Gamma-ray spectrometry in the field: Radioactive heat production in the Central Slovakian Volcanic Zone

We report 62 sets of measurements from central-southern Slovakia, obtained using a modern portable gamma-ray spectrometer, which reveal the radioactive heat production in intrusive and extrusive igneous rocks of the Late Cenozoic Central Slovakian Volcanic Zone. Sites in granodiorite of the Štiavnica pluton are thus shown to have heat production in the range ~ 2.2–4.9 μW m− 3, this variability being primarily a reflection of variations in content of the trace element uranium. Sites in dioritic parts of this pluton have a lower, but overlapping, range of values, ~ 2.1–4.4 μW m− 3. Sites that have been interpreted in adjoining minor dioritic intrusions of similar age have heat production in the range ~ 1.4–3.3 μW m− 3. The main Štiavnica pluton has zoned composition, with potassium and uranium content and radioactive heat production typically increasing inward from its margins, reflecting variations observed in other granodioritic plutons elsewhere. It is indeed possible that the adjoining dioritic rocks, hitherto assigned to other minor intrusions of similar age, located around the periphery of the Štiavnica pluton, in reality provide further evidence for zonation of the same pluton. The vicinity of this pluton is associated with surface heat flow ~ 40 mW m− 2 above the regional background. On the basis of our heat production measurements, we thus infer that the pluton has a substantial vertical extent, our preferred estimate for the scale depth for its downward decrease in radioactive heat production being ~ 8 km. Nonetheless, this pluton lacks any significant negative Bouguer gravity anomaly. We attribute this to the effect of the surrounding volcanic caldera, filled with relatively low-density lavas, ‘masking’ the pluton's own gravity anomaly. We envisage that emplacement occurred when the pluton was much hotter, and thus of lower density, than at present, its continued uplift, evident from the local geomorphology, being the isostatic consequence of localized erosion. The heat production in this intrusion evidently plays a significant role, hitherto unrecognized, in the regional geothermics

Renewing the Exploration Approach for Mid-Enthalpy Systems: Examples from Northern England and Scotland

After a promising start in the 1970s and 80s, the UK rather fell behind other countries in the search for viable mid-enthalpy geothermal resources. This situation began to turn around in 2004, when the first of three deep geothermal exploration boreholes were drilled in northern England. What distinguished these from earlier drilling in Cornwall was the deliberate search for naturallyhigh permeability associated with major faults, especially those that have undergone strike-slip reactivation during the Cenozoic. Boreholes at Eastgate in the North Pennines targeted buried radiothermal granite, whereas the 1,821m-deep Science Central Borehole in Newcastle upon Tyne targeted a postulated deep sedimentary aquifer (the Fell Sandstones), which were inferred to be connected laterally to the granitic heat source by a major fault (the reactivation of the Iapetus geo-suture). The drilling was in both cases rewarded with impressive heat flows, and in the case of Eastgate with what is believed to be the highest permeability yet found in a deep granite batholith anywhere in the world. In parallel with these developments, a re-assessment was made of the preexisting geothermal heat flow database for the UK, applying newly-standardised correction protocols for palaeoclimatic and topographic distortions, which were found to be particularly marked in Scotland (where only shallow boreholes had been used to establish geothermal gradients in the original 1980s analysis), Similar prospects in northern England (similar to that drilled at Science Central) are now the focus of commercial exploration efforts. Appraisal of fault dispositions relative to the present-day maximum compressive stress azimuth are being used to identify the most promising areas for intersecting fault-related permeability at depth. New geophysical tools – most notably atomic dielectric resonance scanning – are also being appraised for their ability to directly detect features (such as hot brines) which are indicative of localised convection in target fault zones and aquifers

FJ44 Turbofan Engine Test at NASA Glenn Research Center's Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory

A Williams International FJ44-3A 3000-lb thrust class turbofan engine was tested in the NASA Glenn Research Center s Aero-Acoustic Propulsion Laboratory. This report presents the test set-up and documents the test conditions. Farfield directivity, in-duct unsteady pressures, duct mode data, and phased-array data were taken and are reported separately

Molecular Basis of Inward Rectification: Polyamine Interaction Sites Located by Combined Channel and Ligand Mutagenesis

Polyamines cause inward rectification of (Kir) K+ channels, but the mechanism is controversial. We employed scanning mutagenesis of Kir6.2, and a structural series of blocking diamines, to combinatorially examine the role of both channel and blocker charges. We find that introduced glutamates at any pore-facing residue in the inner cavity, up to and including the entrance to the selectivity filter, can confer strong rectification. As these negative charges are moved higher (toward the selectivity filter), or lower (toward the cytoplasm), they preferentially enhance the potency of block by shorter, or longer, diamines, respectively. MTSEA+ modification of engineered cysteines in the inner cavity reduces rectification, but modification below the inner cavity slows spermine entry and exit, without changing steady-state rectification. The data provide a coherent explanation of classical strong rectification as the result of polyamine block in the inner cavity and selectivity filter

Latewood Ring Width Reveals CE 1734 Felling Dates for Walker House Timbers In Tupelo, Mississippi, USA

Dendroarchaeology is under-represented in the Gulf Coastal Plain region of the United States (US), and at present, only three published studies have precision dated a collection of 18th–19th-century structures. In this study, we examined the tree-ring data from pine, poplar, and oak timbers used in the Walker House in Tupelo, Mississippi. The Walker House was constructed ca. the mid-1800s with timbers that appeared to be recycled from previous structures. In total, we examined 30 samples (16 pines, 8 oaks, and 6 poplars) from the attic and crawlspace. We cross-dated latewood ring growth from the attic pine samples to the period 1541–1734 (r = 0.52, t = 8.43, p \u3c 0.0001) using a 514-year longleaf pine (Pinus palustris Mill.) latewood reference chronology from southern Mississippi. The crawlspace oak samples produced a 57-year chronology that we dated against a white oak (Quercus alba L.) reference chronology from northeast Alabama to the period 1765–1822 (r = 0.36, t = 2.83, p \u3c 0.01). We were unable to cross-date the six poplar samples due to a lack of poplar reference chronologies in the region. Our findings have two important implications: (1) the pine material dated to 1734 represents the oldest dendroarchaeology-confirmed dating match for construction materials in the southeastern US, and (2) cross-dating latewood growth for southeastern US pine species produced statistically significant results, whereas total ring width failed to produce significant dating results

The Grizzly, February 25, 2016

Students, Faculty Talk About Changes to CIE • Community Celebrates Life of Michelle Buck • Community Comes Together During Norovirus Outbreak • Learning More About Housing • International Perspective: Differences Within the Classroom and Without • Double Trouble • The Woman Behind the Screen • Opinion: Advice on Studying Abroad • Men\u27s Lacrosse Looks to Ride Dominant Defense to Another Record-Breaking Year • Porada and Polimeni Partner Together to Join 1,000 Point Club • Women\u27s Swimming Three-peatshttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1684/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, April 14, 2016

White House Honors Alum Who Started Nonprofit • Greek Week Begins • We Stand Together Kicks Off • International Perspective: Cultural Differences Between Students • Students Explore Racial Issues Through Theater and Discussion • Passion, Pride and Protection • Making the Classroom a Place for Performance • Opinions: Minority Religions Deserve Accommodation; Choose Two: Sleep, Study or Socialize • Racket Up • Women\u27s Golf Makes History as Men Look to Regain Strokehttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1689/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, April 7, 2016

UC Bikeshare Program Looks to Make Changes • UC to Hold First Disability Awareness Week in April • Course Registration Timeline • International Perspective: Cultural Approaches to Accepting Visitors and Foreigners • Update on Academic Affairs Office Change • Kaleidoscope Turns Ten • Poetic Start to Spring • Getting Down to Business • Opinions: Tuition Increase Goes Unexplained; Students Must Recognize Sexual Assault on Campus • Softball Makes Push for Conference Playoffs • Fresh Starthttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1688/thumbnail.jp

The Grizzly, February 4, 2016

Ursinus to Host Popular Author • Clearing the Path to a Career • Companies and Grad Schools Seek Out Ursinus Alumni • International Perspective: Cultural Differences in Parties • Businesses Offer Student Discounts • Talking About Depression with Nuance • Fighting Off the Freshman Fifteen • Ups and Downs of Being an RA in Reimert • New Face on Campus • Opinion: The Elephants Aren\u27t in the Room: Poll Probes Pupils on Pressing Politics • From Across the Atlantic • Dynamic Duohttps://digitalcommons.ursinus.edu/grizzlynews/1681/thumbnail.jp