Igneous processes in the small bodies of the Solar System II: Small satellites and dwarf planets.

Evidence of hot and cold igneous processes has been reported in small satellites and dwarf planets of the Solar System. Olivine and pyroxenes were detected in the spectral bands of both small satellites and dwarf planets. The aqueously altered form of olivine and serpentine has been detected in the spectrums of Ceres and Miranda hinting at possible hydrothermal processes in their interiors. Once more, the ubiquitous distribution of 26Al in the planetary nebula, then evolving in the protoplanetary disk, contributed to the primordial widespread heating. Volcanism, or cryovolcanism, then developed only in those bodies where long-lived radiogenic elements, and/or tidal processes, were available.

Protocol to calculate aircraft emissions for international air routes in South America.

Recently, aviation pollution has drawn important social attention. The protocol proposed in this paper can simultaneously calculate the overall emissions of six aviation pollutants (CO2, CO, HC, NOx, SO2, and PM2.5), including the landing and take-off emissions and climb/cruise/descent emissions. The international routes in South America during 2019-2021 are an example to illustrate the use of this protocol. This protocol can provide a methodological basis for calculating aviation pollutant emissions in different countries and regions. For complete details on the use and execution of this protocol, please refer to Cui et al. (2022b).1.

Scientists benefit greatly from K-12 partnerships: the Panama Research Experiences for Teachers project.

Scientist-teacher partnerships are highly beneficial to K-12 STEM education. While much is known about the benefits for teachers in these partnerships, the corresponding benefits for scientists are less well known. With emphasis on the scientists' perspective, here we describe our NSF RET (Research Experiences for Teachers) project consisting of five successive cohorts from 2012 to 2016. Coincident with a "once-in-a-century" expansion of the Panama Canal, the science research focused on the paleontology, evolutionary biology, and geology of this region to better understand the ancient Neotropical biota related to the Great American Biotic Interchange (GABI). In the field, scientists and teachers worked together collecting fossils and geological samples. Back in the K-12 classrooms, lesson plans related to their experiences were implemented and the teachers hosted scientist role-model visits. More than 30 scientists and 44 teachers participated in this Panama "GABI RET" project. Using a new validated survey developed during this project and focus groups, we explored the impact of this project, and in particular the perceived benefits accrued by the scientists. Our study confirmed that scientists felt they improved their communication skills, had a better appreciation for the K-12 teaching professions, greatly enjoyed working with the teachers, considered them colleagues, and many wanted to continue K-12 outreach as part of their careers. Overall, scientists perceived that they greatly benefited from these partnerships. In addition to describing their activities, they had numerous recommendations for similar partnerships in the future. For example, these include: (1) having more teachers participate in multiple cohorts, (2) continued opportunities for teachers to be involved in professional meetings, (3) ongoing webinars and face-to-face engagement, and (4) more diversity of racial and ethnic backgrounds, subjects taught, and regions represented. Although this case study was focused on the GABI RET, our results also potentially inform other projects that involve scientists' education and outreach activities. Supplementary Information: The online version contains supplementary material available at 10.1186/s12052-022-00177-z.

Use of computational intelligence techniques to predict flooding in places adjacent to the Magdalena River.

Floods are one of the worst natural disasters in the world. Colombia is a country that has been greatly affected by this disaster. For example, in the years 2010 and 2011 there was a heavy rainy season, which caused floods that affected at least two million people and there were economic losses of 6.5 million dollars, which is equivalent to 5.7% of the country's Gross Domestic Product (GDP) at that time. The Magdalena River is the most important since 128 municipalities and 43 cities with a population of 6.3 million people, which is 13% of the total population of the country, are located in its basins. For this reason, the objective of the research is to design and implement a model that helps predict flooding over the Magdalena River by examining three techniques of artificial intelligence (Artificial Neuronal Networks, Adaptive Neuro Fuzzy Inference System, Support Vector Machine), and thus determining which of these techniques are the most effective according to the case study. The research was limited only to these three types, due to limitations of time, data, human and financial resources, and technological infrastructure. In the end, it is concluded that the Artificial Neural Networks technique is a suitable option to implement the predictive system as long as it is not very complex and does not require high processing machine. However, to establish a model based on rules to achieve a better interpretability of the floods, the ANFIS model can be used.

Tectono-stratigraphic basin evolution in the Tehuacán-Mixteca highlands, south western México.

The morphological evolution of the basins in the Sierra Madre del Sur (SMS), southern México is poorly understood. This work explains for the first time the geomorphological development of the tectonic, fluvially-interconnected SMS basins named San Juan Raya (SJRb) and Zapotitlán (ZAPb). The evolution of the SJRb and ZAPb are analysed within the context of the transformations of the well-studied Tehuacán basin (TEHb). A new interpretation of a series of tectonic features of the TEHb valley area is also presented. Published geological data and extensive field work provided the basis for our geomorphological and evolutionary interpretation of basin evolution of this part of Mesoamerica during the late Cenozoic. Stratigraphic and sedimentary records suggest that after the late Cretaceous-early Cenozoic orogeny the TEHb and ZAPb were closed basins, and that the TEHb graben system was activated during the Paleogene as a response to the dominant regional NW-SE trending faults. We propose that the ZAPb and SJRb formed sequentially during the Neogene as a result of new E-W, N-S and NE-SW faults. The continuation of the TEHb extension during the Oligocene widened its lowland area and allowed the formation of an extensive lake. No alluvial or fluvial records of this interval are found in the ZAPb and SJRb. No sedimentation rather than formation and subsequent erosion of such sediments is supported by the basin morphology and by the absence of re-worked alluvial deposits at the outlet area where both connect to the TEHb. By middle to late Miocene the TEHb lost its endorheic configuration, ending the lake-type deposition while new faults initiated the opening of the ZAPb. Intensive tectonics, alluvial deposition and the confinement of the Tehuacán lake to the north sector of this basin characterised the Pliocene. During the late Pliocene to the early Pleistocene the formation of the SJRb was initiated. Quaternary faulting related to basin extension along the north watershed of the SJRb and ZAPb is supported by independent data on the biogeography of the cactus Mammillaria pectinifera. We introduce the idea that the departure from the regional NW-SE fault alignment that formed the major Miocene basins to a more local E-W trend that formed Neogene-Quaternary basins was probably a response to the latest post-orogenic relaxation of the crust in the Mixteca terrane.

Molecular epidemiology of Colombian Histoplasma capsulatum isolates obtained from human and chicken manure samples.

The thermally dimorphic fungus Histoplasma capsulatum is the causative agent of histoplasmosis, one of the most prevalent endemic mycosis in the Americas. In tropical regions, agro-ecosystems require organic matter replacement, therefore, the use of organic fertilizers has increased disregarding the fact that certain number of such fertilizers might be contaminated with the fungus, and with their handling resulting in human cases and even outbreaks of histoplasmosis. Additionally, in Colombia, chicken manure is the most common raw material used in the production of organic fertilizers. In this work, we reported the isolation of this fungus from chicken manure, and genetically compared with 42 clinical isolates. The genetically compared environmental isolates grouped together with the clinical ones. Our result suggests that chicken manure may be one of H. capsulatum infection sources. Also, the phylogenetic analyses done with other H. capsulatum isolates indicate that the Colombian isolates are widely distributed in the relational tree thus reveling towards the great genetic diversity among the H. capsulatum Colombian isolates.

Factors and competitiveness analysis in rare earth mining, new methodology: case study from Brazil.

Rare earths are increasingly being applied in high-tech industries, such as green energy (e.g. wind power), hybrid cars, electric cars, permanent high-performance magnets, superconductors, luminophores and many other industrial sectors involved in modern technologies. Given that China dominates this market and imposes restrictions on production and exports whenever opportunities arise, it is becoming more and more challenging to develop business ventures in this sector. Several initiatives were taken to prospect new resources and develop the production chain, including the mining of these mineral assets around the world, but some factors of uncertainties, including current low prices, increased the challenge of transforming the current resources into deposits or productive mines. Thus, analyzing the competitiveness of advanced projects becomes indispensable. This work has the objective of introducing a new methodology of competitiveness analysis, where some variables are considered as main factors that can contribute strongly to make unfeasible a mining enterprise for the use of rare earth elements (REE) with this methodology, which is quite practical and reproducible, it was possible to verify some real facts, such as: the fact that the Lynas Mount Weld CLD (AUS) Project is resilient to the uncertainties of the RE sector, at the same time as the Molycorp Project is facing major financial difficulties (under judicial reorganization). It was also possible to verify that the Araxá Project of CBMM in Brazil is one of the most competitive in this country. Thus, we contribute to the existing literature, providing a new methodology for competitiveness analysis in rare earth mining.

Geo-environmental zoning using physiographic compartmentalization: a proposal for supporting sustainable decision-making

ABSTRACT The geo-environmental zoning represents an important strategy in the territorial management. However, it requires a logical and structured procedure. Therefore, an approach using physiographic compartmentalization is proposed and applied as case study in a region covered by the topographic maps of São José dos Campos and Jacareí, Brazil. This region has great geological and geomorphological peculiarities, beyond being a place with large human interventions because of its quickly economic growth. The methodology is based on photointerpretation techniques and remote sensing in GIS environment. As a result, seven geo-environmental zones were obtained from a weighted integration by multicriteria analysis of physiographic units with land-use classes. In conclusion, taking into account potentialities and limitations, the proposed approach can be considered able to support sustainable decision-making, being applicable in other regions.

High-resolution atmospheric emission inventory of the argentine energy sector. Comparison with edgar global emission database.

This study presents a 2014 high-resolution spatially disaggregated emission inventory (0.025° × 0.025° horizontal resolution), of the main activities in the energy sector in Argentina. The sub-sectors considered are public generation of electricity, oil refineries, cement production, transport (maritime, air, rail and road), residential and commercial. The following pollutants were included: greenhouse gases (CO2, CH4, N2O), ozone precursors (CO, NOx, VOC) and other specific air quality indicators such as SO2, PM10, and PM2.5. This work could contribute to a better geographical allocation of the pollutant sources through census based population maps. Considering the sources of greenhouse gas emissions, the total amount is 144 Tg CO2eq, from which the transportation sector emits 57.8 Tg (40%); followed by electricity generation, with 40.9 Tg (28%); residential + commercial, with 31.24 Tg (22%); and cement and refinery production, with 14.3 Tg (10%). This inventory shows that 49% of the total emissions occur in rural areas: 31% in rural areas of medium population density, 13% in intermediate urban areas and 7% in densely populated urban areas. However, if emissions are analyzed by extension (per square km), the largest impact is observed in medium and densely populated urban areas, reaching more than 20.3 Gg per square km of greenhouse gases, 297 Mg/km2 of ozone precursors gases and 11.5 Mg/km2 of other air quality emissions. A comparison with the EDGAR global emission database shows that, although the total country emissions are similar for several sub sectors and pollutants, its spatial distribution is not applicable to Argentina. The road and residential transport emissions represented by EDGAR result in an overestimation of emissions in rural areas and an underestimation in urban areas, especially in more densely populated areas. EDGAR underestimates 60 Gg of methane emissions from road transport sector and fugitive emissions from refining activities.

When climate change couples social neglect: malaria dynamics in Panamá.

A major challenge of infectious disease elimination is the need to interrupt pathogen transmission across all vulnerable populations. Ethnic minorities are among the key vulnerable groups deserving special attention in disease elimination initiatives, especially because their lifestyle might be intrinsically linked to locations with high transmission risk. There has been a renewed interest in malaria elimination, which has ignited a quest to understand factors necessary for sustainable malaria elimination, highlighting the need for diverse approaches to address epidemiological heterogeneity across malaria transmission settings. An analysis of malaria incidence among the Guna Amerindians of Panamá over the last 34 years showed that this ethnic minority was highly vulnerable to changes that were assumed to not impact malaria transmission. Epidemic outbreaks were linked with El Niño Southern Oscillations and were sensitive to political instability and policy changes that did not ensure adequate attention to the malaria control needs of the Gunas. Our results illustrate how the neglect of minorities poses a threat to the sustainable control and eventual elimination of malaria in Central America and other areas where ethnic minorities do not share the benefits of malaria control strategies intended for dominant ethnic groups.