Species distributions are predicted to change with future climate-associated ecosystem changes such that so-called ‘vagrant’ individuals may become established or re-establish in areas currently thought to be beyond their principle ranges. Survey data were collated for occurrences of pinniped (seal) species at very high latitudes of the Vestfold Hills, East Antarctica. Aside from Weddell seals (Leptonychotes weddellii) and southern elephant seals (Mirounga leonina), which aggregate annually at the Vestfold Hills to breed and/or moult, three other pinniped species were observed with the recession of the fast-ice edge. Leopard seal (Hydrurga leptonyx) occurrences increased with an increase in a seasonally abundant prey resource, and crabeater seals (Lobodon carcinophaga) were seen at a time that coincides with their moult period. Occurrences of sub-adult male Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) increase the known southward range for this species and may reflect population increases at source populations in the Kerguelen Plateau area. Although there were no direct sightings of Ross seals (Ommatophoca rossii), their presence close to the Vestfold Hills was detected by underwater passive acoustic monitoring. Sightings of obligate drift-ice species and sub-Antarctic fur seals may change at the Vestfold Hills with climate-mediated changes in sea-ice conditions.

Leakage, deformations, power loss, heat generation in the support seal system and other issues are typical when support seals are developed. The design of the support seal system has progressively evolved over recent decades as part of an ongoing effort to provide effective cooling for the aero engine secondary air system. In particular, oil heat management in the oil chamber has strict requirements, which limit the heat generation of the support seal system. The potential of supporting seal research with an oil system is investigated in this work. The combination of the CFD/FEA method and quantifying the heat generation entering the oil chamber allows for improvements not just to the individual buffer air seal unit, but the oil seal together. The analysis relies on the combination of quantifying heat generation entering the oil chamber to provide a mutual influence of neighbouring labyrinth seals. The mutual influence requires further analysis, considering the thermal deformation of the rotor/stator to provide further accurate geometry parameters in preliminary seal designs. The experimental test was conducted to verify the preliminary CFD-FEA loosely coupled analysis result, which reveals that in a turbine support seal system, the radius of the buffer air seal has a significant influence on the leakage flow rate and power loss of the oil seal, which should take into account the integral influence of the pressure difference of the oil seal caused by the radius change of the buffer air seal and the running clearance of the oil seal.

Publication of a seal of rock crystal in London (British Museum), with an inscription in Aramaic and Hebrew naming the bearer, one Solomon b. Azariah, as grandson (or perhaps son) of an exilarch. An identification of the bearer as Solomon, son of the Jewish exilarch Azariah b. Solomon (c. 975) and grandson of the exilarch Solomon b. Josiah (c. 951–3), is considered, as is the alternative possibility that the grandfather was the exilarch Solomon b. Hisdai (c. 730–58).

In the oil fields in the Central Graben of the North Sea, Maastrichtian chalk is an important hydrocarbon reservoir, but oil may also be found in the Danian chalk, consisting of white chalk interbedded with clay layers. Within the chalk section, discrete intervals appear like chalk but contain large amounts of quartz (up to 100%). The aim of the present investigation is to reveal the mechanism for formation of the quartz in these intervals and to discuss their regional distribution and importance for the reservoir properties. Samples of chalk, including quartz-rich intervals, and clay layers from three wells SA-1, Rigs-1 and Rigs-2 in the South Arne Field have been investigated. Calcite-free residues obtained using a buffered dissolution of calcite were investigated using X-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy and atomic force microscopy. The main silica phase in the Upper Cretaceous–Danian chalk in the three wells is a nano-size α-quartz. This has probably formed from Si dissolved from radiolarians in the free-water phase. The 600 Å diameter α-quartz spheres precipitated in the free-water phase with subsequent flocculation of the spheres and sedimentation of the flocs. Variations in the proportion of quartz in the chalk are attributed to variations in the amount of radiolarians in combination with variations in CO2 concentrations in the water; increased CO2 causes dissolution of coccoliths and thus a relative enrichment in quartz. This formation mechanism is regional and makes it probable that the layers rich in nano-quartz may be found over large areas provided that the chalk is authigenic. Quartz-rich layers are generally of low permeability and in areas with authigenic chalk these layers may act as internal seals in chalk reservoirs.

Long-term monitoring programmes of a comparatively small area complement larger scale, but temporally limited surveys and can provide extensive datasets on seasonal occurrence and fine-scale habitat use of multiple species. A marine mammal monitoring programme, involving year-round, land-based observations, has been conducted in Broadhaven Bay candidate Special Area of Conservation, north-west Ireland, during 2002, 2005 and 2008–2011. Nine cetacean and two seal species have been recorded, with grey seal, harbour porpoise, common and bottlenose dolphins, and minke whale present throughout the year. Generalized additive models, taking into account observer effort, sighting conditions (sea state) and interannual variation, did not reveal any significant seasonal patterns in the occurrence of grey seals, bottlenose dolphins and minke whales. On the other hand, common dolphin presence in Broadhaven Bay was highest during autumn and winter. Bottlenose dolphins could be separated spatially from both common dolphins and minke whales in a classification tree by their preferential use of the shallower inshore areas of the bay (<30 m depth). However, common dolphins and minke whales, which occurred mainly in the deeper outer section of Broadhaven Bay, could not be spatially distinguished from each other, and grey seals were distributed over the entire bay. Broadhaven Bay represents an important marine mammal habitat with respect to overall species diversity and the regular occurrence of bottlenose dolphin, harbour porpoise, grey and harbour seals (all listed under Annex II of the EU Habitats Directive).

The occurrence of fish in the diet of the Antarctic fur seal (Arctocephalus gazella) at Bird Island, South Georgia was investigated by analysis of fish otoliths in scats (faeces) collected during late May to early November 1983. Of the 55 scats examined, 49 contained fish remains, and 45 contained fish otoliths. Ten fish species were represented by 415 otoliths, and 33 otoliths were too digested to be identified unequivocally. Fish size was estimated from otolith size based on published allometric equations. Four coastal notothenioid fishes dominated the fish component of the diet: Champsocephalus gunnari and Gobionotothen gibberifrons each comprised about 40% of the total fish mass; Chaenocephalus aceratus was ranked third by mass and the smaller Lepidonotothen larseni occurred in one quarter of the scats but was of lower importance in terms of mass. The length-frequency distribution of C. gunnari landed by the commercial fishery in October 1982 to June 1983 is similar to that which comprised the bulk of the diet in the present study. Compared with recent studies on the fish component of the diet in the literature, the dominance of C. gunnari is generally similar, however, there was a greater proportion of G. gibberifrons during the 1983 winter and spring than reported for recent winters.

The discovery of an ancient Chinese seal in an Oxfordshire garden three centuries ago still provokes interest. This note examines how the seal came to be published by Dr Robert Plot, and what it might have represented.