Acceptance of open source geospatial software: Assessing QGIS in South Africa with the UTAUT2 model

Geospatial information and technologies are widely used in South Africa, initially mostly with proprietary software but today, mature, open source alternatives such as QGIS are available. We wanted to find out if and why South African users accepted QGIS, globally the most widely used free and open source GIS. We adapted the extended unified theory of acceptance and use of technology model to test several hypotheses regarding the acceptance and use of QGIS in South Africa. 205 registered members of the Geo‐Information Society of South Africa completed a structured questionnaire. Results show that habit has the most significant influence on behavioural intention to use QGIS, followed by facilitating conditions, price value and social influence. Performance expectancy, effort expectancy, hedonic motivation and access to source code played no significant role. The findings show that adoption of QGIS in South Africa is not primarily influenced by benefits attributed to open source software, such as cost benefits, customizability, improved reliability, quality and security. The results are useful for developers of any GIS product and for choosing a GIS product for an organization, because they provide insight into the behavioural intentions of users.     

Scientific objectives for UV/visible astrophysics investigations: a summary of responsesby the community (2012)

Following several recommendations presented by the Astrophysics Decadal Survey 2010 centered around the need to define “a future ultraviolet-optical space capability”, on 2012 May 25, NASA issued a Request for Information (RFI) seeking persuasive ultraviolet (UV) and visible wavelength astrophysics science investigations. The goal was to develop a cohesive and compelling set of science objectives that motivate and support the development of the next generation of ultraviolet/visible space astrophysics missions. Responses were due on 10 August 2012 when 34 submissions were received addressing a number of potential science drivers. A UV/visible Mission RFI Workshop was held on 2012 September 20 where each of these submissions was summarized and discussed in the context of each other. We present a scientific analysis of these submissions and presentations and the pursuant measurement capability needs, which could influence ultraviolet/visible technology development plans for the rest of this decade. We also describe the process and requirements leading to the inception of this community RFI, subsequent workshop and the expected evolution of these ideas and concepts for the remainder of this decade.     

Internal waves in a rotating stratified fluid in an arbitrary gravitational field

Abstract

Small amplitude oscillations of a uniformly rotating, density stratified, Boussinesq, non-dissipative fluid are examined. A mathematical model is constructed to describe timedependent motions which are small deviations from an initial state that is motionless with respect to the rotating frame of reference. The basic stable density distribution is allowed to be an arbitrary prescribed function of the gravitational potential. The problem is considered for a wide class of gravitational fields. General properties of the eigenvalues and eigenfunctions of square integrable oscillations are demonstrated, and a bound is obtained for the magnitude of the frequencies. The modal solutions are classified as to type. The eigenfunctions for the pressure field are shown to satisfy a second-order partial differential equation of mixed type, and the equation is obtained for the critical surfaces which delineate the elliptic and hyperbolic regions. The nature of the problem is examined in detail for certain specific gravitational fields, e.g., a radially symmetric field. Where appropriate, results are compared with those of other investigations of waves in a rotating fluid of spherical configuration and the novel aspects of the present treatment are emphasized. Explicit modal solutions are obtained in the specific example of a fluid contained in a rigid cylinder, stratified in the presence of vertical gravity, with the buoyancy frequency N being an arbitrary prescribed function of depth.     

Lateglacial and early Holocene surface exposure ages of glacial boulders in the Taiwanese high mountain range

Glacial landforms and sediments mapped in three presently unglaciated mountain massifs, the Nanhuta Shan, the Hsueh Shan and the Yushan, support the concept of repeated, multi-stage glaciations in the Taiwanese high mountain range during the late Pleistocene. New results from surface exposure dating using in situ produced cosmogenic ¹⁰Be measured in samples taken from erratic and moraine boulders in Nanhuta Shan at altitudes between 3100 and 3500 m are presented here. The results confirm independent and previously reported Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) ages and ¹⁰Be exposure ages from glacial deposits in the same area and suggest a Lateglacial and early Holocene glaciation, the so called Nanhuta glacier advance with two substages at about 12–15 ka and 9.5 ka BP. The respective equilibrium line altitudes (ELA) were calculated at 3340 m and 3440 m with corresponding ELA depressions of 610 ± 100 m and 510 ± 100 m relative to the present day (theoretical) ELA, which is estimated to be at about 3950 ± 100 m in Taiwan. Large-scale erosional landforms indicate a much wider glacier extent during an earlier stage, which is not dated in Nanhuta Shan so far. Luminescence dating from near Hsueh Shan suggests an age of marine isotope stage (MIS) 4 for this stage.     

The exceptionally stable cobalt(III)–desferrioxamine B complex

The biogeochemistry of trivalent iron, manganese, and cobalt in the oceans is dominated by soluble complexes formed with high-affinity organic ligands that are believed to be microbial siderophores or similar biogenic chelating agents. Desferrioxamine B (DFOB), a trihydroxamate siderophore found in both terrestrial and marine environments, has served as a useful model for a large class of microbial siderophores in studies of 1:1 complexes formed with trivalent iron and manganese. However, no data exist concerning DFOB complexes with Co(III), which we hypothesize should be as strong as those with Fe(III) and Mn(III) if the current picture of the ocean biogeochemistry of the three trivalent metals is accurate. We investigated the complexation reaction between DFOB and Co(III) in aqueous solution at seawater pH using base and redox titrations, and then characterized the resulting 1:1 complex Co(III)HDFOB⁺ using X-ray absorption, resonance Raman spectroscopy, and quantum mechanical structural optimizations. We found that the complex stability constant for Co(III)HDFOB⁺ (log K _{[Co(III)HDFOB⁺]} = 37.5 ± 0.4) is in fact five and seven orders of magnitude larger than that for Fe(III)HDFOB⁺ (log K_{[Fe(III)HDFOB⁺]} = 32.02) and Mn(III)HDFOB⁺ (log K_{[Mn(III)HDFOB}⁺_] = 29.9), respectively. Spectroscopic data and the supporting theoretical structural optimizations elucidated the molecular basis for this exceptional stability. Although not definitive, our results nevertheless are consistent with the evolution of siderophores as a response by bacteria to oxygenation, not only because of sharply decreasing concentrations of Fe(III), but also of Co(III).     

Volcanic ash hazard climatology for an eruption of Hekla Volcano,Iceland

Ash produced by a volcanic eruption on Iceland can be hazardous for both the transatlantic flight paths and European airports and airspace. In order to begin to quantify the risk to aircraft, this study explored the probability of ash from a short explosive eruption of Hekla Volcano (63.98°N, 19.7°W) reaching European airspace. Transport, dispersion and deposition of the ash cloud from a three hour ‘explosive’ eruption with an initial plume height of 12 km was simulated using the Met Office's Numerical Atmospheric-dispersion Modelling Environment, NAME, the model used operationally by the London Volcanic Ash Advisory Centre. Eruptions were simulated over a six year period, from 2003 until 2008, and ash clouds were tracked for four days following each eruption.Results showed that a rapid spread of volcanic ash is possible, with all countries in Europe facing the possibility of an airborne ash concentration exceeding International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO) limits within 24 h of an eruption. An additional high impact, low probability event which could occur is the southward spread of the ash cloud which would block transatlantic flights approaching and leaving Europe. Probabilities of significant concentrations of ash are highest to the east of Iceland, with probabilities exceeding 20% in most countries north of 50°N. Deposition probabilities were highest at Scottish and Scandinavian airports. There is some seasonal variability in the probabilities; ash is more likely to reach southern Europe in winter when the mean winds across the continent are northerly. Ash concentrations usually remain higher for longer during summer when the mean wind speeds are lower.     

Functional composition, but not richness, affected the performance of sessile suspension-feeding assemblages

The efficiency by which communities capture limiting resources may be related to the number of species or functional types competing therein. This is because species use different resources (i.e. complementarity effect) or because species-rich communities include species with extreme functional traits (positive selection effect). We conducted two manipulative studies to separate the effects of functional richness and functional identity on the feeding efficiency (i.e. filtration rate) of suspension-feeding invertebrates growing on vertical surfaces. In addition, one experiment tested whether the density of organisms influences the effect of functional diversity. Monocultures and complete mixtures of functional types were fed with a solution of microalgae of different sizes (6 μm–40 μm). Experiments conducted at two locations, Helgoland and Plymouth, showed that functional identity had far larger effects on filtration rate than richness. Mixtures did not outperform the average monoculture or the best-performing monoculture and this pattern was independent on density. The high efficiency of one of the functional types in consuming most microalgae could have minimised the resource complementarity. The loss or gain of particular species may therefore have a stronger impact on the functioning of epibenthic communities than richness per se.     

The transient oasis: Nutrient-phytoplankton dynamics and particle export in Hawaiian lee cyclones

Macronutrients, photosynthetic pigments, and particle export were assessed in two eddies during the E-Flux I and III cruises to investigate linkages between biogeochemical properties and export flux in Hawaiian lee cyclonic eddies. Cyclone Noah (E-Flux I), speculated to be in the ‘decay’ stage, exhibited modest increases in macronutrients and photosynthetic pigments at the eddy center compared to ambient waters. Cyclone Opal (E-Flux III) also exhibited modest increases in macronutrient concentrations, but a 2-fold enhancement in total chlorophyll a (TChl a) concentration within the eddy center. As indicated by fucoxanthin concentrations, the phytoplankton community in the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM) of Opal was comprised mainly of diatoms. During an 8-day time series in the center of Opal, TChl a concentration and fucoxanthin in the DCM decreased by 50%, which was potentially triggered by silicic acid limitation. Despite the presence of a substantial diatom bloom, Opal did not deliver the expected export of particulate carbon and nitrogen, but rather a large biogenic silica export (4-fold increase relative to export in surrounding waters). Results suggest that controls on the life cycle of a Hawaiian lee cyclone are likely a combination of physical (eddy dynamics), chemical (nutrient limitation), and biological (growth and grazing imbalance) processes. Comparisons between Noah and Opal and previously studied cyclones in the region point to a relationship between the spin-up duration of a cyclone and the resulting biological response. Nonetheless, Hawaiian lee cyclones, which strongly influence the biogeochemistry of areas 100's of km in scale in the subtropical North Pacific Ocean, still remain an enigma.     

An ordovician fauna from Lough Shee,Partry Mountains,Co. Mayo,Ireland

An hitherto undocumented early Ordovician fauna from mudrocks at Lough Shee in the Partry Mountains contains species of sponge, machaeridian, bivalve, gastropod, cephalopod, brachiopod, and trilobite, together consistent with a deep-water setting marginal to the North American province. The trilobite and brachiopod data suggest a correlation of the Lough Shee mudrocks with the upper Whiterock Stage (equivalent to a level near the D. ‘bifidus’ – D. murchisoni boundary, within the middle Llanvirn). The sparse, low-diversity assemblage is specialized and demonstrates the development of aspects of the Whiterock fauna in the South Mayo Trough.