SPICA:revealing the hearts of galaxies and forming planetary systems : approach and US contributions

How did the diversity of galaxies we see in the modern Universe come to be? When and where did stars within them forge the heavy elements that give rise to the complex chemistry of life? How do planetary systems, the Universe's home for life, emerge from interstellar material? Answering these questions requires techniques that penetrate dust to reveal the detailed contents and processes in obscured regions. The ESA-JAXA Space Infrared Telescope for Cosmology and Astrophysics (SPICA) mission is designed for this, with a focus on sensitive spectroscopy in the 12 to 230 micron range. SPICA offers massive sensitivity improvements with its 2.5-meter primary mirror actively cooled to below 8 K. SPICA one of 3 candidates for the ESA's Cosmic Visions M5 mission, and JAXA has is committed to their portion of the collaboration. ESA will provide the silicon-carbide telescope, science instrument assembly, satellite integration and testing, and the spacecraft bus. JAXA will provide the passive and active cooling system (supporting the

The Apertif Surveys:The First Six Months

Apertif is a new phased-array feed for the Westerbork Synthesis Radio Telescope (WSRT), greatly increasing its field of view and turning it into a natural survey instrument. In July 2019, the Apertif legacy surveys commenced; these are a time-domain survey and a two-tiered imaging survey, with a shallow and medium-deep component. The time-domain survey searches for new (millisecond) pulsars and fast radio bursts (FRBs). The imaging surveys provide neutral hydrogen (HI), radio continuum and polarization data products. With a bandwidth of 300 MHz, Apertif can detect HI out to a redshift of 0.26. The key science goals to be accomplished by Apertif include localization of FRBs (including real-time public alerts), the role of environment and interaction on galaxy properties and gas removal, finding the smallest galaxies, connecting cold gas to AGN, understanding the faint radio population, and studying magnetic fields in galaxies. After a proprietary period, survey data products will be publicly available through the Apertif Long Term Archive (ALTA, https://alta.astron.nl). I will review the progress of the surveys and present the first results from the Apertif surveys, including highlighting the currently available public data

Proceedings of the 11th international conference on NDE in relation to structural integrity for nuclear and pressurized components

This Conference, the eleventh in a series on NDE in relation to structural integrity for nuclear and pressurized components, was held in Jeju Island, Korea, from 19th to 21st of May 2015. The scientific programme was co-produced by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, Institute for Energy and Transport (EC-JRC/IET). Previous conferences were held in Amsterdam in October 1998, New Orleans in May 2000, Seville in November 2001, London in December 2004, San Diego in May 2006, Budapest in October 2007, Yokohama in May 2009, Berlin in September 2010, Seattle in May 2012, and Cannes in October 2013. All were highly successful in the quality and scope of the technical programs and the number of attendees from all countries with an interest in the structural integrity of nuclear and pressurized components. The overall objectives of the Conference were to provide an up-to-date assessment of the development and application of NDE and to allow technical interchange between experts on an international basis. The Conference covered all aspects of this extremely important subject, with special regard to the links between structural integrity requirements and NDE performance. The development of improved NDE systems and methods was highlighted. Determination of NDE performance by development of qualification systems or performance demonstration, and experience of their use in practice was prominently featured.JRC.F.5-Nuclear Reactor Safety Assessmen

Proceedings of the 11th international conference on NDE in relation to structural integrity for nuclear and pressurized components

This Conference, the eleventh in a series on NDE in relation to structural integrity for nuclear and pressurized components, was held in Jeju Island, Korea, from 19th to 21st of May 2015. The scientific programme was co-produced by the European Commission’s Joint Research Centre, Institute for Energy and Transport (EC-JRC/IET). Previous conferences were held in Amsterdam in October 1998, New Orleans in May 2000, Seville in November 2001, London in December 2004, San Diego in May 2006, Budapest in October 2007, Yokohama in May 2009, Berlin in September 2010, Seattle in May 2012, and Cannes in October 2013. All were highly successful in the quality and scope of the technical programs and the number of attendees from all countries with an interest in the structural integrity of nuclear and pressurized components. The overall objectives of the Conference were to provide an up-to-date assessment of the development and application of NDE and to allow technical interchange between experts on an international basis. The Conference covered all aspects of this extremely important subject, with special regard to the links between structural integrity requirements and NDE performance. The development of improved NDE systems and methods was highlighted. Determination of NDE performance by development of qualification systems or performance demonstration, and experience of their use in practice was prominently featured.JRC.F.5-Nuclear Reactor Safety Assessmen

African Art and the New Humanism

The following essay examines African art in line with the philosophy of New Humanism, and how it fulfils human dignity and value. The relationship of man and his creator is examined through art, vis-à-vis religion and man’s constant search for the reason for being. The theory of creationism which attributes the existence of everything in the universe to the direct creative act of the Supreme Being, and presents man as the apex and pinnacle of God’s creation is discussed. New Humanism is discussed as it aims at reconciling people to the original humanism, the sort of humanism pursued by the Renaissance Humanists. The paper takes a careful look at African art as an art of culture, philosophy and personality, as realistic views of life expressed in the symbolic structure of the work of art, IMAGE being the link. African art is characteristically humanistic, as what constitutes arts is determined by its effect on man, either positively or negatively. The paper concludes that, in structure, African art can be seen to consist of the following features; belief and ancestors. It is important to note that outside of God, full human dignity and values cannot be realized