Normal Occurrences Research Articles

Magnetospheric disturbance effects on the Equatorial Ionization Anomaly (EIA) : an overview

The Equatorial lonization Anomaly (EIA) development can undergo drastic modification in the form of an anomalous occurrence at local times outside that of its quiet time development and/or inhibition/enhancement at local times of its normal occurrences. This happens for disturbed electrodynamic conditions of the global ionosphere-thermosphere-magnetosphere system, consequent upon the triggering of a magnetospheric storm event. Direct penetration to equatorial latitudes of the magnetospheric electric fields and the thermospheric disturbances involving winds, electric fields and composition changes produce significant alteration in the EIA morphology and dynamics. Results on statistical behaviour based on accumulated ground-based data sets, and those from recent theoretical modelling efforts and from satellite and ground-based observations, are reviewed. Some outstanding problems of the EIA response to magnetospheric disturbances that deserve attention in the coming years are pointed out.

Gardening activity, food supply and nutritional status in the southern highlands of Papua New Guinea

A survey was conducted in three areas of the Southern Highlands to examine seasonal patterns in gardening activity and body weights and their inter‐relationship. The pattern of gardening activity during the two years of the survey (1981–83) was typically one of constant activity, with minor and regular fluctuations in response to normal social and climatic occurrences. However, an abnormally dry period during the survey disrupted this pattern and, when compounded by other factors, appeared to have important effects on food supply in subsequent years. Whilst anthropometric results showed important differences between study areas in anthropometric status, neither significant patterns in body weight changes nor a relationship with gardening activity were detected. These results were not, however, regarded as conclusive due to the inadequacy of the methods used.

How To Build a Person: The Physical Basis for Mentality

1. Physicalism Human beings are endowed with a rich mental life. We observe the physical world around us with our ordinary senses, but we also observe the occurrence in us of pains, visual, tactual, and auditory sensations, thoughts, fears, desires, etc. We label the latter 'mental occurrences', and they become the subject of wonder. Specifically, we would like to know how mental occurrences are related to physical occurrences. It is my conviction that mental occurrences are physical occurrences of a certain sort (token physicalism) and people are physical objects (agent materialism). I have argued elsewhere (Pollock [1987]) that there are good reasons, having to do with the efficient use of limited computing power and limited memory, why a cognitive machine should have internal sensors for sensing some of its own internal (physical) states. On that basis I argued that the best explanation for our observations about our own mental occurrences is that they are the product of such internal sensing of some of our own internal physical states, and hence these mental occurrences are also physical occurrences. What we have here are two different sensory modes that are able to respond to some of the same occurrences, just as vision and touch both sense normal macroscopic occurrences in our immediate surroundings, and vision and proprioception both sense the movements of our limbs. In fact, introspection of mental occurrences is strongly parallel to the proprioceptive sensing of bodily movements. In each case we

Twenty questions about student errors

AbstractErrors in science learning (errors in expression of organized, purposeful thought within the domain of science) provide a window through which glimpses of mental functioning can be obtained. Errors are valuable and normal occurrences in the process of learning science. A student can use his/her errors to develop a deeper understanding of a concept as long as the error can be recognized and appropriate, informative feedback can be obtained. A safe, non‐threatening, and nonpunitive environment which encourages dialogue helps students to express their conceptions and to risk making errors. Pedagogical methods that systematically address common student errors produce significant gains in student learning. Just as the nature‐nurture interaction is integral to the development of living things, so the individual‐environment interaction is basic to thought processes. At a minimum, four systems interact: (1) the individual problem solver (who has a worldview, relatively stable cognitive characteristics, relatively malleable mental states and conditions, and aims or intentions), (2) task to be performed (including relative importance and nature of the task), (3) knowledge domain in which task is contained, and (4) the environment (including orienting conditions and the social and physical context).Several basic assumptions underlie research on errors and alternative conceptions. Among these are: Knowledge and thought involve active, constructive processes; there are many ways to acquire, organize, store, retrieve, and think about a given concept or event; and understanding is achieved by successive approximations. Application of these ideas will require a fundamental change in how science is taught.

Decline of Mysis relicta During the Acidification of Lake 223

The population size of Mysis relicta in Lake 223 of the Experimental Lakes Area, northwestern Ontario, decreased from 6 700 000 ± 1 330 000 (± 95% confidence limits) during August of 1978, to 270 000 ± 75 000 during August of 1979, a 96% decrease. Because Mysis, a cold stenotherm, is restricted to the metalimnion and hypolimnion of lakes during summer, the pH range encountered by the population was 5.51 to 6.32 in 1978 and 5.23 to 6.10 in 1979, even though mean pH values in epilimnion waters for the 2 yr were 5.84 and 5.60. A decrease in pH of its habitat from 6.2 to 5.6 during fall overturn in 1979 caused the elimination of the remaining 4% of the population. Comparisons with four control lakes suggested that the decline and disappearance were not normal occurrences in unstressed lakes. Concentrations of Zn, Al, Mn, Fe, Cd, Cu, Ni, and Hg in Lake 223 water were low, and concentrations in Mysis were less than or equal to those in animals from five control lakes, suggesting that the decline in this species was not due to the toxic effects of metals. All size classes were affected, so that direct toxicity of hydrogen ion may be responsible for this abrupt population collapse. These results suggest that Mysis may be a useful early indicator of acidification damage to Precambrian Shield lakes.

Morality in Religious Reformations

Religious reformations are normal historical occurrences. Some stress salvation by faith or through love of the deity. Others have stressed morality either as the primary obligation of the believer or as one of the primary obligations. An examination of a number of such reformations should further our understanding of the historic pattern of religions. A complete survey of the subject is not possible here, but a preliminary investigation is a necessary first step and does produce significant conclusions. The concern here is not with the mere presence in religions of morality, which all the historic religions exhibit. Rather the interest is in those movements that have laid a particular stress on morality and the absolute necessity of moral behavior.

An experimental attempt to determine the site of the neurohypophysial and osmoreceptors in the dog

An experimental attempt to determine the site of the neurohypophysial and osmoreceptors in the dog

Some remarks on behaviour in conflict situations, with special reference to Emberiza Spp

1. Conflict-situations are best described in terms of incompatibility between behaviour patterns (or components) that are simultaneously tending to occur. The incompatibility exists whatever the causation of the patterns in question. Conflict-situations giving intention movements of flight are taken as an example. 2. Sometimes two simultaneous tendencies can both be expressed in a single behaviour pattern or components such behaviour may be termed “compromise behaviour.” Four examples are given. 3. Some behaviour patterns that occur apparently irrelevantly, and so might be termed displacement activities, may be caused in the same way as in their normal functional occurrences. Cooling responses and certain other behaviour that is associated with fear in Emberiza spp. are discussed as possible esamples.

Phase Equilibrium in the System Calcite-Aragonite

The equilibrium curve for two of the phases of CaCO3, calcite-aragonite, has been determined as a function of temperature and pressure over the range 25–80°C and several thousand kg/cm2, using the electrical conductivity of aqueous solutions of each form. Aragonite is proved to be the high pressure modification. From the determined equilibrium curve, various thermodynamic quantities are obtained in a more accurate fashion than previously possible. All normal natural occurrences of aragonite must be due to metastable formation rather than equilibrium, since the geothermal gradient lies completely in the calcite field.

CHANGES IN THE PULMONARY CIRCULATION INDUCED BY EXPERIMENTALLY PRODUCED ARTERIOVENOUS FISTULA

The altered hemodynamics of the pulmonary circulation in response to an increase in the volume flow of blood have been subjected to experimental observation through several different methods. The most direct studies have been made with a Starling heart-lung preparation1or a modification thereof.2In these preparations the lung is a surviving organ isolated from any possible control by the central nervous system, and deductions as to the state of affairs in the intact organism are to be drawn with caution. Ligation of one branch of the pulmonary artery has been employed as a device to increase the volume flow in the contralateral lung,3but this method also has its obvious limitations. Wiggers4augmented the venous return to the heart by the intravenous injection of saline solution, again a method that is at variance with normal physiologic occurrences. In the experiments herewith reported the venous return