6,771 research outputs found
A circumpolar perspective on fluvial sediment flux to the Arctic ocean
Quantification of sediment fluxes from rivers is fundamental to understanding landâocean linkages in the Arctic. Numerous publications have focused on this subject over the past century, yet assessments of temporal trends are scarce and consensus on contemporary fluxes is lacking. Published estimates vary widely, but often provide little accessory information needed to interpret the differences. We present a panâarctic synthesis of sediment flux from 19 arctic rivers, primarily focusing on contributions from the eight largest ones. For this synthesis, historical records and recent unpublished data were compiled from Russian, Canadian, and United States sources. Evaluation of these data revealed no longâterm trends in sediment flux, but did show stepwise changes in the historical records of two of the rivers. In some cases, old values that do not reflect contemporary fluxes are still being reported, while in other cases, typographical errors have been propagated into the recent literature. Most of the discrepancy among published estimates, however, can be explained by differences in years of records examined and gauging stations used. Variations in sediment flux from year to year in arctic rivers are large, so estimates based on relatively few years can differ substantially. To determine best contemporary estimates of sediment flux for the eight largest arctic rivers, we used a combination of newly available data, historical records, and literature values. These estimates contribute to our understanding of carbon, nutrient, and contaminant transport to the Arctic Ocean and provide a baseline for detecting future anthropogenic or natural change in the Arctic
Atom lithography using MRI-type feature placement
We demonstrate the use of frequency-encoded light masks in neutral atom
lithography. We demonstrate that multiple features can be patterned across a
monotonic potential gradient. Features as narrow as 0.9 microns are fabricated
on silicon substrates with a metastable argon beam. Internal state manipulation
with such a mask enables continuously adjustable feature positions and feature
densities not limited by the optical wavelength, unlike previous light masks.Comment: 4 pages, 4 figure
Numerical wave optics and the lensing of gravitational waves by globular clusters
We consider the possible effects of gravitational lensing by globular
clusters on gravitational waves from asymmetric neutron stars in our galaxy. In
the lensing of gravitational waves, the long wavelength, compared with the
usual case of optical lensing, can lead to the geometrical optics approximation
being invalid, in which case a wave optical solution is necessary. In general,
wave optical solutions can only be obtained numerically. We describe a
computational method that is particularly well suited to numerical wave optics.
This method enables us to compare the properties of several lens models for
globular clusters without ever calling upon the geometrical optics
approximation, though that approximation would sometimes have been valid.
Finally, we estimate the probability that lensing by a globular cluster will
significantly affect the detection, by ground-based laser interferometer
detectors such as LIGO, of gravitational waves from an asymmetric neutron star
in our galaxy, finding that the probability is insignificantly small.Comment: To appear in: Proceedings of the Eleventh Marcel Grossmann Meetin
Binary Population and Spectral Synthesis Version 2.1: construction, observational verification and new results
The Binary Population and Spectral Synthesis (BPASS) suite of binary stellar
evolution models and synthetic stellar populations provides a framework for the
physically motivated analysis of both the integrated light from distant stellar
populations and the detailed properties of those nearby. We present a new
version 2.1 data release of these models, detailing the methodology by which
BPASS incorporates binary mass transfer and its effect on stellar evolution
pathways, as well as the construction of simple stellar populations. We
demonstrate key tests of the latest BPASS model suite demonstrating its ability
to reproduce the colours and derived properties of resolved stellar
populations, including well- constrained eclipsing binaries. We consider
observational constraints on the ratio of massive star types and the
distribution of stellar remnant masses. We describe the identification of
supernova progenitors in our models, and demonstrate a good agreement to the
properties of observed progenitors. We also test our models against photometric
and spectroscopic observations of unresolved stellar populations, both in the
local and distant Universe, finding that binary models provide a
self-consistent explanation for observed galaxy properties across a broad
redshift range. Finally, we carefully describe the limitations of our models,
and areas where we expect to see significant improvement in future versions.Comment: 69 pages, 45 figures. Accepted for publication in PASA. Accompanied
by a full, documented data release at http://bpass.auckland.ac.nz and
http://warwick.ac.uk/bpas
The origin of carbon isotope vital effects in coccolith calcite
Calcite microfossils are widely used to study climate and oceanography in Earthâs geological past. Coccoliths, readily preserved calcite plates produced by a group of single-celled surface-ocean dwelling algae called coccolithophores, have formed a significant fraction of marine sediments since the Late Triassic. However, unlike the shells of foraminifera, their zooplankton counterparts, coccoliths remain underused in palaeo-reconstructions. Precipitated in an intracellular chemical and isotopic microenvironment, coccolith calcite exhibits large and enigmatic departures from the isotopic composition of abiogenic calcite, known as vital effects. Here we show that the calcification to carbon fixation ratio determines whether coccolith calcite is isotopically heavier or lighter than abiogenic calcite, and that the size of the deviation is determined by the degree of carbon utilization. We discuss the theoretical potential for, and current limitations of, coccolith-based CO2 paleobarometry, that may eventually facilitate use of the ubiquitous and geologically extensive sedimentary archive
RNA fingerprinting using arbitrarily primed PCR identifies differentially regulated RNAs in mink lung (Mv1Lu) cells growth arrested by transforming growth factor beta 1.
The ACIGA Data Analysis programme
The Data Analysis programme of the Australian Consortium for Interferometric
Gravitational Astronomy (ACIGA) was set up in 1998 by the first author to
complement the then existing ACIGA programmes working on suspension systems,
lasers and optics, and detector configurations. The ACIGA Data Analysis
programme continues to contribute significantly in the field; we present an
overview of our activities.Comment: 10 pages, 0 figures, accepted, Classical and Quantum Gravity,
(Proceedings of the 5th Edoardo Amaldi Conference on Gravitational Waves,
Tirrenia, Pisa, Italy, 6-11 July 2003
Causes of Differences in Soil Series of the Missouri River Bottomlands of Monona County
The current soil survey of Monona County has revealed many differences in the alluvial deposits occurring in the Missouri River bottomlands. As a consequence the soils developed from these different deposits show numerous dissimilarities. It is the purpose of this paper to describe and explain the causes of the differences encountered. The principal factors in soil formation are climate, organisms, topography, parent material and time. In the Missouri River bottomlands of Monona County it can be assumed that climate and organisms are not important causes of soil differences. In general, differences in topography are closely related to differences in parent material. Thus parent material or time of deposition or both, must be the principal cause or causes of soil differences. The soils found on the Missouri River bottomlands are, for the most part, formed from alluvial materials. Some coarser alluvium may have been resorted by wind action subsequent to deposition but areas showing evidence of wind action are not extensive. The principal source of alluvium is the Missouri River; next, the tributary rivers and streams; and, of least importance, the steep bluffs that form the sides of the valley
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