An (U‐Th)/He age for the shallow‐marine Wetumpka impact structure,Alabama, USA

Abstract– Single crystal (U‐Th)/He dating was applied to 24 apatite and 23 zircon grains from the Wetumpka impact structure, Alabama, USA. This small approximately 5–7.6 km impact crater was formed in a shallow marine environment, with no known preserved impact melt, thus offering a challenge to common geochronological techniques. A mean (U‐Th)/He apatite and zircon age of 84.4 ± 1.4 Ma (2σ) was obtained, which is within error of the previously estimated Late Cretaceous impact age of approximately 83.5 Ma. In addition, helium diffusion modeling of apatite and zircon grains during fireball/contact, shock metamorphism, and hydrothermal events was undertaken, to show the influence of these individual thermal processes on resetting (U‐Th)/He ages in the Wetumpka samples. This study has shown that the (U‐Th)/He geochronological technique has real potential for dating impact structures, especially smaller and eroded impact structures that lack impact melt lithologies.     

MIT's Computer Resource Lab:

Abstract

The paper describes the curriculum on geographic information systems developed in the Department of Planning at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology for those studying for the Master in City Planning degree. Particular emphasis is given to the part played by the Computer Resources Lab in serving the needs of the architecture and planning departments, the interactions between teaching and research, and those between the course and professional practice. The required courses are outlined and the wide range of recommended courses, drawn from a number of departments in the Institute, are listed- The authors emphasize the necessity of their being at the forefront of research if they are lo maintain the flow of hardware and software from contacts and donations on which their research and teaching depend.     

菲律宾Zambales蛇绿岩套的再研究：对其特提斯来源的启示

A number of geological studies have already been conducted on the Zambales Ophiolite Complex (ZOC), a north-south trending complete ophiolite sequence exposed in the western portion of Central Luzon, Philippines. Previous works recognized the ZOC as being made up of two blocks, the Acoje and the Coto, acting as an arc-back arc pair sometime during the Eocene.     

(Re-)negotiating access: The politics of researching skills and knowledge for ‘sustainable communities’

The last decade has witnessed a surge of interest in ‘sustainable communities’ within the UK. This has stimulated a plethora of research aimed at acquiring a better understanding of what ‘sustainable communities’ might look like and how they can be achieved. However, this has not been accompanied by a reflection and interrogation of the actual processes, challenges and politics of doing ‘sustainable communities’ research. This paper addresses this gap by highlighting the importance of paying attention to the on-going process of negotiating access when carrying out sustainability research at the community level. We draw on a recent study of skills and knowledge for ‘sustainable communities’ in Stroud Gloucestershire, UK, to illustrate the importance of sensitivity to social relationships throughout and beyond the research trajectory within sustainability research. Our experience raises important questions about the politics of research practices when doing sustainability research ‘with’ communities and the challenges associated with participatory approaches as a means to demonstrate research impact. We argue that in developing a fuller understanding of why and how different types of community level initiatives can contribute to the ‘sustainable communities’ agenda, greater consideration needs to be given to how these community practices can be better supported through the process of doing academic research.     

Differential rotation on both components of the pre-main-sequence binary system HD 155555

We present the first measurements of surface differential rotation on a pre-main-sequence binary system. Using intensity (Stokes I) and circularly polarized (Stokes V) time-series spectra, taken over 11 nights at the Anglo-Australian Telescope (AAT), we incorporate a solar-like differential rotation law into the surface imaging process. We find that both components of the young, 18 Myr, HD 155555 (V824 Ara, G5IV + K0IV) binary system show significant differential rotation. The equator–pole lap times as determined from the intensity spectra are 80 d for the primary star and 163 d for the secondary. Similarly, for the magnetic spectra we obtain equator–pole lap times of 44 and 71 d, respectively, showing that the shearing time-scale of magnetic regions is approximately half of that found for stellar spots. Both components are therefore found to have rates of differential rotation similar to those of the same spectral-type main-sequence single stars. The results for HD 155555 are therefore in contrast to those found in other, more evolved, binary systems where negligible or weak differential rotation has been discovered. We discuss two possible explanations for this: first that at the age of HD 155555 binary tidal forces have not yet had time to suppress differential rotation and secondly that the weak differential rotation previously observed on evolved binaries is a consequence of their large convection zone depths. We suggest that the latter is the more likely solution and show that both temperature and convection zone depth (from evolutionary models) are good predictors of differential rotation strength. Finally, we also examine the possible consequences of the measured differential rotation on the interaction of binary star coronae.     

Effects of the toxic dinoflagellate Alexandrium tamarense on the greenshell mussel Perna canaliculus

Abstract

Oxygen consumption, grazing rate, and byssus production of the greenshell mussel Perna canaliculus were measured following exposure to bloom concentrations (10⁶ cells l^?1 ) of a toxic clone of the dinoflagellate AIexandrium tamarense (GT429), using anon‐toxic clone of the same species (PLY173) as control. Following feeding for 1 h on GT429, mussels (dry weight 54–127 mg) showed significantly increased oxygen uptake at 15°C (0.08 μl O₂ (mg dry tissue weight)^?1 ) compared with control mussels. However, following 24 h recovery, oxygen uptake was similar to initial values in all experimental conditions. The grazing rate of P. canaliculus fed upon toxic clone GT429 was 4.58 ± 0.76 cells mg^?1 h^?1 compared with 1.99 ± 0.47 cells mg^?1 h^?1 for PLY173. On exposure to A. tamarense, mussels maintained normal opening behaviour and there was no change in the byssus production over 24 h. It was concluded that P. canaliculus showed no dramatic physiological effects following short‐term feeding on the toxic strain of A. tamarense. During 2 weeks’ exposure to twice daily bloom concentrations of GT429, there was no mussel mortality. Toxicity in the tissues was 1295 μg STX equivalent per 100 g tissue, levels at which these mussels would be unsuitable for human or animal consumption.     

Seasonal variation in the reproductive activity and biochemical composition of the Pacific oyster (Crassostrea gigas) from the Marlborough Sounds,New Zealand

Reproductive cycles of the Pacific oyster Crassostrea gigas (Thunberg) from the Marlborough Sounds, New Zealand, were followed between June 1998 and January 2000. Histological examination of the gonad confirms an annual cycle with a winter inactive period followed by rapid gonad development and a single short spawning period. The population gonad index correlated with seawater temperature and changes in tissue dry weight, condition index, and biochemical components. In winter, few individuals with early gametogenic stages were present and rapid development of primary oocytes (diam. 11 μm) occurred during spring (September‐November). The developmental rate and the diameter of mature oocytes (37 μm) was similar for the 1998 and 1999 seasons. For a standard 110‐mm‐length oyster, maximal tissue body weight and condition index were recorded in December. Rapid weight loss in January was length dependent and was attributed to spawning. Temperature was the environmental variable which best correlated with the timing of gametogenesis. Food availability (phytoplankton biomass) may have been responsible for inter‐annual variations. The biochemical composition (% glycogen, lipid, protein) of separated gonad and somatic tissues were variable seasonally and annually. Gametogenesis (oocyte diameter) was associated with increased gonad protein and glycogen and a decrease in lipid concentrations. These changes are similar to those in Pacific oyster populations from other parts of the world.     

The nature of publishing and assessment in Geography and Environmental Studies: evidence from the Research Assessment Exercise 2008

We present a summary of the kinds of outputs submitted to the Geography and Environmental Studies sub-panel (H-32) for the 2008 Research Assessment Exercise (RAE), and examine the relationships between the peer assessment of research quality that the RAE process has typified, and alternative modes of assessment based on bibliometrics. This comparison is effected using (in aggregate form) some of the results from the RAE, together with citation data gathered after completion of the RAE assessment, specifically for the purpose of this paper. We conclude that, if it continues to be necessary and desirable to assess, in some measure and however imprecisely, research quality, then peer assessment cannot be replaced by bibliometrics. Bibliometrics permit measurement of something that may be linked to quality but is essentially a different phenomenon – a measure of 'impact', for example.