Sudbury project (University of Muenster-Ontario Geological Survey): Petrology, chemistry, and origin of breccia formations

Within the Sudbury Project of the University of Muenster and the Ontario Geological Survey special emphasis was put on the breccia formations exposed at the Sudbury structure (SS) because of their crucial role for the impact hypothesis. They were mapped and sampled in selected areas of the north, east, and south ranges of the SS. The relative stratigraphic positions of these units are summarized. Selected samples were analyzed by optical microscopy, SEM, microprobe, XRF and INAA, Rb-Sr and SM-Nd-isotope geochemistry, and carbon isotope analysis. The results of petrographic and chemical analysis for those stratigraphic units that were considered the main structural elements of a large impact basin are summarized

Sudbury project (University of Muenster-Ontario Geological Survey): Summary of results - an updated impact model

In 1984 the Ontario Geological Survey initiated a research project on the Sudbury structure (SS) in cooperation with the University of Muenster. The project included field mapping (1984-1989) and petrographic, chemical, and isotope analyses of the major stratigraphic units of the SS. Four diploma theses and four doctoral theses were performed during the project (1984-1992). Specific results of the various investigations are reported. Selected areas of the SS were mapped and sampled: Footwall rocks; Footwall breccia and parts of the sublayer and lower section of the Sudbury Igneous Complex (SIC); Onaping Formation and the upper section of the SIC; and Sudbury breccia and adjacent Footwall rocks along extended profiles up to 55 km from the SIC. All these stratigraphic units of the SS were studied in substantial detail by previous workers. The most important characteristic of the previous research is that it was based either on a volcanic model or on a mixed volcanic-impact model for the origin of the SS. The present project was clearly directed toward a test of the impact origin of the SS without invoking an endogenic component. In general, our results confirm the most widely accepted stratigraphic division of the SS. However, our interpretation of some of the major stratigraphic units is different from most views expressed. The stratigraphy of the SS and its new interpretation is given as a basis for discussion

Spin configuration in a frustrated ferromagnetic/antiferromagnetic thin film system

We have studied the magnetic configuration in ultrathin antiferromagnetic Mn films grown around monoatomic steps on an Fe(001) surface by spin-polarized scanning tunneling microscopy/spectroscopy and ab-initio-parametrized self-consistent real-space tight binding calculations in which the spin quantization axis is independent for each site thus allowing noncollinear magnetism. Mn grown on Fe(001) presents a layered antiferromagnetic structure. In the regions where the Mn films overgrows Fe steps the magnetization of the surface layer is reversed across the steps. Around these defects a frustration of the antiferromagnetic order occurs. Due to the weakened magnetic coupling at the central Mn layers, the amount of frustration is smaller than in Cr and the width of the wall induced by the step does not change with the thickness, at least for coverages up to seven monolayers.Comment: 10 pages, 5 figure

Magnetic Diode Effect in Double Barrier Tunnel Junctions

A quantum statistical theory of spin-dependent tunneling through asymmetric magnetic double barrier junctions is presented which describes $both$ ballistic and diffuse tunneling by a single analytical expression. It is evidenced that the key parameter for the transition between these two tunneling regimes is the electron scattering. For these junctions a strong asymmetric behaviour in the I-V characteristics and the tunnel magnetoresistance (TMR) is predicted which can be controlled by an applied magnetic field. This phenomenon relates to the quantum well states in the middle metallic layer. The corresponding resonances in the current and the TMR are drastically phase shifted under positive and negative voltage.Comment: 10 pages, 4 Postscript figures, submitted to Europhys. Let

Modifications of comet materials by the sublimation process: Results from simulation experiments

An active comet like comet Halley loses by sublimation a surface layer of the order of 1 m thickness per perihelion passage. In situ measurements show that water ice is the main constituent which contributes to the gas emission although even more volatile species (CO, NH3, CH4, CO2 etc.) have been identified. Dust particles which were embedded in the ices are carried by the sublimating gases. Measurements of the chemical composition of cometary grains indicate that they are composed of silicates of approximate chondritic composition and refractory carbonaceous material. Comet simulation experiments show that significant modifications of cometary materials occur due to sublimation process in near surface layers which have to be taken into account in order to derive the original state of the material

Giant magnetic enhancement in Fe/Pd films and its influence on the magnetic interlayer coupling

The magnetic properties of thin Pd fcc(001) films with embedded monolayers of Fe are investigated by means of first principles density functional theory. The induced spin polarization in Pd is calculated and analyzed in terms of quantum interference within the Fe/Pd/Fe bilayer system. An investigation of the magnetic enhancement effects on the spin polarization is carried out and its consequences for the magnetic interlayer coupling are discussed. In contrast to {\it e.g.} the Co/Cu fcc(001) system we find a large effect on the magnetic interlayer coupling due to magnetic enhancement in the spacer material. In the case of a single embedded Fe monolayer we find aninduced Pd magnetization decaying with distance $n$ from the magnetic layer as ~$n^{-\alpha}$ with $\alpha \approx 2.4$. For the bilayer system we find a giant magnetic enhancement (GME) that oscillates strongly due to interference effects. This results in a strongly modified magnetic interlayer coupling, both in phase and magnitude, which may not be described in the pure Ruderman-Kittel-Kasuya-Yoshida (RKKY) picture. No anti-ferromagnetic coupling was found and by comparison with magnetically constrained calculations we show that the overall ferromagnetic coupling can be understood from the strong polarization of the Pd spacer

Reorientation of Spin Density Waves in Cr(001) Films induced by Fe(001) Cap Layers

Proximity effects of 20 \AA thin Fe layers on the spin density waves (SDWs) in epitaxial Cr(001) films are revealed by neutron scattering. Unlike in bulk Cr we observe a SDW with its wave vector Q pointing along only one {100} direction which depends dramatically on the film thickness t_{Cr}. For t_{Cr} < 250 \AA the SDW propagates out-of-plane with the spins in the film plane. For t_{Cr} > 1000 \AA the SDW propagates in the film plane with the spins out-of-plane perpendicular to the in-plane Fe moments. This reorientation transition is explained by frustration effects in the antiferromagnetic interaction between Fe and Cr across the Fe/Cr interface due to steps at the interface.Comment: 4 pages (RevTeX), 3 figures (EPS

Ferroelectric polarization switching with a remarkably high activation energy in orthorhombic GaFeO3 thin films

This work was supported by the National Research Foundation (NRF) Grants funded by the Korea Government (MSIP) (Grant No. 2012R 1A1A2041628 and 2013R 1A2A2A01068274). The work at Cambridge was supported by the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC). AG and RG thank the Department of Science and Technology for the financial support (Grant No. SB/S3/ME/29/2013).Orthorhombic GaFeO3 (o-GFO) with the polar Pna21 space group is a prominent ferrite owing to its piezoelectricity and ferrimagnetism, coupled with magnetoelectric effects. Herein, we demonstrate large ferroelectric remanent polarization in undoped o-GFO thin films by adopting either a hexagonal strontium titanate (STO) or a cubic yttrium-stabilized zirconia (YSZ) substrate. The polarization-electric-field hysteresis curves of the polar c-axis-grown o-GFO film on a SrRuO3/STO substrate show the net switching polarization of ~35 μC cm−2 with an unusually high coercive field (Ec) of ±1400 kV cm−1 at room temperature. The positive-up and negative-down measurement also demonstrates the switching polarization of ~26 μC cm−2. The activation energy for the polarization switching, as obtained by density-functional theory calculations, is remarkably high, 1.05 eV per formula unit. We have theoretically shown that this high value accounts for the extraordinary high Ec and the stability of the polar Pna21 phase over a wide range of temperatures up to 1368 K.Publisher PDFPeer reviewe

Oscillatory biquadratic coupling in Fe/Cr/Fe(001)

Copyright © 1997 The American Physical SocietyPolar Kerr measurements have been used to measure the dependence of the biquadratic coupling strength B12 on Cr thickness in an Fe/Cr/Fe trilayer. The overall behavior, which consists of a maximum coupling strength at dCr=5 Å (3.5 ML) with a falloff at greater Cr thicknesses, is found to be consistent with in-plane Kerr and Brillouin light-scattering measurements performed on the same sample. The polar Kerr measurements suggest additionally that B12 increases from zero near zero Cr thickness, and that it oscillates in magnitude after the first peak, with a second peak in B12 occurring at about dCr=12 Å (8.3 ML). The positions and heights of the first and second biquadratic coupling maxima, in relation to the first bilinear coupling maximum, show excellent agreement with previous measurements by Köbler et al. of the biquadratic coupling behavior in Fe/Cr/Fe, and also show good agreement with the predictions of an intrinsic biquadratic coupling mechanism due to Edwards et al