Miracle-dz/UniFAR-FTUs huggingface dataset:
Changes in the global heat transport and eddy‐mean flow interaction associated with weaker thermohaline circulation

This study investigates the anomalous patterns of the oceanic and atmospheric heat transport, transient waves and the interaction between transient waves and the mean zonal flow. The evaluation is based on simulations performed with a coupled model forced by an increase of 1 Sverdrup of freshwater flux into the North Atlantic Ocean. It is found that an increase of freshwater flux in the North Atlantic leads to a weakening in the Northern Hemisphere (NH) oceanic heat transport by up to 1 Petawatt (1015) PW but results in an intensification of the Southern Hemisphere (SH) total heat transport. This inter‐hemispheric seesaw leads to substantial changes in transient wave activity which is associated with anomalous meridional temperature flux and eddy kinetic energy (EKE). During winter in the NH, weakening of the thermohaline circulation induces an increase in the storm track activity. However, a reduction in storm tracks is found over the extratropical regions of the SH. The correspondence between the anomalies of storm track intensity and Eady growth rate lead to the conclusion that changes in the transient eddy activity are mostly generated by changes in baroclinic conditions. Furthermore, calculations of the E vector show that interaction between transient and mean flow is most pronounced over the North Atlantic where stronger storm tracks enhance the mean westerlies, thus minimising the effect of changes in the oceanic heat transport. Copyright © 2011 Royal Meteorological Society
The biogeochemistry and residual mean circulation of the southern ocean

I develop conceptual models of the biogeochemistry and physical circulation of the Southern Ocean in order to study the air-sea fluxes of trace gases and biological productivity and their potential changes over glacial-interglacial timescales. Mesoscale eddy transfers play a dominant role in the dynamical and tracer balances in the Antarctic Circumpolar Current, and the transport of tracers is driven by the residual mean circulation which is the net effect of the Eulerian mean circulation and the eddy-induced circulation. Using an idealized, zonally averaged model of the ACC, I illustrate the sensitivity of the uptake of transient tracers including CFC11, bomb-Al4C and anthropogenic CO 2 to surface wind stress and buoyancy fluxes over the Southern Ocean. The model qualitatively reproduces observed distribution of CFC11 and bomb-Al4C, and a suite of sensitivity experiments illustrate the physical processes controlling the rates of the oceanic uptake of these tracers. The sensitivities of the uptake of CFC11 and bombA14C are largely different because of the differences in their air-sea equilibration timescales. The uptake of CFC11 is mainly determined by the rates of physical transport in the ocean, and that of bomb-A14C is mainly controlled by the air-sea gas transfer velocity. Anthropogenic CO 2 falls in between these two cases, and the rate of anthropogenic CO 2 uptake is affected by both processes. Biological productivity in the Southern Ocean is characterized with the circumpolar belt of elevated biological productivity, "Antarctic Circumpolar Productivity Belt". Annually and zonally averaged export of biogenic silica is estimated by fitting the zonally averaged tracer transport model to the climatology of silicic acid using the method of least squares. The pattern of export production inferred from the inverse calculation is qualitatively consistent with recent observations. The pattern of inferred export production has a maximum on the southern flank of the ACC. The advective transport by the residual mean circulation is the key process in the vertical supply of silicic acid to the euphotic layer where photosynthesis occurs. In order to illustrate what sets the position of the productivity belt, I examined simulated biological production in a physical-biogeochemical model which includes an
Extending a virtual chemistry laboratory with a collaboration script to promote conceptual learning

We developed collaborative extensions to 'Vlab', a web-based laboratory that supports students in conducting virtual chemistry experiments. While results from a recent study indicated that VLab promotes chemistry learning, they also revealed that there is room for improvement. We embedded VLab into a collaborative environment that implements a computer-supported collaboration script for guiding students through the stages of scientific experimentation. We describe our pedagogical approach, our collaboration script, and the collaborative learning environment which implements it. We present results from two small-scale studies and a contrasting-case analysis of how adaptive prompts, in addition to the fixed script, affected student behaviour.
The driving forces of Boye wetland degradation and its bird species composition, Jimma, Southwestern Ethiopia

The aim of this study was to assess the causes of Boye wetland degradation and to identify the bird species composition of the wetland. To achieve the stated objective, group discussion with the local communities was carried out on the causes of wetland degradation and prioritizations were done. In addition, soil samples were collected from wetland and converted lands (agriculture, grazing and Eucalyptus plantation land). Identification and recording of avian species composition was conducted by direct observations using binoculars and standard manual for bird identification. The results of discussion revealed that agriculture land expansion, over grazing, waste disposal in the wetland from Jimma town and Eucalyptus plantation were the major causes for Boye wetland degradation. Statistically significant difference (P<0.05) was observed between wetland and converted lands for pH and EC with the highest mean value on converted land. However, a significant difference (P<0.01) was observed for OC (%) and TN (%) with the highest mean value at wetland. Furthermore, 36 bird species were identified; among these, two are endemic and three near endemic species. Balearica pavonina and Balearica regulorum vulnerable species and Macronyx flavicollis was near threatened species were also found in the wetland. To protect these birds and the biodiversity of Boye wetland, restoration and protection programs should be established to avoid further degradation.
Brazil's economy - 1971-2008: growth pattern and structural change

The aim of the paper is to explain the growth pattern of the Brazilian economy during the 1971-2005 period as a succession of phases that are identified and described according to qualitative characteristics associated with historical events. Additionally, we show that the transition from one phase to another is explained by alteration in the economic environment and/or changes in policies that put in march structural changes. In this sense in the proposed analysis growth pattern and structural changes were both identified and analyzed. RESUMO O objetivo desse artigo e explicar o padrao de crescimento da economia brasileira no periodo entre 1971-2005 como uma sucessao de fases que sao identificadas e descritas de acordo com as caracteristicas qualitativas associadas aos eventos historicos. Adicionalmente, mostraremos que a transicao de uma fase para outra e explicada pela alteracao no ambiente economico e/ou mudancas na politica economica que induzem a uma mudanca estrutural. Neste sentido, na analise proposta o padrao de crescimento e mudancas estruturais foram ambos identificados e analisados.
Evidence for earthquake interaction in central Chile: the July 1997–September 1998 Sequence

Seven Mw > 6 events occurred between July 1997 and January 1998 along the shallow dipping subduction zone of Central Chile. We used body waveform modeling and master event relocation to study them. During July 1997, typical shallow interplate thrust events located close from each other followed a southward migration path and were located close from each other. On 15 October, the largest shock of the series (Mw=7.1) occured at 68 km depth. From the directivity, we found that its rupture plane was almost vertical with a downward rupture. It was a down‐dip compressional mechanism which is rare in Chile. Then, several thrust events occurred above it, along the plate interface. The rupture zones of the July 1997 events followed a cascade pattern with strong stress interaction. The slab push event of 15 October does not seem to have been triggered by static stress transfer from the July swarm.
Early Cambrian crustal shortening and a clockwise P–T–t path from the southern Prince Charles Mountains, East Antarctica: implications for the formation of Gondwana

Cambrian orogenesis (550–490 Ma) in the Lambert Province of the southern Prince Charles Mountains resulted in three successive stages of deformation. The earliest of these deformations resulted in the development of a layer‐parallel foliation (S1) that was folded into macro‐scale recumbent folds (F2). Subsequent deformation buckled the rocks into long‐wavelength (c. 20 km), SW‐ to NW‐trending antiformal closures (F3) mostly separated from each other by west to SW trending, steeply dipping, high‐strain zones. Metapelitic rocks from the region are divisible into two compositional types: a high‐Al, ‐Fe and ‐K type and a high‐Mg, ‐Ca and ‐Na type. In rocks of both composition, relic staurolite preceded the formation of upper amphibolite facies garnet + biotite + sillimanite ± muscovite mineral assemblages that record peak pressures and temperatures of c. 650–700 °C and 6–7 kbar. Subsequent decompression of c. 3 kbar is implied from texturally late plagioclase and a reduction in the modal abundance of garnet in the high‐Al, ‐Fe and ‐K metapelites, and from texturally late cordierite in the more magnesium rocks. This clockwise P–T–t path, with prograde heating followed by rapid decompression, is: (i) equivalent to that recorded in the same‐aged rocks at Prydz Bay located 600 km to the north, and (ii) similar to the modelled response of the crust to thickening following continent–continent collision. These results indicate that large areas of East Antarctica were thickened and rapidly exhumed, probably in response to collisional orogenesis during the Early Cambrian. This supports the inference that Early Cambrian orogenesis in the Prydz Bay–Prince Charles Mountains region of East Antarctica marks one of the fundamental lithospheric boundaries within Gondwana.
High resolution climate data for Austria in the period 2008–2040 from a statistical climate change model

Climate change data for Austria have been produced for the period from 2008 to 2040, with a temporal/spatial resolution of 1 d and 1 km2. The climate change data are based on historical daily weather station data from 1975 to 2007, and linear regression modelling with repeated bootstrapping. The spatial resolution is based on 60 climate clusters which represent homogenous climates with respect to mean annual precipitation sums and mean annual temperatures from the period 1961 to 1990. For each climate cluster, a regression model fit has been performed and extrapolated for the period 2008–2040. The integral parts of our regression model are: (1) the extrapolation of the observed linear temperature trend from 1975 to 2007, by using an average national trend of approximately 0.05 °C per year derived from a homogenized dataset, and (2) the repeated bootstrapping of historical temperature residuals, and of the observations for some other weather parameters, such as solar radiation, precipitation, relative humidity and wind speed. Thus, we ensure consistent physical, spatial and temporal correlations. Precipitation scenarios have been developed to account for any possible wider range of precipitation patterns. These scenarios include increased/decreased annual precipitation sums, as well as unchanged annual precipitation sums, but with different seasonal distributions. These climate change data are available at: http://www.landnutzung. at/Klima_Daten. html Copyright © 2012 Royal Meteorological Society
Ground‐penetrating radar profile spacing and orientation for subsurface resolution of linear features

Ground Penetrating Radar (GPR) surveys have become an increasingly used technique to aid in evaluating archaeological sites for cultural resource management purposes. As time is often an important factor in these surveys, a test was conducted that examined the benefits received from increasing data collection density. At Ceylon Plantation GPR grids were collected in both the X and Y direction at 50 cm intervals and in the Y direction at 25 cm intervals. The composite X‐Y amplitude map and the 25 cm interval map both produced the highest resolution images. The X‐Y composite collection method was able to resolve thin, linear features not visible in maps produced from only one transect orientation. Copyright © 2006 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.
Atmospheric conditions associated with the exceptional fire season of 2003 in Portugal

The summer of 2003 was characterised by exceptional warm weather in Europe, particularly during the first two weeks of August, when a devastating sequence of large fires was observed, reaching an amount of circa 450 000 ha, the largest figure ever recorded in Portugal in modern times. They were concentrated in two relatively confined regions of Portugal and a considerable proportion of burnt area was due to fires started on the 2nd and 3rd of August.
Quantification of B16 Melanoma Cells in Lungs Using Triplex Q-PCR - A New Approach to Evaluate Melanoma Cell Metastasis and Tumor Control

Skin cancer is the most common type of all cancers. However, it comprises several different types of cancers, one of which is malignant melanoma. Even though melanomas only make up about 5% of skin cancers, they are responsible for the majority of skin cancer deaths due to the poor chance of survival once the tumor has metastasized. In the present study, we have developed a new assay for quantitative analysis of B16 melanoma metastasis in the lungs. We have used a triplex Q-PCR to determine the expression of the melanoma genes GP100/Pmel and tyrosinase-related protein 2 (TRP-2), and found that B16.F10gp cells were detectable in the lungs as early as 2 hours after intravenous challenge with ≥104 tumor cells. When investigating the gene expression as a function of time, we observed a gradual decrease from 2–24 hours post tumor challenge followed by an increase of approximately 2 log10 on day 11. The early decrease was accelerated in the presence of activated NK cells. To further evaluate our assay, we also investigated the level of metastasis in the context of vaccination with replication defective adenoviral vectors, Ad-Ii-GP and Ad-GP, previously found to significantly delay the outgrowth of subcutaneous melanomas. Results obtained using Q-PCR were compared to conventional counting of metastatic foci under a dissection microscope. A marked reduction in gene expression was observed in the lungs after vaccination with both vectors; however, Ad-Ii-GP showed the highest protection, and matching results were obtained by enumeration of visible tumor nodules on the lung surfaces. Finally, we could show that inhibition of tumor metastasis required antigen-specific CD8 T cells and IFNγ, but not perforin. In conclusion, the presented results validate triplex Q-PCR as a fast, objective, and quantitative method for analysis of melanoma metastasis in the lungs.
Reconciling down core anticorrelation of diatom carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios from the Southern Ocean

[1] Oceanic nutrient cycling in the Southern Ocean is supposed to have an important impact on glacial-interglacial atmospheric CO2 changes and global climate. In order to characterize such nutrient cycling over the last two climatic cycles we investigated carbon and nitrogen isotopic ratios of diatom-bound organic matter (δ13Cdiat and δ15Ndiat, respectively) in two cores retrieved form the Atlantic and Indian sectors of the Antarctic Ocean. The two cores show the same isotopic patterns. The δ13Cdiat values are depleted during glacial periods and enriched during interglacial periods, indicating lower productivity during cold times. The δ15Ndiat values are enriched during glacial periods and depleted during interglacial periods, arguing for greater nitrate utilization during cold times. Taken at face value, this apparent contradiction leads to opposite conclusions on the role of the Southern Ocean biological pump on the atmospheric CO2 changes. However, the two sets of data can be reconciled by a “sea ice plus mixing rate scenario” that calls upon a balance between the effect of cutting off gas transfer at the ocean-atmosphere boundary and the effect of reducing vertical transport of nutrients through the pycnocline.
Measuring tourists' satisfaction with quality of life issues at an arts festival

Purpose: The purpose of this paper is to measure tourists' satisfaction with quality of life issues at an arts festival - the Aardklop National Arts Festival in Potchefstroom. Problem investigated: Understanding satisfaction with quality of life issues could assist Festival organizers and other businesses to improve services for tourists by tailoring these to meet their needs. Satisfied tourists spread positive word-of-mouth communication and are more likely to return in the future. M ethodology: A self-administered survey developed and validated by Neal, Sirgy and Uysal (1999:156 & 2004:245) was fielded at the 2007 Aardklop National Arts Festival in Potchefstroom. The target population included all visitors to the Festival who were staying for two or more days, and who had travelled to Potchefstroom from elsewhere. Findings and implications: Respondents were satisfied with travel / tourism services and experiences at the Festival, and with their leisure time and life in general. However, certain things at the Festival led to lowered levels of satisfaction. Demographically, respondents did not differ significantly in their levels of satisfaction with travel / tourism services, travel / tourism experiences, leisure life, and life in general at the Festival except in terms of population group and region from which they came. Organizers of the Festival and other businesses should take cognizance of the fact that all parties involved in providing services to tourists attending an arts festival impact on their satisfaction levels with travel / tourism services and experiences - and ultimately also on their quality of life. Tourists attending the arts festival are not homogenous and differ substantially in terms of their demographic profile. Tourist service providers should tailor their offerings in order to satisfy the varied needs of the different types of tourist attending the Festival. Originality and value of the research: This research focused on measuring tourists' satisfaction with quality of life issues at an arts festival. Such research has never before been conducted in South Africa; the results contribute to the deeper insight of interested parties (such as the tourism industry and arts festival managers) into what they need to offer at such events.
Multivariate detection and attribution of land-cover changes in the Central Pilbara, Western Australia

The Multivariate Alteration Detection (MAD) method was applied to locate areas where land-cover changes occurred between 2003 and 2009 in the Central Pilbara, Western Australia. It was demonstrated that each of the six MAD variates contained information of land-cover changes at various spatial scales. This allowed attribution of the identified changes to particular stressors such as climate variability, fire events, and mining activity in the area. The results were analysed and interpreted using time series of multispectral normalized difference vegetation index, normalized difference wetness index, and normalized burn ratio grids derived from Landsat data observed over the study period. In addition, various ground truth data such as fire maps, historical climate data, and the available information about mine operations and water management, which could lead to alteration of natural water regime, were utilized.
Distribution of benthic algae in the upper Illinois River basin in relation to geology and land use

SUMMARY 1 Benthic-algal distributions in the upper Illinois River basin, IL, U.S.A. , were examined in relation to geology, land use, water chemistry and stream habitat using (detrended) (canonical) correspondence analysis, autecological metrics and indicator-species analysis in order to identify the major environmental gradients influencing community variation. 2 Ionic composition and major nutrient [i.e. nitrogen (N) and phosphorus (P)] concentration of surface waters, salinity (Na-Cl type), substratum type and physiognomic form of dominant species were primary factors contributing to variation in benthic-algal assemblages of the basin. Basin geology was a significant contributing factor, but the explained variance associated with this factor was less than that related to land use. 3 Proportions of algal biomass consisting of cyanophytes, filamentous chlorophytes, halophilic diatoms and diatoms which utilize nitrogen heterotrophically were greater in eutrophic river segments than in less nutrient-enriched segments. Composition of the benthic flora indicated meso-eutrophic or eutrophic conditions throughout the basin; there were few diatoms indicative of hypertrophic waters. Shifts in diatom-assemblage structure in response to nutrient loading provided an incomplete representation of the community-response curve. 4 A weighted-averages regression model based on total P and benthic-algal abundances (all divisions included) yielded a highly significant correlation (r2 = 0.83) between species-inferred [WA(tol)] and observed total P, with systematic bias (increased deviation of residuals) occurring only at concentrations greater than ∼ 1.0 mg L−1 total P. This result indicates that total P regression and calibration models can be predictable for a river basin receiving excessive loadings of phosphorus.
Assessing the livelihood impacts of a livestock disease outbreak: An alternative approach

Because of the substantive role played by livestock in the income and asset portfolios of the poor, livestock diseases can be an important threat to livelihoods. Yet for a variety of reasons, there are few applicable methods and consequently scant literature to assess the impacts of livestock diseases on livelihood outcomes. Existing literature comprises small-area studies and computable models with wider geographic focus, both of which have limitations in this specific context. We propose an alternative approach for estimating the impacts of livestock diseases on livelihoods. This proposed approach is an adaptation of a quasi-experimental impact evaluation method, namely propensity score matching, which uses features available in large-scale datasets with wide geographic coverage to create counterfactual scenarios that could mimic outcomes of a disease outbreak. By its construction the method is well suited for ex ante impact assessment. As an illustration we apply the method to the hypothetical case of an avian flu outbreak in Kenya.