1,609 research outputs found
Multiscale model of global inner-core anisotropy induced by hcp-alloy plasticity
Multiscale model of inner-core anisotropy produced by hcp alloy
deformation 5 to 20% single-crystal elastic anisotropy and plastic
deformation by pyramidal slip Low-degree inner-core formation model
with faster crystallization at the equatorThe Earth's solid inner-core exhibits
a global seismic anisotropy of several percents. It results from a coherent
alignment of anisotropic Fe-alloy crystals through the inner-core history that
can be sampled by present-day seismic observations. By combining
self-consistent polycrystal plasticity, inner-core formation models,
Monte-Carlo search for elastic moduli, and simulations of seismic measurements,
we introduce a multiscale model that can reproduce a global seismic anisotropy
of several percents aligned with the Earth's rotation axis. Conditions for a
successful model are an hexagonal-close-packed structure for the inner-core
Fe-alloy, plastic deformation by pyramidal \textless{}c+a\textgreater{} slip,
and large-scale flow induced by a low-degree inner-core formation model. For
global anisotropies ranging between 1 and 3%, the elastic anisotropy in the
single crystal ranges from 5 to 20% with larger velocities along the c-axis
Multiscale modeling of upper mantle plasticity: From single-crystal rheology to multiphase aggregate deformation
We report a first application of an improved second-order (SO) viscoplastic self-consistent model for multiphase aggregates, applied to an olivine + diopside aggregate as analogue for a dry upper mantle peridotite deformed at 10 15 s 1 shear strain rate along a 20-Ma ocean geotherm. Beside known dislocation slip systems, this SO-model version accounts for an isotropic relaxation mechanism representing âdiffusionrelatedâ creep mechanisms in olivine. Slip-system critical resolved shear stress (CRSS) are evaluated in both phases â as functions of P, T, oxygen fugacity (fO2) and strain rate â from previously reported experimental data obtained on single crystals and first-principle calculations coupled with the PeierlsâNabarro model for crystal plasticity; and the isotropic-mechanism dependence on T and P matches that of Si selfdiffusion in olivine, while its relative activity is constrained by reported data. The model reproduces well the olivine and diopside lattice preferred orientations (LPO) produced experimentally and observed in naturally deformed rocks, as well as observed sensitivities of multiphase aggregate strength to the volume fraction of the hard phase (here diopside). It shows a significant weakening of olivine LPO with increasing depth, which results from the combined effects of the P-induced [100]/[001] dislocation-slip transition and the increasing activity with T of âdiffusion-relatedâ creep. This work thus provides a first quantification of the respective effects of [100]/[001] slip transition and diffusion creep on the olivine LPO weakening inducing the seismic anisotropy attenuation observed in the upper mantle
Seismic response and anisotropy of a model hcp iron inner core
International audienceWe present a framework for simulating the measurement of seismic anisotropy in a model inner core by computing travel time residuals of synthetic seismic rays propagated through the model. The method is first tested on simple inner core structural models consisting of layers with distinct anisotropy, as often proposed in the literature. Those models are not consistent with geodynamics. Hence, we extend the method to a numerically grown inner core composed of Δ-Fe with flow generated from an excess of crystallization in the equatorial belt, inducing polycrystalline textures. The global inner core anisotropy is 7 times smaller than that of the single crystal. Compositional stratification amplifies the global anisotropy by 15% while the addition of solidification textures reduces it by a factor of 2. As such, and within the tested geodynamical models, no published elastic model of Δ-Fe at inner core conditions allows for reproducing the 3% cylindrical anisotropy reported in seismology publications. In addition, our models demonstrate that additional information such as the depth dependence and the spread of the observed anisotropy is a key for revealing the dynamics and history of the inner core
Assessing the feasibility of fly based surveillance of wildlife infectious diseases
Monitoring wildlife infectious agents requires acquiring samples suitable for analyses, which is often logistically demanding. A possible alternative to invasive or non-invasive sampling of wild-living vertebrates is the use of vertebrate material contained in invertebrates feeding on them, their feces, or their remains. Carrion flies have been shown to contain vertebrate DNA; here we investigate whether they might also be suitable for wildlife pathogen detection. We collected 498 flies in TaĂŻ National Park, CĂŽte dâIvoire, a tropical rainforest and examined them for adenoviruses (family Adenoviridae), whose DNA is frequently shed in feces of local mammals. Adenoviral DNA was detected in 6/142 mammal-positive flies. Phylogenetic analyses revealed that five of these sequences were closely related to sequences obtained from local non-human primates, while the sixth sequence was closely related to a murine adenovirus. Next-generation sequencing-based DNA-profiling of the meals of the respective flies identified putative hosts that were a good fit to those suggested by adenoviral sequence affinities. We conclude that, while characterizing the genetic diversity of wildlife infectious agents through fly-based monitoring may not be cost-efficient, this method could probably be used to detect the genetic material of wildlife infectious agents causing wildlife mass mortality in pristine areas
Educational Fiscal Policy and Its Effects on How our Children Learn: Comparing Minnesota and Illinois
The study compares Illinoisâ and Minnesotaâs education fiscal policies. Illinois funds itâs education system mainly from the local level, whereas Minnesota funds itâs mainly from the state level. Thus, in Illinois, if there are discrepancies between household incomes in wealthier and poorer areas, the schools in wealthier areas would receive more money than those in poorer areas. Test scores are then compared. Illinois typically has lower scores than Minnesota. The conclusion is that Illinoisâ policies are hindering their studentsâ learning, compared to Minnesota students, with some mixed results
Yaws Disease Caused by Treponema pallidum subspecies pertenue in Wild Chimpanzee, Guinea, 2019
Yaws-like lesions are widely reported in wild African great apes, yet the causative agent has not been confirmed in affected animals. We describe yaws-like lesions in a wild chimpanzee in Guinea for which we demonstrate infection with Treponema pallidum subsp. pertenue. Assessing the conservation implications of this pathogen requires further research
Persistent anthrax as a major driver of wildlife mortality in a tropical rainforest
Anthrax is a globally important animal disease and zoonosis. Despite this, our current knowledge of anthrax ecology is largely limited to arid ecosystems, where outbreaks are most commonly reported. Here we show that the dynamics of an anthrax-causing agent, Bacillus cereus biovar anthracis, in a tropical rainforest have severe consequences for local wildlife communities. Using data and samples collected over three decades, we show that rainforest anthrax is a persistent and widespread cause of death for a broad range of mammalian hosts. We predict that this pathogen will accelerate the decline and possibly result in the extirpation of local chimpanzee (Pan troglodytes verus) populations. We present the epidemiology of a cryptic pathogen and show that its presence has important implications for conservation
Archival influenza virus genomes from Europe reveal genomic variability during the 1918 pandemic
The 1918 influenza pandemic was the deadliest respiratory pandemic of the 20th century and determined the genomic make-up of subsequent human influenza A viruses (IAV). Here, we analyze both the first 1918 IAV genomes from Europe and the first from samples prior to the autumn peak. 1918 IAV genomic diversity is consistent with a combination of local transmission and long-distance dispersal events. Comparison of genomes before and during the pandemic peak shows variation at two sites in the nucleoprotein gene associated with resistance to host antiviral response, pointing at a possible adaptation of 1918 IAV to humans. Finally, local molecular clock modeling suggests a pure pandemic descent of seasonal H1N1 IAV as an alternative to the hypothesis of origination through an intrasubtype reassortment.Peer Reviewe
Investigating the zoonotic origin of the West African Ebola epidemic
The severe Ebola virus disease epidemic occurring in West Africa stems from a
single zoonotic transmission event to a 2âyearâold boy in Meliandou, Guinea.
We investigated the zoonotic origins of the epidemic using wildlife surveys,
interviews, and molecular analyses of bat and environmental samples. We found
no evidence for a concurrent outbreak in larger wildlife. Exposure to fruit
bats is common in the region, but the index case may have been infected by
playing in a hollow tree housing a colony of insectivorous freeâtailed bats
(Mops condylurus). Bats in this family have previously been discussed as
potential sources for Ebola virus outbreaks, and experimental data have shown
that this species can survive experimental infection. These analyses expand
the range of possible Ebola virus sources to include insectivorous bats and
reiterate the importance of broader sampling efforts for understanding Ebola
virus ecology
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