An experimental analysis of three methods for highlighting colorful pictographic symbols

Highlighting is one of the key functionalities of any interactive visualization environment. Yet, there is little research on highlighting methods. This article focuses on highlighting of colorful pictographic symbols. Three strategies for highlighting were tested by implementing three highlighting methods that were suggested suitable in the literature on attention, perceptual grouping, and motion detection. An experimental design measuring response times and accuracy was used and subjective opinions were collected. The three available strategies for applying the highlighting effect to a subset of visually salient (i.e., colorful) symbols are: (1) to decrease the saliency of the non-highlighted symbols, (2) to increase the saliency of the highlighted symbols, and (3) to add a connecting element for grouping the highlighted symbols. Of these strategies, adding a connecting element was found to be the least efficient based on the response times, whereas both methods for tuning the saliency difference between the highlighted and non-highlighted symbols were found to be equally efficient. However, decreasing the saliency of the non-highlighted symbols was clearly preferred in the subjective evaluation.     

Dynamics of inequality and growth in Europe: may spatial models solve the puzzle?

Journal of Geographical Systems - The link between income inequality and economic growth remains poorly understood. The global economic crisis challenged numerous growth studies by highlighting...     

Hydrodynamic response of subduction zones to seismic activity: A case study for the Costa Rica margin

Thermal anomalies in tectonically active areas are often attributed to sub-seafloor fluid circulation and faulting mechanisms, particularly in subduction zones where the largest thrust earthquakes occur. Postseismic fluid flow is enabled by the poroelastic response of the fault system to the earthquake's strain field, as well as by the rupturing of permeability barriers in the vicinity of the fault zone. We investigated the relative importance of these mechanisms on postseismic pore-pressure diffusion and advective heat transport in the subduction zone setting. A two-dimensional numerical fluid flow and heat transport model was developed for the Costa Rica subduction zone offshore of the Nicoya Peninsula. The flow and transport model was coupled with an earthquake strain model to quantify the effects of coseismic strain and permeability enhancement on fluid pressures and temperatures within the Costa Rica margin. Coseismic changes in pore pressure and postseismic pore-pressure diffusion were found to be sensitive to the compressibility of the porous medium, and patterns of pore-pressure recovery were more complex than that predicted by theoretical faulting models. Coseismic contraction and extension of the crust produced high fluid pressures close to the fault, while the inflow of fluid from depth increased fluid pressures several years following the simulated fault slip. Crustal deformation alone was not observed to perturb the temperature field. Laterally extensive permeability increases of two orders of magnitude along the décollement were required to produce small changes in heat flow. Local permeability changes in the upper slope region of least five orders of magnitude were necessary to noticeably affect heat flow. The results of the numerical simulations may help to refine conceptual faulting models and provide guidance for locating long-term hydrologic monitoring sites at Costa Rica and other subduction zones.     

Fluid source-based modeling of melt initiation within the subduction zone mantle wedge: Implications for geochemical trends in arc lavas

The GyPSM-S (Geodynamic and Petrological Synthesis Model for Subduction) scheme couples a petrological model with a 2-D thermal and variable viscosity flow model to describe and compare fundamental processes occurring within the subduction mantle wedge, including the development of a low-viscosity channel (LVC) (Hebert et al., 2009, Earth and Planetary Science Letters, v. 278, p. 243–256). Here we supplement the basic coupled model result with more sophisticated treatments of trace element partitioning in the fluid phase and melt transport regimes. We investigate the influences of slab fluid source lithology and fluid transport mechanisms on melt geochemistry, the implications of mantle source depletion related to fluid fluxing, and potential melt migration processes. This study describes two model cases that can be compared to geochemical datasets for the Izu–Bonin intra-oceanic subduction system and the Central Costa Rican part of the Central American arc. We find that there is a progression of geochemical characteristics described in studies of cross-arc and along-arc lavas that can be approximated assuming (i) limited fluid–rock interaction within the mantle wedge and (ii) that melt migration preserves the spatial distinction among melts initiated in different areas of the wedge. Specifically, volcanic front lavas have significant contributions from shallower slab fluid sources, and rear-arc lavas have significant contributions from deeper slab fluid sources. Evidence for limited fluid–rock interaction could imply either a rapid fluid transport mechanism or a fluid-dominated trace element budget within the LVC. Although we do not include a back-arc in these models, interpretations of the results lead to several potential mechanisms to explain hydrous inputs to back-arc source regions.     

Cave bear occupation in Schwabenreith Cave,Austria, during the early last glacial: constraints from 230Th/U‐dated speleothems

The cave bear was a prominent member of the Upper Pleistocene fauna in Eurasia. While breakthroughs were recently achieved with respect to its phylogeny using ancient DNA techniques, it is still challenging to date cave bear fossils beyond the radiocarbon age range. Without an accurate and precise chronological framework, however, key questions regarding the palaeoecology cannot be addressed, such as the extent to which large climate swings during the last glacial affected the habitat and possibly even conditioned the final extinction of this mammal. Key to constraining the age of cave bear fossils older than the lower limit of radiocarbon dating is to date interlayered speleothems using ²³⁰Th/U. Here we report new results from one such site in the Eastern European Alps (Schwabenreith Cave), which yielded the highest density of bones of cave bear (Ursus spelaeus eremus). Although dating of the flowstones overlying this fossiliferous succession was partly compromised by diagenetic alteration, the ²³⁰Th/U dates indicate that the bear hibernated in this cave after about 113 ka and before about 109 ka. This time interval coincides with the equivalent of Greenland Stadial 25, suggesting possible climate control on the cave bear's habitat and behaviour. © 2019 The Authors. Journal of Quaternary Science Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd     

How Do Surficial Lithic Assemblages Weather in Arid Environments? A Case Study from the Atacama Desert,Northern Chile

Archaeological sites composed only of surficial lithics are widespread in arid environments. Numerical dating of such sites is challenging, however, and even establishing a relative chronology can be daunting. One potentially helpful method for assigning relative chronologies is to use lithic weathering, on the assumption that the most weathered artifacts are also the oldest. Yet, few studies have systematically assessed how local environmental processes affect weathering of surficial lithics. Using macroscopic analyses, we compared the weathering of surficial lithic assemblages from seven mid‐to‐late Holocene archaeological sites sampled from four different microenvironments in the Atacama Desert of northern Chile. Changes in polish, texture, shine, and color were used to establish significant differences in weathering between two kinds of locations: interfluves and canyon sites. Lithics from interfluve sites were moderately to highly weathered by wind and possessed a dark coating, whereas canyon lithics were mildly weathered despite greater exposure to moisture, often lacked indications of eolian abrasion, and lacked dark coatings. Our results show that lithic weathering can be used as a proxy for relative age, but only after considering local environmental factors. The power of such chronologies can be improved by combining archaeological, paleoenvironmental, geomorphological, and taphonomic data.     

State of knowledge of coastal aquifer management in South America

A comparative analysis of the existing hydrogeological and management information from 15 coastal aquifers in South America was performed in order to obtain insight into common features of the sub-continent coastal zones. Some knowledge from other areas has been incorporated. There is a very variable degree of knowledge and management practice, ranging from almost no data and no action (the most common case), to sound conceptual models about aquifer behaviour and comprehensive management actions such as relocation of abstractions, pumping brackish groundwater, and aquifer vulnerability mapping. Some common features are: intensive groundwater exploitation; lack of characterization studies to support resource planning and management; lack of monitoring networks; and the need for raising awareness within society and its involvement in resource planning and management action programmes. Quality and quantity problems arising in heavily populated areas associated with coastal aquifers in South America point to unsustainable groundwater development. The sustainable use of those aquifers must rely on adequate evaluation of aquifer characteristics and monitoring.     

Anurans from the Candeleros Formation (?Cenomanian-Turonian) of west-central Argentina: new evidence for pipoid evolution

The fluvio-lacustrine deposits of the ?Cenomanian-Turonian Candeleros Formation in the northwestern fringe of Patagonia have yielded numerous remains of vertebrates, including anurans. A new, partially articulated immature specimen of a small pipimorph pipoid from the upper part of this unit is described herein. Although incompletely preserved, the morphology and proportions of the skeleton are strongly reminiscent of corresponding elements of the holotype of Avitabatrachus uliana from the lower section of the same formation at a nearby locality, thus suggesting that these specimens might represent the same, or a closely related, taxon. The new specimen is a metamorphosing individual: it has a zygapophyseal articulation between the sacrum and the neural arch of a postsacral vertebra that bears conspicuous transverse processes, and four pairs of ribs. These traits are not present in the available material of A. uliana, but they might have occurred within the normal range of variation of a single species. Although the generic and specific allocation of the new material is uncertain, a parsimony analysis performed to clarify the relationships of A. uliana supports a phylogenetic placement of this taxon outside the crown Pipidae. The evidence provided by the Candeleros anurans confirms the presence of stem pipids in Patagonia in the early Late Cretaceous.     

Net aboveground primary production and soil properties of floating and attached freshwater tidal marshes in the Río de la Plata estuary,Argentina

In the lower delta of the Paraná River, at the head of the Río de la Plata estuary (Argentina), we compared net aboveground primary production (NAPP) and soil properties of the dominant macrophyteScirpus giganteus (Kunth) in a floating and an attached marsh community. Both marshes are tidally influenced but in different ways. The floating marsh site is relatively isolated from tidal influences because its ability to float makes it resistant to overland flow and to sediment inputs from the estuary. The attached marsh lacks the capacity to float and receives sediment supplies from the estuary through overland flow. These hydrologic differences are reflected in lower mineral content in sediments of the floating marsh. Using a leaf tagging technique, estimated NAPP was 1,109 ± 206 g m⁻² yr⁻¹ for the floating marsh and 1,866 ±258 g m⁻² yr⁻¹ for the attached marsh. We attribute the lower NAPP of the floating marsh to isolation from sediment input from overland flow.     

A grain-size correction for metal pollution indexes in river sediments

According to the List of Hazardous Substances of the Agency of the Toxic Substances and Disease Registry(ATSDR 2017),some metallic elements such as Pb or Cd are still considered as the most polluting elements in the world.These elements accumulate in sediments,and there are various methods available that differentiate lithogenic sources from anthropogenic sources.For that,the natural geochemical background is required,however,its definition is far from unanimous:it can be a global or local value,single or statistically estimated value,depending on the studies.Our study is focused on the Suba
e River in the state of Bahia,Northeastern Brazil,which was historically contaminated by lead metallurgy.The river sediments were sampled at 21 locations:one at the discharge point of the plant's rainwater basin,ten upstream,and ten downstream.The total contents of Fe,Ti,Mn,Pb,Zn,Cu,Cr,particle-size distribution,and organic matter were analyzed.The conventional geochemical indexes,i.e.,the pollution degree(mCd),pollution load index,and enrichment factor indicated contamination by Zn,Pb,Cr,and Cu.Then,a new enrichment factor is introduced,assuming that the sediments come from erosion of soils in the watershed.After obtaining the natural concentrations of metals in the clay,silt,and sand fractions of uncontaminated reference soils,we corrected the pollution indexes by calculating a new individual background in each sediment sample,according to its grain size distribution.This new approach provided more precise indexes in the assessment of sediment pollution,by highlighting higher contamination of Zn and Pb(around 50%)and at the same time the absence of Cr and Cu contamination,two metals not involved with the metallurgical activity.