Constructed Wetland Design Criteria : A Study of Their Role in Contaminant Removal From Urban Stormwater Runoff

This study was conducted to review effective design criteria for constructed wetlaads treating urban stormwater and to assess the design features of local constructed wetlands in relation to the theoretically ideal design features. The study was generated out of Water Authority of Western Australia (WAWA) concern that existing inconsistent design criteria may result in constructed wetlands not meeting contaminant removal objectives. Three components to the study involved: design criteria compiled from a critical review of relevant literature, field assessment of selected sites with significant differences in design, and a design critique of those sites based on the compiled design criteria. The sites selected were Bartram Road and Hird Road wetlands on the South Jandakot Drainage Scheme and Russell Street wetland on the Bayswater Main Drain, all in the Perth Metropolitan area. Reporting of current constructed wetlands in journal literature was limited and the projects that were published reported widely ranging designs and performances. There was not a single constructed wetland project reviewed that satisfied all of the design criteria and this was concluded to be the major contributing factor to the reported inconsistent performances of constructed wetland systems. Assessment of flow regimes at the wetland sites using fluorometer analysis of Rhodamine WT tracer dye showed that the flow path in each of the wetlands was short-circuited, significantly reducing theoretical residence times. Performance evaluation at each wetland analysing the difference between import nutrient loads and export loads over a three day period showed that none of the wetlands met their design phosphorus removal objectives for the study period. All sites exported net Total Phosphorus (TP) and Bartram Road was the only site to retain net Total Nitrogen. There was a dramatic variation in daily contaminant removal efficiency at all sites over the three days. Given that the design critique revealed significant flaws in the individual design criteria the poor performance of the study site wetlands was not surprising. The study concludes that there is effective design criteria for contaminant removal from stormwater. However, it is not being implemented as accepted practice. For this reason it is recommended that the stormwater management agencies formalise the design criteria researched in this study and persist with constructed wetlands as a stormwater treatment strategy

Probing crustal and mantle lithosphere origin through Ordovician volcanic rocks along the Iberian passive margin of Gondwana

Northwestern Iberia preserves one of the most complete Paleozoic sequences that document the origin and development of a passive margin along the southern (Gondwanan) flank of the Rheic Ocean. In addition to a well preserved sedimentary record, there is widespread Ordovician volcanic activity that can be used to probe the nature of the lower crust and mantle lithosphere that sourced the volcanic rocks during the Rheic ocean opening. The Ordovician rift-related volcanic sequences provide first-order constraints on the early evolution of the Rheic Ocean. In addition to published and new lithogeochemical data, we provide Sm/Nd isotopic data which together constrain the mantle or crustal source and allow an assessment on the role of the basement in Rheic Ocean magmatism. The data imply that the mafic rocks are derived from a variety of sources, including juvenile mantle that was contaminated by subduction coeval with Early Ordovician magmatism, suggesting the importance of arc activity in northwest Iberia during the opening of the Rheic Ocean. Other basalts were derived from a subcontinental lithospheric mantle that was enriched at about 1.0 Ga. Basalts derived from a mantle enriched at ca. 1.0 Ga occur along other parts of the Gondwanan margin (Avalonia, Oaxaquia) and so the Iberian basalts may be a local representation of a regionally significant enriched mantle. The Sm–Nd isotopic characteristics permit a genetic connection between this mantle source and the basement rocks recently identified in northwest Iberia. Felsic magmas are predominantly intracrustal magmas derived from melting a Mesoproterozoic crust, lending support to other lines of data that the Gondwanan margin of northwest Iberia was predominantly underlain by a South American (Rio Negro) source

Complete Genomic Sequence of Bacteriophage B3, a Mu-Like Phage of \u3ci\u3ePseudomonas aeruginosa\u3c/i\u3e

Bacteriophage B3 is a transposable phage of Pseudomonas aeruginosa. In this report, we present the complete DNA sequence and annotation of the B3 genome. DNA sequence analysis revealed that the B3 genome is 38,439 bp long with a G+C content of 63.3%. The genome contains 59 proposed open reading frames (ORFs) organized into at least three operons. Of these ORFs, the predicted proteins from 41 ORFs (68%) display significant similarity to other phage or bacterial proteins. Many of the predicted B3 proteins are homologous to those encoded by the early genes and head genes of Mu and Mu-like prophages found in sequenced bacterial genomes. Only two of the predicted B3 tail proteins are homologous to other well-characterized phage tail proteins; however, several Mu-like prophages and transposable phage D3112 encode approximately 10 highly similar proteins in their predicted tail gene regions. Comparison of the B3 genomic organization with that of Mu revealed evidence of multiple genetic rearrangements, the most notable being the inversion of the proposed B3 immunity/early gene region, the loss of Mu-like tail genes, and an extreme leftward shift of the B3 DNA modification gene cluster. These differences illustrate and support the widely held view that tailed phages are genetic mosaics arising by the exchange of functional modules within a diverse genetic pool

40Ar/39Ar phlogopite geochronology of lamprophyre dykes in Cornwall, UK: new age constraints on Early Permian post-collisional magmatism in the Rhenohercynian Zone, SW England

Journal of the Geological Society (2015), http://jgs.lyellcollection.org/content/early/2015/06/03/jgs2014-151. Copyright © Geological Society of London 2015The spatial and temporal association of post-collisional granites and lamprophyre dykes is a common but enigmatic relationship in many orogenic belts, including the Variscan orogenic belt of SW England. The geology of SW England has long been interpreted to reflect orogenic processes associated with the closure of the Rheic Ocean and the formation of Pangaea. The SW England peninsula is composed largely of Early Devonian to Carboniferous volcano-sedimentary successions deposited in synrift and subsequent syncollisional basins that underwent deformation and low-grade regional metamorphism during the Variscan orogeny. Voluminous Early Permian granitic magmatism (Cornubian Batholith) is considered to be broadly coeval with the emplacement of lamprophyric dykes and lamprophyric and basaltic lava flows, largely on the basis of geochronological data from lamprophyric lavas in Devon. Although published geochronological data for Cornish lamprophyre dykes are consistent with this interpretation, these data are limited largely to imprecise K–Ar whole-rock and biotite analyses, hindering the understanding of the processes responsible for their genesis and their relationship to granitic magmatism and regional Variscan tectonics. 40Ar/39Ar geochronological data for four previously undated lamprophyre dykes from Cornwall, combined with published data, suggest that lamprophyre magmatism occurred between c. 293.6 and c. 285.4 Ma, supporting previous inferences that their emplacement was coeval with the Cornubian Batholith. These data provide insights into (1) the relative timing between the lamprophyres and basalts, the Cornubian batholith and post-collisional magmatism elsewhere in the European Variscides, and (2) the post-collisional processes responsible for the generation and emplacement of lamprophyres, basalts and granitoids.NSERC (Canada) Discovery grant

Does the Meguma Terrane Extend into SW England?

The peri-Gondwanan Meguma terrane of southern Nova Scotia, Canada, is the only major lithotectonic element of the northern Appalachian orogen that has no clear correlatives elsewhere in the Appalachians and lacks firm linkages to the Caledonide and Variscan orogens of western and southern Europe. This characteristic is in contrast with its immediate peri-Gondwanan neighbor, Avalonia, which has features in common with portions of Carolinia in the southern Appalachians and has been traced from the Rhenohercynian Zone of southern Britain eastward around the Bohemian Massif to the Carpathians and western Pontides. At issue is the tendency in Europe to assign all peri-Gondwanan terranes lying outboard of the Rheic suture to Avalonia, characterized by relatively juvenile basement and detrital zircon ages that include Mesoproterozoic populations, and those inboard of the suture to Cadomia, characterized by a more evolved basement and detrital zircon ages that match Paleoproterozoic and older sources in the West African craton.    Although the unexposed basements of Avalonia and Meguma are thought to be isotopically very similar, the Meguma sedimentary cover contains scarce Mesoproterozoic zircon and is dominated instead by Neoproterozoic and Paleoproterozoic populations like those of Cadomia. Hence, felsic magma produced by crustal melting in the Meguma terrane (e.g. the ca. 370 Ma South Mountain Batholith) is isotopically more juvenile (eNd = –5 to –1, TDM = 1.3 Ga) than the rocks it intruded (eNd= –12 to –7, TDM = 1.7 Ga). By contrast, felsic magma produced by crustal melting in Avalonia (eNd = –1 to +6, TDM = 0.7–1.2 Ga) is isotopically similar to its host rocks (eNd = –3 to +4, TDM = 0.9–1.4).    The isotopic relationship shown by the Meguma terrane has also been recognized in the South Portuguese Zone of southern Spain, which is traditionally assigned to Avalonia. However, the Sierra Norte Batholith of the South Portuguese Zone (ca. 330 Ma; eNd = +1 to –3, TDM = 0.9–1.2 Ga) is on average more juvenile than the Late Devonian host rocks (eNd = –5 to –11) it intruded, suggesting instead an extension of the Meguma terrane into Europe. Available data for the Cornubian Batholith of SW England (ca. 275–295 Ma; eNd = –4 to –7, TDM = 1.3–1.8 Ga) and the Devonian–Carboniferous metasedimentary rocks it intruded (eNd = –8 to –11) suggests this may also be true of that part of the southern Britain (Rhenohercynian Zone) with which the South Portuguese Zone is traditionally correlated.SOMMAIRELe terrane péri-gondwanien de Meguma en Nouvelle-Écosse au Canada, est le seul grand élément lithotectonique de l’orogène des Appalaches du Nord qui n’ait pas de correspondant avéré ailleurs dans les Appalaches et qui ne montre aucun lien sûr avec les orogènes calédonienne et varisque de l’ouest et du sud de l’Europe.  Cette situation contraste avec celle de son voisin péri-gondwanien immédiat, l’Avalonie, qui partage certaines caractéristiques avec des portions de Carolinia des Appalaches du sud et qui a été suivi à partir de la zone rhénohercynienne dans le sud de la Grande-Bretagne vers l’est autour du massif bohémien jusqu’aux Carpates et l’ouest de la chaîne pontique.  Ce qui est en question ici c’est la tendance en Europe à assigner l’Avalonie à tous les terranes péri-gondwaniens situés à l’extérieur de la suture rhéïque lesquels sont caractérisés par un socle relativement juvénile et des âges de zircons détritiques qui comportent des populations mésoprotérozoïques, et ceux situés à l’intérieur de la suture à Cadomia, lesquels sont caractérisés par un socle plus évolué et des âges de zircons détritiques qui correspondent à des sources du craton ouest africain paléoprotérozoïques et plus anciennes.     Bien que l’on estime que les socles non-exposés des terranes d’Avalonie et de Meguma soient très similaires isotopiquement, le couvert sédimentaire de Meguma ne renferme que de rares zircons mésoprotérozoïques, et ce sont plutôt les populations de zircons néoprotérozoïques et paléoprotérozoïques qui dominent, comme c’est le cas pour Cadomia.  Il en ressort que le magma felsique produit par la fusion de croûte dans le terrane de Meguma (par ex. le batholite de South Mountain de 370 Ma env.) est isotopiquement plus jeune (eNd = –5 à –1, TDM = 1.3 Ga) que les roches qu’il recoupe (eNd= –12 à –7, TDM = 1.7 Ga).  Par opposition, le magma felsique produit par la fusion de la croûte dans le terrane d’Avalonie (eNd = –1 à +6, TDM = 0.7–1.2 Ga) est isotopiquement similaire aux roches de son encaissant (eNd = –3 à +4, TDM = 0.9–1.4).     Le profil isotopique du terrane de Meguma, traditionnellement assignée à l’Avalonie,  a aussi été détecté dans la Zone sud-portugaise du sud de l’Espagne.  Cependant, le batholite de Sierra Norte de la Zone sud-portugaise (ca. 330 Ma; eNd = +1 à –3, TDM = 0.9–1.2 Ga) est en moyenne plus jeune que l’encaissant du Dévonien moyen (eNd = –5 à –11) qu’il recoupe, ce qui permet de penser à une extension du terrane de Meguma en Europe.  Les données disponibles du batholite de Cornubian dans le S-O de l’Angleterre (ca. 275–295 Ma; eNd = –4 à –7, TDM = 1.3–1.8 Ga) et des roches métasédimentaires dévono-carbonifères qu’il recoupe (eNd = –8 to –11) permet de penser qu’il pourrait en être de même de cette portion du sud de la Grande-Bretagne (Zone rhénohercynienne) avec laquelle la Zone sud-portugaise est traditionnellement corrélée

Optical and Thermal Design and Analysis of Phase-Change Metalenses for Active Numerical Aperture Control

This is the final version. Available on open access from MDPI via the DOI in this recordThe control of a lens's numerical aperture has potential applications in areas such as photography and imaging, displays, sensing, laser processing and even laser-implosion fusion. In such fields, the ability to control lens properties dynamically is of much interest, and active meta-lenses of various kinds are under investigation due to their modulation speed and compactness. However, as of yet, meta-lenses that explicitly offer dynamic control of a lens's numerical aperture have received little attention. Here, we design and simulate active meta-lenses (specifically, focusing meta-mirrors) using chalcogenide phase-change materials to provide such control. We show that, operating at a wavelength of 3000 nm, our devices can change the numerical aperture by up to a factor of 1.85 and operate at optical intensities of the order of 1.2 × 109 Wm-2. Furthermore, we show the scalability of our design towards shorter wavelengths (visible spectrum), where we demonstrate a change in NA by a factor of 1.92.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)Margarita Salas fellowshi

Lens numerical aperture control with phase-change metasurfaces

This is the author accepted manuscript.The control of lens numerical aperture has many applications, including photography, imaging, and laser processing. Here we introduce active control of numerical aperture via a focusing phase-change meta-mirror. This can potentially operate at high speed in a low cost, light and compact format. We demonstrate designs for both infrared (3000 nm) and visible (632.8 nm) wavelengths.Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC)Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE

Far From \u27Easy\u27 Spectroscopy with the 8π and GRIFFIN Spectrometers at TRIUMF-ISAC

The 8π spectrometer, installed at the TRIUMF-ISAC facility, was the world\u27s most sensitive γ-ray spectrometer dedicated to β-decay studies. A description is given of the 8π spectrometer and its auxiliary detectors including the plastic scintillator array SCEPTAR used for β-particle tagging and the Si(Li) array PACES for conversion electron measurements, its moving tape collector, and its data acquisition system. The recent investigation of the decay of 124Cs to study the nuclear structure of 124Xe, and how the β-decay measurements complemented previous Coulomb excitation studies, is highlighted, including the extraction of the deformation parameters for the excited 0+ bands in 124Xe. As a by-product, the decay scheme of the (7+) 124Cs isomeric state, for which the data from the PACES detectors were vital, was studied. Finally, a description of the new GRIFFIN spectrometer, which uses the same auxiliary detectors as the 8π spectrometer, is given

Genome skimming elucidates the evolutionary history of Octopoda

Phylogenies for Octopoda have, until now, been based on morphological characters or a few genes. Here we provide the complete mitogenomes and the nuclear 18S and 28S ribosomal genes of twenty Octopoda specimens, comprising 18 species of Cirrata and Incirrata, representing 13 genera and all five putative families of Cirrata (Cirroctopodidae, Cirroteuthidae, Grimpoteuthidae, Opisthoteuthidae and Stauroteuthidae) and six families of Incirrata (Amphitretidae, Argonautidae, Bathypolypodidae, Eledonidae, Enteroctopodidae, and Megaleledonidae) which were assembled using genome skimming. Phylogenetic trees were built using Maximum Likelihood and Bayesian Inference with several alignment matrices. All mitochondrial genomes had the ‘typical’ genome composition and gene order previously reported for octopodiforms, except Bathypolypus ergasticus, which appears to lack ND5, two tRNA genes that flank ND5 and two other tRNA genes. Argonautoidea was revealed as sister to Octopodidae by the mitochondrial protein-coding gene dataset, however, it was recovered as sister to all other incirrate octopods with strong support in an analysis using nuclear rRNA genes. Within Cirrata, our study supports two existing classifications suggesting neither is likely in conflict with the true evolutionary history of the suborder. Genome skimming is useful in the analysis of phylogenetic relationships within Octopoda; inclusion of both mitochondrial and nuclear data may be key

Remote Thermal Sources for Switching Phase-Change Material-Based Metasurfaces

This is the final version.Atomic Weapons Establishment (AWE) plcEngineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC