Alternative states: Regions and postfordism rhetoric on the internet

European regions increasingly develop inter-regional and transnational visions. They not only compete with each other on the basis of traditional location factors (transport, taxes, and labour market) but also by calling up the image of an entirely alternative society which is portrayed as both flexible and capable of self-reproduction. In this article the presence of this (postfordist) discourse is investigated in Web sites of four European regions: Baden-Württemberg, Cataluña, Leningrad and Friesland. Baden-Württemberg confirms its reputation as one of the most outspoken representatives of the new regional assertiveness. Its rhetoric relies on a mixture of cultural, individual and technological arguments largely neglecting internal geographical variation. Although this type discourse can be easily emulated – irrespective of real world differences in the regimes of accumulation – not all regions seem to have (yet) succumbed to its formula.     

The Differential Geochemical Behavior of Arsenic and Phosphorus in the Water Column and Sediments of the Saguenay Fjord Estuary, Canada

The distribution and partitioning of dissolved andparticulate arsenic and phosphorus in the water columnand sediments of the Saguenay Fjord in Quebec, Canada,are compared. In addition, selective and/or sequentialextractions were carried out on the suspendedparticulate matter (SPM) and solid sediments tocontrast their geochemical behaviors in this naturalaquatic system.Results of our analyses show that both arsenic andsoluble reactive phosphate are actively scavenged fromthe water column by settling particles. Upon theiraccumulation at the sediment-water interface some Asand P may be released to porewaters following thedegradation of organic matter to which they areassociated. The porewater concentrations are, however,limited by their strong affinity for authigenic,amorphous iron oxyhydroxides which accumulate in theoxic sediments near the sediment-water interface.The geochemical behavior of arsenic and phosphorusdiverge most strikingly upon the development of anoxicconditions in the sediments. Following their burial inthe anoxic zone, amorphous iron oxyhydroxides arereduced and dissolved, releasing phosphate and arsenicto the porewaters. We observed, however, thatporewater arsenic concentrations increase at shallowerdepths than phosphate in the sediments. The reductionof arsenate, As(V), to arsenite, As(III), and itsdesorption prior to the reductive dissolution of thecarrier phase(s) may explain this observation.Driven by the strong concentration gradientestablished in the suboxic zone, phosphate diffuses uptowards the oxic layer where it is readsorbed byauthigenic iron oxyhydroxides. In the organic-rich andrapidly accumulating sediments at the head of theFjord, porewater sulfate depletion and the resultingabsence of a sulfide sink for Fe(II), may lead to theformation of vivianite in the fermentation zone, apotential sink for phosphate. Arsenite released to theporewaters in the suboxic and anoxic zones of thesediments diffuses either down, where it is adsorbedto or incorporated with authigenic iron sulfides, orup towards the oxic boundary. Arsenite appears tomigrate well into the oxic zone where it may beoxidized by authigenic manganese oxides before beingadsorbed by iron oxyhydroxides present at the samedepth. Whereas, in the absence of authigenic carbonatefluorapatite precipitation, the ability of oxicsediments to retain mineralized phosphate is afunction of their amorphous iron oxyhydroxide content,arsenic retention may depend on the availability ofmanganese oxides, the thickness of the oxic layer and,its co-precipitation with iron sulfides at depth.     

Retention of winter flounder larvae within a Rhode Island salt pond

Two winter flounder, Pseudopleuronectes americanus, spawning sites in a 630 hectare Rhode Island lagoon were located by collecting eggs with a modified epibenthic sled towed by boat. A two-dimensional vertically-averaged hydrodynamic model predicted that larvae hatched at these spawning sites would be minimally displaced by tidal movement. Ichthyoplankton samples taken hourly during the day at six locations on March 27 and April 27, 1981 reflected the larval distribution predicted by the model. Larval retention within this lagoon appeared to be strongly influenced by the hydrodynamics of this system. It is suggested that the hydrodynamic features of lagoons are exploited in the reproductive strategies of estuarine species and that the relationship between hydrodynamics and the quality of nursery habitat must be considered before making hydraulic modifications to these systems.     

Long-lived coronal structures and recurrent geomagnetic patterns in 1974

Daily measurements of the intensity distribution of the Sun's white-light corona over the height range $\text{1.1–2.7. R}{}_{\mathrm{?}}$ show that the global structure became quite stable (constant over periods of several months) in late 1973 and throughout 1974, as flares, ascending prominences and other transient activity became less frequent with the decline of the solar activity cycle. A highly persistent pattern of geomagnetic activity prevailed for much of this time. Bright coronal structures in the ecliptic plane were associated with geomagnetically quiet conditions, and faint coronal regions (“holes”) with geomagnetic disturbance, after a delay of about three days. These results confirm the “cone-of-avoidance” model for M-regions and reinforce the postulate that high-speed streams in the solar wind originate from coronal holes. Identification of coronal holes from ground-based K-coronal observations corresponds well with those made from spacecraft EUV and X-ray experiments on OSO-7 and Skylab.     

Late Holocene forest dynamics, volcanism, and climate change at Whitewing Mountain and San Joaquin Ridge, Mono County, Sierra Nevada, CA, USA

Deadwood tree stems scattered above treeline on tephra-covered slopes of Whitewing Mtn (3051 m) and San Joaquin Ridge (3122 m) show evidence of being killed in an eruption from adjacent Glass Creek Vent, Inyo Craters. Using tree-ring methods, we dated deadwood to AD 815-1350 and infer from death dates that the eruption occurred in late summer AD 1350. Based on wood anatomy, we identified deadwood species as Pinus albicaulis, P. monticola, P. lambertiana, P. contorta, P. jeffreyi, and Tsuga mertensiana. Only P. albicaulis grows at these elevations currently; P. lambertiana is not locally native. Using contemporary distributions of the species, we modeled paleoclimate during the time of sympatry to be significantly warmer (+3.2°C annual minimum temperature) and slightly drier (−24 mm annual precipitation) than present, resembling values projected for California in the next 70-100 yr.     

Investigating New Wireless Technologies and Their Potential Impact on Children's Spatiality: A Role for GIS

This paper outlines exploratory research undertaken by the “A New Sense of Place?” Project in Bristol, UK, into the potential new, location sensitive, computing technologies may have for enhancing urban children's socio‐spatial practices. The paper describes a series of workshops held with children in which mapping activities and use of the technologies are supported by the use of a Geographic Information System (GIS). The paper suggests that sound‐enabled GIS could play a major role in the management of such technologies.     

Spectral analysis of late Pleistocene-Holocene sediments

Spectral analysis of deep-sea sediments indicates that the fluctuations in compositional parameters are not random fluctuations with time. Spectra show significant peaks representing periodicities in the data of 380, 1300, and 2600 years. Two of these periods are similar to periods reported in ¹⁴C fluctuations. Analysis of a paleotemperature curve from the North Atlantic shows that the characteristics of the fluctuations within interglacial and glacial stages of the climate are similar, and that the spectrum has a significant peak at 2600 years.