The dynamics and impact of compositionally originating provinces in a mantle convection model featuring rheologically obtained plates

SUMMARY Previous geodynamic studies have indicated that the presence of a compositionally anomalous and intrinsically dense (CAID) mantle component can impact both core heat flux and surface features, such as plate velocity, number and size. Implementing spherical annulus geometry mantle convection models, we investigate the influence of intrinsically dense material in the lower mantle on core heat flux and the surface velocity field. The dense component is introduced into a system that features an established plate-like surface velocity field, and subsequently we analyse the evolution of the surface velocity as well as the interior thermal structure of the mantle. The distribution and mobility of the CAID material is investigated by varying its buoyancy ratio relative to the ambient mantle (ranging from 0.7 to 1.5), its total volume (3.5–10 per cent of the mantle volume) and its intrinsic viscosity (0.01–100 times the ambient mantle viscosity). We find at least three distinct distributions of the dense material can occur adjacent to the core–mantle boundary (CMB), including multiple piles of varying topography, a core enveloping layer and two diametrically opposed provinces (which can on occasion break into three distinct piles). The latter distribution mimics the morphology of the seismically observed large low shear wave velocity provinces (LLSVPs) and can occur over the entire range of CAID material viscosities. However, diametrically opposed provinces occur primarily in cases with CAID material buoyancy numbers of 0.7–0.85 (corresponding to contrasts in density between ambient and CAID material of 130 and 160 kg m−3, respectively) in our model (with an effective Rayleigh number of order 106). Steep and high topography piles are also obtained for cases featuring buoyancy ratios of 0.85 and viscosities 10–100 times that of the ambient mantle. An increase in relative density, as well as larger volumes of CAID material, lead to the development of a core enveloping layer. Our findings show that when two provinces are present core heat flux can be reduced by up to 50 per cent relative to cases in which CAID material is absent. Surface deformation quantified by Plateness is minimally influenced by variation of the properties of the dense material. Surface velocity is found to be reduced in general but mostly substantially in cases featuring high CAID material viscosities and large volumes (i.e. 10 per cent) or buoyancy ratios.

Dynamic Tensile Response of Additively Manufactured Ti6Al4V With Embedded Spherical Pores

The dynamic tensile response of additively manufactured (AM) dense and porous Ti6Al4V specimens was investigated under quasi-static and dynamic tension. The porous specimens contained single embedded spherical pores of different diameters. Such artificial spherical pores can mimic the behavior of realistic flaws in the material. It was found that beyond a certain pore diameter (Ø600 μm), the failure is determined according to the pore location, characterized by an abrupt failure and a significant decrease of ductility, while below that diameter, necking and fracture do not occur at the pore. The dynamic tensile mechanical behavior of the additively manufactured dense material was found to be similar to that of the conventional equivalent material, but the ductility to failure of the latter is observed to be higher.

Development and ultrastructure observations of secondary hyphae of Podosphaera leucotricha on apple cultivars of varying susceptibility to powdery mildew

The development and ultrastructure feature of secondary hyphae of Podosphaera leucotricha were studied using light and electron microscopy. The percentage of development and length of secondary hyphae, differed in compatible and incompatible combinations. In compatible host-parasite combinations, hyphal cells of powdery mildew fungus contained a full complement of fungal organelles. There were differences of hyphal ultrastructure in compatible and incompatible host-parasite combinations, the main one was the appearance of dense material inside the nucleus, in the cytoplasm, and a few mitochondria.

Horror Vacui

Nature, Aristotle said, abhors a vacuum. He argued that a vacuum, once formed, would be immediately filled by the dense material surrounding it. Aristotle’s insights into vacuums in the physical world also apply to civil-military relations. Where a vacuum exists in domestic politics because the political parties are weak, unstable, or underdeveloped, the dense material that is the military may fill the void by staging an intervention into domestic politics. But when, as in the July 2016 coup attempt in Turkey, the civilian leaders themselves hold densely concentrated authority—in other words, are powerful, popular, and credible—their attempts to keep the military at bay are far more likely to succeed. Without a vacuum there is no void for the military to fill.

Drosophila PLP forms centriolar-clouds that promote centriole stability, cohesion and MT nucleation

Pericentrin is a conserved centrosomal protein whose dysfunction has been linked to several human diseases. The precise function of Pericentrin, however, is controversial. Here, we examine Drosophila Pericentrin-like- protein (PLP) function in vivo, in tissues that form both centrosomes and cilia. PLP mutant centrioles exhibit four major defects: (1) They are too short and have subtle structural defects; (2) They separate prematurely, and so overduplicate; (3) They organise fewer MTs during interphase; (4) They fail to establish and/or maintain a proper connection to the plasma membrane— although, surprisingly, mutant centrioles can still form an axoneme and recruit transition zone (TZ) proteins. We show that PLP helps to form “ pericentriolar clouds” of electron-dense material that emanate from the central cartwheel spokes and spread outward to surround the mother centriole. The partial loss of these structures may explain the complex centriole, centrosome and cilium defects we observe in PLP mutant cells.