Seminar: Terrestrial Nitrogen and Carbon Cycling

Spring 2011 Seminar Course (GEOL 2920-V):
Terrestrial Nitrogen and Carbon Cycling

Course number: GEOL 2920-V
Course title: Terrestrial Nitrogen and Carbon Cycling
Instructors: Meredith G. Hastings (GEO/ECI), Jim Tang (MBL/GEO)

Proposed Meeting days/times: Mon, 1-1:50pm; Wed 1-2:50pm (GC029)
Prerequisites: BIOL 1480, GEOL 1130 or equivalent biogeochemistry course.
Instructor Permission Required for enrollment

Description: This seminar course will examine aboveground and
belowground processes in the context of the global nitrogen and carbon
cycles, and the impacts of both natural and anthropogenic
disturbances. The course will include overviews of the global
nitrogen and carbon cycles and their relationship to recent changes in
climate; discussion of processes such as nitrification,
denitrification, and N-fixation and their relationship to soil
properties and nitrogen addition; discussion of respiration,
photosynthesis, and decomposition; and the coupling of N and C cycles
in soils related to increasing air/soil temperatures and increasing N
deposition. This course will include an emphasis on emerging new
techniques to quantify N and C processes in the laboratory, field and
through modeling, and will include a field trip to Harvard Forest to
investigate current field studies.

Course highlight: Foundations of Physical Hydrology; Water & Climate

Foundations of Physical Hydrology; Water & Climate

Geological Sciences 58
Environmental Studies 58

Synopsis: Water, its availability and its unique physical properties, is a partner
with solar radiation among the primary agents that drive weather and climate. The
cycling of water through the Earth's environment is the yin and yang of water − a
benefactor sustaining humankind's food supplies, facilitating transportation and
producing power, while conversely an adversary responsible for droughts, floods,
wildfires and landslides. If the climate is changing, then, without doubt, water,
being the most abundant greenhouse gas − far more so than the nearest candidate,
CO2 − will be a principal player in the atmosphere, land processes, in the oceans
and rivers, and in the soil. But, how this role will be played out remains elusive to
science. We first need to understand the "normal" behavior of water-related
processes (rainfall "events", how they affect streamflow, etc.) − even as we need to
understand extreme events. Which of these should be treated as outlying members
of the statistical norm? . . . and which are truly singular and unpredictable? This
course is a qualitative/semi-quantitative introduction to the underlying causes of
floods, droughts, wildfires, and hurricanes in the context of environmental
processes globally driven by the unique character of water, and by its regional
abundance or scarcity. We explore the foundations for understanding the physical
mechanisms by which water is transported throughout a hydrologic system,
emphasizing the fundamental inter-coupling of atmospheric, surface, soil and
ground water. While providing background for future studies, the course is
primarily designed to enable informed citizens to thoughtfully critique and
comment on fundamental issues of water-related public policy. A pre-college math
and physics background is expected.

Jack Hermance
e-mail: John_Hermance@Brown.Edu

Course highlight: APMA2210: Topics in Differential Equations

APMA2210: Topics in Differential Equations
Stability of Noncharacteristic Viscous Boundary Layers
Instructor: Toan Nguyen

Description:
My plan for this course is to discuss asymptotic stability of noncharacteristic boundary layers in gas dynamics and magnetohydrodynamics equations. A main difficulty in the stability analysis is that there is no spectral gap between the imaginary axis and the essential spectrum of the linearized operator about the layer. Standard semi-group methods therefore do not seem to apply and, at best, algebraic temporal decay can be expected in case of stability. Pointwise estimates for the Green function are then useful and sufficient for analysis of the (linear and) nonlinear stability. The general mathematical approach to be covered in the course is the so-called pointwise semi-group or Evans function approach developed by Zumbrun-Howard and Mascia-Zumbrun in their studies of (orbital) asymptotic stability of viscous shock waves. We discuss its application in the context of boundary layers. In particular, I shall discuss in detail the gap/conjugation lemma, the tracking/reduction lemma, construction of the resolvent kernel, the spectral and Evans function theory, and the construction of the Green function with sharp pointwise estimates.

Time permitting, I shall also discuss a few recent developments on stability of boundary layers for a more general class of hyperbolic-parabolic conservation laws in one or multi-dimensional spaces. Certain numerical evidences for stability might as well be demonstrated in the end of the course.

Course Information:
Meeting time: MWF 2 - 2:50pm, B&H 163
Office hours: by appointment

Critical Reading and Writing II: The Research Essay

ENGL 0130 Critical Reading and Writing II: The Research Essay
CRN 21015
Section 01: The Science Research Essay
Location: 104 Sayles Hall
Instructor: Carol DeBoer-Langworthy
9 – 10:20 a.m. Tues.-Thurs (Spring semester 2010)

The saddest aspect of life right now is that science gathers knowledge faster than society gathers wisdom.
-Isaac Asimov, scientist and writer (1920-1992)

Science is, in general, concerned with uncovering the truths of the natural world. This section of Academic Essay II explores how science, as an academic way of thinking and a method, is important in the development of critical thinking and expression of culture. Readings will examine the various dialects of scientific discourse. Writing exercises will allow practice in these dialects for specific uses.

Medical Imaging Analysis Course

EN02912G : Medical Imaging Analysis - M/W/F 11-11:50 B&H 157
Summary
This course is aimed at undergraduate and graduate students from a variety of disciplines; including: Engineering, Computer Science, Applied Mathematics, Physics, Cognitive Science and Neuroscience as well as medical students and residents.
Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a powerful tool for investigating the biological structure and functional dynamics across an incredibly broad spatial and temporal scale. This course will provide an understanding of the basic physical principles of magnetic resonance; MR signal generation, detection and contrast mechanisms; and image acquisition and reconstruction. The course will also provide an overview of how MRI is currently used to study the gross structure, function and fiber architecture of the central nervous system, as well as touch on emerging fields in MRI, including molecular imaging and imaging genetics. This course is equally well-suited to the Physics and Engineering student with interest in medical imaging and neuroscience, as to the Neuroscience, Psychology or Biology student interested in the physics of and application of MRI.

The course material will be roughly split between the basic physical principals and mathematics of the magnetic resonance phenomena (signal general, image acquisition techniques, art and artifacts), and current applications of MRI in neuroscience (morphometry, functional imaging, diffusion tensor imaging, and molecular, cellular and genetic imaging). Detail and emphasis will depend on class background and interests. The course will also involve a hands-on lab at the Brown Magnetic Resonance Imaging Facility.
Taught by Sean Deoni