title: Use of Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) to determine moisture and temperature regimes in Antarctic soils

authors: Wall, Aaron M.

abstract: Antarctic soil moisture and temperature data are important as the soil climate influence. Antarctic ecosystems, and the data may provide information on climate change, and the effects of human activities on the Antarctic environment. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the limitations of Hydra (TDR) soil moisture probes (Stevens Water Monitoring Systems Inc., Oregon, U.S.A.) for use in Antarctic conditions and in hydrocarbon-contaminated soils; (2) describe the soil moisture and temperature regimes of soils located at Scott Base, Marble Point and in the Wright Valley using existing TDR data; and (3) investigate the temperature and moisture regimes at hydrocarbon-contaminated sites at Scott Base and Marble Point. 
Determination of the limitations of Hydra (TDR) probes in Antarctic conditions was undertaken in the laboratory where experiments were undertaken to measure the effects of soil temperature, texture, salinity and hydrocarbons on TDR probe accuracy. Field investigations measured soil moisture content with the Hydra (TDR) probes and compared the results to gravimetrically determined soil moisture contents. Soil moisture and temperature data collected by soil climate stations at Scott Base, Marble Point and in the Wright Valley between 1999/2000 and 2001/02 summers, and in hydrocarbon-contaminated soils at Scott Base and Marble Point for the 1999/2000 and 2000/01 summers, were investigated. 
The laboratory experimentation showed that soil temperature, texture, and salinity all influenced the soil moisture results recorded by the Hydra (TDR) probes. Hydrocarbons did not influence the soil moisture content recorded by the Hydra (TDR) probes. The cumulative and offsetting effects of soil texture, temperature and salinity were considered to be within the ±3% limit of accuracy of the Hydra (TDR) probe stated by the manufacturers. 
Diurnal freeze-thaw cycles occurred throughout the summer at the 2-5 cm depth, and averaged 50 freeze-thaw cycles per summer at Scott Base, 79 in the Wright Valley, and 52 at Marble Point. At the 2 cm depth, the soil temperature was cumulatively >0°C for an average of 830 hours each summer at Scott Base, 1 680 hours in the Wright Valley, and I 110 hours at Marble Point. Up to five soil-moistening events were identified each summer at Scott Base and Marble Point, while soil-moistening was detected once by one sensor over three summers in the Wright Valley. During the soil-moistening events, volumetric liquid soil moisture contents increased up to 23% at Scott Base, 32% at Marble Point, and 6% in the Wright Valley. At the 2 cm depth, the liquid soil moisture was cumulatively >5% for an average of 860 hours each summer at Scott Base, 1 hour in the Wright Valley, and 310 hours at Marble Point. The drying period following soil-moistening for surface soils (2-5 cm depth) was about 6 days, which was extended to about 12 days when freeze-thaw cycles were occurring. Soil moisture regimes of the hydrocarbon-contaminated soils were similar to those of the uncontaminated soils. Lack of replication, TDR ϴᵥ accuracy, and spatial variability were limitations to the accurate comparison of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil data with that from neighbouring uncontaminated sites.

text: Use of Time Domain Reflectometry (TDR) to determine moisture and temperature regimes in Antarctic soils Antarctic soil moisture and temperature data are important as the soil climate influence. Antarctic ecosystems, and the data may provide information on climate change, and the effects of human activities on the Antarctic environment. The objectives of this study were to: (1) determine the limitations of Hydra (TDR) soil moisture probes (Stevens Water Monitoring Systems Inc., Oregon, U.S.A.) for use in Antarctic conditions and in hydrocarbon-contaminated soils; (2) describe the soil moisture and temperature regimes of soils located at Scott Base, Marble Point and in the Wright Valley using existing TDR data; and (3) investigate the temperature and moisture regimes at hydrocarbon-contaminated sites at Scott Base and Marble Point. 
Determination of the limitations of Hydra (TDR) probes in Antarctic conditions was undertaken in the laboratory where experiments were undertaken to measure the effects of soil temperature, texture, salinity and hydrocarbons on TDR probe accuracy. Field investigations measured soil moisture content with the Hydra (TDR) probes and compared the results to gravimetrically determined soil moisture contents. Soil moisture and temperature data collected by soil climate stations at Scott Base, Marble Point and in the Wright Valley between 1999/2000 and 2001/02 summers, and in hydrocarbon-contaminated soils at Scott Base and Marble Point for the 1999/2000 and 2000/01 summers, were investigated. 
The laboratory experimentation showed that soil temperature, texture, and salinity all influenced the soil moisture results recorded by the Hydra (TDR) probes. Hydrocarbons did not influence the soil moisture content recorded by the Hydra (TDR) probes. The cumulative and offsetting effects of soil texture, temperature and salinity were considered to be within the ±3% limit of accuracy of the Hydra (TDR) probe stated by the manufacturers. 
Diurnal freeze-thaw cycles occurred throughout the summer at the 2-5 cm depth, and averaged 50 freeze-thaw cycles per summer at Scott Base, 79 in the Wright Valley, and 52 at Marble Point. At the 2 cm depth, the soil temperature was cumulatively >0°C for an average of 830 hours each summer at Scott Base, 1 680 hours in the Wright Valley, and I 110 hours at Marble Point. Up to five soil-moistening events were identified each summer at Scott Base and Marble Point, while soil-moistening was detected once by one sensor over three summers in the Wright Valley. During the soil-moistening events, volumetric liquid soil moisture contents increased up to 23% at Scott Base, 32% at Marble Point, and 6% in the Wright Valley. At the 2 cm depth, the liquid soil moisture was cumulatively >5% for an average of 860 hours each summer at Scott Base, 1 hour in the Wright Valley, and 310 hours at Marble Point. The drying period following soil-moistening for surface soils (2-5 cm depth) was about 6 days, which was extended to about 12 days when freeze-thaw cycles were occurring. Soil moisture regimes of the hydrocarbon-contaminated soils were similar to those of the uncontaminated soils. Lack of replication, TDR ϴᵥ accuracy, and spatial variability were limitations to the accurate comparison of hydrocarbon-contaminated soil data with that from neighbouring uncontaminated sites.

year: 2004

title: Waiorongomai Township

authors: Hart, Philip

abstract: When gold was discovered at Waiorongomai, a settlement was quickly established, to the delight of the Thames High School Governors, who anticipated a good return from their swampy farmland. Shops, hotels, and a school were erected, but the growth soon tailed off, and apart from brief mining revivals the settlement declined steadily until totally vanishing in the twentieth century: so much for its hopes of being larger than Te Aroha.
Typically, residents struggled with poor access, poor roads, and poor footpaths – although they did have one of the first telephone lines in New Zealand. There were regular complaints that the school board neglected the settlement, and for a time there was much debate about whether to join Te Aroha in a new borough. During the nineteenth century, pigs in particular were complained about, and in the next century noxious weeds spread across abandoned residence and business sites. When this happened, local farmers sought to acquire these sections, but as a few miners insisted that mining would revive, some were retained for the anticipated miners (who never came). 
During its existence, residents enjoyed quite an active social life, with sports, meetings, ‘rinking’, dances, and concerts and other entertainments in the public hall. Locals organized most of these activities, but occasional visitors provided some – and as Te Aroha was so close it was easy to attend entertainments there. But by the early twentieth century this social life faded away as the settlement did.

text: Waiorongomai Township When gold was discovered at Waiorongomai, a settlement was quickly established, to the delight of the Thames High School Governors, who anticipated a good return from their swampy farmland. Shops, hotels, and a school were erected, but the growth soon tailed off, and apart from brief mining revivals the settlement declined steadily until totally vanishing in the twentieth century: so much for its hopes of being larger than Te Aroha.
Typically, residents struggled with poor access, poor roads, and poor footpaths – although they did have one of the first telephone lines in New Zealand. There were regular complaints that the school board neglected the settlement, and for a time there was much debate about whether to join Te Aroha in a new borough. During the nineteenth century, pigs in particular were complained about, and in the next century noxious weeds spread across abandoned residence and business sites. When this happened, local farmers sought to acquire these sections, but as a few miners insisted that mining would revive, some were retained for the anticipated miners (who never came). 
During its existence, residents enjoyed quite an active social life, with sports, meetings, ‘rinking’, dances, and concerts and other entertainments in the public hall. Locals organized most of these activities, but occasional visitors provided some – and as Te Aroha was so close it was easy to attend entertainments there. But by the early twentieth century this social life faded away as the settlement did.

year: 2016

title: Pōuri: Two original screenplays

authors: Kohere, Anthony

subjects: Screenplays

abstract: Pōuri, as defined on Te Aka Māori Dictionary, means “regret, mournful, gloomy, in the dark.” It is an apt description of the following stories: Unprivate Moments, and Haytham; or, The Māori Gothic. A common thematic tie between the characters is that they regret past actions, have become disheartened, and experience severe distress. As a thesis, the aim is to expand on what a “Māori story” is beyond the familiar, or dare I say, expected.

'Unprivate Moments' is about an estranged father and son reconciling their differences, disguised as a low-level spy film. I see this as an opportunity to take a well-defined genre and treat it in a realistic fashion in terms of location and character, although not necessarily in believability. Set in Whanganui it can play with many tropes and preconceptions, almost with self-awareness without falling into parody or metacommentary. The formatting does not follow industry standards but inverts the layout of the scene descriptions and dialogue. While I cannot say for certain, Stanley Kubrick is the only one I am aware of that has done this when he adapted 'A Clockwork Orange'. His rationale for this break in style was to draw the eye to the visual storytelling rather than the dialogue.

'Haytham' is centred on a young Byronic Māori man during the late 1880s. Like the archetype he is derived from, Haytham is a tall, dark, and mysterious man. As he reveals himself both to the audience and to the other characters, we come to find someone who has been  damaged and corrupted. This issue of childhood trauma is the central crux of the story and is explored through his relationships with the women in his life. And finally, despite the script’s setting and intentional use of familial names, this is not a biographical work.

text: Pōuri: Two original screenplays Pōuri, as defined on Te Aka Māori Dictionary, means “regret, mournful, gloomy, in the dark.” It is an apt description of the following stories: Unprivate Moments, and Haytham; or, The Māori Gothic. A common thematic tie between the characters is that they regret past actions, have become disheartened, and experience severe distress. As a thesis, the aim is to expand on what a “Māori story” is beyond the familiar, or dare I say, expected.

'Unprivate Moments' is about an estranged father and son reconciling their differences, disguised as a low-level spy film. I see this as an opportunity to take a well-defined genre and treat it in a realistic fashion in terms of location and character, although not necessarily in believability. Set in Whanganui it can play with many tropes and preconceptions, almost with self-awareness without falling into parody or metacommentary. The formatting does not follow industry standards but inverts the layout of the scene descriptions and dialogue. While I cannot say for certain, Stanley Kubrick is the only one I am aware of that has done this when he adapted 'A Clockwork Orange'. His rationale for this break in style was to draw the eye to the visual storytelling rather than the dialogue.

'Haytham' is centred on a young Byronic Māori man during the late 1880s. Like the archetype he is derived from, Haytham is a tall, dark, and mysterious man. As he reveals himself both to the audience and to the other characters, we come to find someone who has been  damaged and corrupted. This issue of childhood trauma is the central crux of the story and is explored through his relationships with the women in his life. And finally, despite the script’s setting and intentional use of familial names, this is not a biographical work.

year: 2022