Unmanned Aerial Vehicles for Post Disaster Surveys

In the current built environment, structures require regular observation and maintenance. Many of these structures can be quite challenging to evaluate. The required scaffolding, lifts, or similar access facilities can become quite costly to rent and construct, and can be a long term disturbance to those who use and manage the particular structure. Furthermore, there are situations where examination for the purpose of detailed analysis can be quite hazardous, if not entirely unsafe for humans. In a post-disaster environment traditional methods may not be safe or adequate for gaining access to parts of a structure that require observation or analysis. The use of a remotely controlled unmanned vehicle is a reliable, safe and cost effective substitute for assessing structures before and after seismic, terrorist, or other destructive events

Survival of the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap through the Holocene thermal maximum: evidence from sulphur contents in Katla tephra layers (Iceland) from the last ∼8400 years

International audienceThe climate in Iceland was drier and warmer during the Holocene thermal maximum than it is today and it has been suggested that ice caps disappeared entirely. Katla, a volcano covered by the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap in southern Iceland, has erupted rather steadily throughout the Holocene. Preand post-eruption sulphur concentrations in its products have been determined in previous studies, through melt inclusions trapped in phenocrysts (pre-eruption mean values of 2155 ± 165 ppm) and fully degassed magmatic tephra (post-eruption mean values of 445 ± 130 ppm). The phreatomagmatic tephra has much more variable S contents (550-1775 ppm) and spans the compositional gap between magmatic tephra and melt inclusions. These variable sulphur values are attributed to arresting of degassing as the magma is quenched upon contact with external water in the shallow levels of the volcano conduit. Sulphur in Katla tephra can thus be used to evaluate whether Mýrdalsjökull survived the warm spells of the Holocene. In this study, sulphur concentrations in tephra layers representing the last ∼8400 years of the volcano's eruption history were measured, revealing concentrations in the phreatomagmatic range (600-1600 ppm). Hence, we conclude that over the last ∼8400 years, explosive activity at Katla has been dominated by phreatomagmatic eruptions, implying that the Mýrdalsjökull ice cap has been present throughout the Holocene

Is the Danish rurality becoming a human capital magnet?

This article examines the phenomenon of counterurbanisation in Denmark, focusing on the migration of individuals from urban to rural areas. Despite long-standing challenges in rural areas, the study reveals a positive trend of people, especially the young and employed, moving from cities to rural municipalities. The research, based on panel data and multilinear regression, highlights the role of human capital characteristics, such as higher education and occupational skills, in driving this migration pattern. Contrary to common misconceptions, the study challenges stereotypes by showing that rural areas attract a diverse range of individuals, with a notable increase from 2009 to 2020 in higher-educated, skilled, and higher-income migrants. The research distinguishes migration patterns within rural municipalities, noting an urban/rural dichotomy between II-tier towns and III-tier villages. The results indicate a preference among middle-aged and higher-income individuals migrating towards towns, while younger individuals with lower income and vocational education are inclined towards villages, potentially serving as catalysts for rural transformation in Denmark

Observations of Intraspecific Aggression and Cannibalism in Polar Bears (Ursus maritimus)

Cannibalism in polar bears appears to occur as carrion feeding and as attacks by males on small cubs or incapacitated individuals. Direct observations indicate that intraspecific killing and cannibalism occur among polar bears throughout the Arctic. The high incidence of Trichinella infection and circumpolar observations of cannibalism suggest that polar bears will readily eat other polar bears when they can do so without excessive risk of injury. Speculations that intraspecific aggression and cannibalism may be an important social and ecological force are consistent with existing information on polar bear biology.Key words: aggression, cannibalism, parasitism, polar bears, population dynamics, Trichinella, Ursidae, Ursus maritimusMots clés: agression, cannibalisme, parasitisme, ours blancs, dynamiques des populations, Trichinella, Ursidae, Ursus maritimu

The influence of waiting time on the value of headway time on a ferry service in Norway

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The relation between the quality of research, researchers` experience, and their academic environment

Author's accepted version (post-print).This is a post-peer-review, pre-copyedit version of an article published in Scientometrics. The final authenticated version is available online at: http://dx.doi.org/10.1007/s11192-017-2580-y.Available from 28/11/2018.acceptedVersio