Magnus Ludvigsson - The Girl From North (Royalty Free Music)

Non-sorted circles (NSCs), also known as frost boils, are common geomorphological features created by cryogenic processes in subarctic and arctic soils [Washburn, 1979]. Near-surface permafrost is thought to be a prerequisite for the activity of NSCs [Walker et al., 2008], where an active NSC maintains a sparsely vegetated circle-like zone in the centre due to frost heave and up-freezing of silt. Little is known about the historical activity of NSCs in northern Scandinavia. Here we summarize some results of our ongoing research where we have assessed historical changes in NSC activity in the Abisko area, northern Sweden. In short, we have estimated how the distribution of NSCs along an altitude gradient has changed from 1959 to 2008 by using digitized aerial photos. Unsupervised classification with two classes (bare mineral soil and shrub vegetation) was performed on NSC fields to achieve estimations on how the aerial coverage of up-frozen mineral soil has changed over the last decades. Here, over growth of previous bare mineral soil surfaces by shrubs was interpreted as decreased NSC activity, considering that vascular plants are unable to colonize active NSCs due to significant heave and disruption of plant roots [Jonasson, 1986]. In addition to observations from aerial photos, we have conducted vertical sampling of NSC soil stratigraphies and 14C-dated buried organic soil layers to constrain the historical activity of the NSC in time. Preliminary analyses of the aerial photos indicate a general overgrowth of bare mineral surfaces within the NSCs since 1959. Of 137 studied sites 92 sites (corresponding to 67%) show an net overgrowth of previous bare mineral soil surface within the circles. On average, about 29 % of the bare mineral soil within the NSC fields is estimated to have been colonized by shrub vegetation. Clearly, our findings indicate that permafrost-controlled soil frost activities of the studied NSCs have mainly decreased during the last five decades

Magnus Ludvigsson - The Girl from North (Royalty Free Music)

To evaluate clinical and physiological responses in moose to thiafentanil administration for immobilization. Cross-sectional clinical study. Eleven (six males and five females) free-ranging adult moose (Alces alces). Each moose was darted from a helicopter with 7.5 mg thiafentanil during March 2014 in northern Sweden. Physiological evaluation included vital signs and blood gases. Arterial blood was collected after induction and again after 10 minutes of intranasal oxygen administration and analyzed immediately with an i-STAT analyzer. A total of 10 mg naltrexone per milligram of thiafentanil was administered to all animals for reversal. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics. All moose were sufficiently immobilized with a single dart injection. Induction occurred within 3 minutes in 10 of 11 moose. One individual became recumbent while crossing a river and naltrexone was immediately administered. Animals maintained sternal recumbency with their head raised and vital signs were stable. Nine of 10 moose were hypoxemic before oxygen administration, with seven becoming markedly hypoxemic [partial pressure of arterial oxygen (PaO 2 ) between 40 and 59 mmHg (5.3-7.9 kPa)]. The PaO 2 increased significantly between samples, but six moose remained hypoxemic despite therapy. Hypercapnia was seen in all moose, with eight having marked hypercapnia [partial pressure of arterial carbon dioxide (PaCO 2 ) > 60 mmHg (>8.0 kPa)]. All moose were acidemic, with nine showing marked acidemia (pH

The Dala (Älvdalen) Porphyries from Sweden Anders Wikström (retired from Geological Survey of Sweden) Lola Pereira (University of Salamanca, Spain) Thomas Lundqvist (retired from Geological Survey of Sweden) Barry Cooper (University of South Australia) The commercial stone industry in Älvdalen, about 350 km northwest of Stockholm, commenced in the second half of the 18th century, as a consequence of social need. The region had been plagued by severe famine and there was an urgent need for additional wealth-generating industry. At that time it was already known that the porphyry in the area was similar to the "porfido rosso antico" from Egypt which had played an important role in the Roman culture. Many ups and downs followed. During one period in the 19th century, the Swedish Royal family owned the industry. At the same time, several "porphyry" objects were presented to different courts around Europe (e.g. a 4 metre tall vase to the Russian czar, although of a more granitic variety). Otherwise most products have been smaller objects like urns, vases, candelabras, etc. The very hard stone (with variable red or black colours) can be highly polished. Many of the porphyry varieties were sourced from glacial boulders. These had been "mechanically tested" by nature and were free from joints which otherwise was a problem in the associated quarries. Comagmatic granites also occur. The porphyries and granites have an age around 1700 Ma, and the former are amazingly well preserved with magnificent volcanic textures. The porphyries and granites occupy a vast area and are in part covered with red, continental sandstones (which are quarried to-day). In the middle of the 20th century, the ignimbritic character of the porphyry was discovered. Previously, the flattened "fiamme" (collapsed pumice) had been interpreted as some kind of flow structure in a lava. The porphyry manufacturing plants in Älvdalen are a part of the Swedish industrial history. Over a significant 041b061a72