"~201.4million" read as "about 201.4million"?

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Atmospheric Carbon Injection Linked to End-Triassic Mass Extinction

Micha Ruhl, Nina R. Bonis, Gert-Jan Reichart,

The end-Triassic massextinction (~201.4million yearsago),marked by terrestrialecosystemturnover and up to ~50% loss in marine biodiversity, has been attributed to intensified volcanic activity duringthebreak-upofPangaea.Here,wepresentcompound-specificcarbon-isotopedataoflong-chain n-alkanes derived from waxes ofland plants, showing a ~8.5 per mil negative excursion, coincident with the extinction interval. These data indicate strong carbon-13 depletion of the end-Triassic atmosphere,withinonly10,000to20,000years.Themagnitudeandrateofthiscarbon-cycledisruption
3
can be explained by the injection of at least ~12 × 10 gigatons of isotopically depleted carbon
as methane into the atmosphere. Concurrent vegetation changes reflect strong warming and an
enhancedhydrologicalcycle.Hence,end-Triassiceventsarerobustlylinkedtomethane-derivedmassive
carbonrelease and associated climate change.

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Type: Question • Score: 0 • Views: 387 • Replies: 8

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@oristarA,

Yes. Or "approximately".

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@JPB,

JPB wrote:

Yes. Or "approximately".

Thank you JPB.
There is a problem: how to read " a ~8.5 per mil negative excursion" ? "A about 8.5..." is not possible. What does "a" mean here?

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@oristarA,

it should have been "an approximate 8.5 per mil..."

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@JPB,

actually, I'm not sure how one would choose a/an in front of a number, but I would read it as preceding the ~ which has a beginning vowel sound and use "an"

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@JPB,

JPB wrote:

it should have been "an approximate 8.5 per mil..."

That's it!
We've caught a grammatical mistake in the world-famous Science magazine. Minor one though. Very Happy

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@oristarA,

Strictly speaking, the ~ symbol is incorrectly used here.

In mathematics and science:

= signifies equality
≈ signifies approximate equality

I would read aloud the ≈ symbol as "approximately" and thus use a vowel

"an approximately eight point five per mil negative excursion"

I believe that all of the authors are Dutch and not native English speakers.

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@JPB,

JPB wrote:

actually, I'm not sure how one would choose a/an in front of a number

We use the normal practice for articles preceding vowels and consonants.

A ten ton truck
An eleven mile drive
An eight per cent increase
A three hundred volt shock

1 Reply

@contrex,

We use the normal practice for articles preceding vowels and consonants.

Figures: a 10-ton truck
Read aloud as: a ten ton truck

Figures: an 11-mile drive
Read aloud as: an eleven mile drive

Figures and symbol: An 8% increase
Read aloud as: an eight per cent increase

Figures and symbol: a 300v shock
Figures: a 300 volt shock
Read aloud as: a three hundred volt shock
[/quote]

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"~201.4million" read as "about 201.4million"?

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