The Seismic Structure of the Sun

Global Oscillation Network Group data reveal that the internal structure of the sun can be well represented by a calibrated standard model. However, immediately beneath the convection zone and at the edge of the energy-generating core, the sound-speed variation is somewhat smoother in the sun than it is in the model. This could be a consequence of chemical inhomogeneity that is too severe in the model, perhaps owing to inaccurate modeling of gravitational settling or to neglected macroscopic motion that may be present in the sun. Accurate knowledge of the sun's structure enables inferences to be made about the physics that controls the sun; for example, through the opacity, the equation of state, or wave motion. Those inferences can then be used elsewhere in astrophysics.     

Fate of sludge-applied silicones in agricultural soil microcosms

Our previous publications showed that silicone (polydimethylsiloxane, or PDMS) polymers degrade to monomeric silanols and eventually to C02 in laboratory soil incubations. In this study, 200 cs¹⁴C-PDMS was added to soil microcosms (Tuscola sandy loam and Fargo silty clay) in anaerobically digested sludge. Soybeans followed by wheat were grown for 7 months during which microcosms were subjected to 3 leaching events. Recoveries of¹⁴C in the microcosms ranged from 47 to 90%. The recovered¹⁴C was almost completely in the soils, with trace amounts in leachate and ≤ 2% of the total in plant shoots. Extraction of soils coupled with HPLC-GPC showed that the majority of soil^l4C was still polymeric, but with lower molecular weight than the original PDMS. From 1 to 5% of the remaining¹⁴C was probably small silanols. Results thus confirm laboratory studies and show that PDMS degradation occurs under conditions similar to the field.     

Spatial variation in the parasite communities and genomic structure of urban rats in New York City

Brown rats (Rattus norvegicus) are a globally distributed pest. Urban habitats can support large infestations of rats, posing a potential risk to public health from the parasites and pathogens they carry. Despite the potential influence of rodent‐borne zoonotic diseases on human health, it is unclear how urban habitats affect the structure and transmission dynamics of ectoparasite and microbial communities (all referred to as “parasites” hereafter) among rat colonies. In this study, we use ecological data on parasites and genomic sequencing of their rat hosts to examine associations between spatial proximity, genetic relatedness and the parasite communities associated with 133 rats at five sites in sections of New York City with persistent rat infestations. We build on previous work showing that rats in New York carry a wide variety of parasites and report that these communities differ significantly among sites, even across small geographical distances. Ectoparasite community similarity was positively associated with geographical proximity; however, there was no general association between distance and microbial communities of rats. Sites with greater overall parasite diversity also had rats with greater infection levels and parasite species richness. Parasite community similarity among sites was not linked to genetic relatedness of rats, suggesting that these communities are not associated with genetic similarity among host individuals or host dispersal among sites. Discriminant analysis identified site‐specific associations of several parasite species, suggesting that the presence of some species within parasite communities may allow researchers to determine the sites of origin for newly sampled rats. The results of our study help clarify the roles that colony structure and geographical proximity play in determining the ecology of R. norvegicus as a significant urban reservoir of zoonotic diseases. Our study also highlights the spatial variation present in urban rat parasite communities, indicating that rats across New York City are not reservoirs for a homogenous set of parasites and pathogens. As a result, the epidemiological risks may be similarly heterogeneous for people in urban habitats.