Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Combined Effects of Ocean Acidification and Warming on Calcification Rate and Skeletal Morphology of the Caribbean Reef-building Coral Siderastrea siderea

Kimmaree Menéndez Horvath: Combined effects of ocean acidification and warming on calcification rate and skeletal morphology of the Caribbean reef-building coral Siderastrea siderea (Under the direction of Justin Ries) Atmospheric pCO 2 is predicted to rise from 400 to 900 ppm by year 2100, causing seawater temperatures to increase by 1-4 °C and pH to decrease by 0.1-0.3. Sixty-day experiments were conducted to investigate the independent and combined impacts of acidification (pCO 2 =425/915 ppm) and warming (T=28/32 °C) on calcification rate and skeletal morphology of the tropical scleractinian coral Siderastrea siderea. Coral calcification rate was negatively impacted by warming and acidification, with their combined effects yielding the most negative impact. Effects of warming and high-temperature acidification on calcification rate were apparent across both 30-day observational intervals of the experiment, while effects of low-temperature acidification were not apparent until the second observational interval. Corallite height and infilling were negatively impacted by acidification, but not significantly (p>0.05) impacted by warming. These results suggest that S. siderea will grow more slowly and accrete weaker skeletons in warmer, more acidic oceans predicted for the future. Pualani Armstrong is acknowledged for assistance with microscopic imaging of coral skeletons. Travis Courtney is acknowledged for assistance with statistical analyses. Isaac Westfield and Brian Connolly are acknowledged for assistance with analysis of water chemistry. Elder are acknowledged for assistance with the coral culturing experiments. for your guidance and trust in me as a graduate student and scientist. I am truly fortunate to have had the opportunity to learn from you all. To my family, Chris, Alexander, and Amelia: life as a wife, a mother, and a graduate student is anything but easy. It would not have been possible without your unconditional support, boundless love, and unwavering belief in my dreams. I hope to provide the same in helping you all to follow your own. To my mother, Maria Bajo Menéndez: in memory of a life so beautifully lived. If dreams could build a staircase and memories a lane, I'd walk right up to heaven and bring you home again.
Determination of soil pollution derived from polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) in Bursa: spatial and temporal variations

The soil is a natural reservoir and a transporter component of the terrestrial ecosystem for polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs). The determination of PCBs is important to identify the necessary precautious steps to be taken. The objective of this study is to determine seasonal and regional PCB variations in the soil in Bursa-Turkey. In this context, soil samples were collected from 19 different points during summer and winter seasons and analyzed by gas chromatography-electron capture detector (GC-ECD) for S 82 PCB. The regional variation of S 82 PCB concentrations was 0.03-85 ng/g dry matter (DM). The highest S 82 PCB concentration was measured sampling points near the iron-steel plant in both seasons. At all sampling points, S 82 PCB concentrations were higher in winter than those in summer. In general, high-chlorinated homologes groups (>6-CBs) in summer and low-chlorinated homologes groups ( 5-CBs) and TOC, while no significant correlation was observed between the light species (<5-CBs) and TOC. The S 7 PCB range of winter and summer seasons is 0.043-3.87 ng/g DM and 0.02-1.97 ng/g DM, respectively. The average Dutch S 7 PCB concentration in winter was 0.735 ± 1.05 ng/g DM, while in summer it was 0.462 ± 0.72 ng/g DM.
Spurious Transitions in Convective Regime Due to Viscosity Clipping: Ramifications for Modeling Planetary Secular Cooling

The thermal evolution of a solid planet is governed by mantle convection and therefore the dependence of viscosity on temperature. In this study, over a span of five billion years, we investigate the effect of viscosity clipping (i.e., limiting the maximum value of the viscosity) on the thermal evolution of lunar‐sized initially hot bodies featuring decaying internal heat sources. Models with a decreasing viscosity contrast resulting from limiting the maximum viscosity to 105.5 times the initial viscosity at the core‐mantle boundary were first examined. At times determined by the initial internal heating rate, rapid cooling sets in as a result of a convective regime change from stagnant‐lid to mobile‐lid convection, followed by gradual cooling to a weakly convecting and eventually nearly conductive state. Subsequently, we employ a dynamic clipping viscosity of 105.5 times the viscosity at the core‐mantle boundary, throughout the planet's evolution. In this case, stagnant‐lid convection is the only convective regime observed. Finally, convection with an initially large viscosity contrast (1010) is modeled in both 2‐D and 3‐D spherical geometry, and we find strong agreement in the thermal evolution when compared with the dynamic clipping model. Our findings show that convective regime changes due to secular cooling can occur due to implementing a fixed viscosity contrast that becomes subcritical with respect to obtaining a stagnant lid. To avoid spurious convective regime changes, the specification of a dynamic clipping viscosity can be used to emulate much higher viscosity contrasts.
Techno-economic Study for Water Pumping by Solar Power Driven Three Phase Induction Motor

The paper primarily focuses on water pumpirrigation by operating the three phase induction motor, usingphotovoltaic supply. In many far away regions, mainly invillages, the main hindrance in agricultural production is the soledependence on electricity. Up till now, solar application employedfor DC motors throughout the world because of its simplicity andtorque controlling techniques. In addition to it, regularmaintenance of brushes and commutator is mandatory. Also it isnot possible to replace all, already installed three phase inductionmotors with DC motors. A three phase induction motor with thehelp of inverter performs robustly. The primary goal of thispaper is to study a DC-DC converter and DC-three phaseinverter, to integrate three phase induction motor. Theexploratory results satisfied the targets as it was effectivelymanaged as a water pump with optimal efficiency and cost, usingthree phase induction motor
Advances in computational modelling of turbidity currents using the finite-element method

Turbidity currents are one of the main processes by which sediment is moved from the continental shelf to the deep ocean. They are a potential environmental hazard and they form a significant component of the stratigraphic record. Computational modelling is an important tool for understanding turbidity current dynamics, for augmenting experimental analyses, and for interpreting data that is collected in the field. This work begins by presenting a depth-averaged turbidity current model that is differentiated to facilitate the use of gradient-based optimisation algorithms. These optimisation algorithms are applied in selecting model parameters to best fit model output with data obtained in the field. To the best of the author’s knowledge this is the first published work where optimisation of input parameters is applied to turbidity current modelling. The work also presents the first high resolution three-dimensional simulation of a turbidity current using the finite element method. One of the key benefits of the finite element method is the ability to easily accommodate complex domain geometries. As such this model is uniquely capable of producing high resolution simulations of turbidity currents in unconstrained complex domains. Methods of reducing the computational cost of these very expensive simulations are explored. The use of Large Eddy Simulation is shown to provide some improvements at moderate simulation resolutions. Unstructured mesh optimisation is shown to reduce the cost of these simulations by approximately two orders of magnitude when compared to a fixed mesh simulation. The savings afforded by the use of these techniques make the problem tractable using finite elements and will enable simulation of turbidity currents in complex and expansive domains where DNS modelling was previously unachievable.
Land Use and Land Cover Changes in the Owabi Reservoir Catchment, Ghana: Implications for Livelihoods and Management

Reservoir catchments in Ghana have undergone significant changes in recent years with major implications for socio-economic development and local livelihoods. We studied land use and land cover changes and their impacts on livelihoods in the Owabi reservoir catchment from 1970 to 2014 using Landsat, ERDAS Imagine and Arc Geographic Information System (ArcGIS 10.2) software supplemented with participatory approaches including focus group discussions, key informant interviews and questionnaire surveys with 400 households. Our results showed that, since 1970, 24.6% of high-density forests and 15.8% of sparse forests have disappeared, while the built-up area has increased from 9.8% to 56.6%. Additionally, the proportion of bare soil (areas that do not have vegetation cover due to forest clearing and other anthropogenic activities) has increased, while the areas of waterbodies have declined. We identified urbanisation and lack of community involvement in catchment management as the key factors driving the land cover changes that have adversely affected the livelihoods of the local fringe communities. This study highlights the threats from urbanisation to land cover changes and identifies the key drivers of land use change. For effective and sustainable management of natural resources, the local communities should be more actively involved in the decision-making process regarding the management of their individual catchments.
The Sensitivity of Temperature to Tachyhydrite Formation: Evidence from Evaporation Experiments of Simulated Brines Based on Compositions of Fluid Inclusions in Halite

An average of concentrations of Na+, Mg2+, Ca2+, K+, and Cl– in fluid inclusions, from the Khorat Plateau evaporite primary halite, was employed. The evaporation–crystallization sequence and paths were obtained under various temperature conditions for the quinary system, Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+//Cl–-H2O. The results showed (1) a halite, sylvite, and carnallite stage at 25°C; (2) a halite, sylvite, carnallite, and bischofite stage at 35°C; and (3) a halite, sylvite, carnallite, bischofite, and tachyhydrite stage at 50°C. These results indicated that (1) a hot state is favorable for tachyhydrite formation, (2) tachyhydrite occurs in the late evaporation stage, and (3) the stability field of tachyhydrite increases with increasing temperature. The crystallization paths were plotted by the application of Jänecke phase diagram at 25°C, 35°C, and 50°C involving the system Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+//Cl–-H2O. The crystallization sequence predicted on the Jänecke phase diagram showed a good agreement with the experimental crystallization sequences and paths. Tachyhydrite precipitate more easily from a high Ca concentration solution during the late evaporation stage with increasing temperature under the same relative humidity condition. The evaporite mineral succession in the Khorat Plateau, Sergipe, and Congo basins agrees well with the mineral precipitation sequences predicted from their own fluid inclusions in halite. This is confirmed by the simulation of the Jänecke phase diagram at 50°C involving the system Na+, K+, Mg2+, Ca2+//Cl–-H2O. The precipitation of tachyhydrite was sensitive to the temperature, and that the thermal resource may originate from a temperature profile in the solar pond. This study presented a simulated approach that can help in understanding similar cases that studies the sensitivity of temperature to salt formation.
The Sirius Passet Lagerstätte of North Greenland: a remote window on the Cambrian Explosion

The lower Cambrian Lagerstätte of Sirius Passet, Peary Land, North Greenland, is one of the oldest of the Phanerozoic exceptionally preserved biotas. The Lagerstätte evidences the escalation of numbers of new body plans and life modes that formed the basis for a modern, functionally tiered ecosystem. The fauna is dominated by predators, infaunal, benthic and pelagic, and the presence of abundant nekton, including large sweep-net feeders, suggests an ecosystem rich in nutrients. Recent discoveries have helped reconstruct digestive systems and their contents, muscle fibres, and visual and nervous systems for a number of taxa. New collections have confirmed the complex combination of taphonomic pathways associated with the biota and its potentially substantial biodiversity. These complex animal-based communities within the Buen Formation were associated with microbial matgrounds, now preserved in black mudstones deposited below storm wave base that provide insight into the shift from late Neoproterozoic (Ediacaran) to Cambrian substrates and communities. Moreover, the encasing sediment holds important data on the palaeoenvironment and the water-column chemistry, suggesting that these animal-based communities developed in conditions with very low oxygen concentrations.
Assessment of Climate Change and Associated Vegetation Cover Change on Watershed-Scale Runoff and Sediment Yield

Climate change has an important impact on water balance and material circulation in watersheds. Quantifying the influence of climate and climate-driven vegetation cover changes on watershed-scale runoff and sediment yield will help to deepen our understanding of the environmental effects of climate change. Taking the Zhenjiangguan Watershed in Sichuan Province, China as a case study, three downscaled general circulation models with two emission scenarios were used to generate possible climatic conditions for three future periods of P1 (2020–2039), P2 (2050–2069) and P3 (2080–2099). Differences in scenarios were compared with the base period 1980–1999. Then, a Normalized Difference Vegetation Index climate factor regression model was established to analyze changes to vegetation cover under the climate change scenarios. Finally, a Soil and Water Assessment Tool model was built to simulate the response of runoff and sediment yield in the three future periods under two different scenarios: only changes in climate and synergistic changes in climate and vegetation cover. The temperature and precipitation projections showed a significant increasing trend compared to the baseline condition for both emission scenarios. Climate change is expected to increase the average annual runoff by 15%–38% compared with the base period, and the average annual sediment yield will increase by 4%–32%. The response of runoff and sediment yield varies in different periods, scenarios, and sub-watersheds. Climate-driven vegetation cover changes have an impact on runoff and sediment yield in the watershed, resulting in a difference of 5.8%–12.9% to the total changes. To some extent, the changes in vegetation cover will inhibit the hydrological impact of climate changes. The study helps to clarify the effects of climate and vegetation cover factors on hydrological variations in watersheds and provides further support for understanding future hydrological scenarios and implementing effective protection and use of water and soil resources.
A combinatorial approach to determine earthquake magnitude distributions on a variable slip-rate fault

Combinatorial methods are used to determine the spatial distribution of earthquake magnitudes on a fault whose slip rate varies along strike. Input to the problem is a finite sample of earthquake magnitudes that span 5 kyr drawn from a truncated Pareto distribution. The primary constraints to the problem are maximum and minimum values around the target slip-rate function indicating where feasible solutions can occur. Two methods are used to determine the spatial distribution of earthquakes: integer programming and the greedy-sequential algorithm. For the integer-programming method, the binary decision vector includes all possible locations along the fault where each earthquake can occur. Once a set of solutions that satisfy the constraints is found, the cumulative slip misfit on the fault is globally minimized relative to the target slip-rate function. The greedy algorithm sequentially places earthquakes to locally optimize slip accumulation. As a case study, we calculate how earthquakes are distributed along the megathrust of the Nankai subduction zone, in which the slip rate varies significantly along strike. For both methods, the spatial distribution of magnitudes depends on slip rate, except for the largest magnitude earthquakes that span multiple sections of the fault. The greedy-sequential algorithm, previously applied to this fault (Parsons et al., 2012), tends to produce smoother spatial distributions and fewer lower magnitude earthquakes in the low slip-rate section of the fault compared to the integer-programming method. Differences in results from the two methods relate to how much emphasis is placed on minimizing the misfit to the target slip rate (integer programming) compared to finding a solution within the slip-rate constraints (greedy sequential). Specifics of the spatial distribution of magnitudes also depend on the shape of the target slip-rate function: that is, stepped at the section boundaries versus a smooth function. This study isolates the effects of slip-rate variation along a single fault in determining the spatial distribution of earthquake magnitudes, helping to better interpret results from more complex, interconnected fault systems.
Fault reactivation by gas injection at an underground gas storage off the east coast of Spain

Abstract. During September–October of 2013 an intense swarm of earthquakes occurred off the east coast of Spain associated with the injection of the base gas in an offshore underground gas storage. Two weeks after the end of the injection operations, three moderate-sized earthquakes (Mw 4.0–4.1) occurred near the storage. These events were widely felt by the nearby population, leading to the indefinite shut-down of the facility. Here we investigate the source parameters (focal depth and mechanism) of the largest earthquakes in the sequence in order to identify the faults reactivated by the gas injection and to help understand the processes that caused the earthquakes. Our waveform modeling results indicate that the largest earthquakes occurred at depths of 6–8 km beneath the sea floor, significantly deeper than the injection depth (∼1800 m). Although we cannot undoubtedly discriminate the fault plane from the two nodal planes of the mechanisms, most evidence seems to favor a NW–SE-striking fault plane. We propose that the gas injection reactivated faults in the Paleozoic basement, with regional orientation possibly inherited from the opening of the Valencia Trough.
Improving subduction interface implementation in dynamic numerical models

Abstract. Numerical subduction models often implement an entrained weak layer (WL) to facilitate decoupling of the slab and upper plate. This approach is attractive in its simplicity, and can provide stable, asymmetric subduction systems that persist for many tens of millions of years. In this study we undertake a methodological analysis of the WL approach, and use these insights to guide improvements to the implementation. The issue that primarily motivates the study is the emergence of significant spatial and temporal thickness variations within the WL. We show that these variations are mainly the response to volumetric flux gradients, caused by the change in boundary conditions as the WL material enters and exits the zone of decoupling. The time taken to reach a quasi-equilibrium thickness profile will depend on the total plate convergence, and is around 7 Myr for the models presented here. During the transient stage, width variations along the WL can exceed 4×, which may impact the effective strength of the interface, through physical effects if the rheology is linear, or simply if the interface becomes inadequately numerically resolved. The transient stage also induces strong sensitivity to model resolution. By prescribing a variable-thickness WL at the outset of the model, and by controlling the limits of the layer thickness during the model evolution, we find improved stability and resolution convergence of the models.
Nutritional assessment among children (1–5 years of age) using various anthropometric indices in a rural area of Haryana, India

Background: Global Nutrition Targets 2025 specified a set of six global nutrition targets, and one aim is to achieve a 40% reduction in the number of children under 5 years of age who are stunted. National data on underweight provided under National Family Health Survey-4 (NFHS-4) (2015–2016) revealed an underweight prevalence rate around 35.7% as compared to NFHS-3 where it was 42.5%, which reflects only 6.8% reduction in underweight over a decade. Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in the rural area of Rohtak district during October 2014 to September 2015 among children who were 1–5 years of age. The anthropometric measurement and nutritional status categorization among children were done using the WHO guidelines. Results: A total of 600 children participated in the study. Around 41.3% of the study participants had stunting as their nutritional status, while taking composite index of anthropometric failure (CIAF) for nutritional status into consideration, nearly 54.4% of the participants were undernourished. Stunting and underweight were more prevalent among girls. Conclusions: Composite anthropometric index provides the actual prevalence or proportion of undernourished children in a community, so the policies should be based on the basis of CIAF so to reduce the prevalence of undernutrition in the community more effectively.
Mixed Mode BIST Using Bi-Seed Compression

A novel architecture for scan-based mixed mode BIST is presented in this paper. To reduce the storage requirements for the deterministic patterns, it relies on a bi-seed compression. To reduce both the number of patterns to be stored and the number of bits to be stored for each pattern, deterministic test cubes are encoded as seeds of an LFSR, and the seeds are again compressed into seeds of a folding counter sequence. The proposed BIST architecture is fully compatible with standard scan design, simple and flexible, so that sharing between several logic cores is possible. Experimental results show that the proposed scheme requires less test data storage than previously published approaches providing the same flexibility and scan compatibility.