ArcGIS to Unity: a design pipeline for creation of 3D terrain in serious egames for geology

One of the key challenges during the development of the Virtual World Project ‘egame environment’ discussed in this issue was the creation of the digital virtual landscape from an original 2002 base map of a field area. In this [online] paper we will walk through the design pipeline that was developed by the virtual worlds project team, and discuss some of the issues that were discovered when translating from a 2D map to a 3D environment using available software, for others interested in replicating this work.     

Enabling adaptation? Lessons from the new ‘Green Revolution’ in Malawi and Kenya

This article explores the extent to which efforts to improve productivity of smallholder agriculture through a new ‘Green Revolution’ in Sub Saharan Africa are likely to enhance the capacity of smallholder farmers to adapt to the impacts of climate change. Drawing on empirical material from Malawi and Kenya, the paper finds more conflicts than synergies between the pursuit of higher productivity through the promotion of hybrid maize adoption and crop diversification as a strategy for climate change adaptation. This is despite an oft-assumed causal link between escape from the ‘low maize productivity trap’ and progression towards crop diversification as an adaptive strategy. In both countries, a convergence of interests between governments, donors and seed companies, combined with a historical preference for, and dependence on maize as the primary staple, has led to a narrowing of options for smallholder farmers, undermining the development of adaptive capacities in the longer term. This dynamic is linked to the conflation of market-based variety of agricultural technologies, as viewed ‘from the top down’, with diversity-in-context, as represented by site-specific and locally derived and adapted technologies and institutions that can only be developed ‘from the bottom up’.     

Defining drivers of nitrogen stable isotopes (δ15N) of surface sediments in temperate lakes

The nitrogen stable isotopic signature (δ¹⁵N) of sediment is a powerful tool to understand eutrophication history, but its interpretation remains a challenge. In a large-scale comparative approach, we identified the most important drivers influencing surface sediments δ¹⁵N of 65 lakes from two regions of Canada using proxies that reflect watershed nitrogen (N) sources, internal lake microbial cycling and productivity. Across regions, we found that water column total nitrogen (TN),  %N in the sediments and lake morphometric variables were the best predictors of sedimentary δ¹⁵N, explaining 66 % of its variation. Significant relationships were also found between sediment δ¹⁵N and human-derived N load ( \( R_{{{\text{adj}} .}}^{2} \)  = 0.23, p < 0.001), the latter being a strong predictor of TN ( \( R_{{{\text{adj}} .}}^{2} \)  = 0.68, p < 0.001). Despite a relatively strong overall relationship, variation partitioning revealed an interesting difference in the dominant variable that influenced regional δ¹⁵N. Alberta lake sedimentary δ¹⁵N signature was dominated by human derived N load. In contrast, internal processing appeared to be more important in Quebec lakes, where sediment δ¹⁵N was best explained by  %N in the sediments and lake volume. Overall, our findings support the use of δ¹⁵N in paleolimnological investigations to reconstruct changing N sources to lakes but also highlight that regions may have distinctive drivers. Interpretations of sediment δ¹⁵N are likely to be strongest when multiple lines of evidence are employed and when placed in a regional context.     

The weathering and element fluxes from active volcanoes to the oceans: a Montserrat case study

The eruptions of the Soufrière Hills volcano on Montserrat (Lesser Antilles) from 1995 to present have draped parts of the island in fresh volcaniclastic deposits. Volcanic islands such as Montserrat are an important component of global weathering fluxes, due to high relief and runoff and high chemical and physical weathering rates of fresh volcaniclastic material. We examine the impact of the recent volcanism on the geochemistry of pre-existing hydrological systems and demonstrate that the initial chemical weathering yield of fresh volcanic material is higher than that from older deposits within the Lesser Antilles arc. The silicate weathering may have consumed 1.3% of the early CO₂ emissions from the Soufrière Hills volcano. In contrast, extinct volcanic edifices such as the Centre Hills in central Montserrat are a net sink for atmospheric CO₂ due to continued elevated weathering rates relative to continental silicate rock weathering. The role of an arc volcano as a source or sink for atmospheric CO₂ is therefore critically dependent on the stage it occupies in its life cycle, changing from a net source to a net sink as the eruptive activity wanes. While the onset of the eruption has had a profound effect on the groundwater around the Soufrière Hills center, the geochemistry of springs in the Centre Hills 5 km to the north appear unaffected by the recent volcanism. This has implications for the potential risk, or lack thereof, of contamination of potable water supplies for the island’s inhabitants.     

Impact of chemical and meteorological boundary and initial conditions on air quality modeling: WRF-Chem sensitivity evaluation for a European domain

This study evaluates the impact of different chemical and meteorological boundary and initial conditions on the state-of-the-art Weather Research and Forecasting (WRF) model with its chemistry extension (WRF-Chem). The evaluation is done for July 2005 with 50 km horizontal resolution. The effect of monthly mean chemical boundary conditions derived from the chemical transport model LMDZ-INCA on WRF-Chem is evaluated against the effect of the preset idealized profiles. Likewise, the impact of different meteorological initial and boundary conditions (GFS and Reanalysis II) on the model is evaluated. Pearson correlation coefficient between these different runs range from 0.96 to 1.00. Exceptions exists for chemical boundary conditions on ozone and for meteorological boundary conditions on PM₁₀, where coefficients of 0.90 were obtained. Best results were achieved with boundary and initial conditions from LMDZ-INCA and GFS. Overall, the European simulations show encouraging results for observed air pollutant, with ozone being the most and PM₁₀ being the least satisfying.     

Sedimentary stable carbon isotope evidence of late Quaternary vegetation and climate change in highland Costa Rica

Continuous terrestrial records of paleoclimate and paleovegetation that extend to the late Pleistocene are rare for the circum-Caribbean uplands. In this study we analyzed the bulk and compound-specific carbon isotope composition of lake sediments spanning this period from Lago de las Morrenas 1 (LM1), a glacial lake in the highlands of southern Costa Rica, for evidence of climate and vegetation changes that may not have been apparent in previous analyses. The stable carbon isotope ratios of n-alkanes typically derived from terrestrial plants (δ¹³C_C27–C33) indicate an increased abundance of C₄ plant taxa during the late Pleistocene and earliest Holocene that may be related to decreased atmospheric carbon dioxide concentrations, increased aridity, or habitat availability. These n-alkane isotope ratios also provide evidence of more arid conditions during the early and late Holocene, and more mesic conditions during the middle Holocene, a pattern prevalent in other paleoclimate records from the region that is thought to be related to millennial-scale dynamics of the intertropical convergence zone (ITCZ). The sensitivity of the LM1 paleorecord to trade wind dynamics provides further support for the role of millennial-scale shifts in ITCZ dynamics in driving neotropical environmental change, and indicates that the effects of ITCZ migration were not limited to the lowlands.     

The remarkable Re–Os chronometer in molybdenite: how and why it works

The Re–Os (rhenium–osmium) chronometer applied to molybdenite (MoS₂) is now demonstrated to be remarkably robust, surviving intense deformation and high‐grade thermal metamorphism. Successful dating of molybdenite is dependent on proper preparation of the mineral separate and analysis of a critical quantity of molybdenite, unique to each sample, such that recognized spatial decoupling of ¹⁸⁷Re parent and ¹⁸⁷Os daughter within individual molybdenite crystals is overcome. Highly precise, accurate and reproducible age results are derived through isotope dilution and negative thermal ion mass spectrometry (ID‐NTIMS). Spatial decoupling of parent–daughter precludes use of the laser ablation ICP‐MS microanalytical technique for Re–Os dating of molybdenite. The use of a reference or control sample is necessary to establish laboratory credibility and for interlaboratory comparisons. The Rb–Sr, K–Ar and ⁴⁰Ar/³⁹Ar chronometers are susceptible to chemical and thermal disturbance, particularly in terranes that have experienced subsequent episodes of hydrothermal/magmatic activity, and therefore should not be used as a basis for establishing accuracy in Re–Os dating of molybdenite, as has been done in the past. Re–Os ages for molybdenite are almost always in agreement with observed geological relationships and, when available, with zircon and titanite U–Pb ages. For terranes experiencing multiple episodes of metamorphism and deformation, molybdenite is not complicated by overgrowths as is common for some minerals used in U–Pb dating (e.g. zircon, monazite, xenotime), nor are Re and Os mobilized beyond the margins of individual crystals during solid‐state recrystallization. Moreover, inheritance of older molybdenite cores, incorporation of common Os, and radiogenic Os loss are exceedingly rare, whereas inheritance, common Pb and Pb loss are common complications in U–Pb dating techniques. Therefore, molybdenite ages may serve as point‐in‐time markers for age comparisons.     

Study and suppression of anomalous fast events in inorganic scintillators for dark matter searches

The status of dark matter searches with inorganic scintillator detectors at Boulby mine is reviewed and the results of tests with a CsI(Tl) crystal are presented. The objectives of the latter experiment were to study anomalous fast events previously observed and to identify ways to remove this background. Clear indications were found that these events were due to surface contamination of crystals by alphas, probably from radon decay. A new array of unencapsulated NaI(Tl) crystals immersed either in liquid paraffin or pure nitrogen atmosphere is under construction at Boulby. Such an approach allows complete control of the surface of the crystals and the ability to remove any surface contamination. First data from the unencapsulated NaI(Tl) do not show the presence of anomalous fast events.     

ASEAN navies: new missions and old problems

For the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) — Indonesia, Malaysia, the Philippines, Singapore and Thailand — the classical naval missions, protecting the country from seaborne attack and keeping vital sea lanes open, are less important than functions related to new concepts in the law of the sea, coupled with problems which have plagued South-east Asians for hundreds of years. Each of the ASEAN countries now is entitled to claim vastly extended exclusive economic zones (EEZs) and continental shelves, and all but Singapore have been able to extend their maritime territories greatly. However, the old problems of combating piracy, smuggling and illegal barter trade still exist. To these must be added the new patrol functions necessary to protect offshore resources and enforce extended maritime jurisdictional claims.     

LOS and ‘other minerals’

Emphasis on mining of manganese nodules has led to a rules, regulations and procedures lacuna in the provisions for non-nodule minerals mining. Unless the regime governing the exploitation of‘other minerals’ is improved, the mining of polymetallic sulphides and other non-nodule minerals will be seriously affected.