Maestrichtian benthic foraminifers from Ocean Point, North Slope, Alaska ( USA).

Science.gov (United States)

McDougall, K.

1987-01-01

Previous studies of fauna and flora from Ocean Point, Alaska, have suggested ages ranging from Campanian to early Eocene and that these assemblages are either highly endemic or commonplace. I demonstrate that the moderately abundant benthic foraminifers constitute early Maestrichtian boreal assemblages common to Canada and northern Europe. Paleoenvironmental analysis indicates that deposition took place in outer neritic settings (50 to 150m). The Ocean Point benthic foraminiferal assemblages contain species that migrated from the US Gulf Coast, North American Interior and Europe during the Campanian, and from Europe during the Maestrichtian. These faunal affinities suggest that seaways connected the Arctic to the North American Interior and Atlantic during the Campanian and that a shallow seaway connected the Arctic to the Atlantic during the early Maestrichtian. - from Author

University of Otago 1998 field school excavations at Shag Point, North Otago

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Weisler, M.I.

1998-01-01

During late 1997, discussions with Gerard O'Regan, representing Te Runanga O Moeraki, lead to combining the needs of cultural resource management, teaching and research at the Shag Point archaeological site, situated about an hour's drive north from the University of Otago. In late 1996, a car park (ca. 20 by 40 m) was bulldozed on Department of Conservation land just inland from Shag Point. Unfortunately, the north-east portion of the site, as well as cultural deposits along newly graded access roads, were destroyed. Te Runanga O Moeraki requested that I conduct archaeological survey and excavations at Shag Point to determine the extent of site destruction and to recover a sample of cultural material in the bulldozer spoil dirt. In addition to these cultural resource management objectives, it was necessary, from a research point of view, to determine: (1) the site area; (2) dates of site use; (3) the nature of occupation, subsistence practices and stone-tool technology; (4) evidence of interaction through analysis of imported artefacts; and (5) relationship of the Shag Point site to the major prehistoric village at Shag River mouth, located less than 1 km south. (author). 2 refs., 2 figs

Multilingual Language and Literacy Practices and Social Identities in Sunni Madrassahs in Mauritius: A Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Owodally, Ambarin Mooznah Auleear

2011-01-01

This study analyzes the connections among multilingual language practices, multilingual literacy practices, and social identities in two Sunni madrassahs in Mauritius. The study is framed by sociolinguistic and poststructuralist perspectives on language and identity, and social practice views of literacy. Data collection and analysis involved…

Sunni and Shi’a Terrorism: Differences that Matter

Science.gov (United States)

2008-12-29

Upon the United States (Washington, DC: St. Martin’s Press, 2004), 88‐89.  The  report’s  language  was curiously qualified when discussing the Iranian...such a tactic cannot be ruled out in the future.  84 Poland, the Czech Republic, the  Slovak  Republic...Democratic Front for the Liberation of Palestine (DFLP)*    Hamas*    Iranian Extremists/Militants – Kuwait ( label  applied by Sunni Kuwait  government

Variation in nutritional quality of plants for deer in relation to sunny versus shady environments

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas A. Hanley; Jeffrey C. Barnard

2014-01-01

Variation in nutritional quality of natural forages for black-tailed deer (Odocoileus hemionus) was studied in summer and winter in southeast Alaska. Freeze-dried samples of 17 summer forages collected in early July and 10 winter forages collected in February from three replicate sites each of shady forest understory and open, sunny habitat were...

The Sunni and Shia Schism: Religion, Islamic Politics, and Why Americans Need to Know the Differences

Science.gov (United States)

Moore, James

2015-01-01

Research indicates that most American citizens know little about Islam and, specifically, the major differences between Sunni Muslims and Shiite Muslims and why this matters to the United States. Although the two major Islamic factions share many common core beliefs and practices, there are some significant religious and political differences…

Why Targets of Economic Sanctions React Differently: Reference Point Effects on North Korea and Libya

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Jiyoun Park

2017-06-01

Full Text Available The international community has frequently introduced economic sanctions to curb the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction, to which each target nation has reacted differently. This paper explores the reasons why each target of economic sanctions reacts differently by specif- ically building a model based on reference point effects, and by analyzing the cases of North Korea and Libya. According to the results, when the reference point level increases, as in the case of North Korea, the target resists more firmly; on the other hand, when the reference point decreases, like in the case of Libya, the target resists more subtly.

Annual Performance Assessment of Complex Fenestration Systems in Sunny Climates Using Advanced Computer Simulations

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Chantal Basurto

2015-12-01

Full Text Available Complex Fenestration Systems (CFS are advanced daylighting systems that are placed on the upper part of a window to improve the indoor daylight distribution within rooms. Due to their double function of daylight redirection and solar protection, they are considered as a solution to mitigate the unfavorable effects due to the admission of direct sunlight in buildings located in prevailing sunny climates (risk of glare and overheating. Accordingly, an adequate assessment of their performance should include an annual evaluation of the main aspects relevant to the use of daylight in such regions: the indoor illuminance distribution, thermal comfort, and visual comfort of the occupant’s. Such evaluation is possible with the use of computer simulations combined with the bi-directional scattering distribution function (BSDF data of these systems. This study explores the use of available methods to assess the visible and thermal annual performance of five different CFS using advanced computer simulations. To achieve results, an on-site daylight monitoring was carried out in a building located in a predominantly sunny climate location, and the collected data was used to create and calibrate a virtual model used to carry-out the simulations. The results can be employed to select the CFS, which improves visual and thermal interior environment for the occupants.

Traditional use of medicinal plants among Kalasha, Ismaeli and Sunni groups in Chitral District, Khyber Pakhtunkhwa province, Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Sher, Hassan; Bussmann, Rainer W; Hart, Robbie; de Boer, Hugo J

2016-07-21

The traditional use of medicinal plants for the treatment of human and livestock ailments is important to indigenous communities in the northern parts of Pakistan, and considered to be a valuable local biological and sociocultural heritage. The aim of this study was to obtain a detailed inventory of medicinal plant use and preparation among Kalasha, Ismaeli and Sunni groups. Semi-structured group and individual interviews were carried out with men and women of different age groups that identified themselves as being Kalasha, Ismaeli or Sunni. Interviews were followed up by field visits to collect herbarium vouchers and record in greater detail the exact methods of harvesting, preparation and use on medicinal plants. A total of 76 species were recorded for treatment of various diseases. The Kalasha, Ismaili and Sunni ethnic groups have similar medicinal floras, but show striking differences in plant use. Our comparative survey shows that out of all species reported in this study, only 13 species have been reported previously from Chitral District. Indigenous knowledge of folk medicine is intricately linked to local culture, religion and history. Any short study can only scratch the surface of this intricate system, but provide an insight into the critical importance of medicinal plants for local livelihoods and the important role these play in health care systems. There is a great need to assess and properly manage the production potential of medicinal plants to ensure sustainable supply of these species for local use and subsistence trade. Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Ireland Ltd. All rights reserved.

THE SUNNI-SHI'ITE RIVALRY AND ITS INFLUENCE ON THE GEOPOLITICAL SITUATION OF THE MIDDLE EAST

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Alexander A. Kuznetsov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article "The Sunni-Shi'ite rivalry and its influence on the geopolitical situation of the Middle East" is dedicated to the sectarian conflicts in the Middle East region in last 30 years. Author considers the Islamic revolution of 1979 in Iran as the point of departure of this conflict. Author of the article makes a difference between the Shi'ite Islamic revolutionary doctrine of Khomeini and the Salafi Islamic fundamentalism of Saudi Arabia. Author realizes the analysis of the war between Iran and Iraq in 1980-1988. This analysis is emphasized on the regional geopolitical situation and positions of the outside actors (Saudi Arabia, USA, France, Germany. Then it is covered the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 and its geopolitical consequences. To the author's mind this aggression and further empowerment of the Shi'ite majority reduced to the civil war in Iraq and exacerbation of the sectarian conflict. Author of the article considers these events as a part of the geopolitical rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia to unfold in the areas of Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

The Sunni-Shi'ite Rivalry And Its Influence On The Geopolitical Situation Of The Middle East

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander A. Kuznetsov

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The article "The Sunni-Shi'ite rivalry and its influence on the geopolitical situation of the Middle East" is dedicated to the sectarian conflicts in the Middle East region in last 30 years. Author considers the Islamic revolution of 1979 in Iran as the point of departure of this conflict. Author of the article makes a difference between the Shi'ite Islamic revolutionary doctrine of Khomeini and the Salafi Islamic fundamentalism of Saudi Arabia. Author realizes the analysis of the war between Iran and Iraq in 1980-1988. This analysis is emphasized on the regional geopolitical situation and positions of the outside actors (Saudi Arabia, USA, France, Germany. Then it is covered the American invasion of Iraq in 2003 and its geopolitical consequences. To the author's mind this aggression and further empowerment of the Shi'ite majority reduced to the civil war in Iraq and exacerbation of the sectarian conflict. Author of the article considers these events as a part of the geopolitical rivalry between Iran and Saudi Arabia to unfold in the areas of Iraq, Syria and Lebanon.

Dd-antigen-antibody system in five caste groups in north India.

Science.gov (United States)

Berry, V; Kaur, H

1991-12-01

Antigen Dd, a polymorphic antigen found in extracts of certain human dandruff specimens, was investigated in five caste groups of north India. The incidence of antigen Dd-positive type varied from 21.21 per cent in Brahmins to 29.08 per cent in the Jat Sikhs of Punjab. However, a high frequency (45%) was observed in the Sunni Muslims of Kashmir, which differed significantly, when compared with different caste groups of Punjab. Family studies on 44 families indicated its inherited nature, the mode of inheritance being autosomal dominant.

[Is there vitamin D deficiency in children in a sunny Mediterranean city?].

Science.gov (United States)

Togo, A; Espadas Maciá, D; Blanes Segura, S; Sivó Díaz, N; Villalba Martínez, C

2016-03-01

Despite the increasing interest in vitamin D functions, new cases of deficiency have been reported in sunny regions where optimal levels are expected. The aim of this study was to analyze 25-hydroxivitamin D levels in children younger than 2 years admitted for acute mild diseases in a tertiary hospital in Valencia and its relationship with factors that can be associated with its deficiency. This one year prospective and observational study was conducted on 169 children admitted for acute mild diseases. 25-hydroxivitamin D levels were analyzed. A standardized physical examination and structured interviews to the parents were performed. Children were classified into two groups, according to 25-hydroxivitamin D levels (cut-off 30 ng/mL). A total of 169 children were included, with a median age of 9 months, being more prevalent Caucasians (75.7%) and youger than one year old (79.3%). Almost one quarter (24.3%) of the children had 25-hydroxivitamin D levels 30 ng/mL were associated with vitamin D prophylaxis during the first year, in children of a Caucasian mother, and those who did not wear a hijab. No statistical differences were found in diet characteristics (P=.65). Prophylaxis was given to 47% of the breastfed children younger than one year. In Valencia, Spain, 25-hydroxivitamin D levels lower than 30 ng/mL were found in a quarter of the children younger than two years. Our results emphasize the importance of vitamin D prophylaxis during the first year of life, even in sunny Mediterranean regions. Copyright © 2015 Asociación Española de Pediatría. Published by Elsevier España, S.L.U. All rights reserved.

Chemical characteristics of North American surface layer outflow: Insights from Chebogue Point, Nova Scotia

Science.gov (United States)

Millet, Dylan B.; Goldstein, Allen H.; Holzinger, Rupert; Williams, Brent J.; Allan, James D.; Jimenez, José L.; Worsnop, Douglas R.; Roberts, James M.; White, Allen B.; Hudman, Rynda C.; Bertschi, Isaac T.; Stohl, Andreas

2006-12-01

We present a factor analysis-based method for differentiating air masses on the basis of source influence and apply the method to a broad suite of trace gas and aerosol measurements collected at Chebogue Point, Nova Scotia, during the summer of 2004 to characterize the chemical composition of atmospheric outflow from eastern North America. CO, ozone, and aerosol mass were elevated by 30%, 56%, and more than 300% at Chebogue Point during U.S. outflow periods. Organic aerosol mass was highest during U.S. pollution events, but made up the largest fraction (70%) of the total aerosol during periods of primary and especially secondary biogenic influence, indicating the importance of both anthropogenic and biogenic organic aerosol. Anthropogenic and oxygenated volatile organic compounds account for the bulk of the gas-phase organic carbon under most conditions; however, biogenic compounds are important in terms of chemical reactivity. Biogenic emissions thus have a significant impact on the chemistry of air masses downwind of the polluted northeastern United States. Using output from a global 3-D model of atmospheric composition (GEOS-Chem), we estimate that CO directly emitted from U.S. pollution sources makes up 28% of the total CO observed at Chebogue Point during U.S. outflow events and 19% at other times, although more work is needed to improve U.S. emission estimates for CO and other pollutants. We conclude that the effects of North American pollution on the chemistry of the western North Atlantic boundary layer are pervasive and not restricted to particular events.

Change Points in the Population Trends of Aerial-Insectivorous Birds in North America: Synchronized in Time across Species and Regions.

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Adam C Smith

Full Text Available North American populations of aerial insectivorous birds are in steep decline. Aerial insectivores (AI are a group of bird species that feed almost exclusively on insects in flight, and include swallows, swifts, nightjars, and flycatchers. The causes of the declines are not well understood. Indeed, it is not clear when the declines began, or whether the declines are shared across all species in the group (e.g., caused by changes in flying insect populations or specific to each species (e.g., caused by changes in species' breeding habitat. A recent study suggested that population trends of aerial insectivores changed for the worse in the 1980s. If there was such a change point in trends of the group, understanding its timing and geographic pattern could help identify potential causes of the decline. We used a hierarchical Bayesian, penalized regression spline, change point model to estimate group-level change points in the trends of 22 species of AI, across 153 geographic strata of North America. We found evidence for group-level change points in 85% of the strata. Change points for flycatchers (FC were distinct from those for swallows, swifts and nightjars (SSN across North America, except in the Northeast, where all AI shared the same group-level change points. During the 1980s, there was a negative change point across most of North America, in the trends of SSN. For FC, the group-level change points were more geographically variable, and in many regions there were two: a positive change point followed by a negative change point. This group-level synchrony in AI population trends is likely evidence of a response to a common environmental factor(s with similar effects on many species across broad spatial extents. The timing and geographic patterns of the change points that we identify here should provide a spring-board for research into the causes behind aerial insectivore declines.

Living in the hands of God. English Sunni e-fatwas on (non-)voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide.

Science.gov (United States)

Van den Branden, Stef; Broeckaert, Bert

2011-02-01

Ever since the start of the twentieth century, a growing interest and importance of studying fatwas can be noted, with a focus on Arabic printed fatwas (Wokoeck 2009). The scholarly study of end-of-life ethics in these fatwas is a very recent feature, taking a first start in the 1980s (Anees 1984; Rispler-Chaim 1993). Since the past two decades, we have witnessed the emergence of a multitude of English fatwas that can easily be consulted through the Internet ('e-fatwas'), providing Muslims worldwide with a form of Islamic normative guidance on a huge variety of topics. Although English online fatwas do provide guidance for Muslims and Muslim minorities worldwide on a myriad of topics including end-of-life issues, they have hardly been studied. This study analyses Islamic views on (non-)voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide as expressed in English Sunni fatwas published on independent--i.e. not created by established organisations--Islamic websites. We use Tyan's definition of a fatwa to distinguish between fatwas and other types of texts offering Islamic guidance through the Internet. The study of e-fatwas is framed in the context of Bunt's typology of Cyber Islamic Environments (Bunt 2009) and in the framework of Roy's view on the virtual umma (Roy 2002). '(Non-)voluntary euthanasia and assisted suicide' are defined using Broeckaert's conceptual framework on treatment decisions at the end of life (Broeckaert 2008). We analysed 32 English Sunni e-fatwas. All of the e-fatwas discussed here firmly speak out against every form of active termination of life. They often bear the same structure, basing themselves solely on Quranic verses and prophetic traditions, leaving aside classical jurisprudential discussions on the subject. In this respect they share the characteristics central in Roy's typology of the fatwa in the virtual umma. On the level of content, they are in line with the international literature on Islamic end-of-life ethics. English Sunni e-fatwas make

Modelling the spectral irradiance distribution in sunny inland locations using an ANN-based methodology

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres-Ramírez, M.; Elizondo, D.; García-Domingo, B.; Nofuentes, G.; Talavera, D.L.

2015-01-01

This work is aimed at verifying that in sunny inland locations artificial intelligence techniques may provide an estimation of the spectral irradiance with adequate accuracy for photovoltaic applications. An ANN (artificial neural network) based method was developed, trained and tested to model the spectral distributions between wavelengths ranging from 350 to 1050 nm. Only commonly available input data such as geographical information regarding location, specific date and time together with horizontal global irradiance and ambient temperature are required. Historical information from a 24-month experimental campaign carried out in Jaén (Spain) provided the necessary data to train and test the ANN tool. A Kohonen self-organized map was used as innovative technique to classify the whole input dataset and build a small and representative training dataset. The shape of the spectral irradiance distribution, the in-plane global irradiance (G T ) and irradiation (H T ) and the APE (average photon energy) values obtained through the ANN method were statistically compared to the experimental ones. In terms of shape distribution fitting, the mean relative deformation error stays below 4.81%. The root mean square percentage error is around 6.89% and 0.45% when estimating G T and APE, respectively. Regarding H T , errors lie below 3.18% in all cases. - Highlights: • ANN-based model to estimate the spectral irradiance distribution in sunny inland locations. • MRDE value stay below 4.81% in spectral irradiance distribution shape fitting. • RMSPE is about 6.89% for the in-plane global irradiance and 0.45% for the average photon energy. • Errors stay below 3.18% for all the months of the year in incident irradiation terms. • Improvement of assessment of the impact of the solar spectrum in the performance of a PV module

The impact of silicon solar cell architecture and cell interconnection on energy yield in hot & sunny climates

KAUST Repository

Haschke, Jan

2017-03-23

Extensive knowledge of the dependence of solar cell and module performance on temperature and irradiance is essential for their optimal application in the field. Here we study such dependencies in the most common high-efficiency silicon solar cell architectures, including so-called Aluminum back-surface-field (BSF), passivated emitter and rear cell (PERC), passivated emitter rear totally diffused (PERT), and silicon heterojunction (SHJ) solar cells. We compare measured temperature coefficients (TC) of the different electrical parameters with values collected from commercial module data sheets. While similar TC values of the open-circuit voltage and the short circuit current density are obtained for cells and modules of a given technology, we systematically find that the TC under maximum power-point (MPP) conditions is lower in the modules. We attribute this discrepancy to additional series resistance in the modules from solar cell interconnections. This detrimental effect can be reduced by using a cell design that exhibits a high characteristic load resistance (defined by its voltage-over-current ratio at MPP), such as the SHJ architecture. We calculate the energy yield for moderate and hot climate conditions for each cell architecture, taking into account ohmic cell-to-module losses caused by cell interconnections. Our calculations allow us to conclude that maximizing energy production in hot and sunny environments requires not only a high open-circuit voltage, but also a minimal series-to-load-resistance ratio.

Visitor’s Guide to Oliktok Point Atmospheric Radiation Measurement Climate Research Facility, North Slope of Alaska

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Desilets, Darin [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Helsel, Fred M. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Bendure, Al O. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Lucero, Daniel A. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Ivey, Mark D. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States); Dexheimer, Danielle N. [Sandia National Lab. (SNL-NM), Albuquerque, NM (United States)

2016-04-01

The importance of Oliktok Point, Alaska, as a focal point for climate research in the Arctic continues to grow with the addition of a U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) Atmospheric Radiation Monitoring (ARM) Climate Research Facility Mobile Facility (AMF) and the expansion of infrastructure to support airborne measurements. The site hosts a suite of instruments for making multi-year, high-fidelity atmospheric measurements; serves as a base of operations for field campaigns; and contains the only Restricted Airspace and Warning Area in the U.S. Arctic, which enables the use of unmanned aircraft systems. The use of this site by climate researchers involves several considerations, including its remoteness, harsh climate, and location amid the North Slope oilfields. This guide is intended to help visitors to Oliktok Point navigate this unique physical and administrative environment, and thereby facilitate safe and productive operations.

Study on analytical modelling approaches to the performance of thin film PV modules in sunny inland climates

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Torres-Ramírez, M.; Nofuentes, G.; Silva, J.P.; Silvestre, S.; Muñoz, J.V.

2014-01-01

This work is aimed at verifying that analytical modelling approaches may provide an estimation of the outdoor performance of TF (thin film) PV (photovoltaic) technologies in inland sites with sunny climates with adequate accuracy for engineering purposes. Osterwald's and constant fill factor methods were tried to model the maximum power delivered and the annual energy produced by PV modules corresponding to four TF PV technologies. Only calibrated electrical parameters at STC (standard test conditions), on-plane global irradiance and module temperature are required as inputs. A 12-month experimental campaign carried out in Madrid and Jaén (Spain) provided the necessary data. Modelled maximum power and annual energy values obtained through both methods were statistically compared to the experimental ones. In power terms, the RMSE (root mean square error) stays below 3.8% and 4.5% for CdTe (cadmium telluride) and CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide sulfide) PV modules, respectively, while RMSE exceeds 5.4% for a-Si (amorphous silicon) or a-Si:H/μc-Si PV modules. Regarding energy terms, errors lie below 4.0% in all cases. Thus, the methods tried may be used to model the outdoor behaviour of the a-Si, a-Si:H/μc-Si, CIGS and CdTe PV modules tested – ordered from the lowest to the highest accuracy obtained – in sites with similar spectral characteristics to those of the two sites considered. - Highlights: • Simple analytical methods to model the outdoor behaviour of thin film PV (photovoltaic) technologies. • 8 PV modules were deployed outdoors over a 12-month period in two sunny inland sites. • RMSE (root mean square error) values stay below 3.8% and 4.5% in CdTe (cadmium telluride) and CIGS (copper indium gallium selenide sulfide) PV modules. • Errors remain below 4.0% for all the PV modules and sites in energy terms. • Simple methods: suitable estimation of PV outdoor behaviour for engineering purposes

Visit Sunny Chernobyl: And Other Adventures in the World's Most Polluted Places

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Blackwell, Andrew

2013-01-01

This book is the French translation of 'Visit Sunny Chernobyl' published in 2012 by Random House editor. For most of us, traveling means visiting the most beautiful places on Earth. It's rare to book a plane ticket to visit the lifeless moonscape of Canada's oil sand strip mines, or to seek out the Chinese city of Linfen, legendary as the most polluted in the world. But in this book, the author embraces a different kind of travel, taking a jaunt through the most gruesomely polluted places on Earth. From the hidden bars and convenience stores of a radioactive wilderness to the sacred but reeking waters of India, the book fuses immersive first-person reporting with satire and analysis, making the case that it's time to start appreciating our planet as it is not as we wish it would be. Irreverent and reflective, the book is a love letter to our biosphere's most tainted, most degraded ecosystems, and a measured consideration of what they mean for us. Equal parts travelogue, expose, environmental memoir, and faux guidebook, the author careens through a rogue's gallery of environmental disaster areas in search of the worst the world has to offer and approaches a deeper understanding of what's really happening to our planet in the process

Making muslim babies: Ivf and gamete donation in sunni versus shi’a islam

Science.gov (United States)

2006-01-01

Medical anthropological research on science, biotechnology, and religion has focused on the “local moral worlds” of men and women as they make difficult decisions regarding their health and the beginnings and endings of human life. This paper focuses on the local moral worlds of infertile Muslims as they attempt to make, in the religiously correct fashion, Muslim babies at in vitro fertilization (IVF) clinics in Egypt and Lebanon. As early as 1980, authoritative fatwas issued from Egypt’s famed Al-Azhar University suggested that IVF and similar technologies are permissible as long as they do not involve any form of third-party donation (of sperm, eggs, embryos, or uteruses). Since the late 1990s, however, divergences in opinion over third-party gamete donation have occurred between Sunni and Shi’ite Muslims, with Iran’s leading ayatollah permitting gamete donation under certain conditions. This Iranian fatwa has had profound implications for the country of Lebanon, where a Shi’ite majority also seeks IVF services. Based on three periods of ethnographic research in Egyptian and Lebanese IVF clinics, this paper explores official and unofficial religious discourses surrounding the practice of IVF and third-party donation in the Muslim world, as well as the gender implications of gamete donation for Muslim marriages. PMID:17051430

Bony manifestation of rickets in a sunny city - a case report from Yazd, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammadhosain Afrand

2014-01-01

Full Text Available Rickets is disease that occurs in growing bones in which defective mineralization occurs in both the bone and the cartilage of the epiphyseal growth plate, resulting in the retardation of growth and skeletal deformities. Rickets is more common in areas with less sunlight. However, this case report presents a case of the bony manifestation of rickets with the intake of vitamin D supplements in Yazd, a city in central Iran that has sunshine almost every day. A patient was referred to an out-patient general pediatric clinic for deformities of the legs and growth disturbance, with his height far below the normal range. The changes that were most evident in his X-rays were the bowing of the long bones of the legs and forearms and the cupping of the wrist metaphyseal region. In summary, we present a patient with bony manifestation of rickets despite living in a sunny area and taking vitamin D supplements. Thus, it is important to remember that rickets is still a common disease among children in Iran. More studies of this issue should be conducted, including the identification of abnormal cases and rescheduling vitamin D supplementation programs.

Bony manifestation of rickets in a sunny city - a case report from Yazd, Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mohammadhosain Afrand

2014-02-01

Full Text Available Rickets is disease that occurs in growing bones in which defective mineralization occurs in both the bone and the cartilage of the epiphyseal growth plate, resulting in the retardation of growth and skeletal deformities. Rickets is more common in areas with less sunlight. However, this case report presents a case of the bony manifestation of rickets with the intake of vitamin D supplements in Yazd, a city in central Iran that has sunshine almost every day. A patient was referred to an out-patient general pediatric clinic for deformities of the legs and growth disturbance, with his height far below the normal range. The changes that were most evident in his X-rays were the bowing of the long bones of the legs and forearms and the cupping of the wrist metaphyseal region. In summary, we present a patient with bony manifestation of rickets despite living in a sunny area and taking vitamin D supplements. Thus, it is important to remember that rickets is still a common disease among children in Iran. More studies of this issue should be conducted, including the identification of abnormal cases and rescheduling vitamin D supplementation programs

Sunny hours and variations in the prevalence of asthma in schoolchildren according to the International Study of Asthma and Allergies (ISAAC) Phase III in Spain

Science.gov (United States)

Arnedo-Pena, Alberto; García-Marcos, Luis; Fernández-Espinar, Jorge Fuertes; Bercedo-Sanz, Alberto; Aguinaga-Ontoso, Ines; González-Díaz, Carlos; Carvajal-Urueña, Ignacio; Busquet-Monge, Rosa; Suárez-Varela, Maria Morales; de Andoin, Nagore García; Batlles-Garrido, Juan; Blanco-Quirós, Alfredo; Varela, Angel López-Silvarrey; García-Hernández, Gloria

2011-05-01

The objective of this study was to estimate the relationship between the prevalence of asthma in schoolchildren aged 6-7 years and 13-14 years and the mean annual sunny hours (MASH) in Spain, and to explore predictive models for asthma prevalence. The prevalence of asthma was obtained from the International Study of Asthma and Allergies (ISAAC) Phase III 2002-2003, and climate and socio-economic variables from official sources. Nine centres were studied and a further four centres, two of which are in ISAAC, to test the predictive models. Logistic regression was used to estimate adjusted prevalence rates of asthma for each centre, and multiple regression models to study the effects of MASH and other meteorological and socio-economic variables. The adjusted prevalence rate of asthma decreased 0.6% [95% confidence interval (CI) 0.4-0.8%] for the 6-7 years group and 1.1% (95% CI 0.8-1.3%) for the 13-14 years group with an increase in the MASH of 100 h. Relative humidity was negatively associated with asthma in the older age group, and gross province product per capita (GPP) was positively associated with asthma in the younger age group. The predictive models, which included MASH, gender, relative humidity, and GPP, anticipated prevalence rates of asthma without significant differences between the levels observed and those expected in 9 of the11 measurements carried out. The results indicate that sunny hours have a protective effect on the prevalence of asthma in schoolchildren.

The spring has arrived: traditional wild vegetables gathered by Yarsanis (Ahl-e Haqq and Sunni Muslims in Western Hawraman, SE Kurdistan (Iraq

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Andrea Pieroni

2016-11-01

Full Text Available Kurdistan represents a crucial region in the Middle East for understanding patterns of human evolution in the use of food plants and especially wild vegetables as well as for assessing the influences of the major, surrounding bio-cultural macro-area. In this research, an ethnobotanical filed study focusing on wild vegetables traditionally gathered and consumed during the spring was conducted in a few villages of the Western Hawraman area, in South Kurdistan (Iraq, both among Sunni Muslims and Yarsanis (Ahl-e Haqq, the latter of which represent followers of a tiny, threatened, ancient monotheistic religion. Through interviews with 25 elderly informants, the folk uses of 34 botanical and mycological taxa were recorded. A few of the recorded species have never, or very rarely, been described in the ethnobotanical literature of the Middle East and for some of them (most notably Allium koelzii, Bongardia chrysogonum, Dorema aucheri, and Johrenia aromatica their sensory chemistry and nutraceutical properties are largely unknown. No differences were found between the folk taxa mentioned by Sunni Muslims and those reported by Yarsanis. The high cultural value and consumption of raw young shoots of Imperata cylindrica should be further investigated considering the history of the development of agriculture in the area, as explanations for the domestication of wild grasses have never considered the hypothesis of gastronomic appreciation of their young aerial parts. Moreover, some of the most mentioned vegetables are also considered food-medicines. A comparison with all the pre-existing food ethnobotanical literature of the Middle East shows that the most culturally salient wild vegetables recorded in the Hawraman area are shared with Arabic, Turkish, Caucasian, and especially Persian food heritages. These findings suggest that investigating the ethnobiology of Kurdistan is more than ever urgent in order to document folk plant uses at a crucial crossroad of

Morphological variability of Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl in the north-western Balkans

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Kristjan Jarni

2011-08-01

Full Text Available Fraxinus angustifolia Vahl is a species native in the north-western Balkans, where it has a divided range. Most of its range is located in flood-prone riparian sites in the Pannonian plain but the species is also found on humid sites along some rivers in the Submediterranean region. We analysed morphologic variation within and between five populations (14 trees/population located in the Subpannonian and Submediterranean region of Slovenia. Thirty two characters were assessed on ca. 80 leaves from each tree which were divided depending on exposure to sunlight (sun and shade leaves, and 8 traits on each fruit (ca. 50 fruits/tree. A hierarchically designed experiment using analysis of variance confirmed the significant contribution of all the analysed hierarchical levels of variation to the total variation. The results show that the differences between the trees in a single population are the greatest factor of variability of leaves, followed by differences between populations and differences which are the result of variation in exposure to sunlight. Leaves in shade positions are typically larger than those in sunny positions, and they have broader and shorter-pointed leaflets; in this feature they are very similar to the leaves of F. excelsior. Stepwise discriminant analysis showed that the traits which refer to the leaflet number and length are the best differentiating traits between individual populations. The Submediterranean population Dragonja stands out with the smallest leaves and the population Lijak from the same region is the most similar to Dragonja for most morphological traits. In general, phenotypic differences between the Subpannonian and the Submediterranean populations of F. angustifolia are minor and indistinct. Based on the differences ascertained by the study, we can only confirm the presence of F. angustifolia subsp. oxycarpa (Bieb. ex Willd. Franco et Rocha Alfonso in this part of its natural range.

Maximum power point tracking controller for PV systems using neural networks

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Bahgat, A.B.G. [Cairo Univ. (Egypt). Faculty of Engineering; Helwa, N.H.; Ahmad, G.E.; El Shenawy, E.T. [National Research Center, Dokki, Cairo (Egypt). Solar Energy Dept.

2005-07-01

This paper presents a development and implementation of a PC-based maximum power point tracker (MPPT) for PV system using neural networks (NN). The system consists of a PV module via a MPPT supplying a dc motor that drives an air fan. The control algorithm is developed to use the artificial NN for detecting the optimal operating point under different operating conditions, then the control action gives the driving signals to the MPPT. A PC is used for data acquisition, running the control algorithm, data storage, as well as data display and analysis. The system has been implemented and tested under various operating conditions. The experimental results showed that the PV system with MPPT always tracks the peak power point of the PV module under various operating conditions. The MPPT transmits about 97% of the actual maximum power generated by the PV module. The MPPT not only increases the power from the PV module to the load, but also maintains longer operating periods for the PV system. The air velocity and the air mass flow rate of the mechanical load are increased considerably, due to the increase of the PV system power. It is also found that the increase in the output energy due to using the MPPT is about 45.2% for a clear sunny day. (Author)

The Relationship between Climatic Factors and the Prevalence of Visceral Leishmaniasis in North West of Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Eslam Moradiasl

2018-02-01

Full Text Available Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL is most commonly found among children under the age of 10 in some provinces of Iran including Ardabil. As such, this study set out to determine the relationship between some climatic factors and the prevalence of VL in Northwest of Iran. Materials and Methods In this descriptive-analytic study, data collection was done on some climatic factors including rainfall, temperature, and the number of sunny and snowy days from Apr. 2001 to Sep. 2017 from the weather station in Meshkinshahr County of Ardabil province, Iran, and the related information of the VL patients from the health center. Statistical analysis was done using Excel and SPSS version 23.0 software. Pearson correlation coefficient test was utilized for data analysis. Results Over the course of 17 years, 226 cases of VL occurred in rural and urban areas of Meshkinshahr. The highest prevalence of VL disease was reported in February and March. Climatic factors of temperature and the number of sunny days showed a direct relationship with the prevalence of VL disease (P0.05.   Conclusion In spite of the rather cold and humid climate of Meshkinshahr County during much of the year, based on the findings of present study, there was a significantly direct relationship between VL disease and the hot temperature as well as sunny days. Background Visceral leishmaniasis (VL is most commonly found among children under the age of 10 in some provinces of Iran including Ardabil. As such, this study set out to determine the relationship between some climatic factors and the prevalence of VL in Northwest of Iran. Materials and Methods In this descriptive-analytic study, data collection was done on some climatic factors including rainfall, temperature, and the number of sunny and snowy days from Apr. 2001 to Sep. 2017 from the weather station in Meshkinshahr County of Ardabil province, Iran, and the related information of the VL patients from the health center

Biophysical controls on light response of net CO2 exchange in a winter wheat field in the North China Plain.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Xiaojuan Tong

Full Text Available To investigate the impacts of biophysical factors on light response of net ecosystem exchange (NEE, CO2 flux was measured using the eddy covariance technique in a winter wheat field in the North China Plain from 2003 to 2006. A rectangular hyperbolic function was used to describe NEE light response. Maximum photosynthetic capacity (P max was 46.6 ± 4.0 µmol CO2 m(-2 s(-1 and initial light use efficiency (α 0.059 ± 0.006 µmol µmol(-1 in April-May, two or three times as high as those in March. Stepwise multiple linear regressions showed that P max increased with the increase in leaf area index (LAI, canopy conductance (g c and air temperature (T a but declined with increasing vapor pressure deficit (VPD (P25°C or VPD>1.1-1.3 kPa, NEE residual increased with the increase in T a and VPD (P<0.001, indicating that temperature and water stress occurred. When g c was more than 14 mm s(-1 in March and May and 26 mm s(-1 in April, the NEE residuals decline disappeared, or even turned into an increase in g c (P<0.01, implying shifts from stomatal limitation to non-stomatal limitation on NEE. Although the differences between sunny and cloudy sky conditions were unremarkable for light response parameters, simulated net CO2 uptake under the same radiation intensity averaged 18% higher in cloudy days than in sunny days during the year 2003-2006. It is necessary to include these effects in relevant carbon cycle models to improve our estimation of carbon balance at regional and global scales.

Enduring Partner Capacity: African Civil Affairs

Science.gov (United States)

2012-05-17

a homogeneous population, which is moderately educated. In terms of religion, Morocco is 99% Sunni Islam and ethnically is 99% Arab Berber . Although...Islamic roots and Berber ethnicity could create trusted relationships among its armed forces and the populations in its region of North Africa

Browse Title Index

African Journals Online (AJOL)

Items 201 - 250 of 577 ... Issue, Title. Vol 20, No 2 (2003), Emergency Contraception: A Global Overview of Knowledge, Attitudes and Practices Among Providers, Abstract PDF. Deborah Haggai. Vol 23 (2006):, Emergency laparotomy for peripartum haemorrhage in Bida North Central Nigeria, Abstract PDF. Sunny Abiodun O ...

The solar noise barrier project: 1. Effect of incident light orientation on the performance of a large-scale luminescent solar concentrator noise barrier

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Kanellis, M.; de Jong, M.; Slooff, L.H.; Debije, M.G.

2017-01-01

In this work we describe the relative performance of the largest luminescent solar concentrator (LSC) constructed to date. Comparisons are made for performance of North/South and East/West facing panels during a sunny day. It is shown that the East/West panels display much more varied performance

The Role of Religion in National Security Policy Since September 11, 2001(Carlisle Paper)

Science.gov (United States)

2011-02-01

satisfy ideology, especially one’s own. Warraq quotes Isaiah Berlin, arguing that from the latent desire to, “suppress what [one] suspects to be true...and strategy which obtain between Sunnis and Shi’is. Thomas F. Lynch III notes important differences in motivation and strategy that con- tinue to... Thomas F. Lynch III, Sunni and Shi’a Terrorism: Differences that Matter, Occasional Paper Series, West Point Combating Terrorism Center, December 29, 2008

Hudson River Sub-Bottom Profile Points

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Hudson River Estuary Shallow Water Surveys. Subbottom Profile Points. Subbottom data was collected November 5 to December 15, 2009, in the estuary north from...

Homeless Point-In-Time (2007-2016)

Data.gov (United States)

City and County of Durham, North Carolina — These raw data sets contain Point-in-Time (PIT) estimates and national PIT estimates of homelessness as well as national estimates of homelessness by state and...

The Militarization of Mass Incapacitation and Torture during the Sunni Insurgency and American Occupation of Iraq

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

John L. Hagan

2016-11-01

Full Text Available While scholars and journalists have focused important attention on the recent militarization of intensive policing and imprisonment policies in the United States, there is little reciprocal recognition of how militarized versions of these policies were also exported for use in the occupation of Iraq. Intensive policing and imprisonment enabled the American-led and Shia-dominated Iraq Ministries of Defense and Interior along with U.S. forces to play significant roles in the ethnic cleansing and displacement of Arab Sunnis from Baghdad neighborhoods, and in their disproportionate detention in military- and militia-operated facilities, of which the Abu Ghraib prison is only the best known. The failure of American authorities alone and working with Iraq’s government to intervene in stopping the use of police and prisons as places of torture is a violation of U.N.-invoked and U.S.-ratified treaties, and thereby subject to prosecution. Such prosecutions have imported into international law the concept of “joint criminal enterprise” anticipated by the criminologist Donald Cressey and incorporated in the American Racketeer Influenced and Corrupt Organizations (RICO statutes used to convict organized criminals. We elaborate how the concept of joint criminal enterprise can be used to understand and possibly prosecute a chain of command responsibility for the use of policing and prisons as sites of torture in Iraq. We analyze the previously neglected international consequences of U.S. policing, prison, and mass incapacitation strategies with links to American criminology.

The North sea, one of the group's anchorage points

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1995-01-01

The North Sea is one of the pillars of the Elf Aquitaine group's Exploration-Production strategy. The most recent start-up in the North Sea, last february, concerned the Froy field where Elf Petroleum Norge (AS) is an operator with a 24.573 % interest alongside Statoil, Total Norge AS (15.2346 %) and Norsk Hydro. The first gas sales occurred on June 15, as scheduled. The oil production marketed by Elf (net of royalties) remained stable at 13.9 Gm 3 . At january 1,1995, Elf Aquitaine's mining area covered a gross surface area of 435,894 km 2 . In countries where the group is already established, the policy is : - to withdraw from exploration licenses considered as being the least promising in terms of discovery or profitability; - to concentrate on sectors where the existing production means allow for an optimisation of later developments ; - to penetrate more extensive exploration areas with good targets. In the British zone, the additional reserves revealed in the Elgin and Franklin condensate fields have doubled the initial forecast, placing the former among the major fields. All the discoveries made in the British zone have allowed the group to renew productions until now. Elf's production in Piper, Saltire, Chanter is 100,000 b/d which is added to the production of the Claymore and Scapa fields (100,000 b/d). The Flotta terminal processes the crude coming from these fields to which is added the production from the neighbouring fields of Tartan (Texaco) and Ivanhoe-Rob Roy (Amerada Hess), i.e. a total of more than 300,000 b/d. Other than Elgin or the Viking Graben, the future of the Elf group in Great Britain will most certainly come from the West Shetlands and the Irish Sea. In the Norwegian zone, the group has interest in the Frigg, Heimldal, Ekofisk, Valhall, Lille-Frigg, Froy, Oseberg, Hod, Sleipner East an Sleipner West Brage, Troll, Snorre, Statfjord East and Tordis production fields. (authors). 3 tabs., 1 photo

Salafism in Lebanon: Local and Transnational Resources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Pall, Z.

2014-01-01

In my dissertation I look at the anatomy and dynamics of the Salafi da‛wa in North Lebanon. My analysis is based on an eighteen months long ethnographic fieldwork in Lebanon, Kuwait, Qatar and Europe. The study seeks answers how and why Salafism emerged as a key player on the Lebanese Sunni

Performance assessment issues in utility-scale photovoltaics in warm and sunny climates★

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ruther Ricardo

2017-01-01

operational issues that were not previously described in the literature. Inverter Loading Ratios commonly described in the literature (for less sunny sites led to considerable annual energy losses.

Circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D concentrations are correlated with cardiometabolic risk among American black and white adolescents living in a year-round sunny climate.

Science.gov (United States)

Parikh, Samip; Guo, De-Huang; Pollock, Norman K; Petty, Karen; Bhagatwala, Jigar; Gutin, Bernard; Houk, Chris; Zhu, Haidong; Dong, Yanbin

2012-05-01

Low vitamin D status is common among healthy black and white adolescents residing at southern U.S. latitudes with a year-round sunny climate. Thus we aimed to study the relationships between circulating 25-hydroxyvitamin D [25(OH)D] and cardiometabolic risk factors in this population. 25(OH)D concentrations were measured with liquid chromatography tandem mass spectroscopy in 701 girls and boys (14-18 years old, 54% blacks, 49% females). Cardiometabolic risk was indexed by adipokines, inflammatory markers, fasting glucose, homeostatic model assessment-insulin resistance (HOMA-IR), lipid profile, and blood pressure (BP). Controlling for age, sex, race, sexual maturation, season, physical activity, and percent body fat, 25(OH)D concentrations were significantly correlated with adiponectin (r = 0.06, P = 0.05), leptin (r = -0.32, P risk factors, independent of adiposity. Clinical trials addressing the effects of vitamin D supplementation on cardiometabolic risk are warranted in adolescents irrespective of their geographical regions.

High Prevalence of Vitamin D Deficiency and Associated Risk Factors among Employed Women in a Sunny Industrial City.

Science.gov (United States)

Hassannia, Tahereh; GhaznaviRad, Ehsan; Vakili, Rosita; Taheri, Sohaila; Rezaee, Seyed Abdolrahim

2015-01-01

Vitamin D deficiency is a public health concern associated with the pathogenesis of several chronic disorders, particularly in women. To evaluate serum vitamin D levels and its deficiency and risk factors among employed women in a sunny industrial city. In this cross-sectional study, serum vitamin D levels, biochemical and hematological factors were assessed in 382 healthy employed women. Demographic information was collected using a standard questionnaire and data was analyzed by SPSS software. The mean vitamin D serum level was 22 ± 19.8 ng/ml. Prevalence of vitamin D deficiency and insufficiency were 62 % and 12.94 %, respectively. Deficiency was more common among younger subjects (Organizations (15 ng/ml).Vitamin D deficiency was associated with the lack of sunlight exposure at home, and taking anti-hypertensive medications. The common symptoms in deficiency condition were history of hyperlipidemia, depression, weakness, fatigue, finger tingling, leg cramps, and body and muscle pain. Moreover, LDL-cholesterol serum levels were significantly higher in the vitamin D deficiency group, with a prevalence of 40 %. The symptoms of vitamin D deficiency including depression, weakness, fatigue, tingling, leg cramps and body and muscle pain have been observed in more than 90 % after recruitment and treatment. Therefore, for improving the health and productivity of employees, a routine monitoring system for vitamin D and the other factors should be put in place.

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: North Carolina: NESTS (Nest Points)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains sensitive biological resource data for wading birds, shorebirds, raptors, diving birds, passerine birds, and gulls and terns in North...

Comparison of mixed layer models predictions with experimental data

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Faggian, P.; Riva, G.M. [CISE Spa, Divisione Ambiente, Segrate (Italy); Brusasca, G. [ENEL Spa, CRAM, Milano (Italy)

1997-10-01

The temporal evolution of the PBL vertical structure for a North Italian rural site, situated within relatively large agricultural fields and almost flat terrain, has been investigated during the period 22-28 June 1993 by experimental and modellistic point of view. In particular, the results about a sunny day (June 22) and a cloudy day (June 25) are presented in this paper. Three schemes to estimate mixing layer depth have been compared, i.e. Holzworth (1967), Carson (1973) and Gryning-Batchvarova models (1990), which use standard meteorological observations. To estimate their degree of accuracy, model outputs were analyzed considering radio-sounding meteorological profiles and stability atmospheric classification criteria. Besides, the mixed layer depths prediction were compared with the estimated values obtained by a simple box model, whose input requires hourly measures of air concentrations and ground flux of {sup 222}Rn. (LN)

The North Atlantic Oscillation: variability and interactions with the North Atlantic ocean and Artic sea ice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, T

2000-07-01

The North Atlantic oscillation (NAO) represents the dominant mode of atmospheric variability in the North Atlantic region and describes the strengthening and weakening of the midlatitude westerlies. In this study, variability of the NAO during wintertime and its relationship to the North Atlantic ocean and Arctic sea ice is investigated. For this purpose, observational data are analyzed along with integrations of models for the Atlantic ocean, Arctic sea ice, and the coupled global climate system. From a statistical point of view, the observed NAO index shows unusually high variance on interdecadal time scales during the 20th century. Variability on other time scales is consistent with realizations of random processes (''white noise''). Recurrence of wintertime NAO anomalies from winter-to-winter with missing signals during the inbetween nonwinter seasons is primarily associated with interdecadal variability of the NAO. This recurrence indicates that low-frequency changes of the NAO during the 20th century were in part externally forced. (orig.)

The North Atlantic Oscillation: variability and interactions with the North Atlantic ocean and Artic sea ice

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jung, T.

2000-07-01

The North Atlantic oscillation (NAO) represents the dominant mode of atmospheric variability in the North Atlantic region and describes the strengthening and weakening of the midlatitude westerlies. In this study, variability of the NAO during wintertime and its relationship to the North Atlantic ocean and Arctic sea ice is investigated. For this purpose, observational data are analyzed along with integrations of models for the Atlantic ocean, Arctic sea ice, and the coupled global climate system. From a statistical point of view, the observed NAO index shows unusually high variance on interdecadal time scales during the 20th century. Variability on other time scales is consistent with realizations of random processes (''white noise''). Recurrence of wintertime NAO anomalies from winter-to-winter with missing signals during the inbetween nonwinter seasons is primarily associated with interdecadal variability of the NAO. This recurrence indicates that low-frequency changes of the NAO during the 20th century were in part externally forced. (orig.)

Depression: point-prevalence and risk factors in a North Cyprus household adult cross-sectional study.

Science.gov (United States)

Çakıcı, Mehmet; Gökçe, Özlem; Babayiğit, Asra; Çakıcı, Ebru; Eş, Ayhan

2017-12-04

Depression is one of the most common diagnosed psychiatric disorders in the world. Besides individual risk factors, it is also found that environment and socio-cultural factors are the other main risk factors for depression. In this article, the results of the 2016 national household survey of depression in North Cyprus (NC) are presented. The aim of the study is to determine the prevalence and possible risk factors of depression in NC households. The study was conducted between April and June 2016, the sample consisting of Turkish-speaking individuals between 18 and 88 years of age living permanently in NC. A multi-stage stratified (randomized) quota was used in the survey, and 978 people were selected according to the 2011 census. A 21 item questionnaire prepared by the researchers and a Turkish version of the Beck Depression Inventory scales were used for obtaining data. This cross-sectional study found a point prevalence of 23.4% for relatively high BDI scores (≥17) suggesting clinical depression. Being female, a widow, unemployed, having a limited education and low income level, having a physical illness, living alone, and using illicit substances were defined as possible risk factors for depression. When we consider the world prevalence, NC has one of the higher depression prevalence. NC has environmental and socio-cultural characteristics such as a history of war, migration and colonization, high unemployment rates, socioeconomic problems, similar to other extremely high prevalence depression countries and regions, which give a strong indication of the importance of socio-cultural factors on depression.

Synoptic Scale North American Weather Tracks and the Formation of North Atlantic Windstorms

Science.gov (United States)

Baum, A. J.; Godek, M. L.

2014-12-01

Each winter, dozens of fatalities occur when intense North Atlantic windstorms impact Western Europe. Forecasting the tracks of these storms in the short term is often problematic, but long term forecasts provide an even greater challenge. Improved prediction necessitates the ability to identify these low pressure areas at formation and understand commonalities that distinguish these storms from other systems crossing the Atlantic, such as where they develop. There is some evidence that indicates the majority of intense windstorms that reach Europe have origins far west, as low pressure systems that develop over the North American continent. This project aims to identify the specific cyclogenesis regions in North America that produce a significantly greater number of dangerous storms. NOAA Ocean Prediction Center surface pressure reanalysis maps are used to examine the tracks of storms. Strong windstorms are characterized by those with a central pressure of less than 965 hPa at any point in their life cycle. Tracks are recorded using a coding system based on source region, storm track and dissipation region. The codes are analyzed to determine which region contains the most statistical significance with respect to strong Atlantic windstorm generation. The resultant set of codes also serves as a climatology of North Atlantic extratropical cyclones. Results indicate that a number of windstorms favor cyclogenesis regions off the east coast of the United States. A large number of strong storms that encounter east coast cyclogenesis zones originate in the central mountain region, around Colorado. These storms follow a path that exits North America around New England and subsequently travel along the Canadian coast. Some of these are then primed to become "bombs" over the open Atlantic Ocean.

OH masers associated with IRAS point sources

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Masheder, MRW; Cohen, RJ; Martin-Hernandez, NL; Migenes,; Reid, MJ

2002-01-01

We report a search for masers from the Lambda-doublet of the ground-state of OH at 18cm, carried out with the Jodrell Bank Lovell Telescope and with the 25m Dwingeloo telescope. All objects north of delta = -20degrees which appear in the IRAS Point Source Catalog with fluxes > 1000 Jy at 60mum and

North american natural gas supply forecast: the Hubbert method including the effects of institutions

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Reynolds, D. B.; Kolodziej, M.

2009-01-01

In this article, the U.S. and southern Canadian natural gas supply market is considered. An important model for oil and natural gas supply is the Hubbert curve. Not all regions of the world are producing oil or natural gas following a Hubbert curve, even when price and market conditions are accounted for. One reason is that institutions are affecting supply. We investigate the possible effects of oil and gas market institutions in North America on natural gas supply. A multi-cycle Hubbert curve with inflection points similar to the Soviet Union's oil production multi-cycle Hubbert curve is used to determine North American natural gas discovery rates and to analyze how market specific institutions caused the inflection points. In addition, we analyze the latest shale natural gas projections critically. While currently, unconventional resources of natural gas suggest that North American natural gas production will increase without bound, the model here suggests a peak in North American natural gas supplies could happen in 2013. (author)

Reviving common standards in point-count surveys for broad inference across studies

Science.gov (United States)

Steven M. Matsuoka; C. Lisa Mahon; Colleen M. Handel; Péter Sólymos; Erin M. Bayne; Patricia C. Fontaine; C. John Ralph

2014-01-01

We revisit the common standards recommended by Ralph et al. (1993, 1995a) for conducting point-count surveys to assess the relative abundance of landbirds breeding in North America. The standards originated from discussions among ornithologists in 1991 and were developed so that point-count survey data could be broadly compared and jointly analyzed by national data...

28 January 2011 - German State Secretary Ministry for Innovation, Science and Research of North Rhine-Westphalia H. Dockter in the ATLAS experimental cavern at LHC Point 1 with Former Spokesperson P. Jenni; signing the guest book with Adviser R. Voss.

CERN Multimedia

Maximilien Brice

2011-01-01

28 January 2011 - German State Secretary Ministry for Innovation, Science and Research of North Rhine-Westphalia H. Dockter in the ATLAS experimental cavern at LHC Point 1 with Former Spokesperson P. Jenni; signing the guest book with Adviser R. Voss.

North American Forest Futures 2018-2090: Scenarios for Building a More Resilient Forest Sector

Science.gov (United States)

David N. Bengston; Jonathan Peck; Robert Olson; Melissa Barros; Richard A. Birdsey; Daniel R. Williams; Juan Carlos Leyva Reyes; Francisco José Zamudio

2018-01-01

North American forests and forest management institutions are experiencing a wide range of significant ecological disturbances and socioeconomic changes, which point to the need for enhanced resilience. A critical capacity for resilience in institutions is strategic foresight. This article reports on a project of the North American Forest Commission to use Futures...

Point irrigation for locality Buchel in the north desert Gobi in Mongolia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Pavel Spitz

2009-01-01

Full Text Available The design of point irrigation, created by Filip et al. (2007, was worked up as the bilateral projekt in the frame of abroad developing cooperation between the Czech Republic and Mongolia „Rehabilitation of plant production in semiarid territories of northern Gobi”. The period of project realization are years 2006–2009. The responsible institution for the project is Ministery of Agriculture of the Czech Republic and with the realization of the project was encharged Mendel University of Agriculture and Forestry in Brno. The task was work irrigation design for experimental plants and vegetables on the choosen land in Gobi desert in Mongolia. To disposition was underground water source – bore with capacity about 2 l / s and temperature about 10 °C, electric power and land about area cca 1 ha. The condition was use simple irrigation equipment. The fundamental limitation was im­pos­si­bi­li­ty using technically more complex and more sophisticated equipment e.g. drip irrigation. The map was not to the disposition, only a judgment of slope 0,2 % in flat terrain. The technical design of surface and subsurface point irrigation are introduced, shortly described are hydrotechnical basis used to created and described the original PC program HYBOZAM (hydraulics of point irrigation for Mongolia developed in table editor of Microsoft Excel for pipe dimensions of point irrigation design. Part of the program is also evaluation of the irrigation uniformity from outflows on irrigation line.

Modelling thermal stratification in the North Sea: Application of a 2-D potential energy model

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Nielsen, Morten Holtegaard; St. John, Michael

2001-01-01

is forced with wind, dew point temperature from Ekofisk oilfield in the central North Sea, and tidal current and atmospheric radiation. The model is used to simulate the seasonal cycle of stratification in the central North Sea in the years 1988, 1989 and 1990 and is compared to density profiles...

The state of racial/ethnic diversity in North Carolina's health workforce.

Science.gov (United States)

McGee, Victoria; Fraher, Erin

2012-01-01

Increasing the racial and ethnic diversity of the health care workforce is vital to achieving accessible, equitable health care. This study provides baseline data on the diversity of health care practitioners in North Carolina compared with the diversity of the state's population. We analyzed North Carolina health workforce diversity using licensure data from the respective state boards of selected professions from 1994-2009; the data are stored in the North Carolina Health Professions Data System. North Carolina's health care practitioners are less diverse than is the state's population as a whole; only 17% of the practitioners are nonwhite, compared with 33% of the state's population. Levels of diversity vary among the professions, which are diversifying slowly over time. Primary care physicians are diversifying more rapidly than are other types of practitioners; the percentage who are nonwhite increased by 14 percentage points between 1994 and 2009, a period during which 1,630 nonwhite practitioners were added to their ranks. The percentage of licensed practical nurses who are nonwhite increased by 7 percentage points over the same period with the addition of 1,542 nonwhite practitioners to their ranks. Nonwhite health professionals cluster regionally throughout the state, and 79% of them practice in metropolitan counties. This study reports on only a selected number of health professions and utilizes race/ethnicity data that were self-reported by practitioners. Tracking the diversity among North Carolina's health care practitioners provides baseline data that will facilitate future research on barriers to health workforce entry, allow assessment of diversity programs, and be useful in addressing racial and ethnic health disparities.

Military Review: The Professional Journal of the U.S. Army. Volume 89, Number 2, March-April 2009

Science.gov (United States)

2009-04-01

successes have judged the price to be no less than 20 security personnel per 1,000 citizens. ( Malaysia and North- ern Ireland, for example.) This...it takes patience, time, even-handedness, and consistency of word and deed. ( Malaysia took 12 years and Northern Ireland 25.) This is a heavy price...Unlike in Anbar and other rural areas of Iraq, no single sheik in Baghdad could assemble so many disen- franchised Sunni men into a viable security

HYDROLOGY AND SEDIMENT MODELING USING THE BASINS NON-POINT SOURCE MODEL

Science.gov (United States)

The Non-Point Source Model (Hydrologic Simulation Program-Fortran, or HSPF) within the EPA Office of Water's BASINS watershed modeling system was used to simulate streamflow and total suspended solids within Contentnea Creek, North Carolina, which is a tributary of the Neuse Rive...

California State Waters Map Series — Offshore of Point Conception, California

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Samuel Y.; Dartnell, Peter; Cochrane, Guy R.; Hartwell, Stephen R.; Golden, Nadine E.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Davenport, Clifton W.; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Cochran, Susan A.

2018-04-20

IntroductionIn 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data, acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow subsurface geology.The Offshore of Point Conception map area is in the westernmost part of the Western Transverse Ranges geologic province, which is north of the California Continental Borderland. Significant clockwise rotation—at least 90°—since the early Miocene has been proposed for the Western Transverse Ranges province, and this region is presently undergoing north-south shortening. The offshore part of the map area lies south of the steep south and west flanks of the Santa Ynez Mountains. The crest of the range, which has a maximum elevation of about 340 m in the map area, lies about 5 km north and east of the arcuate shoreline.The onland part of the coastal zone is remote and sparsely populated. The road to Jalama Beach County Park provides the only public coastal access in the entire map area. North of this county park, the coastal zone is part of Vandenberg Air Force Base. South of Jalama Beach County Park, most of the coastal zone is part of the Cojo-Jalama Ranch, purchased by the Nature Conservancy in December 2017. A relatively small part of the coastal zone in the eastern part of the map area lies within the privately owned Hollister Ranch. The nearest significant commercial centers are Lompoc

Solar Spectral and Module Temperature Influence on the Outdoor Performance of Thin Film PV Modules Deployed on a Sunny Inland Site

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

G. Nofuentes

2013-01-01

Full Text Available This work aims at analysing the influence of both module temperature and solar spectrum distribution on the outdoor performance of the following thin film technologies: hydrogenated amorphous silicon (a-Si:H, cadmium telluride (CdTe, copper indium gallium selenide sulfide (CIGS, and hydrogenated amorphous silicon/hydrogenated microcrystalline silicon hetero-junction (a-Si:H/μc-Si:H. A 12-month experimental campaign carried out in a sunny inland site in which a module of each one of these technologies was tested and measured outdoors has provided the necessary empirical data. Results show that module temperature exerts a limited influence on the performance of the tested a-Si:H, CdTe, and a-Si:H/μc-Si:H modules. In contrast, the outdoor behaviour of the CIGS module is the most affected by its temperature. Blue-rich spectra enhance the outdoor behaviour of the a-Si:H and a-Si:H/μc-Si:H modules while it is the other way round for the CIGS module. However, the CdTe specimen shows little sensitivity to the solar spectrum distribution. Anyway, spectral effects are scarcely relevant on an annual basis, ranging from gains for the CIGS module (1.5% to losses for the a-Si:H module (1.0%. However, the seasonal impact of the spectrum shape is more noticeable in these two materials; indeed, spectral issues may cause performance gains or losses of up to some 4% when winter and summer periods are considered.

Vernal Point and Anthropocene

Science.gov (United States)

Chavez-Campos, Teodosio; Chavez S, Nadia; Chavez-Sumarriva, Israel

2014-05-01

The time scale was based on the internationally recognized formal chronostratigraphical /geochronological subdivisions of time: The Phanerozoic Eonathem/Eon; the Cenozoic Erathem/Era; the Quaternary System/Period; the Pleistocene and Holocene Series/Epoch. The Quaternary was divided into: (1) The Pleistocene that was characterized by cycles of glaciations (intervals between 40,000 and 100,000 years). (2) The Holocene that was an interglacial period that began about 12,000 years ago. It was believed that the Milankovitch cycles (eccentricity, axial tilt and the precession of the equinoxes) were responsible for the glacial and interglacial Holocene periods. The magnetostratigraphic units have been widely used for global correlations valid for Quaternary. The gravitational influence of the sun and moon on the equatorial bulges of the mantle of the rotating earth causes the precession of the earth. The retrograde motion of the vernal point through the zodiacal band is 26,000 years. The Vernal point passes through each constellation in an average of 2000 years and this period of time was correlated to Bond events that were North Atlantic climate fluctuations occurring every ≡1,470 ± 500 years throughout the Holocene. The vernal point retrogrades one precessional degree approximately in 72 years (Gleissberg-cycle) and approximately enters into the Aquarius constellation on March 20, 1940. On earth this entry was verify through: a) stability of the magnetic equator in the south central zone of Peru and in the north zone of Bolivia, b) the greater intensity of equatorial electrojet (EEJ) in Peru and Bolivia since 1940. With the completion of the Holocene and the beginning of the Anthropocene (widely popularized by Paul Crutzen) it was proposed the date of March 20, 1940 as the beginning of the Anthropocene. The date proposed was correlated to the work presented in IUGG (Italy 2007) with the title "Cusco base meridian for the study of geophysical data"; Cusco was

Steam generators secondary side chemical cleaning at Point Lepreau using the Siemen's high temperature process

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Verma, K.; MacNeil, C.; Odar, S.

1996-01-01

The secondary sides of all four steam generators at the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Stations were cleaned during the 1995 annual outage run-down using the Siemens high temperature chemical cleaning process. Traditionally all secondary side chemical cleaning exercises in CANDU as well as the other nuclear power stations in North America have been conducted using a process developed in conjunction with the Electric Power Research Institute (EPRI). The Siemens high temperature process was applied for the first time in North America at the Point Lepreau Nuclear Generating Station (PLGS). The paper discusses experiences related to the pre and post award chemical cleaning activities, chemical cleaning application, post cleaning inspection results and waste handling activities. (author)

The effects of regional economic integration in Europe of the pattern north-north and north-south

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Antevski Miroslav

2007-01-01

Full Text Available This paper examines the effects of regional economic integration in Europe, especially the North-North and North-South integration patterns, and how the benefits and costs of integration are divided between countries. Outcomes depend on: comparative advantages, factor endowments, factor intensities, competitive advantages, FDI flows, transfers of technology, knowledge spillovers, economies of scale, transport costs, industry/GDP ratios, and agglomeration forces. The North-North integration between high income countries tends to lead to convergence of country incomes. Contrary, the South-South integration between low income countries causes divergence. Low income countries are likely to be better served by the North-South integration.

Temporal trends in United States dew point temperatures

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Peter J.

2000-07-01

In this study, hourly data for the 1951-1990 period for 178 stations in the coterminous United States were used to establish temporal trends in dew point temperature. Although the data had been quality controlled previously (Robinson, 1998. Monthly variations of dew point temperatures in the coterminous United States. International Journal of Climatology 18: 1539-1556), comparisons of values between nearby stations suggested that instrumental changes, combined with locational changes, may have modified the results by as much as 1°C during the 40-year period. Nevertheless, seasonally averaged results indicated an increase over much of the area, of slightly over 1°C/100 years in spring and autumn, slightly less than this in summer. Winter displayed a drying of over 1°C/100 years. When only the 1961-1990 period was considered, the patterns were similar and trends increased by approximately 1-2°C/100 years, except in autumn, which displayed a slight drying. Analyses for specific stations indicated periods of both increasing and decreasing Td, the change between them varying with observation hour. No single change point was common over a wide area, although January commonly indicated maximum values early in the period in the east and west, and much later in the north-central portion. Rates of increase were generally higher in daytime than at night, especially in summer. Investigation of the inter-decadal differences in dew point, as a function of wind conditions, indicated that changes during calm conditions were commonly similar in magnitude to that of the overall average changes, suggesting an important role for the local hydrologic cycle in driving changes. Other inter-decadal changes could be attributed to the changes in the frequency and moisture content of invading air-streams. This was particularly clear for the changes in north-south flow in the interior.

Changing statistics of storms in the North Atlantic?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Storch, H. von; Guddal, J.; Iden, K.A.; Jonsson, T.; Perlwitz, J.; Reistad, M.; Ronde, J. de; Schmidt, H.; Zorita, E.

1993-01-01

Problems in the present discussion about increasing storminess in the North Atlantic area are discusesd. Observational data so far available do not indicate a change in the storm statistics. Output from climate models points to an itensified storm track in the North Atlantic, but because of the limited skill of present-day climate models in simulating high-frequency variability and regional details any such 'forecast' has to be considered with caution. A downscaling procedure which relates large-scale time-mean aspects of the state of the atmosphere and ocean to the local statistics of storms is proposed to reconstruct past variations of high-frequency variability in the atmosphere (storminess) and in the sea state (wave statistics). First results are presented. (orig.)

The Asian Criminological Paradigm and How It Links Global North and South: Combining an Extended Conceptual Toolbox from the North with Innovative Asian Contexts

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jianhong Liu

2017-03-01

Full Text Available In their recent seminal paper ‘Southern Criminology’, Carrington, Hogg and Sozzo (2016 address the issue of the global divide between South/North relations in the hierarchal production of criminological knowledge. They point out that the divide privileges theories, assumptions and methods that are largely based on the empirical specificities of the global North. Carrington et al. contend that the dominance of global North criminology has led to a severe underdevelopment of criminology in the global South, except ‘in Asia, with the establishment of the Asian Criminological Society and its journal’ (Liu 2009, in Carrington et al. 2016: 3. Carrington et al. propose an important task of bridging the global divide through further developing criminology in the global South. My present paper reviews the development of Asian criminology under the framework of the Asian Criminological Paradigm (Liu 2009. I primarily review the conceptual and theoretical developments, to suggest strategies that can contribute to the task of bridging the gap between global North and South. What Asian criminology has done is expand the theoretical tool box originally developed in the global North through the strategies of transportation of theories, elaboration of theories, and proposing new concepts and theories based on the empirical grounds of Asian contexts.

A Study on Dismantling and Verifying North Korea's Nuclear Capabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Young Jae; Cheon, Seong Whun

2007-10-01

North Korea's nuclear weapon development is a serious threat to South Korea's national security and can become a trigger to change the status quo in the Korean peninsula. Having prevailed security dynamics in Northeast Asia last 20 years, the North Korea's nuclear problem faced a key turning point when Pyongyang tested its first nuclear weapon on October 9, 2006. Despite this test, however, diplomatic efforts to resolve the nuclear issue were never given up, resulting in a so-called, initial agreement signed at the Six-Party Talks in February 2007. With the Six-Party Talks being held more than four years, the six countries have had sufficient time to discuss principal and political matters regarding the dismantlement of North Korea's nuclear weapons. Under the circumstances, this report is going to study practical and detail issues related with dismantling the North's nuclear weapons. Specifically, in light of historical experiences, the report will investigate possible problems to be faced in the course of dismantlement and propose policy measures to overcome these problems

Diabetes awareness among African Americans in rural North Carolina.

Science.gov (United States)

Antony, Angela K; Baaklini, Walid A

2004-01-01

To evaluate the extent of diabetes unawareness in rural North Carolina. Randomly administered an eight-question survey to African Americans age 15-74 living in Halifax County North Carolina. Ninety-five out of 116 eligible participants completed the survey (82% response rate). Most (67%) of the participants reported having two or more major risk factors for Type II diabetes (diabetes mellitus). More than half (51.6%) of the participants were obese. Most (96.8%) of the participants reported having been tested for diabetes at some point in their lives (10% testedpositive, only 8.4% of the remaining 9o% reported ever having a second test). Diabetes mellitus is a very prevalentproblem among the African American population of Halifax County North Carolina. Our study underscores the fact that patients are not systematically screened and followed-up for diabetes melitus. More healthcare and commnity programs need to be adapted to fight this serious public health problem.

DNA from Pre-Clovis Human Coprolites in Oregon, North America

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Gilbert, M Thomas P; Jenkins, Dennis L; Götherstrom, Anders

2008-01-01

The timing of the first human migration into the Americas and its relation to the appearance of the Clovis technological complex in North America ca. 11-10.8 thousand radiocarbon years before present ((14)C ka B.P.) remains contentious. We establish that humans were present at Paisley 5 Mile Point...

A seasonal diary of phytoplankton in the North Atlantic

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Lindemann, Christian; St. John, Michael

2014-01-01

In recent years new biological and physical controls have been suggested to drive phytoplankton bloom dynamics in the North Atlantic. A better understanding of the mechanisms driving primary production has potentially important implications for the understanding of the biological carbon pump...... are not mutually exclusive, but rather complementary. Thus, moving beyond the “single mechanism” point of view, here we present an integrated conceptual model of the physical and biological controls on phytoplankton dynamics in the North Atlantic. Further we believe that the acclimation of physiological rates can...... play an important role in mediating phytoplankton dynamics. Thus, this view emphasizes the occurrence of multiple controls and relates their variations in impact to climate change...

North Sea focus on radwaste disposal

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Cope, D.

1990-01-01

At the recent North Sea Conference in the Netherlands possible future strategies for managing radioactive waste (radwaste) proved to be a contentious issue. Several of its North Sea littoral neighbours sought a categorical assurance that the UK would forego the option of constructing a subterranean radwaste repository which though accessed from land, extends under the coastline, or a sub-seabed facility reached from an offshore structure. It was pointed out that the UK has no present plans for such a radwaste repository. However, sub-seabed designs as a possibility for future repositories were not ruled out. NIREX has decided to concentrate its exploration work at two sites -Sellafield and Dounreay. Both sites are coastal locations and the government is aware that detailed geological exploration may favour extension of a radwaste repository beyond the shoreline, even if initially developed entirely on land. The design of such a radioactive waste repository is outlined. The position of NIREX and the Radioactive Waste Management Advisory Committee is discussed. (author)

The Map in Our Head Is Not Oriented North: Evidence from a Real-World Environment.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Tad T Brunyé

Full Text Available Like most physical maps, recent research has suggested that cognitive maps of familiar environments may have a north-up orientation. We demonstrate that north orientation is not a necessary feature of cognitive maps and instead may arise due to coincidental alignment between cardinal directions and the built and natural environment. Experiment 1 demonstrated that pedestrians have difficulty pointing north while navigating a familiar real-world environment with roads, buildings, and green spaces oriented oblique to cardinal axes. Instead, north estimates tended to be parallel or perpendicular to roads. In Experiment 2, participants did not demonstrate privileged memory access when oriented toward north while making relative direction judgments. Instead, retrieval was fastest and most accurate when orientations were aligned with roads. In sum, cognitive maps are not always oriented north. Rather, in some real-world environments they can be oriented with respect to environment-specific features, serving as convenient reference systems for organizing and using spatial memory.

Interannual variability of western North Pacific SST anomalies and its impact on North Pacific and North America

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Jae-Heung; An, Soon-Il; Kug, Jong-Seong

2017-12-01

In this study, the interannual variability of sea surface temperature (SST) and its atmospheric teleconnection over the western North Pacific (WNP) toward the North Pacific/North America during boreal winter are investigated. First, we defined the WNP mode as the first empirical orthogonal function (EOF) mode of SST anomalies over the WNP region (100-165°E, 0-35°N), of which the principle component time-series are significantly correlated with several well-known climate modes such as the warm pool mode which is the second EOF mode of the tropical to North Pacific SST anomalies, North Pacific oscillation (NPO), North Pacific gyre oscillation (NPGO), and central Pacific (CP)-El Niño at 95% confidence level, but not correlated with the eastern Pacific (EP)-El Niño. The warm phase of the WNP mode (sea surface warming) is initiated by anomalous southerly winds through reduction of wind speed with the background of northerly mean winds over the WNP during boreal winter, i.e., reduced evaporative cooling. Meanwhile, the atmospheric response to the SST warming pattern and its diabatic heating further enhance the southerly wind anomaly, referred to the wind-evaporation-SST (WES) feedback. Thus, the WNP mode is developed and maintained through winter until spring, when the northerly mean wind disappears. Furthermore, it is also known that anomalous upper-level divergence associated with WNP mode leads to the NPO-like structure over the North Pacific and the east-west pressure contrast pattern over the North America through Rossby wave propagation, impacting the climate over the North Pacific and North America.

Modeling and Implementation of Multi-Position Non-Continuous Rotation Gyroscope North Finder

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jun Luo

2016-09-01

Full Text Available Even when the Global Positioning System (GPS signal is blocked, a rate gyroscope (gyro north finder is capable of providing the required azimuth reference information to a certain extent. In order to measure the azimuth between the observer and the north direction very accurately, we propose a multi-position non-continuous rotation gyro north finding scheme. Our new generalized mathematical model analyzes the elements that affect the azimuth measurement precision and can thus provide high precision azimuth reference information. Based on the gyro’s principle of detecting a projection of the earth rotation rate on its sensitive axis and the proposed north finding scheme, we are able to deduct an accurate mathematical model of the gyro outputs against azimuth with the gyro and shaft misalignments. Combining the gyro outputs model and the theory of propagation of uncertainty, some approaches to optimize north finding are provided, including reducing the gyro bias error, constraining the gyro random error, increasing the number of rotation points, improving rotation angle measurement precision, decreasing the gyro and the shaft misalignment angles. According them, a north finder setup is built and the azimuth uncertainty of 18” is obtained. This paper provides systematic theory for analyzing the details of the gyro north finder scheme from simulation to implementation. The proposed theory can guide both applied researchers in academia and advanced practitioners in industry for designing high precision robust north finder based on different types of rate gyroscopes.

The Challenges in Communication A Perspective from the North-East

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

The Challenges in Communication A Perspective from the North-East · Issues · Basic Services · Security Concerns · Reliance Cell Operator · Reliance (contd) · Reliance (contd) · CellOne Current Status · Unified Services · VSAT Services · PowerPoint Presentation · VSATs (contd) · Land Lines · Slide 14 · Internet Connectivity.

Growth Comparison of Red Jabon in North Bolaang Mongondow and North Minahasa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

arif irawan

2016-04-01

Full Text Available Red Jabon is priority species that projected to be developed in plantation forests of North Minahasa Regency. Red Jabon is can adapt well various environmental conditions. The natural habitat of the red Jabon in North Sulawesi region was known in North Bolaang Mongondow. This study aimed to compare the growth of red jabon at the age of 1 year in North Minahasa Regency and North Bolaang Mongondow. The experiment was conducted in two (2 locations i.e. in Talawaan Village (North Minahasa Regency and Nunuka Village (North Bolaang Mongondow. Two independent samples t test was conducted to determine the differences in height and diameter growth parameters at two test sites.The results showed that there was no difference in the growth of red Jabon between North Minahasa and North Bolaang Mongondow. The average height and diameter of red Jabon in North Minahasa Regency is at 215.84 cm and 4.34 cm, while the same parameters of North Bolaang Mongondow amounted to 231.79 cm and 4.14 cm. The development efforts on the plantations of red Jabon North Minahasa Regency need to be improved because of the environmental conditions in this region is very suitable for the growth of red Jabon.

Can non-point pollutions emissions from agriculture be regulated efficiently using input-output taxes?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Hansen, Line Block; Gårn Hansen, Lars

2014-01-01

In many parts of Europe and North America, phosphorus loss from cultivated fields is threatening natural ecosystems. Though there are similarities to other non-point agricultural emissions like nitrogen that have been studied extensively, phosphorus is often characterized by the presence of large...

Investigating the Effect of a North Wall on Energy Consumption of an East–West Oriented Single Span Greenhouse

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

H Ghasemi Mobtaker

2017-10-01

carried out on a sunny winter day (November 30, 2015. The hourly variations of solar radiation on a horizontal surface were measured to calculate the total solar radiation received by the greenhouse using the Liu and Jordan equations. For heating of a greenhouse in nighttime, an electrical heater was used while an additional required energy was measured using a single phase meters. The inside and ambient temperatures of the air were recorded using SHT11 temperature sensors. A computer-based program of EES (engineering equations solver was developed to solve the energy balance equations. Different statistical indicators were used to predict the accuracy of the presented models. Results and Discussion The obtained results showed that in winter months the greenhouse without the north brick wall can receive 14% more solar radiation than the greenhouse with a north brick wall. On the other hand, the use of a north wall in the greenhouses can reduce the radiation and thermal loss from north wall. To maintain the temperature at 25 °C in day-time and 15 °C in night-time, the additional required energy was calculated for greenhouse with and without north brick wall. The results indicated that the total energy requirement to keep the plants warm was 313.8 MJ in greenhouse without north brick wall and 210.8 MJ in greenhouse with the north brick wall. In other word, use of the north brick wall in the greenhouse can contribute to reduce energy consumption by 32%. Comparisons between the predicted and measured results showed a fair agreement for greenhouse energy requirements. The correlation coefficient and mean percentage error for this model were determined to be 0.79 and -2.34%, respectively. Due to the small values, the radiative exchange within greenhouse cover and the sky was neglected. Therefore, the results of the presented model showed fewer values in comparison with the experimental results. It can be concluded from the final results that a considerable amount of the

Phytogeography of the tropical north-east African mountains

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

I. Friis

1983-11-01

Full Text Available The tropical north-east African mountains are tentatively divided into four phytochoria, the formal rank of which is not defined. The division is based on patterns of distribution and endemism in the region. The recognition of a distinct Afromontane phytochorion is now well established (Chapman & White, 1970; Werger, 1978; White, 1978. However, there is still very little information on the phytogeography of the individual mountains or mountain systems. This study hopes to fill a little of the gap by analysing distribution patterns and patterns of endemism in the flora of the tropical north-east African mountains. The north-east African mountain system is the largest in tropical Africa (see e.g. map in White, 1978. At the core of this system is the large Ethiopian massif, around which are located various mountains and mountain chains. These include the Red Sea Hills in the Sudan, the mountain chain in northern Somalia, the south-west Arabian mountains, and the Imatong mountains of south-east Sudan. The latter are often referred to the East African mountain system (White, 1978 but. as I will point out later, they also have a close connection with the south-west highlands of Ethiopia. The paper presents some results of my study of the mountain flora of tropical north-east Africa, particularly the forest species. Where no source is indicated, the data are from my own unpublished studies.

Job quality in Europe: the North-South divide

OpenAIRE

Cerdeira, Maria da Conceição; Kovács, Ilona

2008-01-01

This paper examines the job quality in Europe. It is based on the results of the Fourth European Foundation Survey on working conditions covering different dimensions including work organisation, job content, autonomy at work, aspects of worker dignity, working time and work-life balance, working conditions and safety in the workplace. The results point to the existence of great diversity in the job quality across Europe and the north-south divide. The job quality differences are related to t...

Projected hydrogen cost from methane reforming for North America 2015-2050

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vanderveen, K.; Lutz, A.; Klebanoff, L.; Drennen, T.; Keller, J.; Drennen, T.; Kamery, W.

2006-01-01

The Hydrogen Futures Simulation Model (H 2 Sim) was used to project the cost for hydrogen at the point of sale to light duty vehicles for distributed, small-scale steam methane reforming. Projections cover the period from 2010-2050 in North America, and take into account assumptions about the quantity of recoverable natural gas remaining in North America. We conclude that there is a window for distributed reforming to play a positive role in supplying a H 2 fuel infrastructure, but this window is closing rapidly. The analysis assumes that production from natural gas reserves in North America will peak sometime before 2050 and demand will cause the price to rise after the peak of production in a manner consistent with Hotelling's model. We consider three scenarios for when the peak occurs, and evaluate the impact on the cost of hydrogen fuel produced via distributed small scale reforming in these three scenarios. (authors)

North Korean Refugees in China and Human Rights Issues: International Response and U.S. Policy Options

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Margesson, Rhoda; Chanlett-Avery, Emma; Bruno, Andorra

2007-01-01

.... The plight of the North Koreans focuses attention not only on those seeking refuge and their refugee status, but also points to the factors driving their decision to leave, primarily food shortages...

The role of grid-connected, building-integrated photovoltaic generation in commercial building energy and power loads in a warm and sunny climate

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Braun, P.; Ruether, R.

2010-01-01

For large commercial buildings, power load delivery limits are contracted with the local electricity distribution utility, and are usually fixed at one or more levels over the year, according to the seasonal building loads, and depending on the specific country regulations. Especially in warm and sunny climates, solar electricity generation using building-integrated photovoltaics (BIPV) can assist in reducing commercial building loads, offering peak-shaving (power) benefits on top of the on-site generation of electricity (energy). This on-site power delivery capability gives these consumers the possibility of renegotiating demand contracts with their distribution utility. Commercial buildings that operate during daytime quite often have an energy consumption profile that is well matched by solar radiation availability, and depending on the building's available surface areas, BIPV can generate considerable portions of the energy requirements. In this work we present the role of grid-connected BIPV in reducing the load demands of a large and urban commercial building located in a warm climate in Brazil. The building and adjacent car parking lots can accommodate a 1 MWp BIPV generator, which closely matches the building's typical maximum power demands. Based on real solar radiation data and simultaneous building electricity demands for the year 2007, simulation of the annual solar generation profile of this on-site generator showed that the 1 MWp BIPV system could account for around 30% of the total building's energy consumption. In addition to the energy benefit, maximum power demands were reduced due to a good match between midday air-conditioning cooling loads and solar radiation availability on both a daily and seasonal basis. Furthermore, we have simulated the effect of this considerably large urban-sited generator on the local distribution network load, and have shown that the 1 MWp BIPV installation can also offer considerable benefits to the local utility in

Fort Peck-Wolf Point transmission line project, Montana

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1992-01-01

The primary objective of the project is to replace the existing 36-mile Fort Peck-Wolf Point transmission line which has reached the end of its useful service life. Presently, the overall condition of this existing section of the 47-year-old line is poor. Frequent repairs have been required because of the absence of overhead ground wires. The continued maintenance of the line will become more expensive and customer interruptions will persist because of the damage due to lightning. The expense of replacing shell rotted poles, and the concern for the safety of the maintenance personnel because of hazards caused by severe shell rot are also of primary importance. The operational and maintenance problems coupled with power system simulation studies, demonstrate the need for improvements to the Wolf Point area to serve area loads. Western's Wolf Point Substation is an important point of interconnection for the power output from the Fort Peck Dam to area loads as far away as Williston, North Dakota. The proposed transmission line replacement would assure that there will continue to be reliable transmission capacity available to serve area electrical loads, as well as provide a reliable second high-voltage transmission path from the Fort Peck generation to back-up a loss of the Fort Peck-Wolf Point 115-kV Line No. 1

Where is North?

OpenAIRE

Macmillan, Susan; Shanahan, Tom

2010-01-01

To find your way using a magnetic compass with a map, you need to know the difference between magnetic north and map north. This difference is called ‘grid magnetic angle’, and in the UK it is derived from a model of the Earth’s magnetic field, which is updated every year. The variation To go north, you just follow your compass towards magnetic north, right? Not quite. Geophysicists have to work hard so we can continue to navigate with map and compass. Susan Macm...

A 3D gravity and magnetic model for the Entenschnabel area (German North Sea)

Science.gov (United States)

Dressel, Ingo; Barckhausen, Udo; Heyde, Ingo

2018-01-01

In this study, we focus on structural configuration of the Entenschnabel area, a part of the German exclusive economic zone within the North Sea, by means of gravity and magnetic modelling. The starting point of the 3D modelling approach is published information on subseafloor structures for shallow depths, acquired by wells and seismic surveys. Subsequent gravity and magnetic modelling of the structures of the deeper subsurface builds on this geophysical and geological information and on gravity and magnetic data acquired during a research cruise to the Entenschnabel area. On the one hand, our 3D model shows the density and susceptibility distribution of the sediments and the crust. In addition, the potential field modelling provides evidence for a differentiation between lower and upper crust. The thickness distribution of the crust is also discussed with respect to the tectonic framework. Furthermore, gravity as well as magnetic modelling points to an intrusive complex beneath the Central Graben within the Entenschnabel area. On the other hand, this work provides a geological-geophysical consistent 3D gravity and magnetic model that can be used as a starting point for further investigation of this part of the German North Sea.

The Economic Contribution of North Dakota Cooperatives to the North Dakota State Economy

OpenAIRE

McKee, Gregory J.

2011-01-01

Cooperatives are a vital component of the North Dakota economy. Owned by their customers or by privately-held firms, cooperatives provide a variety of goods and services to North Dakota. Based on data provided by the North Dakota Secretary of State, 332 businesses operating in North Dakota identified themselves as cooperatives in 2010; 256 are headquartered in the state. The economic contribution of the North Dakota cooperatives reaches beyond the local communities where they are headquartere...

AHP 45: REVIEW: FOUNDING AN EMPIRE ON INDIA'S NORTH-EASTERN FRONTIERS 1790-1840

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hilary Howes

2017-03-01

Full Text Available This thoroughly researched and carefully constructed monograph focuses on what is now north-eastern India, an irregularly-shaped region joined only by a narrow neck of land to the remainder of the Indian subcontinent and jostled (or nestled, depending on one's point of view between Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Tibet. Crucially, author Gunnel Cederlöf argues, this representation of northeast India on modern maps - an island in constant danger of drifting away from mainland India, held in place only by the "Chicken's Neck" or Siliguri Corridor - bears no relation to the way in which this region was imagined by the British East India Company (EIC in the late eighteenth and early nineteenth centuries. Having obtained revenuefarming rights and judicial duties over the North-Eastern Frontier, as it was then known, through a 1765 diwani grant from the Great Mughal in Delhi, the EIC aspired first and foremost to revive the administration of revenue in the region, adding a monopoly in territory to their existing monopolies in the eastern trade. Given these primarily commercial interests, it should come as no surprise that the EIC's map-makers, their eyes fixed on the web of lucrative trade routes crisscrossing the region, homed in on the North-Eastern Frontier as the central point in "a synoptic vision that connected Bengal to China" (72. ...

North Korean nuclear negotiation drama

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kim, Jai Bok

1995-06-01

This book reports negotiation on North Korean nuclear among South Korea, North Korea and U. S. It includes an account about international issues on North Korean nuclear activities, a new aspect on the problems of North Korean nuclear, pressure on North Korea and startup for dialogue trying to solve problems by communication, investigation by IAEA, IAEA resolution and high tension on Korean peninsula with North Korean nuclear.

North Korean nuclear negotiation drama

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Kim, Jai Bok

1995-06-15

This book reports negotiation on North Korean nuclear among South Korea, North Korea and U. S. It includes an account about international issues on North Korean nuclear activities, a new aspect on the problems of North Korean nuclear, pressure on North Korea and startup for dialogue trying to solve problems by communication, investigation by IAEA, IAEA resolution and high tension on Korean peninsula with North Korean nuclear.

Cross-cultural similarities and differences in North Americans' geographic location judgments.

Science.gov (United States)

Friedman, Alinda; Kerkman, Dennis D; Brown, Norman R; Stea, David; Cappello, Hector M

2005-12-01

We examined some potential causes of bias in geographic location estimates by comparing location estimates of North American cities made by Canadian, U.S., and Mexican university students. All three groups placed most Mexican cities near the equator, which implies that all three groups were influenced by shared beliefs about the locations of geographical regions relative to global reference points. However, the groups divided North America into different regions and differed in the relative accuracy of the estimates within them, which implies that there was an influence of culture-specific knowledge. The data support a category-based system of plausible reasoning, in which biases in judgments are multiply determined, and underscore the utility of the estimation paradigm as a tool in cross-cultural cognitive research.

A guide to processing bat acoustic data for the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat)

Science.gov (United States)

Reichert, Brian; Lausen, Cori; Loeb, Susan; Weller, Ted; Allen, Ryan; Britzke, Eric; Hohoff, Tara; Siemers, Jeremy; Burkholder, Braden; Herzog, Carl; Verant, Michelle

2018-06-14

The North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) aims to improve the state of conservation science for all species of bats shared by the United States, Canada, and Mexico. To accomplish this goal, NABat offers guidance and standardized protocols for acoustic monitoring of bats. In this document, “A Guide to Processing Bat Acoustic Data for the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat),” we provide general recommendations and specific workflows for the process of identifying bat species from acoustic files recorded using the NABat stationary point and mobile transect acoustic monitoring protocols.

Dissolved organic nitrogen dynamics in the North Sea: A time series analysis (1995-2005)

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Van Engeland, T.; Soetaert, K.E.R.; Knuijt, A.; Laane, R.W.P.M.; Middelburg, J.J.

2010-01-01

Dissolved organic nitrogen (DON) dynamics in the North Sea was explored by means of long-term time series of nitrogen parameters from the Dutch national monitoring program. Generally, the data quality was good with little missing data points. Different imputation methods were used to verify the

Monthly variations of dew point temperature in the coterminous United States

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, Peter J.

1998-11-01

The dew point temperature, Td, data from the surface airways data set of the U.S. National Climatic Data Center were used to develop a basic dew point climatology for the coterminous United States. Quality control procedures were an integral part of the analysis. Daily Td, derived as the average of eight observations at 3-hourly intervals, for 222 stations for the 1961-1990 period were used. The annual and seasonal pattern of average values showed a clear south-north decrease in the eastern portion of the nation, a trend which was most marked in winter. In the west, values decreased inland from the Pacific Coast. Inter-annual variability was generally low when actual mean values were high. A cluster analysis suggested that the area could be divided into six regions, two oriented north-south in the west, four aligned east-west in the area east of the Rocky Mountains. Day-to-day variability was low in all seasons in the two western clusters, but showed a distinct winter maximum in the east. This was explained in broad terms by consideration of air flow regimes, with the Pacific Ocean and the Gulf of Mexico acting as the major moisture sources. Comparison of values for pairs of nearby stations suggested that Td was rather insensitive to local moisture sources. Analysis of the patterns of occurrence of dew points exceeding the 95th percentile threshold indicated that extremes in summer tend to be localized and short-lived, while in winter they are more widespread and persistent.

Engineering Condition Survey and Evaluation of Troy Lock and Dam, Hudson River, New York Report 2. Evaluation and Rehabilitation.

Science.gov (United States)

1981-01-01

boats in both the spring and fall make seasonal trips from the sunny south to the more mountainous , wooded north, as well as completing many short...back- ground of Troy Lock and Dam 8. The Hudson River originates in the Adirondack Mountains in northern New York State among the highest peaks of the...0.00 0.00 0.00 ___ ___ __ ___ ___ __ __is_ B C BC 25.24 34.14 0.00 0.00 C 25.24 36.00 0. 00 0.06 &M~E ALEA D 3.45 36.00 0.00 6.10 E 3.45 17.00 0.00

Living in 'Sunny Woods'; Wohnen in Sunny Woods - Zuerich Hoengg

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naef, R.; Widmer, P.

2003-07-01

This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) takes a look at the results of a study made on the energy-efficiency of an apartment house with six maisonette apartments built on a south-facing slope in Zurich, Switzerland. The report describes the construction and the building services installations of this zero-energy building which features buried conduits for air-preheating, individual solar-thermal and photovoltaic installations and air/water heat pumps. The performance of these installations is commented on and differences in performance between individual apartments are examined. The architectural design of the building, which won both Swiss and European solar prizes, is described and commented on. The monitoring systems employed and the results obtained for the various components of the building technical services including vacuum solar collectors and thin-film photovoltaics are presented and commented on.

Power Prediction and Technoeconomic Analysis of a Solar PV Power Plant by MLP-ABC and COMFAR III, considering Cloudy Weather Conditions

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. Khademi

2016-01-01

Full Text Available The prediction of power generated by photovoltaic (PV panels in different climates is of great importance. The aim of this paper is to predict the output power of a 3.2 kW PV power plant using the MLP-ABC (multilayer perceptron-artificial bee colony algorithm. Experimental data (ambient temperature, solar radiation, and relative humidity was gathered at five-minute intervals from Tehran University’s PV Power Plant from September 22nd, 2012, to January 14th, 2013. Following data validation, 10665 data sets, equivalent to 35 days, were used in the analysis. The output power was predicted using the MLP-ABC algorithm with the mean absolute percentage error (MAPE, the mean bias error (MBE, and correlation coefficient (R2, of 3.7, 3.1, and 94.7%, respectively. The optimized configuration of the network consisted of two hidden layers. The first layer had four neurons and the second had two neurons. A detailed economic analysis is also presented for sunny and cloudy weather conditions using COMFAR III software. A detailed cost analysis indicated that the total investment’s payback period would be 3.83 years in sunny periods and 4.08 years in cloudy periods. The results showed that the solar PV power plant is feasible from an economic point of view in both cloudy and sunny weather conditions.

Paleothermicity in the Central Asturian Coal Basin, North Spain

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Piedad-Sanchez, Noe; Izart, Alain; Martinez, Luis; Elie, Marcel; Menetrier, Cedric [UMR G2R/7566-Geologie et Gestion des Ressources Minerales et Energetiques, Equipe Dynamique des Bassins Sedimentaires et des Matieres Organiques, Faculte des Sciences, Universite Henri Poincare, Nancy 1, BP-239, Boulevard des Aiguillettes, 54506 Vandoeuvre-les-Nancy Cedex (France); Suarez-Ruiz, Isabel [Instituto Nacional del Carbon (CSIC), C/ Francisco Pintado Fe, 26, 33011-Oviedo (Spain)

2004-06-23

This research shows for the first time maps of vitrinite reflectances and paleotemperatures from the Central Asturian Coal Basin (North Spain) which is a Carboniferous (Pennsylvanian) Basin mainly of Moscovian age. Vitrinite reflectance values decrease from north to south whereas volatile matter distribution increases from south to north. Vitrinite reflectance and volatile matter parameters indicate a coal rank ranging from high volatile bituminous coal in the north, to semianthracite and anthracite in the south. Rock-Eval data show that the organic matter of this basin is Type III kerogen, with a maturation ranging from oil to gas window. Paleotemperatures were calculated by diverse methods using vitrinite reflectance data for different durations of heating and Rock-Eval results. The calculated paleotemperatures and vertical paleotemperature gradients decrease from south to north. The thermal gradient variation in the Central Asturian Coal Basin points to the influence of at least two heating events that affected the organic matter. The first associated with a regular geothermal gradient operating over a long period of time, and the second linked to a southern granitic event of short duration estimated by tectonic data. The short thermal event was located at the end of sedimentation (Late Moscovian and Late Westphalian D) and after folding, but before the overthrusting during the Asturian tectonic phase located before the Early Kasimovian (Cantabrian and Stephanian) deposits. Finally, a simulation of paleotemperatures around the granitic pluton was calculated and compared to maps of paleotemperatures obtained by various methods. These maps refer to an initial depth of one or two km in accordance with the selected methods that are compatible with local erosion. This approach was preferred in order to explain the metamorphism of coal, rather than the hypothesis of hydrothermal fluid flow proposed for other foreland basins. This regional thermal anomaly could be

Migration of Computer Science Graduates from South Asia to Europe and North America

Science.gov (United States)

Khan, W. A.; Siddiqi, A. B.; Ahmed, F.

2006-01-01

This paper addresses the influx of computer science graduates from South Asia into Europe and North America. It analyses the need and supply chains between two points and identifies the pros and cons of the education imparted to these graduates. The effects of social disorder due to migrations are addressed. The resulting technological vacuum in…

THE IDENTITY OF SHI‘A SYMPATHIZERS IN CONTEMPORARY INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hilman Latief

2008-12-01

Full Text Available This paper sheds some light on Indonesian Shi‘a sympathizers, their particular relations among themselves as well as with others. Following the Iranian Revolution by the late 1970, Indonesian Muslims witnessed a remarkable religious enthusiasm marked by the proliferation of Shi‘a literature. This, in turn, is followed by the establishment of Shi‘a- based institutions, Islamic schools, publishers and associations over the regions. However, in a Sunni majority country like Indonesia, the identity of Shi‘a sympathizers is contested by various religious inclinations among themselves as well as with Indonesian Sunnis. Due to strong suspicion from the Sunnis, the outward appearance of Indonesian Shi‘i identity is not as visible as the Sunnis. It goes without saying that public discourse disappears. Some efforts to communicate with broader scope of Indonesian Muslims have been made by Shi‘a sympathizers, especially among new generations, in order to strengthen their community as well as carry out a more open and productive dialog with the Sunnis.

Post-1980 shifts in the sensitivity of boreal tree growth to North Atlantic Ocean dynamics and seasonal climate. Tree growth responses to North Atlantic Ocean dynamics

Science.gov (United States)

Ols, Clémentine; Trouet, Valerie; Girardin, Martin P.; Hofgaard, Annika; Bergeron, Yves; Drobyshev, Igor

2018-06-01

The mid-20th century changes in North Atlantic Ocean dynamics, e.g. slow-down of the Atlantic meridional overturning thermohaline circulation (AMOC), have been considered as early signs of tipping points in the Earth climate system. We hypothesized that these changes have significantly altered boreal forest growth dynamics in northeastern North America (NA) and northern Europe (NE), two areas geographically adjacent to the North Atlantic Ocean. To test our hypothesis, we investigated tree growth responses to seasonal large-scale oceanic and atmospheric indices (the AMOC, North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), and Arctic Oscillation (AO)) and climate (temperature and precipitation) from 1950 onwards, both at the regional and local levels. We developed a network of 6876 black spruce (NA) and 14437 Norway spruce (NE) tree-ring width series, extracted from forest inventory databases. Analyses revealed post-1980 shifts from insignificant to significant tree growth responses to summer oceanic and atmospheric dynamics both in NA (negative responses to NAO and AO indices) and NE (positive response to NAO and AMOC indices). The strength and sign of these responses varied, however, through space with stronger responses in western and central boreal Quebec and in central and northern boreal Sweden, and across scales with stronger responses at the regional level than at the local level. Emerging post-1980 associations with North Atlantic Ocean dynamics synchronized with stronger tree growth responses to local seasonal climate, particularly to winter temperatures. Our results suggest that ongoing and future anomalies in oceanic and atmospheric dynamics may impact forest growth and carbon sequestration to a greater extent than previously thought. Cross-scale differences in responses to North Atlantic Ocean dynamics highlight complex interplays in the effects of local climate and ocean-atmosphere dynamics on tree growth processes and advocate for the use of different spatial scales in

North RTL ''grid scan'' studies

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Emma, P.

1990-01-01

This study was made in response to screen measurements which indicated an emittance growth of nearly a factor of two within the North RTL or linac girder-1. Betatron oscillations are induced at the beginning of the North RTL to search for gross geometric aberrations arising within the RTL or sector-2 of the linac. The oscillations are induced horizontally and vertically with two X or two Y dipole correctors stepped in a nested loop fashion. In both cases the full set of RTL and first girder sector-2 linac beam position monitors (BPMs) are sampled in X and Y for each corrector setting. Horizontal (or vertical) data from pairs of BPMs are then transformed to phase space coordinates by the linear transformation constructed assuming the transport optics between the BPMs is known. A second transformation is then made to normalized phase space coordinates by using Twiss parameters consistent with the assumed transport optics. By careful choice of initial Twiss parameters the initial grid can be made square for convenience in graphical interpretation. A linear ''grid'' is then fitted to the transformed data points for each pair of BPMs. The area of each grid is calculated and linearity qualitatively evaluated. Furthermore, although not the focus of this study, the beta match at each BPM can be quantified. 6 figs

Coherent changes of wintertime surface air temperatures over North Asia and North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Bin; Lin, Hai

2018-03-29

The surface temperature variance and its potential change with global warming are most prominent in winter over Northern Hemisphere mid-high latitudes. Consistent wintertime surface temperature variability has been observed over large areas in Eurasia and North America on a broad range of time scales. However, it remains a challenge to quantify where and how the coherent change of temperature anomalies occur over the two continents. Here we demonstrate the coherent change of wintertime surface temperature anomalies over North Asia and the central-eastern parts of North America for the period from 1951 to 2015. This is supported by the results from the empirical orthogonal function analysis of surface temperature and temperature trend anomalies over the Northern Hemisphere extratropical lands and the timeseries analysis of the regional averaged temperature anomalies over North Asia and the Great Plains and Great Lakes. The Asian-Bering-North American (ABNA) teleconnection provides a pathway to connect the regional temperature anomalies over the two continents. The ABNA is also responsible for the decadal variation of the temperature relationship between North Asia and North America.

Health development experience in North and South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Kim, H J; Ahn, Y S; Lee, S G

2001-01-01

The purpose of this study is to compare the difference in health status between South Koreans and North Koreans and to identify factors responsible for the remarkable improvements in the health status of South Koreans. In order to examine the causes of the difference in health level, the health indices and their determinants of two Koreas were analyzed in time order. As of the year 2000, the average life expectancy at birth is 71.0 years for men and 78.6 years for women in South Korea, which is longer than that of North Korea by 8.1 for men and 11.2 for women. Infant mortality rate in 1998 was 9.0 per 1,000 live births in South Korea and 54.0 in North Korea. Since being liberated from Japanese ruling in 1945, South Korea has achieved remarkable economic growth under democracy and a market economy system. On the other hand, North Korea has maintained a socialistic system. North Korea has suffered from economic crisis since the 1990s. From this point it could be said that economic status is the major factor for the differences in health level between the two Koreas. Economic status not only directly influences health level but also indirectly affects it through influences on nutrition, hygiene, health resources, and other intervening factors. The South Korean government has concentrated its limited resources on public health activities such as tuberculosis control, family planning (FP), and maternal and child health (MCH) programmes whereas the private sector has taken charge of constructing the health delivery system including health facilities and human resources. In order to solve the problem, which might occur in the private-oriented medical care system, the South Korean government has introduced the national health insurance programme and enforced regulation policies. Many developing countries which are suffering from poverty and disease, can learn from the experience of Korea that had suffered from similar problems up to the early 1970s.

What is the pollution status of North Sea sediments?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Chapman, P.M.; Heip, C.; Cofino, W.

1993-01-01

A March 1990 international sea-going workshop in Bremerhaven, Germany provided the opportunity to conduct detailed sediment toxicity testing in concert with studies of fish histopathology, bioaccumulation, benthic community structure, and sediment chemical contamination in the North Sea. Two gradients of sediment chemical contamination were tested, one from an abandoned oil platform and the other from the mouth of the Elbe River northward to the Dogger Bank. Using a preponderance of evidence approach, it was determined that sediments nearest the Elbe are moderately polluted (pollution is defined as contamination, toxicity, and community alteration) and that sediments offshore and at the Dogger Bank are unpolluted. Sediments nearest the oil platform showed evidence for a low level of pollution, but there was no evidence of pollution 125 m from the platform. The results suggest the testable hypothesis that North Sea sediments away from point sources of pollution such as coastal areas and drilling platforms are presently not polluted. 46 refs., 2 figs., 6 tabs

Genetic calibration of species diversity among North America's freshwater fishes.

Science.gov (United States)

April, Julien; Mayden, Richard L; Hanner, Robert H; Bernatchez, Louis

2011-06-28

Freshwater ecosystems are being heavily exploited and degraded by human activities all over the world, including in North America, where fishes and fisheries are strongly affected. Despite centuries of taxonomic inquiry, problems inherent to species identification continue to hamper the conservation of North American freshwater fishes. Indeed, nearly 10% of species diversity is thought to remain undescribed. To provide an independent calibration of taxonomic uncertainty and to establish a more accessible molecular identification key for its application, we generated a standard reference library of mtDNA sequences (DNA barcodes) derived from expert-identified museum specimens for 752 North American freshwater fish species. This study demonstrates that 90% of known species can be delineated using barcodes. Moreover, it reveals numerous genetic discontinuities indicative of independently evolving lineages within described species, which points to the presence of morphologically cryptic diversity. From the 752 species analyzed, our survey flagged 138 named species that represent as many as 347 candidate species, which suggests a 28% increase in species diversity. In contrast, several species of parasitic and nonparasitic lampreys lack such discontinuity and may represent alternative life history strategies within single species. Therefore, it appears that the current North American freshwater fish taxonomy at the species level significantly conceals diversity in some groups, although artificially creating diversity in others. In addition to providing an easily accessible digital identification system, this study identifies 151 fish species for which taxonomic revision is required.

Modeling Mitigation Activities in North Carolina Watersheds

Science.gov (United States)

Garcia, A. M.

2017-12-01

Nutrient enrichment and excessive sediment loadings have contributed to the degradation of rivers, lakes and estuaries in North Carolina. The North Carolina Department of Environmental Quality (NCDEQ) has implemented several basin-wide nutrient and sediment management strategies, yet gaps remain in understanding the impact of these strategies given the complexities in quantifying the processes that govern the transport of nutrient and sediment. In particular, improved assessment of the status of nutrient and sediment loadings to lakes and estuaries throughout the state is needed, including characterizing their sources and describing the relative contributions of different areas. The NCDEQ Division of Mitigation Services (DMS) uses watershed planning to identify and prioritize the best locations to implement stream, wetland, and riparian-buffer restoration to improve water quality. To support better decision-making for watershed restoration activities we are developing a SPARROW (SPAtially Referenced Regressions On Watershed attributes) model framework specifically for North Carolina. The SPARROW analysis (developed by the U.S. Geological Survey) relates water-quality monitoring data to better understand the effects of human activities and natural processes on surface-water quality. The core of the model consists of using a nonlinear-regression equation to describe the non-conservative transport of contaminants from point and nonpoint sources on land to rivers, lakes and estuaries through the stream and river network. In this presentation, preliminary total Nitrogen, total Phosphorus, and Total Suspended Solids (TSS) NC-SPARROW models are described that illustrate the SPARROW modeling framework incorporating specific restoration datasets and activity metrics, such as extent of riparian buffer and easements.

Sea-floor geology and character offshore of Rocky Point, New York

Science.gov (United States)

Poppe, L.J.; McMullen, K.Y.; Ackerman, S.D.; Blackwood, D.S.; Irwin, B.J.; Schaer, J.D.; Lewit, P.G.; Doran, E.F.

2010-01-01

The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Connecticut Department of Environmental Protection, and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) have been working cooperatively to interpret surficial sea-floor geology along the coast of the Northeastern United States. NOAA survey H11445 in eastern Long Island Sound, offshore of Plum Island, New York, covers an area of about 12 square kilometers. Multibeam bathymetry and sidescan-sonar imagery from the survey, as well as sediment and photographic data from 13 stations occupied during a USGS verification cruise are used to delineate sea-floor features and characterize the environment. Bathymetry gradually deepens offshore to over 100 meters in a depression in the northwest part of the study area and reaches 60 meters in Plum Gut, a channel between Plum Island and Orient Point. Sand waves are present on a shoal north of Plum Island and in several smaller areas around the basin. Sand-wave asymmetry indicates that counter-clockwise net sediment transport maintains the shoal. Sand is prevalent where there is low backscatter in the sidescan-sonar imagery. Gravel and boulder areas are submerged lag deposits produced from the Harbor Hill-Orient Point-Fishers Island moraine segment and are found adjacent to the shorelines and just north of Plum Island, where high backscatter is present in the sidescan-sonar imagery.

Using culture and psychology to counter the Taliban's violent narratives.

Science.gov (United States)

Aggarwal, Neil Krishan

2017-08-01

Scholars, politicians, and policy-makers have increasingly pointed to the role of narratives in recruiting militants and justifying violence, highlighting the need for counter-narratives that promote peace. However, few have offered concrete guidelines on how to construct counter-narratives. This exploratory study uses prototype theory from social psychology to analyse Taliban narratives written in Arabic on the historical figure Maḥmūd of Ghaznī (971-1030), who is portrayed as a figure worthy of emulation. Key themes emerge from the Taliban's narratives: potential ingroup members are defined as Sunni Muslims who are committed to jihad; deviant Muslims must become Sunnis; non-Muslims must be converted and humiliated; and Taliban leaders should emulate Maḥmūd of Ghaznī's attributes. Contrasting the Taliban's narratives of Maḥmūd of Ghaznī with the historical record reveals themes that are culled empirically around which counter-narratives could be constructed.

31 CFR 500.554 - Gifts of North Korean, North Vietnamese, Cambodian, or South Vietnamese origin.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... Vietnamese, Cambodian, or South Vietnamese origin. 500.554 Section 500.554 Money and Finance: Treasury... § 500.554 Gifts of North Korean, North Vietnamese, Cambodian, or South Vietnamese origin. (a) Except as... importation of North Korean, North Vietnamese, Cambodian, or South Vietnamese origin goods sent as gifts to...

North Korea's satellite launch: provocation and ballistic progress

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sitt, Bernard

2013-12-01

this respect, some observers propose the possibility that the recent Unha-3 launch might be relatively swiftly followed by a third nuclear test. This eventuality cannot be excluded, but a single test would not necessarily significantly improve North Korea's operational nuclear capability, whose effective existence still remains to be established. Nevertheless, North Korea's ability to be a nuisance should not be underestimated, especially on a regional level, nor should its determination to bolster the different components of its military power. North Korea's short and medium-range ballistic capacity is well established, its conventional forces are significant, and it has not failed to make the most of its de facto nuclear power status, thanks to which its unpredictability and its transgressions of international law allow it to exert a purely virtual deterrence. It would be advisable for China to carefully consider this point, among others, before vetoing the potential adoption of new sanctions by the Security Council. (author)

Density and viscosity behavior of a North Sea crude oil, natural gas liquid, and their mixtures

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Schmidt, KAG; Cisneros, Sergio; Kvamme, B

2005-01-01

to accurately model the saturation pressures, densities, and viscosities of petroleum systems ranging from natural gases to heavy crude oils. The applicability of this overall modeling technique to reproduce measured bubble points, densities, and viscosities of a North Sea crude oil, a natural gas liquid...

Iraq: Post-Saddam Governance and Security

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Katzman, Kenneth

2008-01-01

Operation Iraqi Freedom overthrew Saddam Hussein's regime, but during 2004-2007 much of Iraq was wracked by violence caused by Sunni Arab resentment and a related insurgency, resulting Sunni-Shiite...

Variability of North Sea pH and CO2 in response to North Atlantic Oscillation forcing

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Salt, Lesley A.; Thomas, Helmuth; Prowe, Friederike

2013-01-01

[1] High biological activity causes a distinct seasonality of surface water pH in the North Sea, which is a strong sink for atmospheric CO2 via an effective shelf pump. The intimate connection between the North Sea and the North Atlantic Ocean suggests that the variability of the CO2 system...... of the North Atlantic Ocean may, in part, be responsible for the observed variability of pH and CO2 in the North Sea. In this work, we demonstrate the role of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), the dominant climate mode for the North Atlantic, in governing this variability. Based on three extensive...... observational records covering the relevant levels of the NAO index, we provide evidence that the North Sea pH and CO2 system strongly responds to external and internal expressions of the NAO. Under positive NAO, the higher rates of inflow of water from the North Atlantic Ocean and the Baltic outflow lead...

The mossy north

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mateo, Ruben G.; Broennimann, Olivier; Normand, Signe

2016-01-01

, as predicted by theory, and whether the assembly mechanisms differ among taxonomic groups. SR increases towards the south in spermatophytes, but towards the north in ferns and bryophytes. SR patterns in spermatophytes are consistent with their patterns of beta diversity, with high levels of nestedness...... and turnover in the north and in the south, respectively, indicating species exclusion towards the north and increased opportunities for speciation in the south. Liverworts exhibit the highest levels of nestedness, suggesting that they represent the most sensitive group to the impact of past climate change...

Governance, Identity, and Counterinsurgency: Evidence from Ramadi and Tal Afar

Science.gov (United States)

2013-03-01

can represent disen- franchised Sunnis.”65 39 It is telling that Ramadi remained among the most obstinate of the Sunni-dominated areas in coming to...also efforts to provide jobs for Ramadi’s thousands of unemployed military-age males. Interviewees differed on the ex- tent to which unemployment ...grievances that fueled the insur- gency had far more to do with a deep sense of disen- franchisement within Iraq’s Sunni community and the related fear of

Maps of mesoscale wind variability over the North Sea region

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vincent, Claire Louise; Hahmann, Andrea N.; Badger, Jake

Mesoscale wind fluctuations affect the operation of wind farms, particularly as the number of geographically concentrated wind farms in the North Sea increases (Akhmatov et al. 2007). The frequency and intensity of wind fluctuations could be considered as a new siting criterion, together with exi...... for a 1 year period. The model was run with a horizontal grid spacing of 2 km. The variability maps are created by integrating the average 24 hour spectra at every grid point over different time-scales....

A study of mental health literacy among North Korean refugees in South Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Noh, Jin-Won; Kwon, Young Dae; Yu, Sieun; Park, Hyunchun; Woo, Jong-Min

2015-01-01

This study aimed to investigate North Korean refugees' knowledge of mental illnesses and treatments and analyze the factors affecting this knowledge. Subjects were selected via a snowball sampling method, and the survey outcomes of 152 North Korean refugee participants were analyzed. The factors affecting knowledge of mental illnesses were analyzed via a regression analysis by constructing a multivariate model with mental illness knowledge score as the dependent variable. The North Korean refugees' mental illness scores ranged from 3 to 24 points, with an average score of 13.0. Regarding the factors that influence mental illness knowledge, the subjects with South Korean spouses and those who had spent more time in South Korea had higher knowledge scores. Furthermore, the subjects who considered the mental health of North Korean refugees to be a serious issue revealed lower knowledge scores than those who did not believe it was a serious issue. The subjects who visit psychiatric clinics showed higher knowledge scores than those who do not. The South Korean subjects who had at least a college education exhibited higher scores than did those without advanced education. The subjects who are satisfied with life in South Korea manifested a higher mental illness knowledge score than those who are not. This study is significant as being the first study to ever measure and evaluate the level of North Korean refugees' knowledge of mental illnesses. In addition, the evaluations of North Korean refugees' mental illness knowledge and influencing factors while residing in South Korea created basic data that formed the foundation of an effort to enhance mental health literacy and provide proper mental health services. The results of this study can be utilized to solve mental health problems that might frequently occur during the unification process of North and South Korea in the future.

A Study of Mental Health Literacy Among North Korean Refugees in South Korea

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jin-Won Noh

2015-01-01

Full Text Available Objectives: This study aimed to investigate North Korean refugees’ knowledge of mental illnesses and treatments and analyze the factors affecting this knowledge. Methods: Subjects were selected via a snowball sampling method, and the survey outcomes of 152 North Korean refugee participants were analyzed. The factors affecting knowledge of mental illnesses were analyzed via a regression analysis by constructing a multivariate model with mental illness knowledge score as the dependent variable. Results: The North Korean refugees’ mental illness scores ranged from 3 to 24 points, with an average score of 13.0. Regarding the factors that influence mental illness knowledge, the subjects with South Korean spouses and those who had spent more time in South Korea had higher knowledge scores. Furthermore, the subjects who considered the mental health of North Korean refugees to be a serious issue revealed lower knowledge scores than those who did not believe it was a serious issue. The subjects who visit psychiatric clinics showed higher knowledge scores than those who do not. The South Korean subjects who had at least a college education exhibited higher scores than did those without advanced education. The subjects who are satisfied with life in South Korea manifested a higher mental illness knowledge score than those who are not. Conclusions: This study is significant as being the first study to ever measure and evaluate the level of North Korean refugees’ knowledge of mental illnesses. In addition, the evaluations of North Korean refugees’ mental illness knowledge and influencing factors while residing in South Korea created basic data that formed the foundation of an effort to enhance mental health literacy and provide proper mental health services. The results of this study can be utilized to solve mental health problems that might frequently occur during the unification process of North and South Korea in the future.

The North American opinion climate for nanotechnology and its products: Opportunities and challenges

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Priest, Susanna

2006-01-01

A January 2005 telephone survey of 1200 people in the U.S. and 2000 Canadians provides a snapshot of current North American opinion regarding nanotechnology at this crucial early point in its emergence from the laboratory to the arena of public discourse and public understanding. Using a typology of 'publics' developed through analysis of a previous comparative survey (Priest, S., 2006) and subsequently tested against these newer data (Priest, S., 2005) this article describes the opinion climate for nanotechnology across North America. The comparison of key results from the two countries helps illustrate how social and cultural differences contribute to reactions to new technologies, including nanotech. The article also discusses implications for nanotechnology-related public outreach and risk communication efforts

Closing the Gaps in Offshore P&A: Lessons Learned From the North Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Torsater, M.

2017-12-01

This talk will give an overview of the major challenges related to offshore well plugging and abandonment (P&A) with examples from the North Sea. The talk will outline why today's P&A operations are so time consuming and expensive, and it will point out current technology gaps and issues related to standards and regulations in the North Sea countries. Emerging P&A solutions will be discussed, and results from large ongoing research projects in Norway will be shared. Special emphasis will be given to promising new concepts, such as using creeping shale formations as permanent well barriers, and using thermal methods for removal of tubing and casing. The long-term aspects of well plugging will also be discussed, together with methods available for minimizing leakage risk.

Strategy. North-Korean nuclear: endgame?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Mirandol, Guylain de

2017-01-01

As North Korea performed new ballistic missile tests in February 2017, and thus violated UN resolutions, this article proposes an overview of the evolutions from nuclear sanctions to economic sanctions. Initially, UN sanctions aimed at struggling against nuclear programmes and proliferation through embargo on arms and materials. After a nuclear test in 2016, South Korea withdrew from a North Korean industrial complex. International sanctions now aim at economically isolating North Korea, at increasing its trade deficit, and at reducing the sending of currencies by North-Korean expatriates. The author notices that these sanctions do not alter manufacturing activities, and that North Korea thus keeps on developing and being integrated into the international division of labour. The last part briefly discusses how North Korea could be able to get around sanctions

North Korea Conundrum

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Samore, G

2002-07-01

Proliferation has become an important political issue over the last decades, marked simultaneously by the nuclearization of South Asia, the strengthening of international regimes (TNP, CW, MTCR) and the discovery of fraud and trafficking. This paper presents the motivations and strategy of North Korea in violating existing agreements and developing an alternative source of weapons grade material. Then it analyses the US gradual economical and political strategy to pressure North Korea to eliminate its nuclear weapons program. The future position of the US will depend on the Iraq outcome and on the results of its pressure policy on North Korea. (J.S.)

North Korea Conundrum

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Samore, G.

2002-01-01

Proliferation has become an important political issue over the last decades, marked simultaneously by the nuclearization of South Asia, the strengthening of international regimes (TNP, CW, MTCR) and the discovery of fraud and trafficking. This paper presents the motivations and strategy of North Korea in violating existing agreements and developing an alternative source of weapons grade material. Then it analyses the US gradual economical and political strategy to pressure North Korea to eliminate its nuclear weapons program. The future position of the US will depend on the Iraq outcome and on the results of its pressure policy on North Korea. (J.S.)

Use of Super-Capacitor to Enhance Charging Performance of Stand-Alone Solar PV System

KAUST Repository

Huang, B. J.

2011-01-01

Introduction: The battery charging performance in a stand-alone solar PV system affects the PV system efficiency and the load operating time. The New Energy Center of National Taiwan University has been devoted to the development of a PWM charging technique to continue charging the lead-acid battery after the overcharge point to increase the battery storage capacity by more than 10%. The present study intends to use the super-capacitor to further increase the charge capacity before the overcharge point of the battery. The super-capacitor is connected in parallel to the lead-acid battery. This will reduce the overall charging impedance during the charge and increase the charging current, especially in sunny weather. A system dynamics model of the lead-acid battery and super-capacitor was derived and the control system simulation was carried out to predict the charging performance for various weathers. It shows that the overall battery impedance decreases and charging power increases with increasing solar radiation. An outdoor comparative test for two identical PV systems with and without supercapacitor was carried out. The use of super-capacitor is shown to be able to increase the lead-acid charging capacity by more than 25% at sunny weather and 10% in cloudy weather. © Springer-Verlag Berlin Heidelberg 2011.

Gridded field observations of polybrominated diphenyl ethers in soils of North China.

Science.gov (United States)

Liu, Di; Ma, Jin; Qiu, Xinghua; Zhao, Yifan; Lin, Yan; Yang, Qiaoyun; Gao, Zhenji; Zhu, Tong

2014-05-01

Polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs) were measured in 87 soil samples collected from North China. Eleven PBDE congeners (BDE28, 47, 49, 66, 99, 100, 119, 183, 196, 203, and 209) were identified with a high frequency of detection (84-100 %) in soil samples, and their frequencies were used for statistical analysis in the present study. PBDE concentrations ranged from 0.08 to 8260 ng/g with a mean of 202 ng/g, thus indicating severe pollution at these sample sites. BDE209 was the predominant congener with concentrations of 0.08-8140 ng/g (mean 188). Analysis of the spatial distribution of PBDEs in North China soils indicated that relatively high concentrations of both lower- and higher-brominated BDEs were present in Shandong Province, and a decreasing trend in PBDE concentrations from the east toward the west of North China was observed. Source identification analysis suggested that Jinghai County in Tianjin and the coastal area of Laizhou Bay, Shandong province, were the major sources in North China. The sources in Jinghai County were connected with the dismantling of electronic waste, whereas the sources in the coastal area of Laizhou Bay were connected with the production of PBDEs. Modeling results showed that the distance between the sampling sites and these point sources had a large influence on the transfer of PBDEs.

Sources of endocrine-disrupting compounds in North Carolina waterways: a geographic information systems approach

Science.gov (United States)

Sackett, Dana K.; Pow, Crystal Lee; Rubino, Matthew J.; Aday, D.D.; Cope, W. Gregory; Kullman, Seth W.; Rice, J.A.; Kwak, Thomas J.; Law, L.M.

2015-01-01

The presence of endocrine-disrupting compounds (EDCs), particularly estrogenic compounds, in the environment has drawn public attention across the globe, yet a clear understanding of the extent and distribution of estrogenic EDCs in surface waters and their relationship to potential sources is lacking. The objective of the present study was to identify and examine the potential input of estrogenic EDC sources in North Carolina water bodies using a geographic information system (GIS) mapping and analysis approach. Existing data from state and federal agencies were used to create point and nonpoint source maps depicting the cumulative contribution of potential sources of estrogenic EDCs to North Carolina surface waters. Water was collected from 33 sites (12 associated with potential point sources, 12 associated with potential nonpoint sources, and 9 reference), to validate the predictive results of the GIS analysis. Estrogenicity (measured as 17β-estradiol equivalence) ranged from 0.06 ng/L to 56.9 ng/L. However, the majority of sites (88%) had water 17β-estradiol concentrations below 1 ng/L. Sites associated with point and nonpoint sources had significantly higher 17β-estradiol levels than reference sites. The results suggested that water 17β-estradiol was reflective of GIS predictions, confirming the relevance of landscape-level influences on water quality and validating the GIS approach to characterize such relationships.

31 CFR 500.559 - Accounts of North Korean, North Vietnamese, Cambodian or South Vietnamese sole proprietorships.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 31 Money and Finance: Treasury 3 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Accounts of North Korean, North Vietnamese, Cambodian or South Vietnamese sole proprietorships. 500.559 Section 500.559 Money and Finance... Licensing Policy § 500.559 Accounts of North Korean, North Vietnamese, Cambodian or South Vietnamese sole...

Energy policy of North Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Rueth, G.

2006-01-01

Since the year 1990, North Korea suffers internal-policy problems as well as foreign-political problems. The gross domestic investment decreased by 3.8% yearly between the years 1990 and 1998. Many actual problems of North Korea correspond with the energy crisis in this land affecting nearly all sectors of economy and society. This energy crisis was released by the fact, that the former Soviet Union has stopped the supply of primary energy in the year 1991. In the contribution under consideration, the author reports on the energy policy of North Korea. The main themes of this contribution are: (a) Development and characteristics of the energy sector; (b) Crisis of the energy sector; (c) Consequences of the energy crisis in North Korea; (d) Possibilities of the solution of the energy crisis. For the U.S.A. and the international community, the energy crisis offers the possibility to turn North Korea to negotiations by means of remedial measures in the energy sector. In response, North Korea should drop its nuclear energy program. Apart from such positive incentives, the threat of sanctions is conceivable. North Korea imports nearly 70 % of its oil demand from the People's Republic of China. Therefore, China has an great influence on North Korea. The energy crisis of North Korea shows the fatal consequences of a falsely performed energy policy with respect to the population of this land and with respect to the stability and disposing capacity of the political leadership

Vocational Preference Inventory High Point Codes Versus Expressed Choices as Predictors of College Major and Career Entry

Science.gov (United States)

Gade, Eldon M.; Soliah, David

1975-01-01

For 151 male graduates of the University of North Dakota, expressed choices measured by preferences made as high school seniors on the ACT Student Profile Section were significantly more accurate predictors of graduating college major and of career entry occupation than were their Vocational Preference Inventory high point codes. (Author)

Sex determination from hand and foot dimensions in a North Indian population.

Science.gov (United States)

Krishan, Kewal; Kanchan, Tanuj; Sharma, Abhilasha

2011-03-01

Hands and feet are often recovered from the site of natural as well as man-made disasters because of bomb blasts, train accidents, plane crashes, or mass homicides. This study is intended to establish standards for determination of sex from the dimensions of hands and feet in a North Indian population. The data for this study comprise 123 men and 123 women aged between 17 and 20 years from the "Rajput" population of Himachal Pradesh in North India. Four anthropometric measurements viz. hand length, hand breadth, foot length, and foot breadth have been taken on both sides of each subject following international anthropometric standards. The hand index (hand breadth/hand length × 100) and the foot index (foot breadth/foot length × 100) were calculated. Sectioning points and regression models are derived for the hand and foot dimensions and the derived indices. The hand and foot dimensions show a higher accuracy in sex determination by sectioning point analysis when compared to hand and foot index. Of the hand and the foot dimensions, hand breadth and foot breadth showed better accuracy in sex determination. Hand index and foot index remain poor sex discriminators in the study. © 2011 American Academy of Forensic Sciences.

The Role of Convection in Redistributing Formaldehyde to the Upper Troposphere Over North America and the North Atlantic during the Summer 2004 INTEX Campaign

Science.gov (United States)

Fried, Alan; Olson, Jennifer R.; Walega, Jim; Crawford, Jim H.; Chen, Gao; Weibring, Petter; Richter, Dirk; Roller, Chad; Tittel, Frank; Porter, Michael;

North gas and NGL movements : Enbridge's perspectives and capabilities

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zupan, L.

2001-01-01

This power point presentation included graphs and tables illustrating oil and gas operations of Calgary's Enbridge Pipeline Inc. While the company has holdings in North and Central America, this paper focused on operations in the far North where Enbridge has significant expertise. In 1985, the company built, and has since owned and operated the only major pipeline in the Northwest Territories. The pipeline travels from Norman Wells in the Northwest Territories to Zama in northern Alberta. Enbridge is also involved in the production processing, transmission/distribution of natural gas to the town of Inuvik on the Arctic Ocean. There are alternative pipeline routes currently under consideration. These include the Mackenzie Valley Pipeline from Inuvik to southern markets, a pipeline from Prudhoe Bay to southern markets, and a third northern route pipeline. The options could include a gas treatment facility at Prudhoe Bay for marketing in both the Alberta Hub and the Chicago Hub. Natural gas liquids (NGL) extraction location alternatives were also illustrated along with NGL movements across Canada. tabs., figs

The Shi’a Crescent: A Misconception of Shi’a Alliance

Science.gov (United States)

2014-12-01

Iranian origin to Iran.33 After the Iraq-Iran War started, Saddam’s regime encouraged Iraqi men who were married to Iranian women to divorce their...region, indicating that “The Shi’a point to a pattern of negligence and poverty resulting from discriminatory practices of governments from Ottoman...decreased the authority of the sayyids, who were tribal counselors on marriages, divorces , and inheritances,26 and marked the success of the Sunni

North Korean Relationships

Science.gov (United States)

2012-12-18

partner, holding 18 percent of all trade. North Korea’s leading export items to Japan were men’s suits, mushrooms , and coal. Japan’s main export items...credited with providing resources to North Korea in efforts to help establish and cultivate a much stronger military force as well as begin to

Psychoemotional state of patients 60+ years old with chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency relocating with their family from the far north

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Liudmila G. Klimatckaia

2016-12-01

Full Text Available Background. In the Soviet period, people came to work in the Far North of the Krasnoyarsk Territory. Now they are retired. Remaining retired in the North is not economically feasible. Resettlement of unemployed elderly people to the more favorable southern climatic zones of central Siberia is connected with a demographic situation. For families 60+ years old, the “From the Extreme North to the South” program was created. The article presents the results of studies on the psychoemotional state of migrants 60+ years old. Objectives . To study the psychoemotional state of patients 60+ years old with chronic cerebrovascular insufficiency when adapting from the North to the South. Material and methods. 98 migrants from the North to the South were examined. These were people with a chronic insufficiency of brain blood circulation at the age of 60+ years old. Patients were tested utilizing the G. Eysenck and A.S. Zigmond, R.P. Snaith. Hospital Anxiety and Depression Scale. Results . Various types of personality were revealed: extroverts – 60.2% (59 people, introverts – 39.8% (39 people. Emotionally stable migrants 60+ years old – 25.5% (28 people. Emotionally unstable – 74.5% (70 people. The sociability combination with impulsiveness was characteristic with a high level of emotional instability (17.27 ± 0.26 points. At very high level (19.5 ± 0.31 points, low self-esteem and an emotional block were revealed. Conclusions . 1. Emotionally stable migrants 60+ years old readapt fairly. 2. High and very high levels of neuroticism demonstrate the formation of anxiety disorders and restriction of adaptive opportunities in migrants 60+ years old. Treatment and prophylactic actions are provided to them.

Consumer Perceptions of Mobile and Traditional Point-of-Sale Credit/Debit Card Systems in the United States: A Survey

OpenAIRE

Saxena, Nitish; Sloan, John. J.; Godbole, Manasvee; Yu, Jun; Cai, Jacinta; Goergescu, Michael; Harper, Olive Nick; Schwebel, David, C.

2016-01-01

In recent years, rapidly emerging technology has introduced mobile Point-Of-Sale (MPOS) systems to the North American market. These systems allow merchants to process transactions conveniently and quickly using mobile phones or tablets rather than “traditional” point-of-sale (TPOS) credit card-processing systems. However, the long-term success of these new payment systems relies on consumers perceiving the device to be secure, accurate, and free from criminal activity. We present a case vs. c...

An Investigation into Power from Pitch-Surge Point-Absorber Wave Energy Converters.

OpenAIRE

Chaplin, R. V.; Aggidis, George A.

2007-01-01

There is a worldwide opportunity for clean renewable power. The results from the UK Government's "Marine Energy Challenge" showed that marine energy has the potential to become competitive with other forms of energy. The key to success in this lies in a low lifetime-cost of power as delivered to the user. Pitch-surge point-absorber WECs have the potential to do this with average annual powers of around 2 MW in North Atlantic conditions from relatively small devices that would be economically ...

Tomotectonic constraints on deformation of Cordilleran North America since Late Jurassic

Science.gov (United States)

Mihalynuk, M. G.; Sigloch, K.

2017-12-01

Seismic tomography reveals detailed mantle structure beneath North America, largely thanks to USArray. TWO massive composite slabs are recognized down to 2000 km depth and their topologies are combined with quantitative plate reconstructions back to the breakup of Pangea using Atlantic and Pacific magnetic isochrons. This tomotectonic analysis reveals evolving arc/trench-plate geometries of a vast archipelago/microcontinent and ocean plateau that were overridden by North America, and an explanation for Cordilleran deformation episodes. As Pangea fragmented, subduction reconfigured from EAST-directed beneath the continent (during final growth of the Intermontane Superterrane, IMS, or "AltaBC"), to WEST-directed beneath an intraoceanic, massive arc chevron (MAC). MAC trenches were stationary within a mantle reference frame, as indicated by near-vertical slab walls 4-7x as thick as mature ocean lithosphere, and its trenches were >10,000 km long. East-pointing MAC apex was located 2000-4000 km off Pangea's west coast where MAC arc was built atop the Insular superterrane (INS, or "BajaBC"), a microcontinent extending >2600 km southwards from the apex. Ocean lithosphere between the MAC apex and west-drifting North America was consumed by 155 Ma. INS, comparable in length to the Indian subcontinent, initially collided with the leading edge of North America/IMS and generated "Nevadan" deformation. Diachronous Sevier deformation followed as MAC was driven farther into the continental margin and raked southward (sinistral offsets w.r.t. North America). By 130 Ma, with large segments accreted and MAC geometry breaking down, subduction was forced to jump outboard (westward) of MAC. The Franciscan accretionary complex marks a return to eastward/Andean-style subduction (of the Farallon plate). A remarkably complete analogue for collision at 130 Ma is found in modern Australia's override of arcs to its north. Rapid northward transport of BajaBC w.r.t. North America 90-50 Ma is

The North American Drought Atlas: Tree-Ring Reconstructions of Drought Variability for Climate Modeling and Assessment

Science.gov (United States)

Cook, E. R.

2007-05-01

The North American Drought Atlas describes a detailed reconstruction of drought variability from tree rings over most of North America for the past 500-1000 years. The first version of it, produced over three years ago, was based on a network of 835 tree-ring chronologies and a 286-point grid of instrumental Palmer Drought Severity Indices (PDSI). These gridded PDSI reconstructions have been used in numerous published studies now that range from modeling fire in the American West, to the impact of drought on palaeo-Indian societies, and to the determination of the primary causes of drought over North America through climate modeling experiments. Some examples of these applications will be described to illustrate the scientific value of these large-scale reconstructions of drought. Since the development and free public release of Version 1 of the North American Drought Atlas (see http:iridl.ldeo.columbia.edu/SOURCES/.LDEO/.TRL/.NADA2004/.pdsi-atlas.html), great improvements have been made in the critical tree-ring network used to reconstruct PDSI at each grid point. This network has now been enlarged to 1743 annual tree-ring chronologies, which greatly improves the density of tree-ring records in certain parts of the grid, especially in Canada and Mexico. In addition, the number of tree-ring records that extend back before AD 1400 has been substantially increased. These developments justify the creation of Version 2 of the North American Drought Atlas. In this talk I will describe this new version of the drought atlas and some of its properties that make it a significant improvement over the previous version. The new product provides enhanced resolution of the spatial and temporal variability of prolonged drought such as the late 16th century event that impacted regions of both Mexico and the United States. I will also argue for the North American Drought Atlas being used as a template for the development of large-scale drought reconstructions in other land areas of

Patterns of forest use and endemism in resident bird communities of north-central Michoacan, Mexico

Science.gov (United States)

Santiago Garcia; Deborah M. Finch; Gilberto Chavez. Leon

1998-01-01

We compared breeding avian communities among 11 habitat types in north-central Michoacan, Mexico, to determine patterns of forest use by endemic and nonendemic resident species. Point counts of birds and vegetation measurements were conducted at 124 sampling localities from May through July, in 1994 and 1995. Six native forest types sampled were pine, pine-oak, oak-...

[North] Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

1986-05-01

In 1985, the population of the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (North Korea) stood at 20 million, with an annual growth rate of 2.3%. The infant mortality rate was 30/1000 live births and life expectancy was 66 years. The gross national product (GNP) was US$23 billion in 1984, with a per capita GNP of $1175. Both North Korea's labor force and natural resources have been concentrated in recent years on an effort to achieve rapid economic development. During the early 1970s, a large-scale modernization program involving the importation of Western technology, primarily in the heavy industiral sectors of the economy, was attempted and resulted in a massive foreign debt. North Korea has a strongly centralized government under the control of the communist Korean Workers' Party. Literacy in the country is at the 99% level. Medical treatment is free. There is 1 physician/600 population and 1 hospital bed/350 inhabitants.

Factors explaining the North-South differentials in contraceptive use in Nigeria: A nonlinear decomposition analysis

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stella Babalola

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Background: Northern Nigeria has some of the worst reproductive health indicators worldwide. Conspicuous North-South variations exist in contraceptive use; not much is known about the drivers of contraceptive use disparities in the North compared to the South. Objective: In this study, we examine the relative weights of the factors that contribute to this North-South gap in contraceptive prevalence. Methods: Using the women's 2013 Demographic Health Survey dataset, we applied a nonlinear decomposition technique to determine the contribution of sociodemographic and socioeconomic characteristics, conjugal relationship dynamics, intimate partner violence, ideational variables, and Islamic culture to the North-South disparities in contraceptive use. Results: There was a gap of 12.4 percentage points in contraceptive prevalence between the north and south of Nigeria (5.2Š vs 17.6Š. The largest contributors to the gap were ideational characteristics (explaining 42.0Š of the gap and socio-economic profiles (explaining 42.6Š. Patterns of conjugal relationship dynamics (11.1Š, socio-demographic characteristics (‒11.0Š, Islamic religious culture (7.6Š, and exposure to family planning messaging (6.1Š were also significant contributors. Conclusions: Effective interventions to increase contraceptive use in northern Nigeria should aim at addressing socioeconomic disadvantage in the North, impacting ideational characteristics and specifically targeting poor women and those with low levels of education. Working with Islamic religious leaders is also critical to bridging the gap. Contribution: This paper broadens the knowledge on the determinants of contraceptive use in Nigeria by identifying contextual factors that operate differently in the North compared to the South.

Music and Emotion-A Case for North Indian Classical Music.

Science.gov (United States)

Valla, Jeffrey M; Alappatt, Jacob A; Mathur, Avantika; Singh, Nandini C

2017-01-01

The ragas of North Indian Classical Music (NICM) have been historically known to elicit emotions. Recently, Mathur et al. (2015) provided empirical support for these historical assumptions, that distinct ragas elicit distinct emotional responses. In this review, we discuss the findings of Mathur et al. (2015) in the context of the structure of NICM. Using, Mathur et al. (2015) as a demonstrative case-in-point, we argue that ragas of NICM can be viewed as uniquely designed stimulus tools for investigating the tonal and rhythmic influences on musical emotion.

Music and Emotion—A Case for North Indian Classical Music

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jeffrey M. Valla

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The ragas of North Indian Classical Music (NICM have been historically known to elicit emotions. Recently, Mathur et al. (2015 provided empirical support for these historical assumptions, that distinct ragas elicit distinct emotional responses. In this review, we discuss the findings of Mathur et al. (2015 in the context of the structure of NICM. Using, Mathur et al. (2015 as a demonstrative case-in-point, we argue that ragas of NICM can be viewed as uniquely designed stimulus tools for investigating the tonal and rhythmic influences on musical emotion.

Jurassic domes in the North Sea - northern North Atlantic region

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Surlyk, F. [Univ. of Copenhagen, Geological Inst., Copenhagen (Denmark)

1996-12-31

The stratigraphic and tectonic evolution of the Jurassic of East Greenland, the Norwegian Shelf and the North Sea is remarkably similar. A major Middle Jurassic unconformity occurs in all three areas. In the North Sea it is commonly termed the `Mid-Cimmerian Unconformity` and is characterized by progressive truncation of the underlying section towards a centre at the triple junction between the Central Graben, Viking Graben and Moray Firth. Strata above the unconformity show a progressive Late Aalenian-Early Kimmeridgian onlap in the same direction. These relations have been interpreted as caused by Early Jurassic uplift and of a major thermal dome in the central North Sea, followed by Medial and Late Jurassic rifting, erosion, deflation and transgression of the dome. The East Greenland unconformity shows progressive truncation of underlying strata from south to north, and Bajocian to Callovian onlap in the same direction. The same pattern seems to be developed on the conjugate Norwegian margin. This suggests the possibility that the three unconformities have similar causes for their development. It is proposed that major rift domes formed in the Central North Sea and in the Greenland-Norway seaway in Early Jurassic times. The domes were eroded and gradually deflated during Medial Jurassic times and were finally submerged by the Late Oxfordian-Kimmeridgian. They were associated with volcanism and rifting which was delayed with respect to dome initiation. Roughly contemperaneous domes were present west of Britain, north of the Porcupine Seabight, and in Scania, southern Sweden, as reflected by development of asymmetrical unconformities showing progressive truncation of underlying strata, onlap of overlying Jurassic strata, and associated intrusive and extrusive volcanism. The domes are related to impingement of the heads of transient mantle plumes at the base of the lithosphere. The associated unconformities are thus of non-eustatic nature. Domal uplift and

Economic analysis of milk production and consumption in the Middle East and North Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Mansoor Maitah

2012-01-01

Full Text Available Milk products are considered as the essential food commodities for humans. Milk products contain essential elements for the human body such as protein, glucose, minerals and vitamins. Moreover, milk is considered the cheapest source of animal protein, an important resource for some related transformation industries and provides employment opportunities for a large number of small producers in both rural and urban areas. The aim of this paper is to analyze the factors which determine the supply and demand for liquid milk (henceforth milk in the Middle East and North Africa in order to point out the main problems and constraints obstructing the milk production in this region. The research also attempts to understand the drivers for the development in milk production in the Middle East and North Africa.Total milk production in the Middle East and North Africa increased from about 12.57 million tons in 1990 to about 25.18 millions tons in 2008. This paper attempts to identify the factors which influence the effectiveness of production, consumption and foreign trade of milk in the Middle East and North Africa. The most important factors affecting consumption is the population, per capita income and produced quantity where a 1% increase in all of them results in increasing the quantity consumed by 1.3%, 2.86% and 0.611%, respectively. Milk sector provides employment opportunities for more than 25% of the working force in some Middle East and North Africa countries.

North Korea: a mercenary proliferator?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hemez, Remy

2015-01-01

After having recalled that North Korea possesses a rather advanced ballistic programme which has been started in the 1970 with the Chinese support, that North Korea is the fourth world producer of ballistic missiles, the author outlines that this country has become a major proliferator as it exports this production to different States and non-State actors. He recalls the long history of relationships between North Korea and terrorist organisations (even during the Cold War), comments the current and major support of North Korea to Hamas and Hezbollah in Gaza and in Lebanon. These relationships are then related with those these both organisations have with Syria and Iran who are in fact the relays between them and North Korea. The author explains why Hamas and Hezbollah must buy their weapons to such a far country: Iran is submitted to international sanctions, Iran and Syria want to avoid being banned from the international community for selling weapon to a terrorist (or so-said) organisation, and prices are rather competitive. If North Korea is also submitted to international sanctions, weapon smuggling seems to be institutional in this country. The author finally briefly evokes the issue of chemical weapons: North Korea possesses few thousand tonnes of these weapons, and could export them to non-state organisations

North-South precipitation patterns in western North America on interannual-to-decadal timescales

Science.gov (United States)

Dettinger, M.D.; Cayan, D.R.; Diaz, Henry F.; Meko, D.M.

1998-01-01

The overall amount of precipitation deposited along the West Coast and western cordillera of North America from 25??to 55??N varies from year to year, and superimposed on this domain-average variability are varying north-south contrasts on timescales from at least interannual to interdecadal. In order to better understand the north-south precipitation contrasts, their interannual and decadal variations are studied in terms of how much they affect overall precipitation amounts and how they are related to large-scale climatic patterns. Spatial empirical orthogonal functions (EOFs) and spatial moments (domain average, central latitude, and latitudinal spread) of zonally averaged precipitation anomalies along the westernmost parts of North America are analyzed, and each is correlated with global sea level pressure (SLP) and sea surface temperature series, on interannual (defined here as 3-7 yr) and decadal (>7 yr) timescales. The interannual band considered here corresponds to timescales that are particularly strong in tropical climate variations and thus is expected to contain much precipitation variability that is related to El Nino-Southern Oscillation; the decadal scale is defined so as to capture the whole range of long-term climatic variations affecting western North America. Zonal EOFs of the interannual and decadal filtered versions of the zonal-precipitation series are remarkably similar. At both timescales, two leading EOFs describe 1) a north-south seesaw of precipitation pivoting near 40??N and 2) variations in precipitation near 40??N, respectively. The amount of overall precipitation variability is only about 10% of the mean and is largely determined by precipitation variations around 40??-45??N and most consistently influenced by nearby circulation patterns; in this sense, domain-average precipitation is closely related to the second EOF. The central latitude and latitudinal spread of precipitation distributions are strongly influenced by precipitation

North by north-west: climate change and directions of density shifts in birds.

Science.gov (United States)

Lehikoinen, Aleksi; Virkkala, Raimo

2016-03-01

There is increasing evidence that climate change shifts species distributions towards poles and mountain tops. However, most studies are based on presence-absence data, and either abundance or the observation effort has rarely been measured. In addition, hardly any studies have investigated the direction of shifts and factors affecting them. Here, we show using count data on a 1000 km south-north gradient in Finland, that between 1970-1989 and 2000-2012, 128 bird species shifted their densities, on average, 37 km towards the north north-east. The species-specific directions of the shifts in density were significantly explained by migration behaviour and habitat type. Although the temperatures have also moved on average towards the north north-east (186 km), the species-specific directions of the shifts in density and temperature did not correlate due to high variation in density shifts. Findings highlight that climate change is unlikely the only driver of the direction of species density shifts, but species-specific characteristics and human land-use practices are also influencing the direction. Furthermore, the alarming results show that former climatic conditions in the north-west corner of Finland have already moved out of the country. This highlights the need for an international approach in research and conservation actions to mitigate the impacts of climate change. © 2015 John Wiley & Sons Ltd.

Causes of decadal climate variability over the North Pacific and North America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Latif, M.; Barnett, T.P.

1994-01-01

The cause of decadal climate variability over the North Pacific and North America is investigated by analyzing data from a multi-decadal integration with a state of the art coupled ocean-atmosphere model and observations. About one third of the low-frequency climate variability in the region of interest can be attributed to a cycle involving unstable air-sea interactions between the subtropical gyre circulation in the North Pacific and the Aleutian low pressure system. The existence of this cycle provides a basis for long-range climate forecasting over the western United States at decadal time scales. (orig.)

Historic Storminess Changes in North Atlantic Region

Science.gov (United States)

Dawson, A. G.; Elliott, L.; Noone, S.; Hickey, K.; Foster, I.; Wadhams, P.; Mayewski, P.

2001-05-01

Reconstructed patterns of historic storminess (1870-1990 AD) for North Atlantic region as indicated by measurements from selected stations in Iceland, Faeroes, Scotland and Ireland show clear links with the climate "seesaw" winters first described by Van Loon and Rogers. The stormiest winters appear to have occurred during periods when measured Greenland air temperatures at Jacobshavn and reconstructed air temperatures from the Summit ice core site have been exceptionally low and when air temperature across northern Europe have been well above average. Maxima and minima of recorded winter storms for the various stations are also in agreement with the Sodium chronology from GISP2 that points to increased sea salt precipitation on Greenland ice at Summit during Greenland "below" periods of the climate seesaw.

North-south interdependence

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Norse, D

1979-01-01

The sound eco-development of agriculture can help to establish a cooperative and harmonious north-south interdependence. The interdependence pattern is seen when the major agricultural suppliers (energy, fertilizers, and pesticides) are examined in the context of commodity transfers of grain and rubber. The consumers of either the north or south would be unable to find alternative sources without major production or social disruption. The Organization of Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) INTERFUTURES study examines the chain of dependencies between raw materials and markets and the implications for economic development, employment, and environmental hazards. If interdependence is to benefit both the north and the south, technological fixes will not be adequate or appropriate to deal with the potential hazards. (DCK)

Las variables meteorológicas no explican el gradiente norte-sur en la mortalidad por esclerosis múltiple en España Meteorological variables do not explain the North-South gradient in mortality from multiple sclerosis in Spain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Dolores Prieto-Salceda

2007-08-01

Full Text Available Objetivo: Comprobar si las variables meteorológicas justifican el gradiente norte-sur en la mortalidad por esclerosis múltiple (EM en España. Métodos: La tasa de mortalidad por EM ajustada por edad en cada provincia de 1975 a 1998 se correlacionó con la media anual de diferentes variables meteorológicas. Resultados: Las temperaturas mínima, media y máxima, el número medio de horas de sol y el número de días soleados se correlacionaron negativamente con la mortalidad por EM, mientras que la cantidad de lluvia se correlacionó positivamente con la EM. La mayor parte de las correlaciones desaparecen al ajustar por latitud. En cambio, la mortalidad por EM está asociada con la latitud incluso después de ajustar por los factores meteorológicos. Conclusión: El gradiente norte-sur en la mortalidad por EM en España no puede explicarse completamente por factores meteorológicos. Son necesarias otras hipótesis para justicar esta asociación.Objectives: To determine whether weather conditions explain the North-South gradient in multiple sclerosis (MS mortality described in Spain. Methods: The age-adjusted MS mortality rate by Spanish provinces from 1975 to 1998 was correlated with several climatic variables. Results: MS mortality was negatively correlated with minimum, average and maximum temperatures, the mean number of hours of sunshine, and the mean number of sunny days. A positive correlation was found with the average amount of rain. Most correlations disappeared after adjusting by latitude. However, MS mortality was associated with latitude after adjusting by climatic factors. Conclusions: The North-South gradient in MS mortality in Spain cannot be fully explained by weather differences. Therefore, other hypotheses are required to explain this association.

The Asian-Bering-North American teleconnection: seasonality, maintenance, and climate impact on North America

Science.gov (United States)

Yu, Bin; Lin, H.; Wu, Z. W.; Merryfield, W. J.

2018-03-01

The Asian-Bering-North American (ABNA) teleconnection index is constructed from the normalized 500-hPa geopotential field by excluding the Pacific-North American pattern contribution. The ABNA pattern features a zonally elongated wavetrain originating from North Asia and flowing downstream across Bering Sea and Strait towards North America. The large-scale teleconnection is a year-round phenomenon that displays strong seasonality with the peak variability in winter. North American surface temperature and temperature extremes, including warm days and nights as well as cold days and nights, are significantly controlled by this teleconnection. The ABNA pattern has an equivalent barotropic structure in the troposphere and is supported by synoptic-scale eddy forcing in the upper troposphere. Its associated sea surface temperature anomalies exhibit a horseshoe-shaped structure in the North Pacific, most prominent in winter, which is driven by atmospheric circulation anomalies. The snow cover anomalies over the West Siberian plain and Central Siberian Plateau in autumn and spring and over southern Siberia in winter may act as a forcing influence on the ABNA pattern. The snow forcing influence in winter and spring can be traced back to the preceding season, which provides a predictability source for this teleconnection and for North American temperature variability. The ABNA associated energy budget is dominated by surface longwave radiation anomalies year-round, with the temperature anomalies supported by anomalous downward longwave radiation and damped by upward longwave radiation at the surface.

Third North Korean nuclear test: what is the state of the North's programme?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Sitt, Bernard

2013-02-01

Two months ago, following North Korea's Unha-3 launch, which put a small satellite into orbit, this publication discussed the possibility of a third North Korean nuclear test. As expected, Pyongyang remained true to its traditional policy of provocation. With carefully calculated timing, it carried out a third nuclear test on 12 February, just hours after Barack Obama's State of the Union address, four days before former leader Kim Jong-il's birthday, and on the eve of the investiture of the new South Korean president on the 25 February. Moreover, the North Korean regime is billing this test as a riposte to the new round of sanctions adopted on by the Security Council on 22 January following the Unha-3 launch in December, as it announced on the 24 January. Yet, aside from the associated posturing, this test confirms, if more confirmation were needed, the North's determination to develop an effective nuclear deterrent. The use of the term miniaturisation is certainly in part a propaganda exercise (can actual miniaturisation be achieved after three nuclear tests, one or two of whose success is highly doubtful?). Nonetheless, North Korea has clearly made progress in developing a nuclear weapon and an intercontinental ballistic missile derived from the Taepodong-2, and has promised to carry out further ballistic launches. Without a doubt, even if the North is a long way from possessing what we would consider an operational nuclear capability, its determination has helped it to make progress, and the country shows no signs of wanting to change course. In light of this fact, what can the international community do beyond existing and future sanctions regimes? Doubtless very little. China, which continues to support the North and which has been known in the past to exert influence on Pyongyang, has expressed its firm displeasure as to the North's activities but appears to have no leverage over Kim Jong-un. The Six-Party talks have little chance of being revived, as North

Process-based coastal erosion modeling for Drew Point (North Slope, Alaska)

Science.gov (United States)

Ravens, Thomas M.; Jones, Benjamin M.; Zhang, Jinlin; Arp, Christopher D.; Schmutz, Joel A.

2012-01-01

A predictive, coastal erosion/shoreline change model has been developed for a small coastal segment near Drew Point, Beaufort Sea, Alaska. This coastal setting has experienced a dramatic increase in erosion since the early 2000’s. The bluffs at this site are 3-4 m tall and consist of ice-wedge bounded blocks of fine-grained sediments cemented by ice-rich permafrost and capped with a thin organic layer. The bluffs are typically fronted by a narrow (∼ 5  m wide) beach or none at all. During a storm surge, the sea contacts the base of the bluff and a niche is formed through thermal and mechanical erosion. The niche grows both vertically and laterally and eventually undermines the bluff, leading to block failure or collapse. The fallen block is then eroded both thermally and mechanically by waves and currents, which must occur before a new niche forming episode may begin. The erosion model explicitly accounts for and integrates a number of these processes including: (1) storm surge generation resulting from wind and atmospheric forcing, (2) erosional niche growth resulting from wave-induced turbulent heat transfer and sediment transport (using the Kobayashi niche erosion model), and (3) thermal and mechanical erosion of the fallen block. The model was calibrated with historic shoreline change data for one time period (1979-2002), and validated with a later time period (2002-2007).

Communicating Volcanic Hazards in the North Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Dehn, J.; Webley, P.; Cunningham, K. W.

2014-12-01

For over 25 years, effective hazard communication has been key to effective mitigation of volcanic hazards in the North Pacific. These hazards are omnipresent, with a large event happening in Alaska every few years to a decade, though in many cases can happen with little or no warning (e.g. Kasatochi and Okmok in 2008). Here a useful hazard mitigation strategy has been built on (1) a large database of historic activity from many datasets, (2) an operational alert system with graduated levels of concern, (3) scenario planning, and (4) routine checks and communication with emergency managers and the public. These baseline efforts are then enhanced in the time of crisis with coordinated talking points, targeted studies and public outreach. Scientists naturally tend to target other scientists as their audience, whereas in effective monitoring of hazards that may only occur on year to decadal timescales, details can distract from the essentially important information. Creating talking points and practice in public communications can help make hazard response a part of the culture. Promoting situational awareness and familiarity can relieve indecision and concerns at the time of a crisis.

A detailed gravimetric geoid of North America, the North Atlantic, Eurasia, and Australia

Science.gov (United States)

Marsh, J. G.

1973-01-01

A computer program was developed for the calculation of a goid based upon a combination of satellite and surface gravity data. A detailed gravimetric geoid of North America, the North Atlantic, Eurasia, and Australia was derived by using this program.

Development of a direct expansion solar assisted heat pump for hot water supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Abdesselam Hamloui; Ong, K.S.; Than Cheok Fah; Masjuki Hassan

2000-01-01

Experimental investigations were conducted on the direct expansion solar assisted Heat Pump (DESAHP). Refrigerant R-22 was expanded in the solar collector which also acted as the evaporator in a conventional vapor compression refrigerating machine. The experiments were conducted under conditions of high and low solar radiation, with evaporator completely shaded from the sun, and at night. System thermal performance was determined by measuring refrigerant flow rate, temperature and pressure at numerous points in the system. The results showed that 227-l of water could be heated from 3O degree to 55 degree C in about 105 minutes. Higher water temperatures were obtained during hot sunny days. The coefficient of performance of heating, COP h , ranged from 11 to 4.7, depending upon operating conditions. The total saving of electric energy during hot sunny days was about 460 %. It means that for 1 kWh of electrical input to the system, we achieve 4.6 kWh. This percentage decreases as the evaporator temperature decreases and is a function of solar energy input. (Author)

The Responsibility of Yazid in the Event of Karbala and the Martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Abdurrahim Ghanavat

2017-12-01

Full Text Available The issue of Yazid's (noninterference in the murder of Imam Hussein (AS and the emergence of the Karbala event was a point of controversy among Sunni scholars from the outset. The exoneration of Yazid from the murder of Imam also sparked this disagreement. A number of Sunni scholars, while confirming Yazid's role in the Karbala incident, for this reason and for other reasons considered him to be cursed or excommunicated. But, another group, for defending the idea of “Caliphate’s legitimacy”, exonerated Yazid and accused Ibn Ziyad instead. This seeks to elucidate Yazid's responsibility in the occurrence of the Karbala incident. For this purpose, it first examines the reasons for those who call for the exoneration of Yazid, and then considers reasons for direct role of Yazid in the martyrdom of Imam Hussein (AS and the occurrence of the disaster of Karbala. The results of this research indicated that Yazid threatened and ultimately killed Imam Hussein (AS with his intentions, and that his regret was secondary and dishonest.

31 CFR 500.560 - Bank accounts of official representatives of foreign governments in North Korea, North Viet-Nam...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... representatives of foreign governments in North Korea, North Viet-Nam, Cambodia, or South Viet-Nam. 500.560... governments in North Korea, North Viet-Nam, Cambodia, or South Viet-Nam. Specific licenses are issued... Viet-Nam, Cambodia, or South Viet-Nam for transactions which are not inconsistent with the purposes of...

Green Building Implementation at Schools in North Sulawesi, Indonesia

Science.gov (United States)

Harimu, D. A. J.; Tumanduk, M. S. S. S.

2018-02-01

This research aims at investigating the green building implementation at schools in North Sulawesi, Indonesia; and to analysis the relationship between implementation of green building concept at school with students’ green behaviour. This research is Survey Research with quantitative descriptive method. The analysis unit is taken purposively, that is school that had been implemented the green building concept, Manado’s 3rd Public Vocational High School, Lokon High School at Tomohon, Manado Independent School at North Minahasa, and Tondano’s 3rd Public Vocational High School. Data collecting is acquired by observation and questionnaire. The Assessment Criteria of green building on Analysis Unit, is taken from Greenship Existing Building ver 1. There are 4 main points that being assessed, which are Energy Conservation and Efficiency; Water Conservation; Indoor Health and Comfort; Waste Managerial. The Analysis technique used in this research is the simple regression analysis. The result of the research shows that there is a significant relation between green building implementation at school and students’ green behavior. The result is accordance with the Gesalts Psychologist theories, that architecture can change the user’s behaviour.

Iraq bleeds: the remorseless rise of violence and displacement

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ashraf al-Khalidi

2007-06-01

Full Text Available “I will never believe in differences between people,” the young man said. “I am a Sunni and my wife is a Shi’a. I received threats to divorce her or be killed. We have left Dora now [a once-mixed, now Sunni-dominated neighbourhood in central Baghdad]. My wife is staying with her family in Shaab [a Shi’a area] and I am staying with my friends in Mansur [a Sunni area]. I am trying to find a different house but it’s difficult now to find a place that accepts both of us in Baghdad.”

The role of the North American Breeding Bird Survey in conservation

Science.gov (United States)

Hudson, Marie-Anne R.; Francis, Charles M.; Campbell, Kate J.; Downes, Constance M.; Smith, Adam C.; Pardieck, Keith L.

2017-01-01

The North American Breeding Bird Survey (BBS) was established in 1966 in response to a lack of quantitative data on changes in the populations of many bird species at a continental scale, especially songbirds. The BBS now provides the most reliable regional and continental trends and annual indices of abundance available for >500 bird species. This paper reviews some of the ways in which BBS data have contributed to bird conservation in North America over the past 50 yr, and highlights future program enhancement opportunities. BBS data have contributed to the listing of species under the Canadian Species at Risk Act and, in a few cases, have informed species assessments under the U.S. Endangered Species Act. By raising awareness of population changes, the BBS has helped to motivate bird conservation efforts through the creation of Partners in Flight. BBS data have been used to determine priority species and locations for conservation action at regional and national scales through Bird Conservation Region strategies and Joint Ventures. Data from the BBS have provided the quantitative foundation for North American State of the Birds reports, and have informed the public with regard to environmental health through multiple indicators, such as the Canadian Environmental Sustainability Indicators and the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's Report on the Environment. BBS data have been analyzed with other data (e.g., environmental, land cover, and demographic) to evaluate potential drivers of population change, which have then informed conservation actions. In a few cases, BBS data have contributed to the evaluation of management actions, including informing the management of Mourning Doves (Zenaida macroura), Wood Ducks (Aix sponsa), and Golden Eagles (Aquila chrysaetos). Improving geographic coverage in northern Canada and in Mexico, improving the analytical approaches required to integrate data from other sources and to address variation in detectability, and

NORTH CAROLINA GROUNDWATER RECHARGE RATES 1994

Science.gov (United States)

North Carolina Groundwater Recharge Rates, from Heath, R.C., 1994, Ground-water recharge in North Carolina: North Carolina State University, as prepared for the NC Department of Environment, Health and Natural Resources (NC DEHNR) Division of Enviromental Management Groundwater S...

The North Dakota lignite partnership

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porter, C.R.

1998-01-01

The State of North Dakota and the Lignite Energy Council have formed a government/industry partnership to promote the use of North Dakota lignite. The partnership provides funding and management for the Lignite Research, Development and Marketing Program. The program funds activities which preserve and enhance jobs and lignite production; ensure economic growth, stability and opportunity; and maintain a stable and competitive tax base. Funding is provided for activities in three areas: marketing feasibility studies, small research projects, and demonstration projects. Funding is derived from the state coal severance tax. Approximately $3,000,000 annually is appropriated from coal severance revenues for program activities. North Dakota is the ninth largest coal producing state, with lignite as the only rank of coal found in the state. Energy is the second largest economic sector in North Dakota, and it currently comprises over 12% of the state's total economic base. This paper reviews the North Dakota lignite industry and describes studies and projects which have received funding from the program

Introducing the Algerian mitochondrial DNA and Y-chromosome profiles into the North African landscape.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Asmahan Bekada

Full Text Available North Africa is considered a distinct geographic and ethnic entity within Africa. Although modern humans originated in this Continent, studies of mitochondrial DNA (mtDNA and Y-chromosome genealogical markers provide evidence that the North African gene pool has been shaped by the back-migration of several Eurasian lineages in Paleolithic and Neolithic times. More recent influences from sub-Saharan Africa and Mediterranean Europe are also evident. The presence of East-West and North-South haplogroup frequency gradients strongly reinforces the genetic complexity of this region. However, this genetic scenario is beset with a notable gap, which is the lack of consistent information for Algeria, the largest country in the Maghreb. To fill this gap, we analyzed a sample of 240 unrelated subjects from a northwest Algeria cosmopolitan population using mtDNA sequences and Y-chromosome biallelic polymorphisms, focusing on the fine dissection of haplogroups E and R, which are the most prevalent in North Africa and Europe respectively. The Eurasian component in Algeria reached 80% for mtDNA and 90% for Y-chromosome. However, within them, the North African genetic component for mtDNA (U6 and M1; 20% is significantly smaller than the paternal (E-M81 and E-V65; 70%. The unexpected presence of the European-derived Y-chromosome lineages R-M412, R-S116, R-U152 and R-M529 in Algeria and the rest of the Maghreb could be the counterparts of the mtDNA H1, H3 and V subgroups, pointing to direct maritime contacts between the European and North African sides of the western Mediterranean. Female influx of sub-Saharan Africans into Algeria (20% is also significantly greater than the male (10%. In spite of these sexual asymmetries, the Algerian uniparental profiles faithfully correlate between each other and with the geography.

75 FR 53197 - Restricted Area in Cape Fear River and Tributaries at Sunny Point Army Terminal, Brunswick County...

Science.gov (United States)

2010-08-31

....gov . Follow the instructions for submitting comments. E-mail: david.b.olson@usace.army.mil . Include..., Attn: CECW-CO (David B. Olson), 441 G Street, NW., Washington, DC 20314-1000. Hand Delivery/Courier... copy form. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Mr. David Olson, Headquarters, Operations and Regulatory...

Islamic State and Its Attitude to the Terrorist Attacks on the Energy Sector

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Lukáš Tichý

2016-06-01

Full Text Available The main aim of this article is both to analyze the importance of the terrorist attacks on energy infrastructure and industry for strategy of militant terrorist organization Islamic State against the background of the influence of Islam and to describe a specific example and manifestations of the terrorist activities focused on energy sector in the Middle East and North Africa. In the theoretical level, the article is based on the concept of terrorist attack on energy sector and relation between energy and Sunni Islam. In methodological level, the article is based on the case study method framing terrorist attacks of Islamic State on energy industry and infrastructure in Iraq, Syria and Libya.

WATER TEMPERATURE and Other Data from MOANA WAVE and Other Platforms From North Pacific Ocean from 19881030 to 19891129 (NODC Accession 9300183)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — JGOFS Hawaii Ocean Time Series data (HOTS) data collected primarily from a HOTS deepwater site 100 km north of Kahuku Point, Oahu (Station Aloha, 22 degrees 45 N,...

AHP 45: REVIEW: FOUNDING AN EMPIRE ON INDIA'S NORTH-EASTERN FRONTIERS 1790-1840

OpenAIRE

Hilary Howes

2017-01-01

This thoroughly researched and carefully constructed monograph focuses on what is now north-eastern India, an irregularly-shaped region joined only by a narrow neck of land to the remainder of the Indian subcontinent and jostled (or nestled, depending on one's point of view) between Bangladesh, Bhutan, Myanmar, Nepal, and Tibet. Crucially, author Gunnel Cederlöf argues, this representation of northeast India on modern maps - an island in constant danger of drifting away from mainland India, h...

North Korea, Quo Vadis?

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Karl H. Stingeder

2014-03-01

Full Text Available North Korean politics appears neither irrational nor unpredictable: the logic of its actions may at first seem opaque, but it nonetheless displays its own rationale and patterns. – North Korea: a ruthless political actor, now under the leadership of Kim Jong-Un who inherited the regime’s leadership from his father and "Supreme Leader", Kim Jong-Il, in 2011. The country’s policy is based on its ongoing political agenda of (nuclear brinkmanship, a true threat to the world – or at least that's how the Western hemisphere sees it. Yet our factual knowledge of this post-Leninist and totalitarian regime is extremely limited and relatively distorted; it is largely circumstantial evidence and judgmental speculation that accounts for our perception of this East Asian state. Northeast Asia (China, Japan, South and North Korea, Taiwan is a region dominated by the legacy of the Cold War. The North Korean leadership has indeed established its priorities, primarily its isolationist orientation, but in the long term the regime cannot survive without external stimulus. Most importantly, even in a long-term, non-violent and gradual transformation of North Korea considerable danger can ultimately result in the demise of the regime. Apart from few signs of a North Korean "civil society", currently only the army might have the resources to see through a regime change. In the meantime, the strategies of isolationism as well as tight control of the media remain as fundamental cornerstones of the regime. A close-knit network of social control has been established and access to the internet for the most part is limited to the regime’s entrusted cadre.

JA’FAR AL-ṢĀDIQ DAN PARADIGMA HUKUM MAZHAB JA’FARI

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Dani Muhtada

2015-04-01

Full Text Available This article explores the legal paradigm of the Ja’fari school of law. The article presents the profile of Imam Ja’far, the founder of this school of law. It also discusses some legal thoughts presented by the Ja’fari school of law, which seemed to be fundamentally different from the legal thoughts of the Sunni school of law (e.g., khumus and mut’ah. This article concludes that the legal sources used in the Ja’fari school of law are not fundamentally different from those used in the Sunni school of law, which include the Quran, the Sunnah, Ijma, and reasoning. Although there might be different approaches among the Ja’fari school of law and the Sunni school of laws in defining these legal sources, this article indicates no principle difference in legal making procedure. As a matter of fact, the differences in the legal making process could also exist among the Sunni school of laws.

Estimating North Dakota's Economic Base

OpenAIRE

Coon, Randal C.; Leistritz, F. Larry

2009-01-01

North Dakota’s economic base is comprised of those activities producing a product paid for by nonresidents, or products exported from the state. North Dakota’s economic base activities include agriculture, mining, manufacturing, tourism, and federal government payments for construction and to individuals. Development of the North Dakota economic base data is important because it provides the information to quantify the state’s economic growth, and it creates the final demand sectors for the N...

The North Korean nuclear dilemma

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hecker, Siegfried S.

2004-01-01

The current nuclear crisis, the second one in ten years, erupted when North Korea expelled international nuclear inspectors in December 2002, then withdrew from the Nuclear Nonproliferation Treaty (NPT), and claimed to be building more nuclear weapons with the plutonium extracted from the spent fuel rods heretofore stored under international inspection. These actions were triggered by a disagreement over U.S. assertions that North Korea had violated the Agreed Framework (which froze the plutonium path to nuclear weapons to end the first crisis in 1994) by clandestinely developing uranium enrichment capabilities providing an alternative path to nuclear weapons. With Stanford University Professor John Lewis and three other Americans, I was allowed to visit the Yongbyon Nuclear Center on Jan. 8, 2004. We toured the 5 MWe reactor, the 50 MWe reactor construction site, the spent fuel pool storage building, and the radiochemical laboratory. We concluded that North Korea has restarted its 5 MWe reactor (which produces roughly 6 kg of plutonium annually), it removed the 8000 spent fuel rods that were previously stored under IAEA safeguards from the spent fuel pool, and that it most likely extracted the 25 to 30 kg of plutonium contained in these fuel rods. Although North Korean officials showed us what they claimed was their plutonium metal product from this reprocessing campaign, we were not able to conclude definitively that it was in fact plutonium metal and that it came from the most recent reprocessing campaign. Nevertheless, our North Korean hosts demonstrated that they had the capability, the facility and requisite capacity, and the technical expertise to produce plutonium metal. On the basis of our visit, we were not able to address the issue of whether or not North Korea had a 'deterrent' as claimed - that is, we were not able to conclude that North Korea can build a nuclear device and that it can integrate nuclear devices into suitable delivery systems. However

Review of DOE's proposal for Crystalline bedrock disposal of radioactive waste, north-central area

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Green, J.C.

1986-01-01

The DOE's Region-to-Area Screening Methodology for the Crystalline Repository Project (DOE/CH-1), the Final North-Central Region Geologic Characterization Report (DOE/CH-8(1)), and the Draft Area Recommendation Report for the Crystalline Repository Project (DOE/CH-15), with the associated maps, were reviewed. The review has focused on all general information regarding geologic topics and all site-specific data for DOE sites NC-10 and NC-3. This report contains two parts: (1) a point-by-point critique of perceived errors, omissions, or other shortcomings in each of the three documents; and (2) a discussion of the feasibility of crystalline bedrock as a suitable host medium for high-level radioactive waste

Arctic Atmospheric Measurements Using Manned and Unmanned Aircraft, Tethered Balloons, and Ground-Based Systems at U.S. DOE ARM Facilities on the North Slope Of Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Ivey, M.; Dexheimer, D.; Roesler, E. L.; Hillman, B. R.; Hardesty, J. O.

2016-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) provides scientific infrastructure and data to the international Arctic research community via research sites located on the North Slope of Alaska and an open data archive maintained by the ARM program. In 2016, DOE continued investments in improvements to facilities and infrastructure at Oliktok Point Alaska to support operations of ground-based facilities and unmanned aerial systems for science missions in the Arctic. The Third ARM Mobile Facility, AMF3, now deployed at Oliktok Point, was further expanded in 2016. Tethered instrumented balloons were used at Oliktok to make measurements of clouds in the boundary layer including mixed-phase clouds and to compare measurements with those from the ground and from unmanned aircraft operating in the airspace above AMF3. The ARM facility at Oliktok Point includes Special Use Airspace. A Restricted Area, R-2204, is located at Oliktok Point. Roughly 4 miles in diameter, it facilitates operations of tethered balloons and unmanned aircraft. R-2204 and a new Warning Area north of Oliktok, W-220, are managed by Sandia National Laboratories for DOE Office of Science/BER. These Special Use Airspaces have been successfully used to launch and operate unmanned aircraft over the Arctic Ocean and in international airspace north of Oliktok Point.A steady progression towards routine operations of unmanned aircraft and tethered balloon systems continues at Oliktok. Small unmanned aircraft (DataHawks) and tethered balloons were successfully flown at Oliktok starting in June of 2016. This poster will discuss how principal investigators may apply for use of these Special Use Airspaces, acquire data from the Third ARM Mobile Facility, or bring their own instrumentation for deployment at Oliktok Point, Alaska.

Sensitivity of Coastal Environments and Wildlife to Spilled Oil: North Carolina: SOCECON (Socioeconomic Resource Points and Lines)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains human-use resource data for abandoned vessels, access points, airports, archaeological sites, artifical reefs, beaches, boat ramps,...

Alaska North Slope National Energy Strategy initiative: Analysis of five undeveloped fields

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Thomas, C.P.; Allaire, R.B.; Doughty, T.C.; Faulder, D.D.; Irving, J.S.; Jamison, H.C.; White, G.J.

1993-05-01

The US Department of Energy was directed in the National Energy Strategy to establish a federal interagency task force to identify specific technical and regulatory barriers to the development of five undeveloped North Slope Alaska fields and make recommendations for their resolution. The five fields are West Sak, Point Thomson, Gwydyr Bay, Seal Island/Northstar, and Sandpiper Island. Analysis of environmental, regulatory, technical, and economic information, and data relating to the development potential of the five fields leads to the following conclusions: Development of the five fields would result in an estimated total of 1,055 million barrels of oil and 4.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and total investment of $9.4 billion in 1992 dollars. It appears that all five of the fields will remain economically marginal developments unless there is significant improvement in world oil prices. Costs of regulatory compliance and mitigation, and costs to reduce or maintain environmental impacts at acceptable levels influence project investments and operating costs and must be considered in the development decision making process. The development of three of the fields (West Sak, Point Thomson, and Gwydyr Bay) that are marginally feasible would have an impact on North Slope production over the period from about 2000 to 2014 but cannot replace the decline in Prudhoe Bay Unit production or maintain the operation of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) beyond about 2014 with the assumption that the TAPS will shut down when production declines to the range of 400 to 200 thousand barrels of oil/day. Recoverable reserves left in the ground in the currently producing fields and soon to be developed fields, Niakuk and Point McIntyre, would range from 1 billion to 500 million barrels of oil corresponding to the time period of 2008 to 2014 based on the TAPS shutdown assumption

Alaska North Slope National Energy Strategy initiative: Analysis of five undeveloped fields

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Thomas, C.P.; Allaire, R.B.; Doughty, T.C.; Faulder, D.D.; Irving, J.S.; Jamison, H.C.; White, G.J.

1993-05-01

The US Department of Energy was directed in the National Energy Strategy to establish a federal interagency task force to identify specific technical and regulatory barriers to the development of five undeveloped North Slope Alaska fields and make recommendations for their resolution. The five fields are West Sak, Point Thomson, Gwydyr Bay, Seal Island/Northstar, and Sandpiper Island. Analysis of environmental, regulatory, technical, and economic information, and data relating to the development potential of the five fields leads to the following conclusions: Development of the five fields would result in an estimated total of 1,055 million barrels of oil and 4.4 trillion cubic feet of natural gas and total investment of $9.4 billion in 1992 dollars. It appears that all five of the fields will remain economically marginal developments unless there is significant improvement in world oil prices. Costs of regulatory compliance and mitigation, and costs to reduce or maintain environmental impacts at acceptable levels influence project investments and operating costs and must be considered in the development decision making process. The development of three of the fields (West Sak, Point Thomson, and Gwydyr Bay) that are marginally feasible would have an impact on North Slope production over the period from about 2000 to 2014 but cannot replace the decline in Prudhoe Bay Unit production or maintain the operation of the Trans-Alaska Pipeline System (TAPS) beyond about 2014 with the assumption that the TAPS will shut down when production declines to the range of 400 to 200 thousand barrels of oil/day. Recoverable reserves left in the ground in the currently producing fields and soon to be developed fields, Niakuk and Point McIntyre, would range from 1 billion to 500 million barrels of oil corresponding to the time period of 2008 to 2014 based on the TAPS shutdown assumption.

Atmospheric input of trace substances into the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Stoffeintrag in Nord- und Ostsee ueber die Atmosphaere

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Grassl, H; Eppel, D; Petersen, G; Schneider, B; Weber, H; Gandrass, J; Reinhardt, K H; Wodarg, D; Fliess, J

1989-01-01

The concentrations and deposition of atmospheric trace substances were measured over the Kiel Bight and the Southern North Sea. A European longrange-transport model was used to calculate the atmospheric concentrations of trace metals and their deposition into the North Sea and the Baltic Sea. Natural and anthropogenic emitted element concentrations could be separated definitely by the measurements, and preferred transport directions of anthropogenic contributions could be found. Concentrations measured over the North Sea could be related to the surrounding emission areas by airmass trajectory analyses. The deposition measurements show that the main removal process is due to deposition by precipitation. Calculated and measured concentrations at several receptor points agreed well. The model results confirm the dominating role of wet deposition. It could be shown that extrapolations from measurements at coastal stations to the whole sea area tend to overestimate the total deposition into North Sea and Baltic Sea. (orig.) With 78 refs., 26 tabs., 85 figs.

The Tourism Development Strategy of the North-East Region of Romania. Myth or Reality?

OpenAIRE

GEORGE GAMAN; BIANCA SORINA RĂCĂȘAN

2016-01-01

Tourism development strategies play an increasingly important role, representing parts of those documents that aim to socio-economic development, undertaken at local, zonal, county, regional or national level. Frequently, tourism is viewed as one the best solutions for economic recovery, but without a detalied and realistic analysis of what territory offers from this point of view, this new trend for resolving the economic dysfunctions remains at a mirage level. The North-East Region of Roman...

The North Korean Nuclear Crisis: Outcome and Resolution

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Seung-Keun

2011-01-01

This paper focuses on the North Korean nuclear crisis and how to find the best method of dismantling the North's nuclear facilities. From empirical studies of North Korean negotiating behavior, strategy, intentions and future of the regime, North Korea seems unlikely to abandon its nuclear program, if left unconstrained. This paper analyzes North Korean nuclear strategy and discusses problems concerned with the North Korean nuclear issues. It will propose some resolutions for a comprehensive approach in order to find a solution to the North Korean nuclear threat: restarting the six-party talks; preparation of a sophisticated nuclear elimination road-map; encouraging the gradual transformation of North Korea and its integration into the international community. In the long run, when North Korean nuclear strategy is considered, dialogue and engagement combined with international pressure or proper sanctions is needed

40 CFR 81.335 - North Dakota.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false North Dakota. 81.335 Section 81.335... AREAS FOR AIR QUALITY PLANNING PURPOSES Section 107 Attainment Status Designations § 81.335 North Dakota. North Dakota—SO2 Designated area Does not meet primary standards Does not meet secondary standards...

[The Influence of Runoff Pollution to DOM Features in an Urban Wastewater Treatment Plant].

Science.gov (United States)

He, Li; Ji, Fang-ying; Lai, Ming-sheng; Xu, Xuan; Zhou, Wei-wei; Mao, Bo-lin; Yang, Ming-jia

2015-03-01

Combined with wastewater treatment process, the sewage in sunny and rainy day was collected from a wastewater treatment plant in Chongqing. Three-dimensional fluorescence spectra was used to investigate the characteristic fluorescence of dissolved organic matter (DOM). DOM dissolved organic carbon (DOC), chemical oxygen demand (COD), fluorescence index (ƒ450/500) and fluorescence intensity ratio γ (A, C) of fulvic acid in ultraviolet and visible region were used to analyze the impact of rain runoff pollution on sewage DOM. According to the experimental data, the DOM fluorescence fingerprints of this wastewater treatment plant were quite different from typical municipal sewage, and the main component was tryptophan with low excitation wavelength (Peak S), then the tryptophan with long wavelength excitation (Peak T) followed. A2/O process had an approximative degradation of the protein-like both in sunny day and rainy day, but had a better degradation of fulvic-like, DOC and COD in rainy day than that in sunny day. Morever, the fluorescence peaks got red-shifted after the biological treatment. The differences of DOM fluorescence fingerprint between sunny and rainy day were significant, the fluorescence center of UV fulvic (Peak A) in rainy day getting blue-shifted obviously, shifting from 240 - 248/390 - 440 to 240 - 250/370 - 400 nm. Although the DOM types in sunny and rainy day were the same, the source of fulvic got more complex by runoff and the component ratio of DOM also changed. Compared with the sunny day, the proportion of Peak S in DOM dereased by 10%, and the proportion of Peak A increased by 7% in rainy day.

Seasonal climate prediction for North Eurasia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Kryjov, Vladimir N

2012-01-01

An overview of the current status of the operational seasonal climate prediction for North Eurasia is presented. It is shown that the performance of existing climate models is rather poor in seasonal prediction for North Eurasia. Multi-model ensemble forecasts are more reliable than single-model ones; however, for North Eurasia they tend to be close to climatological ones. Application of downscaling methods may improve predictions for some locations (or regions). However, general improvement of the reliability of seasonal forecasts for North Eurasia requires improvement of the climate prediction models. (letter)

North American vegetation model for land-use planning in a changing climate: A solution to large classification problems

Science.gov (United States)

Gerald E. Rehfeldt; Nicholas L. Crookston; Cuauhtemoc Saenz-Romero; Elizabeth M. Campbell

2012-01-01

Data points intensively sampling 46 North American biomes were used to predict the geographic distribution of biomes from climate variables using the Random Forests classification tree. Techniques were incorporated to accommodate a large number of classes and to predict the future occurrence of climates beyond the contemporary climatic range of the biomes. Errors of...

Library Programs in North Carolina

Data.gov (United States)

Town of Chapel Hill, North Carolina — Count of programs offered and program attendance numbers at public libraries in North CarolinaData is from the 2014-15 NC Statistical Report of NC Public Libraries:...

North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings

Science.gov (United States)

North Dakota Department of Public Instruction, 2015

2015-01-01

In the spring of 2015, the North Dakota Department of Public Instruction brought together tribal Elders from across North Dakota to share stories, memories, songs, and wisdom in order to develop the North Dakota Native American Essential Understandings (NDNAEU) to guide the learning of both Native and non-Native students across the state. They…

Impacts of Educational Tourism on Host Population: A Case of Famagusta, North Cyprus

OpenAIRE

Özşen, Zeynep Sıla

2012-01-01

ABSTRACT: The aim of the thesis is to determine the socio-cultural, economic and environmental effects of the students of EMU on the local people of Famagusta in North Cyprus. This study examines how local people’s point of view on educational tourism and how their lifestyle were influenced when the educational tourism started in Famagusta. The qualitative approach was used in order to obtain the necessary information. Data were collected through in-depth interviews from the viewpoint of loca...

North American oil demand outlook

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Stewart, M.B.

1995-01-01

An understanding of the relationship of economic growth and potential petroleum product demand is needed to forecast the potential for North American oil demand growth as well as knowledge of world supply and price. The bullish expectations for economic growth in the US and Canada auger well for North American refiners and marketeers. The growth in world economic output forecast, however, means a larger oil demand and an increase in OPEC's pricing power. Such price increases could depress North American oil demand growth. (author)

Environmental concerns and regulatory initiatives related to hydraulic fracturing in shale gas formations: potential implications for North American gas supply

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Sumi, Lisa [Earthworks (Canada)

2010-09-15

Shale gas resources have been referred to as a game changer for North America and it is expected that shale gas will account for over 30% of the natural gas production in North America by 2020. However, the development of this resource has raised several concerns, notably in terms of water use and contamination; more stringent regulations could be implemented in the coming years. The aim of this paper is to present the effect that more stringent regulations would have on gas development in the Marcellus shale, which accounts for 20% of North American shale gas production. Information on hydraulic fracturing and its environmental impacts is provided herein, along with information on the regulatory initiatives underway in the Marcellus shale region. This paper pointed out that novel regulations relating to shale gas development could significantly reduce the growth in shale gas production.

Islands of steel rise over North Sea gas. Pt. 1

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hind, J A

1965-10-27

Nowhere is the offshore oil and gas prospecting boom more enthusiastic, urgent, and crowded than in the North Sea. The type of rig required for this type of offshore drilling mainly depends upon how far offshore drilling is to take place. The fixed jack-up type is most suitable where depth of water is not excessive and for actual drilling operations were the drill is most easily held steady over the hole. This type of rig presents a stability problem under tow from location to location with a shallow depth of hull. Depth of water limits the operational mobility of the submerged-type rig and it is the most prone to scouring effects. Fully floating and ship-mounted rigs solve the depth of water problem and many others associated with ocean transportation. However, this is at the expense of more difficult drilling operations and complexity of equipment. Semi-submersibles are a popular compromise between fixed sit-on-bottom rigs and fully floating types. From a naval architectural point of view they have much to recommend them as all- round units. Typical North Sea drill rigs are described and a table is given for complete details.

Sunny Side Up in Science.

Science.gov (United States)

LaHart, David, Ed.

Fossil fuels, upon which we now depend almost exclusively, are finite resources. Because the environmental problems inherent in large scale fossil fuel consumption are increasingly apparent, the reality of developing alternative energy sources must be faced. Solar energy is the obvious solution to the problem. It is a renewable, clean source that…

The sunny side of lime.

Science.gov (United States)

Quaak, Marjolijn S W; Martens, Herm; Hassing, Robert-Jan; van Beek-Nieuwland, Yvonne; van Genderen, Perry J J

2012-01-01

A 26-year-old woman was affected with a maculopapular rash because of a jellyfish sting on her right leg while surfing in Indonesia. A locally-prepared liniment was applied on the affected skin. She presented with hyperpigmented linear tracks that she noted a few days later. © 2012 International Society of Travel Medicine.

Coastline changes in North Bengkalis Island, Indonesia: satellite imagery analysis and observation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M Mubarak

2018-01-01

Full Text Available Coastal area activity on human exploitation greatly affected aquatic ecosystems. Land changes disturbed the level of soil stability, soil will be easily eroded by the flow of water, the surface tide ran off to the sea. North waters of the island of Bengkalis is a place boiling down to several rivers, including the river Jangkang and river Liung. The rivers have affected the concentration of total suspended solid (TSS in the strait waters of North Bengkalis Island. This research demonstrated water sampling by using sampling point determined by purposive sampling method mixing the layer of water depth ratio. The results based on satellite imagery data showed that TSS was quite high in the West season period until the transition period I (West to East with a large concentration value of 200 mg / L. For the lowest TSS concentration occurred in the East season i.e., between 0 - 200 mg/L. TSS concentrations that dominated in the East season ranged from 51 to 75 mg/L This value was higher than the TSS concentration of field data analysis, i.e., between 23 - 39 mg/L. Changes of coastal coastline of North Bengkalis during the last 20 years continue to change the size of the land area, with a land area of 131 ha lost.

The North Sea Bird Club

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Doyle, P.A.T.; Gorman, M.L.; Patterson, I.J.; Howe, S.

1991-01-01

This paper reports that the creation of a club for the purpose of encouraging oil and gas workers to watch birds may not at first seem a viable proposition. To the layperson, birds offshore conjures up an image of hundreds of seagulls following fishing boats, and very little else. Also, the act of birdwatching is not seen as a typical offshore worker's activity. Anyone who has worked on an installation offshore and who has any interest in wildlife will be aware of the occasional presence of land-birds. Two decades ago, prompted by some keen offshore workers, a single oil company set up a monitoring program, which quickly became popular with a number of its employees. Birds seem offshore were recorded on data forms and collected together. At this stage the club was purely another recreation facility; however, when the data were collated it was soon realized that installations offshore were being used as staging posts by birds on migration, and that the information being collected would be of great interest in the study of bird movements. All over Britain, at strategic points on the coastline, there are bird observatories which record the arrival and departure of migrating birds. The presence of several hundred solid structures up and down the North Sea, which are used by birds en route, represents a huge, unique bird observatory, capable of uncovering facts about bird migration which have long eluded land-based scientists. Eleven years ago, the North Sea Bird Club began, composed of eight member companies, a recorder from Aberdeen University and a representative from the Nature Conservancy Council. The club received data from 41 installations, and the recorder collated these on Aberdeen University's computer and produced an annual report of sightings

CLIL in the North: finding true north?

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Smit, Nienke

CLIL teaching in the Netherlands is very popular: roughly 130 secondary schools offer CLIL education. But did you know that only nine secondary schools in the north of the Netherlands currently offer bilingual education? This means that CLIL education is still not at cycling distance for every

North Atlantic explosive cyclones and large scale atmospheric variability modes

Science.gov (United States)

Liberato, Margarida L. R.

2015-04-01

Extreme windstorms are one of the major natural catastrophes in the extratropics, one of the most costly natural hazards in Europe and are responsible for substantial economic damages and even fatalities. During the last decades Europe witnessed major damage from winter storms such as Lothar (December 1999), Kyrill (January 2007), Klaus (January 2009), Xynthia (February 2010), Gong (January 2013) and Stephanie (February 2014) which exhibited uncommon characteristics. In fact, most of these storms crossed the Atlantic in direction of Europe experiencing an explosive development at unusual lower latitudes along the edge of the dominant North Atlantic storm track and reaching Iberia with an uncommon intensity (Liberato et al., 2011; 2013; Liberato 2014). Results show that the explosive cyclogenesis process of most of these storms at such low latitudes is driven by: (i) the southerly displacement of a very strong polar jet stream; and (ii) the presence of an atmospheric river (AR), that is, by a (sub)tropical moisture export over the western and central (sub)tropical Atlantic which converges into the cyclogenesis region and then moves along with the storm towards Iberia. Previous studies have pointed to a link between the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) and intense European windstorms. On the other hand, the NAO exerts a decisive control on the average latitudinal location of the jet stream over the North Atlantic basin (Woollings et al. 2010). In this work the link between North Atlantic explosive cyclogenesis, atmospheric rivers and large scale atmospheric variability modes is reviewed and discussed. Liberato MLR (2014) The 19 January 2013 windstorm over the north Atlantic: Large-scale dynamics and impacts on Iberia. Weather and Climate Extremes, 5-6, 16-28. doi: 10.1016/j.wace.2014.06.002 Liberato MRL, Pinto JG, Trigo IF, Trigo RM. (2011) Klaus - an exceptional winter storm over Northern Iberia and Southern France. Weather 66:330-334. doi:10.1002/wea.755 Liberato

The North Cape oil spill assessment: PAHs in oil

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Brown, J.; Boehm, P. D.; Hardestine, J. H.; Douglas, G. S.

1997-01-01

The North Cape oil spill in January 1996 resulted in the release of an estimated 827,000 gallons of No. 2 home heating oil into the nearshore turbulent waters of coastal Rhode Island. The oil was mixed into the water column and was transported on the surface as well as below the surface. Some of the spilled oil entered the coastal ponds behind the beaches. Sampling and chemical analysis for detailed suites of petroleum saturated and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) was undertaken as part of the assessment of the fate of the oil spill and of the exposure to the marine environment. The ponds were found to contain significant quantities of background petroleum hydrocarbons, including petrogenic PAHs and combustion PAHs. Initial assessment pointed (incorrectly as it turned out) to widespread contamination due only to the North Cape spill. Application of advanced chemical fingerprinting approaches, and geochemical biomarker data illustrated that many of the PAHs consisted of combustion-related 4- and 5-ringed PAHs, attributable to diesel fuel used routinely by boats in the area. The analysis demonstrated that the use of non-specific total PAH data and insufficient fingerprinting and allocation of petrogenic residues has the potential to overestimate contamination and hence injury to the environment in similar oil spill situations

Non-Point Source Nitrogen and Phosphorus Pollution Simulation and Irrigation Mode Optimization of the North Canal Basin%北运河流域非点源氮磷污染模拟分析及灌溉模式优化

Institute of Scientific and Technical Information of China (English)

刘银迪; 徐建新; 陆建红; 赵鹏

2011-01-01

In order to reduce the non-point source pollution caused by the farmland irrigation of the North Canal Basin and develop a sound farmland management model,the improved SWAT model is adopted to simulate the surface-runoff non-point source nitrogen and phosphorus pollution under different irrigation modes in the Wuqing area in the North Canal Basin.The simulation results indicate that under the same irrigation quota,with the increaseof the number of the sewage irrigation times,the total nitrogen and phosphorus load amount in the water body of the basin firstly reduces and then increases;in all the instituted irrigation modes,it could make the total non-point source pollution load minimum to irrigate sewage in the wintering period and the jointing stage of the winter wheat,and the tasseling stage of the summer maize.Besides,under water-saving irrigation,the irrigation quota change has little effect on the total nitrogen and phosphorus load amount in the water body.The results demonstrate that the characteristics of the non-point source nitrogen and phosphorus pollution under different irrigation modes are different,and it could control the transport of the non-point source nitrogen and phosphorus pollutants well to adopt small-quota rotation irrigation of clean and sewage water in growth periods of crops.%为了减轻北运河流域农田灌溉引起的非点源污染,探索良性农田管理模式,选取北运河流域武清区为研究对象,采用改进的SWAT模型模拟不同灌溉方案下武清区地表径流非点源氮磷污染。结果表明：同一灌溉定额下,随着污灌次数的增加,流域水体内氮磷负荷总量呈先降后升的趋势;在所制定的灌溉情景中,冬小麦越冬、拔节期和夏玉米抽雄期进行污灌,其余生育阶段进行清水灌溉时,非点源污�

Radon contamination problems in North Dakota. Hearing before the Committee on Environment and Public Works, United States Senate, One Hundredth Congress, First Session, August 20, 1987

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1987-01-01

From tests of 200 homes in North Dakota in over 25 cities and towns, the Department of Health estimates that as many as 50% of all homes in the state may have radon levels above the EPA-recommended safety level, at this hearing in Fargo, ten witnesses included university professors, state and local health authorities, and the North Dakota Association of Realtors. US Sen. Quentin N. Burdick of North Dakota, who chaired the hearing, pointed out that the recently passed Radon Program Development Act (1) provide seed money to help states get radon programs up and running; (2) requires EPA to conduct surveys in Federal buildings; and (3) requires EPA to determine the extent of radon contamination in the Nation's schools. He recommends that North Dakota take advantage of this Federal assistance

North American refining

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Osten, James; Haltmaier, Susan

2000-01-01

This article examines the current status of the North American refining industry, and considers the North American economy and the growth in demand in the petroleum industry, petroleum product demand and quality, crude oil upgrading to meet product standards, and changes in crude oil feedstocks such as the use of heavier crudes and bitumens. Refining expansion, the declining profits in refining, and changes due to environmental standards are discussed. The Gross Domestic Product and oil demand for the USA, Canada, Mexico, and Venezuela for the years 1995-2020 are tabulated

Relicts of a peat cover in the Westerkoggepolder (West Friesland, North-Holland, The Netherlands): The genesis of an eluvial clay soil

NARCIS (Netherlands)

van Mourik, J.; Ligtendag, W.

2015-01-01

This paper presents the result of palynological research of peat relicts, found in the Westerkoggepolder (North-Holland, The Netherlands). In general, such relicts of peat in the actual landscape point to an extensive peat cover in the past that disappeared due to land reclamation and agricultural

Enhanced aridity and atmospheric high-pressure stability over the western Mediterranean during the North Atlantic cold events of the past 50 k.y.

Science.gov (United States)

Combourieu Nebout, N.; Turon, J. L.; Zahn, R.; Capotondi, L.; Londeix, L.; Pahnke, K.

2002-10-01

Multiproxy paleoenvironmental records (pollen and planktonic isotope) from Ocean Drilling Program Site 976 (Alboran Sea) document rapid ocean and climate variations during the last glacial that follow the Dansgaard-Oeschger climate oscillations seen in the Greenland ice core records, thus suggesting a close link of the Mediterranean climate swings with North Atlantic climates. Continental conditions rapidly oscillated through cold-arid and warm-wet conditions in the course of stadial-interstadial climate jumps. At the time of Heinrich events, i.e., maximum meltwater flux to the North Atlantic, western Mediterranean marine microflora and microfauna show rapid cooling correlated with increasing continental dryness. Enhanced aridity conceivably points to prolonged wintertime stability of atmospheric high-pressure systems over the southwestern Mediterranean in conjunction with cooling of the North Atlantic.

Seasonal Climate Associated with Major Shipping Routes in the North Pacific and North Atlantic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jau-Ming Chen

2014-01-01

Full Text Available The major shipping routes in the North Pacific (NP and North Atlantic (NA are analyzed via ship-reported records compiled by the International Comprehensive Ocean-Atmosphere Data Set (ICOADS. The shipping route seasonal characteristics and associated climatic features are also examined. In the NP, the dominant cross-basin route takes a great-circle path between East Asia and North America along 54°N north of the Aleutian Islands throughout the year. This route penetrates the Aleutian low center where ocean waves and winds are relatively weaker than those in the low¡¦s southern section south of 50°N. Moreover, the Earth¡¦s spherical shape makes a higher-latitude route shorter in navigational distance across the NP than a lower-latitude route. Two additional mid-latitude routes through the 40° - 50°N region appear in summer when the Aleutian low vanishes. In the NA, the major shipping routes form an X-shaped pattern in the oceans south of 40°N to connect North America/the Panama Canal and the Mediterranean Sea/the British Isles and Europe. These major shipping routes are far from the influence of the Icelandic low and thus are used throughout the year due to the stability in marine conditions and their general efficiency. A third and more zonal route appears to the north of the X-shaped routes in the 40° - 50°N region. Weak influence from the Icelandic low on marine conditions during summer and spring means that more ships take this route in summer and spring than in winter and fall.

Meanwhile, North Korea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Hautecouverture, Benjamin

2014-08-01

The progress regarding weapons of mass destruction (WMD) programmes in North Korea and the instability on the Korean Peninsula have taken a back seat in the international community's analysis and perhaps its concerns for more than a year. The last event to provoke a wave of protest and tangible renewed interest occurred on 12 February 2013 when Pyongyang carried out its third nuclear test with an estimated yield of 6 to 8 kilo-tonnes. The United Nations Security Council condemned the test on 7 March (Resolution 2094). With the exception of several recent Security Council declarations, it is clear that activity on the part of the international community has been sparse. The same can be said with regard to the European Union and the United States. This state of affairs is not surprising. The analysis takes note of it by ceasing, there or thereabouts, to produce new material. Firstly, the North Korean crisis is a long-term one and the diplomatic process that is meant to lead to its resolution has been interrupted; the Six-Party Talks have been at a standstill since the end of 2008. A agreement between the United States and North Korea, concluded on 29 February 2012 under which the North Korean regime accepted the principle of a moratorium on long-range missile tests, nuclear tests, and all activity at the Yongbyon nuclear complex lastly barely a few days. Many actors involved in the management of this crisis are suffering from a weariness whose acknowledgement is politically incorrect: with regard to Pyongyang's launch of missiles and rockets last spring, the U.S. admiral Samuel Locklear told the Associated Press in July 'you become somewhat numb, you start to say, well, it's not so much of a big deal'. Moreover, since 2013, the focus of international security with regard to WMD and beyond has also largely shifted from North-East Asia to the Middle East and Eastern Europe. Pell-mell, the worsening and broadening of the war in Syria, the terrorist surge in Iraq, the

THE SUNNI-SHI‘AH CONFLICT AND THE SEARCH FOR PEACE IN INDONESIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Said Agil Siradj

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This article attempts to scrutinize the phenomenon of theological contestation in Indonesia, as represented by the Sunnite and Shi’ite conflict in the region of Sampang, East Java. The conflict has occurred due to Muslims’ inability to withstand the differences among them, so that violence is considered a way of final settlement. In this paper, the author will try, therefore, to analyze theological problems between the Sunnite and the Shi’ite in the region. It has been widely known that the Sunnite and the Shi’ite came out of the basis of similar truth, and, in fact, they share the same spirit of glorifying Islam around the world. In this way, all Muslim communities in the world, including the Sunnite and the Shi’ite, should be able to put their theological differences as God’s graces and the blessing of life, not as the point of conflict and disharmony.

Hinkley Point 'C' power station public inquiry: proof of evidence on system considerations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Eunson, E.M.

1988-09-01

A public inquiry has been set up to examine the planning application made by the Central Electricity Generating Board (CEGB) for the construction of a 1200 MW Pressurized Water Reactor power station at Hinkley Point (Hinkley Point ''C'') in the United Kingdom. This evidence to the Inquiry describes the CEGB system and the concepts of economy, security and quality of supply which underlie it. Attention is drawn to the present geographical imbalance between generation and demand on the CEGB system which leads to high power transfers at times of peak demand and for long periods at off-peak times. When there is a need to install new generating plant in the mid-1990s, system benefits can be achieved by siting plant in the South rather than in the North. The system benefits which would arise from the siting of a new PWR nuclear power station at Hinkley Point ''C'' rather than elsewhere are identified. The system benefits of other PWR sites and non-fossil options, such as a further link with France, interconnection with Iceland and the Severn Tidal Barrage, are reviewed. System benefits in terms of security and economics would accrue from locating a PWR station at Hinkley Point without the need for new transmission lines. (author)

Analysis of tidal currents in the North Sea from shipboard acoustic Doppler current profiler data

Science.gov (United States)

Vindenes, Håvard; Orvik, Kjell Arild; Søiland, Henrik; Wehde, Henning

2018-06-01

North Sea tidal currents are determined by applying harmonic analysis to ship-borne acoustic Doppler current profiler data recorded from 1999 to 2016, covering large areas of the northern North Sea. Direct current measurement data sets of this magnitude are rare in the otherwise well investigated North Sea, and thus it is a valuable asset in studying and expanding our understanding of its tidal currents and circulation in general. The harmonic analysis is applied to a least squares fit of the current observations at a set of knot points. Results from the harmonic analysis compare favorably to tidal parameters estimated from observations from moored instruments. The analysis shows that the tides are characterized by strong semi-diurnal component, with amplitudes of the principal Lunar constituent ranging from 1.6 cm/s in the Skagerrak to 67 cm/s in the Fair Isle Channel. Diurnal tides are found to be approximately one fifth the strength of the predominant semi-diurnal constituent. Output from a regional barotropic tide model compares well to tidal current determined from the harmonic analysis of the Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler data.

Scientific Infrastructure To Support Manned And Unmanned Aircraft, Tethered Balloons, And Related Aerial Activities At Doe Arm Facilities On The North Slope Of Alaska

Science.gov (United States)

Ivey, M.; Dexheimer, D.; Hardesty, J.; Lucero, D. A.; Helsel, F.

2015-12-01

The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE), through its scientific user facility, the Atmospheric Radiation Measurement (ARM) facilities, provides scientific infrastructure and data to the international Arctic research community via its research sites located on the North Slope of Alaska. DOE has recently invested in improvements to facilities and infrastructure to support operations of unmanned aerial systems for science missions in the Arctic and North Slope of Alaska. A new ground facility, the Third ARM Mobile Facility, was installed at Oliktok Point Alaska in 2013. Tethered instrumented balloons were used to make measurements of clouds in the boundary layer including mixed-phase clouds. A new Special Use Airspace was granted to DOE in 2015 to support science missions in international airspace in the Arctic. Warning Area W-220 is managed by Sandia National Laboratories for DOE Office of Science/BER. W-220 was successfully used for the first time in July 2015 in conjunction with Restricted Area R-2204 and a connecting Altitude Reservation Corridor (ALTRV) to permit unmanned aircraft to operate north of Oliktok Point. Small unmanned aircraft (DataHawks) and tethered balloons were flown at Oliktok during the summer and fall of 2015. This poster will discuss how principal investigators may apply for use of these Special Use Airspaces, acquire data from the Third ARM Mobile Facility, or bring their own instrumentation for deployment at Oliktok Point, Alaska. The printed poster will include the standard DOE funding statement.

Decadal Drought and Wetness Reconstructed for Subtropical North America in the Mexican Drought Atlas

Science.gov (United States)

Burnette, D. J.; Stahle, D. W.; Cook, E. R.; Villanueva Diaz, J.; Griffin, D.; Cook, B.

2014-12-01

A new drought atlas has been developed for subtropical North America, including the entire Republic of Mexico. This Mexican Drought Atlas (MXDA) is based on 251 tree-ring chronologies, including 82 from Mexico and another 169 from the southern U.S. and western Guatemala. Point-by-point principal components regression was used to reconstruct the self-calibrating Palmer Drought Severity Index (PDSI) for June-August. Calibration and verification statistics were improved over what was previously possible with the North American Drought Atlas, which was based on fewer chronologies only in Mexico. The MXDA will be served on the web with analytical tools for composite, correlation, and congruence analyses. The new PDSI reconstructions provide a more detailed estimation of decadal moisture regimes over the past 2000 years, but are most robust after 1400 AD, when several chronologies are available across Mexico. Droughts previously identified in a subset of chronologies are confirmed and their spatial impact quantified in the new reconstructions. This includes the intense drought of the mid-15th Century described in Aztec legend, the 16th Century megadrought, and "El Año del Hambre", one of the worst famines in Mexican history. We also use the best replicated portion of the MXDA in the 18th and 19th Centuries to reconstruct moisture anomalies during key time periods of Mexican turmoil (e.g., the Mexican War of Independence).

Mitigation of pedestrian heat stress using parasols in a humid subtropical region

Science.gov (United States)

Watanabe, Shinichi; Ishii, Jin

2017-11-01

Concerns over heat illness have been an increasing social problem in humid subtropical regions. One measure for avoiding excessive heat stress in hot outdoor environments is the use of parasols or umbrellas. The advantage of parasols is that they are a mobile and inexpensive way to provide personal shade outdoors. The objectives of this study were to compare the wet-bulb globe temperature (WBGT) under parasols and at an unshaded point as a reference, and to quantify the reduction in WBGT from the use of parasols in a humid subtropical region. Measurements using three parasols of different colors and materials were conducted at the athletics field at Daido University, Nagoya, Japan, between 9:00 and 15:00 Japan Standard Time in August 2015. The WBGT was obtained at heights of 0.1 m (ankles), 1.1 m (abdomen), and 1.7 m (head) above ground, according to the measurement procedure described in ISO 7243. On a sunny and partly cloudy day, the use of a parasol lowered the average globe temperature by up to 6.2 °C, through blocking direct solar radiation. The average reduction in WBGT by the parasol was found to be 1.8 °C at head level in sunny conditions with solar radiation of over 800 W/m2. The reduction in WBGT at head level by the use of parasols in sunny conditions was greater than that in cloudy conditions. However, although parasols can reduce WBGT at the head level of the user regardless of solar radiation, they cannot reduce it at the level of the abdomen or ankles.

Economic Impact of Higher Education in North Dakota. North Dakota Economic Studies, No. 10.

Science.gov (United States)

Dobesh, Larry J.; Henry, Mark S.

Besides their primary mission of providing education to the students of North Dakota, the 11 colleges and universities in the state represent an important "industry" which generates substantial income to the businesses and people of the state. Total college-related spending in North Dakota was $76 million during the 1973-1974 school…

Aestheticized politics : the workings of North Korean art

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Yoon, Min-Kyung

2014-01-01

My dissertation is a study of North Korean art as a site where politics, history, and culture meet. Art in North Korea fulfills a clear purpose. This is most apparent in the depiction of historical themes in North Korean art. History serves the political legitimization of the North Korean state and

Moving farther north

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boswell, R.

2000-01-01

According to predictions by the National Petroleum Council, North American demand for natural gas is likely to increase from 20 Tcf currently to 29 Tcf by the year 2010 and could increase to beyond 31 Tcf by 2015. In view of this and other similar predictions it is prudent to examine the potential sources of supply and to assess their capacity to meet this ever increasing demand. This paper provides an overview of North America's gas potential, proved reserves and current production. One of the sources much depended upon to meet future demand is the deepwater Gulf of Mexico which, however, would have to grow at the compounded rate of 21 per cent annually to meet expectations of 4.5 Tcf per year by 2010, a staggering rate of growth that would require 250 to 300 completions per year (current rate is about 100 per year) and two to three times the number of rigs currently working in the Gulf. If the deepwater Gulf of Mexico cannot meet this target, the incremental supply will most likely come from the North, namely the Fort Liard, Norman Wells, and the Mackenzie Delta/Beaufort Sea regions of Canada and Alaska's Cook Inlet, Copper River, North Slope and Susitna Basin. The economics of developing each of these regions is examined, using field size, reserves per well, exploration and development costs and cycle time as the bases for comparison. Obstacles to development such as access to pipelines, government regulations, and opposition by environmental groups are also discussed

Efficiency and degradation of a copper indium diselenide photovoltaic module and yearly output at a sunny site in Jordan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Durisch, Wilhelm; Lam, King-Hang; Close, Josie

2006-01-01

The present work mainly deals with the testing and modeling of a commercially-available copper indium diselenide (CIS) ST40 module from the former Siemens Solar Industries (SSI). For this purpose, a large quantity of current/voltage characteristics were measured in the Paul Scherrer Institute (PSI)'s photovoltaic test-facility under different cell temperatures, solar irradiation and air mass, AM, conditions. They were used to develop a semi-empirical efficiency model to correlate all measured data sets. The goal was to make available a model, allowing quick and accurate calculation of the performance of the CIS module under all relevant operating conditions. For the undegraded state of the module, the efficiency model allowed us to deduce the efficiency at Standard Test Conditions, STC, and its temperature coefficient at STC, which were 11.58% and minus 0.050% deg. C, respectively. The output of the undegraded module under STC was found to be 42.4 W, i.e., 6% higher than specified by the manufacturer (40 W). Furthermore, the efficiency does not decrease with increasing air mass. At a cell temperature of 25 deg. C and a relative air mass of 1.5, the module has a maximum in efficiency of 12.0% at an irradiance of about 650 W/m 2 . This indicates that the series-resistance losses become significant at higher irradiances. Hence, improving the transparent conducting oxide (TCO) electrode on the front side of the cells might lead to a higher output at high irradiances. Identical testing and modeling were repeated after having exposed the module to real weather conditions for one year. We found that the STC efficiency was reduced by 9.0%, from 11.58 down to 10.54%. The temperature coefficient of the efficiency had changed from minus 0.050 % deg. C to minus 0.039% deg. C. These results indicate possible chemical changes in the semiconductor film. The output of the module at STC was reduced by 9.0% from 42.4 W down to 38.6 W. Using meteorological data from a sunny site in

West Nile virus: North American experience

Science.gov (United States)

Hofmeister, Erik K.

2011-01-01

West Nile virus, a mosquito-vectored flavivirus of the Japanese encephalitis serogroup, was first detected in North America following an epizootic in the New York City area in 1999. In the intervening 11 years since the arrival of the virus in North America, it has crossed the contiguous USA, entered the Canadian provinces bordering the USA, and has been reported in the Caribbean islands, Mexico, Central America and, more recently, South America. West Nile virus has been reported in over 300 species of birds in the USA and has caused the deaths of thousands of birds, local population declines of some avian species, the clinical illness and deaths of thousands of domestic horses, and the clinical disease in over 30 000 Americans and the deaths of over 1000. Prior to the emergence of West Nile virus in North America, St. Louis encephalitis virus and Dengue virus were the only other known mosquito-transmitted flaviviruses in North America capable of causing human disease. This review will discuss the North American experience with mosquito-borne flavivirus prior to the arrival of West Nile virus, the entry and spread of West Nile virus in North America, effects on wild bird populations, genetic changes in the virus, and the current state of West Nile virus transmission.

PHOTOCHEMICAL AIR POLLUTION IN THE NORTH OF PORTUGAL: A HIGH TROPOSHERIC OZONE EPISODE

Science.gov (United States)

Monteiro, A.; Carvalho, A.; Tchepel, O.; Ferreira, J.; Martins, H.; Miranda, A.; Borrego, C.; Saavedra, S.; Rodríguez, A.; Souto, J. A.

2009-12-01

Very high concentrations of ozone are continuously measured at the monitoring station at Lamas d’Olo, located at the North of Portugal,. A particular high photochemical episode occurred between 11 and 13 of July 2005, registering ozone hourly maximum values above 350 µg.m-3. This ozone-rich episode is investigated in this paper, in order to identify its origin and formation. Besides the analysis of both meteorological and air quality monitoring datasets, a numerical modelling approach, based on MM5-CAMx system, was used to simulate the dispersion and transport (horizontal and vertical) of the photochemical pollutants and its precursors. A cross spectrum analysis of the meteorological and air quality time series was performed, in the frequency domain, to establish the relationships between ozone data measured at Lamas d’Olo with air quality data from neighbourhood stations and meteorological parameters. Results point out different behaviour/contribution between the analysed sites. Moreover, different contributions of the u and v wind component on the ozone concentration fluctuations were found suggesting the presence a mountain breeze circulation and a north synoptic transport. The preliminary modelling results pointed out that the vertical transport of pollutants are responsible for the measured high concentrations, combined with particular meteorological conditions, related to the planetary boundary layer (PBL) development. The pollutants transported and existent at high vertical levels are captured/trapped when the PBL height reaches its daily maximum, and extremely high ozone ground level concentrations are consequently measured.

Abrupt Change in North American Plate Motion: Magnetostratigraphy and Paleopoles of the Early Jurassic Moenave Formation

Science.gov (United States)

Hutny, M. K.; Steiner, M. B.

2001-12-01

The J-1 cusp marks a dramatic ~ 180° change in the apparent motion of the magnetic pole with respect to North America. The cusp is defined by a sequence of poles: Chinle - Moenave - Kayenta. The Moenave pole (Ekstrand and Butler, 1989), which forms the point of the cusp, was obtained primarily from the lower member (Dinosaur Canyon) of the three-member Moenave Formation. We present new paleomagnetic data from the upper two members (Whitmore Point and Springdale Sandstone) of the formation. The Vermillion Cliffs in southern Utah present excellent exposures of the Moenave Formation. At this location, the Moenave rests uncomformably on the Late Triassic Chinle Group, although to the southeast it overlies it in a conformable manner. The Moenave is seemingly conformably overlain by the Kayenta Formation. Our study identified six polarity intervals in 100 meters of section. A preliminary paleopole from the Whitmore Point Member falls within the 95% confidence limits of the Dinosaur Canyon pole (Ekstrand and Butler, 1989), as does our pole from the top Springdale Sandstone member. If the apparent polar wander does indeed represent motion of the North American continent, then the reversal in direction implied by the J-1 cusp takes place after the deposition of the Springdale Sandstone, and either before or during the deposition of the lower Kayenta Formation. No directions intermediate between the Moenave and Kayenta directions were observed up through the uppermost Moenave strata. Within the Moenave, the lack of discernable change in magnetic direction between the three members suggests continuous deposition. This result is consistent with the observed mutually interfingering nature of the Whitmore Point and Springdale Sandstone. The sudden change in magnetic direction between the top of the Moenave and the Kayenta suggests the possibility of an unconformity between the two formations, and/or rapid continental motion following the turnaround.

A SPECIAL FOEHN CASE IN NORTH-EASTERN APUSENI MOUNTAINS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

T. TUDOSE

2016-03-01

Full Text Available The paper presents a case study for the 9-10 January 2015 period, when foehn processes were occurred on the eastern slope of the Apuseni Mountains. With a view to establishing the synoptic context in which the phenomenon was manifested, an analysis of the atmospheric fields was used, while for determining the intensity of the process several meteorological parameters (temperature, wind and relative humidity were analyzed along three west-east profiles across the Apuseni Mountains. The analysis points out the presence of foehn processes on the eastern part of the Apuseni Mountains, the highest thermal and hygric differences being recorded on the north-eastern part of the mountains. The most important effect of this synoptic situation was the reduction of the snow cover depth.

Impact of North America on the aerosol composition in the North Atlantic free troposphere

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. I. García

2017-06-01

Full Text Available In the AEROATLAN project we study the composition of aerosols collected over  ∼  5 years at Izaña Observatory (located at  ∼  2400 m a.s.l. in Tenerife, the Canary Islands under the prevailing westerly airflows typical of the North Atlantic free troposphere at subtropical latitudes and midlatitudes. Mass concentrations of sub-10 µm aerosols (PM10 carried by westerly winds to Izaña, after transatlantic transport, are typically within the range 1.2 and 4.2 µg m−3 (20th and 80th percentiles. The main contributors to background levels of aerosols (PM10 within the 1st–50th percentiles  =  0.15–2.54 µg m−3 are North American dust (53 %, non-sea-salt sulfate (14 % and organic matter (18 %. High PM10 events (75th–95th percentiles  ≈  4.0–9.0 µg m−3 are prompted by dust (56 %, organic matter (24 % and non-sea-salt sulfate (9 %. These aerosol components experience a seasonal evolution explained by (i their spatial distribution in North America and (ii the seasonal shift of the North American outflow, which migrates from low latitudes in winter (∼  32° N, January–March to high latitudes in summer (∼  52° N, August–September. The westerlies carry maximum loads of non-sea-salt sulfate, ammonium and organic matter in spring (March–May, of North American dust from midwinter to mid-spring (February–May and of elemental carbon in summer (August–September. Our results suggest that a significant fraction of organic aerosols may be linked to sources other than combustion (e.g. biogenic; further studies are necessary for this topic. The present study suggests that long-term evolution of the aerosol composition in the North Atlantic free troposphere will be influenced by air quality policies and the use of soils (potential dust emitter in North America.

Extreme winds in the Western North Pacific

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ott, Søren

2006-01-01

satellite images is discussed with emphasis on the empirical basis, which, unfortunately, is not very strong. This is stressed by the fact that Japanese and US agencies arrive at markedly different estimates. Onthe other hand, best track data records cover a long period of time and if not perfect......A statistical model for extreme winds in the western North Pacific is developed, the region on the Planet where tropical cyclones are most common. The model is based on best track data derived mostly from satellite images of tropical cyclones. The methodsused to estimate surface wind speeds from...... they are at least coherent over time in their imperfections. Applying the the Holland model to the best track data, wind profiles can be assigned along the tracks. Fromthis annual wind speed maxima at any particular point in the region can be derived. The annual maxima, in turn, are fitted to a Gumbel distribution...

Benthic community structures in the North Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Heip, C.; Craeymeersch, J. A.

1995-03-01

Coherent assemblages of marine benthic species have been recognized from the early twentieth century, and the classical papers of Petersen (1914, 1918) were based on studies of limited areas in the North Sea. In 1986, a synoptic survey of the North Sea north to 57°N was undertaken by a group of ten laboratories from seven North Sea countries. The results of this survey have recently been published (Heip et al., 1992a, b; Künitzer et al., 1992; Huys et al., 1992), and some of the results are summarized in this paper. The analysis of the macrofauna is based on slightly more than 700 taxa. In general, the North Sea macrofauna consists of northern species extending south to the northern margins of the Dogger Bank, and southern species extending north to the 100 m depth line. The central North Sea is an area of overlap of southern and northern species, especially around the 70 m depth contour. Consistent groupings of species are recognized that were summarized in seven faunal groupings. Macrofaunal body weight, density and diversity increase linearly towards the north. Macrofaunal biomass for the whole area averages 7 g adwt. m-2 and decreases from south to north. Distribution patterns and trends within the meiofauna were very different. Nematodes, which are the dominant taxon overall, are least abundant in the sandy sediments of the Southern Bight, then increase to a maximum around 53° 30' N and slowly decrease again towards the north. Copepod density and diversity are highest in the Southern Bight, due to the presence of many interstitial species. A large number of species new to science were recorded by the North Sea Benthos Survey and about 1500 species are expected to occur. Copepods show very distinct assemblages according to water depth and sediment type. The contrasting patterns in latitudinal gradients of body weight and number of species of macro- and meiofauna can be only partially explained. Latitude and sediment characteristics, such as grain size and

Anthropogenic soils on spoil rock banks in North Bohemian Coal Basin, Czech Republic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Raclavska, H.; Raclavsky, K.; Matysek, D.; Stalmachova, B.

1997-01-01

The area of the North Bohemian Coal Basin is devastated by the extensive exploitation of brown coal by open pit mining. Knowledge of newly formed soils, their properties, development and contamination is important from the point of view of biological regeneration of the landscape. The mineralogy of anthropogenic soils from the mining area is presented together with the geochemistry of nutrients and trace elements. Attention is paid to the soil-forming processes in the non-reclaimed spoil rock banks with the development of spontaneous vegetation. 3 refs., 1 fig., 4 tabs

Non-predation natural mortality of Norway pout ( Trisopterus esmarkii ) in the North Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sparholt, H.; Larsen, L.I.; Nielsen, J. Rasmus

2002-01-01

Based on age disaggregated data on catch rates in bottom trawl surveys, commercial catches, and the number consumed by the North Sea piscivorous predators, new estimates of non-predation natural mortality, M1, are obtained for Norway pout [Trisopterus esmarkii (Nilsson)]. Simple log catch ratio a...... periods is not significant. Survey data from each quarter of the year show that the main mortality takes place between the 1st and the 2nd quarter of the year, i.e. from before to after spawning, thus pointing at spawning as the main factor....

Impact of the Winter North Pacific Oscillation on the Surface Air Temperature over Eurasia and North America: Sensitivity to the Index Definition

Science.gov (United States)

Chen, Shangfeng; Song, Linye

2018-06-01

This study analyzes the impact of the winter North Pacific Oscillation (NPO) on the surface air temperature (SAT) variations over Eurasia and North America based on six different NPO indices. Results show that the influences of the winter NPO on the SAT over Eurasia and North America are sensitive to the definition of the NPO index. The impact of the winter NPO on the SAT variations over Eurasia (North America) is significant (insignificant) when the anticyclonic anomaly associated with the NPO index over the North Pacific midlatitudes shifts westward and pronounced northerly wind anomalies appear around Lake Baikal. By contrast, the impact of the winter NPO on the SAT variations over Eurasia (North America) is insignificant (significant) when the anticyclonic anomaly over the North Pacific related to the NPO index shifts eastward and the associated northerly wind anomalies to its eastern flank extend to North America. The present study suggests that the NPO definition should be taken into account when analyzing the impact of the winter NPO on Eurasian and North American SAT variations.

Visibility graph network analysis of natural gas price: The case of North American market

Science.gov (United States)

Sun, Mei; Wang, Yaqi; Gao, Cuixia

2016-11-01

Fluctuations in prices of natural gas significantly affect global economy. Therefore, the research on the characteristics of natural gas price fluctuations, turning points and its influencing cycle on the subsequent price series is of great significance. Global natural gas trade concentrates on three regional markets: the North American market, the European market and the Asia-Pacific market, with North America having the most developed natural gas financial market. In addition, perfect legal supervision and coordinated regulations make the North American market more open and more competitive. This paper focuses on the North American natural gas market specifically. The Henry Hub natural gas spot price time series is converted to a visibility graph network which provides a new direction for macro analysis of time series, and several indicators are investigated: degree and degree distribution, the average shortest path length and community structure. The internal mechanisms underlying price fluctuations are explored through the indicators. The results show that the natural gas prices visibility graph network (NGP-VGN) is of small-world and scale-free properties simultaneously. After random rearrangement of original price time series, the degree distribution of network becomes exponential distribution, different from the original ones. This means that, the original price time series is of long-range negative correlation fractal characteristic. In addition, nodes with large degree correspond to significant geopolitical or economic events. Communities correspond to time cycles in visibility graph network. The cycles of time series and the impact scope of hubs can be found by community structure partition.

Rapid shift and millennial-scale variations in Holocene North Pacific Intermediate Water ventilation.

Science.gov (United States)

Lembke-Jene, Lester; Tiedemann, Ralf; Nürnberg, Dirk; Gong, Xun; Lohmann, Gerrit

2018-05-22

The Pacific hosts the largest oxygen minimum zones (OMZs) in the world ocean, which are thought to intensify and expand under future climate change, with significant consequences for marine ecosystems, biogeochemical cycles, and fisheries. At present, no deep ventilation occurs in the North Pacific due to a persistent halocline, but relatively better-oxygenated subsurface North Pacific Intermediate Water (NPIW) mitigates OMZ development in lower latitudes. Over the past decades, instrumental data show decreasing oxygenation in NPIW; however, long-term variations in middepth ventilation are potentially large, obscuring anthropogenic influences against millennial-scale natural background shifts. Here, we use paleoceanographic proxy evidence from the Okhotsk Sea, the foremost North Pacific ventilation region, to show that its modern oxygenated pattern is a relatively recent feature, with little to no ventilation before six thousand years ago, constituting an apparent Early-Middle Holocene (EMH) threshold or "tipping point." Complementary paleomodeling results likewise indicate a warmer, saltier EMH NPIW, different from its modern conditions. During the EMH, the Okhotsk Sea switched from a modern oxygenation source to a sink, through a combination of sea ice loss, higher water temperatures, and remineralization rates, inhibiting ventilation. We estimate a strongly decreased EMH NPIW oxygenation of ∼30 to 50%, and increased middepth Pacific nutrient concentrations and carbon storage. Our results ( i ) imply that under past or future warmer-than-present conditions, oceanic biogeochemical feedback mechanisms may change or even switch direction, and ( ii ) provide constraints on the high-latitude North Pacific's influence on mesopelagic ventilation dynamics, with consequences for large oceanic regions. Copyright © 2018 the Author(s). Published by PNAS.

North Korea: Economic Leverage and Policy Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2009-06-04

human rights is a prominent issue in negotiations between the United States and North Korea, and for other purposes. • H.Res. 309 (Peter King ...the opinion of a North Korean expert at Seoul’s Sejong Institute, “North Korea’s economy had received a death sentence long ago, but it keeps afloat

[Conservation tillage systems in North America and their significance for China].

Science.gov (United States)

Yang, Xueming; Zhang, Xiaoping; Fang, Huajun; Liang, Aizhen; Qi, Xiaoning; Wang, Yang

2004-02-01

Soil degradation through erosion and desertification reduces soil productivity, and is a serious problem in agricultural production of China. To avert our arable land from further degradation, soil management must be shifted from degrading tillage to conservation practices. Over viewing the technology used in the 20th century for controlling soil degradation from erosion, conservation tillage developed in the United States and adopted in South America and Africa is one of the most successful measures to overcome soil degradation problems. This paper reviewed the historical development and the current situation of conservation tillage systems used in North and South America, with special reference to their effects on soil erosion control and soil quality. The increasing adoption of conservation tillage systems in North and South America and Africa followed an enhanced awareness of the increasing risk of soil erosion and the high cost of fuel associated with conventional tillage. Many crucial points for successfully adopting conservation tillage systems were emphasized, such as equipment/tool development and chemical weed control. Adopting conservation tillage could provide China with low-priced means of reducing soil degradation and improving soil and water quality.

The Current Status and Prospects of the Economic Relationship between North Korea and China

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Myoungchul Cho

1998-06-01

Full Text Available After the socialist market collapse after 1990s, the economic relationship of North Korea and China is becoming closer. It can be proven by the fact that economic relationship between this two countries are transferring from the national trade model to various models such as border trade, agency trade, the illicit trade and investment aid. In this progress, North Korea rely China more than in 1990. But after 1992, the economic relationship is falling from the political priority as before, blind support and assistance based on the nature of the economic benefits to the rapid changes in relationship. This thesis reviewed economic relations in the world environment which has changed. First it analyzed the national economy and trade policies adopted in the current situation of two countries, and on this basis, it looked forward to the economic relationship between the two countries, and point out the measures regarding the relationship between two countries.

New aero-gravity results from the Arctic: Linking the latest Cretaceous-early Cenozoic plate kinematics of the North Atlantic and Arctic Ocean

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Døssing, Arne; Hopper, J.R.; Olesen, Arne Vestergaard

2013-01-01

The tectonic history of the Arctic Ocean remains poorly resolved and highly controversial. Details regarding break up of the Lomonosov Ridge from the Barents-Kara shelf margins and the establishment of seafloor spreading in the Cenozoic Eurasia Basin are unresolved. Significantly, the plate...... tectonic evolution of the Mesozoic Amerasia Basin is essentially unknown. The Arctic Ocean north of Greenland is at a critical juncture that formed at the locus of a Mesozoic three-plate setting between the Lomonosov Ridge, Greenland, and North America. In addition, the area is close to the European plate...... plateau against an important fault zone north of Greenland. Our results provide new constraints for Cretaceous-Cenozoic plate reconstructions of the Arctic. Key Points Presentation of the largest aero-gravity survey acquired over the Arctic Ocean Plate tectonic link between Atlantic and Arctic spreading...

Larval growth and drift pattern and the separation of herring spawning groups in the North Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Munk, Peter; Christensen, Villy

1990-01-01

Data from two internationally co-ordinated survey programmes are used in an attempt to display the events in the early life that took place during the 'recovery period' of the North Sea herring stock, 1979-1986. During the period, an increasing importance of the spawning grounds off Buchan and off...... Yorkshire is evident from distributions of newly hatched herring larvae. The dramatic changes in relative importance of spawning grounds are traced in the data on both late larvae (6 months old) and juveniles (18 months old). The onset of extended spawning off Buchan and off Yorkshire was followed...... in the relative contributions from spawning grounds apparently influence the overall spatial distribution as well as size composition of larval and juvenile North Sea herring. The findings indicate that groups of larvae retain, to a large extent, separate distributions until metamorphosis, and point to larval...

North Korea's Nuclear Weapons: Latest Developments

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Nikitin, Mary B

2007-01-01

.... The Six-Party Talks include the United States, South Korea, Japan, China, Russia, and North Korea, and were begun in August 2003 to attempt to resolve the current crisis over North Korean nuclear weapons...

Security and emergency response for a remote distributed reactor fleet in Canada's far north

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Harris, J.

2013-01-01

The far north has become an area of great interest to SMR developers in the last several years. Remote and isolated communities with some small exceptions have not been the traditional territory for nuclear reactors. The technology however has now reached the point where their deployment in some of these nontraditional areas can now be considered possible. We do need to ask what would be the challenges of providing security and emergency support in these regions, and how could it be done effectively and cost efficiently? (author)

Wrox SharePoint 2010 SharePoint911 three-pack

CERN Document Server

Klindt, Todd; Mason, Jennifer; Rogers, Laura; Drisgill, Randy; Ross, John; Riemann, Larry; Perran, Amanda; Perran, Shane; Sanford, Jacob J; Stubbs, Paul; Caravajal, Steve

2012-01-01

The Wrox SharePoint 2010 SharePoint911 Three-Pack combines the contents of three full e-books written by the experts from SharePoint911.  That's over 1800 pages of hands-on advice from Todd Klindt, Shane Young, Laura Rogers, Randy Drisgill, Jennifer Mason, John Ross, and Larry Riemann, among others. In Beginning SharePoint 2010: Building Business Solutions with SharePoint (ISBN 978-0-470-61789-2) by Amanda Perran, Shane Perran, Jennifer Mason, and Laura Rogers, readers learn the core concepts, terminology, and features of SharePoint 2010. In Professiona

Effect of phase change materials on indoor thermal environment under different weather conditions and over a long time

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Ling, Haoshu; Chen, Chao; Wei, Shen; Guan, Yong; Ma, Caiwen; Xie, Guangya; Li, Na; Chen, Ziguang

2015-01-01

Highlights: • Indicators evaluating the performance of PCMs in greenhouses are introduced. • Real equivalent specific heat capacity of PCMs is embedded in a numerical model. • Real behaviour of PCMs has been monitored over a long time. • Efficiency of PCMs walls are compared for sunny and cloudy days. • Heat storage and release amounts of PCMs walls have been calculated. - Abstract: To evaluate the effect of phase change materials (PCMs) on the indoor thermal environment of greenhouses under different weather conditions and over a long time in the heating season, a study was carried out using both experimental method and numerical method. The study was conducted in a typical greenhouse located in Beijing, China, and important parameters have been monitored continuously for 61 days, including indoor air temperature, outdoor air temperature, solar radiation, surface temperature of greenhouse envelopes and soil temperature. Based on these parameters, a number of indicators, namely, operative temperature, daily effective accumulative temperature, irradiated surface temperature of the north wall, average temperature of PCMs, and daily heat storage and release, have been used to evaluate the performance of PCMs in greenhouses. All indicators have provided consistent results that confirm the positive effect of PCMs on improving the indoor thermal environment of greenhouses over a long time. Additionally, the paper has demonstrated that a sunny weather could help to promote the efficiency of PCMs, comparing to a cloudy weather

Comparison of arch forms between Turkish and North American

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Ahmet A. Celebi

2016-04-01

Full Text Available ABSTRACT Objective: The aim of this study was to clarify the morphological differences in the mandibular arches of Turkish and North American white subjects. Methods: The sample included 132 Turkish (34 Class I, 58 Class II, and 40 Class III and 160 North American (60 Class I, 50 Class II, and 50 Class III subjects. The most facial portion of 13 proximal contact areas was digitized from photocopied images of patients' mandibular dental arches. Clinical bracket points were calculated for each tooth based on mandibular tooth thickness data. Four linear and two proportional measurements were taken. The subjects were grouped according to arch form types (tapered, ovoid and square in order to have frequency distribution compared between ethnic groups in each Angle classification. Results: The Turkish group showed significantly lower molar depth and more significant molar width-depth (W/D ratio in all three Angle classifications. On the other hand, the Turkish group also showed a significantly larger intercanine width in Class III malocclusion and intermolar width in Class II malocclusion. The most frequent arch forms seen were the ovoid arch form in the Turkish group and the tapered form in the white group. Conclusions: Our results demonstrate that when treating Turkish patients, one should expect to use preformed ovoid arch form orthodontic wires in a significant percentage of patients.

Forests of North Dakota, 2017

Science.gov (United States)

Charles S. Paulson

2018-01-01

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in North Dakota based on an inventory conducted by the USDA Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program within the Northern Research Station in cooperation with the North Dakota Forest Service. Estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized sample design and are updated...

Forests of North Dakota, 2015

Science.gov (United States)

David E. Haugen

2016-01-01

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in North Dakota based on an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Northern Research Station in cooperation with the North Dakota Forest Service. Estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized sample design and are updated...

Forests of North Dakota, 2013

Science.gov (United States)

David E. Haugen

2014-01-01

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in North Dakota based on an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Northern Research Station in cooperation with the North Dakota Forest Service. Estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized sample design and are updated...

Forests of North Carolina, 2013

Science.gov (United States)

Mark J. Brown

2015-01-01

This periodic resource update provides an overview of forest resources in North Carolina based on an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Southern Research Station in cooperation with the North Carolina Forest Service. Data estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized sample design...

Forests of North Dakota, 2014

Science.gov (United States)

D.E. Haugen; S.A. Pugh

2014-01-01

This resource update provides an overview of forest resources in North Dakota based on an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Northern Research Station in cooperation with the North Dakota Forest Service. Estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized sample design and are updated...

Forests of North Carolina, 2014

Science.gov (United States)

Mark Brown; Samuel Lambert

2016-01-01

This periodic resource update provides an overview of forest resources in North Carolina based on an inventory conducted by the U.S. Forest Service, Forest Inventory and Analysis (FIA) program at the Southern Research Station in cooperation with the North Carolina Forest Service. Data estimates are based on field data collected using the FIA annualized sample design...

The pollution of the North Sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1981-01-01

The subject is covered in chapters entitled: the North Sea and its rivers; the uses of the North Sea (shipping; exploitation of oil and gas; fishing; recreation; land reclamation; industrial islands; waste dumping); the nature of the dumping problem (nuclear waste; organic chemicals; inorganic chemicals; oil; sewage; rubble and dredged spoils; ash); pollution legislation; Greenpeace activities in the North Sea (the nuclear campaigns (Windscale; Cap de la Hague; Atlantic waste dumping); the chemical campaigns); what is needed in the future; references; the Oslo Convention. (U.K.)

1992 North Dakota Economic Impact Study for the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action Project, Belfield and Bowman, North Dakota

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1993-01-01

The goal of the Uranium Mill Tailings Remedial Action (UMTRA) Project in North Dakota is to improve the environment and reduce the negative health effects associated with residual radioactive material (RRM) from the inactive processing sites at Belfield and Bowman, North Dakota. A secondary benefit of the UMTRA Project is economic gain. The 1992 North Dakota Economic Impact Study (NDEIS) analyzes the impact of the remedial actions at the inactive Belfield and Bowman processing sites and their associated vicinity properties. This analysis is based on the assumption that the state of North Dakota will provide 10 percent of the funding required for remediation. For every dollar the state of North Dakota invests in the Belfield and Bowman onsite portion of the UMTRA Project, it will realize $5.04 in gross labor income (i.e., gross labor income divided by the state's total funding requirement). For every dollar the state of North Dakota invests, it will realize a net return of $3.04 (i.e., net benefit divided by the state's total funding requirement). This reflects only labor expenditure and employment impact. ff state and local non-labor tax benefits were considered in the net economic benefit, North Dakota could receive significantly more than $3.04 for each dollar it invests. The UMTRA Project work at Belfield and Bowman will benefit the state of North Dakota. Benefits include a reduction in the negative health effects caused by low-level RRM, an improvement in the environment, and increased economic growth

76 FR 14101 - Bruss North America; Russell Springs, KY; Bruss North America; Orion, MI; Amended Revised...

Science.gov (United States)

2011-03-15

... America; Russell Springs, KY; Bruss North America; Orion, MI; Amended Revised Determination on... relevant time period at the Orion, Michigan location of Bruss North America, Inc. The Orion, Michigan..., Kentucky facility also led to worker separations at the Orion, Michigan location during the relevant time...

Energy Relations between the European Union and North Africa

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sarah Kilpeläinen

2013-06-01

Full Text Available This article discusses European Union (EU-North Africa energy relations with a special focus on renewables in North Africa, arguing that the research so far has not taken due account of North African perceptions of EU external energy policy. It is argued that current research on EU-North African relations has not taken sufficient note of the multidimensionality of energy or addressed the inconsistent nature of EU policy making. However, addressing these issues is vital in approaching EU-North Africa energy relations and EU policy towards North Africa in general. The study of perceptions is introduced as one way to develop research further, to give further impetus on understanding how EU-North African energy relations develop and to understand energy relations in their complexity.

Beginning SharePoint 2010 Administration Windows SharePoint Foundation 2010 and Microsoft SharePoint Server 2010

CERN Document Server

Husman, Göran

2010-01-01

Complete coverage on the latest advances in SharePoint 2010 administration. SharePoint 2010 comprises an abundance of new features, and this book shows you how to take advantage of all SharePoint 2010's many improvements. Written by a four-time SharePoint MVP, Beginning SharePoint 2010 Administration begins with a comparison of SharePoint 2010 compared to the previous version and then examines the differences between WSS 4.0 and MSS 2010. Packed with step-by-step instructions, tips and tricks, and real-world examples, this book dives into the basics of how to install, manage, and administrate

40 CFR 282.83 - North Carolina State-Administered Program.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... approved the North Carolina program on April 26, 2001 with an effective date of August 14, 2001. (b) North... the Underground Storage Tank Program, 1997. (B) North Carolina Regulatory Requirements Applicable to... Procedure Rule 24Intervention (B) The regulatory provisions include: (1) North Carolina Administrative Code...

May 2002 Lidar Point Data of Southern California Coastline: Dana Point to Point La Jolla

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains lidar point data from a strip of Southern California coastline (including water, beach, cliffs, and top of cliffs) from Dana Point to Point La...

September 2002 Lidar Point Data of Southern California Coastline: Dana Point to Point La Jolla

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — This data set contains lidar point data from a strip of Southern California coastline (including water, beach, cliffs, and top of cliffs) from Dana Point to Point La...

The impact of summertime north Indian Ocean SST on tropical cyclone genesis over the western North Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Zheng, Jiayu; Wu, Qiaoyan; Guo, Yipeng; Zhao, Sen

2017-04-01

In this study, we investigate the impact of interannual variability of boreal summertime (June-September) north Indian Ocean (NIO) sea surface temperature (SST) on the distribution of tropical cyclone (TC) genesis over the western North Pacific (WNP) using observational datasets. In the boreal summers with warm (cold) SST in the NIO, fewer (more) than normal TCs form over the entire WNP, with fewer (more) TCs forming north of 10°N and more (fewer) TCs forming south of 10°N. The warm (cold) SST in the NIO induces anomalous anticyclonic (cyclonic) vorticity north of 10°N and cyclonic (anticyclonic) vorticity south of 10°N, which contributes to the meridional seesaw-like distribution of WNP TC genesis. This study provides a new perspective to understand TC activities over the WNP and may help seasonal TC prediction.

Is the Central America forearc sliver part of the North America plate?

Science.gov (United States)

Guzman-Speziale, M.

2012-04-01

The Central America Forearc sliver is located between the Central America volcanic arc and the Middle America trench. Several authors have suggested that the forearc is being displaced to the northwest with respect to the Caribbean plate; they point to right-lateral, normal-faulting earthquakes along the Central America volcanic arc as prime evidence of this displacement. Apparently, the forearc continues to the northwest into southeastern Mexico, although this portion of the forearc is not being displaced. I present evidence that suggests that the forearc indeed continues into southeastern Mexico and that it belongs to the North America plate. Physiographically, there is a continuity of the forearc into the Coastal plains of southeastern (Chiapas) Mexico, across the Motagua and Polochic faults. Offshore, cross-sections of the Middle America trench are similar along the mexican (Chiapas) segment, and the Central American segment. Furthermore, at the northwestern end of the coastal plain there are no compressive structures, which suggests that the coastal plain is not being displaced to the northwest. As a matter of fact, fault-plane solutions for shallow earthquakes show extension rather than compression. Shallow, interplate earthquakes along the trench show similar parameters along both segments. P-axes and earthquake slip vectors have consistent azimuths, which relate better with Cocos-North America convergence than with Cocos-Caribbean. Azimuth of T-axes for normal-faulting earthquakes also agree well with Cocos-North America convergence. Similarity in several parameters is thus found across both segments, the Chiapas coastal plain and the Central America forearc sliver proper. This suggests that both segments are continuous and probably one and the same, and belonging to the North America plate. Perhaps more properly, the forearc sliver extends into southeastern Mexico and is part of the zone of deformation associated to the Cocos-North America-Caribbean plates

Arctic climatechange and its impacts on the ecology of the North Atlantic.

Science.gov (United States)

Greene, Charles H; Pershing, Andrew J; Cronin, Thomas M; Ceci, Nicole

2008-11-01

Arctic climate change from the Paleocene epoch to the present is reconstructed with the objective of assessing its recent and future impacts on the ecology of the North Atlantic. A recurring theme in Earth's paleoclimate record is the importance of the Arctic atmosphere, ocean, and cryosphere in regulating global climate on a variety of spatial and temporal scales. A second recurring theme in this record is the importance of freshwater export from the Arctic in regulating global- to basin-scale ocean circulation patterns and climate. Since the 1970s, historically unprecedented changes have been observed in the Arctic as climate warming has increased precipitation, river discharge, and glacial as well as sea-ice melting. In addition, modal shifts in the atmosphere have altered Arctic Ocean circulation patterns and the export of freshwater into the North Atlantic. The combination of these processes has resulted in variable patterns of freshwater export from the Arctic Ocean and the emergence of salinity anomalies that have periodically freshened waters in the North Atlantic. Since the early 1990s, changes in Arctic Ocean circulation patterns and freshwater export have been associated with two types of ecological responses in the North Atlantic. The first of these responses has been an ongoing series of biogeographic range expansions by boreal plankton, including renewal of the trans-Arctic exchanges of Pacific species with the Atlantic. The second response was a dramatic regime shift in the shelf ecosystems of the Northwest Atlantic that occurred during the early 1990s. This regime shift resulted from freshening and stratification of the shelf waters, which in turn could be linked to changes in the abundances and seasonal cycles of phytoplankton, zooplankton, and higher trophic-level consumer populations. It is predicted that the recently observed ecological responses to Arctic climate change in the North Atlantic will continue into the near future if current trends

A CO2-storage supply curve for North America and its implications for the deployment of carbon dioxide capture and storage systems

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Dooley, J.J.; Bachu, S.; Gupta, N.; Gale, J.

2005-01-01

This paper presented a highly disaggregated estimate of carbon dioxide (CO 2 )-storage capacity of more than 330 onshore geological reservoirs across the United States and Canada. The demand placed upon these reservoirs by thousands of existing large anthropogenic CO 2 point sources was also reviewed based on a newly developed methodology for estimating the effective storage capacities of deep saline formations, depleted oil and gas reservoirs, and deep unmineable coal seams. This analysis was based on matching the identified point sources with candidate storage reservoirs. By incorporating the updated source and reservoir data into the Battelle CO 2 -GIS, a series of pairwise costs for transporting CO 2 from sites of anthropogenic CO 2 sources was calculated along with the net cost of storing it in each of the candidate reservoirs within a specified distance of the point source. Results indicate a large and variably distributed North American storage capacity of at least 3,800 gigatonnes of CO 2 , with deep saline formations accounting for most of this capacity. A geospatial and techno-economic database of 2,082 anthropogenic CO 2 point sources in North America, each with annual emissions greater than 100,000 tonnes of CO 2 , was also refined. Sensitivities examined for the CO 2 -storage cost curve focused on high/low oil and gas prices; the maximum allowed distance between source and reservoir; and, the infrastructure costs associated with CO 2 -driven hydrocarbon recovery. 20 refs., 5 figs

Changes in distributional patterns of plaice Pleuronectes platessa in the central and eastern North Sea; do declining nutrient loadings play a role?

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Støttrup, Josianne Gatt; Munk, Peter; Kodama, Masashi

2017-01-01

of offshore habitats as nursery areas by juvenile plaice in the North Sea appears not related to water depth per se but driven by specific processes dominating in near-shore areas and may be related to changes in nutrient loadings. This point to the importance of separating more general depth-related factors....... For the same time period available time series data on nutrient conditions in the coastalNorth Sea area showthat the freshwater nitrogen loading has decreased by about 50%. While nutrient concentrations in the ambient environment have been shown to influence growth in juvenile plaice through influence...... on their prey, we here inspect the potential linkage between distributional changes in plaice and the decline in nutrient loading.We compare plaice observations in coastal areas in the eastern North Sea,which have experienced large changes in eutrophication,with observations for the Dogger Bank, a large...

Elemental composition of air masses under different altitudes in Azores, central north Atlantic

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Vieira, B.J.; Wolterbeek, H.Th.

2012-01-01

Between 8th July 2002 and 18th June 2004, aerosol samples were collected in Azores. Their inorganic composition was obtained by neutron activation analysis in order to study the differences of aerosols in two atmospheric altitudes of the central north Atlantic: (1) PICO-NARE observatory (Lower Free Troposphere-LFT) at Pico mountain summit (38,470 deg N, 28,404 deg W, 2,225 m a.s.l.) in Pico Island, Azores, where air masses from the surrounding continents (Africa, Europe, Central and North America) pass through, carrying aerosols with anthropogenic (Sb, Br, Mo, U, Se and Tb) and/or natural emissions (Fe, Co, La, Na, Sm, Cr, Zn, Hf, K and Th); (2) TERCEIRA-NARE station (Marine Boundary Layer) at Serreta (38,69 deg N, 27,36 deg W, 50 m a.s.l.), in Terceira Island, Azores, where natural aerosols (I, Cl, Na, Br and other soil related elements) are predominant. However, a combined interpretation of the data points out to a co-existence of the anthropogenic elements Sb and Mo, eventually with similar origins as the ones passing Pico Mountain summit. Very high concentrations and enrichment factors for Sb, Mo and Br in LFT, higher than the ones found in other areas, confirm atmospheric long-range transport mainly from the west boundary of north Atlantic; this may indicate eventual accumulation and persistence of those elements in the area due to the presence of Azores high pressures or the Hadley cells effect. A significant correlation between Fe and Yb and the enrichment of rare earth elements (La, Sm, Tb and Yb) and Th in LFT aerosols, both reflect a mineral dust intrusions from north Africa (Sahara and Sahel region). (author)

Spatio-temporal long-term (1950-2009) temperature trend analysis in North Carolina, United States

Science.gov (United States)

Sayemuzzaman, Mohammad; Jha, Manoj K.; Mekonnen, Ademe

2015-04-01

This study analyzed long-term (1950-2009) annual and seasonal time series data of maximum and minimum temperature from 249 uniformly distributed stations across the State of North Carolina, United States. The Mann-Kendall and Theil-Sen approach were applied to quantify the significance and magnitude of trend, respectively. A pre-whitening technique was applied to eliminate the effect of lag-1 serial correlation. For most stations over the period of the past 60 years, the difference between minimum and maximum temperatures was found decreasing with an overall increasing trend in the mean temperature. However, significant trends (confidence level ≥ 95 %) in the mean temperature analysis were detected only in 20, 3, 23, and 20 % of the stations in summer, winter, autumn, and spring, respectively. The magnitude of the highest warming trend in minimum temperature and the highest cooling trend in maximum temperature was +0.073 °C/year in the autumn season and -0.12 °C/year in the summer season, respectively. Additional analysis in mean temperature trend was conducted on three regions of North Carolina (mountain, piedmont, and coastal). The results revealed a warming trend for the coastal zone, a cooling trend for the mountain zone, and no distinct trend for the piedmont zone. The Sequential Mann-Kendall test results indicated that the significant increasing trends in minimum temperature and decreasing trend in maximum temperature had begun around 1970 and 1960 (change point), respectively, in most of the stations. Finally, the comparison between mean surface air temperature (SAT) and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) concluded that the variability and trend in SAT can be explained partially by the NAO index for North Carolina.

{open_quotes}Lure{close_quotes} North Korea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Park, M.Y.M.

1994-12-31

The author discusses the frustrations of the international community in dealing with North Korea after negotiation of the Nuclear Non-proliferation treaty. In the past, the international community has not been well prepared to deal with the North Korean obstinacy. It has repeatedly misjudged North Korean goals, South Korean Interests, and Japanese reactions. A new approach is proposed for the long run, that avoids coercion or appeasement. Economic incentives are suggested as the means to bring about changes in North Korean attitudes that will ultimately foster the desire for maintaining economic stability and well being rather than warlike independence. China and the former Soviet Union are not considered supportive of a warlike posture in North Korean but are making economic overtures to South Korea themselves. If the economic approach proves successful, it will enhance the chances of Korean unification by peaceful means and under democratic rule because time is on the side of democracy. In the long run nonproliferation will be achieved through unification.

Infectious disease risks among refugees from North Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

Nishiura, Hiroshi; Lee, Hyojung; Yuan, Baoyin; Endo, Akira; Akhmetzhanov, Andrei R; Chowell, Gerardo

2018-01-01

The characteristics of disease in North Korea, including severe malnutrition and infectious disease risks, have not been openly and widely analyzed. This study was performed to estimate the risks of infectious diseases among refugees from North Korea. A literature review of clinical studies among North Korean defectors was conducted to statistically estimate the risks of infectious diseases among North Korean subjects. A total of six groups of data from five publications covering the years 2004 to 2014 were identified. Tuberculosis and viral hepatitis appeared to be the two most common infectious diseases, especially among adult refugees. When comparing the risks of infectious diseases between North Korean and Syrian refugees, it is critical to remember that Plasmodium vivax malaria has been endemic in North Korea, while cutaneous leishmaniasis has frequently been seen among Syrian migrants. Valuable datasets from health surveys of defectors were reviewed. In addition to tuberculosis and viral hepatitis, which were found to be the two most common infectious diseases, a special characteristic of North Korean defectors was Plasmodium vivax malaria. This needs to be added to the list of differential diagnoses for pyretic patients. Copyright © 2017 The Author(s). Published by Elsevier Ltd.. All rights reserved.

North Korea: Economic Leverage and Policy Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-22

although non- governmental groups do run operations in the DPRK in activities such as goat dairy farming and transportation. North -South Korean...Finance Minister Says “At Least” 34m US Dollars Sent to North Korea. Financial Times Information, Global News Wire—Asia Africa Intelligence Wire. June 6...CRS Report for Congress Prepared for Members and Committees of Congress North Korea: Economic Leverage and Policy Analysis Dick K

Observation and analysis of tidal and residual current in the North Yellow Sea in the spring

Science.gov (United States)

Miao, Qingsheng; Yang, Jinkun; Yang, Yang; Wan, Fangfang; Yu, Jia

2018-02-01

In order to study the current characteristics of the North Yellow Sea (NYS), 4 moored ADCPs (Acoustic Doppler Current Profilers) were deployed and Current characteristics were analyzed based on the observations. Results show that tidal current is the dominant and M2 is the main constituent. Shallow water constituents are obvious in the near-shore area, and tidal current ellipses directions have relations with topography. Residual currents in the Bohai Strait point to the Bohai Sea interior and the magnitude have a connection with terrain. Residual current in south NYS can be divided into two layers, and energy of residual current only accounts for about 13% of the total energy. Barotropic eddy kinetic energy plays a major role and the average in NYS accounts for 87%, baroclinic mean kinetic energy is larger in north NYS, in other regions barotropic mean kinetic energy take the leading position.

The Zoogeography of North American freshwater fishes

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

Hocutt, Charles H; Wiley, E. O

1986-01-01

..., and Pleistoscene glaciation. The Zoogeography of North American Freshwater Fishes is a comprehensive treatment of the freshwater biogeography of North America, with implications for other disciplines...

Integrated North Sea grids: The costs, the benefits and their distribution between countries

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Konstantelos, Ioannis; Pudjianto, Danny; Strbac, Goran; De Decker, Jan; Joseph, Pieter; Flament, Aurore; Kreutzkamp, Paul; Genoese, Fabio; Rehfeldt, Leif; Wallasch, Anna-Kathrin; Gerdes, Gerhard; Jafar, Muhammad; Yang, Yongtao; Tidemand, Nicolaj; Jansen, Jaap; Nieuwenhout, Frans; Welle, Adriaan van der; Veum, Karina

2017-01-01

A large number of offshore wind farms and interconnectors are expected to be constructed in the North Sea region over the coming decades, creating substantial opportunities for the deployment of integrated network solutions. Creating interconnected offshore grids that combine cross-border links and connections of offshore plants to shore offers multiple economic and environmental advantages for Europe's energy system. However, despite evidence that integrated solutions can be more beneficial than traditional radial connection practices, no such projects have been deployed yet. In this paper we quantify costs and benefits of integrated projects and investigate to which extent the cost-benefit sharing mechanism between participating countries can impede or encourage the development of integrated projects. Three concrete interconnection case studies in the North Sea area are analysed in detail using a national-level power system model. Model outputs are used to compute the net benefit of all involved stakeholders under different allocation schemes. Given the asymmetric distribution of costs and benefits, we recommend to consistently apply the Positive Net Benefit Differential mechanism as a starting point for negotiations on the financial closure of investments in integrated offshore infrastructure. - Highlights: • Three North Sea offshore gird case studies are analysed. • They are shown to have substantial net benefit over non-integrated network designs. • Asymmetric net benefit sharing between countries is shown to be a barrier. • Positive Net Benefit Differential method alleviates asymmetric benefits.

ENVIRONMENTAL PROBLEMS OF AGRICULTURAL LAND MANAGEMENT IN THE NORTH CAUCASIAN FEDERAL DISTRICT

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

M. R. Musayev

2016-01-01

Full Text Available Aim. The aim is to assess the environmental problems in the North Caucasus Federal District of the Russian Federation. Methods. An analysis of the literature and own research at a high anthropogenic pressure on agricultural land through the development of more stringent criteria for assessing the already degraded areas. Results. In the Stavropol region, Andropov district is in the most catastrophic state: of eight ratings five have the highest (fifth catastrophic degree degree of degradation; two the first (low and one rating has the second (middle. On the territory of Kabardino-Balkarian Republic, the highest degree of degradation of agricultural land is assigned to rocky ground, where it has a catastrophic rate of 9.76 points. For agricultural workers on steppe plains, the priority is to fight against deflation, as there is also a high degradation level 6.67 (above catastrophic. Conclusion. It was established that in the North Caucasus Federal District the system of rational use of land should be of environmental and resource-conserving nature and provide for the preservation of the soil, limiting the impact on flora and fauna, geological formations, and other components of the environment.

Habitat Evaluation Procedures (HEP) Report; North Eaton Lake, Technical Report 2005.

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Entz, Ray

2005-11-01

On July 6, 2005, the Habitat Evaluation Procedure (HEP) was used to determine baseline habitat suitability on the North Eaton Lake property, an acquisition completed by the Kalispel Tribe of Indians in November 2004. Evaluation species and appropriate models include bald eagle, black-capped chickadee, Canada goose, mallard, muskrat, and white-tailed deer. Habitat Suitability Index (HSI) values were visually estimated and agreed upon by all HEP team members. The North Eaton Lake Project provides a total of 235.05 Habitat Units (HUs) for the species evaluated. Open water habitat provides 9.38 HUs for Canada goose, mallard and muskrat. Emergent wetland habitat provides 11.36 HUs for Canada goose, mallard and muskrat. Forested wetland provides 10.97 HUs for bald eagle, black-capped chickadee, mallard and white-tailed deer. Conifer forest habitat provides 203.34 HUs for bald eagle, black-capped chickadee, mallard, and white-tailed deer. The objective of using HEP at the North Eaton Lake Project and other protected properties is to document the quality and quantity of available habitat for selected wildlife species. In this way, HEP provides information on the relative value of the same area at future points in time so that the effect of management activities on wildlife habitat can be quantified. When combined with other tools, the baseline HEP will be used to determine the most effective on-site management, restoration, and enhancement actions to increase habitat suitability for targeted species. The same process will be replicated every five years to quantitatively evaluate the effectiveness of management strategies in improving and maintaining habitat conditions while providing additional crediting to BPA for enhanced habitat values.

Human Population Decline in North America during the Younger Dryas

Science.gov (United States)

Anderson, D. G.; Goodyear, A. C.; Stafford, T. W., Jr.; Kennett, J.; West, A.

2009-12-01

dates. The decline at the YD onset was more than 50%, similar in magnitude to the decline in Clovis-Folsom point ratios. While calibration and sampling factors may affect the trends, this abrupt decline is large and requires explanation. SUMMARY: Even though correlation does not equate with causation, the coeval YD decline in both points and 14C dates appears linked to significant changes in climate and biota, as represented by the megafaunal extinction. While the causes of the YD remain controversial, a human population decline appears to have occurred, at least across parts of North America. Furthermore, the YD onset is associated with the abrupt replacement of Clovis by regional or subregional scale cultural traditions, potentially reflecting decreased range mobility and increased population isolation. Projectile point distributions and summed probability analyses, we argue, are potentially useful approaches for exploring demographic changes at regional scales.

Address Points - COUNTY_ADDRESS_POINTS_IDHS_IN: Address Points Maintained by County Agencies in Indiana (Indiana Department of Homeland Security, Point feature class)

Data.gov (United States)

NSGIC State | GIS Inventory — COUNTY_ADDRESS_POINTS_IDHS_IN is an ESRI Geodatabase point feature class that contains address points maintained by county agencies in Indiana, provided by personnel...

Connecting smoke plumes to sources using Hazard Mapping System (HMS) smoke and fire location data over North America

Science.gov (United States)

Brey, Steven J.; Ruminski, Mark; Atwood, Samuel A.; Fischer, Emily V.

2018-02-01

Fires represent an air quality challenge because they are large, dynamic and transient sources of particulate matter and ozone precursors. Transported smoke can deteriorate air quality over large regions. Fire severity and frequency are likely to increase in the future, exacerbating an existing problem. Using the National Environmental Satellite, Data, and Information Service (NESDIS) Hazard Mapping System (HMS) smoke data for North America for the period 2007 to 2014, we examine a subset of fires that are confirmed to have produced sufficient smoke to warrant the initiation of a U.S. National Weather Service smoke forecast. We find that gridded HMS-analyzed fires are well correlated (r = 0.84) with emissions from the Global Fire Emissions Inventory Database 4s (GFED4s). We define a new metric, smoke hours, by linking observed smoke plumes to active fires using ensembles of forward trajectories. This work shows that the Southwest, Northwest, and Northwest Territories initiate the most air quality forecasts and produce more smoke than any other North American region by measure of the number of HYSPLIT points analyzed, the duration of those HYSPLIT points, and the total number of smoke hours produced. The average number of days with smoke plumes overhead is largest over the north-central United States. Only Alaska, the Northwest, the Southwest, and Southeast United States regions produce the majority of smoke plumes observed over their own borders. This work moves a new dataset from a daily operational setting to a research context, and it demonstrates how changes to the frequency or intensity of fires in the western United States could impact other regions.

US North Slope gas and Asian LNG markets

Science.gov (United States)

Attanasi, E.D.

1994-01-01

Prospects for export of liquified natural gas (LNG) from Alaska's North Slope are assessed. Projected market conditions to 2010 show that new LNG capacity beyond announced expansions will be needed to meet regional demand and that supplies will probably come from outside the region. The estimated delivered costs of likely suppliers show that Alaska North Slope gas will not be competitive. The alternative North Slope gas development strategies of transport and sale to the lower 48 states and use on the North Slope for either enhanced oil recovery or conversion to liquids are examined. The alternative options require delaying development until US gas prices increase, exhaustion of certain North Slope oil fields, or advances occur in gas to liquid fuels conversion technology. ?? 1995.

Holocene relative sea-level changes from North America and the Caribbean

Science.gov (United States)

Horton, Benjamin; Engelhart, Simon; Vacchi, Matteo; Khan, Nicole; Peltier, Dick; Roy, Keven

2014-05-01

Reconstructions of Holocene relative sea level (RSL) are important for identifying the ice equivalent meltwater contribution to sea-level change during deglaciation. Holocene RSL reconstructions from near, intermediate and far field regions enable the assessment of earth and ice parameters of Glacial Isostatic Adjustment (GIA) models. RSL reconstructions provide data for estimating rates of spatially variable and ongoing vertical land motion; a requirement for understanding the variation in modern and late Holocene sea level as recorded by instrumental and proxy records. Here we explain the methodology employed to reconstruct former sea levels, which follows the practice of the International Geoscience Programme (IGCP). We produce sea level index points from the Pacific and Atlantic coasts of North America and the Caribbean. Index points are defined as the most reliable observations of former sea levels. They consist of an estimate of X (age) and Y (the position of former RSL). Where a suite of index points are developed for a locality or region, they describe changes in RSL through time and estimate rates of change. A valid index point must meet the following four criteria; (1) location of the sample is known; (2) the altitude of the sample (and the error associated with measuring that altitude) is known; (3) the indicative meaning (the relationship between the sample and a tide level) is estimated; and (4) the age of the sample, which is commonly radiocarbon dated is calibrated to sidereal years using the latest calibration curves. In total databases have over 2000 sea-level index points from formerly ice covered, uplifting regions of Canada, to the region of forebulge collapse along the subsiding mid-Atlantic and mid-Pacific coastlines of the United States, to the tropical regions of the Caribbean. Recent analyses of these new published databases have led to a further refinement of the most recent of the ICE-NG (VMX) series of global models of GIA. The records

Beginning SharePoint 2010 Building Business Solutions with SharePoint

CERN Document Server

Perran, Amanda; Mason, Jennifer; Rogers, Laura

2010-01-01

Two SharePoint MVPs provide the ultimate introduction to SharePoint 2010Beginning SharePoint 2010: Building Team Solutions with SharePoint provides information workers and site managers with extensive knowledge and expert advice, empowering them to become SharePoint champions within their organizations.Provides expansive coverage of SharePoint topics, as well as specialty areas such as forms, excel services, records management, and web content managementDetails realistic usage scenarios, and includes practice examples that highlight best practices for configuration and customizationIncludes de

Photoelectric panel with equatorial mounting of drive

Science.gov (United States)

Kukhta, M. S.; Krauinsh, P. Y.; Krauinsh, D. P.; Sokolov, A. P.; Mainy, S. B.

2018-03-01

The relevance of the work is determined by the need to create effective models for sunny energy. The article considers a photoelectric panel equipped with a system for tracking the sun. Efficiency of the system is provided by equatorial mounting, which compensates for the rotation of the Earth by rotating the sunny panel in the plane of the celestial equator. The specificity of climatic and geographical conditions of Tomsk is estimated. The dynamics of power variations of photoelectric panels with equatorial mounting during seasonal fluctuations in Tomsk is calculated. A mobile photovoltaic panel with equatorial mounting of the drive has been developed. The methods of design strategy for placing photovoltaic panels in the architectural environment of the city are presented. Key words: sunny energy, photovoltaics, equatorial mounting, mechatronic model, wave reducer, electric drive.

Community Points of Interest

Data.gov (United States)

Town of Cary, North Carolina — View locations of Cary’s community centers, fire, police and EMS stations, hospitals, libraries, Cary Convenience Center, schools and post offices. Note commercial...

40 CFR 81.423 - North Dakota.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-07-01

... 40 Protection of Environment 17 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false North Dakota. 81.423 Section 81.423 Protection of Environment ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY (CONTINUED) AIR PROGRAMS (CONTINUED) DESIGNATION OF... Visibility Is an Important Value § 81.423 North Dakota. Area name Acreage Public Law establishing Federal...

Live and work in North Denmark

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Christensen, Sascha; Pristed Nielsen, Helene

This report is based on a survey among Expats in North Denmark, and was carried out in collaboration with 'Velkomstcentre - live and work in North Denmark'. It includes findings about the backgrounds of the Expats, their motives for coming to the region and their perceptions of the region before...

Metals in molluscs and algae: A north-south Tyrrhenian Sea baseline

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Conti, Marcelo Enrique; Finoia, Maria Grazia

2010-01-01

We develop a 800 km long relative baseline of metal pollution for the Tyrrhenian Sea, from the north of Naples to south of Sicily (Italy), based on spatio-temporal (1997-2004) concentrations of trace metals in marine organisms and on the bioaccumulative properties of those organisms. The study concerns sites in the gulf of Gaeta-Formia, near Naples, and three islands north, west, and south of Sicily: Ustica, Favignana and Linosa. The five metals are: cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, and zinc; the species include: Monodonta turbinata (n = 161), Patella caerulea (n = 244) and the algae Padina pavonica (n = 84). We use Johnson's (1949) probabilistic method to determine the type of distribution that accounts for our data. It is a system of frequency curves that represents the transformation of the standard normal curves. We find an N-S pollution gradient in molluscs considered: the lowest metal pollution occurs around the Sicilian islands. Our method can accurately characterize marine pollution by contributing to: policy-making, coastal resources management, the assessments of environmental damages from marine accidents and other events. The method here presented is a useful tool for pollution comparisons purposes among ecosystems (i.e., risk monitoring) and it is an ideal starting point for its application on a global scale.

15 CFR 742.19 - Anti-terrorism: North Korea.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-01-01

... 15 Commerce and Foreign Trade 2 2010-01-01 2010-01-01 false Anti-terrorism: North Korea. 742.19...-CCL BASED CONTROLS § 742.19 Anti-terrorism: North Korea. (a) License Requirements. (1) All items on... anti-terrorism reasons require a license for export or reexport to North Korea. This includes all items...

Hepatic and renal histology and mercury concentrations of North West and North East Greenland narwhals (Monodon monoceros)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Sonne, Christian; Leifsson, Pall S.; Sondergaard, Jens

2018-01-01

subadult females, 8 adult females, 3 subadult males, and 1 adult male) and compare data with previous observations of 12 North West Greenland specimens (1 subadult female, 4 adult females, 1 subadult male, and 6 adult males). The zoological length was significantly larger and hepatic and renal...... of glomerular lesions (capillary dilatation [0–100%], membrane thickening [0–100%], dilatation of space [0–80%], and sclerosis [0–70%]) and two tubular lesions (atrophy/hyalinization [0–40%] and casts [0–60%]). Hepatic tissues exhibited three portal lesions (fibrosis [0–33%], cell infiltrates [0–40%], and bile...... duct proliferation [0–40%]) and two parenchymal lesions (steatosis [83–100%] and lipid-filled Ito cells [0–33%]). All 12 lesions were found in adult whales from North West Greenland while eight were present in adult whales from North East Greenland. Six lesions were detected in subadults from North...

Seasonal predictability of the North Atlantic Oscillation

Science.gov (United States)

Vellinga, Michael; Scaife, Adam

2015-04-01

Until recently, long-range forecast systems showed only modest levels of skill in predicting surface winter climate around the Atlantic Basin and associated fluctuations in the North Atlantic Oscillation at seasonal lead times. Here we use a new forecast system to assess seasonal predictability of winter North Atlantic climate. We demonstrate that key aspects of European and North American winter climate and the surface North Atlantic Oscillation are highly predictable months ahead. We demonstrate high levels of prediction skill in retrospective forecasts of the surface North Atlantic Oscillation, winter storminess, near-surface temperature, and wind speed, all of which have high value for planning and adaptation to extreme winter conditions. Analysis of forecast ensembles suggests that while useful levels of seasonal forecast skill have now been achieved, key sources of predictability are still only partially represented and there is further untapped predictability. This work is distributed under the Creative Commons Attribution 3.0 Unported License together with an author copyright. This license does not conflict with the regulations of the Crown Copyright.

Tipping Point

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... en español Blog About OnSafety CPSC Stands for Safety The Tipping Point Home > 60 Seconds of Safety (Videos) > The Tipping Point The Tipping Point by ... danger death electrical fall furniture head injury product safety television tipover tv Watch the video in Adobe ...

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-.

Whither North Carolina furniture manufacturing?

OpenAIRE

Robert L. Lacy

2004-01-01

North Carolina's furniture manufacturing industry has contracted in recent years as imports have gained a greater share of the domestic furniture market. Rapid growth of the furniture industry in China and a surge in exports from that country to the United States in particular have contributed to plant closings and consolidation of operations in the state. North Carolina's furniture manufacturers are adapting to the emergence of global competition and are developing new corporate strategies t...

Vertical profiles of black carbon measured by a micro-aethalometer in summer in the North China Plain

Science.gov (United States)

Ran, Liang; Deng, Zhaoze; Xu, Xiaobin; Yan, Peng; Lin, Weili; Wang, Ying; Tian, Ping; Wang, Pucai; Pan, Weilin; Lu, Daren

2016-08-01

Black carbon (BC) is a dominant absorber in the visible spectrum and a potent factor in climatic effects. Vertical profiles of BC were measured using a micro-aethalometer attached to a tethered balloon during the Vertical Observations of trace Gases and Aerosols (VOGA) field campaign, in summer 2014 at a semirural site in the North China Plain (NCP). The diurnal cycle of BC vertical distributions following the evolution of the mixing layer (ML) was investigated for the first time in the NCP region. Statistical parameters including identified mixing height (Hm) and average BC mass concentrations within the ML (Cm) and in the free troposphere (Cf) were obtained for a selected dataset of 67 vertical profiles. Hm was usually lower than 0.2 km in the early morning and rapidly rose thereafter due to strengthened turbulence. The maximum height of the ML was reached in the late afternoon. The top of a full developed ML exceeded 1 km on sunny days in summer, while it stayed much lower on cloudy days. The sunset triggered the collapse of the ML, and a stable nocturnal boundary layer (NBL) gradually formed. Accordingly, the highest level Cm was found in the early morning and the lowest was found in the afternoon. In the daytime, BC was almost uniformly distributed within the ML and significantly decreased above the ML. During the field campaign, Cm averaged about 5.16 ± 2.49 µg m-3, with a range of 1.12 to 14.49 µg m-3, comparable with observational results in many polluted urban areas such as Milan in Italy and Shanghai in China. As evening approached, BC gradually built up near the surface and exponentially declined with height. In contrast to the large variability found both in Hm and Cm, Cf stayed relatively unaffected through the day. Cf was less than 10 % of the ground level under clean conditions, while it amounted to half of the ground level in some polluted cases. In situ measurements of BC vertical profiles would hopefully have an important implication for

The Role of Religion in National Security Policy Since 9/11

Science.gov (United States)

2010-03-01

building. Ibn Warraq sounds a 23 cautionary note on bypassing history to satisfy ideology, especially ones own. Warraq quotes Isaiah Berlin...Sunnis and Shi’is. Thomas F. Lynch III notes important differences in motivation and strategy that continue to surface when Sunni and Shi’ah groups...John L. Esposito, eds., Turkish Islam and the Secular State: The Gülen Movement (Syracuse, NY: Syracuse University Press, 2003). 155 See Thomas F

Air-sea exchange studies at the North Sea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Leeuw, G. de; Eijk, A.M.J. van; Kunz, G.J.; Veefkind, P.J.

1996-01-01

The North Sea can be considered as a local 'inner' sea in which many processes are quite different from these over the open ocean. The surrounding land has a major influence, being the source for man-made aerosols and gases, whereas the North Sea acts as a sink for these. At the same time the North

Biography of a technology: North America's power grid through the twentieth century

Science.gov (United States)

Cohn, Julie A.

North Americans are among the world's most intense consumers of electricity. The vast majority in the United States and Canada access power from a network of transmission lines that stretch from the East Coast to the West Coast and from Canada to the Mexican Baja. This network, known as the largest interconnected machine in the world, evolved during the first two thirds of the twentieth century. With the very first link-ups occurring at the end of the 1890s, a wide variety of public and private utilities extended power lines to reach markets, access and manage energy resources, balance loads, realize economies of scale, provide backup power, and achieve economic stability. In 1967, utility managers and the Bureau of Reclamation connected the expansive eastern and western power pools to create the North American grid. Unlike other power grids around the world, built by single, centrally controlled entities, this large technological system emerged as the result of multiple decisions across eighty-five years of development, and negotiations for control at the economic, political, and technological levels. This dissertation describes the process of building the North American grid and the paradoxes the resulting system represents. While the grid functions as a single machine moving electricity across the continent, it is owned by many independent entities. Smooth operations suggest that the grid is a unified system; however, it operates under shared management and divided authority. In addition, although a single power network seems the logical outcome of electrification, in fact it was assembled through aggregation, not planning. Interconnections intentionally increase the robustness of individual sub-networks, yet the system itself is fragile, as demonstrated by major cascading power outages. Finally, the transmission network facilitates increased use of energy resources and consumption of power, but at certain points in the past, it also served as a technology of

Body mass index cut-points to identify cardiometabolic risk in black South Africans.

Science.gov (United States)

Kruger, H Salome; Schutte, Aletta E; Walsh, Corinna M; Kruger, Annamarie; Rennie, Kirsten L

2017-02-01

To determine optimal body mass index (BMI) cut-points for the identification of cardiometabolic risk in black South African adults. We performed a cross-sectional study of a weighted sample of healthy black South Africans aged 25-65 years (721 men, 1386 women) from the North West and Free State Provinces. Demographic, lifestyle and anthropometric measures were taken, and blood pressure, fasting serum triglycerides, high-density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol and blood glucose were measured. We defined elevated cardiometabolic risk as having three or more risk factors according to international metabolic syndrome criteria. Receiver operating characteristic curves were applied to identify an optimal BMI cut-point for men and women. BMI had good diagnostic performance to identify clustering of three or more risk factors, as well as individual risk factors: low HDL-cholesterol, elevated fasting glucose and triglycerides, with areas under the curve >.6, but not for high blood pressure. Optimal BMI cut-points averaged 22 kg/m 2 for men and 28 kg/m 2 for women, respectively, with better sensitivity in men (44.0-71.9 %), and in women (60.6-69.8 %), compared to a BMI of 30 kg/m 2 (17-19.1, 53-61.4 %, respectively). Men and women with a BMI >22 and >28 kg/m 2 , respectively, had significantly increased probability of elevated cardiometabolic risk after adjustment for age, alcohol use and smoking. In black South African men, a BMI cut-point of 22 kg/m 2 identifies those at cardiometabolic risk, whereas a BMI of 30 kg/m 2 underestimates risk. In women, a cut-point of 28 kg/m 2 , approaching the WHO obesity cut-point, identifies those at risk.

Comprehensive analysis of Curie-point depths and lithospheric effective elastic thickness at Arctic Region

Science.gov (United States)

Lu, Y.; Li, C. F.

2017-12-01

Arctic Ocean remains at the forefront of geological exploration. Here we investigate its deep geological structures and geodynamics on the basis of gravity, magnetic and bathymetric data. We estimate Curie-point depth and lithospheric effective elastic thickness to understand deep geothermal structures and Arctic lithospheric evolution. A fractal exponent of 3.0 for the 3D magnetization model is used in the Curie-point depth inversion. The result shows that Curie-point depths are between 5 and 50 km. Curie depths are mostly small near the active mid-ocean ridges, corresponding well to high heat flow and active shallow volcanism. Large curie depths are distributed mainly at continental marginal seas around the Arctic Ocean. We present a map of effective elastic thickness (Te) of the lithosphere using a multitaper coherence technique, and Te are between 5 and 110 km. Te primarily depends on geothermal gradient and composition, as well as structures in the lithosphere. We find that Te and Curie-point depths are often correlated. Large Te are distributed mainly at continental region and small Te are distributed at oceanic region. The Alpha-Mendeleyev Ridge (AMR) and The Svalbard Archipelago (SA) are symmetrical with the mid-ocean ridge. AMR and SA were formed before an early stage of Eurasian basin spreading, and they are considered as conjugate large igneous provinces, which show small Te and Curie-point depths. Novaya Zemlya region has large Curie-point depths and small Te. We consider that fault and fracture near the Novaya Zemlya orogenic belt cause small Te. A series of transform faults connect Arctic mid-ocean ridge with North Atlantic mid-ocean ridge. We can see large Te near transform faults, but small Curie-point depths. We consider that although temperature near transform faults is high, but mechanically the lithosphere near transform faults are strengthened.

California State Waters Map Series: offshore of Coal Oil Point, California

Science.gov (United States)

Johnson, Samuel Y.; Dartnell, Peter; Cochrane, Guy R.; Golden, Nadine E.; Phillips, Eleyne L.; Ritchie, Andrew C.; Kvitek, Rikk G.; Dieter, Bryan E.; Conrad, James E.; Lorenson, T.D.; Krigsman, Lisa M.; Greene, H. Gary; Endris, Charles A.; Seitz, Gordon G.; Finlayson, David P.; Sliter, Ray W.; Wong, Florence L.; Erdey, Mercedes D.; Gutierrez, Carlos I.; Leifer, Ira; Yoklavich, Mary M.; Draut, Amy E.; Hart, Patrick E.; Hostettler, Frances D.; Peters, Kenneth E.; Kvenvolden, Keith A.; Rosenbauer, Robert J.; Fong, Grace; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Cochran, Susan A.

2014-01-01

In 2007, the California Ocean Protection Council initiated the California Seafloor Mapping Program (CSMP), designed to create a comprehensive seafloor map of high-resolution bathymetry, marine benthic habitats, and geology within the 3-nautical-mile limit of California’s State Waters. The CSMP approach is to create highly detailed seafloor maps through collection, integration, interpretation, and visualization of swath sonar data, acoustic backscatter, seafloor video, seafloor photography, high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles, and bottom-sediment sampling data. The map products display seafloor morphology and character, identify potential marine benthic habitats, and illustrate both the surficial seafloor geology and shallow (to about 100 m) subsurface geology. The Offshore of Coal Oil Point map area lies within the central Santa Barbara Channel region of the Southern California Bight. This geologically complex region forms a major biogeographic transition zone, separating the cold-temperate Oregonian province north of Point Conception from the warm-temperate California province to the south. The map area is in the southern part of the Western Transverse Ranges geologic province, which is north of the California Continental Borderland. Significant clockwise rotation—at least 90°—since the early Miocene has been proposed for the Western Transverse Ranges province, and geodetic studies indicate that the region is presently undergoing north-south shortening. Uplift rates (as much as 2.0 mm/yr) that are based on studies of onland marine terraces provide further evidence of significant shortening. The cities of Goleta and Isla Vista, the main population centers in the map area, are in the western part of a contiguous urban area that extends eastward through Santa Barbara to Carpinteria. This urban area is on the south flank of the east-west-trending Santa Ynez Mountains, on coalescing alluvial fans and uplifted marine terraces underlain by folded and

Break-even analysis of Medicaid vs fee for service in orthodontic practice: North Carolina as a case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Murdock, John E; Phillips, Ceib; Beane, Richard; Quinonez, Rocio

2010-03-01

Access to orthodontic services for children enrolled in Medicaid is limited nationwide. Orthodontists cite low fee reimbursement as a significant barrier to Medicaid participation. The purpose of this study was to examine, under a specific set of practice assumptions, the simulated effect on profitability of treating patients covered by Medicaid in orthodontic practices in North Carolina by using a break-even analysis for the 2005 fiscal year. Questionnaires were mailed to 154 orthodontists in active practice in North Carolina. The response rate was 58%. Seventy respondents met the eligibility criteria. Respondents were categorized into 4 groups based on the number of 2005 Medicaid case starts (I, 0; II, 1-5; III, 6-12; IV, 13 or more). By using the aggregated responses for treatment fees, treatment times, and overhead percentages for each group, average per-patient costs were calculated for each group and used in a break-even analysis. Group I accounted for 60% of respondents; group II, 20%; group III, 9%; and group IV, 11%. Assuming that the break-even point had not been reached, the group I practice would have an average estimated loss of $164 per patient whereas groups II, III, and IV would realize average profits from $98 to $256. The break-even point increased slightly in groups I, II, and III after the total number of patients in the patient pool was increased by 5%, assuming that additional patients were enrolled in Medicaid: group I, 203 to 210; group II, 220 to 226; group III, 158 to 160. The break-even point for group IV was 234 patients. Assuming that the break-even point had been reached, all groups were estimated to realize average per-patient profits of $1483 to $1897. Break-even analysis is a basic economic concept applicable to orthodontic practices. Under the specific conditions of this study, the inclusion of 5% of patients enrolled in Medicaid in the active patient pool had minimal effect on the financial break-even point and, assuming that the

Mapping the spawning grounds of North Sea cod (Gadus morhua) by direct and indirect means.

Science.gov (United States)

Fox, Clive J; Taylor, Martin; Dickey-Collas, Mark; Fossum, Petter; Kraus, Gerd; Rohlf, Norbert; Munk, Peter; van Damme, Cindy J G; Bolle, Loes J; Maxwell, David L; Wright, Peter J

2008-07-07

Despite recent evidence for sub-stock structuring, North Sea cod are assessed as a single unit. As a consequence, knowledge of sub-stock trends is poor. In particular, there are no recent evaluations of which spawning grounds are active. Here we report results from the first ichthyoplankton survey to cover the whole North Sea. Also, this survey, conducted in 2004, was the first to make extensive use of DNA-based molecular methods to unambiguously identify early developmental stage cod eggs. We compare the findings from the plankton survey with estimated egg production inferred from the distribution of mature cod in contemporaneous trawl surveys. Results from both approaches were in general agreement and showed hot spots of egg production around the southern and eastern edges of the Dogger Bank, in the German Bight, the Moray Firth and to the east of the Shetlands. These areas broadly coincide with known spawning locations from the period 1940 to 1970. We were, however, unable to directly detect significant numbers of cod eggs at the historic spawning ground off Flamborough (northeast coast of England). The results demonstrate that most of the major spawning grounds of cod in the North Sea are still active but that some localized populations may have been reduced to the point where it is now difficult to detect the presence of eggs in the plankton.

Rosaceous Chamaebatiaria-like foliage from the Paleogene of western North America

Science.gov (United States)

Wolfe, Jack A.; Wehr, Wesley

1988-01-01

Chamaebatiaria and Chamaebatia, two characteristic genera of the Californian floristic province, are traditionally placed in different subfamilies of Rosaceae, Spiraeoideae and Rosoideae, respectively. Analysis of the foliar and reproductive characters of the extant species of these genera indicates that the two genera could be closely related and the assignment of Chamaebatia to Rosoideae invalid. Fossil leaves of lineages of both genera occur in the Paleogene montane floras of the Rocky Mountain region and provide evidence that the two lineages diverged from a common ancestor in the Eocene. The common ancestor probably was adapted to sunny habitats in mesic coniferous forest, and, during the post-Eocene, the two lineages were able to adapt to progressively drier climates. A third extant genus, the east Asian Sorbaria, also appears to be closely related to the California genera and to have been derived from the same common ancestor. New taxa and combinations proposed are: St onebergia columbiana. n. gen. and n. sp.; Salmonensea prefoliolosa (R. W. Br.), n. gen. and n. comb.; Stockeya creedensis (R. W. Br.), n. gen. and n. comb.; Stockeya montana, n. sp.; and Sorbaria wahrhaftigii, n. sp.

Structural geology of the North and Middle Caspian sea on the new geophysical data interpretation

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boris, V.S; Rais, V.Sh; Victor, L.U

2002-01-01

Full text:A structural and tectonic map of the North and Middle Caspian Sea is made on the basis of seismic and other geological and geophysical data analysis. According to the plotting results the total amplitude range of the heterogeneous basement depths are in the North Caspian Sea (Ukatnensky depression-over 12 km and Prorva depression-over 16 km). In the middle Caspian Sea the deppest basement point is supposed in Sulak basin (over 12 km). The least basement depths are marked in Karpinsky ridge,Buzachinky and Karabogazsky arches (1-3 km). On the whole the morphology and structure of the basement confirms the conclusion previously made by many researches that the Caspian Sea is a heterogeneous depression superimposed on the junction of regional tectonic elements of various ages.The ancient East-European platform represented by Pricaspiisky depression (Donetsko-Astrakhanskaya fault system limits the latter in the south) is situated on the North. The middle Caspian Sea is occupied with the offshore continuation of Terek-Caspian foredeep is represented by Sulak basin clearly limited in the south by a system of upthrusts and thrusts falling under North Caucasus foreland.Geological interpretation of the Yuzhmorgeologiya Center new geophysical data allows making an assumption about the biohermexistence within TriassicSea sediments on Kuma-Manychsky depression offshore continuation. Seismic exploration works show strike-slip faults and thrust structure development within the sedimentary cover on the offshore continuation of Karpinsky ridge.Some strike-slipped blocks are separated by left-side shifts of the northeast stretch.The pool location at the left-side (east) blocks of the shift areas is marked.

NChina16: A stable geodetic reference frame for geological hazard studies in North China

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Guoquan; Bao, Yan; Gan, Weijun; Geng, Jianghui; Xiao, Gengru; Shen, Jack S.

2018-04-01

We have developed a stable North China Reference Frame 2016 (NChina16) using five years of continuous GPS observations (2011.8-2016.8) from 12 continuously operating reference stations (CORS) fixed to the North China Craton. Applications of NChina16 in landslide and subsidence studies are illustrated in this article. A method for realizing a regional geodetic reference frame is introduced. The primary result of this study is the seven parameters for transforming Cartesian ECEF (Earth-Centered, Earth-Fixed) coordinates X, Y, and Z from the International GNSS Service Reference Frame 2008 (IGS08) to NChina16. The seven parameters include the epoch that is used to align the regional reference frame to IGS08 and the time derivatives of three translations and three rotations. The GIPSY-OASIS (V6.4) software package was used to obtain the precise point positioning (PPP) daily solutions with respect to IGS08. The frame stability of NChina16 is approximately 0.5 mm/year in both horizontal and vertical directions. This study also developed a regional model for correcting seasonal motions superimposed into the vertical component of the GPS-derived displacement time series. Long-term GPS observations (1999-2016) from five CORS in North China were used to develop the seasonal model. According to this study, the PPP daily solutions with respect to NChina16 could achieve 2-3 mm horizontal accuracy and 4-5 mm vertical accuracy after being modified by the regional model. NChina16 will be critical to study geodynamic problems in North China, such as earthquakes, faulting, subsidence, and landslides. The regional reference frame will be periodically updated every few years to mitigate degradation of the frame with time and be synchronized with the update of IGS reference frame.

Forest health conditions in North America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Tkacz, Borys; Moody, Ben; Castillo, Jaime Villa; Fenn, Mark E.

2008-01-01

Some of the greatest forest health impacts in North America are caused by invasive forest insects and pathogens (e.g., emerald ash borer and sudden oak death in the US), by severe outbreaks of native pests (e.g., mountain pine beetle in Canada), and fires exacerbated by changing climate. Ozone and N and S pollutants continue to impact the health of forests in several regions of North America. Long-term monitoring of forest health indicators has facilitated the assessment of forest health and sustainability in North America. By linking a nationwide network of forest health plots with the more extensive forest inventory, forest health experts in the US have evaluated current trends for major forest health indicators and developed assessments of future risks. Canada and Mexico currently lack nationwide networks of forest health plots. Development and expansion of these networks is critical to effective assessment of future forest health impacts. - The forests of North America continue to face many biotic and abiotic stressors including fragmentation, fires, native and invasive pests, and air pollution

Fargo, North Dakota, USA

Science.gov (United States)

2009-01-01

[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Annotated version Click on the image for high resolution TIFF file Why does Fargo flood? The Red River of the North, which forms the border between North Dakota and Minnesota, has a long history of severe floods. Major floods include those of 1826, 1897, 1950, 1997, and now 2009. The 1997 flood caused billions of dollars of damage, with greatest impact to the city of Grand Forks, north of and downstream from Fargo. The 2009 flood, which has primarily impacted Fargo, appears to have peaked early on March 28. Several factors combine to cause floods. Obviously, rainfall and snowmelt rates (and their geographic distribution) are the fundamental variables that create flooding in some years and not others. But the repetition of flooding in Fargo (and areas downstream), rather than in adjacent regions, can be attributed largely to its topographic setting and geologic history. The formation of landforms in the geologic past is often interpretable from digital topographic data, such as that supplied by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission (SRTM). This image, covering parts of North Dakota, Minnesota, and South Dakota, displays ground elevation as brightness (higher is brighter) plus has simulated shading (with illumination from the north) to enhance topographic detail such as stream channels, ridges, and cliffs. The Red River of the North is the only major river that flows northward from the United States into Canada. In this scene it flows almost straight north from Fargo. North of this image it continues past the city of Winnipeg, Manitoba, and into Lake Winnipeg, which in turn drains to Hudson Bay. In the United States, the river lies in a trough that was shaped by continental glaciers that pushed south from Canada during the Pleistocene epoch, up to about 10,000 years ago. This trough is about 70 km (45 miles) wide and tens of meters (very generally about 100 feet) deep. Here near Fargo it lies on the east side of a much

A plan for the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat)

Science.gov (United States)

Loeb, Susan C.; Rodhouse, Thomas J.; Ellison, Laura E.; Lausen, Cori L.; Reichard, Jonathan D.; Irvine, Kathryn M.; Ingersoll, Thomas E.; Coleman, Jeremy; Thogmartin, Wayne E.; Sauer, John R.; Francis, Charles M.; Bayless, Mylea L.; Stanley, Thomas R.; Johnson, Douglas H.

2015-01-01

The purpose of the North American Bat Monitoring Program (NABat) is to create a continent-wide program to monitor bats at local to rangewide scales that will provide reliable data to promote effective conservation decisionmaking and the long-term viability of bat populations across the continent. This is an international, multiagency program. Four approaches will be used to gather monitoring data to assess changes in bat distributions and abundances: winter hibernaculum counts, maternity colony counts, mobile acoustic surveys along road transects, and acoustic surveys at stationary points. These monitoring approaches are described along with methods for identifying species recorded by acoustic detectors. Other chapters describe the sampling design, the database management system (Bat Population Database), and statistical approaches that can be used to analyze data collected through this program.

The Islamic State" in the Context of Political Changes in the Middle East

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Alexander A. Kuznetsov

2015-01-01

Full Text Available The article "The Islamic State phenomenon in the framework of the political changes in the Middle East" is dedicated to the "Islamic State", one of the most powerful and dangerous extremist organizations. Author realizes in this article: research of the genesis and causes of appearance of the movement "Islamic State"; analysis of the sociopolitical and geopolitical situation of the Iraqi Sunni community after the American invasion of 2003; bringing to the light factors of the high scale propagation of the Islamic extremism in Syria and Iraq; research of the military and political potential of the "Islamic State" and factors which could impede its expansion. Author considers "Islamic State" as an emergent phenomenon giving huge impact on the political situation in the Middle East. It provoked repartition of the old frontiers existed since the Sykes-Pico treaty of 1916. To the author's opinion oppression of the Iraqi Sunni community by the government of Nuri al-Maliki was the main cause of the Sunni revolt in Summer of 2014. Sunni tribes of Northern Iraq and former Baath party members were the driving forces of the revolt but then Jihadi extremists hijacked this revolt. To the author's mind elimination of the "Islamic State" is impossible without reconciliation between various religious communities in Syria and Iraq.

Point-to-point people with purpose—Exploring the possibility of a commercial traveler market for point-to-point suborbital space transportation

Science.gov (United States)

Webber, Derek

2013-12-01

An argument was made at the First Arcachon Conference on Private Human Access to Space in 2008 [1] that some systematic market research should be conducted into potential market segments for point-to-point suborbital space transportation (PtP), in order to understand whether a commercial market exists which might augment possible government use for such a vehicle. The cargo market potential was subsequently addressed via desk research, and the results, which resulted in a pessimistic business case outlook, were presented in [2]. The same desk research approach is now used in this paper to address the potential business and wealthy individual passenger traveler market segment ("point-to-point people with purpose"). The results, with the assumed ticket pricing, are not encouraging.

Economic impacts of Medicaid in North Carolina.

Science.gov (United States)

Dumas, Christopher; Hall, William; Garrett, Patricia

2008-01-01

The purpose of this study is to provide estimates of the economic impacts of Medicaid program expenditures in North Carolina in state fiscal year (SFY) 2003. The study uses input-output analysis to estimate the economic impacts of Medicaid expenditures. The study uses North Carolina Medicaid program expenditure data for SFY 2003 as submitted by the North Carolina Division of Medical Assistance to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS). Industry structure data from 2002 that are part of the IMPLAN input-output modeling software database are also used in the analysis. In SFY 2003 $6.307 billion in Medicaid program expenditures occurred within the state of North Carolina-$3.941 billion federal dollars, $2.014 billion state dollars, and $351 million in local government funds. Each dollar of state and local government expenditures brought $1.67 in federal Medicaid cost-share to the state. The economic impacts within North Carolina of the 2003 Medicaid expenditures included the following: 182,000 jobs supported (including both full-time and some part-time jobs); $6.1 billion in labor income (wages, salaries, sole proprietorship/partnership profits); and $1.9 billion in capital income (rents, interest payments, corporate dividend payments). If the Medicaid program were shut down and the funds returned to taxpayers who saved/spent the funds according to typical consumer expenditure patterns, employment in North Carolina would fall by an estimated 67,400 jobs, and labor income would fall by $2.83 billion, due to the labor-intensive nature of Medicaid expenditures. Medicaid expenditure and economic impact results do not capture the economic value of the improved health and well-being of Medicaid recipients. Furthermore, the results do not capture the savings to society from increased preventive care and reduced uncompensated care resulting from Medicaid. State and local government expenditures do not fully capture the economic consequences of Medicaid

On-site meteorological instrumentation requirements to characterize diffusion from point sources: workshop report. Final report Sep 79-Sep 80

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Strimaitis, D.; Hoffnagle, G.; Bass, A.

1981-04-01

Results of a workshop entitled 'On-Site Meteorological Instrumentation Requirements to Characterize Diffusion from Point Sources' are summarized and reported. The workshop was sponsored by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency in Raleigh, North Carolina, on January 15-17, 1980. Its purpose was to provide EPA with a thorough examination of the meteorological instrumentation and data collection requirements needed to characterize airborne dispersion of air contaminants from point sources and to recommend, based on an expert consensus, specific measurement technique and accuracies. Secondary purposes of the workshop were to (1) make recommendations to the National Weather Service (NWS) about collecting and archiving meteorological data that would best support air quality dispersion modeling objectives and (2) make recommendations on standardization of meteorological data reporting and quality assurance programs

Towards a sunny future for Canada

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2004-01-01

This document states the official positions of the Canadian Solar Industries Association regarding where Canada should be heading in terms of renewable energy policy. The main positions can be summarized as follows. Renewable energy policy should be integrated with an overall national energy strategy. Solar projects should be integrated with energy efficiency measures buildings. Government funding of research and development, demonstration projects, and commercialization is needed. In particular the paper cites funding for model solar communities. Finally it calls for the government to account for all hidden health, environmental, and social costs associated with fossil fuel use. The paper criticizes the low level of government funding for photovoltaic research and the lack of any photovoltaic rooftop deployment program. It encourages the establishment of a program to install 80,000 solar domestic hot water heaters in a ten year time frame.

LHC Report: Cloudy with sunny spells

CERN Multimedia

Lionel Herblin & Mike Lamont for the LHC team

2015-01-01

The LHC is continuing its 25 ns intensity ramp-up and has now reached 1465 bunches per beam. Performance is reasonable and the experiments have seen some long fills with steadily increasing luminosity delivery rates. Some now familiar issues continue to make life interesting.   The image shows the heat load evolution as measured in specially equipped dipoles. (Image: Giovanni Iadarola). Top frame: energy and intensity. Middle frame: measured heat load in W/m. Bottom frame: heat load normalised to total beam intensity. One of the key challenges of 2015 was always expected to be electron clouds. The two scrubbing runs that were performed in the summer successfully qualified the LHC for up to around 1500 bunches. However, the final phase of the scrubbing, which saw the move from regular 25 ns beam to the doublet beam, proved difficult, and the scrubbing team concluded that the machine was not yet well-enough scrubbed for the doublets to be used effectively. The 25 ...

Dissolution of calcium carbonate: observations and model results in the subpolar North Atlantic

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

K. Friis

2007-01-01

Full Text Available We investigate the significance of in situ dissolution of calcium carbonate above its saturation horizons using observations from the open subpolar North Atlantic [sNA] and to a lesser extent a 3-D biogeochemical model. The sNA is particularly well suited for observation-based detections of in situ, i.e. shallow-depth CaCO3 dissolution [SDCCD] as it is a region of high CaCO3 production, deep CaCO3 saturation horizons, and precisely-defined pre-formed alkalinity. Based on the analysis of a comprehensive alkalinity data set we find that SDCCD does not appear to be a significant process in the open sNA. The results from the model support the observational findings by indicating that there is not a significant need of SDCCD to explain observed patterns of alkalinity in the North Atlantic. Instead our investigation points to the importance of mixing processes for the redistribution of alkalinity from dissolution of CaCO3 from below its saturation horizons. However, mixing has recently been neglected for a number of studies that called for SDCCD in the sNA and on global scale.

Hidden treasures - 50 km points of interests

Science.gov (United States)

Lommi, Matias; Kortelainen, Jaana

2015-04-01

Tampere is third largest city in Finland and a regional centre. During 70's there occurred several communal mergers. Nowadays this local area has both strong and diversed identity - from wilderness and agricultural fields to high density city living. Outside the city center there are interesting geological points unknown for modern city settlers. There is even a local proverb, "Go abroad to Teisko!". That is the area the Hidden Treasures -student project is focused on. Our school Tammerkoski Upper Secondary School (or Gymnasium) has emphasis on visual arts. We are going to offer our art students scientific and artistic experiences and knowledge about the hidden treasures of Teisko area and involve the Teisko inhabitants into this project. Hidden treasures - Precambrian subduction zone and a volcanism belt with dense bed of gold (Au) and arsenic (As), operating goldmines and quarries of minerals and metamorphic slates. - North of subduction zone a homogenic precambrian magmastone area with quarries, products known as Kuru Grey. - Former ashores of post-glasial Lake Näsijärvi and it's sediments enabled the developing agriculture and sustained settlement. Nowadays these ashores have both scenery and biodiversity values. - Old cattle sheds and dairy buildings made of local granite stones related to cultural stonebuilding inheritance. - Local active community of Kapee, about 100 inhabitants. Students will discover information of these "hidden" phenomena, and rendering this information trough Enviromental Art Method. Final form of this project will be published in several artistic and informative geocaches. These caches are achieved by a GPS-based special Hidden Treasures Cycling Route and by a website guiding people to find these hidden points of interests.

Outbreak of syphilis in men who have sex with men living in rural North Wales (UK) associated with the use of social media.

Science.gov (United States)

Thomas, Daniel Rh; Williams, Christopher J; Andrady, Ushan; Anderson, Valerie; Humphreys, Sioned; Midgley, Claire M; Fina, Laia; Craine, Noel; Porter-Jones, Gary; Wilde, Alison; Whiteside, Chris

2016-08-01

To describe an outbreak of infectious syphilis in rural North Wales and the control measures implemented. Following reports of an increase of syphilis in North Wales, a multidisciplinary Outbreak Control Team (OCT) was established. A multilevel prevention and control response was initiated, including: active case surveillance, partner notification and treatment, sexual network analysis, awareness raising with professionals and affected communities, point-of-care syphilis testing at a sauna and a health promotion campaign targeting users of men who have sex with men (MSM) social network mobile phone applications (apps). Four cases of infectious syphilis were diagnosed in clinics in North Wales per 100 000 population in 2013 compared with a mean of one case per 100 000 in the preceding decade. Diagnosed cases peaked in January 2014, declining in the first half of 2014. Initial cases were clustered in the westerly rural counties of North Wales and were predominantly white men, self-reporting as MSM (median age: 34 years, range: 17-61). Point-of-care testing at a sauna did not identity further new infections, suggesting that the cluster was relatively focused and had probably been detected early. The use of apps to find sexual partners was a feature of the network affected. A health promotion campaign, initiated by the OCT, targeting men using MSM apps reached 92% of the 755 men messaged. The outbreak was successfully controlled. However, it is difficult to determine which of the interventions implemented were most effective. Future outbreaks should be used as an opportunity to evaluate interventions using apps. Published by the BMJ Publishing Group Limited. For permission to use (where not already granted under a licence) please go to http://www.bmj.com/company/products-services/rights-and-licensing/

MASS MOVEMENTS' DETECTION IN HIRISE IMAGES OF THE NORTH POLE OF MARS

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Fanara

2016-06-01

Full Text Available We are investigating change detection techniques to automatically detect mass movements at the steep north polar scarps of Mars, in order to improve our understanding of these dynamic processes. Here we focus on movements of blocks specifically. The precise detection of such small changes requires an accurate co-registration of the images, which is achieved by ortho-rectifying them using High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE Digital Terrain Models (DTMs. Moreover, we deal with the challenge of deriving the true shape of the moved blocks. In a next step, these results are combined with findings based on HiRISE DTMs from different points in time in order to estimate the volume of mass movements.

78 FR 2287 - Daimler Buses North America, Inc., a Subsidiary of Daimler North America Corp, Including On-Site...

Science.gov (United States)

2013-01-10

... subsidiary of Daimler North America Corp., including on-site leased workers from Noramtec, First Choice... America, Inc., a Subsidiary of Daimler North America Corp, Including On-Site Leased Workers From Noramtec, First Choice Staffing, Staff Works, and Mr. Santo Lamarco From Wurth Revcar Fasteners, Inc., Oriskany...

Hardware-accelerated Point Generation and Rendering of Point-based Impostors

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Bærentzen, Jakob Andreas

2005-01-01

This paper presents a novel scheme for generating points from triangle models. The method is fast and lends itself well to implementation using graphics hardware. The triangle to point conversion is done by rendering the models, and the rendering may be performed procedurally or by a black box API....... I describe the technique in detail and discuss how the generated point sets can easily be used as impostors for the original triangle models used to create the points. Since the points reside solely in GPU memory, these impostors are fairly efficient. Source code is available online....

New roads toward North-South cooperation.

Science.gov (United States)

Terpstra, E G

1989-12-01

A Netherlands Parliament member gives a European Perspective on population and development, problems in urban development, and methods of cooperation between industrialized and developing countries. On population and development, the relationship between population explosion and poverty, underdevelopment, environment, social infrastructure, and food shortages is pointed out. Most population growth in the years ahead will be in developing countries. Rampant population growth and burgeoning poverty strain the world's carrying capacity and environment, both in industrial and developing countries. Development policy and cooperation will fail in the absence of efforts to stem population growth. On this front, religious and political leaders have groundbreaking cooperative steps in supporting international family planning efforts through the global forum of Spiritual and Parliamentary Leaders on Human Survival. Economic development, environment, and population issues are inexorably tied together. The numerous problems faced by uncontrolled Third World urbanization are discussed with potential solutions for change. Incorporating women in the development process is strongly encouraged. The interdependent North-South relationship is discussed. All nations, the private sector, nongovernmental organizations, and women must cooperate to find solutions and effect positive change on a case-by-case basis.

Reviving common standards in point-count surveys for broad inference across studies

Science.gov (United States)

Matsuoka, Steven M.; Mahon, C. Lisa; Handel, Colleen M.; Solymos, Peter; Bayne, Erin M.; Fontaine, Patricia C.; Ralph, C.J.

2014-01-01

We revisit the common standards recommended by Ralph et al. (1993, 1995a) for conducting point-count surveys to assess the relative abundance of landbirds breeding in North America. The standards originated from discussions among ornithologists in 1991 and were developed so that point-count survey data could be broadly compared and jointly analyzed by national data centers with the goals of monitoring populations and managing habitat. Twenty years later, we revisit these standards because (1) they have not been universally followed and (2) new methods allow estimation of absolute abundance from point counts, but these methods generally require data beyond the original standards to account for imperfect detection. Lack of standardization and the complications it introduces for analysis become apparent from aggregated data. For example, only 3% of 196,000 point counts conducted during the period 1992-2011 across Alaska and Canada followed the standards recommended for the count period and count radius. Ten-minute, unlimited-count-radius surveys increased the number of birds detected by >300% over 3-minute, 50-m-radius surveys. This effect size, which could be eliminated by standardized sampling, was ≥10 times the published effect sizes of observers, time of day, and date of the surveys. We suggest that the recommendations by Ralph et al. (1995a) continue to form the common standards when conducting point counts. This protocol is inexpensive and easy to follow but still allows the surveys to be adjusted for detection probabilities. Investigators might optionally collect additional information so that they can analyze their data with more flexible forms of removal and time-of-detection models, distance sampling, multiple-observer methods, repeated counts, or combinations of these methods. Maintaining the common standards as a base protocol, even as these study-specific modifications are added, will maximize the value of point-count data, allowing compilation and

The occurrence of the cold-water coral Lophelia pertusa (Scleractinia) on oil and gas platforms in the North Sea: Colony growth recruitment and environmental controls on distribution

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gass, S.E.; Roberts, J.M. [Scottish Association for Marine Science, Dunstaffnage Marine Laboratory, Oban, Argyll (United Kingdom)

2006-05-15

This study reports a newly established sub-population of Lophelia pertusa, the dominant reef-framework forming coral species in the north-east Atlantic, on oil and gas platforms in the northern North Sea. L. pertusa was positively identified on 13 of 14 platforms examined using existing oil and gas industry visual inspections. Two platforms were inspected in more detail to examine depth and colony size distributions. We recorded 947 colonies occurring between 59 and 132 m depth that coincides with cold Atlantic water at depths below the summer thermocline in the northern North Sea. We suggest that these colonies provide evidence for a planktonic larval stage of L. pertusa with recruits initially originating from populations in the north-east Atlantic and now self recruiting to the platforms. Size class distribution showed a continuous range of size classes, but with few outlying large colonies. The break between the largest colonies and the rest of the population is considered as the point when colonies began self recruiting to the platforms, resulting in greater colonization success. We present the first documented in situ colony growth rate estimate (26 {+-} 5 mm yr{sup -1}) for L. pertusa based on 15 colonies from the Tern Alpha platform with evidence for yearly recruitment events starting the year the platform was installed. Evidence of contamination from drill muds and cuttings was observed on the Heather platform but appeared limited to regions close to drilling discharge points, where colonies experience partial as well as whole colony mortality. (author)

Juncus planifolius (Juncaceae) in North America

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Balslev, Henrik

1980-01-01

Juncus planifolius is reported for the first time from North America. Bibliographic notes on this species and its synonymy are given. Its distribution, dispersal and relationships within the genus are discussed.......Juncus planifolius is reported for the first time from North America. Bibliographic notes on this species and its synonymy are given. Its distribution, dispersal and relationships within the genus are discussed....

Regional air pollution at a turning point.

Science.gov (United States)

Grennfelt, Peringe; Hov, Oystein

2005-02-01

The control of transboundary air pollution in Europe has been successful. Emissions of many key pollutants are decreasing and there are signs of improvements in damaged ecosystems. The strategies under development within the CAFE programme under the European Commission and the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP), aim to take regional air pollution control a large step further, in particular with respect to small particles. In this paper we highlight the new strategies but look primarily at socioeconomic trends and climate change feedbacks that may have a significant influence on the outcome of the strategies and which so far have not been considered. In particular, we point out the influence on air quality of increased summer temperatures in Europe and of increasing emissions including international shipping, outside of Europe. Taken together the further emissions reductions in Europe and the increasing background pollution, slowly cause a greying of the Northern Hemisphere troposphere rather than the traditional picture of dominant emissions in Europe and North America ('black') with much lower emission intensities elsewhere ('white'). A hemispheric approach to further combat air pollution will become necessary in Europe and elsewhere.

Pseudocollapse and rebuilding of North Sea mackerel (Scomber scombrus)

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Jansen, Teunis

2014-01-01

The largest observed change in mackerel (Scomber scombrus) abundance in the North Atlantic happened when the so-called “North Sea mackerel” collapsed due to overfishing. Despite protection, it has remained in a depleted state. Central to this interpretation was that the “North Sea mackerel...

78 FR 48315 - Safety Zone; North Hero Air Show; North Hero, VT

Science.gov (United States)

2013-08-08

... FR Federal Register NPRM Notice of Proposed Rulemaking A. Regulatory History and Information The... During this air show there will be low flying planes conducting aerobatic maneuvers east of North Hero...

Sunny Woods, Zurich: photovoltaics integrated in metal roofing; Projekt Sunny Woods, Zuerich - Photovoltaik-Anlage in Blechdach integriert

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Naef, R.; Kaempfen, B. [Naef Energietechnik, Architekturbuero, Zuerich (Switzerland)

2005-07-01

This final report for the Swiss Federal Office of Energy (SFOE) presents the results of a project aimed at providing proof that the energy needs of an four-storey apartment house built to so-called 'passive-house' zero-energy-consumption standards could be met using energy from a photovoltaic (PV) installation integrated in the building's metal roof. The building's energy-relevant characteristics are briefly presented and its 300 m{sup 2} roof with its 504, 32 W{sub p} amorphous triple-cell solar panels is described. The performance of the photovoltaic installation is analysed. The system supplies excess power to the electricity mains in summer which is then drawn again in winter. Each apartment has its own segment of the PV installation. Figures are presented on total solar power production and on data collected for one of the apartments with respect to comfort and electricity consumption.

Implications of the Ukraine Crisis for Security, Non-Proliferation and Deterrence in North East Asia

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Farghen, Morgane

2014-01-01

The Ukraine crisis has been a 'wake up' call for Europe but its implication in Asia should be also be considered. The Russian 'coup de force' in Ukraine has created a psychological trauma in Western countries not only amongst political and military leaders but also in the general population by its reminiscence of Cold war thinking and by pointing to the risk of a military conflict in Europe. Moreover the Russian attempt to change the borders by force could create a dangerous precedent and produce an undesirable 'butterfly effects' in the rest of the world. In North East Asia, the stability in a context of rising powers and proliferation risks, relies on a status quo based upon the partition of the Korean peninsula, a de facto autonomy of Taiwan and a Japanese administration over the Senkaku-Diaoyu islands. As the status quo is increasingly challenged by revisionist powers, the question is worth to be raised: what are the implications of the Ukraine crisis for security, non-proliferation, and deterrence in North East Asia?

Evaluation of arch form between Vietnamese and North American Caucasians using 3-dimensional virtual models.

Science.gov (United States)

Trang, Vu Thi Thu; Park, Jae Hyun; Bayome, Mohamed; Shastry, Shruti; Mellion, Alex; Kook, Yoon-Ah

2015-01-01

The purpose of this study was to investigate the three-dimensional (3D) morphologic differences in the mandibular arch of Vietnamese and North American White subjects. The sample included 113 Vietnamese subjects (41 Class I, 37 Class II and 35 Class III) and 96 White subjects (29 Class I, 30 Class II and 37 Class III). The samples were regrouped according to arch form types (tapered, ovoid, and square) to compare the frequency distribution of the three arch forms between ethnic groups in each angle classification. The facial axis point of each tooth was digitized on 3D virtual models. Four linear and two ratio variables were measured. In comparing arch dimensions, the intercanine and intermolar widths were wider in Vietnamese than in Whites (p Vietnamese group, the square arch form was the most frequent followed by tapered and ovoid arch forms. The arch forms of Whites were narrower than Vietnamese. In North American Whites, the distribution of the arch form types showed similar frequency. In Vietnamese, the square arch form was more frequent.

North Korea's Trade Expansion with Western Countries in the Early 1970's and Its Implications on North Korea's Current Attempts at Economic Rehabilitation

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Jong-Woon Lee

2002-12-01

Full Text Available The purpose of this study is to provide the analytical background of North Korea's trade expansion with Western countries in the early 1970's and examine in depth the resulting impacts on the North Korean economy. Indeed, this study explores the implications of the mechanism and consequences of North Korea's increased trade with Western countries in the 1970's for the current situation of the country's trade expansion based on the rapid increase in imports and large trade deficit. As a result of researching North Korea's economic trajectory during the 1970's within this focus, this study asserts that, despite some positive aspects, North Korea's rapid increase of foreign trade in recent years possesses the immanent possibility of generating serious obstacles to the process of economic recovery. In this vein, this paper intends to explore some policy options North Korea should choose in order to create conditions conducive to economic rehabilitation and prevent the recurrence of similar situation as experienced in the 1970's.

Investigation of Polluted Zones by Lead in North West of Iran

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Khodadadi A.

2014-07-01

Full Text Available National project of Important Heavy Metals Identification of Iran (IHMI, following the UNDP and supported by Department of Environment of Iran (DOE, has been completed by Modares Environmental Research Center (MERC. Due to this project the pollution potential sources was investigated by overall distribution maps of any parameters that may cause the lead pollution. Then the sampling points was determined by some geo-statistical analysis and the sampling process was done according to standard methods of sampling, preserving, transferring to lab, measuring and analyzing etc through the 3 months in three phases of materials (effluent and discharges, solid waste, water, soil and sediment samples from natural sources like river etc.. After gathering the final results, overlaying the potential sources and polluted positions (according to violation of national and international standards of sampled points by Geographic Information Systems (GIS led the research to closing to the pollutant sources in north west provinces (Eastern Azerbaijan, Western Azerbaijan, Ardabil and Zanjan. The synthetic and natural pollution sources observed were 17 and 20 respectively. Abir River, Niroo Gostar Taban Industrial Complex and Copper Industries were the most important pollution sources in material phases of Natural, effluent and solid waste respectively.

Rapid, semi-automatic fracture and contact mapping for point clouds, images and geophysical data

Science.gov (United States)

Thiele, Samuel T.; Grose, Lachlan; Samsu, Anindita; Micklethwaite, Steven; Vollgger, Stefan A.; Cruden, Alexander R.

2017-12-01

The advent of large digital datasets from unmanned aerial vehicle (UAV) and satellite platforms now challenges our ability to extract information across multiple scales in a timely manner, often meaning that the full value of the data is not realised. Here we adapt a least-cost-path solver and specially tailored cost functions to rapidly interpolate structural features between manually defined control points in point cloud and raster datasets. We implement the method in the geographic information system QGIS and the point cloud and mesh processing software CloudCompare. Using these implementations, the method can be applied to a variety of three-dimensional (3-D) and two-dimensional (2-D) datasets, including high-resolution aerial imagery, digital outcrop models, digital elevation models (DEMs) and geophysical grids. We demonstrate the algorithm with four diverse applications in which we extract (1) joint and contact patterns in high-resolution orthophotographs, (2) fracture patterns in a dense 3-D point cloud, (3) earthquake surface ruptures of the Greendale Fault associated with the Mw7.1 Darfield earthquake (New Zealand) from high-resolution light detection and ranging (lidar) data, and (4) oceanic fracture zones from bathymetric data of the North Atlantic. The approach improves the consistency of the interpretation process while retaining expert guidance and achieves significant improvements (35-65 %) in digitisation time compared to traditional methods. Furthermore, it opens up new possibilities for data synthesis and can quantify the agreement between datasets and an interpretation.

Gas Regional Initiative. North West Regional Energy Market. Transmission Transparency Project. First Implementation Report

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

2008-07-01

The purpose of this report is to comment on the implementation of the TSO Transmission Transparency Project. In December 2007 sixteen TSOs presented a project plan which committed them to publishing information on capacity availability and gas flows at crossborder interconnection points in the North-West gas region. The data types to be published were agreed between TSOs and network users. It was agreed that TSOs would release new information on capacity and actual gas flows at crossborder interconnection points. The TSOs have committed to publishing the agreed information by three project milestones May, September or December 2008. At the end of May 2008 the TSOs submitted initial data to Ofgem (Office of the Gas and Electricity Markets) on implementation. This report presents the data submitted by the TSOs, provides comment on implementation progress and explains the next steps. This report does not approve or guarantee the accuracy of the data submitted by TSOs

Changes in size and trends of North American sea duck populations associated with North Pacific oceanic regime shifts

Science.gov (United States)

Flint, Paul L.

2013-01-01

Broad-scale multi-species declines in populations of North American sea ducks for unknown reasons is cause for management concern. Oceanic regime shifts have been associated with rapid changes in ecosystem structure of the North Pacific and Bering Sea. However, relatively little is known about potential effects of these changes in oceanic conditions on marine bird populations at broad scales. I examined changes in North American breeding populations of sea ducks from 1957 to 2011 in relation to potential oceanic regime shifts in the North Pacific in 1977, 1989, and 1998. There was strong support for population-level effects of regime shifts in 1977 and 1989, but little support for an effect of the 1998 shift. The continental-level effects of these regime shifts differed across species groups and time. Based on patterns of sea duck population dynamics associated with regime shifts, it is unclear if the mechanism of change relates to survival or reproduction. Results of this analysis support the hypothesis that population size and trends of North American sea ducks are strongly influenced by oceanic conditions. The perceived population declines appear to have halted >20 years ago, and populations have been relatively stable or increasing since that time. Given these results, we should reasonably expect dramatic changes in sea duck population status and trends with future oceanic regime shifts.

The thrust belts of Western North America

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Moulton, F.C.

1993-08-01

Most of the Basin and Range physiographic province of western North America is now believed to be part of the overthrust. The more obvious overthrust belt along the eastern edge of the Basin and Range Province is named the Sevier orogenic belt, where older rocks are observed thrust onto younger rocks. More detailed surface geological mapping, plus deep multiple-fold geophysical work and many oil and gas wildcat wells, have confirmed an east-vergent shortened and stacked sequence is present in many places in the Basin and Range. This western compressive deformed area in east central Nevada is now named the Elko orogenic belt by the U.S. Geological Survey. This older compressed Elko orogenic belt started forming approximately 250 m.y. ago when the North American plate started to move west as the Pangaea supercontinent started to fragment. The North American plate moved west under the sediments of the Miogeocline that were also moving west. Surface-formed highlands and oceanic island arcs on the west edge of the North American plate restricted the westward movement of the sediments in the Miogeocline, causing east-vergent ramp thrusts to form above the westward-moving North American plate. The flat, eastward-up-cutting thrust assemblages moved on the detachment surfaces.

GLOBAL COMPETITION BETWEEN NORTH AND SOUTH

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Luca DIACONESCU

2017-11-01

Full Text Available The human-geographic regionalization is a landmark in the demarcation of territories that include populations of the same demographic, cultural or economic background. A defining boundary for human characteristics across the planet can be made simple, between the North and the South. The north, though advanced economically, militarily, technologically, united, well-urbanized and landscaped, dominates the world for just 500 years before the South was in power. After a long period of stagnation, the South escapes the colonialist chains until the 1950s, after which begins a vast process of revival in which emerging new powers are emerging as well as a series of economic unions that can rival with the old powers in the North. Analyzing the number of inhabitants in the two regions, it is noted that demographic size is a priority in the slope of the power balance, so when one of the regions exceeded 50% of the total population of the Globe, it attracted wealth by exporting populations and culture that colonized the other half. After 1950, the South holds for the first time 400 years, over 50% of the total population, and in 2017 it reaches 62%, reaching 71% in 2050 and 81% of the world's population by 2100. understands that the economic difficulties in the North, financial crises, the limitation of global influence or the issue of immigrants is only at the beginning, and the transformation of the North into the southern vassal is just a matter of time.

Scientific symposium on the North Sea quality status report 1993

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Andersen, J.; Karup, H.; Nielsen, U.B.

1996-01-01

The Scientific Symposium on the 1993 North Sea quality Status Report took place in Ebeltoft, Denmark from 18 to 21 April 1994. The aim was to bring together scientists, researchers and administrators from governments, industries and environmental organizations from the countries around the North Sea in order to review new information which may supplements the 1993 North Sea Quality Status Report and to discuss the Quality Status Report and its possible implications. The 1993 North Sea Quality Status Report has been prepared by the North Sea Task force as a comprehensive statement of circulation patterns, inputs and dispersion of contaminants, ecological conditions and effects of human activities in the North Sea including the Skagerrak and the Kattegat. The programme of the Scientific Symposium on the 1993 North Sea Quality Status Report included 8 sessions for oral presentations, a poster session presenting the North Sea Task Force subregional reports and a poster session presenting individual posters. The headings of the sessions were as follows: Oceanography, Models and Remote Sensing; Ecosystem Structure; Contaminants -Distribution and Effects; Nutrients and Eutrophication Problems; Effects of Fishery; Habitats and Species; Management Implications; Conclusions and Recommendations. The proceedings includes a total of 45 contributed papers. (EG)

Metals in molluscs and algae: a north-south Tyrrhenian Sea baseline.

Science.gov (United States)

Conti, Marcelo Enrique; Finoia, Maria Grazia

2010-09-15

We develop a 800 km long relative baseline of metal pollution for the Tyrrhenian Sea, from the north of Naples to south of Sicily (Italy), based on spatio-temporal (1997-2004) concentrations of trace metals in marine organisms and on the bioaccumulative properties of those organisms. The study concerns sites in the gulf of Gaeta-Formia, near Naples, and three islands north, west, and south of Sicily: Ustica, Favignana and Linosa. The five metals are: cadmium, chromium, copper, lead, and zinc; the species include: Monodonta turbinata (n=161), Patella caerulea (n=244) and the algae Padina pavonica (n=84). We use Johnson's (1949) [15] probabilistic method to determine the type of distribution that accounts for our data. It is a system of frequency curves that represents the transformation of the standard normal curves. We find an N-S pollution gradient in molluscs considered: the lowest metal pollution occurs around the Sicilian islands. Our method can accurately characterize marine pollution by contributing to: policy-making, coastal resources management, the assessments of environmental damages from marine accidents and other events. The method here presented is a useful tool for pollution comparisons purposes among ecosystems (i.e., risk monitoring) and it is an ideal starting point for its application on a global scale. Copyright 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

North Sea oil directory 1976

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1976-01-01

This edition of the North Sea Oil Directory has been revised to keep pace with the ever-changing North Sea industry. The information is grouped under the following topics: exploration and production; group licensees; Dutch and Norwegian licensees; UK Offshore Operators Association Committees; drilling contractors; offshore exploration and surveys; cement, drilling fluids, and related equipment; drilling equipment; prime mover, transmission equipment; production and process equipment; rig and platform equipment suppliers; rig builders, ship builders; rig and platform logistics; ports, supply bases; marine civil engineering; specialized equipment and services; classified index; and an alphabetical index. (MCW)

Energy, North Africa and Europe

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Boussena, S.

1995-01-01

The energy situation in the North African countries not only offers a multitude of opportunities for regional cooperation, but also for consolidating ties with the European Union. What are the medium-term chances of putting these possibilities to use ? This article reviews the energy issues in Algeria, Morocco, and Tunisia, all in the middle of a complete economic, political, and cultural mutations. It identifies the intra-regional cooperative projects and certain potential obstacles, and analyzes the energy relations between North Africa and Europe from the strategic viewpoint of both regions. (author). 7 tabs

Factors influencing reporting and harvest probabilities in North American geese

Science.gov (United States)

Zimmerman, G.S.; Moser, T.J.; Kendall, W.L.; Doherty, P.F.; White, Gary C.; Caswell, D.F.

2009-01-01

We assessed variation in reporting probabilities of standard bands among species, populations, harvest locations, and size classes of North American geese to enable estimation of unbiased harvest probabilities. We included reward (US10,20,30,50, or100) and control (0) banded geese from 16 recognized goose populations of 4 species: Canada (Branta canadensis), cackling (B. hutchinsii), Ross's (Chen rossii), and snow geese (C. caerulescens). We incorporated spatially explicit direct recoveries and live recaptures into a multinomial model to estimate reporting, harvest, and band-retention probabilities. We compared various models for estimating harvest probabilities at country (United States vs. Canada), flyway (5 administrative regions), and harvest area (i.e., flyways divided into northern and southern sections) scales. Mean reporting probability of standard bands was 0.73 (95 CI 0.690.77). Point estimates of reporting probabilities for goose populations or spatial units varied from 0.52 to 0.93, but confidence intervals for individual estimates overlapped and model selection indicated that models with species, population, or spatial effects were less parsimonious than those without these effects. Our estimates were similar to recently reported estimates for mallards (Anas platyrhynchos). We provide current harvest probability estimates for these populations using our direct measures of reporting probability, improving the accuracy of previous estimates obtained from recovery probabilities alone. Goose managers and researchers throughout North America can use our reporting probabilities to correct recovery probabilities estimated from standard banding operations for deriving spatially explicit harvest probabilities.

Estimates of emissions of SO sub 2 , NO sub x , HCl and NH sub 3 from Greater Manchester and the North-West of England

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Lee, D.S.; Longhurst, J.W.S.

1990-11-01

Estimates of emissions of SO{sub 2}, NO{sub x}, HCl and NH{sub 3} have been made for Greater Manchester and the North West of England. These estimates were made using data on power generation, fuel useage, animal and human population statistics. A large fossil fuel fired power station is the largest known point source for emissions of SO{sub 2}, NO{sub x} and HCl. However, emissions from motor vehicles make the largest contribution to NO{sub x} emissions in the North-West as a whole. The largest contribution to NH{sub 3} emissions in the North-West is from cattle. However in the Metropolitan Counties of Merseyside and Greater Manchester, it has been calculated that humans could contribute 73% and 81%, respectively, to the emissions of NH{sub 3}. The uncertainties in the methodologies used are highlighted, and where possible, recommendations made as to how future emissions estimates might be improved. 33 refs., 9 figs., 7 tabs.

Distribution of Δ14C in western North Pacific and tracing carbons of human origin

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Aramaki, Takafumi; Mizushima, Toshihiko; Togawa, Orihiko; Kuji, Tomoyuki

2001-01-01

Seawater were collected at six points, 0deg to 48degN around 165degE. Dissolved inorganic carbonates was reduced into graphite. The ratio C-11/C-12 was measured by the accelerator mass analyzer. 14 C concentration was calculated from δ 13 C value calculated from the 13 C/ 12 C ratio. 14 C resulting from the nuclear weapon test was calculated by comparing estimated 14 C and real 14 C concentration. It was compared with that in 1970s. 14 Cbomb has dissolved into North Pacific Intermediate Water in Arctic latitude, which has moved to Mid-latitude. (A. Yamamoto)

Rising synchrony controls western North American ecosystems

Science.gov (United States)

Bryan A. Black; Peter van der Sleen; Emanuele Di Lorenzo; Daniel Griffin; William J. Sydeman; Jason B. Dunham; Ryan R. Rykaczewski; Marisol García-Reyes; Mohammad Safeeq; Ivan Arismendi; Steven J. Bograd

2018-01-01

Along the western margin of North America, the winter expression of the North Pacific High (NPH) strongly influences interannual variability in coastal upwelling, storm track position, precipitation, and river discharge. Coherence among these factors induces covariance among physical and biological processes across adjacent marine and terrestrial ecosystems. Here, we...

Influence of the South-North Water Diversion Project and the mitigation projects on the water quality of Han River.

Science.gov (United States)

Zhu, Y P; Zhang, H P; Chen, L; Zhao, J F

2008-11-15

Situated in the central part of China, the Han River Basin is undergoing rapid social and economic development with some human interventions to be made soon which will profoundly influence the water environment of the basin. The integrated MIKE 11 model system comprising of a rainfall-runoff model (NAM), a non-point load evaluation model (LOAD), a hydrodynamic model (MIKE 11 HD) and a water quality model (ECOLab) was applied to investigate the impact of the Middle Route of the South-North Water Diversion Project on the Han River and the effectiveness of the 2 proposed mitigation projects, the 22 wastewater treatment plants (WWTPs) and the Yangtze-Han Water Diversion Project. The study concludes that business as usual will lead to a continuing rapid deterioration of the water quality of the Han River. Implementation of the Middle Route of the South-North Water Diversion Project in 2010 will bring disastrous consequence in the form of the remarkably elevated pollution level and high risk of algae bloom in the middle and lower reaches. The proposed WWTPs will merely lower the pollution level in the reach by around 10%, while the Yangtze-Han Water Diversion Project can significantly improve the water quality in the downstream 200-km reach. The results reveal that serious water quality problem will emerge in the middle reach between Xiangfan and Qianjiang in the future. Implementation of the South-North Water Diversion Project (phase II) in 2030 will further exacerbate the problem. In order to effectively improve the water quality of the Han River, it is suggested that nutrient removal processes should be adopted in the proposed WWTPs, and the pollution load from the non-point sources, especially the load from the upstream Henan Province, should be effectively controlled.

Prevalence of arterial stiffness in North China, and associations with risk factors of cardiovascular disease: a community-based study

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Wang Jin-Wen

2012-12-01

Full Text Available Abstract Background Brachial-ankle pulse wave velocity (baPWV, which reflects the stiffness of both central and peripheral muscular arteries, has been frequently used as a simple index for assessing arterial stiffness. The aim of the present study was to investigate the prevalence of arterial stiffness in North China based on baPWV measurements, and explore the associations between increased arterial stiffness and risk factors of cardiovascular diseases (CVD. Methods Twenty-three community populations were established in North China. For each participant, parameters for calculating baPWV, including blood pressures and pressure waveforms, were measured using a non-invasive automatic device. All participants were required to respond to an interviewer-led questionnaire including medical histories and demographic data, and to receive blood tests on biochemical indictors. Results A total of 2,852 participants were finally investigated. Among them, 1,201 people with low burden of CVD risk factors were chosen to be the healthy reference sample. The cut-off point of high baPWV was defined as age-specific 90th percentile of the reference sample. Thus, the prevalence of high baPWV was found to be 22.3% and 26.4% in men and women respectively. After adjusted for age, heart rate (HR, systolic blood pressure (SBP, fasting glucose level, and smoking were significantly associated with high baPWV in men; while level of serum total cholesterol (TC, HR, SBP, and diabetes were significantly associated with high baPWV in women. Conclusions Based on the age-specific cut-off points, the middle-aged population has a higher prevalence of high baPWV in North China. There exists a difference between men and women in terms of the potential risk factors associated with arterial stiffness.

2014 NCFMP Lidar: Statewide North Carolina (Phase 1)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Geographic Extent: North Carolina Area of Interest for Sandy, covering approximately 9,396 square miles. Dataset Description: The North Carolina - Sandy LiDAR...

North Carolina Statewide Lidar DEM 2014 Phase 1

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Geographic Extent: North Carolina Area of Interest for Sandy, covering approximately 9,396 square miles. Dataset Description: The North Carolina - Sandy LiDAR...

The North Dakota Beef Industry Survey: Implications for Extension

Science.gov (United States)

Dahlen, Carl R.; Hadrich, Joleen C.; Lardy, Gregory P.

2014-01-01

A portion of the North Dakota Beef Industry Survey was developed to determine how educational programs can evolve to meet future needs of North Dakota beef producers. Of the 2,500 surveys mailed out to beef producers, 527 responses were completed and returned. Results highlight the level of education of North Dakota beef producers, anticipated use…

The North Sea field development guide. V.1: Northern North Sea. V.2: Southern North Sea. 6. ed.

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Anon.

1996-08-01

The 1997/8, sixth edition is the first to be divided into two volumes. Volume 1 covers the central and northern North Sea areas; volume 2 contains the southern North Sea as well as the Irish and German sectors. The pages are numbered consecutively over the two volumes, with page numbers greater than 702 contained in the second volume. There are three index sections. Main index. Arranged by national sector (UK, Norway etc.) Within each sector the entries are alphabetical by operator name. This index contains page numbers for the book entries: the other two index sections should be used with the main index to find the exact location of an entry; Index by field. If the reader knows a field name (e.g. Kittiwake) but not the operator or the national sector, this index will reference them; Index by installation. Each installation (''Fulmar SALM'', ''Togi'') is named, giving the operator, field and national sector where it is located. This index is also useful for locating particular kinds of installations, such as subsea completions; The book is intended to provide a factual overview of field development activity in the North Sea (a term loosely used to include the Irish Sea and the Baltic Sea). The aim is therefore to provide some background, specifications and history on every offshore installation in that area. Speculative or evaluative commentary is avoided where possible. No attempt has been made to forecast the form or probability of future developments, except in those few instances where announcements have been made by the oil company itself, and these are, clearly indicated. (UK)

North Carolina Statewide Lidar DEM 2015 Phase 3

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Geographic Extent: North Carolina Area of Interest, covering approximately 7,197 square miles. Dataset Description: The North Carolina LiDAR project called for the...

2015 NCFMP Lidar: Statewide North Carolina (Phase 3)

Data.gov (United States)

National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, Department of Commerce — Geographic Extent: North Carolina Area of Interest, covering approximately 7,197 square miles. Dataset Description: The North Carolina LiDAR project called for the...

North Sea oil and gas: a geographical perspective

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Chapman, K

1976-01-01

Only ten years after the first rig moved into position, British oil has been piped ashore from the North Sea and, by 1980, will be making a substantial contribution to UK energy supplies. The discovery of natural gas in 1967--for initially gas was the primary objective--has transformed the gas supply so that 90% of the UK's needs already come from the North Sea. The speed and concentration of exploration pinpoints the vital importance of this new energy source. Until now the major oil 'pipeline' in the world has been led between the Middle East and Western Europe, so this new energy source has far reaching implications, both political and economic. Keith Chapman examines these implications starting from events in the North Sea itself; the geological background, agreement on the division of the North Sea, relations between oil companies, and government embodied in offshore mining legislation. The latter part of the book concentrates on the onshore repercussions of offshore activities; how North Sea oil fits into the international oil system, the various options open for its utilisation, the attitude of the EEC towards Scottish-based resources, government policy for the North coast of Scotland--an area which planners classed as ''peripheral'' but which must now accommodate extensive support facilities and service industries for the oil sites. There is also the question of relations between national and commercial interests--government versus the giant multi-national companies which took the initial gamble in the North Sea and are now responsible for the development of a resource vital to the economic well-being of Western Europe.

The Tourism Development Strategy of the North-East Region of Romania. Myth or Reality?

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

GEORGE GAMAN

2016-06-01

Full Text Available Tourism development strategies play an increasingly important role, representing parts of those documents that aim to socio-economic development, undertaken at local, zonal, county, regional or national level. Frequently, tourism is viewed as one the best solutions for economic recovery, but without a detalied and realistic analysis of what territory offers from this point of view, this new trend for resolving the economic dysfunctions remains at a mirage level. The North-East Region of Romania, the fifth less developed region of the European Union, with a GDP per capita (in purchasing power standard that amounted to only 34% of the EU-28 average in 2013, rushes to come with a development strategy for tourism, relying on “relief and environmental factors, diversity and beauty of landscape, cultural heritage”, strengthening the specific offers relying especially on mountain, cultural, and religious tourism. The present study uses multiple research methods (quantitative and qualitative analysis, graphical and cartographical representation of data, comparison in order to establish the reliability of the concerned document and to provide solid arguments for the type of tourism that has the largest premises of affirmation in each county of the North-East Region of Romania.

Numerical Simulation of Tsunami Hazard Mitigation by Mangrove Forest in North Coast Bali, Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Putu Harry Gunawan

2015-06-01

Full Text Available Mangrove forest or known as bakau forest is important forest as a natural wave barrier or tsunami wave mitigation. Some advantages of mangrove forest to reduce the water waves are already studied. Mangrove forest in north coast of Bali’s island, Buleleng regency, Indonesia is in damaged condition. The aim of this paper is to present the importance of mangrove forest as the water wave mitigation in numerical simulation point of view. Moreover, the results also show the effect of tsunami propagation to the coastal area with and without mangrove resistance. Here, the nonlinear shallow water equations are used to govern the model of numerical simulation.

Numerical Simulation of Tsunami Hazard Mitigation by Mangrove Forest in North Coast Bali, Indonesia

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Putu Harry Gunawan

2015-11-01

Full Text Available Mangrove forest or known as bakau forest is important forest as a natural wave barrier or tsunami wave mitigation. Some advantages of mangrove forest to reduce the water waves are already studied. Mangrove forest in north coast of Bali’s island, Buleleng regency, Indonesia is in damaged condition. The aim of this paper is to present the importance of mangrove forest as the water wave mitigation in numerical simulation point of view. Moreover, the results also show the effect of tsunami propagation to the coastal area with and without mangrove resistance. Here, the nonlinear shallow water equations are used to govern the model of numerical simulation.

North Korea -- Still an Intelligence Problem

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Stephan Blancke

2014-06-01

Full Text Available A few years after Kim Jong Un came into office, North Korea is still attracting controversy in the headlines, and political sanctions are still in operation. Despite the harsh measures in place to isolate Pyongyang from sources of money and luxury, the rulers are able to get what they want using front companies or the help of other states. The reasons for this are deeply rooted in the North Korean political structure. A network of high ranking officials, their children, and political minions are grappling for power and wealth. Beside the powerful Kim clan there exist other families in North Korea whose loyalty must be secured with bribes. If the loyalty of the influential families is eroded, the power base of Kim Jong Un is likely to soon diminish. As a result, the North Korean government is searching for sources of money. Illicit drugs may be one solution the ruling regime find attractive to this problem, but there appears to be a twist: struggling ordinary citizens are showing signs that they too are taking part in this illegal enterprise. This is manifested by their willingness to become involved in crime in the same way as the corrupt regime.

Analysis of ionospheric disturbances associated with powerful cyclones in East Asia and North America

Science.gov (United States)

Li, Wang; Yue, Jianping; Yang, Yang; Li, Zhen; Guo, Jinyun; Pan, Yi; Zhang, Kefei

2017-08-01

East Asia and North America are the regions most heavily affected by powerful cyclones. In this paper we investigate the morphological characteristics of ionospheric disturbances induced by cyclones in different continents. The global ionosphere map supplied by the Center for Orbit Determination in Europe (CODE), International Reference Ionosphere Model (IRI) 2012, and Wallops Island ionosonde station data are used to analyse the ionospheric variations during powerful typhoons/hurricanes in East Asia and North America, respectively. After eliminating the ionospheric anomalies due to the solar-terrestrial environment, the total electron content (TEC) time series over the point with maximum wind speed is detected by the sliding interquartile range method. The results indicate that significant ionospheric disturbances are observed during powerful tropical cyclones in East Asia and North America, respectively, and that all the ionospheric anomalies are positive. In addition, the extent and magnitude of travelling ionospheric disturbances are associated with the category of tropical cyclone, and the extent of TEC anomalies in longitude is more pronounced than that in latitude. Furthermore, the maximum ionospheric anomaly does not coincide with the eye of the storm, but appears in the region adjacent to the centre. This implies that ionospheric disturbances at the edges of cyclones are larger than those in the eye of the winds. The phenomenon may be associated with the gravity waves which are generated by strong convective cells that occur in the spiral arms of tropical cyclones. This comprehensive analysis suggests that the presence of powerful typhoons/hurricanes may be a possible source mechanism for ionospheric anomalies.

Characterization and simulation of fate and transport of selected volatile organic compounds in the vicinities of the Hadnot Point Industrial Area and landfill: Chapter A Supplement 6 in Analyses and historical reconstruction of groundwater flow, contaminant fate and transport, and distribution of drinking water within the service areas of the Hadnot Point and Holcomb Boulevard Water Treatment Plants and vicinities, U.S. Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

Jones, L. Elliott; Suárez-Soto, René J.; Anderson, Barbara A.; Maslia, Morris L.

2013-01-01

This supplement of Chapter A (Supplement 6) describes the reconstruction (i.e. simulation) of historical concentrations of tetrachloroethylene (PCE), trichloroethylene (TCE), and benzene3 in production wells supplying water to the Hadnot Base (USMCB) Camp Lejeune, North Carolina (Figure S6.1). A fate and transport model (i.e., MT3DMS [Zheng and Wang 1999]) was used to simulate contaminant migration from source locations through the groundwater system and to estimate mean contaminant concentrations in water withdrawn from water-supply wells in the vicinity of the Hadnot Point Industrial Area (HPIA) and the Hadnot Point landfill (HPLF) area.4 The reconstructed contaminant concentrations were subsequently input into a flow-weighted, materials mass balance (mixing) model (Masters 1998) to estimate monthly mean concentrations of the contaminant in finished water 5 at the HPWTP (Maslia et al. 2013). The calibrated fate and transport models described herein were based on and used groundwater velocities derived from groundwater-flow models that are described in Suárez-Soto et al. (2013). Information data pertinent to historical operations of water-supply wells are described in Sautner et al. (2013) and Telci et al. (2013).

Trans-Pacific and trans-Arctic pathways of the intertidal macroalga Fucus distichus L. reveal multiple glacial refugia and colonizations from the North Pacific to the North Atlantic

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Coyer, James A.; Hoarau, Galice; Van Schaik, Jaap; Luijckx, Pepijn; Olsen, Jeanine L.

Aim We examined the phylogeography of the cold-temperate macroalgal species Fucus distichus L., a key foundation species in rocky intertidal shores and the only Fucus species to occur naturally in both the North Pacific and the North Atlantic. Location North Pacific and North Atlantic oceans (42

Census in North Vietnam

National Research Council Canada - National Science Library

1960-01-01

This population census decree aims at collecting the most fundamental and accurate data on the population situation of North Vietnam to lay the foundation for all plans and public administration policies...

Atmospheric transportation of marihuana pollen from North Africa to the Southwest of Europe

Science.gov (United States)

Cabezudo, Baltasar; Recio, Marta; Sánchez-Laulhé, JoséMaŕia; Trigo, María Del Mar; Toro, Francisco Javier; Polvorinos, Fausto

As a result of aerobiological samples taken on the Costa del Sol (S. Spain), Cannabis sativa L. (marihuana) pollen was detected from May to September 1991-1996, always sporadically and usually during the afternoons. Sampling was by two volumetric spore traps set up in Malaga and Estepona, two coastal towns approximately 90 km apart. A study of the days when this pollen was recorded points to the movement of air masses from North Africa to southern Spain. Furthermore, the isentropic air trajectories calculated for these days reinforce the possibility of the pollen originating in marihuana plantations in northern Morocco (Rif). This study demonstrates the application of aerobiology to the control of the source, quantity and phenology of the crop.

Controllable resonant tunnelling through single-point potentials: A point triode

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Zolotaryuk, A.V.; Zolotaryuk, Yaroslav

2015-01-01

A zero-thickness limit of three-layer heterostructures under two bias voltages applied externally, where one of which is supposed to be a gate parameter, is studied. As a result, an effect of controllable resonant tunnelling of electrons through single-point potentials is shown to exist. Therefore the limiting structure may be termed a “point triode” and considered in the theory of point interactions as a new object. The simple limiting analytical expressions adequately describe the resonant behaviour in the transistor with realistic parameter values and thus one can conclude that the zero-range limit of multi-layer structures may be used in fabricating nanodevices. The difference between the resonant tunnelling across single-point potentials and the Fabry–Pérot interference effect is also emphasized. - Highlights: • The zero-thickness limit of three-layer heterostructures is described in terms of point interactions. • The effect of resonant tunnelling through these single-point potentials is established. • The resonant tunnelling is shown to be controlled by a gate voltage

Offshore geology and geomorphology from Point Piedras Blancas to Pismo Beach, San Luis Obispo County, California

Science.gov (United States)

Watt, Janet Tilden; Johnson, Samuel Y.; Hartwell, Stephen R.; Roberts, Michelle

2015-01-01

Marine geology and geomorphology were mapped along the continental shelf and upper slope between Point Piedras Blancas and Pismo Beach, California. The map area is divided into the following three (smaller) map areas, listed from north to south: San Simeon, Morro Bay, and Point San Luis. Each smaller map area consists of a geologic map and the corresponding geophysical data that support the geologic mapping. Each geophysical data sheet includes shaded-relief multibeam bathymetry, seismic-reflection-survey tracklines, and residual magnetic anomalies, as well as a smaller version of the geologic map for reference. Offshore geologic units were delineated on the basis of integrated analysis of adjacent onshore geology, seafloor-sediment and rock samples, multibeam bathymetry and backscatter imagery, magnetic data, and high-resolution seismic-reflection profiles. Although the geologic maps are presented here at 1:35,000 scale, map interpretation was conducted at scales of between 1:6,000 and 1:12,000.

The carbon budget of the North Sea

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Thomas, H.; Bozec, Y.; Baar, H.J.W. de; Elkalay, K.; Frankignoulle, M.; Schiettecatte, L.-S.; Kattner, G.; Borges, A.V.; Gattuso, J.-P.

2005-01-01

A carbon budget has been established for the North Sea, a shelf sea on the NW European continental shelf. The carbon exchange fluxes with the North Atlantic Ocean dominate the gross carbon budget. The net carbon budget – more relevant to the issue of the contribution of the coastal ocean to the

Marketing the sun: Text of presentations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1995-04-01

The title conference and the texts of the presentations give insight into the activities and the developments in the field of solar energy and of the parties involved. The increased interest in the application of solar energy is shown in the subjects dealt with, while they are aimed more at the market than at research. Three parallel sesions and one plenary session were held. In each parallel session 20 presentations were given. In session one on the subjects market development of thermal solar energy, new housing construction in series, minimal energy houses, new solar water heaters, technical and economical options in sunny countries. In session two on the subjects policy, maintenance and renovation of existing houses, solar energy and planning, grid-connected photovoltaic systems, perspectives and experiences in sunny countries. In session three on the subjects solar cells, autonomous photovoltaic systems, future developemnts of thermal solar energy, solar architecture, market for photovoltaic systems in sunny countries. In the plenary session 3 presentations were held on the subject market for solar energy in newly built houses. Apart from the text of the session presentations 43 posters are presented on the subjects thermal solar energy (8), solar cells (9), autonomous photovoltaic systems (2), grid-connected PV systems (14), policy (2), integration (6), and sunny countries (1). tabs., figs., refs

Targeted doctors, missing patients: obstetric health services and sectarian conflict in northern Pakistan.

Science.gov (United States)

Varley, Emma

2010-01-01

The spectre of exclusionary medical service provision, restricted clinic access and physician targeting in sectarian-divided Iraq underscores the crucial and timely need for qualitative research into the inter-relationship between conflict, identity and health. In response, this paper provides a critical ethnography of obstetric service provision and patient access during Shia-Sunni hostilities in Gilgit Town, capital of Pakistan's Northern Areas (2005). I analyse how services were embedded in and constrained by sectarian affiliation in ways that detrimentally impacted Sunni women patients and hospital staff, resulting in profoundly diminished clinic access, reduced physician coverage and a higher observed incidence of maternal morbidity and mortality. The paper first situates obstetric medicine at the interstices of contested sectarian terrain and competing historical projects of sectarian identity. Gilgiti Sunnis' high clinical reliance is argued to be a response to and consequence of, inter-sectarian dissonance and the ascendance of biomedicine during three decades of regional development. In 2005, conflict-incurred service deprivations and the enactment and strategic use of sectarian identity in clinical settings were associated with differential treatment and patient-perceived adverse health outcomes, leading Sunnis to generate alternative sect-specific health services. Obstetric morbidity and mortality during sectarian conflict are analyzed as distinctive manifestations of the wide range of direct harms routinely associated with violence and political strife.

Tipping Point

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... OnSafety CPSC Stands for Safety The Tipping Point Home > 60 Seconds of Safety (Videos) > The Tipping Point ... 24 hours a day. For young children whose home is a playground, it’s the best way to ...

Interesting Interest Points

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Aanæs, Henrik; Dahl, Anders Lindbjerg; Pedersen, Kim Steenstrup

2012-01-01

on spatial invariance of interest points under changing acquisition parameters by measuring the spatial recall rate. The scope of this paper is to investigate the performance of a number of existing well-established interest point detection methods. Automatic performance evaluation of interest points is hard......Not all interest points are equally interesting. The most valuable interest points lead to optimal performance of the computer vision method in which they are employed. But a measure of this kind will be dependent on the chosen vision application. We propose a more general performance measure based...... position. The LED illumination provides the option for artificially relighting the scene from a range of light directions. This data set has given us the ability to systematically evaluate the performance of a number of interest point detectors. The highlights of the conclusions are that the fixed scale...

Annual North Dakota Elevator Marketing Report, 2008-09

Science.gov (United States)

2009-12-01

The Annual North Dakota Elevator Marketing Report for 2008-09 was prepared by Kimberly Vachal and Laurel Benson, : Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the North Dakota : Grain Dealers Asso...

Annual North Dakota Elevator Marketing Report, 2009-10

Science.gov (United States)

2010-11-01

The Annual North Dakota Elevator Marketing Report for 2009-10 was prepared by Kimberly Vachal and Laurel Benson, : Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the North Dakota : Wheat Commission a...

Annual North Dakota Elevator Marketing Report, 2007-08

Science.gov (United States)

2008-12-01

The Annual North Dakota Elevator Marketing Report for 2007-08 was prepared by Kimberly Vachal and Laurel Benson, : Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the North Dakota : Grain Dealers Asso...

How attractive is the North Sea to the financial community?

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Arnott, R.

1992-01-01

How attractive is the North Sea to the financial community? This question is answered by discussing the type of investment opportunity that the North Sea offers the investor. It is shown how North Sea investments have performed and some of the methods used to measure that performance are discussed. Finally, some thoughts on the future importance of the North Sea to the financial community reach the conclusion that it will remain important for some years to come. (author)

Atmospheric teleconnection influence on North American land surface phenology

Science.gov (United States)

Dannenberg, Matthew P.; Wise, Erika K.; Janko, Mark; Hwang, Taehee; Kolby Smith, W.

2018-03-01

Short-term forecasts of vegetation activity are currently not well constrained due largely to our lack of understanding of coupled climate-vegetation dynamics mediated by complex interactions between atmospheric teleconnection patterns. Using ecoregion-scale estimates of North American vegetation activity inferred from remote sensing (1982-2015), we examined seasonal and spatial relationships between land surface phenology and the atmospheric components of five teleconnection patterns over the tropical Pacific, north Pacific, and north Atlantic. Using a set of regression experiments, we also tested for interactions among these teleconnection patterns and assessed predictability of vegetation activity solely based on knowledge of atmospheric teleconnection indices. Autumn-to-winter composites of the Southern Oscillation Index (SOI) were strongly correlated with start of growing season timing, especially in the Pacific Northwest. The two leading modes of north Pacific variability (the Pacific-North American, PNA, and West Pacific patterns) were significantly correlated with start of growing season timing across much of southern Canada and the upper Great Lakes. Regression models based on these Pacific teleconnections were skillful predictors of spring phenology across an east-west swath of temperate and boreal North America, between 40°N-60°N. While the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) was not strongly correlated with start of growing season timing on its own, we found compelling evidence of widespread NAO-SOI and NAO-PNA interaction effects. These results suggest that knowledge of atmospheric conditions over the Pacific and Atlantic Oceans increases the predictability of North American spring phenology. A more robust consideration of the complexity of the atmospheric circulation system, including interactions across multiple ocean basins, is an important step towards accurate forecasts of vegetation activity.

North American Regional Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-11-15

North America is an energy community fortunate to be endowed with a rich and varied resource base. It consumes about a third of the world's energy and produces about one quarter of world energy supply. North America depends on a mix of complementary energy sources that should remain competitive but not in conflict. The current supply mix varies between Canada, the United States and Mexico, but fossil fuels are dominant across the region, leaving the three member countries vulnerable to a myriad of risks associated with traditional supply sources. Energy trade between all three countries is also a major contributor to the region's economy. Thus, the impetus for collaboration across the region has grown out of the common goals of energy security and economic prosperity. The goal of the WEC regional group was to discuss avenues for advancing North American cooperation and coordination on a range of energy issues. An additional objective was to develop policy recommendations that will facilitate effective development and use of the region's energy resources. Results and recommendtaions are summarized from three forums that focused on the pertinent issues of energy trade, energy efficiency and energy diversification. The inaugural forum (Energy Trade) was held in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2005. The following summer, the second forum (Energy Efficiency) took place in Mexico City. The third forum (Energy Diversification) was hosted in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Lignite in North Dakota

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Porter, C.R.

1995-01-01

The State of North Dakota and the lignite industry are working together in a partnership called the Lignite Research, Development and Marketing Program. The program provides funds and supports activities which: preserve and enhance jobs and lignite production; ensure economic growth, stability and opportunity; and maintain a stable and competitive tax base. Since 1987, 70 grants totaling $24 million have been awarded. Each program dollar has resulted in nearly five of matching dollars. These program investments have yielded returns for the state and industry, including an additional $20 million annually from by-products at the Great Plains Synfuels Plant; about $1 million annually from improved reclamation practices; and combustion options, which preserve 2,000 megawatts of existing generation capacity. Research activities have identified future opportunities, including: the SynCoal demonstration plant, requiring 800,000 tons per year of new production; new chemical feedstock by-products from Great Plains worth an additional $26 million annually; revised reclamation practices that could substantially reduce cost; and potential new markets for upgraded lignite of about 12 million tons annually. This program helps ensure a healthy future for the North Dakota lignite industry, which currently represents 10% of the state's total economic base. Such a program is important because it will encourage the development of new and better uses of North Dakota's most abundant resource--lignite coal

Zero-point oscillations, zero-point fluctuations, and fluctuations of zero-point oscillations

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Khalili, Farit Ya

2003-01-01

Several physical effects and methodological issues relating to the ground state of an oscillator are considered. Even in the simplest case of an ideal lossless harmonic oscillator, its ground state exhibits properties that are unusual from the classical point of view. In particular, the mean value of the product of two non-negative observables, kinetic and potential energies, is negative in the ground state. It is shown that semiclassical and rigorous quantum approaches yield substantially different results for the ground state energy fluctuations of an oscillator with finite losses. The dependence of zero-point fluctuations on the boundary conditions is considered. Using this dependence, it is possible to transmit information without emitting electromagnetic quanta. Fluctuations of electromagnetic pressure of zero-point oscillations are analyzed, and the corresponding mechanical friction is considered. This friction can be viewed as the most fundamental mechanism limiting the quality factor of mechanical oscillators. Observation of these effects exceeds the possibilities of contemporary experimental physics but almost undoubtedly will be possible in the near future. (methodological notes)

Point-point and point-line moving-window correlation spectroscopy and its applications

Science.gov (United States)

Zhou, Qun; Sun, Suqin; Zhan, Daqi; Yu, Zhiwu

2008-07-01

In this paper, we present a new extension of generalized two-dimensional (2D) correlation spectroscopy. Two new algorithms, namely point-point (P-P) correlation and point-line (P-L) correlation, have been introduced to do the moving-window 2D correlation (MW2D) analysis. The new method has been applied to a spectral model consisting of two different processes. The results indicate that P-P correlation spectroscopy can unveil the details and re-constitute the entire process, whilst the P-L can provide general feature of the concerned processes. Phase transition behavior of dimyristoylphosphotidylethanolamine (DMPE) has been studied using MW2D correlation spectroscopy. The newly proposed method verifies that the phase transition temperature is 56 °C, same as the result got from a differential scanning calorimeter. To illustrate the new method further, a lysine and lactose mixture has been studied under thermo perturbation. Using the P-P MW2D, the Maillard reaction of the mixture was clearly monitored, which has been very difficult using conventional display of FTIR spectra.

Achievements in emergency medical rescue service, North-West ...

African Journals Online (AJOL)

2006-08-28

Aug 28, 2006 ... In North-West province this process of provincialisation took place in ... Emergency Medical Rescue Service, Department of Health, North-West. Victor R .... recovery after CPR treatment should be started as soon as possible ...

Annual North Dakota Elevator Marketing Report, 2010-11

Science.gov (United States)

2011-12-01

The Annual North Dakota Elevator Marketing Report for 2010-11 was prepared by Kimberly Vachal and Laurel Benson, Upper Great Plains Transportation Institute. The authors gratefully acknowledge the assistance of the North Dakota Wheat Commission and t...

Soluble and colloidal iron in the oligotrophic North Atlantic and North Pacific.

Science.gov (United States)

Wu, J; Boyle, E; Sunda, W; Wen, L S

2001-08-03

In the oligotrophic North Atlantic and North Pacific, ultrafiltration studies show that concentrations of soluble iron and soluble iron-binding organic ligands are much lower than previously presumed "dissolved" concentrations, which were operationally defined as that passing through a 0.4-micrometer pore filter. Our studies indicate that substantial portions of the previously presumed "dissolved" iron (and probably also iron-binding ligands) are present in colloidal size range. The soluble iron and iron-binding organic ligands are depleted at the surface and enriched at depth, similar to distributions of major nutrients. By contrast, colloidal iron shows a maximum at the surface and a minimum in the upper nutricline. Our results suggest that "dissolved" iron may be less bioavailable to phytoplankton than previously thought and that iron removal through colloid aggregation and settling should be considered in models of the oceanic iron cycle.

Hydrogeologic framework and hydrologic conditions of the Piney Point aquifer in Virginia

Science.gov (United States)

McFarland, E. Randolph

2017-06-07

Vertical Datum of 1929 (NGVD 29) by 2005. Withdrawals decreased to 5.01 Mgal/d by 2009 as withdrawals were shifted toward other sources, and by 2015 water levels had recovered to approximately 50 ft below NGVD 29.The mean estimated transmissivity of the Piney Point aquifer in York and James City Counties is 16,300 feet squared per day (ft2/d), but farther north it is only 925 ft2/d. The mean well specific capacity in York and James City Counties is 11.4 gallons per minute per foot (gal/min/ft). Farther north in Virginia, mean specific capacity is only 2.26 gal/min/ft, and in Maryland it is 0.99 gal/min/ft. The northward decrease in specific capacity probably reflects the northward decrease in transmissivity, which results from poor development of the solution-channeled limestone.An aquifer test in northern York County induced vertical leakage to the solution-channeled limestone from overlying silty sand and a change in response of the aquifer to pumping from a single layer to two layers. Transmissivity of the limestone of approximately 19,800 ft2/d was distinguished from the silty sand of approximately 2,500 ft2/d.Most of the water in the Piney Point aquifer is slightly alkaline with moderate concentrations primarily of sodium and bicarbonate that are slightly undersaturated with respect to calcite. Iron concentrations are generally less than 0.3 milligrams per liter (mg/L). Mixing of freshwater with seawater has elevated chloride concentrations to the southeast to as much as 7,120 mg/L.Information on the Piney Point aquifer can benefit water-resource management in siting production wells, predicting likely well yield, and anticipating water-level response to withdrawals. Models that vertically discretize individual geologic units can potentially be used to evaluate groundwater flow in greater detail by representing lateral flow and vertical leakage among the geologic units.Because groundwater withdrawals are made primarily from the limestone and sand of the Piney Point

Tipping Point

Medline Plus

Full Text Available ... 60 Seconds of Safety (Videos) > The Tipping Point The Tipping Point by CPSC Blogger September 22, 2009 appliance child Childproofing CPSC danger death electrical fall furniture head injury product safety television tipover tv Watch the video in Adobe Flash ...

Characterizing fixed points

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Sanjo Zlobec

2017-04-01

Full Text Available A set of sufficient conditions which guarantee the existence of a point x⋆ such that f(x⋆ = x⋆ is called a "fixed point theorem". Many such theorems are named after well-known mathematicians and economists. Fixed point theorems are among most useful ones in applied mathematics, especially in economics and game theory. Particularly important theorem in these areas is Kakutani's fixed point theorem which ensures existence of fixed point for point-to-set mappings, e.g., [2, 3, 4]. John Nash developed and applied Kakutani's ideas to prove the existence of (what became known as "Nash equilibrium" for finite games with mixed strategies for any number of players. This work earned him a Nobel Prize in Economics that he shared with two mathematicians. Nash's life was dramatized in the movie "Beautiful Mind" in 2001. In this paper, we approach the system f(x = x differently. Instead of studying existence of its solutions our objective is to determine conditions which are both necessary and sufficient that an arbitrary point x⋆ is a fixed point, i.e., that it satisfies f(x⋆ = x⋆. The existence of solutions for continuous function f of the single variable is easy to establish using the Intermediate Value Theorem of Calculus. However, characterizing fixed points x⋆, i.e., providing answers to the question of finding both necessary and sufficient conditions for an arbitrary given x⋆ to satisfy f(x⋆ = x⋆, is not simple even for functions of the single variable. It is possible that constructive answers do not exist. Our objective is to find them. Our work may require some less familiar tools. One of these might be the "quadratic envelope characterization of zero-derivative point" recalled in the next section. The results are taken from the author's current research project "Studying the Essence of Fixed Points". They are believed to be original. The author has received several feedbacks on the preliminary report and on parts of the project

Marine proxy evidence linking decadal North Pacific and Atlantic climate

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Hetzinger, S. [University of Toronto Mississauga, CPS-Department, Mississauga, ON (Canada); Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences, IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel (Germany); Halfar, J. [University of Toronto Mississauga, CPS-Department, Mississauga, ON (Canada); Mecking, J.V.; Keenlyside, N.S. [Leibniz Institute of Marine Sciences, IFM-GEOMAR, Kiel (Germany); University of Bergen, Geophysical Institute and Bjerknes Centre for Climate Research, Bergen (Norway); Kronz, A. [University of Goettingen, Geowissenschaftliches Zentrum, Goettingen (Germany); Steneck, R.S. [University of Maine, Darling Marine Center, Walpole, ME (United States); Adey, W.H. [Smithsonian Institution, Department of Botany, Washington, DC (United States); Lebednik, P.A. [ARCADIS U.S. Inc., Walnut Creek, CA (United States)

2012-09-15

Decadal- to multidecadal variability in the extra-tropical North Pacific is evident in 20th century instrumental records and has significant impacts on Northern Hemisphere climate and marine ecosystems. Several studies have discussed a potential linkage between North Pacific and Atlantic climate on various time scales. On decadal time scales no relationship could be confirmed, potentially due to sparse instrumental observations before 1950. Proxy data are limited and no multi-centennial high-resolution marine geochemical proxy records are available from the subarctic North Pacific. Here we present an annually-resolved record (1818-1967) of Mg/Ca variations from a North Pacific/Bering Sea coralline alga that extends our knowledge in this region beyond available data. It shows for the first time a statistically significant link between decadal fluctuations in sea-level pressure in the North Pacific and North Atlantic. The record is a lagged proxy for decadal-scale variations of the Aleutian Low. It is significantly related to regional sea surface temperature and the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO) index in late boreal winter on these time scales. Our data show that on decadal time scales a weaker Aleutian Low precedes a negative NAO by several years. This atmospheric link can explain the coherence of decadal North Pacific and Atlantic Multidecadal Variability, as suggested by earlier studies using climate models and limited instrumental data. (orig.)

Endemism in the moss flora of North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Carter, Benjamin E; Shaw, Blanka; Shaw, A Jonathan

2016-04-01

Identifying regions of high endemism is a critical step toward understanding the mechanisms underlying diversification and establishing conservation priorities. Here, we identified regions of high moss endemism across North America. We also identified lineages that contribute disproportionately to endemism and document the progress of efforts to inventory the endemic flora. To understand the documentation of endemic moss diversity in North America, we tabulated species publication dates to document the progress of species discovery across the continent. We analyzed herbarium specimen data and distribution data from the Flora of North America project to delineate major regions of moss endemism. Finally, we surveyed the literature to assess the importance of intercontinental vs. within-continent diversification for generating endemic species. Three primary regions of endemism were identified and two of these were further divided into a total of nine subregions. Overall endemic richness has two peaks, one in northern California and the Pacific Northwest, and the other in the southern Appalachians. Description of new endemic species has risen steeply over the last few decades, especially in western North America. Among the few studies documenting sister species relationships of endemics, recent diversification appears to have played a larger role in western North America, than in the east. Our understanding of bryophyte endemism continues to grow rapidly. Large continent-wide data sets confirm early views on hotspots of endemic bryophyte richness and indicate a high rate of ongoing species discovery in North America. © 2016 Botanical Society of America.

Estimating continuous floodplain and major river bed topography mixing ordinal coutour lines and topographic points

Science.gov (United States)

Bailly, J. S.; Dartevelle, M.; Delenne, C.; Rousseau, A.

2017-12-01

Floodplain and major river bed topography govern many river biophysical processes during floods. Despite the grow of direct topographic measurements from LiDARS on riverine systems, it still room to develop methods for large (e.g. deltas) or very local (e.g. ponds) riverine systems that take advantage of information coming from simple SAR or optical image processing on floodplain, resulting from waterbodies delineation during flood up or down, and producing ordered coutour lines. The next challenge is thus to exploit such data in order to estimate continuous topography on the floodplain combining heterogeneous data: a topographic points dataset and a located but unknown and ordered contourline dataset. This article is comparing two methods designed to estimate continuous topography on the floodplain mixing ordinal coutour lines and continuous topographic points. For both methods a first estimation step is to value each contourline with elevation and a second step is next to estimate the continuous field from both topographic points and valued contourlines. The first proposed method is a stochastic method starting from multigaussian random-fields and conditional simualtion. The second is a deterministic method based on radial spline fonction for thin layers used for approximated bivariate surface construction. Results are first shown and discussed from a set of synoptic case studies presenting various topographic points density and topographic smoothness. Next, results are shown and discuss on an actual case study in the Montagua laguna, located in the north of Valparaiso, Chile.

Secondary markets for transmission rights in the North West European Market. Position Paper of the North West European Market Parties Platform

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Van Haaster, G.

2006-06-01

The most important way to acquire cross border transmission rights in the North West European electricity market is through explicit auctions. Although market driven flexibility and therefore efficiency can be further enhanced. One way to this is to introduce a secondary market for transmission rights. In this paper the North West European Market Parties Platform (NWE MPP) proposes a model that is developed and preferred by the market parties. The paper will provide a converging contribution to the congestion management discussions in the North Western European region

Effects of Psychiatric Symptoms on Attention in North Korean Refugees.

Science.gov (United States)

Lee, Yu Jin; Jun, Jin Yong; Park, Juhyun; Kim, Soohyun; Gwak, Ah Reum; Lee, So Hee; Yoo, So Young; Kim, Seog Ju

2016-09-01

We investigated the performance of North Korean refugees on attention tasks, and the relationship between that performance and psychiatric symptoms. Sustained and divided attention was assessed using the computerized Comprehensive Attention Test in North Korean refugees and in South Koreans. All participants also completed the Beck Depression Inventory, the Beck Anxiety Inventory, the Impact of Event Scale-Revised and the Dissociative Experiences Scale-II (DES-II). The North Korean refugees showed slower reaction times (RTs) on the visual sustained attention task compared to the South Koreans after controlling for age and sex. North Korean refugees had a greater number of omission errors (OEs) on the divided attention task and a higher standard deviation (SD) of RT. Total DES-II scores of the North Korean refugees were associated with the number of OEs and the SD of RT on the sustained attention task, and with the number of OEs on the divided attention task. North Korean refugees showed poorer performance on computerized attention tasks. In addition, attention deficit among North Korean refugees was associated with their dissociative experiences. Our results suggest that refugees may have attention deficits, which may be related to their psychiatric symptoms, particularly dissociation.

Toward an integrated ice core chronology using relative and orbital tie-points

Science.gov (United States)

Bazin, L.; Landais, A.; Lemieux-Dudon, B.; Toyé Mahamadou Kele, H.; Blunier, T.; Capron, E.; Chappellaz, J.; Fischer, H.; Leuenberger, M.; Lipenkov, V.; Loutre, M.-F.; Martinerie, P.; Parrenin, F.; Prié, F.; Raynaud, D.; Veres, D.; Wolff, E.

2012-04-01

Precise ice cores chronologies are essential to better understand the mechanisms linking climate change to orbital and greenhouse gases concentration forcing. A tool for ice core dating (DATICE [developed by Lemieux-Dudon et al., 2010] permits to generate a common time-scale integrating relative and absolute dating constraints on different ice cores, using an inverse method. Nevertheless, this method has only been applied for a 4-ice cores scenario and for the 0-50 kyr time period. Here, we present the bases for an extension of this work back to 800 ka using (1) a compilation of published and new relative and orbital tie-points obtained from measurements of air trapped in ice cores and (2) an adaptation of the DATICE inputs to 5 ice cores for the last 800 ka. We first present new measurements of δ18Oatm and δO2/N2 on the Talos Dome and EPICA Dome C (EDC) ice cores with a particular focus on Marine Isotopic Stages (MIS) 5, and 11. Then, we show two tie-points compilations. The first one is based on new and published CH4 and δ18Oatm measurements on 5 ice cores (NorthGRIP, EPICA Dronning Maud Land, EDC, Talos Dome and Vostok) in order to produce a table of relative gas tie-points over the last 400 ka. The second one is based on new and published records of δO2/N2, δ18Oatm and air content to provide a table of orbital tie-points over the last 800 ka. Finally, we integrate the different dating constraints presented above in the DATICE tool adapted to 5 ice cores to cover the last 800 ka and show how these constraints compare with the established gas chronologies of each ice core.

The North Korean Economy: Leverage and Policy Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2008-08-26

rapid growth and trade liberalization to China, Thailand, Malaysia and other Asian nations. The “Stalinist” North Korean economy can be...2006. processing done under contract) by North Koreans.119 The companies included Daewoo (jackets, bags), Samsung Electronics (communications

Analysis of North Korea's Nuclear Tests under Prospect Theory

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Lee, Han Myung; Ryu, Jae Soo; Lee, Kwang Seok; Lee, Dong Hoon; Jun, Eunju; Kim, Mi Jin

2013-01-01

North Korea has chosen nuclear weapons as the means to protect its sovereignty. Despite international society's endeavors and sanctions to encourage North Korea to abandon its nuclear ambition, North Korea has repeatedly conducted nuclear testing. In this paper, the reason for North Korea's addiction to a nuclear arsenal is addressed within the framework of cognitive psychology. The prospect theory addresses an epistemological approach usually overlooked in rational choice theories. It provides useful implications why North Korea, being under a crisis situation has thrown out a stable choice but taken on a risky one such as nuclear testing. Under the viewpoint of prospect theory, nuclear tests by North Korea can be understood as follows: The first nuclear test in 2006 is seen as a trial to escape from loss areas such as financial sanctions and regime threats; the second test in 2009 was interpreted as a consequence of the strategy to recover losses by making a direct confrontation against the United States; and the third test in 2013 was understood as an attempt to strengthen internal solidarity after Kim Jong-eun inherited the dynasty, as well as to enhance bargaining power against the United States. Thus, it can be summarized that Pyongyang repeated its nuclear tests to escape from a negative domain and to settle into a positive one. In addition, in the future, North Korea may not be willing to readily give up its nuclear capabilities to ensure the survival of its own regime

Leveraging North Carolina's QL2 Lidar to Quantify Sensitivity of National Water Model Derived Flood Inundation Extent to DEM Resolution

Science.gov (United States)

Lovette, J. P.; Lenhardt, W. C.; Blanton, B.; Duncan, J. M.; Stillwell, L.

2017-12-01

The National Water Model (NWM) has provided a novel framework for near real time flood inundation mapping across CONUS at a 10m resolution. In many regions, this spatial scale is quickly being surpassed through the collection of high resolution lidar (1 - 3m). As one of the leading states in data collection for flood inundation mapping, North Carolina is currently improving their previously available 20 ft statewide elevation product to a Quality Level 2 (QL2) product with a nominal point spacing of 0.7 meters. This QL2 elevation product increases the ground points by roughly ten times over the previous statewide lidar product, and by over 250 times when compared to the 10m NED elevation grid. When combining these new lidar data with the discharge estimates from the NWM, we can further improve statewide flood inundation maps and predictions of at-risk areas. In the context of flood risk management, these improved predictions with higher resolution elevation models consistently represent an improvement on coarser products. Additionally, the QL2 lidar also includes coarse land cover classification data for each point return, opening the possibility for expanding analysis beyond the use of only digital elevation models (e.g. improving estimates of surface roughness, identifying anthropogenic features in floodplains, characterizing riparian zones, etc.). Using the NWM Height Above Nearest Drainage approach, we compare flood inundation extents derived from multiple lidar-derived grid resolutions to assess the tradeoff between precision and computational load in North Carolina's coastal river basins. The elevation data distributed through the state's new lidar collection program provide spatial resolutions ranging from 5-50 feet, with most inland areas also including a 3 ft product. Data storage increases by almost two orders of magnitude across this range, as does processing load. In order to further assess the validity of the higher resolution elevation products on

PCDDs, PCDFs, and coplanar PCBs in albatross from the North Pacific and Southern Oceans: levels, patterns, and toxicological implications.

Science.gov (United States)

Tanabe, Shinsuke; Watanabe, Mafumi; Minh, Tu Binh; Kunisue, Tatsuya; Nakanishi, Shigeyuki; Ono, Hitoshi; Tanaka, Hiroyuki

2004-01-15

Concentrations of polychlorinated dibenzo-p-dioxins (PCDDs), polychlorinated dibenzofurans (PCDFs), and coplanar polychlorinated biphenyls (coplanar PCBs) were determined in five albatross species collected from the North Pacific and Southern Oceans to assess the north-south differences in residue levels, accumulation patterns, and toxic potential. Black-footed and Laysan albatrosses from the North Pacific Ocean contained higher levels of PCDD/Fs and coplanar PCBs than albatrosses from the Southern Ocean, indicating that emission sources of these contaminants were predominant in the northern hemisphere. Residue levels in albatrosses from the remote North Pacific Ocean far from the point source of pollution were comparable to or higher than those in terrestrial and coastal birds from contaminated areas in developed nations, suggesting the specific exposure and accumulation of PCDD/Fs and coplanar PCBs in albatross. The long life span and ingestion of plastic resin pellets by albatrosses could be the plausible explanations for the elevated accumulation of persistent and lipophilic contaminants including PCDD/Fs and coplanar PCBs in these birds. Relative proportions of PCDFs and coplanar PCBs in albatross were higher than those observed in birds inhabiting terrestrial and coastal areas, suggesting that these toxic chemicals may have higher transportability by air and water than PCDDs. Congener patterns of PCDD/Fs in albatross showed less variability as compared to those in terrestrial species, indicating that contamination patterns of PCDD/Fs were similar within the open ocean environment. Contributions of PCDD/Fs to total TEQs in albatrosses from the open ocean were generally lower than those in terrestrial birds, suggesting different toxic potency of PCDD/Fs and coplanar PCBs on animals inhabiting open ocean and terrestrial environment. Whereas albatrosses from southern oceans retained lower TEQ concentrations, possible adverse effects of PCDD/Fs and coplanar PCBs

Satellite Data, Women Defectors and Black Markets in North Korea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Ernst, Maximilian; Jurowetzki, Roman

2016-01-01

Koreans crossing the border into China, and eventually more North Koreans reaching South Korea. Findings - The findings of this paper are that there is a statistical significant correlation of the number of women that arrive in South Korea and the night-time lights emitted by a black market in Sinuiju......, at the Chinese border. Since luminosity of markets can be assumed as a proxy for market activity, the conclusion can be made that the reason for the high number of North Korean women arriving in South Korea is related to their higher mobility due to their leading role on the North Korean markets. Practical...... Implications - the evinced correlation of North Korean market activity along the Chinese border and the number of arrivals of North Koreans, and especially North Korean women, in South Korea may serve as a primer for further research that either uses the same methodology, i.e. satellite images, or other...

Problem of drug addiction in the youth in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania of the RF North Caucasian Federal District

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Hasan Vladimirovich Dzutsev

2015-03-01

Full Text Available This article is based on the large-scale survey “the problem of drug addiction among the youth in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania of the RF North Caucasian Federal District”. In April-May North Ossetian Center of Social Research of the Institute of Socio-Political Research RAS together with North Ossetian State University after K.L. Khetagurov conducted a monitoring aimed at evaluating the drug abuse situation in the Republic of North Ossetia-Alania and identifying the causes of drug abuse among young citizens of the republic. It studied the system of beliefs, habits and aspirations of young people. The research focused on the sociological assessment of the drug abuse situation in the Republic of North Ossetia and it was based on the study of systems of beliefs, habits and preferences of the residents, as well as on the identification of the reasons for the spread of drug addiction among the population. The achievement of this goal required solution of the following tasks: • to evaluate beliefs, value systems, life plans, the state of health of the North Ossetia-Alania citizens, learn their opinion on the possibility of rational leisure time and recreation by means of monitoring; • to assess bad habits of the republic citizens, estimate the society’s relation to the problems of drug addiction and drug addicts, analyze the reasons for the emergence and existence of this phenomenon in the society; • to evaluate effectiveness of the measures to combat drug addiction; • to identify reasons for drug addiction, most frequently used types of drugs, the cost of a single dose, a market place and consumers’ access to drugs; • to assess practical activities aimed at improving the drug abuse situation in the republic. The sample size was 600 people

50 CFR Table 3 (north) to Part 660... - 2010 Trip Limits for Open Access Gears North of 40°10′ N. Lat.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false 2010 Trip Limits for Open Access Gears North of 40°10â² N. Lat. 3 Table 3 (North) to Part 660, Subpart F Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY... Limits for Open Access Gears North of 40°10′ N. Lat. ER01OC10.020 ER01OC10.021 ...

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

Fixed Points

Indian Academy of Sciences (India)

Home; Journals; Resonance – Journal of Science Education; Volume 5; Issue 5. Fixed Points - From Russia with Love - A Primer of Fixed Point Theory. A K Vijaykumar. Book Review Volume 5 Issue 5 May 2000 pp 101-102. Fulltext. Click here to view fulltext PDF. Permanent link:

Demerit points systems.

NARCIS (Netherlands)

2006-01-01

In 2012, 21 of the 27 EU Member States had some form of demerit points system. In theory, demerit points systems contribute to road safety through three mechanisms: 1) prevention of unsafe behaviour through the risk of receiving penalty points, 2) selection and suspension of the most frequent

The North Cyprus Conference Sector: Establishing a Competitive Advantage

OpenAIRE

Oral, J.; Whitfield, J.E.

2010-01-01

North Cyprus had recently positioned itself as a conference destination. Given external and internal factors such as political isolation and the over dependency on casino tourism, policymakers have recognised the importance of the conference sector in creating sustainable growth for North Cyprus’s tourism driven economy. Increasingly, Turkish conference organisers are choosing North Cyprus as a destination to host conferences. As such, Turkish conference organisers were questioned via an inte...

Effects of LiDAR point density and landscape context on the retrieval of urban forest biomass

Science.gov (United States)

Singh, K. K.; Chen, G.; McCarter, J. B.; Meentemeyer, R. K.

2014-12-01

Light Detection and Ranging (LiDAR), as an alternative to conventional optical remote sensing, is being increasingly used to accurately estimate aboveground forest biomass ranging from individual tree to stand levels. Recent advancements in LiDAR technology have resulted in higher point densities and better data accuracies, which however pose challenges to the procurement and processing of LiDAR data for large-area assessments. Reducing point density cuts data acquisition costs and overcome computational challenges for broad-scale forest management. However, how does that impact the accuracy of biomass estimation in an urban environment containing a great level of anthropogenic disturbances? The main goal of this study is to evaluate the effects of LiDAR point density on the biomass estimation of remnant forests in the rapidly urbanizing regions of Charlotte, North Carolina, USA. We used multiple linear regression to establish the statistical relationship between field-measured biomass and predictor variables (PVs) derived from LiDAR point clouds with varying densities. We compared the estimation accuracies between the general Urban Forest models (no discrimination of forest type) and the Forest Type models (evergreen, deciduous, and mixed), which was followed by quantifying the degree to which landscape context influenced biomass estimation. The explained biomass variance of Urban Forest models, adjusted R2, was fairly consistent across the reduced point densities with the highest difference of 11.5% between the 100% and 1% point densities. The combined estimates of Forest Type biomass models outperformed the Urban Forest models using two representative point densities (100% and 40%). The Urban Forest biomass model with development density of 125 m radius produced the highest adjusted R2 (0.83 and 0.82 at 100% and 40% LiDAR point densities, respectively) and the lowest RMSE values, signifying the distance impact of development on biomass estimation. Our evaluation

Accentuation of suicides but not homicides with rising latitudes of Greenland in the sunny months

Science.gov (United States)

Björkstén, Karin S; Kripke, Daniel F; Bjerregaard, Peter

2009-01-01

Background Seasonal variation in suicides has been shown in many countries. We assessed the seasonality and the variation with latitude in suicides and homicides, and the impact of alcohol on the seasonality in suicides. Methods Official computerized registers on causes of death in all Greenland during 1968–2002 were used. Sales data on beer from one of the major food store chains for July 2005–June 2006 were examined. Seasonal variation was assessed by Rayleigh's test for circular distributions. Results There were a total of 1351 suicides and 308 homicides. The suicides rate varied from 4.2/100 000 person-years in 1971 to 128.4/100 000 person-years in 1987. The homicide rate varied from 2.1/100000 person-years in 1969–1970 to 34.8/100 000 person-years in 1988. Out of the 1351 suicides, 80.5% were committed by men and 19.5% by women. Median age was 25 years (n = 1351; Range 11–84 years). Violent methods of suicide were used in 95% of all cases (n = 1286). Out of the 308 homicide victims, 61% were men and 39% were women, and 13% were killed in multiple homicide events. There was a significant seasonal variation with peaks in June and troughs in the winter in all suicide cases (n = 1351, r = 0.07; Z = 7.58, p homicides nor in consumption of beer. There was a bi-phasic seasonal variation in suicide victims where an alcohol-related condition was included in the death certificate Suicides were more concentrated in the summer months north of the Arctic Circle (n = 577, r = 0.09, Z = 4.45, p homicides in the summer months in all Greenland. The concentration was most pronounced at high latitudes. PMID:19422728

Extending the Technological, Discursive, and Rhetorical Horizons of Academic Research Libraries' Information Architectures: An Analysis of North Carolina State University's James B. Hunt Jr. Library

Science.gov (United States)

Carr, Patrick L.

2017-01-01

This dissertation analyzes how North Carolina State University's (NCSU) James B. Hunt Jr. Library extends the ways in which the information architectures of academic research libraries can function as a technology, as discourse, and as rhetoric. The starting point for the analysis is the libraries of antiquity, which functioned technologically as…

North-South cooperation for survival.

Science.gov (United States)

Waiyaki, M

1989-12-01

Affirming that international cooperation along North-North, North-South, and South-South lines is essential for mutual survival, Mr. Waiyaki calls upon international understanding, good w ill, determination, and compromise in achieving mutually beneficial socioeconomic development for developing nations, while avoiding serious international confrontation and internal civil strife. He cites remaining instances of colonialism and the debate over Africa's debt repayment as potential conflict areas, then provides previously suggested resolving steps involving the Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development and the Economic Commission for Africa. Regarding internal strife, he discusses the hardships imposed upon African populations by structural adjustment programs. Should such exacerbatory measures be implemented in the hope of fostering development, negative international ramifications are possible. Specifically, the potential failure of measures to redress regional population and environmental problems should not be discounted. Improved communications and increasing interdependence continue to make the world seem smaller, allowing regional changes to affect the world on a broader scale. Key issues in high population growth, especially in Africa, Latin America, and Oceania, and environmental concerns are explored. The address includes specific mention of determinant factors and suggestions for Northern country interventions in finding solutions to these comprehensive concerns.

Zoogeography of the San Andreas Fault system: Great Pacific Fracture Zones correspond with spatially concordant phylogeographic boundaries in western North America.

Science.gov (United States)

Gottscho, Andrew D

2016-02-01

The purpose of this article is to provide an ultimate tectonic explanation for several well-studied zoogeographic boundaries along the west coast of North America, specifically, along the boundary of the North American and Pacific plates (the San Andreas Fault system). By reviewing 177 references from the plate tectonics and zoogeography literature, I demonstrate that four Great Pacific Fracture Zones (GPFZs) in the Pacific plate correspond with distributional limits and spatially concordant phylogeographic breaks for a wide variety of marine and terrestrial animals, including invertebrates, fish, amphibians, reptiles, birds, and mammals. These boundaries are: (1) Cape Mendocino and the North Coast Divide, (2) Point Conception and the Transverse Ranges, (3) Punta Eugenia and the Vizcaíno Desert, and (4) Cabo Corrientes and the Sierra Transvolcanica. However, discussion of the GPFZs is mostly absent from the zoogeography and phylogeography literature likely due to a disconnect between biologists and geologists. I argue that the four zoogeographic boundaries reviewed here ultimately originated via the same geological process (triple junction evolution). Finally, I suggest how a comparative phylogeographic approach can be used to test the hypothesis presented here. © 2014 Cambridge Philosophical Society.

Forest Health Status in North America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Borys Tkacz

2007-01-01

Full Text Available The forests of North America provide a variety of benefits including water, recreation, wildlife habitat, timber, and other forest products. However, they continue to face many biotic and abiotic stressors including fires, native and invasive pests, fragmentation, and air pollution. Forest health specialists have been monitoring the health of forests for many years. This paper highlights some of the most damaging forest stressors affecting North American forests in recent years and provides some projections of future risks.

The carbon balance of North American wetlands

Science.gov (United States)

Scott D. Bridgham; J. Patrick Megonigal; Jason K. Keller; Norman b. Bliss; Carl Trettin

2006-01-01

We examine the carbon balance of North American wetlands by reviewing and synthesizing the published literature and soil databases. North American wetlands contain about 220 Pg C, most of which is in peat. They are a small to moderate carbon sink of about 49 Tg C yr-l, although the uncertainty around this estimate is greater than 100%, with the...

Poet North Manchester Approval

Science.gov (United States)

This update August 9, 2016 letter from EPA approves, with modifications, the petition from Poet Biorefining-North Manchester, LLC, regarding non-grandfathered ethanol produced through a dry mill process, qualifying under the Clean Air Act for renewable

North Korea's nuclear weapons development. Implications for future policy

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Pollack, J.D.

2010-01-01

This essay assesses North Korea's long-standing quest for nuclear weapons; alternative strategies for inhibiting Pyongyang's weapons development; and the potential implications for regional security and nonproliferation should the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) retain and enhance its weapons programs. North Korea's pursuit of a nuclear weapons capability has long provoked heated debate among policy makers and research analysts about the purposes of engagement with the North, reflecting the repeated frustrations in efforts to negotiate Korean denuclearization. These debates reflect widely divergent views of the North Korean regime; its sustainability as an autonomous political, economic, and military system; and the potential consequences of continued nuclear development in this isolated, highly idiosyncratic state. These questions assume additional salience as North Korea approaches a leadership succession for only the second time in its six-decade history. The effort to inhibit North Korea's pursuit of nuclear weapons is among the longest running and least successful sagas in international security and non-proliferation policy of the past quarter century. In early 2010, Pyongyang claims a rudimentary nuclear capability by possession of weaponized plutonium, the conduct of two nuclear tests, and advances in the production of enriched uranium as an alternative means of fissile material production, though the latter step is nominally justified as a source for reactor fuel. North Korea defends its pursuit of a nuclear deterrent to counter what Pyongyang deems existential threats posed by the United States.Despite the resumption of high-level diplomatic contact between Washington and Pyongyang in late 2009, realization of a non-nuclear Korean Peninsula remains a very remote prospect. The DPRK insists that a peace agreement between the U.S. and North Korea and hence the cessation of 'hostile DPRK-U.S. relations' are necessary before any consideration of

Publication point indicators

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Elleby, Anita; Ingwersen, Peter

2010-01-01

; the Cumulated Publication Point Indicator (CPPI), which graphically illustrates the cumulated gain of obtained vs. ideal points, both seen as vectors; and the normalized Cumulated Publication Point Index (nCPPI) that represents the cumulated gain of publication success as index values, either graphically......The paper presents comparative analyses of two publication point systems, The Norwegian and the in-house system from the interdisciplinary Danish Institute of International Studies (DIIS), used as case in the study for publications published 2006, and compares central citation-based indicators...... with novel publication point indicators (PPIs) that are formalized and exemplified. Two diachronic citation windows are applied: 2006-07 and 2006-08. Web of Science (WoS) as well as Google Scholar (GS) are applied to observe the cite delay and citedness for the different document types published by DIIS...

76 FR 34089 - North Dakota; Major Disaster and Related Determinations

Science.gov (United States)

2011-06-10

.... FEMA-1981-DR; Docket ID FEMA-2011-0001] North Dakota; Major Disaster and Related Determinations AGENCY... Presidential declaration of a major disaster for the State of North Dakota (FEMA-1981-DR), dated May 10, 2011...''), as follows: I have determined that the damage in certain areas of the State of North Dakota resulting...

78 FR 67381 - North Dakota; Major Disaster and Related Determinations

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-12

.... FEMA-4154-DR; Docket ID FEMA-2013-0001] North Dakota; Major Disaster and Related Determinations AGENCY... declaration of a major disaster for the State of North Dakota (FEMA-4154-DR), dated October 31, 2013, and... Act''), as follows: I have determined that the damage in certain areas of the State of North Dakota...

Constitutionalism and conflict in Ternate, North Maluku, Indonesia

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Hermkens, A.K.

2010-01-01

Allegedly the oldest in Indonesia, and to some even beyond, the constitution treasured in the Kedaton (traditional palace) of the Sultan of Ternate (North Maluku, Indonesia) constitutes a dividing line between North and South Ternate in terms of government, ethnicity, and, spirituality. Moreover, it

Demographic methods to assess food insecurity: a North Korean case study.

Science.gov (United States)

Robinson, W C; Lee, M K; Hill, K; Hsu, E; Burnham, G

2001-01-01

In complex emergencies, especially those involving famine and/or widespread food insecurity, assessments of malnutrition are critical to understanding the population's health status and to assessing the effectiveness of relief interventions. Although the Democratic People's Republic of Korea (DPRK) has benefited from some of the largest, most sustained appeals in the history of the World Food Program (WFP), the government in Pyongyang has placed restrictions on international efforts to gather data on the health and nutritional status of the affected population. Lacking direct means to assess the nutritional status of the North Korean populace, what other methodologies could be employed to measure the public health impacts of chronic food shortage? The paper begins with a review of methods for assessing nutritional status, particularly in emergencies; a brief history of the North Korean food crisis (1995-2001), and a review of the available nutritional and health data on the DPRK. The main focus of the paper is on the results of a survey of 2,692 North Korean adult migrants in China. Recognizing certain biases and limitations, the study suggests that sample households have experienced an overall decline in food security, as evidenced by both the decline in government rations from an average of 120 grams per person per day to less than 60 grams per day, and by the increase in the percentage of households relying on foraging or bartering of assets as their principal source of food. It also is apparent that the period 1995-1998 has been marked by elevated household mortality, declining fertility, and steadily rising out-migration. Taken together, the signs point toward famine, whether that is defined as a discrete event--that is, as a regional failure in food production or distribution leading to elevated mortality from starvation and associated disease--or as a more complex social process whose sub-states include not only elevated mortality, but declining fertility

LNG : its potential impact on North American markets

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Schlesinger, B.

2003-01-01

Liquefied natural gas (LNG) is expected to play a greater role in North American gas supplies and markets due to the decrease in conventional natural gas production in North America accompanied by an increase in demand for energy. It is expected that the overall share of the LNG gas market will rise from about 1.4 per cent in 2002 to more than 5 per cent by 2020, and potentially up to 15 per cent by that year. The construction of at least 15 new LNG receiving terminals has been proposed for location in the U.S., Canada, and Mexico. In addition, El Paso has proposed a novel offshore LNG receiving concept involving offshore gas pipelines and on-board-ship regasification. As trading of LNG increases in the Atlantic, markets in eastern United States and Canada will benefit from improved gas supplies, but pricing patterns are expected to change. Basis differentials along the Atlantic coastline will probably diminish, potentially reducing the value of Sable Island gas and the pipeline system that runs north to south along the eastern coast of North America. It was noted that Middle Eastern suppliers of LNG will play an important potential role in North American markets. 19 figs

North American Regional Report

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

NONE

2007-11-15

North America is an energy community fortunate to be endowed with a rich and varied resource base. It consumes about a third of the world's energy and produces about one quarter of world energy supply. North America depends on a mix of complementary energy sources that should remain competitive but not in conflict. The current supply mix varies between Canada, the United States and Mexico, but fossil fuels are dominant across the region, leaving the three member countries vulnerable to a myriad of risks associated with traditional supply sources. Energy trade between all three countries is also a major contributor to the region's economy. Thus, the impetus for collaboration across the region has grown out of the common goals of energy security and economic prosperity. The goal of the WEC regional group was to discuss avenues for advancing North American cooperation and coordination on a range of energy issues. An additional objective was to develop policy recommendations that will facilitate effective development and use of the region's energy resources. Results and recommendtaions are summarized from three forums that focused on the pertinent issues of energy trade, energy efficiency and energy diversification. The inaugural forum (Energy Trade) was held in Washington, D.C. in the fall of 2005. The following summer, the second forum (Energy Efficiency) took place in Mexico City. The third forum (Energy Diversification) was hosted in Halifax, Nova Scotia.

Sousse: extreme genetic heterogeneity in North Africa.

Science.gov (United States)

Fadhlaoui-Zid, Karima; Garcia-Bertrand, Ralph; Alfonso-Sánchez, Miguel A; Zemni, Ramzi; Benammar-Elgaaied, Amel; Herrera, Rene J

2015-01-01

The male genetic landscape of the territory currently known as Tunisia is hampered by the scarcity of data, especially from cosmopolitan areas such as the coastal city of Sousse. In order to alleviate this lacuna, 220 males from Sousse were examined, for the first time, for more than 50 Y-chromosome single-nucleotide polymorphisms (Y-SNPs) markers and compared with 3099 individuals from key geographically targeted locations in North Africa, Europe and the Near East. The paternal lineages observed belong to a common set of Y haplogroups previously described in North Africa. In addition to the prominent autochthonous North African E-M81 haplogroup which is exclusively represented by its subclade E-M183 (44.55% of Y-chromosomes), a number of Near Eastern Neolithic lineages including E-M78, J-M267 and J-M172 account for 39% of the Y-chromosomes detected. Principal component analysis based on haplogroup frequencies, multidimensional scaling based on Rst genetic distances and analyses of molecular variance using both Y-chromosome short tandem repeat haplotypes and Y-SNP haplogroup data revealed that the Tunisian and North African groups, as a whole, are intra- and inter-specific diverse with Sousse being highly heterogeneous.

Opportunities for suppliers in the North Sea

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

D'Ancona, J.E.

1992-01-01

If European suppliers to the offshore industry are to prosper, it has to be on the basis of a single internationally competitive North Sea market. If we continue to talk and think in terms of a British sector, a Norwegian sector, Dutch and Danish sectors, then we will inhibit the full development of contractors and suppliers. The long term future in oilfield supplies lies in a mixed portfolio of international projects. Oil and gas exploration and development, particularly offshore, is notoriously cyclical. To survive the downturns in one market supply, companies need to have access to the upswing in others. The significance of a single North Sea market is that it presents an international arena for the best companies to demonstrate their technical and commercial abilities. Individual national sectors do not - cannot - provide that opportunity to anything like the same extent. Taking then the North Sea as a single competitive market, it represents the most important offshore area in the world at the present time, and this is likely to continue during the 1990s. The prospects of achieving a single North Sea market are discussed. (author)

A three-point Taylor algorithm for three-point boundary value problems

NARCIS (Netherlands)

J.L. López; E. Pérez Sinusía; N.M. Temme (Nico)

2011-01-01

textabstractWe consider second-order linear differential equations $\\varphi(x)y''+f(x)y'+g(x)y=h(x)$ in the interval $(-1,1)$ with Dirichlet, Neumann or mixed Dirichlet-Neumann boundary conditions given at three points of the interval: the two extreme points $x=\\pm 1$ and an interior point

North American Soil Degradation: Processes, Practices, and Mitigating Strategies

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

R. L. Baumhardt

2015-03-01

Full Text Available Soil can be degraded by several natural or human-mediated processes, including wind, water, or tillage erosion, and formation of undesirable physical, chemical, or biological properties due to industrialization or use of inappropriate farming practices. Soil degradation occurs whenever these processes supersede natural soil regeneration and, generally, reflects unsustainable resource management that is global in scope and compromises world food security. In North America, soil degradation preceded the catastrophic wind erosion associated with the dust bowl during the 1930s, but that event provided the impetus to improve management of soils degraded by both wind and water erosion. Chemical degradation due to site specific industrial processing and mine spoil contamination began to be addressed during the latter half of the 20th century primarily through point-source water quality concerns, but soil chemical degradation and contamination of surface and subsurface water due to on-farm non-point pesticide and nutrient management practices generally remains unresolved. Remediation or prevention of soil degradation requires integrated management solutions that, for agricultural soils, include using cover crops or crop residue management to reduce raindrop impact, maintain higher infiltration rates, increase soil water storage, and ultimately increase crop production. By increasing plant biomass, and potentially soil organic carbon (SOC concentrations, soil degradation can be mitigated by stabilizing soil aggregates, improving soil structure, enhancing air and water exchange, increasing nutrient cycling, and promoting greater soil biological activity.

Trapped

OpenAIRE

Storvik, Pamela

2012-01-01

This study explores how the Muslim Sunni Women in the city of Tripoli- Lebanon perceive the the inequity in the rights of women in terms of those of men within the Personal Status codes practiced today in the Sunni Muslim Sharīʻa Courts in the country. Lebanese women and men in general are subject to an imbalanced patronage as a result of the patriarchal conditions dominating the Lebanese society and its various communities. This project further explores the factors that have led to the failu...

76 FR 44029 - North Dakota; Major Disaster and Related Determinations

Science.gov (United States)

2011-07-22

.... FEMA-1986-DR; Docket ID FEMA-2011-0001] North Dakota; Major Disaster and Related Determinations AGENCY... declaration of a major disaster for the State of North Dakota (FEMA-1986-DR), dated May 20, 2011, and related... determined that the damage in certain areas of the State of North Dakota resulting from a severe winter storm...

Georeferenced Point Clouds: A Survey of Features and Point Cloud Management

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Johannes Otepka

2013-10-01

Full Text Available This paper presents a survey of georeferenced point clouds. Concentration is, on the one hand, put on features, which originate in the measurement process themselves, and features derived by processing the point cloud. On the other hand, approaches for the processing of georeferenced point clouds are reviewed. This includes the data structures, but also spatial processing concepts. We suggest a categorization of features into levels that reflect the amount of processing. Point clouds are found across many disciplines, which is reflected in the versatility of the literature suggesting specific features.

North Atlantic-Fennoscandian Holocene climate trends and mechanisms

NARCIS (Netherlands)

Sejrup, H.P.; Seppä, H.; McKay, N.; Kaufman, D.S.; Geirsdottir, A.; de Vernal, A.; Renssen, H.; Husum, K.; Jennings, A.; Andrews, J.T.

2016-01-01

To investigate the mechanisms behind Holocene regional climate trends from north of 58°N in the North Atlantic-Fennoscandian region Principal Component Analysis (PCA) was performed and a temperature anomaly stack produced from 81 proxy derived summer temperature time series from 74 sites. The PC

The North Korean Economy: Background and Policy Analysis

Science.gov (United States)

2005-02-09

and Hong Kong, as well as rapid growth and trade liberalization to China, Thailand, Malaysia and other countries of Asia. The “Stalinist” North Korean...contract processing (assembly, sewing, or other processing done under contract) by North Koreans.62 The companies included Daewoo (jackets, bags), Samsung

The message in North American energy prices

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Serletis, A. [Department of Economics, The University of Calgary, Calgary, Alberta (Canada); Herbert, J. [Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University, Blacksburg, Virginia (United States)

1999-10-01

How similar is the price behavior of North American natural gas, fuel oil, and power prices? Using current state-of-the-art econometric methodology, we explore the degree of shared trends across North American energy markets. Across these markets, there appear to be effective arbitraging mechanisms for the price of natural gas and fuel oil, but not for the price of electricity. 11 refs.

Report from Holland: the economics of North Sea hydrocarbons

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Ellman, M

1977-09-01

The article describes how, despite huge revenues from North Sea gas, Holland is currently suffering from unemployment and its long-term prospects are poor. In light of this, Mr. Ellman discusses the implications of North Sea oil for the UK economy. He sites three distinguishable policies that the UK government could adopt in the face of the huge import saving and export creation that North Sea hydrocarbons will soon bring--sound finance, demand management, and structural modernization. (MCW)

78 FR 23952 - Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; North Dakota

Science.gov (United States)

2013-04-23

... Filing of Plats of Survey; North Dakota AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of... determine Federal Leasable Mineral Lands. The lands we surveyed are: Fifth Principal Meridian, North Dakota... dividing Lot 1 of section 29, Township 148 North, Range 95 West, Fifth Principal Meridian, North Dakota...

Totem and taboo in the grocery store: quasi-religious foodways in North America

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Benjamin E. Zeller

2015-01-01

Full Text Available This article focuses on food proscriptions such as veganism and gluten-free eating, and prescriptions such as the Paleolithic diet, focusing on the North American context. These quasi-religious foodways serve as means for individuals to engage in discourses of community, personal and group identity, and boundary-marking. Through the daily practice of eating, those who follow quasi-religious foodways mark their identities, literally consuming who they are. These quasi-religious foodways therefore function to allow contemporary consumer-oriented individualistic Americans to engage in discourses of community, identity, and meaning in a highly vernacular manner, that of the marketplace. They also point to the manner in which identity and community have expanded well outside of religious categories.

Population structure of Heterobasidion annosum from North America and Europe

Science.gov (United States)

W.J. Otrosina; T.E. Chase; F.W. Cobb; K. Korhonen

1993-01-01

Isolates of Heterobasidion annosum (Fr.) Bref. representing North American S and P and European S, P, and F intersterility groups were subjected to isozyme analysis.European S, P, and F groups had more variability than the North American S and P groups in expected heterozygosity, number of alleles per locus, and percent polymorphic loci.In contrast with the North...

The importance of North Sea gas to European energy supply

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Probert, R.

1992-01-01

Natural gas can, of course, be transported over very long distances but, because of the economics of gas transmission, its impact is most often local. This has certainly been the case with North Sea gas, which has clearly contributed significantly to European energy supply and will continue to do so for some time to come. The historical importance of the discovery of gas in the North Sea has been that it has enabled natural gas industries to grow rapidly in North West Europe. Without North Sea gas and Dutch gas it is difficult to see how town gas would have been replaced in North West Europe. Certainly, a much smaller natural gas industry would have emerged. North Sea gas has inevitably had the greatest impact on gas markets in the countries of the European Community and this will remain the case in future. Nevertheless, it is inevitable that gas will, in future, flow across more national boundaries than in the past, and that North Sea gas will have an important part to play in meeting the Central European demand for competitively priced, secure supplies. This paper discusses the United Kingdom market for gas and future demand both in the United Kingdom and more widely in Europe. An examination of the availability of gas supplies from the North Sea suggests that it is unlikely that there will be a surplus of gas for export from the United Kingdom continental shelf. Norway will remain the main source of exports, with the Netherlands also in a strong position. Transportation and political aspects are also considered. (author)

Influence of the burning point on the dew point in a diesel engine

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Teetz, C.

1982-06-01

A computation on the influence of the ignition point on the dew point in a cylinder of a diesel engine is presented. The cylinder-pressure diagrams are shown. The results of computation are given. A later ignition point diminishes the area with cylinder wall temperatures below the dew point. The endangering by cylinder wall temperatures below the dew point is illustrated.

Point specificity in acupuncture

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Choi Emma M

2012-02-01

Full Text Available Abstract The existence of point specificity in acupuncture is controversial, because many acupuncture studies using this principle to select control points have found that sham acupoints have similar effects to those of verum acupoints. Furthermore, the results of pain-related studies based on visual analogue scales have not supported the concept of point specificity. In contrast, hemodynamic, functional magnetic resonance imaging and neurophysiological studies evaluating the responses to stimulation of multiple points on the body surface have shown that point-specific actions are present. This review article focuses on clinical and laboratory studies supporting the existence of point specificity in acupuncture and also addresses studies that do not support this concept. Further research is needed to elucidate the point-specific actions of acupuncture.

50 CFR Table 5 (north) to Part 660... - 2009-2010 Trip Limits for Open Access Gears North of 40°10′ N. Lat.

Science.gov (United States)

2010-10-01

... 50 Wildlife and Fisheries 9 2010-10-01 2010-10-01 false 2009-2010 Trip Limits for Open Access Gears North of 40°10â² N. Lat. 5 Table 5 (North) to Part 660, Subpart G Wildlife and Fisheries FISHERY... Trip Limits for Open Access Gears North of 40°10′ N. Lat. Link to an amendment published at 75 FR 60995...

I-15 North Project

Science.gov (United States)

2013-11-05

Goals of this project were as follows: (1) Conduct a comprehensive evaluation study on Nevada's I-15 North Design Build Project; (2) Analyze project implementation with respect to construction zone rules by which the contractor had to abide; (3) Anal...

Geology of the North Sea and Skagerrak

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Michelsen, O. [ed.

1995-12-31

The Marine Geology Unit of the Department of Earth Sciences organized the second Marine Geology symposium at Aarhus University, 7-8 October 1993. The intention was to bring together people working especially with the geology of the North Sea and Skagerrak. Approximately 60 people from different Danish and Norwegian institutions attended the symposium. 28 oral presentations were given and 2 posters presented. A large range of geological topics was covered, embracing biostratigraphy, sequence stratigraphy, sedimentology and structural geology. The majority of the presentations dealt with Quaternary geology and Cenozoic sequence stratigraphy, but also Jurassic and Lower Cretaceous stratigraphy was treated. Studies from the major part of the Danish sector were presented, spanning from Bornholm to the central North Sea, and further into the Norwegian North Sea sector. (au)

Late Ordovician brachiopods from eastern North Greenland

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Mac Ørum Rasmussen, Christian

2013-01-01

Late Ordovician rhynchonelliformean brachiopods, typical of the North American Red River fauna, are found sporadically in the BOrglum River Formation of the Centrum SO area, Kronprins Christian Land, eastern North Greenland. The geographical distribution of this characteristic brachiopod fauna......) to younger strata exclusively yielding specimens of H.gigas. As H.gigas occurs in the upper part of the Cape Calhoun Formation in Washington Land, it indicates that the upper boundary of the Cape Calhoun Formation is considerably younger than previous estimates, reaching into the uppermost Katian (middle...... (Richmondian), it possesses a strong provincial signal during the later Ordovician. The new occurrences indicate that this fauna extended to the north-eastern margin of the Laurentian Craton. It lived in close association with cosmopolitan faunal elements that may have been the earliest sign of the succeeding...

Fostering renewable electricity markets in North America

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Wingate, M.; Hamrin, J.; Kvale, L.; Alatorre, C.

2007-04-01

This paper provided an overview of key market demand and supply drivers for the renewable electricity in Canada, the United States and Mexico. The aim of the paper was to assist North American governments in supporting the development of renewable electricity by addressing barriers that currently contribute to higher costs as well as challenges related to policy implementation. The paper outlined regulatory mandates and discussed issues related to voluntary purchases, and financial incentives. Current policy frameworks for renewable electricity were also examined. Opportunities for developing the renewable electricity market North America were explored. Wind power environmental standards were reviewed. Various green pricing schemes were discussed. The paper also included recommendations for the current electricity market as well as for members of the North American Agreement on Environmental Cooperation. 84 refs., 4 tabs., 7 figs

78 FR 76176 - Notice of Filing of Plats of Survey; North Dakota

Science.gov (United States)

2013-12-16

... Filing of Plats of Survey; North Dakota AGENCY: Bureau of Land Management, Interior. ACTION: Notice of.... The lands we surveyed are: Fifth Principal Meridian, North Dakota T. 152 N., R. 100 W. The plat, in... lottings, Township 152 North, Range 100 West, Fifth Principal Meridian, North Dakota, was accepted November...

Vertical profiles of black carbon measured by a micro-aethalometer in summer in the North China Plain

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

L. Ran

2016-08-01

Full Text Available Black carbon (BC is a dominant absorber in the visible spectrum and a potent factor in climatic effects. Vertical profiles of BC were measured using a micro-aethalometer attached to a tethered balloon during the Vertical Observations of trace Gases and Aerosols (VOGA field campaign, in summer 2014 at a semirural site in the North China Plain (NCP. The diurnal cycle of BC vertical distributions following the evolution of the mixing layer (ML was investigated for the first time in the NCP region. Statistical parameters including identified mixing height (Hm and average BC mass concentrations within the ML (Cm and in the free troposphere (Cf were obtained for a selected dataset of 67 vertical profiles. Hm was usually lower than 0.2 km in the early morning and rapidly rose thereafter due to strengthened turbulence. The maximum height of the ML was reached in the late afternoon. The top of a full developed ML exceeded 1 km on sunny days in summer, while it stayed much lower on cloudy  days. The sunset triggered the collapse of the ML, and a stable nocturnal boundary layer (NBL gradually formed. Accordingly, the highest level Cm was found in the early morning and the lowest was found in the afternoon. In the daytime, BC was almost uniformly distributed within the ML and significantly decreased above the ML. During the field campaign, Cm averaged about 5.16 ± 2.49 µg m−3, with a range of 1.12 to 14.49 µg m−3, comparable with observational results in many polluted urban areas such as Milan in Italy and Shanghai in China. As evening approached, BC gradually built up near the surface and exponentially declined with height. In contrast to the large variability found both in Hm and Cm, Cf stayed relatively unaffected through the day. Cf was less than 10 % of the ground level under clean conditions, while it amounted to half of the ground level in some polluted cases. In situ measurements of BC vertical profiles would hopefully

North Indian Classical Vocal Music for the Classroom

Science.gov (United States)

Arya, Divya D.

2015-01-01

This article offers information that will allow music educators to incorporate North Indian classical vocal music into a multicultural music education curriculum. Obstacles to teaching North Indian classical vocal music are acknowledged, including lack of familiarity with the cultural/structural elements and challenges in teaching ear training and…

Is There Really A North American Plate?

Science.gov (United States)

Krill, A.

2011-12-01

Lithospheric plates are typically identified from earthquake epicenters and evidence such as GPS movements. But no evidence indicates a plate boundary between the North American and South American Plates. Some plate maps show them separated by a transform boundary, but it is only a fracture zone. Other maps show an "undefined plate boundary" or put no boundary between these two plates (check Google images). Early plate maps showed a single large American Plate, quite narrow east of the Caribbean Plate (Le Pichon 1968, Morgan 1968). The North and South American Plates became established by the leading textbook Earth (Press & Siever 1974). On their map, from a Scientific American article by John Dewey (1972), these new plates were separated by an "uncertain plate boundary." The reasons for postulating a North American Plate were probably more psychological than geological. Each of the other continents of the world had its own plate, and North American geologists naturally wanted theirs. Similarly, European geographers used to view Europe as its own continent. A single large plate should again be hypothesized. But the term American Plate would now be ambiguous ("Which plate, North or South?") Perhaps future textbook authors could call it the "Two-American Plate." Textbook authors ultimately decide such global-tectonic matters. I became aware of textbook authors' opinions and influence from my research into the history of Alfred Wegener's continental drift (see Fixists vs. Mobilists by Krill 2011). Leading textbook author Charles Schuchert realized that continental drift would abolish his cherished paleogeographic models of large east-west continents (Eria, Gondwana) and small oceans (Poseiden, Nereis). He and his junior coauthors conspired to keep drift evidence out of their textbooks, from the 1934-editions until the 1969-editions (Physical Geology by Longwell et al. 1969, Historical Geology by Dunbar & Waage 1969). Their textbooks ruled in America. Textbooks

Authropogenic Warming in North Alaska?.

Science.gov (United States)

Michaels, Patrick J.; Sappington, David E.; Stooksbury, David E.

1988-09-01

Using permafrost boreholes, Lachenbruch and Marshall recently reported evidence for a 2°-4°C warming in North Alaska occurring at some undetermined time during the last century. Popular accounts suggest their findings are evidence for anthropogenic warming caused by trace gases. Analyses of North Alaskan 1000-500 mb thickness onwards back to 1948 indicate that the warming was prior to that date. Relatively sparse thermometric data for the early twentieth century from Jones et al. are too noisy to support any trend since the data record begins in 1910, or to apply to any subperiod of climatic significance. Any warming detected from the permafrost record therefore occurred before the major emissions of thermally active trace gases.

Directional preference in dogs: Laterality and "pull of the north".

Science.gov (United States)

Adámková, Jana; Svoboda, Jan; Benediktová, Kateřina; Martini, Sabine; Nováková, Petra; Tůma, David; Kučerová, Michaela; Divišová, Michaela; Begall, Sabine; Hart, Vlastimil; Burda, Hynek

2017-01-01

Laterality is a well described phenomenon in domestic dogs. It was shown that dogs, under calm Earth's magnetic field conditions, when marking their home ranges, tend to head about north- or southwards and display thus magnetic alignment. The question arises whether magnetic alignment might be affected or even compromised by laterality and vice versa. We tested the preference of dogs to choose between two dishes with snacks that were placed left and right, in different compass directions (north and east, east and south, south and west or west and north) in front of them. Some dogs were right-lateral, some left-lateral but most of them were ambilateral. There was a preference for the dish placed north compared to the one placed east of the dog ("pull of the north"). This effect was highly significant in small and medium-sized breeds but not in larger breeds, highly significant in females, in older dogs, in lateralized dogs but less significant or not significant in males, younger dogs, or ambilateral dogs. Laterality and "pull of the north" are phenomena which should be considered in diverse tasks and behavioral tests with which dogs or other animals might be confronted. The interaction and possible conflict between lateralization and "pull of the north" might be also considered as a reason for shifted magnetic alignment observed in different animal species in different contexts.

Reconstruction of the North Atlantic tropical cyclones in Azores for the last 800 years.

Science.gov (United States)

Rubio-Ingles, Maria Jesus; Sánchez, Guiomar; Trigo, Ricardo; Francus, Pierre; Gonçalves, Vitor; Raposeiro, Pedro; Freitas, Conceiçao; Borges, Paolo; Hernández, Armand; Bao, Roberto; Vázquez-Loureiro, David; Andrade, Cesar; Sáez, Alberto; Giralt, Santiago

2014-05-01

The variability of North Atlantic tropical storms has been the focus of several studies. Duration and seasonality has been attributed to a number of climate patterns and processes such as El Niño-Southern Oscillation, Atlantic Meridional Mode, African easterly waves, and atmospheric Rossby waves, but their tracks have been widely related to the North Atlantic Oscillation. Several authors have pointed out an increase and track shifting of North Atlantic tropical cyclones since 1995 with increased probability of these turning north far away from the North American continent. However, this cannot be regarded as an infrequent phenomenon as most proxy records from the Atlantic North have shown the existence of similar patterns in the past. Sao Miguel Island (Azores archipelago, Portugal) is settled in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. This location makes this island an excellent natural laboratory to record shifts on North Atlantic tropical storms tracks that can reach the archipelago as low intensity hurricanes (e.g. Nadine in 2012) or downgraded to tropical storm (e.g. Grace in 2009). In the present work, lake sediment records have been used as a proxy sensor of tropical storms. Lagoa Azul is located inside Sete Cidades volcanic caldera and its catchment is characterized by stepped and forested caldera walls. Tropical storms and heavy rainfalls produce a flashy and substantial enhancement in the erosion of the catchment, increasing the sediments reaching the lake by rockfalls deposits (in littoral zones) and flood events deposits (in offshore zones). These flood events can be recognized in the sedimentary record as lobe deposits dominated by terrestrial components. It can be found in the sedimentary record and the bathymetry. Instrumental meteorological data and historical records have been compiled to reconstruct the most recent history of the North Atlantic tropical storms that have landed or affected the Sao Miguel Island (Andrade et al., 2008). In addition, a 1

Phanerozoic tectonic evolution of the Circum-North Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Nokleberg, Warren J.; Parfenov, Leonid M.; Monger, James W.H.; Norton, Ian O.; Khanchuk, Alexander I.; Stone, David B.; Scotese, Christopher R.; Scholl, David W.; Fujita, Kazuya

2000-01-01

The Phanerozoic tectonic evolution of the Circum-North Pacific is recorded mainly in the orogenic collages of the Circum-North Pacific mountain belts that separate the North Pacific from the eastern part of the North Asian Craton and the western part of the North American Craton. These collages consist of tectonostratigraphic terranes that are composed of fragments of igneous arcs, accretionary-wedge and subduction-zone complexes, passive continental margins, and cratons; they are overlapped by continental-margin-arc and sedimentary-basin assemblages. The geologic history of the terranes and overlap assemblages is highly complex because of postaccretionary dismemberment and translation during strike-slip faulting that occurred subparallel to continental margins.We analyze the complex tectonics of this region by the following steps. (1) We assign tectonic environments for the orogenic collages from regional compilation and synthesis of stratigraphic and faunal data. The types of tectonic environments include cratonal, passive continental margin, metamorphosed continental margin, continental-margin arc, island arc, oceanic crust, seamount, ophiolite, accretionary wedge, subduction zone, turbidite basin, and metamorphic. (2) We make correlations between terranes. (3) We group coeval terranes into a single tectonic origin, for example, a single island arc or subduction zone. (4) We group igneous-arc and subduction- zone terranes, which are interpreted as being tectonically linked, into coeval, curvilinear arc/subduction-zone complexes. (5) We interpret the original positions of terranes, using geologic, faunal, and paleomagnetic data. (6) We construct the paths of tectonic migration. Six processes overlapping in time were responsible for most of the complexities of the collage of terranes and overlap assemblages around the Circum-North Pacific, as follows. (1) During the Late Proterozoic, Late Devonian, and Early Carboniferous, major periods of rifting occurred along

Infectious diseases in North Africa and North African immigrants to Europe.

Science.gov (United States)

Khyatti, Meriem; Trimbitas, Roxana-Delia; Zouheir, Yassine; Benani, Abdelouaheb; El Messaoudi, Moulay-Driss; Hemminki, Kari

2014-08-01

The epidemiological transition has reduced infectious diseases mortality in most European countries, yet increased migrant influx risks importing diseases. All reported prevalence rates must be considered on a case-by-case basis depending on the disease in question, respective European Union (EU) country and migratory patterns at work. Tuberculosis has seen a re-emergence in Europe and is concentrated among migrants. Migrants arriving from North Africa (NA) and sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) carry higher rates of hepatitis C and B than the local EU population. The human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) impact of NA migrants to Europe is very low but a hallmark of the HIV epidemic is the penetration and circulation of non-B strains, recombinant forms and HIV-drug-resistant profiles through SSA migrants using NA as a transit point into Europe. Leishmaniasis is a re-emerging zoonotic disease prevalent to Southern Europe although not specifically isolated in migrant groups. Although not endemic in NA countries, malaria represent S: a risk in terms of re-emergence in Europe through transitory migrants arriving from SSA with the destination to Europe. Schistosomiasis has been largely eliminated from NA. High migrant flux into European countries has resulted in changing patterns of communicable disease and collectively requires a continuous surveillance. World Health Organization guidelines recommend targeted screening and preventative vaccination, followed by integration of migrants into the local health-care systems allowing for long-term treatment and follow-up. Finally, effective public health campaigns as a form of prevention are essential for the mitigation of disease dissemination in the migrant pool and for second-generation children of migrants. © The Author 2014. Published by Oxford University Press on behalf of the European Public Health Association. All rights reserved.

CO2 and circulation in the deglacial North Pacific

Science.gov (United States)

Taylor, B.; Rae, J. W. B.; Gray, W. R.; Rees-Owen, R. L.; Burke, A.

2017-12-01

The North Pacific is the largest carbon reservoir in the global ocean, but has not typically been thought to play an active role in deglacial CO2 rise based on its modern stratified state. Recent studies (Okazaki et al., 2010; Rae et al., 2014; Max et al., 2017), however, have suggested that a more dynamic circulation regime operated in the glacial and deglacial North Pacific and, as such, the role of the North Pacific in deglacial CO2 rise may have been underestimated. We present two new high-resolution boron isotope records of surface water pCO2 from the North West and North East Pacific spanning the last 22 kyrs. The two records show remarkable coherence over key intervals during the last deglaciation and highlight major changes over a number of abrupt climate events. At both sites, following the LGM, pCO2(sw) rises, coincident with a younging of North Pacific intermediate and deep waters. This suggests that increased local overturning mixed CO2-rich deep waters throughout the water column, likely contributing to CO2 outgassing during Heinrich Stadial 1 (HS1). Both records exhibit decreases in pCO2(sw) during the latter stages of HS1, which are immediately followed by a rapid increase in pCO2(sw) at the onset of the Bølling-Allerød (B/A). Radiocarbon and δ13C data indicate a collapse in North Pacific Intermediate Water formation at the onset of the B/A, which, combined with enhanced wind stress curl, would have allowed CO2-rich waters to mix into the surface ocean from intermediate-depths. The combination of high nutrient availability and a seasonally well-stratified mixed layer likely led to the abrupt increase in export productivity across the region; the excess surface water CO2 shows that alleviation of iron or light limitation could not have been its primary cause. Our new records highlight the importance of overturning circulation in the North Pacific in controlling productivity and CO2 release on glacial/interglacial timescales.

A synoptic climatology of derecho producing mesoscale convective systems in the North-Central Plains

Science.gov (United States)

Bentley, Mace L.; Mote, Thomas L.; Byrd, Stephen F.

2000-09-01

Synoptic-scale environments favourable for producing derechos, or widespread convectively induced windstorms, in the North-Central Plains are examined with the goal of providing pattern-recognition/diagnosis techniques. Fifteen derechos were identified across the North-Central Plains region during 1986-1995. The synoptic environment at the initiation, mid-point and decay of each derecho was then evaluated using surface, upper-air and National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR)/National Center for Environmental Prediction (NCEP) reanalysis datasets.Results suggest that the synoptic environment is critical in maintaining derecho producing mesoscale convective systems (DMCSs). The synoptic environment in place downstream of the MCS initiation region determines the movement and potential strength of the system. Circulation around surface low pressure increased the instability gradient and maximized leading edge convergence in the initiation region of nearly all events regardless of DMCS location or movement. Other commonalities in the environments of these events include the presence of a weak thermal boundary, high convective instability and a layer of dry low-to-mid-tropospheric air. Of the two corridors sampled, northeastward moving derechos tend to initiate east of synoptic-scale troughs, while southeastward moving derechos form on the northeast periphery of a synoptic-scale ridge. Other differences between these two DMCS events are also discussed.

Sediment Budget Analysis; Masonboro Inlet, North Carolina

Science.gov (United States)

2017-08-15

ER D C/ CH L TR -1 7- 13 Regional Sediment Management (RSM) Program Sediment Budget Analysis; Masonboro Inlet, North Carolina Co as ta...ERDC/CHL TR-17-13 August 2017 Sediment Budget Analysis; Masonboro Inlet, North Carolina Kevin B. Conner U.S. Army Engineer District, Wilmington P...Engineers Washington, DC 20314-1000 Under Project 454632, “Sediment Budget Analysis, Masonboro Inlet, NC” ERDC/CHL TR-17-13 ii Abstract A

Teacher Salary Bonuses in North Carolina. Research Brief

Science.gov (United States)

National Center on Performance Incentives, 2008

2008-01-01

In "Teacher Salary Bonuses in North Carolina"--a paper presented at the February 2008 National Center on Performance Incentives research to policy conference--Jacob Vigdor of Duke University reviews a teacher salary bonus program operating in North Carolina. Known officially as the ABC's of Public Education, the program awards teachers…

Development of Precise Point Positioning Method Using Global Positioning System Measurements

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Byung-Kyu Choi

2011-09-01

Full Text Available Precise point positioning (PPP is increasingly used in several parts such as monitoring of crustal movement and maintaining an international terrestrial reference frame using global positioning system (GPS measurements. An accuracy of PPP data processing has been increased due to the use of the more precise satellite orbit/clock products. In this study we developed PPP algorithm that utilizes data collected by a GPS receiver. The measurement error modelling including the tropospheric error and the tidal model in data processing was considered to improve the positioning accuracy. The extended Kalman filter has been also employed to estimate the state parameters such as positioning information and float ambiguities. For the verification, we compared our results to other of International GNSS Service analysis center. As a result, the mean errors of the estimated position on the East-West, North-South and Up-Down direction for the five days were 0.9 cm, 0.32 cm, and 1.14 cm in 95% confidence level.

Human rights and literature: an emerging meeting space between law and literature in the North American tradition

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

María Jimena Sáenz

2017-06-01

Full Text Available One of the particular characteristics of the interdisciplinary law and literature movement, which sets it apart from the large number of law and literature movements that proliferated during the sixties and seventies in the American academy that saw it born, is the migration of concern in examining the intersections and limitations between the two, from a legal starting point to the field of literary studies called Literature and Human Rights. This paper proposes to examine such migration in the context of the North American tradition, and to analyze the the forms that it assumes and its critical potentialities.

Simulating potential structural and operational changes for Detroit Dam on the North Santiam River, Oregon-Interim Results

Science.gov (United States)

Buccola, Norman L.; Rounds, Stewart A.

2011-01-01

Prior to operational changes in 2007, Detroit Dam on the North Santiam River in western Oregon had a well-documented effect on downstream water temperature that was problematic for endangered salmonid fish species. In this U.S. Geological Survey study, done in cooperation with the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, an existing calibrated CE-QUAL-W2 model of Detroit Lake (the impounded waterbody behind Detroit Dam) was used to determine how changes in dam operation or changes to the structural release points of Detroit Dam might affect downstream water temperatures under a range of historical hydrologic and meteorological conditions.

A spatial and seasonal assessment of river water chemistry across North West England.

Science.gov (United States)

Rothwell, J J; Dise, N B; Taylor, K G; Allott, T E H; Scholefield, P; Davies, H; Neal, C

2010-01-15

This paper presents information on the spatial and seasonal patterns of river water chemistry at approximately 800 sites in North West England based on data from the Environment Agency regional monitoring programme. Within a GIS framework, the linkages between average water chemistry (pH, sulphate, base cations, nutrients and metals) catchment characteristics (topography, land cover, soil hydrology, base flow index and geology), rainfall, deposition chemistry and geo-spatial information on discharge consents (point sources) are examined. Water quality maps reveal that there is a clear distinction between the uplands and lowlands. Upland waters are acidic and have low concentrations of base cations, explained by background geological sources and land cover. Localised high concentrations of metals occur in areas of the Cumbrian Fells which are subjected to mining effluent inputs. Nutrient concentrations are low in the uplands with the exception sites receiving effluent inputs from rural point sources. In the lowlands, both past and present human activities have a major impact on river water chemistry, especially in the urban and industrial heartlands of Greater Manchester, south Lancashire and Merseyside. Over 40% of the sites have average orthophosphate concentrations >0.1mg-Pl(-1). Results suggest that the dominant control on orthophosphate concentrations is point source contributions from sewage effluent inputs. Diffuse agricultural sources are also important, although this influence is masked by the impact of point sources. Average nitrate concentrations are linked to the coverage of arable land, although sewage effluent inputs have a significant effect on nitrate concentrations. Metal concentrations in the lowlands are linked to diffuse and point sources. The study demonstrates that point sources, as well as diffuse sources, need to be considered when targeting measures for the effective reduction in river nutrient concentrations. This issue is clearly important

Evaluating the longitudinal risk of social vigilance on atherosclerosis: study protocol for the North Texas Heart Study.

Science.gov (United States)

Ruiz, John M; Taylor, Daniel J; Uchino, Bert N; Smith, Timothy W; Allison, Matthew; Ahn, Chul; Johnson, Jillian J; Smyth, Joshua M

2017-08-14

Psychosocial factors are increasingly recognised as important determinants of cardiovascular disease risk. The North Texas Heart Study aims to understand the mechanisms responsible for this association with a focus on social vigilance (ie, scanning the environment for social threats). There is also growing interest in supplementing traditional methods (eg, survey assessment of psychosocial risk paired with cross-sectional and longitudinal health outcomes) with daily or repeated momentary assessment of psychosocial factors. However, there are relatively few longitudinal studies directly comparing these approaches with hard endpoints. The North Texas Heart Study proposes a longitudinal measurement burst design to examine psychosocial determinants of subclinical atherosclerosis. A sample of 300 healthy community participants, stratified by age and gender, will complete survey measures, as well as 2 days of ecological momentary assessment at baseline and at a 2-year follow-up. A range of psychosocial and behavioural factors, objective biomarkers, as well as carotid intima-media thickness (cIMT) will be assessed at both time points. Unadjusted and adjusted models will evaluate cross-sectional associations and determinants of change in the cIMT. The Institutional Review Board at the study coordinating institute (University of North Texas) has approved this study. Positive, negative or inconclusive primary and ancillary findings will be disseminated in scientific journals and conferences. © Article author(s) (or their employer(s) unless otherwise stated in the text of the article) 2017. All rights reserved. No commercial use is permitted unless otherwise expressly granted.

Snow cover and temperature relationships in North America and Eurasia

Science.gov (United States)

Foster, J.; Owe, M.; Rango, A.

1983-01-01

In this study the snow cover extent during the autumn months in both North America and Eurasia has been related to the ensuing winter temperature as measured at several locations near the center of each continent. The relationship between autumn snow cover and the ensuing winter temperatures was found to be much better for Eurasia than for North America. For Eurasia the average snow cover extent during the autumn explained as much as 52 percent of the variance in the winter (December-February) temperatures compared to only 12 percent for North America. However, when the average winter snow cover was correlated with the average winter temperature it was found that the relationship was better for North America than for Eurasia. As much as 46 percent of the variance in the winter temperature was explained by the winter snow cover in North America compared to only 12 percent in Eurasia.

Critical-point nuclei

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Clark, R.M.

2004-01-01

It has been suggested that a change of nuclear shape may be described in terms of a phase transition and that specific nuclei may lie close to the critical point of the transition. Analytical descriptions of such critical-point nuclei have been introduced recently and they are described briefly. The results of extensive searches for possible examples of critical-point behavior are presented. Alternative pictures, such as describing bands in the candidate nuclei using simple ΔK = 0 and ΔK = 2 rotational-coupling models, are discussed, and the limitations of the different approaches highlighted. A possible critical-point description of the transition from a vibrational to rotational pairing phase is suggested

Elvis to Eminem: quantifying the price of fame through early mortality of European and North American rock and pop stars.

Science.gov (United States)

Bellis, Mark A; Hennell, Tom; Lushey, Clare; Hughes, Karen; Tocque, Karen; Ashton, John R

2007-10-01

Rock and pop stars are frequently characterised as indulging in high-risk behaviours, with high-profile deaths amongst such musicians creating an impression of premature mortality. However, studies to date have not quantified differences between mortality experienced by such stars and general populations. This study measures survival rates of famous musicians (n = 1064) from their point of fame and compares them to matched general populations in North America and Europe. We describe and utilise a novel actuarial survival methodology which allows quantification of excess post-fame mortality in pop stars. Individuals from North America and Europe performing on any album in the All-Time Top 1000 albums from the music genres rock, punk, rap, R&B, electronica and new age. From 3 to 25 years post fame, both North American and European pop stars experience significantly higher mortality (more than 1.7 times) than demographically matched populations in the USA and UK, respectively. After 25 years of fame, relative mortality in European (but not North American) pop stars begins to return to population levels. Five-year post-fame survival rates suggest differential mortality between stars and general populations was greater in those reaching fame before 1980. Pop stars can suffer high levels of stress in environments where alcohol and drugs are widely available, leading to health-damaging risk behaviour. However, their behaviour can also influence would-be stars and devoted fans. Collaborations between health and music industries should focus on improving both pop star health and their image as role models to wider populations.

2015 Easter bolide over North Hungary

Science.gov (United States)

Hegedüs, T.; Csizmadia, S.; Zelkó, Z.; Kereszty, Z.; Bíró, Z.

2015-01-01

On Easter Monday, April 6, 2015, at UTC 17h31m (near sunset) there was a bright (peak magnitude -12 ~ -14) bolide which also produced a sonic boom, over North Hungary, close to Miskolc, above the Bükk mountains. The event was witnessed by many people, and recorded by several car dashboard-, meteorological and all sky cameras from as far away as Farád (North-West Hungary) and Görbeháza (North-East Hungary). Unfortunately, with the event having occurred only a few minutes after sunset, the sky was still bright and therefore the Hungarian Video meteor network cameras were not yet operating. Our team has collected and re-calibrated as much video and photo material as possible. Since there were very few direct images of the bolide itself, but more photos and videos of the persistent train left behind, these latter images were also used, in certain circumstances, in our calculations. The deduced final atmospheric path and heliocentric orbit are presented, along with the estimation of the errors.

Environmental Info for North Dakota

Science.gov (United States)

This page contains information about air and water in North Dakota, including state implementation programs (SIPs), air permitting, underground injection control (UIC) and National Pollution Discharge Elimination System (NPDES).

The registration of non-cooperative moving targets laser point cloud in different view point

Science.gov (United States)

Wang, Shuai; Sun, Huayan; Guo, Huichao

2018-01-01

Non-cooperative moving target multi-view cloud registration is the key technology of 3D reconstruction of laser threedimension imaging. The main problem is that the density changes greatly and noise exists under different acquisition conditions of point cloud. In this paper, firstly, the feature descriptor is used to find the most similar point cloud, and then based on the registration algorithm of region segmentation, the geometric structure of the point is extracted by the geometric similarity between point and point, The point cloud is divided into regions based on spectral clustering, feature descriptors are created for each region, searching to find the most similar regions in the most similar point of view cloud, and then aligning the pair of point clouds by aligning their minimum bounding boxes. Repeat the above steps again until registration of all point clouds is completed. Experiments show that this method is insensitive to the density of point clouds and performs well on the noise of laser three-dimension imaging.

Economic Performance and North Korean Regime Legitimacy

Science.gov (United States)

2014-06-01

As Cha and Anderson note, free markets have become the reliable means of survival in North Korea and these “markets create entrepreneurship , and... entrepreneurship creates an individualist way of thinking alien to the government.”9 If this case is true, the regime’s demise could very well be at...deep sense of guilt, thus giving Kim a tighter psychological control over the North Korea people. Kim Il-sung successfully transformed himself into

North Slope (Wahluke Slope) expedited response action cleanup plan

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

1994-02-01

The purpose of this action is to mitigate any threat to public health and the environment from hazards on the North Slope and meet the expedited response action (ERA) objective of cleanup to a degree requiring no further action. The ERA may be the final remediation of the 100-I-3 Operable Unit. A No Action record of decision (ROD) may be issued after remediation completion. The US Department of Energy (DOE) currently owns or administers approximately 140 mi{sup 2} (about 90,000 acres) of land north and east of the Columbia River (referred to as the North Slope) that is part of the Hanford Site. The North Slope, also commonly known as the Wahluke Slope, was not used for plutonium production or support facilities; it was used for military air defense of the Hanford Site and vicinity. The North Slope contained seven antiaircraft gun emplacements and three Nike-Ajax missile positions. These military positions were vacated in 1960--1961 as the defense requirements at Hanford changed. They were demolished in 1974. Prior to government control in 1943, the North Slope was homesteaded. Since the initiation of this ERA in the summer of 1992, DOE signed the modified Hanford Federal Agreement and Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement) with the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in which a milestone was set to complete remediation activities and a draft closeout report by October 1994. Remediation activities will make the North Slope area available for future non-DOE uses. Thirty-nine sites have undergone limited characterization to determine if significant environmental hazards exist. This plan documents the results of that characterization and evaluates the potential remediation alternatives.

North Slope (Wahluke Slope) expedited response action cleanup plan

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

1994-02-01

The purpose of this action is to mitigate any threat to public health and the environment from hazards on the North Slope and meet the expedited response action (ERA) objective of cleanup to a degree requiring no further action. The ERA may be the final remediation of the 100-I-3 Operable Unit. A No Action record of decision (ROD) may be issued after remediation completion. The US Department of Energy (DOE) currently owns or administers approximately 140 mi 2 (about 90,000 acres) of land north and east of the Columbia River (referred to as the North Slope) that is part of the Hanford Site. The North Slope, also commonly known as the Wahluke Slope, was not used for plutonium production or support facilities; it was used for military air defense of the Hanford Site and vicinity. The North Slope contained seven antiaircraft gun emplacements and three Nike-Ajax missile positions. These military positions were vacated in 1960--1961 as the defense requirements at Hanford changed. They were demolished in 1974. Prior to government control in 1943, the North Slope was homesteaded. Since the initiation of this ERA in the summer of 1992, DOE signed the modified Hanford Federal Agreement and Consent Order (Tri-Party Agreement) with the Washington Department of Ecology (Ecology) and the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), in which a milestone was set to complete remediation activities and a draft closeout report by October 1994. Remediation activities will make the North Slope area available for future non-DOE uses. Thirty-nine sites have undergone limited characterization to determine if significant environmental hazards exist. This plan documents the results of that characterization and evaluates the potential remediation alternatives

Vertical nutrient fluxes, turbulence and the distribution of chlorophyll a in the north-eastern North Sea

Science.gov (United States)

Bendtsen, Jørgen; Richardson, Katherine

2017-04-01

During summer the northern North Sea is characterized by nutrient rich bottom water masses and nutrient poor surface layers. This explains the distribution of chlorophyll a in the water column where a subsurface maximum, referred to as the deep chlorophyll maximum (DCM), often is present during the growth season. Vertical transport of nutrients between bottom water masses and the well lit surface layer stimulates phytoplankton growth and this generally explains the location of the DCM. However, a more specific understanding of the interplay between vertical transports, nutrient fluxes and phytoplankton abundance is required for identifying the nature of the vertical transport processes, e.g the role of advection versus vertical turbulent diffusion or the role of localized mixing associated with mesoscale eddies. We present results from the VERMIX study in the north-eastern North Sea where nutrients, chlorophyll a and turbulence profiles were measured along five north-south directed transects in July 2016. A high-resolution sampling program, with horizontal distances of 1-10 km between CTD-stations, resolved the horizontal gradients of chlorophyll a across the steep bottom slope from the relatively shallow central North Sea ( 50-80 m) towards the deep Norwegian Trench (>700 m). Low oxygen concentrations in the bottom water masses above the slope indicated enhanced biological production where vertical mixing would stimulate phytoplankton growth around the DCM. Measurements of variable fluorescence (Fv/Fm) showed elevated values in the DCM which demonstrates a higher potential for electron transport in the Photosystem II in the phytoplankton cells, i.e. an indication of nutrient-rich conditions favorable for phytoplankton production. Profiles of the vertical shear and microstructure of temperature and salinity were measured by a VMP-250 turbulence profiler and the vertical diffusion of nutrients was calculated from the estimated vertical turbulent diffusivity and the

Adult Education Faculty and Programs in North America

Science.gov (United States)

Tisdell, Elizabeth J.; Wright, Robin Redmon; Taylor, Edward W.

2016-01-01

This article reports on the findings of a quantitative survey of North American adult education faculty and a textual analysis of websites of adult education graduate programs in North America conducted in the fall of 2013. This study examined background information about adult education faculty and programs; the nature of faculty work interests,…

Case Study: North Laurel High School, London, Kentucky.

Science.gov (United States)

Southern Regional Education Board, Atlanta, GA.

When North Laurel High School, London, Kentucky, opened in Fall 1992, students and teachers entered a new facility and a new era of commitment to excellence for all students. In Spring 1993, North Laurel joined the Southern Regional Education Board's High Schools That Work initiative. The new school replaced the general track and raised graduation…

[Dancing with Pointe Shoes: Characteristics and Assessment Criteria for Pointe Readiness].

Science.gov (United States)

Wanke, Eileen M; Exner-Grave, Elisabeth

2017-12-01

Training with pointe shoes is an integral part of professional dance education and ambitious hobby dancing. Pointe shoes - developed more than hundred years ago and almost unaltered since then - are highly specific and strike a balance between aesthetics, function, protection, and health care. Therefore, pointe readiness should be tested prior to all dance training or career training. Medical specialists are often confronted with this issue. Specific anatomical dance technique-orientated general conditional and coordinative preconditions as well as dance-technical prerequisites must be met by pointe readiness tests in order to keep traumatic injuries or long-term damage at a minimum. In addition to a (training) history, medical counselling sessions have come to include various tests that enable a reliable decision for or against pointe work. This article suggests adequate testing procedures (STT TEST), taking account of professional dancing as well as hobby dancing. © Georg Thieme Verlag KG Stuttgart · New York.

Canadian hydro potential in the North American market

International Nuclear Information System (INIS)

Adams, K.

2002-01-01

Canada's hydro potential in the North American energy market was discussed. Canada is a net exporter of electricity in North America, and since 1990, has exported an average of 28 Terawatt hours/year to the United States. More than 65 per cent of these exports were generated from hydro power plants. It was emphasized that significant reductions in greenhouse gases can be achieved if Canadian hydroelectricity is substituted for coal power generation. It was also noted that although there may not be enough hydro capacity to meet all of North America's energy requirements, development of new large hydro resources in Canada could help meet the growing demand for electricity in the United States. Hydro can also complement other renewable energy sources such as wind and solar. The factors that will determine if Canadian hydropower will contribute to the energy demand are market mechanisms such as greenhouse gas credit trading systems which provide incentive for renewable energy projects. In addition, the existing infrastructure must be expanded both east and west within Canada and north and south between Canada and the United States. 5 figs

Range expansion by Passer montanus in North America

Science.gov (United States)

Burnett, J.L.; Roberts, C.P.; Allen, Craig R.; Brown, M.B.; Moulton, M.P.

2017-01-01

Passer montanus became established in a small area of central North America following its introduction in 1870. P. montanus underwent minimal range expansion in the first 100 years following introduction. However, the North American population of P. montanus is now growing in size and expanding in geographic distribution, having expanded approximately 125 km to the north by 1970. We quantify the distance of spread by P. montanus from its introduction site in the greater St. Louis, Missouri-Illinois, USA area, using distributional (presence) data from the National Audubon Society Christmas Bird Count surveys for the period of 1951 to 2014. Linear regressions of the average annual range center of P. montanus confirmed significant shifts to the north at a rate of 3.3 km/year (P Linear regressions of the linear and angular distance of range center indicates significant northern movement (change in angle of mean range center; P < 0.001) since 1951. Our results quantify the extent of a northward range expansion, and suggesting a probable spread of this species northward.

Wind Powering America: The Next Steps in North Carolina

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Banks, Jennifer L. [North Carolina Solar Center; Scanlin, Dennis [Appalachian State University; Quinlan, Paul [North Carolina Sustainable Energy Association

2013-06-18

The goal of this project is to apply the WPA’s proactive outreach strategy to the problem of educating the public about the likely transmission infrastructure developments concomitant to the significant development of wind energy resources in North Carolina. Given the lead time to develop significant new transmission infrastructure (5-10 years), it is critical to begin this outreach work today, so that wind resources can be developed to adequately meet the 20% by 2030 goal in the mid- to long-term (10-20 years). The project team planned to develop a transmission infrastructure outreach campaign for North Carolina by: (1) convening a utility interest group (UIG) of the North Carolina Wind Working Group (NC WWG) consisting of electric utilities in the state and the Southeast; and (2) expanding outreach to local and state government officials in North Carolina.

Asymmetric response of tropical cyclone activity to global warming over the North Atlantic and western North Pacific from CMIP5 model projections.

Science.gov (United States)

Park, Doo-Sun R; Ho, Chang-Hoi; Chan, Johnny C L; Ha, Kyung-Ja; Kim, Hyeong-Seog; Kim, Jinwon; Kim, Joo-Hong

2017-01-30

Recent improvements in the theoretical understanding of the relationship between tropical cyclones (TCs) and their large-scale environments have resulted in significant improvements in the skill for forecasting TC activity at daily and seasonal time-scales. However, future changes in TC activity under a warmer climate remain uncertain, particularly in terms of TC genesis locations and subsequent pathways. Applying a track-pattern-based statistical model to 22 Coupled Model Intercomparison Project Phase 5 (CMIP5) model runs for the historical period and the future period corresponding to the Representative Concentration Pathway 8.5 emissions scenarios, this study shows that in future climate conditions, TC passage frequency will decrease over the North Atlantic, particularly in the Gulf of Mexico, but will increase over the western North Pacific, especially that hits Korea and Japan. Unlike previous studies based on fine-resolution models, an ensemble mean of CMIP5 models projects an increase in TC activity in the western North Pacific, which is owing to enhanced subtropical deep convection and favorable dynamic conditions therein in conjunction with the expansion of the tropics and vice versa for the North Atlantic. Our results suggest that North America will experience less TC landfalls, while northeast Asia will experience more TCs than in the present-day climate.

Discordant Early Miocene palaeomagnetic directions at the vicinity of the North Aegean Trough: tectonic or palaeofield feature?

Science.gov (United States)

Kontopoulou, D.; Valet, J. P.; Zananiri, I.; Voidomatis, P.

2017-12-01

The North Aegean Trough (N.A.T) is a major tectonic feature of North Aegean Sea. This is a large NE-SW transcurrent lineament that is interpreted as the continuation of the North Anatolian Fault, with a prominent dextral strike-slip motion. IAn intense igneous activity has developed along the N.A.T to its north through the presence of abundant plutonism and volcanism from Early Oligocene to Pliocene. A considerable amount of palaeomagnetic data display a systematic pattern of clockwise rotations with angles varying between 20°-40° since the Early Oligocene. In order to document the impact of the N.A.T to regional rotations, early Miocene lava flows have been extensively sampled in the islands of Samothrace and Lemnos located to the north and south of N.A.T, respectively. Two sets of directions have been defined from the palaeomagnetic studies. The first one corresponds to the expected North-East declinations with positive inclinations or to reversed South-West declinations with negative inclinations that were previously interpreted as a dextral rotations of this area. The second set, exhibits discordant and apparently erratic directions despite quite acceptable demagnetization behaviour and magnetic characteristics. In order to constrain further these directions we performed new samplings. The new measurements which include Thellier absolute palaeointensity experiments reveal that the intermediate directions are associated with low field values for Samothrace with a transitional field recorded between 21 and 17 Ma. The presence of single magnetization component and the variability of the lavas do not favor the possibility of self-reversal mechanisms. The consistency of the directions within each flow but also between lava flows of comparable ages in the two islands and the presence of normal and reverse polarities point to records of transitional directions. In both islands, the intermediate virtual geomagnetic poles exhibit a preference for equatorial latitudes

ECONOMY OF THE NORTH AND NATIONAL SAFETY OF RUSSIA

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

V.N. Lazhentsev

2008-09-01

Full Text Available It is shown, that national safety of Russia with reference to the North in many respects is determined natural-historical, commercial and industrial, infrastructural and defensive by factors. It is proved, that one of dangerous threat of national safety is increasing export of resources of the North which essentially constrains formation of a home market. The author marks, that infrastructural aspects of national safety and food safety of Russia are connected to same problem. The problems of the North are systematized and the order of their decision is determined.

North Korea and Support to Terrorism: An Evolving History

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Bruce E. Bechtol, Jr.

2010-01-01

Full Text Available The DPRK's (Democratic People's Republic of Korea or North Korea support for terrorism began as an ideologically-based policy financed by the Soviet Union that eventually led to a policy designed to put money into the coffers of the elite in Pyongyang—in short, a "proliferation for hire" policy. This article articulates a brief history of the North Korean regime, the rise to power of Kim Il-sung and his son, Kim Jong-il, and North Korea's persistent support to terrorist groups around the globe.

Comparison of Dose When Prescribed to Point A and Point H for Brachytherapy in Cervical Cancer

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Gang, Ji Hyeong; Gim, Il Hwan; Hwang, Seon Boong; Kim, Woong; Im, Hyeong Seo; Gang, Jin Mook; Gim, Gi Hwan; Lee, Ah Ram [Dept. of Radiation Oncology, Korea Institute of Radiological and Medical Sciences, Seou (Korea, Republic of)

2012-09-15

The purpose of this study is to compare plans prescribed to point A with these prescribed to point H recommended by ABS (American Brachytherapy Society) in high dose rate intracavitary brachytherapy for cervical carcinoma. This study selected 103 patients who received HDR (High Dose Rate) brachytherapy using tandem and ovoids from March 2010 to January 2012. Point A, bladder point, and rectal point conform with Manchester System. Point H conforms with ABS recommendation. Also Sigmoid colon point, and vagina point were established arbitrarily. We examined distance between point A and point H. The percent dose at point A was calculated when 100% dose was prescribed to point H. Additionally, the percent dose at each reference points when dose is prescribed to point H and point A were calculated. The relative dose at point A was lower when point H was located inferior to point A. The relative doses at bladder, rectal, sigmoid colon, and vagina points were higher when point H was located superior to point A, and lower when point H was located inferior to point A. This study found out that as point H got located much superior to point A, the absorbed dose of surrounding normal organs became higher, and as point H got located much inferior to point A, the absorbed dose of surrounding normal organs became lower. This differences dose not seem to affect the treatment. However, we suggest this new point is worth being considered for the treatment of HDR if dose distribution and absorbed dose at normal organs have large differences between prescribed to point A and H.

Genomic Ancestry of North Africans Supports Back-to-Africa Migrations

Science.gov (United States)

Gravel, Simon; Wang, Wei; Brisbin, Abra; Byrnes, Jake K.; Fadhlaoui-Zid, Karima; Zalloua, Pierre A.; Moreno-Estrada, Andres; Bertranpetit, Jaume; Bustamante, Carlos D.; Comas, David

2012-01-01

North African populations are distinct from sub-Saharan Africans based on cultural, linguistic, and phenotypic attributes; however, the time and the extent of genetic divergence between populations north and south of the Sahara remain poorly understood. Here, we interrogate the multilayered history of North Africa by characterizing the effect of hypothesized migrations from the Near East, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa on current genetic diversity. We present dense, genome-wide SNP genotyping array data (730,000 sites) from seven North African populations, spanning from Egypt to Morocco, and one Spanish population. We identify a gradient of likely autochthonous Maghrebi ancestry that increases from east to west across northern Africa; this ancestry is likely derived from “back-to-Africa” gene flow more than 12,000 years ago (ya), prior to the Holocene. The indigenous North African ancestry is more frequent in populations with historical Berber ethnicity. In most North African populations we also see substantial shared ancestry with the Near East, and to a lesser extent sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. To estimate the time of migration from sub-Saharan populations into North Africa, we implement a maximum likelihood dating method based on the distribution of migrant tracts. In order to first identify migrant tracts, we assign local ancestry to haplotypes using a novel, principal component-based analysis of three ancestral populations. We estimate that a migration of western African origin into Morocco began about 40 generations ago (approximately 1,200 ya); a migration of individuals with Nilotic ancestry into Egypt occurred about 25 generations ago (approximately 750 ya). Our genomic data reveal an extraordinarily complex history of migrations, involving at least five ancestral populations, into North Africa. PMID:22253600

Genomic ancestry of North Africans supports back-to-Africa migrations.

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Brenna M Henn

2012-01-01

Full Text Available North African populations are distinct from sub-Saharan Africans based on cultural, linguistic, and phenotypic attributes; however, the time and the extent of genetic divergence between populations north and south of the Sahara remain poorly understood. Here, we interrogate the multilayered history of North Africa by characterizing the effect of hypothesized migrations from the Near East, Europe, and sub-Saharan Africa on current genetic diversity. We present dense, genome-wide SNP genotyping array data (730,000 sites from seven North African populations, spanning from Egypt to Morocco, and one Spanish population. We identify a gradient of likely autochthonous Maghrebi ancestry that increases from east to west across northern Africa; this ancestry is likely derived from "back-to-Africa" gene flow more than 12,000 years ago (ya, prior to the Holocene. The indigenous North African ancestry is more frequent in populations with historical Berber ethnicity. In most North African populations we also see substantial shared ancestry with the Near East, and to a lesser extent sub-Saharan Africa and Europe. To estimate the time of migration from sub-Saharan populations into North Africa, we implement a maximum likelihood dating method based on the distribution of migrant tracts. In order to first identify migrant tracts, we assign local ancestry to haplotypes using a novel, principal component-based analysis of three ancestral populations. We estimate that a migration of western African origin into Morocco began about 40 generations ago (approximately 1,200 ya; a migration of individuals with Nilotic ancestry into Egypt occurred about 25 generations ago (approximately 750 ya. Our genomic data reveal an extraordinarily complex history of migrations, involving at least five ancestral populations, into North Africa.

Wind fluctuations over the North Sea

DEFF Research Database (Denmark)

Vincent, Claire Louise; Pinson, Pierre; Giebel, Gregor

2011-01-01

Climatological patterns in wind speed fluctuations with periods of 1 min to 10 h are analysed using data from a meteorological mast in the Danish North Sea. Fluctuations on these time scales are of particular relevance to the effective management of the power supply from large wind farms. The Hil......Climatological patterns in wind speed fluctuations with periods of 1 min to 10 h are analysed using data from a meteorological mast in the Danish North Sea. Fluctuations on these time scales are of particular relevance to the effective management of the power supply from large wind farms...

Tender moments in the North Sea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Fox, C

1991-04-01

Described is tender-assisted drilling (TAD) on the UK North Sea Gannet field. The Gannet field is developed by Shell UK Exploration and Production (Shell Expro). In March 1990, Shell Expro awarded Sedco Forex the design and engineering contract to convert the semisubmersible drilling rig Sedco 704 into the Gannet TSV (Tender Support Vessel). The only semisubmersible TSV operation so far to have completed drilling in the North Sea has been in the Norwegian sector. The Odin field, operated by Esso Norge a/s, was developed using the converted drilling rig Treasure Hunter. 1 fig., 1 ill., 3 refs.

NorthPoint Courtesy Services Development and Design Summary

Directory of Open Access Journals (Sweden)

Daniel Cox

2016-11-01

Full Text Available As we address the topic of games on games, we turned our focus towards first-person shooters (FPS, one of the most popular genres of computer game at the moment. Contemporary FPS games populate the genre continuum from realistic (Rainbow Six Siege, ARMA, Insurgency to fantastic (Halo, Bioshock, Destiny. However, no matter the setting or context, a constant of the FPS genre is the horde of nameless non-player characters (NPCs that make up the waves of grunts and cannon fodder for the player character to enact their will against through the affordances provided by the designers. This melding of player will and designer limitations, in the vast majority of instances, results in NPCs being shot and killed with some form of weaponry, thus allowing the player to progress through the game.

Assessment of undiscovered conventional oil and gas resources in the West Korea Bay–North Yellow Sea Basin, North Korea and China, 2017

Science.gov (United States)

Schenk, Christopher J.; Tennyson, Marilyn E.; Mercier, Tracey J.; Hawkins, Sarah J.; Finn, Thomas M.; Gaswirth, Stephanie B.; Marra, Kristen R.; Klett, Timothy R.; Le, Phuong A.; Leathers-Miller, Heidi M.; Woodall, Cheryl A.

2017-07-11

Using a geology-based assessment methodology, the U.S. Geological Survey estimated mean undiscovered, technically recoverable conventional resources of 1.1 billion barrels of oil and 2.2 trillion cubic feet of gas in the West Korea Bay–North Yellow Sea Basin, North Korea and China.

Regional cenozoic uplift and subsidence events in the southeastern North Sea

Energy Technology Data Exchange (ETDEWEB)

Jordt, H.

1995-12-31

The Paleocene topography of the Fennoscandian Shield is indicated by outbuilding towards the Central Trough and the Ringkoebing-Fyn High. From Eocene until Pliocene time three events of relative vertical movements are indicated by changes in outbuilding directions and reflection termination patterns in the central North Sea. The firs event of uplift was in the Eocene and resulted in relative uplift of the Mid North Sea High and contemporary subsidence east of it, indicated by a change in outbuilding from north to west. A second event of uplift is indicated to the north of the study area at the Eocene-Oligocene boundary by renewed southward outbuilding in the Norwegian-Danish Basin. In Miocene until Early Pliocene time a relatively stationary, almost east-west striking, basin margin was probably located to the north along the Tornquist Zone as indicated by the continued outbuilding towards the Ringkoebing-Fyn High. A third event of relative uplift is indicated east of the study area by changes in the Pliocene outbuilding pattern. After the first event of uplift it appears that the deepest parts of the Eocene North Sea Basin was located more easterly than the deepest part are today. Apparently the two latest uplift events north and east of the study area were related to movements of, or along the Tornquist Zone or to regional uplift of the Fennoscandian Shield finally resulting in the present-day configuration of the North Sea. (au) 11 refs.

GoNorth! - An Adventure Learning Case Study

Science.gov (United States)

Porsild, M.; Doering, A.; Pregont, P.

2008-12-01

GoNorth! is an adventure learning series developed at the University of Minnesota in collaboration with NOMADS Online Expeditions. GoNorth! uses real-time experiences of dogsled expeditions on a multimedia saturated website at http://www.PolarHusky.com to motivate and engage millions of K-12 students and teachers. The program is free and research (Doering & Veletsianos, 2007) shows that it can be adopted by any teacher who signs up to use the program. It is currently utilized in 3400+ classrooms across the 50 US States and in 29 countries worldwide. Research (Doering & Veletsianos, 2007; 2008) notes that students working with GoNorth! are excited, motivated, and eager to engage with authentic tasks, solve real-world problems, collaborate with colleagues and experts, and initiate actions in their own community. Our team of educators, scientists and explorers circumnavigate the Arctic traveling by dog team to a new Arctic locale every year. Driven by an environmental question of particular relevance to the given Arctic region, each year a comprehensive natural and social science GoNorth! Curriculum & Activity Guide (450+ pages) is developed reflecting the expedition's current Arctic locale and its indigenous culture. The associated online learning environment delivers comprehensive resources about the region of travel, collaborative opportunities, live field updates and field research findings synched real-time to the curriculum. Field research relevant to understanding patterns of climate change and polar science is conducted with independent researchers featured as "Cool GoNorth! Scientists." Collaborations span from scientists at NASA and the United States Department of Agriculture to student observers in pan-Arctic communities as part of the NSF-supported initiative "What Is Climate Change to You?." This scientific research and fieldwork in turn coincides with the curriculum. The result is a community of learners on the Internet gaining knowledge from Arctic