Effective grain size distribution analysis for interpretation of tidal–deltaic facies: West Bengal Sundarbans

Research over the past two decades on the Holocene sediments from the tide dominated west side of the lower Ganges delta has focussed on constraining the sedimentary environment through grain size distributions (GSD). GSD has traditionally been assessed through the use of probability density function (PDF) methods (e.g. log-normal, log skew-Laplace functions), but these approaches do not acknowledge the compositional nature of the data, which may compromise outcomes in lithofacies interpretations. The use of PDF approaches in GSD analysis poses a series of challenges for the development of lithofacies models, such as equifinal distribution coefficients and obscuring the empirical data variability. In this study a methodological framework for characterising GSD is presented through compositional data analysis (CODA) plus a multivariate statistical framework. This provides a statistically robust analysis of the fine tidal estuary sediments from the West Bengal Sundarbans, relative to alternative PDF approaches

Efficacy of a Blended Learning Mastery Progression Cycle on Student Achievement and Attitude in High School Science

This study was conducted to examine the effect of a Blended Learning Mastery Progression Cycle on student achievement and attitude in a High School Physics context.It was concluded that the use of the Blended Learning Mastery Progression Cycle led to improvements in understanding. These findings indicate that the use of Blended Learning activities as correctives is an effective way of improving students’ understanding of the Newtonian Force Concept

Efficacy of a blended learning mastery progression cycle on student achievement and attitude in high school science

This study was conducted to examine the effect of a Blended Learning Mastery Progression Cycle (BLMPC) on student achievement and attitude in a High School Physics context, specifically through the use of the Minds on Physics (MOP) (Minds on Physics, 2022) application for the formative assessment and corrective activity components of the Mastery Learning cycle. The sample (N = 199) consisted of mixed gender classes from Year 10 cohorts in a single Queensland high school. Classes were randomly assigned to the treatment or control condition. An experimental pretest–posttest approach was used to measure any changes in students’ understanding of the Newtonian Force concept, measured using the Force Concept Inventory (FCI) (Hestenes et al.,1995), and Attitudes toward Science, measured using the Test of Science Related Attitudes (TOSRA) (Fraser, 1982). All students were exposed to the same initial learning activities; the control group then continued through the course content in a linear manner followed by working through non-personalized revision material, whilst the treatment group completed the relevant MOP module at the end of each subtopic. Data were analyzed in terms of FCI and TOSRA mean pre- and post-unit scores, the distribution and standard deviation of scores, a t-test comparison of the pre- and post-unit scores, and the FCI normalized change and effect size. When comparing the control and treatment group FCI scores, the latter demonstrated significantly more improvement in the raw score, normalized gain and effect size, demonstrated a larger improvement in all dimensions of the Newtonian Force Concept, and showed greater stability in correct responses from the pre- to post-unit test. An analysis of TOSRA results showed there was no significant difference between the control and treatment groups. It was concluded that the use of the MOP platform in a BLMPC led to improvements in understanding of the Newtonian force. These findings indicate that the use of Blended Learning activities as correctives is an effective way of improving students’ understanding of the Newtonian Force Concept. REFERENCES Fraser, B. J. (1982). TOSRA Test of Science Related Attitudes handbook. Australian Council for Educational Research. Hestenes, D., Wells, M., Swackhamer, G., Halloun, I., Hake, R. R., & Mosca, E. (1995). Revised force concept inventory. The Physics Teacher. Retrieved from http://modeling.asu.edu/R&E/Research.html Minds On Physics (2021). Retrieved from https://www.physicsclassroom.com/Minds-on-Physics

World’s Finest Chocolate Automatized Palletizing System

WFC currently hand stacks or uses a suction cup device to stack pallets of finished goods. Leading to strain on employee’s backs, arms, and hands, which can result in recovery time off of work, medical bills, and poor pallet stacking

Younger Dryas glaciers and climate in the Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland

Here, we present evidence to suggest that the Mourne Mountains, Northern Ireland, were last occupied by glaciers during the Younger Dryas Stadial. The margins of these glaciers are marked by moraines, chronologically constrained to the Younger Dryas by Schmidt hammer exposure dating. Reconstructions indicate that these glaciers had equilibrium-line altitudes (ELAs) ranging from 356 ± 33 m (a.s.l.) to 570 ± 9 m (a.s.l.), with a mean of 475 ± 36 m (a.s.l.). ELAs rise from west to east, probably reflecting the contribution of windblown snow and ice to the accumulation of Younger Dryas glaciers in the western Mournes. Taking this into consideration, a mean ‘climatic’ ELA of 529 ± 4 m (a.s.l.) is calculated for the mountains as a whole. Assuming a mean annual sea level air temperature of −8 °C, and an annual temperature range of 34 °C, degree-day modelling suggests that during the Younger Dryas, accumulation at the ‘climatic’ ELA of glaciers in the Mournes was 846–990 mm a−1. This suggests increased aridity, relative to present, and is consistent with other parts of NW Europe, where reduced precipitation alongside notable cooling is thought to reflect increased North Atlantic sea ice extent during the Younger Dryas.</p

Refining the known extent of major onshore Quaternary glaciation in the UK — types of evidence, nomenclature and uncertainty

Repeated cycles of Quaternary glaciation have had a major impact on the morphology and shallow sub-surface properties of much of the UK landscape and continental shelf. Understanding the extent of glaciation involves understanding of our landscape history but is also critical to the broad range of applied users that interact with the shallow sub-surface including engineers, hydrogeologists, planners and decision makers. Numerous interpretations of the onshore extent of the Anglian and Late Devensian glaciations have been published. However, many are not clearly evidenced or justified, being sometimes based on anecdotal evidence or supposition, with the levels of associated uncertainty not effectively communicated. As part of this work, the long-term record of Quaternary glaciation within the UK is reviewed and the types of geological and geomorphological information that can be employed to interpret their former extent are assessed. We also examine the range of factors that may influence the relative preservation of this evidence. As part of this assessment, we recommend abandoning the term ‘glacial limit’ (and other related synonyms) when interpreting the extent of glaciation within the geological record. Instead, we recommend using the term limit of preserved evidence which more accurately reflects the spatial context of such evidence. Finally, we present new onshore linework for the limit of preserved evidence of both the Anglian and Late Devensian glaciations, presenting how this linework was captured and the associated levels of uncertainty

Drag forces at the ice-sheet bed and resistance of hard-rock obstacles:The physics of glacial ripping

Glacial ripping involves glaciotectonic disintegration of rock hills and extensive removal of rock at the ice-sheet bed, triggered by hydraulic jacking caused by fluctuating water pressures. Evidence from eastern Sweden shows that glacial ripping caused significant subglacial erosion during the final deglaciation of the Fennoscandian ice sheet, distinct from abrasion and plucking (quarrying). Here we analyse the ice drag forces exerted onto rock obstacles at the base of an ice sheet, and the resisting forces of such rock obstacles: glaciotectonic disintegration requires that ice drag forces exceed the resisting forces of the rock obstacle. We consider rock obstacles of different sizes, shapes and fracture patterns, informed by natural examples from eastern Sweden. Our analysis shows that limited overpressure events, unfavourable fracture patterns, low-Transmissivity fractures, slow ice and streamlined rock hamper rock hill disintegration. Conversely, under fast ice flow and fluctuating water pressures, disintegration is possible if the rock hill contains subhorizontal, transmissive fractures. Rock steps on previously smooth, abraded surfaces, caused by hydraulic jacking, also enhance drag forces and can cause disintegration of a rock hill. Glacial ripping is a physically plausible erosion mechanism, under realistic glaciological conditions prevalent near ice margins.</p

World’s Finest Chocolate Automatized Palletizing System

World’s Finest Chocolate (WFC) is currently hand stacking each case of chocolate coming off its production lines onto pallets. This is leading to strain and potential injuries on employee’s backs and hands, as well as improper stacking that leads to less than sturdy pallet loads. This can result in employee recovery time off and medical bills. Also may lead to poor quality of stacking causing warehouse and shipping damage. Other companies have decided to utilize automatic palletizers to alleviate this issue. This is the current plan of action we are researching and proposing

A critical review and re-investigation of the Pleistocene deposits between Cranfield Point and Kilkeel, Northern Ireland: implications for regional sea-level models and glacial reconstructions of the northern Irish Sea basin

The coastline of County Down includes sites that are pivotal to understanding the history of the last glaciation of the northern Irish Sea Basin in relation to relative sea level and regional glacial readvances. The cliff sections display evidence that has been used to underpin controversial models of glaciomarine sedimentation in isostatically-depressed basins followed by emergent marine and littoral environments. They also provide crucial evidence claimed to constrain millennial-scale ice sheet oscillations associated with uniquely large and rapid sea-level fluctuations. This paper reviews previous work and reports new findings that generally supports the ‘terresrrial’ model of glaciation, involving subglacial accretion and deformation of sediment beneath grounded ice. Deep troughs were incised into the till sheet during a post Late Glacial Maximum draw-down of ice into the Irish Sea Basin. Ice retreat was accompanied by glaciomarine accretion of mud in the troughs during a period of high relative sea level. The trough-fills were over-ridden, compacted, deformed and truncated during a glacial re-advance that is correlated with the Clogher Head Readvance. Grounding-line retreat accompanied by rapid subaqueous ice-proximal sedimentation preserved a widespread subglacial stone pavement. Raised beach gravels cap the sequence. The evidence supports an uninterrupted fall in relative sea level from c. 30 m that is consistent with sea level curves predicted by current glacio-isostatic adjustment modelling. Critical evidence previously cited in support of subaerial dissection of the troughs, and hence rapid fall and rise in relative sea level prior to the deposition of the glaciomarine muds, is not justified