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The article makes use of three different examples (sensory information processing in the rat trigeminal complex, intracellular interaction in snail neurons and multimodal dynamics in nephron autoregulation) to demonstrate how modern approaches to time-series analysis based on the wavelet-transform can provide information about the underlying complex biological processes., Network of Excellence (European Union), Russian Ministry of Education and Sciences, Spanish Ministry of Education and Sciences (Ramón y Cajal/UCM), Depto. de Análisis Matemático y Matemática Aplicada, Fac. de Ciencias Matemáticas, TRUE, pub

Model reduction by time-domain moment matching naturally extends to nonlinear models, where the notion of moments has a local nature stemming from the center manifold theorem. In this paper, the notion of moments of nonlinear models is extended to the global case and is, subsequently, utilized for model order reduction of convergent Lur'e-type nonlinear models. This model order reduction approach preserves the Lur'e-type model structure, inherits the frequency-response function interpretation of moment matching, preserves the convergence property, and allows formulating a posteriori error bound. By the grace of the preservation of the convergence property, the reduced-order Lur'e-type model can be reliably used for generalized excitation signals without exhibiting instability issues. In a case study, the reduced-order model accurately matches the moment of the full-order Lur'e-type model and accurately describes the steady-state model response under input variations.

Model reduction by moment matching for linear time-invariant (LTI) models is a reduction technique that has a clear interpretation in the Laplace domain. In particular, for the multiple-input multiple-output (MIMO) LTI case, Krylov subspace methods aim at matching the transfer-function matrix (and possibly its derivatives) of the reduced-order model to the transfer-function matrix of the full-order model along so-called tangential directions at desired interpolation points. A straightforward application of time-domain moment matching to MIMO LTI models does not result in such a match in the transfer-function matrix. In this paper, we derive a relation between the MIMO transfer-function matrices of the full- and the reduced-order models that follows from the application of time-domain moment matching on MIMO LTI models. This is subsequently exploited to formulate conditions on the parameters of time-domain moment matching under which the transfer-function matrix is matched along tangential directions, thus ensuring consistency with classical Krylov subspace methods.

Iterative learning control (ILC) involves a trade-off between perfect, fast attenuation of iteration-invariant disturbances and amplification of iteration-varying ones. The aim of this paper is to develop a nonlinear ILC framework that achieves fast convergence, robustness, and low converged error values in ILC. To this end, the method includes a deadzone nonlinearity in the learning update, which uses the difference in amplitude characteristics of repeating and varying disturbances to modify the learning gain for each error sample. A criterion for monotonic convergence of the nonlinear ILC algorithm is provided, which is used in combination with system measurements to select suitable design parameters. The proposed algorithm is validated using simulations, in which fast convergence to low error values is demonstrated., Team Jan-Willem van Wingerden

We report the discovery and characterization of TOI-1759~b, a temperate (400 K) sub-Neptune-sized exoplanet orbiting the M~dwarf TOI-1759 (TIC 408636441). TOI-1759 b was observed by TESS to transit on sectors 16, 17 and 24, with only one transit observed per sector, creating an ambiguity on the orbital period of the planet candidate. Ground-based photometric observations, combined with radial-velocity measurements obtained with the CARMENES spectrograph, confirm an actual period of $18.85019 \pm 0.00014$ d. A joint analysis of all available photometry and radial velocities reveal a radius of $3.17 \pm 0.10\,R_\oplus$ and a mass of $10.8 \pm 1.5\,M_\oplus$. Combining this with the stellar properties derived for TOI-1759 ($R_\star = 0.597 \pm 0.015\,R_\odot$; $M_\star = 0.606 \pm 0.020\,M_\odot$; $T_{\textrm{eff}} = 4065 \pm 51$ K), we compute a transmission spectroscopic metric (TSM) value of over 80 for the planet, making it a good target for transmission spectroscopy studies. TOI-1759 b is among the top five temperate, small exoplanets ($T_\textrm{eq} < 500$ K, $R_p < 4 \,R_\oplus$) with the highest TSM discovered to date. Two additional signals with periods of 80 d and $>$ 200 d seem to be present in our radial velocities. While our data suggest both could arise from stellar activity, the later signal's source and periodicity are hard to pinpoint given the $\sim 200$ d baseline of our radial-velocity campaign with CARMENES. Longer baseline radial-velocity campaigns should be performed in order to unveil the true nature of this long period signal., Comment: 22 pages, 10 figures, 7 tables. AJ in press

This paper presents a novel approach to (controlled) synchronization of networked nonlinear systems. For classes of identical single-input–single-output nonlinear systems and networks, including oscillator networks, we propose a systematic design procedure (with generic as well as constructive conditions) for specifying nonlinear coupling functions that guarantee global asymptotic synchronization of the systems’ (oscillatory) states. The proposed coupling laws are in the form of a definite integral of a nonlinear “coupling gain” function. It can be fit to the system's nonlinearities and, thus, can avoid cancelling nonlinearities by feedback or high-gain arguments commonly needed for linear (diffusive) coupling laws. As demonstrated by two examples, including a network of FitzHugh–Nagumo oscillators, this design can result in much lower synchronizing coupling gains than for the common case of linear couplings, therewith increasing energy efficiency of the coupling laws and reducing output-noise sensitivity. The resulting coupling structure can be of a varying type, when couplings are activated/deactivated depending on the systems’ outputs without undermining overall synchronization. The approach is based on a novel notion of incremental feedback passivity with a nonlinear gain. In addition to the design contribution, these results provide a new insight into potential synchronization mechanisms in natural and artificial nonlinearly coupled systems.

This paper presents a novel approach to (controlled) synchronization of networked nonlinear systems. For classes of identical single-input–single-output nonlinear systems and networks, including oscillator networks, we propose a systematic design procedure (with generic as well as constructive conditions) for specifying nonlinear coupling functions that guarantee global asymptotic synchronization of the systems’ (oscillatory) states. The proposed coupling laws are in the form of a definite integral of a nonlinear “coupling gain” function. It can be fit to the system's nonlinearities and, thus, can avoid cancelling nonlinearities by feedback or high-gain arguments commonly needed for linear (diffusive) coupling laws. As demonstrated by two examples, including a network of FitzHugh–Nagumo oscillators, this design can result in much lower synchronizing coupling gains than for the common case of linear couplings, therewith increasing energy efficiency of the coupling laws and reducing output-noise sensitivity. The resulting coupling structure can be of a varying type, when couplings are activated/deactivated depending on the systems’ outputs without undermining overall synchronization. The approach is based on a novel notion of incremental feedback passivity with a nonlinear gain. In addition to the design contribution, these results provide a new insight into potential synchronization mechanisms in natural and artificial nonlinearly coupled systems., Team DeSchutter

In this paper, we propose a parametric system identification approach for a class of continuous-time Lur'e-type systems. Using the Mixed-Time-Frequency (MTF) algorithm, we show that the steady-state model response and the gradient of the model response with respect to its parameters can be computed in a numerically fast and efficient way, allowing efficient use of global and local optimization methods to solve the identification problem. Furthermore, by enforcing the identified model to be inside the set of convergent models, we certify a stability property of the identified model, which allows for reliable generalized usage of the model also for other excitation signals than those used to identify the model. The effectiveness and benefits of the proposed approach are demonstrated in a simulation case study. Furthermore, we have experimentally shown that the proposed approach provides fast identification of both medical equipment and patient parameters in mechanical ventilation and, thereby, enables improved patient treatment.

Context. The occurrence rate and period distribution of (giant) planets around young stars is still not as well constrained as for older main-sequence stars. This is mostly due to the intrinsic activity-related complications and the avoidance of young stars in many large planet search programmes. Yet, dynamical restructuring processes in planetary systems may last significantly longer than the actual planet formation phase and may well extend long into the debris disc phase, such that the planet populations around young stars may differ from those observed around main-sequence stars. Aims. We introduce our Radial Velocity Survey for Planets around Young stars (RVSPY), which is closely related to the NaCo-ISPY direct imaging survey, characterise our target stars, and search for substellar companions at orbital separations smaller than a few au from the host star. Methods. We used the FEROS spectrograph, mounted to the MPG/ESO 2.2 m telescope in Chile, to obtain high signal-to-noise spectra and time series of precise radial velocities (RVs) of 111 stars, most of which are surrounded by debris discs. Our target stars have spectral types between early F and late K, a median age of 400 Myr, and a median distance of 45 pc. During the initial reconnaissance phase of our survey, we determined stellar parameters and used high-cadence observations to characterise the intrinsic stellar activity, searched for hot companions with orbital periods of up to 10 days, and derived the detection thresholds for longer-period companions. In our analysis we, have included archival spectroscopic data, spectral energy distribution, and data for photometric time series from the TESS mission. Results. For all target stars we determined their basic stellar parameters and present the results of the high-cadence RV survey and activity characterisation. We have achieved a median single-measurement RV precision of 6 m s−1 and derived the short-term intrinsic RV scatter of our targets (median 23 m

We report the discovery and characterization of TOI-1759~b, a temperate (400 K) sub-Neptune-sized exoplanet orbiting the M~dwarf TOI-1759 (TIC 408636441). TOI-1759 b was observed by TESS to transit on sectors 16, 17 and 24, with only one transit observed per sector, creating an ambiguity on the orbital period of the planet candidate. Ground-based photometric observations, combined with radial-velocity measurements obtained with the CARMENES spectrograph, confirm an actual period of $18.85019 \pm 0.00014$ d. A joint analysis of all available photometry and radial velocities reveal a radius of $3.17 \pm 0.10\,R_\oplus$ and a mass of $10.8 \pm 1.5\,M_\oplus$. Combining this with the stellar properties derived for TOI-1759 ($R_\star = 0.597 \pm 0.015\,R_\odot$; $M_\star = 0.606 \pm 0.020\,M_\odot$; $T_{\textrm{eff}} = 4065 \pm 51$ K), we compute a transmission spectroscopic metric (TSM) value of over 80 for the planet, making it a good target for transmission spectroscopy studies. TOI-1759 b is among the top five temperate, small exoplanets ($T_\textrm{eq} < 500$ K, $R_p < 4 \,R_\oplus$) with the highest TSM discovered to date. Two additional signals with periods of 80 d and $>$ 200 d seem to be present in our radial velocities. While our data suggest both could arise from stellar activity, the later signal's source and periodicity are hard to pinpoint given the $\sim 200$ d baseline of our radial-velocity campaign with CARMENES. Longer baseline radial-velocity campaigns should be performed in order to unveil the true nature of this long period signal., Comment: 22 pages, 10 figures, 7 tables. AJ in press

This paper presents a novel approach to (controlled) synchronization of networked nonlinear systems. For classes of identical single-input–single-output nonlinear systems and networks, including oscillator networks, we propose a systematic design procedure (with generic as well as constructive conditions) for specifying nonlinear coupling functions that guarantee global asymptotic synchronization of the systems’ (oscillatory) states. The proposed coupling laws are in the form of a definite integral of a nonlinear “coupling gain” function. It can be fit to the system's nonlinearities and, thus, can avoid cancelling nonlinearities by feedback or high-gain arguments commonly needed for linear (diffusive) coupling laws. As demonstrated by two examples, including a network of FitzHugh–Nagumo oscillators, this design can result in much lower synchronizing coupling gains than for the common case of linear couplings, therewith increasing energy efficiency of the coupling laws and reducing output-noise sensitivity. The resulting coupling structure can be of a varying type, when couplings are activated/deactivated depending on the systems’ outputs without undermining overall synchronization. The approach is based on a novel notion of incremental feedback passivity with a nonlinear gain. In addition to the design contribution, these results provide a new insight into potential synchronization mechanisms in natural and artificial nonlinearly coupled systems.

In this paper, we propose a parametric system identification approach for a class of continuous-time Lur'e-type systems. Using the Mixed-Time-Frequency (MTF) algorithm, we show that the steady-state model response and the gradient of the model response with respect to its parameters can be computed in a numerically fast and efficient way, allowing efficient use of global and local optimization methods to solve the identification problem. Furthermore, by enforcing the identified model to be inside the set of convergent models, we certify a stability property of the identified model, which allows for reliable generalized usage of the model also for other excitation signals than those used to identify the model. The effectiveness and benefits of the proposed approach are demonstrated in a simulation case study. Furthermore, we have experimentally shown that the proposed approach provides fast identification of both medical equipment and patient parameters in mechanical ventilation and, thereby, enables improved patient treatment.

This paper presents a novel approach to (controlled) synchronization of networked nonlinear systems. For classes of identical single-input–single-output nonlinear systems and networks, including oscillator networks, we propose a systematic design procedure (with generic as well as constructive conditions) for specifying nonlinear coupling functions that guarantee global asymptotic synchronization of the systems’ (oscillatory) states. The proposed coupling laws are in the form of a definite integral of a nonlinear “coupling gain” function. It can be fit to the system's nonlinearities and, thus, can avoid cancelling nonlinearities by feedback or high-gain arguments commonly needed for linear (diffusive) coupling laws. As demonstrated by two examples, including a network of FitzHugh–Nagumo oscillators, this design can result in much lower synchronizing coupling gains than for the common case of linear couplings, therewith increasing energy efficiency of the coupling laws and reducing output-noise sensitivity. The resulting coupling structure can be of a varying type, when couplings are activated/deactivated depending on the systems’ outputs without undermining overall synchronization. The approach is based on a novel notion of incremental feedback passivity with a nonlinear gain. In addition to the design contribution, these results provide a new insight into potential synchronization mechanisms in natural and artificial nonlinearly coupled systems., Team Bart De Schutter

Ongoing climate change can shift organism phenology in ways that vary depending on species, habitats and climate factors studied. To probe for large-scale patterns in associated phenological change, we use 70,709 observations from six decades of systematic monitoring across the former Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. Among 110 phenological events related to plants, birds, insects, amphibians and fungi, we find a mosaic of change, defying simple predictions of earlier springs, later autumns and stronger changes at higher latitudes and elevations. Site mean temperature emerged as a strong predictor of local phenology, but the magnitude and direction of change varied with trophic level and the relative timing of an event. Beyond temperature-associated variation, we uncover high variation among both sites and years, with some sites being characterized by disproportionately long seasons and others by short ones. Our findings emphasize concerns regarding ecosystem integrity and highlight the difficulty of predicting climate change outcomes.

In this paper, we propose a non-parametric state-space identification approach for open-loop and closed-loop discrete-time nonlinear systems with multiple inputs and multiple outputs. Employing a least squares support vector machine (LS-SVM) approach in a reproducing kernel Hilbert space framework, a nonlinear auto-regressive model with exogenous terms is identified to provide a non-parametric estimate of the innovation noise sequence. Subsequently, this estimate is used to obtain a compatible non-parametric estimate of the state sequence in an unknown basis using kernel canonical correlation analysis. Finally, the estimate of the state sequence is used together with the estimated innovation noise sequence to find a non-parametric state-space model, again using a LS-SVM approach. The performance of the approach is analyzed in a simulation study with a nonlinear system operating both in open loop and closed loop. The identification approach can be viewed as a nonlinear counterpart of consistent subspace identification techniques for linear time-invariant systems operating in closed loop.

The warming of our planet is changing the Arctic dramatically. The area covered by sea-ice is shrinking and the ice that is left is younger and thinner. We took part in an expedition to the Arctic, to study how these changes affect organisms living in and under the ice. Following this expedition, we found that storms can more easily break the thinner ice. Storms form cracks in the sea ice, allowing sunlight to pass into the water below, which makes algal growth possible. Algae are microscopic “plants” that grow in water or sea ice. Storms also brought thick heavy snow, which pushed the ice surface below the water. This flooded the snow and created slush. We discovered that this slush is another good habitat for algae. If Arctic sea ice continues to thin, and storms become more common, we expect that these algal habitats will become more important in the future.

The warming of our planet is changing the Arctic dramatically. The area covered by sea-ice is shrinking and the ice that is left is younger and thinner. We took part in an expedition to the Arctic, to study how these changes affect organisms living in and under the ice. Following this expedition, we found that storms can more easily break the thinner ice. Storms form cracks in the sea ice, allowing sunlight to pass into the water below, which makes algal growth possible. Algae are microscopic “plants” that grow in water or sea ice. Storms also brought thick heavy snow, which pushed the ice surface below the water. This flooded the snow and created slush. We discovered that this slush is another good habitat for algae. If Arctic sea ice continues to thin, and storms become more common, we expect that these algal habitats will become more important in the future.

The warming of our planet is changing the Arctic dramatically. The area covered by sea-ice is shrinking and the ice that is left is younger and thinner. We took part in an expedition to the Arctic, to study how these changes affect organisms living in and under the ice. Following this expedition, we found that storms can more easily break the thinner ice. Storms form cracks in the sea ice, allowing sunlight to pass into the water below, which makes algal growth possible. Algae are microscopic “plants” that grow in water or sea ice. Storms also brought thick heavy snow, which pushed the ice surface below the water. This flooded the snow and created slush. We discovered that this slush is another good habitat for algae. If Arctic sea ice continues to thin, and storms become more common, we expect that these algal habitats will become more important in the future.

Recent reports on Arctic underice phytoplankton blooms have directed attention to primary production below the sea ice cover. Such underice blooms cannot be detected from space; thus, methods for autonomous underice measurements are critically needed to extend observations beyond ship-based surveys. One central aspect of the ecology of these blooms is whether they were advected from open-water areas or were able to develop below the ice cover under typically low light conditions. The photoacclimation state of the bloom can provide clues about the growth conditions and therefore its origin. Here we investigate the photoacclimation state of a Phaeocystis pouchetii-dominated underice bloom in the Arctic Ocean using ratios of photoprotective carotenoids (PPC) to photosynthetic carotenoids (PSC) and chlorophyll a. The pigment proxies indicate local growth under the ice pack. Furthermore, a method using in situ light absorption measurements to estimate the PPC:PSC ratio was in agreement with the pigment data. The slope of in situ phytoplankton absorption between 488 and 532nm, affected by both PPC and PSC, had a significant linear relationship to the PPC:PSC ratio, indicating that prediction of photoacclimation state can be obtained from absorption profiles. We also review, with regard to the pigment function, different ways of grouping pigments into PPC or PSC applied in previous studies. Although more validation data sets are needed to assess the impact of pigment packaging on the relationship between PPC:PSC and absorption measurement slopes, our study shows the potential for using in situ absorption measurements to collect information about phytoplankton physiology below sea ice. Plain Language Summary Phytoplankton blooms below sea ice cover, that is, underice blooms, can be advected by ocean currents below the ice pack from ice-free waters where they had sufficient light available for growth. They can also grow below the ice pack if sufficient light is transmitted t

In this paper, we propose an approach for parametric system identification for a class of continuous-time Lur’e-type systems using only steady-state input and output data. Employing a quasi-Newton optimization scheme, we minimize an output error criterion constrained to the set of convergent models, which enforces a stability certificate on the identified model. To compute the steady-state model response efficiently, we adopt the Mixed-Time-Frequency (MTF) algorithm. Furthermore, using the MTF algorithm, we present a method to efficiently compute the gradient of the objective function with any user-defined accuracy. Starting with an initial convergent model estimate, the developed identification algorithm optimizes parameter estimates. The effectiveness of the proposed approach is illustrated in a simulation example.

Because geoscientific research often occurs via community-instigated bursts of activity with multi-investigator collaborations variously labelled as e.g., years (The International Polar Year IPY), experiments (World Ocean Circulation Experiment WOCE), programs (International Ocean Discovery Program), missions (CRYOSAT spacecraft), or decades (The International Decade of Ocean Exploration IDOE), successful attainment of research goals generally requires skilful scientific project management. In addition to the usual challenges of matching scientific ambitions to limited resources, on-going coordination and specifically project management, planning and implementation of polar science projects often involve many uncertainties caused by, for example, unpredictable weather or ocean and sea ice conditions, large-scale logistical juggling; and often these collaborations are spatially distributed and take place virtually. Large amounts of funding are needed to procure the considerable infrastructure and technical equipment required for polar expeditions; permissions to enter certain regions must be requested; and potential risks for expedition members as well as technical issues in extreme environments need to be considered. All these aspects are challenging for polar science projects, which therefore need a well thought-through program including a realistic alternative “plan B” and possibly also a “plan C” and “plan D”. The four most challenging overarching themes in polar science project management have been identified: international cooperation, interdisciplinarity, infrastructure, and community management. In this paper, we address ongoing challenges and opportunities in polar science project management based on a survey among 199 project and community managers and an additional of 85 project team members active in the field of polar sciences. Case studies and survey results are discussed with the conclusive goal to provide recommendations on how to fully reach the pote

Due to its Arctic location at 79°N, Kongsfjorden in Svalbard experiences strong seasonality in light climate, changing from polar night to midnight sun. Sea ice conditions and the optical properties of seawater further modify the amount and the spectral composition of solar radiation penetrating into the water column, thus defining the underwater light climate in Kongsfjorden. Light represents one of the major shaping factors for the entire marine ecosystem. A number of studies focusing on implications of the underwater light for marine organisms have beenconducted in Kongsfjorden, generating diverse datasets on seawater optical properties, scattered over time and space. This review synthesizes the fragmentary information available from the literature as well as presenting some unpublished data, and discusses the underwater light climate and its main controlling factors in Kongsfjorden. Furthermore, we provide a short synopsis about the relevance of light for different components of an Arctic marine ecosystem, exemplified by studies carried out in Kongsfjorden. Due to its year-round accessibility and its high-Arctic location, Kongsfjorden has become a prime fjord for studying how the strong seasonal changes in light availability, ranging from polar night to midnight sun, affect marine life with respect to primary production, behavioural aspects and synchronization of growth and reproduction.

Recent reports on Arctic underice phytoplankton blooms have directed attention to primary production below the sea ice cover. Such underice blooms cannot be detected from space; thus, methods for autonomous underice measurements are critically needed to extend observations beyond ship-based surveys. One central aspect of the ecology of these blooms is whether they were advected from open-water areas or were able to develop below the ice cover under typically low light conditions. The photoacclimation state of the bloom can provide clues about the growth conditions and therefore its origin. Here we investigate the photoacclimation state of a Phaeocystis pouchetii-dominated underice bloom in the Arctic Ocean using ratios of photoprotective carotenoids (PPC) to photosynthetic carotenoids (PSC) and chlorophyll a. The pigment proxies indicate local growth under the ice pack. Furthermore, a method using in situ light absorption measurements to estimate the PPC:PSC ratio was in agreement with the pigment data. The slope of in situ phytoplankton absorption between 488 and 532nm, affected by both PPC and PSC, had a significant linear relationship to the PPC:PSC ratio, indicating that prediction of photoacclimation state can be obtained from absorption profiles. We also review, with regard to the pigment function, different ways of grouping pigments into PPC or PSC applied in previous studies. Although more validation data sets are needed to assess the impact of pigment packaging on the relationship between PPC:PSC and absorption measurement slopes, our study shows the potential for using in situ absorption measurements to collect information about phytoplankton physiology below sea ice. Plain Language Summary Phytoplankton blooms below sea ice cover, that is, underice blooms, can be advected by ocean currents below the ice pack from ice-free waters where they had sufficient light available for growth. They can also grow below the ice pack if sufficient light is transmitted t

Due to its Arctic location at 79°N, Kongsfjorden in Svalbard experiences strong seasonality in light climate, changing from polar night to midnight sun. Sea ice conditions and the optical properties of seawater further modify the amount and the spectral composition of solar radiation penetrating into the water column, thus defining the underwater light climate in Kongsfjorden. Light represents one of the major shaping factors for the entire marine ecosystem. A number of studies focusing on implications of the underwater light for marine organisms have beenconducted in Kongsfjorden, generating diverse datasets on seawater optical properties, scattered over time and space. This review synthesizes the fragmentary information available from the literature as well as presenting some unpublished data, and discusses the underwater light climate and its main controlling factors in Kongsfjorden. Furthermore, we provide a short synopsis about the relevance of light for different components of an Arctic marine ecosystem, exemplified by studies carried out in Kongsfjorden. Due to its year-round accessibility and its high-Arctic location, Kongsfjorden has become a prime fjord for studying how the strong seasonal changes in light availability, ranging from polar night to midnight sun, affect marine life with respect to primary production, behavioural aspects and synchronization of growth and reproduction.

Because geoscientific research often occurs via community-instigated bursts of activity with multi-investigator collaborations variously labelled as e.g., years (The International Polar Year IPY), experiments (World Ocean Circulation Experiment WOCE), programs (International Ocean Discovery Program), missions (CRYOSAT spacecraft), or decades (The International Decade of Ocean Exploration IDOE), successful attainment of research goals generally requires skilful scientific project management. In addition to the usual challenges of matching scientific ambitions to limited resources, on-going coordination and specifically project management, planning and implementation of polar science projects often involve many uncertainties caused by, for example, unpredictable weather or ocean and sea ice conditions, large-scale logistical juggling; and often these collaborations are spatially distributed and take place virtually. Large amounts of funding are needed to procure the considerable infrastructure and technical equipment required for polar expeditions; permissions to enter certain regions must be requested; and potential risks for expedition members as well as technical issues in extreme environments need to be considered. All these aspects are challenging for polar science projects, which therefore need a well thought-through program including a realistic alternative “plan B” and possibly also a “plan C” and “plan D”. The four most challenging overarching themes in polar science project management have been identified: international cooperation, interdisciplinarity, infrastructure, and community management. In this paper, we address ongoing challenges and opportunities in polar science project management based on a survey among 199 project and community managers and an additional of 85 project team members active in the field of polar sciences. Case studies and survey results are discussed with the conclusive goal to provide recommendations on how to fully reach the pote

In the Arctic Ocean ice algae constitute a key ecosystem component and the ice algal spring bloom a critical event in the annual production cycle. The bulk of ice algal biomass is usually found in the bottom few cm of the sea ice and dominated by pennate diatoms attached to the ice matrix. Here we report a red tide of the phototrophic ciliate Mesodinium rubrum located at the ice-water interface of newly formed pack ice of the high Arctic in early spring. These planktonic ciliates are not able to attach to the ice. Based on observations and theory of fluid dynamics, we propose that convection caused by brine rejection in growing sea ice enabled M. rubrum to bloom at the ice-water interface despite the relative flow between water and ice. We argue that red tides of M. rubrum are more likely to occur under the thinning Arctic sea ice regime

In the Arctic Ocean ice algae constitute a key ecosystem component and the ice algal spring bloom a critical event in the annual production cycle. The bulk of ice algal biomass is usually found in the bottom few cm of the sea ice and dominated by pennate diatoms attached to the ice matrix. Here we report a red tide of the phototrophic ciliate Mesodinium rubrum located at the ice-water interface of newly formed pack ice of the high Arctic in early spring. These planktonic ciliates are not able to attach to the ice. Based on observations and theory of fluid dynamics, we propose that convection caused by brine rejection in growing sea ice enabled M. rubrum to bloom at the ice-water interface despite the relative flow between water and ice. We argue that red tides of M. rubrum are more likely to occur under the thinning Arctic sea ice regime

In the Arctic Ocean ice algae constitute a key ecosystem component and the ice algal spring bloom a critical event in the annual production cycle. The bulk of ice algal biomass is usually found in the bottom few cm of the sea ice and dominated by pennate diatoms attached to the ice matrix. Here we report a red tide of the phototrophic ciliate Mesodinium rubrum located at the ice-water interface of newly formed pack ice of the high Arctic in early spring. These planktonic ciliates are not able to attach to the ice. Based on observations and theory of fluid dynamics, we propose that convection caused by brine rejection in growing sea ice enabled M. rubrum to bloom at the ice-water interface despite the relative flow between water and ice. We argue that red tides of M. rubrum are more likely to occur under the thinning Arctic sea ice regime

In this paper, we consider synchronization of dynamical systems interconnected via nonlinear integral coupling. Integral coupling allows one to achieve synchronization with lower interaction levels (coupling gains) than with linear coupling. Previous results on this topic were obtained for synchronization of several systems with all-to-all interconnections. In this paper, we relax the requirement of all-to-all interconnections and provide two results on exponential synchronization under nonlinear integral coupling for networks with topologies different from all-to-all interconnections. In particular, we provide a high-gain result for an arbitrary interconnection topology and a non-high-gain method for analysis of synchronization for specific topologies. The results are illustrated by simulations of Hindmarsh-Rose neuron oscillators., Networked Cyber-Physical Systems, Hybrid, Adaptive and Nonlinear

The importance of newly formed sea ice in spring is likely to increase with formation of leads in a more dynamic Arctic icescape. We followed the ice algal species succession in young ice (≤0.27m) in spring at high temporal resolution (sampling every second day for 1 month in May–June 2015) in the Arctic Ocean north of Svalbard. We document the early development of the ice algal community based on species abundance and chemotaxonomic marker pigments, and relate the young-ice algal community to the communities in the under-ice water column and the surrounding older ice. The seeding source seemed to vary between algal groups. Dinoflagellates were concluded to originate from the water column and diatoms from the surrounding older ice, which emphasizes the importance of older ice as a seeding source over deep oceanic regions and in early spring when algal abundance in the water column is low. In total, 120 taxa (80 identified to species or genus level) were recorded in the young ice. The protist community developed over the study period from a ciliate, flagellate, and dinoflagellate dominated community to one dominated by pennate diatoms. Environmental variables such as light were not a strong driver for the community composition, based on statistical analysis and comparison to the surrounding thicker ice with low light transmission. The photoprotective carotenoids to Chl a ratio increased over time to levels found in other high-light habitats, which shows that the algae were able to acclimate to the light levels of the thin ice. The development into a pennate diatom-dominated community, similar to the older ice, suggests that successional patterns tend toward ice-associated algae fairly independent of environmental conditions like light availability, season or ice type, and that biological traits, including morphological and physiological specialization to the sea ice habitat, play an important role in colonization of the sea ice environment. However, recruitment of ic

The importance of newly formed sea ice in spring is likely to increase with formation of leads in a more dynamic Arctic icescape. We followed the ice algal species succession in young ice (≤0.27m) in spring at high temporal resolution (sampling every second day for 1 month in May–June 2015) in the Arctic Ocean north of Svalbard. We document the early development of the ice algal community based on species abundance and chemotaxonomic marker pigments, and relate the young-ice algal community to the communities in the under-ice water column and the surrounding older ice. The seeding source seemed to vary between algal groups. Dinoflagellates were concluded to originate from the water column and diatoms from the surrounding older ice, which emphasizes the importance of older ice as a seeding source over deep oceanic regions and in early spring when algal abundance in the water column is low. In total, 120 taxa (80 identified to species or genus level) were recorded in the young ice. The protist community developed over the study period from a ciliate, flagellate, and dinoflagellate dominated community to one dominated by pennate diatoms. Environmental variables such as light were not a strong driver for the community composition, based on statistical analysis and comparison to the surrounding thicker ice with low light transmission. The photoprotective carotenoids to Chl a ratio increased over time to levels found in other high-light habitats, which shows that the algae were able to acclimate to the light levels of the thin ice. The development into a pennate diatom-dominated community, similar to the older ice, suggests that successional patterns tend toward ice-associated algae fairly independent of environmental conditions like light availability, season or ice type, and that biological traits, including morphological and physiological specialization to the sea ice habitat, play an important role in colonization of the sea ice environment. However, recruitment of ic

In this paper, we consider synchronization of dynamical systems interconnected via nonlinear integral coupling. Integral coupling allows one to achieve synchronization with lower interaction levels (coupling gains) than with linear coupling. Previous results on this topic were obtained for synchronization of several systems with all-to-all interconnections. In this paper, we relax the requirement of all-to-all interconnections and provide two results on exponential synchronization under nonlinear integral coupling for networks with topologies different from all-to-all interconnections. In particular, we provide a high-gain result for an arbitrary interconnection topology and a non-high-gain method for analysis of synchronization for specific topologies. The results are illustrated by simulations of Hindmarsh-Rose neuron oscillators., Team Tamas Keviczky, Team Bart De Schutter

© The Author(s), 2017. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Scientific Reports 7 (2017): 40850, doi:10.1038/srep40850., The Arctic icescape is rapidly transforming from a thicker multiyear ice cover to a thinner and largely seasonal first-year ice cover with significant consequences for Arctic primary production. One critical challenge is to understand how productivity will change within the next decades. Recent studies have reported extensive phytoplankton blooms beneath ponded sea ice during summer, indicating that satellite-based Arctic annual primary production estimates may be significantly underestimated. Here we present a unique time-series of a phytoplankton spring bloom observed beneath snow-covered Arctic pack ice. The bloom, dominated by the haptophyte algae Phaeocystis pouchetii, caused near depletion of the surface nitrate inventory and a decline in dissolved inorganic carbon by 16 ± 6 g C m−2. Ocean circulation characteristics in the area indicated that the bloom developed in situ despite the snow-covered sea ice. Leads in the dynamic ice cover provided added sunlight necessary to initiate and sustain the bloom. Phytoplankton blooms beneath snow-covered ice might become more common and widespread in the future Arctic Ocean with frequent lead formation due to thinner and more dynamic sea ice despite projected increases in high-Arctic snowfall. This could alter productivity, marine food webs and carbon sequestration in the Arctic Ocean., This study was supported by the Centre for Ice, Climate and Ecosystems (ICE) at the Norwegian Polar Institute, the Ministry of Climate and Environment, Norway, the Research Council of Norway (projects Boom or Bust no. 244646, STASIS no. 221961, CORESAT no. 222681, CIRFA no. 237906 and AMOS CeO no. 223254), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway (project ID Arctic), the ICE-ARC program of the European Union 7th Framework Program (grant number 603887), the Polish-Norwegian Research Program operated by the National Centre for Research and Development under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009–2014 in the frame of Project Contract Pol-Nor/197511/40/2013, CDOM-HEAT, and the Ocean Acidification Flagship program within the FRAM- High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, Norway.

© The Author(s), 2017. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 122 (2017): 1529–1548, doi:10.1002/2016JG003668., During the Norwegian young sea ICE expedition (N-ICE2015) from January to June 2015 the pack ice in the Arctic Ocean north of Svalbard was studied during four drifts between 83° and 80°N. This pack ice consisted of a mix of second year, first year, and young ice. The physical properties and ice algal community composition was investigated in the three different ice types during the winter-spring-summer transition. Our results indicate that algae remaining in sea ice that survived the summer melt season are subsequently trapped in the upper layers of the ice column during winter and may function as an algal seed repository. Once the connectivity in the entire ice column is established, as a result of temperature-driven increase in ice porosity during spring, algae in the upper parts of the ice are able to migrate toward the bottom and initiate the ice algal spring bloom. Furthermore, this algal repository might seed the bloom in younger ice formed in adjacent leads. This mechanism was studied in detail for the dominant ice diatom Nitzschia frigida. The proposed seeding mechanism may be compromised due to the disappearance of older ice in the anticipated regime shift toward a seasonally ice-free Arctic Ocean., Norwegian Research Council Grant Number: 244646; Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment Grant Number: N-ICE; Norwegian Research Council Grant Number: 221961; Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Grant Number: ID Arctic; Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Climate and Environment, Norway; Polish-Norwegian Research Program Grant Number: Pol-Nor/197511/40/2013; Research Council of Norway project STASIS Grant Number: 221961; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant Canada Foundation for Innovation Investment in Science Fund; Research Council of Norway project Boom or Bust Grant Number: 244646; Centre of Ice, Climate and Ecosystems

© The Author(s), 2017. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Journal of Geophysical Research: Biogeosciences 122 (2017): 1529–1548, doi:10.1002/2016JG003668., During the Norwegian young sea ICE expedition (N-ICE2015) from January to June 2015 the pack ice in the Arctic Ocean north of Svalbard was studied during four drifts between 83° and 80°N. This pack ice consisted of a mix of second year, first year, and young ice. The physical properties and ice algal community composition was investigated in the three different ice types during the winter-spring-summer transition. Our results indicate that algae remaining in sea ice that survived the summer melt season are subsequently trapped in the upper layers of the ice column during winter and may function as an algal seed repository. Once the connectivity in the entire ice column is established, as a result of temperature-driven increase in ice porosity during spring, algae in the upper parts of the ice are able to migrate toward the bottom and initiate the ice algal spring bloom. Furthermore, this algal repository might seed the bloom in younger ice formed in adjacent leads. This mechanism was studied in detail for the dominant ice diatom Nitzschia frigida. The proposed seeding mechanism may be compromised due to the disappearance of older ice in the anticipated regime shift toward a seasonally ice-free Arctic Ocean., Norwegian Research Council Grant Number: 244646; Norwegian Ministry of Climate and Environment Grant Number: N-ICE; Norwegian Research Council Grant Number: 221961; Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs Grant Number: ID Arctic; Norwegian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ministry of Climate and Environment, Norway; Polish-Norwegian Research Program Grant Number: Pol-Nor/197511/40/2013; Research Council of Norway project STASIS Grant Number: 221961; Natural Sciences and Engineering Research Council of Canada (NSERC) Discovery Grant Canada Foundation for Innovation Investment in Science Fund; Research Council of Norway project Boom or Bust Grant Number: 244646; Centre of Ice, Climate and Ecosystems

© The Author(s), 2017. This article is distributed under the terms of the Creative Commons Attribution License. The definitive version was published in Scientific Reports 7 (2017): 40850, doi:10.1038/srep40850., The Arctic icescape is rapidly transforming from a thicker multiyear ice cover to a thinner and largely seasonal first-year ice cover with significant consequences for Arctic primary production. One critical challenge is to understand how productivity will change within the next decades. Recent studies have reported extensive phytoplankton blooms beneath ponded sea ice during summer, indicating that satellite-based Arctic annual primary production estimates may be significantly underestimated. Here we present a unique time-series of a phytoplankton spring bloom observed beneath snow-covered Arctic pack ice. The bloom, dominated by the haptophyte algae Phaeocystis pouchetii, caused near depletion of the surface nitrate inventory and a decline in dissolved inorganic carbon by 16 ± 6 g C m−2. Ocean circulation characteristics in the area indicated that the bloom developed in situ despite the snow-covered sea ice. Leads in the dynamic ice cover provided added sunlight necessary to initiate and sustain the bloom. Phytoplankton blooms beneath snow-covered ice might become more common and widespread in the future Arctic Ocean with frequent lead formation due to thinner and more dynamic sea ice despite projected increases in high-Arctic snowfall. This could alter productivity, marine food webs and carbon sequestration in the Arctic Ocean., This study was supported by the Centre for Ice, Climate and Ecosystems (ICE) at the Norwegian Polar Institute, the Ministry of Climate and Environment, Norway, the Research Council of Norway (projects Boom or Bust no. 244646, STASIS no. 221961, CORESAT no. 222681, CIRFA no. 237906 and AMOS CeO no. 223254), and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Norway (project ID Arctic), the ICE-ARC program of the European Union 7th Framework Program (grant number 603887), the Polish-Norwegian Research Program operated by the National Centre for Research and Development under the Norwegian Financial Mechanism 2009–2014 in the frame of Project Contract Pol-Nor/197511/40/2013, CDOM-HEAT, and the Ocean Acidification Flagship program within the FRAM- High North Research Centre for Climate and the Environment, Norway.

The Arctic icescape is rapidly transforming from a thicker multiyear ice cover to a thinner and largely seasonal first-year ice cover with significant consequences for Arctic primary production. One critical challenge is to understand how productivity will change within the next decades. Recent studies have reported extensive phytoplankton blooms beneath ponded sea ice during summer, indicating that satellite-based Arctic annual primary production estimates may be significantly underestimated. Here we present a unique time-series of a phytoplankton spring bloom observed beneath snow-covered Arctic pack ice. The bloom, dominated by the haptophyte algae Phaeocystis pouchetii, caused near depletion of the surface nitrate inventory and a decline in dissolved inorganic carbon by 16 ± 6 g C m−2. Ocean circulation characteristics in the area indicated that the bloom developed in situ despite the snow-covered sea ice. Leads in the dynamic ice cover provided added sunlight necessary to initiate and sustain the bloom. Phytoplankton blooms beneath snow-covered ice might become more common and widespread in the future Arctic Ocean with frequent lead formation due to thinner and more dynamic sea ice despite projected increases in high-Arctic snowfall. This could alter productivity, marine food webs and carbon sequestration in the Arctic Ocean.

The Arctic icescape is rapidly transforming from a thicker multiyear ice cover to a thinner and largely seasonal first-year ice cover with significant consequences for Arctic primary production. One critical challenge is to understand how productivity will change within the next decades. Recent studies have reported extensive phytoplankton blooms beneath ponded sea ice during summer, indicating that satellite-based Arctic annual primary production estimates may be significantly underestimated. Here we present a unique time-series of a phytoplankton spring bloom observed beneath snow-covered Arctic pack ice. The bloom, dominated by the haptophyte algae Phaeocystis pouchetii, caused near depletion of the surface nitrate inventory and a decline in dissolved inorganic carbon by 16 ± 6 g C m−2. Ocean circulation characteristics in the area indicated that the bloom developed in situ despite the snow-covered sea ice. Leads in the dynamic ice cover provided added sunlight necessary to initiate and sustain the bloom. Phytoplankton blooms beneath snow-covered ice might become more common and widespread in the future Arctic Ocean with frequent lead formation due to thinner and more dynamic sea ice despite projected increases in high-Arctic snowfall. This could alter productivity, marine food webs and carbon sequestration in the Arctic Ocean.

The White Sea is a semi-enclosed Arctic marginal sea receiving a significant loading of freshwater (225-231 km3 yr-1 equaling an annual runoff yield of 2.5 m) and dissolved organic matter (DOM) from river run-off. We report discharge weighed values of stable oxygen isotope ratios (δ18O) of -14.0‰ in Northern Dvina river for the period 10 May-12 October 2012. We found a significant linear relationship between salinity (S) and δ18O (δ18O=-17.66±0.58+0.52±0.02×S; R2=0.96, N=162), which indicates a dominant contribution of river water to the freshwater budget and little influence of sea ice formation or melt. No apparent brine additions from sea-ice formation is evident in the White Sea deep waters as seen from a joint analysis of temperature (T), S, δ18O and aCDOM(350) data, confirming previous suggestions about strong tidal induced vertical mixing in winter being the likely source of the deep waters. We investigated properties and distribution of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) and dissolved organic carbon (DOC) in the White Sea basin and coastal areas in summer. We found contrasting DOM properties in the inflowing Barents Sea waters and White Sea waters influenced by terrestrial runoff. Values of absorption by CDOM at 350 nm (aCDOM(350)) and DOC (exceeding 10 m-1 and 550 μmol l-1, respectively) in surface waters of the White Sea basin are higher compared to other river-influenced coastal Arctic domains. Linear relationship between S and CDOM absorption, and S and DOC (DOC=959.21±52.99-25.80±1.79×S; R2=0.85; N=154) concentrations suggests conservative mixing of DOM in the White Sea. The strongest linear correlation between CDOM absorption and DOC was found in the ultraviolet (DOC=56.31±2.76+9.13±0.15×aCDOM(254); R2=0.99; N=155), which provides an easy and robust tool to trace DOC using CDOM absorption measurements as well as remote sensing algorithms. Deviations from this linear relationship in surface waters likely indicate contribution from different rivers

Understanding and responding to the rapidly occurring environmental changes in the Arctic over the past few decades require new approaches in science. This includes improved collaborations within the scientific community but also enhanced dialogue between scientists and societal stakeholders, especially with Arctic communities. As a contribution to the Third International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARPIII), the Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART) network held an international workshop in France, in October 2014, in order to discuss high-priority requirements for future Arctic marine and coastal research from an early-career scientists (ECS) perspective. The discussion encompassed a variety of research fields, including topics of oceanographic conditions, sea-ice monitoring, marine biodiversity, land-ocean interactions, and geological reconstructions, as well as law and governance issues. Participants of the workshop strongly agreed on the need to enhance interdisciplinarity in order to collect comprehensive knowledge about the modern and past Arctic Ocean's geo-ecological dynamics. Such knowledge enables improved predictions of Arctic developments and provides the basis for elaborate decision-making on future actions under plausible environmental and climate scenarios in the high northern latitudes. Priority research sheets resulting from the workshop's discussions were distributed during the ICARPIII meetings in April 2015 in Japan, and are publicly available online.

Understanding and responding to the rapidly occurring environmental changes in the Arctic over the past few decades require new approaches in science. This includes improved collaborations within the scientific community but also enhanced dialogue between scientists and societal stakeholders, especially with Arctic communities. As a contribution to the Third International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARPIII), the Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART) network held an international workshop in France, in October 2014, in order to discuss high-priority requirements for future Arctic marine and coastal research from an early-career scientists (ECS) perspective. The discussion encompassed a variety of research fields, including topics of oceanographic conditions, sea-ice monitoring, marine biodiversity, land-ocean interactions, and geological reconstructions, as well as law and governance issues. Participants of the workshop strongly agreed on the need to enhance interdisciplinarity in order to collect comprehensive knowledge about the modern and past Arctic Ocean's geo-ecological dynamics. Such knowledge enables improved predictions of Arctic developments and provides the basis for elaborate decision-making on future actions under plausible environmental and climate scenarios in the high northern latitudes. Priority research sheets resulting from the workshop's discussions were distributed during the ICARPIII meetings in April 2015 in Japan, and are publicly available online.

Understanding and responding to the rapidly occurring environmental changes in the Arctic over the past few decades require new approaches in science. This includes improved collaborations within the scientific community but also enhanced dialogue between scientists and societal stakeholders, especially with Arctic communities. As a contribution to the Third International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARPIII), the Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART) network held an international workshop in France, in October 2014, in order to discuss high-priority requirements for future Arctic marine and coastal research from an early-career scientists (ECS) perspective. The discussion encompassed a variety of research fields, including topics of oceanographic conditions, sea-ice monitoring, marine biodiversity, land-ocean interactions, and geological reconstructions, as well as law and governance issues. Participants of the workshop strongly agreed on the need to enhance interdisciplinarity in order to collect comprehensive knowledge about the modern and past Arctic Ocean's geo-ecological dynamics. Such knowledge enables improved predictions of Arctic developments and provides the basis for elaborate decision-making on future actions under plausible environmental and climate scenarios in the high northern latitudes. Priority research sheets resulting from the workshop's discussions were distributed during the ICARPIII meetings in April 2015 in Japan, and are publicly available online.

We present scattered light images of the TW Hya disk performed with SPHERE in PDI mode at 0.63, 0.79, 1.24 and 1.62 micron. We also present H2/H3-band ADI observations. Three distinct radial depressions in the polarized intensity distribution are seen, around 85, 21, and 6~au. The overall intensity distribution has a high degree of azimuthal symmetry; the disk is somewhat brighter than average towards the South and darker towards the North-West. The ADI observations yielded no signifiant detection of point sources in the disk. Our observations have a linear spatial resolution of 1 to 2au, similar to that of recent ALMA dust continuum observations. The sub-micron sized dust grains that dominate the light scattering in the disk surface are strongly coupled to the gas. We created a radiative transfer disk model with self-consistent temperature and vertical structure iteration and including grain size-dependent dust settling. This method may provide independent constraints on the gas distribution at higher spatial resolution than is feasible with ALMA gas line observations. We find that the gas surface density in the "gaps" is reduced by 50% to 80% relative to an unperturbed model. Should embedded planets be responsible for carving the gaps then their masses are at most a few 10 Mearth. The observed gaps are wider, with shallower flanks, than expected for planet-disk interaction with such low-mass planets. If forming planetary bodies have undergone collapse and are in the "detachted phase" then they may be directly observable with future facilities such as METIS at the E-ELT., Comment: 24 pages, 20 figures, accepted for publication in the ApJ

In this study, we analyzed the time-depended scenario of stress response cascade preceding and accompanying brain hemorrhages in newborn rats using an interdisciplinary approach based on: a morphological analysis of brain tissues, coherent-domain optical technologies for visualization of the cerebral blood flow, monitoring of the cerebral oxygenation and the deformability of red blood cells (RBCs). Using a model of stress-induced brain hemorrhages (sound stress, 120 dB, 370 Hz), we studied changes in neonatal brain 2, 4, 6, 8 h after stress (the pre-hemorrhage, latent period) and 24 h after stress (the post-hemorrhage period). We found that latent period of brain hemorrhages is accompanied by gradual pathological changes in systemic, metabolic, and cellular levels of stress. The incidence of brain hemorrhages is characterized by a progression of these changes and the irreversible cell death in the brain areas involved in higher mental functions. These processes are realized via a time-depended reduction of cerebral venous blood flow and oxygenation that was accompanied by an increase in RBCs deformability. The significant depletion of the molecular layer of the prefrontal cortex and the pyramidal neurons, which are crucial for associative learning and attention, is developed as a consequence of homeostasis imbalance. Thus, stress-induced processes preceding and accompanying brain hemorrhages in neonatal period contribute to serious injuries of the brain blood circulation, cerebral metabolic activity and structural elements of cognitive function. These results are an informative platform for further studies of mechanisms underlying stress-induced brain hemorrhages during the first days of life that will improve the future generation's health., Peer Reviewed

Understanding and responding to the rapidly occurring environmental changes in the Arctic over the past few decades require new approaches in science. This includes improved collaborations within the scientific community but also enhanced dialogue between scientists and societal stakeholders, especially with Arctic communities. As a contribution to the Third International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARPIII), the Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART) network held an international workshop in France, in October 2014, in order to discuss high-priority requirements for future Arctic marine and coastal research from an early-career scientists (ECS) perspective. The discussion encompassed a variety of research fields, including topics of oceanographic conditions, sea-ice monitoring, marine biodiversity, land-ocean interactions, and geological reconstructions, as well as law and governance issues. Participants of the workshop strongly agreed on the need to enhance interdisciplinarity in order to collect comprehensive knowledge about the modern and past Arctic Ocean's geo-ecological dynamics. Such knowledge enables improved predictions of Arctic developments and provides the basis for elaborate decision-making on future actions under plausible environmental and climate scenarios in the high northern latitudes. Priority research sheets resulting from the workshop's discussions were distributed during the ICARPIII meetings in April 2015 in Japan, and are publicly available online.

Understanding and responding to the rapidly occurring environmental changes in the Arctic over the past few decades require new approaches in science. This includes improved collaborations within the scientific community but also enhanced dialogue between scientists and societal stakeholders, especially with Arctic communities. As a contribution to the Third International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARPIII), the Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART) network held an international workshop in France, in October 2014, in order to discuss high-priority requirements for future Arctic marine and coastal research from an early-career scientists (ECS) perspective. The discussion encompassed a variety of research fields, including topics of oceanographic conditions, sea-ice monitoring, marine biodiversity, land-ocean interactions, and geological reconstructions, as well as law and governance issues. Participants of the workshop strongly agreed on the need to enhance interdisciplinarity in order to collect comprehensive knowledge about the modern and past Arctic Ocean's geo-ecological dynamics. Such knowledge enables improved predictions of Arctic developments and provides the basis for elaborate decision-making on future actions under plausible environmental and climate scenarios in the high northern latitudes. Priority research sheets resulting from the workshop's discussions were distributed during the ICARPIII meetings in April 2015 in Japan, and are publicly available online.

Understanding and responding to the rapidly occurring environmental changes in the Arctic over the past few decades require new approaches in science. This includes improved collaborations within the scientific community but also enhanced dialogue between scientists and societal stakeholders, especially with Arctic communities. As a contribution to the Third International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARPIII), the Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART) network held an international workshop in France, in October 2014, in order to discuss high-priority requirements for future Arctic marine and coastal research from an early-career scientists (ECS) perspective. The discussion encompassed a variety of research fields, including topics of oceanographic conditions, sea-ice monitoring, marine biodiversity, land-ocean interactions, and geological reconstructions, as well as law and governance issues. Participants of the workshop strongly agreed on the need to enhance interdisciplinarity in order to collect comprehensive knowledge about the modern and past Arctic Ocean's geo-ecological dynamics. Such knowledge enables improved predictions of Arctic developments and provides the basis for elaborate decision-making on future actions under plausible environmental and climate scenarios in the high northern latitudes. Priority research sheets resulting from the workshop's discussions were distributed during the ICARPIII meetings in April 2015 in Japan, and are publicly available online.

Understanding and responding to the rapidly occurring environmental changes in the Arctic over the past few decades require new approaches in science. This includes improved collaborations within the scientific community but also enhanced dialogue between scientists and societal stakeholders, especially with Arctic communities. As a contribution to the Third International Conference on Arctic Research Planning (ICARPIII), the Arctic in Rapid Transition (ART) network held an international workshop in France, in October 2014, in order to discuss high-priority requirements for future Arctic marine and coastal research from an early-career scientists (ECS) perspective. The discussion encompassed a variety of research fields, including topics of oceanographic conditions, sea-ice monitoring, marine biodiversity, land-ocean interactions, and geological reconstructions, as well as law and governance issues. Participants of the workshop strongly agreed on the need to enhance interdisciplinarity in order to collect comprehensive knowledge about the modern and past Arctic Ocean's geo-ecological dynamics. Such knowledge enables improved predictions of Arctic developments and provides the basis for elaborate decision-making on future actions under plausible environmental and climate scenarios in the high northern latitudes. Priority research sheets resulting from the workshop's discussions were distributed during the ICARPIII meetings in April 2015 in Japan, and are publicly available online.