Tide-induced microseismicity in the Mertz glacier grounding area, East Antarctica

International audienceThe deployment of a seismic network along the Adélie and George V coasts in East Antarctica during the period 2009–2012 provides the opportunity to monitor cryoseismic activity and to obtain new insights on the relationship between tidal cycles and coastal glacier dynamics. Here we focus on records from a seismometer located on a rocky outcrop in the vicinity of the grounding line of the 35 km broad Mertz glacier, a major outflow of this region. We detect numerous icequakes (50,000 events within 10 months and up to 100 events/h) and demonstrate their clear tidal modulation. We suggest that they result from ice friction and fracturing around the rocky peak and from the glacier flexure in response to the falling and rising tides at its grounding area. We propose that such icequake monitoring could be used as a climate proxy since grounding lines are subject to migrate with sea level changes

Trends in the start of the wet season over Africa

A quarter of a century of daily rainfall data from the Global Telecommunications System are used to define the temporal and spatial variability of the start of the wet season over Africa and surrounding extreme south of Europe and parts of the Middle East. From 1978 to 2002, the start of the wet season arrived later in the year for the majority of the region, as time progressed. In some parts of the continent, there was an annual increase in the start date of up to 4 days per year. On average, the start of the wet season arrived 9–21 days later from 1978 to 2002, depending on the threshold used to define the start of the rains (varying from 10–30 mm over 2 days, with no dry period in the following 10 days). It is noted that the inter-annual variability of the start of the wet season is high with the range of start dates varying on average from 116 to 142 days dependent on the threshold used to determine the start date. These results may have important implications for agriculturists on all levels (from the individual farmer to those responsible for regional food supply), as knowledge of potential future climate changes starts to play an increasingly important role in the agricultural decision-making process, such as sowing and harvesting times

The West African Monsoon Onset: a concise comparison of definitions

The onset of the West African Monsoon (WAM) marks a vital time for local and regional stakeholders. Whilst the seasonal progression of monsoon winds and the related migration of precipitation from the Guinea Coast towards the Soudan/Sahel is apparent, there exist contrasting man-made definitions of what the WAM onset means. Broadly speaking, onset can be analyzed regionally, locally or over a designated intermediate scale. There are at least eighteen distinct definitions of the WAM onset in publication with little work done on comparing observed onset from different definitions or comparing onset realizations across different datasets and resolutions. Here, nine definitions have been calculated using multiple datasets of different metrics at different resolution. It is found that mean regional onset dates are consistent across multiple datasets and different definitions. There is low inter-annual variability in regional onset suggesting that regional seasonal forecasting of the onset provides few benefits over climatology. In contrast, local onsets show high spatial, inter-annual and inter-definition variability. Furthermore it is found that there is little correlation between local onset dates and regional onset dates across West Africa implying a disharmony between regional measures of onset and the experience on a local scale. The results of this study show that evaluation of seasonal monsoon onset forecasts is far from straightforward. Given a seasonal forecasting model, it is possible to simultaneously have a good and bad prediction of monsoon onset simply through selection of onset definition and observational dataset used for comparison

Sequence-selective DNA recognition and enhanced cellular up-take by peptide–steroid conjugates

Several GCN4 bZIP TF models have previously been designed and synthesized. However, the synthetic routes towards these constructs are typically tedious and difficult. We here describe the substitution of the Leucine zipper domain of the protein by a deoxycholic acid derivative appending the two GCN4 binding region peptides through an optimized double azide–alkyne cycloaddition click reaction. In addition to achieving sequence specific dsDNA binding, we have investigated the potential of these compounds to enter cells. Confocal microscopy and flow cytometry show the beneficial influence of the steroid on cell uptake. This unique synthetic model of the bZIP TF thus combines sequence specific dsDNA binding properties with enhanced cell-uptake. Given the unique properties of deoxycholic acid and the convergent nature of the synthesis, we believe this work represents a key achievement in the field of TF mimicry

Induction of adult-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene expression in noninnervated regenerating muscle

Expression of adult-type nicotinic acetylcholine receptors at the neuromuscular junction is thought to result from selective induction of their genes in endplate-associated nuclei due to local neurotrophic control. However, denervation studies indicate that endplate-specific expression can be maintained in the absence of the nerve. We investigated the role played by the basal lamina in this expression by assaying for the adult-type-specific [var epsilon] RNA in noninnervated regenerating muscle. We found that this RNA is locally expressed beneath the old endplates after 10 days of regeneration. At earlier times [var epsilon] RNA is also found in areas other than the endplate region. These results indicate that in adult muscle the basal lamina contains all the components necessary to direct nicotinic acetylcholine receptor gene expression to the endplate.Peer Reviewedhttp://deepblue.lib.umich.edu/bitstream/2027.42/29114/1/0000153.pd

Toward continuous quantification of lava extrusion rate: Results from the multidisciplinary analysis of the 2 January 2010 eruption of Piton de la Fournaise volcano, La Reunion

International audienceThe dynamics of the 2–12 January 2010 effusive eruption at Piton de la Fournaise volcano were examined through seismic and infrasound records, time-lapse photography, SO2 flux measurements, deformation data, and direct observations. Digital elevation models were constructed for four periods of the eruption, thus providing an assessment of the temporal evolution of the morphology, the volume and the extrusion rate of the lava flow. These data were compared to the continuous recording of the seismic and infrasonic waves, and a linear relationship was found between the seismic energy of the tremor and the lava extrusion rate. This relationship is supported by data from three other summit eruptions of Piton de la Fournaise and gives total volume and average lava extrusion rate in good agreement with previous studies. We can therefore provide an estimate of the lava extrusion rate for the January 2010 eruption with a very high temporal resolution. We found an average lava extrusion rate of 2.4 m3s−1 with a peak of 106.6 m3s−1 during the initial lava fountaining phase. We use the inferred average lava extrusion rate during the lava fountaining phase (30.23 m3s−1) to estimate the value of the initial overpressure in the magma reservoir, which we found to range from 3.7×106 Pa to 5.9×106 Pa. Finally, based on the estimated initial overpressure, the volume of magma expelled during the lava fountaining phase and geodetic data, we inferred the volume of the magma reservoir using a simple Mogi model, between 0.25 km3 and 0.54 km3, which is in good agreement with previous studies