£1.29 million funding boost for solar scientists

Scientists from Northumbria University’s world-leading Solar and Space Physics research group have been awarded more than £1 million to carry out research which will further our understanding of the Sun, and its impact on Earth

Grant and Award Announcement

NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

 

IMAGE: FROM L-R: PROFESSOR JAMES MCLAUGHLIN, PROFESSOR CLARE WATT, DR NATASHA JEFFREY, AND PROFESSOR JONATHAN RAE view more 

CREDIT: SIMON VEIT-WILSON/NORTHUMBRIA UNIVERSITY

Scientists from Northumbria University’s world-leading Solar and Space Physics research group have been awarded more than £1 million to carry out research which will further our understanding of the Sun, and its impact on Earth.

Researchers have received a £1.29 million grant from the UK government’s Science and Technology Facilities Council(STFC) to fund four research projects, each exploring a different element of the Sun’s activity and the Sun-Earth connection.

They include the movement of particles from solar flares, the speed and movement of solar winds, the processes that heat the Sun’s outer atmosphere to millions of degrees Celsius, and the dynamics of the radiation belts surrounding Earth.

Professor James McLaughlin heads up Northumbria University’s Solar and Space Physics research group and is lead investigator for one of the STFC-funded projects – The fundamental physics of time-dependent magnetic reconnection with a specific interest in the applicability to Quasi-Periodic Pulsations.

His research will focus on the process known as magnetic reconnection – when magnetic lines within the outermost part of the Sun's atmosphere, the solar corona, become twisted, break apart, then reconnect.

This results in a sudden release of electromagnetic energy in the form of a solar flare and a coronal mass ejection – an explosive acceleration of plasma away from the Sun towards Earth.

The project aims to develop our understanding of reconnection, including quasi-periodic pulsations – time variations in the energy released during a flare, which are not understood but which could tell scientists much about the properties of the flare.

Professor McLaughlin and colleagues will use high performance computing to run numerical simulations – using existing data gathered from past solar flares to better understand the process taking place.

Speaking about his research, Professor McLaughlin said: “When magnetic lines become twisted, they can store energy like an elastic band. If the lines break and reconnect that energy is released. This is a very common occurrence in the solar corona and also happens in the atmospheres of other magnetically-active stars.

“When reconnection occurs that stored energy is transformed into other forms of energy – this could be a solar flare or coronal mass ejection, which in turn results in space weather which we experience on earth in the form of solar radiation or geomagnetic storms.

“One of the focuses of our research group is predicting space weather. To do that we need to understand its origins and discovering more about what triggers solar flares will allow us to do that.”

Space weather from the Sun can pose a significant risk to the technologies we rely on in daily life and those designing such infrastructures need to take space weather into account when designing robust systems.

These risks are recorded in the UK government’s national risk register with severe space weather recognised as a significant risk. The long term findings of these new Northumbria University projects will help the UK increase its preparedness and resilience to possible severe space weather events in the future.

Another of the projects funded through the STFC grant will explore the way in which high energy particles, such as electrons, are distributed when released from a solar flare.

Led by Dr Natasha Jeffrey, the Determining Solar Flare Hard X-ray Directivity using Stereoscopic Observations with Solar Orbiter/STIX project aims to reveal more about the conditions that produce high energy particles in solar flares.

Up until now it has not been possible to routinely measure the angular distribution of energetic electrons accelerated in a solar flare.

However, because electrons release X-rays as they travel, scientists are now able to use data from the Spectrometer Telescope for Imaging X-rays (STIX), situated on board the European Space Agency’s Solar Orbiter satellite, to determine this information using stereoscopic observations. This is where the flare is viewed from two different observer viewpoints, using STIX and other X-ray spacecraft situated at Earth.

And with the Sun currently entering its solar maximum – the period of greatest solar activity during the star’s 11-year solar cycle – there will be a higher number of flares to observe, making this the optimum time for such research.

Speaking about the project, Dr Jeffrey said: “This project will advance our understanding of solar flare particle acceleration and transport by investigating the angular distribution, or directivity, of flare-accelerated electrons.

“Up until now the directivity of the particles has been a missing diagnostic in our understanding of the acceleration environment of solar flares, but thanks to the data we can now obtain from STIX and by comparing that data with state-of-the-art electron and X-ray computer simulations, we can constrain the conditions producing energetic particles in flares.”

A further two projects have also received funding through the STFC grant. Professor Jonathan Rae will lead the Using machine learning to determine and understand the underlying states of radiation belt electrons project.

Using machine learning and artificial intelligence, this research aims to identify and understand the underlying states of radiation belt electrons, and how and why those states evolve in time and space.

Professor Clare Watt leads the fourth project – Understanding generation of whistler-mode waves in the magnetosphere.

Whistler-mode waves are one of the most intense electromagnetic waves in the planetary magnetospheres and are responsible for energetic electron losses into the atmosphere.

Professor Watt’s research will also investigate a new paradigm for whistler-mode growth using machine learning applied to drifting electron energy flux.

Between them, the four projects will allow scientists not only to discover more about the physics of the Sun, the Sun-Earth connection, Earth’s magnetosphere and radiation belts, but how stars behave more generally.

The Sun is made of ionised gas, known as plasma, which is threaded by a strong magnetic field. With magnetised plasmas common throughout the Universe, the research will also advance scientific understanding across multiple research communities.

Speaking about the significance of the STFC grant, Professor James McLaughlin said: “We are delighted to be working with STFC on these transformative, ground-breaking research projects. The Solar and Space Physics research group demonstrates international leadership across theory, numerical modelling, observations of solar and space plasma, data intensive science, and space-related hardware, and this funding award supports those strengths.

“We are particularly excited about our research contributing to the prediction of Space Weather, as well as training people in high performance computing and in machine learning.

“Machine Learning is a particular strength of the Group, and synergises with our STFC-funded NUdata Centre for Doctoral Training in Data Intensive Science.”

The UK Space sector is growing rapidly, with the North East in particular experiencing a surge in investment in space technology and skills. Northumbria is capitalising on this with UK Government investment in its new Northumbria Space Technology Laboratory.

Prospective students can find out more about this exciting research area on Northumbria University’s Physics with Astrophysics BSc (Hons) degree course, which includes learning about space weather, artificial intelligence and the latest astrophysics research.

Solar and Space Physics is an academic peak of excellence at Northumbria University. Find out more about the work of academics carrying out research in this field.

Main factor inducing mining dynamic disasters: Fault activation in mining disturbance

Peer-Reviewed Publication

KEAI COMMUNICATIONS CO., LTD.

 

IMAGE: FIG.1 COAL SEAM ROOF DISPLACEMENT AND STRESS CHANGE CURVE NEAR FAULT ACTIVATION DURING LOWER PLATE MINING view more 

CREDIT: CHEN J, SHI K, PU Y, ET AL.

In underground geological structures, faults activation is frequently encountered during the process of coal mining. These geological structures have seriously damaged the continuity and integrity of the rock strata, in many parts of the world. The activation of faults has consistently been a critical factor impacting the safety of coal mining operations. Consequently, there is an urgent need to investigate the instability and failure of surrounding rock caused by fault activation.

To that end, a team of researchers from China conducted a comprehensive study on the impact of disturbance stress and roof abscission layer monitoring within zones affected by fault activation. The aim was to establish a theoretical foundation for effective roadway support.

“We utilized the discrete element 3DEC numerical analysis method to construct a model that simulates the unstable fracture of the surrounding rock resulting from fault activation,” explained Jie Chen, lead author of the study. “Specifically, we focused on the excavation of the upper and lower side walls of the faults, examining the characteristics of unstable fracture and stress variations in the surrounding rock induced by fault activation.”

The team found that as the coal working face progresses, the mining stress progressively intensifies. A zigzag wave pattern was observed on the relationship curve between coal mining and roof displacement in the vicinity of the fault (Figs. 1 and 2).

“This pattern indicates that the surrounding rock in the fault activation affected zone experiences a combination of static and dynamic loads,” added Chen.

“Simulation results further demonstrate that the stress and displacement of the surrounding rock near the fault increase as the coal mining face advances,” said co-corresponding author Yuanyuan Pu. “The recommended safe distance when approaching the fault is 30 meters. Conversely, the numerical tests indicate a slightly shorter safe distance of 26 meters when approaching the fault.” (Fig. 3)

The team hopes that their latest findings, published in the KeAi journal Rock Mechanics Bulletin, can get more attention in the field of mining safety to improve the safe and efficient mining of coal mines.

###

Contact the author: Jie Chen, School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China, jiechen023@cqu.edu.cn; Yuanyuan Pu, School of Resources and Safety Engineering, Chongqing University, Chongqing 400044, China, yuanyuanpu@cqu.edu.cn.

The publisher KeAi was established by Elsevier and China Science Publishing & Media Ltd to unfold quality research globally. In 2013, our focus shifted to open access publishing. We now proudly publish more than 100 world-class, open access, English language journals, spanning all scientific disciplines. Many of these are titles we publish in partnership with prestigious societies and academic institutions, such as the National Natural Science Foundation of China (NSFC).

Fig. 2 Variation curve of positive stress and shearing stress of fault plane

Fig. 3 horizontal and vertical slip variation curves of fault plane

CREDIT

Chen J, Shi K, Pu Y, et al.

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JOURNAL

Rock Mechanics Bulletin

DOI

10.1016/j.rockmb.2023.100037 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Not applicable

ARTICLE TITLE

Study on instability fracture and simulation of surrounding rock induced by fault activation under mining influence

New book explores the history of witchcraft across seven centuries and 13 notorious cases

Book Announcement

UNIVERSITY OF EXETER

The history of witchcraft and the centuries of persecution that it has aroused have been explored in a new book focusing on 13 of the most infamous cases from around the world.

Witchcraft: A History in 13 Trials covers a 700-year time span that encompasses some of the earliest witch trials in Europe to the very modern ‘witch hunt’ of Stormy Daniels in Donald Trump’s America.

Authored by Professor Marion Gibson, of the University of Exeter, the book also includes the iconic 17th century cases at Salem, Massachusetts, and the Manningtree witches of Civil War-era Essex, which saw hundreds of people put on trial – and many executed.

Professor Gibson, Professor of Renaissance and Magical Literatures, has spent more than 25 years researching the subject and says that the issue of witchcraft is still relevant today.

“What I wanted to do with this history book was show that the age of the ‘witch trial’ has never really ceased,” Professor Gibson says. “We still talk about ‘witch-hunts’, especially in a political context as we’ve seen from the comments by Boris Johnson in just the last week. All around the world people are being accused and executed in large numbers. I wanted people to think about how the idea of witches came to be, what we use it for now and if there are any similarities between the groups of people who have been accused over the 700 years.” 

The first half of the book spans a 200-year period that explores key witchcraft cases during the Middle Ages, beginning with the trial of Helena Scheuberin in 1485 Innsbruck. Scheuberin fought back against her accuser – Heinrich Kramer – and won the case, but the result was Kramer’s highly influential work Malleus Maleficarum, which established a blueprint for persecution of women across the continent. 

This section also covers the notorious work of Matthew Hopkins, the self-styled Witchfinder General, who largely operated in East Anglia from 1644 to 1647. Professor Gibson says the legacy of Hopkins’ actions has been somewhat overlooked by history.

“I don’t think we really talk enough in England about how we had this awful history of witch-hunting,” she says. “We project an image of being a fair and just country, one that treats people quite well. But we haven’t always done that, as evidenced in this period when up to 300 people were accused and around 200 executed. This was mass scapegoating and an event that we as a nation need to know more about.” 

The second half of the book covers the 18th century onwards, a period where witchcraft was redefined, says Professor Gibson, focusing less upon magic and more on politics, religion, and social factors. This includes cases from the 1920s and 40s such as that of Helen Duncan, whose nine-month jail sentence in 1944 was the last time anyone in Britain was convicted of witchcraft.

The book concludes with the case of Stormy Daniels – a self-confessed witch and former pornographic film star – who sued Donald Trump over a Non-Disclosure Agreement.

“I think it is important that Helena Scheuberin and Stormy Daniels open and close this book,” adds Professor Gibson. “Like Scheuberin, Daniels fought back, and she suffered her own witch-hunt through the media and the actions of Trump’s supporters. 

“It reveals that, while these cases have their own textures and contexts, the underlying and overwhelming connection is that misogyny lies at the heart of accusations of witchcraft. We estimate that around 75% of those accused during the 15th—18th centuries were women, and that is still the case today in areas such as Southern Africa. The irony is that those people who often cry foul that they are being ‘witch-hunted’ are powerful white men.”

Professor Gibson, based in the University’s Department of English and Creative Writing, travelled around the country to find archives of material on witchcraft. This included fascinating insights into countries such as Lesotho, thanks to colonial-era documents stored in London. 

“I do think it’s a really topical issue,” Professor Gibson concludes. “We can all think of examples of injustice, of women who have been treated unjustly. It’s a history of misogyny and people being persecuted without good reason. At the same time, people are inherently fascinated by that element of magic and mystique that surrounds the witch figure. When I say to people that I research witch trials they immediately respond to it – I even get asked if I am a witch or pagan!” 

Withcraft: A History in 13 Trials has been published by Simon & Schuster and is released on Thursday

Witchcraft: A History in Thirteen Trials: Gibson, Marion: 9781668002421: Amazon.com: Books

A fascinating, vivid global history of witch trials across Europe, Africa, and the Americas, told through thirteen distinct trials that illuminate the pattern of demonization and conspiratorial thinking that has profoundly shaped human history.

Witchcraft is a dramatic journey through thirteen witch trials across history, some famous—like the Salem witch trials—and some lesser-known: on Vardø island, Norway, in the 1620s, where an indigenous Sami woman was accused of murder; in France in 1731, during the country’s last witch trial, where a young woman was pitted against her confessor and cult leader; in Pennsylvania in 1929 where a magical healer was labelled a “witch”; in Lesotho in 1948, where British colonial authorities executed local leaders. Exploring how witchcraft became feared, decriminalized, reimagined, and eventually reframed as gendered persecution, Witchcraft takes on the intersections between gender and power, indigenous spirituality and colonial rule, and political conspiracy and individual resistance.

Offering a vivid, compelling, and dramatic story, unspooling through centuries, about the men and women who were accused—some of whom survived their trials, and some who did not—Witchcraft empowers the people who were and are victimized and marginalized, giving a voice to those who were silenced by history.

The surprising path to life: Breaking free from Plate Tectonics

New research reveals that the emergence of life on Earth did not require Plate Tectonics

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF THE WITWATERSRAND

 

IMAGE: NEW RESEARCH INDICATES THAT MOBILE PLATE TECTONICS—THOUGHT TO BE NECESSARY FOR THE CREATION OF A HABITABLE PLANET — WAS NOT OCCURRING ON EARTH 3.9 BILLION YEARS AGO. view more 

CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF ROCHESTER ILLUSTRATION/MICHAEL OSADCIW

A groundbreaking study published in Nature has challenged the long-held belief that plate tectonics is a prerequisite for the emergence of life on Earth. 

The study, which was done by examining detrital zircon crystals from the Barberton Greenstone Belt in South Africa, shows a lack of plate tectonics between 3.9 and 3.3 billion years ago – the time that life on Earth originated. South Africa is only one of three places in the world where zircon grains as old as 4 billion years old have been reported, with the other places being in Australia and India. 

“Our study highlights the complex nature of Earth’s evolution and challenges the assumption that plate tectonics is the only path to habitability,” says Dr Jaganmoy Jodder from the Evolutionary Studies Institute, at the University of the Witwatersrand, South Africa. “By delving into the secrets these minuscule zircon crystals hold, we gain a deeper understanding of our planet’s origins and the potential for life beyond the boundaries of plate tectonics.” 

The new findings in the study, titled “Hadaean to Palaeoarchaean stagnant-lid tectonics revealed by zircon magnetism” suggest that while plate tectonics is crucial for sustaining life on Earth, it is not an absolute requirement for the emergence of microbial life on planets similar to ours. 

“Our data suggests that when we’re looking for exoplanets that harbour life, these planets do not necessarily need to have plate tectonics,” says Professor John Tarduno, the William R. Kenan, Jr. Professor of Geophysics, at the University of Rochester, United States of America, and the lead author of the study. 

As a fundamental theory of geology, plate tectonics, the movement of Earth’s rigid outer shell, has been considered essential for facilitating heat transfer and enabling geological activities crucial for life.

By examining the “palaeointensity” of zircon grains from the Barberton Greenstone Belt, the researchers found that during the Hadean to Palaeoarchaean times (4 billion to 3.2 billion years ago), Earth did not experience mobile plate tectonics as it does today, but instead exhibited a phenomenon called a “stagnant lid regime”, where heat was released by through conduction and cracks in a solid, immobile crust that was covering the planet’s surface at the time. While the stagnant lid tectonics caused a less efficient heat transport and limited crustal recycling, it can still lead to continent formation. 

Zircon crystals are rare minerals that act as time capsules, preserving information about Earth's magnetic field from billions of years ago. Only a few places on Earth preserve ancient rocks that have not undergone significant deformations over several billion years throughout their geologic history. These are found in Archaean cratons namely the Kaapvaal (South Africa), Pilbara (Australia) and Singhbhum (India) cratons.

“By studying these tiny, rare detrital zircon minerals, we gain insights into Earth’s early geological past and the immense forces that have shaped our planet over billions of years,” says Jodder. 

“It also paves the way for further research , providing valuable information to evaluate conditions on early Earth and investigate similar environments elsewhere. This is an exciting time to study early Earth conditions because defines conditions for the origin of life on Earth. Therefore, such studies will serve as the foundation for research on other planets/moons and elsewhere to be conducted by geologists, astrobiologists and geobiologists. For example, Enceladus, a moon of Saturn, harbours a “soda ocean”, with phosphorus, a key element for life. 

A report on phosphorus from Enceladus was published in another Nature article on the same day, highlighting the close relationship between discoveries about the early Earth and planetary geology, all aimed at understanding the origin and potential for life in the Solar System. 

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JOURNAL

Nature

ARTICLE TITLE

Hadaean to Palaeoarchaean stagnant-lid tectonics revealed by zircon magnetism

Surrey researchers unravel the workings of a unique carbon capture technology, advancing the UK's mission to reach net zero

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITY OF SURREY

 

IMAGE: DR MELIS DUYAR, LECTURER IN CHEMICAL AND PROCESS ENGINEERING view more 

CREDIT: UNIVERSITY OF SURREY

The UK can lead the way in technologies that effectively capture carbon dioxide and convert them into useful products such as hydrogen, says Dr Melis Duyar, an expert in carbon capture technology from the University of Surrey.  

The comments come after Surrey's research team conducted a first-of-its-kind experiment to understand how their new technology, which uses a switchable dual function material (DFM), captures and converts carbon dioxide (CO2) into green fuels or useful industrial chemicals. 

The Surrey team’s switchable DFM, “NiRuNa/CeAl “, consists of nanoparticles of a bimetallic alloy, in combination with a dispersed Na-based adsorbent. These elements are combined to create a unique material for capturing and converting CO2 in not just one, but three chemical reactions, offering versatility in an ever-changing energy landscape. 

Dr Melis Duyar, lead author of the study from the University of Surrey, said: 

"Pursuing advanced carbon capture technology is more than just the right thing to do for our planet—it's an exceptional opportunity for the UK to emerge as a global front-runner, leveraging the vast potential of green energy products born from this process. 

"We'll continue to apply the lessons learnt from this study and work with others in the higher education sector and industry to continue to mature this process." 

Surrey researchers found that NiRuNa/CeAl can be used to capture CO2 in three important chemical reactions:  

• CO2 methanation (converting CO2 into methane) – a process where CO2 is converted into methane*. It combines CO2 with hydrogen (H2) to produce methane (also called “synthetic natural gas”) and water. 

• Reverse water-gas shift – a chemical process that involves the conversion of CO2 and H2 into carbon monoxide (CO) and water (H2O). This reaction can be used to make sustainable “synthesis gas” which is a mixture of CO and H2, that can be converted to a vast variety of chemicals using techniques that already exist within the chemical industry, moving us closer to a circular economy. 

• Dry reforming of methane (DRM) – a chemical process that involves the conversion of methane and CO2 into “synthesis gas”, taking advantage of underutilised hydrocarbon resources such as biogas and offering opportunities for decarbonisation and CO2 recycling in the absence of green hydrogen. 

 By using a technique called operando-DRIFTS-MS, the team were able to observe interactions of molecules with the surface of these unique dual function materials while CO2 was being captured and while it was further converted to products via these 3 reactions. This allows researchers to determine what makes a DFM work, greatly advancing their ability to design high performance materials. 

Dr Duyar continues: 

"Capturing and using carbon dioxide is key to reach the ultimate goal of net zero by 2050. We now have a clearer understanding of how switchable DFMs are able to perform a multitude of reactions directly from captured CO2 which will help us improve the performance of these materials even more via rational design." 

 The research has been published by the Journal of Materials Chemistry A. 

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JOURNAL

Journal of Materials Chemistry A

DOI

10.1039/D3TA01892J 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Experimental study

ARTICLE TITLE

Unravelling the CO2 capture and conversion mechanism of a NiRu–Na2O switchable dual-function material in various CO2 utilisation reactions

Birds aren’t the only creatures who flock together

Virginia Tech researchers will work to increase access and inclusivity in ornithology as part of a collaborative effort funded by the National Science Foundation

Grant and Award Announcement

VIRGINIA TECH

 

IMAGE: ASHLEY DAYER (RIGHT) CONDUCTS A SURVEY IN THE FIELD. view more 

CREDIT: VIRGINIA TECH

Virginia Tech researchers are working to increase access and inclusivity in ornithology as part of a collaborative effort funded by the National Science Foundation. 

The Leading Cultural Change Through Professional Societies of Biology program has awarded $500,000 to help researchers in the co-creation of affinity groups to facilitate diverse and inclusive ornithological societies. The program supports the design, implementation, and evaluation of projects that leverage the work of professional societies to advance diversity, equity, and inclusion in the biological sciences. 

Goals of the project

• Understand the climate of three ornithological societies with respect to diversity and culture in order to recommend changes and resources needed to foster more welcoming and supportive organizations.
• Design a process for co-creating affinity groups, or “flocks” — identity-based groups created by and for members of these communities — that will facilitate “transformative resilience” for historically marginalized groups.

Why it matters

The landscape of science is changing: people from increasingly varied backgrounds, identities, cultures, and genders are pursuing careers in STEM fields. Support for this more diverse population of scientists needs to extend beyond “one size fits all” to better meet the today's needs. Expanding support and strengthening the sense of community for individuals and groups who have not been historically welcomed in a discipline can foster a deeper sense of belonging and meaningfully broaden representation within that field.

Professional scientific associations and societies can guide and shape the culture within their respective fields, cultivating supportive communities and providing relevant resources to ensure that all scientists have the professional and personal support they need to succeed on their chosen career paths. This initiative will use an internal culture assessment conducted by the American Ornithological Society in 2022 as its starting point and seeks to build a scientific field that fosters a greater sense of belonging among society members from historically excluded communities.

How Hokies are leading

Ashley Dayer of the College of Natural Resources and Environment is the co-principle investigator for the project. Dayer is an associate professor in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation and an affiliated faculty member of the Center for Coastal Studies and the Global Change Center, both part of the Fralin Life Sciences Institute. As a conservation social scientist, her research program focuses on 1) involving private landowners in durable working lands conservation, 2) managing coastal lands for birds and people, and 3) engaging underserved, marginalized, and uninvolved audiences in conservation, community science, and wildlife management.

“As a social scientist focused on bird conservation, inclusive research, and diversifying the field of science, I’m excited about this opportunity to work with the societies to co-produce evidence-based affinity groups,” Dayer said. “I look forward to working with Nathan Thayer to conduct surveys, focus groups, and workshops with members of the societies and build these affinity groups from the bottom up to meet ornithologists’ needs.”

Nathan Thayer, a postdoctoral researcher in the Department of Fish and Wildlife Conservation, will collaborate with Dayer.

The project also will provide educational and professional development opportunities for a postdoctoral scholar and undergraduate researchers in the university’s Multicultural Academic Opportunities Program.

Partners

• University of Nebraska–Lincoln
• American Ornithological Society
• Association of Field Ornithologists
• Wilson Ornithological Society

 

Specialization in sheep farming, a possible strategy for Neolithic communities in the Adriatic to expand throughout the Mediterranean

Peer-Reviewed Publication

UNIVERSITAT AUTONOMA DE BARCELONA

 

IMAGE: SHEEP TEETH AND JAWS ANALYZED IN THE STUDY. view more 

CREDIT: ALEJANDRO SIERRA.

The specialization in sheep in the early Neolithic populations of Dalmatia, Croatia, may have been related to the rapid expansion of these communities and the spread of agriculture throughout the central and western Mediterranean. This is suggested by a study led by the UAB and the CNRS, which also represents a methodological innovation in the study of prehistoric flocks. The research was recently published in Scientific Reports.

The spread of agriculture in the central and western Mediterranean took place rapidly. The first peasants, coming from the Adriatic, spread westwards across the Mediterranean to the Iberian Peninsula approximately 8000 years ago. The study of these societies provides insight into how they organized and expanded. It is known that they had an economy based on cereal agriculture and sheep and goat farming, but there is little information on how this agropastoral system worked.

The study now published investigated pastoral practices and the use of animal products in the Eastern Adriatic region, specifically in the Dalmatian sites of Tinj-Podlivade and Crno Vrilo. It was carried out by a team of researchers led by Alejandro Sierra, researcher at the Department of Prehistory of the UAB and the Natural History Museum of Paris, CNRS.

Researchers demonstrate that the early farmers at both sites specialized in sheep farming - and not sheep and goats as previously thought - with early pastoral practices and the use of products such as milk and meat from these ruminants. Most of the births at both sites were concentrated in early winter, probably in an attempt to organize the annual agropastoral calendar.

The results suggest that there was a common animal economy at both sites, which could be related to the mobility practiced by these early agricultural societies throughout the Mediterranean.

The rapid spread across the central and western Mediterranean probably occurred by sea, according to archaeological records found on different islands. "Sheep specialization may have had to do with an anticipatory mobility strategy, in which population groups carried out planning adapted to navigation in order to increase their chances of success, focusing on a species with many advantages, both for movement and settlement," says Alejandro Sierra.

For the first time, the research combined zooarchaeology, palaeoproteomics and stable isotopes to demonstrate the main composition of the herds and their management. "It is not only a historical finding, but also a methodological innovation," Sierra points out.

"It will be important to examine other sites around the Adriatic with the same methods to assess whether our results are specific to these two Dalmatian sites or represent a coherent pattern of Early Neolithic animal management across the region," the UAB researcher concludes.

En el estudio han participado también expertos del Museo de Historia Natural de Paris, la Universidad de York y la Academia de Ciencias y Artes croata. El trabajo ha sido financiado por la Fundación Fyssen.

The study also involved experts from the Natural History Museum of Paris, the University of York, and the Croatian Academy of Sciences and Arts. The work was funded by the Fyssen Foundation.

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JOURNAL

Scientific Reports

DOI

10.1038/s41598-023-37516-z 

METHOD OF RESEARCH

Observational study

SUBJECT OF RESEARCH

Animals

ARTICLE TITLE

Early Dalmatian farmers specialized in sheep husbandry

ARTICLE PUBLICATION DATE

26-Jun-2023