Accelerating dust temperature calculations with graphics-processing units

When calculating the infrared spectral energy distributions (SEDs) of galaxies in radiation-transfer models, the calculation of dust grain temperatures is generally the most time-consuming part of the calculation. Because of its highly parallel nature, this calculation is perfectly suited for massively parallel general-purpose graphics-processing units (GPUs). This paper presents an implementation of the calculation of dust grain equilibrium temperatures on GPUs in the Monte-Carlo radiation transfer code sunrise, using the CUDA API. The GPU can perform this calculation 69 times faster than the eight CPU cores, showing great potential for accelerating calculations of galaxy SEDs.     

The effect of galaxy mass ratio on merger-driven starbursts

We employ numerical simulations of galaxy mergers to explore the effect of galaxy mass ratio on merger-driven starbursts. Our numerical simulations include radiative cooling of gas, star formation, and stellar feedback to follow the interaction and merger of four disc galaxies. The galaxy models span a factor of 23 in total mass and are designed to be representative of typical galaxies in the local universe. We find that the merger-driven star formation is a strong function of merger mass ratio, with very little, if any, induced star formation for large mass ratio mergers. We define a burst efficiency that is useful to characterize the merger-driven star formation and test that it is insensitive to uncertainties in the feedback parametrization. In accord with previous work we find that the burst efficiency depends on the structure of the primary galaxy. In particular, the presence of a massive stellar bulge stabilizes the disc and suppresses merger-driven star formation for large mass ratio mergers. Direct, coplanar merging orbits produce the largest tidal disturbance and yield the most intense burst of star formation. Contrary to naive expectations, a more compact distribution of gas or an increased gas fraction both decrease the burst efficiency. Owing to the efficient feedback model and the newer version of smoothed particle hydrodynamics employed here, the burst efficiencies of the mergers presented here are smaller than in previous studies.     

Murky water: Analyzing risk perception and stakeholder vulnerability related to sewage impacts in mangroves of East Africa

Coastal cities in East Africa are growing rapidly and consequently there is a rapid increase in urban sewage production, putting added pressure on already strained treatment systems. As a result, peri-urban mangroves are receiving extensive amounts of sewage but very little is know as to the ecological and societal consequences of this. However, UNEP among others advocate the use of low-cost, natural sewage treatment technology whenever possible and mangroves have been suggested as useful second stage biofilters. Because of the high resource dependency in many peri-urban coastal communities in East Africa, it is imperative to investigate potential societal impacts on local communities using sewage impacted peri-urban mangroves. Consequently this paper aims to characterize stakeholder groups currently affected by sewage impacted mangroves and thus also map vulnerabilities across local users in relation to future initiatives to use mangroves as biofilters along the East African coast. As risk perception is an important part of vulnerability, and risk perception related to sewage and pollution in an African setting has been little studied, we also aim to contribute baseline data on risk perception related to pollution across peri-urban populations in Kenya, Tanzania and Mozambique.     

Mineralogy,petrography, geochemistry,and classification of the Košice meteorite

The Ko?ice meteorite was observed to fall on 28 February 2010 at 23:25 UT near the city of Ko?ice in eastern Slovakia and its mineralogy, petrology, and geochemistry are described. The characteristic features of the meteorite fragments are fan‐like, mosaic, lamellar, and granular chondrules, which were up to 1.2 mm in diameter. The fusion crust has a black‐gray color with a thickness up to 0.6 mm. The matrix of the meteorite is formed mainly by forsterite (Fo_80.6); diopside; enstatite (Fs_16.7); albite; troilite; Fe‐Ni metals such as iron and taenite; and some augite, chlorapatite, merrillite, chromite, and tetrataenite. Plagioclase‐like glass was also identified. Relative uniform chemical composition of basic silicates, partially brecciated textures, as well as skeletal taenite crystals into troilite veinlets suggest monomict breccia formed at conditions of rapid cooling. The Ko?ice meteorite is classified as ordinary chondrite of the H5 type which has been slightly weathered, and only short veinlets of Fe hydroxides are present. The textural relationships indicate an S3 degree of shock metamorphism and W0 weathering grade. Some fragments of the meteorite Ko?ice are formed by monomict breccia of the petrological type H5. On the basis of REE content, we suggest the Ko?ice chondrite is probably from the same parent body as H5 chondrite Morávka from Czech Republic. Electron‐microprobe analysis (EMPA) with focused and defocused electron beam, whole‐rock analysis (WRA), inductively coupled plasma mass and optical emission spectroscopy (ICP MS, ICP OES), and calibration‐free laser induced breakdown spectroscopy (CF‐LIBS) were used to characterize the Ko?ice fragments. The results provide further evidence that whole‐rock analysis gives the most accurate analyses, but this method is completely destructive. Two other proposed methods are partially destructive (EMPA) or nondestructive (CF‐LIBS), but only major and minor elements can be evaluated due to the significantly lower sample consumption.     

Hotel managed marine reserves: A willingness to pay survey

The 2003 Marine Parks Congress recommended networks of marine reserves to be established covering 20–30% of habitats by 2012. Most marine reserves are, however, failing to meet their objectives, the main reason being attributed to lack of funding. In light of the growing need for effectively managed marine reserves, a survey ascertaining tourists' support and willingness to pay extra to stay at reserves managed by the private sector – Hotel Managed Marine Reserves (HMMRs) was conducted at Whale Island Resort, Vietnam. A total of 97.5% support HMMR, 86.3% were willing to pay, the median amounting to US$9.6/room/night, or 10% of the average room rate, equaling US$67,277 at 60% occupancy.     

Ellipsoidal quadtrees for indexing of global geographical data

Systems for landscape visualization and geographical data handling require methods for efficient data access. Retrieval of data from large geographical databases, ten to thousands of Gbytes, is usually optimized with spatial indexing mechanisms. The simplest form of spatial indexing is achieved by dividing the database into congruent grid cells. The subsequent subdivision of the grid cells can be based on so-called quadtrees. Quadtrees for two-dimensional division and subdivision are appropriate for cartographical data. A geographical database, with objects stored in geocentric or geodetic (geographical) co-ordinates, requires indexing mechanisms that take into account the shape of the Earth. In this paper, we present a method for indexing of geographical data, named Ellipsoidal Quadtrees (EQT). In contrast to other global indexing methods, EQT is based on the Earth ellipsoid and not a spherical approximation. EQT division and subdivision make it possible to divide the Earth surface into a mesh of quadrangles with equal areas. We will demonstrate that EQT is flexible. It can be used for indexing databases of various sizes, including national and global databases. Tests on real data show that the performance of EQT is good.     

Reactive monazite and robust zircon growth in diatexites and leucogranites from a hot,slowly cooled orogen: implications for the Palaeoproterozoic tectonic evolution of the central Fennoscandian Shield,Sweden

Monazite in melt-producing, poly-metamorphic terranes can grow, dissolve or reprecipitate at different stages during orogenic evolution particularly in hot, slowly cooling orogens such as the Svecofennian. Owing to the high heat flow in such orogens, small variations in pressure, temperature or deformation intensity may promote a mineral reaction. Monazite in diatexites and leucogranites from two Svecofennian domains yields older, coeval and younger U–Pb SIMS and EMP ages than zircon from the same rock. As zircon precipitated during the melt-bearing stage, its U–Pb ages reflect the timing of peak metamorphism, which is associated with partial melting and leucogranite formation. In one of the domains, the Granite and Diatexite Belt, zircon ages range between 1.87 and 1.86 Ga, whereas monazite yields two distinct double peaks at 1.87–1.86 and 1.82–1.80 Ga. The younger double peak is related to monazite growth or reprecipitation during subsolidus conditions associated with deformation along late-orogenic shear zones. Magmatic monazite in leucogranite records systematic variations in composition and age during growth that can be directly linked to Th/U ratios and preferential growth sites of zircon, reflecting the transition from melt to melt crystallisation of the magma. In the adjacent Ljusdal Domain, peak metamorphism in amphibolite facies occurred at 1.83–1.82 Ga as given by both zircon and monazite chronology. Pre-partial melting, 1.85 Ga contact metamorphic monazite is preserved, in spite of the high-grade overprint. By combining structural analysis, petrography and monazite and zircon geochronology, a metamorphic terrane boundary has been identified. It is concluded that the boundary formed by crustal shortening accommodated by major thrusting.     

Late Archean basement in the Bangenhuken Complex of the Nordbreen Nappe, western Ny-Friesland, Svalbard

The rocks of western Ny-Friesland, northern Svalbard, are part of a tectonostratigraphy including four thrust sheets, each composed mainly of orthogneisses overlain by younger metasedimentary rocks. Previous geochronological studies have shown that the orthogneisses are dominated by ca. 1750 Mya granitoids. This study of a quartz-monzonite in one of the thrust sheets, the Nordbreen Nappe, yields a single-zircon U-Pb ion-microprobe age of 2709 Ø 28 My. This is the oldest rock unit so far reported in the Svalbard Caledonides. However, age-determinations on detrital zircons in the metasediments of western Ny-Friesland have shown that Late Archean rocks were prominent sources. The new ages presented here provide the first evidence of a local source for these sedimentary rocks.