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76 FR 60475 - Issuance of a Loan Guarantee to Tonopah Solar Energy, LLC, for the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announces its decision to issue a Federal loan guarantee under Title XVII of the Energy Policy Act of 2005 (EPAct 05), as amended by Section 406 of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act of 2009 (Recovery Act), to Tonopah Solar Energy, LLC (TSE), for construction and start-up of the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project (the Project). The Project is a......
75 FR 81307 - Notice of Availability of Record of Decision for the Tonopah Solar Energy, LLC, Crescent Dunes...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
The Bureau of Land Management (BLM) announces the availability of the Record of Decision (ROD) for the Tonopah Solar Energy Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project Environmental Impact Statement (EIS). The Secretary of the Interior approved the ROD on December 20, 2010, which constitutes the final decision of the...
Crescentic dunes on the inner continental shelf off northern California
These dunes appear to be migrating obliquely to the regional shelf gradient; a preferred offshore direction of tranpsort is indicated by the extended southern wings of many dunes. Over longer time periods (decades), the seaward transport of fine to medium sand in the crescentic dunes is probably an important way by which sand escapes the shallow part of the continental shelf in this region and mixes with the muddy deposits of the central shelf. -from Authors
Cacchione, D. A.; Field, M. E.; Drake, D. E.; Tate, G. B.
Evolution of downsized crescent-shaped dune in wind tunnel experiment
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The migration of a downsized crescent-shaped dune was investigated in a wind tunnel experiment. Quantified upwind influx and vertical oscillation of the sand bed were introduced to modulate the saturation level of the sand flux above the dune surface to affect dune evolution. The evolution was recorded by top-view photography and then abstracted as the evolution of self-defined characteristic quantities using a digital image processing algorithm. The results showed that, in contrast to the case for spanwise quantities, the evolution of streamwise quantities corresponds to a linear increase in the modulation magnitude more positively and in a monotonic and convergent manner. In contrast with quantities on the windward face, the changes in quantities with respect to the horns were nonmonotonic with time and almost uncorrelated with the variation in modulation strength, which reveals the distinctiveness of leeside evolution.
Zhang, Yang; Wang, Yuan; Jia, Pan
74 FR 61364 - Notice of Intent To Prepare an Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Tonopah Solar...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
...Environmental Impact Statement for the Proposed Tonopah Solar Energy, LLC Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, Nye County, NV AGENCY: Bureau of...impact statement (EIS) for the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project located on public lands in Nye...
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Context image for PIA03634 Dunes This dune field is located on the floor of a crater located southeast of Mutch Crater. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 3.1S, Longitude 307.5E. 17 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Historically, many calendars are based on lunar months, where the start of the month is based on the sighting of the thin crescent Moon in the evening twilight. Yet the problem of predicting (or postdicting) crescent visibility is a difficult task. In modern times, the Islamic calendar is used by more than a billion people, while its utility is abridged by the ambiguities in knowing the dates. As such, I would claim that crescent visibility is the single (nontrivial) astronomical problem that affects the most people. LeRoy Doggett spearheaded an effort to place crescent visibility on a firm observational basis by organizing five Moonwatch campaigns involving thousands of observers spread out across North America. His idea was to collect large numbers of actual observations for direct confrontation with models, and to measure the error rates. This talk will report on his results. The application of the results are broad; frequently in areas of scholarly, historical, social, or military disputes. For example, lunar visibility is vital for dating the Crucifixion, a task contentious among Biblical scholars. Another example is in testing the historicity of the claimed lunar impact reported by Gervase of Canterbury. The meeting will be held in the middle of the Islamic holy month of Ramadan, while in the past two decades the majority of Ramadans have been started based on reported crescent sightings before the time of New Moon.
Schaefer, B. E.
Dark Dunes Over-riding Bright Dunes
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)Some martian sand dunes may be more active than others. In this picture, wind has caused the dark and somewhat crescent-shaped dunes to advance toward the lower left. While their movement cannot actually be seen in this April 1998snapshot, the location of their steepest slopes--their slip faces--on their southwestern sides indicates the direction of movement. Oddly, these dark dunes have moved across and partly cover sets of smaller, bright ridges that also formed by wind action.This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image illustrates an intriguing martian 'find.' Strangely, the two dune types have different shapes and a different relative brightness. There are two explanations for the relationship seen here, and neither can be distinguished as 'the answer'--(1) it is possible that the brighter dunes are old and cemented, and represent some ancient wind activity, whereas the dark dunes are modern and are marching across the older, 'fossilized' dune forms, or (2) the bright dunes are composed of grains that are much larger or more dense than those that compose the dark dunes. In the latter scenario, the bright dunes move more slowly and are over-taken by the dark dunes because their grains are harder to transport. An interpretation involving larger or denser grains is consistent with the small size and even-spacing of the bright dunes, as well, but usually on Earth such features occur on the surfaces of larger, finer-grained dunes, not under them. The actual composition of either the bright or dark materials are unknown. This example is located on the floor of an impact crater in western Arabia Terra at 10.7oN, 351.0oW. The picture is illuminated from the right.
Cold Disks around Nearby Stars. An overview of the DUNES search for ExtraSolar Kuiper-Belt Analogs
The DUNES Open Time Key Programme on Herschel represents a new opportunity to sensitively probe dusty extra-solar analogs to the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt about nearby main sequence stars. Science Demonstration Phase and routine Herschel\\/PACS observations of debris disks have uncovered the imaging capabilities of Herschel, complementing our general understanding of extra-solar planetary systems in the solar vicinity. Direct and deconvolved images
J.-C. Augereau
An agent-based model of dune interactions produces the emergence of patterns in deserts
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Crescent-shaped barchan dunes are highly mobile dunes which are ubiquitous on Earth and other solar system bodies. Although they are unstable when considered separately, they form large assemblies in deserts and spatially organize in narrow corridors that extend in the wind direction. Collision of barchans has been proposed as a mechanism to redistribute sand between dunes and prevent the formation of very large dunes. Here we use an agent-based model with elementary rules of sand redistribution during collisions to access the full dynamics of very large barchan fields. We tune the dune field density by changing the sand load/lost ratio and follow the transition between dilute fields, where barchans barely interact, and dense fields, where dune collisions control and stabilize the dune field. In this dense regime, barchans have a small, well-selected size and form flocks: the dune field self-organizes in narrow corridors of dunes, as it is observed in real dense barchan deserts.
G�Nois, Mathieu; Pont, Sylvain Courrech; Hersen, Pascal; Gr�Goire, Guillaume
An agent-based model of dune interactions produces the emergence of patterns in deserts
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Crescent-shaped barchan dunes are highly mobile dunes which are ubiquitous on Earth and other solar system bodies. Although they are unstable when considered separately, they form large assemblies in deserts and spatially organize in narrow corridors that extend in the wind direction. Collision of barchans has been proposed as a mechanism to redistribute sand between dunes and prevent the formation of very large dunes. Here, we use an agent-based model with elementary rules of sand redistribution during collisions to access the full dynamics of very large barchan fields. We tune the dune field density by changing the sand load/lost ratio and follow the transition between dilute fields, where barchans barely interact, and dense fields, where dune collisions control and stabilize the dune field. In this dense regime, barchans have a small, well selected size and form flocks: the dune field self-organizes in narrow corridors of dunes, as it is observed in real dense barchan deserts. Simulated dense barchan field, with spatial structuring along the wind direction.
G�nois, M.; Courrech Du Pont, S.
Visibility of the lunar crescent
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
A model designed to predict whether or not the moon will be visible under any set of observing conditions is presented. It explicitly includes atmospheric clarity, which is calculated from the site's altitude, latitude, temperature, relative humidity, aerosol content, and time of the year. This mathematical model is combined with a lunar and solar ephemeris to yield a computer program which will predict the date of the first crescent sighting from any location. A list of 201 observations of lunar visibility was collected to test this model and other models. It is found that criteria involving the moonset lagtime and the moon's age have zones of uncertainty which typically cover the entire earth.
Schaefer, Bradley E.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
A turbine stage includes a row of airfoils joined to corresponding platforms to define flow passages therebetween. Each airfoil includes opposite pressure and suction sides and extends in chord between opposite leading and trailing edges. Each platform includes a crescentic ramp increasing in height from the leading and trailing edges toward the midchord of the airfoil along the pressure side thereof.
Lee, Ching-Pang (Inventor); Tam, Anna (Inventor); Kirtley, Kevin Richard (Inventor); Lamson, Scott Henry (Inventor)
Acute and crescentic glomerulonephritis.
Acute nephritic syndrome is clinically characterized by hematuria, proteinuria, oliguria, and volume overload with or without azotemia and histologically be acute proliferative glomerulonephritis. Acute post streptococcal glomerulonephritis is the commonest cause in children. There is a preceding infection prior to this condition in majority. This is one of the comonest causes of renal edema in children. Early recognition, prompt and aggressive therapy and adequate follow-up are mandatory. Prognosis is usually good unless associated with severe renal failure and crescentic glomerulonephritis where the outcome is relatively poor unless treatment is early and adequate. Pathologically acute proliferative nephritis is with diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis with or without crescents. Immunosuppressive therapy is not needed in simple acute proliferative glomerulonephritis but is essential in modifying the outcome of crescentic glomerulonephritis. Delayed resolution, severe renal failure at onset, progressive renal failure and associated systemic features like skin rashes, joint pains, hepatosplenomegaly and persistent fever are the indications for biopsy. Overall the prognosis in classical post streptococcal acute proliferative glomerulonephritis is good. PMID:12557962
Vijayakumar, M
The sedimentary structure of linear sand dunes
Linear sand dunes--dunes that extend parallel to each other rather than in star-like or crescentic forms--are the most abundant type of desert sand dune. But because their development and their internal structure are poorly understood, they are rarely recognized in the rock record. Models of linear dune development have not been able to take into account the sub-surface structure of existing dunes, but have relied instead either on the extrapolation of short-term measurements of winds and sediment transport or on observations of near-surface internal sedimentary structures. From such studies, it has not been clear if linear dunes can migrate laterally. Here we present images produced by ground penetrating radar showing the three-dimensional sedimentary structure of a linear dune in the Namib sand sea, where some of the world's largest linear dunes are situated. These profiles show clear evidence for lateral migration in a linear dune. Moreover, the migration of a sinuous crest-line along the dune produces divergent sets of cross-stratification, which can become stacked as the dune height increases, and large linear dunes can support superimposed dunes that produce stacked sets of trough cross-stratification. These clear structural signatures of linear dunes should facilitate their recognition in geological records. PMID:10894538
Bristow; Bailey; Lancaster
75 FR 54177 - Notice of Availability of Draft Environmental Impact Statement for the Tonopah Solar Energy...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended (NEPA), the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Draft Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, Nye County, Nevada, and by this Notice is announcing the opening of the comment...
75 FR 72836 - Notice of Availability of Final Environmental Impact Statement for the Tonopah Solar Energy...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
In accordance with the National Environmental Policy Act of 1969, as amended, and the Federal Land Policy and Management Act of 1976, as amended, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has prepared a Final Environmental Impact Statement (EIS) for the Crescent Dunes Solar Energy Project, Nye County, Nevada, and by this notice is announcing its...
The crescentic inverted scarf osteotomy.
A hybrid procedure combining the inverted scarf and crescentic osteotomies is presented. This procedure may serve as a viable modification of the inverted scarf bunionectomy for those surgeons desiring true rotational correction of high intermetatarsal angles. PMID:12567369
O'Brien, Todd
NSDL National Science Digital Library
Most will agree that nothing is more relaxing that lying or walking on a beach. While unwinding, have you ever wondered what caused those big mounds of sand that you crossed to get there? This topic in depth addresses this issue, featuring Web sites that discuss sand dune processes and formations. Some of the Web sites also discuss research, mining, and protection activities taking place in areas with sand dune.The Environment Bay of Plenty in New Zealand has an online brochure (1) dealing with the coastal processes that form sand dunes and beaches. From this site, users can obtain a general understanding of how dunes change with time. Ted Brambleby developed the second site (2) for the Marine Education Society of Australasia, Inc. This site gives a great overview of the functions and formations of dunes as well as describing their unique beauty and strategies on how to care for the dunes. Produced by Nova Scotia Museum of Natural History, the third site (3) is an online pamphlet discussing the physical features and locations of sand dunes in Nova Scotia. Visitors can also read about the ecosystem supported by these dynamic features. The forth site (4), created by John Mangimeli for the National Park Service, is a review of the scientific research completed throughout the years dealing with the geology of sand dunes. Visitors will find a more in-depth discussion about sand movement, sand accumulation, and sand dune features. The fifth site is a scientific paper (5 ) written by R.L. Van Dam, et al. Studying the long term evolution of the Parengarenga Sandspit, these researchers used ground penetrating radar (GPR) "to (1) explore the possibilities for mapping lateral continuity of the coffee rock, (2) study the sedimentary architecture and stratigraphy of the solitary dunes, and (3) reconstruct the wind regime on the sandspit." The next two sites discuss the threats to sand dunes and activities taking place to protect them. The Lake Michigan Federation addresses the issues of mining (6). Visitors can learn about alternatives to mining dune sand and the ecological values of dunes. The Department of Environmental Quality in Michigan created a site (7) that provides users with statistical information dealing with the amount of sand harvested, the regulations of mining, and maps of critical dune areas. After learning about the formation, processes, threats, and protections efforts; the last site (8), created by Eva Hornecker with the University of Bremen, will allow users to get a real sense of the beauty of the sand dunes. The site features a collage of spectacular images of the Great Sand Dunes in the San Luis Valley.
Enright, Rachel
The crescentic inverted scarf osteotomy
A hybrid procedure combining the inverted scarf and crescentic osteotomies is presented. This procedure may serve as a viable modification of the inverted scarf bunionectomy for those surgeons desiring true rotational correction of high intermetatarsal angles. (The Journal of Foot & Ankle Surgery 42(1):48�50, 2003)
Todd O'Brien
Development of spatially diverse and complex dune-field patterns: Gran Desierto Dune Field, Sonora, Mexico
The pattern of dunes within the Gran Desierto of Sonora, Mexico, is both spatially diverse and complex. Identification of the pattern components from remote-sensing images, combined with statistical analysis of their measured parameters demonstrate that the composite pattern consists of separate populations of simple dune patterns. Age-bracketing by optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) indicates that the simple patterns represent relatively short-lived aeolian constructional events since ???25 ka. The simple dune patterns consist of: (i) late Pleistocene relict linear dunes; (ii) degraded crescentic dunes formed at ???12 ka; (iii) early Holocene western crescentic dunes; (iv) eastern crescentic dunes emplaced at ???7 ka; and (v) star dunes formed during the last 3 ka. Recognition of the simple patterns and their ages allows for the geomorphic backstripping of the composite pattern. Palaeowind reconstructions, based upon the rule of gross bedform-normal transport, are largely in agreement with regional proxy data. The sediment state over time for the Gran Desierto is one in which the sediment supply for aeolian constructional events is derived from previously stored sediment (Ancestral Colorado River sediment), and contemporaneous influx from the lower Colorado River valley and coastal influx from the Bahia del Adair inlet. Aeolian constructional events are triggered by climatic shifts to greater aridity, changes in the wind regime, and the development of a sediment supply. The rate of geomorphic change within the Gran Desierto is significantly greater than the rate of subsidence and burial of the accumulation surface upon which it rests. ?? 2006 The Authors. Journal compilation 2006 International Association of Sedimentologists.
Beveridge, C.; Kocurek, G.; Ewing, R. C.; Lancaster, N.; Morthekai, P.; Singhvi, A. K.; Mahan, S. A.
Morphology and distribution of common 'sand' dunes on Mars - Comparison with the earth
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
A comparative study of Martian and terrestrial dunes was made based on Viking Orbiter pictures and aerial pictures of terrestrial deserts. The morphological similarity between the Martian dunes and terrestrial crescentic dunes implies that the dynamics of dune formation are similar on the two planets, despite Martian constraints on dune formation that include much higher velocity winds required to move 'sand' in saltation, the possible inhibition of sand movement by absorbed water vapor, the seasonal 'snow' cover in the north circumpolar erg, and a probably sparse sand supply. The absence of longitudinal dunes and the restriction of massive crescentic dunes to a few sites on Mars suggests that Mars may have a long eolian history in which much of the sand suitable for saltation has already been transported to the north polar erg and crater floor fields.
Breed, C. S.; Grolier, M. J.; Mccauley, J. F.
NSDL National Science Digital Library
This activity was developed during the workshop, Teaching Climate Change: Insight from Large Lakes, held in June 2012. Dune Geomorphology by Anthony (Tony) Layzell, University of Kansas Main Campus J. Elmo ...
Eolian dune types preserved in the Tensleep Sandstone (Pennsylvanian-Permian), north-central Wyoming
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The Tensleep Sandstone is one component of an erg system that prograded southward out of north-central Wyoming from Middle Pennsylvanian to Early Permian time. Each erg advance was temporarily interrupted by regional marine transgression. Interpretation of dune types deposited in these ergs is developed from an analysis of the relative proportions of eolian stratification types comprising foreset strata, geometry and relationships of bounding surfaces, and paleodispersal patterns. Two basic morphologic dune types are inferred: simple dunes and compound crescentic dunes. The simple dunes are dominant and are subdivided into 1-2 km wavelength and 1.0 km saddle-spacing slightly crescentic, and 0.1-0.2 km wavelength straight-crested subtypes based on their first-order bounding surface geometries. Foresets are composed of grainfall and wind-ripple strata; avalanche strata are rare. The compound crescentic dunes had wavelengths of 0.5-1 km and saddle spacings of 0.8 km. Foresets are dominated by avalanche and wind-ripple strata. A morphodynamic classification of the dune types is inferred from considerations deduced from paleodispersal patterns and comparison with paleocirculation models. The simple dunes were demonstrably oblique to some elements of the wind field and less oblique to others. The compound crescentic dunes had a predominantly transverse configuration.
Kerr, Dennis R.; Dott, Robert H.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
[figure removed for brevity, see original site]Our topic for the weeks of April 4 and April 11 is dunes on Mars. We will look at the north polar sand sea and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. Sand seas on Earth are often called 'ergs,' an Arabic name for dune field. A sand sea differs from a dune field in two ways: 1) a sand sea has a large regional extent, and 2) the individual dunes are large in size and complex in form. Our final look at the north polar erg was taken at 80 degrees North latitude during Northern summer. This image is of lower resolution than the previous images, but covers a much larger area. The dunes have very little remaining frost cover. Note the large extent of coverage, and the different dune forms. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 80.8, Longitude 184.6 East (175.4 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Cryptococcosis associated with crescentic glomerulonephritis.
Crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN) is an uncommon form of renal injury in childhood. Whereas many infectious processes are known to be linked to CGN, fungal infections typically are not. This report describes an 11-year-old girl who presented with CGN, cutaneous anergy, and cryptococcal mediastinitis. Whereas cryptococcal disease in children is usually associated with immunodeficiency (inherited or acquired), extensive immunologic evaluation of the patient was notable only for relative CD4 lymphopenia with normal CD4/CD8 ratios. Testing for human immunodeficiency virus was negative. Clinical and diagnostic studies are presented, along with a review of the literature regarding glomerular disease and cryptococcal infections. PMID:18253761
Su�rez-Rivera, Marta; Abadeer, Rania A; Kott, Marylee M; Braun, Michael C
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)27 July 2004 Frost-covered dunes develop spots and streaks as they begin to defrost in springtime. This April 2004 Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a suite of north polar dunes in the early stages of the defrosting process. At the time the image was acquired, Mars was only 1 month into the northern spring season. The picture is located near 75.9oN, 266.0oW, and is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left. The image covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) wide.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)The Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) took this image of the southeastern edge of a large dune field within Nili Patera, an irregularly shaped volcanic caldera that is about 65 kilometers (40 miles) in diameter. The image was acquired at 1333 UTC (8:33 a.m. EST) on Feb. 1, 2007, near 8.8 degrees north latitude, 67.3 degrees east longitude. CRISM's image was taken in 544 colors covering 0.36-3.92 micrometers, and shows features as small as 20 meters (66 feet) across. The region covered by the image is just over 10 kilometers (6 miles) wide at its narrowest point. The top image was constructed from three visible wavelengths that correspond to what our eyes would see; the colors are stretched to bring out subtle color contrast. The bottom image is a spectral map constructed using three infrared wavelengths that usually highlight compositional variations. Areas with high concentrations of iron- and magnesium-rich igneous minerals appear red. The entire dune field, covering about 500 square kilometers, resides mainly in the southwest quadrant of the caldera, occupying approximately 15% of its floor. Some of the dune forms seen here are 'barchans' -- individual, crescent shaped dunes that form when winds come primarily from one direction, resulting in one slipface. The orientation of the slipfaces indicates that primary winds were coming from the east-northeast. Using images from Mars Global Surveyor's narrow-angle camera, researchers measured approximately 400 slipfaces throughout the dune field and calculated an average azimuth of 245 degrees. Some of the barchans have elongated horns, suggesting that they experienced a slight secondary wind, or that the primary wind direction varied a little. When sufficient sand is available, barchans will coalesce, losing their individual crescentic shape. The resulting dune form, referred to as barchanoid, describes the vast majority of dunes in this image. In the lower left portion of the image, where the dune pattern is most regular, the distance from dune crest to dune crest is about 400 meters (437 yards). The relationship shown here, with barchans at the margin of a barchanoid dune field, is common on Mars. CRISM's mission: Find the spectral fingerprints of aqueous and hydrothermal deposits and map the geology, composition and stratigraphy of surface features. The instrument will also watch the seasonal variations in Martian dust and ice aerosols, and water content in surface materials -- leading to new understanding of the climate. The Compact Reconnaissance Imaging Spectrometer for Mars (CRISM) is one of six science instruments on NASA's Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter. Led by The Johns Hopkins University Applied Physics Laboratory, the CRISM team includes expertise from universities, government agencies and small businesses in the United States and abroad.
The length of the new crescent Moon
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Danjon noticed that the length (cusp to cusp) of the new crescent moon was less than 180 degrees and suggested that the cause of the shortening is the shadows of the lunar mountains. McNally, however, attributed the crescent shortening to atmospheric seeing, while Schaefer suggests that length shortening is due to sharp falling off of the brightness towards the cusps. We attribute length shortening to the Blackwell contrast threshold; we consider the thin crescent as a group of discs of varying angular size, and each has its equivalent Blackwell disc, the largest being at the centre of the crescent. The discs become smaller in the direction of the cusps, therefore the Blackwell thresholds become higher. According to this model, if we know the apparent diameter of the Moon and the width of the crescent, we can calculate the approximate visible length of the crescent.
Sultan, A. H.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)10 October 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows ripples on the surface of a dune in a crater west of Sinus Meridiani near 2.5oN, 9.3oW. Most martian dune surfaces do not show ripples at the scale of MOC images---a higher resolution (better than 15 cm/pixel) view would be needed. These ripples are probably not typical sand ripples; they may be coarser-grained granule ripples (usually made up, in part, of grains 1-4 millimeters in size). The light-toned features in the image are wind-eroded outcrops of sedimentary rock. The image covers an area about 1.5 km (0.9 mi) wide. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left.
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
Shows the 700-foot high dunes in their endless cycle of building and decaying, and explains in lay terms the geologic reasons for the dunes. Primary audience: visitors to Great Sand Dunes National Monument.
Indirect Interaction of Barchan Dunes by Inter-dune Sand Flow
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The most impressive sand structure seen in desert is crescent sand dunes called barchan. Barchan dune has two horns and sand flow release from the tips of them. Seeing aerial photos of deserts, we recognize that barchan dunes tend to align in a characteristic pattern, that is, the horn of one barchan pointing to the center of leeward barchan. As a result, barchans form a convoy with a geese-flying like triangular pattern or align in an slanted line. The pattern has been observed also for barchans found on Mars, and thus there should be some universal mechanism underlying it. Also barchan dunes are highly mobile; human-made structures such as roads or pipelines in their way are sometimes buried in sand. It has been a long-standing problem how we can control this unstoppable march of barchan dunes. There are some interaction such as collision and inter-dune sand flow in marching barchan dunes. Here we investigated interaction dynamics of barchan dunes focusing on the effect of indirect interactions mediated by an inter-dune sand flow using computer simulations. We showed that a barchan is driven laterally by a sand stream to right below the point source of sand.Principal mechanism of this motion is a fast mixing of sand in a barchan that keeps the symmetric shape unchanged.We thereby propose a possibility of controlling the motion of a barchan using a sand stream. In addition,the very same mechanism produces an indirect interaction between barchans mediated by sand stream and can induce the self-organization of the geese-flying like pattern.
Katsuki, A.
Morphodynamic implications of flow around interacting barchan dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Barchan dunes are three-dimensional topographic features characterized by a crescentic shape. These bedforms are ubiquitous on Earth's surface and are also observed on Mars. Barchan dunes are predominantly found in regions of sediment starvation and unidirectional flow. The barchans-dune migration rates for a given wind speed are a function of their respective volume. A barchan dune field is composed of a widely distributed dune size, which provides the potential for barchan dunes to approach and amalgamate. The mechanisms governing dune-dune interaction, collision and merging remain poorly understood for such complex three-dimensional bedforms due to the complexity of their shape and the high number of geometrical configurations that can occur. In order to quantify the flow structure produced by interacting barchan dunes, particle-image Velocimetry (PIV) is coupled with a refractive-index-matching (RIM) approach, facilitating full optical access to the obstructed regions of flow and eliminates reflections from the liquid-solid boundaries, allowing near-wall data to be collected. Transparent barchan dune models with different volumes are arranged in tandem, immersed in a turbulent flow and rendered invisible through accurate matching of the index of refraction of the solid and fluid phases. The approach applied herein facilitates flow-field measurements in both streamwise-wall-normal planes at varying spanwise positions and streamwise-spanwise planes at varying elevations. Ensemble-averaged flow fields and Reynolds stresses were obtained for different barchan dune spacings and compared to the reference case of an isolated barchan. Additionally, proper orthogonal decomposition (POD) analysis was employed to shed light as to the energetic attributes of the shear-layer interactions. The morphodynamic implications of these results are discussed. Shear-layer interactions between adjacent bedforms, stoss-side erosion and downstream separation of new bedforms from the upstream horn are found to be key aspects of the interaction process.
Tang, Z.; Blois, G.; Best, J.; Jiang, N.; Christensen, K. T.
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
... people were forced to leave their houses; Iraqi Red Crescent is responding The escalation of violence and ... of fraudulent web sites which are using the Red Cross Red Crescent emblems to request donations for ...
First Visibility of the Lunar Crescent
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Astronomical observatories are often asked to predict the visibility of the young crescent moon by communities (especially Islamic and Karaite) which use traditional lunar calendars. The SAAO has provided such information for many years, but the early 1990s were a watershed of sorts. Astronomical visibility factors in those years created an unusually severe bias against visibility of the Ramadaan and Shawwall crescents from the southern half of the continent, relative to North Africa and the Mideast (to an extent not seen since the 1860s!). The perplexity caused by the resulting delay in sightings ultimately led to a much greater level of communication between astronomers and the crescent-watching community. The SAAO began collecting, systematizing, and propagating the astronomical information available on the crescent visibility issue, the current results of which are summarized here. Les communaut� (sp�cialement islamiques et kara�tes) qui utilisent les calendriers lunaires traditionnels, demandent souvent aux observatoires astronomiques de pr�dire le moment o� le croissant de lune naissant devient visible. Depuis de nombreuses ann�es le SAAO fournit cette information, mais les ann�es 1990 furent une sorte de tournant. Dans ces ann�es-l� les facteurs de visibilit� astronomiques cr��rent une d�viation exceptionnellement grave par rapport � la visibilit� des croissants du Ramadan et du Shawal sur la moiti� sud du continent relative � l'Afrique du Nord et au Moyen-Orient (dans une mesure jamais atteinte depuis les ann�es 1860!). La perplexit� due au retard qui en r�sulta dans la vision du nouveau croissant, conduisit finalement � renforcer la communication entre les astronomes et la communaut� des observateurs du croissant. Le SAAO commen�a � collecter, syst�matiser et diffuser l'information astronomique disponible sur la question de la visibilit� du croissant dont nous r�sumons ici les r�sultats actuels.
Caldwell, J. A. R.; Laney, C. D.
33 CFR 80.1152 - Crescent City Harbor, CA.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
...2013-07-01 2013-07-01 false Crescent City Harbor, CA. 80.1152 Section 80.1152 Navigation and Navigable Waters...DEMARCATION LINES Pacific Coast § 80.1152 Crescent City Harbor, CA. A line drawn from Crescent City Entrance Light to the...
The role of vegetation in shaping dune morphology
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Aeolian dunes naturally emerge under strong winds and sufficient sand supply. They represent the most dynamical feature of the arid and/or coastal landscape and their evolution has the potential to either increase desertification or reduce coastal vulnerability to storms. Although large-scale dune morphology mainly depends on the wind regime and sand availability, vegetation plays an important role in semiarid and/or coastal areas. It is well known that under certain conditions vegetation is able to stabilize dunes, driving a morphological transformation from un-vegetated mobile crescent dunes to static vegetated "parabolic" dunes, de facto paralyzing desertification and initiating land recovery. Furthermore, vegetation is also the primary ingredient in the formation of coastal foredunes, which determine vulnerability to storms, as low dunes are prone to storm-induced erosion and overwash. In both cases, the coupling of biological and geomorphic (physical) processes, in particular vegetation growth and sand transport, governs the evolution of morphology. These processes were implemented in a computational model as part of a previous effort. It was shown that, for a migrating dune, this coupling leads to a negative feedback for dune motion, where an ever denser vegetation implies ever lesser sand transport. The model also predicted the existence of a "mobility index", defined by the vegetation growth rate to sand erosion rate ratio, that fully characterizes the morphological outcome: for indices above a certain threshold biological processes are dominant and dune motion slows after being covered by plants; for lower indices, the physical processes are the dominant ones and the dune remains mobile while vegetation is buried or rooted out. Here, we extend this model to better understand the formation of coastal dunes. We include new physical elements such as the shoreline and water table, as well as different grass species and potential competition among them. Consistent with field observations, we find that basic dune morphology is primarily determined by grass species, with linear or hummocky dunes being built by some species, while others may prevent dune formation. We also find that the evolution of coastal dune morphology is controlled by at least two bio-geomorphic couplings: (1) between vegetation growth and sand transport, which leads to a positive feedback for dune growth, as certain beach grasses maximize growth under sand accretion, which means that an ever denser vegetation implies an ever higher accretion rate; and (2) between vegetation growth and shoreline position through the sand influx. While the first coupling is responsible for dune formation, the second one determines when dunes stop growing and thus controls final dune size. This is particularly relevant for accreting/eroding coastlines where we find that dune size, and thus coastal protection, is maximized for relatively small accretion rates while larger accretion rates lead to formation of a new, smaller dune ridge at the beach.
Duran Vinent, O.; Moore, L. J.; Young, D.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
6 January 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows sand dunes in southern Galle Crater, east of Argyre Planitia. The sand that comprises these dunes, like other dunes on Mars, is dark, but at the time this picture was acquired during early southern summer, the dunes were covered with a coating of bright dust. Occasional, passing dust devils or wind gusts created the dark streaks seen on a few of the dunes. The dunes are located near 51.9oS, 31.2oW. The image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide; sunlight illuminates the scene from the upper left.
Thresholdless crescent waves in an elliptical ring.
By introducing symmetry-breaking in geometry, we reveal the existence of thresholdless crescent waves, i.e., nonlinear diffractionless modes pinged to the boundary of a curvature, in an elliptical ring. An effective nonlinear Schr�dinger equation along the azimuthal direction is derived by taking the transformation in the curvilinear coordinate of elliptical symmetry, which illustrates the formation of trapping potentials (barriers) along the semi-major (minor) axis. Our results demonstrate an alternative but efficient approach to access optical modes with a variety of inhomogeneous potentials. PMID:23546249
Kuo, Kuan-Hsien; Lin, YuanYao; Lee, Ray-Kuang
Deformed barchans under alternating flows: Flume experiments and comparison with barchan dunes within Proctor Crater, Mars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
It is generally considered that barchans, isolated crescentic-shaped dunes, develop where wind is unidirectional and the available sand is insufficient to cover the entire dune field; however, Bishop [Bishop, M.A., 2001. Seasonal variation of crescentic dune morphology and morphometry, Strzelecki Simpson desert, Australia. Earth Surface Process and Landforms 26, 783 791.] observed barchans that developed in areas where winds blow seasonally in opposite directions and described a peculiar deformation feature, the �rear slipface,� that is not found in ordinary barchans. Barchans under such bidirectional flows are poorly understood, and it is necessary to study barchans that formed under many different flow conditions. We conducted flume experiments to investigate the deformation of barchans under alternating water flow, and observed new deformation features in addition to rear slipfaces. We conclude that the deformation of barchans can be categorized into four types, one of which shows morphologies similar to barchans within Proctor Crater, Mars. The deformation type depends on the strength of the reverse flow relative to the forward flow and the absolute velocity of the forward flow. Comparison of our results with barchan dunes within Proctor Crater enable us to qualitatively estimate the wind strength and direction related to dune formation on Mars. These results are in agreement with those of Fenton et al. [Fenton, L.K., Toigo, A.D., Richardson, M.I., 2005. Aeolian processes in Proctor Crater on Mars: Mesoscale modeling of dune-forming winds. Journal of Geophysical Research 110 (E6), E06005.].
Taniguchi, Keisuke; Endo, Noritaka
Interleukin4 ameliorates crescentic glomerulonephritis in Wistar Kyoto rats
Interleukin-4 ameliorates crescentic glomerulonephritis in Wistar Kyoto rats.BackgroundActivated macrophages play a central role in crescentic glomerulonephritis. Interleukin-4 (IL-4) down-regulates many macrophage proinflammatory activities. We therefore studied the effect of IL-4 on glomerular injury in a model of crescentic glomerulonephritis in the Wistar Kyoto rat.MethodsGlomerulonephritis was induced by i.v. administration of rabbit antirat glomerular basement membrane antiserum (nephrotoxic serum, NTS). In
H. Terence Cook; Sharon J. Singh; David E. Wembridge; Jennifer Smith; Frederick W. K. Tam; Charles D. Pusey
Temperature and humidity measurements within desert barchan sand dunes, relation to dune aeolian mobility and microbial growth
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
We present diurnal variations of temperature and humidity profiles below the surface of hyper-arid aeolian crescent-shaped "barchan" dunes in Qatar and Mauritania, measured using a thermal probe and a new ultra-sensitive capacitance instrument that we developed for this purpose. We also report long-term measurements from a probe sunk on the downwind avalanche face of a mobile Qatar barchan, recording temperature and humidity until it emerged on the upwind slope 15 months later. We interpret the data by modeling heat and moisture transfer at the surface in terms of measured net surface radiation, wind, and atmospheric conditions. We demonstrate the presence of microbes on sand grains within these mobile dunes using microscopic observations, fluorescence counts, metagenomic sequencing, and C12/C13 isotope analysis of carbon dioxide sampled below the surface. By determining how water activity grows with moisture adsorbed on these sands, we delimit regions within the dune where our instruments recorded humidity conducive to microbial growth. Finally, we compare the mobility of two adjacent Mauritania barchans having distinct surface grain size, shape, and depth humidity profiles. Armored by large grains on its surface, the smaller dune was more oblong. As a result, it lacked flow recirculation in its wake, trapped less aeolian sand downwind, and was much less mobile than its smaller size would suggest. This slower mobility led to greater humidity and cohesion at depth than the larger dune exposed to the same atmospheric and wind conditions.
Louge, Michel; Hay, Anthony; Richer, Renee; Valance, Alexandre; Ould el Moctar, Ahmed; Xu, Jin; Abdul-Majid, Sara
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)05 August 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows large, low albedo (dark) sand dunes in Kaiser Crater near 47.2oS, 340.4oW. The dunes are--ever so slowly--moving east to west (right to left) as sand avalanches down the steeper, slip face slopes of each. Avalanching sand in the Kaiser dune field has left deep scars on these slopes, suggesting that the sand is not loose but is instead weakly cemented. The image covers an area approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) wide and is illuminated by sunlight from the upper left.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-354, 8 May 2003In this Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image, wind has streaked a field of defrosting sand dunes in Chasma Boreale in the martian north polar region. Dune slip faces--the steep slope formed by avalanching sand on each dune--and the dark streaks indicate that wind transports sediment from the lower left toward the upper right. The picture covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) wide near 84.6oN, 358.5oW. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left.
Windblown Dunes on the Floor of Herschel Impact Basin
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Herschel Basin, one of many meteor impact craters on Mars, has some dark material on its floor that appeared from earlier spacecraft missions to have been blown and/or deposited by wind. Herschel Basin was imaged at low resolution by the Mariner 9 and Viking orbiters ((A) above) in the 1970s, and again by the Phobos 2 orbiter in 1989.On June 14, 1998, Mars Global Surveyor's Mars Orbiter Camera revealed that part of the dark surface on the floor of Herschel Basin consists of a field of sand dunes ((B) above). These dunes have a distinct crescent-like shape characteristic of dunes on Earth called barchan dunes. They result from winds that blow from a single dominant direction.In the case of Herschel Basin, the dunes indicate that the strongest winds blow approximately north-to-south. The crescent horns on the ends of some of the dunes in this image are elongated. This condition indicates that the dominant winds do not always blow in exactly the same direction-- sometimes the winds blow from the northeast, sometimes from the northwest, and sometimes from the north. The local topography probably influences the wind direction--and hence dune shape--because this dune field is located on a narrow, low plain between a high crater rim to the east, and a narrow mountain range-- the inner ring of the Herschel impact basin--to the west (see image (A)).MOC image 36507 was obtained on Mars Global Surveyor's 365th orbit around 10:51 a.m. PDT on June 14, 1998. This subframe is centered around 14.27oS, 231.68oW.Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-495, 26 September 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows windblown sand dunes in Chasma Boreale, a wide trough in the north polar region of Mars. The dunes are shown here in their summertime configuration; that is, they are not covered with seasonal frost. The dunes are dark because the grains that make up these sandy landforms consist of dark minerals and/or fragments of dark-toned rock. The steepest slopes on these dunes, their slipfaces, point toward the top/upper left (northwest), indicating that winds blow the sand from the lower right (southeast). This picture is located near 84.7oN, 359.3oW, and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
[figure removed for brevity, see original site]Our topic for the weeks of April 4 and April 11 is dunes on Mars. We will look at the north polar sand sea and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. Sand seas on Earth are often called 'ergs,' an Arabic name for dune field. A sand sea differs from a dune field in two ways: 1) a sand sea has a large regional extent, and 2) the individual dunes are large in size and complex in form. This VIS image was taken at 81 degrees North latitude during Northern spring. In this region, the dunes are isolated from each other. The dunes are just starting to emerge from the winter frost covering appearing dark with bright crests. These dunes are located on top of ice. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 82.1, Longitude 191.3 East (168.7 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Alterations of podocytes in a murine model of crescentic glomerulonephritis
Recent observations suggest a central role of podocytes in crescent formation. In experimental glomerulonephritis podocytes disrupt the parietal epithelial layer and attach on its basement membrane, thus forming bridges between the tuft and Bowman�s capsule, and they are a major constituent of crescents. In order to explain these findings we hypothesize that inflammation triggers motility in podocytes. In the present
Val�rie Besse-Eschmann; Michel Le Hir; Nicole Endlich; Karlhans Endlich
Sand dunes as migrating strings.
We develop a reduced complexity model for three-dimensional sand dunes, based on a simplified description of the longitudinal and lateral sand transport. The spatiotemporal evolution of a dune migrating over a nonerodible bed under unidirectional wind is reduced to the dynamics of its crest line, providing a simple framework for the investigation of three-dimensional dunes, such as barchan and transverse dunes. Within this model, we derive analytical solutions for barchan dunes and investigate the stability of a rectilinear transverse dune against lateral fluctuations. We show, in particular, that the latter is unstable only if the lateral transport on the dune slip face prevails over that on the upwind face. We also predict the wavelength and the characteristic time that control the subsequent evolution of an unstable transverse dune into a wavy ridge and the ultimate fragmentation into barchan dunes. PMID:23767529
Guignier, L; Niiya, H; Nishimori, H; Lague, D; Valance, A
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
[figure removed for brevity, see original site]Our topic for the weeks of April 4 and April 11 is dunes on Mars. We will look at the north polar sand sea and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. Sand seas on Earth are often called 'ergs,' an Arabic name for dune field. A sand sea differs from a dune field in two ways: 1) a sand sea has a large regional extent, and 2) the individual dunes are large in size and complex in form. Our final dune image shows a small dune field inside an unnamed crater south of Nili Fossae. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 20.6, Longitude 79 East (281 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
[figure removed for brevity, see original site]Our topic for the weeks of April 4 and April 11 is dunes on Mars. We will look at the north polar sand sea and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. Sand seas on Earth are often called 'ergs,' an Arabic name for dune field. A sand sea differs from a dune field in two ways: 1) a sand sea has a large regional extent, and 2) the individual dunes are large in size and complex in form. A common location for dune fields on Mars is in the basin of large craters. This dune field is located in Holden Crater at 25 degrees South atitude. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -25.5, Longitude 326.8 East (33.2 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Spring Time View of North Polar Sand Dunes
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Spring has come to the martian northern hemisphere. The northern spring season began in mid-July 1998. With the arrival of spring comes the annual shrinkage of the north polar frost cap. Sunlight is now falling on the north polar cap, and all of the carbon dioxide frost and snow that accumulated during winter has been sublimating--going directly from solid to gas--and the surface beneath the frost is being revealed.The MOC image shown above, 45205, was obtained during the 452nd orbit of Mars Global Surveyor at 3:10 p.m. PDT on July 26, 1998. The image is located near latitude 76.87oN, longitude 253.81oW, and it shows a close-up view of martian sand dunes. These dunes were not visible to MOC until the last week of July. Just a few months earlier, the dunes were likely covered with frost, obscured by thick clouds, and cloaked by the darkness of the martian polar winter. Indeed, small patches of bright frost were still present when the picture was taken (e.g., the bright patches on the west (left) side of each crescentic dune in (left image).As the above picture illustrates, the camera on board Mars Global Surveyor (MOC) continued to take exciting new views of the martian surface throughout July 1998. As the month progressed, the ground track-- the area visible to the camera--migrated farther north. Simultaneously, sunlight began falling on the north polar regions, making it possible to take some pictures at far northern latitudes. However, these regions have been tricky to photograph because of thick clouds and hazes. The image shown here, for example, is relatively bland gray (has relatively low contrast) because of clouds.As first seen by the Viking 2 Orbiter in 1976, a vast 'sea' of sand dunes surrounds the north polar cap. The dunes imaged by MOC (above) are classic forms known as barchan dunes--the small, crescent-shaped hills (see left image above)-- and transverse dunes--ridges that resemble coalesced barchans (shown in right image above). These dunes are similar in size and shape to familiar sand dunes found in desert regions on Earth. These two varieties form from winds that persistently come from a single direction (in this case, from the southwest).Over the next several months, the sky above these dunes will clear. Northern Summer will arrive near the end of January 1999, and Mars Global Surveyor should have an excellent view of this region when it begins its mapping mission in late March 1999. Because it is in a polar orbit, Mars Global Surveyor will have many opportunities to revisit the north polar dunes in 1999. The images in 1999 will have resolutions around 1.5 meters (5 feet) per pixel--a substantial improvement even over the pictures shown here.
Simulation of barchan dynamics with inter-dune sand streams
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
A group of barchans, crescent sand dunes, exhibit a characteristic flying-geese pattern in deserts on Earth and Mars. This pattern implies that an indirect interaction between barchans, mediated by an inter-dune sand stream, which is released from one barchan's horns and caught by another barchan, plays an important role in the dynamics of barchan fields. We used numerical simulations of a recently proposed cell model to investigate the effects of inter-dune sand streams on barchan fields. We found that a sand stream from a point source moves a downstream barchan laterally until the head of the barchan is finally situated behind the stream. This final configuration was shown to be stable by a linear stability analysis. These results indicate that flying-geese patterns are formed by the lateral motion of barchans mediated by inter-dune sand streams. By using simulations we also found a barchan mono-corridor generation effect, which is another effect of sand streams from point sources.
Katsuki, Atsunari; Kikuchi, Macoto
Tissue culture of isolated glomeruli in experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis
As a means of studying mechanisms of response to injury in glomerulonephritis, glomeruli from normal sheep and rabbits and from sheep and rabbits with experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis have been isolated and grown in tissue culture. The cellular outgrowths from the normal and diseased glomeruli have been compared. The outgrowth of glomeruli from normal animals contained only two cell populations whose microscopic and ultrastructural appearances were of epithelial and mesangial cells. The same cells were also observed in the outgrowths of glomeruli from animals with crescenti nephritis but in addition a third population of cells was present in large numbers. These cells were identified as macrophages by their mobility, ultrastructure, phagocytic capacity, and presence of Fc receptors. Glomerular outgrowth from sheep with crescentic glomerulonephritis contained 170 +/- 20 (SEM) macrophages and outgrowths from rabbits with crescentic nephritis contained 64 +/- 6 (SEM) macrophages per glomerulus. We have previously observed large numbers of macrophages in the outgrowth of isolated glomeruli from humans with rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephritis. The predominance of the macrophage in cultures of glomeruli from both human and animal crescentic glomerulonephritis suggests that this is an important cell in the inflammatory reaction occurring in crescentic glomerulonephritis and may comprise a substantial proportion of the cells forming the crescent.
Rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephritis: Early treatment is a must.
The term crescentic glomerulonephritis (GN) refers to a pathologic condition characterized by extracapillary proliferation in >50% of glomeruli. Clinically crescentic GN is characterized by a nephritic syndrome rapidly progressing to end stage renal disease (ESRD). Three types of crescentic GN have been identified. Type 1 includes cases of Goodpasture syndrome characterized by linear deposits of antibodies along the glomerular basement membrane (GBM) at immunofluorescence. Type 2 is a heterogeneous group of primary or secondary glomerular diseases complicated by crescentic GN. In this category there are granular deposits of immunoglobulins and complement fractions on the glomerular tuft. Type 3 includes cases of ANCA-associated small-vessel vasculitis. Immunofluorescence is negative or may show only faint deposits of immunoglobulins. The etiology and the initial pathogenetic factors are different in the three types, but the final mechanisms leading to crescent formation and the renal symptoms and signs are similar. The prognosis depends on the timeline of diagnosis and treatment. Although some patients requiring dialysis may recover a good renal function, usually the higher the serum creatinine at presentation the worse the outcome. When treatment is initiated early, most patients obtain a complete or partial remission. High-dose corticosteroids and cyclophosphamide represent the standard therapy for crescentic GN. The addition of plasma exchange may also be helpful, particularly in patients with massive alveolar hemorrhage. Anti-B monoclonal antibodies have also been used in some patients with crescentic GN, but their role in this particular area is still poorly established. PMID:24657897
Moroni, Gabriella; Ponticelli, Claudio
Seasonal changes observed on the surface of Mars can in part be attributed to the transport of geological materials by wind. Images obtained by orbiting spacecraft in the 1970s showed large wind-formed features such as dunes, and revealed regional time-varying albedos that could be attributed to the effects of dust erosion and deposition. But the resolution of these images was insufficient to identify different types and sources of aeolian materials, nor could they reveal aeolian deposits other than large dunes or extensive surface coverings that were redistributed by dust storms. Here we present images of Mars with up to 50 times better resolution. These images show that martian dunes include at least two distinct components, the brighter of which we interpret to be composed of relatively soft minerals, possibly sulphates. We also find large areas of the martian surface that have several metres or more of aeolian mantle lacking obvious bedforms.
Thomas, P. C.; Malin, M. C.; Carr, M. H.; Danielson, G. E.; Davies, M. E.; Hartmann, W. K.; Ingersoll, A. P.; James, P. B.; McEwen, A. S.; Soderblom, L. A.; Veverka, J.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
[figure removed for brevity, see original site]Our topic for the weeks of April 4 and April 11 is dunes on Mars. We will look at the north polar sand sea and at isolated dune fields at lower latitudes. Sand seas on Earth are often called 'ergs,' an Arabic name for dune field. A sand sea differs from a dune field in two ways: 1) a sand sea has a large regional extent, and 2) the individual dunes are large in size and complex in form. This VIS image shows a dune field within Nili Patera, the northern caldera of a large volcanic complex in Syrtis Major. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 9, Longitude 67 East (293 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
The Algodones Dunes, California
NSDL National Science Digital Library
The Center for Biological Diversity blends "conservation biology with litigation, policy advocacy, and an innovative strategic vision" in efforts to protect endangered species and wild places, focusing on the western US. This Web site contains a slide show of images from the Algodones Dunes, California's largest dune system. The fourteen slides show images of the area's natural history and environmental threats, such as effects from off-road vehicles. Each slide is accompanied by a brief description. While not overly informative, this Web site offers visitors a quick overview look at this unique natural area.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)23 August 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows sand dunes in the martian north polar region in mid-spring, July 2004. In summer, the dunes will be dark. As they defrost, dark spots form on their surfaces. This image is located near 82.8oN, 219.6oW. The image covers an area about 3 km (1.9 mi) across and sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-390, 13 June 2003This is a Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) view of frost-covered sand dunes in Chasma Boreale in the early northern spring season. Dark spots, some of them with bright halos of re-precipitated frost, have formed as the dunes begin to defrost. Most of the frost is carbon dioxide which freezes out of the atmosphere during the cold martian polar winters. This picture is located near 84.7oN, 358.8oW, and is illuminated from the lower left.
NSDL National Science Digital Library
The Bureau of Land Management presents the current news, projects, and the geologic and cultural history of the Imperial Sand Dunes at this website. Users can easily search through an abundance of remarkable images of dunes as well as other Californian landscapes. The website offers links to the current rules, regulations, and management plans. Individuals, who will be traveling to the area, can find the weather forecast, an events calendar, and information on volunteering. Visitors can locate archives of Federal Register Notices as well as news releases.
Planetary science: Titan's sticky dunes?
Titan's surface is covered by vast fields of linear dunes, probably composed of organic sand-sized particles. The study of linear dunes in China suggests that sediment cohesiveness can be as important as wind direction in the creation of these dune forms.
Jani Radebaugh
Dynamics of intertidal gravel dunes
This paper examines the dynamics of intertidal gravel dunes subjected to high-energy unsteady and reversing tidal currents in the Severn Estuary, UK. The dunes were composed of shale particles with median grain size, D50, around 4 mm and had mean heights and wavelengths of 60 cm and 7 m, respectively. Acoustic instruments were deployed above a dune to measure the
Jon J. Williams; Paul A. Carling; Paul S. Bell
Large eddy simulation of interacting barchan dunes in a steady, unidirectional flow
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Barchan dunes are bed forms found in many sedimentary environments with a limited supply of sediment, and may occur in isolation or in more complex dune fields. Barchans have a crescentic planform morphology with horns elongated in the downflow direction. To study flow over barchan dunes, we performed large eddy simulations in a channel with different interdune spacings at a flow Reynolds number, Re??26,000 (based on the free stream velocity and channel height). The largest interdune spacing (2.38?, where ? is the wavelength of the barchan dune) presents similar characteristics to a solitary dune in isolation, indicating that, at this distance, the sheltering effect of the upstream dune is rather weak. Barchan dunes induce two counterrotating streamwise vortices, one along each of the horns, which direct high-momentum fluid toward the symmetry plane and low-momentum fluid near the bed away from the centerline. The flow close to the centerline plane separates at the crest, but away from the centerline plane, and along the horns, flow separation occurs intermittently. The flow in the separation bubble is directed toward the horns and leaves the dune at its tips. The internal boundary layer developing on the bed downstream of the reattachment region develops similarly for various interdune spacings; the development slows down 14.5 dune heights downstream. The turbulent kinetic energy budgets show the importance of pressure transport and mean flow advection in transferring energy from the overlying wake layer to the internal boundary layer over the stoss side. For closely spaced dunes, the bed shear stress is 30% larger than at the largest spacing, and instantaneous coherent high- and low-speed streaks are shorter but stronger. Coherent eddies in the separated shear layer are generated more frequently for smaller interdune spacing, where they move farther away from the bed, toward the free surface, and remain located between the horns.
Omidyeganeh, Mohammad; Piomelli, Ugo; Christensen, Kenneth T.; Best, James L.
Can a Crescent Mars Ever Be Seen from Earth?
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Described is an activity that incorporates a computer, geometry, algebra, trigonometry, and calculus to answer questions about the planet Mars. A possible crescent of Mars is compared to those of Venus and Mercury. (KR)
Lamb, John F., Jr.
Port Sampling - Crescent City, Brookings, and Port Orford.
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
The project provided information for management by sampling catches of Dungeness crab, pink shrimp, rockfish, and sole landed at Crescent City, California, and Brookings and Port Orford, Oregon. (Author)
D. W. Gotshall R. Hardy
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
The flora, vegetation, and microenvironment of beach and dune are sufficiently different to warrant their separate treatment in this chapter. Beach is defined here as the expanse of sandy substrate between mean tide and the foredune or, in the absence of ...
M. G. Barbour A. F. Johnson
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)5 September 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a field of dark, windblown sand dunes in the Noachis Terra region near 45.2oS, 321.4oW. The image covers an area approximately 3 km (1.9 mi) across. Sunlight illuminates this scene from the upper left.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)[figure removed for brevity, see original site] This image, located near 30E and 47.5S, displays sand dunes within Proctor Crater. These dunes are composed of basaltic sand that has collected in the bottom of the crater. The topographic depression of the crater forms a sand trap that prevents the sand from escaping. Dune fields are common in the bottoms of craters on Mars and appear as dark splotches that lean up against the downwind walls of the craters. Dunes are useful for studying both the geology and meteorology of Mars. The sand forms by erosion of larger rocks, but it is unclear when and where this erosion took place on Mars or how such large volumes of sand could be formed. The dunes also indicate the local wind directions by their morphology. In this case, there are few clear slipfaces that would indicate the downwind direction. The crests of the dunes also typically run north-south in the image. This dune form indicates that there are probably two prevailing wind directions that run east and west (left to right and right to left).Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Dunes reveal Titan's recent history
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Large fields of linear dunes are abundant on Titan, covering nearly 20% of the surface. They are among the youngest features and represent interactions between near-surface winds and sediment. This interaction may vary from area to area creating unique populations of eolian features identified by dune field parameters such as crest-to-crest spacing, dune width and orientation. These parameters respond to changes in near-surface conditions over periods of time ranging from minutes to many thousands of years depending on dune size and the duration of the changes. While pattern analysis of dune field parameters on Earth and, in this study, Titan reveals much about current climatic conditions, such as wind regimes and wetter vs. drier areas, many inferences about past conditions can also be made. Initial pattern analysis of linear dunes on Titan reveals a single population of linear dunes representing a large percentage of all observed dunes. This single population is the result of two leading possibilities: Either there has been only one long period of dune building, leading to very old cores that have been built upon over long periods of time, perhaps punctuated with few or many intervals of non-deposition; or the current conditions of dune building have persisted long enough to completely erase any evidence of previous conditions. We have not yet worked through all the input parameters to adjust Earth's time scales to Titan's, and thus it is not yet possible to give a precise age for Titan's dunes. However, if these large linear dunes are similar to Earth's large linear dunes, they may represent at least several thousand years of dune building.
Savage, Christopher J.; Radebaugh, Jani
Visibility of the thin lunar crescent: the sociology of an astronomical problem (A case study)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
In the Islamic calendar, a new month starts the day after the first naked-eye sighting of the thin crescent, shortly after a luni-solar conjunction. The crescent can be observed after sunset in the general western direction. As the visibility depends strongly on the atmospheric conditions, the beginning of the Islamic new month cannot be predicted very precisely. Three times a year, because of religious events, officials of Islamic countries decree the beginning of the month on the basis of reports from witnesses who volunteer to watch the thin crescent. In the present study, we confront the dates as decreed by the officials with the astronomical data and criteria of earliest visibility. The data collection consists of 115 dates corresponding to the religious occasions in Algeria between 1963 and 2000. We have found those dates to be largely inconsistent with the astronomical data. The rate of impossible cases (where the crescent was not present at all in the sky, let alone be visible) is about 17.4%. In more than half the cases, one or more of the absolute limits or all-time records of visibility was/were violated. And according to most or all the prediction criteria of visibility, there were about 80% cases in error. We have also found that the error rates versus time correlate well with the sociological changes that occurred in Algeria between 1963 and 2000. Finally, we should emphasize that comparatively to Algeria, the error rates are higher in the Middle-East. These results suggest that the officials must reconsider their approach in the determination of the beginning of the Islamic months.
Guessoum, Nidhal; Meziane, Kiram
Dune formation under bimodal winds
The study of dune morphology represents a valuable tool in the investigation of planetary wind systems�the primary factor controlling the dune shape is the wind directionality. However, our understanding of dune formation is still limited to the simplest situation of unidirectional winds: There is no model that solves the equations of sand transport under the most common situation of seasonally varying wind directions. Here we present the calculation of sand transport under bimodal winds using a dune model that is extended to account for more than one wind direction. Our calculations show that dunes align longitudinally to the resultant wind trend if the angle ?w between the wind directions is larger than 90�. Under high sand availability, linear seif dunes are obtained, the intriguing meandering shape of which is found to be controlled by the dune height and by the time the wind lasts at each one of the two wind directions. Unusual dune shapes including the �wedge dunes� observed on Mars appear within a wide spectrum of bimodal dune morphologies under low sand availability.
Parteli, Eric J. R.; Duran, Orencio; Tsoar, Haim; Schwammle, Veit; Herrmann, Hans J.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)9 February 2005 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows dark sand dunes overlying an eroded, layered substrate in Chasma Boreale, amid the materials of the martian north polar cap. Location near: 84.5oN, 358.3oW Image width: 3.0 km (1.9 mi) Illumination from: lower left Season: Northern Summer
The Rotator Crescent and Rotator Cable: An Anatomic Description of the Shoulder's �Suspension Bridge�
Summary: Twenty fresh frozen cadaver shoulders were dissected in order to study the rotator cable-crescent complex. The rotator crescent is a term that we have used to describe the thin, crescent-shaped sheet of rotator cuff com- prising the distal portions of the supraspinatus and infraspinatus insertions. The crescent was found to be bounded on its proximal margin by a thick
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)Except for small wind ripples on their surfaces, normal, active sand dunes have very smooth slopes. However, some dunes found in the Herschel Basin of Terra Cimmeria (around 15oS, 228oW) have very rough, grooved surfaces instead. These grooves indicate that the dune surfaces for some reason are cemented--i.e., the sand is not loose--and that wind has actually had to scour the sand to remove it and transport it away from these dunes. What has caused these dunes to become cemented is unknown, and dunes like this are extremely rare on Mars (they have only been seen in Herschel Basin, thus far). This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image was acquired on May 5, 1999, and is illuminated from the upper left.
Efficiency characteristics of crescent-shaped wings and caudal fins
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Caudal (tail) fins of fish and aquatic mammals that cruise long distances, and wings of certain birds, often have the shape of a crescent moon. This study investigates how the crescent shape contributes to the traveling performance of these animals. A steady-flow theory (Maskew, 1982) that correctly models the trailing wake was used to analyze lifting surface efficiency, which is dependent on the level of induced (or vortex) drag for a given lift and span of the lifting surface. This analysis shows that backward curvature of a wing improves induced efficiency to a value greater than that of the flat untwisted wing of elliptical shape considered optimal in classical wing theory (Prandt, 1921 and Munk, 1921). This increase of induced efficiency results from the nonplanar trailing vortex sheet produced by the crescent-shaped wing at a given angle of attack.
Van Dam, C. P.
'Best time' for the visibility of the lunar crescent
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The concept of "best time" for the first visibility of the thin crescent moon developed by Bruin, Schaefer and Yallop did not consider the elevation of the site of observation. Our first estimation -- after analyzing some documented observations -- is that "best time" is directly proportional to site elevation and inversely proportional to moon altitude. For moderate elevation sites (less than 1000m) the crescent could be first seen shortly after sunset. However, for higher elevations (around 2000m) the crescent could be first seen shortly before moonset. By using our first visibility photometric model, the extensive data of Blackwell 1946 experiment and the measured twilight sky brightness of our site (1990m), we find that the optimum lunar altitude for first visibility is about 2 degrees, no matter what the lunar elongation is.
Sultan, A. H.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Currently, there is no comprehensive, global, digital database for dune deposits on Mars. The advent of a series of successful Mars missions, coupled with advances in technology enabling a significant increase in instrument resolution, have provided a large compilation of data covering a wide range of wavelengths for the Martian surface. Given the recent availability of high-resolution data and detailed surficial information returned from orbital and rover missions, it is critical that we update the Mars global information base by creating a digital database of dune deposits that includes this new influx of data. As of spring 2004, the Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) infrared (IR) coverage of the surface of Mars was 98% for nighttime and 75% for daytime acquired images, forming a data set of global coverage at a resolution not previously possible. The combination of high-resolution and global coverage makes the THEMIS IR data set the logical choice for a planet wide inventory of dune deposits. Data sets of a global scale like those of Mars Orbiter Laser Altimeter (MOLA) and Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) will enable rapid and contiguous comparisons with the dune database. Other imagery like that of Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) will provide very high-resolution, localized visual data for accurate interpretations of morphological characterizations. The dune database will provide researchers with an extensive, comprehensive and stable database for use in a wide-array of global studies. The database will also offer researchers a centralized depository for updating physical parameters with newly validated findings. The initial construction of the database is based upon dune forms or deposits identified, classified and digitized using only THEMIS IR images. These digitized polygons are converted from THEMIS image coordinates to ARCMAP aerographical coordinates, allowing delineation of areal extent of the deposits and preserving relevant THEMIS image information such as Ls, local time, and sun azimuth/angle. The ARCMAP polygons will also retain reference to all THEMIS IR images used in their construction. Where available, THEMIS VIS and/or MOC images will be used to confirm, modify or refine original classifications. In addition to providing an improved resolution for features below the IR image threshold, this secondary examination will also provide a list of cross-referenced THEMIS VIS and MOC images for future investigations. Physical parameters such as wind direction based on slip-face geometry, dune wavelength, elevation, and volume of the deposits will be incorporated into the database on a priority-based schedule. In addition to THEMIS VIS and MOC images, supplemental data sets, such as TES and others, will be used where available to further refine and/or validate existing data on global wind patterns, sediment transport, sources and sinks, and stratigraphic units.
Hayward, R. K.; Titus, T. N.; Mullins, K. F.; Fenton, L. K.; Bourke, M.; Christensen, P. R.
Sand Dunes: A Phenomenon Of Wind
NSDL National Science Digital Library
This webpage from Wayne's Word provides information about the origin of sand dunes, forms of life present there, and the sounds produced by "booming" dunes. Numerous dunes in the United States are described and pictured.
Suppression of experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis by interleukin-10 gene transfer
Suppression of experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis by interleukin-10 gene transfer.BackgroundInvestigated were effects of overexpression of interleukin-10 (IL-10) on the outcome and progression of crescentic glomerulonephritis in Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rats.MethodsRats were singly or simultaneously injected with antiglomerular basement membrane (a-GBM) antibody and adenoviral vector encoding rat IL-10 (Ad-rIL-10) or LacZ (Ad-LacZ) (3 � 1010 pfu\\/rat) intravenously, and were sacrificed at day 7.
Adel G. A. El-Shemi; HIDEHIKO FUJINAKA; ASAKO MATSUKI; JUNICHI KAMIIE; PAVEL KOVALENKO; ZHENYUN QU; VLADIMIR BILIM; GORO NISHIMOTO; EISHIN YAOITA; YUATKA YOSHIDA; IGNACIO ANEGON; TADASHI YAMAMOTO
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-517, 18 October 2003Frost covers dark sand dunes in this springtime view from Chasma Boreale in the martian north polar region. Dark spots indicate areas where the cold, carbon dioxide frost has begun to sublime away. This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image is located near 84.7oN, 359.3oW and covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide. The scene is illuminated by sunlight from the lower left.
The complex origins of domesticated crops in the Fertile Crescent
A combination of genetics and archaeology is revealing the complexity of the relationships between crop plants and their wild ancestors. Archaeobotanical studies are showing that acquisition of the full set of traits observed in domesticated cereals was a protracted process, inter- mediate stages being seen at early farming sites throughout the Fertile Crescent. New genetic data are confirming the multiregional
Terence A. Brown; Martin K. Jones; Wayne Powell; Robin G. Allaby
Tsunami Hazard in Crescent City, California from Kuril Islands earthquakes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
On November 15, Crescent City in Del Norte County, California was hit by a series of tsunami surges generated by the M = 8.3 Kuril Islands earthquake causing an estimated 9.7 million (US dollars) in damages to the small boat basin. This was the first significant tsunami loss on US territory since the 1964 Alaska tsunami. The damage occurred nearly 8 hours after the official tsunami alert bulletins had been cancelled. The tsunami caused no flooding and did not exceed the ambient high tide level. All of the damage was caused by strong currents, estimated at 12 to 15 knots, causing the floating docks to be pinned against the pilings and water to flow over them. The event highlighted problems in warning criteria and communications for a marginal event with the potential for only localized impacts, the vulnerability of harbors from a relatively modest tsunami, and the particular exposure of the Crescent City harbor area to tsunamis. It also illustrated the poor understanding of local officials of the duration of tsunami hazard. As a result of the November tsunami, interim changes were made by WCATWC to address localized hazards in areas like Crescent City. On January 13, 2007 when a M = 8.1 earthquake occurred in the Kuril Islands, a formal procedure was in place for hourly conference calls between WCATWC, California State Office of Emergency Services officials, local weather Service Offices and local emergency officials, significantly improving the decision making process and the communication among the federal, state and local officials. Kuril Island tsunamis are relatively common at Crescent City. Since 1963, five tsunamis generated by Kuril Island earthquakes have been recorded on the Crescent City tide gauge, two with amplitudes greater than 0.5 m. We use the MOST model to simulate the 2006, 2007 and 1994 events and to examine the difference between damaging and non-damaging events at Crescent City. Small changes in the angle of the rupture zone results can result in a half meter difference in water heights. We also look at the contribution of fault segments along the Kuril subduction zone using the FACTS server to look at the potentially most damaging source regions for Crescent City. A similar-sized rupture as the November 15 event located further south along the Hokkaido - Honshu area of the subduction zone, is likely to produce a slightly larger amplitude signal with and even greater delay between the first wave arrivals and the largest waves.
Dengler, L.; Uslu, B.; Barberopoulou, A.
Predicting vegetation-stabilized dune field morphology
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The morphology of vegetation-stabilized dune fields on the North American Great Plains (NAGP) mostly comprises parabolic dunes; stabilized barchan and transverse dunes are rare, with the exception of transverse and barchan mega-dunes in the Nebraska Sand Hills. We present a hypothesis from a numerical dune field model explaining the vegetation-stabilized morphology of dunes under unidirectional wind. Simulations with a range of initial dune morphologies (closely-spaced transverse to disperse barchans) indicate that stabilized morphology is determined by the ratio of slipface deposition rate to deposition tolerance of vegetation. Slipface deposition rate is related to dune height, flux, and celerity. With a fixed depositional tolerance, large, slow-moving dunes have low slipface deposition rates and �freeze� in place once vegetation is introduced. Relatively small, fast dunes have high slipface deposition rates and evolve into parabolic dunes, often colliding during stabilization. Our hypothesis could explain differences in stabilized morphology across the NAGP and elsewhere.
Barchyn, Thomas E.; Hugenholtz, Chris H.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
This approximate true-color image taken by the Mars Exploration Rover Spirit's panoramic camera shows the windblown waves of soil that characterize the rocky surface of Gusev Crater, Mars. Scientists were puzzled about whether these geologic features were 'ripples' or 'dunes.' Ripples are shaped by gentle winds that deposit coarse grains on the tops or crests of the waves. Dunes are carved by faster winds and contain a more uniform distribution of material. Images taken of these features by the rover's microscopic imager on the 41st martian sol, or day, of the rover's mission revealed their identity to be ripples. This information helps scientists better understand the winds that shape the landscape of Mars. This image was taken early in Spirit's mission.[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Click on image for larger view [Image credit: NASA/JPL/ASU] This diagram illustrates how windblown sediments travel. There are three basic types of particles that undergo different motions depending on their size. These particles are dust, sand and coarse sand, and their sizes approximate flour, sugar, and ball bearings, respectively. Sand particles move along the 'saltation' path, hitting the surface downwind. When the sand hits the surface, it sends dust into the atmosphere and gives coarse sand a little shove. Mars Exploration Rover scientists are studying the distribution of material on the surface of Mars to better understand how winds shaped the landscape.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Context image for PIA03192 Holden Crater Dunes These dunes occur on the floor of Holden Crater. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 25.8S, Longitude 326.5E. 17 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Context image for PIA03637 Galle Cr. Dunes These dunes are located on the floor of Galle Crater. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 51.5S, Longitude 329.0E. 17 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Context image for PIA03039 Dunes in Darwin Crater The dunes and sand deposits in this image are located on the floor of Darwin Crater. Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 57.4S, Longitude 340.2E. 17 meter/pixel resolution. Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Coastal Dunes: Primer for Dune Management with Models of Dune Response to Storm Frequencies.
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
Coastal dunes are natural features of the coastal landscape. They exist in conjunction with the beach and are part of the sand sharing system that actively exchanges sand between the dune, the beach, and the offshore bars. In areas of adequate sand supply...
N. P. Psuty E. Rohr
Sea turtle nesting presents a potential pathway to subsidize nutrient-poor dune ecosystems, which provide the nesting habitat for sea turtles. To assess whether this positive feedback between dune plants and turtle nests exists, we measured N concentration and d15N values in dune soils, leaves from a common dune plant (sea oats (Uniola paniculata)), and addled eggs of loggerhead (Caretta caretta)
Laura B. Hannan; James D. Roth; Llewellyn M. Ehrhart; John F. Weishampel
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)21 July 2006 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows a small portion of the floor of Kaiser Crater in the Noachis Terra region, Mars. The terrain in the upper (northern) half of the image is covered by large windblown ripples and a few smoother-surfaced sand dunes. The dominant winds responsible for these features blew from the west/southwest (left/lower left). Location near: 47.2oS, 341.3oW Image width: 3 km (1.9 mi) Illumination from: upper left Season: Southern Winter
Pelvic crescent fractures: variations in injury mechanism and radiographic pattern.
Pelvic crescent fracture, also known as sacroiliac fracture-dislocation, is traditionally considered as a lateral compression injury and a vertically stable injury. Thirty consecutive cases were analyzed and it was found that 63% of cases were caused by lateral compression (LC), 27% by anteroposterior compression (APC), and 10% by vertical shear (VS). APC and VS injuries cause significant displacement of the anterior iliac fragment, but 21% of LC injury cases showed minimal displacement and were treated successfully with nonoperative treatment. Different injury mechanisms also produce different types of pelvic instability. More important, different injury mechanisms produce distinct radiographic fracture patterns regarding the obliquity of the fracture line and fracture surface. These differences in the fracture pattern will influence the decision of internal fixation options. Therefore, treatment of pelvic crescent fractures should be based on individual analysis of injury mechanism and radiographic fracture pattern. PMID:24875337
Gehlert, Rick J; Xing, Zhiqing; DeCoster, Thomas A
International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies
NSDL National Science Digital Library
With a broad mission, the International Federation of Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies are involved in everything from disaster response and management to capacity building all over the globe. As one might expect, visitors to the site can learn about some of their more well-known programs in the "Get Involved" area on the homepage. Their homepage is also an excellent place to learn about some of their research publications, which include their annual "World Disasters Report" and their in-house magazine, "Red Cross, Red Crescent". For more nuts-and-bolts type information on the organization, visitors should browse through the "Who We Are", "What We Do", and "Where We Work" sections. Additionally, visitors can enter the "Our Programmes" section to learn about their various outreach efforts in different regions of the world.
Crescent Wing Planforms Reduce Lift-Dependent Drag
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
New understanding of optimization of design of wing to minimize induced drag developed by use of computational methods that account properly for nonlinear effects of deflected wake, nonplanar shape of wing, and vortex rollup. Crescent planforms are lunate shapes like some found in nature, similar to certain bird wings and fish fins. Theoretical and experimental analyses reveals superior aerodynamic efficiency and improved high-angle-of-attack characteristics.
Holmes, Bruce J.; Vijgen, Paul M. H. W.; Vandam, C. P.
High-alpha aerodynamic characteristics of crescent and elliptic wings
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Static longitudinal and lateral-directional forces and moments were measured for elliptic- and crescent-wing models at high angles of attack in the NASA Langley 14-by-22-ft Subsonic Tunnel. The forces and moments were obtained for an angle-of-attack range including stall and post-stall conditions at a Reynolds number based on the average wing chord of about 1.8 million. Flow-visualization photographs using a mixture of oil and titanium-dioxide were also taken for several incidence angles. The force and moment data and the flow-visualization results indicated that the crescent wing model with its highly swept tips produced much better high-angle-of-attack aerodynamic characteristics than the elliptic model. Leading-edge separation-induced vortex flow over the highly swept tips of the crescent wing is thought to produce this improved behavior at high angles of attack. The unique planform design could result in safer and more efficient low-speed airplanes.
Van Dam, C. P.; Vijgen, P. M. H. W.; Holmes, B. J.
Subtotal Ablation of Parietal Epithelial Cells Induces Crescent Formation
Parietal epithelial cells (PECs) of the renal glomerulus contribute to the formation of both cellular crescents in rapidly progressive GN and sclerotic lesions in FSGS. Subtotal transgenic ablation of podocytes induces FSGS but the effect of specific ablation of PECs is unknown. Here, we established an inducible transgenic mouse to allow subtotal ablation of PECs. Proteinuria developed during doxycycline-induced cellular ablation but fully reversed 26 days after termination of doxycycline administration. The ablation of PECs was focal, with only 30% of glomeruli exhibiting histologic changes; however, the number of PECs was reduced up to 90% within affected glomeruli. Ultrastructural analysis revealed disruption of PEC plasma membranes with cytoplasm shedding into Bowman�s space. Podocytes showed focal foot process effacement, which was the most likely cause for transient proteinuria. After >9 days of cellular ablation, the remaining PECs formed cellular extensions to cover the denuded Bowman�s capsule and expressed the activation marker CD44 de novo. The induced proliferation of PECs persisted throughout the observation period, resulting in the formation of typical cellular crescents with periglomerular infiltrate, albeit without accompanying proteinuria. In summary, subtotal ablation of PECs leads the remaining PECs to react with cellular activation and proliferation, which ultimately forms cellular crescents.
Sicking, Eva-Maria; Fuss, Astrid; Uhlig, Sandra; Jirak, Peggy; Dijkman, Henry; Wetzels, Jack; Engel, Daniel R.; Urzynicok, Torsten; Heidenreich, Stefan; Kriz, Wilhelm; Kurts, Christian; Ostendorf, Tammo; Floege, Jurgen; Smeets, Bart
Global map of Titan's dune fields
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Introduction Methane is the second major constituent of Titan's atmosphere; but it should be totally removed at least in ten million years by photochemistry in the stratosphere and condensation in the troposphere [1]. The first process produces hydrocarbons which form the haze and can condensate onto the surface. The second process causes methane rains on the surface, which carve channels networks. The loss of methane is possibly balanced by outgassing during cryovolcanic event [2]. But hydrocarbons grains deposited onto the surface cannot be recycled. They may be stored in the dunes [3], which were first seen by SAR (Synthetic Aperture Radar) [4]. We focus our study on the mapping of the dune fields in order to determine their global distribution. The aim is to constrain the amount of hydrocarbon material existing in the dunes, and to relate it to the duration of the methane cycle. Data from the Visual and Infrared Mapping Spectrometer (VIMS) and RADAR instruments onboard Cassini spacecraft can be used to map Titan's surface. Infrared images, which are mainly sensitive to composition and grain size, are very complementary to the microwave measurements which depend mainly on roughness and topography. We used spectral criteria after empirical correction of aerosols to map the distribution of heterogeneous units on Titan [5]. These units are compared with SAR images in overlapping regions. Titan's surface mosaics with VIMS VIMS probes the first ten of microns of the ground in seven narrow atmospheric windows in the 0.88 to 5.11 ?m wavelength range. We built infrared mosaics with cubes sorted by spatial resolution, by keeping cubes corresponding to favorable observing conditions (incidence, emergence, phase and time exposure). Band ratios were computed and combined in false color composite images (red as 1.59/1.27-?m, green as 2.03/1.27-?m and blue as 1.27/1.08-?m). Band ratios are useful to minimize the effect of illuminating conditions and albedo variations [6]. Mosaics of Titan's surface were created using images acquired during 42 flybys from Ta (October 26th 2004) to T42 (March 25th 2008). These images have been integrated into a Geographic Information System (GIS). Global maps of band ratios appear fuzzy at high latitudes due to a low spatial resolution and to the presence of haze and clouds. The unfavorable observing geometry, with high incidence angles, induces a very strong scattering by the aerosols in these regions. On the contrary, equatorial and mid-latitudes regions have been covered at a medium resolution, in better observing conditions. In our color composites, most of Titan surface appears either in brown units, bluish units or bright units. We observed that brown units cover 18% of the whole Titan's surface and are found in equatorial regions. Dark blue units cover roughly 2% of Titan's surface. They are systematically associated with bright terrains and are never found isolated within brown units (Fig. 1a). Dune patterns were first observed in the infrared with VIMS during the closest approach at T4 and T20 flybys [7, 8]. The detailed study of dune fields by [8] shows that dune patterns are found mainly in brown units and interdunes can account for the observed spectral variability. Dunes with Radar SAR dataset We also use the RADAR data in SAR mode, mainly sensitive to roughness, surface topography and dielectric constant variations. It is independent of solar light conditions and of the presence of clouds. We retrieved the radar swaths from Ta to T25 (February 22nd 2007) flybys from the PDS website and reprojected the data using the ISIS2 software. The spatial resolution of the SAR images allows the direct imaging of the dunes. Most of Titan's dunes appear longitudinal and resemble terrestrial dunes, such as the ones found in Namibia [4]. Detailed morphologic analysis was performed in [9], who inferred a dominant wind eastward to account for their formation. Two kinds of dunes have been observed: sand seas and small dunes in low sand supply zones. Most of the aeolian sand deposits are found in sand
Le Corre, L.; Le Mou�lic, S.; Sotin, C.; Barnes, J. W.; Brown, R. H.; Baines, K.; Buratti, B.; Clark, R.; Nicholson, P.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
11 February 2004 This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image shows dark-toned sand dunes in a crater in eastern Noachis Terra. Most big martian dunes tend to be dark, as opposed to the more familiar light-toned dunes of Earth. This difference is a product of the composition of the dunes; on Earth, most dunes contain abundant quartz. Quartz is usually clear (transparent), though quartz sand grains that have been kicked around by wind usually develop a white, frosty surface. On Mars, the sand is mostly made up of the darker minerals that comprise iron- and magnesium-rich volcanic rocks--i.e., like the black sand beaches found on volcanic islands like Hawaii. Examples of dark sand dunes on Earth are found in central Washington state and Iceland, among other places. This picture is located near 49.0oS, 326.3oW. Sunlight illuminates this scene from the upper left; the image covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide.
Clinicopathologic spectrum of crescentic glomerulonephritis: A hospital-based study.
Recent data regarding the clinical and histopathologic spectrum of crescentic glomerulonephritis (CSGN) among the Indian adult population is unknown. Our aim is to study the clinicopathological features and outcome of CSGN. It is a retrospective observational study from a tertiary care hospital in India over 3.5 years. Biopsy-proven cases of CSGN (i.e., >50% crescents in glomeruli) were included in the study. Cases with insufficient data were excluded. There were 34 cases of CSGN, accounting for an incidence of 5.5% among kidney biopsies. The mean age was 32.2 � 16.09 years, with male to female ratio of 12:22. Clinical presentations of CSGN include rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis in 23 (67.7%), chronic renal failure (CRF) in seven (20.5%), nephrotic syndrome in two (5.8%) and acute nephritic syndrome in two (5.8%) patients. The immunological profile of CSGN showed MPO-ANCA in nine (26.4%), PR3-ANCA in one (2.9%), both PR3 and MPO-ANCA in one (2.9%), anti-GBM antibody in five (14.7%) and lupus nephritis in six (17.6%) patients. All the three antibodies were present in one patient. The percentage of glomeruli showing crescents were 100% in nine (26.4%) and ?80% in seven (20.5%) patients. Type of crescents seen were cellular in 11 (32.3%) and fibrocellular in 22 (64.7%) patients and fibrous in one (2.9%) patient. Interstitial fibrosis was found in seven (20.5%) patients. Dialysis dependency was seen in 11 (32.3%) patients. After 3 months of follow-up, mortality was seen in three (8.8%), remission in eight (23.5%), CRF in 15 (44.1%) and ESRD in five (14.7%) patients. CSGN carries a poor prognosis. The disorder may have an insidious onset and a slowly progressive course. ANCA, anti-GBM-antibody and anti-dsDNA can coexist in CSGN. PMID:24821180
Choudhury, Tauhidul Alam; Singh, Rana Gopal; Singh, Shivendra; Singh, Takhellambam Brojen; Rathore, Surendra Singh
Predicting vegetation-stabilized dune morphology
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The morphology of vegetation-stabilized dune fields on the North American Great Plains mostly comprises parabolic dunes; stabilized barchan and transverse dunes are rare. One notable exception is the Nebraska Sand Hills (NSH), where massive grass-covered barchan and transverse dunes bear proof of former desert-like conditions. We present a hypothesis from a numerical dune field model to explain the vegetation-stabilized morphology of dunes. The model incorporates a growth curve that preferentially grows vegetation in regions of sediment deposition with a sharp drop in growth at the peak depositional tolerance of vegetation, qualitatively matching biological response to erosion and deposition. Simulations on a range of pre-stabilization dune morphologies, from large closely-spaced transverse dunes to small dispersed barchans, indicate that the stabilized morphology is largely determined by the ratio of slipface deposition rate to peak depositional tolerance of vegetation. Conceptually, slipface deposition rate is related to dune height and celerity. By keeping depositional tolerance constant (representing a constant vegetation type and climate) the model shows that large slow-moving dunes have low slipface deposition rates and essentially 'freeze' in place once vegetation is introduced, retaining their pre-vegetation morphology. Small fast-moving dunes have higher slipface deposition rates and evolve into parabolic dunes. We hypothesize that, when barchan and transverse dunes are subjected to a stabilizing climate shift that increases vegetation growth rate, they retain their pre-stabilization morphology if deposition rates are below the depositional tolerance of stabilizing vegetation, otherwise they become parabolic dunes. This could explain why NSH dunes are stabilized in barchan and transverse morphologies while elsewhere on the Great Plains dune fields are dominated by smaller parabolic dunes.
Barchyn, T.; Hugenholtz, C.
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)[figure removed for brevity, see original site] The large sand sheets and dunes observed in this THEMIS image are located near the north pole of Mars. Changes in surface albedo across the image are likely due to variable thicknesses of dark sand that cover lighter surfaces. Layering of units is observed near the top of the image and is evidence to changing conditions throughout the geologic history of Mars.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude 37.1, Longitude 15.3 East (19.1 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.
SPARC Accelerates Disease Progression in Experimental Crescentic Glomerulonephritis
Podocytopenia characterizes many forms of glomerular disease, preceding the development of glomerulosclerosis. While detachment of viable podocytes from the underlying glomerular basement membrane is an important mechanism of podocyte loss, the underlying factors involved remain unclear. Secreted protein acidic and rich in cysteine (SPARC), a matricellular protein with counteradhesive properties, is normally expressed at low levels by the podocyte but is markedly increased following podocyte injury. Accordingly, we elucidate the role of SPARC in mediating experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis by inducing passive nephrotoxic nephritis in SPARC+/+ and SPARC?/? mice. By days 4, 7, and 21 following disease induction, podocyte number is better preserved, glomerulosclerosis is ameliorated, and proteinuria is reduced in SPARC?/? mice as compared with SPARC+/+ littermates. Moreover, the preserved podocyte number in SPARC?/? mice correlates with reduced urinary levels of both nephrin and podocin. To establish a causal role for SPARC in mediating detachment, cultured SPARC+/+ and SPARC?/? podocytes were subjected to mechanical strain as well as trypsin digestion, and detachment assays were performed. While podocytes lacking SPARC were more resistant to stretch-induced detachment, stable re-expression of SPARC restored detachment rates to levels comparable with SPARC+/+ podocytes. Taken together, this study proves that SPARC plays a causal role in mediating podocyte detachment and accelerating glomerulosclerosis in experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis.
Sussman, Amy N.; Sun, Tong; Krofft, Ronald M.; Durvasula, Raghu V.
Channels on Dunes in Russell Crater
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)Hundreds of enigmatic small channels are seen to carve into the slopes of these dark sand dunes lying within Russell Crater on Mars. These features were previously identified as gullies in images from the Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) on Mars Global Surveyor, but the higher resolution HiRISE image brings out many new details and mysteries. The channels extend from near the top of the dunes to their bases, indicating that some fluid material carved into the sand. The channels commonly begin as smaller tributaries joined together, suggesting several sources of fluid. Distinct dark spots are located near where the channels seem to originate. Several channels appear to originate at alcoves. Several of these channels have sinuous middle reaches while others are straighter. Further down slope, some channel edges appear elevated above the surrounding terrain, particularly in the lower reaches. The channels seem to terminate abruptly, with no deposition of material, unlike at the bases of some other gullies on Mars that are not on dunes. One hypothesis for the origin of the channels, which has previously been proposed by the MOC team, is that CO2 (or maybe H2O) frost is deposited on the dunes in shadows or at night. Some frost may also be incorporated into the internal parts of the dunes due to natural avalanching. When the frost is eventually heated by sunlight, rapid sublimation triggers an avalanche of fluidized sand, forming a gully. HiRISE will continue to target small channel features such as these and may return to search for any changes over time. Image PSP_001440_1255 was taken by the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) camera onboard the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter spacecraft on November 16, 2006. The complete image is centered at -54.2 degrees latitude, 12.9 degrees East longitude. The range to the target site was 251.4 km (157.1 miles). At this distance the image scale is 50.3 cm/pixel (with 2 x 2 binning) so objects 151 cm across are resolved. The image shown here has been map-projected to 50 cm/pixel and north is up. The image was taken at a local Mars time of 3:41 PM and the scene is illuminated from the west with a solar incidence angle of 85 degrees, thus the sun was about 5 degrees above the horizon. At a solar longitude of 136.3 degrees, the season on Mars is Northern Summer. NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena, manages the Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter for NASA's Science Mission Directorate, Washington. Lockheed Martin Space Systems, Denver, is the prime contractor for the project and built the spacecraft. The High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment is operated by the University of Arizona, Tucson, and the instrument was built by Ball Aerospace and Technology Corp., Boulder, Colo.
Environmental Impact Research Program. Environmental Considerations for Dune-Stabilization Projects.
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
Contents--History of Human Efforts to Stabilize Coastal Dunes; Report Objectives; Role of Dunes in Shore Processes; Overtopping, Sand Reservoir; Natural Dune Systems: Vegetation of Natural Dunes; Description of Man-Made Dune Systems: Dune-Building Techniq...
P. L. Knutson K. Finkelstein
76 FR 47123 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; 90-Day Finding on a Petition To List Six Sand Dune...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
...The petition also noted that a solar energy facility has been proposed on BLM...reviewing a proposal to develop solar energy on public land near the Big Dune...related to this potential threat. Solar Energy Development According to the...
Crescent-Forming Mechanism in an Irreversible Thy1 Model in Rats
Background: The crescent-forming mechanism has not yet been fully clarified and a cell which constitutes a crescent still remains controversial. This study was undertaken to analyze the crescent-forming mechanism in an irreversible Thy-1 model by applying a new marker-recognizing monoclonal antibody (mAb) OS-3. Methods: An irreversible Thy-1 model was induced by an intravenous injection of 500 ?g of anti-Thy-1 mAb
Akihisa Oyanagi; Michiaki Orikasa; Hiroshi Kawachi; Yumi Ito; Hiroko Koike; Fumitake Gejo; Fujio Shimizu
SCG\\/Kinjoh mice: A model of ANCA-associated crescentic glomerulonephritis with immune deposits
SCG\\/Kinjoh mice: A model of ANCA-associated crescentic glomerulonephritis with immune deposits.BackgroundSpontaneous crescentic glomerulonephritis-forming\\/Kinjoh (SCG\\/Kj) mice spontaneously develop crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN), systemic vasculitis, and perinuclear ANCA (pANCA), and have been suggested as an animal model for human antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated vasculitis (AASV). Since no systematic serologic, immunohistologic, or structural evaluation had been performed thus far, we reinvestigated the development of
Irmgard Neumann; Rainer Birck; Mark Newman; Peter Schn�lle; Wilhelm Kriz; Kyuichi Nemoto; Benito Yard; R�diger Waldherr; Fokko J. Van Der Woude
Results of lamellar crescentic resection for pellucid marginal corneal degeneration.
Five eyes in four patients with pellucid marginal corneal degeneration were treated by lamellar crescentic resection of the thinned area inferiorly. Normal-thickness stroma was then reapposed to normal-thickness stroma with multiple interrupted 10-0 polypropylene sutures. If excessive central corneal steepening along a vertical meridian was present three months after surgery, selected sutures were cut and removed depending on the slit-lamp appearance, keratometry reading, and photokeratograph pattern. Improvement of visual acuity to 20/40 or better was obtained in four of the five eyes with a follow-up of 27 to 40 months (mean, 31.8 months). Early loosening of sutures resulted in a recurrence of corneal thinning and astigmatism in one eye. Pannus developed inferiorly in all five eyes. PMID:1543223
Cameron, J A
Mesopotamian fertile crescent nearly gone, new study indicates
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Something is terribly amiss in the marshlands of the fertile crescent of Mesopotamia, where the Tigris and Euphrates Rivers flow, and where Gilgamesh, the hero of an epic that dates at least as far back as the third millennium B.C., ruled.The marshlands, which are located primarily in Iraq and once extended between 15,000 and 20,000 square kilometers, now have been reduced to less than 1,500 to 2,000 square kilometers, according to a new study issued May 18 by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP). The marshlands could disappear in the near future if no immediate corrective actions are taken, according to Hassan Partow, the principal author of the UNEP study and a scientist within the agency's division of early warning and assessment.
Showstack, Randy
'Endurance Crater's' Dazzling Dunes (false-color)
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)As NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity creeps farther into 'Endurance Crater,' the dune field on the crater floor appears even more dramatic. This false-color image taken by the rover's panoramic camera shows that the dune crests have accumulated more dust than the flanks of the dunes and the flat surfaces between them. Also evident is a 'blue' tint on the flat surfaces as compared to the dune flanks. This results from the presence of the hematite-containing spherules ('blueberries') that accumulate on the flat surfaces. Sinuous tendrils of sand less than 1 meter (3.3 feet) high extend from the main dune field toward the rover. Scientists hope to send the rover down to one of these tendrils in an effort to learn more about the characteristics of the dunes. Dunes are a common feature across the surface of Mars, and knowledge gleaned from investigating the Endurance dunes close-up may apply to similar dunes elsewhere. Before the rover heads down to the dunes, rover drivers must first establish whether the slippery slope that leads to them is firm enough to ensure a successful drive back out of the crater. Otherwise, such hazards might make the dune field a true sand trap.
Mars global digital dune database: MC-30
The Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3) provides data and describes the methodology used in creating the global database of moderate- to large-size dune fields on Mars. The database is being released in a series of U.S. Geological Survey Open-File Reports. The first report (Hayward and others, 2007) included dune fields from lat 65� N. to 65� S. (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1158/). The second report (Hayward and others, 2010) included dune fields from lat 60� N. to 90� N. (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2010/1170/). This report encompasses ~75,000 km2 of mapped dune fields from lat 60� to 90� S. The dune fields included in this global database were initially located using Mars Odyssey Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) Infrared (IR) images. In the previous two reports, some dune fields may have been unintentionally excluded for two reasons: (1) incomplete THEMIS IR (daytime) coverage may have caused us to exclude some moderate- to large-size dune fields or (2) resolution of THEMIS IR coverage (100 m/pixel) certainly caused us to exclude smaller dune fields. In this report, mapping is more complete. The Arizona State University THEMIS daytime IR mosaic provided complete IR coverage, and it is unlikely that we missed any large dune fields in the South Pole (SP) region. In addition, the increased availability of higher resolution images resulted in the inclusion of more small (~1 km2) sand dune fields and sand patches. To maintain consistency with the previous releases, we have identified the sand features that would not have been included in earlier releases. While the moderate to large dune fields in MGD3 are likely to constitute the largest compilation of sediment on the planet, we acknowledge that our database excludes numerous small dune fields and some moderate to large dune fields as well. Please note that the absence of mapped dune fields does not mean that dune fields do not exist and is not intended to imply a lack of saltating sand in other areas. Where availability and quality of THEMIS visible (VIS), Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) narrow angle, Mars Express High Resolution Stereo Camera, or Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter Context Camera and High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment images allowed, we classified dunes and included some dune slipface measurements, which were derived from gross dune morphology and represent the approximate prevailing wind direction at the last time of significant dune modification. It was beyond the scope of this report to look at the detail needed to discern subtle dune modification. It was also beyond the scope of this report to measure all slipfaces. We attempted to include enough slipface measurements to represent the general circulation (as implied by gross dune morphology) and to give a sense of the complex nature of aeolian activity on Mars. The absence of slipface measurements in a given direction should not be taken as evidence that winds in that direction did not occur. When a dune field was located within a crater, the azimuth from crater centroid to dune field centroid was calculated, as another possible indicator of wind direction. Output from a general circulation model is also included. In addition to polygons locating dune fields, the database includes ~700 of the THEMIS VIS and MOC images that were used to build the database.
Hayward, R. K.; Fenton, L. K.; Titus, T. N.; Colaprete, A.; Christensen, P. R.
Using multiple geochemical tracers to characterize the hydrogeology of the submarine spring off Crescent Beach, Florida
A spectacular submarine spring is located about 4 km east of Crescent Beach, FL, in the Atlantic Ocean. The single vent feature of Crescent Beach Spring provides a unique opportunity to examine onshore�offshore hydrogeologic processes, as well as point source submarine ground water discharge. The Floridan aquifer system in northeastern Florida consists of Tertiary interspersed limestone and dolomite strata. Impermeable
P. W Swarzenski; C. D Reich; R. M Spechler; J. L Kindinger; W. S Moore
Basilar crescentic osteotomy. A three-dimensional computer simulation.
A three-dimensional computer simulation of the basilar crescentic osteotomy has been presented. The bunion deformity consists of hallux valgus, an increased first and second intermetatarsal angle, pronation of the great toe, and elevation of the first metatarsal head. Every foot is different and some may have more or less of each of the above noted components. Because the deformity is multiplanar, at least two roentgenograms are needed to evaluate the deformity. The weight-bearing, anterior-posterior roentgenogram is the principle radiograph used in preoperative planning. The use of a weight-bearing, sesamoid roentgenogram is recommended to quantify the anterior-posterior deflection and rotation of the first metatarsal head. A computer model (based on a cylinder) of the first metatarsal has been formulated. The osteotomy then was performed in a variety of scenarios in order to simulate the surgical correction. A great deal of flexibility is afforded by this osteotomy. The surgeon needs to be aware of the coupled motions that occur. That is, closure of the intermetatarsal angle may also cause head rotation, depression, or elevation. If the osteotomy is performed in an oblique multiplanar direction, then it is possible for the metatarsal head to elevate, pronate, and significantly shorten as the intermetatarsal angle is closed. If this scenario should occur, a poor surgical outcome will result. Excision of the medial eminence is recommended after the osteotomy has been completed and secured with stable fixation because of these rotational changes. The basilar crescentic osteotomy is an excellent method for correction of a marked metatarsus primus varus. It is important to pay close attention to a variety of anatomic considerations. The osteotomy must not be made in the diaphysis because of potential nonunion. There should be little dissection of the periosteum because of possible delayed union. As in any bunion surgery, it is essential to perform an adequate, distal, soft-tissue repair. Three dimensional preoperative planning is essential in obtaining correction of all components of a bunion. Specific guidelines, based on a three-dimensional computer model, are now available. An interactive computer program also is available to aid the surgeon in preoperative planning. We hope there will be better understanding of this technically difficult but highly versatile osteotomy. PMID:2797752
Kay, D B; Njus, G; Parrish, W; Theken, R
Daily cycles of summer sea breezes produce distinctive cyclic foreset deposits in dune sands of the Texas and Oregon coasts. In both areas the winds are strong enough to transport sand only during part of the day, reach a peak during the afternoon, and vary little in direction during the period of sand transport. Cyclicity in the foreset deposits is made evident by variations in the type of sedimentary structure, the texture, and the heavy-mineral content of the sand. Some of the cyclic deposits are made up entirely of one basic type of structure, in which the character of the structure varies cyclically; for example, the angle of climb in a climbing-wind-ripple structure may vary cyclically. Other cyclic deposits are characterized by alternations of two or more structural types. Variations in the concentration of fine-grained heavy minerals, which account for the most striking cyclicity, arise mainly because of segregation on wind-rippled depositional surfaces: where the ripples climb at low angles, the coarsegrained light minerals, which accumulate preferentially on ripple crests, tend to be excluded from the local deposit. Daily cyclic deposits are thickest and best developed on small dunes and are least recognizable near the bases of large dunes. ?? 1988.
Hunter, R. E.; Richmond, B. M.
Stability of transverse dunes against perturbations: A theoretical study using dune skeleton model
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The dune skeleton model is a reduced model to describe the formation process and dynamics of characteristic types of dunes emerging under unidirectional steady wind. Using this model, we study the dependency of the morphodynamics of transverse dunes on the initial random perturbations and the lateral field size. It was found that (i) an increase of the lateral field size destabilizes the transverse dune to cause deformation of a barchan, (ii) the initial random perturbations decay with time by the power function until a certain time; thereafter, the dune shapes change into three phases according to the amount of sand and sand diffusion coefficient, and (iii) the duration time, until the transverse dune is broken, increases exponentially with increasing the amount of sand and sand diffusion coefficient. Moreover, under the condition without the sand supply from windward ground, the destabilization of transverse dune in this model qualitatively corresponds to the subaqueous dunes in water tank experiments.
Niiya, Hirofumi; Awazu, Akinori; Nishimori, Hiraku
Investigation of Reversing Sand Dunes at the Bruneau Dunes, Idaho, as Analogs for Features on Mars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The Bruneau Dunes in south-central Idaho include several large reversing sand dunes located within a cut-off meander of the Snake River. These dunes include the largest single-structured sand dune present in North America. Wind records from the Remote Automated Weather Station (RAWS) installation at the Mountain Home Air Force Base, which is ~21 km NW of the Bruneau Dunes, have proved to be very helpful in assessing the regional wind patterns at this section of the western Snake River Plains province; a bimodal wind regime is present, with seasonal changes of strong (sand-moving) winds blowing from either the northwest or the southeast. During April of 2011, we obtained ten precision topographic surveys across the southernmost reversing dune using a Differential Global Positioning System (DGPS). The DGPS data document the shape of the dune going from a low, broad sand ridge at the southern distal end of the dune to the symmetrically shaped 112-m-high central portion of the dune, where both flanks of the dune consist of active slopes near the angle of repose. These data will be useful in evaluating the reversing dune hypothesis proposed for enigmatic features on Mars called Transverse Aeolian Ridges (TARs), which could have formed either as large mega-ripples or small sand dunes. The symmetric profiles across TARs with heights greater than 1 m are more consistent with measured profiles of reversing sand dunes than with measured profiles of mega-ripples (whose surfaces are coated by large particles ranging from coarse sand to gravel, moved by saltation-induced creep). Using DGPS to monitor changes in the three-dimensional location of the crests of the reversing dunes at the Bruneau Dunes should provide a means for estimating the likely timescale for changes of TAR crests if the Martian features are indeed formed in the same manner as reversing sand dunes on Earth.
Zimbelman, J. R.; Scheidt, S. P.
Expression of Tight Junction Protein Claudin-1 in Human Crescentic Glomerulonephritis
The origin of crescent forming cells in human glomerulonephritis (GN) remains unknown. Some animal studies demonstrated that parietal epithelial cells of Bowman's capsule (PECs) were the main component of proliferating cells and PEC-specific tight junction protein claudin-1 was expressed in crescentic lesions. We investigated the expression of claudin-1 in human GN. Immunohistochemistry for claudin-1 was performed on 17 kidney biopsy samples with crescent formation. Colocalization of claudin-1 with intracellular tight junction protein ZO-1 was also evaluated by immunofluorescence double staining. Claudin-1 is expressed mainly at the cell to cell contact site of proliferating cells in cellular crescentic lesions in patients with these forms of human GN. Small numbers of crescent forming cells showed extrajunctional localization of claudin-1. Colocalization of claudin-1 with ZO-1 was found at cell to cell contact sites of adjacent proliferating cells. In control samples, staining of claudin-1 was positive in PECs, but not in podocytes. Our findings suggest that claudin-1 contributes to crescent formation as a component of the tight junction protein complex that includes ZO-1. Co-localization of claudin-1 with ZO-1 implies the formation of functional tight junction complexes in crescentic lesions to prevent the interstitial damage caused by penetration of filtered molecules from Bowman's space.
Koda, Ryo; Yoshino, Atsunori; Imanishi, Yuji; Kawamoto, Shinya; Ueda, Yoshihiko; Yaoita, Eishin; Kazama, Junichiro James; Narita, Ichiei; Takeda, Tetsuro
Recent drying of the Fertile Crescent: natural or externally forced?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
There has been a reduction in observed precipitation over the greater Mediterranean region since the middle of the 20th Century. Recent studies suggest that while anthropogenic forcing has already begun to assert itself in recent decades, the preponderance of the winter drying trend is attributable to the large natural multidecadal variability of the North Atlantic Oscillation (NAO), while over the eastern Mediterranean, the anthropogenic, or forced drying signal is more clearly evident. This forced drying is projected to increase during the 21st Century according to the newest global climate models and this aridification would present significant challenges for a region that is already water-stressed. Although the Fertile Crescent is historically known for its agricultural prosperity, the severity and persistence of the recent multiyear drought in Syria, directly prior to the 2011 uprising there, leads us to ask whether this is evidence of emerging global warming influence. This drought exacerbated existing water insecurity, resulting in an agricultural collapse and a mass migration of rural drought refugees to the urban areas in Syria's west. This migration followed the previous influx of Iragi refugees and combined with strong natural population growth to place a severe strain on resources. Here we examine observations of precipitation and temperature, both gridded and stations, along with simulations and projections from the newest global climate models, to estimate the forced contribution to the recent Syrian drought, and assess the uncertainty in future drying according to the models. We find that this region has experienced a long-term downward trend in precipitation, and a concomitant increase in temperature, serving to further dry the soil, and in surface pressure. We find that the shift in the distributions of three-year running means of surface pressure and precipitation due to the forcing make severe events such as the recent Syrian drought several times more likely. Next we examine the moisture budget in the models and compare with the ground truth of atmospheric reanalyses to determine the relative contributions from the mean flow and the transient eddies. We find that the mean and transient patterns of moisture budget change over the eastern Mediterranean under forcing resemble the patterns of the NAO-induced moisture budget anomaly, but that over the greater Mediterranean there are distinct differences. Under forced moisture budget change, as noted in a recent study, the mean flow serves to strongly dry the greater Mediterranean, with a smaller contribution from the transients. For the eastern Mediterranean however, the transients oppose the drying by the mean flow, under climate change and under a positive phase of the NAO. These results suggest that anthropogenically forced drying of the Fertile Crescent may already be underway, primarily through a poleward shift in the mean flow, and represent a step forward toward a better understanding of the mechanisms associated with eastern Mediterranean hydroclimate change and variability and how they compare.
Kelley, Colin
Interdisciplinary Research Produces Results in the Understanding of Planetary Dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Second International Planetary Dunes Workshop: Planetary Analogs�Integrating Models, Remote Sensing, and Field Data; Alamosa, Colorado, 18-21 May 2010; Dunes and other eolian bed forms are prominent on several planetary bodies in our solar system. Despite 4 decades of study, many questions remain regarding the composition, age, and origins of these features, as well as the climatic conditions under which they formed. Recently acquired data from orbiters and rovers, together with terrestrial analogs and numerical models, are providing new insights into Martian sand dunes, as well as eolian bed forms on other terrestrial planetary bodies (e.g., Titan). As a means of bringing together terrestrial and planetary researchers from diverse backgrounds with the goal of fostering collaborative interdisciplinary research, the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS), the Carl Sagan Center for the Study of Life in the Universe, the Desert Research Institute, and the U.S. National Park Service held a workshop in Colorado. The small group setting facilitated intensive discussion of problems and issues associated with eolian processes on Earth, Mars, and Titan.
Titus, Timothy N.; Hayward, Rosalyn Kay; Bourke, Mary C.
Hematite Outlier and Sand Dunes
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)[figure removed for brevity, see original site] Released 4 December 2003This image shows a crater just south of the edge of the famous hematite-bearing surface, which is visible in the context image as a smooth area to the north. The crater has two features of immediate note. The first is a layered mound in the north part of the crater floor. This mound contains hematite, and it is an outlying remnant of the greater deposits to the north that have otherwise completely disappeared in this crater. The second feature is a dune field in the center of the crater floor, with dark dunes indicating winds from the northwest. The dunes grade into a dark sand sheet with no coherent structure, indicating that the sand layer thins out to the south and east.Image information: VIS instrument. Latitude -4.4, Longitude 357.3 East (2.7 West). 19 meter/pixel resolution.Note: this THEMIS visual image has not been radiometrically nor geometrically calibrated for this preliminary release. An empirical correction has been performed to remove instrumental effects. A linear shift has been applied in the cross-track and down-track direction to approximate spacecraft and planetary motion. Fully calibrated and geometrically projected images will be released through the Planetary Data System in accordance with Project policies at a later time.NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory manages the 2001 Mars Odyssey mission for NASA's Office of Space Science, Washington, D.C. The Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) was developed by Arizona State University, Tempe, in collaboration with Raytheon Santa Barbara Remote Sensing. The THEMIS investigation is led by Dr. Philip Christensen at Arizona State University. Lockheed Martin Astronautics, Denver, is the prime contractor for the Odyssey project, and developed and built the orbiter. Mission operations are conducted jointly from Lockheed Martin and from JPL, a division of the California Institute of Technology in Pasadena.
Paleomagnetism and tectonics of the Crescent Formation, northern Olympic Mountains, Washington
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Results are presented of a paleomagnetic analysis of the Crescent Formation basalts of the northern Olympic Mountains, carried out with the purpose of constraining the emplacement and deformation history of the rocks of the northern Coast Range. It was found that (1) the stable remanent magnetization measured within the Crescent Formation appears to be early, predating significant deformation, and probably is primary; (2) a correction for bedding rotations about strike within four different structural domains produces a circular distribution of virtual geomagnetic poles; and (3) the Crescent Formation, where sampled in the north, records no significant net rotation or displacement.
Warnock, Andrew C.; Burmester, Russell F.; Engebretson, David C.
Defrosting North Polar Dune Field
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
MGS MOC Release No. MOC2-331, 15 April 2003This Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) image captures frost-covered north polar sand dunes in springtime as they are beginning to defrost. Dark spots and streaks indicate areas where frozen carbon dioxide has started to be removed by sublimation and wind. The picture covers an area 3 km (1.9 mi) wide near 76.3oN, 264.9oW. Sunlight illuminates the scene from the lower left.
Antibodies to Intercellular Adhesion Molecule 1\\/Lymphocyte Function-associated Antigen 1 Prevent Crescent Formation in Rat Autoimmune Glomerulonephritis
SBmlTlftry In patients with glomerulonephritis widespread crescents are associated with a poor prognosis. Crescent formation appears to depend on the migration of mononuclear cells into Bowman's space, and therefore the interaction between leukocytes and glomerular endothelium may be a critical event in the genesis of crescents. We performed the present study to determine the effects of mouse monoclonal antibodies to
Kazuhiro Nishikawa; Ya-Jun Guo; Masayuki Miyasaka; Takuya Tamatani; A. Bernard Collins; Man-Sun Sy; Robert T. McCluskey; Giuseppe Andres
On the dynamics of cartoon dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The spatio-temporal evolution of a downsized model for a barchan dune is investigated experimentally in a narrow water flow channel. We observe a rapid transition from the initial configuration to a steady-state dune with constant mass, shape, velocity, and packing fraction. The development towards the dune attractor is shown on the basis of four different starting configurations. The shape of the attractor exhibits all characteristic features of barchan dunes found in nature, namely a gently inclined windward (upstream) side, crest, brink, and steep lee (downstream) side. The migration velocity is reciprocal to the length of the dune and reciprocal to the square root of the value of its mass. The velocity scaling and the shape of the barchan dune is independent of the particle diameter. For small dunes we find significant deviations from a fixed height-length aspect ratio. Moreover, a particle tracking method reveals that the migration speed of the model dune is one order of magnitude slower than that of the individual particles. In particular, the erosion rate consists of comparable contributions from low energy (creeping) and high energy (saltating) particles. Finally, it is shown that the velocity field of the saltating particles is comparable to the velocity field of the driving fluid.
Groh, Christopher; Rehberg, Ingo; Kruelle, Christof A.
Conceptual models of the evolution of transgressive dune field systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
This paper examines the evolutionary paths of some transgressive dune fields that have formed on different coasts of the world, and presents some initial conceptual models of system dynamics for transgressive dune sheets and dune fields. Various evolutionary pathways are conceptualized based on a visual examination of dune fields from around the world. On coasts with high sediment supply, dune sheets and dune fields tend to accumulate as large scale barrier systems with little colonization of vegetation in arid-hyper to arid climate regimes, and as multiple, active discrete phases of dune field and deflation plain couplets in temperate to tropical environments. Active dune fields tend to be singular entities on coasts with low to moderate sediment supply. Landscape complexity and vegetation richness and diversity increases as dune fields evolve from simple active sheets and dunes to single and multiple deflation plains and basins, precipitation ridges, nebkha fields and a host of other dune types associated with vegetation (e.g. trailing ridges, slacks, remnant knobs, gegenwalle ridges and dune track ridges, 'tree islands' and 'bush pockets'). Three principal scenarios of transgressive dune sheet and dune field development are discussed, including dune sheets or dune fields evolving directly from the backshore, development following foredune and/or dune field erosion, and development from the breakdown or merging of parabolic dunes. Various stages of evolution are outlined for each scenario. Knowledge of evolutionary patterns and stages in coastal dune fields is very limited and caution is urged in attempts to reverse, change and/or modify dune fields to 'restore' some perceived loss of ecosystem or dune functioning.
Hesp, Patrick A.
Conceptual models of the evolution of transgressive dune field systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
This paper examines the evolutionary paths of some transgressive dune fields that have formed on different coasts of the world, and presents some initial conceptual models of system dynamics for transgressive dune sheets and dune fields. Various evolutionary pathways are conceptualized based on a visual examination of dune fields from around the world. On coasts with high sediment supply, dune sheets and dune fields tend to accumulate as large scale barrier systems with little colonization of vegetation in arid-hyper to arid climate regimes, and as multiple, active discrete phases of dune field and deflation plain couplets in temperate to tropical environments. Active dune fields tend to be singular entities on coasts with low to moderate sediment supply. Landscape complexity and vegetation richness and diversity increases as dune fields evolve from simple active sheets and dunes to single and multiple deflation plains and basins, precipitation ridges, nebkha fields and a host of other dune types associated with vegetation (e.g. trailing ridges, slacks, remnant knobs, gegenwalle ridges and dune track ridges, �tree islands' and �bush pockets'). Three principal scenarios of transgressive dune sheet and dune field development are discussed, including dune sheets or dune fields evolving directly from the backshore, development following foredune and/or dune field erosion, and development from the breakdown or merging of parabolic dunes. Various stages of evolution are outlined for each scenario. Knowledge of evolutionary patterns and stages in coastal dune fields is very limited and caution is urged in attempts to reverse, change and/or modify dune fields to �restore' some perceived loss of ecosystem or dune functioning.
A. Hesp, Patrick
Mars Global Digital Dune Database; MC-1
The Mars Global Digital Dune Database presents data and describes the methodology used in creating the global database of moderate- to large-size dune fields on Mars. The database is being released in a series of U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) Open-File Reports. The first release (Hayward and others, 2007) included dune fields from 65 degrees N to 65 degrees S (http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2007/1158/). The current release encompasses ~ 845,000 km2 of mapped dune fields from 65 degrees N to 90 degrees N latitude. Dune fields between 65 degrees S and 90 degrees S will be released in a future USGS Open-File Report. Although we have attempted to include all dune fields, some have likely been excluded for two reasons: (1) incomplete THEMIS IR (daytime) coverage may have caused us to exclude some moderate- to large-size dune fields or (2) resolution of THEMIS IR coverage (100m/pixel) certainly caused us to exclude smaller dune fields. The smallest dune fields in the database are ~ 1 km2 in area. While the moderate to large dune fields are likely to constitute the largest compilation of sediment on the planet, smaller stores of sediment of dunes are likely to be found elsewhere via higher resolution data. Thus, it should be noted that our database excludes all small dune fields and some moderate to large dune fields as well. Therefore, the absence of mapped dune fields does not mean that such dune fields do not exist and is not intended to imply a lack of saltating sand in other areas. Where availability and quality of THEMIS visible (VIS), Mars Orbiter Camera narrow angle (MOC NA), or Mars Reconnaissance Orbiter (MRO) Context Camera (CTX) images allowed, we classified dunes and included some dune slipface measurements, which were derived from gross dune morphology and represent the prevailing wind direction at the last time of significant dune modification. It was beyond the scope of this report to look at the detail needed to discern subtle dune modification. It was also beyond the scope of this report to measure all slipfaces. We attempted to include enough slipface measurements to represent the general circulation (as implied by gross dune morphology) and to give a sense of the complex nature of aeolian activity on Mars. The absence of slipface measurements in a given direction should not be taken as evidence that winds in that direction did not occur. When a dune field was located within a crater, the azimuth from crater centroid to dune field centroid was calculated, as another possible indicator of wind direction. Output from a general circulation model (GCM) is also included. In addition to polygons locating dune fields, the database includes THEMIS visible (VIS) and Mars Orbiter Camera Narrow Angle (MOC NA) images that were used to build the database. The database is presented in a variety of formats. It is presented as an ArcReader project which can be opened using the free ArcReader software. The latest version of ArcReader can be downloaded at http://www.esri.com/software/arcgis/arcreader/download.html. The database is also presented in an ArcMap project. The ArcMap project allows fuller use of the data, but requires ESRI ArcMap(Registered) software. A fuller description of the projects can be found in the NP_Dunes_ReadMe file (NP_Dunes_ReadMe folder_ and the NP_Dunes_ReadMe_GIS file (NP_Documentation folder). For users who prefer to create their own projects, the data are available in ESRI shapefile and geodatabase formats, as well as the open Geography Markup Language (GML) format. A printable map of the dunes and craters in the database is available as a Portable Document Format (PDF) document. The map is also included as a JPEG file. (NP_Documentation folder) Documentation files are available in PDF and ASCII (.txt) files. Tables are available in both Excel and ASCII (.txt)
Hayward, R. K.; Fenton, L. K.; Tanaka, K. L.; Titus, T. N.; Colaprete, A.; Christensen, P.R.
Rapid improvement of grey dunes after shallow sod cutting
Grey dunes are an important habitat in Dutch coastal sand dunes, harbouring various Red Data Book flora and fauna species. However, during the last decades, dune grasslands belonging to this habitat have suffered from severe grass encroachment due to prolonged stabilisation, atmospheric pollution, and rabbit decline. In the Amsterdam Water supply Dunes shallow sod cutting was ap- plied in 2002
Mark van Til; Annemieke Kooijman
Reproducibility and utility of dune luminescence chronologies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating of dune deposits has increasingly been used as a tool to investigate the response of aeolian systems to environmental change. Amalgamation of individual dune accumulation chronologies has been employed in order to distinguish regional from local geomorphic responses to change. However, advances in dating have produced chronologies of increasing complexity. In particular, questions regarding the interpretation of dune ages have been raised, including over the most appropriate method to evaluate the significance of suites of OSL ages when local 'noisy' and discontinuous records are combined. In this paper, these issues are reviewed and the reproducibility of dune chronologies is assessed. OSL ages from two cores sampled from the same dune in the northeast Rub' al Khali, United Arab Emirates, are presented and compared, alongside an analysis of previously published dune ages dated to within the last 30 ka. Distinct periods of aeolian activity and preservation are identified, which can be tied to regional climatic and environmental changes. This case study is used to address fundamental questions that are persistently asked of dune dating studies, including the appropriate spatial scale over which to infer environmental and climatic change based on dune chronologies, whether chronological hiatuses can be interpreted, how to most appropriately combine and display datasets, and the relationship between geomorphic and palaeoclimatic signals. Chronological profiles reflect localised responses to environmental variability and climatic forcing, and amalgamation of datasets, with consideration of sampling resolution, is required; otherwise local factors are always likely to dominate. Using net accumulation rates to display ages may provide an informative approach of analysing and presenting dune OSL chronologies less susceptible to biases resulting from insufficient sampling resolution.
Leighton, Carly L.; Thomas, David S. G.; Bailey, Richard M.
Reestablishing Naturally Functioning Dunes on Developed Coasts.
/ The potential for reestablishing dune habitat is investigated in municipalities in New Jersey, USA, where natural coastal landforms and biota have been eliminated or reduced in extent. Dunes are classified using width, relationship to natural and cultural features, and changes through time, and they are assessed for their value as naturally functioning landforms in developed municipalities. The relationship between size and longevity that exists under natural conditions is altered by human activity. Small dunes on privately owned lots can survive as long as larger dunes in natural areas that are located farther inland, and foredunes repaired using sand fences and earth-moving equipment can survive where they could not under natural conditions.Common beach management practices reduce the ecological values of coastal dunes. Mechanical beach cleaning eliminates incipient dunes, habitat for nesting birds, seed sources for pioneer dune colonizers and food for fauna, and artificially small, stabilized foredunes reduce the variability in microenvironments necessary for biodiversity. Recent initiatives for reducing coastal hazards, protecting nesting birds, and encouraging nature-based tourism provide incentive for the development of a restoration program for beaches and dunes that is compatible with human use. Suggested changes in management practice include restricting or rerouting pedestrian traffic, altering beach-cleaning procedures, using symbolic fences to allow for aeolian transport while preventing trampling of dunes, and eliminating or severely restricting exotic species. Landforms will be more natural in function and appearance but will be more dynamic, smaller and in a different position from those in natural areas. Research needs are specified for ecological, geomorphological, and attitudinal studies to support and inform restoration planning. PMID:10552101
Nordstrom; Lampe; Vandemark
Scaling coastal dune elevation changes across storm-impact regimes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Extreme storms drive change in coastal areas, including destruction of dune systems that protect coastal populations. Data from four extreme storms impacting four geomorphically diverse barrier islands are used to quantify dune elevation change. This change is compared to storm characteristics to identify variability in dune response, improve understanding of morphological interactions, and provide estimates of scaling parameters applicable for future prediction. Locations where total water levels did not exceed the dune crest experienced elevation change of less than 10%. Regions where wave-induced water levels exceeded the dune crest exhibited a positive linear relationship between the height of water over the dune and the dune elevation change. In contrast, a negative relationship was observed when surge exceeded the dune crest. Results indicate that maximum dune elevation, and therefore future vulnerability, may be more impacted from lower total water levels where waves drive sediment over the dune rather than surge-dominated flooding events.
Long, Joseph W.; de Bakker, Anouk T. M.; Plant, Nathaniel G.
Debris flows on the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, Alaska: Implications for analogous processes on Mars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
We observed niveo-aeolian deposits, denivation features, and small meltwater-induced debris flows that had formed at the Great Kobuk Sand Dunes, northwestern interior Alaska in late March 2010. This high-latitude, cold-climate dune field is being studied as a planetary analog to improve our understanding of factors that may trigger debris flows on the lee slopes of martian aeolian dunes. Debris flows consisted of a sand and liquid water mixture that cascaded down the lee slopes of two barchanoid dunes on days when measured ground surface temperatures were below freezing. We hypothesize that relatively dark sand on snow caused local hot spots where solar radiation could be absorbed by the sand and conducted into the underlying snow, enabling meltwater to form and sand to be mobilized. This investigation provides insights into the interactions between niveo-aeolian deposition, slope aspect and insolation, thawing, and initiation of alluvial processes. These debris flows are morphologically similar to those associated with seasonal gullies or erosion tracks visible on the slopes of mid- to high-latitude dune fields in both martian hemispheres. Localized heating and thawing at scales too small for orbital sensors to identify may yield martian debris flows at current climate conditions.
Hooper, Donald M.; Dinwiddie, Cynthia L.
Longitudinal dunes on Mars: Relation to current wind regimes
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Longitudinal dunes are extremely rare on Mars, but constitute a substantial fraction of terrestrial desert dunes. We report finding isolated examples of longitudinal dunes on Mars and relate their occurrence to expected sand transport regimes. Terrestrial longitudinal dunes form in bimodal and multimodal transport regimes. General circulation models and streak data indicate that bimodal and multimodal transport of sand should be very rare on Mars. Thus the dearth of longitudinal dunes on Mars is consistent with their apparent formation conditions on Earth.
Lee, Pascal; Thomas, Peter C.
Contrast Threshold of Lunar Crescents Visibility for Ramadan and Syawal 1431 H at Bosscha Observatory
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
In this paper we present the prediction of the first lunar crescent visibility using contrast based on Schaefer's model and best time proposed by [12] for the beginning of Ramadhan and Syawal 1431 H at observing place in Bosscha Observatory, [E 107� 36.96', S 6� 49.55', with elevation of 1310 meters above sea level]. The geocentric altitude of the Moon at the sunset time on August 10 is 1� 58.98' and illuminated fraction of crescent (FI) = 0.20%. On August 11, 2010 the altitude of the Moon at the sunset time is 15� 42.71' and FI = 2.57%. The calculated contrast on August 10, 2010 is less than zero. It means that the brightness of the moon is smaller than brightness of the sky. Based on the contrast value, it is impossible to observe the lunar crescent by the naked eye at that time, even equipped by special design telescope for the crescent observation at Bosscha Observatory. Sultan [11] proposed a predicted model it is still possible to observe the very young lunar crescent even under circumstance before the time of sunset, if the contrast of sky is perfect. On August 11, 2010 contrast has its maximum at 50 minutes after sunset. The result of observation of the lunar crescent at Bosscha Observatory, the crescent could be seen before sunset at 17.15 local time (UT+7 hours) using special design telescope with additional nose of 1 meter length [6]. The model used here is tend to predict the brightness for naked eye observation, which less contrast compare to observation with the well design telescope.
Arumaningtyas, E. P.; Raharto, M.
'Sharks Teeth' -- Sand Dunes in Proctor Crater
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)Sometimes, pictures received from Mars Global Surveyor's Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC) are 'just plain pretty.' This image, taken in early September 2000, shows a group of sand dunes at the edge of a much larger field of dark-toned dunes in Proctor Crater. Located at 47.9oS, 330.4oW, in the 170 km (106 mile) diameter crater named for 19th Century British astronomer Richard A. Proctor (1837-1888), the dunes shown here are created by winds blowing largely from the east/northeast. A plethora of smaller, brighter ripples covers the substrate between the dunes. Sunlight illuminates them from the upper left.
Directional Underwater Noise Estimates - the Dunes Model.
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
The modelling of the directionality of underwater noise due to wind-generated noise sources and shipping is presented. The formulations are incorporated in the Directional Underwater Noise Estimates - DUNES model. It provides estimates of omnidirectional,...
A. S. Burgess, D. J. Kewley, R. W. Bannister
Geometric aeolian dune crest migration model
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
We present a geometric aeolian dune crest model that provides a predictive linkage between local lee face sediment deposition and wholesale landform change. The model is driven using an initial condition of 3D dune crest data obtained from a time series of airborne LIDAR surveys of White Sands, NM, and wind observations from nearby Holloman AFB. Transient dune migration is modeled by volume filling of a simple theoretical dune geometry with sediment flux derived using shear velocity dependent transport (Bagnold, 1941) modified by a new incidence angle dependent lee face sediment deposition function styled after Rubin and Hunter (1985). Model calibration is achieved using an azimuthal wind direction correction and threshold values for shear velocity dependent sediment transport. Agreement between observations and model results are presented using a l2 norm representing a global error estimate.
Swanson, T.; Mohrig, D. C.; Kocurek, G.; Pedersen, A.
Priorities for Future Research on Planetary Dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Planetary Dunes Workshop: A Record of Climate Change; Alamogordo, New Mexico, 28 April to 2 May 2008; Landforms and deposits created by the dynamic interactions between granular material and airflow (eolian processes) occur on several planetary bodies, including Earth, Mars, Titan, and Venus. To address many of the outstanding questions within planetary dune research, a workshop was organized by the U.S. Geological Survey, the Planetary Science Institute, the Desert Research Institute, and the Search for Extraterrestrial Intelligence Institute and was sponsored by the Lunar and Planetary Institute and the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. The workshop brought together researchers from diverse backgrounds, ranging from image analysis and modeling to terrestrial analog studies. The group of approximately 45 international researchers had intense discussions in an attempt to identify the most promising approaches to understanding planetary dune systems. On the basis of these discussions, the group identified the following 10 priorities for future planetary dune research.
Titus, Timothy N.; Lancaster, Nick; Hayward, Rose; Fenton, Lori; Bourke, Mary
Invasive plants on disturbed Korean sand dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The sand dunes in coastal regions of South Korea are important ecosystems because of their small size, the rare species found in this habitat, and the beautiful landscapes they create. This study investigated the current vegetative status of sand dunes on three representative coasts of the Korean peninsula, and on the coasts of Cheju Island, and assessed the conditions caused by invasive plants. The relationships between the degree of invasion and 14 environmental variables were studied. Plots of sand dunes along line transects perpendicular to the coastal lines were established to estimate vegetative species coverage. TWINSPAN (Two-Way Indicator Species Analysis), CCA (Canonical Correspondence Analysis), and DCCA (Detrended Canonical Correspondence Analysis) were performed to classify communities on sand dunes and assess species composition variation. Carex kobomugi, Elymus mollis, and Vitex rotundifolia were found to be the dominant species plotted on the east, the west, and the peripheral coasts of Cheju Island, respectively. Vegetation on the south coast was totally extinct. The 19 communities, including representative C. kobomugi, C. kobomugi- Ixeris repens, C. kobomugi- Oenothera biennis, E. mollis, Lolium multiflorum- Calystegia soldanella, and V. rotundifolia- C. kobomugi, were all classified according to TWINSPAN. Oenothera biennis and L. multiflorum were exotics observed within these native communities. CCA showed that invasive native and exotic species distribution was segregated significantly, according to disturbance level, exotic species number, gravel, sand and silt contents, as well as vegetation size. It further revealed that human disturbance can strongly favor the settlement of invasive and exotic species. Restoration options to reduce exotic plants in the South Korean sand dune areas were found to be the introduction of native plant species from one sand dune into other sand dune areas, prohibition of building and the introduction of exotic soils, and conservation of surrounding sand dune areas.
Kim, Kee Dae
The particle size of Martian aeolian dunes
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
The effective particle size of unconsolidated materials on the Martian surface can be determined from thermal inertia, due to a pore size dependence of thermal conductivity at Martian atmospheric pressures. Because dunes consist of a narrow range of well-sorted, unconsolidated particles, they provide for a test of the relationship between particle size and thermal inertia calculated from midinfrared emission data for the Martian surface. Two independent approaches are used. First, thermal inertia data indicate that Martian dunes have an average particle size of about 500 +/-100 microns, or medium to coarse sand. Second, expected dune particle sizes are determined from grain trajectory calculations and the particle size transition from suspension to saltation. On earth, the transition occurs for a grain when the ratio of the terminal fall velocity to the wind friction speed, u*(t) is near unity; for grains at u*(t) this occurs at about 52 microns. Terrrestrial dune sands have a mean of 250 microns and are composed entirely of grains greater than 52 microns. The corresponding Martian transition grain size is about 210 microns, suggesting that Martian dunes should be significantly coarser than terrestrial dunes. Grain saltation path length as a function of particle size also shows that, under Martian conditions, larger grains than on earth will become suspended. Both approaches indicate that Martian dune sand should be coarser than terrestrial dune sand. These results closely match the grain sizes determined from thermal inertia models, providing the first direct test of the validity of these models for actual Martian surface materials.
Edgett, Kenneth S.; Christensen, Philip R.
Mean sediment residence time in barchan dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
When a barchan dune migrates, the sediment trapped on its lee side is later mobilized when exposed on the stoss side. Then sand grains may undergo many dune turnover cycles before their ejection along the horns, but the amount of time a sand grain contributes to the dune morphodynamics remains unknown. To estimate such a residence time, we analyze sediment particle motions in steady state barchans by tracking individual cells of a 3-D cellular automaton dune model. The overall sediment flux may be decomposed into advective and dispersive fluxes to estimate the relative contribution of the underlying physical processes to the barchan shape. The net lateral sediment transport from the center to the horns indicates that dispersion on the stoss slope is more efficient than the convergent sediment fluxes associated with avalanches on the lee slope. The combined effect of these two antagonistic dispersive processes restricts the lateral mixing of sediment particles in the central region of barchans. Then, for different flow strengths and dune sizes, we find that the mean residence time of sediment particles in barchans is equal to the surface of the central longitudinal dune slices divided by the input sand flux. We infer that this central slice contains most of the relevant information about barchan morphodynamics. Finally, we initiate a discussion about sediment transport and memory in the presence of bed forms using the advantages of the particle tracking technique.
Zhang, D.; Yang, X.; Rozier, O.; Narteau, C.
Optic nerve gray crescent can confound neuroretinal rim interpretation: review of the literature.
The optic nerve gray crescent can be of clinical significance if unrecognized during assessment for glaucoma. It has a characteristic appearance of a slate gray area of pigmentation within the disc margins and commonly appears along the inferotemporal or temporal neuroretinal rim areas. This type of disc rim pigmentation can create the impression of neuroretinal rim thinning, and thus lead to the misdiagnosis of glaucoma or "glaucoma suspect" with attendant implications for overtreatment or unnecessary close monitoring of such patients. The gray crescent is more common in African Americans than whites (prevalence rate 27% vs 7%) and is bilateral in at least 58% of cases. It has been reported in association with Kjer optic atrophy type 1. Suggested causes of the gray crescent include an accumulation of melanocytes, or retinal pigment epithelium cells partially located in the optic nerve head region if Bruch's membrane extends internal to the peripapillary scleral ring. Other causes of pigmentation that may resemble gray crescent are conus pigmentosus and variations of peripapillary atrophy. When a gray crescent is present, clinicians should endeavour to identify the true anatomical disc margins via the scleral lip and, if necessary, evaluate the patient further with imaging and visual field studies. PMID:24862768
Arora, Sourabh; Rayat, Jaspreet; Damji, Karim F
Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3): Global dune distribution and wind pattern observations
The Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3) is complete and now extends from 90�N to 90�S latitude. The recently released south pole (SP) portion (MC-30) of MGD3 adds ?60,000 km2 of medium to large-size dark dune fields and ?15,000 km2 of sand deposits and smaller dune fields to the previously released equatorial (EQ, ?70,000 km2), and north pole (NP, ?845,000 km2) portions of the database, bringing the global total to ?975,000 km2. Nearly all NP dunes are part of large sand seas, while the majority of EQ and SP dune fields are individual dune fields located in craters. Despite the differences between Mars and Earth, their dune and dune field morphologies are strikingly similar. Bullseye dune fields, named for their concentric ring pattern, are the exception, possibly owing their distinctive appearance to winds that are unique to the crater environment. Ground-based wind directions are derived from slipface (SF) orientation and dune centroid azimuth (DCA), a measure of the relative location of a dune field inside a crater. SF and DCA often preserve evidence of different wind directions, suggesting the importance of local, topographically influenced winds. In general however, ground-based wind directions are broadly consistent with expected global patterns, such as polar easterlies. Intriguingly, between 40�S and 80�S latitude both SF and DCA preserve their strongest, though different, dominant wind direction, with transport toward the west and east for SF-derived winds and toward the north and west for DCA-derived winds.
Hayward, Rosalyn; Fenton, Lori; Titus, Timothy N.
A bibliography of dunes: Earth, Mars, and Venus
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Dunes are important depositional landforms and sedimentary environments on Earth and Mars, and may be important on Venus. The similarity of dune forms on Earth and Mars, together with the dynamic similarity of aeolian processes on the terrestrial planets indicates that it is appropriate to interpret dune forms and processes on Mars and Venus by using analog studies. However, the literature on dune studies is large and scattered. The aim of this bibliography is to assist investigators by providing a literature resource on techniques which have proved successful in elucidating dune characteristics and processes on Earth, Mars, and Venus. This bibliography documents the many investigations of dunes undertaken in the last century. It concentrates on studies of inland dunes in both hot and cold desert regions on Earth and includes investigations of coastal dunes only if they discuss matters of general significance for dune sediments, processes, or morphology.
Lancaster, N.
Modeling emergent large-scale structures of barchan dune fields
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
In nature, barchan dunes typically exist as members of larger fields that display striking, enigmatic structures that cannot be readily explained by examining the dynamics at the scale of single dunes, or by appealing to patterns in external forcing. To explore the possibility that observed structures emerge spontaneously as a collective result of many dunes interacting with each other, we built a numerical model that treats barchans as discrete entities that interact with one another according to simplified rules derived from theoretical and numerical work, and from field observations: Dunes exchange sand through the fluxes that leak from the downwind side of each dune and are captured on their upstream sides; when dunes become sufficiently large, small dunes are born on their downwind sides ('calving'); and when dunes collide directly enough, they merge. Results show that these relatively simple interactions provide potential explanations for a range of field-scale phenomena including isolated patches of dunes and heterogeneous arrangements of similarly sized dunes in denser fields. The results also suggest that (1) dune field characteristics depend on the sand flux fed into the upwind boundary, although (2) moving downwind, the system approaches a common attracting state in which the memory of the upwind conditions vanishes. This work supports the hypothesis that calving exerts a first order control on field-scale phenomena; it prevents individual dunes from growing without bound, as single-dune analyses suggest, and allows the formation of roughly realistic, persistent dune field patterns.
Worman, S. L.; Murray, A.; Littlewood, R. C.; Andreotti, B.; Claudin, P.
Transverse dune trailing ridges and vegetation succession
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
We describe the evolution of, and vegetation succession on, a previously undescribed landform: transverse dune trailing ridges at El Farall�n transgressive dunefield in the state of Veracruz, Mexico. Three-dimensional clinometer/compass and tape topographic surveys were conducted in conjunction with 1 m 2 contiguous percent cover and presence/absence vegetation survey transects at eight locations across two adjacent trailing ridges. At the study site, and elsewhere, the transverse dune trailing ridges are formed by vegetation colonization of the lateral margins of active transverse, barchanoidal transverse, and akl� or network dunes. For simplicity, all trailing ridges formed from these dune types are referred to as transverse dune trailing ridges. Because there are several transverse dunes in the dunefield, multiple trailing ridges can be formed at one time. Two adjacent trailing ridges were examined. The shortest length ridge was 70 m long, and evolving from a 2.5 m-high transverse dune, while the longer ridge was 140 m long, and evolving from an 8 m-high dune. Trailing ridge length is a proxy measure of ridge age, since the longer the ridge, the greater the length of time since initial formation. With increasing age or distance upwind, species diversity increased, as well as species horizontal extent and percent cover. In turn, the degree of bare sand decreased. Overall, the data indicate a successional trend in the vegetation presence and cover with increasing age upwind. Those species most tolerant to burial ( Croton and Palafoxia) begin the process of trailing ridge formation. Ipomoea and Canavalia are less tolerant to burial and also are typically the next colonizing species. Trachypogon does not tolerate sand burial or deposition very well and only appears after significant stabilization has taken place. The ridges display a moderately defined successional sequence in plant colonization and percentage cover with time (and upwind distance). They are significant geomorphologically as a unique landform in transgressive dunefields, and also because they may be the only remaining indication of transverse dune presence, and net dune migration direction once the dunefield is stabilized and in a final evolutionary state.
Hesp, Patrick A.; �Marisa' Martinez, M. L.
Crescentic post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis with nephrotic syndrome in the adult: is aggressive therapy warranted?
The prognosis for adults with acute post-streptococcal glomerulonephritis (PSGN) who present with crescentic glomerulonephritis and nephrotic proteinuria is not known. We report a patient with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis and nephrotic-range proteinuria following acute pharyngitis, in whom serologic and kidney biopsy findings led to a diagnosis of PSGN. The patient was treated with corticosteroids and anti-hypertensive medications resulting in improvement in renal function and decrease in proteinuria. These results suggest that aggressive treatment of crescentic PSGN with nephrotic syndrome can result in a favorable outcome. PMID:15909597
Raff, A; Hebert, T; Pullman, J; Coco, M
NSDL National Science Digital Library
What part does solar energy play in satisfying energy demands? This informational piece, part of a series about the future of energy, introduces students to solar energy. Here students read about the uses, benefits, and active and passive methods of solar energy. Information is also presented about limitations, geographical considerations of solar power in the United States, and current uses of solar energy around the world. Thought-provoking questions afford students chances to reflect on what they've read about the uses of solar energy. Articles and information about a solar power plant in the Mohave Desert, the use of solar energy in Iowa, and statistics about solar energy are provided in a sidebar.
Project, Iowa P.
Sand dunes of Taklimakan deset obtained from satellite data
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Making use of shadows effects in the images of SPOT/HRV, JERS-1/OPS, ASTER/VNIR/SWIR/TIR, LANDSAT-7/ETM+ and TERRA/MODIS an attempt is made to derive some geometrical features of sand dunes at Taklimakan Desert in China. It is found that the prevailing orientation of the sand dunes well coincides with the prevailing strong winds. In the northeastern part of the desert the spacing between the well developed large sand dunes is from 1.5 to 3 kms. It is also found that the small sand dunes are superimposed on the large sand dunes and the average of the spacing between small sand dunes is approximately 200 meters. It is interesting to notice that one order of smaller scale transversal sand dunes exists in the perpendicular direction of large longitudinal sand dunes. The height of sand dunes estimated from LANDSAT-7 image is approximately 50 meters. On the other hand the small sand dunes of fine sand exist in the southwestern part of the desert and the spacing between small sand dunes is from 150 to 200 meters. The height of small sand dunes estimated from SPOT image is approximately 20 meters. As mentioned above, it is shown that the image data obtained from various satellites is fairly useful for clarifying sand dunes features in the desert.
Tsuchiya, K.; Oguro, Y.
Dunes on Titan observed by Cassini Radar
Thousands of longitudinal dunes have recently been discovered by the Titan Radar Mapper on the surface of Titan. These are found mainly within ??30?? of the equator in optically-, near-infrared-, and radar-dark regions, indicating a strong proportion of organics, and cover well over 5% of Titan's surface. Their longitudinal duneform, interactions with topography, and correlation with other aeolian forms indicate a single, dominant wind direction aligned with the dune axis plus lesser, off-axis or seasonally alternating winds. Global compilations of dune orientations reveal the mean wind direction is dominantly eastwards, with regional and local variations where winds are diverted around topographically high features, such as mountain blocks or broad landforms. Global winds may carry sediments from high latitude regions to equatorial regions, where relatively drier conditions prevail, and the particles are reworked into dunes, perhaps on timescales of thousands to tens of thousands of years. On Titan, adequate sediment supply, sufficient wind, and the absence of sediment carriage and trapping by fluids are the dominant factors in the presence of dunes. ?? 2007 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.
Radebaugh, J.; Lorenz, R. D.; Lunine, J. I.; Wall, S. D.; Boubin, G.; Reffet, E.; Kirk, R. L.; Lopes, R. M.; Stofan, E. R.; Soderblom, L.; Allison, M.; Janssen, M.; Paillou, P.; Callahan, P.; Spencer, C.; the, Cassini, Radar, Team
Barchan dune mobility in Mauritania related to dune and interdune sand fluxes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
We present a 1 year study of 50 dunes in a small field of barchan dunes in Mauritania. We documented the morphological evolution of the dunes and their migration rates and measured at 10 min intervals the interdune sand transport, the wind strength, and its direction for the same interval of time. The dune heights H0 range between 2 and 5 m, and their celerity c is found to be well approximated by the standard migration law: c = Q0/H0, with Q0 ? 50 m3/m yr. From both the interdune sand flux and the migration rate of the dunes we were able to estimate the spatially averaged sand flux at the dune crest as well as the bulk sand flux associated with the mass of sand transported by the dune. We found that the sand flux at the crest was about 3 times greater than the interdune mass transport rate, whereas the bulk sand flux was surprisingly of the same order as the interdune flux. Moreover, we analyzed carefully the interdune sand transport data, which can be well described by the Sorensen law. The cumulative mass of sand transported during moderate wind events within 1 year was much greater than that transported during strong wind events.
Ould Ahmedou, D.; Ould Mahfoudh, A.; Dupont, P.; Ould El Moctar, A.; Valance, A.; Rasmussen, K. R.
Sand dune dynamics and climate change: A modeling approach
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
We provide several examples for the coexistence of active and fixed sand dunes under similar climatic conditions, namely, with respect to wind power and precipitation rate. A model is developed for dune vegetation cover that includes wind power, precipitation rate, and anthropogenic effects, such as grazing and wood gathering. The model reproduces the observed dune's bistability and shows that under intense human pressure and prolonged droughts the fixed dunes may turn active. Moreover, the model shows that the dune reactivation process is almost irreversible, as a fixed dune will become active only under the action of very strong winds and can then return to the fixed state only when wind power decreases far below the levels under which the initial dune maintained its stability. Similar hysteretic behavior of dune mobility is predicted by the model with respect to changing precipitation and human pressure parameters.
Yizhaq, H.; Ashkenazy, Y.; Tsoar, H.
Wavelength multiplexing of 1.31-micron InGaAsP buried crescent laser arrays
A monolithic array of five noninteracting buried crescent lasers has been optically multiplexed using an external cavity with a grating as a dispersive element. The lasers have a center to center separation of 8 microns, and with an external cavity consisting of a 4-mm focal length lens and a 600-line\\/mm grating used in second order, the lasers emit at about
J. P. van der Ziel; H. Temkin; R. A. Logan
Crescent and star shapes of members of the Chlamydiales order: impact of fixative methods.
Members of the Chlamydiales order all share a biphasic lifecycle alternating between small infectious particles, the elementary bodies (EBs) and larger intracellular forms able to replicate, the reticulate bodies. Whereas the classical Chlamydia usually harbours round-shaped EBs, some members of the Chlamydia-related families display crescent and star-shaped morphologies by electron microscopy. To determine the impact of fixative methods on the shape of the bacterial cells, different buffer and fixative combinations were tested on purified EBs of Criblamydia sequanensis, Estrella lausannensis, Parachlamydia acanthamoebae, and Waddlia chondrophila. A linear discriminant analysis was performed on particle metrics extracted from electron microscopy images to recognize crescent, round, star and intermediary forms. Depending on the buffer and fixatives used, a mixture of alternative shapes were observed in varying proportions with stars and crescents being more frequent in C. sequanensis and P. acanthamoebae, respectively. No tested buffer and chemical fixative preserved ideally the round shape of a majority of bacteria and other methods such as deep-freezing and cryofixation should be applied. Although crescent and star shapes could represent a fixation artifact, they certainly point towards a diverse composition and organization of membrane proteins or intracellular structures rather than being a distinct developmental stage. PMID:23942615
Rusconi, Brigida; Lienard, Julia; Aeby, S�bastien; Croxatto, Antony; Bertelli, Claire; Greub, Gilbert
Development and fate of crescentic and granulomatous lesions in rat Masugi nephritis.
It has been observed that with Masugi nephritis in Wistar rats the initiation of endocapillary proliferative changes with macrophage accumulation is usually followed by glomerular sclerosis without extracapillary extension. In the present study, the provocation of an extracapillary lesion was attempted using accelerated Masugi nephritis in Wistar-Kyoto rats. In order to accelerate the accumulation of monocyte/macrophages, the administration of methylcellulose was added in an additional group. The development and fate of extracapillary lesions were analyzed histopathologically and immunohistochemically. As a result, the formation of extracapillary proliferation of granulomatous lesions could be initiated in this model. Granulomatous lesions were composed of CD4+ T cells and CD8+ T cells and monocyte/macrophages including multinucleated giant cells. These inflammatory cells had seemingly escaped from the capillary lumen through the injured glomerular basement membrane and formed cellular and granulomatous crescents. In addition, tenascin was strongly expressed in cellular crescents and was a unique extracellular matrix at this cellular stage. The cellular crescents then progressed to sclerosis with the formation of increased collagenous extracellular matrix. These results suggest that a delayed-type hypersensitivity plays a role in granulomatous crescent formation, even though the initial glomerular injury was evoked by a humoral antibody. PMID:11169144
Horio, T
Expression of Ser729 Phosphorylated PKC Epsilon in Experimental Crescentic Glomerulonephritis: An Immunohistochemical Study
PKC?, a DAG-dependent, Ca2+- independent kinase attenuates extent of fibrosis following tissue injury, suppresses apoptosis and promotes cell quiescence. In crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN), glomerular epithelial cells (GEC) contribute to fibro-cellular crescent formation while they also transdifferentiate to a mesenchymal phenotype. The aim of this study was to assess PKC? expression in CGN. Using an antibody against PKC-? phosphorylated at Ser729, we assessed its localization in rat model of immune-mediated rapidly progressive CGN. In glomeruli of control animals, pPKC? was undetectable. In animals with CGN, pPKC? was expressed exclusively in glomerular epithelial cells (GEC) and in GEC comprising fibrocellular crescents that had acquired a myofibroblasttype phenotype. In non-immune GEC injury induced by puromycin aminonucleoside and resulting in proteinuria of similar magnitude as in CGN, pPKC? expression was absent. There was constitutive pPKC? expression in distal convoluted tubules, collecting ducts and thick segments of Henley�s loops in both control and experimental animals. We propose that pPKC? expression occurring in GEC and in fibrocellular crescentic lesions in CGN may facilitate PKC? dependent pathologic processes.
Karavana, V.N.; Gakiopoulou, H.; Lianos, E.A.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Morphological changes during more than 100 years have been investigated for a cliff-top dune complex at Rubjerg at the Danish North Sea coast. Here the lower 50 m of the cliff front is composed of Pleistocene steeply inclined floes of silt and clay with coarse sand in between which gives it a saw-tooth appearance. On top of this the dunes are found for several kilometres along the coastline. Due to erosion by the North Sea the cliff has retreated about 120 m between approximately 1880 and 1970 as indicated from two national surveys, and recent GPS-surveys indicate that erosion is continuing at a similar rate. Nevertheless the cliff top dune complex has survived, but its morphology has undergone some changed. The old maps indicate that around 1880 the dune complex was composed of several up to about 20 m high dunes streamlined in the East-West direction which is parallel to the prevailing wind direction. When protective planting started during the first half of the 20th Century the cliff top dunes gradually merged together forming a narrow, tall ridge parallel to the shore line with the highest part reaching about 90 m near 1970. In 1993 the highest points along the ridge was almost 95 m high, but then the protective planting was considerably reduced and recent annual GPS-surveys indicate that the dunes respond quickly to this by changing their morphology towards the original appearance. It is remarkable that despite the mass wasting caused by the constant erosion of the cliff front the dunes have remained more or less intact. Theoretical studies of hill flow indicate given the proper geometry of the cliff then suspension of even coarse grains can be a very effective agent for carrying sand from the exposed parts of the cliff front to and beyond the cliff-top. Mostly the sand grains are deposited within some hundred meters downwind of the cliff dune while silt is often carried more than 10 km inland. Field observations indicate that where the dislodged floes and beds of coarse sand are missing the cliff is steep and dunes are absent at the cliff top. On the other hand when floes are present then some parts of the cliff are less steep and where sand is abundant cliff top dunes seem to be abundant, too. In order to investigate how flow conditions at the cliff front responds to its geometry, scale models of the cliff front approximately 1:10, but with different steepness have been tested in a boundary layer wind tunnel. All runs have been made with proper roughness scaling and besides a variation in their longitudinal profiles some variation in their transverse profiles has also been tested. The surface-near flow has been mapped with high resolution 2-D laser-Doppler profiling, and one of the important aims is to demonstrate the interaction between sediment and geological structure on one side and flow and dune state on the other side. A particular aim is to investigate if and how the separation bubble may have a profound control on mobilization and transport of sediment.
Rasmussen, K. R.
Active Martian S. Hemisphere Dune Gullies
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Martian gullies on steep slopes have been the focus of much controversy in recent years, as scientists seek to understand how they develop and what they imply about the martian environment. In this study, we examine classic gullies (composed of an alcove/channel and apron) on martian dunes in the southern hemisphere which have been active during the last 4.5 martian years. We completed a general survey of MOC, CTX, and HiRISE images, and found dune gullies from 40-70S, poleward of crater gullies. We also identified periods of gully activity -- measurable changes in gully morphology and/or geomorphic signatures of recent apron deposition. Changes in 17 gullies, within 6 dune fields (latitude 45-52S), all appear to occur during the early southern spring, implying the existence of a seasonal control. These observations and timeframes are consistent with the appearance of fresh-appearing deposits in classic non-dune gullies, implying a related evolution process [1]. We hypothesize that current dune gullies� evolution is related to seasonal accumulation of CO2 frost -- possibly by initiating shear flow by loading the surface [2] and/or increasing the fluidity of dry granular flow [3]. [1] Dundas, et al. (2009, this conference). [2] Ishii and Sasaki (2004) LPSC XXXV, abstract 1556. [3] Hugenholtz (2008) Icarus, 197:65-72. Spacecraft images showing changes in debris apron at large dune gully (49.49S, 34.86E), since 2002. In MOC E12/01043 (top image, 2002, Ls306 My 25), bright bedforms were visible at the foot of the debris apron. Those bedforms were partially covered in HiRISE PSP_006648_1300 (middle image, 2007, Ls9 My 29) and almost completely covered in HiRISE ESP_013478_1300 (bottom image, 2009, Ls283 My 29). To see the full-resolution HiRISE images, visit http://hirise.lpl.arizona.edu.
Diniega, S.; Byrne, S.; Dundas, C. M.; McEwen, A.
Linking restoration ecology with coastal dune restoration
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Restoration and preservation of coastal dunes is urgently needed because of the increasingly rapid loss and degradation of these ecosystems because of many human activities. These activities alter natural processes and coastal dynamics, eliminate topographic variability, fragment, degrade or eliminate habitats, reduce diversity and threaten endemic species. The actions of coastal dune restoration that are already taking place span contrasting activities that range from revegetating and stabilizing the mobile substrate, to removing plant cover and increasing substrate mobility. Our goal was to review how the relative progress of the actions of coastal dune restoration has been assessed, according to the ecosystem attributes outlined by the Society of Ecological Restoration: namely, integrity, health and sustainability and that are derived from the ecological theory of succession. We reviewed the peer reviewed literature published since 1988 that is listed in the ISI Web of Science journals as well as additional references, such as key books. We exclusively focused on large coastal dune systems (such as transgressive and parabolic dunefields) located on natural or seminatural coasts. We found 150 articles that included "coastal dune", "restoration" and "revegetation" in areas such as title, keywords and abstract. From these, 67 dealt specifically with coastal dune restoration. Most of the studies were performed in the USA, The Netherlands and South Africa, during the last two decades. Restoration success has been assessed directly and indirectly by measuring one or a few ecosystem variables. Some ecosystem attributes have been monitored more frequently (ecosystem integrity) than others (ecosystem health and sustainability). Finally, it is important to consider that ecological succession is a desirable approach in restoration actions. Natural dynamics and disturbances should be considered as part of the restored system, to improve ecosystem integrity, health and sustainability.
Lithgow, D.; Mart�nez, M. L.; Gallego-Fern�ndez, J. B.; Hesp, P. A.; Flores, P.; Gachuz, S.; Rodr�guez-Revelo, N.; Jim�nez-Orocio, O.; Mendoza-Gonz�lez, G.; �lvarez-Molina, L. L.
Mobile dunes and eroding salt marshes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The paper deals with general outlines of salt marsh and dune vegetation in the Ellenbogen and Listland area on Sylt (Schleswig-Holstein, FRG). The composition of current salt marsh vegetation is considered to be mainly the result of a long-lasting process of tidal inundation, grazing, and a permanent influence of groundwater seepage from the surrounding dunes. The lower salt marsh communities have shown constancy for 67 years, due to the effect of heavy grazing. The mid-upper salt marsh communities demonstrated a succession from a Puccinellia maritima-dominated community of the lower marsh to a Juncus gerardii-dominated community of the mid-upper salt marsh, which may be due to the transport of sand � over a short time � on the surface of the marsh. The area covered by plant communities of annuals below Mean High Water (MHW) seemed to diminish. Salt marsh soils, especially of the mid-upper marsh, indicate sandy layers resulting from sand drift of the dunes. Dry and wet successional series of the dunes in the Listland/Ellenbogen area both show grassy stages shifting to dwarf shrubs as final stages. White primary dunes can only be found on the accreting shoreline of the Ellenbogen, which is also grazed by sheep; vegetation cover therefore remains dominated by grasses, mosses and lichens. Three mobile dunes (as the most prominent features of this landscape) have been left unaffected by seeding and planting by local authorities. Grazing is considered to be an inadequate tool in nature conservation as long as natural processes are to prevail in the landscape as major determinants.
Neuhaus, R.
Geology Fieldnotes: Great Sand Dunes National Monument Colorado
NSDL National Science Digital Library
This article describes the geology of Great Sand Dunes National Monument. The monument is in southern Colorado and contains North America's tallest dunes, which rise over 750 feet high against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. Great Sand Dunes, containing 30 square miles of dunes, became a national monument in 1932. Features include links to maps, photographs and visitor information as well as a selection of links to related topics.
Mars Global Digital Dune Database and initial science results
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
A new Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3) constructed using Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) infrared (IR) images provides a comprehensive and quantitative view of the geographic distribution of moderate- to large-size dune fields (area >1 km2) that will help researchers to understand global climatic and sedimentary processes that have shaped the surface of Mars. MGD3 extends from 65�N to 65�S latitude and includes ~550 dune fields, covering ~70,000 km2, with an estimated total volume of ~3,600 km3. This area, when combined with polar dune estimates, suggests moderate- to large-size dune field coverage on Mars may total ~800,000 km2, ~6 times less than the total areal estimate of ~5,000,000 km2 for terrestrial dunes. Where availability and quality of THEMIS visible (VIS) or Mars Orbiter Camera narrow-angle (MOC NA) images allow, we classify dunes and include dune slipface measurements, which are derived from gross dune morphology and represent the prevailing wind direction at the last time of significant dune modification. For dunes located within craters, the azimuth from crater centroid to dune field centroid (referred to as dune centroid azimuth) is calculated and can provide an accurate method for tracking dune migration within smooth-floored craters. These indicators of wind direction are compared to output from a general circulation model (GCM). Dune centroid azimuth values generally correlate to regional wind patterns. Slipface orientations are less well correlated, suggesting that local topographic effects may play a larger role in dune orientation than regional winds.
Hayward, Rosalyn K.; Mullins, Kevin F.; Fenton, Lori K.; Hare, Trent M.; Titus, Timothy N.; Bourke, Mary C.; Colaprete, Anthony; Christensen, Philip R.
Mars global digital dune database and initial science results
A new Mars Global Digital Dune Database (MGD3) constructed using Thermal Emission Imaging System (THEMIS) infrared (IR) images provides a comprehensive and quantitative view of the geographic distribution of moderate- to large-size dune fields (area >1 kM2) that will help researchers to understand global climatic and sedimentary processes that have shaped the surface of Mars. MGD3 extends from 65??N to 65??S latitude and includes ???550 dune fields, covering ???70,000 km2, with an estimated total volume of ???3,600 km3. This area, when combined with polar dune estimates, suggests moderate- to large-size dune field coverage on Mars may total ???800,000 km2, ???6 times less than the total areal estimate of ???5,000,000 km2 for terrestrial dunes. Where availability and quality of THEMIS visible (VIS) or Mars Orbiter Camera. narrow-angle (MOC NA) images allow, we classify dunes and include dune slipface measurements, which are derived from gross dune morphology and represent the prevailing wind direction at the last time of significant dune modification. For dunes located within craters, the azimuth from crater centroid to dune field centroid (referred to as dune centroid azimuth) is calculated and can provide an accurate method for tracking dune migration within smooth-floored craters. These indicators of wind direction are compared to output from a general circulation model (GCM). Dune centroid azimuth values generally correlate to regional wind patterns. Slipface orientations are less well correlated, suggesting that local topographic effects may play a larger role in dune orientation than regional winds. Copyright 2007 by the American Geophysical Union.
Hayward, R. K.; Mullins, K. F.; Fenton, L. K.; Hare, T. M.; Titus, T. N.; Bourke, M. C.; Colaprete, A.; Christensen, P. R.
Interleukin-17A Promotes Early but Attenuates Established Disease in Crescentic Glomerulonephritis in Mice
T helper (Th)17 cells might contribute to immune-mediated renal injury. Thus, we sought to define the time course of IL-17A-induced kidney damage and examined the relation between Th17 and Th1 cells in a model of crescentic anti-glomerular basement membrane glomerulonephritis. Renal injury and immune responses were assessed in wild-type and in IL-17A-deficient mice on days 6, 14, and 21 of disease development. On day 6, when mild glomerulonephritis developed, IL-17A-deficient mice were protected from renal injury. On day 14, when more severe disease developed, protection from renal injury due to IL-17A deficiency was less evident. On day 21, when crescentic glomerulonephritis was fully established, disease was enhanced in IL-17A?/? mice, with increased glomerular T-cell accumulation and fibrin deposition, and augmented Th1 responses. Mice lacking the Th17-promoting cytokine, IL-23 (p19), also developed more severe disease than wild-type animals on day 21. In contrast, mice deficient in the key Th1-promoting cytokine, IL-12 (p35), had decreased Th1 and increased Th17 responses and developed less severe crescentic glomerulonephritis than wild-type animals. These studies show that IL-17A contributes to early glomerular injury, but it attenuates established crescentic glomerulonephritis by suppressing Th1 responses. They provide further evidence that Th1 cells mediate crescentic injury in this model and that Th1 and Th17 cells counterregulate each other during disease development.
Odobasic, Dragana; Gan, Poh-Yi; Summers, Shaun A.; Semple, Tim J.; Muljadi, Ruth C.M.; Iwakura, Yoichiro; Kitching, A. Richard; Holdsworth, Stephen R.
Expanded Geochemical Analysis of the Eocene Crescent Formation, Olympic Peninsula, Washington
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The Coast Range Volcanic Province (Siletzia) of Washington and Oregon formed adjacent to western North America in the early Eocene, and consists of an estimated 250,000 km3 of predominantly tholeiitic flows. In the Crescent Formation, which is locally divided into a submarine lower member and a subaerial upper member, this basaltic flow sequence reaches stratigraphic thicknesses of up to 16 km. A consensus has yet to be reached on the origin of this Large Igneous Province (LIP); proposed mechanisms include slab windows, margin-parallel rifting, and the action of the Yellowstone hotspot. Outcrop evidence for shallow-water depositional environments in the Lower Crescent argues against the member's origin as an abducted portion of oceanic crust, as has also been proposed, and further supports the widely held view that the Upper and Lower Crescent members together represent a nearly continuous eruptive sequence. Rare Earth Element plots for both members display three distinct trends that suggest high and low degrees of both mantle partial melting and fractional crystallization. We also present here what we believe are the first isotopic values for the Lower Crescent (0.512941<143Nd/144Nd<0.512997, 0.703287<87Sr/86Sr<0.703678, 18.907<206Pb/204Pb<19.240, 15.599<207Pb/204Pb<15.661, 38.521<208Pb/204Pb<39.034), which are similar to previous isotopic data collected for the Upper Crescent and suggest a plume component in the mantle source for these rocks.
Haileab, B.; Denny, A.; Harrison, B. K.
Polar margin dunes and winds on Mars
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
The approximately concentric arrangement of layered deposits and dune fields at the two Martian poles may reflect a nearly steady state dispersal of material from the polar deposits. Data on effective surface winds from high resolution Viking Images combined with theory of local winds suggest that the northern dunes are in part confined to a latitude band by winds generated by their own low albedo. Dispersal of the dark sand from the southern polar region is not subject to this kind of feedback because the irregular topography prevents areal accumulations sufficiently extensive to produce winds.
Thomas, Peter C.; Gierasch, Peter
Plant communities on sand dunes of the Navajo nation
Ongoing drought in the southwestern US has produced more sand dunes that potentially impact natural vegetation as they move across the landscape. I studied the plant communities of five dunes over two years near Tuba City, AZ to address the following hypotheses: (1) dunes intensify the physiological stress on desert plants, so that the density and diversity of plants on
Leanna Begay
Sand dune dynamics and climate change: A modeling approach
We provide several examples for the coexistence of active and fixed sand dunes under similar climatic conditions, namely, with respect to wind power and precipitation rate. A model is developed for dune vegetation cover that includes wind power, precipitation rate, and anthropogenic effects, such as grazing and wood gathering. The model reproduces the observed dune's bistability and shows that under
H. Yizhaq; Y. Ashkenazy; H. Tsoar
Ecology of Pacific Northwest Coastal Sand Dunes: A Community Profile.
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
Sand dunes occur in 33 localities along the 950 km of North American Pacific coast between the Straits of Juan de Fuca (49 degrees N) and Cape Mendocino (40 degrees). The dune landscape is a mosaic of dune forms. These forms are the basic morphological un...
A. M. Wiedemann
``Raked'' linear dunes in the Kumtagh Desert, China
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Linear dunes are extensive in sand seas and dune fields around the world, but they take a range of forms due to the complex factors that control their development. "Raked" linear dunes, composed of primary ridges and subsidiary ridges that lie almost perpendicular to the primary ridges, were recently identified in the northern part of China's Kumtagh Desert. The primary ridges are typical linear dunes, but the subsidiary ridges display vestiges of barchan dunes. The subsidiary ridges are sufficiently short that they do not greatly affect the general appearance of the linear dunes. However, the raked linear dunes in the Kumtagh Desert have several unique characteristics that distinguish them from typical linear dunes. These dunes develop in an environment that is deficient in available sediment, and under a wind regime typical of linear dunes: an environment with a high wind energy and a directional variability index (RDP/DP) around 0.5. The raked linear dunes appear to have evolved from barchans following a modified form of Tsoar's (1984) model. Barchans formed under a northern wind regime were modified by an eastern wind regime oriented at an oblique angle to the barchans. The strengths of the two wind regimes are similar. Under these conditions, the barchans became reoriented, with the limbs farthest from the eastern winds extending to form subsidiary ridges and the limbs closest to the eastern winds forming the primary ridges, which appear to form mainly from dune collisions.
Dong, Zhibao; Wei, Zhenhai; Qian, Guangqiang; Zhang, Zhengcai; Luo, Wanyin; Hu, Guangyin
A free cellular model of dune dynamics: Application to El Fangar spit dune system (Ebro Delta, Spain)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Currently, dune field surveying is employed to assess dune net volume changes and their accretion and erosion patterns. In dune fields with complex sediment sources and sink interactions such as El Fangar Spit (Ebro Delta, Spain), it is difficult to establish the sediment input and output with only net volume changes estimated by dune field surveying. This work presents a free dune dynamic cellular model that incorporates algorithms that introduce wind data into the erosion and transport processes. The model can be applied to dune systems with variable wind regime. A calibration methodology based on the morphological reproduction of the observed dune field evolution is proposed. The model and the calibration methodology is applied to a region of El Fangar dune system surveyed with DGPS on 15th and 18th April 2012. The difference between the final measured dune state and the best morphological reproduction obtained with the model is employed to estimate the sediment flux. This operation yields an output sand flux of 98.8 m3 and an input of 292.6 m3. This algorithm could have a great impact on the study of complex dune systems where the dunes act as sinks and sources of beach sediments and in the characterization of the beach�dune interactions.
Barrio-Parra, Fernando; Rodr�guez-Santalla, Inmaculada
Particle dynamics of a cartoon dune
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The spatio-temporal evolution of a downsized model for a desert dune is observed experimentally in a narrow water flow channel. A particle tracking method reveals that the migration speed of the model dune is one order of magnitude smaller than that of individual grains. In particular, the erosion rate consists of comparable contributions from creeping (low-energy) and saltating (high-energy) particles. The saltation flow rate is slightly larger, whereas the number of saltating particles is one order of magnitude lower than that of the creeping ones. The velocity field of the saltating particles is comparable to the velocity field of the driving fluid. It can be observed that the spatial profile of the shear stress reaches its maximum value upstream of the crest, while its minimum lies at the downstream foot of the dune. The particle tracking method reveals that the deposition of entrained particles occurs primarily in the region between these two extrema of the shear stress. Moreover, it is demonstrated that the initial triangular heap evolves to a steady state with constant mass, shape, velocity and packing fraction after one turnover time has elapsed. Within that time the mean distance between particles initially in contact reaches a value of approximately one quarter of the dune basis length.
Groh, Christopher; Rehberg, Ingo; Kruelle, Christof A.
Geomorphology of coastal sand dunes, Baldwin County, Alabama
Alabama's coastal eolian deposits are primarily vegetated dunes that are exemplified by sand ridges with flat to undulating upper surfaces and continuous irregular crests. Dune fields occur along Morgan peninsula between the foredune line and Little Lagoon and the Mobile Bay area. These dune fields consist primarily of one or more continuous ridges that parallel the coast and are generally vegetaed to grassy. Washover of the beach and backshore during Hurricane Frederic (1979) and subsequent smaller scale storms resulted in significant erosion of many of Alabama's dune fields. The primary dunes or foredunes are beginning to recover from the effects of these storms; however, numerous breaks in the primary dune line are present. Sand dunes in coastal Alabama provide protection against storm-generated waves and washover. The foredunes are protected by adherence to a Coastal Construction Control Line (CCCL) or construction setback line identified by markers along coastal Baldwin County.
Bearden, Bennett, L.; Hummell, Richard, L.; Mink, Robert, M.
Changes of Bulgarian Coastal Dune Landscape under Anthropogenic Impact
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
At one time large sand dune formations were widely distributed along the Bulgarian coast. However, due to increased urbanization in the coastal zone, the areas of total dune landscape has been constantly reduced. Dunes presently comprise only 10% of the entire 412 km long coastline of Bulgaria: they embrace a total length of 38.57 km and a total area of 8.78 km2 Important tasks in dune protection are identification of landscape changes for a certain period of time and accurate delineation of sand dune areas. The present research traces sand dune changes along the Bulgarian Black Sea coast over a 27 year period (1983-2010). This period includes also the time of expanded tourist boom and overbuilding of the coastal zone, and respectively presents the largest dune changes and reductions. Based on the landscape change analyst in GIS environment the study also aims to explore the importance of different natural and human factors in driving the observed dune alterations and destruction. To detect and assess dune changes during the last 3 decades, we used data for sand dunes derived from several sources at different time periods in order to compare changes in shoreline positions, dune contours and areas: i) Topographic maps in 1:5,000 scale from 1983; ii) Modern Very High Resolution orthophotographs from 2006 and 2010; iii) QuickBird Very High Resolution satellite images from 2009; iv) Statistical information for population and tourist infrastructure is also used to consider the influence of human pressure and hotel developments on the dune dynamics. In addition, for more detailed description and visualization of main dune types, digital photos have been taken at many parts of the Bulgarian coast. The study was performed in GIS environment. Based on the results obtained the dunes along the Bulgarian coast were divided into three main groups with relation to the general factors responsible for their alterations: i) Dunes that have decreased in result of shoreline retreat and erosion of the beach itself. Typically dunes are located behind sand beaches and they are part of the beach-dune systems. Such type of dune reduction could be driven by combination of many factors, both natural ones (such as severe storms, erosion, heavy rains or flooding) and human impacts (large number of installed coast-protection structures along the coast, which interrupt the sediment transport, create new sedimentary deficit and generate erosion). During the recent years most of the Bulgarian beaches have progressively eroded and their areas have significantly been decreased. ii) Dunes that have been reduced/damaged and lost due to expanded tourist and housing infrastructures/developments and due to afforestaion activities. The principal sources of human impacts on sand dunes in Bulgaria are rapid coastal urbanization over the recent years (i.e., hotel and residential constructions, roads, parking structures, and other related infrastructure), unregulated camping and "temporary" constructions on the dunes, a lax regulatory environment that tolerates the re-zoning of protected sand dunes to "agricultural" areas. At most recreational sites there were wide coastal dunes, which however have been destroyed during tourist constructions. Such are dunes at the most famous Bulgarian sea resorts of Golden Sands and Sunny Beach in the areas of Varna and Nessebar. As a consequence, major areas along the Bulgarian coast were completely urbanized by hotels and other infrastructures and large sand dune systems were damaged. iii) Dunes located at still undeveloped coastal sections: yet they are naturally preserved and unthreatened by human pressure boom. These are just a few dune sites: at the northernmost portion of the Bulgarian coast (in the area of Durankulak), at the central part in the region of the largest Bulgarian river, Kamchia River, and along the southernmost coastline (in the area of Veleka River). Although sand dunes in Bulgaria are protected areas and national reserves they have been exposed to large anthropogenic pressure in particu
Palazov, A.; Young, R.; Stancheva, M.; Stanchev, H.
Dune fields on Mars: Recorders of a climate change?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dunes have similar morphologies on the Earth and Mars. The main differences between Martian and terrestrial dunes are their size, which is larger on Mars, and their duration of formation, which is longer on Mars. As the characteristic time of Martian dunes is in the same order as that of the Martian climatic oscillations, Martian dunes could be recorders of past winds regimes and past climates. In order to test this hypothesis, we performed a morphological study of 550 dune fields with high resolution images and we inferred the directions of the dune formative winds from the orientation of the dune slip faces. Our study shows that 310 dune fields record one to four distinct wind directions with some geometric patterns that do not exist on the Earth such as barchans built by opposite wind directions coexisting in the same dune field. Our study demonstrates that the inferred formative wind directions are only partially in agreement with the current wind-patterns predicted by General Circulation Models (GCM). Several possible causes for the misalignment between dunes and GCM outputs are discussed: these include the local variation of the global circulation due to local topographic effects or the possibility that these dunes could be in a transient geometry or fossil. Such bedforms are considered indeed to be not in equilibrium with the present-day atmospheric conditions. This latter hypothesis is supported by the presence, in some ergs, of closely spaced dunes showing nearly opposite slip face orientations. Therefore, we propose that Martian dune fields are constituted, in some cases, by active and fossil dunes and therefore have the potential to preserve information on paleoclimates over extensive periods.
Gardin, Emilie; Allemand, Pascal; Quantin, Cathy; Silvestro, Simone; Delacourt, Christophe
Broadband colored-crescent generation in a single ?-barium-borate crystal by intense femtosecond pulses
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
A visible colored crescent with a bandwidth broader than 220 nm is observed experimentally by loosely focused femtosecond pulses in a bulk quadratic nonlinear crystal (?-BBO crystal) at certain incident angles. Through the analysis based on a simple collinear phase-matching model, we suggest that the colored crescent might be the coexistence of spontaneous parametric down-conversions (SPDCs) in the infrared range and the corresponding efficient second-order harmonic generations (SHGs) that occur in a wide spectrum. We further provide a possible mechanism for the SHG process in which the phase-mismatching angles of the frequency doubling of SPDCs in ?-BBO crystal are assumed to be compensated by the strong diffraction effect during the self-focusing process of the generated intense SPDC signals.
Wang, L.; Fan, Y. X.; Zhu, H.; Yan, Z. D.; Zeng, H.; Wang, H.-T.; Zhu, S. N.; Wang, Z. L.
Wavelength multiplexing of 1.31-?m InGaAsP buried crescent laser arrays
A monolithic array of five noninteracting buried crescent lasers has been optically multiplexed using an external cavity with a grating as a dispersive element. The lasers have a center to center separation of 8 ?m, and with an external cavity consisting of a 4-mm focal length lens and a 600-line\\/mm grating used in second order, the lasers emit at ≊1.31
J. P. van der Ziel; H. Temkin; R. A. Logan
Acute Kidney Injury due to Crescentic Glomerulonephritis in a Patient with Polycystic Kidney Disease
Polycystic kidney disease is an inherited condition, characterized by the development of cysts in the kidney, as well as in other organs. Patients with polycystic kidney can suffer from the same causes of acute kidney injury as the general population. Nephritic syndrome is an uncommon cause of acute kidney injury in the general population and less common in patients with polycystic kidney disease. We report the second case of crescentic glomerulonephritis, causing acute kidney injury, in a patient with polycystic kidney disease.
Maggard, Reuben; Makary, Raafat; Monteiro, Carmela l.; James, Leighton R.
Epidermal growth factor receptor promotes glomerular injury and renal failure in rapidly progressive crescentic glomerulonephritis
Rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN) is a life-threatening clinical syndrome and a morphological manifestation of severe glomerular injury that is marked by a proliferative histological pattern ('crescents') with accumulation of T cells and macrophages and proliferation of intrinsic glomerular cells. We show de novo induction of heparin-binding epidermal growth factor�like growth factor (HB-EGF) in intrinsic glomerular epithelial cells (podocytes) from both
Guillaume Boll�e; Martin Flamant; Sandra Schordan; C�cile Fligny; Elisabeth Rumpel; Marine Milon; Eric Schordan; Nathalie Sabaa; Sophie Vandermeersch; Ariane Galaup; Anita Rodenas; Ibrahim Casal; Susan W Sunnarborg; David J Salant; Jeffrey B Kopp; David W Threadgill; Susan E Quaggin; Jean-Claude Dussaule; St�phane Germain; Laurent Mesnard; Karlhans Endlich; Claude Boucheix; Xavier Belenfant; Patrice Callard; Nicole Endlich; Pierre-Louis Tharaux
Summary of the Third International Planetary Dunes Workshop: Remote Sensing and Image Analysis of Planetary Dunes, Flagstaff, Arizona, USA, June 12-15, 2012
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The Third International Planetary Dunes Workshop took place in Flagstaff, AZ, USA during June 12-15, 2012. This meeting brought together a diverse group of researchers to discuss recent advances in terrestrial and planetary research on aeolian bedforms. The workshop included two and a half days of oral and poster presentations, as well as one formal (and one informal) full-day field trip. Similar to its predecessors, the presented work provided new insight on the morphology, dynamics, composition, and origin of aeolian bedforms on Venus, Earth, Mars, and Titan, with some intriguing speculation about potential aeolian processes on Triton (a satellite of Neptune) and Pluto. Major advancements since the previous International Planetary Dunes Workshop include the introduction of several new data analysis and numerical tools and utilization of low-cost field instruments (most notably the time-lapse camera). Most presentations represented advancement towards research priorities identified in both of the prior two workshops, although some previously recommended research approaches were not discussed. In addition, this workshop provided a forum for participants to discuss the uncertain future of the Planetary Aeolian Laboratory; subsequent actions taken as a result of the decisions made during the workshop may lead to an expansion of funding opportunities to use the facilities, as well as other improvements. The interactions during this workshop contributed to the success of the Third International Planetary Dunes Workshop, further developing our understanding of aeolian processes on the aeolian worlds of the Solar System.
Fenton, Lori K.; Hayward, Rosalyn K.; Horgan, Briony H. N.; Rubin, David M.; Titus, Timothy N.; Bishop, Mark A.; Burr, Devon M.; Chojnacki, Matthew; Dinwiddie, Cynthia L.; Kerber, Laura; Le Gall, Alice; Michaels, Timothy I.; Neakrase, Lynn D. V.; Newman, Claire E.; Tirsch, Daniela; Yizhaq, Hezi; Zimbelman, James R.
Serum-Starved Adipose-Derived Stromal Cells Ameliorate Crescentic GN by Promoting Immunoregulatory Macrophages
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from adipose tissue have immunomodulatory effects, suggesting that they may have therapeutic potential for crescentic GN. Here, we systemically administered adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) in a rat model of anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease and found that this treatment protected against renal injury and decreased proteinuria, crescent formation, and infiltration by glomerular leukocytes, including neutrophils, CD8+ T cells, and CD68+ macrophages. Interestingly, ASCs cultured under low-serum conditions (LASCs), but not bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs), increased the number of immunoregulatory CD163+ macrophages in diseased glomeruli. Macrophages cocultured with ASCs, but not with BM-MSCs, adopted an immunoregulatory phenotype. Notably, LASCs polarized macrophages into CD163+ immunoregulatory cells associated with IL-10 production more efficiently than ASCs cultured under high-serum conditions. Pharmaceutical ablation of PGE2 production, blocking the EP4 receptor, or neutralizing IL-6 in the coculture medium all significantly reversed this LASC-induced conversion of macrophages. Furthermore, pretreating LASCs with aspirin or cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors impaired the ability of LASCs to ameliorate nephritogenic IgG-mediated renal injury. Taken together, these results suggest that LASCs exert renoprotective effects in anti-GBM GN by promoting the phenotypic conversion of macrophages to immunoregulatory cells, suggesting that LASC transfer may represent a therapeutic strategy for crescentic GN.
Furuhashi, Kazuhiro; Shimizu, Asuka; Katsuno, Takayuki; Kim, Hangsoo; Saka, Yosuke; Ozaki, Takenori; Sado, Yoshikazu; Imai, Enyu; Matsuo, Seiichi; Maruyama, Shoichi
Serum-starved adipose-derived stromal cells ameliorate crescentic GN by promoting immunoregulatory macrophages.
Mesenchymal stromal cells (MSCs) derived from adipose tissue have immunomodulatory effects, suggesting that they may have therapeutic potential for crescentic GN. Here, we systemically administered adipose-derived stromal cells (ASCs) in a rat model of anti-glomerular basement membrane (anti-GBM) disease and found that this treatment protected against renal injury and decreased proteinuria, crescent formation, and infiltration by glomerular leukocytes, including neutrophils, CD8(+) T cells, and CD68(+) macrophages. Interestingly, ASCs cultured under low-serum conditions (LASCs), but not bone marrow-derived MSCs (BM-MSCs), increased the number of immunoregulatory CD163(+) macrophages in diseased glomeruli. Macrophages cocultured with ASCs, but not with BM-MSCs, adopted an immunoregulatory phenotype. Notably, LASCs polarized macrophages into CD163(+) immunoregulatory cells associated with IL-10 production more efficiently than ASCs cultured under high-serum conditions. Pharmaceutical ablation of PGE2 production, blocking the EP4 receptor, or neutralizing IL-6 in the coculture medium all significantly reversed this LASC-induced conversion of macrophages. Furthermore, pretreating LASCs with aspirin or cyclooxygenase-2 inhibitors impaired the ability of LASCs to ameliorate nephritogenic IgG-mediated renal injury. Taken together, these results suggest that LASCs exert renoprotective effects in anti-GBM GN by promoting the phenotypic conversion of macrophages to immunoregulatory cells, suggesting that LASC transfer may represent a therapeutic strategy for crescentic GN. PMID:23471196
Furuhashi, Kazuhiro; Tsuboi, Naotake; Shimizu, Asuka; Katsuno, Takayuki; Kim, Hangsoo; Saka, Yosuke; Ozaki, Takenori; Sado, Yoshikazu; Imai, Enyu; Matsuo, Seiichi; Maruyama, Shoichi
High angle-of-attack aerodynamic characteristics of crescent and elliptic wings
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Static longitudinal and lateral-directional forces and moments were measured for elliptic- and crescent-wing models at high angles-of-attack in the NASA Langley 14 by 22-Ft Subsonic Tunnel. The forces and moments were obtained for an angle-of-attack range including stall and post-stall conditions at a Reynolds number based on the average wing chord of about 1.8 million. Flow-visualization photographs using a mixture of oil and titanium-dioxide were also taken for several incidence angles. The force and moment data and the flow-visualization results indicated that the crescent wing model with its highly swept tips produced much better high angle-of-attack aerodynamic characteristics than the elliptic model. Leading-edge separation-induced vortex flow over the highly swept tips of the crescent wing is thought to produce this improved behavior at high angles-of-attack. The unique planform design could result in safer and more efficient low-speed airplanes.
Vandam, C. P.
Transferred Antigen-Specific TH17 but not TH1 Cells Induce Crescentic Glomerulonephritis in Mice
To explore the role of antigen-specific CD4+ T cells in glomerulonephritis, we administered ovalbumin 323�339 peptide conjugated to glomerular-binding polyclonal antibody and induced disease in RAG1?/? mice with CD4+ T cells from OT2 � RAG1?/? mice. These OT2 � RAG1?/? mice have a transgenic T-cell receptor specific for this peptide. When CD4+ T cells were primed in vivo, crescentic glomerulonephritis developed after 21 days in mice given peptide-conjugated glomerular-binding antibody but not unconjugated antibody control. We then investigated the relative roles of TH1 and TH17 cells, using Fab2 fragments of glomerular-binding antibody to exclude a role for antibody in this model. T cells from OT2 � RAG1?/? mice were polarized in vitro, and TH1 or TH17 cell lines were injected into mice that were also given peptide-conjugated Fab2 or unconjugated Fab2 control, giving four experimental groups. After 21 days crescentic glomerulonephritis was seen in mice receiving TH17 cells and peptide-conjugated Fab2 but in none of the other three groups. These results suggest that TH17 but not TH1 cells can induce crescentic glomerulonephritis.
Tulone, Calogero; Giorgini, Angela; Freeley, Simon; Coughlan, Alice; Robson, Michael Gregory
Morphology and composition of submarine barchan dunes on the Scotian Shelf, Canadian Atlantic margin
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Submarine barchan dunes have been mapped on Browns Bank, Scotian Shelf, using multibeam sonar bathymetry and backscatter strength. The morphology of subaerial barchans has been studied for almost a century but the advent of multibeam sonar technology now enables a quantitative investigation of their submarine counterparts. The Browns Bank submarine barchans occur at a depth of 60-70 m and are crescentic in planform, reaching almost 700 m in horn width and 5 m in height. The barchans are convex to the SE with steep lee faces to the NW, indicating a dominant NW-flowing current. The barchans overlie a widespread gravel lag covered elsewhere with little or no sand. Obstacle marks emanate from the lee faces of the barchans and represent a lack of sand deposition and exposure of gravel lag on the sea floor. The Browns Bank submarine barchan sediment texture is gravelly sand or sandy gravel and is primarily composed of subrounded to well-rounded quartz grains. The allometric relationship between submarine barchan slip face height and distance between horns is markedly different from that of subaerial barchans. For the same dune height, barchan horn width is about ten times greater in the marine environment. The superimposition of megaripples on the stoss slopes of the submarine barchans suggests that the barchans are active and therefore represent an engineering risk to sea floor infrastructure. Current observations and models indicate that seasonal mean current strength is less than the critical velocity required for barchan migration. However, the barchans may be active under higher-velocity, storm-induced currents. Repetitive multibeam sonar mapping is required to detect if barchan migration is occurring over longer time scales.
Todd, Brian J.
Evaluation of the void fraction in the crescent-shape moderator cell of the CARR-CNS
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The mathematical model developed in a previous paper is improved in the present paper for analyzing and evaluating the void fraction profiles in the crescent-shape moderator cell of the Cold Neutron Source (CNS) of the China Advanced Research Reactor (CARR) which is now under construction in the China Institute of Atomic Energy (CIAE). The model is then applied to the case of the CARR-CNS with liquid hydrogen as a moderator and the void fraction in the crescent-shape moderator cell of the CARR-CNS is evaluated. The calculation results show that the void fraction in the crescent-shape moderator cell less than 20%. The model and the calculation results will help to obtain insight of the mechanism that controls the void fraction distribution in the crescent-shape moderator cell, and provide theoretical supports for the moderator cell construction.
Li, Liangxing; Li, Huixiong; Kawai, Takeshi; Chen, Tingkuan; Bi, Qincheng
Avalanche grainflow on a simulated aeolian dune
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Avalanches maintain the slipface of aeolian dunes, which alters their airflow characteristics and sediment dynamics, and results in the development of grainflow cross-bedding. We report on a series of experiments in which avalanches were observed on a 1:1 replica of a small (1.2 m brink height) transverse dune in the Dune Simulation Wind Tunnel under wind velocities of 8-11 m s-1. Changes in slipface topography were observed photographically and measured utilizing a 3-D laser scanner with 1 mm2 spatial resolution. Avalanches in noncohesive sands were observed to progress through scarp recession from the point of initiation and continue until the slope angle is reduced. Changes in local slope confirm that the steep, pre-avalanche mean slope relaxes to a uniform value equal to the angle of repose of the test sand (32�) over all involved portions of the slipface. Avalanche volumes are measured, and demonstrate that avalanche magnitude is independent of wind speed over the range of velocities observed. This independence provides the potential to significantly simplify the modeling of grainflow as a function of only the total cross brink sediment transport.
Sutton, S. L. F.; McKenna Neuman, C.; Nickling, W.
Twentieth century dune migration at the Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, Colorado, relation to drought variability
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve in southern Colorado contains a large dune mass banked against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains. The dune mass is bounded for hundreds of kilometers by a vegetated low-relief sand sheet with abundant active parabolic and barchanoid dunes. The clear morphology of these dunes, formed by winds mostly from the southwest, and the unambiguous identification of these forms in remotely sensed images provide straightforward targets to assess temporal changes in dune position. A digital database of georeferenced remote sensing images from 1936 to 1999 is used to quantify parabolic and barchan dune migration rates and surface reflectance, an indicator of vegetation cover, with evolving drought conditions in the twentieth century. The total net migration of 13 parabolic dunes in 63 years is 0.31 to 0.66 km, whereas 11 barchan dunes moved an average of 0.12 to 0.47 km. Compared to intervening wet year, there is at least a three-fold increase in average parabolic dune migration, during well-documented droughts in the 1930s, 1950s, and 1990s with a concomitant reduction in vegetation cover and surface water resources. The landscape response to the most recent drought in the late twentieth century is documented by an average parabolic dune migration rate of 30 m/year, which is a six-fold acceleration over prior wet years, and similar to dune response during the 1930s. A nonlinear threshold for parabolic dune migration is indicated with lower quartile Palmer Drought Severity Index values of < - 2, which corresponds to at least a 25% reduction in summer and autumn precipitation.
Mar�n, L.; Forman, S. L.; Valdez, A.; Bunch, F.
Dune migration in a steep, coarse-bedded stream
In the North Fork Toutle River at Kid Valley, Washington, weak correlation between flow depth and the standard deviation of bed elevation was noted. Dunes were often superposed on larger bed forms with wave periods between 10 and 30 min. Gradual changes in waveform height and periodicity occurred over several hours during storm runoff. Rates of migration for typical dunes were estimated to be 3 cm s-1, and dune wavelengths were estimated to be 6 to 7 m. -from Author
Dinehart, R. L.
Preliminary study of Kelso Dunes using AVIRIS, TM, and AIRSAR
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Remote sensing of sand dunes helps in the understanding of aeolian process and provides important information about the regional geologic history, environmental change, and desertification. Remotely sensed data combined with field studies are valuable in studying dune morphology, regional aeolian dynamics, and aeolian depositional history. In particular, active and inactive sands of the Kelso Dunes have been studied using landsat TM and AIRSAR. In this report, we describe the use of AVIRIS data to study the Kelso dunes and to compare the AVIRIS information with that from TM and AIRSAR.
Xu, Pung; Blumberg, Dan G.; Greeley, Ronald
A Comparative Analysis of Barchan Dunes in the Intra-Crater Dune Fields and the North Polar Sand Sea
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Martian sand dunes have the potential to contribute data on geological history through a study of their form. Recognition of the characteristics of both recent and ancient dunes is the first step towards understanding the present as well as past aeolian systems, and by proxy, climatic conditions on Mars. Dunes studied in detail in Viking 1 and 2 Orbiter images have been classified as barchan, barchanoid, transverse, and complex. Regionally, they are concentrated in four locations: The North and South Polar regions, in intra crater dune fields and in troughs and valleys. Here we present the results of a morphometric analysis of barchan dunes in two of these locations: the North Polar Sand Sea (NPSS) and intra-crater dunes.
Bourke, M. C.; Balme, M.; Zimbelman, J.
Absence of the lysosomal protein Limp-2 attenuates renal injury in crescentic glomerulonephritis.
In humans, mutations of the intrinsic lysosomal protein SCARB2 are associated with myoclonic epilepsy, collapsing focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis, and tubular proteinuria. Mice with deficiency of Limp-2 (the murine homologue) develop tubular proteinuria but not focal and segmental glomerulosclerosis and they have a defect in macrophage function. To further elucidate the role of Limp-2 in immune function, we induced anti-glomerular basement membrane (GBM) model of crescentic glomerulonephritis in wild-type (WT) and Limp-2(-/-) littermates by intraperitoneal injections of nephrotoxic sheep serum. Renal injury and immune responses were assessed on day 14. Compared with WT, Limp-2(-/-) mice had significantly reduced crescent formation, interstitial inflammation and a trend to reduced tubulointerstitial injury. On day 1 during the heterologous phase of the disease, albuminuria was significantly increased in WT but not in Limp-2(-/-) mice. On day 14, albuminuria and renal function were similar in the two groups. There was, however, a significant reduction in the influx of glomerular macrophages and CD4(+) T cells in Limp-2(-/-) mice. Interleukin (IL)-4 and macrophage chemoattractant protein-1 (MCP-1) mRNA expression levels were significantly reduced. Despite the reduction in numbers of infiltrating cells, flow cytometry showed no difference in macrophage or T-cell numbers in the peripheral blood from untreated mice. The systemic humoral immune response, determined by glomerular mouse immunoglobulin G (IgG) deposition and mouse anti-sheep IgG subclass production, was similar in both groups. These data suggest that absence of Limp-2 reduces inflammation in experimental crescentic glomerulonephritis with decreased macrophage and T-cell infiltration in the kidney. It suggests an important role for Limp-2 in mediating the inflammatory response. PMID:24394995
Lee, Darren Hiu Kwong; Gan, Poh-Yi; Katerelos, Marina; Fraser, Scott Andrew; Gleich, Kurt; Holdsworth, Stephen Roger; Power, David Anthony
76 FR 68503 - Ungulate Management Plan/Environmental Impact Statement, Great Sand Dunes National Park and...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
...Environmental Impact Statement, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, CO AGENCY...for the Ungulate Management Plan, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve...for the Ungulate Management Plan, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve,...
36 CFR 28.3 - Boundaries: The Community Development District; The Dune District; The Seashore District.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
...The Community Development District; The Dune District; The Seashore District. 28...The Community Development District; The Dune District; The Seashore District. ...District, the Seashore District, and the Dune District. (b) The Community...
76 FR 10915 - Minor Boundary Revision at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
...Service Minor Boundary Revision at Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore AGENCY: National Park...9(c)(1), the boundary of Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore in the State of Indiana...depicted on a map entitled ``Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, Proposed...
36 CFR 28.3 - Boundaries: The Community Development District; The Dune District; The Seashore District.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
...The Community Development District; The Dune District; The Seashore District. 28...The Community Development District; The Dune District; The Seashore District. ...District, the Seashore District, and the Dune District. (b) The Community...
77 FR 11061 - Endangered and Threatened Wildlife and Plants; Proposed Endangered Status for the Dunes Sagebrush...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
...Plants; Proposed Endangered Status for the Dunes Sagebrush Lizard AGENCY: Fish and Wildlife...2010, proposed endangered status for the dunes sagebrush lizard (Sceloporus arenicolus...a signed conservation agreement for the dunes sagebrush lizard in Texas. We are...
Precision topography of a reversing sand dune at Bruneau Dunes, Idaho, as an analog for Transverse Aeolian Ridges on Mars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Ten high precision topographic profiles across a reversing dune were created from a differential global position system (DGPS). The shapes of the profiles reveal a progression from immature to transitional to mature characteristics moving up the dune. When scaled by the basal width along each profile, shape characteristics can be compared for profiles whose horizontal scales differ by orders of magnitude. The comparison of width-scaled Bruneau Dunes profiles to similarly scaled profiles of Transverse Aeolian Ridges (TARs) on Mars indicates that many TARs are likely similar to transitional or mature reversing sand dunes.
Zimbelman, James R.; Scheidt, Stephen P.
From landform to process: Morphology and formation of lake-bed barchan dunes, Makgadikgadi, Botswana
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
A suite of crescentic landforms is visible from remotely sensed imagery within the Ntwetwe panPan in the Makgadikgadi basin, Botswana. We investigate the most distinct of these landforms using morphometric measurements, sedimentary data and Optically Stimulated Luminescence (OSL) signal analysis. Comparative analysis with previously published barchan morphological data sets suggest the Ntwetwe features fall within the spectrum of morphometric parameters found in a range of barchan dunefields from around the world. There is currently insufficient comparative morphometric data from sub-aqueous dunefields to be able to distinguish the particular formative environment of the dune. OSL signal analyses however, support the hypothesis of Grove (1969) [Grove, A.T., 1969. Landforms and climatic change in the Kalahari and Ngamiland. Geographical Journal, 135: 191-212] that the last deposition of the sediments within the Ntwetwe forms was most likely aeolian in origin. Luminescence signal analysis is employed to investigate potential transport and bleaching environments of the sediments forming the features, but results in this case do not shed further light on the formative conditions of these enigmatic landforms.
Burrough, Sallie L.; Thomas, David S. G.; Bailey, Richard M.; Davies, Lauren
Aeolian Processes of the Pismo-Oceano Dune Complex, California
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The Pismo Dunes are located approximately 250 km northwest of Los Angeles and consist of 90 km2 of transverse, parabolic and paleodunes. The Pismo Dunes are one of the largest dune complexes on the west coast and are the largest remaining south of San Francisco Bay, but despite their size, relatively few process morphology studies have focused on their form and history. Specifically, the dune field includes 12 km2 of actively migrating transverse dune ridges advancing onshore in three distinct phases separated by small depressions easily indentified using a LiDAR-generated elevation model. An early field investigation by Tchakerian (1983) revealed a uniform increase in slip face heights and crestline wavelengths inland with no apparent change in grain size. Measurement of recent aerial imagery shows variable migration rates throughout the dunes and wavelengths between 30 and 100 m closest to the beach, in the second ridge between 50 and 140 m, and from 70 to 250 m furthest inland. During El Ni�o and La Ni�a periods, westerly winds advance onshore nearly perpendicular to the crestlines, fueling episodic migration of the dune field. It is hypothesized that particularly strong ENSO periods may have led to the development of distinct dune phases with separating depressions and the development of defects along the dune crest. Defects associated with the wakes of incipient vegetation and inter-dune depressions are conspicuous and widespread, though localized and variable through time and space. Aerial imagery taken in September 1994 shows a wider, more even distribution of defects across the dune field than currently visible. The signal is, however, complicated by the closure of the dune field to oversand vehicles in 1982. The closure of much of the complex to vehicular traffic in 1982 may play a role, as Tchakerian's crestline wavelength measurements were far smaller than those obtained for this study while maintaining a likewise increase between phases. At a decadal scale, excessive vehicular traffic may have impeded the transition of emergent, defect-ridden dune forms into mature transverse ridges. Despite the astounding lack to studies focusing on the Pismo Dunes, the complex presents multiple opportunities for inquiry regarding climatic control on dune field evolution, defect law and complex landform pattern development, and long-term anthropogenic alteration of coastal process morphology.
Barrineau, C. P.; Tchakerian, V.; Houser, C.
Riverine Eolian Dunes in Uruguay: OSL Ages and Paleoenvironmental Significance
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Relict parabolic dunes occur along Rio Negro and Rio Tacuaremb� in Uruguay under the current humid temperate climate. These dunes offer important terrestrial evidence of drier conditions in the past and may provide foresight about landscape consequences of future climate change. The ages of these dunes previously had not been measured by any absolute dating technique. Two dune fields were selected for optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating using the single aliquot regeneration method, including four samples along Rio Negro near Pueblo de la Arena and three samples along Rio Tacuaremb� near Ansina. Results indicate that the dunes were active during the late Pleistocene, with five of the OSL ages in the 22 ka to 12 ka range. One OSL age at the Ansina dune field returned an age of 6 ka, indicating the possibility of limited dune reactivation during the Holocene. There is clear evidence of historical dune activation (e.g. buried fences) at both the Rio Negro and Rio Tacuaremb� sites; one OSL sample from Rio Negro dunes confirms an historical age of 107 years BP. However, human land disturbance rather than climatic factors may explain the historical reactivation. Late Pleistocene dune activity in central Uruguay indicates much drier and windier paleoclimate (at least seasonally) than present, and correlates well with eolian activity in more arid parts of South America in western Argentina. Age and paleoenvironment of the riverine dunes in Uruguay are remarkably similar to those of the southeastern United States (USA), indicating similar patterns of paleoclimate in both hemispheres. Such similarities help to resolve the spatial patterns of global scale climate change.
Leigh, D. S.; Suarez, R.; Brook, G. A.
Relating climate and sand transport to incipient dune development.
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sea levels are continuously rising, increasing the risk of flooding and coastal erosion in low-elevation countries, such as the Netherlands. Coastal dunes are seen as a flexible and natural type of coastal defence, that is able to keep pace with rising water levels. Until now most research has focussed on dynamics and maintenance of established dunes, largely ignoring two critical transitions in early dune development: the transition from bare beach to vegetated incipient dune and that from incipient dune to established foredune. This knowledge is essential to enable more accurate prediction and even stimulation of new dune formation through sand nourishment. We explored the relative contributions of climate and sand transport to incipient dune development combining a 30 year time-series of aerial photographs (1979 - 2010) of the natural Wadden Island coast with high-resolution monitoring data of sand volume changes and climatic parameters. We selected 20 strips of 2.5 km in length along the coast of the Wadden Islands, with a 2 km buffer between them to avoid autocorrelation. For each of these strips of coast we assessed the changes in presence and area of incipient dunes over periods of 5-6 years. Change in fore dune volume and beach width were derived from high resolution beach elevation data. Seawater level and climate data were derived from a nearby meteorological station Preliminary analysis of the first half of the dataset showed that incipient dune area was positively related to beach width, but negatively to storm intensity. In our poster we will present the whole dataset and discuss the implications of our results for future dune development and anthropogenic sand nourishment schemes.
van Puijenbroek, Marinka; Limpens, Juul; Gleichman, Maurits; Berendse, Frank
Pauci-immune necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephritis with crescentic and full moon extracapillary proliferation: clinico-pathologic correlation and follow-up study.
The prognostic value of the type and extent of extracapillary proliferation (ECP) in pauci-immune necrotizing crescentic glomerulonephitis (PIGN) was evaluated in this study. In 141 PIGN cases, all glomeruli with ECP were grouped according to type (cellular, fibrocellular and fibrous) and extent of the lesions in Bowman's space; (segmental, semicircumferential and circumferential, which might be termed full moon-FM). Cases with cellular and fibrous lesions involving ? 50% of glomeruli with ECP were classified as cellular and fibrous groups, respectively, while the remaining cases were classified as fibrocellular. Cases with segmental and circumferential (FM glomerulus) lesions involving ? 50% of glomeruli with ECP were classified as ECPI and ECPIII (FM) groups, respectively, while the rest were classified as ECPII. All the cases were classified according to Berden et al. Significant results were only nearly obtained for the FM group, including the need for dialysis. The Cox regression model revealed a 2.6-fold risk for FM cases regarding dialysis requirement. We propose that the percentage of FM glomeruli should be noted in the pathology report, and cases with more than 50% of FM glomeruli (FM group) should be identified in the group with increased risk of dialysis requirement. Our series also suggests that classification according to Berden et al. is of clinical relevance. PMID:23246377
Unlu, Mehtat; Kiremitci, Saba; Ensari, Arzu; Ozluk, Yasemin; Kilicaslan, Isin; Ozdemir, Binnaz Handan; Ates, Deniz; Ertoy Baydar, Dilek; Gonul, Ipek Isik; Memis, Leyla; Sarsik, Banu; Sen, Sait; Akkaya, Bahar; Orhan, Diclehan; Gonlusen, Gulfiliz; Ellidokuz, Hulya; Ada, Sibel; Cavdar, Caner; Akagun, Tulin; Kamali, Sevil; Aksu, Kenan; Yazisiz, Veli; Paydas, Saime; Soylu, Alper; Sarioglu, Sulen
Lutheran/basal cell adhesion molecule accelerates progression of crescentic glomerulonephritis in mice
Migration of circulating leukocytes from the vasculature into the surrounding tissue is an important component of the inflammatory response. Among the cell surface molecules identified as contributing to leukocyte extravasation is VCAM-1, expressed on activated vascular endothelium, which participates in all stages of leukocyte�endothelial interaction by binding to leukocyte surface expressed integrin VLA-4. However, not all VLA-4-mediated events can be linked to VCAM-1. A novel interaction between VLA-4 and endothelial Lutheran (Lu) blood group antigens and basal cell adhesion molecule (BCAM) proteins has been recently shown, suggesting that Lu/BCAM may have a role in leukocyte recruitments in inflamed tissues. Here, we assessed the participation of Lu/BCAM in the immunopathogenesis of crescentic glomerulonephritis. High expression of Lu/BCAM in glomeruli of mice with rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis suggests a potential role for the local expression of Lu/BCAM in nephritogenic recruitment of leukocytes. Genetic deficiency of Lu/BCAM attenuated glomerular accumulation of T cells and macrophages, crescent formation, and proteinuria, correlating with reduced fibrin and platelet deposition in glomeruli. Furthermore, we found a pro-adhesive interaction between human monocyte ?4?1 integrin and Lu/BCAM proteins. Thus, Lu/BCAM may have a critical role in facilitating the accumulation of monocytes and macrophages, thereby exacerbating renal injury.
Huang, Jin; Filipe, Anne; Rahuel, Cecile; Bonnin, Philippe; Mesnard, Laurent; Guerin, Coralie; Wang, Yu; Le Van Kim, Caroline; Colin, Yves; Tharaux, Pierre-Louis
Initiation and variation of the dune fields in semi-arid China � with a�special reference to the Hunshandake Sandy Land, Inner Mongolia
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sedimentary sequences occurring in desert dunes reflect changes in desert systems, and as such may contain signals useful for recognizing spatial and temporal changes of deserts and their response to regional or even global climate fluctuations. Geomorphological and palaeoenvironmental studies within the dune fields of the Asian middle-latitudes have provided some solid evidence for interpreting the history of these sand seas. Using the Hunshandake (Otindag) Sandy Land, a sandy area covered primarily by stabilized dunes and located in the semi-arid zone of eastern Inner Mongolia, China (Fig.�1), as an example, we studied the initiation and variation in the dune landscape in the eastern portion of the desert belt in northern China. On the basis of physical and biochemical indicators in the sediments and OSL chronology, we herein argue that this dune system in the middle latitudes of eastern Asia is much younger than previously assumed and that it has responded sensitively to climate change during the late Quaternary. Geological evidence from the Sandy Land suggests that most of the current dunes are of late Pleistocene or even Holocene age. Palaeosols intercalated in the aeolian sequences and their OSL chronology show that the climate of the Hunshandake was much wetter than today between 9.6�ka and 3�ka. This resulted in stabilization of the dunes in the eastern and central portions of the Sandy Land. Epochs of reworking or stabilization of the dunes are broadly consistent with the fluctuations in northern hemisphere solar radiation although with an obvious time lag. Because the increase rate of annual precipitation was not sufficient to fully stabilize the dunes in more arid part of the region, some active dunes persisted even during this long-lasting wetter epoch. We conclude that periods of Holocene dune stabilization due to palaeosol formation varied along the climate gradients across the various sandy lands of northern China, and in general it began earlier and lasted longer in the east than in the west. The general nature of the sandy lands and their counterparts in the western portion of the desert belt during the LGM and mid-Holocene climate optimum is discussed in comparison with their current states.
Yang, Xiaoping; Wang, Xulong; Liu, Ziting; Li, Hongwei; Ren, Xiaozun; Zhang, Deguo; Ma, Zhibang; Rioual, Patrick; Jin, Xindi; Scuderi, Louis
DUNES survey observational results (Eiroa+, 2013)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The on-line tabular material contains a complete description of the DUNES objects, providing absolute parameters of the stars, the photometry used to build their spectral energy distributions, the Herschel/PACS fluxes, the photospheric predictions at the PACS wavelengths, the significance of the potential excesses and additional information concerning the stars with extended emission, the offsets of the stellar positions as measured in the optical and in the PACS100 images, the AORs (Astronomical Observation Request number) of the observations and the on-source integration times. (11 data files).
Eiroa, C.; Marshall, J. P.; Mora, A.; Montesinos, B.; Absil, O.; Augereau, J.-C.; Bayo, A.; Bryden, G.; Danchi, W.; Del Burgo, C.; Ertel, S.; Fridlund, M.; Heras, A. M.; Krivov, A. V.; Launhardt, R.; Liseau, R.; Loehne, T.; Maldonado, J.; Pilbratt, G. L.; Roberge, A.; Rodmann, J.; Sanz-Forcada, J.; Solano, E.; Stapelfeldt, K.; Thebault, P.; Wolf, S.; Ardila, D.; Arevalo, M.; Beichmann, C.; Faramaz, V.; Gonzalez-Garcia, B. M.; Gutierrez, R.; Lebreton, J.; Martinez-Arnaiz, R.; Meeus, G.; Montes, D.; Olofsson, G.; Su, K. Y. L.; White, G. J.; Barrado, D.; Fukagawa, M.; Gruen, E.; Kamp, I.; Lorente, R.; Morbidelli, A.; Mueller, S.; Mutschke, H.; Nakagawa, T.; Ribas, I.; Walker, H.
Tour of Park Geology: Sand Dunes
NSDL National Science Digital Library
This Park Geology site provides links to tours of individual National Parks, Monuments, and Recreation Areas with sand dunes. Where appropriate for each park, links are provided to maps, photographs, geologic research, related links, visitor information, and teacher features (resources for teaching geology with National Park examples). The list includes places such as Death Valley and Mojave National Preserve, along with less well-known areas such as the Pictured Rocks National Lakeshore in Michigan and the Wright Brothers National Memorial in North Carolina.
Sound-producing dune and beach sands
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Acoustic and seismic outputs of booming sands and singing (squeaking) sands in response to shearing are investigated, with samples of silent sands studied for controls. A vertical-axis geophone buried at shallow depth and an air microphone were used in the studies. The frequency spectra of the acoustic and seismic responses, propagation delays, comparison of acoustic and seismic traces, grain size and grain surface texture, particle morphology, coherent behavior of grains in assemblages, and relation to prevalent local winds were studied. Mechanisms are still obscure and disputed; slumping and avalanches were induced artificially in some studies. Existence of booming dune phenomena on Mars or on the moon is conjectured.
Lindsay, J. F.; Criswell, D. R.; Criswell, T. L.; Criswell, B. S.
Observed and modeled tsunami current velocities in Humboldt Bay and Crescent City Harbor, northern California
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
A pilot project was initiated in 2009 in Humboldt Bay, about 370 kilometers (km) north of San Francisco, California, to measure the currents produced by tsunamis. Northern California is susceptible to both near- and far-field tsunamis and has a historic record of damaging events. Crescent City Harbor, located approximately 100 km north of Humboldt Bay, suffered US 20 million in damages from strong currents produced by the 2006 Kuril Islands tsunami and an additional US 20 million from the 2011 Japan tsunami. In order to better evaluate these currents in northern California, we deployed a Nortek Aquadopp 600kHz 2D Acoustic Doppler Current Profiler (ADCP) with a one-minute sampling interval in Humboldt Bay, near the existing National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) National Ocean Service (NOS) tide gauge station. The instrument recorded the tsunamis produced by the Mw 8.8 Chile earthquake on February 27, 2010 and the Mw 9.0 Japan earthquake on March 11, 2011. Currents from the 2010 tsunami persisted in Humboldt Bay for at least 30 hours with peak amplitudes of about 0.3 meters per second (m/s). The 2011 tsunami signal lasted for over 86 hours with peak amplitude of 0.95 m/s. Strongest currents corresponded to the maximum change in water level as recorded on the NOAA NOS tide gauge, and occurred 90 minutes after the initial wave arrival. No damage was observed in Humboldt Bay for either event. In Crescent City, currents for the first three and a half hours of the 2011 Japan tsunami were estimated using security camera video footage from the Harbor Master building across from the entrance to the small boat basin, approximately 70 meters away from the NOAA NOS tide gauge station. The largest amplitude tide gauge water-level oscillations and most of the damage occurred within this time window. The currents reached a velocity of approximately 4.5 m/s and six cycles exceeded 3 m/s during this period. Measured current velocities both in Humboldt Bay and in Crescent City were compared to calculated velocities from the Method of Splitting Tsunamis (MOST) numerical model. For Humboldt Bay, the 2010 model tsunami frequencies matched the actual values for the first two hours after the initial arrival however the amplitudes were underestimated by approximately 65%. MOST replicated the first four hours of the 2011 tsunami signal in Humboldt Bay quite well although the peak flood currents were underestimated by about 50%. MOST predicted attenuation of the signal after four hours but the actual signal persisted at a nearly constant level for more than 48 hours. In Crescent City, the model prediction of the 2011 frequency agreed quite well with the observed signal for the first two and a half hours after the initial arrival with a 50% underestimation of the peak amplitude. The results from this project demonstrate that ADCPs can effectively record tsunami currents for small to moderate events and can be used to calibrate and validate models (i.e. MOST) in order to better predict hazardous tsunami conditions and improve planned responses to protect lives and property, especially within harbors. An ADCP will be installed in Crescent City Harbor and four additional ADCPs are being deployed in Humboldt Bay during the fall of 2012.
Admire, A. R.; Dengler, L.; Crawford, G. B.; uslu, B. U.; Montoya, J.
Evidence for community structure and habitat partitioning in coastal dune stiletto flies at the Guadalupe-Nipomo dunes system, California
This study provides empirical evidence for habitat selection by North American species of stiletto flies (Diptera: Therevidae), based on local distributions of adults and immatures, and the first hypothesis of community assemblages proposed for a stiletto fly community. Sites at three localities within the Guadalupe-Nipomo dune system were sampled for stiletto flies in 1997 and 2001 by sifting sand, malaise trapping, and hand netting. Nine species were collected from four ecological zones and three intermediate ecological zones: Acrosathe novella (Coquillett), Brachylinga baccata (Loew), Nebritus powelli (Webb and Irwin), Ozodiceromyia sp., Pherocera sp., Tabudamima melanophleba (Loew), Thereva comata Loew, Thereva elizabethae Holston and Irwin, and Thereva fucata Loew. Species associations of adults and larvae with habitats and ecological zones were consistent among sites, suggesting that local distributions of coastal dune stiletto fly species are influenced by differences in habitat selection. In habitats dominated by the arroyo willow,Salix lasiolepsis, stiletto fly larvae of three species were collected in local sympatry, demonstrating that S. lasiolepsis stands along stabilized dune ridges can provide an intermediate ecological zone linking active dune and riparian habitat in the Guadalupe-Nipomo dune system. Sites dominated by European beach grass, Ammophilia arenaria, blue gum, Eucalyptus globulus, and Monterey cypress, Cupressus macrocarpa, are considered unsuitable for stiletto flies, which emphasizes the importance of terrestrial habitats with native vegetation for stiletto fly species. The local distributions of stiletto fly species at the Guadalupe-Nipomo dune system allow the community to be divided into three assemblages; active dune, pioneer scrub, and scrub-riparian. These assemblages may be applicable to other coastal dune stiletto fly communities, and may have particular relevance to stiletto fly species collected in European coastal dunes. The results from this study provide a descriptive framework for studies testing habitat selection in coastal dune stiletto fly species and inform conservation of threatened dune insects.
Holston, Kevin C.
Dunes, Boxcars, and Ball Jars: Mining the Great Lakes Shores
NSDL National Science Digital Library
Spreadsheets Across the Curriculum module/Geology of National Parks course. Students estimate the volume of sand in Hoosier Slide, a large dome-shaped dune quarried away in the 1920s from what is now Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. They also estimate the number of boxcars to carry the sand, and the number of Ball jars produced from it.
Module by: Tiffany Roberts, University of South Florida Cover Page by: Len Vacher and Denise Davis, University of South Florida
Particle tracking and mean residence time in barchan dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
We analyze sediment particles motions in steady-state barchan dunes by tracking individual cells of a 3-D cellular automaton dune model. The overall sediment flux may be decomposed into advective and dispersive fluxes to estimate the relative contribution of the underlying physical processes to the barchan dune shape. The net lateral sediment transport from the center to the horns indicates that dispersion on the stoss slope is more efficient than avalanches on the lee slope. The combined effect of these two antagonistic dispersive processes restricts the lateral mixing of sediment particles in the central region of barchan dunes. Then, for different flow strength and dune size, we find that the mean residence time of sediment particles in barchan dunes is equal to the surface of the central longitudinal dune slices divided by the input sand flux. We infer that this central slice contains most of the relevant information about barchan dune morphodynamics. Finally, we initiate a discussion about sediment transport and memory in presence of bedforms using the advantages of the particle tracking technique.
Zhang, Deguo; Narteau, Clement; Rozier, Olivier
Holocene eolian activity in the Minot dune field, North Dakota
Stabilized eolian sand is common over much of the Great Plains region of the United States and Canada, including a subhumid area of ??? 1500 km2 near Minot, North Dakota. Eolian landforms consist of sand sheets and northwest-trending parabolic dunes. Dunes and sand sheets in the Minot field are presently stabilized by a cover of prairie grasses or oak woodland. Stratigraphic studies and accelerator mass spectrometry radiocarbon dating of paleosols indicate at least two periods of eolian sand movement in the late Holocene. Pedologic data suggest that all of the dune field has experienced late Holocene dune activity, though not all parts of the dune field may have been active simultaneously. Similar immobile element (Ti, Zr, La, Ce) concentrations support the interpretation that eolian sands are derived from local glaciofluvial and glaciolacustrine sediments. However, glaciolacustrine and glaciofluvial source sediments have high Ca concentrations from carbonate minerals, whereas dune sands are depleted in Ca. Because noneolian-derived soils in the area are calcareous, these data indicate that the Minot dune field may have had extended periods of activity in the Holocene, such that eolian abrasion removed soft carbonate minerals. The southwest-facing parts of some presently stabilized dunes were active during the 1930s drought, but were revegetated during the wetter years of the 1940s. These observations indicate that severe droughts accompanied by high temperatures are the most likely cause of Holocene eolian activity.
Muhs, D. R.; Stafford, Jr. , T. W.; Been, J.; Mahan, S. A.; Burdett, J.; Skipp, G.; Rowland, Z. M.
The coastal dunes belong to the most important ecosystems in the Netherlands, but they have also suffered from prolonged desiccation, changes in land use, diminished coastal dynamics, and acidification. Environmental management is applied to counteract the deterioration of threatened dune vegetation and to maintain biodiversity. An efficient and reliable monitoring system is neces- sary to investigate autonomous vegetation development and
Mark van Til; Annemieke Bijlmer
36 CFR 7.88 - Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
...Property 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. 7.88 Section 7.88 Parks, Forests...REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.88 Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. (a) Fishing. Unless...
36 CFR 7.88 - Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
...Property 1 2009-07-01 2009-07-01 false Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. 7.88 Section 7.88 Parks, Forests...REGULATIONS, AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.88 Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. (a) Fishing. Unless...
36 CFR 7.80 - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 1 2009-07-01 2009-07-01 false Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. 7.80 Section 7.80 Parks, Forests...AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.80 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. (a) Powerless flight. The...
36 CFR 7.80 - Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... 1 2010-07-01 2010-07-01 false Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. 7.80 Section 7.80 Parks, Forests...AREAS OF THE NATIONAL PARK SYSTEM § 7.80 Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore. (a) Powerless flight. The...
Sensitivity Analysis of Dune Height Measurements Along Cross-shore Profiles Using a Novel Method for Dune Ridge Extraction
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
In barrier islands where communities are subjected to hazards including storm surge and high wave height, coastal dunes offer the first line of defense to property and vital infrastructure. When dunes are over-washed, substantial damage, including complete destruction of buildings and roads can occur. For this reason, dunes are an integral aspect of coastal hazard management. As new, more efficient mapping and analysis technologies evolve, currently used methodologies should be regularly be reexamined in order to ensure the development of the most effective coastal management strategies. Currently, topographical parameters, such as dune height, are usually measured along evenly spaced, shore-perpendicular beach profiles. In previous studies, profile spacing has varied from 20m to over 500m, however, it has been shown that dune height can vary substantially over tens of meters. Profile spacing is a compromise between the resources needed to perform high-resolution measurements and ensuring the capture of meaningful dune features. While it is often clear how the choice of profile spacing will affect the resources needed to perform the analysis, it is often unclear how spacing affects the ability to capture significant dune variation and prevent omission of a narrow dune breach that can open the way for significant flooding. In this study, the structure of alongshore variation in dune height is investigated. The studied dune ridge is located in the Outer Banks, North Carolina, USA and stretches 18km from south of Oregon Inlet (75:31:19W, 35:46:03N) to Rodanthe (75:27:56W, 35:36:31N). The dune ridge is extracted from a 0.5m resolution Digital Elevation Model (DEM) that was interpolated from airborne lidar data using regularized spline with tension. The lidar data was collected in March 2008 by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. A dune ridge is usually identified as the highest elevation along a shore-perpendicular profile or where ocean-facing slope meets landward-facing slope. In this study, a novel approach for dune ridge extraction is proposed. First, two alongshore end-points of the studied dune ridge are identified using a standard, profile-based method. Then, the dune ridge is traced as the least cost path connecting the two end-points on a cost surface that represents the cumulative penalty for tracing a low elevation path. The cost surface is derived from elevation (i.e., elevation is equal to the cologarithm of the cost). The extracted dune ridge is then sampled at the DEM resolution of 0.5m and analysis of dune ridge height is performed. Statistics on variation in dune height are computed to help understand the sensitivity of dune height measurements to profile spacing and placement. Preliminary results suggest that dune height becomes nearly uncorrelated within 50m and ranges on average nearly a half meter within a five meter window suggesting that dune height measurements are sensitive to profile placement.
Hardin, E.; Mitasova, H.; Overton, M.
Where to dig for gold? - Density segregation inside migrating dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
If a fluid streams over an extended area of sand, the grains will self-organize by forming complex structures like ripples or dunes. Below the surface, the inner structure of a dune is determined by the individual fate of the particles. In general, agitated granular matter is known to show de-mixing whenever particles differ in size or density, and indeed size segregation is a well-known feature for dunes, called reverse grading. Here we report results of a recent experimental investigation with two particle species differing not in size but in density. Our experimental setup consists of a stadium-shaped flow channel which is filled with water. Measurements are made with a CCD-camera, placed in front of the straight part, recording side views of the dunes migrating downstream. From an initially prepared triangular heap a rapid relaxation to a steady-state solution is observed with constant mass, shape, and velocity. This attractor exhibits all characteristic features of barchan dunes found in nature, namely a gently inclined windward side, crest, brink, and steep lee face. In addition, if the dune consists of a bi-dense mixture of particles, the heavier particles accumulate at the top of migrating dunes whereas light particles are buried at its bottom. This insight into the sedimentology of dunes composed of different types of sand has, loosely speaking, the implication, that in a dune mixed of gold and sand, gold nuggets are likely to be found at the top of the dune, close to the surface at its crest.
Groh, Christopher; Rehberg, Ingo; Kruelle, Christof A.
How to estimate bidirectional wind conditions using isolated sand dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sand dunes are shaped by the effect of wind on sand particles. While sand dunes under unidirectional wind have been used for indicators of the dominant wind direction, it has been difficult to use sand dunes formed by more complex wind conditions (e.g. bidirectional wind regime)to estimate the wind conditions. We focused on isolated sand dunes as a candidate of the indicator of bidirectional wind conditions because continuous dunes (longitudinal dunes) could not show the directions and durations of two flows when the amounts of the sand transported in two wind directions were not even. We conducted flume experiments that generated periodically bidirectional and oblique flows, and found that dune topographies were controlled by two elements under these conditions. The most important factor was the angle between the two flow directions, which determined both the nature of change in the crest line following the change in flow direction and the resultant topography. The second factor was the event duration ratio of the two flows, which influenced the curvature of the crest line. We propose a new phase diagram of the morphological development of isolated dunes under bidirectional flow conditions driven by differences in flow angle and duration. Our phase diagram could distinquish flow conditions of all types of sand topographies, while the exiting diagram using RDP/DP could not. And our diagram have higher angular resolution than that using continuous dunes. Moreover, the estimation of bidirectional wind regime using our phase diagram agree with data from a natural dune field in the Western Sahara where the wind regime is well understood.
Taniguchi, K.; Endo, N.
Late Pleistocene dune activity in the central Great Plains, USA
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Stabilized dunes of the central Great Plains, especially the megabarchans and large barchanoid ridges of the Nebraska Sand Hills, provide dramatic evidence of late Quaternary environmental change. Episodic Holocene dune activity in this region is now well-documented, but Late Pleistocene dune mobility has remained poorly documented, despite early interpretations of the Sand Hills dunes as Pleistocene relicts. New optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) ages from drill cores and outcrops provide evidence of Late Pleistocene dune activity at sites distributed across the central Great Plains. In addition, Late Pleistocene eolian sands deposited at 20-25 ka are interbedded with loess south of the Sand Hills. Several of the large dunes sampled in the Sand Hills clearly contain a substantial core of Late Pleistocene sand; thus, they had developed by the Late Pleistocene and were fully mobile at that time, although substantial sand deposition and extensive longitudinal dune construction occurred during the Holocene. Many of the Late Pleistocene OSL ages fall between 17 and 14 ka, but it is likely that these ages represent only the later part of a longer period of dune construction and migration. At several sites, significant Late Pleistocene or Holocene large-dune migration also probably occurred after the time represented by the Pleistocene OSL ages. Sedimentary structures in Late Pleistocene eolian sand and the forms of large dunes potentially constructed in the Late Pleistocene both indicate sand transport dominated by northerly to westerly winds, consistent with Late Pleistocene loess transport directions. Numerical modeling of the climate of the Last Glacial Maximum has often yielded mean monthly surface winds southwest of the Laurentide Ice Sheet that are consistent with this geologic evidence, despite strengthened anticyclonic circulation over the ice sheet. Mobility of large dunes during the Late Pleistocene on the central Great Plains may have been the result of cold, short growing seasons with relatively low precipitation and low atmospheric CO 2 that increased plant moisture stress, limiting the ability of vegetation to stabilize active dune sand. The apparent coexistence of large mobile dunes with boreal forest taxa suggests a Late Pleistocene environment with few modern analogs.
Mason, J. A.; Swinehart, J. B.; Hanson, P. R.; Loope, D. B.; Goble, R. J.; Miao, X.; Schmeisser, R. L.
Susceptibility quantitative trait loci for pathogenic leucocytosis in SCG/Kj mice, a spontaneously occurring crescentic glomerulonephritis and vasculitis model.
The spontaneous crescentic glomerulonephritis-forming/Kinjoh (SCG/Kj) mouse, a model of human crescentic glomerulonephritis (CrGN) and systemic vasculitis, is characterized by the production of myeloperoxidase-specific anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody (MPO-ANCA) and marked leucocytosis. This study was performed to identify the specific populations of leucocytes associated with CrGN and susceptibility loci for pathogenic leucocytosis. Four hundred and twenty female (C57BL/6?�?SCG/Kj) F2 intercross mice were subjected to serial flow cytometry examination of the peripheral blood (PB). Kidney granulocytes and monocytes were examined histopathologically. Linkage analyses were performed with 109 polymorphic microsatellite markers. Correlation studies revealed that increase of the granulocytes, F4/80(+) cells, CD3(+) CD4(-) CD8(-) T cells and dendritic cells (DCs) in peripheral blood (PB) were associated significantly with glomerulonephritis, crescent formation and vasculitis. In kidney sections, F4/80(low) cells were observed in crescent, while F4/80(high) cells were around the Bowman's capsules and in the interstitium. Numbers of F4/80(+) cells in crescents correlated significantly with F4/80(+) cell numbers in PB, but not with numbers of F4/80(+) cells in the interstitium. Genome-wide quantitative trait locus (QTL) mapping revealed three SCG/Kj-derived non-Fas?QTLs for leucocytosis, two on chromosome 1 and one on chromosome 17. QTLs on chromosome 1 affected DCs, granulocytes and F4/80(+) cells, but QTL on chromosome 17 affected DCs and granulocytes. We found CrGN-associated leucocytes and susceptibility QTLs with their positional candidate genes. F4/80(+) cells in crescents are considered as recruited inflammatory macrophages. The results provide information for leucocytes to be targeted and genetic elements in CrGN and vasculitis. PMID:24654803
Hamano, Y; Abe, M; Matsuoka, S; Zhang, D; Kondo, Y; Kagami, Y; Ishigami, A; Maruyama, N; Tsuruta, Y; Yumura, W; Suzuki, K
Membrane Fission Is Promoted by Insertion of Amphipathic Helices and Is Restricted by Crescent BAR Domains
Summary Shallow hydrophobic insertions and crescent-shaped BAR scaffolds promote membrane curvature. Here, we investigate membrane fission by shallow hydrophobic insertions quantitatively and mechanistically. We provide evidence that membrane insertion of the ENTH domain of epsin leads to liposome vesiculation, and that epsin is required for clathrin-coated vesicle budding in cells. We also show that BAR-domain scaffolds from endophilin, amphiphysin, GRAF, and ?2-centaurin limit membrane fission driven by hydrophobic insertions. A quantitative assay for vesiculation reveals an antagonistic relationship between amphipathic helices and scaffolds of N-BAR domains in fission. The extent of vesiculation by these proteins and vesicle size depend on the number and length of amphipathic helices per BAR domain, in accord with theoretical considerations. This fission mechanism gives a new framework for understanding membrane scission in the absence of mechanoenzymes such as dynamin and suggests how Arf and Sar proteins work in vesicle scission.
Boucrot, Emmanuel; Pick, Adi; Camdere, Gamze; Liska, Nicole; Evergren, Emma; McMahon, Harvey T.; Kozlov, Michael M.
Wavelength multiplexing of 1.31-micron InGaAsP buried crescent laser arrays
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
A monolithic array of five noninteracting buried crescent lasers has been optically multiplexed using an external cavity with a grating as a dispersive element. The lasers have a center to center separation of 8 microns, and with an external cavity consisting of a 4-mm focal length lens and a 600-line/mm grating used in second order, the lasers emit at about 1.31 micron in essentially single longitudinal modes separated by 19.6 A. Single longitudinal mode operation has also been obtained using a cleaved coupled cavity (C3) laser array. In this case the dominant mode is determined by the coherent interference of the mode spectrum of the two subcavities.
van der Ziel, J. P.; Temkin, H.; Logan, R. A.
Flow Fields Over Unsteady Three Dimensional Dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The flow field over dunes has been extensively measured in laboratory conditions and there is general understanding on the nature of the flow over dunes formed under equilibrium flow conditions. However, fluvial systems typically experience unsteady flow and therefore the sediment-water interface is constantly responding and reorganizing to these unsteady flows, over a range of both spatial and temporal scales. This is primarily through adjustment of bed forms (including ripples, dunes and bar forms) which then subsequently alter the flow field. This paper investigates, through the application of a numerical model, the influence of these roughness elements on the overall flow and the increase in flow resistance. A series of experiments were undertaken in a flume, 16m long and 2m wide, where a fine sand (D50 of 239?m) mobile bed was water worked under a range of unsteady hydraulic conditions to generate a series of quasi-equilibrium three dimensional bed forms. During the experiments flow was measured with acoustic Doppler velocimeters, (aDv's). On four occasions the flume was drained and the bed topography measured with terrestrial LiDAR to create digital elevation models. This data provide the necessary boundary conditions and validation data for a Large Eddy Simulation (LES) model, which provided a three dimensional time dependent prediction of flow over the four static beds. The numerical predicted flow is analyzed through a series of approaches, and included: i) standard Reynolds decomposition to the flow fields; ii) Eulerian coherent structure detection methods based on the invariants of the velocity gradient tensor; iii) Lagrangian coherent structure identification methods based upon direct Lyapunov exponents (DLE). The results show that superimposed bed forms can cause changes in the nature of the classical separated flow region in particularly the number of locations where vortices are shed and the point of flow reattachment, which may be important for sediment entrainment and sediment transport dynamics during bed form adjustment. Finally, the flow predictions enable a reassessment of the drag caused by the superimposed bed forms generated by unsteady flow.
Hardy, R. J.; Reesink, A.; Parsons, D. R.; Ashworth, P. J.; Best, J.
Effects of sand fences on coastal dune vegetation distribution
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sand fences are important human adjustments modifying the morphology of developed shores. The effects of sand fences on sediment transport and deposition in their initial stages have been well studied, but little is known about the effect of deteriorated sand fences that have become partially buried low scale barriers within the dune, potentially benefiting vegetation growth by protecting it from onshore stress. Data on vegetation, topography and fence characteristics were gathered at three dune sites in Ocean City, New Jersey on September 2007 and March 2008 to evaluate the effect of fences within the dune on vegetation distribution. Variables include: distance landward of dune toe, degree of sheltering from onshore stressors, net change in surface elevation (deposition or erosion), vegetation diversity and density, presence of remnant fence, and distance landward of fence. Results for the studied environment reveal that 1) vegetation diversity or density does not increase near remnant fences because most remnants are lower than average vegetation height and can not provide shelter; but 2) vegetation distribution is related to topographic variables, such as degree of sheltering, that are most likely the result of sand accretion caused by fence deployment. Fence deployment that prioritizes the creation of topographically diverse dunes within a restricted space may increase the diversity and density of the vegetation, and the resilience and value of developed dunes. Managers should consider the benefits of using sand fences on appropriately wide beaches to create a protective dune that is also diverse, functional and better able to adapt to change.
Grafals-Soto, Rosana
Vegetation controls on the maximum size of coastal dunes.
Coastal dunes, in particular foredunes, support a resilient ecosystem and reduce coastal vulnerability to storms. In contrast to dry desert dunes, coastal dunes arise from interactions between biological and physical processes. Ecologists have traditionally addressed coastal ecosystems by assuming that they adapt to preexisting dune topography, whereas geomorphologists have studied the properties of foredunes primarily in connection to physical, not biological, factors. Here, we study foredune development using an ecomorphodynamic model that resolves the coevolution of topography and vegetation in response to both physical and ecological factors. We find that foredune growth is eventually limited by a negative feedback between wind flow and topography. As a consequence, steady-state foredunes are scale invariant, which allows us to derive scaling relations for maximum foredune height and formation time. These relations suggest that plant zonation (in particular for strand "dune-building" species) is the primary factor controlling the maximum size of foredunes and therefore the amount of sand stored in a coastal dune system. We also find that aeolian sand supply to the dunes determines the timescale of foredune formation. These results offer a potential explanation for the empirical relation between beach type and foredune size, in which large (small) foredunes are found on dissipative (reflective) beaches. Higher waves associated with dissipative beaches increase the disturbance of strand species, which shifts foredune formation landward and thus leads to larger foredunes. In this scenario, plants play a much more active role in modifying their habitat and altering coastal vulnerability than previously thought. PMID:24101481
Dur�n, Orencio; Moore, Laura J
Vegetation controls on the maximum size of coastal dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Coastal dunes, in particular foredunes, support a resilient ecosystem and reduce coastal vulnerability to storms. In contrast to dry desert dunes, coastal dunes arise from interactions between biological and physical processes. Ecologists have traditionally addressed coastal ecosystems by assuming that they adapt to preexisting dune topography, whereas geomorphologists have studied the properties of foredunes primarily in connection to physical, not biological, factors. Here, we study foredune development using an ecomorphodynamic model that resolves the co-evolution of topography and vegetation in response to both physical and ecological factors. We find that foredune growth is eventually limited by a negative feedback between wind flow and topography. As a consequence, steady state foredunes are scale invariant, which allows us to derive scaling relations for maximum foredune height and formation time. These relations suggest that plant zonation (in particular for strand `dune-building' species) is the primary factor controlling the maximum size of foredunes and therefore the amount of sand stored in a coastal dune system. We also find that aeolian sand supply to the dunes determines the time scale of foredune formation. These results offer a potential explanation for the empirical relation between beach type and foredune size, in which large (small) foredunes are found on dissipative (reflective) beaches: higher waves associated with dissipative beaches increase the disturbance of strand species which shifts foredune formation landwards and thus leads to larger foredunes.
Duran Vinent, Orencio; Moore, Laura J.
Deep crescentic features caused by subglacial boulder point pressure on jointed rock; an example from Virkisj�kull, SE Iceland
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
A variety of subglacially formed, erosional crescentic features (e.g. crescentic gouges, lunate fractures) have been widely reported on deglaciated bedrock surfaces. They are characterised by a conchoidal fracture that dips in the same direction as the palaeo-ice flow direction, and a steeper fracture that faces against the ice flow. They are generally interpreted as being formed by point pressure exerted by large boulders entrained in basal ice. They are significant in that they record palaeo-ice flow even if shallower glacial striae are obliterated by post-glacial weathering [1, 2, 3]. This contribution reports on deep scallop-shaped, crescentic depressions observed on abraded surfaces of roche moutonn�es and whalebacks recently (<10yrs) exposed beneath the actively retreating Virkisj�kull, an outlet glacier of the Oraefaj�kull ice cap in southeast Iceland. The substrate comprises hard rhyolitic rock (relatively rare in Iceland compared to more common basalt and hyaloclastite) with polygonal, columnar jointing. The crescentic depressions at Virkisj�kull are cut into smoothed, abraded surfaces festooned with abundant glacial striae. Differences with previously reported crescentic features are: � The scallop-shaped depressions are considerably deeper (5-20 cm); � The steep fracture facing ice flow coincides in all cases with a pre-existing joint that cuts the entire whaleback. The steep joints developed thus before the conchoidal fracture, whilst in reported crescentic features they develop after the conchoidal fracture. We suggest the following formation mechanism. A boulder encased in basal ice exerts continuous pressure on its contact point as it moves across the ice-bedrock contact. This sets up a stress field in the bedrock that does not necessarily exceed the intact rock strength (other crescentic features are rare to absent at Virkisj�kull). However, as the stress field migrates (with the transported boulder) and encounters a subvertical, pre-existing joint, stress concentrations build up that do exceed the intact rock strength, resulting in a new (conchoidal) fracture, 'spalling' off a thick, scallop-shaped fragment. The significance of the deep scallop-shaped crescentic depressions is that: � in common with other crescentic features they appear to be robust ice-flow indicators and indicate that former basal ice was rich in coarse, cobble/boulder-sized debris; � they are deeper and represent more significant erosion than previously reported crescentic features; during continuous subglacial erosion they thus (re)introduce a significant roughness on smoothed abraded surfaces, resulting in faster subglacial erosion; � assuming our proposed formation mechanism is correct, they could develop at lower stress (?thinner ice, [3]) than other crescentic features, as they utilise pre-existing weaknesses in the rock. The observations were made as part of the British Geological Survey's Virkisj�kull Observatory Project. [1] Gilbert, GK, 1906. Bull. Geo. Soc. Am, v. 17, 303-313. [2] Harris, SE, 1943. J. Geology, v. 51, 244-258. [3] Wintges, T. 1985. J. Glaciology, v. 31, 340-349.
Krabbendam, M.; Bradwell, T.; Everest, J.
Slow Progress in Dune (Right Rear Wheel)
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)The right rear wheel of NASA's Mars Exploration Rover Opportunity makes slow but steady progress through soft dune material in this movie clip of frames taken by the rover's rear hazard identification camera over a period of several days. The wheel is largely hidden by a cable bundle. The sequence starts on Opportunity's 460th martian day, or sol (May 10, 2005) and ends 11 days later. In eight drives during that period, Opportunity advanced a total of 26 centimeters (10 inches) while spinning its wheels enough to have driven 46 meters (151 feet) if there were no slippage. The motion appears to speed up near the end of the clip, but that is an artifact of individual frames being taken less frequently.
RANTES and Monocyte Chemoattractant Protein-1 (MCP-1) Play an Important Role in the Inflammatory Phase of Crescentic Nephritis, but Only MCP-1 Is Involved in Crescent Formation and Interstitial Fibrosis
The involvement of chemokines in inflammation is well established, but their functional role in disease progression, and particularly in the development of fibrosis, is not yet understood. To investigate the functional role that the chemokines monocyte chemoattractant protein�1 (MCP-1) and RANTES play in inflammation and the progression to fibrosis during crescentic nephritis we have developed and characterized a murine model for this syndrome. Significant increases in T-lymphocytes and macrophages were observed within glomeruli and interstitium, paralleled by an induction of mRNA expression of MCP-1 and RANTES, early after disease initiation. Blocking the function of MCP-1 or RANTES resulted in significant decreases in proteinuria as well as in numbers of infiltrating leukocytes, indicating that both MCP-1 and RANTES (regulated upon activation in normal T cells expressed and secreted) play an important role in the inflammatory phase of crescentic nephritis. In addition, neutralization of MCP-1 resulted in a dramatic decrease in both glomerular crescent formation and deposition of type I collagen. These results highlight a novel role for MCP-1 in crescent formation and development of interstitial fibrosis, and indicate that in addition to recruiting inflammatory cells this chemokine is critically involved in irreversible tissue damage.
Lloyd, Clare M.; Minto, Andrew W.; Dorf, Martin E.; Proudfoot, Amanda; Wells, Timothy N.C.; Salant, David J.; Gutierrez-Ramos, Jose-Carlos
Quantitative Analysis of the Long and Short-arm Crescentic Shelf Bunionectomy Osteotomies in Fresh Cadaveric Matched Pair Specimens
Two variations of crescentic shelf osteotomies have been described for the treatment of moderate to severe hallux abductovalgus: a short arm and a long arm. This study tested the hypothesis that the short-arm osteotomy will have a greater moment to failure and angular stiffness than the long arm. Eighteen first metatarsal specimens were dissected from 9 matched pairs of fresh
Sean P. Gocke; Francis J. Rottier; Robert M. Havey; Susan M. Renner; Avinash G. Patwardhan; Gerard Carandang
Ideal Microhabitats on Mars: The Astrobiological Potential of Polar Dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Astrobiological potential of polar Dark Dunes: they may hold less oxidants, trap water-ice, mm layer of them shields UV radiation, allows light income for photosynthesis. Water uptake in nighttime, temperature in daytime is favorable for metabolism.
G�nti, T.; P�cs, T.; B�rczi, Sz.; Horv�th, A.; Kereszturi, A.; Sik, A.; Szathm�ry, E.
Plant regeneration from embryogenic suspension cultures of dune reed
Embryogenic callus, derived from mature seeds of dune reed (Phragmites communisTrinius) was used to establish suspension culture. Green shoot-forming type and albino shoot-forming type embryogenic callus of dune reed were selected carefully by the difference of shape and color of callus growing under light and mechanically dispersed before suspending in liquid MS medium supplemented with 1.0 mg l-12,4-D. They were
W. Wang; S. X. Cui; C. L. Zhang
Rip currents, mega-cusps, and eroding dunes
Dune erosion is shown to occur at the embayment of beach mega-cusps O(200??m alongshore) that are associated with rip currents. The beach is the narrowest at the embayment of the mega-cusps allowing the swash of large storm waves coincident with high tides to reach the toe of the dune, to undercut the dune and to cause dune erosion. Field measurements of dune, beach, and rip current morphology are acquired along an 18??km shoreline in southern Monterey Bay, California. This section of the bay consists of a sandy shoreline backed by extensive dunes, rising to heights exceeding 40??m. There is a large increase in wave height going from small wave heights in the shadow of a headland, to the center of the bay where convergence of waves owing to refraction over the Monterey Bay submarine canyon results in larger wave heights. The large alongshore gradient in wave height results in a concomitant alongshore gradient in morphodynamic scale. The strongly refracted waves and narrow bay aperture result in near normal wave incidence, resulting in well-developed, persistent rip currents along the entire shoreline. The alongshore variations of the cuspate shoreline are found significantly correlated with the alongshore variations in rip spacing at 95% confidence. The alongshore variations of the volume of dune erosion are found significantly correlated with alongshore variations of the cuspate shoreline at 95% confidence. Therefore, it is concluded the mega-cusps are associated with rip currents and that the location of dune erosion is associated with the embayment of the mega-cusp. ?? 2007 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.
Thornton, E. B.; MacMahan, J.; Sallenger, Jr. , A. H.
Habitat change in a perched dune system along Lake Superior
Episodes of habitat change, driven by changes in levels of the Great Lakes, must be considered when assessing human effects upon coastal vegetation and rare species. Paleoecological studies, baseline inventories, and long-term monitoring programs within the Grand Sable Dunes, a perched-dune system along Lake Superior, provide a window on vegetation change at different spatial and temporal scales and also provide an illustrative case study.
Loope, Walter L.; McEachern, A. Kathryn
Documentation of Recent Surface Winds on Martian Sand Dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Images from the High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) are of sufficient resolution to record wind ripple patterns on the surfaces of sand dunes present across the surface of Mars. We are in the early stages of an investigation to map the ripple orientations preserved on Martian sand dunes, in order to evaluate the recent wind flow over the dunes, and compare that wind flow pattern to the winds documented over terrestrial sand dunes. HiRISE image ESP_025645_1455 covers a sand dune field on the floor of a 20-km-diameter unnamed impact crater in the Terra Cimmeria region of the southern highlands, east of the Hellas impact basin. This image is centered at 34.23 S latitude, 138.437 E longitude with 25 cm/pixel resolution, and was taken on Jan 25 of 2012 during northern spring (Ls = 57.4). Using ArcGIS, lines were drawn across three ripples perpendicular to the ripple crests, avoiding places where complex ripple patterns suggest more than one recent wind direction. The length of the lines provides a measure of ripple wavelength, and the line orientation gives azimuth (with a 180 degree absolute ambiguity). The barchan-like shape of some dunes, including occasional slip faces, suggest sand driving winds were from the southwest, although dune asymmetries indicate the wind regime likely was much more complex than a unimodal wind. Measurements of ripple orientations are being collected from dune locations across the planet, which should provide new constraints for the modeling of recent Martian winds. This work was supported by NASA MDAP grant NNX12AJ38G.
Zimbelman, J. R.; Johnson, M. B.
Pathomimie de l'enfant: ? propos d'une observation
La pathomimie cutan�e se d�finit comme une maladie factice, provoqu�e dans un etat de conscience claire par le patient lui-m�me, au niveau du rev�tement cutan�o-muqueux et/ou des phan�res. Rare chez l'enfant, il s'agit d'une manifestation psychopathologique potentiellement grave et souvent difficile � prendre en charge. Nous rapportons le cas d'une fillette de 10 ans pr�sentant une pathomimie sous forme de l�sions excori�es multiples du visage.
Abilkassem, Rachid; Dini, Nezha; Ourai, Hakim; Kmari, Mohamed; Agadr, Aomar
Internal Structure of a Star Dune Imaged Using Ground-Penetrating Radar
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The Coral Pink Sand Dunes, located in far southwestern Kane County,Utah, is the site of an onging investigation into factors influencing dune field development. This elongate dune field (11 km by ~1.2 km) includes bedforms ranging along a continuum from stabilized sand sheets and vegetated parabolic dune forms to fully active transverse dunes and barchanoid ridges. This paper presents the results of our ground-penetrating radar (GPR) reconnaissance transects across a small star dune in the south central (active) portion of the dune field. GPR data (100 MHz, 1.0-meter offset, 0.5-meter step) were collected from four transects bracketing the star dune and provide radar imagery of the sedimentary structure of four arms of the dune and underlying bedrock. Processing of the GPR data consisted of a few steps, including dewowing and bandpass filtering, migration, and topographic correction. Results from data migration were mixed but overall did not appear to improve the imagery. Interpretations are made primarily from the unmigrated data cross-checked against the migrated dataset. Depth to bedrock ranges from 0 meters in the surrounding interdune serirs to 25 meters under the star dune crest. The shallow nature of the dune sands and a lack of major cross-stratification revealed in the cross sections suggest these dunes are still accumulating sand and respond quickly to changes in wind direction. The orientation of the foresets in the peak and main transverse dune arm imply the dune is presently responding to a southwesterly windflow. Southeasterward dipping foresets in three smaller (minor) arms longitudinal to the transverse dune possibly reflect modification of windflow around the main dune body. Comparison of aerial photography of the area from 1955 and 1960 with that of 1997 indicate the star dune formed through capture of another, smaller dune that merged from the southwest. The SE dipping foresets in the minor arms appear to reflect this capture, and so preserve both dune movement as well as windflow modification.
Wilkins, D. E.; Ford, R. L.; Clement, W. P.
Simulation model of erosion and deposition on a barchan dune
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Erosion and deposition over a barchan dune near the Salton Sea, California, are modeled by bookkeeping the quantity of sand in saltation following streamlines of transport. Field observations of near surface wind velocity and direction plus supplemental measurements of the velocity distribution over a scale model of the dune are combined as input to Bagnold type sand transport formulas corrected for slope effects. A unidirectional wind is assumed. The resulting patterns of erosion and deposition compare closely with those observed in the field and those predicted by the assumption of equilibrium (downwind translation of the dune without change in size or geometry). Discrepancies between the simulated results and the observed or predicted erosional patterns appear to be largely due to natural fluctuations in the wind direction. The shape of barchan dunes is a function of grain size, velocity, degree of saturation of the oncoming flow, and the variability in the direction of the oncoming wind. The size of the barchans may be controlled by natural atmospheric scales, by the age of the dunes, or by the upwind roughness. The upwind roughness can be controlled by fixed elements or by sand in the saltation. In the latter case, dune scale is determined by grain size and wind velocity.
Howard, A. D.; Morton, J. B.; Gal-El-hak, M.; Pierce, D. B.
Myeloperoxidase-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody-associated crescentic glomerulonephritis in autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease
Background Autosomal dominant polycystic kidney disease (ADPKD) is an inherited disorder that is characterized by the development of cysts in the kidneys and other organs. Urinary protein excretion is usually less than 1�g/day, and ADPKD is rarely associated with nephrotic syndrome or rapidly progressive glomerulonephritis (RPGN). To date, myeloperoxidase (MPO)-antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA)-associated crescentic glomerulonephritis (CrGN) has not been reported in a patient with ADPKD. Case presentations We report two cases of MPO-ANCA positive ADPKD. A 60-year-old Japanese woman (case 1) and a 54-year-old Japanese woman (case 2) presented with RPGN featuring severe proteinuria and microscopic hematuria. In both patients percutaneous needle biopsy of the kidney revealed MPO-ANCA-associated CrGN with a paucity of glomerular immunoglobulin staining. Each patient received intravenous methylprednisolone for 3�days, followed by oral prednisolone. Case 1 showed gradual improvement and has not progressed to end-stage renal disease (ESRD), but case 2 developed ESRD requiring hemodialysis within one month despite treatment. Conclusion These are the first two reported cases of MPO-ANCA-associated CrGN in patients with ADPKD. Our experience suggests that serial measurement of the ANCA titer and renal biopsy should be considered for accurate diagnosis and appropriate treatment of ADPKD patients who present with proteinuria, hematuria, and rapid decline of renal function.
Rhino-orbitocerebral mucormycosis in a patient with idiopathic crescentic glomerulonephritis.
Mucormycosis, caused by mucorales, is an acute, rapidly progressive infection associated with high mortality. Rhino-orbitocerebral infection is the most common variant and is generally seen in association with immune deficiency syndromes. Prompt medical treatment of this infection and debridement decreases the mortality rate. We describe a 47-year-old man with crescentic glomerulonephritis on maintenance prednisolone therapy. He had earlier received steroid and cyclophosphamide pulse therapies. Renal functions improved following immunosuppressive treatment. In the third month of maintenance therapy, he presented to us with left-sided facial swelling and bloody nasal discharge. He had high blood sugar and acidic blood pH (ketoacidosis), probably due to steroid therapy. Magnetic resonance imaging of the head and sinuses showed inflammation and mass in the ethmoid sinus and nose with partial septal destruction, proptosis, global destruction of the left eye, brain infarction and carotid artery obliteration. Endoscopic biopsy of the sinuses revealed severe tissue necrosis. Samples of nasal discharge and biopsy tissue showed aseptate hyphae on light microscopy and culture, compatible with Rhizopus. The patient was treated with amphotericin B and multiple wound debridements along with ethmoidectomy and enucleation of the left eye. He was discharged in good general condition but with mild right hemiparesis. On follow-up examination at one year, there were no signs of fungal infection or renal dysfunction. PMID:23816728
Sanavi, Suzan; Afshar, Reza; Afshin-Majd, Siamak
Large Eddy Simulation of Flow and Sediment Transport over Dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Understanding the nature of flow over bedforms has a great importance in fluvial and coastal environments. For example, a bedform is one source of energy dissipation in water waves outside the surf zone in coastal environments. In rivers, the migration of dunes often affects the stability of the river bed and banks. In general, when a fluid flows over a sediment bed, the sediment transport generated by the interaction of the flow field with the bed results in the periodic deformation of the bed in the form of dunes. Dunes generally reach an equilibrium shape, and slowly propagate in the direction of the flow, as sand is lifted in the high shear regions, and redeposited in the separated flow areas. Different numerical approaches have been used in the past to study the flow and sediment transport over bedforms. In most research works, Reynolds Averaged Navier Stokes (RANS) equations are employed to study fluid motions over ripples and dunes. However, evidences suggests that these models can not represent key turbulent quantities in unsteady boundary layers. The use of Large Eddy Simulation (LES) can resolve a much larger range of smaller scales than RANS. Moreover, unsteady simulations using LES give vital turbulent quantities which can help to study fluid motion and sediment transport over dunes. For this steady, we use a three-dimensional, non-hydrostatic model, OpenFOAM. It is a freely available tool which has different solvers to simulate specific problems in engineering and fluid mechanics. Our objective is to examine the flow and sediment transport from numerical stand point for bed geometries that are typical of fixed dunes. At the first step, we performed Large Eddy Simulation of the flow over dune geometries based on the experimental data of Nelson et al. (1993). The instantaneous flow field is investigated with special emphasis on the occurrence of coherent structures. To assess the effect of bed geometries on near bed turbulence, we considered different dune geometries based on dune height and wave length. We will also examine the role of near bed turbulence on sediment transport over dunes. For validation, profiles of velocities, turbulent intensities, and sediment transport calculated by the numerical model will be compared with available experimental measurements.
Agegnehu, G.; Smith, H. D.
Reply to ``Comment on `Minimal size of a barchan dune' ''
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
We reply to the preceding comment by Andreotti and Claudin [Phys. Rev. E 76, 063301 (2007)] on our paper [Phys. Rev. E 75, 011301 (2007)]. We show that the equations of the dune model used in our calculations are self-consistent and effectively lead to a dependence of the minimal dune size on the wind speed through the saturation length. Furthermore, we show that Meridiani Planum ripples are probably not a good reference to estimate the grain size of Martian dune sands: the soil in the ripple troughs at the landing site is covered with nonerodible elements (�blueberries�), which increase the minimal threshold for saltation by a factor of 2.0. We conclude that, in the absence of large fragments as the ones found at the landing site, basaltic grains of diameter d=500�100?m that compose the large, typical dark Martian dunes [K. S. Edgett and P. R. Christensen, J. Geophys. Res. 96, 22765 (1991)] probably saltate during the strongest storms on Mars. We also show that the wind friction speed u??3.0m/s that we found from the calculations of Martian dunes is within the values of maximum wind speeds that occur during Martian storms a few times a decade [R. E. Arvidson , Science 222, 463 (1983); H. J. Moore, J. Geophys. Res. 90, 163 (1985); R. Sullivan , Nature (London) 436, 58 (2005); D. J. Jerolmack , J. Geophys. Res. 111, E12S02 (2006)]. In this manner, the dune model predicts that Martian dunes can be formed under present Martian conditions, with no need to assume other conditions of wind and atmosphere that could have prevailed in the past.
Parteli, E. J. R.; Dur�n, O.; Herrmann, H. J.
Is Titan's dune orientation controlled by tropical methane storms?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Titan's equatorial regions are covered by eastward oriented linear dunes. This direction is opposite to mean surface winds simulated by Global Climate Models (GCMs) at these latitudes, oriented westward as trade winds on Earth [1, 2]. Here, we propose that Titan's dune orientation is actually determined by equinoctial tropical methane storms. Using meso-scale simulations of convective methane clouds [3, 4] with a GCM wind profile featuring the super-rotation [5, 6], we show that Titan's storms should produce fast eastward gust fronts above the surface (see Figure 1). Such gusts dominate the aeolian transport. Using GCM wind roses and analogies with terrestrial dune fields as the Rub' al-Khali desert, we show that under these conditions Titan's dune growth occurs eastward (see Figure 2). Moreover, we explain other features of Titan's dunes (i.e. divergence from the equator, size and spacing). This analysis therefore reveals an unexpected coupling between super-rotation, tropical storms and dune formation on Titan, and has implications for the understanding of terrestrial dunes. References: [1] Lorenz et al. (2006) Science [2] Lorenz & Radebaugh (2009) Geophysical Research Letter [3] Barth & Rafkin (2007) Geophysical Research Letter [4] Barth & Rafkin (2010) Icarus [5] Charnay & Lebonnois (2012) Nature Geoscience [6] Lebonnois et al. (2012) Icarus Development of a methane storm with formation of a gust front. Colorbar corresponds to the mixing ratio of condensed methane (in g/kg) Resultant drift direction obtained by combining the GCM sand flux roses with the impact of one gust front every equinox at any location.
Charnay, B.; Barth, E. L.; Rafkin, S. C.; Narteau, C.; Lebonnois, S.; Rodriguez, S.
Differing Abundances of Gypsum in the Primary and Secondary Dunes of the Martian Dune Field Olympia Undae
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
We report on a compositional study in Olympia Undae, located around the polar cap of Mars. Gypsum has been detected throughout the sand sea but with a decline in abundance westward (Langevin et al., 2005). Dune crests are the regions of highest apparent gypsum concentration in CRISM images. Olympia Undae consists of primary dunes formed transverse to circumpolar easterly winds and secondary dunes which lie almost orthogonal to the primary dunes (Ewing et al. 2010). METHODS: We examined a number of CRISM and HiRISE images across the dune field. We focused our preliminary study on FRT0000C31A and FRT0000C2FC, which exhibited the best spectral signatures. Gypsum was identified in CRISM images by its unique 1.45/1.49/1.54 ?m triplet, ~1.94-1.95 ?m band, 2.22/2.27 ?m doublet and 2.49 ?m band with a 2.42 ?m shoulder. Spectra were acquired from regions of interest (ROIs) created along the crests of primary dunes and the low-relief crests of the secondary dunes (Fig. 1). FINDINGS: CRISM spectra of primary and secondary dune crest ROIs from FRT0000C2FC are compared with a gypsum-rich unit in FRT0000CA5C (Fig. 2). The I/F of gypsum-bearing regions is much darker than pure gypsum indicating a mixture composition containing darker components. The depth of the ~1.95 ?m hydration band is ~20-30% stronger for primary dune crests relative to the secondaries, which suggests a similar relationship among the gypsum abundance of these features, assuming similar components and grain sizes. Semi-quantitative analyses are underway to measure this in more detail. Continuing studies are planned with additional images as well. Figure 1 A map-projected view of CRISM image FRT0000C2FC with ROI locations for the primary (P) and secondary (S) dune crests marked. Figure 2 CRISM I/F spectra of gypsum-bearing units in Olympia Undae compared with laboratory reflectance spectra of minerals.
Szumila, I. T.; Bishop, J. L.; Fenton, L. K.; Brown, A. J.
Successful transplantation of a donor kidney with diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis and crescents--a case report.
Pre-existing diffuse proliferative glomerulonephritis (DPGN) in a potential deceased kidney donor has been considered a contraindication for transplantation. We report a case of a patient who underwent a successful deceased donor renal transplantation from a donor with history of systemic lupus erythematosus (SLE) whose baseline biopsy revealed DPGN. Although the histology was relatively benign in the procurement kidney biopsy done by frozen section, the final light microscopy available after transplantation showed diffuse proliferative lupus nephritis, WHO class IV, with 44% crescents. The post-transplant course was complicated by delayed allograft function requiring haemodialysis for the first week. A repeat biopsy performed after 4 months of transplant showed resolution of the proliferative lesions in the glomeruli with disappearance of the crescents. At 5.5 years of follow-up, the patient's creatinine has been stable at 2.0 mg/dL (176.8 ?mol/L), but he has persistent proteinuria. PMID:20817673
Magoon, Sandeep; Zhou, Eric; Pullman, James; Greenstein, Stuart M; Glicklich, Daniel G
Broadband colored-crescent generation in a single {beta}-barium-borate crystal by intense femtosecond pulses
A visible colored crescent with a bandwidth broader than 220 nm is observed experimentally by loosely focused femtosecond pulses in a bulk quadratic nonlinear crystal ({beta}-BBO crystal) at certain incident angles. Through the analysis based on a simple collinear phase-matching model, we suggest that the colored crescent might be the coexistence of spontaneous parametric down-conversions (SPDCs) in the infrared range and the corresponding efficient second-order harmonic generations (SHGs) that occur in a wide spectrum. We further provide a possible mechanism for the SHG process in which the phase-mismatching angles of the frequency doubling of SPDCs in {beta}-BBO crystal are assumed to be compensated by the strong diffraction effect during the self-focusing process of the generated intense SPDC signals.
Wang, L.; Fan, Y. X.; Zhu, H.; Yan, Z. D.; Zhu, S. N.; Wang, Z. L. [Department of Physics and National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, 210093 Nanjing (China); Zeng, H. [State Key Laboratory of Precision Spectroscopy, East China Normal University, 200062 Shanghai (China); Wang, H.-T. [Department of Physics and National Laboratory of Solid State Microstructures, Nanjing University, 210093 Nanjing (China); School of Physics, Nankai University, 300071 Tianjin (China)
Co-clustering of Golgi complex and other cytoplasmic organelles to crescentic region of half-moon nuclei during apoptosis
Early apoptosis is defined by stereotypic morphological changes, especially evident in the nucleus, where chromatin condenses and compacts, and assumes a globular, half-moon or crescent-shaped morphology. Accumulating evidence suggests that cytoplasmic organelles such as mitochondria and the Golgi complex are major sites of integration of pro-apoptotic signaling. In this study, cytoplasmic organelles including Golgi complex, mitochondria, endosomes, lysosomes, and peroxisomes were shown to condense at the same unique region adjacent to the crescentic nucleus during a relatively early stage of apoptosis induced by staurosporine or other agents. The co-clustering phenomenon may be caused by shrinkage of cytoplasm during apoptosis although cytoskeletal markers actin and tubulin were not condensed and appeared excluded. These data suggest the co-clustering of cytoplasmic organelles plays an interesting role during the progression of the apoptotic process. It is possible that modification of pro-apoptotic proteins may arise as a result of the interplay of these cytoplasmic organelles.
Nozawa, Kazuhisa; Fritzler, Marvin J.; Takasaki, Yoshinari; Wood, Malcolm R; Chan, Edward KL
Pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis associated with ANCA of IgA class.
Pauci-immune renal vasculitis is associated strongly with antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibodies (ANCAs) of the immunoglobulin G (IgG) class, which are detected in 80% to 90% of affected patients. IgA ANCAs have been reported in association with various conditions, but never in the setting of pauci-immune vasculitis. A 28-year-old man with unexplained polyclonal hyper-IgA1 diagnosed in childhood presented with decreased kidney function, nephrotic syndrome, and microscopic hematuria. Kidney biopsy showed pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis. Serum test results were negative for IgG ANCA by means of both indirect immunofluorescence and enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay techniques. Conversely, indirect immunofluorescence performed using anti-IgA antibody was strongly positive with a cytoplasmic ANCA pattern, and an enzyme-linked immunosorbent assay test had positive results for both antimyeloperoxidase and anti-proteinase 3 IgA. IgA ANCAs were not detected in 2 control serum samples from 1 patient with polyclonal hyper-IgA and 1 patient with monoclonal hyper-IgA. The patient received corticosteroids and 4 weekly perfusions of rituximab (375 mg/m2). After a 6-month follow-up, decreased kidney function and nephrotic syndrome persisted and IgA ANCA titers were unchanged. However, a control kidney biopsy showed a decrease in vasculitis activity. This first case of pauci-immune vasculitis associated with ANCA of the IgA class suggests the potential pathogenetic role of these peculiar antibodies. Additional studies are needed to determine whether IgA ANCAs, which are not routinely screened for, can be detected in patients with pauci-immune vasculitis either alone or in association with IgG ANCA. PMID:19084310
Boll�e, Guillaume; No�l, Laure-H�l�ne; Suarez, Felipe; Royal, Virginie; Gilardin, Laurent; de Serre, Natacha Patey-Mariaud; El-Ghoul, Balsam; Lesavre, Philippe; Alyanakian, Marie-Alexandra; Fakhouri, Fadi
Role of Novel Rat-specific Fc Receptor in Macrophage Activation Associated with Crescentic Glomerulonephritis*
Crescentic glomerulonephritis (Crgn) is a complex disease where the initial insult is often the glomerular deposition of antibodies against intrinsic or deposited antigens in the glomerulus. The role of Fc receptors in the induction and progression of Crgn is increasingly recognized, and our previous studies have shown that copy number variation in Fcgr3 partially explains the genetic susceptibility of the Wistar-Kyoto (WKY) rat to nephrotoxic nephritis, a rat model of Crgn. The Fcgr3-related sequence (Fcgr3-rs) is a novel rat-specific Fc receptor with a cytoplasmic domain 6 amino acids longer than its paralogue, Fcgr3. The Fcgr3-rs gene is deleted from the WKY rat genome, and this deletion is associated with enhanced macrophage activity in this strain. Here, we investigated the mechanism by which the deletion of Fcgr3-rs in the WKY strain leads to increased macrophage activation. By lentivirus-mediated gene delivery, we generated stably transduced U937 cells expressing either Fcgr3-rs or Fcgr3. In these cells, which lack endogenous Fcgr3 receptors, we show that Fcgr3-rs interacts with the common Fc-? chain but that Fc receptor-mediated phagocytosis and signaling are defective. Furthermore, in primary macrophages, expression of Fcgr3-rs inhibits Fc receptor-mediated functions, because WKY bone marrow-derived macrophages transduced with Fcgr3-rs had significantly reduced phagocytic activity. This inhibitory effect on phagocytosis was mediated by the novel cytoplasmic domain of Fcgr3-rs. These results suggest that Fcgr3-rs may act to inhibit Fcgr3-mediated signaling and phagocytosis and could be considered as a novel mechanism in the modulation of Fc receptor-mediated cell activation in autoimmune diseases.
Page, Theresa H.; D'Souza, Zelpha; Nakanishi, Satoshi; Serikawa, Tadao; Pusey, Charles D.; Aitman, Timothy J.; Cook, H. Terence; Behmoaras, Jacques
The Mediterranean Coastal Dunes in Egypt: An Endangered Landscape
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The Mediterranean coast in Egypt extends almost 900 km, the major part of which is bordered by sand dunes of different natures and types. Along the coastline between Alexandria and El-Alamein, a distance of some 100 km, the sand dunes represent a particular landscape with special characteristics and features, and consequently plants with particular attributes. In this area, the belt of sand dunes has developed immediately south of the shore and these dunes may rise up to 10 m in height and extend about 0�5-1�5 km inland from the shore. These dunes are famous as a habitat for the fig (Ficus carica L.) cultivation depending on the irregular rainfall. They also represent a landing station and a cross-road for birds such as quail migrating from Europe in the north. In the past, summer resort areas were confined to limited areas with few people, these same areas support the growth of some important plant species, for example, sand binders, medicinal and range plants. For more than two decades, there has been considerable socio-economic change and an open-door policy in the economy of the country has been adopted. One of the consequences of this change is that a great part of the coastal dune belt west of Alexandria till El-Alamein, has been subjected to destruction, due to the continuous construction of summer resort villages. These were built at a distance of about 100 m of the shoreline, extending 400-600 m inland and a breadth of 400 m or more along the shoreline. The area already covered by the dunes is now almost occupied by new buildings, gardens and other infrastructure. The consequences of these human activities are numerous and include impacts on the soil, water resources, the flora and the fauna, migrating birds, trends of the indigenous people, and the cultural environment. The present paper gives a concise environmental setting of the dune belt before the advent of the new activities, and the socio-economic and political attitudes which threaten the dunes. The ecological consequences of the recent human activities and recommendations are presented.
Batanouny, K. H.
Autosomal dominant peripheral cystic retinal patches and non-cystic retinal tufts associated with peripapillary crescents, retinal breaks and uveitis
Purpose: To characterise an Irish kindred with apparent autosomal dominant peripheral retinal lesions and peripapillary crescents associated with retinal breaks and uveitis and assess whether these findings were associated with altered homocysteine metabolism. Methods: Family members were followed prospectively and regularly examined. Molecular genetic analysis was performed on family members to detect cystathionine #-synthase (CBS) 307G-S and 5,10-methylenetetrahydrofolate (MTHFR) 677C-T
Mark Cahill; Paula Gallagher; Alexander Whitehead; Robert Acheson
Treatment with an Antibody to VLA-1 Integrin Reduces Glomerular and Tubulointerstitial Scarring in a Rat Model of Crescentic Glomerulonephritis
The ?1?1 integrin (VLA-1) is a major collagen/laminin receptor that regulates fibroblast proliferation and mesangial cell migration and cell contraction. We have examined the effect of an antibody to VLA-1 in crescentic glomerulonephritis. Nephrotoxic nephritis was induced in Wistar-Kyoto rats and rats were given monoclonal antibody to VLA-1 (Ha31/8), 2.5 mg/kg, on alternate days. Antibodies were given from day ?1 to day 10 or from day 14 to day 28. Treatment from day ?1 to day 10, during the early inflammatory phase of nephrotoxic nephritis, had no effect on albuminuria or glomerular crescent formation. In the delayed treatment experiment, all rats developed florid crescentic glomerulonephritis, and control rats showed marked glomerular and tubulointerstitial scarring at day 32. VLA-1 expression, by immunohistochemistry, was increased in glomeruli and around tubules. Proteinuria did not differ between groups. In anti-VLA-1-treated rats, serum creatinine was significantly lower at day 32 (P = 0.002) and renal survival was significantly better (P = 0.045). Both glomerular and interstitial scarring were significantly less at day 32 in rats given anti-VLA-1 (P = 0.002). Deposition of ED(A) fibronectin, a marker of new matrix synthesis, and of type IV collagen, were reduced in glomeruli and interstitium in anti-VLA-1-treated animals (P = 0.0006). Expression of ?-smooth muscle actin, a marker of myofibroblasts, showed no significant difference. Expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9 was increased in the glomeruli of rats treated with anti-VLA-1. We conclude that VLA-1 mediates both glomerular and interstitial fibrosis in crescentic glomerulonephritis and that neutralization of VLA-1, which enhanced expression of matrix metalloproteinase-9, is a possible therapeutic strategy in progressive renal scarring.
Cook, H. Terence; Khan, Sarah B.; Allen, Andrew; Bhangal, Gurjeet; Smith, Jennifer; Lobb, Roy R.; Pusey, Charles D.
Dune field reactivation from blowouts: Sevier Desert, UT, USA
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dune field reactivation (a shift from vegetated to unvegetated state) has important economic, social, and environmental implications. In some settings reactivation is desired to preserve environmental values, but in arid regions reactivation is typically a form of land degradation. Little is known about reactivation due to a lack of published records, making modeling and prediction difficult. Here we detail dune reactivations from blowout expansion in the Sevier Desert, Utah, USA. We use historical aerial photographs and satellite imagery to track the transition from stable, vegetated dunes to actively migrating sediment in 3 locations. We outline a reactivation sequence: (i) disturbance breaches vegetation and exposes sediment, then (ii) creates a blowout with a deposition apron that (iii) advances downwind with a slipface or as a sand sheet. Most deposition aprons are not colonized by vegetation and are actively migrating. To explore causes we examine local sand flux, climate data, and stream flow. Based on available data the best explanation we can provide is that some combination of anthropogenic disturbance and climate may be responsible for the reactivations. Together, these examples provide a rare glimpse of dune field reactivation from blowouts, revealing the timescales, behaviour, and morphodynamics of devegetating dune fields.
Barchyn, Thomas E.; Hugenholtz, Chris H.
Near surface airflow modelling over dunes in Proctor Crater, Mars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Multiple dune forms inside Martian craters is evident on much of the recent Hi-Rise imagery available. Typically, multiple length scales are present with progressively smaller bedform features superimposed on larger dunes. This has produced complex but regular topographical aeolian-driven patterns. Understanding the airflow conditions over and around these features will help in our understanding of the formational patterns and orientation of the aeolian bedforms relative to localised wind flow forcing. Here we use computational fluid dynamics modelling and present preliminary findings within Mars' Proctor Crater over a dune area measuring 4.5km x 5.0km running with a computational cell resolution of 5m x 5m. A range of wind speed and directions are investigated and results are compared to bedform orientation, length scale and migration of ripples evident from recent HiRise imagery. Results reveal a distinctive relationship between steered airflow and localised bedform orientation, mapping orthogonally onto the crestal ridges present. This work has important implications for evolutionary reconstruction of aeolian dunes within craters on Mars and helps lend further support to studies examining recent activity of Martian dune migration.
Jackson, Derek; Bourke, Mary; Smyth, Thomas
A constitutive relationship between mean and local eolian dune migration
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
How can eolian dune fields achieve alignment to a wind regime if every sediment transporting wind event displaces curved bedform crests unequally? Gross bedform-normal transport and alignment is a kinematic model that describes how bedforms are oriented and migrate in response to a dominant and subordinate sediment-transport vector. The local bedform normal model describes how eolian dune crests deform non-uniformly in response to a singular sediment-transporting wind event. Bedform crest alignment to sediment transporting wind events is the conceptual underpinning that predicts what fraction of the sediment flux goes into bedform migration in both models. By embracing this geometric commonality we reconcile the two models. The new kinematic model yields a constitutive relationship between mean and local dune crest orientation and kinematics for a statistically steady wind regime. The new kinematic model is applied to calculate mean and directional variation in sediment flux at the White Sands dune field, NM, using meteorological data. The model results are compared to observed dune migration and orientation imaged in a time series of DEMs built from a time series of airborne LiDAR surveys.
Swanson, T.; Mohrig, D. C.; Kocurek, G.
44 CFR 65.11 - Evaluation of sand dunes in mapping coastal flood hazard areas.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2013 CFR
...Evaluation of sand dunes in mapping coastal flood hazard areas. 65.11 Section 65...INSURANCE AND HAZARD MITIGATION National Flood Insurance Program IDENTIFICATION...Evaluation of sand dunes in mapping coastal flood hazard areas. (a) General...
44 CFR 65.11 - Evaluation of sand dunes in mapping coastal flood hazard areas.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... false Evaluation of sand dunes in mapping coastal flood hazard areas. 65...Insurance Program IDENTIFICATION AND MAPPING OF SPECIAL HAZARD AREAS § 65.11 Evaluation of sand dunes in mapping coastal flood hazard areas....
44 CFR 65.11 - Evaluation of sand dunes in mapping coastal flood hazard areas.
Code of Federal Regulations, 2010 CFR
... false Evaluation of sand dunes in mapping coastal flood hazard areas. 65...Insurance Program IDENTIFICATION AND MAPPING OF SPECIAL HAZARD AREAS § 65.11 Evaluation of sand dunes in mapping coastal flood hazard areas....
DUst around NEarby Stars (DUNES): description of the project and results
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
DUNES is an Open Time Key Programme of the Herschel Space Observatory aimed at detecting and studying cold dusty --debris-- discs, i.e. Kuiper-belt analogues, around FGK stars of the solar neighbourhood, in a volume-limited sample of 133 stars. The sensitivity and wavelengths of the two instruments used, namely PACS (70, 100, and 160 ?m) and SPIRE (250, 350, and 500 ?m) are the appropriate ones for these tasks. Debris discs are the result of collisions of planetesimals formed at early stages of the star formation episode, when the star is younger than about 30 Myr, and the discs, so-called protoplanetary, are composed of gas and dust. The whole sample is already observed and the team is currently analysing the data. We outline here some of the main results we have found.
Montesinos, B.; Eiroa, C.; Dunes Team
Martian linear dunes : observation and modelling from the LMD GCM data base
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dunes are common on Earth and Mars and have similar geometries on both planets. Martian dunes are larger than terrestrial one and are shaped by winds less efficient than terrestrial winds. Martian dunes move thus much more slowly than terrestrial dunes. Their characteristic time could be similar to the characteristic time of climate change on Mars. Their geometry could thus reflect past climate conditions. Linear dunes are a family of elongated dunes shaped by at least 2 winds that blow at an obtuse angle alternatively along the year. Contrary to simple dunes as barkhanes, it is therefore difficult to invert the shape of these dunes in term of wind direction and intensity. It is thus difficult to demonstrate if their geometry is coherent or not with the current wind regimes. We mapped 10 dune fields located inside impact craters of the southern hemisphere of Mars. Five fields are composed of barkhanes and 5 by linear dunes. For each dune field location, we extracted the annual wind velocity at 20m above the surface at a temporal resolution of 1 hour every 30 martian days from the Mars Climate Database of the LMD (www-mars.lmd.jussieu.fr/). The annual wind rose was calculated for each dune field. The sand flux along the year was also computed assuming a classical law of transport with threshold. Assuming that the avalanche face of barkhanes is perpendicular to the sand flux direction, we predicted the orientation of the avalanche face for each barkhane fields. These results are coherent with the observations. Assuming that linear dunes are aligned along the average sand flux direction, we predicted the orientation of the linear dunes and compared them to the observations. In 4 cases, the predicted dune orientation is consistent with observations. In one case, there is a strong discrepancy between the predicted and observed orientation that could indicate that this linear dune field is fossil.
allemand, pascal; Quiquerez, Am�lie; Quantin, Cathy
76 FR 57074 - Transfer of Administrative Jurisdiction at or Near Great Sand Dunes National Park
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
...Administrative Jurisdiction at or Near Great Sand Dunes National Park AGENCY: National Park...lands acquired for the benefit of Great Sand Dunes National Park, Baca National Wildlife...interests in land for the benefit of Great Sand Dunes National Park, Baca National...
Vegetation and ghost crabs in coastal dunes as indicators of putative stressors from tourism
Coastal dunes provide important ecosystem services and are susceptible to human disturbance such as vehicle traffic and human trampling. Notwithstanding, on several Australian beaches dunes serves as camping areas, where camping sites are located on the primary dunes landwards of the foredunes. Because these activities have the potential to impact on the biota of the foredunes directly adjoining the camping
Thomas A. Schlacher; Rudolf de Jager; Tara Nielsen
The role of streamline curvature in sand dune dynamics: evidence from field and wind tunnel measurements
Field measurements on an unvegetated, 10 m high barchan dune in Oman are compared with measurements over a 1:200 scale fixed model in a wind tunnel. Both the field and wind tunnel data demonstrate similar patterns of wind and shear velocity over the dune, confirming significant flow deceleration upwind of and at the toe of the dune, acceleration of flow
Giles F. S. Wiggs; Ian Livingstone; Andrew Warren
Responses of dune mosses to experimental burial by sand under natural and greenhouse conditions
Sand movement is a predominant feature of mobile coastal and lake-shoreline sand dunes. Plants growing in these environments are able to withstand and survive periods of burial by sand. Although mosses are important dune stabilizers in temperate dunes, there are few studies focused on their response to burial by sand. In this study we examined the effects of burial by
M. Luisa Mart�nez; M. A. Maun
Compressive strength and hydration with age of cement pastes containing dune sand powder
This experimental work has focused on studying the possibility of using dune sand powder (DSP) as a part mass addition to Portland cement. Studying the effect of addition dune sand powder on development of compressive strength and hydration with age of cement pastes as a function of water\\/binder ratio, was varied, on the one hand, the percentage of the dune
Salim Guettala; Bouzidi Mezghiche
An analytical model to predict dune erosion due to wave impact
An analytical model is developed to calculate recession distance and eroded volume for coastal dunes during severe storms. The transport relationship used in the model is based on wave impact theory, where individual swash waves hitting the dune face induce the erosion. Combining this relationship with the sediment volume conservation equation describes the response of the dune to high waves
Magnus Larson; Li Erikson; Hans Hanson
Southern high latitude dune fields on Mars: Morphology, aeolian inactivity, and climate change
In a study area spanning the martian surface poleward of 50?? S., 1190 dune fields have been identified, mapped, and categorized based on dune field morphology. Dune fields in the study area span ??? 116400km2, leading to a global dune field coverage estimate of ???904000km2, far less than that found on Earth. Based on distinct morphological features, the dune fields were grouped into six different classes that vary in interpreted aeolian activity level from potentially active to relatively inactive and eroding. The six dune field classes occur in specific latitude zones, with a sequence of reduced activity and degradation progressing poleward. In particular, the first signs of stabilization appear at ???60?? S., which broadly corresponds to the edge of high concentrations of water-equivalent hydrogen content (observed by the Neutron Spectrometer) that have been interpreted as ground ice. This near-surface ground ice likely acts to reduce sand availability in the present climate state on Mars, stabilizing high latitude dunes and allowing erosional processes to change their morphology. As a result, climatic changes in the content of near-surface ground ice are likely to influence the level of dune activity. Spatial variation of dune field classes with longitude is significant, suggesting that local conditions play a major role in determining dune field activity level. Dune fields on the south polar layered terrain, for example, appear either potentially active or inactive, indicating that at least two generations of dune building have occurred on this surface. Many dune fields show signs of degradation mixed with crisp-brinked dunes, also suggesting that more than one generation of dune building has occurred since they originally formed. Dune fields superposed on early and late Amazonian surfaces provide potential upper age limits of ???100My on the south polar layered deposits and ???3Ga elsewhere at high latitudes. No craters are present on any identifiable dune fields, which can provide a lower age limit through crater counting: assuming all relatively stabilized dune fields represent a single noncontiguous surface of uniform age, their estimated crater retention age is ??10000years. An average-sized uncratered dune field (94km2) has a crater retention age ??8My. This apparent youth suggests that present-day climate conditions are responsible for the observed degradation and reduced level of aeolian activity. A lack of observed transport pathways and the absence of large dune fields in the largest basins (Hellas and Argyre Planitiae) are consistent with the previously proposed idea that dune sands are not typically transported far from their source regions on Mars. ?? 2009 Elsevier B.V.
Fenton, L. K.; Hayward, R. K.
The Herschel DUNES Open Time Key Programme
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
We will use the unique photometric capabilities provided by Herschel to perform a deep and systematic survey for faint, cold debris disks around nearby stars. Our sensitivity-limited Open Time Key Programme (OTKP) aims at finding and characterizing faint extrasolar analogues to the Edgeworth-Kuiper Belt (EKB) in an unbiased, statistically significant sample of nearby FGK main-sequence stars. Our target set spans a broad range of stellar ages (from 0.1 to 10 Gyr) and is volume-limited (distances < 20 pc). All stars with known extrasolar planets within this distance are included; additionally, some M- and A-type stars will be observed in collaboration with the Herschel DEBRIS OTKP, so that the entire sample covers a decade in stellar mass, from 0.2 to 2 solar masses. We will perform PACS and SPIRE photometric observations covering the wavelength range from 70 to 500 microns. The PACS observations at 100 microns have been designed to detect the stellar photospheres down to the confusion limit with a signal-to-noise ratio > 5. The observations in the other Herschel bands will allow us to characterize, model, and constrain the disks. As a result, it will be possible for us to reach fractional dust luminosities of a few times 10-7, close to the EKB level in the Solar System. This will provide an unprecedented lower limit to the fractional abundance of planetesimal systems and allow us to assess the presence of giant planets, which would play dynamical roles similar to those played by Jupiter and Neptune in the Solar System. The proposed observations will provide new and unique evidence for the presence of mature planetary systems in the solar neighbourhood and, in turn, will address the universality of planet/planetary system formation in disks around young stars.
Danchi, William C.
Discussion. Cemented horizon in subarctic Alaskan sand dunes.
Exception is taken to the conclusions (M.A. 84M/4465) concerning the distribution, age and origin of the cementing materials of carbonate crusts in the eaeolian sand deposits of the dune field in the central Kobuk Valley. (Following abstract)-M.S.
Galloway, J. P.; Koster, E. A.; Hamilton, T. D.
Feasibility of using sand dunes as archives of old air
Large unaltered samples of the atmosphere coveting the past century would complement the history of atmospheric gases obtained from bubbles in ice cores, en- abling measurement of geochemically important species such as 02, 14CH4, and 4CO. Sand dunes are a porous media with interstitial air in diffusive contact with the atmo- sphere, somewhat analogous to the unconsolidated layer of firn
Jeffrey P. Severinghaus; Ralph F. Keeling; Benjamin R. Miller; Ray F. Weiss; Bruce Deck; Wallace S. Broecker
Analysis of Coastal Dunes: A Remote Sensing and Statistical Approach.
ERIC Educational Resources Information Center
Remote sensing analysis and statistical methods were used to analyze the coastal dunes of Plum Island, Massachusetts. The research methodology used provides an example of a student project for remote sensing, geomorphology, or spatial analysis courses at the university level. (RM)
Jones, J. Richard
Luminescence studies of dunes from North-Eastern Tasmania
Northern Tasmania has a geographically extensive cover of Quaternary aeolian features and although the morphology and stratigraphy of many of these have been studied it is difficult to assign a reliable chronology because of the lack of material suitable for radiocarbon dating. The dunes are primarily composed of quartz and hence are ideally suited for the application of luminescence dating.
G. A. T. Duller; P. Augustinus
Fly over of Mars Mesa, Tounge, Dunes, Sasquatch Crater
NSDL National Science Digital Library
This site from NASA's Scientific Visualization Studio features fly overs of Mesa, Tounge, Dunes, and Sasquatch Crater. Data for topography is based on the Mars Orbiting Laser Altimeter (MOLA) with Viking data used for color. Vertical exaggeration is about 300 times.
Studio, Nasa/goddard S.; Nasa
The Influence of Physical & Biological Cohesion on Dune Development
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Existing predictions for dune bedforms are based on simplified physical parameters, with assumptions that sediment consists only of cohesionless sand. They do not include the complexities of mud: physical cohesion is imparted by cohesive clays and biological cohesion is created by the presence of organisms which, among other things, generate extra-cellular polymers (EPS). Using controlled experiments we show the profound influence on the size, development and equilibrium morphology of dune bedforms of both physical and biological cohesion. Experiments were completed at the Total Environment Simulator facility at Hull University, UK in a 10 x 2 m channel. A flat sediment bed was laid to 0.15 m depth. A unidirectional flow of 0.25 m depth was passed over the sediment for 10 h. In Phase 1 eight different sand:clay mixes were examined, where clay content was 18.0 - 2.1%. In Phase 2, the same mixtures were used with additions of EPS. A velocity of 0.8 m s-1 was used throughout, corresponding to the dune regime for the selected sand. Bedform development was monitored via ultrasonic ranging transducers, sediment cores and water samples. Phase 1 showed substantial differences in bedform type with clay content, with size inversely related to clay content, e.g. Run 1 (18.0% clay) generated 2D ripples; Run 7 (2.1% clay) generated 3D dunes. Transitional forms, included dunes with superimposed ripples, were present between these extremes. In Phase 2, EPS contents equivalent to only 1/30th of 1% by mass prevented the development of bedforms. Bedforms were generated in sediments with 1/20th and 1/10th of 1%, with an inverse relationship between bedform size and EPS content. Comparison of Phase 1 and Phase 2 runs with equal sand:mud ratios reveals that EPS acts to severely inhibit bedform development compared with the mud-only case. We can conclude that (1) the ripple-dune transition can occur under constant flow conditions, i.e. clay content may dictate bedform type, that (2) EPS can severely constrain the development of bedforms, at masses two orders of magnitude smaller than mud, ultimately preventing their development in conditions that would yield dunes in non-cohesive sands and that (3) biological cohesion appears to be greater than physical cohesion at ratios found in natural estuaries. We can conclude that, if the effects of physical and biological cohesion are not included when they are present, predictive models describing bedform growth, morphological equilibrium and migration will be inaccurate and in many cases misleading.
Schindler, Robert; Parsons, Daniel; Ye, Leiping; Baas, Jaco; Hope, Julie; Manning, Andy; Malarkey, Jonathan; Aspden, Rebecca; Lichtman, Dougal; Thorne, Peter; Peakall, Jeff; Patterson, David; Davies, Alan; Bass, Sarah; O'Boyle, Louise
Quantitative analysis of the long- and short-arm crescentic shelf bunionectomy osteotomies in fresh cadaveric matched pair specimens.
Two variations of crescentic shelf osteotomies have been described for the treatment of moderate to severe hallux abductovalgus: a short arm and a long arm. This study tested the hypothesis that the short-arm osteotomy will have a greater moment to failure and angular stiffness than the long arm. Eighteen first metatarsal specimens were dissected from 9 matched pairs of fresh frozen cadaveric specimens. One metatarsal from each pair received a short-arm osteotomy, whereas the other received a long-arm osteotomy. Each osteotomy was fixed with 2 screws. The short arm was fixed with 1 oblique screw and 1 dorsal-to-plantar screw. The long arm was fixed with 2 dorsal-to-plantar screws: 1 at the proximal aspect and 1 at the distal aspect of the shelf. Each specimen was loaded in a materials testing machine to measure moment to failure and angular stiffness. The base of the first metatarsal was potted and load applied to the plantar aspect of the metatarsal head at a constant rate until failure of the osteotomy. The mean maximum moment to failure of the short arm was significantly greater than the long arm (2.04 � 0.96 Newton meter [Nm] vs. 1.48 � 0.67 Nm, P = .03). The mean angular stiffness was significantly greater for short arm versus long arm (23.8 � 19.11 Nm/radian vs. 0.98 � 9.08 Nm/radian, P = .01). We report statistically significant data supporting the short-arm crescentic shelf osteotomy to have a greater moment to failure and angular stiffness compared with the long-arm crescentic shelf osteotomy. PMID:21353999
Gocke, Sean P; Rottier, Francis J; Havey, Robert M; Renner, Susan M; Patwardhan, Avinash G; Carandang, Gerard
A Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessment Methodology and Its Application to Crescent City, CA
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
A PTHA methodology, based in large part on Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Assessment methods (e.g., Cornell, 1968; SSHAC, 1997; Geist and Parsons, 2005), was previously applied to Seaside, OR (Gonzalez, et al., 2009). This initial version of the method has been updated to include: a revised method to estimate tidal uncertainty; an improved method for generating stochastic realizations to estimate slip distribution uncertainty (Mai and Beroza, 2002; Blair, et al., 2011); additional near-field sources in the Cascadia Subduction Zone, based on the work of Goldfinger, et al. (2012); far-field sources in Japan, based on information updated since the 3 March 2011 Tohoku tsunami (Japan Earthquake Research Committee, 2011). The GeoClaw tsunami model (Berger, et. al, 2011) is used to simulate generation, propagation and inundation. We will discuss this revised PTHA methodology and the results of its application to Crescent City, CA. Berger, M.J., D. L. George, R. J. LeVeque, and K. T. Mandli, The GeoClaw software for depth-averaged flows with adaptive refinement, Adv. Water Res. 34 (2011), pp. 1195-1206. Blair, J.L., McCrory, P.A., Oppenheimer, D.H., and Waldhauser, F. (2011): A Geo-referenced 3D model of the Juan de Fuca Slab and associated seismicity: U.S. Geological Survey Data Series 633, v.1.0, available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/ds/633/. Cornell, C. A. (1968): Engineering seismic risk analysis, Bull. Seismol. Soc. Am., 58, 1583-1606. Geist, E. L., and T. Parsons (2005): Probabilistic Analysis of Tsunami Hazards, Nat. Hazards, 37 (3), 277-314. Goldfinger, C., Nelson, C.H., Morey, A.E., Johnson, J.E., Patton, J.R., Karabanov, E., Guti�rrez-Pastor, J., Eriksson, A.T., Gr�cia, E., Dunhill, G., Enkin, R.J., Dallimore, A., and Vallier, T. (2012): Turbidite event history�Methods and implications for Holocene paleoseismicity of the Cascadia subduction zone: U.S. Geological Survey Professional Paper 1661-F, 170 p. (Available at http://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/pp1661f/). Gonz�lez, F.I., E.L. Geist, B. Jaffe, U. K�noglu, H. Mofjeld, C.E. Synolakis, V.V Titov, D. Arcas, D. Bellomo, D. Carlton, T. Horning, J. Johnson, J. Newman, T. Parsons, R. Peters, C. Peterson, G .Priest, A. Venturato, J. Weber, F. Wong, and A. Yalciner (2009): Probabilistic Tsunami Hazard Assessment at Seaside, Oregon, for Near- and Far-Field Seismic Sources, J. Geophys. Res., 114, C11023, doi:10.1029/2008JC005132. Japan Earthquake Research Committee, (2011): http://www.jishin.go.jp/main/p_hyoka02.htm Mai, P. M., and G. C. Beroza (2002): A spatial random field model to characterize complexity in earthquake slip, J. Geophys. Res., 107(B11), 2308, doi:10.1029/2001JB000588. SSHAC (Senior Seismic Hazard Analysis Committee) (1997): Recommendations for Probabilistic Seismic Hazard Analysis: Guidance on Uncertainty and Use of Experts, Main Report Rep. NUREG/CR-6372 UCRL-ID-122160 Vol. 1, 256 pp, U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission.
Gonzalez, F. I.; Leveque, R. J.; Waagan, K.; Adams, L.; Lin, G.
Seismic Evidence for a Resonance Layer in Booming Sand Dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
"Booming sand dunes" are large desert dunes that emit a loud droning, low-frequency sound during an avalanche of sand on the leeward face of a dune. The monotone sound (70-105 Hz) may continue for up to a minute after initiation, even after all visible motion has ceased. The source of the booming sound has long been a mystery and no accepted scientific explanation has been proposed yet. Seismic refraction experiments conducted with a closely-spaced 48 channel system show a shallow (< 10 m) subsurface layering inside the dune with significant velocity contrasts between the individual layers. The seismic body wave velocities in the top three layers of sand (240 m/s, 360 m/s and 460 m/s) are very close to the acoustic velocity in air (355 m/s) while at the same time the surface waves are highly attenuated. The seismic velocity changes cannot be explained by increasing confined pressure but must be provided by a seasonally changing physical structure. From the seismic survey it is further noted that the layering narrows towards the foothill. During the sustained boom, the frequency rises slightly (from 85 Hertz to 95 Hertz) as the source due to the avalanche proceeds downwards. This observation was deduced from analyzing the booming emission on all 48 geophones in conjunction with a high-quality air microphone. The multi-layer internal structure of the dune provides a resonance cavity that amplifies particular frequencies and creates the loud booming sound. The resonance and its interaction with the air is modeled with finite- difference simulations.
Vriend, N. M.; Hunt, M. L.; Clayton, R. W.
A comparison of seed banks across a sand dune successional gradient at Lake Michigan dunes (Indiana, USA)
In habitats where disturbance is frequent, seed banks are important for the regeneration of vegetation. Sand dune systems are dynamic habitats in which sand movement provides intermittent disturbance. As succession proceeds from bare sand to forest, the disturbance decreases. At Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, we examined the seed banks of three habitat types across a successional gradient: foredunes, secondary dunes, and oak savanna. There were differences among the types of species that germinated from each of the habitats. The mean seed bank density increased across the successional gradient by habitat, from 376 to 433 to 968 seeds m-2, but with foredune and secondary dune seed bank densities being significantly lower than the savanna seed bank density. The number of seeds germinated was significantly correlated with soil organic carbon, demonstrating for this primary successional sequence that seed density increases with stage and age. The seed bank had much lower species richness than that of the aboveground vegetation across all habitats. Among sites within a habitat type, the similarity of species germinated from the seed banks was very low, illustrating the variability of the seed bank even in similar habitat types. These results suggest that restoration of these habitats cannot rely on seed banks alone. ?? 2008 Springer Science+Business Media B.V.
Leicht-Young, S. A.; Pavlovic, N. B.; Grundel, R.; Frohnapple, K. J.
Laboratory Analyses Of Basaltic Dunes In The Ka'u Desert Of Hawaii And Implications For Understanding Dark Dunes On Mars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dark dunes are the dominant aeolian bedforms on Mars and consist of ancient volcanic ashes and reworked basaltic lavas. Basaltic dunes are rare on Earth and only occur in limited areas, such Hawaii. Because the Hawaiian dunes are composed of reworked basaltic sediments transported by eolian processes, they are a promising subject matter of analogy studies. Samples of dark dune sands, ash, and tephra collected in Hawaii's Ka'u Desert were collected during field trips in summer 2009 and 2010. They were analyzed by a variety of laboratory methods, including spectral, microscope, and microprobe investigations, in order examine their detailed mineralogical composition and constitution. We then compared the results to the eolian dunes on Mars. Sand samples were collected from three different dark dunes in Ka'u Desert: a large, vegetated, parabolic dune, a falling dune, and a large climbing dune. Tephra from the phreatic eruption that began in March 2008 was collected over a two year period using sample collectors placed at different locations downwind of Kilauea caldera. Analyses of these samples allow us to determining the initial composition, grain shape, and grain size of probable source materials. The visible and near-infrared reflectance spectra of the samples were acquired for the 0.5 to 2.5�m range. The overall spectral shape of the dune sand samples indicates a mineralogical correlation between Martian and terrestrial dune sands indicating a similar volcanic origin of the sediments. The spectra of the Hawaiian samples reveal some aqueous alteration, which is probably related to hydrated amorphous silica. Initial microscope and microprobe analyses reveal a high amount of volcanic glass and rock fragments in the samples, followed by olivine, feldspars, and pyroxene. Vitric particles that dominate the majority of the dune samples indicate in situ material accumulation following larger phreatic eruptions. The top coarse-grained layer of the climbing dune comprises a higher amount of rock fragments, indicating that these sands originate from reworked lava and were deposited in a subsequent dune formation phase (see also Craddock et al., this conference). We will present the comparison of Martian, terrestrial and library spectra, determine grain shape and grain size, and propose possible sediment sources, transport mechanisms, and development of the dune material.
Tirsch, D.; Craddock, R. A.; Nanson, G.; Tooth, S.; Langhans, M.
Spectral analysis of dark dunes sands of Ka'u Desert (Hawaii) with regard to their applicability as terrestrial analogs to Martian dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Dark basaltic dunes represent the majority of Martian eolian bedforms. However, on Earth there are only few places where basaltic dunes can be found. Is has been suggested that the Marian dunes sands are volcanic in origin because their mineralogical composition consists of pyroxene and olivine. The dark dunes in Ka'u Desert on the Big Island of Hawaii are located on the western flank of Kilauea volcano. The dark sands are derived from volcanic ash and reworked pyroclastic material. Thus, the Hawaiian dark sand dunes could be an adequate analog to Martian dunes, particularly for testing the hypothesis of volcanic origin and to determine basic spectral characteristics that may be associated with differences in grain size and chemistry indicative of maturity and transport distances. Samples of different dark dunes in Ka'u Desert were collected during a field trip in summer 2009. We measured the samples with an ASD field spectrometer in a laboratory. We compared the terrestrial spectra with typical OMEGA and CRISM near-infrared spectra of different Martian dark dune fields. The overall spectral shape of the terrestrial spectra reflects a basaltic composition of the sands fairly similar to that of Martian dunes, dominated by olivine. These rock-forming minerals form as the lava cools, and are commonly found in basaltic volcanic ash. The correlation in mineralogical composition of terrestrial and Martian dunes hints to a similar origin of the dark sands on Mars and Earth. Since some terrestrial spectra show a beginning aqueous alteration of the dark sands these samples could be used to analyse alteration features of Martian dark dunes.
Tirsch, Daniela; Jaumann, Ralf; Craddock, Robert A.
Soil development in OSL dated sandy dune substrates under Quercus robur Forest (Netherlands)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Coastal dune landscapes are very dynamic. The present distribution of vegetation and soil is the result of over 2000 years of natural processes and human management. The initial soil development was controlled by an increase of the organic matter content, which consisted mainly of decomposed roots of grasses (rhizomull), and a decrease of the soil pH to 3-4 by decalcification. This stage was followed by the development of a deciduous forest, which was dominated by Quercus robur. Since 1600 AD, a large part of the deciduous forest that dominated the east side of the coastal dune landscape transferred in expensive residential areas and urbanizations. Nevertheless some parts of the oak forest belt remained. The present forest soils are acid and the controlling soil processes are leaching of sesquioxides and storage of organic matter in mormoder humus forms. The sustainability of ecosystems is closely related to the quality of the humus form, controlling nutrient cycling and water supply. Therefore, improve of knowledge of humus form development and properties is important. We applied soil micromorphology and pyrolysis-gas chromatography/mass spectrometry (GC/MS) to investigate more details of humus form development at two locations (Duivendrift and Hoek van Klaas) in the coastal dune area of the Amsterdamse Waterleidingduinen (near Haarlem, the Netherlands). However, to understand forest soil development, including the organic matter composition in the humus form, the age of the substrate and the forest is required. Therefore, we used tradition techniques as pollen analysis and radiocarbon dating but also the recently introduced optical stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating technique. OSL dating works excellent for aeolian sandy deposits with a high percentage of quartz grains. The OSL age is defined as the time after the last bleaching by solar radiation of mineral grains. Or in other words, the start of a stable period without sand drifting. In the Ah horizons we observed palynological traces of a former dune landscape with grasses and typical dune land shrubs. The F and H horizons were dominated by Quercus pollen. In thin sections we found that in the upper part of the F horizons the soil skeleton was formed by leaf litter fragments that were fragmented and decomposed by fungi and micro arthropods. The soil skeleton of the lower part of the F horizons consisted of a mixture of leaf litter fragments and (dead) root fragments. In this part of the profile, fungi and micro arthropods were also responsible for the physical and chemical organic matter decomposition. The soil skeleton of the Ah horizons was formed by mineral grains in which small sized organic aggregates occurred. These aggregates may have four possible sources: (1) sinsedimentary aggregates, involved in sand drifting, (2) fecal relicts from decomposed (older) roots of a former dune land vegetation, (2) fecal relicts from decomposed (younger) roots of the forest and its understory, and (3) infiltrated parts of fecal pallets from the overlying F horizons. The calibrated radiocarbon dates of organic matter from the upper 5 cm of the Ah horizons go back to around 1960 AD. This points to a 45 year period for the development of the ectorganic horizons, assuming that fresh organic matter did not �contaminate' the radiocarbon dating. The OSL the ages of quartz grains from the upper 5 cm of the Ah horizons indicate landscape stabilization around 1800AD implying that two centuries were available for vegetation and soil development. There seems to be a significant difference between the OSL and 14C ages of the top of the Ah horizon. The OSL dates are very reliable. They indicate the correct time of the transformation of drift sand into stable, vegetated landscape. The pollen spectra of the Ah horizon show traces of dune grass and shrub landscape, but probably these pollen grains originate from sinsedimentary organic aggregates. And during the juvenile phase of a quercus forest, the quercus pollen production is very low and other wind pollinated grains from dune grasses
van Mourik, J. M.; Nierop, Ir. K.; Verstraten, J. M.
Strength analysis of CARR-CNS with crescent-shape moderator cell and helium sub-cooling jacket covering cell
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The new type of the moderator cell was developed for the cold neutron source (CNS) of the China Advanced Research Reactor (CARR) which is now being constructed at the China Institute of Atomic Energy in Beijing. A crescent-shape moderator cell covered by the helium sub-cooling jacket is adopted. The structure of the moderator cell is optimized by the stress FEM analysis. A crescent-shape would help to increase the volume of the moderator cell for fitting it to the four cold neutron guide tubes, even if liquid hydrogen, not liquid deuterium, was used as a cold moderator. The helium sub-cooling jacket covering the moderator cell removes the nuclear heating of the outer shell wall of the cell. It contributes to reduce the void fraction of liquid hydrogen in the outer shell of the moderator cell. Such a type of a moderator cell is suitable for the CNS with higher nuclear heating. The cold helium gas flows down first into the helium sub-cooling jacket and then flows up to the condenser. The theory of the self-regulation suitable to the thermo-siphon type of the CNS is also applicable and validated.
Yu, Qingfeng; Feng, Quanke; Kawai, Takeshi; Shen, Feng; Yuan, Luzheng; Cheng, Liang
Sedimentological, Mineralogical and Geochemical Characterization of Sand Dunes in Saudi Arabia
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sedimentological, mineralogical, morphological and geochemical studies of sand dunes from ten locations in Saudi Arabia were conducted in order to determine the differences between them and to find out the provenance and tectonic setting of these sand dunes. Sixty seven samples were collected from different sand dunes types ranging in morphology from linear, barchans, parabolic to stars dunes. In overall, the sand dunes are fine to coarse grained mean grain size, moderately sorted, near symmetrical skewness with mesokurtic distribution characterized sand dunes in most locations. The sand dunes grains are subrounded in all locations except in the Red sea, Qassim, central Arabia and the eastern province which showed sub-angular grains. The main mineral compositions of studied aeolian sand dunes are quartz, feldspar, calcite, and mica. Quartz is the dominant mineral in locations with significant amount of feldspars and mica in Najran, Red sea and Central Arabia locations. Moreover, calcite is present in Sakaka and NW Empty Quarter (Jafurah). Basement related sand dunes in Najran, Central Arabia and Red sea locations are sub-mature in terms of their mineralogical maturity. Whereas, sand dunes in other locations are texturally mature except those from the Red sea which showed sub-mature sand. The sands are classified as quartz arenite, except in the basement related sand dunes in Najran, central Arabia and the Red sea are ranging from sub-arkose, sub-litharenite and lithraenite. Morphologically, parallel to sub-parallel sand ridges with NE-SW orientation occurred in east and north parts of Empty Quarter (Najran and Jafurah) and NW-SE orientation in Dahna and Nafud deserts in central and north regions of Saudi Arabia. Parabolic sand dunes characterized the Nafud desert (Hail, Sakaka, Tayma locations). Barchans and star sand dunes characterize the Empty Quarter (Jafurah). Major, trace, and rare earth elements studies were carried out to determine the composition, provenance and tectonic history of the sand dunes. Geochemical analysis indicated that most of sand dunes are quartz arenite type, except in the Red sea, basement related central Saudi Arabia and Najran areas, the sand dunes are sub-arkoses, sub-litharenite and litharenite. The concentration of major,trace and rare elements showed active continental margins as a tectonic setting of Red sea, basement related Najran and central Arabia sand dune. In contrast, passive continental margins for the other locations. The distribution of major, trace and rare earth elements showed similarity in chemical composition between basement related sand dunes in Red sea, Najran and central Arabia.
Benaafi, Mohammed; Abdullatif, Osman
Dunes and Microdunes on Venus: Why Were So Few Found in the Magellan Data?
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
A search through cycle 1, 2, and 3 Magellan radar data covering 98% of the surface of Venus revealed very few dunes. Only two possible dune fields and several areas that may contain microdunes smaller than the resolution of the images (75 m) were identified. The Aglaonice dune field was identified in the cycle I images by the specular returns characteristic of dune faces oriented perpendicular to the radar illumination. Cycle 1 and 2 data of the Fortuna-Meshkenet dune field indicate that there has been no noticeable movement of the dunes over an 8-month period. The dunes, which are oriented both parallel and perpendicular to the radar illumination, appear to be dark features on a brighter substrate. Bright and dark patches that were visible in either cycle 1 or 2 data, but not both, allowed identification of several regions in the southern part of Venus that may contain microdunes. The microdunes are associated with several parabolic crater deposits in the region and are probably similar to those formed in wind tunnel experiments under Venus-like conditions. Bragg scattering and/or subpixel reflections from the near-normal face on asymmetric microdunes may account for these bright and dark patches. Look-angle effects and the lack of sufficient sand-size particles seem to be the most likely reasons so few dunes were identified in Magellan data. Insufficient wind speeds, thinness of sand cover, and difficulty in identifying isolated dunes may also be contributors to the scarcity of dunes.
Weitz, Catherine M.; Plaut, Jeffrey J.; Greeley, Ronald; Saunders, R. Steven
Dunes and microdunes on Venus: Why were so few found in the Magellan data?
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
A search through cycle 1, 2, and 3 Magellan radar data covering 98% of the surface of Venus revealed very few dunes. Only two possible dune fields and several areas that may contain microdunes smaller than the resolution of the images (75 m) were identified. The Aglaonice dune field was identified in the cycle 1 images by the specular returns characteristic of dune faces oriented perpendicular to the radar illumination. Cycle 1 and 2 data of the Fortuna-Meshkenet dune field indicate that there has been no noticeable movement of the dunes over an 8-month period. The dunes, which are oriented both parallel and perpendicular to the radar illumination, appear to be dark features on a brighter substrate. Bright and dark patches that were visible in either cycle 1 or 2 data, but not both, allowed identification of several regions in the southern part of Venus that may contain microdunes. The microdunes are associated with several parabolic crater deposits in the region and are probably similar to those formed in wind tunnel experiments under Venus-like conditions. Bragg scattering and/or subpixel relfections from the near-normal face on asymmetric microdunes may account for these bright and dark patches. Look-angle effects and the lack of sufficient sand-size particles seem to be most likely reasons so few dunes were identified in Magellan data. Insufficient wind speeds, thinness of sand cover, and difficulty in identifying isolated dunes may also be contributors to the scarcity of dunes.
Weitz, Catherine M.; Plaut, Jeffrey J.; Greeley, Ronald; Saunders, R. Steven
Dates in the desert: Interpreting over 600 luminescence ages from southern African desert dune systems
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Over 600 published luminescence ages from southern Africa's extensive continental dunefields and isolated dunes provide a rich record of aeolian system dynamics during the late Quaternary. Included in the Chronologic Database of INQUA's Dunes Atlas project, the majority of records come from sites within linear dune-dominated Kalahari dunefields, with lesser representation of both other dunefields (Namib, West Coast) and dune types ( lunette, transverse, sand ramp). Records are analysed not only for the evidence they provide of Late Quaternary environmental changes over the last 190ka, but in terms of the analytical techniques used, data quality and data presentation, as these all impact on how dune luminescence ages have been, or should be, interpreted as a tool for palaeoenvironmental and dune development studies. Although the sub-continent has yielded a substantial body of dune ages, the spatial unevenness of sampling for dating inhibits our ability to fully interrogate southern Africa's aeolian history. However, we argue that this is not a situation that can simply be improved by adding more and more ages to the full set of records. It is essential to 1) appreciate the spatial differences in dune sensitivities to activation; 2) the relationships of dune activity to potential changes in hydrological and other activity controls, and 3) establish better tools and approaches for analysing a rich but presently environmentally ambiguous record of dune accumulation.
Thomas, David; Burrough, Sallie
Episodic Late Holocene dune movements on the sand-sheet area, Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve, San Luis Valley, Colorado, USA
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The Great Sand Dunes National Park and Preserve (GSDNPP) in the San Luis Valley, Colorado, contains a variety of eolian landforms that reflect Holocene drought variability. The most spectacular is a dune mass banked against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains, which is fronted by an extensive sand sheet with stabilized parabolic dunes. Stratigraphic exposures of parabolic dunes and associated luminescence dating of quartz grains by single-aliquot regeneration (SAR) protocols indicate eolian deposition of unknown magnitude occurred ca. 1290-940, 715 � 80, 320 � 30, and 200-120 yr ago and in the 20th century. There are 11 drought intervals inferred from the tree-ring record in the past 1300 yr at GSDNPP potentially associated with dune movement, though only five eolian depositional events are currently recognized in the stratigraphic record. There is evidence for eolian transport associated with dune movement in the 13th century, which may coincide with the "Great Drought", a 26-yr-long dry interval identified in the tree ring record, and associated with migration of Anasazi people from the Four Corners areas to wetter areas in southern New Mexico. This nascent chronology indicates that the transport of eolian sand across San Luis Valley was episodic in the late Holocene with appreciable dune migration in the 8th, 10-13th, and 19th centuries, which ultimately nourished the dune mass against the Sangre de Cristo Mountains.
Forman, S. L.; Spaeth, M.; Mar�n, L.; Pierson, J.; G�mez, J.; Bunch, F.; Valdez, A.
Evidence for sensitivity of dune wetlands to groundwater nutrients.
Dune slacks are seasonal wetlands, high in biodiversity, which experience considerable within-year and between-year variations in water-table. They are subject to many pressures including climate change, land use change and eutrophication. Despite their biological importance and the threats facing them, the hydrological and nutrient parameters that influence their soil properties and biodiversity are poorly understood and there have been no empirical studies to date testing for biological effects in dune systems resulting from groundwater nutrients at low concentrations. In this study we examined the impact of groundwater nutrients on water chemistry, soil chemistry and vegetation composition of dune slacks at three distance classes (0-150m, 150-300m, 300-450m) away from known (off-site) nutrient sources at Aberffraw dunes in North Wales, whilst accounting for differences in water-table regime. Groundwater nitrate and dissolved inorganic nitrogen (DIN) and soil nitrate and nitrite all had significantly higher concentrations closest to the nutrient source. Multivariate analysis showed that although plant species composition within this site was primarily controlled by water table depth and water table fluctuation, nitrogen from groundwater also influenced species composition, independently of water table and soil development. A model containing all hydrological parameters explained 17% of the total species variance; an additional 7% was explained following the addition of NO3 to this model. Areas exposed to elevated, but still relatively low, groundwater nutrient concentrations (mean 0.204mg/L+/-0.091 of DIN) had greater abundance of nitrophilous species and fewer basipholous species than in areas with lower concentrations. This shows that clear biological impact occurs below previously suggested DIN thresholds of 0.20-0.40 (mg/L). PMID:24846404
Rhymes, Jennifer; Wallace, Hilary; Fenner, Nathalie; Jones, Laurence
Comment on ``Minimal size of a barchan dune''
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
It is now an accepted fact that the size at which dunes form from a flat sand bed as well as their �minimal size� scales on the flux saturation length. This length is by definition the relaxation length of the slowest mode toward equilibrium transport. The model presented by Parteli, Dur�n, and Herrmann [Phys. Rev. E 75, 011301 (2007)] predicts that the saturation length decreases to zero as the inverse of the wind shear stress far from the threshold. We first show that their model is not self-consistent: even under large wind, the relaxation rate is limited by grain inertia and thus cannot decrease to zero. A key argument presented by these authors comes from the discussion of the typical dune wavelength on Mars (650 m) on the basis of which they refute the scaling of the dune size with the drag length evidenced by Claudin and Andreotti [Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 252, 30 (2006)]. They instead propose that Martian dunes, composed of large grains (500?m) , were formed in the past under very strong winds. We emphasize that this saltating grain size, estimated from thermal diffusion measurements, is far from straightforward. Moreover, the microscopic photographs taken by the rovers on Martian Aeolian bedforms show a grain size of 87�25?m together with hematite spherules at millimeter scale. As those so-called �blueberries� cannot be entrained more frequently than a few hours per century, we conclude that the saltating grains on Mars are the small ones, which gives a second strong argument against the model of Parteli
Andreotti, B.; Claudin, P.
Comment on "Minimal size of a barchan dune".
It is now an accepted fact that the size at which dunes form from a flat sand bed as well as their "minimal size" scales on the flux saturation length. This length is by definition the relaxation length of the slowest mode toward equilibrium transport. The model presented by Parteli, Dur�n, and Herrmann [Phys. Rev. E 75, 011301 (2007)] predicts that the saturation length decreases to zero as the inverse of the wind shear stress far from the threshold. We first show that their model is not self-consistent: even under large wind, the relaxation rate is limited by grain inertia and thus cannot decrease to zero. A key argument presented by these authors comes from the discussion of the typical dune wavelength on Mars (650 m) on the basis of which they refute the scaling of the dune size with the drag length evidenced by Claudin and Andreotti [Earth Planet. Sci. Lett. 252, 30 (2006)]. They instead propose that Martian dunes, composed of large grains (500 microm), were formed in the past under very strong winds. We emphasize that this saltating grain size, estimated from thermal diffusion measurements, is far from straightforward. Moreover, the microscopic photographs taken by the rovers on Martian Aeolian bedforms show a grain size of 87+/-25 microm together with hematite spherules at millimeter scale. As those so-called "blueberries" cannot be entrained more frequently than a few hours per century, we conclude that the saltating grains on Mars are the small ones, which gives a second strong argument against the model of Parteli. PMID:18233886
Andreotti, B; Claudin, P
Soins des patients atteints d�une mucoviscidose
R�sum�La mucoviscidose, la maladie p�diatrique autosomique h�r�ditaire la plus fr�quente, n�atteint plus uniquement des enfants, car son traitement moderne a permis aux patients de vivre plus longtemps avec une meilleure qualit� de vie. Voici plus de 16 ans, l�identification du g�ne responsable et de la mutation la plus fr�quente, ?F508, a suscit� l�espoir g�n�ral d�une gu�rison rapide de cette maladie.
Birgitta Strandvik
Development and setting of the Alcudia Bay beach-dune system (Mallorca, Spain)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The beach-dune system of Alcudia Bay is located in the north of the island of Mallorca. The system includes both simple and compound parabolic dunes formed by N to NNE winds and is made up of two dune areas with different dynamics: 1) the northern area, where, despite the fact that the source of beach sediment is from the south, dunes are formed by northerly winds and develop a narrow and linear barrier which separates a marsh from the bay; and 2) the southern area, where complex parabolic dunes formed by north-northeasterly winds, prograde south-southwest landward extending several kilometers inland. The broad pattern of the dunefield size is limited to the southeast by a mountain range and to the west by the effects of a topographic corridor, oriented north-south, which channels the prevailing northerly wind, causing a southward dune progression and limiting the westward extension of the dunefield.
Servera, Jaume; Gelabert, Bernad�; Rodr�guez-Perea, Antonio
An analysis of the moon's surface using reflected illumination from the earth during a waning crescent lunar phase
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
There have been many articles written concerning the lunar after-glow, the spectacular reflection from the moon's surface, and the possible observation of luminescence on the dark side of the moon. The researcher, using a 600 mm cassegrain telescope lense and Kodak 400 ASA T-Max film, photographed the crescent moon whose dark side was clearly visible by the reflected light from earth. The film was digitized to a Perkin-Elmer 1010M microdensitometer for enhancement and enlargement. The resulting pictures indicate a completely different land pattern formation than observed during a full moon. An attempt is made to analyze the observed structures and to compare them to the pictures observed during the normal full moon. There are boundaries on the digitized dark section of the moon that can be identified with structures seen during the normal full moon. But, these variations do change considerably under enhancement.
Hammond, Ernest C., Jr.; Linton-Petza, Maggie
Lichens as indicators of a perturbation\\/stability gradient in the Asperillo dunes, SW spain
In the asperillo dune system, Southwest Spain, lichen vegetation covering the dune sand, has a low species diversity but is\\u000a an important component of the perennial vegetation, providing stability, nutrients, and moisture to the soil layer. The Asperillo\\u000a dunes harbour (1) natural ecosystems, (2) disturbed systems affected by forestry activities where the natural vegetation is\\u000a eliminated, and (3) pine forest
J. B. Gallego Fern�ndez; M. C. D�az Barradas
Characteristics and outcome of crescentic glomerulonephritis in patients with both antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody and anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody.
A subset of patients with crescentic glomerulonephritis (CGN) is characterized serologically by the presence of antineutrophil cytoplasmic antibody (ANCA) and anti-glomerular basement membrane antibody (anti-GBM) called "double positive" disease. The clinical significance of the occurrence of both antibodies is not clear. This study aims to describe the clinical and histologic characteristics and outcomes of CGN in a US cohort of double positive (DP) patients and compare them to patients with anti-GBM disease only or ANCA only (ANCA-associated vasculitis (AAV)). Renal biopsies with a diagnosis of CGN with either pauci-immune or linear immunofluorescence were selected and classified as AAV, anti-GBM disease, or DP based on serologic testing at the time of biopsy. Data on demographics, clinical presentation, treatment, and outcome were obtained by chart review. Six patients with anti-GBM disease, 9 with DP disease, and 18 AAV patients matched for year of diagnosis with DP were identified. Extrarenal disease manifestations were more prominent in the DP patients. The DP patients had severe renal dysfunction at presentation with eight of nine patients requiring dialysis at presentation. Renal biopsy findings of DP patients were similar to anti-GBM disease with majority of glomeruli showing cellular crescents. Eighty-nine percent of patients were treated with immunosuppressive therapy and 78�% with plasmapheresis. At 1�year, all nine DP patients reached end-stage renal disease. We conclude that the DP patients share extrarenal manifestations similar to AAV patients while the renal manifestations resemble anti-GBM patients clinically and histologically. The renal prognosis of DP patients remains poor despite treatment. PMID:23624587
Srivastava, A; Rao, G K; Segal, P E; Shah, M; Geetha, D
Airglow from Jupiter's nightside and crescent - Ultraviolet spectrometer observations from Voyager 2
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The Voyager Ultraviolet Spectrometer has made extensive observations of airglow from Jupiter's dark-side equatorial latitudes. The brightness of H Lyman alpha, the only emission detected, varies between 700 and 1000 rayleighs (R) as a function of longitude. The dark side of Jupiter is illuminated by sky background Lyman alpha arising from resonance scattering of the solar Lyman alpha line by the neutral hydrogen of the interstellar medium. Calculations show that resonance scattering of this sky background by hydrogen in Jupiter's thermosphere will produce about 300 R of Lyman alpha emission. The additional Lyman alpha observed is probably excited by electrons and protons precipitating at equatorial latitudes. Based on the 500-R upper limit set here on the dark-side H2 Lyman and Werner bands, and the Lyman alpha measurements, the exciting particles are thought to have a soft energy spectrum and deposit about 0.04 erg/sq cm per sec in the atmosphere. There is evidence for an asymmetrical precipitation pattern associated with the longitudinal variation in Lyman alpha emission, and a suggestion of a strong day-night difference in precipitation as well.
McConnell, J. C.; Sandel, B. R.; Broadfoot, A. L.
Defrosting Polar Dunes--Dark Spots and Wind Streaks
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)The first time that the Mars Global Surveyor (MGS) Mars Orbiter Camera (MOC)team saw dark spots on defrosting dune surfaces was in August and September of 1998. At that time, it was the north polar seasonal frost cap that was subliming away (more recent images from 1999 have shown the south polar frosts). This picture (above) shows a small portion of the giant dune field that surrounds the north polar region, as it appeared on August 23, 1998. At the time, it was early northern spring and the dunes were still covered with winter frost. Dark spots had appeared on the north polar dunes, and many of them exhibited a radial or semi-radial pattern of dark streaks and streamers. At first, there was speculation that the streaks indicated that the defrosting process might somehow involve explosions! The dark spots seemed to resemble small craters with dark, radial ejecta. It seemed possible that frozen carbon dioxide trapped beneath water ice might somehow heat up, turn to gas, expand, and then 'explode' in either a small blast or at least a 'puff' of air similar to that which comes from the blowhole of a surfacing whale or seal. The image shown here changed the earlier impression. The dark spots and streaks do not result from explosions. The spots--though not well understood--represent the earliest stages of defrosting on the sand dunes. The streaks, instead of being caused by small explosions, are instead the result of wind. In this picture, the fine, dark streaks show essentially identical orientations from spot to spot (e.g., compare the spots seen in boxes (a) and (b)). Each ray of dark material must result from wind blowing from a particular direction--for example, all of the spots in this picture exhibit a ray that points toward the upper left corner of the image, and each of these rays indicates the same wind regime. Each spot also has a ray pointing toward the lower right and top/upper-right. These, too, must indicate periods when the wind was strong enough to move materials, consistently, in only one direction. The sand that makes up the north polar dunes is dark. Each spot and streak is composed of the dune sand. The bright surfaces are all covered with frost. This picture is located near 76.9oN, 271.2oW, in the north polar sand sea. Illumination is from the lower left. The 200 meter scale also indicates a distance of 656 feet. Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO.
A second look at western Sinai seif dunes and their lateral migration
Tsoar et al. [Tsoar, H., Blumberg, D.G., Stoler, Y., 2004. Elongation and migration of sand dunes. Geomorphology 57, 293-302.] reported that seif dunes in the western Sinai Desert did not migrate laterally between 1973 and 1999. If the planform sinuosities of the dunes are removed by filtering, spatial averaging, or linear regression, however, it is evident that the dunes did, in fact, migrate laterally roughly 13??m during this 26-year period. The measured migration distance is 1-2 orders of magnitude greater than the rms co-registration error Tsoar et al. determined for the first and last air photos that were used to map the dunes. The western Sinai dunes provide another example demonstrating that linear dunes can migrate laterally, and they illustrate some of the difficulties in documenting systematic lateral motion. Lateral migration of a dune can be important geologically or geomorphologically, even where migration is too slow to detect from repeated topographic surveys. This article explains the wind conditions for the lateral migration of seif dunes in western Sinai and the possible wind occurrences that would not lead to such a migration.
Rubin, D. M.; Tsoar, H.; Blumberg, D. G.
An experimental study of turbulent flow over a low-angle dune
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Many large, sand bed alluvial channels are dominated by dunes that possess low-angle lee sides, often <10�, which play a critical role in the transportation of sediment and generation of significant bed form roughness. Despite the fact that these low-angle dunes are very common in such channels many current models of dune flow dynamics are based on bed forms with an angle of repose slip face that generates a zone of permanent separated flow in the dune lee. Study of flow associated with low-angle dunes in the field is inherently difficult since it is usually both hard to measure very near the bed and hard to quantify the nature of turbulence over these bed forms. Results from a detailed scale model experimental study of flow over a low-angle dune, which is based on a prototype dune from the Fraser River, Canada, present a necessary link between flume and field studies and document the origins of macroturbulence associated with these bed forms. Two-dimensional laser Doppler anemometer measurements over a low-angle dune (maximum lower lee side slope = 14�) show that dune morphology exerts a dominant control on the turbulent flow, causing flow deceleration in the lower lee and development of an intermittent layer of shear at the interface with the higher velocity flow above. The scale model confirms that permanent flow separation does not occur over low-angle dunes but, instead, is replaced by a small region (here �7% of the dune wavelength in length) of intermittent flow reversal, which may be present for up to 4% of the time. Shear layers generated along this small zone of decelerated and/or separated flow in the lower lee have a much smaller velocity differential than is characteristic of shear layers generated by flow separation in the lee of angle of repose dunes. Turbulence production associated with low-angle dunes is dominated by eddies generated along this shear layer, which produce highly variable horizontal and vertical velocities and large Reynolds stresses in this region. These results show that macroturbulence associated with low-angle dunes is generated by intermittent separation or shear layer generation due to velocity gradients established in the zone of lee side flow expansion. Velocity profiles and maps of turbulence structure from the scale model are in reasonable agreement with field measurements from low-angle dunes in natural sand bed rivers. These results highlight the need to consider the temporal evolution and intermittency of shear layer behavior, often very near the bed, when interpreting the generation of macroturbulence and dispersal of sediment associated with low-angle dunes.
Best, Jim; Kostaschuk, Ray
Numerical study of turbulent flow over complex aeolian dune fields: The White Sands National Monument
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The structure and dynamics of fully developed turbulent flows responding to aeolian dune fields are studied using large-eddy simulation with an immersed boundary method. An aspect of particular importance in these flows is the downwind migration of coherent motions associated with Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities that originate at the dune crests. These instabilities are responsible for enhanced downward transport of high-momentum fluid via the so-called turbulent sweep mechanism. However, the presence of such structures and their role in determining the bulk characteristics of fully developed dune field sublayer aerodynamics have received relatively limited attention. Moreover, many existing studies address mostly symmetric or mildly asymmetric dune forms. The White Sands National Monument is a field of aeolian gypsum sand dunes located in the Tularosa Basin in southern New Mexico. Aeolian processes at the site result in a complex, anisotropic dune field. In the dune field sublayer, the flow statistics resemble a mixing layer: At approximately the dune crest height, vertical profiles of streamwise velocity exhibit an inflection and turbulent Reynolds stresses are maximum; below this, the streamwise and vertical velocity fluctuations are positively and negatively skewed, respectively. We evaluate the spatial structure of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities present in the dune field sublayer (shear length Ls and vortex spacing ?x) and show that ?x=mduneLs, where mdune?7.2 in the different sections considered (for turbulent mixing layers, 7 Anderson, William; Chamecki, Marcelo 2014-01-01
Anderson, William; Chamecki, Marcelo
Hydrogeology and hydrochemistry of dunes and wetlands along the southern shore of Lake Michigan, Indiana
The dunes and the wetlands along the southern shore of Lake Michigan are underlain by a complex aquifer system composed of unconsolidated glacial, lacustrine, and eolian deposits. Surficial dune, beach, and glacial lacustrine sands compose an extensive surficial aquifer. The underlying drift contains three major confined sand aquifers. Potentiometric and hydrochemical data are consistent with a conceptual model in which regional and intermediate flow systems, recharged in end moraines south of the dune-beach complexes, discharge into Lake Michigan and the Great Marsh by upward leakage through unconsolidated sediments. Local flow systems in the surficial aquifer, recharged in the major dune-beach complexes, discharge into streams, ditches, and ponded areas in the adjacent interdunal wetlands. Shallow ground water discharges directly into Lake Michigan only north of a water-table divide that underlies the dune-beach complex along the shoreline. The position of ground-water seepage faces is affected by transient water-table mounds observed in the dune-beach complexes at the margins of wetlands. Substantial recharge to the dune complexes probably occurs near these dune-wetland margins. In the dune-beach complexes and intradunal wetlands, the shallow ground and wetland waters are dilute calcium bicarbonate and calcium bicarbonate sulfate types. More mineralized bicarbonate water types having variable proportions of calcium, magnesium, and sodium are found in interior parts of the Great Marsh because this area is probably a discharge zone for the regional and intermediate flow systems.
Shedlock, Robert J.; Cohen, D. A.; Imbrigiotta, T. E.; Thompson, T. A.
Solar limb brightening at the extreme limb from photoelectric eclipse observations
Photoelectric observations of the light intensity from the solar crescent before and after totality were made during the eclipses of 7 March, 1970 and 26 February, 1979. Effective wavelengths were determined by interference filters of 20 nm bandwidth. To obtain the limb darkening function, the resulting intensity curves were analyzed by an extension of the method of Julius in which
Warren A. Rosen; Howard L. Poss
High (ground) water levels and dune development in central Australia: TL dates from gypsum and quartz dunes around Lake Lewis (Napperby), Northern Territory
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
An episode of high lake levels prior to the last maximum glaciation has been identified at many localities in wastern Australia. Similar events have been recognized at playa lakes in central Australia, where gypsum dunes along playa margins formed during one or more episodes of high groundwater discharge, with a large influx of calcium sulphate. At Lake Lewis, exposures at two islands show similar sediment sequences: three pedogenic gypcrete layers interbedded with aeolian quartz and gypsum sand horizons form three units within gypsum dunes up to 7 m high. The lowest unit has cliffed edges buried by the upper units, indicating a significant time break. Four TL dates (coarse-grained quartz) show that this lowest unit was deposited at or before 70-80 ka. The middle unit of mixed gypsum and quartz sand capped by gypcrete represents the major phase of gypsum dune formation, and 6 TL dates range from 33 to 46 ka with overlapping error bars. These are slightly younger but statistically similar to TL dates (from 39 to 59 ka) of the shoreline gypsum dune at Lake Amadeus in the same region. The top unit of the two islands, up to 1 m thick, has not yet been well dated. One date is inconsistent with the well dated middle layer below, possibly because of incomplete bleaching, and has been rejected. The other date (17 � 5 ka) is much younger which possibly indicates a minor and local reactivation of old gypsum sediments. At the lake margin, there are quartz dunes overlying the gypsum dunes, and a buried aeolian quartz sand layer occurs in a lake-margin terrace. These represent reactivation of the regional quartz dune field after the major gypsum dune formation. Two consistent TL dates (21 � 4 ka and 23 � 6 ka) indicate that regional dunes were active at about the time of the Last Glacial Maximum.
Chen, X. Y.; Chappell, J.; Murray, A. S.
Natural versus Urban dunes along the Emilia-Romagna coast, Northern Adriatic (Italy)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Beach-dune interaction models can be precious tools for land managers and policymakers. However, if the models are inaccurate, land use policies may be designed based on false pretences or assumptions leading to poor land management, long-term erosion and sustainability issues, and increased difficulties in maintaining the dynamic coastal systems. From the literature, it appears that even the most reliable beach-dunes interactions models are not applicable to all coastal systems (Short and Hesp, 1982; Psuty, 1988; Sherman and Bauer, 1993). The study aims to identify the morphological evolution of the Emilia-Romagna coastal dunes according to its natural and "human" characteristics and to classify groups of dunes with similar evolutionary patterns. The coastal area consists essentially of 130 km of low sandy coast, interrupted by vast lagoon areas, harbor jetties and numerous hard coastal defense structures that were built during the first half of the 20th century to protect the Emilia-Romagna coast against erosion. Today about 57% of the littoral is protected by hard defenses, which have modified the morphodynamic characteristics of the beach without inverting the negative coastal evolution's trend. From recent aerial photographs (2011), 62 coastal dunes have been identified and mapped. Furthermore, the dune analysis shows a variability of the "physical characteristics" of coastal-dune systems along the Emilia-Romagna coast. The dune height varies from 1 to 7 meters, the width of the beach and of the active dunes range respectively from 10 to 150 m and from 10 to 65 m. Three main factors may explain the variability of the "physical characteristics": 1- Firstly the frontal dunes may be of different states according to the classification of Hesp (2002) since they correspond to incipient foredunes, well-developed foredunes, blowouts, residual foredunes as well as reactivated relict foredunes, 2- This could also be related to a different orientation of the coastline and foredune's line to the dominant onshore winds and, 3- Human impacts may also explain this variability since most of the dune-beach systems of Emilia-Romagna are characterized by important anthropogenic features that do not adequately describe beach-foredune interactions. A factor analysis of the coastal dunes has allowed formulating hypotheses about their evolutionary trends according to the importance and interference of factors, both natural and anthropic, acting on the beach-dune system. Four groups of dunes have been identified corresponding to natural dunes, semi-anthropic dunes with major natural features, semi-anthropic dunes with major anthropic feature and "urban" dunes. Furthermore, while human activities impede the formation and development of new incipient dunes, other human activities favor the conservation and development of the human-altered foredunes. Hesp, P., 2002: Foredunes and blowouts: initiation, geomorphology and dynamics, Geomorphology, 245-268. Psuty, N. P. 1988. Sediment budget and dune/beach interaction. Journal of Coastal Research Special Issue 3: 1-4. Sherman, D. J., and B. O. Bauer. 1993. Dynamics of beach-dune systems. Progress in Physical Geography 17 (4): 413-447 Short, A. D., and P. A. Hesp. 1982. Wave, beach and dune interactions in South Eastern Australia. Marine Geology 48: 259-284.
Corbau, Corinne; Simeoni, Umberto
Iron mineralogy and bioaccessibility of dust generated from soils as determined by reflectance spectroscopy and magnetic and chemical properties--Nellis Dunes recreational area, Nevada
Atmospheric mineral dust exerts many important effects on the Earth system, such as atmospheric temperatures, marine productivity, and melting of snow and ice. Mineral dust also can have detrimental effects on human health through respiration of very small particles and the leaching of metals in various organs. These effects can be better understood through characterization of the physical and chemical properties of dust, including certain iron oxide minerals, for their extraordinary radiative properties and possible effects on lung inflammation. Studies of dust from the Nellis Dunes recreation area near Las Vegas, Nevada, focus on characteristics of radiative properties (capacity of dust to absorb solar radiation), iron oxide mineral type and size, chemistry, and bioaccessibility of metals in fluids that simulate human gastric, lung, and phagolysosomal fluids. In samples of dust from the Nellis Dunes recreation area with median grain sizes of 2.4, 3.1, and 4.3 micrometers, the ferric oxide minerals goethite and hematite, at least some of it nanosized, were identified. In one sample, in vitro bioaccessibility experiments revealed high bioaccessibility of arsenic in all three biofluids and higher leachate concentration and bioaccessibility for copper, uranium, and vanadium in the simulated lung fluid than in the phagolysosomal fluid. The combination of methods used here to characterize mineral dust at the Nellis Dunes recreation area can be applied to global dust and broad issues of public health.
Goldstein, Harland L.; Reynolds, Richard L.; Morman, Suzette A.; Moskowitz, Bruce; Kokaly, Raymond F.; Goossens, Dirk; Buck, Brenda J.; Flagg, Cody; Till, Jessica; Yauk, Kimberly; Berqu�, Thelma S.
Tidal dunes versus tidal bars: The sedimentological and architectural characteristics of compound dunes in a tidal seaway, the lower Baronia Sandstone (Lower Eocene), Ager Basin, Spain
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The Lower Eocene Baronia Formation in the Ager Basin is interpreted as a series of stacked compound dunes confined within a tectonically generated embayment or tidal seaway. This differs from the previous interpretation of lower Baronia sand bodies as tidal bars in the front of a delta. The key architectural building block of the succession, the deposit of a single compound dune, forms a 1-3 m-thick, upward coarsening succession that begins with highly bioturbated, muddy, very fine to fine grained sandstone that contains an open-marine Cruziana ichnofacies. This is overlain gradationally by ripple-laminated sandstone that is commonly bioturbated and contains mud drapes. The succession is capped by fine- to coarse-grained sandstones that contain both planar and trough cross-strata with unidirectional or bi-directional paleocurrent directions and occasional thin mud drapes on the foresets. The base of a compound dune is gradational where it migrated over muddy sandstone deposited between adjacent dunes, but is sharp and erosional where it migrated over the stoss side of a previous compound dune. The cross strata that formed by simple superimposed dunes dip in the same direction as the inclined master bedding planes within the compound dune, forming a forward-accretion architecture. This configuration is the fundamental reason why these sandbodies are interpreted as compound tidal dunes rather than as tidal bars, which, in contrast, generate lateral-accretion architecture. In the Baronia, fields of compound dunes generated tabular sandbodies 100s to 1000s of meters in extent parallel to the paleocurrent direction and up to 6 m thick that alternate vertically with highly bioturbated muddy sandstones (up to 10 m thick) that represent the low-energy fringes of the dune fields or periods of high sea level when current speeds decreased. Each cross-stratified sandstone sheet (compound-dune complexes) contains overlapping lenticular "shingles" formed by individual compound dunes, separated by 10-30 cm of bioturbated muddy sandstone, which migrated over each other in an offlapping, progradational fashion. Each compound-dune complex (the best reservoir rock) thins as it downlaps, at average rates of 3-4 m/km in a dip direction. These reservoir units can be comprised of discrete compartments, each formed by a single compound dune, that extend for 500-1000 m in the direction of the current, and are at least 350-600 m wide in a flow-transverse direction. Distinguishing between tidal bars and tidal dunes in an ancient tidal succession can be difficult because both can contain similar cross-bedded facies and have overlapping thicknesses; however, the internal architecture and sandbody orientations are different. Tidal bars have their long axis almost parallel both to the tidal current direction and to the strike of the lateral-accretion master surfaces. In inshore areas, they are bounded by channels and fine upward. Large compound tidal dunes, in contrast, have their crest oriented approximately normal to the tidal currents and contain a forward-accretion architecture. Coeval channels are uncommon within large, sub-tidal dune fields. The above distinctions are very important to reservoir description and modeling, because the long axis of the intra-reservoir compartments in the two cases will be 90� apart.
Olariu, Cornel; Steel, Ronald J.; Dalrymple, Robert W.; Gingras, Murray K.
Late Quaternary stratigraphy and geochronology of the western Killpecker Dunes, Wyoming, USA
New stratigraphic and geochronologic data from the Killpecker Dunes in southwestern Wyoming facilitate a more precise understanding of the dune field's history. Prior investigations suggested that evidence for late Pleistocene eolian activity in the dune field was lacking. However, luminescence ages from eolian sand of ???15,000 yr, as well as Folsom (12,950-11,950 cal yr B.P.) and Agate Basin (12,600-10,700 cal yr) artifacts overlying eolian sand, indicate the dune field existed at least during the latest Pleistocene, with initial eolian sedimentation probably occurring under a dry periglacial climate. The period between ???13,000 and 8900 cal yr B.P. was characterized by relatively slow eolian sedimentation concomitant with soil formation. Erosion occurred between ???8182 and 6600 cal yr B.P. on the upwind region of the dune field, followed by relative stability and soil formation between ???5900 and 2700 cal yr B.P. The first of at least two latest Holocene episodes of eolian sedimentation occurred between ???2000 and 1500 yr, followed by a brief (???500 yr) episode of soil formation; a second episode of sedimentation, occurring by at least ???700 yr, may coincide with a hypothesized Medieval warm period. Recent stabilization of the western Killpecker Dunes likely occurred during the Little Ice Age (???350-100 yr B.P.). The eolian chronology of the western Killpecker Dunes correlates reasonably well with those of other major dune fields in the Wyoming Basin, suggesting that dune field reactivation resulted primarily due to departures toward aridity during the late Quaternary. Similar to dune fields on the central Great Plains, dune fields in the Wyoming Basin have been active under a periglacial climate during the late Pleistocene, as well as under near-modern conditions during the latest Holocene. ?? 2003 University of Washington. All rights reserved.
Mayer, J. H.; Mahan, S. A.
The diversity of aeolian dune forms and their causes - examples from deserts in northern China
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
In one side the form and size of aeolian sand dunes vary greatly on Earth and it is difficult to project the future form of a particular dune's further development. In the other side the constitution of sand dunes should reflect patterns of interactions between various long-lasting geomorphological processes associated with local, regional and even global environmental conditions. Earlier studies on the dune forms have paid great attention to wind data, sand availability and vegetation coverage but they still cannot precisely explain the occurrence of large variations in dune forms in a single desert like those in northern China. Many dunes in the deserts of northern China are even difficult to be listed in the inventory of dune forms because they are "compound" or "dune chains" consisting of multiple dune generations. Here we present our ongoing investigation of geoenvironmental factors controlling the distributions of sand seas in northern China and the forms of dunes in individual large sand seas, particularly in the Badain Jaran Desert, western Inner Mongolia. Our methods include interpretation of remote sensing data and geomorphological mapping in the field. We conclude that not only aridity but also regional tectonics control the occurrence of large sand seas which occur mainly in endorheic basins with large amount of loose sediments brought in by rivers with head waters in the surrounding mountains. The form of a single dune in northern China may have the potential of recording changes of climate parameters like the directions and strengths of winds, and precipitation although it is strongly influenced by onsite bedrock and local hydrological processes.
Yang, Xiaoping; Zhang, Deguo; Li, Hongwei
Bed load and suspended load contributions to migrating sand dunes in equilibrium
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
dominate the bed of sand rivers and are of central importance in predicting flow roughness and water levels. The present study has focused on the details of flow and sediment dynamics along migrating sand dunes in equilibrium. Using a recently developed acoustic system (Acoustic Concentration and Velocity Profiler), new insights are obtained in the behavior of the bed and the suspended load transport along mobile dunes. Our data have illustrated that, due to the presence of a dense sediment layer close to the bed and migrating secondary bedforms over the stoss side of the dune toward the dune crest, the near-bed flow and sediment processes are significantly different from the near-bed flow and sediment dynamics measured over fixed dunes. It was observed that the shape of the total sediment transport distribution along dunes is mainly dominated by the bed load transport, although the bed load and the suspended load transport are of the same order of magnitude. This means that it was especially the bed load transport that is responsible for the continuous erosion and deposition of sediment along the migrating dunes. Whereas the bed load is entirely captured in the dune with zero transport at the flow reattachment point, a significant part of the suspended load is advected to the downstream dune depending on the flow conditions. For the two flow conditions measured, the bypass fraction was about 10% for flow with a Froude number (Fr) of 0.41 and 27% for flow with Froude number of 0.51. This means that respectively 90% (for the Fr = 0.41 flow) and 73% (for the Fr = 0.51 flow) of the total sediment load that arrived at the dune crests contributed to the migration of the dunes.
Naqshband, S.; Ribberink, J. S.; Hurther, D.; Hulscher, S. J. M. H.
Magmatic and tectonic history of the Leech River Complex, Vancouver Island, British Columbia: Evidence for ridge-trench intersection and accretion of the Crescent Terrane
The Leech River Complex, part of the Pacifi c Rim Terrane, is a Cretaceous metasedimentary and metaigneous assemblage on southern Vancouver Island. The Leech River Complex is fault-bounded between the Eocene Metchosin Igneous Com- plex to the south (part of the Crescent Terrane) and the Paleozoic to Jurassic Wrangel Terrane to the north and provides critical information on the evolution
Wesley G. Groome; Derek J. Thorkelson; Richard M. Friedman; James K. Mortensen; Nick W. D. Massey; Daniel D. Marshall; Paul W. Layer
Interdune areas of the back-island dune field, North Padre Island, Texas
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The small, young (about 100 yrs) back-island dune field on north Padre Island, south Texas, consists of fairly persistant oblique dunes (up to 6 m high) with well-developed interdune areas that grade northwestward to small, ephemeral transverse and barchan dunes with interconnected "interdune" areas, thence sheet sand areas. The subhumid climate is marked by rain associated with frontal systems and tropical storms. Winds are seasonally bimodal�prevailing southeasterly are punctuated by northerly and northwesterly winds with the passage of frontal systems in winter. The entire dune field and individual oblique dunes show a net migration of about 15 m yr -1 to the northwest. The dunes however are on a seasonally reversing track, changing their slipface direction and migration direction with frontal systems. One year of monitoring shows sand transport in the dune-interdune system to be complex and cyclic. During the wind reversals of winter, dunes are very ineffecfive sand traps owing to loss of flow separation, and much sand is lost to the interdune areas. Interdune areas store sand during these wet winter months as a result of the wind reversals and higher moisture content. During the summer, the interdune areas deflate and the dunes build in size. The overall dune field deposit appears to consist of three laterally contiguous zones from southeast to northwest: (1) continuous, climbing oblique dune and interdune deposits; (2) discontinuous lenses of dune sand in overall "interdune layers"; and (3) a chaotic mixture of dune and horizontal deposits of the sheet sand areas. One year's mapping and trenching documents that interdune sedimentary structures are extremely variable laterally and vertically reflecting specific microenvironments within the interdune flat. Wet-surface features consist of current and wave ripples, channel fill, miniature deltas, wrinkle marks, mini-ripples, rills, algae and sand volcanoes. Abundant adhesion structures, rain-impacted ripples, brecciated surfaces and microtopography reflect damp-surface deposits. Dry-surface features are predominately wind ripples; others include small isolated barchan and shadow dunes, organic debris lag surfaces, deflation scours, beetle bioturbation, plant-root structures associated with shadow-dunes, and grainfall from the adjacent dunes. Interdune deposits account for about 40% of the total dune field deposits, which seems reasonable compared to some ancient examples. By virtue of occupying a relative "basin", interdune deposits are selectively preserved compared to dune deposits. In general, interdune sedimentation is enhanced by non-eolian depositional mechanisms, a high water table, early evaporatic cements, and a variable wind regime. The actual thicknesses of individual dune and interdune deposits are less on Padre than ancient examples, reflecting the relative scale of the bedforms. In many respects, sequences of sedimentary structure in Padre Island interdune deposits are typical of ancient, coastal interdune strata, but some marked departures occur. Adhesion structures, relatively rare in some ancient examples but abundant within Padre interdune deposits, seem favored by the small size of dune and interdune area, the climate and a variable wind regime. Penecontemporaneous deformation, absent in Padre interdune deposits but pronounced in some ancient examples, probably reflects dune size and the nature of the deposits. Wavy laminae in ancient interdune deposits probably result from many causes, but seem best represented by modern examples of evaporitic algal/bacterial-formed structures.
Hummel, Gary; Kocurek, Gary
How much liquid water was there on Martian dunes?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Presently, liquid water unlikely to be found on the surface of Mars because of atmospheric pressure/temperature conditions below water's triple-point. However, gullies discovered by Malin and Edgett (2000) suggest that significant amounts of liquid water has flowed on Mars in the recent past. These gullies are among the youngest features on Mars based on the scarcity of cratered gullies (Heldmann et al., 2007) and their superposition on relatively young formations such as dunes. Several hypotheses have been suggested for the formation of gullies: (i) runoff and debris flows with liquid water from groundwater aquifers (Heldmann and Mellon, 2004; Malin et al., 2000), (ii) snow-melt (Christensen, 2003; Dickson et al, 2007), (iii) liquid CO2 breakout (Musselwhite et al., 2001), (iv) melting of near-surface ground ice (< 1 m meter) at high obliquity (Costard et al., 2002), (v) geothermal-heated aquifers (Gaidos, 2001; Hartmann, 2001), (vi) the presence of brines (Knauth et al., 2000; Knauth and Burt, 2003). This study focuses on gully morphologies on the Russell megadune (54.5�S; 12.7�E) and in Kaiser crater (46.2�S; 19.1�E) using High Resolution Imaging Science Experiment (HiRISE) images and Digital Terrain Models (DTM). Gullies on terrestrial sand dunes are rare, and their presence on Mars, as well as their mechanical properties, and the quantity of fluid required for their formation currently remain misunderstood. Based on the scenario of ground ice melting in a periglacial environment, we propose to test the hypothesis that Martian gullies on dunes were triggered by the presence of liquid water. The calculated results for Martian gullies are consistent with terrestrial studies on debris flows. Based on a morphological description and on the estimated physical parameters, we propose a model for gully formation on Martian dunes. The melt water from near-surface ground ice is incorporated in the debris flow and water concentration increases during its propagation. The increase of water concentration in the debris flow can be explained by a progressive increase of water/ice content in the permafrost downslope. Consequently, the lack of a final deposit at the front of some gullies tends to demonstrate that the flow became relatively highly concentrated in liquid downstream and all the water could have been lost in the final stage of the flow. Here we quantify the quantity of liquid necessary to form such a morphology.
Gargani, J.; Jouannic, G.; Costard, F.; Ori, G. G.; Marmo, C.; Schmidt, F.; Lucas, A.; Busson, J.
Microbial Influences on Aeolian Sulfates; A Case Study of a Dune Field at White Sands National Monument, New Mexico
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Similarly to martian sulfate-rich dunes, the White Sands National Monument exhibits partially different mineral signatures of dune crests and interdune areas. At the WSNM these differences are caused by diagenetic processes and by biological activity.
Glamoclija, M.; Steele, A.; Fogel, M. L.
National Park Service nonnative plant control in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore
Invasive plants have become a growing threat to plant diversity and hydrology in the Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore. Invasive plants compete with native plants for nutrients and sunlight, and certain invasive species have been known to completely take over certain areas of wetlands, nearly destroying entire ecosystems. The Dunes Lakeshore contains over 1,400 plants species and is one of the
Jacob Halpin; Laurie Eberhardt; Laura Thompson
La valeur collective d'une r�duction du nombre des bless�s de la route
Le travail pr�sente dans ce rapport et celui effectue sur la valeur collective de la sauvegarde d'une vie humaine (Duval et al., 1993, 1996) s'inscrivent dans un cadre th�orique commun et rel�vent des m�mes hypoth�ses : estimer les valeurs collectives unitaires d'une r�duction du nombre des bless�s de la route respectivement graves et l�gers pr�sente quelques difficult�s : -la premi�re
H. Duval; C. Filou; F. Molenda
Multifrequency and multipolarization radar scatterometry of sand dunes and comparison with spaceborne and airborne radar images
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
Airborne radar scatterometer data on sand dunes, acquired at multiple frequencies and polarizations, are reported. Radar backscatter from sand dunes is very sensitive to the imaging geometry. At small incidence angles the radar return is mainly due to quasi-specular reflection from dune slopes favorably oriented toward the radar. A peak return usually occurs at the incidence angle equal to the angle of repose for the dunes. The peak angle is the same at all frequencies as computed from specular reflection theory. At larger angles the return is significantly weaker. The scatterometer measurements verified observations made with airborne and spaceborne radar images acquired over a number of dune fields in the U.S., central Africa, and the Arabian peninsula. The imaging geometry constraints indicate that possible dunes on other planets, such as Venus, will probably not be detected in radar images unless the incidence angle is less than the angles of repose of such dunes and the radar look direction is approximately orthogonal to the dune trends.
Blom, Ronald; Elachi, Charles
Extent and significance of water repellency in dunes along the Dutch coast
Depth, degree and spatial variability of water repellency were examined in the surface layers of dune sands along the coast of the Netherlands. Soil samples were collected at six depths of up to 50cm at 865 dune sand sites in nature reserves. The potential water repellency was measured on dried samples using the water drop penetration time (WDPT) test. The
L. W. Dekker; C. J. Ritsema; K. Oostindie
Large-eddy Simulation of Boundary Layer Flow over Desert Sand Dune Structures
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Complex spatiotemporal coupling exists between desert sand dune topography and surface layer physics of the atmospheric boundary layer (ABL). Although the interactions of individual desert sand dunes have been extensively studied, with categorical interaction mechanisms identified, the aero-mechanical coupling associated with these dune interactions remains an open problem. Large-eddy simulation (LES) is used to simulate turbulent boundary layer flow over dune structures from White Sands, NM. The dunes are resolved with an immersed boundary method (IBM). The flow-forcing (imposed pressure gradient) is varied to simulate the three common prevailing wind conditions at White Sands (southwest, southeast, and northwest, with southwest being the most common). In the present research, comparison between flow statistics (dune wall pressure distribution retrieved from the IBM) and time-difference dune elevation data are used to characterize the mechanisms responsible for erosion (stoss side) and deposition (lee side) of sand. Additionally, statistical details of time series of aerodynamic forcing at different locations on the dune face are evaluated, which may be used to deepen understanding of erosion and deposition events observed in the time-difference lidar data.
Uhlrich, S.; Anderson, W.; Passalacqua, P.; Mohrig, D. C.; Kocurek, G.
Numerical modelling of flow structures over idealized transverse aeolian dunes of varying geometry
A Computational Fluid Dynamics (CFD) model (PHOENICSk 3.5) previously validated for wind tunnel measurements is used to simulate the streamwise and vertical velocity flow fields over idealized transverse dunes of varying height (h) and stoss slope basal length (L). The model accurately reproduced patterns of: flow deceleration at the dune toe; stoss flow acceleration; vertical lift in the crest region;
Daniel R. Parsons; Ian J. Walker; Giles F. S. Wiggs
Germination response to temperature, salinity, light and depth of sowing of ten tropical dune species
This study describes the germination responses of ten tropical dune species to several factors to which their seeds are exposed in the field. Species studied were: three sand dune endemics (Amaranthus greggii, Palafoxia lindenii, and Trachypogon gouini), three pantropical coastal species (Sesuvium portulacastrum, Sporobolus virginicus and Ipomoea stolonifera) and four cosmopolitan grasses also found inland (Panicum repens, Panicum maximum, Pappophorum
M. L. Mart�nez; T. Valverde; P. Moreno-Casasola
Turbulent flow over three-dimensional dunes: 2. Fluid and bed stresses
[1] Dunes formed in response to fluid flow exert a total boundary stress on the fluid that is made up of form drag and skin friction, the latter of which is generally considered important for predicting sediment transport and dune evolution. Previous research has used various methods to estimate the total stress and its subcomponents, with recent work suggesting the
T. B. Maddux; S. R. McLean; J. M. Nelson
In vitro cultivation of plant species from sandy dunes along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast
The human impact on the seashore was intensive over the last years which resulted in severe damage to the sandy dunes along the Bulgarian Black Sea Coast. In vitro cultivation was recognised as one of the important tools in the ex situ conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity. In vitro cultures from fourteen sandy dune plants (Pancratium maritimum, Scabiosa argentea,
Lyubov G. Panayotova; Teodora A. Ivanov; Yuliyana Y. Bogdanov; Chavdar V. Gussev; Marina I. Stanilova; Yulia Zh; Tatyana D. Stoeva
Quantifying vegetation and geomorphic patterns within nebkha dune fields using terrestrial laser scanning
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Vegetation and sand in semi-arid and coastal sediment starved environments typically interact and form nebkha dunes. We examine the typical dune and vegetation patterns that form with varying amounts of sediment availability and nebkha maturity at Jornada in the Chihuahuan Desert, New Mexico, USA using terrestrial laser scanning (TLS) to separate the plant and sand elements. Manual and automated TLS shrub height extractions compare well at all sites (p=0.48-0.94) enabling the quantification of both solid and plant roughness element components. We find that there is a switch in orientation of the dune elements with respect to dominant wind direction from perpendicular to parallel as the landscape develops from an incipient to mature configuration and mesquite-nebkha streets are enhanced. As the nebkha dunes develop the surface coverage of bare sand increases and dune surfaces exceed the size of their companion shrubs. Roughness density also increases at the mature dune site. Over a three year period up to 20cm of erosion was measured on the upwind faces of the mature nebkha dunes, in agreement with the dominant annual wind direction. However, deposition patterns were more diffuse and influenced by the vegetation patterns. TLS is a useful tool for examining complex sand-vegetation interactions and dune field development.
Nield, Joanna; Gillies, John; Nickling, William
Landslide Deposits, Cookie Bites, and Crescentic Fracturing Along the Northern Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands Margin: Implications for Potential Tsunamigenesis
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The seismogenic North America-Caribbean oblique-slip plate boundary forms the 8-km-deep Puerto Rico trench north of the densely populated islands of Puerto Rico and Virgin Islands (combined population of just over 4 million people). The southern slope of the Puerto Rico trench adjacent to the Puerto Rico-Virgin Islands (PRVI) carbonate platform is characterized by frequent seismicity, rapid trenchward tilting, oversteepened slopes, and mass wasting. We present high-resolution bathymetry, HMR1 sidescan imagery, and single-channel seismic data to document extensive landslide deposits that we infer to have been the result of multiple slide events capable of producing prehistoric tsunamis along the coasts of Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands. Landslide deposits can be traced upslope to two, 45-55 km-wide arcuate-shaped embayments or "cookie bites" carved out of the PRVI platform. Three-dimensional visualization of the debris field and the slope of the largest of the arcuate-shaped embayments centered at 66� 40' constrain volume removal to 1.1 km3 of the PRVI carbonate platform and underlying volcanic and volcaniclastic basement. Sidescan sonar and single-channel seismic data reveal crescentic cracks in the seafloor of the PRVI platform 35-45 km in length located 35 km offshore the northwestern tip of Puerto Rico. These cracks, interpreted to represent the sites of future breakaway scarps and landslides, are similar in shape and length to the head wall scarps of the amphitheaters to the east. An �500 km2 section of the PRVI platform (750 m thick) has begun to detach and slump trenchward along the larger of these cracks. Investigation of the existing arcuate-shaped embayments is essential because massive (tens to hundreds of km3) and instantaneous slope failure has the potential to be tsunamigenic. Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands were inundated by tsunamis in 1867 (mainly affecting St. Thomas and St. Croix, 7 m of runup, casualties in the hundreds) and 1918 (mainly affecting western and northwestern Puerto Rico; 6 m of runup, 120 casualties). Calculation of the potential volume, runout extent, and triggering mechanisms of past submarine landslides will better constrain the tsunamigenic potential of the newly discovered crescentic faults.
Hearne, M. E.; Grindlay, N. R.; Mann, P.
Water Use for Cultivation Management of Watermelon in Upland Field on Sand Dune
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Early-maturing cultivation of watermelon in a plastic tunnel was invetigated in upland field on sand dune on the coast of the Japan Sea to find water use to control blowing sand and to transplant seedlings. This region has low precipitation, low humidity, and strong wind in March and April, when sand is readily blown in the field. Water is used to control blowing sand on days with precipitation below 5 mm, minimum humidity below the meteorological average in April, and maximum wind velocity above the meteorological average in April. For the rooting and growth of watermelon seedlings, soil temperature needs to be raised because it is low in April. Ridges are mulched with transparent, porous polyethylene films 10 or more days before transplanting the seedlings and irrigated with sprinklers on fine days for the thermal storage of solar energy. The stored heat steams the mulched ridges to raise soil temperature to 15�C or higher on the day of transplanting the seedlings. The total amount of irrigation water used for watermelon cultivation was 432.7 mm, of which 23.6 mm was for blowing sand control and 26.6 mm was for transplanting the seedlings. The combined amount, 50.2 mm, is 11.6% of the total amount of water used for cultivation management.
Hashimoto, Iwao; Senge, Masateru; Itou, Kengo; Maruyama, Toshisuke
La structuration par fluctuation d'une trajectoire entrepreneuriale. Mise en perspective g�n�rale sur la formation d'une nouvelle entreprise, le cas Spora
Lors de l'animation de s�minaires pour des cr�ateurs d'entreprise nous percevons les relations ambigu�s qu'ils entretiennent avec les cas d'entrepreneuriat qui leurs sont pr�sent�s. Certains consid�rent que chaque histoire n'est que le produit des opportunit�s et du contexte de la cr�ation. D'autres voient dans ces entreprises la finalisation d'une vision et d'une capacit� manag�riale particuli�re, qui ne peuvent en rien
Alain Asquin
Holocene dune formation at Ash Meadows National Wildlife Area, Nevada, USA
Small isolated dune fields in the northern Mojave Desert are important centers of biodiversity and archaeological occupation sites. Currently dunes at Ash Meadows, Nevada, are stabilized by vegetation and are experiencing erosion of their upwind margins, indicating a negative sediment budget. New OSL ages from dunes at Ash Meadows indicate continuous eolian accumulation from 1.5 to 0.8 ka, with further accumulation around 0.2 ka. Prior studies (e.g., Mehringer and Warren, 1976) indicate periods of dune accumulation prior to 3.3 ka; 1.9�1 ka; and after 0.9 ka. These periods of eolian accumulation are largely synchronous with those identified elsewhere in the Mojave Desert. The composition of the Ash Meadows dunes indicates their derivation from regional fluvial sources, most likely during periods when axial washes were active as a result of enhanced winter precipitation.
Lancaster, Nicholas; Mahan, Shannon A.
The Research on the Shedding Vortex of Barchan Dune by LES
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
How the slope curvature of barchan dune effects the wind flows and the distribution of the Reynold stresses are difficult problems at present. Especially along with the separating streamlines, some researchers predicted that shedding vortex, which overshot from the dune crest, should be formed due to the Kelvin-He lmholtz instability. However, because of the limitation of instrument used in field experiment and the complicacy in the numerical simulation, no one verified the characters of the shedding vortex. We employ FVM, combining with LES, and solve the unsteady Navier-Stokes equations. After testified the programme and simulated, we obtained the instantaneous turbulent flow over isolated barchan dune, and the Reynold stresses at any location. Qualitatively explained why the profile of barchan dune with different height have different figure. Emphatically analyzed and discussed the shedding vortex, we propound that the shedding vortex overshot from the dune crest in spiral form.
Gaosheng, Ma; Xiaojing, Zheng
Mapping a local Dune Field, and estimating paleowind speed and direction
NSDL National Science Digital Library
Students map one large hairpin parabolic dune in the Pinebush Preserve. They also profile the slopes on both proximal and distal sides of the dune. As a group, we take an ~ 2m long core of the dune sand to sample the sand beneath the soil profile. In the lab, students measure the particle size distribution of their sand samples, map the whole dune field from aerial photographs and a DEM, and estimate paleo-wind speed and direction. They then compare these data with modern wind data (available from the web) to answer the question of .just how different conditions were when the dune field was deposited Uses online and/or real-time data Addresses student fear of quantitative aspect and/or inadequate quantitative skills Uses geomorphology to solve problems in other fields
Rodbell, Donald
Measurements of the relationship between turbulence and sediment in suspension over mobile sand dunes in a laboratory flume
The relationship between fluid and particle motions over a mobile dune bed was investigated using a laboratory flume with mobile sand dunes. Fluid turbulence data from a laser Doppler velocimeter (LDV) and suspended-sediment data from an acoustic backscatter system (BSS) were collected from the same sampling volume at a constant position relative to passing sand dunes in a laboratory channel
D. G. Wren; R. A. Kuhnle; C. G. Wilson
The timing of climbing dune formation in southwestern Niger: fluvio-aeolian interactions and the r�le of sand supply
Contemporary gully erosion has exposed sections in a climbing dune which is banked up against ferricrete terraces along the southern bank of the Niger River in southwestern Niger. The main sand transport direction in this area is from northeast to southwest, and the immediate source of the dune sand is the Niger River. Dune stratigraphy contains evidence of episodic, fluvially
Helen M Rendell; Mich�le L Clarke; Andrew Warren; Adrian Chappell
Polar Dunes In Summer Exhibit Frost Patches, Wind Streaks
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)Mars Global Surveyor passes over the north polar region of the red planet twelve times each day, offering many opportunities to observe how the polar cap frosts and dunes are changing as the days goby. Right now it is summer in the north. This picture, taken the second week of April 1999, shows darks and dunes and remnant patches of bright frost left over from the winter that ended in July 1998. Dark streaks indicate recent movement of sand. The picture covers an area only 1.4 kilometers (0.9 miles)across and is illuminated from the upper right. Malin Space Science Systems and the California Institute of Technology built the MOC using spare hardware from the Mars Observer mission. MSSS operates the camera from its facilities in San Diego, CA. The Jet Propulsion Laboratory's Mars Surveyor Operations Project operates the Mars Global Surveyor spacecraft with its industrial partner, Lockheed Martin Astronautics, from facilities in Pasadena, CA and Denver, CO.
Hydrology of the dunes area north of Coos Bay, Oregon
Hydrology of a 20-square-mile area of dunes along the central Oregon coast was studied. The area is underlain by 80 to 150 feet of Quaternary dune and marine sand which overlies Tertiary marine clay and shale. Ground water for industrial and municipal use is being withdrawn at a rate of 4 million gallons per day. Original plans to withdraw as much as 30 million gallons per day are evidently limited by the prospect of excessive lowering of levels in shallow lakes near the wells, and possibly sea-water intrusion, if water-level gradients are reversed. At the present stage of development there are 18 production wells, each capable of producing 200-300 gallons per minute from the lower part of the sand deposits. Except for thin layers of silt, clay, and organic matter, the deposits of sand are clean and uniform; horizontal permeability is two orders of magnitude times the vertical permeability. Because of the low vertical permeability, drawdown cones are not evident in the upper part of the aquifer adjacent to the wells. However, present pumping lowers general water levels in the lakes and the shallow ground-water zone as much as several feet. A two-layer electric analog model was built to analyze effects of present and projected development as well as any alternate plans. Model results were used to develop curves for short-term prediction of water levels.
Robison, J. H.
Characteristics of dune-paleosol-sequences in Fuerteventura. - What should be questioned?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Characteristics of dune-paleosol-sequences in Fuerteventura. - What should be questioned? Dominik Faust, TU Dresden, Germany Tobias Willkommen, TU Dresden, Germany Yurena Yanes, CSIC Granada/Cincinatti, Spain/USA David Richter, TU Dresden, Germany Ludwig Z�ller, Uni Bayreuth, Germany The northern part of Fuerteventura is characterized by large dune fields. We investigated dune-paleosol-sequences in four pits to establish a robust stratigraphy and to propose a standard section. An interaction of processes like dune formation, soil formation and redeposition of soils and sand are most important to understand the principles of landscape development in the study area. To our mind a process cycle seem to be important: First climbing-dunes are formed by sand of shelf origin. Then soil formation could have taken place. Soil and/or sand were then eroded and deposited at toe slope position. This material in turn is the source of new sand supply and dune formation. The described cycle may be repeated several times and this ping-pong-process holds on. The results are sections composed of dune layers, paleosols and colluvial material interbedded. Fundamental questions still remain unanswered: Is climate change responsable for changes in process combination (e.g. from dune formation to soil formation)? Or are these features due to divergence phenomenon, where different effects/results (dune and soils) may be linked to similar causes (here: climate)? Assuming that different features (soils and dunes) were formed under one climate, increasing soil forming intensity could be mainly a function of decreasing sand supply. This in turn could be caused by reduced sand production (s. ZECH et al. accepted). However geochemical data and mollusc assemblages point to changing environments in space and even climate modifications in time.
Faust, Dominik; Willkommen, Tobias; Yanes, Yurena; Richter, David; Z�ller, Ludwig
Changing Climate and Wind Patterns Revealed in Indiana's Fair Oaks Dunes
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Fair Oak Dunes (FOD) cover over 1100 square miles in north-central Indiana. Careful study of dune morphology reveals three types of dunes in regards to their size. The first order forms are compound parabolic dunes that reach over five miles in length and have the apex of parabola pointing in a southwesterly direction. The spacing between these dunes is three to five miles. The second order dune ridges are compound parabolic dunes that range in size from one to three miles in length with spacing of about one mile between the ridges. Both, the second order and the third order dunes have the apex of parabola pointing in northeasterly direction, opposite of the first order dunes. The third order dune ridges are simple parabolic dunes that reach up to half mile in length and are 25 to 30 feet tall in western part to over 45 feet in the eastern part of the FOD. All dunes are fixed by lush vegetation. Preliminary grain size analyses indicate that north part of FOD has coarser sand (0.283 mm) than southern part (0.197 mm), while eastern part (0.271 mm) is coarser than the western part (0.223 mm). This grain size distribution is in accordance with initial interpretation of dune morphology. Strong northeasterly winds associated with anticyclone were prevalent in early dune formation about 14,000 years ago near the end of last glacial. The finest particles were blown south and southwest from the source area which was north and east of the present dunes. Cyclonic southwesterly winds become dominant in Holocene and caused a reworking of the original large dunes into smaller forms as well as removal of some of the finest particles back to the original source to the northeast. Limited vertical dune profiles indicate that below the 5 feet of bioturbated surface layer are alternating light layers (3 to 5 inch thick) and dark laminae (1-2 inches thick). Dark laminae consist of quartz grains with `hairy' surfaces covered with reddish iron oxides or clays. They contain twice as much silt fraction and are more indurated and resistant to weathering than light layers separating them. Are these alternating layers depositional or postdepositional structures? Depositional origin would indicate episodes of drier climate and strong winds creating light, coarser layers while dark laminae would be indication of wet climate and weak winds transporting only dust particles. Postdepositional origin would indicate formation of "dissipation structures" created by soil water translocation of fines during humid climate. Many of the questions about timing of original dunes and their later transformation as well as timing of dark laminae and light layers within the dunes will hopefully be answered by OSL dating.
Kilibarda, Z.
A numerical study of turbulent flow over complex aeolian dune fields: the White Sands National Monument
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The structure and dynamics of fully-developed turbulent flows responding to aeolian dune fields are studied using large-eddy simulation with an immersed boundary method. An aspect of particular importance in these flows is the downwind migration of coherent motions associated with Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities which originate at the dune crests. These instabilities are responsible for enhanced downward transport of high momentum fluid via the so-called turbulent sweep mechanism. However, the presence of such structures and their role in determining the bulk characteristics of fully developed dune field sublayer aerodynamics has received relatively limited attention. Moreover, many existing studies address mostly symmetric or mildly asymmetric dune forms. The White Sands National Monument is a field of aeolian gypsum sand dunes located in the Tularosa Basin in southern New Mexico. Aeolian processes at the site result in a complex, anisotropic dune field. In the dune field sublayer, the flow statistics resemble a mixing layer: at approximately the dune crest height, vertical profiles of streamwise velocity exhibit an inflection and turbulent Reynolds stresses are maximum; below this, the streamwise and vertical velocity fluctuations are positively and negatively skewed, respectively. We evaluate the spatial structure of Kelvin-Helmholtz instabilities present in the dune field sublayer -- shear length, Ls, and vortex spacing, Lambda_x -- and show that Ls = m Lambda_x, where m is approximately 8 in the different sections considered (for turbulent mixing layers, 7 < m < 10, Rogers and Moser, 1994: Phys. Fluids A, 6, 903-922). These results guide discussion on the statistics of aerodynamic drag across the dunes; probability density functions of time-series of aerodynamic drag for the dunes are shown to exhibit skewness and variance much greater than values reported for turbulent boundary layer flow over an homogeneous roughness distribution. Thus, we propose that aeolian processes and dune pattern evolution is strongly influenced by the mixing layer physics in the dune field sublayer, and these physics are different to what would otherwise be predicted when using the equilibrium logarithmic law.
Anderson, W. W.; Chamecki, M.; Kocurek, G.; Mohrig, D. C.
Investigation of the sand sea with the tallest dunes on Earth: China's Badain Jaran Sand Sea
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
China's Badain Jaran Sand Sea features the tallest dunes on Earth and a unique mega-dune-lake landscape. It had been explored little until the 1990s, though early scientific explorations surrounding the sand sea had begun by the early 20th century. Heated debates now focus on the desert environment, and particularly how the mega-dunes and desert lakes develop and evolve. This paper reviews the status of these debates and summarizes the supporting evidences. The environmental research mainly concerns formation and evolution of the sand sea, and its relationship with climate change. The proposed formation time ranges from the Early Pleistocene to the Holocene. Opinions vary about climate change on different time scales. The reconstructed climate change history is shorter than the sand sea's history, with the longest record extending to the Late Pleistocene. The mega-dune research focuses on sediments, dune morphology, and formation processes. It remains unclear whether the mega-dunes result primarily from wind action, control by the underlying topography, or groundwater maintenance. The sources of lake water are also debated, but there are four main hypotheses: atmospheric precipitation, groundwater from nearby areas, precipitation and snowmelt in remote areas such as the Qilian Mountains and the Qinghai-Tibetan Plateau, or paleowater that formed during past periods of wet climate. We believe that the sand sea deserves further study in terms of its dune geomorphology, evolution, and hydrology, and their responses to climate change. Meteorological and hydrological observations and monitoring in the sand sea are particularly necessary.
Dong, Zhibao; Qian, Guangqiang; Lv, Ping; Hu, Guangyin
Evolution of late Holocene coastal dunes in the Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu, India
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Widespread occurrences of coastal dunes are observed in the Cauvery delta region of Tamil Nadu in Vedaranniyam in the south east coast of India. These dunes were studied to establish the chronology of their formation and to understand their evolution using optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dating in combination with sedimentological studies (quartz grain surface morphology using scanning electron microscope, grain size and heavy mineral analysis). The study shows that on the south-east coast of India widespread periodic dune formation/reactivation has taken place during the late Holocene to very recent times due to a variety of reasons such as climatic variation and land use changes. The sand mobility index shows that the dunes in the area have been largely active during the past century in the southern part in Nagapattinam region and many of the crests were active in the northern Cauvery delta in Cuddalore region. The angularity and fresh appearance of sand in the inland dunes suggest a short distance of sand transport and a source proximal sand deposition was proposed for the dune formation. The study demonstrates the sensitivity of sand dunes on the south east coast of India to varying climatic conditions and changes in regional land use.
Alappat, L.; Frechen, M.; Ramesh, R.; Tsukamoto, S.; Srinivasalu, S.
Correlation of Dune Field Stabilization with Mineralogy in the Southern Hemisphere of Mars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Because of its relatively dust-free surfaces, aeolian sand on Mars is a prime target for remote sensing compositional studies. It is not yet known how sand composition may be influenced by transport or the presence of ground ice. However, Ruff and Christensen (2007) identified a shift in dune field composition poleward of 50�S, which may reflect a latitudinal shift in source composition, transport, or weathering. This compositional shift coincides with a latitudinal trend in dune field morphology that was interpreted to signify an increase in dune stabilization with proximity to the pole (Fenton and Hayward, 2010). We present preliminary results from linear spectral unmixing of Thermal Emission Spectrometer (TES) data for 24 dune fields in the southern hemisphere of Mars (located 40�-80�S) using the spectral library of Rogers and Fergason (2011). There is a great deal of variation in the resulting abundances, but most dune fields have a lower percentage of olivine and pyroxene than that identified closer to the equator, in Iapygia and Tyrrhena Terrae (60�-100�E, 0-30�S; Rogers and Fergason, 2011). As identified by Ruff and Christensen (2007), there is a shift at ~60�S from more mafic materials (olivine and pyroxene) to less mafic materials (feldspar and high-silica phases) that corresponds with the transition from active-appearing dune fields (red in figure) to those displaying the first signs of stabilization (orange in figure). Dune fields displaying further signs of stability have abundances intermediate between these two ranges, suggesting that compositional variations related to dune field stability are only significant where the first signs of stability appear. In addition, there is typically a wide range of abundances within individual dune fields, suggesting that, at least to some degree, compositional variation is controlled by local processes (e.g., local sources or wind patterns).
Fenton, L. K.; Hayward, R. K.; Horgan, B. H.; Titus, T. N.
Maximum-limiting ages of Lake Michigan coastal dunes: Their correlation with Holocene lake level history
Coastal geomorphology along the Great Lakes has long been linked with lake-level history. Some of the most spectacular landforms along the eastern shore of Lake Michigan are high-relief dunes that mantle lake terraces. It has been assumed that these dunes developed during the Nipissing high stand of ancestral Lake Michigan. This hypothesis was tested through stratigraphic analyses and radiocarbon dating of buried soils at four sites between Manistee and Grand Haven, Michigan. At each site, thick deposits of eolian sand overlie late-Pleistocene lacustrine sands. Moderately developed Spodosols (Entic Haplorthods) formed in the uppermost part of the lake sediments are buried by thick dune sand at three sites. At the fourth locality, a similar soil occurs in a very thin (1.3 m) unit of eolian sand buried deep within a dune. These soils indicate long-term (~ 4,000 years) stability of the lake deposits following subaerial exposure. Radiocarbon dating of charcoal in the buried sola indicates massive dune construction began between 4,900 and 4,500 cal. yr B.P. at the Nordhouse Dunes site, between 4,300 and 3,900 cal. yr B.P. at the Jackson and Nugent Quarries, and between 3,300 to 2,900 cal. yr B.P. at Rosy Mound. Given these ages, it can be concluded that dune building at one site occurred during the Nipissing high stand but that the other dunes developed later. Although lake levels generally fell after the Nipissing, it appears that dune construction may have resulted from small increases in lake level and destabilization of lake-terrace bluffs.
Arbogast, Alan F.; Loope, Walter L.
Water resources of Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan
Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore in a water-rich area. It borders Lake Michigan and several small streams flow through the park to the lake. Small lakes are numerous within the park and near its boundaries. Ground water is available at most places in the park and wells yield as much as 100 gallons per minute. Water from streams, lakes, wells, and springs is of good quality. Dissolved solids range from 35 to 180 mg/L in lakes, from 145 to 214 mg/L in streams, and from 136 to 468 mg/L in groundwater. Analyses of samples for pesticides and trace metals indicate that no pesticides are present in the water, and that concentrations of trace metals do not exceed recommended drinking-water standards. Surface and ground water are available in sufficient quantity in most areas of the park for the development of water supplies for visitor 's centers, campgrounds, picnic areas, and other park facilities. (USGS)
Handy, A. H.; Stark, J. R.
Etude numerique du sillage tourbillonnaire d'une eolienne
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Cette these formalise le concept de la surface actuatrice (SA) et en presente l'implantation dans deux methodes de mecanique des fluides assistee par ordinateur (CFD) bidimensionnelle (2D) et tridimensionnelle (3D), la validation et l'application au probleme de modelisation du sillage tourbillonnaire d'une eolienne. En termes cinetiques, une SA est une nappe tourbillonnaire qui resulte en une discontinuite de vitesse tandis qu'en termes dynamiques, elle est associee a un systeme de forces dont la composante dans la direction normale a la SA resulte en une discontinuite de pression. Les methodes CFD utilisees sont des methodes aux volumes finis, adaptees pour prendre en compte l'action de la SA sur l'ecoulement. L'approche de la SA est validee pour des problemes 2D: aile infinie et disque actuateur, ainsi que pour le probleme 3D de l'aile en translation (aile effilee), avant d'etre appliquee a plusieurs eoliennes.
Sibuet Watters, Christophe
Association of the Vaccinia Virus A11 Protein with the Endoplasmic Reticulum and Crescent Precursors of Immature Virions
The apparent de novo formation of viral membranes within cytoplasmic factories is a mysterious, poorly understood first step in poxvirus morphogenesis. Genetic studies identified several viral proteins essential for membrane formation and the assembly of immature virus particles. Their repression results in abortive replication with the accumulation of dense masses of viroplasm. In the present study, we further characterized one of these proteins, A11, and investigated its association with cellular and viral membranes under normal and abortive replication conditions. We discovered that A11 colocalized in cytoplasmic factories with the endoplasmic reticulum (ER) and L2, another viral protein required for morphogenesis. Confocal microscopy and subcellular fractionation indicated that A11 was not membrane associated in uninfected cells, whereas L2 still colocalized with the ER. Cell-free transcription and translation experiments indicated that both A11 and L2 are tail-anchored proteins that associate posttranslationally with membranes and likely require specific cytoplasmic targeting chaperones. Transmission electron microscopy indicated that A11, like L2, associated with crescent membranes and immature virions during normal infection and with vesicles and tubules near masses of dense viroplasm during abortive infection in the absence of the A17 or A14 protein component of viral membranes. When the synthesis of A11 was repressed, �empty� immature-virion-like structures formed in addition to masses of viroplasm. The immature-virion-like structures were labeled with antibodies to A17 and to the D13 scaffold protein and were closely associated with calnexin-labeled ER. These studies revealed similarities and differences between A11 and L2, both of which may be involved in the recruitment of the ER for virus assembly.
Maruri-Avidal, Liliana; Weisberg, Andrea S.
Reticulated Origin of Domesticated Emmer Wheat Supports a Dynamic Model for the Emergence of Agriculture in the Fertile Crescent
We used supernetworks with datasets of nuclear gene sequences and novel markers detecting retrotransposon insertions in ribosomal DNA loci to reassess the evolutionary relationships among tetraploid wheats. We show that domesticated emmer has a reticulated genetic ancestry, sharing phylogenetic signals with wild populations from all parts of the wild range. The extent of the genetic reticulation cannot be explained by post-domestication gene flow between cultivated emmer and wild plants, and the phylogenetic relationships among tetraploid wheats are incompatible with simple linear descent of the domesticates from a single wild population. A more parsimonious explanation of the data is that domesticated emmer originates from a hybridized population of different wild lineages. The observed diversity and reticulation patterns indicate that wild emmer evolved in the southern Levant, and that the wild emmer populations in south-eastern Turkey and the Zagros Mountains are relatively recent reticulate descendants of a subset of the Levantine wild populations. Based on our results we propose a new model for the emergence of domesticated emmer. During a pre-domestication period, diverse wild populations were collected from a large area west of the Euphrates and cultivated in mixed stands. Within these cultivated stands, hybridization gave rise to lineages displaying reticulated genealogical relationships with their ancestral populations. Gradual movement of early farmers out of the Levant introduced the pre-domesticated reticulated lineages to the northern and eastern parts of the Fertile Crescent, giving rise to the local wild populations but also facilitating fixation of domestication traits. Our model is consistent with the protracted and dispersed transition to agriculture indicated by the archaeobotanical evidence, and also with previous genetic data affiliating domesticated emmer with the wild populations in southeast Turkey. Unlike other protracted models, we assume that humans played an intuitive role throughout the process.
Civan, Peter; Ivanicova, Zuzana; Brown, Terence A.
The behavioural ecology of two sympatric talitrid species, Talitrus saltator (Montagu) and Orchestia gammarellus (Pallas) on a Tyrrhenian sandy beach dune system
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The behavioural ecology of a sub-population of Talitrus saltator living on the sandy shore of the Maremma Regional Park (Italy) was compared with that of Orchestia gammarellus inhabiting the retrodunal dune slack area. Monthly monitoring over a year determined the mean distribution patterns, their changes and whether these overlapped. Standard pitfall traps were placed along transects across the beach-dune-dune slack area. Experiments analysed the diel activity rhythms during spring and the activity patterns of the different age classes and the two sexes were compared within and between species. Local environmental conditions were registered with a microclimatic station. During May and September, plant hummocks were monitored to see whether surface movements of O. gammarellus could be restricted to certain periods of the year and to estimate densities within the vegetation. The plant biomass and moisture conditions within the hummocks were also recorded and substratum samples were collected at the base of the shrubs for laboratory analysis. To test for visual cues, orientation experiments with and without landscape view were carried out on the beach during morning and afternoon hours and contemporaneously for each species. Experiments to test the diel variation of scototaxis to a black shape were also performed over a 24 h period of time under controlled conditions. There was a spatial partitioning of the two species, with T. saltator moving along a sea-land axis according to diel and seasonal changes and with some individuals reaching the back of the dune in particular environmental conditions. No spatial overlap with the zonation patterns of O. gammarellus was observed, which was restricted to the dune slack area. Nocturnal surface activity was observed for both species with juveniles peaking at dawn and with O. gammarellus being strictly more nocturnal than T. saltator. Orientation experiments showed a higher ability of T. saltator to orient towards the shoreline using solar and local cues, whereas O. gammarellus seemed to have a stronger scototaxis. Differences in the behavioural responses are discussed in terms of the species ecological adaptations to their particular habitats.
Colombini, Isabella; Fallaci, Mario; Gagnarli, Elena; Rossano, Claudia; Scapini, Felicita; Chelazzi, Lorenzo
Coherent Flow Structures and Suspension Events over Low-angle Dunes: Fraser River, Canada
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Increasing observations show that dunes with low-angle lee-sides (< 30�) and symmetrical shapes are the most common bedform morphology in large sand-bedded alluvial channels. Flume studies have revealed much about flow and sediment dynamics over high-angle (~30�) asymmetric dunes, however much less is known about low-angle dune dynamics. This study examines mean flow, coherent flow structures and suspension events over low-angle dunes in the unsteady flow of the estuarine reach of the Fraser River, Canada. Dune field topography was mapped using a multibeam echo sounder (MBES) while an acoustic Doppler current profiler (aDcp) simultaneously provided flow and suspended sediment measurements over a range of flows through tidal cycles. At high tide, river flow nearly ceases and a salt wedge enters the channel, forcing plumes of salt water towards the surface into the downstream moving fresh water above as the wedge moves upstream over the dunes. The salt wedge persists in the channel causing stratification in water column and one-sided instabilities along the saline-fresh water interface until the late in the falling tide. At low tide, mean velocities peak and force the saline water out of the channel. Flow over the low-angle dunes displays topographically induced flow patterns similar to previously observed over high-angle dunes, but permanent flow separation is notably absent. Sediment-laden kolks emerge as important suspended sediment transport agents during low tide but become more coherent, yet less frequent, structures as the tide begins to rise. Kolks appear to form downstream of dune crests along the shear layer that is likely formed by intermittent flow separation. Kolks also form at the reattachment point and grow over the stoss slope of the dunes. This is consistent with the generation of hairpin vortices formed near the bed that lift into the flow and grow to the surface through an 'autogeneration' mechanism. Persistent downwelling and periodic sweeps at dune crests provide a mechanism for sediment erosion and entrainment while periodic ejection motions or kolks in a zone of persistent upwelling at the lower stoss provide a mechanism sediment suspension. Kolks are estimated to move ~70% of the total sediment in the flow above dunes when they are present in the water column.
Bradley, R. W.; Venditti, J. G.; Kostaschuk, R. A.; Hendershot, M. L.; Allison, M. A.; Church, M. A.
A ten-year review of myelodysplastic defect management and use of a novel closure technique with V-Y crescentic rotation advancement flaps.
The reconstructive goals for myelodysplastic defects are to provide a multilayered, tension-free and well-vascularized closure to prevent cerebrospinal fluid leakage, wound infection or breakdown and to optimize neurologic outcomes. We reviewed our ten-year experience with myelodysplastic defects and our preferred technique for large defects utilizing paraspinous flaps followed by V-Y crescentic rotation advancement flaps. A retrospective chart review was performed on all myelodysplastic defects closed at the University of Chicago Medicine from 2002 to 2012. Twenty-three patients were treated: eight were closed using V-Y crescentic rotation advancement flaps, eight primarily, two with transposition flaps and five with bilateral latissimus dorsi and gluteus maximus myocutaneous flaps. Patient defect characteristics, reconstructive details, follow up time, and wound complications were analyzed. The primary closure group included eight patients. There was one minor complication and two major complications that required debridement and plastic surgery consultation in this group. The transposition group included two patients and had no wound healing issues. The latissimus and gluteus myocutaneous group included five patients and had one minor wound healing issues. The V-Y crescentic group included eight patients. There were four minor wound breakdowns in the lateral donor sites and one major wound complication involving a CSF leak, meningitis and wound breakdown that required debridement. The groups were stratified by size, <5 cm and >5 cm, and further analyzed. Bilateral V-Y crescentic rotation advancement flap is a useful option when confronted with large myelodysplastic defects. It provides a multilayer, tension-free wound closure and spares the gluteus maximus and latissimus dorsi muscle groups. PMID:24429299
Butz, Daniel R; Seitz, Iris A; Frim, David M; Reid, Russell R; Gottlieb, Lawrence J
A case of a 6-year-old girl with anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic autoantibody-negative pauci-immune crescentic glomerulonephritis
A 6-year-old girl was admitted to our hospital with proteinuria, hematuria, skin rash and joint pain of the lower limbs. Due\\u000a to rapid progression of renal insufficiency, hemodialysis and peritoneal dialysis were performed. She was diagnosed with rapidly\\u000a progressive glomerulonephritis. Kidney biopsy showed severe crescent formation (50% of glomeruli) and no deposition of any\\u000a immunoglobulins or complements. Serologically, anti-neutrophil cytoplasmic
Maki ShimizuTakanori; Takanori Sekiguchi; Natsuko Kishi; Aya Goji; Tomoko Takahashi; Hiroko Kozan; Zenichi Sakaguchi; Yukiko Kinoshita; Sato Matsuura; Kenichi Suga; Maki Urushihara; Shuji Kondo; Shoji Kagami; Katsuaki Ohara
Debris disks as seen by Herschel/DUNES
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
The far-infrared excesses produced by debris disks are common features of stellar systems. These disks are thought to contain solids ranging from micron-sized dust to planetesimals. Naturally, their formation and evolution are linked to those of potential planets. With this motivation, the Herschel open time key programme DUNES (DUst around NEarby Stars) aims at further characterising known debris disks and discovering new ones in the regime explored by the Herschel space observatory. On the one hand, in their survey of 133 nearby FGK stars, DUNES discovered a class of extremely cold and faint debris disks, different from well-known disks such as the one around Vega in that their inferred typical grain sizes are rather large, indicating low dynamical excitation and low collision rates. On the other hand, for the more massive disk around the sun-like star HD 207129, well-resolved PACS images confirmed the ring-liked structure seen in HST images and provided valuable information for an in-depth study and benchmark for models. Employing both models for power-law fitting and collisional evolution we found the disk around HD 207129 to feature low collision rates and large grains, as well. Transport by means of Poynting-Robertson drag likely plays a role in replenishing the dust seen closer to the star, inside of the ring. The inner edge is therefore rather smooth and the contribution from the extended halo of barely bound grains is small. Both slowly self-stirring and planetary perturbations could potentially have formed and shaped this disk. Herschel is an ESA space observatory with science instruments provided by European-led Principal Investigator consortia and with important participation from NASA.
L�hne, T.; Eiroa, C.; Augereau, J.-C.; Ertel, S.; Marshall, J. P.; Mora, A.; Absil, O.; Stapelfeldt, K.; Th�bault, P.; Bayo, A.; del Burgo, C.; Danchi, W.; Krivov, A. V.; Lebreton, J.; Letawe, G.; Magain, P.; Maldonado, J.; Montesinos, B.; Pilbratt, G. L.; White, G. J.; Wolf, S.
Quantification of Barchan Dune Evolution over Monthly to Interannual Time Scales Using Airborne LIDAR and Terrestrial Laser Scanning
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Barchan dunes are among the most rapidly evolving landforms on Earth, with migration rates of up to 100 m/yr. Despite the central importance of barchan dunes in aeolian geomorphology and the relative ease of quantifying changes in their shape and position, basic questions remain about barchan dune evolution. For example, how does the position of a dune relative to its neighbors affect the evolution of a dune? The presence of a dune influences the air flow around the dune, potentially modifying the evolution of neighboring dunes. Also, a dune may grow in size more rapidly if neighboring dunes are located immediately upwind of the dune, thus providing additional sources of sand for the dune relative to the case of an isolated dune. To address these questions, we quantified the change in the position of 14 dunes, and the sand flux among them, in the Salton Sea dune field over two time scales: 1 month and 3 years. The 1-month change map was created using two TLS surveys completed in the summer of 2013, and the 3-year change map was created using the results of a TLS survey in 2013 and an airborne LIDAR survey from 2010. The PHOENICS Computational Fluid Dynamics solver was used to predict the change in the positions of the dunes and the flux of sand among them. PHOENICS was used to model the shear stress over the dune field using DEM data from the beginning of each interval of study, together with data on the wind profile collected at the study site using a wind tower. The output of PHOENICS was used as input to a shear-stress-dependent aeolian transport formula with the effect of slope on the threshold of entrainment included. Preliminary analyses of the ALSM- and TLS-derived change maps indicate that clustered dunes interact via boundary layer effects to alter the migration and growth rates of their downwind neighbors. Additionally, the effects of subdominant, southeasterly winds were observed in the 1-month change map in the form of sand wedges deposited along the southeast-facing portions of all studied slip faces. These wedges are likely the result of a stagnation zone created by the interaction between the subdominant wind direction and the slip face. Further PHOENICS modeling will be performed using the subdominant wind data to determine the amount and source of the sand flux required to create these wedges. The results of this study will provide important constraints on numerical models of barchan dune field evolution.
Hoose, M.; Pelletier, J. D.
Generating Explanations for an Emergent Process: The Movement of Sand Dunes
NSDL National Science Digital Library
The movement of sand dunes in the desert is an emergent process; the overall movement of a dune is influenced both by the random interactions among individual sand particles and by the process of wind adding and subtracting sand. People often misconstrued emergent processes as deterministic processes containing central causality. I present a case study of how one person, an adult, who was not an expert in physics, articulated and refined her explanation of the movement of sand dunes. She began with centralized causality but ended with an explanation containing the cogent emergent ideas. This case study is noteworthy in exemplifying the dynamic process of generating an explanation. The interviewee went through four different explanations at three different levels (macro, micro and mid-level) and concluded with an explanation that simultaneously addressed the movement of sand dunes at all three levels.
Barth-Cohen, Lauren
Dune Scrub Communities and Their Correlation with Environmental Factors at Point Reyes National Seashore, California.
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
Dune scrub vegetation characterized by three soft-leaved shrubs, Haplopappus ericoides, Lupinus arboreaus and Lupinus chamissonis, was sampled at Point Reyes National Seashore (PRNS), Marin County, California, using the Braun-Blanquet releve method. Eight...
B. Holton A. F. Johnson
Creating dune landscapes for nature and housing - how to assess the designs?
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Over the last decades landscape and nature organisations in The Netherlands initiated discussions about safeguarding characteristic historical landscapes, as well as improving nature and landscape quality. In these discussions they were supported by Dutch government agencies and newspapers. As a consequence, architects, landscape architects and building firms in the Netherlands try to upgrade the quality of houses and build-up areas by creating special landscape settings. Dunes are one of the landscapes that appeal to the designers, and several projects make use of dunes to create a quality living environment. Also nature manager construct dunes in what is called 'new nature'. This contribution evaluates several projects creating dune landscapes. Criteria for the evaluation are: - the subsequent geomorphology, - the materials used for construction, - the resulting internal structure, - the soil profile, - the relationship with the vegetation, - the historical integrity of the location. These examples indicate that engaging earth-scientific knowhow would substantially improve the authenticity of the designs.
van den Ancker, J.; Jungerius, P. D.; Hartman, J.
Morphology and formation of the upwind margin at White Sands Dune Field
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
A remarkable transitional landscape occurs at the upwind margin of White Sands Dune Field. Over the course a few hundred meters the landscape changes from an flat, sand availability-limited playa, to a sand sheet with strong spatial grain-size sorting, to meter high slipfaceless proto-dunes and finally to several meter high dunes with angle-of-repose slip faces. Within one wavelength of the first dune, dunes rise to nearly 10 meters in height above Alkali Flat, the upwind playa that extends for 13 km westward from the dune field. This abrupt rise in topography may perturb the dominant southwesterly wind flow and trigger an internal boundary layer, which causes a spatial decrease in surface wind stress and decline sediment flux, thereby altering the dune dynamics and dune field morphology downwind. Though the emergence of this upwind transition may play a key role in the morphodynamics of the dune field, what are the morphodynamics of the transition? What are the feedbacks between the emerging topography and the wind within the transition? This presentation uses high-resolution aerial photos, time-series airborne LiDAR and terrestrial laser scanning to characterize the transitional morphology the upwind margin of White Sands and discusses these morphologies in the context of the interplay between wind flow and dune field topography. Alkali Flat playa is sparsely sand covered, the amount of which varies temporally. The sparse sand cover occurs as sand patches that form in the lee of bushes or within topographic lows generated by deflated gypsum crust. Adjacent and downwind of the playa is a sand sheet composed of variable wavelength, coarse grained ripples. Ten to thirty meter wide ripple patches organized into a repeating sequence of coarse-grained, > 15 cm wavelength ripples to fine-grained, < 15 cm wavelength ripples occur across the sand sheet. Downwind the ripple patches organize into low-relief protodune hummocks. The protodunes are covered by a range of ripple sizes that are spatially organized similar to the ripple patches within the sand sheet. The coarsest-grained, largest wavelength ripples occur at the protodune crest and fine downwind. The inter-protodune areas are typically free of sand, exposing indurated dune stratigraphy. The protodunes grow in height, but the wavelength remains ~ 70 m downwind until a slipface develops. Rapid growth into 5-10 meter high dunes occurs within one wavelength after slipface development and generates an abrupt topographic increase in topography. Dune migration rates are approximately 6 m/year at the upwind margin and decline to around 3 m/year within a few kilometers of the upwind margin. A generalized model of dune emergence at the upwind margin of dune fields is proposed using examples from other dune fields.
Ewing, R. C.; Jerolmack, D. J.; Martin, R. L.; Reitz, M. D.; Phillips, C. B.; Falcini, F.; Masteller, C.
77 FR 56671 - Draft Shoreline Restoration Management Plan and Environmental Impact Statement for Indiana Dunes...
Federal Register 2010, 2011, 2012, 2013
...Porter, Indiana 46304; telephone (219) 926-7561, extension 225. FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Superintendent Constantine Dillon, Indiana Dunes National Lakeshore, at the address above, or by telephone at (219) 926-7561, extension...
Burrowing mayflies (Hexagenia) as indicators of ecosystem health at Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan
The present study describes the provisional use of burrowing mayflies (Hexagenia [Ephemeroptera: Ephemeridae]) as an indicator organism to assess and monitor the health of the Loon Lake and lower Platte River ecosystem within Sleeping Bear Dunes National Lakeshore, Michigan.
Edsall, Thomas A.; Phillips, William E.
Impact of Devegetated Dune Fields on North American Climate During the Late Medieval Climate Anomaly.
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
During the Medieval Climate Anomaly, North America experienced severe droughts and widespread mobilization of dune fields that persisted for decades. We use an atmosphere general circulation model, forced by a tropical Pacific sea surface temperature reco...
B. I. Cook R. Seager R. L. Miller
The Impact of Devegetated Dune Fields on North American Climate During the Late Medieval Climate Anomaly
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
During the Medieval Climate Anomaly, North America experienced severe droughts and widespread mobilization of dune fields that persisted for decades. We use an atmosphere general circulation model, forced by a tropical Pacific sea surface temperature reconstruction and changes in the land surface consistent with estimates of dune mobilization (conceptualized as partial devegetation), to investigate whether the devegetation could have exacerbated the medieval droughts. Presence of devegetated dunes in the model significantly increases surface temperatures, but has little impact on precipitation or drought severity, as defined by either the Palmer Drought Severity Index or the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration. Results are similar to recent studies of the 1930s Dust Bowl drought, suggesting bare soil associated with the dunes, in and of itself, is not sufficient to amplify droughts over North America.
Cook, B. I.; Seager, R.; Miller, R. L.
Geology and Geochemistry of the Dunes Hydrothermal System, Imperial Valley of California.
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
The Dunes hydrothermal system is located near the southeast basin margin of the Salton Trough structural rift in southern California. Intense potassium and silica metasomatism is associated with hydrothermal alteration of lateral clastic aquifers in the d...
D. K. Bird
The impact of devegetated dune fields on North American climate during the late Medieval Climate Anomaly
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
During the Medieval Climate Anomaly, North America experienced severe droughts and widespread mobilization of dune fields that persisted for decades. We use an atmosphere general circulation model, forced by a tropical Pacific sea surface temperature reconstruction and changes in the land surface consistent with estimates of dune mobilization (conceptualized as partial devegetation), to investigate whether the devegetation could have exacerbated the medieval droughts. Presence of devegetated dunes in the model significantly increases surface temperatures, but has little impact on precipitation or drought severity, as defined by either the Palmer Drought Severity Index or the ratio of precipitation to potential evapotranspiration. Results are similar to recent studies of the 1930s Dust Bowl drought, suggesting bare soil associated with the dunes, in and of itself, is not sufficient to amplify droughts over North America.
Cook, B. I.; Seager, R.; Miller, R. L.
Last Glacial Maximum Development of Parna Dunes in Panhandle Oklahoma, USA
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Though dunefields are a ubiquitous feature of the North American Great Plains, those studied to date have consisted primarily of sand grains. In Beaver County of the Oklahoma panhandle, however, upland dune forms consist of sand-sized aggregates of silt and clay. These aptly named parna dunes occur in two swarms, range in height from 10-15 m, and have asymmetrical dome morphologies with approximate north-south dune orientations. Despite their morphological similarities to sand dunes of the region, their origin and evolution is unknown. Documenting parna dune formation in the Oklahoma panhandle will help improve our understanding of prehistoric landscape instability and climate change, particularly in the central Great Plains where such records are limited. Panhandle parna dunes are typified by Blue Mound, our best documented parna dune thus far. Coring has documented a basal paleosol buried at a depth equivalent to the surrounding landscape�14C ages from this soil indicate its formation about 25-21 ka. The paleosol is a hydric Mollisol with a pronounced C3 isotopic signature reflecting hydric plant communities, rather than the regionally dominated C4 prairie vegetation. Hydric soils are associated with many of the playas on the surrounding landscape today, which suggests that they may have been more prevalent during the LGM. The overlying 8-10 m of parna is low in organic C and high in calcite, with indications of up to ten major episodes of sediment flux, which are documented with magnetic, isotope, soil-stratigraphic, particle-size, and color data. Near-surface luminescence (OSL) ages from Blue Mound are similar to the 14C ages from the basal paleosol, indicating rapid dune construction, with little or no Holocene accumulation of sediment. Marine isotope stage (MIS) 3 loess records indicate that upland areas of the region were relatively stable with attendant widespread pedogenesis prior to development of the parna dunes. At the onset of the LGM, however, the landscape destabilized, and aeolian processes dominated. Peoria Loess began accumulating throughout parts of Oklahoma and much of Kansas, Nebraska, and beyond, until landscape stabilization was re-attained about 14-13 ka. Our chronological and geomorphic data suggest that parna dune construction in the Oklahoma panhandle was the result of strong, northerly winds, which precipitated aeolian activity at the beginning of MIS 2. Furthermore, these features appear to be more analogous to the regional loess record than the sand dune activation record, and, with more research, may prove to be a reliable record of late-Quaternary landscape change in the central Great Plains.
Johnson, W. C.; Halfen, A. F.; McGowen, S.; Carter, B.; Fine, S.; Bement, L. C.; Simms, A. R.
Formation of aeolian dunes on Anholt, Denmark since AD 1560: A record of deforestation and increased storminess
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Sand dunes on the island of Anholt (Denmark) in the middle of Kattegat form a relatively barren, temperate climate aeolian system, locally termed the "Desert". The dunes have developed on top of a raised beach ridge system under the influence of dominant winds from westerly directions. They are relatively coarse-grained with an average mean grain size of 480 ?m. The last phase of aeolian activity and dune formation on Anholt started after AD 1560, when the local pine forest was removed. Historical sources report intense sand mobilization in the 17th century, and new optically stimulated luminescence (OSL) dates indicate that dune formation continued until the end of the 19th century. This period of sand drift and dune formation took place during the later part of the Little Ice Age, which is characterized by increased (summer) storminess in large parts of NW Europe. Dune stabilization in the beginning of the 20th century probably records a temporary decrease in storminess. Ground-penetrating radar mapping of the internal structures in two dunes in the western part of the Desert (a parabolic dune and a linear dune) indicates the importance of north-westerly (storm) winds during dune formation.
Clemmensen, Lars B.; Bj�rnsen, Mette; Murray, Andrew; Pedersen, Karsten
On the origin and age of the Great Sand Dunes, Colorado
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Over the past 100 yr, several hypotheses have been proposed for the origin and age of the Great Sand Dunes. These hypotheses differ widely in the descriptions of dune morphometry, the immediate source of eolian sand, and when sand transport occurred. The primary purpose of this paper is to evaluate these hypotheses and, where warranted, to present new ideas about the origin and age of the Great Sand Dunes. To evaluate the previous hypotheses, we had to develop more detailed information about the surficial geology of the northern San Luis Valley. Thus, we mapped the surficial geology of an area extending several tens of kilometers north, south, and west of the Great Sand Dunes and examined subsurface stratigraphy in more than 200 wells and borings. In addition, we used relative-dating criteria and several radiocarbon and OSL ages to establish the chronology of surficial deposits, and we determined the U-Pb ages of detrital zircons to obtain information about the sources of the sand in the Great Sand Dunes. The first principal finding of this study is that the lower part of the closed basin north of the Rio Grande, referred to here as the sump, is the immediate source of the sand in the Great Sand Dunes, rather than the late Pleistocene flood plain of the Rio Grande (the most widely accepted hypothesis). A second principal finding is that the Great Sand Dunes are older than late Pleistocene. They postdate the draining of Lake Alamosa, which began � 440 ka, and predate the time when streams draining the west flank of the Sangre de Cristo Mountains were deflected by incipient dunes that formed near the mountain front. Geomorphic and stratigraphic evidence indicate that this deflection occurred prior to the end of the next to last glaciation (Bull Lake), i.e., prior to � 130 ka.
Madole, Richard F.; Romig, Joe H.; Aleinikoff, John N.; VanSistine, D. Paco; Yacob, Ezra Y.
Large and very large subaqueous dunes on the continental shelf off southern Vietnam, South China Sea
In the course of two regional side-scan sonar surveys on the continental shelf off southern Vietnam after the winter monsoon\\u000a seasons of 2003 and 2004, and covering a total distance of over 1,000�km, the widespread occurrence of large and very large\\u000a subaqueous dunes was discovered. On the basis of their size, shape, depth of occurrence and orientation, the dunes were
A. Kubicki
Establishment, growth and degeneration of Ammophila arenaria in coastal sand dunes
<\\/strong>Introduction<\\/strong>This study deals with the establishment, growth, and degeneration of Ammophila arenaria (marram grass), a grass species that dominates the vegetation in coastal foredunes. Following natural establishment from rhizomes on high parts of the beach A.arenaria reduces wind velocity, which results in the accretion of windblown sand and the formation of dunes. A. arenaria grows vigorously in mobile dunes where
Putten van der W. H
Former des �conomistes au d�veloppement durable : les enjeux d'une exp�rimentation niveau Master
Cette communication a pour objectif de rendre compte d'une exp�rimentation men�e � l'Universit� des Sciences Sociales de Grenoble dans le cadre d'une formation en �conomie au niveau Master (1 et 2) dans le domaine de l'�ducation en vue du d�veloppement durable. La carte des formations permet de suivre de nombreux cours sur le d�veloppement durable (DD) en Master 1. De
Catherine Figui�re; Michel Rocca
Morphologic and Dynamic Similarities Between Polygonal Dunes on Mars and Interference Ripples on Earth
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Some dunes in craters on Mars are similar in morphology to ripples formed in complicated multidirectional flows on Earth. Similarities in morphology of these ripples on Earth and dunes on Mars include (1) relatively symmetrical cross-sections, and (2) crests with planform polygonal patterns, "tile" patterns, or "ladderback" structure. On Earth, bedforms with these morphologies are produced by complicated directionally-varying flows such as those generated by interfering waves (Figure 1), recirculating flows in the lee of large dunes, and recirculating flows in lateral separation eddies in rivers. Here we hypothesize that dunes with these morphologies on Mars (Figure 2) are also formed by multidirectional flows. Processes that might produce multidirectional winds on Mars include: heating and cooling that cause daily changes in wind direction; winds that vary in direction seasonally or with the passage of storms; and recirculating flows within steep-walled craters or within the troughs of larger dunes. This work was funded by NASA Mars Data Analysis Program.igure 1. Polygonal ripples formed by waves in shallow water; boot print is 30 cm long. igure 2. Polygonal dunes in Victoria Crater, Mars; crater is approximately 700 m in diameter and 70 m deep; image from NASA/JPL-Caltech/University of Arizona.
Rubin, D. M.; Newman, C. E.
Mesophilic Actinomycetes in the natural and reconstructed sand dune vegetation zones of Fraser Island, Australia.
The natural coastal habitat of Fraser Island located in the State of Queensland, Australia, has been disturbed in the past for mining of the mineral sand ilmenite. Currently, there is no information available on whether these past mining disturbances have affected the distribution, diversity, and survival of beneficial soil microorganisms in the sand dunes of the island. This in turn could deleteriously affect the success of the natural regeneration, plant growth, and establishment on the sand dunes. To support ongoing restoration efforts at sites like these mesophilic actinomycetes were isolated using conventional techniques, with particular emphasis on the taxa previously reported to produce plant-growth-promoting substances and providing support to mycorrhizal fungi, were studied at disturbed sites and compared with natural sites. In the natural sites, foredunes contained higher densities of micromonosporae replaced by increasing numbers of streptomycete species in the successional dune and finally leading to complex actinomycete communities in the mature hind dunes. Whereas in the disturbed zones affected by previous mining activities, which are currently being rehabilitated, no culturable actinomycete communities were detected. These findings suggest that the paucity of beneficial microflora in the rehabilitated sand dunes may be limiting the successful colonization by pioneer plant species. Failure to establish a cover of plant species would result in the mature hind dune plants being exposed to harsh salt and climatic conditions. This could exacerbate the incidence of wind erosion, resulting in the destabilization of well-defined and vegetated successional dunal zones. PMID:17578635
Kurtb�ke, D I; Neller, R J; Bellgard, S E
Alluvial Fans on Dunes in Kaiser Crater Suggest Niveo-Aeolian and Denivation Processes on Mars
NASA Technical Reports Server (NTRS)
On Earth, cold region sand dunes often contain inter-bedded sand, snow, and ice. These mixed deposits of wind-driven snow, sand, silt, vegetal debris, or other detritus have been termed Niveo-aeolian deposits. These deposits are often coupled with features that are due to melting or sublimation of snow, called denivation features. Snow and ice may be incorporated into dunes on Mars in three ways. Diffusion of water vapour into pore spaces is the widely accepted mechanism for the accretion of premafrost ice. Additional mechanisms may include the burial by sand of snow that has fallen on the dune surface or the synchronous transportation and deposition of snow, sand and ice. Both of these mechanisms have been reported for polar dunes on Earth. Niveo-aeolian deposits in polar deserts on Earth have unique morphologies and sedimentary structures that are generally not found in warm desert dunes. Recent analysis of MOC-scale data have found evidence for potential niveo-aeolian and denivation deposits in sand dunes on Mars.
Bourke, M. C.
A 45-year time series of Saharan dune mobility from remote sensing
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Decadal trends in the aeolian dust record of the Sahara affect the global climate system and the nutrient budget of the Atlantic Ocean. One proposed cause of these trends are changes in the frequency and intensity of dust storms, which have hitherto been hard to quantify. Because sand flux scales with the cube of wind speed, dune migration rates can be used as a proxy for storminess. Relative changes in the storminess of the Sahara can thus be monitored by tracking the migration rates of individual sand dunes over time. The Bod�l� Depression of northern Chad was selected as a target area for this method, because it is the most important point-source of aeolian dust on the planet and features the largest and fastest dunes on Earth. A collection of co-registered Landsat, SPOT, and ASTER scenes, combined with declassified American spy satellite images was used to construct a 45 year record of dune migration in the Bod�l� Depression. One unexpected outcome of the study was the observation of binary dune interactions in the imagery sequence, which reveals that when two barchan dunes collide, a transfer of mass occurs so that one dune appears to travel through the other unscathed, like a solitary wave. This confirms a controversial numerical model prediction and settles a decade-old debate in aeolian geomorphology. The COSI-Corr change detection method was used to measure the dune migration rates from 1984 until 1987, 1990, 1996, 2000, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, and 2010. An algorithm was developed to automatically warp the resulting displacement fields back to a common point in time. Thus, individual image pixels of a dune field were tracked over time, allowing the extraction of a time series from the co-registered satellite images without further human intervention. The automated analysis was extended further back into the past by comparison of the 1984 image with declassified American spy satellite (Corona) images from 1965 and 1970. Due to the presence of specks of dust as well as image distortions caused by shrinking of the photographic film, it was not possible to automatically measure the dune displacements of these scenes with COSI-Corr. Instead, the image was georeferenced and coregistered to the 1984 Landsat imagery by third order polynomial fits to 531 tie points, and the displacements of ten large barchan dunes were measured by hand. Thanks to the 19-year time lapse between the two images used for these 'analog' measurements, their precision is better than 5%, which is comparable with that of the automated COSI-Corr analysis. The resulting dune celerities are identical to the automated measurements, which themselves show little or no temporal variability over the subsequent 26 years. The lack of any trend in the time series of dune celerity paints a picture of remarkably stable dune mobility over the past 45 years. None of the distributions fall outside the overall average of 25m/yr. The constant dune migration rates resulting from our study indicate that there has been no change in the storminess of the Sahara over the past 45 years. The observed dust trends are therefore caused by changes in vegetation cover, which in turn reflect changes in precipitation and land usage. This work highlights the importance of the hyper-arid Bod�l� Depression, which provides a steady but finite supply of aeolian dust to the atmosphere without which nutrient fluxes and terrestrial albedo would be more variable than they are today.
Vermeesch, P.
Efficient fog harvesting by Stipagrostis sabulicola (Namib dune bushman grass)
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
Stipagrostis sabulicola is an endemic species of the central Namib Desert which settles on extremely arid dune fields. Due to its ability to persistence even during exceptionally dry years it is generally assumed that water supply of this species is substantially based on fog water. In this contribution, the results of a study investigating the capability of S. sabulicola for fog harvesting are presented. For this purpose, stem flow rates of S. sabulicola during fog events, spatial gradient of soil water content (SWC) close to mounds of S. sabulicola and its leaf water potential (LWP) before and after fog events were monitored together with climate parameters. According to the data obtained during this study, S. sabulicola is able to harvest substantial amounts of water by fog catchment from nocturnal fog events. Since culms of S. sabulicola are often stiff with an upright habitus, fog harvesting occurs via stemflow that conducts water directly towards the root zone of a plant. According to this mechanism, the stem runoff is concentrated within the area of the mound. A medium-sized mound of S. sabulicola is able to collect an amount of about 4 l per fog night. This fog harvesting leads to a considerable spatial gradient of soil water content with values decreasing with increasing distance from the mound. As a result of the water input by fog drip, SWC within the mound increases significantly, particularly close to the culm bases where SWC values increased to 2.2 % after a fog event. Due to the uneven distribution of water by stemflow, SWC within a mound shows high spatial heterogeneity which is also illustrated by the numerous outliers and extreme values of SWC within the mound region. This heterogeneity is also due to the fact that several sagging leaves are always present causing fog drip which more or less irregularly scatters moisture. For bare soil outside of a mound, the water content is not substantially increased, amounting to 0.78 % on average during dry days and 0.89 % after fog events. Fog harvesting affects also leaf water potential: whereas leaf water potential declines during dry days, it remains more or less constant on days following fog events. Since mounds of S. sabulicola provide shelter and food for various other organisms such as ants and lizards, their ability for nocturnal fog catchment is of high significance for the ecosystem of the Namib dunes.
Roth-Nebelsick, A.; Ebner, M.; Miranda, T.
Sheet Flows, Avalanches, and Dune Migration on Earth and Mars
NASA Astrophysics Data System (ADS)
We provide an overview of our research on sheet flows and avalanches of granular materials, primarily in terrestrial conditions. Sheet flows are relatively thin, highly concentrated regions of grains that flow near the ground under the influence of a strong turbulent wind. In them grains are suspended by interparticle collisions and the velocity fluctuations of the turbulent gas. Avalanches are flows of dry, cohesionless granular materials that are driven by gravity down inclines against the frictional and collisional resistance of the grains of the bed. In our study of sheet flows, we have extended existing theories that involve particle-particle and gas-particle interactions to apply to the conditions of a typical terrestrial sand dune during a sandstorm. This has involved the incorporation of both the viscous dissipation of the particle fluctuation energy due to the gas and the turbulent suspension of the grains due to velocity fluctuations of the gas. It has also involved an examination of several different boundary conditions at the bed and a more precise characterization of the conditions that apply at the top of a sheet flow, where the mean-free-path between collisions becomes comparable to the length of a ballistic trajectory. Solutions to the resulting differential equations have been obtained for both steady and unsteady fully-developed flow. The latter solutions provide information on the characteristic time to achieve a steady flow that plays a key role in dune formation. In support of this modeling effort, experiments have been undertaken to provide a better understanding of the interaction of particles colliding with the bed, and the energy of the rebounding particle and additional ejected particles has been measured in two-dimensional situations. The research on avalanches has focused on dense, frictional flows. Experiment and numerical simulations indicate that relatively thin dense flows, on the order of ten particle diameters, occur in layers. In these, momentum transfer occurs by rubbing between contacting particles and bumping between particles falling under gravity, rather than in collisions between freely flying particles. Thicker dense flows, on the other hand, do seem to involve collisional transfer of momentum. Theories based on the appropriated mechanisms of momentum transfer predict velocity profiles that are in agreement with those measured in experiment and numerical simulations, some of which have been carried out in the course of the research.
Jenkins, James; Hanes, D.; Bideau, D.; Berton, G.; Rioual, F.; Valance, A.
National Technical Information Service (NTIS)
Water pumps, solar power stations, air conditioners, fresh-water stills, solar homes, solar cookers, fruit driers, devices for (low temperature) steaming of reinforced concrete members, solar refrigerators, solar hothouses, welding and melting of metals p...
A. A. Yershov G. Y. Umarov