Thu Apr 1 12:59:31 2010
| Approvals Received: |
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| Approvals Pending: | College/Dean > Catalog > PeopleSoft Manual Entry | |
| Effective Status: | Active | |
| Effective Term: | 1109 - Fall 2010 | |
| Course: | GEO 3425 | |
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Institution: Campus: |
UMNTC - Twin Cities UMNTC - Twin Cities |
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| Career: | UGRD | |
| College: | TIOT - Institute of Technology | |
| Department: | 11130 - Geology & Geophysics | |
| General | ||
| Course Title Short: | Atmospheric Comp & Chem | |
| Course Title Long: | Atmospheric Composition and Chemistry | |
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Max-Min Credits for Course: |
3.0 to 3.0 credit(s) | |
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Catalog Description: |
Introduction to the processes governing the chemical makeup of Earth's atmosphere and implications for air pollution, climate, and human welfare. The evolution of the atmosphere; atmospheric transport; biogeochemical cycles of C, N, O, mercury; the greenhouse effect; aerosols; ozone hole; oxidizing power of the atmosphere; smog. | |
| Print in Catalog?: | Yes | |
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CCE Catalog Description: |
<no text provided> | |
| Grading Basis: | A-F or Aud | |
| Topics Course: | No | |
| Honors Course: | No | |
| Delivery Mode(s): | Classroom | |
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Instructor Contact Hours: |
3.0 hours per week | |
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Years most frequently offered: |
Every academic year | |
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Term(s) most frequently offered: |
Fall | |
| Component 1: |
LEC (no final exam) |
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Auto-Enroll Course: |
No | |
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Graded Component: |
LEC | |
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Academic Progress Units: |
Not allowed to bypass limits. 3.0 credit(s) |
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Financial Aid Progress Units: |
Not allowed to bypass limits. 3.0 credit(s) |
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Repetition of Course: |
Repetition not allowed. | |
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Course Prerequisites for Catalog: |
Chem 1021, Chem 1022, Phys 1101, Math 1271 or equivalent, or instructor consent. ESPM 1425 / Geog 1425 recommended but not required. | |
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Course Equivalency: |
ESPM 3425 | |
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Consent Requirement: |
No required consent | |
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Enforced Prerequisites: (course-based or non-course-based) |
No prerequisites | |
| Editor Comments: | <no text provided> | |
| Proposal Changes: | Move from Spring 2011 to Fall 2010 and added equivalent course SOIL 3425. | |
| History Information: | <no text provided> | |
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Faculty Sponsor Name: |
Dylan Millet | |
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Faculty Sponsor E-mail Address: |
dbm@umn.edu | |
| Student Learning Outcomes | ||
| Student Learning Outcomes: |
* Student in the course:
- Can identify, define, and solve problems
Please explain briefly how this outcome will be addressed in the course. Give brief examples of class work related to the outcome. This student learning outcome will be addressed through weekly homework sets and in-class problem solving. The homework problems will involve a mixture of qualitative and quantitative problems addressing various topics covered in class and in the readings. The problems are not ¿plug and chug¿ -- students will frequently need to integrate various concepts from the class in order to develop an analytical solution to a problem. Many of the problems also require the student to distinguish between critical and extraneous pieces of information in arriving at a solution. How will you assess the students' learning related to this outcome? Give brief examples of how class work related to the outcome will be evaluated. Weekly homework sets will be graded and returned to the students. Midterm and final exams will also be composed of problems similar in nature to those on the problem sets. - Can locate and critically evaluate information Please explain briefly how this outcome will be addressed in the course. Give brief examples of class work related to the outcome. This student learning outcome will be addressed through the assigned term paper. Students will write a 5-8 page term paper on some aspect of atmospheric composition and chemistry (topic to be approved by instructor). Writing the paper will require the students to locate credible sources of information for their topic (primary scientific literature, textbooks, scientific summary and consensus documents such as the IPCC Climate Change Assessment). Students will need to locate those sources and critically evaluate their reliability. For many topics covered in the class (e.g. global warming) we will discuss scientific uncertainty and degree of consensus, and contrast that with public perception and media presentation. Likewise, in researching their term papers, students will often find conflicting information that they will need to evaluate. How will you assess the students' learning related to this outcome? Give brief examples of how class work related to the outcome will be evaluated. Learning related to this outcome will mainly be tested through the evaluation and grading of the term paper. I will also evaluate this learning outcome in class through discussion of current scientific issues and conflicting studies. - Have mastered a body of knowledge and a mode of inquiry Please explain briefly how this outcome will be addressed in the course. Give brief examples of class work related to the outcome. All aspects of the course (lectures and other classroom activities; term paper; homework; exams) are aimed at addressing this student learning outcome. For most students this will be their first exposure to atmospheric composition and chemistry. They will learn about the most important components of the discipline (e.g., evolution of the atmosphere; atmospheric structure and transport; biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, mercury; the greenhouse effect; aerosols; stratospheric ozone loss; oxidizing power of the atmosphere; smog). Throughout the class we will discuss the techniques and tools used by scientists to understand these issues. Many of the homework and exam problems draw from current research and real-world scientific inquiry in atmospheric chemistry. How will you assess the students' learning related to this outcome? Give brief examples of how class work related to the outcome will be evaluated. This student learning outcome will be evaluated continuously throughout the class through in-class discussion, homework grading, the term paper, and the exams. - Can communicate effectively Please explain briefly how this outcome will be addressed in the course. Give brief examples of class work related to the outcome. This student learning outcome will be addressed through the term paper. In preparing a 5-8 page term paper students will advance their ability to communicate effectively through writing. Active participation and discussion in the classroom will also be strongly encouraged, which will promote oral communication skills in a context of dialogue and debate. How will you assess the students' learning related to this outcome? Give brief examples of how class work related to the outcome will be evaluated. Assessment of this outcome will be primarily through evaluation of the term paper. There will also be opportunities for informal assessment through the classroom discussions. - Understand the role of creativity, innovation, discovery, and expression across disciplines Please explain briefly how this outcome will be addressed in the course. Give brief examples of class work related to the outcome. This student learning outcome will be addressed by highlighting key examples of scientific creativity and discovery that have advanced understanding of the discipline. Examples: Keeling¿s idea to start measuring atmospheric CO2 at Mauna Loa Observatory; discovery by Molina and Rowland of the potential for CFCs to destroy stratospheric ozone (leading to the Nobel Prize in Chemistry). How will you assess the students' learning related to this outcome? Give brief examples of how class work related to the outcome will be evaluated. One means of assessing learning related to this outcome will be through the term paper evaluation, and the extent to which students identify key scientific discoveries related to current understanding of their chosen topic. - Have acquired skills for effective citizenship and life-long learning Please explain briefly how this outcome will be addressed in the course. Give brief examples of class work related to the outcome. This course promotes effective citizenship by helping students develop an understanding of pressing environmental issues such as climate change and air pollution. Students completing the course will have scientific basis for evaluating stories in the news and in political debates related to these environmental problems. They will also learn where to find credible resources to critically evaluate environmental claims and stories. How will you assess the students' learning related to this outcome? Give brief examples of how class work related to the outcome will be evaluated. This learning outcome will be assessed throughout the class (homework, exams) in terms of the student grasp of course concepts and ability to solve problems on the homework and exams. It will also be assessed through evaluation of the term paper in terms of the student ability to digest a body of information and extract the key elements of an environmental problem. |
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| Liberal Education | ||
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Requirement this course fulfills: |
None | |
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Other requirement this course fulfills: |
None | |
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Criteria for Core Courses: |
Describe how the course meets the specific bullet points for the proposed core
requirement. Give concrete and detailed examples for the course syllabus, detailed
outline, laboratory material, student projects, or other instructional materials or method.
Core courses must meet the following requirements:
<no text provided> |
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Criteria for Theme Courses: |
Describe how the course meets the specific bullet points for the proposed theme
requirement. Give concrete and detailed examples for the course syllabus, detailed outline,
laboratory material, student projects, or other instructional materials or methods. Theme courses have the common goal of cultivating in students a number of habits of mind:
<no text provided> |
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| Writing Intensive | ||
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Propose this course as Writing Intensive curriculum: |
No | |
| Question 1: |
What
types of writing (e.g., reading essay, formal lab reports, journaling)
are likely to be assigned? Include the page total for each writing
assignment. Indicate which assignment(s) students will be required to
revise and resubmit after feedback by the instructor or the graduate TA. <no text provided> |
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| Question 2: |
How does assigning a significant amount of writing serve the purpose
of this course? <no text provided> |
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| Question 3: |
What types of instruction will students receive on the writing aspect
of the assignments? <no text provided> |
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| Question 4: |
How will the students' grades depend on their writing performance?
What percentage of the overall grade will be dependent on the quality and level of the students'
writing compared with the course content? <no text provided> |
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| Question 5: |
If graduate students or peer tutors will be assisting in this course,
what role will they play in regard to teaching writing? <no text provided> |
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| Question 6: |
How will the assistants be trained and
supervised? <no text provided> |
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| Question 7: |
Write up a sample assignment handout here for a paper
that students will revise and resubmit after receiving feedback on the initial
draft. <no text provided> |
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Readme link.
Course Syllabus requirement section begins below
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| Course Syllabus | ||
| Course Syllabus: |
For new courses and courses in which changes in content and/or description and/or credits
are proposed, please provide a syllabus that includes the following information: course goals
and description; format;structure of the course (proposed number of instructor contact
hours per week, student workload effort per week, etc.); topics to be covered; scope and
nature of assigned readings (text, authors, frequency, amount per week); required course
assignments; nature of any student projects; and how students will be
evaluated. The University "Syllabi Policy" can be
found here
The University policy on credits is found under Section 4A of "Standards for Semester Conversion" found here. Course syllabus information will be retained in this system until new syllabus information is entered with the next major course modification. This course syllabus information may not correspond to the course as offered in a particular semester. (Please limit text to about 12 pages. Text copied and pasted from other sources will not retain formatting and special characters might not copy properly.) ESPM 3425 Atmospheric Composition: From Smog to Climate Change Course credits: 3 Class time and location: Tues Thurs 08:45-10:00am Location TBD Instructor: Prof. Dylan B. Millet Office: S308 Soils Building, St. Paul campus dbm@umn.edu http://www.atmoschem.umn.edu Course description: Welcome to ESPM 3425! This course provides an introduction to the processes governing the chemical makeup of Earth¿s atmosphere and their implications for air pollution, climate, and human welfare. We will address the question: ¿What is the composition of the atmosphere, and why is it changing?¿ Students will gain an understanding of topics including: evolution of the atmosphere; atmospheric structure and transport; biogeochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, mercury; the greenhouse effect; aerosols; stratospheric ozone loss; oxidizing power of the atmosphere; smog. Course prerequisites: Chemistry (1021 & 1022), Physics (1101) and Math (1271) or equivalents, or instructor consent. ESPM 1425 helpful but not required. Course goals and student learning outcomes: Upon completing this course, students will have: - An understanding of atmospheric radiation and the greenhouse effect (1, 2, 3) - Familiarity with the basic tools, techniques, and analytical methods used to study atmospheric composition (1, 2, 3, 6) - An understanding of the geochemical cycles of carbon, nitrogen, oxygen and mercury, the budgets of key greenhouse gases, and their role in Earth¿s climate (1, 3) - An appreciation for the role of scientific creativity, discovery, and uncertainty in terms of current understanding in this discipline (6) - Knowledge of atmospheric composition and chemistry in polluted and pristine air (1, 3) - An overview of atmospheric aerosols and their role in air quality and climate change (1, 3) - Knowledge of tropospheric ozone and its role as a pollutant and a greenhouse gas (1, 3) - An understanding of the ozone hole (1, 3) - Increased their ability to critically evaluate scientific questions and claims related to atmospheric science (2, 5, 7) - Acquired skills to apply this knowledge to a variety of other atmospheric and Earth system science processes (7) These expectations (coded above) are related to the following seven broad learning outcomes that all undergraduate students are expected to achieve by graduation as established by The University of Minnesota. At the time of receiving a bachelor¿s degree, students 1. Can identify, define, and solve problems 2. Can locate and critically evaluate information 3. Have mastered a body of knowledge and a mode of inquiry 4. Understand diverse philosophies and cultures within and across societies 5. Can communicate effectively 6. Understand the role of creativity, innovation, discovery, and expression across disciplines 7. Have acquired skills for effective citizenship and life-long learning Required textbook: Introduction to Atmospheric Chemistry, Daniel J. Jacob, Princeton University Press, 1999. Available at Walter Library. $49.57 on www.amazon.com as of 11/4/2009. Other useful resources: ¿ Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis, edited by S. Solomon, D. Qin, M. Manning, Z. Chen, M. Marquis, K.B. Averyt, M.Tignor, and H.L. Miller, Cambridge University Press, New York. Available online at http://www.ipcc.ch/. ¿ Scientific Assessment of Ozone Depletion: 2006, World Meteorological Organization (WMO), Geneva, 2006. Available online at http://ozone.unep.org. ¿ Biogeochemistry, An Analysis of Global Change W.H. Schlesinger, 2nd ed. 1997. Available at UMN library. ¿ Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics: From Air Pollution to Climate Change J.H. Seinfeld, S.N. Pandis, 2nd Ed. 2006. Hardcopy and e-copy available through UMN library. ¿ Chemistry of the Upper and Lower Atmosphere B.J. Finlayson -Pitts and J.N. Pitts, Jr., Academic Press, 2000. Available at UMN library. Office hours: Please see me if you are having a problem with some aspect of the course! My drop-in office hours for spring semester are Mondays and Wednesdays 10:30am-12pm. I am also available by appointment; e-mail is the most reliable way to get hold of me. Course expectations: Class attendance is required. The lectures are designed to demonstrate key concepts. You are expected to investigate these concepts further through your assigned readings and assignments. Class participation is expected and encouraged! Please do not hesitate to ask a question or seek extra help after class. The best method to get extra assistance is to come to office hours. You are also welcome to meet with me by appointment. Students are expected to turn in assignments and appear for tests on the date scheduled. Schedule of assignments and exams: Requirement Grade Distribution Date Homework 25% Weekly Midterm exam 20% March 11 Term paper 20% May 6 Final Exam 35% May 15 Total 100% Homework: Weekly homework assignments will consist of quantitative and qualitative written problem sets addressing topics covered in the lectures and readings. Homeworks will be assigned on Tuesday, due the following Tuesday, and returned that Thursday. Late homeworks will not be accepted. The homework with the lowest grade will be discarded when computing the average course grade. Homeworks are intended to be individual efforts. At the same time, they are intended to be completed. If you're stuck or uncertain, ask the instructor or TA for assistance. You can also ask fellow students for assistance, but you must then acknowledge them in the appropriate section. In any case, you must write your own solutions and demonstrate that you alone understand the material. Exams: There will be one midterm exam and a final exam. See class schedule for exam dates. The course material is cumulative by nature and all exams will be cumulative with a focus on the latest material. Term paper: You are required to prepare a term paper on an atmospheric topic of your choice. Details of the project will be provided in a subsequent lecture. You must schedule a meeting to inform me of your selected topic on or before April 1. The term paper is due at the beginning of class on May 6. Policy on late work: Late homework will not be accepted. The late penalty for the term paper is 20% per day. This policy is non-negotiable. Grading standards (definition of grades): A Represents achievement that is outstanding relative to the level necessary to meet course requirements. B Represents achievement that is significantly above the level necessary to meet course requirements. C Represents achievement that meets the course requirements in every respect. D Represents achievement that is worthy of credit even though it fails to meet fully the course requirements. S Represents achievement that is satisfactory, which is equivalent to a C- or better. F (or N) Represents failure (or no credit) and signifies that the work was either (1) completed but at a level of achievement that is not worthy of credit or (2) was not completed and there was no agreement between the instructor and the student that the student would be awarded an I (see also I) I Incomplete. Assigned at the discretion of the instructor when, due to extraordinary circumstances, e.g., hospitalization, a student is prevented from completing the work of the course on time. Requires a written agreement between instructor and student. Final grades (approximate): Final letter grades will be assigned approximately as follows: Letter grade Percentage Grade point A ≥ 95 % 4.000 A- ~ 90 % 3.667 B+ ~ 87 % 3.333 B ~ 84 % 3.000 B- ~ 80 % 2.667 C+ ~ 77 % 2.333 C ~ 74 % 2.000 C- ~ 70 % 1.667 D+ ~ 67 % 1.333 D ~ 65 % 1.000 F ≤ 59 % I incomplete Note on grading: Make sure that you understand what you have gotten wrong on homework assignments and quizzes. These problems can reappear, thinly disguised, on exams. Make-up exam policy: Please note that make-up exams will be allowed only in cases of documented illness, emergency, or a university-sponsored event. If you have a conflict with a scheduled exam please contact me at least two weeks in advance in order to schedule an alternative exam. Senate student academic workload policy: For undergraduate courses, one credit is defined as equivalent to an average of three hours of learning effort per week (over a full semester) necessary for an average student to achieve an average grade (C) in the course. For example, a student taking a three credit course that meets for three hours a week should expect to spend an additional six hours a week on course work outside the classroom. Accommodations for students with disabilities: Participants with special needs are strongly encouraged to talk to the instructor as soon as possible to gain maximum access to course information. All discussions will remain confidential. University policy is to provide, on a flexible and individualized basis, reasonable accommodations to students who have documented disability conditions (e.g., physical, learning, psychiatric, vision, hearing, or systemic) that may affect their ability to participate in course activities or to meet course requirements. Students with disabilities are encouraged to contact Disability Services and their instructors to discuss their individual needs for accommodations. Disability Services is located in Suite180 McNamara Alumni Center, 200 Oak Street. Staff can be reached at http://ds.umn.edu or by calling 612/626-1333 (voice or TTY). Student mental health: As a student you may experience a range of issues that can cause barriers to learning, such as strained relationships, increased anxiety, alcohol/drug problems, feeling down, difficulty concentrating and/or lack of motivation. These mental health concerns or stressful events may lead to diminished academic performance or reduce a student's ability to participate in daily activities. University of Minnesota services are available to assist you with addressing these and other concerns you may be experiencing. You can learn more about the broad range of confidential mental health services available on campus via http://www.mentalhealth.umn.edu/ Student conduct: The instructor is responsible for maintaining order and a positive learning environment in the classroom. Students whose behavior is disruptive either to the instructor or to other students will be asked to leave. Students whose behavior suggests the need for counseling or other assistance may be referred to their college office or University Counseling and Consulting Services. Students whose behavior may violate the University Student Conduct Code may be referred to the Office of Student Judicial Affairs. Sexual harassment: University policy prohibits sexual harassment as defined in the University Policy Statement adopted on December 11, 1998 (http://www1.umn.edu/regents/policies/humanresources/SexHarassment.html). Complaints about sexual harassment should be reported to the University Office of Equal Opportunity, 419 Morrill. Academic dishonesty: Students are expected to do their own assigned work. If it is determined that a student has engaged in any form of academic dishonesty, he or she may be given an "F" or an "N" for the course, and may face additional sanctions from the University. Academic dishonesty in any portion of the academic work for a course shall be grounds for awarding a grade of F or N for the entire course. See http://www1.umn.edu/regents/policies/academic/StudentConductCode.html Diversity and collegiality: This course draws students from a variety of disciplines. This diversity of academic experience, assumptions regarding learning, and ways of approaching problems is one of the most enriching aspects of the course. In addition, every class is influenced by the fact that students come from widely diverse ethnic and cultural backgrounds and hold different values. Because a key to optimal learning is to hear, analyze, and draw from a diversity of views, I expect collegial and respectful dialogue across disciplinary, cultural, and personal boundaries. Tentative Lecture Schedule Date Topic Readings January 19, 2010 Course introduction and overview January 21, 2010 Atmospheric composition: Mass and structure Assigned January 26, 2010 Evolution of the atmosphere Ch. 6 January 28, 2010 Atmospheric pressure Ch. 2 February 2, 2010 Box models Ch. 3 February 4, 2010 Box and puff models Ch. 3 February 9, 2010 General circulation of the atmosphere Ch. 4 February 11, 2010 Vertical motions and stability Ch. 4 February 16, 2010 Water vapor and clouds Ch. 4 February 18, 2010 Principles of geochemical cycling, nitrogen cycle Ch. 6 February 23, 2010 Oxygen cycle Ch. 6 February 25, 2010 Carbon cycle Ch. 6 March 2, 2010 Blackbody radiation, UV, IR Ch. 7 March 4, 2010 The greenhouse effect Ch. 7 March 9, 2010 Radiative forcing Ch. 7 March 11, 2010 Midterm March 15-19, 2010 Spring Break March 23, 2010 Aerosol effects on climate Ch. 8 March 25, 2010 Photochemical processes Ch. 9 March 30, 2010 Chemical kinetics Ch. 9 April 1, 2010 Oxygen chemistry in the stratosphere Ch. 10 April 6, 2010 Catalytic cycles for stratospheric ozone loss Ch. 10 April 8, 2010 The ozone hole Ch. 10 April 13, 2010 Tropospheric chemistry: sources, sinks, species Ch. 11 April 15, 2010 Oxidizing power of the atmosphere Ch. 11 April 20, 2010 Tropospheric ozone Ch. 11, 12 April 22, 2010 Tropospheric nitrogen oxides Ch. 11 April 27, 2010 Photochemical air pollution Ch. 12 April 29, 2010 Biosphere-atmosphere interactions Assigned May 4, 2010 Aerosol smog Ch. 8 May 6, 2010 Mercury Assigned |
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