Assembly of a crustal seismic velocity database for the western Great Basin
Project Description
This is a sub-project of the "Expanding Geothermal Resource Utilization in Nevada through Directed Research and Public Outreach" project of the Great Basin Center for Geothermal Energy at UNR. Its purpose is to assemble a three-dimensional reference model of crustal seismic velocity for the western Great Basin region of Nevada and eastern California. The seismic velocity model consists of simplified rule-based representations of region's crust to 50 km depth, and more detailed characterization of geothermal areas and sedimentary basins. We are compiling velocity information from sources in the literature, results of previous seismic experiments and earthquake-monitoring projects, and data donated from mining, geothermal, and petroleum companies. We also collected (May 2002 and August 2004) two new crustal refraction profiles across western Nevada and the northern and central Sierra.
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Principal
Investigator(s) |
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John N. Louie,
Associate Professor of Seismology,
Geological Sciences,
Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering.
louie@seismo.unr.edu
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| Participants | Students Weston Thelen, James B. Scott, Matthew Clark, Shane B. Smith; Industry collaborator Satish Pullammanappallil, Optim LLC |
| Impact | With the resulting more complete sampling of the crustal geophysical characteristics of geothermal resources in the Great Basin, these measures have contributed to quantitative analyses of the associations between different indicators. Under the Center's goal "(1) Geothermal Resource Assessment and Exploration: B. Identification and Characterization of New Potential Geothermal Resource Targets," this project contributes critical data toward the effective exploration for new geothermal resources. |
| Project Duration | May 2002 - Sept. 2006 |
| Web Site | http://www.seismo.unr.edu/geothermal |
| Outreach Audience | Geothermal industry and applicable regulators. |
| Project Focus |
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Earth Science
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People, Social Sciences, Education, Outreach
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Updated: 3/3/2005
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Historical Photographs of the Tahoe Basin
Project Description
This project seeks to catalog and publish historical photographs of the Tahoe Basin, utilizing significant local archives and repositories. These photographs will include a number of photographs published in earlier editions of other books, but also will include rarely or never before seen photographs of people and places within the Tahoe Basin. The project is slated for publication by Arcadia Publishers in Fall, 2005 or early 2006.
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Principal
Investigator(s) |
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Peter Goin,
Professor of Art,
Art,
College of Liberal Arts.
pgoin@unr.edu
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| Statistics | Faculty Involved: 1
Undergraduates Involved: 4 |
| Outreach Audience | General public and dedicated readers |
| Project Focus |
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Water
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People, Social Sciences, Education, Outreach
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Updated: 1/20/2005
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Influence Of Fuel Reduction Alternatives On Forest Soil Properties And The Carbon Cycle
Project Description
Woody shrubs invading forest lands following fire create major problems in urban/wildland interfaces of the West. Aggressive woody shrubs not only weaken forest trees and delay the return of forest cover, they also lead to a continuous fuel buildup between the ground and tree canopy, thus creating a high risk of catastrophic losses from recurrent fire. The traditional means of dealing with fuel buildup -prescribed fire - is impractical in a mosaic of wildlands and residential holdings. Furthermore, prescribed fire leads to gaseous losses of carbon and nitrogen which may lower soil quality. Alternative means must be found that reduce fuel loads of woody shrubs, retain organic carbon and nitrogen on the site, and enhance soil properties associated with soil stability, water supply, and nutrient availability.
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Principal
Investigator(s) |
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Dale Johnson,
Professor of Forest Soil Chemistry,
Natural Resources & Environmental Science,
College of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources.
dwj@cabnr.unr.edu
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| Participants | Robert F. Powers, USFS |
| Project Focus |
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Earth Science
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Terrestrial Life
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Fire
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Updated: 12/20/2004
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Lake Tahoe Environmental Education Coalition (LTEEC)
Project Description
Needs Assessment: LTEEC fills the important niche of coordinating outreach education to the general public or the “grass roots” citizens at Lake Tahoe. The role of LTEEC in reaching out to the general public is to get environmental educators at Lake Tahoe working together in a mutually supportive collaboration to increase the overall impact of educational activities. Two surveys were conducted during 2003, including an LTEEC Membership survey (n = 245) and an LTEEC Needs Assessment for Rating Potential Future Programs and Projects (n = 115, using the Delphi Technique).
Program Delivery: LTEEC consists of nine active program areas and a Steering Committee comprised of representatives from the program areas and local agencies. The Steering Committee met twice this year to discuss the focus for LTEEC, program areas, and to provide overall suggestions for the Coordinator. Based on the prioritized workplan developed in 2003, LTEEC is currently addressing 17 out of the top 25 highly rated educational projects. LTEEC outreach included three quarterly newsletters in 2004, upkeep of the LTEEC web site (www.lteec.org), the weekly “Lake Tahoe Report” media campaign, and event promotion through the media and through the LTEEC email network.
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Principal
Investigator(s) |
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John Cobourn,
Area Specialist, Water Resources,
Western Extension Area - Incline Village,
Cooperative Extension.
cobournj@unce.unr.edu
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Heather M Segale,
Environmental Education Coordinator,
Western Extension Area - Incline Village,
Cooperative Extension.
hmsegale@ucdavis.edu
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| Impact | Achievements during 2004 include: (1) coordination of 50 weekly environmental education media campaign news segments on KOLO-TV and corresponding newspaper articles published in 5 local newspapers; (2) publication of three quarterly newsletters for distribution to over 750 contacts each; (3) updating the LTEEC website and calendar of events; (4) publicizing 144 local events and meetings through the LTEEC network; (5) helping to coordinate 57 environmental education events which involved more than 4,883 participants including Erosion Control and Best Management Workshop for Contractors, Biennial Tahoe Research Symposium, Snapshot Day Volunteer Monitoring Event, Snapshot Day Volunteer Appreciation Dinner, Children’s Environmental Science Day, Earth Day, and the LTEEC Annual Meeting; (6) facilitating working group meetings; (7) administration of grants; and (8) receipt of two competitive grants for a total of $126,745 to provide support for the programs of LTEEC.
Outcomes:
Short-Term Outcomes: Outcomes during 2004 include increased awareness and education regarding the following:
• LTEEC newsletter distribution to over 750 LTEEC members increased awareness of the Environmental Improvement Program (EIP), collaborative calendar events, and local environmental issues.
• Awareness of Best Management Practices (BMPs) was increased based on number of site evaluations, Certificates of Completion (in 2004) and Contractor Workshop test scores. The increased awareness was measured by pre- and post-tests at some events such as the Contractors Workshop, but in many cases the short-term impacts are not regularly measured. In 2004, the average scores were 71.5% on the pre-test (n=141) and 83.3% on the post-test (n=135).
Mid-Term Outcomes:
• Actions include installation of Best Management Practices (BMPs) on private properties. During 2004, 2,303 site evaluations (10% increase over 2003) were conducted by Partners in Conservation staff and 1,671 Certificates of Completion (40 % increase over prior year) were issued by the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency BMP Retrofit/Erosion Control Program.
• As a result of the Snapshot Day citizen monitoring activities disclosing high nutrient concentrations in various stream locations, the Tahoe Regional Planning Agency and Lahontan Regional Water Quality Control Board have pursued continued monitoring at these previously unmonitored sites. Due in part, to Snapshot Day efforts, several areas are now on the “radar screen” for agencies and local jurisdictions to implement water quality improvements.
Long-Term Outcomes: Thirty agencies and non-profit organizations have continued collaboration on environmental education and outreach programs. LTEEC’s overall long-term goals include reduced polluted urban runoff, improved water quality, improved air quality, achievement of Tahoe Regional Planning Agency thresholds, creation of a local population who are extremely well educated and motivated to protect the area, and the long-term protection of Lake Tahoe. |
| Project Duration | LTEEC was formed in 1999 by John Cobourn of University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. Heather Segale was hired at the Environmental Education Coordinator in April of 2001 through a collaborative grant between University of California and University of Nevada Cooperative Extension. |
| Outreach Audience | "Grass roots" public, agency staff, non-profit staff, teachers & informal educators |
| Project Focus |
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People, Social Sciences, Education, Outreach
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Updated: 4/18/2008
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Monitoring Tectonic Extension and Lake Loading of the Tahoe Basin with GPS
Project Description
The Tahoe basin is a region of active tectonics, that exhibits crustal faulting and seismicity. The basin was formed, in part, by crustal blocks that are slowly pulling apart, generating small to moderate earthquakes that are frequently recorded by UNR’s regional seismic network. Recently, a swarm of seismicity deep in the crust was associated with a surface bulge that was detected with high precision measurements with the Global Positioning System (GPS) (Smith et al., 2004). The seismicity and deformation are consistent with the motion of fluids, most likely magma, in the deep crust. The existence of deep magma is supported by the presence of geologically recent lava flows (~1-2 million years old).
In order to monitor and characterize these ongoing deep processes, and to measure the contemporary tectonic extension of the Tahoe basin we have deployed high precision GPS receivers in the vicinity of North Lake Tahoe to complement the seismic monitoring of the region. In addition, the resources of the EarthScope Plate Boundary Observatory have been mobilized to add four more continuously recording GPS receivers by spring 2006. These high precision GPS receivers can measure movements on the surface as small as a few millimeters, and we use them to infer the existence or pattern of deformations that occur deep (as far as 10s of kilometers) below the surface. The combined GPS and seismic measurements will allow us to evaluate different physical models for how these fluids move, and their role in the steady tectonic extension of the western Great Basin.
Additionally, this new GPS network together with other continuously recording stations in the area may be able to detect loading of the crust associated with seasonal changes in the mass of the Lake water and regional snow load. Combined with lake level and snow level data, these measurements can provide constraints on the structure and dynamics of the lithosphere, and time-dependent stress changes that can possibly influence crustal faults.
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Principal
Investigator(s) |
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Geoffrey Blewitt,
Research Professor of Space Geodesy,
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology,
Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering.
gblewitt@unr.edu
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William C Hammond,
Assistant Research Professor,
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology,
Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering.
whammond@unr.edu
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Corne Kreemer,
Assistant Research Professor,
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology,
Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering.
kreemer@unr.edu
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Hans-Peter Plag,
Research Professor,
Nevada Bureau of Mines and Geology,
Mackay School of Earth Sciences and Engineering.
hpplag@unr.edu
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| Impact | Seismic hazard, understand dynamics of crustal extension, integration of seismology and geodesy, effects of seasonal hydrological mass changes on fault loading. |
| Statistics | Faculty Involved: 4
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| Project Focus |
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Updated: 12/12/2005
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Multimedia Explorations at Lake Tahoe
Project Description
As a part of my creative production agenda, and in support of my teaching mission, I create works that explore the ecology of the Lake Tahoe area. Some of these projects were created within my role as webmaster for the Great Basin Sierra Club.
Quaking Aspen and Spawning Salmon
Chickadees at Lake Tahoe Overlook
Merganser Ducks at Emerald Bay
Virtual Reality Panorama at Hidden Beach
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Principal
Investigator(s) |
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Howard Goldbaum,
Associate Professor of Journalism,
Reynolds School of Journalism.
goldbaum@unr.edu
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| Impact | It is my hope that such projects will increase appreciation for the diversity of natural landscapes in the Lake Tahoe region. |
| Project Duration | ongoing |
| Outreach Audience | Sierra Club; general public |
| Project Focus |
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People, Social Sciences, Education, Outreach
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Updated: 9/19/2005
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Remote Sensing of Water Clarity
Project Description
Monitoring the clarity of Lake Tahoe provides important information on pollution and environmental factors. Traditionally clarity is determined by dropping a bright white plate into the water and measuring the depth at which it disappears. Remote sensing instrumentation provide the ability to monitor clarity much more frequently and for the entire lake, not just one spot.This project seeks to establish methods of determining clarity from remote sensing imagery through correlaton with in-situ measurements.
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Principal
Investigator(s) |
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Wendy M. Calvin,
Research Associate Professor,
Geological Sciences,
College of Science.
wcalvin@unr.edu
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| Impact | New methods may allow better assessment of clarity changes with season as well as over time. |
| Project Duration | 2003-2005 |
| Project Focus |
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Updated: 3/3/2005
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Tahoe Research, Scholarship, & Outreach web site
Project Description
Create a web site to provide information and news about Tahoe Basin Research and Outreach activities by University of Nevada, Reno faculty and staff. The site will be designed for a wide public audience as well as the research community.
To place current research in the context of regional history, the site will include and organize digital media from the collections of the University Libraries, content solicited from University authors and producers, and other sources. The Libraries' DataWorks Department will develop interactive maps that retrieve demographic or other regional data, and host a SharePoint collaborative site for participants.
University faculty and staff may enter their personal profiles and research projects into an SQL Server database via simple web forms. Web pages that display project descriptions and researcher profiles will be generated from the database using ASP.Net. The database will also be a source of organized documentation on Tahoe-related research by the University.
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Principal
Investigator(s) |
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Duncan M. Aldrich,
DataWorks Coordinator,
University Libraries,
Division of Information Technology.
duncan@unr.edu
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| Participants | Bob Blesse, Donnelyn Curtis, Araby Greene, Amy Shannon, Mary Taylor, Glee Willis, Steve Zink |
| Project Duration | Preliminary site to be completed in December, 2004, with ongoing development thereafter. |
| Web Site | http://www.tahoe.unr.edu/ |
| Project Focus |
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People, Social Sciences, Education, Outreach
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Updated: 12/9/2004
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Wildfire Effects On A Sierran Forest Soil: Setting A New Trajectory For Ecosystem Development
Project Description
We have recently been assessing the effects of wildfire on long-term nutrient budgets at a former burn site (1981) near Little Valley, Nevada. From measurements of stumps, present-day biomass, and nutrient inventories both in nearby unburned forests and in the shrub ecosystem now occupying the site, we have reconstructed pre-fire carbon and nutrient contents, estimated losses, and calculated the redistribution of nutrients due to the wildfire. Results suggest that losses of C from the site were dominated by post-fire salvage logging rather than direct combustion whereas the reverse was true for N. Results also indicate that N losses were completely replenished within 20 years through N fixation by Ceanothus vefutinus. Large differences in soil exchangeable Ca and Mg were observed 20 years after the fire, in contrast to some other studies where increases in exchangeable base canons after fire were short-term. Furthermore, the apparent enrichment of exchangeable Ca due to the fire far exceeded estimates of Ca contents in vegetation and forest floor before the fire. We hypothesize that a large proportion of the exchangeable Ca enrichment was due to a combination of Ca release from disintegration/dissolution of soil minerals and from organically-bound Ca in soils. Some research has shown that soil minerals can be decomposed during fire, but nutrient budgets routinely ignore organic Ca, Mg, and K pools in soils, focusing instead only on the exchangeable and mineral phases. One of the greatest sources of uncertainty in reconstructing nutrient budgets after wildfire is the change in soil nutrient fractions. It can be safely assumed in this region that all foliage and forest floor 2 components are consumed by intense stand-replacing wildfires, but assessing the organic matter combustion in soils is problematic.
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Principal
Investigator(s) |
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Dale Johnson,
Professor of Forest Soil Chemistry,
Natural Resources & Environmental Science,
College of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources.
dwj@cabnr.unr.edu
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W. Wally Miller,
Professor of Soils and Hydrology,
Natural Resources & Environmental Science,
College of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources.
wilymalr@cabnr.unr.edu
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| Project Focus |
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Earth Science
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Terrestrial Life
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Fire
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Updated: 12/20/2004
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Wildfire In A Sierran Forest: Setting A New Trajectory for Ecosystem Development
Project Description
Catastrophic wildfire is increasing in forests of the Sierra Nevada and throughout the western US because of misguided policies of total fire suppression in the past. We hypothesize that wildfire resets the clock and establishes a new trajectory for ecosystem development in terms of carbon and nutrient cycling. Studies of wildfire are often plagued with uncertainties because of the lack of suitable control sites and pre-treatment sampling. We have an unparalleled opportunity to study the before and after effects of a recent wildfire in the Lake Tahoe Basin in Nevada. Nine of sixteen replicated plots previously laid out and sampled for a prescribed fire and harvesting study burned in an accidental wildfire set on 3 July 2002. Data from this site will allow us to test assumptions and algorithms previously used to reconstruct carbon and nutrient budgets on pre-existing wildfires and in extrapolating these results over the landscape. We propose to assess the effects of this wildfire on soil nutrient status, water quality, vegetation regrowth, carbon and nutrient budgets. Water quality measurements will include soil solution and surface runoff collections; soils and regenerating vegetation will be resampled twice during this study. We will extrapolate these results in time and space using a combination of simulation modeling and assessment of historic fire regimes in the region. This project will produce refereed journal publications and presentations at national meetings, outreach in the form of tours and class field trips, and the website will be updated with new information frequently. The project will employ several undergraduate students as hourly student employees and two graduate students as research assistants/interns dedicated to field data collection, laboratory analyses, data management, and information retrieval.
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Principal
Investigator(s) |
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Dale Johnson,
Professor of Forest Soil Chemistry,
Natural Resources & Environmental Science,
College of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources.
dwj@cabnr.unr.edu
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W. Wally Miller,
Professor of Soils and Hydrology,
Natural Resources & Environmental Science,
College of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources.
wilymalr@cabnr.unr.edu
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Roger F. Walker,
Professor of Forestry,
Natural Resources & Environmental Science,
College of Agriculture, Biotechnology, and Natural Resources.
walker@cabnr.unr.edu
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| Project Duration | 7/1/2004 - 6/30/2007 |
| Project Focus |
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Earth Science
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Terrestrial Life
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Fire
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Updated: 3/3/2005
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