Abstract: Summary The seismologically observed structures of both the solid inner core and the liquid outer core are the ground truth for the material properties of solid and liquid iron and its alloying elements. The key properties, from a materials science standpoint, are density, seismic wave speeds, and anisotropy. The anisotropy of the inner core does not appear to be simple; it varies laterally at the same radial level as well as varying radially. Four themes including uncertainty, model variability, virtues of solid vs. liquid properties, and composition, are the focus of this chapter. Their elaboration hopefully help present and future investigators of the physical state and composition of the core understand the problems associated with certain types of data and to focus experimental work on avenues of research providing tight observational constraints on the core's character.

Abstract: Abstract This paper investigates seasonal cosmic ray?induced neutron variations measured over a long?term period (from 2011 to 2016) in both the high?altitude stations located in medium geomagnetic latitude and Antarctica (Pic?du?Midi and Concordia, respectively). To reinforce analysis, modeling based on ground albedo neutrons simulations of extensive air showers and the solar modulation potential was performed. Because the local environment is well known and stable over time in Antarctica, data were used to validate the modeling approach. A modeled scene representative to the Pic?du?Midi was simulated with GEANT4 for various hydrogen properties (composition, density, and wet level) and snow thickness. The orders of magnitudes of calculated thermal fluence rates are consistent with measurements obtained during summers and winters. These variations are dominant in the thermal domain (i.e., En??20?MeV) is weakly impacted. The role of hydrogen content on ground albedo neutron generation was investigated with GEANT4 simulations. These investigations focused to mountain environment; nevertheless, they demonstrate the complexity of the local influences on neutron fluence rates.

Abstract: Summary Energy expenditure is an important component of foraging ecology, but is extremely difficult to estimate in free?ranging animals and depends on how animals partition their time between different activities during foraging. Acceleration data have emerged as a new way to determine energy expenditure at a fine scale but this needs to be tested and validated in wild animals. This study investigated whether vectorial dynamic body acceleration (VeDBA) could accurately predict the energy expended by marine predators during a full foraging trip. We also aimed to determine whether the accuracy of predictions of energy expenditure derived from acceleration increased when partitioned by different types of at?sea activities (i.e. diving, transiting, resting and surface activities). To do so, we equipped 20 lactating northern (Callorhinus ursinus) and 20 lactating Antarctic fur seals (Arctocephalus gazella) with GPS, time?depth recorders and tri?axial accelerometers and obtained estimates of field metabolic rates using the doubly labelled water (DLW) method. VeDBA was derived from tri?axial acceleration, and at?sea activities (diving, transiting, resting and surface activities) were determined using dive depth, tri?axial acceleration and travelling speed. We found that VeDBA did not accurately predict the total energy expended by fur seals during their full foraging trips (R2 = 0·36). However, the accuracy of VeDBA as a predictor of total energy expenditure increased significantly when foraging trips were partitioned by activity and when activity?specific VeDBA was paired with time?activity budgets (R2 = 0·70). Activity?specific VeDBA also accurately predicted the energy expenditures of each activity independent of each other (R2 > 0·85). Our study confirms that acceleration is a promising way to estimate energy expenditures of free?ranging marine mammals at a fine scale never attained before. However, it shows that it needs to be based on the time?activity budgets that make up foraging trips rather than being derived as a single measure of VeDBA applied to entire foraging trips. Our activity?based method provides a cost?effective means to accurately calculate energy expenditures of fur seals using acceleration and time?activity budgets, that can be transfered to studies on other species.

Abstract: Summary Optimal diving models have been developed to investigate how air?breathing predators should adjust their diving behaviour to optimize their foraging efficiency. Using time?depth recorders and 3D accelerometers, we addressed this question on six free?ranging Southern Elephant Seal (SES) females equipped on Kerguelen Island. We hypothesize that seals would initially increase their foraging time with distance to the foraging patches before reducing it for physiological reasons, regardless of the prey encountered. We expect that SES spends more time at depths where more Prey Catch Attempts (PCA) occur, that is at the bottom. We also hypothesize that bottom time should be related to both the seal body density and the swimming effort dedicated to catching prey, as we expect seals to be more active when catching prey. Finally, because oxygen is acquired at the surface only, we expect that recovery times increase with the duration of the previous dives. A total of 72·6% of PCA detected by accelerometer occurred at the bottom of the dive. At shallow depths (<300 m), seals spent more time at the bottom in dives where PCA occurred compared to non?PCA dives. At deeper depths, SES had shorter bottom times in PCA dives due to higher swimming effort. When only dives associated with PCA were considered, the time spent at the bottom increased with the number of PCA. In addition, the closer the seal was to neutral buoyancy, the longer was the bottom duration. Body density, that is buoyancy, was found to be a critical factor in controlling variations in the dive duration through the swimming effort to access the prey at the bottom of the dive. Finally, post?dive surface intervals were related to the duration and swimming effort of the previous dive. This study reveals how a marine top predator adjusts the time spent at the bottom depending on its body density, prey encounter rate and prey accessibility. It also highlights that using the duration of the foraging phase as a proxy of foraging success can be seriously misleading in SES. Finally, the need to use an energetic approach with bio?logging technology to study behavioural ecology is emphasized.