A Mineralogical Study of a Dravitic Tourmaline from the Grenville Province

Tourmaline from a gem-quality deposit in the Grenville province has been studied with X-ray diffraction, visible-near infrared spectroscopy, Fourier transform infrared spectroscopy, scanning electron microscopy, electron microprobe and optical measurements. The tourmaline is found within tremolite-rich calc-silicate pods hosted in marble of the Central Metasedimentary Belt. The crystals are greenish-greyish-brown and have yielded facetable material up to 2.09 carats in size. Using the classification of Henry et al. 2011 the tourmaline is classified as a dravite, with a representative formula shown to be (Na0.73Ca0.2380.032)(Mg2+2.913Fe2+0.057Ti4+0.030) (Al3+5.787Fe3+0.017Mg2+0.14)(Si6.013O18)(BO3)3(OH)3((OH,O)0.907F0.093). Rietveld analysis of powder diffraction data gives a = 15.9436(8) Å, c = 7.2126(7) Å and a unit cell volume of 1587.8 Å3. A polished thin section was cut perpendicular to the c-axis of one tourmaline crystal, which showed zoning from a dark brown core into a lighter rim into a thin darker rim and back into lighter zonation. Through the geochemical data, three key stages of crystal growth can be seen within this thin section. The first is the core stage which occurs from the dark core to the first colourless zone; the second is from this colourless zone increasing in brown colour to the outer limit before a sudden absence of colour is noted; the third is a sharp change from the end of the second and is entirely colourless. These events are the result of metamorphism and hydrothermal fluids resulting from nearby felsic intrusive plutons. Scanning electron microscope, and electron microprobe traverses across this cross-section revealed that the green colour is the result of iron present throughout the system while the brown colour is correlated with titanium content. Crystal inclusions in the tourmaline of chlorapatite, and zircon were identified by petrographic analysis and confirmed using scanning electron microscope data and occur within the third stage of formation.

Surveillance Studies and the Surveilled Subject

Surveillance studies has been somewhat inattentive to the perspective of the surveilled subject. It is the functioning of the surveillance apparatus, not the relatively inconsequential subject, which has tended to frame the focus of surveillance inquiries; leaving understandings of surveilled subjects’ experiences relatively limited. This research addresses this gap in the literature, exploring ways in which surveillance studies might understand the surveilled subject with greater consistency. Participants (N=47) shared their encounters with and perceptions of surveillance in a specific (Pearson International Airport) and general (everyday life) context through semi-structured interviews. The findings suggest that surveilled subjects’ encounters can be understood with some consistency – characterized by consistent criteria across subjects and contexts, and through a consistent theoretical framework across subjects in a specific context. However, consistency should not be confused with uniformity; encounters with surveillance must also be recognized for the extent to which they are nuanced and situated. For example, as this study also highlights, participants’ perceptions of encounters with surveillance at Pearson International Airport were differentially distributed in relation to identity characteristics (particularly minority status).

Russia's position on the events in Kyrgyzstan (April-June 2010). OSW Commentary No. 38, 2010-07-27

Russia was the first state in the world to de facto recognise the regime change in Kyrgyzstan that took place on 7 April 2010. This recognition, along with a previous campaign by the Russian media against the then President Kurmanbek Bakiyev, has given rise to suspicion that the events of April were provoked by Russia. However, it seems no more than reasonable to say that Russia provided some inspiration and lobbying in that direction. Russia offered support to the new Kyrgyz government almost immediately, albeit conditionally. Russia’s relations with Roza Otunbayeva’s government have been changing in nature; they are currently much cooler than they had been immediately after the coup. There are many indications that this change was a reaction to the extension of the lease agreement for the American military base in the Manas airport. At the same time, Moscow remains in contact with the political rivals to the current regime, which suggests that the Kremlin is preparing for different developments, and does not regard the current crisis as having been fully resolved. Despite the interim government’s plea for help, Russia refused to undertake military intervention in southern Kyrgyzstan, which plunged into ethnic unrest in June. This shows that Russia is wary of being dragged into a long-standing and bloody conflict in the region, which could entail considerable expenses and jeopardise Russia’s authority. It should be expected that after the October parliamentary elections in Kyrgyzstan, Russia will return to its plans to establish a second military base in this country (in addition to the Kant base) to reinforce its dominant position in the region. This is the first time that Russia has had a real chance to play a stabilising role in the CIS area. How Russia copes with this challenge may decide its position in post-Soviet Central Asia – and in a wider context, its relations with NATO, the USA and China.

What prospects for transport infrastructure and impacts on growth in southern and eastern Mediterranean countries? MEDPRO Report No. 3, February 2013

Lack of adequate infrastructure is a significant inhibitor to increased trade of the countries of the Mediterranean region. Bringing their transport infrastructure to standards comparable with countries of a similar per capita GDP will be costly but worthwhile. We compare the current quantities of six types of transport infrastructure with international benchmarks, and estimate the additional quantities needed to reach the benchmarks. We also estimate the cost of that infrastructure and express it as a percentage of GDP. Finally we make tentative estimates of how much trade might be generated and how this might impact on GDP. All the estimates are made for 11 southern and eastern Mediterranean countries (SEMCs) under four scenarios. The greatest need for additional infrastructure is for airport passenger terminals (between 52% and 56%), whereas the least is for more unpaved roads (between 7% and 13%). The investment (including maintenance) cost would be between 0.9% of GDP and 2.4% of GDP, although the investments in some countries would be between 1.4% and 4.5% of GDP. The impact on non-oil international trade would be substantial, but with differences between imports and exports. The overall trade balance of the 11 countries would be an improvement of between 5.4% and 17.2%, although some countries would continue to have a negative balance. A final assessment is made of the benefit ratio between the increase in GDP and the cost of transport investment. This varies between about 3 and 8, an indication of the high return to be expected from increased investment in transport infrastructure.

Sales Market Regulations for Agricultural Land in EU Member States and Candidate Countries. Factor Markets Working Paper No. 14, February 2012

All agricultural markets are subjected to institutional regulations that – in one way or another –affect the functioning of these markets, and this is no different for the agricultural land market in the EU. In this paper, we describe the existing regulations in the sales markets for agricultural land in selected EU member states and candidate countries. The analysis focuses on three types of sales market regulations and institutions: quantity regulations, price regulations and transaction costs. The differences in the regulatory framework between land acquisition and ownership by domestic and foreign investors are analysed, as well as the taxes associated with land sales and ownership, zoning regulations and market imperfections.

Influence of Agricultural Support on Sale Prices of French Farmland: A comparison of different subsidies, accounting for the role of environmental and land regulations. Factor Markets Working Document No. 51, June 2013

This paper investigates the determinants of agricultural land price in several regions in France over the period 1994-2011, using individual plot transaction data, with a particular emphasis on agricultural subsidies and nitrate zoning regulations. It found a positive but relatively small capitalisation effect of the total subsidies per hectare. The data revealed that agricultural subsidies capitalised, at least to some extent, but the magnitude of such a capitalisation depends on the region considered, on the type of subsidy considered, and on the location of the plot in a nitrate surplus zone or not. Only land set-aside premiums significantly capitalise into land price, while single farm payments have a significant positive capitalisation impact only for plots located in a nitrate-surplus zone.

The Role of Environmental and Land Transaction Regulations on Agricultural Land Price: The example of Brittany. Factor Markets Working Document No. 52, June 2013

Using data from individual transactions for the period 1994-2010 in the French NUTS2 region Brittany, the authors investigated how environmental regulations and transaction land regulations influence the price of sold plots. Regressions on three sub-samples of buyers were performed in order to assess whether different buyers have different attitudes or plans regarding the farmland purchased: a sub-sample including only farmer-buyers, a sub-sample including non-farmer individual buyers, and a sub-sample including non-farmer non-individual buyers. Estimations were performed ignoring and accounting for spatial interactions (model SARAR). Results indicate that the price of land decreases when buyers are farmers, that the nitrate surplus area zoning increases the price of land, even more so for farmer-buyers. Regarding land transaction regulations, there is a negative effect, on land price, of the purchaser being the current tenant or being the land regulating public body SAFER. Estimating the model on different sub-samples depending on the buyers’ type shed light on the factors that are more important for each buyer.

Still together, but apart? Kyiv’s policy towards the Donbas. OSW Commentary No. 160, February 6 2015

From the Introduction. The peace deal agreed on 5 September 2014 concerning the ceasefire in the region covered by the conflict in the Donbas brought about a significant reduction in the scale of military clashes. However, in mid-January the separatist forces, supported by the Russian military, started an offensive along the entire front line. For example, they seized the airport in Donetsk and the village of Krasnyi Partyzan. About a third of the Donetsk and the Lugansk oblasts currently remain outside Kyiv’s control (see Map). Before the war, these areas were inhabited by 6.6 million residents, 15% of Ukraine’s total population. The process launched in September 2014 in Minsk, which was intended to regulate the conflict within the so-called trilateral contact group (Ukraine, Russia, the OSCE and representatives of the separatists), resulted in an exchange of some prisoners of war, although it failed to have any political effects. Attempts at regulating the political situation were additionally complicated by the illegal ‘elections’ of leaders of the two separatist regions, the so-called Donetsk and Lugansk People’s Republics (the DPR and LPR).

The fall-out from the Brussels terrorist attacks. EPC Commentary, 16 June 2016

On 22 March, Belgium got a brutal wake-up call. In a coordinated attack, two nail bombs exploded in the departure hall of the Brussels National Airport. A little over an hour later, a third bomb exploded inside a metro train passing through Maelbeek station. 32 civilians lost their lives, while more than 300 people were injured. The Islamic State (IS) network, which was responsible for the Paris attacks on 13 November 2015, claimed responsibility. The arrest of Salah Abdeslam, the sole survivor of the Paris attacks, on 18 March, seems to have made IS expedite the Brussels attacks following a claim from the Paris prosecutor that Abdeslam would cooperate with the French Justice Department over the Paris attacks.

Configuraciones territoriales en el periurbano del partido de Florencio Varela

El partido de Florencio Varela presenta configuraciones territoriales instituidas legalmente por la ordenanza de zonificación vigente, sobre la cual la interacción de situaciones demográficas, sociales, ocupacionales y productivas perfilan diversas espacialidades que fragmentan y trascienden los límites de la legalidad instituida.En este trabajo se da cuenta de los desplazamientos de esos bordes, haciendo foco en dos barrios del periurbano, cuya dinámica espacial es contrarrestada con las propias del ejido urbano y de la zona hortícola circundante. El análisis se aborda a partir del uso de la información y cartografía producida en el marco del Censo de población 2010, a nivel de radios y de los datos obtenidos a través de una encuesta hortícola realizada en el año 2011

Major and trace element composition of clinopyroxenes from an olivine gabbro of ODP Hole 176-735B (Table 1)

Major and trace element profiles of clinopyroxene grains in oceanic gabbros from ODP Hole 735B have been investigated by a combined in situ analytical study with ion probe, and electron microprobe. In contrast to the homogeneous major element compositions, trace elements (REE, Y, Cr, Sr, and Zr) show continuous core to rim zoning profiles. The observed trace element systematics in clinopyroxene cannot be explained by a simple diffusive exchange between melts and gabbros along grain boundaries. A simultaneous modification of the melt composition is required to generate the zoning, although Rayleigh fractional crystallization modelling could mimic the general shape of the profiles. Simultaneous metasomatism between the cumulate crystal and the porous melt during crystal accumulation is the most likely process to explain the zoning. Deformation during solidification of the crystal mush could have caused squeezing out of the incompatible element enriched residual melts (interstitial liquid). Migration of the melt along grain boundaries might carry these melt out of the system. This process named as synkinematic differentiation or differentiation by deformation (Natland and Dick, 2001, doi:10.1016/S0377-0273(01)00211-6) may act as an important magma evolution mechanism in the oceanic crust, at least at slow-spreading ridges.

Fiji mapped mangrove ecosystem service rankings in GeoJSON format

Incorporating the values of the services that ecosystems provide into decision making is becoming increasingly common in nature conservation and resource management policies, both locally and globally. Yet with limited funds for conservation of threatened species and ecosystems there is a desire to identify priority areas where investment efficiently conserves multiple ecosystem services. We mapped four mangrove ecosystems services (coastal protection, fisheries, biodiversity, and carbon storage) across Fiji. Using a cost-effectiveness analysis, we prioritised mangrove areas for each service, where the effectiveness was a function of the benefits provided to the local communities, and the costs were associated with restricting specific uses of mangroves. We demonstrate that, although priority mangrove areas (top 20%) for each service can be managed at relatively low opportunity costs (ranging from 4.5 to 11.3% of overall opportunity costs), prioritising for a single service yields relatively low co-benefits due to limited geographical overlap with priority areas for other services. None-the-less, prioritisation of mangrove areas provides greater overlap of benefits than if sites were selected randomly for most ecosystem services. We discuss deficiencies in the mapping of ecosystems services in data poor regions and how this may impact upon the equity of managing mangroves for particular services across the urban-rural divide in developing countries. Finally we discuss how our maps may aid decision-makers to direct funding for mangrove management from various sources to localities that best meet funding objectives, as well as how this knowledge can aid in creating a national mangrove zoning scheme.

Chemical composition of plagioclase from DSDP Legs 45 and 46, Atlantic Ocean

Phyric basalts recovered from DSDP Legs 45 and 46 contain abundant plagioclase phenocrysts which occur as either discrete single grains (megacrysts) or aggregates (glomerocrysts) and which are too abundant and too anorthitic to have crystallized from a liquid with the observed bulk rock composition. Almost all the plagioclase crystals are complexly zoned. In most cases two abrupt and relatively large compositional changes associated with continuous internal morphologic boundaries divide the plagioclase crystals into three parts: core, mantle and rim. The cores exhibit two major types of morphology: tabular, with a euhedral to slightly rounded outline; or a skeletal inner core wrapped by a slightly rounded homogeneous outer core. The mantle region is characterized by a zoning pattern composed of one to several spikes/plateaus superimposed on a gently zoned base line, with one large plateau always at the outside of the mantle, and by, in most cases, a rounded internal morphology. The inner rim is typically oscillatory zoned. The width of the outer rim can be correlated with the position of the individual crystal in the basalt pillow. The presence of a skeletal inner core and the concentration of glass inclusions in low-An zones in the mantle region suggest that the liquid in which these parts of the crystals were growing was undercooled some amount. The resorption features at the outer margins of low-An zones indicate superheating of the liquid with respect to the crystal. It is proposed that the plagioclase cores formed during injection of primitive magma into a previously existing magma chamber, that the mantle formed during mixing of a partially mixed magma and the remaining magma already in the chamber, and that the inner rim formed when the mixed magma was in a sheeted dike system. The large plateau at the outside of the mantle may have formed during the injection of the next batch of primitive magma into the main chamber, which may trigger an eruption. This model is consistent with fluid dynamic calculations and geochemically based magma mixing models, and is suggested to be the major mechanism for generating the disequilibrium conditions in the magma.

Economic incentives for land use control /

"February 1977."

Aviation noise, let's get on with the job : [remarks by the Honorable Russell E. Train, administrator, U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, prepared by delivery before the Inter-noise '76 Conference at the Shoreham Hotel, Washington, D.C., Monday, April 5, 1976.]

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