ALBERT

Description: The West Philippine Basin (WPB) is a back-arc basin that opened within the Philippine Sea Plate (PSP) between the current position of the Palau-Kyushu Ridge (PKR) and the margin of East Asia. Spreading occurred at the Central Basin Fault (CBF) mainly from 54 until 30 Ma. The PKR was active since ~ 48 to 35 Ma constituting a single volcanic arc with the Izu-Bonin-Mariana (IBM) Arc. At ~ 42 Ma ago spreading rate and direction changed from NE-SW to NS, stopping at ~ 30 Ma. A late phase of spreading and volcanism took place between 30 and 26 Ma. ODP Leg 195 Site 1201 is located in the WPB, ~ 100 km west of the PKR, on 49 Ma crust formed by NE-SW spreading at the CBF. From ~ 35 to 30 Ma, pelagic sedimentation at Site 1201 was followed by turbidite sedimentation, fed mostly by arc-derived volcanic clasts. The geochemical and isotopic features of Site 1201 basement rocks, which represent Eocene WPB oceanic crust, compared with those of Site 1201 volcanics from the turbidite sequence, representing products of the early Mariana Arc (PKR), provide some insights into the early history of the IBM subduction factory. The WPB basement is made up of aphyric to porphyritic basalts with altered olivine, and preserved plagioclase, clinopyroxene and opaques. The PKR volcanics are porphyritic basalts and andesites with plagioclase, clino- and orthopyroxene, hornblende, alkali feldspar and opaques. Variable textures, and degree of alteration suggesting zeolite facies metamorphic grade, characterize both groups of rocks. The mineralogical and geochemical characteristics of the investigated Site 1201 PKR volcanics highlight their calc-alkaline affinity. This feature is at variance with both other PKR rocks, having mostly boninitic and arc tholeiitic affinity, and WPB basement basalt, having tholeiitic affinity, with some characters transitional to arc-like, as expected for a back-arc basin. New Sr and Nd isotope data, coupled with published Sr, Nd, Pb and Hf isotope data (Savov et al., 2006), highlight the Indian Ocean MORB-like character of Site 1201 basement basalts. This suggests that WPB volcanism tapped an upper mantle domain distinct from that underlying the Pacific Plate. The isotopic features of Site 1201 PKR volcanics are more enriched relative to those of basement basalts reflecting higher amounts of subduction-derived component(s) in the source of arc magmas. Th-Nb relationships and isotope geochemistry of the WPB basement and overlaying arc volcanics suggest addition of subducted sediment mostly as siliceous melts, to the mantle source of the arc volcanics. In that respect, Site 1201 PKR volcanics resemble calc-alkaline volcanics of the currently active Mariana Arc. In addition, the calc-alkaline affinity, unradiogenic neodymium, and inferred Middle Oligocene age of PKR volcanics, suggest they might represent an evolved stage of arc volcanism at Palau-Kyushu Ridge, perhaps shortly before the end of its activity.

Description: Published

Description: 157-171

Description: JCR Journal

Description: open

Description: It appears that volcanic features are not evenly distributed on the surface of Venus. Head et. al. theorizes that the sparcity of volcanic features in the lowlands may be due to an altitude dependent inhibition of volatile exsolution and the resulting products of neutral buoyancy zones sufficient to form magma reservoirs and favoring flood lavas at lower elevation. The astronomy research classes of Evergreen and Sahuaro High Schools surveyed a cross-section of different elevation topography to investigate size and distribution of small volcanic cones by elevation. The results from this survey are presented.

Description: Rocket-borne neutron detector measurements of neutron albedo and intensities at various geomagnetic latitudes

Description: New measurements of the outward propagation of the cosmic ray modulation and large transient decreases at a radial distance of 10-30 AU from the earth are reported. Also, new observations of the hysteresis effect in the 11-year modulation are presented for two solar cycles, and an attempt is made to reproduce the long-term modulation at earth from the observed transient or Forbush decreases. The results indicate that steady-state, spherically symmetric models of the heliosphere are not capable of explaining the 11-year variation. A time-dependent solution to the cosmic ray transport equation is required to describe the solar cosmic ray modulation.

Description: K-coronameter, solar wind, and neutron monitor data are used to estimate the latitudinal gradient of protons of approximately 5 GeV in the heliosphere at 1 AU during 1965 and 1975. The reversal of sign of the gradient between 1965 and 1975 and the strong positive latitudinal gradient in 1975 predicted by models in which drifts are dominant are not observed.

Description: It is now established that the solar modulation of cosmic rays is produced by turbulent magnetic fields propagated outward by the solar wind. Changes in cosmic ray intensity are not simultaneous throughout the modulation region, thus requiring time dependent theories for the cosmic ray modulation. Fundamental to an overall understanding of this observed time dependent cosmic ray modulation is the behavior of the radial intensity gradient with time and heliocentric distance over the course of a solar modulation cycle. The period from 1977 to 1985 when data are available from the cosmic ray telescopes on Pioneer (P) 10, Voyager (V) 1 and 2, and IMP 8 spacecraft is studied. Additional data from P10 and other IMP satellites for 1972 to 1977 can be used to determine the gradient at the minimum in the solar modulation cycle and as a function of heliocentric distance. All of these telescopes have thresholds for protons and helium nuclei of E 60 MeV/nucleon.

Description: Within the statistical limits imposed by the currently available data and the noise inherent in the determination of the latitudinal gradient, no evidence for the expected change in the latitudinal gradient from pre-1980 to post-1980 epochs can be found. In addition, the rigidity dependence of the gradient appears to be the same in the two epochs. Thus, no evidence is found for a sensitivity of the latitudinal gradient to the polarity of the largescale heliospheric magnetic field such as has been predicted by models incorporating particle drifts.

Description: The upper limit on the quiet time solar neutron flux from 1 to 20 MeV has been measured to be less than .002 neutrons at the 95% confidence level. This result is deduced from the OGO-6 neutron detector measurements of the 'day-night' effect near the equator at low altitudes for the period from June 7 to Dec. 23, 1969. The OGO-6 detector had very low (less than 4%) counting rate contributions from locally produced neutrons in the detecting system and the spacecraft and from charged-particle interactions in the neutron sensor.

Description: The experimental measurements of the neutron flux and energy spectrum in space since 1964 are reviewed and related to the theoretical predictions. A discussion of the neutron sources is presented. The difficulties associated with neutron measurements of both the atmospheric neutron leakage flux and solar neutrons are included. Particular emphasis is placed upon the neutron leakage flux and energy measurements at energies greater than about 1 MeV. The possibilities of CRAND as a source for the energetic trapped protons are discussed in light of recent measurements of the 10- to 100-MeV neutron flux. The current status of the solar neutron flux observations is also presented. An attempt is made to interpret and discuss recent neutron measurements. In order to understand these results, the theoretical predictions of the neutron fluxes and energy spectra from possible neutron sources are briefly presented.

Description: Measurement of the cosmic-ray neutron leakage flux and energy spectrum in the range 1 to 10 MeV by a neutron detector on the Ogo 6 satellite from June 7 to Sept. 30, 1969. The same detector simultaneously measured the total leakage flux, having 75% of its response to the leakage flux in the interval from 1 keV to 1 MeV. For a neutron energy spectrum of the form AE to the minus gamma in the range from 1 to 10 MeV, the upper limit to gamma for polar regions was found to be 1.0 and for the equatorial regions was 1.2. For the polar regions, the lower limit to gamma was found to be 0.8. This energy spectrum at 1 to 10 MeV is slightly flatter than Newkirk (1963) predicted.