Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Synoptic variability in the Ross Sea region, Antarctica, as seen from back‐trajectory modeling and ice core analysis

[1] Synoptic variability in the Ross Sea region, Antarctica over the last thirty years is investigated using back-trajectory modeling and cluster analysis. We identify two dominant air-mass trajectory clusters: oceanic/West Antarctic and continental/East Antarctic. Our analysis shows that the oceanic/West Antarctic trajectories have an annual cycle similar to the Semiannual Oscillation and on average peak in frequency during April, while continental/East Antarctic trajectories reach their annual maximum during December. We demonstrate a causal association between the El Nino Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and the frequency of oceanic/West Antarctic trajectories originating from the Ross Sea and Amundsen Sea regions. In contrast, we find that the Southern Annular Mode (SAM) has little influence on the trajectory cluster frequencies. We then develop proxy records for synoptic variability using a shallow firn core from Gawn Ice Piedmont in Southern Victoria Land. Continental/East Antarctic trajectory frequency correlates with concentrations of nitrate (NO3), which is sourced from stratospheric air-masses descending over the Antarctic interior. At seasonal to inter-annual scales, the frequency of oceanic/West Antarctic trajectory clusters strongly correlate with deuterium excess, which is sensitive to changes in relative humidity and sea surface temperature in the Ross and Amundsen Seas. Inter-annual variability in the frequency of oceanic/West Antarctic trajectories is discussed with respect to ENSO and changes in SST and sea ice extent.
Mapping freshwater marsh species distributions using WorldView-2 high-resolution multispectral satellite imagery

Freshwater wetlands are highly diverse, spatially heterogeneous, and seasonally dynamic systems that present unique challenges to remote sensing. Maximum likelihood and support vector machine-supervised classification were compared to map wetland plant species distributions in a deltaic environment using high-resolution WorldView-2 satellite imagery. The benefits of the sensor’s new coastal blue, yellow, and red-edge bands were tested for mapping coastal vegetation and the eight-band results were compared to classifications performed using band combinations and spatial resolutions characteristic of other available high-resolution satellite sensors. Unlike previous studies, this study found that support vector machine classification did not provide significantly different results from maximum likelihood classification. The maximum likelihood classifier provided the highest overall classification accuracy, at 75%, with user’s and producer’s accuracies for individual species ranging from 0% to 100%. Overall, maximum likelihood classification of WorldView-2 imagery provided satisfactory results for species distribution mapping within this freshwater delta system and compared favourably to results of previous studies using hyperspectral imagery, but at much lower acquisition cost and greater ease of processing. The red-edge and coastal blue bands appear to contribute the most to improved vegetation mapping capability over high-resolution satellite sensors that employ only four spectral bands.
An assessment of temperature and precipitation change projections over Italy from recent global and regional climate model simulations

We present an assessment of climate change projections over the Italian peninsula for the 21st century from the CMIP3 global and PRUDENCE regional model experiments. We consider the A2, A1B, B2 and B1 emission scenarios. The climate change signal over Italy varies seasonally, with maximum warming in summer (up to several °C) and minimum in winter, decreased precipitation over the entire peninsula in summer (locally up to −40%) and a dipolar precipitation change pattern in winter (increase to the north and decrease to the south). Inter‐annual variability increases in all seasons for precipitation and in summer for temperature, while it decreases for winter temperature. The seasonal temperature anomaly probability density functions (PDFs) show a shift as well as a broadening and flattening in future climate conditions, especially in summer. This implies larger increases for extreme hot seasons than mean summer temperatures. The seasonal precipitation anomaly PDFs are greatly affected in summer, with a strong increase of very dry seasons. Moreover, seasons with large precipitation amounts tend to increase in future climate conditions, i.e. we find an increase of very dry (drought prone) and very wet (flood prone) seasons. The magnitude of future climate change depends on the emission scenario and the temperature and precipitation change signals show substantial fine‐scale structure in response to the topographical forcing of the Italian major mountain systems. In addition, the change signal is greater than the inter‐model standard deviation for temperature in all seasons and for precipitation in the summer. Finally, the CMIP3 ensemble captures the observed 20th century trends of temperature and precipitation change over northern Italy. A broad agreement between the projections obtained with the CMIP3 and PRUDENCE ensembles is found, which adds robustness to the findings. Copyright © 2009 Royal Meteorological Society
The Moine Supergroup of NW Scotland: insights into the analysis of polyorogenic supracrustal sequences

Abstract The Moine Supergroup of NW Scotland is a thick sequence of early Neoproterozoic sedimentary rocks, with minor igneous intrusions, that display evidence for multiple phases of regional deformation and metamorphism. The descriptions and interpretations of the ‘Moine Schists’ provided by the 1907 memoir (Peach et al. 1907) have been proved to be essentially correct and have laid the groundwork for a century of distinguished and influential research that has reached far beyond the confines of NW Scotland. The Survey workers recognized the sedimentary protoliths of these rocks, realized that they had been deposited unconformably on inliers of reworked basement gneisses that now occupy the cores of major folds, and understood the likely complexity of folding and the kinematic significance of mineral lineations. Further advances in understanding of the Moine rocks were mainly achieved through two techniques that were not available to the Survey workers of 100 years ago – geochronology and palaeomagnetism. Isotopic studies have confirmed the view of the Survey workers that the Moine rocks are of Precambrian age, and furthermore have demonstrated a complex, polyorogenic history.
Late Ordovician glacial pavements revisited: a reappraisal of the origin of striated surfaces

Deynoux and Ghienne (2004) described intraformational, striated surfaces within Upper Ordovician glacigenic rocks. A new model for these features was proposed, which characterized them as shear zones within a sediment pile overridden by ice. This model clearly represents a development of an older interpretation proposed by Sutcliffe et al. (2000). However, significant shortfalls are recognized in both interpretations and in the sections below, additional observations are presented that intend to characterize the true nature of these late Ordovician subglacial bedforms, which are based on observations and a review of older literature. An alternative model is suggested that is based on more recent interpretations by Le Heron et al. (2005).
Remote Sensing of Chlorophyll and Sea Surface Temperature in Indian Water with Impact of 2004 Sumatra Tsunami

The daily and weekly averaged Indian Remote Sensing satellite IRS-P4 Ocean Color Monitor (OCM) derived chlorophyll images were generated and interpreted in terms of pretsunami, tsunami, and posttsunami periods in the Bay of Bengal and Andaman Sea. There has been observation of increase in chlorophyll concentration up to 5.0 mg/m3 in the tsunami-affected coastal waters. The high chlorophyll concentration lasted for about one week after the tsunami catastrophe. The standard deviation for different transects in the tsunami-affected water were plotted. The high chlorophyll has been observed for selected transects in the aftermath of the tsunami event in coastal regions, and offshore water has also shown increase in chlorophyll concentration (∼1.0 mg/m3) in the Bay of Bengal. The analysis indicated that the tsunami waves might have displaced and spread the high chlorophyll coastal water towards offshore. NASA Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) Aqua daytime sea surface temperature (SST) daily images were retrieved and displayed during December 21, 2004, to January 6, 2005, and indicated the cooling (0.5–1°C) in the Bay of Bengal around Tamil Nadu and Andhra coast. The National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Prediction-National Center for Environment Prediction (NOAA-NCEP) data for five weeks (December 9, 2004–January 12, 2005) were retrieved to study the SST variability trend in prior to MODIS data and indicated 0.5–1°C cooling of the Bay of Bengal water off Kakinada, Chennai, Cuddalore, and Nagapattinam region on December 26 and 28, 2004.
Suction Removal of Sediment from between Armor Blocks. III: Breaking Waves

AbstractWhen a sediment beach covered by stones or an armor layer is exposed to breaking waves, the turbulence generated by the breaking waves can cause mobilization and removal of the sediment underneath the stones. In two earlier studies by the Technical University of Denmark (DTU)-group, the suction removal of sediments from between armor blocks has dealt with the case of steady current and nonbreaking waves. The present study is an extension of these studies and the results will be presented in a similar way. The critical conditions for removal of sediment are determined. It is found that the onset of removal of sediment is governed by three parameters: (1) the sediment mobility (based on the sediment size, wave height, and wave period), (2) the ratio between the sediment size and the stone size, d/D, and (3) surf similarity parameter, ξ=tan(β)/(H0/L0)0.5. The variation of the critical mobility number for removal of sediment as function of d/D and ξ is determined for the range 0.001
GROUND IMPROVEMENT OF INTERMEDIATE RECLAIMED LAND BY COMPACTION THROUGH CAVITY EXPANSION OF SAND PILES

The crushed Tertiary Period mudstone used as the geomaterial for the artificial reclaimed land in the Joetsu Region of Japan consists of coarse and fine fractions of about 50% each and is classified as an “intermediate soil. ” Unlike sand or clay soils, no constitutive equations or sufficiently established design methods have been available until now for evaluating intermediate soils. This paper first utilizes the SYS Cam-clay model (Asaoka et al., 2002) to identify the soil profile of intermediate reclaimed land through comparison of laboratory test results with the calculated responses of the constitutive equation. Next, the soil profile obtained is used to carry out various soil-water coupled finite deformation analyses. The main conclusions reached are as follows: 1) The rates of decay/collapse of the soil structure, loss of overconsolidation, and evolution of anisotropy of the soil materials that constitute the Joetsu reclaimed land lie midway between those of typical sand and clay. 2) Ground improvement by cavity expansion of sand piles is effective in converting the reclaimed land from a highly structured ground having heavier overconsolidation to a lightly overconsolidated ground with a low degree of structure by increasing the confining pressures within the ground. In particular, the reduction in the specific volume of the soil elements in the vicinity of the sand piles becomes large. 3) In the case of small vertical displacement, the composite ground containing the sand piles exhibits a bearing capacity of about 1.5 times that of an unimproved ground, and in the case of large displacement, the bearing capacity is about 2 times larger.
The East Anatolian Fault: geometry, segmentation and jog characteristics

Abstract A detailed account is given of the fault geometry and segment structure of the East Anatolian Fault Zone as a whole based on mapping of active faults, supported by available seismological and palaeoseismological data. We divide the East Anatolian Fault into two main strands: southern and northern. The main southern strand is c. 580 km long between Karlıova and Antakya, and connects with the Dead Sea Fault Zone and the Cyprus Arc via the Amik triple junction. The northern strand, termed the Sürgü–Misis Fault system, is c. 350 km long and connects with the Kyrenia–Misis Fault Zone beneath the Gulf of İskenderun. We infer that slip partitioning between the main and northern strands of the East Anatolian Fault accommodates 2/3 and 1/3 of the slip rate of the lateral motion between the Arabian and Anatolian plates, respectively in the Çelikhan–Adana–Antakya region. Taking account of the time elapsed from the latest events on the East Anatolian Fault, we suggest that the Pazarcık and Amanos segments have the potential to produce destructive earthquakes in the near future. Supplementary material: The data and interpretations given here are supported by five additional annotated field photographs and two tables of factual data, these are available at www.geolsoc. org.uk/SUP18568
Developing an Adaptive Management approach to prescribed burning: a long-term heathland conservation experiment in north-west Italy

Calluna vulgaris-dominated heathlands are globally important habitats and extremely scarce outside of north- west Europe. Rotational fire, grazing and cutting by local farmers were dominant features of past heathland management throughout Europe but have been abandoned, altering the historical fire regime and habitat structure. We briefly review research on Calluna heathland conservation management and provide the background and methodology for a long-term research project that will be used to define prescribed fire regimes in combination with grazing and cutting, for management of Calluna heathlands in north-west Italy. We outline the ecological and research issues that drive the fire experiment, making explicit the experimental design and the hypotheses that will be tested. We demonstrate how Adaptive Management can be used to inform decisions about the nature of fire prescriptions where little formal knowledge exists. Experimental plots ranging from 600 to 2500 m 2 are treated according to one of eight alternative treatments (various combinations of fire, grazing and cutting), each replicated four times. To date, all treatments have been applied for 4 years, from 2005 to 2008, and a continuation is planned. Detailed measurement of fire characteristics is made to help interpret ecological responses at a microplot scale. The results of the experiment will be fed back into the experimental design and used to inform heathland management practice in north-west Italy.
On the Connection between Debris Flow Activity and Permafrost Degradation: A Case Study from the Schnalstal, South Tyrolean Alps, Italy

The possible influence of permafrost degradation on the formation of debris flows in an area of the South Tyrolean Alps, Italy, was examined by comparing debris flow activity since 1983 with the modelled contemporary permafrost distribution. The study focused on the spatial congruence of new initiation zones and potentially marginal permafrost, which should be especially sensitive to climatic change and is presumed to be currently degrading. The results show that distinct changes in the spatial position of debris flow initiation areas mainly occurred at elevations above this marginal zone. Consequently, the changes detected in debris flow activity do not appear to have been influenced by atmospheric warming‐induced degradation of permafrost. However, a link may exist to the thickening of the active layer caused by the melting of a glacier. Copyright © 2011 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Uncertainty and the changing hydroclimatology of the Amazon

Using a spatially‐explicit model, we have projected potential Amazon landscapes based on two possible development scenarios and total forest removal to represent uncertainty in future land cover. We conducted Monte Carlo simulations with a regional climate model driven by these landscapes and by different years to include atmospheric uncertainty. Absent restraints on development, we find that certain areas can expect annual rainfall declines of 3–5% that persist in spite of introduced uncertainty. These declines are strongly tied to key landscape features. Land cover and land use change associated with major roads, not ENSO events or other annual atmospheric features, leads to reduced rainfall. For the case of total deforestation we found an average annual decline in rainfall of 10–20% across the entire basin.
Greenland Sea Surface Temperature Change and Accompanying Changes in the Northern Hemispheric Climate

AbstractA sudden change in the reference Greenland Sea surface temperature (GSST) in 1979 is identified. It is found to be a part of complex changes in the northern North Atlantic seas. The GSST change, in particular, resulted in a major change in the near-surface baroclinicity in the region, in addition to a large change in the net surface heat flux at the air–sea boundary over the Greenland Sea. The differences in the atmospheric mean state between two periods, one before and the other after the GSST change in the late 1970s, resemble those between the high and low North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index states. In addition to the changes in the mean state, major changes in the interannual variability of the atmosphere are found. A particularly interesting change in the interannual variability is found in the relationship between July GSST and the NAO phase in the following February. There is a strong correlation between July GSST and the NAO phase in the following February before the late 1970s but not .
Life in proto‐Amazonia: Middle Miocene mammals from the Fitzcarrald Arch (Peruvian Amazonia)

The Middle Miocene has been identified as a time of great diversification in modern lineages now distributed in tropical South America, and when basic archetypal traits defining Amazonia appear, including climatic humid conditions, basic floral physiognomy and phylogenetic composition of modern rainforests. Nonetheless, Middle Miocene localities in South America are poorly known, especially at low latitudes where only one species‐rich locality, La Venta in Colombia, has been extensively studied. The present contribution describes the mammal fauna of Fitzcarrald, a new Middle Miocene local fauna from western Amazonia in Peru. Fitzcarrald is correlated with the Laventan South American Land Mammal Age based on the presence of taxa defining the ‘Miocochilius assemblage zone’ in La Venta. The mammalian fauna of Fitzcarrald comprises 24 taxa among cingulates, folivores, astrapotheres, notoungulates, litopterns, rodents, odontocetes and a possible marsupial. At this time, tropical South America was characterized by the presence of the Pebas megawetland, a huge lacustrine complex that provided unique ecological and environmental conditions most likely isolating northern South America from southern South America. These isolating conditions might have come to an end with its disappearance in the Late Miocene and the establishment of the subsequent Acre system, the predecessor fluvial system of modern Amazonia. Results of faunistic similarity between Fitzcarrald and other Miocene faunas throughout South America support these scenarios. The Fitzcarrald mammal fauna exhibits first appearance datums and last appearance datums of various taxa, showing that tropical South America has played a crucial role in the evolutionary history and biogeography of major clades, and revealing a more complex biological history than previously proposed, based on the record from the southern cone of the continent.
Plate tectonic settings for Precambrian basic rocks from Brazil by multidimensional tectonomagmatic discrimination diagrams and their limitations

Multidimensional discrimination diagrams (2006–2011) for basic and ultrabasic igneous rocks were applied to Precambrian rock suites from the Amazonian and São Francisco cratons, and the Tocantins Province, Brazil, to infer their possible tectonic settings. The chosen study cases in the Amazonian craton include the ca. 3.0 Ga metabasalts of the Identidade greenstone belt, 1.87–1.80 Ga Parauapebas anorogenic basalt-rhyolite dikes, 1.86–1.82 Ga Rio Branco anorogenic gabbro-basalt association, ca. 1.76–1.74 Ga Aripuanã and Teles Pires intracratonic basalt-felsic volcanic associations, and 1.76–1.74 Ga Jamari and 1.60–1.53 Ga Serra da Providência arc-related gabbroic rocks. In the São Francisco craton, we selected 1.48 Ga arc-related amphibolites of the Rio Capim greenstone belt, continental mafic dikes of Uauá (2.6 Ga), Curaçá and Chapada Diamantina (1.5 Ga), and Espinhaço (ca. 1.0 Ga). In the Tocantins Province, ca. 3.0 Ga komatiites associated with oceanic basalts of the Crixás and Guarinos greenstone belts were studied. The application of the diagrams generally provided consistent results with the authors’ proposed tectonic settings based on field relationships and geochemical data. The exceptions are some within-plate (continental) mafic dikes and basalts for which our diagrams do not work well. For comparison, we also used two ternary and two bivariate traditional discrimination diagrams for the data from the Amazonian craton, whose results were poorer than the newer multidimensional diagrams.
Predictors of cognitive and psychosocial outcome after STN DBS in Parkinson's Disease

We aimed to clarify the profile of cognitive impairment in ALS, by meta-analysis of published studies. Criteria for inclusion were: ALS diagnosed according to El Escorial criteria; control group matched for age and education; correction for bias due to motor impairment or dysarthria; no dementia in patients and controls. Effect sizes reflecting a difference in neuropsychological performance between ALS patients and controls were calculated for 12 cognitive domains. The effect of demographic and clinical variables (age, disease duration, site of onset) on cognition was assessed in a moderator analysis. Of 48 eligible articles, 16 studies encompassing 554 ALS patients were included. Significant effect sizes were found for the Mini Mental State Examination (d 0.8), immediate verbal memory (d 0.5), visual memory (d 0.4), fluency (d 0.5), psychomotor speed (d 0.7), language (d 0.5) and executive functioning (d 0.3). The results of the latter three domains are less reliable due to the possibility of publication bias. Psychomotor speed, and to a lesser extent fluency, may have been influenced by motor impairment, despite attempts to correct for motor slowness. In conclusion, the diversity of cognitive problems in ALS seems greater than was previously thought. ALS patients may suffer from cognitive impairment in multiple domains, including memory dysfunction.