The sciences in America, circa 1880

For many years American science in the late 19th century was regarded as an intellectual backwater. This view derived from the assumption that the health of American science at the time was equivalent to the condition of pure science, especially pure physics. However, a closer look reveals that there was considerable vitality in American scientific research, especially in the earth and life sciences. This vitality is explainable in part by the natural scientific resources of the American continent but also in part by the energy given science from religious impulses, social reformism, and practicality. Furthermore, contrary to recent assumptions, the federal government was a significant patron of American science. The portrait of American science circa 1880 advanced in this article suggests that the nation's scientific enterprise was characterized by pluralism of institutional support and motive and that such pluralism has historically been the normal mode

Red Sea Rifting Controls on Groundwater Reservoir Distribution: Constraints from Geophysical, Isotopic, and Remote Sensing Data

Highly productive wells in the Central Eastern Desert of Egypt are tapping groundwater in subsided blocks of Jurassic to Cretaceous sandstone (Taref Formation of the Nubian Sandstone Group) and Oligocene to Miocene sandstone (Nakheil Formation), now occurring beneath the Red Sea coastal plain and within the proximal basement complex. Aquifer development is related to Red Sea rifting: (1) rifting was accommodated by vertical extensional displacement on preexisting NW-SE– to N-S–trending faults forming a complex array of half-grabens and asymmetric horsts; and (2) subsided blocks escaped erosion accompanying the Red Sea–related uplift. Subsided blocks were identifi ed and verifi ed using satellite data, geologic maps, and fi eld and geophysical investigations. Interpretations of very low frequency (VLF) measurements suggest the faults acted as conduits for ascending groundwater from the subsided aquifers. Stable isotopic compositions (δD: –19.3‰ to –53.9‰; δ18O: –2.7‰ to –7.1‰) of groundwater samples from these aquifers are interpreted as mixtures of fossil (up to 70%) and modern (up to 65%) precipitation. Groundwater volumes in subsided blocks are large; within the Central Eastern Desert basement complex alone, they are estimated at 3 × 109 m3 and 10 × 109 m3 for the Nakheil and Taref Formations, respectively. Results highlight the potential for identifying similar rift-related aquifer systems along the Red Sea–Gulf of Suez system, and in rift systems elsewhere. An understanding of the distribution of Red Sea rift–related aquifers and modern recharge contributions to these aquifers could assist in addressing the rising demands for fresh water supplies and water scarcity issues in the regio

Laser Spectroscopic Measurement of Helium Isotope Ratios

A sensitive laser spectroscopic method has been applied to the quantitative determination of the isotope ratio of helium at the level of 3He/4He = 10^-7 - 10^-5. The resonant absorption of 1083 nm laser light by the metastable 3He atoms in a discharge cell was measured with the frequency modulation saturation spectroscopy technique while the abundance of 4He was measured by a direct absorption technique. The results on three different samples extracted from the atmosphere and commercial helium gas were in good agreement with values obtained with mass spectrometry. The achieved 3-sigma detection limit of 3He in helium is 4 x 10^-9. This demonstration required a 200 micro-L STP sample of He. The sensitivity can be further improved, and the required sample size reduced, by several orders of magnitude with the addition of cavity enhanced spectroscopy

Tracer Applications of Noble Gas Radionuclides in the Geosciences

The noble gas radionuclides, including 81Kr (half-life = 229,000 yr), 85Kr (11 yr), and 39Ar (269 yr), possess nearly ideal chemical and physical properties for studies of earth and environmental processes. Recent advances in Atom Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA), a laser-based atom counting method, have enabled routine measurements of the radiokrypton isotopes, as well as the demonstration of the ability to measure 39Ar in environmental samples. Here we provide an overview of the ATTA technique, and a survey of recent progress made in several laboratories worldwide. We review the application of noble gas radionuclides in the geosciences and discuss how ATTA can help advance these fields, specifically determination of groundwater residence times using 81Kr, 85Kr, and 39Ar; dating old glacial ice using 81Kr; and an 39Ar survey of the main water masses of the oceans, to study circulation pathways and estimate mean residence times. Other scientific questions involving deeper circulation of fluids in the Earth's crust and mantle also are within the scope of future applications. We conclude that the geoscience community would greatly benefit from an ATTA facility dedicated to this field, with instrumentation for routine measurements, as well as for research on further development of ATTA methods

A New Method of Measuring 81Kr and 85Kr Abundances in Environmental Samples

We demonstrate a new method for determining the 81Kr/Kr ratio in environmental samples based upon two measurements: the 85Kr/81Kr ratio measured by Atom Trap Trace Analysis (ATTA) and the 85Kr/Kr ratio measured by Low-Level Counting (LLC). This method can be used to determine the mean residence time of groundwater in the range of 10^5 - 10^6 a. It requires a sample of 100 micro-l STP of Kr extracted from approximately two tons of water. With modern atmospheric Kr samples, we demonstrate that the ratios measured by ATTA and LLC are directly proportional to each other within the measurement error of +/- 10%; we calibrate the 81Kr/Kr ratio of modern air measured using this method; and we show that the 81Kr/Kr ratios of samples extracted from air before and after the development of the nuclear industry are identical within the measurement error

Plant Physiological Responses to Environmental Change in a Marsh-Mangrove Ecotone

Globally, photosynthesis (A) and autotrophic respiration (R) are the two largest physiological processes responsible for CO2 flux. Coastal wetland ecosystems are responsible for some of the highest rates of C sequestration. Marsh grass and mangrove habitats responsible for this service are important in supporting biodiversity and preventing shoreline erosion, yet little is known about how this vegetation will respond physiologically to effects of climate and global change. In the first chapter a warming experiment was used to determine whether a C4 marsh grass (Spartina alterniflora) and a C3 mangrove (Avicennia germinans) acclimate leaf R to seasonal changes in temperature and experimental warming, and whether variation in leaf N (proxy for enzyme concentrations) explains temperature acclimation patterns in both species. In the second chapter a long-term fertilization experiment was conducted to determine whether Avicennia alters parameters of A and R over time in response to nutrient enrichment of nitrogen (N) or phosphorus (P), and whether the response to pulse enrichment of nutrients is temporary or leaves a legacy effect. In chapter 1, Avicennia generally increased respiratory capacity as growth temperatures increased, but Spartina acclimated to warmer temperatures by reducing respiratory capacity. Although temperature acclimation of R differed between Spartina and Avicennia, changes in Nmass explained temperature acclimation patterns in both species. In chapter 2, N addition increased R capacity (Rmass25), CO2 assimilation (Asat), and the maximum rate of Rubisco carboxylation (Vcmax). The effects of N addition on photosynthesis were short-lived, but the effect of N addition on leaf R was consistent over time, indicating a possible legacy effect of R but not A. This thesis provides new insight into temperature controls of leaf R in marsh and mangrove species, which may aid predictions of CO2 fluxes from coastal wetlands. This research also improves our understanding of the short- and potentially long-term impacts of N and P enrichment on mangrove physiology

Navigating LGBTQ+ and Disabled Intersections Online: Social Support and Identity Construction in the Age of Social Media

There is a lack of research about the lived experiences of self-identified lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, queer, and otherwise-identified (LGBTQ+) young adults with disabilities who use the Internet to achieve particular social aims. Using open-ended survey questions, the researcher applied multidimensional and overlapping frameworks of intersectionality, feminist-disability theory, and social work to answer the following: What are the lived experiences of disabled, LGBTQ+ young adults who use social media for social support and identity construction? Using secondary data, fifteen (N=15) cases of LGBTQ+ disabled young adults aged 18 to 31 living in the United States were selected, and data was analyzed using a phenomenological thematic analysis. The research revealed salient themes, such as community/belonging, access to “others like me,” positive identity formation and protective mental health factors to name a few, each of which respectively facilitated or complicated participants’ motives to use social media platforms. Implications of v the research findings for social science scholars and suggestions for future research are discussed

Rich, Penny

Penny Rich is a 70-year old lesbian living in Portland, Maine. She recieved a bachelor\u27s degree in English from the University of Southern Maine. She is known for her involvement in major social events such as Portland Pride and the Women\u27s Coffeehouse, as well as her experiences with gay bar culture throughout the 60\u27s and 70\u27s. She spends her time socializing, exercising, reading, and getting involved in local political and social issues that affect the LGBTQ+ community in Portland, Maine. Citation Please cite as: Querying the Past: LGBTQ Maine Oral History Project Collection, Lesbian, Gay, Bisexual, Transgender, and Queer+ Collection, Jean Byers Sampson Center for Diversity in Maine, University of Southern Maine Libraries. For more information about the Querying the Past: Maine LGBTQ Oral History Project, please contact Dr. Wendy Chapkis.https://digitalcommons.usm.maine.edu/querying_ohproject/1025/thumbnail.jp