the Tyrrhenian Block. Along the fault fissures sialic-anatectic residual-magmas of Pacific rock suite were erupted.

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Résumé L'activité volcanique débute à Salina avec l'éruption d'andésites e trachyandésites à labradorite qui ont formé l'ancien volcan Pollara et le piton volcanique du Mte. Rivi. Ce dernier est composé d'au moins 2 grands volcans, le Mte. Rivi sudoccidental et nord-oriental. Vint en plus dans le sud-est de l'île une extrusion de laves acides en forme de coupoles et de crêtons (à chimisme rhyodacite).Dans la région de l'ancien volcan Rivi et de ces laves acides de la partie SE de Salina, on trouve des terrasses marines formées de conglomérats côtiers grossiers de 2 à 4 m d'épaisseur: leur altitude maximum est de + 30m (NE de Salina) et + 10 m à +15 (SE de l'île). Comme ces 2 systèmes de terrasses se rencontrent également sur d'autres îles de l'archipel, on explique leur origine par des variations eustatiques du niveau de la mer durant le Pléistocène: les terrasses supérieures appartiennent au Tyrrhénien I (Interglaciaire Mindel/Risspartie supérieure du Pléistocène moyen); les terrasses inférieures devraient appartenir au Monastirien I/II (=Tyrrhénien II ⦌- Interglaciaire Riss/Würm — partie moyenne du Pléistocène supérieur). L'activité volcanique dans l'archipel éolien aurait ainsi débuté nettement plus tard qu'on ne l'a considéré jusqu'ici: non pas au Miocène ou au début du Pliocène, mais seulement au Quaternaire.Au Quaternaire récent il s'est formé à Salina presque en même temps les 2 grands stratovolcans du Monte dei Porri et de la Fossa delle Felci, qui n'ont pas un chimisme basique comme on l'admettait jusqu'ici, mais qui sont composés de laves et tuffs rhyodacitiques. Du point de vue de l'âge ils sont à paralléliser avec le grand stratovolcan de Lipari, le Mte. S. Angelo.La manifestation volcanique la plus récente à Salina fut l'explosion du grand cratère de Pollara et l'émission de ponces de composition latitique acide. Ces tuffs contiennent de nombreux xénolithes parmi lesquels on remarque surtout des roches profondes granitiques à dioritiques, des schistes cristallins, des marbres, des roches à silicates calcaires, et des calcaires marneux du Tertiaire, riches en globigérines et très peu thermométamorphisés.Le socle sous-marin des îles éoliennes serait donc le prolongement NW de la masse calabro-péloritaine.Le volcanisme de la province éolienne est causé par la tectonique cassante quaternaire dans le cadre de la Tyrrhénide actuelle. Grâce aux mouvements de ces blocs, des cassures ont pris naissance par lesquelles ont pu monter les magmas résiduels sialiques-anatectiques appartenant à la série pacifique.

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Riassunto Sull'isola di Salina (archipelago Eoliano) l'attività vulcanica inizia con l'emissione di lave trachiandesiti- e andesiti-labradoritiche, che formano il vecchio vulcano di Pollara ed il massivo vulcanico del Mte. Rivi. L'ultimo è formato da almeno due grandi vulcani — il vulcano sudovest ed il vulcano nordest di Mte. Rivi — die adesso in maggior parte sono degradati e distrutti. Dopo c'è stata nella parte sudest dell'isola l'estrusione di lave acide, che formano le cupole all'occidente di Lingua (con chimismo riodazitico).Nella zona dei vecchi vulcani di Mte. Rivi e quella delle rocce acide nella parte sudest di Salina sono da constatare terrazze marine con grossi conglomerati litorale della potenza di 2–4 m. L'altitudine di queste terrazze marine è al massimo di + 30 m (parte NE di Salina) e tra + 10 e + 15 m (parte SE dell'isola). Poichè questi due sistemi di terrazze marine si trovano anche sull'altre isole dell'archipelago (Lipari, Panarea, Filicudi) si spiega la loro origine da oscillazioni eustatiche del Mediterraneo durante il Pleistocene: le terrazze superiori corrispondono al Tirreniano I (medio-Pleistocene superiore), le terrazze inferiori forse sono appartenenti al Monastiriano I/II (= Tirreniano II, medio tardo-Pleistocene). L'inizio dell'attività vulcanica nella provincia Eolia perció è più giovane come si pensava finora: cioè non è stato durante il Miocene e Pliocene inferiore, ma soltanto nel Quaternario.Nel Quaternario giovane si formarono a Salina quasi contemporaneamente i due grandi strato-vulcani del Mte. dei Porri e della Fossa delle Felci, che non dimostrano un chimismo basico come è stato scritto finora ma sono composti di lave e tufi riodazitiche. Nell'età essi corrispondono al grande strato-vulcano su Lipari — il Mte. S. Angelo.Il più giovane awenimento vulcanico a Salina è stato la formazione del grande cratere di Pollara con espulsione di pomice quarzlatitica. In questa pomice componenti xenolitici sono abbondanti per esempio tali di graniti, granodioriti, dioriti, scisti cristallini, marmi, rocce a calcare-silicatiche e calcari marnosi tertiari poco alterati termometamorfici con abbondante globigerine. Lo zoccolo sottomarino dell'archipelago Eoliano è così la continuazione ipotetica della massa calabro-peloritanica. Il vulcanismo della provincia Eolia è causato dalla tettonica germanotipica quaternaria nella zona del Tirreno. Per l'effetto dello sprofondamento della massa del Tirreno si formarono grandi faglie, lungo a queste salivano magmi sialici-anatectici pacifici.

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The responses of different ethnic groups in the Sudan to rural-urban migration

The ethnic identities of the various population groups in the Sudan are a product of their specific natural and social environments. The migration of these groups to the towns, especially to Greater Khartoum, involves a drastic change of cultural norms and values. However, the capability of change and the subsequent results are strongly conditioned by the specific background of each ethnic group and by the conditions in its area of origin. This is being proved by a comparative study on three ethnic groups in the Sudan: the Nuba, the Zaghawa and the Hadandawa.     

Mineralogische Untersuchungen an drei Bodenprofilen: auf Zeehsteinletten,Unterem Buntsandstein und Zechsteindolomit

Zusammenfassung Drei Waldbodenprofile auf Zechsteinletten, Unterem Buntsandstein und Zechsteindolomit am südwestlichen Harzrand wurden mit Hilfe von Korngrößenanalysen, optischen und röntgenographischen Methoden auf ihren qualitativen und quantitativen Mineralbestand untersucht. Außerdem konnte anhand von Bodendünnschliffen ein Einblick in die Mikromorphologie der in ihrer Lagerung nicht gestörten Bodenhorizonte gewonnen werden. Dabei ließen sich mit dem Mikroskop nicht mehr auflösbare Strukturelemente auf röntgenographischem Wege aus dem Dünnschliff heraus identifizieren.