Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Discovery of granulitized eclogite in North Sikkim expands the Eastern Himalaya high-pressure province

Eclogite occurrences are very few in the Himalayas and mainly consist of two types (Lombardo and Rolfo 2000): the coesite-bearing eclogites of the western Himalaya (Kaghan valley: O’Brien et al. 2001; Tso Morari: Sachan et al. 2004) and the granulitized eclogites of the eastern Himalaya (Ama Drime range: Lombardo et al. 1998). Unlike the “western type” eclogites, where post-peak decompression under constant to decreasing temperature suggests exhumation favoured by thrusting associated with accretion of the metamorphic pile onto the base of the over-riding plate, the “eastern type” Ama Drime eclogites were probably exhumed relatively slowly and were subjected to thermal relaxation in the thickened continental crust producing a strong granulite-facies overprint at intermediate crustal levels.A new finding of granulitized eclogites in North Sikkim, east of Mount Kangchendzonga and some 120 km southeast of the Ama Drime, extends the eclogite province in eastern Himalaya.Mount Kangchendzonga sits at the western flank of the Ranjit Tectonic Window (RTW), a regional structure cutting deeply through the Himalayan nappe pile. At low structural levels, the RTW exposes low grade Lesser Himalayan schists overlying unmetamorphosed Permo-Carboniferous sedimentary rocks of Gondwanian affinity. At higher structural levels, the northern end of the RTW shows an increase in metamorphic grade through the Main Central Thrust zone up to migmatites with garnet-bearing leucosomes in the Higher Himalayan Crystallines (HHC). In north Sikkim, along the Zemu Glacier east of Kangchendzonga, HHC main lithologies are granite to granodiorite orthogneiss with intercalations of biotite-rich paragneiss and very rare metabasites. Rolfo et al. (2006) gave a preliminary description of this geologic transect, where the main fabric is folded by two systems of later folds trending NNE-SSW and WNW-ESE with steeply dipping axial planes. The RTW can be the result of the interference pattern between these two later system of folds. Compressive and extensional shear zones with a top both to the SW and SE sense of shear respectively affect the main foliation. Top to the SE shear zones can be correlated with normal shear zones recognized in the nearmost western Bhutan (Carosi et al. 2006), developed during the extrusion of the HHC.The lithological associations of the HHC in the Zemu Glacier area are comparable to those described south of Mt. Kangchendzonga by Vezzoli et al. (2005). Among metabasites collected in the drainage of Zemu Glacier, a few samples are very similar to the granulitized eclogites first described in eastern
Global distribution of UV-absorbing aerosols from Nimbus 7/TOMS data

Global distributions of UV-absorbing aerosols are obtained using measured differences between the 340 and the 380 nm radiances from the Nimbus 7 Total Ozone Mapping Spectrometer (TOMS) for the years 1979–1993. Time series are shown for major sources of biomass burning and desert dust giving the frequency of occurrence and areal coverage over land and oceans. Minor sources of UV-absorbing aerosols in the atmosphere are also discussed (volcanic ash and oil fires). Relative values of year-to-year variability of UV-absorbing aerosol amounts are shown for major aerosol source regions: (1) central South America (Brazil) near 10°S latitude; (2) Africa near 0°–20°S and 0° to 10°N latitude; (3) Saharan Desert and sub-Saharan region (Sahel), Arabian Peninsula, and the northern border region of India; (4) agricultural burning in Indonesia, Eastern China, and Indochina, and near the mouth of the Amazon River; and (5) coal burning and dust in northeastern China. The first three of these regions dominate the injection of UV-absorbing aerosols into the atmosphere each year and cover areas far outside of their source regions from advection of UV-absorbing particulates by atmospheric wind systems. During the peak months, smoke and dust from these sources are transported at altitudes above 1 km with an optical depth of at least 0.1 and can cover about 10% of the Earth's surface. Boundary layer absorbing aerosols are not readily seen by TOMS because the small amount of underlying Rayleigh scattering leads to a small signal. Significant portions of the observed dust originate from agricultural regions frequently within arid areas, such as in the Sahel region of Africa, especially from the dry lake-bed near Lake Chad (13.5°N, 14°E), and intermittently dry drainage areas and streams. In addition to drought cycle effects, this suggests there may be an anthropogenic component to the amount of dust injected into the atmosphere each year. Detection of absorbing aerosols and calculation of optical depths are affected by the presence of large-scale and subpixel clouds in the TOMS field of view.
Carbon cycling at a site of present day serpentinization: the tables, Gros Morne National Park

This study addresses the origin of methane on Mars. A possible source of methane on Mars has been attributed to serpentinization. Active serpentinization is occurring in the subsurface at The Tablelands Ophiolite, in Gros Morne National Park, Newfoundland. Active serpentinization is evidenced by the highly reducing (Eh~ -700mV), ultra-basic (pH 10-12) groundwater springs containing dissolved methane and other lower molecular weight hydrocarbon gases, and the presence of travertine deposits. -- The source of methane in the springs as determined to be non-microbial and attributed to either thermogenic or possible abiogenic synthesis. Despite this finding, the ultra-basic springs are an extreme environment for an extant microbial community. Phospholipid fatty acid (PLFA) analysis determined an abundance of gram-negative bacteria as well as the presence algae and fungal biomarkers; and carbon isotopic analysis of PLFA suggests both heterotrophic and autotrophic metabolisms.
Gravity anomalies over the Ferghana Valley (central Asia)

Gravity anomalies over the Ferghana Valley, a deep sedimentary basin in the western Tien Shan, differ from those expected for local Airy isostatic equilibrium by 120 mGal and imply a deficit of mass beneath the basin equivalent to a Moho deeper by 10 km than prevails where isostasy holds. Although the Ferghana Valley is underlain by thick Mesozoic and Cenozoic sediment, measurements of density show that this material cannot account for the deficit of mass. Gravity anomalies over both the surrounding mountain belts and the Kazakh Platform farther north imply that local Airy isostatic equilibrium is approached; flexure of a relatively thin, effectively elastic, plate (thickness - 10-15 km) loaded by the present topography can account for the range of Bouguer anomalies of -50 to -450 mGal over these regions. We infer that approximately north-south shortening of the relatively thin lithosphere has created mountains north and south of the basin, has warped the basement of the immediate surroundings of the basin up by folding the mantle lithosphere, and has forced the basin floor down beneath the Ferghana Valley. It appears that the preexisting thermal structure and variations in crustal thickness have dictated the styles and distribution of deformation in this region.
Green, Brown Or Grey: Green Roofs As ‘sustainable’ Infrastructure

Green roofs, along with vertical gardens are increasingly seen as the symbol Sassi (Strategies for Sustainable Architecture 2006) or epithet Weiler and Scholz-Barth (Green Roqf 5~vstems: A Chdde m the Planning, Design, and Construction of Landscapes over Structure 2009) of 'green' and 'sustainable cities' because of the ecosystem services that they provide Beatley (Green Cities of Europe: Global Lessons on Green Urbanism 2012). The list of benefits attributed to green roofs is broad and widely shared. They include reduction in the heat island effect, noise reduction, energy conservation, amenity, replacement of lost green space where 'the footprint of a building is replaced with a green roof, with no net loss of green open space or habitat' Hopkins and Goodwin (Living Architecture: Green Roofs and Walls 20 II), increased property values, storm water management along with what has been described as 'green relief' in highly dense cities. Green roofs it is fUJ1her claimed to 'transform cities from urban grey to urban green' (Weiler and Scholz-Barth, 2009) while at the same time mitigating the effects of climate change. The paper is based on an evaluation of five green roofs in the city of Melbourne, Australia that analyzes to what extent these projects meet the claimed sustainability benefits. It poses the question are green roofs simply 'green' branding or does their construction provide tangible 'sustainability' outcomes and if so what and for whom.
The Healthy Brain Initiative (HBI): A prospective cohort study protocol

Background: The Health Brain Initiative (HBI), established by University of Miami Comprehensive Center for Brain Health (CCBH), follows racially/ethnically diverse older adults without dementia living in South Florida. With dementia prevention and brain health promotion as an overarching goal, HBI will advance scientific knowledge by developing novel assessments and non-invasive biomarkers of Alzheimer disease and related dementias (ADRD), examining additive effects of sociodemographic, lifestyle, neurological and biobehavioral measures, and employing innovative, methodologically advanced modeling methods to characterize ADRD risk and resilience factors and transition of brain aging. Methods: HBI is a longitudinal, observational cohort study that will follow 500 deeply-phenotyped participants annually to collect, analyze, and store clinical, cognitive, behavioral, functional, genetic, and neuroimaging data and biospecimens. Participants are [≥]50 years old; have no, subjective, or mild cognitive impairment; have a study partner; and are eligible to undergo magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). Recruitment is community-based including advertisements, word-of-mouth, community events, and physician referrals. At baseline, following informed consent, participants complete detailed web-based surveys (e.g., demographics, health history, risk and resilience factors), followed by two half-day visits which include neurological exams, cognitive and functional assessments, an overnight sleep study, and biospecimen collection. Structural and functional MRI is completed by all participants and a subset also consent to amyloid PET imaging. Annual follow-up visits repeat the same data and biospecimen collection as baseline, except that MRIs are conducted every other year after baseline. Ethics and expected impact: HBI has been approved by the University of Miami Miller School of Medicine Institutional Review Board. Participants provide informed consent at baseline and are re-consented as needed with protocol changes. Data collected by HBI will lead to breakthroughs in developing new diagnostics and therapeutics, create comprehensive diagnostic evaluations, and provide the evidence base for precision medicine approaches to dementia prevention with individualized treatment plans.
Stand volume estimation by combining low laser-sampling density LiDAR data with QuickBird panchromatic imagery in closed-canopy Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plantations

This study proposes a simple method for stand volume estimation by combining low laser-sampling density Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR) data (i.e. 1 hit per 4 m2) with high-resolution optical imagery (i.e. 0.6 m) in coniferous plantations. The study area was in closed-canopy, mountainous, Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) plantations on undulating terrain at an elevation of 135–391 m above sea level. A total of 25 circular plots (0.04 ha) were established and stand volumes within plots were investigated in the field. The field-measured, plot-level stand volume ranged from 262.8 to 984.0 m3 ha−1 and the average value was 555.7 m3 ha−1. We used the measurements as validation data to evaluate estimates derived from an empirical regression model that was constructed on the basis of the allometry between crown diameter and diameter at breast height (DBH) from previous research. As a result, stand volume at various stand conditions could be estimated precisely regardless of different laser footprint sizes of 0.16–0.47 m when combining low-density LiDAR data with QuickBird panchromatic imagery. The maximum random error and root mean square error (RMSE) in stand volume estimates by data combination were 10% and 39% of the average stand volume, respectively. Thus, this method based on allometry and using low-density LiDAR data and high-resolution optical imagery could be capable of offering precise stand volume estimates in coniferous forests in different localities.
Near-term forecasting of Covid-19 cases and hospitalisations in Aotearoa New Zealand

Near-term forecasting of infectious disease incidence and consequent demand for acute healthcare services can support capacity planning and public health responses. Despite well-developed scenario modelling to support the Covid-19 response, Aotearoa New Zealand lacks advanced infectious disease forecasting capacity. We develop a model using Aotearoa New Zealand's unique Covid-19 data streams to predict reported Covid-19 cases, hospital admissions and hospital occupancy. The method combines a semi-mechanistic model for disease transmission to predict cases with Gaussian process regression models to predict the fraction of reported cases that will require hospital treatment. We evaluate forecast performance against out-of-sample data over the period from 2 October 2022 to 23 July 2023. Our results show that forecast performance is reasonably good over a 1-3 week time horizon, although generally deteriorates as the time horizon is lengthened. The model has been operationalised to provide weekly national and regional forecasts in real-time. This study is an important step towards development of more sophisticated situational awareness and infectious disease forecasting tools in Aotearoa New Zealand.
Maskelynite-hosted apatite in the Chassigny meteorite: Insights into late-stage magmatic volatile evolution in martian magmas

Abstract Apatite-hosting maskelynite and alkali maskelynite within regions interstitial to cumulus olivine differ compositionally from that found within melt inclusions in the Chassigny martian meteorite. Feldspar glass compositions within the interstitial regions evolve along a high-temperature crystallization path. Within the melt inclusions, feldspar glass shows evolution to low temperatures, extending into the subsolidus regime. Coupled with these differences in maskelynite compositions are differences in volatile abundance in apatite included within the maskelynite. Apatite found within the large olivine-hosted polyphase melt inclusions is uniformly fluorapatite, whereas that interstitial to cumulus olivine is chlor-fluorapatite. We propose that the differences in maskelynite and apatite compositions within the melt inclusion and interstitial regions arose primarily from different crystallization conditions. Melt-inclusion maskelynite and apatite are consistent with nearly closed-system buildup of magmatic volatiles during crystallization within the melt inclusions, exsolution of a Cl-bearing fluid phase, and retention of this fluid phase within the melt inclusions into the hydrothermal regime. For the interstitial regions, however, the higher solidus temperatures of the interstitial melts, the early crystallization of feldspar with significant ternary component, and the Cl-rich nature of the apatite, all suggest open-system fluid migration through the cumulus pile, ingress of Cl-rich, H2O-poor brine from a hotter, less evolved portion of the magma plumbing system, and interaction of this Cl-rich fluid with melt prior to the crystallization of feldspar. Such processes of fluid migration through a cumulus pile have been suggested on Earth in layered intrusions, and apatite is the primary recorder of this process.
Array estimators and the use of microseisms for reconnaissance of sedimentary basins

A 'natural field' seismic technique is possible to attain by observing microseisms with a suitably designed array and by digitally processing the data to obtain estimates of the phase velocities of Rayleigh waves. Wavelengths of interest in detecting depth to the basement of sedimentary basins are in the range 2 to 20 km, and correspond to wave periods from 1 to 7 s. An array of five or seven seismometers deployed as an expanding cross configuration simplifies field procedures and is adequate for phase velocity measurements of Rayleigh waves in the required wavelength range, provided high-resolution frequency-wavenumber spectral analysis is used. This analysis can be implemented on a minicomputer in the field. Results obtained from observation in a sedimentary basin of known structure show predominantly fundamental-mode Rayleigh wave propagation. The scatter of velocity estimates is small enough to allow inversion by curve match- ing, and depth to the basement can be computed to an accuracy of ±30 per cent without requiring restrictive assumptions of a seismic velocity structure.
Thermal inertias in the upper millimeters of the Martian surface derived using Phobos' shadow

The first thermal images of Phobos' shadow on the surface of Mars, in addition to simultaneous visible images, were obtained by the Phobos '88 Termoskan instrument. The best observed shadow occurrence was on the flanks of Arsia Mons. For this occurrence, we combined the observed decrease in visible illumination of the surface with the observed decrease in brightness temperature to calculate thermal inertias of the Martian surface. The most realistic of our three models of eclipse cooling improves upon our preliminary model by including nonisothermal initial conditions and downward atmospheric flux. Most of our derived inertias fall within the range 38 to 59 J m^(−2) s^(−1)/2 K^(−1) (0.9 to 1.4 10−3 cal cm^(−2) s^(−1)/2 K^(−1)), corresponding to dust-sized particles (for a homogeneous surface), consistent with previous theories of Tharsis as a current area of dust deposition. Viking infrared thermal mapper (IRTM) inertias are diurnally derived and are sensitive to centimeter depths, whereas the shadow-derived inertias sample the upper tenths of a millimeter of the surface. The shadow-derived inertias are lower than those derived from Viking IRTM measurements (84 to 147), however, uncertainties in both sets of derived inertias make conclusions about layering tenuous. Thus, near-surface millimeter versus centimeter layering may exist in this region, but if it does, it is likely not very significant. Both eclipse and diurnal inertias appear to increase near the eastern end of the shadow occurrence. We also analyzed a shadow occurrence near the crater Herschel that showed no observed cooling. This analysis was limited by cool morning temperatures and instrument sensitivity, but yielded a lower bound of 80 on eclipse inertias in that region. Based upon our results, we strongly recommend future spacecraft thermal observations of Phobos' shadow, and suggest that they will be most useful if they improve upon Termoskan's geographic and temporal coverage and its accuracy.
The Continual Intercomparison of Radiation Codes: Results from Phase I

[1] We present results from Phase I of the Continual Intercomparison of Radiation Codes (CIRC), intended as an evolving and regularly updated reference source for evaluation of radiative transfer (RT) codes used in global climate models and other atmospheric applications. CIRC differs from previous intercomparisons in that it relies on an observationally validated catalog of cases. The seven CIRC Phase I baseline cases, five cloud free and two with overcast liquid clouds, are built around observations by the Atmospheric Radiation Measurements program that satisfy the goals of Phase I, namely, to examine RT model performance in realistic, yet not overly complex, atmospheric conditions. Besides the seven baseline cases, additional idealized “subcases” are also employed to facilitate interpretation of model errors. In addition to quantifying individual model performance with respect to reference line-by-line calculations, we also highlight RT code behavior for conditions of doubled CO2, issues arising from spectral specification of surface albedo, and the impact of cloud scattering in the thermal infrared. Our analysis suggests that improvements in the calculation of diffuse shortwave flux, shortwave absorption, and shortwave CO2 forcing as well as in the treatment of spectral surface albedo should be considered for many RT codes. On the other hand, longwave calculations are generally in agreement with the reference results. By expanding the range of conditions under which participating codes are tested, future CIRC phases will hopefully allow even more rigorous examination of RT codes.
The Impact of Harvesting and Site Preparation on the Physical Properties of Lower Coastal Plain Forest Soils

The impact of intensive forest management practices on soil physical properties was examined by collecting intact, 7.6 cm diameter soil core samples to a depth of 30 cm before harvest, after harvest, and after site preparation in plots established in primary skid trails and areas receiving whole-tree and conventional tree-length harvesting treatments. Site preparation for all plots was shear, burn, chop, and bed. Harvesting increased bulk density and decreased aeration porosity in all samples areas. Significant changes in these properties were detected to the 30-cm depth in the skid trail plots. However, significant changes in the whole-tree and tree-length plots were limited to the upper 15 cm of soil. Harvesting also significantly decreased saturated hydraulic conductivity to a depth of 8 cm in the skid trail plots and 15 cm in the tree-length plots but had no significant effect in the whole-tree plots. Bedding proved to be effective in offsetting soil compaction in the whole-tree and tree-length plots by forming a new soil surface, 19 cm in height, over the surface which was trafficed during harvest. Bedding may not be as effective in the skid trail plots because the soil found at the original surface under the bed was compactedmore » to the extent that root growth may be inhibited. « less
Satellite nighttime lights reveal increasing human exposure to floods worldwide

River floods claim thousands of lives every year, but effective and high‐resolution methods to map human exposure to floods at the global scale are still lacking. We use satellite nightlight data to prove that nocturnal lights close to rivers are consistently related to flood damages. We correlate global data of economic losses caused by flooding events with nighttime lights and find that increasing nightlights are associated to flood damage intensification. Then, we analyze the temporal evolution of nightlights along the river network all over the world from 1992 to 2012 and obtain a global map of nightlight trends, which we associate with increasing human exposure to floods, at 1 km2 resolution. An enhancement of exposure to floods worldwide, particularly in Africa and Asia, is revealed, which may exacerbate the projected effects of climate change on flood‐related losses and therefore argues for the development of valuable flood preparedness and mitigation strategies.