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Mite harvesters (Arachnida: Opiliones: Cyphophthalmi) are tiny arachnids known to inhabit leaf litter on forest !oors throughout Aotearoa New Zealand, one of the world’s biodiversity hotspots. Recently, Cyphophthalmi in the genus Aoraki were discovered in caves in the northern South Island, representing the first records of cave-dwelling mite harvesters from New Zealand. A comparison of anatomical ratios taken from body and appendage measurements of the cave animals and epigean Aoraki species demonstrate that the cave animals display trends characteristic of troglobitic arthropods, suggesting adaptation to cavernicolous environments. We sequenced the mitochondrial loci COI and 16S rRNA from one of the cave specimens in order to better define the animal’s phylogenetic position and to assess the possibility that it represents a new species. Using an integrative taxonomic approach, results suggest the animals are cave-adapted populations of Aoraki westlandica. 

Abstract Neutron-induced nuclear reactions play an important role in the Big Bang Nucleosynthesis. Their excitation functions are, from an experimental point of view, usually difficult to measure. Nevertheless, in the last decades, big efforts have led to a better understanding of their role in the primordial nucleosynthesis network. In this work, we apply the Trojan Horse Method to extract the cross section at astrophysical energies for the³He(n,p)³H reaction after a detailed study of the²H(³He,pt)H three-body process. Data extracted from the present measurement are compared with other published sets. The reaction rate is also calculated, and the impact on the Big Bang nucleosynthesis is examined in detail. 

Abstract We developed an open source, extensible Python‐based framework, that we call the Versatile Modeling Of Deformation (VMOD), for forward and inverse modeling of crustal deformation sources. VMOD abstracts from specific source model implementations, data types and inversion methods. We implement the most common geodetic source models which can be combined to model and analyze multi‐source deformation. VMOD supports Global Navigation Satellite System (GNSS), InSAR, electronic distance measurement, Leveling and tilt data. To infer source characteristics from observations, VMOD implements non‐linear least squares and Markov Chain Monte‐Carlo Bayesian inversions, including joint inversions using different sources of data. VMOD's structure allows for easy integration of new geodetic models, data types, and inversion strategies. We benchmark the forward models against other published results and the inversion approaches against other implementations. We apply VMOD to analyze deformation at Unimak Island, Alaska, observed with continuous and campaign GNSS, and ascending and descending InSAR time series generated from Sentinel‐1 satellite radar acquisitions. These data show an inflation pattern at Westdahl volcano and subsidence at Fisher Caldera. We use VMOD to test a range of source models by jointly inverting the GNSS and InSAR data sets. Our final model simultaneously constrains the parameters of two sources. Our results reveal a depressurizing spheroid under Fisher Caldera ∼4–6 km deep, contracting at a rate of ∼2–3 Mm³/yr, and a pressurizing spherical source underneath Westdahl volcano ∼6–8 km deep, inflating at ∼5 Mm³/yr. This and past applications of VMOD to volcanic unrest benefit from an extensible framework which supports jointly inversions of data sets for parameters of easily composable multi‐source models.