Long-term Redistribution Research Articles

Poleward shifts in commercial fishing vessel distribution over the Bering Sea shelf, 2013–2022

Recent studies have documented poleward shifts in heavily targeted fish stocks on the Bering Sea Shelf. This study investigated whether commercial fishing vessels in the region have also shifted their distribution poleward in recent years. We used Vessel Management System data generated between January 1, 2013, and December 31, 2022, to identify regions over the shelf where vessel activity increased (emerging hot spots) and where it decreased (emerging cold spots) during this time period. We hypothesized that emerging hot spots would occur at the northern edge of the vessel operating range, while emerging cold spots would occur at the southern edge. Overall, northward shifts in vessel distribution were most evident during October–February and July–August, when the range of emerging hots spots was centered 204–515 km to the N, NE, or NW of the center of the range of emerging cold spots. The trend was strongest in August, when emerging hot spots were widespread in the Northern Bering Sea. We did not attempt to identify factors driving these distributional shifts, but the timing of shifts did coincide with the busiest fishing seasons over the Bering Sea Shelf and, in part, the open seasons for walleye pollock (Gadus chalcogrammus). If groundfish populations continue to move poleward with climate change, this study may serve as a window into the early stages of a long-term redistribution of commercial fishing effort in the Bering Sea, a region supporting one of the largest fishing industries in the world.

Effects of financial transfers on redistribution and risk sharing within the EU and the Euro Area

The effectiveness of European fiscal policies is of particular importance for the future economic performance of the community especially during times of crisis due to polarized public opinion and expert criticism. This study attempts to identify the redistributive and risk-sharing effects resulting from centralized financial transfers within the EU. We investigate a broader sample of EU (28) countries during 2000-2021 in addition to the Euro area countries used in most studies on the issue. Traditional regression methods and the Pooled Mean Group (PMG) model were used in order to maximize the objectivity of the analysis. The study’s results show that long-term redistribution is virtually absent with levels below 1%. In some cases, the values are even negative which is an interesting (but not unattested) finding in the context of such a sensitive issue as the permanent shift of wealth within the EA and EU. Budget transfers achieved a risk-sharing effect of 11% for the EU and 29% for the EA. Risk sharing levels are comparable and even better than those of some fully-fledged fiscal federations. This is an attestation to the capacity of the EU to successfully implement its intended policies despite some criticism.

Urban working groups in the IAEA’s model testing programmes: overview from the MODARIA I and MODARIA II programmes

The IAEA’s model testing programmes have included a series of Working Groups concerned with modelling radioactive contamination in urban environments. These have included the Urban Working Group of Validation of Environmental Model Predictions (1988–1994), the Urban Remediation Working Group of Environmental Modelling for Radiation Safety (EMRAS) (2003–2007), the Urban Areas Working Group of EMRAS II (2009–2011), the Urban Environments Working Group of (Modelling and Data for Radiological Impact Assessments) MODARIA I (2013–2015), and most recently, the Urban Exposures Working Group of MODARIA II (2016–2019). The overarching objective of these Working Groups has been to test and improve the capabilities of computer models used to assess radioactive contamination in urban environments, including dispersion and deposition processes, short-term and long-term redistribution of contaminants following deposition events, and the effectiveness of various countermeasures and other protective actions, including remedial actions, in reducing contamination levels, human exposures, and doses to humans. This paper describes the exercises conducted during the MODARIA I and MODARIA II programmes. These exercises have included short-range and mid-range atmospheric dispersion exercises based on data from field tests or tracer studies, hypothetical urban dispersion exercises, and an exercise based on data collected after the Fukushima Daiichi accident. Improvement of model capabilities will lead to improvements in assessing various contamination scenarios (real or hypothetical), and in turn, to improved decision-making and communication with the public following a nuclear or radiological emergency.

Long-Term Redistribution of Residual Gas Due to Non-convective Transport in the Aqueous Phase

Long-Term Redistribution of Residual Gas Due to Non-convective Transport in the Aqueous Phase

Peningkatan Kapasitas Sumber Daya Manusia Melalui Pembangunan Inklusif Dalam Mendukung Desa Wisata Budaya Di Desa Plunturan

Desa Plunturan merupakan salah satu desa yang terletak di Kabupaten Ponorogo memiliki banyak produk budaya dan masih dipertahankan. Salah satu produk budaya desa tersebut adalah Reog Ki Onggo Pati. Reog Ki Onggo Pati adalah kesenian yang dijadikan ikon Desa Plunturan karena masih menjunjung tinggi orisinalitas Reyog. tujuan penelitian ini adalah untuk menganalisis peningkatan kapasitas sumber daya manusia (SDM) melalui pembangunan inklusif dalam mendukung Desa Wisata Budaya di Desa Plunturan Kecamatan Pulung Kabupaten Ponorogo Jawa Timur. peneliti menggunakan jenis penelitian kualitatif dengan pendekatan deskripstif. Fokus penelitian yang menjadi batasan penelitian merupakan hasil dari beberapa kajian literatur yang sesuai dengan kondisi eksisting Desa Plunturan yaitu a) sumberdaya untuk pembangunan; b) ketenagakerjaan yang layak; c) pertumbuhan ekonomi yang kuat dan berkelanjutan, dan d) meningkatnya standar penghidupan. Berdasarkan hasil penelitian dan pembahasan yang dilakukan oleh peneliti, dapat ditarik kesimpulan bahwa upaya pengembangan kapasitas SDM melalui pertumbuhan inklusif dalam mendukung Desa Wisata Budaya di Desa Plunturan sudah berjalan tetapi masih sangat lambat. Sumber daya untuk pembangunan Desa Wisata Plunturan belum siap dalam segala aspek. Jika sumber daya kuat, maka pertumbuhan ekonomi yang berlangsung akan berkelanjutan sehingga terciptanya redistribusi jangka panjang. Sedangkan dilihat dari aspek ketenagakerjaan, belum terkoordinasi dengan baik oleh Pemerintah Desa, BUMDes dan Pokdarwis serta lembaga pemerintah desa lainnya dalam ruang lingkup pengembangan Desa Wisata Plunturan sehingga pertumbuhan ekonomi di desa sangat lambat. Hal ini berakibat lemahnya daya saing antar desa dan/atau daerah dalam hal wisata budaya. Aspek-aspek tersebut jika berjalan dan terkoordinasi dengan baik, maka outputnya adalah dapat meningkatkan standar penghidupan Desa Plunturan.

Inequality, Growth, and Congestion Externalities

Abstract We describe and numerically simulate the aggregate and distributional properties of an endogenous growth model with an infrastructure externality which is subject to relative congestion. We show that the congested externality induces higher growth, greater inequality, labor/leisure trade-off ambiguities and an ineffective capital income tax for the government to achieve long-term redistribution goals. We demonstrate the economic implications of congestions in production and consumption externalities on the public to private capital ratio, growth and income distribution. Finally, we discuss alternative tax options for promoting inclusive growth.

Long-Term Redistribution of Peripheral Lymphocyte Subpopulations after Switching from Calcineurin to mTOR Inhibitors in Kidney Transplant Recipients.

Classical immunosuppression based on steroids, calcineurin inhibitors, and mycophenolate results in several unwanted effects and unsatisfactory long-term outcomes in kidney transplantation (KT). New immunosuppressors search for fewer adverse events and increased graft survival but may have a distinct impact on graft function and immunological biomarkers according to their mechanism of action. This prospective study evaluates the immunological effect of tacrolimus to serine/threonine protein kinase mechanistic target of rapamycin inhibitors (mTORi) conversion in 29 KT recipients compared with 16 controls maintained on tacrolimus. We evaluated renal function, human leukocyte antigen (HLA) antibodies and peripheral blood lymphocyte subsets at inclusion and at 3, 12, and 24 months later. Twenty immunophenotyped healthy subjects served as reference. Renal function remained stable in both groups with no significant change in proteinuria. Two patients in the mTORi group developed HLA donor-specific antibodies and none in the control group (7% vs. 0%, p = 0.53). Both groups showed a progressive increase in regulatory T cells, more prominent in patients converted to mTORi within the first 18 months post-KT (p < 0.001). All patients showed a decrease in naïve B cells (p < 0.001), excepting those converted to mTORi without receiving steroids (p = 0.31). Transitional B cells significantly decreased in mTORi patients (p < 0.001), independently of concomitant steroid treatment. Finally, CD56bright and CD94/NK group 2 member A receptor positive (NKG2A+) Natural Killer (NK) cell subsets increased in mTORi- compared to tacrolimus-treated patients (both p < 0.001). Patients switched to mTORi displayed a significant redistribution of peripheral blood lymphocyte subpopulations proposed to be associated with graft outcomes. The administration of steroids modified some of these changes.

Time-dependent Behaviour Analysis of Long-span Concrete Arch Bridge

This paper continues the previous study on clarifying the time-dependent behaviour of Beipanjiang Bridge ‒ a reinforced concrete arch bridge with concrete-filled steel tubular stiffened skeleton. The obtained prediction models and the Finite Element Models were used to simulate the long-term behaviour and stress redistribution of the concrete arch bridge. Three-dimensional beam elements simulated the stiffened skeleton and surrounding concrete. Then, a parameters study was carried out to analyse the time-dependent behaviour of the arch bridge influenced by different concrete creep and shrinkage models. The simulation results demonstrate that concrete creep and shrinkage have a significant influence on the time-dependent behaviour of the concrete arch bridge. After the bridge completion, the Comite Euro-International du Beton mean deviation of displacements obtained by 1990 CEBFIP Model Code: Design Code model and fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 model are 3.4%, 31.9% larger than the results predicted by the modified fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 model. The stresses between the steel and the concrete redistribute with time because of the concrete long-term effect. The steel will yield if the fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 model is used in the analysis. The stresses in a different part of the surrounding concrete are non-uniformly distributed.

Creep Characteristics Of Concrete Used In Long-Span Arch Bridge

The reinforced concrete arch bridge with concrete-filled steel tubular stiffened skeleton is extensively used in the mountainous area of southwest China due to their long span and high stability. Beibanjiang Bridge located in Shanghai- Kunming high-speed railway, which had a record span of 445 m, has recently been completed in 2016. However, concrete creep and shrinkage have pronounced effects on the long-term deflection and stress redistribution of this bridge. Several concrete creep and shrinkage specimens in the natural environment were made to predict the long-term behaviour of this bridge accurately. They were used to measure the concrete creep and shrinkage of the core concrete and surrounding concrete used in the arch bridge. The test results were compared to ACI209 R-92 Prediction of Creep, Shrinkage and Temperature Effects in Concrete Structures model, 1990 CEB-FIP Model Code 1990: Design Code model, fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 model and Creep and Shrinkage Prediction Model for Analysis and Design of Concrete Structures-Model B3. Based on the numerical fitting method, the fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 model was modified to suit the concrete creep and shrinkage experimental results. Then, the modified fib Model Code for Concrete Structures 2010 model was used to predict the timedependent behaviour of a concrete arch bridge.

Phosphorus pool responses under different P inorganic fertilizers for a eucalyptus plantation in a loamy Oxisol

Phosphate fertilizers play an important role in plant nutrition. Different P fertilizer sources such as high-solubility (simple superphosphate, SSP), low-solubility (rock phosphate, RP) and complex superphosphate (CSP) are available for plant supplementation. The objective of this study was to investigate the short- and long-term redistribution of soil P after application of different P sources at establishment of an Eucalyptus forest stand. We carried out two experiments to identify the short- and long- term changes in a Brazilian Oxisol. To property identify the P pools in different times, Hadleýs fractionation methodology was applied to a long-term studies and citrate and oxalate to short-term. From zero to 180 days, the soluble P fractions were not altered in the non-fertilized treatment. Under SSP, a slight increase in this P fraction was found until 30 days, followed by a decrease in later evaluations. During the same period, a slight reduction in Pi extracted by citrate and oxalate was found under the control and a large reduction (approximately 50%) under the SSP treatment. Intermediate behavior was observed under the CSP and RP treatments, whereas there was an increase in P-citrate and P-oxalate until 30 days followed by a reduction afterwards. These results suggest that this pool comprises a potential bioavailability of P to plants. Different fertilizer sources did not increase the most recalcitrant P pool. However, different sources increased the organic P pool, mainly organic moderately labile P at long-term evaluations. Organic labile pools showed a fertilizer-specific response where CSP and RP increased respectively by 43% and 41% during the first year, and decreased to 39% in CSP treatment and 50% in RP treatment during the third year. Available P pool was highly dependent on inorganic and occluded pools and the organic pool acted predominantly as a sink of P on available and inorganic pools. The results reinforce the high level of recalcitrance of the organic pool and the fact that Eucalyptus plants must access pools of residual P in order to maintain their nutritional demands.

ДОСЛІДЖЕННЯ НЕОДНОРІДНО ЗЧУВСТВЛЕННІХ КРИСТАЛІВ СУЛЬФІДУ КАДМІЮ. ЧАСТИНА II. РЕЛАКСАЦІЙНІ ХАРАКТЕРИСТИКИ

The photoelectric properties of CdS crystals with combined doping has been considered. The relaxation of the photocurrent determined by the long-term (months) redistribution of the sensitive impurity has been found. The possibility of creating of a new type of light sensors with super long memory has been shown. The medium-time (minutes) and fast (seconds) relaxation of the photocurrent under excitation by intrinsic and infrared light has been studied

Long-term deformations in continuous composite concrete slabs

Relatively little research has been reported on the time-dependent in-service behaviour of continuous composite concrete slabs with profiled steel decking as permanent formwork and little guidance is available for calculating long-term deflections. The drying shrinkage profile through the thickness of a composite slab is greatly affected by the impermeable steel deck at the slab soffit, and this has only recently been quantified. This paper presents the results of long-term laboratory tests on continuous composite slabs subjected to both drying shrinkage and different levels of sustained load. The paper provides experimental evidence of the dominant role played by drying shrinkage in the long-term deflection and redistribution of internal actions in continuous composite concrete slabs. An analytical procedure for the determination of the time-dependent deflections in continuous composite slabs is described and the results of analyses are presented and compared with the experimental data.

Marine Mammals in the Mediterranean Sea: An Overview.

Despite being a small part of the world's oceans, the Mediterranean Sea hosts a diverse marine mammal fauna, with a total of 28 different species known to occur, or to have occurred, in the region. Species currently recognised as regular in the Mediterranean-the Mediterranean monk seal (Monachus monachus) and 11 cetaceans (fin whale, Balaenoptera physalus; sperm whale, Physeter macrocephalus; Cuvier's beaked whale, Ziphius cavirostris; short-beaked common dolphin, Delphinus delphis; long-finned pilot whale, Globicephala melas; Risso's dolphin, Grampus griseus; killer whale, Orcinus orca; striped dolphin, Stenella coeruleoalba; rough-toothed dolphin, Steno bredanensis; common bottlenose dolphin, Tursiops truncatus; harbour porpoise, Phocoena phocoena relicta) have adapted well to the region's environmental conditions, but their coexistence with humans is problematic. All the regular species are represented in the Mediterranean by populations genetically distinct from their North Atlantic relatives. Seventeen other species (three pinnipeds and 14 cetaceans) occur or have occurred in the Mediterranean as vagrants from adjacent regions. Impacts on the conservation status of marine mammals in the region deriving from a variety of threats include: (a) mortality caused by deliberate killing (to a large extent resulting from fisheries interactions), naval sonar, ship strikes, epizootics, fisheries bycatch, chemical pollution and ingestion of solid debris; (b) short-term redistribution caused by naval sonar, seismic surveys, vessel disturbance and vessel noise; and (c) long-term redistribution caused by fishery-induced food depletion, coastal development and possibly climate change. Accordingly, seven of the 12 marine mammals regular in the Mediterranean region are listed as Threatened on IUCN's Red List; regrettably, three are Data Deficient and two remain unassessed.

Modeling radionuclide Cs and C dynamics in an artificial forest ecosystem in Japan -FoRothCs ver1.0-

Predicting the environmental fate of Cs radionuclides in forest ecosystems is important for the effective management and assessment of radioactively contaminated forest areas. A large proportion of the radioactively contaminated areas in Japan consist of forest ecosystems, and most of these areas are artificial forests that are used for timber production (e.g., Japanese cedar (Cryptomeria japonica) and red pine (Pinus densiflora)). Determining the long-term redistribution of 137Cs in forest ecosystems is important for estimating human doses and understanding the ecological impacts and challenges associated with managing contaminated forests. To facilitate the management and 137Cs decontamination of these forests, we developed a new open-source 137Cs cycling model, ForRothCs, that considers C cycling within forests, as well as biomass production and soil decomposition processes. For the 137Cs inventory, this model estimates the dynamics (Bq m−2) and activity (Bq kg−2) of 137Cs on a decadal time scale, primarily in the leaves, branches, stems, litter layer, and the soil. This model is based on the biomass production and the dynamics of the C cycle models. We tested the model by considering a simple scenario of forest management, i.e., thinning and harvesting, for the first five years following a fallout event. The results showed that these activities have a limited impact on the 137Cs inventory due to the rapid migration of 137Cs from vegetation to soil. Our projections also showed the examined forest management practices resulted in reduced litterfall, which in turn reduced C input to the forest floor and increased the concentration of 137Cs in the litterfall and soil organic layer. Although further validation of the ForRothCs model is required using field observation data, the model can be used to evaluate long-term 137Cs dynamics associated with commonly used forest and decontamination management scenarios.

Impact of prior perception on bridge health diagnosis

We use Bayesian logic in reproducing how a rational agent, called Ernest in the paper, analyses monitoring data and infers structural condition. The case study is Adige Bridge, a 260 m-long statically indeterminate structure with a deck supported by 12 stay cables. Bridge structural redundancy, possible relaxation losses and an as-built condition differing from design suggest that long-term load redistribution between cables can be expected. Therefore, the bridge owner installed a monitoring system, including fiberoptic sensors that allow measurement of deformation with an accuracy of a few microstrains. After 1 year of system operation, which included maintenance of the interrogation unit, the data analysis showed an apparent contraction of the cable lengths. This result is in contrast with the expected behavior. We analyze how a rational agent analyzes the observed response, and, in particular, we discuss to what extent he is prone to accept the sensor response as a result of the real mechanical behavior of the bridge versus a mere malfunction of the interrogation unit. In this analysis, we consider four psychological profiles, which vary based on their personal trust in the reliability of the instrumentation and on their knowledge of the structural behavior of the bridge. Using Bayesian logic as a tool to combine prior belief with sensor data, we explore how the extent of prior knowledge can alter the final engineering perception of the current state of the bridge and we demonstrate how the engineer’s posterior judgment is predictable with a mathematical model. Formal reproduction of the human decision-making process can have strong impact in the field of structural health monitoring, as it may enable: (1) quantification of probabilities that engineers attribute to various events based on their subjective experience (which is currently an important challenge); (2) better understanding and improvement of the decision-making process itself; (3) embedding of decision making into structural health-monitoring methods for the full benefit of the latter.

River banks and channels as hotspots of soil pollution after large-scale remediation of a river basin

Riparian areas are highly dynamic systems where the control of soil pollution might be particularly challenging. Limited accessibility to river banks and bed sediments makes reclamation operations particularly difficult in these topographical positions, in comparison to floodplains. This usually leads to the large-scale spread of pollutants following pollution episodes in riparian areas. Here, we aimed to evaluate the persistence of trace-element pollution in the soils of Guadiamar River Valley (SW Spain), a large-scale remediation after a mine-spill. We monitored topsoil along the river basin, and in different topographical positions across the river section (river channel, river banks and floodplain), 16years after a pollution episode and subsequent remediation program. River channels and banks were identified as hotspots of soil pollution, where soluble concentrations of As, Cd and Zn were significantly higher than in floodplains. Along the basin, soil pH and carbonate content was highly variable as a result of contrasted geological background, differential loads of sulfide deposition after the accident and irregular effectiveness of the applied amendments. Cadmium and Zn showed the highest levels of long-term re-distribution from the pollution source. The results suggests that the stabilization and remediation of soil pollution in river banks and channels, often overlooked when achieving remediation works, should be a priority for land managers.

Finite Element Model for Analysis of Time-Dependent Behaviour of Concrete-Filled Steel Tubular Arches

This paper presents a finite element model for the linear and nonlinear analysis of time-dependent behaviour of concrete-filled steel tubular (CFST) arches. It is known when a CFST arch is subjected to a sustained load, the visco-elastic effects of creep in the concrete core will result in significant increases of the deformations and internal forces in the long-term. In this paper, a finite element model is developed using the age-adjusted effective modulus method to describe the creep behaviour of the concrete core. The finite element results of long-term displacement and stress redistribution agree very well with their analytical counterparts. The finite element model is then used to compare the linear and nonlinear results for the long-term behaviour of shallow CFST arches. It is demonstrated that the linear analysis underestimates the long-term deformations and internal force significantly and that to predict the time-dependent behaviour shallow CFST arches accurately, the nonlinear analysis is essential.

Mössbauer study of fine structure features of equiatomic FePd alloy after severe plastic deformation and ordering annealing

Abstract Using Mossbauer spectroscopy based on modern methods of processing spectra, new fine features of the structure of equiatomic alloy FePd, which is formed upon the А 1 → L 1 0 phase transformation in the course of severe plastic deformation by torsion and annealing for ordering at the temperature Т = 450 o С, have been studied. It is shown that the structure of the alloy in the as-deformed state cannot be treated as a homogeneous solid solution; it is more likely to consider it as an alternation of disordered regions that are different in composition and in the sign and degree of tetragonal distortions of the initial fcc lattice. Already at early stages of ordering annealing, there are detected low-symmetry regions, inhomogeneous in composition and in the degree of ordering, with tetragonal distortions of the same sign but essentially different in magnitude. These regions can be identified as the structure constituents of the A 6 and L 1 0 type with the tetragonal lattice. Such a multi-phase structure is retained even after a long-time ( t ann = 40 h) annealing. A conclusion is made that the equilibrium tetragonal L 1 0 phase is formed as a result of long-term redistribution of Fe atoms between the initial cubic and newly formed tetragonal components. The effect of the fine-structure peculiarities on the coercivity of the FePd alloys is considered.

Coherence between Brain Cortical Function and Neurocognitive Performance during Changed Gravity Conditions

Previous studies of cognitive, mental and/or motor processes during short-, medium- and long-term weightlessness have only been descriptive in nature, and focused on psychological aspects. Until now, objective observation of neurophysiological parameters has not been carried out - undoubtedly because the technical and methodological means have not been available -, investigations into the neurophysiological effects of weightlessness are in their infancy (Schneider et al. 2008). While imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would be hardly applicable in space, the non-invasive near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technique represents a method of mapping hemodynamic processes in the brain in real time that is both relatively inexpensive and that can be employed even under extreme conditions. The combination with electroencephalography (EEG) opens up the possibility of following the electrocortical processes under changing gravity conditions with a finer temporal resolution as well as with deeper localization, for instance with electrotomography (LORETA). Previous studies showed an increase of beta frequency activity under normal gravity conditions and a decrease under weightlessness conditions during a parabolic flight (Schneider et al. 2008a+b). Tilt studies revealed different changes in brain function, which let suggest, that changes in parabolic flight might reflect emotional processes rather than hemodynamic changes. However, it is still unclear whether these are effects of changed gravity or hemodynamic changes within the brain. Combining EEG/LORETA and NIRS should for the first time make it possible to map the effect of weightlessness and reduced gravity on both hemodynamic and electrophysiological processes in the brain. Initially, this is to be done as part of a feasibility study during a parabolic flight. Afterwards, it is also planned to use both techniques during medium- and long-term space flight. It can be assumed that the long-term redistribution of the blood volume and the associated increase in the supply of oxygen to the brain will lead to changes in the central nervous system that are also responsible for anaemic processes, and which can in turn reduce performance (De Santo et al. 2005), which means that they could be crucial for the success and safety of a mission (Genik et al. 2005, Ellis 2000). Depending on these results, it will be necessary to develop and employ extensive countermeasures. Initial results for the MARS500 study suggest that, in addition to their significance in the context of the cardiovascular and locomotor systems, sport and physical activity can play a part in improving neurocognitive parameters. Before this can be fully established, however, it seems necessary to learn more about the influence of changing gravity conditions on neurophysiological processes and associated neurocognitive impairment.

Coherence between Brain Cortical Function and Neurocognitive Performance during Changed Gravity Conditions

Previous studies of cognitive, mental and/or motor processes during short-, medium- and long-term weightlessness have only been descriptive in nature, and focused on psychological aspects. Until now, objective observation of neurophysiological parameters has not been carried out--undoubtedly because the technical and methodological means have not been available--, investigations into the neurophysiological effects of weightlessness are in their infancy (Schneider et al. 2008). While imaging techniques such as positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) would be hardly applicable in space, the non-invasive near-infrared spectroscopy (NIRS) technique represents a method of mapping hemodynamic processes in the brain in real time that is both relatively inexpensive and that can be employed even under extreme conditions. The combination with electroencephalography (EEG) opens up the possibility of following the electrocortical processes under changing gravity conditions with a finer temporal resolution as well as with deeper localization, for instance with electrotomography (LORETA). Previous studies showed an increase of beta frequency activity under normal gravity conditions and a decrease under weightlessness conditions during a parabolic flight (Schneider et al. 2008a+b). Tilt studies revealed different changes in brain function, which let suggest, that changes in parabolic flight might reflect emotional processes rather than hemodynamic changes. However, it is still unclear whether these are effects of changed gravity or hemodynamic changes within the brain. Combining EEG/LORETA and NIRS should for the first time make it possible to map the effect of weightlessness and reduced gravity on both hemodynamic and electrophysiological processes in the brain. Initially, this is to be done as part of a feasibility study during a parabolic flight. Afterwards, it is also planned to use both techniques during medium- and long-term space flight. It can be assumed that the long-term redistribution of the blood volume and the associated increase in the supply of oxygen to the brain will lead to changes in the central nervous system that are also responsible for anaemic processes, and which can in turn reduce performance (De Santo et al. 2005), which means that they could be crucial for the success and safety of a mission (Genik et al. 2005, Ellis 2000). Depending on these results, it will be necessary to develop and employ extensive countermeasures. Initial results for the MARS500 study suggest that, in addition to their significance in the context of the cardiovascular and locomotor systems, sport and physical activity can play a part in improving neurocognitive parameters. Before this can be fully established, however, it seems necessary to learn more about the influence of changing gravity conditions on neurophysiological processes and associated neurocognitive impairment.