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In this article, we present the results from a sequence analysis of two cohorts of young people skilled in gender-segregated vocational education in Norway. By using administrative data on monthly statuses in education, employment and welfare, we map life course trajectories during the 11 years after completion. The results suggest that men skilled in male-dominated trades experience the most favourable trajectories in terms of labour market inclusion and income progression, whilst women skilled in female-dominated tracks have the least favourable trajectories. More surprisingly, the two gender minorities appear to 'meet in the middle', displaying strikingly similar life course pattern. We interpret these results as indicating gendered transition structures which confront vocationally inclined youth. Though we cannot draw conclusions concerning underlying selection processes, our findings may inform discussions on why young men overall have remained more reluctant towards taking gender-untraditional paths through education and employment over recent decades.

Based on biographical interviews from a three-generation study in Norway, this article examines the place of the contemporary "gap year" within life course transition trajectories and intergenerational relations embedded in wider patterns of social inequality. Under the heading of taking a gap year, young people on "academic transition trajectories" are often granted a time out after upper secondary, during which they can recuperate from competitive school experiences and resolve uncertainties about which type of higher education to pursue. For those following "vocational transition trajectories," in contrast, a gap year appears irrelevant and out of the question. The timing of their educational decisions in the life course does not coincide with arrangements for a legitimate break. Whereas a gap year before university may be seen as understandable and even beneficial, a person taking a break before or during vocational education is more likely to be described as a "dropout" or an "early school leaver." Based on empirical analysis, the article discusses similarities and differences between contemporary gap years in Norway and what Erik Erikson described as the institutional moratorium. Young people's access to the moratorium of a gap year appears to be a privilege unequally distributed in the population.

This article discusses the author's personal journey from being a teacher for deaf children to becoming a researcher in sign language in Norway. The author witnessed the effective communication and understanding among deaf individuals using sign language, but there was a lack of acceptance of sign language in schools for the deaf. The article also highlights the development of a system called Signed Norwegian, which caused uncertainty about sign language among deaf individuals. The author's experiences with deaf children demonstrated their competence in sign language and the importance of incorporating it into their education. Marit Vogt-Svendsen, a teacher for deaf children, conducted research on Norwegian Sign Language (NSL) and played a significant role in advocating for its recognition as a fully developed official language. Her research focused on analyzing the linguistic aspects of NSL, particularly signs with oral components and mouth positions. Despite progress, challenges remain in creating sign language environments for deaf children, and ongoing efforts are needed to advocate for sign language rights. [Extracted from the article]

STUDY QUESTION Is it possible to find the cause of primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) in more women by extensive screening? SUMMARY ANSWER Adding next generation sequencing techniques including a POI-associated gene panel, extended whole exome sequencing data, as well as specific autoantibody assays to the recommended diagnostic investigations increased the determination of a potential etiological diagnosis of POI from 11% to 41%. WHAT IS KNOWN ALREADY POI affects ∼1% of women. Clinical presentations and pathogenic mechanisms are heterogeneous and include genetic, autoimmune, and environmental factors, but the underlying etiology remains unknown in the majority of cases. STUDY DESIGN, SIZE, DURATION Prospective cross-sectional study of 100 women with newly diagnosed POI of unknown cause consecutively referred to Haukeland University Hospital, Bergen, Norway, January 2019 to December 2021. PARTICIPANTS/MATERIALS, SETTING, METHODS In addition to standard recommended diagnostic investigations including screening for chromosomal anomalies and premutations in the fragile X mental retardation 1 gene (FMR1) we used whole exome sequencing, including targeted analysis of 103 ovarian-related genes, and assays of autoantibodies against steroid cell antigens. MAIN RESULTS AND THE ROLE OF CHANCE We identified chromosomal aberrations in 8%, FMR1 premutations in 3%, genetic variants related to POI in 16%, and autoimmune POI in 3%. Furthermore in 11% we identified POI associated genetic Variants of unknown signifcance (VUS). A homozygous pathogenic variant in the ZSWIM7 gene (NM_001042697.2) was found in two women, corroborating this as a novel cause of monogenic POI. No associations between phenotypes and genotypes were found. LIMITATIONS, REASONS FOR CAUTION Use of candidate genetic and autoimmune markers limit the possibility to discover new markers. To further investigate the genetic variants, family studies would have been useful. We found a relatively high proportion of genetic variants in women from Africa and lack of genetic diversity in the genomic databases can impact diagnostic accuracy. WIDER IMPLICATIONS OF THE FINDINGS Since no specific clinical or biochemical markers predicted the underlying cause of POI discussion of which tests should be part of diagnostic screening in clinical practice remains open. New technology has altered the availability and effectiveness of genetic testing, and cost-effectiveness analyses are required to aid sustainable diagnostics. STUDY FUNDING/COMPETING INTEREST(S) The study was supported by grants and fellowships from Stiftelsen Kristian Gerhard Jebsen, the Novonordisk Foundation, the Norwegian Research Council, University of Bergen, and the Regional Health Authorities of Western Norway. The authors declare no conflict of interest. TRIAL REGISTRATION NUMBER NCT04082169 [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Recent research, both internationally and in Norway, has clearly expressed concerns about missing connections between subject-matter knowledge, pedagogical competence and real-life practice in schools. This study addresses this problem within the domain of field practice in teacher education, studying pre-service teachers' planning of a Physics lesson. Two means of intervention were introduced. The first was lesson study, which is a method for planning, carrying out and reflecting on a research lesson in detail with a learner and content-centered focus. This was used in combination with a second means, content representations, which is a systematic tool that connects overall teaching aims with pedagogical prompts. Changes in teaching were assessed through the construct of pedagogical content knowledge (PCK). A deductive coding analysis was carried out for this purpose. Transcripts of pre-service teachers' planning of a Physics lesson were coded into four main PCK categories, which were thereafter divided into 16 PCK sub-categories. The results showed that the intervention affected the pre-service teachers' potential to start developing PCK. First, they focused much more on categories concerning the learners. Second, they focused far more uniformly in all of the four main categories comprising PCK. Consequently, these differences could affect their potential to start developing PCK.

The most vigorous period of urban law production in both Denmark and Norway failed to regulate urban poverty, in particular for those falling outside the groups that comprised the personae miserabiles, the deserving poor. A close reading of Danish and Norwegian town laws, in Latin and the vernacular respectively, provides an understanding of how poverty fitted into the social and legal system of the towns. A comparative approach reveals both how these regions embraced different strategies towards the urban poor, and how these strategies coincided with general European trends in different ways. This article argues that jurisdiction over the urban poor was not economically or administratively attractive, and thus neither the town nor the church wanted legal responsibility for them. Norwegian regulation followed a European pattern of combating urban poverty through legislation, whereas late twelfth-century Danish towns supported institutions to care for the poor. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present long‐term changes in Norwegian lake water quality across regional gradients in atmospheric pollution, air temperature, hydrology, and vegetation using (a) a national representative lake survey carried out in 1995 and 2019 (ThousandLakes), and (b) an annual lake survey from acid‐sensitive catchments (78 lakes, TrendLakes) from 1990 to 2020. Our analysis encompasses all major chemical constituents, for example, anions and cations, dissolved organic matter (DOM), nutrients, iron (Fe), and silicate (SiO2). During these decades, environmental changes included declines in sulfur (S) and nitrogen (N) deposition, climate warming, and increase in forest biomass. Strong chemical recovery from acidification is found, attributed to large reductions in atmospheric deposition, moderated by catchment processing from land use and climate change. Browning counteracted chemical recovery in some regions, while Ca increased unexpectedly. We suggest that increased weathering, from enhanced terrestrial productivity, is an important driver of increased Ca—substantiated by widespread, substantial increases in SiO2. Light‐ and nutrient‐limitation has become more prevalent, indicated by higher DOM, lower nitrate (NO3), and lower NO3to total phosphorous ratios. Declines in lake NO3 occurred independently of N deposition, suggesting increased catchment N retention, possibly from increased terrestrial productivity. We conclude that decreased air pollution continues to be a dominant driver of long‐term trends in lake chemistry, but climate‐induced increase in terrestrial weathering processes, governed by increased biomass, is likely to have an increasing impact on future lake acidity, nutrient, and light status, that may cascade along the aquatic continuum from rivers to the coast. Plain Language Summary: Lakes in northern landscapes are sensitive to air pollution and climate change. Here, we investigate how lake water chemistry in a thousand Norwegian lakes has changed since the 1990s, using two large lake monitoring studies from the whole of Norway. Air pollution, climate change, catchment, and lake properties in these data sets are representative of large regions of Europe and North America. We found strong chemical recovery related to reduced atmospheric deposition of sulfur. We also found lower nutrient concentrations due to reduced deposition of nitrogen and increased catchment nutrient retention. The lakes have become less acidic and more nutrient‐ and light‐limited. Unexpectedly, we saw widespread increases in calcium and silicate, which may be linked to increased terrestrial productivity under climate change. Overall, we conclude that air pollution continues to impact boreal lake water quality in addition to climate‐induced changes in terrestrial biogeochemistry. We predict that changes in lake chemistry will continue in the future and will cascade downstream to rivers and coastal areas, with potentially large biological impacts. Key Points: Reduced air pollution is the primary driver of lake chemical change, while climate‐induced changes on element cycling are of secondary importanceStrong lake chemical recovery from acidification is demonstrated by reduced SO4 and labile Al and increases in pH, alkalinity, and acid neutralizing capacityLake display enhanced light‐ and nutrient‐limitation (higher DOM and lower NO3), while Ca and SiO2 increased unexpectedly [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Rationale and Aims: Precision medicine (PM) raises a key question: How do we know what works when the number of people with a health problem becomes small or one (n = 1)? We here present a formative case from Norway. The Norwegian Board of Health Supervision was faced with a cancer patient, who had improved after treatment with a drug in the private health sector but was refused continued treatment in the public health service due to lack of clinical trial evidence. The Board overturned this decision, arguing that the drug had been unambiguously documented to work in the individual case. We aim to provide an in‐depth analysis of this case and The Board's decision and thereby to illustrate and elucidate key epistemological and ethical issues and developments in PM. Method: We provide our analysis and discussion using tools of critical thinking and concepts from philosophy of science and medicine, such as uncertainty, evidence, forms of inference and causation. We also examine the case in light of the history of evidence‐based medicine (EBM). Results and Discussion: The case reflects an epistemological shift in medicine where PM puts greater emphasis on evidence that arises in individual patients after the treatment is provided over pre‐existing population‐based evidence. PM may rely more heavily on abduction to decide what works and qualitative, rather than quantitative judgements. The case also illustrates a possible shift in the concept of causation from regularity accounts to mechanistic and process accounts. We discuss the ethical implications of a shift from more 'traditional' to 'personalised EBM'. Conclusion: A framework that is more based on abductions and evidence arising in the individual case has problems in creating quantifiable, reliable and generalisable evidence, and in promoting transparency and accountability. PM currently lacks clear criteria for deciding what works in an individual, posing ethical challenges. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Context: Primary ovarian insufficiency (POI) is defined by menopause before 40 years of age. POI prevalence is higher among women with autoimmune Addison's disease (AAD) than in the general population, but their clinical characteristics are insufficiently studied.Objective: To assess the prevalence of POI in a large cohort of women with AAD and describe clinical, immunological, and genetic characteristics.Methods: An observational population-based cohort study of the Norwegian National Addison Registry. The Norwegian Prescription Database was used to assess prescription of menopausal hormone replacement therapy (HRT). A total of 461 women with AAD were studied. The primary outcome measure was prevalence of POI. Secondary outcomes were clinical characteristics, autoantibodies, and genome-wide single nucleotide polymorphism variation.Results: The prevalence of POI was 10.2% (47/461) and one-third developed POI before 30 years of age. POI preceded or coincided with AAD diagnosis in more than half of the women. The prevalence of concomitant autoimmune diseases was 72%, and AAD women with POI had more autoantibodies than AAD women without (≥2 autoantibodies in 78% vs 25%). Autoantibodies against side-chain cleavage enzyme (SCC) had the highest accuracy with a negative predictive value for POI of 96%. HRT use was high compared to the age adjusted normal population (11.3 % vs 0.7%).Conclusion: One in 10 women with AAD have POI. Autoantibodies against SCC are the most specific marker for autoimmune POI. We recommend testing women with AAD <40 years with menstrual disturbances or fertility concerns for autoantibodies against SCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

We present here emissions estimated from a newly developed emission model for residential wood combustion (RWC) at high spatial and temporal resolution, which we name the MetVed model. The model estimates hourly emissions resolved on a 250 m grid resolution for several compounds, including particulate matter (PM), black carbon (BC) and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) in Norway for a 12-year period. The model uses novel input data and calculation methods that combine databases built with an unprecedented high level of detail and near-national coverage. The model establishes wood burning potential at the grid based on the dependencies between variables that influence emissions: i.e. outdoor temperature, number of and type and size of dwellings, type of available heating technologies, distribution of wood-based heating installations and their associated emission factors. RWC activity with a 1 h temporal profile was produced by combining heating degree day and hourly and weekday activity profiles reported by wood consumers in official statistics. This approach results in an improved characterisation of the spatio-temporal distribution of wood use, and subsequently of emissions, required for urban air quality assessments. Whereas most variables are calculated based on bottom-up approaches on a 250 m spatial grid, the MetVed model is set up to use official wood consumption at the county level and then distributes consumption to individual grids proportional to the physical traits of the residences within it. MetVed combines consumption with official emission factors that makes the emissions also upward scalable from the 250 m grid to the national level. The MetVed spatial distribution obtained was compared at the urban scale to other existing emissions at the same scale. The annual urban emissions, developed according to different spatial proxies, were found to have differences up to an order of magnitude. The MetVed total annual PM2.5 emissions in the urban domains compare well to emissions adjusted based on concentration measurements. In addition, hourly PM2.5 concentrations estimated by an Eulerian dispersion model using MetVed emissions were compared to measurements at air quality stations. Both hourly daily profiles and the seasonality of PM2.5 show a slight overestimation of PM2.5 levels. However, a comparison with black carbon from biomass burning and benzo(a)pyrene measurements indicates higher emissions during winter than that obtained by MetVed. The accuracy of urban emissions from RWC relies on the accuracy of the wood consumption (activity data), emission factors and the spatio-temporal distribution. While there are still knowledge gaps regarding emissions, MetVed represents a vast improvement in the spatial and temporal distribution of RWC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper explores how market and regulatory factors affect stakeholders' investments in smart grid projects in Europe. Distribution System Operators (DSOs), universities, and technology manufacturers are leading investors, with a cumulative 2286 M€ financed since 2002. Statistical tests were conducted on these groups' investments in smart grid projects in the EU-28, Norway, and Switzerland from 2008-2015, to evaluate the influence of the following factors on investment: the level of distribution sector concentration, the regulatory mechanism in place, and the existence of innovation stimulus mechanisms. The level of distribution sector concentration did not significantly influence investments by these three groups. Market-minded stakeholders, such as DSOs and technology manufacturers, invested more in countries that employed hybrid, incentive, or innovation-stimulus mechanisms; meanwhile, collaborative knowledge-seeking institutions, such as universities, were not swayed by these factors. Taking these findings into consideration will help policy makers design adequate incentives for stakeholders. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Objective: A prenatal ultrasound examination and a postmortem examination provide the basis for correct diagnosis in fetuses terminated due to congenital anomalies. The aim of this study was to correlate fetal anomalies detected by ultrasound examination with those identified at autopsy following termination of pregnancy (TOP) over a 30-year period, and to evaluate the correlation between findings at different gestational ages and assess these trends over time.Methods: The study group consisted of 1029 TOPs performed over a 30-year period, from 1985 to 2014. The gestational age ranged between 11 and 33 weeks. Prenatal ultrasound examinations were performed at the National Center for Fetal Medicine, St Olavs Hospital, Trondheim, Norway. Autopsies were performed at the Department of Pathology and Medical Genetics at the same hospital or a collaborating hospital.Results: There was full agreement between ultrasound and autopsy findings in 88.1% (907/1029) of TOPs, and the main diagnosis was correct in 97.9% (1007/1029). When comparing the 15-year period of 2000-2014 with that of 1985-1999, the difference in the rates of full agreement and agreement in the main diagnosis was statistically significant. In 1.3% (13/1029) of cases, ultrasound findings were not confirmed at autopsy. There were no false-positive diagnoses leading to TOP. Throughout the 30-year period, there was an increase in early TOPs, whereas late TOPs declined.Conclusions: Our study demonstrates that there is a clear correlation between ultrasound and autopsy findings, which is continuously improving. Despite this high correlation, there is reason to continue the practice of validation to ensure the safety of the diagnostic process leading to TOP. The trend towards an earlier termination emphasizes the necessity of such a practice. Copyright © 2015 ISUOG. Published by John Wiley & Sons Ltd. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The focus of the paper is twofold: the first part is about how property rights were assigned and ranked in finds, both in those items such as bees, rings and other valuables which were previously owned, and also in those things, like whales, which were unowned. We focus on Icelandic, Danish and Norwegian laws from the twelfth and thirteenth centuries, yet most of the provisions were copied into later laws and were in force up until modern times, some even current now. The second part treats the question of how risks of loss were handled, and how simple forms of insurance-like institutions arose, aggressively, to encourage risk spreading and overall risk lowering by sharing. The Icelandic laws, especially, show a rather remarkable sophistication regarding risk sharing. They were very alert to the kinds of strategies of avoidance people might employ to evade the rules. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: The world oceans and seas are experiencing a dramatic decline in their health and viability. In the midst of this crisis, the Norwegian fjords represent under-studied and highly vulnerable ecosystems. Fjord chemistry and fjord ecosystems are poorly studied given the current focus on polar ice melting, fish stock reductions and oil disasters. For this reason, this review sheds light on and aims to accumulate local and national findings concerning the current viability of the Sognefjord, the world’s second longest fjord and Norway’s longest and deepest fjord, stretching 205km (127 miles) and reaching 1308m below sea level as its deepest point. This review shows that there is a critical need to establish knowledge and parameters to better monitor and prevent an ecosystem catastrophe from developing in Norwegian fjords. The poor circulation in fjords compared to opens seas reduces their ability to circulate waste and transport fresh water from hydroelectricity plants. Because of fjord morphology, pollutants and heavy metals are potentially trapped within them at great depths for decades. The monitoring of Norwegian fjords is thus of fundamental importance. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Detailed shipborne mapping (sidescan sonar, swath bathymetry, seismic reflection, 3.5kHz profiling, gravity and magnetics) of the extinct Aegir spreading axis (ca.55–25Ma) in the Norway Basin revealed a highly unusual (in a MOR setting), narrow, 130km long, asymmetrical basement hogback (Treitel Ridge; TR) on the southern west flank of the extinct rift, close to its junction with the Iceland–Faeroe aseismic ridge and the putative paleo-Iceland hotspot center. The ridge seems to continue north another 130km in the form of a wider, more irregular basement rise, for a combined length of ca. 260km. The southern, narrow part of TR, approximately following or slightly younger than chron 18n (ca. 39Ma), attains a basement relief of ca. 1000m in the south, its summit descending gradually (1.7:100) towards the NE. Although an east-flank conjugate appears generally lacking along both northern and southern parts of TR, asymmetry of the southern portion (steeper slope facing towards the extinct rift valley) suggests volcanic formation and axially dipping normal faulting at or near the active plate boundary. The possibility of continental crust extending close to the southern end of TR may also be important, because some of this crust may have been remelted at depth, contributing magma to feed TR eruptions. Southern TR may record a brief (0.1–1m.y.) inside-corner tectonic event (probably a flexurally compensated normal-faulted offset), in effect a “mega-abyssal hill”. We suggest TR was probably not an expression of change in Iceland hotspot activity or somehow related to nearby continental crust, but rather represents the volcano-tectonic response of the Aegir accretion axis–at the time it became the eastern edge of the new Jan Mayen micro-plate–to extinction of the Mid-Labrador Sea spreading center. As proposed by Nunns (1983), the annexation of the Greenland plate by the North American plate forced a plate boundary reorganization east of Greenland—with northward propagation of the Mid-Atlantic Ridge rift along the Greenland margin to form the Jan Mayen micro-plate. Simultaneously, two ca. 107° trending transforms developed from the previously 146° trending Faeroes Fracture Zone. Both TR formation and fracture zone trend changes may record Aegir Ridge response to this major plate kinematic reorganization. Because TR was formed during a short interval, spreading along the Mid-Labrador Sea ridge may have ceased abruptly as well. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Five sediment cores, bathymetric and 2D seismic reflection data from Vestfjorden, northern Norway, were studied in order to constrain the timing and extent of a major ice stream draining the northwestern Fennoscandian Ice Sheet during the last deglaciation (15–10 14C ka B.P.). The bathymetric and seismic data indicate that Vestfjorden/Trænadjupet was covered by grounded ice reaching the shelf break during the Last Glacial Maximum (LGM). After the LGM break-up and recession towards outer inner Vestfjorden at ∼13.6 14C ka B.P., the ice re-advanced towards the outer part of Vestfjorden prior to 13.1 14C ka B.P. This is inferred from glaciomarine sediments overlain by diamicton at the base of the sediment cores interpreted as basal tills and associated contemporaneous build-up of grounding zone wedges in the central Vestfjorden. This sequence of events is coherent with the late Weichselian ice sheet dynamics both along the western Norwegian continental shelf and in the Barents Sea, possibly indicating a direct response to meltwater injection and accompanied cooling during disruption of the thermohaline circulation associated with Heinrich Event 1. Enhanced supply of suspension load resulted in deposition of laminated sediments at ∼13 14C ka B.P. reflecting the retreat of the ice stream towards the inner fjord in response to global climate amelioration and increased Atlantic water inflow. Two additional ice re-advances towards the Norwegian coastline are inferred from distinct input of ice-rafted debris (IRD) with a typical mineralogical fingerprint derived from Neoproterozoic–Early Silurian calcite and dolomite marbles in the ice sheet catchment area. Thus, the re-advances may be concurrent with the Older Dryas (∼12.2 14C ka B.P., Skarpnes) and Younger Dryas (∼10.7 14C ka B.P., Tromsø Lyngen) cooling events. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Dissolved Natural Organic Matter (DNOM) is a heterogeneous mixture of partly degraded, oxidised and resynthesised organic compounds of terrestrial or aquatic origin. In the boreal biome, it plays a central role in element cycling and practically all biogeochemical processes governing the physico-chemistry of surface waters. Because it plays a central role in multiple aquatic processes, especially microbial respiration, an improved understanding of the biodegradability of the DNOM in surface water is needed. Here the current study, we used a relatively cheap and non-laborious analytical method to determine the biodegradability of DNOM, based on the rate and the time lapse at which it is decomposed. This was achieved by monitoring the rate of oxygen consumption during incubation with addition of nutrients. A synoptic method study, using a set of lake water samples from southeast Norway, showed that the maximum respiration rate (RR) and the normalised RR (respiration rate per unit of carbon) of the DNOM in the lakes varied significantly. This RR is conceived as a proxy for the biodegradability of the DNOM. The sUVa of the DNOM and the C:N ratio were the main predictors of the RR. This implies that the biodegradability of DNOM in these predominantly oligotrophic and dystrophic lake waters was mainly governed by their molecular size and aromaticity, in addition to its C:N ratio in the same manner as found for soil organic matter. The normalised RR (independently of the overall concentration of DOC) was predicted by the molecular weight and by the origin of the organic matter. The duration of the first phase of rapid biodegradation of the DNOM (BdgT) was found to be higher in lakes with a mixture of autochthonous and allochthonous DNOM, in addition to the amount of biodegradable DNOM. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The increased availability of commercially-available low-cost air quality sensors combined with increased interest in their use by citizen scientists, community groups, and professionals is resulting in rapid adoption, despite data quality concerns. We have characterized three out-the-box PM sensor systems under different environmental conditions, using field colocation against reference equipment. The sensor systems integrate Plantower 5003, Sensirion SPS30 and Alphasense OCP-N3 PM sensors. The first two use photometry as a measuring technique, while the third one is an optical particle counter. For the performance evaluation, we co-located 3 units of each manufacturer and compared the results against optical (FIDAS) and gravimetric (KFG) methods for a period of 7 weeks (28 August to 19 October 2020). During the period from 2nd and 5th October, unusually high PM concentrations were observed due to a long-range transport episode. The results show that the highest correlations between the sensor systems and the optical reference are observed for PM1, with coefficients of determination above 0.9, followed by PM2.5. All the sensor units struggle to correctly measure PM10, and the coefficients of determination vary between 0.45 and 0.64. This behavior is also corroborated when using the gravimetric method, where correlations are significantly higher for PM2.5 than for PM10, especially for the sensor systems based on photometry. During the long range transport event the performance of the photometric sensors was heavily affected, and PM10 was largely underestimated. The sensor systems evaluated in this study had good agreement with the reference instrumentation for PM1 and PM2.5; however, they struggled to correctly measure PM10. The sensors also showed a decrease in accuracy when the ambient size distribution was different from the one for which the manufacturer had calibrated the sensor, and during weather conditions with high relative humidity. When interpreting and communicating air quality data measured using low-cost sensor systems, it is important to consider such limitations in order not to risk misinterpretation of the resulting data. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Looks at the sea floor of the Norwegian basin being covered with low-relief hummocks which was previously attributed to bottom currents. Explanation of similar hummock fields; Observations from the hypothesis account; Prediction of similar mounds in high density areas; Reference material available.

Underwater disposal of mine tailings in lakes and seas has been considered favorable due to the geochemical stability obtained during long-term storage in anoxic sediments. Sulfides are stable in the ore; however, oxidation and transformation of some substances into more soluble forms may impact bioavailability processes and enhance the risk of toxic effects in the aquatic environment. The goal of this work was to construct a model for simulating the nickel (Ni) cycle in the water column and upper sediments and apply it to the mine tailing sea deposit in the Jøssingfjord, SouthWest Norway. A one-dimensional (1D) benthic–pelagic coupled biogeochemical model, BROM, supplemented with a Ni module specifically developed for the study was used. The model was optimized using field data collected from the fjord. The model predicted that the current high Ni concentrations in the sediment can be a potential source of Ni leaching to the water column until about 2040. The top 10 cm of sediments were classified as being of "poor" environmental state according to the Norwegian Quality Standards. A numerical experiment predicted that with complete cessation of the discharges there would be an improvement in the environmental state of sediment to "good" in about 20 years. On the other hand, doubling of discharge would lead to an increase in the Ni content in the sediment, approaching the boundary of the "very poor" environmental state. The model results demonstrated that Ni leaching from the sea deposits may be increased due to sediment reworking by bioturbation at the sediment–water interface. The model can be an instrument for analysis of different scenarios for mine tailing activities from point of view of reduction of environmental impact as a component of the best available technology. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Urban air pollution is a challenge in several European cities. For most Norwegian cities, the major challenge is the reduction of the NO 2 annual mean concentration in order to comply with the limit value in the European Directive 2008/50/EC, but also too many high NO 2 hourly values occur during strong inversions in cold winter periods. In Oslo, the main contributor to NO 2 concentration levels is diesel exhaust and hence the proposed measures in this study are targeting road traffic. An extensive array of individual and grouped measures were constructed and we studied the change in traffic and NO 2 concentrations by performing consecutive modelling studies which included traffic, emissions, and dispersion models. These measures were intended for permanent and temporary action. They included increases of the tolls that give access to the inner parts of the city, the establishment of low emission zones (LEZs), allowing for temporary free public transport, odd-even driving, defining priority lanes for low emission vehicles, and imposing higher parking fees. We concluded that the most efficient measures were the creation of LEZs and the increase of parking fees. We also explain how the findings from this work have helped to implement Norwegian air quality control policies. • Modelling suite with three models to analyse effects of designed measures: traffic, emissions, ambient dispersion models. • Permanent measures most effective in decreasing annual NO 2 ambient concentrations: Low Emission Zones and Parking Fees. • Temporary measures most effective in decreasing NO 2 hourly ambient concentrations involve a ban on diesel vehicles. • Modelling activities and their use in policy design. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Abstract: Based on a revised chronostratigraphy, and compilation of borehole data from the Barents Sea continental margin, a coherent glaciation model is proposed for the Barents Sea ice sheet over the past 3.5 million years (Ma). Three phases of ice growth are suggested: (1) The initial build-up phase, covering mountainous regions and reaching the coastline/shelf edge in the northern Barents Sea during short-term glacial intensification, is concomitant with the onset of the Northern Hemisphere Glaciation (3.6–2.4 Ma). (2) A transitional growth phase (2.4–1.0 Ma), during which the ice sheet expanded towards the southern Barents Sea and reached the northwestern Kara Sea. This is inferred from step-wise decrease of Siberian river-supplied smectite-rich sediments, likely caused by ice sheet blockade and possibly reduced sea ice formation in the Kara Sea as well as glacigenic wedge growth along the northwestern Barents Sea margin hampering entrainment and transport of sea ice sediments to the Arctic–Atlantic gateway. (3) Finally, large-scale glaciation in the Barents Sea occurred after 1 Ma with repeated advances to the shelf edge. The timing is inferred from ice grounding on the Yermak Plateau at about 0.95 Ma, and higher frequencies of gravity-driven mass movements along the western Barents Sea margin associated with expansive glacial growth. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Long-term monitoring of surface water quality has shown increasing concentrations of colored dissolved organic matter (CDOM) across large parts of the northern latitudes. This has increased purification costs for domestic water works. Appropriate abatement actions require better knowledge of the governing factors for the increase, and this has motivated a growing scientific interest in understanding the factors and mechanisms promoting the CDOM increase. A proposed water color model for an important raw water source for Oslo, Norway, is based on the precipitation's amount and mobile ion concentration. The model explained more than 93% of the temporal variation in CDOM between 1983 and 2008. The model structure was also tested on three adjacent raw water sources and was found to explain 75-82% of the CDOM development throughout the same period. The long-term trend of increasing CDOM was closely related to the decline in sulfate and chloride concentrations in precipitation. Furthermore, interannual fluctuations in CDOM were explained by variation in predominant water flow paths, depending on amounts and intensity of precipitation, both of which are predicted to increase in several parts of the northern latitudes according to climate change scenarios. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Aquatic dissolved organic matter (DOM) influence lake water quality through processes such as light absorption, biological activity, and transport of pollutants. The quality of the DOM (e.g. size, aromaticity, biodegradability, etc.) will determine the impact of such processes. Currently, boreal surface waters are experiencing a browning effect, i.e. higher DOM, but little is known about changes in DOM quality. Mercury is a pollutant that is tightly linked to DOM, and thus mercury levels in lakes and aquatic food webs are expected to be influenced by changes in DOM dynamics.The aim of this study was to investigate transformation processes of DOM in a dystrophic boreal headwater lake in southern Norway to better understand the in-lake processes governing water quality. This has been done by seasonal characterization of DOM from the lake inflow, hypolimnion, and outflow using a combination of novel and traditional techniques: Tangential flow filtration was used to produce two different size fractions of the DOM (LMW: < 0.01um and HMW: 0.01-0.2um), on which the initial biodegradability (24 h) was assessed using online oxygen measurements. Moreover, the different size fractions were characterized using fluorescence-absorption spectroscopy and analysed for mercury levels.Preliminary results show that more than 85% of the DOM in this dystrophic lake was of larger molecular size, reflecting a high input of terrestrial organic material and thereby contrasting smaller DOM found e.g. in large drinking water reservoirs. The DOM from the inflow was generally of larger size than the DOM from both the outflow and the hypolimnion, indicating in-lake degradation of the DOM (photooxidation and/or biodegradation). In general, the smaller sized DOM fraction was found to be of higher relative biodegradability and of lower aromaticity and complexity when compared to the larger sized fraction. Photodegradation might be key to rendering terrestrial DOM more suitable for microbial processing. Interestingly, most of the mercury was found in the high molecular weight and less biodegradable DOM fraction, suggesting that DOM quality impacts uptake of mercury in food-webs. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]