Rationalising a volcanic crisis through literature: Montserratian verse and the descriptive reconstruction of an island

International audienceThis article discusses a selection of the literary output provoked and inspired by the eruption of Soufrière Hills Volcano on Montserrat - notably poetry and prose written by Montserratians affected by the disaster. It argues that literature can be a source of local knowledge, and a window into a culture that is seeking to deal with a tragedy. It can also be used to assess outreach efforts and to investigate the impact of volcanic events - and of volcanological information - on local populations. The texts describe the process by which Montserratians moved from bewilderment and denial to renewal and re-identification, and even pride in the volcanic activity and their own ability to live with it - and to help prepare other Caribbean islands for future volcanic events. Literature looks both backwards and forwards, communicating the acts of experiencing and changing. On Montserrat, that applies both to colonialism and the role of the UK in Montserrat's political, economic and social life, and also to the importance of learning volcanology, and welcoming volcanologists, as a means of survival

The ways of the bird rising

The Ways of the Bird Rising centres on a small Scottish island community threatened by offshore fracking. It takes the idea of “community” in the widest sense, extending its reach to the narrative voices of animals, plants, stones and the island itself in an attempt to evoke the consequences of resource extraction on a more-than-human world. The human story centres on Alana, who grew up on the island and is, with mixed feelings, moving back there after years away; and Comgall, a Canadian geologist who comes to the island as an employee of the company in charge of the fracking. In their own ways, both are reconciling their relationship to the land and to their respective rural homes, while being opened to the lively multi-species world around them—a process mirrored in the reader’s experience as the island’s many inhabitants contribute to narrating their home

Columbus State University Honors College: Senior Theses, Fall 2019

This is a collection of senior theses written by honors students at Columbus State University in 2019.https://csuepress.columbusstate.edu/honors_theses/1000/thumbnail.jp

Comparative Analysis of Pollution in Farmington Bay and the Great Salt Lake, Utah

Farmington Bay covers 94 mi2 (260 km2) in the SW comer of the Great Salt Lake, and is essentially a separate lake because it is enclosed by Antelope Island and a causeway leading to the island from the mainland. The bay has received wastes from the adjoining Salt Lake City metropolitan area for decades. Because of water quality concerns for Farmington 8ay, the Aquatic Ecology Laboratory class at Utah State University studied the bay and a nearby control site (Bridger Bay) in the Great Salt Lake during the fall of 2001. Field sampling and laboratory experiments, as well as other data sources, demonstrated the bay is severely eutrophic and is one of the most polluted water bodies in the state of Utah. A preliminary nutrient loading estimate for the bay indicates that total phosphorus coming into the system is a-times higher than necessary for the bay to be classed as eutrophic. Sewage treatment plants discharging directly to the bay contribute approximately 500/0 of the nutrients. Metrics of eutrophication (chlorophyll, Secchi depth and total phosphorus) all indicated that the bay was hypereutrophic and the combined Trophic State Index was 91, higher than any other lake or reservoir in the state. Oxygen was supersaturated in the surface waters of Farmington Bay during the day, but the bottom water was anoxic. During the night, nearly the entire water column became anoxic due to respiratory demand of the biota. The anoxic conditions allowed high concentrations \u27Of foul-smelling hydrogen sulfide to be produced. Brine shrimp were not abundant in Farmington Bay and the community was dominated by rotifers. In contrast, water quality in Bridger 8ay located on the main lake, was good and brine shrimp were abundant there. Our results, although restricted in scope, corroborate existing monitoring data from this bay. Water quality characteristics in Farmington Bay do not meet those mandated for the protection of aquatic life. Odor problems from the bay likely impact more people than are affected by any other polluted water body in the state. The impact of eutrophication and anoxia on the biota in Farmington Bay may also be substantial, although inadequate data exists to determine these impacts. There are substantial technical challenges to be overcome if water quality in the bay is to be improved to meet its designated use. However, before these technical issues can be solved, the responsible agencies will need to address the problem, and begin studies that may eventually lead to a solution to this serious water quality issue

Clinical Utility of the Two-Factor FOQ-A Based on Item-Level Psychometric Analysis

Introduction: Exploratory factor analysis of the Functional Outcome Questionnaire for Aphasia (FOQ-A) revealed two factors. We sought to determine the item level psychometrics of the two-factor FOQ-A using Rasch analysis and develop computer scoring to enhance its clinical utility. Method: 127 FOQ-A caregiver ratings were retrieved from an approved research database and analyzed using Winsteps. Results: The two-factor FOQ-A demonstrated sound psychometric properties. Item difficulty/person ability were calibrated on interval scales. Conclusions: Results provide further evidence for the FOQ-A’s validity. Item difficulty calibrated on interval scales provide guidance for treatment planning and computer scoring allows efficient documentation of functional change

Institute Brief: Taking the Mystery Out of Customer Service

With the current emphasis on universal access to employment services for all members of the community, the workforce development field needs to evaluate service delivery. A mystery shopper program is one of many evaluation tools available to ensure continuous quality improvement and customer satisfaction. This technique allows organizations to collect data on the experiences of One-Stop Career Center customers from the customer perspective. The brief includes a sample shopper questionnaire

Insights into volcanic hazards and plume chemistry from multi-parameter observations: the eruptions of Fimmvörðuháls and Eyjafjallajökull (2010) and Holuhraun (2014–2015)

The eruptions of Eyjafjallajökull volcano in 2010 (including its initial effusive phase at Fimmvörðuháls and its later explosive phase from the central volcano) and Bárðarbunga volcano in 2014–2015 (at Holuhraun) were widely reported. Here, we report on complementary, interdisciplinary observations made of the eruptive gases and lavas that shed light on the processes and atmospheric impacts of the eruptions, and afford an intercomparison of contrasting eruptive styles and hazards. We find that (i) consistent with other authors, there are substantial differences in the gas composition between the eruptions; namely that the deeper stored Eyjafjallajökull magmas led to greater enrichment in Cl relative to S; (ii) lava field SO2 degassing was measured to be 5–20% of the total emissions during Holuhraun, and the lava emissions were enriched in Cl at both fissure eruptions—particularly Fimmvörðuháls; and (iii) BrO is produced in Icelandic plumes in spite of the low UV levels