The First Public Release of South Pole Telescope Data: Maps of a 95 deg^2 Field from 2008 Observations

The South Pole Telescope (SPT) has nearly completed a 2500 deg^2 survey of the southern sky in three frequency bands. Here, we present the first public release of SPT maps and associated data products. We present arcminute-resolution maps at 150 GHz and 220 GHz of an approximately 95 deg^2 field centered at R.A. 82°.7, decl. –55°. The field was observed to a depth of approximately 17 μK arcmin at 150 GHz and 41 μK arcmin at 220 GHz during the 2008 austral winter season. Two variations on map filtering and map projection are presented, one tailored for producing catalogs of galaxy clusters detected through their Sunyaev-Zel'dovich effect signature and one tailored for producing catalogs of emissive sources. We describe the data processing pipeline, and we present instrument response functions, filter transfer functions, and map noise properties. All data products described in this paper are available for download at http://pole.uchicago.edu/public/data/maps/ra5h30dec-55 and from the NASA Legacy Archive for Microwave Background Data Analysis server. This is the first step in the eventual release of data from the full 2500 deg^2 SPT survey

Analysis of the Copenhagen Accord pledges and its global climatic impacts‚ a snapshot of dissonant ambitions

This analysis of the Copenhagen Accord evaluates emission reduction pledges by individual countries against the Accord's climate-related objectives. Probabilistic estimates of the climatic consequences for a set of resulting multi-gas scenarios over the 21st century are calculated with a reduced complexity climate model, yielding global temperature increase and atmospheric CO2 and CO2-equivalent concentrations. Provisions for banked surplus emission allowances and credits from land use, land-use change and forestry are assessed and are shown to have the potential to lead to significant deterioration of the ambition levels implied by the pledges in 2020. This analysis demonstrates that the Copenhagen Accord and the pledges made under it represent a set of dissonant ambitions. The ambition level of the current pledges for 2020 and the lack of commonly agreed goals for 2050 place in peril the Accord's own ambition: to limit global warming to below 2 °C, and even more so for 1.5 °C, which is referenced in the Accord in association with potentially strengthening the long-term temperature goal in 2015. Due to the limited level of ambition by 2020, the ability to limit emissions afterwards to pathways consistent with either the 2 or 1.5 °C goal is likely to become less feasibl

Some photometer results obtained on the NASA 1969 Airborne Auroral Expedition

The spectral features measured by a photometer onboard the Convair 990 Galileo, during the Auroral Expedition are given in tables. The measurements given cover flights 3 to 15

Policy-based management for body-sensor networks

Accepted versio

Spherically symmetric steady states of galactic dynamics in scalar gravity

The kinetic motion of the stars of a galaxy is considered within the framework of a relativistic scalar theory of gravitation. This model, even though unphysical, may represent a good laboratory where to study in a rigorous, mathematical way those problems, like the influence of the gravitational radiation on the dynamics, which are still beyond our present understanding of the physical model represented by the Einstein--Vlasov system. The present paper is devoted to derive the equations of the model and to prove the existence of spherically symmetric equilibria with finite radius.Comment: 13 pages, mistypos correcte

Program on Earth Observation Data Management Systems (EODMS)

An assessment was made of the needs of a group of potential users of satellite remotely sensed data (state, regional, and local agencies) involved in natural resources management in five states, and alternative data management systems to satisfy these needs are outlined. Tasks described include: (1) a comprehensive data needs analysis of state and local users; (2) the design of remote sensing-derivable information products that serve priority state and local data needs; (3) a cost and performance analysis of alternative processing centers for producing these products; (4) an assessment of the impacts of policy, regulation and government structure on implementing large-scale use of remote sensing technology in this community of users; and (5) the elaboration of alternative institutional arrangements for operational Earth Observation Data Management Systems (EODMS). It is concluded that an operational EODMS will be of most use to state, regional, and local agencies if it provides a full range of information services -- from raw data acquisition to interpretation and dissemination of final information products

The Impact of Volunteering on Seniors’ Health and Quality of Life: An Assessment of the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program

Past research suggests that senior citizens often face challenges related to deteriorating physical and men- tal health, and the quality of their lives may suffer as a result. Past research also suggests that volunteering can improve the health and quality of life for seniors. In the present study, 451 volunteers enrolled in the Retired and Senior Volunteer Program (RSVP) completed surveys including questions regarding their volunteer experiences and how these experiences have affected their health and quality of life. The results suggest that volunteering through RSVP is associated with improvements in health and quality of life across a variety of dimensions. Furthermore, these improvements may be particularly greater for women, current volunteers, and older seniors. These findings may help guide interventions designed to enhance the health and well-being of senior citizens in a variety of settings

A Randomized Trial Evaluating a Parent Based Intervention to Reduce College Drinking

This study evaluated the effectiveness of a parent based intervention (PBI) in reducing drinking among first year college students (N = 443). Students were assigned to one of three conditions: PBI, PBI plus booster brochures (PBI-B), and an assessment only control group (CNT). At a 4-month post-intervention follow-up, results indicated students in the PBI-B group reported significantly less drinking to intoxication and peak drinking relative to the PBI group and CNT group. No significant differences were found between the PBI group and CNT group. Results provide further support for PBIs to reduce college student drinking and suggest that a booster brochure increases the effectiveness of PBIs