Late Quaternary growth and decay of the Svalbard/Barents Sea ice sheet and paleoceanographic evolution in the adjacent Arctic Ocean

 The paleoceanography in the Nordic seas was characterized by apparently repeated switching on and off of Atlantic water advection. In contrast, a continous influx of Atlantic waters probably occurred along the northern Barents Sea margin during the last 150 ka. Temporary ice-free conditions enhanced by subsurface Atlantic water advection and coastal polynyas accelerated the final ice sheet build-up during glacial times. The virtually complete dissolution of biogenic calcite during interglacial intervals was controlled mainly by CO₂-rich bottom waters and oxidation of higher levels of marine organic carbon and indicates intensive Atlantic water inflow and a stable ice margin. Received: 25 February 1997 / Revision received: 4 March 1998     

Sm-Nd isotopic evolution of chondrites

The¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd and¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd ratios have been measured in five chondrites and the Juvinas achondrite. The range in¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd for the analyzed meteorite samples is 5.3 ε-units (0.511673–0.511944) normalized to¹⁵⁰Nd/¹⁴²Nd= 0.2096. This is correlated with the variation of 4.2% in¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd (0.1920–0.2000). Much of this spread is due to small-scale heterogeneities in the chondrites and does not appear to reflect the large-scale volumetric averages. It is shown that none of the samples deviate more than 0.5 ε-units from a 4.6-AE reference isochron and define an initial¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd ratio at 4.6 AE of0.505828 ± 9. Insofar as there is a range of values of¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd there is no unique way of picking solar or average chondritic values. From these data we have selected a new set of self-consistent present-day reference values for CHUR (“chondritic uniform reservoir”) of (¹⁴³Nd/¹⁴⁴Nd)_CHUR⁰ = 0.511836and(¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd)_CHUR⁰ = 0.1967. The new¹⁴⁷Sm/¹⁴⁴Nd value is 1.6% higher than the previous value assigned to CHUR using the Juvinas data of Lugmair. This will cause a small but significant change in the CHUR evolution curve. Some terrestrial samples of Archean age show clear deviations from the new CHUR curve. If the CHUR curve is representative of undifferentiated mantle then it demonstrates that depleted sources were also tapped early in the Archean. Such a depleted layer may represent the early evolution of the source of present-day mid-ocean ridge basalts. There exists a variety of discrepancies with most earlier meteorite data which includes determination of all Nd isotopes and Sm/Nd ratios. These discrepancies require clarification in order to permit reliable interlaboratory comparisons. The new CHUR curve implies substantial changes in model ages for lunar rocks and thus also in the interpretation of early lunar chronology.     

Finite deformation analysis of geomaterials

The mathematical structure and numerical analysis of classical small deformation elasto–plasticity is generally well established. However, development of large deformation elastic–plastic numerical formulation for dilatant, pressure sensitive material models is still a research area. In this paper we present development of the finite element formulation and implementation for large deformation, elastic–plastic analysis of geomaterials. Our developments are based on the multiplicative decomposition of the deformation gradient into elastic and plastic parts. A consistent linearization of the right deformation tensor together with the Newton method at the constitutive and global levels leads toward an efficient and robust numerical algorithm. The presented numerical formulation is capable of accurately modelling dilatant, pressure sensitive isotropic and anisotropic geomaterials subjected to large deformations. In particular, the formulation is capable of simulating the behaviour of geomaterials in which eigentriads of stress and strain do not coincide during the loading process. The algorithm is tested in conjunction with the novel hyperelasto–plastic model termed the B material model, which is a single surface (single yield surface, affine single ultimate surface and affine single potential surface) model for dilatant, pressure sensitive, hardening and softening geomaterials. It is specifically developed to model large deformation hyperelasto–plastic problems in geomechanics. We present an application of this formulation to numerical analysis of low confinement tests on cohesionless granular soil specimens recently performed in a SPACEHAB module aboard the Space Shuttle during the STS‐89 mission. We compare numerical modelling with test results and show the significance of added confinement by the thin hyperelastic latex membrane undergoing large stretching. Copyright © 2001 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Usability evaluation and PPGIS: towards a user-centred design approach

Public Participation GIS (PPGIS) is a field of research that, among other things, focuses on the use of GIS by non-experts and occasional users. These users tend to have a diverse range of computer literacy, world views, cultural backgrounds and knowledge. These aspects require that the systems used within PPGIS are accessible and easy to use. Human-Computer Interaction (HCI) and the related usability evaluation techniques focus on how to make computer systems more accessible, while focusing on user needs and requirements. Thus, the synergy between PPGIS and HCI seems natural. In this paper, we discuss the aspects of this synergy, building on our experience from three workshops. We demonstrate how usability evaluation can contribute to PPGIS research, and how PPGIS research can contribute to the HCI aspects of GIS in general. We conclude this paper with a call for a user-centred design approach to PPGIS projects.     

Black dimensional stones: geology, technical properties and deposit characterization of the dolerites from Uruguay

Dimensional stones with a black color occupy a prominent place on the international market. Uruguayan dolerite dikes of andesitic and andesitic–basaltic composition are mined for commercial blocks of black dimensional stones. A total of 16 dikes of both compositions were studied and samples collected for geochemical and petrographical analysis. Color measurements were performed on different black dimensional stones in order to compare them with the Uruguayan dolerites. Samples of the two commercial varieties (Absolute Black and Moderate Black) were obtained for petrophysical analysis (e.g. density, porosity, uniaxial compressive strength, tensile strength, etc.). Detailed structural analyses were performed in several quarries. Geochemistry and petrography determines the intensity of the black color. The Uruguayan dolerite Absolute Black is the darkest black dimensional stone analyzed in this study. The petrophysical properties of Uruguayan dolerites make them one of the highest quality black dimensional stones. Structural analyses show that five joint sets have been recognized: two sub-vertical joints, one horizontal and two diagonal. These joint sets are one of the most important factors that control the deposits, since they control the block size distribution and the amount of waste material.     

Oceanographic Change and Terrestrial Human Impacts in a Post A.D. 1400 Sediment Record from the Southwest Iceland Shelf

Environmental proxies of soil erosion on Iceland, and oceanographic conditions on the adjacent shelf, were measured on a 50 cm box core taken from the southwest Iceland shelf in 1993 during cruise 93030 of the Canadian ship, CSS Hudson. These data, covering the last several centuries, are compared with the documentary record of sea-ice changes around Iceland since A.D. 1600. The site is under the influence of the Irminger Current, which carries warm, saline, Atlantic water northward along the shelf. Because of the relative warmth of this current, sea ice rarely occurs off southwest Iceland, even during the most severe sea-ice intervals of the historical record. In severe sea-ice years, however, the ice drifts clockwise around Iceland from the northeast and east and, in rare cases, reaches the southern coasts (Ogilvie, 1992). The chronology of the core was established by converting the basal radiocarbon date to calendar years and assuming a linear sedimentation rate from the base of the core to the year of collection, 1993. Organic carbon, stable C and O isotope ratios, planktonic foraminiferal assemblages, and sediment magnetic parameters were measured on samples from the core, plotted against calendar years and compared to the Icelandic sea-ice index. The environmental proxies suggest that increased soil erosion, reduced salinity, and, possibly, decreased marine productivity prevailed during the severe sea-ice interval lasting from the last quarter of the eighteenth century to around 1920. Such a situation could develop with climatic cooling, increased storminess, and loss of vegetation cover to stabilise the soil. Although the core site generally lies outside the sea-ice limits, the evidence clearly shows the influence of sea ice and fresh water, and is sensitive to the overall climatic deterioration manifested by the sea-ice record.     

Place Meanings and Participatory Planning Intentions

Interest in integrating human connections and natural areas into resource management decision making has steadily increased. While efforts to validate place meaning dimensions have identified meanings beyond established place dependence and identity concepts, further research to identify tangible and intangible meanings of nature-based recreation areas is needed. This study sought to examine place meanings as a second-order construct consisting of ecological integrity, economic dependency, place dependence, family identity, community identity, and place identity and to determine the influence of place meanings on participatory planning intentions (PPI). Data were collected from Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation area visitors. Confirmatory factor analysis revealed that six factors were reliable and valid, representing place meanings as an overarching concept. Structural equation modeling showed a significant association between place meanings and PPI. These findings demonstrated the importance of understanding place meanings that influence behavioral intentions, which is relevant to understanding participation in planning processes.     

Excitation of Radial P-Modes in the Sun and Stars

P-mode oscillations in the Sun and stars are excited stochastically by Reynolds stress and entropy fluctuations produced by convection in their outer envelopes. The excitation rate of radial oscillations of stars near the main sequence from K to F and a subgiant K IV star have been calculated from numerical simulations of their surface convection zones. P-mode excitation increases with increasing effective temperature (until envelope convection ceases in the F stars) and also increases with decreasing gravity. The frequency of the maximum excitation decreases with decreasing surface gravity.