Gamma-ray detectors (>10MeV)

Photons in the energy region above 10 MeV can provide unique information about the highest energy particles produced in solar flares. Measurements of the energy spectra, temporal behavior and anisotropies of the incident photons, can give valuable insights into the particle acceleration process. In this paper we review the detection techniques used at these energies, typical instruments which use these techniques, and future solar missions both actual and potential.     

Toward an expert system for identification of minerals in thin section

Minerals may be identified by optical inspection and x-ray diffraction analysis. Full and correct identification, however, requires experience and extensive knowledge of mineral characteristics and association. Computer systems designed to approach levels of human expertise in similarly complex identification tasks have become increasingly effective with the application and refinement of various Artificial Intelligence (AI) techniques. These knowledge-based systemsuse the skills, knowledge, and rules of thumb that distinguish the expert from the knowledgeable layman to emulate human expertise. They also may be modified to serve a tutorial role whereby a nonexpert's approach to the task may be compared with that of the expert (system), and criticized accordingly. Such a knowledge-based system capable of identifying minerals from their optical characteristics is being developed at the University of Reading.     

Canonical Modelling of Relative Spacecraft Motion Via Epicyclic Orbital Elements

This paper presents a Hamiltonian approach to modelling spacecraft motion relative to a circular reference orbit based on a derivation of canonical coordinates for the relative state-space dynamics. The Hamiltonian formulation facilitates the modelling of high-order terms and orbital perturbations within the context of the Clohessy–Wiltshire solution. First, the Hamiltonian is partitioned into a linear term and a high-order term. The Hamilton–Jacobi equations are solved for the linear part by separation, and new constants for the relative motions are obtained, called epicyclic elements. The influence of higher order terms and perturbations, such as Earth’s oblateness, are incorporated into the analysis by a variation of parameters procedure. As an example, closed-form solutions for J₂-invariant orbits are obtained.     

Enteromorpha and the cycling of nitrogen in a small estuary

The nitrogen relations of Enteromorpha spp. growing on intertidal mud flats have been examined over a twelve-month period. Nitrogen assimilation rates using ¹⁵N have been used to calculate the production of the alga and were between 0·046 and 0·217 mg $\text{NH}{}_4{}^{\mathrm{+}}\text{N}$ (g dry wt alga)^?1 h^?1 A considerable quantity of the alga was buried beneath the sediment over the growth season and was calculated to be equivalent to an input of up to 9·52 g N m^?2 per month and 32 g N m^?2 over one complete growth season. Based on carbon, this latter value represented an input of approximately 320 g C m^?2 annually. Low rates of nitrogenase activity (acetylene reduction) were found to be associated with the Enteromorpha. The organisms responsible for the nitrogenase activity were probably heterotrophic bacteria but they did not contribute significant quantities of nitrogen to the alga.     

Enthalpies and entropies of proton and cadmium adsorption onto Bacillus subtilis bacterial cells from calorimetric measurements

We used titration calorimetry to measure the bulk heats of proton and Cd adsorption onto a common Gram positive soil bacterium Bacillus subtilis at 25.0 °C. Using the 4-site non-electrostatic model of Fein et al. [Fein, J.B., Boily, J.-F., Yee, N., Gorman-Lewis, D., Turner, B.F., 2005. Potentiometric titrations of Bacillus subtilis cells to low pH and a comparison of modeling approaches. Geochim. Cosmochim. Acta69 (5), 1123-1132.] to describe the bacterial surface reactivity to protons, our bulk enthalpy measurements can be used to determine the following site-specific enthalpies of proton adsorption for Sites 1-4, respectively: −3.5 ± 0.2, −4.2 ± 0.2, −15.4 ± 0.9, and −35 ± 2 kJ/mol, and these values yield the following third law entropies of proton adsorption onto Sites 1-4, respectively: +51 ± 4, +78 ± 4, +79 ± 5, and +60 ± 20 J/mol K. An alternative data analysis using a 2-site Langmuir-Freundlich model to describe proton binding to the bacterial surface (Fein et al., 2005) resulted in the following site-specific enthalpies of proton adsorption for Sites 1 and 2, respectively: −3.6 ± 0.2 and −35.1 ± 0.3 kJ/mol. The thermodynamic values for Sites 1-3 for the non-electrostatic model and Site 1 of the Langmuir-Freundlich model of proton adsorption onto the bacterial surface are similar to those associated with multifunctional organic acid anions, such as citrate, suggesting that the protonation state of a bacterial surface site can influence the energetics of protonation of neighboring sites. Our bulk Cd enthalpy data, interpreted using the 2-site non-electrostatic Cd adsorption model of Borrok et al. [Borrok, D., Fein, J.B., Tischler, M., O’Loughlin, E., Meyer, H., Liss, M., Kemner, K.M., 2004b. The effect of acidic solutions and growth conditions on the adsorptive properties of bacterial surfaces. Chem. Geol.209 (1-2), 107-119.] to account for Cd adsorption onto B. subtilis, yield the following site-specific enthalpies of Cd adsorption onto bacterial surface Sites 2 and 3, respectively: −0.2 ± 0.4 and +14.4 ± 0.9 kJ/mol, and the following third law entropies of Cd adsorption onto Sites 2 and 3, respectively: +57 ± 4 and +128 ± 5 J/mol K. The calculated enthalpies of Cd adsorption are typical of those associated with Cd complexation with anionic oxygen ligands, and the entropies are indicative of inner sphere complexation by multiple ligands. The experimental approach described in this study not only yields constraints on the molecular-scale mechanisms involved in proton and Cd adsorption reactions, but also provides new thermodynamic data that enable quantitative estimates of the temperature dependence of proton and Cd adsorption reactions.     

Geospatial Information Integration for Authoritative and Crowd Sourced Road Vector Data

This article describes results from a research project undertaken to explore the technical issues associated with integrating unstructured crowd sourced data with authoritative national mapping data. The ultimate objective is to develop methodologies to ensure the feature enrichment of authoritative data, using crowd sourced data. Users increasingly find that they wish to use data from both kinds of geographic data sources. Different techniques and methodologies can be developed to solve this problem. In our previous research, a position map matching algorithm was developed for integrating authoritative and crowd sourced road vector data, and showed promising results ( Anand et al. 2010 ). However, especially when integrating different forms of data at the feature level, these techniques are often time consuming and are more computationally intensive than other techniques available. To tackle these problems, this project aims at developing a methodology for automated conflict resolution, linking and merging of geographical information from disparate authoritative and crowd‐sourced data sources. This article describes research undertaken by the authors on the design, implementation, and evaluation of algorithms and procedures for producing a coherent ontology from disparate geospatial data sources. To integrate road vector data from disparate sources, the method presented in this article first converts input data sets to ontologies, and then merges these ontologies into a new ontology. This new ontology is then checked and modified to ensure that it is consistent. The developed methodology can deal with topological and geometry inconsistency and provide more flexibility for geospatial information merging.     

U.S. National Forests adapt to climate change through Science–Management partnerships

Developing appropriate management options for adapting to climate change is a new challenge for land managers, and integration of climate change concepts into operational management and planning on United States national forests is just starting. We established science–management partnerships on the Olympic National Forest (Washington) and Tahoe National Forest (California) in the first effort to develop adaptation options for specific national forests. We employed a focus group process in order to establish the scientific context necessary for understanding climate change and its anticipated effects, and to develop specific options for adapting to a warmer climate. Climate change scientists provided the scientific knowledge base on which adaptations could be based, and resource managers developed adaptation options based on their understanding of ecosystem structure, function, and management. General adaptation strategies developed by national forest managers include: (1) reduce vulnerability to anticipated climate-induced stress by increasing resilience at large spatial scales, (2) consider tradeoffs and conflicts that may affect adaptation success, (3) manage for realistic outcomes and prioritize treatments that facilitate adaptation to a warmer climate, (4) manage dynamically and experimentally, and (5) manage for structure and composition. Specific adaptation options include: (1) increase landscape diversity, (2) maintain biological diversity, (3) implement early detection/rapid response for exotic species and undesirable resource conditions, (4) treat large-scale disturbance as a management opportunity and integrate it in planning, (5) implement treatments that confer resilience at large spatial scales, (6) match engineering of infrastructure to expected future conditions, (7) promote education and awareness about climate change among resource staff and local publics, and (8) collaborate with a variety of partners on adaptation strategies and to promote ecoregional management. The process described here can quickly elicit a large amount of information relevant for adaptation to climate change, and can be emulated for other national forests, groups of national forests with similar resources, and other public lands. As adaptation options are iteratively generated for additional administrative units on public lands, management options can be compared, tested, and integrated into adaptive management. Science-based adaptation is imperative because increasing certainty about climate impacts and management outcomes may take decades.     

Preparing for climate change in Washington State

Climate change is expected to bring potentially significant changes to Washington State’s natural, institutional, cultural, and economic landscape. Addressing climate change impacts will require a sustained commitment to integrating climate information into the day-to-day governance and management of infrastructure, programs, and services that may be affected by climate change. This paper discusses fundamental concepts for planning for climate change and identifies options for adapting to the climate impacts evaluated in the Washington Climate Change Impacts Assessment. Additionally, the paper highlights potential avenues for increasing flexibility in the policies and regulations used to govern human and natural systems in Washington.