Triple tracks in CR-39 as the result of Pd–D Co-deposition: evidence of energetic neutrons

Since the announcement by Fleischmann and Pons that the excess enthalpy generated in the negatively polarized Pd–D-D₂O system was attributable to nuclear reactions occurring inside the Pd lattice, there have been reports of other manifestations of nuclear activities in this system. In particular, there have been reports of tritium and helium-4 production; emission of energetic particles, gamma or X-rays, and neutrons; as well as the transmutation of elements. In this communication, the results of Pd–D co-deposition experiments conducted with the cathode in close contact with CR-39, a solid-state nuclear etch detector, are reported. Among the solitary tracks due to individual energetic particles, triple tracks are observed. Microscopic examination of the bottom of the triple track pit shows that the three lobes of the track are splitting apart from a center point. The presence of three α-particle tracks outgoing from a single point is diagnostic of the ¹²C(n,n′)3α carbon breakup reaction and suggests that DT reactions that produce ≥9.6 MeV neutrons are occurring inside the Pd lattice. To our knowledge, this is the first report of the production of energetic (≥9.6 MeV) neutrons in the Pd–D system. Electronic supplementary material  The online version of this article (doi:) contains supplementary material, which is available to authorized users.     

A goal oriented indicator framework to support integrated assessment of new policies for agri-environmental systems

The goal oriented framework (GOF) for indicators has been developed as part of a comprehensive research project developing computerised tools for integrated assessment of the effects of new policies or technologies on agricultural systems (SEAMLESS-IF). The ambition has therefore been to create an indicator framework where the environmental, economic and social dimensions of sustainable development can be related to each other in a consistent way. Integrated assessment tools rely on such frameworks to capture and visualise trade-offs (antagonisms or synergies) among indicators between and within the three dimensions of sustainable development. The specific aims of this paper are to (i) present the GOF (ii) present how the GOF can be used to select indicators within the integrated assessment framework SEAMLESS-IF and (iii) discuss the advantages and limitations with the proposed approach. We show that the GOF has several advantages. Its major rewards are its relative simplicity and the possibility to link indicators to policy goals of each dimension of sustainability and thereby facilitate the comparison of the impacts of the new policy on the different dimensions. Another important feature of the GOF is its multi-scale perspective, which will enable the comparison of effects of a new policy between scales. Yet, as typical for all indicator frameworks, the GOF has also biases either instigated by the issues the included models cover or by the stakeholders’ selection of indicators. However, due to the way the GOF and its indicators are technically implemented in SEAMLESS-IF, it can easily be extended and include new indicators to increase and update its policy relevance.     

Cuttlebone calcification increases during exposure to elevated seawater pCO2 in the cephalopod Sepia officinalis

Changes in seawater carbonate chemistry that accompany ongoing ocean acidification have been found to affect calcification processes in many marine invertebrates. In contrast to the response of most invertebrates, calcification rates increase in the cephalopod Sepia officinalis during long-term exposure to elevated seawater pCO₂. The present trial investigated structural changes in the cuttlebones of S. officinalis calcified during 6 weeks of exposure to 615 Pa CO₂. Cuttlebone mass increased sevenfold over the course of the growth trail, reaching a mean value of 0.71 ± 0.15 g. Depending on cuttlefish size (mantle lengths 44–56 mm), cuttlebones of CO₂-incubated individuals accreted 22–55% more CaCO₃ compared to controls at 64 Pa CO₂. However, the height of the CO₂-exposed cuttlebones was reduced. A decrease in spacing of the cuttlebone lamellae, from 384 ± 26 to 195 ± 38 μm, accounted for the height reduction The greater CaCO₃ content of the CO₂-incubated cuttlebones can be attributed to an increase in thickness of the lamellar and pillar walls. Particularly, pillar thickness increased from 2.6 ± 0.6 to 4.9 ± 2.2 μm. Interestingly, the incorporation of non-acid-soluble organic matrix (chitin) in the cuttlebones of CO₂-exposed individuals was reduced by 30% on average. The apparent robustness of calcification processes in S. officinalis, and other powerful ion regulators such as decapod cructaceans, during exposure to elevated pCO₂ is predicated to be closely connected to the increased extracellular [HCO₃ ⁻] maintained by these organisms to compensate extracellular pH. The potential negative impact of increased calcification in the cuttlebone of S. officinalis is discussed with regard to its function as a lightweight and highly porous buoyancy regulation device. Further studies working with lower seawater pCO₂ values are necessary to evaluate if the observed phenomenon is of ecological relevance.     

Breaking Bergmann's rule: truncation of Northwest Atlantic marine fish body sizes

A strictly species-centric view of human impacts on ecological communities may conceal important trait changes key to ecosystem functioning and stability. Analyses of body size and community composition data for 326 Northwest Atlantic fish species sampled across > 900000 km2 over three decades revealed a rapid and widespread reduction of body sizes driven by declines within species and changes in relative abundances. The changes were unrelated to species richness but of sufficient magnitude to eliminate biogeographic scale gradients of increasing body size with latitude commonly characterized as Bergmann's rule. These changes have persisted despite reduced potential for intraspecific competition and favorable bottom water temperatures, both of which should lead to increased growth rates. The aggregate body sizes in these Northwest Atlantic fish communities may now represent a mismatch between the environmental variability characteristic of the Northwest Atlantic and the historical body size, life history traits, and productivity of species across this region. We discuss how these changes may jeopardize the potential for recovery of these important temperate/subarctic ecosystems.     

Boundary impulse response functions in a century-long eddying global ocean simulation

Results are presented from a century-long 1/10° global ocean simulation that included a suite of age-related passive tracers. In particular, an ensemble of five global Boundary Impulse Response functions (BIRs, which are statistically related to the more fundamental Transit Time Distributions, TTDs) was included to quantify the character of the TTD when mesoscale eddies are explicitly simulated rather than parameterized. We also seek to characterize the level of variability in water mass ventilation timescales arising from eddy motions. The statistics of the BIR timeseries are described, and it is shown that the greatest variability occurs at early times, followed by a remarkable conformity between ensemble members at longer timescales. The statistics of the first moment of the BIRs are presented, and the upper-ocean spatial distribution of the standard deviation of the first moment of the BIRs discussed. It is shown that variations in the BIR first moment with respect to the ensemble average are typically only a few percent, and that the variability slightly decreases with increasing ensemble size, implying that only a few ensemble members may be necessary for a reasonable estimate of the TTD. The completeness of the estimated TTD, i.e., the degree to which the century long BIRs capture the range of global ocean ventilation timescales is discussed, and the potential for extrapolation of the BIR to longer times is briefly explored. Several regional BIRs were also simulated in order to quantify the relative abundance of fluid parcels that originate in specific geographical locations.