Rapid regional surface uplift of the northern Altiplano plateau revealed by multiproxy paleoclimate reconstruction

The central Altiplano is inferred to have experienced ∼2.5±1km surface uplift between ∼10 and 6 Ma, while the southern Altiplano experienced a similar magnitude of surface uplift that began earlier, between ∼16 and 9 Ma. To properly constrain the along strike timing of the Altiplano plateau surface uplift, it is necessary to know how and when the northernmost part of the Altiplano plateau evolved. We reconstruct the paleoclimate and infer the corresponding paleoelevation from the Miocene–Pliocene deposits of the Descanso–Yauri basin (14–15°S) in the northernmost part of the Altiplano plateau using 4 different proxies, including carbonate clumped isotope composition (i.e., Δ_(47) values), carbonate δ^(18)O_c, leaf wax δD_(wax) and pollen assemblages from paleosol, lacustrine and palustrine carbonates and organic-rich sediments. The isotopic signatures reflect past climate conditions of mean annual air temperature (Δ_(47)) and meteoric water isotope values (δ^(18)O_c, δD_(wax)). Our results show that the northernmost plateau remained at low elevation (0.9±0.8 to 2.1±0.9km) until late Miocene time (∼9 Ma) characterized by ∼15 °C warmer than modern temperature (mean annual air temperature of 23±4°C, 2σ), low elevation vegetation and precipitation signature with reconstructed □ δ^(18)O_(mw) (VSMOW) of −8.3±2.0‰(2σ) from carbonate (δ^(18)O_c) and −8.6±1.8‰(2σ) from leaf wax (δD_(wax)). Modern elevations of 4 km were not reached until 5.4±1.0Ma, as indicated by a negative shift in δD_(wax) (VSMOW) from −143.4±12.8‰(2σ) to −209.2±21.1‰(2σ) between 9.1±0.7 and 5.4±1.0Ma. The timing of surface uplift of the northernmost Altiplano is consistent with the evidence for late Miocene surface uplift of the central Altiplano (16–19°S) between 10 and 6 Ma, and indicates that regional scale uplift in the northern–central plateau significantly postdates the onset of surface uplift in the southern Altiplano (19–22°S) between ∼16 and 9 Ma. These results are consistent with piecemeal removal of the lower dense lithosphere, combined with possible lower/middle crustal flow from south to north in the plateau acting as the main mechanisms for the formation of the Altiplano plateau

Rapid regional surface uplift of the northern Altiplano plateau revealed by multiproxy paleoclimate reconstruction

The central Altiplano is inferred to have experienced ∼2.5±1km surface uplift between ∼10 and 6 Ma, while the southern Altiplano experienced a similar magnitude of surface uplift that began earlier, between ∼16 and 9 Ma. To properly constrain the along strike timing of the Altiplano plateau surface uplift, it is necessary to know how and when the northernmost part of the Altiplano plateau evolved. We reconstruct the paleoclimate and infer the corresponding paleoelevation from the Miocene–Pliocene deposits of the Descanso–Yauri basin (14–15°S) in the northernmost part of the Altiplano plateau using 4 different proxies, including carbonate clumped isotope composition (i.e., Δ_(47) values), carbonate δ^(18)O_c, leaf wax δD_(wax) and pollen assemblages from paleosol, lacustrine and palustrine carbonates and organic-rich sediments. The isotopic signatures reflect past climate conditions of mean annual air temperature (Δ_(47)) and meteoric water isotope values (δ^(18)O_c, δD_(wax)). Our results show that the northernmost plateau remained at low elevation (0.9±0.8 to 2.1±0.9km) until late Miocene time (∼9 Ma) characterized by ∼15 °C warmer than modern temperature (mean annual air temperature of 23±4°C, 2σ), low elevation vegetation and precipitation signature with reconstructed □ δ^(18)O_(mw) (VSMOW) of −8.3±2.0‰(2σ) from carbonate (δ^(18)O_c) and −8.6±1.8‰(2σ) from leaf wax (δD_(wax)). Modern elevations of 4 km were not reached until 5.4±1.0Ma, as indicated by a negative shift in δD_(wax) (VSMOW) from −143.4±12.8‰(2σ) to −209.2±21.1‰(2σ) between 9.1±0.7 and 5.4±1.0Ma. The timing of surface uplift of the northernmost Altiplano is consistent with the evidence for late Miocene surface uplift of the central Altiplano (16–19°S) between 10 and 6 Ma, and indicates that regional scale uplift in the northern–central plateau significantly postdates the onset of surface uplift in the southern Altiplano (19–22°S) between ∼16 and 9 Ma. These results are consistent with piecemeal removal of the lower dense lithosphere, combined with possible lower/middle crustal flow from south to north in the plateau acting as the main mechanisms for the formation of the Altiplano plateau

The Completed SDSS-IV extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey: Large-scale structure catalogues for cosmological analysis

We present large-scale structure catalogues from the completed extended Baryon Oscillation Spectroscopic Survey (eBOSS). Derived from Sloan Digital Sky Survey (SDSS) IV Data Release 16 (DR16), these catalogues provide the data samples, corrected for observational systematics, and random positions sampling the survey selection function. Combined, they allow large-scale clustering measurements suitable for testing cosmological models. We describe the methods used to create these catalogues for the eBOSS DR16 Luminous Red Galaxy (LRG) and Quasar samples. The quasar catalogue contains 343 708 redshifts with 0.8 1000 km s−1). For quasars, these rates are 95 and 2 per cent (with Δz > 3000 km s−1). We apply corrections for trends between the number densities of our samples and the properties of the imaging and spectroscopic data. For example, the quasar catalogue obtains a χ2/DoF = 776/10 for a null test against imaging depth before corrections and a χ2/DoF= 6/8 after. The catalogues, combined with careful consideration of the details of their construction found here-in, allow companion papers to present cosmological results with negligible impact from observational systematic uncertainties

Astro2020 APC White Paper: The MegaMapper: a z > 2 spectroscopic instrument for the study of Inflation and Dark Energy

MegaMapper is a proposed ground-based experiment to measure Inflation parameters and Dark Energy from galaxy redshifts at

Increasing frailty is associated with higher prevalence and reduced recognition of delirium in older hospitalised inpatients: results of a multi-centre study

Purpose: Delirium is a neuropsychiatric disorder delineated by an acute change in cognition, attention, and consciousness. It is common, particularly in older adults, but poorly recognised. Frailty is the accumulation of deficits conferring an increased risk of adverse outcomes. We set out to determine how severity of frailty, as measured using the CFS, affected delirium rates, and recognition in hospitalised older people in the United Kingdom. Methods: Adults over 65 years were included in an observational multi-centre audit across UK hospitals, two prospective rounds, and one retrospective note review. Clinical Frailty Scale (CFS), delirium status, and 30-day outcomes were recorded. Results: The overall prevalence of delirium was 16.3% (483). Patients with delirium were more frail than patients without delirium (median CFS 6 vs 4). The risk of delirium was greater with increasing frailty [OR 2.9 (1.8–4.6) in CFS 4 vs 1–3; OR 12.4 (6.2–24.5) in CFS 8 vs 1–3]. Higher CFS was associated with reduced recognition of delirium (OR of 0.7 (0.3–1.9) in CFS 4 compared to 0.2 (0.1–0.7) in CFS 8). These risks were both independent of age and dementia. Conclusion: We have demonstrated an incremental increase in risk of delirium with increasing frailty. This has important clinical implications, suggesting that frailty may provide a more nuanced measure of vulnerability to delirium and poor outcomes. However, the most frail patients are least likely to have their delirium diagnosed and there is a significant lack of research into the underlying pathophysiology of both of these common geriatric syndromes

Evidence of a J/psi Lambda structure and observation of excited Xi(-) states in the Xi(-)(b) -> J/psi Lambda K- decay

First evidence of a structure in the $J/\psi \varLambda$ invariant mass distribution is obtained from an amplitude analysis of $\varXi_b^- \to J/\psi \varLambda K^-$ decays. The observed structure is consistent with being due to a charmonium pentaquark with strangeness. Its mass and width are determined to be 4458.8\pm2.9\,^{+4.7}_{-1.1}MeV and 17.3\pm6.5\,^{+8.0}_{-5.7}MeV, where the quoted uncertainties are statistical and systematic, respectively. The structure is also consistent with being due to two resonances. In addition, the narrow excited $\varXi^-$ states, $\varXi(1690)^-$ and $\varXi(1820)^-$, are seen for the first time in a $\varXi_b^-$ decay, and their masses and widths are measured with improved precision. The analysis is performed using $pp$ collision data corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 9fb$^{-1}$, collected with the LHCb experiment at centre-of-mass energies of $7$, $8$ and $13$TeV.Comment: All figures and tables, along with machine-readable versions and any supplementary material and additional information, are available at https://cern.ch/lhcbproject/Publications/p/LHCb-PAPER-2020-039.html (LHCb public pages

Search for the doubly charmed baryon Ξ cc + in the Ξ c + π − π + final state

Abstract: A search for the doubly charmed baryon Ξcc+ is performed in the Ξc+π−π+ invariant-mass spectrum, where the Ξc+ baryon is reconstructed in the pK−π+ final state. The study uses proton-proton collision data collected with the LHCb detector at a centre- of-mass energy of 13 TeV, corresponding to a total integrated luminosity of 5.4 fb−1. No significant signal is observed in the invariant-mass range of 3.4–3.8 GeV/c2. Upper limits are set on the ratio of branching fractions multiplied by the production cross-section with respect to the Ξcc++→ (Ξc+→ pK−π+)π+ decay for different Ξcc+ mass and lifetime hypotheses in the rapidity range from 2.0 to 4.5 and the transverse momentum range from 2.5 to 25 GeV/c. The results from this search are combined with a previously published search for the Ξcc+→Λc+K−π+ decay mode, yielding a maximum local significance of 4.0 standard deviations around the mass of 3620 MeV/c2, including systematic uncertainties. Taking into account the look-elsewhere effect in the 3.5–3.7 GeV/c2 mass window, the combined global significance is 2.9 standard deviations including systematic uncertainties

The Forgotten man: J.M. 'Pete' Garland

J.M. ‘Pete’ Garland was an outstanding Australian economist sometimes much overlooked. Despite a promising academic career, as evidenced by his work on land tax, he was lost to Australian universities when the Commonwealth Bank snapped him up on his return to Australia from Cambridge. He became a key figure in the development of Australian central banking practices, establishing a longstanding liquidity convention that the private trading banks upheld for many years. He was also instrumental in building up the economic research department at the Bank. He maintained his links with academe and was considered the man most likely to write the biography of L.F. Giblin