The impact of the friction of distance on the early settlement and development of Eyre Peninsula,South Australia

The cost of overcoming distance has played and continues to play an important role in the evolution of Australia's space‐economy. This paper examines the impact of the ‘friction of distance’, as well as the quality of the resource base, on the settlement and development of Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. A series of maps portraying the spread of pastoralism and then agriculture on Eyre Peninsula reveals clearly the importance of ‘accessibility’ in influencing the pattern and timing of settlement. It was not until well into this century that all the potentially agricultural land in the interior was occupied, for this required the construction of a railway and water pipeline up the centre of the peninsula.     

The British isles and the age of exploration — a maritime perspective

The basic patterns of economic and political development of the British Isles region in a European context is outlined for the half century following Columbus’ discovery of America, noting the separate identities of England, Wales, Scotland and Ireland. The maritime dimension of these developments was based on trade with Europe, developed mainly in England and Scotland; and upon considerable development of the fisheries. Exploration and colonial expansion did not begin until after 1550 and continued into the seventeenth century. The historical role of the British Isles in Europe is considered as a sequence of approximately half-century phases extending from 1500 until the present, in which British maritime supremacy played a role in the nineteenth century similar to that played by the Spanish Empire in the sixteenth century.     

Potassium loss during metasomatic alteration of mica pyroxenite from Oldoinyo Lengai,northern Tanzania: contrasts with fenitization

Mica pyroxenite xenoliths, occurring as the cores of nephelinite and ijolite bombs in the pyroclastic deposits of the active volcano Oldoinyo Lengai, have undergone metasomatism in which K was lost and Fe²⁺ and Ti gained. This is unlike the alkali and ferric iron addition that typifies most examples of metastomatism adjacent to peralkaline igneous rocks in carbonatite complexes.     

Fe, Ni and Co variations in the metals of some antarctic chondrites

Nearly 4,000 Fe, Ni and Co analyses have been carried out on the metal phases of 12 Antarctic chondritic meteorites by means of the electron microprobe. H-group chondrites show relatively simple patterns of variation for these elements but L- and LL-group members show much more scatter in both Ni and Co concentrations. A single member of the CO3 group investigated shows some scatter in the concentrations and also much higher Co concentrations in the high-Ni (awaruite?) phase (1.25–2%) than in the coexisting kamacite (0.2–0.5%). Thus, analysis of the metal phases can provide not only a means of identifying the group to which a meteorite belongs, but also the possibility of distinguishing between individual chondrites from the same group.

The overall concentrations of Co in the metal particles in the different groups are considered to be related inversely to the abundance of metal grains in meteorites of these groups while the scatter is interpreted as reflecting characteristics inherited at the time of accretion. The absence of homogenisation of the concentrations of Fe, Ni and Co in the metal particles, even in so-called equilibrated chondrites, provides further evidence against the widely held notion that these meteorites have been involved in a high-temperature prograde metamorphism.     

On the chemical composition of atmospheric aerosols — Part III: Trends of the total annual precipitation with respect to the chemical content of rainwater over the United States

Summary Following a recent hypothesis on the role of activated sodium chloride particles as potential nuclei of atmospheric precipitation, further analysis is made of average annual data due toC. Junge on the chemical composition of rainwater salts, and correlation of some parameters with the total amount of rainfall is attempted. It is found that the results obtained are in agreement with the proposed role of activated sodium chloride as a nucleus of a substantial part of the atmospheric precipitation.     

Mean wind-direction shear through a forest canopy

The equations of motion applying to the wind field in a forest canopy are simplified to a balance between the shearing stress gradient and either the form-drag of the leaves in the upper dense canopy, or the overall horizontal pressure gradient in the more open space beneath. The equations imply that, in descending through the forest, the stress and wind vectors turn through an angle which depends on the forest characteristics and on the stability and the speed of the airflow above the forest. The turning is roughly confirmed by an overall average measured on a very flat site near Thetford, Norfolk, covered by an extensive uniform pine forest.     

The surface wind over an upwelling area near Pisco,Peru

Harmonic analysis of longshore and onshore components of surface winds over an upwelling area off the coast of Peru shows regular, nearly sinusoidal, diurnal variations in both velocity components. Spectral analysis of wind speed also indicates strong diurnal variations in kinetic energy. The data are compatible with a recent model of coastal winds proposed by Lettau and Lettau.     

Experiments in tracing underground waters in limestones

Two experiments were conducted in the Carboniferous Limestone aquifer of the Mendip Hills, Somerset, to compare the relative merits of differing groundwater tracers. The tracers employed were lithium acetate, polyethylene powder, Lycopodium spores and the fluorescent dye Pyranine Conc.; all were introduced into the aquifer at stream sinks. The first two tracers were totally unsuccessful. In the two experiments the rates of travel of the fluorescent dye and Lycopodium spores were very similar. Only relative concentrations can be measured from the recovery of spores as opposed to absoute concentration for dye which were determined using a field continuous flow fluorometer. The quantitative dye concentration data can be used with simultaneous measurements of discharge at the spring to deduce the flow geometry of the system; the input, tributary, distributary and maximum discharges in the system and the volume of the underground conduits. Data are presented which indicate that exchange takes place between the flooded conduit, and the surrounding fissured bedrock in a manner analogous to bank storage in rivers flowing on alluvium.In conclusion fluoresent tracers are valuable for the detailed investigation of a single sink to rising system; Lycopodium spores, which can be used to trace several sinks simultaneously, are a valuable technique in exploratory tracing.