Nanomineralogy of mortars and ceramics from the Forum of Caesar and Nerva (Rome, Italy): The protagonist of black crusts produced on historic buildings

The recent focus of the impacts of atmospheric pollution on effective conservation methods for historic structures of great cultural heritage has been shown to be of critical importance for preservation. This work focuses on medieval Roman mortars and ceramics from the historic Forum of Caesar and Nerva, in Rome, Italy, and analyzes the urgency of repair of defects in rendered façades based on the inspection of surfaces where defects were detected, defining a methodology to predict the repair urgency of defects and building elements. X-ray spectroscopy (EDS), field emission scanning electron microscopy (FE-SEM), high-resolution transmission electron microscopy (HR-TEM), and X-ray powder diffraction (XRD) analyses are well equipped to study mineralogy, ultra-fine particles, and nanoparticles (NPs, minerals and amorphous phases) that are present in medieval Roman ruins. Applied analysis of ruin-derived mortar and ceramics detected the presence of materials, primarily constituted of quartz, alumino-silicates, Fe-hydr/oxides, portions of amorphous phases, calcareous minerals, pyroxene, and carbonaceous materials. The Forum of Caesar and Nerva are two of the greatest remaining symbols of historic Roman construction. Many compounds recognized by XRD can be revealed by advanced microscopies and vice versa. The incidence of NPs containing potentially toxic elements (PTEs), and numerous carbonaceous complexes linked with building material alterations due to moisture and atmospheric contamination were also discovered. This study assesses the philosophies of preservation and culture, while considering the exhaust emitted by vehicular traffic in order to propose a justifiable and effective method to best conserve historic Roman structures located in high traffic areas

On the nature of the Be star HR 7409 (7 Vul)

HR 7409 (7 Vul) is a newly identified Be star possibly part of the Gould Belt and is the massive component of a 69-day spectroscopic binary. The binary parameters and properties of the Be star measured using high-dispersion spectra obtained at Ondrejov Observatory and at Rozhen Observatory imply the presence of a low mass companion (~ 0.5-0.8 M_sun). If the pair is relatively young (<50-80 Myr), then the companion is a K V star, but, following another, older evolutionary scenario, the companion is a horizontal-branch star or possibly a white dwarf star. In the latter scenario, a past episode of mass transfer from an evolved star onto a less massive dwarf star would be responsible for the peculiar nature of the present-day, fast-rotating Be star.Comment: Accepted for publication in MNRA

Effects of Brazil's political crisis on the science needed for biodiversity conservation.

The effects of Brazil's political crisis on science funding necessary for biodiversity conservation are likely to be global. Brazil is not only the world?s most biodiverse nation, it is responsible for the greater part of the Amazon forest, which regulates the climate and provides rain to much of southern South America. Brazil was a world leader in satellite monitoring of land-use change, in-situ biodiversity monitoring, reduction in tropical-forest deforestation, protection of indigenous lands, and a model for other developing nations. Coordinated public responses will be necessary to prevent special-interest groups from using the political crisis to weaken science funding, environmental legislation and law enforcement

The North American and Pelican Nebulae II. MIPS Observations and Analysis

We present observations of ~7 square degrees of the North American and Pelican Nebulae region at 24, 70, and 160 microns with the Spitzer Space Telescope Multiband Imaging Photometer for Spitzer (MIPS). We incorporate the MIPS observations with earlier Spitzer Infrared Array Camera (IRAC) observations, as well as archival near-infrared (IR) and optical data. We use the MIPS data to identify 1286 young stellar object (YSO) candidates. IRAC data alone can identify 806 more YSO candidates, for a total of 2076 YSO candidates. Prior to the Spitzer observations, there were only ~200 YSOs known in this region. Three subregions within the complex are highlighted as clusters: the Gulf of Mexico, the Pelican, and the Pelican's Hat. The Gulf of Mexico cluster is subject to the highest extinction (Av at least ~30) and has the widest range of infrared colors of the three clusters, including the largest excesses and by far the most point-source detections at 70 microns. Just 3% of the cluster members were previously identified; we have redefined this cluster as about 10-100 times larger (in projected area) than was previously realized.Comment: Accepted to ApJS. Full data tables available at http://web.ipac.caltech.edu/staff/rebull/research.htm

Long-term ecological research: chasing fashions or being prepared for fashion changes?

Abstract: Long-term-ecological-research (LTER) faces many challenges, including the difficulty of obtaining long-term funding, changes in research questions and sampling designs, keeping researchers collecting standardized data for many years, impediments to interactions with local people, and the difficulty of integrating the needs of local decision makers with "big science". These issues result in a lack of universally accepted guidelines as to how research should be done and integrated among LTER sites. Here we discuss how the RAPELD (standardized field infrastructure system), can help deal with these issues as a complementary technique in LTER studies, allowing comparisons across landscapes and ecosystems and reducing sampling costs. RAPELD uses local surveys to understand broad spatial and temporal patterns while enhancing decision-making and training of researchers, local indigenous groups and traditional communities. Sampling of ecological data can be carried out by different researchers through standardized protocols, resulting in spatial data that can be used to answer temporal questions, and allow new questions to be investigated. Results can also be integrated into existing biodiversity networks. Integrated systems are the most efficient way to save resources, maximize results, and accumulate information that can be used in the face of the unknown unknowns upon which our future depends

The program for biodiversity research in Brazil: The role of regional networks for biodiversity knowledge, dissemination, and conservation

The Program for Biodiversity Research (PPBio) is an innovative program designed to integrate all biodiversity research stakeholders. Operating since 2004, it has installed long-term ecological research sites throughout Brazil and its logic has been applied in some other southern-hemisphere countries. The program supports all aspects of research necessary to understand biodiversity and the processes that affect it. There are presently 161 sampling sites (see some of them at Supplementary Appendix), most of which use a standardized methodology that allows comparisons across biomes and through time. To date, there are about 1200 publications associated with PPBio that cover topics ranging from natural history to genetics and species distributions. Most of the field data and metadata are available through PPBio web sites or DataONE. Metadata is available for researchers that intend to explore the different faces of Brazilian biodiversity spatio-temporal variation, as well as for managers intending to improve conservation strategies. The Program also fostered, directly and indirectly, local technical capacity building, and supported the training of hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students. The main challenge is maintaining the long-term funding necessary to understand biodiversity patterns and processes under pressure from global environmental changes

The program for biodiversity research in Brazil: The role of regional networks for biodiversity knowledge, dissemination, and conservation.

The Program for Biodiversity Research (PPBio) is an innovative program designed to integrate all biodiversity research stakeholders. Operating since 2004, it has installed long-term ecological research sites throughout Brazil and its logic has been applied in some other southern-hemisphere countries. The program supports all aspects of research necessary to understand biodiversity and the processes that affect it. There are presently 161 sampling sites (see some of them at Supplementary Appendix), most of which use a standardized methodology that allows comparisons across biomes and through time. To date, there are about 1200 publications associated with PPBio that cover topics ranging from natural history to genetics and species distributions. Most of the field data and metadata are available through PPBio web sites or DataONE. Metadata is available for researchers that intend to explore the different faces of Brazilian biodiversity spatio-temporal variation, as well as for managers intending to improve conservation strategies. The Program also fostered, directly and indirectly, local technical capacity building, and supported the training of hundreds of undergraduate and graduate students. The main challenge is maintaining the long-term funding necessary to understand biodiversity patterns and processes under pressure from global environmental changes

El impacto de los contaminantes del aire en la degradación de dos edificios históricos en Burdeos, Francia

Urban centers concentrate high levels of atmospheric pollutants, sourced by vehicular traffic, public transit systems, industrial emissions and agricultural emissions. This leads to the accumulation of gases and particulate matter (PM) which contribute to the degradation of historic buildings. Considering the importance of preserving historic structures, this manuscript examines the analysis of dangerous elements on the facades of two historic, UNESCO listed sites in Bordeaux, France, Grosse Cloche and Cathédrale St-André, due to the multiple influences of atmospheric pollutants, responsible for the degradation of historic buildings, in addition to causing possible compromises to human health. A total of 48 samples of particulate matter were collected between June 2018 and May 2019 using self-made passive samplers (SMPSs). Sedimented dust samples were collected from the same locations at the same time, one collection during each of the 4 seasons of the year. Analyses of accumulated ultrafine particles (UFPs) and nanoparticles (NPs) were performed on the collected samples. The results detected the presence of more than 800 organic NPs with high levels of toxic elements. Of these, 78% were detected in samples obtained via SMPS and the others in sedimented dust. 60% were shown to have a diameter of less than 50 nm. The authors suggest restoring the sampled historical structures for the benefit of humanity, in addition to increasing the rigor of public policies to control the release of particulate matter.Los centros urbanos concentran altos niveles de contaminantes atmosféricos, provenientes del tráfico vehicular, los sistemas de transporte público, las emisiones industriales y las emisiones agrícolas. Esto conduce a la acumulación de gases y material particulado (PM) que contribuyen a la degradación de los edificios históricos. Teniendo en cuenta la importancia de preservar las estructuras históricas, este manuscrito examina el análisis de elementos peligrosos en las fachadas de dos sitios históricos, incluidos en la lista de la UNESCO en Burdeos, Francia, Grosse Cloche y Cathédrale St-André, debido a las múltiples influencias de los contaminantes atmosféricos, responsables de la degradación de edificios históricos, además de provocar posibles compromisos para la salud humana. Se recolectaron un total de 48 muestras de material particulado entre junio de 2018 y mayo de 2019 utilizando muestreadores pasivos de fabricación propia (SMPS). Se recolectaron muestras de polvo sedimentado de los mismos lugares al mismo tiempo, una recolección durante cada una de las 4 estaciones del año. Se realizaron análisis de partículas ultrafinas acumuladas (UFP) y nanopartículas (NP) en las muestras recolectadas. Los resultados detectaron la presencia de más de 800 NP orgánicas con altos niveles de elementos tóxicos. De estos, el 78% se detectó en muestras obtenidas vía SMPS y el resto en polvo sedimentado. Se demostró que el 60% tenía un diámetro de menos de 50 nm. Los autores sugieren restaurar las estructuras históricas muestreadas en beneficio de la humanidad, además de incrementar el rigor de las políticas públicas para controlar la liberación de material particulado