scholarly journals Development of the British Antarctic Survey Rapid Access Isotope Drill

2019 ◽  
Vol 65 (250) ◽  
pp. 288-298 ◽  
Author(s):  
JULIUS RIX ◽  
ROBERT MULVANEY ◽  
JIALIN HONG ◽  
DAN ASHURST
Keyword(s):  
Ice Core ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
New Class ◽  
Future Developments ◽  
British Antarctic Survey ◽  
Rapid Access ◽  
Current State ◽  
Water Stable Isotope ◽  
Drilling Time

ABSTRACTThe British Antarctic Survey Rapid Access Isotope Drill is an innovative new class of electromechanical ice drill, which has recently been used to drill the deepest dry hole drilled by an electromechanical auger drill. The record-breaking depth of 461.58 m was drilled in just over 104 hours at Little Dome C. The drill collects ice chippings, for water stable isotope analysis, rather than an ice core. By not collecting a core the winch can be geared for speed rather than core breaking and is lightweight. Furthermore, emptying of the chippings is performed by simply reversing the drill motor on the surface reducing the overall drilling time significantly. The borehole is then available for instrumentation. We describe the drill in its current state including modifications carried out since it was last deployed. Test seasons and the lessons learned from each are outlined. Finally, future developments for this class of drill are discussed.

scholarly journals Ice drilling on Skytrain Ice Rise and Sherman Island, Antarctica

2021 ◽  
pp. 1-13
Author(s):  
Robert Mulvaney ◽  
Julius Rix ◽  
Scott Polfrey ◽  
Mackenzie Grieman ◽  
Carlos Martìn ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Ice Core ◽  
Ice Sheet ◽  
Weddell Sea ◽  
British Antarctic Survey ◽  
Rapid Access ◽  
James Ross Island

Abstract To understand the long-term climate and glaciological evolution of the ice sheet in the region bordering the Weddell Sea, the British Antarctic Survey has undertaken a series of successful ice core projects drilling to bedrock on Berkner Island, James Ross Island and the Fletcher Promontory. A new project, WACSWAIN, seeks to increase this knowledge by further drilling to bedrock on two further ice rises in this region. In a single-season project, an ice core was recovered to bedrock at 651 m on Skytrain Ice Rise using an ice core drill in a fluid-filled borehole. In a second season, a rapid access drill was used to recover ice chips to 323 m on Sherman Island in a dry borehole, though failing to reach the bedrock which was at an estimated depth of 428 m.

scholarly journals Modernizing the Toolkit for Arthropod Bloodmeal Identification

Insects ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 37
Author(s):  
Erin M. Borland ◽  
Rebekah C. Kading
Keyword(s):  
Nuclear Dna ◽  
Point Of Care ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Digital Pcr ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Molecular Techniques ◽  
Melting Analysis ◽  
Field Deployment ◽  
Blood Meal Identification ◽  
Bloodmeal Identification

Understanding vertebrate–vector interactions is vitally important for understanding the transmission dynamics of arthropod-vectored pathogens and depends on the ability to accurately identify the vertebrate source of blood-engorged arthropods in field collections using molecular methods. A decade ago, molecular techniques being applied to arthropod blood meal identification were thoroughly reviewed, but there have been significant advancements in the techniques and technologies available since that time. This review highlights the available diagnostic markers in mitochondrial and nuclear DNA and discusses their benefits and shortcomings for use in molecular identification assays. Advances in real-time PCR, high resolution melting analysis, digital PCR, next generation sequencing, microsphere assays, mass spectrometry, and stable isotope analysis each offer novel approaches and advantages to bloodmeal analysis that have gained traction in the field. New, field-forward technologies and platforms have also come into use that offer promising solutions for point-of-care and remote field deployment for rapid bloodmeal source identification. Some of the lessons learned over the last decade, particularly in the fields of DNA barcoding and sequence analysis, are discussed. Though many advancements have been made, technical challenges remain concerning the prevention of sample degradation both by the arthropod before the sample has been obtained and during storage. This review provides a roadmap and guide for those considering modern techniques for arthropod bloodmeal identification and reviews how advances in molecular technology over the past decade have been applied in this unique biomedical context.

Increased adoption of best practices in ecological forecasting enables comparisons of forecastability across systems

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Abigail S. L. Lewis ◽  
Whitney M. Woelmer ◽  
Heather L. Wander ◽  
Dexter W. Howard ◽  
John W. Smith ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Decision Support ◽  
Best Practices ◽  
Forecast Skill ◽  
Robust Analysis ◽  
Ecological Forecasting ◽  
Workflow Automation ◽  
Future Developments ◽  
Current State ◽  
Near Term ◽  
Over Time

Near-term iterative forecasting is a powerful tool for ecological decision support and has the potential to transform our understanding of ecological predictability. However, to this point, there has been no cross-ecosystem analysis of near-term ecological forecasts, making it difficult to synthesize diverse research efforts and prioritize future developments for this emerging field. In this study, we analyzed 178 near-term ecological forecasting papers to understand the development and current state of near-term ecological forecasting literature and compare forecast skill across ecosystems and variables. Our results indicate that near-term ecological forecasting is widespread and growing: forecasts have been produced for sites on all seven continents and the rate of forecast publication is increasing over time. As forecast production has accelerated, a number of best practices have been proposed and application of these best practices is increasing. In particular, data publication, forecast archiving, and workflow automation have all increased significantly over time. However, adoption of proposed best practices remains low overall: for example, despite the fact that uncertainty is often cited as an essential component of an ecological forecast, only 45% of papers included uncertainty in their forecast outputs. As the use of these proposed best practices increases, near-term ecological forecasting has the potential to make significant contributions to our understanding of predictability across scales and variables. In this study, we found that forecast skill decreased in predictable patterns over 1–7 day forecast horizons. Variables that were closely related (i.e., chlorophyll and phytoplankton) displayed very similar trends in predictability, while more distantly related variables (i.e., pollen and evapotranspiration) exhibited significantly different patterns. Increasing use of proposed best practices in ecological forecasting will allow us to examine the forecastability of additional variables and timescales in the future, providing a robust analysis of the fundamental predictability of ecological variables.

Jerzy Topolski’s Marxist Anthropocentrism

2021 ◽  
Vol 15 (3) ◽  
pp. 361-377
Author(s):  
Ewa Domańska ◽  
Paul Vickers
Keyword(s):  
Historical Materialism ◽  
Philosophy Of History ◽  
Marxist Theory ◽  
Collective Agency ◽  
Future Developments ◽  
The Past ◽  
Current State ◽  
The World ◽  
Separate Discipline

Abstract In this article I demonstrate that the ideas outlined in Jerzy Topolski’s Methodology of History (Polish 1968, English translation 1976) could not only offer a reference point for and indeed enrich ongoing debates in the philosophy of history, but also help to set directions for future developments in the field. To support my argument, I focus on two themes addressed in Topolski’s work: 1) the understanding of the methodology of history as a separate discipline and its role both in defending the autonomy of history and in creating an integrated knowledge of the past, which I read here through the lens of the current merging of the humanities and natural sciences; and 2) the role of a Marxist anthropocentrism based on the notion of humans as the creators of history, which I consider here in the context of the ongoing critique of anthropocentrism. I point to the value of continuing to use concepts drawn from Marxist vocabulary, such as alienation, emancipation, exploitation and overdetermination, for interpreting the current state of the world and humanity. I stress that Marxist anthropocentrism, with its support for individual and collective agency, remains crucial to the creation of emancipatory theories and visions of the future, even if it has faced criticism for its Eurocentrism and might seem rather familiar and predictable when viewed in the context of the contemporary humanities. Nevertheless, new manifestations of Marxist theory, in the form of posthumanist Marxism and an interspecies historical materialism that transcends anthropocentrism, might play an important role in redefining the humanities and humanity, including its functions and tasks within human and multispecies communities.

scholarly journals Climate dependent contrast in surface mass balance in East Antarctica over the past 216 ka

2016 ◽  
Vol 62 (236) ◽  
pp. 1037-1048 ◽  
Author(s):  
F. PARRENIN ◽  
S. FUJITA ◽  
A. ABE-OUCHI ◽  
K. KAWAMURA ◽  
V. MASSON-DELMOTTE ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Mass Balance ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Ice Cores ◽  
East Antarctica ◽  
Surface Mass Balance ◽  
Last Interglacial ◽  
Surface Mass ◽  
The Past ◽  
Water Stable Isotope ◽  
Global Mean Sea Level

ABSTRACTDocumenting past changes in the East Antarctic surface mass balance is important to improve ice core chronologies and to constrain the ice-sheet contribution to global mean sea-level change. Here we reconstruct past changes in the ratio of surface mass balance (SMB ratio) between the EPICA Dome C (EDC) and Dome Fuji (DF) East Antarctica ice core sites, based on a precise volcanic synchronization of the two ice cores and on corrections for the vertical thinning of layers. During the past 216 000 a, this SMB ratio, denoted SMBEDC/SMBDF, varied between 0.7 and 1.1, being small during cold periods and large during warm periods. Our results therefore reveal larger amplitudes of changes in SMB at EDC compared with DF, consistent with previous results showing larger amplitudes of changes in water stable isotopes and estimated surface temperature at EDC compared with DF. Within the last glacial inception (Marine Isotope Stages, MIS-5c and MIS-5d), the SMB ratio deviates by up to 0.2 from what is expected based on differences in water stable isotope records. Moreover, the SMB ratio is constant throughout the late parts of the current and last interglacial periods, despite contrasting isotopic trends.

scholarly journals Animal models of listeriosis: a comparative review of the current state of the art and lessons learned

2012 ◽  
Vol 43 (1) ◽  
pp. 18 ◽  
Author(s):  
Karin Hoelzer ◽  
Régis Pouillot ◽  
Sherri Dennis
Keyword(s):  
Animal Models ◽  
State Of The Art ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Current State ◽  
Comparative Review

scholarly journals The Mars Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (MRAMS): Current Status and Future Directions

Atmosphere ◽  
2019 ◽  
Vol 10 (12) ◽  
pp. 747 ◽  
Author(s):  
Scot Rafkin ◽  
Timothy Michaels
Keyword(s):  
Numerical Experiments ◽  
Atmospheric Modeling ◽  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Current Status ◽  
Regional Atmospheric Modeling System ◽  
Future Directions ◽  
Current State ◽  
Development Plans ◽  
Regional Atmospheric Modeling ◽  
Physical Parameterizations

The Mars Regional Atmospheric Modeling System (MRAMS) is closing in on two decades of use as a tool to investigate mesoscale and microscale circulations and dynamics in the atmosphere of Mars. Over this period of time, there have been numerous improvements and additions to the model dynamical core, physical parameterizations, and framework. At the same time, the application of the model to Mars (and related code for other planets) has taught many lessons about limitations and cautions that should be exercised. The current state of MRAMS is described along with a review of prior studies and findings utilizing the model. Where appropriate, lessons learned are provided to help guide future users and aid in the design and interpretation of numerical experiments. The paper concludes with a discussion of future MRAMS development plans.

Bridging the 15 Million Person Mentoring Gap

2010 ◽  
pp. 43-52
Author(s):  
Caroline Kim Oh ◽  
Theresa Stroisch
Keyword(s):  
Lessons Learned ◽  
Mentoring Programs ◽  
Mentoring Program ◽  
Youth Mentoring ◽  
Youth Organizations ◽  
Technology Platform ◽  
New Class ◽  
Start Up ◽  
Isolated Communities ◽  
E Mail

This chapter introduces the history and evolution of iMentor, a NYC-based youth mentoring organization that pioneered the use of guided e-mail communication to enhance the in-person youth mentoring model, and continues to leverage its model and lessons learned to help other groups improve or start up their own mentoring programs. It illustrates how the organization has effectively used technology to add flexibility and structure in its NYC Mentoring Program, engaging a new “class” of program participants: “busy” professionals as mentors and mentees from some of the most economically and geographically isolated communities. It also describes how the organization transformed itself to meet a national demand for its programming by developing and licensing its own mentoring technology platform, iMentor Interactive. The author hopes that by reviewing the experience of iMentor, more mentoring and youth organizations at- large would embrace a thoughtful infusion of technology to positively impact the lives of people they serve. The author, however, strongly believes that the sector must be diligent about adhering to many of the best practices of a good, in-person mentoring program, including screening and monitoring of program participants, providing structure and ongoing assistance.

Water exchange processes estimation in a temperate shallow lake based on water stable isotope analysis

2020 ◽  
Vol 56 (5-6) ◽  
pp. 465-479 ◽  
Author(s):  
Orlando Mauricio Quiroz Londoño ◽  
Asunción Romanelli ◽  
Daniel Emilio Martínez ◽  
Héctor Enrique Massone
Keyword(s):  
Stable Isotope ◽  
Stable Isotope Analysis ◽  
Shallow Lake ◽  
Water Exchange ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Exchange Processes ◽  
Water Stable Isotope

scholarly journals The Vertical Structure of the Antarctic Ice Sheet and Palaeoclimatic Interpretation of the Data (Abstract only)

1982 ◽  
Vol 3 ◽  
pp. 344
Author(s):  
Ye. Korotkevich ◽  
V.N. Petrov ◽  
N.I. Barkov ◽  
V.Ya. Lipenkov
Keyword(s):  
Grain Size ◽  
Ice Core ◽  
Isotope Analysis ◽  
Ice Sheet ◽  
Air Content ◽  
Cross Section Area ◽  
Section Area ◽  
Vostok Station ◽  
The Antarctic ◽  
Gradient Change

The ice core from the 1 415 m Vostok bore hole has been studied. It was found that the ice-grain size increases with depth in the upper 700 m, a sharp gradient change occurring in the 300 to 400 m range. The grain cross-section area at depths of 100, 200, 300, 400, 500, 600, and 700 m was 1.1, 2.0, 1.5, 1.9, 2.6, and 3.3 mm2 respectively. Since grain size is a function of age, and is determined by initial size and growth rate, the latter being exponentially related to ice temperature, an attempt was made to interpret the obtained data in terms of palaeoclimatology. Calculations show that the upper part of the ice sheet (down to 300 m depth) formed during the past 12 ka, and grew under temperatures higher than those at which the lower part of the ice formed, that is ice at 300 to 700 m depth. This conclusion was confirmed by the results of oxygen isotope analysis. The air content of ice at depths 100 to 650, 650 to 850, 850 to 1 100, and 1 100 to 1 400 m reduced to normal conditions was 65, 70, 75, and 70 mm3 g−1 respectively. Calculations suggest that 3 to 30 ka BP the ice-sheet elevation at Vostok station was close to the present one, while 30 to 40, 40 to 55, and 55 to 75 ka BP it was 500, 1 000, and 500 m lower than at present, respectively.

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