The older ultramafic rocks of Aberdeenshire, similarities to SSZ ophiolites and significance for regional tectonics [abstract]

It has long been known that there are at least two phases of mafic-ultramafic magmatism in NE Scotland (Read 1919), the well known Younger Gabbro suite and a lesser known ‘Older suite’. A regional study of the ultramafic rocks (Styles 1994, 1999) showed that they comprised three groups, the Lower Zone of the Newer Gabbros and two closely related ones; a harzburgite group and a group of clinopyroxene-rich rocks referred to as the Succoth-Brown hill type (SBH) that were broadly the same as Reeds’ Older suite. The latter two groups are found along major regional scale shear zones, particularly the Portsoy Lineament. It was suggested that SBH type was the root complex of a volcanic arc (Gunn et al 1996) and that the harzburgite type were fragments of upper mantle (Styles 1999). Mapping of the UAE-Oman ophiolite by BGS (Styles 2006) showed that it consisted of an early mid ocean ridge phase followed by an extensive second phase of hydrous magmatism formed in a supra subduction zone (SSZ) setting that probably formed a proto volcanic arc prior to obduction. It will be shown that the ultramafic rocks of the mantle transition zone formed in this SSZ phase, dunites, olivine-clinopyroxenites, wehrlites and clinopyroxenites are essential the same as those in the SBH type in terms of both rock type and mineral composition. This provides strong supporting evidence that the older suite of ultramafic rocks are remnants of upper mantle and mantle transition zone of SSZ ophiolites and the shear zones where they are found delineate ‘sutures’ within the Dalradian basin. The ‘Newer gabbro’ intrusions are also closely associated with these regional shear zones, which suggests that these zones formed conduits for the extensive later magmatism

Personalizing the design of computer‐based instruction to enhance learning

This paper reports two studies designed to investigate the effect on learning outcomes of matching individuals’ preferred cognitive styles to computer‐based instructional (CBI) material. Study 1 considered the styles individually as Verbalizer, Imager, Wholist and Analytic. Study 2 considered the bi‐dimensional nature of cognitive styles in order to assess the full ramification of cognitive styles on learning: Analytic/Imager, Analytic/ Verbalizer, Wholist/Imager and the Wholist/Verbalizer. The mix of images and text, the nature of the text material, use of advance organizers and proximity of information to facilitate meaningful connections between various pieces of information were some of the considerations in the design of the CBI material. In a quasi‐experimental format, students’ cognitive styles were analysed by Cognitive Style Analysis (CSA) software. On the basis of the CSA result, the system defaulted students to either matched or mismatched CBI material by alternating between the two formats. The instructional material had a learning and a test phase. Learning outcome was tested on recall, labelling, explanation and problem‐solving tasks. Comparison of the matched and mismatched instruction did not indicate significant difference between the groups, but the consistently better performance by the matched group suggests potential for further investigations where the limitations cited in this paper are eliminated. The result did indicate a significant difference between the four cognitive styles with the Wholist/Verbalizer group performing better then all other cognitive styles. Analysing the difference between cognitive styles on individual test tasks indicated significant difference on recall, labelling and explanation, suggesting that certain test tasks may suit certain cognitive styles

Seasonal, synoptic, and diurnal-scale variability of biogeochemical trace gases and O2 from a 300-m tall tower in central Siberia

We present first results from 19 months of semicontinuous concentration measurements of biogeochemical trace gases (CO2, CO, and CH4) and O2, measured at the Zotino Tall Tower Observatory (ZOTTO) in the boreal forest of central Siberia. We estimated CO2 and O2 seasonal cycle amplitudes of 26.6 ppm and 134 per meg, respectively. An observed west-east gradient of about -7 ppm (in July 2006) between Shetland Islands, Scotland, and ZOTTO reflects summertime continental uptake of CO2 and is consistent with regional modeling studies. We found the oceanic component of the O2 seasonal amplitude (Atmospheric Potential Oxygen, or APO) to be 51 per meg, significantly smaller than the 95 per meg observed at Shetlands, illustrating a strong attenuation of the oceanic O2 signal in the continental interior. Comparison with the Tracer Model 3 (TM3) atmospheric transport model showed good agreement with the observed phasing and seasonal amplitude in CO2; however, the model exhibited greater O2 (43 per meg, 32%) and smaller APO (9 per meg, 18%) amplitudes. This seeming inconsistency in model comparisons between O2 and APO appears to be the result of phasing differences in land and ocean signals observed at ZOTTO, where ocean signals have a significant lag. In the first 2 months of measurements on the fully constructed tower (November and December 2006), we observed several events with clear vertical concentration gradients in all measured species except CO. During “cold events” (below -30°C) in November 2006, we observed large vertical gradients in CO2 (up to 22 ppm), suggesting a strong local source. The same pattern was observed in CH4 concentrations for the same events. Diurnal vertical CO2 gradients in April to May 2007 gave estimates for average nighttime respiration fluxes of 0.04 ± 0.02 mol C m-2 d-1, consistent with earlier eddy covariance measurements in 1999–2000 in the vicinity of the tower

The Speech Styles Used by Erin Gruwell in Freedom Writers Movie

This study focused on the gendered speech styles namely; male speech styles and female speech styles used by Erin Gruwell in the Freedom Writers movie and the changes that can be perceived from her use of gendered speech styles. Based on the writer's descriptive qualitative approach analysis on the data, she found out that the teacher uses both male speech styles and female speech styles along 15 class scenes. She used Co-operative feature of female speech styles and Aggressive feature of male speech styles as her dominant feature which were used in each class scene. However, the writer could not find any gradual changes from the teacher's use of speech styles. Therefore, the teacher's changes in using speech styles did not seem to correlate with the students' changes in the attitude towards the teacher

Learning styles, personalisation and adaptable e-learning

Common Learning Management Systems (for example Moodle [1] and Blackboard [2]) are limited in the amount of personalisation that they can offer the learner. They are used widely and do offer a number of tools for instructors to enable them to create and manage courses, however, they do not allow for the learner to have a unique personalised learning experience. The e-Learning platform iLearn offers personalisation for the learner in a number of ways and one way is to offer the specific learning material to the learner based on the learner's learning style. Learning styles and how we learn is a vast research area. Brusilovsky and Millan [3] state that learning styles are typically defined as the way people prefer to learn. Examples of commonly used learning styles are Kolb Learning Styles Theory [4], Felder and Silverman Index of Learning Styles [5], VARK [6] and Honey and Mumford Index of Learning Styles [7] and many research projects (SMILE [8], INSPIRE [9], iWeaver [10] amonst others) attempt to incorporate these learning styles into adaptive e-Learning systems. This paper describes how learning styles are currently being used within the area of adaptive e-Learning. The paper then gives an overview of the iLearn project and also how iLearn is using the VARK learning style to enhance the platform's personalisation and adaptability for the learner. This research also describes the system's design and how the learning style is incorporated into the system design and semantic framework within the learner's profile

Platinum-group element mineralisation in the Unst ophiolite, Shetland

The ophiolitic basic and ultrabasic rocks of the island of Unst, Shetland comprise a sequence of harzburgites, dunites, clinopyroxene-rich cumulates, and gabbro, within tectonic blocks that have been thrust over a migmatite complex during the Laxer Palaeozoic. Concentrations of chromite are found in the harzburgite and dunite, and to a small extent in the pyroxene cumulate rocks. They occur as disseminations, sometimes forming millimetre scale layers, and as more massive schlieren and pods of chromitite. Five alteration or hydrothermal events have been recognised in the ultrabasic rocks. These comprise early pervasive serpentinisation, later fracture controlled serpentinisation, veining and pervasive carbonation, minor late serpentine veining and talc-carbonate alteration controlled by fault zones. Exploration for platinum group element (PGE) mineralisation uas carried out using a combination of drainage, overburden and rock sampling. Analyses of PGE were obtained by fire assay followed by either neutron activation analysis or flameless atomic absorption spectrometry, and up to 20 other elements Here determined by X-ray fluoresence analysis. Panned concentrate samples were taken from 73 drainage sites distributed throughout the complex. Ir, the only PGE determined in all samples, showed a greater concentration in samples derived from the harzburgite unit than those from other units. Lox amplitude anomalies are present in three discrete areas in the harzburgite but the maximum level of 210 ppb Ir is associated with a sample derived from a prominent N-S zone of faulting and hydrothermal activity markedly discordant to the regional trend of layering in the harzburgite and dunite. This discordant zone, which extends for at least 7 km, is also marked by samples containing enrichments in Fe, Co, Ni, Cu and As. The highest Cr levels are associated with an area in the north of the harzburgite with no previous history of chromite working but where many locally derived pieces of chromitite float have been discovered. Relatively high Cr levels are also associated nith the area of dunite containing the greatest concentration of visible chromite and old norkings. A technique of collecting panned heavy mineral concentrates from overburden samples was adopted as a reconnaissance exploration technique after orientation sampling in the harzburgite unit at Cliff, an area with high PGE levels in chromitite and associated dunite. Systematic sampling in the Cliff area outlined a zone of coincident Pd, Pt and Rh enrichment near to but separate from the chromite workings knorrn to be enriched in PGE. In contrast the distribution of Ru was entirely different with scattered lon amplitude anomalous zones and a maximum anomaly 300m from the chromite-rich zone. Reconnaissance lines were sampled at other locations within the harzburgite, dunite and cumulate units. Lore amplitude Pd and Pt anomalies were detected xithin the dunite unit, especially in 'a traverse across the trace of the prominent N-S fault zone at Helliers Uater, adjacent to the outcrop of the cumulate unit. In general the overburden data suggest some association between PGE enrichment and enhanced levels of Ni relative to typical silicate levels apparent when expressed as the ratio Ni/MgC. Rock samples Here collected from all parts of the complex, including most of the main chromitite workings. Very high levels of all PGE occur in samples of chromitite, chromite-rich dunite and dunite from the Cliff area, with a strong positive intercorrelation between all PGE. The proportions of the various PGE are very similar to those present in deposits in major layered basic/ultrabasic complexes like Bushveld and Stillwater, irith strong relative enrichment in Pd and Pt. These PGE proportions are completely different from the Ru-Ir-0s dominant assemblage typical of ophiolitic rocks. Associated with high levels of PGE are enrichments in Ni, Cu, As, Sb and Te. There is no correlation rrith Cr and some samples of chromitite from the Cliff area contain only background levels of PGE. High to moderate levels of PGE with the same proportions of elements as the Cliff samples also occur in samples of chromitite and serpentinised dunite from the dunite unit and in samples of pyroxenite from the cumulate unit, In contrast PGE-rich samples of chromitite from the harzburgite unit near Harold's Grave have entirely different proportions of PGE with Ru and Ir in greatest abundance. This PGE distribution is similar to that in some background samples of harzburgite and closely resembles the pattern found in typical ophiolites. The PGE in the Harold's Grave samples do not exhibit the Ni enhancement noted in the Cliff PGE mineralisation. In samples from the Cliff area the platinum-group minerals (PGM) sperrylite, stibiopalladinite, hollingnorthite, laurite and possibly irarsite have been identified, mostly as grains less than 10 microns in size. In chromite-rich rocks these minerals occur Rithin chlorite haloes around chromite, in the blackened altered rims of chromite grains and in interstitial Ni-rich serpentine/carbonate intergroxths in association with pentlandite, orcellite and other Ni sulphides and arsenides, sometimes spatially related to chlorite-carbonate-magnetite veins. They also occur as fine grains Rithin magnetite rims around chromite and in magnetite or carbonate veins in dunite. The Ni sulphide/arsenide assemblage associated Rith the PGH is characteristic of serpentinisation at temperatures less than 500'C, Rell belox the range of magmatic conditions. A hydrothermal origin for the PGE mineralisation is proposed, probably related to the second phase of serpentinisation. This involved the redistribution of Ni accompanied by the introduction of As, Sb and Te probably with a StrUCtUral Control. Pre-existing concentrations of chromite may have acted as a precipitation barrier causing rich PGH deposition in the alteration haloes around chromite grains. Continuous borehole or trench sections through mineralised zones are required to assess the economic significance of the PGE mineralisation. Nevertheless the high levels of PGE attained and the evidence of xidespread occurrence of the Cliff-type PGE enrichment are favourable indications. The PGE enrichments found in the cumulate complex are of potential interest as they may originally have been of magmatic origin. Larger tonnage targets may therefore be present in this unit compared Rith the likely size of structurally-controlled mineralisation elswhere in the complex

What can we learn from exploring cognitive appraisal, coping styles and perceived stress in UK undergraduate dissertation students?

Undergraduate dissertation students’ cognitive appraisal, coping styles and perceived stress were examined at three time points during their undergraduate dissertation projects (UDP), observing whether cognitive appraisal and coping styles predicted perceived stress and their temporal changes. Sixty-four dissertation students completed the Perceived Stress Scale, an adapted Cognitive Appraisal of Health Scale, the Brief COPE and explorative open-ended questions. Linear Regression models for each time-point showed coping styles and cognitive appraisal predicted perceived stress, but single coping styles and primary appraisal harm/loss predicted stress levels inconsistently over time. Analyses indicated significant effects of time-point on primary appraisals benign/irrelevance, harm/loss and challenge but none for secondary appraisal,coping styles or perceived stress. Content Analysis showed perceived stressors and coping styles to be a function of the UDP’s stages and their tasks and challenges. Implications and recommendations for students and supervisors are discussed

Monitoring and Modelling the Vibrational Effects of Small (<50 kW) Wind Turbines on the Eskdalemuir IMS Station

It is known (Styles et al., 2005) that windfarms generate low frequency vibrations which propagate through the ground and have the potential to adversely affect sensitive installations, most notably seismometer arrays set up to monitor for nuclear tests. Significant work on the effects of large wind turbines has been carried out by Keele University as well as by Schofield (2002) and Fiori et al (2009). For the Eskdalemuir International Monitoring System station in Scotland, a vibration threshold was set, for wind farms within 50 km of Eskdalemuir, at frequencies around the 4 to 5 Hz region. However, with increased development, the threshold is being approached and small wind turbines (less than 50kW), even of the order of 15kW have also been restricted despite the differences in scale and modes of vibration. In order to protect Eskdalemuir a threshold limit was set for any turbine as a holding measure and a programme to try to establish whether they were really problematic has been carried out. Models for two wind turbine types from the manufacturers Proven and Gaia-Wind have been calculated and measurement programmes carried out. It has been possible to demonstrate that in most cases these small turbines do not generate significant energy in the band of concern and that the levels are low enough to be negligible. Small turbines once evaluated and monitored by Keele University and given approval by the UK Ministry of Defence, will receive clearance for deployment around the Eskdalemuir site at distances greater than 10km

A Miscanthus plantation can be carbon neutral without increasing soil carbon stocks

Acknowledgements The authors would like to thank the NERC Centre for Ecology & Hydrology and Shell for providing a joint PhD studentship grant award to Andy Robertson (CEH project number NEC04306). We are also grateful to Emily Clark, Simon Oakley and Rebecca Rowe at CEH Lancaster and Sean Case at the University of Copenhagen for help with fieldwork, laboratory work and manuscript comments.Peer reviewedPublisher PD