The Wister Mud Pot Lineament: Southeastward Extension or Abandoned Strand of the San Andreas Fault?

We present the results of a survey of mud pots in the Wister Unit of the Imperial Wildlife Area. Thirty-three mud pots, pot clusters, or related geothermal vents (hundreds of pots in all) were identified, and most were found to cluster along a northwest-trending line that is more or less coincident with the postulated Sand Hills fault. An extrapolation of the trace of the San Andreas fault southeastward from its accepted terminus north of Bombay Beach very nearly coincides with the mud pot lineament and may represent a surface manifestation of the San Andreas fault southeast of the Salton Sea. Additionally, a recent survey of vents near Mullet Island in the Salton Sea revealed eight areas along a northwest-striking line where gas was bubbling up through the water and in two cases hot mud and water were being violently ejected

Apparatus for precision focussing and positioning of a beam waist on a target

The invention relates to optical focussing apparatus and, more particularly, to optical apparatus for focussing a highly collimated Gaussian beam which provides independent and fine control over the focus waist diameter, the focus position both along the beam axis and transverse to the beam, and the focus angle. A beam focussing and positioning apparatus provides focussing and positioning for the waist of a waisted beam at a desired location on a target such as an optical fiber. The apparatus includes a first lens, having a focal plane f sub 1, disposed in the path of an incoming beam and a second lens, having a focal plane f sub 2 and being spaced downstream from the first lens by a distance at least equal to f sub 1 + 10 f sub 2, which cooperates with the first lens to focus the waist of the beam on the target. A rotatable optical device, disposed upstream of the first lens, adjusts the angular orientation of the beam waist. The transverse position of the first lens relative to the axis of the beam is varied to control the transverse position of the beam waist relative to the target (a fiber optic as shown) while the relative axial positions of the lenses are varied to control the diameter of the beam waist and to control the axial position of the beam waist. Mechanical controllers C sub 1, C sub 2, C sub 3, C sub 4, and C sub 5 control the elements of the optical system. How seven adjustments can be made to correctly couple a laser beam into an optical fiber is illustrated. Prior art systems employing optical techniques to couple a laser beam into an optical fiber or other target simply do not provide the seven necessary adjustments. The closest known prior art, a Newport coupler, provides only two of the seven required adjustments

Root anatomical traits contribute to deeper rooting of maize under compacted field conditions

© The Author(s) 2020. To better understand the role of root anatomy in regulating plant adaptation to soil mechanical impedance, 12 maize lines were evaluated in two soils with and without compaction treatments under field conditions. Penetrometer resistance was 1–2 MPa greater in the surface 30 cm of the compacted plots at a water content of 17–20% (v/v). Root thickening in response to compaction varied among genotypes and was negatively associated with rooting depth at one field site under non-compacted plots. Thickening was not associated with rooting depth on compacted plots. Genotypic variation in root anatomy was related to rooting depth. Deeper-rooting plants were associated with reduced cortical cell file number in combination with greater mid cortical cell area for node 3 roots. For node 4, roots with increased aerenchyma were deeper roots. A greater influence of anatomy on rooting depth was observed for the thinner root classes. We found no evidence that root thickening is related to deeper rooting in compacted soil; however, anatomical traits are important, especially for thinner root classes

Recovery and resilience of communities in flood risk zones in a small island developing state: A case study from a suburban settlement of Port Louis, Mauritius

Small island developing states (SIDS) are characterised by their small size, remoteness and their dispersal in vulnerable regions globally. In Mauritius, rapid economic growth and expansion of suburban and coastal settlements in flood risk zones have exacerbated challenges from increased vulnerability of local communities to frequent flooding and inadequate resilience. While most studies are devoted to coastal flooding due to sea level rise, inland flooding aggravated by human settlements on exposed areas and by human-environment interaction is rarely considered. Generally, studies have focused on immediate flood impacts rather than on post-event recovery factors that reduce resilience and lead to the inability to recover through successive events. This includes living through onslaught of secondary hazards post-event. This study (2008-2014) focuses on the recovery and resilience of a flood-prone community living in a suburban area of Port-Louis, the capital of Mauritius.A mixed method of quantitative and qualitative approaches was used to examine the recovery and resilience of the community at household level. Results from quantitative analysis showed significant associations at p≤0.05 between variables relating to recovery and those of income level, literacy level, and household size with children, and/or elderly persons. Qualitative results from focus group interviews indicated that social inequity and environmental injustice hindered recovery among low-income households. However, some resilience was present through community capital, with solidarity in times of adversity amongst some community sub-groups. Outcomes from a participatory exercise showed that experiential knowledge of how to cope with floods was crucial in resilience-building strategies of households and communities

The production, distribution and marketing of fruit and vegetables for the urban market of Dar es Salaam

This study reviews four main approaches to the study of food supply for the urban areas of the developing world and finds them to be narrow in their foci and limited by the demands of the disciplines in which they have been developed. In order to overcome these difficulties, this study proposes a synthesis of the approaches for the study of the supply of fruit and vegetables to Dar es Salaam. This approach examines the problem of food supply through the evidence of price and volume data, of interviews and interview surveys, of observations of the marketing process and it integrates interpretation of literature and the evidence of observers in the field. The only state control exerted on the marketing of fruit and vegetables in Dar es Salaam, has been that it must be sold through the Kariakoo Wholesale Market. This market's role in wholesale trading has declined in favour of the emerging informal sector, during a period of more general economic liberalisation, which took place in Tanzania outwith state control during the 1980s. However, Kariakoo maintains a central role, handling approximately half of the city's fruit and vegetables. The informal sector for wholesale trading of fruit and vegetables has moved to more peripheral markets, where it is possible to distribute the produce more rapidly and at less cost. At each stage in the marketing system the participants have a range of options open to them. The choice of channel into which they sell their produce, depends on a trade-off between costs and price, which varies according to the commodity to be sold. The result is that vegetables tend to favour Kariakoo Wholesale Market and the city council maintained retail markets, while fruit tend to be traded at the informal wholesale markets and may be sold retail either in a retail market or at a street stall. There is an increasing trend for produce to be sold to informal wholesale traders at the nearest market on entering the city

‘Shock and Awe’ or ‘Reflection and Change’: stakeholder perceptions of transformative learning in higher education

This research explored reflections among the conference participants on how transformative learning is defined, how it might be researched, and the implications for research-informed teaching and learning in higher education. Particular attention is given to the role of students, staff and different contexts to learning. Recurrent themes from the participant discussions were the contested nature of transformative learning and issues like: how transformative learning can be facilitated at institutional level; whether assessment was antithetic to the nature of transformative learning; and how ESD, internationalisation and citizenship might provide positive test beds for research-informed teaching around transformative learning

Communities and Local Government and Work and Pensions Committees. Oral evidence: Future of Supported Housing, 27th February, 2017. Transcript of evidence session.

Evidence given on 27th February, 2017 by Dr Jonathan Hobson to Commons Joint Select Committee inquiry on the Future of Supported Housing. Evidence based on work by Dr Jon Hobson, Dr Kenny Lynch, Pauline Dooley