40 research outputs found
Mineralogical characterization of fluorescent grossular garnet var. tsavorite from Merelani Hills, Tanzania
Tsavorite is the trade name for the green vanadiumâchromium variety of grossular occurring in the Precambrian terrains in the areas of Merelani Hills (Tanzania) and Tsavo Park (Kenya) which are by far the most important source of gem grade specimens of tsavorite used for high jewellery. The tsavorite crystals from Merelani Hills exhibit a pink-red and yellow fluorescence when irradiated by common portable UV lamp, an unusual phenomenon among members of the garnet group. The electron density map calculated from the diffraction data and plotted against a grossular standard shows that an excess of negative charge is clearly pinpointed in the crystallographic site occupied by Al3+. The bulk elemental analysis shows that the most represented end-member, besides grossular, is the vanadium-bearing goldmanite garnet (3.82â4.08 mol %). The fluorometry with an excitation beam at 408 nm indicates a complex emission pattern with the most intense emissions at 701 and 716 nm and subordinately at 592 nm. The colour perception is dominated by the emission yellow band at 592 nm while the contribution of the red band modulates the colour ranging from bright orange to pink-red. The attribution of the emission at 592 nm is related to Mn2+ while the emissions at 701 and 716 nm could be related to the chromium content and/or to a possible fraction of vanadium as V2+. Because of the characteristic colour perceived under UV light, the use of a common led lamp can be useful as a diagnostic tool to easily identify tsavorite
Mineralogy of the scheelite-bearing ores of Monte Tamara, SW Sardinia: insights for the evolution of a Late Variscan WâSn skarn system
Southwestern Sardinia, Italy, hosts several skarn, WâSnâMo greisen and hydrothermal deposits related to a 289±1 Ma Late Variscan granite suite. Among them, the most representative scheelite-bearing skarns belong to the San Pietro and Sinibidraxiu localities, in the Monte Tamara area, Sulcis region. The San Pietro deposit is a typical calc-silicate skarn whereas Sinibidraxiu is a sharply bounded orebody hosted in a marble unit. Optical petrographic observations and compositional data of major and trace elements were obtained for samples from both localities. San Pietro data suggests evolution from an oxidising prograde skarn stage (andraditeâdiopside, hematite and scheelite), to progressively more reducing conditions from the early retrograde (magnetiteâcassiterite) to the late sulfide stage (arsenopyrite, stannite, molybdenite, Bi sulfosalts and ZnâCuâPbâFe sulfides); Sinibidraxiu has diffuse carbonateâquartz intergrowths pseudomorphic over an early mineral assemblage with fibrous habit, followed by abundant ore mineral precipitation under reducing conditions (scheelite, arsenopyrite and PbâZnâCuâFe sulfides). Geothermometers indicate a comprehensive temperature range of 460â270°C for the sulfide stages of both deposits. The differences between the two deposits might be controlled by the distance from the source intrusion coupled with the different reactivity of the host rocks. The San Pietro mineralogy represents a more proximal skarn, contrasting with more distal mineralogical and chemical features characterising the Sinibidraxiu orebody (lack of MoâSnâBi phases; LREEâMREEâHREE signature of scheelite). This investigation contributes for the first time to the identification of a WâSn skarn system in SW Sardinia, thereby suggesting the Monte Tamara area and its surroundings as favourable for further exploration
Jupiter's interior from Juno: Equation-of-state uncertainties and dilute core extent
The Juno mission has provided measurements of Jupiter s gravity field with an
outstanding level of accuracy, leading to better constraints on the interior of
the planet. Improving our knowledge of the internal structure of Jupiter is key
to understanding its formation and evolution but is also important in the
framework of exoplanet exploration. In this study, we investigated the
differences between the state-of-the-art equations of state and their impact on
the properties of interior models. Accounting for uncertainty on the hydrogen
and helium equation of state, we assessed the span of the interior features of
Jupiter. We carried out an extensive exploration of the parameter space and
studied a wide range of interior models using Markov chain Monte Carlo (MCMC)
simulations. To consider the uncertainty on the equation of state, we allowed
for modifications of the equation of state in our calculations. Our models
harbour a dilute core and indicate that Jupiter s internal entropy is higher
than what is usually assumed from the Galileo probe measurements. We obtain
solutions with extended dilute cores, but contrary to other recent interior
models of Jupiter, we also obtain models with small dilute cores. The dilute
cores in such solutions extend to 20% of Jupiter s mass, leading to better
agreement with formation evolution models. We conclude that the equations of
state used in Jupiter models have a crucial effect on the inferred structure
and composition. Further explorations of the behaviour of hydrogen helium
mixtures at the pressure and temperature conditions in Jupiter will help to
constrain the interior of the planet, and therefore its origin
Optical potentials for the rare-isotope beam era
We review recent progress and motivate the need for further developments in
nuclear optical potentials that are widely used in the theoretical analysis of
nucleon elastic scattering and reaction cross sections. In regions of the
nuclear chart away from stability, which represent a frontier in nuclear
science over the coming decade and which will be probed at new rare-isotope
beam facilities worldwide, there is a targeted need to quantify and reduce
theoretical reaction model uncertainties, especially with respect to nuclear
optical potentials. We first describe the primary physics motivations for an
improved description of nuclear reactions involving short-lived isotopes,
focusing on its benefits for fundamental science discoveries and applications
to medicine, energy, and security. We then outline the various methods in use
today to build optical potentials starting from phenomenological, microscopic,
and ab initio methods, highlighting in particular the strengths and weaknesses
of each approach. We then discuss publicly-available tools and resources
facilitating the propagation of recent progresses in the field to
practitioners. Finally, we provide a set of open challenges and recommendations
for the field to advance the fundamental science goals of nuclear reaction
studies in the rare-isotope beam era.Comment: This paper is the outcome of the Facility for Rare Isotope Beams
Theory Alliance (FRIB - TA) topical program "Optical Potentials in Nuclear
Physics" held in March 2022 at FRIB. Its content is non-exhaustive, was
chosen by the participants and reflects their efforts related to optical
potential
Faultzone damage promotes pulselike rupture and backpropagating fronts via quasistatic effects
FaultâZone Damage Promotes PulseâLike Rupture and BackâPropagating Fronts via QuasiâStatic Effects
International audienceDamage zones are ubiquitous components of faults that may affect earthquake rupture. Simulations show that pulse-like rupture can be induced by the dynamic effect of waves reflected by sharp fault zone boundaries. Here we show that pulses can appear in a highly damaged fault zone even in the absence of reflected waves. We use quasi-static scaling arguments and quasi-dynamic earthquake cycle simulations to show that a crack turns into a pulse after the rupture has grown larger than the fault zone thickness. Accompanying the pulses, we find complex rupture patterns involving back-propagating fronts that emerge from the primary rupture front. Our model provides a mechanism for back-propagating fronts recently observed during large earthquakes. Moreover, we find that slow-slip simulations in a highly compliant fault zone also produce back-propagating fronts, suggesting a new mechanism for the rapid tremor reversals observed in Cascadia and Japan
Collective wavefunction of Yrast states in 50Cr
In the generator coordinate method the wavefunctions are defined with respect to reference states that can indicate different shapes and deformations, which are examples of collective generator coordinates. In this work, we study the collective wavefunctions of Yrast states up to the terminating state of 50Cr using a recently introduced framework to calculate projected states of spins up to I = 14 based on effective Hamiltonians and a 5 dimensional collective coordinate space
Synthesis of a D-galactose derivative and its functionalization at the anomeric center with benzylamine residues as a model system for biologically active glycopolymers
Empirical Site Classification of CSN Network Using StrongâMotion Records
The National Seismological Center of the University of Chile (CSN, Centro SismolĂłgico Nacional) has been operating more than 400 seismic stations throughout the country. The data collected from this network, from March 2012 to August 2017, includes more than 4000 Chilean strongâmotion records, from more than 1000 events (magnitudes ranging from 4.0 up to 8.3). In this study, we use this data set and classify 118 stations from this network, using the horizontalâtoâvertical response spectral ratio (HVRSR) of strongâmotion records. This classification considers not only the predominant period obtained from the average HVRSR but also the peak amplitude from this curve. The results indicate no correlation between the two parameters, despite the common practice of combining all curves with similar predominant periods. Even more, we believe that relevant information of the siteâs impedance contrast between the soil and bedrock is lost in the process of averaging HVRSR curves from different stations