Planning to remodel your home or a part of it? Wood Decks and railing can greatly improve the usefulness, aesthetics and value of your house. For adults, patio decks provide outdoor living space for dining and relaxation. For kids, wood decks offer a safe outdoor play area.
A functional wood deck contains six parts: decking, hand railings, footings, beams, posts and joists. While planning a deck you need to consider three basic factors: functionality, structural stability and aesthetic. The aesthetics of your deck is driven by your choice of decking and railings while the location of beams and posts have a major impact on the stability of it.
First decide how you are going to use the outdoor deck. Do you want some benches or lounge chairs or even a dining table in that area? How many people will be using the deck?
Important factors that influence the design and location of your deck:
Projected use (playing area, sunbathing, family entertainment, relaxation, dining, etc.)
Appearance (focuses on a good view, increase value to home)
Adequate sunlight
Air currents (allow smooth flow of breezes, stamp heavy winds)
Privacy (less street noise)
Safety (for kids and elders)
Access to home
Type of deck terrain (ground level, elevated deck or split level)
Current home design (compatibility with existing plan)
Other specific needs and likings
You should ensure that the deck does not shut access to any electrical, gas, drainage or utility systems while deciding the location.
It is equally important to check local deck building codes once you have finalized the size, shape and location of the deck. In many cases local codes may pose some restrictions on the size and height of the deck.
For any queries related to Wood Deck design and drawing services feel free to contact us.
Visit us at http://www.outsourcestructuraldesign.com/structural-design.php
We've already asked around to let you know that British phablet fans can get their Galaxy Note II fix on ThreeUK, O2 and Vodafone, and now we know the date, too. Anxious S-pen lovers will be able to grab the new device from October 1st from the carriers, or pick 'em up at the Carphone Warehouse and Phones4U -- in either Marble White or Titanium Grey. If you'd like to read the words "whole new level of innovation," then head on past the break for the company line.
ScienceDaily (Sep. 24, 2012) ? It has long been known that diversity of form and function in birds' specialized beaks is abundant. Charles Darwin famously studied the finches on the Galapagos Islands, tying the morphology (shape) of various species' beaks to the types of seeds they ate. In 2010, a team of Harvard biologists and applied mathematicians showed that Darwin's finches all actually shared the same developmental pathways, using the same gene products, controlling just size and curvature, to create 14 very different beaks.
Now, expanding that work to a less closely related group of birds, the Caribbean bullfinches, that same team at Harvard has uncovered something exciting -- namely, that the molecular signals that produce those beak shapes show even more variation than is apparent on the surface. Not only can two very different beaks share the same developmental pathway, as in Darwin's finches, but two very different developmental pathways can produce exactly the same shaped beak.
"Most people assume that there's this flow of information from genes for development to an inevitable morphology," says principal investigator Arhat Abzhanov, Associate Professor of Organismic and Evolutionary Biology (OEB). "Those beaks are very highly adaptive in their shapes and sizes, and extremely important for these birds. In Darwin's finches, even one millimeter of difference in proportion or size can mean life or death during difficult times. But can we look at it from a bioengineering perspective and say that in order to generate the exact same morphological shape, you actually require the same developmental process to build it? Our latest research suggests not."
The findings have been published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.
The Caribbean bullfinches, geographic and genetic neighbors to Darwin's finches, are a group of three similar-looking species that represent two different branches of the evolutionary tree. These bullfinches have very strong bills that are all exactly the same geometric shape but slightly different sizes.
"They specialize in seeds that no one else can touch," explains Abzhanov. "You'd actually need a pair of pliers to crack these seeds yourself; it takes 300 to 400 Newtons of force, so that's a really nice niche if you can do that. But the question is, what developmental changes must have occurred to produce a specialized beak like that?"
A new and highly rigorous genomic analysis by coauthor Kevin J. Burns, a biologist at San Diego State University, has shown that among the three Caribbean bullfinch species, this crushing type of beak actually evolved twice, independently. Convergent evolution like this is common in nature, and very familiar to biologists. But understanding that phylogeny enabled Abzhanov, lead author Ricardo Mallarino (a former Ph.D. student in OEB at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences), and colleagues in applied mathematics at the Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS) to perform a series of mathematical and morphogenetic studies showing that the birds form those identical beaks in completely different ways. Such studies must, by their nature, be performed early in the embryonic stage of the birds' development, when the shape and tissue structure of the beak is determined by the interactions of various genes and proteins.
"In the small bullfinch you have almost a two-stage rocket system," says Abzhanov. "Cartilage takes you halfway, and then bone kicks in and delivers the beak to the right shape. Without either stage, you'll fail. In the larger bullfinches, the cartilage is not even employed, so it's like a single-stage rocket, but it's got this high-energy, synergistic interaction between two molecules that just takes the bone and drives its development straight to the right shape."
In embryos of the small bullfinch, Loxigilla noctis, the control genes used are Bmp4 and CaM, followed by TGF?IIr, ?-catenin, and Dkk3, the same combination used in Darwin's finches. Embryos of the larger bullfinches, L. violacea and L. portoricensis, use a novel combination of just Bmp4 and Ihh.
"Importantly," Abzhanov says, "despite the fact that these birds are using different systems, they end up with the same shape beak, and a different shape beak from Darwin's finches. So that reveals a surprising amount of flexibility in both the shapes and the molecular interactions that support them."
The finding offers new insight into the ways birds -- the largest and most diverse group of land vertebrates -- have managed to adaptively fill so many different ecological niches.
"It is possible that even if the beak shape doesn't change over time, the program that builds it does," explains Abzhanov. "For evolution, the main thing that matters for selection is what the beak actually looks like at the end, or specifically what it can do. The multiple ways to build that beak can be continually changing, provided they deliver the same results. That flexibility by itself could be a good vehicle for eventually developing novel shapes, because the developmental program is not frozen."
Following a standard process in studies of developmental biology, Abzhanov's team began with measurements of the morphological differences between species, followed by observations of gene expression in bullfinch embryos and functional experiments using chicken embryos. Along the way, mathematical models helped the team to quantify and categorize the beak shapes they were seeing.
"We used geometric morphometric analysis, looking at these beaks as curves," says coauthor Michael Brenner, Glover Professor of Applied Mathematics and Applied Physics at SEAS and Harvard College Professor. "The beak shapes would turn into contours, contours were digitized into curvatures, and curvatures were turned into representative mathematical formulas. This provided our biology colleagues with an unbiased way of determining which of the different species had beak shapes that were identical up to scaling transformations, and which were in a completely different group."
In order to observe gene expression in the developing bullfinch embryos, Mallarino and a team of undergraduate field assistants had to collect eggs from wild nests in the Dominican Republic, Barbados, and Puerto Rico. The birds breed in dome-shaped nests with small side entrances, often in the tops of tall cacti. In accordance with strict fieldwork regulations, Mallarino's team collected only every third egg laid, which required them to return to the nests daily, climbing dozens of trees and cacti to carefully label every new egg. Laden with radios, notebooks, markers, heavy ladders, and a special foam crate for the delicate eggs, the team ventured into remote field sites at the crack of dawn and returned to camp before noon to incubate those they collected.
"They're much more fragile than a chicken egg, and extremely small," says Mallarino. "We just walk very carefully."
"It's a big logistical operation," he adds. "It's five months of really, really hard work under the sun in crazy conditions, but when it works it's really rewarding. At day 6 or 7 you have a perfect, live embryo with a beak beginning to form, and you can learn so much about it."
The next step in this work is to widen the lens yet again and compare the morphological development of a broader group of birds.
"In time, hopefully we'll see how the great diversity that you see among all these highly adaptive bird beaks may actually evolve at the genetic level," says Mallarino. "That's the greater challenge."
In addition to Abzhanov, Mallarino, and Brenner, coauthors included Otger Camp?s, a former postdoctoral associate at the School of Engineering and Applied Sciences (SEAS); Joerg A. Fritz, a graduate student in applied mathematics at SEAS; and Olivia G. Weeks, a graduate student in organismic and evolutionary biology at the Graduate School of Arts and Sciences.
This work was supported by several grants from the National Science Foundation, as well as the Kavli Institute for Bionano Science and Technology at Harvard and the National Institutes of Health.
Share this story on Facebook, Twitter, and Google:
Other social bookmarking and sharing tools:
Story Source:
The above story is reprinted from materials provided by Harvard School of Engineering and Applied Sciences.
Note: Materials may be edited for content and length. For further information, please contact the source cited above.
Journal Reference:
R. Mallarino, O. Campas, J. A. Fritz, K. J. Burns, O. G. Weeks, M. P. Brenner, A. Abzhanov. Closely related bird species demonstrate flexibility between beak morphology and underlying developmental programs. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 2012; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.1206205109
Note: If no author is given, the source is cited instead.
Disclaimer: Views expressed in this article do not necessarily reflect those of ScienceDaily or its staff.
Brees throws an O-fer in 4th quarter and OT as Chiefs triumph 27-24
By BRETT MARTEL
AP Sports Writer
Associated Press Sports
updated 5:37 p.m. ET Sept. 23, 2012
NEW ORLEANS - Who dat? More like WTF?
The winless New Orleans Saints dropped another one Sunday, this time in overtime at home to the previously inless Kansas City Chiefs.
Drew Brees passed for 240 yards and three touchdowns but missed all six of his passes through the fourth quarter and overtime.
Ryan Succop kicked six field goals, one to force overtime in the final seconds and another from 31 yards to lift the Chiefs to a 27-24 victory over the Saints.
Succop's 43-yard field goal with 3 seconds left completed a methodical comeback by Kansas City (1-2) after the Saints (0-3) had cashed in on a pair of Chiefs turnovers to go ahead 24-6 in the third quarter.
Kansas City needed only one touchdown for the win, a 91-yard run by Jamaal Charles, who finished with 233 yards rushing and 55 yards receiving.
The Chiefs also got a safety in the fourth quarter on Justin Houston's third sack of the game.
? 2012 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.
advertisement
More newsPatrick Smith / Getty Images
Time to give Flacco respect
PFT: Ravens quarterback Joe Flacco has been begging for respect for years. After another strong performance on Sunday night, in which he outdueled Tom Brady, maybe it's time we gave it to him.
Patrick Smith / Getty Images
Ravens rally past Patriots, 31-30
Justin Tucker kicked a 27-yard field goal as time expired, giving the Baltimore Ravens a 31-30 victory over the New England Patriots on Sunday night in a rematch of the AFC championship game.
At this year's Tokyo Game Show, there are tons of huge booths from publishers like Capcom, Namco Bandai, and Konami, but none of them packed as many games into their booth space as Sony did. We stopped by the booth to check out all the new PlayStation 3, Vita, and PSP games, and we filmed a tour of it so you can experience it for yourself. Take a look.
On top of that, we have many in-depth videos for the majors games at the booth. Check out our video demos for God of War: Ascension, Assassin's Creed III Liberation, Street Fighter X Tekken for Vita, Metal Gear Rising: Revengeance, Injustice: Gods Among Us, Technika Tune, Yakuza 5, Soul Sacrifice, Lost Planet 3, Naruto, and DmC: Devil May Cry.
In an effort to track employment of minorities and females in the workforce, the EEOC requires certain employers to complete and file an Employer Information (EEO-1) Report by Sept. 30 of each year.
Private employers must file if they: (1) have 100 or more employees; (2) have fewer than 100 employees but are a subsidiary of a larger company; or (3) are federal contractors with 50 or more employees or that do more than $50,000 worth of business with the federal government per year.
Find full details and the EEOC?s online reporting system at 2012 EEO-1 Survey.
Like what you've read? ...Republish it and share great business tips!
Attention: Readers, Publishers, Editors, Bloggers, Media, Webmasters and more...
We believe great content should be read and passed around. After all, knowledge IS power. And good business can become great with the right information at their fingertips. If you'd like to share any of the insightful articles on BusinessManagementDaily.com, you may republish or syndicate it without charge.
The only thing we ask is that you keep the article exactly as it was written and formatted. You also need to include an attribution statement and link to the article.
" This information is proudly provided by Business Management Daily.com: http://www.businessmanagementdaily.com/32937/employers-face-eeoc-reporting-deadline-on-sept-30 "
In recent years green tea has been touted in the news as an ultra healthy drink, full of antioxidants and phytonutrients. Healthier than plain water. For those who don?t have enough green vegetables in their diet, try having this tea as a daily drink. ?
If you?re not near a Japanese grocery store to buy authentic Japanese green tea, try the ethnic aisle in the supermarket or Costco offers a great authentic matcha green tea. Try steeping the tea bags for a very short time in just below boiling hot water, for 30 seconds or more, until you get the green color or to taste, and you can make a few cups with the same bag. It?s also great on ice. You can make some hot green tea and store it in the fridge like iced tea. I heard somewhere that if you squeeze a wedge of lemon it boosts the antioxidants.
If you want to read about the healthy benefits of this tea that they?ve been drinking in Asia for thousands of years, here is a recent article on green tea extract eradicating cancer cells.?Try it as your daily go to beverage, hot or cold!
Until the 1980s, most cosmetic surgeries were approached as multi-staged procedures done over a period of years. Middle-aged patients might have their eyelids done but would then be advised to defer a facelift until reaching their 60s. None of the ?rejuvenation procedures? that are popular today even existed, and complications were so feared that patients would often have surgery on only one side of the face at a time, with several weeks between procedures.
Past and Present Trends In Cosmetic Surgery
In recent years, there have been several major trends in cosmetic surgery. First, people are now having procedures done earlier, with whole-face rejuvenation done in multiple treatments. The second, even more dramatic trend is the use of high technology in cosmetic laser surgery, which is now performed in a surgeon?s own office or an outpatient surgery facility.
There are social and economic trends at work, not just medical ones. The pressures of commercial life, of working to older ages and of women in their 40s succeeding the professional world all contribute to the popularity of cosmetic surgery. And it is well established that personal image and looks play a powerful role in the careers of professional people. Doctors now understand that among the various motivations for having cosmetic surgery earlier in life is some people?s need to secure their social and professional status.
Cosmetic Surgery Innovation
Clearly, it is not just the new technologies and procedures that are available that have changed the nature of cosmetic surgery. Greater knowledge about the human body and its construction (and its flexibility) has led to there being many, many proponents for the multiple procedure approach. Then, too, there is the matter of balance. Following facial rejuvenation, a patient?s face may look younger but other aspects of their physique and appearance may not match up.
On the other hand, a ?whole-body? approach considers the entire person in the equation, which is why another new trend is cosmetic surgeons relying on help from psychologists, make-up artists and image consultants in developing patient plans. In other words, cosmetic surgery is trending toward being a ?package deal? for the whole person.
As far as new procedures, there has been a great deal of change and progress in the use of ?injectables,? and not just the famous Botox injections for wrinkle elimination. Various kinds of injectables have been developed to sculpt the human body in various ways and in various places. Used as part of an overall rejuvenation or reconstruction plan, along with other ever-advancing procedures like dermabrasion and cosmetic laser surgery, injectables have become an important part of the plastic surgeon?s toolkit.
Other technologies and procedures are continually evolving. Newer, more powerful and more accurate lasers are being developed and manufactured all the time, and advances in many medical fields?metallurgy, anesthesia, antibiotics, etc.?are rapidly adopted where needed by cosmetic surgeons.
Cosmetic Laser Surgery: Right For You?
Another major trend is that doctors are now performing cosmetic laser surgery and other procedures outside of the hospital atmosphere. Some plastic surgeons have their own outpatient surgery facilities, while others band together to form partnerships for this purpose. Procedures have become safer with advances in medical technology and doctors have learned to reduce complications to a fraction of a percent of all procedures.
This trend toward outpatient procedures has some very powerful unseen advantages. Leaving the hospital out of the equation has numerous benefits, beginning with an economic one.
It is far less expensive for the patient, who may have to consider cosmetic surgery financing options if unable to pay up front, if there is no hospital stay. In addition, the presence of antibiotic-resistant infections in hospitals is a good reason to avoid them if at all possible.
One other recent trend has been the good press that cosmetic surgery has been getting, compared to the negative portrayals of yesteryear and the casting of patients as ?victims.? In fact, some doctors point to the television series ?Extreme Makeover? as a reflection of a new appreciation for cosmetic surgery. The fact that the program also shows ?everyday people? having these procedures, not just the Ivana Trumps of the world, is an indication of how cosmetic laser surgery and other life-enhancing procedures are considered not only acceptable, but affordable, as well.
Flesh Wounds: The Culture of Cosmetic SurgeryWhen did cosmetic surgery become a common practice, the stuff of everyday conversation? In a work that combines a provocative ethnography of plastic surgery and a penetrating analysis of beauty and feminism, Virginia L. Blum searches out the social conditions and imperatives that have made ours a culture of cosmetic surgery. From diverse viewpoints, ranging from cosmetic surgery patient to feminist cultural critic, she looks into the realities and fantasies that have made physical malleability an essential part of our modern-day identity. For a cultural practice to develop such a tenacious grip, Blum argues, it must be fed from multiple directions: some pragmatic, including the profit motive of surgeons and the increasing need to appear young on the job; some philosophical, such as the notion that a new body is something you can buy or that appearance changes your life. Flesh Wounds is an inquiry into the ideas and practices that have forged such a culture. Tying the boom in cosmetic surgery to a culture-wide trend toward celebrity, Blum explores our growing compulsion to emulate what remain for most of us two-dimensional icons. Moving between personal experiences and observations, interviews with patients and surgeons, and readings of literature and cultural moments, her book reveals the ways in which the practice of cosmetic surgery captures the condition of identity in contemporary culture.Cosmetic Dermatology: Principles and Practice, Second Edition
THE ULTIMATE SOURCEBOOK FOR UNDERSTANDING THE SKIN AND ITS APPEARANCE
?A concise, well-written, and well-illustrated overview of the topic of cosmetic dermatology that will prove useful to all physicians who care for cosmetic patients.??Archives of Facial Plastic Surgery, reviewing the first edition
Cosmetic Dermatology offers complete coverage of the latest, most effective skin care agents and procedures. Spanning the entire spectrum of cosmetic dermatology, it takes you through the most current medications, cosmeceuticals, and procedures. Presented in full color, the book is firmly grounded in an evidence-based, clinically-relevant approach--making it perfect for use in everyday practice.
FEATURES:
Guidance on the efficacy of over-the-counter and prescription skin care products
Step-by-step review of must-know procedures
A focus on the newest drugs and topical agents
NEW! Expanded insights into laser treatments, varicose veins, and cosmeceuticals
NEW! More full-color clinical images in every chapter? 450 in all!
NEW! Significant revisions in every chapter to help you keep pace with the many fast-breaking developments in the specialty
Surgery Junkies: Wellness and Pathology in Cosmetic Culture"Surgery Junkies is an innovative, fast-paced mix of theory and empirical research that advances our understanding of contemporary bodies, lifestyle medicine, and the making of the embodied, self-fashioned self. Scholars and teachers of cultural and media studies, sociology of the body, and health and society will value its contributions to both their research and their teaching."-Arthur W. Frank, author of The Wounded Storyteller: Body, Illness, and Ethics and The Renewal of Generosity: Illness, Medicine, and How to Live "Whether analyzing Extreme Makeover, 'Body Dismorphic Disorder,' or her own rhinoplasty, Pitts-Taylor makes difficult theoretical concepts clear-and clearly relevant to our lives."-Susan Bordo, author of Unbearable Weight: Feminism, Western Culture, and the Body Despite the increasing prevalence of cosmetic surgery, there are still those who identify individuals who opt for bodily modifications as dupes of beauty culture, as being in conflict with feminist ideals, or as having some form of psychological weakness. In this ground-breaking book, Victoria Pitts-Taylor examines why we consider some cosmetic surgeries to be acceptable or even beneficial and others to be unacceptable and possibly harmful. Drawing on years of research, in-depth interviews with surgeons and psychiatrists, analysis of newspaper articles, legal documents, and television shows, and her own personal experience with cosmetic surgery, Pitts-Taylor brings new perspectives to the promotion of "extreme" makeovers on television, the medicalization of "surgery addiction," the moral and political interrogation that many patients face, and feminist debates on the topic. Pitts-Taylor makes a compelling argument that the experience, meanings, and motivations for cosmetic surgery are highly social and, in doing so, provides a much needed "makeover" of our cultural understanding of cosmetic surgery. Victoria Pitts-Taylor is associate professor of sociology at Queens College and the Graduate Center, City University of New York. She is the author of In the Flesh: The Cultural Politics of Body Modification.
He had just handed his father, Max, one of the baseballs he used to earn the 20th win of his landmark first season in Washington, a 10-4 demolition of the Milwaukee Brewers. He allowed three hits and no earned runs in seven innings as three homers by his teammates paced him. Gonzalez has played in two all-star games, but to him his 20th win, the thing he had worked all those mornings for, surpassed anything he had done.
?This is like a dream,? Gonzalez said. ?I feel like I?m still sleeping in it.?
In the dead of winter, when the Nationals traded for him, a day like Saturday afternoon would have seemed too much to ask: his family in the stands, sun-splashed Nationals Park packed to the brim, a contending opponent made helpless as the Nationals pushed nearer to a division title. It would have seemed too much like a dream.
The Nationals, too, could not have envisioned such a moment. General Manager Mike Rizzo shipped four prospects to the Oakland Athletics for a 27-year-old with nasty stuff and a goofy streak. He has become their ace, a leading Cy Young award candidate, a cherished clubhouse cutup. He leads the majors in wins and moved into a tie for fourth in the National League with a 2.84 ERA. His five strikeouts Saturday brought his season total to 201, making him the first Washington hurler to surpass 200 since Walter Johnson 96 years ago.
?If he was anything like this in Oakland, it?s surprising they got rid of him,? first baseman Adam LaRoche said. ?Because this guy is electric.
?This is a big family to him. He cares about everybody. Fun-loving guy. Bulldog on the mound. Just tough not to root for him.?
After Gonzalez warmed up in the bullpen Saturday afternoon, he and pitching coach Steve McCatty walked to the Nationals? dugout. Manager Davey Johnson asked McCatty: ?How?s he feeling? How many do we need to score??
?He had an awful ?pen,? McCatty said replied. ?So that means we probably need one.?
McCatty?s instinct proved accurate. Gonzalez struck out the first batter he faced, Norichika Aoki, flailing at a boomerang curveball. His fastball zipped at 96 mph, ?just easy, effortless fuel coming out of his hand,? LaRoche said. The only runs he allowed came after a deep flyball that deflected off Bryce Harper?s glove, a tough play ruled an error.
The outcome was never in question after the third inning. The Nationals had 13 hits, including three-run homers from Ryan Zimmerman and Ian Desmond in the fourth inning off old friend Livan Hernandez, now a Brewers mop-up reliever, in a span of four batters. LaRoche smashed his 32nd homer off Tyler Thornburg, matching his career high. The Nationals led, 9-0, after four innings, and Gonzalez was cruising to his milestone.
As I anxiously wait for my shiny new iPhone 5 to arrive on Friday -- like 2 million others -- my thoughts first turned to protective cases. Would any be available? How long before manufacturers caught up with Apple's secrecy machine and started producing them so I could buy one? And screen protectors, when will my favorite screen protector company be able to deliver? Then I realized that maybe now, finally, I don't need a case at all. After all, what do I value more and more out of my iPhone? Pocketability.
Despite rumors and quotes to the contrary, all Season 2 cast members - including Camille Grammer and Taylor Armstrong - will play at least some role on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills Season 3.
Bravo confirmed as much this week by releasing the first official cast photo for new episodes, which kick off November 5. It includes many familiar faces along with two brand new ones: Yolanda Foster and Marisa Zanuck.
What can fans expect when these newbies join the scripted action?
Season 3 will feature tension between Adrienne Maloof and Lisa Vanderpump, along with Kim Richards trying to remain sober and Armstrong continuing to suck as a human being.
Libyans fishing at the Seaport shore cornice, in Benghazi, Libya, Monday, Sept. 20, 2012. In front of Benghazi's stock market, there are lakes of sewage in the street, and the grandest hotel here is a gloomy hulk with broken windows and dim corridors. The city that was the site of a deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate was the heart of Libya's revolution, and now its residents are discontent with the new leadership in Tripoli.(AP photo/Mohammad Hannon)
Libyans fishing at the Seaport shore cornice, in Benghazi, Libya, Monday, Sept. 20, 2012. In front of Benghazi's stock market, there are lakes of sewage in the street, and the grandest hotel here is a gloomy hulk with broken windows and dim corridors. The city that was the site of a deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate was the heart of Libya's revolution, and now its residents are discontent with the new leadership in Tripoli.(AP photo/Mohammad Hannon)
In this Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012 photo, Libyans walk by an anti-Moammar Gadhafi mural in Benghazi, Libya. The Arabic writing on the wall reads, " the oppression regime." In front of Benghazi?s stock market, pedestrians step around lakes of sewage in the street. The grandest hotel in Libya?s second largest city is a gloomy, state-owned bulk, with broken windows and dim corridors. Last week?s deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate was just one sign of how the city is a tough customer: Benghazans are bitter over decades of neglect and humiliation under Moammar Gadhafi and they rumble with discontent that the new leadership in Tripoli still doesn?t treat them as equals. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
Libyans fishing at the Seaport shore cornice, in Benghazi, Libya, Monday, Sept. 20, 2012. In front of Benghazi's stock market, there are lakes of sewage in the street, and the grandest hotel here is a gloomy hulk with broken windows and dim corridors. The city that was the site of a deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate was the heart of Libya's revolution, and now its residents are discontent with the new leadership in Tripoli.(AP photo/Mohammad Hannon)
A Libyan man sits near a mocking graffiti of al-Gaddhafi, in Benghazi, Libya, Monday, Sept. 20, 2012. In front of Benghazi's stock market, there are lakes of sewage in the street, and the grandest hotel here is a gloomy hulk with broken windows and dim corridors. The city that was the site of a deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate was the heart of Libya's revolution, and now its residents are discontent with the new leadership in Tripoli. (AP photo/Mohammad Hannon)
In this Tuesday, Sept. 18, 2012 photo, a general view of Benghazi Seaport, in Benghazi, Libya. In front of Benghazi?s stock market, pedestrians step around lakes of sewage in the street. The grandest hotel in Libya?s second largest city is a gloomy, state-owned bulk, with broken windows and dim corridors. Last week?s deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate was just one sign of how the city is a tough customer: Benghazans are bitter over decades of neglect and humiliation under Moammar Gadhafi and they rumble with discontent that the new leadership in Tripoli still doesn?t treat them as equals. (AP Photo/Mohammad Hannon)
BENGHAZI, Libya (AP) ? In front of Benghazi's stock market, pedestrians pick their way around lakes of sewage in the street, carefully stepping on bricks set in the fetid water. The grandest hotel in Libya's second largest city is a gloomy, state-owned bulk, with broken windows and dim corridors.
Benghazans, who see their city as a co-capital and historic home of Libya's king, are bitter over decades of neglect and humiliation under Moammar Gadhafi. And they rumble with discontent that the transitional leadership in Tripoli still doesn't treat them as equals.
Last week's deadly attack on the U.S. Consulate was just one sign of how the city of 1 million is a tough customer. Perched on the Mediterranean Sea on the eastern side of Libya's Gulf of Sidra, Benghazi was the first to revolt against Gadhafi last year, its young protesters hurling themselves against his troops until the regime's hold was broken. It then became the rebel capital and the heartland for the militias on the eastern front of the months-long civil war.
The sense of rebelliousness continues. Since Gadhafi's fall, several top leaders from Tripoli have gotten rough welcomes here.
Then-interim president Mustafa Abdul-Jalil was met earlier this year by angry protesters, some armed, who stormed his office and forced him to flee. Protesters with knives went after his prime minister.
Al-Shahat al-Awami, the head of the elected city council, resigned in July, just one month after he assumed his post, after receiving threats that he would be shot dead and his house burned to ashes because of failures to clean up garbage and delays in salaries.
"This is the paradox. Today they vote for you and tomorrow they spit in your face," said Faraj Nejim, a native son and political commentator who is now a representative for the city in the national assembly.
"If this city doesn't rest, the whole nation won't see any serenity," he said. "It is the one exporting everything good and evil. Leaders and suicide bombers. When the central government fails to realize that as a fact and deals with Benghazi as a remote city, troubles start."
The Sept. 11 attack on the U.S. Consulate, which killed Ambassador Chris Stevens and three other Americans, only fueled the resentment of Tripoli. Residents held rallies memorializing the slain ambassador. Some blamed the government for failing to improve security forces or rein in the multiple militias that operate in Benghazi ? some of whom are suspected in the attack. Many noted that the new interior minister, in charge of security forces, has not come to Benghazi and are suspicious of him because he is originally from a western-based militia.
The attack also fueled residents' worries over the growing powers of armed Islamist groups. They called for protests on Friday calling it "the Friday of rescuing Benghazi" from the grip of militias.
Though some of the militias and Islamic extremists are native sons, the city's deep refusal to be dominated applies to them too. Earlier this month, extremists tried to demolish a beloved Muslim shrine south of Benghazi that they considered a heresy. Tribesmen shot three of them dead and shaved the beards off the others they captured.
Calls for semi-autonomous region in eastern Libya with Benghazi as its capital flared earlier this year when tribal leaders and armed factions came together to press demands on Tripoli. The autonomy push eased after landmark national elections were held in July to form the National Assembly.
But many Benghazans still want the new constitution due to be drafted to give them powers to manage their own affairs and a fair share of resources in a country that draws massive revenues from oil resources centered in the east. One group of city youth wrote to parliament insisting the constitution enshrine Benghazi as the country's economic capital or else face a new revolution.
"We are waiting to see whether the constitution will meet our demands and give Libya the best political system which we believe is in forming a federated state," said Ahmed Zubair, head of the Barqa Council created by autonomy proponents.
Sueliman al-Saadi, an oil company employee in his fifties, said, "We are patient and we know the government doesn't have magic wand. But when it comes to constitution and our rights, this is the time we will have a say."
"I see another revolution and it will be also from Benghazi against the militias, the government and everything," he said.
Benghazi's defiant attitude is rooted in its history as the capital of the once-independent east. It was the heartland of revolts against Italian occupiers in the early 20th Century. When it joined the two other provinces of what is now Libya in a unified state in the 1950s, the east's emir became Libya's king and he ruled from Benghazi as often as he did from Tripoli. The city housed the country's first university and first public library.
When a 1969 coup toppled the monarchy, Gadhafi centered power in Tripoli and 42 years of intentional neglect and suppression of Benghazi ensued. Students marched the city's streets in 1970s demanding democracy. Public executions of dissidents were held. Gadhafi inflicted collective punishments in the city, depriving a whole tribe of water or electricity if one of its members acted against his rule.
Residents recount what they saw as a campaign of humiliation. Sewage was dumped in the city's lakes. The tomb of Omar al-Mukhtar, the hero of resistance to the Italians, was moved out of the city. In 2000, the regime bulldozed the stadium of the city's wildly popular Al Ahly soccer club after fans chanted against Gadhafi and his son, al-Saadi, whom they called "a donkey." The stadium has yet to be rebuilt.
"People were suffocating under Gadhafi, and when you suffocate people, don't expect anything from them but to scream," said Nabil Mohammed, 45-year-old solider.
The regime also kept the country's oil wealth away from the city, and it shows in the infrastructure today.
The airport for a city of 1 million has a single, smelly cramped hall where bathrooms have no running water. Roads around the city are broken with potholes, including the main cornice along the Mediterranean. There are only two significant hospitals. People generally rely on the region's strong tribal networks as an economic safety net and as an authority to resolve disputes.
Benghazi was hardly the only place to suffer. And even as they are impatient with the new leadership, residents know Libya as a whole must recover from the mindset left by Gadhafi.
"It will take generations to come up with something solid," said Khaled Hadar, a local lawyer in his 40s. His own generation, he said, is lost. "We are harsh creatures and Gadhafi wiped our brains. Don't ask about what the (new) government failed to do. If these people lived under Gadhafi, don't except anything good to come from them."
New questions are being raised after Karen King, a professor at Harvard Divinity School, found an ancient papyrus with text that quotes Jesus referring to "my wife." NBC's Anne Thompson reports.
By Alan Boyle
A fourth-century fragment of papyrus that quotes Jesus telling his disciples about "my wife" has set off a buzz among scriptural scholars?? but this is no "Da Vinci Code" come true. Rather, the "Gospel of Jesus' Wife" is just the latest discovery to suggest how the early Christian church took shape.
Fans of the Dan Brown thriller are already familiar with the theory that Jesus and Mary Magdalene had a husband-and-wife relationship. The basis for such speculation lies in Gnostic gospels that came out in the second, third and fourth centuries, but were left out of the standardized scriptures ? texts such as the Gospel of Philip, the Gospel of Mary and the recently reconstructed Gospel of Judas.
Even though only a few phrases can be read on the papyrus fragment that's just come to light, those phrases are consistent with the Gnostic view of early Christianity ??which tended to give a more prominent role to women, and particularly to Mary Magdalene. The text, written in the Sahidic Coptic dialect, includes the phrase "Jesus said to them, 'My wife...'" as well as references to a woman named Mary being "worthy of it," and to a woman who "will be able to be my disciple." ?
The marriage debate Karen L. King, the Harvard Divinity School professor who received the fragment from an anonymous owner, emphasized that the discovery does not serve as evidence that Jesus was married.?Rather, it suggests that there was a debate within the early Christian church on the status of women, and that Jesus' relationship with women figured into the discussion. Revisiting that debate may be unsettling to some believers, but to scriptural scholars, it just comes with the territory.
Four words on a previously unknown papyrus fragment appear to provide the first evidence that some early Christians believed Jesus had been married. This video from Harvard Divinity School discusses the find.
"Christian tradition has long held that Jesus was not married, even though no reliable historical evidence exists to support that claim," King said in a news release from Harvard Divinity School. "This new gospel doesn't prove that Jesus was married, but it tells us that the whole question only came up as part of vociferous debates about sexuality and marriage. From the very beginning, Christians disagreed about whether it was better not to marry, but it was over a century after Jesus' death before they began appealing to Jesus' marital status to support their positions."
Ben Witherington, a New Testament scholar at the Asbury Theological Seminary, noted that the latest find fits King's perspective on scriptural scholarship. "She does have a dog in this hunt," he told me. "She's an advocate for the Gospel of Mary and the Gospel of Judas, telling us of early Christian experiences of various kinds, particularly of the Gnostic kind."
The fragment that King calls the Gospel of Jesus' Wife could well contribute to the study of Gnosticism in the second or fourth century, but Witherington said it's not a game-changer for our view of the first-century Jesus.?"While this fragment is interesting, if you are interested in the historical Jesus, this is much ado about not very much," Witherington said via email.
Witherington noted that experts who have gotten a close look at the papyrus say it's genuine, ?but he cautioned that "we cannot be absolutely sure of its authenticity or origins" as long as scholars can't track down the details surrounding how, when and where it was discovered.
Bart Ehrman, a professor of religious studies at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, voiced similar caution. However, if the document proves authentic, it would represent an important advance in scriptural scholarship, he said.?
"It's certainly not reliable for saying anything about the historical Jesus," Ehrman told me. "But what it is important for is that this would be the first time we have any Christian authority or Christian group indicating that, in their opinion, Jesus was married." Like King, Ehrman suggested that such claims might have figured into early Christian debates over the comparative merits of marriage vs. celibacy.?
Monks and 'sister-wives'? Witherington said the text could be open to alternate interpretations. "In view of the largely ascetic character of Gnosticism, it is likely that we are dealing with the 'sister-wife' phenomenon, and the reference is to a strictly spiritual relationship, which is close but does not involve sexual intimacy," Witherington said.
During a follow-up phone call, he explained that "during the rise of the monastic movement, you had quite a lot of monk-type folks and evangelists who traveled in the company of a sister-wife." The fellow travelers looked after each other, but celibacy was part of the deal, he said.
"The other question about this is ... were these 'fractured fairy tales' that helped monks in the desert while away the time, or were they serious religious texts?" Witherington said.
Gnostic works proliferated in Egypt's Christian monasteries until Athanasius of Alexandria drew up what became the "official" list of books in the New Testament and condemned the rest in the year 367. Scholars believe that the best-known collection of Gnostic texts, the Nag Hammadi library, was bundled up and buried in the desert as a result.
The debate over the papyrus fragment's authenticity and the meaning of the Gospel of Jesus' Wife is likely to play out for a long time among scriptural scholars ? and among "Da Vinci Code" fans as well. For now, here are links to background material and the initial blog reactions:
The news release from Harvard Divinity School points to a Web page about the papyrus and to the manuscript that King has prepared for publication in January's issue of Harvard Theological Review.
James Tabor, a scriptural scholar at the University of North Carolina at Charlotte and the co-author of controversial books about Jesus and his family, notes King's research ? and says?Witherington and other scholars should "reconsider the question" surrounding Jesus' marital status.?
Michael Heiser, a scholar specializing in biblical languages, says on his PaleoBabble blog that he tends to agree with the view that church leaders have "manipulated the testimony of Mary Magdalene"?? but he warns against reading too much into the discovery.
Jim West, a biblical scholar at the Quartz Hill School of Theology and pastor of Petros Baptist Church in Tennessee, says on the Zwinglius Redivivus blog that "without more context, both historically and archaeologically, the snippet is valueless."?
James McGrath, a New Testament scholar at Butler University in Indianapolis, also voices caution on the?Exploring Our Matrix blog?but adds that there's no reason why people should find the idea that Jesus was married "inherently unbelievable."
Update for 9 p.m. ET: Some observers have pointed out that the New Testament contains multiple allusions to Jesus as a bridegroom, and the church or the collective people of God as his bride. This report from The Atlantic?catalogs the references.?However, Witherington said the Coptic papyrus appears to refer to a different kind of relationship. "A bride is one thing, and a wife is another," he told me. The fragment's additional references to "Mary" and a prospective woman disciple also argue against attaching a purely metaphorical meaning to the word "wife."
For what it's worth, here are all the translated bits from the papyrus:
"'... not [to] me. My mother gave to me li[fe] ...'"
"The disciples said to Jesus, '..."
"deny. Mary is worthy of it" (Or: "deny. Mary is n[ot] worthy of it")?
"...' Jesus said to them, 'My wife...'"
"... she will be able to be my disciple ..."
"Let wicked people swell up ..."
"As for me, I dwell with her in order to ..."
"an image"
"my moth[er]"
"three"
"forth which ..."
More about scripture and history:
Alan Boyle is NBCNews.com's science editor. Connect with the Cosmic Log community by "liking" the log's?Facebook page, following?@b0yle on Twitter?and adding the?Cosmic Log page?to your Google+ presence. To keep up with Cosmic Log as well as NBCNews.com's other stories about science and space, sign up for the Tech & Science newsletter, delivered to your email in-box every weekday. You can also check out?"The Case for Pluto,"?my book about the dwarf planet and the search for new worlds.
Shaun White, the two-time Olympic gold medalist and X-Games star snowboarder, faces charges of vandalism and public intoxication after his arrest at a hotel in Nashville, Tenn.
White, 26, reportedly pulled a fire alarm at the Loews Vanderbilt Hotel shortly after midnight Sunday morning, forcing the evacuation of all hotel guests. An employee also told police he saw White destroy a hotel phone.
According to Nashville police, White attempted to flee the hotel in a cab, but "a citizen" at the hotel told the driver he was calling the police. White overheard the conversation, and allegedly kicked the person and ran away.
"The citizen reported that he chased White until White turned and ran into him, apparently causing White to fall backwards and strike his head against a fence," the police report states. "White was transported to a local hospital for treatment."
White was released from the hospital Monday afternoon, and is free on his own recognizance. The citizen involved in the altercation declined to press charges.
The police report also says that "White appeared to be extremely intoxicated and smelled strongly of alcohol."
The arrest warrants for vandalism and public intoxication were issued Sunday morning, after White refused to sign misdemeanor citations.
White is the two-time defending Winter Olympic halfpipe snowboarding champion. He's also won 24 X Games medals in snowboarding and skateboarding.
Contact: Mary Catherine Adams mcadams@agu.org 202-777-7530 American Geophysical Union
The following highlights summarize research papers that have been recently published in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL), Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth (JGR-B), Journal of Geophysical Research Planets (JGR-E), Journal of Geophysical Research Earth Surface (JGR-F), Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences (JGR-G).
In this release:
1. Characterizing the surface composition of Mercury
2. African dust forms red soils in Bermuda
3. Sea level controls carbon accumulation in the Everglades
4. Climate change threatens permafrost in soil
5. China's Changbaishan volcano showing signs of increased activity
6. For first time, meandering river created in laboratory
Anyone may read the scientific abstract for any already-published paper by clicking on the link provided at the end of each Highlight. You can also read the abstract by going to http://www.agu.org/pubs/search_options.shtml and inserting into the search engine the full doi (digital object identifier), e.g. 10.1029/2012JE004153. The doi is found at the end of each Highlight below.
Journalists and public information officers (PIOs) at educational or scientific institutions who are registered with AGU also may download papers cited in this release by clicking on the links below. Instructions for members of the news media, PIOs, and the public for downloading or ordering the full text of any research paper summarized below are available at http://www.agu.org/news/press/papers.shtml.
1. Characterizing the surface composition of Mercury
The MESSENGER spacecraft, which has been orbiting Mercury since March 2011, has been revealing new information about the surface chemistry and geological history of the innermost planet in the solar system. Weider et al. recently analyzed 205 measurements of the surface composition from MESSENGER's X-ray spectrometer, focusing on the large expanse of smooth volcanic plains at high northern latitudes and surrounding areas that are higher in crater density and therefore older than the northern plains.
In general, the measurements show that Mercury's surface composition is very different from that of other planets in the solar system. It is dominated by minerals high in magnesium and enriched in sulfur. This composition is similar to that expected from partial melts of enstatite chondrites, a rare type of meteorite that formed at high temperatures in highly reducing (low oxygen) conditions in the inner solar system.
In addition, the researchers find that the composition of Mercury's northern plains deposits differs from that of the surrounding older terrain. In particular, the older terrain has higher ratios of magnesium to silicon, sulfur to silicon, and calcium to silicon, but lower ratios of aluminum to silicon. These differences suggest that the smooth plains material erupted from a magma source that was chemically different from the source of the material in the older regions. Future studies will help constrain further the formation and geological history of Mercury.
Source:
Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, doi:10.1029/2012JE004153, 2012
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2012JE004153
Title:
Chemical heterogeneity on Mercury's surface revealed by the MESSENGER X-Ray Spectrometer
Authors:
Shoshana Zoe Weider, Larry Nittler, and Paul K. Byrne: Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C., USA;
Richard D Starr: Physics Department, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., USA, and Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA;
Timothy McCoy and Karen Stockstill Cahill: Department of Mineral Sciences, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., USA;
Brett W Denevi: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, USA;
James W. Head: Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA;
Sean C. Solomon: Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C., USA, and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA.
2. African dust forms red soils in Bermuda
In Bermuda, red iron-rich clayey soil horizons overlying gray carbonate rocks are visually stunning topographical features. These red soils, called terra rossa, are storehouses of information not only on past local processes that crafted the topography of the island but also on atmospheric circulation patterns that drove global climate during the Quaternary period (roughly 2.5 million years ago). The origin of the terra rossa, however, has remained a mystery for well over a century.
On one hand, dissolution features in the carbonate rocks suggest that local material, for example volcanic rocks, could be the source of these red beds. On the other hand, Bermuda is also uniquely located to receive airborne dust from western Africa as well as from loess deposits of the Mississippi Valley of the central United States both of which could also be potential sources of the terra rossa soils in Bermuda.
For the first time, Muhs et al. analyzed trace element concentrations in terra rossa soils of Bermuda. Matching the terra rossa trace element profile to that of each potential source material, the authors suggest that airborne dust originating from a vast swath of western Africa may be the most likely parent material of the red beds of Bermuda. Until now, scientists had assumed that dust transport from western Africa was limited to the southern Caribbean, with maximum transport to Barbados, and in small amounts to Florida. The new finding suggests that dust from Africa not only reached more northern latitudes during the Quaternary but also must have occurred in significant quantities to account for the formation of red soils in Bermuda.
Source:
Journal of Geophysical Research- Earth Surface, doi:10.1029/2012JF002366
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2012JF002366
Title:
Soil genesis on the island of Bermuda in the Quaternary: The importance of African dust transport and deposition
Authors:
Daniel R. Muhs, James R. Budahn and Gary Skipp: U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado, USA;
Joseph M. Prospero: Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA;
Stanley R. Herwitz: UAV Collaborative, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA.
3. Sea level controls carbon accumulation in the Everglades
How much carbon is stored in the organic soils of tropical wetlands is becoming an important question as erosion, agriculture, and global climate change slowly set into motion a series of processes that could potentially release carbon locked up in these wetlands. In a recent study, Glaser et al. reconstructed a complete, carbon-14 dated 4,000-year history of both organic and inorganic matter accumulation in the Everglades of south Florida.
The authors find that despite the fact that erosion, fires, and similar processes may have removed as much as 2 meters (6.56 feet) of soil from the Everglades, there is a remarkable consistency in the accumulation rates of both organic and inorganic matter in the Everglades over the past 4,000 years. They speculate that processes such as sea level rise that operate on time scales of centuries or even millennia may be ultimately controlling the rates of formation and accumulation of organic matter in the Everglades.
They further show that the rate of organic matter accumulation in the southern Everglades is two to four times lower than its counterparts in colder and high-latitude environments. The authors attribute the low accumulation rates mostly to the slow rise in sea level since the mid-Holocene, but also to low supply of nutrients and high temperatures; all of these factors favor low rates of organic matter production but faster rates of decomposition. They note that compared to the northern peatlands, tropical wetlands store relatively small amounts of carbon.
Source:
Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences, doi:10.1029/2011JG001821
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2011JG001821
Title:
Carbon and sediment accumulation in the Everglades (USA) during the past 4000 years: Rates, drivers, and sources of error
Authors:
Paul H. Glaser and Barbara C. S. Hansen: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA;
John C. Volin: Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA;
Thomas J. Givnish: Department of Botany, University of WisconsinMadison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA;
Craig A. Stricker: U. S. Geological Survey Stable Isotope Lab, Denver, Colorado, USA.
4. Climate change threatens permafrost in soil
In the coming century, permafrost in polar regions and alpine forests in the Northern Hemisphere may thaw rapidly, potentially releasing carbon and nitrogen that could cause additional regional warming. Permafrost occurs in soils where ground temperatures remain below freezing for at least two consecutive years. These special types of soil, called Gelisols, are large reservoirs of organic carbon and nitrogen. Thawing is likely to release the carbon and nitrogen in these soils to rivers and lakes, ecosystems, and the atmosphere; different soil types are vulnerable to different thawing processes.
There is field evidence that permafrost cover has been moving poleward since around 1900. Scientists predict that of the many ways permafrost can thaw, "top-down" and "lateral thawing" will be the most dominant modes of degrading permafrost. Harden et al. compiled a database of published and unpublished carbon and nitrogen content from a variety of Gelisols. Using predictions of soil temperature in the climate model CCSM4, the authors studied the role of top-down thawing processes in degrading several types of Gelisols under future climate scenarios.
They find that forest fires and thawing-related decomposition of different types of Gelisols would take place over the next century, which could potentially release up to 850 billion tons of carbon and up to 44 billion tons of nitrogen into atmosphere-water and high-latitude ecosystems. The authors recommend combining extensive field and model studies, such as theirs, to understand the impact of permafrost thawing on global and regional climate by the middle of this century.
Source:
Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2012GL051958, 2012
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051958
Title:
Field information links permafrost carbon to physical vulnerabilities of thawing
Authors:
Jennifer W. Harden: U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, USA;
Charles D. Koven: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA;
Chien-Lu Ping and Gary J. Michaelson: Palmer Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA;
Gustaf Hugelius and Peter Kuhry: Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden;
A. David McGuire: Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA;
Phillip Camill: Environmental Studies Program and Department of Earth and Oceanographic Science, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, USA;
Guido Grosse: Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA.
5. China's Changbaishan volcano showing signs of increased activity
Roughly 1,100 years ago, the Changbaishan volcano that lies along the border between northeastern China and North Korea erupted, sending pyroclastic flows dozens of kilometers and blasting a 5-kilometer (3-mile) wide chunk off of the tip of the stratovolcano. The eruption, known as the Millennium eruption because of its proximity to the turn of the first millennium, was one of the largest volcanic events in the Common Era. In the subsequent period, there have been three smaller eruptions, the most recent of which took place in 1903. Starting in 1999, spurred by signs of resumed activity, scientists established the Changbaishan Volcano Observatory, a network to track changing gas compositions, seismic activity, and ground deformation. Reporting on the data collected over the past 12 years, Xu et al. find that these volcanic indices each leapt during a period of heightened activity from 2002 to 2006.
The authors find that during this brief active period, earthquake occurrences increased dramatically. From 1999 to 2002, and from 2006 to 2011, they registered 7 earthquakes per month using 11 seismometers. From 2002 to 2006, this rate increased to 72 earthquakes per month, peaking in November 2003 with 243 events. Further, tracking the source of the earthquakes, the authors tie the bulk of the events to a region located 5 kilometers (3 miles) beneath the volcanic caldera, a source that slowly crept upward throughout the study period, suggestive of an ongoing magmatic intrusion. Gas composition measurements collected from hot springs near the volcano showed spikes in carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium, and nitrogen gases, which the authors suggest could be related to magmatic outgassing. Ground deformation studies, too, show a brief period of rapid expansion. The authors suggest that though Changbaishan is likely not gearing up for an imminent eruption, one could be expected in the next couple of decades.
Source:
Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2012GL052600, 2012
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2012GL052600
Title:
Recent unrest of Changbaishan volcano, northeast China: A precursor of a future eruption?
Authors:
Jiandong Xu and Bo Pan: Key Laboratory of Active Tectonics and Volcano, Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing, China and Changbaishan Volcano Observatory, Antu, China;
Guoming Liu and Junqing Liu: Changbaishan Volcano Observatory, Antu, China;
Jianping Wu and Yuehong Ming: Changbaishan Volcano Observatory, Antu, China and Institute of Geophysics, CEA, Beijing, China;
Qingliang Wang: Changbaishan Volcano Observatory, Antu, China and Second Monitoring Center, CEA, Xi'an, China;
Duxin Cui: Second Monitoring Center, CEA, Xi'an, China;
Zhiguan Shangguan and Xudong Lin: Key Laboratory of Active Tectonics and Volcano, Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing, China.
6. For first time, meandering river created in laboratory
Natural rivers are not straight, and they are rarely idle. Instead, they bend and curve and sometimes appear to wriggle across the surface over time. That rivers can meander is obvious but how and why they do so is less well known. These questions are complicated by the fact that researchers have for the most part been unable to realistically create a meandering river in a laboratory. Scientists have previously created simulated streams that bend and branch, but they were not able to limit the river to only a single main flow path or maintain such dynamic motion past the initial bend formation. Working with a 6-by-11 meter (20-by-36 foot) river simulator called the Eurotank, van Dijk et al. created a dynamically meandering river. In so doing, the authors identify two conditions necessary to induce meandering: the availability of mixed sediment and a continuously varying upstream water source.
For 260 hours the authors pumped a steady stream of water and mixed sediment onto a sediment-filled basin. First, they held the inflow point steady, which resulted in a straight channel. Then, they moved the inflow point horizontally, which caused the downstream flows to bend. Finally, the authors reversed the horizontal motion of the input point, which further increased the downstream complexity. Photographs taken every 10 minutes and high-resolution laser topography scans captured every 7 hours captured the details of the river's evolution.
The authors suggest that the drifting inflow point caused the channel to meander, while the presence of mixed sediments sealed off defunct paths, preventing the single channel from turning into a multithreaded braided system. The finding suggests that meandering at any point in a river depends on lateral drift in upstream reaches, such that an immobile bottleneck at any one site will decrease downstream complexity.
Source:
Journal of Geophysical Research-Earth Surface, doi:10.1029/2011JF002314, 2012
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2011JF002314
Title:
Experimental meandering river with chute cutoffs
Authors:
W. M. van Dijk, W. I. van de Lageweg, and M. G. Kleinhans: Faculty of Geosciences, Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
Contact: Mary Catherine Adams mcadams@agu.org 202-777-7530 American Geophysical Union
The following highlights summarize research papers that have been recently published in Geophysical Research Letters (GRL), Journal of Geophysical Research Solid Earth (JGR-B), Journal of Geophysical Research Planets (JGR-E), Journal of Geophysical Research Earth Surface (JGR-F), Journal of Geophysical Research Biogeosciences (JGR-G).
In this release:
1. Characterizing the surface composition of Mercury
2. African dust forms red soils in Bermuda
3. Sea level controls carbon accumulation in the Everglades
4. Climate change threatens permafrost in soil
5. China's Changbaishan volcano showing signs of increased activity
6. For first time, meandering river created in laboratory
Anyone may read the scientific abstract for any already-published paper by clicking on the link provided at the end of each Highlight. You can also read the abstract by going to http://www.agu.org/pubs/search_options.shtml and inserting into the search engine the full doi (digital object identifier), e.g. 10.1029/2012JE004153. The doi is found at the end of each Highlight below.
Journalists and public information officers (PIOs) at educational or scientific institutions who are registered with AGU also may download papers cited in this release by clicking on the links below. Instructions for members of the news media, PIOs, and the public for downloading or ordering the full text of any research paper summarized below are available at http://www.agu.org/news/press/papers.shtml.
1. Characterizing the surface composition of Mercury
The MESSENGER spacecraft, which has been orbiting Mercury since March 2011, has been revealing new information about the surface chemistry and geological history of the innermost planet in the solar system. Weider et al. recently analyzed 205 measurements of the surface composition from MESSENGER's X-ray spectrometer, focusing on the large expanse of smooth volcanic plains at high northern latitudes and surrounding areas that are higher in crater density and therefore older than the northern plains.
In general, the measurements show that Mercury's surface composition is very different from that of other planets in the solar system. It is dominated by minerals high in magnesium and enriched in sulfur. This composition is similar to that expected from partial melts of enstatite chondrites, a rare type of meteorite that formed at high temperatures in highly reducing (low oxygen) conditions in the inner solar system.
In addition, the researchers find that the composition of Mercury's northern plains deposits differs from that of the surrounding older terrain. In particular, the older terrain has higher ratios of magnesium to silicon, sulfur to silicon, and calcium to silicon, but lower ratios of aluminum to silicon. These differences suggest that the smooth plains material erupted from a magma source that was chemically different from the source of the material in the older regions. Future studies will help constrain further the formation and geological history of Mercury.
Source:
Journal of Geophysical Research-Planets, doi:10.1029/2012JE004153, 2012
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2012JE004153
Title:
Chemical heterogeneity on Mercury's surface revealed by the MESSENGER X-Ray Spectrometer
Authors:
Shoshana Zoe Weider, Larry Nittler, and Paul K. Byrne: Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C., USA;
Richard D Starr: Physics Department, The Catholic University of America, Washington, D.C., USA, and Solar System Exploration Division, NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, Greenbelt, Maryland, USA;
Timothy McCoy and Karen Stockstill Cahill: Department of Mineral Sciences, National Museum of Natural History, Smithsonian Institution, Washington, D.C., USA;
Brett W Denevi: The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, Laurel, Maryland, USA;
James W. Head: Department of Geological Sciences, Brown University, Providence, Rhode Island, USA;
Sean C. Solomon: Department of Terrestrial Magnetism, Carnegie Institution of Washington, Washington, D.C., USA, and Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory, Columbia University, Palisades, New York, USA.
2. African dust forms red soils in Bermuda
In Bermuda, red iron-rich clayey soil horizons overlying gray carbonate rocks are visually stunning topographical features. These red soils, called terra rossa, are storehouses of information not only on past local processes that crafted the topography of the island but also on atmospheric circulation patterns that drove global climate during the Quaternary period (roughly 2.5 million years ago). The origin of the terra rossa, however, has remained a mystery for well over a century.
On one hand, dissolution features in the carbonate rocks suggest that local material, for example volcanic rocks, could be the source of these red beds. On the other hand, Bermuda is also uniquely located to receive airborne dust from western Africa as well as from loess deposits of the Mississippi Valley of the central United States both of which could also be potential sources of the terra rossa soils in Bermuda.
For the first time, Muhs et al. analyzed trace element concentrations in terra rossa soils of Bermuda. Matching the terra rossa trace element profile to that of each potential source material, the authors suggest that airborne dust originating from a vast swath of western Africa may be the most likely parent material of the red beds of Bermuda. Until now, scientists had assumed that dust transport from western Africa was limited to the southern Caribbean, with maximum transport to Barbados, and in small amounts to Florida. The new finding suggests that dust from Africa not only reached more northern latitudes during the Quaternary but also must have occurred in significant quantities to account for the formation of red soils in Bermuda.
Source:
Journal of Geophysical Research- Earth Surface, doi:10.1029/2012JF002366
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2012JF002366
Title:
Soil genesis on the island of Bermuda in the Quaternary: The importance of African dust transport and deposition
Authors:
Daniel R. Muhs, James R. Budahn and Gary Skipp: U.S. Geological Survey, Denver, Colorado, USA;
Joseph M. Prospero: Rosenstiel School of Marine and Atmospheric Sciences, University of Miami, Miami, Florida, USA;
Stanley R. Herwitz: UAV Collaborative, NASA Research Park, Moffett Field, California, USA.
3. Sea level controls carbon accumulation in the Everglades
How much carbon is stored in the organic soils of tropical wetlands is becoming an important question as erosion, agriculture, and global climate change slowly set into motion a series of processes that could potentially release carbon locked up in these wetlands. In a recent study, Glaser et al. reconstructed a complete, carbon-14 dated 4,000-year history of both organic and inorganic matter accumulation in the Everglades of south Florida.
The authors find that despite the fact that erosion, fires, and similar processes may have removed as much as 2 meters (6.56 feet) of soil from the Everglades, there is a remarkable consistency in the accumulation rates of both organic and inorganic matter in the Everglades over the past 4,000 years. They speculate that processes such as sea level rise that operate on time scales of centuries or even millennia may be ultimately controlling the rates of formation and accumulation of organic matter in the Everglades.
They further show that the rate of organic matter accumulation in the southern Everglades is two to four times lower than its counterparts in colder and high-latitude environments. The authors attribute the low accumulation rates mostly to the slow rise in sea level since the mid-Holocene, but also to low supply of nutrients and high temperatures; all of these factors favor low rates of organic matter production but faster rates of decomposition. They note that compared to the northern peatlands, tropical wetlands store relatively small amounts of carbon.
Source:
Journal of Geophysical Research-Biogeosciences, doi:10.1029/2011JG001821
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2011JG001821
Title:
Carbon and sediment accumulation in the Everglades (USA) during the past 4000 years: Rates, drivers, and sources of error
Authors:
Paul H. Glaser and Barbara C. S. Hansen: Department of Earth Sciences, University of Minnesota, Minneapolis, Minnesota, USA;
John C. Volin: Department of Natural Resources and the Environment, University of Connecticut, Storrs, Connecticut, USA;
Thomas J. Givnish: Department of Botany, University of WisconsinMadison, Madison, Wisconsin, USA;
Craig A. Stricker: U. S. Geological Survey Stable Isotope Lab, Denver, Colorado, USA.
4. Climate change threatens permafrost in soil
In the coming century, permafrost in polar regions and alpine forests in the Northern Hemisphere may thaw rapidly, potentially releasing carbon and nitrogen that could cause additional regional warming. Permafrost occurs in soils where ground temperatures remain below freezing for at least two consecutive years. These special types of soil, called Gelisols, are large reservoirs of organic carbon and nitrogen. Thawing is likely to release the carbon and nitrogen in these soils to rivers and lakes, ecosystems, and the atmosphere; different soil types are vulnerable to different thawing processes.
There is field evidence that permafrost cover has been moving poleward since around 1900. Scientists predict that of the many ways permafrost can thaw, "top-down" and "lateral thawing" will be the most dominant modes of degrading permafrost. Harden et al. compiled a database of published and unpublished carbon and nitrogen content from a variety of Gelisols. Using predictions of soil temperature in the climate model CCSM4, the authors studied the role of top-down thawing processes in degrading several types of Gelisols under future climate scenarios.
They find that forest fires and thawing-related decomposition of different types of Gelisols would take place over the next century, which could potentially release up to 850 billion tons of carbon and up to 44 billion tons of nitrogen into atmosphere-water and high-latitude ecosystems. The authors recommend combining extensive field and model studies, such as theirs, to understand the impact of permafrost thawing on global and regional climate by the middle of this century.
Source:
Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2012GL051958, 2012
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2012GL051958
Title:
Field information links permafrost carbon to physical vulnerabilities of thawing
Authors:
Jennifer W. Harden: U.S. Geological Survey, Menlo Park, California, USA;
Charles D. Koven: Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Berkeley, California, USA;
Chien-Lu Ping and Gary J. Michaelson: Palmer Research Center, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA;
Gustaf Hugelius and Peter Kuhry: Department of Physical Geography and Quaternary Geology, Stockholm University, Stockholm, Sweden;
A. David McGuire: Alaska Cooperative Fish and Wildlife Research Unit, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA;
Phillip Camill: Environmental Studies Program and Department of Earth and Oceanographic Science, Bowdoin College, Brunswick, Maine, USA;
Guido Grosse: Geophysical Institute, University of Alaska Fairbanks, Fairbanks, Alaska, USA.
5. China's Changbaishan volcano showing signs of increased activity
Roughly 1,100 years ago, the Changbaishan volcano that lies along the border between northeastern China and North Korea erupted, sending pyroclastic flows dozens of kilometers and blasting a 5-kilometer (3-mile) wide chunk off of the tip of the stratovolcano. The eruption, known as the Millennium eruption because of its proximity to the turn of the first millennium, was one of the largest volcanic events in the Common Era. In the subsequent period, there have been three smaller eruptions, the most recent of which took place in 1903. Starting in 1999, spurred by signs of resumed activity, scientists established the Changbaishan Volcano Observatory, a network to track changing gas compositions, seismic activity, and ground deformation. Reporting on the data collected over the past 12 years, Xu et al. find that these volcanic indices each leapt during a period of heightened activity from 2002 to 2006.
The authors find that during this brief active period, earthquake occurrences increased dramatically. From 1999 to 2002, and from 2006 to 2011, they registered 7 earthquakes per month using 11 seismometers. From 2002 to 2006, this rate increased to 72 earthquakes per month, peaking in November 2003 with 243 events. Further, tracking the source of the earthquakes, the authors tie the bulk of the events to a region located 5 kilometers (3 miles) beneath the volcanic caldera, a source that slowly crept upward throughout the study period, suggestive of an ongoing magmatic intrusion. Gas composition measurements collected from hot springs near the volcano showed spikes in carbon dioxide, hydrogen, helium, and nitrogen gases, which the authors suggest could be related to magmatic outgassing. Ground deformation studies, too, show a brief period of rapid expansion. The authors suggest that though Changbaishan is likely not gearing up for an imminent eruption, one could be expected in the next couple of decades.
Source:
Geophysical Research Letters, doi:10.1029/2012GL052600, 2012
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2012GL052600
Title:
Recent unrest of Changbaishan volcano, northeast China: A precursor of a future eruption?
Authors:
Jiandong Xu and Bo Pan: Key Laboratory of Active Tectonics and Volcano, Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing, China and Changbaishan Volcano Observatory, Antu, China;
Guoming Liu and Junqing Liu: Changbaishan Volcano Observatory, Antu, China;
Jianping Wu and Yuehong Ming: Changbaishan Volcano Observatory, Antu, China and Institute of Geophysics, CEA, Beijing, China;
Qingliang Wang: Changbaishan Volcano Observatory, Antu, China and Second Monitoring Center, CEA, Xi'an, China;
Duxin Cui: Second Monitoring Center, CEA, Xi'an, China;
Zhiguan Shangguan and Xudong Lin: Key Laboratory of Active Tectonics and Volcano, Institute of Geology, China Earthquake Administration, Beijing, China.
6. For first time, meandering river created in laboratory
Natural rivers are not straight, and they are rarely idle. Instead, they bend and curve and sometimes appear to wriggle across the surface over time. That rivers can meander is obvious but how and why they do so is less well known. These questions are complicated by the fact that researchers have for the most part been unable to realistically create a meandering river in a laboratory. Scientists have previously created simulated streams that bend and branch, but they were not able to limit the river to only a single main flow path or maintain such dynamic motion past the initial bend formation. Working with a 6-by-11 meter (20-by-36 foot) river simulator called the Eurotank, van Dijk et al. created a dynamically meandering river. In so doing, the authors identify two conditions necessary to induce meandering: the availability of mixed sediment and a continuously varying upstream water source.
For 260 hours the authors pumped a steady stream of water and mixed sediment onto a sediment-filled basin. First, they held the inflow point steady, which resulted in a straight channel. Then, they moved the inflow point horizontally, which caused the downstream flows to bend. Finally, the authors reversed the horizontal motion of the input point, which further increased the downstream complexity. Photographs taken every 10 minutes and high-resolution laser topography scans captured every 7 hours captured the details of the river's evolution.
The authors suggest that the drifting inflow point caused the channel to meander, while the presence of mixed sediments sealed off defunct paths, preventing the single channel from turning into a multithreaded braided system. The finding suggests that meandering at any point in a river depends on lateral drift in upstream reaches, such that an immobile bottleneck at any one site will decrease downstream complexity.
Source:
Journal of Geophysical Research-Earth Surface, doi:10.1029/2011JF002314, 2012
http://dx.doi.org/10.1029/2011JF002314
Title:
Experimental meandering river with chute cutoffs
Authors:
W. M. van Dijk, W. I. van de Lageweg, and M. G. Kleinhans: Faculty of Geosciences, Department of Physical Geography, Utrecht University, Utrecht, Netherlands.
AAAS and EurekAlert! are not responsible for the accuracy of news releases posted to EurekAlert! by contributing institutions or for the use of any information through the EurekAlert! system.
![[ Back to EurekAlert! ]](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/blogger_img_proxy/AEn0k_tUKcj5TsEE8CO8NnIJPEC2NQDp2Ktem5UXAtRDeXPGAXBNAoBwrEoM7AC5XbAR4C8OpOcIGkD5mMzmz-mS1xmD-uvJC2htZUrgvl2RBBs=s0-d){kind=small}
Public release date: 17-Sep-2012
Share ]