286,964 research outputs found
Coordination and Sustainability of River Observing Activities in the Arctic
To understand and respond to changes in the world’s northern regions, we need a coordinated system of long-term Arctic observations. River networks naturally integrate across landscapes and link the terrestrial and ocean domains. Changes in river discharge reflect changes in the terrestrial water balance, whereas changes in water chemistry are linked to changes in biogeochemical processes and water flow paths. Sustained measurements of river water discharge and water chemistry are therefore essential components of an Arctic observing network. As we strive to establish and sustain long-term observations in the Arctic, these two measurements must be coupled. Although river discharge and chemistry measurements are already coupled to some extent within national boundaries, this is not done in a consistent and coordinated fashion across the pan-Arctic domain. As a consequence, data quality and availability vary widely among regions. International coordination of river discharge and chemistry measurements in the Arctic would be greatly facilitated by formal commitments to maintain a set of core sites and associated measurements that are mutually agreed upon among pan-Arctic nations. Involvement of the agencies currently operating river discharge gauges around the Arctic and establishment of an overarching coordination entity to implement shared protocols, track data quality, and manage data streams would be essential in this endeavor. Focused studies addressing scale-dependent relationships between watershed characteristics and water chemistry, in-stream processes, and estuarine and coastal dynamics are also needed to support interpretation and application of Arctic river observing data as they relate to land and ocean change
The Potential of the Human Connectome as a Biomarker of Brain Disease
The human connectome at the level of fiber tracts between brain regions has
been shown to differ in patients with brain disorders compared to healthy
control groups. Nonetheless, there is a potentially large number of different
network organizations for individual patients that could lead to cognitive
deficits prohibiting correct diagnosis. Therefore changes that can distinguish
groups might not be sufficient to diagnose the disease that an individual
patient suffers from and to indicate the best treatment option for that
patient. We describe the challenges introduced by the large variability of
connectomes within healthy subjects and patients and outline three common
strategies to use connectomes as biomarkers of brain diseases. Finally, we
propose a fourth option in using models of simulated brain activity (the
dynamic connectome) based on structural connectivity rather than the structure
(connectome) itself as a biomarker of disease. Dynamic connectomes, in addition
to currently used structural, functional, or effective connectivity, could be
an important future biomarker for clinical applications.Comment: Perspective Article for special issue on Magnetic Resonance Imaging
of Healthy and Diseased Brain Network
The present and future system for measuring the Atlantic meridional overturning circulation and heat transport
of the global combined atmosphere-ocean heat flux and
so is important for the mean climate of the Atlantic
sector of the Northern Hemisphere. This meridional heat
flux is accomplished by both the Atlantic Meridional
Overturning Circulation (AMOC) and by basin-wide
horizontal gyre circulations. In the North Atlantic
subtropical latitudes the AMOC dominates the meridional heat flux, while in subpolar latitudes and in the subtropical South Atlantic the gyre circulations are
also important. Climate models suggest the AMOC will
slow over the coming decades as the earth warms, causing widespread cooling in the Northern hemisphere and additional sea-level rise. Monitoring systems for selected components of the AMOC have been in place in some areas for decades, nevertheless the present observational network provides only a partial view of the AMOC, and does not unambiguously resolve the full variability of the circulation. Additional observations, building on existing measurements, are required to more completely quantify the Atlantic meridional heat transport. A basin-wide monitoring
array along 26.5°N has been continuously measuring the strength and vertical structure of the AMOC and meridional heat transport since March 31, 2004. The array has demonstrated its ability to observe the AMOC variability at that latitude and also a variety of surprising variability that will require substantially longer time series to understand fully. Here we propose monitoring the Atlantic meridional heat transport throughout the Atlantic at selected critical latitudes that have already been identified as regions of interest for the study of deep water formation and the strength of the subpolar gyre, transport variability of the Deep Western Boundary Current (DWBC) as well as the upper limb of the AMOC, and inter-ocean and intrabasin exchanges with the ultimate goal of determining regional and global controls for the AMOC in the North and South Atlantic Oceans. These new arrays will
continuously measure the full depth, basin-wide or choke-point circulation and heat transport at a number
of latitudes, to establish the dynamics and variability at
each latitude and then their meridional connectivity.
Modeling studies indicate that adaptations of the 26.5°N
type of array may provide successful AMOC monitoring at other latitudes. However, further analysis and the development of new technologies will be needed to optimize cost effective systems for providing long term monitoring and data recovery at climate time scales. These arrays will provide benchmark observations of the AMOC that are fundamental for assimilation, initialization, and the verification of coupled hindcast/forecast climate models
Preparing for a Northwest Passage: A Workshop on the Role of New England in Navigating the New Arctic
Preparing for a Northwest Passage: A Workshop on the Role of New England in Navigating the New Arctic (March 25 - 27, 2018 -- The University of New Hampshire) paired two of NSF\u27s 10 Big Ideas: Navigating the New Arctic and Growing Convergence Research at NSF. During this event, participants assessed economic, environmental, and social impacts of Arctic change on New England and established convergence research initiatives to prepare for, adapt to, and respond to these effects. Shipping routes through an ice-free Northwest Passage in combination with modifications to ocean circulation and regional climate patterns linked to Arctic ice melt will affect trade, fisheries, tourism, coastal ecology, air and water quality, animal migration, and demographics not only in the Arctic but also in lower latitude coastal regions such as New England. With profound changes on the horizon, this is a critical opportunity for New England to prepare for uncertain yet inevitable economic and environmental impacts of Arctic change
LFP beta amplitude is predictive of mesoscopic spatio-temporal phase patterns
Beta oscillations observed in motor cortical local field potentials (LFPs)
recorded on separate electrodes of a multi-electrode array have been shown to
exhibit non-zero phase shifts that organize into a planar wave propagation.
Here, we generalize this concept by introducing additional classes of patterns
that fully describe the spatial organization of beta oscillations. During a
delayed reach-to-grasp task in monkey primary motor and dorsal premotor
cortices we distinguish planar, synchronized, random, circular, and radial
phase patterns. We observe that specific patterns correlate with the beta
amplitude (envelope). In particular, wave propagation accelerates with growing
amplitude, and culminates at maximum amplitude in a synchronized pattern.
Furthermore, the occurrence probability of a particular pattern is modulated
with behavioral epochs: Planar waves and synchronized patterns are more present
during movement preparation where beta amplitudes are large, whereas random
phase patterns are dominant during movement execution where beta amplitudes are
small
Astro2020 Project White Paper: The Cosmic Accelerometer
We propose an experiment, the Cosmic Accelerometer, designed to yield
velocity precision of cm/s with measurement stability over years to
decades. The first-phase Cosmic Accelerometer, which is at the scale of the
Astro2020 Small programs, will be ideal for precision radial velocity
measurements of terrestrial exoplanets in the Habitable Zone of Sun-like stars.
At the same time, this experiment will serve as the technical pathfinder and
facility core for a second-phase larger facility at the Medium scale, which can
provide a significant detection of cosmological redshift drift on a 6-year
timescale. This larger facility will naturally provide further detection/study
of Earth twin planet systems as part of its external calibration process. This
experiment is fundamentally enabled by a novel low-cost telescope technology
called PolyOculus, which harnesses recent advances in commercial off the shelf
equipment (telescopes, CCD cameras, and control computers) combined with a
novel optical architecture to produce telescope collecting areas equivalent to
standard telescopes with large mirror diameters. Combining a PolyOculus array
with an actively-stabilized high-precision radial velocity spectrograph
provides a unique facility with novel calibration features to achieve the
performance requirements for the Cosmic Accelerometer
- …