Embedding scale: new thinking of scale in machine learning and geographic representation

Journal of Geographical Systems - Concepts of scale are at the heart of diverse scientific endeavors that seek to understand processes and how observations and analyses influence our understanding....     

Geochemical,mineralogical and magnetic characteristics of vertical dust deposition in urban environment

Studies on composition and distribution of dust deposition are necessary for the risk assessment of dust to atmospheric quality. We studied the vertical distribution pattern of dust and metal (Cu, Fe, Pb, Zn) deposition up to 33 m height in urban environment. Integrated geochemical, mineralogical and magnetic study of the seasonally sampled dust helped to specify our knowledge on the use of magnetic susceptibility for tracking its deposition. Harmful dust and metal deposition may occur even at great heights and at the low-traffic side of buildings. Re-suspension of local surface materials dominates the dust deposition primarily in summer and spring due to weather conditions, and it may overwrite the influence of recent anthropogenic activities on dust composition. The accepted air-flow models should be modified by taking the local conditions (weather, morphology, etc.) into account. All studied metals showed strong enrichment in the dust and could be characterized by similar vertical deposition pattern to dust. The total susceptibility was found to be much more useful proxy for tracking dust and metal deposition than mass-specific susceptibility. Using the former, potential errors arising from sampling practice of settled dust could be eliminated. The most important heavy-metal-bearing phases were iron oxides and clay minerals. Their different behavior during the dust deposition is reflected by the vertical metal distribution patterns. Clay minerals originate primarily from re-suspension and may be one of the most important sources of potentially mobile heavy metals in such materials.     

An interesting nebular object in LDN 288

In this paper the results of multiwavelength investigation of an unusual nebular object SNO 85 are presented. In 2MASS images this object looks like a star with a jet. In DSS2 R image the end of the jet is connected with an interesting symmetric structure, consisting of arcs and loops. Such a structure is seen also in the opposite direction from the central star; it favors the existence of two opposite jets, which repeat the rotation and precession movements of the central star. The results of ¹²CO observations of the dark nebula LDN 288, connected with SNO 85, are also given. From these observations the following results were obtained: SNO 85 is situated in a dense condensation and the neighbor B type star GSC 0625400181 is surrounded by a hollow cavity. The velocity of the dark cloud is ∼2.5 km/s and its distance is estimated as (380–990) pc. The object SNO 85 itself is associated with an IRAS point source IRAS 17547-1832, the infrared colors of this source are typical for a non-evolved source embedded in the dense dark cloud. This region is perhaps a star formation one because there is also another star with a straight jet in the vicinity of B type star GSC 0625400181. Published in Astrofizika, Vol. 49, No. 4, pp. 621–629 (August 2006).     

Reconstruction of a complex late Quaternary glacial landscape in the Cordillera de Cochabamba (Bolivia) based on a morphostratigraphic and multiple dating approach

Although glacial landscapes have previously been used for the reconstruction of late Quaternary glaciations in the Central Andes, only few data exist for the Eastern Cordillera in Bolivia. Here, we present results from detailed morphostratigraphic mapping and new data of surface exposure dating (SED), optically stimulated luminescence (OSL), and radiocarbon dating (¹⁴C) from the Huara Loma Valley, Cordillera de Cochabamba (Bolivia). Discrepancies between individual dating methods could be addressed within the context of a solid geomorphic framework. We identified two major glaciations. The older is not well constrained by the available data, whereas the younger glaciation is subdivided into at least four major glacial stages. Regarding the latter, a first advance dated to ~ 29-25 ka occurred roughly contemporaneous with the onset of the global last glacial maximum (LGM) and was followed by a less extensive (re-)advance around 20-18 ka. The local last glacial maximum (LLGM) in the Huara Loma Valley took place during the humid lateglacial ~ 17-16 ka, followed by several smaller readvances until ~ 10-11 ka, and complete deglaciation at the end of the Early Holocene.     

Coarse clast ridge sequences as suitable archives for past storm events? Case study on the Houtman Abrolhos,Western Australia

Prehistoric storm records are relatively scarce in most parts of the world. This article presents storm records derived from coral rubble‐based geological archives of the Houtman Abrolhos Archipelago located off the west coast of Australia, where the southernmost coral reefs of the Indian Ocean are found. Winter storm swell from the circum‐Antarctic ‘Brave Westerlies’, as well as tropical cyclone waves, have left numerous ridge systems on dozens of islands of the archipelago, all composed of coral rubble from adjacent reefs. At three islands, seven ridge systems were dated by three different methods: U‐series (68 dates), radiocarbon (64 dates), electron spin resonance (7 dates); 139 radiometric dates span the last 5500 years of the Holocene. In contrast to the geomorphological interpretation, the age sequences show ‘inversions’, hiatuses and different ages for the same ridge, all pointing to complicated ridge formation processes. Time gaps, some exceeding 1000 years, are interpreted as phases of erosion and not as phases without storm activity. Copyright © 2012 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.     

Investigation of the conspicuous infrared star cluster and star-forming region “RCW 38 IR Cluster”

The infrared star cluster RCW 38 IR Cluster, which is also a massive star-forming region, is investigated. The results of observations with the SEST (Cerro La Silla, Chile) telescope on the 2.6-mm ¹²CO spectral line and with SIMBA on the 1.2-mm continuum are given. The ¹²CO observations revealed the existence of several molecular clouds, two of which (clouds 1 and 2) are connected with the object RCW 38 IR Cluster. Cloud 1 is a massive cloud, which has a depression in which the investigated object is embedded. It is not excluded that the depression was formed by the wind and/or emission from the young bright stars belonging to the star cluster. Rotation of cloud 2, around the axis having SE-NW direction, with an angular velocity ω = 4.6 · 10⁻¹⁴ s⁻¹ is also found. A red-shifted outflow with velocity ∼+5.6 km/s, in the SE direction and perpendicular to the elongation of cloud 2 has also been found. The investigated cluster is associated with an IR point source IRAS 08573-4718, which has IR colors typical for a non-evolved embedded (in the cloud) stellar object. The cluster is also connected with a water maser. The SIMBA image shows the existence of a central bright condensation, coinciding with the cluster itself, and two extensions. One of these extensions (the one with SW-NE direction) coincides, both in place and shape, with cloud 2, so that the possibility that this extension might also be rotating like cloud 2 is not excluded. In the vicinity of these extensions there are condensations resembling HH objects. Published in Astrofizika, Vol. 51, No. 1, pp. 29–40 (February 2008).