4,148 research outputs found
The weathering of micrometeorites from the Transantarctic Mountains
Micrometeorites are cosmic dust particles recovered from the
Earth's surface that dominate the influx of extraterrestrial material
accreting to our planet. This paper provides the first in-depth study of
the weathering of micrometeorites within the Antarctic environment that
will allow primary and secondary features to be distinguished. It is
based on the analysis of 366 particles from Larkman Nunatak and 25 from
the Transantarctic Mountain collection. Several important morphological
categories of weathering effects were identified: (1) irregular and
faceted cavities, (2) surface etch pits, (3) infilled cavities, (4)
replaced silicate phases, and (5) hydrated and replaced metal. These
features indicate that congruent dissolution of silicate phases, in
particular olivine, is important in generating new pore space within
particles. Comparison of the preservation of glass and olivine also
indicates preferential dissolution of olivine by acidic solutions during
low temperature aqueous alteration. Precipitation of new hydrous phases
within cavities, in particular ferrihydrite and jarosite, results in
pseudomorph textures within heavily altered particles. Glass, in
contrast, is altered to palagonite gels and shows a sequential
replacement indicative of varying water to rock ratios. Metal is variably
replaced by Fe-oxyhydroxides and results in decreases in Ni/Fe ratio. In
contrast, sulphides within metal are largely preserved. Magnetite, an
essential component of micrometeorites formed during atmospheric entry,
is least altered by interaction with the terrestrial environment. The
extent of weathering in the studied micrometeorites is sensitive to
differences in their primary mineralogy and varies significantly with
particle type. Despite these differences, we propose a weathering scale
for micrometeorites based on both their degree of terrestrial alteration
and the level of encrustation by secondary phases. The compositions and
textures of weathering products, however, suggest open system behaviour
and variable water to rock ratios that imply climatic variation over the
lifetime of the micrometeorite deposits
A metadata-driven approach to data repository design
The design and use of a metadata-driven data repository for research data management is described. Metadata is collected automatically during the submission process whenever possible and is registered with DataCite in accordance with their current metadata schema, in exchange for a persistent digital object identifier. Two examples of data preview are illustrated, including the demonstration of a method for integration with commercial software that confers rich domain-specific data analytics without introducing customisation into the repository itself
Gradient flux measurements of seaâair DMS transfer during the Surface Ocean Aerosol Production (SOAP) experiment
Direct measurements of marine dimethylsulfide (DMS) fluxes are sparse, particularly in the Southern Ocean. The Surface Ocean Aerosol Production (SOAP) voyage in FebruaryâMarch 2012 examined the distribution and flux of DMS in a biologically active frontal system in the southwest Pacific Ocean. Three distinct phytoplankton blooms were studied with oceanic DMS concentrations as high as 25âŻnmolâŻLâ1. Measurements of DMS fluxes were made using two independent methods: the eddy covariance (EC) technique using atmospheric pressure chemical ionizationâmass spectrometry (API-CIMS) and the gradient flux (GF) technique from an autonomous catamaran platform. Catamaran flux measurements are relatively unaffected by airflow distortion and are made close to the water surface, where gas gradients are largest. Flux measurements were complemented by near-surface hydrographic measurements to elucidate physical factors influencing DMS emission. Individual DMS fluxes derived by EC showed significant scatter and, at times, consistent departures from the Coupled OceanâAtmosphere Response Experiment gas transfer algorithm (COAREG). A direct comparison between the two flux methods was carried out to separate instrumental effects from environmental effects and showed good agreement with a regression slope of 0.96 (r2â=â0.89). A period of abnormal downward atmospheric heat flux enhanced near-surface ocean stratification and reduced turbulent exchange, during which GF and EC transfer velocities showed good agreement but modelled COAREG values were significantly higher. The transfer velocity derived from near-surface ocean turbulence measurements on a spar buoy compared well with the COAREG model in general but showed less variation. This first direct comparison between EC and GF fluxes of DMS provides confidence in compilation of flux estimates from both techniques, as well as in the stable periods when the observations are not well predicted by the COAREG model
Combined stable-isotope and fatty-acid analyses demonstrate that large wood increases the autochthonous trophic base of a macroinvertebrate assemblage
This research was carried out within the Erasmus Mundus Doctorate Program SMART (http://www.riverscience.eu) funded by the Education, Audiovisual and Culture Executive Agency (EACEA) of the European commission
Getting âJust Desertsâ or Seeing the âSilver Liningâ: The Relation between Judgments of Immanent and Ultimate Justice
People can perceive misfortunes as caused by previous bad deeds (immanent justice reasoning) or resulting in ultimate compensation (ultimate justice reasoning). Across two studies, we investigated the relation between these types of justice reasoning and identified the processes (perceptions of deservingness) that underlie them for both others (Study 1) and the self (Study 2). Study 1 demonstrated that observers engaged in more ultimate (vs. immanent) justice reasoning for a "good" victim and greater immanent (vs. ultimate) justice reasoning for a "bad" victim. In Study 2, participants' construals of their bad breaks varied as a function of their self-worth, with greater ultimate (immanent) justice reasoning for participants with higher (lower) self-esteem. Across both studies, perceived deservingness of bad breaks or perceived deservingness of ultimate compensation mediated immanent and ultimate justice reasoning respectively. © 2014 Harvey and Callan
Mitochondria and the eyeâmanifestations of mitochondrial diseases and their management
Historically, distinct mitochondrial syndromes were recognised clinically by their ocular features. Due to their predilection for metabolically active tissue, mitochondrial diseases frequently involve the eye, resulting in a range of ophthalmic manifestations including progressive external ophthalmoplegia, retinopathy and optic neuropathy, as well as deficiencies of the retrochiasmal visual pathway. With the wider availability of genetic testing in clinical practice, it is now recognised that genotype-phenotype correlations in mitochondrial diseases can be imprecise: many classic syndromes can be associated with multiple genes and genetic variants, and the same genetic variant can have multiple clinical presentations, including subclinical ophthalmic manifestations in individuals who are otherwise asymptomatic. Previously considered rare diseases with no effective treatments, considerable progress has been made in our understanding of mitochondrial diseases with new therapies emerging, in particular, gene therapy for inherited optic neuropathies
Methanethiol, dimethyl sulfide and acetone over biologically productive waters in the southwest Pacific Ocean
Atmospheric methanethiol (MeSHa), dimethyl sulïŹde (DMSa) and acetone (acetonea) were measured over biologically productive frontal waters in the remote southwest PaciïŹc Ocean in summertime 2012 during the Surface Ocean Aerosol Production (SOAP) voyage. MeSHa mixing ratios varied from below the detection limit (<10ppt) up to 65ppt and were 3%â36% of parallel DMSa mixing ratios. MeSHa and DMSa were correlated over the voyage(R2=0.3,slope=0.07)with a stronger correlation over a coccolithophore-dominated phytoplankton bloom (R2= 0.5, slope 0.13). The diurnal cycle for MeSHa shows similar behaviour to DMSa with mixing ratios varying by a factor of âŒ2 according to time of day with the minimum levels of both MeSHa and DMSa occurring at around 16:00LT (local time, all times in this paper are in local time). A positive ïŹux of MeSH out of the ocean was calculated for three different nights and ranged from 3.5 to 5.8”molmâ2 dâ1, corresponding to 14%â24% of the DMS ïŹux (MeSH/(MeSH+DMS)). Spearman rank correlations with ocean biogeochemical parameters showed a moderate to-strong positive, highly signiïŹcant relationship between both MeSHa and DMSa with seawater DMS (DMSsw) and a moderate correlation with total dimethylsulfoniopropionate (total DMSP). A positive correlation of acetonea with water temperature and negative correlation with nutrient concentrations are consistent with reports of acetone production in warmer subtropical waters. Positive correlations of acetonea
with cryptophyte and eukaryotic phytoplankton numbers, and high-molecular-weight sugars and chromophoric dissolved organic matter (CDOM), suggest an organic source. This work points to a signiïŹcant ocean source of MeSH, highlighting the need for further studies into the distribution and fate of MeSH, and it suggests links between atmospheric acetone levels and biogeochemistry over the midlatitude ocean. In addition, an intercalibration of DMSa at ambient levels using three independently calibrated instruments showed âŒ15%â25% higher mixing ratios from an atmospheric pressure ionisation chemical ionisation mass spectrometer (mesoCIMS) compared to a gas chromatograph with a sulfurchemiluminescencedetector(GC-SCD)and proton transfer reaction mass spectrometer (PTR-MS). Some differences were attributed to the DMSa gradient above the sea surface and differing approaches of integrated versus discrete measurements. Remaining discrepancies were likely due to different calibrationscales,suggesting that further investigation of the stability and/or absolute calibration of DMSstandards used at sea is warranted
Polarimetry and Spectroscopy of the `Oxygen Flaring' DQ Herculis-like nova: V5668 Sagittarii (2015)
Classical novae are eruptions on the surface of a white dwarf in a binary system. The material ejected from the white dwarf surface generally forms an axisymmetric shell of gas and dust around the system. The three-dimensional structure of these shells is difficult to untangle when viewed on the plane of the sky. In this work a geometrical model is developed to explain new observations of the 2015 nova V5668 Sagittarii. To understand the ionisation structure in terms of the nova shell morphology and estimate the emission distribution directly following the light-curve's dust-dip. High-cadence optical polarimetry and spectroscopy observations of a nova are presented. The ejecta is modelled in terms of morpho-kinematics and photoionisation structure. Initially observational results are presented, including broadband polarimetry and spectroscopy of V5668 Sgr nova during eruption. Variability over these observations provides clues towards the evolving structure of the nova shell. The position angle of the shell is derived from polarimetry, which is attributed to scattering from small dust grains. Shocks in the nova outflow are suggested in the photometry and the effect of these on the nova shell are illustrated with various physical diagnostics. Changes in density and temperature as the super soft source phase of the nova began are discussed. Gas densities are found to be of the order of 10 cm for the nova in its auroral phase. The blackbody temperature of the central stellar system is estimated to be around K at times coincident with the super soft source turn-on. It was found that the blend around 4640 commonly called `nitrogen flaring' is more naturally explained as flaring of the O~{\sc ii} multiplet (V1) from 4638 - 4696 , i.e. `oxygen flaring'
The partition bundle of type A_{N-1} (2, 0) theory
Six-dimensional (2, 0) theory can be defined on a large class of
six-manifolds endowed with some additional topological and geometric data (i.e.
an orientation, a spin structure, a conformal structure, and an R-symmetry
bundle with connection). We discuss the nature of the object that generalizes
the partition function of a more conventional quantum theory. This object takes
its values in a certain complex vector space, which fits together into the
total space of a complex vector bundle (the `partition bundle') as the data on
the six-manifold is varied in its infinite-dimensional parameter space. In this
context, an important role is played by the middle-dimensional intermediate
Jacobian of the six-manifold endowed with some additional data (i.e. a
symplectic structure, a quadratic form, and a complex structure). We define a
certain hermitian vector bundle over this finite-dimensional parameter space.
The partition bundle is then given by the pullback of the latter bundle by the
map from the parameter space related to the six-manifold to the parameter space
related to the intermediate Jacobian.Comment: 15 pages. Minor changes, added reference
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