Robert Housley

California Institute of Technology | CIT · Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences

Matthiasweilite (IMA2021-069), Pb2+Te4+O3, is a new mineral discovered at the Delamar mine, Lincoln County, Nevada, USA. It is a secondary mineral, associated with adanite, choloalite, northstarite, and other oxysalts in a quartz-rich matrix, that developed in an altered primary ore along with altaite, tetrahedrite-(Zn), native gold, and other sulf...

The new mineral tombstoneite (IMA2021-053), (Ca 0.5 Pb 0.5 )Pb 3 Cu ²⁺ 6 Te ⁶⁺ 2 O 6 (Te ⁴⁺ O 3 ) 6 (Se ⁴⁺ O 3 ) 2 (SO 4 ) 2 ⋅3H 2 O, occurs at the Grand Central mine in the Tombstone district, Cochise County, Arizona, USA, in cavities in quartz matrix in association with jarosite and rodalquilarite. Tombstoneite crystals are green pseudohexagonal...

Synthetic and naturally occurring forms of tricopper orthotellurate, Cu II 3 Te VI O 6 (the mineral mcalpineite) have been investigated by 3D electron diffraction (3D ED), X-ray powder diffraction (XRPD), Raman and infrared (IR) spectroscopic measurements. As a result of the diffraction analyses, Cu II 3 Te VI O 6 is shown to occur in two polytypes...

Hagstromite, Pb 8 Cu ²⁺ (Te ⁶⁺ O 6 ) 2 (CO 3 )Cl 4 , (IMA2019-093) is a new tellurate mineral from Otto Mountain near Baker, California, USA. It occurs on quartz in association with cerussite, fuettererite and thorneite. It is a secondary oxidation zone mineral and is presumed to have formed by oxidation of earlier formed tellurides, chalcopyrite a...

Müllerite (IMA2019-060) is a new mineral found at several workings on Otto Mountain, 2.5 km NW of Baker, San Bernardino County, California, USA. Müllerite occurs as hexagonal tablets and thin plates up to 0.2 mm across, intergrown ball-like clusters, and scattered flakes. Crystals are yellow, tending to reddish-orange, and have a pale-yellow streak...

Northstarite, Pb 6 (Te 4þ O 3) 5 (S 2 O 3), is a new mineral from the North Star mine, Tintic district, Juab County, Utah, USA. It is an oxidation-zone mineral occuring in a vug in massive quartz-baryte-enargite-pyrite in association with anglesite, azurite, chrysocolla, fluorapatite, plumbogummite, tellurite, zincospiroffite, and the new mineral a...

Adanite, Pb2(Te4+O3)(SO4), is a new oxidation-zone mineral from the North Star mine, Tintic district, Juab County, Utah, and from Tombstone, Cochise County, Arizona, USA. The characterization of the species is based principally on North-Star holotype material. Crystals are beige wedge-shaped blades, up to about 1 mm in length, in cockscomb intergro...

The crystal structure of tlapallite has been determined using single-crystal X-ray diffraction and supported by electron probe micro-analysis (EPMA), powder diffraction and Raman spectroscopy. Tlapallite is trigonal, space group P321, with a = 9.1219(17) Å, c = 11.9320(9) Å and V = 859.8(3) Å3, and was refined to R1 = 0.0296 for 786reflections with...

Pararaisaite, Cu^(2+)Mg[Te^(6+)O_4(OH)_2] •6H_2O, is a new mineral from the North Star mine, Tintic district, Juab County, Utah, USA. It is an oxidation-zone mineral occuring in vugs in a matrix of massive quartz with embedded crystals of baryte and goldfieldite. Crystals are deep blue, striated prisms up to 0.4 mm in length, elongated on [010] and...

Bodieite (IMA2017-117), Bi^(3+)_2(Te^(4+)O_3)_2(SO_4), is a new mineral from a dump near the North Star mine, Tintic district, Juab County, Utah, and the Pittsburg-Liberty mine, Masonic district, Mono County, California, U.S.A. It is an oxidation-zone mineral occuring in vugs. Crystals occur in a variety of habits, including bladed, acicular, steep...

Dagenaisite, Zn_3Te^(6+)O_6, is a new mineral from the Gold Chain mine, Tintic district, Juab County, Utah, U.S.A. It is a late-stage secondary phase formed by the oxidative alteration of earlier Te- and Zn-bearing minerals. It is associated with cinnabar, dugganite, eurekadumpite, and gold in vugs in a matrix composed of quartz and dolomite. The m...

Wayneburnhamite (IMA2015-124), Pb9Ca6(Si2O7)3(SiO4)3, is a new mineral from the Commercial quarry, Crestmore, Riverside County, California, where it occurs as a metasomatic mineral on fracture surfaces in vesuvianite/wollastonite rock. Wayneburnhamite crystals are sky-blue hexagonal tablets and prisms up to 0.5 mm in maximum dimension. The streak i...

Andychristyite, PbCu 2+ Te 6+ O 5 (H 2 O), is a new tellurate mineral from Otto Mountain near Baker, California, USA. It occurs in vugs in quartz in association with timroseite. It is interpreted as having formed from the partial oxidation of primary sulfides and tellurides during or following brecciation of quartz veins. Andychristyite is triclini...

An unusually diverse array of 25 secondary Te oxysalt minerals has been documented from Otto Mountain, California, and 18 of these from the Bird Nest drift sublocality. A paragenetic sequence for these minerals is proposed, using observed overgrowth relationships plus spatial association data and data from other localities. Apart from Te and O, the...

Chiappinoite-(Y) (IMA2014-040), ideally Y2Mn(Si3O7)4, is a new mineral found in peralkaline syenitic ejecta from the Á gua de Pau volcano, Sãn Miguel Island, Azores District, Portugal. It was discovered by collector Luigi Chiappino of Milan, Italy, after whom the mineral is named. It occurs as colourless, thin to thick prisms, up to 1 mm long, with...

Esquireite, BaSi6O13·7H2O, is a new mineral from the Esquire #1 claim along Rush Creek, eastern Fresno County, California, USA, and a Ba-silicate lens on the NW slope of Trumbull Peak, Mariposa County, California, USA. Esquireite is a low-temperature hydrothermal alteration product of sanbornite and is found on surfaces of sanbornite. The mineral o...

Favreauite, ideally PbBiCu_6O_4(SeO_3)_4 • H_2O, is a new secondary selenite mineral from the El Dragón mine, Antonio Quijarro Province, Potosí Department, Bolivia. The mineral occurs in vughs in a matrix of (Co, Cu)-rich penroseite, dolomite and goethite. Associated minerals are: ahlfeldite, allophane, calcite, chalcomenite, malachite, molybdomeni...

The crystal structure of burckhardite from the type locality, Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico, has been refined to R 1 = 0.0362 and wR 2 = 0.0370 for 215 reflections with I > 2σ(I). Burckhardtite is trigonal, space group P31m, with the unit-cell parameters a = 5.2566(5) Å, c = 13.0221(10) Å, V = 311.62(5) Å3 and Z = 1 for the ideal formula unit Pb2(Fe3+T...

The crystal structure of burckhardite from the type locality, Moctezuma, Sonora, Mexico, has been refined to R_1 = 0.0362 and wR_2 = 0.0370 for 215 reflections with I > 2σ(I). Burckhardtite is trigonal, space group P3lm, with the unit-cell parameters ɑ = 5.2566(5) Å, c = 13.0221(10) Å, V = 311.62(5) Å3 and Z = 1 for the ideal formula unit Pb_2(Fe^(...

Bluebellite, Cu_6[I^(5+)O_3(OH)_3](OH)_7Cl and mojaveite, Cu_6[Te^(6+)O_4(OH)_2](OH)_7Cl, are new secondary copper minerals from the Mojave Desert. The type locality for bluebellite is the D shaft, Blue Bell claims, near Baker, San Bernardino County, California, while cotype localities for mojaveite are the E pit at Blue Bell claims and also the Bi...

Fluorowardite (IMA2012-016), NaAl3(PO4)2(OH)2F2·2H2O, the F analog of wardite, is a new mineral from the Silver Coin mine, Valmy, Iron Point district, Humboldt County, Nevada, U.S.A., where it occurs as a low-temperature secondary mineral in complex phosphate assemblages rich in Al, Na, and F. Fluorowardite forms colorless to white or cream-colored...

Fluorowardite (IMA2012-016), NaAl3(PO4)(2)(OH)(2)F center dot 2H(2)O, the F analog of wardite, is a new mineral from the Silver Coin mine, Valmy, Iron Point district, Humboldt County, Nevada. U.S.A., where it occurs as a low-temperature secondary mineral in complex phosphate assemblages rich in Al, Na, and F. Fluorowardite forms colorless to white...

Eckhardite, (Ca,Pb)Cu^(2+)Te^(6+)O_5(H_2O), is a new tellurate mineral from Otto Mountain near Baker, California, U.S.A. It occurs in vugs in quartz in association with Br-rich chlorargyrite, gold, housleyite, khinite, markcooperite, and ottoite. It is interpreted as having formed from the partial oxidation of primary sulfides and tellurides during...

Joteite (IMA2012-091), Ca2CuAl[AsO4][AsO3(OH)]2(OH)2·5H2O, is a new mineral from the Jote mine, Tierra Amarilla, Copiapó Province, Atacama, Chile. The mineral is a late-stage, low-temperature, secondary mineral occurring with conichalcite, mansfieldite, pharmacoalumite, pharmacosiderite and scorodite in narrow seams and vughs in the oxidized upper...

Bairdite, Pb_2Cu_4^(2+)Te_2^(6+)O_(10)(OH)_2(SO_4)(H_2O), is a new tellurate-sulfate from Otto Mountain near Baker, California, U.S.A. It occurs in vugs in quartz associated with khinite, cerussite, goethite, and hematite. It is interpreted as having formed from the partial oxidation of primary sulfides and tellurides during or following brecciatio...

Camaronesite (IMA 2012-094), [Fe3+(H2O)2(PO3OH)]2(SO4) ·1–2H2O, is a new mineral from near the village of Cuya in the Camarones Valley, Arica Province, Chile. The mineral is a low-temperature, secondary mineral occurring in a sulfate assemblage with anhydrite, botryogen, chalcanthite, copiapite, halotrichite, hexahydrite, hydroniumjarosite, pyrite,...

The structure of quetzalcoatlite, ZnâCuâ(TeOâ)âOâ(OH)â(AgâPb{sub y})Cl{sub x+2y}, x + y ⤠2, Z = 1, was solved and refined using data collected at the Advanced Photon Source-GSE-CARS facility, using a 2 x 2 x 40 μm³ single crystal. Te{sup 6+}Oâ octahedra and Jahn-Teller distorted Cu{sup 2+}Oâ(OH)â octahedra share edges to form layers parallel to...

Fuettererite, Pb_3Cu^6^(2+)Te^(6+)O_6(OH)_7Cl_5, is a new tellurate from Otto Mountain near Baker, California, named for Otto Fuetterer who is largely responsible for the development of the mining claims on Otto Mountain. The new mineral is known from only two specimens, one from the NE2 vein and the other from the Bird Nest drift. Fuettererite occ...

Agaite, Pb_3Cu^(2+)Te^(6+)O_5(OH)_2(CO_3), is a new tellurate from the Aga mine on Otto Mountain near Baker, California, U.S.A. The new mineral is known from only one specimen. It occurs on quartz in association with cerussite, Br-rich chlorargyrite, chrysocolla, goethite, khinite, markcooperite, muscovite, phosphohedyphane, timroseite, and wulfeni...

Bobmeyerite, Pb_4(Al_(3)Cu)(Si_(4)O_12)(S_(0.5)Si_(0.5)O_4)(OH)_(7)Cl(H_(2)O)_3, is a new mineral from the Mammoth - Saint Anthony mine, Tiger, Pinal County, Arizona, USA. It occurs in an oxidation zone assemblage attributed to progressive alteration and crystallization in a closed system. Other minerals in this assemblage include atacamite, caled...

Omsite (IMA 2012-025) is a new mineral from the Correc d'en Llinassos, Oms, Pyrénées-Orientales Department, France. It occurs as bright yellow to amber yellow discoidal tablets, flattened on {001}, which form rosettes typically 50–100 μm in diameter. Omsite generally crystallizes on siderite without associated supergene minerals; it occurs less com...

Zincalstibite-9R, a new polytype in the hydrotalcite supergroup is reported from the Monte Avanza mine, Italy. It occurs as pale blue curved disc-like tablets flattened on {001} intergrown to form rosettes typically less than 50 μm in diameter, with cyanophyllite and linarite in cavities in baryte. Zincalstibite-9R is uniaxial (–), with refractive...

Alcaparrosaite, ideally K_3Ti^(4+)Fe^(3+)(SO_4)_4O(H_2O)_2, is a new mineral from the Alcaparrosa mine, Cerritos Bayos, El Loa Province, Antofagasta, Chile (IMA2011-024). The mineral occurs on and intergrown with coquimbite, and is also associated with ferrinatrite, krausite, pertlikite, pyrite, tamarugite and voltaite. It is a relatively early pha...

AbStRACt Angarfite, ideally NaFe 3+ 5 (PO 4) 4 (OH) 4 • 4H 2 O, is a new mineral from the Angarf-Sud pegmatite, Tazenakht, Ouarzazate Province, Souss-Massa-Draâ region, Morocco. The mineral occurs on etched surfaces of triphylite in association with lipscombite–barbosalite, jahnsite-(NaFeMg) and bederite. It is interpreted as having resulted from t...

AbStRAct The new mineral reynoldsite, Pb 2 Mn 4+ 2 O 5 (CrO 4), occurs at the Blue Bell claims, near Baker, San Bernardino County, California, U.S.A., and at the Red Lead mine, Dundas, Tasmania, Australia. At the Blue Bell claims, reynoldsite occurs in subparallel growths and divergent sprays of thin prisms with a square cross section. At the Red L...

Chromschieffelinite, Pb10Te6O20(OH)14(CrO4)(H2O)5, is a new tellurate from Otto Mountain near Baker, California, named as the chromate analog of schieffelinite, Pb10Te6O20(OH)14(SO4)(H2O)5. The new mineral occurs in a single 1 mm vug in a quartz vein. Associated mineral species include: chalcopyrite, chrysocolla, galena, goethite, hematite, khinite...

The new mineral anorpiment, As2S3, the triclinic dimorph of orpiment, has space group P1 and cell parameters a = 5.7577(2), b = 8.7169(3), c = 10.2682(7) Å, α = 78.152(7), β = 75.817(7), γ = 89.861(6)º, V = 488.38(4) Å3 and Z = 4. It occurs at the Palomo mine, Castrovirreyna Province, Huancavelica Department, Peru. It is a low-temperature hydrother...

The new mineral fluorphosphohedyphane, Ca_2Pb_3(PO_4)_3F, the F-analog of phosphohedyphane, is hexagonal with space group P6_3/m and cell parameters a = 9.6402(12), c = 7.0121(8) Å, V = 564.4(1) Å^3, and Z = 2. It occurs in the oxidation zone of a small Pb-Cu-Zn-Ag deposit, the Blue Bell claims, about 11 km west of Baker, San Bernardino County, Cal...

Munakataite, Pb_2Cu_2(Se^(4+)O_3)(SO_4)(OH)_4, has been found in association with a variety of rare secondary Te minerals at Otto Mountain, San Bernardino County, California, USA. It is very rare and occurs as subparallel bundles of blue needles up to 1 mm long. Electron microprobe analyses provided the empirical formula Pb_(1.96)Cu_(1.60)[(Se^(4+)...

Timroseite, Pb_2Cu_5^(2+)(Te^(6+)O_6)_2(OH)_2, and paratimroseite, Pb_2Cu_4^(2+)(Te^(6+)O_6)_2(H_2O)_2, are two new tellurates from Otto Mountain near Baker, California. Timroseite is named in honor of Timothy (Tim) P. Rose and paratimroseite is named for its relationship to timroseite. Both new minerals occur on fracture surfaces and in small vugs...

Timroseite, Pb2Cu52+(Te6+O6)(2)(OH)(2), and paratimroseite, Pb2Cu42+(Te6+O6)(2)(H2O)(2), are two new tellurates from Otto Mountain near Baker, California. Timroseite is named in honor of Timothy (Tim) P. Rose and paratimroseite is named for its relationship to timroseite. Both new minerals occur on fracture surfaces and in small vugs in brecciated...

Markcooperite, Pb2(UO2)Te6+O6, is a new tellurate from Otto Mountain near Baker, California, named in honor of Mark A. Cooper of the University of Manitoba for his contributions to mineralogy. The new mineral occurs on fracture surfaces and in small vugs in brecciated quartz veins. Markcooperite is directly associated with bromian chlorargyrite, io...

Thorneite, Pb6(Te26+O10)(CO3)Cl2(H2O), is a new tellurate from Otto Mountain near Baker, California, named in honor of Brent Thorne. The new mineral occurs on fracture surfaces and in small vugs in brecciated quartz veins. Thorneite is directly associated with acanthite, cerussite, gold, hessite, iodargyrite, khinite, wulfenite, and three other new...

Telluroperite, Pb3Te4+O4Cl2, is a new tellurite from Otto Mountain near Baker, California. The new mineral occurs on fracture surfaces and in small vugs in brecciated quartz veins in direct association with acanthite, bromine-rich chlorargyrite, caledonite, cerussite, galena, goethite, and linarite. Various other secondary minerals occur in the vei...

Ottoite, Pb_2TeO_5, is a new tellurate from Otto Mountain near Baker, California. Most of the mining on Otto Mountain occurred between 1940 and 1970 and is attributed to Otto Fuetterer, for whom the mountain is now named. The new mineral occurs on fracture surfaces and in small vugs in brecciated quartz veins, which intersect granitic rocks. Ottoit...

New discoveries of kuksite, Pb_3Zn_3Te^(6+)P_2O_(14), from the Black Pine mine, Montana, and Blue Bell claims, California, have enabled a detailed crystal-chemical study of the mineral to be undertaken. Single-crystal X-ray structure refinements of the structure indicate that it is isostructural with dugganite, Pb_3Zn_3Te^(6+)As_2O_(14), and joëlbr...

New discoveries of kuksite, Pb3Zn3Te6+P2O14, from the Black Pine mine, Montana, and Blue Bell claims, California, have enabled a detailed crystal-chemical study of the mineral to be undertaken. Single-crystal X-ray structure refinements of the structure indicate that it is isostructural with dugganite, Pb3Zn3Te6+As2O14, and joëlbruggerite, Pb3Zn3(S...

The new mineral plumbophyllite, Pb2Si4O10·H2O, orthorhombic with space group Pbcn and cell parameters a = 13.2083(4), b = 9.7832(3), c = 8.6545(2) Å, V = 1118.33(5) Å3, and Z = 4. It occurs as colorless to pale blue prismatic crystals to 3 mm, with wedge-shaped terminations at the Blue Bell claims, about 11 km west of Baker, San Bernardino County,...

Compressive creep of La-monazite is investigated in the temperature range 1100 degrees C to 1500 degrees C. The study includes both high-purity single-phase material and material with excess phosphorus located in amorphous grain boundary phases. The results indicate that the presence of small amounts of excess P in polycrystalline LaPO(4) has a lar...

The compatibility of Al2O3 and LaPO4 at temperatures up to 1600°C is examined. Provided the ratio of La to P was close to 1:1, no reactions were observed after 200 h at 1600°C. Moreover, the Al2O3/LaPO4 interface remained sufficiently weakly bonded to cause deflection of cracks, as reported previously. In the presence of excess P or La, reactions o...

This work provides a thermodynamic basis for understanding vapor phase transport as hydroxide molecules on meteorite parent bodies.

A strikingly high abundance of submicrometer chromite in Allende acid residues was discovered by Lewis et al in 1975 [1] during early efforts to isolate the carriers of anomalous inert gas components in this meteorite. Subsequent work showed that this chromite is not a significant inert gas carrier, but left its origin and significance unexplained....

Allende separates contain pentlandite of unusually high Fe:Ni ratio. Mössbauer spectra show clear evidence of this phase.

The structure of quetzalcoatlite, Zn6Cu3(TeO3)2O6(OH)6(AgxPby)Clx+2y, x + y ≤ 2, Z = 1, was solved and refined using data collected at the Advanced Photon Source-GSE-CARS facility, using a 2 × 2 ×40 μm3 single crystal. The structure is trigonal, space group P3̅1m, a = 10.145(1), c = 4.9925(9) Å, V = 445.0(1) Å3, and was refined to R = 5.1 for 395 u...

Advanced coating systems based on monazite, a weak interphase for oxide composites, are being investigated as a means to increase the service temperatures of thermal protection blankets for re-entry space craft. Preliminary evaluations, including chemical compatibility, tensile strengths of coated, heat-treated fibers and fabrics, and durability in...

Two-phase composites consisting of LaPO4 or CePO4 and alumina, mullite, or zirconia were found to be machinable; i.e., they can be cut and drilled using conventional tungsten carbide metal-working tools. Single-phase LaPO4 was also machinable. Measurements of drilling rates, grinding rates, and normal forces are used to compare the ease of machinin...

The compatibility of Al 2O 3 and LaPO 4 at temperatures up to 1600°C is examined. Provided the ratio of La to P was close to 1:1, no reactions were observed after 200 h at 1600°C. Moreover, the Al 2O 3/LaPO 4 interface remained sufficiently weakly bonded to cause deflection of cracks, as reported previously. In the presence of excess P or La, react...

Multilayered composites consisting of LaPO4 (La-monazite) layers alternating with various ZrO2-based materials were fabricated to investigate whether LaPO4 provides a weakly bonded interface suitable for promoting toughening, as previously observed in the system LaPO4/Al2O3. The following ZrO2-based materials were assessed: Y-ZrO2, Y-ZrO2/Al2O3, Ce...

Multilayered composites consisting of LaPOâ (La-monazite) layers alternating with various ZrOâ-based materials were fabricated to investigate whether LaPOâ provides a weakly bonded interface suitable for promoting toughening, as previously observed in the system LaPOâ/AlâOâ. The following ZrOâ-based materials were assessed: Y-ZrOâ, Y-ZrOâ/AlâOâ, Ce...

The chemical and morphological stability and debonding characteristics of monazite/alumina interfaces were examined at temperatures of 1400 and 1600 °C. In the absence of impurities, the interface was found to be stable for long periods (24 h) at 1600 °C and to retain its ability to prevent crack growth by debonding. However, in the presence of alk...

Tin dioxide (SnO2, cassiterite) is one of the few simple oxides that do not react with alumina below a eutectic at 1620°C in air. Consequently it has been of interest for weak interfacial coatings on alumina for ceramic-matrix composites (CMCs). However, at low oxygen potentials in the Al–Sn–O ternary system an oxidic eutectic liquid containing dis...

Much attention has been paid to the details of the solid phase in HTSC. However, the solid crystals are best formed from a liquid for high Jc; thus we alternatively are concentrating on the details of how the liquid effects the solid phase synthesis, which will lead to more understanding of orientation effects from thin films of liquid and conseque...

The 1223 TlSr2Ca2Cu3Ox compound has now been synthesized relatively pure for the first time we believe; preliminary electrical and magnetic properties are reported. The evidence for the presence of a thallous-ion-rich liquid phase which promotes synthesis is discussed. We give some preliminary resistance/temperature and magnetic susceptibility/temp...

The microstructural requirements of a sheathed high temperature superconductor ceramic wire for high Jc, are long and platy grains, with good percolative connectivity from grain to grain to allow a high critical current. This microstructure is encouraged by grain-growth through solution-reprecipitation (S-P) from a small amount of liquid phase. In...

The microstructural requirements of a superconducting wire, with a core of high temperature superconductor ceramic (HTSC), are long and platy grains, with good percolation from grain to grain to allow a high critical current. This microstructure is encouraged by growth from a liquid phase. In earlier work in both Tl- and Bi-HTSC, we found that a li...

Secondary neutrals sputtered by 3-keV Ar{sup +} from FeSâ and Fe were studied by use of laser postionization mass spectrometry and laser-induced fluorescence spectroscopy. The velocity distribution and yield of Fe from the FeSâ sample were measured. The velocity distribution of Fe sputtered from the sulfide is very similar to that of sputtered Fe f...

X‐ray photoemissionspectra from a chemically etchedsingle crystal of the high temperature superconductor Bi2Sr2−x Ca1+x Cu2O8+δ are presented. A clear Fermi edge is observed in the valence band region, indicating a high quality surface.

Firing a long specimen in a thermal gradient furnace is an efficient way of looking for the fine details of synthesis/morphology behavior in Ag-“doped” (Bi, Pb)-high temperature superconductors as a function of temperature and time. The 110 K, three-Cu-layer phase, begins to form apparently only upon the appearance of an eutectic-liquid at ∼822°C....

Recent ROSAT images reported by Schmitt et el. show that the sunlit part of the Moon is a significant source of very soft x rays. Stimulated by these observations, Edwards et al. have made an analysis of the response of the Moon to the solar soft x ray and EUV spectrum. They argue that much of the observed emission is in the form of discrete fluore...

Firing a long specimen in a thermal gradient furnace is an efficient way of looking for the fine details of synthesis/morphology behavior in Ag-“doped” (Bi,Pb)-HTSC as a function of temperature. “2223” type (110K phase) begins to form only from a eutectic-liquid at ∼822°C. Ca2PbO4 dissolves in this liquid and, on cooling, some “2201” precipitates....

A VLS-like mechanism is illustrated of how 3-Cu-layer Bi-HTSC (high temperature superconductor) is slowly formed from precursors by small, Bi/Pb rich, liquid droplets migrating over growing platelets, depositing ledges (steps) of product in their wakes. The difficulty of obtaining a pure 3-layer, i.e. without syntactic intergrowths, is explained.

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used to characterize the surfaces of polycrystalline Bi2Sr2-xCa1+xCu2O8+delta thin films which have been chemically etched in a solution of Br2 in absolute ethanol. XPS measurements from individual grains (~1 mm2) are obtained, and the spectra presented here are compa...

X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS) and scanning electron microscopy (SEM) are used to characterize the surfaces of polycrystalline Bi_2Sr_(2−x)Ca_(1+x)Cu_2O_(8+δ) thin films which have been chemically etched in a solution of Br_2 in absolute ethanol. XPS measurements from individual grains (∼1 mm^2) are obtained, and the spectra presented here...

This patent describes a two-terminal high current density tunnel junction device. It comprises: a first oxide layer consisting essentially of a high temperature superconducting oxide; a barrier layer formed between the first oxide layer and a second oxide layer having the same composition as the first and second oxide layers but having semiconducti...

A rhenium-rich sulfide was found as small inclusions in pentlandite and pyrrhotite hosted by pyroxenites of the Stillwater Complex, Montana, USA. In reflected light, the mineral is isotropic and slightly darker than pyrrhotite. The reflectance values are (in air): 36.2% (470 nm), 36.2% (546 nm), 36.6% (589 nm), and 37.5% (650 nm). The mineral has t...

A solution of Br in absolute ethanol, previously shown to be effective at removing nonsuperconducting species from Y‐Ba‐Cu‐O thin film surfaces, is shown to also be effective in treating Bi‐Sr‐Ca‐Cu‐O thin film surfaces. X‐ray photoelectron spectra obtained after etching are consistent with previously reported results obtained from samples cleaved...