Mantle seismic structure beneath the MELT region of the east pacific rise from P and S wave tomography

Relative travel time delays of teleseismic P and S waves, recorded during the Mantle Electromagnetic and Tomography (MELT) Experiment, have been inverted tomographically for upper-mantle structure beneath the southern East Pacific Rise. A broad zone of low seismic velocities extends beneath the rise to depths of about 200 kilometers and is centered to the west of the spreading center. The magnitudes of the P and S wave anomalies require the presence of retained mantle melt; the melt fraction near the rise exceeds the fraction 300 kilometers off axis by as little as 1%. Seismic anisotropy, induced by mantle flow, is evident in the P wave delays at near-vertical incidence and is consistent with a half-width of mantle upwelling of about 100 km.     

Saturnian trapped radiation and its absorption by satellites and rings: the first results from pioneer 11

Electrons and protons accelerated and trapped in a Saturnian magnetic field have been found by the University of Chicago experiments on Pioneer 11 within 20 Saturn radii (Rs) of the planet. In the innermost regions, strong absorption effects due to satellites and ring material were observed, and from approximately 4 Rs inwards to the outer edge of the A ring at 2.30 Rs (where the radiation is absorbed), the intensity distributions of protons (>/= 0.5 million electron volts) and electrons (2 to 20 million electron volts) were axially symmetric, consistent with a centered dipole aligned with the planetary rotation axis. The maximum fluxes observed for protons (> 35 million electron volts and for electrons < 3.4 million electron volts) were 3 x 10(4) and 3 x 10(6) per square centimeter per second, respectively. Absorption of radiation by Mimas provides a means of estimating the radial diffusion coefficient for charged particle transport. However, the rapid flux increases observed between absorption features raise new questions concerning the physics of charged particle transport and acceleration. An absorption feature near 2.5 Rs has led to the discovery of a previously unknown satellite with a diameter of approximately 200 kilometers, semimajor axis of 2.51 Rs, and eccentricity of 0.013. Radiation absorption features that suggest a nonuniform distribution of matter around Saturn have also been found from 2.34 to 2.36 Rs, near the position of the F ring discovered by the Pioneer imaging experiment. Beneath the A, B, and C rings we continued to observe a low flux of high-energy electrons. We conclude that the inner Saturn magnetosphere, because of its near-axial symmetry and the many discrete radiation absorption regions, offers a unique opportunity to study the acceleration and transport of charged particles in a planetary magnetic field.     

The Influence of Water Hardness, pH, and Suspended Solids on Nickel Toxicity to Larval Fathead Minnows (Pimephales promelas)

Nickel (Ni) is an ubiquitous, naturally occurring metalthat is associated with metal mining and other industrialactivities. Despite elevated Ni concentrations reportedfor many industrial receiving waters, Ni receives littleresearch attention addressing factors influencing itstoxicity to freshwater fish. This study examined theinfluence of water hardness, pH, and total suspended solids(TSS) in soft, reconstituted water on Ni toxicity to larvalfathead minnows (Pimephales promelas). Increasingwater hardness from 20 to 140 mg L^-1 (as CaCO₃) reduced acute Ni toxicity by 5-fold (96-h LC50s 0.45 and 2.27 mg Ni L^-1, respectively). Low pH had a slight protective effect against Ni toxicity relative to neutral pH conditions. At pH 5.5, the 96-h LC50 was 0.69 mg Ni L^-1, compared to 0.54 mg Ni L^-1 at pH 7.0. However,Ni toxicity was significantly reduced at pH 8.5 where the 96-h LC50 was 2.21 mg Ni L^-1. These results were explainedon the basis of Ni speciation. Total suspended solids also reduced Ni toxicity (expressed as 96-h LC50s) from 0.35 to 1.12 mg Ni L^-1 over a TSS range of 10 to 100 mg L^-1.This reduction of toxicity due to TSS is significant becausemine effluents often have a combination of elevated TSS andmetals. The ameliorative effect of TSS was not as significantas high hardness or pH probably because there is a TSS threshold, after which physical irritation to fish gills counteracts any protective effect conferred by TSS. This finding is relevant to choices made in design of mine effluenttreatment systems; i.e., there may be an optimum range ofTSS concentrations that protect aquatic biota againsteffects of metals that remain after treatment.     

Intraperitoneal injection of methyridine

Extract

Sir,—Having read with interest the letter by R. H. Hiscock in the Veterinar'y Record (Vet. Rec. (1962), 74: 1140), I would like to record a similar experience, using the same product on some “tail end” Jersey calves, five to six months of age, which weighed between 100 lb and 160 lb each. They were very poor calves indeed.