prompt_front: Now, answer the following question based on the text below, only give me the answer and do not output any other words.

Question: What is the relationship between the maximum velocity and the amplitude of the blob or depletion?

Read the following text and answer briefly.

Context 1: \section{Model equations} \label{sec:equations}

In drift-fluid models the continuity equation
\begin{align}
 \frac{\partial n}{\partial t} + \nabla\cdot\left( n \vec u_E  \right) &= 0 \label{eq:generala} 
\end{align}
describes the dynamics of the electron density $n$  Here
$\vec u_E := (\hat{\vec b} \times \nabla \phi)/B$ gives the electric drift
velocity in a magnetic field $\vec B := B \hat{\vec b}$ and an electric
potential $\phi$  We neglect contributions of the diamagnetic drift~\cite{Kube2016} 




Equation~\eqref{eq:generala} is closed by invoking quasineutrality, i e  the divergence of the ion polarization, 
the electron diamagnetic and the gravitational drift currents must vanish
\begin{align}
  \nabla\cdot\left( \frac{n}{\Omega} \left( \frac{\partial}{\partial t} 
  + \vec u_E \cdot\nabla  \right)\frac{\nabla_\perp \phi}{B}  + n\vec u_d - n\vec u_g\right) &=0
    
 
 
  \label{eq:generalb}
\end{align}
Here we denote 
$\nabla_\perp\phi/B := - \hat{\vec b} \times \vec u_E$, 
the electron diamagnetic drift
$\vec u_d := - T_e(\hat{\vec b} \times\nabla n ) /enB$
with the electron temperature $T_e$,
the ion gravitational drift velocity  
$\vec u_g := m_i \hat{\vec b} \times \vec g /B$
with ion mass $m_i$, and the ion gyro-frequency
$\Omega := eB/m_i$ 

Combining Eq ~\eqref{eq:generalb} with Eq ~\eqref{eq:generala} yields
\begin{align}
 \frac{\partial \rho}{\partial t} + \nabla\cdot\left( \rho\vec u_E \right) + \nabla \cdot\left( n(\vec u_\psi + \vec u_d + \vec u_g) \right) &= 0\label{eq:vorticity}
\end{align}
with the polarization charge density 
$\rho = \nabla\cdot( n\nabla_\perp \phi / \Omega B)$ 
and
$\vec u_\psi := \hat{\vec b}\times \nabla\psi /B$ 
with 
$\psi:= m_i\vec u_E^2 /2e$ 
We exploit this form of Eq ~\eqref{eq:generalb} in our numerical simulations 

Equations~\eqref{eq:generala} and \eqref{eq:generalb} respectively \eqref{eq:vorticity} have several invariants 
First, in Eq ~\eqref{eq:generala} the relative particle number 
$M(t) := \int \mathrm{dA}\, (n-n_0)$ is conserved over time
$\d M(t)/\d t = 0$  
Furthermore, we integrate 
$( T_e(1+\ln n) -T_e \ln B)\partial_t n$
as well as
$-e\phi \partial_t\rho - (m_i\vec u_E^2/2+gm_ix - T_e\ln B)\partial_t n$ 
over the domain to get, disregarding boundary contributions,
\begin{align}
  \frac{\d}{\d t}\left[T_eS(t) + H(t) \right] = 0, \label{eq:energya}\\ 
    \frac{\d}{\d t} \left[ E(t) - G(t) - H(t)\right] =  0,
    \label{eq:energyb}
\end{align}
where we define 
the entropy
$S(t):=\int \mathrm{dA}\, [n\ln(n/n_0) - (n-n_0)]$,  
the kinetic energy 
$E(t):=m_i \int \mathrm{dA}\, n\vec u_E^2/2$ 
and the potential energies
$G(t) := m_i g\int \mathrm{dA}\, x(n-n_0)$
and
$H(t) := T_e\int \mathrm{dA}\, (n-n_0) \ln (B^{-1})$ 
Note that $n\ln( n/n_0) - n + n_0 \approx (n-n_0)^2/2$ for $|(n-n_0)/n_0| \ll 1$ and $S(t)$ thus reduces to the 
local entropy form in Reference~\cite{Kube2016}  

We now set up a gravitational field $\vec g = g\hat x$ and a constant homogeneous background
magnetic field $\vec B = B_0 \hat z$ in a Cartesian coordinate system 
Then the divergences of the electric and gravitational drift velocities $\nabla\cdot\vec u_E$ and $\nabla\cdot\vec u_g$
and the diamagnetic current $\nabla\cdot(n\vec u_d)$ vanish, which makes the 
flow incompressible  Furthermore, the magnetic potential energy vanishes $H(t) = 0$ 

In a second system we model the inhomogeneous magnetic field present in tokamaks as
$\vec B := B_0 (1+ x/R_0)^{-1}\hat z$ and neglect the gravitational drift $\vec u_g = 0$ 
Then, the potential energy $G(t) = 0$  
Note that 
$H(t) = m_i \ensuremath{C_\mathrm{s}}^2/R_0\int\mathrm{dA}\, x(n-n_0) +\mathcal O(R_0^{-2}) $
reduces to $G(t)$ with the effective gravity $g_\text{eff}:= \ensuremath{C_\mathrm{s}}^2/R_0$ with $\ensuremath{C_\mathrm{s}}^2 := T_e/m_i$  
For the rest of this letter we treat $g$ and $g_\text{eff}$ as well as $G(t)$ and $H(t)$ on the same footing 
The magnetic field inhomogeneity thus entails compressible flows, which is 
the only difference to the model describing dynamics in a homogeneous magnetic field introduced above  
Since both $S(t)\geq 0$ and $E(t)\geq 0$ we further derive from Eq ~\eqref{eq:energya} and Eq ~\eqref{eq:energyb} that the kinetic energy
is bounded by $E(t) \leq T_eS(t) + E(t) = T_e S(0)$; a feature absent from the gravitational system with 
incompressible flows, where $S(t) = S(0)$  

We now show that the invariants Eqs ~\eqref{eq:energya} and \eqref{eq:energyb} present restrictions on the velocity and
acceleration of plasma blobs  
First, we define the blobs' center of mass (COM) via $X(t):= \int\mathrm{dA}\, x(n-n_0)/M$ and 
its COM velocity as $V(t):=\d X(t)/\d t$  
The latter is proportional to the total radial particle flux~\cite{Garcia_Bian_Fundamensky_POP_2006, Held2016a} 
We assume
that $n>n_0$ and $(n-n_0)^2/2 \leq [ n\ln (n/n_0) - (n-n_0)]n $ to show for both systems 
\begin{align}
  (MV)^2 &= \left( \int \mathrm{dA}\, n{\phi_y}/{B} \right)^2
  = \left( \int \mathrm{dA}\, (n-n_0){\phi_y}/{B} \right)^2\nonumber\\
 
&\leq 2 \left( \int \mathrm{dA}\, \left[n\ln (n/n_0) -(n-n_0)\right]^{1/2}\sqrt{n}{\phi_y}/{B}\right)^2\nonumber\\
 
  &\leq 4 S(0) E(t)/m_i 
 
  \label{eq:inequality}
\end{align}
Here we use the Cauchy-Schwartz inequality and 
$\phi_y:=\partial\phi/\partial y$  
Note that although we derive the inequality Eq ~\eqref{eq:inequality} only for amplitudes $\triangle n >0$  we assume that the results also hold for depletions  This is justified by our numerical results later in this letter  
If we initialize our density field with a seeded blob of radius $\ell$ and amplitude $\triangle n$ as 
\begin{align}
  n(\vec x, 0) &= n_0 + \triangle n \exp\left( -\frac{\vec x^2}{2\ell^2} \right), \label{eq:inita}
 
 
\end{align}
and  
$\phi(\vec x, 0 ) = 0$,
we immediately have $M := M(0) = 2\pi \ell^2 \triangle n$, $E(0) = G(0) = 0$ and 
$S(0) = 2\pi \ell^2 f(\triangle n)$, where $f(\triangle n)$ captures the amplitude dependence of 
the integral for $S(0)$  

The acceleration for both incompressible and compressible flows can be estimated
by assuming a linear acceleration $V=A_0t$ and $X=A_0t^2/2$~\cite{Held2016a} and using 
$E(t) = G(t) = m_igMX(t)$ in Eq ~\eqref{eq:inequality}
\begin{align}
  \frac{A_0}{g} =  \mathcal Q\frac{2S(0)}{M} \approx \frac{\mathcal Q}{2} \frac{\triangle n }{n_0+2\triangle n/9} 
  \label{eq:acceleration}
\end{align}
Here, we use the Pad\'e approximation of order $(1/1)$ of $2S(0)/M $
and define a model parameter $\mathcal Q$ with $0<\mathcal Q\leq1$ to be determined by numerical simulations 
Note that the Pad\'e approximation is a better approximation than a simple 
truncated Taylor expansion especially for large relative amplitudes of order unity 
Eq ~\eqref{eq:acceleration} predicts that $A_0/g\sim \triangle n/n_0$ for small 
amplitudes $|\triangle n/n_0| < 1$ and $A_0 \sim g $ for very large amplitudes $\triangle n /n_0 \gg 1$, 
which confirms the predictions in~\cite{Pecseli2016} and reproduces the limits discussed in~\cite{Angus2014} 

As pointed out earlier for compressible flows Eq ~\eqref{eq:inequality} can be further estimated
\begin{align}
  (MV)^2  \leq 4 T_eS(0)^2/m_i  
  \label{}
\end{align}
We therefore have a restriction on the maximum COM velocity for compressible flows, which is absent for incompressible flows
\begin{align}
  \frac{\max |V|}{\ensuremath{C_\mathrm{s}}} = {\mathcal Q}\frac{2S(0)}{M} \approx \frac{\mathcal Q}{2} \frac{|\triangle n| }{n_0+2/9 \triangle n } \approx \frac{\mathcal Q}{2} \frac{|\triangle n|}{n_0} 
  \label{eq:linear}
\end{align}
For $|\triangle n /n_0|< 1$ Eq ~\eqref{eq:linear} reduces to the linear scaling derived in~\cite{Kube2016}  
Finally, a scale analysis of Eq ~\eqref{eq:vorticity} shows that~\cite{Ott1978, Garcia2005, Held2016a}
\begin{align}
  \frac{\max |V|}{\ensuremath{C_\mathrm{s}}} = \mathcal R \left( \frac{\ell}{R_0}\frac{|\triangle n|}{n_0} \right)^{1/2} 
  \label{eq:sqrt}
\end{align}
This equation predicts a square root dependence of the center of mass velocity 
on amplitude and size  





We now propose a simple phenomenological model that captures the essential dynamics
of blobs and depletions in the previously stated systems  More specifically 
the model reproduces the acceleration Eq ~\eqref{eq:acceleration} with and without
Boussinesq approximation, the square root scaling for the COM velocity 
Eq ~\eqref{eq:sqrt} for incompressible flows as well as the relation between the 
square root scaling Eq ~\eqref{eq:sqrt} and the linear scaling 
Eq ~\eqref{eq:linear} for compressible flows  
The basic idea is that the COM of blobs behaves like 
the one of an infinitely long plasma column immersed in an ambient plasma  
The dynamics of this column reduces to the one of a two-dimensional ball 
This idea is similar to the analytical ``top hat'' density solution for
blob dynamics recently studied in~\cite{Pecseli2016} 
The ball is subject to buoyancy as well as linear and nonlinear friction
\begin{align}
  M_{\text{i}} \frac{d V}{d t} = (M_{\text{g}} - M_\text{p}) g - c_1 V  - \mathrm{sgn}(V ) \frac{1}{2}c_2 V^2 
  \label{eq:ball}
\end{align}
The gravity $g$ has a positive sign in the coordinate system; sgn$(f)$ is the sign function  
The first term on the right hand side is the buoyancy, where 
$M_{\text{g}} := \pi \ell^2 (n_0 + \mathcal Q \triangle n/2)$ 
is the gravitational mass of the ball with radius $\ell$ and 
$M_\mathrm{p} := n_0 \pi \ell^2 $ 
is the mass of the displaced ambient plasma 
Note that if $\triangle n<0$ the ball represents a depletion and the buoyancy term has a negative sign, i e  the depletion will rise  
We introduce an inertial mass 
$M_{\text{i}} := \pi\ell^2 (n_0 +2\triangle n/9)$ 
different from the gravitational mass $M_{\text{g}}$ in order to 
recover the initial acceleration in Eq ~\eqref{eq:acceleration}  
We interpret the parameters $\mathcal Q$ and $2/9$ as geometrical factors 
that capture the difference of the actual blob form from the idealized
``top hat'' solution  
Also note that the Boussinesq approximation appears in the model as a neglect of inertia, $M_{\text{i}} = \pi\ell^2n_0$ 

The second term is the linear friction term with coefficient $c_1(\ell)$, which
depends on the size of the ball 
If we disregard the nonlinear friction, $c_2=0$, Eq ~\eqref{eq:ball} directly yields a 
maximum velocity $c_1V^*=\pi \ell^2 n g \mathcal Q\triangle n/2$ 
From our previous considerations $\max V/\ensuremath{C_\mathrm{s}}=\mathcal Q \triangle n /2n_0$, we thus identify 
\begin{align}
  c_1 = \pi\ell^2 n_0 g/\ensuremath{C_\mathrm{s}}  
  \label{}
\end{align}
The linear friction coefficient thus depends on the gravity and the size of the
ball  

The last term in \eqref{eq:ball} is the nonlinear friction  The sign of the force depends on whether
the ball rises or falls in the ambient plasma  
If we disregard linear friction $c_1=0$, we have the maximum velocity 
$V^*= \sigma(\triangle n)\sqrt{\pi \ell^2|\triangle n| g\mathcal Q/c_2}$, 
which must equal 
$\max V= \sigma(\triangle n) \mathcal R \sqrt{g \ell |\triangle n/n_0|}$ 
and thus
\begin{align}
  c_2 = {\mathcal Q\pi n_0\ell }/{\mathcal R^2} 
  \label{}
\end{align}
Inserting $c_1$ and $c_2$ into Eq ~\eqref{eq:ball}
we can derive the maximum absolute velocity in the form 
\begin{align}
  \frac{\max |V|}{\ensuremath{C_\mathrm{s}}} = 
        \left(\frac{\mathcal R^2}{\mathcal Q}\right) \frac{\ell}{R_0} \left( 
        \left({1+\left( \frac{\mathcal Q}{\mathcal R} \right)^{2} \frac{|\triangle n|/n_0 }{\ell/R_0}}\right)^{1/2}-1 \right)
  \label{eq:vmax_theo}
\end{align}
and thus have a concise expression for $\max |V|$ that captures both the linear
scaling \eqref{eq:linear} as well as the square root scaling \eqref{eq:sqrt} 
With Eq ~\eqref{eq:acceleration} and Eq ~\eqref{eq:sqrt} respectively Eq ~\eqref{eq:vmax_theo} we 
finally arrive at an analytical expression for the time at which the maximum velocity is reached via 
$t_{\max V} \sim \max V/A_0$  Its inverse $\gamma:=t_{\max V}^{-1}$ gives the
global interchange growth rate, for which an empirical expression was
presented in Reference~\cite{Held2016a} 


We use the open source library FELTOR 
to simulate 
Eqs ~\eqref{eq:generala} and \eqref{eq:vorticity} with and without 
drift compression 
For numerical stabilty we added small diffusive terms on the right hand 
sides of the equations 
The discontinuous Galerkin methods employ three polynomial coefficients and a minimum of $N_x=N_y=768$ grid cells  The box size is $50\ell$ in order to mitigate 
influences of the finite box size on the blob dynamics  
Moreover, we used the invariants in Eqs  \eqref{eq:energya} and \eqref{eq:energyb} as consistency tests to verify the code and repeated simulations 
also in a gyrofluid model  
No differences to the results presented here were found  
Initial perturbations on the particle density field are given by Eq ~\eqref{eq:inita},
where the perturbation amplitude $\triangle n/n_0$ was chosen between $10^{-3}$ and $20$ for blobs and $-10^0$ and $ -10^{-3}$ for depletions  
Due to computational reasons we show results only for $\triangle n/n_0\leq 20$  


For compressible flows we consider two different cases $\ell/R_0 = 10^{-2}$ and
$\ell /R_0 = 10^{-3}$  
 For incompressible flows Eq ~\eqref{eq:generala} and \eqref{eq:vorticity}
 can be normalized such that the blob radius is absent from the equations~\cite{Ott1978, Kube2012}  
 The simulations of incompressible flows can thus be used for both sizes  
The numerical code as well as input parameters and output data can be found 
in the supplemental dataset to this contribution~\cite{Data2017} 

\begin{figure}[htb]
    \includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{com_blobs}
    \caption{
      The maximum radial COM velocities of blobs for compressible and incompressible flows are shown  
      The continuous lines show Eq ~\eqref{eq:vmax_theo} while the 
      dashed line shows the square root scaling Eq ~\eqref{eq:sqrt} with 
      $\mathcal Q = 0 32$ and $\mathcal R=0 85$ 
    }
    \label{fig:com_blobs}
\end{figure}
In Fig ~\ref{fig:com_blobs} we plot the maximum COM velocity for blobs 
with and without drift compression 
For incompressible flows blobs follow the square root scaling almost 
perfectly  Only at very large amplitudes velocities are slightly below
the predicted values  
For small amplitudes we observe that the compressible blobs follow
a linear scaling  When the amplitudes increase there is a transition to the
square root scaling at around $\triangle n/n_0 \simeq 0 5$ for 
$\ell/R_0=10^{-2}$ and $\triangle n/n_0 \simeq 0 05$ for $\ell/R_0=10^{-3}$, which is consistent with Eq ~\eqref{eq:vmax_theo} and Reference~\cite{Kube2016}  
In the transition regions the simulated velocities are slightly larger than the predicted ones from Eq ~\eqref{eq:vmax_theo} 
Beyond these amplitudes
the velocities of compressible and incompressible blobs align  

\begin{figure}[htb]
    \includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{com_holes}
    \caption{
      The maximum radial COM velocities of depletions for compressible and incompressible flows are shown  
      The continuous lines show Eq ~\eqref{eq:vmax_theo} while the 
      dashed line shows the square root scaling Eq ~\eqref{eq:sqrt} with 
      $\mathcal Q = 0 32$ and $\mathcal R=0 85$ 
      Note that small amplitudes are on the right and amplitudes close to unity are on the left side 
  }
    \label{fig:com_depletions}
\end{figure}
In Fig ~\ref{fig:com_depletions} we show the maximum radial COM velocity 
for depletions instead of blobs 
For relative amplitudes below $|\triangle n|/n_0 \simeq 0 5$ (right of unity in the plot) the velocities
coincide with the corresponding blob velocities in Fig ~\ref{fig:com_blobs}  
 For amplitudes larger than $|\triangle n|/n_0\simeq 0 5$ the 
velocities follow the square root scaling 
We observe that for plasma depletions beyond $90$ percent the velocities 
in both systems reach a constant value that is very well predicted by the
square root scaling  

\begin{figure}[htb]
    \includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{acc_blobs}
    \caption{
      Average acceleration of blobs for compressible and incompressible flows are shown 
      The continuous line shows the acceleration in Eq ~\eqref{eq:acceleration} 
      with $\mathcal Q=0 32$
      while the dashed line is a linear reference line, which corresponds to the Boussinesq approximation  
  }
    \label{fig:acc_blobs}
\end{figure}
In Fig ~\ref{fig:acc_blobs} we show the average acceleration of blobs 
for compressible and incompressible flows computed
by dividing the maximum velocity $\max V$ by the time  
to reach this velocity $t_{\max V}$  
We compare the simulation results
to the theoretical predictions Eq ~\eqref{eq:acceleration} of our model with and without inertia  
The results of the compressible and incompressible systems coincide and fit very
well to our theoretical values  
For amplitudes larger than unity the acceleration deviates significantly from the prediction with Boussinesq approximation 

\begin{figure}[htb]
    \includegraphics[width=\columnwidth]{acc_holes}
    \caption{
      Average acceleration of depletions for compressible and incompressible flows are shown 
      The continuous line shows the acceleration in Eq ~\eqref{eq:acceleration} 
      with $\mathcal Q=0 32$
      while the dashed line is a linear reference line, which corresponds to the Boussinesq approximation  
    }
    \label{fig:acc_depletions}
\end{figure}
In Fig ~\ref{fig:acc_depletions} we show the simulated acceleration of depletions in the
compressible and the incompressible systems  We compare the simulation results
to the theoretical predictions Eq ~\eqref{eq:acceleration} of our model with and without inertia 
Deviations from our theoretical prediction Eq ~\eqref{eq:acceleration} are visible for amplitudes smaller than $\triangle n/n_0 \simeq -0 5$ (left of unity in the plot)  The relative deviations are small at around $20$ percent  
As in Fig ~\ref{fig:com_depletions} the acceleration reaches a constant values
for plasma depletions of more than $90$ percent 
Comparing Fig ~\ref{fig:acc_depletions} to Fig ~\ref{fig:acc_blobs} the asymmetry between blobs and depletions becomes 
apparent  While the acceleration of blobs is reduced for large 
amplitudes compared to a linear dependence the acceleration 
of depletions is increased  In the language of our simple buoyancy 
model the inertia of depletions is reduced but increased for blobs  



In conclusion  
  we discuss the dynamics of seeded blobs and depletions in a 
  compressible and an incompressible system 
  With only two fit parameters our theoretical results reproduce the 
  numerical COM velocities and accelerations over five orders of magnitude 
  We derive the amplitude dependence of the acceleration of blobs and depletions from 
  the conservation laws of our systems in Eq ~\eqref{eq:acceleration}  
  From the same inequality a linear regime is derived in the compressible system for 
  ratios of amplitudes to sizes smaller than a critical value 
   In this regime 
  the blob and depletion velocity depends linearly on the initial amplitude and 
  is independent of size  The regime is absent from the system with incompressible flows 
  Our theoretical results are verified by numerical simulations for all 
  amplitudes that are relevant in magnetic fusion devices 
  Finally, we suggest a new empirical blob model that captures the detailed dynamics of more complicated models  
  The Boussinesq approximation is clarified as the absence of inertia and a thus altered acceleration of blobs and depletions 
  The maximum blob velocity is not altered by the Boussinesq approximation 

The authors were supported with financial subvention from the Research Council of Norway under grant
240510/F20  M W  and M H  were supported by the Austrian Science Fund (FWF) Y398   The computational
results presented have been achieved in part using the Vienna Scientific Cluster (VSC)  Part of this work was performed on the Abel Cluster, owned by the University of Oslo and the Norwegian metacenter
for High Performance Computing (NOTUR), and operated by the Department for Research Computing at USIT,
the University of Oslo IT-department 
This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium and has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014-2018 under grant agreement No 633053  The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission 
Context 2: Outdoors	February 19, 2017
You are here: Home / Archives for Departments / OutdoorsActor Sam Waterson Hosts PBS Documentary on Lyme Land Trust January 14, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment Jack Tiffany, owner of Tiffany Farms on Rte  156 and an earlier pioneer in Lyme land preservation, is interviewed by PBS “Visionaries” documentary producers 
Filed Under: Lyme, Outdoors Application Deadline for Environmental Leadership Scholarship is Feb  1 January 8, 2017 by admin Leave a Comment Applications are now being accepted for the Virginia R  Rollefson Environmental Leadership Scholarship, a $1,000 award to recognize a high school student who has demonstrated leadership and initiative in promoting conservation, preservation, restoration, or environmental education 
Filed Under: Lyme, News, Old Lyme, Outdoors, Top Story Preserves in Lyme Now Closed for Hunting During Weekdays November 17, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment Starting yesterday, Wednesday, Nov  16, the following Preserves in Lyme will be closed Monday through Friday until Tuesday, Dec  20, 2016, except to licensed hunters with valid consent forms from the Town of Lyme Open Space Coordinator:
Banningwood Preserve
Beebe Preserve
Chestnut Hill Preserve
Eno Preserve
Hand Smith
Honey Hill Preserve
Jewett Preserve
Mount Archer Woods
Pickwick’s Preserve
Plimpton Preserve
Slawson Preserve
These preserves, owned by the Town of Lyme or the Lyme Land Conservation Trust, will be open on Saturdays and Sundays during this hunting period as no hunting is allowed on weekends 
The hunting program is fully subscribed 
For more information on the hunting program in Lyme, visit http://www lymelandtrust org/stewardship/hunting-program/
Filed Under: Lyme, Outdoors, Top Story Town of Old Lyme Offers Part-time Land Steward Opportunity October 11, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment The Town of Old Lyme is seeking a part-time individual to maintain and manage the trail systems on its major preserves  Keeping trails cleared, maintaining markers, kiosks, entrances, parking areas, and managing for wildlife and other natural resources are the priorities 
For more information, visit the job posting on the home page of the Town’s web page at http://www oldlyme-ct gov/Pages/index 
To learn about the Open Space Commission and the properties it manages, visit http://www oldlyme-ct gov/Pages/OldLymeCT_Bcomm/open_space
Filed Under: Old Lyme, Outdoors, Top Story CT Fund for the Environment Annual Meeting to be Held Sunday in Hartford September 22, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment Engaging and educating communities for preservation of the Long Island Sound tidal estuary
Save the Sound is celebrating National Estuaries Week Sept  17 – 24 with a series of interactive and educational events throughout the Long Island Sound region  This annual celebration of estuaries—the vital coastal zones where freshwater rivers meet salty seas—is sponsored by Restore America’s Estuaries and its member organizations including Save the Sound  This year’s events call attention to the many benefits of thriving coastal ecosystems, including how estuary conservation efforts support our quality of life and economic well-being 
“The Long Island Sound estuary is not only where freshwater rivers meet the saltwater Atlantic, but where wildlife habitat meets beaches and boating, and where modern industry meets traditional oystering,” said Curt Johnson, executive director of Save the Sound, which is a bi-state program of Connecticut Fund for the Environment (CFE) 
Johnson continued, “All over the country, estuaries are the lifeblood of coastal economies  From serving as natural buffers to protect our coastlines from storms to providing unique habitat for countless birds, fish, and wildlife, estuaries deserve our protection and our thanks ”
Save the Sound is celebrating estuaries with a number of events this week, including the release of a new video, a presentation on Plum Island at the Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library and the CFE/Save the Sound annual meeting:
Aerial view of Plum Island lighthouse  (From Preserve Plum Island website)
Chris Cryder, Special Projects Coordinator for Save the Sound and Outreach Coordinator for the Preserve Plum Island Coalition, will host Preserving Plum Island for Future Generations, a special presentation on the importance of conserving the wildlife habitats and historic buildings of Plum Island, New York 
Plum Island flanks Plum Gut in the Long Island Sound estuary’s eastern end, where fast-moving tides create highly productive fishing grounds  The talk is part of a multi-week series featuring photographs and paintings of Plum Island, and lectures on its ecology, geology, and history 
Old Lyme-Phoebe Griffin Noyes Library, 2 Library Lane, Old Lyme, Connecticut
Register by calling the library at 860-434-1684 
The Annual Meeting of Connecticut Fund for the Environment and its bi-state program Save the Sound will take place in the Planet Earth exhibit at the Connecticut Science Center  The event is open to the public with registration, and will feature a keynote address from Curt Spalding, administrator of EPA’s New England Region  Spalding is a leader in combatting nitrogen pollution and in climate change resilience planning efforts for New England 
Connecticut Science Center, 250 Columbus Blvd, Hartford, Connecticut
4 – 7 p m
RSVP to mlemere@ctenvironment org
To celebrate the contributions of volunteers to restoring the Long Island Sound estuary, Save the Sound has released a new video of a habitat restoration planting at Hyde Pond in Mystic  Following removal of the old Hyde Pond dam and opening 4 1 miles of stream habitat for migratory fish last winter (see time lapse video here), in May about 30 volunteers planted native vegetation along the Whitford Brook stream bank, under the direction of U S  Fish and Wildlife Service, CT DEEP’s Fisheries division, and Save the Sound staff 
Find more information on the project’s benefits and funders here 
Look for the planting video on Save the Sound’s website, YouTube, Facebook, and Twitter accounts 
Filed Under: Old Lyme, Outdoors 750+ Volunteers Clean Beaches from Norwalk to New London Including Griswold Point in Old Lyme September 17, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment Kendall Perkins displays a skull she found during Save The Sound‘s Coastal Clean-up Day held yesterday at White Sand Beach 
Save the Sound, a bi-state program of Connecticut Fund for the environment, organized 31 cleanups across Connecticut’s shoreline this weekend  The efforts are part of International Coastal Cleanup, which brings together hundreds of thousands of people each year to remove plastic bags, broken glass, cigarette butts, and other trash from the world’s shores and waterways  One of the areas included in the cleanup effort was from White Sand Beach to the tip of Griswold Point in Old Lyme 
The event was founded by Ocean Conservancy in 1985, and Save the Sound has served as the official Connecticut coordinator for the last 14 years 
“We didn’t plan it this way, but I can’t imagine a better way to celebrate the 31st anniversary of International Coastal Cleanup Day than with 31 cleanups!” said Chris Cryder, special projects coordinator for Save the Sound  “The cleanup just keeps growing, in Connecticut and worldwide  We have some terrific new and returning partners this year, including the SECONN Divers, folks from the U S  District Court, multiple National Charity League chapters, and many more ”
Cryder continued, “The diversity of the groups involved really reflects the truth that ocean health affects all of us  Clean beaches and oceans are safer for beachgoers and boaters, they’re healthier for wildlife that aren’t eating plastic or getting tangled up in trash, and they’re economic powerhouses for the fishing and tourism industries ”
The cleanups are co-hosted by a wide array of local partners including high schools, youth groups, and scout troops; churches; boaters and divers; watershed associations, park stewards, and land trusts  Twenty-eight cleanups will be held Saturday, with three more on Sunday and others through mid-October, for a total of 70 cleanups statewide 
Based on the estimates of cleanup captains, between 750 and 900 volunteers were expected to pitch in on Saturday alone  Last year, a total of 1,512 volunteers participated in Save the Sound cleanups throughout the fall  They collected more than three tons of litter and debris from 58 sites on Connecticut beaches, marshes, and riverbanks 
Over the event’s three-decade history, 11 5 million volunteers have collected 210 million pounds of trash worldwide  Every piece of trash volunteers find is tracked, reported to Save the Sound, and included in Ocean Conservancy’s annual index of global marine debris  The data is used to track trends in litter and devise policies to stop it at its source 
Filed Under: Old Lyme, Outdoors, Top Story Stonewell Farm Hosts Two-Day Workshop on Dry Stone Wall Building, Sept  24, 25 September 13, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment Andrew Pighill’s work includes outdoor kitchens, wine cellars, fire-pits, fireplaces and garden features that include follies and other whimsical structures in stone 
KILLINGWORTH — On Sept  24 and 25, from 9 a m  to 4 p m  daily, Andrew Pighills, master stone mason, will teach a two-day, weekend long workshop on the art of dry stone wall building at Stonewell Farm in Killingworth, CT 
Participants will learn the basic principles of wall building, from establishing foundations, to the methods of dry laid (sometimes called dry-stacked) construction and ‘hearting’ the wall  This hands-on workshop will address not only the structure and principles behind wall building but also the aesthetic considerations of balance and proportion 
This workshop expresses Pighill’s commitment to preserve New England’s heritage and promote and cultivate the dry stone wall building skills that will ensure the preservation of our vernacular landscape 
This workshop is open to participants, 18 years of age or older, of all levels of experience  Note the workshop is limited to 16 participants, and spaces fill up quickly 
You must pre-register to attend the workshop  The price for the workshop is $350 per person  Stonewell Farm is located at 39 Beckwith Rd , Killingworth CT 06419
If you have any questions or to register for the workshop, contact the Workshop Administrator Michelle Becker at 860-322-0060 or mb@mbeckerco com
At the end of the day on Saturday you’ll be hungry, tired and ready for some rest and relaxation, so the wood-fired Stone pizza oven will be fired up and beer, wine and Pizza Rustica will be served 
About the instructor: Born in Yorkshire, England, Andrew Pighills is an accomplished stone artisan, gardener and horticulturist  He received his formal horticulture training with The Royal Horticultural Society and has spent 40+ years creating gardens and building dry stone walls in his native England in and around the spectacular Yorkshire Dales and the English Lake District  Today, Pighills is one of a small, but dedicated group of US-based, certified, professional members of The Dry Stone Walling Association (DSWA) of Great Britain  Having moved to the United States more than 10 years ago, he now continues this venerable craft here in the US, building dry stone walls, stone structures and creating gardens throughout New England and beyond 
His particular technique of building walls adheres to the ancient methods of generations of dry stone wallers in his native Yorkshire Dales  Pighills’ commitment to preserving the integrity and endurance of this traditional building art has earned him a devoted list of private and public clients here and abroad including the English National Trust, the English National Parks, and the Duke of Devonshire estates  His stone work has been featured on British and American television, in Charles McCraven’s book The Stone Primer, and Jeffrey Matz’s Midcentury Houses Today, A study of residential modernism in New Canaan Connecticut  He has featured in the N Y Times, on Martha Stewart Living radio, and in the Graham Deneen film short “Dry Stone”, as well as various media outlets both here and in the UK, including an article in the Jan/Feb 2015 issue of Yankee Magazine 
Pighills is a DSWA fully qualified dry stone walling instructor  In addition to building in stone and creating gardens, Pighills teaches dry stone wall building workshops in and around New England  He is a frequent lecturer on the art of dry stone walling, and how traditional UK walling styles compare to those found in New England  His blog, Heave and Hoe; A Day in the Life of a Dry Stone Waller and Gardener, provides more information about Pighills 
For more information, visit www englishgardensandlandscaping com
Filed Under: Outdoors CT Port Authority Chair Tells Lower CT River Local Officials, “We’re All on One Team” August 27, 2016 by Olwen Logan 2 Comments Enjoying a boat ride on the Connecticut River, but still finding time for discussions, are (from left to right) Chester First Selectwoman Lauren Gister, Old Lyme First Selectwoman and Connecticut Port Authority (CPA) board member Bonnie Reemsnyder, Essex First Selectman Norm Needleman, CPA Chairman Scott Bates and Deep River First Selectman Angus McDonald, Jr 
Filed Under: Chester, Deep River, Essex, News, Old Lyme, Outdoors, Politics, Top Story House Approves Courtney-Sponsored Amendment Restricting Sale of Plum Island July 10, 2016 by admin 2 Comments Representative Joe Courtney
Local Congressional Representative Joe Courtney (CT-02) announced Thursday (July 7) that a bipartisan amendment he had led, along with Representatives Rosa DeLauro (CT-03), Lee Zeldin (R-NY) and Peter King (R-NY), to prohibit the sale of Plum Island was passed by the House of Representatives 
The amendment, which will prohibit the General Services Administration (GSA) from using any of its operational funding to process or complete a sale of Plum Island, was made to the Financial Services and General Government Appropriations Act of 2017  
In a joint statement, the Representatives said, “Our amendment passed today is a big step toward permanently protecting Plum Island as a natural area  Plum Island is a scenic and biological treasure located right in the middle of Long Island Sound  It is home to a rich assortment of rare plant and animal species that need to be walled off from human interference ”
The statement continued, “Nearly everyone involved in this issue agrees that it should be preserved as a natural sanctuary – not sold off to the highest bidder for development ” Presumptive Republican Presidential nominee Donald Trump had shown interest in the property at one time 
In 2008, the federal government announced plans to close the research facility on Plum Island and relocate to Manhattan, Kansas  Current law states that Plum Island must be sold publicly to help finance the new research facility 
Aerial view of Plum Island 
The lawmakers joint statement explained, “The amendment will prevent the federal agency in charge of the island from moving forward with a sale by prohibiting it from using any of its operational funding provided by Congress for that purpose,” concluding, ” This will not be the end of the fight to preserve Plum Island, but this will provide us with more time to find a permanent solution for protecting the Island for generations to come ”
For several years, members from both sides of Long Island Sound have been working in a bipartisan manner to delay and, ultimately, repeal the mandated sale of this ecological treasure  Earlier this year, the representatives, along with the whole Connecticut delegation, cosponsored legislation that passed the House unanimously to delay the sale of Plum Island 
Filed Under: Outdoors July 1 Update: Aquatic Treatment Planned for Rogers Lake, July 5 July 1, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment We received this updated information from the Old Lyme Selectman’s office at 11:05 a m  this morning:
Filed Under: Lyme, Old Lyme, Outdoors, Town Hall They’re Everywhere! All About Gypsy Moth Caterpillars — Advice from CT Agricultural Experiment Station June 2, 2016 by Adina Ripin Leave a Comment Gypsy moth caterpillars – photo by Peter Trenchard, CAES 
The potential for gypsy moth outbreak exists every year in our community 
Dr  Kirby Stafford III, head of the Department of Entomology at the Connecticut Agricultural Experiment Station, has written a fact sheet on the gypsy moth available on the CAES website  The following information is from this fact sheet 
The gypsy moth, Lymantria dispar, was introduced into the US (Massachusetts) by Etienne Leopold Trouvelot in about 1860  The escaped larvae led to small outbreaks in the area in 1882, increasing rapidly  It was first detected in Connecticut in 1905  By 1952, it had spread to 169 towns  In 1981, 1 5 million acres were defoliated in Connecticut  During the outbreak of 1989, CAES scientists discovered that an entomopathogenic fungus, Entomophaga maimaiga, was killing the caterpillars  Since then the fungus has been the most important agent suppressing gypsy moth activity 
The fungus, however, cannot prevent all outbreaks and hotspots have been reported in some areas, in 2005-06 and again in 2015 
The life cycle of the gypsy moth is one generation a year  Caterpillars hatch from buff-colored egg masses in late April to early May  An egg mass may contain 100 to more than 1000 eggs and are laid in several layers  The caterpillars (larvae) hatch a few days later and ascend the host trees and begin to feed on new leaves  The young caterpillars, buff to black-colored, lay down silk safety lines as they crawl and, as they drop from branches on these threads, they may be picked up on the wind and spread 
There are four or five larval stages (instars) each lasting 4-10 days  Instars 1-3 remain in the trees  The fourth instar caterpillars, with distinctive double rows of blue and red spots, crawl up and down the tree trunks feeding mainly at night  They seek cool, shaded protective sites during the day, often on the ground  If the outbreak is dense, caterpillars may feed continuously and crawl at any time 
With the feeding completed late June to early July, caterpillars seek a protected place to pupate and transform into a moth in about 10-14 days  Male moths are brown and fly  Female moths are white and cannot fly despite having wings  They do not feed and live for only 6-10 days  After mating, the female will lay a single egg mass and die  The egg masses can be laid anywhere: trees, fence posts, brick/rock walls, outdoor furniture, cars, recreational vehicles, firewood  The egg masses are hard  The eggs will survive the winter and larvae hatch the following spring during late April through early May 
The impact of the gypsy moth can be extensive since the caterpillar will feed on a wide diversity of trees and shrubs  Oak trees are their preferred food  Other favored tree species include apple, birch, poplar and willow  If the infestation is heavy, they will also attack certain conifers and other less favored species  The feeding causes extensive defoliation 
Healthy trees can generally withstand one or two partial to one complete defoliation  Trees will regrow leaves before the end of the summer  Nonetheless, there can be die-back of branches  Older trees may become more vulnerable to stress after defoliation  Weakened trees can also be attacked by other organisms or lack energy reserves for winter dormancy and growth during the following spring  Three years of heavy defoliation may result in high oak mortality 
The gypsy moth caterpillars drop leaf fragments and frass (droppings) while feeding creating a mess for decks, patios, outdoor furniture, cars and driveways  Crawling caterpillars can be a nuisance and their hairs irritating  The egg masses can be transported by vehicles to areas where the moth is not yet established  Under state quarantine laws, the CAES inspects certain plant shipments destined to areas free of the gypsy moth, particularly for egg masses 
There are several ways to manage the gypsy moth: biological, physical and chemical 
Biologically, the major gypsy moth control agent has been the fungus E  maimaiga  This fungus can provide complete control of the gypsy moth but is dependent on early season moisture from rains in May and June to achieve effective infection rates and propagation of the fungus to other caterpillars



ground_truth: The maximum velocity scales with the square root of the amplitude.

prompt_front: Now, answer the following question based on the text below, only give me the answer and do not output any other words.

Question: What is the group's request to the Connecticut DEEP Commissioner?

Read the following text and answer briefly.

Context 2:  The dry spring of 2015 resulted in little or no apparent fungal inoculation or spread until it killed late-stage caterpillars in some areas of the state, after most defoliation 
Infected caterpillars hang vertically from the tree trunk, head down  Some die in an upside down “V” position, a characteristic of caterpillars killed by the less common gypsy moth nucleopolyhedrosis virus (NPV)  This was not detected in caterpillars examined in 2015 
Physical controls include removing and destroying egg masses, which can be drowned in a soapy water and disposed of  Another method is to use burlap refuge/barrier bands wrapped around tree trunks so that migrating caterpillars will crawl into or under the folded burlap or be trapped by the sticky band 
There are a number of crop protection chemicals labeled for the control of gypsy moth on ornamental trees and shrubs  There are treatments for egg masses, larvae and adult moths  Detailed information about these chemical treatments is available in the CAES factsheet 
For complete information about the gypsy moth and its management, visit the CAES website and look for the fact sheet on gypsy moth 
Filed Under: News, Outdoors East Lyme Public Trust Invites Community to Celebrate Boardwalk Re-dedication May 25, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment On Saturday, May 28, at 11 a m , the East Lyme Public Trust Foundation, in co-operation with East Lyme Parks and Recreation Department, will sponsor A Dream Fulfilled, the official re-dedication of the East Lyme Boardwalk  The re-dedication ceremony, which will be held on the Boardwalk, will feature keynote speaker, Sen  Paul Formica, former First Selectman of East Lyme 
Other speakers will include East Lyme First Selectman Mark Nickerson, Public Trust President Joe Legg, Public Trust Past-President Bob DeSanto, Public Trust Vice-President John Hoye, and Parks and Recreation Director Dave Putnam; all the speakers will recognize the many people who have helped made this dream a reality 
The East Lyme Public Trust Foundation would like to invite the general public to witness this historic occasion  In addition, the members would especially like to encourage the participation of the 200 people who dedicated benches and the innumerable people who sponsored plaques  They would also love to welcome all members of the Trust – past and present – and all those who originally helped make the Boardwalk a reality 
Participants should enter the Boardwalk at Hole-in-the Wall on Baptist Lane, Niantic  Then, there will be a short walk to the area of the monument where the ceremony will take place  At the entrance to Hole-in-the Wall, the Public Trust will have a display of historical information and memorabilia related to the construction and re-construction of the Boardwalk  Public Trust members, Pat and Jack Lewis will be on hand to host the exhibit titled Before and After and to welcome participants  After the ceremony, participants will have the opportunity to visit “their bench” and re-visit “their plaque ” During and after the dedication, music will be provided by Trust member, Bill Rinoski, who is a “D J  for all occasions ” Rinoski will feature “Boardwalk-related” music and Oldies plus Top 40 selections  This historic occasion will be videotaped as a public service by Mike Rydene of Media Potions of East Lyme  High school volunteers will be on hand to greet participants and help with directions 
The organizing committee is chaired by Michelle Maitland  Her committee consists of Joe Legg, President of the East Lyme Public Trust, Carol Marelli, Bob and Polly DeSanto, June Hoye, and Kathie Cassidy 
Visit Facebook – East Lyme Public Trust Foundation – for more information on the re-dedication ceremony  For more information on the Boardwalk, explore this website 
Filed Under: Outdoors Lyme Land Trust Seeks to Preserve Whalebone Cove Headwaters May 8, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment Lyme Land Trust Preservation Vice President Don Gerber stands with Chairman Anthony Irving (kneeling) next to Whalebone Creek in the proposed Hawthorne Preserve in Hadlyme 
The Lyme Land Conservation Trust has announced a fund raising drive to protect 82 acres of ecologically strategic upland forest and swamp wildlife habitat in Hadlyme on the headwaters of Whalebone Cove, one of the freshwater tidal wetlands that comprises the internationally celebrated Connecticut River estuary complex 
The new proposed preserve is part of a forested landscape just south of Hadlyme Four Corners and Ferry Road (Rt  148), and forms a large part of the watershed for Whalebone Creek, a key tributary feeding Whalebone Cove, most of which is a national wildlife refuge under the management of the US Fish & Wildlife Service 
The Land Trust said it hopes to name the new nature refuge in honor of William Hawthorne of Hadlyme, whose family has owned the property for several generations and who has agreed to sell the property to the Land Trust at a discount from its market value if the rest of the money necessary for the purchase can be raised by the Land Trust 
“This new wildlife preserve will represent a triple play for habitat conservation,” said Anthony Irving, chairman of the Land Trust’s Preservation Committee 
“First, it helps to protect the watershed feeding the fragile Whalebone Cove eco-system, which is listed as one of North America’s important freshwater tidal marshes in international treaties that cite the Connecticut River estuary as a wetland complex of global importance  Whalebone Creek, one of the primary streams feeding Whalebone Cove, originates from vernal pools and upland swamps just south of the Hawthorne tract on the Land Trust’s Ravine Trail Preserve and adjacent conservation easements and flows through the proposed preserve  Virtually all of the Hawthorne property comprises much of the watershed for Whalebone Creek 
“Second, the 82 acres we are hoping to acquire with this fund raising effort represents a large block of wetlands and forested wildlife habitat between Brush Hill and Joshuatown roads, which in itself is home to a kaleidoscope of animals from amphibians and reptiles that thrive in several vernal pools and swamp land, to turkey, coyote, bobcat and fisher  It also serves as seasonal nesting and migratory stops for several species of deep woods birds, which are losing habitat all over Connecticut due to forest fragmentation 
“Third, this particular preserve will also conserve a key link in the wildlife corridors that connects more than 1,000 acres of protected woodland and swamp habitat in the Hadlyme area ” Irving explained that the preserve is at the center of a landscape-scale wildlife habitat greenway that includes Selden Island State Park, property of the US Fish & Wild Life’s Silvio O Conte Wildlife Refuge, The Nature Conservancy’s Selden Preserve, and several other properties protected by the Lyme Land Conservation Trust 
“Because of its central location as a hub between these protected habitat refuges,” said Irving, “this preserve will protect forever the uninterrupted access that wildlife throughout the Hadlyme landscape now has for migration and breeding between otherwise isolated communities and families of many terrestrial species that are important to the continued robust bio-diversity of southeastern Connecticut and the Connecticut River estuary ”
Irving noted that the Hawthorne property is the largest parcel targeted for conservation in the Whalebone Cove watershed by the recently developed US Fish & Wildlife Service Silvio O Conte Wildlife Refuge Comprehensive Conservation Plan  Irving said the Land Trust hopes to create a network of hiking trails on the property with access from both Brush Hill Road on the east and Joshuatown Road on the west and connection to the Land Trust’s Ravine Trail to the south and the network of trails on the Nature Conservancy’s Selden Preserve 
Irving said there is strong support for the Land Trust’s proposal to preserve the property both within the Hadlyme and Lyme communities and among regional and state conservation groups  He noted letters of support have come from the Hadlyme Garden Club, the Hadlyme Public Hall Association, the Lyme Inland Wetlands & Watercourses Agency, the Lyme Planning and Zoning Commission, the Lyme Open Space Committee, the Lower Connecticut River Valley Council of Governments, the Lyme Garden Club, the Lyme Public Hall, The Nature Conservancy, The Silvio O Conte Refuge, the Connecticut River Watershed Council, and the Friends of Whalebone Cove, Inc 
He reported that between Hawthorne’s gift and several other pledges the Land Trust has already received commitments of 25 percent of the cost of the property 
Filed Under: Lyme, Outdoors, Top Story, vnn Old Lyme Tree Commission Celebrates Arbor Day April 29, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment Members of the three groups gather around the new oak tree  From left to right are Kathy Burton, Joanne DiCamillo, Joan Flynn  Anne Bing, Emily Griswold and Barbara Rayel 
Filed Under: Old Lyme, Outdoors, Top Story, Town Hall Enjoy a Tour of Private Gardens in Essex, June 4 April 28, 2016 by Adina Ripin Leave a Comment See this beautiful private garden in Essex on June 4 
ESSEX – On Saturday, June 4, from 10 a m  to 3 p m , plan to stroll through eight of the loveliest and most unusual private gardens in Essex  Some are in the heart of Essex Village while others are hidden along lanes most visitors never see  While exploring, you will find both formal and informal settings, lovely sweeping lawns and panoramic views of the Connecticut River or its coves  One garden you will visit is considered to be a ‘laboratory’ for cultivation of native plants  Master Gardeners will be available to point out specific features, offer gardening tips, and answer questions 
The garden tour is sponsored by the Friends of the Essex Library  Tickets are $25 in advance and $30 at the Essex Library the day of the event  Cash, checks, Visa or Master Card will be accepted  Tickets can be reserved by visiting the library or by completing the form included in flyers available at the library and throughout Essex beginning May 2  Completed forms can be mailed to the library  Confirmations will be sent to the email addresses on the completed forms 
Your ticket will be a booklet containing a brief description of each garden along with a map of the tour and designated parking  Tickets must be picked up at the library beginning at 9:45 a m  the day of the event 
Richard Conroy, library director, has said, “The Essex Library receives only about half of its operating revenue from the Town  The financial assistance we receive each year from the Friends is critical  It enables us to provide important resources such as Ancestry com and museum passes, as well as practical improvements like the automatic front doors that were recently installed  I urge you to help your Library by helping our Friends make this event a success! Thank you for your support ”
The tour will take place rain or shine  For more information, call 860-767-1560  All proceeds will benefit Friends of the Essex Library 
Filed Under: Outdoors Potapaug Presents Plum Island Program April 7, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment Potapaug Audubon presents “Preserving Plum Island” on Thursday, April 7, at 7 p m  at Old Lyme Town Hall, 52 Lyme St , Old Lyme, with guest speaker Chris Cryder, from the Preserve Plum Island Coalition 
Cryder will discuss the efforts to protect the island, which provides vital habitat for threatened and endangered birds 
This is a free program and all are welcome 
Filed Under: Old Lyme, Outdoors CT Legislators Support Study to Preserve Plum Island From Commercial Development March 28, 2016 by Jerome Wilson 1 Comment Aerial view of Plum Island lighthouse  (From Preserve Plum Island website)
Last Thursday, March 24, at a press conference in Old Saybrook, a triumvirate of Congressional legislators from Connecticut, State Senator Richard Blumenthal and US Representatives Joe Courtney (D-2nd District) and Rosa DeLauro (D-3rd District) confirmed their support for a study to determine the future of Plum Island located in Long Island Sound 
Members of the Plum Island Coalition — which has some 65 member organizations all dedicated to preserving the island — were in attendance to hear the good news 
The island still houses a high-security, federal animal disease research facility, but the decision has already been taken to move the facility to a new location in Kansas with an opening slated for 2022  The current facility takes up only a small percentage of the land on the island and significantly for environmentalists, the remainder of the island has for years been left to nature in the wild 
In supporting a federal study on the future of Plum Island, Sen  Blumenthal said, “This study is a step towards saving a precious, irreplaceable national treasure from developers and polluters  It will provide the science and fact-based evidence to make our case for stopping the current Congressional plan to sell Plum Island to the highest bidder ” He continued, “The stark truth is the sale of Plum Island is no longer necessary to build a new bioresearch facility because Congress has fully appropriated the funds  There is no need for this sale – and in fact, Congress needs to rescind the sale ” Congress, however, still has a law on the books that authorizes the sale of Plum Island land to the highest bidder  Therefore, opponents of the sale will have the burden of convincing Congress to change a law that is currently in place 
Filed Under: Old Lyme, Outdoors, Top Story, vnn Land Trusts’ Photo Contest Winners Announced March 24, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment Winner of the top prize, the John G  Mitchell Environmental Conservation Award – Hank Golet
The 10th Annual Land Trust’s Photo Contest winners were announced at a March 11 reception highlighting the winning photos and displaying all entered photos  Land trusts in Lyme, Old Lyme, Salem, Essex and East Haddam jointly sponsor the annual amateur photo contest to celebrate the scenic countryside and diverse wildlife and plants in these towns  The ages of the photographers ranged from children to senior citizens 
Hank Golet won the top prize, the John G  Mitchell Environmental Conservation Award, with his beautiful photograph of a juvenile yellow crowned night heron in the Black Hall River in Old Lyme  Alison Mitchell personally presented the award, created in memory of her late husband John G  Mitchell, an editor at National Geographic, who championed the cause of the environment 
William Burt, a naturalist and acclaimed wildlife photographer, who has been a contest judge for ten years, received a special mention  Judges Burt; Amy Kurtz Lansing, an accomplished art historian and curator at the Florence Griswold Museum; and Skip Broom, a respected, award-winning local photographer and antique house restoration housewright, chose the winning photographs from 219 entries 
The sponsoring land trusts – Lyme Land Conservation Trust, Essex Land Trust, the Old Lyme Land Trust, Salem Land Trust, and East Haddam Land Trust – thank the judges as well as generous supporters RiverQuest/ CT River Expeditions, Lorensen Auto Group, the Oakley Wing Group at Morgan Stanley, Evan Griswold at Coldwell Banker, Ballek’s Garden Center, Essex Savings Bank, Chelsea Groton Bank, and Alison Mitchell in honor of her late husband John G  Mitchell  Big Y and Fromage Fine Foods & Coffee provided support for the reception 
The winning photographers are:
John G  Mitchell Environmental Award, Hank Golet, Old Lyme
1st: Patrick Burns, East Haddam
2nd: Judah Waldo, Old Lyme
3rd: James Beckman, Ivoryton
Honorable Mention Gabriel Waldo, Old Lyme
Honorable Mention Sarah Gada, East Haddam
Honorable Mention Shawn Parent, East Haddam
Cultural/Historic
1st: Marcus Maronne, Mystic
2nd: Normand L  Charlette, Manchester
3rd: Tammy Marseli, Rocky Hill
Honorable Mention Jud Perkins, Salem
Honorable Mention Pat Duncan, Norwalk
Honorable Mention John Kolb, Essex
Landscapes/Waterscapes
1st: Cheryl Philopena, Salem
2nd: Marian Morrissette, New London
3rd: Harcourt Davis, Old Lyme
Honorable Mention Cynthia Kovak, Old Lyme
Honorable Mention Bopha Smith, Salem
1st: Mary Waldron, Old Lyme
2nd: Courtney Briggs, Old Saybrook
3rd: Linda Waters, Salem
Honorable Mention Pete Govert, East Haddam
Honorable Mention Marcus Maronne, Mystic
Honorable Mention Marian Morrissette, New London
First place winner of the Wildlife category – Chris Pimley
1st: Chris Pimley, Essex
2nd: Harcourt Davis, Old Lyme
Honorable Mention Thomas Nemeth, Salem
Honorable Mention Jeri Duefrene, Niantic
Honorable Mention Elizabeth Gentile, Old Lyme
The winning photos will be on display at the Lymes’ Senior Center for the month of March and Lyme Public Library in April  For more information go to lymelandtrust org 
Filed Under: Outdoors Old Lyme’s Open Space Commission Hosts Talk on Sea Level Rise, Salt Marsh Advance March 11, 2016 by admin 1 Comment The Town of Old Lyme’s Open Space Commission invites all interested parties to a workshop by Adam Whelchel, PhD, Director of Science at The Nature Conservancy’s Connecticut Chapter  The workshop will be held on Friday, March 11, at 9 a m  in the Old Lyme Town Hall 
Filed Under: Outdoors, Town Hall Inaugural Meeting of ‘Friends of Whalebone Cove’ Held, Group Plans to Protect Famous Tidal Wetland March 7, 2016 by admin Leave a Comment The newly formed ‘Friends of Whalebone Cove’ are working to preserve and protect the Cove’s fragile ecosystem 
A new community conservation group to protect Whalebone Cove, a freshwater tidal marsh along the Connecticut river in Hadlyme recognized internationally for its wildlife habitat, will hold its first organizational meeting this coming Sunday, March 6, at 4 p m 
Calling the group “Friends of Whalebone Cove” (FOWC), the organizers say their purpose is to “create a proactive, community-based constituency whose mission is to preserve and protect the habitat and fragile eco-systems of Whalebone Cove ”
Much of Whalebone Cove is a nature preserve that is part of the Silvio O  Conte National Wildlife Refuge (www fws gov/refuge/silvio_o_conte) under the jurisdiction of the U S  Fish & Wildlife Service (USFW)  The Refuge owns and manages 116 acres of marshland in Whalebone Cove and upland along its shores 
Prior to being taken over by USFW, the Whalebone Cove preserve was under the protection of The Nature Conservancy 
As part of the Connecticut River estuary, the Cove is listed in the Ramsar Convention on International Wetlands (www ramsar org) as tidal marshlands on the Connecticut River that constitute a “wetlands complex of international importance ”
The Ramsar citation specifically notes that Whalebone Cove has one of the largest stands of wild rice in the state  Except at high tide, most of the Cove is open marshland covered by wild rice stands with relatively narrow channels where Whalebone Creek winds its way through the Cove to the main stem of the Connecticut River 
Brian Slater, one of the group’s leaders who is filing the incorporation documents creating FOWC, said the creation of the organization was conceived by many of those living around the Cove and others in the Hadlyme area because of increased speeding motor boat and jet ski traffic in the Cove in recent years, damaging wetland plants and disrupting birds and other wildlife that make the Cove their home 
Slater said “Our goal is to develop a master plan for protection of the Cove through a collaborative effort involving all those who have a stake in Whalebone Cove – homeowners along its shores and those living nearby, the Silvio O  Conte Refuge, the Connecticut Department of Energy & Environmental Protection (DEEP), hunters, fishing enthusiasts, canoeing and kayaking groups, Audubon groups, the Towns of Lyme and East Haddam, The Nature Conservancy, the Connecticut River Watershed Council, the Lyme Land Conservation Trust, the Connecticut River Gateway Commission, and others who want to protect the Cove ”
“Such a plan”, said Slater, “should carefully evaluate the habitat, plants, wildlife and eco-systems of the Cove and the surrounding uplands and watershed and propose an environmental management plan that can be both implemented and enforced by those entrusted with stewarding the Cove and its fragile ecosystems for the public trust ”
FOWC has written a letter to Connecticut DEEP Commissioner Rob Klee asking that he appoint a blue ribbon commission to conduct the research and develop the management plan  FOWC also asked that Commissioner Klee either deny or defer approval on any applications for new docks in the Cove until the management plan can be developed and implemented  Currently there are no docks in the Cove 
“We are very concerned that the installation of docks permitted for motor boat use will greatly increase the amount of motorized watercraft in the Cove,” said Slater  “There’s already too much jet ski and speeding motorboat traffic in the Cove  Those living on the Cove have even seen boats towing water skiers crisscrossing the wild rice plants at high tide  Something has to be done to protect the birds and marine life that give birth and raise their young in the Cove ”
Slater urged all those “who treasure Whalebone Cove and the many species of birds, turtles, fish, reptiles, amphibians, beaver, and rare flora and fauna that make their home in it to attend the meeting, whether they live in the Hadlyme area or beyond ”
Expected to be at the meeting will be representatives from USFW, DEEP, the Connecticut River Watershed Council, and several other conservation organizations 
The meeting will be held at Hadlyme Public Hall, 1 Day Hill Rd , in Lyme, which is at the intersection of Ferry Rd  (Rte  148), Joshuatown Rd , and Day Hill Rd  Representatives from the Silvio O  Conte Refuge will make a short presentation on the history and mission of the Conte Refuge system, which includes nature preserves throughout the Connecticut River Valley in four states 
For more information, call 860-322-4021 or email fowchadlyme@gmail com
Filed Under: Lyme, News, Outdoors Next Page »
Context 3: Football Club Urartu (, translated Futbolayin Akumb Urartu), commonly known as Urartu, is an Armenian professional football team based in the capital Yerevan that currently plays in the Armenian Premier League  The club won the Armenian Cup three times, in 1992, 2007 and 2016  In 2013–2014, they won the Armenian Premier League for the first time in their history 

In early 2016, the Russia-based Armenian businessman Dzhevan Cheloyants became a co-owner of the club after purchasing the major part of the club shares  The club was known as FC Banants until 1 August 2019, when it was officially renamed FC Urartu 

History

Kotayk
Urartu FC were founded as FC Banants by Sarkis Israelyan on 21 January 1992 in the village of Kotayk, representing the Kotayk Province  He named the club after his native village of Banants (currently known as Bayan)  Between 1992 and 1995, the club was commonly referred to as Banants Kotayk  During the 1992 season, the club won the first Armenian Cup  At the end of the 1995 transitional season, Banants suffered a financial crisis  The club owners decided that it was better to merge the club with FC Kotayk of Abovyan, rather than disband it  In 2001, Banants demerged from FC Kotayk, and was moved from Abovyan to the capital Yerevan 

Yerevan

FC Banants was relocated to Yerevan in 2001  At the beginning of 2003, Banants merged with FC Spartak Yerevan, but was able to limit the name of the new merger to FC Banants  Spartak became Banants's youth academy and later changed the name to Banants-2  Because of the merger, Banants acquired many players from Spartak Yerevan, including Samvel Melkonyan  After the merger, Banants took a more serious approach and have finished highly in the league table ever since  The club managed to lift the Armenian Cup in 2007 
Experience is making way for youth for the 2008 and 2009 seasons



ground_truth: Appointing a blue ribbon commission to conduct the research and develop the management plan and denying or defering approval on any applications for new docks in the Cove until the management plan can be developed and implemented.

prompt_front: Now, answer the following question based on the text below, only give me the answer and do not output any other words.

Question: What is the name of the most active fan club?

Read the following text and answer briefly.

Context 3:  The departures of most of the experienced players have left the club's future to the youth  Along with two Ukrainian players, Ugandan international, Noah Kasule, has been signed 

The club headquarters are located on Jivani Street 2 of the Malatia-Sebastia District, Yerevan 

Domestic

European

Stadium

The construction of the Banants Stadium was launched in 2006 in the Malatia-Sebastia District of Yerevan, with the assistance of the FIFA goal programme  It was officially opened in 2008 with a capacity of 3,600 seats  Further developments were implemented later in 2011, when the playing pitch was modernized and the capacity of the stadium was increased up to 4,860 seats (2,760 at the northern stand, 1,500 at the southern stand and 600 at the western stand) 

Training centre/academy
Banants Training Centre is the club's academy base located in the Malatia-Sebastia District of Yerevan  In addition to the main stadium, the centre houses 3 full-size training pitches, mini football pitches as well as an indoor facility  The current technical director of the academy is the former Russian footballer Ilshat Faizulin 

Fans
The most active group of fans is the South West Ultras fan club, mainly composed of residents from several neighbourhoods within the Malatia-Sebastia District of Yerevan, since the club is a de facto representer of the district  Members of the fan club benefit from events organized by the club and many facilities of the Banants training centre, such as the mini football pitch, the club store and other entertainments 

Achievements
 Armenian Premier League
 Winner (1): 2013–14 
 Runner-up (5): 2003, 2006, 2007, 2010, 2018 

 Armenian Cup
 Winner (3): 1992, 2007, 2016 
 Runner-up (6): 2003, 2004, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2021–22

 Armenian Supercup
 Winner (1): 2014 
 Runner-up (5): 2004, 2007, 2009, 2010, 2016 

Current squad

Out on loan

Personnel

Technical staff

Management

Urartu-2

FC Banants' reserve squad play as FC Banants-2 in the Armenian First League  They play their home games at the training field with artificial turf of the Urartu Training Centre 

Managerial history
 Varuzhan Sukiasyan (1992–94)
 Poghos Galstyan (July 1, 1996 – June 30, 1998)
 Oganes Zanazanyan (2001–05)
 Ashot Barseghyan (2005–06)
 Nikolay Kiselyov (2006–07)
 Jan Poštulka (2007)
 Nikolay Kostov (July 1, 2007 – April 8, 2008)
 Nedelcho Matushev (April 8, 2008 – June 30, 2008)
 Kim Splidsboel (2008)
 Armen Gyulbudaghyants (Jan 1, 2009 – Dec 1, 2009)
 Ashot Barseghyan (interim) (2009)
 Stevica Kuzmanovski (Jan 1, 2010 – Dec 31, 2010)
 Rafael Nazaryan (Jan 1, 2011 – Jan 15, 2012)
 Volodymyr Pyatenko (Jan 17, 2013 – June 30, 2013)
 Zsolt Hornyák (July 1, 2013 – May 30, 2015)
 Aram Voskanyan (July 1, 2015 – Oct 11, 2015)
 Tito Ramallo (Oct 12, 2015 – Oct 3, 2016)
 Artur Voskanyan (Oct 3, 2016 – Aug 11, 2018)
 Ilshat Faizulin (Aug 12, 2018 –Nov 24, 2019)
 Aleksandr Grigoryan (Nov 25, 2019 –Mar 10, 2021)
 Robert Arzumanyan (10 March 2021–24 June 2022)
 Dmitri Gunko (27 June 2022–)

References

External links
 Official website 
 Banants at Weltfussball de  

 
Urartu
Urartu
Urartu
Urartu



ground_truth: South West Ultras fan club.