Changing social contracts in climate-change adaptation

Risks from extreme weather events are mediated through state, civil society and individual action 1 , 2 . We propose evolving social contracts as a primary mechanism by which adaptation to climate change proceeds. We use a natural experiment of policy and social contexts of the UK and Ireland affected by the same meteorological event and resultant flooding in November 2009. We analyse data from policy documents and from household surveys of 356 residents in western Ireland and northwest England. We find significant differences between perceptions of individual responsibility for protection across the jurisdictions and between perceptions of future risk from populations directly affected by flooding events. These explain differences in stated willingness to take individual adaptive actions when state support retrenches. We therefore show that expectations for state protection are critical in mediating impacts and promoting longer-term adaptation. We argue that making social contracts explicit may smooth pathways to effective and legitimate adaptation

Diffuse Galactic Soft Gamma-Ray Emission

The Galactic diffuse soft gamma-ray (30-800 keV) emission has been measured from the Galactic Center by the HIREGS balloon-borne germanium spectrometer to determine the spectral characteristics and origin of the emission. The resulting Galactic diffuse continuum is found to agree well with a single power-law (plus positronium) over the entire energy range, consistent with RXTE and COMPTEL/CGRO observations at lower and higher energies, respectively. We find no evidence of spectral steepening below 200 keV, as has been reported in previous observations. The spatial distribution along the Galactic ridge is found to be nearly flat, with upper limits set on the longitudinal gradient, and with no evidence of an edge in the observed region. The soft gamma-ray diffuse spectrum is well modeled by inverse Compton scattering of interstellar radiation off of cosmic-ray electrons, minimizing the need to invoke inefficient nonthermal bremsstrahlung emission. The resulting power requirement is well within that provided by Galactic supernovae. We speculate that the measured spectrum provides the first direct constraints on the cosmic-ray electron spectrum below 300 MeV.Comment: 26 pages, 7 figure, submitted to Ap

Discovery of a Third Harmonic Cyclotron Resonance Scattering Feature in the X-ray Spectrum of 4U 0115+63

We have discovered a third harmonic cyclotron resonance scattering feature (CRSF) in observations of the recent outburst of 4U 0115+63 with the Rossi X-ray Timing Explorer (RXTE). The spectrum in a narrow pulse phase range shows CRSFs at 12.40+0.65/-0.35, 21.45+0.25/-0.38, and 33.56+0.70/-0.90 keV. With centroid energy ratios to the fundamental of 1.73+/-0.08 and 2.71+/-0.13, the CRSFs are not harmonically spaced. Strong variability of the continuum and CRSFs with pulse phase indicate a complex emission geometry near the neutron star polar cap. In addition, one RXTE observation, which spanned periastron passage, revealed a strong 2 mHz quasi-periodic oscillation (QPO). This is slower by two orders of magnitude than the beat-frequency QPO expected in this system and slower by a factor of more than 5 compared with other QPOs seen in accreting X-ray pulsars.Comment: To appear in The Astrophysical Journal Letters. 4 pages, 5 figures. Uses "emulateapj.sty". Revised version includes new figures and additions to the analysi

Global tidal impacts of large-scale ice-sheet collapses

Tide model output for "Wilmes et al., (2017), Global tidal impacts of large-scale ice-sheet collapses, JGR Oceans" together with the Matlab files needed to read the model binary files Please refer to the publications for details on the run setup. h0.* contains elevation output; M2 elevations can be read in Matlab using [h,th_lim,ph_lim] = h_in(filename,1); where h is tidal elevation (abs(h) gives amplitudes and angle(h) gives phase), th_lim gives latitude limits in degs N and ph_lim longitude limits in degs E u0.* contains tidal transport output; M2 transports can be read in Matlab using [u,v,th_lim,ph_lim] = u_in(filename,1); where u and v are transports in x and y direction (real(u)/hz gives tidal current strength) grid* contains the bathymetry; can be read in Matlab using [ll_lims,hz,mz,iob] = grd_in(filename); where ll_lims gives lon and lat limits, hz is water depth, mz is the land-sea mask (0 is land, 1 is water), and iob are open boundary nodes *.it_m2_k1_00.0kyrBP_ish_no0.1sal_191322_sal4 - CTRL; bathymetry: grid_etssib_1_8_paleo_glob_ice_shelves *.it_m2_k1_00.0kyrBP_ish_5mSLR_vw_no0.1sal_191333_sal4 - 5m SLR; bathymetry: grid_etssib_1_8_paleo_glob_ice_shelves_5mSLR_vw *.it_m2_k1_00.0kyrBP_ish_7mSLR_vw_no0.1sal_191336_sal4 - 7m SLR; bathymetry: grid_etssib_1_8_paleo_glob_ice_shelves_7mSLR_vw *.it_m2_k1_1_8th_00.0kyrBP_12mSLR_vw_7048752_sal4 - 12m SLR; bathymetry: grid_etssib_1_8_paleo_glob_ice_shelves_12mSLR_vw *.it_m2_k1_00.0kyrBP_no_wais_fp_5mSLR_vw_no0.1sal_191326_sal4 - No WAIS; bathymetry: grid_etssib_1_8_glob_no_wais_SLR_fingerprint_5m_EEV_vw *.it_m2_k1_00.0kyrBP_no_gris_fp_7mSLR_vw_no0.1sal_191331_sal4 - No GIS; bathymetry: grid_etssib_1_8_glob_no_gris_SLR_fingerprint_7m_EEV_vw *.it_m2_00.0kyrBP_no_wais_gis_fp_vw_375526_sal4 - No WAIS & No GIS; bathymetry: grid_etssib_1_8_glob_no_wais_gris_SLR_fingerprint_12m_EEV_v

Advanced techniques for high resolution spectroscopic observations of cosmic gamma-ray sources

An advanced gamma-ray spectrometer that is currently in development is described. It will obtain a sensitivity of 0.0001 ph/sq cm./sec in a 6 hour balloon observation and uses innovative techniques for background reduction and source imaging

Relativistic Doppler-boosted emission in gamma-ray binaries

Gamma-ray binaries could be compact pulsar wind nebulae formed when a young pulsar orbits a massive star. The pulsar wind is contained by the stellar wind of the O or Be companion, creating a relativistic comet-like structure accompanying the pulsar along its orbit. The X-ray and the very high energy (>100 GeV, VHE) gamma-ray emissions from the binary LS 5039 are modulated on the orbital period of the system. Maximum and minimum flux occur at the conjunctions of the orbit, suggesting that the explanation is linked to the orbital geometry. The VHE modulation has been proposed to be due to the combined effect of Compton scattering and pair production on stellar photons, both of which depend on orbital phase. The X-ray modulation could be due to relativistic Doppler boosting in the comet tail where both the X-ray and VHE photons would be emitted. Relativistic aberrations change the seed stellar photon flux in the comoving frame so Doppler boosting affects synchrotron and inverse Compton emission differently. The dependence with orbital phase of relativistic Doppler-boosted (isotropic) synchrotron and (anisotropic) inverse Compton emission is calculated, assuming that the flow is oriented radially away from the star (LS 5039) or tangentially to the orbit (LS I +61 303, PSR B1259-63). Doppler boosting of the synchrotron emission in LS 5039 produces a lightcurve whose shape corresponds to the X-ray modulation. The observations imply an outflow velocity of 0.15-0.33c consistent with the expected flow speed at the pulsar wind termination shock. In LS I +61 303, the calculated Doppler boosted emission peaks in phase with the observed VHE and X-ray maximum. Doppler boosting might provide an explanation for the puzzling phasing of the VHE peak in this system.Comment: 8 pages, 7 figures, accepted for publication in A&

Safety, tolerability and appropriate use of nintedanib in idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis

Background: Idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis (IPF) is a progressive disease characterised by dyspnea and loss of lung function. Methods: Using pooled data from the replicate, randomized, 52-week, placebo-controlled INPULSIS® trials, we characterized the safety and tolerability of nintedanib 150 mg twice daily in patients with IPF and described how adverse events were managed during these trials. Results: One thousand and sixty- one patients were treated (nintedanib 638; placebo 423). Higher proportions of patients in the nintedanib group than the placebo group had ≥1 dose reduction to 100 mg bid (27.9 % versus 3.8 %) or treatment interruption (23.7 % versus 9.9 %). Adverse events led to permanent treatment discontinuation in 19.3 % and 13.0 % of patients in the nintedanib and placebo groups, respectively. Diarrhea was the most frequent adverse event, reported in 62.4 % of patients in the nintedanib group versus 18.4 % in the placebo group; however, only 4.4 % of nintedanib-treated patients discontinued trial medication prematurely due to diarrhea. Monitoring of liver enzymes before and periodically during nintedanib treatment was recommended so that liver enzyme elevations could be managed through dose reduction or treatment interruption. Conclusion: Nintedanib had a manageable safety and tolerability profile in patients with IPF. Recommendations for adverse event management minimized permanent treatment discontinuations in the INPULSIS® trials. Trial registration: clinicaltrials.gov NCT01335464and NCT01335477.</p

Multiple Current States of Two Phase-Coupled Superconducting Rings

The states of two phase-coupled superconducting rings have been investigated. Multiple current states have been revealed in the dependence of the critical current on the magnetic field. The performed calculations of the critical currents and energy states in a magnetic field have made it possible to interpret the experiment as the measurement of energy states into which the system comes with different probabilities because of the equilibrium and non-equilibrium noises upon the transition from the resistive state to the superconducting state during the measurement of the critical currentComment: 5 pages, 5 figure

Water Management Decision Making in the Face of Multiple Forms of Uncertainty and Risk

In the Wasatch Range Metropolitan Area of Northern Utah, water management decision makers confront multiple forms of uncertainty and risk. Adapting to these uncertainties and risks is critical for maintaining the long‐term sustainability of the region\u27s water supply. This study draws on interview data to assess the major challenges climatic and social changes pose to Utah\u27s water future, as well as potential solutions. The study identifies the water management adaptation decision‐making space shaped by the interacting institutional, social, economic, political, and biophysical processes that enable and constrain sustainable water management. The study finds water managers and other water actors see challenges related to reallocating water, including equitable water transfers and stakeholder cooperation, addressing population growth, and locating additional water supplies, as more problematic than the challenges posed by climate change. Furthermore, there is significant disagreement between water actors over how to best adapt to both climatic and social changes. This study concludes with a discussion of the path dependencies that present challenges to adaptive water management decision making, as well as opportunities for the pursuit of a new water management paradigm based on soft‐path solutions. Such knowledge is useful for understanding the institutional and social adaptations needed for water management to successfully address future uncertainties and risks