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Magnetic and petrological signature of a plagioclase ultraphyric basalt in Westfjords, Iceland - implications for origin and emplacement
No full textThe Westfjords of Iceland contain extensive flood basalt sequences whose stratigraphy include distinctive Plagioclase Ultraphyric Basalts (PUBs). PUBs are basaltic rocks with a composition of >25% total crystal content with anorthitic plagioclase and minor amounts of olivine and clinopyroxene crystals. The extreme crystallinity of PUBs may suggest unusual source compositions, igneous processes, and lava flow rheology. This study investigates their magmatic origin, emplacement mechanisms, and flow dynamics through integrated petrological, geochemical, and rock magnetic analyses to understand how such crystal-rich magmas could be emplaced as extensive flows. The studied PUBs are characterized by exceptionally high plagioclase contents reaching up to 66% - the highest value ever reported for these formations, significantly exceeding previously documented maximums of crystal cargos. Thermobarometric calculations suggest magma equilibration at mid-crustal depths (11.6±2.5 km) and magma temperatures of 1204±10°C. The composition of the crystal cargo suggest that plagioclase and olivine macrocryst cores (An85-89, Fo83-86) derived from a crystal mush, while their rims (An50-70, Fo48-84) crystalized from the carrier magma. The trace elements composition of the macrocryst-free groundmass compositions matches regional Westfjords basalts, and plagioclase trace elements show equilibrium with their host magma, indicating localized magmatic processes rather than exotic sources. While conventional rheological models would predict highly viscous behaviour for such crystal-rich magmas, field evidence such as sub-vertical vesicle pipes indicate these flows behaved similarly to typical basaltic lavas. This apparent discrepancy can be explained by several mechanisms: (1) the alignment of tabular prismatic plagioclase crystals reducing effective viscosity, (2) thermal exchange between cooling anorthite macrocrysts and host melt maintaining lower melt viscosities, and (3) shear thinning behaviour induced by high crystal concentrations under elevated stress conditions. Anisotropy of Magnetic Susceptibility analysis along the K1, K2, and K3 axes reveals predominantly SE oriented flow directions, consistent with the Arnarfjörður central volcano source. The AMS measurements show strain patterns associated with very fluid lava flows. These patterns, combined with observed pepperitic structures at flow bases, suggest that the high crystal content modified both flow rheology and thermal properties.
This multidisciplinary approach and the AMS data revealing distinct strain patterns not previously documented in PUB studies, contributes to refined models of magma dynamics. The results highlight the importance of considering more complex emplacement mechanisms when studying crystal-rich magmas that appear to defy traditional rheological models
Geochemical and Petro-physical Characteristics of the Kenyan Rift Basalts for CO2 Mineralization Potential (Case Study Olkaria Geothermal Field)
No full textThis thesis presents the findings of a study of the chemical and petrophysical characteristics of Olkaria basalts with respect to CO2 mineralisation. The motivation for the study is the urgent need for mitigation of the geothermal-related CO2 emissions within the Olkaria geothermal area. The Olkaria geothermal field has an installed capacity of 799 MW, which is a huge step towards Kenya’s renewable energy generation goals. However, geothermal production is not entirely emission-free. The geothermal power plants in Olkaria emit ~68,916 tCO₂e/yr. Although much lower emissions than fossil fuel alternatives, this still contributes to greenhouse-gas accumulation and global warming. This study aims to improve the understanding of the subsurface lithostratigraphy, specifically the Olkaria Basalt unit, for CO2 mineralisation potential. The study involves carrying out binocular, petrographic, whole rock analysis and porosity volume estimations. Rock cuttings from four reinjection wells, OW-204, OW-723A, OW-739 and OW-R12, were used to investigate the variation in chemical composition, porosity distribution and width, and ultimately to estimate the theoretical CO2 storage capacity. Results indicate that the Olkaria Basalt unit is comprised of layers of basalts intercalated with layers of tuff, rhyolite, basaltic trachyandesite, trachybasalt and trachyandesite. The unit varies in thickness from 70 m in OW-723A to 250 m in OW-204. Total concentration of divalent cation oxides ranges from <10 to 27%, in the rhyolites and basalts, respectively, and porosity values range from 1.3-3.8 %. The theoretical storage capacity is estimated to be 23-89 Mt, which is sufficient for mineralisation of the local CO2 emissions within Olkaria.GRÓ Geothermal Training Programme (GRÓ-GTP) under the auspices of the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO
Spennan milli abstrakt listar og fígúratífrar listar
No full textRitgerð þessi fjallar um spennuna milli abstrakt og fígúratífu í málverki. Ég skoða hvernig þessi tvö andstæðu tjáningarform geta unnið saman til að opinbera bæði sýnilega og ósýnilega þætti veruleikans. Þetta millirými verður staður þar sem listin tjáir ekki bara það sem við sjáum, heldur líka hvernig við skynjum og upplifum heiminn. Ég tengi þessar hugmyndir við heimspekilegar pælingar Maurice Merleau-Ponty, sérstaklega í tengslum við liti og óvissu í sköpunarferlinu, hvernig óvissan stuðlar að einlægri tjáningu. Einnig fer ég lauslega yfir sögu abstrakt-expressjónismans í gegnum Clement Greenberg, ásamt sögu listamannanna Philip Guston og Hyman Bloom. Þeir nýta sér þennan milliveg á ólíka og spennandi vegu, til að kljást við ýmis málefni eins og dauða, rotnun, kynþáttafordóma og samfélagslega togstreitu. Ég skoða einnig hvar mín myndlist er staðsett þarna á milli þessara hugmynda, ásamt fleiri þemum sem ég á sameiginlegt með þessu listafólki. Ég rýni í mitt eigið vinnuferli og verk, og hvernig ég stuðla að tengslum við áhorfanda, berskjöldun listamanns og ófyrirsjáanlegum niðurstöðum. Ritgerðin leiðir í ljós að í þessari spennu milli fígúratífu og abstrakts skapast rými fyrir berskjöldun og tilfinningalega dýpt sem gerir listina að lifandi og áhrifamikilli upplifun
Effect of phosphomimetic mutations on the conformational ensemble of pioneer factor PU1: Revealed using smFRET
No full textTranscription factors (TFs) act as molecular governors over transcription—they bind to gene regulatory elements found in open chromatin and recruit the transcriptional machinery, thereby controlling gene expression. Pioneer transcription factors (pTFs) can access their binding sites in compact chromatin and participate in a variety of important molecular processes, such as gene expression. pTFs have been used for cell reprogramming and improper pTF function has been linked to devastating consequences.
pTF function is rooted in their structure, or rather lack thereof, with the intrinsically disordered regions (IDRs) of pTFs having been shown to have an important role in interactions with chromatin. The pTF PU1 is a master regulator of the haematopoietic stem cell lineage, where it is responsible for their differentiation, and it has been found to play key roles in diseases such as acute myeloid leukaemia. The structure of PU1 consists of a long N-terminal IDR, a structured DNA binding domain and a short C-terminal tail. The N-terminal IDR can be further subclassified into three activation domains—an acidic activation domain, a Q-rich domain, and a PEST domain. Phosphorylations in the N-terminal IDR of PU1 have been shown to affect both its structure and function in-vivo and in-vitro, but the molecular mechanisms by which these changes occur are currently unclear.
In this project, the effects of phosphomimetic mutations on the PEST domain of PU1 were examined using single molecule Förster resonance energy transfer (smFRET). Five different PU1 mutants were generated, involving both phosphomimetic mutations and mutations which entail either the addition of several positive charges or complete charge reversal of the domain. WT PU1 labelled around the PEST domain shows two conformational states, which are displayed as two defined populations at low and high FRET. The mutations shift the conformational equilibrium of PU1, with the phosphomimetics having a single low-FRET population, while insertion of positive charges cause a shift towards the high-FRET population. Stability measurements and DNA binding experiments allow for the proposition of a novel model for the conformational ensemble of PU1, which entails competition between the AAD and PEST domains located in the N-terminal IDR
Markaðssetning veðmálafyrirtækja á Íslandi
No full textRitgerðin fjallar um markaðssetningu veðmálafyrirtækja á Íslandi og áhrif hennar á neytendahegðun og samfélag. Markmiðið er að greina markaðsaðferðir fyrirtækjanna og meta siðferðilega þætti þeirra. Fræðilegur rammi byggir á kenningum markaðsfræðinnar og heimildir eru sóttar í ritrýndar rannsóknir, íslenskar skýrslur og löggjöf er varðar veðmál. Sérstök áhersla er lögð á siðferði og samfélagslega ábyrgð í markaðsstefnu veðmálageirans. Niðurstöður benda til þess að stafræn markaðssetning með áhrifavöldum hafi aukið sýnileika veðmálafyrirtækja og leitt til aukinnar þáttöku Íslendinga, einkum ungs fólks, í veðmálum. Fyrirtækin nýta markaðshlutun og sérsniðnar kynningar (t.d. inngöngubónusa) til að laða að nýja spilara. Slíkar aðgerðir geta skilað vexti í tekjum, en niðurstöður sýna að áhersla á spennu og mögulega vinninga getur aukið spilafíkn og fjárhagsvanda hjá viðkvæmum hópum. Þessar niðurstöður undirstrika mikilvægi þess að markaðsaðgerðir verðmálafyrirtækja fari fram af ábyrgð og innan ramma laga til að draga úr áhættu neytenda
Góð heilsa er gulls ígildi : mikilvægi kynfræðslu
No full textViðfangsefni þessarar B.ed. ritgerðar er mikilvægi kynfræðslu, hvað ungmenni á grunnskólaaldri græða á fræðslunni og hvernig hún getur verið leiðarvísir fyrir þau út í lífið. Leitað var svara við spurningunum: Hverju stuðlar góð kynfræðsla að? og er hún mikilvæg fyrir ungt fólk í mótun? Ritgerðin er heimildaritgerð þar sem stuðst er við íslenskar og erlendar rannsóknir, námsefni og annað efni. Vægi kynfræðslu í lögum, reglugerðum og aðalnámskrá grunnskóla var kannað. Leiddi það í ljós að kynfræðslu er ekki gefið mikið vægi í íslenska skólakerfinu og hún á sér í raun engan samastað. Námsefni um kynfræðslu í bókaformi er í ýmsum tilfellum úrelt en undanfarin ár hefur nýtt námsefni aðallega verið á rafrænu formi.
Mikilvægi kynfræðslu er rökstutt í þessari ritgerð. Fjallað er um hvernig kynfræðsla skiptir sköpum fyrir öryggi, heilbrigði og velferð ungmenna í alls kyns aðstæðum. Getur fræðslan stuðlað að auknu almennu heilbrigði ungmenna og eykur líkurnar á því að þau taki ábyrgar ákvarðanir þegar kemur að kynlífi, samböndum og samskiptum við aðra.
Niðurstöður leiddu því í ljós að kynfræðsla er án efa mikilvæg fyrir ungt fólk í mótun og stuðlar að öryggi þeirra og góðri heilsu. Kynfræðsla ætti því að fá meira pláss og vægi í skólakerfinu og ættu öll ungmenni að fá tækifæri á góðri kynfræðslu á grunnskólagöngu sinni. Til þess að svo gæti orðið væri fyrsta skref að auka vægi hennar og gefa henni afmarkaðan hluta í aðalnámskrá grunnskóla.The subject of this B.ed. thesis is about the importance of sex education, what primary schoolage youth gain from it and how it can be a guide for them into adult years. Answers were sought to the questions: what does good sex education contributes to? Answers were sought to the questions: what does good sex education contribute to? and is it important for young people in their formative years? and is it important for young people in their formative years? This thesis is based on Icelandic and foreign research, study material and other material as resources. The importance of sex education in laws, regulations and the National Curriculum for Compulsory Schools was examined. It revealed that sex education is not given much importance in the Icelandic school system and in fact has no designated place. The sex education study materials are largely outdated, but in recent years newer material has been published in electronic format. The importance of sex education is argued in this thesis. It highlights how sex education can make a difference to the safety, health and well-being of young people in all kinds of situations. Sex education can therefore increase the likelihood that young people will keep their bodies healthy and be able to make more responsible decisions when it comes to sex, relationships and interactions with others. The conclusion revealed that sex education is without a doubt important for young people in their formative years and it contributes to their safety and health. Sex education should therefore be given more space and value in the school system and all young people should have the opportunity to receive good sex education during their primary school years. To this end, the first step would be to give it a designated section in the National Curriculum for Compulsory Schools
The Corrupting power of the One Ring: A comparative analysis of J.R.R Tolkien‘s text and Peter Jackson‘s adaptation of The Lord of the Rings
No full textThis thesis explores the corrupting power of the One Ring in J.R.R. Tolkien's "The Lord of the Rings" and its film adaptation by Peter Jackson's. The One Ring, forged by the Dark Lord Sauron, is a powerful artifact that corrupts even the purest hearts in Middle-Earth. Throughout Tolkien’s narrative, the Ring is a symbol of power and temptation, able to gradually distorts its bearers. Characters like Gollum, Bilbo, Frodo, Boromir, Théoden, and the Ringwraiths, end up embodying different aspect of corruption from the power and seductive nature of evil. Tolkien examines how the lust for power and the seductiveness of evil lead to the gradual decay of both body and mind, focusing on the internal and psychological aspects of the corruption that eventually leads to the destruction of the individual. Peter Jackson’s adaptation takes these themes and amplifies them by externalizing the Ring's effects on its bearers. Jackson with the use of special effects, makeup, and camera angles, can visually depict the toll the Ring has on its bearers, making the psychological horror more immediate and unsettling. The essay examines how the subtle psychological manipulation present in Tolkien's narrative compares to Jackson’s more visual depiction in his adaptation. Both show how the One Ring can function as a multi-layered antagonist that consumes the body, mind, and soul of its bearer. By comparing Tolkien’s psychological exploration with Jackson’s visual approach, this thesis reveals how the One Ring is not just an object of power, but a living force of corruption that can both shape characters as well as events in Tolkien’s Middle-earth. Both in Tolkien’s writings and in Jackson’s works the power of the ring does have a significant effect on even the purest of souls like Frodo, who is able to both recognize and sense the power of the ring
Education, impartiality, and debate: Primary school teachers’ freedom of expression in light of legal and professional obligations
No full textTjáningarfrelsi teljast sem grundvallarréttindi í lýðræðissamfélagi og gegnir lykilhlutverki í því að tryggja einstaklingum frelsi til að tjá skoðanir sínar og miðla upplýsingum. Þrátt fyrir mikilvægi tjáningarfrelsis eru því þó settar ákveðnar skorður, sérstaklega þegar um er að ræða opinbera starfsmenn, svo sem grunnskólakennara. Í ljósi aukinnar hatursorðræðu og rangfærslna á opinberum vettvangi, einkum í gegnum samfélagsmiðla, hefur þörfin fyrir slíkar takmarkanir aukist. Í ritgerðinni verður fjallað um inntak tjáningarfrelsis, þróun þess og takmarkanir, ásamt þeim reglum sem gilda um opinbera starfsmenn, með sérstakri áherslu á grunnskólakennara sem starfa hjá sveitarfélögum. Einnig verður gerð grein fyrir skyldum og réttindum kennara, siðferðilegu hlutverki þeirra og dregin upp mynd af dómaframkvæmd er varðar tjáningarfrelsi kennara, bæði hérlendis og á alþjóðavettvangi
Bumblebee-plant interactions in urban green spaces in Reykjavik
No full textPlant-pollinator communities are important for maintaining ecosystems, especially in urban areas suffering from habitat fragmentation and biodiversity loss. Counting visitation rates is a good tool for understanding complex plant-pollinator interactions that impact plant-pollinator communities and serve as an indicator of resilience. This study aims to shed light on the understudied plant-pollinator communities in urban green spaces in Reykjavik, Iceland. The research was conducted in the summers of 2018 and 2019. Weather variables were recorded, and bumblebee visitation rates were counted (flower visitations up to one minute) in four study sites. Weather varied significantly between the study sites (p < 0.05), but no differences in visitation rates could be observed between bumblebee species and between study sites. However, significant interactions between study sites and bumblebee species were found (p = 0.029). Temperature and plant availability seem to drive visitation rates that were significantly higher on alien plants in 2018 (p = 0.031), but not in 2019. When native Wild Thyme (Thymus praecox Opiz subsp. arcticus (Durand)) was included in 2019 significant interactions between study sites and plant species occurred (p = 0.014). In addition, Wild Thyme had the highest visitation rates making visitation rates on native plants significantly greater than on alien plants (p = 0.024). This highlights the importance of alien and native plants as foraging resources for bumblebees in urban green spaces in Reykjavik. Long-term monitoring is recommended to assess population dynamics and trends of bumblebees and other urban pollinators
