Benthic invertebrates that form habitat on deep banks off southern California, with special reference to deep sea coral

There is increasing interest in the potential impacts that fishing activities have on megafaunal benthic invertebrates occurring in continental shelf and slope ecosystems. We examined how the structure, size, and high-density aggregations of invertebrates provided structural relief for fishes in continental shelf and slope ecosystems off southern California. We made 112 dives in a submersible at 32−320 m water depth, surveying a variety of habitats from high-relief rock to flat sand and mud. Using quantitative video transect methods, we made 12,360 observations of 15 structure-form-ing invertebrate taxa and 521,898 individuals. We estimated size and incidence of epizoic animals on 9105 sponges, black corals, and gorgonians. Size variation among structure-form-ing invertebrates was significant and 90% of the individuals were <0.5 m high. Less than 1% of the observations of organisms actually sheltering in or located on invertebrates involved fishes. From the analysis of spatial associations between fishes and large invertebrates, six of 108 fish species were found more often adjacent to invertebrate colonies than the number of fish predicted by the fish-density data from transects. This finding indicates that there may be spatial associations that do not necessarily include physical contact with the sponges and corals. However, the median distances between these six fish species and the invertebrates were not particularly small (1.0−5.5 m). Thus, it is likely that these fishes and invertebrates are present together in the same habitats but that there is not necessarily a functional relationship between these groups of organisms. Regardless of their associations with fishes, these invertebrates provide structure and diversity for continental shelf ecosystems off southern California and certainly deserve the attention of scientists undertaking future conservation efforts.

Interactions Between Platform Terminal Transmitters and Turtle Excluder Devices

Satellite telemetry is a common tool for examining sea turtle movements, and many research programs have successfully tracked adults. Relatively short satellite track durations recorded for juvenile Kemp’s ridley sea turtles, Lepidochelys kempii, in the northwestern Gulf of Mexico raised questions regarding premature transmission loss. We examined interactions between juvenile sea turtles outfitted with platform terminal transmitters (PTT’s) and turtle excluder devices (TED’s) and the potential for transmission loss due to this interaction. A pilot study was conducted with eight 34-month-old, captive-reared loggerhead sea turtles, Caretta caretta; a larger trial the following year used twenty 34-month-olds. Half of the turtles in each trial were outfitted with dummy PTT’s (8×4×2 cm), and all turtles were sent through a trawl equipped with a bottom-opening Super-Shooter TED. No apparent damage was sustained by any PTT, but four of five PTT-outfitted loggerheads encountering the TED carapace-first exhibited increased escape times when the PTT wedged between the TED deflector bars (10.2 cm apart). Overall, 15 loggerheads (54%) impacted the TED carapace-first. Attachment of PTT’s to smaller sea turtles may slow or, in worst cases, inhibit escape from TED’s. Likewise, loose or poorly secured PTT’s could impede escape or be shed during such an interaction. Researchers tracking small turtles in or near regions with trawling activity should consider PTT size and shape and the combined PTT/adhesive profile to minimize potentially detrimental interactions with TED’s.

Forensic Fisheries Science: Literature Review and Research Suggestions

Recent years have seen a dramatic increase in litigation against the National Marine Fisheries Service, NOAA. Litigation may affect personnel throughout the agency, including scientists, whose work is often directly or indirectly influenced by complex legal requirements, but who may not be in a position to comment or engage in public dialogue. It may be helpful for scientists and other agency personnel to join the ongoing discussion in the legal community regarding the interface of science and law. This paper provides a starting point with a selected introduction to relevant legal literature in this area. It uses the phrase “forensic fisheries science” to describe the application of science to legal requirements in the fishery management context. It concludes with suggestions for future research that could assist NMFS scientists as they grapple with the challenge of using science to help the agency meet its complex legal requirements. Forensic: belonging to, used in, or suitable to courts of judicature or to public discussion and debate; argumentative, rhetorical; relating to or dealing with the application of scientific knowledge to legal problems (Merriam-Webster Online Dictionary )

Mapping the shallow-water coral ecosystems of the Freely Associated States: an implementation plan

This Freely Associated States Shallow-water Coral Ecosystem Mapping Implementation Plan (FAS MIP) presents a framework for the development of shallow-water (~0–40 m; 0–22 fm) benthic habitat and possibly bathymetric maps of critical areas of the Freely Associated States (FAS). The FAS is made up of three self-governing groups of islands and atolls—the Republic of Palau (Palau), the Federated States of Micronesia (FSM), and the Republic of the Marshall Islands (RMI)—that are affiliated with the United States through Compacts of Free Association. This MIP was developed with extensive input from colleges, national and state regulatory and management agencies, federal agencies, non-governmental organizations, and individuals involved in or supporting the conservation and management of the FAS’s coral ecosystems. A list of organizations and individuals that provided input to the development of this MIP is provided in Appendix 1. This MIP has been developed to complement the Coral Reef Mapping Implementation Plan (2nd Draft) released in 1999 by the U.S. Coral Reef Task Force’s Mapping and Information Synthesis Working Group. That plan focused on mapping United States and FAS shallow-water (then defined as <30 m) coral reefs by 2009, based on available funding and geographic priorities, using primarily visual interpretation of aerial photography and satellite imagery. This MIP focuses on mapping the shallow-water (now defined as 0–40 m, rather than 0–30 m) coral ecosystems of the FAS using a suite of technologies and map development procedures. Both this FAS MIP and the 1999 Coral Reef Mapping Implementation Plan (2nd Draft) support to goals of the National Action Plan to Conserve Coral Reefs (U.S. Coral Reef Task Force, 2000). This FAS MIP presents a framework for mapping the coral ecosystems of the FAS and should be considered an evolving document. As priorities change, funding opportunities arise, new data are collected, and new technologies become available, the information presented herein will change.

Prioritizing county-level well-being: Moving toward assessment of Gulf Coast counties impacted by the Deepwater Horizon Industrial Disaster

To develop a portfolio of indicators and measures that could best measure changes in the social, economic, environmental and health dimensions of well-being in coastal counties we convened a group of experts March 8-9, 2011 in Charleston, SC, U.S.A. The region of interest was of the northern Gulf of Mexico, specifically, those coastal counties most impacted during the explosion and subsequent oil spill from the Macondo Prospect wellhead during the summer of 2010. Over the course of the two-day workshop participants moved through presentations and facilitated sessions to identify and prioritize potential indicators and measures deemed most valuable for capturing changes in well-being related to changes in or disruption of ecosystem services. The experts reached consensus on a list of indicators that are now being operationalized by NOAA researchers. The ultimate goal of this research project is to determine whether a meaningful set of social and economic indicators can be developed to document changes in well-being that occur as a result of changes in ecosystem services. The outcomes and outputs from the workshop that is the subject of this report helped us to identify high-quality indicators useful for measuring well-being.

Effects of multistage coupling and disk flexibility on mistuned bladed disk dynamics

The effects ofdisk flexibility and multistage coupling on the dynamics of bladed disks with and without blade mistuning are investigated. Both free and forced responses are examined using finite element representations of example single and two-stage rotor models. The reported work demonstrates the importance of proper treatment of interstage (stage-to-stage) boundaries in order to yield adequate capture of disk-blade modal interaction in eigenfrequency veering regions. The modified disk-blade modal interactions resulting from interstage-coupling-induced changes in disk flexibility are found to have a significant impact on (a) tuned responses due to excitations passing through eigenfrequency veering regions, and (b) a design's sensitivity to blade mistuning. Hence, the findings in this paper suggest that multistage analyses may be required when excitations are expected to fall in or near eigenfrequency veering regions or when the sensitivity to blade mistuning is to be accounted for Conversely, the observed sensitivity to disk flexibility also indicates that the severity of unfavorable structural interblade coupling may be reduced significantly by redesigning the disk(s) and stage-to-stage connectivity. The relatively drastic effects of such modifications illustrated in this work indicate that the design modifications required to alleviate veering-related response problems may be less comprehensive than what might have been expected.

Study on the forecast effects of PI method to the north and southwest China

In this paper, the codes of Pattern Informatics (PI) method put forward by Rundle et al. have been worked out according to their algorithm published, and the retrospective forecast of PI method to North China (28.0 degrees-42.0 degrees N, 108.0 degrees-125.0 degrees E) and to Southwest China (22.0 degrees-28.3 degrees N, 98.0 degrees-106.0 degrees E) has been tested. The results show that the hit rates in different regions show a great difference. In Southwest China, 32 earthquakes with M(L)5.0 or larger have occurred during the predicted time period 2000-2007, and 26 out of the 32 earthquakes occurred in or near the hot spots. In North China, the total number of M(L)5.0 or larger was 12 during the predicted time period 2000-2007, and only 3 out of the 12 earthquakes occurred in or near the hot spots. From our results, we hold that if the PI method could be applied to all kinds of regions, the parameters associated with time points and time windows should be chosen carefully to obtain the higher hit rate. We also found that the aftershocks in a strong earthquake sequence affect the PI results obviously. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

Study on the forecast effects of PI method to the north and southwest China

In this paper, the codes of Pattern Informatics (PI) method put forward by Rundle et al. have been worked out according to their algorithm published, and the retrospective forecast of PI method to North China (28.0 degrees-42.0 degrees N, 108.0 degrees-125.0 degrees E) and to Southwest China (22.0 degrees-28.3 degrees N, 98.0 degrees-106.0 degrees E) has been tested. The results show that the hit rates in different regions show a great difference. In Southwest China, 32 earthquakes with M(L)5.0 or larger have occurred during the predicted time period 2000-2007, and 26 out of the 32 earthquakes occurred in or near the hot spots. In North China, the total number of M(L)5.0 or larger was 12 during the predicted time period 2000-2007, and only 3 out of the 12 earthquakes occurred in or near the hot spots. From our results, we hold that if the PI method could be applied to all kinds of regions, the parameters associated with time points and time windows should be chosen carefully to obtain the higher hit rate. We also found that the aftershocks in a strong earthquake sequence affect the PI results obviously. Copyright (c) 2009 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.

HIRFL剥离器后切束线物理设计

HIRFL is a tandem cyclotron complex for heavy ion. On the beam line between SFC and SSC, there is a stripper. Behind it, the distribution of charge states of beam is a Gauss distribution. The equilibrium charge state Q_0 is selected by 1BO2(a 50° dipole behind the stripper) and delivered to SSC. One of two new small beam line (named SLAS) after 1B02 will be builded in or der to split and deliver the unused ions of charge states (Q_0 ± n) to aspecific experimental area. Q_0 ± n ions are septumed and separated from initial(Q_0) ion beam by two septum magnets SM1, SM2. The charge state selected by SM1 will be Q_0 ± 1(6 ≤ Q_0 < 17), Q_0 ± 2(17 ≤ Q_0 < 33) and Q_0 ± 3 (Q_0 ≥ 33) forming a beam in one of the two possine new beam line with the stripping energy of (0.2 to 9.83 Mev/A), an emittance of 10π mm.mrad in the two transverse planes and an intensity ranging from 10~(11) pps for z ≤ 10 to some 10~5 pps for the heaviest element. Behind SM2, a few transport elements (three dipoles and seven qudrupoles) tra nsport Q_0 ± n beam to target positions T1, T2 (see fig. 1) and generate small beam spots (φ ≤ 4mm, φ ≤ 6mm). The optics design of the beam line has been done based on SLAC-75 (a first and second - order matrix theory). beam optics calculation has been worked out with the TRANSPORT program. The design is a very economical thinking, because without building a new accelerator we can obtain a lower energy heavy ion beam to provide for a lot of atomic and solid state physical experiments

地下水位上升造成的黄土远程滑坡形成机理与数值模拟研究

Based on field survey, laboratory testing and numerical modeling, engineering characteristics of undisturbed loess and the mechanism of long-runout loess landslides caused by underground water level rise, as well as the formation conditions and spatial distribution of landslides, are systematically studied and analyzed. Loess landslides at south Plateau of Jingyang County are mainly classified as flowslide, slide and fall. Flowslide is the main type characteristic of high velocity, long runout and multi-stages. The steep relief composed of loose structured loess-old aged soil serials and the rise of groundwater table are the predominant conditions for landslides in the study area. To study loess mechanic poperties and loess landslides mechanisims, isotropically and anisotropically consolidated undrained compression(ICU and ACU) tests and constant-deviator-drained compression (CQD) tests were carried out on undisturbed samples. The results of undrained compression tests performed at the in-situ stress level show that the soils are of consistently strain-softening in the stress-strain relations and cause high excess pore pressure. The steady-state line and the potential region of instability are obtained from ICU and ACU test results. A necessary condition for liquefaction is that the soil state initially lies in or is brought into the potential instability region. In addition, a strong strain-softening model is also formed. CQD tests demonstrate that the mobilized friction angle is far less than the steady-state angle and that the soil experiences undrained contractive failure suddenly at very small strains when its stress path during drained loading tries to cross the potential instability region，thus validates the proposed instability region. Based on the location of the region of potential instability and the stress state of slope soil, a method of static liquefaction analysis is proposed for loess landslides caused by rise in groundwater table. Compared with other liquefaction analysis methods, this method overcomes the limitations inherent in conventional slope stability method and undrained brittleness index method. Triaxial tests composed of constant water content (CW) and wetting tests at constant deviator stress are performed on undisturbed unsaturated samples. The stress-strain relation of CW tests takes on strain-hardening behavior; The results of wetting tests at constant deviator stress designed to study the mechanics of failure of unsaturated loess caused by an increase in the degree of saturation (wetting) shows that a contractive failure occurs in the undisturbed samples. On the basis of the above triaxial test results, the initiation of static liquefaction is presented for long-runout loess landslides caused by rise in groundwater table, that is, the loess slope soil gradually transfer from unsaturated to saturated state under the infiltration of irrigation. A contractive failure occurs in the local region at very small strain by increasing the pore-water pressure at constant deviator stresses under drained conditons. It is the contractive failrue resulting from rise of pore pressure that leads to high excess pore pressure in the neighbour soil which reduces shear resistance of soil. The neighbour soils also fail due to the rapid increase in pore-water pressure. Thus a connected failure surface is developed quickly and a flowslide occurs. Based on the saturated-unsaturated seepage theory, transient seepage is computed using the finite element method on loess slope under groundwater table rise. Pore-water pressure distribution for every time step after irrigation are obtained. The phreatic surface in the slope increases with the groundwater table. Pore-water pressure distribution within 8m above the phreatic surface changes very quickly，but the water content and pore water pressure in the region ranging from 8m above the phreatic surface up to ground surface is almost not affected and the matric suction usually is kept at 100～120 kPa. Based on the results of laboratory tests and seepage flow analysis, the development process of loess landslide is modeled considering groundwater table rise. The shearing plastic zone first occurs at the slope toe where the soil is soaked for long term during rise in groundwater table. As irrigation continues, the shearing plastic zone gradually extends to the interior soils, with the results that the tensile plastic zone occurs at the slope crown. As time goes on, both the shearing plastic zone and tensile plastic zone continue to extend. Then a connected plastic zone is formed and fowslide occurs. In comparision to laboratory test results, the results of numerical simulation quite well verify the presented mechanism of static liquefaction of long-runout loess landslides caused by rise in groundwater table.

中国华北和美国加州地区地震层析成像研究

In recent years seismic tomography has become a powerful tool for studying the three-dimensional crust and mantle structure. In this study, we collected a large number of regional and teleseismic travel-time data and used seismic tomography method to study the relationship between earthquake occurrence and crustal heterogeneity for the 1992 Landers earthquake, heterogeneity and evolution of lithosphere under North China Craton and Southern California, and deep structure and origin of the Changbai intraplate volcano in Northeast China. Our results show a correlation between the seismic rupture zone and crustal heterogeneity. The distribution of the Landers aftershocks is cluster-like and separated or terminated in areas where low-velocity anomalies exist．Most of the large earthquakes with magnitudes >4.0 occurred in or around areas with high P-wave velocity．The possibility is that high-velocity areas are brittle and strong parts which can sustain seismogenic stress，and so can generate earthquakes. Our tomographic images show a very heterogeneous structure in the crust and upper mantle beneath Southern California. Three major anomalies in the upper mantle are revealed clearly beneath the southern Sierra Nevada, Transverse Ranges and Salton Trough. We consider that the high-velocity anomaly beneath the Transverse Ranges was formed through asymmetrical two-side convergence of subcrustal lithosphere and sinking to asthenosphere. Formation of the dense crust root and “drip structure” caused the high-velocity anomaly under the southern Sierra Nevada. The Salton Trough low is the response to the lithospheric extension when the Pacific plate was rifted away from the North American Plate. The tomograpic images beneath the North China Craton show that there exist different lithospheric structures under the different blocks. Complex, prominent low-velocity and high-velocity anomalies are imaged beneath the North China Basin, Trans-North China Orogen (TNCO), and Ordos Block which correspond to rifted, orogenic and cratonic lithospheres, respectively. The thickness of the three-type lithospheres is about 70, 90 and >250 km, respectively. Our results suggest that lithospheric thinning under the eastern part of North China Craton is due to long-term replacement and chemical and thermal erosion of the ancient lithosphere by the hot asthenosphere. The remains of ancient lithosphere exist either in the present upper mantle or have sunk into the mantle transition zone. Our tomographic result of the Changbai volcanic area suggests that the origin of the Changbai volcano is related to the deep dehydration of the subducted Pacific slab and corner flow in the big mantle wedge (BMW) above the stagnant Pacific slab.

计算层状介质中电磁场的层矩阵法

As an important branch of electrical prospecting method, the artificial source frequency domain electromagnetism method has received more and more attention. But when conducts the fundamental research, people often isolated study some concrete method, so the research results of one method are very difficult to apply to another method directly. This article will possess the artificial source frequency domain EM method to an 1D model simply. It is stratified medium model, with an electric or magnetic source in or outside of it. Then take the horizontal electric dipole source as an example to introduce how to computing the EM field in stratified medium. Because layer matrix is the key of establishing equations, so we call it the layer-matrix method. The key of layer-matrix method is establishing equations by using layer matrixes in wavenumber(kx, ky, z) domain, then obtains the electromagnetic field value of wavenumber domain. After Fourier transform, we can get electromagnetic field of any position in spatial domain. The layer matrix technique theoretically can calculate electromagnetic field of any position for any source, is suitable for many kinds of electromagnetic method. After introduction of the layer matrix method, this article has done some CSAMT, MCSEM and Wireless Electro-Magnetic Method (WEM) modeling with layer matrix method separately. In CSAMT modeling, we get electromagnetic field dissemination characteristics considering wave number of the air, and obtain three-dimensional distribution characteristics of the electromagnetic field. In MCSEM modeling, we get electromagnetic field dissemination characteristics with and without considering the airwave, and obtain three-dimensional distribution characteristics of electromagnetic field. In WEM modeling, we get electromagnetic field’s difference between considering the ionosphere and not considering it, and recognize the ionosphere’s influence of electromagnetic field. With the layer matrix technique, we have got some new understandings of EM dissemination rules of different situations. All analysis results indicate that the layer-matrix technique is credible and effective, and are worthy of further thorough research and development.

Most Haunted and the Convergence of Traditional Belief and Popular Television

Koven, M. (2007). Most Haunted and the Convergence of Traditional Belief and Popular Television. Folklore. 118(2), pp.183-202. RAE2008

I am a Child. Hypothesis on Spectator Pedagogy

The paper consists of series of suggestions and historical references on the basis of which it would become possible to think and practice „spectator pedagogy” in performing arts. Contemporary performance practices can claim for new kind of political relevance by focusing on the way spectator´s corporeal experience changes during and through theatrical situation. Naive body produced by a performance is also most susceptible for thoroughgoing political and ecological change. This is the first outline by its author on this topic.

Spinoza on method and freedom

The thesis as a whole argues that Spinoza’s Ethics in both method and content is aimed at the normal, partly rational person. Chapter 1 is on Spinoza’s writing style, finding that rather than being arid and technical, it aims to convince the reader by means of various rhetorical techniques, so does not assume an already rational reader. The following chapters of Part 1 examine whether the Ethics’ use of the synthetic geometric method exposes it to Descartes’ critique of that method in the “Second Replies” to his Meditations, that it is not suitable for pedagogy. This involves a consideration of the role of the TIE, finding in that early text not the analytic wing of a two-part analytic-synthetic method, but rather a defence and necessitation of a stand-alone synthetic method. Part 2 of the thesis develops this study of Spinoza’s writing for the common man to consider whether he is writing about the common man. This is done by examining one of the seemingly most abstract propositions in the Ethics, 4P72, which claims that a free man will not deceive even to save his own life. The study examines who exactly is this “free man” and what is his role in the Ethics. The study looks at the examples of free men in the TTP and at the concept of the model in the Ethics, and finds that rather than the free man being an impossible ideal which we can aim at but never achieve, everyone is free to some extent, and that even normal people are at times “the free man”.