Geoarchaeological research of the mid-age Ilyas Bey complex buildings with ground penetrating radar in Miletus, Aydin, Western Anatolia, Turkey

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Kadioglu, S [Ankara University, Eng. Fac. Geophysical Engineering Department, 06100 Ankara (Turkey); Kadioglu, Y K [Ankara University, Eng. Fac. Geological Engineering Department, 06100 Ankara (Turkey); Akyol, A A [Ankara University, Baskent Vac. High Sch. Prog. of Restoration and Cons., Ankara (Turkey)], E-mail: kadioglu@eng.ankara.edu.tr, E-mail: kadi@eng.ankara.edu.tr, E-mail: akyol@ankara.edu.tr

2008-07-01

) studies reveal that the main bulding rock units of Ilyas Bey Mosque are mainly composed of 4 main units these are marble, metalimestone, mica gneiss and granodiorite. The marble, metalimestone with the mica gneiss were obtained from Menderes Massif in Western Anatolia. The granodiorite columns might be obtained from Kozak Pluton in the north of Bergama-Izmir line of western Anatolia.

Geoarchaeological research of the mid-age Ilyas Bey complex buildings with ground penetrating radar in Miletus, Aydin, Western Anatolia, Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kadioglu, S; Kadioglu, Y K; Akyol, A A

2008-01-01

) studies reveal that the main bulding rock units of Ilyas Bey Mosque are mainly composed of 4 main units these are marble, metalimestone, mica gneiss and granodiorite. The marble, metalimestone with the mica gneiss were obtained from Menderes Massif in Western Anatolia. The granodiorite columns might be obtained from Kozak Pluton in the north of Bergama-Izmir line of western Anatolia

Seismicity and Seismotectonic Properties of The Sultandağı Fault Zone (Afyonkarahisar-Konya): Western Anatolia,Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Kalafat, D.; Gunes, Y.; Kekovali, K.; Kara, M.; Gorgun, E.

2017-12-01

n this study we investigated seismicity and source characteristics of the Sultandağı Fault Zone (SFZ). As known Western Anatolia is one of the most important seismically active region in Turkey. The relative movement of the African-Arabian plates, it causes the Anatolian Plate to movement to the west-Southwest direction 2.5 cm per year and this result provides N-S direction with extensional regime in the recent tectonic. In this study, especially with the assessment of seismic activity occurring in Afyon and around between 200-2002 years, we have been evaluated to date with seismic activity as well as fault mechanism solution. We analyzed recent seismicity and distribution of earthquakes in this region. In the last century, 3 important earthquakes occurred in the Sultandağı Fault zone (Afyon-Akşehir Graben), this result shown it was seismic active and broken fault segments caused stress balance in the region and it caused to occur with short intervals of earthquakes in 2000 and 2002, triggering each other. The scope of this tudy, we installed new BB stations in the region and we have been done of the fault plane solutions for important earthquakes. The focal mechanisms clearly exhibit the activation of a NE-SW trending normal faulting system along the SFZ region. The results of stress analysis showed that the effective current tectonic evolution of normal faulting in this region. This study is supported by Bogazici University Research Projects Commission under SRP/BAP project No. 12280. Key Words: Sultandağı fault zone, normal faulting, seismicity, fault mechanism

Neogene Uplift and Magmatism of Anatolia: New Insights from Drainage Analysis and Basalt Geochemistry

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McNab, F.; Ball, P.; Hoggard, M.; White, N.

2017-12-01

The origin of Anatolia's high elevation and low relief plateaux has been the subject of much recent debate. Marine sedimentary rocks distributed across Central and Eastern Anatolia require significant regional uplift in Neogene times. This uplift cannot be explained by the present-day pattern of crustal deformation which, particularly across Central and Western Anatolia, is dominanted by strike-slip and extensional faulting. Positive long wavelength free-air gravity anomalies combined with slow upper mantle seismic wave speeds suggest that the sub-lithospheric mantle provides substantial topographic support. A range of geodynamic processes have been invoked, including complex slab fragmentation and lithospheric delamination. The temporal and spatial evolution of the Anatolian landscape should be recorded by drainage networks. Indeed, major catchments contain prominent knickzones with heights of hundreds of meters and length scales of several hundred kilometers. The stream power formulation for fluvial erosion permits these knickzones to be interpreted in terms of uplift history along a river's length. Here, we jointly invert an inventory of 1,844 river profiles to determine a spatial and temporal uplift rate history. When calibrated against independent observations of uplift rate, the resultant history provides significant new constraints for the evolution of Anatolian topography. In our model, the bulk of this topography appears to grow in Neogene times. Uplift initiates in Eastern Anatolia and propagates westward at uplift rates of up to 0.5 mm/yr. Coeval with this phase of uplift, abundant basaltic magmatism has occurred throughout Anatolia. We have compiled an extensive database of published geochemical analyses. Using this database, we analyse spatial and temporal patterns of basaltic compositions to discriminate between different modes of melt generation. Two independent techniques for estimating asthenospheric potential temperatures from the compositions of

Seismotectonics of Western Turkey: A Synthesis of Source Parameters and Rupture Histories of Recent Earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Taymaz, T.; Tan, O.; Yolsal, S.

2004-12-01

The Aegean region, including western Turkey and Greece, is indeed one of the most seismically active and rapidly deforming continental domains in the Earth. The wide range of deformational processes occurring in this region means that the eastern Mediterranean provides a unique opportunity to improve our understanding of the complex kinematics of continental collision, including strike-slip faulting and crustal extension, as well as associated seismicity and volcanism. The tectonic evolution of the Eastern Mediterranean region is dominated by effects of subduction along the Hellenic (Aegean) arc and of continental collision in eastern Anatolia and the Caucasus. Northward subduction of the African plate beneath western Anatolia and the Aegean region is causing crustal extension in the overlying Aegean province. The interplay between dynamic effects of the relative motions of adjoining plates thus controls large-scale crustal deformation and the associated earthquake activity in Turkey. The Aegean region has been subject to extension since Miocene time, and this extension has left a pronounced expression in the present-day topography. It is further widely accepted that the rapid extension observed in western Turkey is mainly accommodated by large active normal faults that control the geomorphology which is dominated by a series of E-W trending normal-fault-bounded horst and graben structures; the N-S extension inferred from these structures is consistent with regional earthquake focal mechanisms. The E-W trending Menderes graben, the NE-SW trending Burdur, Acigol and Baklan, and NW-SE trending Dinar and Sultandag-Aksehir basins all bounded by large faults form a system of half-graben whose orientation is evident in both the topography and the tilting of Neogene sediments adjacent to them. We have studied source mechanisms and rupture histories of ˜20 earthquakes using body-waveform modelling, and have compared the shapes and amplitudes of teleseismic long-period P

Site properties for Crimean juniper (Juniperus excelsa) in semi-natural forests of south western Anatolia, Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Ozkan, Kürsad; Gulsoy, Serkan; Aerts, Raf; Muys, Bart

2010-01-01

We explored the semi-natural forests in south western Anatolia along a gradient between Mediterranean and continental climates to determine the site requirements of Juniperus excelsa in Turkey. We hypothesized that environmental variables and indicator species can be used to predict differences in occurrence and cover of J. excelsa and can therefore support decision making in reforestation management planning. Plant species composition and environmental variables were assessed in 153 plots. Association between J. excelsa and other plant species and environmental variables were analyzed using Fisher exact probability tests and stepwise discriminant analysis. High altitude (> 1000 m) as a proxy for an Oromediterranean climate, and high surface stoniness as a proxy for low competition by other tree species, are positive site properties for J. excelsa. The tree species avoids Eumediterranean and Supramediterranean plant communities. Twelve plant species, including the herbs Dianthus zonatus, Ajuga chamaepitys and Paronchia carica and the shrub Cotoneaster nummularia may be used as site indicators for J. excelsa restoration. Platanus orientalis, with similar site requirements but at present negatively associated to J. excelsa due to competitive effects, may be considered an additional indicator if stand conversion (harvesting and replacing P. orientalis) is part of the management plan.

Cenozoic extensional tectonics of the Western Anatolia Extended Terrane, Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cemen, I; Catlos, E J; Gogus, O; Diniz, E; Hancer, M

2008-01-01

The Western Anatolia Extended Terrane in Turkey is located on the eastern side of the Aegean Extended Terrane and contains one of the largest metamorphic core complexes in the world, the Menderes massif. It has experienced a series of continental collisions from the Late Cretaceous to the Eocene during the formation of the Izmir-Ankara-Erzincan suture zone. Based our field work and monazite ages, we suggest that the north-directed postcollisional Cenozoic extension in the region is the product of three consecutive stages, triggered by three different mechanisms. The first stage was initiated about 30 Ma ago, in the Oligocene by the Orogenic Collapse the thermally weakened continental crust along the north-dipping Southwest Anatolian shear zone. The shear zone was formed as an extensional simple-shear zone with listric geometry at depth and exhibits predominantly normal-slip along its southwestern end. But, it becomes a high-angle oblique-slip shear zone along its northeastern termination. Evidence for the presence of the shear zone includes (1) the dominant top to the north-northeast shear sense indicators throughout the Menderes massif, such as stretching lineations trending N10E to N30E; and (2) a series of Oligocene extensional basins located adjacent to the shear zone that contain only carbonate and ophiolitic rock fragments, but no high grade metamorphic rock fragments. During this stage, erosion and extensional unroofing brought high-grade metamorphic rocks of the Central Menderes massif to the surface by the early Miocene. The second stage of the extension was triggered by subduction roll-back and associated back-arc extension in the early Miocene and produced the north-dipping Alasehir and the south-dipping Bueyuek Menderes detachments of the central Menderes massif and the north-dipping Simav detachment of the northern Menderes massif. The detachments control the Miocene sedimentation in the Alasehir, Bueyuek Menderes, and Simav grabens, containing high

Obsidian from volcanic sequences and rent alluvial deposits, Erzurum district, north-eastern Anatolia: Chemical characterisation and archaeological implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brennan, P.; Sagona, T.

1997-01-01

Full text: Recent geoarchaeological research in the Erzurum district, north-eastern Anatolia, has revealed an abundance of obsidian at numerous neolithic and Bronze Age sites. Geochemical characterisation using neutron activation analysis indicates that the obsidian was obtained from several sources that are chemically distinct from the major sources already known from Central Anatolia an the Lake Van area. Multiple sources are represented in the samples collected from at least two of the sites, namely the sites of Sos and Pulur. The primary source of some of the obsidian utilised at the site of Sos has been located in the volcanic sequence outcropping tot he north-west of Pasinler. Field survey however has shown that the alluvial deposits along the main rivers and some of their tributaries were the main sources of the obsidian utilised at the sites near Erzurum. Trade or exchange of obsidian with sites outside the Erzurum area seems to have been limited

Mantle to Surface Dynamics Across Subduction-Collision Transitions in Space and Time: Results from the CD-CAT Project in Anatolia

Science.gov (United States)

Whitney, D. L.; Abgarmi, B.; Beck, S. L.; Brocard, G. Y.; Cosca, M. A.; Darin, M. H.; Delph, J. R.; Hui, H.; Kahraman, M.; Kaymakci, N.; Kuscu, G.; Meijers, M. J.; Mulch, A.; Özacar, A.; Portner, D. E.; Reid, M. R.; Rey, P. F.; Rojay, B.; Schlieffarth, W. K.; Sandvol, E. A.; Schoenbohm, L. M.; Tank, B.; Teoman, U.; Teyssier, C. P.; Thomson, S. N.; Turkelli, N.; Umhoefer, P. J.; Uslular, G.; Willenbring, J. K.

2017-12-01

From west to east, the southern plate boundary of Anatolia varies from subduction to continental collision; plate dynamics are influenced by the interaction of back-arc extension in the west (Aegean) and convergence in the east (Arabia-Eurasia). Prior to 40 Ma, the entire margin was a subduction zone. The NSF project "Continental Dynamics-Central Anatolian Tectonics (CD-CAT)" has contributed to understanding how the mantle, crust, and surface evolve in subduction-to-collision transitions in time and space. Differences are seen in changes in deformation style as collision proceeded; e.g. from distributed across a broad zone to highly localized on a series of oblique-slip faults, and from transpression to transtension (W of the Central Anatolian fault zone, CAFZ) or strike-slip (E of the CAFZ); age, composition, and sources of magmatism, including a magmatic lull from 40-20 Ma, followed by expansion of magmatism SE-ward in central Anatolia; properties and architecture of the lithosphere and sub-lithospheric mantle (e.g. significant and locally abrupt crustal thickness variations, including thick crust under the Tauride Mts; thin to absent lithospheric mantle; and a torn and disaggregating slab that varies from shallow to steep below central Anatolia); and a topographic gradient from a high eastern plateau (> 2 km) to a central plateau (1-1.5 km) bounded to the N and S by mountain ranges that rose > 2 km from the sea between 11-5 Ma, producing a rain shadow in the Anatolian interior. Thermochronologic and structural studies of exhumed mid-crust and associated basins and fault zones as well as geophysical data for Anatolia today show the extent to which inherited features (suture zones, faults) have affected the tectonic evolution of Anatolia, particularly in the vicinity of the CAFZ/East Anatolian Fault, and mantle properties. Results also show that the Miocene was a dynamic time in the thermal and mechanical evolution of the region, as early Miocene rollback

Composite volcanoes in the south-eastern part of İzmir-Balıkesir Transfer Zone, Western Anatolia, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Seghedi, Ioan; Helvacı, Cahit; Pécskay, Zoltan

2015-01-01

During the Early-Middle Miocene (Western Anatolia) several volcanic fields occur along a NE-SW-trending shear zone, known as İzmir-Balıkesir Transfer Zone. This is a deformed crustal-scale sinistral strike-slip fault zone crossing the Bornova flysch and extending along the NW-boundary of the Menderes Massif by accommodating the differential deformation between the Cycladic and Menderes core complexes within the Aegean extensional system. Here we discuss the volcanic activity in Yamanlar and Yuntdağı fields that is closely related to the extensional tectonics of the İzmir-Balıkesir Transfer Zone and in the same time with the episodic core complex denudation of the Menderes Massif. This study documents two composite volcanoes (Yamanlar and Yuntdağı), whose present vent area is strongly eroded and cut by a variety of strike-slip and normal fault systems, the transcurrent NW-SE being the dominant one. The erosional remnants of the vent areas, resembling a shallow crater intrusive complex, illustrate the presence of numerous dykes or variably sized neck-like intrusions and lava flows, typically associated with hydrothermal alteration processes (propylitic and argillic). Such vent areas were observed in both the examined volcanic fields, having ~ 6 km in diameter and being much more eroded toward the south, along the NW-SE fault system. Lava flows and lava domes are sometimes associated with proximal block and ash flow deposits. In the cone-building association part, besides lava flows and remnants of lava domes, rare block and ash and pumice-rich pyroclastic flow deposits, as well as a series of debris-flow deposits, have been observed. The rocks display a porphyritic texture and contain various proportions of plagioclase, clinopyroxene, orthopyroxene, amphibole, rare biotite and corroded quartz. The examined rocks fall at the limit between calc-alkaline to alkaline field, and plot predominantly in high-K andesite and dacite fields and one is rhyolite. The trace

Diachronous demise of the Neotethys Ocean as driver for non-cylindrical orogenesis in Anatolia

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Van Hinsbergen, D. J. J.; Gurer, D.

2017-12-01

Continent-continent collision drives crustal deformation, topographic rise, and geodynamic change. Africa-Eurasia convergence accommodated in the Eastern Mediterranean involved subduction of the Neotethyan oceanic lithosphere in Anatolia. Subduction was followed by collision of Greater Adria continental crust with Eurasia forming the Izmir-Ankara-Erzincan suture zone. Discerning the effects of this collision from pre-collisional ophiolite obduction-related orogeny of Greater Adria is notoriously difficult, and estimates from Central Anatolia based on a forearc-to-foreland basin transition along the Eurasian margin suggest a 60 Ma initial collision. Here we assess whether this age is also representative for collision in eastern Anatolia across the Cenozoic Sivas basin that straddles the Greater Adria-Europe suture by retro-deforming regional block rotations in the Pontides, Kırşehir and Taurides, building a first-order regional `block circuit' around the Sivas basin. We show that up to 700 km of convergence must have been accommodated after central Anatolian Kırşehir-Pontide collision at 65-60 Ma across the Sivas Basin - an order of magnitude more than estimated crustal shortening. We consequently infer that oceanic subduction continued much longer in eastern Anatolia, perhaps into the Oligocene or beyond, demonstrating the a recently postulated greater paleogeographic width of the Neotethys in eastern Anatolia. Prolonged oceanic subduction likely resulted from a paleogeography with a sharp kink in the former Kırşehir-Tauride passive margin. The strong non-cylindricity of the Anatolian collisional orogen is explained continued slab pull during ongoing oceanic subduction in eastern Anatolia following central Anatolian collision.

Astragalus friederikeanus Kit Tan & Zeitlinger (Fabaceae), a new species from south Anatolia, Turkey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, Kit; Zeitlinger, Jörg

2007-01-01

A new species from south Anatolia, Turkey, Astragalus friederikeanus Kit Tan & Zeitlinger (Fabaceae), is described and illustrated. The diagnostic morphological characters separating it from other members of sect. Onobrychium Boiss. are listed.......A new species from south Anatolia, Turkey, Astragalus friederikeanus Kit Tan & Zeitlinger (Fabaceae), is described and illustrated. The diagnostic morphological characters separating it from other members of sect. Onobrychium Boiss. are listed....

Palaeomagnetic and geochronological evidence for a major middle miocene unconformity in Söke Basin (western Anatolia) and its tectonic implications for the Aegean region

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Uzel, Bora; Sümer, Ökmen; Özkaptan, Murat; Özkaymak, Çağlar; Kuiper, Klaudia; Sözbilir, Hasan; Kaymakci, Nuretdin; İnci, Uğur; Langereis, Cornelis G.

2017-01-01

Cenozoic convergence between the Eurasian and African plates and concurrent slab roll-back processes have produced a progressive extension in back-arc areas, such as the Aegean region andwestern Anatolia. There is still a long-standing controversy as to whether this was a continuous or stepwise

Paleomagnetic constraints on the timing and distribution of Cenozoic rotations in Central and Eastern Anatolia

Science.gov (United States)

Gürer, Derya; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.; Özkaptan, Murat; Creton, Iverna; Koymans, Mathijs R.; Cascella, Antonio; Langereis, Cornelis G.

2018-03-01

To quantitatively reconstruct the kinematic evolution of Central and Eastern Anatolia within the framework of Neotethyan subduction accommodating Africa-Eurasia convergence, we paleomagnetically assess the timing and amount of vertical axis rotations across the Ulukışla and Sivas regions. We show paleomagnetic results from ˜ 30 localities identifying a coherent rotation of a SE Anatolian rotating block comprised of the southern Kırşehir Block, the Ulukışla Basin, the Central and Eastern Taurides, and the southern part of the Sivas Basin. Using our new and published results, we compute an apparent polar wander path (APWP) for this block since the Late Cretaceous, showing that it experienced a ˜ 30-35° counterclockwise vertical axis rotation since the Oligocene time relative to Eurasia. Sediments in the northern Sivas region show clockwise rotations. We use the rotation patterns together with known fault zones to argue that the counterclockwise-rotating domain of south-central Anatolia was bounded by the Savcılı Thrust Zone and Deliler-Tecer Fault Zone in the north and by the African-Arabian trench in the south, the western boundary of which is poorly constrained and requires future study. Our new paleomagnetic constraints provide a key ingredient for future kinematic restorations of the Anatolian tectonic collage.

Paleomagnetic constraints on the timing and distribution of Cenozoic rotations in Central and Eastern Anatolia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

D. Gürer

2018-03-01

Full Text Available To quantitatively reconstruct the kinematic evolution of Central and Eastern Anatolia within the framework of Neotethyan subduction accommodating Africa–Eurasia convergence, we paleomagnetically assess the timing and amount of vertical axis rotations across the Ulukışla and Sivas regions. We show paleomagnetic results from ∼ 30 localities identifying a coherent rotation of a SE Anatolian rotating block comprised of the southern Kırşehir Block, the Ulukışla Basin, the Central and Eastern Taurides, and the southern part of the Sivas Basin. Using our new and published results, we compute an apparent polar wander path (APWP for this block since the Late Cretaceous, showing that it experienced a ∼ 30–35° counterclockwise vertical axis rotation since the Oligocene time relative to Eurasia. Sediments in the northern Sivas region show clockwise rotations. We use the rotation patterns together with known fault zones to argue that the counterclockwise-rotating domain of south-central Anatolia was bounded by the Savcılı Thrust Zone and Deliler–Tecer Fault Zone in the north and by the African–Arabian trench in the south, the western boundary of which is poorly constrained and requires future study. Our new paleomagnetic constraints provide a key ingredient for future kinematic restorations of the Anatolian tectonic collage.

An analysis of the murder of women in a 10-year period in Eskişehir Province located in western Anatolia in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Karbeyaz, Kenan; Akkaya, Harun; Balci, Yasemin

2013-08-01

Murder of women generally occurs as a result of violence by their husbands and relatives. We evaluated the female victims of murder in Eskişehir, located in western Anatolia, where the education level is high in this study. Our aim was to assess and discuss data related to the victims and murderers. A total of 141 women's murder cases were analysed in the study. After a legal process and the results of the autopsies during 2002-2011 in Eskişehir, 715 subjects found to have died as a result of murder were chosen. Cases were evaluated in terms of their age, marital status, education level, relationship to the murderer, reasons for violence, type of action and reasons for death. It was determined that 48.2% (n = 68) of the victims had been killed by the husband and 7.8% (n = 11) by the ex-husband. Murderers generally stated that the reason of murder was the woman's request for divorce or breaking up (n = 40, 28.4%). In compliance with the literature, the women were most commonly killed by their husbands in our study. Enhancing women's status and preventing violence against women will decrease such murders. Published by Elsevier Ltd.

The effects of subduction termination on the continental lithosphere: Linking volcanism, deformation, surface uplift, and slab tearing in central Anatolia

Science.gov (United States)

Delph, Jonathan R.; Abgarmi, Bijan; Ward, Kevin M.; Beck, Susan L.; Arda Ozacar, A.; Zandt, George; Sandvol, Eric; Turkelli, Niyazi; Kalafat, Dogan

2017-04-01

The lithospheric evolution of Anatolia is largely defined by processes associated with the terminal stages of subduction along its southern margin. Central Anatolia represents the transition from the subduction of oceanic lithosphere at the Aegean trench in the west to the Arabian - Eurasian continental collision in the east. In the overriding plate, this complicated transition is contemporaneous with uplift along the southern margin of central Anatolia (2 km in 6 Myr), voluminous felsic-intermediate ignimbrite eruptions (>1000 km3), extension, and tectonic deformation reflected by abundant low-magnitude seismic activity. The addition of 72 seismic stations as part of the Continental Dynamics - Central Anatolian Tectonics project, along with development of a new approach to the joint inversion of receiver functions and dispersion data, enables us obtain a high-resolution 3D shear wave velocity model of central Anatolia down to 150 km. This new velocity model has important implications for the complex interactions between the downgoing, segmenting African lithosphere and the overriding Anatolian Plate. These results reveal that the lithosphere of central Anatolia and the northern Arabian Plate is thin (4.5 km/s), indicating the presence of the Cyprean slab beneath central Anatolia. Thus, uplift of the Central Taurus Mountains may be due to slab rebound after the detachment of the oceanic portion of the Cyprean slab beneath Anatolia rather than the presence of shallow asthenospheric material. These fast velocities extend to the northern margin of the Central Taurus Mountains, giving way to a NE-SW trend of very slow upper mantle shear wave velocities (interpreted to be shallow, warm asthenosphere in which melt is present. The combination of a shallow asthenosphere and lithospheric-scale weaknesses associated with relict tectonic structures formed during the assembly of Anatolia are responsible for the spatial distribution of volcanism in the Central Anatolian

Analysis of suicide deaths in a 15-year period in Eskisehir, western Anatolia, Turkey and the determination of risk factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Karbeyaz, Kenan; Akkaya, Harun; Balci, Yasemin

2013-01-01

It is estimated that every year 1 million people die all around the world due to suicide. The average rate of suicide in the world is reported as 16/100,000. In this study, we aimed to evaluate and discuss the suicide cases in our city Eskisehir that is located in western Anatolia. This is a retrospective study covering the period 1997-2011. All deaths in Eskisehir caused due to the consumption of forensic medicines in a 15-year period between 1997 and 2011 were evaluated retrospectively. A total of 553 cases were determined to be suicidal following both forensic and criminal investigations, and were included in the study. Furthermore, death examination and autopsy reports were investigated, and judicial investigation records were also taken into account. In this period, the average rate of suicide in our city was determined as 5.1/100,000 of which 71.4% of the cases were male. It was determined that the suicides most commonly occurred between the ages of 19 and 29 (32.4%, n=179). The most commonly encountered suicide method was hanging (60.9%, n=337). It was ascertained that the suicide rate in our city was lower than the average rate in the world, but it was higher than the average rate in Turkey. Unemployment was determined as the most common risk factor in our study. A follow-up should be provided for people with a history of attempting to commit suicide or with a tendency to committing suicide due to a psychological disorder.

Hide and Seek. Roads, Lookouts and Directional Visibility Cones in Central Anatolia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Turchetto Jacopo

2017-01-01

Full Text Available In Cappadocia (central Turkey, routes that were only of a secondary importance during the Roman age acquired a new relevance starting from the end of the 7th century. In this framework, to what extent did the archaeological evidence match the picture recalled by the written sources? To address this question, the relationship between movement and visibility was considered and view shed analyses were conducted from targeted and strategic spots set along the routes considered. This allowed to better understand the role and the different functions of those axes crossing Cappadocia, and to evaluate the Byzantine/Arab military strategies in central Anatolia.

Thermal structure of the crust in Inner East Anatolia from aeromagnetic and gravity data

Science.gov (United States)

Bektaş, Özcan

2013-08-01

Inner East Anatolia has many hot spring outcomes. In this study, the relationship between the thermal structure and hot spring outcomes is investigated. The residual aeromagnetic and gravity anomalies of the Inner East Anatolia, surveyed by the Mineral Research and Exploration (MTA) of Turkey, show complexities. The magnetic data were analyzed to produce Curie point depth estimates. The depth of magnetic dipole was calculated by azimuthally averaged power spectrum method for the whole area. The Curie point depth (CPD) map covering the Inner East Anatolia has been produced. The Curie point depths of the region between Sivas and Malatya vary from 16.5 to 18.7 km. Values of heat flow were calculated according to continental geotherm from the model. The heat flow values vary between 89 and 99 mW m-2. Heat flow values are incorporated with surface heat flow values. Gravity anomalies were modeled by means of a three-dimensional method. The deepest part of the basin (12-14 km), determined from the 3D model, are located below the settlement of Hafik and to the south of Zara towns. Two-dimensional cross sections produced from the basin depths, Curie values and MOHO depths. Based on the analysis of magnetic, gravity anomalies, thermal structures and geology, it seems likely that the hot springs are not related to rising asthenosphere, in the regions of shallow CPDs (∼16.5 km), and mostly hot springs are related to faulting systems in Inner East Anatolia.

Structural Evolution of central part of the Tuzgolu (Salt Lake) Basin, Central Anatolia, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Ada, M.; Cemen, I.; Çaptuğ, A.; Demirci, M.; Engin, C.

2017-12-01

The Tuzgolu Basin in Central Anatolia, Turkey, covers low-relief areas located between the Pontide Mountains to the North and Tauride Mountains to the South. The basin started to form as a rift basin during the Late Maastrichtian. The main Tuzgolu-Aksaray fault zone on the eastern margin of the basin and the northwest trending Yeniceoba and Cihanbeyli fault zones on the western margin of the basin were probably developed during that time. The basin has also experienced westward extension in response to westward escape of the Anatolian plate since Late Miocene. Several geologic studies have been conducted in the Tuz Gölü (Salt Lake) Basin and surrounding areas to determine structural and tectono-stratigraphic development of the basin. However, there are still many questions regarding the structural evolution of the basin. The main purpose of this study is to investigate the structural evolution of the central Tuzgolu Basin based on the structural interpretation of available 2-D seismic reflection profiles, well log analysis and construction of structural cross sections. The cross-sections will be based on depth converted seismic lines to determine structural geometry of the faults and folds. A preliminary Petrel project has been prepared using available seismic profiles. Our preliminary structural interpretations suggest that a well-developed rollover anticline was developed with respect to the westward extension in Central Anatolia. The rollover anticline is faulted in its crest area by both down-to-the west and down-to-the east normal faults. The geometry of the main boundary fault at depth still remains in question. We anticipate that this question will be resolved based on depth converted structural cross-sections and their restoration.

Block-like plate movements in eastern Anatolia observed by InSAR

KAUST Repository

Cavalie, Olivier

2014-01-16

The question whether continental plates deform internally or move as rigid blocks has been debated for several decades. To further address this question, we use large-scale interferometric synthetic aperture radar (InSAR) data sets to study how eastern Anatolia and its surrounding plates deform. We find that most of the deformation is focused at the North and East Anatolian faults and little intraplate deformation takes place. Anatolia is therefore moving, at least its eastern part, as a uniform block. We estimate the slip velocity and locking depth of the North Anatolian fault at this location to be 20 mm/yr and ~14 km, respectively. High deformation gradient found near the East Anatolian fault, on the other hand, suggests that little stress is accumulating along the eastern sections of that fault.

Verbascum lindae (Scrophulariaceae), a new species from SW Anatolia, Turkey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Parolly, Gerald; Tan, Kit

2007-01-01

Verbascum lindae, a taxonomically isolated limestone chasmophyte from the vilayet of Isparta in SW Anatolia is described as a species new to science and illustrated. Its affinities with other Anatolian Verbascum species, which have either a chasmophytic habit or at least a woody base, are discussed....

Hyurterianum (Asteraceae, Inuleae), a new species from NE Anatolia, Turkey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gemici, Y.; Tan, K.; Yidirim, H.

2008-01-01

Helichrysum yurterianum Y. Gemici, Kit Tan, H. Yildirim & M. Gemici (Asteraceae, Inuleae) is described and illustrated. It is a serpentine endemic restricted to the province of Erzincan in NE Anatolia, Turkey. Its affinities are with H. arenarium and H. noeanum, which both have a wider distribution...

HALLOYSITE INTERCALATION OF NORTHWEST ANATOLIA

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Bülent BAŞARA

2015-11-01

Full Text Available In this study, the representative samples were taken from the halloysite deposits located in Çanakkale-Balıkesir regions, in NW Anatolia. At first, the dehydration temperatures of the samples were determined after sample preparation and characterization studies. It was found that halloysite samples began to lose their interlayer waters at 50°C and continued up to 70°C. The intercalation studies were carried out on dehydrated samples by using ethylene glycol, potassium acetate, dimethyl sulfoxide and formamide. Although there were negative results by ethylene glycol and potassium acetate, the satisfactory results were obtained by dimethyl sulfoxide and formamide. It was understood that the most effective reagent in terms of intercalation was formamide.

Heliotropium thermophilum (Boraginaceae), a new taxon from SW Anatolia, Turkey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Tan, Kit; Celik, Ali; Gemici, Yusuf

2008-01-01

Heliotropium thermophilum Kit Tan, A. Çelik & Y. Gemici (Boraginaceae), is described as a species new to science and illustrated. Its diploid chromosome number of 2n = 16 is a first report. It is restricted to the province of Aydin bordering on Denizli in SW Anatolia and is of interest on account...

Helichrysum yurterianum (Asteraceae, Inuleae), a new species from NE Anatolia, Turkey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gemici, Yusuf; Tan, Kit; Yildirim, Hasan

2008-01-01

Helichrysum yurterianum Y. Gemici, Kit Tan, H. Yildirim & M. Gemici (Asteraceae, Inuleae) is described and illustrated. It is a serpentine endemic restricted to the province of Erzincan in NE Anatolia, Turkey. Its affinities are with H. arenarium and H. noeanum, which both have a wider distribution...

Study of attenuation structure for central Anatolia region, Turkey based on Keskin seismic array data

Science.gov (United States)

Semin, K. U.; Ozel, N. M.

2011-12-01

Central Anatolia is bounded in the north by the well-known north Anatolian fault system (NAFS) and on the south-southwest is bounded by the east Anatolian fault system (EAFS). The central area does not have major faults and acts as a single block moving westward. This region is not considered as seismically active as the NAFS or EAFS but the recent moderate-size Bala earthquakes (Ml=5.7, Ml= 5.5) on 20 and 27 December 2007 near the Tuz golu fault may be an indication of future seismic activity. In order to get a better picture of the crustal structure of this region we applied Coda Normalization method for the measurement of Qs-1 as a function of frequency for the frequencies 1.5, 3, 6, 8 Hz. 20 and 27 December 2007 Bala earthquakes (Ml magnitude 5.6 an 5.5) and their aftershocks recorded by the Keskin seismic array (International Monitoring System code BRTR) is analyzed in this study. Keskin seismic array has a small aperture circular design with 6 vertical short period and 1 broadband borehole seismometers. In addition, Multiple Lapse Time Window Analysis (MLTWA) method was applied to the data for the separation of intrinsic and scattering attenuation inm the region at the same frequencies. MLTWA method allowed a separation between the intrinsic attenuation and scattering attenuation. Preliminary results show a relatively low attenuation compared to western and eastern anatolia regions. This might be explained by the less seismicity in the region. A study of the regional and site attenuation of seismic waves of earthquakes in this area will contribute in predicting earthquake generated ground-motion and becomes vital in making decisions for earthquake regulations, building codes and to monitoring nuclear explosions.

Measures Taken by the Ottoman State against Shah İsmail's Attempts to Convert Anatolia to Shia

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Yusuf Küçükdağ

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Shah Ismail, when he was sheikh of Safevi sect established by Sheikh Safiyuddin, Ismail’s grandfather, established Safevi State in Azerbaijan taking Tebriz as the center at the beginning of XVI th.century. The followers of Safevi Sect were Turcomen originated from Anatolia. They helped Shah Ismail to establish state. Shah Ismail depending on Turcomen followers attempted to annex Anotolia which was under Otoman domination in his new state’s territory. He sent his caliphs to Anatolia to propagandize his sect. They tried to convince Anatolion people about Safevi sect. Ottoman state which understand that the main purpose of Shah Ismail was not the speading of Safevi sect took military, political, economical and cultural measures. In the war between two states, Shah Ismail was defeated by Ottoman army in Caldıran (1514 The relationship of Safevi’s followers with Iran was prevented. In order to prevent economical growth of Safevi State, economical embargo was put. By helping the organization of Halvetiyye which has Safevi sect orijin but accept’ s ottoman state outhority the spread of Safevism was prevented. Turcomen in Anatolia become hopeless when Sheikh Ismail was defeated by I. Selim. Ottoman State does not extinct Safevism

A long-lived Late Cretaceous-early Eocene extensional province in Anatolia? Structural evidence from the Ivriz Detachment, southern central Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Gürer, Derya; Plunder, Alexis; Kirst, Frederik; Corfu, Fernando; Schmid, Stefan M.; van Hinsbergen, Douwe J. J.

2018-01-01

Central Anatolia exposes previously buried and metamorphosed, continent-derived rocks - the Kırşehir and Afyon zones - now covering an area of ∼300 × 400 km. So far, the exhumation history of these rocks has been poorly constrained. We show for the first time that the major, >120 km long, top-NE 'Ivriz' Detachment controlled the exhumation of the HP/LT metamorphic Afyon Zone in southern Central Anatolia. We date its activity at between the latest Cretaceous and early Eocene times. Combined with previously documented isolated extensional detachments found in the Kırşehir Block, our results suggest that a major province governed by extensional exhumation was active throughout Central Anatolia between ∼80 and ∼48 Ma. Although similar in dimension to the Aegean extensional province to the east, the Central Anatolian extensional province is considerably older and was controlled by a different extension direction. From this, we infer that the African slab(s) that subducted below Anatolia must have rolled back relative to the Aegean slab since at least the latest Cretaceous, suggesting that these regions were underlain by a segmented slab. Whether or not these early segments already corresponded to the modern Aegean, Antalya, and Cyprus slab segments remains open for debate, but slab segmentation must have occurred much earlier than previously thought.

Calcite veining and feeding conduits in a hydrothermal system: Insights from a natural section across the Pleistocene Gölemezli travertine depositional system (western Anatolia, Turkey)

Science.gov (United States)

Capezzuoli, Enrico; Ruggieri, Giovanni; Rimondi, Valentina; Brogi, Andrea; Liotta, Domenico; Alçiçek, Mehmet Cihat; Alçiçek, Hülya; Bülbül, Ali; Gandin, Anna; Meccheri, Marco; Shen, Chuan-Chou; Baykara, Mehmet Oruç

2018-02-01

Linking the architecture of structural conduits with the hydrothermal fluids migrating from the reservoir up to the surface is a key-factor in geothermal research. A contribution to this achievement derives from the study of spring-related travertine deposits, but although travertine depositional systems occur widely, their feeding conduits are only rarely exposed. The integrated study carried out in the geothermal Gölemezli area, nearby the well-known Pamukkale area (Denizli Basin, western Anatolia, Turkey), focused on onyx-like calcite veins (banded travertine) and bedded travertine well exposed in a natural cross-section allowing the reconstruction of the shallower part of a geothermal system. The onyx-like veins represent the thickest vein network (> 150 m) so far known. New field mapping and structural/kinematic analyses allowed to document a partially dismantled travertine complex (bedded travertine) formed by proximal fissure ridges and distal terraced/pools depositional systems. The banded calcite veins, WNW-trending and up to 12 m thick, developed within a > 200 m thick damaged rock volume produced by parallel fault zones. Th/U dating indicates a long lasting (middle-late Pleistocene) fluids circulation in a palaeo-geothermal system that, due to its location and chemical characteristics, can be considered the analogue of the nearby, still active, Pamukkale system. The isotopic characteristics of the calcite veins together with data from fluid inclusions analyses, allow the reconstruction of some properties (i.e. temperature, salinity and isotopic composition) and processes (i.e. temperature variation and intensity of degassing) that characterized the parent fluids and the relation between degassing intensity and specific microfabric of calcite crystals (elongated/microsparite-micrite bands), controlled by changes/fluctuations of the physico-chemical fluid characteristics.

A new species of Dianthus (Caryophyllaceae) from Antalya, South Anatolia, Turkey

OpenAIRE

Deniz,İsmail Gökhan; Aykurt,Candan; Genç,İlker; Aksoy,Ahmet

2016-01-01

Abstract Dianthus multiflorus from Gazipa?a (Antalya), south Anatolia (Turkey), is described as a new annual species with verrucose calyx. The morphological differences from the species within the same group with Dianthus multiflorus , which are Dianthus aydogdui , Dianthus cyri and Dianthus tripunctatus , are discussed. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) threat category and observations on the ecology of the populations are noted. The karyology and seed micromorphology...

Paleomagnetic constraints on the timing and distribution of Cenozoic rotations in Central and Eastern Anatolia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Gürer, Derya; Van Hinsbergen, Douwe J.J.; Özkaptan, Murat; Creton, Iverna; Koymans, Mathijs R.; Cascella, Antonio; Langereis, Cornelis G.

2018-01-01

To quantitatively reconstruct the kinematic evolution of Central and Eastern Anatolia within the framework of Neotethyan subduction accommodating Africa-Eurasia convergence, we paleomagnetically assess the timing and amount of vertical axis rotations across the Uluklisla and Sivas regions. We show

The prevalence of primary hereditary hemochromatosis in central Anatolia.

Science.gov (United States)

Karaca, Halit; Güven, Kadri; Önal, Müge; Gürsoy, Şebnem; Başkol, Mevlüt; Özkul, Yusuf

2013-01-01

Hereditary hemochromatosis is an autosomal recessive disorder associated with the HFE genes. Early identification and diagnosis is important as end stage organ damage may occur if treatment is delayed.. This study aimed to identify the prevalence of hereditary hemochromatosis in Kayseri and surroundings known as Central Anatolia. 2304 participants (1220 males, 1084 females) who were older then the age of 17 were included in the study conducted between December 2005 and December 2006 in Kayseri, Turkey. Transferin saturation was measured from overnight fasting blood samples. Serum iron, total iron binding capacity, and transferin saturation were measured. Serum ferritin levels and hereditary hemochromatosis genetic analysis were also performed after an overnight fasting blood samples from participants whose transferin saturation results were more than 50% in man and more than 45% in women. The homozygote C282Y mutation and heterozygote C282Y mutation prevalences were found as 0.08% (1/1220) and 0.08% (1/1220) in male participants, respectively. The heterozygote H63D mutation prevalence was found in 0.09% (1/1084) of female participants. Calculated prevalences in general population are as follows; The homozygote C282Y mutation prevalence is 0.043% (1/2304), the heterozygote C282Y mutation prevalence is 0.043% (1/2304) and the heterozygote H63D mutation prevalence is 0.043% (1/2304). The prevalence of hereditary hemochromatosis in Central Anatolia is 0.043% (1/2304). Because of the relatively low frequency, population screening studies are not cost-effective.

Palaeocology of coal-bearing Eocene sediments in central Anatolia (Turkey) based on quantitative palynological data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Akkiraz, M.S.; Kayseri, M.S.; Akgun, F. [Dokuz Eylul University, Izmir (Turkey). Dept. of Geological Engineering

2008-04-15

In this study, the lignite-bearing Yoncali formation between Yozgat and Sorgun, in central Anatolia has been palynologically examined. Based on 37 outcrop samples, quantitative palynological studies recognized 64 genera and 136 palynoflora species in the palynological assemblage, which indicated a Middle-Late Eocene age. This paper also presents a quantitative palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate reconstruction for the Middle-Upper Eocene coal occurrences of Central Anatolia on the basis of palynomorph assemblages. The diversified floral and ecological characteristics of the pollen taxa indicates that the Middle-Upper Eocene formations in central Anatolia were characterized by the presence of a complex mangrove swamp with contributions by Nypa, Pelliciera, Avicennia, Diporites tszkaszentgydrgyi and dinoflagellate cysts which reflect warm climatic conditions. Lowland-riparian and montane elements are characterized by the dominance of Myricaceae, Symplocaceae, Icacinaceae, Quercus, Pinus and Castanea. Swamp-freshwater elements are represented by Sparganjaceae, Nymphaceae, Taxodjaceae, Cupressaceae and Nyssa as well as fern spores such as Osmundaceae and Gleicheniaceae. The calculations were performed with the help of the 'Coexistence Approach' method to climatically evaluate palynoflora from the Yozgat-Sorgun area. The obtained results have been compared to data derived from the application of the Coexistence Approach to other, already published Central Anatolian palynofloras of the same age. The results of the climatic inferences suggest that the palaeoclimatic conditions were in the megathermal zone, megatherm/mesotherm intermediate zone whereas mesothermic conditions prevailed in the montane region. Likewise, the results of mean annual range of temperatures indicate the influence of the Indian ocean, which enabled the development of the mangroves.

Tsunami hazard at the Western Mediterranean Spanish coast from seismic sources

Science.gov (United States)

Álvarez-Gómez, J. A.; Aniel-Quiroga, Í.; González, M.; Otero, L.

2011-01-01

Spain represents an important part of the tourism sector in the Western Mediterranean, which has been affected in the past by tsunamis. Although the tsunami risk at the Spanish coasts is not the highest of the Mediterranean, the necessity of tsunami risk mitigation measures should not be neglected. In the Mediterranean area, Spain is exposed to two different tectonic environments with contrasting characteristics. On one hand, the Alboran Basin characterised by transcurrent and transpressive tectonics and, on the other hand, the North Algerian fold and thrust belt, characterised by compressive tectonics. A set of 22 seismic tsunamigenic sources has been used to estimate the tsunami threat over the Spanish Mediterranean coast of the Iberian peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Maximum wave elevation maps and tsunami travel times have been computed by means of numerical modelling and we have obtained estimations of threat levels for each source over the Spanish coast. The sources on the Western edge of North Algeria are the most dangerous, due to their threat to the South-Eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula and to the Western Balearic Islands. In general, the Northern Algerian sources pose a greater risk to the Spanish coast than the Alboran Sea sources, which only threaten the peninsular coast. In the Iberian Peninsula, the Spanish provinces of Almeria and Murcia are the most exposed, while all the Balearic Islands can be affected by the North Algerian sources with probable severe damage, specially the islands of Ibiza and Minorca. The results obtained in this work are useful to plan future regional and local warning systems, as well as to set the priority areas to conduct research on detailed tsunami risk.

The Status of Woman in Family and Society in 19th Century Anatolia (A Case Study in Ayntab

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bülent Çukurova

2007-12-01

Full Text Available Since the ancient times, in states that have been established in Anatolia (Asia Minor women have had a special place in the family and in the society. Until the acceptance of Islamic traditions by the Anatolian people, women were considered to be equal to men in terms of legal and social standing. Even in the administration of governmental affairs women used to have a say equal to that of men or the khan. Islamic traditions have been shaped by Arab and Iranians more than any other people or culture. Both cultures have had a strong influence on Anatolian people after the acceptance of Islamic traditions. To understand how such influences of Arabic and Iranian cultures are reflected on Anatolia today, one needs to examine the role of women in the family and in the society. In general, when we observe Anatolia in terms of women’s right to inherited property and marital decisions and affairs as well as other socioeconomic rights we see different traditions and rules applied depending on location of living whether women living in rural or urban areas of the country. We also observe differences in terms of society’s treatment of women based on the ethnicity or religious affinity

Teucrium pruinosum var. aksarayense var. nov. (Lamiaceae from Central Anatolia, Turkey

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Muhittin Dinç

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Teucrium pruinosum var. aksarayense M. Dinç & S. Doğu (Lamiaceae, a new variety from Aksaray in Central Anatolia, is described and illustrated. The new variety is similar to the typical one in its calyx teeth uncinate at tip and subequal to the tube with conspicious midvein. It is readily distinguished from var. pruinosum by its general appearance, indumentum, and floral organ pigmentation. The map showing the distributions of the varieties was given.

Roundtable «Western Campaign: Latin Sources» »

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I.M. Mirgaleev

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The round table “Western Campaign: Latin Sources” took place in Sh.Marjani Institute of History (Academy of Sciences of the Republic of Tatarstan on June 9, 2015. The round table was organized by Usmanov Center for Research on the Golden Horde and Tatar Khanates of AN RT. The main report was presented by Roman Hautala, Doctor of Historical Studies (Ph.D. in history and well-known Finnish researcher of the Latin sources on the history of Genghisid States. His report was entitled “Early Hungarian Information about Mongol Western Campaign (1235–1242” and was dedicated to the consideration of information contained in the Hungarian sources compiled in Latin language. The roundtable participants discussed the issues relating to introduction in scholarly circulation of new Latin sources on the history of the Golden Horde and other Genghisid States, such as questions of study of a large body of Latin sources compiled in medieval Hungary. The discussion of proposed topic was attended by I.M. Mirgaleev, Cand. Sci. in History, Head of the Usmanov Center for Research on the Golden Horde and Tatar Khanates of AS RT; A.V. Aksanov, Cand. Sci. in History, Senior Research Fellow; E.G. Sayfetdinova, Cand. Sci. in History, Senior Research Fellow; T.F. Khaydarov, Cand. Sci. in History, Senior Research Fellow; L.F. Baybulatova, Cand. Sci. in History, Senior Research Fellow; B.R. Rakhimzyanov, Cand. Sci. in History, Senior Research Fellow; as well as by guest of the Center, M.S. Gatin, Cand. Sci. in History; and also graduate students of the Usmanov Center for Research on the Golden Horde and Tatar Khanates.

Tsunami hazard at the Western Mediterranean Spanish coast from seismic sources

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. A. Álvarez-Gómez

2011-01-01

Full Text Available Spain represents an important part of the tourism sector in the Western Mediterranean, which has been affected in the past by tsunamis. Although the tsunami risk at the Spanish coasts is not the highest of the Mediterranean, the necessity of tsunami risk mitigation measures should not be neglected. In the Mediterranean area, Spain is exposed to two different tectonic environments with contrasting characteristics. On one hand, the Alboran Basin characterised by transcurrent and transpressive tectonics and, on the other hand, the North Algerian fold and thrust belt, characterised by compressive tectonics. A set of 22 seismic tsunamigenic sources has been used to estimate the tsunami threat over the Spanish Mediterranean coast of the Iberian peninsula and the Balearic Islands. Maximum wave elevation maps and tsunami travel times have been computed by means of numerical modelling and we have obtained estimations of threat levels for each source over the Spanish coast. The sources on the Western edge of North Algeria are the most dangerous, due to their threat to the South-Eastern coast of the Iberian Peninsula and to the Western Balearic Islands. In general, the Northern Algerian sources pose a greater risk to the Spanish coast than the Alboran Sea sources, which only threaten the peninsular coast. In the Iberian Peninsula, the Spanish provinces of Almeria and Murcia are the most exposed, while all the Balearic Islands can be affected by the North Algerian sources with probable severe damage, specially the islands of Ibiza and Minorca. The results obtained in this work are useful to plan future regional and local warning systems, as well as to set the priority areas to conduct research on detailed tsunami risk.

A new species of Dianthus (Caryophyllaceae) from Antalya, South Anatolia, Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Deniz, İsmail Gökhan; Aykurt, Candan; Genç, İlker; Aksoy, Ahmet

2016-01-01

Dianthus multiflorus from Gazipaşa (Antalya), south Anatolia (Turkey), is described as a new annual species with verrucose calyx. The morphological differences from the species within the same group with Dianthus multiflorus, which are Dianthus aydogdui, Dianthus cyri and Dianthus tripunctatus, are discussed. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) threat category and observations on the ecology of the populations are noted. The karyology and seed micromorphology of Dianthus multiflorus and Dianthus tripunctatus were examined by light microscopy and scanning electron microscopy.

Multidimensional Mantle Convection Models in Eastern Anatolia, the North Arabian Platform, and Caucasus Region

Science.gov (United States)

Sengul Uluocak, E.; Shahnas, H.; Pysklywec, R.; Gogus, O.; Eken, T.

2017-12-01

Eastern Anatolia, the North Arabian Platform, and Caucasus regions show many features of collisional tectonics with different convergence rates and shortening from south to north. The volcanism, sediment provenience, and thermochronological data suggest that the shortening and exhumation in the Greater Caucasus started during the Eocene-Oligocene synchronously with the collision between Arabia-Bitlis-Pötürge Massif in the south. Previous works indicate that the uplift (up to 2 km) in Eastern Anatolia related to upwelling mantle following the deformation of the Arabian oceanic lithosphere ( 11 Ma) during the ongoing Greater Caucasus closure is the dominant tectonic processes in the center of the region. However, there is no integrated geodynamic model that explains the deformation mechanisms of the region -and their possible interactions with each other -under the dynamic forces. In this study, we use multidimensional mantle-lithosphere convection/deformation models to quantify the geodynamic processes as constrained by the geological/geophysical observations in the region. For the models, seismic studies provide the high-resolution images of the upwelling mantle beneath Eastern Anatolia and the presence -and the locations- of the seismically fast structures associated with the relic/subducted slabs at varying depths such as the Bitlis slab in the south, and the Pontide and Kura slabs in the north. Fast polarization directions observed from splitting analyses exhibit an overall NE-SW oriented mantle anisotropy and a comparison between Pn and SKS derived fast wave azimuths indicates a crust-mantle coupling most likely implying vertically coherent deformation to the north of the study area. For the geodynamic models, we modify the mantle and lithosphere rheology as well as the thermal state. We interpret the estimated uplift and subsidence anomalies related to lithospheric variations (ranging from 54 km to 211 km) and subducting slab behavior with observed

An Autecological Study on the Vitex agnus-castus L. (Verbenaceae) Distributed in West Anatolia

OpenAIRE

DOĞAN, Yunus; MERT, Hasan Hüseyin

1998-01-01

This study covers the investigation of the soil-plant relations of Vitex agnus-castus L. (Verbenaceae), a typical element of Mediteranean macchia vegetation. Soils collected from 38 different localitis in West Anatolia were analysed together with the V. agnus-castus plants from the same localities. This plant was observed to generally prefer loamy-textured, neutral and slightly alka-line soils, poor in calcium carbonate, containing varying amounts of organic matter, being rich or very rich...

Neutron activation analysis of Urartian pottery from eastern Anatolia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Speakman, R.J.; Glascock, M.D.; Stone, E.C.; Cilingiroglu, A.; Zimansky, P.; Neff, H.

2004-01-01

A total of 275 pottery and clay samples from Urartian period sites in eastern Anatolia were analyzed by INAA. The pottery sample originates primarily from the fortress and Outer Town at Ayanis and also includes samples from nearby sites in the Lake Van basin. A small sample of pottery from Bastam, a contemporary Urartian fortress in northwest Iran, and Kef Kalesi, a site on the north shore of Lake Van were also analyzed. Ten distinct compositional groups were identified during the course of the analysis suggesting that pottery was produced at multiple locations throughout the Urartian kingdom. In addition to identifying multiple production locales, the long-distance movement of pottery from the sites of Kef Kalesi and Bastam into the Van Basin and the movement of pottery from Ayanis to Bastam were documented. (author)

Chaenorhinum semispeluncarum sp. nov. and C. yildirimlii sp. nov. (Scrophulariaceae) from east Anatolia, Turkey

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Yildirim, Hasan; Tan, Kit; Senol, Serdar

2010-01-01

Chaenorhinum semispeluncarum H. Yildirim, Kit Tan, S. Senol & A. Pirhan sp. nov. and C. yildirimlii Kit Tan, H. Yildirim, S. Senol & A. Pirhan sp. nov. (Scrophulariaceae, C. sect. Microrrhinum) from east Anatolia are described and illustrated. They are both narrow endemics related to the rare C. ...

Determination compliance abilities of some triticale varieties and comparison with wheat in Southeastern Anatolia conditions of Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Kendal, Enver; Tekdal, Sertaç; Aktas, Hüsnü; Karaman, Mehmet

2014-01-01

In this research, were used 3 triticale varieties (Tacettinbey, Karma 2000 and Presto), one durum (Sariçanak 98) and one bread (Nurkent) wheat varieties. The study, was randomized as complete block design with four replications in 4 location (southeastern Anatolia of Turkey) and under rainfed conditions during the growing season 2010-2011. With an analysis of variance, significant differences were determined among locations, genotypes and genotype x location interactions at the 1% and 5% level. Following results were obtained: period to heading 109 till 113 days, plant height between 96 and 127 cm, hectoliter weight between 68.2 and 81.7 kg/hl, thousand grain weight between 32.9 and 42.7 g, protein content between 13.3 and 14.7%, humidty kernels at harvest between 9.2 and 9.5% and grain yield between 4409 and 6119 kg/ha(-1). The highest grain yield was obtained with Sariçanak 98 (durum wheat variety) while the best thousant grain weight was obtained by the triticale variety Tacettinbey. The triticale variety Karma 2000 showed higher protein content (14.7%) than other the other triticale varieties as well as durum and bread wheat varieties included trial. For the Southeastern Anatolia Region he results of this study demonstrated that the grain yield of triticale varieties were lower compared to common wheat. Nevertheless the triticale grain yield was higher than these of durum and bread wheat varieties under the more extrem (higher temperature and drought) growing conditions of the Kiziltepe region. For triticale the highest mean grain yield has been obtained fwith the variety Tacettinbey which is spring type. New sping type vatieties are more suitable than wheat for the more extreme growing conditions of the Southeastern Anatolia Region.

Moisture sources of the Atmospheric Rivers making landfall in western Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Trigo, Ricardo M.; Ramos, Alexandre M.; Nieto, Raquel; Tomé, Ricardo; Gimeno, Luis; Liberato, Margarida L. R.; Lavers, David A.

2017-04-01

An automated atmospheric river (AR) detection algorithm is used for the North Atlantic Ocean basin, allowing the identification of the major ARs affecting western European coasts between 1979 and 2012. The entire western coast of Europe was divided into five domains, namely the Iberian Peninsula (9.75W, 36-43.75N), France (4.5W, 43.75-50N), UK (4.5W, 50-59N), southern Scandinavia and the Netherlands (5.25E, 50-59N), and northern Scandinavia (5.25E, 59-70N). Following the identification of the main ARs that made landfall in western Europe, a Lagrangian analysis was then applied in order to identify the main areas where the moisture uptake was anomalous and contributed to the ARs reaching each domain. The Lagrangian data set used was obtained from the FLEXPART model global simulation from 1979 to 2012. The results show that, in general, for all regions considered, the major climatological areas for the anomalous moisture uptake extend along the subtropical North Atlantic, from the Florida Peninsula (northward of 20N) to each sink region, with the nearest coast to each sink region always appearing as a local maximum. In addition, during AR events the Atlantic subtropical source is reinforced and displaced, with a slight northward movement of the sources found when the sink region is positioned at higher latitudes. In conclusion, the results confirm not only the anomalous advection of moisture linked to ARs from subtropical ocean areas but also the existence of a tropical source, together with midlatitude anomaly sources at some locations closer to AR landfalls (Ramos et al., 2016). References: Ramos et al., (2016) Atmospheric rivers moisture sources from a Lagrangian perspective, Earth Syst. Dynam., 7, 371-384. Acknowledgements This work was supported by the project IMDROFLOOD - Improving Drought and Flood Early Warning, Forecasting and Mitigation using real-time hydroclimatic indicators (WaterJPI/0004/2014) funded by Fundação para a Ciência e a Tecnologia

Rodents from the Upper Miocene Tuğlu Formation (Çankırı Basin, Central Anatolia, Turkey)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Joniak, Peter; de Bruijn, Hans

2015-01-01

The upper Miocene assemblages of rodents collected from two layers of the type section of the Tuğlu Formation (Çankırı Basin, Central Anatolia, Turkey) are described. The assemblage from the lower level is considerably less diverse than that from the upper level. It contains Progonomys together with

500,000 Years of Environmental History in Eastern Anatolia: The PALEOVAN Drilling Project

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Clemens Glombitza, and Jens Kallmeyer

2012-09-01

Full Text Available International Continental Scientific Drilling Program　(ICDP drilled a complete succession of the lacustrine sediment　sequence deposited during the last ~500,000 years in　Lake Van, Eastern Anatolia (Turkey. Based on a detailed　seismic site survey, two sites at a water depth of up to 360 m　were drilled in summer 2010, and cores were retrieved from　sub-lake-floor depths of 140 m (Northern Basin and 220 m　(Ahlat Ridge. To obtain a complete sedimentary section, the　two sites were multiple-cored in order to investigate the paleoclimate　history of a sensitive semi-arid region between theBlack, Caspian, and Mediterranean seas. Further scientific　goals of the PALEOVAN project are the reconstruction of　earthquake activity, as well as the temporal, spatial, and　compositional evolution of volcanism as reflected in the deposition　of tephra layers. The sediments host organic matter　from different sources and hence composition, which will be　unravelled using biomarkers. Pathways for migration of continental　and mantle-derived noble gases will be analyzed in　pore waters. Preliminary 40Ar/39Ar single crystal dating of　tephra layers and pollen analyses suggest that the AhlatRidge record encompasses more than half a million years of　paleoclimate and volcanic/geodynamic history, providing　the longest continental record in the entire Near East to date.

Natural radioactivity releases from lignite power plants in Southwestern Anatolia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yaprak, G.; Guer, F.; Cam, F.; Candan, O.

2006-01-01

The Mugla basin is one of the most productive lignite basins in Southwestern Anatolia, Turkey. Mining activities started in 1979 and total reserves were estimated during exploration at 767.5 million tonnes. Total mean annual lignite production of the Mugla basin is estimated at about 10 million tonnes per year. Most of the lignite production supplies three thermal power plants (Yatagan 630 MW, Yenikoey 420 MW, Kemerkoey 630 MW) with a total capacity of 1680 MW. It is well known that the lignite contains naturally occurring primordial radionuclides arising from the uranium and thorium series as well as from 4 0K. Lignite burning is, therefore, one of the sources of technologically enhanced exposure to humans from natural radionuclides. The investigation reported here deals with the determination of the 2 26Ra, 2 32Th and 4 0K concentrations in the lignite feeding 3 thermal power plants in Mugla region and in the product ash. Samples of lignite feeding the power plants and fly and bottom ashes produced in the same power plants were collected over a period of 1 year and therefore systematic sampling allowed for the determination of mean representative values for the natural radioactivity content of above materials and also estimation of the radioactivity releases to the environment. Furthermore, grid soil sampling within 10-15 km around the power plants allowed for the mapping of the surface soil activity of natural radionuclides. Dosimetric calculations from terrestrial gamma radiation for the population living around the power plants were performed based on the guidance of UNSCEAR 2000 report

500.000 years of environmental history in Eastern Anatolia: The PALEOVAN drilling project

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Litt, Thomas; Anselmetti, Flavio; Baumgarten, Henrike

2012-01-01

International Continental Scientific Drilling Program (ICDP) drilled a complete succession of the lacustrine sediment sequence deposited during the last ~500,000 years in Lake Van, Eastern Anatolia (Turkey). Based on a detailed seismic site survey, two sites at a water depth of up to 360 m were...... drilled in summer 2010, and cores were retrieved from sub-lake-floor depths of 140 m (Northern Basin) and 220 m (Ahlat Ridge). To obtain a complete sedimentary section, the two sites were multiple-cored in order to investigate the paleoclimate history of a sensitive semi-arid region between the Black...

Extensional Tectonics of SW Anatolia In relation to Slab Edge Processes in the Eastern Mediterranean

Science.gov (United States)

Kaymakci, N.; Özacar, A.; Langereis, C. G.; Ozkaptan, M.; Koç, A.; Uzel, B.; Gulyuz, E.; Sözbilir, H.

2017-12-01

The tectonics of SW Anatolia is expressed in terms of emplacement of Lycian Nappes during the Eocene to Middle Miocene and synconvergent extension as part of the Aegean-West Anatolian extensional tectonic regime. Recent studies identified that there is a tear in the northwards subducting African Oceanic lithosphere along the Pliny-Strabo Trenches (PST). Such tears are coined as Subduction Transform-Edge Propagator (STEP) faults developed high angle to trenches. Hypothetically, the evolution of a STEP fault is somewhat similar to strike-slip fault zones and resultant asymmetric role-back of the subducting slab leads to differential block rotations and back arc type extension on the overriding plate. Recent studies claimed that the tear along the PST propagated NE on-land and developed Fethiye-Burdur Fault/Shear Zone (FBFZ) in SW Turkey. We have conducted a rigorous paleomagnetic study containing more than 3000 samples collected from 88 locations and 11700 fault slip data sets from 198 locations distributed evenly all over SW Anatolia spanning from Middle Miocene to Late Pliocene to test if FBFZ ever existed. The results show that there is slight (20°) counter-clockwise rotation distributed uniformly almost whole SW Anatolia and there is no change in the rotation senses and amounts on either side of the FBFZ implying no differential rotation within the zone. Additionally, constructed paleostress configurations, along the so-called FBFZ and within the 300 km diameter of the proposed fault zone, indicated that almost all the faults that are parallel to subparallel to the zone are almost pure normal faults similar to earthquake focal mechanisms suggesting active extension in the region. It is important to note that we have not encountered any significant strike-slip motion parallel to so-called "FBFZ" to support presence and transcurrent nature of it. On the contrary, the region is dominated by extensional deformation and strike-slip components are observed only on the

Climate stability in Central Anatolia during the Messinian Salinity Crisis

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Meijers, Maud J.M.; Peynircioğlu, Ahmet A; Cosca, Michael A.; Brocard, Gilles Y.; Whitney, Donna L.; Langereis, Cor G.; Mulch, Andreas

2018-01-01

Deposition of large amounts of evaporites and erosion of deep canyons within the Mediterranean Basin as a result of reduced basin connectivity with the Atlantic Ocean and the epicontinental Paratethys Sea characterized the Messinian Salinity Crisis (MSC, 5.97–5.33 Ma). The influence of the MSC on Mediterranean environmental conditions within the basin itself has been intensely studied from marine records, but reconstructing the impact of the MSC on circum-Mediterranean continental climate has been hampered by the absence of continuous sedimentary archives that span the duration of the event.Here, we report results of a continental record of carbon (δ13C) and oxygen (δ18O) isotopes from lake carbonates framed by new magnetostratigraphic and 40Ar/39Ar dating, as well as by existing mammal stratigraphy (Kangal Basin, central Anatolia). The sampled section records continuous fluvio-lacustrine sedimentation from ~6.6 Ma to 4.9 Ma, which spans the MSC and the Miocene-Pliocene boundary. This dataset so far represents the only continuous continental paleoenvironmental record of the MSC in the circum-Mediterranean realm.The Kangal Basin isotope record indicates a low degree of evaporation. Furthermore, covariance between δ13C and δ18O suggests a coupling between lake water balance and biologic productivity. Variations in δ13C and δ18O therefore likely reflect changes in the amount of incoming precipitation, rather than changes in δ18O values of incoming precipitation. The most prominent spike in δ13C and δ18O occurs during the acme of the MSC and is therefore interpreted to have resulted from a decrease in the amount of incoming moisture correlative to a period of vigorous erosion and sea level lowering in the Mediterranean Basin. Major sea level lowering of Mediterranean basin waters during the acme of the MSC could have therefore led to slightly dryer conditions over Anatolia, which is also suggested by modeling studies. Overall, changes in δ13C and

Interaction of the Cyprus/Tethys Slab With the Mantle Transition Zone Beneath Anatolia

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, D. A.; Rost, S.; Taylor, G.; Cornwell, D. G.

2017-12-01

The geodynamics of the eastern Mediterranean are dominated by northward motion of the Arabian/African continents and subduction of the oldest oceanic crust on the planet along the Aegean and Cyprean trenches. These slabs have previously been imaged using seismic tomography on a continental scale, but detailed information regarding their descent from upper to lower mantle and how they interact with the mantle transition zone have been severely lacking. The Dense Array for North Anatolia (DANA) was a 73 station passive seismic deployment active between 2012-2013 with the primary aim of imaging shallow structure beneath the North Anatolian Fault. However, we exploit the exceptional dataset recorded by DANA to characterise a region where the Cyprus Slab impinges upon the mantle transition zone beneath northern Turkey, providing arguably the most detailed view of a slab as it transits from the upper to lower mantle. We map varying depths and amplitudes of the transition zone seismic discontinuities (`410', `520' and `660') in 3D using over 1500 high quality receiver functions over an area of approximately 200km x 300km. The `410' is observed close to its predicted depth, but the `660' is depressed to >670 km across the entirety of the study region. This is consistent with an accumulation of cold subducted material at the base of the upper mantle, and the presence of a `520' discontinuity in the vicinity of the slab surface also suggests that the slab is present deep within the transition zone. Anomalous low velocity layers above and within the transition zone are constrained and may indicate hydration and ongoing mass/fluid flux between upper and lower mantle in the presence of subduction. The results of the study have implications not only for the regional geodynamics of Anatolia, but also for slab dynamics globally.

Geochemical Consequences of Lithospheric Delamination in the Eastern Mediterranean: Evidence From Young Turkish Basalts

Science.gov (United States)

Furman, T.; Kurkcuoglu, B.; Plummer, C.

2007-12-01

Magmatism associated with continental collision is increasingly attributed to major disturbance of or within the lithosphere. Geochemical and isotopic data on post-collisional primitive mafic lavas from across the Anatolian plate enable us to assess the effects of lithospheric delamination (slab rollback and breakoff) as indicated by geophysical studies. The Anatolian province displays geodynamically complex manifestations of the closure of neo-Tethys and the collision between Africa and Europe that commenced circa 30 Ma. The current south- southwestward motion of Anatolia, a.k.a. "Turkish escape", is accommodated by slab rollback along the Hellenic trench and orogenic collapse along both the eastern and western margins of the microplate. Volcanism occurs primarily along the fault zones that border and cross-cut Anatolia, and major element characteristics of the lavas vary with both space and time. In Western Anatolia, early Miocene collisional calc- alkaline magmatism was followed by Quaternary alkaline volcanism (Alici et al. 1998, 2002; Aldanmaz et al. 2000, 2006) related to orogenic collapse, presumably resulting from slab rollback. Orogenic collapse in Eastern Anatolia is facilitated by slab breakoff as determined by geophysical studies (Zor et al. 2003; Angus et al. 2006; Lei & Zhao 2007). This transition was accompanied a change from mid-Miocene calc-alkaline to Quaternary alkaline volcanism (e.g., Yilmaz 1990; Pearce et al. 1990). Central Anatolia displays calc-alkaline and tholeiitic volcanism, including alkali olivine basalts; plate tectonic reconstructions (Lyberis et al. 1992) indicate that the African slab did not reach Central Anatolia. Sr-Nd isotope values from each volcanic province define linear arrays that converge upon a common unradiogenic value typical of global depleted mantle. We suggest that mafic volcanism throughout Anatolia is supported by a common asthenospheric component, modified by identifiable, location-specific additions. In areas

Late Eocene Inversion and Exhumation of the Sivas Basin (Central Anatolia) Based On Low-Temperature Thermochronometry: Implications for Diachronous Initiation of Arabia-Eurasia Collision

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Darin, M. H.; Umhoefer, P. J.; Thomson, S. N.; Schleiffarth, W. K.

2017-12-01

The timing of initial Arabia-Eurasia collision along the Bitlis-Zagros suture is controversial, with widely varying estimates from middle Eocene to late Miocene ( 45-10 Ma). The Cenozoic Sivas Basin (central Anatolia) preserves a detailed record of the initial stages of Arabia collision directly north of the suture in the Eurasian foreland. New apatite fission track and (U-Th)/He thermochronology data from Late Cretaceous to Paleogene units indicate rapid basin inversion and initiation of the north-vergent Southern Sivas Fold and Thrust Belt (SSFTB) during the late Eocene to early Oligocene ( 40-30 Ma), consistent with the age of a basin-wide unconformity and switch from marine to nonmarine sedimentation. We interpret late Eocene exhumation and the predominantly north-vergent kinematics of the SSFTB to reflect northward propagation of contraction into the Sivas retro-foreland basin due to initial collision of the Arabian passive margin with the Anatolide-Tauride block along the southern Eurasian margin during the late middle Eocene. We test this hypothesis by comparing our new results with regional-scale compilations of both published thermochronology and geochronology data from the entire Arabia-Eurasia collision zone. Low-temperature thermochronology data from eastern Anatolia, the Caucasus, Zagros, and Alborz demonstrate that rapid cooling and intraplate deformation occurred across much of the Eurasian foreland during the middle Eocene to early Oligocene ( 45-30 Ma). Our regional compilation of published geochronology data from central and eastern Anatolia reveals a distinct magmatic lull during the latest Eocene, Oligocene, and earliest Miocene (ca. 38-20 Ma), slightly earlier than a diachronous magmatic lull initiating at 25-5 Ma from northwest to southeast in Iran (Chiu et al., 2013). These results support a tectonic model for diachronous collision in which initial collision of the Arabia promontory occurred in central-eastern Anatolia during the middle

Genetic origins of the Minoans and Mycenaeans.

Science.gov (United States)

Lazaridis, Iosif; Mittnik, Alissa; Patterson, Nick; Mallick, Swapan; Rohland, Nadin; Pfrengle, Saskia; Furtwängler, Anja; Peltzer, Alexander; Posth, Cosimo; Vasilakis, Andonis; McGeorge, P J P; Konsolaki-Yannopoulou, Eleni; Korres, George; Martlew, Holley; Michalodimitrakis, Manolis; Özsait, Mehmet; Özsait, Nesrin; Papathanasiou, Anastasia; Richards, Michael; Roodenberg, Songül Alpaslan; Tzedakis, Yannis; Arnott, Robert; Fernandes, Daniel M; Hughey, Jeffery R; Lotakis, Dimitra M; Navas, Patrick A; Maniatis, Yannis; Stamatoyannopoulos, John A; Stewardson, Kristin; Stockhammer, Philipp; Pinhasi, Ron; Reich, David; Krause, Johannes; Stamatoyannopoulos, George

2017-08-10

The origins of the Bronze Age Minoan and Mycenaean cultures have puzzled archaeologists for more than a century. We have assembled genome-wide data from 19 ancient individuals, including Minoans from Crete, Mycenaeans from mainland Greece, and their eastern neighbours from southwestern Anatolia. Here we show that Minoans and Mycenaeans were genetically similar, having at least three-quarters of their ancestry from the first Neolithic farmers of western Anatolia and the Aegean, and most of the remainder from ancient populations related to those of the Caucasus and Iran. However, the Mycenaeans differed from Minoans in deriving additional ancestry from an ultimate source related to the hunter-gatherers of eastern Europe and Siberia, introduced via a proximal source related to the inhabitants of either the Eurasian steppe or Armenia. Modern Greeks resemble the Mycenaeans, but with some additional dilution of the Early Neolithic ancestry. Our results support the idea of continuity but not isolation in the history of populations of the Aegean, before and after the time of its earliest civilizations.

Genetic origins of the Minoans and Mycenaeans

Science.gov (United States)

Lazaridis, Iosif; Mittnik, Alissa; Patterson, Nick; Mallick, Swapan; Rohland, Nadin; Pfrengle, Saskia; Furtwängler, Anja; Peltzer, Alexander; Posth, Cosimo; Vasilakis, Andonis; McGeorge, P.J.P.; Konsolaki-Yannopoulou, Eleni; Korres, George; Martlew, Holley; Michalodimitrakis, Manolis; Özsait, Mehmet; Özsait, Nesrin; Papathanasiou, Anastasia; Richards, Michael; Roodenberg, Songül Alpaslan; Tzedakis, Yannis; Arnott, Robert; Fernandes, Daniel M.; Hughey, Jeffery R.; Lotakis, Dimitra M.; Navas, Patrick A.; Maniatis, Yannis; Stamatoyannopoulos, John A.; Stewardson, Kristin; Stockhammer, Philipp; Pinhasi, Ron; Reich, David; Krause, Johannes; Stamatoyannopoulos, George

2017-01-01

The origins of the Bronze Age Minoan and Mycenaean cultures have puzzled archaeologists for more than a century. We assembled genome-wide data from nineteen ancient individuals, including Minoans from Crete, Mycenaeans from mainland Greece, and their eastern neighbours from southwestern Anatolia. We show that Minoans and Mycenaeans were genetically similar, having at least three quarters of their ancestry from the first Neolithic farmers of western Anatolia and the Aegean1,2, and most of the remainder from ancient populations like those of the Caucasus3 and Iran4,5. However, the Mycenaeans differed from Minoans in deriving additional ancestry from an ultimate source related to the hunter-gatherers of eastern Europe and Siberia6–8, introduced via a proximal source related to either the inhabitants of either the Eurasian steppe1,6,9 or Armenia4,9. Modern Greeks resemble the Mycenaeans, but with some additional dilution of the early Neolithic ancestry. Our results support the idea of continuity but not isolation in the history of populations of the Aegean, before and after the time of its earliest civilizations. PMID:28783727

The Use of Herbal Drugs in Organic Animal Production: The Case of Ethnoveterinary Medicine in Central Anatolia Region

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Çağrı Çağlar Sinmez

2017-12-01

Full Text Available Organic animal production is a natural breeding system in which animal health is protected by giving priority to alternative medicines and treatment as needed by applying appropriate management and feeding methods based on the physiological requirements of animals. Increasing numbers of strains resistant to antibiotics and antiparasitic drugs used in animal breeding have brought about the search for alternative herbal remedies that lead to drug residues in animal products and lead to important health problems in people consuming these products. In this study, it was aimed to evaluate the therapeutic and protective effects of herbal drugs used in organic animal production in ethnoveterinary medicine in the Central Anatolia Region. The material of the study collected as written and declared facts as well as visual data were obtained from animal breeders in the Central Anatolia Region. The results indicated that 30 herbal drugs were used for the treatment of internal diseases, surgical diseases, obstetric and gynecological problems and parasitic diseases in cattle, sheep, horse, poultry, bee, and dog species. Based on the evaluation of the facts that the use of all kinds of synthetic drugs, especially antibiotics, is prohibited or restricted in organic livestock, it can be said that natural herbal drugs instead of artificial substances will provide positive contributions in the protection and treatment of herd health.

International Uranium Resources Evaluation Project (IUREP) national favourability studies: Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1977-08-01

Turkey has an area of 296 185 sq mi or 767 120 square kilometers. The geology is dominated lay Tertiary and post-Tertiary rocks which are very widespread but extensive outcrops of Mesozoic rocks also occur. Paleozoic rocks, mainly gneisses, mica schists and quartzites occur in the ancient massifs, principally the Istranca massif in Thrace, the Merideres massif in western Anatolia and the Karrshir massif in central Anatolia. Prospecting for uranium began in Turkey in 1953 and the Atomic Energy Raw Materials Division of the Maden Tetkikive Arama Enstitusu (M.T.A.) was founded in 1956. By 1962 a total of 78% of the whole country had been covered by serial radiometric reconnaissance prospecting. Uranium was discovered at Kasar in western Anatolia in 1961 and several hundred tons of reserves estimated two years later. Uranium prospecting was largely recessed from 1963 to 1967. IAEA/UNDP assistance was provided in 1962-63 and 1965 and between 1974 and 1977 in a detailed exploration programme in the Kasar area. In the whole country nearly 600 anomalies and occurrences had been identified by 1963. Several occurrences principally in Western Anatolia had been assigned a small reserve. A recent official estimate places the total national reserve at 3150 tonnes uranium in the less than 30% category of reasonably assured resources. A speculative Potential of between 30,000 and 50,000 tonnes uranium is considered to be reasonable. (author)

Yield and financial performance estimates of four elite loblolly pine seed sources planted in the Western Gulf Region

Science.gov (United States)

Michael A. Blazier; A. Gordon Holley

2015-01-01

Eastern seed sources of loblolly pine (Pinus taeda L.) have been planted in the Western Gulf region for nearly three decades because they often have higher growth rates than local seed sources. However, productivity gains for eastern families are sometimes offset by poorer survival rates relative to local families.

Hydrogeological Modelling of the Geothermal Waters of Alaşehir in the Continental Rift Zone of the Gediz, Western Anatolia, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Ӧzgür, Nevzat; Bostancı, Yesim; Anilır Yürük, Ezgi

2017-12-01

In western Anatolia, Turkey, the continental rift zones of the Büyük Menderes, Küçük Menderes and Gediz were formed by extensional tectonic features striking E-W generally and representing a great number of active geothermal systems, epithermal mineralizations and volcanic rocks from Middle Miocene to recent. The geothermal waters are associated with the faults which strike preferentially NW-SE and NE-SW and locate diagonal to general strike of the rift zones of the Menderes Massif. These NW-SE and NE-SW striking faults were probably generated by compressional tectonic regimes which leads to the deformation of uplift between two extensional rift zones in the Menderes Massif. The one of these rift zones is Gediz which is distinguished by a great number of geothermal waters such as Alaşehir, Kurşunlu, Çamurlu, Pamukkale and Urganlı. The geothermal waters of Alaşehir form the biggest potential in the rift zone of Gediz with a capacity of about 100 to 200 MWe. Geologically, the gneisses from the basement rocks in the study area which are overlain by an Paleozoic to Mesozoic intercalation of mica schists, quartzites and marbles, a Miocene intercalation of conglomerates, sandstones and clay stones and Plio-Quaternary intercalation of conglomerates, sandstones and clay stones discordantly. In the study area, Paleozoic to Mesozoic quartzites and marbles form the reservoir rocks hydrogeologically. The geothermal waters anions with Na+K>Ca>Mg dominant cations and HCO3>Cl> dominant anions are of Na-HCO3 type and can be considered as partial equilibrated waters. According to the results of geochemical thermometers, the reservoir temperatures area of about 185°C in accordance with measured reservoir temperatures. Stabile isotopes of δ18O versus δ2H of geothermal waters of Alaşehir deviate from the meteoric water line showing an intensive water-rock interaction under high temperature conditions. These data are well correlated with the results of the

Estimating the horizontal diffuse solar radiation over the Central Anatolia Region of Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aras, Haydar; Balli, Ozgur; Hepbasli, Arif

2006-01-01

The main objective of the present study is to develop new hybrid models to predict the monthly average daily diffuse solar radiation on a horizontal surface over Turkey's Central Anatolia Region (CAR), which covers the 12 provinces (Afyon, Ankara, Cankiri, Corum, Eskisehir, Kayseri, Kirsehir, Konya, Nevsehir, Nigde, Sivas and Yozgat), as an example. The models proposed by many investigators to estimate the diffuse solar radiation were reviewed. Although the global solar radiation and sunshine duration have been measured by the Turkish State Meteorological Service (DMI) over all the country since 1964, the diffuse solar radiation has not been measured. The twelve new hybrid models for estimating the monthly average daily diffuse solar radiation on a horizontal surface in the CAR were validated, and thus, the most accurate model was selected for guiding future projects

Clashes between or within civilizations? Meeting of cultures in Anatolia and Western Europe

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Bruinessen, M.M. van

2003-01-01

Samuel Huntington’s thesis of a clash of civilizations, formulated in the early 1990s, has gained renewed popularity in the wake of September 11 and America’s declaration of war on terror. This thesis came out of a research project that aimed to search for the likely sources of major conflict

Rodents from the Upper Miocene Tuğlu Formation (Çankırı Basin, Central Anatolia, Turkey)

OpenAIRE

Joniak, Peter; de Bruijn, Hans

2015-01-01

The upper Miocene assemblages of rodents collected from two layers of the type section of the Tuğlu Formation (Çankırı Basin, Central Anatolia, Turkey) are described. The assemblage from the lower level is considerably less diverse than that from the upper level. It contains Progonomys together with Megacricetodon, which is a very unusual association. The assemblage from the upper layer shows a relatively high diversity with four species of Gliridae instead of only one in the lower layer. Apa...

Moisture Sources and Life Cycle of Convective Systems over Western Colombia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Meiry Sayuri Sakamoto

2011-01-01

Full Text Available This paper describes life cycle and moisture sources of mesoscale convective systems (MCSs observed over western Colombia. Results show that, in general, MCS are more frequent during boreal summer and autumn, and particularly, systems observed in summer season present longer life and larger extension. On the continent, MCS genesis is strongly affected by sea breeze and diurnal heating and presents a peak from 15 to 18 LST. For oceanic systems, the main genesis period is later, from 00 to 03 LST. Continental and oceanic systems present a tendency of westward displacement. Analysis using a Lagrangian approach implemented to estimate air parcel trajectories suggests that, during boreal winter, the main moisture sources are from the Caribbean Sea and tropical north Atlantic, possibly resulting from the moisture-laden trade winds and the land-ocean temperature contrast over northern South America. In summer, it is clear the influence of ITCZ positioning with moisture particles traveling from the tropical Atlantic over Amazonian river basin. In Autumn, Chilean-Peruvian Pacific is the main moisture source, confirming the importance of Chocó low level jet to MCS genesis.

CORN (Zea mays L. ADAPTATION STUDIES UNDER IRRIGATED CONDITIONS OF SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA REGION OF TURKEY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

A. Öktem

2000-12-01

Full Text Available Southeastern Anatolia region of Turkey has a great agricultural potential. When the Southeastern Anatolia Project (GAP is complete, 1.7 million hectare area will be irrigated. Corn has a great importance due to have high-yield and being a secondary crop at GAP region which has suitable soil and climate conditions for corn production. The main goal of this study was to determine the suitable corn varieties for GAP region. This research was conducted with 14 hybrid dent corn varieties at Agriculture Faculty in Şanlıurfa province during the growth season of 1997-1998. At this study grain yield, tassel flowering date, plant height, ear length, kernel number of ear, grain weight of ear, 1000 seeds weight and grain moisture at harvest were investigated. Variance analysis results showed that there were significant differences (P<0.01 in grain yield and yield characteristics among tested varieties. According to the average of two years, grain yield varied between 8.83 (Alimax and 13.92 (Rx.770 t /ha and grain moisture at harvest varied from 15.81% (Antbey to 25.92% (P.3394. Antbey had the highest tassel flowering date value (62.3 day and the lowest value was obtained from C.6127 (55.5 day genotype. Plant height varied between 190.5 cm (C.6127 and 243.4 cm (Antbey. Ear length ranged from 18.9 cm (Alimax to 21.8 cm (Tambre. Kernel number of ear varied from 439.0 number/ear (Antbey to 670.9 number/ear (P.3279. The highest grain weight of ear value was obtained from Rx.770 genotype (239.5 g and also the lowest value was 162.1 g (Antbey. 1000 seed weight ranged from 328.9 g (P.3279 to 383.0 g (Tambre. All tested varieties gave over 10 t /ha yield except Alimax, Sele and Antbey varieties.

Microbial quality of improved drinking water sources: evidence from western Kenya and southern Vietnam.

Science.gov (United States)

Grady, Caitlin A; Kipkorir, Emmanuel C; Nguyen, Kien; Blatchley, E R

2015-06-01

In recent decades, more than 2 billion people have gained access to improved drinking water sources thanks to extensive effort from governments, and public and private sector entities. Despite this progress, many water sector development interventions do not provide access to safe water or fail to be sustained for long-term use. The authors examined drinking water quality of previously implemented water improvement projects in three communities in western Kenya and three communities in southern Vietnam. The cross-sectional study of 219 households included measurements of viable Escherichia coli. High rates of E. coli prevalence in these improved water sources were found in many of the samples. These findings suggest that measures above and beyond the traditional 'improved source' definition may be necessary to ensure truly safe water throughout these regions.

Petrologic evolution of Miocene-Pliocene mafic volcanism in the Kangal and Gürün basins (Sivas-Malatya), central east Anatolia: Evidence for Miocene anorogenic magmas contaminated by continental crust

Science.gov (United States)

Kocaarslan, Ayça; Ersoy, E. Yalçın

2018-06-01

This study discusses the geochemical features of the Early-Middle Miocene and Pliocene basaltic (SiO2 = 46-52; MgO = 6-10 wt%) to andesitic (SiO2 = 59; MgO = 4 wt%) rocks exposed in the Gürün and Kangal basins (Sivas, eastern part of central Anatolia), respectively. The basaltic rocks are characterized by alkaline to tholeiitic affinities, while the more evolved andesitic samples show calc-alkaline affinity. Trace element variations reveal that they can be evaluated in three sub-groups, each represented by different contents of trace elements for given Nb contents. Primary magmas of each groups were likely produced by different degrees of partial melting ( 1-2, 2-3, 7-10% respectively) from a common mantle source, subsequently underwent different degrees of fractionation and crustal contamination. Derivation from a common mantle source of the primitive magmas of each group is supported by similar Sr, Nd and Pb isotopic ratios. Increasing degrees of partial melting seem to be responsible for the alkaline to tholeiitic variation among the basaltic samples, while higher degrees of crustal contamination (AFC) resulted in calc-alkaline affinity of the more evolved samples. Most primitive Pliocene samples show intra-plate (anorogenic) geochemical features, while the more evolved Miocene calc-alkaline samples resemble geochemically subduction-related (orogenic) magmatic rocks. However, on the basis of detailed geochemical models, we propose that the calc-alkaline affinity among the Miocene samples can also be gained by crustal contamination of their primary magmas which were also anorogenic in character. If this is true, overall, the Miocene and Pliocene basaltic to andesitic rocks in the Gürün and Kangal basins appear to may have formed by variable degrees of partial melting of a common anorogenic mantle that had not been subject to subduction-related metasomatism. This is an alternative approach to the general view assuming the Early-Middle Miocene magmatic activity

Relative habitat use by the red fox (Vulpes vulpes) in Köprülü Canyon National Park, Southern Anatolia

OpenAIRE

Soyumert, Anil; Gürkan, Behzat

2013-01-01

Large carnivore mammals are one of the indicators for healthy ecosystems. Therefore, it is important to gather scientific data about carnivores for comprehensive conservation plans. Red fox is one of the carnivore species with widest distribution in Anatolia. In the present study habitat use of red fox was investigated to contribute to reduce the insufficiency of knowledge about carnivores in Turkey. Scent-station method was used to reveal relative habitat use of red fox in Köprülü Canyon Nat...

The Gediz River fluvial archive

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Maddy, D.; Veldkamp, A.; Demir, T.; Gorp, van W.; Wijbrans, J.R.; Hinsbergen, van D.J.J.; Dekkers, M.J.; Schreve, D.; Schoorl, J.M.; Scaife, R.

2017-01-01

The Gediz River, one of the principal rivers of Western Anatolia, has an extensive Pleistocene fluvial archive that potentially offers a unique window into fluvial system behaviour on the western margins of Asia during the Quaternary. In this paper we review our work on the Quaternary Gediz River

Main geological problems of Western Anatolia and the significance of the Bodrum magmatic province

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yilmaz, Y

2008-01-01

Western Anatolian Extended Terrain in Turkey stretches from the Balkan region in the north to the Taurides in the south. It contains a number of major tectonic entities including the Menderes Massif, the volcanic associations and the Neogene terrestrial cover sequence. In recent years the initiation of the N-S extension is viewed as a major factor responsible from the development of all these tectonic units. The initiation of the extension is regarded going back to the early Oligocene period. The data derived from our mapping project reveal that these units have developed under different tectonic regimes during different periods; for example the Menderes Massif, began to have formed during the late Creteceous and its development continued into the Miocene period. The Magmatic associations were formed in two separated phases; the early phase began during the Eocene- Oligocene time long before the extension started. The late phase is closely associated with the extensional regime. The Neogene sedimentary successions have 3 stratigraphic units separated by unconformities. The field data displays further that the N-S extension has not been uninterrupted. A major interruption occurred during the Early Pliocene period, and a region-wide, flat-lying erosional surface, as a key horizon, was developed

Origin of fine carbonaceous particulate matter in the Western Mediterranean Basin: fossil versus modern sources

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz Minguillón, María.; Perron, Nolwenn; Querol, Xavier; Szidat, Sönke; Fahrni, Simon; Wacker, Lukas; Reche, Cristina; Cusack, Michael; Baltensperger, Urs; Prévôt, André S. H.

2010-05-01

The present work was carried out in the frame of the international field campaign DAURE (Determination of the sources of atmospheric Aerosols in Urban and Rural Environments in the western Mediterranean). The objective of this campaign is to study the aerosol pollution episodes occurring at regional scale during winter and summer in the Western Mediterranean Basin. As part of this campaign, this work focuses on identifying the origin of fine carbonaceous aerosols. To this end, fine particulate matter (PM1) samples were collected during two different seasons (February-March and July 2009) at two sites: an urban site (Barcelona, NE Spain) and a rural European Supersite for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (Montseny, NE Spain). Subsequently, 14C analyses were carried out on these samples, both in the elemental carbon (EC) fraction and the organic carbon (OC) fraction, in order to distinguish between modern carbonaceous sources (biogenic emissions and biomass burning emissions) and fossil carbonaceous sources (mainly road traffic). Preliminary results from the winter period show that 40% of the OC at Barcelona has a fossil origin whereas at Montseny this percentage is 30%. These values can be considered as unexpected given the nature of the sites. Nevertheless, the absolute concentrations of fossil OC at Barcelona and Montseny differ by a factor of 2 (the first being higher), since the total OC at Montseny is lower than at Barcelona. Further evaluation of results and comparison with other measurements carried out during the campaign are required to better evaluate the origin of the fine carbonaceous matter in the Western Mediterranean Basin. Acknowledgements: Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, for a Postdoctoral Grant awarded to M.C. Minguillón in the frame of Programa Nacional de Movilidad de Recursos Humanos del Plan nacional de I-D+I 2008-2011. Spanish Ministry of Education and Science, for the Acción Complementaria DAURE CGL2007-30502-E/CLI.

Cold-pressed pumpkin seed (Cucurbita pepo L. oils from the central Anatolia region of Turkey: Characterization of phytosterols, squalene, tocols, phenolic acids, carotenoids and fatty acid bioactive compounds

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Akin

2018-03-01

Full Text Available There is a growing interest in cold-pressed oils because they present high contents of bioactive compounds. These oils have the characteristic properties of seeds and are specific products of their regions. The aim of this study was to determine the compositions and contents of fatty acids, phytosterols, squalene, tocols, phenolic acids, carotenoids and phenolic bioactives, and the free radical scavenging as well as antioxidant activities of cold-pressed pumpkin (Cucurbita pepo L. seed oils. Oil samples from raw pumpkin seeds cultivated in four different central Anatolia regions of Turkey were prepared using a laboratory screw-pressing machine. The results indicate that cold-pressed pumpkin seed oils (PSO have excellent quality with high contents of polyunsaturated fatty acids (%ΣPUFAs (53.60 ±0.06-53.73 ±0.05, total phytosterols (782.1±9.7–805.2 ±11.3 mg/100 g oil, squalene (591.3±10.6–632.5±11.4 mg/100 g oil, tocols (97.79 ±0.76?94.29 ±0.34 mg/100 g oil, phenolic acids (22.73 ±0.41–23.98 ±0.46 mg/100 g oil, carotenoids (6.95 ±0.03–7.60 ±0.03 mg/100 g oil, total phenolics (3.96 ±0.13 –5.82±0.15 mg GAE/100 g, free radical-scavenging activity (5.70 ±0.13?7.35 ±0.15 mg GAE/100 g and total antioxidant activity (26.67±0.97-38.89±1.41 mg GAE/100 g values. Thus, this study demonstrates that the cold- pressed PSOs from the central Anatolia regions of Turkey are an excellent source of natural bioactive compounds, free of chemical contaminants and nutritious.

Assessment of geothermal energy potential by geophysical methods: Nevşehir Region, Central Anatolia

Science.gov (United States)

Kıyak, Alper; Karavul, Can; Gülen, Levent; Pekşen, Ertan; Kılıç, A. Rıza

2015-03-01

In this study, geothermal potential of the Nevşehir region (Central Anatolia) was assessed by using vertical electrical sounding (VES), self-potential (SP), magnetotelluric (MT), gravity and gravity 3D Euler deconvolution structure analysis methods. Extensive volcanic activity occurred in this region from Upper Miocene to Holocene time. Due to the young volcanic activity Nevşehir region can be viewed as a potential geothermal area. We collected data from 54 VES points along 5 profiles, from 28 MT measurement points along 2 profiles (at frequency range between 320 and 0.0001 Hz), and from 4 SP profiles (total 19 km long). The obtained results based on different geophysical methods are consistent with each other. Joint interpretation of all geological and geophysical data suggests that this region has geothermal potential and an exploration well validated this assessment beyond doubt.

The relationship between Early Holocene climate change and Neolithic settlement in central Anatolia, Turkey: current issues and prospects for future research

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eleni Asouti

2009-12-01

Full Text Available Episodes of global climate change have traditionally been invoked as explanations for settlement re-organisation and socio-economic transformation in the prehistory of the Middle East (e.g., the Neolithic period. By focusing on the 8.2K event, this paper presents a theoretical and methodological argument against the assumption of unilinear, passive responses by prehistoric societies to global climate change, using as a case study datasets recently obtained from the Konya Plain in Central Anatolia, Turkey.

Tsunami Simulations in the Western Makran Using Hypothetical Heterogeneous Source Models from World's Great Earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Rashidi, Amin; Shomali, Zaher Hossein; Keshavarz Farajkhah, Nasser

2018-04-01

The western segment of Makran subduction zone is characterized with almost no major seismicity and no large earthquake for several centuries. A possible episode for this behavior is that this segment is currently locked accumulating energy to generate possible great future earthquakes. Taking into account this assumption, a hypothetical rupture area is considered in the western Makran to set different tsunamigenic scenarios. Slip distribution models of four recent tsunamigenic earthquakes, i.e. 2015 Chile M w 8.3, 2011 Tohoku-Oki M w 9.0 (using two different scenarios) and 2006 Kuril Islands M w 8.3, are scaled into the rupture area in the western Makran zone. The numerical modeling is performed to evaluate near-field and far-field tsunami hazards. Heterogeneity in slip distribution results in higher tsunami amplitudes. However, its effect reduces from local tsunamis to regional and distant tsunamis. Among all considered scenarios for the western Makran, only a similar tsunamigenic earthquake to the 2011 Tohoku-Oki event can re-produce a significant far-field tsunami and is considered as the worst case scenario. The potential of a tsunamigenic source is dominated by the degree of slip heterogeneity and the location of greatest slip on the rupture area. For the scenarios with similar slip patterns, the mean slip controls their relative power. Our conclusions also indicate that along the entire Makran coasts, the southeastern coast of Iran is the most vulnerable area subjected to tsunami hazard.

Tsunami Simulations in the Western Makran Using Hypothetical Heterogeneous Source Models from World's Great Earthquakes

Science.gov (United States)

Rashidi, Amin; Shomali, Zaher Hossein; Keshavarz Farajkhah, Nasser

2018-03-01

The western segment of Makran subduction zone is characterized with almost no major seismicity and no large earthquake for several centuries. A possible episode for this behavior is that this segment is currently locked accumulating energy to generate possible great future earthquakes. Taking into account this assumption, a hypothetical rupture area is considered in the western Makran to set different tsunamigenic scenarios. Slip distribution models of four recent tsunamigenic earthquakes, i.e. 2015 Chile M w 8.3, 2011 Tohoku-Oki M w 9.0 (using two different scenarios) and 2006 Kuril Islands M w 8.3, are scaled into the rupture area in the western Makran zone. The numerical modeling is performed to evaluate near-field and far-field tsunami hazards. Heterogeneity in slip distribution results in higher tsunami amplitudes. However, its effect reduces from local tsunamis to regional and distant tsunamis. Among all considered scenarios for the western Makran, only a similar tsunamigenic earthquake to the 2011 Tohoku-Oki event can re-produce a significant far-field tsunami and is considered as the worst case scenario. The potential of a tsunamigenic source is dominated by the degree of slip heterogeneity and the location of greatest slip on the rupture area. For the scenarios with similar slip patterns, the mean slip controls their relative power. Our conclusions also indicate that along the entire Makran coasts, the southeastern coast of Iran is the most vulnerable area subjected to tsunami hazard.

Sources and fate of organic matter in suspended and bottom sediments of the Mandovi and Zuari estuaries, Western India

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Shynu, R; Rao, V.P.; Sarma, V.V.S.S.; Kessarkar, P.M.; ManiMurali, R

in western India during wet and dry seasons, to characterize the sources of organic matter (OM) in these systems. Unlike major rivers, SPM concentrations increase seaward with a general trend of decreasing particulate organic carbon (POC) in these rivers...

[Investigation of dengue virus and yellow fever virus seropositivities in blood donors from Central/Northern Anatolia, Turkey].

Science.gov (United States)

Ergünay, Koray; Saygan, Mehmet B; Aydoğan, Sibel; Litzba, Nadine; Niedrig, Matthias; Pınar, Ahmet; Us, Dürdal

2010-07-01

Dengue virus (DENV) and yellow fever virus (YFV) are two of the globally prevalent vector-borne flaviviruses. Data on these viruses from Turkey is limited to a single study originating from the western, Aegean region of Turkey, where evidence for DENV exposure had been confirmed in residents and presence of hemagglutination inhibiting antibodies against YFV had been revealed. The aim of this study was to investigate the rates of seropositivity of DENV and YFV in blood donors from Central/Northern Anatolia, Turkey, for the demonstration of possible human exposure. Serum samples were collected by the Turkish Red Crescent Middle Anatolia Regional Blood Center from donation sites at Ankara, Konya, Eskişehir and Zonguldak provinces and included in the study after informed consent. Ankara is the capital and second most-populated city in Turkey. All samples were previously evaluated for West Nile and tick-borne encephalitis virus antibodies and found to be negative. A total of 2435 and 1502 sera have been evaluated for IgG antibodies against DENV and YFV, respectively. Commercial enzymelinked immunosorbent assays (ELISAs) and indirect immunofluorescence tests (IIFTs) were applied (Euroimmun, Germany) for DENV/YFV IgG surveillance. DENV IgG reactive sera were further evaluated for IgM by ELISA and a commercial mosaic IIFT to determine DENV subtypes. IgM positive samples were also analyzed by a commercial NS1 antigen detection assay (Bio-Rad Laboratories, France). YFV IgG reactive samples were evaluated by IIFT for IgM and via mosaic IIFT and antibody specificity were confirmed by plaque reduction neutralization test (PRNT). Anti-DENV IgGs were demonstrated in repeated assays in 0.9% (21/2435) of the sera. In two samples with borderline IgG results, presence of DENV IgM was detected, one of which was also borderline positive for DENV NS1 antigen. In 14.3% (3/21) of the IgG reactive sera, mosaic IIFT was evaluated as positive and displayed prominent reactivity for DENV-2 in

Hilasterion and imperial ideology: A new reading of Romans 3:25

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2016-12-04

Dec 4, 2016 ... arrival in 334 BCE and the founding of cities in western Anatolia during the ... by the great earthquake that struck western Asia Minor in .... political and economic life (Zanker 1990:298). .... his attempt to overcome the language of the 'atoning death of Christ' with a ..... edn., American Bible Society, New York.

Sources and Deposition of Polycyclic Aromatic Hydrocarbons to Western U.S. National Parks

Science.gov (United States)

USENKO, SASCHA; MASSEY SIMONICH, STACI L.; HAGEMAN, KIMBERLY J.; SCHRLAU, JILL E.; GEISER, LINDA; CAMPBELL, DON H.; APPLEBY, PETER G.; LANDERS, DIXON H.

2010-01-01

Seasonal snowpack, lichens, and lake sediment cores were collected from fourteen lake catchments in eight western U.S. National Parks and analyzed for sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in order to determine their current and historical deposition, as well as to identify their potential sources. Seasonal snowpack was measured to determine the current wintertime atmospheric PAH deposition; lichens were measured to determine the long-term, year around deposition; and the temporal PAH deposition trends were reconstructed using lake sediment cores dated using 210Pb and 137Cs. The fourteen remote lake catchments ranged from low-latitude catchments (36.6° N) at high elevation (2900 masl) in Sequoia National Park, CA to high-latitude catchments (68.4° N) at low elevation (427 masl) in the Alaskan Arctic. Over 75% of the catchments demonstrated statistically significant temporal trends in ΣPAH sediment flux, depending on catchment proximity to source regions and topographic barriers. The ΣPAH concentrations and fluxes in seasonal snowpack, lichens, and surficial sediment were 3.6 to 60,000 times greater in the Snyder Lake catchment of Glacier National Park than the other 13 lake catchments. The PAH ratios measured in snow, lichen, and sediment were used to identify a local aluminum smelter as a major source of PAHs to the Snyder Lake catchment. These results suggest that topographic barriers influence the atmospheric transport and deposition of PAHs in high-elevation ecosystems and that PAH sources to these national park ecosystems range from local point sources to diffuse regional and global sources. PMID:20465303

Acinetobacter Infection and Resistance Profile of Intensive Care Units In a City of Northwestern Anatolia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

İsa Yıldız

2016-09-01

Full Text Available INTRODUCTION: Determination of suitable antibiotics in treatment of Acinetobacter infections is through the hospital ascertaining the resistance state to bacteria causing the problem. In this study, the evaluation of antibiotics sensitivity of Acinetobacter strains isolated as infection factor in patients hospitalized in intensive care units is aimed. METHODS: Acinetobacter strains isolated from the samples of patients hospitalized in the 2nd and 3rd Stage adult intensive care units of a province in in northwestern Anatolia have been studied. RESULTS: A total of 165 patients were included in the study. The most isolated samples were respiratory tract samples, blood and urine. The antibiotics which the factors were most sensitive were cholistin (66,1% gentamicin (22,4% and trimethoprim sulfamethoxazole (18,2%. DISCUSSION AND CONCLUSION: We face increasing resistance ratios in Acinetobacter strains. Necessary precautions should be taken for this.

IMPACT OF THE ATATÜRK DAM LAKE ON AGRO-METEOROLOGICAL ASPECTS OF THE SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA REGION USING REMOTE SENSING AND GIS ANALYSIS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

O. Ozcan

2012-07-01

Full Text Available The Atatürk Dam is the fourth largest clay-cored rock fill dam in the world. It was constructed on the Euphrates River located in semi-arid Southeastern Turkey in the 1980s as the central component of a large-scale regional development project for the Southeastern Anatolia region (referred to as GAP. The construction began in 1983 and was completed in 1990. The dam and the hydroelectric power plant, which went into service after filling up the reservoir was accomplished in 1992. The Atatürk Dam, which has a height of 169 m, a total storage capacity of 48.7 million m3, and a surface area of about 817 km2 plays an important role in the development of Turkey's energy and agriculture sectors. In this study, the spatial and temporal impacts of the Atatürk Dam on agro-meteorological aspects of the Southeastern Anatolia region have been investigated. Change detection and environmental impacts due to water-reserve changes in Atatürk Dam Lake have been determined and evaluated using multi-temporal Landsat satellite imageries and meteorological datasets within a period of 1984 to 2011. These time series have been evaluated for three time periods. Dam construction period constitutes the first part of the study. Land cover/use changes especially on agricultural fields under the Atatürk Dam Lake and its vicinity have been identified between the periods of 1984 to 1992. The second period comprises the 10-year period after the completion of filling up the reservoir in 1992. At this period, Landsat and meteorological time-series analyses are examined to assess the impact of the Atatürk Dam Lake on selected irrigated agricultural areas. For the last 9-year period from 2002 to 2011, the relationships between seasonal water-reserve changes and irrigated plains under changing climatic factors primarily driving vegetation activity (monthly, seasonal, and annual fluctuations of rainfall rate, air temperature, humidity on the watershed have been investigated

SPATIAL PREDICTION OF AIR TEMPERATURE IN EAST CENTRAL ANATOLIA OF TURKEY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

B. C. Bilgili

2017-11-01

Full Text Available Air temperature is an essential component of the factors used in landscape planning. At similar topographic conditions, vegetation may show considerable differences depending on air temperature and precipitation. In large areas, measuring temperature is a cost and time-consuming work. Therefore, prediction of climate variables at unmeasured sites at an acceptable accuracy is very important in regional resource planning. In addition, use a more proper prediction method is crucial since many different prediction techniques yield different performance in different landscape and geographical conditions. We compared inverse distance weighted (IDW, ordinary kriging (OK, and ordinary cokriging (OCK to predict air temperature at unmeasured sites in Malatya region (East Central Anatolia of Turkey. Malatya region is the most important apricot production area of Turkey and air temperature is the most important factor determining the apricot growing zones in this region. We used mean monthly temperatures from 1975 to 2010 measured at 28 sites in the study area and predicted temperature with IDW, OC, and OCK techniques, mapped temperature in the region, and tested the reliability of these maps. The OCK with elevation as an auxiliary variable occurred the best procedure to predict temperature against the criteria of model efficiency and relative root mean squared error.

Coda-derived source spectra, moment magnitudes and energy-moment scaling in the western Alps

Science.gov (United States)

Morasca, P.; Mayeda, K.; Malagnini, L.; Walter, William R.

2005-01-01

A stable estimate of the earthquake source spectra in the western Alps is obtained using an empirical method based on coda envelope amplitude measurements described by Mayeda et al. for events ranging between MW~ 1.0 and ~5.0. Path corrections for consecutive narrow frequency bands ranging between 0.3 and 25.0 Hz were included using a simple 1-D model for five three-component stations of the Regional Seismic network of Northwestern Italy (RSNI). The 1-D assumption performs well, even though the region is characterized by a complex structural setting involving strong lateral variations in the Moho depth. For frequencies less than 1.0 Hz, we tied our dimensionless, distance-corrected coda amplitudes to an absolute scale in units of dyne cm by using independent moment magnitudes from long-period waveform modelling for three moderate magnitude events in the region. For the higher frequencies, we used small events as empirical Green's functions, with corner frequencies above 25.0 Hz. For each station, the procedure yields frequency-dependent corrections that account for site effects, including those related to fmax, as well as to S-to-coda transfer function effects. After the calibration was completed, the corrections were applied to the entire data set composed of 957 events. Our findings using the coda-derived source spectra are summarized as follows: (i) we derived stable estimates of seismic moment, M0, (and hence MW) as well as radiated S-wave energy, (ES), from waveforms recorded by as few as one station, for events that were too small to be waveform modelled (i.e. events less than MW~ 3.5); (ii) the source spectra were used to derive an equivalent local magnitude, ML(coda), that is in excellent agreement with the network averaged values using direct S waves; (iii) scaled energy, , where ER, the radiated seismic energy, is comparable to results from other tectonically active regions (e.g. western USA, Japan) and supports the idea that there is a fundamental

The chromosome banding pattern in two cytotypes (2n = 36 and 38) of blind mole rats from Turkey (Mammalia: Spalaxidae)

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Arslan, A.; Arisoy, A.; Zima, Jan

2013-01-01

Roč. 59, č. 2 (2013), s. 95-100 ISSN 0939-7140 Institutional support: RVO:68081766 Keywords : Nannospalax xanthodon * Ag-NOR staining * C-banding * Aydin * Manisa * western Anatolia Subject RIV: EG - Zoology Impact factor: 0.524, year: 2013

Elements for a Comparative Study of Textile Production and Use in Hittite Anatolia and Neighbouring Areas

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vigo, Matteo; Bellucci, Benedetta; Baccelli, Giulia

2014-01-01

. Finally the information provided by the diplomatic and administrative texts will be compared with iconography, in order to better understand the recipients of the finished products, often luxury goods. The main goal of this introductory exploration is to propose this comparative study and evaluate its...... prices, workmanship, quality and shape of the fabrics. Thanks to the information provided by other cuneiform texts found in Anatolia, such as administrative accounts of goods hoarded in the Hittite palaces and inventories of daily economic activities of Hittite court officers, the Hittitologists have...... drawn up indexes of realia (i.e. a presentation of the evidence of everyday objects used by the Hittites), in which luxurious textiles (or fabrics) and clothes often occur. Moreover Hittite official texts, such as the accounts of royal victories, the descriptions of cultic activities and the diplomatic...

Moscow – Third Rome as Source of Anti-Western Russian Geopolitic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Justyna Doroszczyk

2018-06-01

Full Text Available Moscow as the Third Rome is the basis of Russian thinking about the state and the Russian nation and also Russian geopolitics. It is a solid foundation of anti-Western tendency in Russian geopolitics. The belief about Russia’s providential mission is a tool of differentiation between the two types of civilizations and cultures – the “rotting” western world and the Russian world, which manifests as a cradle of traditional, conservative values that individualistic, materialistic Western civilisation has rejected.

Contemporaneous alkaline and calc-alkaline series in Central Anatolia (Turkey): Spatio-temporal evolution of a post-collisional Quaternary basaltic volcanism

Science.gov (United States)

Dogan-Kulahci, Gullu Deniz; Temel, Abidin; Gourgaud, Alain; Varol, Elif; Guillou, Hervé; Deniel, Catherine

2018-05-01

strength elements (HFSE; Y, Yb) and the La/Nb >1 favor a shallow lithospheric source for ES, HS, OZ and KA basaltic volcanic rocks, whereas some samples bear the trace element signature of an asthenospheric mantle source. The lithospheric mantle beneath Central Anatolia may have not been affected from asthenospheric mantle directly. Negative Nb-Ta-Ti anomalies and a positive Pb spike of ES, HS, OZ and KA may be ascribed to crustal contamination or as the imprints of the previous subduction processes. According to this study, and previous studies, the effect of subduction and/or crustal contamination in Central Anatolia decreased from the Miocene to the Quaternary, and the origin of the Quaternary basaltic rocks mainly derived from subduction-related magmas enriched with sediment input rather than to slab-derived fluids. Our calculated eruption ages for the four basaltic complexes show that spatial differences predominate, whereas temporal trends are difficult to discern due to limited age resolution. According to the available geochronological, petrological and geochemical data, alkaline and calc-alkaline volcanism occurred simultaneously from distinct parental magmas.

Distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in surface sediments from the Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhao, Mengwei; Wang, Weiguo; Liu, Yanguang; Dong, Linsen; Jiao, Liping; Hu, Limin; Fan, Dejiang

2016-03-15

To analyze the distribution and sources of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) and evaluate their potential ecological risks, the concentrations of 16 PAHs were measured in 43 surface sediment samples from the Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean. Total PAH (tPAH) concentrations ranged from 36.95 to 150.21 ng/g (dry weight). In descending order, the surface sediment tPAH concentrations were as follows: Canada Basin>northern Chukchi Sea>Chukchi Basin>southern Chukchi Sea>Aleutian Basin>Makarov Basin>Bering Sea shelf. The Bering Sea and western Arctic Ocean mainly received PAHs of pyrogenic origin due to pollution caused by the incomplete combustion of fossil fuels. The concentrations of PAHs in the sediments of the study areas did not exceed effects range low (ERL) values. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Field evidences of secondary surface ruptures occurred during the ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

842. Faruk Ocako˘glu and Sanem Açıkalın. Figure 1. Regional map showing the active faults in Western Anatolia. .... apparently cause any displacement on the ground surface. 4. .... percent of buildings affected) and drew attention to the highly ...

Chemical mass balance source apportionment of TSP in a lignite-burning area of Western Macedonia, Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Samara, Constantini

Total suspended particle mass concentrations (TSP) were determined in the Kozani-Ptolemais-Florina basin (western Macedonia, Greece), an area with intensive lignite burning for power generation. The study was conducted over a 1-year period (November 2000-November 2001) at 10 receptor sites located at variable distances from the power plants. Ambient TSP samples were analyzed for 27 major, minor and trace elements. Particulate emissions were also collected from a variety of sources including fly ash, lignite dust, automobile traffic, domestic heating, and open-air burning of agricultural biomass and refuse, and analyzed for the same chemical components. Ambient and source chemical profiles were used for source identification and apportionment of TSP by employing a chemical mass balance (CMB) receptor model. Diesel burning in vehicular traffic and in the power plants for generator start up was found to be the major contributor to ambient TSP levels at all 10 sites. Other sources with significant contributions were domestic coal burning, vegetative burning (wood combustion and agricultural burns) and refuse open-air burning. Fly ash escaping the electrostatic precipitators of the power plants was a minor contributor to ambient TSP.

Seismicity of the Earth 1900–2010 Middle East and vicinity

Science.gov (United States)

Jenkins, Jennifer; Turner, Bethan; Turner, Rebecca; Hayes, Gavin P.; Davies, Sian; Dart, Richard L.; Tarr, Arthur C.; Villaseñor, Antonio; Benz, Harley M.

2013-01-01

No fewer than four major tectonic plates (Arabia, Eurasia, India, and Africa) and one smaller tectonic block (Anatolia) are responsible for seismicity and tectonics in the Middle East and surrounding region. Geologic development of the region is a consequence of a number of first-order plate tectonic processes that include subduction, large-scale transform faulting, compressional mountain building, and crustal extension. In the east, tectonics are dominated by the collision of the India plate with Eurasia, driving the uplift of the Himalaya, Karakorum, Pamir and Hindu Kush mountain ranges. Beneath the Pamir‒Hindu Kush Mountains of northern Afghanistan, earthquakes occur to depths as great as 200 km as a result of remnant lithospheric subduction. Along the western margin of the India plate, relative motions between India and Eurasia are accommodated by strike-slip, reverse, and oblique-slip faulting, resulting in the complex Sulaiman Range fold and thrust belt, and the major translational Chaman Fault in Afghanistan. Off the south coasts of Pakistan and Iran, the Makran trench is the surface expression of active subduction of the Arabia plate beneath Eurasia. Northwest of this subduction zone, collision between the two plates forms the approximately 1,500-km-long fold and thrust belts of the Zagros Mountains, which cross the whole of western Iran and extend into northeastern Iraq. Tectonics in the eastern Mediterranean region are dominated by complex interactions between the Africa, Arabia, and Eurasia plates, and the Anatolia block. Dominant structures in this region include: the Red Sea Rift, the spreading center between the Africa and Arabia plates; the Dead Sea Transform, a major strike-slip fault, also accommodating Africa-Arabia relative motions; the North Anatolia Fault, a right-lateral strike-slip structure in northern Turkey accommodating much of the translational motion of the Anatolia block westwards with respect to Eurasia and Africa; and the Cyprian

Discovery of source fault in the region without obvious active fault. Geophysical survey in the source area of the 1984 western Nagano prefecture earthquake

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aoyagi, Yasuhira; Abe, Shintaro

2009-01-01

The 1984 Western Nagano Prefecture Earthquake (MJ6.8) occurred at shallow part of the southern foot of Mt. Ontake volcano, central Japan. Despite the large magnitude neither clear surface rupture nor active fault has been found around the source area. Therefore the earthquake is an issue for seismic assessment based on active fault survey. The purpose of this study is to find any tectonic geomorphologic features in the source area and to elucidate its relation to the source fault. In order to achieve it, an integrated survey with (1) micro earthquake observation, (2) airborne LIDAR, and (3) seismic reflection survey was demonstrated in the source area from 2006 to 2008. The survey area of airborne LIDAR (18 km x 4 km) covers main part of the aftershock distribution just after the mainshock. A linear zone with abrupt change of topographic roughness was found in ENE-WSW direction at the center of the LIDAR target area. River valleys flowing down to SSE direction change their directions and widths abruptly across the linear zone. Seismic reflection survey across the source region detect deformation zone just beneath the linear zone. These features of topographic and crustal deformation coincide well with the aftershock distribution. Therefore they indicate an active structure formed by the cumulative displacement of the source fault. (author)

Seismic structure and tectonics of the Alasehir--Gediz Graben, Western Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Turk, Sezer

The Aegean Extensional Province (AEP) in Western Anatolia includes three major graben systems that have formed as a result of N-S tectonic extension in the latest Cenozoic. The 6 to 30-km-wide Alasehir--Gediz Graben (AGG) in the north contains ˜3-km-thick Miocene and Plio-Quaternary, alluvial--fluvial and lacustrine sedimentary rocks. I have used seismic profiles, well-log data and the regional stratigraphy to identify the key stratigraphic units, their bounding surfaces and vertical thicknesses, and to document the subsurface structural architecture of the AGG. A north-dipping detachment fault exposed in the southern shoulder of the AGG basin occurs at 2--2.5 km at depth beneath the graben fill, and is dissected by ˜E--W--striking, synthetic to antithetic, high-angle normal faults. The graben system is crosscut by NNE-oriented cross faults, showing several km of recurrence interval and 10s of meters of vertical displacement. These faults divide the graben into several sub-basins and display positive and negative flower structures. The structural architecture in the sub-basins shows important variations in stratigraphic thicknesses, fault geometry-displacement and deformation patterns, indicating that cross faulting played a critical role in the evolution of the AAG.

Introduction: Imams in Western Europe

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vinding, Niels Valdemar; Hashas, Mohammed; de Ruiter, Jan Jaap

2018-01-01

by this source of religious authority in the context of the secular-liberal societies of Western Europe since the Second World War and the subsequent migration and refugee flows. At the same time, this research also serves to highlight secular-liberal institutions and their adaptation, or lack thereof......, to the multiculturalism that characterizes Western European states. The social facts of globalization, transnational migration, and various interpretations of secularism have challenged the visibility of religion in the public sphere in Western societies. This has most importantly and urgently required religious...

Sustainability Organic Agriculture and Livestock Production with Respect to European Union in Eastern Anatolia and East Black Sea Regions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vecihi Aksakal

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The majority of farm households in Turkey and especially the Eastern Anatolia are still based on low-input semi subsistence agriculture and livestock production. Despite a slow decline in recent years, agriculture and livestock production remains a major employer in Turkey and it is a significant contributor to the country’s gross domestic product, GDP. Whist Turkey is one of the EU candidate countries, is self sufficient in food production and Turkish agriculture is poorly structured inefficient, with farming in the Eastern Anatolia being mainly subsistence farming. Yet, these traditional rural structures combined with poor access to low level of education and low level of off-farm unemployment problem makes the situation more complicated and unsustainable. The best way to promote sustainability, better and higher production of Eastern Anatolian and rural Turkey is to invest in the local people, villages through improved, continuing and effective agricultural and livestock programs in particular. Investment in human capital especially in the rural areas leads to more employment opportunities through entrepreneurship and innovation in organic agriculture and livestock production. A holistic approach to developing and improving supply chains could unlock the potential for sophisticated, state-of-the-art organic agriculture and livestock producers and businesses in the region to become EU and global players. Eastern Anatolian livestock producers and the farmers have the ambitions to take part in future progress because the region is naturally organic not by design but default. It is for sure that present potential of the region has not been fully determined and utilized. EU has greatly benefited from previous enlargements economically, politically and socially. When European Union (EU and Turkish Government relations considered and accession of Turkey to EU would be the logical consequence of the previous accessions. The screening on chapter 11

Micro-chemical and micro-structural investigation of archaeological bronze weapons from the Ayanis fortress (lake Van, Eastern Anatolia, Turkey)

Science.gov (United States)

Faraldi, F.; Çilingirǒglu, A.; Angelini, E.; Riccucci, C.; De Caro, T.; Batmaz, A.; Mezzi, A.; Caschera, D.; Cortese, B.

2013-12-01

Bronze weapons (VII cen BC) found during the archaeological excavation of the Ayanis fortress (lake Van, eastern Anatolia, Turkey) are investigated in order to determine their chemical composition and metallurgical features as well as to identify the micro-chemical and micro-structural nature of the corrosion products grown during long-term burial. Small fragments were sampled from the artefacts and analysed by means of the combined use of optical microscopy (OM), X-ray diffraction (XRD), X-ray photoelectron spectroscopy (XPS), scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and energy dispersive spectrometry (EDS). The results show that the bronze artefacts have been manufactured by using alloys with a controlled and refined chemical composition demonstrating the high level metallurgical competence and skill of the Urartian craftsmen and artists. Furthermore, the micro-structural and metallurgical investigations evidence the presence of equiaxed grains in the matrix, indicating that the artefact were produced by repeated cycles of mechanical shaping and thermal annealing treatments to restore the alloy ductility. From the degradation point of view, the results show the structures and the chemical composition of the stratified corrosion layers (i.e. the patina) where the copper or tin depletion phenomenon is commonly observed with the surface enrichment of some elements coming from the burial soil, mainly Cl, which is related to the high concentration of chlorides in the Ayanis soil. The results reveal also that another source of degradation is the inter-granular corrosion phenomenon likely increased by the metallurgical features of the alloys caused by the high temperature manufacturing process that induces crystallisation and segregation phenomena along the grain boundaries.

Ship-borne FTIR measurements of CO and O3 in the Western Pacific from 43° N to 35° S: an evaluation of the sources

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L. Zhang

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Carbon monoxide (CO and ozone (O3 have been measured in the Western Pacific (43° N to 35° S during a ship campaign with Research Vessel Sonne in fall 2009. Observations have been performed using ship-based solar absorption Fourier Transform infrared spectrometry, flask sampling, balloon sounding, and in-situ Fourier Transform infrared analysis. The results obtained are compared to the GEOS-Chem global 3-D chemistry transport model for atmospheric composition. In general, a very good agreement is found between the GEOS-Chem model and all instruments. The CO and O3 distributions show a comparable variability suggesting an impact from the same source regions. Tagged-CO simulations implemented in the GEOS-Chem model make it possible to differentiate between different source processes and source regions. The source regions are verified with HYSPLIT backward trajectory calculations. In the Northern Hemisphere fossil fuel combustion in Asia is the dominant source. European and North American fossil fuel combustion also contribute to Northern Hemispheric CO pollution. In the Southern Hemisphere contributions from biomass burning and fossil fuel combustion are dominant; African biomass burning has a significant impact on Western Pacific CO pollution. Furthermore, in the tropical Western Pacific enhanced upper tropospheric CO within the tropical tropopause layer mainly originates from Indonesian fossil fuel combustion and can be transported into the stratosphere. The source regions of the measured O3 pollution are simulated with a tagged-O3 simulation implemented in the GEOS-Chem model. Similar source regions compared to the tagged-CO simulations are identified by the model. In the Northern Hemisphere contributions from Asia, Europe, and North America are significant. In the Southern Hemisphere emissions from South America, south-east Africa, and Oceania significantly contribute to the measured O3 pollution.

Dimethylsulphide (DMS emissions from the western Pacific Ocean: a potential marine source for stratospheric sulphur?

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C. A. Marandino

2013-08-01

Full Text Available Sea surface and atmospheric measurements of dimethylsulphide (DMS were performed during the TransBrom cruise in the western Pacific Ocean between Japan and Australia in October 2009. Air–sea DMS fluxes were computed between 0 and 30 μmol m−2 d−1, which are in agreement with those computed by the current climatology, and peak emissions of marine DMS into the atmosphere were found during the occurrence of tropical storm systems. Atmospheric variability in DMS, however, did not follow that of the computed fluxes and was more related to atmospheric transport processes. The computed emissions were used as input fields for the Lagrangian dispersion model FLEXPART, which was set up with actual meteorological fields from ERA-Interim data and different chemical lifetimes of DMS. A comparison with aircraft in situ data from the adjacent HIPPO2 campaign revealed an overall good agreement between modelled versus observed DMS profiles over the tropical western Pacific Ocean. Based on observed DMS emissions and meteorological fields along the cruise track, the model projected that up to 30 g S per month in the form of DMS, emitted from an area of 6 × 104 m2, can be transported above 17 km. This surprisingly large DMS entrainment into the stratosphere is disproportionate to the regional extent of the area of emissions and mainly due to the high convective activity in this region as simulated by the transport model. Thus, if DMS can cross the tropical tropopause layer (TTL, we suggest that the considerably larger area of the tropical western Pacific Ocean can be a source of sulphur to the stratosphere, which has not been considered as yet.

Anatomical, morphological and palynological studies of some onosma l. (boraginaceae) taxa endemic to anatolia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Teke, H.I.; Binzet, R.

2017-01-01

In this study, the morphological, anatomical and palynological characters of Onosma discedens Hausskn. ex. Bornm., O. nana DC. and O. sorgerae var. subglabriflora Teppner were investigated. All the examined species are endemic to Anatolia, Turkey. The root cortex of examined species is multilayered. The raphide crystals are observed in epidermal cells and basal hair cells on both side of epidermis in O. sorgerae var. subglabriflora. Leaves are isobilateral (=equifacial) in O. nana and O. sorgerae var. subglabriflora, whereas leaves are dorsiventral(=bifacial) in O. discedens. Stomatas are observed on both surfaces (=amfistomatic) in all examined species. Stomata index is 9.25 of upper epidermis and 10.71 of lower epidermis in O. discedens, 9.61 of upper epidermis and 10 of lower epidermis in O. nana and 9.67 of upper epidermis and 13.63 of lower epidermis in O. sorgerae var. subglabriflora. The pollen grains are heteropolar, trisyncolporatae and sphaeroidal shape. In O. discedens, sphaeroidal (P/E: 1.13 W) and subprolate in Acetolysis and in O. nana, subprolate in shape and in O. sorgerae var. subglabriflora. Amb is three angular in all examined Onosma species. Sculpture is scabrate-rugulate in all species. Nutlet ornamentation is rugose. (author)

Afghanistan Reveals the Source of Atmospheric Nitrogen during North Western Monsoons

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Goral, A.O.

2014-01-01

Chemical analysis of soil samples collected from Afghanistan have shown that those regions having capability of generating wind-induced dust at northern and south western territories have the capability of supplying nitrates and nitrites in addition to crustal materials. Together with all the other essential elements Afghan soil samples has the potential of controlling so far unexplained phytoplankton bloom and excess nitrate and nitrites during the course of NWM (North Western Monsoons) over the surface waters of Arabian Sea. (author)

Afghanistan Reveals the Source of Atmospheric Nitrogen during North Western Monsoons

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Ayse Ozlem Goral

2014-10-01

Full Text Available Chemical analysis of soil samples collected from Afghanistan have shown that those regions having capability of generating wind-induced dust at northern and south western territories have the capability of supplying nitrates and nitrites in addition to crustal materials. Together with all the other essential elements Afghan soil samples has the potential of controlling so far unexplained phytoplankton bloom and excess nitrate and nitrites during the course of NWM (North Western Monsoons over the surface waters of Arabian Sea

İlhanlı Hâkimiyeti Altında Anadolu’da Siyasetin Temel Dinamiği: Göçebe Moğol-Türkmen Çatışması The Basic Dynamic Of Politics In Anatolia Under The Ilkhanid Rule: The Struggle Of Nomad Turcomans And Mongols

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Halil ÇETİN

2012-12-01

Full Text Available The nomad Mongols established their hegemony in Anatolia after the Kosedagh War in 1243. When the Hülagü destroyed Bagdad in 1258 and Ilkhanids took the leadership in the Middle East, the Mongols, thus, became the policy makers in Anatolia. Not sooner, however, they were confronted with the alliance of the states of Mamluks, Seljukids and nomads of Anatolia, the Turcomans. Among them the Turcomansconstituted the most decisive point of resistance against the politicalaims and military operations of the Mongols. The opposition, involvedreligious motifs like gaza, holy war, was, indeed, the result ofTurcomans’ efforts to make Anatolia their homeland. In fact, there wasno any choice for the Turcomans who intensively populated the frontierzones of Anatolia since the political and geographical frontiers of thepeninsula prevented them from migrating to another region. For thisreason the attitudes of making Anatolia their homeland decisively andopposing to the Mongols persistently balanced each other. Thus thelong lasting struggles between the Mongol and Turcoman nomads wereresulted in the collapse of both the Seljukid and Ilkhanid rules inAnatolia. The Turcomans, in turn, becoming the leading political actorsconsequently adopted the Political Turcoman Identity. It seems thatpolitical and social groups who established the Turcoman Beyliks in thefrontier zones of Anatolia at the beginning of the fourteenth centurywere under the influence of this identity. For example, Osman Bey,founder of the Ottoman Beylik, used the political methods, argumentsand tools produced as a result of the struggle between Mongol andTurcoman nomads under the Ilkhanid rule. Göçebe Moğollar, 1243 Kösedağ Bozgunu ile Anadolu’da hâkimiyet tesis etmişlerdir. Hülagü 1258’de Bağdad’ı yıktığında ve İlhanlı Devleti Ortadoğu’da liderliği ele geçirdiğinde, Moğollar Anadolu’da siyasetin aktörü haline geldiler. Fakat çok geçmeden karşılarında Meml

Sources and mixing state of summertime background aerosol in the north-western Mediterranean basin

Science.gov (United States)

Arndt, Jovanna; Sciare, Jean; Mallet, Marc; Roberts, Greg C.; Marchand, Nicolas; Sartelet, Karine; Sellegri, Karine; Dulac, François; Healy, Robert M.; Wenger, John C.

2017-06-01

An aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ATOFMS) was employed to provide real-time single particle mixing state and thereby source information for aerosols impacting the western Mediterranean basin during the ChArMEx-ADRIMED and SAF-MED campaigns in summer 2013. The ATOFMS measurements were made at a ground-based remote site on the northern tip of Corsica. Twenty-seven distinct ATOFMS particle classes were identified and subsequently grouped into eight general categories: EC-rich (elemental carbon), K-rich, Na-rich, amines, OC-rich (organic carbon), V-rich, Fe-rich and Ca-rich particles. Mass concentrations were reconstructed for the ATOFMS particle classes and found to be in good agreement with other co-located quantitative measurements (PM1, black carbon (BC), organic carbon, sulfate mass and ammonium mass). Total ATOFMS reconstructed mass (PM2. 5) accounted for 70-90 % of measured PM10 mass and was comprised of regionally transported fossil fuel (EC-rich) and biomass burning (K-rich) particles. The accumulation of these transported particles was favoured by repeated and extended periods of air mass stagnation over the western Mediterranean during the sampling campaigns. The single particle mass spectra proved to be valuable source markers, allowing the identification of fossil fuel and biomass burning combustion sources, and was therefore highly complementary to quantitative measurements made by Particle into Liquid Sampler ion chromatography (PILS-IC) and an aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM), which have demonstrated that PM1 and PM10 were comprised predominantly of sulfate, ammonium and OC. Good temporal agreement was observed between ATOFMS EC-rich and K-rich particle mass concentrations and combined mass concentrations of BC, sulfate, ammonium and low volatility oxygenated organic aerosol (LV-OOA). This combined information suggests that combustion of fossil fuels and biomass produced primary EC- and OC-containing particles, which then

Sources and mixing state of summertime background aerosol in the north-western Mediterranean basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

J. Arndt

2017-06-01

Full Text Available An aerosol time-of-flight mass spectrometer (ATOFMS was employed to provide real-time single particle mixing state and thereby source information for aerosols impacting the western Mediterranean basin during the ChArMEx-ADRIMED and SAF-MED campaigns in summer 2013. The ATOFMS measurements were made at a ground-based remote site on the northern tip of Corsica. Twenty-seven distinct ATOFMS particle classes were identified and subsequently grouped into eight general categories: EC-rich (elemental carbon, K-rich, Na-rich, amines, OC-rich (organic carbon, V-rich, Fe-rich and Ca-rich particles. Mass concentrations were reconstructed for the ATOFMS particle classes and found to be in good agreement with other co-located quantitative measurements (PM1, black carbon (BC, organic carbon, sulfate mass and ammonium mass. Total ATOFMS reconstructed mass (PM2. 5 accounted for 70–90 % of measured PM10 mass and was comprised of regionally transported fossil fuel (EC-rich and biomass burning (K-rich particles. The accumulation of these transported particles was favoured by repeated and extended periods of air mass stagnation over the western Mediterranean during the sampling campaigns. The single particle mass spectra proved to be valuable source markers, allowing the identification of fossil fuel and biomass burning combustion sources, and was therefore highly complementary to quantitative measurements made by Particle into Liquid Sampler ion chromatography (PILS-IC and an aerosol chemical speciation monitor (ACSM, which have demonstrated that PM1 and PM10 were comprised predominantly of sulfate, ammonium and OC. Good temporal agreement was observed between ATOFMS EC-rich and K-rich particle mass concentrations and combined mass concentrations of BC, sulfate, ammonium and low volatility oxygenated organic aerosol (LV-OOA. This combined information suggests that combustion of fossil fuels and biomass produced primary EC- and OC-containing particles, which

Atmospheric Nitrogen Deposition in the Western United States: Sources, Sinks and Changes over Time

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Sarah Marie

Anthropogenic activities have greatly modified the way nitrogen moves through the atmosphere and terrestrial and aquatic environments. Excess reactive nitrogen generated through fossil fuel combustion, industrial fixation, and intensification of agriculture is not confined to anthropogenic systems but leaks into natural ecosystems with consequences including acidification, eutrophication, and biodiversity loss. A better understanding of where excess nitrogen originates and how that changes over time is crucial to identifying when, where, and to what degree environmental impacts occur. A major route into ecosystems for excess nitrogen is through atmospheric deposition. Excess nitrogen is emitted to the atmosphere where it can be transported great distances before being deposited back to the Earth's surface. Analyzing the composition of atmospheric nitrogen deposition and biological indicators that reflect deposition can provide insight into the emission sources as well as processes and atmospheric chemistry that occur during transport and what drives variation in these sources and processes. Chapter 1 provides a review and proof of concept of lichens to act as biological indicators and how their elemental and stable isotope composition can elucidate variation in amounts and emission sources of nitrogen over space and time. Information on amounts and emission sources of nitrogen deposition helps inform natural resources and land management decisions by helping to identify potentially impacted areas and causes of those impacts. Chapter 2 demonstrates that herbaria lichen specimens and field lichen samples reflect historical changes in atmospheric nitrogen deposition from urban and agricultural sources across the western United States. Nitrogen deposition increases throughout most of the 20 th century because of multiple types of emission sources until the implementation of the Clean Air Act Amendments of 1990 eventually decrease nitrogen deposition around the turn of

Herb yield and chemical composition of basil ( Ocimum basilicum L ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Ocimum basilicum L., commonly known as sweet basil, is an important aromatic plant cultivated in many parts of the world for its essential oil. Basil does not show natural distribution in Turkey but they are cultivated as medicinal, seasoning or oil plants especially in the western and southern Anatolia.

The Electrical Resistivity Structure of the Eastern Anatolian Collision Zone, Northeastern Anatolia

Science.gov (United States)

Cengiz, Özlem; Tuǧrul Başokur, Ahmet; Tolak Çiftçi, Elif

2016-04-01

The Northeastern Anatolia is located at the intensely deformed Eastern Anatolian Collision Zone (EACZ), and its tectonic framework is characterized by the collision of the Arabian plate with Eurasian. Although extensive attention is given to understand the crustal and upper mantle processes at this convergent boundary, there is still an ongoing debate over the geodynamic processes of the region. In this study, we were specifically interested in the geoelectric properties and thus geodynamics of the crust beneath the EACZ. Magnetotelluric (MT) measurements were made on two profiles across the north of the EACZ in 1998 as part of a national project undertaken by the Turkish Petroleum Corporation (TPAO). MT data in the frequency range of 300-0.001 Hz were collected from 168 stations located along 78 km north to south and 47 km west to east profiles where direct convergence occurs between Arabian and Eurasian plates. Two and three-dimensional inversion algorithms were used to obtain resistivity models of the study area. According to these models, the upper crust consists of low resistivity sedimentary rocks (basement rocks of the Eastern Anatolian Accretionary Complex and Pontides. While the upper and lower crustal resistivity at the northern part of the study area shows a layered structure, significant horizontal and vertical variations for the rest of the EACZ exists on resistivity models. The broad low resistivity zones (structure supports the southward subduction model with the resistive continental block and the deep conductive zones presumably corresponding to the oceanic crust.

Assessing the pollution risk of a groundwater source field at western Laizhou Bay under seawater intrusion.

Science.gov (United States)

Zeng, Xiankui; Wu, Jichun; Wang, Dong; Zhu, Xiaobin

2016-07-01

Coastal areas have great significance for human living, economy and society development in the world. With the rapid increase of pressures from human activities and climate change, the safety of groundwater resource is under the threat of seawater intrusion in coastal areas. The area of Laizhou Bay is one of the most serious seawater intruded areas in China, since seawater intrusion phenomenon was firstly recognized in the middle of 1970s. This study assessed the pollution risk of a groundwater source filed of western Laizhou Bay area by inferring the probability distribution of groundwater Cl(-) concentration. The numerical model of seawater intrusion process is built by using SEAWAT4. The parameter uncertainty of this model is evaluated by Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation, and DREAM(ZS) is used as sampling algorithm. Then, the predictive distribution of Cl(-) concentration at groundwater source field is inferred by using the samples of model parameters obtained from MCMC. After that, the pollution risk of groundwater source filed is assessed by the predictive quantiles of Cl(-) concentration. The results of model calibration and verification demonstrate that the DREAM(ZS) based MCMC is efficient and reliable to estimate model parameters under current observation. Under the condition of 95% confidence level, the groundwater source point will not be polluted by seawater intrusion in future five years (2015-2019). In addition, the 2.5% and 97.5% predictive quantiles show that the Cl(-) concentration of groundwater source field always vary between 175mg/l and 200mg/l. Copyright © 2015 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

The mountains influence on Turkey Climate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sensoy, Serhat

2004-01-01

Since the Black sea mountains at the north of the country and the Taurus mountains in the south lay parallel to the seashore and rise very sharply rain clouds can not penetrate to the internal part of the country. Rain clouds drops most of their water on the slopes opposite the sea. As rain clouds pass over the mountains and reach Central Anatolia they have no significant capability of rain. For this reason, the Central Anatolia does not have very much precipitation. The difference between the rates of precipitation on the inner and outer slopes seems to be effective on the expansion of plants. For example, there is a subtropical climate prevailing on the Black sea shore between Sinop and Batum where precipitation is more than 1000-2000 mm yearly. Going from Sinop to the mouth of the Sakarya River the rate of precipitation goes down to 800-1250 mm in a year. Running from the Sakarya River to the western area covering Thrace the climate seems to be continental, and in the area dominant plant cover is of the Mediterranean type. Since the succession of the mountains in Western Anatolia lay perpendicular to the seashore, rain clouds penetrate towards the inner regions for about 400 km. The continental climate with long, dry and summer affects this area. In the Eastern region of Anatolia, since the elevation of the mountains exceeds 2500-3000 m, valleys are disorderly scattered and located at high elevations, and the northern Black sea mountains and Caucasian mountains hold the rain clouds, the area is effected by the continental climate with long and very cold winters. Consequently precipitation at the lgdir River goes down to 300 mm while it is 500-800 mm in most of areas and 1000-1500 mm in some regions towards northern Mu and Bingol provinces. As mentioned above, high mountains, which hold rain clouds, surround the Central Anatolia, which has caused drought in this region. In the central Anatolia covering Afyon, Eski hir, Ankara, Qankiri, Qorum, Amasya, Kayseri

Tarsal morphology of the pleuraspidotheriid mammal Hilalia from the middle Eocene of Turkey

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Gregoire Metais

2017-03-01

Full Text Available Pleuraspidotheriids are a group of primitive ungulate mammals that, until recently, were thought to be restricted to the late Paleocene of Western Europe. It has been hypothesized that this family actually survived in Central Anatolia until at least the middle Eocene. However, these anachronistically young Anatolian “survivors”, including the genus Hilalia, were previously documented mainly by dental remains. Here, we describe the previously unknown astragalus of Hilalia saribeya, which confirms the pleuraspidotheriid affinities of the genus, and supports phylogenetic reconstructions that place Hilalia as the sister group of Pleuraspidotherium. The morphology of the astragalus suggests sub-cursorial plantigrade locomotion for H. saribeya, although its tarsal morphology remains generalized enough that scansorial capabilities cannot be ruled out. The evolution of Hilalia is addressed in the context of the apparent geographic isolation of Central Anatolia during the Eocene. The endemic character of the mammalian fauna of Central Anatolia during the middle Eocene emphasizes how the complex paleogeography of the northern margin of Neotethys impacted local biotas in a region situated at the crossroads of very distinctive biogeographic zones.

Yaldiz et al., Afr J Tradit Complement Altern Med. (2015) 12(6):71-76

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Proff.Adewunmi

Background: Ocimum basilicum L., commonly known as sweet basil, is an important aromatic plant cultivated in many parts of the world for its essential oil. Basil does not show natural distribution in Turkey but they are cultivated as medicinal, seasoning or oil plants especially in the western and southern Anatolia. In this ...

Radiographic evaluation of third-molar development in relation to the chronological age of Turkish children in the southwest Eastern Anatolia region.

Science.gov (United States)

Karataş, Orhan H; Öztürk, Fırat; Dedeoğlu, Numan; Çolak, Cemil; Altun, Oğuzhan

2013-10-10

To study the chronological age of third-molar mineralisation of Turkish children from the southwest Eastern Anatolia region, the Demirjian staging method was used to determine the stage of the mineralisation of four third molars (18, 28, 38 and 48) and to compare third-molar development by sex and age with the results of previous studies. The study comprised 832 Turkish children from the southwest Eastern Anatolia region aged 6-16 years based on radiological evidence from digital orthopantomograms. The mean age of the 832 patients was 11.03±1.98 years, with 424 males (mean age, 10.97±1.97) and 408 females (mean age, 11.09±2.00). The orthopantomograms were scored by two observers. The Wilcoxon matched-pairs signed-rank test used to assess intra- and inter-observer assessment revealed strong agreement between both observers' measurements. Statistical analysis of the association between sex and age was performed with the Mann-Whitney U-test and the Wilcoxon test. Regression analysis was performed to obtain regression formulae for calculating the dental and the chronological age. The statistical analysis showed a strong correlation between age and third-molar development in males (R(2)=0.61) and females (R(2)=0.63). New equations (age=7.49+0.69, development stage (DS) 38+0.70, DS18) were derived for estimation of the chronological age. The results showed that there was no significant difference in mineralisation between 18 and 28 and 38 and 48 in males or females. For both sexes, the dental age was lower than the chronological age. Males reached the developmental stages earlier than females. In the whole population, the boys' and the girls' dental ages were 0.84 years and 0.16 years earlier, respectively, than their chronological ages. The use of third-molar teeth as a developmental marker is suitable, particularly when comparing the obtained standard deviation with other skeletal-age calculation techniques. Copyright © 2013 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights

Assessing the pollution risk of a groundwater source field at western Laizhou Bay under seawater intrusion

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zeng, Xiankui; Wu, Jichun; Wang, Dong; Zhu, Xiaobin

2016-01-01

Coastal areas have great significance for human living, economy and society development in the world. With the rapid increase of pressures from human activities and climate change, the safety of groundwater resource is under the threat of seawater intrusion in coastal areas. The area of Laizhou Bay is one of the most serious seawater intruded areas in China, since seawater intrusion phenomenon was firstly recognized in the middle of 1970s. This study assessed the pollution risk of a groundwater source filed of western Laizhou Bay area by inferring the probability distribution of groundwater Cl − concentration. The numerical model of seawater intrusion process is built by using SEAWAT4. The parameter uncertainty of this model is evaluated by Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation, and DREAM (ZS) is used as sampling algorithm. Then, the predictive distribution of Cl - concentration at groundwater source field is inferred by using the samples of model parameters obtained from MCMC. After that, the pollution risk of groundwater source filed is assessed by the predictive quantiles of Cl - concentration. The results of model calibration and verification demonstrate that the DREAM (ZS) based MCMC is efficient and reliable to estimate model parameters under current observation. Under the condition of 95% confidence level, the groundwater source point will not be polluted by seawater intrusion in future five years (2015–2019). In addition, the 2.5% and 97.5% predictive quantiles show that the Cl − concentration of groundwater source field always vary between 175 mg/l and 200 mg/l. - Highlights: • The parameter uncertainty of seawater intrusion model is evaluated by MCMC. • Groundwater source field won’t be polluted by seawater intrusion in future 5 years. • The pollution risk is assessed by the predictive quantiles of Cl − concentration

Assessing the pollution risk of a groundwater source field at western Laizhou Bay under seawater intrusion

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zeng, Xiankui; Wu, Jichun; Wang, Dong, E-mail: wangdong@nju.edu.cn; Zhu, Xiaobin

2016-07-15

Coastal areas have great significance for human living, economy and society development in the world. With the rapid increase of pressures from human activities and climate change, the safety of groundwater resource is under the threat of seawater intrusion in coastal areas. The area of Laizhou Bay is one of the most serious seawater intruded areas in China, since seawater intrusion phenomenon was firstly recognized in the middle of 1970s. This study assessed the pollution risk of a groundwater source filed of western Laizhou Bay area by inferring the probability distribution of groundwater Cl{sup −} concentration. The numerical model of seawater intrusion process is built by using SEAWAT4. The parameter uncertainty of this model is evaluated by Markov Chain Monte Carlo (MCMC) simulation, and DREAM{sub (ZS)} is used as sampling algorithm. Then, the predictive distribution of Cl{sup -} concentration at groundwater source field is inferred by using the samples of model parameters obtained from MCMC. After that, the pollution risk of groundwater source filed is assessed by the predictive quantiles of Cl{sup -} concentration. The results of model calibration and verification demonstrate that the DREAM{sub (ZS)} based MCMC is efficient and reliable to estimate model parameters under current observation. Under the condition of 95% confidence level, the groundwater source point will not be polluted by seawater intrusion in future five years (2015–2019). In addition, the 2.5% and 97.5% predictive quantiles show that the Cl{sup −} concentration of groundwater source field always vary between 175 mg/l and 200 mg/l. - Highlights: • The parameter uncertainty of seawater intrusion model is evaluated by MCMC. • Groundwater source field won’t be polluted by seawater intrusion in future 5 years. • The pollution risk is assessed by the predictive quantiles of Cl{sup −} concentration.

Unraveling the sources of ground level ozone in the Intermountain Western United States using Pb isotopes

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christensen, John N. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States); Weiss-Penzias, Peter [University of California at Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, CA (United States); Fine, Rebekka [University of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States); McDade, Charles E.; Trzepla, Krystyna [University of California at Davis, Crocker Nuclear Laboratory, Davis, CA (United States); Brown, Shaun T. [Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, CA (United States); Gustin, Mae Sexauer [University of Nevada, Reno, NV (United States)

2015-10-15

Ozone as an atmospheric pollutant is largely produced by anthropogenic precursors and can significantly impact human and ecosystem health, and climate. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has recently proposed lowering the ozone standard from 75 ppbv (MDA8 = Maximum Daily 8-Hour Average) to between 65 and 70 ppbv. This will result in remote areas of the Intermountain West that includes many U.S. National Parks being out of compliance, despite a lack of significant local sources. We used Pb isotope fingerprinting and back-trajectory analysis to distinguish sources of imported ozone to Great Basin National Park in eastern Nevada. During discrete Chinese Pb events (> 1.1 ng/m{sup 3} & > 80% Asian Pb) trans-Pacific transported ozone was 5 ± 5.5 ppbv above 19 year averages for those dates. In contrast, concentrations during regional transport from the Los Angeles and Las Vegas areas were 15 ± 2 ppbv above the long-term averages, and those characterized by high-altitude transport 3 days prior to sampling were 19 ± 4 ppbv above. However, over the study period the contribution of trans-Pacific transported ozone increased at a rate of 0.8 ± 0.3 ppbv/year, suggesting that Asian inputs will exceed regional and high altitude sources by 2015–2020. All of these sources will impact regulatory compliance with a new ozone standard, given increasing global background. - Highlights: • Ozone can significantly impact human and ecosystem health and climate. • Pb isotopes and back-trajectory analysis were used to distinguish sources of O{sub 3}. • Baseline concentrations in the Western US are ~ 54 ppbv. • During discrete Asia events O{sub 3} increased by 5 ± 5.5 ppbv and during S CA events by 15 ± 2 ppbv. • Data indicate that Asian ozone inputs will exceed other sources by 2015–2020.

Regional models of metal production in Western Asia in the Chalcolithic, Early and Middle Bronze Ages

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Avilova, Liudmila

2008-06-01

Full Text Available The objective of this work is the reconstruction and comparative analysis of regional models of metal production in the Chalcolithic, Early and Middle Bronze Ages. The work is based on the statistical analysis of unique computer database on archaeological metal finds from four regions of the Near East: Anatolia, Mesopotamia, the Levant, and Iran. The materials are analysed by four indicators: distribution by the chronological periods, artefacts’ function, proportion of used metals and copper- based alloys. The author presents a series of conclusions concerning the preconditions for the beginnings of metal production in Western Asia and the pioneering role of Iran in its emergence, the important role the piedmont territories played in the development of metal production, the leap-like pattern of production dynamics shown by the periods, and its relation to the spread of a producing economy, long-distance exchange, and the emergence of the early civilizations.

El objetivo de este trabajo es la reconstrucción y análisis comparativo de modelos regionales de producción metalúrgica del Calcolítico y la Edad del Bronce Inicial y Media. Se basa en el análisis estadístico de una base de datos única sobre hallazgos metálicos de cuatro regiones del Próximo Oriente: Anatolia, Mesopotamia, el Levante e Irán. Los materiales se analizan atendiendo a cuatro variables: períodos cronológicos, función de los artefactos, proporción de los metales usados y las distintas aleaciones del cobre. La autora aporta una serie de conclusiones respecto a las precondiciones para los inicios de la producción metalúrgica en el Oeste Asiático; sobre el papel pionero de Irán en su aparición; la importancia de los piedemontes en su desarrollo; el patrón no continuo que se observa en las dinámicas de producción por periodos; y su relación con la expansión de la economía de producción, el intercambio a larga distancia y la aparición de las

The Konya earthquakes of 10–11 September 2009 and soil conditions in Konya, Central Anatolia, Turkey

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R. Aksoy

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Earthquakes registering magnitudes M_d = 4.5 and 4.7 struck the city of Konya, Central Anatolia, on 10–11 September 2009, causing very slight damages. The earthquake epicenters were located at the east of Sille District along the Konya Fault Zone, a dip-slip fault. The nature and seismicity of the fault zone indicates that it is capable of producing earthquakes of moderate magnitudes. This paper summarizes the geologic data along the fault zone and documents groundwater conditions and analyzes borehole and geotechnical data of the Konya city. The residential area of the city covers an area of approximately 1150 square kilometers and consists almost entirely of flat land except for a small part of rugged land in the southwestern corner. Groundwater and geotechnical data were collected and analyzed to evaluate the liquefaction potential of deposits under the Konya city. This preliminary investigation indicates that areas for liquefaction are generally limited to the eastern and east central parts of the city.

THE RELATIONSHIP BETWEEN ORGANIZATIONAL COMMITMENT AND ORGANIZATIONAL CYNICISM AMONG HOTEL EMPLOYEES IN SOUTHEASTERN ANATOLIA REGION OF TURKEY

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Melih Aydin

2016-11-01

Full Text Available The aim of this study is to determine whether relationship occurs between organizational commitment and organizational cynicism attitudes among employees who were employed in five and four star hotels located in Southeastern Anatolia Region of Turkey and to affirm the extent of the relationship. According to the findings, there is a significant (negative relationship between three sub-dimensions of organizational cynicism (behavioral cynicism, affective cynicism and cognitive cynicism and organizational commitment. Multiple regression and correlation analysis were applied to analyze data and identify the relationship between organizational commitment and organizational cynicism. According to the findings of the research, it is revealed that, as the level of organizational cynicism arises, attitudes toward organizational commitment decrease. Those results are consistent with findings of the previous studies that employees with cynical attitudes exhibited lower commitment in the organization. The results of this research showed that hotel employees mostly experience cognitive cynicism among sub-dimensions of cynicism and they rarely experience affective cynicism. In conclusion, it is possible to assert that employees were with medium level of organizational cynicism and organizational commitment.

Exploring issues around Biblical, Western and African social values

African Journals Online (AJOL)

p1243322

African values in a comparative way, written from a South African perspective. Many other sources could .... prevailing value system found in most Western controlled companies and governments. ... Planning is for the future, Westerners devise contingency plans based ..... captures some of these smaller nuances. They use ...

Distribution of inhalant allergies in pediatric patients presenting with allergic complaints in the Eastern Anatolia Region.

Science.gov (United States)

Kilic, Mehmet; Taskin, Erdal

2016-08-01

The objective of this study was to define the distribution of inhalant allergens in pediatric patients in whom sensitization was diagnosed with a skin prick test (SPT) who had presented with allergic complaints. In addition, the correlation between the inhalant allergens detected on the SPT and the patients' demographic features, diagnosis, and laboratory findings was defined. A total of 1415 children among the 4056 patients who presented at a clinic in the Eastern Anatolia region with allergic complaints and who had undergone an SPT were included in this study. On the SPT, sensitization to grass pollens was found in 60.1%, cereals pollens in 57.2%, and Dermatophagoides farinae in 21.8% of the patients. Furthermore, on the SPT, incidence of asthma development was 3.96 times higher (odds ratio 3.96, 95% CI: 1.77-6.83; P=0.001) in patients who were allergic to Dermatophagoides farinae. In our study, differences were found in the study region compared to data from around the world and other regions in Turkey in terms of the distribution of allergies and variations in allergens in patients diagnosed due to variations in climate and plants.

Isolation, characterization and phylogenetic analysis of halophilic archaea from a salt mine in central Anatolia (Turkey).

Science.gov (United States)

Yildiz, Evrim; Ozcan, Birgul; Caliskan, Mahmut

2012-01-01

The haloarchaeal diversity of a salt mine, a natural cave in central Anatolia, was investigated using convential microbiological and molecular biology methods. Eight halophilic archaeal isolates selected based on their colony morphology and whole cell protein profiles were taxonomically classified on the basis of their morphological, physiological, biochemical properties, polar lipid and protein profiles and 16S rDNA sequences. From the 16S rDNA sequences comparisons it was established that the isolates CH2, CH3 and CHC resembled Halorubrum saccharovorum by 98.8%, 98.9% and 99.5%, respectively. There was a 99.7% similarity between the isolate CH11 and Halobacterium noricense and 99.2% between the isolate CHA1 and Haloarcula argentinensis. The isolate CH8K and CH8B revealed a similarity rate of 99.8% and 99.3% to Halococcus dombrowskii, respectively. It was concluded that the isolates named CH2, CH3 and CHC were clustered in the genus Halorubrum and that CHA1 and CH7 in the genus Haloarcula, CH8K and CH8B in the genus Halococcus and CH11 in the genus Halobacterium.

Origin, evolution and geothermometry of the thermal waters in the Gölemezli Geothermal Field, Denizli Basin (SW Anatolia, Turkey)

Science.gov (United States)

Alçiçek, Hülya; Bülbül, Ali; Brogi, Andrea; Liotta, Domenico; Ruggieri, Giovanni; Capezzuoli, Enrico; Meccheri, Marco; Yavuzer, İbrahim; Alçiçek, Mehmet Cihat

2018-01-01

The Gölemezli Geothermal Field (GGF) is one of the best known geothermal fields in western Anatolia (Turkey). The exploited fluids are of meteoric origin, mixed with deep magmatic fluids, which interacted with the metamorphic rocks of the Menderes Massif. The geothermal fluids are channeled along Quaternary faults belonging to the main normal faults system delimiting the northern side of the Denizli Basin and their associated transfer zones. In this study, hydrochemical and isotopic analyses of the thermal and cold waters allow us to determine water-rock interactions, fluid paths and mixing processes. Two groups of thermal waters have been distinguished: (i) Group 1A, comprising Na-SO4 type and Ca-SO4 type and (ii) Group 1B, only consisting Ca-HCO3 type waters. Differently, two groups were recognized in the cold waters: (i) Group 2A, corresponding to Ca-HCO3 type and (ii) Group 2B, including Mg-HCO3 type. Their geochemical characteristics indicate interactions with the Paleozoic metamorphic rocks of the Menderes Massif and with the Neogene lacustrine sedimentary rocks. Dissolution of host rock and ion-exchange reactions modify thermal water composition in the reservoir of the GGF. High correlation in some ionic ratios and high concentrations of some minor elements suggest an enhanced water-rock interaction. None of the thermal waters has been reached a complete chemical re-equilibrium, possibly as a result of mixing with cold water during their pathways. Geothermal reservoir temperatures are calculated in the range of 130-210°C for the Gölemezli field. Very negative δ18O and δ2H isotopic ratios are respectively between -8.37 and -8.13‰ and -61.09 and -59.34‰ for the SO4-rich thermal waters, and ca. - 8.40 and -8.32‰ and - 57.80 and -57.41‰ for the HCO3-rich thermal waters. Low tritium (link existing between fractures and fluid convection in the extensional settings. In this view, the GGF is a very good example of geothermal field associated to active

Patterns and sources of particle-phase aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons in urban and rural sites of western Greece

Science.gov (United States)

Kalaitzoglou, Maria; Terzi, Eleni; Samara, Constantini

Particle-bound aliphatic and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (AHs and PAHs, respectively) were determined in the ambient air of the Eordea basin, in western Greece, where intensive coal burning for power generation takes place. Thirteen PAHs, n-alkanes (C 14-C 35), hopanes, and isoprenoid hydrocarbons (pristane and phytane) were determined in the total suspended particles collected from the atmosphere of four sites within the basin receiving potential impacts from various sources, such as fly ash, coal mining, automobile traffic, domestic heating, and agricultural or refuse burning. The same organic species were also determined in the fly ash generated in power stations, and in particulate emissions from open burning of biomass (dry corn leaves) and refuse burning. Organic particle sources were resolved using concentration diagnostic ratios and factor analysis (FA). A multivariate statistical receptor model (Absolute Principal Component Analysis, APCA) was finally employed to estimate the contribution of identified sources to the measured concentrations of organic pollutants. Four major sources for ambient PAHs and AHs were identified displaying variable contribution in different sites: (a) fossil fuel combustion, (b) biogenic emissions, (c) refuse burning, and (d) oil residues. Fuel combustion was the major source of ambient PAHs and an important source of n-alkanes in the range C 21-C 28. Oil residues were found to be the major source of low molecular weight n-alkanes (particularly the C 14-C 16), and an important source of pristane, phytane and UCM. Biogenic sources were primarily responsible for the high molecular weight n-alkanes explaining almost the entire concentration levels of homologues >C 32. Biomass burning was particularly important for the C 23-C 26n-alkanes. Despite the vicinity of certain sampling sites to power stations, coal fly ash was not identifiable as a source for ambient PAHs and AHs.

Geophysical investigations of the Seferihisar geothermal area, Western Anatolia, Turkey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Drahor, Mahmut G.; Berge, Meric A. [Dokuz Eyluel University, Engineering Faculty, Department of Geophysics, Tinaztepe Campus, 35160 Buca-Izmir (Turkey)

2006-06-15

Self-potential (SP), magnetic and very low frequency electromagnetic (EM-VLF) surveys were carried out in the Seferihisar geothermal area to identify major and minor fault zones and characterize the geothermal system. The SP study provided useful information on the local faults and subsurface fluid flow. The main SP anomalies appear mostly along and near active fault zones in the area of the Cumali, Tuzla and Doganbey hot springs. Two of these anomalies near the Tuzla hot springs were further evaluated by SP modelling. Total magnetic field values increase from the Doganbey to the Cumali hot springs. Modelling performed on the magnetic data indicates that between these two spring areas are four different regions or units that can be distinguished on the basis of their magnetic susceptibility values. Fraser filtering of EM-VLF data also indicates that there are three significant conductive zones in the regions around the Cumali, Tuzla and Doganbey hot springs, and that they lie between important fault systems. The EM-VLF and total (stacked) SP data show that the conductive tilt anomalies obtained by Fraser filtering generally coincide with negative SP areas. According to our geophysical investigations, new exploratory wells should be drilled into the conductive zones located between the Cumali and Tuzla hot springs. We further recommend that resistivity and magnetotelluric methods be carried out in the area to obtain additional information on the Seferihisar geothermal system. (author)

Full vector archaeomagnetic records from Anatolia between 2400 and 1350 BCE: Implications for geomagnetic field models and the dating of fires in antiquity

Science.gov (United States)

Ertepinar, P.; Langereis, C. G.; Biggin, A. J.; de Groot, L. V.; Kulakoğlu, F.; Omura, S.; Süel, A.

2016-01-01

Anatolia, as one of the busiest crossroads of ancient civilizations, provides an ideal platform for archaeomagnetic studies. Previous results from the Middle East have suggested the occurrence of a strong peak in geomagnetic intensity at ∼1000 BCE associated with dramatic field strength variations that could require a radical rethinking of geodynamo theory. The behavior of the field in the centuries preceding this peak remains poorly constrained, however. Here we present the results of full-vector archaeomagnetic experiments performed on 18 sets of samples from three archaeological sites belonging to Assyrian Trade Colony and Hittite periods. Associated rock magnetic analyses showed that the major magnetic carrier is magnetite chemically stable up to 700 °C and the magnetic mineral assemblage is composed mostly of non-interacting PSD grains. The directional results are compared with existing data and with the most recent global geomagnetic field models pfm9k.1b and SHA.DIF.14k. The directions are in remarkably good agreement with SHA.DIF.14k which is based on archaeomagnetic and lava flow data. Together with our earlier results from Anatolia, we triple the existing database of directions for the 700 year long period 2200-1500 BCE, over a large region from Greece to Azerbaijan, and from Moldavia/Ukraine to Egypt. Three archaeointensity methods: thermal IZZI-Thellier, microwave Thellier and the multi-specimen protocol (MSP) produced virtual axial dipole moment estimates (9.0- 10.9 ×1022 Am2) that are somewhat higher than contemporaneous (regional and global) data and model predictions suggesting that the field was already substantially stronger than today more than 800 years prior to the reported peak. In addition to constraining geomagnetic variability, our data also allow us to assign relative dates to inferred fire events in the Assyrian Trade Colony Period sites. This allows us to conclude that the fire events at the largest site, Kültepe, were not all

Detrital Zircons From the Jack Hills and Mount Narryer, Western Australia: Geochronological, Morphological, and Geochemical Evidence for Diverse >4000 Ma Source Rocks

Science.gov (United States)

Crowley, J. L.; Myers, J. S.; Sylvester, P. J.; Cox, R. A.

2004-05-01

Detrital zircons from all major clastic units in the Jack Hills and Mount Narryer metasedimentary belts, Western Australia, were analyzed for morphology, internal zoning, inclusion mineralogy, age, and trace element concentrations (latter two obtained by laser-ablation microprobe ICPMS). The results show that zircons were derived from a wide diversity of rocks, including previously described, >4000 Ma grains that are older than any known terrestrial rocks. In three metaconglomerate samples from the western Jack Hills, 4200-3800 Ma zircons ("old grains") comprise 14% of the population, 3800-3600 Ma grains form only 2%, and 3550-3250 Ma zircons ("young grains") are dominant with a significant peak at 3380 Ma. Old and young grains are interpreted as being from similar rock types because they are indistinguishable in trace element concentrations, size (several hundred microns), morphology (subequant, typically fragmented), internal zoning (typically both oscillatory and sector), and U concentration (50-200 ppm). Many of these properties suggest an intermediate plutonic source, whereas an evolved granitic source was previously interpreted from rare-earth element and oxygen isotope data. Detrital zircons in quartzites and metaconglomerates at Mount Narryer differ significantly from zircons from the western Jack Hills. Old grains comprise only 3% (most of which are 4200-4100 Ma), 3800-3600 Ma zircons form 31%, and there are peaks at 3650, 3600, and 3500 Ma. Old and young grains have similar properties that suggest granitic sources, such as elongate prismatic morphology, oscillatory zoning, high U concentrations (100-600 ppm), and xenotime and monazite inclusions. Trace element concentrations are broadly similar to those in Jack Hills zircons, with notable exceptions being generally higher U, smaller Ce and Eu anomalies, and lower Nb/Ta. It is considered unlikely that Jack Hills zircons were derived from granitic gneisses that surround the metasedimentary belts because

Structural patterns of the Lake Erçek Basin, eastern Anatolia (Turkey): evidence from single-channel seismic interpretation

Science.gov (United States)

Toker, Mustafa; Tur, Hüseyin

2017-11-01

This study presents an analysis of the single-channel high-resolution shallow seismic reflection data from Lake Erçek, eastern Anatolia, to provide key information on the deformational elements, on the fault patterns and on the overall tectonic structure of the Lake Erçek Basin. High-resolution seismic data reveal major structural and deformational features, including N-S trending normal faults and W-E trending reverse faults bounding the Lake Erçek Basin, basement highs and folded structures along the marginal sections of the lake. The N-S trending normal faults asymmetrically control the steep western margin and the gentle eastern deltaic section, while the W-E trending reverse faults appear at the northern and southern margins. The N-S trending normal faults, half-graben structure, and the gradual thickening of sediments in the Erçek Basin toward the fault scarps strongly suggest an extensional tectonic regime resulting from an N-S compression. The Erçek Basin is an extension-controlled depocenter; it is a relatively undeformed and flat-lying deep Basin, forming a typical example of the half-graben structure. The N-S trending normal faults appear to be currently active and control the lake center and the E-delta section, resulting in subsidence in the lake floor. In the N- and S-margins of the lake, there is evidence of folding, faulting and accompanying block uplifting, suggesting a significant N-S compressional regime that results in the reverse faulting and basement highs along the marginal sections. The folding and faulting caused strong uplift of the basement blocks in the N- and S- margins, subsequently exposing the shelf and slope areas. The exposed areas are evident in the erosional unconformity of the surface of the basement highs and thinned sediments. The tilted basement strata and subsequent erosion over the basement block highs suggest prominent structural inversion, probably long before the formation of the lake. New high-resolution seismic

Mapping water availability, projected use and cost in the western United States

Science.gov (United States)

Tidwell, Vincent C.; Moreland, Barbara D.; Zemlick, Katie M.; Roberts, Barry L.; Passell, Howard D.; Jensen, Daniel; Forsgren, Christopher; Sehlke, Gerald; Cook, Margaret A.; King, Carey W.; Larsen, Sara

2014-05-01

New demands for water can be satisfied through a variety of source options. In some basins surface and/or groundwater may be available through permitting with the state water management agency (termed unappropriated water), alternatively water might be purchased and transferred out of its current use to another (termed appropriated water), or non-traditional water sources can be captured and treated (e.g., wastewater). The relative availability and cost of each source are key factors in the development decision. Unfortunately, these measures are location dependent with no consistent or comparable set of data available for evaluating competing water sources. With the help of western water managers, water availability was mapped for over 1200 watersheds throughout the western US. Five water sources were individually examined, including unappropriated surface water, unappropriated groundwater, appropriated water, municipal wastewater and brackish groundwater. Also mapped was projected change in consumptive water use from 2010 to 2030. Associated costs to acquire, convey and treat the water, as necessary, for each of the five sources were estimated. These metrics were developed to support regional water planning and policy analysis with initial application to electric transmission planning in the western US.

Research on supplying potential of uranium source from rocks in western provenance area of Hailaer basin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Xia Yuliang; Liu Hanbin; Chinese Academy of Geological Sciences, Beijing

2006-01-01

Using U-Pb isotope composition evolution, this paper expounds the initial uranium content in volcanic rocks of provenance area of Xihulitu basin and in granites of provenance area of Kelulun sag, western Hailaer basin. The initial uranium content (U 0 ) in volcanic rocks of provenance area is higher, the average initial uranium content of volcanic rocks is 10.061 x 10 -6 , the average uranium variation coefficient (ΔU) is -49.57%; the average initial uranium content of granites is 18.381 x 10 -6 , the average uranium variation coefficient (ΔU) is -80%. The results indicate that rocks in provenance area could provide the pre-enrichment of uranium in deposited sandstone. U-Ra equilibrium coefficients of rocks indicate that there is obvious U-Ra disequilibrium phenomenon in volcanic rocks, and the time when granites provided uranium source occurred 16000 a ago. (authors)

Effects of the "New Climate" warmed in North Africa and Western Mediterranean: the situation of recent meteorological droughts and floods

Science.gov (United States)

Karrouk, Mohammed-Said

2017-04-01

"New Climate" subjected to North Africa, Western Mediterranean and geoclimatic midlatitude space atmospheric effects of the new regime characterized by the supremacy of the meridian circulation (MAC: Meridian Atmospheric Circulation), by alternating cool conditions (humidity) heat (drought) along the year, and imposes situation of anxiety and perplexity vis-a-vis their socio-economic activities; shoved agricultural calendar, hesitant policymakers, uncertainty and waiting, ... etc. The recent example of the fall-winter 2015-2016 is indicative of the conditions that have left a deep psychological imprint on economic and social Moroccans. During this period, the summer heat has extended to the end of autumn and even winter. And precipitation contracted by more than 51% of accumulated rainfall autumn, compared with the same period a normal year. A slowdown in economic growth has been felt since last December and was extended until the rains return (and snow!) In mid February 2016. Weather conditions during this period were marked by the succession and persistence of very active planetary peaks, projected to the northern borders of Western Europe (Heat Christmas 2015!), Rejecting the negative waves to the east: Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, the Balkans, Anatolia, and even the Middle East. These conditions are the consequences of the "New Climate" warmed, strengthened by the strong El Niño event in 2015 decennial. The identification of hemispheric and regional climate mechanisms of these atmospheric regime systems based on energy balance and atmospheric circulation will be defined, with links of cause and effect, in view of integrating these characters to extreme events in the New Climate Warmed.

Aphandra natalia(Arecaceae – a little known source of piassaba fibers from the western Amazon

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mette Kronborg

2014-03-01

Full Text Available Aphandra natalia(Balslev & Henderson Barfod is a multipurpose palm that is exploited both commercially and for subsistence purposes. Its fibers are important in Peruvian and Ecuadorean broom industries and support many people economically. In Brazil, it is found in the western part of Acre, where it is the main source for a local broom market. Data from fieldwork in Peru (2007 suggests that the variation in gross profit per kilogram of fiber is considerable among the different segments in the broom industry. Harvesters and distributors earn negligible amounts of money whereas manufacturers reap of the major part of the earnings. Fiber extraction appears to be sustainable in Ecuador and in some parts of Peru, whereas in other parts of Peru unsustainable harvest occurs, involving felling of entire palm trees for the harvest of fibers. The same destructive extraction method is used in Brazil, where the palm is becoming rare in its natural distribution area.

Investigation of dust storms entering Western Iran using remotely sensed data and synoptic analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Boloorani, Ali D; Nabavi, Seyed O; Bahrami, Hosain A; Mirzapour, Fardin; Kavosi, Musa; Abasi, Esmail; Azizi, Rasoul

2014-01-01

One of the natural phenomena which have had considerable impacts on various regions of the world, including Iran, is "dust storm". In recent years, this phenomenon has taken on new dimensions in Iran and has changed from a local problem to a national issue. This study is an attempt to investigate the formation of the dust storms crossing the Western Iran. To find the sources of the dust storms entering Iran, first we examine three determined dust paths in the region and their temporal activities, using MODIS satellite images. Then, four regions were identified as dust sources through soil, land cover and wind data. Finally, atmospheric analyses are implemented to find synoptic patterns inducing dust storms. Source 1 has covered the region between the eastern banks of Euphrates and western banks of Tigris. Source 2 is in desert area of western and south-western Iraq. Finally source 3 is bounded in eastern and south-eastern deserts of Saudi Arabia called Rub-Al-Khali desert, or Empty Quarter. Moreover, south-eastern part of Iraq (source 4) was also determined as a secondary source which thickens the dust masses originating from the above mentioned sources. The study of synoptic circulations suggests that the dust storms originating from source 1 are formed due to the intense pressure gradient between the low-pressure system of Zagros and a high-pressure cell formed on Mediterranean Sea. The dust events in sources 2 and 3 are outcomes of the atmospheric circulations dominant in the cold period of the year in mid-latitudes.

Long-range transport and mixing of aerosol sources during the 2013 North American biomass burning episode: analysis of multiple lidar observations in the western Mediterranean basin

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Ancellet

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Long-range transport of biomass burning (BB aerosols between North America and the Mediterranean region took place in June 2013. A large number of ground-based and airborne lidar measurements were deployed in the western Mediterranean during the Chemistry-AeRosol Mediterranean EXperiment (ChArMEx intensive observation period. A detailed analysis of the potential North American aerosol sources is conducted including the assessment of their transport to Europe using forward simulations of the FLEXPART Lagrangian particle dispersion model initialized using satellite observations by MODIS and CALIOP. The three-dimensional structure of the aerosol distribution in the ChArMEx domain observed by the ground-based lidars (Minorca, Barcelona and Lampedusa, a Falcon-20 aircraft flight and three CALIOP tracks, agrees very well with the model simulation of the three major sources considered in this work: Canadian and Colorado fires, a dust storm from western US and the contribution of Saharan dust streamers advected from the North Atlantic trade wind region into the westerlies region. Four aerosol types were identified using the optical properties of the observed aerosol layers (aerosol depolarization ratio, lidar ratio and the transport model analysis of the contribution of each aerosol source: (i pure BB layer, (ii weakly dusty BB, (iii significant mixture of BB and dust transported from the trade wind region, and (iv the outflow of Saharan dust by the subtropical jet and not mixed with BB aerosol. The contribution of the Canadian fires is the major aerosol source during this episode while mixing of dust and BB is only significant at an altitude above 5 km. The mixing corresponds to a 20–30 % dust contribution in the total aerosol backscatter. The comparison with the MODIS aerosol optical depth horizontal distribution during this episode over the western Mediterranean Sea shows that the Canadian fire contributions were as large as the direct

Miocene transgression in the central and eastern parts of the Sivas Basin (Central Anatolia, Turkey) and the Cenozoic palaeogeographical evolution

Science.gov (United States)

Poisson, André; Vrielynck, Bruno; Wernli, Roland; Negri, Alessandra; Bassetti, Maria-Angela; Büyükmeriç, Yesim; Özer, Sacit; Guillou, Hervé; Kavak, Kaan S.; Temiz, Haluk; Orszag-Sperber, Fabienne

2016-01-01

We present here a reappraisal of the tectonic setting, stratigraphy and palaeogeography of the central part of the Sivas Basin from Palaeocene to late Miocene. The Sivas Basin is located in the collision zone between the Pontides (southern Eurasia) and Anatolia (a continental block rifted from Gondwana). The basin overlies ophiolites that were obducted onto Anatolia from Tethys to the north. The Central Anatolian Crystalline Complex (CACC) experienced similar ophiolite obduction during Campanian time, followed by exhumation and thrusting onto previously emplaced units during Maastrichtian time. To the east, crustal extension related to exhumation of the CACC created grabens during the early Tertiary, including the Sivas Basin. The Sivas Basin underwent several tectonic events during Paleogene-Neogene. The basin fill varies, with several sub-basins, each being characterised by a distinctive sequence, especially during Oligocene and Miocene. Evaporite deposition in the central part of the basin during early Oligocene was followed by mid-late Oligocene fluvio-lacustrine deposition. The weight of overlying fluvial sediments triggered salt tectonics and salt diapir formation. Lacustrine layers that are interbedded within the fluviatile sediments have locally yielded charophytes of late Oligocene age. Emergent areas including the pre-existing Sivas Basin and neighbouring areas were then flooded from the east by a shallow sea, giving rise to a range of open-marine sub-basins, coralgal reef barriers and subsiding, restricted-marine sub-basins. Utilising new data from foraminifera, molluscs, corals and nannoplankton, the age of the marine transgression is reassessed as Aquitanian. Specifically, age-diagnostic nannoplankton assemblages of classical type occur at the base of the transgressive sequence. However, classical stratigraphic markers have not been found within the planktic foraminiferal assemblages, even in the open-marine settings. In the restricted-marine sediments

Geochemistry of travertine deposits in the Eastern Anatolia District: an example of the Karakoçan-Yoğunağaç (Elazığ) and Mazgirt-Dedebağ (Tunceli) travertines, Turkey

OpenAIRE

KALENDER, LEYLA; OKAN, ÖZLEM ÖZTEKİN; İNCEÖZ, MURAT; ÇETİNDAĞ, BAHATTİN; YILDIRIM, VESİLE

2015-01-01

The Karakoçan-Yoğunağaç (Elazığ) and Mazgirt-Dedebağ (Tunceli) travertines, which are related to thermal springs, are situated on the right-lateral strike-slip Karakoçan Fault Zone (KFZ) and left-lateral strike-slip Pamuklu Fault Zone (PFZ) in eastern Anatolia. The surface area of the travertines varies from m2 to km2. Morphologically, the travertines are classified as ridge, banded, and terrace types due to deposition in different ways, in the releasing/restraining bends of the KFZ and PFZ a...

Outbreak of Sporotrichosis, Western Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Feeney, Kynan T.; Whittle, Amanda J.; Altman, Shelley A.; Speers, David J.

2007-01-01

A cluster of sporotrichosis cases occurred in the Busselton-Margaret River region of Western Australia from 2000 to 2003. Epidemiologic investigation and mycologic culture for Sporothrix schenckii implicated hay initially distributed through a commercial hay supplier as the source of the outbreak. Declining infection rates have occurred after various community measures were instigated. PMID:17953099

Detection and identification of cutaneous leishmaniasis isolates by culture, Polymerase chain reaction and sequence analyses in Syrian and Central Anatolia patients.

Science.gov (United States)

Beyhan, Yunus E; Karakus, Mehmet; Karagoz, Alper; Mungan, Mesut; Ozkan, Aysegul T; Hokelek, Murat

2017-09-01

To characterize the cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) isolates of Syrian and Central Anatolia patients at species levels. Methods: Skin scrapings of 3 patients (2 Syrian, 1 Turkish) were taken and examined by direct examination, culture in Novy-MacNeal-Nicole (NNN) medium, internal transcribed spacer polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis (PCR). Results:According to microscopic examination, culture and PCR methods, 3 samples were detected positive. The sequencing results of all isolates in the study were identified as Leishmania tropica. The same genotypes were detected in the 3 isolates and nucleotide sequence submitted into GenBank with the accession number: KP689599. Conclusion: This finding could give information about the transmission of CL between Turkey and Syria. Because of the Syrian civil war, most of the Syrian citizens circulating in Turkey and different part of Europe, this can be increase the risk of spreading the disease. So, prevention measurements must be taken urgently.

Detection and identification of cutaneous leishmaniasis isolates by culture, Polymerase chain reaction and sequence analyses in Syrian and Central Anatolia patients

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yunus E. Beyhan

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Objectives: To characterize the cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL isolates of Syrian and Central Anatolia patients at species levels. Methods: Skin scrapings of 3 patients (2 Syrian, 1 Turkish were taken and examined by direct examination, culture in Novy-MacNeal-Nicole (NNN medium, internal transcribed spacer polymerase chain reaction and sequence analysis (PCR. Results:According to microscopic examination, culture and PCR methods, 3 samples were detected positive. The sequencing results of all isolates in the study were identified as Leishmania tropica. The same genotypes were detected in the 3 isolates and nucleotide sequence submitted into GenBank with the accession number: KP689599. Conclusion: This finding could give information about the transmission of CL between Turkey and Syria. Because of the Syrian civil war, most of the Syrian citizens circulating in Turkey and different part of Europe, this can be increase the risk of spreading the disease. So, prevention measurements must be taken urgently.

GEOLOGICAL FEATURES OF NEOGENE BASINS HOSTING BORATE DEPOSITS: AN OVERVIEW OF DEPOSITS AND FUTURE FORECAST, TURKEY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Cahit HELVACI

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The geometry, stratigraphy, tectonics and volcanic components of the borate bearing Neogene basins in western Anatolia offer some important insights into on the relationship between basin evolution, borate formation and mode of extension in western Anatolia. Some of the borate deposits in NE-SW trending basins developed along the İzmir-Balıkesir Transfer Zone (İBTZ (e.g. Bigadiç, Sultançayır and Kestelek basins, and other deposits in the NE-SW trending basins which occur on the northern side of the Menderes Core Complex (MCC are the Selendi and Emet basins. The Kırka borate deposit occurs further to the east and is located in a completely different geological setting and volcanostratigraphic succession. Boron is widely distributed; including in soil and water, plants and animals. The element boron does not exist freely by itself in nature, but rather it occurs in combination with oxygen and other elements in salts, commonly known as borates. Approximately 280 boron-bearing minerals have been identified, the most common being sodium, calcium and magnesium salts. Four main continental metallogenic borate provinces are recognized at a global scale. They are located in Anatolia (Turkey, California (USA, Central Andes (South America and Tibet (Central Asia. The origin of borate deposits is related to Cenozoic volcanism, thermal spring activity, closed basins and arid climate. Borax is the major commercial source of boron, with major supplies coming from Turkey, USA and Argentina. Colemanite is the main calcium borate and large scale production is restricted to Turkey. Datolite and szaibelyite are confined to Russia and Chinese sources. Four Main borax (tincal deposits are present in Anatolia (Kırka, California (Boron, and two in the Andes (Tincalayu and Loma Blanca. Kırka, Boron and Loma Blanca have similarities with regard to their chemical and mineralogical composition of the borate minerals. Colemanite deposits with/without probertite and

Unclassified Source Term and Radionuclide Data for the Groundwater Flow and Contaminant Transport Model of Corrective Action Units 101 and 102: Central and Western Pahute Mesa, Nye County, Nevada, Revision 0

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

McCord, John

2004-08-01

This report documents the evaluation of the information and data available on the unclassified source term and radionuclide contamination for Central and Western Pahute Mesa: Corrective Action Units (CAUs) 101 and 102.

Oil and gas competition in Western Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Carrie, J.L.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that in Western Europe, the competition between oil and gas began on a large scale during the 1960s. Indeed, natural gas accounted for only 2 percent of Western Europe's energy consumption in 1960 and for already 7 percent in 1970. It now accounts for about 17 percent. Almost all of this increase took place at the detriment of oil products. The competition between those two energy sources has resulted in the development of natural gas supply on one hand, and in several political and economic factors on the other

Determination of Selenium and Nickel in Asphaltite from Milli (Sirnak) Deposit in SE Anatolia of Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Aydin, Isil; Fidan, Celal; Kavak, Orhan; Erek, Figen; Aydin, Firat

2017-12-01

Asphaltite is one of the naturally occurring black, solid bitumen’s, which are soluble at heating in carbon disulphide band fuse. Asphaltite is also a solidified hydro carbon compound derived from petroleum [1]. According to the World Energy Council, Turkish National Committee (1998), the total reserve of the asphaltic substances that are found in south eastern Turkey is about 82 million tons, with Silopi and Sirnak reserves to get her comprising the major part of the Asphaltite deposits. Selenium and Nickel are very important elements both environmental and health. Selenium plays an important role in the formation of the enzyme antioxidant effect in the cell. The need for Selenium increases in situations such as pregnancy, menopause, grow than development, air pollution. Nickel is used for preventing iron-poor blood, increasing iron absorption, and treating weak bones. In this study, asphaltites were taken from Milli vein from Sirnak deposit in SE Anatolia of Turkey. A total of 6.500.000 tons of Asphaltite reserves have been identified as asphaltites in Milli (Sirnak). The sample preparation method was developed in Asphaltite by spectroanalytical techniques, wet acid digestion. MW-AD followed by ICP-OES were used for the determination of Selenium and Nickel in Asphaltite. Proximate analysis of Asphaltite fly ash samples was made. It also, Selenium and Nickel element analysis in Asphaltite were made.

Genetic Diversity Among Historical Olive (Olea europaea L.) Genotypes from Southern Anatolia Based on SSR Markers.

Science.gov (United States)

Sakar, Ebru; Unver, Hulya; Ercisli, Sezai

2016-12-01

Olive (Olea europaea) is an ancient and important crop in both olive oil production and table use. It is important to identify the genetic diversity of olive genetic resources for cultivar development and evaluation of olive germplasm. In the study, 14 microsatellite markers (UDO4, UDO8, UDO9, UDO11, UDO12, UDO22, UDO24, UDO26, UDO28, DCA9, DCA11, DCA13, DCA15, and DCA18) were used to assess the genetic variation on 76 olive (Olea europaea L.) genotypes from Mardin province together with 6 well-known Turkish and 4 well-known foreign reference cultivars. All microsatellite markers showed polymorphism and the number of alleles varied between 9 and 22, with an average of 14.57. The most informative loci were DCA 11 (22 alleles) and DCA 9 (21 alleles). Dendrogram based on genetic distances was constructed for the 86 olive genotypes/cultivars, which revealed the existence of different clusters. The high genetic similarity was evident between Bakırkire2 and Zinnar5 (0.74) genotypes, while the most genetically divergent genotypes were Gürmeşe5 and Yedikardeşler2 (0.19). It was concluded that there was abundant SSR polymorphism in olive germplasm in southern Anatolia in Turkey and could be important for future breeding activities.

A constrained African craton source for the Cenozoic Numidian Flysch: Implications for the palaeogeography of the western Mediterranean basin

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, M. F. H.; Bodin, S.; Redfern, J.; Irving, D. H. B.

2010-07-01

The provenance of the Numidian Flysch in the western Mediterranean remains a controversial subject which hinders understanding of this regionally widespread depositional system. The Numidian Flysch is a deep marine formation dated as Oligocene to Miocene which outcrops throughout the Maghreb and into Italy. Evidence that is widely used for provenance analysis has not previously been reviewed within the context of the Maghrebian Flysch Basin as a whole. The structural location within the Alpine belt indicates deposition proximal to the African margin, while the uniformity of the Numidian Flysch petrofacies suggests a single cratonic source, in stark contrast to heterolithic and immature flysch formations from the north of the basin. Detrital zircon ages constrain a source region with Pan-African and Eburnian age rocks, unaffected by either Hercynian or Alpine tectonic events, which precludes the European basement blocks to the north of the basin. Palaeocurrent trends which suggest a northern source are unreliable given foreland basin analogues and observed structural complications. An African craton source remains the only viable option once these data are reviewed in their entirety, and the Numidian Flysch therefore represents a major Cenozoic drainage system on the North African margin. Deposition is concurrent with regional Atlas uplift phases, and coincidental with globally cooling climates and high sea levels. The Numidian Flysch is therefore interpreted to represent a highstand passive margin deposit, with timing of deposition controlled primarily by hinterland uplift and climatic fluctuations.

Indigenous Ecological Knowledge and Modern Western Ecological ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Indigenous knowledge is often dismissed as 'traditional and outdated', and hence irrelevant to modern ecological assessment. This theoretical paper critically examines the arguments advanced to elevate modern western ecological knowledge over indigenous ecological knowledge, as well as the sources and uses of ...

Late Archaean-early Proterozoic source ages of zircons in rocks from the Paleozoic orogen of western Galicia, NW Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kuijper, R P; Priem, H N.A. [Laboratorium voor Isotopen-Geologie, Amsterdam (Netherlands); Den Tex, E [Rijksuniversiteit Utrecht (Netherlands). Inst. voor Aardwetenschappen

1982-08-01

U-Pb data are reported for nine suites of zircons and three monazites from the Paleozoic orogen in western Galicia: one paragneiss and six orthogneisses from the early Paleozoic basement, and two Carboniferous (ca. 310 Ma old) intrusions of two-mica granite. New whole-rock Rb-Sr analyses, along with earlier data, indicate an age of ca. 470-440 Ma (Ordovician) for the emplacement of the granitic precursors of the orthogneisses. Monazite from the paragneiss also yields an U-Pb age of ca. 470 Ma. From the high initial /sup 87/Sr//sup 86/Sr ratios an involvement of Precambrian continental crust material is evident in the generation of the early Paleozoic suite of granites, while the zircon U-Pb data give evidence of the presence of about 3.0-2.0 Ga old (late Archaean-early Proterozoic) components in the source material. Zircons from the oldest sedimentary rocks in the area, now present as catazonal paragneisses and a likely source for the granites, likewise reveal a provenance age of 3.0-2.0 Ga.

Sources and deposition of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons to western US national parks

Science.gov (United States)

Seasonal snowpack, lichens, and lake sediment cores were collected from fourteen lake catchments in eight western U.S. National Parks and analyzed for sixteen polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) to determine their current and historical deposition, as well as to identify thei...

Smilax (Smilacaceae) from the Miocene of western Eurasia with Caribbean biogeographic affinities.

Science.gov (United States)

Denk, Thomas; Velitzelos, Dimitrios; Güner, H Tuncay; Ferrufino-Acosta, Lilian

2015-03-01

• Recent molecular studies provide a phylogenetic framework and some dated nodes for the monocot genus Smilax. The Caribbean Havanensis group of Smilax is part of a well-supported "New World clade" with a few disjunct taxa in the Old World. Although the fossil record of the genus is rich, it has been difficult to assign fossil taxa to extant groups based on their preserved morphological characters.• Leaf fossils from Europe and Asia Minor were studied comparatively and put into a phylogenetic and biogeographic context using a molecular phylogeny of the genus.• Fossils from the early Miocene of Anatolia represent a new species of Smilax with systematic affinities with the Havanensis group. The leaf type encountered in the fossil species is exclusively found in species of the Havanensis group among all modern Smilax. Scattered fossils of this type from the Miocene of Greece and Austria, previously referred to Quercus (Fagaceae), Ilex (Aquifoliaceae), and Mahonia (Berberidaceae) also belong to the new species.• The new Smilax provides first fossil evidence of the Havanensis group and proves that this group had a western Eurasian distribution during the Miocene. The age of the fossils is in good agreement with the (molecular-based) purported split between the Havanensis and Hispida groups within Smilax. The Miocene Smilax provides evidence that all four subclades within the "New World clade" had a disjunct intercontinental distribution during parts of the Neogene involving trans-Atlantic crossings (via floating islands or the North Atlantic land bridge) and the Beringia land bridge. © 2015 Botanical Society of America, Inc.

LiDAR-guided Archaeological Survey of a Mediterranean Landscape: Lessons from the Ancient Greek Polis of Kolophon (Ionia, Western Anatolia).

Science.gov (United States)

Grammer, Benedikt; Draganits, Erich; Gretscher, Martin; Muss, Ulrike

2017-01-01

In 2013, an airborne laser scan survey was conducted in the territory of the Ionian city of Kolophon near the western coast of modern Turkey as part of an archaeological survey project carried out by the Mimar Sinan University of Istanbul (Turkey) and the University of Vienna (Austria). Several light detection and ranging (LiDAR) studies have been carried out in the temperate climate zones of Europe, but only a few in Mediterranean landscapes. Our study is based on the first LiDAR survey carried out for an archaeological purpose in Turkey and one of the first in the Mediterranean that have been planned, measured and filtered especially for archaeological research questions. The interpretation of LiDAR data combined with ground-observations proved extremely useful for the detection and documentation of archaeological remains below Mediterranean evergreen vegetation and dense maquis. This article deals with the methodological aspects of interpreting LiDAR data, using the Kolophon data as a case study. We offer a discussion of the strengths and limitations of LiDAR as an archaeological remote sensing method and suggest a best practice model for interpreting LiDAR data in a Mediterranean context. © 2017 The Authors. Archaeological Prospection published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Toad radiation reveals into-India dispersal as a source of endemism in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot

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Bossuyt Franky

2009-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background High taxonomic level endemism in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka biodiversity hotspot has been typically attributed to the subcontinent's geological history of long-term isolation. Subsequent out of – and into India dispersal of species after accretion to the Eurasian mainland is therefore often seen as a biogeographic factor that 'diluted' the composition of previously isolated Indian biota. However, few molecular studies have focussed on into-India dispersal as a possible source of endemism on the subcontinent. Using c. 6000 base pairs of mitochondrial and nuclear DNA, we investigated the evolutionary history and biogeography of true toads (Bufonidae, a group that colonized the Indian Subcontinent after the Indo-Asia collision. Results Contrary to previous studies, Old World toads were recovered as a nested clade within New World Bufonidae, indicating a single colonization event. Species currently classified as Ansonia and Pedostibes were both recovered as being non-monophyletic, providing evidence for the independent origin of torrential and arboreal ecomorphs on the Indian subcontinent and in South-East Asia. Our analyses also revealed a previously unrecognized adaptive radiation of toads containing a variety of larval and adult ecomorphs. Molecular dating estimates and biogeographic analyses indicate that the early diversification of this clade happened in the Western Ghats and Sri Lanka during the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene. Conclusion Paleoclimate reconstructions have shown that the Early Neogene of India was marked by major environmental changes, with the transition from a zonal- to the current monsoon-dominated climate. After arrival in the Western Ghats-Sri Lanka hotspot, toads diversified in situ, with only one lineage able to successfully disperse out of these mountains. Consequently, higher taxonomic level endemism on the Indian Subcontinent is not only the result of Cretaceous isolation, but also of invasion

Geothermal Energy Potential in Western United States

Science.gov (United States)

Pryde, Philip R.

1977-01-01

Reviews types of geothermal energy sources in the western states, including hot brine systems and dry steam systems. Conversion to electrical energy is a major potential use of geothermal energy, although it creates environmental disruptions such as noise, corrosion, and scaling of equipment. (AV)

Within-plate Cenozoic Volcanism and Mantle Sources Within The Western-central Mediterranean Area

Science.gov (United States)

Beccaluva, L.; Bianchini, G.; Bonadiman, C.; Coltorti, M.; Siena, F.

An integrated study of anorogenic basic magmas and entrained mantle xenoliths rep- resents a promising approach for a comprehension of the magmatogenic events occur- ring within the lithospheric mantle in the western-central Mediterranean area. In this contribution we review the geochemical characteristics of mafic lavas and associated peridotite xenoliths from three anorogenic volcanic districts: Pliocene-Quaternary vol- canism of Sardinia; Pliocene-Quaternary volcanism of the Iblean area (eastern Sicily); Paleocene-Oligocene Veneto Volcanic Province. Investigations have been focused on 1) petrological features of parental magmas, which may contribute to infer the com- positional characteristics of mantle sources and to constrain the modes of partial melt- ing; 2) modelling the depletion events and metasomatic enrichments in mantle xeno- liths of the three volcanic districts, as well as the nature of their causative agents. Petrological features and Sr-Nd-Pb isotopic data, both of lava and xenoliths, indicate that DM+HIMU components distinguish the lithospheric mantle sections of Iblean and Veneto Volcanic Provinces. On the other hand, lavas and xenoliths from Sardinia display a significant different isotopic signature characterised by DM+EM1. Similar geochemical fingerprints, i.e. the significant presence of EM components are gener- ally recorded by mafic lavas and mantle xenoliths from the European Plate, whereas they are not observed in the stable African lithospheric domain.

Antibiotic Susceptibility of Coagulase-Negative Staphylococci Isolated from Bovine Subclinical Mastitis in Turkey

OpenAIRE

Beytullah Kenar*, Yahya Kuyucuoğlu and Esra Şeker

2012-01-01

A total of 572 California Mastitis Test (CMT) positive milk samples were collected from 423 lactating cows on 18 private farms in the Middle Western Anatolia. Coagulase–negative staphylococci colonies and CNS species identification was performed based on conventional biochemical techniques and using the API Staph test. Slime production was detected by Congo Red Agar (CRA) method. The antibiotic susceptibility was determined according to the National Committee for Clinical Laboratory Standards...

Source Parameters from Full Moment Tensor Inversions of Potentially Induced Earthquakes in Western Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, R.; Gu, Y. J.; Schultz, R.; Kim, A.; Chen, Y.

2015-12-01

During the past four years, the number of earthquakes with magnitudes greater than three has substantially increased in the southern section of Western Canada Sedimentary Basin (WCSB). While some of these events are likely associated with tectonic forces, especially along the foothills of the Canadian Rockies, a significant fraction occurred in previously quiescent regions and has been linked to waste water disposal or hydraulic fracturing. A proper assessment of the origin and source properties of these 'induced earthquakes' requires careful analyses and modeling of regional broadband data, which steadily improved during the past 8 years due to recent establishments of regional broadband seismic networks such as CRANE, RAVEN and TD. Several earthquakes, especially those close to fracking activities (e.g. Fox creek town, Alberta) are analyzed. Our preliminary full moment tensor inversion results show maximum horizontal compressional orientations (P-axis) along the northeast-southwest orientation, which agree with the regional stress directions from borehole breakout data and the P-axis of historical events. The decomposition of those moment tensors shows evidence of strike-slip mechanism with near vertical fault plane solutions, which are comparable to the focal mechanisms of injection induced earthquakes in Oklahoma. Minimal isotropic components have been observed, while a modest percentage of compensated-linear-vector-dipole (CLVD) components, which have been linked to fluid migraition, may be required to match the waveforms. To further evaluate the non-double-couple components, we compare the outcomes of full, deviatoric and pure double couple (DC) inversions using multiple frequency ranges and phases. Improved location and depth information from a novel grid search greatly assists the identification and classification of earthquakes in potential connection with fluid injection or extraction. Overall, a systematic comparison of the source attributes of

Radioactivity measurements in epiphytic lichens of Uludag Mountain in Western Anatolia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ayseguel Kahraman; Goekay Kaynak; Gizem Akkaya; Orhan Guerler; Sezai Yalcin

2013-01-01

Activity concentrations of gross-β, naturally occurring 226 Ra, 232 Th, 210 Pb, 7 Be and anthropogenic 137 Cs in epiphytic lichens collected from Uludag Mountain are presented and discussed with the aim of evaluating potential usability of lichens as a biomonitor. The activity concentrations of gross-β, 137 Cs, 40 K, 226 Ra, 232 Th, 210 Pb and 7 Be in the lichen samples were found to be in the range of 177-707, 4.05-94.26, 86-211, below detection limit (BDL)-19.2, BDL-14.0, 229-872, and 72.1-220.7 Bq kg -1 in dry weight, respectively. 137 Cs content in collected epiphytic lichens was in descending order: Parmelia sulcata > Lobaria pulmonaria > Pseudevernia furfuracea > Usnea filipendula. The best biomonitor for 137 Cs among the lichen species used in this study was determined as Parmelia sulcata. Pearson's correlation coefficient was calculated between 137 Cs and 40 K activity concentrations using a statistical package program (SPSS ver. 17.0) and a negative correlation value (R = -0,323, p = 0,222) was obtained. The highest 226 Ra and 232 Th activity concentrations were found in Bogazova Yaylasi which has a geological structure including granitic rocks. It was found that 137 Cs and 7 Be activity concentrations in species demonstrated an inverse behaviour. The effect of mean annual precipitation and temperature on 7 Be activity concentration was determined using multi regression analysis. Also, correlations between the 137 Cs and 7 Be, and 40 K and 7 Be were investigated. (author)

Soil application of an encapsulated CO2 source and its potential for management of western corn rootworm larvae.

Science.gov (United States)

Schumann, M; Patel, A; Vidal, S

2014-02-01

Western corn rootworm (Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte) larvae use carbon dioxide (CO2) to locate the roots of their hosts. This study investigated whether an encapsulated CO2 source (CO2-emitting capsules) is able to outcompete CO2 gradients established by corn root respiration in the soil. Furthermore, the following two management options with the capsules were tested in semifield experiments (0.5- to 1-m2 greenhouse plots): the disruption of host location and an "attract-and-kill" strategy in which larvae were lured to a soil insecticide (Tefluthrin) between the corn rows. The attract-and-kill strategy was compared with an application of Tefluthrin in the corn rows (conventional treatment) at 33 and 18% of the standard field application rate. Application of the CO2-emitting capsules 30 cm from the plant base increased CO2 levels near the application point for up to 20 d with a peak at day 10. Both the disruption of host location and an attract-and-kill strategy caused a slight but nonsignificant reduction in larval densities. The disruption of host location caused a 17% reduction in larval densities, whereas an attract-and-kill strategy with Tefluthrin added at 33 and 18% of the standard application rate caused a 24 and 27% reduction in larval densities, respectively. As presently formulated, the CO2-emitting capsules, either with or without insecticide, do not provide adequate control of western corn rootworm.

Effects of the "New Climate" warmed in Northern Africa and Western Europe: the situation of meteorological drought and floods 2015-2016

Science.gov (United States)

Karrouk, M. S.

2016-12-01

"New Climate" subjected to North Africa, Western Europe and geoclimatic midlatitude space atmospheric effects of the new regime characterized by the supremacy of the Meridian Atmospheric Circulation (MAC), by alternating cool conditions (humidity) heat (drought) along the year, and imposes situation of anxiety and perplexity towards their socio-economic activities; shoved agricultural calendar, hesitant policymakers, uncertainty and waiting, ... etc.The recent example of the fall-winter 2015-2016 is indicative of the conditions that have left a deep psychological, economic and social footprint on the North African and West European people.During this period, the summer heat has extended to the end of autumn and even winter. And precipitation contracted by more than 51% of accumulated rainfall autumn in Morocco, compared with the same period a normal year. A slowdown in economic growth has been felt since last December and was extended until the rains return (and snow!) In mid February 2016.Weather conditions during this period were marked by the succession and persistence of very active planetary crests (Azores anticyclone), projected to the northern borders of Western Europe (Heat Christmas 2015!), rejecting the negative waves (polar Vortex) to the east: Algeria, Tunisia, Italy, the Balkans, Anatolia, and even the Middle East.These conditions are the consequences of the "New Climate" warmed, strengthened by the strong El Niño event in 2015.The identification of hemispheric and regional climate mechanisms of these atmospheric regime systems based on energy balance and atmospheric circulation will be defined, with links of cause and effect, in view of integrating these characters to extreme events in the New Climate Warmed.

Petrographic And Geochemical Relationships And Environmentally Significant Trace Element Contents Of Miocene Coals in The Çayirli (Erzincan) Area, Eastern Anatolia, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Yalcin Erik, Nazan

2014-05-01

This study has done related to the petrographic, coal-quality and the environmental influences of the Çayırlı coal field in the Eastern Anatolia. The region is one of the best examples of a continental collision zone in the world and located in a North-south converging collision zone between the Eurasian and the Arabian Plates. The geological units on the North of the basin are the peridotites and on the South, the Upper Triassic to Lower Cretaceous limestone. Tertiary sedimentary units also occupy a significant part of the geological features. Lower Miocene sediments include recifal limestone, marls, green clay and coal seams. The Çayırlı mining area in Eastern Anatolia region, contains these Miocene aged coals. These coals is characterized by high vitrinite and inertinite and low liptinite contents. The coals are Bituminous coal rank, with vitrinite reflectance ranging from 0.53 to 0.58%. Chemically, the coal in this study is characterised by low moisture, ash yield and sulfur content. The Çayırlı coal consist mainly of SiO2 and CaO, with secondary Fe2O3, Al2O3, and minor proportions of TiO2, P2O5 and other oxides. Several trace elements of environmental concern namely As, U and Be in Çayırlı coal are above the world averages, while Ni and Pb concentrations are less than the world average. However, As, Co, Cr, Ni, Pb, U and V contents of this coal are below Turkish averages. It can clearly observed that the concentration of the elements is highest in the high ash coal levels. Among the potentially hazardous trace elements, Be, Co, Ni, Se and U may be of little or no health and environmental concerns, wheras As, Pb, Sb, and Th require further examination for their potential health and environmental concerns. These properties may be related to evaluation of the coal forming environment from more reducing contitions in a marine influenced lower delta plain environment for investigated coals. On the basis of analytical data, there is no possibility that

Retrodeforming the Sivas Basin (Turkey): Structural style of the central Anatolian basins and their integration in the geodynamic framework of Eastern Anatolia

Science.gov (United States)

Legeay, Etienne; Ringenbach, Jean-Claude; Callot, Jean-Paul; Mohn, Geoffroy; Kavak, Kaan

2017-04-01

Anatolia is the result of the amalgamation of Gondwandian microcontinents against Eurasia active margin. These were originally separated by several Neotethyan oceanic domains consumed by north-dipping subductions. Prior to the continental collision, regional convergence resulted in an obduction event, from north to south in Campanian time, which led to the emplacement of ophiolite nappes and ophiolitic mélanges onto the Tauride passive margin. Several sedimentary basins subsequently developed above the former sutures zones recorded the long-lasting geological evolution of the Anatolian domain from Late Cretaceous to Present The Sivas Basin is all together the richest, the most studied and also most complex of the group of Tertiary basins. The Sivas Basin formed above the northern leading edge of the Tauride platform, the Kırşehir micro-continent, the edge of the Pontide arc and the related sutures. Its complex structure is that of a fold-and-thrust belt with syn-orogenic salt tectonics. After the obduction, the Sivas basin recorded a relative quiet tectonic phase from Maastrichtian to Paleocene with basinal pelagic sedimentation and carbonate platform emplacement on its southern edge. Then shortening resumed in the Early Eocene with the development of north-verging thrusts. It is recorded by a coarse clastic input, with conglomeratic deltas fans grading up to basinal turbidites until the Late Eocene. Then the basin is progressively isolated and becomes an isolated foreland in which a thick evaporite formation deposited. Oligocene to Miocene continental clastics deposition was then mainly controlled by halokinesis: minibasin, salt ridges and salt sheets development. A first canopy is attributed to the second pulse of contraction from Late-Oligocene to Middle Miocene. This second stage end with the formation of back-thrust within the Sivas Basin and southward as a passive roof above a pre-salt triangle zone. This study relies both on extensive fieldwork (4 Ph

THE ILICA BRANCH OF THE SOUTHEASTERN ESKIŞEHIR FAULT ZONE: AN ACTIVE RIGHT LATERAL STRIKE-SLIP STRUCTURE IN CENTRAL ANATOLIA, TURKEY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Korhan ESAT

2016-12-01

Full Text Available The Eskişehir Fault Zone is one of the prominent neotectonic structures of Turkey. It separates the west  Anatolian extensional province and the strike-slip induced northwest central Anatolian contractional area in the Anatolian Block. Its southeastern part is generally divided into three branches, namely the Ilıca, Yeniceoba, and Cihanbeyli from north to south, respectively. The right lateral strike-slip Ilıca branch (IB is an approximately 100-km-long fault and it is composed of several segments in a northwest-southeast direction. The slickensides, subsidiary fractures, cataclastic zone, fracture-controlled drainage pattern, right lateral stream deflections, deformation in the Quaternary unit observing in the seismic reflection sections, and seismicity of the region all indicate that the IB is an active right lateral strike-slip fault. The IB has also a regional tectonic importance as a boundary fault between the contractional and the extensional regions in central Anatolia considering that it is the southern limit of the contraction-related structures in the west-southwest of Ankara.

Effects legumes, Fallow and wheat on subsequent wheat production in Central Anatolia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Halitligil, M. B.; Akin, A.; Aydin, M.

1996-01-01

In order to determine the Nsub 2- fixation capacities of lentil, vetch, chickpea and fodderpea in a legume-wheat rotation by using the A-value method of N 15 technique, and to assess the amount of carry-over of N to wheat from the previous legume as well as water contribution of fallow, wheat and legumes to the following wheat under rainfed Central Anatolia conditions field experiments were conducted in 1992 and 1993 at three different provinces using completely randomized block design with 5 replications. Results we obtained showed that %Ndff values among legumesdid not differ significantly neither within or between locations. Legumesvaried significantly (P<0.05) in their %Ndfa values at each location and highest values of %Ndfa were obtained at Eskisehir. In general, %Ndfa varied from59-84, and 36-85 for chickpea,lentils and vetchs. The evaluation of the yield and N data obtained in 1993 indicated that lentil (winter or summer) -wheat rotation at Ankara and Eskisehir conditions and chickpea-wheat rotation at Konya conditions should be prefered, due to the higher seed and total yields, higher N yields and higher %NUE values obtained from these rotations in comparison to the others. In order to estimate the carry-over of nitrogen from legumes to the succeeding wheat crop, % nitrogen derived from unknown (%Ndfu) were also calculated. Highest amount of carry-over from the legumesto the succeeding wheat were 31.1 kgN/ha from summer lentil at Ankara; 16.9 kgN/ha from summer lentil at Eskisehir; and 8.0 kgN/ha from chickpea at Konya. These results obtined showed that a lentil-wheat rotation at Ankara and Eskisehir and a chickpea-wheat rotation at Konya. Mean while, the evaluation of the soil and WUE data at both Eskisehir and Ankara indicated that winter lentil-wheat rotation should be prefered in these areas due to more efficient use of water by wheat crop after this rotation system

Lithospheric flexural strength and effective elastic thicknesses of the Eastern Anatolia (Turkey) and surrounding region

Science.gov (United States)

Oruç, Bülent; Gomez-Ortiz, David; Petit, Carole

2017-12-01

The Lithospheric structure of Eastern Anatolia and the surrounding region, including the northern part of the Arabian platform is investigated via the analysis and modeling of Bouguer anomalies from the Earth Gravitational Model EGM08. The effective elastic thickness of the lithosphere (EET) that corresponds to the mechanical cores of the crust and lithospheric mantle is determined from the spectral coherence between Bouguer anomalies and surface elevation data. Its average value is 18.7 km. From the logarithmic amplitude spectra of Bouguer anomalies, average depths of the lithosphere-asthenosphere boundary (LAB), Moho, Conrad and basement in the study area are constrained at 84 km, 39 km, 16 km and 7 km, respectively. The geometries of the LAB and Moho are then estimated using the Parker-Oldenburg inversion algorithm. We also present a lithospheric strength map obtained from the spatial variations of EET determined by Yield Stress Envelopes (YSE). The EET varies in the range of 12-23 km, which is in good agreement with the average value obtained from spectral analysis. Low EET values are interpreted as resulting from thermal and flexural lithospheric weakening. According to the lithospheric strength of the Eastern Anatolian region, the rheology model consists of a strong but brittle upper crust, a weak and ductile lower crust, and a weak lower part of the lithosphere. On the other hand, lithosphere strength corresponds to weak and ductile lower crust, a strong upper crust and a strong uppermost lithospheric mantle for the northern part of the Arabian platform.

Influential sources affecting Bangkok adolescent body image perceptions.

Science.gov (United States)

Thianthai, Chulanee

2006-01-01

The study of body image-related problems in non-Western countries is still very limited. Thus, this study aims to identify the main influential sources and show how they affect the body image perceptions of Bangkok adolescents. The researcher recruited 400 Thai male and female adolescents in Bangkok, attending high school to freshmen level, ranging from 16-19 years, to participate in this study. Survey questionnaires were distributed to every student and follow-up interviews conducted with 40 students. The findings showed that there are eight main influential sources respectively ranked from the most influential to the least influential: magazines, television, peer group, familial, fashion trend, the opposite gender, self-realization and health knowledge. Similar to those studies conducted in Western countries, more than half of the total percentage was the influence of mass media and peer groups. Bangkok adolescents also internalized Western ideal beauty through these mass media channels. Alike studies conducted in the West, there was similarities in the process of how these influential sources affect Bangkok adolescent body image perception, with the exception of familial source. In conclusion, taking the approach of identifying the main influential sources and understanding how they affect adolescent body image perceptions can help prevent adolescents from having unhealthy views and taking risky measures toward their bodies. More studies conducted in non-Western countries are needed in order to build a cultural sensitive program, catered to the body image problems occurring in adolescents within that particular society.

Mapping the potential for decentralized energy generation based on RES in Western Balkans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Schneider Daniel R.

2007-01-01

Full Text Available Although the countries of the Western Balkans are mostly electrified, there are still regions which do not have access to the electricity network or where the network capacity is insufficient. For the most part such areas are under special care of the state (i. e. underdeveloped, devastated by war, depopulated, on islands or in mountainous regions. Since the decentralized energy generation covers a broad range of technologies, including many renewable energy technologies that provide small-scale power at sites close to the users, such concept could be of interest for these locations. This paper identifies the areas in Western Balkans where such systems could be applied. Consideration is given to geographical locations as well as possible applications. Wind, hydro, solar photovoltaic, and biomass conversion systems were taken into consideration. Since the renewable energy sources data for Western Balkans region are rather scarce, the intention was to give a survey of the present situation and an estimate of future potential for decentralized energy generation based on renewable energy sources. The decentralized energy generation based on renewable energy sources in Western Balkans will find its niche easier for the users that will produce electricity for their own needs and for the users located in remote rural areas (off-grid applications.

Quantification of sources of PCBs to the atmosphere in urban areas: A comparison of cities in North America, Western Europe and former Yugoslavia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Gasic, Bojan; MacLeod, Matthew; Klanova, Jana; Scheringer, Martin; Ilic, Predrag; Lammel, Gerhard; Pajovic, Aleksandar; Breivik, Knut; Holoubek, Ivan; Hungerbuehler, Konrad

2010-01-01

We present estimated emission source strengths of seven polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners for Banja Luka, a city that was affected by the civil war in Bosnia and Hercegovina (former Yugoslavia) in the 1990s. These emission estimates are compared to PCB emission rates estimated for the cities of Zurich, Switzerland, and Chicago, USA using an approach that combines multimedia mass balance modeling and measurement data. Our modeled per-capita emission estimates for Banja Luka are lower by a factor of ten than those for Zurich and Chicago, which are similar. This indicates that the sources of PCB emissions in Banja Luka are likely to be weaker than in the Western European and North American cities which show relatively high PCB emissions. Our emission rates from the three cities agree within a factor of ten with emission estimates from a global PCB emission inventory derived from production and usage estimates and emission factors. - Urban emission source strengths were estimated for seven polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners for Banja Luka, Zurich and Chicago.

Quantification of sources of PCBs to the atmosphere in urban areas: A comparison of cities in North America, Western Europe and former Yugoslavia

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gasic, Bojan, E-mail: bojan.gasic@chem.ethz.c [Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland); MacLeod, Matthew [Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland); Klanova, Jana [Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Kamenice 3, 62500 Brno (Czech Republic); Scheringer, Martin [Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland); Ilic, Predrag [Institute of Protection, Ecology and Informatics, Scientific-Research Institute, Vidovdanska 43, 78000 Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Hercegovina (Bosnia and Herzegowina); Lammel, Gerhard [Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Kamenice 3, 62500 Brno (Czech Republic); Max Planck Institute for Chemistry, J.-J.-Becher-Weg 27, 55128 Mainz (Germany); Pajovic, Aleksandar [Republic Hydrometeorological Institute Banja Luka, Put Banjaluckog Odreda BB, 78 000 Banja Luka, Republic of Srpska, Bosnia and Hercegovina (Bosnia and Herzegowina); Breivik, Knut [Norwegian Institute for Air Research, P.O. Box 100, 2027 Kjeller (Norway); University of Oslo, Department of Chemistry, P.O. Box 1033, 0315 Oslo (Norway); Holoubek, Ivan [Research Centre for Toxic Compounds in the Environment (RECETOX), Masaryk University, Kamenice 3, 62500 Brno (Czech Republic); Hungerbuehler, Konrad [Institute for Chemical and Bioengineering, ETH Zurich, CH-8093 Zurich (Switzerland)

2010-10-15

We present estimated emission source strengths of seven polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners for Banja Luka, a city that was affected by the civil war in Bosnia and Hercegovina (former Yugoslavia) in the 1990s. These emission estimates are compared to PCB emission rates estimated for the cities of Zurich, Switzerland, and Chicago, USA using an approach that combines multimedia mass balance modeling and measurement data. Our modeled per-capita emission estimates for Banja Luka are lower by a factor of ten than those for Zurich and Chicago, which are similar. This indicates that the sources of PCB emissions in Banja Luka are likely to be weaker than in the Western European and North American cities which show relatively high PCB emissions. Our emission rates from the three cities agree within a factor of ten with emission estimates from a global PCB emission inventory derived from production and usage estimates and emission factors. - Urban emission source strengths were estimated for seven polychlorinated biphenyl (PCB) congeners for Banja Luka, Zurich and Chicago.

Geochemical characteristics of The Emet (Espey-Hisarcik) borate deposits, Kütahya, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Koçak, İ.; Koç, Ş.

2018-06-01

Nearly 72% world's borate reserves are in western part of Turkey. The Emet (Kütahya) deposit is one of these deposits. The Emet borate deposit, like other deposits in western Anatolia, was deposited in Miocene lacustrine environment whose formation coincides with volcanic activity started in Paleogene and lasted to the beginning of Quaternary. The borate ore displaying lenticular structure is alternated with claystone, marl, tuff and thin bedded limestone. The mineral paragenesis is composed of colemanite, hydroboracite, Veatchite, dolomite, calcite, montmorillonite and illite. The Emet borate deposit has been the subject of various geologic and mineralogical studies. In the present study major and trace element contents of 60 borate samples from this deposit are discussed. Among the trace elements, significant enrichment was found in As, Se, Sr, Cs, Sb and Li. Element correlations indicate volcanic source for boron (exhalations and hydrothermal solutions) whilst other elements are found to be derived from a terrestrial source. According to REE data, high Ce concentrations and anomalies are generally indicative of oxygenated depositional environment whilst low Ce contents facilitated the lake waters to be low oxygenated as a result of H2S-rich hydrothermal solutions. The weak negative anomaly detected only in the Hisarcık region is attributed to lacking of Eu contribution to the lake due to insufficient alteration on the continent.

Epidemiology and whole genome sequencing of an ongoing point-source Salmonella Agona outbreak associated with sushi consumption in western Sydney, Australia 2015.

Science.gov (United States)

Thompson, C K; Wang, Q; Bag, S K; Franklin, N; Shadbolt, C T; Howard, P; Fearnley, E J; Quinn, H E; Sintchenko, V; Hope, K G

2017-07-01

During May 2015, an increase in Salmonella Agona cases was reported from western Sydney, Australia. We examine the public health actions used to investigate and control this increase. A descriptive case-series investigation was conducted. Six outbreak cases were identified; all had consumed cooked tuna sushi rolls purchased within a western Sydney shopping complex. Onset of illness for outbreak cases occurred between 7 April and 24 May 2015. Salmonella was isolated from food samples collected from the implicated premise and a prohibition order issued. No further cases were identified following this action. Whole genome sequence (WGS) analysis was performed on isolates recovered during this investigation, with additional S. Agona isolates from sporadic-clinical cases and routine food sampling in New South Wales, January to July 2015. Clinical isolates of outbreak cases were indistinguishable from food isolates collected from the implicated sushi outlet. Five additional clinical isolates not originally considered to be linked to the outbreak were genomically similar to outbreak isolates, indicating the point-source contamination may have started before routine surveillance identified an increase. This investigation demonstrated the value of genomics-guided public health action, where near real-time WGS enhanced the resolution of the epidemiological investigation.

Mercury sedimentation in lakes in western Whatcom County, Washington, USA and its relation to local industrial and municipal atmospheric sources

Science.gov (United States)

Paulson, A.J.; Norton, D.

2008-01-01

Concentrations of mercury (Hg) were measured in six dated cores from four lakes in western Whatcom County, Washington, USA, that were at various bearings from a chlor-alkali plant, two municipal waste incinerators and a municipal sewage sludge incinerator. The importance of atmospheric emissions of Hg from these local municipal and industrial sources was evaluating by comparing the temporal trends in sedimentation of the lake cores with the emission history of each Hg species and by examining the geographical distribution of Hg sedimentation in relation to the region's primary wind pattern. Local municipal and industrial sources of atmospheric Hg were not responsible for the majority of the Hg in the upper layer of sediments of Whatcom County lakes because of (1) the significant enrichment of Hg in lake sediments prior to emissions of local industrial and municipal sources in 1964, (2) smaller increases in Hg concentrations occurred after 1964, (3) the similarity of maximum enrichments found in Whatcom County lakes to those in rural lakes around the world, (4) the inconsistency of the temporal trends in Hg sedimentation with the local emission history, and (5) the inconsistency of the geographic trends in Hg sedimentation with estimated deposition. Maximum enrichment ratios of Hg in lake sediments between 2 and 3 that are similar to rural areas in Alaska, Minnesota, and New England suggest that global sources of Hg were primarily responsible for increases of Hg in Whatcom County lakes beginning about 1900. ?? 2007 GovernmentEmployee: U.S. Government, Department of Interior, U.S. Geological Survey.

Modeling Wildfire Hazard in the Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas

Science.gov (United States)

Bylow, D.

2012-12-01

Wildfire regimes are a leading driver of global environmental change affecting a diverse array of global ecosystems. Particulates and aerosols produced by wildfires are a primary source of air pollution making the early detection and monitoring of wildfires crucial. The objectives of this study were to model regional wildfire potential and identify environmental, topological, and sociological factors that contribute to the ignition of wildfire events in the Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas of South Asia. The environmental, topological, and sociological factors were used to model regional wildfire potential through multi-criteria evaluation using a method of weighted linear combination. Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and geographic information systems (GIS) data were integrated to analyze regional wildfires and construct the model. Model validation was performed using a holdout cross validation method. The study produced a significant model of wildfire potential in the Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas.; Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas ; Western Hindu Kush-Himalayas Wildfire Potential

Western Sufism

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sedgwick, Mark

Western Sufism is sometimes dismissed as a relatively recent "new age" phenomenon, but in this book, Mark Sedgwick argues that it actually has very deep roots, both in the Muslim world and in the West. In fact, although the first significant Western Sufi organization was not established until 1915......, the first Western discussion of Sufism was printed in 1480, and Western interest in some of the ideas that are central to Sufi thought goes back to the thirteenth century. Sedgwick starts with the earliest origins of Western Sufism in late antique Neoplatonism and early Arab philosophy, and traces later......, the year in which the first Western Sufi order based not on the heritage of the European Middle Ages, Renaissance and Enlightenment, but rather on purely Islamic models, was founded. Later developments in this and other orders are also covered. Western Sufism shows the influence of these origins...

Effect of the Syrian Civil War on Prevalence of Cutaneous Leishmaniasis in Southeastern Anatolia, Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Inci, Rahime; Ozturk, Perihan; Mulayim, Mehmet Kamil; Ozyurt, Kemal; Alatas, Emine Tugba; Inci, Mehmet Fatih

2015-07-20

Cutaneous leishmaniasis (CL) is a vector-mediated skin disease, characterized by chronic wounds on the skin and caused by macrophages in protozoan parasites. It is an endemic disease in the southern and southeastern Anatolia region and is still an important public health problem in Turkey. Because of the civil war in Syria, immigrants to this region in the last 3 years have begun to more frequently present with this disease. The aim of this study was to draw attention to the dramatic increase in new cases with CL after the beginning of the civil war in Syria. In this retrospective study, we evaluated demographic, epidemiological, and clinical features of 110 patients diagnosed with cutaneous leishmaniasis who were admitted to the Department of Dermatology at Kahramanmaras Sutcu Imam University Faculty of Medicine between January 2011 and June 2014. A total of 110 patients included in the study; 50 (45%) were males, and 60 (55%) were females. The age range of the study group was 1-78 years, and the infection was more prevalent in the 0-20 year age group. Of these patients, 76 (69%) were Syrian refugees living in tent camps and 34 (31%) were Turkish citizens. The majority of the cases were diagnosed between October and December. Immigrations to endemic regions of Turkey from neighbouring countries where CL incidence is higher may lead to large increases in case numbers. In order to decrease the risk of exposure, housing conditions of the refugees must be improved, routine health controls must be performed, effective measures must be set in place for vector control, and infected individuals must be diagnosed and treated to prevent spread of the infection.

Boron Isotopic Composition of Metasomatized Mantle Xenoliths from the Western Rift, East Africa

Science.gov (United States)

Hudgins, T.; Nelson, W. R.

2017-12-01

The Western Branch of the East African Rift System is known to have a thick lithosphere and sparse, alkaline volcanism associated with a metasomatized mantle source. Recent work investigating the relationship between Western Branch metasomatized mantle xenoliths and associated lavas has suggested that these metasomes are a significant factor in the evolution of the rift. Hydrous/carbonated fluids or silicate melts are potent metasomatic agents, however gaining insight into the source of a metasomatic agent proves challenging. Here we investigate the potential metasomatic fluid sources using B isotope analysis of mineral separates from Western Branch xenoliths. Preliminary SIMS analyses of phlogopite from Katwe Kikorongo and Bufumbira have and average B isotopic composition of -28.2‰ ± 5.1 and -16.4‰ ± 3.6, respectively. These values are are dissimilar to MORB (-7.5‰ ± 0.7; Marschall and Monteleone, 2015), primitive mantle (-10‰ ± 2; Chaussidon and Marty, 1995), and bulk continental crust (-9.1‰ ± 2.4; Marschall et al., 2017) and display significant heterogeneity across a relatively short ( 150km) portion of the Western Branch. Though displaying large variability, these B isotopic compositions are indicative of a metasomatic agent with a more negative B isotopic composition than MORB, PM, or BCC. These results are consistent with fluids that released from a subducting slab and may be related to 700 Ma Pan-African subduction.

Variability in pesticide deposition and source contributions to snowpack in western U.S. National Parks

Science.gov (United States)

Hageman, Kimberly J.; Hafner, William D.; Campbell, Donald H.; Jaffe, Daniel A.; Landers, Dixon H.; Massey Simonich, Staci L.

2010-01-01

Fifty-six seasonal snowpack samples were collected at remote alpine, subarctic, and arctic sites in eight Western U.S. national parks during three consecutive years (2003−2005). Four current-use pesticides (CUPs) (dacthal (DCPA), chlorpyrifos, endosulfans, and γ-hexachlorocyclohexane (HCH)) and four historic-use pesticides (HUPs) (dieldrin, α-HCH, chlordanes, and hexachlorobenzene (HCB)) were commonly measured at all sites, during all years. The mean coefficient of variation for pesticide concentrations was 15% for site replicate samples, 41% for intrapark replicate samples, and 59% for interannual replicate samples. The relative pesticide concentration profiles were consistent from year to year but unique for individual parks, indicating a regional source effect. HUP concentrations were well-correlated with regional cropland intensity when the effect of temperature on snow-air partitioning was considered. The mass of individual CUPs used in regions located one-day upwind of the parks was calculated using air mass back trajectories, and this was used to explain the distribution of CUPs among the parks. The percent of the snowpack pesticide concentration due to regional transport was high (>75%) for the majority of pesticides in all parks. These results suggest that the majority of pesticide contamination in U.S. national parks is due to regional pesticide use in North America.

Phosphorus recycling and availability in the western Wadden Sea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

De Freixo Leote, C.M.

2014-01-01

Phosphorus is a main and often limiting nutrient for phytoplankton growth, as suggested for the western Wadden Sea. In this area, freshwater discharge was a major nutrient source in the past. However, pollution reduction measures dramatically reduced its contribution, particularly for phosphorus. In

The establishment of a radioactive waste disposal facility in Western Australia for low level waste

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hartley, B.M.; Wall, B.; Munslow-Davies, L.; Toussaint, L.F.; Hirschberg, K-J.; Terry, K.W.; Shepherd, M.

1994-01-01

The Radiation Health Section of the Health Department of Western Australia has been a repository for unwanted radioactive sources for many years. They have been placed in the radioactive store located on the Queen Elizabeth II Medical Centre Campus. After a collection period of more than 20 years the storage facilities of the Radiation Health Section were nearing capacity. A decision was made to relocate these sources into a permanent near surface burial facility. Following extensive community consultation and site investigations, waste originating in Western Australia was disposed of at Mt Walton (East), 80 km North East of Koolyanobbing Western Australia in November 1992. The site selection process, the radiation monitoring program and the legislative requirements are briefly outlined. 6 refs., 1 tab., 2 figs

Impact of aerosol particle sources on optical properties in urban, regional and remote areas in the north-western Mediterranean

Science.gov (United States)

Ealo, Marina; Alastuey, Andrés; Pérez, Noemí; Ripoll, Anna; Querol, Xavier; Pandolfi, Marco

2018-01-01

Further research is needed to reduce the existing uncertainties on the effect that specific aerosol particle sources have on light extinction and consequently on climate. This study presents a new approach that aims to quantify the mass scattering and absorption efficiencies (MSEs and MAEs) of different aerosol sources at urban (Barcelona - BCN), regional (Montseny - MSY) and remote (Montsec - MSA) background sites in the north-western (NW) Mediterranean. An analysis of source apportionment to the measured multi-wavelength light scattering (σsp) and absorption (σap) coefficients was performed by means of a multilinear regression (MLR) model for the periods 2009-2014, 2010-2014 and 2011-2014 at BCN, MSY and MSA respectively. The source contributions to PM10 mass concentration, identified by means of the positive matrix factorization (PMF) model, were used as dependent variables in the MLR model. With this approach we addressed both the effect that aerosol sources have on air quality and their potential effect on light extinction through the determination of their MSEs and MAEs. An advantage of the presented approach is that the calculated MSEs and MAEs take into account the internal mixing of atmospheric particles. Seven aerosol sources were identified at MSA and MSY, and eight sources at BCN. Mineral, aged marine, secondary sulfate, secondary nitrate and V-Ni bearing sources were common at the three sites. Traffic, industrial/metallurgy and road dust resuspension sources were isolated at BCN, whereas mixed industrial/traffic and aged organics sources were identified at MSY and MSA. The highest MSEs were observed for secondary sulfate (4.5 and 10.7 m2 g-1, at MSY and MSA), secondary nitrate (8.8 and 7.8 m2 g-1) and V-Ni bearing source (8 and 3.5 m2 g-1). These sources dominated the scattering throughout the year with marked seasonal trends. The V-Ni bearing source, originating mainly from shipping in the area under study, simultaneously contributed to both �

Microelement contents and fatty acid compositions of Rhus coriaria L. and Pistacia terebinthus L. fruits spread commonly in the south eastern Anatolia region of Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Kizil, Suleyman; Turk, Murat

2010-01-01

Sumac (Rhus coriaria L.) and terebinth (Pistacia terebinthus L.) are two important spice plants of south eastern Anatolia, Turkey. Nutrients, physical properties including moisture, ash, dry matter, protein, fatty oil and essential oil content, along with Al, Ca, Cd, Cr, Cu, Fe, K, Mg, Na, Ni, Pb, Zn and characteristics of fruit sizes and fatty acid compositions of both plants were determined from ripe fruits. The free fatty acid content was determined in the fruit oil, and the main fatty acids of sumac and terebinth were identified by gas chromatography/mass spectrometry. They included oleic, linoleic, palmitic and stearic acids in a ratio of 37.7% and 34.8%, 27.4% and 17.3%, 21.1% and 21.7% and, 4.7% and 2.5%, respectively. The fruits of both plants were rich in oil, fatty acids and minerals, suggesting that they are valuable for using in food. The data may also be useful for the evaluation of nutritional information.

İşgal Yıllarında İzmir İktisadi Bölgesinde Fiyat Hareketleri Price Movements In İzmir Financial District During The Occupation Years

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Filiz ÇOLAK

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Izmir has always had an important role because of its involvement both at the beginning and the end of the National Struggle. Greece, which used to be a vassal of the Ottoman State, occupied Izmir on 15 May 1919. Greece was supported by the British Empire and Izmir had a crucial location for their economy and for their Megola Idea ambitions. This occupation did not remain limited to Izmir, but continued further including its hinterland. Consequently, occupation of Izmir accelerated the organization of the national resistance in Anatolia. The most important front wars of military operation in the National Struggle took place in the Western Anatolia, Izmir and its hinterland and repossession of Izmir by the Turkish army on 9 September 1922 marked the end of the war.Before the Armistice, during the First World War years, product and commodity prices considerably increased because of commodity shortages and continuous currency depreciation. This situation continued during the Armistice and occupation years after the Armistice. Increase in prices reduced the public purchasing power and with the inclusion of profiteering and black-marketeering to this chaos environment, Anatolian people had difficulty even in finding bread to eat.In this study, price increases, which were the concrete source of public financial difficulties during the occupation years, and the reasons behind these price increases in Izmir and in its hinterland will be analyzed in the light of period resources and comparisons between the status before and after the occupation years will be made.

Using vegetation structure estimates derived from multi-source remote sensing to predict dynamics of a semi-arid ecosystem in the western US

Science.gov (United States)

Shrestha, R.; Mitchell, J. J.; Glenn, N. F.; Flores, A. N.

2014-12-01

The distribution of species and vegetation types across the western US are expected to shift in response to climate change. Previous studies have documented the change in fire regime and the increasing fire-invasive grass cycle occurring in the western U.S. The change in vegetation structure due to climate change and invasive species alters the fuel load, making these ecosystems vulnerable to high-severity fire. Synergistic remote sensing data, such as hyperspectral data and high-resolution lidar, can be leveraged to capture the composition and structural variability of short-statured semiarid vegetation (e.g. sagebrush, annual grasses). We use a random-forests based fusion technique to integrate multi-source airborne data (hyperspectral and LiDAR) and generate spatially-explicit estimates of vegetation composition and structure (biomass, cover, density, height, LAI) and associated uncertainty across a climate and elevation gradient in southern Idaho. The results will be used to initialize an individual-based terrestrial biosphere model (Ecosystem Demography, ED2) and estimate structural dynamics under future scenarios. This study will provide a basis for understanding feedback mechanisms related to changing climate conditions, fire regimes and patterns of non-native plant invasion. The forthcoming field and remote sensing collection campaigns are also designed for parameterizing a dryland shrub plant functional type in the ED2 model.

Shigella infection in children under 5 years old in western French Guiana.

Science.gov (United States)

Parisot, M; Parez, N; Boukhari, R; Breurec, S; Jolivet, A

2018-04-15

French Guiana, a tropical country, is characterised by a young and multi-ethnic population. Difficulties in accessing safe water sources lead to outbreaks of gastroenteritis. The objectives of this study were (1) to describe the microbiological profile of shigella strains isolated in western French Guiana, including antimicrobial susceptibility and the distribution of strains in terms of species and serotypes and (2) to estimate the incidence of shigellosis in children under 5 years old. A retrospective observational study was conducted of 213 cases of shigellosis diagnosed in the biology department of the hospital centre for western French Guiana between 2000 and 2012 in children under 5 years old. The serogroups (formerly known as species) that predominates in French Guiana was Shigella flexneri. No resistance was observed to fluoroquinolones or to third-generation cephalosporins. The average incidence of shigellosis in children under 5 years old in western French Guiana was estimated at 189.6 cases per 100 000 inhabitants per year. Shigellosis is a public health problem in western French Guiana. These infections suggest the difficulties in accessing safe water sources and the lack of public sanitation. A quadrivalent vaccine containing Shigella sonnei and three serotypes of S. flexneri (S. flexneri 2a, 3a and 6) could provide broad coverage against shigella infections.

Westerns fra hele verden

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bjerre, Thomas Ærvold

2014-01-01

Om den amerikanske western, spaghettiwesterns, kommunistiske westerns og danske westerns - i forbindelse med Kristian Levrings The Salvation (2014).......Om den amerikanske western, spaghettiwesterns, kommunistiske westerns og danske westerns - i forbindelse med Kristian Levrings The Salvation (2014)....

U-Th-Pb systematics of some granitoids from the northeastern Yilgarn Block, Western Australia and implications for uranium source rock potential

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Stuckless, J S; Nkomo, I T [Geological Survey, Denver, CO (USA); Bunting, J A [Geological Survey of Western Australia, Perth

1981-11-01

The Mount Boreas-type granite and spatially associated syenitic granitoid of Western Australia yield Pb-Pb ages of 2370 +- 100 Ma and 2760 +- 210 Ma, respectively. Th-Pb ages, although less precise, are concordant with these ages, and therefore the apparent ages are interpreted to be the crystallisation ages for these two units. U-Pb ages are variable and for the most part anomalously old, which suggests a Cainozoic uranium loss. However, this loss is generally small (3..mu..g/g); therefore, neither granitoid in its fresh state provides a good source for nearby calcrete-hosted uranium deposits. The possibility remains that the Mount Boreas-type granite that has been completely weathered during the Tertiary could have been a source for the calcrete-type uranium deposits in W.A. Although the Mount Boreas-type granite is highly fractionated, it does not bear a strong geochemical imprint of a sedimentary precursor. This feature contrasts it with apparently fresh granitoids from other parts of the world that have lost large amounts of uranium (approx. 20..mu..g/g) and are associated with large roll-type and other low temperature-type uranium deposits.

Aesthetic Preferences for Eastern and Western Traditional Visual Art: Identity Matters.

Science.gov (United States)

Bao, Yan; Yang, Taoxi; Lin, Xiaoxiong; Fang, Yuan; Wang, Yi; Pöppel, Ernst; Lei, Quan

2016-01-01

Western and Chinese artists have different traditions in representing the world in their paintings. While Western artists start since the Renaissance to represent the world with a central perspective and focus on salient objects in a scene, Chinese artists concentrate on context information in their paintings, mainly before the mid-19th century. We investigated whether the different typical representations influence the aesthetic preference for traditional Chinese and Western paintings in the different cultural groups. Traditional Chinese and Western paintings were presented randomly for an aesthetic evaluation to Chinese and Western participants. Both Chinese and Western paintings included two categories: landscapes and people in different scenes. Results showed a significant interaction between the source of the painting and the cultural group. For Chinese and Western paintings, a reversed pattern of aesthetic preference was observed: while Chinese participants gave higher aesthetic scores to traditional Chinese paintings than to Western paintings, Western participants tended to give higher aesthetic scores to traditional Western paintings than to Chinese paintings. We interpret this observation as indicator that personal identity is supported and enriched within cultural belongingness. Another important finding was that landscapes were more preferable than people in a scene across different cultural groups indicating a universal principle of preferences for landscapes. Thus, our results suggest that, on the one hand, the way that artists represent the world in their paintings influences the way that culturally embedded viewers perceive and appreciate paintings, but on the other hand, independent of the cultural background, anthropological universals are disclosed by the preference of landscapes.

The cause of larger local magnitude (Mj) in western Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Kawamoto, H.; Furumura, T.

2017-12-01

The local magnitude of the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) scale (Mj) in Japan sometimes show a significant discrepancy between Mw. The Mj is calculated using the amplitude of the horizontal component of ground displacement recorded by seismometers with the natural period of T0=5 s using Katsumata et al. (2004). A typical example of such a discrepancy in estimating Mj was an overestimation of the 2000 Western Tottori earthquake (Mj=7.3, Mw=6.7; hereafter referred to as event T). In this study, we examined the discrepancy between Mj and Mw for recent large earthquakes occurring in Japan.We found that the most earthquakes with larger Mj (>Mw) occur in western Japan while the earthquakes in northern Japan show reasonable Mj (=Mw). To understand the cause of such larger Mj for western Japan earthquakes we examined the strong motion record from the K-NET and KiK-net network for the event T and other earthquakes for reference. The observed ground displacement record from the event T shows a distinctive Love wave packet in tangential motion with a dominant period of about T=5 s which propagates long distances without showing strong dispersions. On the other hand, the ground motions from the earthquakes in northeastern Japan do not have such surface wave packet, and attenuation of ground motion is significant. Therefore, the overestimation of the Mj for earthquakes in western Japan may be attributed to efficient generation and propagation properties of Love wave probably relating to the crustal structure of western Japan. To explain this, we then conducted a numerical simulation of seismic wave propagation using 3D sedimentary layer model (JIVSM; Koketsu et al., 2012) and the source model of the event T. The result demonstrated the efficient generation of Love wave from the shallow strike-slip source which propagates long distances in western Japan without significant dispersions. On the other hand, the generation of surface wave was not so efficient when using a

Production of hybrids between western gray wolves and western coyotes.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L David Mech

Full Text Available Using artificial insemination we attempted to produce hybrids between captive, male, western, gray wolves (Canis lupus and female, western coyotes (Canis latrans to determine whether their gametes would be compatible and the coyotes could produce and nurture offspring. The results contribute new information to an ongoing controversy over whether the eastern wolf (Canis lycaon is a valid unique species that could be subject to the U. S. Endangered Species Act. Attempts with transcervically deposited wolf semen into nine coyotes over two breeding seasons yielded three coyote pregnancies. One coyote ate her pups, another produced a resorbed fetus and a dead fetus by C-section, and the third produced seven hybrids, six of which survived. These results show that, although it might be unlikely for male western wolves to successfully produce offspring with female western coyotes under natural conditions, western-gray-wolf sperm are compatible with western-coyote ova and that at least one coyote could produce and nurture hybrid offspring. This finding in turn demonstrates that gamete incompatibility would not have prevented western, gray wolves from inseminating western coyotes and thus producing hybrids with coyote mtDNA, a claim that counters the view that the eastern wolf is a separate species. However, some of the difficulties experienced by the other inseminated coyotes tend to temper that finding and suggest that more experimentation is needed, including determining the behavioral and physical compatibility of western gray wolves copulating with western coyotes. Thus although our study adds new information to the controversy, it does not settle it. Further study is needed to determine whether the putative Canis lycaon is indeed a unique species.

Resolving the Detailed Spatiotemporal Slip Evolution of Deep Tremor in Western Japan

Science.gov (United States)

Ohta, Kazuaki; Ide, Satoshi

2017-12-01

We study the detailed spatiotemporal behavior of deep tremor in western Japan through the development and application of a new slip inversion method. Although many studies now recognize tremor as shear slip along the plate interface manifested in low-frequency earthquake (LFE) swarms, a conventional slip inversion analysis is not available for tremor due to insufficient knowledge of source locations and Green's functions. Here we introduce synthetic template waveforms, which are typical tremor waveforms obtained by stacking LFE seismograms at arranged points along the plate interface. Using these synthetic template waveforms as substitutes for Green's functions, we invert the continuous tremor waveforms using an iterative deconvolution approach with Bayesian constraints. We apply this method to two tremor burst episodes in western and central Shikoku, Japan. The estimated slip distribution from a 12 day tremor burst episode in western Shikoku is heterogeneous, with several patchy areas of slip along the plate interface where rapid moment releases with durations of tremor burst episode that occurred coincidentally with a very low frequency earthquake (VLF), we observe that the source size of the VLF is much larger than that estimated from tremor activity in western Shikoku. These differences in the size of the slip region may dictate the visibility of VLF signals in observed seismograms, which has implications for the mechanics of slow earthquakes and subduction zone processes.

Cystic echinococcosis in Central Alaninate, Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Yazar, Suleyman; Yaman, Ozan; Sahin, Izzet; Cetinkaya, F.

2006-01-01

Human cystic echinococcosis (CE) caused by infection with a larval stage of Echinococcus granulosus is a serious public health problem in Turkey. Echinococcosis is a zoonotic disease; dogs and livestock are important hosts in transmission. The aim of this study is to evaluate the rate of CE in Kayseri Rural Area, Central Anatolia, Turkey. At the present study, we planned to evaluate the rate of CE in Kayseri rural area in Central Anatolia between 2000 and 2002. We investigated 2,242 subjects using enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay (ELISA) and indirect fluorescence antibody (IFA), and we examined the seropositivity by using Western blotting (WB). The seropositivity rate was 2.7% by ELISA and IFA. We retested seropositive serum samples and 200 seronegative sera by WB. Seropositive serum samples were studied using abdominal ultrasound and chest x-ray to confirmed the presence of hydatid cyst and we found 10 (0.5%) different localized cysts. The results of our study indicate that Kayseri rural area has a high endemicity of human CE. (author)

A community survey of the pattern and determinants of household sources of energy for cooking in rural and urban south western, Nigeria.

Science.gov (United States)

Desalu, Olufemi Olumuyiwa; Ojo, Ololade Olusola; Ariyibi, Ebenezer Kayode; Kolawole, Tolutope Fasanmi; Ogunleye, Ayodele Idowu

2012-01-01

The use of solid fuels for cooking is associated with indoor pollution and lung diseases. The objective of the study was to determine the pattern and determinants of household sources of energy for cooking in rural and urban South Western, Nigeria. We conducted a cross sectional study of households in urban (Ado-Ekiti) and rural (Ido-Ekiti) local council areas from April to July 2010. Female respondents in the households were interviewed by trained interviewers using a semi-structured questionnaire. A total of 670 households participated in the study. Majority of rural dwellers used single source of energy for cooking (55.6%) and urban dwellers used multiple source of energy (57.8%). Solid fuel use (SFU) was higher in rural (29.6%) than in urban areas (21.7%). Kerosene was the most common primary source of energy for cooking in both urban and rural areas (59.0% vs.66.6%) followed by gas (17.8%) and charcoal (6.6%) in the urban areas, and firewood (21.6%) and charcoal (7.1%) in the rural areas. The use of solid fuel was strongly associated with lack of ownership of dwellings and larger household size in urban areas, and lower level of education and lower level of wealth in the rural areas. Kerosene was associated with higher level of husband education and modern housing in urban areas and younger age and indoor cooking in rural areas. Gas was associated with high income and modern housing in the urban areas and high level of wealth in rural areas. Electricity was associated with high level of education, availability of electricity and old age in urban and rural areas respectively. The use of solid fuel is high in rural areas, there is a need to reduce poverty and improve the use of cleaner source of cooking energy particularly in rural areas and improve lung health.

Solar energy futures in a Western European context

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakicenovic, N; Messner, S

1983-02-01

The study considers three limiting scenarios that specify possible but not necessarily likely transitions to sustainable energy futures for Western Europe. Two scenarios consider exclusively solar futures--one based on centralized solar technologies (Hard scenario) and the other on decentralized, user-oriented technologies (Soft scenario). The third scenario, based on nuclear technologies, incorporates an intermediate degree of centralization in the energy system and serves as a comparison to the two exclusively solar scenarios. All three scenarios lead to sustainable energy futures before the year 2100, which is the time horizon of the study. While all three scenarios eliminate Western Europe's dependence on domestic and foreign fossil energy sources, the Hard Solar scenario requires substantial imports of solar produced hydrogen. The scenarios are based on dynamic balances of energy demand and supply using detailed models to achieve consistency. The overall implications of each scenario are that fundamental but different changes of the whole energy system, economic structure and life-styles are necessary in order to achieve sustainable energy futures in Western Europe.

Solar energy futures in a Western European context

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Nakicenovic, N; Messner, S

1983-02-01

The study considers three limiting scenarios that specify possible but not necessarily likely transitions to sustainable energy future for Western Europe. Two scenarios consider exclusively solar futures - one based on centralized solar technologies (hard scenario) and the other on decentralized, user-oriented technologies (soft scenario). The third scenario, based on nuclear technologies, incorporates an intermediate degree of centralization in the energy system and serves as a comparison to the two exclusively solar scenarios. All three scenarios lead to sustainable energy futures before the year 2100, which is the time horizon of the study. While all three scenarios eliminate Western Europe's dependence on domestic and foreign fossil energy sources, the Hard Solar scenario requires substantial imports of solar produced hydrogen. The scenarios are based on dynamic balances of energy demand and supply using detailed models to achieve consistency. The overall implications of each scenario are that fundamental but different changes of the whole energy system, economic structure and life-styles are necessary in order to achieve sustainable energy futures in Western Europe.

Strategies to water pollution control in western China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

JIANGWenchao; CHENGJijian; LONGTengrui; HEQiang

2003-01-01

Problems of and main limiting factors to Chinese western eco-environment are analyzea firstly and principles of integrating water pollution control with water resources planning and management, with ecological construction and with economic development planning and setting control priorities according to local conditions are proposed. Following strategies for water pollution control are suggested: 1) a master plan for western area need to be established as soon as possible; 2) total emission control should be regarded as the basic policy and measures such as clean production, charging and subsidy need to be implemented; 3) point sources pollution control should be considered the main task in short term and centralized wasteweter treatment plants by using sustainable processes should be constructed primarily for large and medium-size cities with heavier pollution; 4) sound institutional and regulation systems need to be established to create an enabling environment; 5) multiple investment system should be established; and 6) studies of pragmatic theories and methodologies for water pollution control and cost-effective technologies appropriate to western area, and training of local technicians need to be enhanced as well.

Airborne measurements of western U.S. wildfire emissions: Comparison with prescribed burning and air quality implications: Western U.S. Wildfire Emissions

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Liu, Xiaoxi [School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia USA; Now at Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Now at Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Huey, L. Gregory [School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia USA; Yokelson, Robert J. [Department of Chemistry, University of Montana, Missoula Montana USA; Selimovic, Vanessa [Department of Chemistry, University of Montana, Missoula Montana USA; Simpson, Isobel J. [Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine California USA; Müller, Markus [Department of Chemistry, University of Montana, Missoula Montana USA; Institute for Ion Physics and Applied Physics, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck Austria; Jimenez, Jose L. [Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Campuzano-Jost, Pedro [Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Beyersdorf, Andreas J. [NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton Virginia USA; Now at Department of Chemistry, California State University, San Bernardino California USA; Blake, Donald R. [Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine California USA; Butterfield, Zachary [Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos New Mexico USA; Now at Department of Atmospheric, Oceanic, and Space Sciences, University of Michigan, Ann Arbor Michigan USA; Choi, Yonghoon [NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton Virginia USA; Science Systems and Applications, Inc., Hampton Virginia USA; Crounse, John D. [Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena California USA; Day, Douglas A. [Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Diskin, Glenn S. [NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton Virginia USA; Dubey, Manvendra K. [Earth and Environmental Sciences Division, Los Alamos National Laboratory, Los Alamos New Mexico USA; Fortner, Edward [Center for Aerosol and Cloud Chemistry, Aerodyne Research Inc., Billerica Massachusetts USA; Hanisco, Thomas F. [Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt Maryland USA; Hu, Weiwei [Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; King, Laura E. [School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia USA; Kleinman, Lawrence [Environmental and Climate Sciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton New York USA; Meinardi, Simone [Department of Chemistry, University of California, Irvine California USA; Mikoviny, Tomas [Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo Norway; Onasch, Timothy B. [Center for Aerosol and Cloud Chemistry, Aerodyne Research Inc., Billerica Massachusetts USA; Palm, Brett B. [Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Department of Chemistry, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Peischl, Jeff [Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Earth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder Colorado USA; Pollack, Ilana B. [Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, University of Colorado Boulder, Boulder Colorado USA; Earth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder Colorado USA; Now at Department of Atmospheric Science, Colorado State University, Fort Collins Colorado USA; Ryerson, Thomas B. [Earth System Research Laboratory, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Boulder Colorado USA; Sachse, Glen W. [NASA Langley Research Center, Hampton Virginia USA; Sedlacek, Arthur J. [Environmental and Climate Sciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton New York USA; Shilling, John E. [Atmospheric Sciences and Global Change Division, Pacific Northwest National Laboratory, Richland Washington USA; Springston, Stephen [Environmental and Climate Sciences Department, Brookhaven National Laboratory, Upton New York USA; St. Clair, Jason M. [Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena California USA; Now at Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt Maryland USA; Now at Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore Maryland USA; Tanner, David J. [School of Earth and Atmospheric Sciences, Georgia Institute of Technology, Atlanta Georgia USA; Teng, Alexander P. [Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena California USA; Wennberg, Paul O. [Division of Geological and Planetary Sciences, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena California USA; Division of Engineering and Applied Science, California Institute of Technology, Pasadena California USA; Wisthaler, Armin [Institute for Ion Physics and Applied Physics, University of Innsbruck, Innsbruck Austria; Department of Chemistry, University of Oslo, Oslo Norway; Wolfe, Glenn M. [Atmospheric Chemistry and Dynamics Laboratory, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt Maryland USA; Joint Center for Earth Systems Technology, University of Maryland, Baltimore County, Baltimore Maryland USA

2017-06-14

Wildfires emit significant amounts of pollutants that degrade air quality. Plumes from three wildfires in the western U.S. were measured from aircraft during the Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds, and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS) and the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP), both in summer 2013. This study reports an extensive set of emission factors (EFs) for over 80 gases and 5 components of submicron particulate matter (PM1) from these temperate wildfires. These include rarely, or never before, measured oxygenated volatile organic compounds and multifunctional organic nitrates. The observed EFs are compared with previous measurements of temperate wildfires, boreal forest fires, and temperate prescribed fires. The wildfires emitted high amounts of PM1 (with organic aerosol (OA) dominating the mass) with an average EF that is more than two times the EFs for prescribed fires. The measured EFs were used to estimate the annual wildfire emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, total nonmethane organic compounds, and PM1 from 11 western U.S. states. The estimated gas emissions are generally comparable with the 2011 National Emissions Inventory (NEI). However, our PM1 emission estimate (1530 ± 570 Gg yr-1) is over three times that of the NEI PM2.5 estimate and is also higher than the PM2.5 emitted from all other sources in these states in the NEI. This study indicates that the source of OA from BB in the western states is significantly underestimated. In addition, our results indicate prescribed burning may be an effective method to reduce fine particle emissions.

Milk--the promoter of chronic Western diseases.

Science.gov (United States)

Melnik, Bodo C

2009-06-01

Common chronic diseases of Western societies, such as coronary heart disease, diabetes mellitus, cancer, hypertension, obesity, dementia, and allergic diseases are significantly influenced by dietary habits. Cow's milk and dairy products are nutritional staples in most Western societies. Milk and dairy product consumption is recommended by most nutritional societies because of their beneficial effects for calcium uptake and bone mineralization and as a source of valuable protein. However, the adverse long-term effects of milk and milk protein consumption on human health have been neglected. A hypothesis is presented, showing for the first time that milk protein consumption is an essential adverse environmental factor promoting most chronic diseases of Western societies. Milk protein consumption induces postprandial hyperinsulinaemia and shifts the growth hormone/insulin-like growth factor-1 (IGF-1) axis to permanently increased IGF-1 serum levels. Insulin/IGF-1 signalling is involved in the regulation of fetal growth, T-cell maturation in the thymus, linear growth, pathogenesis of acne, atherosclerosis, diabetes mellitus, obesity, cancer and neurodegenerative diseases, thus affecting most chronic diseases of Western societies. Of special concern is the possibility that milk intake during pregnancy adversely affects the early fetal programming of the IGF-1 axis which will influence health risks later in life. An accumulated body of evidence for the adverse effects of cow's milk consumption from fetal life to childhood, adolescence, adulthood and senescence will be provided which strengthens the presented hypothesis.

Electronic information sources access and use for healthcare ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Background: Access to and use of electronic information sources for clinical decision is the key to the attainment of health related sustainable goals. Therefore, this study was to assess Electronic Information Sources (EIS) access and use for healthcare service among hospitals of Western Oromia, Ethiopia, 2013. Materials ...

Variability in pesticide deposition and source contributions to snowpack in western U.S. national parks

Science.gov (United States)

Fifty-six seasonal snowpack samples were collected at remote alpine, subarctic, and arctic sites in eight Western U.S. national parks during three consecutive years (2003−2005). Four current-use pesticides (CUPs) (dacthal (DCPA), chlorpyrifos, endosulfans, and γ-hexachlorocyclohe...

Y-STR variation in the Basque diaspora in the Western USA: evolutionary and forensic perspectives.

Science.gov (United States)

Valverde, Laura; Rosique, Melania; Köhnemann, Stephan; Cardoso, Sergio; García, Ainara; Odriozola, Adrián; Aznar, Jose María; Celorrio, David; Schuerenkamp, Marianne; Zubizarreta, Josu; Davis, Michael C; Hampikian, Greg; Pfeiffer, Heidi; de Pancorbo, Marian M

2012-03-01

Individuals of Basque origin migrated in large numbers to the Western USA in the second half of the nineteenth century, and the flow continued with less intensity during the last century. The European source population, that of the Basque Country, has long been a cultural and geographical isolate. Previous studies have demonstrated that Y-STR frequencies of Basques are different from those of other Spanish and European populations [1]. The Basque diaspora in the Western USA is a recent migration, but the founder effect and the incorporation of new American Y chromosomes into the paternal genetic pool of the Basque diaspora could have influenced its genetic structure and could thus have practical implications for forensic genetics. To check for genetic substructure among the European source and Basque diaspora populations and determine the most suitable population database for the Basque diaspora in the Western USA, we have analysed the haplotype distribution of 17 Y-STRs in both populations. We have found that the Basque diaspora in the Western USA largely conserve the Y chromosome lineage characteristic of the autochthonous European Basque population with no statistically significant differences. This implies that a common 17 Y-STR Basque population database could be used to calculate identification or kinship parameters regardless of whether the Basque individuals are from the European Basque Country or from the Basque diaspora in the Western USA.

PHYSICOCHEMICAL CHARACTERISTICS, PESTICIDE RESIDUE AND AFLATOXIN CONTAMINATION OF COLD PRESSED PUMPKIN SEED (Cucurbita pepo L. OILS FROM CENTRAL ANATOLIA REGION OF TURKEY

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

FATMA NUR ARSLAN

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In this study, physicochemical characteristics, pesticide residues and aflatoxin contaminations of cold pressed pumpkin seed (Cucurbita pepo L. oils cultivated in four different central Anatolia regions of Turkey, were investigated. Lab-scale screw press machine was used to produce cold pressed pumpkin seed oils and the oil contents were found between 42.8%−47.4% for naked seeds. The physicochemical characteristic (refractive index, viscosity, color value, triglyceride profile analysis, peroxide value, iodine value, free fatty acid, saponification number, unsaponified matter, specific extinction values at 232 and 270 nm of cold pressed oils were determined by using different analytical techniques. The results showed that there was a non-significant difference between cold pressed pumpkin seed oils from different regions, in terms of physicochemical characteristics. The contents of pesticide residue and aflatoxin B1, B2, G1 and G2 contamination were determined by using validated UHPLC-MS/MS method. The chlorpyrifos pesticide residue was detected under the limit value declared by official authorities for the quality assessment of edible oils. Aflatoxins weren’t detected in any of studied pumpkin seed oils. Therefore, in food industry the positive effect of screw-pressing application could be useful for preservation of bioactive compounds during edible oil production and also enhancing of their functional properties.

Solar Energy and the Western Asian Countries

Science.gov (United States)

De Morais Mendonca Teles, Antonio

2016-07-01

The Western Asian countries receive the most abundant solar radiation of the world. They also have enormous reserves of oil and natural gas. But the world reserves of those fuels will certainly diminish greatly as the worldwide demand for energy will increase steadily in the coming decades. And the suppliers of energy will have to contend with public concerns about the polluting effects of those fuels and the possible dangers of nuclear energy. Clearly a power source based on an non exhaustible and non-polluting fuel could be expected to find a role. It now appears that such a source is at hand in the solar energy. Here in this paper, under the principles in the United Nations' Agenda 21, we suggest to Western Asian countries, the study and own development of the following technologies based on solar energy; and comment about them: *photo-voltaic solar cell power plants - in the future, its cost per kilowatt-hour will probably be competitive as to other sources of electrical energy. A new technique, the solar non-imaging concentrator, with amorphous silicon-based thin films solar cells at the focus of the concentrators, can collect and intensify solar radiation far better than conventional concentrators do, thus reducing much more the cost; *bio-gas - using biological gas to produce energy and for heating/cooling purposes; *wind generation of electricity - it's nowadays, a non-expensive technique; *water pump for irrigation and human consuming, driving their power from photovoltaic cells; *and the study and own development of solar lasers for peaceful scientific studies. In this new kind of laser, the external necessary pumping energy comes from the high intensity of sunlight, produced with non-imaging concentrators. Solar lasers can give unexpected new great uses for mankind. Those achievements will require international cooperation and transfer of information, sustained research and development work, and some initial subsides by independent governments. Solar

Bright optical synchrotron counterpart of the western hot spot in Pictor A

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Roeser, H.J.; Meisenheimer, K.; Royal Observatory, Edinburgh, Scotland)

1987-01-01

A B = 19.5 mag bright, highly polarized object was detected close to the western hot spot in Pictor A during an optical polarization survey of radio hot spots in classical double radio sources. The unresolved source exhibits a featureless continuum between 400 and 800 nm and is identified as the optical counterpart of the radio hot spot. It is surrounded by optical filaments aligned roughly perpendicular to the source axis. The hot spot is also marginally detected in an Einstein IPC frame. 17 references

Airborne measurements of western U.S. wildfire emissions: Comparison with prescribed burning and air quality implications: Western U.S. Wildfire Emissions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Liu, Xiaoxi; University of Colorado, Boulder, CO; Huey, L. Gregory; Yokelson, Robert J.; Selimovic, Vanessa

2017-01-01

Wildfires emit significant amounts of pollutants that degrade air quality. Plumes from three wildfires in the western U.S. were measured from aircraft during the Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS) and the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP), both in summer 2013. This study reports an extensive set of emission factors (EFs) for over 80 gases and 5 components of submicron particulate matter (PM 1 ) from these temperate wildfires. These include rarely, or never before, measured oxygenated volatile organic compounds and multifunctional organic nitrates. The observed EFs are compared with previous measurements of temperate wildfires, boreal forest fires, and temperate prescribed fires. Furthermore, the wildfires emitted high amounts of PM 1 (with organic aerosol (OA) dominating the mass) with an average EF that is more than 2 times the EFs for prescribed fires. The measured EFs were used to estimate the annual wildfire emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, total nonmethane organic compounds, and PM 1 from 11 western U.S. states. The estimated gas emissions are generally comparable with the 2011 National Emissions Inventory (NEI). However, our PM 1 emission estimate (1530 ± 570 Gg yr -1 ) is over 3 times that of the NEI PM2.5 estimate and is also higher than the PM2.5 emitted from all other sources in these states in the NEI. This study indicates that the source of OA from biomass burning in the western states is significantly underestimated. Additionally, our results indicate that prescribed burning may be an effective method to reduce fine particle emissions.

Phytochemicals of selected plant species of the Apocynaceae and Asclepiadaceae from Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India

Science.gov (United States)

A concern about the declining supply of petroleum products has led to a renewed interest in evaluating plant species as potential alternate sources of energy. Five species of the Apocynaceae and three species of the Asclepiadaceae from the Western Ghats were evaluated as alternative sources of energ...

Communication and relationship satisfaction in Chinese, Western, and intercultural Chinese-Western couples.

Science.gov (United States)

Hiew, Danika N; Halford, W Kim; van de Vijver, Fons J R; Liu, Shuang

2016-03-01

The current study compared Chinese, Western, and intercultural Chinese-Western couples' communication and examined how culture moderates the association of communication with relationship satisfaction. We coded the communication of 33 Western couples, 36 Chinese couples, and 54 intercultural Chinese-Western couples when discussing a relationship problem and when reminiscing about positive relationship events. Couples with Chinese female partners showed fewer positive behaviors and more negative behaviors (as classified in existing Western coding systems) than couples with Western female partners. The male partner's culture had few associations with couples' rates of communication behavior. Relationship satisfaction was associated with low rates of negative behaviors and high rates of most of the positive behaviors across cultural groups, and these associations were more evident in problem discussions than positive reminiscences. (c) 2016 APA, all rights reserved).

Emission sources of non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and their contribution to photochemical ozone (O3) formation at an urban atmosphere in western India.

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, R.; Sahu, L. K.; Tripathi, N.; Pal, D.

2017-12-01

Atmospheric non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) were measured at a sampling site in Udaipur city of western India during 2015 to recognize their pollution levels, variation characteristics, sources and photochemical reactivity. The samples were analyzed for NMVOCs using a Gas Chromatograph equipped with Flame Ionization Detector (GC/FID) and Thermal Desorption (TD) system. The main focus on understand the sources responsible for NMVOC emissions, and evaluating the role of the identified sources towards ozone formation. Hourly variations of various NMVOC species indicate that VOCs mixing ratios were influenced by photochemical removal with OH radicals for reactive species, secondary formation for oxygenated VOCs. In general, higher mixing ratios were observed during winter/pre-monsoon and lower levels during the monsoon season due to the seasonal change in meteorological, transport path of air parcel and boundary layer conditions. The high levels of propane (C3H8) and butane (C4H10) show the dominance of LPG over the study location. The correlation coefficients of typical NMVOC pairs (ethylene/propylene, propylene/isoprene, and ethane/propane) depicted that vehicular emission and natural gas leakages were important sources for atmospheric hydrocarbons in Udaipur. Based on the annual data, PMF analysis suggest the source factors namely biomass burning/ bio-fuel, automobile exhaust, Industrial/ natural gas/power plant emissions, petrol/Diesel, gasoline evaporation, and use of liquid petroleum gas (LPG) contribute to NMVOCs loading. The propylene-equivalent and ozone formation potential of NMVOCs have also been calculated in order to find out their OH reactivity and contribution to the photochemical ozone formation.

Isotopic Characterization of Snow, Ice and Glacial Melt in the Western Himalayas, India

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rai, S. P.; Kumar, B.; Arora, M.; Singh, R. D. [National Institute of Hydrology, Roorkee, 247 667 (India)

2013-07-15

Precipitation and glacial melt samples were collected at the snout of the Gangotri Glacier, popularly known as Gaumukh, located in the western Himalayas, India. Snow and ice samples were collected from different sites of the Gangotri Glacier. The local meteoric water line (LMWL) developed for the ablation period (May to October) is {delta}{sup 2}H = 8.2 {delta}{sup 18}O + 17.1 (r{sup 2} = 0.99), which shows a slightly higher slope and intercept than GMWL. This may be due to local summer connective precipitation occurring under dry climatic conditions and mountainous region moisture recycling with the south-west monsoon. The meltwater line, {delta}{sup 2}H =9.4 {delta}{sup 18}O + 37.5 (r{sup 2}= 0.96), having a significantly higher slope and intercept than the GMWL and LMWL. The main reasons for the higher slope and intercept of meltwater line may be due to the recycling of local vapour with moisture derived from the Western disturbance moisture whose source is the Mediterranean sea. The high d-exess values of snow, ice and meltwater indicate that the source of moisture is the Western disturbances. (author)

Physical and microbiological properties of alluvial calcareous Çumra province soils (Central Anatolia, Turkey

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Ahmet Sami Erol

2015-04-01

Full Text Available Alluvial calcareous soils in Central Anatolia (Konya province, Çumra district has a heavy granulometric composition (average clay, low organic carbon content (less than 1%, but stable pore space structure and favorable agrophysical properties. Studies of the water regime in drip irrigation confirm favorable hydrological properties of these soils. It is assumed that the favorable structure of the pore space due to vigorous activity a large and diverse soil biota. Four phyla dominate in soil biota, among which predominate Actinobacteria. The higher (Streptomyces, and lower (three species Rhodococcus actinobacteria are predominant in large amounts as a part of this phyla. Large biodiversity at a sufficiently high bacteria richness formed the structure of the microbial community that contribute to the balanced production of specific metabolites, including gases (CO2, N2, which allows the soil to function actively, preventing compaction of the pore space and maintaining optimal density, porosity, hydrologic properties of the studied silty clay soils. m the uppermost soil horizons. Analyses of heavy mineral fraction show presence of metamorphic and igneous minerals which indicate participation of weathering products from other rock types in the nearby area. The types of heavy minerals in soils depend more on composition of parent rocks and geomorphic position than on climate type. Soils from Nova Lovcha show similar composition, but the quantity of goethite and hematite significantly increase in soil from plain. Typical high-metamorphic minerals as andalusite, kyanite and sillimanite present only in Nova Lovcha, while garnet dominates in Petrovo and opaque minerals - in Dobrostan. Red soils, formed on slopes, where erosion prevails over accumulation, contain more illite, smectite and vermiculite-smectite, and very few or no kaolinite, whereas the kaolinite is dominant in soils formed on plain. The mineralogical composition of clays in different

Genetic monitoring of western corn rootworm (Coleoptera: Chrysomelidae) populations on a microgeographic scale.

Science.gov (United States)

Ivkosic, S A; Gorman, J; Lemic, D; Mikac, K M

2014-06-01

Microsatellite and mitochondrial DNA genetic monitoring of the western corn rootworm, Diabrotica virgifera virgifera LeConte, was undertaken in Croatia and Serbia from 1996 to 2011 and in the United States in 2011. The seven U.S. populations displayed the greatest allelic diversity. In Europe, the highest number of alleles was found in Rugvica, Croatia, and Surčin, Serbia, the two sites closest to international airports. The highest number of mitochondrial (mt) DNA haplotypes was recorded from Croatia in 1996. From 2009 to 2011, haplotype diversity declined, and Croatia and Serbia had a single fixed haplotype. U.S. continuous maize locations had one haplotype, while three haplotypes were found at crop-rotated locations. Minimal temporal genetic differentiation was found within and between populations in Europe and the United States. Bayesian cluster analysis identified two genetic clusters that grouped western corn rootworm from Croatia and Serbia separately from U.S. populations; however, these clusters were not neat, and numerous U.S. individuals had both European and U.S. ancestry, suggesting bidirectional gene flow. Bottlenecks were identified within most Croatian populations sampled in 1996, only two populations in 2009, and in all populations in 2011. Bottlenecks were not identified from Serbia from 1996 to 2011 or from the United States in 2011. As suspected Serbia was identified as the geographic source of western corn rootworm in Croatia. The temporal genetic monitoring undertaken allowed a deeper understanding of the population genetics of western corn rootworm in Croatia, neighboring Serbia, and its geographic source in the United States. The data obtained can be used to inform western corn rootworm pest management strategies in Croatia and Europe.

Irregular Migration flows and human trafficking in the Western Balkan countries: challenges of the covergence of counter-trafficking response

OpenAIRE

Mece, Merita H.

2016-01-01

Irregular migration on the Western Balkan route has marked an unprecedented number during the last five years. Evidence indicates that both, non-European nationals and Western Balkan citizens have been involved in this complex migratory flow being exposed to various risks of human trafficking. But Western Balkan countries are source, transit and destination countries of human trafficking while their states are not well organized to implement a comprehensive and well-coordinated regional respo...

Western Wind and Solar Integration Study: Hydropower Analysis

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Acker, T.; Pete, C.

2012-03-01

The U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) study of 20% Wind Energy by 2030 was conducted to consider the benefits, challenges, and costs associated with sourcing 20% of U.S. energy consumption from wind power by 2030. This study found that with proactive measures, no insurmountable barriers were identified to meet the 20% goal. Following this study, DOE and the National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) conducted two more studies: the Eastern Wind Integration and Transmission Study (EWITS) covering the eastern portion of the U.S., and the Western Wind and Solar Integration Study (WWSIS) covering the western portion of the United States. The WWSIS was conducted by NREL and research partner General Electric (GE) in order to provide insight into the costs, technical or physical barriers, and operational impacts caused by the variability and uncertainty of wind, photovoltaic, and concentrated solar power when employed to serve up to 35% of the load energy in the WestConnect region (Arizona, Colorado, Nevada, New Mexico, and Wyoming). WestConnect is composed of several utility companies working collaboratively to assess stakeholder and market needs to and develop cost-effective improvements to the western wholesale electricity market. Participants include the Arizona Public Service, El Paso Electric Company, NV Energy, Public Service of New Mexico, Salt River Project, Tri-State Generation and Transmission Cooperative, Tucson Electric Power, Xcel Energy and the Western Area Power Administration.

Utilization Pattern and Drug Use of Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western Medicine, and Integrated Chinese-Western Medicine Treatments for Allergic Rhinitis Under the National Health Insurance Program in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Sheng-Kang; Lai, Chih-Sung; Chang, Yuan-Shiun; Ho, Yu-Ling

2016-10-01

Patients in Taiwan with allergic rhinitis seek not only Western medicine treatment but also Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment or integrated Chinese-Western medicine treatment. Various studies have conducted pairwise comparison on Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western medicine, and integrated Chinese-Western medicine treatments. However, none conducted simultaneous analysis of the three treatments. This study analyzed patients with allergic rhinitis receiving the three treatments to identify differences in demographic characteristic and medical use and thereby to determine drug use patterns of different treatments. The National Health Insurance Research Database was the data source, and included patients were those diagnosed with allergic rhinitis (International Classification of Diseases, Ninth Revision, Clinical Modification codes 470-478). Chi-square test and Tukey studentized range (honest significant difference) test were conducted to investigate the differences among the three treatments. Visit frequency for allergic rhinitis treatment was higher in female than male patients, regardless of treatment with Traditional Chinese Medicine, Western medicine, or integrated Chinese-Western medicine. Persons aged 0-19 years ranked the highest in proportion of visits for allergic rhinitis. Traditional Chinese Medicine treatment had more medical items per person-time and daily drug cost per person-time and had the lowest total expenditure per person-time. In contrast, Western medicine had the lowest daily drug cost per person-time and the highest total expenditure per person-time. The total expenditure per person-time, daily drug cost per person-time, and medical items per person-time of integrated Chinese-Western medicine treatment lay between those seen with Traditional Chinese Medicine and Western medicine treatments. Although only 6.82 % of patients with allergic rhinitis chose integrated Chinese-Western medicine treatment, the visit frequency per person-year of

Influences of natural emission sources (wildfires and Saharan dust) on the urban organic aerosol in Barcelona (Western Mediterranean Basis) during a PM event.

Science.gov (United States)

van Drooge, Barend L; Lopez, Jordi F; Grimalt, Joan O

2012-11-01

The urban air quality in Barcelona in the Western Mediterranean Basin is characterized by overall high particulate matter (PM) concentrations, due to intensive local anthropogenic emissions and specific meteorological conditions. Moreover, on several days, especially in summer, natural PM sources, such as long-range transported Saharan dust from Northern Africa or wildfires on the Iberian Peninsula and around the Mediterranean Basin, may influence the levels and composition of the organic aerosol. In the second half of July 2009, daily collected PM(10) filter samples in an urban background site in Barcelona were analyzed on organic tracer compounds representing several emission sources. During this period, an important PM peak event was observed. Individual organic compound concentrations increased two to five times during this event. Although highest increase was observed for the organic tracer of biomass burning, the contribution to the organic aerosol was estimated to be around 6 %. Organic tracers that could be related to Saharan dust showed no correlation with the PM and OC levels, while this was the case for those related to fossil fuel combustion from traffic emissions. Moreover, a change in the meteorological conditions gave way to an overall increase of the urban background contamination. Long-range atmospheric transport of organic compounds from primary emissions sources (i.e., wildfires and Saharan dust) has a relatively moderate impact on the organic aerosol in an urban area where the local emissions are dominating.

Acoustic propagation within a surface duct in the western Bay of Bengal

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

PrasannaKumar, S.; Navelkar, G.S.; Murty, T.V.R.; Murty, C.S.

Sound speed structure forms a surface duct in the upper 50 m layer in the western Bay of Bengal during late July. A range-dependent acoustic ray computation shows that some rays emanating from a source within the upper 30 m, get trapped within...

General Characteristics of Flora and Vegetation Formations of Eastern Anatolia Region and Its Environs (Türkiye

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Münir ÖZTÜRK

2015-07-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT: Eastern Anatolia and its environs are included in the Irano-Turanian phytogeographical region of Türkiye. The region abounds in highest mountain ranges (average 1900 m of the country some of which are of quarternary age and volcanic character. Many rivers of historical and international importance like Euphrates, Dicle, Murat, Karasu and Aras. Tigris, Aras and Çoruh flow through the region. It experiencens a typical continental climate. Soils are generally of alluvial, colluvial, chestnut-brown, regosal and basaltic types. The area embodies over 8 million ha of meadows and grasslands which is 41% of Türkiye's total pasturelands as such cattle raising is very high in this area. Forest vegetation is represented mainly by Pinus sylvestris, Quercus libani, Q. longipes, Q. brantii, Q. macranthera, Juniperus excelsa and Betula pendula. Most of these are highly degraded. Plant cover is rich in Irano - Turanian elements but we find Mediterranean and Euro-Siberian elements too to some extent, richest families being Asteraceae, Fabaceae and Poaceae, Lamiaceae, Caryophyllaceae and Apiaceae richest genera being Astragalus, Verbascum, Centaurea, Ranunculus, Alyssum, Vicia, Silene, Dianthus, Veronica and Trifolium. The number of endemics is very high, being around 950. And also the region has gene centers of genera Astragalus, Gypsophila, Cousinia, Acanthophyllum etc. The some typical associations one comes across in this area are; Triseto-Pinetum sylvestris, Trifolio-Pinetum sylvestris, Ballato-Rhamnetum pallasii, Caragano-Minuartietum lineatea, Hippophaetum rhamnoidis, Typho-Juncetum inflecii, Hordeetum violaceumii, Deschampsio-Ranunculetum brachylobus, Hordeeto-Ranunculetum comosae and Polygon-Primuletum auriculatae. Dominantly vegetation of the region is steppe. The are a lot of natural plant taxa using local people. Key Words: Eastern Anatolia, Flora, Vegetation, Biodiversity, Geobotany, Endemism, Türkiye. Doğu Anadolu Bölgesi ve �

Mercury in western North America: A synthesis of environmental contamination, fluxes, bioaccumulation, and risk to fish and wildlife

Science.gov (United States)

Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Wiener, James G.; Eckley, Chris S.; Willacker, James J.; Evers, David C.; Marvin-DiPasquale, Mark C.; Obrist, Daniel; Fleck, Jacob; Aiken, George R.; Lepak, Jesse M.; Jackson, Allyson K.; Webster, Jackson; Stewart, Robin; Davis, Jay; Alpers, Charles N.; Ackerman, Joshua T.

2016-01-01

Western North America is a region defined by extreme gradients in geomorphology and climate, which support a diverse array of ecological communities and natural resources. The region also has extreme gradients in mercury (Hg) contamination due to a broad distribution of inorganic Hg sources. These diverse Hg sources and a varied landscape create a unique and complex mosaic of ecological risk from Hg impairment associated with differential methylmercury (MeHg) production and bioaccumulation. Understanding the landscape-scale variation in the magnitude and relative importance of processes associated with Hg transport, methylation, and MeHg bioaccumulation requires a multidisciplinary synthesis that transcends small-scale variability. The Western North America Mercury Synthesis compiled, analyzed, and interpreted spatial and temporal patterns and drivers of Hg and MeHg in air, soil, vegetation, sediments, fish, and wildlife across western North America. This collaboration evaluated the potential risk from Hg to fish, and wildlife health, human exposure, and examined resource management activities that influenced the risk of Hg contamination. This paper integrates the key information presented across the individual papers that comprise the synthesis. The compiled information indicates that Hg contamination is widespread, but heterogeneous, across western North America. The storage and transport of inorganic Hg across landscape gradients are largely regulated by climate and land-cover factors such as plant productivity and precipitation. Importantly, there was a striking lack of concordance between pools and sources of inorganic Hg, and MeHg in aquatic food webs. Additionally, water management had a widespread influence on MeHg bioaccumulation in aquatic ecosystems, whereas mining impacts where relatively localized. These results highlight the decoupling of inorganic Hg sources with MeHg production and bioaccumulation. Together the findings indicate that developing

Spatial and temporal variations of loads and sources of total and dissolved Phosphorus in a set of rivers (Western France).

Science.gov (United States)

Legeay, Pierre-Louis; Moatar, Florentina; Gascuel-Odoux, Chantal; Gruau, Gérard

2015-04-01

In intensive agricultural regions with important livestock farming, long-term land application of Phosphorus (P) both as chemical fertilizer and animal wastes, have resulted in elevated P contents in soils. Since we know that high P concentrations in rivers is of major concern, few studies have been done at to assess the spatiotemporal variability of P loads in rivers and apportionment of point and nonpoint source in total loads. Here we focus on Brittany (Western France) where even though P is a great issue in terms of human and drinking water safety (cyano-toxins), environmental protection and economic costs for Brittany with regards to the periodic proliferations of cyanobacteria that occur every year in this region, no regional-scale systematic study has been carried out so far. We selected a set of small rivers (stream order 3-5) with homogeneous agriculture and granitic catchment. By gathering data from three water quality monitoring networks, covering more than 100 measurements stations, we provide a regional-scale quantification of the spatiotemporal variability of dissolved P (DP) and total P (TP) interannual loads from 1992 to 2012. Build on mean P load in low flows and statistical significance tests, we developed a new indicator, called 'low flow P load' (LFP-load), which allows us to determine the importance of domestic and industrial P sources in total P load and to assess their spatiotemporal variability compared to agricultural sources. The calculation and the map representation of DP and TP interannual load variations allow identification of the greatest and lowest P contributory catchments over the study period and the way P loads of Brittany rivers have evolved through time. Both mean DP and TP loads have been divided by more than two over the last 20 years. Mean LFDP-load decreased by more than 60% and mean LFTP-load by more than 45% on average over the same period showing that this marked temporal decrease in total load is largely due to the

Soil classification for seismic site effect using MASW and ReMi methods: A case study from western Anatolia (Dikili -İzmir)

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Karabulut, Savaş

2018-03-01

The study area is located in the northern part of Izmir, Western Turkey, prone to an active tectonic extensional regime and includes typical features of sedimentary basins, horst-grabens surrounded by a series of normal and strike-slip faults. In September 1939 the Dikili (Kabakum) earthquake with a magnitude of Mw: 6.6 occurred and after this phenomenon, residents moved from the west of Dikili to the east (i.d. soft sediments to relative to rock area). A proper estimate of the earthquake-related hazard for the area is the main objective of this study. The site effect and soil engineering problems for estimating hazard parameters at the soil surface need to be carefully analyzed for seismic site classification and geo-engineering problems like soil liquefaction, soil settlement, soil bearing capacity and soil amplification. To solve the soil static and dynamic problems, shear-wave velocities have been used in a joint interpretation process; Multichannel Analysis of Surface Waves (MASW) and Refraction Microtremor (ReMi) analyses were conducted on 121 sites with 300 × 300 m grid size in an area of 60 km2. It has been proposed that the probability of an earthquake with a magnitude of Mw: 6 occurring within 10 years is 64%, when considering the Gutenberg-Richter model. This puts the region under an important earthquake risk. The estimated Vs30 values are ≤180 m/s in the central and the northernmost part of the study area are showing an E type soil after the classification of NEHRP, where alluvial deposits are dominant. Vs30 values in the north and central part are between 180 ≤ Vs ≤ 360 m/s suggesting a D type soil. In the southernmost part of the study area where volcanic rocks are widely distributed, Vs30 values range between 360 and 908 m/s, corresponding to a C type and B type soil. The results show that soil liquefaction induced settlement and soil amplification are the most important problems in the south and the northernmost part of the study area, which

Nuclear waste disposal: regional options for the Western Pacific

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Childs, I.

1985-01-01

The disposal of nuclear waste is a complex environmental problem involving the technology of containing a radiation hazard and the political problem of finding an acceptable site for a hazardous waste facility. The focus of discussion here is the degree to which Western Pacific countries are committed to nuclear power as an energy source, and the political and economic interdependencies in the region which will influence waste disposal options

Heat pumps in western Switzerland

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Freymond, A.

2003-01-01

The past ten years have seen an extraordinary expansion of heat-pump market figures in the western (French speaking) part of Switzerland. Today, more than 14,000 units are in operation. This corresponds to about 18% of all the machines installed in the whole country, compared to only 10 to 12% ten years ago. This success illustrates the considerable know-how accumulated by the leading trade and industry during these years. It is also due to the promotional program 'Energy 2000' of the Swiss Federal Department of Energy that included the heat pump as a renewable energy source. Already in 1986, the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne was equipped with a huge heat pump system comprising two electrically driven heat pumps of 3.5 MW thermal power each. The heat source is water drawn from the lake of Geneva at a depth of 70 meters. An annual coefficient of performance of 4.5 has been obtained since the commissioning of the plant. However, most heat pump installations are located in single-family dwellings. The preferred heat source is geothermal heat, using borehole heat exchangers and an intermediate heat transfer fluid. The average coefficient of performance of these installations has been increased from 2.5 in 1995 to 3.1 in 2002

Integrated mosquito larval source management reduces larval numbers in two highland villages in western Kenya

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Imbahale Susan S

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background In western Kenya, malaria remains one of the major health problems and its control remains an important public health measure. Malaria control is by either use of drugs to treat patients infected with malaria parasites or by controlling the vectors. Vector control may target the free living adult or aquatic (larval stages of mosquito. The most commonly applied control strategies target indoor resting mosquitoes. However, because mosquitoes spend a considerable time in water, targeting the aquatic stages can complement well with existing adult control measures. Methods Larval source management (LSM of malaria vectors was examined in two villages i.e. Fort Ternan and Lunyerere, with the aim of testing strategies that can easily be accessed by the affected communities. Intervention strategies applied include environmental management through source reduction (drainage of canals, land levelling or by filling ditches with soil, habitat manipulation (by provision of shading from arrow root plant, application of Bacillus thuringiensis var israelensis (Bti and the use of predatory fish, Gambusia affinis. The abundance of immature stages of Anopheles and Culex within intervention habitats was compared to that within non-intervention habitats. Results The findings show that in Fort Ternan no significant differences were observed in the abundance of Anopheles early and late instars between intervention and non-intervention habitats. In Lunyerere, the abundance of Anopheles early instars was fifty five times more likely to be present within non-intervention habitats than in habitats under drainage. No differences in early instars abundance were observed between non-intervention and habitats applied with Bti. However, late instars had 89 % and 91 % chance of being sampled from non-intervention rather than habitats under drainage and those applied with Bti respectively. Conclusion Most of these interventions were applied in habitats

FIELD ACTIVITIES AND PRELIMINARY RESULTS FROM THE INVESTIGATION OF WESTERN AIRBORNE CONTAMINANTS IN TWO HIGH ELEVATION WATERSHEDS OF ROCKY MOUNTAIN NATIONAL PARK

Science.gov (United States)

The National Park Service initiated the Western Airborne Contaminants Assessment Project (WACAP) in 2002 to determine if airborne contaminants from long-range transport and/or regional sources are having an impact on remote western ecosystems, including AK. Rocky Mountain Nation...

Çanakkale ve Midilli Adası Arası Seramik Öyküsü

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Mehmet Fatih Karagül

2013-04-01

Full Text Available Traditional Çanakkale ceramics is a kind of folk art which originated from the turkification of Anatolia and the cultural synthesis between the Aegean islands. It is well-known that it had its genesis in the influential Seljukian art. It has similarities to the Byzantine ceramics as clear from the usage of the materials, shaping, the decorative features and the like. Although art historians adopt a sceptic approach to this situation, similarities are eminent for a ceramist. The beginning of Çanakkale ceramics can be traced back to Akköy ceramics. Lesbos’s and Akköy’s white slip decoration share similarities, which forms a natural bond between Lesvos and Akköy for Çanakkale. Wars and war-induced migrations caused cultural exchanges, which also affected coastal settlements in Western Anatolia and the Greek islands. Till the productions and widespread use of the plastic materials, the bond between agricultural and commercial activities and ceramic products is important. This bond is an integral part of the ongoing interaction between the two shores. The ceramics of this interaction have survived as witnesses of the similarities till now.

Resource potential of the western North Atlantic Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Dillon, William P.; Manheim, Frank T.; Jansa, L.F.; Palmason, Gudmundur; Tucholke, Brian E.; Landrum, Richard S.

1986-01-01

We here consider the petroleum resources only of the off shelf portion of the western North Atlantic Ocean. Very little information is available for this region; off the eastern United States, only four petroleum exploration holes have been drilled in one restricted area seaward of the shelf, off the Baltimore Canyon trough. However, by interpreting seismic reflection profiles and Stratigraphie data from the Deep Sea Drilling Project (DSDP) and other wells on the adjacent slope and shelf, we can evaluate the geologic conditions that existed during development of the basin and that might lead to petroleum accumulations.The wellknown factors that lead to oil and gas accumulations are availability of source beds, adequate maturation, and the presence of reservoir beds and seals configured to create a trap. The western boundary of the area considered in this paper, the present sloperise break, is one that has developed from the interplay of sedimentation and erosion at the continental margin; these processes are affected by variations in margin subsidence, sedi-ment input, oceanic circulation, sea level, and other factors. Thus the sloperise break has migrated over time and is locally underlain by slope and shelf deposits, as well as deepbasin facies. These changes in depositional environments may well have caused juxtaposition of source and reservoir beds with effective seals.

Late Pleistocene dune-sourced alluvial fans in coastal settings: Sedimentary facies and related processes (Mallorca, Western Mediterranean)

Science.gov (United States)

Pomar, F.; del Valle, L.; Fornós, J. J.; Gómez-Pujol, L.

2018-05-01

from non-alluvial/fluvial/colluvial systems. In fact they relate with a marine source. Chronologies on aeolianites of northern Mallorca indicate that up to four periods of aeolian deposition took place during cooling stages and marine regressions over the last 100 kyr. Moreover, the alternation of short warming-cooling fluctuations between the cooling stages may have provided the conditions necessary to generate stormy weather in the western Mediterranean, resulting in aeolian-alluvial interactions. Additionally, the dynamics of this sedimentary environment were only possible because during the Last Glacial Maximum, the sea level remained low enough to allow for the formation of coastal dune fields and fans.

Western values and the Russian energy weapon

Science.gov (United States)

Domingues, Bennett K.

This thesis explores the competition between Russia and the West for the oil and gas resources of the Caspian Sea region, an area where far more is at stake than simply acquisition of new energy supplies. Ultimately, the "winner" of the competition for Caspian Sea energy resources will determine whether Russia will become the primary energy supplier for Europe in the future, or whether there will be alternative, non-Russian energy routes from East to West. The thesis uses a qualitative approach, drawing on scholarly books and articles, current affairs publications, energy firm websites, and other sources to compare the ethical aspects of the strategies used by Russia and the West, to determine whose strategy has been more successful, and to analyze what this means for the political, economic, and security future of Europe. As this thesis demonstrates, Russia recognizes the importance of energy as both an economic and foreign policy tool. To secure access to the resources of the Caspian Sea region, Russia has used bribery and strongman tactics to secure arrangements and contracts favorable to Russian interests. When a country does not capitulate to these tactics, Russia applies other measures to influence these countries' policies. This thesis draws on two recent examples, Ukraine and Georgia, to demonstrate how Russia has used its position as a supplier of energy resources to influence countries to adopt policies complementary to Russian interests, or to punish them for failing to do so. The effectiveness of these Russian tactics is an important precedent for the countries of the Caspian Sea region to keep in mind as they make decisions that will determine their economic and political future for decades to come. In contrast, the western strategy of promoting quality products and services, while ensuring safety and conducting business according to western ethical norms, has been less successful than western firms originally envisioned. Undoubtedly western firms have

CEPF Western Ghats Special Series: An overview of Asian Elephants in the Western Ghats, southern India: implications for the conservation of Western Ghats ecology

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N. Baskaran

2013-10-01

Full Text Available The Western Ghats region is a global biodiversity hotspot and the source of all the major rivers of peninsular India. The conservation of this region is important for the biodiversity it harbours, and for ecological functions that include climate stability, erosion control, clean water and air, which are essential to safeguard economic growth, social stability and quality of life for the people of peninsular India. Possessing a unique diversity in topography, climate, vegetation, faunal communities, endemism and human communities, the Western Ghats is also known for its spectacular assemblage of larger mammals, including 25% of the global population of Asian Elephants. There are four major landscapes in the Western Ghats: (1 Uttara Kannada, (2 Brahmagiri-Nilgiris, (3 Anamalai-Nelliyampathy-High Range, and (4 Periyar-Agasthyamalai, spread across 30,000km2, harbouring a minimum 10,000 elephants in six different populations with signs of an increasing trend in some populations. The second landscape (Brahmagiri-Nilgiris with over 50% of the Ghats elephant population, along with its contiguity to the Eastern Ghats elephant landscape, forms the single largest global population of Asian Elephants. However, major threats to the long-term conservation of the elephant include further fragmentation of habitat, continued poaching of bulls for ivory, and escalation in human-elephant conflicts resulting in public antagonism toward the species. The goals of management should thus be to: (1 consolidate habitats and preserve corridors to avoid further fragmentation; (2 take steps through integrated land use planning at the landscape level to reduce human-elephant conflicts; and (3 build up a demographically and genetically viable elephant population by protecting the tusked males from ivory poaching. Being a wide-ranging umbrella species, ensuring the long-term conservation of Asian Elephants in the Ghats implies protecting its biodiversity and ecological

Distributions and contamination assessment of heavy metals in the surface sediments of western Laizhou Bay: Implications for the sources and influencing factors.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhang, Pan; Hu, Rijun; Zhu, Longhai; Wang, Peng; Yin, Dongxiao; Zhang, Lianjie

2017-06-15

Heavy metals (Cu, Pb, Cr, Cd and As) contents in surface sediments from western Laizhou Bay were analysed to evaluate the spatial distribution pattern and their contamination level. As was mainly concentrated in the coastal area near the estuaries and the other metals were mainly concentrated in the central part of the study area. The heavy metals were present at unpolluted levels overall evaluated by the sediment quality guidelines and geoaccumulation index. Principal component analysis suggest that Cu, Pb and Cd were mainly sourced from natural processes and As was mainly derived from anthropogenic inputs. Meanwhile, Cr originated from both natural processes and anthropogenic contributions. Tidal currents, sediments and human activities were important factors affecting the distribution of heavy metals. The heavy metal environment was divided into four subareas to provide a reference for understanding the distribution and pollution of heavy metals in the estuary-bay system. Copyright © 2017 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Geothermal resource assessment of western San Luis Valley, Colorado

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Zacharakis, Ted G.; Pearl, Richard Howard; Ringrose, Charles D.

1983-01-01

The Colorado Geological Survey initiated and carried out a fully integrated assessment program of the geothermal resource potential of the western San Luis Valley during 1979 and 1980. The San Luis Valley is a large intermontane basin located in southcentral Colorado. While thermal springs and wells are found throughout the Valley, the only thermal waters found along the western part of the Valley are found at Shaw Warm Springs which is a relatively unused spring located approximately 6 miles (9.66 km) north of Del Norte, Colorado. The waters at Shaws Warm Spring have a temperature of 86 F (30 C), a discharge of 40 gallons per minute and contain approximately 408 mg/l of total dissolved solids. The assessment program carried out din the western San Luis Valley consisted of: soil mercury geochemical surveys; geothermal gradient drilling; and dipole-dipole electrical resistivity traverses, Schlumberger soundings, Audio-magnetotelluric surveys, telluric surveys, and time-domain electro-magnetic soundings and seismic surveys. Shaw Warm Springs appears to be the only source of thermal waters along the western side of the Valley. From the various investigations conducted the springs appear to be fault controlled and is very limited in extent. Based on best evidence presently available estimates are presented on the size and extent of Shaw Warm Springs thermal system. It is estimated that this could have an areal extent of 0.63 sq. miles (1.62 sq. km) and contain 0.0148 Q's of heat energy.

ANALYSIS OF TRADITIONAL BUILDING TECHNIQUES AND DAMAGE ASSESSMENT OF TRADITIONAL TURKISH HOUSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mine Tanac Zeren

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Western part of the Anatolia is one of the most important regions of the World that many civilizations have lived during the history since ancient times. Kula is an important historical town dating back to 17th century and is hosting important timber farmed structures (mansions unique with their space organizations, architectural features and structural system. This study creates an analysis model which is based on a detailed case study, defining structural system and damage causes for the upcoming restoration works within the region, and this methodology can be applied for other traditional regions as well.

Characterization of fast pyrolysis products generated from several western USA woody species

Science.gov (United States)

Jacqueline M. Jarvis; Deborah S. Page-Dumroese; Nathaniel M. Anderson; Yuri Corilo; Ryan P. Rodgers

2014-01-01

Woody biomass has the potential to be utilized at an alternative fuel source through its pyrolytic conversion. Here, fast pyrolysis bio-oils derived from several western USA woody species are characterized by negative-ion electrospray ionization Fourier transform ion cyclotron resonance mass spectrometry (ESI FT-ICR MS) to determine molecular-level composition. The...

Airborne black carbon concentrations over an urban region in western India-temporal variability, effects of meteorology, and source regions.

Science.gov (United States)

Bapna, Mukund; Sunder Raman, Ramya; Ramachandran, S; Rajesh, T A

2013-03-01

This study characterizes over 5 years of high time resolution (5 min), airborne black carbon (BC) concentrations (July 2003 to December 2008) measured over Ahmedabad, an urban region in western India. The data were used to obtain different time averages of BC concentrations, and these averages were then used to assess the diurnal, seasonal, and annual variability of BC over the study region. Assessment of diurnal variations revealed a strong association between BC concentrations and vehicular traffic. Peaks in BC concentration were co-incident with the morning (0730 to 0830, LST) and late evening (1930 to 2030, LST) rush hour traffic. Additionally, diurnal variability in BC concentrations during major festivals (Diwali and Dushera during the months of October/November) revealed an increase in BC concentrations due to fireworks displays. Maximum half hourly BC concentrations during the festival days were as high as 79.8 μg m(-3). However, the high concentrations rapidly decayed suggesting that local meteorology during the festive season was favorable for aerosol dispersion. A multiple linear regression (MLR) model with BC as the dependent variable and meteorological parameters as independent variables was fitted. The variability in temperature, humidity, wind speed, and wind direction accounted for about 49% of the variability in measured BC concentrations. Conditional probability function (CPF) analysis was used to identify the geographical location of local source regions contributing to the effective BC measured (at 880 nm) at the receptor site. The east north-east (ENE) direction to the receptor was identified as a major source region. National highway (NH8) and two coal-fired thermal power stations (at Gandhinagar and Sabarmati) were located in the identified direction, suggesting that local traffic and power plant emissions were likely contributors to the measured BC.

Sources, Fate and Distribution of Organic Matter on the Western Adriatic Continental Shelf, Italy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tesi, Tommaso; Miserocchi, Stefano; Langone, Leonardo; Boni, Laurita; Guerrini, Franca

2006-01-01

In the framework of the EUROSTRATAFORM projects, a multidisciplinary research was focused on processes that involve transport and deposition of riverine material in the Adriatic Sea. The aim of our contribution was to increase a more complete understanding of organic matter deposition on the Adriatic shelf, also taking into account the role of Apennine rivers beyond the Po influence. In order to characterize origin, fate and variability of sedimentary organic carbon we utilized elemental and stable carbon isotope data in surficial sediments along shallow cross-shelf transects on the western Adriatic shelf

Exploration of Resource and Transmission Expansion Decisions in the Western Renewable Energy Zone Initiative

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Mills, Andrew D.; Phadke, Amol A.; Wiser, Ryan H.

2010-06-10

The Western Renewable Energy Zone (WREZ) initiative brings together a diverse set of voices to develop data, tools, and a unique forum for coordinating transmission expansion in the Western Interconnection. In this paper we use a new tool developed in the WREZ initiative to evaluate possible renewable resource selection and transmission expansion decisions. We evaluate these decisions under a number of alternative future scenarios centered on meeting 33percent of the annual load in the Western Interconnection with new renewable resources located within WREZ-identified resource hubs. Our analysis finds that wind energy is the largest source of renewable energy procured to meet the 33percent RE target across nearly all scenarios analyzed (38-65percent). Solar energy is almost always the second largest source (14-41percent). We find several load zones where wind energy is the least cost resource under a wide range of sensitivity scenarios. Load zones in the Southwest, on the other hand, are found to switch between wind and solar, and therefore to vary transmission expansion decisions, depending on uncertainties and policies that affect the relative economics of each renewable option. Further, we find that even with total transmission expenditures of $17-34 billion these costs still represent just 10-19percent of the total delivered cost of renewable energy.

Assessing variation in tolerance in 23 Muslim-majority and Western countries.

Science.gov (United States)

Milligan, Scott; Andersen, Robert; Brym, Robert

2014-08-01

Scholars disagree over whether Islam hinders the development of liberal democracy in Muslim-majority countries. We contribute to this debate by assessing the influence of Islam at the individual and national levels on ethnic, racial, and religious tolerance in 23 countries. Our analyses are based on a set of multilevel models fitted to World Values Survey data and national-level contextual information from various sources. Our findings suggest that people living in Muslim-majority countries tend to be less tolerant than are those living in Western countries. Although a significant part of this difference is attributable to variation in level of economic development and income inequality, Muslim countries remain less tolerant even after controlling for these factors. On the other hand, controlling for other individual-level factors, nonpracticing Muslims in Western countries are more tolerant than are all others in both Muslim-majority and Western countries. This finding challenges common claims about the effects of Islam as a religion on tolerance, suggesting that it is Islamic political regimes--not Islam itself--that pose problems for social tolerance.

Comparison of Earthquake Source Characteristics in the Kachchh Rift

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

42

Saurashtra horst, Deccan Volcanic Province, Western India ..... dike swarms, several Z-shaped, and S-shaped drag folds in the southeastern part of the Saurashtra ... noise sources like traffic, industrial and cultural noise. ...... J. Asian Earth Sci.

A new irradiated quartz for beta source calibration

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Vicki; Murray, Andrew Sean; Buylaert, Jan-Pieter

2015-01-01

For luminescence dating to be an accurate absolute dating technique it is very important that we are able to deliver absolutely known radiation doses in the laboratory. This is normally done using a radiation source (alpha, beta, X-ray) calibrated against an absolutely known reference source. Man...... doses from a standardised gamma source to in-built irradiation sources....... from south-western Denmark (Rømø). Two grain sizes (4-11μm and 180-250μm) have been examined in detail. These were pre-treated (annealed, dosed and annealed again) to sensitise and stabilise the luminescence signals before being given an absolutely known gamma dose from a point 137Cs source in scatter...

Arthropod diversity in pristine vs. managed beech forests in Transcarpathia (Western Ukraine

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Vasyl Chumak

2015-01-01

We conclude that biodiversity in pristine beech forests is not generally higher than in managed beech forests. However, the much higher amount of dead wood in pristine forests provides a source habitat for saproxylic species spreading into managed forest plots in the same region, but not to distant forests, far from virgin forests, such as in Western Europe.

The potential of high heat generating granites as EGS source to generate power and reduce CO2 emissions, western Arabian shield, Saudi Arabia

Science.gov (United States)

Chandrasekharam, D.; Lashin, A.; Al Arifi, N.; Al Bassam, A.; El Alfy, M.; Ranjith, P. G.; Varun, C.; Singh, H. K.

2015-12-01

Saudi Arabia's dependence on oil and gas to generate electricity and to desalinate sea water is widely perceived to be economically and politically unsustainable. A recent business as usual simulation concluded that the Kingdom would become an oil importer by 2038. There is an opportunity for the country to over come this problem by using its geothermal energy resources. The heat flow and heat generation values of the granites spread over a cumulative area of 161,467 sq. km and the regional stress regime over the western Saudi Arabian shield strongly suggest that this entire area is potential source of energy to support 1) electricity generation, 2) fresh water generation through desalination and 3) extensive agricultural activity for the next two decades. The country can adopt a policy to harness this vast untapped enhanced geothermal systems (EGS) to mitigate climate and fresh water related issues and increase the quantity of oil for export. The country has inherent expertise to develop this resource.

Barriers to the use of renewable energy in Western Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harman, F.; Stocker, L.; Walker, I.; Stirling, M.

1991-08-01

Public attitudes towards renewable energy sources, in particular solar energy is examined through a survey of water heating in the metropolitan area, energy supply and use on pastoral leases in Western Australia. The private costs of water heating systems was assessed in a way which may give guidance to manufacturers on improving the economics of solar water heating systems, and to policy makers for facilitating the use of solar water heating systems. The policies currently in place in Western Australia which act as barriers to the greater use of renewable energy were also outlined. The cost data, together with the attitudes of consumers as revealed in the surveys, indicate that manufacturers and suppliers of renewable energy equipment need to reduce costs and improve the actual and perceived capability, performance and reliability of their equipment. 96 refs., 30 tabs., 38 figs

Zooming Albanian factor in the nineteenth century through Western lenses

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

MA. Arben Salihu

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The developments of the nineteenth century were determining for the history of Balkan region as it shaped the future of many generations to come, resulting in (mainly growing discontents that led to several wars during the last century. It was beginning of the decay of the Ottoman Empire that many longed for, and many nations used every opportunity to take a full advantage of it. The aim of this work is to explore exclusively (only Western sources in an attempt to provide, as much as possible, an objective and neutral picture. Therefore, the idea behind the decision to examine non-Balkan sources is impartiality, in order to bring the reader as close as possible to the reality of the nineteenth century. A number of nineteenth century books, magazines and newspapers of the time, by respective Western authors, are explored and analysed. Reading and examining a large volume of data and information of this period, offers a unique sense of feeling, similar to that of living the nineteenth century world. Albanians, who have historically populated the heart of Balkans, are focal point of this region (in many of the regional and international sources for this particular period, vis-à-vis the Ottoman governance as well as relations with other regional neighbours. Their contribution to the history of nations in the region was unquestionably critical, but their conduct in relations to their own cause has produced an unproductive image, portrayed often with confused and incomprehensible deeds. By using authentic sources of the time, the study intends to develop arguments on many points raised, like population and religion. This work also touches briefly the sensitive issue of education in the region and initial Albanian inputs in the history of Balkan education map. Finally the study concludes that Albanians’ altruism and largely visionless focus, produced a relatively expected detrimental outcome.

Nuclear energy in Western Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Loennroth, M.; Walker, W.

1984-01-01

This is an overview of nuclear energy in Western Europe, as seen by two Western Europeans, attempting to place the topic into the context not only of energy supply but also of industrial relations, institutional structure, and sociocultural factors. Although its main focus is Western Europe, it is sometimes necessary to glance at the wider context, in particular the industrial relations with the United States and Japan. Export markets are also considered, in particular, in the Pacific. The paper does not, however, deal with nonproliferation policies and the possible difference of opinion within Western Europe and between Western Europe and other regions over this topic. (author)

Internal globalization of Western Balkan

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Vukotić Veselin

2006-01-01

Full Text Available What are potential and real effects of the globalization process on the economic connection between Western Balkan countries? What is the crucial change in relations between Western Balkan countries and its economies inexorably brought by globalization? What are the elements of political economy of Western Balkan globalization? What are reflections of the conflict between political and economic areas of Western Balkan? These are some of the issues discuses in this paper.

Environmental Assessment for Operations, Upgrades, and Consolidation at the Western Command Site, New Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

2014-09-01

Mexico Environmental Geo ra hie InformationS stem Source: NNSA AOWC Agent Operations Westem Command ER Environmental restoration NNSA National...8217)’ UU1’ Cll TONGA TE J)oputy Secretaey RE: Kirtland Air Force Dase~ Environmental Assessment for Operations, Upgrades and Consolidation at the Western

Western Michigan University: Quasi-Revolving Fund. Green Revolving Funds in Action: Case Study Series

Science.gov (United States)

Billingsley, Christina

2011-01-01

Western Michigan University has designed an innovative "Quasi-Revolving Fund" model that demonstrates the institution's full commitment to incorporating sustainability into campus operations. The Quasi-Revolving Fund recaptures money from cost-savings, similar to a typical green revolving fund, but it also sources capital from the…

Associations between Chinese/Asian versus Western mass media influences and body image disturbances of young Chinese women.

Science.gov (United States)

Jackson, Todd; Jiang, Chengcheng; Chen, Hong

2016-06-01

In this study, we evaluated associations of experiences with mass media imported from Western nations such as the United States versus mass media from China and other Asian countries with eating and body image disturbances of young Chinese women. Participating women (N=456) completed self-report measures of disordered eating, specific sources of appearance dissatisfaction (fatness, facial features, stature), and Western versus Chinese/Asian mass media influences. The sample was significantly more likely to report perceived pressure from, comparisons with, and preferences for physical appearance depictions in Chinese/Asian mass media than Western media. Chinese/Asian media influences also combined for more unique variance in prediction models for all disturbances except stature concerns. While experiences with Western media were related to disturbances as well, the overall impact of Chinese/Asian media influences was more prominent. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Early growth performances of various seed sources of black (Prunus ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Early growth performances of various seed sources of black (Prunus serotina Erhr.) and wild cherry ( Prunus avium L.) seedlings on low and high elevation sites in the western Black Sea Region of Turkey.

Knowledge economy readiness, innovativeness and competitiveness of the Western Balkan countries

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Cvetanović Slobodan

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The Western Balkan countries have set themselves the goal to join the European Union as soon as possible. Accordingly, they must adjust the key components of their development policies to the Europe 2020 strategy, focusing on key priorities such as smart, sustainable and inclusive growth. This paper explores the relationship among knowledge economy readiness, innovativeness, and competitiveness of six Western Balkan countries (Albania, Bosnia and Herzegovina, Macedonia, Serbia, Croatia, and Montenegro and the group of six selected neighboring EU countries (Austria, Bulgaria, Greece, Hungary, Romania, and Slovenia. The paper relies on the data obtained from the Knowledge Economy Index of the World Bank Institute, INSEAD's Global Innovation Index and the Global Competitiveness Index of the World Economic Forum for 2013. Obtained data from all three sources indicated significantly lower readiness for the development of economy based on knowledge, innovation and competitiveness in the Western Balkans countries in comparison to the selected EU countries. The analysis of the interdependence of the aforementioned variables points to: a statistically significant correlation between the indicator knowledge economy index and the global innovation index for both groups of countries; b statistically significant linear correlation between innovativeness and innovation efficiency ratio for the Western Balkan countries. Conversely, no respective correlation has been registered for the group of selected EU countries; c no statistically significant correlation between the global innovation index and the global competitiveness index in the Western Balkan countries, while in respect of the group of selected EU countries, the existence of significant linear correlation between these variables has been revealed.

Groundwater contamination and its effect on health in Turkey.

Science.gov (United States)

Baba, Alper; Tayfur, Gokmen

2011-12-01

The sources of groundwater pollution in Turkey are identified, and pathways of contaminants to groundwater are first described. Then, the effects of groundwater quality on health in Turkey are evaluated. In general, sources of groundwater contamination fall into two main categories: natural and anthropogenic sources. Important sources of natural groundwater pollution in Turkey include geological formations, seawater intrusion, and geothermal fluid(s). The major sources of anthropogenic groundwater contamination are agricultural activities, mining waste, industrial waste, on-site septic tank systems, and pollution from imperfect well constructions. The analysis results revealed that natural contamination due to salt and gypsum are mostly found in Central and Mediterranean regions and arsenic in Aegean region. Geothermal fluids which contain fluoride poses a danger for skeleton, dental, and bone problems, especially in the areas of Denizli, Isparta, and Aydın. Discharges from surface water bodies contaminate groundwater by infiltration. Evidence of such contamination is found in Upper Kızılırmak basin, Gediz basin, and Büyük Melen river basin and some drinking water reservoirs in İstanbul. Additionally, seawater intrusion causes groundwater quality problems in coastal regions, especially in the Aegean coast. Industrial wastes are also polluting surface and groundwater in industrialized regions of Turkey. Deterioration of water quality as a result of fertilizers and pesticides is another major problem especially in the regions of Mediterranean, Aegean, Central Anatolia, and Marmara. Abandoned mercury mines in the western regions of Turkey, especially in Çanakkale, İzmir, Muğla, Kütahya, and Balıkesir, cause serious groundwater quality problems.

Labor productivity losses over western Turkey in the twenty-first century as a result of alteration in WBGT.

Science.gov (United States)

Altinsoy, Hamza; Yildirim, Haci Ahmet

2015-04-01

Occupational fatalities and work-related injuries are more common in Turkey than in most developing and developed countries. Several precautions have been taken concerning the matter, and The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSL 2012) has been passed. These efforts, however, have failed to incorporate in their framework the role of global warming. New legislation is underway for the prevention of occupational diseases, injuries, and fatalities. This is particularly worrisome given that Turkey is in the forefront of countries projected to be affected seriously by climate change. Consequently, a study on the direct and indirect impact of climate change on workers' health and labour productivity is paramount. The main purpose of this research is to present diminishing labour productivity as a consequence of decreased working hours via an estimate of rest hours of workers in manual labour. The climatic outputs of Regional Climate Model (RegCM3) obtained from the ENSEMBLES Project are used to calculate the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) over western Turkey. The study covers the span of years between 1971 and 2100. Moreover, spatial distributions of observed domain are estimated by means of a seasonal analysis, preliminary to a more detailed research. Critical regions, more adversely influenced than others, are identified. The total number of loss days for these critical regions are presented for various time periods. As a result, labour productivity particularly in agriculture and construction is expected to diminish seriously over Central Anatolia, Cyprus, and parts of the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean coastal areas. Between 2071 and 2100, deficiency in labour productivity may reach up to 52% during the summer across some of these critical regions. Though it will be seen that the present study has focused primarily on manual labour and outdoor work in particular, it foreshadows nevertheless the dangerous impact of climate change on occupational health and

Labor productivity losses over western Turkey in the twenty-first century as a result of alteration in WBGT

Science.gov (United States)

Altinsoy, Hamza; Yildirim, Haci Ahmet

2015-04-01

Occupational fatalities and work-related injuries are more common in Turkey than in most developing and developed countries. Several precautions have been taken concerning the matter, and The Occupational Health and Safety Act (OHSL 2012) has been passed. These efforts, however, have failed to incorporate in their framework the role of global warming. New legislation is underway for the prevention of occupational diseases, injuries, and fatalities. This is particularly worrisome given that Turkey is in the forefront of countries projected to be affected seriously by climate change. Consequently, a study on the direct and indirect impact of climate change on workers' health and labour productivity is paramount. The main purpose of this research is to present diminishing labour productivity as a consequence of decreased working hours via an estimate of rest hours of workers in manual labour. The climatic outputs of Regional Climate Model (RegCM3) obtained from the ENSEMBLES Project are used to calculate the wet bulb globe temperature (WBGT) over western Turkey. The study covers the span of years between 1971 and 2100. Moreover, spatial distributions of observed domain are estimated by means of a seasonal analysis, preliminary to a more detailed research. Critical regions, more adversely influenced than others, are identified. The total number of loss days for these critical regions are presented for various time periods. As a result, labour productivity particularly in agriculture and construction is expected to diminish seriously over Central Anatolia, Cyprus, and parts of the Aegean and eastern Mediterranean coastal areas. Between 2071 and 2100, deficiency in labour productivity may reach up to 52 % during the summer across some of these critical regions. Though it will be seen that the present study has focused primarily on manual labour and outdoor work in particular, it foreshadows nevertheless the dangerous impact of climate change on occupational health and

[Migratory circuits in western Mexico].

Science.gov (United States)

Durand, J

1986-11-01

The author examines patterns of internal and international migration in western Mexico. "Drawing on data from different sources and statistics, the essay demonstrates the importance of both types of migration, the changes in endogenous and exogenous factors which have affected the life and the migratory patterns of the population of this region. The migratory circuit being a flow not only of persons, but of goods and capital as well, the cities, specifically that of Guadalajara, have a strategic importance. They fulfill various functions and have become the backbone of the migratory process: they serve as centers for attracting and 'hosting' internal migrants as well as places of origin for other migrants; jumping-off points for international migrants; and the milieu in which many returning migrants of rural origin settle." (SUMMARY IN ENG AND FRE) excerpt

CO2 Sink/Source in the Indonesian Seas

KAUST Repository

Kartadikaria, Aditya R.

2015-04-01

Two distinct CO2 sink/source characteristics appeared from the compiled observed data 1984-2013 in the tropical Indonesian seas. The western part persistently emits CO2 to the atmosphere, while the eastern is rather dynamic which emits and absorbs smaller amount of CO2 to and from atmosphere, respectively. The segregation is proximal to the virtual Wallace line, where in the continental shelf is located. Lower salinity and higher silicate condition in the western part influenced the higher pCO2 condition in Java Sea. Temperature is found to have a limited influence to control different characteristic in the west and east, but SST change of 2.0 0C during La Ninã condition effectively reduced the source amount of CO2 by 50% compared to Normal year condition. Yet, during La Ninã, higher wind speed increases CO2 flux twice compared to Normal year. In the continental shelf area where CO2 sink area is found, 29 years data showed that pCO2 trend is increasing ±0.6-3.8 μatm/year. From this study, the overall areas have a significant source of CO2 of approximately 10 - 24 μatm.

Linking Watershed Nitrogen Sources with Nitrogen Dynamics in Rivers of Western Oregon, USA

Science.gov (United States)

Sobota, D. J.; Compton, J.; Goodwin, K. E.

2012-12-01

We constructed contemporary nitrogen (N) budgets for 25 river basins in the Willamette River Basin (WRB) of western Oregon, USA, to improve the understanding of how recent trends in human-driven N loading have influenced riverine N dynamics in the region. Nearly 20% of WRB stream length is currently in fair or poor condition because of high N concentrations. Additionally, nitrate contamination of drinking water affects at least 8,000 people in the WRB. We hypothesized that 1) the majority of N inputs in the WRB would originate from agricultural activities in lowland portions of watersheds, 2) annual riverine N yield (kg/ha/yr) would correspond to annual per area watershed N inputs, and 3) riverine N yields would be seasonal and highest during winter due to the region's Mediterranean climate. We calculated average annual N inputs for each study basin by summing newly available datasets describing spatially explicit N inputs of synthetic fertilizer, atmospheric deposition, crop biological N2 fixation, biological N2 fixation by red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.), livestock manure, and point sources for the period 1996 - 2007. Annual and seasonal riverine N exports were estimated with the USGS model LOADEST calibrated to N concentration data collected during the study period. We estimated that two-thirds of total N input to the WRB study basins in the 2000s came from synthetic fertilizer application. Nearly all fertilizer application occurred on the lowlands near watershed mouths. We found a wide range of riverine N yields from the study basins, ranging from one to 70 kg N/ha/yr. Across the study basins, N export was more strongly correlated to fertilizer application rates than to percent of agricultural area in the watershed. Low watershed N yields reflected a high proportion of watershed area in the forested Cascade Mountain Range, which received low N inputs mainly from atmospheric deposition. N yields from study basins were strongly seasonal, with at least 50%, and

Teaching the Western.

Science.gov (United States)

Lenihan, John H.

2002-01-01

Discusses the content of a course on the genre of western films that was utilized as a film study and a U.S. cultural history credit. Describes in detail the film, "Winchester '73," and addresses other films utilized in the course. States that the course also focuses on the development of the western genre. (CMK)

An air quality assessment in the industrialised western Bushveld Igneous Complex, South Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrew D. Venter

2012-09-01

Full Text Available South Africa has the largest industrialised economy in Africa, with significant mining and metallurgical activities. A large fraction of the South African mineral assets is concentrated in the Bushveld Igneous Complex (BIC, with the western limb being the most exploited. Because the majority of the world’s platinum is produced in the BIC, this area is also of international interest. There are some indications that the western BIC should be considered an air pollution hotspot; however, inadequate data exist to substantiate these claims scientifically. To partially address this knowledge gap, a comprehensive air quality monitoring station was operated for more than 2 years in this area. Meteorological parameters, trace gas concentrations and total mass concentration of particulate matter up to 10 µm in size (PM10 were measured. Compared with South African and European ambient air quality standards, SO2, NO2 and CO concentrations were generally acceptable. The major sources of SO2 were identified as high-stack industry emissions, while household combustion from semi-formal and informal settlements was identified as the predominant source of NO2 and CO. In contrast, O3 exceeded the 8-h moving average more than 322 times per year. The main contributing factor was identified to be the influx of regional air masses, with high O3 precursor concentrations. PM10 exceeded the current South African 24-h standard 6.6 times per year, the future (2015 standard 42.3 times per year and the European standard more than 120 times per year. The main source of PM10 was identified as household combustion from semi-formal and informal settlements. The findings clearly indicate that atmospheric O3 and PM10 levels in the western BIC need to be addressed to avoid negative environmental and human health impacts.

Managing Nonpoint Source Pollution in Western Washington: Landowner Learning Methods and Motivations

Science.gov (United States)

Ryan, Clare M.

2009-06-01

States, territories, and tribes identify nonpoint source pollution as responsible for more than half of the Nation’s existing and threatened water quality impairments, making it the principal remaining cause of water quality problems across the United States. Combinations of education, technical and financial assistance, and regulatory measures are used to inform landowners about nonpoint source pollution issues, and to stimulate the use of best management practices. A mail survey of non-commercial riparian landowners investigated how they learn about best management practices, the efficacy of different educational techniques, and what motivates them to implement land management activities. Landowners experience a variety of educational techniques, and rank those that include direct personal contact as more effective than brochures, advertisements, radio, internet, or television. The most important motivations for implementing best management practices were linked with elements of a personal stewardship ethic, accountability, personal commitment, and feasibility. Nonpoint source education and social marketing campaigns should include direct interpersonal contacts, and appeal to landowner motivations of caring, responsibility, and personal commitment.

Communication Patterns in Adult-Infant Interactions in Western and Non-Western Cultures.

Science.gov (United States)

Keller, Heidi; And Others

1988-01-01

Analyzes the early communication structure in adult-child interactions with two- to six-month old babies in Western (West Germany, Greece) and non-Western (Yanomami, Trobriand) societies. Discusses universal international verbal and non-verbal structures reflecting intuitive parenting programs. (FMW)

Osmanlı Tekke Mutfak Kültürü ve Mecmuâ-i Fevâid / The Ottoman Dervish Lodge Cuisine and Majmūʿa al-fawāʾid

OpenAIRE

Güldane

2016-01-01

The dervish lodge cuisine in the Ottoman lodge structuring has a central importance. The lodge cuisine helped Anatolia turn into a homeland. Travelers took shelter in the lodges in Anatolia. So, these buildings were a safe haven for those who travel. Lodge’s kitchens were always open. These kitchens offered a delightful “Sheikh Baba’s Soup” anytime and these kitchens gave peace and serenity to Anatolia. This article analyzes the Ottoman lodge food culture in the context of a manuscript which ...

Are turtleback fault surfaces common structural elements of highly extended terranes?

Science.gov (United States)

Çemen, Ibrahim; Tekeli, Okan; Seyitoğlu, Gűrol; Isik, Veysel

2005-12-01

The Death Valley region of the U.S.A. contains three topographic surfaces resembling the carapace of a turtle. These three surfaces are well exposed along the Black Mountain front and are named the Badwater, Copper Canyon, and Mormon Point Turtlebacks. It is widely accepted that the turtlebacks are also detachment surfaces that separate brittlely deformed Cenozoic volcanic and sedimentary rocks of the hanging wall from the strongly mylonitic, ductilely deformed pre-Cenozoic rocks of the footwall. We have found a turtleback-like detachment surface along the southern margin of the Alasehir (Gediz) Graben in western Anatolia, Turkey. This surface qualifies as a turtleback fault surface because it (a) is overall convex-upward and (b) separates brittlely deformed hanging wall Cenozoic sedimentary rocks from the ductilely to brittlely deformed, strongly mylonitic pre-Cenozoic footwall rocks. The surface, named here Horzum Turtleback, contains striations that overprint mylonitic stretching lineations indicating top to the NE sense of shear. This suggests that the northeasterly directed Cenozoic extension in the region resulted in a ductile deformation at depth and as the crust isostatically adjusted to the removal of the rocks in the hanging wall of the detachment fault, the ductilely deformed mylonitic rocks of the footwall were brought to shallower depths where they were brittlely deformed. The turtleback surfaces have been considered unique to the Death Valley region, although detachment surfaces, rollover folds, and other extensional structures have been well observed in other extended terranes of the world. The presence of a turtleback fault surface in western Anatolia, Turkey, suggests that the turtleback faults may be common structural features of highly extended terranes.

Proterozoic events recorded in quartzite cobbles at Jack Hills, Western Australia: New constraints on sedimentation and source of > 4 Ga zircons

Science.gov (United States)

Grange, Marion L.; Wilde, Simon A.; Nemchin, Alexander A.; Pidgeon, Robert T.

2010-03-01

Rare heavy mineral bands within quartzite cobbles were identified in two conglomerate units within the Jack Hills belt, Western Australia. Seven zircon-bearing cobbles were analysed from one location (site 152) and three from another (site 154), both approximately 1 km west of the site where zircons in excess of 4 Ga are abundant (W74 'discovery' site). Individual pebbles from the 152 site reveal three distinctive features, containing either zircons > 3.0 Ga in age, 4 Ga was discovered from the entire suite of pebbles, in contrast to the well-studied W74 site. A single detrital zircon with an age of 1220 ± 42 Ma from location 152 is the youngest grain so far reported from sedimentary rocks at Jack Hills. It shows magmatic oscillatory zoning and thus implies at least two sedimentary cycles within the Proterozoic; requiring erosion of an igneous precursor, incorporation into a clastic sediment, induration and subsequent erosion and transport to be hosted in the conglomerate. The nearest source for rocks of this age is the Bangemall Supergroup in the Collier Basin, ˜ 100 km northeast in the Capricorn Orogen. This would imply tectonic interleaving of originally more extensive Bangemall rocks, possibly related to activity along the Cargarah Shear Zone that traverses the Jack Hills belt. The lack of > 4.1 Ga zircons in the pebbles is highly significant, suggesting the immediate source of ancient zircons was no longer present at the Earth's surface. This equates with a general lack of ancient crystals noted in rocks that contain Proterozoic zircons from previous studies and implies that such grains diminish in number as earlier sedimentary rocks were successively recycled.

Jurassic-Paleogene intra-oceanic magmatic evolution of the Ankara Mélange, North-Central Anatolia, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Sarifakioglu, E.; Dilek, Y.; Sevin, M.

2013-11-01

Oceanic rocks in the Ankara Mélange along the Izmir-Ankara-Erzincan suture zone (IAESZ) in North-Central Anatolia include locally coherent ophiolite complexes (~179 Ma and ~80 Ma), seamount or oceanic plateau volcanic units with pelagic and reefal limestones (96.6 ± 1.8 Ma), metamorphic rocks with ages of 187.4 ± 3.7 Ma, 158.4 ± 4.2 Ma, and 83.5 ± 1.2 Ma, and subalkaline to alkaline volcanic and plutonic rocks of an island arc origin (~67-63 Ma). All but the arc rocks occur in a shaly-graywacke and/or serpentinite matrix, and are deformed by south-vergent thrust faults and folds that developed in the Middle to Late Eocene due to continental collisions in the region. Ophiolitic volcanic rocks have mid-ocean ridge (MORB) and island arc tholeiite (IAT) affinities showing moderate to significant LILE enrichment and depletion in Nb, Hf, Ti, Y and Yb, which indicate the influence of subduction-derived fluids in their melt evolution. Seamount/oceanic plateau basalts show ocean island basalt (OIB) affinities. The arc-related volcanic rocks, lamprophyric dikes and syeno-dioritic plutons exhibit high-K shoshonitic to medium-to high-K calc-alkaline compositions with strong enrichment in LILE, REE and Pb, and initial ϵNd values between +1.3 and +1.7. Subalkaline arc volcanic units occur in the northern part of the mélange, whereas the younger alkaline volcanic rocks and intrusions (lamprophyre dikes and syeno-dioritic plutons) in the southern part. The Early to Late Jurassic and Late Cretaceous epidote-actinolite, epidote-chlorite and epidote-glaucophane schists represent the metamorphic units formed in a subduction channel in the Northern Neotethys. The Middle to Upper Triassic neritic limestones spatially associated with the seamount volcanic rocks indicate that the Northern Neotethys was an open ocean with its MORB-type oceanic lithosphere by the Early Triassic. The Latest Cretaceous-Early Paleocene island arc volcanic, dike and plutonic rocks with

Jurassic-Paleogene intraoceanic magmatic evolution of the Ankara Mélange, north-central Anatolia, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Sarifakioglu, E.; Dilek, Y.; Sevin, M.

2014-02-01

Oceanic rocks in the Ankara Mélange along the Izmir-Ankara-Erzincan suture zone (IAESZ) in north-central Anatolia include locally coherent ophiolite complexes (∼ 179 Ma and ∼ 80 Ma), seamount or oceanic plateau volcanic units with pelagic and reefal limestones (96.6 ± 1.8 Ma), metamorphic rocks with ages of 256.9 ± 8.0 Ma, 187.4 ± 3.7 Ma, 158.4 ± 4.2 Ma, and 83.5 ± 1.2 Ma indicating northern Tethys during the late Paleozoic through Cretaceous, and subalkaline to alkaline volcanic and plutonic rocks of an island arc origin (∼ 67-63 Ma). All but the arc rocks occur in a shale-graywacke and/or serpentinite matrix, and are deformed by south-vergent thrust faults and folds that developed in the middle to late Eocene due to continental collisions in the region. Ophiolitic volcanic rocks have mid-ocean ridge (MORB) and island arc tholeiite (IAT) affinities showing moderate to significant large ion lithophile elements (LILE) enrichment and depletion in Nb, Hf, Ti, Y and Yb, which indicate the influence of subduction-derived fluids in their melt evolution. Seamount/oceanic plateau basalts show ocean island basalt (OIB) affinities. The arc-related volcanic rocks, lamprophyric dikes and syenodioritic plutons exhibit high-K shoshonitic to medium- to high-K calc-alkaline compositions with strong enrichment in LILE, rare earth elements (REE) and Pb, and initial ɛNd values between +1.3 and +1.7. Subalkaline arc volcanic units occur in the northern part of the mélange, whereas the younger alkaline volcanic rocks and intrusions (lamprophyre dikes and syenodioritic plutons) in the southern part. The late Permian, Early to Late Jurassic, and Late Cretaceous amphibole-epidote schist, epidote-actinolite, epidote-chlorite and epidote-glaucophane schists represent the metamorphic units formed in a subduction channel in the northern Neotethys. The Middle to Upper Triassic neritic limestones spatially associated with the seamount volcanic rocks indicate that the northern

Western Slope Colorado

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Epis, R.C.; Callender, J.F.

1981-01-01

A conference on the geology and geologic resources of the Western Slope of western Colorado and eastern Utah is presented. Fourteen papers from the conference have been abstracted and indexed for the Department of Energy's Energy Data Base. These papers covered such topics as uranium resources, oil shale deposits, coal resources, oil and gas resources, and geothermal resources of the area

Alternative energy sources from plants of Western Ghats (Tamil Nadu, India)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Augustus, G.D.P.S.; Jayabalan, M. [V.H.N.S.N College, Virudhunagar (India). Research Centre in Botany; Seiler, G.J. [USDA-ARS, Northern Crop Science Lab., Fargo, ND (United States)

2003-06-01

Twenty-two taxa of Western Ghats plants were screened as potential alternative crops for renewable energy, oil, hydrocarbon and phytochemicals. The highest hydrocarbon yields were observed in Carissa carandas (1.7%), and Jatropha gossypifolia (1.7%). The highest polyphenol fraction was observed in Dodonaea viscosa (17.1%), Carissa carandas (7.7%), Swietenia mahagoni (6.6%), and Jatropha glandulifera (6.2%). The highest oil content was observed in Aganosma cymosa (10.3%), Carissa carandas (5.8%), and Argemone mexicana (5.0%). Swietenia mahagoni yielded the highest protein content with 8.1%. The gross heat value of 4175.0 cal/g(17.5 MJ/kg) for Lochnera rosea (pink flowered var.), and 4112.0 cal/g for Dalbergia sissoo were the highest among the species analysed. NMR spectra of the hydrocarbon fractions of Alstonia scholaris, Carissa carandas, Ichnocarpus frutescens, Plumeria rubra, Thevetia neriifolia (white flowered var.), Vallaris solanacea, Lochnera rosea (pink flowered var.), Euphorbia hirta, E. splendens, Artocarpus integrifolia and Ficus religiosa revealed the presence of cis-polyisoprene (natural rubber), whereas Argemone mexicana showed the presence of trans-polyisoprene (gutta). Several new crop species were identified with potentially useful compounds. The potential exists for growing these alternate crops in areas of under-utilized lands, subsequently stimulating industrial and economic growth. (author)

IRREGULAR MIGRATION FLOWS AND HUMAN TRAFFICKING IN THE WESTERN BALKAN COUNTRIES: CHALLENGES OF THE CONVERGENCE OF COUNTER-TRAFFICKING RESPONSE

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Merita H. Mece

2016-05-01

Full Text Available Irregular migration on the Western Balkan route has marked an unprecedented number during the last five years. Evidence indicates that both, non-European nationals and Western Balkan citizens have been involved in this complex migratory flow being exposed to various risks of human trafficking. But Western Balkan countries are source, transit and destination countries of human trafficking while their states are not well organized to implement a comprehensive and well-coordinated regional response to combat it. This paper aims at examining challenges faced by the Western Balkan countries to converge anti-trafficking response while facing increased irregular migratory waves. Using secondary data it illustrates various disparities and differences among them concluding that a well-coordinated, multi-faceted and integrated regional response is needed to combat this humanitarian problem.

Origin of elemental carbon in snow from western Siberia and northwestern European Russia during winter-spring 2014, 2015 and 2016

Science.gov (United States)

Evangeliou, Nikolaos; Shevchenko, Vladimir P.; Espen Yttri, Karl; Eckhardt, Sabine; Sollum, Espen; Pokrovsky, Oleg S.; Kobelev, Vasily O.; Korobov, Vladimir B.; Lobanov, Andrey A.; Starodymova, Dina P.; Vorobiev, Sergey N.; Thompson, Rona L.; Stohl, Andreas

2018-01-01

Short-lived climate forcers have been proven important both for the climate and human health. In particular, black carbon (BC) is an important climate forcer both as an aerosol and when deposited on snow and ice surface because of its strong light absorption. This paper presents measurements of elemental carbon (EC; a measurement-based definition of BC) in snow collected from western Siberia and northwestern European Russia during 2014, 2015 and 2016. The Russian Arctic is of great interest to the scientific community due to the large uncertainty of emission sources there. We have determined the major contributing sources of BC in snow in western Siberia and northwestern European Russia using a Lagrangian atmospheric transport model. For the first time, we use a recently developed feature that calculates deposition in backward (so-called retroplume) simulations allowing estimation of the specific locations of sources that contribute to the deposited mass. EC concentrations in snow from western Siberia and northwestern European Russia were highly variable depending on the sampling location. Modelled BC and measured EC were moderately correlated (R = 0.53-0.83) and a systematic region-specific model underestimation was found. The model underestimated observations by 42 % (RMSE = 49 ng g-1) in 2014, 48 % (RMSE = 37 ng g-1) in 2015 and 27 % (RMSE = 43 ng g-1) in 2016. For EC sampled in northwestern European Russia the underestimation by the model was smaller (fractional bias, FB > -100 %). In this region, the major sources were transportation activities and domestic combustion in Finland. When sampling shifted to western Siberia, the model underestimation was more significant (FB < -100 %). There, the sources included emissions from gas flaring as a major contributor to snow BC. The accuracy of the model calculations was also evaluated using two independent datasets of BC measurements in snow covering the entire Arctic. The model underestimated BC concentrations in

Sources of long-lived atmospheric VOCs at the rural boreal forest site, SMEAR II

Science.gov (United States)

Patokoski, J.; Ruuskanen, T. M.; Kajos, M. K.; Taipale, R.; Rantala, P.; Aalto, J.; Ryyppö, T.; Nieminen, T.; Hakola, H.; Rinne, J.

2015-12-01

In this study a long-term volatile organic compound (VOCs) concentration data set, measured at the SMEAR II (Station for Measuring Ecosystem-Atmosphere Relations) boreal forest site in Hyytiälä, Finland during the years 2006-2011, was analyzed in order to identify source areas and profiles of the observed VOCs. VOC mixing ratios were measured using proton transfer reaction mass spectrometry. Four-day HYSPLIT 4 (Hybrid Single Particle Lagrangian Integrated Trajectory) backward trajectories and the Unmix 6.0 receptor model were used for source area and source composition analysis. Two major forest fire events in Russia took place during the measurement period. The effect of these fires was clearly visible in the trajectory analysis, lending confidence to the method employed with this data set. Elevated volume mixing ratios (VMRs) of non-biogenic VOCs related to forest fires, e.g. acetonitrile and aromatic VOCs, were observed. Ten major source areas for long-lived VOCs (methanol, acetonitrile, acetaldehyde, acetone, benzene, and toluene) observed at the SMEAR II site were identified. The main source areas for all the targeted VOCs were western Russia, northern Poland, Kaliningrad, and the Baltic countries. Industrial areas in northern continental Europe were also found to be source areas for certain VOCs. Both trajectory and receptor analysis showed that air masses from northern Fennoscandia were less polluted with respect to both the VOCs studied and other trace gases (CO, SO2 and NOx), compared to areas of eastern and western continental Europe, western Russia, and southern Fennoscandia.

Geochemistry of regional background aerosols in the Western Mediterranean

Science.gov (United States)

Pey, J.; Pérez, N.; Castillo, S.; Viana, M.; Moreno, T.; Pandolfi, M.; López-Sebastián, J. M.; Alastuey, A.; Querol, X.

2009-11-01

The chemical composition of regional background aerosols, and the time variability and sources in the Western Mediterranean are interpreted in this study. To this end 2002-2007 PM speciation data from an European Supersite for Atmospheric Aerosol Research (Montseny, MSY, located 40 km NNE of Barcelona in NE Spain) were evaluated, with these data being considered representative of regional background aerosols in the Western Mediterranean Basin. The mean PM 10, PM 2.5 and PM 1 levels at MSY during 2002-2007 were 16, 14 and 11 µg/m 3, respectively. After compiling data on regional background PM speciation from Europe to compare our data, it is evidenced that the Western Mediterranean aerosol is characterised by higher concentrations of crustal material but lower levels of OM + EC and ammonium nitrate than at central European sites. Relatively high PM 2.5 concentrations due to the transport of anthropogenic aerosols (mostly carbonaceous and sulphate) from populated coastal areas were recorded, especially during winter anticyclonic episodes and summer midday PM highs (the latter associated with the transport of the breeze and the expansion of the mixing layer). Source apportionment analyses indicated that the major contributors to PM 2.5 and PM 10 were secondary sulphate, secondary nitrate and crustal material, whereas the higher load of the anthropogenic component in PM 2.5 reflects the influence of regional (traffic and industrial) emissions. Levels of mineral, sulphate, sea spray and carbonaceous aerosols were higher in summer, whereas nitrate levels and Cl/Na were higher in winter. A considerably high OC/EC ratio (14 in summer, 10 in winter) was detected, which could be due to a combination of high biogenic emissions of secondary organic aerosol, SOA precursors, ozone levels and insolation, and intensive recirculation of aged air masses. Compared with more locally derived crustal geological dusts, African dust intrusions introduce relatively quartz-poor but clay

Computer Simulation Western

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rasmussen, H.

1992-01-01

Computer Simulation Western is a unit within the Department of Applied Mathematics at the University of Western Ontario. Its purpose is the development of computational and mathematical methods for practical problems in industry and engineering and the application and marketing of such methods. We describe the unit and our efforts at obtaining research and development grants. Some representative projects will be presented and future plans discussed. (author)

The Fastest Western in Town: A Contemporary Twist on the Classic Western Blot Analysis

OpenAIRE

Silva, Jillian M.; McMahon, Martin

2014-01-01

The Western blot techniques that were originally established in the late 1970s are still actively utilized today. However, this traditional method of Western blotting has several drawbacks that include low quality resolution, spurious bands, decreased sensitivity, and poor protein integrity. Recent advances have drastically improved numerous aspects of the standard Western blot protocol to produce higher qualitative and quantitative data. The Bis-Tris gel system, an alternative to the convent...

A source of ground water 222Rn around Tachikawa fault

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Saito, Masaaki; Takata, Sigeru

1994-01-01

Radon ( 222 Rn) concentration in ground water was characteristically high on the south-western zone divided by the Tachikawa fault, Tokyo. (1) The concentration did not increase with depth, and alluvium is thick on the zone. The source of radon was not considered as the updraft from base rock through the fault. Comparing the south-western zone with its surrounding zone, the followings were found. (2) The distribution of tritium concentration was supported that water had easily permeated into ground on the zone. (3) As the zone is located beside the Tama River and its alluvial fan center, the river water had likely affected. The source of radon on the zone would be 226 Ra in the aquifer soil. It can be presumed that the water of the Tama River had permeated into ground on the zone and had accumulated 226 Ra. (author)

Globalisation and western music historiography

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Romanou Katy

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Globalisation of musicology and music history aims to fuse the divisions created during Western music’s acme, and is referred to as “post-European historical thinking”. Therefore, “post” and “pre” European historical thinking have much in common. One aspect of this process of fragmentation was that music history was separated from theory and that Western Music Histories succeeded General Music Histories (a development described in some detail in the article. Connecting global music history with “post-European” historical thinking is one among numerous indications of Western awareness that European culture has reached some sort of a terminal phase. Concurrently, countries that have been developing by following Western Europe as a prototype, are leading today some past phase of Western development, which, with the ideas of cultural relativism prevailing, are not considered inferior.

Ground Motion Prediction Equations for Western Saudi Arabia from a Reference Model

Science.gov (United States)

Kiuchi, R.; Mooney, W. D.; Mori, J. J.; Zahran, H. M.; Al-Raddadi, W.; Youssef, S.

2017-12-01

Western Saudi Arabia is surrounded by several active seismic zones such as the Red Sea and the Gulf of Aqaba where a destructive magnitude 7.3 event occurred in 1995. Over the last decade, the Saudi Geological Survey (SGS) has deployed a dense seismic network that has made it possible to monitor seismic activity more accurately. For example, the network has detected multiple seismic swarms beneath the volcanic fields in western Saudi Arabia. The most recent damaging event was a M5.7 earthquake that occurred in 2009 at Harrat Lunayyir. In terms of seismic hazard assessment, Zahran et al. (2015; 2016) presented a Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment (PSHA) for western Saudi Arabia that was developed using published Ground Motion Prediction Equations (GMPEs) from areas outside of Saudi Arabia. In this study, we consider 41 earthquakes of M 3.0 - 5.4, recorded on 124 stations of the SGS network, to create a set of 442 peak ground acceleration (PGA) and peak ground velocity (PGV) records with a range of epicentral distances from 3 km to 400 km. We use the GMPE model BSSA14 (Boore et al., 2014) as a reference model to estimate our own best-fitting coefficients from a regression analysis using the events occurred in western Saudi Arabia. For epicentral distances less than 100 km, our best fitting model has different source scaling in comparison with the GMPE of BSSA14 adjusted for the California region. In addition, our model indicates that the peak amplitudes have less attenuation in western Saudi Arabia than in California.

Age and quality of ground water and sources of nitrogen in the aquifers in Pumpkin Creek Valley, western Nebraska, 2000

Science.gov (United States)

Steele, G.V.; Cannia, J.C.; Sibray, S.S.; McGuire, V.L.

2005-01-01

Ground water is the source of drinking water for the residents of Pumpkin Creek Valley, western Nebraska. In this largely agricultural area, shallow aquifers potentially are susceptible to nitrate contamination. During the last 10 years, ground-water levels in the North Platte Natural Resources District have declined and contamination has become a major problem for the district. In 2000, the U.S. Geological Survey and the North Platte Natural Resources District began a cooperative study to determine the age and quality of the ground water and the sources of nitrogen in the aquifers in Pumpkin Creek Valley. Water samples were collected from 8 surface-water sites, 2 springs, and 88 ground-water sites during May, July, and August 2000. These samples were analyzed for physical properties, nutrients or nitrate, and hydrogen and oxygen isotopes. In addition, a subset of samples was analyzed for any combination of chlorofluorocarbons, tritium, tritium/helium, sulfur-hexafluoride, carbon-14, and nitrogen-15. The apparent age of ground water in the alluvial aquifer typically varied from about 1980 to modern, whereas ground water in the fractured Brule Formation had a median value in the 1970s. The Brule Formation typically contained ground water that ranged from the 1940s to the 1990s, but low-yield wells had apparent ages of 5,000 to 10,000 years before present. Data for oxygen-18 and deuterium indicated that lake-water samples showed the greatest effects from evaporation. Ground-water data showed no substantial evaporative effects and some ground water became isotopically heavier as the water moved downgradient. In addition, the physical and chemical ground-water data indicate that Pumpkin Creek is a gaining stream because little, if any, of its water is lost to the ground-water system. The water-quality type changed from a sodium calcium bicarbonate type near Pumpkin Creek's headwaters to a calcium sodium bicarbonate type near its mouth. Nitrate concentrations were

Radium variability produced by shelf-water transport and mixing in the western Gulf of Mexico

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reid, D.F.

1984-01-01

226 Ra and 228 Ra exhibit significant temporal and spatial variability in the near-surface western Gulf of Mexico. Concentrations of both isotopes during March 1976 were approx. 22 to 26% greater than those observed during February 1973. It is shown that analytical differences cannot account for this increase. Consideration of radium levels in the western Caribbean Sea indicates that there must be an internal source of radium that has a significant but temporally variable influence on near-surface radium concentrations in the western Gulf. Comparisons of radium, salinity, and temperature data from 1973 and 1976 provide evidence that advective transport and mixing of radium-rich shelf water with the interior water column of the western basin is responsible for the variability. By plotting 228 Ra vs 226 Ra from this region, estimates of the apparent shelf-water component in the upper water column can be made. The results indicate 36% over the northern slope, 10 to 18% in the central western Gulf, and 3 to 7% over Campeche Bank. In addition to explaining observed short-term variations of radium in this region, this information should be useful for environmental impact assessments concerned with industrial discharges on the northern shelf. (author)

Nuremberg Counting Jetons of XVI–XIX centuries: from Western Europe to Western Siberia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrey A. Pushkarev

2015-12-01

Full Text Available The article is devoted to the history of Western counting jetons, which have spread over a vast area from Western Europe to Siberia. The history of jetons is very dynamic. For more than three centuries in Western Europe tokens were used as a tool for calculation in trading shops, government offices, etc. In the second half of the XVI century because the spread of the written account the functions of jetons fundamentally changed. They are being used as chips in card games, they were presented as souvenirs, scattered among the crowd at weddings and festivals, etc. At the same time, jetons became the translation tool for public information about the government, in the form of images of the reigning monarch, as well as key political events. Through trade exchange jetons penetrate into the territory of Western Siberia, where their function changed again. All counting tokens from burial graves in Western Siberia, have holes for hanging or sewing, which indicate their use as ornaments. However, in the culture of the indigenous population decorations had not only aesthetic but also a sacred, religious meaning.

Sharing the burden for climate insurance: The Western European response

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lenstra, W.J.; Ossewaaerde, M.J.

1992-01-01

In this paper, the authors emphasize the need to act quickly in addressing the problems of climatic change. The most important options for CO 2 reduction in Western Europe are as follows: efficiency improvements and conservation in energy supply, conversion and end use; behavioral, management and structural changes; fuel substitution by energy sources with lower or no global warming potential; and CO 2 removal and storage in depleted gas fields or aquifers, or fixation in forest and other green spots

(International Collaboration on Advanced Neutron Sources)

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hayter, J.B.

1990-11-08

The International Collaboration on Advanced Neutron Sources was started about a decade ago with the purpose of sharing information throughout the global neutron community. The collaboration has been extremely successful in optimizing the use of resources, and the discussions are open and detailed, with reasons for failure shared as well as reasons for success. Although the meetings have become increasingly oriented toward pulsed neutron sources, many of the neutron instrumentation techniques, such as the development of better monochromators, fast response detectors and various data analysis methods, are highly relevant to the Advanced Neutron Source (ANS). I presented one paper on the ANS, and another on the neutron optical polarizer design work which won a 1989 R D-100 Award. I also gained some valuable design ideas, in particular for the ANS hot source, in discussions with individual researchers from Canada, Western Europe, and Japan.

Preliminary study on the characteristics of aerosols over the western pacific ocean

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hu Zhaohui; Liu Pingsheng; Liu Shijie; Yao Ying; Feng Guohua

1996-01-01

Marine aerosol from the western Pacific were collected by two types of samplers during a cruise from Nanhai of China through the west of Philippines to the equatorial and to the north-eastern of Solomon Archipelago. Collected samples were analyzed by PIXE. The data gave aerosol characteristics over the western Pacific, including concentrations, enrichments and mass size distributions of detected elements, and possible sources of these elements were specially researched. The result indicates that Al, Si and Fe were associated with soil particles; Cl, Br, K, Ca and S showed characteristics of the sea-salt origin; and Cu, Zn, and Pb were due to pollution from long-range transport of continental aerosol. We have also made comparison with data obtained in earlier studies over other regions of the Pacific. (author)

U-Pb zircon geochronology in the western part of the Rayner Complex, East Antarctica

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Horie, Kenji; Hokada, Tomokazu; Motoyoshi, Yoichi; Shiraishi, Kazuyuki; Takehara, Mami; Hiroi, Yoshikuni

2016-01-01

U-Pb zircon geochronology was applied to nine metasedimentary samples collected from Mt. Yuzhnaya, Condon Hills, and Mt. Lira in the inland region of the Rayner Complex of western Enderby Land, East Antarctica, in order to define the eastern limits of the western Rayner Complex that underwent the Pan-African metamorphism and to evaluate potential source areas of metasedimentary rocks. Condon Hills and Mt. Lira revealed metamorphic ages of ∼ 894 and ∼ 934 Ma, respectively, which are consistent with previously reported metamorphism in association with Rayner Structural Episode (RSE). Mt. Yuzhnaya samples affected by the RSE contain zircon grains rejuvenated during 590-570 Ma, which indicates that the Pan-African reworking can be extended up to Mt. Yuzhnaya. On the other hand, the Condon Hills samples include Archean detritus, and the age peaks from 3850 to 2491 Ma are the oldest components in the Rayner Complex of western Enderby Land. There is no evidence of reworked Napier Complex rocks in the studied Rayner samples. (author)

Exploration of resource and transmission expansion decisions in the Western Renewable Energy Zone initiative

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mills, Andrew; Phadke, Amol; Wiser, Ryan

2011-01-01

The Western Renewable Energy Zone (WREZ) initiative brings together a diverse set of voices to develop data, tools, and a unique forum for coordinating transmission expansion in the Western Interconnection. In this paper we use a new tool developed in the WREZ initiative to evaluate possible renewable resource selection and transmission expansion decisions. We evaluate these decisions under a number of alternative future scenarios centered on meeting 33% of the annual load in the Western Interconnection with new renewable resources located within WREZ-identified resource hubs. Our analysis finds that wind energy is the largest source of renewable energy procured to meet the 33% RE target across nearly all scenarios analyzed (38-65%). Solar energy is almost always the second largest source (14-41%). We find several load zones where wind energy is the least cost resource under a wide range of sensitivity scenarios. Load zones in the Southwest, on the other hand, are found to switch between wind and solar, and therefore to vary transmission expansion decisions, depending on uncertainties and policies that affect the relative economics of each renewable option. Further, we find that even with total transmission expenditures of $17-34 billion these costs still represent just 10-19% of the total delivered cost of renewable energy. - Research highlights: → We describe a new tool to evaluate transmission expansion and renewable resource selection. → We examine a scenario where 33% of the energy in the Western Interconnection comes from renewables. → Wind energy provides the majority of new renewable energy. → For some loads, the decision to procure wind and the required transmission is insensitive to assumptions. → For other loads, assumptions can shift toward more solar, which also changes the needed transmission.

Profitability of Western European banking systems: panel evidence on structural and cyclical determinants

OpenAIRE

Beckmann, Rainer

2007-01-01

This paper analyses structural and cyclical determinants of banking profitability in 16 Western European countries. We find that financial structure matters, particularly through the beneficial effect of the capital market orientation in the respective national financial system. Furthermore, higher diversification regarding banks' income sources shows a positive effect. The industry concentration of national banking systems, though, does not significantly affect aggregate profitability. Busin...

Nationwide Distribution of Per- and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances in Outdoor Dust in Mainland China From Eastern to Western Areas.

Science.gov (United States)

Yao, Yiming; Sun, Hongwen; Gan, Zhiwei; Hu, Hongwei; Zhao, Yangyang; Chang, Shuai; Zhou, Qixing

2016-04-05

From eastern to western areas, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) were detected at substantial levels in the outdoor dust across mainland China. Urban samples generally showed higher levels compared with those of rural samples. Compared with neutral PFASs, ionizable PFASs (C4-C12 perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids and C4/C8 perfluoroalkyl sulfonic acids) were more abundant, with the highest total concentration up to 1.6 × 10(2) ng/g and perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) being a predominant analogue. Fluorotelomer alcohols (FTOHs) and polyfluoroalkyl phosphoric acid diesters (DiPAPs) were both detected in most samples with total concentrations of 0.12-32 and 0.030-20 ng/g, respectively. Perfluorooctane sulfonamidoethanols/sulfonamides (FOSE/As) were detected at low frequencies (eastern plain areas were characterized by a higher contribution of long-chain ionizable PFASs; whereas the western high plateau areas were characterized by the dominating contribution of short-chain analogues. The difference suggests that the long-range atmospheric transport potential of PFASs from source regions to the inland is probably limited by the increase in altitude, and different sources from adjacent regions may influence the western border area of China.

Normative and Subjective Need for Orthodontic Treatment within ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Objective: To evaluate and compare the normative and subjective need for orthodontic treatment within different age groups in Turkey. Methods: One thousand and sixteen patients from seven different demographic regions of Turkey (Marmara, Black Sea, East Anatolia, Southeastern Anatolia, Mediterranean, Aegean,

Prevalence of Brucella antibodies in rural and suburban communities in three provinces of Turkey: need for improved diagnosis and prevention

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kose, Sukran; Smits, Henk L.; Abdoel, Theresia H.; Ozbel, Yusuf

2006-01-01

To determine the seroprevalence of Brucella-specific antibodies in rural and suburban communities in different provinces of Anatolia. Cross-sectional seroepidemiological study on serum samples collected in communities in two relatively developed provinces in west Anatolia with an official low

Western blotting using capillary electrophoresis.

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, Gwendolyn J; M Cipolla, Cynthia; Kennedy, Robert T

2011-02-15

A microscale Western blotting system based on separating sodium-dodecyl sulfate protein complexes by capillary gel electrophoresis followed by deposition onto a blotting membrane for immunoassay is described. In the system, the separation capillary is grounded through a sheath capillary to a mobile X-Y translation stage which moves a blotting membrane past the capillary outlet for protein deposition. The blotting membrane is moistened with a methanol and buffer mixture to facilitate protein adsorption. Although discrete protein zones could be detected, bands were broadened by ∼1.7-fold by transfer to membrane. A complete Western blot for lysozyme was completed in about one hour with 50 pg mass detection limit from low microgram per milliliter samples. These results demonstrate substantial reduction in time requirements and improvement in mass sensitivity compared to conventional Western blots. Western blotting using capillary electrophoresis shows promise to analyze low volume samples with reduced reagents and time, while retaining the information content of a typical Western blot.

Shear wave velocity structure of the Anatolian Plate and surrounding regions using Ambient Noise Tomography

Science.gov (United States)

Delph, J. R.; Beck, S. L.; Zandt, G.; Biryol, C. B.; Ward, K. M.

2013-12-01

volcanism. The Tuz Golu fault has a visible seismic signal down to ~15 km below sea level, and the eastern Inner-Tauride Suture corresponding to the Central Anatolian Fault Zone may extend into the mantle. The Isparta Angle separates the actively extending portion of western Anatolia from the plateau regions in the east, and the largest anomaly (slow velocities) extending into the upper mantle is observed under the western flank of the Isparta Angle, corresponding to the Fethiye-Burdur fault zone. We attribute these slow shear-wave velocities to the effects of complex deformations within the crust as a result of the interactions of the African and Anatolian Plates. In the upper mantle, slow shear-wave velocities are consistent with a slab tear along a STEP fault corresponding to the extensions of the Pliny and Strabo Transform faults, allowing asthenosphere to rise to very shallow depths. The upper mantle beneath the Taurides exhibits very slow shear-wave velocities, in agreement with possible delamination or slab-breakoff (Cosentino et al. 2012) causing rapid uplift in the last 8 million years.

Geochemical characterization of critical dust source regions in the American West

Science.gov (United States)

Aarons, Sarah M.; Blakowski, Molly A.; Aciego, Sarah M.; Stevenson, Emily I.; Sims, Kenneth W. W.; Scott, Sean R.; Aarons, Charles

2017-10-01

The generation, transport, and deposition of mineral dust are detectable in paleoclimate records from land, ocean, and ice, providing valuable insight into earth surface conditions and cycles on a range of timescales. Dust deposited in marine and terrestrial ecosystems can provide critical nutrients to nutrient-limited ecosystems, and variations in dust provenance can indicate changes in dust production, sources and transport pathways as a function of climate variability and land use change. Thus, temporal changes in locations of dust source areas and transport pathways have implications for understanding interactions between mineral dust, global climate, and biogeochemical cycles. This work characterizes dust from areas in the American West known for dust events and/or affected by increasing human settlement and livestock grazing during the last 150 years. Dust generation and uplift from these dust source areas depends on climate and land use practices, and the relative contribution of dust has likely changed since the expansion of industrialization and agriculture into the western United States. We present elemental and isotopic analysis of 28 potential dust source area samples analyzed using Thermal Ionization Mass Spectrometry (TIMS) for 87Sr/86Sr and 143Nd/144Nd composition and Multi-Collector Inductively Coupled Plasma Mass Spectrometer (MC-ICPMS) for 176Hf/177Hf composition, and ICPMS for major and trace element concentrations. We find significant variability in the Sr, Nd, and Hf isotope compositions of potential source areas of dust throughout western North America, ranging from 87Sr/86Sr = 0.703699 to 0.740236, εNd = -26.6 to 2.4, and εHf = -21.7 to -0.1. We also report differences in the trace metal and phosphorus concentrations in the geologic provinces sampled. This research provides an important resource for the geochemical tracing of dust sources and sinks in western North America, and will aid in modeling the biogeochemical impacts of increased

Volatile halogenated hydrocarbons over the western Pacific between 43° and 4°N

Science.gov (United States)

Quack, Birgit; Suess, Erwin

1999-01-01

A spectrum of halogenated hydrocarbon compounds in marine air masses were surveyed over an area in the western Pacific between 43°N, 150°E and 4°N, 113°E in September 1994. The ship's track between northern Japan and Singapore traversed three climatic zones of the northern hemisphere. Recently polluted air, clean marine air derived from the central Pacific Ocean from different latitudes, and marine air from the Indonesian archipelago were collected. Tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene of anthropogenic origin, brominated halocarbons as tribromomethane, dibromochloromethane and bromodichloromethane of anthropogenic and natural sources, and other trace gases were measured in the air samples. Very sparse data on the distribution of these compounds exist for the western Pacific atmosphere. The distribution patterns of the compounds were related to synoptic-scale meteorology, spatial conditions, and origin of the air masses. Anthropogenic and natural sources for both chlorinated and brominated substances were identified. Tetrachloroethene and trichloroethene concentrations and their ratios identify anthropogenic sources. Their mixing ratios were quite low compared to previously published data. They are in agreement with expected low concentrations of photochemically active substances during autumn, with an overall decrease in concentrations toward lower latitudes, and with a decrease of emissions during recent years. Strong evidence for a natural source of trichloroethene was discovered in the tropical region. The concentrations of naturally released brominated species were high compared to other measurements over the Pacific. Gradients toward the coasts and elevated concentrations in air masses influenced by coastal emissions point to significant coastal sources of these compounds. The trace gas composition of anthropogenic and natural compounds clearly identified the air masses which were traversed during the cruise.

Petrology, palynology and organic geochemistry of Eocene lignite of Matanomadh, Kutch Basin, western India: Implications to depositional environment and hydrocarbon source potential

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Dutta, Suryendu; Mathews, Runcie P.; Saraswati, Pratul K.; Banerjee, Santanu [Department of Earth Sciences, Indian Institute of Technology Bombay (India); Singh, Bhagwan D.; Tripathi, Suryakant M.; Singh, Alpana [Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, Lucknow (India); Mann, Ulrich [Forschungszentrum Juelich (Germany). Institut fuer chemie und Dynamik der Geosphaere

2011-01-01

Petrological, palynological and organic-geochemical investigations were undertaken to determine the source vegetation, depositional conditions and hydrocarbon source potential of Eocene Matanomadh lignites from Kutch Basin, western India. The maceral study reveals that studied lignites are rich in huminite (av. 63%) with sub-ordinate amount of liptinite (av. 19%) and low inertinite (av. 3%), along with low to moderately high associated mineral matters (av. 15%). The overall petrographic composition points to a lagoonal condition for the formation of these lignites. The mean huminite reflectance values (R{sub r}: 0.28-0.34%, av. 0.31%) as well as low Rock-Eval T{sub max} (av. 417 C) values for the seams, suggest brown coal or lignitic stage/rank for the studied lignites. The palynological assemblages, dominated by tropical angiospermic pollen, suggest prevalence of warm humid tropical climate during the deposition of these lignites. The total organic carbon (TOC) content of lignites ranges between 26 and 58 wt.%, whereas the TOC content of the associated carbonaceous shales is around 4 wt.%. The Hydrogen Index (HI) ranging from 23 to 452 mg HC/g TOC indicates that the lignite sequence has the potential to produce mixed oil and gaseous hydrocarbons on maturation. The major pyrolysis products of lignites, derived from Curie point pyrolysis-GC-MS, are straight chain aliphatics, phenols and cadalene-based C{sub 15} bicyclic sesquiterpenoids. The exclusive occurrence of C{sub 15} bicyclic sesquiterpenoids suggests that these compounds are derived from dammar resin of angiosperm plants, belonging to family Dipterocarpaceae. (author)

INTRODUCING WESTERN HUMAN RESOURCE MANAGEMENT PRACTICES TO CHINA: SHOPFLOOR WORKERS' PERSPECTIVES

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Jos Gamble

2006-01-01

Full Text Available The management of host country employees is often portrayed as a particularly fraught dimension for multinational firms. The problems involved are considered exponentially greater when there are substantial institutional differences and 'cultural distance' between the host country and a firm's parent country, as is assumed to be the case for Western firms operating in China. Based upon detailed case study research conducted at a UK-invested firm in China between 1999 and 2003 and a comparative study of a Chinese state-owned firm, this paper explores the veracity of such assumptions. The findings indicate that Western human resource management practices can be transplanted successfully and questions the degree to which foreign-invested enterprises need to adopt 'the Chinese way of doing things'. Indeed, such practices can be innovative in the Chinese context and provide a competitive source of differentiation for multinationals as employees.

Appropriation System: water rights in the western United States; water pollution problems peculiar to the uranium industry

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Worcester, T.E.

1976-01-01

The legal framework surrounding water rights acquisition and usage in the western United States and the steps which should be taken in analyzing potential sources of water are dealt with. Some of the applicable water pollution control laws and regulations are discussed briefly

Food and social complexity at Çayönü Tepesi, southeastern Anatolia: Stable isotope evidence of differentiation in diet according to burial practice and sex in the early Neolithic

Science.gov (United States)

Pearson, Jessica; Grove, Matt; Özbek, Metin; Hongo, Hitomi

2013-01-01

The identification of early social complexity and differentiation in early village societies has been approached in the past most notably through the evaluation of rituals and architectural layouts. Such studies could be complemented by an approach that provides data about everyday behaviours of individuals. We took 540 human and animal bone samples for stable carbon and nitrogen isotope analysis from the Neolithic site of Çayönü Tepesi in southeastern Anatolia. The inhabitants at this site chose to bury their dead in two different ways at different times during its occupation: beneath the floors of their houses, but also inside a public mortuary building known as the Skull Building. This variation provides an opportunity using isotope methods to test whether there was evidence for structuring of daily activities (diet in this case) that might serve to reinforce this change in burial practice. We show that when the inhabitants of Çayönü Tepesi changed their architecture and operated different burial practices in conjunction, this coincided with other aspects of behaviour including socially-constituted food consumption practices, which served to reinforce social identities. PMID:24976671

Violence the Western way.

Science.gov (United States)

Roth, B E

1997-10-01

Despite the quiet revolution in response to changing conceptualizations of gender in psychoanalysis, the Western has remained the domain of aggressive phallic masculinity. The iconic imagery of the Western, when combined with its narrative trajectory, is used to tell stories of violent encounters between men. The acceptance of the genre, and its duplication by other cultures and film makers, indicates that the Westerns' imagery and moral solutions tap into some basic deep structures of anxiety and pleasure in violence between men. As long as societies require subtle sublimations of aggressive and violent drives, it is likely that men will seek imaginary regressive experiences to discharge frustrations.

Cloud condensation nuclei in Western Colorado: Observations and model predictions

Science.gov (United States)

Ward, Daniel Stewart

Research and Forecasting with Chemistry (WRF/Chem) model. The new system was validated against observations from SPL and research flights along the Colorado Front Range, and used to test the sensitivity of CCN in western Colorado to various anthropogenic emissions of aerosols and aerosol precursor gases. Results showed complex interactions between gas and aerosol species that could lead to an increase in CCN even when some emissions are eliminated. Both observations and modeling suggest that, although several large anthropogenic aerosol sources are located within the study region, these sources have a minor impact on the local CCN population.

Great Western Malting Company geothermal project, Pocatello, Idaho. Final report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Christensen, N.T.; McGeen, M.A.; Corlett, D.F.; Urmston, R.

1981-12-23

The Great Western Malting Company recently constructed a barley malting facility in Pocatello, Idaho, designed to produce 6.0 million bushels per year of brewing malt. This facility uses natural gas to supply the energy for germination and kilning processes. The escalating cost of natural gas has prompted the company to look at alternate and more economical sources of energy. Trans Energy Systems has investigated the viabiity of using geothermal energy at the new barley processing plant. Preliminary investigations show that a geothermal resource probably exists, and payback on the installation of a system to utilize the resource will occur in under 2 years. The Great Western Malting plant site has geological characteristics which are similar to areas where productive geothermal wells have been established. Geological investigations indicate that resource water temperatures will be in the 150 to 200/sup 0/F range. Geothermal energy of this quality will supply 30 to 98% of the heating requirements currently supplied by natural gas for this malting plant. Trans Energy Systems has analyzed several systems of utilizing the geothermal resource at the Great Western barley malting facility. These systems included: direct use of geothermal water; geothermal energy heating process water through an intermediary heat exchanger; coal or gas boosted geothermal systems; and heat pump boosted geothermal system. The analysis examined the steps that are required to process the grain.

Phenotypic and genetic characterization of western prairie clover collections from the western USA

Science.gov (United States)

Kishor Bhattarai; B. Shaun Bushman; Douglas A. Johnson; John G. Carman

2010-01-01

Few North American legumes are available for rangeland revegetation in the semiarid western United States. Western prairie clover (Dalea ornata [Douglas ex Hook.] Eaton & J. Wright) is a perennial legume with desirable forage characteristics and is distributed in the northern Great Basin, Snake River Basin, and southern Columbia Plateau. Understanding the...

A familial outbreak of fascioliasis in Eastern Anatolia: a report with review of literature.

Science.gov (United States)

Karahocagil, Mustafa Kasim; Akdeniz, Hayrettin; Sunnetcioglu, Mahmut; Cicek, Muttalip; Mete, Rafet; Akman, Nevzat; Ceylan, Ebubekir; Karsen, Hasan; Yapici, Kubilay

2011-06-01

To present the results of a cross-sectional epidemiological analysis of a familial outbreak of fascioliasis in Eastern Anatolia and to discuss the clinical, diagnostic and therapeutic properties of the patients. A screening group consisting of 92 individuals from the same family with a history of watercress ingestion and a control group consisting of 30 individuals from neighboring families were included in the study. In both groups, full blood count, erythrocyte sedimentation rate, liver function tests and total IgE levels were assessed. Stool analysis was performed on three consecutive days with native, lugol and sedimentation methods. The diagnosis was based on the detection of parasite ova in the stool or alternatively based on consistent clinical, laboratory, and radiological findings or positive clinical findings in combination with a positive ELISA test. Abdominal ultrasonography and computerized tomography scans were performed on all patients. 24 patients (21 women and 3 men) were diagnosed with fascioliasis. The mean age was 24.5±18.6 years (range, 5-64 years). All cases had a history of watercress ingestion, malaise, fatigue, lack of appetite, and abdominal pain. Clinical features included: weight loss was present in 18 cases (75%), dyspepsia in 12 (50%), headache in 11 (45.8%), sweating in 10 (41.7%), fever and dyspnea each in 8 (33.3%), nausea and vomiting in 6 (25%), and itching in 4 (16.75). The most common laboratory abnormalities were total IgE elevation in 19 cases (79.2%) and eosinophilia in 17 (70.8%). The eosinophilia was >20% in 14 cases (58.3%) and the total IgE was >500IU/ml in 15 cases (62.5%). Stool examination for ova was positive in 11 cases. 10 patients had positive clinical, laboratory and radiological findings. A further three patients were diagnosed based on their clinical findings and their ELISA results. All cases had positive ELISA results. All patients, except one pregnant woman, were treated with 10mg/kg triclabendazole. Two

Effect of Various Protein Sources on Body Weight Development

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Rønnevik, Alexander Krokedal

(HF/HP), and Western diets, consumption of lean meat promoted obesity compared to lean seafood and casein. Consumption of lean meat stimulated accretion of fat mass independent of energy intake when used as the protein source in (HF/HS) diets and most likely due to decreased energy intake when used...

CEPF Western Ghats Special Series: Avian collision threat assessment at Bhambarwadi Wind Farm Plateau in northern Western Ghats, India

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

S. Pande

2013-01-01

Full Text Available To address the shortage of power in India, wind energy is increasingly harnessed as an alternate and renewable energy source. There is a rapid increase in the number of wind farms at suitable sites all over the country. Some of the key sites with optimal wind velocities are the plateaus on the Western Ghats - a global hotspot of biological diversity. The rocky plateaus on the Western Ghats are terrestrial habitat islands facing extreme micro-environmental conditions; however, scanty information is available on the ecology of these plateaus. We undertook a two-year study to assess the impact of wind farms on birds. We also documented the avian diversity at Bhambarwadi Plateau, northern Western Ghats, India. To the best of our knowledge this is the first such study in India. We recorded 89 avian species on the plateau, 27 of which flew in the risk area swept by the rotor blades, and hence are potentially at risk of collision. The collision index (the number of bird collisions with wind turbines over a period of one year assuming that the birds do not take any avoidance measure for these species were estimated. We also identified species at risk from collision with transformers and wind-masts, and at risk from electrocution. Reduction in avian activity in the study area was evident with progress of wind farm erection. Despite the small footprint of an individual wind turbine, the associated infrastructure development causes wider habitat modification and destruction resulting in a displacement effect. Therefore, wind farm erections in strategic locations such as biodiversity hotspots should be subject to prior site based strategic environmental assessments (SEA as well as environmental impact assessment (EIA studies.

[The beginning of western medical education].

Science.gov (United States)

Kee, C D

1992-01-01

Our country had quite an advanced system of medical education during the era of the Koryo Kingdom, and during the Choson Dynasty, the Kyong Guk Dae Jon, in which a systematized medical education was clearly described, was compiled in the era of King Sejong. However, the educational system was not for Western medicine. Western medicine was first introduced to our country in the 9th year of King Injo (1631) when Chong Du Won, Yi Yong Jun, etc. returned from Yon Gyong (Beiuin) with Chik Bang Oe Gi. Knowledge of Western medicine was disseminated by Shil Hak (practical learning) scholars who read a translation in Chinese characters, of Chik Bang Oe Gi. Yi Ik (Song Ho), Yi Gyu Gyong (O ju), Choe Han Gi (Hye Gang), Chong Yak Yong (Ta San), etc., read books of Western medicine and introduced in writing the excellent theory of Western medicine. In addition, Yu Hyong Won (Pan Gye), Pak Ji Won (Yon Am), Pak Je Ga (Cho Jong), etc., showed much interest in Western medicine, but no writings by them about western medicine can be found. With the establishment of a treaty of amity with Japan in the 13th year of King Kojong (1876), followed by the succession of amity treaties with Western powers, foreigners including medical doctors were permitted to flow into this country. At that time, doctors Horace N. Allen, W. B. Scranton, John W. Heron, Rosetta Sherwood (Rosetta S. Hall), etc., came to Korea and inaugurated hospitals, where they taught Western medicine to Korean students. Dr. Horace N. Allen, with the permission of king Kojong, established Che Jung Won in April 1885, and in March 1886, he began at the hospital to provide education of Western medicine to Korean students who were recrutied by the Korean Government. However, the education was not conduted on a regular basis, only training them for work as assistants. This is considered to be the pioneer case of Western medical education in this country. Before that time, Japanese medical doctors came to Korea, but there are no

Relating adaptive genetic traits to climate for Sandberg bluegrass from the intermountain western United States

Science.gov (United States)

Richard C. Johnson; Matthew E. Horning; Erin Espeland; Ken Vance-Borland

2015-01-01

Genetic variation for potentially adaptive traits of the key restoration species Sandberg bluegrass (Poa secunda J. Presl) was assessed over the intermountain western United States in relation to source population climate. Common gardens were established at two intermountain west sites with progeny from two maternal parents from each of 130 wild populations. Data were...

Heavy minerals and provenance of the paleozoic suffi formation, Western desert, iraq.

OpenAIRE

Al Juboury, Ali I. [علي الجبوري; Hassan, Zeki M.

1996-01-01

Heavy minerals analyses were carried out on 10 samples from the clastic Suffi Formation (the Ordovician-Carboniferous unit in the western Iraqi desert). The suite of minerals consists mainly of opaque minerals including pyrite, ilmenite, magnetite and hematite and the non-opaques is represented by zircon, tourmaline, cutile, garnet, epidote, kyanite, staurolite, leucoxene, chlorite and biotite. The nature and occurrence of the above heavy minerals association reflect a source area of the crys...

Multifaceted intra-seasonal modes over the East Asia-western North Pacific summer monsoon region

Science.gov (United States)

Ha, K. J.; Oh, H.

2017-12-01

Intra-seasonal monsoon prediction is the most imperative task due to high impact on 2/3 of world populations' daily life, but there remains an enduring challenge in climate science. The present study aims to provide a physical understanding of the sources for prediction of dominant intra-seasonal modes in the East Asian-western North Pacific summer monsoon (EA-WNPSM): preMeiyu&Baiu, Changma&Meiyu, WNPSM, and monsoon gyre modes classified by the self-organizing map analysis. The preMeiyu-Baiu mode is strongly linked to both the anomalous low-level convergence and vertical wind shear through baroclinic instability, and the Changma&Meiyu mode has a strengthened tropic-subtropics connection along the western north Pacific subtropical high, which induces vertical destabilization and strong convective instability. The WNPSM and monsoon gyre modes are characterized by anomalous southeasterly flow of warm and moist air from western north Pacific monsoon, and low-level easterly flow, respectively. Prominent difference in response to the ENSO leads to different effects of the Indian Ocean and western Pacific thermal state, and consequently, the distinct moisture supply and instability variations for the EASM intra-seasonal modes. We attempt to determine the predictability sources for the four modes in the EA-WNPSM using physical-empirical model. The selected predictors are based on the persistent and tendency signals of the SST/2m air temperature and sea level pressure fields, which reflect the asymmetric response to the ENSO and the ocean and land surface anomalous conditions. For the preMeiyu&Baiu mode, the SST cooling tendency over the WNP, which persists into summer, is the distinguishing contributor which is causative of north-south thermal contrast. Since the Changma&Meiyu mode is strongly related to the WNP subtropical high, a major precursor is the persistent SST difference between the Indian Ocean and the western Pacific. The WNPSM mode is mostly affected by the

Genetic diversity in populations of Isatis glauca Aucher ex Boiss. ssp. from Central Anatolia in Turkey, as revealed by AFLP analysis.

Science.gov (United States)

Özbek, Özlem; Görgülü, Elçin; Yıldırımlı, Şinasi

2013-12-01

Isatidae L. is a complex and systematically difficult genus in Brassicaceae. The genus displays great morphological polymorphism, which makes the classification of species and subspecies difficult as it is observed in Isatis glauca Aucher ex Boiss. The aim of this study is characterization of the genetic diversity in subspecies of Isatis glauca Aucher ex Boiss. distributed widely in Central Anatolia, in Turkey by using Amplified Fragment Length Polymorphism (AFLP) technique. Eight different Eco RI-Mse I primer combinations produced 805 AFLP loci, 793 (98.5%) of which were polymorphic in 67 accessions representing nine different populations. The data obtained by AFLP was computed with using GDA (Genetic Data Analysis) and STRUCTURE (version 2.3.3) software programs for population genetics. The mean proportion of the polymorphic locus (P), the mean number of alleles (A), the number of unique alleles (U) and the mean value of gene diversity (He) were 0.59, 1.59, 20, and 0.23 respectively. The coancestry coefficient (ϴ) was 0.24. The optimal number of K was identified as seven. The principal component analysis (PCA) explained 85.61% of the total genetic variation. Isatis glauca ssp. populations showed a high level of genetic diversity, and the AFLP analysis revealed that high polymorphism and differentiated subspecies could be used conveniently for population genetic studies. The principal coordinate analysis (PCoA) based on the dissimilarity matrix, the dendrogram drawn with UPGMA method and STRUCTURE cluster analysis distinguished the accessions successfully. The accessions formed distinctive population structures for populations AA, AB, E, K, and S. Populations AG1 and AG2 seemed to have similar genetic content, in addition, in both populations several hybrid individuals were observed. The accessions did not formed distinctive population structures for both populations AI and ANP. Consequently, Ankara province might be the area, where species Isatis glauca Aucher

The Muslim Emigration in Western Anatolia L’émigration musulmane de 1914 en Anatolie occidentale

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Elçin Macar

2012-05-01

Full Text Available Avec les guerres balkaniques, toute la région apprit à connaître un nouveau concept : le nettoyage ethnique. Les États cherchant à homogénéiser leur population le firent de deux manières : par les traités ou par la force. Les statistiques démographiques devinrent ainsi un instrument politique et commença alors « la manipulation ethnique ». Parmi les Chrétiens anatoliens, les Grecs ottomans furent la première cible du CUP qui craignait de perdre « le dernier territoire restant ». Talat Pacha, ministre de l'Intérieur parla aux diplomates allemands de débarrasser le pays « des ennemis de l’intérieur ». Expulsions, terreur et déportations : entre 1912 et 1918, sur les deux rives de l’Égée, près de la moitié des 17,5 millions d’habitants ont été « déplacés ». Le legs le pire de cette période est la tendance des États à croire qu’ils ont le droit d’échanger ou de déporter leurs populations comme du bétail.With the Balkan Wars, the whole region was introduced to a new concept: Ethnic cleansing. States looking to homogenize their population did this in two ways: either by treaty or by force. Population statistics thus became one political instrument and then started the “ethnic engineering”. Among Anatolian Christians, Ottoman Greeks were the first target of the CUP who feared losing the “last remaining territory”. Talat Pasha, Minister of the Interior, talked to German diplomats about ridding the country of “internal enemies”. After expulsions, terrorism and deportations between 1913 and 1918, on both sides of the Aegean, almost half the population of 17.5 million changed places. The era’s worst legacy is the idea that states have a right to exchange or deport their populations like property.

Linking Genetic Variation in Adaptive Plant Traits to Climate in Tetraploid and Octoploid Basin Wildrye [Leymus cinereus (Scribn. & Merr.) A. Love] in the Western U.S.

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, R C; Vance-Borland, Ken

2016-01-01

Few studies have assessed how ploidy type within a species affects genetic variation among populations in relation to source climates. Basin wildrye (Leymus cinereus (Scribn. & Merr.) A. Love) is a large bunchgrass common in the intermountain Western U.S. found in both octoploid and tetraploid types. In common gardens at two sites over two years differences in both ploidy type and genetic variation within ploidy were observed in phenology, morphology, and production traits on 57 octoploid and 52 tetraploid basin wildrye from the intermountain Western U.S. (Ptypes. Still, among populations octoploids often had greater genetic variation for traits and occupied more diverse climates than tetraploids. Genetic variation for both ploidy types was linked to source climates in canonical correlation analysis, with the first two variates explaining 70% of the variation. Regression of those canonical variates with seed source climate variables produced models that explained 64% and 38% of the variation, respectively, and were used to map 15 seed zones covering 673,258 km2. Utilization of these seed zones will help ensure restoration with adaptive seed sources for both ploidy types. The link between genetic traits and seed source climates suggests climate driven natural selection and adaptive evolution in basin wildrye. The more diverse climates occupied by octoploids and higher trait variation suggests a higher capacity for ecological differentiation than tetraploids in the intermountain Western U.S.

Distribution and ventilation of water masses in the western Ross Sea inferred from CFC measurements

Science.gov (United States)

Rivaro, Paola; Ianni, Carmela; Magi, Emanuele; Massolo, Serena; Budillon, Giorgio; Smethie, William M.

2015-03-01

During the CLIMA Project (R.V. Italica cruise PNRA XVI, January-February 2001), hydrographic and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) observations were obtained, particularly in the western Ross Sea. Their distribution demonstrated water mass structure and ventilation processes in the investigated areas. In the surface waters (AASW) the CFC saturation levels varied spatially: CFCs were undersaturated in all the areas (range from 80 to 90%), with the exception of few stations sampled near Ross Island. In particular, the Terra Nova Bay polynya, where high salinity shelf water (HSSW) is produced, was a low-saturated surface area (74%) with respect to CFCs. Throughout most of the shelf area, the presence of modified circumpolar deep water (MCDW) was reflected in a mid-depth CFC concentration minima. Beneath the MCDW, CFC concentrations generally increased in the shelf waters towards the seafloor. We estimated that the corresponding CFCs saturation level in the source water region for HSSW was about 68-70%. Waters with high CFC concentrations were detected in the western Ross Sea on the down slope side of the Drygalski Trough, indicating that AABW was being supplied to the deep Antarctic Basin. Estimates of ventilation ages depend strongly on the saturation levels. We calculated ventilation ages using the saturation level calibrated tracer ratio, CFC11/CFC12. We deduced a mean residence time of the shelf waters of about 6-7 years between the western Ross Sea source and the shelf break.

Internal loading of phosphorus in western Lake Erie

Science.gov (United States)

Matisoff, Gerald; Kaltenberg, Eliza M.; Steely, Rebecca L.; Hummel, Stephanie K.; Seo, Jinyu; Gibbons, Kenneth J.; Bridgeman, Thomas B.; Seo, Youngwoo; Behbahani, Mohsen; James, William F.; Johnson, Laura; Doan, Phuong; Dittrich, Maria; Evans, Mary Anne; Chaffin, Justin D.

2016-01-01

This study applied eight techniques to obtain estimates of the diffusive flux of phosphorus (P) from bottom sediments throughout the western basin of Lake Erie. The flux was quantified from both aerobic and anaerobic incubations of whole cores; by monitoring the water encapsulated in bottom chambers; from pore water concentration profiles measured with a phosphate microelectrode, a diffusive equilibrium in thin films (DET) hydrogel, and expressed pore waters; and from mass balance and biogeochemical diagenetic models. Fluxes under aerobic conditions at summertime temperatures averaged 1.35 mg P/m2/day and displayed spatial variability on scales as small as a centimeter. Using two different temperature correction factors, the flux was adjusted to mean annual temperature yielding average annual fluxes of 0.43–0.91 mg P/m2/day and a western basin-wide total of 378–808 Mg P/year as the diffusive flux from sediments. This is 3–7% of the 11,000 Mg P/year International Joint Commission (IJC) target load for phosphorus delivery to Lake Erie from external sources. Using these average aerobic fluxes, the sediment contributes 3.0–6.3 μg P/L as a background internal contribution that represents 20–42% of the IJC Target Concentration of 15 μg P/L for the western basin. The implication is that this internal diffusive recycling of P is unlikely to trigger cyanobacterial blooms by itself but is sufficiently large to cause blooms when combined with external loads. This background flux may be also responsible for delayed response of the lake to any decrease in the external loading.

Developing Biomass Equations for Western Hemlock and Red Alder Trees in Western Oregon Forests

Science.gov (United States)

Krishna Poudel; Hailemariam Temesgen

2016-01-01

Biomass estimates are required for reporting carbon, assessing feedstock availability, and assessing forest fire threat. We developed diameter- and height-based biomass equations for Western hemlock (Tsuga heterophylla (Raf.) Sarg.) and red alder (Alnus rubra Bong.) trees in Western Oregon. A system of component biomass...

Factors affecting the use of prenatal care by non-western women in industrialized western countries: a systematic review.

OpenAIRE

Boerleider, A.W.; Wiegers, T.A.; Manniën, J.; Francke, A.L.; Devillé, W.L.J.M.

2013-01-01

Background: Despite the potential of prenatal care for addressing many pregnancy complications and concurrent health problems, non-western women in industrialized western countries more often make inadequate use of prenatal care than women from the majority population do. This study aimed to give a systematic review of factors affecting non-western women's use of prenatal care (both medical care and prenatal classes) in industrialized western countries.Methods: Eleven databases (PubMed, Embas...

Western Military Culture and Counterinsurgency:

African Journals Online (AJOL)

francois

with a threat both abroad and within their homeland societies. Civilians fulfil a ..... we have now with the use of force and forces is their persistent structuring ... advanced equipment remains the main feature of Western military culture. Western.

Potential hydrocarbon producing species of Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Augustus, G.D.P.S.; Jayabalan, M.; Rajarathinam, K. [Research Centre in Bombay, V.H.N.S.N. College, Virudhunagar (India); Ray, A.K. [Sardar Patel Univ., Anand (India). Dept. of Chemistry; Seiler, G.J. [USDA, ARS, Northern Crop Science Lab., Fargo, ND (United States)

2002-09-01

The decline in the world supplies of hydrocarbons has led to the search for alternate sources of fuel and chemicals. Plant species are potential sources of hydrocarbons. Large-scale screening of plants growing in the Western Ghats, Tamil Nadu, India was conducted to assess the hydrocarbon production and the type of isoprene compound(s) present. Three species contained more than 3% hydrocarbon. Sarcostemma brevistigma had the highest concentration of hydrocarbon with 3.6%. Seven species contained more than 2% of hydrocarbons among the plant species screened. The hydrocarbon fraction of Ficus elastica (leaf) had a gross heat value of 9834 cal/g (41.17 MJ/kg), which is close to the caloric value of fuel oil. Six hydrocarbon fractions contained gross heat values of more than 9000 cal/g (37.68 MJ/kg). Of the 13 species hydrocarbon fraction analysed, seven species contained cis-polyisoprene compounds, while two species contained trans-polyisoprenes. Cis and trans polyisoprenes are potential alternative energy sources for fuel and/or as industrial raw materials. (author)

Duff mound consumption and cambium injury for centuries-old western larch from prescribed burning in western Montana

Science.gov (United States)

Michael G. Harrington

2012-01-01

Western larch is one of the most fire-adapted conifers in western North America. Its historical perpetuation depended upon regular fire disturbances, which creates open stand conditions and mineral seedbeds. A stand of 200- to 500-year-old larch in western Montana with deep duff mounds resulting from an unusually long 150-year fire-free period was mechanically thinned...

Organic-rich shales from internal Betic basins (SE Spain): potential source rocks analogs for the pre-Messinian Salt play in the western Mediterranean

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Permanyer, A.; Jorge, R.; Baudino, R.; Gilbert, L.

2016-07-01

Southeastern Spain has a large number of Late Neogene basins with substantial evaporitic deposits that developed under an overall NNW-SSE compressional regime related to the African-European tectonic plates collision. Located in the Betic Cordillera, they can be considered as marginal Mediterranean basins that became gradually isolated during the Tortonian and Early Messinian due to tectonic uplift. Different evaporitic units accumulated in these basins during isolation and, in several cases, evaporitic conditions were associated to episodes of important organic matter accumulation. Results obtained from Late Tortonian to Early Messinian shales collected from boreholes, mines and outcrops in the internal Betic basins of Las Minas de Hellín, Cenajo and Socovos are presented. The organic matter was studied under fluorescence and scanning electron microscopy (SEM), and the main geochemical characteristics defined. They show a relation between organic-rich intervals with high potential of hydrocarbon generation, native sulfur, bio-induced dolomite and evaporitic deposits. These organicrich shales can be found before, during and after the evaporitic episodes. Results from the present study are compared with those previously obtained in the pre-evaporitic deposits of the Lorca Basin that showed high oil generation potential, a restricted-marine origin of the organic matter and a low degree of maturity. The occurrence of such potential source rocks in several basins points to a broad regional distribution. At a larger scale, in the Mediterranean Basin, organic-rich sediments were deposited before and during the Messinian Salinity Crisis. The studied examples could represent analogs for potential source rocks of the pre-Messinian salt play in the Western Mediterranean. (Author)

Competitive edge of western coal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Keith, R.D.

1990-01-01

This paper expresses views on the competitive advantages of one of the nation's most remarkable energy resources--Western coal. It covers utilization of Western coal, and its advantages. The Arkansas Power and Light Company and its demand for coal are also covered

Determinations of adaptation level of wine grape varieties in terms of climatic data in wine growing regions of turkey

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ateş Fadime

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Wine grapes are adapted to a wide range of climate; the best production occurs in regions that meet certain specific climatic conditions. Temperatures during the growing season can affect grape quality and viability. Beneficial climatic conditions will improve the wine's quality. In this study it is aimed that to determine suitable wine grape varieties for the cultivation in some areas of Southeastern Anatolia Region, Eastern Anatolia, Central Anatolia Region, Central Black Sea Region, Aegean Region and Marmara Region in Turkey with related to climate requirements. For this reason, long-term climatic data were collected by meteorological stations including, Diyarbakır (Çermik, Çüngüş, Central-Elazığ, Nevşehir (Central and Ürgüp, Ankara (Kalecik Tokat (Central, Erbaa, Niksar, İzmir (Seferihisar, Menderes, Urla ve Denizli (Çal ve Güney, Çanakkale (Bozcaada, Bayramiç, Tekirdağ. In this study heliotermic and hdyrothermic indices were calculated and evaluated for appropriate viticultural practice in this region. It was found that Boğazkere and Öküzgözü in Southeastern Anatolia Region and Eastern Anatolia Region; Kalecik Karası, Dimrit and Narince in Central Anatolia Region and Emir in Central Black Sea Region; Bornova Misketi, Cabernet Sauvignon, Syrah, Alicante Bouschet, Carignane, Kalecik Karası, Merlot, Öküzgözü, Çal Karası, Boğazkere, Sultani Çekirdeksiz in Aegean Region; Karasakız,Karalahana, Vasilaki, Cabernet Sauvignon, Merlot, Syrah, Alicante Bouschet, Semillion, Cinsaut, Yapıncak, Gamay, Merlot, Cabernet Sauvignon can be adapted and grown well in terms of climatic conditions in Marmara Region respectively.

Thermal Investigation in the Cappadocia Region, Central Anatolia-Turkey, Analyzing Curie Point Depth, Geothermal Gradient, and Heat-Flow Maps from the Aeromagnetic Data

Science.gov (United States)

Bilim, Funda; Kosaroglu, Sinan; Aydemir, Attila; Buyuksarac, Aydin

2017-12-01

In this study, curie point depth (CPD), heat flow, geothermal gradient, and radiogenic heat production maps of the Cappadocian region in central Anatolia are presented to reveal the thermal structure from the aeromagnetic data. The large, circular pattern in these maps matches with previously determined shallow (2 km in average) depression. Estimated CPDs in this depression filled with loose volcano-clastics and ignimbrite sheets of continental Neogene units vary from 7 to 12 km, while the geothermal gradient increases from 50 to 68 °C/km. Heat flows were calculated using two different conductivity coefficients of 2.3 and 2.7 Wm-1 K-1. The radiogenic heat production was also obtained between 0.45 and 0.70 μW m-3 in this area. Heat-flow maps were compared with the previous, regional heat-flow map of Turkey and significant differences were observed. In contrast to linear heat-flow increment through the northeast in the previous map in the literature, produced maps in this study include a large, caldera-like circular depression between Nevsehir, Aksaray, Nigde, and Yesilhisar cities indicating high geothermal gradient and higher heat-flow values. In addition, active deformation is evident with young magmatism in the Neogene and Quaternary times and a large volcanic cover on the surface. Boundaries of volcanic eruption centers and buried large intrusions are surrounded with the maxspots of the horizontal gradients of magnetic anomalies. Analytic signal (AS) map pointing-out exact locations of causative bodies is also presented in this study. Circular region in the combined map of AS and maxspots apparently indicates a possible caldera.

How Western Does Business: An Explanation of Western's Products and Services

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2012-10-01

The mission of the Western Area Power Administration is to market and deliver reliable, renewable, cost-based hydroelectric power and related services. This guide provides an overview of Western’s history and how Western carries out that mission and provides electrical, transmission and ancillary services. It also discusses how we develop plans for marketing our most valuable resources—long-term firm capacity and energy.

Linking Genetic Variation in Adaptive Plant Traits to Climate in Tetraploid and Octoploid Basin Wildrye [Leymus cinereus (Scribn. & Merr. A. Love] in the Western U.S.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R C Johnson

Full Text Available Few studies have assessed how ploidy type within a species affects genetic variation among populations in relation to source climates. Basin wildrye (Leymus cinereus (Scribn. & Merr. A. Love is a large bunchgrass common in the intermountain Western U.S. found in both octoploid and tetraploid types. In common gardens at two sites over two years differences in both ploidy type and genetic variation within ploidy were observed in phenology, morphology, and production traits on 57 octoploid and 52 tetraploid basin wildrye from the intermountain Western U.S. (P<0.01. Octoploids had larger leaves, longer culms, and greater crown circumference than tetraploids but the numerical ranges of plant traits and their source climates overlapped between ploidy types. Still, among populations octoploids often had greater genetic variation for traits and occupied more diverse climates than tetraploids. Genetic variation for both ploidy types was linked to source climates in canonical correlation analysis, with the first two variates explaining 70% of the variation. Regression of those canonical variates with seed source climate variables produced models that explained 64% and 38% of the variation, respectively, and were used to map 15 seed zones covering 673,258 km2. Utilization of these seed zones will help ensure restoration with adaptive seed sources for both ploidy types. The link between genetic traits and seed source climates suggests climate driven natural selection and adaptive evolution in basin wildrye. The more diverse climates occupied by octoploids and higher trait variation suggests a higher capacity for ecological differentiation than tetraploids in the intermountain Western U.S.

Grasshoppers as a food source? A review

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Paul, A.

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Description of the subject. Current trends suggest an increasing future demand for conventional meats, which indicates a strong need to shift this dependency to other alternative protein sources such as insects. Literature. From a nutritional point of view, of all the insects consumed globally, grasshoppers are particularly important as a human food. Data from the literature regarding the nutrient composition, amino acid profile, fatty acid profile, mineral composition and vitamin content of grasshoppers as reviewed in this paper, suggest that a number of grasshopper species are a good source of nutrients. It also highlights some of the health related aspects that might arise from the consumption of grasshoppers, mostly linked to agricultural practices and the allergic response of sensitive individuals. The paper also summarizes some religious, social and economic factors that are associated with grasshopper consumption. Conclusions. The success of introducing grasshoppers as a novel food in western countries depends on changes in consumer attitudes. It would be interesting to develop food products derived from grasshoppers in a form acceptable to consumers. Furthermore, it is important to explore the food potential of some grasshopper species native to western countries and to develop their rearing methodologies to enhance availability.

Rapid growth in nitrogen dioxide pollution over Western China, 2005-2013

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Yuanzheng; Lin, Jintai; Song, Chunqiao; Liu, Mengyao; Yan, Yingying; Xu, Yuan; Huang, Bo

2016-05-01

Western China has experienced rapid industrialization and urbanization since the implementation of the National Western Development Strategies (the "Go West" movement) in 1999. This transition has affected the spatial and temporal characteristics of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution. In this study, we analyze the trends and variability of tropospheric NO2 vertical column densities (VCDs) from 2005 to 2013 over Western China, based on a wavelet analysis on monthly mean NO2 data derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements. We focus on the anthropogenic NO2 by subtracting region-specific "background" values dominated by natural sources. After removing the background influences, we find significant anthropogenic NO2 growth over Western China between 2005 and 2013 (8.6 ± 0.9 % yr-1 on average, relative to 2005), with the largest increments (15 % yr-1 or more) over parts of several city clusters. The NO2 pollution in most provincial-level regions rose rapidly from 2005 to 2011 but stabilized or declined afterwards. The NO2 trends were driven mainly by changes in anthropogenic emissions, as confirmed by a nested GEOS-Chem model simulation and a comparison with Chinese official emission statistics. The rate of NO2 growth during 2005-2013 reaches 11.3 ± 1.0 % yr-1 over Northwestern China, exceeding the rates over Southwestern China (5.9 ± 0.6 % yr-1) and the three well-known polluted regions in the east (5.3 ± 0.8 % yr-1 over Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, 4.0 ± 0.6 % yr-1 over the Yangtze River Delta, and -3.3 ± 0.3 % yr-1 over the Pearl River Delta). Subsequent socioeconomic analyses suggest that the rapid NO2 growth over Northwestern China is likely related to the fast developing resource- and pollution-intensive industries along with the "Go West" movement as well as relatively weak emission controls. Further efforts should be made to alleviate NOx pollution to achieve sustainable development in Western China.

Rapid growth in nitrogen dioxide pollution over Western China, 2005-2013

Science.gov (United States)

Cui, Y.-Z.; Lin, J.-T.; Song, C.; Liu, M.-Y.; Yan, Y.-Y.; Xu, Y.; Huang, B.

2015-12-01

Western China has experienced rapid industrialization and urbanization since the implementation of the National Western Development Strategies (the "Go West" movement) in 1999. This transition has affected the spatial and temporal characteristics of nitrogen dioxide (NO2) pollution. In this study, we analyze the trends and variability of tropospheric NO2 vertical column densities (VCDs) from 2005 to 2013 over Western China, based on a wavelet analysis on monthly mean NO2 data derived from the Ozone Monitoring Instrument (OMI) measurements. We focus on the anthropogenic NO2 by subtracting region-specific "background" values dominated by natural sources. We find significant NO2 growth over Western China between 2005 and 2013 (8.6 ± 0.9 % yr-1 on average, relative to 2005), with the largest increments (15 % yr-1 or more) over parts of several city clusters. The NO2 pollution in most provincial regions rose rapidly from 2005 to 2011 but stabilized or declined afterwards. The NO2 trends were driven mainly by changes in anthropogenic emissions, as confirmed by a nested GEOS-Chem model simulation and a comparison with Chinese official emission statistics. The rate of NO2 growth during 2005-2013 reaches 11.3 ± 1.0 % yr-1 over Northwestern China, exceeding the rates over Southwestern China (5.9 ± 0.6 % yr-1) and the three well-known polluted regions in the east (5.3 ± 0.8 % yr-1 over Beijing-Tianjin-Hebei, 4.0 ± 0.6 % yr-1} over the Yangtze River Delta, and -3.3 ± 0.3 % yr-1 over the Pearl River Delta). Additional socioeconomic analyses suggest that the rapid NO2 growth in Northwestern China is likely related to the fast developing resource- and pollution-intensive industries along with the "Go West" movement as well as relatively weak emission controls. Further efforts should be made to alleviate NOx pollution to achieve sustainable development in Western China.

The genetics of an early Neolithic pastoralist from the Zagros, Iran

KAUST Repository

Gallego-Llorente, M.

2016-08-09

The agricultural transition profoundly changed human societies. We sequenced and analysed the first genome (1.39x) of an early Neolithic woman from Ganj Dareh, in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, a site with early evidence for an economy based on goat herding, ca. 10,000 BP. We show that Western Iran was inhabited by a population genetically most similar to hunter-gatherers from the Caucasus, but distinct from the Neolithic Anatolian people who later brought food production into Europe. The inhabitants of Ganj Dareh made little direct genetic contribution to modern European populations, suggesting those of the Central Zagros were somewhat isolated from other populations of the Fertile Crescent. Runs of homozygosity are of a similar length to those from Neolithic farmers, and shorter than those of Caucasus and Western Hunter-Gatherers, suggesting that the inhabitants of Ganj Dareh did not undergo the large population bottleneck suffered by their northern neighbours. While some degree of cultural diffusion between Anatolia, Western Iran and other neighbouring regions is possible, the genetic dissimilarity between early Anatolian farmers and the inhabitants of Ganj Dareh supports a model in which Neolithic societies in these areas were distinct.

The genetics of an early Neolithic pastoralist from the Zagros, Iran

KAUST Repository

Gallego-Llorente, M.; Connell, S.; Jones, E. R.; Merrett, D. C.; Jeon, Y.; Eriksson, Anders; Siska, V.; Gamba, C.; Meiklejohn, C.; Beyer, R.; Jeon, S.; Cho, Y. S.; Hofreiter, M.; Bhak, J.; Manica, A.; Pinhasi, R.

2016-01-01

The agricultural transition profoundly changed human societies. We sequenced and analysed the first genome (1.39x) of an early Neolithic woman from Ganj Dareh, in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, a site with early evidence for an economy based on goat herding, ca. 10,000 BP. We show that Western Iran was inhabited by a population genetically most similar to hunter-gatherers from the Caucasus, but distinct from the Neolithic Anatolian people who later brought food production into Europe. The inhabitants of Ganj Dareh made little direct genetic contribution to modern European populations, suggesting those of the Central Zagros were somewhat isolated from other populations of the Fertile Crescent. Runs of homozygosity are of a similar length to those from Neolithic farmers, and shorter than those of Caucasus and Western Hunter-Gatherers, suggesting that the inhabitants of Ganj Dareh did not undergo the large population bottleneck suffered by their northern neighbours. While some degree of cultural diffusion between Anatolia, Western Iran and other neighbouring regions is possible, the genetic dissimilarity between early Anatolian farmers and the inhabitants of Ganj Dareh supports a model in which Neolithic societies in these areas were distinct.

The genetics of an early Neolithic pastoralist from the Zagros, Iran

KAUST Repository

Gallego Llorente, Marcos; Connell, Sarah; Jones, Eppie R; Merrett, Deborah; Jeon, Jeonsu; Eriksson, Anders; Siska, Veronika; Gamba, Cristina; Meiklejohn, Chris; Beyer, Robert; Jeon, Sungwon; Cho, Yung Sung; Hofreiter, Michael; Bhak, Jong; Manica, Andrea; Pinhasi, Ron

2016-01-01

The agricultural transition profoundly changed human societies. We sequenced and analysed the first genome (1.39x) of an early Neolithic woman from Ganj Dareh, in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, a site with early evidence for an economy based on goat herding,ca. 10,000 BP. We show that Western Iran was inhabited by a population genetically most similar to hunter-gatherers from the Caucasus, but distinct from the Neolithic Anatolian people who later brought food production into Europe. The inhabitants of Ganj Dareh made little direct genetic contribution to modern European populations, suggesting they were somewhat isolated from other populations in the region. Runs of homozygosity are of a similar length to those from Neolithic Anatolians, and shorter than those of Caucasus and Western Hunter-Gatherers, suggesting that the inhabitants of Ganj Dareh did not undergo the large population bottleneck suffered by their northern neighbours. While some degree of cultural diffusion between Anatolia, Western Iran and other neighbouring regions is possible, the genetic dissimilarity of early Anatolian farmers and the inhabitants of Ganj Dareh supports a model in which Neolithic societies in these areas were distinct.

The genetics of an early Neolithic pastoralist from the Zagros, Iran

KAUST Repository

Gallego Llorente, Marcos

2016-06-18

The agricultural transition profoundly changed human societies. We sequenced and analysed the first genome (1.39x) of an early Neolithic woman from Ganj Dareh, in the Zagros Mountains of Iran, a site with early evidence for an economy based on goat herding,ca. 10,000 BP. We show that Western Iran was inhabited by a population genetically most similar to hunter-gatherers from the Caucasus, but distinct from the Neolithic Anatolian people who later brought food production into Europe. The inhabitants of Ganj Dareh made little direct genetic contribution to modern European populations, suggesting they were somewhat isolated from other populations in the region. Runs of homozygosity are of a similar length to those from Neolithic Anatolians, and shorter than those of Caucasus and Western Hunter-Gatherers, suggesting that the inhabitants of Ganj Dareh did not undergo the large population bottleneck suffered by their northern neighbours. While some degree of cultural diffusion between Anatolia, Western Iran and other neighbouring regions is possible, the genetic dissimilarity of early Anatolian farmers and the inhabitants of Ganj Dareh supports a model in which Neolithic societies in these areas were distinct.

N2 fixation as a dominant new N source in the western tropical South Pacific Ocean (OUTPACE cruise)

Science.gov (United States)

Caffin, Mathieu; Moutin, Thierry; Foster, Rachel Ann; Bouruet-Aubertot, Pascale; Michelangelo Doglioli, Andrea; Berthelot, Hugo; Guieu, Cécile; Grosso, Olivier; Helias-Nunige, Sandra; Leblond, Nathalie; Gimenez, Audrey; Petrenko, Anne Alexandra; de Verneil, Alain; Bonnet, Sophie

2018-05-01

We performed nitrogen (N) budgets in the photic layer of three contrasting stations representing different trophic conditions in the western tropical South Pacific (WTSP) Ocean during austral summer conditions (February-March 2015). Using a Lagrangian strategy, we sampled the same water mass for the entire duration of each long-duration (5 days) station, allowing us to consider only vertical exchanges for the budgets. We quantified all major vertical N fluxes both entering (N2 fixation, nitrate turbulent diffusion, atmospheric deposition) and leaving the photic layer (particulate N export). The three stations were characterized by a strong nitracline and contrasted deep chlorophyll maximum depths, which were lower in the oligotrophic Melanesian archipelago (MA, stations LD A and LD B) than in the ultra-oligotrophic waters of the South Pacific Gyre (SPG, station LD C). N2 fixation rates were extremely high at both LD A (593 ± 51 µmol N m-2 d-1) and LD B (706 ± 302 µmol N m-2 d-1), and the diazotroph community was dominated by Trichodesmium. N2 fixation rates were lower (59 ± 16 µmol N m-2 d-1) at LD C, and the diazotroph community was dominated by unicellular N2-fixing cyanobacteria (UCYN). At all stations, N2 fixation was the major source of new N (> 90 %) before atmospheric deposition and upward nitrate fluxes induced by turbulence. N2 fixation contributed circa 13-18 % of primary production in the MA region and 3 % in the SPG water and sustained nearly all new primary production at all stations. The e ratio (e ratio = particulate carbon export / primary production) was maximum at LD A (9.7 %) and was higher than the e ratio in most studied oligotrophic regions (leading to N accumulation in the upper layer appears as a characteristic of the WTSP during the summer season.

Climatic information of Western Sahel (1535-1793 AD) in original documentary sources

Science.gov (United States)

Millán, V.; Rodrigo, F. S.

2014-09-01

The Sahel is the semi-arid transition zone between arid Sahara and humid tropical Africa, extending approximately 10-20° N from Mauritania in the West to Sudan in the East. The African continent, one of the most vulnerable regions to climate change, is subject to frequent droughts and famine. One climate challenge research is to isolate those aspects of climate variability that are natural from those that are related to human influences. Therefore, the study of climatic conditions before mid-19th century, when anthropogenic influence was of minor importance, is very interesting. In this work the frequency of extreme events, such as droughts and floods, in Western Sahel from the 16th to 18th centuries is investigated using documentary data. Original manuscripts with historical chronicles from Walata and Nema (Mauritania), Timbuktu and Arawan (Mali), and Agadez (Niger) have been analyzed. Information on droughts, intense rainfall, storms and floods, as well as socioeconomic aspects (famines, pests, scarcity, prosperity) has been codified in an ordinal scale ranging from -2 (drought and famines) to +2 (floods) to obtain a numerical index of the annual rainfall in the region. Results show wet conditions in the 17th century, as well as dry conditions in the 18th century (interrupted by a short wet period in the 1730s decade).

An appraisal of uncertainties in the Western Australian wine industry supply chain

OpenAIRE

Islam, Nazrul; Quaddus, Mohammed

2005-01-01

Wine is one of the significant export items of Western Australia. In 2001/2002, the State’s wine exports amounted to about A$42 million. Despite its economic importance research on the supply chain aspects of WA wine industry is rather limited. This paper presents the sources of uncertainties in WA wine supply chain based on the results of an electronic focus group study with WA wine industry stakeholders. The group identified 74 items of uncertainties, which were then grouped into 26 unique ...

Two year-long continuous monitoring of PM1 aerosol chemical composition at the Cyprus Atmospheric Observatory. Source apportionment of the Organic content and geographic origins.

Science.gov (United States)

Stavroulas, Iasonas; Pikridas, Michael; Oikonomou, Kostantina; Vasiliadou, Emily; Savvides, Chrysanthos; Vrekoussis, Mihalis; Mihalopoulos, Nikolaos; Gros, Valerie; Sciare, Jean

2017-04-01

Lagrangian dispersion model FLEXPART in backward mode. Analysis of the PMF on the organic mass spectra, based on good agreement with external standard mass spectra, led to the selection of a solution with three factors, an HOA (Hydrocarbon-like Organic Aerosol) factor with relatively low overall contribution (9{%}), a typical Low Volatility (LV-OOA) factor contributing 54{%}, and a factor attributed to Semi-Volatile organics (SV-OOA), contributing 37{%}. The FLEXPART model analysis, led to eight main regions of influence, namely Europe, West Turkey, Anatolia, Middle East, North Africa, Marine, Local and Mixed. Organic content exhibits maximum values when air masses originate from the wider northern sector (West Turkey and Anatolia) and the Middle East. Less aged organic content was identified for air masses originating from the immediate neighboring regions (West Turkey, Anatolia, Middle East and North Africa) while fresh organics peaked when air masses originated from the Middle East, coinciding with elevated BC concentrations, suggesting strong anthropogenic sources for this sector. This project received funding from the ChArMEx (Chemistry Aerosol Mediterranean Experiment) program, the ENVI-MED CyAr project, the European Union's Seventh Framework Programme (FP7) project BACCHUS under grant agreement no. 603445, and the European Union's Horizon 2020 research and innovation programme ACTRIS-2 under grant agreement No 654109.

We will eat disgusting foods together – evidence of the cultural basis of Western entomophagy-disgust from an insect tasting

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jensen, Niels Holm; Lieberoth, Andreas

2017-01-01

Insects are a highly sustainable and nutritional source of protein, and, thus, incorporating insects in to Western food culture would address major global challenges such as global warming, deforestation, and obesity. Consumer studies show, however, that Westerners’ willingness to eat insect...

Isotope hydrological investigation of Moghra and Ain El-Sharip environment, north western desert, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aly, A.I.M.; Nada, A.; Awad, M.; Salman, A.B.; Hamza, M.S.

1991-01-01

Groundwater samples collected from some localities in the vicinity of Moghra and Ain El-Sharip in the north western desert were subjected to chemical and to isotopic analyses. The combination of the hydrochemical data with the isotopic compositions of deuterium, oxygen-18 and tritium shows that the groundwater in this region represents a mixture of water recharged from different sources including : Nile, sea and paleo-waters.5 fig.,2 tab

Tree-ring-based snowfall record for cold arid western Himalaya, India since A.D. 1460

Science.gov (United States)

Yadav, Ram R.; Bhutiyani, Mahendra R.

2013-07-01

Understanding snowfall variations in high-elevation cold arid regions of the western Himalaya is important as snowmelt water is the main source of water to meet the scores of socioeconomic needs. The ground-based observational data, though limited to the last two decades, show decreasing snowfall, raising the concern of looming water scarcity in the region. The tree-ring data of Himalayan cedar from a network of six moisture-stressed sites, where snowmelt water is the sole source of soil moisture for tree growth, were used to develop the November-April snow water equivalent (SWE) extending back to A.D. 1460. The reconstruction revealed persistent severe droughts in the 1780s followed by the 1480s and relatively lesser magnitude droughts in the 1540s-1560s, 1740s, and early twentieth century. The pluvial conditions observed in 1948-1958 and 1986-1996 stand out over any other period of such duration. The SWE reconstruction revealed large-scale spatial coherence with the corresponding month's Palmer Drought Severity Index over the western Himalayan region. Significant relationship observed between SWE reconstruction and January-March Chenab River flow revealed its potential utility in understanding water resource availability in the long-term perspective.

Women and Islam in the Western Media

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Vintges, K.; Ennaji, M.

2016-01-01

This chapter focuses on recent debates on women and Islam as framed in the Western media. The first section discusses the way these debates are organized through the presentations and self-presentations of Muslim women in the Western media. The second section (titled “The Restyling of Western

The Western Balkans Geopolitics and Russian Energy Politics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Muhidin Mulalic

2014-12-01

Full Text Available The Energy politics is today at the center of the Russian and the Western Balkans relations. It is widely known that Russia has been playing significant role in world energy supply. Therefore, Russian energy companies have taken a leading role in the promotion of their businesses in the Western Balkans. The Western Balkans region has become geostrategic partner as a transit route for the integration of Russia into the global energy world market. With regards to the transportation of gas Western Balkans as a transit route is determined to fully realize South Stream project. In contrast to “a buffer zone” role, in the past few decades the Western Balkans gained an attention from Russia and became an important geopolitical bridge towards Western Europe. Such geopolitical and geostrategic planning of Russia is apparent with regards to gas and oil. Due to Russian South Stream gas pipeline project the Western Balkans became an important European energy transforming center. These new geostrategic games over the pipeline have also revived the Russian historical interests in the Balkans. This paper aims to analyze Russian-Western Balkans relations with special emphasis on energy politics and geopolitical and geostrategic interdependence of Russia and the Western Balkans.

Earthquake source parameter and focal mechanism estimates for the Western Quebec Seismic Zone in eastern Canada

Science.gov (United States)

Rodriguez Padilla, A. M.; Onwuemeka, J.; Liu, Y.; Harrington, R. M.

2017-12-01

The Western Quebec Seismic Zone (WQSZ) is a 160-km-wide band of intraplate seismicity extending 500 km from the Adirondack Highlands (United States) to the Laurentian uplands (Canada). Historically, the WQSZ has experienced over fifteen earthquakes above magnitude 5, with the noteworthy MN5.2 Ladysmith event on May 17, 2013. Previous studies have associated seismicity in the area to the reactivation of Early Paleozoic normal faults within a failed Iapetan rift arm, or strength contrasts between mafic intrusions and felsic rocks due to the Mesozoic track of the Great Meteor hotspot. A good understanding of seismicity and its relation to pre-existing structures requires information about event source properties, such as static stress drop and fault plane orientation, which can be constrained via spectral analysis and focal mechanism solutions. Using data recorded by the CNSN and USArray Transportable Array, we first characterize b-value for 709 events between 2012 and 2016 in WQSZ, obtaining a value of 0.75. We then determine corner frequency and seismic moment values by fitting S-wave spectra on transverse components at all stations for 35 events MN 2.7+. We select event pairs with highly similar waveforms, proximal hypocenters, and magnitudes differing by 1-2 units. Our preliminary results using single-station spectra show corner frequencies of 15 to 40 Hz and stress drop values between 7 and 130 MPa, typical of intraplate seismicity. Last, we solve focal mechanism solutions of 35 events with impulsive P-wave arrivals at a minimum of 8 stations using the hybridMT moment tensor inversion algorithm. Our preliminary results suggest predominantly thrust faulting mechanisms, and at times oblique thrust faulting. The P-axis trend of the focal mechanism solutions suggests a principal stress orientation of NE-SW, which is consistent with that derived from focal mechanisms of earthquakes prior to 2013. We plan to fit the event pair spectral ratios to correct for attenuation

A possible cause of the Miocene uplift and volcanism in the central Anatolian plateau

Science.gov (United States)

Bartol, J.; Govers, R. M.; Wortel, M. J.

2010-12-01

During the middle and late Miocene (13-5Ma) several seemingly unrelated events occurred in central Anatolia, Turkey; (1) a new epoch of widespread volcanic activity with a mantle signature, (2) sudden uplift and disruption of a Oligocene-lower Miocene palaeo drainage system in the Western Taurus (southwest Turkey) and (3) a regional regression across southern Turkey (Antalya, Adana, Mut) coeval with volcanic activity. These observations suggest an uplift (>1000 meters) of the central Anatolian plateau by a mechanism which also triggered widespread volcanic activity. In eastern Anatolia, similar events are attributed to delamination of the lithospheric mantle [e.g. Keskin et al., 2003]. Results from tomography [W.Spakman, pers. com]) suggest that the (deeper) Bitlis slab was laterally continuous below the eastern and central Anatolian plateau. We therefore propose that the scenario developed for eastern Anatolian plateau also applies to the central Anatolian plateau. In this scenario, delamination started along the Izmir-Ankara-Erzincan suture zone and was possibly induced by remnants of a northern Neotethys slab or continental collision between Arabia and Eurasia. As the lithospheric mantle separated from the crust it sank into the asthenosphere and was replaced by hot mantle material. If true, delamination is expected to have had a thermal and isostatic imprint. Using a three-dimensional thermal-flexural model and taking changes of the effective elastic thickness due to thermal perturbation into account, we aim to quantify the possible imprints in the geological record of the central and eastern Anatolian plateau. Our model results show that delamination of the lithospheric mantle can explain the present day elevation (1500 m) of the central Anatolian plateau. For the eastern Anatolian plateau, however, delamination of the lithospheric mantle alone can only explain half (1000 m) of the present day elevation. Thickening of the eastern Anatolia crust by 1-5 km (β=1

Palaeomagnetism and magnetic properties of the Cappadocian ignimbrite succession, central Turkey and Neogene tectonics of the Anatolian collage

Science.gov (United States)

Piper, J. D. A.; Gürsoy, H.; Tatar, O.

2002-10-01

Afro-Arabia Plate has continued to impinge differentially into Eurasia. Cenozoic magnetic inclinations are systematically shallower across Anatolia than inclinations expected from the geocentric dipole model and the apparent polar wander of bordering major plates. Only part of this difference (˜400 km) can be accommodated by northward movement and crustal thickening in Central Anatolia since mid-Miocene times. Shallow inclinations observed in the Aegean region extend into Turkey; they are observed in young volcanics and appear to reflect a regional geomagnetic anomaly. The pattern of neotectonic declinations across Anatolia shows rotations that are strongly anticlockwise rotated in the east near the Arabian pincer but diminish towards the west to become zero or slightly clockwise at the western extremity of the collage. Rotations also seem to become generally younger towards the south. Crustal deformation has therefore been distributed and the net effect of terrane extrusion to the west and south has been to expand the curvature of the Tauride Arc and, by inference, the Cyprus Arc.

RENEWABLE ENERGY POLICY IN THE WESTERN BALKANS: ALBANIA, BOSNIA HERZEGOVINA, KOSOVO AND SERBIA

OpenAIRE

Mihaela PÃCE?ILÃ

2013-01-01

This paper presents reviews and an analysis of the policy and support mechanisms for the promotion of renewable in the Western Balkan countries, as well as an overview of the legislation and other official documents influencing the renewable energy sector. The importance of renewable energy sources, along with key information about the countries commitments to renewable energy are also summarized. The methodology used in this article consists in studying and analysing a range of published mat...

Recent Vs. Historical Seismicity Analysis For Banat Seismic Region (Western Part Of Romania)

OpenAIRE

Oros Eugen; Diaconescu Mihai

2015-01-01

The present day seismic activity from a region reflects the active tectonics and can confirm the seismic potential of the seismogenic sources as they are modelled using the historical seismicity. This paper makes a comparative analysis of the last decade seismicity recorded in the Banat Seismic Region (western part of Romania) and the historical seismicity of the region (Mw≥4.0). Four significant earthquake sequences have been recently localized in the region, three of them nearby the city of...

An initial assessment of Ocean Energy Resources in the Western Indian Ocean

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hammar, Linus; Ehnberg, Jimmy

2011-07-01

The demand for modern energy is accelerating in the Western Indian Ocean (coastal East Africa). A mixture of different energy sources will by necessity be the option for the long-term future and the most adequate solutions naturally vary between locations. The vast coastlines and many islands of the region make ocean energy (OE) a relevant field to explore. With an early understanding of the resources strategic planning towards sustainable development is facilitate. Moreover, early awareness facilitates a respectful integration of new technologies in the fragile and for local people invaluable ecosystems. This study provides a first assessment of the frontier OE technologies and corresponding resources in the region. Five renewable Ocean Energy technologies have been reviewed and the physical resource abundance for respective energy source has been screened based on available literature and databases. The Western Indian Ocean is shared between nine African countries and two French departments. The studied countries are the Comoros, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Mayotte, Mozambique, the Seychelles, Tanzania, and Reunion. The energy situation is insufficient throughout the region, either as consequence of lacking domestic energy sources or rudimentary grid extension. The results indicate that ocean energy resources are abundant in much of the region, but different sources have potential in different areas. Several countries have favourable physical conditions for extracting energy from waves and from the temperature gradient between the surface and deep water. Wave power is a young but currently available technology which can be utilized for both large- and small-scale applications. Ocean Thermal Energy Conversion is a technology under development that, once proven, may be applicable for large-scale power production. The physical conditions for small-scale tidal barrage power, tidal stream power, and ocean current power are less pronounced but may be of interest at

Far Western: probing membranes.

Science.gov (United States)

Einarson, Margret B; Pugacheva, Elena N; Orlinick, Jason R

2007-08-01

INTRODUCTIONThe far-Western technique described in this protocol is fundamentally similar to Western blotting. In Western blots, an antibody is used to detect a query protein on a membrane. In contrast, in a far-Western blot (also known as an overlay assay) the antibody is replaced by a recombinant GST fusion protein (produced and purified from bacteria), and the assay detects the interaction of this protein with target proteins on a membrane. The membranes are washed and blocked, incubated with probe protein, washed again, and subjected to autoradiography. The GST fusion (probe) proteins are often labeled with (32)P; alternatively, the membrane can be probed with unlabeled GST fusion protein, followed by detection using commercially available GST antibodies. The nonradioactive approach is substantially more expensive (due to the purchase of antibody and detection reagents) than using radioactively labeled proteins. In addition, care must be taken to control for nonspecific interactions with GST alone and a signal resulting from antibody cross-reactivity. In some instances, proteins on the membrane are not able to interact after transfer. This may be due to improper folding, particularly in the case of proteins expressed from a phage expression library. This protocol describes a way to overcome this by washing the membrane in denaturation buffer, which is then serially diluted to permit slow renaturation of the proteins.

Roman and early-medieval long-distance transport routes in north-western Europe : Modelling frequent-travel zones using a dendroarchaeological approach

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Lanen, Rowin J.; Jansma, Esther; van Doesburg, Jan; Groenewoudt, Bert J.

2016-01-01

To what extent long-distance transport in north-western Europe changed after the Roman period is generally unknown. Few historical sources are available and existing archaeological records are unclear and sometimes conflicting. Traditionally, research on the long-distance exchange of goods mostly

Modeling the ecologic niche of plague in sylvan and domestic animal hosts to delineate sources of human exposure in the western United States

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Michael Walsh

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Plague has been established in the western United States (US since 1900 following the West Coast introduction of commensal rodents infected with Yersinia pestis via early industrial shipping. Over the last century, plague ecology has transitioned through cycles of widespread human transmission, urban domestic transmission among commensal rodents, and ultimately settled into the predominantly sylvan foci that remain today where it is maintained alternatively by enzootic and epizootic transmission. While zoonotic transmission to humans is much less common in modern times, significant plague risk remains in parts of the western US. Moreover, risk to some threatened species that are part of the epizootic cycle can be quite substantive. This investigation attempted to predict the risk of plague across the western US by modeling the ecologic niche of plague in sylvan and domestic animals identified between 2000 and 2015. A Maxent machine learning algorithm was used to predict this niche based on climate, altitude, land cover, and the presence of an important enzootic species, Peromyscus maniculatus. This model demonstrated good predictive ability (AUC = 86% and identified areas of high risk in central Colorado, north-central New Mexico, and southwestern and northeastern California. The presence of P. maniculatus, altitude, precipitation during the driest and wettest quarters, and distance to artificial surfaces, all contributed substantively to maximizing the gain function. These findings add to the known landscape epidemiology and infection ecology of plague in the western US and may suggest locations of particular risk to be targeted for wild and domestic animal intervention.

Characteristics and Source Apportionment of Marine Aerosols over East China Sea Using a Source-oriented Chemical Transport Model

Science.gov (United States)

Kang, M.; Zhang, H.; Fu, P.

2017-12-01

Marine aerosols exert a strong influence on global climate change and biogeochemical cycling, as oceans cover beyond 70% of the Earth's surface. However, investigations on marine aerosols are relatively limited at present due to the difficulty and inconvenience in sampling marine aerosols as well as their diverse sources. East China Sea (ECS), lying over the broad shelf of the western North Pacific, is adjacent to the Asian mainland, where continental-scale air pollution could impose a heavy load on the marine atmosphere through long-range atmospheric transport. Thus, contributions of major sources to marine aerosols need to be identified for policy makers to develop cost effective control strategies. In this work, a source-oriented version of the Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model, which can directly track the contributions from multiple emission sources to marine aerosols, is used to investigate the contributions from power, industry, transportation, residential, biogenic and biomass burning to marine aerosols over the ECS in May and June 2014. The model simulations indicate significant spatial and temporal variations of concentrations as well as the source contributions. This study demonstrates that the Asian continent can greatly affect the marine atmosphere through long-range transport.

Integrated ecosystem assessment for western development of China

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

无

2002-01-01

The objectives of Integrated Ecosystem Assessment for Western Development of China includes: (1) providing scientific basis for ecosystem protection, ecosystem management and ecological construction in the western development; (2) developing complete database and analytical tools and strengthening decision-making support capacity; and (3) improving ecosystem management in China, spreading ecological knowledge to the public, serving decision-making of local and central governments, and promoting socio-economic sustainable development. The design and implementation of the project are of significance under the macro background of western development of China. By the integrated assessment of western China, we can get the first-hand data covering all the environmental factors as well as disclose the situations and their changing trends of ecosystem in the western part of China, which will benefit the decision-making for the central and local governments in the implementation of the western development strategy. In other words, the implementation of the project, to a certain extent, can guarantee the regional sustainable development of western China.

A Radiation Laboratory Curriculum Development at Western Kentucky University

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barzilov, Alexander P.; Novikov, Ivan S.; Womble, Phil C.

2009-01-01

We present the latest developments for the radiation laboratory curriculum at the Department of Physics and Astronomy of Western Kentucky University. During the last decade, the Applied Physics Institute (API) at WKU accumulated various equipment for radiation experimentation. This includes various neutron sources (computer controlled d-t and d-d neutron generators, and isotopic 252 Cf and PuBe sources), the set of gamma sources with various intensities, gamma detectors with various energy resolutions (NaI, BGO, GSO, LaBr and HPGe) and the 2.5-MeV Van de Graaff particle accelerator. XRF and XRD apparatuses are also available for students and members at the API. This equipment is currently used in numerous scientific and teaching activities. Members of the API also developed a set of laboratory activities for undergraduate students taking classes from the physics curriculum (Nuclear Physics, Atomic Physics, and Radiation Biophysics). Our goal is to develop a set of radiation laboratories, which will strengthen the curriculum of physics, chemistry, geology, biology, and environmental science at WKU. The teaching and research activities are integrated into real-world projects and hands-on activities to engage students. The proposed experiments and their relevance to the modern status of physical science are discussed.

Y-chromosome phylogeographic analysis of the Greek-Cypriot population reveals elements consistent with Neolithic and Bronze Age settlements.

Science.gov (United States)

Voskarides, Konstantinos; Mazières, Stéphane; Hadjipanagi, Despina; Di Cristofaro, Julie; Ignatiou, Anastasia; Stefanou, Charalambos; King, Roy J; Underhill, Peter A; Chiaroni, Jacques; Deltas, Constantinos

2016-01-01

The archeological record indicates that the permanent settlement of Cyprus began with pioneering agriculturalists circa 11,000 years before present, (ca. 11,000 y BP). Subsequent colonization events followed, some recognized regionally. Here, we assess the Y-chromosome structure of Cyprus in context to regional populations and correlate it to phases of prehistoric colonization. Analysis of haplotypes from 574 samples showed that island-wide substructure was barely significant in a spatial analysis of molecular variance (SAMOVA). However, analyses of molecular variance (AMOVA) of haplogroups using 92 binary markers genotyped in 629 Cypriots revealed that the proportion of variance among the districts was irregularly distributed. Principal component analysis (PCA) revealed potential genetic associations of Greek-Cypriots with neighbor populations. Contrasting haplogroups in the PCA were used as surrogates of parental populations. Admixture analyses suggested that the majority of G2a-P15 and R1b-M269 components were contributed by Anatolia and Levant sources, respectively, while Greece Balkans supplied the majority of E-V13 and J2a-M67. Haplotype-based expansion times were at historical levels suggestive of recent demography. Analyses of Cypriot haplogroup data are consistent with two stages of prehistoric settlement. E-V13 and E-M34 are widespread, and PCA suggests sourcing them to the Balkans and Levant/Anatolia, respectively. The persistent pre-Greek component is represented by elements of G2-U5(xL30) haplogroups: U5*, PF3147, and L293. J2b-M205 may contribute also to the pre-Greek strata. The majority of R1b-Z2105 lineages occur in both the westernmost and easternmost districts. Distinctively, sub-haplogroup R1b- M589 occurs only in the east. The absence of R1b- M589 lineages in Crete and the Balkans and the presence in Asia Minor are compatible with Late Bronze Age influences from Anatolia rather than from Mycenaean Greeks.

Petrography and geochemistry of magmatic units from the western cordillera of Ecuador (0 deg. 30'S): tectonic implications

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cosma, L.; Mamberti, M.; Gabriele, P.; Desmet, A.

1998-01-01

The cost and western Cordillera of Ecuador are made of accreted oceanic terranes, separated from from the continental margin by a suture zone containing tectonic slices of mafic rocks. The western Cordillera contains three distinct magmatic units. Ultramafic and mafic cumulates from the suture zone (San Juan slice) represent likely the plutonic roots of oceanic plateau basalts. The mafic cumulates are LREE(depleted and Ta and Pb enriched (primitive mantle). Their Nd and Pb isotopic compositions suggest that they derived from an enriched OIB type mantle source. Pre-Coniacian arc-tholeiites present flat REE patterns, low Pb and Th contents, and high ξ Nd(T=100Ma) (+7.5 to + 7.9) which are indicative of their derivation from a mantle source. These arc-tholeiites developed likely in an intra-oceanic setting. The Eocene calc-alkaline lavas differ from the arc-tholeiites because they are LREE-enriched and have lower ξ Nd(T=50Ma) ratios. Their high Pb and Th contents are probably related to crustal assimilation during the magmas ascent. Their Pb isotopic compositions support involvement of subducted pelagic sediments in their genesis. These lavas represent likely the remnants of a continental calc-alkaline magmatic arc. The continental-arc setting of the Eocene lavas demonstrates that these volcanic rocks postdate the accretion of the western Cordillera, upon which they rest unconformably. Therefore, the accretion of the western Cordillera may have occurred in late Paleocene times, as for part of the oceanic terranes of coastal Ecuador. Nevertheless, the occurrence of a collisional event during late Santonian-early Campanian times is strongly suggested by: the arrival of detrital quartz on oceanic series of the western Cordillera by Campanian-Maastrichtian times, a regional unconformity locally dates early Campanian, the arc-jump observed on coastal Ecuador in Santonian times, and finally a thermal event recognised in the eastern Cordillera around 85-80 Ma. (authors)

Annosus Root disease of Western Conifers (FIDL)

Science.gov (United States)

Craig L. Schmitt; John R. Parmeter; John T. Kliejunas

2000-01-01

Annosus root disease is found on all western conifer species but is of most concern on true firs, hemlocks, and pines. Incense cedar, coast redwood and sequoia are sometimes infected in California. Western juniper is infected throughout its range. Annosus is common and causes extensive decay in old-growth western and mountain hemlock stands. Many mixed conifer stands...

Distribution of Eurasian minnows (Phoxinus: Cypriniformes in the Western Balkans

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Vucić Matej

2018-01-01

Full Text Available The Eurasian minnows of the genus Phoxinus are small cyprinid species, widely distributed across Europe and Asia. Currently, there are at least 15 species in Phoxinus, with preliminary data suggesting more to be described. Despite the discernible increase in research integrating molecular phylogenetic approaches with traditional taxonomy and systematics, inter- and intraspecific relationships in the genus Phoxinus are still poorly known. The aims of this research were to: (i compile data on the distribution of Phoxinus species in Croatia and Bosnia and Herzegovina from the sampling conducted by authors from 2006 to 2016 and from literature sources, and (ii provide a detailed insight on distribution ranges of genetic clades and species of Phoxinus in the western Balkans. Additional 118 localities in Croatia and 8 locations in Bosnia and Herzegovina were added to already known 160 localities from the literature data. Molecular analyses of mitochondrial DNA indicate: (i the presence of Phoxinus marsilii in Croatia (Drava drainage, the Papuk Mountain, around 260 km south of its known distribution range in Hungary, and (ii an exceptional genetic variability of P. lumaireul in the Western Balkans.

Factors affecting the use of prenatal and postnatal care by women of non-western immigrant origin in industrialized western countries.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boerleider, A.W.; Devillé, W.L.J.M.; Francke, A.L.; Wiegers, T.A.

2011-01-01

Background: In many industrialized western countries immigrants constitute a substantial part of the population, which is also seen in the prenatal and postnatal care client population. Research in several industrialized western countries has shown that women of non-western immigrant origin make

Biochemical composition of two giant pill-millipedes of the Western Ghats of India

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Ambarish Cheviri N.

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Many invertebrates have an unexpected nutraceutical potential and are of nutritional or ethnomedicinal significance to many tribals throughout the world. The giant pill-millipedes of the genus Arthrosphaera are traditionally used as natural medicines by tribals in the Western Ghats of India. In this study, two species of pill-millipedes (Arthrosphaera fumosa and A. magna were subjected to proximate and biochemical analysis to ascertain their nutritional potential. Bodies of A. fumosa and A. magna (after removal of their intestines had a low protein content (8-15% and high quantity of carbohydrates (40-41%. They were rich in many essential elements, especially in calcium. The essential amino acids of pillmillipedes were in high quantities. The level of glycine was the highest, followed by lysine and serine. The fatty acid methyl esters (FAMEs of males and females consist of high quantities of unsaturated fatty acids. The mono-unsaturated fatty acids were more abundant than poly-unsaturated fatty acids. Palmitic and oleic acids were dominant saturated and unsaturated fatty acids, respectively. The study has revealed for the first time that pill-millipedes of the Western Ghats of India constitute a good source of essential minerals, essential fatty acids, and essential amino acids. Being valuable contributors of organic manure by processing recalcitrant plant lignocellulosic wastes, pill-millipedes become part and parcel of organic farming as well as future nutraceutical sources.

Comparative Analysis of Music Recordings from Western and Non-Western traditions by Automatic Tonal Feature Extraction

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Emilia Gómez

2008-09-01

Full Text Available The automatic analysis of large musical corpora by means of computational models overcomes some limitations of manual analysis, and the unavailability of scores for most existing music makes necessary to work with audio recordings. Until now, research on this area has focused on music from the Western tradition. Nevertheless, we might ask if the available methods are suitable when analyzing music from other cultures. We present an empirical approach to the comparative analysis of audio recordings, focusing on tonal features and data mining techniques. Tonal features are related to the pitch class distribution, pitch range and employed scale, gamut and tuning system. We provide our initial but promising results obtained when trying to automatically distinguish music from Western and non- Western traditions; we analyze which descriptors are most relevant and study their distribution over 1500 pieces from different traditions and styles. As a result, some feature distributions differ for Western and non-Western music, and the obtained classification accuracy is higher than 80% for different classification algorithms and an independent test set. These results show that automatic description of audio signals together with data mining techniques provide means to characterize huge music collections from different traditions and complement musicological manual analyses.

Populations of Phytophthora rubi Show Little Differentiation and High Rates of Migration Among States in the Western United States.

Science.gov (United States)

Tabima, Javier F; Coffey, Michael D; Zazada, Inga A; Grünwald, Niklaus J

2018-04-11

Population genetics is a powerful tool to understand patterns and evolutionary processes that are involved in plant-pathogen emergence and adaptation to agricultural ecosystems. We are interested in studying the population dynamics of Phytophthora rubi, the causal agent of Phytophthora root rot in raspberry. P. rubi is found in the western United States, where most of the fresh and processed raspberries are produced. We used genotyping-by-sequencing to characterize genetic diversity in populations of P. rubi sampled in the United States and other countries. Our results confirm that P. rubi is a monophyletic species with complete lineage sorting from its sister taxon P. fragariae. Overall, populations of P. rubi show low genetic diversity across the western United States. Demographic analyses suggest that populations of P. rubi from the western United States are the source of pathogen migration to Europe. We found no evidence for population differentiation at a global or regional (western United States) level. Finally, our results provide evidence of migration from California and Oregon into Washington. This report provides new insights into the evolution and structure of global and western United States populations of the raspberry pathogen P. rubi, indicating that human activity might be involved in moving the pathogen among regions and fields.

Water effects of the use of western coal for electrical production

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Rogers, E.A.

1980-02-01

Water may be a constraint on the expanded development of coal resources in the semi-arid western United States. Water allocation in the West has been determined by the appropriative rights doctrine which allows perpetual use of water sources by those who first claim it for beneficial purposes. This has had the effect of placing a dominative interest in water allocation in one economic sector: agriculture. New water sources are available to coal producers but political and economic problems must be overcome. Water is required by every phase of coal development. Mines use water for dust control and land reclamation. Coal slurry pipelines would use water as a transport medium. Steam electric power plants use water for cooling, cleaning, and in the boiler. Coal gasification plants would use water for cooling, cleaning, and as a material input. In addition to these direct uses of water by coal development, the people who build and operate the development demand water for domestic and recreational purposes. The quantity of water required for a given element of a coal development is site specific and dependent on many factors. The available literature cites a range of estimates of the amount of water required for each type of development. The width of this range seems related to the stage of development of the particular technology. Estimates of water requirements for various schemes to provide an average electrical load of 9 GWe to a load center 1000 miles from western mines are shown in Table 5.

Ar-Ar dating and petrogenesis of the Early Miocene Taşkapı-Mecitli (Erciş-Van) granitoid, Eastern Anatolia Collisional Zone, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

Oyan, Vural

2018-06-01

The Early Miocene Taşkapı-Mecitli granitoid that is located in the northern section of the Eastern Anatolia Collision Zone has typical I-type, metaluminous and calk-alkaline characteristics. It also contains mafic microgranular / magmatic enclaves (MMEs). New Ar-Ar dating results show that the age of the Taşkapı-Mecitli granitoid is ∼23 Ma and it crystallised in the Early Miocene, in contrast to its previously known Cretaceous age. Identical crystallisation ages (∼23 Ma), similar mineral assemblages and geochemical compositions, and indistinguishable isotopic compositions of MMEs and host rocks imply that the MMEs are most consistent with a cumulate origin formed at earlier stages of the same magmatic system that produced the Taşkapı-Mecitli granitoid. MELTS modelling suggests that magma of the Taşkapı-Mecitli granitoid was the result of fractionation under a crustal pressure of 4 kbar, with a H2O content of 1.5%. EC-AFC model calculation reveals that the Taşkapı-Mecitli granitoid includes from 0.5% to 2% crustal assimilation rates. These rates indicate that crustal contamination can be negligible when compared to fractional crystallisation in the evolution of the magma beneath the Taşkapı-Mecitli granitoid. The partial melting model calculations and MORB-normalised trace element concentrations of the least evolved samples of the Taşkapı-Mecitli granitoid are consistent with those of mafic melts obtained from partial melting of interacting mantle- lower crust with a melting degree of 18%. The age (23 Ma) of the post- or syn-collisional Taşkapı-Mecitli granitoid suggests that the collision between Arabian and Eurasian plates could be before/around ∼23 Ma (Late Oligocene to Early Miocene).

Age and tectonomagmatic setting of the Eocene Çöpler-Kabataş magmatic complex and porphyry-epithermal Au deposit, East Central Anatolia, Turkey

Science.gov (United States)

İmer, Ali; Richards, Jeremy P.; Creaser, Robert A.

2013-06-01

The Çöpler epithermal Au deposit and related subeconomic porphyry Cu-Au deposit is hosted by the middle Eocene Çöpler-Kabataş magmatic complex in central eastern Anatolia. The intrusive rocks of the complex were emplaced into Late Paleozoic-Mesozoic metamorphosed sedimentary basement rocks near the northeastern margin of the Tauride-Anatolide Block. Igneous biotite from two samples of the magmatic complex yielded 40Ar/39Ar plateau ages of 43.75 ± 0.26 Ma and 44.19 ± 0.23, whereas igneous hornblende from a third sample yielded a plateau age of 44.13 ± 0.38. These ages closely overlap with 40Ar/39Ar ages of hydrothermal sericite (44.44 ± 0.28 Ma) and biotite (43.84 ± 0.26 Ma), and Re-Os ages from two molybdenite samples (44.6 ± 0.2 and 43.9 ± 0.2 Ma) suggesting a short-lived (history at Çöpler. No suitable minerals were found that could be used to date the epithermal system, but it is inferred to be close in age to the precursor porphyry system. The Çöpler-Kabataş intrusive rocks show I-type calc-alkaline affinities. Their normalized trace element patterns show enrichments in large ion lithophile and light rare earth elements and relative depletions in middle and heavy rare earth elements, resembling magmas generated in convergent margins. However, given its distance from the coeval Eocene Maden-Helete volcanic arc, the complex is interpreted to be formed in a back-arc setting, in response to Paleocene slab roll-back and upper-plate extension. The tectonomagmatic environment of porphyry-epithermal mineralization at Çöpler is comparable to some other isolated back-arc porphyry systems such as Bajo de la Alumbrera (Argentina) or Bingham Canyon (USA).

Trace-element and isotopic constraints on the source of magmas in the active volcano and Mariana island arcs, Western Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Stern, Robert James; Ito, Emi

1983-10-01

Analytical results of the relative and absolute abundance of LIL-incompatible trace elements (K, Rb, Cs, Sr, and Ba) and isotopic compositions ( {18O}/{16O}, {87Sr}/{86Sr}, and {143Nd}/{144Nd}) are summarized for fresh samples from active and dormant volcanoes of the Volcano and Mariana island arcs. The presence of thickened oceanic crust ( T ˜ 15-20 km) beneath the arc indicates that while hybridization processes resulting in the modification of primitive magmas by anatectic mixing at shallow crustal levels cannot be neglected, the extent and effects of these processes on this arc's magmas are minimized. All components of the subducted plate disappear at the trench. This observation is used to reconstruct the composition of the crust in the Wadati-Benioff zone by estimating proportions of various lithologies in the crust of the subducted plate coupled with analyses from DSDP sites. Over 90% of the mass of the subducted crust consists of basaltic Layers II and III. Sediments and seamounts, containing the bulk of the incompatible elements, make up the rest. Bulk Western Pacific seafloor has {87Sr}/{86Sr} ˜ 0.7032 , δ 18O ˜ +7.2 , K/Rb ˜ 510, K/Ba ˜ 46, and K/Cs ˜ 13,500. Consideration of trace-element data and combined δ 18O - {87Sr}/{86Sr} systematics limits the participation of sediments in magmagenesis to less than 1%, in accord with the earlier results of Pb-isotopic studies. Combined {143Nd}/{144Nd} - {87Sr}/{86Sr} data indicate little, if any, involvement of altered basaltic seafloor in magmagenesis. Perhaps more important than mean isotopic and LIL-element ratios is the restricted range for lavas from along over 1000 km of this arc. Mixtures of mantle with either the subducted crust or derivative fluids should result in strong heterogeneities in the sources of individual volcanoes along the arc. Such heterogeneities would be due to: (1) gross variations of crustal materials supplied to the subduction zone; and (2) lesser efficiency of mixing processes

Differential Y-chromosome Anatolian influences on the Greek and Cretan Neolithic.

Science.gov (United States)

King, R J; Ozcan, S S; Carter, T; Kalfoğlu, E; Atasoy, S; Triantaphyllidis, C; Kouvatsi, A; Lin, A A; Chow, C-E T; Zhivotovsky, L A; Michalodimitrakis, M; Underhill, P A

2008-03-01

The earliest Neolithic sites of Europe are located in Crete and mainland Greece. A debate persists concerning whether these farmers originated in neighboring Anatolia and the role of maritime colonization. To address these issues 171 samples were collected from areas near three known early Neolithic settlements in Greece together with 193 samples from Crete. An analysis of Y-chromosome haplogroups determined that the samples from the Greek Neolithic sites showed strong affinity to Balkan data, while Crete shows affinity with central/Mediterranean Anatolia. Haplogroup J2b-M12 was frequent in Thessaly and Greek Macedonia while haplogroup J2a-M410 was scarce. Alternatively, Crete, like Anatolia showed a high frequency of J2a-M410 and a low frequency of J2b-M12. This dichotomy parallels archaeobotanical evidence, specifically that while bread wheat (Triticum aestivum) is known from Neolithic Anatolia, Crete and southern Italy; it is absent from earliest Neolithic Greece. The expansion time of YSTR variation for haplogroup E3b1a2-V13, in the Peloponnese was consistent with an indigenous Mesolithic presence. In turn, two distinctive haplogroups, J2a1h-M319 and J2a1b1-M92, have demographic properties consistent with Bronze Age expansions in Crete, arguably from NW/W Anatolia and Syro-Palestine, while a later mainland (Mycenaean) contribution to Crete is indicated by relative frequencies of V13.

Particulate matter (PM 10 ) in Istanbul: Origin, source areas and potential impact on surrounding regions

Science.gov (United States)

Koçak, M.; Theodosi, C.; Zarmpas, P.; Im, U.; Bougiatioti, A.; Yenigun, O.; Mihalopoulos, N.

2011-12-01

Water-soluble ions (Cl -, NO3-, SO42-, CO4-, Na +, NH4+, K +, Mg 2+,Ca 2+), water soluble organic carbon (WSOC), organic and elemental carbon (OC, EC) and trace metals (Al, Ca, Ti, V, Cr, Mn, Fe, Ni, Cu, Zn, Cd and Pb) were measured in aerosol PM 10 samples above the megacity of Istanbul between November 2007 and June 2009. Source apportionment analysis using Positive Matrix Factorization (PMF) indicates that approximately 80% of the PM 10 is anthropogenic in origin (secondary, refuse incineration, fuel oil and solid fuel combustion and traffic). Crustal and sea salt account for 10.2 and 7.5% of the observed mass, respectively. In general, anthropogenic (except secondary) aerosol shows higher concentrations and contributions in winter. Mean concentration and contribution of crustal source is found to be more important during the transitional period due to mineral dust transport from North Africa. During the sampling period, 42 events exceeding the limit value of 50 μg m -3 are identified. A significant percentage (91%; n = 38) of these exceedances is attributed to anthropogenic sources. Potential Source Contribution Function analysis highlights that Istanbul is affected from distant sources from Balkans and Western Europe during winter and from Eastern Europe during summer. On the other hand, Istanbul sources influence western Black Sea and Eastern Europe during winter and Aegean and Levantine Sea during summer.

Cradle to grave GHG emissions analysis of shale gas hydraulic fracking in Western Australia

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Bista Sangita

2017-01-01

Full Text Available Western Australia has globally significant onshore gas resources, with over 280 trillion cubic feet of economically recoverable gas located in five shale basins. The Western Australian Government and gas industry have promoted the development of these resources as a “clean energy source” that would “help to reduce global carbon emissions” and provide a “transition fuel” to a low carbon economy. This research examines those claims by reviewing existing literature and published data to estimate the life cycle greenhouse gas (GHG pollution that would result from the development of Western Australia’s onshore gas basins using hydraulic fracking. Estimates of carbon pollution from each stage in gas development, processing, transport and end-use are considered in order to establish total life-cycle emissions in tonnes of carbon-dioxide equivalent (CO2e. The emissions estimates draw from published research on emissions from shale gas development in other jurisdictions as well as industry or government reported emissions from current technology for gas processing and end-use as applicable. The current policy and regulatory environment for carbon pollution and likely resulting GHG mitigation measures has also been considered, as well as the potential for the gas to displace or substitute for other energy sources. In areas where there is uncertainty, conservative emissions estimates have been used. Modelling of GHG emissions has been undertaken for two comparison resource development and utilisation scenarios; Australian domestic and 100% export i.e. no domestic use. Each scenario corresponds to a different proportionate allocation of emissions accounted for domestic emissions in Australia and emissions accounted for in other jurisdictions. Emissions estimates for the two scenarios are 245–502 MTCO2e/year respectively over a resource development timeframe of 20 years. This is roughly the same as Australia’s total GHG emissions in 2014

Natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in rocks and beach sands from Ezine region (Canakkale), Western Anatolia, Turkey

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Orguen, Y. [Faculty of Mines, Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Ayazaga Kampusu, 34469-Istanbul (Turkey)]. E-mail: orgun@itu.edu.tr; Altinsoy, N. [Institute of Energy, Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Ayazaga Kampusu, 34469-Istanbul (Turkey); Sahin, S.Y. [Department of Geophysics, Engineering Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul (Turkey); Guengoer, Y. [Department of Geophysics, Engineering Faculty, Istanbul University, Istanbul (Turkey); Gueltekin, A.H. [Faculty of Mines, Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Ayazaga Kampusu, 34469-Istanbul (Turkey); Karahan, G. [Cekmece Nuclear Research and Training Center, P.O. Box 1, Atatuerk Airport, 34149-Istanbul (Turkey); Karacik, Z. [Faculty of Mines, Istanbul Technical University (ITU), Ayazaga Kampusu, 34469-Istanbul (Turkey)

2007-06-15

This paper represents the first reports on the natural and anthropogenic radionuclides in Kestanbol granitic pluton and surrounding rocks, and coastal region of the Ezine town. To assess the radiological hazard of the natural radioactivity, the radium equivalent activity, the absorbed dose rate and the external hazard index were calculated, and in situ gamma dose rates were measured. The high-activity concentrations were measured in the pluton and sands, which was originated mainly from the pluton, due to the presence of zircon, allanite, monazite, thorite, uranothorite and apatite. The average activity concentrations of {sup 238}U, {sup 232}Th and {sup 40}K are 174.78, 204.69 and 1171.95 Bq kg{sup -1} for pluton, and 290.36, 532.04 and 1160.75 Bq kg{sup -1} for sands, respectively. {sup 137}Cs in Ezine region ranged from 0-6.57 Bq kg{sup -1}. The average absorbed dose rate for the granitic and sand samples were calculated to be 251.6 and 527.92 nGy h{sup -1}, respectively. The maximum contribution to the total absorbed gamma dose rate in air was due to the {sup 232}Th (52.3% for pluton and 67.1% for sands). The Raeq activities of the pluton and sands are higher than the recommended maximum value of 370 Bq kg{sup -1} criterion limit of Raeq activity for building materials.

Estimates of the Tempo-adjusted Total Fertility Rate in Western and Eastern Germany, 1955-2008

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Marc Luy

2011-09-01

Full Text Available In this article we present estimates of the tempo-adjusted total fertility rate in Western and Eastern Germany from 1955 to 2008. Tempo adjustment of the total fertility rate (TFR requires data on the annual number of births by parity and age of the mother. Since official statistics do not provide such data for West Germany as well as Eastern Germany from 1990 on we used alternative data sources which include these specific characteristics. The combined picture of conventional TFR and tempo-adjusted TFR* provides interesting information about the trends in period fertility in Western and Eastern Germany, above all with regard to the differences between the two regions and the enormous extent of tempo effects in Eastern Germany during the 1990s. Compared to corresponding data for populations from other countries, our estimates of the tempo-adjusted TFR* for Eastern and Western Germany show plausible trends. Nevertheless, it is important to note that the estimates of the tempo-adjusted total fertility rate presented in this paper should not be seen as being on the level of or equivalent to official statistics since they are based on different kinds of data with different degrees of quality.

Factors affecting the use of prenatal care by non-western women in industrialized western countries: a systematic review.

Science.gov (United States)

Boerleider, Agatha W; Wiegers, Therese A; Manniën, Judith; Francke, Anneke L; Devillé, Walter L J M

2013-03-27

Despite the potential of prenatal care for addressing many pregnancy complications and concurrent health problems, non-western women in industrialized western countries more often make inadequate use of prenatal care than women from the majority population do. This study aimed to give a systematic review of factors affecting non-western women's use of prenatal care (both medical care and prenatal classes) in industrialized western countries. Eleven databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science, Women's Studies International, MIDIRS, CINAHL, Scopus and the NIVEL catalogue) were searched for relevant peer-reviewed articles from between 1995 and July 2012. Qualitative as well as quantitative studies were included. Quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Factors identified were classified as impeding or facilitating, and categorized according to a conceptual framework, an elaborated version of Andersen's healthcare utilization model. Sixteen articles provided relevant factors that were all categorized. A number of factors (migration, culture, position in host country, social network, expertise of the care provider and personal treatment and communication) were found to include both facilitating and impeding factors for non-western women's utilization of prenatal care. The category demographic, genetic and pregnancy characteristics and the category accessibility of care only included impeding factors.Lack of knowledge of the western healthcare system and poor language proficiency were the most frequently reported impeding factors. Provision of information and care in women's native languages was the most frequently reported facilitating factor. The factors found in this review provide specific indications for identifying non-western women who are at risk of not using prenatal care adequately and for developing interventions and appropriate policy aimed at improving their prenatal care utilization.

Global Communication and Cultural Desensitisation: Repackaging Western Values for Non-Western Markets

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Mahmoud M. Galander

2008-06-01

Full Text Available Abstract: Global communication is widely perceived as an instrument to disseminate Western values in the developing world. The “Wheel of Fortune” and “Who Wants to be a Millionnaire” licensed to Malaysian Television stations, though the language and the word puzzles were localised, carried the same format of the original (American show. They promote consumerism, gambling and the images of usury, the style of wealth accumulation forbidden in Islam. For the Malaysian audience whose priorities are those of contentment, modesty and humility, such emphasis on material desires breeds internal contradictions that may lead the audience to succumb to the new Western values.

Expert Western Classical Music Improvisers' Strategies

Science.gov (United States)

Després, Jean-Philippe; Burnard, Pamela; Dubé, Francis; Stévance, Sophie

2017-01-01

The growing interest in musical improvisation is exemplified by the body of literatures evidencing the positive impacts of improvisation learning on the musical apprentice's aptitudes and the increasing presence of improvisation in Western classical concert halls and competitions. However, high-level Western classical music improvisers' thinking…

Body image in non-western societies

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Edmonds, A.; Cash, T.

2012-01-01

This article discusses a range of body modification and conceptions of the body in non-Western societies. It also analyzes difficulties in applying the primarily Western psychological notion of body image to different societies. Body modification is a near human universal, but has many meanings and

Transport process of Pu isotope in marginal seas of the western North Pacific Ocean

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Yamada, Masatoshi [Department of Radiation Chemistry, Institute of Radiation Emergency Medicine, Hirosaki University, Hirosaki, 036-8564, Aomori (Japan); Zheng, Jian [Research Center for Radiation Protection, National Institute of Radiological Sciences, 4-9-1 Anagawa, Inage, 263-8555, Chiba (Japan)

2014-07-01

Significant quantities of Pu isotopes have been released into the marine environment as the result of atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. Most radionuclides globally dispersed in atmospheric nuclear weapons testing were released into the environment during the 1950's and 1960's. In the western North Pacific Ocean, the principal source can be further distinguished as two distinct sources of Pu: close-in tropospheric fallout from nuclear weapons testing at the Pacific Proving Grounds (PPG) in the Marshall Islands and global stratospheric fallout. Since the {sup 240}Pu/{sup 239}Pu atom ratio is characteristic for the Pu emission source, information on Pu isotopic signature is very useful to better understand the transport process in the oceans and to identify the sources of Pu. The mean atom ratio of {sup 240}Pu/{sup 239}Pu from the global stratospheric fallout is 0.180 ±0.014 based on soil sample data, whereas that from close-in tropospheric fallout from the PPG is 0.33 - 0.36. The {sup 240}Pu/{sup 239}Pu atom ratios in seawater samples collected in marginal seas of the western North Pacific Ocean will provide important and useful data for understanding the process controlling Pu transport and for distinguishing future Pu sources. The objectives of this study were to measure the {sup 239+240}Pu concentrations and {sup 240}Pu/{sup 239}Pu atom ratios in seawater from the Sea of Okhotsk, Japan Sea, South China Sea and Sulu Sea and to discuss the transport process of Pu. Large-volume seawater samples (250 L each) were collected from the surface to the bottom in marginal seas of the western North Pacific Ocean with acoustically triggered quadruple PVC sampling bottles during the R/V Hakuho-Maru cruise. The {sup 239}Pu and {sup 240}Pu concentrations and {sup 240}Pu/{sup 239}Pu atom ratios were measured with a double-focusing SF-ICP-MS, which was equipped with a guard electrode to eliminate secondary discharge in the plasma and to enhance overall sensitivity. In

Effects of Tithonia diversifolia, farmyard manure and urea, and phosphate fertiliser application methods on maize yields in western Kenya

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Peter Asbon Opala

2015-05-01

Full Text Available Maize production in western Kenya is often limited by deficiencies of nitrogen and phosphorus. We assessed the effectiveness of Tithonia diversifolia green manure (tithonia, farmyard manure (FYM and urea as sources of nitrogen (N for maize when inorganic phosphorus (P fertiliser was either broadcast (BR or spot-placed in the planting hole (SP for two consecutive seasons; October to December of 1998 and April to August of 1999 at two sites; Nyabeda and Khwisero in western Kenya. A randomised complete block design with four replications was used. Maize yields were higher at Nyabeda and responded to P application better than at Khwisero. At the same N rate, tithonia and FYM were as effective as urea in increasing maize yields at both sites. There were no significant differences in maize yields when phosphate fertiliser was either BR or SP regardless of the N source used in the first season. However, in the second season, the residual yields for the BR treatments were consistently higher than those of the SP. Our results suggest that tithonia and FYM can substitute for urea as N sources and that fertiliser P should be broadcast and incorporated together with the organic materials at the time of planting to save on labour costs.

Seroprevalence of Human Fasciolosis in Lorestan Province, Western Iran, in 2015-16

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Peyman HEYDARIAN

2017-09-01

Full Text Available Background: The aim of this study was the seroepidemiological survey for detecting the status of human fasciolosis in Lorestan Province, western Iran.Methods: This cross-sectional study was conducted in 2015-16. Based on statistical estimations, 1256 serum samples were collected from different parts of Lorestan Province, western Iran, and stored at -20 °C until use. The collected serum samples were analyzed at Tehran University of Medical Sciences, Tehran, Iran using indirect ELISA method.Results: Anti-Fasciola antibodies were detected in 16 (1.3% individuals. Regarding the seropositivity to fasciolosis, no significant differences were found between age groups, sex, level of education and occupation; however significant differences were observed regarding location, consuming local freshwater plants and water resources (P<0.02.Conclusion: Local freshwater plants and unfiltered water resources were probably the main sources of the infection. Health education by local health centers to elevate awareness of people, and providing facilities for safer drinking water, especially in rural areas may help decrease the risk of fasciolosis infection in this region.

Tectonic isolation from regional sediment sourcing of the Paradox Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Smith, T. M.; Saylor, J.; Sundell, K. E.; Lapen, T. J.

2017-12-01

The Appalachian and Ouachita-Marathon mountain ranges were created by a series of tectonic collisions that occurred through the middle and late Paleozoic along North America's eastern and southern margins, respectively. Previous work employing detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology has demonstrated that fluvial and eolian systems transported Appalachian-derived sediment across the continent to North America's Paleozoic western margin. However, contemporaneous intraplate deformation of the Ancestral Rocky Mountains (ARM) compartmentalized much of the North American western interior and mid-continent. We employ lithofacies characterization, stratigraphic thickness, paleocurrent data, sandstone petrography, and detrital zircon U-Pb geochronology to evaluate source-sink relationships of the Paradox Basin, which is one of the most prominent ARM basins. Evaluation of provenance is conducted through quantitative comparison of detrital zircon U-Pb distributions from basin samples and potential sources via detrital zircon mixture modeling, and is augmented with sandstone petrography. Mixing model results provide a measure of individual source contributions to basin stratigraphy, and are combined with outcrop and subsurface data (e.g., stratigraphic thickness and facies distributions) to create tectonic isolation maps. These maps elucidate drainage networks and the degree to which local versus regional sources influence sediment character within a single basin, or multiple depocenters. Results show that despite the cross-continental ubiquity of Appalachian-derived sediment, fluvial and deltaic systems throughout much of the Paradox Basin do not record their influence. Instead, sediment sourcing from the Uncompahgre Uplift, which has been interpreted to drive tectonic subsidence and formation of the Paradox Basin, completely dominated its sedimentary record. Further, the strong degree of tectonic isolation experienced by the Paradox Basin appears to be an emerging, yet common

Western Australian natural gas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harman, Frank

1994-01-01

Western Australia has 80% of Australia's natural gas resources. These are currently exploited to supply the Western Australian market and LNG to Japan. Growth in the market is dependent on limited prospects for power generation and mineral resource processing. Future exploitation of gas resources will require new export LNG markets and/or the installations of a transcontinental pipeline to eastern Australia. The transcontinental option should only be considered after other options for energy supply in eastern Australia are eliminated. Competition to meet market growth in North-east Asia will be considerable and Australia lacks the policies to underpin future LNG capacity. (author)

Choice of primary health care source in an urbanized low-income community in Singapore: a mixed-methods study.

Science.gov (United States)

Wee, Liang En; Lim, Li Yan; Shen, Tong; Lee, Elis Yuexian; Chia, Yet Hong; Tan, Andrew Yen Siong; Koh, Gerald Choon-Huat

2014-02-01

Cost and misperceptions may discourage lower income Singaporeans from utilizing primary care. We investigated sources of primary care in a low-income Singaporean community in a mixed-methods study. Residents of a low-income public rental flat neighbourhood were asked for sociodemographic details and preferred source of primary care relative to their higher income neighbours. In the qualitative component, interviewers elicited, from patients and health care providers, barriers/enablers to seeking care from Western-trained doctors. Interviewees were selected via purposive sampling. Transcripts were analyzed thematically, and iterative analysis was carried out using established qualitative method. Participation was 89.8% (359/400). Only 11.1% (40/359) preferred to approach Western-trained doctors, 29.5% (106/359) preferred alternative medicine, 6.7% (24/359) approached family/friends and 52.6% (189/359) preferred self-reliance. Comparing against higher income neighbours, rental flat residents were more likely to turn to alternative medicine and family members but less likely to turn to Western-trained doctors (P Self-reliance was perceived as acceptable for 'small' illnesses but not for 'big' ones, communal spirit was cited as a reason for consulting family/friends and social distance from primary care practitioners was highlighted as a reason for not consulting Western-trained doctors. Western-trained physicians are not the first choice of lower income Singaporeans for seeking primary care. Knowledge, primary care characteristics and costs were identified as potential barriers/enablers.

Evaluation of the seasonal and annual abortifacient risk of western juniper trees on Oregon rangelands: Abortion risk of western juniper trees

Science.gov (United States)

Western juniper trees can cause late term abortions in cattle, similar to ponderosa pine trees. Analyses of western juniper trees from 35 locations across the state of Oregon suggest that western juniper trees in all areas present an abortion risk in pregnant cattle. Results from this study demonstr...

Western teachers of science or teachers of Western science: On the influence of Western modern science in a post-colonial context

Science.gov (United States)

Burke, Lydia E. Carol-Ann

An expanding body of research explores the social, political, cultural and personal challenges presented by the Western emphasis of curricula around the world. The aim of my study is to advance this field of inquiry by gaining insight into perceptions of Western modern science presented by students, teachers and administrators in a given Caribbean setting. Through this study I asked how my research participants described the nature of scientific knowledge, how they related scientific knowledge to other culturally-valued knowledges and the meanings they attached to the geographic origins of science teachers. Situating this work firmly within the practice of Foucauldian critical discourse analysis, I have utilised a conceptual framework defined by the power/knowledge and complicity/resistance themes of post-colonial theory to support my interpretation of participant commentary in an overall quest that is concerned about the ways in which Western modern science might be exerting a colonising influence. Fourteen students, nine teachers (both expatriate and local) and three administrators participated in the study. I combined a semi-structured question and answer interview format with a card sort activity. I used a procedure based on my own adaptation of Stephenson's Q methodology, where the respondents placed 24 statements hierarchically along a continuum of increasing strength of agreement, presenting their rationalisations, personal stories and illustrations as they sorted. I used an inverse factor analysis, in combination with the interview transcripts, to assist me in the identification of three discourse positions described by my research participants: The truth value of scientific knowledge, The pragmatic use of science to promote progress, and The priority of cultural preservation. The interview transcripts were also analysed for emergent themes, providing an additional layer of data interpretation. The research findings raise concerns regarding the hegemonic

Factors affecting the use of prenatal care by non-western women in industrialized western countries: a systematic review

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-01

Background Despite the potential of prenatal care for addressing many pregnancy complications and concurrent health problems, non-western women in industrialized western countries more often make inadequate use of prenatal care than women from the majority population do. This study aimed to give a systematic review of factors affecting non-western women’s use of prenatal care (both medical care and prenatal classes) in industrialized western countries. Methods Eleven databases (PubMed, Embase, PsycINFO, Cochrane, Sociological Abstracts, Web of Science, Women’s Studies International, MIDIRS, CINAHL, Scopus and the NIVEL catalogue) were searched for relevant peer-reviewed articles from between 1995 and July 2012. Qualitative as well as quantitative studies were included. Quality was assessed using the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool. Factors identified were classified as impeding or facilitating, and categorized according to a conceptual framework, an elaborated version of Andersen’s healthcare utilization model. Results Sixteen articles provided relevant factors that were all categorized. A number of factors (migration, culture, position in host country, social network, expertise of the care provider and personal treatment and communication) were found to include both facilitating and impeding factors for non-western women’s utilization of prenatal care. The category demographic, genetic and pregnancy characteristics and the category accessibility of care only included impeding factors. Lack of knowledge of the western healthcare system and poor language proficiency were the most frequently reported impeding factors. Provision of information and care in women’s native languages was the most frequently reported facilitating factor. Conclusion The factors found in this review provide specific indications for identifying non-western women who are at risk of not using prenatal care adequately and for developing interventions and appropriate policy aimed at

Risk assessment for yellow fever in western and North-Western provinces of Zambia

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Olusegun A Babaniyi

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Background: North-Western and Western provinces of Zambia were reclassified as low-risk areas for yellow fever (YF. However, the current potential for YF transmission in these areas is unclear. Aims: To determine the current potential risk of YF infection. Setting and Design: A cross sectional study was conducted in North-Western and Western provinces of Zambia. Materials and Methods: Samples were tested for both YF virus-specific IgG and IgM antibodies by the ELISA and YF virus confirmation was done using Plaque Reduction Neutralization Test. The samples were also tested for IgG and IgM antibodies against other flaviviruses. Results: Out of the 3625 respondents who participated in the survey, 46.7% were males and 9.4% were aged less than 5 years. Overall, 58.1% of the participants slept under an impregnated insecticide-treated net and 20.6% reported indoor residual spraying of insecticides. A total of 616 (17.0% samples were presumptive YF positive. The prevalence for YF was 0.3% for long-term infection and 0.2% for recent YF infection. None of the YF confirmed cases had received YF vaccine. Prevalence rates for other flaviviruses were 149 (4.1% for Dengue, 370 (10.2% for West Nile and 217 (6.0% for Zika. Conclusion: There is evidence of past and recent infection of YF in both provinces. Hence, they are at a low risk for YF infection. Yellow fever vaccination should be included in the EPI program in the two provinces and strengthen surveillance with laboratory confirmation.

Western forests and air pollution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Olson, R.K.; Binkley, D.; Boehm, M.

1992-01-01

The book addresses the relationships between air pollution in the western United States and trends in the growth and condition of Western coniferous forests. The major atmospheric pollutants to which forest in the region are exposed are sulfur and nitrogen compounds and ozone. The potential effects of atmospheric pollution on these forests include foliar injury, alteration of growth rates and patterns, soil acidification, shifts in species composition, and modification of the effects of natural stresses

Malaria in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria

African Journals Online (AJOL)

STORAGESEVER

2009-12-15

Dec 15, 2009 ... Malaria prevalence studies had been undertaken in many parts of Nigeria but there is probably no data available from the far North Western region. This research study was undertaken to determine the prevalence, monthly distribution of malaria in Sokoto, North Western Nigeria in order to generate base-.

Guineaworm infection in the Wa district of north-western Ghana.

Science.gov (United States)

Lyons, G R

1972-01-01

The Ghana-5 schistosomiasis project is situated in an exclusively rural area of north-western Ghana. Since the inhabitants rely for the most part on natural sources of drinking water the transmission of both urinary schistosomiasis and guineaworm infection must often occur at the same sites, and the epidemiology and the problems of control of these diseases might be expected to have features in common. An epidemiological survey of 8 300 people in 1967-68 showed that guineaworm had a scattered distribution, 35 of 43 villages having an annual incidence of less than 10%. Intensive study of 5 of the most seriously affected villages over a period of 3 years has shown that there is a delicate balance between the parasite and its human host in this area, largely as a result of the impermanent nature of the principal transmission sites, i.e., ponds and the smaller riverine pools. The timing, duration, and intensity of transmission have been shown to vary widely from one locality to another, as well as from year to year. These characteristics are determined by the type and extent of the local source of drinking water, the availability of alternative sources, and the monthly pattern of rainfall.

Preliminary Strategic Environmental Assessment of the Great Western Development Strategy: Safeguarding Ecological Security for a New Western China

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wei; Liu, Yan-Ju; Yang, Zhifeng

2012-02-01

The Great Western Development Strategy (GWDS) is a long term national campaign aimed at boosting development of the western area of China and narrowing the economic gap between the western and the eastern parts of China. The Strategic Environmental Assessment (SEA) procedure was employed to assess the environmental challenges brought about by the western development plans. These plans include five key developmental domains (KDDs): water resource exploitation and use, land utilization, energy generation, tourism development, and ecological restoration and conservation. A combination of methods involving matrix assessment, incorporation of expert judgment and trend analysis was employed to analyze and predict the environmental impacts upon eight selected environmental indicators: water resource availability, soil erosion, soil salinization, forest destruction, land desertification, biological diversity, water quality and air quality. Based on the overall results of the assessment, countermeasures for environmental challenges that emerged were raised as key recommendations to ensure ecological security during the implementation of the GWDS. This paper is intended to introduce a consensus-based process for evaluating the complex, long term pressures on the ecological security of large areas, such as western China, that focuses on the use of combined methods applied at the strategic level.

Airborne measurements of western U.S. wildfire emissions: Comparison with prescribed burning and air quality implications

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Xiaoxi; Huey, L. Gregory; Yokelson, Robert J.; Selimovic, Vanessa; Simpson, Isobel J.; Müller, Markus; Jimenez, Jose L.; Campuzano-Jost, Pedro; Beyersdorf, Andreas J.; Blake, Donald R.; Butterfield, Zachary; Choi, Yonghoon; Crounse, John D.; Day, Douglas A.; Diskin, Glenn S.; Dubey, Manvendra K.; Fortner, Edward; Hanisco, Thomas F.; Hu, Weiwei; King, Laura E.; Kleinman, Lawrence; Meinardi, Simone; Mikoviny, Tomas; Onasch, Timothy B.; Palm, Brett B.; Peischl, Jeff; Pollack, Ilana B.; Ryerson, Thomas B.; Sachse, Glen W.; Sedlacek, Arthur J.; Shilling, John E.; Springston, Stephen; St. Clair, Jason M.; Tanner, David J.; Teng, Alexander P.; Wennberg, Paul O.; Wisthaler, Armin; Wolfe, Glenn M.

2017-06-01

Wildfires emit significant amounts of pollutants that degrade air quality. Plumes from three wildfires in the western U.S. were measured from aircraft during the Studies of Emissions and Atmospheric Composition, Clouds and Climate Coupling by Regional Surveys (SEAC4RS) and the Biomass Burning Observation Project (BBOP), both in summer 2013. This study reports an extensive set of emission factors (EFs) for over 80 gases and 5 components of submicron particulate matter (PM1) from these temperate wildfires. These include rarely, or never before, measured oxygenated volatile organic compounds and multifunctional organic nitrates. The observed EFs are compared with previous measurements of temperate wildfires, boreal forest fires, and temperate prescribed fires. The wildfires emitted high amounts of PM1 (with organic aerosol (OA) dominating the mass) with an average EF that is more than 2 times the EFs for prescribed fires. The measured EFs were used to estimate the annual wildfire emissions of carbon monoxide, nitrogen oxides, total nonmethane organic compounds, and PM1 from 11 western U.S. states. The estimated gas emissions are generally comparable with the 2011 National Emissions Inventory (NEI). However, our PM1 emission estimate (1530 ± 570 Gg yr-1) is over 3 times that of the NEI PM2.5 estimate and is also higher than the PM2.5 emitted from all other sources in these states in the NEI. This study indicates that the source of OA from biomass burning in the western states is significantly underestimated. In addition, our results indicate that prescribed burning may be an effective method to reduce fine particle emissions.

Ecologically Safe Geothermal Energy Resources in Western Siberia near high-rise construction zones

Science.gov (United States)

Shevchenko, Alexandr; Shiganova, Olga

2018-03-01

The development of geothermal energy in combination with other renewable energy sources (the sun, the wind) will help to solve the problem of heat supply and electrification in near high-rise construction zones of the country, especially in sparsely populated parts, where centralized energy and heat supply is economically unacceptable, and will improve the ecological situation. The aim of the research is to analyze the geothermal resources of the main aquifers in Western Siberia and to develop recommendations for further study and use of heat and power resources of this territory. The article gives retrospective of state research programs and potential use of hydrothermal resources of administrative units geographically entering the territory under consideration. It is noted that by now such programs have been curtailed for various reasons, although there are examples of their successful and effective use in various fields of industry and agriculture. According to the decision of the Supreme Ecological Council of the State Duma Committee of the Russian Federation adopted in 2014 on the beginning of the development of federal targeted programs for the use of heat power water as a source of electricity and heat supply, the Ministry of Natural Resources and Ecology of the Russian Federation made proposals for further research and use of hydrothermal waters in Western Siberia. Implementation of the programs proposed by the authors, alongside with other positive aspects, will solve the problems of heat supply in remote territories and improve the environmental situation in the region.

One-century sedimentary record of heavy metal pollution in western Taihu Lake, China.

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Yan; Zhou, Shenglu; Zhu, Qing; Li, Baojie; Wang, Junxiao; Wang, Chunhui; Chen, Lian; Wu, Shaohua

2018-05-16

Long-term trends of sediment compositions are important for assessing the impact of human activities on the sediment and protecting the sediment environment. In this study, based on the contents of heavy metals and the Pb isotope ratios in lake sediments, atmospheric dustfall and soil in Yixing, China, the representative heavy metals (Zn, Pb, Cr and Cd) in lake sediments from western Taihu Lake were studied. The evolution history of heavy metals in the local environment was constructed for the past 100 years. From 1892 to the 1990s, the anthropogenic fluxes of the representative heavy metals were negligible, indicating minimal anthropogenic emissions of heavy metals. Since the 1990s, anthropogenic fluxes of the representative heavy metals began to increase, concurrent with the economic growth and development in the western Taihu Lake Basin after the Chinese economic reform. The maximum flux percentage of the heavy metals in the sediments, caused by human activities, is 23.0% for Zn, 31.6% for Pb, 39.5% for Cr and 85.3% for Cd, indicating that most of the Cd comes from human activities. The Cd content in the western Taihu Lake Basin was significantly higher than that in the other areas, and the rapid development of the industry in the western Taihu Lake Basin and ceramics in Yixing led to the enrichment of heavy metals in local sediments. Since the 21st century, measures have been taken to control the pollution of heavy metals, including the increase in local government attention and the deployment of environmental monitoring technology. However, heavy metal content remains high, and the Pb content is still increasing. The ratios of Pb isotopes show that the main sources of heavy metals in the western Taihu Lake sediments, the local soil of Yixing and the atmospheric dustfall are coal combustion, leaded gasoline combustion, industrial wastewater and domestic sewage. Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Thermodynamics and life span estimation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kuddusi, Lütfullah

2015-01-01

In this study, the life span of people living in seven regions of Turkey is estimated by applying the first and second laws of thermodynamics to the human body. The people living in different regions of Turkey have different food habits. The first and second laws of thermodynamics are used to calculate the entropy generation rate per unit mass of a human due to the food habits. The lifetime entropy generation per unit mass of a human was previously found statistically. The two entropy generations, lifetime entropy generation and entropy generation rate, enable one to determine the life span of people living in seven regions of Turkey with different food habits. In order to estimate the life span, some statistics of Turkish Statistical Institute regarding the food habits of the people living in seven regions of Turkey are used. The life spans of people that live in Central Anatolia and Eastern Anatolia regions are the longest and shortest, respectively. Generally, the following inequality regarding the life span of people living in seven regions of Turkey is found: Eastern Anatolia < Southeast Anatolia < Black Sea < Mediterranean < Marmara < Aegean < Central Anatolia. - Highlights: • The first and second laws of thermodynamics are applied to the human body. • The entropy generation of a human due to his food habits is determined. • The life span of Turks is estimated by using the entropy generation method. • Food habits of a human have effect on his life span

Seabird Colonies in Western Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Boertmann, D.; Mosbech, A.; Falk, K.

About 1 million seabirds (indvs) breed in 1032 colonies distributed along the coasts of western Greenland (Fig. 1). However, this figure does not include the little auk colonies in Avanersuaq. These colonies are roughly estimated to hold about 20 mill. pairs. All the basic information on seabird...... colonies in Greenland is compiled in a database maintained by NERI-AE. This report presents data on distribution, population numbers and population trends of 19 species of breeding colonial seabirds in western Greenland. Distributions are depicted on maps in Fig. 18-39. It is apparent that the major...... colonies are found in the northern part of the region, viz. Upernavik and Avanersuaq. The numbers of birds recorded in the database for each species are presented in Tab. 4, and on the basis of these figures estimates of the populations in western Greenland are given (Tab. 5). The most numerous species...

Rethinking Education Research methodologies-Dominance of Western perspectives?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Yu Sing Ong

2016-11-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the different approaches and methods in comparative education research. It begins with a broad overview of the influences of Western philosophies and how Western education researchers approach social situations. Its differences with Chinese philosophies were highlighted with the concept of dao and Confucianism. More than just an epistemological discussion, this paper argues that Western researchers’ biasness towards Asian researchers may be due to their failure or lack of experience in making the connections with Asian social systems. It attempts to provide some plausible explanations of the prevalence of biasness by peer reviewers of Western journals.

Western Blotting of the Endocannabinoid System.

Science.gov (United States)

Wager-Miller, Jim; Mackie, Ken

2016-01-01

Measuring expression levels of G protein-coupled receptors (GPCRs) is an important step for understanding the distribution, function, and regulation of these receptors. A common approach for detecting proteins from complex biological systems is Western blotting. In this chapter, we describe a general approach to Western blotting protein components of the endocannabinoid system using sodium dodecyl sulfate-polyacrylamide gel electrophoresis and nitrocellulose membranes, with a focus on detecting type 1 cannabinoid (CB1) receptors. When this technique is carefully used, specifically with validation of the primary antibodies, it can provide quantitative information on protein expression levels. Additional information can also be inferred from Western blotting such as potential posttranslational modifications that can be further evaluated by specific analytical techniques.

CO2 Sink/Source Characteristics in the Tropical Indonesian Seas

KAUST Repository

Kartadikaria, Aditya R.; Watanabe, A.; Nadaoka, K.; Adi, N. S.; Prayitno, H. B.; Suharsono, S.; Muchtar, M.; Triyulianti, I.; Setiawan, A.; Suratno, S.; Khasanah, E. N.

2015-01-01

Two distinct CO2 sink/source characteristics are found in the tropical Indonesian seas from the compilation of observed data for the period 1984-2013. The western region persistently emits CO2 to the atmosphere, whereas the eastern region is dynamic and acts either as a small source or sink of CO2 to the atmosphere, depending on sites. The segregation is proximal to the Makassar Strait, which is located over the continental shelf and is one of the main routes of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF). Lower salinity and higher silicate were found in the western region, suggesting a terrestrial influence in this area. Temperature has a limited influence in controlling different CO2 sink/source characteristics in the west and east. However, an SST change of -2.0°C during La Niña events effectively reduces the pCO2 difference between the atmosphere and surface seawater by 50% compared to normal year conditions. During La Niña events, higher wind speeds double the CO2 flux from the ocean to the atmosphere compared to that of a normal year. In the continental shelf area where the CO2 sink area was found, data of over 29 years show that the seawater pCO2 increased by 0.6-3.8 μatm yr−1. Overall, the seawater pCO2 of the Indonesian Seas is supersaturated relative to the atmosphere by 15.9 ± 8.6 μatm and thus acts as a source of CO2 to the atmosphere. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

CO2 Sink/Source Characteristics in the Tropical Indonesian Seas

KAUST Repository

Kartadikaria, Aditya R.

2015-11-05

Two distinct CO2 sink/source characteristics are found in the tropical Indonesian seas from the compilation of observed data for the period 1984-2013. The western region persistently emits CO2 to the atmosphere, whereas the eastern region is dynamic and acts either as a small source or sink of CO2 to the atmosphere, depending on sites. The segregation is proximal to the Makassar Strait, which is located over the continental shelf and is one of the main routes of the Indonesian Throughflow (ITF). Lower salinity and higher silicate were found in the western region, suggesting a terrestrial influence in this area. Temperature has a limited influence in controlling different CO2 sink/source characteristics in the west and east. However, an SST change of -2.0°C during La Niña events effectively reduces the pCO2 difference between the atmosphere and surface seawater by 50% compared to normal year conditions. During La Niña events, higher wind speeds double the CO2 flux from the ocean to the atmosphere compared to that of a normal year. In the continental shelf area where the CO2 sink area was found, data of over 29 years show that the seawater pCO2 increased by 0.6-3.8 μatm yr−1. Overall, the seawater pCO2 of the Indonesian Seas is supersaturated relative to the atmosphere by 15.9 ± 8.6 μatm and thus acts as a source of CO2 to the atmosphere. This article is protected by copyright. All rights reserved.

Morphological change in cranial shape following the transition to agriculture across western Eurasia.

Science.gov (United States)

Cheronet, Olivia; Finarelli, John A; Pinhasi, Ron

2016-09-13

The Neolithic transition brought about fundamental social, dietary and behavioural changes in human populations, which, in turn, impacted skeletal morphology. Crania are shaped through diverse genetic, ontogenetic and environmental factors, reflecting various elements of an individual's life. To determine the transition's effect on cranial morphology, we investigated its potential impact on the face and vault, two elements potentially responding to different influences. Three datasets from geographically distant regions (Ukraine, Iberia, and the Levant plus Anatolia) were analysed. Craniometric measurements were used to compare the morphology of pre-transition populations with that of agricultural populations. The Neolithic transition corresponds to a statistically significant increase only in cranial breadth of the Ukrainian vaults, while facial morphology shows no consistent transformations, despite expected changes related to the modification of masticatory behaviour. The broadening of Ukrainian vaults may be attributable to dietary and/or social changes. However, the lack of change observed in the other geographical regions and the lack of consistent change in facial morphology are surprising. Although the transition from foraging to farming is a process that took place repeatedly across the globe, different characteristics of transitions seem responsible for idiosyncratic responses in cranial morphology.

The Western Denmark Cardiac Computed Tomography Registry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Lene Hüche; Nørgaard, Bjarne Linde; Tilsted, Hans-Henrik

2014-01-01

BACKGROUND: As a subregistry to the Western Denmark Heart Registry (WDHR), the Western Denmark Cardiac Computed Tomography Registry (WDHR-CCTR) is a clinical database established in 2008 to monitor and improve the quality of cardiac computed tomography (CT) in Western Denmark. OBJECTIVE: We...... examined the content, data quality, and research potential of the WDHR-CCTR. METHODS: We retrieved 2008-2012 data to examine the 1) content; 2) completeness of procedure registration using the Danish National Patient Registry as reference; 3) completeness of variable registration comparing observed vs...

Using dual isotopic data to track the sources and behaviors of dissolved sulfate in the western North China Plain

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zhang, Dong; Li, Xiao-Dong; Zhao, Zhi-Qi; Liu, Cong-Qiang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Dual sulfate isotopes were used to elucidate natural and anthropogenic sources in alluvial aquifers. • Infiltration, mixing and bacterial reduction were main processes controlling sulfate behaviors in groundwater. • Enrichment factors and ratio of sulfur and oxygen isotope of sulfate had been calculated. • Local sulfur cycles model had been establish for further management of groundwater. - Abstract: This paper investigated the sources and behaviors of sulfate in groundwater of the western North China Plain using sulfur and oxygen isotopic ratios. The groundwaters can be categorized into karst groundwater (KGW), coal mine drainage (CMD) and pore water (subsurface saturated water in interstices of unconsolidated sediment). Pore water in alluvial plain sediments could be further classified into unconfined groundwater (UGW) with depth of less than 30 m and confined groundwater (CGW) with depth of more than 60 m. The isotopic compositions of KGW varied from 9.3‰ to 11.3‰ for δ 34 S SO4 with the median value of 10.3‰ (n = 4) and 7.9‰ to 15.6‰ for δ 18 O SO4 with the median value of 14.3‰ (n = 4) respectively, indicating gypsum dissolution in karst aquifers. δ 34 S SO4 and δ 18 O SO4 values of sulfate in CMD ranged from 10.8‰ to 12.4‰ and 4.8‰ to 8.7‰ respectively. On the basis of groundwater flow path and geomorphological setting, the pore water samples were divided as three groups: (1) alluvial–proluvial fan (II 1 ) group with high sulfate concentration (median values of 2.37 mM and 1.95 mM for UGW and CGW, respectively) and positive δ 34 S SO4 and δ 18 O SO4 values (median values of 8.8‰ and 6.9‰ for UGW, 12.0‰ and 8.0‰ for CGW); (2) proluvial slope (II 2 ) group with low sulfate concentration (median values of 1.56 mM and 0.84 mM for UGW and CGW, respectively) and similar δ 34 S SO4 and δ 18 O SO4 values (median values of 9.0‰ and 7.4‰ for UGW, 10.2‰ and 7.7‰ for CGW); and (3) low-lying zone (II 3

Management strategies for sustainable western water

Science.gov (United States)

Scott Tyler; Sudeep Chandra; Gordon Grant

2017-01-01

With the effects of the dramatic western US drought still reverberating through the landscape, researchers gathered in advance of the 20th annual Lake Tahoe Summit to discuss western US water issues in the 21st century. This two-day workshop brought together ~40 researchers from universities and agencies (federal and state) to discuss the prospects that...

Apportionment of sources affecting water quality: Case study of Kandla Creek, Gulf of Katchchh

Digital Repository Service at National Institute of Oceanography (India)

Dalal, S.G.; Shirodkar, P.V.; Verlekar, X.N.; Jagtap, T.G.; Rao, G.S.

status of the environment. Several multivariate models are used for source apportionment studies, as they pinpoint the possible factors or sources that influence the water quality (Morales et al., 1999; Wunderlin et al., 2001; Petersen et al., 2001... and statistical approaches. Ecology 74: 2201– 2214. Morales, M. M., Martih, P., Llopis, A., Campos, L., and Sagrado, J. 1999. An environmental study by factor analysis of surface seawater in the Gulf of Valencia (western Mediterranean). Analytica Chimica Acta 394...

Western Area Power Administration. Combined power system financial statements

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1998-02-26

This report presents the results of the independent certified public accountants` audit of the Western Area Power Administration`s combined power system statements of assets, Federal investment and liabilities, and the related combined statements of revenues, expenses and accumulated net revenues, and cash flows. The auditors` report on Westerns internal control structure disclosed three new reportable conditions concerning the lack of: (1) a reconciliation of stores inventory from subsidiary ledgers to summary financial information, (2) communication of interest during construction and related adjustments to interest on Federal investment, and (3) a system to prevent and detect power billing errors. None of the conditions were considered to be material weaknesses. Western provided concurrence and corrective action plans. The auditors` report on Western`s compliance with laws and regulations also disclosed two new instances of noncompliance. Western failed to calculate nonreimbursable expenses in accordance with the Grand Canyon Protection Act and had an unexplained difference in gross Federal investment balances used to calculate interest on Federal investment. Western provided concurrence and corrective action plans for the instances.

Factors affecting the use of prenatal care by non-western women in industrialized western countries: a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boerleider, A.W.; Wiegers, T.A.; Manniën, J.; Francke, A.L.; Devillé, W.L.J.M.

2013-01-01

Background Despite the potential of prenatal care for addressing many pregnancy complications and concurrent health problems, non-western women in industrialized western countries more often make inadequate use of prenatal care than women from the majority population do. This study aimed to give a

Factors affecting the use of prenatal care by non-western women in industrialized western countries: a systematic review.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boerleider, A.W.; Wiegers, T.A.; Manniën, J.; Francke, A.L.; Devillé, W.L.J.M.

2013-01-01

Background: Despite the potential of prenatal care for addressing many pregnancy complications and concurrent health problems, non-western women in industrialized western countries more often make inadequate use of prenatal care than women from the majority population do. This study aimed to give a

Factors affecting the use of prenatal care by non-western women in industrialized western countries: a systematic review

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Boerleider, A.W.; Wiegers, T.A.; Manniën, J.; Francke, A.L.; Deville, W.L.J.M.

2013-01-01

Background: Despite the potential of prenatal care for addressing many pregnancy complications and concurrent health problems, non-western women in industrialized western countries more often make inadequate use of prenatal care than women from the majority population do. This study aimed to give a

The Sources of Moisture in the Sand Dunes – The Example of the Western Sahara Dune Field

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Żmudzka Elwira

2014-09-01

Full Text Available Climatic and meteorological conditions may limit the aeolian transport within barchans. An explanation of that issue was the main goal of the investigation held in Western Sahara dune fields located around Tarfaya and Laâyoune. Particular attention was paid to the factors causing the moisture content rising of the sand dune surface layer, which could influence the wind threshold shear velocity in the aeolian transport. The wetted surface layer of sand, when receiving moisture from precipitation or suspensions, reduces the aeolian transport, even in case of wind velocity above 4-5 m s-1. Fog and dew condensation does not affect the moisture of deeper sand layers, what occurs after rainfall.

Greater self-enhancement in Western than Eastern Ukraine, but failure to replicate the Muhammad Ali effect.

Science.gov (United States)

Kemmelmeier, Markus; Malanchuk, Oksana

2016-02-01

Based on the cross-cultural research linking individualism-collectivism and self-enhancement, this research examines regional pattern of self-enhancement in Ukraine. Broadly speaking, the western part of Ukraine is mainly Ukrainian speaking and historically oriented towards Europe, whereas Eastern Ukraine is mainly Russian speaking and historically oriented towards the Russian cultural sphere. We found self-enhancement on a "better than average" task to be higher in a Western Ukrainian sample compared to an Eastern Ukrainian sample, with differences in independent self-construals supporting assumed regional variation in individualism. However, the Muhammad Ali effect, the finding that self-enhancement is greater in the domain of morality than intelligence, was not replicated. The discussion focuses on the specific sources of this regional difference in self-enhancement, and reasons for why the Muhammad Ali effect was not found. © 2015 International Union of Psychological Science.

The Western Denmark Heart Registry

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, Morten; Maeng, Michael; Madsen, Morten

2018-01-01

The WDHR (Western Denmark Heart Registry) is a seminational, multicenter-based registry with longitudinal registration of detailed patient and procedure data since 1999. The registry includes as of January 1, 2017 approximately 240,000 coronary angiographies, 90,000 percutaneous coronary interven......The WDHR (Western Denmark Heart Registry) is a seminational, multicenter-based registry with longitudinal registration of detailed patient and procedure data since 1999. The registry includes as of January 1, 2017 approximately 240,000 coronary angiographies, 90,000 percutaneous coronary...

Interactions between traditional Chinese medicine and western drugs in Taiwan: A population-based study.

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Kuan Chen; Lu, Richard; Iqbal, Usman; Hsu, Ko-Ching; Chen, Bi-Li; Nguyen, Phung-Anh; Yang, Hsuan-Chia; Huang, Chih-Wei; Li, Yu-Chuan Jack; Jian, Wen-Shan; Tsai, Shin-Han

2015-12-01

Drug-drug interactions have long been an active research area in clinical medicine. In Taiwan, however, the widespread use of traditional Chinese medicines (TCM) presents additional complexity to the topic. Therefore, it is important to see the interaction between traditional Chinese and western medicine. (1) To create a comprehensive database of multi-herb/western drug interactions indexed according to the ways in which physicians actually practice and (2) to measure this database's impact on the detection of adverse effects between traditional Chinese medicine compounds and western medicines. First, a multi-herb/western medicine drug interactions database was created by separating each TCM compound into its constituent herbs. Each individual herb was then checked against an existing single-herb/western drug interactions database. The data source comes from the National Health Insurance research database, which spans the years 1998-2011. This study estimated the interaction prevalence rate and further separated the rates according to patient characteristics, distribution by county, and hospital accreditation levels. Finally, this new database was integrated into a computer order entry module of the electronic medical records system of a regional teaching hospital. The effects it had were measured for two months. The most commonly interacting Chinese herbs were Ephedrae Herba and Angelicae Sinensis Radix/Angelicae Dahuricae Radix. Ephedrae Herba contains active ingredients similar to in ephedrine. 15 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine compounds contain Ephedrae Herba. Angelicae Sinensis Radix and Angelicae Dahuricae Radix contain ingredients similar to coumarin, a blood thinner. 9 kinds of traditional Chinese medicine compounds contained Angelicae Sinensis Radix/Angelicae Dahuricae Radix. In the period from 1998 to 2011, the prevalence of herb-drug interactions related to Ephedrae Herba was 0.18%. The most commonly prescribed traditional Chinese compounds were

Evolution of the sources of Moroccan volcanism during the Neogene

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

El Azzouzi, M.; Griffiths, J.B.; Fourcade, S.; Hernandez, J.

1999-01-01

New major and trace element analyses, Sr-Nd isotopic data and 40 K- 40 Ar ages on Neogene and Quaternary lavas from Morocco lead to the conclusion that the observed temporal changes from calc-alkaline to transitional and finally magmatic activity reflect the contributions of distinct sources. According to our model, magmas originally derived from the melting of an European/Western Mediterranean-type asthenospheric mantle source interact during their ascent with either a sub-continental Roda - Beni Bousera -/type lithospheric mantle (alkaline magmas) or a lithospheric mantle containing a crystal component, and the overlying continental crust (calc-alkaline and, to a lesser extent, transitional magmas). (authors)

The Design of a Quantitative Western Blot Experiment

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sean C. Taylor

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Western blotting is a technique that has been in practice for more than three decades that began as a means of detecting a protein target in a complex sample. Although there have been significant advances in both the imaging and reagent technologies to improve sensitivity, dynamic range of detection, and the applicability of multiplexed target detection, the basic technique has remained essentially unchanged. In the past, western blotting was used simply to detect a specific target protein in a complex mixture, but now journal editors and reviewers are requesting the quantitative interpretation of western blot data in terms of fold changes in protein expression between samples. The calculations are based on the differential densitometry of the associated chemiluminescent and/or fluorescent signals from the blots and this now requires a fundamental shift in the experimental methodology, acquisition, and interpretation of the data. We have recently published an updated approach to produce quantitative densitometric data from western blots (Taylor et al., 2013 and here we summarize the complete western blot workflow with a focus on sample preparation and data analysis for quantitative western blotting.

Rare earth element geochemistry characteristics of seawater and porewater from deep sea in western Pacific.

Science.gov (United States)

Deng, Yinan; Ren, Jiangbo; Guo, Qingjun; Cao, Jun; Wang, Haifeng; Liu, Chenhui

2017-11-28

Deep-sea sediments contain high concentrations of rare earth element (REE) which have been regarded as a huge potential resource. Understanding the marine REE cycle is important to reveal the mechanism of REE enrichment. In order to determine the geochemistry characteristics and migration processes of REE, seawater, porewater and sediment samples were systematically collected from the western Pacific for REE analysis. The results show a relatively flat REE pattern and the HREE (Heavy REE) enrichment in surface and deep seawater respectively. The HREE enrichment distribution patterns, low concentrations of Mn and Fe and negative Ce anomaly occur in the porewater, and high Mn/Al ratios and low U concentrations were observed in sediment, indicating oxic condition. LREE (Light REE) and MREE (Middle REE) enrichment in upper layer and depletion of MREE in deeper layer were shown in porewater profile. This study suggests that porewater flux in the western Pacific basin is a minor source of REEs to seawater, and abundant REEs are enriched in sediments, which is mainly caused by the extensive oxic condition, low sedimentation rate and strong adsorption capacity of sediments. Hence, the removal of REEs of porewater may result in widespread REE-rich sediments in the western Pacific basin.

Biogeochemical impact of a model western iron source in the Pacific Equatorial Undercurrent

OpenAIRE

Slemons, L.; Gorgues, T.; Aumont, Olivier; Menkès, Christophe; Murray, J. W.

2009-01-01

Trace element distributions in the source waters of the Pacific Equatorial Undercurrent (EUC) show the existence of elevated total acid-soluble iron concentrations. This region has been suggested to contribute enough bioavailable iron to regulate interannual and interglacial variability in biological productivity downstream in the high-nitrate low-chlorophyll upwelling zone of the eastern equatorial Pacific. We investigated the advection and first-order biogeochemical impact of an imposed, da...

Distribution of perfluoroalkyl compounds in Osaka Bay and coastal waters of Western Japan.

Science.gov (United States)

Beškoski, Vladimir P; Yamamoto, Katsuya; Yamamoto, Atsushi; Okamura, Hideo; Hayashi, Mitsuru; Nakano, Takeshi; Matsumura, Chisato; Fukushi, Keiichi; Wada, Shinpei; Inui, Hideyuki

2017-03-01

Perfluoroalkyl acids (PFAAs) including perfluoroalkyl sulfonates (PFSAs) and perfluoroalkyl carboxylates (PFCAs) were analyzed in sediment samples taken from Ajifu Waterway in Osaka city, from Osaka Bay, and from Kagoshima Bay, as well as in fifteen seawater samples collected from Osaka Bay and coastal waters of Western Japan. In all sediment samples, only PFCAs were detected, and the highest concentration was determined in Ajifu Waterway, where ΣPFAA was 58990 ng kg -1 dry weight. The total concentrations of PFAAs in sea water samples ranged between the limit of quantification and 53.4 ng L -1 , and perfluorohexanoic acid was the most prevalent and had the highest concentration of 37 ng L -1 . The changes in the patterns and concentrations of PFAAs in Osaka Bay and coastal waters of Western Japan indicate that the PFAAs in surface waters are influenced by sources from Keihanshin Metropolitan Area, mainly the Yodo River basin, and the dilution effect which naturally occurs during their transport to the Pacific Ocean. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Pu isotopes in the western North Pacific Ocean before the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station

Science.gov (United States)

Yamada, M.; Zheng, J.; Aono, T.

2011-12-01

Anthropogenic radionuclides such as Pu-239 (half-life: 24100 yr), Pu-240 (half-life: 6560 yr) and Pu-241 (half-life: 14.325 yr) mainly have been released into the environment as the result of atmospheric nuclear weapons testing. In the North Pacific Ocean, two distinct sources of Pu isotopes can be identified; i.e., the global stratospheric fallout and close-in tropospheric fallout from nuclear weapons testing at the Pacific Proving Grounds in the Marshall Islands. The atom ratio of Pu-240/Pu-239 is a powerful fingerprint to identify the sources of Pu in the ocean. The Pu-240/Pu-239 atom ratios in seawater and marine sediment samples collected in the western North Pacific before the accident at Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Station will provide useful background data for understanding the process controlling Pu transport and for distinguishing future Pu sources. The atom ratios of Pu-240/Pu-239 in water columns from the Yamato and Tsushima Basins in the Japan Sea were significantly higher than the mean global fallout ratio of 0.18; however, there were no temporal variation of atom ratios during the period from 1984 to 1993 in the Japan Sea. The total Pu-239+240 inventories in the whole water columns were approximately doubled during the period from 1984 to 1993 in the two basins. The atom ratio of Pu-240/Pu-239 in surface water from Sagami Bay, western North Pacific Ocean, was 0.224 and showed no notable variation from the surface to the bottom with the mean atom ratio being 0.234. The atom ratios for the Pacific coast, near the Rokkasho nuclear fuel reprocessing plant, were approximately the same as the 0.224 ratio obtained from Sagami Bay, western North Pacific margin. The atom ratios in the surficial sediments from Sagami Bay ranged from 0.229 to 0.247. The mean atom ratio in the sediment columns in the East China Sea ranged from 0.248 for the Changjiang estuary to 0.268 for the shelf edge. The observed atom ratios were significantly higher than the mean

Occurrence of geogenic contaminants in private wells from a crystalline bedrock aquifer in western Quebec, Canada: Geochemical sources and health risks

Science.gov (United States)

Bondu, Raphaël; Cloutier, Vincent; Rosa, Eric

2018-04-01

Nineteen private wells were investigated in order to evaluate the groundwater quality and the issues associated with well water use in a fractured metasedimentary aquifer of the Canadian Shield, in western Quebec (Canada). Groundwater sampling and analysis reveal that the quality of well water is both a potential aesthetic and health concern for the residents. Aesthetic problems are mainly related to the high levels of hardness and dissolved iron and manganese. Potential health risks are associated with the occurrence of brackish groundwater, high manganese concentrations, and arsenic concentrations exceeding the Canadian guideline value of 10 μg/l. Brackish groundwater is suspected to be derived from the mixing of fresh groundwaters with deep calcium-sodium-chloride brines of the Canadian Shield. The occurrences of iron, manganese and arsenic, primarily derived from the natural weathering of bedrock, are highly dependent on the geochemical conditions in groundwater, particularly the redox potential. Arsenic occurs mainly as arsenite (As(III)) and is thought to be released by the dissolution of iron and manganese oxyhydroxides under reducing conditions. Information obtained from well owners indicates that most households use ion exchange water softeners to minimize aesthetic problems of excessive hardness and dissolved iron and manganese concentrations. Homeowners generally take protective measures to reduce their exposure to arsenic when they are aware of the contamination. The exposure to arsenic and manganese may pose health risks for residents that do not take protective measures. The quality of well water is of paramount importance for human health in rural areas. Information on the contaminant sources and individual mitigation measures is essential to assess the health risks associated with groundwater consumption and to ensure the protection of public health.

Effect of Radio-Elements in The Black Sands on Wild Plant That Grown Eastern and Western Rosetta Branch, Egypt

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Al-Shobaki, M.E.E.; Mashour, A.A.

2012-01-01

The black-sand deposits are widely distributed alongside the Mediterranean Sea coast from Abu-Quir in the west to Rafah city in the extreme east. It contains, minerals, which is considered as the main source of uranium, thorium, potassium and iron oxides as a heavy and / or radio elements. These elements may be transferred with irrigation water to the plant organ (s), or even prevented the adsorption of nutrients. To achieve this purpose, surface soil samples (0-30 cm.) and subsurface soil samples (30 - 60 cm) were collected from eastern and western of Rosetta area., also Aerva plants samples (roots, stems, leaves and flowers) as a wild plant were collected from these areas to evaluate the object of this study..The results showed highest values of thorium, uranium, potassium and iron detected in soil and plant samples near Rosetta estuary at two sides (eastern and western). The available N. P. K. and Fe in western soil samples were higher than that obtained by eastern soil samples. The N. P. K. content of the plant organ (s) samples that grown at western side were higher than that found the eastern side..The highest thorium, uranium and iron content found in plant root and the least were in the leaves or flowers plants, at two Rosetta sides. Also, total uranium, thorium and iron content in western side were higher than eastern side soil samples.

Source rock

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abubakr F. Makky

2014-03-01

Full Text Available West Beni Suef Concession is located at the western part of Beni Suef Basin which is a relatively under-explored basin and lies about 150 km south of Cairo. The major goal of this study is to evaluate the source rock by using different techniques as Rock-Eval pyrolysis, Vitrinite reflectance (%Ro, and well log data of some Cretaceous sequences including Abu Roash (E, F and G members, Kharita and Betty formations. The BasinMod 1D program is used in this study to construct the burial history and calculate the levels of thermal maturity of the Fayoum-1X well based on calibration of measured %Ro and Tmax against calculated %Ro model. The calculated Total Organic Carbon (TOC content from well log data compared with the measured TOC from the Rock-Eval pyrolysis in Fayoum-1X well is shown to match against the shale source rock but gives high values against the limestone source rock. For that, a new model is derived from well log data to calculate accurately the TOC content against the limestone source rock in the study area. The organic matter existing in Abu Roash (F member is fair to excellent and capable of generating a significant amount of hydrocarbons (oil prone produced from (mixed type I/II kerogen. The generation potential of kerogen in Abu Roash (E and G members and Betty formations is ranging from poor to fair, and generating hydrocarbons of oil and gas prone (mixed type II/III kerogen. Eventually, kerogen (type III of Kharita Formation has poor to very good generation potential and mainly produces gas. Thermal maturation of the measured %Ro, calculated %Ro model, Tmax and Production index (PI indicates that Abu Roash (F member exciting in the onset of oil generation, whereas Abu Roash (E and G members, Kharita and Betty formations entered the peak of oil generation.

Apatite fission track dating of the Northern Western Shield, Western Australia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weber, U.D.; Kohn, B.P.; Gleadow, A.J.W.

1999-01-01

Full text:The investigation of the thermotectonic evolution of the northern part of the Precambrian Western Shield of Western Australia using apatite fission track (AFT) thermochronology is the main focus of this study. The study area encompasses Precambrian rocks of the Pilbara Craton and the northern part of the Yilgarn Craton including the Narryer Gneiss Complex. AFT data, mostly from the Archaean cratons reveal cooling ages ranging between 260±8 Ma and 400±20 Ma. Mean confined horizontal track lengths fall between ∼12 and 13 μm with standard deviations ranging from 1.1-2.2 μm. Forward modelling of time-temperature history paths for representative samples reveals a period of regional cooling of at least ∼50 deg C in the late Palaeozoic. Most paths also show a second period of cooling of 25 deg C from temperatures of ∼80-85 deg C. This later cooling episode occurred in the Mesozoic but its timing is less well constrained. Assuming that the average present day geothermal gradient of ∼18±2 deg C per km - 1 was prevalent since the late Palaeozoic, then the minimum of ∼75 deg C of cooling predicted by the fission track modelling suggests overall denudation of at least ∼ 3.7-4.6 km of section since that time. Phanerozoic basins (Perth, Carnarvon and Canning) adjacent to the north and west of the northern Western Shield mostly continue offshore and form complex structures containing up to ∼ 15 km of predominantly clastic sediments of early Ordovician to late Cretaceous age. The basins are likely to have been depocentres for much of the detritus derived from the denudation inferred from the cooling recorded by the AFT. Possible causative events which could be linked to the observed late Palaeozoic cooling are tectonism related to the collision of Gondwanaland with Laurussia in Carboniferous time forming the supercontinent Pangea or a possible far-field effect related to the Alice Springs Orogeny. Further low temperature thermochronological studies

Evidence of orbital forcing in lake-level fluctuations in the Middle Eocene oil shale-bearing lacustrine successions in the Mudurnu-Göynük Basin, NW Anatolia (Turkey)

Science.gov (United States)

Ocakoğlu, F.; Açıkalın, S.; Yılmaz, İ. Ö.; Şafak, Ü.; Gökçeoğlu, C.

2012-08-01

Mudurnu-Göynük basin of the Sakarya Zone in NW Anatolia comprises ca. 1500 m thick Paleocene-Eocene terrestrial to shallow marine succession overlying the Late Cretaceous deeper marine progradational fore-arc sediments. Formed in a foreland setting in relation to southerly situated İzmir-Ankara suture zone, this terrestrial succession (regionally known as Kızılçay group) comprises a thin (nalysis on three correlative measured sections showed that mudstone, oil shale and thinner limestone alternations characterize the relatively deeper part of the Eocene lake with probable marine intervention, while thicker limestone, coal, marl and occasional oil shale alternations typify the southern relatively freshwater shoal areas. These facies are frequently organized as meter-scale symmetric to asymmetric transgressive-regressive cycles. Spectral analysis of the mudstone beds and the cycles within the lacustrine succession strongly indicates the occurrence of full bands of Milankovitch with the shortest precession cycle (19 ka) at ca. 2.30 m. Our observations further revealed quite rhythmic thin couplets with estimated durations of 365-730 yr that might represent abrupt climatic changes during deposition. On the other hand, longer duration (ca. 1 Ma) of shoaling and deepening trends in the studied sections were attributed basically to varying subsidence due to tectonic loading in the southerly suture zone. Lastly, regarding the distribution of depositional environments we propose that the oil shale exploration activities should be carried out within a 20 km wide E-W running belt while the southern limits of this belt is more prolific for coal resources.

Comparison of mercury mass loading in streams to atmospheric deposition in watersheds of Western North America: Evidence for non-atmospheric mercury sources

Science.gov (United States)

Domagalski, Joseph L.; Majewski, Michael S.; Alpers, Charles N.; Eckley, Chris S.; Eagles-Smith, Collin A.; Schenk, Liam N.; Wherry, Susan

2016-01-01

Annual stream loads of mercury (Hg) and inputs of wet and dry atmospheric Hg deposition to the landscape were investigated in watersheds of the Western United States and the Canadian-Alaskan Arctic. Mercury concentration and discharge data from flow gauging stations were used to compute annual mass loads with regression models. Measured wet and modeled dry deposition were compared to annual stream loads to compute ratios of Hg stream load to total Hg atmospheric deposition. Watershed land uses or cover included mining, undeveloped, urbanized, and mixed. Of 27 watersheds that were investigated, 15 had some degree of mining, either of Hg or precious metals (gold or silver), where Hg was used in the amalgamation process. Stream loads in excess of annual Hg atmospheric deposition (ratio > 1) were observed in watersheds containing Hg mines and in relatively small and medium-sized watersheds with gold or silver mines, however, larger watersheds containing gold or silver mines, some of which also contain large dams that trap sediment, were sometimes associated with lower load ratios (watersheds with natural vegetation tended to have low ratios of stream load to Hg deposition (watersheds (Mackenzie and Yukon Rivers) had a relatively elevated ratio of stream load to atmospheric deposition (0.27 and 0.74), possibly because of melting glaciers or permafrost releasing previously stored Hg to the streams. Overall, our research highlights the important role of watershed characteristics in determining whether a landscape is a net source of Hg or a net sink of atmospheric Hg.

A Hybrid Ground-Motion Prediction Equation for Earthquakes in Western Alberta

Science.gov (United States)

Spriggs, N.; Yenier, E.; Law, A.; Moores, A. O.

2015-12-01

Estimation of ground-motion amplitudes that may be produced by future earthquakes constitutes the foundation of seismic hazard assessment and earthquake-resistant structural design. This is typically done by using a prediction equation that quantifies amplitudes as a function of key seismological variables such as magnitude, distance and site condition. In this study, we develop a hybrid empirical prediction equation for earthquakes in western Alberta, where evaluation of seismic hazard associated with induced seismicity is of particular interest. We use peak ground motions and response spectra from recorded seismic events to model the regional source and attenuation attributes. The available empirical data is limited in the magnitude range of engineering interest (M>4). Therefore, we combine empirical data with a simulation-based model in order to obtain seismologically informed predictions for moderate-to-large magnitude events. The methodology is two-fold. First, we investigate the shape of geometrical spreading in Alberta. We supplement the seismic data with ground motions obtained from mining/quarry blasts, in order to gain insights into the regional attenuation over a wide distance range. A comparison of ground-motion amplitudes for earthquakes and mining/quarry blasts show that both event types decay at similar rates with distance and demonstrate a significant Moho-bounce effect. In the second stage, we calibrate the source and attenuation parameters of a simulation-based prediction equation to match the available amplitude data from seismic events. We model the geometrical spreading using a trilinear function with attenuation rates obtained from the first stage, and calculate coefficients of anelastic attenuation and site amplification via regression analysis. This provides a hybrid ground-motion prediction equation that is calibrated for observed motions in western Alberta and is applicable to moderate-to-large magnitude events.

RTG resource book for western states and provinces: Final proceedings

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

1994-12-31

The Western Interstate Energy Board held a workshop and liaison activities among western states, provinces, and utilities on the formation of Regional Transmission Groups (RTGs). Purpose of the activities was to examine the policy implications for western states and provinces in the formation of RTGs in the West, the implications for western ratepayers and utilities of the RTG formation and potential impacts of RTGs on the western electricity system. The workshop contributed to fulfilling the transmission access and competition objectives of Title VII of the Energy Policy Act of 1992.

A source of energy : sustainable architecture and urbanism

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Roestvik, Harald N.

2011-07-01

An update on the environmental challenges. Meant to inspire and be a source of energy.Tearing down myths and floodlighting paradoxes. Particularly relevant for students of architecture, architects and concerned citizens. Training tasks, recommendations for further source books and web sites, are included. From the content: Climate change and consensus, Population growth, Food production, The sustainable city, Transportation myths and facts, A mini history of environmental architecture, Architects' approach to sustainable design, The failure of western architects; a case study; China, The passive, zeb and plus energy building, Natural ventilation, Sustainable materials, Plastics in building, Nuclear energy, Solar energy, The grid of the future, Indoor climate and health. The sick building syndrome, Radon, Universal design, Paradoxes, Bullying techniques, Trust yourself, Timing, Which gateway will you choose?, On transience. (au)

THE POLLUTION OF THE BOTTOM SEDIMENTSIN THE NORTH-WESTERN PART OF THE CASPIAN SEA HYDROCARBONS AND PERSISTENT ORGANIC POLLUTANTS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

E. V. Ostrovskaya

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. The pollution of the bottom sediments in the north-western part of the Caspian sea hydrocarbons and persistent organic pollutants. Location.Caspian Sea. Methods. The materials for this article is based on the results of monitoring conducted in 2012-2013 years. Results. Sediments in the north-western part of the Caspian Sea as a whole slightly contaminated YV and SOZ, although localized areas of high pollution are marked, especially characteristic of the Middle Caspian. Mainconclusions.The studies were showed, PAY in the sediments are mixed genesis, but most of them, in all probability, were petroleum origin. The not weathered hydrocarbons are presented in sediments, which indicates to the presence of the local sources of the fresh oil pollution on the surveyed area.

A reconstructed database of historic bluefin tuna captures in the Gibraltar Strait and Western Mediterranean

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Josué M. Polanco-Martínez

2018-02-01

Full Text Available This data paper presents a reconstruction of a compilation of a small but consistent database of historical capture records of bluefin tuna (Thunnus thynnus; BFT hereafter from the Gibraltar Strait and Western Mediterranean (Portugal, Spain and Italy. The compilation come from diverse historical and documentary sources and span the time interval from 1525 to 1936 covering a period of 412 years. There is a total of 3074 datum, which reach up to 67.83% of the total implying a 32.17% of missing data. However, we have only reconstructed the captures for the time interval 1700–1936 and we provide these reconstructions only for this time interval and for 9 out of 11 series due to the scarcity and inhomogeneity of the two oldest capture time series. This reconstructed database provides an invaluable opportunity for fisheries and marine research as well as for multidisciplinary research in climate change. Keywords: Data reconstructions, DINEOF, Missing data, Historic Bluefin tuna captures, Gibraltar Strait and Western Mediterranean

Writing and Pseudo-Writing from Internet-Based Sources: Implications for Learning and Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Skaar, Håvard

2015-01-01

In recent years, plagiarism has been on the increase across the Western world. This article identifies Internet access as a contributory cause of this trend and addresses the implications of readily available Internet sources for the teaching and assessment of writing in schools. The basis for the article is a previous study showing a wide…

Rock glaciers in the Western and High Tatra Mountains, Western Carpathians

Czech Academy of Sciences Publication Activity Database

Uxa, Tomáš; Mida, P.

2017-01-01

Roč. 13, č. 2 (2017), s. 844-857 ISSN 1744-5647 Institutional support: RVO:67985530 Keywords : rock glaciers * inventory * Western and High Tatra Mts * Carpathians * Slovakia * Poland Subject RIV: DE - Earth Magnetism, Geodesy, Geography OBOR OECD: Physical geography Impact factor: 2.174, year: 2016

Renewable energy policy in remote rural areas of Western China. Implementation and socio-economic benefits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shyu, Chian-Woei

2010-05-19

Electricity is essential for rural development. In 2005, 1.6 billion people, around a quarter of the world's population, living mostly in rural areas of developing countries, had no access to electricity. In general, remote rural areas in developing countries have little prospect of having access to grid-based electricity, which usually only extends to densely populated urban areas, where a large customer base justifies heavy expenditure for electricity infrastructure. One option for electrification in remote rural areas is to decentralize electricity systems based on renewable energy sources. However, such an option is not universally agreed upon. This dissertation examines a renewable energy-based rural electrification program, the 'Township Electrification Program', launched by the Chinese government in 2002. The Program was implemented in 1013 non-electrified townships in remote rural areas of 11 western provinces, providing electricity for 300,000 households and 1.3 million people. And at the time of research, the Program was known as the world's largest renewable energy-based rural electrification program in terms of investment volume ever carried out by a country. Two townships, Saierlong Township in Qinghai Province and Namcuo Township in Tibet Autonomous Region, were selected as cases for an in-depth examination of rural electrification practices in remote rural areas of western China. Both qualitative (interviews, observations, mapping, and transition walk) and quantitative (household survey) methods were applied in the field to collect data. The main findings of the study are summarized as follows: First, political leaders' concern over the unequal economic development of eastern and western China, as well as rural and urban areas, was the main factor triggering inclusion of the policy issue, electricity access in remote rural areas of western China, in the government's policy agenda. Second, like other energy policies, the formulation and adoption of

Prescriptions of traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine, and integrated Chinese-Western medicine for allergic rhinitis under the National Health Insurance in Taiwan.

Science.gov (United States)

Huang, Sheng-Kang; Ho, Yu-Ling; Chang, Yuan-Shiun

2015-09-15

Allergic rhinitis has long been a worldwide health problem with a global growth trend. The use of traditional Chinese medicines alone or integrated Chinese-Western medicines for its treatment is quite common in Taiwan. Respiratory diseases account for the majority of outpatient traditional Chinese medicine treatment, while allergic rhinitis accounts for the majority of respiratory diseases. We hereby conduct a comparative analysis between traditional Chinese medicine treatments and western medicine treatments for allergic rhinitis in Taiwan. The results of the analysis on the prescription difference of traditional Chinese medicine and western medicine treatments would be helpful to clinical guide and health policy decision making of ethnopharmacological therapy. Patients diagnosed as allergic rhinitis with diagnostic code 470-478 (ICD-9-CM) were selected as subjects from 2009-2010 National Health Insurance Research Database based on the claim data from the nationwide National Health Insurance in Taiwan. This retrospective study used Chi-Square test to test the effects of gender and age on visit of traditional Chinese medicine, western medicine, and integrated Chinese-Western medicine treatments. A total of 45,804 patients diagnosed as allergic rhinitis with ICD-9-CM 470-478 were identified from 2009-2010 NHIRD. There were 36,874 subjects for western medicine treatment alone, 5829 subjects for traditional Chinese medicine treatment alone, and 3101 subjects for integrated Chinese-Western medicine treatment. Female patients were more than male in three treatments. 0-9 years children had the highest visit frequency in western medicine and integrated Chinese-Western medicine groups, while 10-19 years young-age rank the highest in traditional Chinese medicine group. The Chi-square test of independence showed that the effects of gender and age on visit of three treatments were significant. The prescription drugs of western medicine treatment alone were almost for

Hydrological processes in glacierized high-altitude basins of the western Himalayas

Science.gov (United States)

Jeelani, Ghulam; Shah, Rouf A.; Fryar, Alan E.; Deshpande, Rajendrakumar D.; Mukherjee, Abhijit; Perrin, Jerome

2018-03-01

Western Himalaya is a strategically important region, where the water resources are shared by China, India and Pakistan. The economy of the region is largely dependent on the water resources delivered by snow and glacier melt. The presented study used stable isotopes of water to further understand the basin-scale hydro-meteorological, hydrological and recharge processes in three high-altitude mountainous basins of the western Himalayas. The study provided new insights in understanding the dominant factors affecting the isotopic composition of the precipitation, snowpack, glacier melt, streams and springs. It was observed that elevation-dependent post-depositional processes and snowpack evolution resulted in the higher isotopic altitude gradient in snowpacks. The similar temporal trends of isotopic signals in rivers and karst springs reflect the rapid flow transfer due to karstification of the carbonate aquifers. The attenuation of the extreme isotopic input signal in karst springs appears to be due to the mixing of source waters with the underground karst reservoirs. Basin-wise, the input-output response demonstrates the vital role of winter precipitation in maintaining the perennial flow in streams and karst springs in the region. Isotopic data were also used to estimate the mean recharge altitude of the springs.

Late Pleistocene and Holocene meltwater events in the western Arctic Ocean

Science.gov (United States)

Poore, R.Z.; Osterman, L.; Curry, W.B.; Phillips, R.L.

1999-01-01

Accelerator mass spectrometer 14C dated stable isotope data from Neogloboquadrina pachyerma in cores raised from the Mendeleyev Ridge and slope provide evidence for significant influx of meltwater to the western Arctic Ocean during the early part of marine oxygen isotope stage 1 (OIS 1) and during several intervals within OIS 3. The strongest OIS 3 meltwater event occurred before ca. 45 ka (conventional radiocarbon age) and was probably related to the deglaciation at the beginning of OIS 3. Major meltwater input to the western Arctic Ocean during the last deglaciation coincides closely with the maximum rate of global sea-level rise as determined from the Barbados sea-level record, demonstrating a strong link between the global record and changes in the central Arctic Ocean. OIS 2, which includes the last glacial maximum, is very condensed or absent in the cores. Abundance and ??13C values for N. pachyderma in the middle part of OIS 3 are similar to modern values, indicating high productivity and seasonal ice-free areas along the Arctic margin at that time. These records indicate that the Arctic Ocean was a source of heat and moisture to the northern polar atmosphere during parts of OIS 3.

Survey of the Occurrence and Human Infective Potential of Giardia duodenalis and Cryptosporidium spp. in Wastewater and Different Surface Water Sources of Western Romania.

Science.gov (United States)

Imre, Kálmán; Morar, Adriana; Ilie, Marius S; Plutzer, Judit; Imre, Mirela; Emil, Tîrziu; Herbei, Mihai V; Dărăbuș, Gheorghe

2017-10-01

From the group of parasitic protozoa, Giardia and Cryptosporidium are the most common pathogens spread in surface water sources, representing a continuous threat to public health and water authorities. The aim of this survey was to assess the occurrence and human infective potential of these pathogens in treated wastewaters and different surface water sources. A total of 76 western Romanian water bodies in four counties (Arad, Bihor, Caraș-Severin and Timiș) were investigated, including the effluents of wastewater treatment plants (n = 11) and brooks (n = 19), irrigation channels (n = 8), lakes (n = 16), and ponds (n = 22). Water samples were collected through polyester microfiber filtration. Giardia cysts and Cryptosporidium oocysts were isolated using immunomagnetic separation, according to the US EPA 1623 method, followed by their identification and counting by immunofluorescence (IF) microscopy. All samples were screened through PCR-based techniques targeting the gdh gene for Giardia spp. and the 18S rRNA gene for Cryptosporidium spp., followed by sequencing of the positive results. Cryptosporidium-positive samples were subtyped based on sequence analysis of the GP60 gene. Giardia spp. was found in all tested water types with a cumulative detection rate of 90.1% in wastewaters, 26.3% in brooks, 37.5% in irrigation channels, 31.2% in lakes, and 36.4% in ponds. Except for ponds, all monitored water bodies harbored the Giardia duodenalis AII subassemblage with human infective potential. In addition, the ruminant origin assemblage E was widely distributed, and the domestic/wild canid-specific assemblage D was also recorded in a pond. Three (27.3%) wastewater samples were Cryptosporidium positive, and the identified species was the zoonotic Cryptosporidium parvum, with IIaA15G2R1 (n = 2) and IIdA18G1 subtypes. The results highlight that this threat to the public health must be brought to the attention of epidemiologists, health officials

Expert Western Classical Music Improvisers' Strategies

OpenAIRE

Despres, JP; Burnard, Pamela Anne; Dube, F; Stevance, S

2017-01-01

The growing interest in musical improvisation is exemplified by the body of literatures evidencing the positive impacts of improvisation learning on the musical apprentice’s aptitudes and the increasing presence of improvisation in Western classical concert halls and competitions. However, high-level Western classical music improvisers’ thinking processes are not yet thoroughly documented. As a result of this gap, our research addresses the following question: What strategies are implement...

The western pond turtle: Habitat and history. Final report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Holland, D.C.

1994-08-01

The western pond turtle is known from many areas of Oregon. The majority of sightings and other records occur in the major drainages of the Klamath, Rogue, Umpqua, Willamette and Columbia River systems. A brief overview is presented of the evolution of the Willamette-Puget Sound hydrographic basin. A synopsis is also presented of the natural history of the western pond turtle, as well as, the status of this turtle in the Willamette drainage basin. The reproductive ecology and molecular genetics of the western pond turtle are discussed. Aquatic movements and overwintering of the western pond turtle are evaluated. The effect of introduced turtle species on the status of the western pond turtle was investigated in a central California Pond. Experiments were performed to determine if this turtle could be translocated as a mitigation strategy

Calculation of paleohydraulic parameters of a fluvial system under spatially variable subsidence, of the Ericson sandstone, South western Wyoming

Science.gov (United States)

Snyder, H.; Leva-Lopez, J.

2017-12-01

During the late Campanian age in North America fluvial systems drained the highlands of the Sevier orogenic belt and travelled east towards the Western Interior Seaway. One of such systems deposited the Canyon Creek Member (CCM) of the Ericson Formation in south-western Wyoming. At this time the fluvial system was being partially controlled by laterally variable subsidence caused by incipient Laramide uplifts. These uplifts rather than real topographic features were only areas of reduced subsidence at the time of deposition of the CCM. Surface expression at that time must have been minimum, only minute changes in slope and accommodation. Outcrops around these Laramide structures, in particular both flanks of the Rock Springs Uplift, the western side of the Rawlins uplift and the north flank of the Uinta Mountains, have been sampled to study the petrography, grain size, roundness and sorting of the CCM, which along with the cross-bed thickness and bar thickness allowed calculation of the hydraulic parameters of the rivers that deposited the CCM. This study reveals how the fluvial system evolved and responded to the very small changes in subsidence and slope. Furthermore, the petrography will shed light on the provenance of these sandstones and on the relative importance of Sevier sources versus Laramide sources. This work is framed in a larger study that shows how incipient Laramide structural highs modified the behavior, style and architecture of the fluvial system, affecting its thickness, facies characteristics and net-to-gross both down-dip and along strike across the basin.

Recent Vs. Historical Seismicity Analysis For Banat Seismic Region (Western Part Of Romania

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Oros Eugen

2015-03-01

Full Text Available The present day seismic activity from a region reflects the active tectonics and can confirm the seismic potential of the seismogenic sources as they are modelled using the historical seismicity. This paper makes a comparative analysis of the last decade seismicity recorded in the Banat Seismic Region (western part of Romania and the historical seismicity of the region (Mw≥4.0. Four significant earthquake sequences have been recently localized in the region, three of them nearby the city of Timisoara (January 2012 and March 2013 and the fourth within Hateg Basin, South Carpathians (October 2013. These sequences occurred within the epicentral areas of some strong historical earthquakes (Mw≥5.0. The main events had some macroseismic effects on people up to some few kilometers from the epicenters. Our results update the Romanian earthquakes catalogue and bring new information along the local seismic hazard sources models and seismotectonics.

Stress regimes in the northwest of Iran from stress inversion of earthquake focal mechanisms

Science.gov (United States)

Afra, Mahsa; Moradi, Ali; Pakzad, Mehrdad

2017-11-01

Northwestern Iran is one of the seismically active regions with a high seismic risk in the world. This area is a part of the complex tectonic system due to the interaction between Arabia, Anatolia and Eurasia. The purpose of this study is to deduce the stress regimes in the northwestern Iran and surrounding regions from stress inversion of earthquake focal mechanisms. We compile 92 focal mechanisms data from the Global CMT catalogue and other sources and also determine the focal mechanisms of 14 earthquakes applying the moment tensor inversion. We divide the studied region into 9 zones using similarity of the horizontal GPS velocities and existing focal mechanisms. We implement two stress inversion methods, Multiple Inverse Method and Iterative Joint Inversion Method, which provide comparable results in terms of orientations of maximum horizontal stress axes SHmax. The similar results of the two methods should make us more confident about the interpretations. We consider zones of exclusion surrounding all the earthquakes according to independent focal mechanisms hypothesis. The hypothesis says that the inversion should involve events that are far enough from each other in order that any previous event doesn't affect the stress field near the earthquake under consideration. Accordingly we deal with the matter by considering zones of exclusion around all the events. The result of exclusion is only significant for eastern Anatolia. The stress regime in this region changes from oblique to strike slip faulting because of the exclusion. In eastern Anatolia, the direction of maximum horizontal stress is nearly north-south. The direction alters to east-west in Talesh region. Errors of σ1 are lower in all zones comparing with errors of σ2 and σ3 and there is a trade-off between data resolution and covariance of the model. The results substantiate the strike-slip and thrust faulting stress regimes in the northwest of Iran.

U-Pb ages of detrital zircon from Cenozoic sediments in the southwestern Tarim Basin, NW China: Implications for Eocene-Pliocene source-to-sink relations and new insights into Cretaceous-Paleogene magmatic sources

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Wei; Fu, Ling; Wu, Chaodong; Song, Yan; Jiang, Zhenxue; Luo, Qun; Zhang, Ziya; Zhang, Chen; Zhu, Bei

2018-05-01

A detailed investigation of potential provenance is still lacking in the southwestern Tarim Basin, which restricts our complete understanding of Cenozoic source-to-sink relations between the basin interior and the Pamir salient - western Kunlun Mountain Range. Debate also exists concerning the potential sources of the Paleogene and Cretaceous igneous detritus present in the Cenozoic sedimentary sequences. Here, we present U-Pb (LA-ICP-MS) ages of detrital zircons from the continuous Eocene-Pliocene sediment series in the well-exposed Aertashi section to investigate changes in sediment provenance through time. The U-Pb detrital zircon ages range widely from 45 to 3204 Ma and can be divided into seven main groups: 45-65 Ma (sub-peak at 49 Ma), 67-103 Ma (sub-peak at 95 Ma), 196-251 Ma (sub-peak at 208 Ma), 252-416 Ma (sub-peak at 296 Ma), 417-540 Ma (sub-peak at 446 Ma), 550-1429 Ma (sub-peaks at 614 Ma, 828 Ma and 942 Ma) and 1345-3204 Ma (sub-peaks at 1773 Ma and 2480 Ma). These zircons were mainly derived from the western Kunlun Mountain Range and northern Pamir salient to the west and south. The evolution of the provenance and source-to-sink relationship patterns in the southwestern Tarim Basin can be divided into three stages: (1) The Middle Eocene to Lower Oligocene sediments display a wide variety of detrital zircon ages, suggesting that the source area was extensive. (2) A major change in provenance occurred during the Late Oligocene to Early Miocene and was characterized by an abrupt increase in the proportion of Triassic and Lower Paleozoic igneous components, implying a significant adjustment in topography induced by the initial uplift and exhumation of the western Kunlun Mountain Range and northern Pamir salient. (3) In the Late Miocene, the source-to-sink system transformed again, and contributions of Triassic to Lower Paleozoic material weakened substantially due to the sufficient indentation of the Pamir salient. Our integrated analyses of zircon

When science became Western: historiographical reflections.

Science.gov (United States)

Elshakry, Marwa

2010-03-01

While thinking about the notion of the "global" in the history of the history of science, this essay examines a related but equally basic concept: the idea of "Western science." Tracing its rise in the nineteenth century, it shows how it developed as much outside the Western world as within it. Ironically, while the idea itself was crucial for the disciplinary formation of the history of science, the global history behind this story has not been much attended to. Drawing on examples from nineteenth-century Egypt and China, the essay begins by looking at how international vectors of knowledge production (viz., missionaries and technocrats) created new global histories of science through the construction of novel genealogies and through a process of conceptual syncretism. Turning next to the work of early professional historians of science, it shows how Arabic and Chinese knowledge traditions were similarly reinterpreted in light of the modern sciences, now viewed as part of a diachronic and universalist teleology ending in "Western science." It concludes by arguing that examining the global emergence of the idea of Western science in this way highlights key questions pertaining to the relation of the history of science to knowledge traditions across the world and the continuing search for global histories of science.

Coal transport demand in Western Europe and Japan: Impacts of energy market liberalisation and climate policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Golombek, Rolf; Kittelsen, Sverre A.C.; Maestad, Ottar

2005-12-01

Western Europe and Japan are among the main importers of coal. Climate policies following the Kyoto agreement are creating pressure to substitute away from coal and turn to less emission intensive energy sources. At the same time, liberalizations of energy markets in Europe and Japan are likely to cause reduced electricity prices, which will boost the overall demand for electricity. This paper analyses the combined effect of electricity market liberalization and climate policies on the international coal trade. Using the numerical equilibrium model LIBEMOD, we find that while liberalization of electricity markets will imply a large increase in aggregate coal transport demand, the negative impact of climate policies may be even larger, in particular if Russia and Ukraine utilise their market power in the market for emission permits. If this market power is exploited, the total effect of liberalisation and climate policy - when including the impact of general economic growth - is a 20% reduction in aggregate coal transport between 2000 and 2010. Further, impacts differ markedly between Western Europe and Japan. A main difference is that liberalisation has a much more positive - and climate policies have a much stronger negative - impact on steam coal demand in Western Europe than in Japan

Western Mountain Initiative - Background

Science.gov (United States)

unprecendented severity in the western United States, extensive tree mortality from outbreaks of bark beetles climatic stressors (Goals 1.1, 1.3) and identification of critical areas (Goal 1.2). Causal mechanisms

Some Plant Characteristics Of Cucurbita maxima Duchesne and Cucurbita moschata Duchesne Genotypes Collected From Western Anatolia Region

OpenAIRE

Babaoğlu, Dursun; Türkmen, Önder

2015-01-01

In this study, a total of 147 Cucurbita maxima Duchesne species collected from the cities of İstanbul, Tekirdağ, Edirne, Kırklareli, Balıkesir, Çanakkale, İzmir, Aydın, Denizli, Muğla, Manisa, Afyon, Kütahya, Uşak, Bursa, Eskişehir, Bilecik, Kocaeli, Sakarya, Düzce, Bolu, Yalova, Ankara, Konya, Karaman, Antalya, Isparta, Burdur where 76% of winter pumpkin production is made in Turkey and, a total of 54 Cucurbita moschata Duchesne were compiled. The pumpkins were sown on 23th of May 2013 in Ha...

Habitat associations with counts of declining Western Grebes in Alberta, Canada

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Mara E. Erickson

2017-06-01

Full Text Available During the past several decades, numbers of Western Grebes (Aechmophorus occidentalis have declined throughout their breeding and wintering ranges in North America. We estimated Western Grebe abundance and documented habitat factors between 2007 and 2009 from 43 lakes in Alberta, Canada where Western Grebes historically have occurred, to (1 compare Western Grebe abundance with the relative probability of persistence, and (2 identify habitat correlates of grebe abundance. The relative probability of Western Grebe persistence was correlated with abundance in the study area, although only 19% of the variation in persistence probability was explained by abundance. Western Grebe abundance was positively correlated with the shoreline extent of emergent bulrush (Scirpus lacustris, which is consistent with past studies and underlies the importance of protecting emergent vegetation in efforts to conserve Western Grebes. Grebe abundance also was positively correlated with a longer shoreline perimeter, but was inversely correlated with the amount of forested backshore, which occurred on lakes primarily at the northern margins of Western Grebe range. The amount of backshore development was positively associated with Western Grebe abundance, which might reflect a preference for similar lake characteristics by humans and grebes. These relationships are important to consider in the context of implementing and managing recovery of the Western Grebe in Alberta.

Suicide and Western culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Pridmore, Saxby; McArthur, Milford

2009-02-01

The aim of this paper is to examine the cultural roots and transmission of Western suicide and suicidal behaviour. We explored a period of antiquity (mythical Greece-61 CE) and selected accounts of 10 prominent suicides. The precipitating circumstances were tabulated and an assessment made of the most likely attendant emotions. The same process was followed for a recent period (1994-2008), from which 10 suicides were identified. The precipitating circumstances and the attendant emotions were compared. These circumstances and emotions were then compared to statements commonly encountered in clinical practice from people demonstrating suicidal behaviour. Finally, we looked for evidence that these stories (and the response models) had entered Western culture. Precipitating circumstances, loss of a loved one, actual or imminent execution or imprisonment, other losses and public disgrace, and the negative emotions of shame, guilt, fear, anger, grief and sorrow were common to both historical periods. These circumstances and emotions are similar to those commonly expressed by people who have demonstrated suicidal behaviour. There was a clear record (literature, visual arts) of these stories forming part of our cultural heritage. Models of maladaptive responses to certain adverse circumstances are part of Western culture. Suicide as a response to certain circumstances and negative emotions can be traced back more than 2000 years. Cultural change will be necessary to minimize suicide.

Migration and Western europe: the old world turning new.

Science.gov (United States)

Therborn, G

1987-09-04

The 1960s meant a historical turn of Western Europe, becoming an immigration area. Net immigration has been concentrated to some of the prosperous Western European countries and has been mainly determined by the demand of their particular national labor regimes. The size of alien employment has been very differently affected by the 1973 crisis, but a multiethnical society will remain a novel feature of most Western European countries. Political abdication from full employment and technological change makes a ghetto of un(der)employment a likely prospect of a large part of the second generation of recent immigrants into Western Europe.

Archives: Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Items 1 - 29 of 29 ... Archives: Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science. Journal Home > Archives: Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science: Journal ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science: Journal Sponsorship. Journal Home > About the Journal > Western Indian Ocean Journal of Marine Science: Journal Sponsorship. Log in or Register to get access to full text downloads.

and three-dimensional gravity modeling along western continental ...

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

R. Narasimhan (Krishtel eMaging) 1461 1996 Oct 15 13:05:22

weaknesses (lineaments) along the path of Indian plate motion over the Réunion hotspot. .... Tectonic map of western and central parts of peninsular India showing the western continental ... basaltic layers and their theoretical gravitational.

Source apportionment of fine particulate matter in China in 2013 using a source-oriented chemical transport model.

Science.gov (United States)

Shi, Zhihao; Li, Jingyi; Huang, Lin; Wang, Peng; Wu, Li; Ying, Qi; Zhang, Hongliang; Lu, Li; Liu, Xuejun; Liao, Hong; Hu, Jianlin

2017-12-01

China has been suffering high levels of fine particulate matter (PM 2.5 ). Designing effective PM 2.5 control strategies requires information about the contributions of different sources. In this study, a source-oriented Community Multiscale Air Quality (CMAQ) model was applied to quantitatively estimate the contributions of different source sectors to PM 2.5 in China. Emissions of primary PM 2.5 and gas pollutants of SO 2 , NO x , and NH 3 , which are precursors of particulate sulfate, nitrate, and ammonium (SNA, major PM 2.5 components in China), from eight source categories (power plants, residential sources, industries, transportation, open burning, sea salt, windblown dust and agriculture) were separately tracked to determine their contributions to PM 2.5 in 2013. Industrial sector is the largest source of SNA in Beijing, Xi'an and Chongqing, followed by agriculture and power plants. Residential emissions are also important sources of SNA, especially in winter when severe pollution events often occur. Nationally, the contributions of different source sectors to annual total PM 2.5 from high to low are industries, residential sources, agriculture, power plants, transportation, windblown dust, open burning and sea salt. Provincially, residential sources and industries are the major anthropogenic sources of primary PM 2.5 , while industries, agriculture, power plants and transportation are important for SNA in most provinces. For total PM 2.5 , residential and industrial emissions are the top two sources, with a combined contribution of 40-50% in most provinces. The contributions of power plants and agriculture to total PM 2.5 are about 10%, respectively. Secondary organic aerosol accounts for about 10% of annual PM 2.5 in most provinces, with higher contributions in southern provinces such as Yunnan (26%), Hainan (25%) and Taiwan (21%). Windblown dust is an important source in western provinces such as Xizang (55% of total PM 2.5 ), Qinghai (74%), Xinjiang (59

Oil and gas projects in the Western Amazon: threats to wilderness, biodiversity, and indigenous peoples.

Science.gov (United States)

Finer, Matt; Jenkins, Clinton N; Pimm, Stuart L; Keane, Brian; Ross, Carl

2008-08-13

The western Amazon is the most biologically rich part of the Amazon basin and is home to a great diversity of indigenous ethnic groups, including some of the world's last uncontacted peoples living in voluntary isolation. Unlike the eastern Brazilian Amazon, it is still a largely intact ecosystem. Underlying this landscape are large reserves of oil and gas, many yet untapped. The growing global demand is leading to unprecedented exploration and development in the region. We synthesized information from government sources to quantify the status of oil development in the western Amazon. National governments delimit specific geographic areas or "blocks" that are zoned for hydrocarbon activities, which they may lease to state and multinational energy companies for exploration and production. About 180 oil and gas blocks now cover approximately 688,000 km(2) of the western Amazon. These blocks overlap the most species-rich part of the Amazon. We also found that many of the blocks overlap indigenous territories, both titled lands and areas utilized by peoples in voluntary isolation. In Ecuador and Peru, oil and gas blocks now cover more than two-thirds of the Amazon. In Bolivia and western Brazil, major exploration activities are set to increase rapidly. Without improved policies, the increasing scope and magnitude of planned extraction means that environmental and social impacts are likely to intensify. We review the most pressing oil- and gas-related conservation policy issues confronting the region. These include the need for regional Strategic Environmental Impact Assessments and the adoption of roadless extraction techniques. We also consider the conflicts where the blocks overlap indigenous peoples' territories.

Oil and Gas Projects in the Western Amazon: Threats to Wilderness, Biodiversity, and Indigenous Peoples

Science.gov (United States)

Finer, Matt; Jenkins, Clinton N.; Pimm, Stuart L.; Keane, Brian; Ross, Carl

2008-01-01

Background The western Amazon is the most biologically rich part of the Amazon basin and is home to a great diversity of indigenous ethnic groups, including some of the world's last uncontacted peoples living in voluntary isolation. Unlike the eastern Brazilian Amazon, it is still a largely intact ecosystem. Underlying this landscape are large reserves of oil and gas, many yet untapped. The growing global demand is leading to unprecedented exploration and development in the region. Methodology/Principal Findings We synthesized information from government sources to quantify the status of oil development in the western Amazon. National governments delimit specific geographic areas or “blocks” that are zoned for hydrocarbon activities, which they may lease to state and multinational energy companies for exploration and production. About 180 oil and gas blocks now cover ∼688,000 km2 of the western Amazon. These blocks overlap the most species-rich part of the Amazon. We also found that many of the blocks overlap indigenous territories, both titled lands and areas utilized by peoples in voluntary isolation. In Ecuador and Peru, oil and gas blocks now cover more than two-thirds of the Amazon. In Bolivia and western Brazil, major exploration activities are set to increase rapidly. Conclusions/Significance Without improved policies, the increasing scope and magnitude of planned extraction means that environmental and social impacts are likely to intensify. We review the most pressing oil- and gas-related conservation policy issues confronting the region. These include the need for regional Strategic Environmental Impact Assessments and the adoption of roadless extraction techniques. We also consider the conflicts where the blocks overlap indigenous peoples' territories. PMID:18716679

Oil and gas projects in the Western Amazon: threats to wilderness, biodiversity, and indigenous peoples.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Matt Finer

Full Text Available BACKGROUND: The western Amazon is the most biologically rich part of the Amazon basin and is home to a great diversity of indigenous ethnic groups, including some of the world's last uncontacted peoples living in voluntary isolation. Unlike the eastern Brazilian Amazon, it is still a largely intact ecosystem. Underlying this landscape are large reserves of oil and gas, many yet untapped. The growing global demand is leading to unprecedented exploration and development in the region. METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS: We synthesized information from government sources to quantify the status of oil development in the western Amazon. National governments delimit specific geographic areas or "blocks" that are zoned for hydrocarbon activities, which they may lease to state and multinational energy companies for exploration and production. About 180 oil and gas blocks now cover approximately 688,000 km(2 of the western Amazon. These blocks overlap the most species-rich part of the Amazon. We also found that many of the blocks overlap indigenous territories, both titled lands and areas utilized by peoples in voluntary isolation. In Ecuador and Peru, oil and gas blocks now cover more than two-thirds of the Amazon. In Bolivia and western Brazil, major exploration activities are set to increase rapidly. CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE: Without improved policies, the increasing scope and magnitude of planned extraction means that environmental and social impacts are likely to intensify. We review the most pressing oil- and gas-related conservation policy issues confronting the region. These include the need for regional Strategic Environmental Impact Assessments and the adoption of roadless extraction techniques. We also consider the conflicts where the blocks overlap indigenous peoples' territories.

Western armament and tactics in the writings of Anna Komnene

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Drašković Marko

2006-01-01

Full Text Available In this work, first we reconstructed and commented the western horseman's armament witch Anna Komnene had known (long spear, cross-bow, chain mail "Norman" shield, solarets. Afterwards, we established that Anne knew four types of western horseman's attack (attack in full gallop, attack from back slow march, attack from flank and three types of their battle formation (strewn formation, congested formation, formation of two columns. Also, we commented Anna's knowledge of western siege engines (battering-ram, tortoise catapult, siege tower; we established that Anne knew five types of western siege tower. In the end, we commented several fragments witch show Anna Komnene's knowledge of the western siege tactics.

Near field earthquake sources scenarios and related tsunamis on the French-Italian Riviera (Western Mediterranean

Science.gov (United States)

Larroque, Christophe; Ioualalen, Mansour; Scotti, Oona

2014-05-01

The large system of thrust faults recently evidenced at the foot of the northern Ligurian margin accommodates the inversion of this ancient passive margin since at least 5 Ma (Messinian times). At depth, these faults are certainly connected to a major northward dipping thrust that accounts for the major part of the seismicity in the northern Ligurian Sea. The deformations of the Quaternary sediments along the faults attest to a compressive tectonic regime consistent with the focal mechanisms of earthquakes. The major event in the area (the Ligurian earthquake, 1887/02/23, Mw 6.7-6.9 and the related tsunami) could result from the activation of part of the Ligurian thrust. Starting from the Ligurian earthquake source characteristics (strike: N55°E, dip: 16°N, length: 35 km, width: 17 km, co-seismic slip: 1.5 m, focal depth: 15 km, Mw 6.9), we have built an exhaustive set of earthquake scenarios involving the 80 km long Ligurian thrust. (1) Two of these earthquake scenarios ruptured respectively the eastern (offshore Imperia) and western (offshore Nice) part of the Ligurian thrust. (2) As these scenarios must scan the range of potential events in accordance with the geology, a second group of scenarios tests an 80 km long rupture of the entire Ligurian thrust with different strikes (N55°E and N70°E) and different widths of the faulting surface (17 km and 27 km) and then co-seismic slips of 2 m and 3.3 m, respectively. As the Ligurian coast is a densely populated and industrial area, the vulnerability is high. We want to stress here that we are more concerned with tsunamis triggered by local earthquakes. This is because, considering their arrival times (a few minutes), the risk prevention cannot be handled by existing tsunami warning system. For all scenarios we evaluate the tsunami coastal impact. The spatial distribution of the maximum wave height (MWH) is provided with a tentative identification of the processes that are responsible for it. The predictions

Hydrochemical and isotopic studies in Aksaray geothermal fields central Anatolia, Turkey

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Burcak, M.

2005-01-01

The studied area is located at eastern part of Aksaray province in Central Anatolia. The basement rocks of studied area is Paleozoic aged Bozcaldag formation composed of marble, schist and gneiss and Cretaseous aged granitoid intrusion intrude within these basement rocks. These rock units are overlain uncomfortably by middle miocene to Quaternary aged volcanic rocks of Cappadocian volcanic belt interlayer sediments. The compositions of these units are mainly represented by tuff, ignimbrite, reworked tuff interlayer sediments, basalt lavas, ash fall deposits, pumice and dasite to rhyodasitic lava domes.The study area contains Ziga and Acigoel (Narkoey) thermal area, which they have similar geologic environments with in the Cappadocian volcanic belt of the Tertiary to Quaternary age. Existence of surface manifestation like that high regional heat flow, the presence of expanding acidic to weakly acidic hydrothermal alteration surrounding the geothermal area, hot springs which have a temperature of 44-65 degrees indicating the important of geothermal possibilities in the area. Water chemistry studies have been carried out on 34 water samples to estimate relation between hot and cold water, calculate reservoir temperature using geothermometre and mixing models, hydrological isotope studies were carried out to on 10 samples to clarify extending of recharging area and travel time from recharging area to discharging area. Water analyses results were assested using some diagram such as Fournier Cl-Entalphy, SiO 2 -Entalphy, Langelier- Ludwig, Piper, schoeller etc to classify them. Water-rock interaction have been tried to be define on the base of these result.On the base of water chemistry analyses, all of the cold waters are Ca-Mg-HCO 3 and CaHCO 3 type. the hot waters in Ziga field classified as Na-Cl-HCO 3 type and As and B bearing mineralized hot water. Geothermal fluids in Acigoel field, classified as Ca-Na-HCO 3 -Cl type and B bearing mineralized hot water, and �

Medical humanities as expressive of Western culture.

Science.gov (United States)

Hooker, Claire; Noonan, Estelle

2011-12-01

In this paper we articulate a growing awareness within the field of the ways in which medical humanities could be deemed expressive of Western cultural values. The authors suggest that medical humanities is culturally limited by a pedagogical and scholarly emphasis on Western cultural artefacts, as well as a tendency to enact an uncritical reliance upon foundational concepts (such as 'patient' and 'experience') within Western medicine. Both these tendencies within the field, we suggest, are underpinned by a humanistic emphasis on appreciative or receptive encounters with 'difference' among patients that may unwittingly contribute to the marginalisation of some patients and healthcare workers. While cultural difference should be acknowledged as a central preoccupation of medical humanities, we argue that the discipline must continue to expand its scholarly and critical engagements with processes of Othering in biomedicine. We suggest that such improvements are necessary in order to reflect the cultural diversification of medical humanities students, and the geographical expansion of the discipline within non-Western and/or non-Anglophone locations.

A Comparison of Food Supply from 1984 to 2009 and Degree of Dietary Westernization in Taiwan with Asian Countries and World Continents.

Science.gov (United States)

Peng, Cheau-Jane; Lin, Cheng-Yao; Guo, How-Ran

2015-01-01

To compare quality, quantity, and trends of food supply from 1984 to 2009 and degree of food westernization in Taiwan with Asian countries and world continents by using food balance data. We compiled data from food balance sheets of Taiwan and Food and Agriculture Organization, including five continents and three most populated countries each in Eastern, Southern, and Southeastern Asia over the period 1984-2009. Quantity of food supply per capita was referenced to Taiwan food guides. The population-weighted means of food supply from Europe, North America, South America, and Australia and New Zealand continents in terms of energy and nutrient distributions, animal/plant sources, and sugar/alcohol contribution were used as indicators of westernization. Trends of food supply per capita of six food groups were plotted, and linear regression was applied to evaluate food changes. Taiwan's food supply provided sufficient quantity in food energy, with the lowest cereals/roots supply and rice to wheat ratio, but the highest meat and oil supplies per capita among the 10 studied Asian countries. Taiwan food supply showed the most westernization among these countries. Food supply of Taiwan, although currently sufficient, indicated some security problems and high tendency of diet westernization.

The genetic prehistory of domesticated cattle from their origin to the spread across Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Scheu, Amelie; Powell, Adam; Bollongino, Ruth; Vigne, Jean-Denis; Tresset, Anne; Çakırlar, Canan; Benecke, Norbert; Burger, Joachim

2015-05-28

Cattle domestication started in the 9(th) millennium BC in Southwest Asia. Domesticated cattle were then introduced into Europe during the Neolithic transition. However, the scarcity of palaeogenetic data from the first European domesticated cattle still inhibits the accurate reconstruction of their early demography. In this study, mitochondrial DNA from 193 ancient and 597 modern domesticated cattle (Bos taurus) from sites across Europe, Western Anatolia and Iran were analysed to provide insight into the Neolithic dispersal process and the role of the local European aurochs population during cattle domestication. Using descriptive summary statistics and serial coalescent simulations paired with approximate Bayesian computation we find: (i) decreasing genetic diversity in a southeast to northwest direction, (ii) strong correlation of genetic and geographical distances, iii) an estimated effective size of the Near Eastern female founder population of 81, iv) that the expansion of cattle from the Near East and Anatolia into Europe does not appear to constitute a significant bottleneck, and that v) there is evidence for gene-flow between the Near Eastern/Anatolian and European cattle populations in the early phases of the European Neolithic, but that it is restricted after 5,000 BCE. The most plausible scenario to explain these results is a single and regionally restricted domestication process of cattle in the Near East with subsequent migration into Europe during the Neolithic transition without significant maternal interbreeding with the endogenous wild stock. Evidence for gene-flow between cattle populations from Southwestern Asia and Europe during the earlier phases of the European Neolithic points towards intercontinental trade connections between Neolithic farmers.

International experience of green development in Western China

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Zhen, Lin; Hu, Jie; Du, Bingzhen; Liu, Jiyuan; Sun, Chuanzhun; Wu, Ruizi; Long, Xin; Zhang, Qiang

2015-01-01

Green development emphasizes co-development between economic and environmental dimensions, and is a peoplecentered sustainable development approach. Western China demands green development, and international experience could provide necessary, unique and important help and support for Western

Niimina Ahubiya: Western Mono Song Genres

OpenAIRE

Loether, Christopher

1993-01-01

Although Native American communities may lose their ancestral language or other aspects of their traditional culture, music seems to be more resistant to the continual onslaught of the dominant Euro-American culture. Even today, traditional music remains a vital part of Native American communities throughout the United States. In this article I examine one aspect of the musical traditions of the Western Mono, specifically the different types of songs, and their functions within Western Mono s...

Effects of Source and Rate of Nitrogen Fertilizer on Yield, Yield Components and Quality of Winter Rapeseed (Brassica napus L. Efecto de la Fuente y Dosis de Fertilizantes Nitrogenados en el Rendimiento, Componentes de Rendimiento y Calidad de Semilla de Canola (Brassica napus L.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Özden Öztürk

2010-03-01

Full Text Available Winter rapeseed (Brassica napus L. has potential to become an alternate oilseed crop both for edible oil production and energy agriculture (biofuel production for Turkey. This study was conducted to determine the effect of year, N sources and doses on the yield and quality traits of winter rapeseed in a cereal system in calcareous soils over two seasons, 2000-2001 and 2001-2002, in Central Anatolia. Three N sources, ammonium sulfate, ammonium nitrate and urea, were applied as hand broadcast on the soil surface at five doses (0, 50, 100, 150, and 200 kg N ha-1. The traits investigated were plant height, number of branches and pods per plant, number of seed per pod, thousand seed weight, seed yield, oil and protein content. There were significantly effects on seed yield, oil and protein content, and other yield components due to N sources and rates. In general, ammonium sulfate and urea gave higher seed yield than ammonium nitrate. Mean values of both seasons indicated that 100 and 150 kg N ha-1 rate increased significantly yield and quality traits with regard to other N treatments. The present results highlight the practical importance of adequate N fertilization and true N source in seed yield in winter rapeseed and suggest that ammonium sulfate at 150 kg N ha-1 will be about adequate to meet crop N requirements.El raps (Brassica napus L. tiene potencial para convertirse en un cultivo oleaginoso alternativo para producción de aceite comestible y agricultura energética (producción de biodiesel en Turquía. Este estudio fue conducido para determinar el efecto del año, fuente y dosis de N en las características de rendimiento y calidad de raps en un sistema cerealero en suelos calcáreos en dos temporadas, 2000-2001 y 2001-2002, en Anatolia Central. Se aplicaron al voleo tres fuentes de N (sulfato de amonio, nitrato de amonio y urea en cinco dosis (0, 50, 100, 150 y 200 kg N ha-1. Las características investigadas fueron altura de planta, n

[Analysis of clinical characteristics of traditional Chinese and Western medicine in Professor Jiang Liangduo's theory of "sanjiao meridian stasis"].

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Hai-Yan; Jiang, Liang-Duo; Ma, Qing; Xu, Dong; Tang, Shi-Huan; Luo, Zeng-Gang

2017-12-01

In the clinical practice, Professor Jiang Liangduo, a national senior Chinese medicine doctor, has created the theory of "sanjiao meridian stasis" from the theory of meridian dialectics and from the overall state. In this paper, the traditional Chinese medicine and Western medicine clinical characteristics of sanjiao meridian stasis theory which is often used by Professor Jiang Liangduo in the treatment of out-patient syndrome differentiation, were first studied and summarized to investigate its inherent regularity. First, the source of data and research methods were introduced, and then the Traditional Chinese Medicine Inheritance Support System was used with the method of data mining to retrospectively analyze the disease characteristics of Chinese and Western medicine in 279 patients with sanjiao meridian stasis diagnosed by Professor Jiang in 2014. Then the following main conclusions were made after research: sanjiao meridian stasis was more common in women as well as young and middle-aged population. Often manifested by prolonged treatment course, red tongue with yellowishfur, with good correlation between modern Western medicine diagnosis and TCM differentiation syndrome. The symptoms of sanjiao meridian stasis syndrome are mostly of heat syndromes, and middle-aged patients are the most common patients with stasis and stasis of sanjiao. Related information of Western medicine diagnosis can help to diagnose the "sanjiao meridian stasis". Copyright© by the Chinese Pharmaceutical Association.

Children of non-Western origin with end-stage renal disease in the Netherlands, Belgium and a part of Germany have impaired health-related quality of life compared with Western children.

Science.gov (United States)

Schoenmaker, Nikki J; Haverman, Lotte; Tromp, Wilma F; van der Lee, Johanna H; Offringa, Martin; Adams, Brigitte; Bouts, Antonia H M; Collard, Laure; Cransberg, Karlien; van Dyck, Maria; Godefroid, Nathalie; van Hoeck, Koenraad; Koster-Kamphuis, Linda; Lilien, Marc R; Raes, Ann; Taylan, Christina; Grootenhuis, Martha A; Groothoff, Jaap W

2014-02-01

Many children with end-stage renal disease (ESRD) living in Western Europe are of non-Western European origin. They have unfavourable somatic outcomes compared with ESRD children of Western origin. In this study, we compared the Health-related Quality of Life (HRQoL) of both groups. All children (5-18 years) with ESRD included in the RICH-Q project (Renal Insufficiency therapy in Children-Quality assessment and improvement) or their parents were asked to complete the generic version of the Paediatric Quality-of-Life Inventory 4.0 (PedsQL). RICH-Q comprises the Netherlands, Belgium and a part of Germany. Children were considered to be of non-Western origin if they or at least one parent was born outside Western-European countries. Impaired HRQoL for children with ESRD of Western or non-Western origin was defined as a PedsQL score less than fifth percentile for healthy Dutch children of Western or non-Western origin, respectively. Of the 259 eligible children, 230 agreed to participate. One hundred and seventy-four children responded (response rate 67%) and 55 (32%) were of non-Western origin. Overall, 31 (56%) of the ESRD children of non-Western origin, and 58 (49%) of Western origin had an impaired total HRQoL score. Total HRQoL scores of children with ESRD of Western origin and non-Western origin were comparable, but scores on emotional functioning and school functioning were lower in non-Western origin (P=0.004 and 0.01, respectively). The adjusted odds ratios (95% confidence interval) for ESRD children of non-Western origin to have impaired emotional functioning and school functioning, compared with Western origin, were 3.3(1.5-7.1) and 2.2(1.1-4.2), respectively. Children with ESRD of non-Western origin in three Western countries were found to be at risk for impaired HRQoL on emotional and school functioning. These children warrant special attention.

Ethics, Gesture and the Western

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Michael Minden

2017-06-01

Full Text Available This paper relates the Western Movie to Agamben’s implied gestural zone between intention and act. Film is important in the realisation of this zone because it was the first means of representation to capture the body in movement. The Western movie explores the space of ethical indistinction between the acts of individual fighters and the establishment of a rule of law, or putting this another way, between violence and justice. Two classic examples of an archetypal Western plot (Shane, 1953 and Unforgiven, 1991 that particularly embodies this are cited. In both a gunfighter who has forsworn violence at the start is led by the circumstances of the plot to take it up once more at the conclusion. In these terms all the gestures contained between these beginning- and end-points are analysable as an ethics of gesture because, captured as gestures, they occupy the human space between abstraction and action, suspended between them, and reducible to neither.  David Foster Wallace's definition of this narrative arc in Infinite Jest (and embodied in it is adduced in order to suggest a parallel between Agamben's notion of an ethics of gesture, and an ethics of genre.

Estimating Western U.S. Reservoir Sedimentation

Science.gov (United States)

Bensching, L.; Livneh, B.; Greimann, B. P.

2017-12-01

Reservoir sedimentation is a long-term problem for water management across the Western U.S. Observations of sedimentation are limited to reservoir surveys that are costly and infrequent, with many reservoirs having only two or fewer surveys. This work aims to apply a recently developed ensemble of sediment algorithms to estimate reservoir sedimentation over several western U.S. reservoirs. The sediment algorithms include empirical, conceptual, stochastic, and processes based approaches and are coupled with a hydrologic modeling framework. Preliminary results showed that the more complex and processed based algorithms performed better in predicting high sediment flux values and in a basin transferability experiment. However, more testing and validation is required to confirm sediment model skill. This work is carried out in partnership with the Bureau of Reclamation with the goal of evaluating the viability of reservoir sediment yield prediction across the western U.S. using a multi-algorithm approach. Simulations of streamflow and sediment fluxes are validated against observed discharges, as well as a Reservoir Sedimentation Information database that is being developed by the US Army Corps of Engineers. Specific goals of this research include (i) quantifying whether inter-algorithm differences consistently capture observational variability; (ii) identifying whether certain categories of models consistently produce the best results, (iii) assessing the expected sedimentation life-span of several western U.S. reservoirs through long-term simulations.

Geochemistry and magnetic sediment distribution at the western boundary upwelling system of southwest Atlantic

Science.gov (United States)

Cruz, Anna P. S.; Barbosa, Catia F.; Ayres-Neto, Arthur; Munayco, Pablo; Scorzelli, Rosa B.; Amorim, Nívea Santos; Albuquerque, Ana L. S.; Seoane, José C. S.

2018-02-01

In order to investigate the chemical and magnetic characteristics of sediments of the western boundary upwelling system of Southwest Atlantic we analyzed magnetic susceptibility, grain size distribution, total organic carbon, heavy mineral abundance, Fe associated with Mössbauer spectra, and Fe and Mn of pore water to evaluate the deposition patterns of sediments. Four box-cores were collected along a cross-shelf transect. Brazil Current and coastal plume exert a primary control at the inner and outer shelf cores, which exhibited similar depositional patterns characterized by a high abundance of heavy minerals (mean 0.21% and 0.08%, respectively) and very fine sand, whereas middle shelf cores presented low abundances of heavy minerals (mean 0.03%) and medium silt. The inner shelf was dominated by sub-angular grains, while in middle and outer shelf cores well-rounded grains were found. The increasing Fe3+:Fe2+ ratio from the inner to the outer shelf reflects farther distance to the sediment source. The outer shelf presented well-rounded minerals, indicating abrasive processes as a result of transport by the Brazil Current from the source areas. In the middle shelf, cold-water intrusion of the South Atlantic Central Water contributes to the primary productivity, resulting in higher deposition of fine sediment and organic carbon accumulation. The high input of organic carbon and the decreased grain size are indicative of changes in the hydrodynamics and primary productivity fueled by the western boundary upwelling system, which promotes loss of magnetization due to the induction of diagenesis of iron oxide minerals.

Incorporating energy efficiency into electric power transmission planning: A western United States case study

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Barbose, Galen L.; Sanstad, Alan H.; Goldman, Charles A.

2014-01-01

Driven by system reliability goals and the need to integrate significantly increased renewable power generation, long-range, bulk-power transmission planning processes in the United States are undergoing major changes. At the same time, energy efficiency is an increasing share of the electricity resource mix in many regions, and has become a centerpiece of many utility resource plans and state policies as a means of meeting electricity demand, complementing supply-side sources, and reducing carbon dioxide emissions from the electric power system. The paper describes an innovative project in the western United States to explicitly incorporate end-use efficiency into load forecasts – projections of electricity consumption and demand – that are a critical input into transmission planning and transmission planning studies. Institutional and regulatory background and context are reviewed, along with a detailed discussion of data sources and analytical procedures used to integrate efficiency into load forecasts. The analysis is intended as a practical example to illustrate the kinds of technical and institutional issues that must be addressed in order to incorporate energy efficiency into regional transmission planning activities. - Highlights: • Incorporating energy efficiency into electric power transmission planning is an emergent analytical and policy priority. • A new methodology for this purpose was developed and applied in the western U.S. transmission system. • Efficiency scenarios were created and incorporated into multiple load forecasts. • Aggressive deployment of efficiency policies and programs can significantly reduce projected load. • The approach is broadly applicable in long-range transmission planning

Mathematics in middle schools in Western European countries

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pelgrum, W.J.

1988-01-01

The International Association for the Evaluation of Educational Achievement has conducted a number of cross-national studies in which Western European countries participated. Results from the Second International Mathematics Study regarding the content and outcomes of this study in some Western

Western Canada Sedimentary Basin competitiveness

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Millar, R.H.G.

1996-01-01

Recent dramatic expansion of the natural gas industry in the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin provided ample proof of the potential of this area for further development of natural gas supply. However, the inherent competitive advantages provided by the Western Canada Sedimentary Basin were said to have been offset by low netback prices resulting in poor producer economics when competitiveness is measured by availability of opportunities to find and develop gas supply at costs low enough to ensure attractive returns. Technology was identified as one of the key elements in improving basin competitiveness, but the greatest potential lies in reduced transportation costs and increased access to North American market centres. 8 figs

Geochemical characteristics of Lower Jurassic source rocks in the Zhongkouzi Basin

Science.gov (United States)

Niu, Haiqing; Han, Xiaofeng; Wei, Jianshe; Zhang, Huiyuan; Wang, Baowen

2018-01-01

Zhongkouzi basin is formed in Mesozoic and Cenozoic and developed on the Hercynian folded belt, the degree of exploration for oil and gas is relatively low hitherto. In order to find out the geochemical characteristics of the source rocks and the potentials for hydrocarbon generation. The research result shows that by analysis the geochemical characteristics of outcrop samples and new core samples in Longfengshan Group, Longfengshan Group are most developed intervals of favorable source rocks. They are formed in depression period of the basin when the sedimentary environments is salt water lacustrine and the water is keeping stable; The organic matter abundance is middle-higher, the main kerogen type is II1-II2 and few samples act as III type, The organic matter maturity is low maturity to medium maturity. The organic matter maturity of the source rock from eastern part of the basin is higher than in the western region. The source rock of Longfengshan Group are in the hydrocarbon generation threshold. The great mass of source rocks are matured and in the peak stage of oil generation.

The Persian Reception of Western Law and its Subsequent Organic Development in Inner-Asian Comparison

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Afsah, Ebrahim

encounter through a comparison of the Iranian experience with other Muslim experiences, but in particular with the very different Japanese approach. Individuals in all three of these cultural spheres sought to capture what made the West so powerful and transpose that essence at home. They all identified...... the Western legal tradition as a particularly important component of modernity and an enduring source of strength. The relative hostility in the Islamic world to transposed legal norms is often explained with reference to the peculiar characteristics of its religious dogma and continues to define and hinder...

Phytoremediation of spoil coal dumps in Western Donbass (Ukraine)

Science.gov (United States)

Klimkina, Iryna; Kharytonov, Mykola; Wiche, Oliver; Heilmeier, Hermann

2017-04-01

At the moment, in Ukraine about 150 thousand hectares of fertile land are occupied by spoil dumps. Moreover, this figure increases every year. According to the technology used about 1500 m3 of adjacent stratum is dumped at the surface per every 1000 tons of coal mined. Apart from land amortization, waste dumps drastically change the natural landscape and pollute air, soil and water sources as the result of water and wind erosion, as well as self-ignition processes. A serious concern exists with respect to the Western Donbass coal mining region in Ukraine, where the coal extraction is made by the subsurface way and solid wastes are represented by both spoil dumps and wastes after coal processing. Sulphides, mostly pyrite (up to 4% of waste material), are widely distributed in the waste heaps freshly removed due to coal mining in Western Donbass.The oxidation of pyrite with the presence of oxygen and water is accompanied by a sharp drop in the pH from the surface layer to the spoil dumps(from 5.2-6.2 to 3.9-4.2 in soil substrates with chernozen and from 8.3-8.4 to 6.7-7.2 in soil substrates with red-brown clay, stabilizing in dump material in both cases at 2.9-3.2). Low pH generates the transformation of a number of toxic metals and other elementspresent in waste rock (e.g. Fe, Al, Mn, Zn, Mo, Co, As, Cd, Bi, Pb, U) into mobile forms. To stabilize and reduce metal mobility the most resistant plants that occur naturally in specified ecosystems can be used. On coal spoil dumpsin Western Donbas the dominant species are Bromopsis inermis, subdominant Artemisia austriaca; widespread are also Festucas pp., Lathyrus tuberosus, Inula sp., Calamagrostis epigeios, Lotus ucrainicus, and Vicias pp. Identification of plants tolerant to target metals is a key issue in phytotechnology for soil restoration. It is hypothesized that naturally occurring plants growing on coal spoil dumps can be candidates for phytostabilization, phytoextraction (phytoaccumulation) and phytomining

Middle Class Fortunes in Western Europe

OpenAIRE

Kochhar, Rakesh

2017-01-01

This paper examines the state of the middle classes in the U.S. and 11 countries in Western Europe and how it has changed since 1991. Among Western Europe's six largest economies, the shares of adults living in middle-income households increased in France, the Netherlands and the United Kingdom from 1991 to 2010, but shrank in Germany, Italy and Spain. France, the Netherlands and the UK also experienced notable growth in disposable household income, but incomes were either stagnant or falling...

The offshore record of variable Cenozoic sediment flux from Western Scandinavia

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Goledowski, Bartosz; Clausen, O.R.; Nielsen, S.B.

2009-01-01

, 2005) to glacial. As, furthermore, glacial erosion (the glacial "buzzsaw" Mitchell and Montgomery, 2006; Brozovic et al., 1997; Pedersen et al, 2008) and periglacial processes (Anderson, 2002) are known to possess the potential for producing characteristic low-relief accordant landscapes at high...... elevation, this hypothesis also provides and alternative to understanding flattish landscape elements in the western Scandinavian highlands, which conventionally have been explained as remnants of uplifted peneplains previously graded to sea level (the Davisian cyclic landscape evolution model). Therefore...... and adjacent sedimentary basins emerges. This hypothesis is to be tested using the present results. Estimation of offshore matrix mass will be the basis for reconstruction of the development of source areas with use of mathematical models of landscape evolution....

Geochemistry of crude oils, seepage oils and source rocks from Belize and Guatemala

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Petersen, H.I.; Holland, B.; Nytoft, H.P.

2012-01-01

This study reviews the stratigraphy and the poorly documented petroleum geology of the Belize-Guatemala area in northern Central America. Guatemala is divided by the east-west trending La Libertad arch into the North and South Petén Basins. The arch is the westward continuation of the Maya...... generated from source rocks with similar thermal maturities. The crude oils were generated from marine carbonate source rocks and could be divided into three groups: Group 1 oils come from the North Petén Basin (Guatemala) and the western part of the Corozal Basin (Belize), and have a typical carbonate...

Islamic and Western perspectives on applied media ethics

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Saadia Izzeldin Malik

2015-12-01

Full Text Available This study discusses the compatibility of Islamic theories of ethics with Western theories of ethics regarding the ethics of global journalism. The study examines Western and Islamic approaches and perspectives on ethics and applied ethics in the field of journalism. Central to the discussion are global journalism values of freedom of expression, individual right for privacy, public right to know, and the global clashing values of media ownership vs. freedom, and consumerism values vs. media values of social responsibility. These clashing media values are part of the broader practices of newsgathering and news reporting that encompass many ethical dilemmas in the field of media and journalism. The study concludes by discussing Western perspectives on character education. It also provides an Islamic moral perspective based on character education as an approach compatible with the Western perspective on moral education. This perspective will help reconcile global clashing media values.

Widespread triploidy in Western North American aspen (Populus tremuloides.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Karen E Mock

Full Text Available We document high rates of triploidy in aspen (Populus tremuloides across the western USA (up to 69% of genets, and ask whether the incidence of triploidy across the species range corresponds with latitude, glacial history (as has been documented in other species, climate, or regional variance in clone size. Using a combination of microsatellite genotyping, flow cytometry, and cytology, we demonstrate that triploidy is highest in unglaciated, drought-prone regions of North America, where the largest clone sizes have been reported for this species. While we cannot completely rule out a low incidence of undetected aneuploidy, tetraploidy or duplicated loci, our evidence suggests that these phenomena are unlikely to be significant contributors to our observed patterns. We suggest that the distribution of triploid aspen is due to a positive synergy between triploidy and ecological factors driving clonality. Although triploids are expected to have low fertility, they are hypothesized to be an evolutionary link to sexual tetraploidy. Thus, interactions between clonality and polyploidy may be a broadly important component of geographic speciation patterns in perennial plants. Further, cytotypes are expected to show physiological and structural differences which may influence susceptibility to ecological factors such as drought, and we suggest that cytotype may be a significant and previously overlooked factor in recent patterns of high aspen mortality in the southwestern portion of the species range. Finally, triploidy should be carefully considered as a source of variance in genomic and ecological studies of aspen, particularly in western U.S. landscapes.

Western Area Power Administration annual site environmental report for calendar year 2005

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

None

2005-12-31

This document outlines the accomplishments and status of the environmental program of the Western Area Power Administration (Western) for calendar year 2005. In 2005, Western submitted 190 reports to state and local emergency response personnel and had 60 California Hazardous Materials Business Plans in place as required under the Emergency Planning and Community Right-to-Know Act. These reports identify the hazardous substances contained at these sites. At sites where potential oil spills could harm surrounding ecosystems and waterways, Western prepares Spill Prevention, Control, and Countermeasure (SPCC) plans. These plans identify measures to prevent spills from harming the environment, such as identifying the need for secondary containment at facilities. Western currently has SPCC plans for 154 facilities in 13 states. In 2005, Western updated 19 SPCC plans and prepared one new plan. Western operated under 107 environmental permits in 2005. Western evaluates the impact of its planned actions on the environment by preparing National Environmental Policy Act documentation. In 2005, Western completed or was working on 60 categorical exclusions, 18 environmental assessments and eight environmental impact statements, issued six Findings of No Significant Impact, and prepared four Mitigation Action Plans. Western held several public workshops/meetings and consulted with 70 American Indian Tribes for various projects. In 2005, Western was working on or had completed 11 Section 7 consultations under the Endangered Species Act. In 2005, Western recycled more than 3,600 metric tons of electrical equipment, mineral oil dielectric fluid, asphalt, fluorescent and metal halide light bulbs, wood poles and crossarms, and other items as well as office waste. Western made $437,816 worth of purchases containing recovered content materials. Western met the requirement of Executive Order 13148, Greening the Government through Leadership in Environmental Management to have its

Depth to the bottom of magnetic sources (DBMS) from aeromagnetic data of Central India using modified centroid method for fractal distribution of sources

Science.gov (United States)

Bansal, A. R.; Anand, S. P.; Rajaram, Mita; Rao, V. K.; Dimri, V. P.

2013-09-01

The depth to the bottom of the magnetic sources (DBMS) has been estimated from the aeromagnetic data of Central India. The conventional centroid method of DBMS estimation assumes random uniform uncorrelated distribution of sources and to overcome this limitation a modified centroid method based on scaling distribution has been proposed. Shallower values of the DBMS are found for the south western region. The DBMS values are found as low as 22 km in the south west Deccan trap covered regions and as deep as 43 km in the Chhattisgarh Basin. In most of the places DBMS are much shallower than the Moho depth, earlier found from the seismic study and may be representing the thermal/compositional/petrological boundaries. The large variation in the DBMS indicates the complex nature of the Indian crust.

Renewable energy policy in remote rural areas of Western China. Implementation and socio-economic benefits

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Shyu, Chian-Woei

2010-05-19

Electricity is essential for rural development. In 2005, 1.6 billion people, around a quarter of the world's population, living mostly in rural areas of developing countries, had no access to electricity. In general, remote rural areas in developing countries have little prospect of having access to grid-based electricity, which usually only extends to densely populated urban areas, where a large customer base justifies heavy expenditure for electricity infrastructure. One option for electrification in remote rural areas is to decentralize electricity systems based on renewable energy sources. However, such an option is not universally agreed upon. This dissertation examines a renewable energy-based rural electrification program, the 'Township Electrification Program', launched by the Chinese government in 2002. The Program was implemented in 1013 non-electrified townships in remote rural areas of 11 western provinces, providing electricity for 300,000 households and 1.3 million people. And at the time of research, the Program was known as the world's largest renewable energy-based rural electrification program in terms of investment volume ever carried out by a country. Two townships, Saierlong Township in Qinghai Province and Namcuo Township in Tibet Autonomous Region, were selected as cases for an in-depth examination of rural electrification practices in remote rural areas of western China. Both qualitative (interviews, observations, mapping, and transition walk) and quantitative (household survey) methods were applied in the field to collect data. The main findings of the study are summarized as follows: First, political leaders' concern over the unequal economic development of eastern and western China, as well as rural and urban areas, was the main factor triggering inclusion of the policy issue, electricity access in remote rural areas of western China, in the government's policy agenda. Second, like other energy policies, the

Gulf of Mexico Sales 142 and 143: Central and western planning areas

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-11-01

This environmental impact statement (EIS) addresses two proposed Federal actions, lease Sales 142 and 143, that will offer for lease Gulf of Mexico Outer Continental Shelf (OCS) areas that may contain economically recoverable oil and gas resources. The lease sales are proposed for 1993 and include lease blocks in the Central Gulf of Mexico Planning Area (CPA) and Western Gulf of Mexico Planning Area (WPA). Up to 10,099 blocks will be available for lease under the two proposed actions; only a small percentage is expected to be actually leased. On average, 401 blocks in the Central Gulf and 264 blocks in the Western Gulf have been leased in individual Gulf of Mexico OCS lease sales since 1984. Of the blocks that will be leased as a result of the two proposed actions, only a portion will be drilled and result in subsequent production. The scoping process was used to obtain information and comments on the proposed actions and the potential environmental effects from diverse interests, including the affected States, Federal agencies, the petroleum industry, environmental and public interest groups, and concerned individuals. The input from these sources aided in the identification of significant issues, possible alternatives to the proposed actions, and potential mitigating measures