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The study of active fault zones is fundamental to understanding both long‐term tectonics and short‐term earthquake behavior. Here, we integrate lidar‐enabled geomorphic‐geologic mapping and petrochronological analysis to reveal the slip‐history, tectonic evolution, and structure of the southern Alpine Fault in New Zealand. New petrographic, zircon U‐Pb and zircon trace‐element data from fault‐displaced basement units provides constraint on ∼70–90 km of right‐lateral displacement on the presently active strand of the southern Alpine Fault, which we infer is of Plio‐Quaternary age. This incremental displacement has accumulated while the offshore part of the fault has evolved within a distributed zone of plate boundary deformation. We hypothesize that pre‐existing faults in the continental crust of the Pacific Plate have been exploited as components of this distributed plate boundary system. Along the onshore southern Alpine Fault, detailed mapping of active fault traces reveals complexity in geomorphic fault expression. Our analysis suggests that the major geomorphic features of the southern Alpine Fault correspond to penetrative fault zone structures. We emphasize the region immediately south of the central‐southern section boundary, where a major extensional stepover and restraining bend are located along‐strike of each other. We infer that this geometry may reflect segmentation of the Alpine Fault between two distinct fault segments. The ends of these proposed segments meet near where several Holocene earthquake ruptures have terminated. Our new constraints on the evolution and structure of the southern Alpine Fault help contribute to improved characterization of the greatest onshore source of earthquake hazard in New Zealand. 

Disagreement is often perceived negatively, yet it can be beneficial for learning and scientific inquiry. However, students tend to avoid engaging in disagreement. Peer critique activities offer a promising way to encourage students to embrace disagreement, which supports learning as students articulate their ideas, making them available for discussion, revision, and refinement. This study aims to better understand how students express disagreement during peer critique within small groups and how that affects moving their inquiry forward. It explores 5th-grade students’ management of disagreement within a computer-supported collaborative modeling environment. Using conversation analysis, we identified various forms of disagreements employed by students when engaging with different audiences. We observed a tendency for students to disagree softly; that is, disagreement was implied and/or mitigated. Students’ resolution of both direct and soft disagreements effectively promoted their collective knowledge advancement, including building shared scientific understanding and improving their models, while maintaining a positive socio-emotional climate. These findings have implications for designing CSCL environments with respect to supporting students in providing and responding to peer critiques at the group level. 

Abstract The$$^{90}$$ $_{}^{90}$Zr(p,$$\gamma $$ $\gamma$)$$^{91}$$ $_{}^{91}$Nb reaction is one of the important reactions in the$$A\approx 90$$ $A\approx 90$mass region and part of the nucleosynthesis path responsible for production of$$^{92}$$ $_{}^{92}$Mo during the$$\gamma $$ $\gamma$-process. Discrepant data in the literature provide a cross section that varies up to 30% within the Gamow window for the$$^{90}$$ $_{}^{90}$Zr(p,$$\gamma $$ $\gamma$)$$^{91}$$ $_{}^{91}$Nb reaction. Thus, the cross section measurements of$$^{90}$$ $_{}^{90}$Zr(p,$$\gamma $$ $\gamma$)$$^{91}$$ $_{}^{91}$Nb reaction were revisited using the$$\gamma $$ $\gamma$-summing technique. The results are consistent with the lower-value cross sections found in the literature. Based on the new data an updated reaction rate for$$^{90}$$ $_{}^{90}$Zr(p,$$\gamma $$ $\gamma$)$$^{91}$$ $_{}^{91}$Nb is provided that is up to 20% higher than that obtained from thenon-smokercode. 

In International Conference of Learning Sciences 2024 Proceedings 

Science skepticism challenges the trustworthiness of scientific knowledge. Researchers suggest that school science curricula should emphasize the epistemic practices realworld scientists use to generate claims, such as actively seeking contradictory evidence for explanatory models and comparing findings with peers. However, empirical evidence supporting the use of epistemic practices, and its potential impact on students’ trustworthiness of science remains limited. This study examines four ninth-grade biology students who designed experiments to understand a fictional viral outbreak using agent-based simulation data. They iteratively refined their designs and discussed with peers. Analysis of student worksheets and discussions reveals that students used three epistemic practices: considering multiple explanations, systematically evaluating evidence, and comparing findings with similar experiments. However, they struggled to revise their initial models when presented with conflicting evidence by their peers. These findings offer insights into how students engage with epistemic practices and their perceptions of science's trustworthiness.