'In the shadow of hierarchy': meta-governance, policy reform and urban regeneration in the West Midlands

This paper explores the relationship between political hierarchy and the complex webs of political organization associated with urban governance. Deploying the concept of meta-governance and a study of urban policy reform in the West Midlands region of England, this paper claims that state and governmental hierarchies continue to have a crucial role in coordinating the activities of governance regimes in the UK. This paper concludes by considering the effects of hierarchical power on the systems of political participation and representation that are associated with urban governance.     

Marine birds breeding in Penny Strait and Queens Channel, Nunavut, Canada

Surveys of breeding birds on small islands in Penny Strait and Queens Channel, Nunavut Territory, Canada, were conducted in July 2002 and 2003. Approximately 3600 marine birds were observed, with the most common species being Arctic terns ( Sterna paradisaea , N=2400) and common eiders ( Somateria mollissima borealis , N=620). We observed no Ross's gulls ( Rhodostethia rosed ) in either year, and we found ivory gulls ( Pagophila eburned ) only in 2003, even though these species commonly bred here in the 1970s. This previously unsurveyed region supports numerous breeding marine birds, but reproductive success on these small islands may be dependent on annual ice conditions and consequent movements of Arctic foxes ( Alopex lagopus ).     

Sectoral Shifts and Occupational Migration in the United States

This research is grounded in notions of differential economic restructuring across employment sectors and geographic space, as well as migration selectivity by occupation. A series of unconstrained competing‐destinations models were employed to analyze the response by workers in thirteen occupational categories to sectoral employment change, average wages, and distance. As was hypothesized, workers in occupations that require high levels of education and skills are more responsive, in terms of migration, to economic opportunities in alternative labor‐market areas. However, the results do not support the hypothesis that highly educated and skilled workers migrate longer distances. Further investigation suggests that opportunities for highly educated and skilled workers may be clustering in relatively few areas that are in relatively close proximity.     

Focused ion beam technique and transmission electron microscope studies of microdiamonds from the Saxonian Erzgebirge, Germany

A focused ion beam of Ga ions is a relatively new technique that has been developed for microelectronic industries. Now researchers of the Earth sciences find it to be a promising tool for studying various geological materials. Using the FIB technique and an FEI Strata DB 235 dual beam system, we have successfully prepared several electron-transparent foils, which crossed μm-sized diamonds included in host minerals such as zircon and garnet from quartzofeldspathic rocks of the Saxonian Erzgebirge, Germany. Scanning and transmission electron microscopy applied to these foils revealed that the diamonds contain crystalline nanometric inclusions. These inclusions consist of minerals of known stoichiometries such as SiO₂ and Al₂SiO₅, whereas others are characterized by different combinations of Si, K, P, Ti, and Fe in the presence of oxygen (stoichiometries are not clear at this stage of research). One suite of inclusions is assumed to be represented by archerite, KH₂PO₄, which is known to be stable at pressures of 4–22 GPa, and one nanocrystal containing Pb, oxygen and carbon is interpreted to be Pb_xO_y or PbCO₃. Along with solid crystalline inclusions, the diamonds contain cavities filled by liquid/gas that escaped during sample preparation. These are associated with dislocations of diamond growth. Our data are consistent with the concept of diamond crystallization from a COH-rich multicomponent supercritical fluid and suggest that the composition of such a fluid is more consistent with a local crustal source rather than that of a mantle origin.     

Exploration and discovery in Yellowstone Lake: results from high-resolution sonar imaging, seismic reflection profiling, and submersible studies

‘No portion of the American continent is perhaps so rich in wonders as the Yellow Stone’ (F.V. Hayden, September 2, 1874)Discoveries from multi-beam sonar mapping and seismic reflection surveys of the northern, central, and West Thumb basins of Yellowstone Lake provide new insight into the extent of post-collapse volcanism and active hydrothermal processes occurring in a large lake environment above a large magma chamber. Yellowstone Lake has an irregular bottom covered with dozens of features directly related to hydrothermal, tectonic, volcanic, and sedimentary processes. Detailed bathymetric, seismic reflection, and magnetic evidence reveals that rhyolitic lava flows underlie much of Yellowstone Lake and exert fundamental control on lake bathymetry and localization of hydrothermal activity. Many previously unknown features have been identified and include over 250 hydrothermal vents, several very large (>500 m diameter) hydrothermal explosion craters, many small hydrothermal vent craters (1–200 m diameter), domed lacustrine sediments related to hydrothermal activity, elongate fissures cutting post-glacial sediments, siliceous hydrothermal spire structures, sublacustrine landslide deposits, submerged former shorelines, and a recently active graben. Sampling and observations with a submersible remotely operated vehicle confirm and extend our understanding of the identified features. Faults, fissures, hydrothermally inflated domal structures, hydrothermal explosion craters, and sublacustrine landslides constitute potentially significant geologic hazards. Toxic elements derived from hydrothermal processes also may significantly affect the Yellowstone ecosystem.     

Frequency-dependent anisotropy due to meso-scale fractures in the presence of equant porosity

Fractured rock is often modelled under the assumption of perfect fluid pressure equalization between the fractures and equant porosity. This is consistent with laboratory estimates of the characteristic squirt-flow frequency. However, these laboratory measurements are carried out on rock samples which do not contain large fractures. We consider coupled fluid motion on two scales: the grain scale which controls behaviour in laboratory experiments and the fracture scale. Our approach reproduces generally accepted results in the low- and high-frequency limits. Even under the assumption of a high squirt-flow frequency, we find that frequency-dependent anisotropy can occur in the seismic frequency band when larger fractures are present. Shear-wave splitting becomes dependent on frequency, with the size of the fractures playing a controlling role in the relationship. Strong anisotropic attenuation can occur in the seismic frequency band. The magnitude of the frequency dependence is influenced strongly by the extent of equant porosity. With these results, it becomes possible in principle to distinguish between fracture- and microcrack-induced anisotropy, or more ambitiously to measure a characteristic fracture length from seismic data.     

Dublin days: the 2003 NAM

Mark E Bailey and Tom Ray give an overview of the National Astronomy Meeting in Dublin, where record numbers of astronomers went to talk, listen and network.