Additive decompositions for rings of modular forms

We study rings of integral modular forms for congruence subgroups as modules over the ring of integral modular forms for the full modular group. In many cases these modules are free or decompose at least into well-understood pieces. We apply this to characterize which rings of modular forms are Cohen--Macaulay and to prove finite generation results. These theorems are based on decomposition results about vector bundles on the compactified moduli stack of elliptic curves.Comment: Complete revision. Comments welcome. arXiv admin note: text overlap with arXiv:1609.0926

William Bayne Fisher (1916–1984)

From a relatively humble background, Bill Fisher rose to become professor and head of the geography department at Durham. Substantially expanding its student numbers, staff, buildings and equipment, he created there a leading British geography department, noted for the school of applied geography which he led. A combination of education in the school of French regional geography, first in Manchester and later at the Sorbonne, wartime experience in the Middle East, and a conviction that geographers could help to remake a better post-war world underpinned his many applied geographical projects, starting in Malta and extending to the Middle East and elsewhere. For these projects Fisher secured substantial external funding, something which was highly unusual at the time, and they provided important training for Durham’s geographical staff and students. The material gathered in the field was put at the service of the authorities in the regions concerned, and also formed the basis of his own research writings where his character and views are more readily observable. Though his approach was criticised towards the end of his life as being politically naïve and methodologically dated, he remained convinced of its usefulness and currency. A genial man who took his responsibilities seriously, he is fondly remembered by students and colleagues, though his academic reputation has survived better outside geography than within it

Non-eruptive geological hazards of dormant volcanoes: Sao Miguel, Azores Perigos geologicos nao erurptivos en vulcoes adormecidos: Sao Miguel, Acores

São Miguel Island presents a diversity of geological hazards that are related to non-eruptive processes. Frequent seismic swarms and destructive earthquakes, of volcanic and tectonically related origin, have been recorded on the Island since it was settled in the 15th century. Large areas of volcanic edifices of Sete Cidades, Fogo and Furnas are unstable. Steep slopes, unconsolidated and poorly consolidated materials, such as volcaniclastic deposits occasionally weathered by hydrothermal activity, play an important role in landslide activity. Slope instability is mainly triggered by intense rainfall, but also by seismic activity, sea and fluvial erosion and/or anthropogenic activity. Volcano degassing represents a major risk during anomalous gas release and a continuous menace for the public health

Volcanic hazard vulnerability on Sao Miguel Island, Azores

"In recent years much progress has been made in researching a wide variety of extreme events on S. Miguel. In addition there are a number of volcano-related risks which impact upon the people of S. Miguel. Some of these may occur both before and during volcanic emergencies (e.g. earthquakes), whilst others render S. Miguel dangerous even when its volcanoes are not erupting (e.g. flooding, landslides, tsunamis and health impacts, especially the effects of CO2 seepage into dwellings). In this chapter we first define what vulnerability means to the people of São Miguel, and relate this to the cultural and economic characteristics of the island. The following aspects of vulnerability are discussed: a. physical (i.e. housing, settlement and the characteristics of evacuation routes and plans); b. demographic and economic; c. social and cultural and perceptual (i.e. do people have an accurate cognition of risk). Particular areas of concern relate to housing; the identification of isolated dwellings which would be difficult to evacuate; the vulnerability/resilience of evacuation routes following recent infrastructure improvements; characteristics of the island's transient population; management of livestock under emergency conditions; local leadership roles and educational outreach.

The older volcanic complexes of Sao Miguel, Azores: Nordeste and Povoacao

The oldest part of S. Miguel is to the east of Furnas. Previous research argued that these volcanics belong to a construct called the Nordeste Volcano, a heavily eroded shield which not only extends to the east coast of the island but also underlies Furnas Volcano in the west. On the basis of geomorphological mapping, we argue that Nordeste comprises two volcanic systems: an older Nordeste construct (the Nordeste Volcanic System); and the younger Povoação Volcano which straddles the Nordeste shield on its western margin. The Nordeste Volcanic System consists of the Lower Basalts which constitute the overwhelming majority of its subaerial products which are exposed in coastal cliff sections. Above the Lower Basalts is a surficial drape of Ankaramites and the Upper Basalts. There is no evidence of large explosive trachytic eruptions from Nordeste Volcanic System. Povoação Volcano comprises an early shield construct, after which the volcano experienced caldera collapse. Post-caldera deposits are poorly exposed, but include basaltic, mugearitic and trachytic lavas intercalated by cut and fill sequences. Radiometric dating has yet to resolve fully the absolute ages of the Nordeste and Povoação volcanic systems, but morphology indicates that the former is much older than the latter

Lorentz transmission electron microscopy and magnetic force microscopy characterization of NiFe/Al-oxide/Co films

科研費報告書収録論文(課題番号:13305001・基盤研究(A)(2) ・H13～H15/研究代表者:宮崎, 照宣/高品位微小トンネル接合へのスピン注入

The role of religion in shaping responses to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions: a comparison between Southern Italy and the Azores, Portugal

In contrast to the situation only a few years ago, the case for religion being accepted as a vital element in the cultural responses to disasters has been largely accepted by both academic writers and international agencies, such as the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies. Religions are far more varied in their approaches to natural catastrophes than is frequently recognised or acknowledged by academic writers who are trained and socialised within a 'western' post-Enlightenment tradition. In this paper we seek to demonstrate how detailed religious responses to earthquakes and volcanic eruptions vary even between two societies, southern Italy and the Azores, which are broadly similar in terms of their southern European Catholic religiosity. In southern Italy, popular Catholicism has conflated two approaches to theodicy: the retributive and the Augustinianism (i.e. free-will). Divine wrath may be propitiated through piety and Christian action, which includes worship, repentance, changed conduct and is often associated with well-choreographed ritualistic actions, some of the latter being far removed from Catholic orthodoxy. Such reactions to disaster are not confined to the past but remain strongly embedded in present-day practice. In the Azores a combination of: a history of a better educated and more enlightened church leadership; greater emphasis on praxis following disasters; the growth of the distinctive, egalitarian and pastorally focused Cult do Esparto Santo (i.e. Cult of the Holy Spirit) and the spread of alternative models of theodicy through educational outreach, has produced a strongly contrasting religious response. We conclude that, in the case of the Azores the religious milieu favours active collaboration between the Catholic faith community and the Civil Defence authorities in the aftermath of disasters, whereas this is not the case in southern Italy, although there are some recent signs of change