Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Neoproterozoic rifting in the southern Georgina Basin, central Australia: Implications for reconstructing Australia in Rodinia

A system of northwest striking Neoproterozoic rift basins underlies Paleozoic strata in the southern Georgina Basin of central Australia. Normal faults bounding these rift basins were selectively reactivated during the mid‐Paleozoic Alice Springs Orogeny and are now expressed as high‐angle reverse faults that invert the preexisting rift basins. Exhumed and eroded rift basin remnants are present in the hanging wall of the Oomoolmilla, Lucy Creek, Tarlton, and Toomba reverse faults, and rift basins may be preserved in the subsurface beneath the Toko Syncline and Burke River Structural Belt. Rift basin fill indicates two periods of extension: a major rift‐forming episode between approximately 700 and 650 Ma (coeval with Sturtian glacial deposits) and a second episode of extension at approximately 600 Ma (coeval with Marinoan glacial deposits). This northwest striking rift system in central Australia supports results from other regions, indicating that the Neoproterozoic continental margin of Australia consisted of northwest striking rift segments offset by northeast striking transform faults. Such a configuration is geometrically incompatible with a Laurentian continental margin consisting of northeast striking rift segments and conflicts with reconstructions such as SWEAT and AUSWUS that match Australia with western Laurentia in the Rodinia supercontinent.
Agency Risk Propensities Involving the Demand for Bureaucratic Discretion

In the study of public bureaucracy, an inherent tension arises concerning the balance of policy-making authority between politicians and administrative agencies. Administrative agencies enjoy some degree of discretion over policy-making via implementation via agency enforcement and rulemaking activities (e.g., Bryner 1987; Meier 1993a; Rourke 1984; Wilson 1989). Important theoretical breakthroughs emanating from the positive theory of bureaucratic discretion (PTBD) have generally focused on the supply side of this commodity. This strand of research treats the level of agency discretion as being determined by political choice, whether it pertains to the “hardwiring” of administrative agencies1 (e.g., Calvert, McCubbins, and Weingast 1989; McCubbins 1985; McCubbins and Page 1987; McCubbins, Noll, and Weingast 1987, 1989) or a trade-off that exists between political control and agency expertise (Bawn 1995; Epstein and O’Halloran 1994, 1996, 1999; Martin 1997). 2 While these works provide valuable insights into the supply of bureaucratic discretion that is
The Effects of Low-Head Dams and Land Use Change on North Carolina Atlantic Slope Fish Community Structure

Dams impound streams, alter sediment regimes and other physicochemical characteristics, and fragment populations. Low-head dams are ubiquitous in eastern North America and impact communities across broad geographic scales. We sampled fish at 25 dams (9 breached, 7 relict, 9 intact) in the Tar, Neuse and Roanoke basins including reaches upstream, immediately downstream (mill reach) of and >500m downstream from each dam (n=75 reaches). CPUE, taxa richness, percent intolerant taxa, individual intolerant taxa and eel abundance were significantly higher in intact dam mill reaches and upstream of breached dams compared to other reaches. Relict dams had no between reach differences. Effects of land-use disturbance (total agriculture, urban, and cleared land covers) was quantified at riparian, reach catchment, and watershed scales at study sites on tolerant and intolerant fish and fish spawning guilds. Watershed and reach catchment scale land-use had the greatest effect on fish communities. Low and intermediate disturbance watersheds and reach catchments with breached dams contained fewer intolerant fish and species, more tolerant fish, and fewer rock-gravel spawners than those with relict and intact dams. These data suggest breached dams warrant higher removal priorities than intact dams and intact dams should be entirely removed on a case by case basis.
On the natural remanent magnetism of certain mare basalts

The natural remanent magnetization (NRM) and magnetic properties of five fine-grain mare basalts were investigated. The NRM of two vitrophyres has a large soft component, and the directional stability during AF demagnetization is poor. The remaining samples have NRM which is too soft to be of thermal origin and yet too hard to be simply isothermal contamination. It is suggested that the NRM of the samples could be shock remanent magnetization.
Residual effect of vermicompost on sweet corn growth and selected chemical properties of soils from different organic farming practices

Solid organic fertilizer releases plant nutrient slowly, however, the residue in soil is available for the longer period. The he effect of vermicompost residue on sweet corn growth and selected chemical properties of soils from different organic farming practiceswas investigated. The first factor was soil from different organic farming practices (OFP), i.e., 0, 5, and 10 years of OFP and the second factor was rates of vermicompost, i.e., 0, 10, 20, and 30 Mg ha -1 . Result revealed that at the first and second plantings, vermicompost application considerably increased sweet corn growth and soil chemical properties, being the greatest was at the rate of 30 Mg ha -1 . Likewise, soil from 10 years of organic farming practice had higher total organic carbon and pH than the other practices. But, those of the second planting was shown significantly lower than those of the first planting, indicating that there was a depletion of nutrients after the second planting. The study confirmed that regular fertilization on organic farming practices is yet necessary to maintain the availability of plant nutrients.
Winter sea‐ice melt in the Canada Basin, Arctic Ocean

Recent warming and freshening of the Canada Basin has led to the year‐round storage of solar radiation as the near‐surface temperature maximum (NSTM). Using year‐round ocean (from ice tethered profilers and autonomous ocean flux buoys), sea‐ice (from ice mass balance buoys), and atmosphere (from NCEP/NCAR reanalysis) data from 2005–2010, we find that heat from the NSTM is entrained into the surface mixed layer (SML) during winter. Entrainment can only occur when the base of the SML reaches the top of the NSTM. If this condition is met, the surface forcing and stratification together determine whether the SML deepens into the NSTM. Heat transfer occurs by diffusion or by the erosion of the summer halocline. The average temperature of the SML warmed by as much as 0.06°C during storm events. Solar radiation began warming the SML about 1 month early during the winter of 2007–2008 and this can be explained by thin sea ice.
Terrain analysis : principles and applications

Digital Terrain Analysis (J. Wilson & J. Gallant). Digital Elevation Models and Representation of Terrain Shape (M. Hutchinson & J. Gallant). Primary Topographic Attributes (J. Gallant & J. Wilson). Secondary Topographic Attributes (J. Wilson & J. Gallant). Effect of Data Source, Grid Resolution, and Flow-Routing Method on Computed Topographic Attributes (J. Wilson, et al.). Spatial Analysis of Soil-Moisture Deficit and Potential Soil Loss in the Elbe River Basin (V. Krysanova, et al.). Mapping Contributing Areas for Stormwater Discharge to Streams Using Terrain Analysis (J. Fried, et al.). Soil-Moisture Modeling in Humid Mountainous Landscapes (J. Yeakley, et al.). Stochastic Analysis of a Coupled Surface/Subsurface Hydrologic Model (G. Pohll & J. Warwick). The Role of Terrain Analysis in Soil Mapping (N. McKenzie, et al.). Automated Landform Classification Methods for Soil-Landscape Studies (S. Ventura & B. Irvin). A Soil-Terrain Model for Estimating Spatial Patterns of Soil Organic Carbon (J. Bell, et al.). Shallow Landslide Delineation for Steep Forest Watersheds Based on Topographic Attributes and Probability Analysis (J. Duan & G. Grant). Terrain Variables Used for Predictive Mapping of Vegetation Communities in Southern California (J. Franklin, et al.). Automated Land Cover Mapping Using Landsat Thematic Mapper Images and Topographic Attributes (J. Wheatley, et al.). Towards a Spatial Model of Boreal Forest Ecosystems: The Role of Digital Terrain Analysis (B. Mackey, et al.). Future Directions for Terrain Analysis (J. Gallant, et al.). References. Index.
Physical activity and exercise.

Exercise has been prescribed for diabetes treatment since at least 600 B.C. The early East Indian text, the Shushruta, described a reduction in the sweetness of urine from diabetic patients after exercise. One might think that very little could be left to discover in the field of exercise and diabetes, yet surprisingly this is far from the truth. Ongoing research is refining the exercise prescription for patients of all ages, with the main types of diabetes (gestational, type 1, and type 2) and discovering new ways in which exercise has benefits. Alterations in metabolism caused by diabetes and new types of exercise modalities are also actively being researched. A search of several hundred articles on exercise published between July 1, 2012, to June 30, 2013, uncovered the following 9 articles we felt had the most relevance to patients with diabetes or prediabetes.
Microbial interactions associated with biofilms attached to Trichodesmium spp. and detrital particles in the ocean

Abstract : Quorum sensing (QS) via acylated homoserine lactones (AHLs) was discovered in the ocean, yet little is known about its role in the ocean. The objectives of this thesis were to constrain the chemical stability of AHLs, their occurrence in marine particulate environments and the behaviors they might regulate in the ocean. In this dissertation I established that AHLs are more stable in seawater than expected and are likely to accumulate within biofilms. Using culture dependent and independent-techniques, I established that Trichodesmium colonies host biofilm communities distinct from seawater. Using HPLC-MS I determined that bacteria isolated from biofilms attached to Trichodesmium synthesize AHLs and that AHLs are also present in sinking POC collected near Vancouver Island, Canada. This was the first time AHLs have been detected in POC and their presence indicated that AHL-QS was occurring in the POC sample. We also showed that AHLs enhanced the activity of hydrolytic enzymes in a non-axenic Trichodesmium culture and in sinking POC. My results suggest AHL-QS is a factor regulating biogeochemically relevant enzyme activities on sinking POC and within the biofilms attached to Trichodesmium colonies and thereby may impact the timing and magnitude of biogeochemical fluxes in the ocean.
The Migrant Network Effect: An empirical analysis of rural-to-urban migration in South Africa

Recent empirical migration literature in South Africa suggests that access to physical and human capital, in the way of finance and education respectively, are key factors in increasing oneâ€™s probability of migrating. This paper attempts to extend this literature by directly measuring the extent to which social capital, broadly defined as oneâ€™s access to a migrant network, affects the probability of rural-to-urban migration. Using the first nationally representative panel dataset in South Africa, the National Income Dynamics Study, I estimate a standard model of migration choice with the inclusion of oneâ€™s connection to a migrant network. This connection is measured by being part of a household in the baseline wave that contains somebody with current or recent experience as a labour migrant. In line with international migration literature, the empirical results suggest that access to a migrant network increases the likelihood of becoming a migrant (by between 2-3 percentage points). These findings are robust to the inclusion of various controls and therefore suggest that social capital does indeed play a role along with physical and human capital in determining who migrates in South Africa.
Middle Devonian spore stratigraphy in the eastern outcrop belt of the Parnaíba Basin, northeastern Brazil

This paper presents an account of spores and marine phytoplankton from the eastern outcrop belt of the Parnaiba Basin. The palynomorphs were obtained from shallow core samples, penetrating the lowermost part of the Cabecas, Pimenteira, and the upper Itaim formations. However, there are no age assignments for the Cabecas and Itaim formations. The age span of the Pimenteira Formation is determined here as late Eifelian � late early Givetian. The Per (AD pre Lem), LLi (AD Lem), and lower Trg (TA) interval zones are recognized. One spore species, Aneurospora unimaculatus, is new.
Diffusion of floating particles in flow through emergent vegetation: Further experimental investigation

In this paper we present the results of a new laboratory investigation aimed at providing a better understanding of the transport and diffusion processes of floating particles (e.g., buoyant seeds) in open channel flow with emergent vegetation. The experiments are designed primarily to study the influence of vegetation density and flow velocity on the relevant interaction mechanisms between particles and vegetation. The aim is also to ascertain the validity of a stochastic model recently proposed by Defina and Peruzzo (2010). We find that (1) the proper definition of plant spacing is given as 1/npdp, with dp being the plant diameter and np being the number of plants per unit area, (2) the particle retention time distribution can be satisfactorily approximated by a weighted combination of two exponential distributions, (3) flow velocity has a significant influence on the retention time and on the efficiency of the different trapping mechanisms, and (4) vegetation pattern and density have a minor influence on the probability of capture and on the retention time of particles. Indeed, the comparison between model predictions and experimental results is satisfactory and suggests that the observed relevant aspects of the particle‐vegetation interaction processes are properly described by the model.
Investigation of microplastic debris in marine surface waters using different sampling methods

‘Microplastics’ are pieces of plastic debris <5mm in diameter. They are introduced into the marine environment directly for example via release of small pieces of plastics used as abrasives and indirectly through the fragmentation of larger items. The European Marine Strategy Framework Directive 2008/56/EC (MSFD) regards microplastics as an emerging issue of concern and calls for more data on the quantity, distribution and composition of this debris. This thesis examines the amount, composition and distribution of buoyant microplastic debris in marine waters using different sampling devices and
Observations of molecular oxygen Atmospheric band emission in the thermosphere using the near infrared spectrometer on the ISS/RAIDS experiment

[1] Observations of airglow emission using the RAIDS (Remote Atmospheric and Ionospheric Detection System) instruments on the International Space Station Kibo module are reported and compared to a photochemical model of the emission process. Launched in Sept. 2009, RAIDS performed routine observations of the O2(b1Σ → X3Σ) Atmospheric band (O2 A-band) transition during solar minimum conditions from October 2009 to December 2010. Limb brightness of the (0,0), (0,1) and (1,1) vibration band emissions were measured in the altitude range 80 to 180 km with the Near Infrared Spectrometer (NIRS) instrument, one of eight limb viewing instruments in the RAIDS experiment. Comparison of observed brightness profiles with the model shows very good agreement for the (0,0) and (0,1) bands. The model underestimates the (1,1) brightness profiles throughout the region, especially near the peak. Reasonable variations of composition and selected rate constants do not account for the underestimation of (1,1) band brightness. A contributing factor could be in the assumption of detailed balance and the accepted energy transfer pathways that redistribute energy between the v = 0 and v = 1 states.
Content-Aware Adaptive Compression of Satellite Imagery Using Artificial Vision

Abstract : This thesis aims to improve image throughput from satellite to Earth by using Artificial Vision to perform data compression before the downlink. Onboard Analysis for Selective Imagery Compression (OASIC) is a hybrid compression algorithm designed for oceanic imagery, incorporating both lossless and lossy compression methods to achieve a high compression ratio with minimal noise on vessels of interest. This is achieved by separating the vessels from the surrounding ocean and storing them with high fidelity, while compressing the remainder of the image with low fidelity. The performance of OASIC is examined on full resolution panchromatic satellite images and compared to both lossless and lossy JPEG2000 compressed images. In nearly all configurations tested, OASIC outperforms JPEG2000, achieving an average fifteen-fold improvement in compression ratios while maintaining a nearly lossless fidelity for the vessels within the OASIC compressed images. This content-sensitive compression algorithm can potentially enable the transmission of higher spatial resolution images, with more spectral bands, and at higher download speeds from space.
Homotopy Relaxation Training Algorithms for Infinite-Width Two-Layer ReLU Neural Networks

In this paper, we present a novel training approach called the Homotopy Relaxation Training Algorithm (HRTA), aimed at accelerating the training process in contrast to traditional methods. Our algorithm incorporates two key mechanisms: one involves building a homotopy activation function that seamlessly connects the linear activation function with the ReLU activation function; the other technique entails relaxing the homotopy parameter to enhance the training refinement process. We have conducted an in-depth analysis of this novel method within the context of the neural tangent kernel (NTK), revealing significantly improved convergence rates. Our experimental results, especially when considering networks with larger widths, validate the theoretical conclusions. This proposed HRTA exhibits the potential for other activation functions and deep neural networks.
HAND contour: a new proxy predictor of inundation extent

Tools for accurately predicting environmental risks, such as the location and spatial extent of potential inundation, are not widely available. A dependence on calibration and a lack of available flood data have prevented the widespread application of existing hydrodynamic methods for predicting the extent of inundation. We use the height above the nearest drainage (HAND) terrain model to develop a simple static approach for mapping the potential extent of inundation that does not depend on flood observations and extends beyond methods for mapping low‐lying areas. While relying on the contour concept, the method utilizes drainage‐normalized topography and flowpaths to delineate the relative vertical distances (drop) to the nearest river. The HAND‐delineated relative drop is an effective distributed predictor of flood potential, which is directly related to the river stage height. We validated the new HAND contour approach using a flood event in Southern Brazil for which high‐resolution maps were available. The results indicated that the flood hazard‐mapping method accurately predicted the inundation extent of the channel carrying the flood wave and the channels influenced by flooding. For channels positioned outside of the flood‐wave area, the method overestimated the actual flood extent. As an original static assessment of floodwaters across the landscape, the HAND contour method could be used to map flood hazards in areas with poor information and could promote the development of new methods for predicting hydrological hazards. Copyright © 2015 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Effects of multiphase methane supply on hydrate accumulation and fracture generation

We simulate methane hydrate formation with multiphase flow and free gas within the regional hydrate stability zone (RHSZ). We find that hydrate distribution and fracture behavior are largely determined by the phase of the methane supply. We allow free gas to enter the RHSZ when porewater salinity increases to the value required for three‐phase equilibrium. Fractures nucleate when the excess pore pressure exceeds the vertical hydrostatic effective stress. At Hydrate Ridge, where methane supply is dominantly free gas, hydrate saturation increases upwards and fractures nucleate high within the RHSZ, eventually allowing gas to vent to the seafloor. At Blake Ridge, where methane supply is dominantly in the dissolved phase, hydrate saturation is greatest at the base of the RHSZ; fractures nucleate here and in some cases could propagate through the RHSZ, allowing methane‐charged water to vent to the seafloor.
Cork oak regeneration: an approach based on species interactions at landscape scale

Understanding seed production patterns and variability is essential for predicting plant regeneration. Both non-adaptive (e.g., resource-tracking) and adaptive (e.g., predatorsatiation) hypotheses have been deemed responsible for variation in seed production. Here we aim to test the role of these two types of hypotheses on acorn production (i.e., number and size of acorns, and annual/biennial production pattern) of cork oak (Quercus suber) in the eastern Iberian peninsula (Spain). Specifically, we tested the following predictions: 1) the number of acorns depends on climatic and weather factors; 2) environmentally-stressed populations have a higher proportion of biennial acorns than non-stressed populations; 3) acorn size is also dependent on resource factors (weather); and 4) monospecific oak patches satiate pre-dispersal predators better than multi-oak species patches. The results suggest that weather variables accounted for approx. 20% of the variability. Models increased the explained variance to 55.4 % if the previous-year production of the tree was introduced. Temporal autocorrelations were related to the number of frost days and droughts suggesting that in northern populations there is a dominance of annual acorns, while in southern ones biennial acorns are more common. Acorn size correlated positively with available water and with spring days below freezing during the current year. Infestation proportion increased in years with low acorn production for both Curculio and Cydia, but only the former correlated positively with the area and proportion of cover by cork oak. We concluded that cork oak populations are highly diverse in all the acorn production parameters studied and that both the resource-matching and the predator-satiation hypotheses seem to be operating.
Pressure Data from the Phoenix Landing Site

Introduction: During the Phoenix mission air temperatures were measured at three levels on a 1-m mast and pressure was measured with a Barocap/Thermocap system housed on the deck of the lander, itself about 1 m above ground level [1]. Measurements were made at 0.5 Hz and ran almost continuously through the landed mission apart from short daily breaks for data transfers. The diurnal temperature data were generally very similar from one day to the next throughout the first 60 sols of the mission with daily maxima of around -30C and minima of -80C. These match our boundary-layer model predictions. The calculation of pressure from the raw Barocap output dependes on sensor temperature, Tb, which is initially assumed to be that measured by an adjacent Thermocap, at temperature TT. The assumption is not always valid due to a nearby heat source and the pressure data needed some post-processing to correct for the effects. However the time scale of the adjustments is of order 60 s and the uncorrected data could be used to clearly identify the passage of dust devils and dustless vortex features (usually several per sol, near mid-day and early afternoon) with a shorter time scale. These are discussed by Ellehøj et al [2] while the present paper discusses the pressure corrections and longer time scale features.