The electrical conductivity of post-perovskite in Earth's D' layer

Recent discovery of a phase transition from perovskite to post-perovskite suggests that the physical properties of Earth's lowermost mantle, called the D' layer, may be different from those of the overlying mantle. We report that the electrical conductivity of (Mg0.9Fe0.1)SiO3 post-perovskite is >10(2) siemens per meter and does not vary greatly with temperature at the conditions of the D' layer. A post-perovskite layer above the core-mantle boundary would, by electromagnetic coupling, enhance the exchange of angular momentum between the fluid core and the solid mantle, which can explain the observed changes in the length of a day on decadal time scales. Heterogeneity in the conductivity of the lowermost mantle is likely to depend on changes in chemistry of the boundary region, not fluctuations in temperature.     

Teratogenic effects of isolated and combined short‐term hypercapnia and hypoxia on red sea bream (Pagrus major) embryos

Some vertebral anomalies in cultured fish arise from unusual environmental conditions during embryogenesis. We investigated the individual and combined teratogenic effects of short‐term hypercapnia and hypoxia on embryos of red sea bream (RSB), Pagrus major. Ten‐somite stage embryos were exposed to hypercapnia (60 and 120 mg/L dissolved carbon dioxide: DCD) and hypoxia (0%, 10%, 25%, 50%, and 75% dissolved oxygen: DO) independently and concomitantly for seven different periods (0, 30, 60, 90, 120, 150 and 180 min) to examine somitic disturbances at hatching, which are prodromal symptoms of centrum defects. Another experiment examined vertebral anomalies in juveniles raised from eggs exposed to hypercapnia (120 mg/L DCD) and hypoxia (10% DO) independently and concomitantly. Short‐time exposures (30–180 min) to hypercapnia (60 and 120 mg/L) and hypoxia (10% DO or less) independently and additively caused larval somitic disturbances and juvenile centrum defects. The results indicate that short‐term hypercapnia and hypoxia generally have the same teratogenic effect on embryos, although there were some differences in the locations of the somitic disturbances and centrum defects, with additive teratogenicity when the conditions were combined. These results suggest the necessity of maintaining appropriate DCD and DO concentrations during egg incubation and transport and during reproduction in recirculating aquaculture.